Episode 39:

The Voyage of the ShiKahr

(Stardate 49457)

By

Jay P. Hailey

And

The Star Trek Players

Stratos, the Sky City hung in the air on huge beams of negative gravity. The city was the finest example of sustained anti-gravity technology in the known galaxy. Li'ira grew dizzy looking out the windows to the real city five thousand feet below. Stratos was the home of the aristocracy of Ardana until a democratic government was established there. Now it was the administrative center of the planetary government. It still looked like the home of people who thought of themselves as "above it all."

Drella, the High Advisor of the planet didn't act above it all. "The artifact fell ten days ago." She said.

"You said you had casualties." Suval said. "Were they injured in the fall?" Suval was Li'ira's new Executive Officer.

Drella sighed. "We have some people unaccounted for since the fall. They were residents in the area. We lost fifteen search and rescue people during the first burst. In the second burst we lost a science team. Since then we have simply evacuated the area."

Suval nodded, but didn't say anything. As a Vulcan his reaction to the loss was as calm and rational as possible. Many humans and humanoids found it insufficient.

"Did you get any scans of the object?" Li'ira asked quietly. She didn't want to have to do any steps in the investigation for the second time.

Drella nodded and called up a display. "The object is a globe three meters in diameter. It radiates a powerful burst of wide spectrum radiation every 3.276 standard hours. It has markings on the outside, but not enough of them to lend themselves to a successful translation."

Crystara Acnapma, the Science Officer said "Can you upload your scans and whatever data you have on the object? It would be helpful."

"Certainly. If there's anything else you need, please let us know." Drella said.

"Thank you. I think that we have enough to start with now." Li'ira said. "We'll begin operations as soon as we're back on the ship."

"Thank you." Drella said, relieved.

"That's what Starfleet is here for." Li'ira said. She tapped her comm-badge "Li'ira to ShiKahr. Beam the landing party up."

"Aye, Captain." Li'ira was still trying to get used to the idea as she beamed back to her ship.

-*-

The USS ShiKahr was an Excelsior class starship over fifty years old. The ShiKahr was probably on her last cruise as a ship of the line. Newer ships could be refit or designed around the newer engines. The ShiKahr and her sisters could not. Compared to newer ships in Starfleet the ShiKahr was only one third as fast. All of her other systems were up to Starfleet specifications, or a little better. Li'ira had a hard time considering her ship inferior to anything, but knew that she was biased.

As they materialized in the ShiKahr's transporter room, Li'ira called out. "Captain to the Bridge."

Birdy, her Chief Engineer was on the Bridge suffering a hated bout of command duty. "Bridge here, go ahead."

"Bring the ShiKahr into synchronous orbit over the artifact, Birdy, then please begin scanning." Li'ira said.

"Aye, aye, Captain." As Li'ira, Suval and Crystara walked towards the bridge, they could feel the subtle motions of the ship changing her orbit.

When they got to the Bridge, Birdy gratefully gave the command seat back to Li'ira. "Any more data about what it is?" Birdy asked.

"No, Commander." Li'ira sighed. " A large alien sphere just crashed to the ground and then fried some people. Just like our preliminary report said."

"With your permission, Captain, I'll request the logs of the traffic control system. They might have been able to track the object before it struck." Suval said.

Li'ira nodded and Suval bent to his task.

Crystara and Tandala MacBier had their heads together over the science station. On the main screen, Li'ira could see a visual scan of the suburban neighborhood where the object had come to rest. The object rested in the ground up to approximately one third of its width. There were the ruins of houses nearby, blown apart by the shock wave of super heated air. Houses a slightly greater distance away were burned out hulks, set ablaze by the energy discharges.

Ten blocks away the damage was much less, and there the cordon stood. Public Safety officials manned light barricades that kept curious onlookers away.

In the center of the destruction, a silvery globe gleamed darkly, It seemed almost smoked or darkened somehow but Li'ira couldn't put her finger on the exact effect.

"Captain?" Crystara reported. "There are some problems with the scans."

"What problems?" Li'ira asked.

"They aren't returned data like they should."

"Explain."

"We don't know precisely. It's as if the artifact is shielded or somehow protected against scans." Tandala said.

"Can you break through the protection?" Li'ira asked.

"Yes, Captain. It's a good thing the area has been evacuated, though. We've had to increase scanning power to the point where it might harm unprotected people." Crystara said.

"Keep an eye out. I wouldn't want anyone wandering into the area accidentally." Li'ira said.

"Aye Captain."

-*-

"The next burst is due in fifteen seconds." Crystara reported.

"Are we set to record it?" Li'ira asked.

"Yes, Captain. All ship's sensors are focused. Our unmanned equipment is standing by next to the artifact." Tandala reported.

At the exact predicted time, the globe glowed brightly. A wave of heat, light and energy radiated away from it. The science station recording the energy blast fell silent. Crystara's panel gave a complaining beep.

"Report?" Li'ira said.

"I am analyzing data, now Captain. That energy pulse was more powerful than the Ardanans predicted." Crystara said.

"The science station on the ground was damaged." Tandala said. "A couple of our sensors were set to be too sensitive. They've burned out."

"No casualties reported on the ground, Captain." Garan Draxil, the Chief of Security said.

"Hmmm." Li'ira said. She could see the remains of the equipment rack glowing on the ground near the globe.

-*-

"Captain, I recommend that we stop scanning the artifact immediately." Crystara said.

"Stop scanning." Li'ira told Tandala.

"Aye, Sir. All scanning stopped." Tandala said.

"Why?" Li'ira asked.

