"Approaching the Telerais System, dropping out of warp," Iv'Oor stated from the Helm.

"Sir, I'm getting five Tzenkathi vessels just entering sensor range," reported Rojc.

"Details?" asked Knight.

"They appear to conform to the standard Tzenkath cruiser specification," answered Rojc tentatively, "But they might be the reported Type IV configuration. Difficult to tell at this range."

"Have they detected us yet?" queried T'Senishra.

Rojc shook his head. "We're well outside their sensor radius."

"Mr. Iv'Oor, by how much will we beat the Tzenkathi to Telerais V?"

Iv'Oor tapped at her console. "Looks like we should arrive about twenty three minutes before they do."

"We'll be on their sensors in no less than ten minutes," added Nicot, "Though if we bring the Stealth-sensor array on-line, we can be settled into orbit before they detect us."

Knight nodded. "Understood. Bring the array on-line and take us to Yellow Alert."

"We should make contact with the Archaeological team and tell them to secure their camp," suggested T'Senishra.

"Agreed, First," responded Knight, "Hail the planet, Mr. Nicot."

"Aye sir." Nicot entered in the appropriate commands and the communication relay transmitted its signal to the planet. Nicot paused as he waited for a response.

Nicot frowned. "No response from the planet, sir."

"They should be able to receive us," warned T'Senishra.

"Mr. Rojc, take us to Red Alert and begin a full sensor sweep on the system," ordered Knight immediately, "Looks like someone may have arrived before us."

Rojc's hands flew over the Tactical console has he initiated the scan. Moments later, nothing unusual was detected. "I'm not finding any indications of another ship already in the system, sir. I'm not getting completely clear readings on Telerais V's far side, but if there is a vessel hiding there, it'd have to be fairly small--less than half the size of the Phantom."

"What about cloaked ships?"

"No indications."

Knight surveyed the sensor data on the display on his arm chair. "Mr. Iv'Oor, how long until we establish an orbit?"

"Three minutes, thirty-two seconds," she reported.

"We're already in the interior part of the system, which will cut down on our manueverability," Knight began quietly, almost to himself.

"So when would be the time when we're most vulnerable to an attack?" said Rojc, finishing Knight's thought.

"Right before we enter into orbit," judged Iv'Oor, "Less manueverability, and our sensors will be the weakest, adjusting to the planet's atmosphere."

"That would be my guess too," added Nicot, "Granted our manueverabilty will be further compromised once we've established orbit, our sensors would have adjusted to any interference, and we'd have a clearer view of the far side of the planet."

Knight leaned back in his chair contemplatively. "No..." he trailed off and turned back to the sensor data. "That would be too obvious."

T'Senishra looked up from her own arm chair display. "Commander Rojc--do you see that clump of asteroids about 1200 kilometers off starboard?"

Rojc took another look at the sensors. "Yep." It took a moment longer before it clicked. "Ah ha! Captain, permission to test a theory?"

Knight glanced at Rojc warily, knowing what he had in mind. "Don't miss," he answered glibbly.

Rojc smirked and locked a spread of torpedoes on the asteroids. With a press of a button, the quantum torpedoes launched towards their target.

The Bridge was silent in anticipation.

The torpedoes hit their target with perfect accuracy, dissolving the asteroids into a fine debris--debris which revealed a cloaked ship.

Knight stood up. "Mr. Iv'Oor, bring us around to face that ship. Mr. Nicot--don't lose sight of her."

"It's decloaking..." reported Rojc hesitantly. He stared at his display. "Configuration unknown--but it looks like it could be Breen. It's powering weapons."

Knight jerked his head towards Rojc. "Hail them! Now!"

"No response," notified Nicot.

The mysterious vessel soared past the Phantom, firing all of its weapons. The Phantom shook violently from the salvo.

The Bridge lights wavered. Knight returned to his seat.

"Shields down to 47%! They're using some kind of photonic-based weaponry," Rojc shouted over the alarm klaxon.

"Reading serious hull degradation where we took hits," added Nicot.

Knight glanced at the Tactical display. It was a rounded, boxy, green ship a fourth the size of the Phantom. He frowned as he recognized a detail in the ship's signature revealing it to be affiliated with the Orion Syndicate. "Mr. Iv'Oor, attack pattern Delta. Mr. Nicot, Stealth sensor array to battle status. Mr. Rojc--disable them if possible, but I want them crippled."

