Deep Space Nine: Alien

A STAR TREK/ALIENS Crossover

by S.D. Speck

The lights dimmed to non-existence and then returned sharply. This was the third time in five minutes and Doctor Julian Bashir, usually a very tolerant man, couldn't take it anymore. He sighed and touched his gold communication badge above his left breast. "Bashir to O'Brien." O'Brien's tired voice came over the comm. "O'Brien here." "Chief am I going to have the power going on and off all day? I have a sensitive experiment in progress and these power outages could greatly affect the results." "Sorry Doctor. Expect only emergency power to the infirmary for the next twenty-four hours. It's gonna take that long to replace and get the new transmitters operational. Sorry about your experiment. O'Brien out." Julian looked up at the flickering lights. 'We'll just see about that,' he thought, heading out the door to go talk to Commander Sisko.

The Promenade, usually the center of social activity on the Station, was quiet. Julian looked up to all three levels of the area and felt a slight chill of loneliness; he had never seen it so deserted. Almost everyone from Deep Space Nine was at the celebration on Bajor. Walking to the turbolift, he shuddered as his footsteps echoed down the deserted corridors.

The two-minute turbolift ride brought Julian to OPS, the Operational Center of the Station. Julian smiled at Lieutenant Dax and Major Kira, who were respectively manning their stations. Jadzia Dax, who was running sensor tests on some of Chief O'Brien's new transmitters, looked up and returned his smile. She was a beautiful twenty-eight year old woman whom Julian could easily fall in love with. He didn't care that she had a three hundred-year-old symbiont living within her, in fact it intrigued him more. Kira, on the other hand, barely lifted her eyes to him and gave him half a wry smile before turning away. Major Kira Nerys was also a very striking woman. She wore a silver symbolic earring in her right ear and her crinkled Bajoran nose added to her beautiful, but serious features. 'She needs to have some fun and go out once in a while, perhaps she needs a companion -- someone like me.' Julian thought as he looked at Kira. Julian was so caught up in his thoughts of wanting to change the Major's attitude towards him, that he almost tripped over O'Brien's legs, sticking out from underneath a console. "HEY! Watch where you're going." O'Brien complained. "Sorry Chief." Behind Julian, Commander Sisko entered OPS from the turbolift. Commander Benjamin Sisko immediately set towards his office. "Commander, could I talk to you for a minute?" Julian called, following the Commander up the stairs. "What is it Doctor?" Sisko sounded tired, and the day had just started. The two men entered Sisko's office and the door slide shut behind them.

"It's about these power outages Commander. I'm trying to run an experiment on Algerian Arthrocerezo's. With the power fluctuating, the results could be greatly altered." Sisko sighed and sat down behind his desk. "Is it something you could start again?" "Well, yes. But . . ." "Well, then you'll have to Doctor. Until Chief O'Brien finishes with the transmitters, the power fluctuations will be unavoidable. Yours is not the only area affected. Look Doctor," Sisko leaned towards Julian, who was still formally standing, "we are running on a skeleton crew. All the Bajoran personal, with the exception of Major Kira and most of everyone else are on Bajor for the celebration. I believe the last shuttle is about to leave." Sisko leaned back in his chair and turned to the Data Pad in front of him. Julian sat down in the chair opposite Sisko's desk. He had thought of going planet-side with the others, but instead he'd stayed behind in the hope of having a quiet lunch with Dax. But, unfortunately, she was too busy helping Chief O'Brien to accompany him. When his lunch plans fell through, he thought he would finish up some experiments, but now that too was falling through. Leaving him with nothing to do. "So, Commander, what do you have planned for today?"

"WE'RE DEAD!" "Not yet we're not." Lieutenant Shani Jezmond gave Mason Banks a hard shove with her foot to get him moving again. She had her arms full mostly carrying Commander Cal Hanson. Corporal Kyo Marsh was bringing up the rear and firing a flame rifle down the darkened passageway behind them. There was nowhere to go except to the front pilot's compartment. It had been thirty-six hours since the Endstorm's internal computer had awakened them from hypersleep, with a report of a fire on board. If only it had been. Within twenty-four hours, eleven people and one alien were dead, leaving four people and still one alien to contend with. The Aliens were seven-foot bug-like creatures, with large oblong heads containing a set of retractable teeth within a teeth-lined mouth. Running on a primal instinct of survival, they had a most impressive defense system -- concentrated acid for blood. Commander Hanson was severely injured by that acid when he killed on Alien in close quarters. Jezmond, who had been with him at the time, was struck in the right shoulder by a carbon when Hanson discharged his pulsar rifle in a reflex of pain. It had been sheer blind luck Jezmond survived that blast. No vital organs or major arteries were hit but she lost a lot of blood before Marsh cauterized the wound with a flame rifle and a metal pipe. Her adrenaline had dulled the pain but her useless right arm now hung at her side. The dead Alien's body fluid went on and created a hull breach and internal damage to the ship's major systems, including fire control and life support. The emergency beacons were the only lights left to guide them down the smoke filled corridor. At the end of the darkened passageway was the door that lead to the Pilot's Compartment. Banks was hitting the door control but the door refused to budge. "IT WON'T OPEN! WE'RE DEAD! IT WON'T OPEN!" Banks was hysterical. "Here take Hanson!" Jezmond shouted to Banks above the alarms. Hanson moaned as Banks took hold of him. Jezmond started hitting the door with the butt of her pulsar rifle. Corporal Marsh came quickly up behind them. "Why'd we stop? ...COME ON, WHAT'S THE HOLD UP?" Yelling to be heard, he sounded hysterical himself. "The door's jammed!" Jezmond hit the controller again. "COME ON, COME ON!" She yelled at the door. "Hurry, if your gonna do something, do it now. It's right on our ass!" Marsh fired again down the smoky corridor with the flame rifle. The Alien screeched from somewhere in the darkness. Banks screamed in return, almost dropping Hanson. The cover of the controller clattered to the floor. Jezmond quickly manually wired the door partially opening it. "Here, help me!" Jezmond grabbed one side of the door as Marsh grabbed the other, opening it enough to get through. Once inside they forced the door back shut and began sealing it with hand torches. "How ya doin?" Marsh growled as he welded the top of the door. "Almost there." Jezmond squint shut her eyes against the sparks. The Alien slammed against the door as they finished sealing it. "FUCK YOU!" Jezmond snarled to the creature on the other side.

Dax had watched how Kira reacted to Julian's smile. She waited until the door, to Sisko's office, had shut before she spoke. "Kira, you don't like Julian that much do you?" Kira looked up at Dax with a surprised look, her mouth turning up in a smile. "I wouldn't say I didn't like him. It's just, I find him to be a little too self arrogant and eager to please." Still smiling, Dax turned back to her console. "I don't know. I think he's kind of cute that way." "Well he certainly likes you. He's obvious about that." "I find him to be an irritant." A voice came from under the transporter console. Chief O'Brien's head popped up as he continued, "but I have to admit he is a good doctor. Dax run a level one diagnostic on the transporter now." Dax's hands moved quickly over her console. "It all checks out Chief." She turned back to Kira, her eyes wide with curiosity. "So Major, why didn't you go down to Bajor for the celebration?" Kira crinkled up her Bajoran nose even further. "Oh, I don't think so. I'm not one for parties. But I thought the Chief would have gone down with his family." She smiled to herself for successfully turning the conversation's focus to someone else. She, unlike the good Doctor, did not like to talk about herself. O'Brien came around the console wiping his hands. "Believe me, Keiko would have loved nothing more. But with all the repairs still needed around here I thought it'd be a good idea to take advantage of the time and lack of people to trip over to get things done. Let's see what we can do about the power conduits in the thrusters." As Dax went around to the far right to work with O'Brien, Kira returned to her monitoring station. She felt it was too early for her people to celebrate - there were still to many problems that needed attention

In the front compartment, Jezmond took the pilot's seat. She held her right arm close to her body as her left hand went over the controls in front of her. Sparks and coolant steam blew out from a panel to the far right. Banks screamed and quickly moved away from the steam. "Connor I got a coolant leak from the front starboard reactor. Can you lock it down?" Jezmond spoke aloud. Connor, the Endstorm's internal computer answered in a calm fatherly voice. "Negative. Coolant leak in the main engine core. Meltdown is imminent. Suggest immediate evacuation." "Great. Just great. LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Banks shouted at Jezmond. Jezmond glared at the man. "Connor, how long until core breach?" "Estimate twenty minutes." Jezmond turned to Marsh. His mouth drew up in a tight terrified grin as he shook his head. "Ten minutes tops and that shit-head will be in here." He said. Banks started yelling at both of them. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Marsh grabbed the smaller man and forced him into the navigator's seat. His composure was fast unraveling as he pulled his arm back. He was close to hitting the man, when Jezmond grabbed his arm and stepped between them. "And how the hell do you propose we do that Banks?" She rasped. "We have that monster between us and the escape pods and even if we could get to them, where would we go? We're not even in our own star system. Now unless you want to be bug food, I suggest you sit there and KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" With that Jezmond returned to the pilot's seat and started going over the controls with controlled efficiency. "Connor, how long would it take to transfer all the ship's logs and memory into the Save Tube?" "Five minutes." "Fine. Start now." She turned to Marsh, who offered her a solemn smile and a nod of his head. Jezmond knew he was in agreement -- they had no choice. Damned if they would be monster grub. "Weapons status." Then added, "just in case." "JUST IN CASE WHAT?" Banks demanded. Jezmond ignored him. It was getting easier to do that. Marsh checked the weapons. "One pulsar rifle, one and half magazines, that's about 150 cartridges. One flame rifle with half a tank of fuel, 4 carbon grenades." Jezmond looked down at Hanson on the floor. His breathing was labored and he was still unconscious. 'You should be making this decision, not me,' she thought. It was a hard thing, dying. "Connor? Still with me?" She said after a moment. "Yes, Jezmond." Taking a slow deep breath, she looked back at Marsh. Mouthing. 'Do it.' He took the co-pilot's chair. In sequence, they programmed the Endstorm for the inevitable end. Connor's voice came over the ship's communication channel. "Self-destruct sequence initiated. Abort of sequence can still be initiated for t-minus four minutes. Self destruction will occur in t-minus five minutes." Banks jumped up, his eyes wide with fear. He grabbed at Jezmond's sleeve and turned her towards him. Jezmond cried out as he pulled on her injured shoulder. "ARE YOU FUCKIN' CRAZY, YOU STUPID BITCH! YOUR GONNA GET US ALL KILLED!" Banks screamed at her. As if in acknowledgment, the Alien screeched and threw itself against the door more forcefully. Marsh grabbed Banks and pulled him from Jezmond. "She's gonna kill us." Banks repeated. Marsh didn't want to die either, but as he saw it they were as good as dead anyway. "Shut the fuck up." He said, as his fist smashed Banks' nose and Banks crumbled to the floor. "Thanks." Jezmond said through pain clenched teeth. Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, she tried to keep herself from passing out. Her shoulder was weeping blood again and the throbbing was so intense she couldn't feel her hand. Suddenly, Jezmond was jolted out of her chair, as the ship lurch forward into a blaze of color and light. She pulled herself up to the controls. "NAVIGATION'S OFF LINE." She yelled. Marsh lost his balance with the jolt and flew into the sealed door. The Alien slammed into the door co-currently. Marsh turned and hit the door with his fist. He was frustrated beyond control. It wasn't so much letting Jezmond call he shots, hell she was of a higher rank than himself, it was the frustration not knowing what to expect next. And now hurling through a bizarre light show, with the choice of either being bug food or blowing themselves to kingdom come, increased that frustration. Although it was somewhat of a release to hit Banks, he only wished he felt as calm as Jezmond looked. Jezmond would have laughed or probably cried at Marsh's thoughts had she known them. Truth was she was scared beyond comprehension. She had know true terror before, back when her homeworld was over run by Aliens and again when Hanson had leveled at her to take out the Alien rising above her. But this instant froze her blood and stiffened her up like a stone-age statue. Here they were flying through all of heaven's lights with only three minutes to live, and just when she thought she would lose it, the stars reappeared. The light show was over. Marsh crawled up behind her. "What the hell was that?" He wheezed. Jezmond climbed into her seat and started looking over the computer screens in front of her. "I have no idea." She said slowly. "Connor, fix on our coordinates?" "Unknown. T-minus two minutes until self-destruction. You may still abort." "Negative. What was that phenomenon?" "Unknown." "All stop." Jezmond turned to Marsh, as he eased himself into the co-pilot's chair once again. They both were in a state of shock as they locked their eyes.

