The Starfleet Academy Adventures By: Christine Schnell

Father's Son

Chapter 1

"Lieutenant Arron Steele," Admiral Nogura continued, "your courage in the recent hostage situation, not to mention your outstanding record, both in the academy, and in active service have earned you medals, commendations, and letters of appreciation from Starfleet."

"Yeah, yeah." Steele thought, exasperated, "I hate this promotion bull. Just get on with it so I can rest."

"...Then, without further adieu, I give you Lieutenant Commander Arron Steele."

"Oh God!" Arron thought, "I'm on!"

"Thank you, sir." Arron said trying to keep a straight face. "Your words mean so much to those of us just coming up through the ranks." Arron mentally gritted his teeth, "Especially me."

He's lying his ass off. Thought Admiral Steele, who was watching from the Flag officer table.

Admiral Steele didn't feel any negative feelings towards his son for being insincere. After all, he was just like him. Both disliked blondes, both hated vegetables, and they both loathed attending big ceremonies... especially their own!!

"...And in conclusion," Arron said, "I'd like to say that this promotion means more to me than anyone could know."

"Bull!" hissed DeArra to Stephanie. "He never wanted a promotion out of this!"

DeArra and Stephanie had been watching the whole extravaganza from the third row in the audience. Right now, both Stephanie and DeArra knew that Arron was just bluffing so he could get off stage and into a Saurian brandy, and Stephanie was not afraid to let DeArra know.

"He's just trying to brown nose so he can get off stage and not look like an ungrateful idiot doing it!" Stephanie said.

DeArra looked at Stephanie with a sarcastic expression

"You're telling me this!?" DeArra said with a smile.

They both giggled and continued to watch Arron squirm.

"...And I'd also like to thank my father for years of undying support and guidance. Dad," Arron turned to look at his father, "many people have told me 'you're just like your father' and now I think I'm beginning to see their point of view."

Arron paused for a moment, as his eyes began to burn.

"I guess it's true," he said, "I am my fathers' son... and very proud to be it too."

With that the whole audience came to their feet and applauded.

***

The figure in the dark robe approached the holding area of Starfleet security division. He was silent as he came upon the first guard gate.

"Halt." The guard said, "State your name and business." The figure stopped. "I am Taff Lan. Orion consulate, judicial affairs division. I've come to speak to my client; Dijon Maris." He said.

The guard studied the figure for a moment. "I'll have to see your I.D. and have it cleared before I can let you enter." Said the guard.

Slowly, the figure reached into his robe.

Neither he, nor his counterpart saw the blast that horribly ended their life.

***

"...Son," Admiral Adam Steele said, "I'm very proud of the speech you made tonight, even though you were lying like a dog."

Arron chuckled at his being discovered. "Was I that obvious?" He asked, laughing.

Just then, Stephanie and DeArra walked up. "Nice bit of kissing up you did up there." Stephanie blurted.

Arron just shook his head. "I can't lie to save my life anymore!" He exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Well, if it's any comfort," DeArra said, "I think you fooled the Admiral."

"Maybe," Stephanie interjected, "But Admiral Nogura isn't as, well, bright as he used to be."

"In short, he's an old senile bat!" Arron finished for her.

"Well, uh, yeah." Stephanie agreed under her breath.

***

The Star fleet security ward at Alcatraz island was desolate place. The salty sea air was cold to the robed figure that approached the second set of sleepy guards on post. The figure stopped at the gate abruptly and waited for the guards to clear him. The robed man looked around, there were several guards patrolling on the upper end of the fortress. He noted that it would not be wise at this point to use violence. He decided he would find another way.

The senior guard approached wearily. He had been napping it seemed. He was a Federation Marine. His rank indicated that he was a sergeant. The figure observed him, his mannerism, his alertness, and noted it for future reference. He would need it.

"Good evening sergeant," The robed figure hissed from beneath his hood. The sergeant was not flattered.

"State yer business." He said in a drawl that he, the robed figure, identified as from the south part of the North American continent.

"I am the counsel assigned to Dijon Maris. I'm from the Orion consulate. I've come to discuss my clients' hearing tomorrow." The robed figure stated.

The sergeant scrutinized the robed figure. "A little late to be making house calls, isn't it, sir?" He asked.

"Oh, I do apologize, sergeant, but I just received the assignment myself. I had to make some preparation before tomorrow." The hooded man said in a tone that was nothing less than patronizing.

The sergeant sighed. "All right. I can give you one hour, but that's all."

"Thank you." The figure started to walk toward the gate.

"Hey, wait a minute, will ya." The guard seemed as if he just now remembered something. The man turned around as if he were getting annoyed. "Can I see your ID sir?"

The Orion reached into his robe. The marine was ready to reach for his phaser, he did not trust Orions. The Orion did not pull out a weapon but small case. He opened it and flashed it in the guards face.

"Ah, yeah, I see you are Mr., um, Mr." The marine tried to lean closer to the card, but could not read it since his eyes were still heavy from sleep.

"Taff Lan. You may contact the Orion Judiciary Council for confirmation."

"I didn't know they even had courts. Hey, ain't you gonna let me see what's under that robe?" The marine asked as an after thought.

"No." he turned back around and his robe swung back and forth as he started to walk towards the gate.

"Oh well, remember one hour, we don't see ya come out this way, we come in after ya." He sat down in one of the chairs and leaned back.

The robed figure walked slowly past the drowsy guard and awaited the opening of the gate. Leisurely the gate screeched open. He walked through carefully not looking back at the guards.

Once he was gone the other guard turned to the sergeant. "Why'd 'cha let 'im go?"

"What harm can he do. The scanner would have detected any weapons." The sergeant yawned and put his hands behind his neck.

"Yeah." The other guard put his hands behind his neck also. "Hey, ya all gonna play poker later with us?"

The other nodded and yawned again fighting to stay awake. "Sure, I feel like loosen some money tonight."

***

Arron looked out the window of the station as his going away party was at it's climax. Stephanie, of course, set up the party, with the permission of the admiralty, on Space Station One. The party was in the main lounge with a huge window looking out to the docking bays. Soon now they will have the unveiling of Arron's new command. Even though it wasn't a brand new ship, it was new to Arron and so it had some special meaning.

Everyone was there, even Admiral Nogura. Arron couldn't figure out why top brass such as himself would attend such a party. Of course his father was an admiral as well, perhaps he had pulled some strings and got the admiral to attend. Anyhow, the party was going smoothly.

Then it was time. The room quieted as if it were one being. Then to the right of the windows, slowly the ship came into view. Arron felt someone wrap their arm around his. He didn't look to see who it was, however, he was to grossed in his new ship. It was small, it was bulky, but it was his. He had also heard that some of it's armory was the best. As it came into full sight he saw the name of the vessel and thought it very appropriate. U.S.S. Lightning. In addition to hearing about the armory, he had also heard that this was one of the fastest ships in the fleet. And it had to be for he was going to be patrolling the trade routs for smugglers. After the ship came to a halt Admiral Steele walked up in front of the window to get everyone's attention. "Ladies, Gentlemen, and esteemed guests." He bowed his head to the old, oriental admiral. "I present you with the U.S.S. Lightning. And her new commander, Lt. Comdr.. Arron Steele."

Applause filled the room. Arron looked to the person who had hooked their arms around his. DeArra looked back and smiled. She was beautiful, as beautiful as his new ship. He loved them both, and he did not know which he loved more. All he knows is he is happy, very happy.

Chapter 2

The guards in front of the cell looked at the dark and mysterious figure that was approaching. They came to attention and put their hands on their phasers with out drawing them. One cautiously approached the robed man. "Who goes there?"

"I am Taff Lan. Console to Dijon Maris. I have come to talk to him of the hearing tomorrow." The Orion stopped only half a meter away from the guard.

Keeping one eye on the Orion the guard spoke softly into the communications device on the wall. After a few mumbled words he turned back to Lan. "All right, one hour." He let him pass and was about to release the force field when he noticed the glint under the man's robe.

Realizing it was a weapon of some sort he drew his phaser and the other guard followed suite. They were too late. Lan had already drawn his and was firing upon them. Two seconds later both guards were down. Lan let down the field and called to Maris. Maris came running out and stood next to Lan waiting. Four guards came running down the corridor in both directions, they stopped two meters away to fire their weapons. By the time the first one fired the two figures were enveloped in the sparkles of a transporter. By the time the beam would have hit its mark the two were gone. The shot was wasted on the wall of the cell.

"Damn, I knew this wasn't going to be a good night." The one who had shot said. He went over to the comm. panel and called for help.

***

"Admiral Steele." Jenifer Sandara walked over to the admiral and greeted him with a hand shake. "Nice to see you again. I'm sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything important?"

"Unless you think Arron's speech was important, than no." The admiral joked.

"I was held up by some of the Federation attorneys over the trial tomorrow. I can't wait to put Dijon away for good." Jenifer smiled devilishly, while rubbing her hands together. Several months ago the integra crew had traveled to Beta Nomi and encountered her old Orion lover there. At the time he had staged a trap, kidnapping her parents and Arron Steele, to bring her to him. She had gone through a mix of emotions, and believing she still loved him, stayed with him as long as her parents were safe. That was until she received a message from Eric Quintero, her current boyfriend, on a whim she turned against Dijon once again and in the process captured him for the crimes he had committed against the Federation, and now his day in court had come.

"I'm sure you can't. But in the meantime have some cake and relax, I'm sure tomorrow will be a long day." Adam Steele ushered her over to what was left of the cake.

Arron looked up from his conversation with DeArra when he heard his father approaching. He also saw Jenifer walking with him. "Jenny, so glad you could take time out of your busy schedule to come and say good-bye."

"Good-bye? I thought you were going to be testifying at the hearing?" She asked confused.

"I was until we got urgent orders to head for one of the trade routs out in the Lambada sector. It seems things have been heating up out there." He said apologetically. "Besides you have enough witnesses against him to put him away for good."

"That's true." DeArra cut in. "And don't forget I'll be testifying too."

"Oh, yes. With out you we couldn't possibly have a chance of winning the case." Jenifer said sarcastically.

"Admiral Steele." Nogura called from across the room. It was surprising at his old age, he could still talk over the crowd without yelling.

"Excuse me folks. Duty calls." Steele walked away from them. The three young people looked to one another wondering why he was called off.

Nogura walked Steele out of the room secretly. And into another uninhabited room. "We have a problem."

"What is it?" Steele studied the other man's face. It showed nothing not even a speck of concern. Yet he had a feeling he knew what happened. What else could be so important that they call the head admiral out of a party? "It's Maris isn't it?"

Nogura nodded. "He's escaped. We have no idea if he's still on the planet, the station, or on a ship." Nogura sighed softly then continued. "It was well planned. For several ships left at the same time as his escape. We do not have any idea where he is.

"We are also dispatching all available ships. I'm afraid that includes your sons."

Adam turned pale at the news. This was not good. How would Arron take this. Worse yet how would Jenifer take this? "I'll tell him right away." He started to leave.

"Wait." Nogura called. "You must not tell anyone, not even your son. He will not receive orders until his ship has left orbit. No one is to know about this."

"But what about Sandara. Surely she should know." He protested.

"I believe it would be... wise to keep this under wraps. Especially from Sandara." Nogura shook his head. "Knowing her past record as you do, you should know that she would not take this news lightly." He stopped, then added something as an after thought. "I will have the trial postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately those circumstances can not be revealed to anyone at this time. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir. I will inform Arron to report to his ship and await further instructions." Adam confirmed.

"Very well." With that Steele knew their conversation was over and he left the room to the party. Once he was back in the noise and people filled room he saw Arron and motioned the younger man over to him.

"What's up Dad?" Arron asked before he came up to his dad. Once he was right next to him he asked, "Dad, what's wrong?"

Adam Steele tried to compose himself. After clearing his throat he spoke. "You are to report to your ship immediately. The rest of your crew will join you shortly." This was because most were at the party at this very moment. Steele had arranged for a call for the crew, for five minutes after Arron had left.

"But why?" Arron was dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you at the moment. Please go now." After Arron hadn't moved for several seconds the Admiral added. "That's not a request commander." Arron nodded and left at a jog. Adam watched him go and hoped that Maris was still on the planet. For if he were someplace in space, and if Arron were to run into him, there would be trouble.

***

After the crew was called away, the party became pretty dead. The Integra crew, minus one, stayed behind to clean up. Steph was putting away what was left of the cake and looked out to the window. "You know this is the first party that I threw, that went bad."

"Well, that's the way it goes when you're in Starfleet." DeArra looked out the window as the Lightning started to move. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched. They waved as the ship started to move faster out of the docking area. DeArra knew something had to be up, if they called him out early and Darian voiced what she was thinking. In effort to calm everyone's nerves, and like a good commander, she tried to contradict him, though she didn't believe it herself. "I'm sure it was just some unexpected emergency out where they were supposed to patrol. By the time they get there everything should be fine."

"I hope so for their sake." Jason watched as the Lightning flashed out of real space. "He seemed to run out of here in a hurry."

"DeArra's right." Jenifer interjected. "Besides, it's not our place to worry about it. That's Arron's job now."

The heads around the room bobbed up and down in agreement. But each and everyone of them were aware of the reality in the universe and how things turned out weren't always for the best.

***

He hated waiting. He hated the pretty smelling, clean offices of the Federation. He hated hiding as well. Each time someone went by he would have to make sure he wasn't seen. He hated this all. But most of all he hated the people that put him through total and outright hell. Even though he did hate waiting, he could wait for this moment to come. Soon he would eliminate one of those that help put him in that hell, and was going to help keep him there by testifying tomorrow.

Once again he heard footsteps coming in this direction. Yet these were different, they were slowing. A door opened and a light went on in the next room. The footsteps were getting closer. Soon now, very soon.

The lights went on in the room. A tall muscular man walked past his hiding place. Now! The man jumped and knocked the new comer to the ground. The lights were now out for that new comer.

***

"We're now holding steady at warp three sir." Helm officer Mesa reported.

"Very good." Arron Steele turned in his seat to face the screen. "Time until intercept with the Lincoln?"

"Four hours six minutes." The dark navigator Wong answered.

"Sir, I have an incoming communiqu from HQ." Palmer's bangs fell in his face and he wiped them away.

"On screen."

Palmer looked to his commander. "I'm sorry sir but it's for your eyes only."

"All right then I'll take it in my quarters." He walked to his quarters which on this small ship was one deck down from the bridge, and activated his screen. Arron watched in amazement as Nogura himself came on screen.

He sat there staring back at Arron and waited until he composed himself. "Commander Steele. You are to set course for the Delta system. From there you will change course and come around on a circular route to Earth."

"Sir? I thought we were to report to the Lambada sector?" Arron was surprised at this order.

"I'm afraid to tell you, but your father is missing." Nogura said flatly.

"Missing? How? Who?" Arron now was more confused than ever.

"Dijon Maris."

That was all he said. That was all he had to say. Arron now understood with out being told that Maris had escaped and taken his father with him. That must have been the reason he was called out early. "Yes sir. We'll be there as soon as we can sir."

"Actually, I want you to proceed at warp four, and when you are in the Sol system to drop down to half impulse." The old man ordered.

"A sneak attack sir?"

"Of a sort yes. Stay advised for further communications. Nogura out." With that his image disappeared. For some reason Arron found himself wondering how he could stay in Starfleet and be that old, in a way he was hoping the old man would just retire so he could speed to his fathers aid. Of course he knew the Admiral was right. So in the end he had his ship do exactly as the head of Starfleet had ordered.

Chapter 3

"Postponed? Postponed!" Jenifer laid her palms down hard on the Admiral's desk. "You've got to be kidding. Why in hell did they postpone it?"

"Some legal technicalities had arisen which have not been addressed. They must be seen to before the trial may begin." Cory Jenkins tried to buy some time.

It didn't work Jenifer saw right through him. Being with Maris for six years had taught her how to read between the lines. "In other words he's escaped." She leaned closer to him demanding the truth.

"No, absolutely not!" He defended himself, though he wasn't as convincing as he had liked to have been.

"Don't try to lie to me. I know Dijon, and I know the Orions. They helped him escape and now he's hiding out somewhere on Earth until we forget about Earth and start searching the possibility of him escaping into space. Then he will seek his revenge."

Cory knew his daughter was correct, except she didn't know that Dijon had already started seeking his revenge. Jenkins, reluctantly, told her about it. "I'm afraid, he has already begun. We know he's on Earth, or at least his conspirators."

