Starbase 47 ◇ Thread Concluded SD: 2409.0221

[Iorte Clancy]

Iorte would be surprised if all this was done by the Romulans, despite the battle that'd been taking place between the Klingon and Romulan flotillas at the far edge of the system - which this Vor'cha class had drifted over from, having presumably been disabled. Perhaps in their drift they'd been attacked, possibly by the changeling lifesign the away team was now detecting on or near the bridge, who presumably would've left the vessel and only now returned with their craft that'd before been hovering behind the El Alamein.

There was no guarantee though, the Intel officer realised, that the changeling had been aboard the small rhomboid craft. He or she or it might've been here all along on the Qo'nos, wreaking havoc... Perhaps the rhomboid ship headed over here having received a remote command from the changeling already aboard. There was no way the changeling could've done this much damage if they'd only just boarded.

Clancy voiced these concerns quietly as they traversed the corridors, heading in an ascending zig-zag course towards the bridge via different types of lifts and on one occasion a vertical maintenance shaft.

"What if a different changeling or changelings - from the one we read now - assaulted the ship before?" Finch asked to counter Iorte's musings. "The rhombus vessel, or whatever you want to call it, Commander, probably did carry our changeling... But what's to say other changeling craft might not be present, out towards that vague zone of the skirmishes between the Empire and Star Empire birds?

"The Qo'nos's drift path may have taken it past other changeling ships," Massa agreed, "But all that's speculation; we can only work with the evidence before us."

Iorte wondered whether they might contact the El Alamein and have it intensively scan the regions of the system out towards the nearby Klingon-Romulan battlegrounds. Another vessel or vessels of the same configuration as the docked rhomboid ship might be there. The changeling may detect their transmission, but then surely they woul've also detected their beaming aboard. Tan agreed they should go for it.

Iorte put in the call and Komin affected a song and dance about how laborious her new task was, the four officers smiled and then exited a lift leading into the neck of the Vor'cha class's forward section - the bridge was forward of their position.

Taking in the scene in the wide corridor before him, Iorte's eyes widened, "Get down!" he yelled and four Starfleet officers ducked out of the way as a series of cerulean energy bolts tore towards them from the barrel of a gun.

Iorte found cover behind a huge blackened and twisted girder - part of the general scene of devastation that he'd seen was fairly ubiquitous over the vessel - and felt building warmth in the slab of metal as the changeling weapon's rounds discharged against it. At least he assumed it was the shapeshifter. From the brief flash of him Clancy had seen he didn't look like one of the 16 Klingon lifesigns left aboard the Qo'nos...

=/\=Get around the sides. He's focussed on me and Finch,=/\= Iorte commed to Tan and Massa, but as soon as he'd finished the call the firing ceased. Surely not? Return phaser fire had taken place a half dozen times, only sporadically and hardly enough to have the changeling break away, but it seemed he'd gone all the same.

Iorte stood from behind the girder and moved forward gingerly, stepping over corpses of Klingon warriors and bits of detritus and debris. The others became visible in the wide corridor as they too moved forward. It was then Clancy realised Finch had been hit.

"Abdominal pains," the security medic noted, "I advise this treatment," he pointed to a set of procedural memory-joggers on the medical tricorder that he'd handed to Massa. His levity as he fought through the pain to speak was impressive. He'd been struck twice in the gut by the changeling weapon's energy bolts.

"Some of these Klingons lost their lives through burning, damage to the ship itself, probably the Romulans' attacks," Tan decided as he studied various of the corpses in the passage, "But some were killed in close combat. These aren't Romulan methods. Why would the changelings do this? Aren't they at war with the Romulans not the Klingons?"

While Tan checked the Klingons and Massa leant over the downed security medic, Clancy walked the 30 metres down the broad axial passage to a heavy metallic door that led into the bridge. Was the changeling within? Is this where he'd pulled back to? Tricorder signals were unclear. They discovered a suggestion of a Founder-like biosignature remaining in this section, but where specifically they weren't able to tell.

Would he have cornered himself on the bridge or did he have another route to take? Iorte didn't know the layout of these vessels well enough to know if there were any escape routes aftwards from this section. Presumably though, there were plenty of places to hide in the many routes leading off either side of the passage.

[David Tan]

IKS Qo'noS ::

Knowing now that it seemed a possibility that several of the Klingon crew were still alive but had yet to be found, they had little option but to investigate the life sign reading Don Finch had picked up .....

Cautiously inching their way along the corridor that connected the Drive Section of the Vor'cha Class Cruiser to the Bridge, David moved a fraction of a second after Clancy's warning, saving him from taking the phaser blast in his chest. The four dropped, scurrying backwards in an effort to find even the smallest cover as the firing continued.

David saw Iorte tapp his commbadge:

=^= Get around the sides .. He's focused on me and Finch .. .. =^= Nate nodded, motioning for Tan to move off to their left, but as he did so the firing ceased ..... Finch had been hit but was still alive, more from luck than bad aim David thought as he covered the corridor while Iorte tended to the Security Officer's injury. It was clear from the injuries sustained that while some of the crew had perished in the presumed fire-fight with one or more Romulan vessels, it stood out all too well that some had died by 'other' means, finally, Clancy confirmed casually that Finch would live!

"Stay here, cover us..." David said, checking along the corridor before returning to hand Don the phaser he'd dropped when hit, "... We're going to check in there, if 'anything' comes through that door, fire, don't wait,"

"..... And if whoever comes out is one of you?" the man asked. Tan hadn't actually thought that the Changeling could escape by imitating Clancy, Massa, or himself.

"Set the phaser to maximum stun, it will drop any of us cold, but should also be strong enough to hinder the Changeling. If you hit it, I imagine you'll know, and might give you that fraction of a second to increase the setting and burn a hole in the damn thing before it gets to you," Massa commented, clearly not wanting to be hit by 'friendly fire' even if it was on stun.

"Great plan," Finch said sarcastically, as Clancy painfully lifted him into a sitting position so he could cover the entrance to the Bridge unhindered, urged on but the injured Security Officer, the three moved towards the closed door. With one on either side, Massa knelt and readied himself to either dive for cover if someone inside objected to their presence, or to enter as quickly as possible as the door slid aside. With a nod from David, Iorte activated the door release mechanism... For a second nothing happened, and then the heavily reinforced door, possibly twisted slightly out of shape during the previous fighting, groaned and moved aside.

The Bridge beyond was in complete darkness apart from a myriad of blinking indicators on the few panels that seemed to have a power supply. David and Iorte entered, quickly pushing themselves against the bulkhead as Massa stepped inside moving left so as not to present his silhouette to any attacker. Nate moved behind a console and retrieved the tricorder:

"There's someone, or something in here with us!" he whispered.

"Where?"

"Viewscreen," Nate said, lowering the device to inch forward to the edge of the console, as all three released a volley of fire in a wide arc. Nate was about to pick up the tricorder when they heard firing!

Spinning, David shouted into the corridor:

"Lieutenant ..... LIEUTENANT ..... You still with us?"

"I'm still alive... Whoever came out of there was moving bloody fast, almost a blur, but I think I might have hit, whatever it was,"

"Can you see it?" Massa asked, risking a peek around the open door.

"No..." Finch said, watching as the others returned, "... At least I don't think so,"

"Ha, bloody HA!" Nate said, sweeping the tricorder back and forth trying to confirm that they were alone. Suddenly he frowned, lifting the device to check the reading before realising too late that they were in trouble. Behind David, 'Finch' had silently risen to his feet and had taken a step towards the Intelligence Officer, before anyone realised, he threw an arm around Tan's throat from behind and lifted him off his feet. Unprepared for the attack, David gasped, trying to get precious oxygen into his empty lungs as he snatched at the arm holding him like a vice ..... Clancy and Massa had raised their weapons and trained them on Tan and his attacker, of Finch, or his body, there was no sign!

"I believe this is what you 'Humans' call an impassé or should that be stalemate...?" the Changeling said as he took a step back towards the turbolift, Tan, still suspended half a metre off the body-strewn deck was rapidly beginning to lose consciousness, but his impending asphyxiation didn't seem to concern his attacker as he stared at the others, "... I intend to enter the turbolift, if you wish your associate to live, I suggest you take no action to prevent my leaving,"

"Let him go, he's suffocating!" Nate said, seeing Tan's arms and legs go limp, almost lifeless, his eyes widening as blood began to be forced into the sclera, the white of the eye ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

The changeling looked at Tan casually, "So he is," he said and cast the Intelligence officer forward on to the deck. He collapsed like a rag doll and rolled on to his back wheezing and only semiconscious.

His left arm melting into a gelatinous silvery grey, the changeling looked to the three of them as the amorphous shape of the limb extended out and downward, wrapping itself loosely three times round the prone Tan's neck; the quivering silver limb hung there, "I don't wish to kill any of you," the changeling said, "My people, the Tkrnn, do not want to fight the Federation at this time. We are still learning about you. Those you call the Romulans, and to some extent the Klingons... they are our chosen foes."

"The Tkrnn..." Iorte mused, wondering if he'd heard the name somewhere before, something just within the most distant recall; perhaps he was mistaken. "Are you all shapeshifters?"

The Finch changeling gave a devillish smile, "All those that matter are, yes. The rest are not worth an account. Neither in our own thoughts nor in what we tell you aliens. Speaking of the alien, almost all those under that category have been discovered to be worthless... all except those from the outer rim of the galactic northwest... We've learnt they're people like us, our brothers and sisters."

People like them... Iorte thought, the galactic northwest... "You mean the Dominion? The Founders?"

