"Hellraising"
By Lt(jg) Yazron Beq
Lt(jg) Timothy Richeson
Tactical Officers

***IKS Gr'lensa***

"Wow this is big!" Yaz said looking around the immense fighter hangar. He had to squint to see, Klingon lighting was a lot lower than Federation Standards. There were around thirty of the fighters, one of which he would soon be in control of.

Tim stood in the entrance. Having a bottle of Blood Whine with a drunk officer, sharing the 'fruits of battle'. He knew he shouldn't be drinking before he took the helm, but who knew? He could be dead in 20 minutes, might as well have some fun.

Yaz turned and saw Tim with the Klingon, and the bottle. "TIM!!" Yaz shouted. "Get your ass over here, PRONTO!"

Lt. Richeson started laughing, almost dropping his bottle. "Calm down Yaz... Here have a drink!" he said with a smile and extended his arm with the Blood Wine.

Yaz knew what he was about to do was very risking, with one swift swipe he knocked the bottle out of Tim's hand and it hit of a wall, smashing and splashing.

Three Klingon's saw this and with a grunt approached Yaz, fangs showing. "You Pa'tak, that was a 2309!"

"You have no honor to drink before a battle. And no honor should you choose to hit he who hopes to save you from dying." Yaz said, no fear showing. ~And if he says today is a good day to die I will just kill myself!~

"No honor for the Trill who den's himself pleasure. FOR WE MAY ALL BE DEAD IN A HOUR!" a cheer from the Klingon's erupted on the deck. Tim stood to the side of Yaz, it was one thing to argue, but this Klingon would KILL Yaz.

But Yaz did not seem to care. "If you intend on dying, I urge you to go ahead. I assure you I will stay alive!"

With that Yaz entered the Fighter which he and Tim had been assigned to, and started to close the door, he was leaving now, with or without co-pilot.

"Whooaa calm down Buddy..." Tim said, squeezing by the closing door. "Don't get all mad. If ya gotta be pissed, lets kill some damn Jem' Hadar."

Yaz didn't acknowledge his existence. "Launching." He said, fastening the restraint belt on the pilot's seat

"Weapons, and main power online." Tim said with a sigh....

***10 minutes later***

"There they are Yaz.." Through the small view screen, the two Tactical officers could see their target.

"Approaching lead Dominion Fighter, bearing 234 mark 3!" Yaz called, as he swung the fighter into a 90 degree turn.

"Disrupters charged.." the fighter turned again, Tim and Yaz's quick hands compensated, as the Klingon fighters disrupter weapons tore it apart.

The Klingon Fighter shook violently.

"Damn, Dominion Fighter, bearing 204 mark 4, coming around to bear!" Yaz called sighting the pursuer.

"Got him. Come to course 13 mark 1. And take the engines off line, he'll fly right by us."

"Adjusting course.....disengaging" Yaz pulled power from the engines.

The Dominion fighter flew straight past above them.

"Damn!" Yaz said as he checked the sensors. "Dominion Battle Cruiser, on intercept course for our fighters." Yaz thought quickly. "Prepare an emergency beam out to these co-ordinates." He punched in the co-ordinates of a damaged Trill Fighter that had no shields.

"Ahh huh, just a second.." Tim leaned over the console entering more commands.

"TIM! We got to go now!" Yaz yelled from the transport pad.

"If this fighter is goin down, it's gonna do some damage. The auto pilots set for a collision course with that cruiser." he paused for a second, "It's not responding!"

"Forget about it!" Yaz called ovr the whine of the failing power systems. Realising his friend wasn't about to he walked back to the pilots console.

"Hold on, I took a course on how to repair alien technology at the academy." with a second of hesitation, Lt.(jg) Richeson began to repeatedly kicking the panel. "COMMON!! PIECE OF SHIT!"

Yaz began to wonder if they were going to get out of the fighter while it was still in one piece. But what ever he did, worked, the sound of the power generators coming back online was the best sound either of them had heard in a long time.

"NOW, we can go." Tim said with a annoyed tone of voice.

"Computer, begin venting plasma into the main disruptor cannon." He smiled at Tim getting on the transporter pad. "If we are gonna do some damage, we might as well make it worthwhile. Engage!"

The duo dematerialised in a blue beam, and founds themselves on a Dominion fighter, Yaz almost screamed when he found himself standing on a dead Trill.

Yaz took out a med. tricorder from a nearby storage unit. "All dead."

"Yaz, you know how to fly one of these things, right?" Tim asked looking down at the controls in confsion.

"I think I remeber." Yaz smiled slyly. "Push that button there, if you'd be so kind." He requested as he sat in the pilot's chair.

Tim did as he was asked.

"Beq to Galaxy." Yaz said, hoping that he would be heard.

"Gal....here." The reply came filled with static.

"We have control of a Trill fighter, I'm bringing us home."

"Goo....rk......pro....shut.....y....2" Yaz decided that they were being told to proceed to shuttle bay two.

"Aye, sir, Beq out."

Yaz began to turn the fighter and Tim was almost thrown to the ground. "Oh, did I tell you the inertial dampeners are offline?"

Tim pulled himself onto a passenger bench at the back of the fighter. "NO!"

"I suppose I also neglected to mention that we appear to have won the battle?" Yaz said trying to surpress his joy.

"You're kiddin?!" Tim explained.

"No, I am not." Yaz said. "Now don't get me excited until I land this thing." It was taking all of his concentration to remeber how to pilot the Trill fighter, never mind the lack of inertial dampeners and engine maneuverability."

Tim just smiled. "Too bad you smashed that bottle of blood wine!"

"What Remains can Sometimes help you"
by Lt Commander Endris Gakor
with Lt Commander Matthew Albrecht
and NPC's: Lt (jg) Angela Dana, Civilian Door
Introducing: AzarpH from the House of Mupok

Including Revisions suggested by Captain Price

*** Sick Bay ***

The final battle proved decisive and short. *Starvation! Somehow, the leaders of the Federation Alliance must have forced the Dominion and Breen to capitulate.*, the CMO thought. Patients were still crammed in. Endris momentarily wished for a Ferengi doctor. With all this business, one of those greedy little trolls might profit from healing some of the Tellarite's sick and dying comrades. By now, things were a bit more consolidated, and most of the staff had assembled back in Sick Bay. In fact, with the EMH momentarily tending patients, the Doctors and Nurses had moved to the conference room for an informal staff meeting.

Then new orders came in from the Bridge. "By the Towers of Cuisine! The Dominion retaliated against Cardassia and leveled most of the buildings on the planet!", Gakor could not help but exclaim. The rest of the medical staff turned towards their commander. Dr Lemure remarked with typical Vulcan calm "Destruction on such a scale, while fascinating, is most unfortunate."

The ACMO. Roman O'Niel, had been on board only a few hours. But the human displayed more passion in his response. Gulping to clear his throat, he retorted "I would call systematic extermination more than unfortunate. This isn't some logical mathematic equation, we're talking about lives here! Millions have died!"

D'Tara, whose Vulcan body hosted a Trill symbiont, decided to play arbiter. Calmly she asked a question to steer the staff meeting back on track. "What are our orders, Commander?"

"We are to group up with at least 2 security officers and beam down to the planet. We are to offer humanitarian aid and comfort to the population."

Doctor Zander, who Gakor had barely had a chance to meet during the free-for-all rescue the patient game just played out in Sick Bay, asked about the patients we still had aboard the Galaxy.

"We can't neglect any of our charges. Aside from the EMH, I would like to leave Doctor Bellen and Nurse Monroe behind. They have working knowledge of all routine care needed, and we may need to beam trauma cases from the surface if we can't save them with portable gear."

Gakor took a bite of the miniature buffet she had replicated for the meeting, chomping on a carrot stick while thinking of what to say next.

"We don't want to forget, people. Not too long ago, we were on opposite sides. I want all our planet side medical personnel to carry trauma kits with Cardassian markings. And also, we should pin Cardassian and Intergalactic Medical identification on our uniforms. Let's try to put the Cardassians at ease if at all possible."

"Okay. Everyone is free to transport down as soon as feasible. I will be going in the last group, since I want to check out a few things on the bridge before beaming down. Ladies and Gentlemen, you may break for your assignments.

*** CMO's Office ***

It was so unfair. Endris hadn't even had time to pack Nilani's things and bring some of her own into her new office. Perhaps she would bring the fish tank down here to give the room some personality. Already Gandalf (her new husband's cat) had proven able to bypass the feline deterrent system. Gakor caught the dexterous kitty dipping a paw towards a Sushi breakfast. Lucky for him he didn't snag Spines. (Lion fish are poisonous, after all.)

Fortunately, there was a stronger tamper seal on the room with Adam's crib. The cat could only play with the baby when an adult was there to supervise.

Gakor looked at all the paperwork. It would continue to backlog, since the flow of patients was not yet stopped. With a heavy sigh, Gakor walked out of the office, knowing she would take a few personal liberties before she left for Cardassia.

She told herself the first was in the line of duty. The Day Care did call for medical or counseling assistance, after all.

*** Day Care ***

"Adam! Mommy's here Sweety!", Endris cried out. Holding the child in her arms, she rocked him gently and gave him a bottle with enriched milk enzymes. Soon, the child was asleep in one of the facilities cribs. Before leaving, the Doctor recognized one of the counselors had indeed made it down here to calm the children. Looking up, Endris saw where the plasma conduits had broken, starting a fire that scared the children. Fortunately, the Galaxy's young were spared. It would not be the same story down on the planet.

Satisfied that Adam was in good hands, she turned his care back over to Mrs De Chance. Then the hoof-footed Doctor trotted off to the Bridge,

*** Bridge ***

The Iceman was setting in the center chair. Missing nothing, Darien turned around as he heard the now-functioning turbolift doors whoosh open.

"Doctor", Cassey started, "I thought you were going down to the planet."

"I will be soon Sir. Before I leave with my team, I would like to make a report, and then a few requests."

Endris took the next several minutes to brief the XO about the status of the Medical department and which Doctors and Nurses were being shuffled due to the new orders. Then, gathering her breath, Gakor launched into a stream of requests.

"First, I would like to know if any scans of Cardassia show what may be something close to a functional Hospital. If we can locate one and repair it, that would make a good first Humanitarian gesture to the Cardassian people."

"Our scans show less damage to the Eastern Continent, but pockets of gas obscure some of the finer resolution levels. We have seen some buildings, but can not determine what type they are from orbit until the atmosphere settles a bit."

"I see", said the Doctor tapping her foot. "Then the best approach would be to beam down to the outskirts of a populated zone, and possibly set up a temporary hospital or Med Unit."

The human Commander paused to check over the Bridge to make sure he was missing nothing. So far, no ships were making hostile moves. It would only take one or two ships that had lost communications to start a shooting spree and rekindle the war. "That seems like a reasonable plan, Doctor", he said finally.

"In order to establish a Medical Center to treat the wounded, I would like to take Commander Albrecht, Lt (jg) Angela Dana, and a Klingon pilot we healed named AzarpH. Besides, of course myself, there is one more person I would like to request. "

"Who is that, Endris?", he asked, suspecting he would not like the answer.

"Citizen Door. Surely you can see the benefit of taking a person of Cardassian heritage with us. He can advise us of local customs and possibly sooth tensions down on the planet. I believe Captain Sisco of DS9 used similar logic to persuade Garak to go with Colonel Kira Nerys."

"But Door is a Bartender. There are rumors that Garak had training from the militaristic Obsidian Order. Door has no combat skill or experience to relie on."

Both parties digested this idea, then Cassey struck upon a compromise:

"When the Captain returns from the surface, I will discuss this with him. If he feels it prudent and Door consents, then I will have him beam down to join you. The other members of your team are approved. If there is nothing else, Commander, you may be dismissed."

"Thank you Sir. I will gather my team and report to the transporter room once they are assembled", the Tellarite CMO said with a flourish, smartly clicking the heals of her regulation boots to the Turbo Lift.

*** A short time later, Cardassia Prime Outside the remains of Icarian City ***

Intellectually, Gakor knew the scale of destruction was big, but all she could see in every direction was either a pile of rubble or a smoldering ruin. A couple of buildings did limp skyward, but without adequate support, they reminded the Doctor of the Leaning Tower of Pisa she had once seen on Earth. This was the first city raised in the Dominion's reprisal over the Cardassians defection; Wejune had reported no survivors. But in a city this large, there might be a few stragling survivors burried under the chaos caused by the Jem 'Hadar.

There were a few torn corpses among the burnt-out buildings, hover cars, and fallen sheets of Transparent Aluminum, crumpled like pieces of paper. Skelletons of buildings reached up, and there were a few splintered trees and charred lawns within eyeshot. A fine mist hovered over the surface making the whole scene look eerily like a grave yard. Although on the other side of the alpha quadrant, the tableau before her could have been a still picture from Vietnam 'police action' Gakor had learned of in Federation History class.

"Over there," Matthew said pointing to a pile of fallen girders. "Faint life signs under that pile."

As to emphasize his point, he melted a small portion of the metal away with his phaser. After 6 inches were consumed, Endris saw a foot emerge. This was a slow process, but cutting or lifting any faster would be hazardous to those trapped underneath. In fact, once the debris was clear, everyone saw several beings were actually buried there. An elderly Cardassian with a slice through his jugular vein. A Jem 'Hadar warrior, with a piece of ornate wooden molding snapped through his Kytra Cell delivery tube was equally dead. A charred piece of metal displaying stress fractures, which the engineer in the group predicted were from a weapon set on overload, or a sonic grenade. Under these two was a Cardassian child of about 5 to 8 years old.

The girl was barely breathing, and leaking blood from numerous wounds. Gakor requested respiration gear be transported, Stat, even while applying a dermal regenerator and administering pain reduction medication. Methodically, the Doctor worked to save her latest patient. Once again, the odds were stacked against the Federation team...

"In Death Comes Peace"
Dr. Roman O'Neil, ACMO
NPC Security Ensign Mulich

***USS GALAXY***

Roman heard the cessation of hostilities which only meant thier battle injuried would start to come down to a trickle through Sickbay doors. There were still quite a few patients that required immediate attention.

Once the situation was under control, CMO Gakor ordered an informal staff meeting. It was the first time Roman got to see his new work mates. Before it got started, Gakor motioned him aside.

"I've looked over your service record. Since your demotion wasn't work related, and you have the most experience, being a CMO yourself, I'm promoting you to Assistant Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Don't thank me. There's no new PIP with the position and administrative duties to deal with a thousand possible patients will be taxing. Filling Nilani and Cat's shoes won't be easy but I hope you will assist me in at least attempting to."

Ryan was taken off guard. Not to long ago, he wasn't even part of the crew. Gakor had faith in his ability and he wasn't about to let her down.

"I accept, Doctor."

"Welcome aboard. Now let's join the rest of the staff; I have some unsettling news and work assignments for them."

After the meeting, Ryan was still in shock. Such a massacre on a grand scale was barbaric to say the least. Many would say the Cardassians brought it on themselves or that they were our enemy not to long ago, who cares? He did. He knew enough Cardassian physiology to be an effective physician so he WAS going to give a dam for those people.

He went over to supplies, where the medkits were being prepared and Cardassian medical symbols were being pressed on them. He was given the badges for his uniform, as required.

He glanced up to see his family coming into Sickbay. Worry etched itself across his face but he saw no visible wounds. "Are you both okay?"

"Yes. I hear the war is over." Said Angie, feeling uncomfortable with all the wounded about.

"That's when my work gets started. I will be planetside for a while treating Cardassians. Will you be okay here?"

"We've been assigned quarters but all our belongings were destroyed. Roman our wedding pictures, even Michael's baby pictures, your medals.." She was about to cry and it was more than just momentos of the past, she was releasing stress.

"Not your medals Dad." Michael had been wearing a backpack, as he sometimes did. He took it off, unzipped it and handed a small leather case emblazoned with the Starfleet emblem.

Roman opened it and there were his 2 medals, one for valor, one for courage. "What are you doing with this?"

"I was going to show Petey that my Dad was a hero." Petey had been one of the kids on the Prince of Wales.

"I got to get going." He passed the case back to Michael and gave Angie a kiss.

***CASSDAHR, CARDASSIA PRIME***

Roman beamed down with two security officers to one of the devastated cities. The horror was incredible. The dead were everywhere, you couldn' avert your eyes in any direction without seeing them.

"Think I'm going to be sick." Murmurred Ensign Mulich, a few seconds later he was.

"Hell, Mulich! So where to Doc?" Asked the security lieutenant.

Roman held up his tricorder. It was configured to scan for Cardassian vitals. "This way."

Nearby, four Cardassian voles, rat like creatures, scurried over the rubble to join dozens more that were feasting on a few of the dead. Roman ignored the sight, the lieutenant smiled while Mulich vomited.

~Darren

"Tears from Heaven"
By: Ensign Kale Danal
Security Officer

Kale got the teacher and children to the safe zone, "Ensign, one of the children are missing! Its Celina Hamilton" the teacher said is shock.

"Where did we last have her?" Kale asked.

"I don't know!" she replied.

"I'll find her, stay here" Kale said running out of the room. Walking down the corridor he looked for the little girl, "Celina?" he yelled but there was no response.

"Honey, don't be scared. I'm here to help you" Kale said moving slowly so he could hear. But still nothing but the silence, that deafing silence.

Kale then closed his eyes and opened his mind up to the faintest wisper, he could hear some very faint moaning coming from up ahead. Walking to that sound he saw a hand sticking out from under a bulkhead that had fallen, "Dear god" he said in a weak voice he knew that this was Celina.

Kale walked over and took a rod and lifted the short wall up and braced it so he could get her out, Kneeling down on his knees he rested her head on his lap.

"Medical Emergency, two to beam to sickbay" he said tapping his commbadge.

"Transporters are offline, Sir" came a reply over the com.

"Get them up now!!" Kale said looking into the little girl's eyes, what he saw made his tears well up with tears, he saw death.

"Sir, we can't get them up" the voice said. The little girl gave a weak smile, then she was gone. Kale pulled her closer to him, and rocked back and fouth with her.

"Why take the innocents, why?" he said with tears streaming down his face.

Kale couldn't say anything but that, he stood up and picked the little girl's limp body in his arms and walked over to the window. His face was illumalated by the fires and explosions coming from the ships, the Galaxy hung in space over Cardassia Prime.

"Celina, this was what it was all for, this right here. For Freedom" Kale said trying to hold back the tears.

Kale kissed the little girl on the forehead and turned and headed down the corridor, a Terran song he remember came to him.

As he walked he started to sing, "Have thy own way, Lord. Have thy own why, mold me and make me in thy own way, I'm am not the potter, I am the clay. So mold me and make me, in thy own way".

Based on STAR TREk created by Gene Roddenberry
Written by Lieutenant Suder
Engineer - USS Galaxy (of course! where else?)

"Turbolift Conrol"

The conduit was a mess. It would take some time to repair the damage done. But none of the engineers were there to repair the conduit, but the turbolifts. Suder began tapping into the conduit and was trying to reroute power to the main turbolifts.

"Blasted pains of firey flames of hell." Suder whispered with a slight smile as he thought about what had just happened. In the while that the engineers were trying to reach this conduit, they had gone through a lot. "Ensign, why don't you see what you can do with transporter system over there." Suder said pointing with a tool to another conduit near by. "Mike?" Suder asked as he heard nothing in reply. He turned around to see the Ensign coughing. The smoke must really be getting to him now. Suder knew how he felt and felt like coughing his lungs too, but he had a job to do.

"I'm fine." the Ensign of Engineering replied as he made his way to the next conduit.

"I think I've done all I can." Suder said as he tapped his communicator.

"Suder to Mecury, I done all I can, you should be able to get the main turbolifts online." he explained.

=/\= Good work Lieutenant =/\=

"Thanks." Suder replied. "Ensign, try and finish off here, spend five more minutes here and then leave no matter how far you've got, understood?" Suder asked.

"Got it, sir." Ensign McDowell replied.

"I'll be back soon, I hope." Suder said.

“Checking Things Out”
USS GALAXY
Commander Deiran Casey

Casey had chosen one of the best officers on the ship to protect the Captain and so he had every confidence that Lee would be safe planetside. His thoughts and attention then were directed to the task at hand.

He met with Gakes, the new CMO. All the doctors and medical personnel going to the surface we’re to be accompanied by two security officers.

“Casey to Sunder,” Deiran established a comm with the Sec chief.

[“Sunder here sir.”]

“Ursa, we’ve been ordered to lend medical aid to the Cardassian people and any other we can give them. The doctors and medical personnel who are beamed to the surface will have two armed security guards at their side,” Casey relayed the orders.

Casey liked Ursa, he was a good man. He didn’t see why everyone thought the man was so big though, after all Casey was just an inch shorter in heighth.

[“Commander, I don’t have that many men available with rescue operations taking place on the ship.”]

“Understood Ursa, if need be get science or counselors to get a phaser. But, Captain’s orders are that two working phasers are to be at the side of each individual doctor or nurse when they beam planetside. Just as long as med’s back is covered Ursa. We’ve lost a lot of our medical staff today, we don’t want anymore casualties on Cardassia.”

[“Aye sir, I’ll get as many security personnel as I can to accompany the medical officers to the surface.”]

“Thank you Ursa, Casey out.”

The thought stuck in his mind that one of those they lost on the medical staff was Cat. The pain and reality of that ate up Casey like a cancerous tumor. Cat was a great woman, whom he respected and admired and even loved as a friend.

“Commander, the Galaxy pilots are returning from the DujGeng,” Lucas informed from Ops.

“Casualties Lieutenant?” Casey asked, holding his breath.

“Of all the pilots from the Galaxy, we just lost one sir. Ensign Grasso sir,” Lucas said, his chair turned toward the Command chair. “Good man, may he rest in peace,” Casey said with sadness.

“Casey to Lt. Commander Casey Ti,” Casey said quick and firm.

[“Miran here Deiran,”] Miran replied over the comm.

Both of them knew what was coming. Miran didn’t sound happy and Casey’s voice was riddled with anger as he spoke. Of course he wasn’t yelling, but it was plain that his temper was in check. Everyone on the Bridge could hear it in his tone.

“Miran, I can’t leave the Bridge, could you meet me here please?” he asked in a softer tone this time, he was calming himself so she’d come.

[“Is that an order Commander?”] she asked.

“Well it all depends on if you’re willing to come on your own free will,” Casey snapped.

[“I’ll be there Deiran,”] Miran cut off the connection.

“Whoa!” Lucas muttered in a mock voice.

“Zip it Lieutenant!” Casey snapped in reply.

The Bridge knew it was not the time to challenge the First Officer.

Casey turned and looked at David Mercury. “David can you give me a damage report on the Galaxy in thirty minutes and then meet me in the Captain’s ready room?” he asked.

“Aye sir, I’ll start on it now. I’ll need to go to Main Engineering. You’ll have the report in twenty Commander,” David replied.

“Thank you David,” Casey turned when he heard the turbolift doors swoosh open.

There she was, the love of his life. She looked fine. Nothing was broken, not a scratch on her. In fact she looked happy, adrenaline rushing through her entire body from the rush she received flying the Klingon fighter with Ronni. ‘Thank God!’ he whispered as he saw her.

Miran walked down the arch and then she and Deiran went into the Ready Room.

The next battle was about to begin.

"Tagging Along"
Lt. JG Elaine O'Hare &
Commander Deiran Casey, First Officer

"Lt. There are six Starfleet officers in the group of ten. You have to find and eliminate the four opposition." The dark figure stated to Elaine.

Dressed all in black, O'Hare nodded to Casey. She had no idea who he was, or why he was with her. Elaine had observed the pips on his collar, and the Lt. came to the conclusion that she was not messing with him. O'Hare knew her place.......this time!

The older officer regarded the younger one for a moment. Inwardly, Casey hoped to what ever god he worshiped, that O'Hare could do the job set out in front of her, or they were all in trouble! They were the only personnel in the small command post that had been constructed for this special situation only a short while ago. Elaine's heart was beating rapidly, as this was her first actual away mission as far as being a member of the security department. She had received the classified information earlier in the day, and was to beam down to the planets surface at dusk.