Jenifer became suspicious. Had something terrible happened with out her knowing? Had Dijon already started racking destruction? Her father answered these questions. "He's kidnapped Adam Steele." She couldn't let this go on. Something had to be done, but surely she could not turn herself over to him, not again. She must do something, but what? He looked at her as she contemplated this. "Jenny, I know what you're thinking. But we're handling the situation as we speak."

"But you don't know him like I do!" She protested.

Jenkins feared the counseling sessions she was going through over this was having no effect on her. "Of course not. But he also doesn't know where you are."

"What are you talking about." She said bewildered.

"We have arranged for you to be hidden from him for the time being. Because you know as well as I do, that you will be his next target."

"I know, but if Dijon gets frustrated in anyway he will take it out on the admiral, or anyone close to him. We've got to find him before he finds us." She started pacing. "If only we had a clue as to his location."

"We would have been on it a long time ago, if we did." Cory reminded her.

"Perhaps, but if you'll allow us, let our crew inspect where the admiral was kidnapped. I'd assume it was his office." She stated.

"It was. And I will allow it, but I doubt that you'll find anything." He said.

"We'll see about that." Jenifer stopped her pacing and left the room without being dismissed.

***

This was his one and only shot at getting his message across, so he had best make it a good one. He rehearsed it in his mind. A subtle hint here, and another one there. His captors had given him an outline as to what to say, but left the actual wording up to him. This gave him a great advantage.

He didn't even know where it would be sent to. He was planning it for someone who had some push in Starfleet. It would be nice if Nogura received it. But who knows?

Soon his message was sent out, directed into deep space. Straight to a ship that was known to be heading to Earth as many others were leaving. It was the only ship that was meant solely for fighting that was headed there and would be the only one when it arrived. Therefore it must be the rightfully intended ship.

***

Jenifer slammed the drawer shut with all the fierceness of a child throwing a temper tantrum. Small objects were knocked over on the desk, but she did not care, not one bit. Not one shred of evidence has shown itself in this room. They've searched it from top to bottom and not even so much as a speck of dust was harmed. DeArra walked over to her to try and calm her friend down. "Jenifer, perhaps we should take a break for a few minutes. We've been searching this room for a long time now and I think it would be best for all of us."

Jenifer looked to the Betazoid woman standing next to her. Though Jenifer was a few inches taller than DeArra, she still felt somewhat taken aback by the power behind DeArra's words. Slowly Jenifer sank into the Admiral's chair behind the desk. "You're right. Dad was right. Damn everyone was right except me!" Jenifer kicked the desk with her foot, which only made the chair move further away from the desk, as if telling her not to do that anymore, in a way she felt the chair was right as well.

"Jenny, don't be so hard on yourself." DeArra kneeled down next to her. "We all make mistakes. There's just the fact that there is nothing here. It's not your fault, nor mine, nor anyone else's. Things, and mistakes, just happen."

"Yeah, my mistake was meeting Dijon Maris, and then not killing him when I had a chance. If that wouldn't have happened we wouldn't be searching this damned room to help find Arron's dad. For that matter, he wouldn't even have been kidnapped."

DeArra, for once in her life, was at a lose for words. She knew the horrible feelings that her friend was experiencing and she felt them along with her. Yet there was nothing, absolutely nothing she could do for her. "Jenifer." DeArra finally managed to get out.

Jenifer politely turned to DeArra, "With all due respect, sir. Please leave me alone." DeArra felt that she was sincere in her wish to be alone and so she nodded and left to talk with the others. Jenifer leaned back in the chair and placed her boots up on the desk, shuffling some loose objects around. She sat there pondering her past actions with Dijon Maris and thought of all the "what ifs" that she could have done to change this present situation. She knew however that, that would never solve a thing. What's past was past. And what's now, must be taken care of now. But why? Why had he taken Admiral Steele and not somebody else that was closer to her. Like her father, or one of the Integra crew. Why Steele?

She wiggled her feet a little in thought. As she did so something fell off the desk. It must have been something she knocked down when she slammed the drawer. She was just going to leave it be, until a gleam caught her eye. She looked down to the object. A wooden box. It was very familiar to her. Too familiar. Looking closer at it there was a piece of paper wrapped around it. Paper, that was very odd, nobody used paper anymore. She bent down and picked it up. She unwrapped the note and read its contents. She looked up at her companions who were talking among themselves. She placed the box and the paper into her jacket concealing it from the others.

She didn't know how they looked it over. That really doesn't matter. For what did matter was she knew exactly where Arron's father was. And even better she knew exactly where Dijon Maris was. She stood and without so much as a glance at the others she walked out the office door.

***

Not two hours had passed by on their return to earth when communications officer Palmer told him they were picking up a signal directed into space. No where in specific just randomly thrown into space. Arron, who was in his cabin resting, was curious and ordered the message to be brought up onto his screen. Obediently a face appeared. Arron gasped as he saw his father there before him. He was not ragged and dirty as hostages looked centuries before. Instead he was well groomed except for a slight stubble of a beard that was beginning to show.

Adam Steele spoke with confidence in his voice. Arron knew that his father would never give his captors a chance to get what they want, right now he was only biding for time. And yet maybe there was something else. A hidden message perhaps. Arron listened to his father speak and tried to discern that message. He let it run all the way through and yet was not able to figure it out. Then he had a premonition to have Palmer replay it, when it automatically repeated itself.

"To any Federation dignitary." Admiral Steele began. "I have been taken aboard the Aqueous, commanded by Dijon Maris, of Orion. He has taken me for reasons I have not been able to determine. He wishes to-" The transmission was cut off abruptly. Arron had not remembered this from the previous transmission and was now caught wondering why this had happened.

As he reached for the button to call the bridge another face appeared on the screen. This one was distinctly different. The green complexion mixed with those penetrating black eyes was not hard to place. This was an Orion. And not just any Orion, this was Dijon Maris.

"Earthers, listen up. This will only be played once and I will have no hidden messages such as the one you're Admiral was trying to pass by us. And just for your information he will be punished for it." There was a pause in Maris' speech and in that moment Arron could feel his heart pounding, and thoughts raced through his mind at what his father must be going through. Then Maris continued. "My reasons are clear as are my demands. I want Jen Sandara. I want her within twelve hours, or someone will get seriously injured. Is that clear?" The Orion terrorist asked and then repeated, "Twelve hours, one second more and Steele dies." The transmission was cut, but the last words stuck in Arron's head. For a long time afterwards.

Chapter 4

Arron Steele burst onto the bridge of the Lightning like a fusion explosion. All eyes turned to him. "Drop to impulse. Bring all engines to all stop." He barked.

"Answering all stop." Lt. Mesa responded. "We have a priority one emergency at Starfleet command."

Everyone from Lt. Abarnathy, his first officer, to communication officer Palmer, to Ensign Wong, at the navigators seat, all gasped in unison.

"Until further notice, the entire crew is on yellow alert." Arron turned. "Ensign Wong, plot a course to Earth, maximum warp."

"Aye sir." Wong replied, setting his fingers into motion on his keyboard.

"Lieutenant Abarnathy,"

"Sir!" Abarnathy said coming to attention.

"The bridge is yours. Inform me the minute we come into the Sol system. I'll be in my quarters. Also, inform me of any communications from Starfleet command."

"Very good sir!" Abarnathy replied.

Arron moved into the turbolift and was gone.

"Ready for warp speed, mister Abarnathy." Wong said.

"You heard the skipper ! Let's get this old bucket moving!" Abarnathy said. The Lighting shot into warp in a flash of light, then was gone.

***

Dijon Maris sat in his chair on the freighter Aqueous with a gloating smile on his face. His plan was a success! He had Steele, soon, he'd have the head of that impudent little son of bitch, the other Steele. And to top it all off, soon, so very soon, he would have Jen back with him, for good. Maris spun at the sound of the turbolift doors opening, to see his long time friend and loyal comrade.

"Devak!" He said bursting from his command chair, "My old friend, I knew you and Taff wouldn't let me down!"

Devak took his commander in a tight embrace. "My lord, you know that there was no way in Hades fire that Taff and I would let you rot in that maggots' den." Devak said.

"And fortunate it was for me that you felt that way." Maris said, a cruel smile coming to his face, "Unfortunate, however, for our, um, guest."

At this, Maris, and Devak, burst into uncontrollable laughter.

***

Arron's wall communicator beeped loudly. It seemed almost deafening compared to the absolute silence of his quarters. "Sir, we're dropping from warp to impulse for Earth entry orbit." The comm. panel said.

"Very good. Have a transporter standing by," Arron ordered, "as soon as we're in range I'll beam down to the academy."

"Yes sir. Bridge out." With that the panel went silent and Arron went back to the silence that had occupied his room before the interruption.

***

Arron materialized on the transporter pad to see Darian Setek awaiting him, a saddened look on his face.

"Hello, Arron. I wish we didn't have to meet again under such unfortunate circumstances."

"Don't worry," Arron said in his casual tone, "We'll find my father. Besides, he's a big boy. He can take care of himself." Too bad he himself didn't believe what he'd just said. "Let's go see Jenifer," Arron said, "She'll be able to help piece this together."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Darian replied, "Why don't you come with me. I'll take--"

Darian was cut off sharply by Arron's reply, "Are you having problems hearing, cadet!?"

Darian, caught off guard by the rude interruption, stammered. "N-N-No, sir."

"Very well than. Take me to Jenifer Sandara." Arron ordered.

Nodding Darian turned around and motioned for his superior officer to follow. Under his breath he muttered, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

They did not go to the rooms in which the school's cadets were quartered, like Steele expected. Instead they walked out to the shuttle port and picked up an Academy Transport Vessel, an automatic vehicle programmed to move under the control of someone in the Academy Control Center. Darian flipped a switch that activated the voice unit and simply stated, "Federation Head Quarters." Steele's jaw dropped down to the floor in amazement. After Darian switched the comm. link off he turned to Arron he went on to explain the situation. "Command thought it wise to hide her in a well secure area so that Maris can not get to her." More secretly he added, "If you ask me I think it's so she won't go after him."

Arron agreed with the last statement. After seeing what happened last time he knew that Jenifer was ready for the kill.

Soon they came to the head quarters and passed through security. Then they came to the door in which Jenifer Sandara should be behind. Darian hesitantly pressed the button to signal his wish to entry. But there was no answer. He turned to Arron. "Well, there's no body home. Let's go I'm sure we could find her someplace else." He started walking down the hall as if in a hurry to leave the quarters behind.

Arron stood there looking at the door and tried the chime once more. Again there was no answer. He put his ear up to the door and he swore he heard movement behind it. He rapped his knuckles on the door and hoped this time there would be an answer. There was none. Once again he knocked and once again he went unanswered. One last try. Instead of knocking or using the door chime he called out to her. "Jenifer. This is Arron, listen we have to talk."

At the sound of his voice the door opened and Jenifer appeared. She didn't even look half as good as his father did. Her hair was a mess. Her makeup was smeared and her clothes were all wrinkled. She looked for all the world as if she had already had fought Maris and lost. She quickly looked around and swiftly pulled Arron inside, not leaving the door open long enough for Darian to follow.

Arron stood there just inside the door watching Jenifer. She had started to pace and did not even so much as glance at Arron. "Jenifer, what's going on? Where's Maris, and my father? And why are you locked up here in HQ?" Though he knew the answers to those questions he just had to hear them from her. She ignored all of his questions he had asked her as she paced for a few minutes. She was obviously thinking. But thinking about what. It also appeared she had been doing this for quite some time since the carpet in the area she was pacing was a little more depressed the rest.

Arron tried again, to get her attention. "Jenifer, will you please tell me what's going on." He paused giving her time to answer. When she didn't he continued. "Listen, if you don't talk to me than, I'm going to leave, because it appears that you don't need me." He threw his thumb over his shoulder indicating the door as he spoke.

She continued pacing, back and forth. He shrugged and started heading for the door. As it hissed open, the sound of the door broke Jenifer out of her trance. "Arron, wait." He stepped back inside the room, the door closed behind him. "I'm sorry. I just got caught up in my thoughts, it would seem I've been doing a lot of that lately." Jenifer motioned towards the small living area with chairs and a couch. "Come and sit down, please." He sat on the couch and she sat on a chair opposite. She was so nervous that as she sat there her leg began to shake rapidly. She stopped it with her hand and then began to speak.

"I really do apologize for all this mystery, but I don't want anyone else to know. I want this to be just between you and me."

Arron didn't understand. "What is?"

"The location of Dijon Maris." She said proudly.

Still Arron didn't understand. In the past few days many Starfleet personnel have been searching for him, and no one was able to find him. How could she know?

As Arron was contemplating this she had stood and went over to a drawer. She pulled something out and brought it back to where they were sitting. She held it out to him in both hands. She handled it gently as if it were a sensitive baby.

It was a knife like nothing he had ever seen. Light gleamed off of it's well polished blade. It was very strangely shaped, for some reason all Arron could think it looked like was a Christmas tree.

Jenifer handed it to him for his examination, but he was reluctant to take it. "Go ahead." She stretched her arms out further to encourage him to take it.

He did take it and rolled it in his hands. "So, how do you know where he is because of a knife."

Jenifer seemed offended at first, then she got over it. "That's just not any knife. It's my Christmas Tree knife, I named it that because of the way it looks, that's not important though, that is its my knife that I had while I was with the pirates. When I left, I left that as well. I found it in your father's office, along with this." She handed him the small slip of paper. He took it and unraveled it. He read it and read it again. "Jenny," He really didn't know what to say. The paper had said almost all of what Dijon had said in the transmission, except this had the exact location of his ship. "I don't know if you know this or not, but my dad... my dad had sent out a message according to Maris' wishes. Unfortunately he tried to get a subliminal message across, and Maris caught it. He came on and said almost the exact thing as on this message." Arron relayed. "But, I'm afraid that Dijon also said he was going to punish my father for trying to get a message out."

"Oh, God." Jenifer was flabbergasted. "We have to get over there quick."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, your father could already be dead."

***

The next thing Arron knew was that they were headed for the dense woods of northern Idaho. They had taken Jenifer's land shuttle to speed through the air to the area that Dijon had specifically ordered them to meet. Once there they got out of the small shuttle and looked around them. Arron raised his arms in exasperation. "I thought this is where it said to meet them. So where's the ship?"

"I don't know but I followed the directions to the letter." She looked around also, they were alone. Just them and the little animals scurrying around the forest. "Maybe they didn't want us by the ship. This is more than likely a trap so they just wanted to confuse us." She concluded.

He nodded, knowing she was right. Dijon wanted her, and here in the woods alone was the perfect spot to take her. But Arron was there to make sure he did not.

And she was there to make sure that Arron's father did not die. She didn't want another death on her shoulders, that is except for Dijon's.

Seconds later he appeared. Just as if thinking about him made him appear out of thin air. Nor was he alone. There was at least half a dozen Orions there, blasters armed and ready to fire. Jenifer was not phased by their appearance. She was ready for them. "Where's Admiral Steele?"

"Don't worry about him Jen, he's being taken care of." Dijon stepped forward, but he did not come too close to her. Arron did however. He seemed to be getting very protective. Dijon seemed to notice Arron for the first time. "Well, well, well. If it isn't that little locnus we met on Beta Nomi."

Arron leaned over to Jenifer and whispered, "Locnus?"

"Believe me it is a derogatory term." She said shortly.

"That's right, I see you have not forgotten our language. Now that the preliminaries are over, it is time for us to leave." Dijon motioned to the others whom gathered more closely around the two humans.

"We're not going anywhere." Arron protested.

"Brave boy. I see, most humans must be the same. First, I found Jen to be very stubborn, then her parents and the Admiral, now you."

"Yeah, my father had always been stubborn, I guess it runs in the family." Arron said proudly.

"Arron, Be quiet." Jenifer whispered.

It was too late Dijon was already catching on. "What does your father have to do... Your father's the Admiral? Yes that must be it." Maris smiled, now he had an advantage he did not know he had before.

"Good going Arron. Now he's going to use that advantage to get you to give into him." Jenifer whispered.

Sure enough that's just what he did. "I was just planning to take Jen and leave you alone. Now, though, there's a chance that if I leave you, you will just come back to try to rescue them. Instead you are coming with us."

"And if I refuse?"

"Not only your father will die, but you as well."

"He's right, Arron we should go with him." Jenifer decided.

"What!?" Arron whirled on her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Calm down. If we don't go with him, your dad will die." She took him by the shoulders and winked, not allowing Maris to see it. She then turned to Dijon. "Before we go anywhere, I'll need to lock up my shuttle. Don't want anyone steeling it you know."

