Episode #44 The Cidi are a Dish Best Served Cold

(Stardate 50112.1)

By

Jay P. Hailey

And

The Star Trek Players

"Greetings Captain Katasai. It's a pleasure to see you again." The President of the Cidi said.

"And you, Sir." Miriah replied. To her horror her stomach growled.

The President stopped and regarded her carefully, but remained casual. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, Sir. It's just... Something I ate." Miriah lied smoothly. The truth of the matter was that the planetary President of the Cidi, the national leader of a new and valued allied race made her hungry. She couldn't help it. The President was a five-inch tall kangaroo mouse.

"Thank you for answering our call so quickly. We're gratified at the Federation's level of support." Piki-Coomba-Irumba-Mani-Wamu said.

"Would you believe that we were in the neighborhood?" Miriah said.

"Ha ha ha, Well, have it your way." President Coomba said. "I don't want to keep you with chit chat."

"Okay. What can we help you with today, Mr. President?" Miriah was relived to be getting quickly to the point. The orders from Starfleet Command made the situation sound urgent.

"You are aware that we have started our first interstellar colony?" The President asked.

"No, Sir. I was not aware of that."

"A short while ago we lost contact with our colony. We don't know why." The President said.

Miriah nodded sagely. "Aha. We'll be doing a relief mission?"

"Essentially. We were forced to call for your help because our own ships are not yet complete. However, since we are not officially members of the Federation we'll ask you to transport our own relief mission to the colony world and lend technical support." The President explained.

"I understand, Sir." Miriah said. "You understand that I'll retain operational command of the Endeavor for reasons of safety and efficiency. We've been placed at your proposal."

"Thank you, Captain." The President hopped across the conference table to small panel raised to convenient Cidi level.

Miriah had to resist an urge to reach out and grab him as he moved away.

Keying the communication system the President said "General Nuomo, will you come in please?"

"Yes, Sir." A tinny voice answered.

Miriah turned in her seat to watch the General's entrance. Diplomacy between the Cidi and normally sized races couldn't take place in Cidi administration buildings (Trees, hollowed out and fitted with modern conveniences, really) because they were built to Cidi size requirements. So in a clearing in a heavily inhabited forest a pavilion was erected. A more or less permanent tent arranged so that the Cidi leadership could meet alien Diplomats with a certain amount of comfort on both sides.

The chair Miriah was sitting in was familiar to her, having been donated from the Endeavor some six months previously when the original treaty was signed. The table came from somewhere else.

The General came in and Miriah's diplomacy was taxed to its utmost. He hopped in quickly in a precise and military fashion. Miriah didn't know how a stiff martial stride could translate into a springy bounce, but some how General Nuomo managed it.

He hopped over to miniature ladder and scrambled up to the table quickly and efficiently. He clasped his hands together and bowed at the President, the Cidi Military salute. You could measure the angles between the General's body and the table top with precision.

"General Nuomo reporting, Mister President."

"At ease, General. May I introduce Captain Miriah Katasai? Captain Katasai this is General Kiki-Abu-Nuomo-Nimi-Kanu."

"Pleased, General Nuomo." Miriah really thought he looked delicious, but felt it polite not to tell him so.

"Likewise, Captain." Nuomo was flawlessly polite.

"General, please brief the Captain on the state of the relief mission and her proposed place in it." The President hopped over to a cylindrical Cidi seat and sat down.

"Captain, we plan to embark a combined battalion of Cidi Military Forces on the USS Endeavor. The primary mission is relief of the colony. Federation records indicate that the probable cause of failure at the colony relates to undiscovered complications In the biological cycle of the world in question. Therefore we are embarking the 93rd Mobile Hospital Unit reinforced with extra material and personnel from certain special purpose units. We will ask you to coordinate to establish an isolated, clean evacuation hospital in case survivors should be found to be suffering from exotic disease. We are also embarking the 23rd combat engineering unit equipped to rebuild energy, water, waste and living systems for the colony. We also plan to embark the 302nd combat recon unit from the Cidi Marine Corps, in case hostile life forms have caused the loss of contact with Colony Alpha."

Miriah carefully kept calm. The Cidi Marine Corps? It was a struggle not to giggle at the thought. "Yes, Sir." She managed with only a slight quaver. "If you'll give me a list of space and support requirements I'll get my crew working on it now."

"That will be transmitted right away, Captained. We'll also ask if you'll consent to carry a science mission from Nakuma Tree, our most prestigious University." The General added.

"You asked my consent. I take it that they aren't related to the relief mission?" Miriah asked.

"That's correct. Although they'll be under my jurisdiction, they have asked for a chance to travel with you and study your crew. You'd call it a Xenological mission, except that you're the unknown people to us." The President explained.

"That'll be fine." Miriah assured them "That's what the Endeavor is for after all."

"Well, we might as well get started." General Nuomo said. "Permission to leave, Mr. President?"

"Dismissed General, and Kiki?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Watch yourself, alright?"

General Nuomo stepped carefully over to the President and they touched muzzles in the Cidi equivalent of a hug. "I'll be fine, Piki. What worries me is those colonists. We're burning time they may not have."

"Good. Off you go." The President reclaimed his presidential demeanor.

The General made his bowing salute and hopped across the table. He scuttled down the ladder and hopped across the floor of the tent and on his way. All of this with a military air. Miriah felt her eyes start to water. It was too cute. The Cidi Marine Corps? Miriah feared for her ability to maintain a straight face for the whole mission.

"Any questions, Captain?" The President asked.

"No Sir. If I think of anything I'll contact your Space Control." Miriah said.

"Very good, Captain. Dismissed."

Miriah stood and came to attention, and then she did an about face and marched out of the tent and into the clearing. She watched the activity in the trees and the clearing. Kangaroo Mice were hopping everywhere intent on the business of running a civilization. A very deep part of Miriah's mind wanted to pounce on them and chase them through the trees. Miriah grimaced and touched her comm-badge.

"Katasai to Endeavor. One to beam up." She sparkled back to a normal sized world.

-*-

The Cidi Embarkation could only be described as the march of the toy soldiers. It didn't take long for the engineering staff of the Endeavor to arrange several adjacent cargo bays to support a Cidi bivouac. The major problem was arranging supporting equipment where the Cidi could get at it. The engineers arranged a variety of creative solutions, from mounting PADDs of various sizes low on the walls and tying them into the main computer to act as terminals for the Cidi, to mounting a replicator upside down in the cargo bay so that it materialized its products near floor level.

The first things aboard were the relief supplies for the colony. The Cidi could deal with cargo loads about the size of a person, due to their own imported transporters. Three more entire holds were filled with tiny emergency rations, fresh water supplies, life support equipment, building materials and Cidi sized building equipment.

Then the Cidi scientists arrived and were escorted to the Cidi sections. They were a varied bunch of mice wearing multicolored vests and sashes. They asked many questions while walking through the Endeavor.

They were given free run of the areas of the ship where a civilian could go. Despite being quartered with the Cidi Marines, their favorite part of the ship was Ms. Alpha's Lounge, on deck ten at the forward most section of the Endeavor.

Miriah watched General Nuomo beam in the with the first contingent of Marines. She returned his bow and gave him permission to beam the majority of the Cidi Marines aboard. The Cidi marines beamed aboard in orderly groups and fell into straight lines in transporter room. Miriah had a hard time keeping a straight face as the Cidi Marines built their formation. Beside her William Stroud, the XO of the Endeavor stood at attention with a rigidly straight face.

The crew woman manning the transporter didn't even pretend. She grinned and stared as the floor filled with Cidi troops.

"If you'll follow my XO he'll show you to your quarters, Gentlebeings."

Stroud started and then looked at the Cidi general. "Um... Right this way, Sir." He turned and carefully walked out the door.

"Ten-hut!" A Cidi sergeant squeaked at the top of his lungs. "Left face!" The assembled Cidi hopped to attention and then all turned to face the transporter room door. "Forward march, quick pace! Hup! Hup! Hup!" In time with the imperious squeaks the formation hopped out the door after Stroud.

As soon as the last Cidi was out the door and the door closed, there was beep on the Transporter Officer's console.

"The next group is ready, Captain." The transporter officer said grinning.

Miriah turned to say "Give me a moment." But caught the crew-woman's eye. Miriah felt her painfully straight face begin to crumble. The transporter officer snorted, almost managed to recover and was undone by Miriah's guffaw.

It took several minutes of hilarity before Miriah felt herself back in enough control to allow the rest of the Cidi Marines to board.

-*-

The last thing embarked were a set of generic cargo shuttles modified for Cidi use. A Cidi scale cockpit had been grafted onto the forward edge of the roof of the Cidi shuttle. There were also weapons placed on it.

