Lost" (Part Two of Three)

As the sun started to come up, so the temperature started to rise. The cold seemed to also awaken Lieutenant Grafton, Rick went to work on the emergency transmitter and started then to plan for the worse if the Leviathan wouldn't pick up the distress call.

"Hey Chief." Murphy called out.

"Yeah, what is it sir ?"

"We need to find something like a food source. Our rations won't last forever."

"One step ahead of you." Rick was already working on the problem.

Meanwhile twenty-five kilometres from the shuttle, was another stranded crew.

"Third, I have vaporised the First and the Second's bodies." A six foot three inch tall Jem'Hadar said to the Third overlooking a large cliff, that dropped into a big valley some twenty-eight kilometres below.

"Excellent, Fourth."

"Now you're the First, once more." The Fourth replied.

"I doubt that, I questioned the Vorta's actions ten years ago, when we experimented
with the transwarp drive." The Third said looking down into the Valley.

"If you have been listening to, we wouldn't have gone beyond warp twelve and be stuck here. Luckily we have over three hundred barrels of white."

The Jem'Hadar turned and walked back towards the remnants of the once powerful Jem'Hadar battlecruiser, now a complete wreck.

*How can I tell them that less than half the 'White' survived.* The Third thought to himself. *We can last out for many years, but one day our supplies will be gone.*

Back at the base camp of the three stranded Federation officers, Chief Shale and Lieutenant Grafton were discussing a possible scouting mission. When Ensign Murphy came back very excited.

"Chief, Lieutenant! !!"

"What ?" Shale was getting tired of the Ensign. "I've picked up humanoid life signs, two kilometres away and moving closer."

Rick was alarmed at the news, he didn't know if they were friendly or not. He grabbed a phaser rifle and then Murphy's tricorder. As Shale stepped out of the shuttle, three Jem'Hadar appeared out of thin air.

"Freeze, you are prisoners of the Dominion."

*Of great.* Shale thought.

The three officers were walked to the wrecked battlecruiser. Lieutenant Grafton was still in pain. Then a Jem'Hadar came up to the three officers.

"I am Third, Remata Clan." The Jem'Hadar announced. He then looked at Grafton. "Human, with speciality in Engineering or Tactical department. Rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade."

He then walked in front of the Chief "Human, Non-commissioned officer, rank of Chief Petty Officer, in command or flight control. I take it you have some experience."

The Chief kept quite and didn't say much.

"Ensign, Human, in Science or Medical department. Get him to work on our Ketracel White plant. The other will come with me."

The other two were walked into the ship where a Vorta was standing in some pale light from some candles.

"Welcome. I'm Eidona, My ship appears to have suffered the same fate as yours."

"We are allies now, the war is over." Grafton said

"It is ? Of course we've been here ten years now."

"So please we mean no harm. Let us go." Shale said hoping the Vorta would see reason.

"How do I know you're not lying. We have a top secret transwarp drive, that appears to have one flaw." The Vorta said giving a smile.

"What are we to do ?"

"You are to help get the ships main power online. If you do that you'll be treated accordingly."

"And if we fail ?"

'You will become another tactical exercise for the Jem'Hadar, It's been a while since they hunted a humanoid."

Grafton turned and spoke softly to Shale. "We will help them and in turn we can get another message to the Leviathan. "Shale shook his head in agreement.

"We will help."

"Excellent, Thirteen Okira clan will show you to main Engineering."