Handing her a modified phaser rifle and a pair of night goggles, Casey also had to wonder why the fiery red head had been chosen to execute this mission. Stepping from the small command post, the pitch black of night enveloped both of them. Slipping her goggles on, the green haze revealed an ominous one story building. Sighing deeply, Elaine drained the last bit of tension from her shoulders and glanced over her shoulders as she heard the Commander state something.

"Keep your head in the game, eyes open," Casey said in a commanding tone.

Nodding, Elaine turned back around and snuck around to the side entrance of the building, pressing her bare thumb up against an access padd. Little did the opposition know, that their worse nightmare was about to walk through the little office and end their tirade right there. Stepping through the door, she immediately slid up against the wall. Inching her way down the corridor, she came to the first room. The doors hissed open as she heard a loud cry of "HELP ME!" come from inside the room. Holding her phaser upwards, she sidestepped, aimed, and took out one of the four.

"Lieutenant!!!" Elaine felt a shaking sensation on her right shoulder.

Helping the hostage clear out from the room, Elaine scanned the rest of the office, making sure the rest of her targets of destruction were not in this office where she stood.

"Lt. O'Hare!" The voice stated more firmly.

Moaning softly, Elaine raised her head and opened her eyes just wide enough..... Jumping, O'Hare's eyes shot open and her hand flew to her mouth. The same man that was in her dream, was standing before her in her own quarters!!!!

Gasping, she stumbled out of her chair and tried to stand at attention. Her eyes fluttered over to the pips on his collar and her face blushing a very bright pink. She was blushing, not only because the second in command was in her quarters but because of the way she knew she had to look. Hair dishelved, black circles around the eyes. ~Nice first impression Lainey. A HIGH up officer in your quarters, and you look like.....~ Her thought trailed off as she heard the Commander speak.

"My apologies for barging in on your sleep Lieutenant, but you did not answer the door and the computer said you were in here. I thought there might have been something wrong. I see you're just a sound sleeper," Casey smiled from ear to ear.

"Heh....yeah, I guess I am." O'Hare replied, still wide eyed at the officer standing in front of her. Straightening up her posture, Elaine brushed the long hair out of her face and flung it back over her shoulders. Inwardly, she grimaced.

Casey looked at the young woman who had been sleeping on her cheek, which made a little indent of her hand on her skin and he had to do his best to keep a straight face. She didn't look that bad it was the maroon color of her face that was causing him to want to chuckle as he looked at her. He had never met this woman, but she was one of the two active-duty pregnant women on the ship and he needed to speak with her about new policies on board the Galaxy.

"Can we go over to the living area Lieutenant? I need to speak with you. Unfortunately this is not an unofficial visit," Casey asked as he motioned to the couch and chairs with his hand.

"That's more than fine Commander." Elaine stated. Inwardly, she wondered what in the hell she did now. ~I could've waited for them to fix the panel for the door in the brig...I shouldn't have yelled....oh man!!!~

"Lieutenant, please sit. I don't want you standing if you don't need to," Casey said in respect to her 'condition.'

"Yes sir." Sitting down respectfully.

Casey smiled and watched as Elaine sat down. "I was looking over the Security reports of the battle. You had been on duty for two straight shifts Elaine and that's not going to happen again. For your own health and safety, battle or no battle. You and Lt. Arisa are no longer able to pull double shifts. Also there will be an officer available at all times while your on duty that will take your place if you need to rest for awhile. I'm not going to take you off duty until your third trimester."

Casey could see the sentiment in Elaine's eyes. She didn't like this.

"I have okayed this with medical Elaine. They agree that you and Jordan should not overextend yourselves. This is for your own good. Lt. Commander Sunder is also aware of this and will be complying with this regulation."

Elaine looked up at the commander and tried not to let the little slip of O'Hare redness flush to her cheeks. ~What is it with men being so worried about my condition? Good grief! First Neil, then him.~

"Sir, if I might be so bold. I'm in excellent health!! I'm a security officer, I look foward to skirmishes and fights!" Sighing outwardly, she slumped her shoulders and contained her thoughts. This wasn't fair!

"I've looked over your medical report Elaine, I know your in good shape. But, I'm doing this for your own good. Trust me, you'll feel better if you don't tax yourself. Jordan's in the same boat, so I'm not picking on you. I just want that baby to be healthy when he's introduced into the world, understood?" Casey replied.

"Yes Sir. Understood."

"Good, good Lieutenant. I'll leave you to your beauty sleep," he said and stood up from the lounge chair and walked out of O'Hare's quarters. He couldn't help but let out a snicker as he walked down the corridor to the turbolift. "Poor girl," he said, boarding the lift and he made his way to the Bridge.

OOC: This is set before the Galaxy is in orbit around Cardassia Prime and after Commander Casey's post. "This is not a good situation"

"In space all warriors are cold warriors."
By Lieutenant JG Jordan Arisa
Chief Helmsman

“This is not a good situation,” Casey muttered.

Jordan smiled inwardly, the battle was unbelievable. Decimation filled the viewscreen of both Dominion and Alliance ships alike. Hulls smoked and escape pods flew away, with Klingon fighters darting about. She reached up with a free hand and wiped the sweat from her brow. When was it going to end.

"We just lost the Volga!" Hunter shouted over the fray of the bridge. Jordan saw a large explosion off their port side and said a silent prayer for the crew.

"Gods." Jordan sucked in her breath as she saw a Klingon fighter narrowly miss a disruptor from a Breen ship. Whoever was in there was one hell of a pilot.

A Dominion ship swung at them wildly, her hull almost appeared to be alight from the explosions. Jordan almost slammed her hand into the console as she swung the Galaxy out of the way. She gulped as she felt her own stomach deny her.

"Cardassia Prima looks a little worse for wear." Jordan noticed as the planet began to come into focus in the background of the battle.

"That she does 'mate." Captain Price agreed.

"Starboard bow, Breen cruiser mark 070!" Casey shouted at Jordan.

The young Lieutenant tapped at her console madly attempting to move the ship out of the way. "We're too close!" she cursed as she saw the ship rapidly approaching on her console. "Wait, I have an idea." she said with a glint in her eye. "Taking stabilisers off-line!" Everyone felt their stomachs lurch as she did so. "Okay, taking her into a barrel roll ... now!"

Suddenly all the stars on the viewscreen began to turn as the Galaxy rolled sideways. Momentarily the other ships appeared to be upside down on the viewscreen, evoking a few gasps from the junior bridge crew. Quickly the Galaxy came out of the roll and straight into a quarter impulse.

"Restoring stabilisers!" Jordan said, inwardly apologising to her unborn children for the interesting ride. "I always wanted to try that." she said sarcastically as Hunter fired once again.

"One barrel roll a day!" an unfamiliar voice said.

"Who was it that said in space all warriors are cold warriors?" Jordan asked, clenching her teeth as the Galaxy was hit by Dominion fire.

"General Chang before Gorkon's assassination." Casey replied, somewhat surprised by her change of subject, considering they were still in a battle.

"He obviously wasn't envisioning this battle, because this is pretty damn hot!"

--
Camilla Claudia Pretlove

A warriors last moments
Jason Kinkade, Operations Officer

*************************** USS Columbia, Bridge**********************

Jason sat at the Mission Ops console looking up at the view screen. The Columbia was taking a lot of damage and wouldn't last much longer. Jason quietly brings up the fleets status report. They were loosing a lot of Starships, hopefully they would not dye in vain.

The old Constitution Class vessel lurched forward as it`s shields take a bad hit. The Captain stood up and walked over to the Tactical Station. He spent a few moments conversing with the Chief Tactical Officer before moving to the Helm Console. He quitely gave the Helm Officer a few orders. The ship began to move right for the bulk of the Dominion Fleet. The Columbia was jolted by Dominion and Breen weapons. A console near Jason blew into a million different pieces sending the Officer Attending to it hurtling to the floor.

Within only a manner of minuets the shields of the Columbia go offline and the Columbia was sent flying when it was hit by a Dominion torpedo. It stopped a little ways from were the fighting was going on. Damage report come in from all around the ship. It`s not good; many of the Life Boats were destroyed, the Integrity Fields were failing and life support was offline.

"Captain I would advise that we abandon ship as soon as possible" the Vulcan CSO told the Captain.

" I completly agree with the Lt., Captain" came a reply from the XO.

" We do not abandon ship, we stay with her until the fights over, and that is an order". The Captain said firmly.

" Captain that`s suicide there is no way we`ll even survive another five minuets... at least let the Junior Officers try to get off the ship". The XO said calmly.

" Fine" the Captain moved over to the COMM System and turned it on" All Junior officers get to any life boat thats left. All Senior Staff WILL stay onboard and try to get this ship running again".

Jason and the several other Junior Officers on the Bridge go to the turbolift and head for the Life Boats.

**** Deck Three***

It was made confusion on the deck. Officers were trying to get on any Life Boat available and there was only a few left. Jason ran to the end of the deck were the last Life boats were. He makes a leap into one just as the the hatch closes and the pod is launched into space. The few junior officers in the pod looked out the Boats window to see explosion ripping thru the Columbia and a few more Life Pods were launched. There was no Hope for the 200 people left onboard there was only enough room for 100 of them to get off and more than half of those were to be destroyed by Dominion fighters that were circling the Ship like vultures.

****** An Hour or so later*****

Jason lays on a BioBed as a young nurse runs a Medical Tricorder over him. He had just been informed that he and the rest of the Officers rescued by the Galaxy were to become members of it`s crew for the time being. Jason was happy about the new assignment. He couldn't wait for his first shift on the Bridge.

" All done Mister Kinkade, I would suggest that you go and get settled into your New Quarters".

" I think I`ll take that advice, do you happen to know were my new quarters are".

The nurse handed him a PADD with all the information he would need on it. Jason made his way thru sickbay and to the Turbolift.

" Deck 3." The Turbolift slowly moved up to Deck three and then the doors opened. Jason then goes to his new quarters and looks around. there was a computer Console, Desk, replicator, bed, and a closet filled with new Uniforms. He sat down at his desk a thinks for a moment of all the lives that had been lost in Battle and the innocent Cardassians that were slaughtered by the Jem`Hadar. He sheds a tear for the 200 Officers that he served with on the Columbia that didn't survive. The Columbia had been an old warrior who died in Battle Like a Good warrior should.

"Jus ad Bellum, Jus in Bello."
By Lieutenant JG Jordan Arisa
Chief Helmsman
With a brief unauthorised appearance by Lt. Sullax.

Death. Destruction and the putrid stench of war orbited beneath the Galaxy. The Dominion had proven that they had no morals or any sense of honour. Jordan thought back to her 20th century history course. It was ironic how history replayed itself again and again in different scenarios. Four hundred years ago Adolf Hitler had signed a pact with the Soviet Union, only to turn on it and ravage her country. Now, the Dominion had become allies with the Cardassians, only to turn on her and ravage her planet.

"La guerre est toujours un Enfer." she whispered in the native tongue of her grandmother as she gazed at Cardassia Prime.

"I can't believe they did this." Ensign Yin said over Jordan's shoulder as she handed her a padd.

"Thanks." Jordan said, taking the padd. "I know, what bastards the Dominion are. They've massacred God knows how many people, just because they turned from them. It chills my heart to think that there are children down there, right now, sitting in their homes with their parents, grandparents bodies lying outside." she said bitterly, curling her lip.

"Bastards." Yin agreed then turned away.

Jordan tapped at her consoles and set the computer to autopilot. She swivelled her chair around and got up gingerly, with one hand holding onto the back and the other on her belly. Nearly six months pregnant, she thanked God that her children wouldn't be born in the middle of a war.

She waved a concerned yeoman off as she walked over to the science consoles and began scanning the displays.

"Anything I can help you with?" Sullax asked from behind her.

"Yes actually, I was wondering if there was a death count yet?" she asked, still looking.

"Not yet, nobody's really been able to make an accurate estimate." Jordan nodded, biting her lip.

"Okay, thanks." she turned to return to the helm then looked back at Sullax. "Let me know when there is one." Sullax nodded and Jordan smiled in return.

"Jordan, shift's over." Commander Casey said from his chair, Jordan was about to protest, but thought better of it, she wasn't about to engage in an argument with the XO. "Mr. Wolcott can take it from here."

She sighed audibly. "Aye sir." she looked pathetically at the helm then was reminded of her poor, swollen ankles and decided that it would probably be nice to get off them and into a nice warm bath. However, she felt somewhat guilty, to be able to enjoy such pleasure while people were suffering below.

"Deck 12." she ordered as she entered the turbolift and opened her turtleneck at the collar some more. She had barely seen David these past few days, she sorely missed his presence. He was the most wonderful man she had ever met and she loved him with all her heart and soul.

Suddenly, something occurred to her as she exited the turbolift and headed towards their quarters.

"Computer record message and send to all helmsman on the Galaxy."

"Acknowledged."

"Please report to the flight control office at 0700 tomorrow morning for a department meeting. Lieutenant Arisa."

Jordan yawned as she entered their quarters and was not surprised to find it empty. David was unbelievably hardworking. Time for a quick bath and a nap before the two of them could have dinner together.

--
Camilla Claudia Pretlove

"Friends? Yeah, right!"
by Lt. Shtik and
Lt. JG Elaine O'Hare

O'Hare stretched as she yawned. Opening her eyes, she came to the realization that she had slept for quite a while after her little "visit" with Commander Casey. Smirking, Elaine recalled how she was going to have an "escort" to pal around with until her third trimester. She had NO idea what she was going to do with herself in three more months when she was officially to be off duty. ~Geez, that's gonna bite the big one.~ O'Hare thought to herself.

"Well, I'm sure Casey at least got a snicker from my appearance, and it is good to make the higher up officers laugh...I think." Getting dressed in her uniform, she glanced down at her abdomen. Just two more short months and Elaine would start to show and also, be able to feel movement of her and Neil's baby. O'Hare thought about Neil for a long moment, wondering what he was doing and how he was fairing. She had left a message for him stating that she loved him and missed him, and so did thier baby. Smiling softly, she spoke.

"Computer, locate Lt. Shtik."

"Lt. Shtik is in his quarters"

Taking a deep breath and expelling it, Elaine stated quietly to herself. "Okay, let's do this O'Hare." Traveling the route she did a few months earlier, Elaine was calmer this time. Knowing that she was going on her own accord, not an order from a department. Weaving her way through the corridors, she stopped and rang the chime at Lt. Shtik's quarters. She waited for the reply.

Shtik felt like he had spent his entire tour of duty cleaning his quarters. The damage from the battle for Cardassia had disrupted the cleaning from the mess made by the fight with the Romulans which had made a shambles of the organization done after Shtik's night with T'Zaq. But the end was finally in sight.

He made a final adjustment to his poster of Buster Keaton before responding to the door chime. He was startled to find Lt. jg. Elaine O'Hare. He quickly glanced behind him at his freshly cleaned spotless quarters. They would undoubtedly be wrecked again beyond recognition in a matter of moments. He steeled himself for the inevitable onslaught.

"Lieutenant, how may I be of service?" he offered.

"I was hoping we could talk. May I come in?" O'Hare glanced into the quarters with apprehension. The memories were still there. She turned away from the room and locked eyes with the vulcan trying to see past the cold unemotional façade.

"By all means." Shtik stepped aside to allow her entry.

"Thank you." Elaine walked cautiously into the room, her eyes avoiding anything other than Shtik's gaze. Wringing her hands, she spoke once more. "Uh, I'm here because I wanted to apologize for my actions in the brig and to let you know that I'm ready to forget the incident. You already have, er... I mean, you don't remember it. Shall we start off with a clean slate?" Extending her hand, she still kept her eyes on Shtik, hoping that he'd shake it. She braced herself for the feeling of him taking her hand.

He looked at the extended hand for a moment. Physical touch was considered taboo in his culture. He hoped she would not be offended.

"I am vulcan. An apology is not necessary."

Drawing back her hand, she recalled that touch was considered not something to mess with lightly when it came to Vulcans. Nodding her head she stated once more.

"Lost my train of thought there for a moment Lt. Shtik." Her face was void of expression as she studied him for a moment. The deviously thinking O'Hare was once again thinking about seeing if she could stir the pot when it came to Lt. Shtik. Something about Vulcans fascinated her. Possibly because their race was so completely different that O'Hare's personality. Still keeping Shtik's gaze, she waited for him to start up a conversation. After a long, awkward silence, he took the bait.

"I do appreciate your suggestion for a 'clean slate'. I have found the tension surrounding our relationship somewhat uncomfortable." Shtik's robes swayed around his legs as he began to circle the quarters. "I am willing to take whatever measures are necessary to remedy the situation."

"Yes, well, tension as you put it, would be an understatement. Lieutenant, may I ask a question? Do you wear anything other than robes and uniforms?" Elaine asked with curiosity.

"I have been known to wear environmental suits when the situation requires it." Shtik's eyebrow rose, "Was there anything in particular you were wishing for to me wearing?"

O'Hare shook her head in disbelief. "Uh.... No. Just wondered, that's all. Has anyone told you ALL the details of our little altercation?" Elaine raised both her eyebrows and kept a tight rein on her lips.

"Not specifically. I understand you were in my quarters when some of my baser instincts overtook my actions. I have not pursued the issue further. It is not a time period of which I am particularly proud of."

"Yes, well, speaking plainly Lt. I wouldn't be proud of it either. But, we must put the past behind us and concentrate on the future." Glancing down at her abdomen, she took her hand and rubbed her stomach. "Isn't that so Lieutenant?"

"I concur." Shtik picked up a small ceremonial gong to replace on his meditation podium. "And what do you foresee for the future?"

"Oh, family quarters, quiet evenings with the child. You know that sort of thing." O'Hare stated, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh? I did not realize you had a family, Lieutenant." Shtik placed the gong, carefully aligning it.

"Yes, not born yet. But soon." Elaine closed her eyes, controlling her building laughter. She was looking forward to this greatly.

"Oh, I see. So you do not yet have a child. But you are preg..." The quarters rang with a loud chime as the gong was knocked to the floor. Its base shattered across the freshly cleaned floor. Shtik spun to face O'Hare. "You are with child?" he exclaimed.

"Yes. Very much so." Elaine stated plainly, looking right at him. Shtik's vulcan mind raced, although there was no where else for it to go. The logic of her appearance at this time was now obvious. He stood straight and looked at her directly.

"I understand. I am willing to take responsibility for our offspring in whatever form you deem necessary."

"Well. I believe that we need to first clear up the little matter of paternity in this issue Lt. Shtik. Logic has it that it's not your child. It's Lt. jg Neil Boltiho's. I just pulled, what us Terrans call, a fast one." Elaine smiled widely.

"I see. Did Lt. Bolitho also assault you?"

Elaine's face contorted into a humungous smile. Laughing uncontrollably, she was able to spit out the words in-between fits. "Hell no Shtik! We are involved in a relationship!"

Slowly Shtik began to comprehend the situation. He remembered his recent meeting with T'Zaq and Jensen. Their good-natured teasing was meant as an overture to friendship, obviously Elaine O'Hare was now engaged in the same practice. Although he didn't join her laughter, he did nod in acknowledgement.

"I understand. Well done, Lieutenant."

Still snickering, O'Hare nodded. "Thank you Lieutenant. I feel better now. So, would you like to set something up where we could get together and talk about nothing inparticular? I know that likely sounds very illogical to you, but, it's a way to develop a friendship."

"That would be most agreeable. Please choose a time and location."

Elaine sighed. "Ten-Forward. 18:00 hours. Two days from now. How's that?"

"Agreed. I look forward to a more pleasant relationship." Shtik walked up to O'Hare. "And Lieutenant," he extended his hand for a terran handshake, "Congratulations to you and Lt. Bolitho."

Nodding her head gracefully, she shook his hand and spoke. "Thank you Lieutenant. Until Ten-Forward then." Turning on her heel, she exited Lt. Shtik's quarters.

"Waking Up"
by, Lt. Raesene Hermedhie

For the second time in his stay on board the Galaxy, Raesene found himself coming out of unconsciousness in Main SickBay. This time, he did not wake up to the most friendly of faces. Instead of the familiar Bajoran CMO, he saw a strange, frowning officer.

"So, you're awake. Do you know how much trouble you caused us?"

Raesene shook his head, winced, and said, "No. Though I have the bad feeling you will be telling me."

The man snorted. "Quite so. You hovered at the point of death for several hours. In fact, I do not even know how you survived. None of my ministrations seemed to work."

Raesene smiled slightly at that. "It was my Lord who saved me." Then seemingly troubled, he asked, "Is Dierdren around?"

"Yes, I'm here. How do you feel?" came her soothing voice.

"Slightly queasy. And confused. So, when am I allowed to leave?"

"Not for at least another day. Now you need to get some rest." Then, the good Doctor applied a hypospray to Raesene's neck, and he passed into unconsciousness.

"Soul Suvivor"
By: Ensign Kale Danal
Security Officer

Kale carried the girl to the morgue, it was the longest walk he ever had to do. To much was lost in this war, more then anyone could ever had even thought of.

Looking at the little girl one last time, he wanted to remember the ramifications of war and this was one of them. Kale closed his eyes and turned on his heels, straightening his back he walked out.

Walking back to the teacher he called her over away from the children, "I found Celina, I'm sorry she didn't make" he said lowering his head. The teacher stood there in shock, "Oh my god, oh my. what do I do now?" she asked starting to shake.

"First you don't cry, these kids need to feel like some one is in control at all times. That means you, then you contact the Celina's parents and tell them" Kale said.

"I can't, I'll ask one of the counselors to do that" she replied. "Okay, well I've got other duties to perform" Kale said turning and walking away.

"Ensign, thanks" the teacher said but Kale didn't turn.

Thank god that they finally got the lifts working, entering the lift he backed up against the wall.

"Deck 38" he said.

Kale's face was black from smoke and tear stained, with beads of sweat running down his forehead and back of his neck.

Walking out from the lift he walked down the corridor, walking into the main security office he sat down in an empty chair. Kale senses started to dull, he knew that Sunder was coming he could pick that up. Standing up as Sunder walked in, "Commander, Ensign Kale Danal reporting in" he said.

"Sympathy?"
By Lt(jg)'s O'Connell and Bolitho

The ship stood down, Tim headed off he got some sympathetic looks but quite frankly didn't care right now. He had too much on his mind and it showed. He was heading down when he ran in to Neil, he looked over at his friend, "what do you want Neil?" Tim asked

Neil looked at his friend, "have you seen Elaine?" he asked concerned

Tim's irritation showed, he didn't mean for it but all the emotions he had possessed came out fast and unfortunately not in the way he had intended, "no Neil I didn't keep track of your girlfriend, she's probably at her post. Honestly I don't give a rats ass anyway."

Bolitho slightly surprised at the snapped answer, looked a little closer at his friend, and silently wondered if the recent battle with all the causalities had shook him up a little to much!

"Tim are you ok?" Asked Bolitho concerned at the way his friend was reacting.

Tim looked at Neil a little ashamed at what he just said. "no, I'm not ok, There was a bombing at the embassy..." He had to pause before he could speak. "There were some casualties."

Neil looked a little confused at Tim, " Bombing at the Embassy? Casualties?..... Oh sh%& ......Eshar!" Neil's eyes went wide. "Tim .... Eshar is she........" The look in Tim O 'Connells eyes said it all. " Damn !" Yelled Bolitho not knowing quite what else to say or to do!

Tim looked at Neil's stricken face, "it's true, she was clearing a school when the bomb went off, she got the kids out." Tim looked away quickly to get control of his feelings.

Bolitho stood for a moment staring at his friends backs it was just a short time ago that they got married. Bolitho thought for a moment of the bright bubbly person that had been Eshar.

" Tim I don't know what to say... I'm sorry I really am, it should never be this way!" Neil trailed off still speaking to Tim's back and briefly thought about his situation with Elaine. "Tim, Eshar is now in Sto-Vo Kar along with the honoured dead!"

Tim spun around at that last comment and approached Neil, he grabbed his arm and hissed, "they can't have her, I'm not ready yet... as far as I'm concerned you can go tell the honoured dead to piss off, She's my wife I'll say when she can go NOT them... So next time you want to console me please spare me the Klingon honoured dead bullshit, because as far as I'm concerned honoured or not she's still dead. Would it make you happier with Elaine if when she dies someone tells you she's among the honoured dead." His eyes were blazing and he was so close to actually hitting Neil. "It wouldn't so it won' t help me."