"The most recent energy blast was more powerful than those noted by the civilian authorities." Crystara called up a graph that showed the estimated energy output of the artifact's bursts. It was tall towards the beginning, and then fell off rapidly, becoming shallower as the graph reached the end. "This was the last burst." The graph grew a spike. "The increase in energy output almost exactly matched our increased scanner energy."

"Oh." Li'ira said. "As if it were absorbing our energy and then releasing it suddenly?"

"Well I wouldn't want to guess, but that's my working hypothesis." Crystara said.

-*-

The next burst was not nearly as bad. "I suppose that confirms your working hypothesis, Crystara." Li'ira said.

"No, but it does make it seem more likely." Crystara allowed.

"Captain, using data developed by Lt. Acnapma, I have been able to recover a scan that I believe shows the artifact approaching the planet." Suval said.

"Show it to us, please, Commander." Li'ira said.

The screen lit up to show a tactical scan of a fast moving meteor approaching the planet. "Because of the distorting effect of the sphere on scans, it appears that the traffic control system perceived the artifact as a small meteor and completely harmless."

Li'ira gazed at the screen. "Look at the speed it was traveling."

"Indeed. The residents seem fortunate. It implies that there is an upper limit to how powerful a burst that the artifact can produce. If the artifact had released all of the energy from reentry and impact at once then the effect would have been similar to that of a small fusion bomb." Suval pointed out.

"Since there's still a city..." Li'ira began.

"Logic implies that there is a limit to how destructive the device can be." Suval finished.

Crystara said "Captain, I think you should see this."

"What is it?"

Crystara put a scan up on the main view screen. "This is energy signature of the last two bursts we have seen."

Li'ira looked at for a few moments. "It seems familiar, somehow..."

"It's Rishan." Crystara said.

Li'ira let out a hiss.

"So much for limits on how destructive it can be." Tandala said.

-*-

"The Rishans were a powerful and advanced race. They had evolved beyond the level of most humanoid life in the galaxy. They disappeared suddenly some thirty thousand years ago but left complex ruins behind. Because the Rishans were so advanced their left overs are dangerous to less well developed species, for example humans and most Federation peoples." Suval read from the briefing information.

"We almost lost the Harrier a couple of times." Li'ira clarified.

"If I could read the data from the Harrier, I might be better equipped to deal with the situation." Suval said.

"I'll make the data available to you." Li'ira said. She began to understand why Vulcan First Officers were so sought after. Suval was excellent at his job.

"Does anyone have any idea for neutralizing the sphere's energy bursts?" Li'ira asked.

"Maybe, Captain." Birdy said.

"What's your idea, Birdy?" Li'ira said.

"Well, even though we don't know how it does what it does, we have a pretty good idea of what the artifact is doing. It's absorbing all the energy in its surroundings, and returning it in this wide spectrum burst." Birdy explained. "Now if we can isolate it, reduce the amount of energy getting to it, then we might reduce the potency of its outbursts to a manageable level."

"What do you think, Crystara?" Li'ira asked.

"Well, if the proper safety precautions are observed, then I don't see that it could hurt to try." Crystara said. "I can't guarantee that it will succeed."

"Guarantees are few and far between in this business, Lieutenant." Birdy said.

"Noted." Li'ira said. "Let's go ahead and try Birdy's plan."

-*-

The first part of Birdy's plan involved setting up containment fields that isolated the artifact from most radiation. Since they could identify when the energy bursts were coming, the ShiKahr's crew could shut down the force field for a few microseconds while the sphere radiated its energy away.

"The energy pulses have become very weak." Crystara said, "However it's still dangerous within a meter of the artifact."

"Well, now we try the next part." Birdy said.

"What's that?" Crystara asked.

"The energy that the globe put out was wide spectrum, right?"

"Correct."

"It was the average of all the energy it received, right?"

"Yes."

"So if it was hot, like in a fire, It didn't radiate more infrared energy than any other type, right?"

"Where are you going with this?" Crystara asked.

"We can't really take all heat and light away from it. Thank Ghod it seems to ignore gravity as an energy source. Anyway, what I intend to do is to give it a big minus in one category and hope it averages it in." Birdy explained.

"What do you mean?"

"We'll spray it with liquid nitrogen. Cool it off. The amount of light and parasitic heat from the environment won't match the cooling effect. The net energy absorbed by the sphere will be close to zero." Birdy said.

"It just might work." Crystara said.

-*-

The crew erected a tent over the sphere to limit the amount of light falling on it. Then Birdy carefully replicated tankage and spray nozzles and filled them with nitrogen cooled to a liquid state.

A couple of hours before the next energy burst was due, Birdy and his engineering team hosed the sphere off with liquid nitrogen. It cooled rapidly.

Then everyone fell back, and waited for the next burst. When it came, it was almost undetectable. Li'ira missed it, watching on the main view screen. Suval could see the brief flicker, however. He thought that the sphere looked shinier than it had, as if it were reflecting light better.

Then Birdy began to make preparations to haul the Rishan artifact up to the ShiKahr and back to Earth where Starfleet Command was waiting to get it's hands on it.

-*-

Li'ira found Suval in the lounge. He was reading a PADD and sipping some pikku juice.

"[Suval.]" Li'ira said in Vulcan.

"Greetings, Captain." Suval said.

"[We have been given orders to return the Rishan sphere to Starfleet Command in San Francisco.]" Li'ira said.

"[I have been informed of this.]" Suval said.

"[I am troubled by this.]" Li'ira said. She found it easier to just come out and say things directly in Vulcan. It was designed that way.

"[Explain?]" Suval asked.

"I don't think that Earth is all it's cracked up to be, but it's a nice planet. I'd hate to see what an uncontrolled Rishan artifact could do to it." Li'ira said switching to English.

