The Starfleet Academy Adventures By: Christine Schnell

Dancing with the Past 3

(Authors Note: This is the third part of a trilogy on the backgrounds of the three girls. Unfortunately, the other two parts are handwritten and buried in storage. Missing their stories will no way impact your enjoyment of this one.)

Prolog: The Story

Jenifer lie on her stomach on her bed facing the two other girls. Her stuffed dog, Charlie, was held firmly, but not too tight, in her arms. They were waiting patiently for Jenifer to start her story. To Jenifer this was one of the hardest times of her life, although there have been worst times. She had never told anyone the details of her story, except for Eric.

DeArra did know something's about Jenifer's mysterious past but only some of the most basic things, and not entirely in full detail. So Jenifer decided that she would try to fill in those gaps. She chose her words carefully for there are some secrets she wished to keep secret.

Stephanie and DeArra were staring at her, still waiting. Each had already told the stories about their lives before Starfleet and now it was Jenifer's turn. Stephanie was the first to break the silence. "You can start at any time."

"I'm thinking." Jenifer said, it sounded more like a complaint. "Give me a second."

"Just start at the beginning." DeArra tried to help.

"Okay." Jenifer, still hesitant, started slowly. "My mom, Shannon and my dad, Cory, got together one night and…" Jenifer started jokingly a smile had crossed her face and she stopped when her friends gave her a strange look.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." DeArra used her command voice. She apparently was not amused.

"Yes, I do know it. I'm just trying to figure where to start. You know it was a rather confusing time." Jenifer didn't like being pushed.

"Just start." Stephanie said a little more reassuringly.

Jenifer still seemed to take offense to their tones. "Why are you being so pushy?"

"Because I want to know where all this stuff about your diary comes in." Stephanie referred to the diary which DeArra had so smoothly peeked into not too long ago to find something to use against Jenifer in the Kobayashi Maru scenario. Though DeArra had found out about Zorock, the Klingon Captain she had faced off sometime in her past. DeArra did not know the details of this incident or any that lead up to it. The diary was somewhat vague. Stephanie continued with a little of sarcasm that had rubbed off onto her from Jenifer. "Plus, I have had to wait for you to finally get back from lunch, where you didn't have to wait for us to tell ours. So will you please start."

"I guess that's explanation enough. Why don't you just start so she gets off your back." DeArra put in.

"Fine." Fed up with their complaints Jenifer thought for only a few seconds more. Stephanie sighed. This encouraged Jenifer to begin. She saw no reason to tell about her early childhood, like her friends had, since it had no bearing on her own story. She decided instead that she would start when her mother had first told her about Cory.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

June 27, 2280. Jenifer was having the best day of her life. So she thought, for her mother was about to giver her some very surprising news.

Today is Jenifer's 12th birthday. The big party was now over and all of her friends had gone home. She was in her room trying on some of her new clothes. Her mother then called from the other room. "Jenny can you please come here for a moment. I want to talk to you."

"I'll be right there, mom." Jenifer walked out to the front room where her mother was sitting on the couch. Shannon Sandara wasn't exactly what one would call beautiful. She was just over five feet tall, small chested, neither skinny nor fat. The most lovely thing on this brown eyed woman was her long wavy dark hair that flowed down past her shoulders to her waist. Still Jenifer looked upon her mother with admiration. Her father was out at work. James was unable to get the day off for Jenifer's birthday, but he said he would try to get home early.

Shannon had seized the free moment to tell Jenifer something she had kept from her for the past twelve years. "Come sit down here." Shannon was sitting on the couch and patting the cushion next to her. Jenifer sat down without a word, and looked expectantly up at her mother.

Shannon looked at Jenifer, who had grown so much in the past year. She was reaching her mother's height and no doubt would pass her and more by her next birthday. Jenifer's long red hair, much like her mother's was also growing and quite possibly could pass her mother's within a few months. Shannon couldn't help feeling sad. Her daughter was growing up too fast. She figured she could not put off this talk much longer and thought this would be the perfect time. The more she looked at Jenifer, the more she found it to be more difficult than she believed. For over a year now, she and James had decided to tell Jenifer what she was about to, but had put it off. She decided, since Jenifer was now 12, that she was now old enough to know and handle the information. Again she hesitated as she looked into those young hazel eyes. She tried to think of a way to say it easily and so she could not hurt her daughter. When she found no way of doing that, she figured that the best way was just to tell her straight out.

"Jenny, James is not your father." She said it swiftly but still slow enough where Jenifer would, she hoped, understand.

"He is too, my daddy." Jenifer argued not understanding why her mother would say such a terrible thing.

"He is your dad, but he is not the one who gave you your genes." Shannon tried to explain without success.

Jenifer finally realized what she was saying. "OH. He's not the one that you made love to." Shannon looked at her astonished. Jenifer understood more than Shannon could have ever imagined. After Jenifer let the meaning sink in, she became very confused. "If he is not my father, then who is?"

Jenifer's eyes pleaded for an answer, to Shannon those eyes looked like a poor lost dog's. Shannon hesitated for a few seconds. After all Jenifer had waited all these years, so she could wait a few more seconds. "A man named Cory Jenkins." She paused for a few seconds when Jenifer gave her another confused stare. "We worked together while we were in Starfleet." Jenifer was still perplexed. "You see I didn't really love him. However, he did love me." In Shannon's inner eye she could see the handsome young Lieutenant as he gave her the same bewildered look her daughter held now. When she told him she was resigning and leaving him to go back to her husband. He had loved her so much and wanted her to be happy, but he wasn't happy to see her leave. She couldn't image how much she had hurt him that night she told him she was pregnant, and how much it hurt her to lie to him and tell him it wasn't his baby. Since it had been three months since her husband had left and she had been pregnant for a little over two months. She knew then that it wouldn't be that hard to fool Cory, James, and Starfleet, into believing it was James's baby.

It seemed the confounded look was glued to Jenifer's face, for she still wore it as her mother came back to reality. "What about dad?"

"Your father was transferred off the ship. I became lonely without him so I tried to find a way to be with him again." Shannon tried to explain to no benefit.

"Why didn't you just request a transfer too?" Asked the young girl.

"I did but the Captain refused it. So I had to find another way. Since Cory had confessed his love to me before I figured if I became pregnant with his child then I could say it was James child and Starfleet would have to accept my transfer. Unfortunately, they didn't accept it so I had no choice but to resign. When James heard about my resignation he resigned too." Shannon finished with a sigh. James had been angry with her at first, but when he found out that she was pregnant he understood and supported her completely.

Now instead of confusion, Jenifer's expression was one of hatred. Once she had begun to understand, her anger grew more. Shannon had used her unborn child and her real father to be back with her husband; the only one she truly loved. Now Jenifer truly understood. She doesn't really love me. She just loves James. She thought. She probably doesn't even want me. That might be why she's telling me now. I must be getting in the way. What should I do? Her thoughts began to jumble together as she became enraged.

"Jenny, aren't you going to say anything?" Shannon was becoming concerned over her daughter's silence.

What could I say? She asked herself in her mind. That I know that you don't love me, and never did. You know what you could do with your false love, don't you? Jenifer thought fiercely.

"Jenifer don't just sit there, honey. Say something, anything." Shannon begged when she saw Jenifer's face reddening.

"Get away from me." Jenifer finally screamed. "I don't ever want to talk to you again." She ran to her room and locked the door behind her.

"Jenifer!" Shannon ran after her but got to the door after she had locked it. "Jenifer listen I didn't want to hurt you. Jenifer talk to me, please!" No answer came. Not even a whimper. Shannon stood by the door for nearly a half hour but finally gave up.

***

Inside the room Jenifer was too mad to cry. She ran to the closet and took her suitcases out. She started emptying her drawers into them. Jenifer didn't pack that much because she knew she had to travel light.

She looked around the room to see if she was missing anything. On her dresser was a holo of her, Shannon, and James. She stared at it considering taking it. Then she thought; they aren't my family anymore. They never were.

On her bed set a stuffed animal, one of only a few she owned and this was her favorite. A white dog with brown ears. Its eyes were missing stuck in a permanent sleep and had stitches in his stomach. Jenifer had the doll since she was born. It has been in their family for generations. She loved the doll even though it reminded her of her parents. She decided if anything really loved her and could keep her company it was this dog, named Charlie, funny, she couldn't remember if she had named it that or if he had always been Charlie. It didn't matter. Carefully she placed the fragile animal into her suitcase.

After the suitcases were packed she hid them under her bed. She looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that her father… or rather James will be home at any moment. Jenifer opened the blinds on her window and saw the small land cruiser land in their front lawn. James got out with a big bundle in his arms. With a smile on his face he walked up to the house. Before he was near the door Shannon ran out to greet him. She was saying something to him but Jenifer could not make out what she was saying.

Suddenly James started to frown and looked toward the window where Jenifer was watching. She instinctively locked the window and ordered the blinds closed. She ran to her bed and huddled in a ball with legs tucked to her chest. Jenifer heard a tapping at the window and James low voice, but she did not respond to it. He started to yell a little louder. She did not care about what he was saying and still did not answer.

She then heard him order the windows to open but they did not since she had locked them, and her order over rid his. He started to curse and walked toward the front door. Soon after that, she heard him pounding at her door. After a while, when she did not answer, he gave up. It relieved her that he did not try to order the door to unlock. She knew that he would let her have her privacy for a while.

If he did come in than she would not mind it as much, after all he was the innocent one and Shannon was not. She felt sorry for James having to live with that lie for so many years. She started to wonder if he even knew about it. And if he did, then why was he still with Shannon. Did he love her that much to forgive her for such a dreaded thing?

Jenifer pondered this and other things for the next hour, until James came back to the door. Again he knocked, somewhat softer this time, with no reply from Jenifer. He talked loudly through the door. "Jenny, dinner's almost ready. Are you going to come and eat?"

Jenifer was getting hungry but still she did not answer. She would not give in. "Jenny at least let me talk to you. Face to face."

Jenifer thought for a moment. She did want to say good bye to him, but what if she was there? She had to risk it. Let her father in at the chance that her mother might come in right behind? She was going to risk a lot for the rest of her life so why not start now? "Are you alone?" She asked, finally answering him.

"Your mother's here." James told her.

"Tell her to go away." Jenifer said harshly.

She heard James muffled voice through the door. "It's okay Shannon. I'll get her out of there." Then he said to Jenifer, "All right she's gone. Can I come in now?"

Jenifer carefully unlocked the door to let him come in. After he was in, she locked the door again. He heaved a sigh. Jenifer really was upset. He sat down in a chair across from the bed, as she climbed onto the bed and watched him with a bit of curiosity. He was a tall, dark haired, muscular man, even though he did no physical labor he always seemed to keep in shape, with the exception of his cheeks. Those darling chubby cheeks gave the appearance of being pinched once too many times in his youth. Jenifer just now realized how different they really looked, and wondered why she had never guessed that he was not her father before. His bright eyes, so much unlike her own, returned her stare. "Jenifer why won't you talk to your mother?"

Jenifer yelled, more towards the door, than to him. "Because she's a no good son of…"

Before she could finish her sentence James cut her off. "Jenifer she was just trying to tell you because we thought you should know before you get too old. We figured that now was a good time."

"You knew about it?" She asked almost too calmly.

"Yes." He laughed at her reaction. She was growing up.

"You still love her even though she cheated on you?" Jenifer could not understand why he was being so casual about the whole situation.

"We talked about it many times. At first I was mad, like you, but then I figured it was because she loved me and I had no reason to be angry. Over the years I have learned to live with it." He explained.

"If she loved you, then why did she cheat on you?"

"Jenifer, you just don't understand. She did it because she loves me." James told her.

"You're right. I don't understand."

"I don't know how I can explain it to you. You'll just have to live with it as I do." James stood and headed for the door. "Are you coming to dinner?"

"No." Jenifer said.

"Have it your way. I'll see you later." He kissed her on the forehead, unlocked the door and walked out.

After he left, she locked the door again and softly whispered. "Not if I can help it."

James did come back later but Jenifer did not answer him this time. She just sat on her bed and waited for him to give up. A while later she heard them go to bed. She waited two hours to make sure they were asleep then went to the door. She carefully unlocked it and slowly walked out of the room.

She walked to the front room and searched fro her mother's purse. After she found it she started to dig through it. Jenifer found a card with Shannon's name on it, underneath it was a piece of paper with a number printed on it. Jenifer took both of them. After digging a few more seconds she found another card that controlled their cruiser.

Now she needed something to protect herself. She snuck into the back room where her father kept his phaser. She took the phaser out of the drawer and stuffed it in her belt and pulled her shirt over it. She walked back to her room and took her suitcases out to the front door. Before she opened the door she took one last look at her former home. She had to find another home since this one no longer had any reason to keep her here.

***

Jenifer sped the cruiser toward the shuttle yards. She may be young but her father had taught her much about computers and how to drive the cruiser. To her this midnight ride was no different from any other drive she had taken. Once she reached the yards she went to a man sitting behind a desk in the front lobby of the building. "Excuse me." She said to the man, the desk was tall and her head just barely peeked over the top.

He jumped at the voice and looked all around, then he finally peered over the desk and looked down at her. "OH, sorry I didn't see you there. What can I do for you little girl?"

"I need a shuttle to the Mars colony." She told the man.

"Are you going all alone?" He asked skeptically.

"Yes." She answered the man who now wore a frown on his face.

"A little young aren't you?" He asked.

"I just need to go to Mars." Jenifer told him, becoming a little frustrated.

"Where's your parents?"

Boy, he's full of questions. She thought, then she said aloud. "I don't have any parents."

"Oh, well, what about grandparents?"

"They're on Mars." She lied.

"Well, do you mind if I call them?" The man started to turn on the computer next to him.

"They aren't there right now." Jenifer said quickly.

"Well, where are they?" He asked getting a little irritated.

"They're on a ship. I have to go to Mars so I can catch a passenger ship to intercept them." Jenifer said. Boy this is getting complicated.

"Ohh. Do you have any money to pay for these trips?" He seemed to comprehend her situation. Jenifer took out the card that she had found in her mother's purse and handed it to the man. "What's the number?" He asked.

"273474KD22F158G." She told him from memory.

He handed her the card and a ticket to the shuttle. "Have a nice flight." He said. As she started to walk away, he called after her. "You don't have to worry I won't call your parents until after you are aboard the passenger ship."

She smiled at him and walked on. So he knew all along.

The shuttle to Mars only took an hour. Jenifer sat back in her seat and watched as Earth shrank into nothingness behind the small vessel. Once on Mars she would have to get a ticked fast and get on the ship before the authorities start to look for her. She just hoped that the man back at the shuttle yards would keep his word.

The shuttle landed on the red planet that many humans, and others, made their home. After the bay pressurized, the few passengers aboard the shuttle departed. Jenifer made her way to the shipping yards where she would buy a ticket. Here on this part of Mars it was day time and full rush hour. Shuttles came and went and hundreds of people moved quickly from place to place. She entered the large building where many people were crowding to board their ships out to whatever world they might want to go to. Jenifer walked casually through the main corridor. She stepped into a long line to buy her ticked and waited.

She started to watch the people and their strange activities. She saw Andorians trying to persuade some Vulcans to intervene in the inter-world conflict on Andor. Of course the Vulcans paid them no attention. Over in a far off corner she spied a tall guard trying to make a lost puppy find its way out of the building.

In another corner at the main gate there were several guards comparing holos to young children. While Jenifer watched this she figured out what they were doing right away. They were searching for her!

Jenifer slowly picked up her luggage, and headed in the opposite direction of the guards. Gradually she picked up her pace trying not to look too obvious. It didn't seem to work. People were starting to mumble loudly at her as she pushed her way through the crowd. The guards noticed the commotion and one that looked to be in charge ordered the other to follow her, while he stayed and searched the people leaving through the gate.

The guard started after her quickly pushing people aside as he went. Jenifer went into a full run passing around people's legs and crawling under them if she could not go around. She could hear the guard's footfalls closing in. Jenifer ducked under a counsel. The person behind it protested. She then jumped over the luggage racks. She felt a tug at the back of her shirt then all of a sudden she was whirled around. She looked up and saw the guard's stern face. She took the heaviest of the suitcases she carried and swung it back as hard as she could. On the way forward it came full force into his most sensitive spot. The guard released his grip instantly and doubled over. Jenifer took off in a full run again.

After a few moments the guard started after her. However, she could tell that his run was a lot slower now. She rounded a corner and found herself in front of one of the many cargo holds. She punched in a couple of codes into the panel next to the door, but it wouldn't budge. Jenifer glanced over her shoulder and noticed that the guard was closing the gap between them. She hastily punched in another code and the doors reluctantly opened. She rushed in and found a maze of boxes placed before her.

The guard was starting to get his speed back and Jenifer walked past the door so it would close before the guard approached it. She went to a box toward the middle of the cargo hold and sat behind it. Moments that seemed like hours passed by and Jenifer just sat there as still as the boxes around her. The door to the cargo hold finally hissed open and she could hear the guard's footfalls echoing through the huge room. He walked with slow cautious steps peering behind the boxes as he went by.

She knew she had to find a better place to hide than this and the only place to hide in a cargo bay was in one of the many cargo boxes. Many were too small to fit her and some were filled to their capacity. She examined the box behind her. The box was labeled to go to Atria, a Federation science colony. She removed the lid to it and saw that there were some clothes in it. She estimated enough room for both her and her luggage plus the present cargo inside. She threw her suitcases inside and jumped in herself then closed the lid just enough to let air seep through.

Quietly she sat there waiting for the guard to pass. She heard him getting closer and closer. Suddenly she could hear another set of foot steps. They must belong to his superior. He's in trouble now. Jenifer mused in her head.

The guards superior started to talk to the other and boy did he ever sound pissed. "Did you find her?"

"No." The first guard said. Jenifer could imagine him trying to back away from the other man. "She… Um… must have hidden in here somewhere."

"We've both searched this place from top to bottom." The superior guard argued.

"Well, yes sir, but she must have gotten past us." He stumbled.

"Us? You mean you, don't you, Ensign?" The superior yelled.

"Did I say us? Well, I meant me sir. I really did." To Jenifer the Ensign's petty bickering sounded like sorrowful begging. The poor man continued. "Shouldn't we put out a search party sir?"

"That's the first good suggestion I have heard out of you, Ensign." The superior said. "However, I am one step ahead of you. The search party formed when you spotted the girl.

"I want you," he continued, "to join squadron 5 in the north wing." The Ensign did not say another word but ran on out the door. Jenifer gave a big sigh of relief when she heard the other guard leave as well.

She stayed in the box for several hours but she found that her stomach started talking to her. It called for food. Her stomach grumbled and growled and shook until she finally opened the box to find food. She looked around her before climbing out, just to make sure that there was no one around. When she found the coast to be clear Jenifer walked over to another box a few feet away labeled FOOD. She dug through it finding some reasonable food. She took only enough for a couple of days. Jenifer was not planning to stay cooped up in that box forever.

After eating, Jenifer fell asleep. Later she awoke when the box started to move. She didn't dare look out of the box because the only way she could be moving is if there were people around. Jenifer knew what was going on anyway. The cargo crew was using the tractor beam to load the box onto a freighter. Jenifer could hear the men as they were giving instructions to set the box down. With a big thump the box landed on the hard ground of the cargo hold. Jenifer also heard a thump when her head hit the side of the box. She didn't mind, though, because soon she would be on her way to Atria.

Chapter 2: Flight to Atria

The first night cooped up in the box Jenifer could not sleep at all. She kept thinking of her mother with another man instead of her father. She knew that if she slept than she would just have nightmares about it so why trouble herself? Jenifer just sat there staring at the top of the box wishing that her mother had never told her anything. If she didn't tell her, than Jenifer wouldn't be in this mess. Right now she should have been on a comfy shuttle on her way to some distant planet. Plus Jenifer wouldn't have to worry about who her real father was.

The room was so quiet that Jenifer started to get paranoid. Well, why shouldn't I be? This is the first time I've ever been out on my own and all the Federation is going to be looking for me. Jenifer thought. She opened up one of the suitcases and took out her stuffed dog. She didn't know why she loved the little, ugly dog so much, all she knows is he keeps her company when no one else can. Charlie made her feel safer, she didn't know why but she guessed he was just like a security blanket to her. She snuggled him up to her and just lay there staring at the side of the box.

Jenifer never did fall asleep. She started to get hungry after a few hours so she took out one of the ration bars that were considered food by the people who put them in that box. She took a couple of bites and then decided to wait until she was hungry enough where taste would not count. Jenifer looked down at Charlie and started to wonder what her real father was like. Cory Jenkins. Jenifer Jenkins? No, for some reason that just didn't sound right. Jenifer Sandara sounds much better. Who was this Cory Jenkins any way? Her mother had said that he was in Starfleet. Jenifer figured that once she got out of here that she would have to find out just who he was.

Early in the morning, she knew it was morning because the light from the false lighting began to seep through the boxes' open lid. Jenifer heard footsteps approaching. She quickly covered herself with the clothes that were inside the box and lay completely still. Someone opened the lid, held it for a few seconds then shut it again. Obviously that person did not notice her. After the footsteps diminished and she heard the cargo hold's door whoosh open then shut again, she slowly opened the lid. Looking around there was no one in the hold. She was alone, just as she knew she would be for a long time, perhaps for many years.

She stepped out of the box carefully. She had to find a better place to hide where they would not look for her. She moved over to the computer counsel in front of the hold. Jenifer searched the counsel and figured out how it worked quickly.

One advantage to having parents that were both in Starfleet is learning how computers work when you're young. Jenifer had always been interested in computers and if one broke you could leave it to her to fix it. Even at her early age she was considered quite an expert in computers. She had toured several ships in museums and learned how they worked quickly. Just by looking at the computer counsel she could determine how it worked in a matter of minutes.

The one before her was no different. She noticed that she could gain access into the main computer simply by pressing a button and so she did. She called up a deck plan of the entire ship. The small ship held 24 crew members. It had five cargo holds, a mess hall, a small rec room, the engine room, and the bridge. None of these places would allow a place for her to hide. She then noticed something else about the deck plan of the ship. There were 36 crew quarters. Twelve more than the number of crew. That means twelve of the crew quarters are not being used!

Jenifer picked one of the rooms that was farthest from the rest of the crew and on a deck below the mess hall. She decided that she would wait until night to move into her newly picked room, just in case.

***

Night, or rather the equivalent in space. Again Jenifer cautiously opened the box, and again the cargo hold was empty. She took out her luggage and headed for the door. On her way to the room she did not meet one person. Not surprising to her because it was night and there were only two dozen people on board.

Once she reached her room she made sure the door was locked, she could take no chances. She made herself comfy in a chair next to the computer counsel and started to alter the security sensors in the room. She changed it so the computer could not read any organic material on this level. Now she could move around freely. Once she was sure she was safe from the rest of the ship's crew she started to study the ship. The ship was a Federation freighter called "Norton" The captain was named Mark Coda. First officer/Chief Engineer was Shirly Cannon.

After Jenifer had, again, studied the ship's layouts she called up the file on the planet Atria. Atria was a planet on which Federation scientists are studying the culture of the intelligent life on that planet. The people of the planet call themselves the Nocnomas. Which roughly translates to Supreme beings. Obviously they think they are the most "Supreme beings" in the Universe. Jenifer laughed at the irony of it. "Well I guess they have a big surprise coming, don't they?"

As she read on she noticed that the Nocnomas are nearing interstellar space travel. Which is why the scientific teams are studying them. They are preparing to make first contact with he Nocnomas. Jenifer just scanned through the rest since she knew more or less what happens on a first contact, until she saw something that peeked her interest. One word shot out at her like a phaser beam… Gorn! "The Gorn had been spotted near this quadrant." The screen read.

"Finally some real adventure." Thought Jenifer aloud.

***

Two days later Jenifer awoke with a growl in her stomach. She walked over to the drawer where she had kept her ration bars. Only when she opened the drawers did she realize that she had ate the last one the night before. "Well, damn, what am I going to do now?" In the past days Jenifer had gotten accustomed to talking to herself since no one was around to listen. She flopped back down on her bed almost ready to give up and go ask someone for food when she remembered that she was only one deck below the mess hall. Jenifer quickly climbed to her feet and got dressed. She checked her chronometer, it was still in the middle of the night. That meant there would be no one there, unless someone was off duty and picked this time to get a bite to eat. But Jenifer decided that her hunger outweighed the fact that she could get caught and rushed out the door.

