Rashad rose from her seat and headed out of the Brig, turned right and entered the turbolift.

"Transporter room one." She announced. The turbolift hummed as it travelled through the vessel before opening the doors.

Rashad stepped out and walked across the hallway and into the transporter room.

Ensign Pix, a Bolian was at the transporter console. He acknowledged the Commander as she entered. "Commander, the Falcon has two crew ready to transport." He stated.

"Go ahead." Rashad ordered.

Two figures appeared on the transporter pads. The first was a Commander, dressed in the uniform of Starfleet Intelligence. The second was another human, but not in Starfleet uniform, instead he wore a simple black jacket, over a black sweater and black trousers. Although she didn’t recognise him, she knew from instinct that this man was from Section 31.

"Commander, we have a piece of cargo to bring across." The unidentified human stated.

Rashad looked at Ensign Pix, who nodded. "The Falcon has confirmed that the cargo is ready to transport."

The central transporter pad was filled with what appeared to be some kind of coffin. Beside it was a smaller box about half a metre square.

"If you could arrange for the transport pod to be taken to the Brig, I would appreciate it." The unidentified human requested. "Then I’d like to examine the device you found in the prisoners room."

"Of course Mister…" Rashad replied, fishing for information.

"I’m sorry Commander." The Commander said apologetically. I’m Commander Lexx and this is Mister Black.

*Definitely Section 31* Rashad thought.

"Rashad to Taline. Please could you meet us in science lab twelve." Rashad requested. "And we have a cargo pod in transporter room one which needs to be taken to the Imfirmary."

[Taline here. I’ll be there in five minutes.] Came the reply.

"This way gentlemen." Rashad stated.

Commander Lexx stepped up onto the transport pad and picked up the smaller box.

The three of them headed out of the transporter room, entering the turbo lift just as four crew arrived to take the cargo pod to the Infirmary.

Five minutes later, Rashad, Taline, Commander Lexx and Mister Black were all standing in science lab twelve. Black was studying the vest closely, concentrating on what Taline had assumed was the control system.

"It seems to be some kind of personal shield system, but I couldn’t make it work." Taline remarked. "The only thing I managed to get to work was the power source."

Taline picked up a ‘beer can’ sized package from another part of the desk. "We found this attached to the lighting circuitry. It appears to be full charged now, but I’ve estimated that it would take nearly two months to full charge this. However, any larger drain on the power grid would have set off the alarms I set in place. This guy was clever. I just wish Starfleet had this kind of technology, that one small cell has more power stored in it than five phasers." Taline remarked.

Black was silent, then pulled out a tricorder and started to scan the vest.

"Commander Lexx, your suspicions are confirmed. This is Shepherd technology, probably from the…" Black started to report, then realising that what he was telling the Commander was still very much a secret.

"Shepherd technology ?" Taline enquired.

"That’s classified." Commander Lexx stated, taking the power cell from Taline.

Black placed the tricorder down on the table and picked up the vest, opening the box they’d brought with them and placed it inside. He then took the power cell from Commander Lexx and after placing it inside the box, closed and sealing it.

Taline took a quick look at the tricorder readings, until Black picked it up again. But Taline had seen what he needed to see and resolving to talk to the Commander later.

"Right, go to the Infirmary and take a look at the prisoner." Black announced.

"This way." Rashad stated.

"If that all Commander, I’d like to get back to engineering." Taline requested.

"Of course." Rashad replied.

Ten minutes later, the three remaining member of the group arrived in sickbay. The cargo box that had come aboard with the visitors had been brought down from the transporter room.

The EMH was still active and was sat in the office analysing the data on Ensign Joka.

"Can we have the prisoner transported to here." Black asked.

"Rashad to transporter room one. Transport the prisoner into the isolation ward. Have security assign two guards at the door."

[Understood.] Ensign Pix replied.

Moments later, Joka was lying on the examination table. Black ran his tricorder over Ensign Joka, whilst Commander Lexx started to open up the cargo pod. Now that it was open, it was obvious that it was some kind of stasis pod, large enough to contain a body. The odd thing was the shielding, the sides of the pod being over three centimetres thick, the base and lid both about the same. The whole thing was now sitting on anti-grav plates, one at each corner, this pod was heavy.

After a few minutes, Black had finished his scans and looked at Commander Lexx.

"Can you explain his condition ?" The EMH asked.

"Classiifed." Black replied. "All I can tell you is that he’s been exposed to a rare form of radiation."

"Radiation. Are the rest of the crew at risk ?" The EMH enquired a note of panic in his voice.

"No. He was probably exposed about ten years ago." Black replied. "I’ve seen this kind of exposure before, it can remain dormant for years, then something triggers the reaction and this is the result. The pod should stabiles his condition until we can reach a specialist medical facility."

"Will he be harmed ?" The EMH asked.

"The pod has an independent life-support system that’s designed to last for upto a month, but we need to put the Ensign into the pod now." Black replied. "Every second we wait, the less likely we can do anything. Doctor would you please do the honours."

The EMH walked through the forcefield and picked up the light Ensign, lifting him off the table and carrying him over to the pod. Before the Ensign could react or protest, the lid was closed and sealed. The pod started to hum.

"Now if you’d have the pod taken to the main hanger, I believe we have a shuttle waiting for us." Commander Lexx requested.

Commander Rashad walked outside the infirmary and beckoned the two security officers who were now stationed either side of the door and ordered them to escort the cargo pod to the hanger deck.

"Thank you for your time Commander." Commander Lexx stated as the two visitors followed.