"Sir, we've conducted all appropriate scans, several times over, and still have run across no trace of the materials we're looking for," Lt. Reiv reported.
The captain frowned, "I don't understand; I was sure that the Ferengi had arranged this whole thing." After a pause, he continued, "Very well. Bristol to Commander Yilaan," he called over the communications channel.
"Yilaan here," she responded from the Ferengi vessel.
"How's it going Commander?" the captain asked.
"If one more Ferengi tells me how in 'Ferengi culture' it's inappropriate for women to have positions of power and wear clothing," Commander Cecilia Yilaan responded angrily, letting her sentence trail off. "The repairs are nearly complete sir," she added more calmly.
"When they're done, get our people back Commander; we're leaving as soon as you're done."
"Aye sir."
Twenty minutes later, the remainder of the Bristol's crew was back aboard and the captain arranged to hail the alien vessel.
"I'm sorry," the captain said to the human on the screen from the unknown ship, "we were unable to turn up any trace of the item you asked about."
"Heh," the man on the screen said disgustedly, "they must have disposed of it somehow already."
"Be that as it may sir, if you have no solid proof of the Ferengi's involvement in this, our hands are tied. You must cease hostile action against this trading vessel within Federation space," the captain said.
"We `must'? Or what Captain? Are you threatening us now?"
The captain grimaced slightly inside, but did not change outward expression, "Appropriate countermeasures will be taken against unlawful acts of aggression in our space."
The human on the viewscreen appeared a bit taken aback by Captain Freeman's cool, then leaned forward and stared at him a moment before sitting back in his seat. "Very well Captain. We will continue the investigation on our end elsewhere," the alien captain said, and the communication was terminated.
The alien ship left, and the Bristol went back to pick up the Larson, with the Ferengi vessel trailing behind. When the Bristol reattached its tractor beam, the Ferengi vessel hailed them.
"Well, you have your ship, and you've fulfilled your debt to us. It's been a pleasure dealing with you Captain," Damon Baktor said cheerily.
"Safe travels Baktor," the captain said neutrally, putting on a fake smile for the sake of the moment. The transmission on the screen wavered slightly, before restoring its clarity. "Steer clear of that other ship."
The Ferengi chuckled, "Don't worry Captain, I intend to stay as far away from them as possible. Baktor out." The image of the Ferengi Damon faded.
"Fetch the Larson and get us back on course for the Starbase, Ensign," Captain Freeman ordered, "Warp 1."
"Aye Captain," Ensign Gates responded, carrying out the captain's orders.
"Captain, this is strange," Lt. Reiv said, as the Bristol got under way.
"What is it, Lt.?" Freeman asked.
"I am now getting readings of numerous life signs aboard the Larson," Reiv said.
An alarmed look crossed the faces of the captain and first officer. "Human life signs?" Commander Yilaan asked.
"Negative Commander; reptilian in nature. It's those lizard things that attacked us earlier," Reiv said, swirling around in his chair to look at Yilaan.
The captain and first officer looked at each other. "Why are we suddenly able to read these life signs? There were `no definite readings' earlier," the captain asked. "Lt. Reiv, I want you and Lt. O'Shea to thoroughly examine the sensor logs of our observations of the Larson, and of all contact with the alien ship and Damon Baktor's Uleman. There has to be an answer here." Captain Freeman then hailed Commander Jevor in Engineering, "Commander, have your engineers conduct a level one diagnostic of the external and lateral sensor arrays; focus on the life-form sensors. Let me know what you turn up."
"Aye sir; that will take a couple of hours," Jevor's voice came over the intercom.
"We'll have a staff meeting at 1600 hours; get it done by then," ordered the captain. He then turned to Reiv and O'Shea and nodded, and they left their stations for two science stations at the back of bridge.
Sixteen hundred hours came, and the staff was assembled in the observation lounge; Reiv and O'Shea rushed in out of breath at the last minute, having moved to stations in Engineering to finish their analysis (and only having actually finished moments before the meeting). The captain nodded as they entered and everyone sat down.
"Jevor?" the captain asked of his chief engineer, as Reiv and O'Shea both looked like they were about to burst with information.