"I have been reading your reports and the data from the Tabooists, as well as the latest of Starfleet thought on the subject." Suval said.

"Then you know what the Tabooists would say, if they knew that Starfleet was going to poke into a Rishan Artifact on Earth." Li'ira said.

"I can guess what their opinion on the matter would be." Suval said dryly. "However, I don't see what we might do about it at this point."

Li'ira sighed. "I was thinking about approaching the Vulcan government."

Suval raised and eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"Perhaps they'd comprehend the danger well enough to bury the damned thing. After all, Vulcans are supposed to be more developed mentally than most races." Li'ira said.

"That is a myth promulgated by those who don't understand my people. The fact that it is false is revealed when we don't fight it harder." Suval said with a faint hint of sourness.

"Really." Li'ira said.

"We like to think that our culture is more developed but that remains to be seen." Suval said. "It must be said that the Vulcans have an interest in the Rishans."

"Uh oh." Li'ira said.

Suval raised an eyebrow again. "An appropriate reaction. There is some evidence that the Rishans used telepathic interfaces in their devices."

"So?"

"A telepathic interface has been widely sought by Vulcan computer scientists. There is the suspicion among some that a Rishan artifact might point the way to such technology." Suval said.

"So the Earth and Vulcan might cooperate to pry into that thing?" Li'ira asked.

"There are few things in the Federation that are truly interstellar. This may become one of them." Suval said.

Li'ira leaned back and grabbed the bridge of her nose. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Given your previous experience with the Rishans it is logical that you would feel so." Suval said tolerantly.

-*-

Later that evening Li'ira was woken by an urgent call. "Captain, there has been a security breach."

"What? Where?" As she asked these questions, Li'ira slid out of bed and began to slip her uniform on.

"The artifact. It's Commander Suval. Some how he got into the friggin' thing." Garan Draxil reported.

"I'll be right there." Li'ira got dressed faster.

-*-

The night air of Ardana was warm and smelled of old smoke. The Security teams had a headquarters set up about a block away from the Artifact. Li'ira strode quickly up to Garan Draxil. His long brown hair and perpetual five O'clock shadow mixed with his odd sense of style to give Draxil a swashbuckling look. Li'ira had given up trying to force him to become a more regulation Starfleet Officer. "Report." She said.

"About six minutes ago, we got a sensor warning that there was somebody in the tent with the artifact. I ran out there to catch him, but by the time we got to the tent, the intruder was gone. Draxil turned to the make shift security station and pressed a button. "This is what we got on the scanner." A small screen lit up. It showed the dim outline of the Rishan artifact. Now conduits that circulated liquid nitrogen, keeping it cool and dormant looped around it. Then Commander Suval entered the picture. He looked once about. Assured that there was no one nearby he reached out for the surface of the sphere. Li'ira winced as he touched it. The sphere should have been cold enough to freeze the skin on his hand as he touched it, but it didn't. Li'ira could see the Vulcan mouth the ritual words of the mind meld as his hand sunk deeper into the sphere. The material of the sphere flowed around his hand like a thick liquid. Suval stuck his whole arm into the artifact. Then he stepped into it. It seemed to swallow him as he stepped all the way into it. The video image froze.

"That's all we got. He hasn't come out since then." Draxil said.

Li'ira grimaced. "How the hell did he do that?" She asked. She was afraid that she might know. Were Rishan artifacts really controlled telepathically?

One of Draxil's Security Officers yelled inside the tent enclosing the artifact. Li'ira and Draxil pelted out to the tent and met the two Security Officers stationed next to the artifact coming out. One was helping the other who held an injured and bleeding hand to his chest.

"What happened?" Draxil demanded.

Jordan came to attention and said "Security Specialist Postelwaite touched the artifact, Sir."

"Why?" Li'ira asked Postelwaite.

"It didn't hurt Commander Suval. I wondered if I could touch it and stick my hand into it, too." Postelwaite grimaced.

"Take him back to the ShiKahr." Li'ira said. "Take him to sickbay, then Specialist Postelwaite, you're fined a month's pay. Don't do anything like that again. Dismissed."

After the two Security men sparkled away, Li'ira and Draxil went into the tent.

On the surface of the artifact was a sizzling hand print composed of Specialist Postelwaite's skin.

"Hmmm." Draxil said.

"So how did Suval do it?" Li'ira wondered.

-*-

Three hours of searching and calling for Suval led to no answers. Limited scans of the artifact were too vague to be of any value. More powerful scans threatened to unleash another power surge.

The time for an energy surge from the artifact came and went. Nothing happened. The artifact remained inert.

"ShiKahr to Captain Li'ira." Suval's voice came over the comm-badge.

Li'ira jumped in surprise and then slapped at her badge. "Li'ira here! Suval where have you been?"

Suval sounded embarrassed. "I have been on the ShiKahr all along Captain. I regret to say that I ... slept through the security alert. When I awoke and realized that an alert was happening, I reported immediately to the bridge. I'm told that I caused the Security Alert?"

Li'ira looked at Draxil who shrugged eloquently.

"Beam us up." Li'ira growled.

-*-

Questioning the computer revealed that it had records of Suval being in his cabin asleep the whole time. "That's not true!" Garan Draxil protested. The first thing we checked was the Commander's quarters and the computer records. He wasn't in his cabin and the transporter logs showed that he beamed down!"

"And what do the Transporter logs say now, Birdie?" Li'ira asked.

"They show no transporter activity until you beamed down, Captain." Birdie said. "I checked. They weren't tampered with."

"Ah hell!" Draxil yelled. "That's a load of crap, Li'ira, he wasn't there!"