Three shuttles came aboard, met by a Starfleet deck crew and several Cidi Marines. The Starfleet crew waited patiently, talking amongst themselves. The shuttles landed and opened their rear cargo doors. As soon as the door was down all the way the Cidi marines quickly hopped across the shuttle bay deck and into the shuttles. A few minutes later several objects floated out of the cargo shuttles. The looked like modified probe casings. About three feet long and eight inches deep by two feet wide in an ellipsoid. Miriah could see anti-gravity motors and crew cockpits. Then she saw a rounded turret with a modified phaser rifle mounted in it. There were also force field generators visible.

"It's a tank!" She exclaimed.

"That's correct. Its purpose is to confront large sophonts like yourself in combat." General Nuomo said.

Six Cidi tanks floating two by two formed up in the shuttle bay and then slowly floated off toward the Cidi areas.

The rest of the Cidi marched in orderly fashion along behind the tanks.

Shaking their heads, the deck crew got to work refueling and stowing the Cidi shuttle craft.

-*-

The trip from the Cidi Homeworld to the Colony was a short one for the Endeavor, about six days.

The Cidi were hits among the crew. Besides being cute and completely non-threatening, they were personable and gregarious. Ms. Alpha's was a popular spot. The Cidi social scientists pestered the crew with detailed questions. By far the most popular subjects for inquiry were the Green Orions. There was not too much information about them available from the Federation data services. Much that was known was flawed or inaccurate.

So the Cidi gathered more accurate data for themselves.

-*-

Miriah walked into Ms. Alpha's large communal living quarters. They were in a special module constructed for the purpose. It was the same size as five personal quarters. Most of the Green Orions on the ship lived there. There were private rooms, but they were small. Most of the actual living space was in a large central room. It was a communal living room. There were a few larger rooms for entertaining guests.

Miriah approached the couches the occupied the central room and said "Hi, Mikki." to one of the younger Green Women. Mikki turned and Miriah saw a pair of Cidi occupying the center of the formation.

"Greetings, Captain!" The Cidi waved.

"Well, hello." Miriah smiled. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, yes." The two Cidi fairly hopped up and down. "Your friends are most fascinating!"

"Mikki, where's Alpha?" Miriah asked.

"She's in her room. She said she needed to rest." Mikki said. Seeing Miriah's reaction she hastily added "Please go in. I'm sure she would enjoy seeing you."

"Thanks." Miriah said. She headed for the room at the back of the quarters complex. She pressed the door bell and the door slid obediently open.

Miriah smelled incense and a soft smell of flowers. It was coordinated with the smell of the Green Orion pheromones. Green Orions and a few other races could smell the pheromones consciously. Miriah breathed deeply. It smelled a little like home.

Miriah entered and the door slid shut behind her. The lighting was soft and subdued in Alpha's room. A large bed dominated the room. It was just right for rolling around and lounging on.

Alpha was thoroughly lounged on the bed. She was nude and had a large glass of some fruit juice within arm's reach. There was also a plate of cookies on the night table next to Alpha's bed. Alpha was propped up on some large fluffy pillows and was reading a PADD that covered her whole lap.

Alpha looked up to see Miriah and smiled happily. "Greetings, Miriah. Lock the door and make yourself comfortable."

Miriah secured the door and started shucking her uniform. Alpha rolled off the bed and said "What can I get for you?"

"Oh, I'll try whatever that is you're having." Miriah said.

"It's from Earth. It's called orange juice." Alpha said. "It's nice for sipping."

"Ah." Miriah said. She finished stripping and slid into the large bed. The pillows and blankets enveloped her. Alpha handed Miriah a tall glass of orange juice and hugged her warmly. "What brings you into my lap today?"

Miriah was about to say something vague and non-committal. It was a habit with her. She didn't let too many people through her guard. She subscribed to the "never let them see you sweat" school. However, that wasn't what her relationship with Alpha was about.

"I just wanted to find someplace in the ship without a Cidi in it." Miriah said.

Alpha rolled her eyes. "I know."

"It's not that I don't like them or anything..." Miriah hastily added.

"Oh, no. They're lovely." Alpha said. "I like them."

"I mean who wouldn't like them?" Miriah said.

"They're really very friendly." Alpha led.

"They're cute as little buttons!" Miriah said.

"That they are."

"They make me hungry!" Miriah buried her face in a pillow while Alpha chuckled.

"One does have to be careful where one steps." Alpha said.

"And their voices!"

"Like children's cartoon characters." Alpha said.

"I've had to watch my every single move since they came on board. I can't just walk. I have to watch my steps for fear I'll step on one of them." Miriah wailed happily.

"And so many questions!" Alpha said. "I know that they've never seen us before, but you'd think they'll never see us again and must ask every question they can imagine right now."

"Uh huh!" Miriah nodded. "Little PESTS!"

"Do they really make you hungry?" Alpha asked.

"Yes. It's terrible." Miriah said "I'd never eat a Cidi. I don't know how I could live with myself if I did, but try telling my stomach that."

"I just find myself wanting to cuddle them as I go to sleep. If only they would shut up." Alpha said. "It must be a Klingon thing."

"Cuddling them, eating them, pursing your lips and smooching them, you just can't do it! They're people! Entitled to all the respect and dignity of any other race! We must remember that!" Miriah laughed into her pillow. "No matter how tasty or cute they really are!"

"No matter how big a pain in the ass it is!" Alpha laughed with her. Rolling around with a friend made it seem much less aggravating than it was.

"The Admiral will never forgive me!" Miriah said.

"I haven't seen him around for a while. I was wondering what happened to him." Alpha said.

"I had to lock him in my quarters. He'd try to kill the Cidi." Miriah said. "He does not approve of it."

"I bet. I'd have taken him in here, but it seems that we are very interesting to the Cidi sociologists." Alpha apologized.

"They don't have a lot of data about Green Orions in the Federation database." Miriah said.

Alpha shook her head. "I benefit from the human compulsion to record and analyze everything. I am learning so much. Yet I have no urge to sit down with a human researcher. It wouldn't feel right trying to describe my whole life to one of them."

"Why don't you record your own account?" Miriah asked.

"I am considering it." Alpha allowed. "The Cidi have awakened me to the fact that we are not well understood in the Federation. I wouldn't like to be known only through rumor and innuendo. On the other hand I would hate to be an object of curiosity."

"That's one of the nice things about living aboard a starship. You'll be hard to catch up with." Miriah pointed out.

Alpha sighed. "You're right. I'm convinced. But for now let's talk about something less serious."

"Like what?"

"I got a new download of music from Earth." Alpha said.

Miriah rolled her eyes "Oh, no. What are they listening to now?"

-*-

The Endeavor rolled into the system containing the Cidi colony rapidly. Seeing no reason to make a conservative approach Miriah ordered her ship to warp right up next to the planet. The Endeavor popped out of warp and immediately alarms began to sound on Patton's tactical board.

Miriah said. "Report."

Patton read his screen. "One ship in orbit. They're powering up right now. It's a Ferengi Marauder."

"Red alert. Arm weapons." Miriah said.

"Do you think that the Ferengi are responsible for our loss of contact with our colony?" General Nuomo asked. He was perched on the back of the command chair to Miriah's right.

"I don't see any reason for them to be here, otherwise, General." Miriah said.

"The Ferengi ship is activating transporters." Patton said.

"Scan that ship for life signs, please." Commander Stroud ordered.

"Scanning, Sir." Brekka Di answered.

"Open hailing frequencies." Miriah said. Her mind was calm and still, measuring angles and rates of closure. She knew that the Endeavor had the Marauder dead to rights.

"Hailing frequencies open." Patton said.

"Attention Ferengi ship." Miriah said. "You are in violation of Cidi space. Stand down and prepare for inspection by Cidi authorities."

"The Ferengi have raised their shields." Patton announced.

"There are a variety of life signs on the Ferengi ship." Brekka Di said. "Ferengi, Klingons and Cidi are present."

"Now scan the planet." Stroud ordered.

"Why would there be Cidi on that ship?" The General asked.

Miriah cast a glance at Stroud. "Slavers?"

Stroud nodded. "Looks like it."

Brekka Di reported on her scan of the planet. "There are Klingon and Ferengi life signs on the planet. There may be Cidi present, but it's hard to pick them out among the background. There is a force field covering a section of the main colony site."

"The Ferengi ship is arming weapons." Patton said.

"General, the Federation's standard response to slavers is maximum hostility." Miriah informed. "We have been raided like this before. New colonies can't defend themselves very well, so we

try to make raiding them as risky and costly as possible."

"Please let me speak to the Ferengi ship." General Nuomo said.

"Put the General on." Miriah said.

Patton redirected the communications sensors and said "Go ahead, General."

"This is General Nuomo of the Cidi Defense Force. We thank you for your kind efforts to help our colonists. We would hate there to be a misunderstanding, so we'll ask you to please return our people to us and accept our gratitude." The Cidi said carefully.

Miriah looked at him. Stroud's expression was concerned and somewhat angry.

"End of Message." General Nuomo called. The Communications system beeped. "Let's focus on getting the Cidi colonists back. Afterwards we can talk about nailing the slavers."

Miriah grimaced but nodded her head. Stroud looked thoughtful.

