STAR TREK:
GAMMA QUADRANT

�BETWEEN A BRIG AND A HARD PLACE� 006

TEASER

Lieutenant (j.g.) Nathan Nadell looked at the wall-mounted chronometer and blinked in disbelief. He�d been looking at this damn computer screen for thirteen hours? This trail he�d been backtracking was simply
amazing. Whomever had constructed it was a master computertician.

It had been a week since Lieutenant Bach had been removed from duty. Gosvar was pulling double duty as chief of security and acting Operations manager.

Nadell reached up and tapped his combadge. �Nadell to Blair.�

There was a long moment. �Blair here.�

�Lieutenant, I�m running a back check on a program I found buried in the computer core. Could I request an engineering probe?�

�Can�t find the source?� Blair wondered. She sounded...disturbed.

�No, I found it. I just need to double check it.�

***

Lieutenant Duncan McIver looked up as the doors to his office slid open an hour later. Nadell walked in and held up an isolinear chip. �I found something you might be interested in,� he said.

�What is it?� McIvers asked.

�It�ll speak for itself,� Nadell said, handing him the chip.

***

Connor Macy reluctantly nodded his head. The recommendations of Lieutenant McIver, Lieutenant Blair, and Lieutenant Nadell were firm. Lieutenant Gosvar, who had served with Bach, was reluctant, but in the face of the evidence, he agreed.

Tokyo Second Officer Lieutenant Johann Bach had tapped into the computer core to assist the Section 31 agent, fugitive and former lieutenant commander, Ben Younkin. Was Bach an agent? The probability was �yes,� he was.

�Place Lieutenant Bach under arrest,� Macy said. �The charge is treason.�

�Yes, sir,� Gosvar said stiffly. He turned to Nadell. �You know what to do, Lieutenant.�

�Aye, sir,� Nadell said.

ACT ONE

The Tokyo tilted to one side, fire bursting out of her hull. Explosions ripped across the port nacelle, shredding it from the ship. As it drifted away, the Tokyo began to spin on her axis. Two more torpedoes slammed into the underbelly of the saucer, punching clean through the hull.

Lieutenant Karen Blair slid underneath the blast door as it slammed shut. Alarms screamed wildly. Two dead men lay slumped on the corridor deck. The Captain�s voice was yelling over the intercom, ordering that
all hands abandon ship.

Engineering was this -- no, that -- way.

The deck pitched, and Blair went slamming into the bulkhead. She gathered herself and staggered on her way. A young woman lay on the deck ahead, her torso ripped in two. The deck was stained with blood.

Blair recognized Arial Grass.

Strange. The bulkheads hadn�t exploded here, and only an explosion could�ve produced that wound, Blair thought.

A dark shape moved towards her through the smoke. A Jem�Hadar warrior charged her. Blair screamed as his pike rose into the air and descended into her skull, which was suddenly...

As cold as her pillow.

Blair rubbed her forehead and ordered the computer to illuminate her cabin. �Oh, god,� she muttered. She had to do something about these nightmare visions...

***

�You okay?� Marin asked with a smile.

Will Lidic winced as he slid off the bio-bed. He had been severely injured in the Gia�nt strike. Surgery and lots of sleep had resulted in Lidic�s re-certification of fitness for duty. It would be light duty, but that was better than staring at the sickbay ceiling.

�Take it easy,� Najam warned as he walked out of his office. Lidic was famous throughout the ship for how many times he had wound up in sickbay for a variety of reasons.

�Yes, sir,� Lidic laughed.

Kim Harper walked into the room from one of the laboratory wards. She hurried over to Will. Their last date had been interrupted by the shocking news of an investigation into Bach.

�You ready for some lunch?� she asked.

�I sure am,� Will grinned, hooking his arm around hers. As they walked into the corridor, Harper overheard Marin�s whispered comment to Amila Orissa: �that lucky bastard.�

Harper grinned.

The Forward Lounge was full. The repair crews who had just come off duty were relaxing with bottles of synthehol. Music played softly in the background.

�Look,� Harper said, as she guided Lidic to an empty booth. Bach sat alone at the bar.

