The Starfleet Academy Adventures By: Christine Schnell

Retribution

Prolog

The Aqueous came into orbit around the Klingon colony Nictog. It had been years since the ship had seen it's rightful owner, and now it was time once again for him to comeback from the dead. The Klingon underground had done all the dirty work while the crew of the Aqueous provided them with time and money. And it took plenty of money to get the special cargo they required. Some rich unidentified man gave the lost crew of the Orion ship Aqueous the money to bring back their captain. But the origin of the money was not important. The fact of having the money was.

For much time the ship had gone wandering around the galaxy trying to find purpose. But with out its rightful owner it was lost. The Orion equivalent to the coat of arms had been removed from the ship. As must all when the person to whom it belongs is dead or merely gone from what they call life. Now though, the crew was preparing to put that coat of arms back upon the hull. It was the ship's marker and now it was back where it belonged.

Yet there still was a hole missing. The returning captain to this ship was not complete. He had a mission to carry out before he would ever be able to take total command of this ship and feel that he earned it. For years he had been planning what is to come. For years he has had plenty of time to think. For he had been immobilized.

The precious cargo was now being beamed aboard. It was time for the unveiling. A large rectangular object came to being on the platform. One Orion walked up to the object and turned on his scanner. He looked to another and nodded. The second Orion walked over to the cargo and placed a mechanical object on the side he then typed in several commands. He stepped back as a white cloud of vapor appeared signaling the regeneration process.

Out of the vapor a form appeared. It sat up slowly taking in the surroundings. He was reanimated. No longer would he have to lay unconscious and at the same time being conscious of his being. Now he was near filling that hole. All he had to do was wait a little longer and he could reek his revenge on the ones who put him in that hell. He stood. The other Orions gathered around him waiting. They were loyal, almost all were the same crew he had before he was put into the box. He looked around, there was one missing however. The one he had always depended on the most. But he did not expect to see him, for he had died the last time he encountered those worthless humans.

He stepped out of the box. He gave the order he had waited years to give. They were to replace his coat of arms back onto the hull where everyone could see. So that everyone could know that Dijon Maris is back and he is one step closer to his retribution.

Chapter 1

The Integra once again made its way through space. The obstacles in this area were considerably more abundant than had been anywhere else in the past few months of their journey. The asteroid belt between the two moons was very dense. The helmsman could handle it though. He was one of the best in the fleet. The vessel, traveling at one quarter impulse, maneuvered around several asteroids easily. They have been in the belt for not ten minutes and already they were half way through it.

Inside the mighty ship the captain, Arron Steele, sat watching as the skilled young man "drove" the ship through the debris of a long dead planet.

Their mission now was to patrol the area beyond the asteroid barrier for smugglers. All the planets in this area are rich in some mineral or another. The Federation hand claimed the planets not too long ago after chasing the Klingons through the area. Both the Federation and Klingons had reported that neither owned them. Nor could they find anyone who did. From there it was a race for the claim, whomever had the fastest vessels and reached the area first got the claim. Guess who had the fastest vessels.

Now the Integra found itself wandering about the Heria system, patrolling and other than being on the lookout, it was pretty well unoccupied with business. So the main bridge crew set out for some recreation. The crew had been ordered just to patrol, they were not a research vessel, therefore had no right in going down to any of the planets. So there it roamed. The orders did not however mention anything about hot dogging.

The pilot of the ship was a good one. He could fly the ship around any obstacle. At the moment with out the threat of any hostilities that pilot spun the ship around in a few impressive moves.

Inside the ship, the crew were mostly festive. Without the command of the Federation, far out in this area, they were free. Some wished to drink homemade brews others preferred the rec. room. But only one place would satisfy the captain of this ship. That one place was the bridge. He was born to command, and he made one hell of a commander too. What do you expect in a family whose had a long line to top Starfleet officers. And Captain Steele was not an exception to this rule.

The well built captain watched the viewscreen as the stars flew by, their streaks curving whenever the pilot turned the ship slightly. Besides the Captain, there were others who preferred the bridge to anywhere else on the ship. This list included the bright young Betazoid first officer. She was thin and tall, with black hair that cascaded halfway down her shoulder blades. She also watched the stars, while standing next to the man she had once hated, and grown to love and admire over the years. She looked down at him, his hair a light brown, reached the bottom of his neck. Not quite regulation, yet with his stature, his superiors seemed to look past it. As a young man he once had a round and soft face. As the years passed on and he gained more experience, his composure hardened on the outside, on the inside he was still young and care free, and as loving as always.

He looked up to his first officer and noticed that she was staring. He couldn't help but stare back. Her lovely features was the first thing he had noticed in her, though he wouldn't admit it to her. But beyond those luxurious curves he knew that she was hard set and determined to get what she wanted, in any situation. Her innocent blue gray eyes and high cheek bones were very deceiving.

He broke the contact between them and looked to the view screen. "Something on your mind, Commander?" Steele was always formal in front of his crew, no matter who he was talking to.

"No sir nothing at all." First officer Kiljian replied. "I was just, uh, admiring the view."

He nodded his head understandingly. "I bet you were." He said quietly only for her to hear.

She pretended she didn't hear him. "Sir?"

He waved it off. "Never mind."

***

Somewhere else in the ship there was laughter. It's source seemed to be in engineering. It died down after a few minutes, except for one boisterous laugh that sounded as if it was echoing through the entire ship. The laugh went on and on until someone silenced it. "It wasn't that funny Lyle."

Lyle, a pig nosed Teralite snorted one last time and looked to his commander in apology. The man was not full Teralite, he was also part Centurion, but that did not stop him from having the Teralite traits.

His commander on the other hand, who was Lt. Commander Jenifer Quintero, a.k.a. chief engineer. Laughed a little at the Teralite, who had seemed to regain his composure.

The engineering section seemed to be a little less stuffier than the bridge or for that matter, the rest of the ship. And so it had become a second home to many engineers on the ship. Part of the atmosphere was due to the chief who was quite the opposite of the Captain. She was a tad bit taller than the first officer, with longer red hair, that extended down to the small of her back. She always seemed to be relaxed, yet in control of her self and her surroundings. She was also, always, informal. She would use the first names of people, on or off duty, with the exception of superiors, whom she would only call them by their first name with permission. Furthermore she also hated giving orders, she would rather ask the person first, and order only if positively necessary.

She smiled once more at the Teralite. Then she looked down to the chronometer on the workstation in front of her. "Aren't you off duty, Lyle?"

"Yes, is it all right if I stay for a while, sir?" He asked mildly. She laughed as did others around her. "What did I say."

"You're new aren't you, kid?" A man called from one side of the engine room.

Jenifer threw him a look that told him to shut his mouth, and he did so. She then considered the short pig like man. "Don't pay any attention to that imbecile, he doesn't know a coil from a shaft." More laughter filled the room. The man in the back only bowed to his superior and waved his hand, indicating he was at her disposal. She then went back to talking with Lyle. "Sure you can stick around, just don't get into anybody's way, okay. Some of them have a tendency to be clumsy, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Lyle smiled in thanks and walked away when Jenifer made a shooing motion to him and the rest of the crew. They dispersed around the section and went back to their business. Then from behind her someone spoke. "Why don't you just shoot him and get it over with?"

"Who are you referring to?" Jenifer asked waving both her hands indicating the entire engineering section. "There's a lot of people here who deserve to be shot."

"You know who I'm talking about. Hank, every time you make a comment he talks back, then you make another comment. It's as if you two were competing to see who is the most sarcastic." He said still standing behind her.

"Eric, you know I love it. There's no way I would shoot someone who gives me a challenge. I need to out do him before I can ever shoot him." Now she did turn to see her second in command.

"Jenny, one of these days you are going to get yourself into trouble." He took her hand and looked into her eyes. "That's when I'm going to say 'I told you so.'"

She stood so she could look straight into his eyes. He was a few inches taller than she, but that didn't matter to her. "And as I've told you, I've already been through that part of my life, and it's all behind me now. All of my troubles are frozen, so to speak." She giggled softly.

"Frozen? I'm surprised you don't remember your basic physics. Everything that's frozen does have a tendency to thaw out eventually." He smiled despite what he had just said. It was a very serious matter, one she didn't like to talk about that much.

Her smile however faded. She looked down at their hands for a moment. She squeezed a little harder trying to draw on some of his energy. After a moment or so she looked back up and her smile had magically reappeared. "Maybe he will thaw out, but it won't be for a long time. In the meantime, you and I will be together, forever, I promise you." She couldn't help herself, a tear rolled out of her eye and down her cheek.

Eric brought her up against him and hugged her tight. "Don't worry, I know, we will be together. I won't let him take you away again." He held her and let her cry.

