Tarses stood at the tactical station when he noticed his communications board flashing.
“Captain, we are receiving a transmission from the alien vessel.”
“On screen.” Sinclair ordered.
“At last!” Travis muttered.
All were surprised when the image of Blake and Magus appeared before them.
“Magus, what are you doing there?” Sinclair asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Travis snapped. “They’re working together to bring down the Federation!”
Sinclair shot Travis an icy stare. He then turned his attention back to the view screen.
“Ambassador, I have no wish to harm you, your crew or Blake and his crew. I urge you to surrender now.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do that Captain.” Magus replied. “Something is happening within the Federation that threatens to destroy the work laid down two hundred years ago. I cannot stand by and watch it happen.”
On board the Liberator nobody noticed Avon take his station and gain manual control of the weapon and defence systems. Suddenly the neutron blasters powered up as Avon fired them at the Lohengrin. Almost instantly the Liberator’s force wall went up. Blake rushed over to Avon’s station and returned control of the weapons to Zen.
“Have you gone mad?” he said. “Their weapons were not armed. They were willing to talk!”
“We were not going to surrender.” said Avon. “Therefore we would have had to fight. Better to get it over with than try to talk our way out of this.”
“What is the damage to the Lohengrin Zen?” Blake asked.
“The Lohengrin has sustained partial damage to the phaser banks and shield generators. Photo torpedo bays are inoperative.”
“Then we have time to get out of here.” said Vila.
“No.” said Blake. “What we have to do must be done now!”
Blake turned to Magus.
“I think you know what I’m taking about Doctor.”
Magus did. He placed his hand on Blake’s temple and closed his eyes. The scan of Blake’s mind had begun.
Everything was ready as Commander Sisko, Jake and Nog loaded their equipment and supplies aboard the runabout Rio Grande. Everything seemed to going perfectly until…
“Commander Sisko!”
Sisko turned around to see the smiling face of Quark staring at him. Sisko looked at him and saw that he seemed to be prepared for some sort of trip.
“Quark! What are you doing here?”
Quark walked into the main cockpit area and put his bags down on one of the seats.
“Well, Commander, you see, it’s like this. My brother, Rom, doesn’t trust hew-mans with his son. I told him that you were an honourable man, and that you’d take good care of his boy. But no, he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t let Nog go along on this trip unless I came with him!”
“And your brother said this?”
“His very words.”
Sisko saw that he had no choice.
“Alright then! Make yourself comfortable!”
What started out as a leisurely father/son trip was beginning to turn into a join Federation/Ferengi science expedition.
In the streets of south London Commodore Connor McCloud waited rather impatiently until he saw the figure of Commander Sleer approaching him. Sleer was not happy to see him.
“Very well, let’s get this over with.” Sleer said.
“Well firstly, I would like to remind you, Commander Sleer, that I outrank you, so you should treat me with a little more respect.”
“My apologies…sir!” Sleet said sarcastically. “Now, Commodore, why have you asked me here?”
“Do you know who lives here?” asked McCloud, pointing to the house behind him.
Sleer looked at the house.
“I haven’t a clue.”
“Leo Rumpole does. Ever since Tarak Queeg was acquitted I’ve been doing a little investigation of my own. I had hoped to get a little help from Rumpole, but when I arrived I found out that he hasn’t been seen for ages!”
“So? He’s probably off with a woman somewhere!”
“So the fact that he disappeared shortly after Roj Blake’s trial doesn’t bother you at all?”
“Must be one hell of a woman!”
Annoyed at Sleer’s obvious lack of interest in this manner McCloud left Sleer standing in the street alone.
Rexton Podley walked slowly through the cell area, thinking carefully about what he was going to say. It had been a long day for him and all of his department, a day he would rather forget. He was so deep in thought he almost walked past the cell he was looking for. He looked on the name that had been hastily written on the plate - Watt J. Taking in a deep breath he entered his access code and the door opened. Podley saw the sole occupant of the cell, James Watt, still dressed in his red and black Starfleet uniform. Normally Podley would have been pleased to pay a visit to Watt, but not today.
“How are you Captain?” Podley asked, trying to make polite conversation.
“As well as can be expected, considering I’m being, how do you put it, framed?”
Podley suddenly lost his cool.
“Damn it! What is Starfleet Command doing? Anyone can see that you and your crew are innocent! I’ve read the report! Everyone in the department has read the report! It stinks!”
“And what does our esteemed President have to say bout this? And what of the press?”
“Servalan can’t be reached. I’ve tried to get in touch with here but I only get one answer - ‘she’s in a meeting’! As for the press there’s been a blackout ordered!”
“So no-one, apart from us and Starfleet Command, knows what’s happening! Great! Just bloody great!”
“You have my word Captain, that I’ll get to the bottom of this. There’s something wrong here, and I want to know what!”
Seconds later Podley marched into the squad room. Almost every officer present was working on the massive amount of paperwork on the Valkyrie case.
“Listen up people!” Podley shouted. “I want a complete analysis of the Valkyrie’s systems, sensor logs, ship’s logs, personal logs, everything concerning the Blake escape! I want it done, and I want it done yesterday!”
Both Blake and Magus were deep in concentration as the mind-scan continued. Magus could see it all. The meeting on the Sontarran Homeworld, the meeting with Grand Admiral Thrawn. The meeting with Lanriel Nightland, three months prior to the attack on Babylon 5. The authorisation of Hector Frankenstein’s cargo, the rigged elected that gained her a seat in the Federation senate. All the information came flooding into Magus’ mind.
Suddenly the ship rocked. Another phaser blast ripped through the force wall as they rocked again.
“We’re under attack!” Avon shouted. “They’ve broken through the force wall!”
“Power is down by twenty-seven percent!” Jenna reported.
“We must fight back!” Avon urged.
“No.” said Blake. “I agree with Magus. We must not harm Sinclair and his crew. They are innocent in all of this.”
“I know of a way.” said Magus. “It may take some time, but it will mean that lives will be spared!”
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