“The details of your symbiont’s…history were left missing from your dossier.”  Captain Helena Dread sat in her ready room, facing a castigated Lieutenant Calog Tir.  “It only came to our attention when the Trill attache to Fourth Fleet was asked about diplomatic symbionts.  Tir’s…colorful history came to light.”

“We didn’t hide it intentionally, Captain.”  He felt a tinge of annoyance from Tir.  The truth was more complicated – neither of them enjoyed diplomatic operations.  Calog because his first love was operations, and Tir because…well, she had come to hate it.  She had been relieved to be joined with Calog.  That relief had ended ten minutes ago when Dread had summoned the lieutenant to her ready room.

Helena locked her eyes on his, “I’m well aware of Trill’s…suspicions and paranoia with outsiders.  It is not my first time trying to work through that longstanding feeling.  The truth is that Tir’s invaluable experience with her previous host…”

Tir filled in the blank, “Yoria Tir.”

Dread continued, “Yes, with Yoria Tir…those thirty years of diplomatic work with Trills and the innumerable other species she had contact with and gained experience coupled with a greater understanding of it all – I have to ask for help.  Hargraves is busy running interference with the Gladas Colony with the Cardassian.  We’re on deck to handle the Bajoran…and lucky for us…”

He grumbled, “Tir worked with them over five years on various projects on various colonies and ships.  I know.”  He gave his captain a plaintive look, “She…she hates it.  Like…more than anything in the universe.  Left a bad taste in her…well, Yoria’s, and now mine.”

Helena held up her PADD, “The bad taste in her…your…whoever’s mouth – was understandable.  Quite a case study of how things can quickly slide into a black hole.  Looking at her record, it’s one of the few blemishes on an outstanding career.”

“It’s not my favorite thing either, Captain.”

She returned her PADD to the desk, “You are so ordered to effect the transition and explanation of our Bajoran friend back to his family on Hasada Colony.  Ensign Catari will assist you, as her Bajoran background will help smooth things over.” Tir’s blank look spoke his reply.  She understood, “She can be direct, and without subtly…but that doesn’t mean she’s not capable of caring about someone enough to try to be less…direct.”  

Tir smiled hopefully, “I will carry that hope with me, captain.”  He stood and left the room, not convinced this would work.

Lieutenant Calog Tir stared out of the shuttle windows as they sped through space toward the Hasada Colony.  His confidence in their mission was uneasy, and his symbiont wasn’t improving the situation.  Yoria, the previous host, had been a diplomatic mercenary, for lack of a better word. She had worked most with the Trills in handling negotiations with various groups, but she’d found a unique friendship working with the Bajorans.  Calog knew everything she knew, and he wasn’t surprised that she had been able to build what she had built.  Yoria had been everything he wasn’t – able to read those around her well and figure out what pressure to apply or remove to get an equitable solution.

He glanced to the cockpit and felt his stomach churn a little more.  Ensign Athena Catari was young and Bajoran.  She was strict in her service and focused on her security and tactical duties.  It was a recipe for a challenge once they landed on Hasada.  Parica had gotten his side of the story down.  It was now all a matter of wording. 

“I don’t believe you.”  Parica’s father stared at his son, his face red with fury.  “This is a repeated issue with you returning late, forgetting the time, or getting distracted at the station.  I have half a mind to pull your docking reports from the station.  You’re unbelievable!”  He turned to the Starfleet officers, “I trust you even less.  Bringing a Bajoran along doesn’t make us feel any better.  You’re pandering to us for a reason.”

Ensign Catari practiced her silence while she simmered on the inside.  She hated being talked down to and hated being told why she was there by someone else who hadn’t had a part in her being here.  Being outranked helped her maintain some semblance of control.  She yielded to Tir.

“I know your people, Vedek Parica.  There is enough anger and rage within them…I don’t know if adding to it will help matters.  Is there not some…amount of charity that could be extended here?”  Lieutenant Tir motioned to the son, “He’s been humble in his admission of his transgressions…he’s exhibited the proper stance of atonement.”  He implored, “Things happen for a reason…he’ll be far more careful of respecting and honoring your time and shuttle in the future.”  He glanced at the young man, who nodded, understanding the message he was being sent.

The younger Parica turned to his father, “I am sorry.  It is unacceptable to continue to cause this level of harm to our relationship, Father.”

The Vedek eyed his son carefully, turning the words over in his head.  He turned to Tir, “You seem to know us and our words.  They’ve bought you charity for today…and today only.  We’ll take care of our son.  You take care of yourselves.”  He turned and led his family back to the colony.

Catari waited until they were a distance away before telling Tir, “That kid’s gonna run again.  Those were not truthful eyes.  Reminds me of me in my less obedient days.”

Tir frowned, “Dad seemed to believe his son.”

“He does believe him.  He has to.  You didn’t see any sisters or other siblings.  Parica is all he’s got.  There’s a lotta sin that being the first and only child will cover.”

The Trill asked, “So…what do we do?  Go tell Dad?  Go push around Parica to convince him to stay here and never leave again?”

Catari chuckled, amused.  “Previous host never had kids, did she?”  He answered with an annoyed shake of his head; she smiled, “Kids gotta make mistakes.  Gotta learn the consequences of their mistakes.”

He stared at her, wondering what she meant.  Did she really mean to let him run away again and cause what would amount to a skirmish between two colonies?  He thought farther down the line and realized, “We’re going to stake out the family shuttle and try and talk him out of it, aren’t we?”

She whispered conspiratorially, “We’ll make a security officer out of you yet.”

“That’ll be the day.”

“Better you than me, Halsey.” Captain Helena Dread stood facing the windows of her ready room, hands behind her back.  The orders transferring a trainee to them had come through an hour ago, and she’d finished briefing her Executive Officer Commander Leopold Halsey.  “On paper, she looks to be just about perfect.  You know how I feel about perfect.”

Halsey sat in the corner of the couch, PADD in hand.  There was plenty of possibility with the transferred officer.  She was pretty strong on paper, but there was plenty missing.  “Don’t judge a book by its cover, Helena.  She’s being sent to us for a reason…even if they don’t want to give us those reasons in the brief.”  He frowned, “She’s got a similar story to the former captain of the Mackenzie – he was a chief engineer before he got vaulted to command.”

Dread turned to him, “Harris wasn’t ever an Executive Officer.  He was given command of a Raven and eventually a New Orleans Class – they held him to the commander rank for a while before they gave him the Mackenzie with the four pips.”  She rolled her eyes at his accusing stare, “I do my research on my squadron, Leo.  I need to know the history of this rag-tag group.”  She sighed, “He had an impact on them, that’s the thing.  His death broke them…and they scattered.”

Leopold pushed off the couch, “They may be rag-tag, but he instilled plenty of values.  They’ve stuck with you as unproven as you were.  Keep that in mind.  People are still just people – lots going on in the head and the heart.”

As the door closed behind him, she grumbled, “Goddamn it, I hate it when he’s right.”  She glanced at her watch.  The trainee was scheduled to arrive shortly.  She picked up her PADD and headed for the shuttle bay.

Natalya wasn’t sure about this as the shuttle came closer to her destination. While she was excited, Natalya knew the evaluation of an Executive Officer could push the person, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to dredge up the past, she always tried to hide. She had been asked why she was at the bar so often, but that wasn’t anyone’s business in her mind, as she did her job and made sure it did not affect her life.

The death of her parents was something she kept close to her and the only person that knew the truth was her sister Miska, who she loved dearly and was proud of. She had never opened up to anyone because she had never found anyone to open up too. The truth was it was the one part of her life she kept so closely guarded that others didn’t deserve to know. 

She sighed as she thought on the events of her life ‘Maybe it is time for the past to not hold back who I am.’ The truth was she blamed herself for her parents death and it still haunted her to this day. Her thoughts were interrupted as she was nudged on the shoulder, notifying her that they had arrived. She grabbed her bag and turned, walking down the ramp of the shuttle. She saw the ship’s Captain and stood at attention. “ Commander Natalya Koerner reporting to the Captain as ordered.”

Dread returned the stance of attention.  She tapped at the PADD, accepting the commander’s assignment and granting her access to Daedalus.  “Captain Helena Dread.  Welcome aboard.”  She gestured towards the exit back to the ship, “I’ll give the brief tour.”  She walked back into the ship’s corridors with Koerner at her heels.  “How familiar are you with the Rhode-Island Class?”

Natalya shook her head “If I’m honest…not much. I did some quick research on the way here, but that’s about it. I’ve served on a Luna, Intrepid, Galaxy, and a Station. I know the engineering for the ships universally have the same setup, but that’s all I’ve ever done. I’m sure you looked at my service record. I’ve done some things that most classify crazy, including almost dying.” 

Dread turned a corner with her, heading towards the turbolift, “Your service record is an…interesting read, Commander.  And almost death isn’t nearly as bad as death.”  She waited for the doors to open and stepped into the lift, “I’ve had more than my share of nearly dead patients on the table.”  She tapped at the console, headed for the quarters that had been arranged, “The Rhode Island is a notoriously small ship – we’re all quickly becoming friends and neighbors in the small space on Daedalus.  You’ll get a crash course in managing around a hundred people – crew, officers, and senior staff.” The turbolift doors opened, “I’ll show you to your quarters.  Your trainer is Captain Leopold Halsey, XO, and Chief Medical.  He had wanted you on the bridge at….,” she glanced at her PADD, “1800, which gives you time to settle in, take a breath, and meet up with him.”  She stopped at the new officer’s quarters door, “What questions can I answer?”