She got like this every once in a while, maybe once every few months and each time it came out of no where. She could be happy one moment and sad the next it was hard to tell what emotion Jenifer would let out next. It was long overdue. She had never truly recovered from that time long ago, and each time she cried she came a little bit closer to that recovery. After a few minutes she regained part of her composure. She looked into her husbands eyes. Slowly she asked, "When is all of this going to end?" He shook his head. He did not know, even if he did he would be unable to answer. She understood, she nodded and put her head back on his shoulder. Eric brushed over her hair with his hand, soothing her.

From a cross the room Hank glanced over his shoulder one last time and went back to work on his control board.

***

Stephanie sat in the rec. room staring at the 3D chess board. Chess wasn't her game. As a matter of fact she really wasn't into that many sports. Her thing was taking care of people, besides that she didn't have many hobbies. Of course there was that time many years ago, before the academy that she encounter the joy of sports. Come to think of it after a while she didn't enjoy it that well.

But she was here now. She moved one of her rooks up a level. Which resulted in her opponent capturing that rook and a knight and finally her king. Someone chuckled next to her. She looked over and found Jason Evian. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand. Across the way Darian crossed his arms across his chest confidently.

"Well, so much for that game. I think I will find something else that doesn't hurt my pride as much." Stephanie stood and walked over to a food replicator. She picked up a glass of water and walked back to her seat. "When did you learn how to play like that?"

"In my first year at the academy I had to learn so I could face German Swan and deprive him of his arrogance." Darian started.

"Who's German Swan?" Stephanie asked.

"He was this cc who really didn't give a care who he hurt." Jason explained for his friend.

Stephanie was confused at the unusual term that Jason had used. "What's a cc?"

Darian laughed. "I'm surprised you never heard the term before. It means 'computerized cranium,' or an annoying intelligent person."

Stephanie understood now. "Ah, kind of like Arron Steele." Everyone in the room laughed at this. She was glad to see that there were some people on this ship who laughed at her jokes, though it wasn't often that she told them.

"You know," Darian began more seriously. "I think someone should deprive Arron of at leas a little of his arrogance."

Stephanie contemplated that. "It's not very easy. I tried to do that many times when we were younger. It never worked."

"What if someone just confronted him on the situation?" Jason interjected.

"Okay." Darian said playfully. "You go up to his face and tell him that he is arrogant and annoying."

Jason sank in his seat. "On second thought, maybe not."

"I know. " Stephanie's face lit up like a light bulb. "Why don't you challenge him to a game of chess. As far as I know he's no better than I."

"You know I might just do that. There's only one problem, Arron might actually win, you don't know for sure that he's no good." Darian smiled.

Stephanie smiled as well. "Well, your right about that." Everyone laughed once again at Arron Steele's expense.

It was at that moment that the red alert siren chose to sound.

Chapter 2

"What the Hell is it? Engineering, what's going on?" Arron screamed over the siren.

Through the communicator a voice called back. "I have no idea as of yet, give me a few moments, it surprised me as much as it surprised you." Over the channel the bridge could hear the chief giving orders. "Lyle, get that coolant over to the matter antimatter intersection, Eric what's the reading on the core temperature?"

"Normal." Answered Eric over the unit.

"Good, check the ... Whoa! Coolant leak get out of here! Evacuate now." She paused for a moment. Arron figured she was directing traffic. "Bridge, we've got a coolant leak. I have to control it manually, no time to talk. Quintero out."

Steele looked over to his first officer who was now at a console monitoring the situation. "Were we fired upon?"

Kiljian shook her head as she looked at her screen, "We have no external damage, yet we are receiving damage reports from all over the inside of the ship. However the bulk of the reports are coming from decks 12 through 15 sections j and k, the areas closest to engineering."

"Sir, our course has changed." Jason Evian sounded very disturbed. While the captain was distracted by his engineer's report Setek and Evian had arrived on the bridge and manned their post. "We're heading straight for the asteroid belt!"

"Can you change course?"

"Sorry sir, the engines are not responding."

"Quintero, I need those engines or we'll be Swiss cheese." Steele called out to engineering. Something unusual then occurred, he received no answer. His engineer always gave him an answer if it was even a short acknowledgment that he had said something. He pounded the switch worriedly. "Engineering report!"

"Sir." Kiljian turned to face the captain, "All communications are out throughout the ship. Should I send someone to get a report in person?"

Arron Steele considered it. It would be risky to send someone down there without knowing the situation, but on the other hand they had to know what was going on. "Yes, you go, take a personal communicator with you so you can give me your report from there."

"Yes sir." Kiljian opened a storage locker grabbed a communicator and ran out the door.

***

"Where the hell is Hank?" Jenifer Quintero searched the crowded hallway but could not see him.

"He was stabilizing the matter flow down in jefferies tube nine, the last I knew." One of the engineers said from inside the crowd, she recognized his voice, it was distinct because it sounded to her like he was talking with a mouth full of cotton balls, Greg Amini.

The chief engineer looked around quickly at the people she had. "Lyle, go find Hank help him stabilize the matter flow and then get back here, we don't need the both of you in there if there is an explosion."

Lyle nodded then went half waddling half running down the corridor. Jenifer turned to Eric. "Assign six good people life-suits, we're going to go in there and turn off the coolant valves."

"We? As in you?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do. You could get hurt Jenny, I won't let you go in there."

"Tough." Her mind was set and no one could change it. "I gave you an order, now follow it."

Eric looked at her a moment then decided his set of actions. He turned and got eight life-suits, he handed them out and kept two for himself and Jenifer. When everyone was suited up they cleared the hallway except for those that were going to attempt the manual shut down.

"Wait a moment." Just as Jenifer had put her hand on the door control her first officer walked up. "I need a report, the ship has set course for the asteroid belt and helm has no control over the engines."

"Jenny, it must be due to the matter flow. There's too much matter and it must be freezing up the engines." Eric interjected.

Jenifer nodded her head and addressed DeArra. "Go back to the sheltered area with the rest of the section, have someone go and help Hank and Lyle in jeffries tube nine. We'll try and help out with the flow as much as we can from inside. As soon as we have everything stable we'll shut down the engines. I just hope we will be in time."

DeArra took off down the hall in the direction she came once she was safely beyond their temporary force field Jenifer opened the door. A gush of white air blew passed them and they forced their way through. Each of their personal life-suits acted as a forcefield and kept the coolant away from their bodies. They were protected, for now.

***

DeArra ran with Greg Amini towards the jeffries tube. She had already reported to the bridge and got the okay from Steele to accompany the crewman. She had also (approved) them of the problem with the matter antimatter ratio. He seemed worried but knew Jenifer would pull through.

She wondered how exactly Jenifer would pull it off. DeArra really didn't know much about engines or about how the matter and antimatter worked to make the engines go without blowing up. At the moment, that was not important. She had a job to do. They rounded the corner and saw a horrible sight. One crew man was pulling another by the arms. When he heard the two approaching he dropped the still form to the ground. "Commander." He said astonished.

"Why haven't you called sickbay?" DeArra asked like any ordinary concerned commander running faster to the side of the fallen man.

"W-W-We just barely got out of there in time." He stuttered.

"We? You don't even look scratched."

He paused for a moment thinking. "You know what I mean commander. It was hard to get him out of there . Unfortunately he received most of the blast."

DeArra Kiljian nodded, semi-understanding. And pulled out her communicator, "Kiljian to sickbay, we have an emergency, an injured man down on level 14 section J."

"I'll send a team as soon as I can." Stephanie Koval answered.

DeArra motioned to the crewman who had accompanied her. "Go get a first-aid kit from a storage unit, we've got to do what we can before the team gets here."

Amini moved off around the corner to go fetch the kit. Meanwhile Hank stood there looking over DeArra. She looked back up at him. "Don't just stand there staring, do something."

He still stood there staring as if he were frozen. "I'm sorry commander, I don't know how to help, I just don't know."

"Didn't you take any first aid classes at the academy?"

"Yes, but..."

"But nothing, you should know, now get your butt down here and help." Amini had returned and was handing her the kit as he kneeled down besides her. DeArra pressed a pain reliever against his arm as the Greg elevated Lyle's legs and covered him with a blanked to keep him from going into shock.

Hank remained standing there watching them care for Lyle even as the med-team approached he stood there and watched and did nothing as if he had grown roots and they have bound him indefinitely to the deck. The med-team came and left along with DeArra and the crew member and Hank stood there, as soon as he was sure they had left from his sight he smiled and moved down the hall.

***

"Is that the last of it?" Jenifer looked to the seven other engineers in the core area of engineering.

"Yes sir." Answered one crewman. "We were able to stabilize the matter antimatter flow and shut down the engines, however, we detected a small explosion in the intersection of jeffries tube nine and sixteen."

"Do you know if Hank and Lyle were still in there?"

"No sir, we didn't detect any life forms whatsoever."