Jenifer ran to an access ladder and climbed up it quickly. Just before she reached the top of the ladder she poked her head out to see if there was anyone around. It seemed luck was on her side because there was no one there. She climbed up and walked cautiously towards the mess hall. The mess hall was empty, she walked through the small mess hall as her shoes echoed through the room. Just about every two seconds she looked behind her just to make sure no one was there. Her imagination kept playing tricks on her making her think that someone was following her. She reached the doors to the kitchen without incident.

Jenifer whirled around once more to confirm that no one was behind her. She walked through the doors and to her surprise there was someone in the far back portion of the room. She ducked and ran quickly behind a counter. The person turned to look at the door when he heard it open. He walked slowly over to the door. As he got closer Jenifer crawled from counter to counter trying to hide from him. He looked around out the door when it hissed open, then went back into the kitchen. Searching while he went back to his counter top, he went back to work, obviously satisfied at not finding anyone.

Jenifer looked up over the table at the man as he was fast to work. He must be making some kind of midnight snack. Jenifer thought to herself. The man was bent over the table hardly making a sound. She tried to get a closer look but could not see around his bulking body, besides that she was hungry and wanted to walk around freely. She found a glass placed on the counter in front of her, which gave her an idea. She took the glass while keeping one eye on the man and moved slowly towards the door.

She moved close enough to the door to make it open and threw the glass far into the mess hall. The man turned and started to run towards the door with whatever he was making with him. As the door slid shut behind him Jenifer gave a big sigh of relief. She stood and walked over to the table where the man was making his snack. Anticipating that the man would come back Jenifer quickly went to the servo and brought up some packaged ham and chicken and some assorted fruit.

When she was walking back with her food her foot slipped on something. She looked down and found a cassette. She picked it up and examined it. The cassette had no label. It couldn't be a food cassette, all of those were labeled. So what was it? She decided that the man had dropped it, but her curiosity over road her honesty in leaving it where it was. She stuffed it in her pocket and headed slowly for the door.

All this time she had expected the man to come back. But he never did. Jenifer cautiously stuck her head out the door and found the mess hall to be empty. There was a glass broken near the back of the room, but otherwise there was no sign of him, or her, being there. She left the glass where it was figuring the ships automated cleaning system would clean it up. There was no mishap on her way back to the room still no sign of that strange man.

***

Jenifer sat fingering the small cassette. She had forgotten all about the food. All that was in her mind was the cassette and the owner. She put the cassette into the computer and thumbed the switch. She stared at the screen for a few seconds while it went through the preliminaries. She waved her hands in circles as if it would hurry the computer's process up. Finally the computer blinked and a face appeared on the screen. It was definitely not a human face. In fact it looked like some sort of reptile. It's small eyes were overpowered by it's large round head and blunt nose, the rest of it's body was obscured behind the screen. The green scale face stared back at her. Jenifer became immediately interested. "Begin audio." She ordered the computer.

The reptile began to speak and the computer translated his words. "I am Shhirzn of the Gorn. You are ordered to leave the Sshizzwish at the coordinates, 43 mark 9-oh-1, on your stardate 8435.2. No further communications will be made until that is completed. Destroy this cassette as soon as possible." And the screen went blank.

"Computer translate Ssshichswish." Jenifer tried to repeat the word.

"That word is not in the translation program." The computer answered.

"Oh, hell. Translate all Gorn words on this cassette. Visual only." Jenifer said.

The computer put the same message on the screen that she had heard the Gorn say. There was one exception. The one word that she could not pronounce turned out to be Antimatter bomb! Jenifer stood straight up and the chair fell out from under her. She turned around and started to pace. When she composed herself she sat back down and called up a map of Atria. She studied the coordinates that were on the cassette and found that they corresponded exactly with the coordinates of the Nocnomas' capital. "Now what am I supposed to do about this?" She rubbed her hand against her forehead and started at the screen.

***

Three days later with almost all of her food gone, a voice boomed over the ships intercom. "All hands, this is the Captain. We are now entering the Atria system. We will be orbiting Atria in 12 hours. And since we are near Gorn space we will now go to Yellow Alert until we are clear of the planet's atmosphere. Captain out." All of a sudden the lights became a little dimmer and the yellow light flashed above her door.

For the past few days Jenifer has been contemplating weather she should tell the captain about what she had found out. If she didn't tell him then the Nocnomas' will be blown up. But if she did she would be found out and most likely be sent back to Earth. Right now she was holding the cassette in her hand. It felt as if a worlds weight were where the cassette was.

Perhaps there was something she could do. "What could a little twelve year old girl do to save a world?" She asked herself. "Well, I could always…no. Mabey…no." Jenifer struggled to find something in her brain that could make a difference. "Well, hell, why don't I just give the cassette to the Captain?" Jenifer ran out the door and up the access ladder to level two where the bridge crew's quarters were. She slowly poked her head over the top and made sure the coast was clear. Seeing that no one was there she walked casually up to the captain's quarters.

She knew for sure that the captain was on the bridge so all she had to do was "pick the lock." She played around with the doors controls for a minute and found the right combination. The door slid open willingly to her. She placed the cassette on the table right out in plain sight where she knew the captain would no miss it. She also knew that since she played with the door's controls than the security system would have surly spotted her entrance and had no doubt that the captain would be down shortly.

She ran out the door and down back to her room with the beginnings of another plan.

***

On the bridge of the Norton. Captain mark Coda sat in his command chair, he was not a spectacular man, any first impression would tell someone he was not strong physically, perhaps mentally, and he was just a bit egotistical, when the security officer called him. "Captain someone had gained entrance into your cabin." The buff security officer named Loyo walked up before him and stood at attention.

"What?! Who was it?" Coda asked.

"Unknown sir." Loyo reported. Loyo did not seem too pleased with his own answer since he liked to always know what was going on with his ship.

"Gather a security team. I'll be down there right away." Mark ordered and watched the huge man walk out to the turbolift.

***

When Mark reached his quarters the security people were already searching the place. Mark walked up to Loyo and said, "Report Lieutenant."

"We have found nothing out of the ordinary sir." He said in his low voice.

Mark could not help but be a little angry. "As soon as you are done with your investigation make out a report and get back to your station. I'm going to need you there if the Gorn attack."

"Aye sir." Loyo motioned to his security men and they walked out.

Mark looked down at the table that he was leaning on and right there next to his hand was the thing he had been looking for, for the past three days. He picked up the cassette and smiled a ruthless smile.

***

One hour until the Norton is to set down on Atria Jenifer snuck into the cargo deck where she first started. Near the transporter pad was a canister that was labeled antimatter. Jenifer carefully removed the label off of the canister and put it on the canister that she had brought in with her. She put the new canister exactly where the antimatter was and took the antimatter back with her to her room.

She placed the antimatter in the closet in her room. Before she left the room she glanced at her bed. There sat Charlie. She stared at him for a few seconds then reached over and stuffed him in her jacket. Then she headed for Armory. She did not spend time fooling around with the controls this time because this was one time she did not want to get caught. She figured out the code in mere seconds and the door slit aside. She picked up a type IIB phaser, stronger than the one she had taken from her father, and ran out the door back to the cargo bay.

Once in the cargo bay she found the box that she was in before and positioned it so she would have a perfect shot at the transporter pad. So she waited.

***

Minutes passed. Suddenly a lone figure walked into the cargo bay. Jenifer watched as he walked through the shadows. Once he emerged she got a good look at him He was tall and lanky with short, light brown hair. He was also the same person that Jenifer had see the other night in the kitchen. She had figured as much.

The man had his back to her the entire time. He walked to the canister picked it up with extreme care and placed it on the transporter pad. He put a small device, which Jenifer figured to be some sort of detonator, onto the canister. He walked to the controls and beamed the canister down.

He started to walk back towards the door. Jenifer was not going to allow the man to go. He was going to kill millions of innocent people, and she was not going to stand for that. Jenifer slowly and quietly lifted the lid on the box and climbed out. Just before he was going to open the door she took out her phaser and fired. The beam sliced through the air and hit the wall about a meter above his head. That's a pretty good shot for someone's first time firing a phaser. She thought to herself.

The man whisked around and stared her down. She saw his hand moving to the side of his leg right where his phaser was holstered. With incredible speed Jenifer whipped up her phaser and shot him square in the chest. The man fell flat onto his face. the phaser falling from his hand. "Well what do you know, not bad for a second shot."

Jenifer walked over to the man and knelt down besides him. The gold on his sleeve told her who he was as plain as the artificial day. This man is the Captain.

On the bridge Loyo stood staring at his counsel. "Commander, something has just blown up inside the Nocnomas' Capital." He stood with a strange smirk on his face. "Sir, there seems to be whipped cream all over the main floor of the capital."

"What?" At first, First Officer Cannon, the short haired well built woman smiled then the smile faded. 'What was the cause of it?"

"Uncertain. But just a few moments before I detected the use of a transporter in cargo bay 2. I didn't report it because I figured it was the Captain. I'm sorry sir. I should have reported it anyway." Loyo bowed his head a little ashamed.

"No need for apologies Loyo. Besides what's done is done." She turned to Martinez at the communications station. "Ensign, hail the Captain."

"Aye, sir." She turned and then a moment later turned back. "Sir! The Captain is not answering the hail."

Shirly started in surprise. "Loyo come with me to cargo bay 2. We're going to get to the bottom of this." She strode with huge steps to the turbolift.

***

Jenifer had two problems other than the problem of her mother which she had long forgotten about. One if she let the Captain go than no one would believe her and the Gorn would destroy the planet. And two even if she found some way to keep the Captain unconscious she could not pull him that far. She looked around her, found an anti-grav unit and put the Captain aboard. After placing one phaser hidden in her belt and keeping the other ready in her hand she put the Captain onto the transporter pad.

She set the transporter for automatic and set coordinates for the outer limits of a small city near the capital. Just as she was getting onto the transporter pat she heard the Captain moan. "Oops. I forgot something." She muttered to no one. She ran off into a corner and picked up some hauling rope. She tied the Captain up nice and tight just like her father, or rather James, had shown her how to tie knots. She activated the transporter and as the blue sparkles started to envelope Jenifer and her prisoner a deadly bolt blasted out of her phaser.

That was when Cannon and Loyo ran into the bay. "What the hell was that!?" Shirly asked staring at the fried transporter counsel.

"I don't know but who ever did it must have been crazy. For all we know their molecules are spread all over space and they're dead." Loyo answered.

"No they're not." Shirly was examining the counsel. "only the exterior controls are charred. The actual computer that carries out those orders had already completed transport." She said turning her back on the gruesome looking counsel.

"So what now? Those mad men, or who ever they are, are down on the planet and we have no idea where." Loyo said his temper raising. "Plus they most likely have the Captain."

"That is a possibility. We'll contact the science teams down there. Have them be on the lookout. I want you to lead an away team to find them as well. Besides if they have the Captain with them they may not get very far. He is a man of many capabilities." She said and headed for the door.

"Aye sir." Loyo responded. But by the time it got out she was far gone, mentally and physically. She was worried about her Captain a man whom she has grow quite fond of. Not only that but had fallen in love with.

***

Atria was definitely not a warm planet. In fact to Jenifer it felt like it was going to snow at any moment. To the north was a wall of mountains covered in snow and the rolling hills around her were greener then a new spring day with bushes sprinkled about the hills. But of course it wasn't going to snow here, it wasn't cold enough, yet, she had just gotten used to the warm weather of Southern California, back home. She pulled the anti-gravity unit behind her without effort and walked. Where she was walking, she did not know. Of course she did not expect to be anywhere near here when she started out on this, … adventure?

Finally she had gotten some adventure. But now that she has it she's not entirely sure she wants it. "I wish I could trade some of this 'adventure' in for some nice warm blankets." She said out loud, forgetting that she was pulling her unwillful guest along.

"What was that?" Mark asked unexpectedly.

"I wasn't talking to you." She said with a bit more anger in her voice than she meant to.

"How old are you?" He asked her nicely, while also tugging slightly on the ropes tied tightly around his wrists.

"None of your business. I'd advise you to keep quiet before I stun you again." She warned.

"You wouldn't do that." He said a bit too harshly. The response she gave him was far different from the one he had expected. She stopped abruptly and whirled around with the phaser pointing only inches from his nose. "I guess you would." He backed down at the moment this young child had the advantage.

From then on he kept his mouth shut. Several times he had tried to loosen his bonds only to find that when he struggled more they only got tighter. So he finally gave up on that as well. They walked on towards the capital and unknowingly towards the Gorn.

***

Shirly walked into their cabin. Her and Mark's. Next to the computer was a cassette. It was unlabeled. Strange. I don't remember any tapes being left out. She thought to herself. She plugged the cassette into the computer. It was blank. She pressed several buttons and flipped a switch on the computer and was able to salvage most of the data on the cassette. She watched with amazement at the Gorn face on the screen. Once the message ended a cold shiver ran down her spine. Mark the man who she was in love with was a traitor to the Federation. He was a man of many capabilities and she had no idea how many. "But it said antimatter bomb. That was a whipped cream bomb. What happened?" She wondered.

Shirly rushed to the transporter room. As soon as she ran in the door she went straight to the transporter pad, phaser in hand. "Beam me down to where the away team is located at this moment." She ordered the transporter office. Se shimmered out of existence in the transporter room as the man carried out his order. She reappeared just behind the security men.

"Commander!" Loyo turned to face her when he heard the whine of the transport beam.

"Loyo. I have to tell you, who ever has the Captain is not the person you want to capture." She said hurriedly.

"Sir, with all due respect why didn't you just tell us that over the communicator?" Loyo asked bewildered.

"Because Captain Coda is the one you want and I am the only one who has the authority to do that." She told him as she walked passed him hiding the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"I don't understand Commander." Loyo followed her.

"mark has been dealing with the Gorn." She explained not looking back at him. The rest of the team now started to follow. "he was the one who beamed the bomb into the capital. Only he thought it was an antimatter bomb. Whoever has captured him must have also switched the bombs."

"We had better find them before the Gorn do." Loyo suggested. Shirly was already a step ahead of them, she had homed in on Mark's communicator. Her pace quickened to a run. However, it would not help for the Gorn already had the upper hand.

***

About a mile down the road and over a hill sat a MD-8 class X cruiser ready to destroy the worlds capital. But Jenifer and her reluctant hiking partner were never going to make it to the Gorn ship without an escort.

While they started to climb the hill several Gorn soldiers started to run down the same hill right at them, they too had locked onto Mark's communicator. "Well hell, just when you thought it was safe to try and save a world the cavalry to the bad guys show up." Jenifer said, but the only one who would understand her did not dare say a word. Mark tried to turn his head to see what was happening but could not.

Jenifer started to turn tail and run but knew that there was no way to get away from them. They may be slow but there were more of them and they were already too close. Suddenly one of them picked her up, by both arms, and she struggled and kicked to try and get free. The Gorn merely walked back to the others with her, holding her like a proudly caught fish. While he was walking back with her she saw that the others were untying Captain Coda. The Gorn started to talk to him in their language. Surprising to Jenifer he started to talk back to them in their language. He pointed to her and several of the Gorn started to prepare the anti-grav unit for her. The one who was holding her moved over to it and when it was ready, tied her on. Their knots were not as good as hers but they were sufficient enough to keep her from loosening them.

They started moving up and over the hill to the Gorn ship. mark was in the lead since Gorn are much slower than humans. Once at the ship they left Jenifer with two guards. Mark and who appeared to be the leader of this pack of Gorn walked off into the ship.

Talking in the Gorn's language Mark walked with the leader of the Gorn, Shhirzn, away from the others and into the ship. The Gorn began the conversation. "What went wrong? The capital did not explode as planned."

"What? I had transported the bomb to the correct coordinates." Mark said, his confusion showed plainly on his skinny face.

The Gorn's expression however was unchanged. "Yes you did, but it was not the antimatter bomb. I believe you call the substance whipped cream."

"What? I checked the canister myself it was pure antimatter."

"Obviously you didn't check hard enough." If one could discern the facial expressions of Gorn, Shhirzn would be wearing one of disgust.

"It was probably that little wench. I can't believe she was able to capture me." Coda tried to cover up for a mistake he could not explain, and the Gorn was not buying it.

"I can't believe it either."

"What are you going to do now?" Mark was too dense to understand Shhirzn's words.

"You are going back to your ship and leave this space. We will destroy this world without your help."

"Wait a minute. We had a deal. You weren't going to destroy the whole thing. We would take the survivors to a different world, remember? I can't let you kill everyone." Mark's anger grew, he had only wanted to avoid the deaths of millions of innocent people.

"That has changed now. You are lucky I am letting you and your people live. Now leave this planet or chance a war that you have tried so hard to avoid." The Gorn hissed louder than ever.

"Listen, the only reason I agreed to help you in the first place was so the Federation would not run into you and demand the world back. If you send me back now then the Federation will be on their way." Mark tried to threaten him.

It only seemed to amuse him. "Let them come. Because if you don't leave now they will suffer the same fate as you. Death."

Mark bowed his head in defeat and started to walk out of the ship. It was at this time that the commotion started outside, he began to run towards the noise. Once outside his security people were fighting with the Gorn. One of the Gorn fell from a phaser blast in front of him. Mark looked up at from the Gorn to find the person who had shot him, now aiming the phaser at him. Shirly Cannon stood with her phaser straight at him. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"I might ask you the same thing… Captain." the tone of her voice was dangerous. All around them Gorn were falling then the first human fell. The two looking in the direction of the fallen security guard found Loyo sprawled out on the grass floor. "Let's move out of here before we become targets ourselves."

They moved to the other side of the ship. Another phaser blast sounded. But this one was different, it was a higher pitch then the one's being fired around the corner. There was not the familiar thud of a body falling. Shirly looked behind Mark and he turned around to find Jenifer cutting her ropes with he phaser she had hidden in her belt. "The Gorn who were guarding her must have left to join the fight." Mark guessed.

Once she was loose and saw them she started to run away. "no wait." Shirly called after her. "I'm on your side, a friend. As for him, don't worry I have him under control."

Jenifer stopped and slowly turned back around. She walked over to Shirly trying her best to not go near Mark. "She captured me for no reason Shirly." Mark tried to explain.

"Don't lie to me mark. I found the cassette our room. I know you're a traitor." Mark gave her a surprised look. She ignored him and turned to Jenifer. "What's your name?"

Jenifer was reluctant to answer but did nonetheless. "Jenifer."

"What were you doing on the Norton Jenifer?" She asked kindly.

Jenifer did not answer and Shirly nodded as if she did answer. "Long way from home. We should call your parents." Shirly said. "Come back to the ship with us and we'll bring you back home."

"Like hell we will." Mark yelled and almost tackled Jenifer. Almost because Shirly shot him before he went two feet.

"That'll keep him out for a while. Now come on and we'll go back to the ship." Shirly picked up Mark and put him on the anti-grav unit. Taking out her communicator she said, "Norton, beam up the away team when we are together."

"Aye sir." Came the response.

Shirly walked over to the battle area where most Gorn were down and a few humans were still standing. She called them and all able bodied personnel started to run to the other side of the hill. The Gorn did not seem to apt to following them.

Jenifer walked reluctantly behind them like a puppy dog. She knew there was no way out of going back home. Except… but what if it didn't work? Well she had to try anything to get out of this mess. Of course there's always the saying, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire." When Shirly took out her communicator again and ordered the beam up Jenifer made a run for it. Right back to the Gorn ship. Shirly looked back as she saw Jenifer run, but there was nothing she could do about it at that moment the beaming process had begun.

Jenifer hid behind several bushes until the coast was clear then made a run for the Gorn ship. Once inside she found a desolated area where she could hide. She took Charlie out from her jacket and squeezed him tight against her chest.

***

The remaining of the away team formed on the transporter pad. Shirly stepped off first. "Lock onto the remaining humans and beam them up." She was mostly referring to the ones either too injured or dead and the younger one, Jenifer.

On the platform bodies and injured were beamed aboard but still there was no Jenifer. "Is that all of them?" Shirly asked skeptically.

"yes, sir. That's all that I can lock on to. Are there any more that you know of?" The transporter operator asked.

"yes." She said annoyed. "A young Human. Can't you lock onto her?"

"It's possible sir that she is inside the Gorn ship."

"Explain." This was not a possibility Shirly had considered, or wanted to hear.

"The Gorn have raised their deflector shields over their ship."

"That means you can't beam her up until they lower them."

"yes sir."

Shirly walked out. As soon as they arrived the security men had taken mark away. Then after the injured were beamed aboard the medical teams brought them to sickbay. Now she was all alone. it was an uncanny feeling, being alone. Shirly couldn't remember being alone in her life. She always had someone like Mark or her family with her. But now she was utterly alone.

***

On the bridge it seemed even lonelier than ever. It was so empty without Mark. Shirly slowly took the con and called the communications officer. "Martinez, hail the Gorn ship."

"Ready sir." Martinez answered after flipping a couple of switches.

"Gorn ship, this is Acting Captain Shirly Cannon. I order you to leave this planet or prepare to be destroyed." She sat straight up in the chair and stared at the screen which now showed a view of Atria.

"No response sir." Martinez told her.

"Fire a warning shot. About five meters in front of the nose of their ship." She ordered.

The security officer who was replacing Loyo fired off a shot. After a minute Martinez turned to Shirly. "Sir the Gorn are hailing us."

"Put them on screen." The Gorn face of Shhirzn appeared on the screen and before he could have the chance to talk Shirly started. "you are to lower your shields and leave this planet immediately or we will destroy you." Shirly would never have asked for his shields to be lowered but she was desperate to get Jenifer back safe and sound.

"That would be suicide." The Gorn hissed in his language, translated through the computer. "Do no think that you can trick us into lowering our shields so you can destroy us anyway."

"We have no intention of destroying you if you leave immediately, with your shields down." She said sternly.

"Never. I would quicker drink poison than to lower my shields to you." he spat.

"Fine have it that way." She brought her finger across her throat in a motion that told Martinez to cut the channel. She turned to the security officer. "Fire on the Gorn sparingly. I don't want that little girl hurt."

"Aye, sir." The security officer shot out a phaser blast that hit the Gorn ship dead center. Their deflectors just absorbed the shot.

"Can you deprive them of their shields?" Shirly asked him.

"Yes sir. That will take 2.4 minutes at our highest setting." he informed her.

"Then do it. But as soon as their shields go down cut the fire. Understood." She ordered.

"Yes sir." Another blast went down through the atmosphere. And started to eat away at the Gorns energy shields. Suddenly the Gorn ship took off and broke loose from the fire of the Norton. The ship leaped through the air and out into space leaving the Norton behind.

"Follow them." Shirly ordered.

"Aye sir." The helmsman plotted the course to follow the Gorn ship, however the Gorn ship was bigger and faster. Soon it was a warp seven. "Sir they're now going up to warp 8." The helm officer almost had to yell over the sound of the straining engines going at warp 6.

"Can't you get anymore out of her?" Shirly asked.

"Sorry sir. We're pushing it right now. Our top speed should be warp 5." The helmsman reminded her.

"Don't you think I know that. I'm the Chief Engineer damnit." Shirly yelled not because of the sound of the old engine but because she was frustrated and angary at herself for letting the Gorn get away with that innocent little girl. She sighed then said. "Helm slow our speed back to warp 3. Martinez notify the Federation about the Gorn in this sector and their business her on Atria. Oh, and tell them we had the runaway girl but unfortunately we lost her again," She paused. "to the Gorn." If Shirly ever felt lonely in her life this topped the cake. She sat back in her chair wallowing in her self pity.

Chapter 3: First meeting on Arcturus

At warp 8 the Gorn ship was pushing itself to its upper limits. After Shhirzn was sure the Norton was not following any longer he ordered for them to slow their speed. He knew that now that the Federation was aware of their presence on Atria than they have no chance of going back there. So they had to move on to more important things. But still if it wasn't for that little human child then they would not have to stay away from Atria. He wondered where that girl was now. "If she were here with me I would rip her heart out with my own hands." Shhirzn complained to his first officer. He sat back in his chair positive he would never have to set eyes on that human ever again. Or so he thinks.

***

Jenifer was not aware that several Gorn were staring at her while she slept. Besides she was so tired she didn't care. Once the Gorn found she was hidden on their ship they took her straight to the brig. Shhirzn had been upset that she was there and fully intended to carry through with his threat, however, he was tired from the day's events and decided it would be best to let the little witch wait for death until morning. When Jenifer awoke it was still the middle of the Gorn's night and found two of the Gorn soldiers staring at her. She sat up on the bunk and put Charlie next to her. "What are you looking at?" She asked tiredly.