Natalya thought for a minute after listening to all the information. The ship seemed like it would be an interesting duty post, but she still wasn’t sure if she would fit in. The family-like relationship was not something she had ever done due to her past, but maybe things would change here. “I currently don’t have any questions other the the most important one. What is the ship’s current mission?”

Dread handed her a PADD, “Captain Halsey will review that with you – it’s both complex and annoyingly simple.  I’ll let him know you’ll see him at 1800.” She gave the woman a nod and headed off down the corridor.

Natalya nodded and followed the Captain down the corridor to her new quarters; while she still had lots to learn, the welcome from the Captain put some of her doubts to ease. She said goodbye to the Captain and entered the quarters to get settled before she reported to the XO.

“…the warp core.  We think we can get a little more out of our top-end speed with some…well, Greer calls it ‘jiggery-pokery,’ but it’s more detailed…” Elizabeth McKee went to speak, but her XO gently interrupted her.

Captain Halsey held up a hand to pause their Deputy Chief Engineer, “McKee, I know your skills.  This report is incredibly detailed.  I have every confidence in you and Greer.  Run the changes.”  Elizabeth blinked and stood at attention before she headed to the turbolift.  The doors opened, revealing the XO trainee.

Natalya had taken the time needed to settle into her new quarters, making it feel as much like home as she could, but by the time she did, it was time to report to the bridge. She made her way rather quickly through the ship’s corridors to the bridge.

As the doors opened, she saw three officers, none of which she knew yet. “Commander Natalya Koerner, reporting to the bridge as ordered.”

Halsey glanced up, “Commander, join me.”  She walked over to where he stood in front of the command chair, and he handed her a PADD, “That’s the mission.  We’ve got Cardassians on one side and Bajorans on the other.  There is plenty of history between these two groups and their colonies.” He gave her time to read over the briefing information, “We’re expecting a…”

Presley Atega at communications interrupted him, “Captain, I’m getting an urgent hail from the away team!”

Leo frowned.  They weren’t due to report for another hour or two.  “On speakers.”

Natalya understood the premise of what was going on, as she held been on a ship that dealt with such matters in the past. The need for diplomatic solutions was always needed, but also incredibly tense

The voice of Ensign Catari filled the bridge, “Daedalus, this is the away team.  Parica’s taken the family shuttle…we tried to talk him out of it or stop him…but he’s leaving orbit.”  The voice of Lieutenant Tir was heard shouting in the background.  “The lieutenant says the kid wasn’t going to listen to us no matter what we said or did – and he’s right.  He’s frustrated with his parents.  He left them a note telling them everything.”

Halsey turned to Prentice at the helm, “Intercept course for that shuttle – maximum warp.”  The Daedalus shifted in space and took off.  He returned to the channel, “What’s happening there now?”

Tir’s voice became stronger as he opened the microphone on his station on the shuttle, “They’re declaring this an act of aggression and calling up the various shuttles and ships across the colony.  We estimate they can launch a force of about ten ships in about five hours or so.  The weapons are reading pretty rudimentary, but they’ll damage the other colony.”

The XO sighed, “How close are we to the shuttle?”  The situation had gone from the replicator to the warp core quickly.

Will tapped at his console, “Five minutes.  We’ll overtake him well before he gets to the other colony.”  He wasn’t sure what they would do, but his eyes were glued to his console.  He needed to be ready for whatever the Daedulas would be asked to do. 

Halsey turned to the XO trainee, “Welcome to the mission at hand, Commander Koerner.”

Natalya nodded “It seems as though tensions are tight and I joined just when things are starting to get interesting. I will help in anyway I can, Sir. I am sure you read my service record and know what all I have done so I am willing to put that experience to use.”

Leopold accepted her offer, “Let’s catch this kid, and then we’ll see what needs doing.”

Natalya nodded and stood on the bridge as the ship intercepted the shuttle. Once the shuttle had been intercepted, Natalya followed along to the shuttle bay to see just what was going on.

Parica sat sullenly in the shuttle bay, his family’s shuttle behind him. “I’ll break out of your brig.”

Halsey mused, “You realize your home colony is getting ready to go to war with your girlfriend’s colony?”

Natalya thought for a moment. ‘That seems like an interesting relationship.’ She wasn’t quite sure about the story between the boy and his girlfriend, but the issue seemed to be that the boy didn’t care about the authority of others. She looked at the kid in a sincere way. “I may be overstepping asking this, but what did you think you were going to accomplish by doing this?”

Parica fired back, his face glowing red with his words, “You ever been in love so much it hurts, commander?  That being apart from the one you love feels like someone slowly stabbing you in the deepest parts of your heart?”  He shook his head, “Everyone’s so concerned about who hates how for what…and we’ve got a love that goes beyond all that.”

Natalya took a deep breath as she should have known such a question could bring up feelings from her past. She looked at the boy and nodded “In fact I have, but take that pain and intensify it to where that stab is now a permanent part of your heart. I watched the explosion that killed my parents…I don’t usually talk about it, but sometimes when you love someone you have to think about the bigger picture. My parents died and in a way I blame myself for it. I have questioned that day for years and while it hurts there is a part of me that realizes if they hadn’t sacrificed themselves I might not still be alive. So if you love her will you do what has to be done to keep her safe? Even if for now that hurts?” 

The young Bajoran stared at her before he found his words, “My love isn’t dead, human!”  He caught a sudden and sharp glance from Halsey and apologized, “I’m sorry yours died. I am.  But Kartika’s alive and well.  Nobody wants to let us try and be together.  Maybe that’s the problem.  Everyone’s focused on killing our love because that’s all they know.  Killing for the sake of killing.”  He sank into himself, his hopes deflated.  His eyes still burned with his love for the Cardassian.

Halsey knew there was truth to the boy’s words.  The two colonies had never truly enjoyed a peaceful existence.  The trade port that straddled the line between the two systems was the only place they came together, and it was marked with a litany of rules and processes to keep each side honest.  “I’ll compromise to having you confined to guest quarters, Parica.  We’re going to try to avoid any bloodshed on anyone’s behalf.  Our security team isn’t your parents – they will restrain you if you attempt anything from escape to trickery.”

The boy’s mood had fallen to a somber understanding, “Yes, sir.  I can do that.”  Halsey gestured to the security teams and gave them their instructions.  They escorted him out, leaving Halsey with his trainee.

“Well, that didn’t go how I was wanting it too. I was trying to show him that sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good of everyone, but I didn’t take into account his age and emotions I guess. My apologies, Captain.” She said shaking her head.

Leopold understood.  “We live and learn, Commander.  You’re here on Daedalus to learn.  I’d say, for the first day, we’re doing pretty well.  Let’s get back to the bridge.  This is far from over.”

Halsey tapped at the console, and the door to his quarters opened, revealing Ensign Alanna Barker.  “Yeoman Barker.”  She gave him a curt nod and accepted the offered chair.  The Executive Officer pointed out the coffee machine, “You’re here at 0600 hours to start work on the trial, I presume.”

She slid out a PADD and began to do just that, “We’ve got lots of work to do.  Hargraves is going to need information and support when it comes to understanding the laws of each colony, along with the overall way things work out here in the demilitarized zone.  It’s not always straightforward.”

Leopold sipped at his coffee, relishing the warmth in his stomach.  “Not to mention hosting these two delegations onboard the Mackenzie and keeping them from casting looks at each other or throwing things across the room.”

Barker tapped at her PADD, “Safety note – nothing that can be picked up, thrown, or otherwise used as a blunt object.”  She returned her attention to the XO, “Anything else?”

Halsey gave her a long look, and she frowned.  He explained, “Your reputation precedes you, Ensign.  Let’s have some breakfast and then we can try and save two worlds from mutual destruction.”  He tapped his badge, “Halsey to Koerner – meet in my quarters – we’ve got some planning work to do.”

Natalya had woken up early as sleep had seemed to allude her. She lay there and listened to the hum of the Warp Core remembering the many hours she had spent making Warp Cores sound as smooth as the Daedalus did. When it came time to wake up she had already dressed and was making her way through the ship trying to familiarize herself with its design. It was small but it still had lot’s to show. 

Natalya though back to her dad taking her to Planitia Shipyards and allowing her to see the warp core he had been working on, as she traversed the decks of that ship she knew where she wanted to spend her life. Her though was interrupted by the chirp of her commbadge. “Koerner acknowledges I am on my way.” She took a moment to figure out where she was and made her way to the Captain’s quarters. She activated the chime, waiting to be ushered in.

Halsey tapped at the console, opening the door.  “Join us, Commander.  We’re just getting started.  Ensign Barker, Commander Koerner.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Ensign.” She replied before sitting down. 

He handed the XO trainee a PADD, “We’re working on the preparation work for the summit – certain cultural issues will need to be smoothed out when it comes to presentation. ”  He took a sip of his coffee, “So far we’ve got no blunt objects should be placed, lest they get thrown.”

Natalya looked over the information and thought for a moment, “I think one thing is to make sure to have neutral food that both cultures will eat. I also recommend not having anything decorative or otherwise that would cause issues between the two cultures. This summit is going to be important so I think discreet security would also be a prudent action as well.”

Leopold made the notes on his PADD, “Food can be touchy – especially with two groups of people who hate each other with a passion.”  He was about to continue when his console beeped. 

