Issues

Chapters 7-9

Chapter 7

The next day Riker called Corbett into his Ready Room. He was not at all happy with this crewman. He was not too concerned about Te'Lon. He knew Te'Lon could handle himself, but Corbett maybe a problem.

"Corbett," he started, "I believe I know what Te'Lon's problem is with Romulans, but what I don't get is why you have such a problem."

"Sir?"

"Your attitude stinks toward Romulans and I want to know why."

"In all honesty?" Corbett asked.

"Yes."

"They killed my mother." Corbett informed Riker and there was a brief pause in the conversation.

"I wish I had known this sooner. I would not have brought you on this mission." Riker said. "Why wasn't it on your record?"

"I don't care to talk about it." Corbett said.

"So a small group of Romulans kill your mother and you blame the whole race out of anger?"

"Yes, Sir." Corbett answered. "They are a very violent group of people."

"Sounds like you are judging on what a few did to judge the many." Riker analyzed.

"I haven't met any Romulans who are any different."

"Well, I can tell you they are out there." Riker told him. "Spock works with them all the time. They are just like humans. Some good and some bad."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Sir."

"Corbett, I meant what I said." Riker told him firmly."If your attitude doesn't change soon, I will throw you out of the nearest air lock. Do you understand me?"

"Sir?" Corbett sounded surprised that a captain would threaten this.

"If I don't get you first, you'll get yourself killed out there." Riker said. "It's a civil war on Romulus and they don't take any prisoners. You don't have an open mind you'll get yourself killed, if you don't kill an innocent dissident first. Now, how would you feel if you did that?"

Before Corbett could answer, Worf's voice came on the com system."Worf to Captain Riker."

Without taking his eyes off Corbett, Riker responded, "Riker here."

"A Romulan Warship is off our port bow and they are hailing us."

"What? We're not near the Neutral Zone yet." Riker said. "I'm on my way."

Riker got up and rushed onto the bridge. Corbett followed and took his place at ops.

"Worf, open hail." said Riker.

"Aye, Sir." Worf said. "Hailing systems openned.

"This is Captain William T. Riker of the Federation ship USS Defiant."

"Captain." a familiar Romulan face appearred on the view screen. "This is former Vice-proconsul M'ret of the Federation."

"You have a Romulan Warship." Riker pointed out.

"Yes, it was the only way we could get out here." M'ret informed. "I've returned to help Spock also. Although the ship has been damaged. If you scan our ship you will see."

Riker turns to face Worf and all he says is "Worf?".

Worf immediately got the message. "Aye, Sir."

"It's gotten bad there and Spock refuses to leave until he succeeds with the unification of the Romulans and Vulcans." informed M'ret.

"Sir." Worf tried to get his Captain's attention. "He is telling the truth about his ship."

"So, what is it you need from us?"

"It's more like what you may need from us." informed M'ret. "The escape route I took the first time to escape has been discovered. You need to go another way to get to Spock."

"Maybe you should beam aboard and we discuss this here."

With a single nod M'ret said, "Agreed."

"Riker out." The view screen went back to the vast region of space ahead of them. "Sevek, How much longer until we reach the Neutral Zone?"

"Fourteen hours, thirty-six minutes, sir." she responded.

"That long." Riker said, not expecting any answer. He sighed, wishing this could be over with soon. He had a feeling this was going to be a really wild ride before it was over.

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M'ret, Riker, Sevek, Te'Lon, Corbett, and two crew members of M'ret's ship met in the conference room. Riker was not at all happy with how this mission was going.

"So, what you're saying is, there's not going to be a second trip. We have to do this in one trip and get as many dissidents as possible out there and convince Spock to get out of there too." Riker inquired.

"Yes, but convincing Spock maybe a very difficult task." M'ret informed. "He's very detrimined to unify us. Personally, I think he has done all he can do if he gets the dissidents out of there and to a safe place. Those are the people who will unify us and they want to unify, but they can not do this on Romulus. The civil war will just continue otherwise and grow worse. He's done all that can be done.