"Good." She turned to face Eric. "What about the coolant leak."

He answered swiftly. "We were able to confine it easily."

Jenifer smiled. "Excellent. We have also cleaned up all the radiation caused by the coolant leak. The computer has confirmed that it is all right to breath freely." To show this she turned off her life-suit first. She stood there for a few seconds breathing the air as if it were brand knew to her. The recycled air in the life-suits seemed to get stale awful fast. "Let's open up the doors."

She walked over to the doors and as soon as she opened them one of her engineers greeted her there. She was startled at first but recovered quickly. "Jenifer." Greg seemed out of breath. He took hold of her arm and started pulling her out the door. "Sickbay...Lyle...explosion..."

Jenifer stopped him and relieved her arm from his hand. "Whoa there. What's wrong and go slowly this time."

He stood for a half a second caught his breath and started over. "There was explosion in jeffries tube nine. Lyle received most of it, DeArra and I took him to sickbay. Unfortunately Hank didn't help at all."

"Was Hank hurt?" She asked concerned.

"No. I think I should add that all he did was stand there while we attended to Lyle. Doctor Koval wanted you to come down to sickbay immediately." Greg gestured toward the turbolift.

Jenifer took the cue and started walking. Eric soon caught up and asked her what was wrong. "Lyle's been hurt." That was all she said. Eric knew and liked Lyle so that was all he needed to know. When they reached sickbay it was as if it had turned into a museum, the entire place was silent with absolutely no movement whatsoever. The engineer lead her toward where Lyle lay motionless with Stephanie and DeArra standing over him.

It seemed like no one was breathing, even Lyle. Jenifer slowly approached not wishing she was there to see this. There before her, Lyle's pig face was almost unrecognizable due to the blast. His chest never rose, a chill ran down her spine as she realized the impossible. Jenifer looked up to Stephanie and then to DeArra, softly Stephanie whispered her regrets. "I'm sorry, we were just too late."

Jenifer pursed her lips and leaned up against the table as a wave of nausea washed over her. She felt a hand rest on her back. She realized without looking it was Eric. She moved away and let her back look upon the others. For a minute or two she stood there in silence. Jenifer may not have known Lyle long but he was a good man, she liked him. He was bright, funny, and a good worker. How could he die, how could he die?!

She turned back towards the group. Eric had a tear in his eye but was not allowing it to fall. Unlike Jenifer, several wet streaks marked where tears have already fallen. She summoned up the will to speak. "I will notify his family personally, he died because I sent him there, it is the least I could do."

She started out the door when Stephanie stopped her. "Jenifer, there is something else."

Jenifer swiveled and almost spatted out her answer. "What?"

Stephanie motioned her back toward the table. Pulling back the blanket over Lyle's chest revealed and even bloodier mess. Jenifer did not care to look but if Stephanie insisted she would, she'd do it. She looked but saw nothing out of the ordinary for an explosion of this type. She faced Stephanie, "So?"

Stephanie carefully fingered several scars across his chest. "Do you recognize these."

Jenifer leaned over to get a closer look and traced over the scars herself. "These look like knife wounds." She looked again at Stephanie, her eyes questioned her to see if she was correct.

"Yes they are. Unfortunately we know that Hank was the last person with him." Stephanie put in.

DeArra interrupted her. "It is possible however that someone else had killed him and Hank found him that way."

Amini corrected her. "If someone else did this to him then he wouldn't have been able to be standing there for the explosion."

Jenifer stood in thought. "How long between the time of the explosion and the time you intercepted him in the hallway."

DeArra responded quickly. "It couldn't be more than five minutes."

"Which could have been enough time for Hank or someone to finish him off if the explosion did not kill him." Jenifer observed.

"What if someone did try, or did kill him before the explosion." Eric began.

Stephanie continued for him. "Yet his scars indicate that he was standing, facing, the explosion. It is possible that someone or something could have been holding him up if they knew the explosion was coming." After a half a second she added, "Or, if he himself caused the explosion."

Jenifer frowned deep into thought. "We must find the knife first off."

"And if the suspect has disposed of it?" DeArra asked.

Jenifer took one last look at the scars. "I don't think so. Orions hold their knifes as sacred objects."

"Orions." DeArra was astonished. "Since when did the Orions come into the picture?"

Jenifer pointed at the scars. "Since Those scars bear a remarkable resemblance to a popular Orion knife known as the Ulo. Leaves a scar that can be identified easily. See the small zigzag near the end of the wound." Jenifer pointed toward the small z shaped pattern at the end of the scar. "That is characteristic of this knife. Now either Hank, or whoever is the killer, is Orion, or they have good connections. These knives are only sold to Orions within the Orion trading center. It is unusual for non-Orions to carry them."

DeArra did not want to hear this. It was not what she needed. She did not want a traitor on her ship, especially one that she knew that one of her crew members would try to get vengeance upon. "I must talk to the captain about this."

"Aren't you going to question him?" Jenifer stepped in her way as she started to walk out of sickbay.

"I will wait until I hear from the captain." She then stepped passed Jenifer, Jenifer made a grunting, cursing sound and walked back to Lyle. DeArra only stopped on her way out to talk to Eric quietly. "Watch her. I'm trusting you to keep her out of trouble." He nodded and she left.

Chapter 3

Arron sat on the bridge. He had yet to hear any reports on the engines from either Kiljian or Quintero. What could be going on down there? Were they going to blow up at any second? Or were the engines fixed? Setek did inform him that the engines were now off line, but what did that mean? He was ready to walk down there and find out for himself. He stood straightened his beret and entered the turbolift. The turbolift stopped on the way to engineering. Who to enter but his first officer. She straightened as she saw him standing there. "Sir, I was just on my way to see you."

"And I you commander. You have something to report I hope." He was business as usual.

"Yes sir." DeArra reported. "The engines have been repaired and ready for your use. The problem was the coolant pressure was too high and the containment field was not enough to hold it. The coolant pressure was set back to normal and the field was stabilized. There was also an error in the matter antimatter ratio, that was fixed easily by regulating the matter. However there was one casualty. Ensign Lyle Youk. He was killed in an explosion in jeffries tube nine caused by the off balance of the ratio. There is a problem, Doctor Koval also found several knife wounds. Commander Quintero recognized them as Orion and Hank Williams was the last person known to be with the Ensign."

"I see." The captain considered it. "Have you taken any actions against Mr. Williams?"

"No sir. I was waiting for your word on the matter."

Arron thought about it for a moment. "Let's go to sickbay, then I want to examine Jefrries tube nine and engineering. If someone else is involved I want to know about it." He walked off straight to sickbay.

Once they arrived it was silent, but the feeling was not the same as it was before. Now everyone had departed and Lyle's body was no longer on the bed, he was more than likely moved to a stasis unit in the morgue. He looked around and walked straight into the doctors office. Stephanie was there presumably making out a report on the past events. Arron cleared his voice to get Stephanie's attention. She looked up and nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Is it possible to see Ensign Youk?"

"If you like, I can have Nurse Flob to escort you. I'm sorry I can't, I have to finish up this report." Stephanie said without raising her head.

When Arron turned around Nurse Flob was there waiting for him. He was unaware that Stephanie had even called for him, but he was there nonetheless. Both DeArra and Arron followed him to the stasis chamber and saw a single casket there. The nurse left them there alone. Arron walked up to the casket and put his hand on it, trying to pull something, anything from the lifeless form. DeArra looked upon them, she noticed that Doctor Koval was able to clean up Lyle's appearance where he was recognizable, yet he still had many scars. Arron on the other hand looked horrible. He had lost few people under his command and each time it was hard for him. "I do not like this." Arron looked up to DeArra. "This has the feeling of something bad. Why would someone kill an ensign, he was not important. There must be something else involved." He stopped took one last look at the ensign. "We'll have his funeral services tomorrow at eighteen hundred hours. For now lets get down to engineering."

***

"Boy is it ever smoldering in there. I don't see how he was kept in one piece." Greg Amini leaned in half way in the tube.

Jenifer and Eric had already climbed inside tricorders in hand. "He was more than likely at the end of the tunnel furthest away from the blast. Especially if someone was holding him up, he wouldn't want to be where the blast was exactly, otherwise he would have gotten it too."

"Why are you so insistent that it was Hank that killed Lyle." Eric asked climbing after her toward the center of the blast.

"You saw the scars, you know that Hank was the last person with him. It has to be him, if only the captain would let me go and find the knife in his cabin I could prove it." Jenifer finally reached the broken metal where the explosion had occurred. She scanned the surface of the metal. "Fifty-five square centimeters of Nitronium, and only six square centimeters of duranium. This is strange, I would expect more then six." She paused for a moment scanning. "Well, well, well. Look here." She reached in behind the metal slab and picked up a small device. "A detonator. This obviously wasn't an accident, and it's my bet that neither was the coolant leak." She scanned further. "Yep, I'm finding traces that this thing was hooked up to the core, defiantly sabotage. I bet Hank was the one that caused the error in the ratio in the first place. I've got to tell the captain."