The voice of the communications officer came through, “Captain, I have a message with attachments from Captain Walton on the Mackenzie.”  He asked her to send it through, and the channel closed.  Halsey shared the file with the others, and he began to read.

Natalya looked at the file and was interested in the very unique proposal. It seemed as though they had a plan. “This is a very…interesting proposal I don’t think I’ve ever seen a summit like this,” she replied trying to understand the reason for a play.

Barker chuckled as she finished reading, and Halsey glanced for an explanation.  “This was going to be a hard sell when we got in the room.  No matter how much we sterilize the room to keep both groups as pleasant as possible, both would have to give something up or find a compromise somewhere…and given what we know, that will take more time than we have.  This play breaks the mold.”

Halsey considered the concept for a moment, “It also puts the responsibility back on the Cardassians and Bajorans to react from whatever they feel from what they see on stage.”  He made some notes on his PADD, “Commander Koerner, meet up with Lieutenant Tir; he’s our Ops Chief.  We can stage the play on Daedalus while the negotiations staging remains on the Mackenzie.  We can have the two groups have lunch separately before the show, and then dinner together after the show…see if can get them to maybe look across the tables at each other after the play has had a chance to move something within them.”

Natalya nodded. “This is a unique idea, but I will do anything to help. I will meet with the Lieutenant as soon as they return. If I remember, I saw he wasn’t currently on the ship.”

Halsey stood, checking his watch, “He’s due back within the hour.  Good luck, Commander.”  He waited until the door closed behind her, “Thoughts?”

Barker wasn’t sure what to make of the XO trainee.  “She needs to have her thoughts about things – you would have at least expressed concern about putting these two parties together for dinner, even after a sobering play.”

Leopold accepted the criticism, “Nobody’s perfect, and neither are my ideas.  I can hope her and Tir can make some headway.  What’s next on the list?”  

“Remind me to never go on an away mission with you again, Lieuteanant Tir.”  Ensign Catari walked past him, down the ramp, and across the shuttle bay without looking back.

He pulled together his bags and tossed them down the shuttle ramp and onto the floor with a loud thunk. He completed the shuttle shutdown sequence and returned to his bags, where a Commander waited. He stood at attention, “Lieutenant Calog Tir, ma’am.”

Natalya saw the Ensign storm off the shuttle and wondered what happened there. She stood at the entrance until the Lieutenant saw her. She looked at the Lieutenant. He was easy on the eyes. “At ease, Lieutenant, I’m Commander Natalya Koerner. What was that about?” she motioned in the direction of where the Ensign headed. 

Lieutenant Tir released the pressure and retreated from his pose of attention. Calog could feel and hear Tir rumbling around in his consciousness about the woman. Tir had been in a previously female host and had more feminine habits. Calog realized his symbiont might be experiencing jealousy. That was something he was not familiar with when it came to Tir.  “Ensign Catari feels like I didn’t do enough to stop the young Bajoran man from escaping.  She’s…very focused on his position and responsibilities as Chief Security and Tactical officer.”  He held up a PADD he’d been reading on the return trip, “I understand we’ve been tasked with putting on a play.”  The Trill Operations Chief motioned for her to follow him, “We can work on a plan in the operation’s office.  You have any experience putting on a play, Commander?”

Natalya nodded at the explanation of the Ensign’s reasoning, though she knew that the Lieutenant had done all he could. The boy was headstrong, and that is hard to manage regardless of the person, especially in the emotions he was struggling with. She looked at the Lieutenant with a look of uncertainty “I have never put on a play, in fact I can’t say I ever gained the taste for classical music or theater.” 

They turned the corner and continued to walk down the corridor to the turbolift.  He replied, “I don’t either, to be fair.  My symbiont has some – her previous host did theatre growing up.”  They both stepped into the turbolift, and Tir tapped the deck number, “We’re going to have to do some research on the original play and work out a way to connect the themes to both parties…and given that we’re dealing with Cardassians and Bajorians…that’s going to be a challenge.  I have the background on the Bajorans through Tir…what experience do you have with Cardassians?” The turbolift doors opened and he led her down the corridor and into a brefing room.

As they sat down in the briefing room she shrugged “The only interaction I have had with the Cardassians was during my time on McKinley Station. We had a diplomat appear, and I interacted with them once, but other than the history of the past. I would say I am clueless.” she chuckled slightly. This was one of these situations where she wished she knew more about the species in question.

Tir understood.  Cardassians were hard to get to know and even harder to trust.  He felt the challenge that lay before them was unusual but not insurmountable.  “I have an idea.  Mackenzie recently transferred their former Gul onboard…he might have some strong insight.”  He tapped his badge and asked Hasara to report to the briefing room.  He turned his attention back to the newly assigned commander, “You really want to be an executive officer?”  Tir clarified, “I’ve never wanted to climb that turbolift shaft ladder…handling operations feels like enough.”

Natalya nodded “I have seen a lot in my time within Starfleet. The majority of that time was spent in being an engineer…where I have done some things most would coin as insane or psychotic. I decided when I was still young that I wanted to make Starfleet my career. When the opportunity arose for Executive Officer training, I decided to go for it. I want to be something bigger than myself. I mean don’t get me wrong I love engineering and if you let me work on a warp core I will treat it with tender love, but that’s just a small part of what can be done on a ship and I want to help in a bigger way.” 

Tir smiled.  He had known engineers and their unusual love for their ships and the engines they kept.  He admired her desire to help.  He moved to reply when the door opened, and Hasara stepped in, his Cardassian eyes searching the room.  He had been moved to the Daedalus in anticipation of the efforts required to work with the Cardassians and Bajorans.  The ship was much smaller than the Mackenzie he was used to, but he would find a way to make do.  “Hasara, former Gul.”  He slid into the chair next to the commander, “I understand you require my services.” Tir slipped a PADD across the table and explained the task ahead.  Hasara glanced at the brief as Tir walked him through the details.  He looked at both the officers, “You’re going to have to adapt this play heavily.  There have been attempts to put this play on in and around Cardassia.  One of the headlines was, ”Romeo and Juliet is an example of what will ultimately befall those who go against the authority of their elders.”  The article didn’t get any better.  It was a shame.  It was an exquisite production.”  He explained to the two blank faces, “The two choose love over family.  That will be a hard sell, even amongst the more liberal groups.”

Calog sat back, “What if we set it during the last days of the Dominion War?  Portray our Romeo as someone trying to bridge the massive gap between the two sides.  He believes that the two groups could find common ground.”

Natalya nodded. “I think that would be a prudent way to do it. Of course Hasara you would know better than us.”

The broad-shouldered Cardassian smiled wide, “That is the correct answer.  Let’s get to work on the lines.  Act 1 is where we begin…”

Calog glanced up from his PADD. “I think we’re close.”  He went down the list. Capulet would be Hasara, and his wife, Rosaline Capulet, would be played by a very unhappy Helena Dread. This would be on brand, as they had slotted the Capulets as the family to stand in for the Cardassians.  On the other side would be Montague in the acting hands of an equally cranky Henry Longfellow, married to Lady Montague in the person of a delighted Thasaz. Friar Laurence would get a turn through Kondo De La Fontaine and his brooding exterior, while Hiro Asato would provide Juliet’s Nurse and the comic relief.

Paris was stretching the limits with Milton Ford, but the Chief Counselor had shared that his early life had involved some not-so-official acting jobs. A nervous Parica would play Romeo, and Kartika would portray Juliet.  “Rounding out the cast is Mercutio, played by Charles Hargraves, and Benvolio, by William Prentice.  The remaining roles have been picked up by the small ensigns and crewmen building a theatre group onboard the Mack and Dad.”

Walton’s face on the screen caused Tir to panic until he realized, “Ah, yes.  Some have taken to calling the Daedalus the…Dad.”

Wren stared at him for a moment longer but decided to let it slide, “We called the Olympic, Oly, so I can’t get upset.  The Dad was the best they could come up with?”

Tir shrugged, “It was either that or The Ded, and…that wasn’t going to work.”

“Smart man, Lieutenant Tir.  Assemble your cast, get your crew together for a dress rehearsal…we’re running out of time.”  He nodded and closed the channel.

Hasara stood from his chair, “I must prepare, my friends.  The stage can be fickle…and I must put my best face forward.”  The Cardassian walked out the door, leaving Tir and Koerner.

Koerner looked at Tir and shook her head. “If we pull this off, it will be a miracle.” 

Calog felt Tir frown, and he fought the urge to replicate her feelings on his face.  Tir wondered how Koerner looked at them since they’d stepped back aboard.  He admitted she wasn’t terrible to look at, and what was available from her dossier indicated this was a serious woman.  He moved her from the back of their mind to the backburner.  There was a play to play and two colonies to save.  “Then someone had better start praying to whatever gods are left.”

“Once more, on pain of death, all men depart!”  The ensign playing Prince Escalus forcefully ordered the two families to leave the stage.  Tir stood backstage, next to the stage manager.  Ian Croft, a science lieutenant on the Mackenzie, masterfully moved the actors and scenes.  In Tir’s ear were various voices stationed around the theatre, watching and listening.  There were translators in the ears of the Bajorans and the Cardassians.  The research into context and content had pushed even the most sterling researcher on either ship.

“Everybody’s still seated.  A few glances from one to another, but nothing yet.”  Juliet Woodward from the Mackenzie was pulling duty in the wings of the seating area, reporting what she could hear and see.