The Endeavor roared into orbit behind the Ferengi ship at full impulse. Miriah could feel the deck seem to tilt as her ship placed itself in position.

"I'm reading weapons fire on the Ferengi ship." Brekka Di said. "With their shields in place I can't get a good read on who's getting killed, but there are fewer life signs."

"Patton, get your people together. Prepare for boarding action." Miriah said.

General Nuomo keyed his own intercom. "Colonel Kiki, prepare your troops for landing on the planet. Captain, while you're taking the Ferengi ship, I'd like to beam my troops down to the planet to rescue and evacuate colonists there."

"Yes, General. As soon as it's safe to open beaming holes in our shields we'll start landing your troops." Miriah said.

Stroud moved up to take over the tactical station while Patton moved to join the boarding parties.

The Ferengi ship hung wordlessly in orbit while Patton's security force and Cidi Marines prepared to attack.

Peering at the scans of the colony site, General Nuomo outlined a plan. "Captain, I'd like to beam groups down in these five locations. We'll spread out and establish a cordon. Then we'll move slowly in, evacuating colonists and hemming in the attackers."

"Most of the attackers have moved towards the center of the Colony and this force field." Miriah pointed out.

"That's correct. They have abandoned most of the colony site to us. I propose we secure that before making an attempt on the central fortification." Nuomo said. "I'm going to assume that some of the colonists have actually fled into these trees here." He pointed out the area. "That's where I would be tempted to flee. If there are many free survivors, that's where we'll find them."

"Yes, General." Miriah said.

"The Ferengi ship is moving." Stroud said.

"What are they doing?" Miriah asked.

"I'm reading increased power to..."

The bridge shuddered and the lights flickered.

"...their weapons." Stroud finished.

"Key firing pattern alpha and return fire." Miriah said.

"Pattern Alpha." Stroud repeated. He called up the proper program and told the tactical computer to run it.

The phasers of the Endeavor lashed out at the probable location of the Ferengi's engines weapons and shields. Because the Endeavor was so close and so well positioned on the Ferengi vessel the effect of the phaser barrage had nearly the best possible effect one could hope for.

"Their shields are down to 50%." Stroud reported. "Their warp drive is down and their main weapons array is damaged."

"Well done." Miriah said grimly.

The Ferengi Marauder returned fire with its weaker secondary weapons. The Endeavor shuddered again.

"Minor damage to forward sections. No apparent casualties. Shields at 75% on the forward quarter." Stroud said.

"Give them another round of pattern alpha." Miriah said.

"Aye, Sir." Stroud hit the firing stud again. Once more the Endeavor's main computer made it best guess about weapons, engines and shields and fired the phaser banks at full power again.

The Ferengi ship was mangled by the full power phaser blasts. Huge holes were burned in the hull. Atmosphere and objects flamed into gas and escaped through the breaches. The Ferengi weapons system suffered numerous secondary explosions from energy feed back. It's warp and impulse engines were drilled through and rendered useless.

"His shields are now down. Warp power is out. Impulse is fluctuating and dying. Emergency power kicking in for most sections." Stroud reported. "He's finished."

Leaking air, water, plasma and debris, the Ferengi began to tumble away from the Federation starship.

"Heavy structural damage, heavy casualties, weapons out." Stroud continued. "I think it's safe to board, now Captain."

Miriah winced at the damage done to the Ferengi ship. Not only did she have an intuitive sympathy for anyone on a starship, but she feared for the safety of any Cidi on board the Ferengi ships. "Take us into transporter range and begin boarding operations."

"Aye, Sir." Stroud said. "Warrior Patton, stand by. Lieutenant Brekka, one quarter impulse. Bring us into transporter range."

"Aye, Sir." The Endeavor started to creep in on her crippled prey.

"Di, when we get close enough, I want to beam all Cidi life signs off that ship and into the Cidi field hospital."

"Yes, Captain. Setting up sensors, now." Di said.

"Field hospital, alert." General Nuomo said into his panel, "Incoming wounded."

"Ready, Sir." The Cidi in charge of the hospital said.

The General gave Miriah an aggressive triple bounce on his command seat. It was the Cidi version of a thumbs up.

The Endeavor moved in on the Ferengi. As they were getting ready to drop shields a single forlorn beam reached out from the Ferengi vessel. It wasn't too accurate, only striking the Endeavor intermittently.

"What is that?" Miriah asked.

Stroud fiddled with the Tactical station uncertainly. "I'm not certain. It's like a disruptor beam, but the shields aren't even registering it."

"Di, get me a closer scan of the source." Miriah ordered.

The image of the damaged Ferengi ship grew in the main view screen until the source of the feeble beam became obvious. A figure in a vacc-suit was standing in an open airlock firing a disruptor rifle at the Endeavor.

"They must be joking." Stroud said. "That can't be serious."

"Who ever he is, he has balls." Brekka Di commented.

"Di, record this. Get me a closer look at him. I want a scan of his face if we can get it."

"Aye, Captain. Recording and scanning closer."

The image in the airlock swelled until they could see a generic suit of Klingon space armor. The figure inside seemed to be screaming something. "I can almost read his lips except that I can't speak Klingon." Brekka said.

"We can beam him out of there, Captain." Stroud said.

"No." Miriah said. "Don't you see what he's doing?"

"Yeah. He's making a brave but futile gesture." Stroud answered.

"He's committing suicide." Brekka Di watched the maniacal Klingon with an odd fascination.

"That's correct." Miriah said. "Do we have enough of a picture to identify him?

"Yes, Captain." Brekka Di answered.

"Can we open beaming holes in the shields without him hurting us?" Miriah asked.

"Even with no shields, at this range, he couldn't cut through the outer hull. He'd make burn marks on the paint." Stroud said.

"That's still too much." Miriah growled. "Open the beaming holes and begin transport."

At the signal, the Endeavor opened holes in her force fields to let transporter beams through. All of the transporters on the Endeavor reached out and grabbed all Cidi life forms off the ship.

"We aren't reading any more Cidi on the ship, Captain."

"Did you get them all, Captain?" General Nuomo asked.

"No General. There are many way to disguise or jam sensors. We just got the easy ones out. Now Warrior Patton and his crew will go get everyone else. Begin boarding."

"Begin boarding, Aye." Stroud said. He keyed a button on the tactical panel. The transporters again reached into the Ferengi ship. This time they left men and women from Starfleet security behind.

On the screen, the lonely and pathetic beams from the Klingon with the disruptor rifle kept coming.

The next few minutes were filled with tense waiting. "We're encountering surrendering crewmen." Patton said.

"Security teams to Transporters." Stroud said.

"Will you require help from our Marines?" General Nuomo asked.

Miriah looked up at Stroud.

Stroud shrugged "Every little... Yes, General. It would be appreciated."

"This is General Nuomo. Forward elements to the transporter rooms." The Cidi General barked. To the bridge crew it sounded like a squeak.

-*-

In a few moments outside of transporter room #2, Mu Leone and Sarah Flynn were surprised to see a pair of probe casings float around the corner and towards them. The probe casings had elliptical turrets on the top and a recognizable phaser rifle jutting out.

"What the-?" Leone asked.

Flynn looked up from her preparations and simply shrugged. "I dunno." Flynn was preparing a medical crash kit. Prisoners were beamed aboard through an organics only filter. Sometimes they left vital cybernetics, like artificial organs behind.

The probe casing floated up to Leone. A small hatch popped open on the turret and a Cidi wearing a complex command/control visor popped out. "Tank group 3 reporting as ordered, Ensign!"

"Tank group?" Leone asked.

"Are those things shielded?" Flynn asked.

"Yes, Ensign!"

Flynn looked and grinned. "Excellent. Please lock your main weapon to heavy stun and set up a cross fire on the transporter pad."

"Yes, Ensign. Let's go!" The lead tank floated gently through the transporter room doors.

"That's our backup?" Leone said, in disbelief.

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. One of those contraptions can catch a phaser beam as well as you or I." Flynn said. "And if they're shielded, a couple of Cidi might survive it."

Leone rolled his eyes, but didn't say any more. At least they weren't on the boarding parties this time out.

-*-

The Endeavor started beaming surrendered mercenaries out of the Ferengi vessel. When they ran out of surrendered mercenaries, they started beaming out people who didn't know they had surrendered, yet.

Soon, Patton called in and reported "The interior is secured, My Lady. All that is left is the Warrior in the Airlock. We go to neutralize him now."

"This is the Captain." Miriah corrected. "Leave the Klingon in the Airlock to me. Keep everyone out of that section. I'm not sure if the lock will hold through this."

"Aye, Captain!" Patton said.

"Commander, set phasers to one tenth power." Miriah ordered. "Lock onto that Klingon."

"Are you serious? You're going to use the main phaser bank to attack an individual?" Stroud asked. "I can't believe it."

"Why not? Hasn't he earned it?" Miriah asked.

Stroud boggled at the Captain's thought process

"If you're so set on giving him and honorable death then beam him aboard and kill him with a Bat'leth. All due respect, Sir, I consider killing a man with the ship's main phaser bank an abuse of the Endeavor." Stroud said.