"Our diagnostic turned up no problems with any of the sensor systems," Jevor shrugged.
"Captain!" Reiv couldn't contain himself any longer. "I have something to report."
"Yes Lt.?"
"It was the Ferengi sir! It's all there in the logs, the piggy-backed transporter signal, everything! They had to have used a dampening field the first time! That's what interfered with our sensors!" Reiv said quickly and excitedly.
Yilaan smiled at him, "Slow down Lt., one thing at a time. What about the piggy-backed transporter signal? What about a dampening field?"
Reiv breathed hard and collected his thoughts, while Jevor smiled to himself. "My apologies Captain, Commander," Reiv said, using the same faux calm that he used when the captain had interrupted his breakfast several days ago to tell him he had been given the new bridge job. "Okay. I did an analysis, along with Lt. O'Shea, of all the sensor logs."
"And what did you find Lt.?" the captain asked.
"The Ferengi beamed something off of the Larson as the Damon was bidding you farewell sir; that was what caused that momentary fluctuation of the comm signal that we noticed during the conversation. They hid their transporter use from our regular detection methods by piggy-backing it on the comm channel," reported Reiv.
"But that's impossible!" Jevor broke in. "The technology doesn't allow for that kind of thing! All the safeguards! The systems aren't even compatible in that way!" Jevor continued, flustered and distressed that someone should pull off an engineering feat like this that wasn't him.
"Obviously Ferengi technology is different than ours Commander; they also don't have our safeguards to contend with, our regulations. They also were not transporting anything alive either, and I'm sure that made it easier for them," the captain said to Jevor. "What else did you find Lt. Reiv? You also spoke of a dampening field."
"Well the navigational sensor logs had a brief fluctuation in them Captain, and we know what little success we had with scanning the Larson. Combining the logs of several different sensor arrays, it seems to O'Shea and I that there was some sort of shield set up to prevent us from discovering something, or possibly protecting the device from those creatures. This shield confused our sensors individually, but together the picture became clear. Kind of like a jigsaw puzzle," Reiv finished, trying to sound more mature than his initial outburst.
"Whether or not it was the item in question that was being shielded, or that was beamed from the Larson, isn't clear," Lt. O'Shea added.
"But it's worth a look," Commander Jevor interrupted and finished O'Shea's sentence.
"It is indeed," the captain replied. "Captain to Bridge," Captain Freeman called out over the intercom.
"Bridge, Ensign Gates here," Gates responded.
"Where is the Ferengi vessel Uleman at this time Ensign?" the captain asked.
After a pause, Gates responded, "They are moving away from us at Warp 8 Captain, estimated time to intercept at Warp 9, six hours."
"Gee they're not in too much of a hurry are they?" Jevor mumbled to himself.
"Disengage the beam on the Larson and move to intercept Ensign, Warp 9," the captain ordered, standing up and straightening his uniform.
"Aye sir," Gates responded.
"Anything else to report?" the captain asked the officers in the observation lounge. When there wasn't, the captain said, "Stations," and the officers left the meeting and took up their positions.
Six hours later, after the bridge officers took breaks at staggered times to be on hand for the encounter with the Ferengi, the Bristol met up with the Ferengi vessel. Jevor was on hand on the bridge as well, having activated the engineering console at the back of the bridge which allowed him to perform all main engineering functions and have the capacity to respond instantly to problems in a crisis.
"Hail the Ferengi vessel," the captain ordered, tugging on his uniform, standing up, and walking towards the viewscreen.
"Captain, uh, it's a pleasure to see you again so soon!" Damon Baktor of the Ferengi vessel Uleman stammered.
"I'm sure it is Damon," said the captain sternly. "I think you know why I'm here."
"Why you're....," the Ferengi looked honestly confused. "You're not still going on about that device those aliens said I stole? Look Captain, I thought we'd been through this already."
"So had I Damon," said the captain sternly, then pausing for an almost unbearably long time. "What did you beam off the Larson?" the captain accused.
"Why Captain, we did no such...." Damon Baktor started to say.