Tir took a deep breath.  The show continued.

“My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me That I must love a loathèd enemy.”  The curtain fell slowly as the last lines from the Nurse echoed off the crowd. There was a wave of words and sounds in both groups.  They had woven in Bajoran and Cardassian imagery and symbolism into the lines, pushing the metaphor and symbolism to what they felt was just before the breaking point.

Woodward reported in Tir’s ears, “Cardassian delegation is agitated….but they’re split.  We’ve got some tears wiped away, balanced with many crossed arms.  I’m not saying we’re screwed…but we’re on our way if we can’t turn those arms out and open.”

Tir set his jaw.  He had hope, and it was being held together by the action dancing across their stage.

The fight had been altered.  Romeo had no part in the death of Tbalt in the rewrite.  The crime had been done by a chorus of players dressed to replicate the Bajoran look.  It had been changed to reflect the chorus as the more conservative group, and in turn, led by their beliefs to end the life of Tybalt.  Tir was anxious – it had been the hardest part of the rewrite to find the right balance with the various histories of the people.  He waited as the scene closed, and they moved into the scene with Juliet and the Nurse.  Woodward hadn’t reported in, and he tapped his earpiece, “Juliet?”

She clicked back, “There were many side conversations in the Bajoran group. No movement. Whatever you did, I think it worked.”

He mumbled, “It only works if this play pulls off the miracle we need.”  He watched as the curtains pulled back, and the play continued.

They’d rewritten and reworked much of the script. Paris remained, and the plotline to marry him to Juliet was still there, but they’d worked with Kartika to incorporate her own words into Juliet’s protest of her father. The emotion that rushed out of her was real, and it rumbled across the stage and into the audience, who, for once, was silent in the face of the young Cardassian woman’s bare feelings.

The ending was also changed – they would appear dead to the audience and the family who would act as the original play had them – regretting their actions that had pushed their children to death.  The change was that Kartika and Parica would awaken after their pseudo-family was offstage.  They would talk about the sadness of lying to their families and the hope of a future together in a far-flung city far from the influences of the world they’d grown up in and into.

They walked to the middle of the stage, looked out to the silent crowd, and spoke their soliloquies, each speaking to the other family. Their soliloquies were short, brief, and simple: Their worlds must change for a brighter future. At Parica’s last word, the lights faded out as the curtain fell.

Everyone held their breath.  There was no applause. Woodward reported, “They’re all just sitting there.  Nothing.”

Tir wondered if they’d made any difference.

“Wait…we’ve got movement.  The head of the Bajorans is walking across the aisles…to the head of the Cardassians aisle.”  Tir couldn’t resist.  He slowly slid out onto the side of the stage, watching with fear and terror inching up the back of his neck.

The lead Bajoran stared at the Cardassian for several minutes, the silence aching and arching through everyone. Finally, he said, “We…would like to accept the invitation to share dinner with your people.”

The leader of the Cardassians stood, his stance heavy.  He stared back at his enemy, waiting the same minutes before he spoke, “We accept as well.”

Tir hadn’t smiled that big in a long time.

“Well, nobody’s sworn out a blood oath,”  Captain Helena Dread muttered as she stood at the dining room’s main doors. Captain Wren Walton stood beside her, watching the awkward and silent dinner between the parties.

Walton muttered, “The key word, Helena, is yet.”

“I have hope in my team.  We managed to get through the show without anything being thrown – verbally or physically.  I’ll take that victory as a sign of…something.”

Wren mused, “Defeat is just as easily able to grace us with her presence.”

Dread turned to her squadron commander, amused. “Defeat is a woman?”

“Same reason Death is a man.  They make a pretty good team.”

Tir stood behind the Cardassian group, hands behind his back.  Halsey stood behind the Bajorans in a similar stance.  The food had been carefully sourced, and each seat had been assigned specially to avoid issues that would have interrupted any chance of peace.  He glanced at the XO trainee beside him, “What did you think of the play, Commander?”

Natalya had been amazed by the hard work of the crew and the fact that they were able to make an event that did not cause immediate fighting was a testament between the two species that had always had a rocky relationship. She smiled and nodded at him “I think you did an excellent job.”

He accepted the compliment.  Taking pride in his work was something Tir had been working on him since they’d joined together.  He felt a warmth at her being vindicated once again.  “We did it together, but it’s nice to hear the recognition, Commander.”  He watched the groups speak in hushed conversation to each other for much of the meal.  They had been hard to read since the play had ended.  He watched as Hasara walked socially through the table groups, exchanging pleasantries.  The elder Cardassian remained a mystery to Tir.  Commander then Captain Harris’s friendship with the man had been unusual.  That it had carried over to Walton’s command was even more so.  He wondered if Hasara was still looking for a home to call home or if he had become a wanderer, content to walk through the stars.

A few moments later, Hasara walked up to them with a small smile, “Lieutenant Tir.”  He turned his attention to the new arrival, “Commander, I’m pleased that Starfleet believes in this squadron as I do – they are worthy to train and teach the future.  Hasara, at your service.  No longer a Gul…just Hasara.”

Natalya smiled at the Cardassian, which was one of the first she had ever met that seemed actually sincere in their intentions. “Hasara, it is a pleasure to meet you. I feel like we will be working together in the near future.”

The elder Cardassian smiled, “It is more than a feeling, Commander. If this summit becomes successful, we’ll have to work on both ends to close the deal. Lieutenant Tir is our Bajoran specialist, and I am the Cardassian expert. Your training as an Executive Officer will often put you on the front lines of the Federation’s diplomatic affairs.”

As he finished speaking, the Cardassian leader approached them. “We’ve agreed to halt our military operations in the interest of a dialogue. Your play was…unusual in its format and messaging.”  He paused, and Tir wondered how much guidance his delegation had given him or if they’d let him decide the next diplomatic steps. Cardassians were unpredictable in these situations, especially in the Demilitarized zone.  “As much as our values would demand a proportional and forceful response…we’ve begun to consider the possibility of allowing this union to continue.”  HE turned his attention to Hasara, “We are curious as to the presence of the former Gul.”

Tir felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Hasara’s involvement was minimal on stage, but his background work had been invaluable. Had something changed in the delegation, or had the home office made a call?  “Advisor Hasara is here for his background knowledge and understanding of Cardassian culture.  Nothing more.”

The leader side-eyed the former Gul.  Tir wondered about the true context of the question.  “Very well.  We’ll put together our team for the summit.”

As he returned to the tables, Tir spun on Hasara and whispered, “Tell me you don’t have a hidden agenda.”

The Cardassian raised his eyebrows, “There is history here, Lieutenant.  How I received my prior colonial assignment was…complicated.  They may be worried that I am making a play for leadership.”

Natalya had no idea what the conversation was about, but she knew that it was a fragile alliance with the Cardassians. “I am thinking this is going to be difficult especially for anyone who paints you in a bad light. I am the newest person to learn of these offenses, but you should show them they don’t need to worry.”

Hasara eyed her partially with amusement, “One of the many house rules of Cardassians is to worry, Commander.  You do make a point.  You are the newest person here – They won’t trust me, but you… they might believe in you.”  He turned to Tir.  “Lieutenant?”

The Trill didn’t try to hide his exasperation.  Hasara was complicated, and having him involved would always present a challenge.  He was also right, which Tir disliked when the Cardassian could stroke his ego with a win.  “He’s…right.  Putting you two together on the Cardassian front gives us the best chance of holding this unsteady warp core together.”

The Cardassian smiled, “I am delighted you agree.”

Tir’s face did not match the tone of his voice, “Delighted is not the word I would describe.  Commander, I’ll inform Captain Halsey.  We have just under an hour before the summit convenes.  The Cardassians are all yours.”  He gestured at Hasara, “I may not be Captain Walton, but imagine her saying this – handle your business and keep them on target.  Changing the shield modulations on the fly in this scenario is a bad idea.”  He stalked off to report to Halsey.

Hasara turned back to the commander, “Well, I’m excited.”

Natalya didn’t know what to do she had truly put her foot in it this time.

“You think she’s going to succeed?”  Captain Helena Dread sat on the couch in her ready room, sipping at a cold tea in one hand while reading her XO’s report on their former trainee.

Captain Halsey stood, a PADD in his hand.  “She’s got the possibility.  Her performance with the Cardassians and the Bajorans was strong, but there were some blind spots.”

Dread looked him in the eye, curious, “She receptive to the feedback?”  Her impression of the commander had been limited.  Leo’s assignment as the mentor was intentional.  Dread accepted that she wasn’t known for her teaching acumen.

“She was.  She said she’d learned plenty in the month she was with us.”  He handed over a PADD, “The latest from the colonies.  Wren’s managed to have some sway with a few, so we’re filling those holes as they come up.  We’ve been picking up some communications about some movement against the Cardassians from the New Maquis, but it’s scattered, and we haven’t been able to link it all together.”

Helena frowned as she read, “The New Maquis are invested in taking the fight to them, aren’t they.”  Her eyes traveled further down the report, “We do get a mention…not sure how to feel about it.”  She returned the PADD, “They’re at least saying they’d like to avoid us.  That’s something.”

Suddenly, a blaring klaxon shouted as the CO’s badge chirped, “Captain to the bridge!”

Dread groaned as she jumped up and headed out the ready room door, “What the hell now.”  The door opened, and she called out, “Report.”  Halsey was on her heels.

