Medics were rushing about in sickbay caring for the dozens of wounded from the combat. The doctor was operating on someone, with two assistants. The captain came in and stood in the background, waiting for her to finish. After awhile, she came over to him.
"Captain?" she asked simply, wiping her brow, clearly very tired and lacking her usual exuberance for life.
"Status, Doctor," the captain said, soberly taking in the traumatic scene before him.
"We've lost nearly thirty sir," she began as she led the captain to her office. "Computer, water, three degrees Celsius," she said to a food dispenser. She drank some of the water and then continued, "That man I was operating on will live; so will the ninety others that have come in here and are able to leave without aid."
"Excellent work Doctor," the captain commented.
Giovanni nodded, "I suppose so." She drank the rest of the water. "We could've used more hands," she commented, after a brief pause.
"I'm sorry Doctor, but you know some medics were needed on the planet," Captain Freeman answered.
"I know," Doctor Giovanni said shortly. "It was just an unfortunate set of circumstances. If that is all sir, I have patients," she let her sentence trail away.
"Yes, thank you Doctor," said the captain, "Carry on."
The doctor left her office to return to her duties, while the captain headed for the bridge. The captain was on the bridge for only a few moments before Ivanovna interrupted his idle conversation with Commander Yilaan.
"A message sir," she said simply.
The captain glanced up at her momentarily. "On screen," he replied, turning his attention forward to the viewer.
"We have a prisoner sir," said the image of the eager young Bajoran Lieutenant Reiv Garon who had been left in charge of the landing party on Cheron Five.
"Oh?" queried the captain.
A couple of guards then forcibly dragged a Gorn over to the area covered by the Bristol's viewscreen. The captain smiled bitterly as he beheld the face of the Gorn commander on the viewer. "Well, well," the captain noted with a nasty grin on his face. "Well done Lieutenant Reiv! We'll beam him directly to the brig, so he can spend some quality time with his friends." Captain Freeman nodded at Yilaan, who made the arrangements. "Keep up the good work Reiv. Freeman out," the captain said, ending the transmission with the planet.
"Transport complete sir," Commander Yilaan reported.
The captain smiled, "I'll be at the brig Commander, you have the bridge."
Commander Yilaan studied the captain for a moment. "Aye sir," she finally said, as Captain Freeman strolled to the turbolift.
The doors to the guard chamber, which kept an eye on the brig, opened, and the captain nodded to the guard as he strolled over to where the Gorn commander was imprisoned. The commander stood up when the captain entered.
"What did you hope to accomplish with this deception?" the captain said to the Gorn commander harshly, wasting no time as he got straight to the point.
"Your destruction, of course. You Federation types, you're all the same. You like to talk your way out of a fight. You like to bend over backwards to make everything all better. We, the Gorn Alliance, find you to be weak and repulsive. You are not a warrior, and neither are your people. My ship, and the other like it, were but the first to cross the zone. Your Federation will buckle under our onslaught, and your people and resources will fall to our control. For over forty years we have waited, growing stronger as each day passed. The time has come at last."
The captain watched him intently, smiling the whole time. "Last time I checked, Commander, your two ships were dead hulks in space, and we were reporting back to our superiors of your treachery. If you want a war, you're going to get it. The Federation will not stand idly by while you attack our people. Your underestimation of our abilities and our resolve will be your downfall," Freeman finished forcefully.
The captain turned to leave, and the Gorn called after him. "Tough words Captain. I look forward to putting them to the test. If you turn me over to my people, I will get another ship and find you. If you turn me over to your people, I will do the same. Don't think otherwise. Never forget, Captain."
The captain paused, listened to the Gorn's monologue without turning around, and then proceeded out when the Gorn told him to never forget. The Gorn then shouted after Captain Freeman even as the door to the hallway closed behind the captain. "Never forget, Captain!"
The captain arrived back at the bridge. "Commander, could I see you in my ready room?" Freeman requested. The captain then proceeded into his ready room, followed by Commander Yilaan.
"Sir?" she inquired, once both were inside and the doors were closed. The captain quickly relayed the experience at the brig to Commander Yilaan. "So, do you take his threat seriously?" she asked the captain.
"No, of course not. I think it was merely a part of his idle posturing," replied Captain Freeman.
She eyed him suspiciously. "Pardon me for saying so sir, but the incident appears to be troubling to you. If you really thought it was merely idle posturing, I'm not sure you would've called me in here so quickly to report it."
"Perhaps so Commander," the captain replied, smiling at his perceptive first officer.
The intercom beeped at that moment. "Admiral Lowery wishes to speak with you sir," said Lieutenant Ivanovna to Captain Freeman.
"I'll be right there," the captain replied as he moved to exit his ready room. The first officer followed him out.
"Sir," said Captain Freeman to the image of Admiral Lowery on the viewscreen.
"Captain, I thought you'd like to know that we've been in extensive contact with the government of the Gorn," said the admiral.
"And?" the captain encouraged the admiral to continue.
"Peace will reign, Mark," the admiral stated with an unusual hint of familiarity for the Vulcan Lowery. "The group of Gorn you encountered are part of a dissident militant faction within Gorn space. Their moose-head skull was the proof; apparently the factions use these types of things as symbols; as sort of a group trademark if you will. Some might consider such displays unusual, but such symbols are apparently commonplace within the Gorn Alliance."
"Who told you all this?" asked the captain, with tension in his voice.
"Several special representatives of the Gorn government. They feel that the attacks by the dissidents into Federation space were designed to draw us into conflict with the government, thereby perhaps destabilizing it enough to be overthrown. Or perhaps, the dissidents could claim to be friends of ours against the 'war-like' government and take our side in the ensuing confrontation; while all the while using us as pawns in their game."
"And you believe all this Admiral?" said the captain semi-accusingly.
"It all seems perfectly logical to me. I see reason to be skeptical, but no reason to doubt their word at this time, Captain," the admiral replied. "Besides, the Gorn government has issued a formal apology, and is in the midst of negotiating compensation for damages caused."
"I see," said the captain, unable to hide his dissatisfaction with the offered explanation. "So what are my orders then? Do we abandon the planet to more of these 'dissidents'?"
"Wait for your reinforcements to arrive, then report back to the starbase for repairs, after recalling your personnel from the planet. Transfer your prisoners to base personnel upon arrival," said the admiral as though he were reading a prepared statement. "We will be setting up a permanent force in the area to protect the planet from further threats by Gorn dissidents."
"I'll bet Eldrige will really like that," the captain said half under his breath.
"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that Captain."
The captain shook his head. "The leader of the colony there is a peaceful man. His home is one of peace and he has been very uncomfortable with men and weapons of war in his midst during this crisis."
"Captain," Admiral Lowery said in an authoritative voice, "the Federation is a peaceful body, and Starfleet's role has always been one of peace. You almost make it sound otherwise."
The captain grimaced. "No sir."
"Carry out your orders Captain," the admiral replied simply.
"As you say, Admiral," Captain Freeman replied.
"Lowery out."
The viewscreen faded. Captain Freeman continued to stare at it, his face freely expressing all the anger and irritation he felt welling up inside him.
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