One of the Gorn turned to the communicator on the wall and hissed something incomprehensible. Soon another Gorn joined them. He turned to her and surprisingly he spoke to her in English. "You are the smart one who was able to capture Captain Coda? A child?" His words were slurred but she still could understand him. "What is your name little one."

She stared at him. She may be a prisoner but she had no reason to let this alien know anything. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because once I find out I'm going to kill you." He said with what appeared to be a smile, if one could call it that. After a thought he added, "Do you know who I am?"

"Do you think I care?" Jenifer snapped back.

"I am Ofriniass. First officer to Shhirzn. He has given me orders to kill you."

"Go to Hell." She said casually and laid back onto her bunk.

He thought about what she had said not understanding at first. Then he realized what she said. "Perhaps you should stay with the times. I thought your people did not believe in the devil any longer."

"It's a saying stupid. I know there's no devil." Jenifer only afforded him a sidelong glance.

He ignored her and turned to the guard. The guard turned and the force field of the cell disappeared. The large Gorn walked in moving fiercely towards her. She backed up a little to get away from him but knew she could not since her back was already hitting the wall. He stopped right in front of the bunk. "What's your name." He boombed.

She coiled back and said very smally, "Jenifer."

"Well then Jenifer, meet your death." He took out a blaster and aimed it at her. She brought the phaser out from her belt and blasted him down to the ground. The two guards came rushing in and she shot them one at a time. Just then she noticed that she did not change the setting from earlier when she had cut the rope.

She had killed the three of them, the phaser set to one of the highest setting cut through the Gorn's vital organs just as easily as it cut through the rope. "Whose going to meet whose death?" She did not say it contemptibly but instead she was sorry. She had never killed anyone, or any thing before in her life. Now she was paying for it emotionally. Her legs began to become weak she sat down for a minute staring at the three. "What have I done?" Jenifer cried hiding her face in her hands.

"You killed those bastards that's what you did." Came a voice from across the hall. There was another prisoner in the opposite cell whom she had not noticed before. She looked over to find a tall, fair skinned, pointed eared Vulcan. No he was showing emotions he couldn't be Vulcan.

"Are you Romulan?" Jenifer asked almost accusingly.

"Yes, and you're definitely human. Listen do you mind letting me out of here?" He asked pointing to the control board next to the force field of the cell.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Because I figure we could work together to get out of this hell hole."

"What happens after we get out? You take me prisoner and get all the info out of me that you can."

"If you help me then I will help you get back home." The Romulan believed he knew the solution to this girl's problem.

"Then I definitely will not help you." She stood picked up the old stuffed dog, stuffed him in her jacket, and started to walk out of the cell and down the corridor.

"Wait. If you don't want to go home, I can take you anywhere you want to go." He yelled after her desperately.

"If I let you out, do you promise not to take me to the Romulan Empire? Or do anything in the way of draining information out of me?" She stared him straight in the eyes.

His glare never wandered from hers, if the Romulan's believed that this was a sign of telling the truth as human's did than he definitely was. "I promise." He said it almost as calmly as a Vulcan.

Jenifer figured she could trust him, besides if he were to break his promise she wouldn't be in much worse a situation then she was in now. She moved over to the controls and just to let him know who was boss she said, "Just remember I'm the one with the phaser." The field disappeared and she prodded him with the phaser to lead the way. Down the hall several Gorn were just now beginning to run their way. The Romulan ducked for an open doorway. Once Jenifer was inside he locked the door. Jenifer watched him suspiciously as he did so. "How do you know so much about this ship?" The question came as a surprise to him. He turned to her and said, "My dear child, I have tried to escape many times. They will eventually find us."

"Then why did you have me let you out, if you knew you were just going to be captured again?" The suspicion showed in her eyes as she looked up at him for an answer.

"Because there always is a chance that we can escape." He started looking for a way out of the small room which looked like an office, perhaps for the security guard on duty. There was only one desk up against the walls from the floor to ceiling were crates stacked one on top another. Most were empty and easy for Kormin to move aside. He put many in front of the door which the Gorn were already pounding on.

Where ever he moved Jenifer followed with her phaser. At times she couldn't decide if she wanted to point it at the Romulan or at the door which was stressing under the pressure of the Gorn. "But you said there was no way to escape."

If we can get to the bridge and kill their captain then there is a chance." he informed her easily as he moved another stack out of the way clearing the wall behind it, he started to examine the wall closely.

"I don't want to kill anyone else." She told him a little more calmly than she thought possible. Killing all of a sudden has become a common theme on this ship and she was opposed to it.

It didn't seem to bother Kormin. "Don't worry I will do it for you."

"But.." Jenifer started, she really didn't know how to argue with this man and fortunately he cut her off before she had time to say another word, it would give her time to think over her argument.

Pushing another stack aside he proclaimed victory. "Ah. I have found a way out." He disappeared through a hole in the wall, it appeared to have been made by a previous escapee and the Gorn had attempted to hide it by using the containers as camouflage.

Jenifer cautiously crawled through the hole that lead into an adjacent room somewhat larger than the one they had just left. Fortunately it too was empty. Kormin was there waiting for her. He held his hand out which she took and helped her to her feet. Another question rose to the top of her head. "How do you know how to speak English so well?"

Kormin immediately headed for a door on the far end of the room. "Ever since we came into contact with your people the government had taught us to be prepared. Thus we were required to learn your language at an early age." They appeared now to be walking down some sort of access corridor. Each door they passed through he either locked or Jenifer melted it shut. While they were walking Jenifer just happened to glance down at the phaser and noticed that half of the energy had already been used. They had to find the bridge soon or they would be out of ammunition.

During the walk down the empty hall the Romulan started to talk splitting the silence between them. "I'm afraid that I have not had time to formally introduce myself. I am Kormin San. And you are Jenifer?" Is that your only name? I was lead to believe humans also had two."

Jenifer giggled for the first time in who knows how long. "I have two names. It's Jenifer Sandara." She awkwardly stuck her hand out to Kormin.

He looked at it perplexed for a moment then said, "Oh. That is one of your Earth customs. I had forgotten about it." he took her hand and gave it a firm shake.

"I have another question, and please don't think it stupid, but I thought Romulans and Vulcans both only have one name." She asked as they walked hurriedly down the corridor, checking the ones that branched off for incoming Gorn.

He smiled. "It is not a stupid question. Most of our people only use their given name and not their family name since it is normally too hard to pronounce even for some of our own race. Mine however is short and easy to pronounce." He moved on quiet for a moment. "However, I am known to my friends as Kormin. You may call me that if you wish."

Jenifer smiled glad to see that he too trusted her now. She conceived that they may make a good pairing. They resumed their course slowly with hardly a word and surprisingly no resistance, it appeared that most Gorn were behind them.

Kormin stopped suddenly. "What's wrong?" Jenifer asked from behind him.

"They are getting closer. We must hurry." Kormin rushed up ahead. He ran through a door and Jenifer went after him. They did not lock it, it appeared that there was not enough time. At the end of this hall was one door. Jenifer could just barely make out the writing on the door. It didn't matter anyway once she had gotten closer she noted that it was written in Gorn. Kormin looked down at her and translated proudly. "Bridge. We must be very careful now. Give me the phaser so that I may kill Shhirzn." he put his hand in front of her.

"Why do you want to kill him?" Jenifer asked again she was reluctant to hand over the phaser this time she wanted an answer.

"If I don't we will just be captured again. Those Gorn in there are all armed, we wouldn't have a chance." he said plainly, if Jenifer didn't already know he was Romulan than she would have sworn he was Vulcan.

"All right." She placed the small phaser into the palm of his hand.

The Romulan rushed in through the doors and started the phaser firing rapidly. He shot most of the crew that tried to attack him once the door opened. The res, after they saw his intent, held back. Jenifer ran in and picked up one of the blasters from a fallen Gorn. She held it up letting everyone know that they meant business, even if she didn't feel like using it, or have any idea how to. That was when she noticed the one huge Gorn, the largest in the room, turned and stared her down. She did not wince or back down, just held the blaster aiming it directly at him.

Then he laughed. An almost human laugh! Now Jenifer was taken aback. God he sounded human, did all alien races aspire to be like them? The Gorn stood towering above even the tall Kormin and walked toward her totally ignoring the Romulan. "Very impressive." He was talking in English, yet another example of him wishing to be Human. The doors opened behind her as the Gorn that had been following them entered. She made the mistake of looking to them. Shhirzn grabbed her and took the blaster out of her hands. Kormin had a little more time to react. With five blasts of the phaser all of the guards went down. He then turned to Shhirzn. "Very impressive." he repeated his own words.

"Let her go." Kormin stood prepared to fire the phaser.

"Put down your weapon and I will let you live, but she must die." The Gorn held her head in his gigantic hand, with one swift turn of the wrist he could break her fragile neck.

"Why, just so you can have the pleasure of killing?" Kormin understood that pleasure, after all he had felt it in the past also, but to kill a child was despicable.

"No." The Gorn's words held sincerity. "Because she posses a threat."

That Kormin did not believe, the child was defenseless without a weapon she could do no harm." I'm the one that posses the threat. I am the one with the phaser." He believed the proof of that was lying at his feet, the pile of dead Gorn should show how dangerous he was.

Shhirzn didn't seem to care about the fallen guards or Kormin who he would admit was a formidable foe. "But she has already killed. And invaded the Human's ship."

"What are you talking about? Invading the Human's ship?"

"She had hidden in the Human ship until they reached Atria, she broke into area's that were secured and stole a weapon right out of their armory. Then she proceeded to take their Captain hostage."

"She did all that?" Kormin asked unbelieving.

"And more. She is a dangerous child. You must let me kill her now." His hold tightened on her head and she let out a small whimper.

Kormin stared at Jenifer and to the massive Gorn and back to the small girl. "Is what he saying true?"

Jenifer was scared out of her wits. She knew by now that Kormin only had a few shots left in the phaser. Of course he could always pick up a blaster by his feet, but what was important now was the fact that this Romulan did not seem surprised to find out about what she had done. In fact the look he gave her was not one of displeasure but instead one of respect. He was actually proud of her. She did finally answer but she did so proudly holding her head as high as she could considering the grip Shhirzn had on her. "Yes."

Kormin just nodded. He glanced down at the phaser and noted that he only had enough energy left for one more shot. He could just shoot Shhirzn and risk killing Jenifer. But he didn't want to do that. Yet he had to take a chance. He raised his phaser to Shhirzn's head, clear of Jenifer's own. And fired. The beam went straight passed his head and into the bulkhead, frying several controls. The reason the shot missed was one of the Gorn officers had rammed into him. But fortunately for Kormin and Jenifer, he fell right into Shhirzn.

Jenifer scrambled out of a mess of arms and legs. She grabbed the blaster from Shhirzn's hand and once she sensed the Gorn officer coming up on her she pointed the blaster at him. In the meantime Kormin had gotten up and found a blaster himself. He then pointed it at Shhirzn who was starting to climb to his scaly feet. The silence in the room was unnerving. Jenifer moved closer to Kormin, her blaster still trained on the Gorn and several others who wished to join the fight. "I want to talk to Shhirzn for a moment. Can you keep an eye on these S.O.B.'s?"

"Be my guest." he seemed almost happy to let her talk to Shhirzn. Perhaps he thought that she would actually try to kill him.

Shhirzn looked at her strangely. "What is a S.O.B.?"

Both Jenifer and Kormin laughed. The laughter died down quickly. Jenifer did not explain but said, "You don't know how dangerous I can be." She looked down at the blaster, while keeping one eye on him, and started to fiddle with the controls. She had no idea how it worked, it was totally alien to her. It did not fit her hand correctly nor could she find the trigger. The Gorn looked at her queerly. She thumbed a button and a beam thrashed out of the blaster. She flew backwards and so did Shhirzn, he was at the business end of the blaster. Jenifer fell to the ground hitting one of the dead Gorn. Obviously neither do I. She thought about her statement before she used the weapon. Although out loud she said. "Well at least now I know where the trigger is."

Her statement seemed to lighten the mood which had gotten awful heavy after the blood curdling scream that came from both her blaster as the energy shot out of it and from Shhirzn just as the beam slashed through him. Though her mood only remained light for a second. She looked at the dead form of Shhirzn. His mutilated skin and scales were slowly melting away from his muscles. She could tell where the beam hit him for there was a hole going right through his torso. The hole was so defined and deep that she could see the floor beneath him. The area around the hole was chard black. His green scales were now brown and there was green, but not skin, it was blood, all over the place. His eye sockets were melted empty and his face was frozen in pain.

Jenifer dropped the blaster and ran to the end of the bridge gagging. Kormin who was a Romulan and much stronger willed than she, still felt nausea threatening to erupt. He kept still and was able to control it. Now the rest of the Gorn had backed off. Kormin faced the remaining officers. "Get these dead off the bridge." he ordered them. They just stood there looking at each other like dumbfounded horses. Kormin realized that they did not understand English. So he repeated his words in their language.

The Gorn did comply and took the dead off the bridge. Kormin took the empty command chair. It didn't really fit his body that well and was at least three sizes to big for him. Jenifer reappeared and walked up to him. He smiled at her appearance. She looked weak, all the color drained from her face, she had to hold on to the side of his chair while she tried to gain her balance. "Feel better?" He asked her.

Jenifer had the feeling that he was not asking about her stomach. She looked toward the closing door where they had just dragged the gruesome body off the bridge. She sighed and smiled, "Much better."

***

Jenifer now had a nice comfortable little room where her little personal belongings were. She had left most behind on the Norton but could live with the loss. She was only really concerned with one article. That was, of course, Charlie. She held him tightly every where she went not wishing to let him out of her sight. She always believed that she had been through a lot with him, and that was before she ran away. Now that he was with her, he would stay there, always. He was no longer just a companion, to her he was a sort of symbol of all that has happened, and if nothing else he was her good luck charm, so far she was still alive and that was good enough.

Now that she had the freedom of moving around the ship she did not feel in the mood to explore it. It wasn't a large ship and before she and Kormin did so much damage the crew had numbered over sixty, now there were just over forty beings on the ship. The only Gorn left who could speak a little English was in the room next to her. So when ever she needed anything or wanted something from one of the other Gorn, he acted as translator. Kormin had taken control of the ship and the Gorn follow his orders obediently. They knew not to act against a man who could do so much damage in such a short amount of time. One thing that bugged her was that the Gorn were not so quick to follow her orders. She thought that after the scene on the bridge they would be too afraid not to follow her orders. But it had become apparent that they disrespected her for her actions that day. It obviously was not right to them to kill the Captain.

Jenifer now had nothing to do on the ship. She mostly mopped around her room. Every once in a while she would visit the engine room or tour the ship. If she was really bored, which was often, she would go up to the bridge and watch Kormin work with the Gorn. He had so much skill at commanding. he was also, surprisingly, a kind commander. No one was hurt after the day they escaped, he never so much as yelled at the crew. The Gorn took little time adjusting to the new situation and accepted it fully. In a way she doubted they were following his orders because they wanted to. She did not trust the Gorn, she imagined that they were conspiring against them when ever they had their backs turned. Kormin she did trust and would trust with her life. He had proved himself to her. She also found it easy to talk to him, like a sort of big brother. He in return trusted her, she knew that with or without him telling her, to him she was like the daughter he never had and though neither would admit it there was a bonding between them that could not be cut with any knife.

Jenifer found herself bored again. She did not know if she wanted to be bored just so she could go to the bridge, or if she truly was. So with Charlie in her arm she walked up to the bridge.

The lift's doors parted before her and Kormin turned to see her enter. He waved her over toward him. Once she was close enough he asked, "So where do you want to go first? We can go to any planet you want." He was bound to keep his word. He would take her anywhere she wanted to go, even if by some odd chance she would want to go home.

"I don't care. Anywhere except any Federation planets." She wasn't about to be caught dead on a Federation planet, not while they were still looking for her. She moved toward the screen which displayed the stars moving passed them at warp 4.

"Hmm." He thought for a moment. "How about Arcturus?"

"Where's that?"

"It's near the Romulan neutral zone. It is also a place where interplanetary known 'villains' do dealings."

"What do you mean?" She didn't understand what sort of "Dealings" these villains would be doing.

"They trade illegal merchandise, information, and such. Or they just go there to have a good time, if you know what I mean." He said with a bit of a smile.

"Oh." She said shortly then walked back to the back of the bridge obviously cutting off further conversation on the subject. She had had enough of that subject the last time she talked to her mother. Sex, it seemed, was not a good thing, to her. All that comes out of it is bad, disastrous relationships, lies, and children you do not want or love. She couldn't imagine ever having children, it would be too hard on them, especially if she were as she was now, a runaway, always on the move. She was sure that any child she would ever had would hate her as much as she hated her mother. She decided she would never have children, they would just get in the way and she didn't need that.

Behind her she could hear Kormin order something in the Gorn's language. She presumed it was orders to set heading and speed to Arcturus. She did not really care where they went. The could go to hell for all she cared, just not back home. Not back to parents that would and could never have loved her.

After a while Jenifer went down to engineering with her translator to see if she could get any more steam out of these engines. She had adequately acquainted herself with the alien computer in the few days that she had been there. Not only that, she was amazed that she even started to understand a little of what the Gorn were saying. Amongst all the hisses and slurs, there were discernible words there. She picked up the easier technical words especially fast. Such as computer and engine. She at least had a grasp of what they were talking about and in that way worked better with those in engineering. She also found that in addition to computers she had a natural talent with engines. She was still learning this particular engine, but she believed she could run and control every essential piece of the engine by herself. She had also discovered that the Gorn ship was capable of doing more then warp 8 safely. Two things were holding it back. A small fissure in the dilithium crystal refracted and absorbed part of the antimatter flow. Second, the primary deflector shields, which protected the ship from asteroids and other debris, was inefficient. The power being used by it was twice what it should be using. It was obvious there was an internal defect. She traced it to a short circuit routing it to a jury rigged circuit for the main shields. This circuit too was inefficient. She rewired the main deflectors back correctly and as for the main shields, she would have to come back to it.

She knew she could only do so much in one day. When the Gorn Chief of Engineering had heard that she rewired his rigging he was angry and tried yelling at her. She ignored him then proceeded to call Kormin to take the warp drive off line for a few hours. Then the same Gorn threw a fit over that until she showed him the small fissure in the crystal. The problem was not that big but it does make a difference in speed. It took only an hour to regenerate the crystal and get the engine back on line. The Gorn still was not pleased, she had gone over his head. The translator tried to convince Jenifer to leave engineering. She didn't decide to until the engineer started to throw chairs across the room at her.

She had gotten the ship running faster than the Gorn thought it could go and still they did not appreciate her, so she went back to hibernate in her room. With Charlie on her lap she sat staring at the blank wall. As she petted the stuffed dog as if it were real, she found that she didn't really belong here. Where did she belong? The Gorn did not like her. The Federation probably did not like her after what she had done on Atria. So who would accept her? Kormin had said that Arcturus was full of villains or rather a better term would be outlaws. Outlaws were usually people who had no real purpose in life, so they made one for themselves, to break laws. Jenifer definitely fit into that category after killing several Gorn, unprovoked. And she couldn't forget she had captured a Starfleet Captain.

Arcturus was defiantly a place for her. So she made plans to visit there and hopefully, if things worked out right, stay there and make it her home. Several days later they were one of the some odd thousand vessels on Arcturus. Jenifer had joined Kormin on the bridge getting ready to depart the vessel. Kormin had asked Jenifer several times if she really wanted to go and mingle with the people on this planet. "It's too dangerous." He had said, and, "If you get caught then you will be dead in two seconds." None of this scared Jenifer, but she was happy that Kormin showed so much concern for her life. For the past few weeks she had a staring contest with danger and had won. She didn't know what was on Arcturus but she knew it couldn't be much worse then what she had been through.

Now she stood getting ready to step on to a very dangerous planet. She was sure she was totally prepared for anything that might happen. Kormin walked up to her and asked, "You are positive that you want to go?" He never let up on the subject.

"Yes. What could possibly happen. Especially with you and the Gorn along with me." She answered.

"All right. Remember, if you get killed, it's you own fault." With that they walked out into the swamp like landing area.

Jenifer, Kormin, the translator, and a few other Gorn walked through the mush. Their feet sunk a few inches into the mud and water, the boots they acquired on the ships kept their feet dry. There were at least twenty ships in the immediate area. Some inhabited, some not. The ships were all parked in a large clear area that extended about half a kilometer in diameter. Amongst the ships there were bushes, some crushed from ships that had recently landed on top of them. The ships that appeared to have been here the longest were overgrown with vines and high grass, a few were half sunk into the swamp never to be retrieved. They walked from about the middle of the landing area toward the large city they could see off in the distance. The closer they came to the city the shallower the swamp became, they could see that at the rate it became less deep, they would be on solid ground once they reached the city.

As the strange group consisting of the strangely different races that weren't normally compatible, walked by the ships no one paid them any attention. Jenifer thought this strange. Her group was so different, why didn't they notice? Maybe they were used to seeing strange groups here on this planet.

Jenifer walked with the group watching the different beings as they went by. Romulan, Orion, Tholian, Klingon, and more, some she recognized, many she didn't. All of them were considered the outlaws of their own people. Then she saw something that surprised her and yet did not really surprise her. She saw a human ship with humans loading her. They glanced at her but did not pay that much attention. Her group walked on toward the hub of attention. Toward the city where there were countless other beings whom she could not even start to comprehend their reason for being here.

They entered one of the first buildings on the outskirts of the city. It seemed to be some sort of bar or club. People or whatever, sat around tables playing cards or other games that were not as peaceful as the 3D chess game back home. The atmosphere was what anyone would expect of a sleazy bar where only people who were thrown out of other bars attended. Smoke filled the upper half of the room. The bar was at the far end of the counter with a small green tentacled creature who was currently serving three of his patrons at once. The low tables where most of the beings in the room were seated were spread across the room in no apparent pattern, the chairs to these tables looked like old fashioned silver beanbags which formed to what ever alien was seated in it. The tables and seats were covered with dust, dirt, and slime. Jenifer was beginning to wonder if the rest of this world looked like this bar, and if so did she really want to stay on this planet?

Jenifer watched the patrons with curiosity but the rest of her group just walked on to an empty table. Kormin motioned for Jenifer to have a seat. She took it while still watching one of the games. Her translator turned to her, "I would not watch too long. They may consider it rude." Jenifer immediately looked away and stared down at her hands on the table.

She looked around the room slowly, not trying to stare. It was a loud place and very crowded. In one corner she saw some Orions trying to sell one of their women to a Klingon. The Klingon seemed to like her, he was already fondling her, before he could get very far with the green skinned woman one Orion placed his hand in front of the Klingon. She then saw the Klingon give some kind of chips to the Orion then roughly take the woman away. The Orions spread out among the crowd. For a second but only a second, she was sure she made eye contact with the one the Klingon gave the chips to. In that second she could feel that he was a very cold man and should not be fooled with. She tore her eyes from him and looked back at her small group.

Sometime, when she was watching the exchange, Kormin had left the table. She searched the room and found him talking to a pack of Andorians. He was arguing with them. She heard something about a ship and thieves and about owing money. Suddenly with a very agitated look on his face he turned away and started to walk to their table. As he approached Jenifer asked, "What was that about?"

He threw himself into one of the low chairs and huffed. "Their the ones that stole my ship." Kormin had told her some days ago that some Andorians stole his ship from this planet. So in return he stole a Gorn ship and then Shhirzn had come and taken that ship from him and threw him in the brig.

"Why don't you just steal it back?" She asked.

"It's not as easy as that, Jenifer. They will have many guards surrounding the ship. I'm trying to buy it back." He told her still a bit distempered.

"Buy it? With what money?" She asked astonished.

"No money. With the Gorn and their ship." He said calmly sitting back.

"You're going to sell these people to the Andorians?" She stood up staring at him in disbelief. Her hand was planted hard on the table when she said, "You can't just sell people." She turned to the translator and the two other Gorn. "You're not going to just sit there and let him sell you, are you?"

The Gorn did not say a word but Kormin answered for them. "We have already talked it over. Now sit down." He put a hand on her arm and gently lowered her into her chair.

Just then one of the Andorians walked to him and kneeled down next to Kormin. He whispered something in his ear and Kormin nodded. Kormin then nodded to the other Gorn that had accompanied the party. They rose and followed the Andorian out the door. "Where are they going?" Asked Jenifer loudly.