Riker brushes his hand over his face and tries to think of a response and a plan. The only thing he could respond with is "OK, then if the Underground Railroad has been discovered what route do we take?"

"I'm sorry?" asked M"ret.

"Just a metaphor from American history."

"We'll the Underground has set a new path, which I will show you." M'ret continued. "We have not drawn a map due to fear it will be discovered again."

"Understandable." Riker acknowledged.

"Still," M'ret said, "We have to be in open area to beam in and out. Then we walk less than a kilometer to the underground opening to where Spock and the dissidents are hiding."

"Why must it be a kilometer?" Riker asked.

"In case we are seen there will be still time to divert the Romulans who are fighting against the unification." M'ret informed.

"How bad is the damage to that ship?" Riker asked. "Can we repair it in an hour or less time?"

Worf answered, "If we had Geordi with us I would say a diffenent yes, Sir, but without him I can't say."

Riker looked a little stressed at this point. "Damn." he thought to himself. "I should have had Geordi with us, too." Then to Worf, "You beam over and help M'ret's people with repairs and see if you can get it repaired with in that time frame. We're going to need all the ships we can get."

"Aye, Sir." Worf left the group to go beam over to the Romulan warship.

"Captain," M'ret addressed Riker, "I am not only wanted for defection on Romulus, but for also stealing a ship, now."

Riker looked very upset at this point. "You stoled it?"

"There was no other way, that Spock could see, to get out of Romulan territory without being spotted." he said, "But we were spotted, even so, due to the fact it was missing. It was Spock's plan and it failed."

Riker chuckled a little and thought, "Leave it to Spock. He learned from the best. To bad his associates haven't learned a thing or two from him."

"Something funny?" M'ret asked.

"I was just thinking that I should have guessed." Riker replied. "Well, let's get back to work. Corbett, I would like to talk to you for a minute."

Everyone, except Corbett and Riker, left the Conference Room. Corbett thought, "What now? I don't think I said or did anything this time to get him upset."

"I would like to ask you a question and I want a straight answer." Riker stated.

"Yes, Sir."

"If I send you over to that Romulan vessel to assist Worf and them, can you keep any thoughts you have to yourself and do your duty?"

"You're concerned that I can't do my job surrounded by Romulans and Vulcans?"

"The thought has occurred to me in the last several hours." Riker informed him.

"Vulcans are fine. It's the Romulans I don't trust."

"Well, you need to find some trust, because those Romulans just might be the people who save your butt if you get into trouble." Riker said with frustration.

"Aye, Sir."

"Now, I want you to join Worf and do your duty and keep your mouth shut, except when you are asked a question. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." Corbett said. "If a Klingon can do it, I guess I can too."

"I don't care about Klingon or not." Riker said, "All I care about is doing this mission and getting back in one piece."

"Aye, Sir."

"Now I expect you to do your job." Riker said. "Dismissed."

"Aye, Sir." Corbett said. then added, "I'll do my best. I really don't want to get thrown out of an air lock." Then he departed.

Riker smiled and shook his head. "The kid really believes I would do that." he thought. "Well, if that's what it takes."

Then his thoughts drifted to Deanna. He could not wait for this mission to be over, so he could be with her again. It seemed the mission had taken a turn for the worst. He had hoped he would not have to break his promise to Deanna about staying on the bridge of this ship, but if Spock was going to be stubborn about leaving, he might have to beam down there. "Right in the middle of a damn war." he thought. "This can't be good."

Chapter 8

It was the next day and the tension was high. The crew was silent and the only thing that broke through the silence was Sevek's voice.

"Captain, we will be approaching the Nuetral Zone within thirty minutes."

Riker stood up and walked around a little as he addressed the crew.

"OK, everyone." Riker said, "I want everyone to listen up. We're going to get in and out as quickly as we can. Worf, I want the cloaking device on before we reach the Nuetral Zone and inform M'ret's ship to do the same so they will also be cloaked."

"Aye, Sir."