Julian sat pouting in Sisko's office. He would have assisted Chief O'Brien, but he knew that the Chief would just get annoyed with him. He hated feeling like a fifth wheel as much as he hated being bored, which was exactly how he felt now -- bored. So he sat in his Commander's office, with his chin in his hand wondering what to do next. Sisko was trying hard to ignore Julian, but being used to doing 'paper' work alone he found the Doctor to be a bit of a distraction. He put his data pad down. Linking his fingers together, Sisko leaned back in his chair. "Doctor, unless there is anything else I can help you with, and if your not going to go down to Bajor for the celebration, I suggest you go down to Quarks and get some lunch and not worry about the power outages. I'm sure Quark could use the company about now. We'll call you if there is an emergency." "Aye, Sir." Julian got up to leave just as Major Kira's voice came over the comm. "Commander, there's something coming through the wormhole." Sisko re-entered main OPS with Julian on his heels, just as Kira turned to the viewscreen with her hands clasped behind her back and called. "On screen." The viewscreen came to life as the Endstorm emerged from the Wormhole and stopped not far from the station. "Anyone we know?" Sisko asked. Dax went over her sensor board. "Nothing that matches any known configurations." "Sensors indicate a possible core breach in progress." Kira added from the main sensor console. O'Brien looked up from his console. "Confirm that Sir. Standard carbon engines, limited warp capabilities. Definite core breach." O'Brien looked at the viewscreen. "I'm getting life sign readings from the forward hull." Dax looked to Kira and Sisko. "They're humanoid." "Hail them." Sisko turned stiffly. "Channel open." Kira answered. "This is Commander Benjamin Sisko of the Bajoran station Deep Space Nine. Our sensors indicate a core breach in your main engine core. Can we be of assistance?"

On the main viewscreen a young face appeared. Her hair plastered to her sweat-covered head, she looked like she had been through hell and back. Her pale face was covered in dirt and blood. Behind her was commotion, noise and an obvious coolant leak. Kira went over to Sisko's side. She couldn't take her eyes from the screen. The young woman's piercing green eyes bore into Kira. They had that same haunting death look that Kira had witnessed time and time again in young Bajorans during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. No Hope.

The young woman spoke in a surprising clear calm voice. "Lieutenant Jezmond, Colonial Marines Transport ENDSTORM. Thanks Commander, but no. We have suffered a core breach as your sensors indicate that is going to come to a head in..." She looked off screen coughing, "...in one and a half minutes. Advise you to clear all traffic from the area and protect yourselves." Kira interrupted. "Is there anyway to dump your engine core?" "Negative on that. Nor can we reach the escape pods." "Stand by, we're going to beam you over." Sisko turned to O'Brien. "Chief get them out of there." "Attempting to lock on Sir. Got 'em." O'Brien's fingers danced over his console.

Jezmond turned to Marsh. "Beam us over?" Marsh shook his head and slung the carbon rifle over his shoulder. Connor continued his death countdown. "Self destruction in T-minus one minute. Override no longer in effect." Jezmond stood up with Marsh, close to Hanson. The Alien was pounding furiously at the door, which was starting to buckle in. Just as Jezmond began to feel the sensation of the space station's transporter another coolant blast enveloped her. She jumped from the blast in time to see Marsh, Banks, and Hanson dematerializing in front of her. 'NO! This is insane.' She thought and then they were gone. To her right the computer memory-core ejected.

On Deep Space Nine, the Station's senior officers turned to the transporter pad. A young warrior appeared with two unconscious individuals. He was large and muscular and had obviously seen a lot of combat action. He looked around bewildered. O'Brien was still working furiously at the transporter console. "Lost one in transport. Attempting to lock on. Dax see if you can boost the power." Dax immediately set upon the task. "Thirty percent power increase to transporters." She offered. Sisko tapped his comm badge. "Security to OPS." Julian ran over to help the injured men tapping his own comm badge. "Medical emergency in OPS. Prepare for two, possibly three injured." The large young man looked around, he was heavily armed and had the same haunting look in his eyes. "Jez? Where's Jezmond? You have to get her out of there." He stepped forward menacingly as Odo appeared from the turbolift with two Starfleet Security Officers. Both had their phasers trained on Marsh. Odo approached Marsh and said in his usual business-like manner. "Just give me your weapons and step down." Marsh was uncertain. The man/android, Marsh was not sure which, was ordering him to give up his only security, Jezmond was still on the Endstorm and her time was almost up.

Jezmond felt the strange feeling from the transporter again. She held the flame rifle tight, as the door finally gave in. In her hands the rifle suddenly weighed a ton as her mouth opened to release a soft agonizing gasp. The Alien stopped within two feet of her and hissed. Behind it, another Alien emerged.

Jezmond materialized on the transporter platform, as Sisko called for shields up and the Endstorm exploded taking both Aliens with it. >From the corner of her eye Jezmond saw movement. With quick reflexes she turned and raised the flame rifle, only to come face to face with Odo. She lowered the rifle, confused. Marsh jumped to catch Jezmond as she sunk to her knees, her eyes rolling back in her head. "There were two." She whispered as the world went gray.

Kira looked questioningly at Marsh, who just looked back down at the unconscious woman in his arms. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer against his chest wall. Odo moved quickly to confiscate Jezmond's weapons. He told them they would have them back again when they left the station, but his words fell on deaf ears. Dax transported Doctor Bashir with Commander Hanson and Banks to the Infirmary.

Marsh continued to hold onto Jezmond, as a black cylinder fell from her belt. Kira stepped back, her instincts up. "What's that?" She demanded. Picking up the cylinder, Marsh turned it over in his hand before handing it to her. Odo stepped in and took it instead. "It's our computer core." Marsh answered. Kira relaxed a little, Odo did not. Although Marsh no longer appeared as threatening looking up at them, Odo still did not know who they were or what circumstances caused them to end up on Deep Space Nine in the condition they were in.

A Starfleet Med. Tech approached them. "Excuse me Sir." She spoke to Marsh who did not take his eyes from Odo. The Med. Tech spoke again. "Sir? We need to take her to the Infirmary. She's bleeding Sir." Marsh tore his gaze from Odo and Kira and looked at the Med. Tech standing above him. "I will carry her." He told her. Sisko nodded his approval to the Med. Tech, as Marsh picked up Jezmond's limp body. Marsh hurt all over. His joints ached like bad teeth and he was dead on his feet, but he would be damned if he would hand Jezmond over to these people. He's seen corruption hid behind false kindness before and the results always ended with pain and death. He would not be quick to trust again. Marsh started to follow the Med. Tech, when Kira touched his arm. He turned to her. "What did she mean by there were two?" Kira questioned. His gaze locked with hers. "I don't know." He said flatly before turning to the turbolift. In silence, the officers watched the turbolift leave. Kira turned to Sisko and broke that silence. "He was lying." She simply stated. "Now Major, we don't know that." Sisko said taking the computer core from Odo. It was a solid black cylinder with five color-coded buttons on one end. "She said there were two." Sisko turned slightly, "And he said, he didn't know what she meant." "Commander, I saw the look on his face. He was scared, it terrified him." Kira was not about to let this go. Odo was listening intently to the exchange between Sisko and Kira. He too, felt the situation was not quite under control. "I'll post security in the Infirmary." He turned to leave. "Hold on Constable. I'm not sure that is necessary." Sisko said in a calm voice. Odo stopped in his tracks and faced the Commander. "They were heavily armed, their ship exploded and we don't know anything about them." He protested. Sisko remained calm. He understood his First Officer and Security Chief's concerns, but he wasn't about to jump to conclusions. "They are guests, from the Gamma Quadrant, in need of help." Kira stepped between the two. "I think the Constable is right. Until we know more about them, we should be cautious." "I agree, we should be cautious Major. But I'm not going to post armed Security on injured people, who at this time are in no condition to be a threat to anyone. As far as I am concerned this is a diplomatic situation." "Understood." Odo said and left by way of the turbolift. Sisko turned back towards O'Brien and Dax. "Chief scan the debris, see if you can find anything that would indicate what happened to their ship." He handed Dax the Endstorm's computer core. "Dax see what you can get from this." Kira stepped forward to the operations console. "I'll recall some staff from the surface." Sisko interrupted her. "Not yet Major. Let's take a wait and see attitude first." Kira stopped what she was doing and stepped back from the console. Sisko went towards the turbolift. "Major." He called. Kira followed him to the turbolift. "Keep me informed." He called back to Dax and O'Brien.