Kormin said noting but motioned to the translator Gorn, he stood. Kormin also stood then he talked to Jenifer. "Stay here. And what ever you do don't talk to any strangers."

"Don't worry. I won't take any poisonous apples from any old ladies." Jenifer assured him.

He smiled. Jenifer had told him some of the Human's old fairy tales that she was so fond of on their journey here. The Gorn did not smile. He looked at Kormin and asked, "Why would an old woman give her a poisonous apple?"

"Forget about it." Kormin took him by the arm and walked over to the Andorian's table.

Jenifer watched them go. She took Charlie out from her jacket and set him on her lap. She started to pet him like a real dog, like she had whenever she became worried. "How am I going to get out of this? What will I do if Kormin doesn't get his ship back?" Unknowingly she had spoken this out loud, she had done it so often it was natural to think out loud.

But she did know as soon as someone answered her. "He won't get his ship back. Rom's ain't smart enough to deal with the Antenna's." Jenifer looked up to find the Orion that she had locked eyes with earlier. She found him to be slightly handsome tall, of course to her nearly everyone was tall, with dark black hair and slightly green skin. His black scuffed leather jacket brought out the lightness of his skin and eyes. His eyes were definitely Orion, they glowed bright green with slits for pupils like cat's eyes. The man looked to be around his early twenties. He spoke again with that Orion accent and slang. "You're an Earther ain't you?"

Jenifer looked around for anyway to get out of the conversation. She looked toward Kormin but he was too deep into his own conversation with the Andorians to notice. The Orion went on even though she didn't answer. "Sure you are. What 'ch doin' with a Rom anyway? You his slave? Or he just rape your mom?"

"Leave me alone! And don't insult Kormin. I'm not his slave, and he would never rape anyone!" Jenifer shouted as she stood up hoping to gain Kormin's attention. As she stood Charlie fell from her lap onto the table.

"What's that? How cute, a dolly. The little girl has a dolly." Jenifer grabbed for Charlie but wasn't fast enough. The Orion picked him up swiftly and held him just out of her reach.

Jenifer jumped for him but every time the Orion moved him out of her reach. "Give Charlie back to me." She demanded.

"Give her back the dog." Kormin had walked up behind her unnoticed.

"You call that a dog. It's a bag of cloth full of stuffin." The Orion held the dog away from both of them.

Kormin started to get mad, he had no patience for childish games, at least from grown adults. "Listen Maris, I don't want any trouble. So just give it back to her."

Maris motioned behind him and several Orions started to crowd behind him ready for a fight. "Get lost San."

Kormin saw the looks on the Orions' faces and decided it would not be a good time to provoke a fight so he said. "Fine take the dog. Just leave us alone."

The Orions turned and started to leave. "But.. wait." Jenifer started to protest. Maris held the doll under his arm turned his head for one final look into Jenifer's deep hazel eyes and went on his way.

Kormin cut her off as she was about to call to the Orions again. "Forget it Jenifer they will never give you the dog back, Maris just wanted a fight."

"But I love Charlie." Jenifer started to cry.

"Don't cry. I have my ship back and we can fly anywhere in the galaxy now." Kormin put his arm around her shoulder and ushered her out the door. They walked to a different landing area. This one was deeper into the swamp than their original landing site. Jenifer felt the water seeping into her boots every now and then Kormin would have to give her a tug to pull her feet out of the mud. Far out in the distance they could see the Romulan freighter. "Holy shit! What the hell did they do to my ship?!" Kormin stumbled back in shock and almost fell into the mush.

The ship was all but taken apart. The hull was more or less intact but the insides were spread all over the outside. A quarter of the ship was underwater and there was no doubt that the swamp water had oozed into what ever circuitry was left on the ship. It would take a miracle to put it back together. He started to run toward the other landing area where the Gorn ship was. Jenifer followed even though she had no idea why she was following him. When they arrived it was way too late. He could just barely see the Gorn ship leave the atmosphere. "Shit." He sat down on an uprooted tree and looked toward the sky. "I guess I'm going to have to fix my ship myself. Do you know anything about Romulan technology?" He looked at her, she was still staring up at the sky.

"I learn quick." is all she could say. With that he stood and walked slowly back to the ship. She helped him as much ass he could. In a couple of days they had most of the exterior parts of the interior put back together and some of the computer working. It took hours alone to shovel out the goop that had gotten into the system. She helped him as much as she could. They started working on the engine but found the Andorian's had taken the dilithium crystals that provided a pathway for the matter/anti-matter mixture. "Great and I have nothing to deal with to get any." he complained.

That night after Kormin went to bed Jenifer snuck out of the ship and into a nearby ship that was hauling dilithium crystals. She figured if this was a smuggler's den, a place where thieves gathered, she might as well act as one too and steal the crystal they need. She cautiously went into the cargo bay and took a huge piece out, without being seen. She believed that she could actually do this on a regular basis, she found she was quite good at being a thief. On her way out of the ship she heard someone come her way. She ducked behind another ship and watched as she saw the same Orion that had taken Charlie a few days ago. What did Kormin call him? Oh yes, Maris.

She watched him as he walked past the ship she was hiding behind. She had to move to watch him after that. Being careful that he didn't see her she watched him until he reached a ship about 200 meters away. He entered it and was gone. She memorized which ship it was then hurried back to Kormin's ship. She placed the dilithium in the engine room then went to where she was sleeping and activated the computer. She spoke softly to the screen and took off for the Orion ship.

Once she reached the ship she went around back. She opened the airlock normally used when repairs are to be done to the exterior out in space. Surprisingly there was no one around when she went through both doors. Of course she hoped there would not be since she had no weapon. She went slowly and cautiously around the ship. A few minutes later the ship started to move and lift off from the ground. "Oh, shit!" Jenifer ran back to the airlock knowing that it was too late, they were probably already in space. She found the nearest portal to confirm her fears. Her stupidity and love for a dumb stuffed animal got her trapped onto an enemy ship. She knew she was safe with Kormin, but no, she had to save her dog. What had she been thinking? Tired from a long day's work and exhausted from all the excitement of being abandoned on the Orion ship without any friends or weapons to protect her she found herself a nice little deserted corner and fell asleep.

***

Morning on Arcturus was nothing like on a ship. In fact it was gloomier. Kormin awoke to an eerie feeling. Something was wrong. He knew it in his gut. He ran to the engine room to find a huge chunk of dilithium in the middle of the engine room floor. "Now where did that come from. I wonder if Jenifer stole it for me? Jenifer!" he called her but received no answer. "Jenifer!" He called more loudly.

He walked to her room and found her bed empty. He noticed that the computer was on and something was blinking on the screen. Once he moved closer he could read it more clearly. "Message." It read.

"Play message." Kormin ordered the computer.

On the screen Jenifer's determined face appeared. She looked different somehow, as if she now had a purpose. Her image started to speak, "Kormin by now you must have noticed I left. And if I am not back by now then I either had gotten caught or I am dead. I left you a dilithium crystal in the engine room if you haven't found it yet. The reason I left was I wanted to get Charlie back. I know he's just a stuffed dog. But to me he's more. I don't expect you to understand. He represents everything I have ever dreamed of and everything I have ever been. He also represents generations of my family. I love him just as if he were my best friend. I know what you're thinking. Going onto the Orion ship alone is too dangerous. But anymore that's who I am, someone who lives with danger. And if I do get into a mess I'll try somehow to find you. You're my friend Kormin, no matter what you are, I want you to remember that. I'll see you later. Bye." Jenifer's image disappeared from the screen and was replaced with, "End message."

Kormin sat back and was now determined to finish fixing this ship so he could go save Jenifer, wherever she was.

***

A few hours later Jenifer awoke to the sound of footfalls. She sat up and hid behind the wall. An Orion officer walked by without even spotting her. Jenifer stood and was determined to finish her quest, to find Charlie. Jenifer again walked cautiously through the ship. Where she was going she did not know, but she wouldn't stop until she found him. This was a busy ship and every time she heard an Orion coming she had to duck out of the way. This was a definite deterrent to her mission. Sometimes she could not move two steps without a new Orion heading towards her down the hall. After a while she turned a corner and found what she was looking for. Right there lying out in the middle of the hall was Charlie. "Maris must have dropped him and forgotten about him."

Without thinking any further she hurried out into the hall and scooped him up in her arms. She pressed him hard against her chest and said, "Oh Charlie I missed you."

Just then a door opened right in front of her. She had no where to escape to. "I was wondering when you'd get here. You sure took long 'nough." Jenifer didn't have to look up to see who it was. She knew it was Maris. He stepped closer to her, she watched his feet with fascination unwilling to look him in the eye again. "You don't think that you could come on this ship and walk around without us knowin' do ya?"

She looked at him shyly avoiding eye contact. She knew that she could not walk around here forever without getting caught, but she didn't think it would be so soon either. She was even more upset when she realize Charlie was the one that betrayed her, or rather her feelings for the dog did. She was unprepared to face Maris at this time and had no plan. She also had no idea what to say. "Ya have no answer huh." Maris' green eyes showed disappointment. "Well why don't ya come in and get someth'n to eat." he put his hand on her arm more gently than she thought he would. She let him guide her into his room. After all what could she do, he wasn't going to put her into the brig at the moment and she knew there was no chance of escape this time.

"Have a seat." She did so without a word. She sat on a black leather couch in a very spacious and comfortable room. In front of the opposite wall was a large desk and dresser, both cluttered with trinkets, perhaps souvenirs of places he had been, or just things he has stolen from people. The bed took up half of the room, the rest was empty space. The bed itself was a canopy bed with black drapes and sheets. Maris appeared to like the color black, she wondered if it was somehow symbolic of his personality. The room, except for it's color was definitely not something that she expected of an Orion. He had removed his jacket from the last time she had seen him, his well built muscles showed through his tight white shirt. The high definition of those muscles showed that this man worked out often and she was afraid, it would be hard to escape his grasp. He went toward the back of the room and disappeared through a doorway. Unfortunately not long enough for her to make a run for it. A few seconds later he came back with a cup of what appeared and smelled like hot chocolate and cookies. He placed them down in front of her on the short black metallic table. "Go ahead try 'em. I had one of my men find out what you people your age like."

Her hand crept out towards them. She was hungry, but her suspicion of this man was intense, how did she know that he hadn't drugged the food. She reasoned if he wanted to drug her he wouldn't have invited her here, he would have just sent her straight to the brig. So her hunger won out and she took a cookie. The taste was familiar, if only a little different, but unmistakably peanut butter. She loves peanutbutter cookies, they are her favorite, she wondered how he knew. They tasted wonderful too. Since the cookies were good she decided to trust him this far and try the hot chocolate. It was even better! Jenifer ate several cookies and gulped down the cocoa before she said anything. "You're people must be smart, they knew just what I like."

"Thank ya." He said sitting down next to her. "Tell me. Why did you come back for that pile of stuffing." His words were softly spoken, he seemed to be looking at her admiringly.

"It's more than you would ever understand." Jenifer told him.

"Try me." he said with a smile. His smile radiated like his eyes. It was such a beautiful smile, a shame to waste it on such a man.

"He's been in my family for generations. Plus he's been through a lot with me." She explained.

"What'ch mean, a lot." He picked at a strand of her bright orangish hair and started playing with it.

"Just this past month or so. With Kormin and all." She said trying to avoid the subject she knew was coming. With the way he was acting and the questions he was asking made her feel as if she would be more comfortable in the brig.

And here came the subject she had tried to avoid. "You that little girlie the Fed's are lookin' for?"

She hesitated for a moment and said, "Yeah."

"T'think one so little could make so much turmoil." He shook his head.

Trying to find a way out she said. "Listen why don't you just turn this ship around so I can go back to Arcturus."

"No can do little girlie." He said standing.

"Why not?" The way he was looking at her scared her, there was something in his eyes that she could not identify, she felt the need to run and run fast, but alas there was no where to go.

"Cause. I can use someone with your wits and determination."

"You can't keep me here." Jenifer yelled jumping out of her seat.

Maris pushed her down hard. "Yeah I can. You got no place t' go. You're stuck here."

"What are you going to do with me?" She asked, now she was truly afraid he had more strength in his one arm then she had predicted.

"Depends. I ain't gonna hurt you, not if you cooperate. But ya can help around the ship with the computer and all." he told her.

"And if I refuse." She asked.

"Then I sell ya with the rest of my women." He said flatly.

"Oh joy." Then after some consideration, "I guess I can help out a little."

"Great. Then welcome 'board..um… What's ya name?" All this time he didn't even think about calling her by name, "little girlie" seemed to fit her.

"Jenifer Sandara." She told him softly.

"Jen, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He sat back down next to her and took her hand in his rubbing it gently. "My name is Dijon Maris. And before we go on, I believe we should get to know each other a little better." He looked deep into her eyes and reflexively she coiled backwards. He held her hand tight in his so she could not get away. He lowered his face into the nape of her neck and began to kiss her roughly. She pushed away from him with her free hand and legs. He now gripped her with both hands holding her arms away from her body he pushed her into a laying position, becoming more aggressive with each move. She yelled out for help only to find her screams to go unanswered. Maris laughed, "You can yell all you want, no one will help you here." He then ripped open her blouse, she screamed louder. Jenifer knew she could get into trouble coming on board this ship but she never knew quite how dangerous this Dijon Maris could be.

***

Jenifer stopped her story, there was no question as to why, this period obviously hurt her to even think about it. She looked in the faces of her friends, those she had learned to trust, but she knew even they could not understand her pain, they have never had experiences that came near this. She took her time as she continued, their faces held the agony she felt, but she knew they could never know how horrible the situation was. "He proceeded to rape me. I did yell and scream, I even scratched him up pretty good. But it didn't deter him. It became a regular thing usually once or more a night, he did become very violent on some occasions, I feared for my life through most of the first few years. After a while I stopped resisting and worst of all I even started to look forward to the sex." She sighed, the next part was the next logical thing to tell them, but she still had difficulty with it. "It didn't stop with Dijon, many of the other crewmen raped me unwillingly until I gave into them too." The girls in a way did not look surprised, as if they did expect it. "Because of my mom I believed sex was a bad thing. It may have felt good but I still believed I was a bad person for wanting sex with them."

Jenifer had a strong erg to change the subject. "Of course, sex wasn't the only thing I learned from them. Dijon had introduced me to his crew and officers that first night, he even gave his first officer Devak Beuner the 'honor' of being the first after him to have his way with me. You know looking back on it now I have to laugh, Devak really wasn't that good of a lover. Oh, well, I'm off the subject again. During the next two years I learned a lot. I had learned how to operate every inch of Dijon's vessel and also learned most of their language, as well as other languages. I wasn't the only one who learned a lot during those years. I had taught Dijon and Devak how to speak proper English without the slang.

"I also learned how to raid colonies and outposts. Which included killing people. I have never gotten used to that part but I did it anyway. Dijon taught me how to fight, he loved swords and knives, I myself felt more skilled with a knife than any other weapon and Dijon had made me a special one shaped like a Christmas tree, it really did do some damage once plunged into a body. He taught me other things, like how to drive the ship, and even how to cook. He was very good at all of these things and more. I learned the computer system quickly and was able to upgrade their engine, all of the Orions were very accommodating and took my orders well. They really made me feel at home with them." She paused for a moment for it was appropriate, at this point another big change occurred in her life.

Chapter 4: Return of Zorock.

Jenifer felt as if it were time to go on to the next phase. "For some reason I enjoyed staying with the Pirates, weather it was the sex, or the money, or just a place where I felt I belonged, I don't know. As much as it sounds like we did a lot, it really didn't seem that exciting during those years, not as much as my first month away from home, and definitely not as much as the years to come. Soon I was going to turn fourteen, that's when some big adventure was going to start."

Stephanie laughed, she knew that Jenifer had been bored by her story but to learn why made her story about growing up in Kansas sound like child's play. "My weren't we the dangerous type."

"That's my middle name. Jenifer Danger Sandara." She said it with a smile but for one reason or another Stephanie wasn't sure she was joking.

Despite that, Stephanie went on to her question. "What I don't understand is why you didn't leave them and go back to Kormin? You could have easily hid out on one of those colonies like you did on the ships."

"I did try to hide out on the first colony we raided but Dijon found me, he is, in his own way, very smart. Besides after a while I started to like it with the Orions." Then she added, "A lot."

"Uh humm." DeArra knew what Jenifer was talking about after all there were some things in that diary that she hadn't told anyone about.

Obviously Stephanie was still not catching on, she turned to DeArra, "What do you mean by uh humm?"

Before DeArra could fill in the gaps Jenifer shot her a look that told DeArra to stuff it. DeArra took the hint, she wasn't as dense as Stephanie, "Nothing Steph, Just go on with your story Jenifer."

Jenifer sat up a little and rested her hand on her chin. While she was talking she moved her hand over her mouth which slurred her words a little. "Well when I was fourteen we raided a few more outposts, gotprhenthnth, then ran into some Klingons and…"

"Wait a minute. Back up." Stephanie interrupted.

"We raided some outposts?" Jenifer asked trying to avoid what was coming. Though she was sure DeArra already knew, and she knew that it was a part of her life that she would eventually have to tell them, she just couldn't bare to talk about the subject.

"No after that and don't say 'ran into some Klingons.'" Stephanie was sure Jenifer would tell her what she thought she heard.

"Oh well I was going to say a few years later we had a fight with a Federation starship." Jenifer covered up jokingly, she knew she couldn't avoid it any longer, but she just wanted to tease Stephanie a little more.

"Come on Jenifer stop avoiding it." Stephanie was beginning to become annoyed.

"All right. I got pregnant. There I said it, happy now?" Jenifer sounded hurt. So far during the whole story she had not sounded hurt compared to this, even when she told them about her first night on Dijon's ship.

"Listen, Jenifer, I'm sorry. I didn't think it was that touchy of a subject. If you don't want to talk about it then it's okay." Stephanie apologized.

"No I think it would do me good to talk about it. So go ahead ask about him." Jenifer brought Charlie up to her chest, holding him but not too tight.

"It was a boy, how wonderful." DeArra tried to lighten the mood. It didn't. Stephanie now was the one who shot her a look that told her to shut up.

"What was his name?" Stephanie asked smoothly.

"Justin." Jenifer said shortly. She did not say anything else because she really didn't want them to know who the father was, though they would probably drill that out of her too.

Since reading Jenifer's diary one thing had always puzzled DeArra, "Where is he?"

"Um..he's a …well… you see. Damn!" Jenifer stumbled. She turned away quickly as tears started to form in her eyes. This was the main reason she didn't want to talk about him. "He's a…" She paused to sniffle a tear back. "Dead." She said it slowly and quietly.

"Oh Jenifer I'm sorry." DeArra came up to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

After Jenifer had cried for a few minutes and her eyes dried up she managed to go on. "Up until I had my baby I still believed sex was a bad thing and I was a bad person. Then I had Justin and my world changed, I loved him so much, more then I've ever loved anyone. He was the only good thing I've ever seen out of having sex. I still believe that it screws up relationships but having babies is almost worth it."

Stephanie listened with awe, neither she nor DeArra could deny what Jenifer had said, they just never had the experience with having a baby. Stephanie then asked the inevitable question. "Who was his father?"

As Jenifer was wiping away the tears on her face she managed to form a half smile. "I don't really know." She lied.

Both Stephanie's and DeArra's mouths dropped open. Jenifer had told them that other crewmen had had their way with her, but who would believe that it would go on for two years. "You don't know?!" The said almost simultaneously.

"You have got to be lying." DeArra said, she knew the truth, both from the diary and from her empathetic powers, she literally felt that Jenifer was lying.

Stephanie didn't have any idea, however, she would have to figure this one out on her own. "You're telling us that you were with so many guys that you don't know which one got you pregnant?"

"That's what I'm saying." Jenifer hid her smile, sometimes it was too easy to tease Stephanie.

"What made you do such a thing?" Stephanie asked astonished. She never expected someone like Jenifer to be so free.

"What can I say. You can't control where you are when you enter puberty." A small giggle finally broke through her composure.

DeArra too couldn't help but laugh. Stephanie of course wanted in on the joke. "What?"

Jenifer's grin widened. "What I told you was true, but I do know who the father is. For two reasons, first the standard DNA test was run, which proved what both the father and I thought to be true. The second reason was no matter how many men I was with on that ship there was only one who I had not used birth control with, for he was the only man I thought I loved there."

Stephanie may have already known the truth but she wanted to hear it from Jenifer. "Okay, I'll bite, who was your only true love there."

"I didn't say true love, because I hate him now, but that's another story and we'll get to that later. Anyway his father was…" She paused imagining a drum roll, "Dijon Maris." Cymbal crash.

Stephanie didn't say anything further, in a way she had a feeling that it would be him, she found what she wanted and waited for Jenifer to finish her story. DeArra however wanted to pursue the subject feeling there was a bit of therapeutical value in this conversation. "How did he die?"

Jenifer didn't seem to mind talking about it now. "It's kind of ironic you know. I was born in the Federation. I live in the Federation and I will most probably die in the Federation. But my son died while fighting the Federation. I sort of feel like it's my fault because I'm part of the Federation. Of course after he died the only place I wanted to be was in the Federation." Jenifer said trying not to let her voice deceive her feelings.

However there was no deceiving DeArra, "Jenifer it's not your fault. He wasn't really meant to live. He was made by an almost impossible mix of genes. He probably would have died not much longer after that because of defects." DeArra tried to help her feel better.

"Thanks." Jenifer said sarcastically.

DeArra moved off Jenifer's bed and further away from the young woman just in case Jenifer were to lash out at her at any moment as she had the tendency of doing. "Why don't you finish your story now."

"Okay." Jenifer had no problem changing subjects. "you guys remember my Kobayashi Maru test don't you?" Jenifer asked staring directly at DeArra, for it was she that brought back memories of this exact time in her life.

"How could I forget." DeArra muttered, Jenifer will never let her live down the fact that she wrongly looked into Jenifer's diary to turn that test against her.

"Anyway, one of the many skirmishes we had was with the Klingons. Those raids were pretty fun to tell you the truth. Well the one that was a little important, or at least struck me as strange at the time happened when I was about 16. Justin was about 1 and a half. This was the incident when I met up with Zorock's son…" She started to tell about adventure.

***

Torini 7 is a lively planet just outside of the Klingon border, even though the Klingons believe that it belongs to them. Just to prove that it does the Empire had placed Klingon guards in the cities all over the planet. They even went so far as to establish several small cities for their own uses. The Klingon interference could be seen in orbit of the planet, there were already large patches of land cleared of their natural flora. It was a sad thing to see such beauty to go to waste, but that is the price paid for advancement.

Jenifer watched the planet on the viewscreen, the sight became slightly brighter as they entered the atmosphere of the planet. Slowly they descended and the patches grew larger. As they got closer to the surface she could see the city they would be visiting just slightly to the right of the screen. The landing gear screeched as it strained to lower out of its casing, then again as the weight of the ship was placed upon them when they touched the ground. Dijon gave Jenifer the thumbs up sign. "Yet another perfect landing my love."

"Have I ever been anything less than perfect?" She stood kissing Dijon on cheek as she walked by towards the exit of the bridge.

Devak looked up from his science counsel. "Well, actually the first three times…"

Jenifer turned on him fast. "I wasn't asking you." Devak bent back down to work quickly as if nothing had happened.

By that time Dijon was by her side and was putting an arm around her waist while addressing Devak. "We will go get Justin. Meet us outside of the main airlock in half an hour."

Devak looked up long enough to make eye contact. "Yes master."

Justin lay in his bed sleeping like a baby, since he was a baby it was quite natural. Charlie lay next to him with Justin's arm wrapped around him. Justin had slightly green skin that sparkled in the sunlight, which showed his heritage, his eyes however were round and bright. Jenifer was proud of Justin, she knew he would grow up to be a smart boy, and she loved him very much, even if he was part alien.

She picked him up out of the crib, he whimpered slightly and her nurse, an Orion slave girl, came running into the room. Jenifer turned to her. "It's all right. We're going shopping. Pack a small purse please." Without a word, the nurse went to work gathering items from around the room that she might need for the baby, then put them in a bag and handed it to Jenifer. She put the strap of the bag over her left shoulder while holding Justin in her right arm. She smiled at the nurse. "I'll be fine. Take the rest of the day off until we return." The nurse half bowed and left the room. Just as Jenifer was turning to leave Dijon entered, startling her. "Don't you ever knock?"