"Spare me, and just set this matter straight. We have things to do, and one of them is to retrieve whatever it was that you pilfered from the Larson, which, as you've pointed out, is Federation property now back in Federation hands. At the very least you're guilty of that."
The Ferengi glowered at someone on his ship off the area that was covered by the viewing screen. "What makes you think it's what the aliens claim was stolen by us?" Baktor asked.
"Simple logic," the captain said. Commander Jevor winced at that comment, as it reminded him too much of their late Vulcan conn officer, Lt. Valen, with whom he had been on two prior cruises before being posted together here on the Bristol. Commander Yilaan sensed something from him and turned to stare at him for a moment before returning her attention to the viewscreen and what the captain was saying. The captain continued, "You run into us, purely by accident, and ask nothing more than our future assistance for the return of our disabled ship. In the past, such deals were either masks for violence or insanity; what happened to your desire for latinum? Then, when you needed help, you specifically asked for a 'Federation vessel' in your distress call. Now, we discover that something was blocking our scan of the Larson, which is why we didn't find all those lizard things on there until it was to late, only to have that interference disappear the moment you activated your transporter in tandem with your supposed warm wishes on our journey."
The Ferengi Damon shrank in his seat as Captain Freeman's monologue continued, "So, at the very best you're guilty of thievery twice over. At worst, you put those things on the Larson yourself, killed her crew and caused serious injury to members of mine as well."
The Ferengi's eyes grew wide, "Captain, I, uh......surely I......I am NOT a murderer Captain!"
"You knew about those accursed lizard things on board the Larson, though didn't you? Where is the profit in angering the Federation?" the captain accused.
The Ferengi looked sullen, evidently hoping that if he sunk in his seat just a little further, he would disappear all together.
"You WILL be brought to justice, Baktor. The severity of that justice is up to you."
Two pairs of gruff hands grabbed Baktor at this point and hauled him off the screen. A different Ferengi entered the screen and sat in the Damon's chair.
"I am Nolyk, the new Damon of this vessel. I have relieved Baktor for his incompetence jeopardizing all of us on this profitless mission. I would like to petition for the release of our vessel," Nolyk said.
"Go ahead Damon," the captain replied, folding his arms in front of his chest, resisting the urge to smile.
"We will give you the stolen device, and turn Baktor over to you, if you promise to let the rest of us and this ship go without pursuing us further on these charges," said Nolyk.
"I can't make you that promise Damon; however if you hand over the device and Baktor, I promise I will speak to the Judiciary on your behalf. I doubt they'd pursue you unless evidence turned up to require it. That wouldn't happen, would it Nolyk?"
"Of course not Captain," said Nolyk. "I agree to your terms, as I have apparently no other choice."
"You're a wise man Nolyk," said the captain. "I'm sure your career as Damon will bring you everything you so richly deserve."
Taking that comment as a compliment, Nolyk smiled and said, "Thank you Captain. Prepare to receive the device and Baktor. Damon Nolyk out."
Both the device and Baktor beamed over to the bridge of the Bristol a few moment later.
"Put Baktor in the Brig, Lt. O'Shea," the captain ordered. O'Shea complied as some of the bridge crew eyed the device. "Jevor, take this thing to Engineering and see what you can learn of it. I'd like to know something of this alien technology before we give it back."
"Aye sir," said Jevor, who went to hoist the device. Finding it heavier than he expected, his lift sagged and he breathed out hard before finally righting himself, glowering at everyone that witnessed that less than spectacular physical feat. He then left for Engineering.
"Lt. Reiv, is that alien ship still anywhere around?" the captain asked.
"Just at the edge of long range sensors, Captain," Reiv answered.
"Move us to intercept Lt., at Warp 3. Send them a message informing them that we have their device and are on our way to return it," ordered the captain. "Yilaan you have the Bridge, I'll be checking in on our patients in Sickbay."
Lt. Reiv swirled in his chair to face the captain and first officer. "But sir, even if they moved to intercept at Warp 9, we'd still not meet up with them for over half a day at Warp 3," Reiv said.
The captain stopped, heard what Reiv had to say, and nodded, "Fancy that," before proceeding to Sickbay.
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