Hellcat Found

It had taken the Engineering section of the USS Leviathan-B just over twelve hours to reach the location of the co-ordinates that Logan had discovered in the download buffer of Lieutenant Moss's console in his quarters. They had been in the slipstream for most of that time, travelling at incredible speed, to catch up with the Hellcat.

"Captain, We're approaching the co-ordinates." Lieutenant Lily Barker announced form the Helm station.

"Take us out of the slipstream." Aki ordered. "Go to Yellow alert, raise shields and power up all weapon."

The Leviathan dropped back into normal space and found itself in a remote area of the Gamma quadrant. From the location, this area of space was 'no-mans land' between the Federation territory and the Dominion.

"Captain, I'm picking up a mining colony on one of the inner planets." Lieutenant Marco Borealiou announced. "I'm also picking up tachyon emissions in the area. There could be cloaked vessels in the area."

"Helm take us in." Aki ordered. "Mister Borealiou, see if you can't pinpoint those emissions. They could be coming from the Hellcat."

It took the vessel five more minutes to reach the mining base.

"Mister Borealiou, have you found the Hellcat ?" Aki asked.

"There's a lot of interference, I can't pinpoint the source of the emissions." Marco admitted. "Wait, we're being hailed….. It's the Hellcat !."

"On screen." Aki ordered.

The viewscreen changed from the image of the system to that of the Command deck to the Hellcat and the face of Lieutenant Zack Dare."

[Captain Taybar.] Zack stated. [It's good to see you. But what are you doing here ? I thought we were leading the rogue Jem'Hadar vessel away from you and the Saucer section and all rendezvousing at Bopak III in three days time.]

"Plans change." Aki lied. "Where's Commander Rashad ?"

[On the mining base, with Lieutenant Moss.] Zack reported. [I don't have too many details, but it looks like we've discovered an Omega base.]

"That's excellent news Lieutenant." Aki said. "I'll want a full report on this as soon as you dock. Come on home, we'll bring the Commander and Lieutenant Moss back."

[Understood. Hellcat out.] Zack replied, before closing the link.

Aki looked over towards Lieutenant McQueen. He'd already guessed what the Captain was going to ask and was busy diverting some of the Security officers from the search of the vessel to the main shuttle bay.

"I've got three teams of Security officers heading to meet the Hellcat." Logan reported. "We're going to have to put them under house arrest, there's no room in the Brig for anymore prisoners."

"That will be fine." Aki said, sounding pleased. "From what Lieutenant Dare has just said, I'm guessing that all this is down to Rashad and Moss, the rest of the crew had no idea what they were doing."

Within half an hour, the Hellcat and its crew were secured onboard the Engineering section. The Captain had decided to wait for Rashad and Moss to contact them, just in case they 'spooked' the two Intel officers. They didn't have to wait long before Commander Rashad's voice came over the comm link.

[Rashad to Hellcat.] The Commander announced. [Three to beam up.]

Aki looked over towards Lieutenant Dare, who had been brought to the Bridge to communicate with the Commander when she finally broke communications science.

"Understood. Beaming you up in thirty seconds." Zack said.

Aki looked over to Lieutenant Borealiou and nodded. Marco activated the transporter systems remotely and beamed them directly to the Bridge. For a few moments, all three new arrivals appeared to be confused at their surroundings. Then they saw the Captain standing in front of them, looking very disappointed and angry.

"Security, escort Lieutenant Moss to his quarters and take Private Moss-West to Sickbay. Commander Rashad I'd like to see you in the briefing room NOW."

The two officers walked across the room and into the small briefing room, which had it been the Main Bridge would have been the Captain's ready room. Two Security guards followed and remained outside the door. Captain Taybar sat down behind the desk, whilst Rashad remained standing.

"What is going on ?" Aki asked. "Why did you disobey my direct orders and head off on this wild-goose chase."

The Romulan-Bajorian stood before the Captain and for a moment said nothing. Feeling slightly weak, she took a deep breath and sat down opposite the Captain before speaking.

"Captain Taybar, I take full responsibility for my action and those of my crew." She said firmly. "They had no idea what I was doing and should not be reprimanded for my actions, they were just following orders."