At communications, Lieutenant Presley Atega held her earpiece close as she reported, “Distress call from a Galor Class under attack from New Maquis forces.  Reporting seven to ten ships are swarming them – damage to shields cascading.  They are requesting assistance.”

Helena turned to the helm, “Time to intercept?”

Will Prentice worked at the console, “Thirty minutes at maximum warp.”  He turned to his captain, awaiting her order.

Dread watched as Halsey went to stand at the tactical station, quietly asking Atari to get what information she could.  Long-range sensors had them classified as Ravens.  Daedalus could tangle with them, but they’d need additional measures to fight for longer.  He answered her look, “We’ll need Mackenzie to help knock them out of the sector.”

Helena turned to Atega, “Priority one message to Mackenzie.  Helm, engage intercept course.  Red Alert.”

Prentice reported, “Entering the system now.”  The screen showed the darkness of space arrayed against the background of the colors of the distant planets and nebulas.  “Picking up a signal.”  He tapped at the console, and the screen refocused on a Galor class cruiser slowly spinning in space.

Dread stood from her command chair. “Get us closer.”  The ruby-colored lights blinked softly as the quiet klaxon trilled in the background. “Is anyone else here with us?”

Sadie Fowler scanned her screens, “Nothing in the immediate or far area, captain.  Plenty of warp signatures to sort out and classify.”  She carefully worked the sensors and the systems, “Sending you data on the weapons fire and readings, Ensign Catari.”  There was plenty of soup to sift through on the sensor reports, but she wasn’t about to step on the tactical chief’s shoes.

Catari focused on what began to appear on her screen.  There was a lot of data, and some of it made sense.  The computer was sorting the details and variables.  She frowned and stopped the computer from its work, “Captain – this is unusual.  Much of the weapons readings and residual sensor imaging matches a New Maquis attack.”  She put the data stream on the screen, “But…that doesn’t.” Helena stared at her as if to ask, ‘What is it?’. Athena realized her error and continued, “Those warp and impulse signatures are not within the variance of New Maquis ships – they’re closer associated with a Romulan signal…or Syndicate.”

Dread sat back in her chair, “We seem to be chasing our share of phantoms and ghosts.  Mackenzie has had the same trouble.  The Cardassian ship’s status?”

Fowler reported, “Engineering took a run at the sensor reports – she’s been disabled.  Her engines and weapons are offline…that’s…odd.”  She turned in her chair, “Chief Moore took a closer look.  She thinks there’s a chance some kind of…sabotage happened.”

“Get the chief up here.  Halsey?”  She turned to her XO, who stood behind the engineering and operations console, his eyes scouring the screen for data.

“I’m seeing what might have spooked her.”  He pointed to the various points on the schematics of the Galor class ship, “Those explosion points were outward, not weapon impacts.  These are normal phaser fire impacts along this part of the ship, but they’re not what overloaded the shields.  They’re nowhere near it.”  He turned as the door to the bridge slid open, and Chief Engineer Greer Moore ambled over.  Halsey explained his theory.

Greer agreed, “They knew what they were doing – the insiders and the outsiders.  They knew how to knock her out.  I’m unsure why they did it – This is an older model Galor class ship.  She’s not a prize.”  She looked closer at the schematics, “Well, ain’t that something.  I know why they did it.” Halsey turned to her, expectant.  “That ship’s not a part of the Cardassian fleet.  Whoever had this ship modified it.  There, there, and there.  Those aren’t standard options or even optional features.  Whoever did this did this intentionally.”

Dread turned in her chair, “To what end?”  Her imagination was spinning – what kind of operations had this become?

The Chief Engineer blinked a few times, “Well, we were going to report this as a New Maquis attack on a Cardassian ship.  I’m betting we’re gonna find some blood over there, but no bodies.  That would have added to the report.  We’d tow her back to the Cardassians; they’d investigate…by the time they figured it out, the story is all over the sector and the system.  The legend of the New Maquis continues.”

Halsey chuckled, “Propaganda.  As old as time itself.  Greer, get me an engineering team – let’s figure out if your theory is true.”

“That’s certainly a way to spread a story.”  Captain Wren Walton sat across from her Deputy Squadron Commander, the latest report scrolling through the PADD in her hand.  They’d decided to meet in Stellar Cartography to understand better what the New Maquis were up to in the sector.  She continued to read, sipping at a fresh cup of coffee, “The Cardassians originally didn’t want the old Galor back until I mentioned the modifications that had been made and who had probably done it.”

Dread chuckled darkly, “Their tone changed, did it?”

Wren finished the report and returned it.  “They did share there’s been some odd traffic and reports coming from both Starfleet patrols and civilian operators.  Whatever the New Maqui are up to, they’ve learned a few new things since the last time they were around.”  She tossed back the dregs of her cup and smiled at the kick of flavor, “You all make some damn good coffee over here.”

Helena tapped at the console for the room, “There are a few things in this world I work hard at, Wren.  Good coffee is one of them.”  The screens around them faded to show the current system, “There’s been activity at various colonies…most of them have sent in reports or at least sent us something that indicates they know what we’re looking for out here.  There are a few exceptions – 42285PR2 has always been hostile to the Federation, so that’s not a surprise.  Calgoah’s evacuating after the climate took a severe turn for the worst – Fowler’s flagged it for further investigation.  3232RR isn’t responding to our long range hails, Atega’s working on that one. Which leaves us with…K8675.”

Walton sat up, pulling up the colony’s profile on her PADD, “They are pretty far out there…how long have they been out here?” As she read, her concerns and confusion grew.

Dread shrugged, “That’s the problem.  We don’t know.”

Wren asked, “What do you mean…we don’t know?”

“We pulled up the historical records as far back as the Federation has…Hasara poked around with the friends who are still talking to him.  Nobody has a record of a colony on R8675.  They are out there – and there’s nobody near them to ask – the closest colony is days away…and most of the transport ships are rated pretty slow.”  Helana tapped at the console again, “The only way we knew someone was out there was we picked up an odd signal a couple of days ago.”  A resonance frequency appeared.

Walton stood and examined the data momentarily, her eyes searching for familiar peaks, valleys, or anything she might recognize.  “That’s…an unusual signal.”

Dread tapped at the console, “Between Mack’s and Dad’s sensor arrays; we picked it up—Thasaz and Fowler followed a trail. Turns out this signal is from an old  Erewon-class transport.”  She pulled up an image and showed the captain, “They were in operation in the 2300s as colony ships.  It’s a faint signal – fading in and out every few hours.”

Wren shook her head in disbelief, “Why haven’t we detected this until now?  We’ve been in and around this part of space for a while.”

“Fowler pulled the sensor logs from both ships.  This is the first time it’s been detected.  Something or someone flicked a switch or pushed a button…but something’s on that planet…and if we’ve found it….”

Walton groaned, “Then you can bet the New Maquis, The True Way, or whoever else will find them.  Damnit.”  She glanced at Dread, “You want this one?”

Helena grimaced, “It’s a weird one, and we’ve got the equipment to kick a hornet’s nest of weird.  You’ve got your hands full, winning hearts and minds.”

“And yet…”

“Still not used to sitting in that chair and giving the orders.”  She sat down in a huff and leaned back, “You and I are very different people, Wren.  You flew around space, getting people to be better at their jobs, sitting in the chair, and giving orders.  If anything…I should be studying under you!”

Walton rolled her eyes, “Helena – they didn’t give you the Daedalus because you were a screw-up.  They don’t hand out Rhode Island classes to failures.  Ravens, maybe.”  She smiled at the joke, and Dread sighed, a defeated smile crossing her lips.  “You’ve held that chair since July – they’d have told me to take it away from you long before now if you weren’t capable.”

It was Dread’s turn to roll her eyes, “So, just capable, eh?”

“Keep talking like that, and you might make ‘approaching.’  The Daedalus is yours, Captain Dread.  Believe that, and they’ll never let you out of that chair.”

Helena stood at attention, “I’ll do my best, Captain Walton.”

Wren chuckled, “Get the hell out of here, Helena.  Find some answers for us.”  The door closed behind her deputy squadron commander, and she turned her eyes back to the information they had been able to gather.  What was out there?  And who?

“The signal stopped transmitting about six hours ago.”  Sadie Fowler pointed out the details on her screens as Captain Helena Dread looked on.  “It was weak and inconsistent, but it was there.  Usually, if a signal continues to fade, it’s a battery or power issue.  This one just…stopped.”  She scrolled through the history of the signal, “It never amplified beyond the original signal strength…but it also never lost power.”

Dread shook her head, “Whatever happened, it got cut off.  Theories?”  She had come to trust Fowler’s intuition in the short time she had been her chief science officer on Daedalus.  While young, she’d worked at studying her craft to make up for her lack of experience.

Sadie replied, “We confirmed it was an old colony class ship.  There have been some documented encounters where colonists went far and wide – and were found years later surviving and living off the shells of the ships.”  She tapped at the console, schematics of the Erewon class vessel fading in, “They were built well and meant to sustain life as long as possible in as many ways as possible.  Chief Greer asked to be on the team that gets sent down.”

Helena chuckled dryly, “Knowing Chief Greer, it was more begging and excitement about this discovery. Was there ever a database on these ships?”  She had to appreciate the design of the ships. They were made to last and keep people alive—wherever they landed.

