Finding an Enemy in a Friend (Part Two of Two)

Rashad stepped into the Interrogation room and looked at Stefen on the other side of the forcefield. He was looking very distraught and tired. He was not secured by any means and he appeared to be co-operating with Lieutenant McQueen.

"Lieutenant…" Rashad said, announcing her presence. "… Have you started without me ?"

"No Commander." Logan replied. "I only just arrived from sickbay a few moments ago, I was just making sure that Lieutenant Moss was fully awake."

Did you get anything from the guards ?" Rashad asked.

"Nothing." Logan admitted. "They say they saw a Male Starfleet officer walk past them and the next thing they knew, they were waking up in sickbay. They have no memory of being attacked or knocked unconscious. I've had them both look through the crew database at all the Vulcan officers, but they've not been able to identify the crew member."

"Vulcan !" Rashad exclaimed.

"Including all half-Vulcan crew." Logan continued.

"I might be able to help you there." Rashad stated, send this image to sickbay and see if the face fits.

Rashad handed Logan the Padd and he stepped outside for a moment. When he came back, he sat beside the Commander and handed the Padd back.

"How did you know ?" Logan asked. "Both officers have identified the image as the officer who walked past them."

"I got it from one of covert camera's..." Rashad stated. "….The one in Private Moss-West's quarters."

"He was in Jessica's quarters, but how ? … Why ?" Logan asked.

"What's even more interesting is that according to the Starfleet database, this man has been dead for the past four years." Rashad continued. "Lieutenant, I'd like to be first to ask some questions. I think the Lieutenant maybe able to shed some light on this matter."

"Go right ahead Commander." Logan replied.

Rashad activated the Padd once more and passed it through the forcefield to Stefen. Stefen looked at the image and just stood gazing at it as if in shock.

"Do you know this man ?" She asked.

Stefen looked at the image and sighed. "Yes." He replied.

"Then can you tell me why Starfleet believes this man to be dead for the past four years." Rashad asked.

Stefen was silent for a few moments. "He is dead Commander. I should know, I was there, he died in my arms, he transferred his 'Katra' to me and I took it and his body home to Vulcan. That man is not T'Val, nor is the body you found in the office that of Jessica."

"Tell me how he died." Rashad asked.

Stefen recounted the death of his friend and colleague all those years ago.

USS Omega: Four Years Ago

Lieutenant (JG) Moss ran out of the Intelligence Department as the ship was being boarded by Jem'Hadar troopers. The ship was taking onboard refugees from a moon the Dominion had attacked. Captain Brown had ordered everyone to stand their ground. Stefen and T'Val were holding a small group of Jem'Hadar off using their Vulcan strength to fight. As Stefen was holding back a group of charging Jem'Hadar, T'Val was shot in the heart. Stefen managed to fend off his attackers and fired several shots at the remaining troops, just before more Security officers arrived. Stefen ran over to T'val and dropped to his knees.

"T'Val hang on." Stefen yelled. "Moss to sickbay, I need a medical team to Deck seven now. T'Val is down and seriously hurt."

[On our way.] Came the reply.

T'val looked at Stefen and knew the end was near. Stefen grabbed T'Val's hand, they both knew that they were the best Intel agents on the ship. Their friendship had grown not only through their shared occupation, but also their heritage as Vulcans.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade T'val, you hang on you hear that, hang on. That an order." Stefen yelled. "Help is on it's way."

"Live long and prosper Stefen Moss." T'Val said.

T'Val died in Stefen arms as he said those words. Deep inside, Stefen felt the life-force of his friend moving into his body.

USS Leviathan-B : Present

[Sickbay to Commander Rashad.] The voice of Rahel Kafhre announced.

"Rashad here." She replied, tapping her comm badge.

[There's something about the body of Jessica Moss-West you should see.] Rahel announced. [Could you bring Logan with you ?]

"We're both on our way." Rashad confirmed.

Logan and T'Kul looked at each other, then at Stefen. None of them spoke for a moment, then Logan looked at Stefen and said. "You said that the body we found you over was not Jessica, why ?"

"They're some kind of polymorph or they've used some kind of holographic image manipulation." Stefen stated. "When Klang contacted me over the secure link informing me that Jessica was in his hands…"

"Klang contacted you ?" Rashad announced. "I found no trace of any communication coming to the console."

"I think they used some kind of auto-erase sub-programme in the transmission to prevent anyone tracing the source." Stefen stated. "He said that he had kidnapped Jessica and wanted me to transfer all the information we had on the Dominion and Omega, then erase it."

"But I know the security detail brought Jessica onboard and that she's been under surveillance ever since she stepped onboard." Logan stated. "So how do you know he had Jessica ?"

"He showed her to me. I believe she was kidnapped before she ever stepped onboard the Leviathan." Stefen continued. "When I heard the door behind me open, I instinctively turned and fired. I shot someone who looked like Lieutenant T'Val, but in the back of my mind I knew it couldn't be him. When I started to examine the body, I activated something that made the body change to look like Jessica. I believe that's how they managed to kidnap her without us knowing. Whoever or whatever this person is, he's probably our Omega agent."

"We'll see." Logan said rising from his chair. "Commander, let's see what the Doctor has come up with."