ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot had to quickly step back to avoid running into another crewman. Everywhere in engineering, people were rushing from one console to another, climbing up and down ladders, and crawling in and out of jeffries tubes.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I'm gone five minutes and everything goes to the fiery pits of Rehom."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He looked around and saw a console that was both by itself and unattended. He decided to grab it while it was free--after all, he didn't want some first-year engineer asking him stupid questions just because a lieutenant commander had chosen a console next to theirs.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He stepped up to the console and glanced over the status report. It appeared there was a misalignment in one of the EPS relays; it certainly wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ As Nicot finished reviewing the readings and was about to change the display, the console beeped all by itself. His hand hovered an inch or two from the key surface. He looked over the display and noticed a small text message had popped up. It said:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Qui3t. don't Say anything.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot was confused at first. Who would send a message to...? Then the realization dawned on him. He hadn't heard from anyone in Section 31 since his official welcome. Now it looked as if they needed him again. He only wished they'd chosen a more private place to contact him.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He looked over his shoulder at Guitarrez who was working nearby. She glanced up and smiled at him just before an ensign walked up to her with a report. While she was looking over its contents, Nicot tried to put himself between Guitarrez and the console, then immediately realized how suspicious it looked, and tried to relax.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The text changed:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Report to your quarters. Immediately!

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot took a step back from the console and was relieved to see the message disappear. He looked over at Guitarrez, still busy speaking with the ensign--maybe she wouldn't notice him leave. He started walking towards the door.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Nicot?" Guitarrez called out.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot turned to face her, though he had no idea of what he would say.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "QuÈ malo? Where are you going?" she prompted ardently.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I'm...feeling...unwell--I thought I'd take some time off."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Guitarrez's face bore an expression of magnified confusion. "Take some time off?! How sick are you? In case you hadn't noticed, we're pretty busy right now. We have a ton of work to do."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He held up his hands and gestured anxiously. "Listen, I'm really, really, not feeling well.Ý If I stick around, I'm just going to make mistakes."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Guitarrez frowned, shaking her head. She looked at him for a minute; Nicot avoided looking her in the eyes.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Bueno," she said finally, shrugging her shoulders. "If you're really not up to it, then go ahead. But a heads up would be nice, instead of just leaving. You should go visit Arona in sickbay--have her fix you up as soon as possible.Ý I can't afford to be down a person."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot tried not to sigh with relief. "Ah...yeah, I'll do that."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ With T'Senishra busy modifying the sensors, Knight decided he would speak to this Professor Pheck himself. It only took a few minutes to find his lab, and when he had, Knight walked in without pause.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nolon Pheck was an elfish sort of a man with pink skin and an almost rigid, leathery beak. When he saw Knight enter, his shoulders slumped. "What do you want now?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight stopped short, momentarily thrown off-balance. "I'm Captain Xanthus Knight from the USS Phantom. I haven't spoken to you before."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Pheck shrugged, dismissively waving a hand at him. "I apologize. You all look alike. What do you want?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight was uncertain if he had ever met anyone so exceptionally obnoxious. The trick would be not killing him. Knight smiled instead. "I'm here to help find your missing weapon."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Pheck seemed to stifle a chuckle. "Ah...good.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "All we need is more help. You can never have too much help."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight clasped his hands, safely behind his back while Pheck looked back from beneath creased eyebrows. "Much more Starfleet help," Pheck continued, exasperated, "and I'll be lucky to get off this station alive!"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "You're not confident we'll be able to locate the weapon?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "How can I be? You're the same people who lost it in the first place. If it weren't for your obvious incompetence..." He paused, giving a nasty glare and nod that were exaggerated by his beak and craning neck.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I would still have the prototype.Ý Not that it's a complete loss," he continued, waving his hands dramatically, "After all, now the leadership will have to acknowledge that it was a mistake to contact your military for help.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I have worked on this weapon for four years--far too long for someone else to take the credit. Now that I am close to perfecting it, it will then be you who asks us for help."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight's gaze was steady. "And if we find it?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nolon Pheck's eyes narrowed as he looked at Knight, and his nasty glare returned. "With all...due respect...I don't think that's likely to happen."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight now knew he had to find the weapon. There was no other way he would be able to shove it where it belonged.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot saw it before the door to his quarters had a chance to close behind him.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Oh frack."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The door closed.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He didn't bother to scan it; there was really no point. True, Nicot had never seen one before, but somehow he knew an experimental prototype Dihassium-plasma torpedo, when he saw one.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Frack!"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ There was a PADD and a small round device sitting on the coffee table. He gingerly walked to the table and picked up the PADD. Text began to appear on it:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Is it safe to assume you know what this is then?