Dijon looked at her strangely examining her then he nodded. He also motioned for one of the others to go with her. She and the Orion walked into the shuttle. After he was inside she shut the door and grabbed her phaser which she was wearing on her belt. She moved so fast the Orion didn't know what was happening. One blast of her phaser and the Orion was knocked out cold. She jumped into the pilot seat and started the engine. The shuttle rose and moved over to the group below her. She armed the small defense phasers that she had mounted on her shuttle, then fired. The beams were carefully aimed so as not to hit anyone, but it sure in hell confused them. She hovered the shuttle just over their heads and went to the door. She opened it and shoved the unconscious Orion out. After the Orion was out of the way Arron jumped for the open doorway.

Phaser fire started coming from every direction and Arron's legs were still dangling out the door. With one final try Jenifer pulled Arron inside and he landed on top of her. "I know you like me Arron, but I don't think now's the time." She joked.

"And I don't think this is the time for jokes." He ran over to the door and closed it as she engaged the engines and brought the shuttle about. Then it speed away leaving the Orions behind. "How good are the sensors on this ship?"

"Not good. I only have navigational sensors. There's no way we could find their ship unless it's by eyesight." The shuttle rocked slightly and then went back to normal.

"What was that?" Asked Arron.

Jenifer, who was already checking the display replied, "When they were firing at you a beam hit one of my engines."

"They weren't firing at me, they were firing at you." He protested.

"Well, who they were firing at doesn't matter. What does is my poor engine is going to overload. I'll have to bring her down." Jenifer did the necessary adjustments and landed the shuttle in an open clearing.

"I have a plan." Arron declared as the shuttle landed.

"Oh, how brilliant, he has a plan, I can't wait to hear it." Jenifer went to the back of the shuttle and made some adjustments to one of the panels.

"We're going to beam up to the Lightning."

This got her attention. "What, are you nuts. We don't have the time-"

"We do. In fact it will give us a little more time. Since we know the approximate area of their ship, we can direct our scans to this area. We'll find it in less time than it would take to find it in this thing." Arron told her.

She regarded him. "First of all this is not a thing. It's a land shuttle. Second," She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Second, you're right. Have them beam us up. It'll be quicker. On one condition you beam my shuttle up too."

Arron smiled devilishly. "You got it babes. Steele to Lightning, two to transport. and transport the land shuttle to the shuttle bay."

The air around them began to hum and their skin began to feel the tingling sensation, then they disappeared into blue shimmering light. And a new familiar surrounding took it's place. They were now aboard the Lightning and ready to take off.

As soon as they stepped out of the shuttle and off of the platform Arron called the bridge. "Has any unidentified ship left the planet in the past minute or two?"

"Yes sir." Came a voice over the unit. "It was moving at an unusually fast pace."

"That's him all right." Jenifer was excited and jumped off of the platform. "We've got to get after him," She paused for effect. "Before he does something drastic."

"Track their course." Arron said into the communicator. "Follow them at Warp six the second we get out of the system."

"I'm sorry, sir but they were moving too fast to get a definite course off of them." The voice got a level deeper. It seemed that this person on the other side was awful worried about something.

"Couldn't get a lock-"

Arron was cut off when the man came back on. "Sir, we have a message from command here for you." The man went on without being told to do otherwise. "It reads: Lightning, do not pursue Orion vessel. Repeat, do not pursue, we have other vessels on intercept course with it."

"Damn." Arron muttered.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't quite catch that last remark." The man on the other end seemed like he was trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't work.

"Stator rel. T' hell with the fleet Arron. Let's go after 'im." Jenifer virtually yelled. She seemed to be losing control over this entire situation.

"Watch it Mr. Sandara, you're tongue is beginning to slip back to it's old language. That of those who you hate so much had taught you." Arron warned her but not unkindly.

"Respectfully, sir." Jenifer looked to him for approval. He approved. "I believe that we would have a better chance of finding them, and dealing with them."

"I do too. Why don't you try convincing someone like Nogura of that?" Arron said bitterly.

"Fine, then. Get me Nogura." She was serious, he could see it in her eyes. She wasn't about to give up. She had her own rights to Dijon's head, and she wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of that right now. Not even Starfleet.

After an intense moment of staring into her eyes, Arron broke off and called out into the air, in reference to the bridge. "You heard the lady, get her Nogura."

"You're not serious sir?" The man could not believe his ears. Someone was willing enough to go against Nogura's orders. Not even the best captain in the fleet was that brave.

"I am. Now get Nogura on the line or do we have to beam to his office ourselves?" Arron grinned when he got his response.

"I'll try sir, but I'm not promising a thing."

Jenifer stood very calmly with her hands behind her back, she rocked back and forth on her heels. At least she looked calm on the outside. On the inside the blood was rushing out of her stomach and she could feel it condensing. She crossed her fingers tightly to get her mind off of her stomach, but it did not help. Then a different voice came over the line. Unfortunately it wasn't Nogura's, but it was close enough, and would have to do for now. "Jenifer, I know this is hard to cope with, but you must stay in orbit around the-"

"No." Now she lost control. "Stator rel, No!" Not only had she lost control of her emotions but she had slipped back to using Orion curses again. "We will not just stand here while he gets away. Yeah, maybe you have people to intercept him, but he will still get away.

"The only person that knows him, and can stop him, is me. I want to put him away permanently, and will do it given a chance. And I will not let him escape! Dad, please let us go after him."

"You are not thinking rationally, Jenifer." Admiral Jenkins tried once again to talk his daughter out of going after the pirates.

"Give us clearance to leave orbit, or we'll fight our way out." She was quite sincere.

And it defiantly was no bluff. He knew the way his daughter was, and when she said something, she meant it, no matter how ridiculous. "You realize, that I can not just let you have clearance."

"Yes you can, and you know it." Jenifer sighed. "Father please, this is more important to me than you or anyone else will know. You also know that every second you stall me here, the further he gets away, and the longer it takes for us to catch up to him."

"I'm sorry, Jenifer but I can't..." Jenkins stopped as Arron interrupted.

"Sir, I believe Sandara is right. I will also go to any lengths to get out of orbit. I'm sure that my crew will follow my orders as well." Arron informed him.

Jenkins was not moved by this. "I'm ordering you to stay put. If you disobey I will have to put you under arrest." He lowered his voice secretly. "Of course we would have to catch you first." Returning back to his Admiral mode he finished. "Jenkins out."

Jenifer smiled at the blank screen. Arron looked at her, "What did he mean by that?"

"He meant, if we get out of here now, we won't have any problems on the way out."

Arron took the hint and called out to the air. "Steele to bridge. Helm set course heading 002 mark 5, full impulse."

The reply came back immediately. "Aye sir, ready sir."

"Engage." As he said the word she started walking out the door. "C'mon Jenifer, let's get to where the action is." She followed him straight up to the bridge.

Chapter 5

The bridge was not a chaotic mess as Jenifer expected it to be. It was ordered with everything in its place. The people spoke in soft voices and conversed professionally. She had expected the bridge to reflect the captain, an emotional, egotistical, sloppy, panorama. She was in shock.

Nor was anyone distracted by their sudden appearance on the bridge. The crew seemed to be very efficient. She looked to the screen as Arron took his place at the command center. She could see that they were almost out of the system. She was spell bound by the sight, as if she had never been out in space before. She heard Steele give an order, but she was to absorbed by the sight to understand his words. The view on the screen changed, it now showed Earth moving farther and farther away from them, yet there were no pursuers. Another order by the captain came and the screen changed back to the original spectacle.

All of a sudden Jenifer felt as if she were being watched. She turned to Arron Steele and found her intuition to be correct. He was looking at her as if he expected something from her. She looked back at him not sure of what the question was. "Where is he?" Arron mouthed.

Jenifer shrugged. She didn't know, Dijon could be anywhere. But he had Admiral Steele, so he must be someplace where they could find him. Someplace Jenifer would know to look. "Arcturus." She yelped as it came to her.

Steele came alive with energy. "Helm, plot a course for Arcturus, and don't spare the fuel."

***

"Master?" Devak asked cautiously.

The green skinned man turned to find his second in command. "What is it? I thought I told you I don't want to be disturbed."

"Ah, yes Master, nonetheless I thought you would like to know there is a Federation vessel headed on a course for Arcturus." The other man informed him.

"Which vessel?" Hissed the captain of the ship.

"The Lightning sir."

The captain of the Orion ship burst from his chair and came nose to nose with his officer. "Tell me it is the one with that locnus of a captain."

"It is your excellency." Devak did not just say this to please his captain.

"Turn on the clocking device, and arm the Maris Destroyer." Dijon relaxed a little and sat in his command chair.

"Yes Master. It will be done." Devak started to back off of the bridge.

"Devak." Dijon called. Devak stopped and waited for his captain to speak. "The Destroyer is still working is it not? You kept it in good shape for me?"

"We did."

"Good, because I want it to blow her up, not us." Dijon smiled as he heard the door close behind Devak. After Devak was gone Dijon moved over to the helm control board. He programmed the sensors to lock onto the Lightning. They weren't far behind them, soon they will pass him up. That is why Dijon installed the clocking device. His ship may not move as fast but he would be damned if his pursuers caught him.

Speaking of his pursuers, he wondered how Steele was managing. After all that is what his pursuers wanted, and Steele had to be in good shape for them when they arrived. Maris decided to go pay him a visit.

The ship was full of activity. People rushing to their stations, others hurrying to man the weapons, and speeding mainly to maintain their speed. Dijon, caught by their energy, moved briskly towards the brig. He may be cruel but he is not a disrespectful host. He feeds his prisoners well, gives them a clean warm cell to sleep in, and visits them to make sure that any investment he has in them do not go sour.

The brig corridor itself was empty but for the guard in front of a clad iron door. The guard came agilely to attention when he caught sight of the rather large, green-tinged man entering. The guard, who was rather large himself, stood aside to allow his superior to enter the cell. Without even acknowledging the guard, Dijon entered the dark cell.

It was dark in the cell, darker than anywhere else on the ship, and if it were possible it was even darker than the space outside the ship. The cell was almost totally barren if it weren't for a still form sprawled out on top of a metal slab. Dijon walked slowly over to the still form and watched over it. The form never moved, it just laid there unwilling to acknowledge the existence of its visitor. Finally Maris tired of staring at the man decided to do something about it. He nudged the form, not easily, until it stirred and looked at him. Then Maris smiled, the man looked up to his captor and rubbed his head slightly. "What are you smiling at?"

"Merely an investment that will get me everything I ever dreamed of." Dijon imagined it all in his head, the look on Jen's face when she walks straight into his trap, then he would freeze it forever.

"You realize that you will never get any information out of me." Steele sat up slightly and rubbed his aching head.

"Yes, I realized that when we questioned you."

Adam Steele interrupted him before he could even think about continuing. "You call that questioning? I call that torture, and just one more item to add to your long list of crimes."

Maris literally laughed in his face. "I don't care about your list of crimes. Nor do I care about the information you have. You are more important to me as the bait in my plan."

Steele sat strait up, confused momentarily. "Bait? You're planning on capturing Arron and Jenifer. There is only one flaw in your plan. They are two young and inexperienced people. The Fleet would not send them to rescue me, they would send at least one ship after me. Believe me they would be neither inexperience nor young."

"However," Maris contrasted him, "I know, positively that your son and Jen are on their way to rescue you. And I will be ready."

***

The bridge was very quiet not unusual at this time of night. Two others were on board the bridge other than Commander Steele and Cadet Sandara. Steele stretched and looked at the chronometer on a station adjacent to him. "Time until we reach Arcturus."

A young officer at the helm turned. "One day and six hours sir, at our present speed."

"Very good. I'm going to get a little shut eye. Ensign Barny you have the conn and inform me if there are any changes in the status of the Aqueous." He stood and motioned for Jenifer to follow him out.

Once in the privacy of the turbolift Jenny leaned against the bulk head and sighed. "I wish this ship could go faster."

"So do I. All I know is if this ship could go any faster, safely, I would make it so." Arron looked straight into her eyes. "I honestly wish I could go outside the ship and push her myself."

"Arron, can I be totally frank with you?" She closed her eyes concentrating on what she wanted to say.

He smiled warmly, his thoughts racing at what he believed she was going to say. He knew that there was something between them, it wasn't much but it was there. They both were just holding back waiting for the right moment. And now he believed was their right moment, here alone in the turbolift they were in a closed in environment that just intensified their emotions. "By all means."

As soon as she opened her mouth his thoughts were shot down. "I want Dijon dead and I will do anything, I mean anything, to make sure he does die. If we arrest him, he will just escape again. Once we reach Arcturus I will beam down alone and go after him."

Forgetting his earlier thoughts Arron protested. "I won't let you go alone. You know it's a trap and you could get hurt."

The turbolift stopped and its doors opened waiting for them to leave. Jenifer ignored the doors. "I will go alone. I will get purposely trapped by Maris. When the time is right I will kill him. That way it will be me and only me that will take the consequences for my actions. I don't want you getting involved."

"Your not going alone, I won't let you."

"You have no choice." Jenifer's temper started to fly, while not wishing to take it out on her superior officer and her friend she stormed out of the lift. Arron ran to catch up with her. He took her by the arm and swung her to face him. "Arron, let me go now before I get truly angry."

"If I have to I will throw you in the brig so you don't go down by yourself." She tried to move away but he took her by both arms.

"Arron this is not your fight." Her voice had gotten quiet, almost on the verge of crying. "He did not kill your son, he did not capture you when you were young and force you to live their way of life." Now the tears did start falling down her cheeks.

Arron leaned her against his chest and whispered softly to her. "Now Jenny, we don't need to be crying over spilt milk. Come now. I'll get you a drink." He walked her slowly to his cabin.

Once inside he set her down on the couch and went to fetch her a glass brandy. He handed it to her and sat down next to her. With one arm resting on the back of the couch he watched her drink and calm down a little bit. She finally stopped crying set the glass down on the table in front of her and looked toward Arron. "I'm sorry about this, I've been acting real stupid. I should also be acting more mature. I guess it is your fight too since he has your father. I just feel very personal about this. He has made my life a living hell."

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Look at yourself now. You're one of Starfleet's best cadets and certainly their best engineer. The only way you could have gotten to where you are now is because of Dijon. If it wasn't for him you wouldn't have all the experience with engines you have now. You'd probably be some cadet wandering around the campus without five great friends who care for you and look out for you."

"Oh you really know how to make a girl feel wonderful."

Arron could tell she was feeling better, at least some of her sarcasm was returning. "That's not the way I meant it. You are a wonderful, beautiful woman, you are smart, innovative and sexy."

"Arron." In a way she sounded offended, but something in her eyes led Arron to believe that she was not offended at all.

He gently placed his hand on the cheek and looked deep into her eyes. "I mean it. There have been times that I have wanted to tell you that, but it never seemed the right time. Now it does."

Jenifer did not know what to say. She was hypnotized by those beautiful blue eyes. She just reached up and stroked his hand lightly. He leaned forward their faces mere centimeters apart, slowly their lips pressed together.

Then something clicked inside of Jenifer's head. She abruptly stood up knocking Arron backwards a little. She quickly moved to the other side of the table and looked at Arron very upset. "Arron, how could you." Her temper was once again sky high. "You have a very loyal girlfriend and I am very loyal to and in love with Eric. How could you even think that we could be untrue to them. Unless you don't love DeArra as much as you claim to."

"I do."

"Then why? Why ruin it. This isn't right Arron, you have to realize that."

Arron stood now too on the opposite side of the table just across from Jenifer. "Is it a crime to love two people?"

"No." She started to move to the opposite side of the table when Arron moved toward her.

***

"Then why fight it?"

"Because, it isn't right for you and me. DeArra is my friend, I don't want to hurt her, and she would never forgive me for this. Neither would Eric for that matter. DeArra would probably break up with you, Stephanie would also hate you and me. Therefore you would break up the whole Integra crew."

She stopped once she reached the spot where she and Arron began walking around the table. "Jenifer you know I would never let any of that happen."

"Oh," Jenifer threw her hands up and back down in a motion of great relief. "Then you're going to tell them and they'll understand, then everything will be hunkydori." Her tone of voice changed once again. "Why don't you look at reality every once in a while. That's not the way things are, I know, I was there when DeArra first said she loved you. You should have seen Steph's face, she was about ready to kill DeArra."

"But they're good friends now." Arron declared.

"Well, yeah." Jenifer sounded as if that thought had never crossed her mind.

"So what makes you think they would hate you?" He slowly moved around the table to her, this time she did not move.

"That was different. Stephanie and you were broken up at the time." All the anger was gone now, she just sounded as if she was trying to convince herself that he was not right.

He took hold of both of her arms gently and asked her straight out, "Jenifer do you love me?"

She adverted his gaze. "I don't know."