"It's my ship, why should I?" He didn't give her time to respond. "Are you ready to go?"

"All set." They met Devak just outside the airlock as Dijon had specified and walked the quarter of a mile to the edge of the city.

There, as expected, they found a fence that seemed to encompass the entire city, a gate to this fence was directly in front of them, with a Klingon stationed at it. The female guard stood at attention as they approached. She was clad in the normal full armor that Klingon warriors donned. She was tall and her hair was pulled painfully back to reveal a rather mean expression. She spoke solely in Klingon. "Halt. State your business in T'Lina." Jenifer had picked up a little of the language from Dijon and was able to understand this woman, she had to assume that T'Lina was the name of the city.

Dijon answered for the trio also in Klingon. "We've come to buy supplies." Amazingly it was at least a half truth. If Dijon had divulged the true reason they were going to the city, the Klingons would never allow it.

"I must confiscate any weapons you possess." The trio each handed over a dagger and blaster each. She looked at Jenifer suspiciously. "I must check your purse." Without hesitation Jenifer slid the purse off her shoulder and handed it to the Klingon. Digging through it the Klingon found nothing save diapers, which she examined with disgust and other child care instruments. Replacing everything she threw the purse back at Jenifer. Jenifer caught it without problems. The Klingon then opened the gate wide enough so only they could pass. "You may pass. Be warned, if any disturbance is caused by you, you will be dealt with properly."

The threesome walked through the gate, and when Jenifer heard it slam shut behind her she leaned over and whispered to Dijon. "I wonder if it's the weight of the armor or the hair that makes her so grouchy." He smirked but did not dare laugh in front of the Klingon.

Dijon had said the last time he had been to this planet was before the Klingon incursion. While having the ability of space travel the people of the planet chose a more isolated way of life. Being a capitalist society they traded amongst themselves. Most people here sought out profits and not trouble, hence it was an easy takeover for the Klingons. Now all profits made on the planet go to the Klingon Empire. Dijon did not care about that.

They were here indeed to shop, for two things. One, Jenifer wished to get Justin some new clothes before he grew out of the one's he was wearing. And two, Dijon was in need of parts for a weapon he and his crew, mostly he and Jenifer, were building. Correction nearly finished with the exception of three components, refined solenogyn, spectrum shift processor, and subatomic plasma emitter. The latter is what he intended to receive on this planet. Since they were illegal to sell in the Federation, and amazingly in the Klingon Empire, Dijon wished to keep this transaction quiet.

They walked into the city, the man whom Dijon was to meet worked not far from the edge of the city so it did not take long to reach the small two story building. It was in the middle of a market street. Vendor's carts were sprinkled along both sides of the street, a few people walked up and down the street, besides that there was little activity in the general area, most business was conducted inside the buildings on the street. The people on the street were mostly natives of the planet, short, hairy, and not too muscular, except for their posture from far away they could be mistaken for chimpanzees on earth, essentially these people were the perfect victim for the Klingon Empire. Three doors down from the engineering specialty shop, where this man did his business, was a clothing store. Jenifer decided she would look in there while Dijon and Devak went to talk to the man.

The two Orions disappeared inside the door to the store while Jenifer shifted Justin's weight in her arms. She entered the store and just inside she received her first close up of a native of Torini 7. His, she assumed it was male, shape was humanoid and even his face had a somewhat human appearance, his eyes were close set, his nose was almost nonexistent but the small lump with a slit on either side, under his eyes and above his mouth looked like a half developed nose. His mouth had full lips and when he smiled at her, he bore somewhat sharp teeth, which indicated to Jenifer that these people were evolving away from a carnivorous diet. Surprisingly with all the fur covering his body he wore a white heavy looking shirt and shorts that didn't quite cover his large belly so in-between the shirt and pants much hair protruded out. Kind of like Devak in the morning. Jenifer mused silently. She smiled back at the creature. He went back to his browsing amongst the shelves of clothes in the shop.

Jenifer stepped in further searching for an employee of the store that could help her find something in Justin's size. The store was filled with shelves in rows that came to about her chest, just over the head of the Torinian that she had just met, she figured that an employee had to be behind one of these shelves. While she searched she did not notice a door towards the back of the room open. In rushed another little man, somewhat taller then the first, dressed in a nice cotton green shirt and pants with a pattern of a horse like creature embroidered down the right side. He also wore a long light blue coat that ended just above his bare feet. If this was fashion, Jenifer wasn't sure she wanted to buy clothes for her son on this planet.

He hurried straight to her and while a little out of breath greeted her speaking Klingon. "Good day, Madam. How may I be of service?"

Jenifer, still not sure about her speaking quality of the Klingon language returned the greeting in English. "Hello, do you speak English?"

"Indeed madam, how may I be of service?" He asked again a little slower, obviously he was not sure of his English.

Jenifer took note of it and made sure she spoke slow enough for the apelike creature. "I was wondering if you might have something to fit my son."

"Of course. Just follow me, our infant section is over here." He half waddled over to the back part of the room by the door he had entered. "I believe these three shelves should contain clothes to fit the young boy."

Jenifer knelt down and sat Justin next to her giving him her purse to play with, she started to examine the fine cloth on a particular black shirt. The man did not budge from his spot and looked on with fascination. Slowly she realized he was watching her and she looked up to him. "Can I help you with something?"

He nodded eagerly. "I was wondering if you were associated with the Klingons?"

A little curious as to why he would ask she answered him. "No, why?" She said it casually while still looking at the shirt she held in her hands.

"I was wondering if you might be able to help us. You see…" When he stopped abruptly Jenifer became concerned and looked at him. She noticed he was staring with a bit of fright at the window near the entrance of the store. She followed his gaze and found three large Klingons looking in the window directly at them, they started to head for the door and as they approached them, the apeman said quickly in Klingon. "I must be getting back to my duties ex..excuse me." He turned and bumped into the leg of one of the Klingons.

This Klingon picked him up by the scuff of his neck with a small yelp emanating from the apeman and looked him straight in the eye. "Watch it Canute, we don't want you having an accident like the last time." Then while looking over at Jenifer's concerned face he put the Torinian down gently. "Now go attend some other customer and make us money." Canute ran off towards the first Torinian Jenifer had seen in the store. The Klingon glared down at Jenifer.

Jenifer did not like the look in his eyes. It was something like the look Dijon had when she first met him, dangerous. She picked Justin up and wished to leave, but when she turned around the other two Klingons were blocking her escape. She turned back to the other Klingon, and confronted him trying hard to pronounce their language. "You are in my way."

He ignored her and continued on his own train of thought. "You're a pretty little girl."

"For a human." Another one added.

That sounded too familiar for comfort. Had she not had Justin in her arms she would have either made a run for it or if she had her knife she would have taken it out and fought her way out. As it was she was trapped very well and could not see any other way out, than to talk her way out of the situation. "Perhaps, but you are ugly, even for a Klingon."

The insult did not go unregistered, the anger showed in his eyes and he clenched his fists, then he turned to a different subject, staring down at Justin. "That boy is Orion. Where did you steal it from?"

An insult for an insult. "He is my son."

He laughed. "You're too young to have a child, tell me really where did you get it?"

"Forget the baby, Kamice, just take the girl." The larger of the two Klingons behind her said. The other laughed like a stupid goon.

"All in good time my friends, after all if she already has had a child, I'm sure she'd be willing to try for another." He moved forward slowly, there was an obvious intent in his step, to take hold of her.

"Not with a pahtk like you." Jenifer took the chance and started to push her way past him.

He took her arm gently. "You're not going to leave? We were just starting to have fun." He started to lean down to her.

"Kamice!" The large Klingon jumped at the intrudance and searched for the origin of the voice. He found it at the entrance to the shop. Dijon Maris stood silhouetted by the shadows of the door and the bright light of the sun outside. "Let her go, she's mine."

Kamice smiled a crocked toothy grin. "Maris, you left her unattended. I found her and I will keep her."

Dijon walked towards the large Klingon who towered over him by at least a foot. That did not matter to him, he knew this Klingon and knew he could defeat him. "Not unless you want to die for her."

It was obvious that the Klingon too knew it was possible, but he had an advantage, he was armed. So he proved it by taking out a disrupter and aiming it at Dijon. The Orion did not back away, he merely stepped closer trying to reach towards Jenifer. She too tried to move in his direction but Kamice's grip tightened on her arm. He brought her closer to him and his finger wavered over the trigger.

At this time Justin decided to show Kamice exactly what he had had to eat that day. The vomit splashed all over the Klingon's chest. Roaring the Klingon released his grip on Jenifer and started whipping at the spit. As she moved away Dijon took the opportunity to take a punch at the Klingon's face. It may not have floored the huge being but it was enough to stun him and allow them to make a run for the door. As they began to exit Canute called to them. "Does this mean you won't be making a purchase?" From the side Kamice hit the apeman down to the floor and whipped more of the spew off of his armor.

***

They walked back towards the edge of the city calmly as if nothing had happened, Devak had joined them just outside the store. "So when are they going to deliver the merchandise?" Jenifer asked Dijon nonchalantly.

"They're not." He seemed a tad upset. Jenifer began to wonder if he had hit the Klingon to save her or just out of frustration.

"What went wrong?" It was a simple normal question she had asked but under the circumstances Dijon was not inclined to take it lightly.

He swiveled on her his fist held back and aimed at her face. She did not flinch, for two reasons, one she knew Dijon and it was best to just take the punch and go on then resist him, second she was holding Justin and chances were he would not risk hurting his son. She was right, Dijon lowered his fist as he looked into his son's face, who obviously didn't know or care about what was going on, after all he was only a baby. Dijon took a second to calm down then said, "The Merlis Klingon's saw fit to outlaw the sell of it here too. He wouldn't even let me smuggle the Pictoch thing out. And to think I offered him double our original agreement."

"What is he afraid of, we have dealt with him before with illegal merchandise." Devak did not understand the apeman's change of heart.

"The Klingon's wouldn't profit from this sale. He was afraid that if they were to find out then they would kill him. The coward." Dijon continued to walk towards the gate. He said nothing as the Klingon guard returned their weapons after searching for stolen goods and finding none. They continued their walk back to the ship. "I however, am not a coward. Jen, tonight you and I will return to his shop and take the plasma emitter."

"What about the guards?" She glanced back at the large female at the gate, she wasn't sure she would be able to take on such a formidable woman.

"We will be able to handle them." Dijon entered his ship without another word.

Devak turned to Jenifer. "He does not plan on killing Klingons on their own planet, does he? It would be suicide."

"I don't know Devak. Dijon's done some pretty crazy things in the past. Nothing he does surprises me anymore."

***

Later that night Dijon, Jenifer and Devak stood on the bridge. Dijon rounded his command chair to face the other two. "Devak, I will need a schematic of the number and location of the guards."

"Yes master."

Jenifer shook her head. "It would be so much easier if we only had a transporter. In and out. As simple as that."

"You know I hate doing things the easy way Jen. Besides they have a shield around the entire city, a transporter beam cannot penetrate that."

"No but I could have found the frequency that it operates on and disable it. No shield, no problems." It may have been the easy way out but Jenifer preferred it over getting killed by any one of the hundred Klingons patrolling the streets of the city. She complained quietly to herself after that about how easy it would be to install a transporter on the ship, while she gathered tools and weapons she believed they may need on their raid.

Dijon tired of her mumbling said. "If it would please you, I will install one after we complete the Destroyer." Her face brightened when she looked at Dijon. She knew it was an empty promise and so was her smile. Devak handed Dijon a padd with the information he had requested. He examined it quickly then looked to Jenifer. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and headed for the door. Dijon and Jenifer alone stepped out of the airlock armed heavily. Dijon turned back to Devak who was just at the entrance, "Be prepared to send reinforcements at my word, or if you do not hear from either of us within a half hour."

"I will be standing by Master." Devak bowed. Dijon considered him a good friend, but sometimes he acted like a servant, which he was.

They walked in silence with the anti-grav unit in tow until they came in sight of the Klingon guard. It appeared to be the same woman. Dijon held his hand out to Jenifer indicating she should stop. "I'll handle her. Be ready to run in case something goes wrong." Jenifer agreed, but she knew nothing would go wrong, they had been in similar situations before and nothing ever went wrong.

Dijon approached the guard she greeted him with the firing end of the phaser rifle she held. "No one is aloud in the city after the sun sets."

Dijon approached her serenely. "It is imperative that I speak with your leader."

The Klingon did not seem to hear him. She was leaning from side to side trying vainly to see around him as if she knew there was someone off in the darkness. As she did so, he looked around and made sure there were no other Klingons in the vicinity. All seemed clear, he would only have to deal with her for the moment. She gave up her search, she obviously saw nothing in the distance. "You will have to wait until morning. No one enters after dark."

"It can not wait." Dijon said hurriedly as if he truly meant it. "I have heard that there will be a raid on your city, I must alert your leader."

Stubbornly the Klingon woman said, "It does not matter, our guards will be sufficient. Return to your ship, or I shall have to arrest you."

"All right." Dijon gave into the woman's demands for the moment. He turned and took a step forward. He heard her replace the safety to its original position on the rifle. He took this opportunity to swing around on her, dagger already drawn. Lashing out he struck her straight in the heart, the armor didn't even slow the knife. She gasped. He ripped the dagger out and thrust again next to the hole he had just made. Two more stabs and the Klingon went limp. He propped her up against the gate and tied her shoulders to it. He hoped that anyone who came by would think her to merely be leaning, and not investigate it further.

He turned around and waved his hand high. Jenifer saw it even from as far away as she was. She had also seen the Klingon woman fall without a sound. He had done it again, without a hitch. When she arrived next to him he pointed at the controls to the lock of the gate. She nodded and went straight to work. While she did she tilted her head in the dead Klingon's direction. "What happened?"

"All Klingons are clumsy, she fell on my knife."

"Uh, huh." She activated two switches on the panel and the gate opened for them.

He held the gate aside while she pulled the anti-grav unit inside, he also watched for any more Klingons who might attack. "One of these days you're going to have to teach me how to pick locks without alerting security."

"I can't." She told him seriously, he didn't seem to like it. "It's all women's intuition, and frankly my love, you don't have any."

He smiled at her smart remark, but didn't believe he had time for a comeback. He consulted the data that Devak had prepared for him. "We'll have to take the back way in. There are four guards stationed along the block that the buildings are on. There's approximately ten patrolling the outer perimeter to the city, we'll have to distract at least one to get inside."

"Oh, let me, I love driving men to distraction." She started forward and Dijon stopped her once again.

"Not this time, Jen. You may have your chance later. We can't take the chance of being seen, yet." He looked around for any kind of opportunity and found it in an old watch tower that was no longer in use. The wooden structure was already falling apart. It would not be difficult to send it tumbling to the ground. "Jen, set up some explosives. Give yourself time to meet me in those bushes there." he pointed about a hundred feet in the opposite direction of the tower. She agreed and he went off leaving her to set up the bomb alone. She worked diligently setting the explosives at the base of the tower, glancing up every once in a while to watch for Klingons. She gave herself a safe margin of 45 seconds on the detonator and made a run for the bushes. She reached them safely and fifteen seconds later the explosives went off. Creaking and shrieking the tower fell to the ground. All ten of the perimeter guards ran toward the tower. As the last one passed, they made their run for the back streets of the city.

They walked silently, hurrying past the allies and watching all around them with blasters drawn. They reached the building quickly and Dijon pointed to a half open window on the first floor. "At least we won't have to scale the building." He entered the window first scouting the area, he saw no opposition, so he took the anti-grav unit from Jenifer and she too climbed in the window. They were in the office half of the first floor, the other half contained the actual store.

Jenifer opened the door to the shop a crack and looked around, one to make sure there was no one there, and two to get a look at the equipment. "What I wouldn't give to take some of this stuff with us."

Dijon pulled on the collar of her blouse. "We don't have time Jen. The stairs are this way."

Sullenly she followed him. "Yes, my love."

Dijon stopped without warning near the top of the stairs. "What is it?" Jenifer whispered. She knew that the owner of the store lived on the second floor.

"There are two guards outside the door where he was keeping the emitter. I think he was expecting us." Dijon began to raise his blaster to take out the guards.

She put a hand on his arm. He looked down at her with anger, they could not waste time, the guards might catch on to them. She explained, "If we use the blasters, all the guards on the block will hear it."

"Are you sure you can take him?" Dijon looked deep into her eyes, he actually seemed concerned for her. Both knew she could and had before. "All right, but I get the bigger of the two." He took out his dagger once again and jumped into the hallway.

Astonished the Klingons took a fatal second to attack their attacker. Dijon had gone head on with the larger of the two and already had his dagger well dug into his shoulder. The other had his blaster ready to shoot Dijon in the back. Jenifer jumped onto the back of this Klingon. He dropped his blaster and tried to grab at her, but she had a tight grip around his neck. He squirmed helplessly trying to shake her off. He fell backwards purposely into the wall. All the air left Jenifer with a small squeal, but her hold did not loosen. She already had her Christmas tree knife in her hand. With a quick motion she slashed it straight across the Klingon's neck. It became stuck on one of his tubes and she had to rip it out to get her knife away from the Klingon. Blood spurted forward protruding from the tube and the gash in his neck. She dropped off of the Klingon before he fell to the ground in the puddle of his own blood. Dijon too finished off his Klingon by kicking him to the ground.

Jenifer had already turned and kneeling began picking the lock on the door the Klingons were guarding as if nothing had happened. "Well, that was almost silent Jen." He said as he was massaging her back and working his way forward.

"Later, let me concentrate." She was fiddling intently with the standard mechanized lock.

His hands fell from her but he whispered in her ear. "I want you."

"I promise, when we get back to the ship." She nearly had it she could feel her pick latching onto the lock. "Right now, shouldn't you be making sure that no Klingons are coming?"

"Don't worry we will hear them if they do." Just in case he glanced behind him and confirmed that no one was there. One final click and the door swung open. Dijon rushed inside, the plasma emitter was right where they had left it out in the open. "Have I ever told you I love you Jen."

"Was I supposed to keep count?" Jenifer began connecting the anti-grav unit to the large emitter that was about twice her size around and half her height, otherwise it looked like a large trapezoidal box. It weighed in at over a ton, hence the anti-grav unit. She gave the thumbs up to Dijon when she was done. He checked the door, no one was there so he moved out and she followed. They made it all the way out of the building and down the alley way to the edge of the city without being spotted. Along the way Dijon made contact with Devak just long enough to let him know they were still going according to the plan. At the edge of the buildings they could see that the guards were still over by the tower, though they had spread out some. It was almost a straight shot to the gate.

Dijon had to decide whether or not to take on the guards. The gate was shut but not locked, but the precious few seconds it took to open the gate could mean their deaths. "Get on the emitter and lay down."

"Dijon, this definitely isn't the time." She smiled though she did what he asked.

"No this isn't the time for jokes either. Prepare your blaster and be ready to blast a hole in the gate on my word." She laid on her stomach and held her blaster at the ready. Dijon grabbed a tight hold of the emitter. "Now hold on tight." It was his only warning. He began sprinting across the clearing pushing the emitter and Jenifer across the field. Immediately the Klingons noticed and began running in their direction. Jenifer took aim and missed the first Klingon but hit the second in the leg. They were nearing the gate fast. "Now Jen." She twisted and shot out at the fence. A large chunk melted away, just large enough for them to run through. In the meantime the Klingons were gaining on them. Dijon managed to yell into his communicator "Now Devak" Off in the distance in the direction he knew his ship to be they could hear yelling and soon they came in sight of the ship and fifty Orions with phasers ready. A blast of energy flew by Jenifer's and Dijon's heads but not close enough to hit them. Dijon realized it came from the direction of his ship when he heard a scream behind him, he could only assume a Klingon was down. He and Jenifer passed the first few Orions and Jenifer jumped off of the emitter. Another Orion took the emitter from Dijon and brought it inside the ship. Dijon and Jenifer stood at the front of the pack. Seeing them there and knowing that they were outnumbered the Klingons decided it was in their best interest to turn around and run back to the town. Jenifer jumped into Dijon's arms and kissed him furiously. "Now?" He asked her.

"Now." He carried her into the ship.

***

Jenifer placed the young, sleeping boy into his bed. She stood over his crib watching him as he slept for several minutes, when the alert sounded. Jenifer called her nurse, whom was one of the Orion slave women she was one of many of the nurses she has had, she trusted each one, they were good with children, she thought it was unfortunate that they had to be slaves and could never be mothers of their own. She left them and then ran up to the bridge.

It wasn't a particularly large bridge with the normal center seat which was hardly used. In front of it was a long table like console which contained the helm and opps station and in front of that was the small but enhanced viewscreen. Behind the chair was another table/counsel for science and engineering and behind that integrated into the wall was the weapons console. Along both the walls were various computer interfaces and extra weapons, such as phaser rifles, blasters and assorted knives and swords. The availability of all these stations made it possible for even one person to command the entire ship. As she entered the bridge, her first instinct was to watch the screen. They were on the planet Torini 7, and that is what she expected to see, but the planet was not showing on the screen. Instead the screen showed two Klingon vessels orbiting the planet.

She recognized the ships to be both K'tinga class type VII battlecruisers, these were the newest and fastest ships the Empire had to offer. Dark green and looking very much like a vulture whom had spotted prey, ready to flap it's wings and fly. Jenifer, by experience knew they could not do much damage to the Aqueous, their vessel, compared to the Orion vessel they were much faster. The Aqueous was built for fighting it was a large clunky ship, the main body of it was a large box and the nacelles coming out the back looked like the rockets on the ancient earth space craft. There was a neck coming out the opposite end of the box which ended at a 3D hex section where the bridge was located at the top of. Jenifer supposed that their ship looked out dated but she wouldn't mind proving to them how modern they were in a fight.

She took her place at the engineering counsel and awaited orders from Dijon. There were only three people on the bridge, herself, Devak the short, pine green, first officer, and Dijon. It was unusual to see anyone else on the bridge except for them. So when she heard the door open she quickly turned around to see who it was. In the door stepped a full armored Klingon!

Jenifer bolted to her feet as did Dijon and Devak. She was the first to have her blaster drawn. The Klingon paid her no attention and went straight to Dijon who was standing at the weapon's counsel. Dijon had not drawn his blaster and neither had Devak. Jenifer did not understand this. Devak moved over to her and said very quietly. "That is Captain Zorock. A friend. Put your blaster away."

Jenifer did as she was told, even if she was against the idea. Then asked equally softly. "If he's a friend then why are we at red alert?"

"He has never brought another ship with him. It may pose a threat." He told her. They became quiet so they could listen to Dijon's and Zorock's conversation.

"My friend, how are you." Dijon said with a bit of an annoyed under tone.

Zorock did not seem half as happy to see Dijon. "Why are you on this planet Maris? You know it is mine."

"It is no one's planet. I don't recall seeing any receipt for your purchase of it." Dijon countered. "We are here to sell some merchandise. You are welcome to do what ever you wish it's a big planet."

"I wish for you to leave." Zorock said in a sharp steady voice.

"What is the problem Zorock? There's room enough on this planet for you me and ten million Torinians." Said Dijon with his anger growing.

Zorock's anger could be contained a little longer, he knew what Dijon was up to, he was trying to sway Zorock from the real reason he was there, for they both knew what it was. "A group of bandits raided T'Lina last night and killed several of my guards. They also stole an illegal weapons component. By chance it wasn't some of your people who instituted this insult against me was it?" When Dijon did not answer Zorock sighed loudly. "I suppose I can search your ship."

Jenifer butted in, she couldn't let this Klingon push Dijon around like this. "Listen Zorock, you have no right to search this ship, we are not under your rule, and we have the right to be here just as you do so give us a little freedom huh." She stood almost toe to toe with him. However, Zorock was so tall Jenifer had to look up in order to look him in the eyes. That does not mean that Jenifer was not tall either, she was close to six feet. The height difference did neither deter her nor diminish her anger nor make her any weaker than he.

Zorock did not back down, he was not scared of this weakling human, however, when he spoke it was not to her. "Maris, where did you get the doll?" Zorock took hold of her harshly and started to nibble on her neck. Jenifer squirmed trying to get away from his strong grip. She started to claw with her long nails at his arm. "She's fierce. You want to sell her to me?"

That was the last straw for Dijon, he moved in grabbed Zorock's arm that was holding Jenifer and dragged Jenifer out of Zorock's reach. While doing so he said, "Leave her alone. She's not for sale."