" Tim your angry, I can't even begin to imagine what your going through at the moment, I'm sorry I didn't mean to imply any disrespect! I just...." Neil shook his arm free, " Have you spoken to anyone?"

Tim looked at Neil, "only Jii, I don't have time to deal with this right now, we have a duty to perform, I'll deal with it later... probably take a lost day or 2 get stuff sorted out... but for now we have a war to win a victory and some bloodwine," He grinned not quite a normal grin ut a flash of the old Tim, "I think I have that bottle I won off Martok, we'll split it over the body of a founder, " He got serious again, "I want you to come with me to Trill, bring your bat leth, we're going hunting."

Neil looked sharply at Tim, before replying " Forget it pal, thats not going to happen! As for the loss of Eshar you will deal with it and deal with it now! Or I will carry you myself down to Karyn's office!"

Tim glared at Neil and thought up a reply to his refusal to help in his vendetta but he realise Neil was right, he's not a murderer no matter what he wants, "I'll make an appointment for later, right now we are going down to Cardassia prime, I don't have time to deal with it." He put his hand on Neil's shoulder "and forget that whole hunting thing, we're not doing that."

"Im relieved to hear that Tim, I really am" Smiled Neil showing his relief. " Look you know you need to speak to Karyn, the sooner the better! So please as soon as this....is over go see her, ok?"

"Promise me, you'll do that?" Asked Neil persistently

Tim smiled, knowing Neil would not let up until he agreed, "Ok ok I'll make the appointment." he said, "or maybe I'll go see one of the many counsellors in security" he said with a grin.

Neil considered that Tim was making jokes to put him merely at ease, "Tim!" Said Neil deadly serious. " I'm not joking I'll go straight to Sunder and Albrecht and have you relieved of duty if you haven't made an appointment by this evening understand!"

Tim looked at Neil harshly, "you wouldn't dare" He saw the resolve in Neil's eyes and realised he would, "Fine I'll make an appointment, counsellors don't do shit anyway but if it will make you happy I'll go engage in some sort of inner child bullshit." Tim sighed, "it won't help, none of the counsellors on this ship are married, they wouldn't understand."

" Good! " Smiled Neil feeling that he beat up a little on his best friend , but he knew he had to get Tim to let out the pain and the anger that he was feeling!

"I've gotta go ....Anna,just commed me about an away mission down to the planets surface, ...I'll catch up with you later Tim...." Bolitho turned half hesitantly wondering if he should leave O'Connell all alone. Tim waved him on with a wry grin that soon faded the moment Neil was out of site...

"Enemy Mind"
by Lt. Commander Thomas

** USS Galaxy **

"'Chris, get yourself and the Captain a phaser and accompany him to the planet surface. I know he'll return safely if you go with him. . . you are almost as good at combat as I am." Casey smiled.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas turned in his chair and gave a nod. "Yes sir." he stated evenly.

"Well then, let's go 'mate. Before we know it the place is likely to be swarming with Federation officers anyway."

"After you Captain." Chris gestured as the two officers exited the bridge together.

** Planet's Surface **

Captain Price and lt. Commander Thomas had beamed down the planet's surface to see for themselves the damage. The damage to the planet was huge and the loss of lives enormous, but this wasn't the result of the Federation and its allies. The damage had been caused by Gem'Hadar and Breen ground troops who were most likely under orders to eradicate the entire Cardassian population on the planet for penance of betraying the Dominion or defying them. They'd spend decades rebuilding their homeworld for their decision to join the Dominion and then later to seek their freedom from them.

There would be those that would blame the Cardassians for ever and say they got what they deserved for betraying the Alpha Quadarnt. The feelings for some would never end, and everyone would probably hold some grudge against the Cardassian's for a while. These feelings would certainly also be reversed in the Cardassain's as they'd blame the Federation for their loss and always ask if they'd only folded, none of this would've happened.'

Chris couldn't speak for everyone in each of the players in this bloody war, but he could guess as to what would happen through out the alpha quadrant. The first thing that each culture, with the expectation of the Cardassians and Breen. Would be to begin repairing and building a new fleet of ships for the future, the Borg were still out there. This of course would be an ongoing process, but another top priority that would have the full focus would be Earth, which had been attacked by the enemy and damaged several sections.

On Earth they would soon begin rebuilding and installing new planetary defenses, which also would occur across the length of the Federation. Every planet sooner or later would receive upgrades to their defense systems, in hopes if they need be used they'd be more effective.

The Federation had already started to work up plans to rebuild and feed the Carddassians that were left on the planet, which wasn't many. This would take much longer to even start rebuilding, and it wouldn't be easy. The Galaxy had been assigned to assistant in providing food and treating the injured, they would also be involved in search and rescue if needed.

Cardassian prime was going to be barely liveable for a while. They would need help from the remaining colonies in the Cardassian system. He could only imagine the daunting task that would face the other relief crews and workers that would arrive and remain long after the galaxy had left. He figured that the Galaxy would likely remain in orbit and aide with the situation for a few weeks. Eventually the Galaxy would have to be reassigned to resume patrolling other parts of the Federation or investigating the happenings at different sites. Everyone in the Federation was going to busy, there would be very little time for shoreleave granted to any ship or personal in Starfleet for the next several months as the repairs to everything started getting underway.

Chris continued to walk next to the captain as they strolled around the area looking at the damage. He was taking notes on a padd when they stopped about what kind of items would be needed to help begin the repair process and treating the injured. He was also keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble that might decide to pay them a visit. He was a trained warrior and a skilled officer, he could do multiple things at once, without jeopardizing any situation. He was also just taking down some notes, which were being relayed automatically to the operations officer.

The captain would soon decide to depart from this scene and return to the safety of the Galaxy, at which time Commander Casey would likely transport down to the surface to help lead the mission.

Chris was taking notes, and watching for something, when he got this feeling something was going to happen soon. However nothing on the triode showed anyone being around them for several yards, actually longer than that. He just had this sudden wave of fear or worry that his past was about ready to become the present. Perhaps it was just being here on Cardassian Prime as a Starfleet officer and not working undercover on some secret mission. While he'd never been to Cardassian Prime in the physical sense, this wasn't too far off from being on the homeworld of others he'd lived with, while in Starfleet Intelligence.

He looked at his padd and saw something peculiar that wasn't suppose to be there, a message: "Time's Up." was all the message said, then it was gone without a trace of ever being there. He quickly closed his eyes for a moment, relying upon his hearing and other senses to watch for trouble. When he opened them the padd was back to normal and everything around him seemed to have settled down. He now longer had the same sensation he'd experienced only moments ago.

"Captain I believe we need to talk soon about my past and my future with Starfleet." Lt. Commander Thomas said out of the blue to the captain. He'd been so quiet for the past several minutes that it surprised the captain to hear him say something.

"Very well mate, when we get back to the ship and things are underway then we can talk." Captain Price responded to the 'commander.

Chris nodded, "That will be fine, it'll give me time to work on getting this information to everyone who will be on the surface soon. They should be prepared for anything that might happen over the course of our stay here at Cardassian Prime."

"Good job 'Commander." Captain Price said as he continued to look around.

They resumed their silent surveying of the damage that had befallen the planet. Chris would be happy to be back onboard the ship and working on some additional computer security measures he'd just thought about today.

** Elsewhere in the Federation **

"Gentleman we have a new problem." speaker 1.

"Oh don't we always have new problems, first the Kingons and the Romulans, then the Borg, then came the Dominion and we still have to worry about a return visit by the Borg. Life around here is never dull and its always loaded with problems." Officer 2.

"Yes well this particular problem has a name and could be a threat to our operations. Someone has broken into our com traffic recently and started deciphering the codes and algorithms used to protect the encrypted message. We're lucky we even managed to catch this happening, but we don't know who's responsible. The only thing we know is that its happened and the information may or may not have yet reached Lt. Commander Thomas by now." speaker 1.

"This Commander Tomas is always one of subjects of discussion." speaker 2.

"It's Thomas and yes he is a major distraction that seems to take up more and more of our free time these days. We really should deal with the problem now and get it over with, and the war offers the prefect chance to deal with him now." officer 2.

"That is why I called you today, because it's now apparent we can't allow him to remain a lose cannon to our operation. He either must be brought into the fold and join us, or he must be eliminated for good so he can cause no more problems." speaker 1.

"Good then let's get started on working out the plans to deal with him today." officer 1.

Christopher Patton
ICQ # 11497863

"Scar Tissue"
Ensign Darian McGee
Medical Doctor

***Sicbay - USS Galaxy***

Smoke filled the room, though it had dissipated some. The Galaxy was not presently engaging any ships, but every officer on the ship knew that they would be soon enough.

For Ensign Darian McGee, the time between the fighting didn't seem like a break at all. People were jam packed into Sickbay, some injured, some helping friends to the attention of the Medical officers.

Darian was presently working on a young Science officer. She was on her way to her station when the wall on Deck 18 had exploded and she was caught in the blast. Her left leg was useless, her face and arms were badly burned, they were charred and bloody. Darian gave her a hypo full of pain killers, then started working on her.

Nurse Opel gave a hand.

"We're losing her," Darian said, injecting her with another hypo.

Nurse Opel gave a nod to the readings. "Vital signs are stabilizing a bit, the bleeding is slowing down, you just bought her some time."

"Let's just hope it's enough," Darian returned. He picked up a tricorder, and ran it over her lower stomach. Her appendix was ruptured, and she had kidney failure.

He grabbed a laser, and started repairing the damage to her kidney. When that was done, he worked on her appendix. It was too far gone.

"We're gonna have to remove her appendix."

Nurse Opel handed him the instruments. "On three... 3...2...1..."

He locked onto her appendix, and beamed it into a container. Nurse Opel took the container, and put it in a storage unit. Darian checked her readings. She would be just fine. Later on her scar tissue would heal, and she would be good as new. But for now, he had other patients to attend to. And so he moved on to the next patient waiting to be seen.

"With damning eyes"
by Captain Robert Edward Lee Price

*** Planet side, Cardassia Prime ***

Captain Price and Lieutenant Commander Thomas walked quietly through the rubble that lined the city streets of Cardassia. From the looks of things, it appeared that someone, the Dominion, or possibly the Breen, had sent a group of hover tanks down the main boulevard and had systematically blasted all of the buildings they came across. Lee remembered seeing pictures and holo images of Cardassia. They are a people that take great pride in their art, their history and their culture. To see what had become of the once glorious buildings was very saddening.

As the two men walked carefully through the fallen chunks of concrete and marble, Thomas was careful to use his tricorder to continually scan up ahead. There were intermittent life signs scattered about. But nothing to be overly worried about. Occasionally they'd catch a glimpse of a Cardassian walking around in a stunned daze. The gray skinned people were still proud, but they were also broken. The result of suffering the ultimate defeat. Captain Price felt it too. It could be seen in their eyes. A burning and increasing sense of loathing and hatred. Hatred for having been beaten by the Federation. Hatred that all that they once were had been destroyed by the Dominion. Everywhere they went, though they remained somber and silent as they observed the devastation, the Cardassians would glare at them with damning eyes. Lee knew the Galaxy's assignment to help these people, their former enemy in the Dominion war, was not going to be easy on anyone involved.

*** USS Galaxy ***

The war was officially over. Miran was safely back on board the Galaxy, and the First Officer had never been so busy in his recent career. Starfleet, seeing how well the Galaxy had faired the final conflict in the Dominion war, had begun sending the surviving officers from around the ship to be temporarily stationed there. With a normal capacity of over a thousand crew members, and an emergency capacity far greater, the Galaxy was turning into a regular Hilton in the sky. Not that they couldn't use the extra help. Sorting things out on the planet and getting the Cardassians back to a level of self sufficiency was certainly going to take some time to accomplish. Right now however, Deiran was just doing his best to handle the hundreds of transfer orders that were coming in. It was only his keen eye that happened to spot the odd order out of the latest cluster.

"Computer halt." He ordered while sitting in the Captain's ready room. "Scroll back a page."

An acknowledgment tone from the computer reversed the long listing the required amount. Deiran traced the order with his finger in disbelief as he activated a communication channel. "Mac, get me the Captain please."

["Aye Commander"] came Hunters response over the channel. A short time later he returned, ["I have the Captain sir. Go ahead."]

"You are enjoying your walkabout I trust Captain?" Deiran asked.

["It's quite a site 'mate. Not exactly the Disney planet, but unforgettable none the less. What can I do for you Commander?"] Captain Price replied over the comm link.

"Captain, I've spotted an odd order with the last batch of transfer requests from Starfleet Command. They have been coming in by the hundreds." Deiran explained.

["Aye. Admiral Brand said Starfleet would be sending us a lot of the survivors from throughout the fleet. We do 'ave one of the largest capacity starships in regards to personnel Commander."] Captain Price explained sounding like this was routine.

"But that's just it sir. Of the hundreds of transfer requests I've gotten in the last two hours, they have all been for people coming to the Galaxy. This one is sending an officer away sir."

A noticeable pause took place before the Captain replied. ["Who is the order for Commander?"]

Deiran's eyebrows raised slightly as he read the name that was now highlighted on his view screen, "Lieutenant Commander Chris Thomas sir." Casey listened to another pause and could make out over the channel as the Captain turned to 'Commander Thomas.

["...Did you put in for a transfer 'mate?"]

["... No sir. I know nothing about this Captain."] was Chris' reply to the Captain's query that Commander Casey could just make out over the open channel.

["Where is the Mister Thomas being transferred to 'mate?"] Lee asked.

"It says here he's to report to the USS Aurora. Captain Joesph Rema in command. There are no other details." Deiran explained.

After another pause, the Captain responded, ["This has got to be some sort of a mistake 'mate. The 'Commander didn't ask for a transfer, and I've just lost several members of my senior staff in this last battle. Have the transporter room lock on to us and beam us back up to the ship Commander. I want to find out what's going on here."] Lee ordered.

"I'll do that Captain. I'll be waiting for you in your ready room. In the mean time, I'll try to track down where these transfer orders originated from sir... this order doesn't seem to state that." Commander Casey elaborated.

["Fair dinkum. We will be standing by for transport. See you in a few minutes 'mate. Price out."]

Deiran thumbed the communication channel to close it, then rocked it open again, "Transporter room, lock onto Captain Price and Lieutenant Commander Thomas and beam them back up to the ship."

Transporter Chief Jensen responded, ["Will do sir."]

Deiran closed the channel and then rocked back in his chair before figuring out how to track down who sent the transfer orders for Lieutenant Commander Thomas.

YOUR A FRIEND OF MINE
Lt.jg.Mohammed Uhura
Operations
USS Galaxy

It had been a very eventful few days not for just the Federation/Klingon/Romulan and now Cardassian alliance's war against the Dominion and the Breen and the Galaxy but for Mohammed as well. Since Dr. Bellen informed him of T'Shonra's admission to sickbay he had been spending time there with her. She was not doing well at all. She had lapsed into a coma and the irony was not lost on him on how simliar it was to his situation when he was injured. He stayed with her talking about, of all things, logic and science. When he wasn't with her he was doing his part in Ops while the Galaxy and the Federation continued pressing the fight to the Dominion and the Breen. He also was able to keep in contact with his family and especially his wife, Tashi, which was a great improvement from pervious weeks when he couldn't bring himself to speak to her. He was still feeling guilty over what had happened between himself and T'Shonra and it made it hard to see her beautiful face knowing he had betrayed their marriage. She did look very radiant and glowing. Her pregnancy was doing well and according to her doctors their new bundle of joy would be making an appearance on schedule. He would ask for leave to be with her when the time got closer. He also heard from Lt. Chris Reynolds, his academy buddy, who had joined the Galaxy and later transferred to the USS Europe. He was glad that Chris was alive and had been promoted. He had been neglecting his counseling appointments, but considering the situation he felt it was necessary. He knew he would have to return to them real soon.

Mohammed made his way to sickbay. He made his way to Dr. Bellen's office. Things in sickbay were jumping but she always managed to have time for him.

"How is T'Shonra, Doctor?" he asked

Dr. Bellen looked up. She looked haggard and weary but she was still friendly and pleasant. "There is no improvement. Everything says she should be out of the coma and doing fine and yet she still isn't responding to anything we try. I don't' understand it. There are times that I think she just doesn't want to come back."

------------------------------------------

Mohammed sat next to T'Shonra's bed. She looked so peaceful. As if she was sleeping. He held her hand as he always did and he talked to her as he always did. Her hand still felt warm. He looked at her and squeezed her hand.

"You know, T'Shonra. I was thinking about something. I was thinking how much you mean to me. You have been a very good friend. When I first met you I didn't think I would be able to work with a stuffy Vulcan. I know, I know, you didn't think you could work with an emotional human. But we did it. And you know what? We have become good close friends." Mohammed sighed and kissed her hand. "I know that things have been tense between us since we...since we...damnit! Since we made love, but you are still my friend and we will be friends for a long time. T'Shonra, Dr. Bellen tells me that you should up and about but that you aren't and she doesn't know why. I think I do."

Mohammed caressed her hand and looked into her face. "You are trying not to cause me any problems. I bet you are thinking in that infuriating logical way, that you will be helping me deal with our situation. Well, I'm here to tell you that you are not. If I lost you...I would be very hurt. What happened between us happened and we can't change it but we can live with it and deal with it. Now you listen to me Ensign and you listen to me well. As your superior officer Ensign, I am ordering you to come out of this coma. Do you realize that you have slept through most of the battle and that we have won. You are going to miss all the emotional humans being emotional. You are going to miss me getting drunk and running around with a lamp shade on my head. You are going to miss The General giving one of his rousing 'No Worries, Fair Dinkum' speeches. T'Shonra...please. You need to come out of this and come back to us. We miss you...I miss you. Your a friend of mine and I won't let you go without a fight, Ensign. Don't make me have to do that."

Dr. Bellen walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. She leaned over and whispered. "It's time for you to go, Lt. But thanks for coming. I know it helps."

Mohammed smiled ruefully. "I hope she hears me. I hope she comes back."

"Inner Strength"
by Lt. jg Numa Taurean
with parts from "Scar Tissue" by Ensign Darian McGee
and parts from "You're a Friend of Mine" by Lt. jg Mohammed Uhura
also with unauthorized appearences by Ensign Darian McGee and Lt. jg Mohammed Uhura

The botanical labs were in ruins. Shattered glass glittered from the refraction of light like the infinite stars of heaven. Broken plants had been uprooted and tossed about as if a full force gale wind or tornado had ripped its way through the small rooms. Tables had been overturned and exposed wires hung from the ceiling like a tapestry of twisted vines.

"Ma'am," the voice was a familiar one. "It won't take long to clean this mess up. The lab will be up and running in not time."

"Thank you, Ensign. I know it won't take long." Numa uncrossed her arms and placed a reassuring hand on Sendi Soleri's shoulder.

"In truth, I wasn't thinking of the lab. I was thinking of all of my," she paused, "our friends that will no longer be with us." Her voice was soft and quiet.

"I know, Numa. It is a shame that we've lost so many good souls, but we all understood what was demanded of us when we signed on with Star Fleet."

"Yes, we did."

Numa bent down and picked up a twisted a broken twig from one of her plants. The leaves were bruised, and the flower missing many petals. It was a pathetic looking thing. With tender loving care, Numa placed the twig in a nutrient rich medium and placed it under a light specially designed to radiate the necessary part of the spectrum that would best induce healthy growth.

"Like this plant, we'll grow and recover from the loss of those around us. No, we may never be the same as we were, but everything changes. Our friends will live on in our memories and our dreams." Numa turned to face her friend. She reached over and moved a silver lock of hair that had fallen across Sendi's face. "We have to deal with the here and now for the moment." The Benzite scientist smiled. Her blue skin seemed to glow radiantly in the midst of all the destruction.

"Sendi, get a team of scientist here and clean this mess up. I have to attend to some of our injured at sick bay."

"Yes, ma'am. Right away." Sendi Soleri had gathered strength from her superior officer. She had been working with Numa for some time now, and she had great respect for the often times silent officer. When Numa did speak, she was always strong, and Sendi doubted that there was anything that could ever destroy her inner strength. Numa may look delicate and frail like a willow tree, but her strength was more than a great oak centuries old.

Numa stood outside of sick bay. Already many of the medical personnel were on there way to the surface of Cardassia to assist in a humanitarian way. Word had it that the Dominion wrought destruction across the face of the planet destroying many of the larger cities. Although Numa had no great love for the Cardassians, she neither relished the idea of innocents being caught in the crossfire of politics. The people of Cardassia were not to blame, it was their leaders that had to face the consequences of their decisions when they looked at their reflections every day.

The doors whisked open. Numa entered. She looked around for a moment before seeing the two science officers that she had come to check on. Both science officers were members of her crew. They were Ensign T'Shonra, and Ensign Joyce Reynolds.

Smoke still filled the room, and Numa's eyes stung. She wiped them with the back of her hand.

Hovering around the still form of Ensign Reynolds was a doctor that was unfamiliar to Numa. She surmised that he must be one of the new officers that had been reassigned to the Galaxy. Numa was glad to see that Dr. Endris Garkor-Albrecht wouldn't have to manage all of this alone. She also knew that these newly assigned medical officers had a great deal of work ahead of them.

Numa looked at the young officer laying on the bio bed. She was beautiful despite her wounds. Her flesh had been marred with numerous burns and her copper hair was a tangled mess matted with dried blood from a hideously deep gash across her brow. Worst yet was her left leg which had been mangled. Numa hoped that it wasn't beyond repair.

"We're losing her," The young doctor injected Ensign Reynolds with a hypospray.

Numa stood watching from a distance. Her heart stopped beating. ~Please, not another one. Let this child live to see another day. We've lost so many good people, I ask that this one be spared. ~ Her prayer was in silence.

Nurse Opel gave a nod to the readings. "Vital signs are stabilizing a bit, the bleeding is slowing down, you just bought her some time."

"Let's just hope it's enough," Darian returned. He picked up a tricorder, and ran it over her lower stomach. Numa wasn't sure what the doctor found, but she guessed it wasn't good from his look.

Numa watched in silence as he began his work. Her fish like facial tentacles quivered nervously. Her heart still hadn't started beating, and Numa caught herself holding her breath.

"We're gonna have to remove her appendix."

The doctor and nurse worked a little while longer. Afterwards, Numa approached the new doctor.

"Ensign, is she going to be all right?" Numa extended her hand. "I'm her superior officer. Ensign Reynolds is one of my staff."

Darian McGee took her hand in both of his. "She'll be fine," he assured before going on to his other patients.

~Thank you. ~

She knelt beside Joyce Reynolds for a while longer holding her hand in hers. "You'll be fine. You're a strong woman."

Numa looked over at Ensign T'Shonra. She already had a visitor, and Numa didn't want to interrupt. She couldn't help but over hear a portion of his conversation. He was Lt. jg Mohammed Uhura. T'Shonra had spoken to her about him before. Even through her Vulcan logic, Numa knew that there were great feelings for this man.

"You know, T'Shonra. I was thinking about something. I was thinking how much you mean to me. You have been a very good friend. When I first met you I didn't think I would be able to work with a stuffy Vulcan. I know, I know, you didn't think you could work with an emotional human. But we did it. And you know what? We have become good close friends." Mohammed sighed and kissed her hand. "I know that things have been tense between us since we...since we...damnit! Since we made love, but you are still my friend and we will be friends for a long time. T'Shonra, Dr. Bellen tells me that you should up and about but that you aren't and she doesn't know why. I think I do."

Numa turned her attention back to Joyce. She didn't need to be eaves dropping on such a private moment. Mohammed's thoughts were with T'Shonra at the moment, and he didn't need a stranger to be privy to his private thoughts even if they were being spoken aloud.

Soon one of the nurses ushered the tall dark Lt. away. Numa walked over to quickly check on T'Shonra before she too left.

She caught up to Lt. jg Uhura in the halls. "Lt. Uhura." He turned to look at her. "My name is Lt. jg Numa Taurean, and I'm T'Shonra's superior officer. I just wanted you to know that she has talked about you quite often. I don't think that she'd want me to tell you, but under the circumstances, I thought you'd like to know."