"No, that's no what I asked. Yes or no, do you love me."

She quickly looked into his eyes then broke out of his grip. She stood with her back to him for several seconds, thinking, arms folded. "Yes there's a physical attraction and I like you, a lot, but I don't know if it has or ever will develop into love. Right now I really don't feel like finding out."

"Why?" Arron asked sympathetically. "Because you may find out that you do love me? Because you would have to admit to yourself that it is possible to love more than one person?" He sighed when Jenifer did not answer him. "All I know is that you will never know unless you give it a chance. Perhaps you will like knowing that there is someone else in the universe who loves you."

Under her breath she muttered where he almost couldn't here her. "There is, but he's the one I want dead."

Once again he walked over to her but did not touch her. "Jenifer one of these days you will have to forget about him and start living your life." He knew what she was about to say so he continued with out letting her speak. "I know that it won't be until he's dead, but you could at least try."

She faced him of her own accord. "Why can't I forget about him? When ever I try to, thoughts of him come back even stronger."

"Maybe you're trying too hard. Just let it go and let your feelings take over."

Taking his advice into consideration she moved forward slightly and kissed him. At first he was surprised and thought that she might just be thanking him for his advice. Yet it became more than a thank you kiss. They embraced each other fully. Their hands started roaming as Arron caressed her breast they moved to the floor. Then they let their emotions take over fully.

***

She didn't know how long she had been asleep or how she even got into the bed. All she knew was this was not her room. She turned over to find out exactly where she was. There lying next to her she found a man, and not just any man, it was Arron Steel. Damn, it all came back now, everything, including the passion for one another that they shared. She bolted out of bed not wishing to look at the man, what she did was wrong, what he did was wrong, but they could not take that back now. She sighed as she looked for her clothes that were sprawled all around the cabin. Once dressed she headed for the door. She was nearly there and stopped. She knew that she shouldn't look back yet something led her to believe that it was important.

She looked back. There where she believed she would find Arron she found another man one with light green skin. Dijon was there beckoning for her to come closer. She took one step forward and stared at him. He was mouthing something that she quite couldn't figure out. One more step carefully forward. His lips moved again, this time sound came from his mouth. "Jen, you must remember that love and purity of heart conquers all." It was a weird thing for him to say. That's why she ignored him thinking this was nothing but an ignorant joke her imagination was playing on her. She turned to leave, once again stopping at the door, she looked back. Arron was there now sleeping like a baby. She sighed shaking her head and walked out the door.

***

Earth, California, San Francisco, Starfleet Academy, dorm housing, room 157. "Why are we sitting here? We should be doing something." The voice rang out among the four silent figures sitting in the room.

Another stood, one who had the bearing of an authority figure. "Darian's right, we should be doing something. We can't let Arron and Jenifer go after Maris alone."

"But what can we do about it. We're stuck here in the academy." Stephanie complained. "We're not even supposed to know that they are after Maris let alone help them."

"And even if we did find a way to catch up with them, we would just be getting in the way. Arron knows what he's doing and he doesn't need us to go in there and mess things up." Jason observed.

DeArra listened like any good commander, but in the end she made her own decision. "I know someone who can do something about it. Come on." She walked out the door and strait towards the Administration offices.

In the lobby they met a not so helpful receptionist. "I'm sorry but the Admiral is in a meeting right now and cannot be disturbed."

"What are you saying? He doesn't have time for his own students?" DeArra questioned him.

"No I am only saying he is not available now, you may wait for him. I cannot guaranty how long he will be, however." The receptionist waved his hands toward the sofas placed along the walls of the lobby.

It was about an hour until he walked into the lobby headed for his office and DeArra quickly intercepted him. "Admiral Jenkins can I have a word with you?"

"Cadet, I'm afraid I am very busy at the moment. Please come back at a later time. You can make an appointment with the receptionist." Jenkins started to walk around her.

She was a stubborn woman and would not be shoved aside that easily. "Sir, I have been sitting here for over an hour. And confidentially my butt is starting to ache. I have to talk to you now, you see when my butt hurts I start to get into a bad mood."

"I'm sure you do, as does anyone in the same situation. Now if you will excuse me." He walked into his office and the door shut behind him before she could enter.

DeArra was not about to give up. She tried the door chime several times and when there was no response she knocked as hard as she could on the cold metal door. Finally she heard his quite annoyed words pass through the door. "Come in cadet."

She walked in and did not stop until she was right in front of his desk and far from the door. "Sir, I demand to know what is going on with Cadet Sandara."

He smiled wickedly at her. "You are in a position to demand nothing from me. However, I know nothing about what is going on therefore I can tell you nothing."

She smiled too, and hers was no kinder. "I seriously doubt that sir, in fact I bet the meeting you were just in was about that very subject."

"Get to the point."

"You have sent Jenifer and Arron out after Dijon because they are the only two that can bring him back."

"Maybe, but what is it to you." He was playing it like a card game, giving out the least bit of information for the most he could get coming in.

There was a flaw in his thinking, because she knew that she was right and his silence confirmed it. "I don't think they can do it alone. They may need some help."

Of course she was hinting at herself and her team but the admiral was thinking up a new plan. "You are absolutely correct. Thank you ensign. Now if you will, I must get back on schedule."

DeArra wasn't sure what just happened, but she knew it wasn't what she wanted. "Sir, may I ask when we're leaving?"

He stole his eyes away from his viewscreen on his desk. "Leaving? Perhaps you misread me, I am not sending you, besides it would take too long. I have other connections to try. Your suggestion will be noted, well done." He turned back to his viewscreen as if she wasn't even there.

DeArra took the hint and walked out, she was greeted by an anxious group of cadets at the door. Each wanted to know what was happening and when they were leaving. DeArra tried to explain it as calmly as she could. "We're not going anywhere. He's going to send someone else to help them."

"Who?" Stephanie was curious.

"I wish I knew." DeArra walked back to her quarters.

Chapter 6

Jenifer couldn't believe what had happened in the time of late. What had she done, betrayed her friend, friends that is, and what more she betrayed herself. She had promised herself that nothing would come between her and the captain of this ship. From the first moment she laid eyes on him she knew he was special, not to mention a hell of a good looking guy. She had even taken in thoughts of having a relationship with him back then. But it had all passed when she had heard that something had come between Arron and DeArra. Then she and Eric had gotten back together. At that time she had all but forgotten about Arron. Now being alone on this ship with him had brought back those feelings. But at this moment she found her thoughts drifting towards Eric somehow she felt she betrayed him more than herself. Since they have gotten back together, she hasn't seen anyone else, and as far as she knew he hadn't either.

Jenifer set her chin in her palm as she started to think about Eric. It seemed like forever since she first met him. She had been on Earth for not even a month and in the Academy for only a week. Everything was strangely new. There was so much more bio-diversity than she had ever imagined. There were people from almost every race she could think of walking around campus. She knew the moment she stepped foot on campus grounds that she was going to learn a lot and not just from the classes. It had taken her a while to get used to all the different beings around her and she tended to stay in a secluded corner. She isolated herself for two reasons, one she was unsure of herself around so many other races, and two she did not want to take the chance of anyone finding out where exactly she had been for the past six years.

One day she was sitting in her back corner waiting for her basic warp field physics class to begin when he sat next to her. At first she really paid him no attention for the greater part of the class. It wasn't until the professor had given them a problem to do when she finally did talk to him. She had finished the problem in record time, since after all she had fixed similar problems on the Orion ship hundreds of times. She noticed that he was having trouble with the problem. At first she was amused to see that the new cadets that were being brought in really didn't know anything about application. After a few minutes, however she put herself into his shoes. Just out of college ready to get into a career in Starfleet, yet having no time for actual work on a starship, she started to feel sorry for him. She leaned over closer and looked for his mistake.

She leaned close to him and whispered so no one else could hear. "You need to find the second derivative of the warp field at the density of ninety megs."

He looked at her as if he were trying to look into her mind to see if she was right. However, he couldn't get past her eyes and how they sparkled. He smiled shyly and turned back to the problem. She was unsure if he looked away to actually do the problem or because he was shy. After all the students had finished the professor went over the problem on the overhead and once he got passed where Jenifer had helped Eric out, Eric looked back to her and smiled in thanks. It was the first time she saw his smile, it was kind of hypnotic in a way. For a few minutes she sat there staring at him not realizing that he had turned away a while ago. After the class was over and everyone was filing out of the room, Jenifer pushed through the crowd to catch up with her future lover.

She caught up with him and walked besides him. "Hi, my name's Jenifer Sandara, and yours is?"

He looked at her, she just now noticed how tall he was though he was only a few inches taller than her, he was taller than most of the people she'd been around the past few years. "Eric Quintero, by the way, thanks for your help on that problem, I thought I wouldn't ever get it."

"It was nothing, really. Is this your first year at the academy?" She asked just out of curiosity.

"Yes, I must admit I feel kind of stupid. I mean, you would think that an engineering student, who has gone through schooling for his entire life, would get a simple problem like that that involves basic calculus." He walked complaining.

She put a reassuring hand on his arm. "Don't worry about it, sometimes you don't know how to fix problems like those unless they are shoved in your face and somebody's life depends on it."

"You've been faced with that problem?"

"Yes, unfortunately I have. I've spent quite a bit of time on a starship." So far she hasn't lied and hasn't told him about her past, so far, so good.

They reached an intersection in the hallway and he stopped. "I'm sorry that I have to cut this conversation short, but I have an appointment with my counselor. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Yes, I sure hope so." She stood in the middle of the hall watching him walk away from her, people passed her up, she paid no attention, she only had eyes for Mr. Eric Quintero.

She did indeed see him the next day in class, however she didn't have time to talk to him it wasn't for a few weeks until she could find him out of class so she could get in a short conversation in with him. She found him under the flag poles reading a text padd. She sat down next to him without being noticed at all. She cleared her voice to get him to notice, unfortunately he didn't even look up. She was a little annoyed and tried again. "What are you reading Eric?"

"Principals of warp field technology."

"Studying up, so you don't need help on anymore problems in class?"

"To be honest, yes." Eric looked up from the PADD. "I really wish it could come naturally to me as it does to you."

Jenifer smiled. "It will, in time, I bet a lot of the other students are having the same problem you are. You do have potential though, I'll wager that with a little tutoring you could be an excellent engineer."

"You really think so." Eric beamed, that magical smile appeared again.

Her face brightened too. He was a very handsome man when she thought about it, she had every intention of keeping that wonderful smile within her grasp, even if she had to sink as low to tutor him. "I'm willing to take the challenge of being that tutor, if your willing to take the challenge of me teaching you."

He straightened. "I'm ready for anything you can throw at me."

Her smile spread across her entire face. "We'll see about that. Come on." She took a hold of his hand and pulled him up to his feet.

He was reluctant to move from his spot. "Were are you taking me."

"To a place where we can study better."

It took them about an hour before they could get a shuttle and make it to the Smithsonian institute of Science and Technology. Jenifer had found the place when she was waiting for the Academies new semester to start. She felt the need to do something besides sit around and read books all day.

Once they did arrive, Eric was in awe. "You know I always wanted to come here, I just have never been able to get the time, with studying and all."

This made Jenifer smile even more. "Then you really haven't seen anything. Come on, I'll show you my favorite exhibit." They walked past ancient proto type airplanes, the first computers that were invented that were controlled by punch cards. The first digital computers were passed up like they were nothing, models of the now famous original Enterprise. They came upon the history of warp mechanics and stopped for a moment. From the very first experiment in breaking the lightspeed barrier to the experiments being conducted now in transwarp technology, each were shown with detail. "Warp mechanics, is one of my favorite subjects. I have worked extensively with engines in the past and someday I hope to find a way to improve upon our warp technology. I don't think this theory of transwarp is going to last that long. There isn't that much experimentation to prove the theory, you know. After all the first starship with that technology broke down during it's test flight. I do think it's possible to go beyond the warp speeds we have now, it's even possible that our very warp speeds will be redefined." Why was she telling him about working her on engines in her past? What if he asked questions? She shouldn't have let it slip. However, what was said is past, she must move on.

Eric smiled. "At least we have something in common, I've been thinking the same way for a long time. However, there must be a limit on how fast one can go before one reaches infinity."

"My sentiments exactly. Perhaps, some year we will reach that speed." Jenifer looked at the display for a few more minutes pointing out several things in the display, then motioned down the hall. "As I said earlier, this is one of my favorites, it is not my favorite. Let's move on."

They moved passed the display and down a short distance further. This time she did not stop until she reached her final destination. "Now here's the one I love. I didn't have the chance to get into before coming to earth since the ship I was on didn't have transporters, but they fascinated me nonetheless. Even before I went out into space I had read many things on transporter engineering."

"Really? That's interesting, I personally have never been transported. I don't know if I like the idea. Having my molecules ripped apart and reassembled in a second. Sounds kind of messy to me." Eric smiled looked at the display.

"Wait until we take transporter theory next year. You'd probably hate the idea even more because you'll learn exactly what happens to you during the cycle." She laughed pointing at the display that showed a diagram of the transporting process. "See it really isn't that bad. It shows here how many back up systems there are. There is hardly any way something can go wrong unless the entire computer goes down, even then they have auxiliary control. Besides, if I were at the controls there would be absolutely no way I'd lose your pattern." Whoa, what was she saying? She knew she didn't want to get involved with someone so soon after, well after what happened. She cleared her throat and showed him another exhibit. A mini transporter, transporting a small piece of metal from one transporter pad to another. "If that piece of metal can be transported hundreds of times a day, without any effects, you can be transported every once in a while with out anything at all happening to you."

"I sure hope so. Because I don't want to die that way. You won't believe some of the horror stories I hear about how people die in space."

Jenifer smiled that knowing kind of smile. "Believe me, I know more than you would hope to even know yourself." She left a moment a silence for contemplation but not much. She then went on with her explanation of her insights into transporters. "I've been thinking extensively about the matter-energy transformer used in transporters. This device is what takes your molecules and turns them into energy to be shot through space. I had been wondering what had stopped us from taking those trace patterns from the transformer and recreating these exact molecules. I know it would be crazy to say that we could make doubles of ourselves, but what if we could somehow take these patterns and recreate food, for example, instead of hiring several hundred cooks to prepare meals that are shot through slots on starships to recreation areas. Or, I must admit I've been playing around with this idea, of creating true to life holographic images. True to life in that if you touch them they feel real, because they would be recreated using a type of transporter effect, and perhaps even be able to intermix among them." She stopped noticing he was looking at her in a funny way. "These thoughts aren't crazy are they?"

He smiled at her unsure of how to answer at first. Her thoughts about the transporters were unlike any he had ever heard, however, there was a possibility that she could have something going for her. He then finally decided how he would answer her. "You are defiantly not crazy. In fact it's quite a sound theory, but I doubt you have any proof to back it up."

"Not yet, but I do have my entire life ahead of me." Now, she added silently. "Who knows, maybe someday it will be my display that we will be looking at."

They walked around the museum for some time more. It seemed he was enjoying himself and learning a bit at the same time. She was glad, because she didn't like books and paper work, she was more of the hands on type learner and it appeared that Eric was as well. Unfortunately there was only so much you could do for a class without using paperwork. So she decided she would have to resort to sitting down with him once a week and going over the work assigned in class. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would, after all, with all the time they were spending together they were getting to know each other quite well.

One summer night a few months later they had decided it would be nice to sit out on the beach in the cool sea air while studying. Jenifer had just finished writing up a problem on the PADD and was about to hand it over to Eric when she noticed that he wasn't really paying attention. She followed his gaze out to the ocean where the waves curled and crashed into the land mere meters from where they sat. "Beautiful, isn't it." Eric's eyes never left the ocean as he spoke.

Jenifer smiled. "Isn't it amazing how over the centuries we have achieved space travel and explored far reaches of the galaxy and still we don't know all there is to know about our own ocean here at home?"

His eyes still transfixed on the water Eric answered her. "It is, but that isn't what I meant. Just look how smoothly the waves form and rush onto the land, then pull back out to where it came. The sound of the water as it caresses the land, the soft whooshing water running back and forth across the land. And look..." He pointed out towards the horizon. "Whales, a sight you would not see a century ago. Aren't they beautiful in themselves?"

Jenifer watched the whales play out in the ocean. She gasped as one of them few out over the water and breach. She then looked back to Eric who was still watching the whales. "I did not know that you felt so strongly about the ocean. Why I would have suggested this a lot sooner."

"Well, it's not everyday that you get to see whales play out there. I bet if you're real quite and listen hard you could here their song."

