ST-OM Raumschiff Melakon

Star Trek: Outwardly Mobile:

Raumschiff Melakon
By
Jay P Hailey

(Stardate 51801.01)

In some ways the place reminded him of Iotia. The preferred clothing styles were similar. The look of the place was 1930s art deco. But the machines were modern. The street was narrow, an imitation of old German and European cities.

Steel Eagle flags were every where and pictures. Hitler, John Gill, Melakon, Mak Reising.

Flagg wore a generic business suit in the current fashion on Earth. It would have been different enough to mark him as an outsider, but his companion drew the looks.

Danog Mogar was an Angosian. Externally he was completely human. His world's preferred styles were softer and more colorful than the dark colored rakish lines the Ekosians liked.

Mogar was in light blue slacks and a matching wraparound style jacket. His shirt was white, a comfortable material with an odd asymmetric cut.

The two men walked towards the Reichstag, A building housing the National Socialist government of Ekos.

The air-cars that flew about the City were styled on the same art deco pattern. If the car makers of the 1930s on Earth could build flying cars this is what they would look like.

A shop for home entertainment electronics showed screens done in various styles that meshed with the overall look of the place.

Some propaganda film was playing. The brave soldiers of Ekos fought against giant insects, winning bloodily.

Mogar shook his head. The idea was mysterious to him. "I played Zolo Ball. We all did. It's like Soccer on Earth."

Flagg grinned faintly "You know that organized sports are metaphors for battles and the hunt."

Mogar looked at Flagg carefully. Flagg was saying it to be mean. Mogar turned away and ignored him.

Mogar was one of the best hand to hand fighters Flagg ever met. His skills in combat were first rate. But like many civilians Mogar didn't realize a lot of unpleasant things about the universe. That was the difference. That was why Flagg was a mover and Mogar was his body guard.

Flagg mentally shook his head once again at the perverse irony of the universe, to create a gentle, poetic soul and then force it to be a super soldier.

They arrived at the palace of the central government. More and more people were dressed in the uniform of the Ekosian military. Crisp, gray and rakish, they made the Ekosians look professional and competent.

Flagg was escorted into the office. It was huge. It had the baroque touches of a faux renaissance palace. The equipment of a modern office was skillfully integrated with the baroque and detailed decor.

"Reich Marshalls." Flagg bowed briefly to the five men seated around a large conference table. Their staffs were in attendance.

"You are Colonel Flagg. We were alerted to expect you." Reich Marshall Goering Feisak said.

Flagg looked at the collection of military commanders. Political power was vested in this meeting. All of Ekos in one room.

"I am not at liberty to say. However." Flagg slowly took a PADD out of his suit pocket. He put it on the table.

"That is the design for a power transfer conduit. It is a late Starfleet model. With this installed, your ships won't shut down the first time a Photon Torpedo gets through their shields."

That was a reference to the ERM John Gill which suffered badly at the hands of the Federation starship Kongo. The faces in the room grew hard.

Reich Marshall Kelser picked up the PADD and looked at it. It was a standard Federation civilian model. He handed the PADD to his Adjunct. The Adjunct handed it to an Engineering officer.

Flagg watched patiently as the Engineer's eye grew wide. "It's real," he said, with a quaver in his voice.

"There's more where that came from." Flagg said. "All I ask is your cooperation."

The hotel Grand Lar-Ekos was sumptuous. Danog Mogar almost looked at home there.

The front door opened and several men in civilian style suits came through. One in the middle of the group of six wore a black trench coat.

The men moved to cover the room and not catch each other in a cross fire. Their eyes missed nothing.

As they took position, Mogar was on his feet with a blank expression, balanced on the forward balls of his feet.

"If your men had been pointing guns, we'd be fighting for our lives now." Flagg said.

The man in the black trench coat nodded acceptingly. "You and your friend would lose."

"We've faced worse." Flagg smiled at him. "I should warn you though that Mister Mogar here isn't in control of himself. When faced with a threat he begins fighting and cannot stop until all his foes are dead. You've come dangerously close to setting him off before you've asked me any questions."

The men looked at Mogar. Two of the men got it and carefully adjusted themselves to cover Mogar better. The rest looked at the comfortable pastel clothing and wrote Mogar off as a civilian.

"Do you really think we'll let you waltz in here and hijack our nation sight unseen, Colonel Flagg?" The man asked.

Flagg shrugged. "What you choose to do is really up to you. My backers wish Ekos to be strong and healthy."

"Your backers. Yes, we're meant to guess who they are." The man said coldly. "Since you're from Starfleet one might be tempted to suspect a faction of that organization supports you. Because Ekos recognizes the superiority of humankind, we'd be tempted to believe that some on Earth also share that view."

Flagg held his hands open. "I can tell you with all frankness and honesty that I am no longer a member of Starfleet. I am now an independent contractor."

"Yes. You should be in New Zealand following your brief theft of the Federation starship Endeavor."

"That would be an irrevocable decision." Flagg pointed out. "Or you can play me along and hope that I give something away as I go."

"The advantage to that tactic is that you get the information I will give you to accomplish my mission," Flagg pointed out, "Which will almost certainly benefit you, no matter how much your people decide to cooperate with me."

"I doubt that." Flagg said cheerfully. "I'm going to be so useful to your government that they won't let you near me without direct orders from the Reich Marshalls."

"Perhaps in the short term. You and I both know that you are not here for the benefit of Ekos and the Ekosian people. When this becomes plain, then you'll be mine." Schmidt turned and left.

After a few moments Mogar took a deep breath and lurched into a chair. "Oh Creator! That was frightening!"

The human on the View screen looked handsome and generic. Flagg quirked a smile. A holographic filter. It could be Kahless himself on the other end of the communications signal. All the listeners could do would be to analyze the hologram to death. Flagg knew that the holographic and communications equipment were generic Ferengi models.

The great thing about the Ferengi is that they sold to anyone with latinum. Half the intelligence ops in the quadrant looked like they were backed by the Ferengi. Ferengi equipment meant Ferengi clues, even if it wasn't the Ferengi using the stuff.

"I have made entry. They're suspicious, but willing to play along for now. They'll be tracking this signal." Flagg said.

She was a mid range transporter, carrying pre-manufactured subspace coils, isolinear chips and rare minerals to Deneva.

The Melakon was in the second week of shadowing the Zolont. The Ekosian crew was well trained and well disciplined. But even so they were starting to show symptoms of the boredom and stress that came from being too many people in too little space for too long.

Heinrich Kell was already holding disciplinary reviews and handing out punishments.

Danog Mogar staggered into the quarters he and Flagg shared. His clothing was torn, he was bleeding from a damaged hand.

Flagg gathered Mogar in his arms and guided him towards the couch. "I'll take care of it."

Mogar sobbed "It was so hard to let the last one go. I was injured and had to withdraw-" he squeezed his eyes "and I had to fight it so hard just to get to that point."

Mogar put his head into Flagg's chest. "I hate this. I hate it when this happens."

Flagg stroked Mogar's hair gently, and thought the calmest thoughts he could. Mogar was useful, but he was high maintenance

"Why? I can't understand it! Why? They were just these kids, all puffed up on hormones and your ugly training." Mogar said.

"Why couldn't they have believed you three lives ago?!" Mogar grated. "I hate this ship. I hate this life. I hate all the military strutting and saluting. What am I doing here!?"

"What's that you Earth people say? You are a son of a bitch. All this is your doing and your fault!" Mogar said. He didn't back away from Flagg's embrace.

Flagg said "I can't just throw away who I am, Danog. I can't stop seeing the big picture."

"You can throw your big picture out of the airlock." Mogar said. "You have these crazy schemes, you do things no one in his right mind would do. Why do I stay? Why do I care? You bring all this down upon yourself! Why do I stay with you?"