As Sisko and Kira entered the Infirmary, Julian acknowledged them with a quick, serious look. At least that charming smile, that irritated Kira so much, wasn't on his face. He was tending to the young woman, who was still unconscious. Kira still couldn't take her eyes from her. She was extremely pale and her eyes, although closed, were deep set with dark circles around them. Kira still felt like she had met this girl before, or at least ones like her. She reminded Kira of a young Bajoran woman, that Kira had inadvertently sent to her death in a Cardassian mine-field. The look on the girl's face at the moment of her death often invaded Kira's dreams. Sisko spoke, awakening Kira from her thoughts. "How are they doing Doctor?" Julian's face was one of all seriousness. "This is, according to her name tags, Lieutenant S. Jezmond." Julian handed Sisko Jezmond's identification tags, who handed them to Kira to inspect. "Military tags." Kira said to no one in particular. Julian continued. "The Lieutenant has a penetrating wound through her right shoulder. She lost a lot of blood before it was crudely cauterized. It'll scar but she should completely recover." Kira and Sisko listened intently to Julian. They didn' need to talk or comment, this was Bashir's territory, where he was king. Out of respectful interest, they kept silent. Even though Julian could at times be a pain, Kira respected him as a competent Doctor. Julian's face turned grave as he led them over to Commander Hanson. "This gentleman . . . I, uh, don't know his name, as his tags are melted to his chest." "Melted?" Kira interrupted with a horrified look on her face. Julian nodded. "Yes. He has a severe burn to his face and torso. Frankly Commander, the damage is so extensive, I don't know how he is still alive. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do, he is going to die." Kira lowered her head in respect. Sisko nodded to the Doctor in acknowledgment. They continued towards Banks. "This gentleman doesn't have any identification tags, but he does have a broken nose and fractured cheek bone." Kira stepped forward to take a closer look at the man on the diagnostic table. He looked different than the others, not so worn out. "He's dressed different, more civilian. If they're military, why would they have a civilian on board if they were in a battle?" She asked Sisko. "We don't know that they were in a battle Major." Sisko answered. Julian continued towards Marsh. "Corporal K. Marsh here, appears to be undamaged." He handed Marsh's tags to Sisko. "But they're all unconscious." Kira observed. "On the contrary Major. Except for the gentleman with the severe injuries, they are all asleep." "Asleep?" Sisko inquired. "Yes Sir. They all appear to be suffering from exhaustion." "Can we wake them?" Kira asked. "Doctor?" Sisko turned his attention from Marsh to Bashir. "I wouldn't recommend it Commander. They wouldn't be in any condition to answer questions." "Okay Doctor. Just let me know when one of them wakes up." Sisko started to move away to the door. Kira moved over to Hanson. The left half of his face was literally melted, with half of his mouth down-turned in a horrific frown. She shuddered as she looked at him. "Doctor, do you know what could cause these burns?" Kira tore her eyes from Hanson. "Well Major, as far as I can tell, some type of concentrated acid. It wasn't fire; it's not surface enough. It literally ate its way into the deep muscle to the internal organs. I won't be able to tell for sure until I get full power back in the lab." He turned to Sisko for emphasis, as the lights dimmed to darkness and then returned sharply once again. "I'll see what I can do Doctor, until then keep me informed." Sisko turned to leave but Julian stopped him with a question. "Commander, are you sure they came from the Gamma Quadrant?" Sisko turned back with a confused look on his face. "You were there Doctor. It appears that way. Why do you ask?" "From what I can tell with the tricorder . . . I think they're human, Sir." "We'll get full power back up here as soon as possible." Sisko promised. "Thank you Sir." Julian went back to his patients.

Jezmond woke up to Hanson screaming. Scrambling over to him, pushing aside the Med. Tech, she tasted panic like cold copper in her mouth. Hanson was convulsing, his eyes locked with hers pleading for help as his abdomen stretched outward. Jezmond stumbled back, shaking her head, no it couldn't be. Not here, not now. She searched for her weapon, any weapon, but there was none to be found. Hanson let out a blood-curling scream as . . . Jezmond screamed and sat up. Drenched in sweat and shaking, she frantically looked around. A hospital? She rubbed her temples as the memories of the last twenty-four hours came rushing back at her. She spotted Hanson, still unconscious and still in one piece. 'A dream,' she thought, 'just another lousy dream.'

Junior Lieutenant Carley Hart had thought this was going to be a long dull day. She had been one of the unlucky ones who had lost the lottery and had been made to stay on Deep Space Nine, while the others got to go down to Bajor for the celebration. When the power outages started, she thought she was going to go crazy. But now she was far too busy running tests on the new patients that she barely noticed the flickering lights. And with the limited power it had turned into quite a challenge. 'Let them celebrate all day, I'm going to have the inside scoop on the new people from the Gamma Quadrant,' she thought, 'and everyone is going to want to know.' A scream awoke her from her thoughts of self-glory. Running into the patient area, she saw the young woman sitting up, looking around in a panic. Junior Lieutenant Hart tapped her comm badge and called Doctor Bashir back into the Infirmary.

As Jezmond tried to get to her feet, Hart tired to restrain her. Jezmond held Hart's arms and locked her gaze with her own. "Let me go." She breathed, as her gaze wandered towards Hanson. Hart followed her eyes. Jezmond continued in a low voice. "Please let me go to him." Hart loosened her grip on Jezmond and helped her to her feet. Jezmond staggered over to Hanson. She stroked his hair with still shaky hands and whispered a Terran prayer that her mother had taught her so long ago. Her mother, so young and beautiful and now dead like millions of others, at the hands of a few greedy men and a lot of soulless monsters. A single tear rolled from the corner of her eye at the memories. She absently wiped the tear away. Hanson's breathing was still labored and Jezmond heard a rattle with each breath. A death rattle. He was dying. It wasn't fair. All he ever did was try to help people, and look where it got him. A hand lightly touched her shoulder and Jezmond turned to face a young man, with olive skin and soft warm eyes. Julian could see great sadness in the young woman's face as he spoke to her in a soft voice. "I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do for him." Jezmond gave a slow nod of her head. "I understand." With that she turned from Julian back to Hanson. Julian put his hand back on her shoulder. "You really should be resting. I'll wake you if his condition changes." Jezmond spoke without looking at him. "No. I'm staying here. I'll rest if I feel tired." Julian paused for a moment. "Okay, Lieutenant S. Jezmond, I'll have a nurse get you a chair --- providing you tell me what the S stands for." He smiled at her and handed back her ID tags. She gave him a weak smile back; he was a charmer. "Shani. But everyone calls me Jezmond. And you are?" "Doctor Julian Bashir. But you may call me Julian. It's a pleasure to meet you Jezmond. I'll be available if you need me. Don't tire yourself out." "Okay... Doctor." Julian pulled in his breath and backed away from her. Jezmond went back to her silent vigil over Hanson. Back in his office, Julian tapped his communicator. "Bashir to Sisko." "Go ahead." Sisko's comm voice answered. "You wanted to know when one of our guests was awake." "I'm on my way. Sisko out."

Sisko and Kira arrived in the Infirmary just as Banks was arising. Junior Lieutenant Hart tried to get him to lay back down but he was adamant about getting up. "GET AWAY FROM ME YOU BITCH!" He shouted. Julian re-entered behind Sisko and Kira. Banks was startled when he saw the three of them. Kira looked past Banks to Jezmond, who appeared to either, be in deep meditation or asleep, sitting at unidentified man's side. "I'm Benjamin Sisko, Commander of this Station. This is my first officer, Major Kira Nerys and our Doctor, Julian Bashir." Sisko indicated to his two officers. Banks ignored them and got right into Sisko's face. "You are in charge here?" He demanded. Sisko raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry. I didn't get your name." Banks scowled. "Banks, Mason Banks. From the Company and I demand some justice here." "Justice?" "Yes, justice. You are in charge of this Gateway Station." "Gateway Station? This is a Bajoran space station, Deep Space Nine." Kira interrupted. Banks looked over to her annoyed, and waved her off. "Yes, yes, whatever. Shouldn't your Doctor be taking car of her broken nose?" He spoke directly at Sisko. A smile slide across Sisko's face as Kira let her temper flare. "I'M A BAJORAN -- THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY NOSE!" "Shut up Banks." Jezmond interrupted lifting up her head. Banks turned sharply and glared at her, as she crossed the room toward them. "What? You can't tell me what to do. You have no say here. Military has no say on a Company Gateway Station." He snapped at her. Jezmond stopped in front of Banks. Her toes were almost touching his. "If you would stop talking once in a while and listen, you would have heard her tell you this is not a Gateway Station." She said firmly. Walking around Banks, she continued. "I'm Lieutenant Jezmond of the 20th fleet. Commander, where exactly are we?" Sisko was glad to turn his attention away from Mr. Banks to the Lieutenant. She was approximately the same size as Major Kira and although she obviously was not well, she still held herself with military discipline and authority. He could see by the way she looked at Banks, she held no love for the man. "You traveled through a stable Wormhole, from what we refer to as the Gamma Quadrant, into the Alpha Quadrant. Your ship had sustained heavy damage. Were you in a battle of some sort?" Jezmond looked back at Banks. "Yeah, something like that." Looking to Sisko again, she continued, "how far did this Wormhole take us?" "You're on the other side of the galaxy. It would take sixty years to travel what takes only a few minutes to go through the wormhole." Sisko explained. "How far did you travel before entering the Wormhole?" Kira asked. Jezmond circled back around Banks and leaned on a diagnostic table. She shook her head. "That, in all honesty, Major, I do not know. Our instruments were pretty messed up and it was too chaotic to even be a concern. But I suppose we owe you a debt of gratitude Commander, for our timely rescue." She bowed slightly, her eyes never leaving Sisko's face. Sisko had an inkling to like this young woman. "Well, I had some help." Kira gave a sly smile at that. Jezmond gave a sly grin back. "Indeed." Banks interrupted. "Yeah, yeah. The pleasantries are all very nice. But I don't know anything about any Wormhole and I still demand some justice here." Sisko didn't like Mason Banks, but these were guests from the Gamma Quadrant and Sisko was a Starfleet Officer. Under Starfleet regulations, this did classify as a diplomatic situation. So, Sisko decided to handle it as one. "Anything to help. What exactly do you want justice for?" Banks pointed to the still sleeping Marsh. "Arrest him and her." He indicated to Jezmond. Jezmond frowned at him. "On what charges?" Sisko crossed his arms across his chest and looked directly at Banks. "Yes, I'd like to know that myself." Banks looked indignant, indicating to Marsh. "He hit me, broke my nose. For no reason at all, he assaulted me." He said hotly. Kira leaned back against a console and muttered under her breath. "I can't imagine why?" Looking up, she caught Jezmond's sly grin. She had heard her. Kira raised her eyebrows and fought to keep a straight face. If Banks had heard her, he didn't indicate it to Sisko. He just kept right on with his charges against Jezmond and Marsh. "And her for attempted murder and destruction of property." Sisko scrutinized Banks. "Those are pretty serious charges." "Well Commander, I'm a pretty serious guy." Sisko tapped his communicator. "Sisko to Odo."