Mohammed stood silent for a brief moment then answered, "Thank you Lt. Taurean."

He turned to leave, and Numa went to help Sendi Soleri clean up the labs.

"We Come In Peace"
Joint post by:
Dr Roman O'Neil, ACMO
Lt James Chen, Security
with NPC Ensign Mark Mulich, Security

***CASSDAHR, CARDASSIA PRIME***

Ensign Mulich was a bit pale as he brought up the rear of the three man team and Chen couldn't help but tease the younger security officer with the weak stomach. Wasn't because he was cold hearted to his surroundings but to relax himself, the ensign and perhaps the new doctor as well.

"Single life reading, 20 meters due east of us." Roman informed them, his eyes never leaving the tricorder.

"Must be just on the other side of these buildings." Said Chen, his fingers ready to grab a hold of his phaser should it be necessary. He was also slowly clenching and unclenching his fists, which he had just had repaired before being called down on this mission. He could also feel the tension everybody was feeling. Mulich was a good officer and was taking Chen's ribbing the way it was meant to: To release the pressure. Very few people have ever seen the type of devastation like the one Cardassia had just suffered. Chen hoped it would be the last time he'd see something like this.

As they made their way, they noticed more voles poking out of rubble here and there. One of them was chewing on what was left of a hand. Roman scanned the bodies for any signs of life as he passed them but there was nothing, not even the weakest of pulse.

They passed a few dead Jem'Hadar and the smoldering ruins of a hover tank, but by far it was the Cardassians that littered the ground, shot dead by disrupter blasts.

They were closing on the city center where there were more and more bodies; men, women and children. It was a sample of genocide.

The lone life reading as yet, was on bended knee in the middle of what once was a bustling town square.

The Cardassian turned suddenly, disrupter pistol aimed at the trio. Chen and Mulich had reacted just as quickly, drawing their own phasers.

The stand off lasted for only a few seconds until the Cardassian, in military uniform, lowered his weapon.

Roman motioned for the security officers to do the same. Chen objected, relenting only when the doctor gave him a 'I'm in charge of this Away Team look'.

"I'm Doctor O'Neil," He pointed to the other men, "Lieutenant Chen and Ensign Mulich. We're from the Federation Starship Galaxy. The war's over, we came to help."

The Cardassian chuckled though there was no humor displayed in it. "You are to late, Doctor, as am I." He stood up, the dark uniform was covered in dust and soot as if he had been digging in the rubble. "Do you see that?" His index finger lined up with a large building which had it's roof collapsed and much of the upper stories were gone as well. "That was a sports arena. The Cassdahr team was the world champion five years in a row; I never missed a juleem championship game...That building over there was my old educational center. I used To like the little girl who sat in front of me, she's dead now. Over there was a residential complex that housed over four thousand people, many of them worked right around here."

The Cardassian's rambling was of days gone by. All these structures were heavily damaged and would have to be demolished in the coming weeks.

"My family stayed here while I went to war. I thought they were perfectly safe, after all THIS was Cardassia. They are gone, my relatives, my childhood friends...my childhood."

"Sir-"

The Cardassian cut Roman off. "If you must log me as a prisoner of war then my rank and name is Glinn Magatt."

"I'm not here to take you into custody but offer my services. There must be survivors here." Roman approached the glinn to the dismay of Chen.

"I have seen no one but that means little, Cassdahr is a big city. Your tricorder will be ineffective this close to the center as there are significant traces of ionic particles in the air."

"From pulse weapons?" Chen asked but knew the answer from the way the damage was laid out.

"Pulse weapons..aye."

It was the last thing, Glinn Magatt said as a disrupter bolt sent him to the ground.

Six Jem'Hadar had lowered their personnel cloaking devices and were opening fire.

"Down Doctor!" Chen yelled as he returned fire.

Roman dropped to the ground and dragged himself to the fallen Cardassian. "I thought we were at peace!"

"I guess these Jem'Hadar didn't appreciate surrendering to us!"

Chen fired off several cover shots at the Jem'Hadar and ran towards the doctor, who was busy checking out the Cardassian. He grabbed the doctor by the collar and roughly pulled him away, and they both dropped behind cover along with Mulich. Roman turned and looked angrily at Chen. "What are you doing," he demanded. "I need to help that man!"

Chen shook his head. "Sorry, Doc. You can't exactly be all that much use to him dead. When we handle this, then you can help."

"I am supposed to be in charge--"

"Ensign, I outrank you. I am now taking command of this expedition. If you move, I will file official charges of insubordination, is that clear?"

The doctor simply glared at Chen. Chen couldn't blame the man. Chen turned and fired at the Jem'Hadar, who had taken cover themselves. He looked back at the doctor as the Jem'Hadar returned fire. "Listen," Chen said. You can help him when we get these guys taken care of. But if you move, they'll kill you. It's my job to protect you, and that's just what I'm going to do."

He slowly moved past the doctor and sat next to Mulich. "Okay, Mark. What do you think?"

Mulich took a deep breath. "Well, we're outnumbered, outgunned and we're at a standoff."

Chen nodded. "Well, looks like one of us is going to have to get around behind them and catch them in a crossfire."

Mulich nodded. "I'll go, sir."

Chen shook his head. "No. It's my turn. You checked out that other building a few yards back. Keep me covered."

Mulich sighed. "Right."

Chen went to the edge of their cover, took several deep breaths, and ran. The Jem'Hadar fire struck the ground all around him. Chen kept running until he found more cover and dived behind it. He pressed up against the stone and caught his breath. He could still see Mulich, who was watching him. Chen nodded and Mulich began firing again. This time, the Jem'Hadar focused all their fire towards Mulich and Chen moved unnoticed through the stone pillars and walls littering the area. Finally, he slipped behind the Jem'Hadar. Hopefully, Mulich would be able to tell when Chen started shooting. Chen came up from behind cover, picked his first target and fired. The phaser bolt struck him between the shoulder blades. The Jem'Hadar went down. Chen shot another just as he was turning. They both stood as they were turning, surprised that Chen was behind them. Mulich came up himself and began firing. Within thirty seconds, all Jem'Hadar were dead.

"It's clear Doc, you can check your patient.!" Chen shouted back at the doctor as he reholstered his phaser.

Roman ran to where the glinn was still lying, scanning with the tricorder. He gently rolled over the Cardassian whose breathing was very shallow. Death was upon him. All of a sudden he grabbed a hold of Roman's arm, clenching with all the strength he could muster.

"Do me a favor, Doctor. Let me die, I have nothing left, nothing."

Chen and Mulich were standing behind Roman, though the doctor did not acknowledge their return. "Glinn Magatt, your people need you more now than ever. They need you to help rebuild and make Cardassia strong again." Roman almost pleaded as he administered stimulants in the hope that this would keep the man's vitals from bottoming out.

"Don't patronize me Doctor. Cardassia had been a mighty superpower but it's guts have been exposed for all to see.."The Glinn caught his breath. "Every second of life brings me shame."

"Have to get you to the Galaxy. Lieutenant, contact the ship and have Glinn Magatt beamed directly to Sickbay, stat." Roman was desperate, the Cardassian's vitals were slipping. He injected a cocktail of drugs to try to heal the wounds but the damage was to extensive. He had nothing here to work with, nothing here to save him.

"To much interference from the ionic particles, I can't reach the ship." Chen replied after several feeble attempts to contact the Galaxy.

"We have to carry him back to our beam down point. Quickly pick him up!" Roman ordered and Mulich went to grab the Cardassian under the arms but was stopped by Chen's arm.

"He's dead."

Roman scanned the glinn for any sign that life still existed but the lieutenant's curt words were to be true.

"Sir." Mulich nodded toward the rubble to the west of them, near the former sports arena. Chen put his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun's glare. There were about a dozen Cardassian civilians standing on the rubble; several others, including children, were appearing as if coming out of some hole in the earth.

Both Chen and Mulich were about to grab for their phasers when Roman yelled to them. "No! The killing stops now."

With his med kit hung over his shoulder, Roman proceeded to walk over to the group. Chen exchanged concerned looks with his subordinate before both started to follow the Galaxy's new ACMO. He didn't like what was happening here, but he could understand the doctor's wishes. There had been a lot of death here. He still didn't like how the doctor went off the way he did. He was obviously a passionate man.

The three officers approached the small group of Cardassians, all of whom stared fearfully at the new arrivals. Roman got there first, his tricorder working to see what kind of damage the people had sustained. Chen and Mulich followed behind, both of them keeping their eyes watchful. Chen heard some sounds to his left, where there was another ruined building. Mulich heard it, too. Chen pointed at Roman. "Help him out. I'm going to go check it."

Chen walked slowly to the wreckage, hand on his phaser. He looked inside. He couldn't see anybody. He walked in slowly, eyes scanning the area. The floor was rickety and threatened to give out at anytime. He heard the noise again. The noise didn't repeat itself. Chen was beginning to feel odd, like there was somebody in the room with him. He looked all around. He could feel somebody there. He frowned and went back outside, walking to the bodies of the fallen Jem'Hadar warriors. He examined the bodies, frown growing on his face. And then it struck him. He turned to Mulich. "Mark! Can I see you a second?"

Mulich trotted over and Chen pointed at the bodies of the five warriors. "Mark, is it just me or weren't there six Jem'Hadar warriors when they first attacked?"

Mulich looked at the bodies and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I thought so, but it happened kind of fast. Maybe we just miscounted."

Chen shook his head. "I don't think so. Tell the doctor to finish up and let's get out of here. I've got a bad feeling here."

Mulich nodded and turned back towards the group. Chen looked at the bodies a moment longer, then followed behind to help.

Lt. Shtik
Science Officer
"Numbers"

Shtik made certain the door was closed behind Elaine O'Hare as she left. He then turned back to his quarters. With the exception of a broken gong, it had survived another adventure. As he picked up the pieces of the broken artifact, he contemplated the dramatic ways things had changed aboard ship recently. Although it was illogical to think that time would not affect situations, it sometimes had a more drastic effect than other times.

When his quarters were once again returned to normal, he sat down at his personal workstation, there was something he was eager to do. However, vulcan discipline prevented him from giving in to emotional impulses. Therefore, he forced himself to clean his quarters before doing what he must. Thereby making it a duty he had to perform, not an emotional reaction to his desires.

"Computer, list battle casualties beginning with Galaxy personnel." The computer listed thousands of names alphabetically. The first set was highlighted. The galaxy crew members who had not survived. He couldn't help but scan for the names closest to him first. D'Tarna was fine, as was T'Zaq. On earth his grandmother had suffered minor injuries, but would be fine.

Then he checked the personnel within his own science department. Both the chief science officer and his assistant had been killed. That explained Shtik's duty station advancement to bridge officer. The number of names was staggering. Some were people he knew. Some were just crewmembers he had seen but never met. And some were just anonymous statistics. But all would have a multitude of family and friends that would be grieving. Most of the Alpha quadrant would be morning for a long time to come.

Shtik bowed his head for a moment, regaining his emotional control. He was a vulcan. He would be required to maintain his control through this emotional turmoil. His stoic unflappability would undoubtedly be needed as a guide for the other crewmembers to continue their duties.

Shtik rose and returned to the bridge. Upon Lieutenant Commander Morris' return to the ship, Shtik and been relieved of science station two and she and Lieutenant Sullax had coordinated rescue reconnaissance. But both had stood through the battle and deserved a break. Shtik had just taken a brief pause so that he could continue in their place.

“Taking Chances”
by Dr. Eric Zander

USS Galaxy - Outside Sickbay

Eric Zander arched his back, listening to the various pops as his vertebrae realigned itself into something resembling a spine again. This was the danger in being such a tall doctor. He had spent the past eternity bending over patients, stitching wounds and performing emergency surgery, sometimes in the corridor outside of sickbay. Once the actual combat died down, so had the flow of patients, and so had Eric’s flow of adrenaline.

Grabbing a cup of what looked like coffee from a young yeoman, Eric moved to an empty spot of the corridor and dropped to the ground. He sipped the warm liquid gratefully and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the bulkhead. He still couldn’t believe what had been happening here on the Galaxy, or even here in this sector of space. His anger rose once more as he thought of the people behind all this, the Admiral Ross and Captain Sisko’s of the Universe that played with peoples lives, moving this ship here and that ship there like giant chess pieces. Eric had always felt so small in comparison to people like that, but he also knew he had something they didn’t. A first hand knowledge of the damage their stupidity caused.

Even though Eric would have liked to hold onto that anger a bit longer, to use it as a fuel source to drive him further, he just simply couldn’t. The Banting had been on a completely different rotation that the Galaxy currently was, and he didn’t have a clue how long it had been since he had slept. The warm coffee in his stomach did little to energize Zander, instead lulling him to sleep. He had just about drifted off when he woke with a start. There was a gentle touch on his shoulder, someone trying to bring him back to consciousness.

Eric looked up into the face of some Nurse. He didn’t know her name, but she was smiling at him. “Sorry to wake you Doctor, but there’s a staff meeting that’s about to start. You’re needed.”

Zander sighed and took a large gulp of his coffee. Standing slowly he nodded to the nurse. “Alright, I’ll be right there.”

The nurse nodded in return and held out a PADD for Eric to take. “This is for you as well Doctor.”

Eric arched an eyebrow and took the PADD, thanking the nurse. He took another sip of his coffee as he scrolled through the document the PADD contained. It took a few minutes for the information to sink into his brain, but he finally realized it was a transfer order. He had been assigned to the Galaxy on a permanent basis. The Ensign rolled his eyes and tossed the PADD over his shoulder, where it bounced a few times among the rest of the mess out. “Even in a war, paperwork gets shoveled” he muttered.

Thirty Minutes Later – Cardassia Prime

Eric couldn’t believe his eyes. He had been informed of the Dominion retaliation here on Cardassia, but he hadn’t imagined that it had been this extensive. Pulling out his tricorder and setting the scanners to maximum range, Zander began to turn in a small circle. He glanced at the two ‘security’ people that were with him and sighed. One was actually an ensign from the science labs, while the other was a crewman they dragged up from the lower decks. They had made fast introductions in the transporter room only moments before, but he would be damned if he could remember their names.

~Better get to know these people Eric~ he thought to himself. ~You are one of them now.~

The tricorder began to bleep in Eric’s hand, the small display coming to life with faint readings. There were wounded near by, but with all the atmospheric interference in the air from the Jem’Hadar weapons it was impossible to pinpoint exactly where. It was beginning to look like they would have to do this the hard way. It wasn’t anything new to Eric, and he had picked up a few tricks on the Banting that could come in handy.

“Alright you two. We’ll need to spread out a bit. Triangulate your tricorders with mine…with any luck we can figure out where these people are.”

The crewman looked towards Zander. “Ummm, sir? We were given orders not to leave your side.”

Zander returned the look coldly. “No, you were ordered to protect me. You’ll have to do that from a slight distance. Keep everyone in visual range at all times. Its called Taking Chances crewman.”

The security people nodded and deployed their own tricorders. Links were made and a direction was chosen. The three men slowly spread out towards one building that had been mostly destroyed, where the life signals were the strongest.

***To Be Continued***

"Unnecessary Risk." part one

Lt. Karyn Dallas
Chief Counselor

Ensign Michael McDowell
Engineer
USS Galaxy

***Main Sickbay***

Karyn rolled over to the replicator to grab a quick bite to eat. She wasn't really hungry but she figured she better grab something to avoid a lecture from Endris, who had already noticed the Chief Counselor's light headedness. Taking the ham sandwich and ice water from the replicator, Karyn went over the events of the medical staff meeting with increasing dread.

It really wasn't surprising the Dominion had turned on the Cardassian civilians. Like any dominant race, after a while they tend to place too much confidence in their superiority and will do anything to ensure things stay that way. When the Cardassians turned on the Dominion, Karyn knew their reaction was as much to do with wounded pride as it was anger. And now they were being asked to help pick up the pieces...to work side by side with a race that only moments before we would have obliterated without a second thought.

This was not going to be an easy mission for anyone and logistically, for Karyn things looked even worse. Rubble and wounded were everywhere. Debris scattered every inch of the fallen cities would make it next to impossible for her to maneuver. This was going to be as much a search and rescue mission as it was going to be about rebuilding the things lost. How many people would be lost along the way? How many would they find dead? *And how helpful can I be?* thought Karyn, still unnerved by the previous incident on the Bridge.

Karyn wasn't much of a believer in fate or viewing incidents as signs from a higher power, but she couldn't ignore how someone or something seemed to be confirming her beliefs. If she was going to go through with things, she had to move quickly. She moved to one of the private offices off sickbay. As she pulled up in front of the comm terminal, her own combadge chirped.

[Jensen to Dallas.]

[Dallas here, go ahead Chief.]

[Karyn, I'm pleased to inform you transporters AND most turbolifts are back on-line. You are now free to move about the ship. Thank you for choosing Jensen Travel.]

Karyn laughed. [And now I suppose you're going to tell me you fixed everything all by yourself.]

Chief Jenson sounded indignant. [I'm hurt Counselor that you think so less of my engineering skills. Actually, I did have SOME help from Lt. Suder.]

[Thanks, Chief, now I'll be able to thank you both.]

[My pleasure...and Karyn?]

[Yes?]

[I'm working on clearing the debris on Cardasia for you. It's going to take a while because there's so much...but we're trying to clear a path so that you can beam down safely and be able to move around enough to help the citizens. Commander Casey and Captain Price left orders for you to beam down ASAP, but that's not happening until I'm confident it's safe for you to get around. I'll let you know when we're ready.]

[Thanks, Chief, I really appreciate it.]

Karyn was about open a subspace channel when her badge beeped again. This time it was Mrs. Trenton asking her to come visit the children who were still wound up from their whole ordeal. Karyn was about to send one of the other staff to do it, but realized they were preparing to beam down as well. Besides...they asked for her specifically. To her dismay, Engineering hadn't gotten around to fixing the ruptured plasma conduits, though thankfully, they didn't have to worry about more plasma fires erupting.

***Classrooms, primary grades, Deck 15***

The ride in the lift had been difficult only because she was reminded of the deaths of Cat and the others. She suspected no one would be able to view the turbolifts the same way again. She knew she certainly wouldn't.

When she entered the room, half a dozen children of varying age and size swarmed around her chair asking her a million questions about what had happened.

"Hi guys, I'll answer all your questions, but why don't we all sit down over here first, ok?" asked Karyn, pointing to a table away from the ruptured conduits. They nodded and gathered around the table.

"Did we win?" asked Robert Conrad, one of the oldest boys in the group.

Karyn smiled at the simplicity of his question and was thinking of the most honest answer, when the door chimed and in came a young Engineer.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm here to fix the ruptured conduits, I'll just be a minute."

Having said that Michael took a quick look around the classroom. He stood in front a crowd of children who were sitting or standing around a nearby table. At the far end of the table was an attractive woman sitting in a wheelchair. Michael knew it was the Chief Counselor because she was the only crewmember who was bound to a wheelchair. The one thing he didn't know was her name. He noticed some of the children were looking and pointing at him as if he were some kind of hero. He smiled back. * Me? A hero? If they only knew...* Michael thought.

"That's alright, take your time." answered Mrs. Trenton.

The answer brought Michael back to reality. "Thanks. I'll notify you when i'm ready."

Michael walked to the back of the classroom where the ruptured plasma conduit was. The children had already turned their attention again to the Chief Counselor.

Robert, still waiting for an answer, looked to Karyn expectantly. Karyn tried to give the most honest answer. "Many people got hurt, Robert, the fighting is over, but it's going to be a long time before things will be back like they used to be. No one really wins in battle." The little boy looked disappointed at first, but as if suddenly remembering something, he nodded his understanding. Karyn decided to change the subject to deal with the bigger issues at hand.

"I hear things got pretty scary here for a while. Were any of you scared?" All of the children nodded their agreement and she watched as their eyes widened. All agreed except Robert, who shook his head vigorously. "Robert, were you scared?"

"I wasn't scared or nothing...cuz I saw the Security Officers covered in armor and carrying great big phasers...nobody messes with Starfleet Security!!...that's what I wanna be when I grow up."

Karyn smiled. If only things could be that simple. She envied Robert's naivete. As she looked around the table, she was comforted by the fresh faces and she realized that despite the frightening ordeal, children were extremely resilient. Some might even say the things they experienced made them stronger people. While she knew that was true from her own experience, she also knew there was such a thing as becoming too strong too quickly.

A younger girl of about five caught her attention. Her upper lip was trembling though she was trying her best not to cry.

"Jenna, what is it sweetheart?"

"Did...did you carry a big phaser Miss Karyn?" Karyn heart melted at her question. Before she could answer, Robert replied for Karyn, sounding slightly annoyed at the little girl's question.

"Of course she didn't! Miss Karyn can't carry a big phaser rifle, they're too heavy for her! Besides, they only give those to people who can..."

"What?" asked Karyn.

"Well...you know," he said coyly. "walk around to protect the ship."

Mrs. Trenton didn't quite know what to say. Everyone waited with baited breath, including the young Engineer who had stopped what he was doing to listen to her answer. Even the children seemed anxious for a response.

"Well...Robert...um...that's true, most of the time I don't get to carry the big phasers but it's not because I can't, it's because it's not my job...I help people with their problems and I help out in sickbay when people get hurt. Not being able to walk makes things harder for me, but I do what I can." She hoped no one caught the catch in her voice.

She stayed a little while longer and listened as the children discussed their fears and sorrow at losing "Dr. Cat" and the others. Karyn suggested the children make cards for Anna Graves, who had lost her Dad in the turbolift accident.

She tried to stay cheerful but her words sounded hollow in her own ears, as she was reminded of Robert's earlier comment. She'd been caught off guard by his statement, but appreciated his directness. Most adults were too concerned about tact and politeness to say what they really wanted to. Few people would have the courage to echo the doubts Karyn had in her own mind.

Karyn turned to leave the classroom but noticed the young officer staring at her. She decided to go over and talk to him. He looked embarrassed that she had caught him staring. He had an easy smile and seemed to have a sweet personality.

Seeing that the Chief Counselor was heading his way Michael couldn't help feeling but being caught. * Oh no....now I've done it...and there's nowhere to run.*

"Hi Ensign?..."

"McDowell. Michael McDowell...ma'am."

"Nice to meet you Michael, my name is Karyn Dallas, please call me Karyn."

He smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Karyn. I couldn't help but overhear you talk with the children. Kids are so...direct sometimes, but you handled it very well."

"Thanks Michael, they keep me on my toes, but I enjoy them. And thank you for fixing the plasma conduits. I know Engineering's been busy with shipwide repairs, but this will really help put the children at ease."

"No problem, I'm happy to help."

Karyn liked this man. He seemed sweet, if not nervous around women. He looked poised to say something, but hesitant.

"Is there something else Michael?"

The question took Michael completely by surprise. How did she know? He only thought about asking her for a drink but he never planned to really ask her. But now he had to!

"Yes...um...perhaps you would like to join me in Ten-Forward for a drink sometime?"

"I would like that very much. I'm going to be going away for a while, but when I get back, I'd love to. " *If I get back,* thought Karyn.

What was that she saw on his face...relief? She couldn't blame him, it had been a long time since she'd done anything socially with a man. (She wouldn't call it a date, as that would be presuming too much.) She was fearful of jumping into anything serious because if things didn't work out, it would be hard serving on the same ship.

She returned to her quarters feeling a sense of anticipation and fear. Where she was hopefully going would change her life forever, but if she was to have any peace, she had to take care of things here first.

"Unnecessary Risk." part two

Lt. Karyn Dallas
Chief Counselor

Commander Deiran Casey
Executive Officer

with Ensign Thomas Miles
Assistant Chief Counselor
USS Galaxy

***Karyn's quarters, Deck 9/Room 0910***

"Computer, open a channel to the Russell Institute, San Francisco, Earth." Her hands were shaking, she hoped it wasn't too late.

She was greeted by an Asian woman with short dark hair and a clean crisp teal uniform. [Yes, how can I help you?]