�If I were him,� Lidic remarked, �I wouldn�t be seen in public. I�d stay in my cabin.�

�They�ve still got to hold a hearing,� Harper said in response. �I guess that�ll be what�s his name�s job.�

�It�s Mic something,� Lidic said. Four months out from dock and he still didn�t know the legal officer�s name.

�Never met him. Heard he keeps to himself.�

�You know those JAG guys,� Lidic laughed. He didn�t like Starfleet�s Criminal Investigation Division, Internal Affairs and JAG people much. He understood that the CID and IA were necessary roles in a military as large as Starfleet. There were numerous bad seeds scattered around, and they could be as much a danger to a Starfleet officer as a Jem�Hadar warrior. But Lidic was of the opinion that they enforced stuff that
didn�t really hurt people, and in doing so, they did hurt Starfleet.

CID and IA guys were viewed as evil. Not as much JAG, but it was the officers of JAG that defended the bad guys and prosecuted the good guys, so they were kind of a mixed balance.

�Never had deal...� Harper�s voice trailed off. Lidic looked in the direction that she was.

Proske had entered the lounge, with John Wells behind him. Both were looking at Bach, and both had phaser pistols at their waists. Through the other entrance, Lieutenant Nadell and Ensign Love entered. Also
both armed.

�Shit,� Lidic said.

�What�s going on?� Harper asked, watching as Nadell approached Bach.

Nadell�s voice was strong and clear. He wasn�t the type to be discreet. �Lieutenant Johann Bach,� Nadell said. All eyes in the lounge turned. �Under the authority placed in me by Starfleet, you are
under arrest.�

Bach blinked. So did everyone else. Without the hearing (which wasn�t scheduled for two more days), Bach couldn�t legally be arrested.

To the disbelief of everyone, Nadell stated the charges. �The charge is treason, conspiracy to commit treason, illegally hacking a Starfleet database, and providing assistance to a criminal organization.�

�WHAT?� Bach yelled, standing.

The security ensigns had their phasers in hand instantly, all aimed at Bach. �Don�t move!� Proske ordered.

�Keep your hands where we can see them,� Nadell ordered.

�This is ridiculous,� Bach retorted, pushing Nadell away as the lieutenant (j.g.) tried to handcuff the former second officer.

Proske charged forward, slamming Bach against the bar. Love pressed his phaser pistol into Bach�s head. �DON�T MOVE!� Proske snarled. He twisted Bach�s left arm behind the officer�s back. �Don�t make it harder on yourself, sir.�

�Okay,� Bach said, his voice wincing with the pain shooting through his arm. He turned his head, and the expressions on the faces of the junior officers and enlisted men were ones of betrayal and shock.

Nadell reached up and removed Bach�s rank pins and communicator badge. Proske led Bach into the corridor and pressed him up against the bulkhead, allowing Wells time to frisk the former second officer.

�Did you have to do that in there?� Bach asked Nadell.

Nadell�s face looked angry. The young officer tried to keep his emotions in check. He had looked up to Bach. The warrior had been a good, trained officer, and now look at him. He was a traitor? Well,
his commission had been suspended, so at least he didn�t have to be called sir anymore.

�As you know,� Nadell said angrily, �with charges of treason, the suspect is to be detained as soon as possible. Would you have rather I arrested you in your quarters? Maybe you should�ve stayed there.�

�Dammit, Nate...�

Nadell lost his control. He jumped in Bach�s face so quickly Proske contemplated the possibility he would have to pry his commanding officer off the prisoner.

�Don�t you dare ask for favors. That agent killed a lot of my men, and you helped him do so! Don�t feel sorry for yourself! You�re still alive. You�ll receive a fair trial, which is more than Ensign Burhan
Bayraktaroglu got! Remember him? I do! He was my friend!� Nadell pulled himself back. �Take him to the brig,� Nadell ordered Proske. �I want a guard on him at all times.�

�Yes, sir!� Proske said, and with Wells and Love at his side, the prisoner was led away.

Nadell punched the bulkhead when they were gone. He couldn�t afford to lose control. Security men who lost control were quickly marked for the �no advancement� file. Shit.