"Then stand aside, Commander." Miriah said, walking around to the Tactical Station.

"I protest in the strongest possible terms." Stroud said sullenly.

"Please note it in your log, Commander."

"Oh, I will." Stroud stepped aside for Miriah.

Miriah carefully locked on to the Klingon who still seemed to be shouting and was still firing with his disruptor. She double-checked the power settings. 5% power. Miriah fired.

On the main view screen the Klingon was pinned in a bright spot of light. He waved his arms and then his outer surface burned, damaging his space suit badly and frying the outer layer of his body to a crispy mess. Atmosphere escaped though the burned through spots in the space armor, followed by blood and gore. Twitching the dead Klingon floated away from the airlock. On the screen they could see the remains of the control panel for the airlock flashing a warning sign. The lock had been badly compromised by the phaser fire and was no longer safe for use.

Miriah said. "End recording the sensor input."

"Recording ended." The Bajoran Officer replied.

-*-

The Cidi Marines had infiltrated the woods around the colony site thoroughly. They found survivors and refugees. The colonist Cidi were beamed back to the Endeavor for treatment at the Cidi mobile hospital. Dr. Matae in the Endeavor's sickbay and several other crewmen tried to help the Cidi medical staff. No medical professional who has ever dealt with emergency conditions will willingly turn down help, especially not trained and competent help. However, for the majority of colonist Cidi, the difference between the Vulcan Dr. Matae and the Klingon raiders was at best academic.

Miriah growled to herself at the memory of Cidi children squeaking in mortal terror at the sight of her. She was angry with the raiders who had given the Cidi that view of her.

On the Bridge of the Endeavor, Miriah was getting an after action report by the Warrior Patton.

"The main elements of the raiders were Ferengi businessmen and outcast Klingon mercenaries. There were a few other beings in the mix, but their numbers were not significant."

"So who was shooting whom when you boarded?" Miriah asked.

"As soon as the outcome of the battle was clear, the Ferengi wished to surrender and negotiate for their escape using the Cidi aboard as hostages." Patton said.

"The Klingons have no objection to taking hostages." Miriah said.

"The more conservative interpretation of honor does not allow it." Patton said darkly.

"Ah. Then some of the Klingons had a more conservative interpretation of their honor?"

"If they had, would they be dishonored? Would they be working at the pay of a Ferengi?"

"Good point."

"The shooting started when the Ferengi Daimon made his decision to surrender. It was not a popular one among the Klingons." Patton said.

"Oh. The Klingon mercenaries objected I take it?"

"That's correct. They objected strenuously to the idea of surrendering." Patton said. This suited his sensibilities. "The Klingons massacred the Ferengi crew and attempted to fight out the rest of the battle with us. They wanted to at least die like Klingons."

"Okay. We'll see what we can arrange for the survivors later. No promises, Patton. This is a Federation starship. Killing prisoners in custody would be frowned upon at Starfleet Command." Miriah said.

"Well, we couldn't have that." Patton said ironically. "Aye Captain. No escape attempts until you authorize them."

Stroud said. "Let me get this straight. You'd kill prisoners captured in the act of raiding a defenseless colony."

"If it were permitted, Yes, Commander." Patton said.

"Before they'd gone to trial or anything?" Stroud asked.

"Trials are a basically human custom. We know what they did. We saw them doing it." Patton said.

"No doubt, you'd clear out a cargo pod or a shuttle bay and duel these guys with your Bat'leth, right? Mano-a-mano, winner take all, may the best man win?" Stroud asked peeved.

"Yes, Sir. You understand perfectly." Patton said grinning.

"Even after what they did to the Cidi?" Stroud asked.

"It's the Klingon way, Commander. Those men are the walking dead anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if more than half of them commit suicide after their trial and serving their sentence." Miriah explained. "They have suffered the worst dishonor a Klingon can imagine."

"Perhaps." Patton allowed "They are outcasts after all. Who knows what shreds of honor they still possess? Who knows what might have already been taken away."

"I've heard that. The Klingon warrior sees a sentence in a Federation penal colony as torture because to their minds it's better to die on your feet than live like a slave in some institution, right?" Stroud said.

"Yes, Commander. You understand the Klingon mind better than you let on." Miriah said.

"For what they did to the Cidi I hope they get life sentences." Stroud said bitterly.

Miriah and Patton exchanged a glance. Did one torture justify a second?

General Nuomo hopped over. "Captain, the rest of the operation has hit a snag."

"What's that, General?" Miriah asked.

"The Force Field that covers the central area appears to be of Ferengi manufacture. We believe it to be impervious to our weapons on the ground. A pinpoint phaser strike from the Endeavor might overwhelm the force field, but the Klingons inside have Cidi hostages. We feel that without knowing the exact strength and frequencies of the force field that there would be great risk of killing everyone inside the dome by the use of the Ship's phasers." The Cidi military leader explained.

"That's bad. Are you certain that the Phaser rifles on your tanks can't concentrate fire and overwhelm a section of the force field?" Patton asked.

"No. The force filed has more energy available to it than our heavy weapons. It can also adapt to changes in frequencies more quickly than our phasers can change them." Nuomo said.

Miriah thought about it carefully. "Patton, you're with me. We'll beam down and convince the Klingon mercenaries to lower the shield."

Stroud rolled his eyes. "I don't suppose my protest would matter at this point."

Miriah considered her first officer carefully. "William, look at me and Patton. Do you know anyone who can bait the Klingons as well as we can?"

Stroud gritted his teeth, "See, the Captain of Federation Starship wants to beam down into a combat zone so she can bait Klingons who are characterized by having nothing left to lose. And my job is to try and keep you safe at all costs."

"No. Your job is to try and defend civilian lives at all costs. You're to try and keep my head on after the civilians are taken care of." Miriah pointed out.

Stroud sighed bitterly and nodded. "I want a raise."

"Have no fear Commander. I am committed to the Lady Katasai's well being with my last breath and beyond, if possible." Patton said.

"Lovely. If honor were beam proof you'd be invulnerable." Stroud said ironically.

"Thank you." Patton said gravely. He told himself that he'd keep that compliment.

"Stroud, I'm not going after anyone with a Bat'leth today. Moreover, Warrior Patton is my last line of defense. My first line of defense is going to be very effective." Miriah said.

"Oh? Your first line of defense is the Endeavor. I don't see how you can leave her and still be safe." Stroud said.

"Today my first line of defense is the Cidi." Miriah grinned.

Both Patton and Stroud stared at her. They pictured the Cidi Marines trying to stop an enraged Klingon warrior.

"What do you have in mind, Captain?" General Nuomo asked curiously.

-*-

Karnok gritted his teeth and seriously thought about eating another hostage. It wasn't that he was hungry. They had plenty of surplus military rations. It was that he was angry and had nothing else to do with it.

The "rats" were being very quiet now. They stayed still and quiet until the saw a hole or an opening to dive through, then they moved very quickly indeed. Karnok saw the "rats" very carefully arrange themselves to hide several small ones. Cubs, Karnok guessed. He'd eaten a couple of the little ones to see if it would make their mothers scream. It did, occasionally. Karnok grumbled. On the one hand he felt bad about eating small cute fuzzy beings and their children. On the other hand, he was somewhat outraged that "rats" were being treated as sophonts. It was silly on the face of it.

Then Germi, the senior surviving Ferengi took his place on the top of Karnok's "better dead" list.

"I still say that surrender is perfectly valid option." The Ferengi whined.

"That is because Ferengi have no honor." Karnok growled.

"What in the name of latinum are you worried about honor for? Yours was taken away from you, remember? You still have life. You still have a future. You can surrender and live through it. We Ferengi have a saying. He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. You're allowed to do this now. It's a whole new world open to you." Germi said desperately.

"We Klingons also have a saying." Karnok growled. "Shut up or I'll kill you."

Germi made a heroic effort and shut up without a further word, thus earning a few more minutes of life.

Then two figures walked out of the trees and into the clearing. Karnok assumed right at first that they were Klingons. There were Klingon details about them.

As they got closer, Karnok saw that one was a female half-breed and that the other figure was a Human male wearing Klingon Warrior's armor.

Without realizing it, Karnok growled and rose to his feet. That Human must have a death wish.

The two stopped just outside the perimeter of the Ferengi force field.

"What do you want?" Karnok growled.

"Just as I thought," The half-breed woman said. "Honor-less pataghs."

"You are right. They are pathetic." The human said.

Some part of Karnok's mind registered the fact that they were speaking Klingon, but it was too quiet for the rest of him to hear. "What? What do you say?"

"You make the whole Klingon race look bad." The half-breed woman said. "Working for Ferengi like their pet."

Karnok noticed that the woman was dressed in civilian clothes and was carrying a Bat'leth. "And whose pet are you, half-breed?"

"I am no one's pet." The woman laughed. "The Klingon hasn't been born who could tame me."