"We are going to take the Defiant's shuttle craft down there and get as close as we possibly can to the entrance of the underground."

"Sir," said M'ret. "We can't risk letting them know where the entrance is."

"I want in and out as fast as we can without being detect." Riker restated. "We'll use all available means to get those people, including Spock, out of there and then get the hell out. Is that clear."

"You're the captain." M'ret comfirmed.

"Worf, I want you in charge and to stay at ops while we orbit Romulus and warn us of any trouble."

"Aye, Sir."

"Corbrett, you man the transporter." Riker order. "M'ret, have someone man the transporter on your ship. Te'Lon, Sevek, M'ret, you're with me. We'll get Spock and as many dissidents as we can. Any trouble, I want us to move as fast as we can. Everyone got that?"

A chorus of "Aye, Sir's" and "Yes, Sirs" rang through the bridge. Riker did not like the fact he had to go down there and persuade Spock to get out of there, but he saw no other way out, and if the stolen Romulan ship was detected, he knew they would all be in trouble.

"But we need all the space we can get, for as many people as we can rescue." he thought to himself. "Deanna's gonna throw a fit if she hears about this."

The stress was showing all over his face. He sat back down in his chair. The next thirty minutes seemed like hours.

"Cloaking device is now on." informed Worf.

"Sevek, what's our status?" asked Riker.

"We'll arrive at the Neutral Zone in five minutes." she stated. "Then it will be twenty minutes after that before we arrive at Romulus."

Both ships were cloaked and ready for anything. Riker had a lot of trust in Worf and he knew he could do his job effectently, but he just could not get the feeling out of his mind that he was forgetting something. As much as he needed the stolen Romulan ship to get more people out of there, he felt it may pose a hazard to the mission. "Just what is it?" he asked himself. "Something about the Romulan ship when it cloaks." He raked his mind for the next several minutes and then said to himself, "I should have studied up on my alein ships."

"We're arriving in orbit of Romulus in less than five minutes." Sevek announced finally.

"Thank you, Sevek." Riker said.

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Everyone was at their stations and awaiting further orders as Riker sent them. M'ret, Sevek, Te'Lon and Riker were boarding the Defiant's shuttle craft and preparing for take off.

Once everyone was seated Riker asked, "Everyone ready to do this?"

They all nodded.

"Let's do it then." Riker said and started engines.

They took off and landed without problems. Riker landed the craft within a few yards of the entrance.

"This is better than a kilometer." he said.

Once they decided the way was clear, they all left the shuttle craft and headed for the entrance of the underground as quickly as they could. Once they got to Spock, Riker tried hard to convence him to leave. Spock finally conceded.

"You can give a very logical and conviencing reason for me depart from here. However, I will return when an opportune moment comes."

"There won't be if we don't get out of here before we're spotted." Riker said.

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There was another cloaked ship in orbit around Romulus watching for tacheon beams, hoping that maybe the stolen ship would return to the scene of the crime.

"Commander Tebok, I think I've found the ship and a shuttle craft has landed on the surface, sir."

"What are the approximent coordinants of the ship and the shuttlecraft."

The Romulan officer informed Tebok of the coordinants and Tebok said, "Set a course in that direction and don't decloak until you are within firing range of the ship. Have everyone down below descend on that shuttle craft."

"Aye, Sir."

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The party of dissidents, Spock and Riker's group were head out of the underground. Worf's voice suddenly came in on Riker's com badge in choppy words due to all the rock and other natural materials of the underground.

"Cap... I......a party........thirty......your way."

"Worf, I can barely understand you, but if I understand right, we're in trouble." Riker said. His voice was sent back to the Defiant in just as much choppiness as Worf's was to Riker's com badge.

"Aye." was the only response Riker made out.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Riker demanded. "Set phasers and be ready for anything."

As soon as the group got out of the underground, Riker hit his combadge and said, "Prepare to beam out on my orders."

As soon as he said that they were ambushed. Romulans were coming from all directions with their phasers and as Riker had said they were taking no prisoners. People were dropping left and right.