For an instant, she was tempted to close the channel. Forget the whole thing and just take some leave, but she'd made it this far and she had to try. [My name is Karyn Dallas...I read about Dr. Russell's experiments in the Starfleet Medical Journal, the neural regeneration...and about her looking for volunteers to test her theories. Is she still looking for volunteers?] Karyn waited with baited breath.

[Dr. Russell is always looking for suitable candidates for neural regeneration, IF they meet the criteria. I must tell you before we go any further, that what you are considering is a very serious matter. While Starfleet is allowing us to test our theories and technology on humanoids, we are still in the experimental stages. Should you be a suitable candidate and decide to go through with it, there is no guarantee as to what will happen. Do you understand?]

Karyn understood all too well. [I understand what I'm getting myself into, but I have to try.]

[Very well, then. What is your diagnosis?]

[I was born with cerebral palsy. I had a cerebral hemorrhage when I was a day old. I am confined to a wheelchair and have limited use of my legs. My balance is poor, though I can bear some of my own weight and walk with assistance.] Karyn breathed a sigh of relief, she had never really told anyone all that before. The only people who truly knew the extent of her disability were the Medical personnel. No one else had really asked her.

The woman nodded. [And why do you wish to do this, especially knowing it could be life threatening?]

It was a fair, if not difficult question. [I'm a Starfleet counselor serving aboard the USS Galaxy. It is my job to help people at all times - either physically or mentally. Recent events have made me rethink my duties here. Others need to be able to depend on me for their safety and their well-being in any situation. My current capabilities do not allow this.] She said it clinically. It was easier to speak of it using as little emotion as possible.

[I see. Let me speak with Dr. Russell. One moment please.]

Karyn waited a few tense moments, wondering what she would do if they turned her down. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long.

Karyn thought she detected a hint of a smile from the Asian woman. [It looks like you may be a prime candidate. Of course, you'll have to come here for some tests and their is the matter of the psychological evaluation, but we'd like to meet you. How soon can you get here?]

[I'm planning to take medical leave and I have a friend who owes me a favor. How does tomorrow evening sound?]

[That will be fine. We will see you then.]

[Thank you...thank you very much.] Karyn closed the channel, allowing herself to feel her excitement and anticipation. There were still a few matters to attend to.

[Dallas to Miles. ]

Miles here, what can I do for you, Chief?]

[Please meet me in my quarters. I have an important matter to discuss with you.]

She didn't have to wait long. After being admitted into her quarters, he asked, "You wanted to see me Karyn?"

"Yes, Thomas, I did, " she replied, gesturing for him to sit down. "I have an extremely personal matter to attend to on Earth. I will be away for at least a week and possibly more. As the Assistant Chief, I'm asking you to be the Acting Chief until I return. Are you interested?"

Thomas looked shocked. "I...I suppose so. This is quite a shock. I never expected to be left in charge so soon."

"I have every confidence in your abilities, Ensign. You were a Chief Counselor before this so I know you can run this department in my absence. Just do whatever you can to those people down there and keep the peace. Watch your back and keep your eyes open. I'll send a message to the Captain with the details. When this all over, you make sure EVERYONE gets shoreleave and counselling. This is going to have a major emotional effect on everyone. Right now, you have work to do."

"Yes ma'am!"

When he left she switched gears. [Dallas to Jensen.]

[Jensen here.]

[Chief, you can stop clearing the debris on my behalf, I'm not going to beam down to the surface.]

[What!?!? Commander Casey and Captain Price left specific orders...]

[I'll handle that.]

[I'll have to tell him, you know.]

[I understand. Sorry for the trouble.] She closed the channel, leaving a very confused Chief Jensen.

***A few minutes later***

"Come," said Karyn after hearing her door chime. She had an idea who it was, and was looking forward to getting this over with. She stopped

Without preamble, Deiran Casey entered her quarters. "What's this I hear about you not wanting to beam down to the surface?" He sounded concerned.

"That was fast, I just sent you my request for emergency medical leave." Karyn said wryly.

"Medical leave?" his concern turned to fear, "are you sick? What's wrong?"

Karyn looked at him coyly. “You know I'm not obligated to tell you anything, Deiran, it's personal."

"That’s true Karyn. But you already know the most personal things about me. If something's wrong, I'd like to help. Besides, I thought we were friends as well as colleagues?"

Karyn blew air impatiently from her lips. "All right, I guess you would find out sooner or later. I'm going to San Francisco...to the Russell Institute. There's a doctor there who has created technology that can regenerate organs and nerves. Organs! Deiran, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, think of the possibilities!"

"Is this the same Dr. Russell who almost killed Lt. Commander Worf when she created a brand new spinal cord for him?"

"Yes, that's the one. I'll admit, there is still some danger involved but they've come a long way since then. The institute is supported by Starfleet Medical."

"A guinea pig? You're willing to risk your career as a Starfleet Officer and possibly your life, to be a guinea pig for a mad scientist! Why?" the words came out before Casey could stop them.

"Deiran, we both know I'll never be a true Starfleet Officer. No matter how hard I try, there will always be situations that I personally can't handle because of this," she said, pointing to her chair, "and that's unacceptable. What happened on the Bridge is a perfect example. Lt. Hermedhie needed help and I couldn't help him because of a stupid beam in my way. If that's going to stop me now, there's no telling what could happen out in the field. I don't ever want to feel like that again."

"Karyn, that could have happened to any one of us. No one could have seen it coming. You did the best you could. Even if you were not in the chair, you wouldn’t have been able to lift the beam."

Karyn replied hotly, "Yeah, and what happens the next time, huh? Only this time I'm all alone out there and there's no one out there to save my behind, then what are you gonna do?"

“I’d trust you with the life of my daughter Karyn. I don’t doubt your abilities, you’ve proven yourself to me and this crew.”

"Don't you get it Deiran? I entered Starfleet for all the wrong reasons! I wanted to get away from my father, my childhood and my shame. I was bound and determined... come hell or highwater I was going to make those Starfleet SOB’s tell me I couldn't make it. I was going to show them and I was going to work hard. Nobody was going to tell me I couldn't do it.," her voice softened. "But it was never about me. It's about working together and knowing that you can trust the people beside you with your life. And no one will ever be able to say that about me."

"We need you Karyn. You have a wonderful mind and a strong will. You need to help the Cardassians through this. People that are hurting don't care about what shows on the outside, only about what comes from your heart and your brain, your compassion. So...we have to clear some debris for you. That's small compared to what you can do for those in need."

Karyn shook her head. "When I came on board, I wanted no special treatment, I told them I could be like anyone else, and for a while I believed that. But my selfishness almost got someone killed, and I can't go on knowing I put others in danger. There's more to this job than just counseling and talk. We have to be able to handle anything and I am an unnecessary risk. The price is too high and it's unfair for me to ask it of any of you anymore."

"I’m sorry Karyn I disagree. You’re an invaluable member of this crew. We care for you. You’re family. Where will you go...what will you do when you leave us?"

"I have a friend who owes me a big favor. He'll take me to Earth and then I'll be tested and interviewed. If I'm chosen, I'll have the surgery...and hopefully a new life. If I'm not, I'll probably get a desk job at Starfleet Medical. We'll keep in touch somehow."

"And if you don't survive?" Karyn looked away. Deiran continued, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "If you don't survive?"

"I'm not planning on dying, Deiran, but if I don't survive at least I can say I died trying to make my life better."

"You'll have died changing who you are. Something you’ve told me I should never do," replied Deiran bitterly, he cared about this woman and did not want her to leave.

"I love Starfleet and I love the things I've done on the Galaxy, but it's for that reason I'm willing to do what it takes to be a better person emotionally and a better officer."

"This operation won’t do that Karyn, you should know that. Why leave now? The war has just ended. We need you, its not the best time to leave.”

“On the contrary, I feel I'm doing this right on time...before I put myself or anyone else in danger."

"If you're worried about safety and accessibility, you don't need to be. You'll have two Security officers with you at all times, who can help you around. All the doctors will have two sec officers with them at all times. I'm sure Anna and Elaine would be happy to..."

"I'm sure that's just what they want to do, spend their time being a tag along and the legs of someone who can't walk unassisted on this ship, much less a planet in ruins. I won't be treated as an invalid."

"Karyn, you’re thinking like one, please rethink this, you’re just upset.” He said it because she needed to hear it. This was not Karyn Dallas talking. He continued, “But I can tell you they'll do whatever you or I tell them to because it's their job."

"Well...maybe it's enough for you to have blind obedience but..." The words came out of her mouth so fast, she had no time to think about them. Clamping her hand over her mouth, she stared in horror. "Oh, Deiran, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that...I..."

It hurt him, she could tell but he waved his hand. "Don't be sorry for something you're not. I suspect you've held that in for some time. You're only human...besides if you won't tell me how it is, who will? But it’s not blind obedience. It’s just obedience I require," he replied honestly

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Look, Deiran, I need to do this or at least try for my own sanity. I'll never be able to live with myself knowing I didn't do everything I could...If Cat could die like that...then I know it could happen to me just as easily...if not more so."

"Look, we've all been through a lot. Why don't you take some time to..."

She cut him off, quietly but firmly she said, "I'm going Deiran. I have enough leave time and medical leave to carry me through. If you want to fight me on this, go right ahead, but there's nothing you can do that's going to stop me or change my mind."

“Well then all I can do is pray that you return safely to us,” he replied.

"I'm leaving Ensign Miles as the Acting Chief for now. Hopefully, I'll return, if not, he is more than qualified to run this department. I'm going to ask the Captain in writing for emergency Medical leave, though I know this will be a formality. I'm not going to give specifics, as I don't want to burden him further. As a friend, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him why I'm leaving. He's got a lot on his plate right now, and this is the last thing he needs."

"Karyn, please..." she turned away from him, as much to hide from his words as to hide her own tears. He didn’t want her to go because he knew he needed her now more than ever.

He turned to leave, but instead he whispered in her ear. "No matter what you think, you mean more to myself and the members of this crew than just another charity case. You got here on your own merit...and dammit that should count for something."

She watched him go with his back to her now. Thankfully, she was able to keep her sobs from escaping until he left the room.

With a mixture of sorrow and relief, she pressed the SEND button that would send her formal request for leave to the console of Captain Price...

“Shock Treatment”
USS GALAXY
Commander Deiran Casey
W/excerpts from Capt. Price’s “With Damning Eyes”

For an hour now Casey had been sifting through transfer requests and orders of the new members of the crew. Almost 300 new crewmembers. Several reassignments of enlisted crew. But one record caught Casey’s eye. In fact, he was quite upset about it.

“That’s not right,” he said to himself.

"Computer halt." He ordered. "Scroll back a page."

An acknowledgment tone from the computer reversed the long listing the required amount. Deiran traced the order with his finger in disbelief as he activated a communication channel. "Mac, get me the Captain please."

["Aye Commander"] came Hunter’s response over the channel. A short time later he returned, ["I have the Captain sir. Go ahead."]

"You are enjoying your walkabout I trust Captain?" Deiran asked.

["It's quite a site 'mate. Not exactly the Disney planet, but unforgettable none the less. What can I do for you Commander?"] Captain Price replied over the commlink.

"Captain, I've spotted an odd order with the last batch of transfer requests from Starfleet Command. They have been coming in by the hundreds," Deiran explained.

["Aye. Admiral Brand said Starfleet would be sending us a lot of the survivors from throughout the fleet. We do 'ave one of the largest capacity starships in regards to personnel Commander."] Captain Price explained sounding like this was routine.

"But that's just it sir. Of the hundreds of transfer requests I've gotten in the last two hours, they have all been for people coming to the Galaxy. This one is sending an officer away sir."

A noticeable pause took place before the Captain replied. ["Who is the order for Commander?"]

Deiran's eyebrows raised slightly as he read the name that was now highlighted on his view screen, "Lieutenant Commander Chris Thomas sir." Casey listened to another pause and could make out over the channel as the Captain turned to 'Commander Thomas.

["...Did you put in for a transfer 'mate?"]

["... No sir. I know nothing about this Captain."] was Chris' reply to the Captain's query that Commander Casey could just make out over the open channel.

["Where is Mister Thomas being transferred to 'mate?"] Lee asked.

"It says here he's to report to the USS Aurora. Captain Joseph Rema in command. There are no other details." Deiran explained. Casey sounded concerned since he heard Thomas hadn’t put in for a transfer. Casey knew that his past with Thomas was well behind them both. He considered Chris a friend.

After another pause, the Captain responded, ["This has got to be some sort of a mistake 'mate. The 'Commander didn't ask for a transfer, and I've just lost several members of my senior staff in this last battle. Have the transporter room lock on to us and beam us back up to the ship Commander. I want to find out what's going on here."] Lee ordered.

"Aye Captain. I'll be waiting for you in your ready room. In the mean time, I'll try to track down where these transfer orders originated from sir... this order doesn't seem to state that." Commander Casey elaborated.

["Fair dinkum. We will be standing by for transport. See you in a few minutes 'mate. Price out."]

The commlink dissipated and Casey was left staring at the console in front of him.

“What the heck is going on? We lose three senior officers in the battle, one is on medical leave and now our Ops chief gets transferred without his knowledge? That’s not how it’s done in Starfleet. Lee has a right to assemble his own senior staff,” Casey wasn’t happy. All these things effected him as well as it effected Lee.

“Computer save all records of this transfer into my personal files. Switch to secure channel, Casey alpha bravo Zulu one. Subspace message to Starfleet Command, Head of Strategic and Tactical Operations.”

[“Working… secure link established.] The computer monotone voice replied.

“Hello Admiral,” Casey said to the man.

“No one is in the office Deiran, you can call me Dad,” the elder Casey smiled.

“Aye sir. Dad, I need you to do me a favor. I’ve got a transfer order for one of the Galaxy’s senior officers. The order was not even known by the officer in question. This just seems strange to me. Not Starfleet protocol at all,” Casey said, staring into the console that displayed his gray-haired father.

“Okay, send me the file and I’ll do what I can. Put a sec lock on it. You know the one we use,” Admiral Casey insisted.

“Aye sir, Casey sec program. I always use it.”

“How’s my favorite girls?” Thomas Casey asked, referring to his granddaughter, his daughter and his daughter-in-law.

“They’re all fine, thank God. I’m glad this war is over. What are you hearing in the Council about our involvement in the rebuilding of Cardassia?” Casey asked.

“Before I answer that, send me an updated holo-pic of my angel, please?” Admiral Casey demanded with a smile.

“Okay Dad,” Casey rolled his eyes and sent the newest pic of Lara.

It would take several hours for the pic and the files to reach Earth.

“The Council is in session now. There are some who want to occupy Cardassia, rebuild the planet and then invite them into the Federation so this kind of war doesn’t happen again fifty years from now. Others don’t believe the Cardassians are fit to be in the Federation and would leave later anyway. It ’s going to take awhile for all of this to die down son. But, we’re getting reports that the Galaxy was instrumental in the final showdown. Price and Casey are becoming quite a famous team here on Earth,” the elder Casey was beaming with pride at the last sentence.

“Thank you Dad. It was hell. But you were right in attacking Cardassia now. Nice move.” Deiran stopped, changing gears and asked, ”Where do you stand on Cardassia?”

“I think we should make them a province of the UFP for now. Help them as much as we can and try to build trust to insure peace for the future of both peoples. The Cardassians are a battered and broken people from the reports I ’m receiving…”

“The planet is decimated sir,” the younger Casey interjected.

“That’s why you’ve been selected to make sure the UFP shows compassion to the Cardassians. You and Lee will do a good job. Starfleet Command trusts you. I have a meeting. I’ll call you when I find out about this transfer. Strat/Tac Out,” Admiral Casey’s visage vanished from the screen and was replaced with the UFP logo.

“Bye Dad, I love too.” Typical of his father to just leave.

Based on STAR TREK created by Gene Roddenberry
Written by Lieutenant Suder
Engineer

"CarlNen"

Suder strolled down the corridor on Deck 38 to try and find another conduit where he could repair some more systems. He would have to go back soon and check on his Engineer friend, 'Mike'. Coughing as he limped over the rubble. There were no lights in this part of the deck. Suder could see through the darkness. He stopped for a few seconds to lean on the wall and get his breath back. For a little while, there was the sound of flames. Suder looked round, but saw no fire. There he felt the cold brush of a breeze curround his skin.

"It's been a long time." a voice called out behind Suder. He turned around to see a figure standing in the shadows.

"How did you get out?" Suder asked in a whisper.

"It's a long story. But I'm here."

"CarlNen, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"That may take some explaining. I'll see you soon, and then I shall explain."

Suder walked forward and waved his hand in the shadow. The figure was gone. he turned back round and a loose frame that was barely hanging on the ceiling fell, swinging towards Suder. The large piece of metal struch the right side of his face and he fell to the deck. He moaned a little before losing consiousness...

Destination Unknown
Casey Ti Miran

[I see life and its passin' right before my eyes, and the past is the past don't regret it, time to realize I need to walk on the wire just to catch my breath...]

Miran hummed with the music that played softly through the shuttle. It wasn't loud enough that it would interrupt any thoughts or talk between her and Ronni. She figured the music that went with her favorite holodeck program fit well. Two of the other songs were Dangerzone and Through the Fire which fit their situation well to say the least.

"Half way there. Half to go . . . ." Ronni spoke quietly, but Miran heard her and smiled to herself. Half way to being finished with the fun, though she would have some "fun" when she returned to the ship. Deiran wasn't going to be the happiest camper in the system.

In the event that she didn't return to the ship, she had left a message that would allow itself to be read. She told Deiran of everything that she had felt in the moment before the ship launched and she was no longer able to write.

She inverted the shuttle to easily manuaever around the forecoming Dominion ship. Miran thanked the Klingons for at least believing in harnesses since the interial compensators were not set like a Federation shuttle was. Here you felt it when you did anything too quickly. There was a slight pull towards the platforms that she compensated for.

Up and down, around and out, Miran flew the shuttle to avoid the incoming fire and the different sections of platforms. While she was in her element here, she didn't have a death wish.

The battle was winding down. Miran and Ronni quickly finished their assignment and headed back to the ships to rejoin with their home.

It wasn't long before the call that Miran expected to hear came over her commbadge. She could tell it in his voice, hear the worry, pain, and anger that he felt.

[Casey to Lt. Commander Casey Ti.]

“Casey Ti here, Commander,” she answered formally. She was still on duty.

[Miran, I can’t leave the Bridge, could you meet me here please?] his voice quieted a little and she knew that he was trying to control his voice so not to make matters worse.

[“Is that an order Commander?”] she asked. Miran wanted to go to Lara. As a mother, she had to make sure with her own eyes that her child was safe.

[Well it all depends on if you’re willing to come on your own free will,] the Galaxy's XO snapped.

“I’ll be there Deiran,” Miran cut off the connection slightly pissed at him.

Arriving on the bridge, she said not a word as she entered into the ready room, eyes blazing bright with the anger and resentment she felt now. Her battle had just begun.

ICQ- #2773922 Nerys
IM - Ti Miran

“The Next Great Battle”
USS GALAXY
Commander Deiran Casey &
Lt. Commander Casey Ti Miran

*** Captain’s Ready Room ***

Deiran looked into the fiery eyes of his wife. She looked beautiful when she was mad, but she looked beautiful when she was happy. He moved closer to her, embraced her, practically squeezing the breath out of her and then gave her a kiss.

“I thought you were mad?” she asked.

“I'm furious! I'm just glad your safe, the anger will come soon. Right now, I'm thanking the prophets for your safety,” he replied.

“You have never believed in the Prophets before,” Miran replied unevenly.

“I do now,” he said, kissing her again.

“You had no right to not inform me of the request for pilots, Deiran! How dare you!” Miran pulled out of Deiran's arms and yelled the words.

“I'm the Commander of this ship. With all the rescue operations taking place, I thought it better to have our Shuttle Ops in the shuttlebay where she belonged!” Deiran retorted.

“No, you wanted me in the shuttlebay for my safety. You were giving me special treatment. I was offended you would even do that, much less keep valuable information from me! I am a member of this crew and have a duty to this ship just as you do.”

Deiran put his hand on his forehead, clearly stressed out over the situation. His emotions were out of control. The war, his dead friends, Dalane, Miran's safety and the Captain's; he was feeling the brunt of severe trauma and knew there was nothing he could do at the moment but get through it with his mind sane and maybe a good nights rest would help.

“Miran I can't lose you, I've lost too many today. I can't lose you. I love you more than anything. I need you in my life. If you would have been hurt out there,” he pointed out the window of the office, “my life would have ended too. We are one. You're my heart, spirit, soul. Everything I am at this moment is because of you. When you went out there to fight, my heart sank to my feet. I did what I did out of love and a need to keep you in my life and for no other reason,” the pain, love and even the stress was clearly evident on his face.

The stressful situation on Cardassia had effected the Captain earlier and was now effecting Casey.

"You still had no right. You do not stay aboard the ship at any sign of danger so that I am insured of having a husband and Lara a father. You risk your life but I cannot? I have things I need to do. I have to find Lara. We will finish this tonight." Miran left an astonished Deiran standing and watching her leave.

Deiran watched her from behind as she left the ready room.

“Miran wait… I love you!” he called out as the doors to the ready room shut behind her and she was gone.

Deiran didn’t lose many battles, come to think of it, he never lost one. But, he found himself getting beat by Miran on a regular basis. He didn’t mind. Maybe Miran was really excited from the flying and the make-up process could get extremely interesting.

“Here’s hoping!” he said out loud and went back around to look at some transfer reports.

"Show Of Strength"
by Lieutenant Commander David Mercury
Chief of Engineering
USS Galaxy
Inserts from "Turbolift Control" by Lieutenant Suder

****Main Engineering****

[Suder to Mecury, I done all I can, you should be able to get the main turbolifts online.] he explained.

"Good work Lieutenant" the 'Commander responded.

[Thanks.] Suder replied.

"Ensign lower the power variance of the turbolift. We need to bring her back online slowly otherwise she'll blow. Keep an eye on that connector it doesn't look stable. Alright lets start to power her up." The two engineers were working side by side. Ensign Richard's shirt was hanging on by just threads. He had several burns and one severe cut on his shoulder. A few bruises on his head and his hands were just a mess. It was amazing that he was still standing let alone alive. David was not in much better shape. He had two cuts on his face, one just above his eye and the other on his right cheek. There was a large gash on his left arm but no blood. His implants were going to need some repairs but this was not the time.

"Sir, partial power has been restored but we have lost one connector plate. The other two connectors are holding fast." Ensign Richards reported.

"Increase the variance, lets bring the primary system back online. Make sure to reprogram the system to insure that it doesn't enter the damaged region of the lower decks. And Ensign as soon as the lifts are full functional and stable I want you to report to Sickbay. That is an order not a request. Understood?"

"Aye sir."

"Mercury to McDowell" David tapped his comm badge. There was no response.

"Mercury to McDowell, Ensign can you hear me?" Again no response but David could now hear coughing.

[(coughing) Go ahead sir! (coughing)]

"What's the situation? Where are my transports Ensign?"

[Sir, there are several fires burning out of control. A couple of the bulkheads have collapsed and the wreckage is just incredible. I am having trouble reaching the controls. Give me three minutes.] Ensign McDowell pleaded.

"You have two and then I want you out of there. We have lost too many good people today, I can't afford to lose another."

[Yes sir]

"'Commander Mercury?" David spun back around towards Ensign Richards. "Secondary turbolifts fully operational with the exception of the lower three decks."

"Understood, now report to Sickbay." Ensign Richards lowered his head and started to walk out. "Ensign..." David walked over to the tired and injured Ensign. He reached out and extended his hand. "Ensign, courage is one of those things that we can't be taught at the Academy. Its just something we hope will surface when we need it. You demonstrated great strength today now it is time to heal. Dismissed." Richards extended his hand and shook the Chief's hand.

"Thanks." Ensign Richards held his head high as he walked out of Main Engineering.

"McDowell report!" David called as he watched Ensign Richards leave. "Mercury to McDowell..." No response. "Computer what is the current location of Ensi..."

[Sir, transporters back online. (coughing)] Ensign McDowell replied.

"Excellent job, now get out of there!"

[You don't have to tell me twice!"]