A minute later, Odo appeared at the Infirmary door. Sisko turned to address his Security Officer. "This is Odo. Our Chief of Security." He informed Banks and Jezmond. Odo nodded towards the group as Sisko continued. "This here is Lieutenant Jezmond and Mr. Banks. We seem to have a bit of a problem here. Mr. Banks has made some serious allegations against the Lieutenant and her companions." Odo's unchanging features made Banks a little uneasy, but he still held his ground. "As I told your Commander, I want Lieutenant Jezmond and Corporal Marsh arrested for assault, attempted murder, and destruction of property." Jezmond slapped her hands down to her sides. "What property?" She asked in frustration. Banks immediately spun around to face her. His face was one of anger. "The ship! You deliberately destroyed the ship!" Odo, in his usual calm manner, interceded. "Did you deliberately destroy your ship?" Jezmond turned very serious. These people were getting involved in something they didn't belong involved in. "That, I believe, is not your concern and as for you Banks, you want to know about justice. I'll tell you about justice, Company Justice. Let's talk about Colony 428. Let's talk about a Company Freighter that landed there carrying Alien Pods, with four known infected crewmembers. Let's talk about the 75 families on Colony 428. Men, women, and children - all dead. Where's their justice? Who's going to take responsibility for their deaths? Well, I'll tell you who... you are. You and your fucking Company!" She spat that last part out with disgust, even saying it, left a sick taste in her mouth. Banks' body gave a shivering jerk. "I didn't know anything about it." He stammered. "The hell you didn't. The Company knows and controls everything." "What killed the people on your Colony?" Sisko asked. "An Alien parasite. Very fatal." Jezmond gave Banks a disgusted look. "Is there anyway the parasite could have gotten aboard your ship?" Kira asked. "No one was infected when they boarded the Endstorm. I scanned everyone myself and Corporal Marsh scanned me." Jezmond was still glaring at Banks. Odo still wanted his original question answered. "Did you deliberately destroy your ship?" Jezmond let out a sigh of frustration. "Yes I did. I had no choice." "That ship was not yours to destroy. It was Company property, and our only way home." Banks stepped back from her glare. Jezmond rubbed her forehead in an attempt to maintain her control. "That ship wouldn't have taken us anywhere. It was already damaged beyond repair. The way I see it, it was my decision, as I was the only Senior Officer left functional." Banks shook his head in disbelief. "No offense Lieutenant but you're just a pilot and not capable of such decisions. And you're going to answer for it." Jezmond was boiling over with anger. She physically grabbed Banks by the back of his collar, and dragged him over to Hanson's side. Forcing his head close to Hanson's, her voice was sharp. "You look at him. LOOK AT HIM!" Banks looked down at Hanson, who's once handsome features were now cruelly mangled. Jezmond continued. "He's dying. Who's going to pay for that?" Banks pulled away from Jezmond and straightened out his shirt. He swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry for what has happened to Commander Hanson, but that still doesn't change the fact of the matter." >From behind Banks, a hand reached out and spun him around. He was lifted off the ground. It was Marsh and sleep hadn't dulled his anger. "I should have killed you when I had the chance." Odo and Sisko quickly pulled the two men apart. "No one is going to kill anyone. Now I don't know what occurred aboard your ship, but it is going to stop right here and now. Is that clear?" Sisko raised his voice in anger. All three of them stood silently, looking at the Commander. Jezmond lowered her head and rubbed her forehead. "But what about..." Banks started. Sisko cut him off. "When you get back to your own system, you can take it up with the proper authorities there. Until then the fighting stops." Jezmond started to step forward when her knees started to buckle. Marsh grabbed her to steady her as Julian held her head and peered into her eyes. "Dizzy?" He asked. Jezmond looked at him wearily. "Yeah, a little." She pulled her head from his hands. "I'm okay." It was Julian's turn to intercede. "Commander, Lieutenant Jezmond needs to rest. Can't this all wait until later?" Sisko looked from Julian to Jezmond, who was leaning on Marsh for support. She did look extremely weak and still very angry. "Of course Doctor. I don't think there is any more to discuss." "Uh, Commander. There's no need for either Mr. Banks or Corporal Marsh to stay in the Infirmary." Bashir said hopeful. "I understand Doctor. Odo, would you please escort our guests to Quarks, I'm sure they could both use a good meal. And tell Quark as a favor to me extend all hospitalities." Odo nodded in acknowledgment and extended a hand in the direction of the door. "If you will follow me." He said to Marsh and Banks, who looked at each other with disgust. Marsh looked to Jezmond, who waved him off as Julian took a hold of her. He followed Odo and Banks out of the Infirmary into the promenade. When they had left Sisko indicated to Kira to follow him out of the Infirmary.

"Tell me Major, what do you think of our guests?" He lowered his voice to avoid an echo in the empty walkway. Kira walked a short distance with Sisko before she spoke. "To be frank, Commander. I don't like Mr. Banks. I don't trust him and I get the feeling that neither does Lieutenant Jezmond." "Yes, Lieutenant Jezmond. I'd like to know more about what happened on Colony 428 and aboard their ship. There has to be more to this than they're telling us." "Like, why intentionally blow up their ship? What was on that ship they didn't want us to find?" Kira finished his thought. Sisko looked at her thoughtfully. "Major, I'd like you to stay and talk with the Lieutenant. See if you can get some more information. I'm going to go back to OPS to see what progress Dax and O'Brien have made." Kira acknowledged with a slight drop of her head. "Yes Sir. I'll see what she will tell me, but she doesn't seem to trust anyone except Corporal Marsh and she does have a temper." Kira concluded. "Yes I thought so too. I wonder if she is part Bajoran?" Sisko chuckled and disappeared behind the turbolift doors.

While Banks was demanding justice from Sisko and Odo, Dax was fast at work trying to gain access into the Endstorm's computer. Her fingers moved rapidly along the surface of the console as she broke down the access codes. "Greetings Lieutenant." A calm male voice came from the console. Dax was taken back for a moment. Smiling to herself, she called over to O'Brien, who was working nearby at the engineering station. "Chief, I think I got something." O'Brien went over to Dax's side as the male voice repeated. "Jezmond?" Dax smiled up at O'Brien. "Go ahead, answer it." O'Brien said. Dax shrugged. "Hello." She spoke towards the console. "You're not Jezmond." The male voice spoke again. "Where is Lieutenant Jezmond?" "Lieutenant Jezmond has been taken to our Infirmary along with the others. I'm Dax and this is Chief O'Brien." Dax answered. "Greetings, Chief O'Brien." "Uh, hello." O'Brien muttered. "Is Lieutenant Jezmond injured." "She's fine. Who are you?" Dax asked. "I am Connor, the Endstorm's computer. Where am I?" "You're aboard the Bajoran space station, Deep Space Nine, in the Alpha Quadrant." Dax answered. Sisko came up the turbolift and entered OPS. Approaching the Science Station, he came up behind Dax and O'Brien. "Any progress?" He asked. "Who is that?" Connor answered back. Dax turned slightly to catch Sisko's eye. "Benjamin meet Connor, the Endstorm's computer. Connor, this is Commander Sisko." "Greetings, Commander Sisko." Connor replied. Sisko smiled at Dax and O'Brien. "Hello Connor." He raised his eyebrows. 'Is this for real?' His eyes asked Dax, who nodded her encouragement to continue. "Connor?" "Yes Commander?" "I have some questions I hope you can answer." "I will try Commander." Sisko sat down at the Science Station next to Dax. "Can you tell me exactly what happened to your ship." "The Endstorm suffered a core breach." "What caused the core breach?" Dax asked. "Electrical fire caused by a short in the hydraulic system." O'Brien cut in. "What caused the short? Did your diagnostic scan indicate the cause?" "Aliens." "Aliens? Aliens from where?" Sisko asked. "Two Aliens who boarded at Colony 428." "What kind of Aliens?" Sisko had taken control of the conversation with fevered interest. "Xenomorphs." "Connor, do you have the Endstorm ship's logs in your memory banks?" "I have all logs." "How many log entries were made after you left Colony 428?" "Three." "May I see them please."

The screen came to life in front of Sisko. A man he didn't recognize began to speak - 'Ship log. Captain Weaver. The Endstorm has just left what is left of Colony 428. We've brought aboard twenty-eight survivors from the Colony. Nine crewmembers of Fleet 20 perished along with 220 colonist. Lieutenant Jezmond and Corporal Marsh scanned everyone before they entered the Endstorm to ensure no further contamination. We are going into hypersleep and have set a course for Gateway Station Seven. Special note - a freighter was found on 428 containing hatched Alien pods. I believe this is how the Alien contamination was brought to the Colony. Someone will answer for this. Captain Fraz Weaver signing off.'

The screen flickered and the Captain's image was replaced with - 'Ship log. Commander Hanson. It's been five hours since Connor awakened us from hypersleep. The internal motion sensors indicate two Aliens on board. Captain Weaver is missing and presumed dead. The Endstorm has been set off course away from populated areas, by security directive ten-A. We have been attempting to track the Aliens movement on board. We can only assume that they boarded at Colony 428. With luck, we hope to be able to kill the beasts without too much damage to the ship.' Behind him Lieutenant Jezmond came into view and spoke into the Commander's ear. He nodded his head and turned back to the screen. 'This is Commander Cal Hanson acting captain of the Endstorm signing off.'

The screen flickered once again and an injured wide-eyed Jezmond came on screen. 'It's been thirty-six hours since we were awakened from hypersleep. They're all dead, everyone. Only myself, Corporal Marsh and one survivor from Colony 428 are left. Commander Hanson managed to kill one of the Aliens but was himself critically injured. I don't expect him to survive his injuries. There is still one Alien on board but we have been unsuccessful in defeating it. The Endstorm is severely damaged and I have decided that our only choice is to set the ship for self-destruct. We cannot allow this Xenomorph to invade the surrounding star system. If anyone finds this, know that the Company is responsible for the death and destruction of Colony 428 and the death witnessed here aboard the Endstorm. This is Lieutenant Shani Jezmond, unlucky survivor, signing off.'

The screen flickered one last time and went blank. The three officers sat in silence for a moment. Sisko sat back in the chair and rubbed his chin. "They said an Alien parasite killed everyone on their Colony, and they had no choice but to destroy their ship." "It doesn't sound like a parasite. More like an invader." Dax observed. "Exactly. Connor, is there anyway these Xenomorphs could have gotten off the Endstorm before it exploded?" Sisko asked. "Unlikely." Connor's calm voice replied. "Why?" O'Brien asked. "If they had you would not need to ask. You would be aware." "How would we be aware?" Sisko inquired. "There would be dead and unaccounted for personal. I do not detect stress in your voice to indicate either of these." "What would happen if a Xenomorph were to get aboard this Station?" Sisko wondered aloud. "You would die." Connor calmly informed him.

