A group of changelings wanting to get back to the great link causes the Nevada problems

Going Home

Written by

The Crew of the USS Nevada

Captain Martok, Cmdr. T'Shael, Cmdr. 1 of 1, Lt. Cmdr. John McDuff, Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Archer, Counselor Grace Mitchell

Martok "T'Shael, with me."
The two commanders entered the corridor started talking about ships operations and their orders from s47 command.
Martok "I think it will take a while for me to get used to you in red commander"
T'Shael "Well I have to say sir, it looks better on me than on a Klingon."
Before he could respond she was in the turbo lift and on the way to the bridge. Martok headed down to his quarters to change.

Martok stepped off the turbo lift and onto the bridge, he noticed a new officer at ops as he walked down towards his chair between the counselor and T'Shael he asked for a status report from T'Shael.
T'Shael "Engineering reports all engines at 100% Ops/ Reports all power levels within normal parameters. Science reports all sensors performing at optimum efficiency. All stations reported in and we are awaiting orders"
Martok "Excellent"
T'Shael "Oh and sir we have two new officers, Lt. (jg) O' Hara at Ops, and Lt McDuff as CEO."
Martok turned to O' Hara, "welcome aboard Lt."
O'Hara "Thank you sir"
Martok "What do you think of the Nevada?"
O' Hara "She's a fine ship sir, but I am having a bit of trouble with my station."
Martok looked at T'Shael and then back to O'Hara "trouble Lt.?"
O'Hara "Well sir, it sounds a bit silly but, these controls, they only seem to respond to well, nearly punches towards them. It looks like the COO re-calibrated their sensitivity.
T'Shael "Hmmmm, you'll just have to reset them Lt, the last COO, was a bit rough"
Martok grinned and sat down.
"T'Shael, looks like a pretty standard mission. We're to deliver 20 industrial replicators to the Federation colony on Lacora 3. Take her out"
T'Shael "Mr Archer, set course 174, 238 warp 5."
Martok "CHK'ta!"
Archer "sir?"
T'Shael "engage"
Martok turned in surprise to T'Shael "I didn't know you spoke Klingon Commander"
T'Shael "Gha'chi tuh guh!"
Martok let out huge roar of laughter, which made everyone on the bridge jump. Realising his mistake he sank into his chair.
"T'Shael I want reports from all stations in four hours."

Aye Captain" T'Shael said, addressing him for the first time with his new title. Although Martok actually only was Commander, as the CO of the ship he deserved the right to be called captain. She took place in the FO's chair and noticed that it was quite more comfortable than her former science chair. Yet she missed the controls of her former station that told her about everything that was going on outside the ship. As long as they didn't have a new CScO she'd maybe spend some time there yet if needed.
Martok, sitting next to her, also looked quite satifised in his chair being in control of the bridge. Finally he had achieved his dream, being in command of a starship. About half an hour passed the two were sitting next to each other in the command chairs not really knowing what to talk about. The mission didn't seem to become very adventurous and the ship ran absolutely perfect. To say it straight out, they were bored.
Martok couldn't help starting to twist his thumbs and T'Shael noticed with a rise of an eyebrow. A bored Klingon was someone she wouldn't trust too far, who knew what he could think up. She decided that she'd have to start doing something about it. "Sir, I will go down to engineering to check in with our new CEO" she told him.
"Sure, do that, I will notify you of any changes of our situation" he replied with a sarcastic tone in his voice, he hadn't imagined that being the CO was that boring. As COO at least he used to have something to, even if it was just scanning for other ships or calculating a course.
T'Shael rode the turbolift down to engineering and went to talk to Lt. McDuff. "Well, Lt. everything is running alright?" she asked him
"Yes, the machines are in perfect shape and we don't have too much work down here."
"Same on the bridge. Would you mind me doing some experiments on the warp field now that we have time?" "No, what have you been thinking of?" the Lt. asked her curiously, what did a FO want to do with a warp field?
"Actually just waking up the CO, I think he needs some adrenalin or he will die of boredom." she said trying to keep her voice in a neutral tone without grinning.
"I see" Lt. McDuff said "I think I know what we could do" They stepped to a console and started working.

Bridge:
Martok was still sitting in his chair twisting thumbs. "How long till we get to the colony Lt. Archer?"
"With current speed approximately two days and five hours sir."
"If we speed up to Warp 6 how long will it take?" Martok asked.
"We'll save about twelve hours sir but federation regulations say that transport flights shouldn't exceed Warp 5" Archer said confused.
"Rise speed to Warp 6 please, damn those regulations, they were made by people sitting behind a desk not knowing how long a space flight is."
_4;Aye Sir, rising speed to Warp 6."
In that moment the red alert bell sounded and the computervoice said "Attention, antimatter force field failing, warp core breach in 30 seconds."
Martok jumped up. "What the... Martok to T'Shael, what's going on down there."
=^= Sir when you sped up it distracted some experiment the CEO was performing and had the force field around the antimatter destabilized. We're working on it! =^=
"Work faster" Martok yelled as the computer voice said "Warpcore breach in 15 seconds"
Did they want to distroy his ship on the first mission?? "Warpcore breach in 5 seconds, four... Field stabilized."
Martok sank down into his chair, relieved that nothing had happened. Maybe he shouldn't speed up just like that anymore...
"T'Shael get up here immediately!"
=^= Aye Sir =^=
T'Shael stepped back onto the bridge with a satisfied look on her face. Martok saw here and a suspicious thought wandered slowly into his mind. Could she have...? T'Shael supressed a un-vulcan smile that she sometimes allowed herself as she was half human and sat down without saying a word. She noticed that Martok wasn't twisting thumbs anymore. The cure must have helped...
In that second the new ops officer looked like she wanted to say something but didn't want to annoy the CO. "Sir" she said finally "I'm recieving a distress signal from a federation ship one parsec away, it's a very week signal sir."
Martok looked to T'Shael, but she sat there too innocently and surprised as well that this could be one of her games again. "Put it through Lt."
=^= This .. capt..n Johnson from .... starship Yamato, we ..ed help please ...one hear us? This is ... =^= The connection broke.
"Any idea if they're attacked Lt.?"
"I don't know, they're too far away to tell it could be something else too."
"Lt. Archer, set a course, warp 9" Finally he had a reason to speed up. Maybe the mission would get more exciting now.

The Nevada dropped out of warp next to the freighter.
Martok "All stop"
Worf "Registering all stop"
Martok "Open a channel"
O'Hara "Channel open sir"
Martok "This is commander Martok of the Star Ship Nevada, we picked up your distress signal, how may we be of assistance?"
No response
Martok turned to O'Hara at the Ops position, "why aren't they responding, did they get the message?"
O'Hara "Yes sir, they're receiving us alright, maybe their outgoing communications is down."
T'Shael was busy working on her small panel "Capt?"
Martok "Report"
T'Shael "I'm detecting some damage in their secondary hell, it looks like they've got a breach near their engineering section. Strange, the blast pattern.."
O'Hara "I'm detecting a power surge in their eps relays near engineering. They containment field is fluctuating."
Martok "How long till it collapses?"
T'Shael "I'd say 6mins, 7 at the most"
Martok "Can you get a lock on them?!"
O'Hara "No sir"
Martok barked at the Lt "Cause!"
"There seems to be some sort of interference. I can't cut through"
With this Grace looked up suspiciously at O'Hara, no one seemed to notice, not even O'Hara himself. She considered him for a while, seemed to dismiss her thought and turned back to the view screen.
=^=Martok to engineering, I want those transportes back onli-=^=
T'Shael "Capt!"
Martok looked up just in time to see the small freighter explode.
Martok "Shields!"
1 of 1 "Shields have automatically been raised"
The crew rocked momentarily as the blast wave shook the bridge.
T'Shael "damage report"
1 of 1 "All decks have reported in, no damage"
Martok "What the hell happened, you said they had at least five minutes"
T'Shael "The field suddenly dropped by 25% and the core breached."
Martok "Explain, a containment field doesn't just drop by 25% without cause"
T'Shael "Unknown sir, I don't see how-"
O'Hara "Maybe the power surge effected engineering more badly then we thought."
Martok looked at his new Lt for a moment and then turned to T'Shael "Commander, how many people on board that ship"
T'Shael "62 sir"
Martok sighed, "I want to know what happened on board that ship commander. I want a full report in the briefing room at 16:00"
T'Shael "Aye sir"
Martok walked toward his ready room "And commander, get me a list of who was on that ship, I have to contact Star-Fleet command"
Martok stepped into his ready room as T'Shael began issuing orders to the crew.

T'Shael sat down in here chair. Something was on her mind. She looked at Grace, and she too seemed to be deep in thought.
T'Shael kept analyzing that blast pattern, but it just didn't make any sense. She was sure, it had come from the inside. Also she hadn't detected any weapon signatures on the hull. It couldn't have been an attack by another vessel, the cause of the hull breach was to find inside the ship. But what was it? It couldn't be an accidental energy overload, not the warp core breach. The part where the explosion came from didn't have any stong energy source. It must have been something placed there, she was almost sure. A bomb? Why would someone distroy a frighter? And had the person been aboard or had it been placed there before? T'Shael decided to go through the passenger list. She had sent a subspace transmission for it to star fleet command a while ago and the answer had just arrived. She was very glad subspace transmission were that efficient. She accessed the list and went through it. It had a regular crew of... 61.
'Wait a minute' T'Shael thought. Hadn't there been 62 life signs? So who had been the 'guest' on board? There was no civil passenger marked on the list. Was that person responsible for the explosion? If yes he/she would have been killed too. Or had he/she been able to save him/herself? Questions over questions. T'Shael sighed. The computer announced that it was almost 16.00, time for the staff meeting.
Everyone else was waiting already when she entered the lounge. She noticed that Counsellor Mitchell was looking at Lt. O'Hara with a stange look on her face, but the chief of ops didn't notice her.
"Well, found anything No. 1?" Martok asked.
"You could say so" T'Shael answered, decided to forget about the counsellor for the moment and started to report what she had found out.

After T'Shael had finished her report, her and Martok looked around in the room. "Any opinions or other comments someone would like to share?" Martok asked his senior staff. "Anyone found out anything else?"