"Doctor?" Li'ira turned to her Chief Medical Officer. The humanoid woman shrugged. "I can detect nothing out of the ordinary with Commander Suval. He's just the same as his last physical. I have used different equipment in blind scans, and there's no fault. He's fine."

"I really don't like this." Li'ira said. "Birdy, have you checked the security scans that Mr. Draxil recorded?"

"Yes, Captain. They're accurate and untampered with, too." Birdy said. He didn't sound confused. Straightening out the mess was the Captain's problem.

Li'ira shook her head and leaned back from the conference table. "I want every avenue explored. I want scans for temporal anomalies, holographic hoaxes and everything in between. Mr. Draxil, call for civilian records. I want to know if there are any Vulcans on Ardana that could be mistaken for Commander Suval. If you can think of any way for two mutually exclusive events to occur then investigate it and find out what happened. I am going to sickbay myself to find a remedy for my headache."

"Aye, Sir." Birdy and Draxil echoed.

-*-

Admiral Picard scowled out of the view screen in Li'ira's office. "Captain, is there any sign at all that Commander Suval has breached security?"

"Nothing conclusive, sir. The computer on the ShiKahr conflicts with sensor records on the ground." Li'ira said.

"And what has your investigation revealed?" Picard asked.

"Nothing conclusive." Li'ira admitted. "The artifact is now dormant."

"That artifact affects Federation Security, Captain. Bring it to Earth as soon as possible." Picard said sternly.

"Yes, Sir." Li'ira replied.

"Good. I'll expect you here no later than Stardate 49597." Picard said.

"Yes, Sir." Li'ira said. The channel closed.

-*-

A week later Li'ira was in the ship's lounge listening to her new Chief Medical Officer play her guitar. Sunshine besides being quite pretty was very popular because she knew a seemingly endless number of humorous and entertaining songs. Sunshine loved to play for an audience. Despite being quite competent as a doctor, Sunshine struck Li'ira as being somewhat shallow. Sunshine was always interested in the next party or amusement. She wore a "scant" style uniform that had gone out of general use some time before.

Li'ira was watching Sunshine play to her audience. Despite Sunshine's flippant air, she was good at being social. It was fun to watch her turn a normal off duty shift into another party.

The party was killed when red alert sounded. Alarms whooped and half a beat later everyone was moving quickly and efficiently to their stations.

Li'ira arrived on the bridge in turbo lift full of junior officers. "Report."

Tandala MacBier moved to her station at the helm and said. "A Romulan Bird of Prey has decloaked and demanded to speak with you."

"A what!?" Li'ira said, shocked. The ShiKahr was only 12 light-years away from Earth, close to eighty light years from the neutral zone. "What in the hell are they doing here?"

"Whatever they want, with their cloaking device." Garan Draxil said.

Li'ira had to admit that he had a point. A cloaked Romulan ship could travel as far as it wanted to undetected, as long as its captain and crew had the patience. "Have we raised shields?"

"Yes, Captain." Draxil reported. "They're hailing again."

"On screen." Li'ira looked around. Suval wasn't on the bridge yet.

The screen lit up to show a scowling Romulan. "This is the Romulan ship Cenareaus. I am Commander Saevel. We demand the return of the traitor to us."

"What traitor? Commander Saevel, you have committed a grave breach of the Neutral Zone and Federation Space!" Li'ira said. She sounded a little shrill to her own ears. The Romulan Bird-of-Prey was over twice as long as the ShiKahr and no one knew what its true potential for battle was. Li'ira heard the bridge doors swish open and Suval entered the bridge. "I suggest you turn around immediately and return to Romulan Space before this situation gets out of control." She finished.

The Romulan saw Suval and grinned, "There is your traitor, Captain. You know him as Suval but we know him better as Tael'Suvalu. A defector and a traitor to his people."

Li'ira looked at Suval. He was standing stock still and was as white as a sheet.

Li'ira's mind began to flip-flop. Could it be true? No matter. She wasn't going to let the Romulan Commander throw her off balance that easily in any case. "Commander Saevel, it doesn't matter what you call him, invading the Federation was an inappropriate and irresponsible action. Now I'm not making a request, I am ordering you to get out of Federation space. If it becomes necessary, We'll fire on you. I don't want you to doubt that for a second!" Turning to Draxil Li'ira said "Arm all weapons and prepare to fire on my mark."

Saevel gazed her measuringly. "I see that you doubt me. I will give you time to investigate our claims. Once you have all the facts in your hands, you will not hesitate to return the traitor to us."

The channel cut off. The Romulan ship that dominated their view turned and began to shimmer. It moved off cloaking as it went.

"I've lost contact with the Romulan vessel." Draxil reported.

"Birdy, Crystara, if you have any tricks for breaking through a cloak, now would a be a good time to try them." Li'ira said. "Garan, raise Starfleet Command. Put them straight through when you get them."

She moved over to Suval who was still staring at the main view screen. "Suval."

He stared blankly, but Li'ira could see his jaw working.

"Suval, what was that man talking about?" Li'ira asked quietly.

Suval turned to look at her. His voice was quiet and smooth. It wasn't Vulcan smooth. It was shock smooth. "He's right. I am a Romulan."

-*-

Sunshine looked at the diagnostic readouts on the bed in sickbay and shrugged. "I suppose he could be a Romulan. Why? Is that a bad thing?"

Suval and Li'ira stared at her.

"I don't follow politics very much." She said simply.

"Being a Romulan can be a very bad thing indeed, especially for a Starfleet officer." Li'ira snarled.

Sunshine looked confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's just not logical." Suval said.