Fowler brought up a report on the screen: “There was—but many were sold, traded, or even built without proper logging. Even if I can get serial numbers and registry IDs… it won’t do us much good.”

“Keep looking.  Whatever’s happened on this planet needs an answer.”

“Radio waves?”  Dread turned in her chair to face Fowler, both with amused looks on their faces.  “That is…ancient technology…what is it doing out here?”  Helena was mystified.  They had arrived in the system and were approaching the planet.

“Not sure, captain.  We have approximately fifty life sign readings in a valley in one of the more temperate climate zones.”  Fowler continued to run both passive and active scans, “Buildings in the colony are mostly wood, some rudimentary alloy construction scattered throughout.”  She shook her head, “If we were running this by the book, my initial report would be we’ve located a pre-warp society.”

Helena scoffed, “That would be impossible, especially out here.  Can you get a rough estimate on the species makeup?”  She stared at the planet on the screen in shock.  How had this happened?  And what was the truth?

Sadie replied, “Without samples and closer examination, the computer is 75% sure they’re humans—Earth-based humans, specifically.”

Dread wasn’t sure what to make of it all.  She was aware of first-contact rules, requirements, and processes.  Was this the case?  The signal from the long-lost colony ship was in the middle of this mystery.  “Atega, hail Mackenzie – priority one.”

Presley turned to her console.  She wondered what they had stumbled onto and what it meant for them.  First-contact missions were incredibly important, and her training on them had been more recent than most of the crew.  The sensor readings were confusing at best and unsettling at worst.  What had happened out here in the far reaches of the Demilitarized Zone?  Her console beeped, “I have Captain Walton, sir.”  Dread waved in acknowledgment.

The face of Captain Wren Walton flickered on the screen, her eyes curious, “Captain Dread, priority one and all.”  

Helena reported all they’d found and finished with, “We’re not sure what to do – there’s evidence to suggest we’re not dealing with first contact in the traditional sense.”

Walton was looking at the incoming sensor reports, “You think this might be some kind of delayed colonial failure?”

Dread shrugged, “If this group came here in 2300 or a little later – it’s entirely possible without proper medical care and nutrition…the original colonists could have died off, leaving a generation or more to forget how they got there.” She watched as her squadron commander considered the various options.

Walton grumbled, “We’ve got limited time – if anybody else picked up that signal, there’s a chance they’ll get visitors anyway.  Did you get a lock on where the signal was coming from?”

Fowler turned in her chair, “I’ve got a rough location – it’s a hill region with an area of about twenty square acres.”  She allowed, “If I can focus scans there and dispatch a crew to do some on-the-ground work – I’d have a chance at locking into it.”

“Then you are so ordered, Lieutenant Fowler.  Take every precaution.  Captain Dread – put a team together to go down and see what they can see from a distance.  Whatever word is stronger than precaution and careful – use that.”

The channel closed, and Dread echoed the grimace of Walton, “Let’s get to work.”

The transporter lights faded.  Lieutenant Commander Milton Ford slipped out his tricorder and scanned silently, muting the sound in the transporter room.  “Pretty standard M Class readings.”

As she walked a careful boundary around them, Lieutenant Jordan Reid had her medical tricorder in hand, “Air is pretty comparable.  The two suns are going to get hard to handle as they swing together.”  The planet had two suns that orbited independently  – they came together towards the evening hours, creating what the computer extrapolated as a daily eclipse.  Fowler had become excited about the situation and asked to stay behind to investigate further.  Reid was the next best thing to a science officer, and she wasn’t hating being on the away team.  Ford was experienced and really good at his job.  Atega was also talented in language and communication.  Reid knew why she was there – if things got ugly and bloody, she would be the one patching up the pieces.  She glanced at Presley, “What can you hear on the radio?”

Atega had constructed a radio receiver from models and technical manuals of the time and found it unusually exciting. Her studies at the Academy had included the methods and means by which primitive systems operated.  Flipping the switches and pushing the dials brought her joy, and she felt a smile creep across her lips.  There was a burst of static as she tuned to the signal, and then a soft melody surged out of the speaker.  She listened momentarily, “I think that’s…some kind of jazz?”

Ford walked up, his eyes bright with interest, “Karson Coltraine, around 2295.  His third album.”  He listened further as he conducted an invisible band and closed his eyes until he had heard enough, “That’s ‘Take the Shuttle to the Station’ – pretty classic tune.”  He chuckled, “So, not a first contact situation.”  He pointed north, “Signals that way.”  Reid and Atega stared at him briefly as he shrugged, “I like the classics; what can I say?”

They walked for another hour until they entered a thick forest.  They proceeded carefully and crouched in cover at the edge of the valley where they had detected the colony.  Ford scanned with his compact binoculars, “They’re there.  The buildings are pretty solid, and lots of work has been done.  Aside from the radio tower…which looks like a recent addition, there is no technology of note.”  He handed the binoculars to Reid, “They look pretty healthy for having been out here without help.”

Jordan was impressed. She hadn’t expected a significant elderly population. She completed her sweep of the area: “There are multiple age groups that I can see—some children, a few teens, and numerous young adults. The older population is a curiosity.  I’d agree with Commander Ford – they’re not a first-contact situation.”

Atega nodded.  Now, what to do? “Do we walk out and introduce ourselves?”

Ford appeared deep in thought as he watched the colony members working and moving through the village.  “They don’t have any early warning systems – no patrols, security, or defense measures.”  He chewed on his bottom lip, “Downright peculiar.”

Reid let her mind wander toward his logic, “You think this is some kind of…trap?”  She frowned.  It hadn’t entered her thought process.

“I don’t know what I think, Jord.  Let’s find some better cover and see what we can see.  Make sure Dad keeps a lock on us.”

“Try the scan again in the next grid.” The voice of Chief Science Officer Sadie Fowler spoke nervously as Chief of Operations Calog Tir and Deputy Chief Engineer Elizabeth McKee worked at scanning the deep ground beneath them in search of the signal or even a ship.  They moved the antigrav-powered scanning vehicle, transmitting the data as they went.  The computer worked to decipher what lay beneath as it separated out the natural versus the unnatural.  It was a powerful piece of equipment that had incredible sight into the depths of the underground, and Tir was mesmerized by its computing prowess and the distance it could cover in its scans.  The science side of Daedalus was sophisticated, and he’d slowly been getting to understand how specialized they could get within science operations.

McKee groused, “Another clear section, Sadie.  We’ll move to the next one.”  She tapped at the controls, “You really have to wonder if we’re gonna find this thing.  Chief’ll be heartbroken if we don’t.”  It had taken some work, but the two women had found more common ground as they’d worked together.  Greer’s connection to her former CO and friend, Ambrose Harris, had helped.

Tir guided the unit over a small hill as they moved into the next clearing.  In his mind, his symbiont wondered aloud if he was developing feelings for McKee.  He didn’t immediately rebuke her, which she noticed and responded with feelings of comfort.  She had made her feelings known about the Executive Officer trainee last month, who seemed to express her feelings towards Calog.  He’d found it challenging to try and reciprocate when his other half viewed her negatively.  Tir hadn’t given him the demanded explanation when he’d pushed her.  Her outright approval here was a further mystery.  As much as she shared with him, she sometimes held things in reserve, frustrating him.

“There’s something.”  McKee pointed at an odd reading that was resolving as the computer rendered the image.

“What is it?” was Fowler’s question.  She was standing at her station, unable to sit and wait patiently.  Whatever was down there was something big, something new, and something she wanted to understand.  Science was her mind, and her soul was hungry for discovery.

Tir shook his thoughts and peered at the display, “A cave, look like.  Just down the way.  And a pretty big one, far as it can tell.” He tapped at the control panel, “Big enough for a colony ship.  Sending you the measurements now.”  Another beep, “That’s as far as the computer can do – the rock and sediment are making it difficult to see beyond the preliminary report.”

McKee grumbled, “I’m guessing that means we have to go in.”

“Correct, Lieutenant.  Station the scanning rig outside the cave – we’ll lock on and send you a security team to escort you in.  Careful is the word of the day.”  

The channel closed, McKee sighing, “We’ve used that word a lot on this mission.  Starting to wonder if it’s gonna lose its meaning.”  She caught an annoyed look from Tir, “What?”

“Don’t say stuff you don’t want to come back to haunt you.  Let’s get to the cave and get our escorts.  The faster we’re back on Daedalus, the better.”

“Tricorder’s not reading any weapons or weapon signatures.  The most they have are the farming implements.” Reid shook her head, “Is it possible that they’ve just been out here for so long they’ve left the Federation behind?  That if it weren’t for The True Way, The Maquis, or the Syndicate…we’d never have found them?”

Milton continued to study the small colony from behind the new cover, eyes searching for an answer beyond what they were starting to conclude.  There had to be a catch.  He kept returning to it as he swept each building, road, or path.  His security training left him questioning every element of the situation.  The responsibility of his away team was at the forefront of his mind.  “It’s a mystery.  Let’s circle back to the front entrance and show ourselves walking from a distance.  Give them a chance to see us.”

“They’ve seen us.” Atega walked alongside Ford and Reid, her eyes watching the town ahead.  It hadn’t taken long for the usual curious movement to be seen as they approached.  They stopped a few yards from the entrance arch.  

Ford stepped forward as an older gentleman approached, his face curious.  He wasn’t armed or carrying defensive measures.  He bowed as he neared them, “Welcome to our town, outsiders.  I am Holbrook Orena, and this is the Thalis Settlement.”