They did indeed listen and they heard the song. It was quite and very soft at first, then it seemed to get louder and stronger, then for no reason at all it faded again and was no longer to be heard. Jenifer sighed and had the feeling she was being watched. She looked over and saw Eric staring at her. He smiled at her again, his smile seemed to create sparks in her heart that she did not think was possible, and her stomach seemed to turn over. She smiled but was confused she didn't have the faintest idea why he was smiling. "What?"

"I don't know if it's the night air or something else, but you are just as beautiful as this ocean and the whales." Jenifer blushed slightly. "I mean it, you are truly lovely." He then did something she was not expecting, he leaned over and kissed her. At first she resisted, after about the first second she realized something, she was enjoying herself, so she no longer resisted.

It had been a while since she had kissed someone and even longer since she felt any love in it, now she did feel it, very strongly. She felt sparks running through her body like miniature fireworks, they subsided into a new feeling. One that brought on foreboding, in her mind's eye she saw the face of Dijon Maris. She backed off quickly and opened her eyes. To her surprise Eric was there staring back.

He looked saddened as if she had disappointed him. Of course he had a right to be, she cut the kiss off early. "What is it?" He looked more worried now than sad.

"Nothing really, I... um," She stood, faced away from him by looking out to the horizon.

"I didn't offend you did I, by initiating it?"

She laughed slightly. "No, no, if anything I offended you by breaking it off. It's just the fact that it has been so long since I have kissed anybody like that." She hesitated not knowing if she should go on about her past. She decided against it. "Any way, I didn't mean to anger you at all. She looked down at the fallen padd at her feet. She picked it up and looked back at Eric. "I'm sorry, but it's getting late and I think we better get back to the academy."

He also picked up his things. "Jenifer, don't think this cruel of me, but I think you are a better kisser than teacher." This brought a smile to her face which he hoped it would.

***

Their relationship for the next few months was nothing less than a rollercoaster. One day they would be studying clearly apart from one another, the next they would be so close a crowbar would not separate them. Though with as close as they ever got nothing ever truly happened between them.

In late September the two went to the beach once again for the first time since that night, this time they did not bring any text PADDs with them. Jenifer sat down first and watched the waves as they caressed the beach. Eric put his arm around her shoulders as he sat down. "I hope tonight goes better than the last time we were together here."

She giggled slightly remembering the night. They had long since made up, but she still had not told him about the Orions. "We really have been though a lot haven't we? I mean you and I aren't really a stable couple."

"This is true, of course when we are together there is something between us, even when we are not involved. " He looked her straight in the eyes. "I do truly love you, you know."

Jenifer looked surprised. "You know, I think that's the first time you've ever said that."

Eric was confused slightly, but he caught on rather quickly. "Said what? I love you?"

"Yes." She answered, at the same time she realized she had never said it to him. Of course she had good reason, didn't she, with her past and everything she didn't really want to get close to anybody again. So as to not allow him to question her, she came around in front of him and pressed her lips upon his. This sudden motion knocked him flat on his back.

He laughed as he pushed her off into the sand and rolled nest to her. He kissed her and petted her. As he stroked her hair he looked into her eyes. "So what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Do you love me?" He was serious.

Jenifer was afraid it was a little too serious for her. She stood and brushed herself off, she walked a couple meters away from him. She sat back down with her knees tucked to her chest and watched the waves hit the beach.

Eric could tell he struck a nerve, but he didn't have any idea how he did it. He walked over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way, please don't be angry. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's not your fault, it's just..." There once again she was going to mention her past. If she keeps slipping like this she'll be out of Starfleet for sure. "Forget it. Listen I think we should go home now."

"Jenifer, there's something bothering you. You shouldn't keep it bottled up. Let your feelings out." Eric was very concerned for her.

"Eric, I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Why not? What's so important that you have to keep secret, from me? Don't you trust me?" His eyes were so warm and friendly, she wished she could tell him.

She sunk her head onto her knees. "I do trust you, it's just, if it got out my career will be over before it begun."

"But it's hurting you so." He rubbed her back and massaged her shoulders.

She stood abruptly. "Stop it Eric. Yes it is hurting me and it will always hurt me, but the fact of the matter is I want to go on with my life. I don't even want to think about what has happened, and I defiantly don't want to talk about it. So just... leave me alone." She walked briskly, actually it was more of a run, towards the cruiser. Eric watched her go and just stood there. He did not know what to do. He had never gotten in a fight with her and so he had no idea of how she would react. At least he didn't try and argue more, sometimes that's how fights get worse. He decided he would let her cool off and then go back to the cruiser. He turned and watched the stars for several minutes. "Are you coming or are you just going to stargaze all night." Surprisingly it came from directly behind him and not from the cruiser, and her voice was very soft. He turned to find her smiling at him. "Sit down, please."

"Glad to see you've had a change of heart."

"I really do like you Eric, otherwise I would be long gone by now and I wouldn't even consider telling you what I'm about to."

"You like me?" Eric was a little saddened to hear this instead of love.

"Just give me a couple minutes to explain." She paced a little as she started to talk. "It started seven years ago..." Jenifer told him everything, about Maris, the Orions. She told him how many raids she went on and how many people she killed. But she could not tell him about Justin, his memory was just too new and he might not understand how she could have had a child at such a young age. Yet she couldn't leave out how much she loved Dijon, after all her feelings were still strong for the man no matter what had happened to her son. She didn't elaborate on why she left him, even after his prodding, she just said she was tired of the killing, which wasn't a lie. By the time she was finished she was wrapped in Eric's arms shedding tears. He rocked her slightly trying to give her comfort. "That's why I can't tell anyone, once Starfleet finds out I'll be put in a rehabilitation colony for the rest of my life. And that's also why I can't tell you I love you. I don't know if I do or not, it's just I don't want to get so heavily involved with anyone else."

"It seems to me that you already have. Jenny, by telling me this and sharing your feelings, I would pretty much say that you are very involved with me."

"But I..." Oh, hell, she couldn't argue anymore. She looked into his eyes and he looked into hers she felt something very strong. His pull, his love, overwhelmed her. "I do love you." They kissed, and she heard bells.

Chapter 7

Well actually it was more like a door chime. Jenifer blinked and when she opened her eyes she found she was in her cabin on the Lightning. The door chime sounded once again. "Come." Jenifer, with her chin in her palm, stared at her soggy bowl of cereal, which she had forgotten all about.

The door opened and the captain of the vessel walked in. He sat across the table from her and sunk down trying to make eye contact with her. "Jenifer?" She looked at him and laughed. After all the position he was in was rather amusing. "That's better. Now, what happened? I didn't push you to far did I?"

That's funny that's what Eric asked right after that night on the beach in the fantasy that she didn't quite get to finish. "No Arron. In fact I pushed myself too far. No offense but I don't want this to go any further. I want it stopped here and now, and I don't want the fact of what's happened to be anywhere but between us."

He was unsure of what to say. "Why the change of heart."

"I've just been doing some serious thinking. I had a wonderful night, don't get me wrong, but really, I love Eric much more and I can't betray him." Ever since that night on the beach she has been able to say her feelings freely and yet she was still cautious because she did not want to ruin their relationship.

"So it's over as quickly as it began?"

"Not really, it started when I first met you and it isn't over yet. I still have strong feelings for you, but just not strong enough I guess. I would hope that this won't come between you and DeArra, I also hope you still have feelings for her. She's my friend and I don't want her to get hurt." Jenifer is very protective of her friends and she'd rather give up her friendship with him, than with DeArra.

"Her? What about me? You don't think my feelings are hurt? You come on strong and heavy and then just dump me cold"

"I just had a change of heart, yeah it's a little late but we'd just be lying to ourselves if we think this relationship could work. And don't say that you think it could, you know me too well to believe that there is any hope in it."

"You give up too easy, what we have..."

Jenifer stopped him in mid sentence. "What we had was a wonderful night that I won't forget, what we have is friendship that will only be ruined by getting too involve with one another. You also know me enough to know that I don't give up easy, I'm not giving up at all. I'm trying to save the relationship that I have with Eric, and your relationship with DeArra. I never quit or give up."

Arron wished to have more of this very intellectual conversation but his communicator sounded. "Captain, according to Cadet Sandara's calculations we should be within sensor range of the Orion vessel."

"Elaborate on 'should be'" Steele was afraid of what he was leading up to.

"Sir, we are reading no ships in the vicinity, it is my opinion that the cadet was fed some wrong information and we are heading in the wrong direction." First officer Abarnathy sometimes had a mind of his own.

"No, Mr. Abarnathy, I believe she was fed the right information. Have you ever heard of a clocking device?" Jenifer noted that Steele had just the right amount of sarcasm.

"Of course." came the short reply.

"Than try finding engine dissipation, odd energy fluctuations, anything that would imply that a ship had been in the area recently." Steele was not dumb and he would not allow this man to show him up on his first command.

"I'll get right on it sir." Abarnathy cut off the communication quickly.

Jenifer took this chance to get out of the room and their previous conversation. "Well, it's time to get to work. You coming to the bridge?"

Arron didn't like the change, but really didn't have a choice. "Lead the way."

***

Nearly an entire day went by and the Lightning found nothing. Arron grew annoyed and Jenifer relaxed somewhat because they were nearing Arcturus. This meant that within an hour she would at least have some information on Dijon's whereabouts.

Steele wasn't so confident, only because he did not know the slightest thing about the black market. When Jenifer informed him that he had better change clothes he wondered why. She replied with a simple answer. "You're a Starfleet officer, they don't like Starfleet."

"What about the ship?" Steele figured that since they didn't like Starfleet changing clothes wouldn't help if you were in a Starfleet vessel.

"It's a new class starship, they haven't registered it as Starfleet, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten this far." With that Jenifer walked out the door and back to her cabin to change.

Both Steele and Sandara got back to the bridge when the ship reached the outside of the system. Steele wore a black beret and black trench coat, Jenifer nodded approvingly even though she couldn't see what was underneath. Jokingly she chided him, "Is that a phaser in your coat or are you just happy to see me?" This received many chuckles around the room as Steele adjusted his firearm.

She herself wore dark blue jeans and a very skimpy red blouse that was tied in a knot above her abdomen, her hair flowed freely down the middle of her back and strapped at her waist was her knife on one side, a phaser and a small pouch on the other. Apparently she was taking no chances.

Steele sat in his command chair. "Enter standard orbit around Arcturus." The helm responded quickly.

"Sir there are many ships in orbit and on the planet. It will take some time to discern if the Orion vessel is here or not." The science officer reported.

"That doesn't matter now." Jenifer answered before Arron could. "If he is on the planet we will find him, if he is not there yet, we will wait."

Steele was not satisfied with only that. "If a vessel enters the system with the description Ensign Sandara has given you then contact us immediately."

"And alert everyone around us. I won't have it. Arron, you either do it my way or you don't go at all." Jenifer did not want to take the chance of being discovered.

Looking into her eyes he could see how determined she was and he knew he would not win this one. "All right. I'll compromise, sound the communicator only once when it arrives in the system, and twice when they are in orbit or on the planet."

Reluctantly she agreed, the chirping of the communicator would not bring as much attention as an actual transmission.

"We are now in standard orbit sir, they have offered no resistance." The helmsman reported.

"Good, then I guess it's time to go sightseeing." Steele stood from his chair and walked out the door.

They beamed down in a swampy area. Their feet quickly sank several inches in the mud. Several meters away were ships of all shapes and sizes. Jenifer looked quickly around and shook her head, if he was here his ship wasn't. She pointed towards several short buildings up ahead. If anything they would get some answers there.

They started walking having to push several low hanging branches out of their way. Bushes now lined both sides of the walkway that lead up to the buildings. Arron walked a little further past the bushes before he stopped to ask which of the buildings they should try first. However, when he turned to talk to Jenifer she was not there.

***

Somebody had grabbed her aside and was now holding his hand over her mouth to keep her screams muffled. She reached down slowly to grab her knife, the man's second hand grasped her wrist and held it firmly but gently away from her waist. Slowly he turned her around to allow her to see her assailant. When she no longer struggled he removed both his hands and stood there proudly in front of her.

"Kormin, you lousy dog, what are you doing here? And why did you grab me like that, you could have just walked up and said hello, you know."

He smiled, because he was glad to see that she hadn't changed. "I know, I was just unsure of who was with you, I am sorry if I had frightened you. I am here for the same reason you are, to find Maris. He owes me something."

"What?" Around here everyone always owed someone something, so she was not surprised to see him.

"His life. I heard that he had escaped from your prisons, so I came here to find him."

"News travels quickly, but not this quickly. Why are you really here?"

"I am here to find Maris, that is all you need to know."

Jenifer was suspicious, Kormin was her friend but even he could not always be trusted. "Come on, we have to find Arron, he's probably already gotten himself killed. He knows nothing of their ways."

"If he is a Starfleet captain than I do not doubt you." Kormin and Jenifer walked through the bushes together.

To their surprise Arron was there waiting patiently. Yet when he saw the towering Romulan he drew his phaser out of reflex. Jenifer gave him a disapproving look. "Arron, this is Kormin San, a friend."

"A friend? He's a Romulan, how can you make friends with Romulans?" Arron still held the phaser out, if not a little loser.

"It's a long complicated story, ask about it later." As she started moving off she said over her shoulder to him, "And don't go pulling that thing on every stranger you meet, they won't take it as a friendly gesture."

"It's not meant to be." Arron said in a low tone giving into the fact that she was right however much he didn't like it.

Kormin was not phased by the current situation as he looked around. "Maris has not yet arrived. I suggest we wait in that bar over there." He pointed to a dirty looking building behind and slightly to the left of the first building.

Inside they did not even receive any strange looks as Arron believed they would, after all it isn't every day that you see two humans conspiring with a Romulan. Or is it on this backward world?

Jenifer took the initiative and sat at an empty table. The bar itself looked to Arron like any ordinary bar. Bottles and glasses lined the back wall of the room behind a bar. Tables were put in no specific order all around the room, it was dimly lit and very smoggy even though it seemed that no one was smoking.

The people were what was different about this bar. Every species imaginable seemed to be here. Klingons, Centurion, Rosolens, and even a few Steele did not recognize. A small man with large ears came wobbling up to the table. "So tell me Kormin, what can I get you and your lovely associates."

"I will have a Bracoh." Kormin sounded the Klingon word distastefully. He may not like the race but they had a fine taste for alcohol.

"Good good, and you." The ugly nymph turned to Arron.

"Nothing thank you." Arron was too intent on watching the room.

"You're no good for business, but since you're Kormin's friend I'll let you be, just don't come asking me for any favors." Jenifer noticed that this strange creature was only interested in profit. "And for this lovely creature?"

"I'll have a Korloxian Stargazer." Her choice in drinks seemed to please the small man, he quickly ran off to get the drinks.

Arron leaned closed to his friend. "Jenifer, I don't know if you remember or not, but we're here to find Maris, not get inebriated."

"Hey, at least I'm not the one looking suspicious."

"Look around you, this whole place is full of suspicious looking people." Arron protested.

Kormin put in his two credits worth. "Ferengi are only suspicious of those that do not offer them a profit."

"Ferengi? What are they?" Steele asked as he looked back towards the bar.

Kormin thought for a moment. "Ah, I don't suppose you have come across them yet, since they deal mainly amongst themselves and along the black market. Every once in a while you will come across them here and there. They spread out to get the most profit." He paused while the Ferengi brought them their drinks.

The Ferengi stared long and hard at Jenifer. She blushed slightly when she realized he wasn't looking at her face. "You're drink is on the house. If I can be of more help to you, just ask for Golell." He smiled lustfully and walked away.

Kormin leaned across the table and whispered, as if he knew the large Ferengi ears could hear their conversation. "I would be most cautious with him if I were you Jenny. Ferengi are not used to clothed women. They perceive it as an invitation to declothe you."

Arron was about to inquire why when a hand fell hard on the table shaking the drinks slightly. He looked up, and up and up, to find a rather tall, menacefull looking Klingon. Somehow he recognized the Klingon, he had seen him before and could not remember where.

Jenifer however did remember where. "Zorock, so nice to see you again." Her words were polite but her voice was not.

"Oh, look here." Kormin intoned. "I believe we are going to have a grand old reunion party."

Zorock ignored San, he has eyes for only Jenifer. "You have a lot of nerve showing up on this planet again."

"Me?" She said in a sarcastic politeness. "What have I done to deserve your most gracious attention."

He lowered himself to her level and stared her strait in the eyes. "You know exactly what you did Jen."

Jenifer sat calmly. "The person you want for your son's death is Dijon Maris, I was only doing what he ordered me to do. Right now you have to get in line for his head. I have the first rights to it."