"We don't know them by that name, but yes, those who founded the Dominion." Iorte opened his mouth with another thought but the Tkrnn held up his right hand, "No more questions! You'll leave me to my task!" he snarled and unwrapped his other arm from round Tan's neck, drawing it back to fully recreate his Finch form, but not before he allowed the silver branch to slap at all three of them and take them off their feet. The Tkrnn bounded from the bridge, entering and closing the turbolift while they were still getting back to their feet and unable to aim their phasers.

"Well, we have to find Finch," Massa said, "The real one."

Tan and Massa tentatively left the bridge, by the door leading into the neck's passage, hoping to find the convalescent Finch still present - to no avail - while Clancy remained on the bridge. To Iorte's pleasure he found that short and mid-range sensors were still online, as well as some internal diagnostic systems. Frowning in incomprehension and bashing his fists against the consoles that displayed various status reports, he found he had better luck with the sensors.

He tapped his commbadge as he read off a screen, =/\=Tan, Massa, this is Clancy. It seems the skirmishes between Romulans and Klingons have died down a bit. This ship has drifted from the site of the main fight at the system's edge, seems to have suffered its battle damage from a Valdore-type warbird. The changeling's rhomboid-shaped craft is docked at a port-side connector in this ship's forward section, not far from here.=/\=

=/\=Clancy, we're a couple dozen metres outside the bridge. No sign of our Finch. I'm going to say myself and Massa should head towards that docked vessel, explore it. Perhaps it'll prove a valuable intelligence source. Can you give us some specs?=/\= Tan commed back.

Iorte perused the sensor readings, =/\=The docked rhomboid ship's dimensions are about 30 by 30 by 20 metres. There are a couple protrusions that could be primary weapons arrays... The engines are harder to identify; perhaps they're on each face of the rhomboid, making them omnidirectional and negating the need for the craft to rotate about when it wants to go anywhere. I'd be wary about entering it, however, apart from anything else because we can't say for sure where the changeling's gone. Perhaps he's returned to that ship.=/\=

<Tag Tan>

=/\=Who is this?=/\= a raspy voice came over the comm suddenly.

Iorte stood up straight, =/\=Well, who's this?=/\=

=/\=This is Ambassador Marius Wurzenburger, you Klingons' VIP passenger remember? I'm in my quarters... Well, are we at Qo'nos yet? Why are you transmitting on my commbadge's frequency?=/\=

=/\=I'm sorry, Ambassador, I don't know how I keyed you into my transmission. I'm Iorte Clancy, Starfleet Intelligence. I and my colleagues are here investigating what has become of this vessel, if you didn't know something was awry. You're part of the Federation embassy to the Klingon Empire...?=/\= he trailed off. Initially the away team hadn't detected any other lifeforms except 17 Klingons and one changeling... How should Iorte know this man was who he claimed to be?

Iorte commed Tan again (apparently he and Massa hadn't heard Wurzenburger's interjection) and was told to stay put to keep an eye on sensor readouts of the docked changeling rhomboid craft while Tan and Massa attempted to access it. Clancy thought a moment. He couldn't go to the ambassador, but that didn't preclude a meeting. He tapped his commbadge, =/\=Mr Wurzenburger, perhaps you'd like to try to find your way to the bridge?=/\=

[Carl Torek]

07:00 hrs ...
Starbase Forty-Seven ;:

He had studied both locations extensively prior to positioning the devices ..... Sitting in the Arboretum on Level nine two six, he watched the stars beyond the massive windows. He wasn't sentimental, far from it, but he did find sitting in private, musing about what will be, soothed any anxiety he felt. He checked the chronometer and closed his eyes .....

Over sixty Levels above him, two of the timed explosives detonated!

This far below the blasts, there was no way he could feel them happen, but something within him accepted the fact that he had once more terrorised the hated Klingons and Romulans. From the specifications on the apple-sized devices, there shouldn't be much left of the two reception areas of the respective Embassies, importantly, there shouldn't be any civilians close by at this hour. After moments of contemplating the death toll, he stood and headed for the nearest turbolifts.

Level eight sixty ::

Stepping off the 'lift he was immediately stopped by a Security Officer:

"What happened Lieutenant?"

"Apologies Captain..." the young woman said, eyeing the rank insignia, "... There have been two explosions one here in the Klingon Embassy foyer, the other several Levels below in the Romulan Embassy, we're keeping the area clear for Emergency Services,"

"Casualties?" the Changeling asked, unable to see far enough along the wide corridor to the precise location of the explosion, but judging from the debris scattered around the device had clearly done its job.

"At least six of the Klingon Embassy Staff that we're aware of, Emergency services are still searching. Sir, if you could vacate the area?"

"Understood," he said, stepping back into the turbolift requesting Level eight six four as his destination ..... On arrival, he was able to step off the 'lift unchallenged as people ran back and forth. Again fire-suppression systems had doused the flames in seconds, but the damage was still extensive. The corridor was strewn with rubble but he could see bodies covered with sheets, 'So at least three of the hated Romulan scum' he thought, grinning inwardly.

Leaving the area before anyone questioned his presence, the Changeling retreated back to his quarters and checked the other devices, wondering casually how long he should wait before positioning the remainder. One was a timed explosive, while the other three were proximity, detonated by someone approaching within a set distance. These he would need to be careful with, the last thing the Tkrnn wanted was to injure or kill anyone unnecessarily. He returned two of the devices back to the satchel they had been carried in, keeping two of the proximity devices with him as he activated the viewscreen for news.

Starfleet was never slow in providing information, and this was no exception as he listened to the reports of the two explosions. Somewhat understandably, they were not saying what had caused either blast was, instead informing all Starbase Residents and Visitors that investigations were ongoing, and both Levels were now off-limits to all but Starfleet Personnel. Frustration grew as he heard that neither Ch'Lor nor Hazr'vat had been injured - He had purposefully set the time knowing that both Ambassadors were usually in their offices before zero six hundred and had been hoping that both would perish, now his task would be much harder to achieve!

Once more he changed his appearance and left his quarters ..........

[David Tan]

Ceylanite Space ...

Damaged Klingon Vessel ...
Vor'cha Class Cruiser
IKS Qo'noS ::

He could sense the last vestiges of life leaving his body, the Changeling had lifted him off his feet and was strangling the life from him second by second .....

Then, seconds before he passed away, his body was discarded and thrown to the floor, the impact was enough for his mind, now almost closed down, to realise there was the slightest chance of survival. Somewhere in his fog-strewn consciousness, he could hear voices.

"..... We are still learning about you. Those you call the Romulans and to some extent the Klingons... They are our chosen foes."

Despite all his efforts, he couldn't fight the fatigue, the loss of life-giving oxygen to his almost starved brain, to make sense of the words, so he allowed his eyes to close, darkness enveloping him once more .....

"..... No more questions... You will leave me to my task!" David heard and felt something 'release' him, then hands grasped his shoulders, lifting him to a seated position as Nate Massa placed a hypospray against his neck, injecting something cold, seconds later he could feel his body reacting, live-giving oxygen was again passing from his blood cells. Several times he tried to talk but was told to remain still. Finally, the Security Chief helped him to his feet, he looked around, still trying to understand what had happened even as Iorte explained that the Changeling had almost killed him in its effort to escape!

Despite all his efforts, it still took a long fifteen minutes before he could hold himself upright without help and Massa had needed to inject him twice more to aid his recovery. As David recovered, Clancy continued checking the Bridge consoles, quickly understanding the basic workings of the vessel as David and Massa left in search of Finch, hoping the man was still alive. They hadn't gone that far when Massa's commbadge chirped:

=^= Tan .. Massa .. This is Clancy .. It seems the skirmishes between Romulans and Klingons have died down a bit .. This ship has drifted from the site of the main fight at the System's edge .. It seems to have suffered its battle damage from a Valdore-type warbird .. .. The changeling's rhomboid-shaped craft is docked at a Port-side connector in this ship's forward section. not far from your location =^=

=^= No sign of our Finch .. Massa and I will head towards that docked vessel .. Perhaps it will prove a valuable intelligence source =^= Tan commed back, listening intently as Clancy relayed information on the unknown vessel. Nate tapped the commbadge severing the connection a fraction of a second before someone else interjected .....

Unknown Vessel ::

Weapons drawn, Massa and Tan approached the airlock ..... Whoever was moving between both ships seemed confident they themselves weren't going to be overrun given the fact that the doors at either side of the airlock were open, allowing passage without having to recycle each time. The two listened intently, hoping to hear someone moving around, but alas the airlock and ship beyond were deathly silent.

"You 'do' know we could be standing on this bloody Changeling," Nate said frustratedly.

"Come on," David said, stepping into the airlock and then onto the unknown vessel itself.

They were in a corridor: The bulkheads, deck plates, and ceiling were a blue-grey colour. Massa reached out and touched the wall which was surprisingly warm to the touch, he commented on this as they began to move what they assumed was for'ard. Going off the dimensions Clancy had supplied, it was highly possible that the actual 'living' area was small, certainly nothing large enough to carry more than a few people ... As they moved, doors on either side slid silently into invisible slots, Tan and Massa, hearts racing, spun, their weapons pointing into the empty rooms. It occurred to them both that either room could hold the Changeling and they would be none the wiser!

Ahead was another door .....

"Bridge?" David speculated as they took cautious steps closer until their presence activated the door.

Inside were two seats, almost 'Human-like' in appearance, so maybe the Changelings preferred that form, or something close to it. The two consoles were lifeless, as were the third and fourth, both set into the bulkheads on either side of the two chairs. David reached out, placing a hand tentatively on the closest panel which immediately illuminated making him jump involuntarily. He glanced at Massa, who couldn't help but grin.

"Looks like a navigation configuration maybe?"