Martok leaned forward in his chair, and looked around at his senior staff. He was not happy. There were to many questions still unanswered, too many variables unaccounted for. 61 maybe 62 people were dead and he still had no idea how or why, and Star Fleet was screaming for an explanation. One, which his people seemed unable to give.
"T'Shael, have you been able to confirm the use of an explosive onboard?"
"No sir"
"Have you been able to account for the mystery crewmember? His identity, whether or not he survived the explosion?"
"Not yet sir, no."
"How about you Mr. O'Hara, have you been able to determine the cause of the interference which prevented the transporter lock?"
"No, sir"
Martok was beginning to get visibly irritated.
"Mr. Mc Duff, if you answer negatively to my next question, I'm going to be very upset. Have you been able to determine the cause of the sudden decrease in the containment field?"
Mc Duff looked at his CO and said "I don't want to upset you Captain, so I can't answer that question."  "Mr. O'Hara. Take that transporter system apart molecule by molecule, I want to know what caused that pattern lock failure and why it couldn't be compensated for.
Mr. Mc Duff I want an explanation for that core breach, I don't want to hear excuses, go through the logs of the scans taken in their engineering section before the explosion. Beam samples aboard if you have to, don't give me anything but answers.
Mr. Worf, go through every sensor log of this incident, from the time we detected them to the time of the explosion, I want a report on all power surges, systems failures and magnetic interferences.
T'Shael, find out who that person was, if he or she died in the explosion. If not, where he or she is.
1 of 1, I want a compositional analysis of that that breach we detected and what the explosive, if there was one, was made of.
I want progress reports every 3 hours, use all personnel, pull double shifts, triple shifts if you have to. I want answers and I want them soon."
The room was silent, everyone nodded in compliance.
"If that is all. Dismissed everyone."
The offers began to file out except for consoler Mitchell.
Looking up from a pad Martok addressed her "Was there something else consoler?"
She hesitated, started to speak and then stopped.
"No, captain. It's not important."
"It was important enough for you to wait to see me in private Grace, what is it?"
"Lt. O'Hara captain"
Martok suddenly looked up interested, as though it were a subject he had been thinking about.
"Go on"
"I've sensed something from her. At first I thought it was nothing, new crew, new posting, it can all be a little over-whelming, even for an experienced officer such as she. As well as, don't take this the wrong way sir. But as well as a Klingon for a CO, can be intimidating."
"Your point consoler"
"I've sensed a strong sense of uneasiness about her, almost to a point of exasperation."
"You can hardly be worried about irritation in an officer consoler. She's probably just annoyed about the situation, it's hard for all of us."
"That's just it, I don't sense any sense of sorrow or remorse or anger of any kind about what happened."
"But I thought you said that she was agitated about-"
"Not about what happened sir. She's agitated with you, with this investigation, and I can't figure out why."
Martok sat back, and tried to take it all in. After a few moments he spoke.
"Thank you consoler, I'll look into it. But I'm afraid there's not a lot we can do, maybe you could ask her to come and see you, make an appointment. To help her adjust to this transitional phase?"
"Yes sir. I'll set up an appointment."
"Very good, if that's everything"
Martok looked at his pad as she left, trying to appear as though the matter had been resolved. As the doors closed however he placed his pad on the table. <>Computer, display personnel file, for Lt. O'Hara.<>

Grace left the briefing room and went immediately to Lt O'Hara, "Lt, I was wondering if you and I could set up an appointment. It is my custom to meet with an officer when they come on board so that I may get to know them face to face, plus I was wondering if you wanted to talk about this situation".
Lt O'Hara looked at the counselor "Not now counselor I am very busy, but I will check back with you after this situation is resolved"
Very well, Lt. I only sense that you are uneasy about the situation and thought you would want to talk about it. Please feel free to come to me at anytime if you want to discuss anything.
Grace left Lt with a growing unease about her, O'Hara was even more agitated then before plus a growing amount of fear, what is causing O'Hara to be afraid?

McDuff exited the briefing room and walked to the turbolift. "Engineering". He was poundering, that was a New Berlin freighters 250 transport, those are known for their reliability, they can get home with their core reaction down to 14 percent. They don't just blow up when they've got a small hole in the hull. The doors opened and he found himself in engineering.
"Allright everybody, listen up. The captain made it quite clear that he wanted to know exactly why that ship's core breached, so.... O'Shean, Johnson, you take a look at the sensor logs. Jenkins, check the debris field for any part of the warp core or of the computer that could give us any clues. Chen come to the office and bring a terminal, and that padd you're holding, erase whatever is on it, this is important."
- "But sir, I...
"Or imagine a very disappointed Klingon commander where I'm standing now."
- "Eh, yes sir."
"Good, get moving people"

1of1: "Captain, sensors have been picking up alot of subspace distortion within this sector"

Lt. Archer: "Captain, just lost helm control. Its been rerouted to enginerring and so have weapons and all major functions of the ship. And captain going through the ships logs of the frieghter that was destroyed the same thng happened to that ship. Captain scanning engineering theres only one person in enginnering and it's lt. O'Hara."

"What?" Martok almost yelled across the bridge. "What is she doing?" He remebered Grace's uneasy feeling about O'Hara. In her personal files he hadn't found anything suspicious. Was it possible that his ops was a traitor or some kind?
"1of1, go to engineering with a security team and get her out of there."
"Sir, she's got a force field laid all around engineering. I haven't seen anything like that before. I doubt my borg technology will cut thought that" 1of1 reported.
"Well, try to break through with whatever you can. We can't let her distroy our ship!"
"Sir, let me go with the team" Grace interrupted. "Maybe I can get her to talk to us"
"Alright go." Grace and 1of1 entered the turbo lift.
"Mr. Archer, try everything to get back control over your station!"
�34;Aye Sir" the Lt. Cmdr. replied, although they both knew that it was hardly impossible to retransfer controls from engineering. It was a security measure in case the bridge was occupied by another force.
"Have you found out anything so far about that 62nd person on board the freighter Cmdr.?" Martok now asked T'Shael.
"Well, yes Sir. 1of1 mentionned subspace disortions and I checked that more closely. I got to the conclusion that it is a cloaked vessel. It must have picked up that person, and I believe it is following us now, maybe to pick up Lt. O'Hara after she fulfills whatever her mission is."
'Maybe distroying the ship' T'Shael added in her thoughts.
"Cloaked? Do you mean it's the Romulans?"
"No Sir. The disortions don't match with anomalies romulan vessels produce. It must be a different species, maybe an unknown one, or one that has invented its own cloaking technology that the federation couldn't find out about."
This worried Martok even more than Romulans. At least they would have know the way of thinking of Romulans and they had beaten them before. But an unknown species was a threat that couldn't be estimated.
"Martok to Security team and Counselor Mitchell. What's your status?"

Engineering on the Nevada, Lt. Cmdr. John Mc Duff begins to come around. He holds his head. He feels like a Klingon after a victory celebration. His thoughts return to him and he stands up quickly, he sees O'Hara working frantically at engineering station 3, transporter control. "Anything I can help you with commander?" She looks up, startled and returns to her work. "Mc Duff was angry, very angry, that she had been able to immobalise him and the rest of the crew so quickly. She was fast. She was so fast. Who was she? And what was she doing in his engine room, she wasn't human, that bit he could figure out for himself, what he didn't know was what she wanted, or who she was working for. He suddenly thought of his crew and turned around, the area behind him was littered with bodies, most alive, but two dead he could see, their eyes open. He turned to run towards her but was immediately on the deck again as he bounced off a force-field, one which split engineering in half. He tried to access a computer panel, nothing, he turned towards the main entrance sealed. O'Hara looked at him with contempt. "Don't bother commander, no-one can get in or out of here. I've made certain of that."
Mc. Duff "Who the hell are you and what do you want with us."
O'Hara "How arrogent of you to think you could ever understand our motives."
Mc Duff "Our? There are more of you? Whom do you represent?"
O'Hara glared at him, offended that he would make such an assumption "I represent no-one, we represent ourselves, we protect ourselves from entities like you, impure, aggressive, advisarial."
Mc Duff "Who are you? What is your species."
O'Hara "Enough talk, it will become clear to your small mind in a moment."
With that O'Hara turned into Commander Martok and addressed the computer in his voice, as Mc Duff looked on in horror.
Martok <>Computer, transfer all remaining computer control to engineering, lock down all systems expect minimul life suppport on all decks, accepting further command input from Lt. O'Hara only, authorisation; Martok, 3, 6, 9, Charlie, Omega One. Enable <>
With that Lt. O'Hara reverted to her gilatinous state and glided over to the corner to rest.
Mc Duff couldn't believe what he had seen. Lt. O'Hara was a changling.

Outside of engineering, 1of 1 began to work on lowering the force field, meanwhile Grace attempted to talk to O'Hara. "O'Hara, this is Counselor Mitchell..." Suddenly, Grace started to have another vision, she yelled for 1 of 1 to stop what he was doing, then an electrical shock threw 1of 1 against a bulkhead.

Meanwhile outside the ship Commander T'Shael and Lt. Commander Archer make their way towards the escape hatch to enginearing armed with phasers. They manuly open the escape hatch from outside. They enter engineering. Lt O'Hara is doing someting at station 3, Lt. commander McDuff is lying on th floor half stunned. Lt. Commander Archer raises his phaser and fires at Lt. O'Hara. It's a direct hit but she gets back up and starts to move towards T'Shael and Archer. Archer sets his phaser on full and repeaditly and fires at Lt. O'Hara or whatever she is. Archer heads over to station 3 to see what O'Hara did.=^= Archer to bridge were 3 minutes to a warpcore breach repeat were 3 minutes away from a warpcore breach =^=

1 of 1 gets up blurred from the shock, but even this had a good side. Due to the attack, his personal shield has adapted to the frequency of the force field set up. He bypasses the force field just in time to hear the warning go off. "Captain, engineering section is down. McDuff is stunned, but he might be able to help. I've blown the force field generator, send in engineering teams to help. Looks like T'shael and Archer are in trouble with O'Hara. Intervening."

1 of 1 stormed into engineering and aimed at O'Hara with his phaser. Before he could shoot at her, the woman started to change her shape into a snake-like creature and glid through a hole of the venting system and disappeared.
McDuff gained back consciousness and saw T'Shael working feverishly on the warp core to prevent the breach. He got up and started to help.
"Two minutes to warp core breach" the computer voice said.
"Trying for an emergency shut-down" McDuff said. "The controls are locked but I think I can get around them."
Luckily McDuff knew warp cores like his back pocket and finally he managed to shut down the warp core. "Alright, I think I've got it" he said. The light in the warp core went out and the computer voice went silent. Everyone took a deep breath.
"T'Shael to Martok. Situation under control, but the changeling has escaped"
=^= Alright, everyone except McDuff report to the bridge, Lt. McDuff please try to get the warp core back up running normally soon. =^=
They got back to the bridge and everybody went back to work on their stations. Martok "T'Shael and Counselor Mitchell, with me in my ready room"
The two women followed the klingon commander.
"Looks like we have a problem, a changeling aboard. He could take shape of everyone on board, including us three. It means, we can't really trust anyone anymore. Counsellor, you have shown the ability to sense who it might be. If you suspect anyone don't hesitate to take him or her into custody until him or her is proved innocent. Keep your eyes open!"
"I will Sir" Grace answered and left the ready room.
"Well Commander" Martok now addressed his no. 1. "What can you tell me about the changeling?"
"She is very clever, but actually I don't think it was her intention to produce a warp core breach. I doubt that she wanted to distroy the ship." T'Shael said.
"How did you get that impression?"
"Well it was easy to shut it down to prevent the breach, a changeling would have worked more efficient. I think she was disturbed by our entering engineering and tried to confuse us and to prevent us chasing her. I think she has something else planned yet, not just the destruction of the ship. She could have done that easily if she had wanted to. Also she didn't kill anyone of the crew, only stunned them. Maybe she wants us no harm, at least not yet."
"But what could she want then?" Martok asked.
"That's what we have to find out before it's too late!"

1 of 1 entered the ready room. "You wanted to see me Captain?"
"Yes 1 of 1, please sit down."
Martok leaned over to the wall behind him and released his T'chal blade from it's stand. He cut his hand, and allowed the blood to drip onto the table.
"Now you"
Martok leaned to hand the blade to his chief of security.
"Unnessecary Capt."
One of one removed a serated blade from an implant in his arm. Martok raised an inquisitary eyebrow and laughed as 1 of 1 cut through his hand without flinching.
"Well done commander! Now, firstly want toy to place a secuirty team with Counsoler Mithchel at all times, as a telepath she would be a prime target for the changling. Secondly, I want you to schedule blood test for the crew every half hour, everybody must be tested on the hour and the half hour, without inspection."
"The changling may not be imitating a member of the crew"
"Yes, I know, that's why I want you to begin phaser sweeps of the every room, every bulkhead, every piece of equipment on this ship. Starting with the bridge, I want them around the clock. Check with the federation data base on DS9, it should provide some useful information on tracting them, they know more about changlings then anyone. I would like a repot on my desk as soon as possible."
"Aye sir"
1 of 1 stood up to leave,
"And Lt., give Major Kira my best wishes, I had the pleasure of meeting her once, formidable woman. Almost Klingon."
"Eh, yes sir."