"I'll tell you what's not logical, being a Romulan and not telling anyone! That's not logical!" Li'ira yelled.

Suval's face stilled and he looked very Vulcan. "I see no reason to be

insulting, Captain."

"I can see how you might have gotten past our non-political healer," Li'ira gestured derisively at Sunshine "but how did you fool all of the other Starfleet doctors?"

"Let me tell you something Captain," Sunshine said sharply. "I don't understand the politics here, and I don't care. One thing I do understand is biology. Whatever the political differences, Vulcans and Romulans are biologically identical."

"What? Then how is it possible to tell a Romulan from a Vulcan with scan?" Li'ira asked confused.

"That's not biology, at least not directly. That's geology. Evidently the two planets have slightly different chemical compositions. Someone from one planet will reflect the difference in several rare and distinctive trace metals. It says here that Romulus has a higher iridium content while Vulcan has more selenium. Other ways to tell are certain blood factors. However, the blood factors are simple genetic markers and it says here that all blood factors are present to one degree or another on both worlds. There's nothing in Suval's scan that can say decisively if he's a Romulan or a Vulcan." Sunshine explained.

"Oh. Sorry." Li'ira said.

Sunshine smirked at her. "I want a raise and then I'll forgive you."

"I'm sorry, Healer. This is no time for levity." Li'ira growled. "Suval, I think you had better tell me the whole truth now."

Suval took a deep breath and then began. "I was born on Romulus to parents who were political dissidents. They were about to be purged by the Romulan authorities when they attempted to escape. We got on a civilian transport and ran for the neutral zone. Just before we reached the neutral zone, we were discovered. My parents ejected me in an escape pod and then drew the cruiser's fire. The pod crossed the neutral zone and a Vulcan scout that was patrolling the area picked me up. I was taken to Vulcan and adopted. My adoptive parents raised me as a Vulcan, and I have followed the Vulcan way. That is why my scans were inconclusive. I have lived most of my life on Vulcan."

Li'ira shook her head. "That doesn't wash. Why would the Romulans invade the Federation and risk a war to recover you if you escaped so long ago? What possible use could you be to them?"

"That is what I was speaking of when I said that this is illogical." Suval said. "I wasn't even sure if the Romulans had records of me or would realize that I survived the destruction of the transport. I know of no way that I might threaten the Romulan Empire except that as a Starfleet Officer I might oppose their actions."

"Even that's going to be open to question for a while, Commander." Li'ira said. "I'm going to have to relieve you of duty and confine you to quarters until an investigation can be completed."

"I understand, Captain." Suval said woodenly.

"Is being a Romulan really that bad?" Sunshine asked.

Li'ira nodded. "I suggest you read up on the subject, Sunshine. It might help you to understand what's going on."

Lt. MacBier's voice came over the intercom. "Captain, I have Admiral Picard on subspace."

"I'll take it down here. Sunshine may I use your office?"

Sunshine nodded and Li'ira went into the Chief Medical Officer's office. Moving a crossbow and quiver out of the way, Li'ira logged on from the desk terminal and gave the computer her access code to decrypt the subspace channel. Admiral Picard's face appeared on the screen.

"Admiral, this is Captain Li'ira of the ShiKahr. We have a situation out here." Li'ira said.

"What sort of situation Captain?" .Picard asked.

"Well, Sir. We have just been braced a Romulan Warbird." Li'ira said.

"What!? Are you off course, Captain? Have you been heading towards the Neutral Zone?" Picard asked.

"No, Sir." Li'ira read off the coordinates and course of the ShiKahr to him. "That puts us about 12 light years from Earth."

"A Romulan Warbird has confronted you in the heart of the Federation?" Picard said.

"That's not all, Sir." Li'ira ran down the rest of the story.

"Even with your Commander's admission, I don't think that he lies at the heart of the issue, Captain. I believe that the Romulans may have heard of the sphere you are carrying. I think that this is actually what they're after." Picard said.

"That's possible, but it still leaves me with my First Officer out of action, and a Romulan Warbird nearby." Li'ira pointed out.

"There are a number of ships nearby Earth. I'll get them moving to reinforce you Captain. I would prefer a peaceful solution if you can mange it." Picard said.

"I'll do my best, Admiral but they're demanding Commander Suval be turned over to them." Li'ira said.

"Well, if the Romulans get what they want by violating the Neutral Zone then they'll be that much more likely to do it the next time, won't they? Don't let them have Suval. They can act through diplomatic channels if they feel it's required."

"Aye, Sir." Li'ira said happily. She was relieved that Picard didn't order her to turn over her officer to prevent violence.

"I'll get my staff working on the investigation of Suval, Captain. Maybe we can clear this up before you reach Earth." Picard said. "Perhaps we can challenge this notion that being of Romulan descent is a crime."

"That would be nice, Admiral." Li'ira said.

"All right then. Please stay in the area until relieved. The Enterprise is in orbit now. She should get to you in just under three days. If the Warbird seeks to return to Romulan space peacefully, then escort them until relieved. If they appear hostile, then keep them busy until help arrives." Picard ordered.

"Aye, Sir." Li'ira said with a straight face. Keep a Warbird busy for just under three days?

"Picard out." He closed the channel.

Li'ira leaned back a blew a sigh towards the ceiling.

-*-

Fifteen minutes later, Li'ira was on the bridge trying to spot the Warbird by will power through the main screen.

Draxil reported. "Captain, I have a contact. It's a probe."

"Did the Warbird fire it?" Li'ira asked.

"Yes, Captain. It's scanning us and transmitting a wide band signal. It's encrypted, I can't listen in."