"Possibly..." Massa replied as he too reached out to activate the nearby console, "... What's this, thrusters, weapons, bloody hell, there's no way we're going to make head nor tail of this stuff,"

"Any way we can prevent them from leaving?" David asked.

"How?" Nate said, shaking his head.

"OK, let's get back to Iorte, maybe he's had some luck locating Finch," David said, heading for the door to the corridor beyond, but Massa tapped him on the shoulder before pointing with his phaser to what looked like another door off the supposed Bridge, cautiously they moved towards the door which dutifully slid aside. Beyond was another corridor, a duplicate of the one they had used to reach the Bridge, David stepped back, eyeing the two doors estimating that both corridors likely ran the length of the ship on either side.

As Massa moved ahead, a door off the corridor slid aside, but far from being empty, the unconscious body of Lieutenant Finch fell out, Nate quickly checked for life signs:

"He's alive but out cold," he confirmed, retrieving the hypospray to administer something to bring the man around asTan eyed the corridor in both directions, hoping not to be surprised by the Changeling.

"..... Wha ....." Finch said drowsily.

"You'll be OK," Massa reassured the man as David tapped his commbadge to inform Iorte they had found their missing Officer, he closed the comm and looked at the rapidly recovering Finch:

"Let's go, we have the rest of this damn ship to cover," David said, wondering if there were more Decks, a possibility going off the spec's Iorte supplied ..........

[Gheskori]

"So there is a changeling on board then?" O'Toole said and began to depart quickly. Thomas barked out asking the bar-owner where he was going, back to his friends in Starfleet Intelligence perhaps? Who within it had provided him with the explosives?

"Now why would you go asking questions like that?" O'Toole said, having paused in the main entrance to the suite of meeting rooms Botracht and his two associates stood in. "Where I got the explosives is none of your concern... And if you were to find out, you wouldn't be waking up tomorrow, I can tell you that for free."

"Do I take that to mean you did in fact get them from Intelligence?" the other associate Mervin asked. The bar-owner said nothing and stepped backwards through the entrance, turning and striding off down the civilian concourse.

Botracht wondered whether he'd made a mistake in bringing O'Toole into this, someone who'd been seen - by Thomas - palling around with various Starfleet officers, including a few middle-ranking Intel personnel. Thomas was grinding his jaw, "If O'Toole keeps pushing us like this, Botracht, he'll find himself the wrong end of a Klingon disruptor, courtesy of your friend Commander Dolqar."

---

1000 hours the next morning... The Guildhall, Gamma Promenade

"He missed them!" Thomas announced, heaving his massive form over a barstool in the guildhall and taking to his pint of synthehol.

"Well, don't worry about it..." Botracht murmured, "He still has four left, and all the proximity devices are still intact. And would you keep your voice down?"

Thomas was spitting with rage but managed to calm himself before the promenade business liaison, Chief Petty Officer Canning entered the bar in search of the guild representative.

He found him quickly, "Mr Botracht... I suppose you've heard about the latest detonations in the diplomatic levels?" Canning took the man aside. Botracht stood still in terror, Canning having hardly paused, "Well, rumour has it that they were the objects of a transaction that took place right here on Gamma Promenade a couple days ago. I was wondering if you could look into it for me...?"

Botracht nodded and clapped the liaison enlisted on the shoulder, "I'll do my best," he smiled but was afraid it appeared to be more of a grimace; now was not the time to get agitated, now was the time to truly start panicking... He nodded and headed back over to Thomas at the bar, Canning grunting and narrowing his eyes a little. What was the man up to? Concern for his consumers and fellow traders probably. He nearly shrugged it off but instead wandered round the bar and through an adjoining section of the guildhall for a time, questioning various businessmen. "Come on, man! Up, up! Where were you yesterday afternoon?" Who'd been frequenting Gamma Promenade - perhaps in unusual hours - in the last couple days?

Gheskori's office, Command Centre

The Denobulan drummed his fingers against his terminal, more than ready to finish the call with Starfleet Command. Not that he wasn't happy to talk with them, important updates needed to be given regarding the Klingons and Romulans, the Klingon Dolqar's attendant D7s near Starbase 47, and of course the El Alamein and its covert operation in the Ceylan'tar system. But there were more pressing concerns on the base itself that he couldn't step away from for long, even if the break involved updating Starfleet's C-in-C. "Thank you, sir. I will, sir," he closed the channel and looked up, "Go on, Commander."

"The devices used have been traced to some sort of deal taking place on Gamma Promenade two or three days ago," Barton said obligingly.

"It's confirmed then," Ghes sighed, "Those were the explosives that O'Toole requisitioned from Intelligence's armoury, and those were the explosives he sold to Mr Botracht... What happened to the reduction in yield we were promised?!"

"Perhaps..." As the aide spoke, Torek, Raven crewmate Valente and Colonel Dupin entered; Barton nodded to the three and went on, "Perhaps whoever planted and detonated the devices recognised O'Toole's modification, and returned them to their full yield."

"Or perhaps O'Toole never reduced their yield in the first place," Ghes mused at his desk, but dismissed the thought as soon as it'd occurred. He turned to Carl and the other two newcomers, "Admiral, what can I do for you?" he asked, though it was clear Torek was here about the latest explosions (this time they'd taken place in the two empires' makeshift embassies, the delegations having already been moved once since the initial pair of incidents).

"Sean has told me..." Torek paused, for once hesitant, " that he met with Botracht and his associates again. According to them, the explosives Sean purchased for them were given to a changeling," the words landed heavily, "currently aboard the station. We saw only two detonations earlier this morning; there are four more devices, Gheskori. Ch'Lor, Hazr'vat, and perhaps others may not be so lucky next time."

Ghes froze in his seat and slowly raised his trembling hands to cover his face, "We've provided - via our Intelligence department - six explosive devices to a changeling?" A changeling of the species at war with the Romulans, no doubt, he thought, trying to draw them and the Klingons into a separate conflict to weaken their green-blooded enemies.

The Intel officer Valente spoke, "It seems that way. Admiral Lemond takes full responsibility, Admiral."

"No," Ghes shook his head and lowered his hands, "If O'Toole has correct information, we're all at fault. We should've known a changeling was amongst us; we didn't need the blood tests. Nothing can be done about it now. The question is, how do we find the changeling and stop him or her from killing again?"

[Carl Torek]

Office of Section Admiral Gheskori ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Centre ::

Carl wasn't sure which was coldest, the vacuum of space beyond the panoramic window at Gheskori's back, or the atmosphere inside the office .....

"So ..... We've provided - Via our Intelligence Department - Six explosive devices to a Changeling?" the Denobulan said quietly.

"It seems that way. Admiral Lemond takes full responsibility, Admiral." Calli replied.

"No..." Gheskori shook his head and lowered his hands, "If O'Toole has the correct information, we're all at fault. We should've known a Changeling was amongst us; We didn't need the blood tests. Nothing can be done about it now. The question is, how do we find the Changeling and stop him or her from killing again?"

"We've clearly underestimated the Changeling and its intentions..." Carl said, standing to walk around the office. Outside in the reception area, four of the largest Security personnel Colonel Dúpin could supply were keeping the Klingon and Romulan Representatives apart, barely, "... Fights have been breaking out all over the Starbase, pretty much anywhere the Klingons and Romulans come together. I've already asked Theo to restrict their movements, I suggest we confine them to the Levels where their respective Embassies are situated,"

"You think that will stop them?" Barton asked, receiving a glare that could freeze liquid mercury from Torek.

"I don't know, 'Commander' but one thing is certain ..... If we let them have free reign on the Starbase it won't be long before we have to start clearing away the bodies,"

"Not to mention possible Civilian casualties," Calli Valente added.

"Where are we on vessels?" Gheskori asked the Starbase Operations Officer, Erik Helgesen checked the PADD he was holding and then cast the data to the screen on the wall opposite:

"The Klingons have eight vessels within one lightyear of us, the Romulans eleven, both have more en route," the Fleet Captain replied.

"I don't want this facility becoming a pawn in their fighting, we need to find a means of detecting and detaining this Changeling," Gheskori said.

"How long before Starfleet Command send reinforcements?" the Section Admiral's Aide asked.

"They're not..." Carl replied, stunning the room into silence, "... The Federation council believe that us sending anyone here will only escalate an already difficult situation, indicating our possible allegiance to one side or the other,"

"So we're, ON OUR OWN...!?" Barton asked incredulously, eyes darting back and forth, "... This is all that Bartenders' doing. I think he should be brought in for questioning,"

"About what, exactly?" Valente asked.

"It's obvious ..... 'HE' gave the Changeling the explosives, who knows what else the man has been doing!"

"He was given permission to supply the devices in order to weed out who is responc ....." Theo Dúpin began, but the Aide interrupted him:

"PERMISSION ..... Hell, why are we even trusting the man?"

"It isn't your place to question orders Commander..." Calli said, clearly annoyed at the man, "... Sean O'Toole is beyond reproach, 'THAT' should go without saying,"

"Noah..." Gheskori said, eyes on his Aide, "... That is enough, please go into Reception and help Security keep those two apart," for a long moment Barton looked at Gheskori as if he'd just been asked to lop a leg off and was contemplating which one he wanted to lose, then as if nothing had happened he turned and left the office. Outside he could be seen taking Ch'Lor to one side, Hazr'vat glaring at them both suspiciously.

"I'd like to issue the order restricting the Klingons and Romulan movements throughout the Starbase," Carl said to the Section Admiral. Reluctantly, Gheskori nodded. Carl went out into the Reception Area, he waited until he was noticed then spoke:

"Given the escalation between you both, it has been decided to restri ....."