***

The Cardassian moved silently along the brick wall of the house. It was in a clearing in a dense jungle setting. The blade on his short cutting sword was red. A human lay in the grass behind him, throat
sliced open. A door leading to the basement provided his waypoint into the basement. The Cardassian glanced about, hoping his two other operatives were in position.

There was one guard in the basement. The suppressed phaser shot blew the guard�s head clean off his shoulders. The corpse collapsed, and the
Cardassian knew he didn�t have to worry about making sure he was alive or dead. Stairs led up onto the main floor of the house. Intel said there were two guards on the main floor, and then another two on the
floor above that. That was where the hostage was being held.

One of the guards was smoking a contraband synthetic cigarette at the top of his stairs. His back was to the stairs, and he didn�t know anything was wrong until the Cardassian�s powerful forearm snaked across
his neck and the sharp point of a knife entered his back and cut his spinal cord.

The second guard was also dead, and the Cardassian could hear at least one of his operatives on the second floor, moving to take out the guards. An outside door burst open, and the Cardassian turned in
surprise. A guard -- where had he come from? How did that frickin� Klingon miss him? -- charged in, raising his rifle and shouting a warning.

Anvek cried out as he threw his knife in the guard�s direction. The guard dodged and opened fire. The loud weapon fire blew through the wood walls, and Anvek ran into an empty room. Above him, the guards were alerted. The guard charged into the room and pointed his weapon at Anvek. From behind, the guard�s back blew apart. Kazl stood there, a bit bloody, but in one piece. Without waiting to see how Anvek was, Kazl charged upstairs in case Tsana needed assistance. Anvek was on his feet in a second, also running up the stairs. One of the guards lay dead in a room off the hallway. Tsana emerged from another room.

�Hostage is dead,� Tsana said.

�We did not coordinate well enough,� Avek decided.

Kazl spit on the floor. �We were not good enough. Secrecy is for humans. We must charge -- take them by surprise.�

�Computer,� Avek said. �Reset simulation.�

It was the third time they�d reset the simulation today.

***

Lieutenant Baron entered McIver�s office. The lawyer had a whole stack of information in front of him.

�Will she have to testify?� Baron asked McIver.

�Possibly. I�ve got to talk with the JAG case officer they send over. It�ll be up to him to pursue the lesser charges. They may want to concentrate on the bigger ones.�

�That�s not fair to Ensign Grass.�

McIver nodded. �Life is rarely fair, Lieutenant. Look at me. Almost fifty years old and a lieutenant.� McIver shrugged. �That�s the way it
is.�

Baron nodded. �When do the case officers arrive?�

�They�re on their way now.�

ACT TWO

Captain�s Log: Stardate 53732.5

Evidence has linked Lieutenant Bach to crimes committed to aid Section 31 agent Ben Younkin. In addition, Bach has been charged with abuses of his rank. I have suspended the lieutenant from duty,
and Admiral Kvach has suspended his commission. We await JAG representatives, who will handle the further investigation of this case.

The Dierbach dropped out of warp and approached the Tokyo, which was cruising along at impulse power. The courier ship had sped through the
night in order to take its two passengers off a Vulcan science ship, and now it was finally delivering them.

Captain Macy, Commander Kline, and Lieutenant Nadell were waiting in the transporter room when two forms materialized into the red collared JAG officers. Macy recognized one of them, a muscular looking blond man
with a European accent.

Commander Dieter Cheslock, JAG, stepped off the transporter pad and shook Macy�s hand. �Good to see you again, Connor,� he remarked with a warm smile.

�And you, Dieter.�

�I wish they could�ve been more pleasant reasons for our reunion,� Cheslock observed.

Macy nodded silently.

�This is Lieutenant Commander Ariala Wijeshina,� Cheslock identified the other JAG officer.

�This is my first officer, Lieutenant Commander Melanie Kline,� Macy introduced. �And Lieutenant Nadell has been heading up our on board
investigation.�

Cheslock greeted them.

�You understand we will be taking over the investigation?� Wijeshina inquired.

Nadell nodded. Did they think he was stupid? �Yes, ma�am,� he said. �We�re fully ready to cooperate in whatever capacity that we can.�

�Good to hear,� Cheslock smiled.