Zorock was anything but calm. "It was not Dijon who pulled the trigger. It was you and you will pay for it with your life."

Jenifer was playing it coyly. "Just try."

With a wide grin the Klingon stood straight and seemed to be reaching for a weapon. Arron bolted out of his seat and grabbed the Klingons arm. "That's it. You will leave now."

Zorock smiled but took no action against Steele. "You puny excuse for a human can do nothing to stop me." He moved closer to Steele threatening him.

"Oh no?" In a flash Steele had placed in-between them a phaser aimed at the Klingons heart and set to kill. The huge bony headed Zorock growled deeply.

He pointed to Jenifer. "This is not over."

With that he stormed out of the bar and Arron slumped into his chair. He wasn't sure that if Zorock challenged him if he would fire the phaser or not. For now he was happy it was over, at least in the short run.

Kormin watched the room in silence. Looking around he saw no one that he believed would help them in their search. Jenifer too looked around the room while sipping her drink. "Have you asked around thoroughly?"

"I've been to almost every bar on this planet and no one seems to know anything about him or the Orions, even with a little healthful jogging of their memory."

"What about the Ferengi?" she tipped her glass in the direction of the bar.

"He was far from helpful, and believe me, even though they enjoy profits, it takes more than money to loosen that frogs tongue."

"Oh? Really?" Jenifer took a long swig of her drink and gulped as the bitter liquid ran down her throat. Dropping the glass onto the table she walked up to the bar. The helpful Ferengi waddled up to her. "Can I get this most eye soothing vixen something more?"

"Yes." She purred. "Something, much more," she ran the back of her hand around the outside of his ear.

Golell moved his head in the direction of her hand, he seemed to take much pleasure in it. He laughed a strange scratchy laugh. "Perhaps, we can continue this conversation in private?"

"I would love that." He walked around the bar and took her hand leading her toward a sealed doorway. She looked back to her companions at the table and gave them the thumbs up sign. "Has anyone ever told you, you have the largest most wonderful ears." The Ferengi giggled as they entered the doorway.

***

When Jenifer returned from the back room a half an hour later Arron looked at her suspiciously. "So what did you learn?"

She wasn't really sure how he meant that but she decided to report only the relevant information, but first she played coy. "A lot, and it didn't cost me a dime."

"Nothing but your dignity." Arron muttered.

"Not really, he was very loose."

"You know," Kormin decided he too would play this game. "They say once you've had Ferengi, you never go back."

Jenifer laughed. "I seriously doubt that, he's nothing special." Arron began wondering just how loose Jenifer was, and she obviously saw his look for she stopped laughing and was serious for a moment. "Oh, Arron, nothing happened, really. I he started babbling as soon as I started to rub his ear and then he fell asleep."

Arron was glad she had become serious he had started to grow tired of the bantering and acknowledged her with a nod. "What information did he give you?"

So it was back to business Jenifer realized. "Dijon has made arrangements on the planet, he wouldn't say with who or why, but he is supposed to meet that person here tomorrow around this planets noon time."

"Then Mr. San I believe we should meet you here an hour before noon tomorrow." Arron started to stand.

Jenifer put a hand on his arm. "Actually, I thought it would be a good idea to come in a little after noon."

"But we don't know how long he's going to be here, we could miss him." Arron protested.

"Yes, but if he sees us sitting here, he's not even going to come into the bar, it would be better if we surprise him, besides his little business dealing may be important to us. I think it would be wise to find out what he's doing here before we do anything at all. Our actions could jeopardize your fathers life." She had a good point.

Arron could see her point too, he nodded his agreement. Jenifer then stood and was reaching into her pouch to leave the payment for the drinks on the table. Kormin stopped her by dropping a bar of gold pressed latinum on the table, he said, "It's to ensure our good standing with the bar keep."

Jenifer again smiled. "I think our standing is permanently marked in his mind."

***

A platter of what looked like green eggs and some stringy meat was sat down in front of Jenifer Sandara at the table. Arron set down a similar plate for him then retrieved two drinks from the food slot. Returning to the table he started his questioning. "Do you have any idea who he's going to meet tomorrow?"

"Arron, this planet is full of people who have something to sell. There's an infinite number of things he could be here to buy. Hell, he may even be selling something, your father for instance." She took a mouthful of the fibrous meat.

"Surely he wouldn't sell him. My father is his bait for us, if he sold him he loses us." Arron ignored his plate of food.

Jenifer scooping up some eggs looked at him sincerely. "He loved me and he still tried to sell me several times. Besides just having us here on the planet is what he wants, since we're here he no longer needs the admiral."

"Okay, but let's say he's here to buy something, what could he possibly want?" Arron picked up his fork and pointed it at her, it seemed like he had no intention of using the utensil otherwise.

"The obvious would be something to enable him to capture me, a weapon of some sort perhaps."

"But he has the destroyer."

"Yeah, but it still hasn't stopped us." As she thought about all the possibilities she crammed more food into her mouth. "I think, no matter what he's planning, we need a counter plan."

"What do you have in mind?" Arron knew that look in her eye, she had a scheme boiling inside her head.

"Well, first off, we need to get in touch with Kormin." Her grin crossed the edges of her face her food was no totally forgotten as she prepared all the plans in her head.

***

Dijon looked around the room nervously, it was crowded, not very easy to spot any singular person, a curse and a blessing at the same time. The man that sat next to him was at least a head taller then him and looked to be much more aggressive, anyone who did know Dijon would know that he was less than a match for Maris. "Well get on with it." Maris spat as he watched the room.

The bony head Klingon was calm and looked like a large stone. "She is here Dijon, I encountered her yesterday."

"I know she's here Nipock. I want what I came for, do you have it." Dijon was more active, he had watch outs for her, but he trusted no one, not even his companion.

"The device is being transferred to your vessel as we speak. Do you have my payment?" With the exception of the one inflection his voice was very passive.

Dijon composed himself. "Of course, you don't mind if I check with my ship first do you?"

"By all means." The Klingon seemed to have all the time in the world.

Maris on the other hand reacted quickly pulling out his communicator. He knew it would only be a matter of time before they would show up and he had to be ready. It was then that his communicator activated, it was a call coming in for him. He answered it. "Maris."

"They have just beamed down and are heading your way, shall I intercept?" The question came from his second in command, Devak.

"No leave them to me. Out." Dijon stood heading for the door.

A large hand grasped his arm firmly. "Forgetting something?" His other hand was extended out in front of Dijon.

The smaller Orion smiled wryly. "Zorock, you fool, if you don't let me go she could get away."

"If I let you go, you will get away, I want my money." A low growl started rumbling deep in his throat.

"Fine, you'll get your money, meet me at my ship, it will be waiting there for you, you have my word." Dijon stood up to the Klingon, and though he was shorter he appeared to be in control of the situation.

A small smile crossed the Klingons face, but he was not looking at Dijon, he was looking past him. Dijon turned just in time for a phaser beam to cut through the air and hit Zorock smack dab in the middle of his chest. Zorock went down with a thud and Dijon glared in the direction of the beam but saw nothing. He heard a familiar voice and then the crowd started to part. "Shucks I missed." Jenifer backed by Steele and San came marching through the gathering with her phaser directed squarely at Dijon. "Hello, my love." Her words were anything but kind.

She motioned to Arron and Kormin to take his weapons as they were doing that they made a mistake and left Jenifer open to attack. She was grabbed from behind, an arm around her neck and the attackers other arm went for her phaser before she could fire it. At the same time four more Orions stepped out of the crowd and drew weapons on Arron and Kormin who backed away quickly.

Devak who was holding Jenifer pushed her in Dijon's direction. He caught her easily. "Looks like we have the upper hand my love." His words were no kinder than hers. She struggled to get out of her arms. When she saw the settings on the pistols that were holding her friends at bay she became tranquil. "That's better." His face was next to hers and he whispered it in her ear. She tried to move her head away from his but it was of no use.

Kormin ignored the phasers trained on him and jumped for Maris. Maris responded quickly unsheathing his dagger he swung it around catching San in mid air. Kormin fell to the ground the knife had cut deeply into the Romulans cheek. Jenifer let out a gasp she wanted to go to her friend but Dijon's grip would not allow her.

Devak's blaster began to discharge, set to kill and aiming for Kormin's head. Arron knocked him off his feet and stepped forward to help the Romulan he was stopped by several phasers in his face. Arron had not given up yet, but he had to keep them distracted from killing Kormin. "Where's my father?"

"You don't have to worry about him, he is well taken care of." The statement was very general and Arron had no idea of how to take it, he only wished he could do something to help Jenifer. All he knew was, she wanted it this way.

Dijon took out his communicator and the Orions stepped closer to him. Maris barked something into it, seconds later all Orions and Jenifer disappeared.

Arron immediately ran to Kormin's side. "Are you all right?"

"I will be fine, luckily his knife just grazed me." He stood. "We must go after them."

Steele hit his insignia which was hidden under his trench coat. "Lightning, Steele here, report." he was in no mood for conversation.

"Sir a ship is leaving orbit that matches the description of the one we were chasing. Their course heading is straight into Romulan space." His first officer called over the small device.

"How long until we are ready to depart?"

"You have to give us at least another hour, things went faster when Sandara was here, she knew what she was doing sir." Abarnathy had to admit that the young cadet was good.

"That's not good enough." Arron was in full command mode. "You have fifteen minutes."

"Sir, I must inform you that even within that time they will be out of range."

"Perhaps, but the further they get the longer it will take for us to catch up. Prepare to beam me aboard." Arron turned back to Kormin and the wakening Klingon. "Are you going to be able to handle him."

Kormin looked up his face bloodied but stern. "Yes, I also believe he will be willing to help us in our plan."

Arron nodded. "Then I will see you at the rendezvous. Steele to Lightning, one to beam up." With that he disappeared in a spiral of light.

Chapter 8

The ship sped through space the light of the stars which were so streaked they were hardly recognizable as stars. Once it was determined that they were no longer being chased it slowed to cruising speed.

She was being dragged by Devak, a former friend, and another Orion new to the crew she supposed. They had to force every step forward, she refused to move, from the transporter room, which was also new to the ship, to where she was now, which was only a few meters down the hall. If it weren't for Maris' order then they would had tied and gagged her and dragged her all the way. He wanted her to fight, he wanted her to try and escape. He was rejoicing in his triumph and wanted her to just try to fight him so he could destroy her.

She however was on to him, this was merely an act to distract him from reality. She wanted him to get a false sense of security, she wanted to torment him. She was rejoicing in her own triumph, this part of the plan was going down quite nicely.

It looked like they both were getting what they wanted. He prodded her forward with his knife and she was giving the crew the time they needed. It all worked out quite nicely.

However a change in the game plan occurred when she realized they were headed towards the cargo bay and not the brig. What was this? What could he have planned for her in the cargo bay? She needed to go to the brig to get in contact with the admiral.

They stopped in front of the large doors leading into the cargo bay. She struggled more strongly, she was no longer acting, she did not need what ever was waiting for her there, she needed to get away. She felt the cold metal of Dijon's knife as it pressed against the skin of her neck, it brought fourth immediate results. She became very still. Devak released his grip and opened the doors. Before her opened up an empty room, empty with the exception of a large rectangular unit. The Orions prodded her forward. She fought every step even with the knife in her back. When they reached the box she examined it. A little over two meters long about a meter wide and a meter deep. The top was open with no visible lid. "Okay, now what?" She asked looking into the box.

"You get in it." Simple words and a simple order, it was too bad she didn't follow simple orders. She stood there looking at the device.

She felt herself being lifted. She kicked wildly trying to at least give them a hard time about it. It worked it took them several minutes to just get her in the air. When they had her in the air she made eye contact with Dijon. There was no joy in his eyes, nor was there any remorse or even any anger, what she saw was happiness. Did he think this was the end? Did he really think this was all over? If he did, he was wrong. Like him, she would get her revenge.

She was literally dropped into the box, the most efficient way to get her inside. she was about to sit up when the sparkle of a force field emanated above her. She put up her hand meeting an invisible wall. "What is this, what are you doing?"

"My poor ignorant love. Don't you see? I am going to freeze that lovely face of yours and at the same time I won't have to worry about you ruining any of my plans." He silently remembered Beta Nomi and how she killed his wonderful plans for that planet. No longer, no longer would he let her get in the way. "Good night Jen." He knocked on the outer cover of the box. Devak activated a switch on the side and the interior began to fill with gas. Confused Jenifer began pounding at the force field knowing she could not break it. She screamed as she realized what was happening screamed for him to let her out screamed for her life. Ten seconds later she no longer moved her face frozen with horror, her arms and legs extended in one last try to break the shield. Failed, she had failed and allowed him to win.

***

The ship ignorantly moved quickly but efficiently not knowing that only a few light years behind there was someone following. Inside the captain of the ship looked around his large room decorated mostly in black. The canopy bed took up much of the room above it was his shield marking his place on the ship. The rest of the walls were bare colored in a gray. The few desks and dressers in black were adored with nicknacs gathered from all across the galaxy. Now one of those desks were being moved small statues and jewels fell off the table as it was dragged along the ground. The desk had been directly across from the head of the bed. The ones moving it left it in the middle of the room neglecting it. The two moved over to the doorway and gestured to two other Orions lugging in a large rectangular object. Devak and Taff directed the two in helping them move past the door. Dijon watched with amusement from his bed.

The four labored to move the container inside. It took them ten minutes to get it in place. "A little to the right." Dijon motioned them to move the container again. They struggled, pushing and pulling moving it further yet. "Oh, that's perfect, just perfect." Maris slid off the bed admiring his handy work. Inside the box remained the frozen horror filled Jenifer Sandara. She still posed ready to break through the field never quite able to.

Maris stood in front of the box admiring his dirty work. "Beautiful just beautiful. Just as I had imagined it. She is scared, truly scared of me. This is great!" He raised his arms in triumph. "Oh Jen, how long I had waited to have you again." He put his hand on the shield stroking it as if he could touch her. "Now forever I will be able to look at your face and relish the fact that I have won, finally won."

The others stood back behind him, two moved the table to a new location and replaced the objects that had fallen off. Dijon looked quickly around the room smiling, he noticed that out of all his possessions the one in front of him was his favorite. It showed how truly skilled and intelligent he was, it showed his superiority. Ah, how he loved this woman.

He stood silent for quite a while. Behind him Devak spoke to break the silence. "What of the prisoner master?"

"Kill him or not, I don't care. He is no longer of use to me. Here." He smiled and handed the Christmas tree knife to Devak. "This is the perfect weapon with which to get rid of him."

***

The ship moved so quickly through space unseen, living up to it's name, Lightning. Inside there was no festivities, only work, duties being done to their fullest degree of accuracy. The stars streaked by with equal accuracy and efficiency. The captain watching and waiting.

"Sir?" Abarnathy looked down to his captain. "How do you know where we are heading?"

Arron held up a small control unit. Abarnathy examined it closely but saw nothing special about it. Arron arrogantly put the controller back. "She is wearing a homing device. Actually it was her idea, just as was the clocking device. I assume we will catch up with them by the end of the day."

It was not a question and he did not take it as one. "Yes sir, that is our estimate. Sixteen hours to be exact."

"Let's see if we can intercept that before then, I want this ship at full power. Go to yellow alert and remain there until we are within 50,000 kilometers of them, then go to red alert after notifying me." Steele rose from his chair. "You have the conn."

Without looking back he moved to the turbolift and waited for it to take him away. As it did so he started to think. That is why he left the bridge he was thinking too much about the people he was following and not enough about the workings of the ship. He found himself thinking about Jenifer more than his own father. That night not so long ago that they had enjoyed together, and that's all that happened, nothing more, he hasn't really had any feelings for her since, until now that she was gone. Though he really couldn't classify it as lust, it wasn't even strong enough to be love, or was it? Was it love, but not of the same kind as what he felt that night, but as a friend she meant much to him. Is that the kind of love that he was truly feeling, that was pushing him forward to help her? It was all just so confusing.

What of his father? Why was he not so worried about him? What was his problem, ignoring his father and only worrying about Jenifer? He had to admit she was now like a sister to him, as was the rest of the Integra Crew, but his father, was his father, he could not deny that.

As he walked down the corridor he wondered exactly what Jenifer was doing, had she already contacted his father? Or was she working her way through the ship trying to sabotage it? She really didn't disclose her plans with Arron, only the parts that had to do with him. That's another thing he admired about her. She was very efficient. He approached his room and relaxed on his couch. His cabin automatically seemed very large and unforgiving. That's how he felt unforgiving. He shouldn't have let her go, he was unforgiving to himself. He stood and looked out the window. How could he have even let his father be kidnapped. He should have still been on Earth at that time, he shouldn't have been gallivanting across the galaxy.