The ship was in pieces, there were more damaged systems then operational ones. It would almost be easier to build a new ship then try and repair her. But from the reports coming in from Starfleet, she was in better shape then most. The Galaxy was a strong ship with a strong crew. David looked around to get an idea of how many crew members were still left in Main Engineering.

"Can everyone gather 'round." Two officers walked out from behind the warp core and two more left there consoles and walked over to where David was standing. "Here's the deal, we have three teams out around the ship. Suder's team is in pretty bad shape, and they are reporting fires throughout deck 18. 'Lieutenant Knight is in the Main Shuttlebay and the last team was sent to help Suder. This shift is over, I want everyone who needs medical attention to get it and then report back in two shifts. For everyone else you have the next shift off and then I want you back here. We need to get started on repairs but its not going to work until everyone gets their strength back. Dismissed." As David finished the next shift and her crew started to walk in. David followed his crew out of Main Engineering. He left orders with the senior officer to begin reports starting with deck 18.

****David and Jordan's Quarters****

"Hello?" David called out as he entered the room. "Jordan?"

"In here honey." Jordan answered from the bathroom. David unbuttoned his jacket as he walked into the bathroom. Jordan was lying in the bathtub. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful. As David entered the bathroom Jordan could see David condition. "Oh my god! David are you alright? What happened? Why did you go to Sickbay?"

"It looks worse then it feels, I just needed to see you. I lost a lot of good people today. I needed to see.... I need to see my wife." Jordan tried to hold back the tears in her eyes but she couldn't. She leaned over and touched David's face. Gracefully moving her hand across his lips.

"David, I love you." Without saying a word he sat down in front of the bathtub and leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. She placed her arms around him and held him tightly. David closed his eyes. He was home.

Dan Josephs

" Assuming Command" By Ika'Roshe First of the Jem' Hadar

First Ika’Roshe watched intently as the Vorta he was holding, supporting, take his last breath the eyes of the Vorta burrowed into the Ika‘Roshe’s; accusing, disbelieving that the Jem’Hadar that he had just ordered to surrender had killed him. Unflinchingly Ika’Roshe stared back and waited for the inevitable glazing over of the eyes, that signalled the body’s surrender.

With a rattle in his throat the Vorta died, Ika’Roshe dropped the body and turned to face the remaining Jem’Hadar and the single Cardassian supposedly of the Obsidian order.

Second Remeortha stared down at the body and looked up at the first. ” It is done!” Came the deep baritone voice of the Jem’Hadar second. ”You are......first!”

Ika ‘Roshe nodded firmly he had expected nothing else. Jem’Hadar were born, bred to fight to the death, their were already dead, their lives forfeited, before they entered into battle and although they were still technically alive, no Jem’Hadar would ever surrender! The Cardassian was something else He had actually taken part in the systematic, methodical slaughtering of the Cardassian innocents.

“You are dead, you are all dead.” Stated Ika’Roshe to the 15 remaining Jem’Hadar. “To live again we might fight as we have never fought before against overwhelming odds, Klingons, Romulan, Federation and the Cardassians” The last word was spat out ‘The Cardassians, their former allies?’ Ika‘Roshe gaze fell upon the single Cardassian ‘One to watch’ He thought.

Ika’Roshe was an honoured elder, he had been alive for 18 years, and with that time he had done unspeakable things in the name of the Dominion, on the orders of the founders he had wiped put entire species that did not conform to Dominion rule.

Ika’Roshe’s eye’s steeled over, “We seek prisoners, for tactical information, these prisoners in turn will..” With the emphasis on the will, Ika’ Roshe swept his eyes over the troops. “…divulge information, the Cardassian will help extract the information, so we may plan our next strike.”

“Take your positions.” Ordered Ika’Roshe. The Jem’Hadar filed out in military precision, into the armoured personal carrier.” Commence scans?” Ordered Ika ‘Roshe.

The carrier rumbled on, the First came out of his own thoughts as second Remeortha approached him, “Long range scans have detected a multitude of lifesigns directly ahead

"I have confirmed that they coincide with that of Federation members and ….one other!”

“Take us there!” Ordered Ika’Roshe” Cardassian!” Snapped the Jem’Hadar first. ” You will convince the starfleeters to surrender.Understand!”

To be continued….

"CLA"
by Captain Robert Edward Lee Price

Captain Price and Lieutenant Commander Thomas materialized on the transporter pad of the USS Galaxy.

"Welcome back on board Captain, 'Commander." Transporter Chief Jensen greeted.

"G'day 'mate." Lee offered as he and a seriously expressioned Chief Of Operations Officer stepped off the transporter and walked out on their way to the Bridge.

Chris was quiet in the turbolift. He seemed to be deep in thought about these unexpected transfer orders. He knew the USS Aurora was a Starfleet Intelligence ship, and the name Captain Rema was also familiar to him. But he didn't know if Captain Price would know that. Or if he should risk telling him. One thing he did know, was that if Starfleet Intelligence was transferring him to one of their ships, it wasn't to aid him in finding out what really happened to his wife, Gwyen, on Starbase 81 back in '72.

The turbolift doors opened and both men stepped out onto the bridge. Captain Price looked around and could see that Lieutenant Brandis was sitting in the Command chair.

"Welcome back to the Galaxy Captain. Lieutenant Commander. Shall I relinquish command to you sir?" Jonathan asked standing from the chair.

"As you were 'mate. I need to speak with Commander Casey. Is he still in my office Lieutenant?" Price asked pointing his thumb towards his ready room.

"Aye sir. I believe he is expecting you." Jonathan nodded.

"Fair dinkum 'mate. Carry on." Lee declared, turning and walking towards the office. As silent and serious Lieutenant Commander Thomas right on his shoes.

Lieutenant Brandis watched as both men entered the Captain's ready room and the door swished shut behind them. He then sat back down in the command chair and glanced around at the rest of the Beta shift crew manning their stations.

********

*** Planet side, Cardassia Prime ***

The relief effort was underway. Teams of Federation officers had begun to transport down to the larger city centers of the once lavish planet. Where giant buildings covered in Cardassian grandiose d‚cor once stood, now dilapidated partial walls and rubble laid in it's place. The place was a wreck. Power, communications, water, lights, everything was totally destroyed. Nothing was working. Nothing except for the harsh Cardassian sun that is. The temperatures were sweltering as the desert like climate rose in the late afternoon sun.

The first order of business was to set up temporary shelters on the planet. Beam down supplies, tools, portable power units for lighting and powering the medical and communication equipment, and replicators for water. The Federation relief effort had only just started and already they had to remind their own people to try and limit their exposure to the harsh Cardassian sun and to drink plenty of liquids. Heat stroke and dehydration would become an increasing problem for the humans in this environment. There wasn't a member on the team that wasn't dripping in sweat from the heat after only a few minutes on the surface during this time of day.

"How do you do it?" Ensign McDowell asked while working on one of the replicators that was just beamed down.

T'Zaq stopped hooking up the power couplings she was routing to the portable field generators and raised a whimsical Vulcan eyebrow at her fellow Engineer. "How do I do what Ensign?"

Wiping his sweaty forehead with his bare forearm; his duty jacket long since discarded for the comfort of his tank top tunic, Michael glanced at the fully jacketed and uniformed Vulcan and shook his head. "How do you stand this heat while wearing your full uniform?"

Without showing any emotion, T'Zaq turned her attentions back to her work, making power connections of the various pieces of equipment they had been asked to assemble and get working. "Actually, I find the climate on this planet most comfortable. It reminds me of my home planet Vulcan which, like Cardassia, has a thin atmosphere conducive of the higher temperatures you are currently experiencing Ensign."

"If that means it's hot, I have to agree. Whew! I can't wait to return to the climate controlled decks of the Galaxy and take a nice, cold sonic shower." Ensign McDowell explained.

"I don't think you will get an opportunity to return just yet Ensign. There is still much work that has to be done here, before nightfall. One of the other consequences of having a thin atmosphere, besides the increased temperatures during the day light hours is increased thermal dissipation during the night." T'Zaq explained in a perfect monotone while making the various power connections with dynamic efficiency as she spoke.

"If that's your way of saying it cools off at night, I'm all for that." Michael smiled.

Looking at the Ensign, T'Zaq tilted her head slightly, "I believe that is what I just said Ensign. Of course, 'cooling off' in extreme cases could mean temperatures dropping below freezing in some areas."

"Oh great. We get fried by day and frozen by night. Wonderful!" Michael declared, returning to his work.

"It is actually a very efficient use of energy on a planetary scale. Unfortunately it is not a very hospitable environment for survival without shelter. So I suggest we concentrate on completing our assigned tasks. There are still many more shelters that need to be constructed before night fall." T'Zaq explained.

Michael was about to agree with a simple "Yes sir." when there was a loud noise just a few meters away. He wasn't able to tell exactly what it was. Sounded like a large object fell and hit the ground from where he was. "What was that?!" he asked looking around.

T'Zaq shot her head up. Her sensitive Vulcan ears could hear much more efficiently than Ensign McDowell's. "It sounded like a small explosion. . . ." the Lieutenant explained, "Let's check it out."

The two officers walked a few meters to where the supplies that were transported down from the Galaxy had been staged while the shelter was being constructed and powered up. Placing her hands on her hips, T'Zaq could see that someone had planted a small "shoe box" bomb in with the supplies, effectively destroying a portion of them in the resulting explosion. On the ground, someone had scratched out three big letters in the dirt.

Ensign McDowell caught up and saw the damage, then glanced at the letters. "CLA? what does that mean?"

"I do not have enough data to formulate a response Ensign." T'Zaq responded.

"You mean you don't know." McDowell asked in a tone making it more of a statement.

"I believe I said that Ensign." T'Zaq responded simply.

The loud noise from the tiny bomb had drawn attention of the homeless Cardassian survivors that were standing by, waiting for the Federation emergency shelter to be built. Slowly a few of them came over to investigate. Some pointing at the damaged done to the supplies, while all looked at the Federation officers with hate and loathing steaming from their eyes. One of the Cardassian's approached with an almost haughty jaunt. "It stands for Cardassian Liberation Army." He stated with a hint of defiant pride. "They object to your being here."

T'Zaq glanced at the Cardassian. He appeared to be an older man. Wearing civilian attire that was tattered, torn and full of dirt from days of being worn. "Why would they object to our helping? That is not logical."

"Maybe not. But the CLA objects to the presence of anyone other than Cardassians on Cardassian soil. They have one motto, 'For Cardassia!'." the man explained with a clenched fist.

"Well, these CLA fanatics you speak of should be very proud of themselves. . . ." Ensign McDowell said sarcastically while assessing the damaged, "They've managed to kill fourteen cases of replicator cells and four cases of sterile bandages. . . ."

"They don't care. They wont stop. They will be nothing but trouble for you until you and your Federation leave Cardassia Prime." the old Cardassian explained. His tone reflective of the attitudes of the beaten survivors. All their lives they had been taught that they were superior to humans. That the Federation was a weak government and their enemies. Now to be beaten and have to rely on the Federation's generosity in lending humanitarian support; it turned their stomachs. They are a proud people. One that doesn't easily let go of hate.

"Well, at least this is not that serious. I will signal the ship to send down additional supplies. I will make mention of this in my report. This, Cardassian Liberation Army, if they are as persistent as this gentleman says, could cause a security problem to our relief effort." T'Zaq explained.

"This is not the last you will hear from the CLA. You will see. . . ." the old man said walking back to his surviving family members and refugees waiting for the shelter to be built. "The CLA will not stop until every non-Cardassian is either dead, or off of this planet. For Cardassia!"

"I don't like the sound of that. . . ." Ensign McDowell commented while holding two of the damaged boxes of once sterile bandages in either hand.

"I do not believe the Captain will either Ensign." Lieutenant T'Zaq stated while looking at the sets of spiteful Cardassian eyes that seemed to glare out at them with all of the intensity of the Cardassian sun.

" Security Chief's private log. Stardate ... ", Sunder paused to remember the date. He'd been without sleep for about 36 hours straight now, barring the occasional nap he'd had on the lounge couch. He was taxing the limits of his endurance, but there was no avoiding it. Security was low on personnel and Casey's demand for additonal details to accompany the medical staff planetside had lowered available staff reserves even further.

Everything was calming down now though. he could allow himself a few minutes respite to reflect on recent events. He had decisions to make and now was as good a time as any.

" Stardate 49906.19. " He finally remembered. " Considering we just survived a major confrontation with the worst galactic threat since the Borg, I'd say things are pretty good. But, all things are relative. We won, but at what cost? "

He paused and looked around his office. There were ornaments scattered everywhere. Some were his prized Napoleonic miniatures that he hda collected and painted for the past two years. He had finally completed the Dragoons and the Grenadiers, and they lay broken and dented next to the Emperor's Guard. He smiled as he remembered how Cat used to hate them. She said they took too much of his attention away from her and she felt that she had to compete with them...

Well, there wouldn't be that problem anymore, he sighed to himself. He stood up and crossed over to pick the figurines up from their resting places.

" I look around my office and thank myself lucky that the walls are still standing. Compared with what the other ships in the task force suffered, it could have gone at lot worse. I've been compiling casualty reports and the contrast with the other ships is astounding. Our casualty rate was only 16% and the injuries were fairly neglible. Incredible to say, but not so incredible when you consider who was lost out of those figures. "

The Armoured Heavy Cavalry looked bad. He turned them around in his hands and noticed the foot impressions in one of the details. It appeared that someone had trodden on them in their haste. Sunder noticed the irony of the Cavalry - the Gross Freres of Napoleon's Grande Armee - caught underfoot in the middle of a war. He felt the same way - the Chief of Security unable to maintain security in a turbo-lift!

" Of the losses, Felicia's is obviously the one above all others in my mind. I know there are mothers' sons and husbands' wives lost out there, but there was only one Cat. Before I take care of other matters, and when everything is intact, I'll hold the Se' fala ritual Kengar taught me when my family was killed. "

He gathered all the soldiers together in the old cargo crate he'd snagged from the cargo bay. He used to use it for paint and epoxy storage. Now it was a portable hospital for the wounded soldiers he'd recovered from the mess of his office.

What was next? He knew Matthew had all the authorization codes he'd need, and everything was taken care of in terms of details, duty assignments, and the like. The Galaxy was returning to normal and Cardassia was a liberated planet. He wasn't needed any more. He could grieve in peace and solitude.

An indicator on his monitor panel caught his eye - The USS Aurora was in parallel parking orbit near the Galaxy. He fought to remember - an SFI ship. There was something going on downside. He shrugged his shoulders - chances are he wouldn't find out about it. Not now, anyway, he reflected.

" I've made poor decisions in my life - I've also made good ones. Usually they've balanced each other out over time and I've been pleased with the results of my life. But I can't be sure of this one. All I know is that I need something for myself right now and that I might have to go looking for it. End log. "

He glanced around. Sorry for the mess, he silently apologized, holding the box of his meager possessions salvaged from the wreck of what had been his office for the past few years.

" Computer: transfer all security authorization codes to Lt. Commander Albrecht. Send personal message to Captain Price. Begin message. "

The computer paused, waiting to record Sunder's next words. He subconsciously played with a toy soldier while he thought of his next words.

" Captain - I resign my position on boad the Galaxy and my commission from Starfleet, effective immediately. I'll make arrangements for travel off the Galaxy whenever it's convenient for you. In the meantime, I'll be in my quarters. " He paused, trying to express himself but finding the words difficult to say. " This was a - difficult mission and I think I failed the Galaxy and her officers. I have no wish to fail others. It was an honour serving under you and with this crew. Sunder out. "

A shadow fell over the office as Sunder left with the pieces of his broken soldiers under his arm.

"A Transfer, I Don't Think So"
by Lt. Commander Thomas
USS Galaxy

The captain and he had been checking out the damage and noting what was going to be the immediate concerns that anyone trying to work under would likely face. He was jotting done a short list of critical items that the crewmembers would need.

They were minding their own business, but being observed at a distance by some Cardassian's as they moved about looking for survivors. Then came a call from Commander Casey onboard the Galaxy, first checking to see they were alright and enjoying the sites. Then he got to the reason why he called.

A noticeable pause took place before the Captain replied. ["Who is the order for Commander?"]

Deiran read the name that was now highlighted on his view screen, "Lieutenant Commander Chris Thomas sir."

["...Did you put in for a transfer 'mate?"]

["... No sir. I know nothing about this Captain."] was Chris' reply to the Captain's query that Commander Casey could just make out over the open channel.

["Where is Mister Thomas being transferred to 'mate?"] Lee asked. "It says here he's to report to the USS Aurora. Captain Joseph Rema in command. There are no other details." Deiran explained.

Chris listened closely as possible to what was being said, but he was also having to keep an eye on their surroundings to prevent anyone from sneaking up on them and taking them by surprise. However he knew that he'd not put in a transfer to join another ship, at least not that he could remember. He vaguely remembered hearing the name, as his mind was now split on two things happening, one increased movement in their area and his past.

The captain was now ordering their beam out, as the captain wanted to see these orders that had been issued to transfer his chief operations officer to another ship. Which went against everything that was taking place at the moment, he couldn't believe someone was placing orders for him to be transferred to another ship. Then again he'd made some enemies in his time, they could be working to move him to a place they could keep an eye on him better.

Chris would be happy when they returned to the ship so he could get a look at those orders closer. He wanted to see them for himself, where they came, who sent them and where he was suppose to be going. He'd overed the conversation between the captain and first officer, but he wanted to see for himself.

They would soon be back onboard the ship and then he hoped the captain could clear up this matter, but still he wanted to see the orders. The name of that captain and the mess up at this moment in time didn't make sense to him, and obviously didn't make sense to the captain or the first officer.

Christopher Patton
ICQ # 11497863

Based on STAR TREK created by Gene Roddenberry
Written by Lieutenant Suder

"Damage Report"

Suder had managed to fight his way out of the darkness. He stumbled down the deck, looking for other Engineers. At last, he came across them. Ensign McDowell was limping and coughing his way across the wreckage. The wreckage that had put them in a bad shape in the first place. There was still a pretty big fire. "You did good Ensign." Suder said. The talented Ensign turned his head back and smiled slightly then coughed. "Now do what the Chief said and get to Sickbay. Lieutenant?" he called to one of the engineers on the other side of the wreckage.

"Yes, Sir?" the Lieutenant Junior Grade replied.

"Make sure McDowell makes it to Sickbay, then report back here." Suder said.

"Will do." the officer replied. The other three engineers stood waiting for orders. Suder stepped on the wreckage slightly so he could be seen by them.

"All right gentlemen what we have here is a collapsable deck. It's already happened once, but if we move the wrong thing then it's going to unstablize the rest of the deck." Suder explained. I need someone up there..." he said poitning to the whole above him "...so that the main supports can be held there. If they fall, it's not going to be a pretty sight."

Straight away, one of the engineers carefully climbed the wreckage and then jumped up and grabbed the edge of the above deck. HE managed to pull himself up. "Now, I need someone to get something to put out these fires, their all over the deck. Secondly, power on this deck is very low, so we need some lighting. Ensign, get some light generators and set them up around this wreckage. We'll fix what we can here and then move down across the deck." Suder explained.

The two officers got to work and Suder began looking at the wreckage deciding what parts could be moved, what shouldn't be moved, what should be held in place by the Engineer above. It was going to take some time.

"No Rest for the Weary"
by Ensign Shane Montgomery Wolcott
and Ensign V'ehlma M'aerikh

Shane's muscles ached. He'd been awake now for some time, but he knew it wasn't over. He was due to go on shift at any moment.

"Man, I ache all over," he complained to himself.

It was dark in his room. Only a single lamp illuminated the confines of his quarters, and its brightness was dimmer than that of a single candle. Shane's naked body was sprawled across his unmade bed, and his uniform crumpled on the floor next to it. He rolled over on his back and moved his hand to rub across his wash board stomach and groaned once more as the muscles in his shoulders tightened.

"I hate this, dude." He was talking to himself.

The door chime chirped. Shane pushed himself up on his elbows.

"Who is it?"

"Shane, It's me, V'ehlma."

He sighed. He had forgotten that he'd invited the lovely klingon woman over. Right now he wished that he hadn't of because he really wanted some rest now.

"Hang on, I'm coming." He reached down and pulled on a pair of black boxer shorts with yellow smiley faces all over them and answered the door.

V'ehlma stood there in her uniform. Luxurious silver curls fell over her shoulders, and her deep blue eyes sparkled like faceted jewels. Her lips were full and moist and oh so blue. He wasn't sure if it was their natural color or if she had enhanced them with lip makeup. He breathed deeply her scented perfume and closed his eyes. She smelled good.

"Pheww!! What is that stench? Do you have a dead vole somewhere in that pig sty?" The blue skinned woman wrinkled her nose.

"What?" Shane looked confused. He sniffed the air and looked around. "No, why would there be a dead vole. I don't smell anything."

"You've got to be kidding me. You can't smell that?" V'ehlma pushed her way past Shane. She was like a bloodhound searching for the cause of the odor.

Shane looked like a lost puppy as he followed her around. He scratched the blond mop of hair on his head and yawned. He then scratched his butt with the other hand and cocked his head to one side.

V'ehlma turned to face him. She sniffed. She came closer to him. She sniffed again. "Gross. You're what stinks."

Shane looked bewildered. He lifted his arm into the air and sniffed his armpit. His nose wrinkled. "Oh, that."

"Shane, go take a shower."

He smiled. "You want to scrub my back?"

V'ehlma snarled. "If I touch your back, Mr. Wolcott, it will be to break every bone in your spine."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Promises." He entered the shower room and began a sonic shower. Normally he'd take a hot water shower, but he lacked the time to do so now.

"Hurry up, we've got a meeting with the new Chief Helmsman, Lt. Jordan Arisa."

"I am hurrying." Shane yawned once more. "Throw me my uniform."

V'ehlma reached over and tossed him his crumpled up uniform. "Tell me you are not going to wear that to our first meeting."

"Yeah, why not?" Shane pulled the uniform over is naked form. The material was coarse, but it felt good to his skin. He picked up his discarded boxers and threw them into the corner of his room where a pile of clothes had started to form.

"Let's go." Shane smiled his toothy grin.

V'ehlma rolled her eyes, and the two officers left his quarters. They headed towards Lt. Jordan Arisa's office.

"Help Wanted"
Dr. Roman O'Neil, ACMO

***CASSDAHR, CARDASSIA PRIME***

Roman watched for a moment as Chen and Mulich were glancing down at the Jem'Hadar they had recently slained. *Probably wishing the Jem'Hadar would come back to life to have another fire fight.* He left his security detail be as he flipped open his medical tricorder and began scanning.

The older Cardassian seemed almost fearful of Roman and he feared the woman was probably suffering from shock or emotional trauma. He was grabbed ruffly by the shoulder so that he would have to face that person. His eyes met those of a very angry native man.

"What do you think you're doing, human?" The man snarled at him, a Cardassian disrupter pistol hanging at his side.

"Administering first aid. My initial scans are showing some signs of illness is beginning to show up. I have to give them antibodies to fight those infections before they get worse." Roman had set his med kit on a flat surface, pulling out a hypospray.

The Cardassian pushed the med kit off it's perch, landing among the small chucks of debris, it's contents scattered about. "We do not need your condescending Federation platitudes. Because of a handful of men, the Dominion attacks us. Then you come along trying to be helpful neighbours of the Alpha Quadrant as if the last two years of war never happened. You are pathetic liars, you look down your noses at us, snickering about Cardassia's destruction. We were enemies, admit that you are glad this happened!"

The Cardassian was inciting the crowd and many shouted in agreement. "Why don't you go back to your ship. You are not wanted here." Someone gave the medkit a kick and it went flying against a mountain of rubble.

Roman knew when he had been beat. This group, even when they needed it, weren't going to go along and allow him to help them. It started out as stubborn pride but ended as plain stupidity.

A very young Cardassian boy was jumping among the rubble just beside them. Roman could hear a man, probably the father, insist the child get down. The boy obeyed, but far to quickly, his foot got caught in a crevis and he tumbled to the ground. There was a scream, maybe from the mother, then the crowd began to move to the child crying in pain. Roman made his way over and for once, their pride collapsed enough to allow him to move ahead to where the child laid.