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The words faded off the small transparent screen almost as quickly as they appeared.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Yes," Nicot answered, his voice gaining volume as he spoke, "Yes, that's a fracking good assumption! Frack!"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I can't believe you did this. I can't believe you stole what, very shortly, was going to be Federation property anyway. And I can't believe you were stupid enough to hide it in my quarters!"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The PADD chimed once:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ I'm sorry.Ý I didn't realize your quarters were sound proofed.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Reading that stopped Nicot cold--his quarters weren't sound proofed and he knew it. How many times had he walked past peoples quarters and heard bits and pieces of normal conversations. And just now, he'd been yelling. What if someone had heard him? What if they figured out that he had...?

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The PADD chimed, drawing his attention:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Relax. You were lucky. No one was in earshot...THIS time.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ DO NOT lose your temper again, Agent.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Do you see the fitting device on the table?

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot picked up the 'fitting device' and examined it carefully. It was rather small and round--reminding Nicot of a spinning top, only not as large. The top surface was smooth with only a couple of grooves cut into it; those appeared to be just decorative. On the bottom however, there seemed to be a funnel with a shutter at the end. At first he thought it resembled a volcano, but it was too short.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I've got it," he finally said.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The text appeared immediately:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Good. Now hold it up against your ear.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot's mother had always said, 'Never put anything in your ear that is smaller than your elbow.' He had reasonably followed this rule and still had hearing in both ears. He eyed the PADD dubiously. "You mean put it in my ear?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The message on the PADD changed again:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Yes, then I can explain.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Cautiously Nicot held it close to his ear and waited...

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nothing seemed to be happening.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ He pulled it away from his ear and looked it over again; it seemed inert. He wondered if it might be some type of radio-feed speaker. He put it near his ear again, only this time, a bit closer.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ There was a sudden, sharp, stabbing sensation in Nicot's ear. He threw down the PADD and fitting device, clawing desperately at the pain in his ear.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot fell to the floor, knocking over the coffee table in the process. He writhed on the floor--his teeth grinding together--his face twisting in agony and progressively turning a darker shade of blue. He continued to claw desperately at his ear to no avail. At any minute he thought he might rip it off...

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ There was something inside his head. The awareness registered as he could both feel and hear it. Abruptly the pain was gone and Nicot, lying on his side on the floor, his chest heaving, was left wondering exactly what was happening to him.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "There's nothing to worry about Agent," a familiar female voice said inside Nicot's ear."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ At the sound of the door to her office opening, Captain Zelenta Rith looked up from her desk terminal.Ý A broad smile crossed her countenance as she saw who her visitor was.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Captain Knight," Rith greeted cordially, "I'm glad you're here."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I've been wanting to thank you and your crew for all your help." She locked eyes with him, the sincerity obvious in her eyes. "I don't think you realize what your being here has done for the morale around here. It's a welcome break that my crew has been due for. If there's anything I can do for you in return..."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Captain Rith--" Knight began.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "No, no...please, call me Zel."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ The corners of Knight's lips crept upwards as he started again, "Zel, you should know that I came here in search of members of the Orion Syndicate. I'm trying to track down the organization and bring it to...at least some of the justice they deserve."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "But you didn't find what you expected, and you hope I can help clear things up," Rith amended.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight nodded. "Using echolocation to track pathways in my brain?" he quipped.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Oh no," she replied, shaking her head, "I heard that one from the Red Ash."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "The Red Ash?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "A joke--a children's story based on ancient Menayen history. As for the Syndicate..." Rith raised her eyebrows, "I'm not sure I can help you there. As far as I know, the last time they were seen in this sector was over ten years ago. The law enforcement agencies of the local systems started linking their databases, signed extradition treaties, and began to work together on cases.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Organized crime almost throughout the sector was effectively eliminated. In the five years I've been here, I haven't had to deal with them at all. They know better than to come here."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight's momentary cheer disappeared at that--it was quite probably the last thing he'd wanted to hear. But what was even worse, for some reason it didn't surprise him at all...