However, he was after them, he was closing in and all this worry will be for naught. If he had his way Maris wouldn't even know what hit him. Arron just hoped he was going to get there in time.

For some reason Arron had the incredible urge to talk to DeArra right now. She always had something good to say, to bring him out of his slump. Was that love? He now started thinking about his time with DeArra. How she comforts him when he feels frustrated. She was able to calm him when he was angry, sometimes. And no matter what, she was always there when he wanted to talk.

He smiled as he remembered the first time he actually started to like DeArra, they had argued, and then fallen in love, all in the same night. How could he even think he loved Jenifer, that was nothing compared to the feelings he had for DeArra. DeArra is... well indescribable, perfect for him in every way, she is his opposite, and exactly the same as him simultaneously. There was no confusing that feeling, the feeling that you were meant for someone and only that person. He smiled and soon fell asleep.

Chapter 9

Steele sat curled up on the bench in the dark cell. Had it only been a couple weeks since his sons promotion? It seemed like, months, years even. He had been alone for so long, only having one visitor, Dijon Maris. True he had food and water brought to him but those people don't pay him any attention.

He didn't like the predicament he was in. It took him a week to finally admit that there was no way out of the cell. He had even tried attacking the officers bringing him his food. It didn't work. The single Orion had over powered him, he couldn't believe it even when it happened. He figured he was too old for this Starfleet business. His fighting skills weren't what they used to be.

What was he thinking? Knowing his son, Arron was right on their tail. All he had to do was sit tight until his son came to the rescue, just like he had done in his youth. Saving the day was a commanders job. With Arron's new promotion he had that responsiblilty.

Footsteps, he heard footsteps coming his way. It was not time for his food to come. He didn't know who it could be not many people came down to this area of the ship. Steele decided he wasn't going down without a fight. After all, he may be old, but he was not dead. He poised ready to jump the door when it opened.

It opened and he jumped head first into the person entering. They both fell to the ground and all went black.

***

Dijon was sitting on the bridge. He had not gotten tired of looking at his trophy, he just knew he had to spend some time on the bridge, besides he could look at her anytime he wants now. He smiled. Yes Starfleet would still be after him, but with the destroyer on his side he could blow their ship to pieces. This was his happiest moment of his life, he had everything he ever wanted.

The doors to the turbolift hissed open. Maris smiled without turning. "Ah, my friend, has everything been taken care of?"

"Oh, absolutely, Maris." The voice from behind him was not Devak's.

Maris bolted from his command chair. From the turbolift had emerged a Starfleet officer. Admiral Adam Steele moved slowly forward blaster aimed at Maris. "Here," he threw a knife onto the ground. "I found this on your goon. What were you trying to do? Kill me?"

Maris laughed unafraid of the admiral. "Why yes. By the way, where is Devak?"

"You're goon, he's just stunned don't worry about him."

"That's too bad, because he had failed to fulfill his duty, and the punishment for that is death. I guess I will just have to complete his duty." Maris jumped for the knife Steele had dropped at the same time a bolt of energy flew over his head.

Dijon grabbed the knife and rolled out of the way as another phaser burst hit the ground where he was originally. Dijon quickly rose to his feet moving quickly he made his way towards Steele. Adam moved around the bridge to try and get a better aim, at the same time he tried to move away from Maris. However, he didn't know the area as well as Maris. Adam tripped over a step on the round walkway around the computer console area. He recovered quickly, but not quickly enough. Maris took advantage of his confusion and lunged.

Adam grabbed the on coming body and fell with it. He used the momentum of Maris to flip Dijon over him and into the console behind him. Steele pulled Maris to his feet and pounded him with a right.

Dijon took the punch, even with the beating he was getting he still had a lot of strength. In his hand he felt the handle of a heavy object. He twisted it around. Adam threw a few more punches, one to the head, one to the chest, another to the shoulder. Dijon gripped the knife tight in his hand and plunged it forward. The punches stopped coming, Adam was bent over in pain.

Maris still had a grip on the knife. Dijon ripped the knife out of Steele's stomach area taking much blood and several organs with it. Adam wrenched on the ground in pain. Maris lifted the knife again, fibers of muscle and other pieces of guts hung from the knife. He dropped it with all his strength into the chest of Steele. He pushed on the knife until the admiral no longer moved. Slowly Maris loosened his grip on the knife.

Dijon glared down at the dead man. Smiling he kicked the deceased admiral in the head. "No match for me, you couldn't even fight back." Maris moved over to the communications system and called up his first officer. "Devak, report to the bridge immediately."

"Yes master." came the reply. Three minutes later Devak appeared at the back of the bridge.

Dijon turned quickly on him. "I had to finish what you couldn't even begin. You failed to get rid of Steele."

"I'm most sorry, he had ambushed us, we were unprepared for him to fight." Devak bowed his head to Maris.

Maris moved dangerously close to him. "Only because I am in a good mood will I be generous to you. If you clean up that mess I will forgive you." He pointed in the direction of the fallen Starfleet officer.

"Thank you master." Devak quickly moved to the aft bridge. In only a matter of minutes he had dragged the body off of the bridge and washed the bloodstains off of the carpet and computer. He returned in time to pick up the call coming in. "This is the Aqueous."

"This is Commander San aboard the Bercos. I must speak with Maris." Devak looked at Maris questioningly.

Maris returned the questioning glare. "On screen. Leave us Devak." Devak moved silently off the bridge.

On the screen Kormin San appeared. He seemed in control and very arrogant. "Maris, I believe you are holding someone that does not belong to you."

"Oh, and who could that be?"

"A Starfleet cadet by the name of Jenifer Sandara."

"She has always belonged to me. Besides, what makes you believe that you are responsible for her?" Maris' voice became very threatening.

"I have vowed to keep her safe from you. You are evil and dangerous and can not be trusted. Maris, if you do not return her you will pay for it with your life." San too was dangerous, he only had a sense of justice.

Maris had a sense of revenge. "You say you are protecting lives, but you are willing to kill me? How are you going to protect if you also kill?" Dijon laughed in his face.

San looked sternly at Maris, he had to keep him talking. He had to keep Maris unaware of the alarms going on around him.

***

Steele sat on the bridge staring at the large vessel on the screen. He rubbed his chin as he listened into the conversation. Kormin put another challenge to Maris. "You don't even belong in our space. You are not welcome here."

"Have their shields gone up yet?" Steele asked.

"No sir." Palmer called from his station.

"No, but at the rate Kormin's going he will." Abarnathy stood next to the commander.

"Your right, have the transporter room prepare the coordinates." Arron Steele stood from his command chair.

"Sir, you're not going alone." It defiantly was not a question.

"I am. Decloak the ship long enough for me to beam over. You have the conn." He was in no mood for a fight.

***

A single beam appeared in the dark room. His eyes had to adjust before he could even discern where he was. The transporter chief set the coordinates to a position near the homing device.

As his eyes adjusted Arron made out a giant bed in front of him, above it was a shield much like the symbol all Orions carried, but different, surrounded by a pattern of squares and triangles. He turned around to take in the rest of the room. He did not turn far until he found what he was looking for. In a saddened voice he spoke to the frightening image. "Jenny, what have you gotten yourself into?" He looked at the control panel that was on the side of the unit. He had no idea of what to make of it. "I wish I had your knowledge of computers. Just don't blame me if I press the wrong button." Arron examined the panel before he decided which to press.

He crossed his fingers and reluctantly pressed it. Suddenly a vapor appeared inside the chamber. For a split second Arron believe he had done something extremely horrible. To his relief the clouds started to vanish and the form inside moved abruptly.

Her muscle automatically completed the last action she had put them into. Bewildered she looked around the dark room, not only was this not the same place she had remembered to be but she was also in an upright position. As she examined the area she saw a form, her eyes still cloudy, she started to fight again unsure of who it was.

"Calm down Jenny." The form said softly. He had to say no more. She knew instantly he was no threat because he did not call her Jen. Slowly realization kicked in and she was able to match the face with the voice. "Don't make much noise, I don't know where the closest guard is."

"Where am I?" She asked still unsure of what was going on.

Arron ignored her question as he pressed another blinking button on the device. The shield flickered momentarily and dissipated. Arron reached an arm toward her and she took it graciously as he helped her step out of the frozen coffin. Giving him her gratitude she kissed him on the check, unfortunately that was all the affection she felt for him at the moment. She looked back to the device and shuddered, obviously the coldness had not totally worn off.

Jenifer looked around the room as her eyes adjusted. Realizing where she was she called out to the air. "Demno." And then there was light.

"What are you doing? There could be guards outside the door." Steele warned her.

"Nah, Dijon was never one for bodyguards." She opened a drawer looked through it and closed it again. Then did the same with the next one and so forth.

"Dijon?" Arron searched through the junk on the top of the desks unsure of what he was looking for.

"Yeah, this is our... Stator. This is his cabin." She slammed closed the current drawer and ripped open the next.

Arron ignored her slip up. "What are we looking for?"

It took her a moment to answer. "This." She raised a disrupter in the air triumphantly. Disapprovingly he looked at her. "Well, you don't think I'm going anywhere without a weapon do you?"

"No, but that one's locked on kill." He did not doubt his words, he could see the setting from where he stood.

She smiled evilly. "I know." She shoved the blaster in her belt for easy access. But what she really wanted right now was her knife. She imagined how nice it would feel to grip its handle as she dug it deep into Dijon's heart.

For some reason Arron felt compelled to look on the desk further, bringing up immediate results. He found a sword. A very simple, but lovely, and dangerous sword. Made totally of metal the blade looked as if it were made yesterday. Arron too smiled evilly. After swinging it through the air several times in the fencing moves he had learned, he sheathed it in his belt.

Jenifer did not argue with him, she knew how adept he was at sword play. She also did not argue when he wanted to call the ship. She figured that if Dijon didn't already know of their presence he would soon. "Lightning, I am now directly four meters in front of Zorock's device. Beam it aboard and await further instructions."

The Lightning did not answer his hail with the exception of the transporter beam enveloping the monstrous device. Bewildered Jenifer asked Arron, "If you were going to beam it aboard, why didn't you just do that while I was still in it?"

"Like you, I have an extreme need for justice." He smile wryly. She nodded in agreement.

Walking quickly she headed for the door. After a short amount of time Arron started looking around the area suspiciously. "Why haven't they detected us by now? Where are the crew? And by God, why don't you tell me where we're going?"

"Only Dijon's computer detects intruders. They are on the night cycle, only the skeleton crew, four men, are awake. And to the brig." After all, he asked.

"The brig, I thought you wanted to kill Dijon." He said it innocently.

No matter how he said it her emotions remain the same. She swung dangerously on him. "I may want my revenge, but if you want your father alive we are going to the brig."

"Yes sir." She turned and walked on, Arron had no wish to make her any angrier.

***

The brig was cold, dark, and empty. The last, it should not have been. "I don't understand, he should be here, Dijon always kept his prisoners in this cell." She waved her hands in exasperation.

Arron did not want to go inside, it was to horrible a feeling for him. To think that his father could have been kept in this small room, it was torture.

Jenifer was not going to give up this easily. "Come on."

"Where to now?" As if he did not know.

She did not answer because he did know. She was going to find out from the only person who knew where Admiral Steele was. On the way to the bridge she encountered no resistance. It was strange enough not having any guards by the brig, but no one at all near the bridge was very peculiar. About a hundred paces before they reached the bridge door she did find something even more peculiar. There was a red streak lining the carpet on the floor. She rushed to it.

Both she and Steele knelt. She examined it, rubbed her finger in it and smelt it. "Human blood, and fresh, we have to follow it, your father's been hurt."

"How do you know all this, I mean it could be Orion blood for all we know without the tricorder. Even if it was my father's, he could be on the bridge, not in that direction." Arron pointed down the hall in frustration.

"Use your head for once. Orion's have copper based blood, it turns green when it hits oxygen. The blood marks are clearly streaked away from the bridge."

Arron was going to confront her, but he didn't have the heart to, this was her fight, and she knew a lot about these things. Worst of all, he was afraid that he was becoming too dependent on technology.

She moved off not waiting for him to follow, they soon came to a doorway where the trail ended. Cautiously, pulling out the disrupter, she neared the door. As it swushed open she jumped inward pointing the phaser out from her. There was no one there. At least that's what it looked like at first. She looked down and became sorry she did. With two large steps backwards she was out the door.

The doors were just closing as he approached. Shortly he wondered what had made her back out of there so quickly. He walked up to her as she leaned against the bulkhead. "What is it? Are they holding him at gun point?" She shook her head. "Well, did you walk in on somebody having sex?" His question was more to lighten the mood than anything else.

She looked at him in disgust. Her eyes and voice delivered him a different message. "No Arron, worse, much worse." He shook his head, he did not know what could be worse. So he decided to find out. "I'm warning you, don't go in there."

Without looking back he stepped forward and allowed the doors to open. Was that the doors sighing or was it a gasp from inside of they young commander? He lunged forward and fell to his knees. She watched from just inside the door.

Arron held his father's head in his hands. "No, they couldn't have killed you. You are too strong, you are better than them. You can't be dead." Steele's head turned in Arron's hands and out of his mouth flowed blood, backed up from his destroyed lungs and heart. Without knowing, in surprise, Arron dropped the still head to the ground. He grabbed at the knife that was protruding from the chest cavity and yanked at it effortlessly.

Jenifer walked over sullen. She removed his hands from the knife gently. Her words were kind and nonthreatening. "Here, let me, you will only destroy him more." Slowly she worked the knife out of the swollen body.

Arron sat back on his haunches and stared at his father. "He did this didn't he."

No question, deserving no answer. She stood and placed the knife in her belt after wiping some blood off it with a cloth she found nearby. "Arron," She started quietly. "This isn't a mistake, his body was left here purposely. He wanted us to find your father here. It is a ploy to weaken us."

Steele stood up to her. "This will not weaken us, it will only make us stronger in our fight against him." His words were bold, but his heart was heavy with this death. Drawing the sword he walked out the door. Jenifer followed on his heels.

Chapter 10

Dijon was tiring of the Romulans useless chatter. He had long since stopped listening too him and was now fingering the button to cut communications. In the back of his mind he heard the nice beeping sound it would make as it clicked off. Then he realized that it wasn't his imagination. He turned in his seat to find where the noise was coming from. The security monitor! He ran to it ignoring the curious glance and question from the Romulan.

"Stator rel nom loff! You tricked me." Maris pointed an accusing finger at the screen.

"Me? I've done no such thing." Kormin pleaded innocent.

"You will pay for it San, and your little Federation ship on my aft. That locnus captain is going to dye for this treachery." He moved to the station which held the destroyer's controls.

"I assure you Dijon. You are making a serious mistake." Kormin leaned back and watched Dijon as he fiddled with the controls. At the same time he pressed a button on the arm of his chair.

"I'm not the one making a mistake. If you don't leave immediately, you will be destroyed."

San laughed in the face of danger, literally. "Take a look at your sensors. I believe you could take on my ship and the Lightning, but how about four Klingon warships?"

Dijon was so flabbergasted he could not say anything. He looked around nervously for something that would give him a little power against his foe. There leaning against his command chair was his sword one identical to the one Arron had taken from his cabin, he got them wholesale. "I will not go down without a fight." Without cutting communications he walked off the bridge.

***

Once outside the door the two Starfleet officers were greeted by a large number of Orions. At the end of the corridor there was at least fifteen of these green skinned malevolent beings with Devak in the lead. Jenifer and Arron stopped just outside the door and the Orions held their ground over a hundred meters down the hall.

Jenifer assessed the situation quickly and already had a solution. She talked quietly to Arron. "You see that corridor just in front of them."

"Yes, but I don't think we can make it. Why don't we just take them out right here."

"Do you want to live?" Well of course he did. The way she figured it was if they took them by surprise, standing here they had no chance. "We will walk slowly, as if we were surrendering. I'll distract Devak while you take off down the corridor. Take the first corridor on you right and that one will wind back around and you will wind up on the other side of the group."

"An attack from both sides." He agreed quickly.

With that she walked forward, each step was carefully measured for a slow approach. Just before they reached the corridor Devak lifted his weapon. "That's fine Jen, stay where you are."

Jenifer put her hands out open palmed, she stepped forward cautiously, inching for the opening. "Come on, I wont resist just take me to Dijon."

"That's not possible." He was being stubborn, trying to stall for something, but it appeared that he wasn't going to shoot her.

Almost there, all she had to do was block Arron's escape. She took two steps forward and was almost toe to toe with Devak. She glanced at Arron, that was his que, he jumped for the doorway several Orions were about to learch for him. Jenifer positioned herself smack dab in the middle of the opening. "Okay Devak, just you and me, one on one."