Karnok wanted to scream and throw things. He noticed that the Human in Warrior's armor was also carrying a Bat'leth. There did not seem to be any beam weapons about. With effort Karnok calmed down. "This is a very nice conversation, but I am busy. If you like I will try to fit killing you into my schedule next week."

"You want to wait a week so that you will live a week longer." The Human said. "Because you are a coward."

Karnok could hear blood thundering in his veins. "Human, were I not previously engaged I would beat you to the ground, take that armor from you and torture you for weeks for the insult you give to the Klingon people. Hear me now and take off that armor before you get into more trouble than you can conceive of."

The Human sneered. "Oh, this stuff? It's nothing really. I just shot some dopey Klingon in the back and took it. It's not like he was going to need it anymore."

"Raaaaaaghhhh!" Karnok yelled. He found himself pushing his face into the force field. "I will not be so easily tricked human!" He took a step back. He took a deep breath and started to regain his sanity. "Very clever. You know the way to anger a Klingon."

"I don't see any Klingons here." The woman said with an innocent look. "All I see are Ferengi and their geldings."

Germi whispered urgently. "It's a trick. Don't believe them. They're from the Federation starship. They're trying to get you to lower the force field. Don't listen to them!"

Karnok backhanded the Ferengi solidly. "Shut up, Fool!"

"That's right, pet. Show the Ferengi what you're made of." The woman laughed.

Karnok stomped over the cage holding his hostages. He wrenched it open and grabbed the first Cidi to hand. He turned back towards the two interlopers "These are what you're here about aren't they?" He dangled the hapless being over his open mouth. "What's the matter? Hungry too? Too bad!" He stuffed the creature into his mouth and stilled its struggles with a large chomp. Then he chewed and swallowed making a show of his relish. "What's that the Humans say? Yummy!" Karnok grinned.

The Human's face grew red with anger. "Come out here and face me coward. Picking on Cidi is easy. But you're afraid to face a real challenge."

Karnok made an innocent face. "I see no challenges here."

The woman spoke to the Ferengi. "I am from the Cidi Defense Force in orbit. I promise that you will be arrested and turned over to the Federation if you drop your shield now."

Germi said. "Really? Do you promise? Give me your word of honor."

Karnok said. "Touch the controls for the force field and I will kill you."

Germi cringed but didn't move. "Karnok they're offering us our lives. It's the best deal we're liable to get."

"It is the best you're liable to get, because your life is worth so little." Karnok sneered.

"Come out, coward, and die on your feet like a Klingon." The Human said. His Bat'leth was forward and held in a ready position. Karnok could see no flaw in his stance. Who was this Human?

"I will not be gunned down like some rabid dog." Karnok yelled. "I am a Klingon!"

"You are a coward who brutalizes Ferengi and Cidi because you're afraid of a Human and a half-breed." The Human sneered.

"Prove to us what a real man you are." The half-breed said. "Quit hiding behind Ferengi technology and fight it out for yourself."

"Promise me that this is not a trick." Karnok said. "Promise me that this will be a fair fight."

"I promise." The half-breed said seriously.

"Swear it, Human. How do humans like to swear? Swear it on your mother's grave." Karnok said.

"I swear upon my mother's grave that we will face each other in mortal combat. If you win, you go free." The Human said.

Karnok believed him. He swore like a Klingon.

"Turn off the force field." Karnok said to Germi.

"You're a nut." Germi said. "That's all." He moved towards the force field controls.

Karnok knew that his chances were less than average of getting his fair fight. He also knew that eventually the ships on orbit would burst his protection like a soap bubble. He could see no way to end the stand off without trying for an honor duel.

"Germi." Karnok said.

"Yes, my great Klingon ally?" Germi said acidly.

"Take out your phaser. Point it at the hostages. If there is any treachery, then kill them all." Karnok said.

"Then what? There'll nothing to stop them from killing me." Germi whined.

"Idiot! If they kill me with treachery, you'll still have several Cidi hostages with which to bargain for your useless Ferengi life! Although if they kill me with treachery, I don't how good your bargaining position will be." Karnok yelled.

"Better than yours." Germi said. Taking out his phaser Germi pointed it at the cage holding the Cidi. Karnok had ripped the door off in his rage. There were very few Cidi left in the cage now. One grabbed a tiny youngling and fled, zipping into the boxes of supplies. No doubt when the force field went down they'd zip across the clearing and into the trees. At this point Germi was beyond caring. He looked over at Karnok. The Klingon was swinging a Bat'leth around and was quite oblivious to the actual situation.

Germi waved his phaser idly at the cage and reached over towards the force field control. "Ready?"

Karnok took a deep breath. Both the Human and the half-breed were in ready stances, waiting for him. Karnok had no doubt of his ability to take a Human and a half-breed in physical combat. After all was he not a Klingon? "Ready!" He yelled.

Germi yanked the lever that told the computer to drop the force field. The force field flickered. Karnok gave a bloody battle cry and was springing forward at the same moment as the force

field died.

Germi flung his phaser away and started to scream "I surrender-"

As the force field died completely the air filled with stun beams. Cidi snipers in the tree line expertly shot every non-Cidi inside the force field.

The surviving Colonists, some carrying young, bulleted for the trees as fast or faster than Miriah and Patton could have caught them.

-*-

Germi woke up strapped into a chair. It was a nightmare come true. Without any control he whimpered and wriggled desperately. The conscious rational part of his mind noted the thick heavy architecture, the musky oily smell and the hot fetid air. He realized that he was on a Klingon ship. He actually cried out and struggled harder. The dishonored or half-breed Klingons would work for anyone who would pay them to fight. Germi cursed himself. If a Ferengi slaver could hire Klingon mercenaries why couldn't sentient Kangaroo rats? Germi tried to picture the negotiation and failed.

Now he was going to be tortured to death by mangy, desperate Klingons with little self-respect. Could life be any worse?

"Ferengi." The woman said.

Germi turned and was struck by how nice the half-breed Klingon woman looked in the environment of the Klingon ship. "Ah... Ah... Hello."

"I want information from you." The woman said.

"I'm sure we could work something out." Germi grinned. Maybe all was not lost, yet.

At that moment a voice behind Germi screamed like its soul was being torn out.

Germi jumped and whimpered and struggled against his restraints. He tried to turn and look, but couldn't see past the back of the chair.

"I'm sure we can." The woman said.

Germi spilled his guts as fast as he could make his mouth work. He told them all about the deal with a slavery ring operating from Rowen, a neutral free port inside Federation territory. He told them all about hiring the Klingon mercenaries, although he was at best a junior officer on the now defunct Ferengi raider. He told them about the previous shipment of Cidi colonists to the slave ring on Rowen. He told them all about other raids and other crimes committed by the crew of the Ferengi Raider. He was into confessing the sins of his youth on Ferenginar, the Ferengi Homeworld when Miriah held her Bat'leth under his throat to shut him up.

"How can I be sure that you're telling the truth, Ferengi?" She growled. It was a hard sell but she managed it.

"Pleeeeeeease don't kiiiiillllllll me!" Germi cried out. "I'll tell you anything! Anything at all!" He rattled off his access code for the Ferengi ship. He rattled off the access code to his own stash in the Bank of Ferenginar. He rattled off several other codes that he had acquired and was saving for later. He started to babble was few pathetic secrets he knew. Tears ran down his face and spittle flew from his mouth. He was patently desperate to live.

"Ferengi, if you turn out to be lying, I'll come back for you. And you'll beg me to kill you." Patton snarled very sincerely.

The voice started screaming behind Germi again.

Germi thought it through. "I'm telling the truth! I swear! Please kill me!! Make it quick! Make it painless! I've told you everything I can! I can't stand to be tortured! I can't stand it!! Please!"

Patton stood and shook his head. "He's telling the truth."

Germi nodded frantically. "Yes! Yes, it's true!"

Miriah nodded. With a sense of relief she said "Holodeck, end program."

The Klingon ship faded away to be replaced by the black walls and yellow lines of a Federation holodeck.

"What? What!?!" Germi screamed.

"You are under arrest Mr. Germi. You are now on the Federation starship Endeavor. You will be transported to the nearest starbase, and tried according to Federation law. You will be granted legal counsel. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law." Miriah said.

"Ha ha ha ha!! Wait! You tricked me!!" Germi shouted happily. "Isn't that against the law!?"

Miriah nodded.

"That means that you can't use any of this in court! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Miriah nodded again.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! I'm free ! I'm alive! I'm not going to be tortured! Ha ha ha ha!" Germi was so euphoric with relief and joy that he was about to find religion.

Patton leaned down "Germi, I think we can all identify today's lesson."

"Huh!?" Germi didn't get the point.

"This is a very bad sector for Germi to be in." Patton said.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! When all this is over I'm going to go home and raise tube grubs! I'll never see another person over four and a half feet tall again in my life! I hate all of you! Ha ha ha ha!" Germi shrieked hysterically.

"Right, let him go." Patton said.