Martok got up form his chair and went to the replicator. Sitting down with his blood wine, he picked up his blade, wiping with a cloth he replaced it on it's stand. As he sat back down with his back to the wall, his blade began to change, the changling began to take humanoid form behind him...

Meanwhile outside the captain's readyroom Lt. Commander Archer presses the bell to the captain's readyroom and waits for a reply. He doesen't get one so he presses the door open button knowing that the captain is in there. Nothing happens, computer override command codes Archer bravo 5 6 9 4, open door. As the door opens Lt. commander Archer sees the changling. =^= security to cptains ready room=^=

1 of 1 approaches Grace, "Counselor", Grace stares into space, "Grace", she continues to stare into space, suddenly as if in a trance Graces begins to speak "Blade, Captain,SECURITY". 1 of 1 turns to go to the Captains ready room.

1 of 1 enters the captains ready room to find it empty.
1 of 1 =^= computer locate commander Martok =^=
<>location of commander Martok is unknown<>
"when did he log out?"
<>there is know record of a log out by commander Martok<>
"how did he leave the ready room"
<>commander Martok was transported out of the ready room at 16.44<>
"two minutes ago2 =^=where was he beamed to?=^=
<>unknown<> =^=1 of 1 to T'Shael, the Captain is missing, I'm checking the transporter logs now.=^=

Archer: "Commander 1of1, what will happen if we turn the tractorbeam on at these cordinates, there's a fluctuation there and I believe it's a ship."
T'Shael: "Launch the tractor beam on those coordinates" 1of1 "Tractorbeam on and locked onto something I suggest we fire a low yield explosive photorp to detonate near this anomaly. If it is a ship, it will cripple their shields and allow us to scan inside it. If we are lucky, we might even cripple the ship. But do not worry, a low yield photorp will not be able to destroy their ship.

"Alright, make it so" T'Shael ordered, taking temporary command. 1of1 fired his torpedo and they watched the explosion on the screen. As 1of1 had predicted, there was a short flash in the shape of shields that were weakend by the explosion.
"Can you get a scan?" T'Shael asked 1of1.
"Only weakly. Their shields were strong. I do believe I get a klingon life sign, but it might also be wishful thinking" 1of1 said. "There's no chance beaming him out."
"He's alive" Grace said without hesitating. "I can feel it!"
"Sir, the anomaly starts moving. The ship might be going to warp!" Archer reported from his station.
"Track them. We can't lose them with the captain on board." T'Shael ordered.
"Sir, they're... gone" 1of1 said, very irritated.
"What do you mean, gone? " T'Shael asked. "They can't just be gone! Lt. Archer, calculate a course according to their last movement. T'Shael to Lt. McDuff, how's the warp core doing?"
=^= We can get Warp 4, Sir, more isn't in for now. I'll work on it =^= "Alright Lt. Archer, warp 4. Accelerate!"
They followed the course of the cloaked vessel, but with only warp 4 falling behind soon and losing sensor contact as the anomaly was impossible to track on long range sensors. The captain was gone...
"Archer, find possible locations the ship might be heading to, a solar system or another ship.
Grace, try to find out something. Where could they go? What could they want?
1of1 prepare battle drills incase we have to fight the ship, hope it won't get to that though! Find a way to disable that ship without distroying it.
T'Shael to McDuff, get the warp core running on full power and then analyze the parts we beamed over from the freighter and see if you can find out anything about that."
T'Shael sat down in the captains chair, but didn't feel comfortable in it.

Grace: "Commander, I am attempting to tap into the Captains thoughts, but he is very angry and confused which is blocking me out, plus the farther away that ship gets the harder it is for me to get through. I can tell you that the Captain is confused because all onboard that ship resemble Klingons now and I think that is to confuse our sensors. I am going to keep my mind open to the Captain in the event we get close enough for me to "hear" the him."

1 of 1: "Tracing warp patterns and tryin to establish their current course. They have left a neutrino trail behind them as they went into warp. We can still follow this path and when engineerin has repaired the warpcore, we can engaged maximum warp and hopefully find the ship before the captain is 'experimented on'"

Archer: "Commander im just gonna follow the yellow brickroad so basicly im gonna follow this trail until we catch the ship with the captain on it and then they will pay"

1of1: "Quantum torpedoes are loaded and ready. Phaser banks are charged and shields are raised. If we can't beam him back, I'm beamin aboard to get him back. If phaser's can't hurt them they will get to know a fusion cutter up close."

The Nevada was still 'slowly' flying through space if you could call Warp 4 slowly. Compared to the other ship that they were tracing it was slowly. All they could do was following the neutrino emissions and hoping to catch up some time. T'Shael was sitting in her chair, thinking about how Martok was. It was the first mission he was the captain and she was his first officer and she wouldn't let him be lost already. Grace was sitting next to her, her eyes closed, she looked almost like she was in a state of trance, trying to get a signal of the captain. Finally T'Shael couldn't take the silence on the bridge anymore.
"Cmdr. T'Shael to engineering, how are you doing Lt. McDuff?"
=^= We're getting there Commander, I can give you Warp 6 now, that will have to be enough for now =^=
"Alright, thanks Lt. McDuff, Cmdr. Archer warp 6." "Aye Sir" Archer agreed and sped the ship up and the stars were moving a tiny bit faster across the screen. They were flying on about another half hour, 1of1 was preparing a way to get through their shields with his borg technology, Grace stayed in trance and T'Shael was very impatient, letting her human side take control. In that moment 1of1 spoke up.
"Sir I'm registring an object not far away, we'll catch up in about ten minutes!"
"Is it the ship?"
"I don't thinks so" he said disappointed. "it produces the same kind of subspace anomaly but it is a lot smaller."
They approached and soon they were on parallel course. "Get it with the tractor beam, decloak it with a torpedo, but don't destroy it!"
"I wouldn't think of it" 1 said and did so.
A small object appeared on the screen after the torpedo had hit, it looked like some sort of a probe.
"Sir, the neutrino emissions end with this probe..." Archer reported.
The same thought crossed T'Shael's and 1's mind that moment "A trap" they said together. "They sent us into a wrong direction on purpose. Why didn't I think of this before" T'Shael added. Well, Martok wouldn't be too proud of her if she ever got him back. If...

Martok awoke on the floor of his cell. At least he presumed it was a cell. He was angry, not just with being confined, but for letting his gaurd down. He couldn't have known of course, but he could have done something to stop her, should have done something, but she had been fast, so fast.
He rose slowly to his feet and looked around. It was dark, he could only see a small computer, but it didn't seem to be linked to the ships main systems. He could see the door, solid tri-tanium, even if he had a phaser it would be useless, he wished he had 1's fusion cutters right now. He began punching the keys on the small panel, but the computer kept locking him out. He had to get a message to the Nevada, he had to find a way out of this cell.

Archer: "Turning around and heading back to or original position commander."

Grace looks at commander T'Shael.
T'Shael "Is there something you wanted to say, Counselor?"
"Commander?"
"Grace, when you give that look, I am beginning to know that there is something on your mind."
"Actually, there is something that is disturbing me but I'd rather not discuss it here."
"In the ready room then."
As T'Shael and Grace head for the ready room, Grace noticed that the commander did not say her ready room.
T'Shael"Alright counselor, what is on your mind?"
Grace"Commander, the crew is feeling a bit agitated. I overheard a couple discussing how a thing like this could happen. Plus, there is suspicion among the crew that the changling might still be on the ship. I do not sense that the changling is here but I don't think the crew will take my word for it. I reccommend that a sweep be made of the ship more to assure the crew, as an old earth saying goes 'Better safe then sorry'".
T'Shael "Very well, Counselor, I will discuss it with 1 of 1."

Grace sits, opening her mind to hear only one voice, that of Captain Martok. Hearing nothing of what is going on around her, unmindful of the change in course.
Wait, what am I hearing? Is that Klingon? Where is it coming from? WHERE? Captain, open your mind to hear me! Can you hear me, it's Grace?

"Alright Cmrd. Archer, turn course to head back, we must assume that they flew into an opposite direction, maximum warp."
T'Shael saw Grace deep in thoughts and deeply hoped she could give them a clue about where to go. She had no idea. The ship could be lightyears away already and there was no way to trace them. If there had been another neutrino emission track it would have faded already. T'Shael felt very helpless and decided the only thing she could do right now was making sure the changeling wasn't aboard anymore. She stood up and walked over to 1of1.
"Cmdr. I want you do phaser scans of all rooms starting on the lower decks, I think that's all we can do for now."
"Aye Sir" the borg said and started with his work.

1of1: "I will also run computer simulations and try to find the most probable place the ship would have gone. Modifications to long range sensors will also be made to scan for all recent warp signatures and try to calculate their position, considering the sector we are in, I don't think we will have that many tracks to follow.

The Nevada was speeding back to the original coordinates, now with maximum warp, the warp drive had been repaired finally. It would still take them a few hours to get there yet though. And what did T'Shael expect to find there? Would they find another hint, a track where the changelings might have gone? T'Shael decided that it was time for something she had avoided so far, because it made the disappearance of Martok look even more final. She stood up and walked over to tactical. 1 of 1 had just finished his phaser scans of the ship for the changeling and had taken back his station from his assitant, he was working on computer simulations of possible tracks now.
"Cmdr. 1 of 1, can I speak to you in the ready room for a moment�34; She still avoided to say 'my readyroom'.
"Sure Cmdr."
They entered the readyroom, T'Shael stepped behind the desk and pointed 1of1 to sit down. "Have your phaser scans given any hints that the changeling might still be aboard?" she asked him first, although knowing that it couldn't have, or he'd have informed her immediately.
"No Sir, I'm more than convinced that he left together with Martok. It must have been him they wanted, not the distroyance of our ship and he left so we could catch him and find out anything through him."
"I agree with you" T'Shael said, that's what she had guessed from the start, but she had wanted to make sure. "What I actually wanted to talk to you about something else." She hesitated for the moment. "As we must assume that it might be a while until we get Cmdr. Martok back I am herby promoting you to my temporary XO. Congratulations!"
"Thank you Sir" 1 of 1 said "I will do my best to fulfill my new duty to the satisfaction of the captain."
"I'm sure you will. As far as I know you're the first borg in star fleet to be a first officer, even only temporary. You should be proud of yourself! Dismissed, you have the bridge."
1of1 left with a satisfied expression on his face.
T'Shael kept sitting in the chair for a moment when a light on the computer started to blink, a subspace transmission was coming in. It was a recorded transmission from starfleet command, they were too far away to talk live, even through subspace. It was marked "Cmdr. Martok". T'Shael still decided to look at it, it could be important. She hadn't sent a report in about Martok's disappearance but now she'd have to do it right away.
Admiral Clark's face appeared on the screen. "Hello Cmdr. Martok. I have good news for you. Starfleet Command has just decided to promote you to full Captain, you have showed your command abilities and we are certain you will be a good captain to the Nevada! Congratulations! Transmission end."
T'Shael sighed, Martok was promoted to captain and would maybe never know. She shook her head, trying to blow away her pessimism and started to write her report to starfleet command. Struggeling over words and formulations she finally managed to give a clear impression of what had happened and how they were proceeding in trying to localize to captain, although she didn't even really know herself how they'd do that. Command didn't have to know that.
While writing the report another problem came to her mind: the destruction of the freighter still wasn't cleared up. McDuff had been working on it but then was interrupted by having to "T'Shael to McDuff, are you proceeding with the analysis of the remains of the freighter? We need to know how it was distroyed and why the hull breached."
=^= I've just started to work on it Sir. I will inform you of any news immediately! =^=
"Thanks Lt." T'Shael closed the connection.
In the same moment 1of1 called her =^= Cmdr. T'Shael, come to the bridge immediately. It's the counsellor! =^=
T'Shael ran out of the ready room and saw Grace with her eyes closed in her chair, sunken down, looking like she talked to herself "Martok..."