�Commander Kline will show you to your quarters,� Macy said.

�I�m sure we can find them without much trouble,� Cheslock said. �Mr. Nadell, if you could begin briefing Commander Wijeshina on what has been
uncovered so far? I�m afraid our en-route briefing was not very detailed.�

�Of course,� Nadell said. �This way, Commander.�

Nadell and Wijeshina exited. Kline excused herself at well, she wanted to be on the bridge.

�Long time since the Pathfinder,� Cheslock observed.

Macy shook his head. �I can�t believe I was ever an ensign.�

�What was that? Twenty some years ago?�

�Eighteen. No...closer to nineteen.�

�First posting out of the Academy,� Cheslock smiled. He looked around.

�You remember that month travel to Kesrin III?�

�God...a month at warp four. I thought I was going to go crazy.�

Macy smiled. �Remember...what was her name? The nav officer...�

�Lieutenant...� Cheslock drew a blank. �With the blond hair.�

�God, was she good looking. Who was doing her? Commander Maddox?�

�I thought it was Commander Bunkterston, honestly.�

�And Old Man Barnfowler. I haven�t heard about him since...�

�He made Admiral,� Cheslock said. �Died during the war.�

�That guy was scum. Didn�t know the first thing about anything.�

�I remember,� Cheslock said. �Remember when he tried to make the enlisted crew scrub the warp core?�

�I can�t believe he made Admiral, much less Captain.�

Cheslock shrugged. �Hey...you remember what that Command Master Chief said during physical training? I said �sir� to him once, and he looked me straight in the face and told me �don�t call me sir, I work for a
living.��

�I�ve heard that a lot,� Macy smiled.

�You did GAWSSOG training? Didn�t you? We lost track after Pathfinder, but...�

The elite Starfleet Water Air Ground Space Special Operations Group. The best Spec Ops team in the field: and there were several, Starfleet
Rangers, Delta, and Recon. The military wasn�t alone in SpecOps, either. Many of the civilian Federal bureaus had their own special teams to compliment their agencies� particular missions. The
Federation�s Bureau of Investigation had a fantastic Hostage Rescue Team, and the Federation Security Agency�s covert PANTHER teams had a high rate of success at espionage missions. The Secret Service trained each of its Special Agents as a one man �James Bond.� For an agency tasked with protecting thousands of senators, council-members, diplomats, the president, and other high officials, they needed the best and the brightest. Their Special Combat Service was one of the best.

But the GAWSSOG had the most intense training known in the Alpha Quadrant. Only one in one hundred who applied were accepted, and the drop out rate was seventy-five percent -- higher than the U.S. Navy�s
SEALS training in the late twentieth century and early twenty-first. Ten GAWSSOG teams performed missions of every type possible. They moved in the shadows, as �black� as Section 31 had once been. In fact, when the Section 31 scandal had broken, GAWSSOG teams had been discovered to have been used regularly by Section 31 agents to accomplish dangerous missions. An overhaul and more strict control of GAWSSOG had begun, but it was accepted that it would take awhile to figure out the extent of 31�s control.

Ensign Connor Macy had been accepted to the three month training. It was the most brutal of his life. His officer status didn�t mean a thing -- the GAWSSOG instructors, all enlisted -- did whatever they needed to install a deeper sense of discipline in Macy than the Academy had. He became tougher, both physically and mentally, than he had been in his entire life. The discipline he learned was responsible for his
achieving a command only a few years after ending his operational status with GAWSSOG Team Five three years after graduating the Rigel II based training facility.

�Yeah, I did it. There�s nothing more humbling than a Petty Officer looking you right in the face, and telling you, �Ensign, go fuck yourself. Move that damn escape pod faster, goddammit. My mother could
move faster than you!�� Macy laughed. �Yolef Kelnto, a great instructor.�

�I don�t know,� Cheslock said. �An enlisted man cussing me out...don�t know if I could take it.�

�That�s only part of it. I was just an ensign. There was a lieutenant commander there who got it even worse.� Macy snorted. �At GAWSSOG
training, rank doesn�t mean a damn thing unless you�re an instructor.�

This whole thing with Bach bothered him. He�d been older and of higher rank when he and Michelle had had their adulterous affair years earlier. Damn, he�d been married at the time. No one had caught on, or
if they had, they hadn�t mentioned it to the legal officer. Or maybe they had, but the differences in rank hadn�t been as bad...or maybe...