"I'm going to get the medikit." Flagg said. He got up, gently disengaging from Mogar and walked over to the cabinet in their shared quarters. A luxury on the Ramschiff Melakon, where most of the crew slept in bunks.

Flagg came back with a well equipped field medicine kit and began to scan Mogar's hand.

It was a ritual between them. The treatment could be done more easily and painlessly in the sickbay.

But on some level, Mogar liked the attention from Flagg. On some level the pain let him feel he was atoning for being a monster.

Flagg quickly and efficiently moved Mogar's bones into place and began sealing them together with the protoplaser.

Mogar tensed. He said "Tell me again what you hope to accomplish by pumping up these lunatics." His voice carried a hint of pain, but he talked around it. He was used to pain by now.

Flagg didn't look but continued to treat Mogar's hand. "The Federation is a very good thing Danog. You know that. But there are some things that the Federation needs to be able to do to defend itself, that by its nature it is not capable of doing."

Mogar nodded. Flagg could see the memories flash behind his eyes. When they said war is hell, they weren't kidding. This gentle, poet of a man in full monster mode had slaughtered Tarsian civilians, men, women and children. He'd tortured people.

"The Federation needs people who can do what needs to be done." Flagg said. "It's like you are, inside. Gentle. Sweet."

Mogar looked up. "And these Ekosians are me. The Monsters you'll use to defend the Federation. They'll be the monsters so the Federation doesn't have to be."

Flagg nodded "One difference." He looked into Mogar's eyes. "They want to do it. It's what they desire."

Mogar nodded "I know." When you build a super soldier out of a human being you have to expect some breakage.

Flagg began to seal Mogar's collar bone back together. It felt warm and vaguely disorienting to Mogar. Too much and he'd throw up.

"Why not just take your little pet commandos and turn them into things like me?" Mogar asked.

The fact of the matter was that Angosian super soldiers were difficult to control, difficult to moderate and vulnerable to sniper fire. A well trained human commando may or may not be able to take an Angosian super soldier, but he had more options available to him. He could fight smarter, if not harder.

"But those boys..." Mogar whispered. "Subjecting unaltered people to that sort of thing..."

Flagg finished treating Mogar's collarbone and went to work on the massive internal bruising. "Have you read those books I pointed out to you?"

"As well they should. But it illustrates my point. They had to change you to make you a monster. We have a monster inside of us that we can call."

"Not very different at all. But some humans can become the monster and then come back from it."

Flagg nodded "And if these boys become monsters, that simply means that people back on Ekos and people back on Earth won't have to."

"Sacrifice the few for the good of the many." Mogar said. "I hate military logic."

"That's what they told us during the Tarsian War." Mogar said. "I don't know as I believe them."

Mogar shook his head. "I hate living in a universe where I have to be a monster to be around Klingons and survive."

"If you'd stop dealing with mad men and their mad worlds, maybe you wouldn't need me." Mogar said.

In fact, Flagg did enjoy having Mogar around, but that was a minor consideration. He was a useful tool, and required the proper maintenance

Flagg opened the door to see Commander Heinrich Kell there. The official commander of the Ramschiff Melakon, he was, in fact, Flagg's long suffering XO on this mission.

"I have come to take Danog Mogar into custody." Kell's eyes flashed. He was angry.

"Mein Gott!" Kell turned red. "These were men you lived with and trained! He killed them in cold blood!"

"When presented with a threat, Danog Mogar reacts according to his training and his programming." Flagg said. "He cannot control this. This is why we didn't apply this treatment to your Commandos. They still had a choice. Mogar didn't."

"He poses a threat to my crew. I must insist that he be placed in the brig for his safety and that of the crew." Kell said.

"Well reasoned Commander. No. I'll repost the warnings. This incident will give them more credibility." Flagg replied.

Kell looked like he was about to have a stroke. he blinked. "I will have to post guards around Mogar."

Flagg shook his head. "No. If your guards can comprehend 'Don't attack Danog Mogar' then so can the rest of the crew.

"Can you assure me that this man only reacts this way when attacked? We will not have to have a squad of commandos shoot him off your corpse?" Kell asked.

"He only reacts to perceived threats, Commander. The truth of the matter is that he's a gentle soul and doesn't want to hurt anyone." Flagg explained.

"Enough of that," Flagg said. "I'll go where the mission takes me and you'll be right there beside me. You are an Ekosian Officer and it is your duty."

"Now go and protest to your High Command and have your orders reinforced. I'll meet with the Commandos in the morning and we'll explain it to them again." Flagg said "Dismissed."

What really stuck in Kell's craw as he walked away was that Flagg was probably right.

That night Flagg was awakened by the haunting music of a Bellar horn, an Angosian musical instrument.

Flagg listened briefly and mentally noted that he'd have to keep a closer eye on Mogar. His programming was to survive at all costs, so he couldn't commit suicide directly, but he might try it again.

Noting this, Flagg went back to sleep, carefully ignoring the fact that he had a heart to be broken by Mogar's music.

The red alert klaxon went off. In an instant Flagg was on his feet and heading out the door to the quarters he shared with Mogar.

The Bridge of the Ramschiff Melakon was an oblong room. The forward end was covered by a large view screen the way a Federation starship's bridge was.

Similarly, work stations lined the walls, with displays and controls all over them.

But the center of the Ekosian starship's bridge was dominated by a large plotting table. As Flagg walked briskly up, he could see a tactical plot on the main display of the plotting table along with dozen of smaller repeater images, showing Heinrich Kell everything he needed to know.

"The Pirates have attacked the Zolont." Kell said. "Their first attack disabled the freighter. Communications are jammed. The Zolont cannot summon help."

"Excellent." Flagg said he stepped up and studied the tactical layout carefully. "Have the Commandos standing by, and bring the Melakon to this point and match the freighter's drift. We'll remain cloaked."

Kell looked at Flagg disbelieving. "Herr Flagg, We can attack the pirates now and save innocent lives."

Flagg looked at Kell without expression, noting the man's opinion. "If we do that, we'll loose our shot at the pirate. He's the focus of the Mission."

"The Pirate raider is coming around for another pass, Kapitan." The tactical officer pointed out.

"After they reduce the freighter, they'll pull along side to begin the boarding." Flagg said. That's when they'll be vulnerable to us."

Kell bit down a sour expression and gave the order. "Bring us along the Zolont on the port high quarter and match her speed."

Danog Mogar came onto the bridge. Kell bristled at him, but didn't say anything.

"Your man doesn't wish to fight the Orions?" Kell asked with a hint of bitterness. Mogar hadn't hesitated to kill Ekosians.

"He doesn't wish to fight anyone. But once the shooting starts, he'll do what he does." Flagg said. "You mind the store here and make sure things go according to plan."

Kell sighed and nodded "As you wish, Herr Flagg." Kell's orders had been reconfirmed. John Flagg got full cooperation, with no hesitation.

Kell watched, unhappily as the Orion Raider chopped up the hapless Zolont. Kell, an experienced military man knew what was happening on that ship. As fires blossomed inside the hull, sensors showed main power and auxiliary power dying. Chaos would be in full force. The screams of people injured and dying on the deck, and the frantic question "What's happening? How can I survive?" motivating each survivor.

Flagg reappeared on the bridge of the Melkon, in black fatigues, with equipment slung about his person. Kell hated the casually precise way Flagg wore his equipment, the way in which his phaser rifle never pointed at anything specific but never seemed to drift far from Flagg's line of sight.

Flagg walked up to the main plotting table/screen and called up their tactical readout of the Orion Raider.