Martok was exhausted, he sat down next to the pannel, defeated by a computer, he guessed he'd been at it 25hrs. The door began to open and he was on his feet next to the door in a combat ready postition in the blink of an eye, he felt his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared for battle, he growled with delight, it had been a while.
In stepped a changling in the typical changling dress.
"Greetings commander"
Martok relaxed as he noticed no dominion escort. He was almost dissapointed.
"I must apologise for the way we treated you but it was necessesary."
"Martok, Commander USS Nevada. serial number 36352114."
"Yes, I'm afraid the dominion didn't sign that particular treaty regarding the treatment of prisoners of war."
"The wars over, we won remember?"
"Hmmmmm, yes that cardassian occupation was a poor decision, we will not error again."
"You won't get the change"
"How little you solids really know. Now, back to the current situation."
"You mean your operative that is responsible for infiltrating my crew and murdering three star fleet officers."
"You undersatnd it was necessary for our protection."
"Protection!! From what!!??"
"From you of course"
"Maybe I should remind you of who started the war."
"We made a retalitory strict against you, for the attempted destruction of the dominion"
"That offence was an illegal act condemmned by both the Cardassian, and Romulan governments. Both of whom were unaware of what was happening."
"Come now commander, you expect us to believe they knew nothing?"
"Perhaps not, but the majority of the members of government would not have, besides, the Federation had nothing to do with."
"You are solids, that is all we needed to know"
"Explain what you want, the war is over, you are prohibited from entering the alpha quadrant, how did you escape from the delta quadrant? On what ship did you come? What is your mission?"
"I will ask the questions, commander How many ships patrol the entrance and exit of the wormhoole? What are the ships defensive capabilities?"
"Martok, commander USS Nevada. serial number 36352114"
"As you wish. I will return in two hours, perhaps you will be feeling more co-operative then."
The changling left and the doors closed, at which point the room filled with water, Martok cursed and began to thread water. He was already exhausted, he didn't know how long he could keep this up.

Grace's heart started to pound as if she were doing some physical excertion. What could be causing it? "Water! But where is it coming from? Wait! Is that you Captain? Can you hear me? Damn it, Captain, open your mind to hear me"
"Commander T'Shael!"
T'Shael looks at Grace "Have you heard from the Captain"
"In a way. I don't want to get anyones hopes up but, I have heard some of what the Captain is thinking, however, he is not hearing me." Grace had a puzzled look on her face.
"Well, what are you hearing, something is better then nothing". The commander was trying hard not to be impatient.
"At first he seemed angry at a computer and now it seems like he is swimming. He is also getting tired. I keep trying to get him to hear me but the emotions he is feeling are the ones which help me to hear him but block him from hearing me. I can sense strong negative emotions but I can't break through those emotions to be heard."
"At least, we know he is still alive, I guess that is something" T'Shael said almost to herself �34;Is there anything else you can report?"
Grace paused for a moment "It is almost like the changlings are testing the Captain. I'm going to continue with trying to contact him, it's all I can do right now. One more thing, has anything happened on the ship, when I go into a trance I am quite unaware of my surroundings."

McDuff was sitting in the engineering office with a lieutenant. They hadn't done much about the freighter thing because of the changelings sabotage. "Okay let's have a look at that hull breach first, what's closest to that section?"
"Sir the only thing close to the breach was the secondairy deuterium tank.", the lieutenant answered McDuff's previous question.
"No, it couldn't have been that, here, look at the sensor logs, there was no trace of deuterium prior to the breach, so that tank was intact. Anything el...."
=^=Cargobay 2 to McDuff.=^=
"Oh now what, yes lieutenant", McDuff replied, seemingly annoyed by the second interruption.
=^=Sir, I think you want to have a look at this, it's about the freighters warp core.=^=
"On my way"

McDuff and the lieutenant stepped trough the familiar heavy cargobay doors, they looked into the cargo bay and saw 2 people in gold uniforms around some of the freighter debris the Nevada picked up.
"What's the matter?"
"Look sir...." McDuff walked over to the large part of debris with a curious look on his face that slowly turned to surprise when he came closer.
"Now that's news."
"McDuff to commander T'shael, I'm in cargo bay 2, could you come here for a minute? There's something I want to show you."
A while later the commander walked into the cargo bay too. "Yes what is it chief"
McDuff pointed to the large core part, "This is the core's reaction chamber"
"Yes, so...what about it"
"It's intact, this warp core did not breach. Something must have fooled the sensors to register a containment field failure, because that's not what happened. And the only thing powerful enough to accidentally destroy a ship in a single explosion is a warp core breach. It also wasn't anything in the cargo, because the explosion occured in engineering, this ship must've been deliberately destroyed, probably with some kind of matter / antimatter explosive device, because the sensors did register a matter / antimatter explosion."
One of the other engineers closed his tricorder and looked up, "Sir that hull breach was close to engineering."
"Yes that's right. Wait a minute, are we sure that breach came from the inside? Explosive decompression after a hull breach can give about the same effect."
"You mean the breach could have been made from the outside, maybe even to place the bomb aboard" cmdr. T'shael said.
"Right, some freighters have their hull adapted to prevent beaming into important parts of the ship, like the bridge and engineering, mostly when they are on dangerous shipping routes or if they are smugglers The ones responsible for the explosion might've had no other choice then to take the device into the ship directly if they wanted to stay cloaked and anonimous, I think we found our 62nd life form"
"T'shael to all senior staff, report to the briefing room, come with me McDuff, we're informing the rest.

They entered the briefing room and waited for the rest of senior staff to come. 1of1, Grace and Archer were there soon and T'Shael asked McDuff to explain what he had found. After he had done so T'Shael took word.
"We must assume that it was a changeling that placed the bomb aboard the freighter. He must have transfered to that ship the captain's on now, maybe even O'Hara beamed him over when she said she couldn't get a lock. Now, the question why the freighter was distroyed still remains unclear. The changeling didn't destroy the Nevada when it could have done so. Yet it looks like this mystery will remain unsolved until we get hold of the changelings. This is our top priority now. We're almost back at our original coordinates. I want everyone to work on finding hints where they might have gone. Neutrino emissions can't help this time, first of all it could be another trap, and secondly most likely it'll be gone by now. 1of1 run your simulations on where they could have gone, Grace try to get an information from Martok if he's in a solar system or by some stellar phenomenon where we could find him. McDuff see that everything is running perfectly, Archer, you will work on a plan to rescue the captain once we find the ship! Dismissed!"

of Stova core
The doors opened and two changelings entered the room. Martok, determined not to let them see he was exhausted rose slowly to his feet.
"How are we feeling now commander?"
"Fine thank you, it's been a while since I've had a good bath"
"Amusing"
"What is it you want with me? And why do you want to know about ships patrolling the wormhole?"
It had previously occurred to him that the changelings may not be on a mission of sabotage against the Federation, they may simply wish to get home, rejoin the link, they were trapped after all, on the wrong side of the galaxy. He would probably try to do the same thing. But what about the freighter, obviously they had something to do with it, the strange interference O'Hara, or whatever its name was, was "unable" to cut through. The missing crewmember they were unable to account for. The destruction of the freighter, there were too many unanswered questions. If they were just trying to get home he would like to help them, the terms of the armistice entitled them to that much at least. But not until he was sure that they were not threat. He couldn't tip his hand just yet.
"As I said before, I ask the questions here, not you"
"Martok, Commander USS Nevada, serial number 21-"
The second changing began to speak "I'm telling you, you won't get anything out of him, he'd rather die"
Martok "do you know me?"
The changing began to change its form, in a few moments Lt. O'Hara emerged from the orange liquid.
Martok "It's a pleasure to see you again Lt., alive"
O’Hara "I must apologise commander, I meant you no harm."
Martok "Tell that to the engineering team you murder you Romulan patagh'!"
O'Hara looked at him, here face expressionless "I meant them no harm, I was simply trying to protect myself, and the others"
Martok "Protect them from what!! They meant you no harm, you didn't have to kill them. And what of the freighter, I suppose you destroyed that!?"
The other changing interrupted "enough!"
"What are the classes and specifications of your ships near the wormhole!"
"Martok, commander USS Nev-"
"Commander please! we have to get back to the link, we can't stay here."
Martok "so you’re trapped?"
O'Hara "yes, after the truce was signed we found ourselves cut off, no communication from the others, nothing from the Cardassians, we were alone, our group was spread out, we had to commander this ship and it's cloaking device from certain, sources"
"You stole them"
"Yes, we had to rescue as many of the others as possible before returning."
"The freighter?"
"I had been in star fleet for two years before the war started, I requested a posting on the Nevada because I had had a communication from a member of our group indicating she was working on a freighter and needed to be rescued."
"So you requested the Nevada because you knew it patrolled near the route of the freighter."
"yes"
"and the explosion, the distress signal?"
The other changing spoke "that was me, I had to get off, but I knew I couldn't beam directly on to our ship, I had to get off without being detected or missed, so I created a situation which I knew would merit the Nevada's investigation and-"
"You blew up the ship!"
"It was neccesary to disguise my exit"
Martok turned to O'Hara"So while you were creating this interference you were secretly beaming her off the ship."
"Exactly"
"But why did you have to destroy the ship!"
"I didn't destroy the ship" O'Hara looked down as if feeling guilty about it and slowly turned towards the other changing.
"That was me"
Martok spun round to face the first changing "once I had been beamed aboard I beamed over a small matter/anti-matter explosive into the engineering section."
"to make it look like a core breach"
"yes, it was necessary to disguise my departure, Iknew their shield codes from working there, it was necessary you understand, to conceal what was truly going on"
"I understand you have commited an act of war against the federation, you can't expect us to sit idly by and do nothing, we will retaliate"
This had been a calculated response by Martok, he looked at the changing O'Hara, it was just what he had expected, shock, then fear, and worry. She didn't want this, didn't plan it, he knew her well enough to know she wasn't evil, not really. Just paranoid about her own safety, and the safety of her people, like most changelings. But she wasn't his enemy, not really, she was just trying to get home. Although he did sense more aggressive and hostile intensions from the other one, she could be a problem, he hoped she wasn't a senior to-
His hopes were crushed when the 1st changing asked O'Hara to leave, with a curious look towards her, and an almost apologetic look towards Martok O'Hara departed.
"commander, although you may have gulled my second, I know you mean nothing of what you say, I will destroy as many ships as is necessary, including your own, to get back to the link. Do not underestimate us commander." With that she left.

The changling known as Lt. O'Hara left Martok's cell, feeling uneasy about what her changeling commander was planning for Captain Martok. O'Hara and the rest of the changling crew only wanted to get home safely and didn't want to hurt anyone in the process, besides O'Hara respected Captain Martok but what could she do? Then she remember something about a crewmember of the Nevada, wondered if it would work!
Grace was in her chair staring and seeing nothing, "Wormhole. Gamma"
"Counselor, what is it? Did you hear from the captain?" 1 of 1 asked her.
"Not the Captain, but I had a vision of the wormhole. Maybe the changling ship is heading for the wormhole to go home."
"1of 1 to Commander T'Shael, the counselor has had a vision"
T'Shael =^= On my way=^=

T'Shael stormed out of the ready room, hoping that Grace's vision would give them a clear hint this time. All analysis hadn't really give them a clear path to follow and T'Shael had started to get worried, which wasn't a good sign for a half-vulcan. "What is it Grace?"
"The wormhole. I believe that's where they're going. They want to go back to the great link."
"Did Martok send you that information?" T'Shael asked
"No Sir, he doesn't know I'm there so he can't send me thoughts on purpose. It must have been a changeling, I believe Lt. O'Hara."
"O'Hara! Why should she send you a vision of the wormwhole?" T'Shael was confused. Could it be another trap, another wrong direction. "Did you feel any attempted fraud, might they lead us into a wrong direction again?"
"No, I don't think so. I felt honesty and the purpose of informing us where they are going. I don't know why she did it, but she wanted us to follow them!"
'Strange... Why would she want to do this?' T'Shael thought. There was still the possibility of a trap, but on the other hand, why a trap, they could have distroyed the ship already if they had wanted. No, she inclined to believe Grace.
"Alright, this is the only thing we've got and we'll take the chance. Cmdr. Archer, set course for the wormwhole, maximum warp!"