Four humanoids stepped around the back of the large chair. They were wearing Starfleet Security Uniforms. Two of them had phasers out. Two others on each side of the chair unfastened the restraints that held Germi.

"Which one of you was that screaming?" Germi asked.

"Uh, that was me." Flynn replied.

"You've got a talent." Germi said. He shivered at the memory.

Flynn blushed pink. "Yeah, I've been told that."

"Ha ha ha ha! I'm going to LIVE!" Germi shrieked.

-*-

"So the missing colonists are on Rowen?" General Nuomo asked.

"Yes, Sir." Miriah confirmed. "All the Ferengi we have captured have said essentially the same thing. They were selling your colonists to slavers on Rowen."

"Why? What use could our colonists possibly be?" Nuomo asked.

Miriah gritted her teeth. This was difficult to say, but she had little choice. "Evidently, you people are now considered delicacies on many worlds."

"Oh." The General's fur was standing on end. "Delicacies."

"That and pets." Miriah grimly added.

"That makes me very unhappy." Nuomo said quietly.

"Me too." Miriah said. "Very, very unhappy."

"Can we mount a rescue mission?" Nuomo asked.

"Well, Rowen is not aligned with anyone, unless you count Orion and Ferengi business interests. So we are not prevented from going there. However, we can't expect lots of cooperation, either. They might even try to interfere with us." Miriah explained. "As a free port they specialize in business that the Federation either doesn't allow or taxes. If they let us raid them with impunity, they can expect their business to dry right up."

"I don't care what happens to their business prospects. I am interested in retrieving my people." Nuomo said forcefully.

"As am I, General. I am just explaining the lay of the land, metaphorically speaking." Miriah said.

"I understand Captain. My people on the ground report that repair of the colony is proceeding well. Your engineers are very helpful, but as you might guess many of the colonists are having trouble accepting the idea of friendly giants." General Nuomo said. "In a few days they will no longer be dependent on the Endeavor. Then we can see about going to Rowen and recovering more of my people."

"We are at your disposal, General." Miriah said.

-*-

Three days later the Endeavor left the Cidi colony world and the ruined Ferengi Marauder behind and warped away, towards Rowen.

-*-

Being around the Cidi was getting easier. Miriah didn't feel quite as hungry about them any more. Like any other kind of people, with time Miriah found herself getting used to them.

Miriah was sitting in the Endeavor's lounge, "Ms. Alpha's Place", sipping some tea. The tables in the lounge had grown ladders made of tied together scarves. A Cidi scrambled up the scarf to the table level.

"Hello." Miriah said, smiling faintly They hadn't grown any less cute.

"Greetings, Captain. I am Ikki Mini Penu, a psychologist from Nakuma Tree." The Cidi formally introduced himself.

"How may I help you today, Doctor?" Miriah asked.

"I am curious about your thought process, Captain. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

Miriah replied calmly "You may ask. I reserve the right not to answer."

"You are uncomfortable around us." Ikki said.

Miriah smiled ruefully. "Is this a trick question?"

"I merely wish to gain a more accurate understanding of you." The Cidi scientist replied.

One of Alpha's staff people came over and took Ikki's order. An appetizer plate of fruits and nuts and a small cup of water. Miriah still had her tea on the table.

Miriah nodded slowly "I was more uncomfortable when you first arrived."

"Why, exactly?" Ikki pressed

Miriah sighed. "I want to be honest with you, but I don't want to offend you."

"If the answer would offend me then I would not ask. I expect that I know the reason why." Ikki said confidently.

Miriah looked directly at him. "You people make me hungry."

Ikki's fur was beginning to bristle. "I thought so. Would it offend you if I said that you scare the hell out of me?"

Miriah started to smile and then chewed her lips to stop it. The last thing she wanted to do was show the Cidi scientist her teeth. "I'm sorry. I promise you that you have nothing to fear from me."

Ikki smoothed his fur by hand. "I know that. I believe that. But try telling my legs that."

"Your legs?"

"They want to run away, and take the rest of me with them." Ikki said.

"I'm sorry." Miriah said sadly.

"What are you sorry for? You are not responsible for my instincts. You do not choose arbitrarily to be so large. You are as you are. It is up to me to cope with it." Ikki pointed out.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Miriah asked.

"Yes. Relax a little bit. You are so stiff that we can't relax around you. Your body language doesn't communicate well with us. Forgive yourself for your own instincts. After all, you haven't eaten anyone... Today."

Miriah laughed.

-*-

Karnok materialized in a standard Federation holodeck. He snarled and whirled around. Only one other person was in there with him. The human who had betrayed him. There was a stand with two Bat'leths hung on it in the middle of the holodeck.

"What is this?" Karnok asked.

"I am upholding my promise." The human said.

Karnok sneered. "A little late for that, isn't it?"

"I never said that I was going to hand the Cidi to you. Do you want a chance at freedom or not?" The human asked.

Karnok didn't understand. "Why are you doing this? You have the rats. You have retaken the planet. I am defeated and powerless. What do you care for my honor?"

"You have no honor. What's at stake here is *my* honor." The Human said. "And your freedom."

Karnok had to admit that the human had a point. "And I'm supposed to trust you after that trick at the dome?"

"You may remain as suspicious as you like. Fight or don't as pleases you." Patton breezed.

Karnok stalked over to the stand. "Tell me one thing you maniac human. Just who in the hell do you think you are?"

"I am Patton, son of John, of the House Katasai. I am a Klingon." He said it just like any Klingon would.

Karnok snickered. "You are a Klingon?"

Patton nodded. "Yes."

Karnok picked up his Bat'leth. With a certain amount of displeasure he noted that it was the one he had held on the planet. "You're an idiot, that's what you are."

"If you are as good with your weapon as you are with your mouth then this will be a challenging fight." Patton grabbed his Bat'leth.

Karnok sighed. "What the hell?" He whipped a quick strike at Patton's head.

Patton parried. Then he flowed into a traditional kata.

Karnok backed out of the way and began the proper defensive sequence. He was rusty. It had been quite some time since Karnok had fought a well prepared foe.

Patton began a graceful aggressive attack.

Karnok parried and counter attacked.

Something hurt quite a bit. Karnok looked down to find Patton's Bat'leth buried in his abdomen. He tried to raise his arm to counter attack but his strength fled.

"But..." Karnok managed "I don't want to die, yet." It was too late. He laid down on the holodeck floor and died.

"You are free, now." Patton said.

The he had to go and clean up the mess.

-*-

It took several days for the Endeavor to get to Rowen. At the border of the system, marker buoys braced her.

"This is the Federation starship Endeavor calling Rowen space control." Miriah said in the hailing message.

Rowen space control took a few moments to get back to them. "This is Rowen space control, Federation ship, what do you want?"

"We seek permission to approach and orbit your world on private business." Miriah stated simply.

"Rowen offers free access, Endeavor." The woman's voice hardened "To anyone with the latinum to pay for it."

"You'll have to bill us in Federation credits to Starbase 94." Miriah said.

"When we get their authorization, Endeavor you'll be welcome, not before."

Miriah thought quickly. Federation Credits were measures of energy and resources available to Federation culture. Miriah had a more direct expression of Federation economic energy handy. "Will you accept payment in antimatter?"

"We can do that Endeavor." The woman sounded happier, in a calm fashion.

When the dicker was done Miriah was surprised. Antimatter was growing in value on a relative scale.

The Endeavor slipped into a standard commercial orbit behind an extremely nervous Orion ship.

-*-

Orvis Majo was the Orion governor of the Colony. He was not specially tough or strong or quick of reflexes. He was quick of wit and exceptionally cruel. That was enough to keep him and his family on top of the pile at Rowen.

He leaned back in his office chair and thought carefully. The Federation starship was here after something. He had only to figure out what in specific, and then he could decide if he could sell it to the Federation and for how much.

The intercom on his desk beeped for attention. "Commander William Stroud of the starship Endeavor here to see you, My Lord."

"Send him in." He straightened and assumed a more haughty and busy air. He was much too important to be bothered with a mere Starfleet Commander.

The door swished open to reveal a standard issue spit and polish Starfleet officer. Orvis had seen this type a hundred times before. He sighed inwardly. This meant a certain amount of bluster and threat before he got down to business. Accompanying the Commander was a pretty young Bajoran woman in a Starfleet uniform. She looked almost familiar...

"Orvis!" She yelled "How are you?" She advanced raising her arms for a hug. The happy grin on her face took ten years off her age...

"Di! Great galaxy, girl, when did you go straight?" Orvis hugged his old friend hello.

"Well, you know. Bajor couldn't get its act together and I wanted to be on the winning side for once." Brekka Di explained.

Orvis had his own opinion about that but wasn't gauche enough to voice it.

"Orvis Majo, may I present my commanding officer, William Stroud." Di introduced.

"Commander." Orvis gave the minimum polite nod. Then he noticed a stuffed animal clinging to the shoulder of the Starfleet Officer. Perhaps he wasn't as stiff as Orvis thought.