Kira returned to the Infirmary after leaving Sisko at the turbolift. Lieutenant Jezmond was once again sitting in vigil over Commander Hanson. Jezmond did not acknowledge her presence. Kira sat silently beside Jezmond for a moment before she spoke. "How is he?" She asked. Jezmond looked at her with a great sadness in her eyes. "He's dying and there's nothing I can do." She looked back at Hanson, as she continued, "you know Major, I've seen so many of my people die, you think it would get easier." Kira looked at her with equal sadness. "It never does. In fact, it can get harder, especially if the deaths are senseless." Jezmond turned to face Kira. "You sound like you talk from experience." Kira's tough exterior, which had softened some, tightened up again as she spoke. "Yeah... unfortunately I do. I've lived it all my life." Jezmond looked at the emotion on Kira's face. She understood the pain there. She too had lived it all her life, for this she decided not to push Kira for more information. "Major, have you ever felt impending doom?" "I'm not sure what you mean?" Kira looked somewhat bewildered. "I lived with this feeling of impending doom everyday. It's a stressful way to exist but it has always kept me alive. Hanson here lived with it too and look where it got him. I just don't know what to think anymore." Jezmond paused and looked down at Hanson. "I guess he's the lucky one, he no longer has to deal with it." ""Deal with what?" Kira spoke softly, prodding Jezmond along. She felt Jezmond wanted to talk, needed to talk but she would not be force to talk. "Impending doom. Pain. Death. We were in a state of war, but we couldn't stop fighting among ourselves long enough to effectively fight. Hanson here is just another casualty of that war." Kira gently touched Jezmond's arm. "Someone did this to him?" Jezmond looked to her and drew in a ragged breath. "The Company did. They did everything. They took away my family, my friends, my life. I don't know why I'm telling you this, you could never understand." She turned back to Hanson; she didn't want to talk anymore. Kira removed her hand from Jezmond's arm. "I can understand better than anyone," she said softly. Jezmond leaned in closely to Hanson. "I think you better get your doctor Major."

Julian examined Commander Hanson, while Kira and Jezmond stepped back and observed silently. He barely turned to look at them. "I'm sorry Lieutenant." He said gravely and slowly moved away. Kira looked at Jezmond, who had squeezed her eyes shut. Jezmond's face was lined with deep pain and sorrow and Kira knew there would be no way to comfort her. She squeezed Jezmond's arm gently. Jezmond's eyes glistened with tears as she looked at Kira. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't. Instead she turned away from Kira and the dead Commander.

At Quark's Bar, Odo had decided to separate Banks and Marsh. The hatred between the two men was thick in the air. Quark was busy at the replicator getting them food. The replicator, it seemed, was one thing that, at least for the time being, was working. He approached Odo along the way to serving the two men. "Do you think they like to gamble?" He asked the disgruntled shapeshifter. Odo turned from watching the two men and faced Quark. "I doubt they have any money Quark." "No money, no food." Quark stammered as he turned back to the bar. Odo quickly grabbed Quark's arm. "They are guests of Commander Sisko and as a favor to him I suggest you treat them as so. Besides since when do you charge for food from the replicator, Quark?" Quark grunted. "Okay. But the service charge is going on Sisko's tab." Quark quickly served the two men. They both stared at him in awe, which gave Quark a creepy feeling in the back of his lobes. He quickly returned back to Odo's side. "What's their story? They act like they've never seen a Ferengi before." Odo, not taking his eyes off the two men, answered in a lowered voice. "They probably haven't. They're from the Gamma Quadrant and it seems they are stranded here." Quark leaned closer to Odo. "Well I'm not feeding them free forever." Returning to the bar he poured himself a Ferengi Whiskey. Looking up, he pointed Odo towards the door as a new figure appeared. "Well, there's someone I'd like to get to know."

A Starfleet Security Officer escorted Jezmond to Quark's. Spotting Marsh, she went over to his table. He looked up and smiled at her, but his smile faded when he saw the look on her face. "Hanson's dead." She said in a harsh whisper as she sat down. Marsh put his fork down and lowered his eyes. His appetite was suddenly gone, replaced by a knot in his stomach. "You know, we had over twenty missions together. He was always someone you could count on to watch your back. He didn't deserve to die like that." Jezmond, resisting the urge to touch Marsh's arm, put her head in her hands. "I know. No one ever does. I hope we never go back because I can't do this anymore. I can't watch any more friends die. I can't deal with it." She looked at him with exhausted realization. Jezmond had enough of death and destruction. She felt ragged and on the edge. Looking at the only friend she had left in this totally alien environment, she felt so empty it was all she could do not to scream in frustration and pain. Marsh stood. "Are you gonna be okay?" He asked her. Jezmond looked up to him confused. "Yeah, I guess. Where are you going?" Marsh leaned in close. "I'm suddenly not feeling very well. I need some time alone. Are you sure you'll be okay?" Jezmond nodded her head. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'll find you later." Marsh started to move away but turned back and pushed his uneaten food towards Jezmond. "Here finish this. It's actually quite good." With that he left her alone. Jezmond picked up the fork and pushed the food around on the plate. To her surprise, she actually was hungry, as she tasted her first mouthful of Alpha Quadrant food. It was hot, but not spice hot and left a pleasant aftertaste in her mouth. She was so absorbed in eating she didn't notice that Banks sat down in front of her. "I'm sorry about Commander Hanson." He said breaking into Jezmond's thoughts. She raised her eyes to him in surprise. He was the last person she expected to approach her. "I couldn't help but overhear. I'm sorry, he seemed like a decent fellow. I liked him." Banks continued. Jezmond stopped eating and looked at him in astonishment. "You didn't know him. And I have a feeling that if he knew you, he wouldn't have liked you." She said flatly. Banks waited to see if she was going to say more. She really did look generally upset with the Commander's death. When she didn't say anymore, he continued. "Lieutenant Jezmond, I'm not your enemy. I guess we've all been under a lot of stress. I'm going to drop all the charges against you and the Corporal. I guess, you did what you thought you had to do, no matter how wrong it was, you meant well." He stood to leave. Jezmond's eyes turned cold. "Don't do me any favors Banks. I have a feeling it would cost me more than it's worth." Banks looked uncomfortable. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts Lieutenant." He backed away from her and left Quarks.

Jezmond turned back to her food, but her appetite was dwindling. She went back to pushing the food around on the plate, when another presence was at the table. She looked up to see a hideous creature, with large protruding ears, standing in front of her. It smiled at her, but it was more like a leer than anything else. "I'm Quark, proprietor of this establishment. And you are?" Quark used the most pleasant voice a Ferengi could muster. "Not interested. What are you?" She didn't bother to try and hide her disgust at his appearance at her table. Quark ignored the look Jezmond gave him. He was used to that kind of reaction from humanoid females. It never stopped him before and it wasn't about to now either. "I'm a Ferengi. I may be new to you now, but I have a feeling we are going to be great friends." Quark charmed as he reached across the table and caressed her hand. Jezmond pulled her hand back in repulsion, as a voice behind her boomed. "Get lost Quark!" It belonged to Kira. Quark reluctantly stood up and gave Kira a mildly disgusted look of his own. He turned his attention back to Jezmond. "Perhaps, we'll talk again later." He smiled an evil-looking Ferengi smile at her. It gave her the creeps and she inwardly shuddered. Nodding at Kira. "Always a pleasure to see you Major." He said as he passed her. She gave him a tight smile in return. Kira sat down opposite Jezmond. "Do you mind?" She asked. Jezmond gave her a relieved smile. "No, go ahead." She looked over to Quark, who gave her a little wave. Again, she felt a creepy feeling when he looked at her. She had the distinct impression he was undressing her with his beady little eyes, and that thought turned her stomach. Kira followed her gaze to Quark. "He gives me the creeps." Jezmond said. Kira looked back to Jezmond, who was pushing her food away. "Who, Quark? Don't worry about him, he's harmless. Annoying, but harmless. Well, in a Ferengi sort of way at least." Jezmond looked at Kira, really looked at her. Kira looked like Jezmond did except for her nose. Kira's nose had accordion-like wrinkles down it. In her right ear she had an earring ornament. Jezmond could see why Banks had mistaken Kira's nose to be broken. Jezmond liked it, it gave Kira's face character. "Is something wrong?" Kira asked her. Jezmond blinked back to reality, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." She said apologetically. "It's just that, I've never encountered other species like I've seen here. Like that Quark fellow, your Security Chief and even you Major. It's kind of overwhelming." Kira gave a warm smile and laughed. "Oh, this is nothing. You should see this place on a good day. There can be up to fifty different worlds represented here in Quarks alone." Jezmond smiled back in astonishment. "Really? That many? Amazing. And you all get along?" Kira sat back in her chair. "Well, for the most part we all tolerate each other. There are some I could certainly do without. Surely, with the fact that your culture has achieved space flight, you've encountered alien worlds and other species. We haven't explored much of the Gamma Quadrant, but we have met other humanoid cultures from there." Jezmond leaned forward on the table and turned very serious. "From what we've explored, we found mostly dead planets, some of which we were able to terraform and colonize. But the only encounter we had with an alien life form was not... exactly ideal. In fact, it was down right hostile. It cost us our homeworld and many, many lives. We'd been reduced to living on Gateway Stations much like this one. We fought a war and we lost." Kira sat in silence for a moment and reflected on what Jezmond had just told her. Her mind filled with images of Bajor's occupation and her own brutal past with the Bajoran Underground. She slowly returned to the present as she leaned forward towards Jezmond. "You said in the Infirmary that I couldn't understand what you've been through. You're wrong. I can and I do. Bajor was under occupation for close to a century. The Cardassians tortured and murdered over ten thousand Bajorans. They raped our planet of all our natural resources and poisoned our water supply before we drove them out. They were brutal and murderous, but we never gave up our fight to survive. Your people will eventually win their war with these invaders. Eventually you will prevail, like we did. You just never give up; you keep fighting. You're a survivor Jezmond, just like me." Jezmond shook her head. "Sometimes being a survivor isn't enough. Tell me Kira, did you eradicate these Cardassions?" Kira pulled back with a confused look. "Oh no. No." She looked closely at Jezmond, trying to read her face, which was very serious again. Jezmond spoke in the same calm, clear voice she had used when she spoke from the Endstorm. "We want, no, need to eradicate these Aliens. It's the only way." Kira was quieter now as she breathed out slowly. "That's a little harsh don't you think. You're talking genocide." She expected different cultures to have different ways of dealing with their enemies, but to wipe out a whole race to eliminate a problem was to close to what the Cardassians had tried to do to Bajor. Jezmond could see that Kira was not getting the idea. She didn't want these people to think that her people were heartless. "Major, how do you deal with an animal that only sees you as food. These Aliens are not like you and I. They are seven-foot bugs who need us to incubate their young. They plant an embryo in a living host - but, unfortunately, as the host, you cannot survive the birth of the Alien as it rips it's way out of your body. It's a horrible, painful death. So, you see Major, if these monsters invade your homeworld, you can't reason with them, you can't bargain with them or drive them out. You hope you can eradicate them before they eradicate you." "So did you?" "What? Eradicate them? No, but we were trying. It is a little hard when there are people who believe they could control these monsters, and they did try. And there were others who believed it was the Second Coming of God and actually gave their own children as sacrifices. Our homeworld was destroyed by the stupidity of the few and the greed of the many." Jezmond explained in a calm rational voice. It still amazed her that this was all true and not some horrible dream. Kira was dumbfounded. She knew that Bajor was not the only society that suffered at the hands of an invader, but to hear another's horrifying story was just as painful. "What will you do now?" She asked. Jezmond's eyebrows knotted together. "I don't know Major." Kira's comm badge beeped. Tapping it she answered. "Kira here." "Major meet me in the Infirmary. Bring Lieutenant Jezmond with you." Sisko's comm voice answered. "On our way." Kira told him, as she rose.