Zorock looked at his arm where Jenifer had scratched him and it started to bleed. "That's what you get." She spatted sarcastically.

"A little scratch won't hurt me. You know I like you. Some how I will find a way to have you." Zorock snarled at Jenifer.

"Don't even try it. Now get off my ship." Dijon moved in-between him and Jenifer.

"A little protective of her aren't you Maris?" Zorock paused. "Oh, I see, she's yours that's it isn't it Maris?"

"No that is not it. Now get off my ship before I permanently remove you." Dijon removed his blaster. As if they were all one person Jenifer and Devak raised theirs at the same time.

"All right. I'm leaving but don't think that I won't be back." He started to leave. Right before he entered the door he turned back to Jenifer. "And don't think that I won't have you."

Once the door closed Jenifer gave a sigh of relief. "If that's a friend, I'd hate to see your worst enemy." She then turned to Dijon. "Thank you Dijon. You saved my life."

"That's another one you owe me Jen." Dijon said then went back to his weapon's station. He started to fiddle with the controls.

"You know that thing won't work. The emitter's installed, but we're still missing two components."

"I'm going to try anyway, those components are only for the final stages, I believe it will work." Dijon huddled over the controls.

"Even with those components it's not perfected. It's still going to be years until you can get it working properly, and even then it might not work." Jenifer protested. She knew that without the proper testing, which had not been completed, the weapon could be dangerous not only to whom it was used on but those using it.

Dijon would not hear it. "Take your post Jen, Devak. Prepare yourselves."

"I'm telling you Dijon it's not going to work." She said in vain as she sat down behind him at her engineering counsel.

"Fire." He said as he hit the button.

The ship rocked. After a few seconds things started to settle down. Jenifer checked her scanner. "I told you it wouldn't work. It didn't even fire."

"Damn!" The back of Dijon's hand came around straight into Jenifer's face, he moved so fast she didn't have time to duck. He then stood and started to pace.

Jenifer looked up but acted as if it didn't hurt her, she had become mostly immune to his outbursts. "Dijon settle down. We can go down there right now and work on it." She tried futility to soothe him and keep him from another outburst. "Maybe we can get it partially working."

"How?!" He pleaded her, obviously he wasn't on the same wavelength as she was. "How can I give it a name like the Maris Destroyer if it doesn't destroy anything?" He started to get angrier and finally walked out of the door so quick the door almost didn't have time to open.

"Dijon wait. Where are you going?" Jenifer dashed after him, she was concerned for him, the Destroyer's failure was hard on him.

"I need to get some fresh air." Dijon walked quickly to the air lock.

She waited as he undid the latch. He ignored her. Jenifer wondered if he was angry because the Maris Destroyer did not work, or because she had predicted that it wouldn't and he didn't listen to her. The airlock door slid aside and they stepped out together. "Locnus!" The both said as one. Right in front of the airlock were around a dozen Klingons. Jenifer and Dijon jumped back inside the airlock. Dijon sealed it tight before the Klingons could get their foot in the door.

Dijon hit the intercom switch. "Devak go back to red alert. There are Klingons outside the ship. Prepare for a fight. Get all security to each airlock." Dijon turned to Jenifer. "Jen, find two phaser rifles."

Jenifer rounded a corner and found a couple of rifles, the ship was well equipped with weapons. She handed him one and just about that time several guards came running up behind them. Dijon hit the intercom again and said, "Every team ready?"

He got several Yes sir's and a "I'm ready," from Devak. He looked toward his team and they all nodded their readiness. "All right let's go!" He opened the airlock again and they all charged out.

The Klingons were ready for their attack and charged as soon as the door opened for a second time. What happened next can only be described as a clash, almost everyone fell on top of one another. Swords and blasters went flying into the air, people tumbled and tripped, punched and kicked, stray energy beams hit the side of the ship missing their marks completely. The mess of people, already dead bodies, and weapons was soon disengaged as both sides worked their way out from the pile. The true fighting began once most were uncoupled from the pile. Because of the close proximity hardly any blasters were in use, indeed it looked like a large barroom brawl.

Soon, everyone was fighting, with the exception of those dead, and two others. Jenifer being one of the two, would rather be fighting than in her current predicament, someone was still on top of her. She tried to see who it was but could not from her position. He was heavy so she could tell he wasn't Orion, they were light. By the Klingon's position, she could tell he was still alive, and purposely not moving. "Do you mind getting off of me? Maybe then you could fight like a man." Jenifer said.

"Why would I want to get off of you. You would just get away and my father wouldn't like that, and neither would I." That voice, it sounded familiar.

It took her a moment but she finally placed it as the Klingon who had harassed her yesterday. Kamice, Dijon had said his name was. Wait, he said his father wouldn't like that, then that meant that… "You're Zorock's son?"

"Very good. I'm going to get up now so don't try anything." He stood slowly taking her rifle away as he started to stand. "Just sit there and don't do anything."

Jenifer looked around and saw Dijon only a few meters away. She had to alert him but with this nimnull watching she couldn't do anything. So she decided to lie down then maybe if he got close enough she could do something. Once she did lay down however, Kamice walked a little closer to her. "Sit up."

"I don't want to sit up. I'm tired." She put her hands under her head and closed her eyes. She was hoping to distract him enough to be able to get the rifle away from him.

He walked just a bit closer, gripping the trigger of the rifle. "I told you to sit up." He prodded at her with the rifle. She grabbed the end of the rifle lifted her leg and thrust it into his stomach. He fell backwards onto the ground. She turned the rifle on him. He started to move toward her. "Go ahead. I like to fight."

He lunged toward her and she propelled the blunt end of the rifle like a batter hitting a home run into his stomach. He doubled over. After a few seconds he recovered and came at her again. She back stepped out of his way and using the rifle she swung hard and hit him in the back. He went face down into the dirt. This time he did not get up for a few seconds. Although when he got up he threw some dirt in her eyes. She dropped the rifle and blocked some of the dirt. She was still blinded when he rammed her with his shoulder.

She fell to the ground expecting him to come at her again but instead someone gave her a hand up. She whipped the dirt out of her eyes and saw the Klingon laying inert on the ground. Dijon was standing next to her. "Well it's about time you helped. You could have done something when he had me at gun point."

Dijon shrugged. "I thought you would be able to handle him."

"Thanks." Is all that Jenifer could say because the Klingon started to get up. She grabbed the rifle and pointed it at him. He put a hand up in front of the rifle. She thought this to be a rather cowardly act for a Klingon, but she kept the rifle level on him in case this too was a trick.

Dijon looked down on the Klingon with disgust. "Can you handle him Jen?"

"Sure as long as he doesn't try anything." Jenifer shrugged.

"All right. I'm going to go help Devak, he too has gotten himself into a bit of a mess." Dijon walked off.

"Why do you listen to that Orion scum?" Kamice asked, not quite out of curiosity.

"Because he's my commanding officer."

"Not because he's a good lover?" Was Kamice really trying to see how far he could push her before she would kill him?

However, Jenifer didn't have time to reply since Kamice started to charge. He had been testing her, and he just crossed the line. All she did was squeeze the trigger. A bolt of red energy blasted out of the blaster. Kamice fell to the ground, obviously dead, from the look of the hole in his head.

Jenifer looked up from the dead form and looked around the battle field. Most of the fighting was over. There were few Orions on the ground dead or injured. But there were many more Klingons. Almost all the Klingons were dead. Dijon walked over to Jenifer having to hop over a few lifeless forms. "Nice shot."

"Thank you." Said Jenifer. She and Dijon moved over to one of the injured and helped him onto a stretcher once the medical officers arrived. While they were placing him on the stretcher a sharp prickling sound emanated from no where. In front of them Zorock materialized. "Look who came to clean up after the party." Jenifer walked over to the large Klingon. "You should have taught your son more manners. Maybe then he wouldn't be in that mess." She pointed over to the dead body of Kamice.

"You killed him." it wasn't a question but more of a sad statement. Zorock moved over to the dead form and kneeled beside it. "You killed him?" That was a question.

"Looks like that doesn't it. Are you going to leave this planet now?" She asked, she was tired of dealing with Klingons.

"Not until I kill you!" Zorock stood, bent on revenge, and started to run toward her arms out stretching for her neck.

Jenifer merely put the rifle's muzzle in between her and him. He stopped abruptly. "That wouldn't be a smart move Zorock, after all that's how your son died." She told him.

He looked from the rifle to her and then to Dijon. "You had best leave." Dijon said softly.

"For now I will. But don't think I won't forget this Jenifer." Zorock turned, picked up Kamice and walked away.

"How does he know my name?" Jenifer asked Dijon as she watched the Klingon leave.

"I don't know, I never told him." Dijon said. "Perhaps Devak did." They walked over to Devak. "Devak, did you tell Zorock Jenifer's name?"

"No my master I did not." His answer was reasonable since he had not had the opportunity to speak to Zorock alone.

"How weird." Jenifer muttered. She looked back to where Zorock had disappeared, wondering.

Chapter 5: The beginning of the end.

Jenifer sat up a bit straighter and looked at the time. She knew Stephanie had a date for lunch and she figured she just might have enough time to finish the last part of her story. "Come to find out, Zorock knew my name, the same way my father knew about me being in the pirates. Kormin San, had tried on a few occasions, unsuccessfully, and without my knowledge, to free me from the pirates. My father would never admit it but I think he paid him to do so. Kormin gathered information and passed it on to my father, he also used those that he gathered the information from. He had sent Zorock for that specific reason, until I found that out I had wondered why they had wanted me so much, I didn't think I was that attractive. Anyway, I screwed up their whole plan by killing Kamice, now Zorock would have nothing to do with me unless he were to kill me. We left the planet as soon as we could hoping no other Klingons would come to backup Zorock. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Kormin came to the planet only hours after we left. I think it was at this time that he realized he could not rescue me until I wanted to be rescued, and of course you know stubborn me, it wasn't for another two years or so until I did want to be rescued, and that leads me to the next part of my story." Jenifer seemed just a little out of breath.

"Was that the biggest skirmish you had?" Stephanie asked.

"No. It was more interesting then some we had, but that one was only important because someone used it on my Kobayashi Maru test." Jenifer looked over at DeArra scornfully.

"I was just doing my job." DeArra tried pointlessly to protect her position.

"You did it too well." Jenifer told her but decided she should drop it when Stephanie asked yet another question.

"Did you have fights against a Federation starship?" Stephanie asked.

"A few. Like the one against the Hornet, which I was just getting to." Jenifer said.

"You mean the one where the unknown race interfered with the normal evolution of the planet Tauran 3 and the Hornet was going to investigate what had happened then was destroyed?" DeArra asked, all this came from memory, sometimes she even amazed herself.

"Yep the one we read about in U.F.P. history. That unknown race was Orions, to be more specific, Maris' Orions. The Hornet didn't know it because we had changed our ship so much that it didn't look Orion anymore." Jenifer explained.

"You are the one who destroyed the ship?" Stephanie asked.

"Unfortunately yes. Let me tell you about it." Jenifer started.

***

The noise was practically unbearable. "I'm coming Justin. Keep your diapers on!" Jenifer called walking into Justin's room.

"MOMMY!!" Justin yelled.

"I'm here Justin. What's wrong?" Jenifer turned on the lights in the room and Justin scrambled out of bed and hopped into Jenifer's arms.

"They scared me mommy." he whimpered.

He had grown to be a large boy at age three and a half, his skin seemed to gain more green every day but to Jenifer he was beautiful. Jenifer smiled, he had been having nightmares recently, she didn't want to admit it but deep down she knew it was the lifestyle they lead, always on the run, fights in space and on land, it could all be very scary to a susceptible child. "It's okay. I'm here now. They won't bother you as long as I am here." She hugged him and kissed him on the forehead. "See they're gone." She waved her arm engulfing the entire room.

"They were ugly. They scared Charlie too." Justin showed Jenifer the stuffed dog.

"Let me see." She took Charlie carefully in her hands. "See, he's asleep. If he can sleep maybe you can too." Jenifer handed Charlie back to Justin.

"I can't sleep. They will come back." Justin whined.

"Okay, okay. You can come up to the bridge with me." Jenifer stood and took his small hand in hers.

"Is Daddy there?" He asked, between the time that Dijon spent on the bridge and the amount of time that their nurse spent with Justin, he had little time to see his father.

Jenifer smiled. "Yes he's there." They walked up to the bridge.

"Morning Jen." Said Dijon as they entered.

"Morning? God what time is it?"

"Three am." Dijon answered not looking up from his work.

"Wonderful." Jenifer sat down next to him at the helm and put Justin on her lap. "We're awfully close to Federation space." She observed.

"We will be passing through the very edge of it in ten minutes." Dijon informed her.

"Have we been spotted?" Justin started playing with a few switches on the board as they talked. "No Justin don't." She moved his hand off the board.

"Not as far as I can tell. Check sensors. See if there are any vessels on the other side of the boarder." He ordered her.

Jenifer moved over to the science station. Justin sat in the helm seat. She stared quietly at the scanner for a few moments then said. "There's noting. No wait…"

Dijon turned in his seat. "What is it?"

"A ship. It's too far off to get any details." She told him.

"Use long range sensors."

She had to make several adjustments then, "A Klingon vessel. It's heading in the opposite direction we are."

"Good. Take the helm and plot us a course to the third planet of the Tauran system."

"That planet has intelligent life. They don't have space travel though."

"So. They have some valuable minerals there. Including dilithium. Unless you don't think we need to restock?"

"No I just remember that you shouldn't interfere with evolving life."

"Whose interfering?" Dijon feigned being hurt. "As long as they don't get in our way, we won't get into theirs."

"You're right, I shouldn't have even mentioned it."

"That's okay. Increase speed to warp 4 and engage course." The large Orion ship flew towards the planet named Tauran 3. Jenifer noticed that Justin was beginning to fall asleep so Jenifer moved him into the empty seat at the science station. "Time till we arrive on Tauran 3?" Dijon asked quietly.

"Three hours." Jenifer whispered. "Three long hours to do nothing but sit here."

"We don't have to sit here."

"What do you mean?" She asked with a coy smile.

"We could go practice. You haven't been working out lately."

Jenifer's smile faded, that wasn't exactly what she expected. "I know. Let me call my nurse so she can come and take care of Justin."

"Why can't you bring him with us?"

"He's asleep."

"So." Dijon picked Justin up in one arm and walked out of the door.

***

They were in the middle of practicing Knife thrusts when Justin had woken up.

"Mommy watch out." Justin screamed when he saw Dijon coming at her with the knife. Distracted by Justin's screaming Jenifer almost got stabbed in the hip. Luckily she rolled out of the way just in the nick of time.

"Look who's awake." Dijon walked over to Justin oblivious to what had nearly happened and picked him up in his arms holding him high. "How are you doing little fellow?"

"Fine. Why did you try to kill mommy?" Justin asked.

"I wasn't going to kill her. We were just practicing." Dijon explained.

"But he almost did kill me." Jenifer walked up behind them putting her arm around Dijon's waist. "Dijon, we only have a half hour until we should be orbiting Tauran 3. We should get down to the bridge."

They walked to the bridge and found that Devak was at his science station. "My Master, we are nearing Tauran 3. Orders?"

"Normal landing procedure. Jen take the helm." Jenifer sat next to Dijon and started the normal routine she had done so many times before. They floated down through the atmosphere and softly landed near the main city of the planet. They were close enough to the city that many people could have seen them land. Unfortunately they did.

Jenifer took Justin back to their cabin then she joined Dijon and Devak at the airlock. After they opened the airlock a gush of hot air rushed through the door. Jenifer stepped back from the sudden change. After she became accustomed to it for a second she peeked her head out of the airlock. She could see Dijon two meters out taking ground samples. "Well what do you think Jen? This place is rich with minerals waiting to be devoured." he waved his arms around the entire landscape. it was so rich that crystal formations were literally sticking out of the ground growing up like crops ready for the harvest.

Jenifer climbed out of the airlock and walked toward him. "I think it is one of the most wonderful things in the universe. With this many dilithium crystals we could go to the far reaches of the galaxy."

"Or further." Dijon was overjoyed. "With this much power we can build shields that can take us through the galactic barrier."

"And have the entire galaxy to ourselves." Jenifer finished as if she knew exactly what he would say.

"Exactly!"

Jenifer looked to the horizon in the way of the city. The city looked peaceful not one thing harming it. Until they arrived. Jenifer was not sure that what they were doing was right. Sure they had taken minerals from other planets before, but never from one that was not ready for first contact. What would these people think of the Orions? More importantly what if these people were hostile?"

"What's the matter Jen?" Jenifer started when Dijon walked up behind her and interrupted her reverie.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking." She told him. She did not want to tell him what about because he would probably have a fit over it.

Dijon did not probe further for he had learned that she would either get mad at him for doing so or she would not tell him. So he changed the subject. "Devak and I are going toward the city. There seems to be a higher trace of silicon in that area. Are you going to join us?"

"Sure." Why not. The people of the city probably already saw the ship, why not introduce them to the people as well.

They picked up their equipment which consisted of two hand held scanners and various large boxes used for collecting samples. It took about an hour to reach the edge of the city where Devak had said the mineral deposits were the highest. There they were met by a "Welcoming committee." The welcoming committee included several hundred people holding crud weapons. Some of the people were in what appeared to be similar to the hovering tanks of the twenty-first century Earth. Although the people looked nothing like Terrans.

They were akin to the Vegan Scora of Vega 4. Although they had similarities, there were some major differences. Their height was about the same 3.5 to 4.5 meters. Their body structure bore a small resemblance to the Gorn but still it was different almost like a lizard genetically mixed with a gorilla. They hunched over slightly. Their skin was a dark brown with the exception of the dark green on the front plates of their body, where the Scora are all light green. They had no tail but their pelvic bone stuck out rather strangely. It was an awkward position since their face seemed too long in the front and was bent downward, one would think they would be top heavy and begin to topple over at any second.

The three pirates were still several hundred meters from them and still the creatures looked huge. Jenifer started to back away slowly. Dijon turned to her. "Where the hell are you going?"

"They'll kill us if we stay here." She explained trying not to sound frightened.

"Either way they may kill us Jen. We can't run." Dijon said forcefully.

"Then why didn't you ever put a transporter into that stupid ship of yours? We could beam right out of here." Her question was one of desperation. She had had talks with him about the transporters before. He had said they take up too much room. In addition he would rather face death than run. She knew that, and she thought she would too, and normally did. However, now facing three hundred gigantic, reptilian, monsters, she was having second thoughts.

Dijon ignored her question and said, "We could always talk to them. They might not shoot us if we are friendly."

"Since when did you prefer talking over fighting?" Jenifer asked under her breath. Then so he could hear, "On the other hand, they might think that we're cowards if we don't fight back."

"I'm willing to take that chance. I don't think if we fight back we would win, anyway." Dijon said as he started to walk towards the aliens.

Devak and Jenifer exchanged a look asking the other if they knew why he was acting so peacefully, neither knew the answer, they followed after him reluctantly. Jenifer knew that she shouldn't keep thinking of them as aliens since they were the aliens on this planet. They were the ones who were invading these peoples private planet. With each step she took she seemed to tense up a bit. She had a feeling as if she were the one being invaded, but could not explain the feeling. She figured it was nothing more than nervousness.

Dijon came within several meters of the front line and held his hands out from his body. "Greetings." Was all he said.

Jenifer had to wonder if these people would understand their language or any other that she spoke. By the alien's faces, they did not appear to understand. The aliens looked at each other strangely, being very quiet for several seconds which seemed like an eternity. Would these people accept his act as one of friendship or one of aggression? One of the people in the front line slowly put down his weapon and walked up within two meters of Dijon. he examined Dijon with his oval red curious eyes and then circled him tilting his head to look at him from every angle. Dijon was as still as a statue. The alien finally stopped in front of him raised his two, three fingered, clawed hands in a perfect match of Dijon's and said, "Greetings."

Jenifer looked from Dijon to Devak to the alien and back. She slowly walked forward and asked, "Do you speak our language?" That seemed like a stupid question to ask since he did speak it already.

"It seems that you speak ours." he looked at Jenifer curiously. "You are not the same species as this one."

Now he was either referring to her being a human or female. She was not really sure which since she could see no sex discrepancies in their species. She picked a neutral answer to his inquiry since she was not positive which he meant. "Yes I am."

He nodded in approvement and walked over to Devak. Devak didn't say a word. In fact he looked as petrified as a million year old tree. Since Devak was shorter than both Jenifer and Dijon, he must have felt like a munchkin compared to this being. the alien finished his inspection and walked back to Dijon. "You are their leader?"

"Yes. And you are theirs?" He waved his hand toward the army who still had their arms trained on the three.

"Yes. We call ourselves Rosellians. Welcome to Rosell." he put his hands on Dijon's shoulders.

"We," He pointed at himself and Devak, "Are Orions."

"I am Human." Jenifer interjected.

The Rosellian nodded his long head, which he appeared to do quite often. Another Rosellian walked up behind him and whispered something in the direction of where their ears must be. Their whispering was so loud that Jenifer could almost hear what the one was saying. "…back to HQ....Norima...like to see....prisoners."

Jenifer wasn't sure she heard him right so she walked over to Dijon who was in closer ear shot of the two. "What are they saying?" She inquired.

"Their leader named Norima has requested that this one," He pointed at the leader. "Bring us to their headquarters."

"Did I hear him correctly that we're their prisoners?" Jenifer was afraid to hear the answer.

"Yes." Was all Dijon said for he was listening to the rest of the conversation.

Devak moved up behind them a little more relaxed then earlier. "Are we leaving?"

"They're going to escort us to their headquarters." Jenifer told him quietly. She assumed that because they were whispering so loud that they did not have as good as hearing as the three of them did.

The leader of the Rosellians walked up to Dijon once more. "I am instructed to bring you as guests to our headquarters. Please follow me to a transportation vehicle." The three fell into step behind the leader and into what appeared to be similar to the primitive hover cars of the early 21st century, only bigger. They had a very bumpy ride to the headquarters, the Rosellians must not have had the hover technology down to a science yet. During the ride none of them talked, they did not want the Rosellians overhearing anything.

When the car finally stopped Jenifer gave a sigh of relief. The car actually did not crash as she had expected. She knew they were years behind in engineering, but what she would give to get her hands into the car and fix it so she wouldn't have the fear of dying if she were ever to get into it again. Two of the Rosellian's guards opened the door for the threesome. The party walked up tall steps and through double doors without so much as a word. They were lead through endless halls and into an empty waiting room. They were left there alone. Jenifer moved her tricorder out of her pouch slightly and circled the room. Dijon asked her a silent question with his eyes. She shook her head slowly. The room was bugged, there was no way they could talk without being heard.

Devak and Dijon sat on opposite ends of a couch. Jenifer came and sat between them both. She neither acknowledged nor ignored them both, she just liked having them close to her in case these Rosellian's decided to change their peaceful attitude. They sat there like that for close to an hour then one of the guards entered. "Norima will see you now." Then he walked out expecting them to follow, so they did.

Another walk through endless halls and up stairs brought them to another set of double doors. This time on the other side of the doors was not an empty room. Instead the room itself was unremarkable but there was the leader of the Rosellian army and one who only could be Norima. Norima looked much older than the leader, his color had all but faded from him and his scales overlapped each other indicating where wrinkles would be. He also was missing an arm, cut clean at the shoulder.

Norima was sitting in the chair at the head of the table with the leader standing behind him. Norima waved the trio inside and the guard closed the door behind them. Even while Norima was sitting the Orions had to look up to him to meet his eyes. Dijon walked closest to him and said, "Greetings."

Norima nodded and waved for them to take one of the well crafted wooden chairs. Jenifer had to almost jump up to get into the chair. it was two sizes to big for her and the table was even higher, she felt like a child who needed a booster seat. The leader behind Norima started to speak. "I am called Maya. I will speak for Norima."

"I am Dijon Maris." Dijon introduced himself and his companions pointing to each. "This is Devak Beuner." Devak nodded. "And that is Jenifer Sandara."

"Hi ya." Jenifer raised her hand in acknowledgment.

Norima inclined his head to each one in turn. Maya started off immediately. "What are your people doing on our planet?"

Dijon did not know if that was an accusation or just curiosity. "Your planet has precious minerals that we value. So we came to stock up on them."

"You plan to rob our planet of our minerals." Maya stated.

Dijon knew that was an accusation. "We did not know that there was intelligent life on this planet."