"This is a Zirlassa class medium raider," Flagg said, highlighting portions of the outline of the enemy ship. "Shoot here, then here, then attack these targets as the opportunity arises."

The Tactical officer came to attention and looked at Kell. Kell nodded at him. "Fire the weapons as Herr Flagg directs."

He smiled at them. "You've done well in training and simulations. You're all experienced soldiers. We're facing an enemy untrained and undisciplined, but capable of surprising cruelty and inventiveness. Stun early, stun often. Don't hesitate to advance the power setting as needed. We need to capture some of the Orions who know something, but not at the cost of you."

Danog Mogar walked in. He was dressed in a gray cover all with the typical Ekosian equipment rig on top. He had a phaser rifle which he checked with blank faced efficiency.

Lt Ravo asked "Herr Flagg, you have described that this man is out of control. Is it appropriate that he joins us on this mission?"

Flagg grinned widely. "Oh, yes." He sobered "Don't point any weapons at him and don't get any dumb ideas. After you've seen him in action, you'll know a lot more."

Flagg mentally flipped a coin. "Squads one, three and four will accompany me onto the Orion Raider. Squad Two will board the Zolont and put down the pirates there. Squad Two, don't be afraid to Stun Zolont Crew members, They don't know us and don't know what we're doing."

"Herr Flagg." Heinrich Kell's voice sounded over the intercom. "The raider is making its approach to the Zolont now."

Flagg keyed the intercom. "Excellent. When he drops his shields for docking or transporters, attack by the plan."

Flagg bounced up to the transporter pad. It was a large one, twelve spaces, designed to put commandos into combat and whisk them away again.

Blank faced, Mogar accompanied him. Lt Ravo and Squad One joined them on the transporter.

As they waited, the shimmering light effect from the cloak dropping washed over them. Then the thrum of phaser fire and the thump of photon torpedoes being fired sounded throughout the hull.

The deck tilted and moved. Then Kell's voice sounded again, "transporters, prepare to energize in five, four, three, Godspeed gentlemen, one, energize."

The Orion ship reeked of smoke and blood. The Orions, scattered and disorganized still fought fiercely to defend their ship.

Sergeant Nello sat crying over the body of Corporal Zikil. Half of Zikil wasn't there anymore. The Orions weren't shy about the power levels of their phasers and disruptors.

"Tell me. If kissing this man and making love to him would bring him back, would you do it? Just the once?" Mogar asked.

Nello looked at the body of his old friend. "Disgusting." He thought of how Zikil would be laughing at the suggestion. The image rang hollowly inside him.

"No." Nello said. "He was lucky. We went on five raids against the Zeons and the Federation together."

"This is stupid." he said. "We're soldiers. We all knew the risks. I shouldn't be crying over ...."

"We're supposed to be tough, made of steel, not flesh and blood." Mogar nodded. "Some fall, but the force goes on."

"Alien, to me my home and my way of life mean something. They are worth something. I fight because I must to defend my home." Nello said.

"When we get back to the ship, I'll buy the squad a round of drinks. And we can toast to him." Mogar looked bleakly at the half of a remaining Ekosian Commando. "To Ekos' best and most dear blood."

Flagg smiled gently at her. He admired the noble line of her jaw for a moment. In time he would know things about her that perhaps even she didn't know.

"Technology is a wonderful thing." Flagg said warmly. He held up an object. The woman glared at the thing.

"This is your agonizer, isn't it?" Flagg said. He looked at it. "Old, reliable, the Klingons have been using them for two hundred years."

The woman's yellow skin blushed almost green and her body strained against the low technology straps that restrained her. Her teeth clenched and a gurgling cry wrenched itself from her.

The moment passed and she found herself limp and panting in the straps. The orgasm she'd just felt was the most intense pleasurable experience she'd ever had.

Flagg smiled. "The latest technology. Somewhere in your body is a device that could barely be seen by the naked eye. We implanted it when you were stunned. I won't tell you the location. However, it gives me complete control of your nervous system.

The woman's mouth ran dry. Suddenly she was thirsty. Dying of thirst. She found herself greedily sucking the saliva off her teeth. The need was intense and undeniable.

Flagg watched her for a while. She struggled not to give into the feeling. She wanted water so badly. She knew it was a false impression created by the damned machine, but she could not deny the solid, visceral force. She felt about ready to die of thirst.

"We call it the Actijot. The newest innovation in home entertainment technology." Flagg explained "You're my toy now."

With her eyes closed and her body unresponsive the woman felt Flagg run his hands across her intimately. He began to undress her.

With her shirt open and her pants half slid down her hips Flagg backed away and touched more controls

The woman felt the awful feeling of thirst go away, mostly. Control returned to her body.

She glared at Flagg. Powerlessness and fear manifested as hate. "And if I tell you want you want to know, you'll remove this device from me?"

"No." Flagg said. "If you tell me everything you know, and it's good enough. I'll think about it."

"Never's a very long time." Flagg said. "Tell you what, Why don't you think about it and tell me what you're willing to offer in exchange for pieces of yourself back?"

Flagg activated the controls. The woman's vision when black as her eyes closed and she slumped against the straps. Nothing would work. She was completely paralyzed.

"This is a life support kit." Flagg said. "No dying on a hunger strike for you. You'll be with us for a very long time. Now, I'm a busy man. More pirates to interrogate. Some one will roll over. I'll be back in time to ask if you've changed your mind. Hopefully we won't forget you're here in the chaos."

The woman heard another beep from the PADD and then nothing. Nothing at all. All sensory input was gone. Trying to stretch out her mind, the woman could feel nothing but a void without end.

The Ekosian dock was enclosed by metal and then scan baffled, to keep the Federation and the Zeons from seeing what was happening inside.

Every move of the Ekosian Space Force had to be carefully planned, coordinated and executed to avoid Federation interference.

General Rommel Meklat, commandant of the Ekosian Space Dock was in docking bay. Cigar smoke wreathed around him. Although he was named for Irwin Rommel, Meklat actually liked George C. Scott's portrayal of George Patton better.

The burst signal, relayed by disposable message drone requested two docks to be opened. This wasn't too unusual. It kept the Federation watchers guessing.

Meklat guessed that Herr Flagg, thinking he was sneaky, would arrive in the later docking bay, by their numbers.

He was there to see how badly Flagg got the Melakon shot up. He grinned. Schmidt was waiting for Herr Flagg. Getting the pride of the Ekosian fleet damaged would put Flagg into Schmidt's hands.

Meklat wanted to see the arrogant bastard's face when his little games turned against him.

At the proper time, Meklat nodded to the deck technician. Either the cloaked ship was in the docking cage or it wasn't.

A few moments later and shimmering wave effect revealed an Orion ship in Meklat's docking cage.

Meklat felt his eyes bug out and distantly felt his cigar drop out of his open mouth.

"Greetings from the Prize ship Full Tongo." An Ekosian voice said. "This ship is safe and prepared to dock."

Melkat started laughing. The Orion ship was scarred and showed all the visible external signs of her defeat, but he knew he could have her back in fighting trim in six weeks. The Ekosian Space Force was now one more starship and billions of credits ahead, just like that.

The Lieutenant opened the door and motioned Flagg in with a very precise gesture.

Flagg walked in briskly, with energy in his step. He was king of the world, but he was busy and there were things to do.

"Report, Herr Flagg." Kelser kept it carefully casual. His attitude was "I am a Reich Marshall. Of course you will report to me and snap to attention while you do it."

Flagg looked at Kelser for a moment. Kelser knew that that his rank and his casual assumption of authority didn't buffalo Flagg. But Flagg was still a military man enough to have to make a point of waiting and smiling casually back before he reported.