"A pleasure, Governor." At least Stroud lied with style.

"And may I introduce the commander of the Cidi Defense Force General Kiki-Abu-Nuomo-Nimi-Kanu." Stroud said. He lifted the stuffed animal off of his shoulder and with a start Orvis realized that it was a living being.

Orvis stared as Stroud placed the small rodent-like creature on his desk. Once stable, The creature bowed and said "I am honored to meet you. Mr. Governor."

The Orion maintained his composure as a matter of habit. He nodded more politely "General."

"Orvis, the General is part of why we're here." Di pointed out.

"Oh?" Orvis said off handedly. Cidi? Oh. The new slave race. The Ferengi were convinced that they were the new hot sellers as pets. However, he'd received little payment from the operation that handled them. That was to be expected. It was a start up company after all.

"Mr. Governor, our colony was raided and our citizens taken prisoner. I am seeking your permission to launch an operation to recover them." General Nuomo said.

Orvis reared back exactly as though he did not expect that. It wasn't entirely an act. "Ah...Well General. You know that Rowen is a Freeport. That means that we allow any traffic that pays. I can't really claim to be a port that's free and open to all if we allow Starfleet or local authorities to raid us at will."

"Even though they raided a friendly world and took colonists as slaves?" Nuomo asked.

"Protecting your citizens in your space is your problem. We don't share the Federation's harsh and judgmental attitude concerning the ancient and respected custom of slavery." Orvis said

smoothly.

"We're prepared to pay an access fee." Brekka Di said.

Stroud thought he was going to have a stroke on the spot. "Lieutenant Commander!"

"All I've done is to leap frog us past the part where you bluster and threaten Orvis with useless and irrelevant sanctions. Now we can discuss how big a bribe will convince Orvis to stand aside and let us discuss our business dispute with the Slavers in private." Di explained patiently.

Stroud fumed and Orvis sighed. "Girl, you never did get the value of subtlety in negotiations."

"Nope. Why?" Di grinned.

"Commander, is this true? Are you prepared to pay me an access fee?" The Orion asked.

"Yes, Governor. Actually it is. I wanted to see if I could find some other leverage first and maybe get out of the negotiations with some of my chips left." Stroud admitted.

"This is very refreshing. I can't tell you how long it has been since a Starfleet Officer has actually come out and told me what he wants." Orvis breezed. "Now, unfortunately what I told your companion is true. I can't very well maintain my business letting you waltz in and out of here at your whim. That way I either wind up broke or dead."

"I'm sure that if we wind up paying enough you can present it to your customers as a brilliant business triumph. I'm sure they'd understand the lure of cash." Stroud said.

"You aren't very good at negotiations either, are you, Commander?" Orvis smiled.

Stroud grinned back. "This is one half business negotiation and one half diplomatic mission."

Orvis smiled even more. "Really?"

"I've heard some interesting things about the price of antimatter on this world." Stroud said.

"Surely those are merely over blown rumors." Orvis dismissed.

"We're carrying quite of bit of the stuff. I'm sure we could enhance your bargaining position with your customers." Stroud said.

Orvis leaned back and made himself comfortable. Maybe this Starfleet officer wasn't so bad after all.

After the dicker was complete and both sides were equally unhappy, Stroud shook Orvis' hand and stood up to leave. "Thank you very much, Governor."

"Thank you, Commander. May I say that you've been very understanding for a Starfleet Officer." Orvis replied. "Oh, and General Nuomo."

"Yes, Mr. Governor?" The General had perched quietly on the Governor's desk and watched the negotiations in ever detail.

"It seems to me that your people might be in the market for military starships." Orvis ventured.

"Really? What do you have in mind, Governor?" Nuomo said casually.

"As it happens I know of several Ferengi and Orion ship yards that would jump at the chance to open up a business relationship with you. Being somewhat patriotic I tend to favor Orion products myself, but I have inherited several Ferengi built units and they are serviceable. I think a couple of destroyers and a squadron of fast escorts would go a long way towards making the sort of tragedy that befell your colony unlikely." Orvis said expansively.

"And of course you would act as the broker for these transactions?" Di smirked.

"Please, young lady!" Orvis sounded pained "I am a business man! Here is chance to enhance the uh.. What was the name, Ceedee's security, establish a more friendly relationship between Rowen and the Ceedee home world and make some profit. It's an all around winning situation."

"Thank you, Governor Majo. I will convey your generous offer back to my government. If you could up load the relevant data to the Endeavor, it will make discussions of the matter much easier." Nuomo said.

"Consider it done sir." Orvis grinned. It would only take a broker's fee on the sale of one ship to seriously enhance his financial situation. Moreover, since it seemed that traffic in Cidi slaves was about to become much less profitable, there was no harm in playing it from the other direction.

-*-

The Planet Rowen was cold and the air was thin. The streets were laid out according an ancient plan, but there any resemblance to a deliberate city stopped. Lots were filled with temporary modules long over used and dilapidated or thick, tough structures built of permacrete and crysteel. Architecture and style varied wildly. All the permanent buildings had one thing in common. They were designed to be tough enough to defend in case of a fight.

Joe-the-Scan and Patton walked along the street outside of "Narv's Labor Emporium" Both were sort of horrified at the open and fairly routine marketing of slavery. Both of them were street wise enough to remain casual and keep walking along like they owned the planet. Patton was dressed in casual modern human clothing, while Joe-The-Scan wore his traditional pin striped suit, fedora and spats.

Joe, true to his name, scanned as they walked along. "Nope. It's pretty well shielded."

Patton looked around and gauged the lay of the land. "They must have holes in their defenses to let customers in and out, and they'd be prepared to defend through those. We can't get enough people down here to mount an assault without drawing attention from the other residents."

"I'm doing the best I can. There's gotta be a way in there. I'll find it." Joe-The-Scan said.

They kept moving. Standing around in front of a business establishment scanning it invited a hostile response from the tough private security forces. They walked casually around the corner of a smoke shop. Joe idly considered picking up a pack of tobacco cigarettes. He'd had to quit his smoking habit when he left Iotia. It was illegal in too many places.

"We can't keep walking up and down in front of that place or we'll arouse suspicion." Patton said grimly. "This will have to do us."

"Yer too late, bright eyes."

Joe and Patton turned to see a group of men confronting them. The leader was a big man dressed in the Iotian style.

"What's your problem tough guy?" Joe said. Actually he was not very confident, but the tough guys from Iotia could smell fear. The only way to deal with them was to challenge them and back them off.

"You're the problem, slick." The tough guy said.

"What do you mean?" Patton asked innocently.

"Our customers take a dim view of having their defenses scanned." A Half Klingon man said.

"Oh. We're sorry. We'll stop immediately." Patton said.

"You sure will." An angry Bolian sneered.

The group of men advanced on the two starship crewmen.

In the blink of an eye Patton's phaser appeared in his hand. He swept a stun beam across the group.

"Joe, run." Patton said.

Joe was already back around the corner and fleeing.

Patton ducked return fire and kept firing. He backed up and tried to get some space to maneuver.

A stun beam caught him and he pitched over.

Joe, a block away walked swiftly around the next corner and put his phaser back away. He keyed his communicator. "Dis is Joe. One t' beam up."

Joe sparkled off the street.

-*-

"We have to get him out of there!" Miriah snarled, mainly at herself.

Zweller, the assistant chief of Security shook his head. "We can't land enough Security in the area to get the job done without starting a fight with everyone down there."

Brekka Di looked sad. "They don't like us down there. And we don't have enough people and ships to fight the whole planet."

Miriah grimaced "That's not good enough. There's a way in to this place and we're going to find it."

They turned back to the scans of Narv's Labor Emporium.

-*-

"Captain." General Nuomo said. Cat walks had started appearing in the hallways of the Endeavor and in many of the public access areas. General Nuomo perched at about Miriah's shoulder level. "Please tell me what's going on."

Miriah grimaced. "My Chief of Security was captured trying to scout Narv's Labor Emporium. We are trying to plan a rescue mission that won't start a fight with the rest of Rowen."

"Hmmm. May I take a look at the situation?" General Nuomo asked.

Miriah bit off a sharp reply. She was worried about Patton and didn't want to take the time to humor the diminutive General. On the other hand he was technically her commanding officer for this mission and she had committed a grave oversight not to include him in the briefing from the first. Sighing deeply, she said "Yes, General. Please come this way."

Arriving at the holodeck, the general quickly skittered down the pretty woven scarf-rope that led to deck level.

Miriah told the computer what she had in mind while the General called his staff together. Miriah then summoned Zweller and Brekka Di to the Holodeck.

The computer beeped and said "Your program is complete."

The door opened and Miriah advanced on a view screen set flat on its back in the middle of some carpeting. Pillows were scattered around the horizontal view screen. Miriah advanced to the screen, grabbed a pillow and knelt next to it. The general stuck to the alternate "Cidi" lane on the carpeting and bounced up onto the view screen itself.

"Computer display Joe-the-Scan's record of Narv's Labor Emporium." Miriah said.