"NO ONE HOLDS KLINGONS CAPTIVE!" Ch'Lor spat.

"NOR THE ROMULANS!" Hazr'vat added.

"..... It has been decided to 'restrict' you to your respective Embassies..." Carl continued as Barton was pushed aside to allow the Klingon Ambassador to step in front of Torek, "... Ambassador Ch'Lor, you and your 'associates' will be restricted to Level Eight Six Four, while Ambassador Hazr'vat, you and the Romulan Officers aboard the Starbase will remain on Level Eight Six Zero ..... The Levels between are being evacuated as we speak, as are the Levels above and below ..... 'ANYONE' found outside these Levels will be detained immediately without exception, is that fully understood, gentlemen?"

"You have no authority to do this, Admiral," the Klingon said dangerously.

"This is a Federation facility Ambassador. While accepting our hospitality you 'WILL' abide by any regulations Starfleet or the Federation Council deems appropriate. You are, of course, welcome to vacate the Starbase at your leisure if you feel you are being treated unfairly ..... These precautions are being put in place for a reason Gentlemen, abide by them, or leave, the choice is yours," he turned and reentered the Section Admirals office before either foe could reply ..........

[Gheskori]

=/\=Following him now, Ensign,=/\= Canning commed quietly as he tracked the man's passage down the length of Beta Promenade. Who's this fellow? the promenade business liaison thought. Keeping his distance, he'd tracked him up from Gamma Promenade's Guildhall where he'd been acting suspiciously, had seen him stop to browse through various wares as if he were trying to deflect attention from some other objective, and now watched him walk into the only place on Starbase 47 where civilians could legally buy weaponry. Gheskori wanted to shut it down, Canning understood, but Mr Botracht had been resisting him.

=/\=Approach with caution, Petty Officer,=/\= the ensign from Intelligence commed him again.

The man exited some 10 minutes later and Canning was waiting for him, "Hold up now, sir. Oi! Where are you going?" he resisted grappling with the suspect as without so much as a glance at the business liaison he strode across the breadth of the promenade to the series of turbolifts nestled halfway down its length. Catching up without too much difficulty, Canning cornered him next to one of the Bajoran stalls, "Name?"

The man was appalled and mumbled, "T.K. Mervin."

"And your business here? I see you've purchased your rifle," he gestured to the bag slung over Mervin's shoulder - it contained an inactive and obsolete Starfleet phaser rifle circa 2364; he'd be permitted to reenergise and use it only once clear of Starbase 47's spatial jurisdiction. Mervin told him he was just passing through the base that day. "Why did you need to be at the Guildhall? I saw you talking with the representative?"

Mervin's eyes widened and he cursed, "Forget about it. I don't know why I listened to..." he trailed off and seemed to want to collapse to his knees.

Canning nodded, "Perhaps you'd better come with me."

---

It was understood the individual apprehended on Beta Promenade was one of Botracht's associates; he'd broke under questioning and confessed to his and his fellow conspirators' successful attempt to purchase six explosive devices.

So we have Botracht! Ghes had thought of the guild representative. Unfortunately Botracht had escaped detection (unbeknownst to base authorities, he'd managed to get himself beamed over to the nearby flag-carrying Klingon vessel under the war mad Commander Dolqar, after discovering the fact of Mervin's arrest). And Botracht or no Botracht, the changeling was still out there with the four remaining explosives.

"What's the situation on decks 859 through 865?" Barton was asking a Command Centre controller the other side of Ghes's office; the Denobulan was sat at his desk while Torek was talking with Jessica Yu at the replicator.

"All potential egress points secure, sir. We've put measures in place equivalent to Moderate Security: 20 guards, numerous forcefields, level-10 access codes. No Romulans or Klingons found outside their respective decks 860 and 864. Yet," the controller added; Barton's shoulders slumped, he nodded tiredly and dismissed the man.

Having been listening and glad to know the Moderate Security measures had such firm endorsement, Ghes called his ADC over, "Commander, the changeling will be getting worried. It will know what's happened to Mervin and that Botracht's had to disappear. The other tradesman, Thomas... well, he'll be out there somewhere, I suppose... But I imagine our resident changeling is now going to accelerate his plans."

"He might try something drastic," Barton agreed, "Those security measures taken on the Klingon and Romulan delegations... They're not just keeping them from getting out, they're stopping the changeling from getting in... And that may not be enough," he shook his head.

Ghes rubbed his jaw, "If the xenobiologists at Starfleet Science are correct and this species of shapeshifter is akin to that of the Founders, our friend is capable of virtually infinite adaptation of physical form; they could squeeze through a gap of a width of less than a micron, into those levels."

"But surely he wouldn't be able to take the explosives with him," Torek countered, approaching the desk, "I don't think he'd want to anyway.Taking out both parties in some sudden conflagration would probably look more like an accident. So he goes in by himself and uses his own strength? He confronts Klingons as a Romulan or Romulans as a Klingon, but the resulting crime scene would make clear Klingons or Romulans weren't responsible."

"But he could get in by impersonating a security officer," Ghes mused, "Open the doors, access hatches, turbolifts, and let the delegations do his work for him. Ch'Lor and Hazr'vat's staff have been whipped into a frenzy by this; despite the ambassadors' tacit rapport, they won't hold their people back." If the changeling really wanted to precipitate war between the two Beta Quadrant empires that would be the way to do it, he thought.

"Triple the security presence; blood tests for all who come within 5 decks above and below the 7-deck restricted zone," he requested.

---

A short time later, just as Ghes's directives were coming through, 'Erik Helgesen' exited a turbolift on deck 859 - the level above that quartering the Romulan delegation - and approached the security barriers. "Please will you lift the forcefield? Some supplies have been misplaced," he said to the attendant guards.

He was sent away as they were busy trying to organise their response to the directive. He ascended in the lift up one level to 858. More blood tests? 'Helgesen' thought having overheard the comm from the Command Centre, Well, let's see if they're ready for this one... And rounding a corner he studied the quality of the seal between wall and ceiling...

[David Tan]

Tkrnn Vessel ...
Docked to IKS Qo'nos ::

They had found Finch unconscious but had managed to bring him around. Despite David's reservations, the Security Officer insisted he was well enough to continue ..... With Iorte on the Bridge of the Qo'noS, the three of them returned to the airlock allowing access to what they believed was the Changeling's vessel .....

"Is it just me or do these bulkheads feel, strange?" Nate Massa asked after a few seconds, as he allowed his hand to run along the wall of the corridor they were traversing.

"Who the hell knows 'what' these bloody Changeling things use for materials..." Finch said, making David glance in his direction concerned at the man's aggressive attitude, despite their situation, "... Maybe we can ask for schematics before we chuck the bleeder out the nearest airlock, maybe see if he can come up with a shape that can survive vacuum!" Tan was about to speak when his commbadge chirped to life, sighing he tapped the device:

=^= Looks like the corridor you are in runs the length of the outer periphery of that ship .. I'm not picking up any other life signs other than yours =^=

=^= Doesn't mean he's not here =^= David replied.

=^= Forcefields? =^= Massa asked.

=^= I doubt they have ever had company .. But hell .. Who's to say =^= Clancy replied.

Suddenly, David had the distinct feeling Iorte was grinning. He closed the comm and they continued on. Going was painfully slow, each room had to be investigated, each search resulting in the same frustration given there was no real way, short of firing at every piece of furniture on the off-chance they hit their elusive Changeling. He had ordered Finch to use his phaser to 'weld' each door closed as they left, more for their piece of mind than anything more tangible.

After another ten minutes, they noticed a subtle change in the hew of the bulkheads, maybe they used colour-coded section identification, who knew, but they seemed to have reached what Iorte believed might be their Engineering Section ..... Cautiously, David approached the closed door, once within a metre, he tentatively pushed his phaser forward until it made contact with the door, unfortunately, Clancy had picked that exact second to contact him, he almost jumped out of his skin as the weapon touched the door and the commbadge chirped to life simultaneously.

=^= WHAT!? =^= he asked, hearing Massa and Finch stifling laughs.

=^= I think you might have company =^= Iorte whispered.

=^= Where? .. .. .. =^= Tan asked quickly.

=^= .. .. .. .. =^=

=^= Iorte! .. .. .. =^= David commed urgently as the three turned to cover the corridor before he realised no one was watching the door, he spun, half expecting to see some drivelling beast thing about to rip out their throats, but the door was still a door and they were alone. He inwardly chastised himself for his over-imagination. Behind him, Finch began to sniff the air:

"You smell that?" he asked.

"What the hell is it...?" Massa asked, then answered his own question, "... SULPHUR DIOXIDE... MOVE!" the Security Chief said, gagging for breath as the corridor filled with the toxic gas.

They had to get out of the corridor, and to do so had to go through the door ahead, hoping that the Changeling wasn't modifying the atmosphere throughout the whole of his ship! ..... David reached the door and hit the tab, but the door refused to open. Coughing violently, he retraced their steps to the last door they had passed through, thankfully, this door slid obediently aside. Shouting for the others to follow him, he staggered through waiting for Massa and Finch before closing the door. All three, choking and gagging on the toxic fumes were spitting up discoloured bile while trying not to void the contents of their stomachs, each inwardly thankful that they were breathing clean, fresh air!

David smacked his commbadge:

=^= CLANCY .. .. IORTE .. Do you read!? =^= Again all he got was static, but for a second he was sure he heard Iorte trying to reply before static returned ... 'At least he is still alive' David thought thankfully.

< Tag : Iorte >

"It's playing with us!" Finch said, wiping spittle from his mouth.

"What?" Massa asked.

"It changed the atmosphere in that Secti ....." David began then paused as the air suddenly fogged as if repressurised, they felt the cold, cloying dampness a fraction of a second before the burning!