"Record for later analysis. Crystara, can you find the Warbird yet?" Li'ira asked.

"No, Captain,. Their cloak must be state of the art." Crystara said.

"Keep trying." Li'ira said.

"The probe is hailing us Captain." Tandala said.

"Can you use the signal to track the Warbird?"

"I'll try, Captain."

"Good. Open hailing frequencies."

The screen cleared to show Commander Saevel. "Have you investigated out claims, Captain?"

"Commander Saevel, your action has rendered your claim irrelevant. I tell you again to get out of Federation Space." Li'ira said.

"Not without the traitor." Saevel replied.

"Is one man worth a war? Consider what you're doing!" Li'ira said.

"I am standing up for my country. Tael'Suvalu belongs to us! You are the ones keeping him from his people." Saevel said hotly.

"You'd start a war over Suval?" Li'ira said. "Why?"

"I am not starting this, Captain. You are by not turning over the traitor. The Romulan Empire does not need to explain itself to you. The Romulan Empire commands and you obey. This is the natural order of things. Soon, your whole Federation will recognize this truth." Saevel said. "One last time. Turn the traitor over to us, or suffer the consequences."

"If the Romulan Empire wants to negotiate, then appropriate diplomatic channels exist, Commander. I can not let you dictate my actions with threats of force." Li'ira said. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her palms were sweaty.

"Than you have made your choice, Captain." The Romulan commander switched off the channel.

"Go to Red Alert." Li'ira said.

"Warbird decloaking!" Garan Draxil yelled. "It's right behind us!"

"Reinforce the aft shields! Arm all weapons! Helm begin evasive maneuvers!" Li'ira ordered. She'd been in battle before on Deep Space Ten, but never with her own ship before.

The ShiKahr shuddered as Romulan torpedoes struck her. She went sublight and the Warbird streaked past.

"Damage report?" Li'ira asked.

"Aft shields are down fifty percent. There's light damage aft, including one warp nacelle. The computer aborted warp drive when the nacelle was damaged." Draxil said.

"Helm full impulse. Continue your evasive maneuvers." Li'ira said. "Lt. Draxil, prepare a volley of photon torpedoes. Make the Warbird go sub-light and then follow up with a phaser barrage."

"The Warbird is coming back around." Tandala reported.

The Warbird streaked up to the ShiKahr. Almost simultaneously, both ships fired photon torpedoes at each other. The Romulan ship bucked and rocked as it fell out of warp. The Federation ship shuddered as it was struck repeatedly.

Phaser beams lashed out and cut glowing trenches in the Romulan's hull. The Romulan quickly oriented itself of the ShiKahr and began to bear down on it.

"All weapons, fire as you bear!" Li'ira called.

Garan Draxil keyed in the commands and the ShiKahr began to fire continuously on the Romulan ship.

The main science station exploded. Crystara Acnapma had time for one quick surprised cry before she was killed.

"Shields failing on the port forward quarter." Draxil said.

"Tandala, angle us to protect that side." Li'ira said, clinging to her command chair.

"Aye aye." Tandala held herself to her station with one hand and entered piloting commands with the other. The ShiKahr swung rapidly in the other direction.

"We're out of the arc of their main weapons emplacement." Draxil said.

"Good work, Tandala! Concentrate fire!" Li'ira yelled.

The ShiKahr's phasers chewed deeply into the Warbird. It left the swooping turn it held trying to attack the smaller and more nimble ShiKahr. It wobbled away until it's shields collapsed and it disintegrated into an expanding cloud of debris.

-*-

"What's our final damage report?" Li'ira asked. She didn't really want to hear the answer, but she needed to know what she had to work with and what she didn't.

"Fifty two dead, over one hundred injured." Tandala reported. "Sunshine the Healer is still busy taking care of casualties."

"We have a severe hull breach in the primary hull. It affects mostly living quarters, support facilities and science labs. It's sealed off and we're reinforcing hull integrity now." Birdy reported. He looked tired. "Warp power is available but warp drive is down. I expect we'll be able to make low warp speed in the next day or so. We'll need a shipyard before we get the warp drive back up to specs."

Garan Draxil continued the report. "We lost a couple of phaser banks in the battle, but all the others are working fine. Torpedo launchers are fine. Shields are weak. I'll be able to get them back up to about 85% but it'll take a shipyard to get them back to full power. We learned a lot about Romulan Warbirds that we didn't know before. That's stuff that we'll be able to use against them next time."

"I don't want to do that ever again." Li'ira said. "I've heard from the Andorians. Colony Number Seven will scramble some light patrol ships. They'll be here later this afternoon. The Enterprise and her group are eight light years away. Back up is coming."

Everyone nodded in relief. The briefing was ended, and they went back to work repairing the ship.

-*-

The Andorian patrol ships were light, fast corvettes. They were not long on anything except speed. The group commander spoke briefly to Li'ira and then signed off. He beamed over Andorian self defense people to help with the repairs, but otherwise remained aloof.

"The Andorians seem a little stand offish." Tandala said.

"It's understandable." Li'ira sighed. "We just had the battle they've always wanted to have. Andorians are not usually terribly social in any case."

"Hmph. Will you come to the lounge tonight to help me sing out our dead?" Tandala asked.

"What does that entail?" Li'ira asked.

"I will sings songs about them to tell their ancestors who to expect in the afterlife. It will help to find their way, and us to let them go." Tandala explained.

"Sounds good." Li'ira said. "Better than the generic Starfleet memorial service, anyway."

"Why do they ask you to say a service that no one believes in?" Tandala said.

"It started out as something someone believed in, but it became more and more generic trying to include everyone so that eventually it didn't matter to anyone." Li'ira explained. "I like your style, so I'll go ahead and work within that framework."