Riker quickly order Corbett to start beaming anyone he could get a lock on and had a small group of dissidents and Spock board the shuttle craft. As Riker was about to board, he took a phaser blast to his side. Spock dragged him in quickly and ordered Sevek to take off immediately.

Riker was in a lot of pain and he said aloud, "Deanna's gonna kill me if this doesn't first."

Then pain was heard in his voice. Spock took over the controls and when they reached orbit Romulan Warbirds were everywhere. The Defiant and the stolen ship had uncloaked to fire back at the Warbirds. Spock dogged them with skill and Worf was astute enough to get the bay doors openned for landing.

Once the shuttle craft was back on board Worf ordered for them to take off at warp nine. He stayed at ops and fired on the Warbirds. The crew of the stolen ship was just as astute and skilled. They took off about as fast as the Defiant.

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In the shuttle bay Spock order Te'Lon to get Riker to sickbay.

"Sir, there's no doctor." Te'Lon stated.

"Call up the EMH." Spock said as if it was the most logical thing to do.

Spock headed for the bridge. He was not sure what he could do, but he knew he could be of some help.

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On one of the Romulan ships, Tebok was barking out orders.

"Don't let them get away! We want Spock and M'ret dead or alive. Perferably dead!" he said.

"Sir, they're using evasive manuvers."

"Counter them and fire at Will."

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"Sir." Worf addressed Spock as he enterred the bridge, "Where is Captain Riker?"

"He's in sickbay, Mr. Worf." informed Spock.

Worf was not happy to hear that. He had not planned for this event, but he continued evasive manuvers and firing at the Warbirds.

Spock asked Sevek who was now back at ops, "How long until we reach the Nuetral Zone."

The ship rocked violently. "Direct hit!" Worf informed."Hull breech on deck three."

"Ten minutes, Sir, at this speed."

"Shields down to sixty percent!" Worf said as the ship shook from another hit.

"Mr. Worf, fire a phasers directly at their engines." Te'Lon suggested.

Worf agreed and set the next blast to hit a Warbird's engine. He finally hit Tebok's ship and barely missed the engine, but did considerable damage. His ship came to a full stop.

"We've crossed the Neutral Zone." informed Sevek.

"We're being hailed, Ambassador Spock." Worf said. "Would you like to take it, Ambassador or shall I."

"Logic would have it, that I as Ambassador probably should, but you are the acting captain." Spock replied.

"Slow to impulse and full stop." Worf ordered. "Opening hailing frequencies."

"This is acting captian, Commander Worf, of the USS Defiant." he said in a deep booming voice.

"This is not over with, Klingon!" Tebok informed. "Not only are you harbouring fugitives, you have a stolen Romulan ship and crossed the Neutral Zone! This is considered an act of war by the Federation and it will not go unnoted."

Spock broke in. "May I remind you, Tebok, you planned to assassinate a Federation Ambassador. Logic would dictate that the act of war was, in reality, committed by the Romulans."

Tebok's wrath showed toward Spock. "Close hail!" he barked at his crew.

"Sevek," Worf said, "More Warbirds headed this way. Warp nine!"

"Aye, Sir." and they took off in a flash.

"They've crossed the Neutral Zone and they're targeting weapons!" Worf informed. "Loading phasors."

The ship took another direct hit and shook from the hit. They had three more Romulan Warbirds on their tails and they were still firing at Will.

Chapter 9

"Imzadi!" she shouted in her mind. She knew the precise moment when Will was hurt. She didn't know why or how, but she knew.

Picard was sitting in the captain's chair beside her and asked,"Counselor, is everything alright?"

She didn't realize it until then, but she had sat up straight in her chair. "Yes, sir, everything's fine." she lied."It's just the tension in the air."

Picard nodded and said, "Yes, quite right. Even I can feel it."

Sisko had convinced Picard to go on this wild trip. He decided, finally, it could be fun and agreed to it. They had no idea what was coming up ahead.