"ACID!" Massa shouted, beating him to an explanation already running towards the next bulkhead door.

The Changeling was now playing with them ..........

[Carl Torek]

Office of the President
United Federation of Planets
Earth ::

Ra-Ghorannni, the Efosian President sat in silence as the Romulan and Klingon Diplomatic Representatives: Crelev and Chu'Vuk fumed at the situation almost two hundred light years distant .....

"I am sure that Section Admiral Gheskori had the well-being of serving personnel of 'both' your races currently on Starbase Forty-Seven," the white-haired President said, completely ignored by the two warlike races standing opposite.

"This is tantamount to WAR!" the Romulan spat.

"Might we not sit and discuss the situation like reasonable people?" Ra-Ghorannni asked, his voice still barely a whisper, yet somehow more than capable of penetrating the cacophony of threats and obscenities.

"Our 'WARSHIPS' will decimate your 'STARBASE' if you do not agree to the 'FREE' movement of ALL KLINGONS IMMEDIATELY!" Chu'Luk retorted.

"I do not believe we are getting anywhere Gentlemen..." the President said, standing, then with a sigh walking towards the door of his spacious office, "... I, therefore, close this meeting until a mutually agreeable time and date can be arranged by your Homeworlds,"

"YOU DARE TO LEAVE!" the Romulan Diplomat shouted in disbelief. Ra-Ghoranni paused, looking at each of the protagonists in turn, then continued:

"I am of course willing to listen to any and all reasonable arguments in regard to the situation on Starbase Forty-Seven..." the Efosian President said, again his tone so low that everyone in the room automatically fell silent to listen, "... What I am 'NOT' willing to do, is play 'referee' in what is clearly a fabricated standoff between your races. Intelligence has confirmed that a 'Changeling' could be responsible for the ongoing hostilities between your peoples ..... So ..... If you wish to be seated and discuss the problem, all is well and good. But be of no doubt: As Federation President, I can, and will, if necessary, petition for your joint temporary suspension from the Federation, until such times as this issue can be resolved, one way or the other....."

"You would not DARE!" the Romulan said, slamming his fists into the ornate desk.

"I must concur with the President..." Ambassador T'Nul, the Vulcan Representative commented. Looking at the Klingon and Romulan in turn, "... It is clear. From information, this Council has received, that a 'third party' is responsible for the friction between your Races ..... Would you prefer peace ..... Or war?" the Vulcan asked, raising his eyebrows as she waited for a reply ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

While observing the team's movements through the changeling ship, Clancy was hopelessly trying to multi-task by coming up with a sensor configuration that'd allow him to detect the changeling. After updating Tan and co with another evaluation of their position, he paused in his work over the sensors console.

'My task...' the changeling had said. What could that be? They wanted the Romulans and Klingons at war, that much was evident, and they were succeeding to some extent at least as regarded the Ceylanite system. He murmured, "But why would -?"

Suddenly static was filling the commline and the image of the 3D schematic of the docked rhomboid craft on the viewscreen froze, resuming after a few seconds but updating erratically. Iorte looked over the flickering scarlet and orange console that displayed the data transceiver system. Both Starfleet and Klingon carrier signals were being jammed; from where, the changeling vessel?

A burst came over the open comm, =/\= CL ... you read!?=/\=

He waited for the static to die down a little before speaking, =/\=I read you but barely. Experiencing interference, and the Qo'nos's sensors are losing fix on your position. Source unknown but it's likely the Tkrnn's doing. Any sign of him?=/\=

There was no response. The static grew unbearable and Iorte closed the channel temporarily to try to work with the Qo'nos's comms system. Perhaps there was something the Tkrnn hadn't thought of. "Wait a minute..." his eye was caught by the adjacent console's display of the uncertain sensor readings from the rhomboid craft, by the environmental readouts in particular...

Glancing at the jerking live schematic - he hoped it still gave an accurate enough fix on the three officers - he slapped at his commbadge, =/\=Away team! If you can hear me, you're going to have to backtrack from your current position. I know the air is being poisoned with high-concentration hydrofluoric acid but under no circumstances are you to pass through that next door; conditions beyond are ambient, open to space! Are you rea -!=/\=

He was tossed across the bridge in a brutal sideswipe. The Intel officer wasn't aware of the attack until he was already on the floor by the starboard bank of consoles. Groggy and still feeling the wet thump of the impact on the left side of his cranium, he tried to clear his vision, and there he was standing at the same console he'd just been forced to vacate.

As he lay there half-propped against a console, still stunned and immobile, he took note of the viewscreen lying in his periphery. It had resumed its normal easy buffering rate; the static on his still-active commbadge had died down, too.

"Tan, this is Clancy, through the Qo'nos's comm system," the Tkrnn said, imitating distress but evidently rather calm about matters. The only thing lacking in his brilliant simulacrum of Iorte Clancy was a Starfleet commbadge.

Iorte watched the changeling work some device he held in his hand; seemingly satisfied with the modifications made, the Tkrnn continued, "I can see the atmosphere is returning to normal in your section. I think the changeling is trying to toy with you."

Eventually a response came from one of the officers on the changeling vessel; Iorte couldn't make out which but they sounded relieved if a little confused. The changeling acknowledged in a reasonable tone of voice, "And it seems that owing to the interference the sensors were in error: the passage beyond is secure from vacuum... it seems the Qo'nos's sensor array thought the hull had been breached, probably intentionally by the changeling. I'd say it's safe to continue." Iorte didn't trust the Tkrnn's word for a second, but perhaps he was giving Tan and co a chance with another surprise waiting down the line.

<Tag Tan>

The desperate situation necessitated that Iorte fight through the pain and stagger to his feet; he couldn't stay here, he had to leave the bridge, work from secondary control or the engine room perhaps... Oh my word, systems engineering, he thought in terror as he dragged himself aft. The changeling's head snapped right; perhaps he'd seen too late Clancy's attempt to escape from the nerve centre; points on the Iorte changeling's body melted and gelatinous silvery grey protrusions shot out towards the Starfleet officer, trying to catch him in a Tkrnn net before he could make it into the turbolift.

Iorte only just succeeded.

[David Tan]

"ACID!" Massa had shouted, beating him to an explanation already running towards the next bulkhead door ..... The realisation that they were being toyed with was quickly dawning on them! ..... Running back the way they had come, ignoring any doors previously opened, they reached the bulkhead door and activated it - simultaneously, David's commbadge chirped to life:

=^= Tan .. This is Clancy through the Qo'nos's comm system .. .. I can see the atmosphere is returning to normal in your section .. I think the Changeling is trying to toy with you =^=

=^= Are you sure? =^= David asked as the others watched him as they gagged for breath.

=^= It seems that owing to the interference the sensors were in error: the passage beyond is secure from vacuum .. .. A sensor error thought the hull had been breached .. Probably intentionally by the Changeling .. I'd say it's safe to continue =^=

For several seconds, Tan paused, looking at the others ..... He would trust Iorte Clancy with his life and had done so on numerous occasions, but something in the tone of his friends' reply gave him pause to hesitate. If they risked returning to the bulkhead door leading to what they believed was the Engineering Section, there would be little or no chance to retrace their steps before the corridor was flooded with something detrimental to their life, but ignoring the information could have the same result!

"David?" Nate questioned.

"Does that sound like Clancy to you?" Tan asked.

"Who the hell else could it be!?" Finch asked. David was about to reply when 'Clancy' commed:

=^= I've released the locks on the Engineering bulkhead .. Go now while you have time .. .. .. =^=

"Wait.....!" Nate Massa whispered suddenly, walking forward to put a hand over Tan's commbadge, "... These 'Changelings' can they alter their speech?" David thought for a second then moved Massa's hand away:

=^= Good to hear you're OK Iorte .. We're heading back to the bulkhead =^=

=^= Indeed .. David =^= 'Clancy' replied.

"It's not him..." Tan said after tapping the comm closed, "... The Changling has him on the Bridge, we need to somehow make 'it' believe we're cooperating while one of us gets back up there!" Finch scrambled to his feet, falling heavily against the corridor wall but just about able to regain his balance. He held a finger to his lips then pointed back along the corridor to where they were being led, then motioned for Tan and Massa to go back through the bulkhead door and up the Klingon version of a Jeffries Tube up to the Bridge Level, hopefully, to catch the Changeling unawares.

~~~~~

David and Nate watched as Finch moved back along the corridor - If they were wrong, the Security Officer would undoubtedly be emersed in a flood of hydrofluoric acid. As he reached the sealed bulkhead, he turned to signal he was ready - Simultaneously Finch and Massa hit the door activation tabs, both doors slid aside and finch all but threw himself into Engineering while Tan and Massa reentered the area below the Bridge. David looked back in time to see both doors ominously closing.

"We need to get onto the Bridge..." David said, looking along the corridor, "... If we can get up there via something akin to one of our Jeffries Tubes, we might be able to surprise the Changling,"

"You believe he has Clancy," Massa stated, after a pause, David replied:

"Yes..... I do....."

"Then, just out of curiosity here, but how do you propose to distinguish between the two?" he asked, David could only look at the Security Chief ..........

[Carl Torek]

Starbase Forty-Seven ::

Carl was reading the latest report .....

On no less than four occasions Klingon Officers have been found 'outside' their designated Level, Security had taken all concerned into custody despite threats from Ambassador Ch'Lor of what will happen should they not be released.

"Sir, Admiral Gheskori has sent this over," Captain Jessica Yu, Carl's Adjutant said, handing him yet another PADD. Activating the device using his access code, he read the report sent directly from the Federation President's Office to the Section Admiral. He raised his eyebrows, wondering vaguely what the Efosian would do. Shrugging, he handed the PADD back for Jessica to read:

"Hmmm, hardly surprising..." the Captain said. She deactivated the PADD and then began to return to her office before turning back to Torek, "... Oh, Security have reported possible sightings on the evacuated Levels, nothing concrete,"

"Chasing shadows... Ask Colonel Dúpin to increase Security," Carl said, picking up yet another PADD.

"Admiral Gheskori already ordered an increase,"

"Then add another," Carl replied, a little too snappily and apologised immediately for his tone. Jessica nodded and with a smile left him to his reading .....