Ford replied, “I’m Commander Milton Ford of the Federation Starship Daedalus.  This is Lieutenant Jordan Reid, and that is Lieutenant Presley Atega.  We detected a signal from your planet and came to see who was here…we don’t have records of people on this planet.”

Orena frowned, “That is a lot of information to take in, Commander Milton.  You are from some…kind of Federation?”

Atega was already working on the Universal Translator, adjusting as the man had spoken.  She motioned to Ford to keep talking.

“It’s…a lot, I admit.  The Federation is the United Federation of Planets – a group of different species united in the collective interest of the various galaxies in the universe.”

Another frown, “Galaxies…universe?  You speak of things beyond my comprehension.  You came here on this…Daedalus?”

Milton explained starships, crews, and their mission.  He held his face in place to avoid the feelings of amusement that threatened to break from within.  “We detected a signal and were concerned that others in this sector and system would also find it.  They are not good groups.”

The man thought carefully. “You carry weapons, I assume?”

Ford nodded, gesturing to the holster at his side, “Defensive measures only, I assure you.”

“If you enter our township, you must leave your weapons with one of your people.  You are the first outsiders to visit…and while you may be clothed as we are…, the trust of outsiders has never been tested among our people.”

Milton understood.  “Atega, you’ll stay here.  We’ll take the tour and report back.”  He held up his tricorder, “This is a scanning device – it’s not a weapon.  It gives us information.”  The man inspected it gently and with confusion but gave a nod.

“Come with me.”

“There it is.”  McKee had led Tir and the security team down, around, and into the cave depths.  A shadow loomed before them as they came out in the bottom, and their lights soon illuminated the ship.  The security team walked alongside them as they circled the ship.  McKee ran her engineering scanners while Tir swept the area with his tricorder.  She was shocked, “This…ship is in remarkable condition.  I’d have to take a look at her insides, but everything tells me she could fly again with little trouble.”

Tir walked far from the ship and then back again, marveling at the scans. “They had to have chosen this place for the ship to remain—the environmental conditions in this cave are near perfect for retaining the ship’s quality.”  He walked up to McKee and showed her the details, “They also sealed the roof – this was open to the world above once.”  He pointed up at the evidence of mud and earthwork.  “This wasn’t a crash landing…this was planned.”

She frowned and approached the hatch, “Do we open it?  Or wait for word?”

Tir eyed the door panel console, “I think there’s enough cause to investigate.”  He tapped at the console, and the door slid smoothly open, drawing a gasp from both of them.  He stared at the door, “I’m not an engineer, but that door shouldn’t have opened that quietly.”  He examined the doorway, “Someone’s been taking care of this.”  

McKee sidled up beside him.  “More than taking care of it…they’ve taken great care here.  This isn’t just maintenance.”  She mounted the steps and entered the cabin, Tir following.  The lights clicked on, and the ship’s systems began to power up, consoles flickering online and a low hum filling the room.  She turned and stopped, shocked at what she saw.  “Shit.” Tir was behind her and stopped short, his mouth dropping open.  The body of an elderly woman lay on the floor, arm stretching out towards the cockpit.  Blood had congealed underneath her, and the skin color was developing a sicky pallor.

He swallowed his feelings, “I suppose we report this?” 

She turned to him, “Are you kidding?”

Presely Atega sat against a tree, typing her report on the PADD while waiting for Ford and Reid to return.  She was nearly finished with the narrative when her badge beeped, “McKee to Atega.”

She tapped it, “Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

“We’ve found a body inside the ship.  The time of death seems to align with when the signal was lost.”

Atega stood, looking into the town, “Reid and Ford are still in there.  Should I try and reach them?”  She could hear McKee and Tir discussing in the background.  She felt her heart rate pick up speed.  A dead body could mean anything, and in the land of no knowledge, it meant danger and risk had suddenly increased.

“Wait until they come back.  We’re going to do a preliminary investigation here.  Keep your eyes open and ears wide, Lieutenant.” 

The channel closed, and Atega was left to keep her restless reaction under control.

“Your community is incredibly functional, Holbrook.”  Ford followed the community leader from one end to the other as the community watched in wonder, concern, and some glances of fear.  As they returned to the main entrance, he asked, “You said this was the Thalis Settlement…where does that name come from?”

Orena told the story of Thalis, who brought them to the land generations ago and how he had cared enough to grant them the seeds, plants, and woods to help keep them alive.  “We were brought here from a far-off land in the blackness as pilgrims to begin anew under his watchful gaze.”  He pointed out a non-descript statue, “Thalis will return someday to see us home again.  Until then, we must live, toil, and seek the peace within ourselves.”

Reid had trailed behind, scanning as many people as she could.  She was starting to develop a theory.  She kept her thoughts to herself as they continued to walk.

Milton stood under the arch, “We’d like to return to see and understand more.”

Holbrook bowed, “The town elders will need to meet to discuss this, but I see no reason for them to deny you.  I must ask you for something before I leave you.  You spoke of…eyes on your ship that can see great distances.  My wife hasn’t been home in a few days.  She is known to go out and forage…even hunt at times.  If you can use those…eyes to search for her, I would be in your debt.”

Ford replied, “We’ll do our best.”  He and Reid returned the bow and walked to where Atega stood, a panicked look on her face.  “What?”

“Shit.”  Milton Ford stood in the cabin of the colony ship, staring at the body of what he now knew was the wife of Holbrook Orena.  “You’re sure about the time of death?”

Reid looked up from where she knelt by the body, her tricorder beeping as she repeated her scans, “Give or take an hour…but she died really close to the time when we lost the signal.”  She stood, “Cause of death is severe blunt force trauma to the head.  She bled to death and faded off into the darkness – at least, it was quick.”

McKee leaned against a bulkhead, “So what does this all mean?  Is Holbrook lying to us?  Did he kill his own wife?”

Ford stared at the body and the blood.  “He’d have to be a sociopath on a level I haven’t seen in a while.  I think he’s genuinely concerned for her- we didn’t ask about her.  I think someone else in his community did this.”  He let out a long and frustrated sigh, “And we’re going to have to talk to him about it.”

Jordan asked, “Do we take the body with us?”

“No, if whoever killed her comes back…we run the risk of showing our hand.  Let’s return to the Daedalus…see what the captain wants us to do.”

“This is just too wild.”  Dread sat at the head of the briefing room table, “More than a few someones are lying here, and we’ve got a murdered woman in the mix.  Do we just confront Holbrook with it all?”

Ford disagreed, “I think we have to start with his wife being dead.  We can collect the body and have him meet us outside town to reveal what we found and where.  See where that takes us.  Hitting him with everything we have may send him running…or pit us against the town if he chooses to turn on us.”

Reid stood, “There’s another layer here.”  She tapped at the large screen and connected her PADD, “I did scans of everyone I could see and get close to – the older population comes back 99% similar to an Earth human.  That’s about 15 of the 50.  The adult-aged males and females – are less – somewhere around 85%.  That indicates some minor mutations from the environment.  The young adults, teens, and children are at 65%.”  She tapped to another screen, “The plants and animals they’re consuming are doing something to them over time.  They’re changing, and I don’t know if they know or would know to be looking for it.”

Halsey stared at the report.  His deputy chief was good.  He pulled up the details on his PADD, “It looks like most of the genetic mutations are coming from the local plants – the computer was able to get a closer look.  Within a generation or two more, they won’t resemble humans.”  He shook his head, “I can’t imagine this was their plan.”

Captain Dread tapped her fingers on the table, “Well, we’ve got some answers and more questions.  Reid, take Halsey with you this time.  Secure the body, and talk to our new friend.  See what you can find out.”

“Bridge to Captain Dread.”  She tapped her badge.  “We’ve got three Raven class ships on an intercept course with our position – estimated time to arrival – four hours.”

“Understood.”  She turned to the crew, “New plan. You have four hours to figure out a way to get them off the planet before things get complicated.”

“I am so sorry, Holbrook.”  Captain Leopold Halsey stood at the edge of the forest, the casket containing the man’s wife hovering in place.  They had told Holbrook Orena his wife had been found and that she was dead.  His grief overwhelmed him as they walked him away from the settlement to where the casket stood.  The crew was in uniform this time.

“I…it…this isn’t possible.  I…she can’t be gone.”  His legs fell out from underneath him, and he leaned against the hover unit, tears spilling down his face.  “We had been married for seventy years…such a long time for love to grow and take root.”  He sobbed, and Milton leaned down to speak softly to him.

McKee and Tir watched the town and the curious looks they were getting.  She muttered, “This isn’t going to go according to any plan, is it?”  She was running the scenario through her engineering mind – they had less than four hours to convince a people who denied knowing about the Federation or Earth – despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

Tir wondered the same thing, “We’re going to need to find a way.”  He turned as Ford called them over.  

Holbrook’s tears continued to flow, but he was desperately fighting his emotions to get what he needed to say said.  “You were right.  We came here in 2305 for a better life and to live away from the influences and modernity.  We told our children the tale of Thalis and built a statue in his name.  We passed it down from generation to generation.  We only built the radio to bring music to our ears and children…I don’t know who turned on the signal or who killed my wife…she would have told me if she had gone back to the ship.”  He wiped his face, “We never intended to return home or go anywhere.”  He touched the cold metal of the modern casket, “I will go with you…she was my only…there’s nothing left here.  My children are dead, and so is my line.”  The emotions overwhelmed him.