Jezmond stood and followed Kira out of Quarks. She felt a tight knot in her stomach turning. Call it inborn instinct but Jezmond was suddenly scared. Following at Kira's side, she tried to tell herself that she was being overly cautious and worried for nothing. After all, this wasn't a Gateway Station, and there were no Xenomorphs in this system.

They entered the Infirmary just ahead of Sisko. Marsh was on a diagnostic bed struggling with Julian and Hart. His eyes were wide with fear as they locked with Jezmond. "GET AWAY FROM HIM." She yelled as she pulled Hart out of her way. Sisko grabbed Jezmond from behind. She struggled from his grasp and turned to face him. "Kill him Commander. Please, for your own sake, kill him before it's too late." Jezmond turned towards Kira. "Please Major." She pleaded. Kira looked to Sisko and back to Jezmond confused. "What?" Marsh let out an agonizing scream. The three officers quickly turned towards him as an Alien burst from his chest cavity in a shower of flesh and blood. Bashir and Hart jumped back in surprise as pieces of Corporal Marsh rained down on them. "NOOOOO!" Jezmond screamed. The room was in utter turmoil as the two foot Alien quickly jumped to the floor. Hissing, it disappeared out of the infirmary in a trail of blood and slime. Pushing Sisko and Kira out of the way, Jezmond followed it.

Kira felt sick. She had witnessed many horrors when she was in the Underground, fighting against the Cardassians, but she had never witnessed anything as horrible as what had just happened to Corporal Marsh. It made Kira's stomach twist. She turned from the horrifying scene to see Jezmond re-enter the Infirmary behind a bewildered Odo. Jezmond looked shaky, her face was ashen as she leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest. Jezmond was in shock. She couldn't bring herself to look at what was left of her friend. She felt like she had betrayed his trust - the image of his eyes pleading with her would be forever embedded on her soul. A broken promise. A promise to 'Take care of each other' in the event of one or both of them got infected, and she failed to do it. She clasped her hands to her face. Kira watched Jezmond. The others were in shock pondering what they had just witnessed. Jezmond's reaction confirmed what Kira knew and the only one who knew how to deal with this Alien was falling apart before Kira's eyes. She took four long steps over to Jezmond and crouched down. Kira grabbed Jezmond's wrists and pulled her hands from her face. Jezmond didn't want to look at Kira. "This is a nightmare." She rasped. Reality, it seemed had become entangled with delirium. Kira let go of Jezmond's wrist and grabbed the young woman's face in both of her hands, forcing Jezmond to look at her. Jezmond stared at Kira in an intense, haggard way that was a little frightening. "Snap out of it. We need your help." Kira said forcefully. "I can't do it." "You have to. If anything you told me is true, then without you, we're all dead." Kira let go of Jezmond's head, stood and held out her hand. With Kira helping her to her feet, Jezmond wiped the sweat from her face. She was shaking. Taking a deep breath, Jezmond stepped towards Sisko. She avoided looking at what was left of Marsh, fearing she would lose control again. "Commander, how many people are presently aboard this station?" Her voice sounded calmer than she felt. "About twenty-five. Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Sisko said tightly. "We need to get everyone in one location. Some place that can be sealed from the inside." "Why? What was that?" Sisko still asked. He didn't like being kept in the dark about anything on the station. He had no tolerance for it. "Please Commander. I'll explain everything, but first you have to get your people to a safe location and we don't have much time." Jezmond explained. "How much time do we have?" Kira asked. Jezmond shook her head. She looked from Sisko to Kira troubled. "I'm not sure. Maybe two hours, maybe less." "Major!" Sisko's voice edged towards anger. "Commander, that thing is what killed everyone on their ship." Kira explained. A puzzled look crossed Sisko's dark features. He looked to Jezmond, as that puzzled look changed to a look of sudden understanding. Jezmond ran her fingers through her short hair. "It's true Commander and we don't have much time before it kills everyone on this station." Sisko went over to the Infirmary console and pressed a panel. His voice boomed over the station's comm. "To all persons still aboard this station. This is Commander Sisko. All persons evacuate immediately to Quark's in the promenade and wait there for further instructions."

DEEP SPACE NINE WAS UNDER SIEGE.

Odo, with a security team, went to corral everyone to Quark's. Sisko, with Kira, and Jezmond went to OPS, where Sisko had informed Dax and O'Brien to wait for them. Along the way, Jezmond told Sisko the story of how the Aliens infected her homeworld and the Endstorm. As they entered OPS, Sisko told her of what Connor had revealed to them about the Aliens. Dax and O'Brien were waiting patiently for them. As the Officers stepped off the turbolift Dax approached. "Benjamin, what's going on?" Sisko introduced Jezmond to Dax and O'Brien. It was she who answered Dax's question. "You have an Alien on board your station." Dax looked from Sisko to Jezmond with a troubled look. "We have a lot of Aliens on board. Do you mean a Xenomorph? How?" "Corporal Marsh was infected." Kira answered crossing over to the main OPS station. Dax looked questioningly to Jezmond. "Connor said that everyone was screened for infection before boarding your ship." In all the commotion, Jezmond had forgotten this standard procedure. "That's true." The young woman said. "I checked everyone myself. I remember checking Marsh. He was clean. We all were. Yet... I saw two Aliens before you brought me to your station and now we have one here." "Could your checking procedure be faulty?" Sisko asked. "Not a chance. It was very precise." They gathered around the Tactical Station in the center of the room, as Dax continued Jezmond's line of thought. "Which means that he was infected after you boarded your ship." "What difference does that make now?" Kira was getting annoyed. She need to be doing something. If these Aliens were what Jezmond had explained to her then they were wasting time. "That thing is loose on this station. It doesn't matter now how it got here." "It makes a big difference Major." Jezmond looked wide eyed at her. "Marsh might not have been the only one infected." "You mean you could be infected too?" Sisko asked. A look of realization crossed Kira's face. "Or Banks." Jezmond replied back. Sisko tapped his comm badge. "Sisko to Odo." "Odo here." "When everyone is located into Quark's bring Mr. Banks to OPS." Sisko instructed. "On our way. Odo out." Sisko turned to Jezmond, all business. "What do we have to do?" "Quarantine the station. No one gets in and no one gets out. We can't risk that monster getting off this station alive." Without saying a word, Sisko turned to Kira, who was already at the Communication Console. "Done," she said. "I need to see a layout of this station. We need to place all non-essential personal in a safe area. Anyone who isn't going to help with killing this thing has to be out of the way, somewhere safe." Jezmond rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache. 'Here we go again,' she thought. She tried to put Marsh's death out of her head, but when she closed her eyes his ultimate demise leapt at her. Sucking in her breath, she continued. "We need a closed area with only one way in or out. Someplace that can be sealed from the inside. That includes access tunnels, conduits, anyplace a man can fit through." O'Brien jumped over the Engineering console. "I'm on it," he stated. Jezmond turned to Dax. "I need to talk to Connor." Dax led Jezmond over to the Science Station. Kira and Sisko stood close behind Jezmond as she sat down. Dax reached over and pressed the controls as a male voice spoke. "On line. Dax is that you?" "Connor." Jezmond breathed. She didn't realize, until she heard him, how much his voice comforted her. She smiled for the first time since this all began. He was like an old familiar song that gives you the same warm feeling each time you hear it. "Jezmond is that you?" "Yeah, yes it is. Connor I need your help." "Ready." "Connor, were any pods brought aboard the Endstorm?" "Unauthorized question, access denied. Security clearance C required." Jezmond sat back, her smile replaced by a tight grin. Kira was getting edgy. "Now what?" Across Jezmond's face, the tight grin grew. "Connor, Security Clearance Access 224-748-CMS." A moment of silence passed before Connor's formal voice returned. "Security Access cleared. Proceed." Kira muttered under her breath. "It's about time." Jezmond gave her a quick glance as she spoke. "How many pods were acquired at Colony 428?" "Three." "Were any status chambers disturbed on the Endstorm once lock down was established?" "Yes, three." "Maintain hold." Jezmond turned back to the Officers. She was scared to go any further. Kira, who was behind Jezmond, could feel the young woman's tension rising from her. She placed her hand on the Lieutenant's shoulder protectively. "Three pods, three chambers." "Three aliens." Jezmond finished. "On board this station?" Dax asked. "No. Right now there's only one Alien on this station. I believe one Alien was hatched aboard our ship. The other..." She trailed off. Jezmond didn't want to know all the answers, but she knew it was essential for survival. "What status chambers, and who was assigned to them, broke seal?" "Status Chamber 34. Captain Fraz Weaver assigned." Connor answered. "The Alien aboard your ship." Dax concluded. Jezmond nodded. Connor continued. "Status Chamber 24. Corporal Kyo Marsh assigned." "Our Alien." Kira added. "Status Chamber 21..." Jezmond abruptly pressed the console, cutting Connor off. She drew in a long ragged breath. Rubbing her forehead with one hand she pressed the Console again. "Under who's authority was lock down disrupted?" "Company Directive #331, authorized by Banks, Mason DD4." "Maintain hold." Jezmond could barely speak. Sudden anger flashed through her and throbbed in her temples. "That son-of-a-bitch." Jezmond's voice was a husky growl as she slammed her hands down on the Console, as Kira often did in frustration. Behind them a voice spoke. "Another temper tantrum Lieutenant?" Banks said with disgust. Suddenly Jezmond was moving. She was moving very, very fast. She grabbed Banks by the throat with the intent of ripping his head from his scrawny neck. "You Murderer!" She yelled as Sisko and Kira peeled her off the bewildered and extremely terrified red-faced Banks. Banks rubbing his throat, and stumbled back from her. "You're crazy, you were trying to kill me. You're crazy. Lock her up Commander, she's dangerous." Sisko held the struggling Lieutenant in a bear hug. "Me dangerous? I'm not the one responsible for hundreds of deaths." Sisko held Jezmond even tighter. He didn't want another death, which he felt might result if he let Jezmond near Banks. He didn't want to lose control of the situation. "Everyone calm down. NOW!" His voice boomed. Jezmond stopped struggling and relaxed in his arms. Banks was still rubbing his throat, repeating. "Your crazy." Over and over again. "Now who was assigned to Status Chamber 21?" Sisko asked Jezmond as he released her from his hold. Jezmond stood her ground. She was breathing in long, hard breaths. "Chamber 21 was my chamber. I'm infected too." She turned to address Banks. "I know about Company Directive #331, authorized by Banks, Mason DD4. You son-of-a-bitch, I just want to know why? Was it for money Banks?" She wheezed out. Banks stopped and fixed his gaze on her. They had totally blocked out the station's officers, who watch the exchange in fascination and horror. "How did you find out about 331?" He asked her. "It doesn't matter. I know everything." Her voice was surprisingly calm. "We have an Alien now on board this station, thanks to you. Couldn't just kill your own people, had to bring total strangers into it. Didn't you? Just like the Company." Banks leaned back on a Console. He had a smirk on his face that infuriated Jezmond. "Even I have my orders Lieutenant," he told her. "Could have been rich if you military types had minded your own business." Jezmond's mouth drew up into a tight, terrible smile. "Can't be rich if you're dead. Which is what we all will be, very soon. I know that I am, again thanks to you." Kira's brow tightened up with concern as she broke into the conversation. "Is there anyway to remove the Alien from you?" Jezmond took a deep breath. "It's too late. By now the Xenomorph is attached to vital tissue. There's no way to remove it without killing me." She looked at Banks with complete anger. Banks stepped towards her with caution. "You know what I think..." "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Jezmond exploded, "In case you haven't been listening, we have an Alien on board this station. So get your head out of your ass and try and help solve this problem that you've created." "All right! That's enough!" Sisko stepped between he two. He had enough of the arguing. "We aren't going to get anything accomplished with you two continuing to argue. Chief have you got anything yet?" "Aye Sir. Cargo Bay Four. It has one entrance and one access tunnel. Both can be sealed from the inside." Sisko looked to Jezmond, who gave a quick nod of her head and added. "We need to get everyone moved to the cargo area fast. We also need to set up portable motion trackers to detect the Alien." "Our internal sensors should be able to locate the Alien." Dax said. "Before you brought me over, did your sensors detect any Aliens on the Endstorm?" "No, it didn't." "Well, there were two there. Our sensors couldn't detect them either, so we used motion detectors to track their movements." "Tricorders can do that." Kira offered. "Kira, you and Lieutenant Jezmond get everyone moved to Cargo Bay Four. Dax you stay here and monitor for any movement. If anything comes this way, get to Cargo Bay Four. Chief, you're with me." "What do we do once we find this thing?" Odo asked. Kira interrupted with her own question. "Better yet, how do we kill it?" "You can't kill it." Banks protested. Jezmond rolled her eyes in frustration, but nodded her head in agreement. "He's right. You can't kill it... at least not on the station. Its blood will eat right through the hull. We need to get it into an airlock and blow it out into space. From there we'll destroy it." "Shouldn't it die once it's exposed to space?" Kira asked. "You can't kill it. Once it's in the airlock, we can anesthetize it and put it into stasis." Banks protested again. Jezmond sucked in her breath once more. She wanted to put Banks into stasis. "No way Banks. It's dead. Major, if we just left it out there it would find a way back in the station. We have to literally blow it up. Commander, I'll need some of my equipment." Sisko nodded to Odo. "Constable take Jezmond to get what she needs. Mr. Banks you go with Major Kira. We'll meet you at Cargo Bay Four. Dax keep in communication with us, at the first sign of trouble bug out, so to speak." "Be careful Benjamin." "You too old man." He smiled at Dax as the turbolift descended.

