Captain Taybar walked from her quarters and out to the very edge of Starfleet headquarters. The previous evening's meal had been the best thing that had happened in the last few years. She'd been able to relax and forget all the problems she had, if just for an evening. Having Chu around to talk to had allowed both of them to relax, it was going to good to work with her close friend.

Finally she arrived at the dry-dock facility and entered the large building. Inside she noticed several shuttles, from transport pods to a Danube class runabout, this facility was Starfleet Commands' high security hanger. Although most of the vessels were standard, many had been adapted. Then she saw the largest vessel in the hanger, stood away from the rest of the vessels.

Briskly walking towards the Hellcat she admired both its size and construction. She'd read the schematics for the vessel and knew that it was originally one of the Leviathan's two Danube class runabouts. Then it had been developed to perform as an escort fighter and was now twice the size of the originally vessel. She also knew that it had recently been upgraded with new hull armour, a micro-slipstream drive, upgraded weapons and most importantly a Federation cloaking device. However, nothing had full prepared her for the sight of the actual vessel.

Stepping inside she looked around the corridors and then headed for the command deck. The door was already open and she silently stepped inside. The deck was busy as the crew prepared the Hellcat to leave. At the helm position was a Lieutenant who Aki hadn't met, but knew would have to be Rick Shale, sat beside him at the forward operations console was the Cardassian Dukal.

"Welcome aboard." A voice said. Aki looked around towards the direction of the voice. The hologram ASHER was sat at the second tactical station looking over the Hellcat's weapon systems.

Then Chu rose from the command chair and smiled at his friend. "Captain. We have about an hour before we'll be ready to leave, would you like a quick tour ?"

"Commander. Yes." Aki replied.

"Let's start with the mess, I think the rest of the crews having breakfast." Chu commented.

The two walked back down the corridor and then entered the crew mess, which was not a large room and consisted of a single long table.
"Looks more like a briefing room than a mess." Aki commented.

"Actually, it doubles as both." Chu replied.

There were four crew sat at the table all eating, Ensign Oakenshield she already knew, but there were two other officers, one in blue the other in gold. The final person sat at the table was a Vulcan female in a Federation unitard.

"Captain, can I introduce Lieutenant Fyrelyn Katts, our chief medical officer and Lieutenant James Redburn one of the Leviathan's engineers." Chu stated. "And this… is advisor i-T'Kul t'Rashad."

Aki stopped and stared for a brief moment, realising the significance of the name. "A Romulan ?" She remarked.

"Romulan, Bajoran to be precise Captain." t'Rashad replied confidently.

"I'm sorry Captain." Chu apologised. "Only a handful of people outside the crew of the Leviathan know of the 'existence' of advisor t'Rashad and her companion. We will have time to brief you fully when we're underway, but for now I will just say that they are from the mirror universe and were somehow 'transported' onto the Leviathan. They've since been helping us with the preparation to fight the ISS Leviathan and its crew."

"I was wondering how come Starfleet had so much detailed information about the mirror vessel." Aki remarked. "I guess now I know why."

"Captain, I hate to have to ask this." Doctor Katts said. "But I'd like to perform a full examination."

"I had a complete physical two months ago." Aki replied. "That should be on my medical records."

"They are." Fyrelyn replied. "But this is at the request of Lieutenant Dukal and Lieutenant Commander Barker Captain."

Aki looked across at Chu. "I'm sorry Captain, but that's another thing you've not been briefed on. We've asked Commander t'Kul to produce a full report when we get back to the Leviathan. However, she discovered that one of the crew was actually an impostor. I don't have the full details, but it would appear that Ensign Joka was a Romulan sent to obtain details on the Leviathan's slipstream technology. He arrived onboard from DS9 just before the Barien war and it looks like he achieved his goals."

"And you want to confirm my identity." Aki replied, smiling slightly. "So that you can rule me out as another Romulan spy."

"We're checking out the entire crew." Chu replied. "Plus everyone aboard is being fitted with a unique isolinear tag to aid quick identification."
"Quite a high level of concern." Aki commented.

"Ensign Joka has been responsible for the deaths of at least three and possibly upto six member of the Leviathan's crew." Chu replied defensively. "Most were our friends."

"I'm sorry Commander." Aki replied. "Then I guess the Doctor's going to be 'conducting' the next phase of the tour."

"I'll get back to the command deck and see you there when the Doctor's finished." Chu remarked, turning and heading out of the mess.

"Shall we get this done ?" Aki enquired of the Doctor.

"Out of the door and turn left." Katts replied, rising from her own seat and following the Captain.

Half an hour later, Captain Taybar arrived back on the command deck, rubbing her neck where the Doctor had injected the isolinear tag. Ensign Oakenshield was now sat at the forward tactical station, with Shale and Dukal at the helm and operations consoles beside her. ASHER was now sat the engineering console, monitoring the Hellcat's systems.

"All systems are green Commander." Shale confirmed.

"Prepare to move out." Chu replied, noticing that the Captain had arrived on the deck. He rose from the command chair and offered it to the Captain.

"Commander, as I understand it, Admiral Devore placed you in command of the Hellcat until your return to the Leviathan." Aki remarked. "I see no reason to change those orders, so until we arrive back at the Leviathan, you will retain your command."

Chu sat back down. "Captain, if I'm to remain in command, would you like to take the science station." He offered. "We're just about ready to leave."

Aki moved across to the science station and sat down.

"Hellcat to hanger control, we are ready to leave." Chu requested.

[Hanger control to Hellcat. You are cleared to leave.] Came the reply.

"Mister Shale, take us out." Chu ordered.

A few minutes later, the Hellcat was back out in space and heading out of the Sol system.

"Set a course for Vulcan." Chu ordered.

"Course laid in Commander." Shale replied.
Chu looked across at the Captain. "Get ready for the jump to Slipstream Captain, the first time always gets to people. Mister Shale, take us into the stream."

Ahead of the small vessel a slipstream vortex started to form and then pulled the Hellcat in. Seconds later, they were fully in the slipstream.

"Wow." Aki remarked at the sight outside the vessel.

"We'll be at Vulcan is three hours Commander." Shale reported.