"Bull shit." Jenifer said for only Dijon to hear.

Jenifer gathered that the Rosellians did not hear since they continued their questioning of Dijon. "You have space travel. Why can't you tell whether there is life or not?"

Dijon immediately had a reply even if it was false. "Our people do not have that sophisticated of scanning systems. You will have to excuse us for our error."

Maya leaned down to Norima and they started to whisper. In the close proximity Jenifer could make out what they were saying. Norima wanted to bargain for their freedom and the minerals. Perhaps something such as weapons in trade for the minerals. Maya stood back up and addressed Dijon. "Perhaps we could compensate for your error and for the minerals. We propose a barter, thirty tons of our minerals for 30 tons of your hand weapons plus technology to make stronger weapons."

Dijon turned to Jenifer and so quietly so Maya and Norima couldn't hear he said, "Do we have 30 tons of weapons on board?"

Jenifer shook her head. "We only have 10 tons at the most. We could make a trip to Torkmega. They should have enough to make 30."

Then Dijon turned to Devak. "Can you call up blue prints on our weapon systems through your tricorder?" Devak nodded and started to it. Dijon turned to the Rosellians. "Devak is getting the blue prints to our weapons for you. Although there is a problem. We only have ten tons of hand weapons on board our ship. If you allow us there is a station within 2 parsecs that we may obtain the rest."

"Very well. You may go and bring your weapons back here. To insure your return, we will not allow you to take any minerals before you come back. In addition we will require that one of you stay here. As our guest, of course." he added.

Dijon looked from Jenifer to Devak and back. He could not make a decision of which one of his friends he would leave here with the aliens. "I will stay." Devak volunteered.

"All right. Devak will stay here with you. Jenifer and I will go and get more weapons." Dijon said to Maya.

"You may follow the guards to your ship. Devak will follow the others to his room." Maya said as several guards walked in the door.

Jenifer and Dijon walked with the guards as Devak walked the opposite way down the corridor. Jenifer looked back to see him go, wondering if she would ever see him again. Wondering if the Rosellians would kill him as soon as they leave. And wondering why Dijon had lied about the sensors and was being so diplomatic.

***

The Orion ship shot up through the air and cut through the atmosphere. Jenifer sat back in her seat and looked over at Dijon. "Two days at warp 4 will get us to Torkmega." She paused for a moment. "I hope Devak will be all right."

"I'm sure they won't hurt him." Dijon watched her for a few minutes in silence. "What's bothering you Jen?"

She told him out straight. "Why did you lie about the sensors? And why didn't you attack the Rosellians to begin with like you normally do."

"You should never tell an inferior race how far your technology goes. Otherwise they will want it all." He explained trying to cover-up his true feelings which was the fact that he really didn't know why he had acted in such a way. Normally he would have taken out the entire army by calling the ship and having them blast them away, but something in him had told him differently.

Jenifer voiced her concerns right away. "Are you all right, I mean you were way too nice, like you weren't yourself."

"I feel fine." he placed a reassuring warm hand on her cheek. "I think we can get all the minerals we need as long as we keep supplying them with weapons."

She did not like the fact that he had changed so drastically because she was not used to it, however this was a change for the better, if he proceeded more peacefully then she would not have to kill anymore. Yet was that true, or was it possible that more deaths would come dealing this way? "The more weapons we give them the more people they will kill. They may even turn our weapons on us."

"I doubt it. But if they kill each other then we could just take all the minerals with out any hassle from them." Now that sounded like the Dijon she knew, she even wondered if that was his plan all along.

However, she just couldn't bare the thought of all those people dying. "I just don't want that much blood on my hands."

"Why not? You've killed before."

"I know but never on a planetary basis even if it is indirectly."

"Believe me you'll forget about it in a few years to come. When we are cruising in our own space with all the dilithium we could ever use." Dijon sat back enjoying the thought. Jenifer did like the thought of roaming an entire unexplored galaxy. But she was too preoccupied with the thought of killing millions of innocent lives to enjoy it. Dijon too involved in his imagination did not act as if he would listen to anymore of Jenifer's petty squabbling so she left him to dream.

An hour later Justin had joined them on the bridge and Jenifer was at the science station casually looking around the space in their vicinity. Justin sat next to her at the weapons counsel, Charlie was in his lap, and he was bouncing a ball on the ground to Dijon. Dijon then returned it. Jenifer eyed them sideways and asked, "Are you two having fun?"

"Sure are Jen." Dijon responded, he bounced the ball high, it hit the side of the counsel and ricocheted across the bridge. Justin laughed and ran after it. He brought the ball back and threw it at his father.

"Be careful. You want the ship to go wild or something?" Jenifer asked trying to compensate for the damage the ball did, which wasn't much.

"you should stop staring in that thing and let the ship do the monitoring Jen." Dijon suggested, she had become worrisome lately, he doesn't mind that, he just doesn't want her to become paranoid.

"I don't know. I have a strange feeling about this. Stator, I hate being so close to the Federation." She paused as she casually glanced at the scanner. That's when she noticed it. "Locnus! A Federation Constellation class ship is on an intercept course with us at warp 8!"

"Take the helm." Dijon moved to the navigation counsel. he hit the intercom button. "Devak get your butt up here…"

Jenifer looked at him, a sad reminder that Devak was in the hands of the Rosellians. A voice on the other side of the intercom sounded, "Sir, Devak is not here."

"I realize that. Out!" He struck the switch and sat lazily into the chair. "Damn."

Jenifer got up walked behind him and started to massage his shoulders. An instinct that she had done since she had known him. Dijon put his hand on hers and without looking up at her he said, "Take your station. We have bigger problems at the moment."

Jenifer moved back to her station as she sat down she automatically raised the shields and armed the weapons. "No Jen."

"What?" She asked astonished, it would be suicide to enter a fight without being prepared.

"Prepare the Maris Destroyer." Dijon said with a deathly calm voice.

Jenifer stared at him for a moment. he did not give in. She finally did though. "All right. We're going to kill an entire planet, what's another four hundred lives, right?"

Dijon did not answer. Instead he just stared at his counsel and made adjustments. Jenifer stood and went over to the weapons counsel. Justin moved out of the chair and stood next her as she prepared the deadly weapon. Justin was used to these events, in fact he looked forward to them and found them very exciting even at his young age. However, he looked on with concern for they have only used the Maris Destroyer on test runs and small vessels. By the look in his eyes, Jenifer could tell that Justin knew this was not a good idea, but then again he could be feeding off of her emotions because she didn't like this at all.

Dijon while fully concentrating on his command counsel directing the rest of the ship, gave out his order to Jenifer, "Prepare to fire within 50,000 Kilometers. We will be just out of their phaser range then.".

They waited, it was quiet on the bridge except for an occasional report from somewhere on the ship and the sound of the engines. It was only minutes but it seemed like hours. Jenifer's finger wavered over the firing button, anxious for that one last second. She was also waiting for the order she knew would never come. That was the order not to fire on them. Once the ship was in visual range she read the call letters on it. U.S.S. Hornet NCC-1714. The ship bore it's name proudly but in a matter of seconds those letters would not even be recognizable as letters let alone part of a ship. She watched the meters tick by now on the viewer next to her. 60…59…58…57…56…55…54…53…52…51…50. FIRE!

The order sounded in her mind but her finger did not respond. She struggled with herself and with one last shove her finger pressed sharply against the button. She watched the viewscreen as a flash of blue struck out from the Orion ship and in straight through the deflector shield of the Hornet. in milliseconds the blast went shooting out the other end of the ship. The entire ship was engulfed in flames as the Destroyer's beam struck straight through the antimatter containment. It exploded in one great burst of white light, then there was nothing left.

An instant later the Orion ship began to shake, but Jenifer knew they were far enough away from the detonation that dampeners would absorb any shock waves. She looked at the confused readings of her monitor. "Overload…!" She screamed. It was too late for Dijon to do anything. As he rose out of his chair he watched as the weapons station blew up. It shot pieces of metal through the air, Dijon had to shield himself with his arm but he could not tear his eyes away. Jenifer and Justin went down from the shock. Jenifer landed flat on her back with a concussion. But Justin flew several feet. When he landed Dijon heard the snapping sound of bones breaking. He knew without looking that Justin was dead. Jenifer never had the chance to say good-bye to her son for she was unconscious.

Dijon knelt down beside her and took her hand in his. He could feel the tears welling up inside him, he would not fight them this time. He started to weep quietly. He looked slowly first to the unmistakably dead form of Justin, then to the viewscreen where hundreds more just died. There was no more to look at. Just the silence of space. That silence that Dijon would have to learn to live with.

The bridge was quiet for once. Almost as silent as space itself. Dijon sat alone with only the charred weapons counsel and blood on the ground to remind him of the recent tragedy. Jenifer and Justin both were taken to the small sickbay. Jenifer would be unconscious for a few more hours, but they could do nothing for Justin, he had figured as much. he just wondered how he would tell Jenifer that he was dead.

In a way Dijon had killed Justin. He knew the Maris Destroyer was not ready to fire. Especially not such a concentrated blast. But he had ordered her to fire nonetheless. Would she ever forgive him? He had killed her only son. Quite possible the only one she would ever have. Since it was almost impossible for human and Orion genes to create a child.

In all the time that Dijon had known Jenifer, she did not seem the type to just have sex with anyone. There were times, however, that he had thought otherwise. Especially when she flirted with the crew in her free time. She was the only "free" female on board. Free because she was not a slave as the other women are. Dijon had made sure of that, although, there were times when she acted as a slave so they could scam some unfortunate rich soul. That was at Jenifer's own will. Dijon never had pushed her into anything. Had he? Lately though, she seems to have been acting as if he were. As if he were pushing her into killing. Look where it had gotten him. Justin's dead and she is seriously injured.

Dijon was worried out of his mind. First Devak was taken hostage on Rosell. Then Justin was killed. And now there was still a chance, however small, that Jenifer would never wake. Dijon was loosing everyone he cared about left and right.

He finally got tired of staring at the stars passing by on the screen so he stood and walked off the bridge.

Through the small ship the halls were almost all empty. There were only eighty some people on board. Most were injured from his mistake at ordering he Maris Destroyer to fire before it's time. He knew that it would be years until he could get the damned thing working again. Even then he wondered if it would be safe.

He found himself wandering nowhere on the ship. He ended up on the lower decks where most of the crew quarters were held, except for his and a few others. He noticed it was even quieter here, at least in other area's of the ship he could hear the hum of the computer. This was too depressing, even for him. He made a U-turn and made his way to the crowded sickbay.

Many of his officers were there. Few were dead and even less were unconscious. Most were there for broken bones or bad cuts. He moved through the maze of Orions and made it to the back room where there were two beds. One held a rather long, sleeping body. "Almost like sleeping beauty." he mused. The other held a more saddening form. A young boy of three lay on the bed with a cover drawn over his head. A tear started to form in his eye but he held it back, not wanting to give into sadness.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped. Besides him stood the doctor of the ship, though he wasn't technically a doctor, he had the most medical knowledge of anyone on the ship. He was yet another green skinned not so muscular tall man, the only difference this man had about him was his sandy blond hair and brown smock to match his hair. Dr. Gersin Noch stood staring at him. "What do you want?" Dijon's voice did not betray him.

"I don't think you should go in there until she has fully recovered." Gersin said.

"I don't care. She should know about Justin. I want to tell her. Now!" He ordered.

"But a shock like that could kill her." The doctor protested.

"I think she would rather die than not know about her son." Dijon calmed down a little.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to give her a stimulant." Dijon pointed towards the cabinet where all the medicine was stored.

The doctor looked at him for a moment and finally turned into the other room. When he came back he had a hypo in his hand. He walked up to Jenifer's bed and pressed the hypo against her arm reluctantly.

Jenifer roused a little and smiled when she saw Dijon leaning over her. Dijon did not have a smile on his face. She did not like that look. He looked as if he was about to say something. He opened his mouth then closed it again. She now noticed the doctor standing over her and looked at him for information. Before Gersin could say anything Dijon started, "Jen." His voice cracked.

She turned her head to look at him and held his eyes in hers. His stare was hard, almost like that first time their eyes met. He spoke again. "Jen, Justin is dead."

Jenifer bolted upright. Gersin tried to keep her down but nothing could against the force of emotion. "Justin is dead!" She screamed.

Dijon's gaze brought her attention to the other bed in the room. She slowly got up with Dijon supporting her. She limped over to the bed and slowly pulled the cover off of the mutilated body of her son. The poor child's face was the worst, with green blood crusted and dried all over he had a large hole in the middle of his cheek where a piece of metal had cut in deep. His eyes were partially melted due to the extreme heat of the blast, the rest was indecernable. "Oh God, Justin!" She cried. "Stator rel! No not Justin." Her legs gave out from under her and she fell to the ground. She sat there unmoving, crying, next to her dead son. Dijon knelt beside her and put an arm around her. She soaked in his reassuring warmth and wept.

***

When Jenifer was well enough for Doctor Noch, he let her out of sickbay. She had walked up to the bridge with Dijon to asses the damage made by the Maris Destroyer. She found that the weapon had finally earned it's name. It was designed by Dijon Maris and it did destroy everything it was aimed at. But somehow there was another meaning. Maris Destroyer? Maris the Destroyer? How come that sounded so right to her? Perhaps because that's how she thought of him at this moment. First he just wanted to kill a few people on raids. Then came Rosell, where they would kill billions of people indirectly. Then there was the destruction of the Hornet, which not only cost the lives of the people on board that ship, but also many on board this ship. Including her son.

Jenifer walked around the empty bridge and came to a stop in front of the fried weapons station. There two seats away was Charlie, unscathed, sitting alone and abandoned in a chair. She walked over and scooped him up in her hands. She held him tightly against her chest. Remembering all of the things that the two of them had been through. Charlie represented not only the generations that came before her but the generations yet to come, if there were to be any. It was even more than that. He represented the love that all these years had brought him. For over three centuries people had loved and cared for him. Love was the thing that had brought him through all these centuries, that kept him young, not stitches and stuffing. When someone needed love he was always there for them to hold onto. And now was one of those times.

Jenifer walked off the bridge and to her quarters. Surprisingly Dijon did not follow her. He had walk with her silently to the bridge but once they were there he went to the helm counsel and ignored her. He probably knew that she wanted to be alone for a while. She walked into Justin's room and sat there staring at his small bed. She started to cry and soon fell asleep.

***

Dijon saw Jenifer leave but did not want to bother her. He had seen the look in her eyes once she found Charlie and he had no want to disturb her, in case she might grow angry. The ship reached Torkmega a day later. Dijon had not talked to Jenifer let alone seen her. She had stayed in her room since she had left the bridge with Charlie the day before. Dijon lead a small raid party into the station and back out several times loading the ship with weaponry. Before anyone knew it the ship was on it's way back to Rosell.

The start of the second day back to Rosell Jenifer joined Dijon on the bridge. Dijon turned when he heard the door open and was surprised to see her enter. Her demeanor had changed, she was well dressed and had a sharp look about her, but there still was something in her eyes that told Dijon she had not totally recovered. "Jen, you decided to join me!" He said enthusiastically embracing her.

She half smiled and patted him on the back. "Yes, I thought you could use some help when we go back down to Rosell."

She sat next to him, she smiled at her thinking that everything was going to be all right. Unknown to him Jenifer was more upset at him more than she had ever been at anyone. Anyone except her mother.

A few hours later they reached Rosell and landed closer to the city than they had before. Jenifer joined Dijon on his trip to the city to talk with Norima. They were lead to the same room as before where they met Norima, Maya, and Devak. Norima and Maya were in the same places that they sat the last time. Devak was across the table from the door. When the door reveled Dijon and Jenifer, Devak stood as happy as he had ever been. "Good to see you old friend." Dijon said as soon as he saw Devak, seemingly unharmed. "How have they treated you?"

Devak looked at the two Rosellians scornly. "Let's just say I am here."

Jenifer looked at Norima but did not say a word. There was something to this man she could not figure out, if he had treated Devak wrongly, Devak surely would have said it despite who was listening, but the presence of this man seemed to disturb the balance of everyone's thoughts. She was mad enough already and did not need this thing upsetting her more. She didn't think blowing up at the leader of this world would help matters, but it would make her feel better, if only Dijon would let her give him a piece of her mind. Norima gestured for them to take a seat with his only arm. Without tearing her eyes from him Jenifer sat down directly across from Devak.

Maya again started to speak for Norima. "Did you bring all the weapons?"

Dijon turned his attention from Devak to Norima. "Yes we did."

"Very well. As soon as your people deliver them to our army we will allow Devak to leave." Maya said.

Dijon nodded to Maya. He then took out his communicator and started talking into it. "Raoder. Unload all weapons and deliver them to the Rosell front line."

"Yes Master. Any other orders?" The voice sounded over the small device.

"No. Just get those weapons over there as soon as possible." He ordered, Jenifer noticed how soft his tone had gotten since they entered the room and again her gaze turned to Norima, she knew he had to have something to do with it.

"Right away." Raoder said and then the communicator clicked off.

Before Dijon could say anything Maya interjected, "While the weapons are being delivered you may wait in the room where Devak was quartered."

"Of course." Dijon stood as the guards walked in the door. Devak and Jenifer also rose and started heading for the door.

"Jenifer, please stay for a moment." Maya said before they reached the door.

Jenifer turned and looked at him then back to Dijon. Dijon nodded his approval and she stayed behind while the others left. Norima looked at Maya and without a word Maya left. Norima gestured for her to have a seat again. She did so without taking her eyes off him.

For the first time Jenifer heard him speak to anyone other than Maya. His voice was old and weary but still had much authority. "You are much more emotional than the others. When we met last you were worried. Now you are angry. Why?"

Jenifer did not answer at first. She did not know what to say. Besides she didn't even know how he knew that she was worried the first time. She figured he could tell that she was mad right now but what about before. She had not shown any signs that she was worried before. So how did he know?

"Well?" He asked slowly.

Bile got stuck in the back of Jenifer's throat as she thought of the last days' events. She slowly and cautiously said, "I had some unsettling events during our trip to get the weapons."

"I see. Why are most of your emotions directed at Dijon?" He asked.

This time Jenifer was not going to answer at all. She didn't want to discuss it, and it angered her more that somehow he had discovered who she was mad at, she had not shown this outwardly, it was amazing that he had been so perceptive. Norima stared at her for several minutes. Norima finally broke the silence between them. "If you wish I can arrange for you to stay on this planet, you would not have to be with him."

There it was, the opportunity she had been waiting for, escape. If she were to stay, how would she explain it to Dijon? Or would he just fight to take her back and kill more people? She could not accept that, so she could not take his offer no matter how good it may sound. She had to wonder, though, if Norima offered asylum because he somehow knew she wanted it, or if he was just doing it out of kindness. "No." She finally had to answer him. "That's all right. I'm not mad at him." She lied hoping it would be good enough reason for him.

"I am an old man but do not think that you can trick my mind." Norima waved a crocked finger at her.

"I don't understand." What did his statement have to do with their conversation?

"Don't you read minds?" He asked as if she were a child.

Now it all started to piece together, these people are telepathic, that is how he knew before that she was worried, and now that she was upset and that it was directed at Dijon. Of course, how else would he have known stupid? The thought strictly was directed at herself. "Humans have little telepathic abilities. Every once in a while someone would have higher ability to read minds than others. But that is not often."

"Is it that way with all species?" For a moment he mused that it was possible to control all species minds the way he had manipulated the unknowing Orion's, that would insure the domination of his species.

"No. There are many beings that have very high telepathic abilities." Norima's hopes fell flat, there was no hope for his primitive species if others were more telepathically adept. Jenifer, realizing now that he has been reading her thoughts all along asked, "Besides if you can read my mind than why did you ask me why I was mad?"

"Our people feel better after they talk about something than have someone read it from their mind." He said bluntly.

That she could understand, she always felt better after talking to someone like Devak, or one of her nurses, after an argument with Dijon. Of course sometimes just talking about something does not make it go away, so she voiced that thought. "Well sometimes that does not work." She no longer looked at him, knowing that he probably already knew everything about her.

"Perhaps it would help if I told you something about myself." He hoped to win her attention once again. He found her a very compelling individual and did not wish to see her hurt. She looked up at him interested. He pointed with his good hand at the stump on the other side of his body where his other hand used to be.

"Many years ago, we were at war. The trouble was my army was at war with an army as equally great. You see, our great foe was once my son. I had taught him well, and a little too well. He learned how to defeat me. And so he almost did. Our fighting skills consists of three elements, the strength of one's weapons, the strength of one's muscles, and the strength of one's mind. My mind and my muscles, when I was young, were the strongest in all Rosell, and my son knew that my weapons were not. Of course I knew his weakness was in his mind, he may have been my son, but that is one thing he did not inherit. There was one final battle, the bloodiest of all. At the end of this battle there was a fight between my son and I. We had fought for close to a half hour and at the end I wound up with one arm and he wound up with a sword in his heart."

Jenifer winced at the thought. "Why did he turn against you?"

"Our people are a warrior race. We have fought one an other for millennia. He wanted peace by unifying the people. I am a warrior at heart and so I believe that peace cannot be found until there is one dominating force that cannot be defeated, that strongest force is the only rightful ruler. He took my training and trained others to fight against it. Then the day finally came when he confronted me and told me that the way we had been living for centuries was wrong. From that day forward he was no longer my son." Norima sat back and stared deep into Jenifer's eyes. "You must remember, Jenifer, your closest friend can be your greatest foe."

Jenifer thought about it but did not say a word. Was that what was happening between her and Dijon? Was she turning against him? Norima's warning suggests that if she did turn against him she might not win since he was one of her closest friends, and he did indeed know her inside and out. She thought of Justin and wondered what would have happened if he was still alive years from now and if she ever decided that what Dijon was doing was wrong, if he would turn against her in favor of his father's living style. Yet, he would never grow up to have to make that decision but she does now. "I killed my son." She said softly not realizing she even said it.

Norima looked at her as if he already knew, and probably did. "Did you? Or was it someone else?"

Jenifer looked at him confused, not because of his question but because he subtlety indicated that he knew more than she was willing to tell him. "I'm the one that pressed the button that started the overload."

"But Dijon gave you that order." He said reading her mind, in fact those were the exact words that went through it at that time.

She nodded giving into his telepathy, there was no hiding anything now. "I guess you could say he did it. But it was me who pressed the button. I might as well have taken a knife to his throat."

"So you blame yourself for this incident?" He said as if it wasn't clear enough.

It did annoy Jenifer and sharply she said, "Yes."

Softly as if he were telling her a secret, and in a way he was he leaned to her and said, "Dijon blames himself."

"What?"

"Dijon believes it was he whom killed Justin. It was his weapon, and he believes he should never have ordered you to use it, because he knew it still may not have been ready. If he could he would instantly put himself in your son's place."

Jenifer had wondered how Dijon felt in the matter, she had not talked to him about it, and now she knew. "I guess in a way he did. When Dijon gives an order you have to follow it."

"You could have refused."

Jenifer shook her head. "No. I had before, it makes him angry and you don't want to be around him when he's angry. No I had to fire."

Norima understood, short tempers instill fear, and when one fears you they only wish to do what you say so they will not fear your wrath. He also understood Jenifer's confusion on the matter. He believed that neither killed the boy, it was due to faulty machinery, but she would have to figure that out on her own. "Now, who killed your son?"

Jenifer had to admit that she was not sure. "I don't know. First I was mad at Dijon because I believed that he killed Justin. Then I thought I did. Now I don't know what to think." Jenifer stood and started to pace from one end of the conference table to the other.

"You are much more emotional then the others." He observed again. "Perhaps you should take some time away from them to sort out your feelings."

She couldn't imagine being away from Dijon, she hadn't been for the past six years, where would she go? For that matter how would she get there. She had not tired to escape him in years, yet every time she did he found her. But she didn't believe she could stay on the Aqueous, Justin's death was just too recent and everything on board reminded her of him. "You know I think you're right." She stopped pacing and said with renewed purpose. "I think I will take some time off away from them. Maybe even a few years." She paced again starting to think aloud and babble. "I know I could join Starfleet. They could probably use some of my knowledge about the Orions. No that would make me a traitor. They might take me because I'm good with computers. Yeah, that's it I won't even tell them about the Orions.

"But how will I get away from the Orions. Dijon won't let me just leave. I have to find a way to leave without him knowing." Jenifer stopped for a second to think clearly.