Why the fuck was he trying to analyze this? It was pointless.

�Let�s get together for dinner,� Macy said.

�Okay,� Cheslock said. �I need to catch up with Commander Wijeshina. Tonight? 2200?�

�Sounds good,� Macy said. �I�ll see you then,� the ex-GAWSSOG operative and current starship captain shook his former comrade�s hand.

***

Kazl lifted the bloodwine. �You�ve never tried it?�

Anvek examined his gobbler. �No.�

�There�s nothing like it.�

�I�ve heard that about a great many things.�

�About this, it is the truth,� the Klingon remarked. �This is 2167. From my grandfather�s private stock. Fermented in the fields of Bozhaak
during the Chancellorship of Kenla the Killer.�

�Charming name,� Anvek replied. He lifted the gobbler and prepared to sip.

�No!� Kazl said loud enough to draw attention from all over the lounge. He lowered his voice. �Do not sip. A warrior does not sip.�

�Who says I am a warrior?� Anvek asked.

A challenge? Kazl wondered. �I have seen you in action. During the Starfleet training exercise. You kill well -- you have not just practiced. Perhaps you are former Cardassian Kolanba?�

�You�re aware of the Kolanba?� Anvek quieried.

Kazl smiled. �I�ve done counter operations before.�

�Ahhh...� Anvek sighed. Then he shrugged. �That was a long time ago. Everything I knew has been destroyed.�

�If Quo�nos was destroyed...� Kazl wondered. He paused for a long, long moment. �I do not know what I would do. You are very brave -- very worthy. I do not think I would have the courage to serve on an
enemy ship.�

Anvek shrugged. �The Cardassian regime of Dukat was my enemy before the war. That is why I left. You said a warrior does not sip. Does he chug?�

Kazl looked curious. �Chug?�

Anvek smiled. �You know,� he said, proceeding to chug his drink. Kazl grinned back.

�That is chugging? I know that!� He proceeded to begin chugging, and in fact �chugged� his drink faster than Avek. Their laughs filled the lounge.
***

�You okay, Lieutenant?�

Karen Blair rubbed the bridge of her nose. She looked up. Phil Owusu�s hulking frame filled the entry to her small cubicle of an office.

�No, not really,� Blair said with a deep sigh.

�Okay. We finished cleaning the Bussard collection dish. I�ve got Marks and Davis going to finish flushing the waste collector.�

�Okay, thanks,� Blair said, hardly paying attention.

�Umm...can I ask you a question?� Owusu inquired.

�Sure, what do you want?� Blair said.

Owusu produced a small vial filled with a white substance. �Do you know what this is?�

Blair looked at it. �Is that...�

�Look,� he said. �I don�t want you thinking I do this stuff. I�m not an addict...but some times, I take it. It helps calm me down...it puts the nightmares to rest. It...�

Blair grabbed it out of his hand and looked at it. Could she do this? Would the White work? She�d read the briefing material about it. Addictive, dangerous...and a trip to a rehab facility if you got caught with it.

�Thanks,� Blair said. �How...how...�

�Do you use it?� Owusu asked gently. �Here...I�ll show you...�

ACT THREE

Ensign Mo Ilyas read Daniel McLoughlin�s newest thrill novel. It was set during the recent Klingon War, and featured a government agent running around the Alpha Quadrant trying to postpone the use of some
deadly weapon. The plot was kind of confusing, but Ilyas enjoyed it just the same.

Ilyas was on guard duty in the brig. This was the type of bullshit assignment junior officers had to deal with to become senior officers and work so much they prayed for the bullshit assignment. Bach was
lying on the cell bed, staring at the ceiling. He didn�t do much all day. The JAG officers had just left after meeting with Bach, and they hadn�t seemed happy.

The doors to the brig slid open. Ilyas looked up in mild surprise. Lieutenant Gosvar entered. His huge Andorian frame strained the tight material of his uniform. �Dismissed,� Gosvar ordered Ilyas. The
Pakistani quickly flipped off the computer and walked right outside the door.

