Lieutenant ASHER had been monitoring the shuttle's journey back towards the Leviathan, the slow speed indicating that they had successfully acquired a genuine quantum crystal. If the deal had been off and the shuttle was returning with the ore instead, the Captain would have give him a signal. That signal would mean ASHER was to attack the Marauder.

Whist Commander Oakenshield had been away, things aboard the ISS Leviathan had been calm for once. Although most of the crew respected Commander Oakenshield, very few trusted her. Many believed that she had been directly responsible for the demise of Captain Devore, who although a tough Captain had been fair with the crew. Oakenshield 'ruled' the ship with an iron fist, using terror as her sword, supported by her first officer.

"Lieutenant." A young Ensign remarked from the operations console. "Could you come and look at these readings."

Ensign Head was new to the crew of the Leviathan, this trip had been his first assignment after leaving the Terran training base. ASHER rose from the command chair and walked across to the young Ensign's console. He could have checked the reading from his seat or even interfaced directly with the ships systems, but he 'felt' that he needed to show some leadership.

"It looks like some sort of sub-space distortion." ASHER remarked.

"Lieutenant." Lieutenant Carpenter announced from the tactical console. "The Ferengi vessel has just raised it's shields. It looks like the shuttle has done the same."

"Sir, look." Head commented, pointing back at the console. "There's another vessel emerging from sub-space."

"Red Alert." ASHER ordered, moving quickly back to the command chair. "Raise shields, bring all weapon system online and target the new vessel. Try and raise the shuttle."

"All sub-space communication is being jammed." Carpenter announced. "The new vessel is attempting to manoeuvre between us and the shuttle. It looks like they intend to cut the shuttle off from returning home. Sir, the Marauder has just fired on the shuttle."

"Target the Marauder, all weapons." ASHER ordered.

A stream of phaser fire and photon torpedoes shot away from the ISS Leviathan and just missing the shuttle, hitting the Ferengi vessel in several places. Several explosions rippled off the hull of the Marauder, but caused little damage.

"Sir, we're receiving a sub-space message." Head announced.

"Who from, the Captain, the Ferengi ?" ASHER enquired.

"Neither, this is coming from the other vessel." Head announced. "They are asking for us to surrender or they will destroy the shuttle."

"The vessel has locked all their weapons on the shuttle." Carpenter reported. "They wouldn't stand a chance."

"What's the status of the shuttle ?" ASHER enquired.

"The attack by the Marauder disabled their impulse engines, they are running on thrusters only." Head reported. "They're also venting plasma from the starboard nacelle, they could achieve warp, but if they keep venting their ability to do so will diminish fast."

ASHER sat back in the command chair, running various scenarios through his matrix looking for another answer.

"Carpenter, could be tractor the shuttle into the bay." ASHER asked.

"Yes, but not from this distance." Carpenter replied. "We'd need to be within a hundred K to be able to use the tractor emitters. But if we we're to make any attempt to rescue the shuttle, wouldn't the other vessels attack ?"

"What if we made a quick warp jump." ASHER said. "Could we 'scoop' the shuttle up into the forward bay and leave."

"It's madness." Carpenter announced. "The calculations are astronomical, we could end up crashing into the shuttle or overshooting and hitting the Marauder."

"But can it be done." ASHER asked.

"Yes." Carpenter replied. "But we'd need to modify the tractor emitters and the targeting systems to compensate for the sub-space wake we'd create."

"How long ?" ASHER asked.

"A couple of minutes." Carpenter replied. "Maybe less."

"Do it." ASHER ordered. "Head, let's see if we can't get us some time. ISS Leviathan to unknown vessel, we are prepared to surrender. What are your terms ?"