As people walked in Miriah warned them of the Cidi lane. The screen soon had several Cidi bouncing across it pointing out details and squeaking rapidly at each other.

"Captain I believe I have identified a weakness in the defenses of the target." Nuomo said.

Miriah paid close attention to the General's idea. She didn't like what he had to say, but in the end he pulled rank on her.

-*-

Sergeant Pinki crept quietly along the duct. He was not terribly nervous. The duct was far too small to hold any of the big ones. He kept his eyes moving and his weapon at general readiness out of basic habit. He had been trained that way.

When the pest control robot clunked around the corner he was ready. He raised his weapon and called out "Squad, level four, fire!" He thumbed the power selector to the correct setting and fired into the robot.

The pest control robot was not intended to face mice armed with phasers and was quickly destroyed.

"Forward!" Pinki was upset in the back of his mind. There was no guarantee that the internal sensors of had missed the weapons fire. He had to get to his target point quickly. The squad of marines bounced off at a quick pace.

-*-

"Is that our target?" One of the Marines asked. They couldn't tell really. All the big ones looked too much alike for them to be able to tell which one they were looking at.

"That one seems to have the mammary glands." The lieutenant observed. "It doesn't matter. When the balloon goes up we free them all. We'll see if we can get out of here without leaving any slaves behind."

-*-

Captain Maku carefully placed his last charge and gave the triple bounce to his string leader. The power source for Narv's place had been thoroughly booby-trapped. At a wave from the Major the whole string bounced over the stunned form of the engineer and back into their duct.

When they were far enough away, the major pulled out his control and carefully eyed his watch. Careful and accurate timing was one of the keys to success for any special ops mission.

At the right moment, Major Jikki pressed his firing button. The charges placed by his string detonated and the main power source of Narv's went dawn, taking the back up systems with it.

-*-

The secondary infiltration group was in place in the duct that led to the room where the Cidi colonists were being held. A couple of guards were present, but when the muffled roar announced the destruction of the of power source, two powerful beams struck the two guards, stunning them instantly.

-*-

Patton was being softened up prior to his second round of interrogation when the lights went out. Beams caught his interrogators and they fell like puppets with their strings cut.

Patton rolled off the table where until moments ago he was pinned by a force field. He had to take few moments to pull himself together. It felt good just to be alive.

-*-

Joe-the-Scan said "It's done."

Zweller yelled "Now!" and barreled out of the flimsy module followed closely by most of the Endeavors security crew and the floating tanks from the Cidi marines.

When they were all out, Brekka Di took her phaser out of the ear of the hapless shop owner and plunked several bars of gold pressed latinum into the old man's surprised palm.

"Thank you!" She chirped.

"You're welcome," he breathed. The Bajoran woman had given him enough to move to better part of town and buy a real building for his business. "Now get the hell out of my shop!"

"Yes, Sir! Have a nice day!" Brekka Di gave a cheerful little wave as she left.

-*-

The few guards left standing were massacring the freed slaves. Against unarmed and generally demoralized people phasers and disruptors were carving huge swaths of destruction.

One of Narv's private security force and general goons, the half Klingon Kark rounded a corner where loose slaves were standing around wondering what to do with themselves. Kark raised his disruptor and grinned. A few of the slaves were already diving for cover, but that wouldn't do them any good. The cell block was closed. The only exit was through Kark.

A beam narrowly missed the half Klingon. It came from the vent. Kark cursed and stepped back around the corner. More beams came and scorched the wall nearby. Kark scratched his head thoughtfully. What in the hell could be in the vents that carried a phaser?

Kark had been in a couple of fire fights before and knew to keep checking behind himself occasionally. He looked and saw a black tube float gently around the corner. It looked like some sort of combat drone. Kark whipped his distruptor around and fired at the drone. The beam hit and reflected off the drone's shields.

Kark cursed again and stumbled back just in time to avoid the return fire from the drone.

The beams cascaded off the wall and started to move towards him. Kark cursed even more. He dialed his disruptor up to full power, pointed it at the drone and held the fire button down while stepping back into the line of sight of the hallway vent. A beam from the vent caught Kark and down he went.

-*-

"We have recovered approximately 75 people from Narv's Labor Emporium." Commander Stroud reported. "Many of them are injured, and most are suffering from psychological damage. That doesn't count the Cidi. We recovered about twenty of them in various states."

"How are we doing for antimatter?" Miriah asked.

Stroud sighed. "Not good. We have enough to make a stop by the Cidi Homeworld, and then back to Starbase 94. That's about all."

Miriah smiled ruefully. "I wonder if we had simply walked in off the street and offered to by the slaver's entire stock with our antimatter what he might have said?"

Stroud shook his head sadly. "Starfleet has a strict policy against negotiating with slavers. But it might have worked."

Miriah replied. "Let's chalk it up to diplomatic relations with Rowen."

"What would you like to do with the prisoners?" Stroud asked.

"We'll transport them back to Starbase 94. A good number of them are guilty of assault against a Starfleet Officer. Others have warrants out against them on various worlds. Admiral Bach can find something to do with them." Miriah said.

"How is Patton doing?" Stroud asked. "I hear that he didn't look too good when they beamed him to sickbay."

"I hate to say it, but he took it like a Klingon. You know the way of honor has mechanisms for *being* tortured." Miriah said.

Stroud grimaced. "Really?"

Miriah nodded soberly. " And Patton followed every step just right."

Stroud shook his head. "No offense, Captain, but a lot of the time Patton sounds more Klingon than you do."

"I know. In some ways he is. I grew up on Nissus, not a Klingon world. For me the whole Klingon thing is part of me but it's not my ruling condition. I'm a product of Nissus. However, Patton grew up on a Klingon world. In his heart of hearts he *is* Klingon. He lives it and breathes it. Klingons act as if they have to prove how tough they are. Enough is never enough. There's always another battle, always another challenge to grit your teeth and muscle your way through." Miriah explained.

Stroud asked "And you? How tough are you?"

Miriah said "I know how tough I am. I don't have to prove anything to anybody."

Stroud grinned. "It must be nice."

Miriah grinned back. "It is. Now let's get this show on the road."

-*-

Narv sat sullenly in a chair in Orvis' office. Orvis sat in his own chair while his desk relayed to him the status of the battle. Orvis would love to know how Starfleet had cracked Narv's security so quickly. He would have bet money that there was no way to infiltrate and compromise that building.

"I am terribly disappointed in you, Cousin." Narv said.

"Don't take it personally Narv. They bribed me well to look the other way." Orvis said.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to share your ill gotten gains with me, would you? I could use a long term loan to recover from this debacle." Narv asked.

"No, dear cousin. You should count yourself fortunate that I warned you in time to escape." Orvis said. "Call it a learning experience. Better yet, a stupidity tax. Those Cidi are so cute and wholesome that the Federation would almost have to get involved with them. You might have taken better precautions."

"You'd leave your own cousin destitute?" Narv asked. His outrage was partially genuine. Family was a strong bond among the Orions.

"Not at all. I have a position in mind for you. Supervising an upgrade of our anti-matter refinery." Orvis said.

"Really? It sounds so... technical." Narv said dubiously.

"And lucrative. As Starfleet has recently point out to me, antimatter is extremely valuable these days. I think it's about time we consider our own future expansion." Orvis said.

Narv sighed. "Did you mention that it would lucrative?"

"That I did cousin. That I did." Orvis said.

-*-

Back in orbit around the Cidi Homeworld, The Endeavor was getting ready to drop off the Cidi survivors and military units.

"Captain, may I speak with you for a moment?" General Nuomo asked.

"Yes, Sir." Miriah said. "My ready room?"

"Thank you."

Once inside the Captain's office, Nuomo made his way up the scarf ladder Miriah had arranged for him. She sat at her desk to get closer to his level.

"Captain, I have received requests from several of the Cidi scientists and Marines." Nuomo said.

"Oh? What can I do for them?" Miriah asked. Souvenirs, maybe?

"They have expressed a desire to continue on with the Endeavor." Nuomo said.

"They what?" Miriah boggled.

"They want to join your crew." General Nuomo clarified.

"Ahm...." Miriah thought rapidly. The Cidi were popular and well liked. In each case the Cidi Marines had performed their jobs flawlessly. The Cidi scientists were not so annoying now that they were working on bigger questions. The aim was eventually to induct the Cidi into the United federation of Planets. On the down side they were still inconveniently small and delicate. They required special arrangements, many of which had already been improvised into existence on the Endeavor. They still made Miriah hungry. The Admiral was still locked up in her quarters fuming and tearing up whatever he could reach.

Miriah made her decision. "Okay, General. There will have to be some adjustments and accommodations made, but I think we can handle it. It will be a pleasure to have them."

"Thank you, Captain. I will relay word immediately." Nuomo scurried down the scarf ladder and out of the ready room.

What in the world have I just let myself in for? Miriah wondered. The thought of happy Cidi joining her crew took the edge off of her worry.

-End-

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