O'Hara entered Martok cell. O'Hara "How are you?"
"I am well"
"I've brought you something to eat, sometimes we foprget that you solids require substanance."
"I've replicated some blood wine and gagh'. I remember you used to order it frequently in the mess hall on
the Nevada. I'm sorry, it's not live."
Martok "Thank you"
As Martok ate he looked up and noticed O'Hara staring at him.
"What's going on Lt."
"what do you mean, we're just trying to get home"
"I meant on this ship. I know you O'Hara, well at least part of you. I know you are intelligent,
compasionate, and you know the what's right."
"flattery won't get you out of here commander"
"the truth may"
"what do you mean"
"You may have been a spy but I know you believe in what's right, we thought you that much at least. What
your CO is doing is wrong. Your the 2nd officer?"
"I am the second yes"
"why don't you have a word with her?"
"it isn't my place, besides, your not going to drive a wedge between us, I know standard prisoner
proceedures, I went to the academy aswell remember, you won't lull me into a false sense of security, you
don't carew about us, about me."
"I care about the Nevada, and anyone who deserves her protection, I believe you deserve that protectoion. I
can help you. Signal the Nevada, she won't destroy you. I won't imprison you, you are entitled to return
home"
"Trust you!?!"
"You did once, did I, or anyone else on the Nevada ever lie to you? I give you my word."
She considered him for a while and was about to respond.
=^=Ist to second, report to the bridge, we'vew picked up a Star-Fleet ship on liong range sensors."
Martok "The Nevada?"
As O'Hara turned to leave Martok called her "O'Hara, if it is them I'm counting on you to see to
it that no harm comes to them"
She moved towards the door
"Lt."
O'Hara "you have my word"
Alone again Martok allowed himself a sigh of relief, she wouldn't allow any harm to come to his ship, of
that he was no certain. He hoped she would see sense and let him help her.

Grace was in her office =^=Counselor to the bridge=^=
1 of 1=^=Yes, Counslelor?=^=
=^=The changeling ship has detected us, sir=^=
=^=Thank you counselor, I will inform the commander=^=

T'Shael was on the bridge as they were approaching the changeling vessel. It was heading for the wormhole and was not cloaked anymore, maybe to put the energy into the warp drive instead. 
"Time till it enters the wormhole?" T'Shael asked.
"approximately 10 minutes" 1of1 answered. 
"Alright, we need to stop them before they pass through the wormhole, who knows if they have more ships on the other side. This might be our last chance getting the captain back. Archer put everything we have into our warp speed!"
"Aye Sir" Archer answered and the Nevada sped up and they were catching up with the changeling vessel soon. 
"Prepare to catch them with the tractor beam, 1of1. T'Shael to McDuff: "Please report to the bridge, I need you to find a way to get through their shields or to disable them without distroying the ship. 1of1, Archer and Grace will then board the ship, find the captain and return with him. First priority is to save the captain, not to capture the changelings!"

1of1: "The tractor beam will be set at engaged as soon as we are within range. Phaser banks are also charged. They will be targeted at the weapon banks of the changling ships. Should we detect they are about to open fire, we disable their weapon systems. Photorps will not be used in this situation. we will be too close by and the explosion could damage our ship and kill the captain. Someone will take over for me. I will be in the transporter room to be ready to beam over as soon as their shields are down."

O'Hara entered Martok's cell, she looked anxious. "It was the Nevada, they've identified us, they're
pursuing at high warp."
"Where are we?"
"We're almost at the wormhhole"
"DS9, they'll blow you apart before you get near it"
"Oh don't be so foolish, you think we didn't take of that, we haven't come this far to be stopped by a
minor inconvienience."
"What did you do? How many lives did it cost this time?"
O'Hara was shocked and almost shout with an emtional sincerity "None! none, it was just a matter of sabotage" 
"The Nevada will intercept you before you get there, she's faster than this ship"
"You underestimate us Commander. True your ship will catch up with us, but our weapons systems are far
superior, we could-"
"Could what?! Could what O'Hara! Destroy the ship, Destroy the Nevada? Kill hundreds of people, more
lives?"
"No, I told you, that won't happen."
"But your not in command, what does your 1st say about this?"
"She's....She is reluctant to hear my advise. I think she intends to destroy the Nevada."
"Then you have to stop, you know it's not right."
O'Hara looked at him, appalled"
"But; no Changling has ever harmed another"
"You don't have to"
"But how?"
"I think it's time for you to go now, but it's getting a little hot in here, would you mind leaving the door
open, I'd like a bit of a draft."
O'Hara considered the solid before her. She had always despised them. Thought them violent and
impure. But her time at the academy, earth, Star-Fleet had educated her otherwise, she was no
longer afraid of them. She trusted Martok and the Nevada, to do the right thing.
"Noone get's hurt?"
"Noone even has to know what happened."
With that O'Hara left, leaving the door open behind her, Martok bounded into the corridor, scanning left
and right, he headed in the opposite direction of O'Hara.
Coming to a doorway he hit the computer pannel, he was in some sort lab, noone was there, he scanned for a
computer console. Finding one he started to access the communications sytems.
The door to his left opened, he froze, he had no weapon, no cover, no chance.
A changling enetered, he looked at him, alarmed. Martok gave the changling o nod, as if to say hello
and casually continued working. As he worked on the pannel he began to speak to the still dumbfounded
changling.
"Thought I'd get in a litle practise with the Klingon form, so many ridges, more difficult than the human
cranium."
Changling "2nd?!!"
Martok "you were expecting someone else?"
Changling "forgive me, I thought"
Martok "carry on"
With those words Martok knew his fate was sealed, the Dominion always ended there orders with the rank of
the person, not knowing this changlings rank could cost him his life.
"2nd, I was about to regenerate, would you care to join me?"
"No thank you, I won't need to for another 4hrs at least"
Martok looked at the changling and he knew, even in the eyes of a Changling he could see the decision to
kill, he lashed out at him, the changling ducked with lightnign reflexes and grabbed Martok by the throat. 
He began to strangle him to death with him powerful tenticle, suddenly he released. He stomach
fluctuating as O'Hara pressed into his back with her arm.
Released Martok got his breath back as the Changling dropped to the floor and reverted to his gelatinus
state.
"Is he dead?"
"The best discription would be, unconcious"
_4;How did you know?"
"That you would need me?"
"I guess I just knew you couldn't stay out of a fight. Klingons"
Martok grinned "I've almost finished with the communications array, I'm getting ready to send a message to the Nevada." 
"I've already done it, they'll be here in minutes, I've sent them our shield codes, they can disbale the
weapons and send over a boarding party for, we'll need."
"I can take you with me"
"No, I betrayed them, I must face the consequences."
"You've done the right thing, the honerable thing"
Martok gave O'Hara a hefty punch on the arm, "come on, we must prepare."
They left the room.

Lt Commander Archer and Grace head to the transprter room. Five minutes later they enter the transporer room heavely armed. 
1of1: "This is Cmdr 1 in the transporter room. Ready to beam over."

"Standby transporter room, we can't get through their shields yet" T'Shael told the away them in the transporter room. 
"Status?" she asked 1of1's assistant at Tactical. 
"Their shields are strong, and we can't risk to distroy the ship so we've got to be careful. It might take a while yet until we're through!" the young lieutenant answered.
A blast hit the ship and T'Shael almost lost balance. 
"Shields down to 80%, and they disabled the tractor beam!" the ensign at Ops reported. 
"McDuff any luck yet?"
"I'm working on it sir...they're changing shield modulations so I can't find the right frequency."
"Tactical try to hit their shield generators and weapon systems." T'Shael ordered.
Several phaser shoots hit the changeling ship. "Report!"
"Direct hit" the tactial said. "Their shields are down to 60%, and their weapons are damaged."
"Good job, now McDuff, you think you're able to get the away team through?"
"Not yet I need a bigger hole in their shields!"
"Alright, Lt. try to hit one spot several times to weaken their shields there!"
Another blast hit the Nevada. "Shields down to 50%"
"We need to be faster" T'Shael yelled. "Tactical hurry" she wished 1of1 with his borg perfection had been on the bridge now, they'd be done already. But 1of1 was needed on the away team. 
"Alright I think it'll work" McDuff reported. "I'll control the beaming process from here...energize...they're over there!"
"Good job everybody. Now we need to be able to get them back too, who knows if they'll be able to take over the ship. Might be hard, a ship full of changelings."
"T'Shael to Away team, what's your status?"
=^= we've materialized in a corridor. No signs of changelings yet. We've picked up Martok's life signs... we'll find him soon =^= 1 reported. 
"Ok hurry, they must know you're aboard by now!"
"Sir, they've stopped firing and are moving away." the ops reported.
"What? Is the tractor beam ready again?"
"No Sir."
"McDuff, I need the tractor beam repaired!"
"They're heading for the wormhole." Ops reported.
"Follow them! Try to disable their engines, but don't hit the warp core!"
"Sir I can't the risk is too high, we'll kill them all!" the young tactical Lt. said. 
"Follow them" she said again to the assistant helm. She was getting annoyed, she didn't have a senior crew anymore, except McDuff...

On the changeling ship:
1of1: "You two head off to look for the captain. I'll head to engineering to try and disable the engines. Don't worry about me. Resistance Is Futile. 1of1:"I suggest the both of you go together. The both of you are at greater risk than i am alone. Do not forget the fact that i am an assault drone. I was designed to assimilate whole ships by myself. They can take my form, but they do not have my technology. If you are not sure if it is me...just shoot. I've already adapted to your phaser frequencies. They will do me no damage. Do not worry, i will do a scan of you before i shoot to make sure.

On the Nevada:
"Commander I think I can get the tractor beam online quickly if I pull power from one of the phaser arrays. Now we're on the offensive I think we can miss the aft array. If we need it I can power it up again with the flick of a switch, if we had any switches in this nice starfleet furnishment that is. Anyway we'd be ale to grab them if they try to go anywhere we don't want them to." 
T'sheal - "Okay lieutenant, go ahead. Do you have a way of making sure we can keep our lock on the away team?"
McDuff - "I'm working on a special phaser modulation that rotates while the beam is firing, with a good chance it'll hit the shield modulation and penetrate. We should target the shield generators, damaging them will result in a dramatic loss of shields."
T'sheal - "Very well lieutenant, make it so."

About a minute later McDuff turned to the young ensign at tactical "Tactical I'm uploading the modulation setting to your console, lock phasers on the ship's shield generator and stand by for the captains order. Commander their shields are recharging fast, I'll lose the transporter lock in a few minutes. If it takes longer we'll need to fire." 