"Tell the captain what?" Steele's voice boomed and echoed across the metal walls around them.

"Sir, we've been sabotaged. Eric, back out of here please." They climbed out of the tube and Jenifer sat on the end of the tube handing Steele the detonator. "I have to tell you I believe it's Hank Williams."

"Because he was the last one in this tube?"

"No sir, because he's the only one other than Eric and myself that knows enough about engineering to design that type of detonator. It is electromagnetically coupled to the engine core, which means that it does not require a second detonator to be hooked up at the sight of the explosion. This one could have been detonated from the bridge and would still work."

Eric looked at her strangely. "Then why was it hidden behind the wall?"

Jenifer shrugged. "I guess he wanted it to be destroyed in the blast, but because of the angle of the explosion the wall was able to protect it very well. It's down but not out."

Arron looked over the detonator carefully. It was beaten up. As he looked closer he noticed a small discoloration, he couldn't tell what it was but he knew someone who could. "Mr. Kiljian, take this down to Dr. Koval, I want her to do a run on this stain." DeArra took it and walked off without a word. Arron then turned to Eric. "Mr. Quintero, if you will excuse us I would like to talk to my chief engineer in private."

Eric took hold of Jenifer's hand as if he did not wish to leave her in her present state of mind. He smiled at her and walked slowly back to engineering. Jenifer remained seated waiting for the captain to speak.

Arron sighed and leaned his back against the bulkhead his beret moved forward making him look as if he had just come back from a battle and was determined to destroy the enemy. There was no enemy however, at least not physical ones. "Jenifer, I know what you are thinking. With the accidents in engineering and Lyle's death, and all. I can assure you that Dijon is not and can not be behind this. The Klingons are keeping him well guarded, there is no way that he could be free and organizing this. It could be all of these things are coincidence. It is possible that someone is trying to sabotage the ship, but they are not necessarily Orion or Hank Williams. Until we get more proof I want you to go on about your business. I also want you to treat Mr. Williams as normal, he may be a suspect but he is not condemned yet. Is that understood?"

Jenifer had lowered her head about halfway through his speech more in thought than in shame. Quietly she answered him. "Yes sir."

"Now, get back on the job, I need you in there to make sure nothing else like this happens again."

She stood. There was no ordinary smile that came with her when she was to attend to her engines. She was not as care free as she was a mere few hours ago. She had changed. It wasn't the first time he had seen her like this, she was this way when ever the subject of the Orions came up, it is as if whenever that word was mentioned she got nostalgic, but not in a good way. She walked away out of his sight.

***

Stephanie had called Arron to sickbay ten minutes ago and he still wasn't there. She knew he took his time going places but this was getting ridiculous. She had important information here that she didn't think she could hold in much longer. The doors to sickbay finally, finally, opened and thank god it was Arron. She waved him over to her office. Once he reached the door way she started out not wanting to wait another second. "You remember that stain on the detonator? It was a blood stain, and no ordinary blood stain at that. It is copper based blood. Since we have a few species with copper based blood on the ship I did further research into the blood and I came up with the DNA pattern of one person, would you like to guess who that is?" Stephanie smiled, she was happy that they finally got to the bottom of this mystery, but getting the murder into custody would be an entirely different matter.

Chapter 4

Jenifer signed the report off reluctantly that Hank had given her. She handed it back to him. As she did so she noticed something strange. He had a cut on his finger. It was so small that normally she would not notice it but she did now. She started to wonder why he had not taken care of it with a suture. She stopped him for a moment. "Hank where did you get that cut?"

"What cut? Oh, the one on my finger. I, uh," He stumbled for a moment as if he was looking up an excuse. "I was working at a console and I scraped it against the edge of the table."

Jenifer thought about the truth of his words. "I don't think so. These tables are designed not to inflict injuries of that sort. Tell me truthfully this time where did you get that scar?"

He did not pause this time. "I got it from the explosion. A metal fragment came out and hit me."

Jenifer shook her head. "Try again, please."

He stared at her in disbelief, for some reason Jenifer was not buying a word he said. "Why do you look at me like that commander? What I say is true."

"Then why wasn't that your first response?"

He looked to the report as if examining it for help in answering her questions. He looked back up at her with a different expression on his face. His eyes were lit with fire and his jaw was clenched. "All right commander, you want the truth. You've got it. I am Orion and I have been sent by Dijon Maris to kill you."

He saw now a change in Jenifer, one of determination and hate. She moved forward. Out of the blue he threw the notepad at her and ran off down the hall. Without a seconds thought she ran after him. He ran off into the main engine room and did a U-turn around the main work table and stopped on the opposite side of it. Jenifer stopped as well knowing that if she chased him from here it would be useless. "If you are Orion you would stand and fight me."

A crowd had started to form around them, no one wanting to interfere for fear of getting hurt, yet they knew they had to do something. In the back ground the sound of someone calling security could be heard. Hank ignored the happenings around him and responded to his former commander. "Who said I'm not ready for a fight?"

With that remark Jenifer leaped over the table and onto her opponent. He was unprepared for that attack and nearly fell over. He recovered quickly and threw her off of him. She hit the bulkhead with the thud but came charging back at Hank. Hank blocked her fist and pounded her in the stomach with his own. She came back with a fist in his face and a kick to his groin immediately there after. He swatted at her with a double fist , but she ducked in time while knocking him off his feet with her leg. She got down on her knees to hold him down. He reached up and grabbed her by the throat. She struggled at first trying to pull his hands away from her but his grasp only tightened. Finally she did only what was her last result. She smashed her fist into his face causing his head to bounce off of the floor. She knew that with the blow directed as it was it would cause at the least a small concussion. As she had predicted it did. His hands fell away from her throat and his entire body went limp.

She stood up and rubbed her throat. She did not notice that security had already shown up and taken Hank out of the room. Nor had she noticed that the room has emptied out and only one person remained. The man cleared his thought and she looked up to confront her captain. "Sir." She straightened her throat still a little scratchy.

"I thought I had told you to lay off of him. I should have had security take you too." Arron looked her straight in the eyes.

"But sir." She protested. "He had confessed to me."

"Yes and if it wasn't for that fact and for the fact that Dr. Koval found his blood on the detonator I would have had security confine you in the brig. I say you lucked out this time."

Jenifer was ashamed, she knew she shouldn't have acted in this manner, yet she could think of no better way to resolve the situation. "Sir, I have a question."

"Go ahead." He looked upon her sympathetically, she was having a hard time controlling her emotions and he now understood why.

"The blood sample that Stephanie had found was it..." She didn't want to ask she didn't want to hear that what Hank had said was true.

He gave her the answer even though he knew that she didn't want to know. "He is Orion."

"Oh great." Her legs fell out from underneath her and she slid to the ground. "That means Dijon did send him."

"You don't know that for sure." Arron knelt down besides her and tried to comfort her. "He could be on a mission to just generally get information and destroy our forces. We will know for sure when we question him. You could be there when we do, if you like."

"I don't know Arron. I mean this guy is not only our enemy he's mine too. Aren't you afraid I might kill him." Normally Steele would just take that as another sarcastic remark, but this time she seemed serious.

"Jenifer please, there will be security officers there." He smiled hopping it would be contagious, it was.

"I guess so." She smiled softly looking up as if she were looking straight through him.

Arron looked behind him and found Eric standing there waiting for Jenifer. "All right I'll call you when were ready to question him." Arron stood looked at Eric then walked out passed him.

Jenifer stood with the help of Eric and looked toward where the captain had walked out. "You didn't have to go and make those faces behind his back you know." She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks anyway."

***

Arron stared in the man's eyes, the man did not cower away, he sat there not answering any questions the captain put to him. Arron on the other hand was ready to strangle the Orion. The Orion more than likely wouldn't mind since he was willing to die, the guards had to wrestle a Tellarian poison chip away from him.

Behind Arron Steele and the guards Jenifer Quintero stood watching over the whole event. She knew Steele's approach was all wrong , she would interrupt but she had an agreement with the captain that she would not get involved. Now he was looking to her, he had turned his back on their prisoner and was in need of help. He walked over to her and whispered so only he and she could hear their conversation. "Jenny, this isn't going the way I expected, can you help out here."

"But you said you didn't need help." She stood leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Jenifer, please, don't make me beg."

"You know full well I love it when you beg." Jenifer kidded him and walked over to the shield. She pulled up a chair and straddled it. She stared at her former engineer and he stared back. Finally she spoke. "Negle birn Olaf?" It was strange to speak the language again.

"Bolgla puca." The Orion did not seem happy.