Rojc was slightly taken aback by Knight's order, but didn't let it interfere. He watched as the enemy paused, befuddled by the readings the Phantom was putting out. His fingers danced over the controls to the phaser cannon.

A full-powered blast from the phaser cannon struck the little ship, catapulting it violently away from the Phantom, the ship obviously out of control.

Rojc gawked at the readings of the vessel. It had taken serious damage, but it was not disabled. "Direct hit. It's shields are at 14%. Looks like its shields and weapons took serious damage."

"How did a ship that small survive that blast?" asked T'Senishra increduously.

"It's regained flight control--making a run for it."

"Stop it, Commander!" ordered Knight excitedly, "Mr. Nicot, tag it in case it cloaks."

Nicot shook his head as Rojc slammed his fist against his console. "They're gone."

"I've got no reading on them--that's one hell of a cloak," added Iv'Oor.

"I've never seen a Breen ship like that," said Rojc, "It doesn't conform to anything we know about Breen tech."

Knight was scowling. "Mr. Iv'Oor, take us back to the planet and put us in orbit." He stood up and moved to tactical. "It might not be Breen," began Knight, pointing at a specific readout from the enemy vessel they had just engaged, "That's an Orion Syndicate code--but I forget what exactly that one means."

"Orion Syndicate?" asked Nicot, "I've never heard of them being involved in anything like this--its supposed to be beyond their capabilities."

"Normally, I'd agree with you," replied Knight, shaking his head, "But with a ship like that, its easy to see why they'd be trying to get a peice of the action here."

"Orbit established," Iv'Oor notified Knight.

"I've already scanned the primary camp," stated T'Senishra, "There's some kind of scattering field set up. It looks as if they may have secured the site."

Knight continued to scowl. "I assume the Tzenkathi noticed that little scuffle?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," answered Rojc, "They're only about twenty minutes away."

"Commander Rojc, assemble your security teams and beam down to the planet. Do what ever you have to to take back that dig site," ordered Knight. He looked at T'Senishra, "First, join the away teams."

Rojc balked. "Sir, you may need your bridge crew against those Tzenkath cruisers."

"Guitarrez and her staff can supplement the bridge crew while you're gone--now on your way," Knight replied firmly.

T'Senishra, Rojc, Iv'Oor, and Nicot stood up and walked to the turbolift. Rojc tapped his commbadge on the way. "Rojc to Security--assemble all Security teams in full gear."

Knight looked after his officers as they left. He turned his attention to the lieutenant at Mission OPS and Science I. "Mr. Sanas, take over at Tactical. Mr. Senel, take the Helm and break orbit as soon as all the Security teams are on the surface," ordered Knight. He paused as the officers scrambled to their postings. "Bring us to 100,000 kilometers from the planet and hold position." He tapped his comm-badge. "Knight to Engineering."

"Guitarrez here."

"Commander, I'm going to need you up here at OPS. Notify the department heads that we need Mission OPS, Engineering, and Science I."

"Sir, if that last battle was any indication, I could be needed down here."

"Right now I need you up here, Commander. Nicot is beaming down with the rest of the Security Detail."

There was an audible sigh over the comm-link. "I'll be right up sir. Guitarrez out."

Knight moved back to his command chair. "Knight to Sickbay."

"Arona here, Captain."

"Were there any casualties from the assault?"

"A few scraps and bruises, nothing major. I assume I'll be seeing more than that soon?"

"Too soon, I'm afraid Doctor. Put your staff on full alert."

"Understood. Sickbay out."

Guitarrez and three other officers arrived on the Bridge and took their assigned stations.

Lieutenant j.g. Senel spoke up from Helm. "The transporter rooms report that all the Security teams have reached the surface. Proceeding to secondary position."

Knight nodded. "Thank you Lieutenant. Open a channel to the Tzenkathi."

"Channel open."

"This is Captain Xanthus Knight of the Federation starship USS Phantom. This planet has been quarantined under order of the Federation council. If you attempt to violate the quarantine, you will be fired on." Knight cut the channel himself. "Any response?"

"None so far," reported Guitarrez. "The Tzenkathi have halted their approach."

Knight rubbed his chin. He hoped they wouldn't call his bluff...