On the changeling ship:
Archer and Mitchell go looking for engineering, while enroute, Grace stops
suddenly, turns right and starts to walk away from Lt Archer.
"Grace, where are you going?", no answer, Grace continues to walk, "Must be
another trance. I'd better follow no telling what kind of trouble she could Grace whispers "Shh, the walls have ears", suddenly a bulkhead starts to
change. With that warning, Lt Archer acts fast and disabled the changling
before it can shape into another form.
"Okay, I'll follow you anywhere"

Martok was lead by O'Hara towards the bridge, they needed to gain control of the nerve centre of the ship
before the changlings could do any more damage. Rounding a corner a shot rang out, O'Hara collapsed.
Martok looked up and saw Archer starring at him. "Sir, come on, we've got to get out of here!"
Martok knelt down beside his officer, she was a changling,but she was also a star-fleet officer and
reglardless of what she had done, he was responsible for her. She had done only what he would have done in
her position. She had saved the Hanover, and saved the other changlings from themselves. She was a
warrior, an honourable person.
Martok unleased a huge scream, a warning to the honoured dead, a warrior wasa about to join them. 
Martok looked at Lt. Cmdr Archer with an anger so fierce it made him viens throb, but now was not the
time for explainations, it was atime for action. 
He barked at Archer "Archer, get to the bridge, put your phaser to wide beam maximum stun, there's three more changlings up there, I want them in the brig in 20mins, get 1 up there to secure the area."
 He and Grace moved off confused, what was he so mad about, it was just a changling.

Martok looked down at the black ash that was his Chief of Operations, and his friend. He was angry. He
wanted vengance, he wanted to kill them all. Which is why he moved in the opposite direction of the bridge,
he had to contact the Nevada, help them get a tractor beam on the ship and he had to cool down. He wondered where 1 was, standard procedure dictated his Chief of security would head towards engineering, he hope he would be ok, there were two changlings down there. He began to walk briskly towards it, the he
ran.

Grace and Archer head to the bridge. 
Archer: "Grace take the bridge on starboard side and I'll take the port side."
Grace replies: "Yes sir."
They enter from opposite sides and the bridge is secure. But there was an escape pod that ejected.

On the bridge of the nevada:
Tatical reports "Sir an escape pod has disembarked from the ship and its heading toward the wormhole. Its gone sir only life signs were changlings and it was three of them. 

T'Shael "Status of the other ship?"
"An incomming message it's Lt. Commander Archer he's reporting ship secure. Captain Martok is safe they have control of the ship."
=^= Grace to the Captain, bridge is secure, Sir =^=

T'Shael saw the escape pod floating through space towards the wormhole and she knew that a decision had to be made right away. She could let them go. At least that's all they wanted, go home. The danger of more killing would be gone. Or she could get them and put them in the brig and deliver them to star fleet command for destructing the freighter and killing star fleet personnel. But what if they tried to flee again, more people would die. 
"Sir, I can get them with the tractorbeam" McDuff said. "Should I get them?"
T'Shael stayed silent, she hadn't made up her mind yet. 
"Sir??" McDuff asked. 
"Let them go" T'Shael finally said with a sigh. 
"Sir?? They've distroyed a star fleet vessel!"
"I know Lieutenant. They've done everything to get home to the great link. They can't live without it. If we send them to a federation prison they'll most likely die, or try to get out and kill more people. If they go home they won't endanger anyone anymore."
"Aye Sir" McDuff said. 
The escape pod entered the wormhole, the wormhole opened and showed his beautiful colors. T'Shael looked at them and hoped that she had done the right thing. Starfleet might not be happy. But she had command, and she had to make the decisions, that's what everything was about. She would take responsibility for it. That was her duty. 
"Mr. McDuff, take the changeling ship with the tractor beam."
"Aye Sir" he said and did so.
"T'Shael to Archer and Mitchell. We've got the ship with the tractor beam. I want you to go through the ship, find Cmdr. 1of1 and with him see if there are any other changelings left!"
=^= Aye Sir =^=
"T'Shael to Martok"
T'Shael waited for an answer, but there was none. 
"T'Shael to Martok, please respond!" no answer.
"T'Shael to Archer. When you see Martok tell him to contact me through your communicator, he doesn't seem to have one with him."
=^= Aye Sir =^= Archer responed. 

=^=Counselor to Comander T'Shael=^=
=^=Yes, Counselor=^=
=^=Sir, I thought you might like to know, that as the escape pod entered the wormhole, there was a great felling of relief and joy coming from the changelings. They are very grateful. Counselor out=^=
=^=Thank you Grace, T'Shael out=^=

1 goes up to the nearest enginnering station and inserts his probes into them...the warp core starts to dull before it goes blank. "NO!!" shouts a changling and charges from the rear. 1 raises his arm and fires a phaser beam straight into the changlings chest. Littered on the floor are bodies? of the changelings. All severly injured but they will make it. 
"This is 1 in engineering. The warp core is offline. Met with some resistance. Please send a security detail to secure area. Don't worry, they are not dead..just very heavily stunned.'
Have you found the captain?"

With the ship in tow, some changlings in the brig, the freighter mistery solved and Martok back on the
Nervada, things aboard ship were begining to return to normal. The senior staff were in the captains
quarters, they all had drinks in their hands, excpet of course for 1 of 1. 
T'Shael "Congratulations on your promotion Captain. Although I'm not sure you deserve it, let's face it, 
when the promotion came through you weren't even commanding the ship, off galivanting around a
changling ship, taking the time for an occasional dip in the pool. Tsk, tsk Captain."
Martok "I don't think you..."
Grace "yes sir, lot's of time to think, meals brought to you. You didn't need to lift a finger"
Martok "But surely, I"
T'Shael "Sorry commander, we were only joking. You deserve it. Speaking of the changlings, what's going
to happen to them?"
Martok "They'll be tried for violation of the armistis, but considering their first was responsible
for the destruction of the freighter, and she escaped, I doubt they'll get a heavy sentace, probably
suspended, and they'll be returned to the link."
1 of 1 let out a distastful grunt
Martok "commander?"
1 of 1 looked around to see everyone staring at him "well, I just think they should be tried and punished
to the full extent of the laws, they were an accesory to murder."
Archer "murder! they were just trying to defend
themselves against us"
"well, Lt. I don't think they had a just reason to kill 61 people"
"they just wanted to get home! Besides, I find that reasoning ironic to the point of contemtable that you
should say that, a borg, responsible for the death of-"
T'Shael "That's enough Lt! You're excused"
Archer looked around for support, but found none. He placed his glass on the table and left without another
word. Everyone was a little shocked.
Grace "1, are you ok?"
1 of 1 "I am undamaged counsoler"
Martok "Grace, I'd like you to have a word with him,
find out what's troubling him."
Grace "sir"
Martok "I think everyone's been under a lot of pressure lately. We won't reach section 47 for
another few days. I want everyone to take it easy until then"

The nevada was heading back to section47 to deliver the changelings and for repairs at the starbase. Everything seemed to go alright, the changelings were in the brig and had recovered, they didn't seem to make much troubles. Martok had taken back command and everything seemed back to normal, although he was still a little tried and irritable because of the kidnapping, but talking to counselor Mitchell he got back into regular duties soon. T'Shael was partly glad to have given back responsibility to Martok but yet she noticed that she also had enjoyed being in command. At the moment Martok was in his ready room and T'Shael had the bridge.
"When do we arrive at Starbase bellicose helm?" T'Shael asked. She knew it would be a while yet. 
"about three days Commander" the helm officer answered and T'Shael noticed that it wasn't Archer but his young assistant. "Where's Lt. Cmdr. Archer?" she asked him because she had thought he was on duty now. 
"He said he wanted to talk to the changelings?"
"What? Why?" T'Shael asked. This was rather unusual.
In that moment Archer entered the bridge. "Cmdr. Archer" T'Shael said. "Can I talk to you for a moment. Let's go to the briefing room."
"Sure commander, what is it?" Archer asked entering the room. 
"Why are you in contact with the changelings?"
"I'm sorry Commander, I didn't know i need permission to talk to them. The changelings' culture is a personal hobby of mine I think they are a very fascinating species. Since the war is over I've always wanted to meet one and ask them a few questions. Unfortunately these changelings aren't very talkative!"
"Well you wouldn't expect them to be would you Cmdr." T'Shael said. "At least they're locked up in the brig. Well of course I can't forbid you your personnel interest but I ask you to limit the contact to a minimum and next time inform us if you have a special hobby like that."
"Yes Commander I will, I apologize." Archer said. 
"It's alright Lt. Cmrd. Archer, now please take back your station you're on duty."
"Aye Sir" he said and went back to the bridge, T'Shael stayed in the briefing room for a moment looking out into space lifting an eyebrow.
Grace entered the bridge just after Lt Cmdr Archer took his station. She sat in her chair and contemplated the best way to approach him. She sensed he was troubled but didn't want to mind probe. Mind probing is so invasive and she didn't do it unless it was absolutely neccessary.
"Cmdr, I would like to see you later, talk things through about this mission."
"Counselor, I don't need counseling."
"Maybe you don't, but I do. I'm new here and could use someone to talk to about the events especially the death of Lt O'Hara."
"Well, I guess we could go to the diningroom when I am off duty and talk" Lt Cmdr Archer replied, a bit skeptical.
"Thanks Cmdr, I appreciate it". Grace walked back to her chair starting to think about how she could get the Cmdr to open up to her.

As Archer's shift ends he heads to the mess hall, as he sits down grace shows up. "Well counslor you wanna talk, talk if not let me be." As grace thinks to herself, this is not like the commander and attempts to probe his mind and not happy with what she reads.
"Excuse me commander i forgot i had an appointment with an ensign" and heads strait to captain Martok's readyroom and on her way there =^= Commander 1 meet me in the captain's readyroom Grace out =^=
=^= Commander 1 on my way =^=
As Grace enters the bridge Martok and T'Shael are on the bridge. "Captain i think i know what's wrong with Commander Archer. Its not him I believe he's a changling and the switch must have happened when we were headed to the brige of the other ship."
Meanwhile in engineering Archer enters and tells McDuff the captain would like to see him on the brige asap.

When Grace told him Archer was a changeling Martok first didn't want to believe her. "Are you sure Counselor? At least we knew they wanted to go back home, so why should he switch to come aboard when he had the chance to leave with the escape pod?"
"I don't know Sir" Grace said. "but I have the same feelings about him as I had about Lt. O'Hara."
"And I noticed something about him too Sir" T'Shael said. "He went down to talk to the changelings and when I asked him why he said he thinks their culture is fascinating."
"Why didn't you report this to me Commander?"; Martok said.
"Well Sir I didn't think it very important. I mean everyone can have a hobby without the captain's permission." T'Shael answered.
"But not if it concerns the security of the ship" Martok was angry. Now it was the second time someone of his crew was a changeling, he didn't want this to happen again!
"Computer, localize Lt. Cmdr. Archer!"
<> Lt. Cmrd. Archer is in the brig <>
In that same moment 1of1 let out a yell "Sir, the force field in the brig dropped, the changelings were set free!"
"Damn it" Martok said. "the changeling must have known that we know and thought that it was time to act. 1of1 secure the whole deck maybe we can get them yet." "The deck is secured Sir but they might have spread in the ship already through the vent-system or the jeffries tubes. Our sensors can't detect them because they can be any piece of equipment or any person!"
"Ok 1of1 go down to the deck with a security team and see how many changelings we got. Computer, red alert! This is Captain Martok to the whole ship, the changelings were set free and they could be everywhere. Personnel that isn't on duty doesn't leave their quarters. Engineering it is most likely they want to get there so protect engineering with a forcefield, noone is supposed to enter anymore!"
=^= Aye Sir =^= came the reponse from McDuff in engineering
But at the same moment the turbo lift door opened and McDuff entered the bridge.
"Didn't you just answer me that you were sealing engineering??" Martok said.
"No Sir Archer had told me you wanted to see me on the bridge!?!" McDuff was a little puzzeled he hadn't heard the captain's message in the turbo lift.
"Archer was the changeling" Martok said furiously. "And now he is in control of it! T'Shael quickly try to encrypt command functions so they can't transfer all systems to engineering."
"Aye sir" she said and ran to a station. Her fingers moved quickly and soon the message "command codes locked" appeared on the screen. "Well this will give us some time but I don't think it'll be too long until they decrypt my algorithm..."