"We successfully captured an Orion Zirlassa class raider. She'll make you a decent light cruiser." Flagg reported. "We have a number of prisoners for you. They're technologically trained but prone to resistance. I'll be sending notes along with them."

Kelser nodded. The SS would have no end of fun learning how to break the minds of aliens and turn them into useful slaves of Ekos.

Flagg shook his head. "I'll have to show you once I get it. There's no use discussing it this early."

"How much would you have had to pay for an equivalent ship from your Ferengi friend?" Flagg asked.

Kelser thought about it. Each step with Flagg brought benefits to his service, his nation and his people.

Kelser knew what it meant when something was too good to be true. The damned Ferengi had taught the Ekosian government that in spades.

It took two more tries. Flagg and the Melakon crew came back with two more Orion ships before Flagg had what he wanted.

The Base station was carved into an asteroid. No one survived who knew when or how it was built or who made the decision to proceed. Life was like that in Orion pirate hierarchy.

Jolon ruled the base today. He'd ruled it for eighteen months and looked to be good for running it for the foreseeable future.

Jolon's bosses were happy with him. He brought in a steady stream of profit, and avoided attention from people with large starships.

He had rules for how pirates based out of his base would act and how they would operate. He enforced these rules with blood. That worked.

The base had seven ships attached to it and several more that visited regularly. Life was good.

Jolon looked at the view screen in his large office. The swirling hypnotic colors of the nebula were false color images generated by sensors and computers. Windows were expensive and so the asteroid base had almost none, except what were stolen from looted ships.

The nebula was dark. Stars were forming in it, but they wouldn't ignite for several million years. It was literally a cloak of darkness.

Jolon looked at his slave. He had more than one of course. But this one amused him today. She was a human. Formerly from Earth. Breaking her spirit and will had taken a while, mainly due to ignorance. She was simply vacantly clueless about the natural order of things.

She swallowed and began to speak of a shopping trip she'd made with her friends to the mall.

Jolon listened with some distraction. He didn't care about her shopping trip really. He'd like to get his hands on her friends. But the real fun here was rubbing the woman's nose in the fact that she used to live in the bizarre luxury on Earth, but didn't any more.

Tears began to flow down the woman's face. Jolon liked that. She was entering the dark place of despair.

"Woman. Service me." Jolon said. He enjoyed the way the memories and the degradation made a contrast in her mind. And on her face.

Jolon answered the call. Just for fun he angled the viewer so his underling could see his slave unfastening his pants and beginning her work.

"Would you like to watch her?" Jolon asked. "Maybe you could offer some pointers?"

"Two medium raiders, a light raider and a heavy freighter. They're running clean."

"The two medium raiders are new to us. The Light Raider is the Null Itcha." Hend said.

"After I get tired of her, I'll share her. She'll have earned to do it correctly by then." Jolon said.

They had the right recognition codes and acted perfectly normal so they were ignored.

Dock crews began to make ready to service the raiders and to take the loot from the captured ship. Bets were made as to the amount and type of cargo and how many slaves would be taken.

As the ships slid into their docks, and made fast. The hatches opened and all hell broke loose

Every ship in the group activated transporters and started beaming people every which way.

Stun grenades, placed by transporter went off like fireworks displays, followed immediately by human commandos

Caught flat footed, the Orions in the docks and in key areas of the station were stunned instantly or caught by stun beams as they fled looking for cover.

The Alarm klaxon went off. Jolon jerked straight. Something bad was happening...

Wracked by indescribable pain, Jolon fumbled for his blaster. Conscious thought was a luxury he couldn't afford right now.

Mirriam came for his face with her fingers arched into claws. Green blood flooded down her chin and front.

Of the three raiders in the dock, only the "Case Ace" had transport bafflers installed as a matter of default.

"Someone set them up pretty well." He said. It became plain that despite enthusiastic blaster fire, the base was a lost cause.

Zellak nodded. "They tried to beam boarding parties in. I suppose now they'll try it the hard way."

"Humans, Sir. The weapons don't read Starfleet, but they could be Starfleet intelligence." The scanner operator said.

"The docking clamps aren't letting go. They've been sabotaged." The Helmsman reported.

The Case Ace's phasers fired, turning the docking port and the commandos in it to burned garbage

The Case Ace wheeled and slid out of the asteroid's main bay with the ruins of the docking clamp still hooked into her docking port.

"Phasers. A full power hit. We've lost warp drive and one of the port side phasers." The engineering officer reported.

"We are the ones with heavy phaser cannon pointed at you. Surrender now." This was punctuated by another blast. The engineering station exploded, burning the engineering officer badly. He fell down and screamed.

Zellak calmly took his blaster out of his holster. He looked at Garza. "It was a pleasure working with you Manuel."

"Look we all know you were no Vulcan. We'll cover for you. You're our friend." Garza said.

Zellak looked sad, in a decorous way. "That's where you're wrong. You see I am Vulcan. And that will make it worse. Tell them I was a Romulan, if you please. It will spare my family."

Zellak put the phaser to his head and pulled the trigger. His dead body flopped to the deck robbed of the man's customary dignity.

A Vulcan pirate? That made the past two years stand out in a different and much uglier light.

"With this base, The Ekosian Space Force now can move and operate without having to shield themselves from Federation and Zeon watchers." Flagg said. "As an Added Bonus we've captured three raiders and a type of ship called a 'Slaver' in reality a cargo vessel, but it's stealthy and can land."

The Reich Marshals nodded. Inside of one year Flagg had added ships to the Ekosian fleet and drastically changed the rules they operated under.

"No." Flagg said simply. "I'll stay in command of the Melakon. There is more to do there."

"As long as we move carefully and in measured steps, this won't happen. Each provocation is carefully designed to stay below the Federations tolerance for action. The Federation is reluctant to use force. It is their major weakness. One we'll use." Flagg said.

A rearward, defense in depth Starbase, they had responsibility for a large reserve fleet. One hundred and fifty three ships of a bygone age floated in the darkness around the Starbase. They were built for a war that never happened and a time that had passed them by.

Another Miranda class starship, leveraged as a heavy frigate of her day was in one of the docking cages being taken to pieces. Although hopelessly out dated, her computers and warp drives were still valuable as material for recycling. With the right equipment and raw material, the Starbase could make warp coils and delicate computer components. Old warp coils and computers were the perfect raw material to make new ones from.

Flagg walked along the hallway in an engineering Lieutenant Commander's uniform, effectively invisible.

Reaching the proper junction, Flagg set down his tool box, opened up the junction and began to work.

All the access codes and password were different. Flagg didn't sweat this much, he was trained for this sort of thing.

Whistling happily to himself, Flagg accessed the Starbase's data network. Accessing the sensor net was difficult. Starfleet Security had changed the security and routing protocols. Flagg grinned as he realized he'd almost tripped several alarms. He was sweating now. Whoever set up the new security network was good, but not quite good enough.

Flagg was able to set up his program and leave the sensors on the starbase reporting just what he wanted them too.

Starbase three-thirteen was along the Romulan frontier. They hadn't had to deal with the Maquis much.

Flagg packed up his tools quickly and efficiently and walked back towards the shuttle bay

On a Starbase with ten thousand people plus civilians and starship crews moving through, No one thought a new engineering officer was remarkable.

Flagg walked to his shuttle craft. It was an older type six shuttle. No flash, but robust and practical. Flagg stowed his tools aboard.

Another engineer ran up to Flagg, a fresh faced young Lieutenant. "Excuse me, Sir. Where are you heading?"

"Just an inspection of the reserve ships, routine visual inspection you know the drill."

"Well I'm on sensor net inspection detail. I figure we could kill two birds with one stone." The Lieutenant grinned

"I'm John. I'd rather you did your own inspection, but if you're dead set." Flagg waved him aboard.