At the weapons storage, Jezmond checked out her flame rifle. The fuel was low but it appeared undamaged. She only hoped it would be enough. Sliding a carbon grenade in her pocket she indicated to Odo she was ready to go.

Kira walked in silence along side Banks. She had debated about giving him a phaser and decided against it. She felt he was more likely to turn it on Jezmond, instead of the Alien. He wisely didn't ask her for one. Her thoughts kept drifting back to her terrorist days. She felt a familiar feeling dwelling within her. The same feeling she would get before going into battle. It excited her as well as disturbed her. She thought she had moved beyond those days, but now here she was, faced with more violence. It was once again moving beyond her nightmares into her waking hours.

Odo and Jezmond arrived at Quark's just behind Kira and Banks. The stations personal were gathered around them, as Kira tired to explain to them the situation without scaring them all into a panic. Odo decided to take over, as this was his area of expertise. As Odo started to gather and move everyone out towards the cargo bay, a young Ensign approached Kira and Jezmond. "Excuse me Sir." Kira looked to the young woman. "Yes?" "Ensign Peel was working in access tunnel 48 when we were ordered here. When he didn't show up Ensign Jackson went to look for him and now they are both missing." "Computer, location of Ensign Peel." "Ensign Peel is in Quark's Bar." The Computer voice told her. "No Major, I have his comm badge. I found it in the corridor outside of Tunnel 48." The young woman handed Kira the Starfleet Comm Badge. "Okay. Go with the others, we'll find him." She told him Ensign and turned to Jezmond, who had a grim look on her face. "It's already started." "We don't know that. What about him?" Kira indicated to Banks who was standing over by the bar. "Bait... I don't know. Put him with the others I guess, can't trust him any where else." She looked over to Banks. "Banks. Let's go." Banks looked up at Jezmond and Kira with slight disgust. He couldn't believe that they weren't taking this opportunity to make more money than they could imagine. This Alien was a valuable commodity. He started towards them with slow deliberate steps. "Dax to Kira." Kira tapped her comm badge. "Go ahead." "I'm detecting movement in Conduit Passageway 22 near Quark's." "Acknowledged." Kira looked at Jezmond. She removed her phaser from its holster in preparation for anything. Jezmond grabbed Banks' arm and ushered him out of Quark's behind Kira. She held up her motion detector and panned around. "It's close. Ten meters." "Dax, where is it?" "It's to the right of your position. It should emerge from the wall access." Kira and Jezmond spun around, as the access tunnel cover fell to the floor. Kira planted her feet in a firing stance and took aim. Jezmond pushed Banks behind her and clutched the flame rifle before her, her finger tight on the trigger as... "Hold your fire." Kira yelled, as a pair of human feet came out of the tunnel followed by a frightened young Ensign. "Ensign Peel?" Kira asked, lowering her phaser. "No Sir, Ensign Jackson. Ensign Peel is... I was looking for him when this thing came from a cross tunnel. It was some kind of monster. It grabbed Peel and I escaped through the tunnel. I went back to look for him but there was only blood. I heard him scream and I ran." The Ensign's voice was shaking along with his body. Jezmond placed her hand on his shoulder. "You did what you had to. If you would have stayed, you would be dead too." "Go to Cargo Bay Four and have Doctor Bashir take a look at you. We'll take it from here Ensign." Kira told him. "Go with him Mr. Banks." Banks shook his head in acknowledgment, he was glad to be heading to a safe area. He started to follow the Ensign, when without warning the Alien snatched Jackson from above. Jackson screamed and started to kick his feet frantically. Banks screamed and ran towards Kira and Jezmond. With his scream, Kira and Jezmond turned in time to see the Alien pull Jackson up towards the ceiling. Jezmond dropped her flame rifle and ran and grabbed his legs. She too was yanked up towards the open conduit. Kira grabbed hold of Jezmond's legs, just as Jezmond's upper torso disappeared through the hole. She felt her feet leave the floor as she struggled to hold on the Lieutenant's legs. She could hear Jezmond yelling above her. When Kira was two meters off the ground, and Jezmond had almost completely disappeared through the opening, the tension dissipated. Jezmond crashed down on Kira. Jackson was no longer with them. "What happened?" Kira gasped, untangling herself from Jezmond. She pulled the wide-eyed Jezmond to her feet, as she continued her questioning. "Where's Jackson?" Jezmond wiped sweat and blood from her face with her sleeve. "He's gone! God damn it, he's gone!" "Kira. Acknowledge." Sisko's voice came over the comm. Kira absently touched her comm badge. "Here Commander." She stood watching a shaken Jezmond pace around her, shaking her head and muttering to herself. She looked on the edge of breaking, and Kira feared she would. "What is happening Major. I've been hailing you, with no response. Is everything okay?" "The Alien, it was here Commander." "Are you okay? Where are you?" "We're outside of Quark's. We're fine." Kira emphasized 'fine' with a concern look at Jezmond. The Lieutenant stopped pacing and gave her a tight nod of her head. Kira relaxed a little. "Stay there, we're on our way." Jezmond turned from Kira and looked at Banks, who was cowering nearby. She quickly bent down and grabbed Kira's phaser, from where it had fallen. Banks seeing the anger in her eye's, turned to run, but Jezmond was too fast for him and caught him from behind. She spun him around and placed the phaser under his chin. "I don't know much about these weapons but, I bet from this close it would hurt real bad." She growled at him. All Banks could do was whimper back a response. "This is your fault. That man is dead because of you. I should kill you right now." Kira grabbed Jezmond's arm. "No! We don't time for this right now." Kira said firmly. "But when this is over..." Kira squinted her eyes and sneered at Banks. "Lieutenant Jezmond is going to be the least of your worries," she informed him. Jezmond let Kira take the phaser from her. She started to turn away from Banks, when she said. "Oh what the hell." Turning around she slammed her fist into his face, knocking him to the floor. Kira wisely said nothing.