"It's not a matter of style. This is what I truly believe." Tandala said. "This is real."

Li'ira looked at her tiredly. "Can it hurt to have me sing with you if I don't convert to your religion?"

Tandala thought about it. "My beliefs don't deal with that. The songs lay the path. The Ancestors hear the songs. The living celebrate the dead and joyfully send them on their way. It doesn't say anything about believing or not believing."

"Good. We'll sing at the ancestors and settle who believes what later, Okay." Li'ira said.

"Okay." Tandala said.

Li'ira left to complete another task leaving Tandala humming a short ditty to herself. It had to do with ancestors protecting new starship captains.

-*-

Li'ira spoke to Suval. "There has to be something."

"I have been considering the problem. I have an idea." Suval said.

"What's that?" Li'ira asked.

"I have been reviewing records. At one time there was a spy on board the Enterprise-D. He used a modified hypospray to encode data in organic molecules. Then he would inject these encoded molecules and carry the data out of the ship in his body." Suval steepled his hands and spoke intently. "What if the Romulans had similar technology? If one wanted to smuggle data, the more innocuous the being, the better to inject with this encoded data. A child would be less likely to be suspected."

"You think you might have data in your body that would provoke the Romulan Empire to war?" Li'ira asked.

"It would make a good deal of sense given the action of the Romulans in this case." Suval said.

"Hmmm. If there was only a way to be sure." Li'ira said.

"If you could have Lt. Acnapma take a blood sample and scan it, then she could easily determine if encoded data was present." Suval pointed out.

"Suval, Crystara didn't survive the battle." Li'ira said.

"That is unfortunate." Suval said quietly. "Perhaps Sunshine the Healer could run the scan."

"She's up to her neck in casualties." Li'ira said.

Suval thought about it. "There is only one crewman left who is qualified to scan for the data."

"You?" Li'ira asked.

"I was trained as a science officer." Suval said.

"There's sort of a conflict of interest issue there, isn't there?" Li'ira asked wryly.

"I would have to be closely supervised. Even so the data would not be suitable for general use. It would however suggest a path to investigate when we reached Earth."

Li'ira thought about it. "Okay. Let's go hit the lab."

Suval raised an eyebrow. "You will supervise me, Captain?"

Li'ira shrugged. "We can't afford to take anyone else off the repair effort. I need to get my first officer back."

-*-

Repeated scans showed no data encrypted in Suval's body. He worked slowly allowing Li'ira examine each step, and record each result. Suval ran every test he could think of, but came up dry each time.

"I'm sorry, Suval. It seems that you were on the wrong track." Li'ira said.

"Then why do the Romulans pursue me?" Suval said. "It is most illogical."

"Suval, why did you join Starfleet?" Li'ira asked.

"Service is a vital part of Vulcan life." Suval said.

"But you're not Vulcan." Li'ira said.

"I am. Perhaps my bio-scans say differently but I know what I am. I am Vulcan." Suval said quietly.

"You had to lie to get into Starfleet." Li'ira said. "Didn't that bother you?"

"Somewhat." Suval admitted. "But when I discussed it with my parents they were able to put my concerns to rest."

"Really? Honesty is well known Vulcan trait."

"True. However my parents and the elders of my community shared the opinion that I am truly Vulcan despite the planet of my birth. It was considered illogical that racial bias should keep me from doing what I felt called to do." Suval said.

"You know Admiral Picard and I were saying the same thing." Li'ira said.

"Interesting. Yet I am still relieved from duty and considered suspect. This points to a cultural and systemic bias against people of Romulan descent." Suval said.

Li'ira didn't like that. There were still people who said that she shouldn't be trusted in a command position because of her Orion race. "Suval, tell me. Have you ever lied about anything else in your Starfleet records?"

Suval shook his head. "No. I can see where you must ask this question and where my answer may lack some credibility, however I have not found it necessary to lie about anything to Starfleet since my application."

Li'ira grimaced. "Commander, you're right. We have no reason to doubt your loyalty at all. I'm going to put you back on duty. Please don't make me regret it."

"I shall endeavor not to." Suval said.

"That still doesn't answer why the Romulans are after you." Li'ira said.

"No. It does not."

"I'm sorry. This must be like a nightmare coming true for you." Li'ira said.

Suval nodded briefly, "It has been like the sword of Damocles hanging over my head. In fact, I am somewhat relieved to have my secret exposed. Now perhaps I can continue my life more in accordance with the principles of Surak."

"Spoken like a true Vulcan, Suval." Li'ira said.

Suval quirked his eyebrow at her. "Thank you, Captain."

-*-

The next day, the ShiKahr was mostly repaired. Soon they would be able to enter warp and continue towards Earth. The Andorian patrol ships were at rest a certain distance away.

Three Romulan Warbirds decloaked facing the ShiKahr.

"Red Alert!" Li'ira shouted "Raise Shields and arm all weapons!"

"Aye, Captain!" Garan Draxil began to arm his weapons.

"Captain, the Romulans are hailing us."

"Helm, full impulse in reverse, get us out of here. Put the Romulans on screen."

The main view screen cleared to show a haughty Romulan woman. "I am Fleet Commander T'Nath. We have monitored your destruction of out Warbird Cenareaus. We demand that you surrender and deliver the traitor Tael'Suvalu to us."

"I am Captain Li'ira of the Federation starship ShiKahr. You have violated Federation space. I demand that your return immediately to Romulan space and cease all hostile activity."

"Your demands carry little weight here. Comply with our demands or be destroyed." T'Nath's eyes flashed and her emotion showed. "We will have the traitor if we have to recover his body from your wreckage."