Flagg quickly but casually set up a device in the Shuttle aft deck and then came forward.

Parks began to preflight the shuttle and then stopped. "Sir? I couldn't help but notice your non Standard..."

Flagg slammed a sleeper hold on Parks and held it tightly while Parks struggled. Parks voice became quiet, desperate gurgling.

The few minutes until Parks succumbed seemed like an eternity to Flagg. But he stayed calm and did what had to be done.

After Parks was safely disabled, Flagg took his comm badge and threw it out the door of the shuttle and onto the deck of the shuttlebay.

Then Flagg sat down and activated his shuttle. He called flight control "This is shuttlecraft Daffodil, requesting permission to launch." Flagg's voice was even and calm.

"Thank you control." Flagg said. The first hurdle was cleared. Parks wasn't a plant from the Starbase security force.

Flagg idly considered killing Parks. It would be kinder. In the end, he decided that an experienced Starfleet Engineering Lieutenant could be good for Ekos. It would advance the mission. Flagg looked at Michael Parks. A harsh life of being a slave of the Ekosians lay ahead of him. Risk came with the uniform.

"Yes Haskel, what is it?" Commodore Jackson said. He was impatient at being interrupted.

"Sir. We found Engineer Parks' Comm Badge in Shuttle bay six." Haskel reported. "No one has seen him for fourteen hours."

Jackson leaned over and hit his intercom. "Security alert. This is a security alert."

Haskel looked at Commodore Jackson as the alarms started to blare.

Lieutenant Commander Galzar was a Bolian, and dedicated to his Job. He wondered what his next job might be.

"Four ships missing, Sir." He reported. "Two Akyazi class destroyers, one Menahga class battlecruiser and one Miranda class frigate."

"Alert her to begin searching for the missing ships. Get me Starfleet Command." Jackson turned and looked at the view screen. Maybe retirement wouldn't be that bad after all.

Hans Kleifel enjoyed sitting in the center seat of a starship under his command. He could barely keep the grin off his face.

The Akyazi class was small, cramped and sleek looking. Every line said "warship". Kleifel couldn't understand why the Federation didn't make more ships like this. She was beautiful.

"A Federation Starship. Ambassador Class. She is making warp seven on an intercept course."

Kleifel grimaced. The soon to be renamed Pawtuckett could only make warp five. In warp, she was no match for a front line starship.

"A solar system." Kleifel said. He called up his navigation screen. "This one. Can you get us there, Helm?"

"We need some obstacles to help us hide from the Federation ship." Kleifel explained.

All permutations had gone through his head and he couldn't see any way around it. The Achenar was going to catch them short of their hiding place.

As the Federation ship came into extreme long weapons range, Kleifel gave the order. "Bring us Sublight and engage the cloak."

A'Ken looked at the blank tactical screen in front of him. "We'll use photon torpedoes set on proximity detonation to smoke him out."

Theril, his tactical officer Nodded "Yes, Sir. I should warn you that we only have 132 casing left."

A'Ken nodded. "Ops, see if Starbase three-thirteen has any photon torpedo casings for us."

Then the explosions got much closer and more insistent.

The Pawtucjkett seemed to roll and sway as the Helmsman put the old destroyer through her paces. She was still one of the more maneuverable ships Starfleet had ever produced. The Pawtuckett rolled and spun like a fighter plane, seeking to escape the Achenar.

But consistent bombardment kept revealing the shadow of the cloaked ship. The Pawtuckett could fly rings around the Achenar, but the Achenar's torpedoes were faster and more maneuverable still.

Their fuel was becoming critical. They could only smuggle a small amount of anti matter on to the Pawtuckett.

"What is it the Earthers say?" Kleifel replied "Sometimes it is better to be lucky than to be good."

Theril reported to A'Ken "Our overhead shield is at seventy five percent. Minor cosmetic damage."

"Their warp drive is out, and I'm reading light damage." Theril replied. "The Pawtuckett's shields and phasers haven't been upgraded in thirty years. We out match them pretty seriously."

"Good. Keep hailing them. Maybe we can end this before anyone dies." A'Ken said.

The next pass was worse for the Pawtuckett. She rocked under the fire of the Achenar. Explosions ripped the bridge and fires broke out.

Kleifel looked at the deck. Being a Starship Commander had been fun, while it lasted.

Kleifel nodded sadly. "I know. But the longer the Federation Cruiser is busy with us, the more change the others will escape."

Most of her weapons were offline. She had one impulse drive left and that was only partially working.

Kleifel walked over to where a small box on the bridge was now partially covered by debris. Kleifel swept debris off the upper surface and inserted a mechanical key into it. He turned the key and set a digital timer to a minute.

As the Timer counted down, Kleifel thought of all the things he would have liked to have done with the rest of his life.

Flagg didn't get a parade when he returned to Lar-Ekos, but it was a near thing.

The Ekosians at the Reichstag looked at him. Some smiled. Ekos was on its way up. Others looked at him with large eyes. Here was a man who did the impossible like he was ordering take out.

Flagg enjoyed this. He was always able to get into tight spots and come out ahead. It was nice that this was leading to some respect.

Flagg carefully kept his face straight as he walked through the capitol building of Ekos. It was just another mission, just another tight spot to work through and resolve... excellently.

"In three months our newly acquired ships should be ready to join the active fleet. Your fleet strength will have grown by a third. And we now have a base of operations out from underneath the Federation's prying eyes." Flagg summarized.

"This leads us to our next step." Flagg called up the next graphic. "We need a short, victorious war, to add manpower, resources and another base of operations."

Flagg went to the next graphic. "I suggest Taralia. They have low technology, few friends and would make an excellent testing ground for learning the art of Imperial expansion."

"It would over extend us, Herr Flagg. If the Federation decided to intervene we couldn't defend ourselves and hold on to our prize." Kelser pointed out.

The Reich Marshals listened to Flagg's next plan. This one was more conservative and was quickly approved.

"After the ships have been prepared, they will approach the Alark-Dra system slowly under cloak.

When all ships are in position, the first attack will target the main objective while units 4 and 5 cover the approaches. The Orions will react quickly, so timing and execution are critical.

I have created holodeck simulations based on the most likely layouts and situation, but be warned, these are not accurate recreations."

Flagg smiled. "As you may guess, the Orions are not excited about having visitors to their anti-matter refineries."

Kell shook his head. "Why must we commit this attack under disguise? It strikes me as dishonest."

Flagg looked at Kell and then smiled. "I like that about you, Heinrich." He did. It made Kell more predictable and easy to manipulate. "We are disguising our ships to draw the reprisal of House Dra-Neome away from Ekos and towards their usual rivals."

Kell sighed "If it is a war against the Orions, Flagg, why not declare it openly and fight on our feet."

Flagg nodded. "The Orions never stand and fight straight up. They are too dispersed through known space to be easily attacked. Follow my plan. We'll come out ahead."

Kell was faintly mollified by the fact that Flagg referred to himself and Ekos with the word 'We'

Flagg and Danog walked into a bar on Calas Prime. It was in the business district, a well appointed place. In various booths people in business clothing chatted, ate and drank, negotiating, communicating and generally trying to maneuver their way to the top of the heap on Callas Prime.

Flagg went to the appointed booth and slid in. Mogar leaned against the booth, looking about.

"I'm Mark Rido. I represent Mister Tarla." He reached out and shook Flagg's hand, "Pleased."

Flagg looked at Mogar for a second. He could fit here. He wasn't testosterone crazed enough to really succeed in business, but he was friendly social enough to get by. He could have an apartment, a job in one of the office buildings nearby, a life where his inner monster might not come out for years at a time.

Flagg gauged Rido. He was a young corporate stud, on his way up in the world. He thought he was riding the interface between the legitimate world and the dark side.