Arron leaned over Jenifer's shoulder and asked. "What's going on?"

She translated for him. "I asked him what his real name was and he told me to go to hell."

"Sounds like you're doing as good as I was." Arron complained.

"Give me a minute will you." Jenifer turned away from her captain and faced the Orion once again. "Mira Lobirn from Maris nom lack?"

"Pos une yas."

"What now?" Arron asked.

Jenifer was getting annoyed, he kept on interrupting after each little conversation she had with him. "I asked him what his connection with Maris was, he said he never heard of him."

"Jenifer I need to know why he sabotaged us. I know Maris is important to you but it isn't as important as this ship."

"All right." She turned once again to the Orion. "pic Thell Wen bull wiff Vas io qes." The Orion was silent for a second and Jenifer urged him on. "Cex Ipu."

The Orion looked at her and stared and stared. He seemed unsure of himself. He stared into her eyes once again. "Id hana warner Os Don."

Jenifer smiled and stood up. Without waiting for Arron to ask what was up she filled him in. "He said that he doesn't know exactly who his employer is but he said we can find them in the Antaris sector."

Arron was suspicious. "He said all that in that short sentence."

"Well, in their language few words say a lot." She said that and walked out.

***

Jason set down the coffee cup and sat across the table from Stephanie, Darian and DeArra. "So what do you think is really going on? Is it some kind of conspiracy or something?"

"Well, I did find Hank Williams blood on the detonator. Arron and Jenifer are interrogating him now." Stephanie told him. "I think there was some ulterior motive but don't ask me what."

"Isn't Hank Orion?" DeArra asked recalling the personal record of Williams that she had read recently, when this all came up.

"He is?" Darian seemed surprised.

Stephanie confirmed it. "Yes, he was born Orion but was brought up human. He was orphaned when an Orion colony was attacked by Klingons, the Federation came in and picked up the pieces."

"How do you know so much about him?" DeArra was curious.

"Well, someone had to figure out why he had Orion blood in him. I did that research when he first came on the ship." Stephanie confessed. "I never thought he would be a traitor."

"Maybe he isn't maybe someone framed him." Darian defended the Orion. He had only talked to him a few times but Hank had seemed okay to him.

"Darian there's every shred of proof toward him, I don't see how anyone else could have possibly killed Lyle." Jason sounded as if he were a prosecutor trying to prove his case. "The blood on the detonator just tops the cake, and I know that when they search his cabin they'll find the knife, probably sitting out in plain sight."

"I kind of hope he's innocent. He seems like a nice guy." DeArra also defended him.

Stephanie turned to confront her. "You know it's possible that he wanted to blow up the entire ship just not the jeffries tube. You personally should know how Orions are, you've dealt with them, one moment they're nice and sweet and the next they're stabbing a knife in your back, or your chest what ever the case may be."

"But he was in the same corridor, you would think he wouldn't risk himself to kill someone else." Darian stood up for what he believed in.

"If you will recall, Darian, he didn't have a scratch except for the one on his finger which he cut on the detonator." Jason too stood up for what he believed in.

"Then maybe he wasn't anywhere near the explosion and couldn't have set it off."

"He could have had a remote control to trigger the detonator."

DeArra quieted them. "We will find out all those answers when they search his cabin. We may even find out right now, here comes Arron."

Arron walked in and stood, he seemed to have no intention of sitting down for conversation. "I thought I would inform you of the out come of the interrogation. All we were able to get from him is that his employers are hiding out in the Anteries sector. As soon as possible I would like you to set a course, we will search every habitable and inhabitable rock until we find who sent him, no other matter will take priority over this. That is all." He walked out not allowing questions which they were full of.

DeArra looked at her friends around the table. "You heard the captain, let's get to work."

Jason drained his cup of coffee and followed the others out. He however did not go to the bridge, he had already put in two full straight shifts and was ready for at least a short nap before he went back up to the bridge. He was on his way to his cabin when he noticed a couple guards standing in front of the entrance to a cabin. He stopped to inspect the unusual sight and noticed it was Hank Williams cabin. They were probably in the middle of the search, that would explain the guards. Jason continued on his way.

Chapter 5

Jenifer walked into the empty cabin. It was eerie in a way, it seemed almost like home and yet it was alien. She couldn't believe that this man could act as he did in engineering and still live like an Orion in private. She seriously doubted that he had many visitors, otherwise she probably would have been prepared for this atmosphere.

The walls were bare but the desk and table tops were filled with alien artifacts and nicknacs from around the universe. She knew she would have a hard time trying to search the room for anything important like a knife. She was willing to spend hours in here if need be. However the need not be, for in his bedroom there on the nightstand next to the bed sat three lonely boxes. She picked up the largest of the boxes only because she believed she knew what was in it. She was right. In the padded box was the freshly polished knife, it seemed he wished to get rid of the blood which would incriminate him, he however didn't predict anyone identifying the knife wounds in the first place. Jenifer examined the knife closely and believed that with careful analysis Stephanie wouldn't have any trouble finding small bits of Lyle's DNA left from the blood, on the knife. She also noticed the handle of the knife it had an insignia on it, one very familiar to her, and one that confirmed what Hank had told her in the brig. She placed it neatly back in its box and went on to the next one.

She picked up the second box, it however was a box in itself it was some sort of controlling device. Unsure of it's purpose she put it down for later examination when she had some equipment to analyze it. Lastly she picked up the other box this one too opened to show a solitary communications tape. Curious she placed it in the wall viewer right there by the bed and watched as a face appeared on the screen.

"Hello Jen." The voice went right along with the face. It was Dijon Maris and if this tape was showing now it meant that he was free and on the rampage once again. "If you are watching this now that could only mean that you know about Jua Rise, you may know him better as Hank Williams. Yes he was sent by my men to watch over you until I was able to escape the imprisonment you put me into, and don't think I have forgiven you. I am glad however that he has not killed you, I made it clear to all my people that the pleasure of seeing you dead was mine and mine alone. So until then." He puckered his milky green lips and blew a kiss out toward the screen to her. "I will see you soon my love." His face stayed on the screen for a few seconds more and then the screen was shattered and sparks flew as a knife pierced the glass. Dijon's face was split into a million pieces on the screen and then blinked off.

***

Jenifer walked into her own cabin. It was a bit more comfortable, it had an almost soothing effect on her, she calmed down slightly as she walked in the door. Eric was no where within the front part of the cabin and she had no wish to go searching for him. She just laid herself down on the couch and closed her eyes. A sweet smell came rushing through the cabin. She opened her eyes to see the origin of the delicious smell and saw Eric entering the room with a tray of cookies in his arms. He set the tray down on the table in front of the couch while she moved to make room for him. He sat handing her a peanut butter cookie. "So, did you find anything interesting in Hanks quarters?"

"Yes, very interesting." She took a bite out of the cookie then her eyes lit up and she sat straight. "Damn, I forgot the controller. I went out of there in such a rage I forgot to pick it up."

"What controller? Wait, why did you leave in such a rage?" Neither of his questions were answered she was already racing out the door and down the hall. She wanted to get a hold of the controller before security did, as well as the tape, they would allow suspicion to enter Captain Steele's head before she wanted him to know of the connection between Hank and Dijon. The controller was of less importance, she just wanted to know exactly what it's purpose was. She reached the cabin but found that she was not in time. Arron had just walked out of the cabin with a couple other personnel each holding a box. Arron was not holding a box but a singular chip which looked too much like the tape of Dijon's message. He looked at her his eyes flaring. He was angry and she could tell, she wanted to run form there, but run to where, there was no where to run. She had to confront him.

"Jenifer, I believe you have some explaining to do."

She put on her best confused look. "What in heaven's name do you mean?"

"I mean, this tape from Maris, the knife in the viewer, and you lying about the connection between Williams and Maris." Arron shoved the tape in her face as he spoke.

Jenifer knew she was in for it so she had better confess, perhaps her punishment would not be so server if she did. "All right, I did lie. When I talked to Hank earlier he had told me that he was working for Maris. I'm sorry, but I knew that if you knew Maris was behind this you wouldn't go after him."

"Damned right I wouldn't have. As a matter of fact shortly we will be turning the ship around, I'm not going to jeopardize this crew so you can get revenge on an enemy of yours. Besides, didn't you even think this could be a trap. Maybe Hank wanted to get caught so he could lead you straight into Maris' hands. You were willing to endanger this ship just for the sake of revenge and you withheld vital information, Jenifer I'm very disappointed in you."

Jenifer was so taken aback by Arron's tone of voice she had unknowingly backed herself in a corner against the bulkhead and he was still right in her face. He too seemed to notice that she had backed away. He looked at her considering his choices. He could either forget this all happened or he could turn her and Williams into the authorities. His heart told him to forget it but his Starfleet training told him otherwise. "You are relieved of duty and restricted to quarters until further notice." He stepped back to give her room to walk. She lowered her head and started to walk back in the direction of her cabin. Arron knew her as a proud woman, but he had shattered all that. She now had truly lost her fight against Dijon Maris, all the fight in her was gone.