McDuff walked further onto the bridge. "1 I don't think changelings have much experience with borg encriptions, can you secure the computer better? Then we have some more time to do something about the situation. Captain I think I can sever engineering from our primary computer core, if I disrupt the lines in jeffriestube 12beta, engineering will only have access to the secondary core. Then we can use the primary core again from the bridge."

1of1: "All security details are to move in groups. Subject all personnel you meet with bio scans. Forcefields along all corridors will be stepped up to a level 6. All jeffries tubes will be sealed and any personnel needing to go in will have an escort of at least 4 security personnel. Including senior officers. I will be doing a scan deck by deck."

McDuff crawled through a jeffriestube on his way to tube 12b, he carried a phaser in one hand and tried to keep two equipment cases in the other. He was accompanied by two very nervous security officers armed with large compression phaserrifles. "Sir if you don't mind me asking, but how far do we have to go? It's kinda difficult to crawl with my hands full."
McDuff - "I've got my hands full to, keep moving crewman."
"Yes sir"
They looked ahead again and just saw a big chunk of goo turn into a bulkhead, but as soon as they noticed it it liquified again and turned into a small rodent, like a mouse. One of the security guards started shooting, hitting all but the fast running rodent.
McDuff - "Cut it out you'll never hit him, he's way to fast. And this equipment doesn't react too well to phaser fire =^= McDuff to bridge. Captain we just ran into a changeling on our way to jeffriestube 12b, it turened into a small animal and got away. I'll try and see what he was up to.=^=
McDuff grabbed his tricorder and scanned the equipment in the jeffriestube. "Well, not much to tamper with here anyway, I think he just took advantage of the situation, the forcefields were down for us, he probably was on his way out of engineering. =^= McDuff to commander 1, can you alternate forcefields ahead and behind us? I'm afraid the changelings are using our movements against us.=^=
1 - >> Yes commander, I can program the computer to follow your movements and manage the forcefields accordingly, 1 out <<
"Okay people, let's get moving again, it's just a few junctions further"

1 of 1 lead a security down corridor 12A, towards sub-section B, the jeffries tube.
1 of 1 "crew man, set phaser to level 9, fire three pulses as soon as I open the hatch"
1 pulled away the door and the shots flew threw the empty passageway.
Crewman "nothing there sir"
One entered the tube followed by the second security officer, the first crewman took the rear and began to close the hatch, as he leaned forward to pick it up it began to change into the familiar orange liquid and a powerful tentical erupted from it's liquid mass breaking the officers neck instanstly. One in the lead was unable to fire his fusion cutter. The second officer struggled with his weapon, the changling vanished.
=^=One to the Captain. Reilly's dead sir, seal of corridors 11A through 13C.
Martok "acknowledged commander, we're redeploying security forces to your area"=^=
1 of 1 "Belay that if you would Captain. I believe it was a diversionary attack, the nearest security detachments are on deck 9, near deflector control. The changlings may want to get a message out, to do so safewly they would need access to that section.=^=
=^=Commander 1 to security team 7=^=
Murphy "Lt. Murphy here sir."
1 "anything going on up their Lt?"
Murphy "eh no sir, nothing out of the ordinary"
1 "Lt, I want you to take your security team from deflector control up to deck 10, begin continuous internal sweeps on deck nine as soon as you get there, report anything out of the ordinary, no matter how insignifigant"
Murphy "understood"=^=

1of1: "Captain, i believe i might have a plan to smoke out the changlings. Changlings comprise of mostly liquid and most liquids will boil or evaporate under high heat. I suggest we vent superheated gasses from the plasma conduits into the jeffries tubes. we can seal off all other areas with forcefields to make sure that the gasses doesn't get into the main systems. I will have teams poster at all exits of the tubes and will be ordered to fire upon anything that comes out of them. But first we have to make sure all personal inside the tubes be evacuated."

Martok "yes, but the changlings, when in another form take on all the properties of that from. If they turn into a bulkhead, even superheated plasma won't effect them. we'll keep it under advisement. I want them alive if possible commander."

While the captain, 1of1 and McDuff were crawling around in jeffries tubes T'Shael stayed on the bridge with Grace (ok I hope it's ok with you Grace that you're on the bridge still). They had sealed the bridge to make sure no changeling would enter and they would control everyone with a blood test that demanded to enter. Only T'Shael and Grace were left on the bridge and they had proved to each other they were perfectly human.
"Looks like 1of1's borg algorithm is holding" T'Shael said relieved, she knew they could have decrypted her algorithm soon, but the borg algorithm was too complex. "All important ship functions are on the bridge and only us have full access here. Even with Martok's authorisation they can't take over the ship."
This gave T'Shael some security. Here they could be sure of what was there, they had phaser-scanned the whole bridge and there was no changeling.
Grace was trying to get signals from the changeling and sat on her chair with her eyes closed, hoping she could find out a plan or momentary location. T'Shael was working on science station on a way to disable the changelings without killing them. The order was clear, they weren't supposed to be killed.
A voice came from the turbo lift door "This is Ensign Larkin, I have orders from Martok, they are planning to send gases into the jeffries tubes to drive the changelings out. Martok has sent me to you to give you specifications so you can work out if this will be deadly for them or not and if it might work."
"Just a moment Ensign. T'Shael to Martok, have you sent ensign Larkin up to the bridge?"
=^= Yes Commander, I need you to check what effect heated gases have on the changelings =^=
"Alright Sir" T'Shael took her phaser just to be sure, then let the forcefield around the bridge drop to let Larkin in. Grace stood up too with a medical device in her hand, they needed to make sure Larkin really was human yet. The turbo lift door opened, Larkin entered with a padd in his hand.
"Alright Ensign, we need you to take the blood test."
"Sure Commander" he said and Grace approached him to get blood. In that same moment he sprang forward, caught Grace and hit a button on his padd, and they both dematerialized...(there you go Grace now you're where your last post led you to ;-)) T'Shael fired her phaser towards the changeling but she was too late, they had dematerialized and she was left alone on the bridge. She put back up the forcefield around the bridge, but was alone now, who knew what could happen...
In that moment Martok called her =^= Cmdr. T'Shael don't let Larkin in, we found him unconscious, yours must be a changeling... =^= "Yeah I noticed" T'Shael said sarcastically "he's got Grace..."

As lt commander archer is sitting in is cell wondering whats going on on the nevada. Thinking to himself i gotta get outt of here and warn the nevada. As a jemhadar soldier enters the cell archer pretends to collapse on the floor as the jem hadar comes closer and neals down archer takes the knife out of his sleeve and shoves it right throught the jem hadar's chest. As the jem hadar fell archer picks up the jem hadar's rifle and enters the hallway and sees more jem hadar and starts opening fire on them. After 3 hours of searching the place for te communications room finds it and sends a meassage to starfleet.
Onboard a bajoran freighter: a bajoran officer reprts sir a starfleet communication and "sir its a distress call". bajoran captain "put it on screen." =^=this is lt commander johnathan archer cno of the uss nevad i wastaken captive by te domminion ive escaped their custadybut needhelp getting out of this hell hole.=^=
freighter captain helm set course for those corinates an hour later the bajoran freighter came out of warp was able to get a steady lock on the archer and beams him directly to the brige.
Archer "permisionto come bord sir"
Captain "permision granted."
"Now cptain i nee to get to the nead she n trouble and she might already be in trouble."
Captain "it will take an hour and a half to get to ds9. helm set course for the wormhole then ds9."

=^=Martok to Mc Duff, they have Grace, I want that forcefield around engineering disabled. Hoiw long?
"I'm trying to disable the power suppl now captain, but it should take more than five minutes"
"Good, keep me aprised of your progr-
*phasers shots and shouting form Mc. Duffs secruity escort*
"Mc Duff! Report"
*more shots*
=^=
the line was cut
=^=Martok to 1
"1 of 1 here"
"what is your position?"
"deck 5, section 12"
"get up to Mc Duffs last position, he's been attacked"
"on my way"=^=
=^=Commander 1 of 1 to security teams 3 and 6, meet in jeffries tube 12A=^=
On the bridge
T'Shael was at her old science station, trying to recalibrate the internal sensors when she Lt. Morath called her over to the Ops position.
"what is it"
Morath "I'm not sure sure, I'm getting strange readings from the deflector control, it looks like somebodies trying to over load the power systems."
T'Shael "A changling?"
"Probably, but I don't see why they would that, deflector controls been locked out, thewy can't send a message"
T'Shael thought for a second and then frantically started punching in commands
Morath "commander?"
T'Shael "If they send enough power into deflector control it will overload"
Morath "and if it overloads the power system will dis-engage an re-initialise, and when that happens..."
T'Shael/Morath "the lock-out will be disabled!"
They began working fewverishly, trying to reroute the power flow the changling was injecting into the deflector control unit.
Morath ";It's no good, he's too fast, I can't compensate"
=^=T'Shael to commander 1, get that saecurity team back to deflector control, they're trying to send a message=^=

In engineering, Grace was watching rhw changelings, only seeing 2, she asks "Why have you taken me and what do you want of me?"
"Counselor, can't you guess?" One of the changelings replied.
Grace "I'm sorry but I am afraid I have no idea what you could want. Why don't we sit down and talk things over. You tell me your wishes and I will bring them to the Captain and he will bring them to Star Fleet."
"Counselor, you don't really think we are going to just let you walk out of here." the changeling answered.
"Well, that is the only way I can bring your demands to the Captain. I really think this situation can be resolved without any more loss of life, yours and ours."
"Counselor, why don't you just sit down and be quiet so we can get our work done."
"You aren't serious about me sitting around idle while you try to take the ship? And what kind of work would you have to get done?" Grace knew she had to continue talking, she could tell it was beginning to annoy the changelings. Anything to distract them .
The more annoyed changeling looks at Grace, "You are a very annoying person, don't you follow orders?"
When he looked at her Grace got a sense of absolute rage from the changeling, good, hopefully she could use that to her advantage. "Of couse I follow orders, from my commanding officers, not from my captors. I am the counselor and it is my job to ask questions and help. That is all I am trying to do, help all of you get out of here alive. We can help you, just tell me what you want!"
"I want no help from solids, so be quiet or I will have to do something to you." The angry changeling almost shouted at Grace.
Grace continues "But maybe your shipmates won't mind help from solids, as you say." Grace can see that the angry changeling was getting very angry, did she dare keep pushing him. She knew she should get him distracted enough to keep his attention away from other places in the ship.

As the freigher docks at ds9 lt commander archer heads for ops. Its the night shift and a lt is in charge of ops turns around "sir only station persoonel are alowed in ops." "Lt no time to argue get the uss nevada on screen now its a threat to federation security. Now get me the nevada. "Sir the nevada isn't responding to our hails." "Lt i need a runbout now." "Sir thats not up to me its up to the station commander."Explain the situation to the station commadr that changlings have taken the nevada and i need to get there 20 minutes ago."
The Lt. contacts the station commander and explains the situation. now he's in a runabout heading towards the nevada at maximum warp estimtd arrival time 1 hour and a half.