Flagg knew exactly why Tarla sent Rido. Rido was disposable, but too self important to realize he was a small fry.

It didn't matter for this part of the Mission. But Flagg made a mental note to bargain the price down to the bone. He'd previously over paid Tarla to ensure the man was willing to do business with him. Flagg knew he'd paid enough not to have to talk to a lackey.

Flagg picked up his civilian PADD and called up a file. A pretty little cheesecake picture of a Green Orion woman. He decoded it, and it turned into a technical readout. He handed the PADD over to Rido.

Rido looked at the PADD carefully. "Interesting. You have a very specific list here, Mister Brown."

"This merchandise is outdated. We can get you a deal in bulk on something much nicer. Much more bang for your Latinum." Rido said.

Flagg's face grew stony. "I know what I want, Mister Rido. Can you fill my order or must I go elsewhere?"

Rido shrugged at him and said "Relax Mister Brown. Mister Tarla values you and your business. We'll get your merchandise to you."

Flagg smiled "Excellent. I'll pay you six and a half bricks of gold pressed latinum."

Flagg matched his grin. "If I had time I'd kill you. Tarla's fucking with me to send a punk like you. I've calculated the cost of merchandise and the over head. You'll give me what I want for the price I want."

Rido stopped smiling suddenly as he realized that Flagg wasn't kidding and that his life was in danger.

"Don't cause a scene, Mister Rido, be a professional." Flagg chided gently. "Leave now, and tell Tarla what I said."

Rido got up and composed himself. Then he leaned down and hissed at Flagg. "Watch your back."

Mogar slid back into the booth across from Flagg. From this position they watched each other's blind spots. "You were a little hard on him, weren't you?"

"Not as hard as Tarla's going to be." Flagg said simply. His eye caught the menu. "You hungry?"

The warehouse was old and abandoned. Warehouses were much less useful when replicators were installed in a city.

The material they'd built the warehouse of one hundred years ago or more was holding up well, but the place had a layer of age and disuse about it.

Flagg looked at it. It was the perfect place for an ambush. He grew more comfortable. Tarla would never ambush him so blatantly. It would be something subtle, binary explosive in his room service, an insidious poison in the transport he took off world, and encounter with an exotic alien lifeform. Tarla had style.

Mogar looked at him blank faced. Flagg knew that the monster was driving now, and that Mogar was scared. Flagg could promise the moon but Mogar would be exceptionally dangerous and on a hair trigger for the rest of the meeting.

Oh well, having Mogar up and ready to roll couldn't hurt if someone decided to behave stupidly.

They walked into the old warehouse and through several makeshift partitions. The warehouse showed signs of squatters and then perhaps an illicit drug lab.

Mogar's shoes were ruined by years of dirt and debris. His pants were irrevocably stained.

Flagg, out of habit, wore clothing more intended for rugged conditions. Mogar never sweated the damage - A replicator and some latinum was good for curing many ills.

At the other end of the bay eight people waited. There were temporary lights illuminating the scene.

Mogar scanned carefully for snipers outside of the ring of lights. He didn't see any. That didn't make him happier.

A Golden Orion man in an expensive suit smiled and held his arms out to Flagg "John Brown, a pleasure to see you again!"

Rido was there and plainly he didn't like what he was seeing. His mental image of how the evening would work out was becoming more and more inconsistent with what he was seeing.

Tarla said. "This merchandise you wanted. The merculite rockets, according to the specifications, enh? I will make sure they are delivered to the place you name. enh?"

"As for my junior colleague here, he has a lot to learn. I'll have him make a gesture of respect to you." Tarla said.

The two thugs forced Rido to kneel. Another one of Tarla's Soldiers brought up a tool.

"What are you doing!? Rido yelled. "I'm sorry! Merculite rockets are outdated! We have piles of photon torpedoes for less money!"

The rest of Tarla's goons looked carefully away from the scene covering all approaches.

The thug with the tool activated it. It was a plasma cutter. A blade of plasma held in a magnetic field. Nothing material could withstand the heat.

The two goons holding Rido moved a little at the Human's panicked struggling, but not much.

The one with the plasma cutter cut off Rido's left hand with a practiced, easy swipe.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!" Rido screamed. The two thugs holding him dropped him. He curled around his burned stump.

Tarla stepped over and picked up the still twitching hand. He tossed it to Flagg.

Flagg caught the severed hand. The edge was so well cauterized it didn't leak at all. "Thank you Mister Tarla, I appreciate the gesture."

"I am sorry. Even with Mister Rido's contribution to paying for my time for this debacle, I'll have to ask you for seven bricks of gold pressed latinum. My overhead has risen from the figures you used for your calculation." Tarla looked a touch exasperated.

Flagg smiled. "Of course. Seven bricks of gold pressed latinum." He handed Rido's hand to Mogar and slowly pulled a transaction card out of his pocket. "Will half do you now?"

Flagg handed the card to the nearest of Tarla's soldiers. The man took it to Tarla who swiped it in a reader and took the prerequisite amount of gold pressed latinum off the card, electronically transferring it from an account named Brown to an account named something else in the Bank of Calas Prime

The soldier handed the card back to Flagg who pocketed it without checking the amount. Tarla wouldn't stiff him this time.

"I'll contact you with the address for delivery within the next three days." Flagg said.

"Thank you, Mister Brown. I hope we shall see you again soon." Tarla said with an air of finality.

"What do you want me to do with this?" Mogar asked Flagg outside of the warehouse.

Flagg smiled. "I'm glad you held onto it. Good theater. Get rid of it now. It's no good to us."

Flagg touched his shoulder. "Listen. He committed the cardinal sin in this end of the business. He cost his boss money. You don't do that. Next time I put in an order with Rido he'll snap to and say yes sir. The transaction will flow smoothly and he'll start making back some of what he's loosing now."

"Well, he'll start earning the money to pay for the grafts and the cybernetics to fix him up." Flagg shrugged and started walking.

Mogar kept pace with him. "How can you deal with these people? How can you be so casual about what they're doing?"

Flagg looked at him. "Danog, this is the nature of life with the Orions. It's part and parcel of doing business with them. It's their culture."

"But it's not yours." Mogar insisted.

"It advances the Mission." Flagg said as if that explained everything.

"Have you ever once thought about saying 'screw the mission' and taking a vacation?" Mogar asked.

The Mottled Duck was a hundred year old Klingon Bird of Prey. Her crew was neither 100 years old nor Klingon

Flagg sauntered into the hangar on Calas Prime. It wasn't so far away from the warehouse where Mister Rido learned a painful lesson a few days ago.

The crew of the Mottled Duck was eight Andorians, two Humans, a Tellarite and Denobulan. Most of them looked at Flagg with suspicion but no recognition.

Flagg shrugged, his arms open wide. "Mister Marlask! Surely being a mercenary out here isn't as easy as the holodeck adventures make it look."

"The last time I took an assignment from you I wound up disgraced." The Andorian said.

"Look. That was all a big misunderstanding. I'm sorry it worked out that way. You know as well as I do, sometimes the people we love appreciate us the least." Flagg said.

"It no longer matters. I know who has my back now. That makes me safer when you appear." Marlask's face was a bitter mask.

"Let me at least begin to make it up to you. I have seven bricks of gold pressed latinum and an easy delivery job." Flagg said.

This got a reaction from Marlask's crew. They tried to hide it. Most of them had decent poker faces.

Marlask stared at Flagg, resentment turned bleak. "No one pays seven bricks for a simple delivery."

"Well, it'll be more of a live fire exercise. The cargo to be delivered is some merculite rockets." Flagg explained

Flagg stayed carefully serious. No independent businessman could turn down cash on the barrel head.