***

Arron walked onto the bridge and greeted his first officer. "Change course heading 769.3 mark 11 and maintain current speed."

"Aye sir. " DeArra related the order to the helmsman.

At the same time Arron called out over the intercom. "Lieutenant Quintero please report to the bridge."

"What's going on?" DeArra usually didn't question his orders, but with the course change all of a sudden and now he was calling Eric to the bridge and not Jenifer, she believed she had a right to know what was up.

He sat in his command chair and lowered his voice only so DeArra could hear him. "Williams was working for Maris, he had told Jenifer where Maris is hiding out." He sighed remembering the look on Jenifer's face. "She lied to me about it, I thought we were going after someone else other than Maris. She then entered Williams cabin without permission, she discovered a message from Maris directed to her, and she put the incriminating knife through the screen she was watching it on. I met her on my way out of the cabin and I can only assume she was coming back to destroy the tape."

"So you relieved her of duty." DeArra knew him well.

"Yes, wouldn't you?" There was a bit of remorse in his voice.

"Of course I would. Witholding information in itself is considered mutiny, she could be court-martialed for it." DeArra said, she felt bad about saying it but it was the truth. She then tried to justify his actions for him. "No matter how close a person is to you, if they do something wrong, you have to do something about it, you can't let them get away with doing something that's not right. That in itself would be wrong."

"Then why do I feel so bad about it." Arron asked.

"Because she's your friend." DeArra put her hand on his, he squeezed it.

At this time Eric Quintero came walking onto the bridge. DeArra saw him and moved off so Arron could speak with him in private. Arron, however, did not whisper this time. He spoke in a voice not loud but loud enough so everyone could hear. "Mr. Quintero as of this time you are now acting chief engineer with all the duties and responsibilities of that rank. Please return to engineering now and make any adjustments you may need."

Eric was confused, but he knew orders when he heard them. "Aye sir."

***

Jenifer tapped her finger on the PADD out of boredom. This was worse than just being relieved of duty, she was cut off from everyone and everything. Even the computer wasn't cooperating, she tried talking to some of the people in engineering and the computer wouldn't put the call through, sometimes she hated technology. She of course being the expert that she is could get around it easily, however, that would only make things worse for her. She put the PADD down and went to look out the window port.

The stars flew by like strings of confetti, she knew Dijon was out there somewhere and it wouldn't be long until he found her. But how long? Hank had infiltrated their starship and there could be others, she couldn't just stand idly by and let her ship get taken over. Of course, now, if she were to try and convince Arron of that it would just make things worse. He thought she was going over the edge. Maybe she was, but how could she let Dijon take over, it was against every moral fiber in her body.

When Jenifer looked away from the window she met Eric who had obviously been standing behind her for several seconds. "Hi." She walked around him and went to the replicator at the other end of the room. "Water two degree's celsius." The glass appeared slightly frosty she took it and drank it all in one gulp. "What's happening in engineering." She said it as if she wasn't interested but merely being polite.

"Nothing interesting really. Jenifer, we are going no where near where Dijon is hiding out." Eric started to explain.

"I know, I could tell when we changed course, I suppose we're heading for the nearest starbase to get my court-martial and Hank's started." Her sarcasm was apparent, there was also sadness in her voice.

"Honey, please, you shouldn't be so down, perhaps you won't get a court-martial." Eric took her by the arm gently.

"Eric, if you were captain and had to deal with what I've been doing wouldn't you court-martial me? I sure as hell would. Not only that but I'm still willing to go further, if we ever encounter Dijon, I am willing to kill him on the spot and anyone who gets in my way. When I have a goal like that I won't act like a Starfleet officer." Jenifer released his grip on her arm and walked into the bedroom.

"What will happen to us if you get court-martialed?" He asked after she had gotten dressed for bed.

"I don't know." She threw her arms up in exasperation. "I guess I will just become a civilian on this ship while you are chief engineer. If Arron won't allow that, then I guess I could go back to earth and see you on shore leave or something."

"No, I wouldn't want that. I could put in my resignation."

"No! Teddy bear, I can't let you do that. Starfleet is your life."

"And it's yours too. Don't you see Jenifer you can't throw it all away like this."

Jenifer sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands. "I already have. It's too late for me, I've already ruined my opportunity to stay in Starfleet, I don't want you to ruin yours."

He sat next to her. "Your point is moot. Where ever you go, I go."

"Even if it's a rehabilitation colony."

"Come on, your crimes aren't that severe."

"Yet. Like I said before and will again, no matter what, Dijon will die before I do. No matter what I have to do to accomplish it."

"This seems to be a circular argument. Besides you're the most stubborn woman I've ever known."

She smiled and brought his face toward hers. They kissed. "I know, that's how I get everything I want. I do mean everything."

"Really, would you like to make a wager?"

"Yes." She embraced him passionately and of course won the bet.

***

A ship came cutting through space. It flew with anger and violence looking for a victim. Something to take the frustration of the hunt out on, anything. This area of space was barren, nothing to blow up and nothing to fight. So the ship continued its search.

"Where are they. They should have been here by now." Dijon said out loud to no one in particular.

There came an answer. "Perhaps your message has not reached them yet master."

"Shut up Taff I wasn't talking to you. Besides they would have gotten the message, he probably hasn't had time to get her to watch it yet." Dijon turned to his newly appointed first officer. Taff was loyal, but he was not Devak whom had served under Dijon for as long as he could remember. She had killed him, for no reason. He now had even more reason to do away with her.

Dijon turned to the other man and confronted him. "She put me through hell and suspended animation. She killed my best servant and my son, I think once she receives the message and knows where I am then it won't be long until she comes after me. That's when I will take out my revenge on her."

"Will she not have a starship on her side?"

Dijon laughed loudly, it echoed through the bridge. "You call that puny, piece of junk a starship." He finished laughing but a little more slipped out as he continued. "It's captain doesn't know a star from a planet, he is worse than his father was."

After a few moments Taff turned back to his station and searched the computer for locations where the Integra could be. "Master there is a starbase in the next sector."

Dijon thought about it. "We will wait. For a while. Then we will intersect them if they do not show up here." Dijon looked toward the screen and wished he had seen some movement, there was none.

Greg Amini placed his tricorder close to the entrance of the open dilithium chamber. Earlier during a routine check he had noticed a slight variation in the core regulation. He figured the best way to find what was happening was to check it out in person. At that time he noticed something and didn't need his tricorder to register it. A small box on the inside of the chamber with a few blinking lights on it. He dared not touch it but did a quick examination of it with the tricorder and it confirmed what he knew it was.

Eric entered his values into the computer and waited for the output. While he waited he noticed someone running through engineering and straight towards him. Eric stood to intercept the person.

Greg Amini came to a skidding halt right in front of Eric. "Sir, we've found bombs. Several of them in the engine core."

Eric looked at him in disbelief. "You're kidding right." Greg shook his head. "Come on, show me." Eric took off toward the engine core.

He grabbed a tricorder on the way and Greg lead him toward the exact location of the first bomb he found. Eric took the tricorder readings of it and looked toward Greg as he hit his communicator. "Engineering to bridge." He continued without waiting for a response. "I recommend full stop immediately, we have a bomb threat. Six bombs have been found, strategically placed in the engine core."

"Please repeat that last statement chief." Captain Steele sounded bewildered.

"We have six bombs placed inside of the engine core, and I might add they are at the hardest to reach places. We need to shut down the engines to get to them." Eric reported.

"What if they are detonated by shutting down the engines?" Arron asked cautiously.

"Sir, I think we have to take that chance. Besides it's the only way to get them out of there."

"All right, do what you can. I'll be coming down shortly to check it out."

"Aye sir. Quintero out." Eric looked toward Greg and nodded toward the engine core. "Let's get those things out of there."

Twenty minutes later and without success Eric and Greg took a short break. Greg picked up a couple of glasses of water and sat down. "I don't know about those bombs. This one we can't even figure out what would detonate it."

Eric took a drink. "If we know how to disable one, then the others will be easy to get rid of. It will just take us a while to do this one."

An hour later, they had given up on the first one and was onto the second bomb with no luck at all. Eric just happened to look down while wiping sweat off his brow to see Arron Steele enter engineering. He started moving downward and Steele stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Don't come down please, keep working." Steele climbed up the ladder to where Eric and Greg were working on the bomb. "What have you found out?"

"Sir, it doesn't look good. It's been over an hour and all we've figured out is that each one of these bombs are set up differently. I estimate it will take us about seven hours to get all of these things disabled." Eric reported.