"The answer is still no. I hope that whatever you're after is worth the war you're starting." Li'ira said.

"That will not be your concern." T'Nath said. The screen closed.

"This is most illogical." Suval said.

"Tandala, open a channel to Starfleet Command." Li'ira said.

"If they were only a day behind the Cenareaus, then why did he attack? Why not wait for the other three ships? If Romulan high command felt that one Warbird would be sufficient, then why send three more only a day later? It would take seventy-seven days to know if the first Warbird was successful or not." Suval said "None of this makes sense!"

"You're right, Suval, but right now we have to deal with the Warbirds, not their motives." Li'ira said.

Suval nodded and turned back to the science station.

Tandala reported. "Captain, I can't open a channel. We're being jammed."

"The Andorians are moving off on a tangent. They seem to be trying to flank the Warbirds." Draxil reported.

"Patrol corvettes against Warbirds?" Tandala asked.

"Now you know why pirates hate to attack Andorian convoys." Draxil said.

"Load and launch our recorder marker buoy. Maybe it can get clear of the jamming." Li'ira said.

"The Romulans are opening fire!" Draxil reported.

"Target the lead Warbird and fire all weapons!" Li'ira said. "Helm maximum evasive!"

The ShiKahr began to groan, and seemed to tip one way and then another. The star field visible through the viewscreen began to whirl dizzyingly. The ship shuddered.

"Forward shield hit. It's holding." Draxil reported.

"Captain, I have increased energy readings from the Rishan artifact." Suval said.

"What?" Li'ira said. "How much?"

"A small amount. It might seems warm to a human hand." Suval replied.

The ship jerked hard and alarms started whooping. "We're hit! Hull breach in the forward sections! Forward shield near collapse!"

Tandala reported. "Two of the Warbirds are pressing the attack on us. The third one is being drawn off by the Andorians."

"Draxil! Can we press the attack on the lead ship of the Romulan group?" Li'ira asked.

"I don't see why not, We're dead one way or the other." Draxil said.

"Then proceed with your attack." Li'ira said. The ShiKahr shuddered. Tandala's panel exploded, shredding her hands and face. Screaming she curled up on the deck and bled.

Suval's emotions threatened to overwhelm him. People were bleeding and dying and he couldn't understand why! Only a childish fool would think that he was worth four heavy starships and all the lives on them, even it was a gratification to his ego. What could it be about him that was the cause of all this? With a sickening realization, Suval realized that the situation was in fact perfectly tailored to his ego and childhood fears. Something was making his greatest fear real. Why? It was even more confusing than the idea of the Romulans actually attacking. What power was reaching into his mind? The Artifact! The Rishans used telepathic commands to operate their machines. It was a tenuous chain of speculation, but it was the only thing that fit the available facts. Now to test the hypothesis.

Suval turned to Li'ira and yelled "Captain, it's me. Somehow the artifact is pulling this out of my mind!"

"Get down there and convince it to stop!" Li'ira shouted.

"Engineering to Bridge!" Birdy called over the intercom. "We've had a major plasma leak down here. I'm going to have to shut down main power and evacuate the section-"

A major strike hit the ship cutting off Birdy's voice.

"Engineering! Engineering!" Li'ira called. "Suval, Stop that thing by any means necessary!"

Suval was already on his way.

-*-

By the time Suval reached the cargo bay that held the sphere, the ShiKahr was a drifting wreck. Sporadic fire from the Romulan ships went unanswered. Most of the crew was dead. Suval walked into the bay with a phaser rifle. He didn't think it would work on the alien device, but it was all that he could think of.

He could feel a slight pull from it, mentally. It was almost a presence in his mind. He knew at once that the scans of him entering the sphere had been correct. He had succumbed to his curiosity and had gone to view the device in person.

"Why are you doing this?" Suval yelled at the sphere. "What is your purpose?"

The ship shuddered. The computer came on the intercom and said "Warning: Warp Core breach immanent. Please evacuate the ship. Warning..."

Suval dropped the rifle and came closer "What are you?" He whispered. Somehow he knew that the device was taking his subconscious fears and desires and making them real. It couldn't tell the difference between what he wanted and what he feared. Suval knew he had to stop it. The only way he could think of was to change it's perception of his mind. He reached out for the globe. His hand sunk into the metal as though it were a viscous liquid. Suval reached for his own mind started to concentrate.

-*-

Suval awoke suddenly in his quarters. Fear and apprehension overcame him, but he could not determine the cause. A few moments of meditation brought his emotions under control again. Suval sometimes regretted the facts of his birth. They left his emotions closer to the surface and less amenable to control than another Vulcan's might be.

When his mental equilibrium was restored he called the bridge. "This is Commander Suval. Is everything all right?"

Tandala MacBier, the officer of the bridge replied. "Everything's fine, Sir. We're on course for Earth. All systems are functioning well, and there is nothing happening externally that it worth noting.

"Have there been any reports about the artifact?" As he said it, Suval wondered why he did. The artifact of unknown origin had dropped unexpectedly on Ardana crushing a civilian residence there. No one was killed, although the house's residents were injured. The artifact remained stubbornly inert and dead ever since.

"No Sir. The artifact is still in storage. It has done nothing but sit there and be a metal sphere. Security reports no incidents." Tandala reported.

Suval thought for a moment. Perhaps it was a dream Suval usually remembered his dreams clearly but not tonight. "I apologize for disturbing you, Lieutenant. Carry on."

"Not a problem, Sir. Gamma shift can be pretty boring." Tandala said.

Suval cut the channel and went back to sleep.

-end-

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this story for me.