"I'm sure Lieutenant Moss is not without some blame." Aki suggested.

Rashad was silent, admitting by her lack of denial that what the Captain had just remarked was true.

*This is not like Rashad.* Aki thought, looking at her XO and Chief Intelligence officer. *She knows better.*

"Captain, I was operating under information provided to me by a Section 31 agent." T'Kul suddenly announced. "I can't give you their identity or the source of this information. What I can say is that this was a joint Section 31 and Starfleet Intelligence operation, which has resulted in the capture of over fifty Omega agents and the rescue of nearly a hundred Starfleet, Section 31 and Federation Marines, including Private Jessica Moss-West and her father Admiral West."

By now Rashad was starting to sweat and she was beginning to feel very hot.

*What's wrong with me ?* She asked herself, then it hit her. She remembered the attack by the stranger and feeling the slight tingle as he'd pushed something against her neck. *He injected something into my system.*

Sickbay

The next thing she knew, she was coming too in the Engineering section's small sickbay. She could hear the Captain's voice speaking with Private Eliza Dyson, the Marine Medic and the vessels EHM.

"What can you tell me about the Commander's condition ?" Aki asked.

"From what I can tell, her body had been injected with some kind of retro-virus." Private Dyson stated. "It appears to be attaching itself to certain sections of her DNA and altering it."

"Is this virus contagious ?" Aki enquired.

"No." Eliza replied. "From the medical examination we've just completed, it would appear that she was injected with the virus via some kind of hypospray into the neck. She's no danger to the rest of the crew."

"Can you stop the virus from spreading ?" Aki asked.

"Captain, we don't have the equipment or the knowledge to stop this." The EMH said. "At best I can try and slow the process down by introducing some virus inhibitors, but the virus will eventually win."

"Can she be saved at all ?" Aki asked.

"Doctor Kahfre is her only hope for finding a solution." The EMH admitted. "She's got a much more detailed knowledge of DNA analysis than the medical database."

"Unfortunately she's on the Saucer section, three days from here." Aki remarked. "Will the Commander last that long ?"

"It will he hard to say." The EMH admitted. "The inhibitors might give her a couple of days and if that's not enough, then we can put her into stasis, but unless we can find a cure soon, then the virus will eventually win."

"Captain…." Rashad said weakly, attempting to rise from the biobed. "What's going on ?"

"We think you've been exposed to some kind of virus, which is attacking your DNA." Aki said. "But we're going to find a cure and have you out of sickbay as soon as possible. Then maybe we can continue our discussion about your recent actions."

"I can't stay here." Rashad said loudly. "I want to find out who did this to me."

Rashad continued to struggle to rise from the biobed, but by then the EMH had activated a restraining field to keep her secured to bed so that she wouldn't hurt either herself or any of the crew.

"LET ME OUT OF HERE." Rashad protested, continuing to struggle against the forces holding her down.

The EMH injected something into her neck and she slumped down onto the bed.

"She'll be out for hours Captain." The EMH announced. "I'll start working on the virus inhibitors immediately."

Suddenly the Captain's Comm badge beeped. Tapping it once, she heard the voice of Lieutenant McQueen, who was manning the Bridge.

"Taybar to Bridge." She stated. "Who can I do for you Lieutenant ?"

[Captain, Commodore West is on the comm link from the mining base. He wishes to speak to you in private.] Logan reported.

"Tell him, I'm on my way back to the Bridge and I'll contact him when I reach there in about five minutes." Aki replied.

[Understood. Bridge out.] Logan confirmed, cutting the link.

After checking on Private Moss-West who was busy sleeping off her own ordeal on the second biobed, Aki and Private Dyson both left the small sickbay and headed for the turbolift.

"Commander Rashad is activating very odd." Eliza commented. "I've never seen her react so violently, it must the Bajorian in her."

"I suppose so." Aki lied.

Captain Taybar had known Commander Rashad a lot longer than the Marine and she knew that even with her Bajorian emotions, Rashad had always kept them controlled with her Vulcan training. She had realised that the reaction they had both witnessed had come not from her Bajorian side, but her Romulan, she was angry and that made her dangerous. The two officers separated, Taybar heading for the Bridge whilst Eliza headed back to Marine country.