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"The ship can't take much more of this!" shouted Worf as the ship rocked violently back and forth.

Worf made a direct hit on one of the Romulan Warbirds "Yes!" and it blew up in the vastness of space. However, there were still three ships on their tail. Suddenly, ops shot sparks and Sevek went flying out of her chair. She screamed in terror and in pain. She laid on the ship's bridge unconscious.

Suddenly Worf announced, as though they were about to make a great victory, "The Defiant's sister ship and the Valiant are here!"

The Defiant's sister ship flew in front of the Defiant and started firing phasers at the three Romulan Warbirds and the Valiant followed behind her. Sisko put in a quick hail to Worf.

"I just couldn't pass up the fun." he said with a smile.

Worf responded, "It is a good day to die."

"You and that Klingon humour." Sisko remarked jokingly.

"Just don't hit the Romulan Warship that is being fired on by the Romulans." Worf informed. "It has the dissidents aboard."

"Understood. Sisko out."

With that the Valiant and the Defiant sister ship took over the fight. The Defiant and the stolen ship kept on flying out of range of the Romulan ships. Both were badly damaged and had long slowed their speed to impulse. However, the danger was not too far behind them and they knew that.

Since they had a brief moment of time Worf picked up the still unconscious Sevek and took her to sickbay.

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Worf entered sickbay and as he laid Sevek on a biobed he asked the EMH how Captain Riker was.

The EMH replied, "Oh, he will live. Just be very sore for a while."

The EMH had closed Riker's wound and it was barely noticable.

"There was no internal damage." the EMH informed. "So the damage was not that bad. He just had a lot of blood loss."

Worf thanked the doctor and left to return to the bridge so the doctor could attend to Sevek. The ships continued at impulse for a short time and finally Sisko and Picard caught up with them.

This time Picard hailed Worf. "Mr. Worf, how is everyone aboard?"

Worf noticed Deanna on the bridge and replied, "Everyone is fine. The ships are badly damaged, though."

"Well, we believe it's clear sailing from here all the way back to DS9. Sisko and I will follow you home. Picard out."

Deanna knew Worf was trying to spare her, for she had sensed Will had been hurt. However, he was alive and safe. She could hardly wait to see him and hold him in her arms and she in his arms.

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All the injuried had been transported to either DS9's sickbay or to the Valiant. Sevek was in the Valiant's sick bay as well as Riker. Riker was insisting he was ready to go back to duty, but the doctor insisted differently, wanting to keep him for observation.

Deanna wanted to see her husband, but when Te'la heard her mother was hurt the little girl got highly scared and upset. So, Deanna had to attend to her first.

"Te'la, your mother will be fine." Deanna assured her."She's in sickbay right now."

"No she's not! She's dead!" the little girl cried.

"I can take you to her to show you that she is alive," Deanna said. "But first you have to calm down."

"You promise?" she sobbed.

"Yes." Deanna assured her.

So the little girl tried to stop crying and once she did Deanna took her to sickbay. While there, Deanna checked on Will.

"So, tell me what happened that you got hurt." she asked trying not to assume anything, but she knew.

"It's a long story." Riker said.

"You left the bridge, didn't you?" she said confrontationally.

"Deanna, I didn't have much of a choice." he said still very sore and felt pain as he sat up to talk to her face to face.

"You said, you would not leave the bridge." she confronted.

"I said, I would not leave the bridge if I didn't have too." he re-stated.

"What am I going to do with you?" she said firmly, yet with a smile. "You did keep one promise though."

"Yes and what was that?" as if he didn't know.

"You promised to come back to me and you did." she hugged him.

He grimmiced with pain and said, "That I did." Trying to smile through the pain.

Then she let go and said, "But don't think I'm done yet." she said in a scolding tone, "We still need to talk and as soon as you get out of here, Will, we will." then she smiled at him and kissed him.

Then she said, "I have to take Te'la back to her quarters. I'm still on duty, but I'll get back to you later., Imzadi."

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