Norima took his chance to interrupt. "I could let you stay here." He had not had anyone close to him in a long time that was so interesting and willing to fight. He could direct her anger and use it for his good. However he noticed she had a stubborn mind, one not so easy to control.

He tried so even as she began to talk again. "No, thank you anyway. Dijon could just turn around and get me." He tried to implant thoughts into her to make her stay, nothing worked. "I need someone that has a ship and could defend me." She broke totally away from his mind's grasp and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" He failed once again to bring her into his hold.

Jenifer smiled sarcastically. "Back to Dijon." She walked through the doors. He realized the child was impossible and he never could have used her, too bad really, he would just have to become strong with the weapons he gained from her people.

***

After Norima asked Jenifer to stay Dijon and Devak were escorted to their room, one neither had been in. It seemed more comfortable with cushions instead of plain wood and it was sized for them. Devak quickly checked the room and surprisingly it was not bugged. "They must trust us now." Dijon said examining an odd shaped sculpture that stood at half his height and worked it's way up from the ground like a root intertwining with itself, bending at sharp angles. It was mostly fascinating because it was the only true piece of art they've seen on the entire planet.

"Obviously." Devak said in response to Dijon's statement and sat down in a chair facing where Dijon stood.

Dijon sat in a couch across from him with the sculpture in the middle and tried to put his feet on the sculpture but couldn't bring himself to doing such a thing to the precious art. A thought of stealing it crossed his mind. He imagined the money he could get for such a well crafted piece. But then he thought of how much Jenifer might enjoy it. She had always had an eye for such things, and given what had recently transpired, she could use a bit of brightening up. Dijon put the thought out of his mind. It would be too hard to steal something such as this large piece without the Rosellians seeing it. Dijon sat up straight and looked at Devak forlornly.

Devak noticed his intense star and tried to avoid it, fearing he had done something wrong which he did not know about. "What is it my master?"

"On the way to get the weapons we encountered a Federation vessel." Dijon said it casually, as if he were giving a daily report, but stopped.

"And?" Devak prodded when Dijon paused, running into a Federation starship wasn't unusual in this part of the quadrant, Devak had to wonder why Dijon even brought it up.

"And we destroyed it." Dijon said with little enthusiasm.

"That is wonderful!" Devak said with enough enthusiasm for both of them.

Dijon just shook his head. "That is not wonderful. The Maris Destroyer overloaded."

"And you are sill here?" Devak asked amazed.

Dijon almost laughed, he too had to wonder how they all survived. "The overload was not that bad. Many were injured. But only a few died, including Justin."

Devak was quiet. Everyone on board knew how much Justin meant to Jenifer and Dijon. Everyone on board loved Justin and the loss would be a great one. "How is Jenifer taking it?"

"Not very well. She had barely even talked about him in the past few days. During most of the trip she was in her room ignoring everyone and everything." Dijon said.

They were quiet for a long time. Then they heard footsteps approaching. The door slowly opened and Jenifer walked in. The two of them watched as she entered almost a new person. She smiled and asked. "What are you two staring at?"

"She does not seem that sad." Devak observed.

"What do you mean. I feel better than ever." She stopped then added. "Maya informed me that we can leave at anytime. They already loaded the crystals onto the ship."

Dijon looked at Devak confused. He turned to Jenifer. "Then I guess we can get going." They went to the ship and left the planet. Dijon had no wish to visit there again. He knew something strange had happened to him, to Jenifer, and perhaps the crew. He did not like dangers he could not see and fight with his own hands. And Rosell seemed full of danger, though he still did not know what that danger was.

Chapter 6: The Return Home.

Several days later Jenifer had barely even talked with Dijon, though when she did she pretended as if nothing had happened and she was as happy as ever. She had been plotting to leave them but she could not figure a way to get away without Dijon finding out. She had scanned the local area for other ships, any ships. But could not find any. Now Jenifer sat slumped in her chair and stared out the window at the stars. For once, in so many years, the room was quiet. She wanted to go and see if Justin was asleep but she kept on remembering that he was permanently asleep.

His body, for now, was in stasis. Jenifer wanted to beam his molecules into space. But since they don't have a transporter, that idea was out. She figured before she left they would shoot him out of a torpedo bay into a sun or something. She had never thought that she would have to worry about her son's funeral. Instead she had thought that he would be worrying about hers.

She put her elbow on the table in front of her and rested her chin in her palm. She looked down at the table and there was Charlie again. He seemed to be popping up all over the place. He was just another sad reminder of her son's absence. She put a hand on Charlie and started to remember all the times he had been there for Justin as well as her. After three years Charlie had come back to comfort her. As she sat there she lost all track of time until the door chime rang. She turned to the door with Charlie in her hands unconsciously petting him. "Come."

Dijon walked in slowly. Not saying a word he looked straight into her eyes. It was a more intense stare than the first time they locked eyes but Jenifer did not feel the full extent of it now. She wondered if she had become numb over the years to everything, even her own feelings. Dijon walked up right in front of her and asked. "What's wrong Jen?"

"Nothing." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Come now Jen. Don't try to fool me. I know when something is wrong. Now what is it?" Dijon said a little more forcefully demanding an answer.

Jenifer didn't answer him. Instead she turned her chair around and started to look out the window again.

Dijon planted a firm hand on the chair and turned her around abruptly. His hand came up ready to slap her, she never flinched. He pointed a strong finger in her face and stared her down as he said, "You have been ignoring me for the past four days. I won't have it any longer. You can't say that nothing is wrong!"

She stood as tall as she could but her anger rose higher. "Fine. You want to know what's wrong!? You're a Pictoch Merlis with a capital M! That's what's wrong!" With that she stormed out of the room and down the corridor before he could follow.

***

Alone. Finally alone from all the crew, Jenifer sat where she knew no one, not even Dijon would bother her. The storage area of the engine room was the only place they had room to store the stasis unit. All the cargo bay's were full of dilithium and so was almost every place else on the ship. So Jenifer had told them to put him in the engine room. There she could be with the only two things she cared about. Her late son and her engine.

She had sat Charlie on top of the unit so he could be close to Justin. Jenifer now had her back to the unit, not sure that she could stand looking at Justin. The doctor had more or less put Justin back together, all the cuts and lacerations had been fused back together. He just looked like he was asleep. Asleep as she had seen him many times before. But this was different. He would never wake up. No nightmares, no alarms, nothing could wake him now.

Jenifer sat at her makeshift desk in her makeshift office, staring at the console. While she was staring there something happened. Some one had changed course. They were headed for Arcturus. "Oh, no. Not again." Jenifer thought aloud.

After the course changed something else appeared on the screen. It was a message. The message read:

"Jenifer. I know you are reading this. I have ordered a shore leave on Arcturus. I thought it might be nice to go back to where this all started. Maybe then you will cheer up. Please be happy. Dijon."

Jenifer looked up and turned to her son and Charlie. For the first time in several days, a legitimate smile crossed her face. "We're going home."

***

Arcturus. Jenifer had not wanted to go there since she had left so many years ago. Dijon had asked her many times to go but she talked him out of it. Now she wanted to go there more than anything. She was hoping that somehow once she arrived she would find someone to take her into Federation space. If no one would take her than she would have to find an alternative.

Jenifer walked through the corridors of the ship to the bridge. Dijon and Devak were there talking as usual. When she walked on they turned and looked at her. Dijon smiled when he saw that she was semi-happy.

She looked at him for a short time then went to her station. She put Charlie down on a chair next to her. She glanced at the viewscreen and noted that they were about to land on the busy planet. The ship landed softly on the planet and the three of them departed with Charlie in Jenifer's arms.

Not surprisingly they went to the same bar that Jenifer had met Dijon in. Jenifer casually glanced around the room and unfortunately she did not see anyone she knew. After they sat down and were brought their drinks Dijon asked, "How are you doing Jen?"

Jenifer thought of giving him a dirty look for the sole purpose of pissing him off but thought better of it. Instead she just answered, "Fine." She started to pet Charlie, still searching the room for prospective saviors.

Not long after and while she was still glancing around the room someone walked up to the table. Jenifer did not look up but as soon as he stared to talk she shot her head up to him quickly. "So Maris, back on Arcturus to do some more business I see."

Jenifer looked up to find a Romulan with slightly graying hair, which showed his age to be well over a hundred for Romulans to have gray hair. Or was it gray for a different reason, stress perhaps. Jenifer stared at him and remembered instantly his name.

Dijon beat her to the punch when Dijon confronted the Romulan with distaste. "San. What do you want?"

Kormin San stood right there in front of them. It seems that her luck was turning up, she had never dreamed it would be this easy to get away from Dijon. However, Kormin surprisingly did not hardly look at her. "I am here to try to find someone." Kormin took a seat across from Jenifer without even asking. "years ago someone close left me and I have been looking for her ever since."

He can't be talking about me. Jenifer thought. He wouldn't be looking for me for six years! Would he? We weren't that close either. So who could he be talking about?

Kormin started talking to Dijon again. "You were with her last I believe Maris. Don't you remember a few years back when you were accusing her of being my slave?"

Okay, so he's definitely talking about me! Jenifer thought again. But he couldn't have been looking all these years.

"You kidnapped her a couple of days later. What did you do with her? Did you sell her, or kill her?" Kormin accused him, obviously she had changed so much over the years that he no longer recognized her.

"No he didn't Kormin." Jenifer said softly.

Kormin looked at her in surprise. In the first instant he looked at her he finally realized who she was. He realized that she really did live, that Dijon had not killed her as he feared. Kormin looked at her admiringly "You have changed very much since the last time we met Jenifer."

Jenifer smiled, "Thank you."

Kormin looked around and under the table as if he was looking for something and saw Charlie sitting on Jenifer's lap. He smiled again and looked straight into her eyes. "And you have become very beautiful."

Jenifer shied away, she was not used to such sincere compliments, Dijon wasn't apt to giving them. Dijon also was not enjoying Kormin's presence. "That's enough! I want you to get out of here now! And don't even think of coming near Jen again!"

Kormin was quiet for a few moments and gave in. In a very gentlemanly manner he stood and bowed to Jenifer then to Dijon he said. "Have it your way Maris. I guess if Jenifer wants to stay with you that's her decision." He met eyes with Jenifer once more smiled then left.

During that moment Jenifer read a lot from him. He told her that he would be back for her and he would not give up. Jenifer told him in return that she wanted to get away from Dijon, as far as she could. She hoped that he got the message that she wanted to go with him.

The three went back to the ship after about an hour. Jenifer went back to the engineering deck after leaving Dijon and Devak on the bridge. When she arrived she noticed that Dijon was taking precautions against Kormin kidnapping her. The shields were up and primary weapons were armed. She wouldn't let that stop her though, she knew a way around the shields and the weapons could be sabotaged. So she tapped into the communications system using a secured carrier wave. She knew she had the right frequency and directed the beam at the right ship but no one was answering her hail. "Come on Kormin, answer the stupid computer." Jenifer pounded her computer screen as if it would help.

Groggy and sleepy Kormin almost sat straight in front of the computer. When he saw Jenifer on the screen he woke up immediately. "Jenifer, why are you calling me now?"

"Is your transporter working?" She asked quietly even though she didn't need to.

"Yes. Do you want me to beam you up?" he asked.

"Why else would I be calling you? I want you to beam up the case that is with me also." She informed him. She pressed a button on the console. "I'm sending my coordinates and locations of weak areas in the shields."

"All right. Stand by. I'm going to go to the transporter room." He left the screen and Jenifer turned off hers. She walked over to the stasis unit that held Justin with Charlie on top. A minute later she was relieved to feel the strange sensation of the transporter beam.

Kormin stood behind the transporter counsel and stood in awe at the unit behind Jenifer. "What the hell is that?"

Jenifer looked from Kormin to Justin and back again. "Kormin I would like you to met Justin. Actually you can't really meet him since he's dead."

"Who is he?" Kormin asked softly, he could tell this Justin means a lot to the now fully grown Jenifer.

"He is my son." Jenifer said slowly as if wounded by remembering that fact.

Kormin stared at her in awe again. She truly has grown up over the years. He realized that Jenifer was staring at him also but in a different way, an almost shameful stare. "What?" He asked.

"Don't you think we should get out of here before Dijon goes and blows us to pieces?" Asked Jenifer with her arms crossed.

"Right. I'll have one of the crew take care of it, I mean him." He corrected after a disapproving look from Jenifer. Jenifer grabbed Charlie off of the stasis unit and went with Kormin up to the bridge.

The bridge looked much better than it did years ago when they Jury-rigged the entire computer together. It was a long area with a central control table which held the basics for running the ship and various consoles along the walls. A view screen was at one end and Kormin's command station was at the other. Jenifer did, however, remember the basic layout of the ship. There were also many people on the bridge, something she was not used to. Most were Romulan, of course, and there were a few of some other rases but not that many. She wondered if this was Kormin's original crew or just people he picked up along his journey. She had many questions to ask about him in the past few years as she was she he did of her.

Filled with questions and overwhelmed by the number of people in the room, Jenifer did not know what to do. Everyone seemed to be in their place and there was no place for her. Kormin noticed this and motioned her to his side. He gave out a few orders in Romulan and the ship started to hum with energy. The ship rose out of the mud and left the planet with no incident. "You mean to tell me that Dijon didn't even notice I was gone." Jenifer felt a little disappointed in him.

The ship rocked and Jenifer flew off balance and fell to the floor. "I think you spoke too soon." Kormin told her over the commotion of reports coming in from all over the ship as he gave her a hand up.

On the screen an Orion ship came speeding out of the atmosphere. "I think now would be a good time to see how fast this ship can go Kormin." Jenifer said as he pulled her to her feet.

Kormin barked something in Romulan and the ship went into warp speed. Jenifer stood behind the helmsman and watched as the speed indicator clicked by. They were fast approaching warp 9! Faster than this ship should go. Unfortunately Jenifer knew that Dijon's ship would overtake them since she did modify the engines herself. She glanced again at the speed. Warp 9.5! Jenifer turned to Kormin. "How did you get this ship to go this fast?" It was beginning to pull away from the Aqueous.

"I used what you taught the Gorn years ago and put it to work on this ship. We will get up to warp 9.87." Kormin informed her. Besides the fact that he generally liked her personality, this was the other reason that he had searched for Jenifer, she proved herself to be an incredible engineer.

"That's exactly how fast Dijon can go." Jenifer said dryly.

"But he can't overtake us." He pointed out.

Jenifer just nodded. She turned to the screen and watched as Dijon followed them. She knew that he would not give up. Even after all of his power is depleted he would not give her up. She had to do something to get more speed out of this hunk of junk. "Kormin, can't you get anymore speed? Our power will be depleted before his you know, we just picked up a large load of dilithium."

Kormin looked at her as hard as a rock and yelled something incomprehensible into the air. Someone responded and suddenly there was an extra force in the warp drive. She watched the counsel and noting happened. But on the screen there was a swirling mass of energy flowing around them in some sort of tunnel. "Wormhole!" Jenifer tried to shout but her words were just smeared by the effect of the wormhole.

A few seconds later and after Jenifer cleared her head they were back in real space. Now that was weird. A wormhole doesn't just let you off, you need some kind of great force to blow you out of it, like an antimatter explosion, but according to the computer in front of her, they held all their antimatter in stasis. "How are we back in real time?" Jenifer asked Kormin suspiciously.

"To tell you the truth I don't know how we got into the wormhole in the first place, other than by pushing our engines to hard." He said something to the person whom was obviously the engineer. Even though they were speaking a different language Jenifer could tell that they were confused.

"What is it?" She asked Kormin after their conversation was over.

Kormin turned to her. "The Chief Engineer believes that someone on the opposite end of the wormhole, presumably Maris, could have tried to shoot at us and so the disruption of the phasers could have played havoc with the wormhole itself. Hence we are here and who knows what happened to them."

Jenifer gave a huge sigh of relief, she was away from Dijon, and she felt so much better, she stood staring at the screen and the peace of space. Kormin interrupted her. "Where would you like me to take you?"

"Home." Is all she said.

***

"Home? But I thought that you never wanted to go home." Kormin protested.

"Not home exactly. Just Earth, or rather Starfleet more in particular." Jenifer told him while she sat in her new small and thankfully bright room, she had grown tired of all the black Dijon had kept in his room.

"You've spent six years with Orion Pirates and now you want to go back to Earth. What could make you leave after such a long time?" He had a right to know, after all, he knew just about everything about her, but out of all his informants, no one even had told him that she had had a son. It took a quick look at Jenifer to have him put two and two together. "It's Justin. Isn't it?"

Jenifer just nodded. "I don't really want to talk about it. But what I do want tot talk about is what you had said earlier."

"About what?" Asked Kormin.

"About spending the past six years looking for me." Jenifer responded.

"I couldn't let you stay in the hands of that mad man. I am really surprised that you were not sold let alone still alive. I thought for sure that he would kill you for trespassing on his ship. I was very surprised when I had heard from an informant that you were indeed alive." Kormin confessed.

"He wasn't about to kill me. Even though he almost did sell me." Jenifer knew Dijon was angry now, and if he did get his hands on her, he probably would kill her.

"Did you love him?" This rumor Kormin did hear from one of his informants, and he guessed that Justin was also Dijon's son.

"Who me? No, definitely not." She said it so seriously Kormin almost believed her.

"Then why did you stay with him?"

"If I didn't then he would have sold me."

"Oh." Kormin knew by now that Dijon had no intention of ever selling Jenifer and he knew that she believed the same thing.

"Besides, I was able to roam the ship freely. I worked on the engines and became friends with the crew."

"Really?" This too, Kormin knew, not to be the whole truth.

Jenifer smiled. "Okay, Maybe I got a little too friendly with some of them, but still I did learn a lot while working with those engines. I think it will help me to get into the Academy."

"Would Starfleet take you with your background."

"What background? I'm not going to tell them anything."

"They have ways of finding out." Kormin had not yet told her that he had been in contact with her father, she had no idea that Starfleet already knew about her background.

"Then I guess if they know, there's nothing I can do about it. But they will still take me because I know about the Orions."

"They will just drain the information out of you then send you away." Kormin tried, not too hard, to scare her, in a way he was testing her and her determination.

"You don't know the Federation."

"Maybe but I don't think you know that much about them either."

"Perhaps, but I'm willing to learn." She said getting very anxious about the entire idea of joining the Federation's most prestigious occupation.

Kormin had been working his way up to this moment. "With your engineering knowledge, I could use you on this ship."

"Oh, Kormin." Jenifer was touched by his offer. "That's a very gracious honor, but really I have my heart set on Starfleet. It's not that I don't like Romulans, but I really feel out of place here."

"Would you feel more in place with hundreds of people, and beings you don't know?"

"That's a good point, but I would like to try Starfleet out. If I find it's not for me, you'll be the first one I turn to."

Kormin seemed a little satisfied. "All right, but don't think that I won't bother you about it again." He warned as he stood to leave. "We'll talk more in the morning, you seem tired."

"I am, and Kormin." She called to him as he was walking through the door. "Thank you, for saving me, and everything."

"I'll always be there for you when you need me, you remember that." Kormin had sworn himself over the past six years to be her protector, he felt that may be the only way she could survive. "Now get some sleep." Not soon after he left she nodded off into a peaceful sleep hugging Charlie.

Days, weeks, then finally a month went by. Jenifer and Kormin had talked often about anything and almost everything. Jenifer told him what it was like to be an Orion Pirate. Kormin told her what had been happening with the Romulan Star Empire. When one day on the bridge Kormin called Jenifer up to join him. As the turbolift doors parted to allow her to enter Kormin said, "We are nearing Starbase 32. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Positive." She answered.

"All right follow me." Kormin lead her down to the transporter room. There on the transporter pad was a square stasis unit with a lonely small form inside.

Jenifer stood behind the transporter terminal while Kormin stood in front of Justin and said something very quietly in Romulan. He turned to Jenifer and she said, "Good bye baby. I'm going to miss you." She put her hand to her lips kissed it and blew the kiss to Justin. And with that she activated the controls to send his molecules into space. The box disappeared with all the traces of the Orions left from Jenifer.

Kormin walked slowly up to her as she stared at the transporter pad. When he was standing next to her she asked, "What did you say to him?"

"I said, You died with honor little one and your mother will always love you for enriching her life." He put his hand on her shoulder and they walked out of the transporter room together.

***

The next day Jenifer stood on the transporter pad waiting as Kormin put in the coordinates for Starbase 32. "I just want to thank you again for everything you have done for me Kormin. From helping me with the Gorn to… what happened yesterday. I will never forget you. and you will always be my friend."

"You are most welcome. I wish you the best of luck in your future with Starfleet. If it falls through remember that you will always have a place here with me." Kormin told her.

"I will remember. I hope we meet again. Good-bye my friend." She raised her hand as the transporter beam engulfed her sending her into her new life in Starfleet.

***

"Then what happened?" Stephanie had been hoped that there would be more, especially about Jenifer's relationship with Eric, but she had stopped and didn't seem to have the intention of continuing.

"Steph." DeArra interjected, she knew as well as Jenifer that Stephanie knew what happened next.

But Jenifer indulged her, just this time. "What do you think happened. I joined Starfleet, met Eric, broke up with Eric, met you guys, went out with Eric again, and now I'm sitting here spilling my guts out to you. That's what happened."

Stephanie laughed, it wasn't exactly the ending she was hoping for, but she would have to live with it. She stretched out on her bed trying to see the clock. "What time is it?"

"Nine O'clock." Answered DeArra.

"Nine! I'm supposed to meet Arron in fifteen minutes." Stephanie stood up and started to run for the door. "Oh! Great story Jenifer. Sorry I can't stay. See you guys tomorrow." She ran out the door.

After it closed behind her Jenifer too stretched out on her bed, mentally tired from the memories she imposed on herself. "I can never keep track of the guys she's going out with." Jenifer knew that DeArra was still watching her, she also knew that DeArra was still interested in Jenifer's past. She knew she wouldn't be able to avoid the conversation so she turned on her side to look at DeArra.

"Do you really still love Dijon, or did you just put that in your diary for the hell of it?" DeArra despite her empathetic powers couldn't tell Jenifer's true feelings on the matter.

Jenifer was taken by surprise at her question. "Is it really any of your business?" She asked rudely.

"I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or anything. But it is something you will have to decide. What if he does come back for you?" DeArra's voice was kind and soothing, yet it was still a lecture, something DeArra could never stop doing.

Jenifer couldn't answer. She didn't know what she would do if she came face to face with him again. Would she kill him or kiss him, it was a hard choice, and hopefully it would be a long time before she had to make it.

"Does Eric know about any of this?" DeArra threw out another question that tended to sting her a bit.

"Bit's and pieces. He knows I was in love before, with Dijon. He knows that I was with the pirates, and he knows that I have a Romulan friend, but that's about the extent of it. He doesn't know about Justin. Jenifer said almost to soberly as if she were going to break into tears again.

"Don't you think he should know? Especially if you are going to marry him."

"He will find out eventually. But I want him to get to know Ensign Jenifer Sandara of Starfleet Academy before he knows Jen Sandara of the Orion Pirates." She said.

"I get your point." DeArra knew Jenifer was at a hard point in her life, the next few years would be crucial to her, to all of them. "When Dijon comes back, what will you do?" She asked again, more softly and this time in the future tense, because they both knew it was not if, but when.

Jenifer stood and stared out the window, she thought about not answering, but something compelled her to. "To tell you the truth I don't know. At times I feel like I could kill him. Those are when I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat after I dream about that horrid encounter with the Hornet. I won't tell you how many times that has been." Jenifer admitted.

"What do you think he'd do to you?"

"He would probably want to capture me and keep me all to himself and never let me go. Or kill me." Jenifer looked to the night's stars, somewhere out there, he was looking for her. "Promise me one thing though." Jenifer said as an after thought.

"What is it?"

"If I ever encounter him and think of staying with him, stop me. At all cost, no matter what I say at the time, stop me. Is that understood. If I try to convince you that I want to stay with him then you ignore me and get me the hell out of there. Even if you have to stun me I want you to get me away from him at all costs." Jenifer implored.

"All right, I'll do what I can." DeArra promised.

"No, I want you to do more than that. Promise me you won't let him near me." Jenifer said strongly.

DeArra hesitated slightly, she wasn't really sure what kind of task she was taking on. "I Promise."

"Thank you." Jenifer turned away and looked out the window.

"What are you going to do tonight Jenifer?" DeArra asked after a while.

Jenifer did not break the silence between them. She just stared out the window knowing he was out there coming for her. And she was scared as hell.