"There is a complication however," Greg continued where Eric left off. "This bomb and a couple other have a timing device on them and each are set to go off at different times but each under four hours from now."

Arron looked at the bomb and had no decision to make there was only one choice. "Take out the ones with the timers first, then go onto the others."

Eric nodded, "That's what we were in the middle of doing, but it will still take us more than three hours to do all of those. However, I know someone who could do it in an hour."

"And who praytell would that be?"

Eric was ready for a lashing after he gave his answer so he gave his explanation at the same time. "Jenifer, all she needs to do is a primary analysis on it, which takes five minutes, then she'll be able to take care of them easily."

Arron didn't even think about it. "I'm sure she could, however she is not on duty. You are Chief Engineer, now get those bombs disabled in less then three hours." Steele climbed down the ladder and exited engineering.

Greg looked skeptically toward Eric. "Do you think we can do it?"

"Honestly, you and I and everyone else in engineering don't have a chance at disabling these. Although, when I told Arron that Jenifer could do it if she had a chance to look at these." Eric paused making sure Steele had left the room. "I was thinking though that with just our tricorder readings, she could diagnose the problem and give us an answer, without leaving our quarters."

"Sounds good to me."

"Let's prepare a tape and have Johnson take it to her." Eric slid down the ladder and hooked his tricorder up to the computer.

"Bingo." Greg snapped the bomb encasement off the inside wall of the engine. He half threw the bomb over to Eric. "Think fast."

Eric caught it easily and laughed. "If it wasn't for Jenifer I'd be dead, you know." Eric handed the bomb to one of the assistants standing by. "Well, two more to go with timers and an hour and a half left before they go off."

"You honestly think we can do it?" Greg leaned back against the wall.

Eric looked up to where the next bomb lay above them. "I wish I could tell you one way or the other. I just don't know and the only way to find out -"

"Is by doing." Greg finished for him and climbed upward as an alarm went off. Greg lost his grip for a second and nearly fell. "What was that."

Eric called down to main engineering. "Report, what just happened?"

"A bomb went off on the starboard nacelle. I don't no how we missed it but we have major damage, I think we're in trouble sir." The assistant called back to him.

Eric gritted his teeth. "Greg, you know what to do, I'll send someone up to help you." He slid all the way down the ladder and as soon as he hit the floor he tapped his communicator. "Engineering to Captain Steele, a bomb has gone off on the starboard nacelle, I'm going there now to check it out. Sir I think Amini's going to need more help other than his current assistant to disable those other bombs."

***

On the bridge Arron looked to his first officer for help, she gave him none. "Do what you can Mr. Quintero, your priority is those other bombs unless it is to dangerous to let the nacelles go."

He could hear the hesitation in Eric's voice. "I guess I could send someone else and keep working on the bombs. Although my offer still stands, about getting Jenifer to help out, you know it wouldn't have to be as a Starfleet officer."

"And my opinion on that still stands. Take care of the problems." Arron stood up and started walking toward the turbolift.

"Wait, where are you going?" DeArra asked.

Arron turned as the doors opened for him. "Engineering, to see if I can help out any."

DeArra smiled, she could feel the worry in his heart and the confusion about what was right and what was wrong. It seemed to her by the way he was feeling that he wasn't going to engineering.

***

Jenifer sat cross legged on a chair in front of the window staring again at the stars. She wondered if she would ever be able to see the stars this close again. Once she was court-martialed, if she didn't get sent to a rehabilitation colony, she would probably settle down on some out of the way planet. She wouldn't ever be able to reach out and grab for the stars, while piloting a starship again.

It was now that she had finally realized what she was doing to herself. She had ruined her life, she had thrown away everything she had worked for. Her engines, her life, and she knew her husband would be next, she knew that he would not leave Starfleet, she wouldn't let him throw away what he has because of her. She knew that what she had done was a mistake, but all that was in the past she could do nothing about it now. She was out of Starfleet and to her all she lived for was gone.

She felt the explosion and knew the ship was on alert. She wished she could help out but knew there was nothing she could do. She felt helpless, trapped, and most of all alone. Is this what she would feel like the rest of her life? Is this what she would have to put up with, knowing there is a problem and being helpless to do anything about it?

Unsuspectingly the door chime range. She jumped from her chair. She was still shaking when she answered the door. Arron stood on the other side and looked concerned. He took a hold of her arms and sat her down on a chair near the door. "Jenifer, are you okay, you're shaking." He took a hold of her hands to try and stop their shaking.

She shook her head. "I'm okay, just startled."

"No, it's more than that, you would have calmed down by now, what's wrong?"

She tried to stand but was unable to. "I.., I thought, I don't know why I'm still shaking."

He sat down besides her, "You've been through a lot lately, maybe I came in at a bad time."

"Arron, wait." She grabbed his arm as he stood. "Why did you come here. Does it have something to do with the explosion I felt?"

Steele noticed that she had stopped shaking and decided to get on with the reason he was there, besides they were wasting precious time. "Yes it does. There has been several bombs placed in the engine core, and obviously there was one placed on the starboard nacelle."

"I know about the bombs."

"How do you know." Then it hit him.

"How do you think they knew how to disable the bombs in the first place?"

"You didn't set them did you?"

"Are you kidding Arron? If it weren't for Eric, then I would probably be living in engineering. Those engines are all I care about." Jenifer admitted.

"Other than Eric, and killing Dijon."

She now stood getting tired of this line of conversation. "I doubt you came here to remind me of my crimes."

"You're right. I know this goes against everything I'm for and Starfleet laws, but we need your help. If you already know how to disable the bombs you could probably do it in a quarter of the time that Amini and Eric are taking. It would also allow Eric to fix the nacelle. Will you come down to engineering." It sounded as if he were begging her.

She stood and put her hand thoughtfully on her chin. "Let me see, you come in here insulting and accusing me, but yet you want me to fix your ship. I don't know, I don't think you really appreciate me as much as you say you do."

"Jenifer, please, time is running out. I do appreciate you."

"Well, if you do appreciate me then I guess I could do it." She smiled at him. Surprisingly he embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. "I guess you really do appreciate me."

Chapter 6

Jenifer Quintero walked into engineering head held high. Two security guards flanked her, one on either side. Arron said it was just a precaution, she agreed, but a precaution against what? She clasped her hands together loudly. "All right people let's get to work."

Heads all around the area turned, one called out. "Jenifer, you're back."

At the sound of her name Eric quickly dropped out of the core and stared in disbelief. Jenifer stared back and understood his feelings of happiness, she shared them as well, but she could not let them get in her way, there were more important things to take care of. "Eric take Bob Johnson and see what you can do with the nacelle. I'll help Greg finish up with those bombs."

"You got it." Eric picked up his box of tools and went for the turbolift.

Jenifer moved to her storage locker and took out her tools, she climbed up the ladder with Greg and the guards flanked the opening to the core. She looked down at the guards once more and shook her head. "This is ridiculous." She said to no one in particular, but since Greg was there she went on. "What do they think I'm going to do? Intentionally set off these bombs?"

"The universe moves in mysterious ways Jenny. Maybe they're here to protect you from Hank?" Greg climbed the rest of the way up to a ledge where the next bomb was resting.

"You mean Jua Rise. I should have known he was an Orion from the start, just by the way he acted." She never moved she just hung there on the ladder.

"You shouldn't blame yourself, after all, I spent a certain amount of time with Orions myself." He said it so casually she was unsure he was kidding.

Jenifer climbed the rest of the way up the ladder and sat on the ledge across from him. "Oh, really? What ship did you serve on?"

He smiled. "No ship. I was undercover on Neumera. Starfleet wanted me to recover several prisoners the Orions had taken."

Jenifer became a little suspicious. "And a couple of secrets too, no doubt?"

"No doubt. Actually I was only on the planet for a couple of months. Not much time to get too many secrets. Though, there were a few..." He stopped in mid-sentence and started to inspect the bomb.

"A few? A few what?" She urged him as she got some tools ready.

"Nothing, believe me you don't want to know what I found out." He took a hydrospanner from her.

"What was it? It wasn't anything about me was it?" She became very curious, however her mind was also set on defusing the bomb. "Set the () calibrateed to 20 percent of maximum."

As he changed the calibration, he shook his head. "Nothing about you directly. There were some things about Maris, and a Romulan named San. I think this was sometime after you left the Orions. Actually it was only about seven years ago."

She stopped after he mentioned Kormin San. "San? What did you find out about him?"

He was confused, he knew, like everyone else in engineering, how she had spent time with Maris and the Orions, but he knew nothing about her relationship with the Romulan. "At the time he had just been captured by some of Maris' people. There was something about a trial. I'm sorry but I don't believe he survived."