He scanned and found only a compound break in one leg and a simple break in the other. In these conditions, had he left as the rude one wanted, the boy would have been crippled. The crowd moved out of the way again as Roman searched through the medkit's contents on the ground, finally finding the osteo-regenerator. He slowly moved back and forth over the leg with the simple break. The other was more serious. Part of the bone had broke the skin. Roman had given the boy the correct dose of painkiller.

"That's enough Federation. We will take care of the boy." The same confrontational man said quite insistantly.

Another, the boy's father, barked back. "Shut up Ferib. Let the human work."

Ferib, noticing that the once vocal crowd, who had been ready to follow his anti-Federation banner, had silently agreed with the father. He cursed them all to hell, then walked away.

Roman managed to get the bone in place and made a splint from the debris. He used the osteo-regenerator on it but knew it would take longer to heal.

A strong voice spoke behind him, the father again. "I am glad you were here, Doctor."

Roman took the comment in stride. Once the boy was done, others started speaking at once about thier own ailments.

He was to busy to see Chen and Mulich making their way back, phasers drawn.

~Darren

"Help and Harm from Unlikely Places"

by Lt Commander Endris Gakor-Albrecht
with Lt Commander Matthew Albrecht
and NPC's Lt (jg) Angela Dana
Klingon pilot AzarpH
& Citizen Door

*** Ruins, Icarian City ***

Sometimes being first is actually best. In this case, the ruins of Icarian City did have one benefit. As the first metropolis leveled during the Dominion's reprisal against the Cardassian populace, time had elapsed, giving energy fields from weapons discharges time to dissipate. As a result, both tricorders and transporters were working normally.

"Doctor, over here", cried Angela. "My tricorder indicates a functional energy source producing heat, with several life signs surrounding it. The reading is below surface level."

The Medical officer thought about this and remarked "There might be a few survivors grouped in basements. Cardassian architecture might not be the very best in the quadrant, but I read a report in my Archeology magazine about the Cardassian's art of sturdy and practical building techniques."

Matthew debated whether to confront his wife. An argument wouldn't do; after all, their mission was to help survivors of the war that had just ended. The CMO's dedication to duty could not be faulted. She and the others had saved 4 wounded already. They were now in a small hospital complex the engineer had set up shortly after their arrival. But the entire cluster of possibly healthy Cardassians Angela found in the basement was a considerable security risk, and he was concerned about their ability to keep the area secure without adding additional Cardassian survivors to the mix. Well, he figured, the question of how much exposure to danger a team can afford while providing humanitarian aid was as ancient as modern warfare itself. The key thing was to provide the relief to as many survivors as possible, and trust your training and support to make things work out. Not the most detailed plan, but it would have to do.

Meanwhile, the others were debating if the field hospital was yet extensive enough to claim the name 'hospital'. After all, there were only a hand full of bio beds, a single replicator to supply food and medical items, and a power source. A primitive metal roof and walls, lacking the aesthetic qualities of modern buildings, provided shelter from the elements. Several more security, science, and counseling personnel had beamed down to make sure the healing Cardassians did not decide to cause trouble. Door had beamed down to join them, bringing with him a power coil the engineers had requested, (this time a Vulcan model). The standard one they originally brought with them had checked out on the ship, but refused to labor efficiently under the harsh Cardassian sun. Being another desert world, a Vulcan device should be able to function in the local environment.

The Doctor checked her comm link to the ship, not expecting to find anything so soon. There was an encrypted message from Chief Counselor Dallas, requesting immediate medical leave. The encryption insured her patient's privacy, but had sparse details except that Karyn was headed for Earth for some type of 'physical therapy'. *Snacks! Surely this has something to do with the confinement of her mobility chair.* Endris knew Lt Dallas would not make a request of this nature lightly, and forwarded the CMO's approval of the leave chit to the XO and the Captain. Respecting Karyn's need for privacy, she did nothing to indicate the nature of the sudden departure.

Suddenly, the Tellarite thought of a request she wanted to pass directly to the Captain. The Cardassians who were on the surface, having been attacked and forced to hide, would not be easy to placate. But several Gator class Cardassian ships and few smaller vessels of Cardassian origins had survived the war. Perhaps Cardassian doctors from those ships would care to aid Federation relief efforts, or at least survivors could be transported on to the Cardassian ships until homes were built on the planet again.

If the Cardassians were rescued by their brothers and sisters of the remaining Cardassian fleet, they could be informed of the end of hostilities and the cooperative effort that was now beginning to repair Cardassia.

While Endris was relaying her message, the others had managed to clear the rubble blocking stairs to the basement where Angela had detected life signs. Cautiously, they pried the jammed doors above the entrance open. The hinges were not rusty, but they had been stuck tightly by the collapse of the structures above them.

It took a while to open the doors. Once they did, the group faced 7 angry Cardassians in relatively good health considering the circumstances. Worse still, they were armed with disrupter rifles and did not know of Federation relief efforts. The defenders were soon firing at the Galaxy's away team from behind piles of rubble, shouting cries of "For Cardassia". Fortunately, the assailants were weak from hunger and dehydration, making their pistols droop and their shots go astray. Only AzarpH was hit, and then with a grazing wound he joked off as a 'Scratch'.

After only a battle of minutes, all of the Cardassians lied stunned on the ground. Insisting they were dangerous, Matthew locked them in makeshift cells so they wouldn't cause trouble once they woke up. The move caught disapproving stares from the medical staff. From the ACSO, they merely received a ‘hrummph.’

But the attack proved merely a prelude to further conflict. Soon, the relief team heard a boom, noticing across the vast room a section of roof had collapsed upon open, unused space. Suspecting a trap, Matthew was quick to pounce on the newly destroyed section with his tricorder. The palm held device whizzed a few minutes, then sent a readout that the blast pattern had been caused by a disruptor on overload. The blaster’s energy was insufficient to destroy the whole room, but sufficient to scare or threaten the away team.

The others came over to help, and soon the 3 meter section of rubble had been cleared, exposing a grating. There seemed to be one or more Cardassian life signs moving away from the grid, suggesting not all of their hosts were happy to see them. Turning back to the cells, Matthew saw two of the Cardassians were awake and decided it was time for a few answers.

"Where does this passage lead?" he opened. Immediately after saying it, he realized how combative it sounded. He wished for an opportunity to take it back, but of course, it was too late. Okay, he thought, stun them, put them in a cell, harangue them for answers to tactical questions. Good start.

The junior Cardassian looked to his leader, finally answering in his senior's place. "Glin Durat will tell you nothing, arrogant Federation scum," the spoon head replied while launching a ball of spittle as far as he could in his dehydrated state. The liquid projectile fell far short of its intended target.

Albrecht turned to a nurse, "Could we get our guests some more water, please? They’re still dehydrated." Turning back to face his detractors again. "Believe it or not, the war between the Dominion and the Federation alliance is over. We are here to help rebuild Cardassia after the damage inflicted by the Dominion." The human enunciated his words carefully, hoping to convey sincerity.

"Lies!", the Glin evaluated. "We will tell you nothing of use."

"If we were still fighting, why would we only stun you and tend your wounds?" Matthew reasoned. "In addition, we have supplied you food and water."

"Underling!" he hissed, indicating he felt members of the Federation were inferior, "It is an obvious trick to make our tongues loose! Your ruse has failed miserably. This is no better care than you would give prisoners of war. You dare stand on our soil and lecture us? It is you that are the intruders!", he said, arcing his hands out to mockingly surround the entire away team. A vein in the Glin's head bulged, indicating his tirade came from genuine anger. It didn't help that the statement contained a grain of truth.

This was getting the team nowhere, and Matthew knew that his own ingrained enmity toward Cardassians was part of the cause. It was, after all, difficult to switch quickly between enemy and ally. He whispered a command to Angela and AzarpH, who left and returned soon with Citizen Door. Perhaps the newest patients would be more comfortable speaking with a Cardassian.

By this time, the rest of the Cardassian detainees had roused from their stunned states.

Door's presence had an unexpected effect on Glin Durat. The Cardassian looked to the floor of his hastily constructed cell, finding a piece of stone that had collapsed earlier from the ceiling. When Door approached closely to speak with the Glin, the caged prisoner cried "Collaborator!" at the top of his lungs and hit Door's right eye with the missile he had managed to find.

Endris and the others had been silent through this whole exchange, apparently praying that Matthew's inquisition would be effective. Seeing the new injury, the Doctor sprang into action immediately, healing the minor wound.

The physician couldn't help but feel this mission was going to be more difficult than it first seemed. The Tellarite's relatively new husband seemed to agree. "Door, we seem to have encountered unexpected opposition. For your safety, I insist you beam back to the Galaxy."

"An understandable precaution, Commander" Door said, obviously relieved to be going "home". "If you find a faction of my people willing to dialog, please keep me informed and I shall return."

The transporter energized, and the only friendly Cardassian the team had found disappeared to the safe sanctuary the Galaxy afforded under these circumstances.

Albrecht put his hand upon his wife’s shoulder. "That went smoothly," he commented facetiously. "Hon, it may be necessary to move this hospital facility if we cannot find a way to close off that underground passage. We can’t keep having unannounced guerrilla attacks interrupting your work."

The CMO grunted hungrily, "Snacks, Muffin! What’ll take more time, searching for a new hospital site that is free of tunnels, or searching the one tunnel we know about and securing it?"

Nodding, Matthew started to plan his strategy for searching the unknown catacombs beneath their feet. Plans to use echo-location and time-indexed traffic metering scanners began to form. He would need help. Perhaps the Klingon pilot, and lieutenant’ Dana, another security officer and maybe even a science officer. He wondered what Numa was up to. . .

"Labour"

By Lt. Karyn Dallas
Chief Counsellor

Lt(jg) Yazron Beq
Tactical Officer (soon father)

***Shuttlebay 2***

Yaz stepped out of the Trill Fighter and was immediately greeted by a Petty Officer.

"Sir, I have been told to inform you that your wife is in Labour."

"I'm on my way!!" Yaz shouted, and ran for the shuttlebay doors, just as Tim stepped out of the Fighter, looking at his friend, wondering why the hell he was in such a hurry.

***Sickbay, 2 knocked down Ensigns, and one trampled engineering kit later***

Karyn heard the commotion, even before the anxious father to be entered the room. She wondered briefly how he was going to take the unexpected news.

Yaz ran through the doors of sickbay, almost overturning an equipment trolley.

"I assume you're the father-to-be?" Karyn asked the Trill who had just made the dramatic entrance.

Yaz turned to see the chief counsellor holding his wife's hand and dabbing her head with a soaked rag. He walked to beside her. "Are you alright honey?"

She managed to get out. "Fever, complications!"

Yaz looked questioning at Karyn.

Karyn didn't waste anytime. "You're wife has contracted some type of bacterial infection. We think she might have contracted it while helping some of the wounded to sickbay. Dr. Gakor is checking the blood samples of the wounded now to see if we can find the culprit. Right now, it does not appear to be life threatening and at this point Endris wants to try anti-biotics to see if she can stop the infection and lower Lorraine's temperature. If at all possible, natural childbirth is still the best course of action. If need be, a C-section can be done but the baby is healthy and we want to leave that as a last resort."

"It's the best thing, Yaz," answered Lorraine between contractions, "a C-section means a longer recovery and a greater chance for infection...but..." Another contraction seized her.

Karyn reminded her to breathe easy while Yaz looked horrified to see his wife in pain. "But unfortunately...it means no pain killers. We can't risk an adverse drug interaction. Most painkillers will reverse the effects of the a

ntibiotics. We were lucky to catch the infection in time, we want to do everything we can to make sure it doesn't spread. That's why I'm here. Lt. Karyn Dallas, Chief Counselor and Chief Lamaze Coach."

Yaz looked concerned for his wife but looked bound and determined to help his wife. Karyn informed Yaz that Lorraine was not yet fully dialated and still needed to be coached through labor. She felt this was their time to be together and share this personal moment, so she instructed him on how to coach her.

"Make sure she breathes, that's it. You can watch the contractions peak on that monitor over there. Talk to her, give encouragement, do anything to take her mind off it."

"Thanks, Karyn, I think we can handle it from here. "

"Anytime. Everything is going to be just fine. I'm right outside if you need me."

Karyn rolled out of the room, wishing to give the young couple some privacy. In the wake of all this confusion, she was looking forward to welcoming a little one onboard. The crew needed some good news. She hoped and prayed that things would work out, but she knew with the Galaxy's medical staff, she was on good hands.

*That Lorraine is a brave woman, there's no way in hell I'd be doing this without painkillers.* Karyn smiled, and yet, she couldn't deny the tug of her heartstrings as she thought of having a baby of her own.

"In The Heat Of The Moment"
by Ensign Michael McDowell
Engineer
USS Galaxy
Exerts from ""Show Of Strength" by Lieutenant Commander David Mercury and from "Damage Report" By Lieutenant Suder.

***Deck Eighteen***

The smoke of several fires filled Deck Eighteen making it almost impossible to breathe. Michael was still trying figuring out how bring the transporters back online while at the same time staying conscious. In normal circumstances he would have fixed it already but now he had problems reaching the controls. Wreckage blokked the way and most of it was to heavy for Michael to move. He tried but to no use.

*Damn! I don't have time for this!!*

"Alans (coughing)...Burns! (coughing) Where are you!?" Michael shouted. At least...he tried to shout but the smoke prevented it. His voice sounded like it came from an old man. So Michael was not suprised that nobody answered. Maybe they weren't there anymore or even worse...maybe the were all unconscious. It was impossible to tell. Nothing could be seen through the thick blanked of smoke. But if he was to move the wreckage then he had to have help.

"Stevens!? ...Where (coughing)...where are guys!? I need help!! (heavy coughing)"

Again Michael tried to shout at the top of his lungs after which he almost choked. Again no response. His voice was simply too faint to be heard by others. He didn't try a third time.

*Hell! No help this time.* Michael thought, *No what!?*

While still gasping for air Michael heard the chirp comming from his combadge and immediately after that the voice of Commander Mercury.

[Mercury to McDowell]

Michael was unable to acknowledge the call. At the moment he was breathing more smoke then air. He got down on his knees hoping that he would find some fresh air closer to the ground. He found some and took a deep breath. *Pfew! That was a close call.....never thought i would be saved by a simple law of physics!*

[Mercury to McDowell, Ensign can you hear me?]

"(coughing) Go ahead sir! (coughing)"

[What's the situation? Where are my transports Ensign?]

"Sir, there are several fires burning out of control. A couple of the bulkheads have collapsed and the wreckage is just incredible. I am having trouble reaching the controls. Give me three minutes." Michael replied.

He didn't asked for help. It would take to long for anyone to get up here and he was running out of time.

[You have two and then I want you out of there. We have lost too many good people today, I can't afford to lose another.]

"Yes sir"

Only two minutes? Right now Michael could use a miracle. His mind worked at top-speed as he looked at the wreckage searching for something he could use.

"Nothing....there's absolutely nothing i can use" muttered Michael. Only moments later his eyes focussed on a thick rod made of a duranium alloy.

"Of course! That's it! It can function as a lever!" Michael yelled overjoyed while pulling it out of the wreckage.

"Now...let's see if some common-knowledge of physics can save me again."

Michael slid one end of the rod under a support beam and used a part of the collapsed bulkhead as a pivot. Done that he pushed on the other end of the rod downwards using all his weight. Slowly, only a few centimeters per second, the heavy beam raised. It worked. A minute later he cleared the access to the controls.

With only one minute left Michael frantically began looking what had caused the Transporters to go off-line. It didn't take long before he found it. He just solved the problem when Commander Mercury contacted him again.

[McDowell report!]

At first Michael was not able to acknowledge the call. He wanted to but his body prevented it. Only after taking a moment of rest he could respond.

[Mercury to McDowell...]

"Sir, transporters back online. (coughing)" Michael replied.

[Excellent job, now get out of there!]

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

Relieved that he could leave this hellhole Michael began searching for a way out. When he walked 10 to 15 meters the smoke cleared. After rounding a corner Michael encountered more wreckage. He was halfway through it when he heard someone talking to him.

"You did good Ensign."

It was Suder. Michael turned his head back and smiled slightly then coughed.

"Now do what the Chief said and get to Sickbay. Lieutenant?" Suder called to one of the engineers on the other side of the wreckage.

"Yes, Sir?" the Lieutenant Junior Grade replied.

"Make sure McDow..."

That was the last Michael heard. The rest of the dialog between Suder and the engineer went up in a haze. The war, the pain, the hours of work in a hazardous environment...it all hit him all at once. Just as Michael was about to pass out he noticed that somebody prevented him from falling down.

"Hold on Ensign...just a little bit longer. Our next stop is Sickbay."

Oink Kiss; or Every Thing and the Kitchen Sink
by Lt Commander Endris Gakor-Albrecht

*** Icarian City ***

Gakor managed a smile as she looked at Doctor Molat bring in a culture of tissue samples to analyze. But it was increasingly hard to find energy to remain content in these dismal circumstances. They had found many more dead than wounded or survivors. It was hard not to be grim in this environment.

Thinking back since her trip planet side, the CMO collected her thoughts and activated her computer link to the ship. Maybe dwelling on some pleasantries would improve her disposition. Endris decided it was time to record her personal log.

*** CMO's Personal Log, SD 490624.11 ***

Morale is low. We have been performing humanitarian efforts on Cardassia for over 2 weeks, but still disenchanted factions of survivors tend to confront us. Bombings and 'accidents' have continued. The supply shed at the hospital complex was destroyed yesterday. Fortunately, no volatile substances were stored there, but at my insistence a fire suppression system was added, as well as a force-field generator to deter future attacks.

There are only three bright spots amongst this desolation. Four days ago, in the tunnels which proved to be part of Cardassia's once bustling mass-transit subways, our team located a single Cardassian pinned under a fallen subway car. His injuries were extensive, and at first Matthew was concerned how the man could have survived from the time the Dominion ceased hostilities until now. Suspecting a trap, (perhaps an enemy with a grenade), his concerns were dismissed after scanning and finding no bombs. In addition, the wreckage surrounding the victim was only a few hours old. The metal rails had deteriorated due to fatigue. The car must have fallen mere hours before the Federation's fortunate arrival.

Once Molat's injuries were repaired, he proved more cooperative than the other Cardassians they had rescued to date. The reason: Molat was use to providing humanitarian care himself. Before turmoil decimated his home world, the tall Cardassian had been a doctor. This was verified by his ability to help inside the hospital complex, healing his fellows.

The second blessing came a week ago, when Matthew and Myself rotated up to the ship for our break. As proud parents, we both had a chance to play with Adam. I had a chance to move the fish tank down to the CMO's office, and coordinate communications with the Galaxy's medical staff. The news held a bit of a surprise. There were considerably more survivors than first thought. And resistance seemed to be at least consistent. Several more CLA incidents had been reported, but no fatalities to date.

While both Mommy and Daddy were with their child, they received an unexpected surprise. Mrs De Chance proved to be an excellent day care worker, honoring the culture and traditions of the children's origins. Before the family meal, Adam Delorbius was cranky and banging his rattle on his high chair. Sensing no food in his immediate future, the parents were startled when Adam demanded "Oink kiss". Of course, the toddler did not yet enunciate his words correctly, but the news was encouraging.

The meal problem was swiftly amended, but no amount of coaching could persuade Adam to say another word. Apparently Oinkus was the first thing the half-Tellarite, half-Human child understood well enough to demand. The proud parents wrote a thank you note to Mrs De Chance, saying how pleased they were with Adam's progress.

Also, conditions on the ship are much improved. Repairs had obviously been made, and the engineers even had enough free time to plan redesigning emergency braking systems for the Turbo Lifts to prevent accidents in the future. And Sickbay was down to a normal number of patients, allowing me to redistribute resources towards our aide efforts.

The third morale-improving decision was after a stream of complaints. Both Federation people and Cardassians were grumbling on the surface about the limited selection of food and beverages the replicators could provide. Broken pipes erupted out of the ground at irregular intervals, but these broken fountains were not the source of pure water supplies.

After much persuasion on my part, the Captain agreed to the plan I presented to build a restaurant. It was hard to ignore a Tellarite arguing for better food supplies. Who better than a gourmet to know the nutritional needs of a decimated people?

Today, even the most reluctant of our 'Community', Glin Durat, cheered at the ground-breaking for the new "Food Hut". The engineers who have been rotating down have erected housing structures, and now that the Glin has seen the help we have provided, he has grudgingly given support to our relief operations.

If only all Cardassians would be so generous, our jobs would be a lot easier. However, it took the greater part of two weeks for us to make the Glin and his comrades see we fostered no ill intents. A few of the more dissident members of the fold are still being detained in security cells for the safety of the community.

I am confident the new restaurant will add an aspect to the small town we are now building on the ruins.

*** End Personal Log ***

Endris looked up. AzarpH had proven his skills as a pilot several times in the last couple of weeks. He had personally shuttled down many large scale construction supplies as well as medical equipment that was too big to fit in the transporters.

A hover crane, transferred from one of the Fleet's repair ships, was completing the superstructure for the restaurant complex. The Tellarite hurried to see what was coming in, faster than she could think of what first meal would pump out of the ovens. "Snacks!", she said aloud, not able to contain her excitement.

The kitchen sink had arrived!

"A Moment in Time"

Lt. Jonathan Lucas Brandis, Zea Toa
Assistant Chief of Operations

Alexa Casey
NPC of Deiran Casey

That sense of falling for something was great to have again. It had been so long. The war with the Dominion had dominated a lot of the Lieutenant's time. But, whenever he was with Alexa, it didn't matter. He had given up ever trying to hide it; more and more he just wanted to be with Alexa. To just be with Alexa. Whether they were in Ten Forward, the Arboretum or just roaming the corridors aimlessly, there was no time. There was only the moment when they were together.

He knew she cared for him. It didn't take a telepath to know that. But, did she really feel the same way? Emotions were a difficult thing to decipher, like trying to trap gas in an open space. Giving form to the formless. Sometimes, Lucas had noticed, that just as he tried to pull in; she would abandon him. He knew she'd been hurt. She never really said as much, but it was always looming in the dark corners of her mind. Lucas found himself trying to judge how close was too close and what exactly 'too close' was. It was confusing and frustrating.

**** Operations Department ****

"Could you run a diagnostic test on the Dihibiter Neutrinos, Ensign? Thanks." Lt. Brandis asked Ensign Phillips, just another day.

Alexa made her way to Ops and quietly stood behind Lucas. Lucas would move and she would move with him. This happened a few times, but he never noticed her. Lucas stayed still for a minute looking at a reading on his Ops console in front of him when he felt soft, delicate hands reach around and cover his eyes.

"Guess who?" came the sweet, alluring female voice.

"President Jaresh Inyo?"

"No, try again," she said flirtatiously.

"Ah, well then it must be Captain Price, my what soft skin you have, Sir. All that Barbie Q sauce really moisturizes the skin," Lucas grinned from ear to ear.

"Noooo," she kicked him in the calf for that one. "It's me silly!" Alexa told him, she was pouting because he didn't guess it was her.

"I know." He smiled mischievously at her. "I sensed you were nearby."

"Oh really. Then, how come you didn't say anything?" She said not believing the mischievous Lieutenant.

"Because, then you wouldn't be this close to me," Lucas looked deep into her eyes, kissing her softly on the lips. Alexa stopped herself from the moment and managed a smile noticing that she still held the embrace from having covered his eyes.

"You're shift is over Lucas. Let's go do something ok?" she asked. Alexa had a way at looking at Lucas. Her eyes sparkled, her hands would find their way to his chest and she would put her forehead up to his. "Can we please?" she asked.

"What did you want to do?" Lucas asked, more out of reflex than looking for a reason. He'd go anywhere with this belle.

"Take me to your favorite program on the holodecks," she suggested. Alexa was smiling, her skin was illuminating in the light, her eyes seemed to shine, she was wearing her hair long and past her shoulders, curls made it jump and bounce when she moved her head. She took her finger and slowly placed it on Lucas's cheek. "Please? Take me to a program you've never shown anyone else," she begged.

Any man could have seen that Alexa was using her feminine wiles to flirt with Lucas, and she was doing an excellent job. But then Alexa had a lot of tools to work with.

