The openness of deep space always made Lataro sleepy. At the Academy, it was believed that he had absorbed the entire lesson on shuttle craft operations by osmosis, for he slept, as impossible as it may seem, on the tight Class Two Shuttle. So needless to say, this trip was not any different, and being in flight for almost two days made him sleepy. Valdago was full of energy and enthusiastic characteristics that one day Lataro could learn to admire in the now Kirusan/Human hybrid. Lataro finally decided to lay down in the back of the Flier as Valdago took the helm. Valdago's company was interesting as he talked about the his new form and the energy he now possessed, but sleep came to Lataro as gold-pressed latinum: rare. Laying back, he thought about what had happened and how K'Lara was taking all this. He hoped she was okay and not doing anything crazy, but that Klingon side of her, sometimes, really gets the best of her. However, this was going to be hard and harder yet was when he got back.
Lataro smiled. "So how can we help you?"
Maruu passed Lataro a PADD. "I have a mission for you. You're going to die."
Valdago gave him a hard look. "What?!"
"When we meet the Dominion forces, I am going to tell them that you two are dead. You will be going on a mission to Jeor. The PADD is a map or the quickest route. It keeps you away from the Kirusan planets, stations, colonies, and ships."
"Why are we going to the Jeorri home world?" asked Valdago.
"He wants us to have a backup in case the Dominion alliance doesn't work," deduced Lataro.
"Very good, Commander," said Maruu. "However, it's more than that. There are five opposing parties here: the Federation, the Jeorri, the Kirusans, the Resistance, and the Dominion. When the Federation leaves this part of space, I want the Kirusans and the Dominion to have fallen. The only winners here must be the Resistance and the Jeorri. Even if the alliance works, we can't allow the Dominion to control the Jeorri as the Kirusans have. Besides, when the Dominion finds out about the Jeorri, the Shahtar themselves told me, they will destroy the entire race. They won't keep them secluded in the Taboo Sector like the Kirusans have. They will wipe them out."
Lataro and Valdago both agreed to take the mission.
"Now we have to work on a plan to kill you two. It will hurt K'Lara terribly, but it must be done."
Immediately following his meeting, Lataro was at his seat as K'Lara came on to duty. "K'Lara. May I have a word with you?" Lataro said just as K'Lara began to sit down. "Captain. May we use your ready room?"
"Yes. Go ahead," Maruu said, looking at Lataro. Lataro saw the look in his eyes which said, ~DO NOT reveal your mission or what is going to happen!~ Lataro nodded his head in acknowledgment as the two headed for the ready room. He put his hand in the small of her back as she entered the room. The door shut behind them.
"Yes my love. What is it?" K'Lara asked as she wrapped her arms around Lataro's neck. Lataro wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her as tight as he could. Her "little" pooch was now growing by leaps and bounds and he was careful not to hurt it.
"K'Lara. I just wanted a moment to say..." The chocked up commander began.
"Yes, Jon..."
"I just wanted to tell you that I love you. No matter what happens to me, know that."
"What do you mean 'happens to you'?" She asked now backing off slightly. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Why are you talking like that?"
"I am just saying. After my incident on Trelane it really got me thinking..." Lataro knew that he had to lie to her, and it killed him, but he had to ensure that K'Lara understood that his feelings were there and were going to remain whether he was here or on Jeor...or even dead. "You have to know that I am in love with you and I...I mean...we are going to get married and live the rest of our lives together."
K'Lara smiled. "Jon. I know this, but couldn't this have waited till we were off duty?"
"I guess so, but it just seemed so damn important I had to tell you now."
"Aww. That is so sweet," K'Lara said as she pressed her lips against Lataro's.
Just as they were beginning to enjoy the moment, Lataro's com badge beeped. [Valdago to Lataro.]
They separated and laughed softly. "Sheesh. Always duty calls at the wrong time," K'Lara said as she headed for the door.
"Go ahead, Lieutenant," Lataro said, smiling at K'Lara.
[Everything is ready.]
"Good. I will meet you there in 15 minutes. Lataro out."
"Meet him where?" K'Lara said as the door opened.
"The captain wanted me and Lt. Valdago to run some tests on the Flier," Lataro said following her. Another lie!
"Okay. I will see you tonight?"
"Of course, Hon," Lataro said as he headed for the turbolift. Three lies. "And immediately the cock crew." He turned and saw the captain nod his head. Lataro forced a smile and returned the nod. The doors shut as he was wisped away.
Lataro and Valdago entered the shuttle bay. Inside there was a crewmember working at the control console and one up in the observation room. Silently, Lataro signaled for Valdago to go up and take care of the crewman in the upper room. Walking up to the crewmember on the console, he looked over his shoulder pretending to be interested in what he was doing. As Commander Lataro approached him he identified him as Crewman Yates. "Good day, Sir. Is there something I can do for you?" Yates said, looking up.
Lataro looked up at the upper deck where Valdago had just finished climbing the ladder and was now proceeding to the room. "No, Mr. Yates. I was just doing a impromptu evaluation of the certain departments. Please carry on!" he said, gesturing.
"Yes, Sir."
Valdago was now in the room talking to the crewman there. He looked down at Lataro as if to give him the go ahead, and swiftly, Lataro delivered a very sharp blow to the back of Yates' neck. The force of the blow sent Yates up and over the console where he now laid on the bay floor.