When the doors were sealed, Gosvar turned to see Bach. His hand came up and cut power to the cell grid. The force field dropped. Bach turned to see Gosvar step into the cell. �Lieutenant,� Bach
greeted.
Gosvar narrowed his eyes. �Are they true?�

Bach turned back to the ceiling. �The charges?�

Gosvar slammed his fist into the bulkhead. �Answer me! Are they true? We were friends, dammit!�

�Watch your tone!� Bach snapped, standing. �I�m still your superior officer!�

Gosvar shook his head. �No, you are not. You have no rank, you have no commission. A Technician Second Class outranks you. How could you do this?�

Bach turned his head and didn�t answer.

�I don�t know what of the charges I believe, Bach!� Gosvar spat. �Treason? I don�t think you�re capable of it, so I�m not worried,� the Andorian said. �I don�t think you did that. Tell me I�m right!�

Bach looked Gosvar in his eyes. �You�re right. I didn�t. Why didn�t you arrest me?�

�Nadell was in charge of the investigation,� Gosvar answered.

�So?� Bach snapped.

�Would you have preferred I arrested you? I wouldn�t have been as easy on you as Nadell was! Nadell believes the charges against you! He�s liason with Cheslock and Wijeshina! The entire security department is against you! Don�t even think you have friends among the senior staff! You were never popular with Kline, and Blair has hated you for a long
time! The younger officers don�t like you for the allegations about you and Grass!�

�I didn�t...�

�You deny it?� Gosvar yelled. �Do you?�

�Of course I do!� Bach snapped. �I didn�t order her into my bed! We were off duty! She wanted to!�

�Well, apparently she�s remembering things differently,� Gosvar retorted. �Or maybe you are.�

Bach�s jaw tensed. �Are you calling me a liar?�

Gosvar looked at his former commanding officer. �At the Academy, they told me that being an officer wasn�t enough. You had to be an officer and a gentlemen. You, sir, are neither.�

Gosvar stepped out of the brig, raising the force field. Bach watched in anger as the lieutenant stormed out of the brig and Ilyas walked back
inside.

***

Lieutenant Commander Melanie Kline stepped onto the bridge. Anwar was running the shift, and relinquished the command chair to her. She waved him not to, and waved at Kwei, who was running a program on the science
post. A security petty officer was standing in front of the door to the captain�s ready room.

�Captain in there?� she asked the security man.

�Yes, ma�am,� Petty Officer Tyrone Mamaril said. �He�s meeting with the JAG officers.�

�Good,� Kline said, trying to walk to the door.

Mamaril blocked her path and raised his hand. �I�m sorry, ma�am,� he explained. �The captain was explicit: no interruption.�

�How long has he been in there?�

�An hour, Commander.�

�Thank you, Petty Officer.�

�Yes, ma�am.�

***

A naked Will Lidic rolled off of a naked Kim Harper.

�How�d we do?� he asked Kim Harper.

The nurse smiled at the security officer. �Well...it�s been awhile...�

�Three years for me,� Will replied.

�Really?�

�Yep. Right before I left Earth.�

�Who?�

�My wife.�

�You�re married?�

Will shook his head. �Was. Widowed. She was in Starfleet.�

�I�m sorry.�

�You shouldn�t be. She...we knew the risks. It was a quick death -- her ship had a warp core overload. The entire crew died before they knew what was going on.�

Kim reached over and hugged Will close. Will hugged her tightly. �I love you,� he whispered.

�I love you too,� she said. A smile came to her face. �Wanna try again?�

�Again? I might need some time to...uhh...� he struggled for the words.

�Lock and load?� she offered.

�Yeah, that�s it,� he laughed.

She pulled him towards her. �Yippie-cayee, cowboy,� she crooned.

***

�I think that�ll about do it,� Wijeshina said, switching her PADD off. She smiled at Macy. �Thanks for the access.�

�No problem,� the captain said. The three had just finished reviewing Bach�s extensive security file. Everything he had done since middle school was documented. There were a few curious occurances about his earlier life, and JAG officers on Earth would follow that lead.