Ford stood, “I’ll get Sam down here to help him return to Daedalus.  We need to find the other elders.”

“So he told you.”  They stood in the small town hall, the remaining elder colonists sitting around them.  George Callaway had identified himself as the next senior to Holbrook.  “Everybody here loved Evelyn.  No chance any of us killed her.”  He sat at the table, “If what you’re saying is true, we cannot stay here.”

Halsey handed him a PADD, “It’s not just that – your offspring and their children will need significant medical treatment to prevent further genetic damage from occurring.  We have the facilities on the Daedalus to start, and our lead squadron ship has the rest.”  He looked each of them in the eyes, “We need to find the murder suspect before we can begin to bring anyone aboard.  I’m not willing to risk the safety of your people and ours.”  He noticed one of the older women shaking her head.  “You have something?”

She startled and jumped, “No!”  She rethought her words, “Yes.”  Her name was Ginnie Orena, the sister of Holbrook.  “My son has always wanted to explore this land…he’s becoming a man, and keeping him centered around our community is hard.  He will go off to explore for days at a time…and return with samples of the world beyond our own.”  Her eyes drifted out of focus, “He came back yesterday…and didn’t have anything to report.  He said he hadn’t found anything.”  She shook her head in disbelief, “I thought nothing of it then.  But now…”

Halsey asked, “Where is he?”

“They were hiding things from us!”  Jared Orena sat in a chair with two armed Starfleet Security officers at his side.  “They were lying to us all about where we came from…who we were…and how we got here!”  He shouted, “She found me there…and told me I had to forget all this and come home.  That this was a long time ago.”  He grunted, “I didn’t believe her.  She lied to me.”

Halsey sat across from him.  Several of the other elders stood to the side, observing the conversation.  He had read the boy his rights and explained he was a suspect in a murder.  The boy had admitted to his act.  Leopold took notes on his PADD, “So…what happened?”

Jared scoffed, “I had been taking care of it for the last few years…the ship.  I had cleaned it up, learned how it worked…I had made it my own.  I was so close to figuring out how to make it go…then she came in…she tried to stop me…so I made her stop.”  His face remained expressionless, “I wanted to leave her…to go far away.  To find what was next…what was out there…but they never talked about up there or out there.  They just told me to be content with what was around us.”  He scoffed, “I cannot do that.  I will never be able to do that.”  He recounted how he had tackled her and beat her as the blood had spread.  That he had waited until her final breath.  “Then I went home.”  He looked around the room, “Do I get to go home now?”

Halsey stood, “No, you do not.”  He motioned for the security officers to place Jared in restraints, “You are under arrest in the murder of Evelyn Orena.  You will be taken into the custody of Starfleet Security and stand trial.”  The boy shouted and fought against the two security officers, who held him fast.

“You can’t do this.  Thalis will save me.  He will take me into the great beyond.  I will see it!  I will see through the lies!”  He continued bellowing as he was escorted out to a waiting transport.  

Leo turned his attention to George Callaway, “I wish we had more time for your people, but we are on the clock. You must find a way to get them to leave this place and never return.  We’ve identified the Raven fleet as affiliated with The True Way, and they’re not a friendly bunch.”

Callaway muttered, “Not many out here are friendly.  We stayed hidden for so long…we thought we might escape something like this.  We can convince them to leave.  We will go with you…to whatever home you find for us.”

Halsey shook the man’s hand, “You have our word; we’ll find a safer place for you.”  Callaway walked out, leaving the Daedalus crew alone. Reid, head back to the ship—we’ll need an auxiliary sickbay activated and lots of room for these folks to feel safe. The rest of us will need to support these folks however we can. We’ve got two and a half hours left until we’ve got to leave.”  He looked around and found each face resolute and resolved.  “Good.  Let’s get to work.”

“All passengers are secured and belongings stored.”  Leo Halsey stood, PADD in hand, as he reported the latest.

Captain Dread slid into her center chair, thankful the current nightmare was nearly over, “Helm, plot us a course out of here and…”

Catari at tactical interrupted her, “True Way Raven fleet entering the system now!”

Helena groaned, “Yellow alert – Halsey – you’d better head down to the passengers if this gets sticky.”  He nodded and was through the turbolift doors moments later.  She turned her attention back to Athena, “Status?”

“Shields are up, weapons armed…but not targeting yet.”  She kept her eyes on the ships, setting the computer to alarm should anything change.  She personally hated The True Way with a deep hate that was wide with her anger.  It took some effort to keep her feelings to herself.

Helena gripped the arms of her chair and said, “Hail them.”  A moment later, Atega signaled that they were responding.

A young Cardassian appeared on the screen, his scowl deepening as he took in the bridge of the Daedalus.  “What are you doing here, Federation?”  This is True Way Territory.”

Dread shrugged, “Wasn’t aware you had claimed this far out – not much out here.  We were just leaving.”

He sneered, “What did you take from us?  You will tell us…now!”  She could see those in the background watching him carefully.  Was this a case of a young upstart desperate to prove himself in a new command?  Or was he just this way normally?

Helena said, “We didn’t ‘take’ anything from you.  We rescued a group of colonists who got lost out here and had been on the planet for a short time – they asked for our help, so we picked them up.”

The sneering continued, “I am Gul Jeta…I am reading a fire down below.  What harm have you brought the planet?”

Her patience with the Cardassian was waning, “We could not bring some of the housing and other equipment with us.  Instead of leaving it there, we’re returning it to the land.  You should know…,”

He now shouted, “Do not presume to tell me anything.  This is our planet…it is ours to do with what we will.  You must leave.  Now.”  He cut off the channel.

Catari mused, “Now they are targeting their weapons on us.  Orders, Captain?”

Dread shook her head, amused, “I tried to warm them…but that’s on them.  Make a note in the Federation maps for this planet, warning ships to avoid extended contact with it.  Helm, plot a course back to Mackenzie.  Engage when ready.”  Moments later, the Daedalus leaped away and into the darkness of space as the True Way ships swarmed the planet, making plans.

“I do not know how to feel.” Holbrook Orena sat on the bed in the back of the cargo bay, his face still wet with tears. Ensign Soojin sat beside him, a box of tissues in her hands as he slowly pulled from it and continued to cry.  “She was my everything…and for our nephew to be the one who…took her away from us.  I do not know how to feel.” Samantha hadn’t experienced such a powerful loss.  She simply listened as he spoke of his wife, their life together, and the many adventures they had experienced over the years.  He shared their younger days of love and spirited journeys together but also of their later years.  Holbrook looked at her, “You would have loved her, Ensign.  She always had a kind word for people…she missed meeting new people after we moved to the colony.  No new adventures to have, no new people to greet.  I suppose that’s why she took to exploring the lands around us.”  Sam continued to listen to him as he shared the story of how they met and how love had grown between them.

Six hours later, Halsey sat in his office chair, slipping out a bottle with dark liquid sloshing around.  He pulled out two glasses from another drawer, one of them on the other side of the desk, where an equally exhausted Jordan Reid sat dejectedly after flopping into the seat.  She picked up the cup and held it out intently as he filled it halfway.  She sipped at the whiskey, the warmth flowing through her tired bones. “I would have thought a strict man like yourself wouldn’t have contraband like that around – being a captain and all.”

Leo chuckled darkly, “You don’t know the half of it, Jordan.  We managed to see all fifty of them complete their blood work and put together an individual treatment plan for each.  That’s success in my book.”  He took a drink, “We’re lucky we got to them when we did.  The True Way would punish them by forcing them to serve them somehow…and the genetic infection would have gone unnoticed….and eventually killed them all.”  Another drink, “I’m glad you chose to stay on Daedalus, Jordan.”

She set her glass on the desk and motioned for another pour, which he did.  “I’ll carry Ambrose with me forever, Capt…,”  He waved her off and gave her a long stare.  “…Leopo…Leo.  I’ll get used to it.”  She accepted his smile as evidence of her progress.  “I have to find my new loves and my new life out here.  I can’t sit and wait for the safety and comfort to heal me fully…time is one thing…but not moving forward is another.  Grief is a monster…and I’m slowly working at cutting away at him piece by piece each day I’m alive and doing the work I am good at.  There’s a value and a healing to that, I think.”

Halsey raised his glass to her, “It’s not easy…but the journey must be had.  It can’t be ignored.”  The two sat in silence, patiently drowning their glasses.

She swirled the dregs of her second cup, “What’s next for us out there?”

He gave her a curious look, “I don’t think even Dread knows that.”

She rolled her eyes, “Not that.  I mean…what’s next for all of us?  What’s the next thing that’s going to push us to grow?  Force us to see something in us that we didn’t see before?  You tell me we’re never done becoming the best version of ourselves…what’s next for us?”

The Chief Medical Officer shrugged, “Whatever it is, we’ll face it together, Jordan.”  

He offered another pour, and she relented, “If you keep this up, I must warn you – I am a mean drunk.”

Halsey chuckled, “Well, the last time I imbibed on the real stuff, I punched an admiral’s son for making a pass at my girlfriend, so we’ll be great company.”  They continued to talk and drain the bottle well into the night as the Daedalus returned to the rendezvous with the Mackenzie.  The stars shone on, and the universe shifted forward and onward,

And in one small corner of it, an angry young woman plotted as she raged behind a shimmering curtain of revenge.