Up in the observation deck, the crewmember saw this and grabbed a phaser. He had just started to run past Valdago, when he felt a tug come from his tunic. The crewmember flew back as Valdago used his superior half-Kirusan strength and threw him against the wall. The crewmember crashed on the wall and hit his head, slipping to the floor unconscious.
"Okay, let's go, Lieutenant," Lataro yelled as he ran to the Lambda Flier.
"Right behind you, Sir."
Inside the Flier, Lataro took the pilot's seat. He always loved to fly, but since his crash he hasn't had much of an opportunity. Lataro began to start the engines as Valdago came on and sat down next to him. "Okay, Mr. Valdago. Let's get this mission underway. Prepare to transport the debris matter and explosives from Cargo Bay Three to our hold as soon as we get pass the doors," Lataro said as the ships engines came to life.
"Understood," Valdago said as he punched a few buttons. "Beginning launch sequence."
"Let's make this look real. Forgive me, Virgo."
"Phasers charged." A phaser blast burst open the shuttle bay doors.
"Full power to the thrusters."
"Thrusters, aye!"
The Lambda Flier lifted off. "Begin transport, Lieutenant!" ordered Lataro.
Seconds later, they went through the shuttle bay containment field, and the transportation was complete. "Sir. We have it!"
"Very good." A quick glance of the space around revealed a Jem'Hadar warship just off the starboard warp nacelle. Instead of flying by them, Lataro banked the Flier directing it to the wondrous beyond under the portside warp nacelle.
"Commander! The Virgo is hailing us," Valdago said. "It is the captain."
[What are you doing, Commander?!] Maruu yelled.
"You're an idiot, Stephen!" yelled Lataro. "Allying yourself to the Dominion is the stupidest thing any captain could have done!" Have to make it believable!
[Commander, turn that ship around or I will fire.]
"Go to hell!" replied Valdago as he cut off the com channel.
"Lieutenant! Now did you really have to go and cut it off like that?" Lataro said in a mocking sternness.
"Well, Sir. That would probably be the only chance I would have had to do that without getting in too much trouble," Valdago said with a smile.
"Cute. Okay prepare to jettison the debris and set a course for the wormhole."
"Aye, Sir."
From the Virgo a flashing light identified by the two "mutineers" as a torpedo launch sped its way to the Lambda Flier. "I hope this works! Jettison debris and engage warp engines; maximum warp!" Lataro yelled as the torpedo passed 150 km and closing in fast.
The Flier's warp engine came online and the ship flew quickly into the wormhole. The debris field left enough matter so that the torpedo detonated on a large piece of hull plating rigged with the explosives. The explosion masked the Flier's jump into the wormhole.
Inside the wormhole, sensors were going off; the small ship had entered the wormhole too fast. Lataro was busy trying to compensate, busy pressing button after button.
"Commander! Hull integrity at 85% and dropping!" Valdago yelled as the computer announced temperatures rising.
"Reroute auxiliary power to the integrity field. Hold on!" The small ship proceeded through the wormhole at tremendous speed, so instinctively Lataro tried to throttle back, but the gravitational wells pulled the ship faster and faster. "How much until we reach the other side of the wormhole?"
"Fifteen seconds!"
"Come on, baby. Hold together!" Lataro said under his breath.
<Hull integrity at 60%,> the computer announced.
"Ten seconds," Valdago yelled.
Suddenly the shaking stopped and the ship's ride smoothed out. As if being spat out, the Lambda Flier emerged from the wormhole. "Mr. Valdago? I thought there was another 10 seconds?" Lataro said, amazed.
"Yes, Sir, so did I."
"Hmm. Entering the wormhole at the speed we did must have effected the overall journey."
"Duhh," Valdago said, sarcastically.
"Lieutenant! Even though we are dead, we will still observe proper etiquette," Lataro said with a smile.
"Yes, Sir," Valdago said mocking a salute. Lataro smiled.
"Okay. Set a course for Jeor and engage cloak. I don't want any surprises on this trip."
"Fine. We should reach Jeor in about 52 hours at maximum warp, but with the captain's flight plan, it will take closer to four days."
"Okay fine."
After making the calculations, Lataro banked the ship and let the computer take control. The Flier began to cloak as the warp engines engaged sending the two on their way to create the needed alliance with the Jeorri.
"Commander Lataro!" Valdago yelled, waking Lataro up. He must've fallen asleep, but as he got up and took his chair, he saw on the sensor reading the reason why he had been abruptly awakened. "Long range sensors are picking up a Kirusan battle cruiser bearing 258 mark 4."
"Is the cloak operating?" Lataro said as he verified the readings.
"Yes. Everything is operating efficiently."
"Okay steady as she goes. No sudden or abrupt maneuvers."
"Yes, Sir."
The battle cruiser was similar to the designs that they had seen before. As they approached it, it made no indication of detecting the Flier. "This is the right course right, Lieutenant?"
"Yes, Commander. This is the route given to us by the captain."
"Okay, then let's just watch ourselves." The battle cruiser passed just overhead. Lataro didn't want to give themselves away by making sharp turns and evasive maneuvers, but the cloak worked well. A few minutes later the battle cruiser was now aft and gaining distance. There was still no signs of detection. "Increase speed to warp five. I want to put as much distance between them and us."
"Aye, Sir. Next stop, the Jeorri!" Valdago said.
"I hope so!"