Cheslock and Wijeshina exited the ready room, and Kline brushed in before the doors could close. Macy looked up in mild surprise. �Commander...�

�Sir, I need to insist...�

Macy frowned. �Insist...?�

�My leave, sir. I�d like to...�

�Oh, right, sit down.�

Kline complied. Macy leaned forward.

�I�m sorry, Commander. I can�t spare you.�

�But, sir...�

�Lieutenant Commander! I do not have a qualified second officer to perform the duties of an acting first officer if you leave. The previous one is in the brig, facing charges of treason. Neither Lieutenant Blair nor Lieutenant Gosvar have passed Command Qualification tests to assume the role of a chain-of-command ship�s officer,� Macy ranted. �Admiral Kvach is to contact me later in the week about arranging a new second officer. Until I get one -- and get him or her broken in -- your leave is postponed.�

Kline looked deflated.

�I�m sorry, Commander. I promise you that as soon as I can arrange for it, we will get you back to your family.�

�Yes, sir,� Kline said, standing. She got to the door, then turned back. �Sir?�

�Yes?�

�I�m sorry for...�

Macy held up his hand. �Don�t apologize, Commander. Starfleet�s been hard to live with these past few years. Things will get better, but it�ll take awhile.�

�Yessir, thank you sir.�

ACT FOUR

Lieutenant Karen Blair frowned at her computer console. The computer codes were easier to look at after her dose of Ketracel White. She supposed that she really had been under a lot of stress. The White did feel very good.

Commander Cheslock entered her office. Blair pointed at the computer codes. Cheslock shrugged. �So?� He inquired.

�Look here,� she said. �See this string?�

�Yeah,� Cheslock said.

�It�s called a Hack Byte,� Blair explained. �Term goes back to the twenty-first century or earlier. One person signs onto another�s computer. This is a pre-written code which deletes their computer
trail. Unfortunately -- for them -- the Hack Byte leaves a signature itself.�

�Why wasn�t this caught earlier?�

�It�s hard to find,� Blair said. �And it�s very easy to miss.�

�You�ve checked this already,� Cheslock said. �You verified Nadell�s findings.�

�Like I said, hard to find. I missed it the first time, got it the second.�

�So...can you backtrack who put this into place?�

�I can, but it�ll take awhile.�

�Thanks, Lieutenant.�

***

Macy turned when Cheslock relayed the information to him. Wijeshina stood at the door. �So... Lieutenant Bach isn�t the Section 31 mole?�

�No, sir,� Cheslock said. �Whoever that is is probably still aboard.�

Macy shook his head. �Bach is ruined on this ship, though.�

�He is.�

�Thank you, Commander.�

�Yessir. My report to Admiral Kvach has already been filed.�

�The Admiral has informed me he is on his way to the Tokyo. Maybe he�ll have a new second officer for me.�

�It�s sad when things like these happen,� Cheslock concurred.

Macy hit his combadge. �Lieutenant Baron, Lieutenant McIver, report to the captain�s ready room.�

Within a few minutes, both officers had arrived. Cheslock ran this development past them, and then he dropped the other foot.

�Without the treason charge,� he explained, �the recommendation to the JAG Corps is to drop charges against Lieutenant Bach, restore his commission, and transfer him off this ship as soon as possible.�

�Wait,� Baron said. �There�s more than just the treason charge. He abused his rank!�

�I don�t have enough evidence about that,� Cheslock said.

Wijeshina spoke up. �Besides, even if we did, any defense attorney could point to the dropped charges and say we were so desperate to convict him of anything, that we drummed up the charges.�

�But...you didn�t drum them up!� Baron snarled.

�I know that. You know that. But a Starfleet tribunal won�t.�

�You could tell them!�

�And the defense would tell them otherwise!�

�So he just gets off the hook?� Baron snapped.

�Of course not,� Cheslock said. �He�ll be given a reprimand in his record.�

�A reprimand?� Sarcasm dripped from Baron�s voice. �I�m sure Arial Grass will feel so much better now. Can I go?�

Macy nodded. �Dismissed.�

Baron shot an angry glare at the JAG officers and stomped out of the ready room.