"Some business rivals of mine are encroaching in my territory. I want to send them a message." Flagg said.

Marlask stood up straight "You're lying. You're no businessman. What's this really about?"

"The only business you have is your sick relationship with the Federation. Anyone who knows you knows that." Marlask's voice was harsh.

"Everything affects the Federation indirectly. I can't help that. That's not the Mission today." Flagg said.

Marlask squinted. "The Mission. Now we're onto something solid. What is the mission?"

"I want three Ekosian transports destroyed using merculite rockets. They have to be isolated and they cannot get good scans of you." Flagg said.

"Do some homework. It's all in the public databases. Look up Earth's WWII, and Ekos. It's relevant." Flagg said.

"Think of what seven bricks of gold pressed latinum can mean for your ship and your crew, *Captain*." Flagg pointed out. "Read up. I'll come back tomorrow."

"He's the reason I'm disgraced from my Keth. He is the reason I'm no longer a Starfleet Marine." Merlask said sadly.

"You're an independent ships captain now." Losilis said. "He has the latinum and we need the work."

"What did he mean?" Danog Mogar looked into the orange sunset and the city lights to the west.

"There are winners and there are losers, Mogar. The losers have to rationalize why things turned out as they did." Flagg smiled sadly at Mogar. "He can't face the truth. Sometimes the Mission is a one way trip. That's the nature of the business."

Mogar walked along quietly. He had the feeling of being in a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.

Flagg walked into a consumer electronic store on Calas Prime, his last stop before returning to Ekos. It was dark, but crammed with dozens of interesting things.

Flagg selected an old fashioned tricorder from the store's stock and took it up to the clerk behind the counter. He handed over his transaction card.

The owner, bored, slid the card into the reader almost without really looking at it. Then he did look and covered his reaction.

He put the tricorder below the counter. "I apologize, Sir. That unit is defective. Try this one. It'll work better for you. Same price."

The shop owner rang up the slightly newer tricorder and put it in a bag for Flagg.

The Orion man knew nothing of the data he'd just passed. He didn't know who it was passed to or from whom it was passed.

Danog Mogar sat in his knees in a corner and just watched. Flagg was irritated at something but wouldn't say what. He was taking it out on the commandoes, although he was doing so subtly.

The commandoes leapt forward and engaged in a pretty decent formation attack against Flagg. The theory was that no one being could block attacks from all quarters. It also used carefully ergonomic engineering information to find the weak spots in a martial artist's defenses.

Flagg just barely avoided being seriously injured. The commandoes' timing was off by a fraction of a second and that let Flagg slip their attacks, defending against one at a time in a very short sequence.

At the end of the exchange, all four commandoes were down and three of them were injured.

Flagg turned. "That was good, but it wasn't perfect. And that's why you failed. Tomorrow, we'll do it again."

Danog reached out and hit the intercom. "Sickbay, there are three men down in training bay two."

Mogar got up and left the place. None of the commandoes were injured past treatment, past usefulness for the mission.

In moments Flagg, now freshly cleaned bounced out of the shower and began to dress.

"It's subtle but it's there. You've been pushing a little harder, and a touch more impatient than usual."

Flagg looked at his Angosian companion carefully. "I just heard about an old friend of mine." He said a touch too casually.

Flagg grinned jovially. "That's not how I work. But thank you for the warning. I'll watch it in the future."

Lar-Ekos bustled with energy. People walked with purpose and a spring in their step. Flag strode through the city, looking at the new banners, the new posters. The Ekosian Military was immensely pleased with itself. It was telling the people of Ekos so. They responded well.

New energy flooded the planet in a literal sense as well. With stolen Orion anti-matter generators providing fuel, the Ekosian planetary economy had more energy for comforts and civilian uses.

A block away from the Reichstag, a large area was cleared and construction crews worked. A new headquarters tower to claw for the sky with the best of any macro engineered buildings on Earth.

The wall was broken. It became permissible to acknowledge Flagg's presence. He was no longer the forbidden outsider.

Danog grew wry as men and women hailed Flagg and strove to be noticed by the great man.

"Have you heard what the damned Taralians have done?" One Military Officer asked.

The Officer puffed himself up. Mogar couldn't read the overly complicated ranks the Ekosians used. He looked about middle grade.

"They have attacked us." He said, radiating fierce anger and aggression. "They have challenged us, and they will pay for it."

"Always." Flagg said simply. He turned and continued his march into the Reichstag, his enigmatic smile etched into his face.

"Suddenly the Taralians attack us out of nowhere!" Kelser raged. "How convenient! How bloody, marvelously convenient!"

"Fully three quarters of our forces and half the people on this planet are already speaking of the coming war with the Taralians!" Kelser barked. "What war with the Taralians!?"

Flagg took in and let out a deep breath. "I have the plans already. A little refining and I can get your people through this and out of it with acceptable casualties and a whole new planet of your own."

"How many Ekosian *LIVES* do you propose to spend on these grand schemes of yours!?" Kelser demanded

"How much of Ekos would you sell to save a single life?" Flagg asked calmly. "Grow up. This isn't some damned classroom somewhere. You're in the real galaxy now. Either you're growing or you're dying."

"I thought I'd left all this crap behind." Flagg said intently "I thought you knew what sort of game you're playing, here. You're playing the real game, for real stakes. If you stand pat, all you're doing is buying the day Romulan or Cardassian ships appear in orbit and announce a change of management around here."

Kelser took a deep breath. "Don't try those foolish scare tactics on me, Flagg. I know better than to fall for such things."

"It doesn't matter what you think you know better than. The Romulan Empire is based on The Way of D'era. It's a code of social darwinism and cultural loyalty. They aren't building the D'Deridex Class warbirds for show - one hundred and fifteen percent the fire power of a Galaxy class starship, and six thousand troops land-able within minutes of making orbit. That includes light armor and attack flyers three times better than anything in your inventory."

Flagg continued "The Cardassians have been building new classes of ships with double the strategic speed and better cloaking than your fleet. One quarter of one Cardassian Order would be sufficient to take down Ekos. Ask the Bajorans if the Cardassians know the art of planetary occupation?"

"Who's going to protect you? The Federation? They tried to negotiate a cease fire and then sat back and let the Cardassians sack Bajor for six decades. You've got to be able to do it for yourself! And this is one of the things you people need to do to accomplish that!"

Kelser leaned back in his chair. "It is too late for this talk. Your war is inevitable now."

"You are a dangerous man, Herr Flagg. But even you cannot beat up a mobile phaser cannon." Kelser said flatly.

"You are dealing with the Army now, Herr Flagg. I am used to thinking in terms of whole regiments and the destruction of entire cities. If this is what it takes to solve you, I am prepared." Kelser said simply.

"You can easily kill me with your bare hands. My family will draw survivors' benefits, and I will have a nice grave in John Gill Cemetery. The next officer in line will bring massive fire power to bear. If not him, then the next one." Kelser finished.

Kelser held his eyes "Do not forget which of us is in charge here again, Herr Flagg."

"Submit your plans for the war to me tomorrow, here at 1600 hours." Kelser said. Then he picked up a PADD and looked at it intently. "You are dismissed, Herr Flagg."

After the door closed behind him, Reich Marshall Kelser breathed deeply, and tried to over come the clammy, sweat soaked feeling of post combat shakes.

Mogar shook his head. Flagg often said the weirdest things, just for the reaction.

The interior of the Taralian Command bunker smelled of smoke, blood, fire and death.

Colonel Jaktar looked haggard and broken. Blood splattered his armor and he carried his burned left hand gingerly.

Jaktar nodded towards his crew, mainly whatever enlisted people and junior officers survived so far. One Tarelian woman nodded briskly and went to the communications console. She activated it.