Grace continued with directing her questions at the angry changeling, all the while keeping an eye on the quiet one and wondering why that changeling wasn't getting annoyed or angry.
Suddenly the angry one started towards Grace and the quiet changeling stepped in to avert him. "You are not going to hurt this one."
"Then make her shut up, I can't take much more of her prattle."
"I will try"
The quiet changeling turns to Grace, "Well, I can see you still haven't learned to be quiet."
Grace replied, "Do I know you?" at which point the quiet changeling turned in to Ken Roarke, a classmate of Grace's from the academy.
"Roarke, is that really you or are you an impersonation?"
"It's me. All of us were enrolled at the academy until an opportunity arose to get back to the great link."
"Why didn't you go to Star Fleet and request safe passage? It would have been safer and a better chance of getting back to the great link." Grace was trying to digest all that she was seeing and hearing.
Roarke looked a little sheepish but continued to answer Grace's questions, "Well, the 1st did not want any help from the solids, but none of us wanted to hurt anyone. Alot of us had made friends here. You have to believe me, Grace!"
"I do, but everything you've said is contrary to the evidence. And if it continues this way, alot or maybe all of you will die not to mention my people. Isn't there any amount of reason you can use with the 1st?" "All of us have tried individually to talk to her but she won't listen." Roarke sounded exasperated.
"Well, maybe you should all stand up to her together?" Grace was grasping at straws, but had to try.
"I don't know, Grace, she has gone over the edge and frankly, she is beginning to scare me." Roarke was visibly agitated, like he was expecting 1st to come over to them.
"Try again and I will be quiet. Call in your other people, all of you stand together and I will stand with you too. I will also talk to my Captain about getting all of you home, after you have her subdued. Deal?"
"I will try, Deal."

McDuff and the security guards were just getting underway to get back to the bridge when T'sheal called them, =^= Bridge to McDuff, commander we are unable to disable the forcefield around engineering, it seems not to be connected to the internal security system. You need to disable it manually.=^=
=^= I'll try to locate the power supply sir, if I take it out the field will be disabled.=^=
McDuff scanned for the power supply with his tricorder. "There, an EPS conduit is being tapped two decks above us". After a short crawl McDuff and his guards found the tapped EPS conduit. McDuff grabbed the cover of the EPS socket and pulled it off the wall. "Here put this somewhere out of the way" He pushed it into the hands of one of the guards, who layed it on the ground behind him. "Okay this is gonna take a while, they seem to have encrypted the shutdown routine and..."
=^= Martok to McDuff, they have Grace, I want that forcefield around engineering disabled. How long? =^=
"I'm trying to disable the power suppl now captain, but it'll take more than five minutes"
=^= Good, keep me aprised of your progress =^=
"Yes sir I'll..."
A strange sound interrupted him, when he looked back he saw a changeling where the security guard layed down the cover. The changeling formed a tentacle with which he pierced one of the security guards through the chest. When he was through he turned liquid and flowed right through the guard, taking solid form again right in front of McDuff. The other guard fired at the place where the changeling was just standing, hitting a bulkhead.
=^= McDuff report, what's goi....=^=
The changeling turned around and jumped on the other guard. McDuff made use of that and picked up the dead guard's phaserrifle. He fired it at the EPS conduit, the security guard saw what he did and kicked the changeling in front of the conduit, then they both jumped into different jeffriestubes along the room while the explosion roared past them.

=^= Martok to McDuff. What the hell is going on there?? Answer me! =^=
"Yes sir.....I'm here.....We eh....we just ran into a changeling. Crewman Larkin is dead. I think your forcefield is down, I shot the EPS conduit, but eh... it blew out across 12 sections on six decks, we might have some structural damage. I'll be right up."

"As the runabout approaches the nevada an explosion is picked up on sensors. Archer scans the ship shields are down and detects changlings in enginearing. archer grabs a sidearm and phaser riffle and beams dirctly to enginearing as he materialize grace and the changlings are shocked and at the same time captain martok and 1 enter enginearing.

Grace turns to Roarke and pleads with him and the other changelings to give up peacefully, "Don't resist, Roarke, you and the others can still have a chance to get back to the great link, give up for now. I will speak to the Captain and Star Fleet on your behalf."
"Thank you Grace." Roarke replies.
Just then, the changeling known as 1st, grabs Grace "Just get us to the wormhole and we'll let her go once we are on the other side.
Suddenly a phasor is fired at the1st from behind, it is the changeling known as Roarke, 1st falls to the ground releasing Grace as she falls.

Grace turned around to Roake with a thankful expression on her face. "I'm glad you've made the right choice! I'm sure the captain will see to it that you can go home. Right captain?"
Martok and 1 stepped towards the unconcious 1st. "Well counsellor, I think the 1st will have to pay for what she did, she is responsible and will be brought to a federation prison. But I don't see why the other should too, they have even helped us now and I think we can leave it by that and stop more unnecessary violence."
"See" Grace said and smiled at Roake. "Everything will be fine for you. Through you and the others that went to the Academy maybe there will be a new understanding between the solids and the changelings."
"Commander 1of1 take 1st into custody, bring her to the brig and see to it that she stays unconscious until she is there. We don't want anymore changelings loose on our ship!"
"Aye Sir" the 1 said and picked up the unconscious changeling who had dropped down in his human shape and stayed so.
"Good to see you back Archer!" Martok said then, turning to Archer who had beamed directly into engineering. "I'd like a report of what has happened to you as soon as possible."
Then Martok turned to Roake "I will keep my promise to let you and the other changelings except 1st go. How many others are there yet?"
"There are two more left, but I hope they think like me and if you'd allow me to use the communications system I could send a ship-wide message to tell them to come here and stop violence."
Martok was still a bit suspicous, but he noticed that Grace trusted this changeling like he had trusted O'Hara. "Alright, do so, I will open a shipwide channel. Go ahead"
=^= This is 4th speaking to 5th and 6th. 1st has been disabled and the solids are in control of engineering. As 2nd is dead and 3rd was in the escape pod I am in command now. The solids have offered us safe passage home and I order you to come here to engineering and stop any violence against the solids. You will then not be harmed and we can return to the link together =^= "Now let's just hope they listen to me" Roake said.
"Archer and Grace you two stay here and look after the changelings, hopefully those two will come here soon, McDuff please start repairs on the damaged decks. I'll go to the bridge and inform T'Shael that everything should be alright now." Martok entered the turbolift. "Bridge." The turbolift doors opened on the bridge and Martok wanted to enter the bridge, but the forcefield prevented him from doing so.
"T'Shael, deactivate that damn forcefield. The changelings are no longer a threat!"
"Sir, I'm sorry I can't do this. First of all you're alone and you're orders were not to let anyone in who's alone. When I did this last a changeling captured Grace. Who tells me you're not a changeling? As far as I know there are still two running around somewhere. You could be one of them, sorry I can't risk that!"
"Cmdr. T'Shael" Martok said furiously. "I order you to drop the forcefield and let me back onto MY bridge!"
"Sir your order isn't valid at the moment and if you really are the captain you should know that." T'Shael hit a button and the turbo lift door closed leaving Martok in the turbo lift. She couldn't help a smile.

With the 4th,5th and 6th escorted without incident to a holding cell, Martok hit his comm badge =^=Commander T'Shael, this IS Martok, please release the lockout to the doors and allow me onto the bridge
T'Shael "of course sir, Mr. Morath, let the captain in=^= The doors opened and a very grumpy Martok stepped out.
"Thank you commander, now if you would be so kind as to return the command codes to me, I'd be very greatful."
T'Shael smiled as she addressed the computer =^=computer return command codes to Captain Matok, authorisation T'Shael, 6 2 4 Vulcan=^=
<>authorisation confirmed, codes transfered<>
=^=Martok to 1 of 1, please release the command codes 1 of 1 "one moment Captain=^=
Martok gritted his teath
=^=1 of 1 1 to commander T'Shael, reuest permission to transfer codes to Martok
T'Shael "I think we can risk it commander"=^=
1 of 1=^=computer, tranfer remaining command codes to Captain Martok authorisation 1 9 7 2 6 8 4 0 1 4 8 3 6 9 4 3 7 5 1 1 1 8 7 4 3 plexis 4 7 3 2 8 5 0 3 1 9 8 6 4 2 0 0 enable=^=
<>authorisation confirmed, remaining codes have been released, command of USS Nevada is now undr Captain Martok<>
=^=Martok to 1, why the long code?
1 "just wanted make sure they didn't break it. It was a logical precaution, given the circumstances."=^=
Martok and T'Shael exchanged looks and said in harmony "of course"
Martok took his seat, Archer and T'Shael did likewise. Martok "T'Shael, take us home"
T'Shael nodded "gladly captain, Mr. Archer, set course, 352 , 729. Warp seven."
Martok "engage"

After warp had been engaged Archer turned around to face the Captain "Permision to go change uniforms and grab something to eat, I haven't had a decent meal in a few days."
Martok "granted"
As Archer heads towards the turbolft Grace gets up and follows him to discuss his being captured by the Domminion.

Without any further incidents with the changelings the Nevada headed back to Starbase Bellicose for a well deserved shore-leave and transfer of the four changelings, one of them to a federation prison, the other three hopefully soon back to the link in the gamma quadrant. They spent the days in quiet routine, Grace spent a lot of time talking to the changelings as well as to Lt. Archer who still had to get over his experiences in the domininon prison camp. T'Shael finished writing her reports for Martok and Starfleet command about the time she had had command, tried to meditate a bit and enjoyed like the others the holodeck. For once she wasn't picking on the captain, but being glad he had made it safely through the kidnapping to the changeling ship and also the almost-takeover of the Nevada.
A few days later they reached the starbase. "Sir they are hailing us" Lt. Morath, the new COO and former assistant of Lt. O'Hara said. Martok and T'Shael stood up. "On screen" Martok said.
Admiral Clark's face appeared on the screen.
=^= Welcome back Captain Martok. I have heard you had some troubles with some changelings =^=
=^= Only..um, minor problems. We made it back in one piece and the misson can be considered a success. We have four changelings on board, and I have given my word to three of them that they would be escorted back to the gamma quadrant =^= =^= Well we don't want a Klingon to have to break his promises. Yet I need a complete report about what happened and we will discuss appropriate measures. I want you and your senior crew here on the base for a briefing at 16.00 hours. We can discuss things there and I also have orders concerning your next misson. Until then, I'd like the report, of course your crew is free for shore-leave on the starbase. =^=
=^= Aye, Admiral =^= Martok said, made sure that the connection was closed and then whispered to T'Shael "I hate bureaucracy!"

=^= This is the Captain to all senior officers, report to the briefing room, and bring your party hats, Grace just got her second gold pip. T'Shael, stop by my quarters and get that barrle of blood wine I've been saving. =^=

The barrel of blood wine plus some other beverages that shouldn't be mentioned found their way to the briefing room where everyone was celebrating. "A toast to our newly promoted Lt. Grace Mitchell!" Martok said lifting his blood wine into the air and then taking a big sip of it. Everyone applauded and went for the beverages that were normally not found on a starship, at least not during missions..."Congratulations Counsellor" and "well done Grace" was to hear all over the room. The counsellor had quickly been an appreciated and well liked member of the crew. T'Shael walked over to Grace "My congratulations as well Grace, you've become a valuable member of the crew, keep it up!" "Thank you Cmdr. T'Shael" Grace replied, looked a bit unsure to the blood wine but then decided to dare to try it too...

As the officers were celebrating, and Grace was hearing congratulations from everyone, she started to freeze up. McDuff was the first to notice, "Grace are you alright?" But Grace didn't answer. 1 of 1 was close to McDuff and heard the exchange "Counselor, are you having a vision?"
"Oh wow, this is like dejavue" Grace started to say as if she were a bit confused.
1 and McDuff both ask at the same time"Did you have a vision?"
"No, I am sorry if I alarmed anyone. It was more of a flashback to my unknown past. It happens sometimes, not very often though at least not as often as I would like. Sometimes not having a past, can be a bit frightening. I think it was the Blood Wine that brought it on."
Curiousity gets the better of Lt Morath "So counselor, why don't you tell us about your flashback"
"Sure, as a psycotherapist, I know it is the best way to work through things." Grace replies with a smirk. " I was standing in a room (nothing like this one) drinking a yellow drink, singing songs, celebrating just like we are now. But there was a man walking around in a red suit with white fur around the cuffs, hem and label. He also wore a red hat trimed in white fur, and when he laugh, his belly shook like a bowl full of jelly. And I hear bells tinkling. It is something I will have to research in my spare time.