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 vessel