"All Tarelian units in range, this is Colonial Command. Lay down arms and surrender. Authorization code Bemar kratok zolav merlie." She said, very clearly.

Feisak nodded and then turned to his own staff. "Alert our troops to watch for surrendering Taralian forces, and begin securing necessary sites."

Feisak looked over at Flagg. Flagg and Mogar were dressed in their usual generic fatigues with commando gear. Both were smeared with dirt, grime, blood and other substances. They were filthy. Feisak felt a certain grudging admiration for Flagg. For all that the plan was his and he had the ear of the Reich Marshalls, he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and get out on the front lines.

As the difficult business of transitioning from battle to occupation began, Feisak walked over to Flagg.

"Are you having fun, then, Herr Flagg?" Feisak asked.

Flagg's smile was sphinx-like. "It's always a pleasure to watch a good plan executed by professionals, Sir."

No doubt there would be footage of Flagg and Mogar in the thick of battle, leading charges. Flagg's plan was working like a charm. The Taralians were coming apart. He was now a hero to almost every Ekosian who'd heard of him.

Feisak wondered what it would look like when Flagg declared himself the new Fuhrer. He gritted his teeth, the elimination of the old guard and rival power centers usually followed closely. Maybe it was really time to retire after all.

Mogar played his Bellar Horn, mournfully. His was the only voice of sadness and trepidation on the Melakon.

They were back on the Melakon, heading for the next engagement. The Tarelians were starting to wise up and not play into the Ekosians' hands so easily.

Flagg and Mogar stayed in their small quarters and acted for all the world like staff members or dead headers on the Melakon.

Flagg watched his oldest friend and considered how to keep him together long enough to finish out the campaign. Once Taralia itself was pacified, Flagg could probably recruit young men and train them properly to be his loyal body guards. Mogar was closer than he ever knew to becoming superfluous.

Flagg wondered whether to kill Mogar or simply retire him to a beach side villa somewhere. Killing was probably kinder. But he'd have to make it look like enemy action or an accident. If word got around that Flagg killed his closest companions and body guards, his new boys' morale would suffer. And that would harm the mission.

Flagg doodled some notes into a computer file to refine his thought process and then deleted them.

His message board beeped. Flagg activated it. A small load of data seemed to appear out of nowhere and deposit itself into the memory of his computer. To anyone not informed on the techniques of intelligence work it would look mysterious. Flagg knew how the message was generated. He added the path that allowed it himself.

"We are in excellent repair, fully manned and stocked, Herr Flagg." Kell said. "We are fully ready to play our part in the next attack."

"There is business which must be accomplished on Calas Prime. Inform Reich Marshall Feisak that I said so, and as soon as he gives clearance break formation and head for Calas Prime."

He turned to the stunned communications officer. "Hail the Flag Ship. Message for Reich Marshall Feisak."

Flagg walked back into the consumer electronics store on Calas Prime. He and Mogar were once again in civilian garb.

Flagg made a show of carefully shopping for an old tricorder. He selected one and brought it to the counter.

The man behind the counter was angry. He'd been informed that his usefulness was at an end. The appearance of the man in his store heralded his last day of business in this location. He'd be bought out with gold pressed latinum and a one way ticket off Planet.

It wasn't his idea, but his backer made it plain. He wouldn't make it very far after he turned down the offer. Maybe a matter of steps.

Without even trying to play it up, the man took the old tricorder and handed Flagg the one stored under the counter. "Here."

The man behind the counter called up some of his friends, from the old days when he was an up and coming street rat. "Yeah. Did you know my store has been left open and totally unlocked? Terrible if something happened to all my merchandise."

Then looking bitterly at the phone, he put it down and walked away to go catch his transport.

By that evening kids were prying up the counters and stealing the shelving of the cleaned out electronics store.

On the shuttle craft back to the Melakon, Flagg read the information on his new tricorder.

His face took on an angry cast that Mogar had never seen before. Flagg stared thoughtfully out the window.

Mogar looked at Flagg. "But you're doing so well creating death and misery on and around Ekos."

"I thought you were beyond killing people one on one," Mogar said, "except as a hobby. I thought you were a big picture man."

Flagg looked him in the eye. "You always wondered when the other shoe would drop. You always wondered what the attached string was. Well here it is. My backers need me, and a ship, in the right place at the right time to solve a problem. You're going to give us the use of the Melakon to accomplish this goal."

Flagg looked at him "I brought you a dozen starships including three Federation starships, your own starbase, and a planet to rule. And you're going to tell me no?"

Kelser looked right back. "People don't just go gallivanting off with multi-billion credit starships, their crews and supplies for no good reason, Herr Flagg. Your mysterious cloak and dagger nonsense not withstanding, this ship is not your property, nor is it mine. It belongs to the people of Ekos, for the use of enforcing their interests and their wills."

Kelser looked at Feisak angrily. "That is a ship in your fleet he is talking about."

Feisak nodded. "Indeed. However he has not led us astray yet. And he has brought great fortune to Ekos. Our star is ascendant as it has not been since John Gill was the Fuhrer."

"Let me sweeten the pot for you." Flagg said. "I can't make any promises, but if everything goes well, I may bring you back a Galaxy class starship."

"Oh yes," Kelser sneered "and the Federation would simply look the other way about that."

Flagg spread his hands. "What have they done about the three ships we already have?"

Kelser snapped back "They have most of the Zeon fleet out looking for them! And elements of Starfleet!"

"Starfleet couldn't find that Asteroid for at least fifty years that we can measure, Reich Marshall." Flagg said. "It is yours to keep by diligence or to give away by carelessness. And so are the ships attached to it."

The Melakon nestled into her bay for a refit and to be jammed with as many supplies and spare parts as could be fit into her frame.

The harsh light of the space dock blasted in through the small porthole into Flagg and Mogar's quarters.

Mogar looked at the information Flagg had set out in front of him. "I don't understand why you're doing this."

Mogar shook his head. "It is not. You could have declined it, forced our backers to go somewhere else."

Mogar looked at Flagg stunned. "I have been following you for 5 years. I was there on the Endeavor, remember? You wanted this more than anything else. You wanted to prove you could be the great Starship Commander and the great hero."

"I'm not stupid, John." Mogar said "You work hard to keep your motives and feelings hidden, but I have been living with you for a long time, under a lot of stress. Here on Ekos, with a ship that moves when you tell it to, and people who look up to you, you are in heaven. You're living out a dream."

Flagg's face grew harsh. "I do what the Mission requires, Danog. It's not about me."

Flagg stood up and walked a few steps away, as much as the quarters on the Melakon allowed.

"You're so close. Stay here. Finish what you've started. You may become the Fuhrer to these people." Mogar said.

"With the fleet and the planet behind you, The Federation would have to acknowledge you," Mogar said. "They'd have to acknowledge you as an ally and an asset."

Marlask was right wasn't he?" Mogar said sadly. "That's what this has been about all along."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Flagg's face was red. The muscles on his neck corded out in sharp relief.

Mogar's face became blank and he stood lightly balanced on the balls of his feet, hands loosely at his side. His eyes, wide, never wavered from Flagg.

"You sound like those damned counselors!" Flagg raged. "I am not some weeping, damaged, civilian! I am not some candy assed Starfleet Officer, all soft corners, padded edges and half measures!"

"I am the man who does what needs to be done!" Flagg yelled, "I am the man who can be counted on to see the Mission through!"

"Someday the Federation *will* acknowledge me." Flagg rasped. "Someday they'll all know that when they shied away, when they couldn't face reality, and get the job done, that I was there to save them from their own softer natures."

Flagg picked up a PADD and looked at it with honest, bone deep anger. "And that starts here."

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