Lucas knew he was being manipulated, but he had no choice. Resistance was futile whenever love was involved. And he knew he loved his 'Sunshine'. Lucas knew that she'd found him locked down in the holodeck in one of his Music programs. She was probably curious.

"I wouldn't have any idea what program to run," even Lucas knew how to milk a situation and this one could only get better.

"Show me some of your music programs," she suggested and batted her eyelashes at him. She then moved closer to him and put her arms around him.

"Now, don't tease. Fine, I'll show it to you. I've kinda wanted to show it to you before, but I was waiting for the right time." Lucas was never the shy type, but now he was about to share a part of him that was rarely ever seen.

"Now is the right time," Alexa replied.

The couple walked out of Ops and headed for the holodecks.

*** Holodeck Two ***

The myst hovered above, strangely...warmly. Like a blanket from above, it held the night air in place as the three suns of the Zed systems towered above at a safely designed distance. It was summer or spring or possibly winter. The vegitation of the planet gave no clues and yet seemed to suggest all the above. From cold blue to sun white, all the flowers and fauna seemed to spring from some well of life deep within this lush planet. A Stardazy here and Coolok there: nothing was uniform or predictiable, except that it would continue to be that way.

The Suns each shone differently. At one end of the field like creation, the Sun that was most high, made the light that trickled through the atmosphere a brilliantly light shade of blue. The Sun to the right of it, further down the horizon, went to the red end of the spectrum and seemed to add an air of romance to the late evening/early morning-like atmosphere. The next Sun seemed out of place, it's tone was light and a complacent shade of green. It was a quiet color, not bold or overly noticeable, and seemed to blend in with the rest of the atmosphere.

“This is beautiful!” she said, her mouth agape. “Where is this?” she asked.

"This is Love Corin. I designed it myself. The positioning of the Suns was the most difficult part. I had to calculate a trajectory that would keep the temperature changing without being noticed and it keeps the plants the color that they are, too. I actually used some of..." Lucas was silenced by a gentle touch of one finger to his lips.

"Shhh..." Alexa whispered softly and in awe. "It's breathtaking."

To her eyes' amazement she took in the scene in pure silence. Alexa reached over and took Lucas’ hand and held it in hers as they stared out into the scene before them. Surrounding her and Lucas, and encompassed by this Garden of Eden, was a massive Coliseum of some sandstone marble that stretched up towards the Heavens. The ruins, as Lucas had come to know them, the past that loomed off in the noticeable distance. The Coliseum formed a perfect circle that began where it ended. It was a symbol of all their relationship was, all it had come to be and all that it could be.

"Computer," Lucas called out in the stillness of Alexa's quiet reflections. "Lucas Composition I-N-U-T, preset background chorus effect. Insert Stien-Tech Grand Piano model #2015."

As requested, the computer materialized a sharp white Grand Piano in the center of the Coliseum. It seemed small and unimportant against its backdrop, but still noticeable. Lucas led his lovely lady, who's attention had returned to him, towards the instrument.

"I want you to hear this, Alexa," Lucas held her hands and looked deep into her crystal blue eyes. "I need you to hear this."

They sat down at the piano. Alexa said nothing, she let go of his hand and watched as he began to play.

"I Need You Tonight" - (Andrew Fromm)

Open up your heart to me
And say what's on your mind, oh yes
I know that we have been through so much pain
But I still need you in my life this time, and...

CHORUS

I need you tonight
I need you right now
I know deep within my heart
It doesn't matter if it's wrong or right
I really need you tonight

I figured out what to say to you
But sometimes the words they, they come out so wrong, oh yes they do
And I know in time that you will understand
That what we have is so right this time, and...

CHORUS

I need you tonight
I need you right now
I know deep within my heart
It doesn't matter if it's wrong or right

All those endless times we tried to make it last forever more
And baby I know
I need you
I know deep within my heart
It doesn't matter if it's wrong or right
I really need you, oh

CHORUS

I need you tonight - I need you, oh I need you baby
I need you right now - It's gotta be this, it's gotta be this
I know deep within my heart
No, it doesn't matter if it's wrong or it's right
All I know is baby
I really need you tonight

The music faded, Alexa’s heart had been stolen in that one moment in time. She didn’t know what to say or even what to do. She sat and listened to Lucas’ voice echo off and reverberate around the Coliseum. His voice in tune, the effect was difficult to overcome. She couldn’t help to think how long it had taken him to make that effect just right, so it captured her emotions. It had worked, and Alexa was terrified of what she was now feeling. She didn’t want these feelings again, not so soon. Terror spread throughout her body, she began to shake, her eyes showed pain that could no longer be hidden. Her past was coming back to haunt her.

Lucas turned to her, his eyes impassioned, "Open up your heart to me and say what's on your mind. I know that you've been through so much pain, but I still need you in my life."

“It’s too painful Lucas. Please don’t ask me,” she replied. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She did not hide the tears, she did not cover her face she just sat there and looked into Lucas's eyes.

"I'm leaving my life in your hands. People say, I'm crazy and that I'm blind, risking it all in a glance. I can't get you out of my head. I don't care what's written in your history, as long as your here with me. And I promise you, Alexa." Lucas paused, as the lump in his throat caused him to choke on the overwhelming emotion of the moment. "I promise you I will be true to only you."

Alexa had heard those things before and she was hurt, abandoned for a lousy credit. “I’ve heard those words before Lucas,” she replied and looked down at the white stool where they were sitting.

Lucas had to press on. He couldn't let Alexa run from her feelings. They'd never be together as long as this past reared it's head. He leaned, and clasped her hands tightly, never wanting to let go. "Open your heart to me, please."

“I fell in love with this man. His name was Brendan. He was a few years older than me and I just lost all control over myself. I gave him everything. I thought he really loved me. I can’t explain how much I lo-" She stopped in the middle of the word. She was having trouble continuing. She composed herself.

“I loved him too much. I gave him everything. Two days before our wedding I caught him in bed with another woman…”

How someone could hurt so precious a gift as Alex. Lucas marveled at the utter stupidity of such a weak man. What mere woman could compare to this heaven sent. He wanted so much to take her pain and make it his own, to unburden the load she carried.

“I loved him. I thought that I could love him no matter what he did to me. He was upset, said he was sorry. We went ahead with the wedding. Two days later, I’m coming down the aisle, my wedding gown train draping and dragging behind me, the music playing and Brendan hands the ring to the minister, stops the music and walks to me. ‘I can’t go through with this. I’m leaving. ’ He walked out on me on our wedding day. I had 400 people there. Deiran had to pull strings to get two days leave to be there. The Ambassador of Vulcan was there even and Brendan boarded his freighter and moved to Qo’nos. I haven’t spoken to him since.”

Alexa broke down crying and leaned over onto Lucas’ chest. He could hear her muffled sobs and understood why she had been pushing away from him.

Not only had she been hurt, she’d been cheated on and embarrassed in front of some of the most important people in the UFP and her loved ones. It was traumatic to say the least.

Lucas struggled for the words he could say. He wanted to console her and wished to God, he could. "I'll never break your heart, Lexa. You are Imzadi in every way. There are no words that can say it or prove it. But, it's there nonetheless. I'll go anywhere for you. Your love as far as I can see, is all I'm ever going to need. But, I can't be sure of you. I don't know and you've never really said it. But, forgetting the past, tell me, Lexa, in this moment in time, how do you feel about me?"

“Lucas... I’m falling in love with you,” she said and darted out of the holodeck in a flash.

Lucas wasn't about to bask in the moment. He'd heard what he'd waited so long for, and wasn't about to let her run out. He quickly ran up and out of the holodeck following her.

He finds her waiting for a Turbo Lift and grabs on to her, not letting her escape. "I'll never hurt you, Lexa. I'll never let go of you."

“You promise?” she asked, still wiping her tears with her hands. “Never?” she enforced.

Lucas sealed the promise with a kiss, warm and passionate. One that resonated and took all of Alexa's worries away. Freeing her to exist and live in the moment, forgetting all of her past. Leaving it behind, like a vague memory. She found that she could love another man. She did love another man. They were Imzadi.

OOC: Below is a link to where you can listen to the song in this post in real audio format.
http://members.xoom.com/QuestionReal/track05.rm

"Polystyrene Beads"

by Kalln with the lovely Petty Officer Hartoo

***USS Galaxy, Science Labs***

Since the last Chupacra crystal had been smashed into loads of itty-bitty pieces during the battle with the ill-fated USS St Louis, Kalln and his small team of crewmen had been growing another one. Prior to the battle of the line they had secured the thing in a nutrient bath and left it to fend for itself. Now he had come back to find out if it had survived.

Petty Officer Hartoo helped Kalln open up the casing, and there in the tank was the bizarrely-shaped crystal. Kalln gave it a quick scan with his tricorder.

'Looks fine, no fractures, growth patterns normal.'

On the surface of the crystal slight marks began to swirl and move, forming different shapes to before.

'And... it's woken up. Congratualtions, Hartoo, you're a daddy. Let's just hope this one doesn't go the way of the last.'

Tim Fletcher for:
LJG Gordall Kalln, Science Officer, USS Galaxy

"Dissidents"
by Captain Robert Edward Lee Price

*** A dark, barely lit underground subtrain station near the ravaged Cardassian city of Icarian ***

"I CAN'T STAND THIS!" the frustrated soldier said in exasperation. Taking a small step back, the proud Cardassian glanced around the dungeon like cavern of the once active subway system that used to transport hundreds of thousands of Cardassian citizens throughout Icarian City prior to their Dominion extermination. Behind the tall, lanky soldier, half a dozen Cardassian's, similarly outfitted in a combination of civilian and military clothing; whatever they could find, on their ravaged planet to survive; worked single mindedly on the small cylindrical devices atop a make shift bench. "We are forced to live like animals, burrowing through the under grown tunnels of our homeworld while Federation troops frolic and make preparations to take over our world."

One of the men at the bench stands up and walks over, carrying a gray and silver colored pipe in his hand. "I've finished another one Ragavahn. It's the tenth one this hour." the younger Cardassian man added, trying to lift his cell leader's mood.

Ragavahn turned and looked at the boy. Teenaged, though old enough for the Cardassian Liberation Army. "That is good Deneb. I do not mean to sound so bitter. You are still quite young. I doubt you realize all you have lost in this war. All that Cardassia once was."

"I have an idea Ragavahn. But we are a strong people. The Cardassian will is unbreakable. We will win back all that has been taken from us by our enemies. The Dominion, the Breen, the Klingons, the Romulans. . . . and the Federation that now walks on our planet." Deneb said with such vile contempt and focused fanaticism that it surprised even Ragavahn, though he hid it well beneath his smile.

"Ten of these you say?" he asked taking the pipe bomb from the boy's grasp and examining it.

"Yes, and in an hour we will have ten more. Ferib and Glinn Magatt were to forage for more supplies. They have yet to return."

Ragavahn's expression dropped as he handed the cylinder back to the boy. "Glinn Magatt is dead."

Deneb's eyes widened in disbelief. "Dead. . . but how?"

"At the hand of the Federation." Ragavahn lied, fueling the boy's hatred. "I do not know the details, but that was what I was told."

"They murder our most respected elders!. . . . These humans are without mercy. They should all die like Voles!" Deneb hissed.

"Contain your anger Deneb. Gather up the ten bombs you have fashioned and travel to the surface. The Sun is setting, so by the time you reach the center of Icarian City where the Federation is setting up their central military base, you should have the cover of darkness to aid you. Pick a suitable target, and plant the bombs there. We can not let Magatt's passing go by unnoticed." Ragavahn ordered.

"I will pick a target so obvious, all in the city will know of the CLA!" the boy declared.

"Just be sure to mark the act, to let them know the Cardassian Liberation Army did this." Ragavahn reminded.

"The letters will be scribed so deep, they will remain long after our enemy's blood is washed away from our planet's soil!" Deneb declared. "C.L.A.! For Cardassia!"

"For Cardassia." Ragavahn nodded. He then watched as Deneb and two others gathered the ten pipe bombs and exited down the long dark subway tunnels beneath the city. Other Liberation Army volunteers eagerly took their places, fashioning more explosives for their effort to free their planet from all foreigners, or die trying. . . . For Cardassia.

*****

Deneb's small group of dissidents easily snuck into the remains of the City. As was expected the temperature had dropped sharply with the setting of the hot Cardassian sun, so now a bitter, biting cold whistled through the ruins. To anyone else it would have been uncomfortable, even unbearable for one of Cardassian heritage. But somehow the stabbing cold complimented the stony heart of the angry young CLA member. "Keep down and follow me."

Scurrying across the debris filled streets, cluttered with chunks of fallen cement and marble from when the Breen hover tanks leveled the city at the Dominion's command, the terrorists were able to effectively use the terrain to conceal their approach all the way up to the Federation relief center. Pausing at the base of their camp, Deneb pulled out a set a binoculars he had located while foraging through the ruins for clothing and supplies. He could see that his enemy, the enemy of Cardassia, had been busy. Over a dozen temporary buildings and shelters had been fabricated in an area once known as Lakar's Square, not far from the once great sporting coliseum, now nothing more than a pile of rubble and rock. "That one there. We will place the bombs there." Deneb stated, pointing to one of the buildings that appeared to be in use as a supply depot.

Stealthfully the three young CLA members belly crawled to the building, looking out for Federation centurions as they neared.

"Stack them here." Deneb whispered with his back to the wall. He was holding onto his disruptor pistol with great anxiety, knowing that at any moment their enemy could come around the corner and force him to have to defend the CLA.

"They are planted Deneb. We can go now." one of the Cardassian terrorists explained.

"Go." Deneb pointed, and the two others began belly crawling back out of the Federation camp. Taking his dagger, Deneb plunged it into the ground and quickly carved the deep letters "C" "L" "A" before turning to join his compatriots. They easily escaped the Federation encampment for the safety and cover the darkness offered in the ruins beyond.

"Let's go, Ragavahn waits for us." One of the terrorists called back, seeing Deneb waiting to watch the explosion.

"No, I want to make sure it goes off, then we leave." Deneb said with unfaltering determination.

It was enough to persuade the others to watch. After a minute, it was obvious something was wrong. "It should have detonated by now. . . ." the other Cardassian stated. "Something is wrong. . . ."

The Cardassian began to sneak back into the camp to check on the explosives. The other reached to stop him, but Deneb held him off with a raised hand. "Pomel knows what he is doing."

They watched as the Cardassian got all the way to the explosives and carefully examined his detonator assembly. As he worked quietly, a pair of Federation Officers could be heard rounding the corner. They appeared to be centurions.

"So I told him, no way! I'm not taking a shower with you, even if it is over 40 degrees out." Lieutenant' Sanchez explained.

Her male companion, a new Security officer that had recently transferred to the Galaxy from one of the destroyed ships in the Battle of the line, smiled as he laughed. "You can't blame the guy for trying Lieutenant. I'd of done the same thing."

Both officers laughed and then stopped when they realized there was a Cardassian man laying upside down on his back upon the ground with his hands near a stack of cylindrical objects with wires coming out and into his hands.

A brief moment of disbelief went by as they each stared at each other dumbly, before the Cardassian screamed, "FOR CARDASSIA!!!!" and touched two of the wires together.

The resulting explosion was quite large, rupturing the one wall of the supply building and causing a partial collapse as the supplies inside burst into flames. Shrapnel and building fragments along with the concussion wave of the ten cylinder pipe bomb threw the two Starfleet officers back nearly fifteen meters where they landed, unmoving on the ground. Immediately the entire relief camp stirred to life, as people scrambled to find out what had just happened.

"POMEL!" the CLA member called with an outstretched hand. His scream was unheard over the sound of the blast, but Deneb grabbed him and held him from running out and exposing themselves to the Federation enemy.

"There is nothing we can do. He was a brave man. Come, before their centurions find us. Move!" Deneb declared coldly. He was sorry for the loss of his fellow CLA member, but in recent weeks he'd seen so much loss, so much death at the hands of Cardassia's enemies that the youth was numb. His anger kept him warm in the bitter cold on the night air.

"Underway"
Lt. jg Xavier Bishop - Security
Lt. jg Numa Taurean - Science
Ensign Kian Marutte - Engineer
Ensign Wolcott - Helmsman
USS Galaxy

Xavier walked quietly down the pristine corridor of the USS Galaxy toward the primary shuttle bay. Odd how the ravages of battle had left this single stretch of corridor unmarred...untouched by war. In the past several days, Xavier thought he had crawled and scratched his way through every inch of the Galaxy's mutilated, fire gutted corridors. Yet here...now...was a small peace of 'Eden'. Touched by the oddity of the scene, Xavier paused briefly to bask in the tranquil serenity of the moment. Here, the ravages of war were nonexistent: For the moment he did not concern himself with the pressing matter of ferrying supplies to the planet surface of Cardassia Prime: instead losing himself in the bliss of fatigue induced solitude.

"Excuse me, sir."

Jolted by the unexpected intrusion of words, Xavier whirled around to confront the intruder into his 'Eden'. Standing before him were two enlisted security officers he did not recognize. The one standing nearest him was a slight Tiburonian with 'waffle' shaped ears and a slight ridge starting above his browline and bisecting his head: much the same way a Bolians cleft did. Slightly behind and to the side of the sharp eyed Tiburonian stood a tall slender Tamarian.

"Crewman's First Class Ni'Vall" began the Tiburonian, gesturing to himself and then toward the slit nostril Tamarian, "and Porthowss. We just recently beamed aboard and were directed by Lt. Ral to report to a Lt. Bishop who we could find in the main Shuttlebay. However, this is a rather large ship and we seem to have gotten ourselves lost."

"The LCRS display on this level is malfunctioning" interjected Crewman First Class Porthowss.

Xavier shifted his gaze to the pink skinned Porthowss. This was the first time he had seen a Tamarian. Although a large slit nostril nose dominated his facial plane, it was the smooth cranial skull plate and brow ridge which dominated the Tamarians features. Rising along the axis of the cranial plate, like a fin cresting an oceanic wave, was a secondary ruffled ridge-like crest. To either side of his head, a series of rough ridges swirled around, encasing the openings to his ears: some sort of evolutionary safety precaution.

"Well, gentlemen, I am Lt. Bishop and this," Xavier motioned to a set of doors a little way down the corridor, "is the main Shuttlebay. Please follow me."

***Main Shuttlebay***

The doors swished quietly to the side allowing the three security officers admittance to the large cavernous Shuttlebay. Everywhere, there was a flurry of activity as technicians loaded supplies and equipment onto a plethora of various makes and models of shuttlcraft: including a couple of Federation Runabouts.

"Xaev, over here!"

Smiling at the familiar voice, Xavier turned in the direction of one of the Runabouts and waved at the Benzite Science Officer in front of it. "Hey, Numa!"

"Hurry," prodded the lithe Benzite, "Endris and Matt are waiting for the supplies." She was glad to see her friend. It had been way too long since the two of them had spent any quality time together. Numa was glad to have Bishop back aboard the Galaxy.

Looking at the two security personnel with Bishop, she quickly started snapping orders. Already she was behind schedule for getting all the supplies that Gakor needed. In addition to medical supplies, Numa had several loads of scientific equipment going down on several shuttles. She had been placed in charge of constructing and operating hydroponic farms to help relieve the food shortage that was being experienced within the ruined city of Icarian.

"Xaev, it is so good to see you again."

"Likewise."

"Yo, dudes, how's it hanging?" The blonde pilot strutted toward the two blue skinned officers.

Numa spun on her heals. Fire flashed in her eyes. "Ensign, that is no way to speak to superior officers. You will address us in a military fashion. Is that understood?"

~Dude, don't get your panties in a bunch,~ thought Shane. Shane came to mock attention. "Excuse me, ma'am. Shane reporting for duty as ordered, ma'am." His tone was sarcastic but not venomous. The corners of his mouth were slightly curved forming a hint of a grin.

In the background, Bishop laughed to himself. He'd heard things about this rogue pilot. He had no regard for military protocol. In fact, he wondered why Ensign Wolcott ever enlisted into Star Fleet. He was nothing like his father, Admiral Wolcott whom he'd served under for a short time. Admiral Wolcott was a proud and austere man.

Numa sighed. "Ensign Wolcott, is the shuttle ready? We need to be leaving."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am." Shane was still at attention in front of the slender Benzite officer.

"Ensign Wolcott, at ease." Numa smiled and walked past the brash young pilot.

Soon the supplies were loaded, and they were off to Icarian City.

Among the passengers of the shuttle. An engineering team had also been assembled to help in the construction of the hydroponic farms. One of them was a Caitian by the name of Kian Marutte.

Kian was almost late for the departure time. He still wasn't familiar with the layout of the ship. He barely made it to the main shuttle bay instead going to the secondary one first. Once he reached his destination, he quickly located Lt. jg Numa Taurean. It seemed that he had been assigned to her little working party. He along with a few other engineers were to help in the construction of a hydroponic farm to help feed the many refugees of Icarian.

Once on the shuttle, the thickly muscled Marrute spoke to one of the other engineers. "I don't see why I'm helping with the constuurrrrruction of a farrrm. I don't know the firrrst thing about plants."

"Then, Ensign, it's about time you learned." Numa loved giving botany lessons to anyone, and since these unsuspecting crew couldn't walk out of her class, they'd have to either listen or pretend to listen. "Botany 101 is now in session..."

"Oh perrrrrfect. Me and my big mouth." Kian's cat eyes rolled in his head as he placed his fur covered face in the palms of his equally fur covered hands.

Following behind in a tight formation were two other shuttles also headed for Icarian with supplies. One was being piloted by V'ehlma M'aerick, and the third by Mei Xioa Yin.

"No Cries of Victory here."

By Lt. jg. Anna Gartner, Security
USS Galaxy - Deck 38

It was over, the Dominion forces had surrendered. When Anna first heard of it, she nearly refused to believe it. The whole war was an on going nightmare and to have it end as quickly as it started made it even harder to accept.

After Neil and several others finally convinced her, Anna didn't know how to react. First she wanted to cheer then wanted to breakdown into tears. She settled on collapsing into a corner of security to gathering herself, Anna felt like a balloon with all the air released.

In a way, she was more like the USS Galaxy. Battle scarred, strained from all the fighting, and in need of some serious tender loving care at the nearest spaceport.

Before long, her thoughts went back to the turbolift and the imagines of its dead passengers. Anna seen the horrible punishment a human body can receive from lethal energy weapons but not from the force of a runaway turbolift. To make it worse, 'Cat' was among the dead and Anna didn't know it was her until the medic team performed a genetic ID.

Anna wasn't a real friend to Cat. They always had verbal duels everytime they crossed each others path and to make it worse Anna started most of them. She was quite mean to her, always enjoying provoking the doctor. Now she wish she could take it all back or to least let Cat know she was sorry but it was now too late. One more feeling of guilt to weigh her down.

She really wanted some R&R on some quiet pleasure planet with Kalln, if he'll join her (of course he'll join her… She'll give him no choice) and just forget everything.

Unfortunately the war might be over but the after-effects is still being felt. Now the Galaxy is assigned to perform an humanitarian mission on Cardassia Prime. To Anna, it had the intelligence of beating off an attacking lion back to it's den, then to feel sorry for it and follow it into its lair to patch up its wounds and to feed it.

"How many of us are going to loose our fingers when all of this is over?" Anna murmured to herself.

Band of Gold

Lt(jg) Tim O'Connell

The light caught the simple band Tim saw it mocking him, reminding him of what he had lost. Everything on this ship lately had that effect, Neil and Elaine's child, He still couldn't believe that one, and as Lainey progressed it would remind him more and more of what he had lost, a chance at a family, a cahnce at a future, gone. His mind raged at the unfairness of it all. Part of him resented them, their happiness, their togetherness, their future, and he hated himself for not being totally happy for them, and he still had to talk to Neil. He was still embarrassed at how he acted, Neil was making a Klingon statement, it wasn't meant to be offensive. He overreacted, typicall O'Connell. But... honored dead. He couldn't handle the last part of it....dead.... so perminant, and so unfair.

He knew he had to stay focused on his job, he remembered his first day on the police force, his first partner took him aside adn told him, "If you can't seperate your personal life from the job you will not last long, you have to be 100 percent at all times..."