The Orion's were about to push past her when Devak stopped them. He nodded, he knew Arron would not be an obstacle. Devak motioned for the guards to back off. When they did not move, he actually pushed them back. They reluctantly moved backwards. Devak placed his disrupter on the ground and kicked it away expecting her to do the same. "Stupid, Devak." As he looked up the last thing he saw was the flash of the laser that cut through him. He fell into a big lump on the floor.

The guards started advancing. "Don't even think about it." She held up her phaser, for some reason they stopped. Was it because she had superior fire power, were they really that scared of her just because she killed Devak. Devak who had once been her friend. She looked down at carcass and back to the guards who were dropping their weapons.

She heard movement behind her. So it wasn't her they were scared of. She whirled around disrupter ready. Together as if they had always been friends Kormin and Zorock stood. Jenifer didn't know what to do. Kill Zorock while she had the chance, or hug Kormin for coming to her rescue, so she did neither. Reluctantly she put her disrupter away and several Klingons rushed passed her towards the Orions.

"What are you doing here?" She asked relieved.

"Your captain had quite a fantastic idea." Kormin said.

"Yes, I will get my payment and my freezer. A rather profitable exploit." The Klingon agreed.

"And what about me?" She asked the Klingon.

He looked down to her fallen former friend. "Consider us even."

She looked around briefly and down the corridor Steele should have appeared down long ago. "Where's Arron?" Neither of them knew. She had a pretty good idea though. She ran past them and down the hall.

***

Arron Steele rounded the corner ready to fight the Orions who should be right on his tail. He didn't understand why they hadn't fired yet and he dare not look back. Once he was around the corner he slowed and almost stopped, before he did he looked behind him. Surprisingly no one was there. "Maris." He called to the man in front of him, the reason he had stopped.

Maris had stopped as well. He turned wielding the sword around playfully. "So you've come to destroy me?"

"Jenifer's not the only one who is entitled to a piece of you." He drew his sword.

Dijon did not take it as an insult. "Naturally." He licked his lips ready for a fight. "You Pictoch Merlis, ulich. You don't have a hope against me." Maris lunged his sword flaring forward.

Arron blocked his approach and swept him off to the side. He then took a defensive stance. "Nice try."

Maris came back at him, this time their swords clashed and the Orion's pushed Steele backwards. Their swords did not move both were trying to keep the opponents from moving. "Your niros fighting skills are nothing less than amateurish."

With all his might he threw Maris off of him. "My what a colorful language you have." Steele's arrogance showed through as he readied himself for the next attack.

Maris wasn't playing around anymore. The fact that Steele had even gotten the upper hand, while temporarily, galled him. "Not as colorful as your blood all over this ship." Maris came at him swashing in the middle then tried immediately for the head, both blows were blocked.

They went on thrust and parries right after the other. Arron used Dijon's weight and strength against him. Maris used his years of fighting experience to gain advantage. They fought for several minutes neither one getting the edge.

***

She rounded the corner and smiled. To her delight Arron and Dijon were fighting with swords. When Arron had taken the sword from Dijon's room she had doubted his ability to fight. Now there was no doubt. He fought well, he looked to be Dijon's equal. She wondered just how long they could keep this up.

Unexpectedly she heard the familiar sound of transporter beam. She was upset, they could not be beaming them out, it was too early. She then realized, that they weren't leaving, someone was coming in. Behind where Dijon and Arron was fighting, two figures and something else appeared. It took Jenifer several seconds to realize what was going on. She smiled, Kormin had anticipated this event.

She watched the two fight further on. They were totally unaware of either hers or Zorock's and Kormin's presence. She waited until Arron had backed Dijon towards the two men. Arron seemed to have spotted them and was heading Dijon their way. Jenifer waited just a few more seconds and for Arron to prepare an attack. At the right moment she called out. "Dijon, watch out!"

The distraction worked. Dijon looked up at her in surprise leaving him totally open to attack. Arron wielded the sword straight into Maris' middle section. With the blow Maris was thrown backwards. He hit something hard and lost his balance.

Jenifer ran forward and joined the others. Dijon had fallen into the freezer. Perplexed Dijon struggled to get up. Steele pressed the cold steel blade to the neck of the Orion. Maris looked at him realizing he lost. "Kill me. I now have nothing to live for."

Arron smiled, Jenifer did not know that he could be so ruthless. "Not this time Maris." He brought the sword away from the Orion.

Dijon started to sit thinking he had actually won. With a flick of the finger Zorock activated the force field just as Dijon hit it with his head. Dijon fell back to a laying position. Jenifer laughed, "Oh you were right, it does look like love, and purity of heart won out. To bad it wasn't for your side. Your hell is about to freeze over." Zorock pressed another control. They watched as Dijon fought to keep moving. Soon he no longer could move so much as an eyelash.

Jenifer relaxed. Had she finally won? The only problem with that theory was he was still alive. He could still come back. For now though she was able to live and forget this entire event. She then remembered Admiral Steele. Arron could have killed Dijon he had the chance and did not take it. Dijon had killed his father, but Arron did not take out any revenge upon him. She couldn't understand it, she always believed that in order to get revenge for a death she had to kill. Obviously Arron didn't think the way she did.

Zorock reached for his communicator ready to beam aboard his ship. Arron grabbed his arm, Zorock was unmoved. "Do me a favor." Arron asked him. "Put a lock on this thing, it's too easy to break into."

"Done." He spoke into his communicator. "QIghpej, jol ylchu'" The Klingon ship beamed him aboard. Unfortunately along with him went the freezer, and Dijon Maris.

She shook her head. "Did I miss something?"

"Zorock, felt that he was entitled to payment for the freezer. Since he did not receive it he took the freezer back into his possession." Kormin explained.

"And was Dijon part of this bargain?"

"The unfortunate soul just got in the way. Zorock was quite intent on taking it back no matter what was in it." Arron smiled as if he had it all planned out.

Perhaps he did plan it out. She really didn't care. "Let's get out of here."

"Are you all right?" Arron was concerned about his friend.

"I'm fine, I just wish I could have been the one to get him in that damn thing." She was serious yet she was still in a good mood. It was the knowing that Dijon wouldn't be around for a long time.

"I'll take this ship to the Romulan government and have it confiscated." Kormin looked ready to leave.

Jenifer ran up to him and embraced him. "You've helped so much. Thank you for everything."

He enveloped her in the embrace. "Child you are so welcome." He held her out at arms length. "You take care of yourself, I don't want to come and save you again."

She coincided. "And you keep in touch, I don't want to only talk to you under these circumstances."

"Agreed." He backed away from her. "Until next time Sire Steele." He activated his own transporter and was gone.

Jenifer looked around them. "Well, it looks like it's just you and me. Here all alone." She walked slowly seductively. She took his hands in hers. "What do you purpose?"

With the threat gone the reality of his father's death came to pass and the reality of his love for her was long gone. "I purpose that we go home."

She released his hands easily. "Sounds good to me." She had tested him and found that he felt the same way she did now, better. "Wait, just one minute." From her side she produced her jagged knife. Twisting it in her hands she contemplated her past. Deciding that she did not need to be constantly reminded of her past she dropped it to the ground carelessly. She nodded to Arron. Now she was ready to go home.

Chapter 11

The trip home was a long one. They moved at warp three all the way, it took weeks. All the way, Jenifer helped out in engineering as an acting engineer. She also talked to Arron often. She spoke of her times with the Orions and of her son. In return he told her about his father, the drunken years after his mother's death. They never got so close to even kiss, they just enjoyed each other's company like friends.

She placed the cup of hot chocolate down on top of the table. "I talked to my father yesterday, he said they are already preparing a funeral."

Arron shook his head. "I don't want a big service."

"He deserves it Arron. Your father was a good man, he has earned all of Starfleet's highest in his years." She changed her tone slightly, trying to be respectful but still tell him the truth. "The admiralty wants to put some reason to his death."

Arron straightened. "He died at the hands of a mad man. The reason for his death was revenge. Maris wanted revenge on you and he took it out on my father, how much simpler can it be?"

"Actually, I was thinking more like saying, he died so we could live. He may not have done it directly, but he did. They checked out the bridge, he put up a fight and almost won. If he had won, then you wouldn't have had to go through the trouble of saving me." She realized now what it really would have done. "Of course that would have taken all the glory of capturing Maris off of you, wouldn't it?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You know I was fighting him to save lives. I had to do it. And if you hadn't interrupted I could very well have lost." He pointed out.

"Yes exactly." Arron didn't realize that he had made her point for her.

It hit him like a brick. His father only was doing what Starfleet had trained him to do. Arron would have ended up in the same place his father did if it wasn't for his friend. He suddenly felt the need to talk with his father. The last time he did his father was so happy, so alive. Arron remembered what he had said in his speech, about him being so much like his father. He realized now that it had always been true. Of course if he had taken on Maris alone he would be exactly like his father, dead.

Arron started to wonder what his father would have said to him right about now. He had just completed his first mission as a commander successfully. In fact Arron believed that there was no one else in his situation that would have handled it as he had. He was calm, cool, and collected, just like his father. Yes he knew what his dad would say right now. Something like, "Son, you're just like me. You handled that like a true Starfleet officer. You're the greatest, and should be very proud of yourself." Then of course he would add. "Here's your medal of honor, congratulations."

***

Two figures materialized on the main platform of Starfleet Head Quarters. Crowded into the room was a number of people. Among them was Admiral Jenkins, Admiral Nogura, four Starfleet cadets, i.e. the Integra Crew, and numerous press members trying to get yet another high class story out of Starfleet. Steele and Sandara were greeted by Nogura and Jenkins respectively. Admiral Nogura shook Steele's hand firmly, while Cory Jenkins enveloped his daughter in a big bear hug. She tried squirming away, protesting that it wasn't professional, at least not in front of the press.

As Jenifer went to greet the others, Nogura started speaking to the young Steele in a loud diplomatic voice. "Lieutenant commander Steele, Starfleet deeply regrets your loss and the loss of a superb Starfleet Admiral. According to your records Admiral Steele was engaged in battle defending his life at the time of death, indeed an honorable way to die.

"Also," The old admiral continued. "You acted bravely and correctly in the capture of the Orion pirate. Very few have treated a hostage situation as well as you did. Your ability to collaborate with the Romulans and the Klingons shows your great adaptability into command. Starfleet Command was correct in placing you in a command position, I believe that you will someday be among the best commanders in the fleet. A job well done and an excellent addition to your record."

Once Arron noted he was finished graciously he answered. "Thank you sir, I try to serve Starfleet to the best of my abilities." Inside he had other ideas of what to say, What? That's it? No medal, no promotion, no nothing? Nogura nodded and walked out. The admiral had done his job and was finished here, it looked as if he had more important things to do.

Jenkins was next to walk up to the young man. "If I had it my way, you would receive something other than a happy face on your record. Your father was a good man and my friend. You treated the situation well under the circumstances, much better than others would I'm sure." He glanced at his own daughter, she blushed slightly. He put a hand on Steele's shoulder. "You really are your father's son."

"So where's the party?" Jenifer interrupted mainly trying to lighten the mood and also to get her father's mind off of the way she had acted over the past few weeks. She realized that she could have acted differently when it came to the matters of the Orion's. She just wasn't really meant for command as the youthful commander was.

DeArra seemed upset. "How'd you know there was a party."

Jenifer smiled the all knowing smile. "Are you kidding, Stephanie's always throwing a party for any reason she can think of. She wouldn't pass up this opportunity."

"Yeah, and I bet there's a bunch of food there." Darian rushed for the door. On his way out he stopped to shake Arron's hand. "Good going sir, I knew you could do it."

Darian was out the door and Jason called after him. "Wait for me. If you get there first there won't be so much as a crumb for me."

"I'll see you at the party." Stephanie hugged Arron.

DeArra kissed him passionately, he did not struggle against her, it had been a long time since he had come to odds with himself over his love life. "I'm so glad you are all right." She told him quietly

"What ever made you think I wouldn't be." his arrogance protruded in his words slightly.

"Well, I don't know, the Maris Destroyer, a sword fight, killer Klingon's." She lowered her voice so no one else could hear. "A love affair." She raised it again but her voice was always smooth. "What ever could have lead me to believe it?" Arron's jaw fell flat on the floor and she closed it gently. "Don't worry, I understand these things happen. I forgive you." She kissed him again and walked out.

Now with the exception of the press, Jenifer and Arron were alone. Jenifer walked up to Arron. "I guess we should be going too."

"Yeah." Arron was still shocked from DeArra's perception, had she read him so easily? He knew he was linked to her a little, telepathically, but he didn't know that it was on that level.

He stopped on the way to the door. "Wait, listen, I know with all the commotion and stuff, you haven't gotten that much attention. I just want everyone to know that Jenifer Sandara here, did just as much as I did if not more in the rescue attempt for my father, and the capture of Dijon Maris. If no one else will say it, I will. Thank you very much Jenny." He could make speeches after all, and without knowing it he did a damn good job, it just has to be the right subject.

She blushed, it was her turn to not know what to say, which didn't come that often. He offered her his arm and she took it gratefully, they walked all the way arm in arm. He didn't really care if they were on the news or what everyone would think when they saw the three women adorning him. He didn't care, because they weren't they were his friends and nothing more, with the exception of DeArra. Well, for that matter he really couldn't say Stephanie was an exception, he was more than friends with her back in Kansas. Of course if he included Stephanie he had to include Jenifer with the recent events. On second thought, they were all really good close friends. That's all he cared about.

***

Several days later after the party, the funeral, and a surprising Medal of Valor ceremony for Lieutenant Commander Steele, and another party after that, Steele was tired and ready to go back to his ship. He had packed and said his good byes, he had even visited shortly his mother's and father's graves. It had saddened him, but he felt better now that he had said good-bye to them. Now he just wanted to go chart a system or run smugglers out of a system, something that wouldn't be as hectic as the past few days.

He was tired of being a diplomat, at the center of attention, that never bothered him before. He wondered why it was now, he always like having everyone around him admiring him and giving him praise. For some reason as of late it had been a burden. Perhaps Starfleet had changed him, and then again he could just be getting old.

What was he saying? He didn't think he was old, and he didn't believe he said that, did he? He looked over to the woman who was holding his hand. DeArra smiled at him. She knew what he was thinking, and somehow he knew what she was thinking. In a way they held a link, it wasn't very strong, but it was there and he enjoyed it.

The only other woman walking with him was Jenifer Sandara. She kept her distance and was quiet, she had no wish of interrupting them. She just wanted to see him off. He had saved her life and she was grateful. Even more than that, she felt closer to him, not lovingly, but friendly. She wanted him to know that she appreciates him, as a man who was destined to be a great captain.

They said good-bye, Jenifer never getting close enough for anything but a handshake, and DeArra as normal, giving him a long kiss good-bye. After all she didn't know when she would see him again.

"Don't worry, I'll keep in touch." He told her as if anticipating her question.

She smiled and allowed him to step up onto the platform. He nodded to the transporter chief. "Engage."

"He's the best isn't he?" DeArra asked.

"Yeah," Jenifer agreed as they watched Arron beam away. They both noticed how much he had not changed, and yet had. The one dominate feature they both recognized was how much he looked like his father. For a fleeting second they saw admiral bars on his shoulder and the wry grin of a young Starfleet officer who was headed for greatness.

***

"That was Arron Steele. He had overcome many obstacles in his few weeks as the commander of the Lightning. He is headed once more into deep space. One is left to wonder if these other fine young cadets will be allowed to team up with him again. Starfleet command had informed me that if his record keeps improving as it has he may soon have the choice of any crew in the fleet. It is even possible that he will follow in his father's footsteps and rise fast to the Admiralty." The face on the screen looked away from her note PADD and straight towards the screen. "This is Yilu reporting for the Universal News. Good night."

A large finger pressed a button to dim the screen. The Klingon stood from his throne in the great hall. He walked clear across the large room his heels hitting loudly on the floor with each step. When he reached the far wall he stood and examine the large rectangular box that stood upright against it. The Klingon laughed boisterously. It echoed through out the entire hall.

The figure inside the box was still, unable to move and react to being laughed at. The look in the figures eyes burned with fury as they did once he realized he was trapped in the box and as they will always. He was aware he was being laughed at, aware that the one who put him here was receiving a medal for it. He was aware that he had failed in his attempt for revenge. Most of all he knew that next time they would not be so lucky.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please send me any comments you might have, good or bad. Copyrighted 2008 by Christine Schnell. Go ahead and share it with others just keep my name with it.