~~~~~~~~~~

Taking a break, he left his office to head for the Duty Mess Area on the Mezzanine when he heard raised voices. Walking to the railing he could see the Chief of Starbase Operations, Captain Helgesen, and the Deputy Security Head, Colonel Dúpin having words:

"Gentlemen...?" he said, causing both men to fall silent and look up in his direction, "... If you have a moment ....." he said, continuing around the upper Command Level to the Mess Area, a moment later he was joined by Helgesen and Dúpin.

"Apologies Admiral..." the Fleet Captain said, "... I was just assuring the Colonel that I haven't been wandering around the secured Levels,"

"I received a report that the Captain had tried to enter Gamma Section on Level Eight Five Eight - Security apparently informed him that they were busy and asked him to wait, but they said he walked away without a word," Dúpin added.

"..... And I assume it wasn't you?" Carl said, taking a bite out of the chicken sandwich he'd picked.

"No, Sir," Helgesen confirmed.

"Then it looks like our Changeling is 'changing' tactics, pardon the pun, where did he go once he left the Security Post?"

"We have no idea, I checked the turbolift log, it rose one Level, but it was unoccupied when it arrived," Theo replied.

"Any thoughts on how we can prevent it's moving freely around the Starbase...?" Carl asked, dropping the half-eaten sandwich into the disposal as both men remained ominously silent, "... All we can do for now is ensure no one passes any of the Security Points unless checked and tested, at least that should slow him, it, down a little,"

"Aye, Sir," the two men said in unison before turning to leave. Carl looked at the menu again but gave up and returned to his office, behind him, a Starfleet Commander stood and left the Mess Area ..........

[Carl Torek]

20:30 hrs ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Center ::

He waited a moment, allowing the Starfleet Admiral to get well ahead, making sure he didn't attract any undue attention or appear out of place in the Command Centre, and then he followed .....

Captain Jessica Yu, Torek's Adjutant, had noticed her boss approaching his office from where she was standing on the Mezzanine Level overlooking the Main Command Floor ..... Handing several PADDs to a Junior Officer,  she turned to walk back to the office when she heard Torek. She turned, confusion on her face as the Fleet Admiral smiled:

"Ah, Jessica, you can go, I won't need you anymore this evening?"

"Sir?" she said, glancing at the office door and then back over his shoulder.

"Go ..... Enjoy the evening, see you in the morning," Carl said, turning to enter his office 'again' ..... For a moment she stood as if rooted to the spot, wondering if she was more tired than she thought, as she was 'sure' she had seen Torek enter the office mere seconds earlier. 'Maybe he'd walked straight through to my office, and seeing I was out had left via her door?' she thought. Still unconvinced, she turned towards the turbolifts, then paused, retraced her steps, entering Carl's office.

"Sorry Admi ....." she began, falling silent as she was faced with not one but 'TWO' Admiral Carl Torek's!

The one standing in front of the desk reacted immediately, stepping past the woman to close and then lock the door, she watched as he then crossed the office to close the interconnecting door between the two offices:

"It might be less confusing if you picked a different appearance...?" the seated 'Carl' said, half comment half suggestion. Jessica's eyes widened as the 'Torek' standing beside her changed, taking on the appearance of a Federation Officer, "... I have to admit, that's one of the more imaginative ways someone's used to get my attention ..... So ..... What do you want?"

The man grinned, then chivalrously pulled a chair out to allow Jessica to sit, then he walked to the far wall where he could see both easily.

"You are experiencing ..... Difficulties," the Changeling replied cryptically.

"No more than usual,"

"Hmmm, well, it took great sacrifice on my part to bring myself here..." the Changeling said, moving his gaze from Carl to Jessica then back, "... Some of my race are intent on war, though 'war' is perhaps the wrong word,"

"..... And you're here to rid us of their presence?" Carl asked, the question oozing sarcasm. Surprisingly, the Changling seemed to find the comment humourous, almost laughing as he walked towards the panoramic window behind Carl's desk. With his back to Jessica she quickly reached up to remove the commbadge on her tunic before replacing her hands on her lap.

"That remains to be seen..." the Changeling said, his back still to the office, "... I have been sent here to ascertain the validity of my 'associates' actions ..... As to helping or hindering either party, well that remains to be seen,"

"So we're just supposed to take your word for it that you're here to stop your fellow Changelings?" Carl asked, his annoyance growing as the 'man' remained silent. As they were speaking, Jessica tapped the commbadge to activate an emergency channel:

On the Main Command Floor, Theo Dúpin was preparing to leave for the evening when he was informed of the emergency locator activation - The repeating 'ping' was normally used to find missing personnel, so why was it transmitting now?

Accessing a console he quickly located the frequency and which commbadge it was assigned to, then puzzled, he glanced up at the Mezzanine Level. He could see Admiral Torek's door was closed, nothing unusual there, but something was clearly amiss, he was reaching for his own commbadge to contact the Admiral when he had second thoughts. Rising, he motioned for one of the Duty Security Personnel assigned to Command to approach, then the two headed up the long slope to the upper Level. He instructed the Lieutenant to remain watching Torek's door while he moved towards Torek's Adjutant's office:

Cautiously he approached the open outer door and could see the inner door, allowing Captain Yu access to the Fleet Admiral's office, was closed. He moved back to the Security Officer instructing her to quickly and 'quietly' seal off Command, then he passed the Sturbolift and entered the Section Admiral's office, remembering Gheskori had left earlier in the evening. He sat at his desk and activated the desk screen. Accessing Starbase surveillance he requested Torek's office and gave his Access Code, followed by a second, more secure Access. A moment later the view from the Fleet Admiral's office came on screen. The image was distorted, audio nonexistent, so it was likely something was interfering with the data stream!

Despite the grainy images, he could see Torek sitting at his desk, Jessica Yu sat opposite, but there was a third person in the room - Quickly he requested identification of the person talking to Torek, hardly surprised when the computer couldn't supply any information. He glanced up as the Security Officer in the doorway confirmed Command was secure and she had placed additional personnel on either side of Admiral Torek's office as well as on the main Command Floor, Dúpin nodded and thanked the woman asking her to discretely contact the Section Admiral and request his presence, then he continued to watch the scratchy fragmented images on the screen. Thankfully, neither Torek nor Captain Yu appeared to be in immediate danger.

"How about we just detain you for your suspected involvement with the issues we may, or may not, be having?" Carl was asking the Changeling, who again seemed to find the comment entertaining:

"..... And just 'how' do you propose to do that ..... Exactly?" the smile back.

Returning the grin, Carl lifted his hand from beneath his ornate desk and pointed the Type Two Phaser at the Changeling. Alas, much to the Federation Officers' dismay, this only seemed to amuse it even more ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

The changeling worked the console on the Qo'nos's bridge, jamming all comm frequencies to his docked rhomboid vessel except for its engineering section. Keep them separated, send conflicting messages, unheard by one another...

The Tkrnn was both across the bridge from Iorte and right in front of him: a web of sinuous twisting grey matter had him cocooned on the deck at the starboard quarter (inches from the turbolift door he'd tried desperately to reach an hour before), the changeling's very substance connected to its main body by thin tendrils that reached through the gloom of the Klingon vessel's flight deck.

Unexpectedly the cord connecting main body to web was slackened as the shapeshifter approached, pushed an arm through his own body's web and snatched the commbadge from the prone Intel officer's bloodied uniform.

He affixed the device to his own simulated Intel garb and tapped at it, glancing expressionlessly at Iorte as he did so, =/\=Mr Finch... Have you entered the engineering section? Is the hull secure?=/\= Clancy was well aware neither Tan or Massa - if still alive after the acid attack - would be able to hear the comm.

=/\=Confirmed... sir,=/\= Finch replied, =/\=You were right; there was no hull breach. Atmospheric pressure is standard. Well, standard for your - ... for the changelings' environmental requirements... Looking over the systems here, from what sense I can make of them it would appear some of the interference has cleared; would explain why you're able to transmit via commbadge...=/\= They could hear Finch manipulating some of the small changeling craft's controls, =/\=This thing really is something; multiphasic shielding, some form of tetryonic slipstr- =/\=

=/\=I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but something's come to my attention,=/\= the Tkrnn snapped off the comm and spun on Iorte, the web of his distended body contracting so as to leave Clancy with no more space than that inside a torpedo casing.

"They know," the Tkrnn stated; Iorte in the meantime could see on the viewscreen's schematic two human lifesigns moving up a maintenance tunnel towards an airlock leading back to the Qo'nos. Tan and Massa? The changeling hadn't noticed and held the commbadge out to Clancy, "Speak to your people; convince them I'm you."

"I can only talk to Finch," Clancy observed.

The Tkrnn smarted as he realised his captive had seen him do his work with the comm systems, "You need persuade only one."

"What do you people want? Why are you here?" Clancy barked, "You want two empires to destroy each other, you want to carve out some new polity in the space they inhabit?"

