Episode 7-003

Following the necessary emergency repairs to the holodecks and many of the primary computer systems, Rashad finally had the time to deal with the unruly new Intelligence Officer whose misdeeds had caused all the trouble. Having carefully reviewed Ensign Morriden's file in the Starfleet Intelligence Database, the Romulan-Bajoran felt her Vulcanoid eyebrows rise as, with a sigh, she deactivated the secondary communication lockdown and reached for her combadge: "Rashad to Ensign Morriden, report to my office on the double!"

[Yes, Commander,] came the unswayed and insubordinate voice of the Human Ensign through the combadge channel.

Very soon the door to the office chimed.

"Enter!" She ordered as the door swooshed open and the Intelligence Officer's figure appeared in the doorway.

His demeanor was proud, and he appeared to be unconcerned with what was going to happen to him: "What can I do for you, Commander Rashad? Or, shall I say Officer 25007?"

T'Kul's eyebrows rose again. "I suggest you give me a good explanation of what happened to the ship's computer systems, Ensign. Unless, of course, you want to be stripped of all your privileges and locked up in the brig," her tone was soft yet uncompromising, in a true Romulan style. And, like a good Section 31 operative, she immediately turned her attention to security: "Computer, initiate secondary communication lockdown!"

"T'Kul Beta 4-6-2."

"Now, Ensign," she turned to the towering Human who was almost as tall as her. "What the Hell did you do to the ship's systems?"

"I am not an Ensign, Commander!" Morriden's voice sounded at once disrespectful of her rank and arrogant. "I am a Captain in Section 31. I am Officer 201, and you are under my command here, Officer 25007!"

*Just as I thought, * thought Rashad, realizing her earlier suspicions about Morriden had been correct.

"What is your mission? Why did you attempt to destroy the ship?" The Romulan-Bajoran was relentless.

"My mission is what yours should be, 25007," he approached her desk and leaned over slightly, to tower over the First Officer, "to prevent the crew of USS Leviathan from discovering the portal into the fluidic space that is situated in this sector. The Federation is not ready to face the inhabitants of the fluidic space. They are very aggressive, and their technology is by far superior to that of the Federation..." Morriden started pacing around. "Unfortunately, Rashad, I have failed to do what I had been ordered: despite the malfunctions, the Leviathan is about to enter the fluidic space and its discovery by the aliens is imminent. I need to destroy the ship before it happens, but I cannot do it alone. You are a hacker- that is why you were recruited in the first place. I need your help to destabilize the central core of the computer mainframe to cause it to autodestruct. You are with the Section as well: you are one of us. Will you help me on this mission?"

*Dirty tricks again, * T'Kul could not help thinking. *Is this operative a follower of the now long dead Admiral Beard? *

As quickly as she could, and before the stunned Intelligence Officer could react, Rashad reached out from her desk with a pair of manacles swiftly closing around Morriden's wrists. As the Human struggled and tried to attack her, she deactivated the secondary communications lockdown and tapped her combadge. "Rashad to security, send a team to my office immediately!" And, as they replied, she tapped the combadge once more. "Rashad to Captain Devore, I need to see you in my office immediately, Captain.