She looked at him. "Seven years ago. That puts that just about right after the time we captured Maris." She looked toward the bomb and twisted a scanner around in her hand. "Stator rel. God, I should have kept in touch with him." She looked from the scanner to Greg. "And don't tell me there was nothing I could do. There is always something I can do to change things. Right now, if we don't defuse these bombs, then I will be regretting it later."

"Optimist." Greg smiled and didn't say anymore, he knew what she was thinking, and didn't want to upset her anymore.

***

"Ten minutes and counting." Darian watched the chronometer as the seconds ticked by.

DeArra whipped around from her station. "Do you have to do that?"

He swirled around in his chair. "Sorry for doing my job, commander."

"Hey" Arron didn't even need to raise his voice to get the two to quiet down. "Can we have a little piece in our last few minutes in this universe?"

DeArra turned back to her station. Without looking Darian said, "Nine minutes and counting." DeArra did not give him a second look, however, Steele glared at him as if saying, "Say it again and you will die before your time." With that Darian turned and minded his own business.

***

Eric and Bob walked into engineering, having finished the preliminary work on the nacelle. The rest of the work will have to be done when they reach the space station. If they reach the space station.

Engineering was as quite as a student library. The only sounds that could be heard were the beeping of the computer, the breathing of the engineers standing around the core, and Jenifer and Greg defusing the last of the bombs. Suddenly out of no where, or rather over the loudspeaker a voice was heard. "Nine minutes and counting."

"Will somebody shut him up." Jenifer yelled down from the core. "It's bad enough having to defuse this thing, but do I have to be reminded of the deadline?" It had only taken her an hour to disable all the bombs but this one, unfortuantly when they began examining this one, they had found that it had a hidden timer, one that was near the end of its countdown.

Bob leaned over to Eric. "Good old Jenifer, sarcastic to the end."

Eric wasn't listening, in fact, by the time Bob finished Eric was already moving up the ladder.

Jenifer looked at her toolbox. She just sat there staring at it. Greg looked confused. "What's wrong." He sounded a little nervous too.

She scratched her head as if she had all the time in the world. "I don't see my cutters in here."

Shaking his hands a little Greg searched his tools. "I..I don't have them either. Maybe you left them at the last bomb. I'll go check." He put his foot on the first rung of the ladder and looked down. "Oh, I shouldn't have done that. It's a long drop."

"Be careful." Jenifer warned.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Slowly he lowered himself a couple of rungs. Step by step he took it slowly. He then realized they hadn't had another update on how long they had left. He began to worry, what if they didn't have enough time? He took another step downward. As soon as his boot hit the rung he knew it didn't connect right. His foot slipped out from under him.

Jenifer saw what was happening she tried to reach for him. Either he was too far down, or she was just a little late. It did not matter, he was falling.

Greg was falling, he knew that now, because of his small slip up, the entire ship would explode and everyone on it would die. He had no fear of his own death, after all, the ship would probably be gone before he hit the bottom.

As he sped faster and faster to his impending death, his descent was halted. At first he wondered if he had hit bottom so soon and was already dead. Of course once he was shoved up onto a shelf in the core and saw Eric looking back at him, he knew better.

Without a word Eric ascended towards Jenifer with the cutters in his hand. Before he even reached the ledge where Jenny was he reached out and handed her the cutters. She grabbed them greedily and went to work. Only she knew how long they had left, since the timer was right there in front of her face.

For what seemed like an infinite amount of time she worked quietly. The ship was even quieter at this moment then it ever had been. It seemed as if everyone on board at the same time was praying to what ever God they believed in. Suddenly, out of nowhere one word was shouted that could be heard throughout the ship without a communicator. "DONE!"

As if to confirm it Setek's voice chimed all over the ship through the intercom. "One minute and...Wait, it's stopped." He was quite for exactly one minute, just to make sure. "That's it, she did it." A loud cheer could be heard throughout the ship as everyone on board felt alive once again.

However, once it quieted down, there was a sound louder than anything else they had heard so far. "BOOM!!!" The ship seemed to rock as everyone jumped out of their skin. Had they underestimated the bombs?

A laugh was heard then. "Sorry, just kidding, boy is this ship jumpy or what?" Everyone looked up the engine core to see former Chief engineer Jenifer Quintero, laying on her side laughing as if there was no tomorrow.

Eric for that matter was still hugging the ladder as tight as he could. It seemed that he was only one of the several hundred people on the ship fooled by her little joke.

Jenifer and Eric stood on the bridge giving the report to Captain Steele. "So once we got out of the engine core we had some techs take the bombs to the transporter room. They were transported out into space where the bombs can do no harm as molecules." She looked around the bridge and lowered her head. "Now I'll go back to my room like a good little girl, where I can't cause any trouble."

Arron Steele stopped her in her tracks. "Just one moment. Though you should be court-martialed just for that little stunt you pulled scaring people, I'm going to give you back your duty as chief engineer. You saved our butts, and a traitor wouldn't do that." He stopped to watch her face light up. "However, this little event will go on your record and we will let the Admiralty interpret it anyway they like. Is that understood."

"Crystal clear sir." Jenifer gave him an old style salute and walked off the bridge with Eric on her heels.

DeArra came and walked up to his side anticipating his need to talk to somebody. "I noticed that she's feeling a little better. Her wit is certainly back where it belongs."

DeArra nodded and added her thoughts. "Yet, she still feels empty. She also still feels the need for revenge."

"I was afraid you were going to say that." Arron shrugged and headed back for his chair. "All I know is, I'm the one that has to stand in the way. I can not, no matter how much I wish to, can not let her get that revenge."

***

Captain's Log Stardate 3563.4; The starship Lumier has been assigned to our scouting duties in the Doimor system, keeping it safe from pirates, while we receive a new nacelle at starbase 34. Hank Williams, alias Jua Rise, has been dropped off at starbase security and will be facing court-martial in a couple of weeks since he has already pleaded guilty to his crimes.

My chief engineer, while under surveillance, is doing her duty to the best of her ability. Despite the fact that she feels the need for revenge on the Orions for two or perhaps more murders. At present she listens to reason and does not question my orders. I am worried though, that in the future she may make a decision we will all regret.

***

The main court of Starbase 34 was crowded as seven officers from the Integra walked through. While the Integra was getting fixed they had even more spare time on their hands then they did before. However, chief engineer Quintero felt as if she was being kidnapped. She had argued with them, insisting that she stay and help fix the nacelle or supervise various other things in engineering. Her husband, along with the rest of the bridge crew commandeered her into coming down with them. Their reasoning was that she was off duty and should relax. She came back at them with the fact that her engines needed her touch and not some strangers, as well as the fact that she was always relaxed, she just liked working. Yet they out numbered her six to one, so there she was, bored stiffless.

Stephanie wandered off to the side as she noticed a small shop with beautiful alien clothes. The group followed in the general direction and split off as each found something that interested them more than clothing. That left Arron, Jenifer, and Eric standing in the court yard. Eric glanced up towards the sky. "Nice day, isn't it sir?" Eric tried to initiate some small talk.

"Yup." Arron watched people move all around him. Obviously the small talk bit wasn't working.

"With respect, Arron." Jenifer caught his attention with her informality. "I believe what Eric's trying to say, you go off and find DeArra or something, the two of us would like to be alone."

"With all due respect to you Jenifer, somebody has to keep an eye on you." Arron watched the crowd go by rather than directly talking to Jenifer.

"Don't you trust Eric to do that?" She sounded somewhat offended.

He thought about it for a minute or two. "Of course I do. I trust Eric completely. It's you I don't trust."

He had said it lightheartedly, that's why he was not expecting the reaction he received from Jenifer. "You don't trust me? How could you say that? Let me tell you something right now Arron Steele. I have always been loyal to you and to Starfleet. Just because an Orion shows his face out of the blue, you don't trust me any longer. I thought I had proven to you by disabling the bombs and by not turning the ship around myself (I could have you know) that I am loyal, very loyal.

"If I choose to risk my life to bring out the justice that Starfleet can not serve that does not mean that I am not loyal to Starfleet." Jenifer's temper now started to fume. "If Maris were here, right now, it is true I would kill him on the spot, but that does not mean that you should mistrust me, because I would not kill you or anyone else. Hell, I wouldn't even kill Rise, he may be Orion and working for Maris, but he is not the man I am after.

"So, next time you doubt me, why don't you ask my feelings first before you assume something." She then smiled. "After all you do know what assume stands for don't you?" When he shook his head she supplied him the answer. "It stands for, makes and ass out of you and me. So stop being an ass and try asking my opinion next time." She walked off in a hurry and Eric could hardly keep pace with her. Arron on the other hand stood and watched her go. He knew her well enough not to try and confront her any further.

"Who does he think I am, some sort of idiot." She heard Eric's foot falls behind her and knew he would comment. "Don't answer that. The