The changeling grimaced as if his opponent had got somewhere near the truth and used one of his web tendrils to place the commbadge on Clancy; now the enclosing net settled against the Intel officer's very body, "Speak with your colleague." The gelatinous web was beginning to apply pressure against Iorte's thorax, purposely activating the commbadge, but Iorte knew it wouldn't stop there. The consequences were clear if he didn't comply.

At that moment alerts sounded across the bridge, mainly from the direction of tactical but from the internal sensors console, too. The Tkrnn's main body scampered across the deck to survey the situation: a vessel was on approach, the Qo'nos was being hailed, audio only.

A craft the shade of verdant green appeared on the main viewer, "Klingon vessel, this is the IRW Eversor. You're harbouring an enemy of the Romulan Star Empire and, quite evidently, his personal transport," the commander referred to the shapeshifter's rhomboid craft docked port-side at the forward section. No doubt the warbird was come from the ongoing skirmishes at the edge of the system. "You'll surrender the shapeshifter immediately or your already crippled vessel will be blown to atoms."

"I think you misunderstand the situation -" the changeling began with a smile but was interrupted by the sudden blaring of a claxon, ~ Intruder alert. All warriors to your stations. Intruder alert... ~

Tan and Massa, Iorte thought, glad to know they'd made it back aboard but horrified to learn they'd been detected.

The changeling drew back his web from Iorte and before the Intel officer could react moulded it into something like a three-metre long sledgehammer. With it he struck him such a blow that it near-knocked him into a coma. Glancing at the internal sensors' readout, the Tkrnn left the bridge in pursuit of the intruders...

[David Tan]

Back aboard the Tkrnn vessel, David, Nate Massa, ans Finch, searched for a means to free Iorte Clancy, then Massa had an idea - It was so outrageous it might just give them the time they need - He outlined the idea to a stunned Tan:

"..... And you think this 'Changling' is going to fall for it?"

"If it does, all well and good..." the El Alamein's Security Chief said, "... If it doesn't, well ....." he finished with a shrug.

"Fine, let's find an auxiliary Bridge, if they have such a thing," David said, heading back towards the Bridge of the Tkrnn ship ..... The room they were looking for was surprisingly hard to find and was little more than several basic consoles. 'Seems Tkrnn didn't go in for redundancies' he thought as Iorte sat down and got to work. Clancy was about to begin when the comm system burst to life seemingly of its own accord!

=^= Klingon vessel .. This is the IRW Eversor .. You're harbouring an enemy of the Romulan Star Empire and quite evidently his personal transport .. .. You will surrender the Shapeshifter immediately or your already crippled vessel will be blown to atoms =^=

=^= I think you misunderstand the situation .. .. =^= the Changeling began as another alarm sounded!

'Intruder alert ..... All warriors to your stations ...... Intruder alert .....'

Tan, Massa, and Finch had intended to decompress sections of the Klingon vessel, limiting the Tkrnn's options if or when they could lure it off its own ship hoping to capture one or both of them, but now there was a Romulan Cruiser approaching, so they had to work fast! ..... Disabling internal sensors around the airlock they stepped onto the Tkrrn vessel long enough to set off the intruder alarms before retracing their steps, which hopefully would bring the Changeling looking for them. With it presumably going to where sensors had initially picked them up, they would backtrack almost counterclockwise around the exterior corridor, hopefully locating Clancy while the Changeling was at the opposite end of its vessel.

Yes, it still posed the question of just 'how' they were going to get back to the Qo'noS, more so now that the last thing they wanted was to become 'guests' of the Klingon Empire!

At a run, they made their way around the ship and eventually towards the Qo'Nos Bridge, where they 'hoped' Clancy was being held. Tan estimated that 'if' the Changeling retained Human form, he, it, would be as fast as any other Human, so time was of the essence because the moment it realised it had been tricked, it would undoubtedly return to ensure its captive was still secured ..... Cautiously they approached the main doors and David reached forward to activate the door mechanism. Rushing in, eyes darting left and right, they saw the bloodied and battered semiconscious Clancy on the deck, back against one of the consoles. As Nate checked him over David looked for the communication console and brought it online.

"We need to get him medical help, his throat has been severely crushed..." Massa reported, helping the injured Clancy to lay down tilting his head back to hopefully help open his airway as Finch kept watch, "... His throat is swelling, it won't be long before he can't get air into his lungs ..... What are you doing!?"

"Calling for help," David said, tapping the illuminated comm indicator:

=^= Tan to El Alamein .. El Alamein .. .. .. =^=

=^= Away Team to El Alamein .. Come in El Alamein .. .. .. =^=

=^= El Alamein .. Go ahead Away Team =^= David closed his eyes for a second, relieved his comm had been received.

=^= El Alamein .. We need off this ship now .. Come and get us =^=

=^= David .. There's a Klingon Cruiser approaching your position .. If you can get to the outer hull we can transport you while underway =^=

=^= Don't wait for us .. We'll be ready =^=

=^= Ninety seconds Away Team .. .. .. Mark .. .. .. =^=

"We're leaving," David said, eyes darting across the consoles almost wishing for a clearly labelled 'Self Destruct' button, alas he was disappointed as Massa pulled Clancy to his feet and threw him over one shoulder. The new position compromised the Intelligence Officer's airway and he immediately began to gag for air, Finch lifted his head back, just enough to allow life-giving oxygen to get into Iorte's screaming lungs as they ran from the Bridge .....

On the Bridge of the hidden Defiant Class El Alamein, Fran Komin looked at her Tactical Officer:

"It'll be close," Demik said.

=^= Ninety seconds Away Team .. .. .. Mark .. .. .. =^=

"Lets go get our people Sharon!" Komin said, Lieutenant Yip at the Helm reacted quickly and the El Alamein broke from the cover of the Moon and headed towards the conjoined Klingon and Tkrnn vessels. Instantly warnings began to sound regarding the oncoming Cruiser but they didn't have time to consider possible outcomes should it decide to take notice of the Federation Starship!

"Commander, are you ready?" Komin asked Milo Van, manning the Bridge Transporter console himself.

"As I'll ever be..." the Exec' said, deep in concentration, "... Keep us below full impulse ..... I'm picking up three sporadic life signs, Port For'ard of the Qo'Nos ..... Standby ....."

"Tom keep a wary eye on that approaching Romulan Cruiser," Komin ordered, watching Van closely.

"Sharon ..... On my mark come about and take us right over the two ships as close as you can,"

"Ready, Commander," the clearly nervous Navigation Officer replied.

"NOW!" Van said, eyes glued to the transporter panel as the El Alamein turned to Port and climbed, passing above the two docked vessels with less than two metres to spare.

"The oncoming Romulan ship has altered course," Demik informed Komin.

"GOT THEM ..... GO!" Van shouted.

"Warp six Lieutenant ..... NOW!" the Captain ordered.

"I've beamed them direct to Sickbay," Milo Van confirmed.

"Commander Ross, you have Conn, keep us away from that Cruiser," Komin instructed as she and Van left the Bridge at a run ..........

[Carl Torek]

"How about we just detain you for your suspected involvement with the issues we may, or may not, be having?" Carl was asking the Changeling, who again seemed to find the comment entertaining:

"..... And just 'how' do you propose to do that ..... Exactly?" the smile back.

Returning the grin, Carl lifted his hand from beneath his ornate desk and pointed the Type Two Phaser at the Changeling. Alas, much to the Federation Officers' dismay, this only seemed to amuse it even more .....

Built into the edge of the top of Torek's ornate desk was a small blue indicator was intermittently blinking - Less than two millimetres in diameter and only visible from Carl's chair, it indicated that the office was under surveillance, either from a station in the Command centre or more likely one of the offices, presumably, Colonel Dúpin - one of only three people on the Starbase with the authority to do so - had realised what was happening and had by now contacted Gheskori.

"You could kill me..." the Tkrnn was saying, "... But would that aid you in your search for who you are looking for?"

"Why would you even want to help us capture one of your own race?" Jessica Yu asked, lowering herself into one of the chairs on the periphery of Carl's office, Carl grinned inwardly, knowing she had purposefully positioned herself so the Changeling couldn't look at both of them at the same time. But here again, they were disappointed, as the Changeling nearly changed position, lowering himself into a chair, the smile back again.

"My reasons are somewhat, complicated,"

"We seem to have time ....." Carl said, lowering the phaser but not relinquishing his hold on it. The Changeling seemed to mull over the comment as his eyes moved around the office, and Torek had the sudden uneasy feeling that he knew he was being watched from beyond the confines of the office.

"Our race ....." the Tkrnn began, pausing for a moment before continuing, "... We achieved the ability to 'change' many thousands of centuries ago. It was, a somewhat redundant ability, given we tended to keep ourselves to ourselves. But some wanted to make use of their 'talent' and began to leave our home Star System in favour of exploration. Over the last hundred, hundreds of  generations, we began to notice our ability was no longer something we were born with. Oh at first it was just one newborn here and there, and to our shame, these children were shunned as ....." he fell silent, clearly unwilling to say what had been happening.

Carl glanced down at the indicator and then back at the Changeling.

"With each new generation, more were born 'without' the capability to change, and it soon became obvious to our Scientific community, that some form of almost 'reverse evolution' was happening to our race,"

"But you said yourself that you had no real use for the ability, so why morn it's loss?" Jessica asked.

"At first we did, but after more were born without it became the norm 'not' to have it. One thing we did see in conjunction with the loss was a massive increase in childbirth among our population, as if having the ability ran hand in hand with very small families, in fact, it was extremely unusual for any family to have more than one child, much lower than other races from what we have experienced. The subsequent birth explosion required expansion on our part, first to other planets in neighbouring Systems, then further and further out as our birthrate, exploded, for want of a better word ..... Oh, now and then there would be a child with all the old abilities ..... These children, now finding themselves and their parent's outcasts, grew into adulthood and eventually sought each other out. We tried to integrate them into society, and for some part, we were successful, in fact up until recently, there were no less than four 'Changelings' as you call us, on the Ruling Council."