�Mr. Nadell,� Macy said into the communicator. �Escort Mr. Bach to the ready room.�

�Aye, sir,� Nadell said.

***

�Ensign Lidic, report to the brig,� Nadell ordered.

�Aye, sir,� Lidic said.

Stepping out of his quarters, the ensign nearly collided with Harper.

�Hey, good lookin�,� she smiled.

�Hey, gorgeous.�

�I was hoping you and I...�

Lidic frowned. �I can�t right now. Have to go to the brig to help Nadell.�

�Maybe later?� she traced a finger down his chest.

�I should say...yes...� he smiled, kissing her gently.

***

Ensign Ilyas looked up as Nadell and Proske entered the brig. Nadell shut down the force field without warning. �Sir?� Ilyas said, surprised.

�What is going on, Lieutenant?� Bach asked.

�The Captain wants to see you,� Nadell said. �Come on.�

�You wanna shackle me like last time?�

Nadell shook his head. �Don�t try anything.�

The corridor to the turbolift had been secured by Love and Lidic, and a turbolift was waiting at the deck. Bach walked in without a problem, and was whisked to the bridge. Walking in, Bach thought his life was
over, with Macy, McIver, Cheslock, and Wijeshina waiting for him.

�Wait outside,� Macy told Nadell and Proske.

�Aye, sir,� Nadell said, a bit puzzled.

�Lieutenant Bach,� Cheslock said when the doors slid shut. �The evidence of treason was planted in your computer by persons unknown. The JAG corps and the CID will continue their investigation. All
charges against you have been dropped, and your suspension is over.�

Bach�s jaw dropped. �Just like that?� He asked.

�Yes, Lieutenant,� Cheslock said. �The evidence planted against you was very good. They screwed you well.�

�What about...the other charges?�

�Rank abuse?� Wijeshina said. �The charges are being dropped as well. Lack of evidence.�

�Sir,� Bach said. �I would like to request a transfer, effective immediately.�

Macy nodded. �That will be for Admiral Kvach to decide,� the Captain said. �I suspect it will be granted, Lieutenant. This whole sorry
affair has ruined your reputation aboard this ship.�

�Yes, sir, I know. Sir, I am innocent of the treason charge...but...�

�As an attorney, Lieutenant,� Cheslock interrupted. �If you admit to a crime...such as rank abuse? We�ve dropped the charges, but if you admit
to, well, say...rank abuse...we could still charge you. Do you understand?�

�Yessir, thank you, sir.�

�Lieutenant,� Wijeshina said. �Allegations of rank abuse are serious. Just because we don�t have enough evidence to convict doesn�t mean you didn�t do it. I would advise you to be very careful in the
future, do you understand me, Lieutenant? This could cost you your career, and any hope you have of starship command.�

�Yes, ma�am,� Bach said, his jaw tensing.

�Dismissed, Lieutenant,� Macy said.

�Aye, sir.�

***

Captain�s Log: Supplemental

We await Admiral Kvach, aboard the Mustone. I have restricted Lieutenant Bach to light duty, because I do not feel he is fit to command authority with his damaged reputation. Also, Commander Kline�s continued request for leave is damaging her effectiveness.
I need a new second officer, and I need one soon...

Notes: For those of you not familar with GQ, the Ketracel White Lt. Blair is getting herself hooked on is not the same as that used by the Jem'Hadar. It's been geneticly changed by the Dominion, and was used as a weapon of war during (surprisingly) the War. Hey -- look, if TPTB could store Picard's body in the transpoter matrix in Lonely Among Us, I can do this, okay?!

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 6.27 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with four eps posted)

I give it 8/10 smilies

------------------
"Let's make sure history never forgets the name... Enterprise"
- Alternate Picard, "Yesterday's Enterprise"

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 6.27 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with four eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001
****
And homeschooling also turns you into a socially well-adjusted person, capable of talking to people without them wanting to ram a f***ing chair down your throat! - PsyLiam, 3/11/01

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 7.64 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with six eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001
****
And homeschooling also turns you into a socially well-adjusted person, capable of talking to people without them wanting to ram a f***ing chair down your throat! - PsyLiam, 3/11/01

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001