When Sisko and Odo arrived, Kira and Jezmond were pacing, their eyes shifting around, waiting for any movement. Banks sat nearby rubbing his sore jaw. They all looked rattled. Before Sisko could ask what had happened, Dax came over the comm. "Dax to Sisko." "Go ahead." "I'm picking up movement above Security." "We're on our way. Dax keep this comm line open." "Acknowledged." They started towards Odo's office. When Jezmond saw that Banks had not moved from his position on the floor, she went back and grabbed him by the back of his collar and hauled him to his feet. She started to drag him along after the others. "Are you going to hit me again?" He feebly asked. "Only if you give me a reason to." She snarled back. Cautiously, they entered the office and looked around. Jezmond proceeded to enter the holding area, but Odo grabbed her and pulled her back and entered first himself. The security cells were dark and quiet. "Computer, lights." Sisko said softly. The room remained dark. Splitting up and circling the room, all eyes warily watched the ceiling. Jezmond held out her motion detector, stopping next to Odo. "It's here. It's up there somewhere." Kira held out her tricorder. "I'm picking up movement. Above you Odo." As if on clue, the Alien broke through the ceiling and grabbed at Odo, who simply morphed out of the way. Jezmond stood stunned by what she just saw Odo do. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the Alien, right beside her. The Alien leaned in close and hissed at her. Jezmond caught her breath with a harsh gasp and spun around to face her greatest nemesis. Kira's mouth dropped open. The room suddenly felt very warm. The Alien was now over two meters tall, black and metallic looking. It had a large head and no eyes. Its mouth was full of vicious teeth and it was drooling as it hissed at Jezmond. It was close enough to kill her and Kira was not about to let that happen. She lifted up her phaser to fire when Banks flew into her knocking her off her feet. "No! I won't let you kill it." Banks yelled. All his effort was lost on the Alien, who's secondary set of teeth slammed into the back of Banks' skull pushing his brains out onto the floor beside Kira. Banks didn't have time to react, his body jerked and convulsed until the Alien grabbed him in its powerful arms and pulled his body apart. The Alien turned its massive head towards Kira as she scrambled across the floor to reach her phaser. Sisko fired on the Alien. The creature screeched and turned to face him. Jezmond came up behind it and fired her flame rifle. The Alien screamed in rage and jumped up the same hole it had come down from and disappeared. "Damn!" Jezmond cursed. "We got to get it out of the access tunnels or we'll never get it." Holding out her hand, she helped Kira to her feet. "Are you okay?" She asked her. "Yeah. My god how are we going to kill that thing?" Kira mumbled. "Dax, we lost it. Can you track it?" Sisko asked. "It's heading towards Cargo Bay Six." "Set up force fields to prevent it from back-tracking on us." "Understood." "Let's go." Sisko ordered the others. Kira and Jezmond stepped around what was left of Banks and followed Odo and Sisko out into the promenade.

The Officers headed down to the cargo bay. The original enthusiasm was no longer with them. Dax informed them the Alien was in Cargo Bay Six at last movement but there wasn't any further movement "What do you think it's doing?" Kira whispered to Jezmond. Jezmond shrugged. "I don't know. Creating a nest, maybe." They slowly entered the cargo bay. There was no movement on Jezmond's tracker. "Here we go again," she said to Kira and moved off to the left. Sisko looked at his own tricorder. "Dax are you sure it entered Cargo Bay Six?" "Affirmative. But no further movement." "Everyone keep in visual of each other." Sisko instructed, as they split up. Jezmond continued to the left as Kira headed to the right. Odo and Sisko went up the middle. The light was dim and the shadows played tricks on their eyes, with false movement. Odo was the first break the silence. "Over here. I've got something." They all converged to where Odo bent down staring at something on the floor. Jezmond used the end of her rifle to pick up part of the outer skin that the Alien had shed. "Well, it's been here. But whether or not it came back here - I don't know." "Benjamin, movement above you." Dax came over the comm. The alien dropped down beside Jezmond. Kira and Sisko both fired their phasers, with no effect. Sisko yelled to Kira. "Set to kill!" Again they fired. The Alien screeched but it didn't falter. Instead, it turned to them and hissed. It was real close to Jezmond now. The Alien had her trapped against a cargo container, making it impossible for her to raise her weapon. It leaned in and hissed. Its drool sizzled on her sleeve and she shuddered as it got closer. Sisko and Kira had to cease fire for fear of hitting her. Jezmond closed her eyes tight; she was sweating and shaking all over. As fast as the Alien appeared, it was gone. Sliding to her knees, Jezmond leaned forward on her hands. Her stomach retched. Kira and Sisko helped her back to her feet and sat down on a cargo crate. Pacing in frustration, Kira threw her hands up in the air. "What do we do now? Our phasers didn't ever touch that thing." Sisko inspected the floor where the Alien's drool had eaten through the hull. It wasn't deep but it brought a new realization on how dangerous this creature was. "We'll have to find some other way." Sisko looked to Jezmond. "Any suggestions?" "It didn't kill me," she wheezed out a laugh. "Uh... What?" Kira asked in a 'I'm at the end of my rope tone.' Jezmond looked up at her and smiled. "It didn't kill me. It could have, but it didn't" "So what does that prove? Its hunger was satisfied already." Odo pointed out. Jezmond stood. "No. It won't kill me. I'm carrying its little brother. I think I know how to lure it into the airlock." "Oh no you don't." Kira was pacing and shaking her head. "It's the only way. I lure it in and you blow it out into space." "And how do you get out?" Kira demanded. "If I'm lucky, before you close the door." Jezmond started to take a step towards Kira when her knees buckled. Sisko caught her and set her back down. "I agree with the Major, it's too risky. I'm sending you back to OPS. We'll think of something else," the Commander told her. "No way." Jezmond protested. "You can barely stand up. That's an order Lieutenant." Jezmond lifted her head from her hands. She was pale and breathing heavily. "Commander, with all due respect, I'm not one of your crew. You seem to forget that I have one of these things inside of me and it's gonna come out real soon. I'm the only chance you have to get rid of that monster and I'm willing to take that risk because either way, I'm already dead. So I don't see how you have any other choice. We either do this now, or your going to have two of them to deal with and I'm not gonna be here to help you." Sisko reluctantly saw her point, and agreed with her. "Okay. How do we do this?" Together they formulated a plan to use the phasers to force the Alien down the corridors blocking it in with force fields as it went along. Dax would implement the force fields from OPS blocking the alien from re-entering the access tunnels. Kira and Sisko would attack from behind with phasers, to keep it moving forward. Jezmond and Odo would lure it from the front. Odo agreed that he was the best choice to help keep Jezmond from out harms reach. Jezmond was getting weaker and she knew she could use all the help she could get. Besides, she had seen how Odo handled himself, and she knew she wouldn't have to worry about him. Her time was almost up. She only hoped she didn't leave them with two Aliens to contend with. "Benjamin I'm detecting movement on the promenade near Quark's." Dax's comm voice stated.

A few minutes later, the officers were cautiously making their way along the promenade, when Quark came at full speed around a corner straight into Odo. He immediately went into a Ferengi cringe. Odo grabbed him by the shoulders and straightened him out. "I was in the holosuite when the devil himself came in. He wasn't part of the program. I don't know what kind of security you run around here Odo but I expect full compensation." Quark complained. Sisko looked to Odo. "I guess I must have missed him in my count." Odo simply stated. "Okay Quark. Stay behind Major Kira." Sisko told him. "Dax any more movement on the Promenade?" "Ten meters left of your location." Jezmond was the first around the corner to face the Alien. She fired her flame rifle forcing it into a small corridor. The chase was on.

The Alien came out of the passage way into a bigger corridor. It turned to its right only to be greeted by Sisko and Kira, their phasers blazing. Odo and Jezmond came in from the left. "HEY! HEY, YOU BASTARD!" Jezmond yelled, "COME AND GET ME!" The Alien turned its massive head towards her and hissed before turning and advancing on Kira and Sisko. Jezmond fired her flame rifle at the Alien again. It screeched and charged towards her. Odo grabbed her arm and they ran down the corridor. The Alien quickly followed them until it came to a fork in the passageway and ran smack into a force field. It screeched again and went towards the ceiling but was cut off by phaser fire. The Alien charged towards Kira and Sisko, who continued to fire. Jezmond gave one last shot from her flame rifle to get its attention. She knew it wouldn't come after her if it didn't consider her a threat. The Alien turned towards her and Odo again. Odo positioned himself between the Alien and Jezmond. This infuriated the creature. 'Of course, the alien would protect its unborn brother against the threat of Odo.' Jezmond thought, as she dropped the empty flame rifle. She grabbed Odo's arm. "Come on Constable. It's working." Pulling Odo down the corridor toward the airlock, the Alien pursued with fury. Kira and Sisko followed close behind, phasers ready. Quark decided, in his best interest, to head the opposite direction, away from the Alien. Jezmond pulled Odo into the airlock with her, but the Alien was reluctant to follow. "Come on. I'm waiting for you. Come on you bastard, don't disappoint me," she urged the Alien on. She hoped they hadn't come this far and it wasn't going to work. Behind the Alien, a phaser fired.

Kira fired her phaser again in hope of distracting the Alien. "ODO. JEZMOND, GET OUT OF THERE!" Kira yelled as she fired again at the screaming creature. Instead of distracting the Alien, she forced it into the airlock. The Alien turned to its main threat now -- Odo. Jumping at Odo, its secondary jaws streaked out from its mouth with the intent of hammering through Odo's head. Odo morphed quickly out of the way and around the Alien. Leaving the Alien with empty air and Jezmond. Jezmond leaned against the wall of the airlock. The world was swimming around her. A chance for escape slipped past in moment of dizziness. The Alien now stood before her, not as a threat, but as a protector of the unborn Alien within her. A sharp pain bore through Jezmond. She gritted her teeth and clutched her chest. A moan escaped her. It was time, she and the Alien both knew it. Kira tried to get around Sisko but Odo grabbed her and held her tightly. They were at a stalemate with the Alien and Jezmond would pay the price. Kira's eyes were wide, as she snarled at Sisko. "We can't leave her there." Sisko agreed. "Dax can you get a transporter lock on Lieutenant Jezmond?" A moan came from the airlock, as Jezmond crumpled to her knees. Her face contorted with pain as she spoke through clenched teeth. "No. Blow the airlock, now." Pulling her hands away from her chest, she revealed a bloodstained tunic. "Do it now Commander. Please." She pleaded. In her hand she showed him a small hand grenade. "No." Kira gasped as Sisko hit the control to the door. In the airlock the Alien pounded furiously on the door and walls. Jezmond stood up and staggered towards it, the blood on her tunic spreading. She flipped open the silver grenade in her hand. Kira could have sworn she saw a small smile cross Jezmond's face before Jezmond leaped on to the Alien, grabbing hold of its chest. Odo reached across and hit the controls to the outer lock. The Alien and Jezmond were swept out into space. The ensuing explosion knocked the three officers off their feet. Dax's voice rang over the comm. "Benjamin, please respond. Is everyone okay? I lost the Lieutenant's transporter lock." Sisko helped Kira to her feet. Odo was already at the airlock, closing the outer door. Sisko absently tapped his comm badge. "We're okay Dax. It's over. The Alien is dead. Lieutenant Jezmond gave her life to destroy it." Kira looked out the airlock. She lowered her head in a moment of silence. Turning, she locked her gaze with Sisko's. No words passed between them; there was no need for it. It was over.

THE END