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot, still lying on the ground, was just getting his breath back--but there was no hiding the anger when he spoke, "I see you're still disguising your voice."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "You'll know who I am soon enough."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot scowled. "You said you'd explain, so explain. Why are we doing this? The Federation was going to get the weapon anyway."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "It's not just a weapon. It's configured as a bomb designed to detonate once it's inside the Daystrom Institute. Thus destroying a vital part of Starfleet's research and development program."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot shook his head uncertainly. "Why would the Emcrozi want to destroy the Daystrom Institute? They want us to help them defend against the Borg."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Most of them do," the voice replied evenly. "Almost all simulations indicate that the Emcrozi would not survive a Borg attack. However, a very small percentage of the population believes that they and their coalition can defeat the Borg.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "One of those is Neetec Farjsha, the Emcrozi president--a man who will become just another planetary leader after most of the military he currently commands is incorporated into Starfleet. He has a lot to lose in terms of power, but is under intense pressure from his ministers who have a more realistic view of their chances."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "So he organized the bomb?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "No. That was Nolon Pheck, the scientist--he's quite vocal on his views about Emcrozi independence and is blindly loyal to Farjsha. He no doubt suspects that we have discovered his plot, but we can't allow him to know.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "We need to get the weapon to a secure research facility so that we can study it safely."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Nicot's brain refused to think clearly about the situation, but it was a moot point--he didn't have time to think about it now. Whatever happened, the device certainly couldn't stay where it was.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight groaned and shook his head slowly. If the Syndicate wasn't involved then who--and why had Rionoj claimed otherwise? Knight looked up at Rith. "Thank you Zel..." He turned to leave, but Rith stopped him.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Hang on. If you'll wait a moment, you'll get a chance to meet Forth Minister Trassik."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Who?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "He's the head of the Emcrozi delegation here at the station."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight gazed at Rith warily. "I'm not sure that--"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Rith stifled a laugh, interpreting Knight's uncertainty. "Relax, Trassik is a lot more open-minded than Pheck. The minister has been a driving force on his home planet for increased ties with the Federation. Without his help the prototype probably wouldn't have gotten this far."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ At that moment, a tall humanoid dressed in what was clearly some manner of ceremonial clothing walked in the door. He was followed by four others who were all dressed in plain dark robes to emphasize the position of the man in front. Unlike Pheck, Trassik's skin was more of a blue-ish color with purple highlights, though he had the same leathery beak.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Greetings, Captain Rith," Minister Trassik said, making some sort of acknowledgment with his hands.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "And to you as well," Rith replied returning the gesture, before turning back to Knight. "Captain Knight, meet Forth Minister Trassik, head of the Emcrozi delegation. Forth Minister, may I present my colleague Captain Xanthus Knight from the Starship Phantom. He's offered to help in our attempts to find the device and bring the thieves to justice."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Trassik repeated the same elaborate gesture for Knight. "On behalf of my people, I thank you Captain. I will pray for your success." The rows of scales jutting out of his skin that served as his eyebrows were raised eagerly. "Do you really believe there is a chance that our prototype will be found?"

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Knight's expression was one of curiosity. It was mirrored by Rith.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I certainly hope so, Minister. All available resources are being used," Knight answered judiciously.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "I'm afraid Professor Pheck is not so optimistic. Do not misunderstand me Captains; I hope the device is found--that my people are accepted into your Federation. What friends I still have in the military tell me, even with all our current allies, in any sustained conflict against the Borg my people have no hope.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "The Federation alone, we know, have fought them and survived. If we too wish to survive, we will need your help."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Rith responded with alacrity, "The Federation will not deny your application because the weapon was lost. In fact, from what I've seen your planet is tantamount to a perfect candidate for Federation membership."

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "Except what if we should not submit an application because the weapon was lost? I alone do not make the decisions; I am only the forth of many advisors. The president is a good man--but he's too proud to realize the danger our people are in.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ "First Minister Wacoona and I have tried to convince him countless times. He listens, but he refuses to commit himself to any timetable." The minister sighed and his shoulders slumped. "In the face of a failure like this, I cannot hope to sway him. I now fear that some of my fellow ministers may even choose to withdraw their support."