"..... And now these 'outcasts' have taken it upon themselves to do something about the situation?" Carl asked.

"Yes ....."

"It still doesn't explain why you are sitting in my office," Carl said.

"Despite our efforts, we have failed to contain our problem. The 'Changelings' are set on war, and it is clear to all within the Council that such actions can only harm our race,"

"So you came here to help us stop your people...?" Jessica Yu asked, disbelieving the man's every word, "... Point out your associates, save us the trouble of hunting them down?"

"I'm here to stop my people from instigating a war that we cannot endure,"

"You didn't answer the Captain's question," Carl said.

"I will of course do all I can, but as for as you say, pointing them out ....." the Tkrnn replied noncommittally.

"You won't give them up?" Carl asked, suddenly wary as he again glanced at the blue indicator.

"My apologies, but you seem to be under the impression that I know who they are Admiral,"

"Don't you?" Jessica asked.

"My dear..." the Tkrnn said with a smile, "... You yourself could be one of us for all I know. Even when all our race had the 'Changeling' ability, once someone took another form or appearance, there was no way to distinguish them from anyone else," he finished with a shrug. Carl looked at the man in dumbfounded silence, was he actually admitting that once a Changeling 'changed' even one of their own race couldn't identify them? ..........

[Gheskori]

Ghes rose from his couch in his quarters, wondering how long it would be before the two fleets out there - one at a few million kilometres, the other at about half a lightyear - attempted to contact him again. He supposed he should find it tiresome but something about coordinating between the two Beta quadrant fleets and the Federation Council was actually quite fascinating.

There was the war-crazy Klingon Dolqar in his updated D7 class, with his merchant accomplices Botracht, Thomas and Mervin (the last of those three actually in Federation custody), and there was an anonymous Romulan admiral with his seven warbirds - both spoiling for a fight right on Starbase 47's door-step.

Other Klingons and Romulans were already fighting on the Romulan praetor's initiative but it was far from an all-out war and there was still time for T'Nul on Earth and Malvik at Starbase 47 to salvage the situation, if the embassies at those respective locales were amenable. Malvik was doing his best to mediate between Ch'Lor and Hazr'vat despite the mini-conflict between the ambassadors taking place on decks 861-863, the combatants being Romulans and Klingons escaped from their respective decks above and below those levels. T'Nul had pressed both Earth-bound parties hard in Paris, and they'd returned to the negotiating table in the UFP President's office. Despite all this Ghes had the impression it would take just one more act from the changeling to spark a Beta quadrant-wide conflict.

He couldn't decide whether it was for better or worse then that there was perhaps more than one changeling, or at least more than one of their race, aboard the Starbase... Apparently a changeling impersonating Torek had met with the Fleet Admiral and his adjutant and claimed he was hunting down others of his kind on the base. Ghes walked to his quarters' replicator and ordered coffee of the tropical climes of Denobula.

Though the captor of Torek and Yu was a changeling himself, he wanted to stop others from doing anything rash, or so he claimed, when as a species they were supposed to be fighting the Romulans and the Romulans alone. The Denobualn ruminated and drank his coffee until his desk-console beeped: a comm from the command centre; Torek, Dupin and Intelligence Director Lemond on split-screen.

"Go ahead," he said, stirring his drink.

"The Tkrnn - that's his species' name - has placed himself voluntarily into security's custody," Dupin said, making Ghes sit back and try to stop his jaw from hitting the desk. "As he's told us, he wants to help us track down others of his species - apparently more than one - on the base, even though he admits he can't tell them apart any better than we can, at least from first impressions."

"First impressions?" Lemond asked from her own office.

"Yes," Dupin nodded, "Apparently the Tkrnn have some telepathic ability which allows them - after a while - to detect the close proximity of another changeling - as in as if they were in the same room - if that other changeling's been in the same general area for a period of time, perhaps weeks."

Ghes tilted his head and acknowledged, turning to the Section XO, "He said there were others of the Tkrnn who couldn't shapeshift?"

Torek nodded, "In fact he says the changelings are virtually dying out having once been dominant. They are outcasts who've tried to reintegrate themselves with some success but now some of them, growing impatient, want to spark a war between Klingons and Romulans to encourage the Ruling Council - consisting mainly of non-changelings - to take more drastic measures. The changeling we encountered wants to help the Tkrnn Ruling Council apprehend his buddies, so he says."

"News from the Ceylan'tar system is mixed," Lemond volunteered, "It seems the fighting between Klingons and Romulans at the system's edge has abated but... well, long-range sensors are picking up confusing readings in the El Alamein's vicinity... Komin and my Intel team had appeared to still be in the system, near a moonlet, with what could've been a Klingon ship in close proximity as well as another unidentified vessel. But now they've jumped to about warp 6 in what looks like a random direction. No report's been received from them since they left orbit of Ceylan'tar II a few days ago."

"They could be in trouble," Ghes observed, "Let's keep trying to make contact. If we can't establish comms I'd suggest we send the USS Maracanda to assist? In the meantime I'd like to meet the changeling. How many of his fellow Tkrnn are here, does he think?"

<Tag Torek/Lemond/Dupin>

[David Tan]

Ceylan'tar Space ::

"GOT THEM ..... GO!" Van shouted.

"Warp six Lieutenant ..... NOW!" the Captain ordered.

"I've beamed them direct to Sickbay," Milo Van confirmed.

"Commander Ross, you have Conn, keep us away from that Cruiser," Komin instructed as she and Van left the Bridge at a run .....

~~~~~

As they entered Sickbay, Samantha Ademe was already treating the injured Clancy:

"How is he, Doctor?" Komin asked.

"He'll live," Sam replied with a wry grin. Komin turned to the others as the comm chirped to life.

=^= Captain .. The Romulan cruiser has changed course, she's coming after us =^=

=^= Increase to warp eight .. Come to a heading that will get us back into Federation Space quickest! =^=

"It's likely the Romulans have ships between us and Federation Space..." Elena said as she watched Iorte get back into a sitting position, the Doctor almost finished with her treatment, "... We should find somewhere to hide out,"

"You think the Romulan Cruiser could overtake us?" Rosa Noon asked.

"It depends on how much they want us, or rather how much they don't want us informing Command of proceedings," DeLuca replied, Fran agreed as Clancy was allowed off the biobed and the group headed back to the Bridge.

~~~~~

"Tom, is there anything on our current heading?" Komin asked.

"There's an undesignated Star System two lightyears off our Starboard, six planets, all Class 'L' ..... Why?"

"We might need to hide somewhere," Komin said.

"Great," Alan Ross muttered.

"Captain, the Romulan Cruiser is closing, she'll be on top of us inside thirty minutes..." Demik said, frowning, "... There's another vessel,"

"Another Romulan?" Tan asked urgently.

"Can't tell at this distance, but it doesn't look like the Cruiser, whoever it is is smaller," Demik confirmed.

"The Tkrnn?" Clancy speculated.

"Possibly, but I don't see how it's caught up so quickly, the Romulans must be pushing their drive past safety to catch up,"

"What do you think ..... Run for home or play hide-n-Seek?" Fran asked the Intelligence Officers ..........

[Carl Torek]

Observation Lounge ...
Level Eight five Four ::

The Changeling sat, contemplating the myriad flora and fauna of the enormous panoramic Observation Lounge ..... Shorty he was joined by another .....

The two exchanged information, both happy with progress on the Starbase and the ongoing battles between the now fighting between Klingon and Romulan Empires, they were sure all-out war wouldn't be long in coming, and at that time they would take full advantage of the carnage to take Systems for their own. The second voiced his concern that the first had again failed to succeed in killing either Ch'Lor, the Klingon Diplomat, or Hezr'vat, his Romulan counterpart!

"The Federation is taking their role as guardians of all who visit this Starbase to heart, they are making movement difficult," the first explained.

"Then sacrifice must be made to ensure our continued success," the second said, standing and leaving without another word, leaving the first to contemplate his fate .....

Section Admiral Gheskori's Office ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Centre ::


"He did say that the vast majority of Tkrnn have long since lost the ability to shapeshift, and believes there is only a handful still capable," Dúpin said.

"..... And we're going to trust this man?" Carl's Adjutant, Captain Yu asked.

"Not fully, no..." Carl said, turning to the Starbases' Deputy Security Chief, "... He hinted but didn't confirm that he was one of those incapable of changing,"

"Indeed, but surely if he were one of those who still had the gene, then wouldn't he be with the others rather than offering to assist us?" Dúpin speculated.

"He needs us...!" Nia Lemond said suddenly, the room falling silent in anticipation of the Intelligence Director continuing, "... Think about it ..... He can't find his own people without having to spend considerable time in their company. At which time, the Changeling he is pursuing will have realised there is another among them. So who better than to get to do his work for him - He knows the Federation won't tolerate the continued fighting between the Klingons and Romulans, eventually we'll take decisive action, possibly to the point of temporarily evicting both races from the Starbase until this whole thing is resolved one way or the other,"

Carl thought about what Nia had said, it made perfect sense, it had come here to stop its brethren from possibly instigating an all-out war, a war that could undoubtedly drag the Federation kicking and screaming into the conflict!

"So do we help him?" Dúpin asked.

"I think we can't say no..." Carl said, seeing Gheskori motionless in silent contemplation, "... My concern would be how far is he going to go to succeed and at what potential cost to the Starbase Forty-Seven's population? ..... We already know the Changeling Tkrnn is more than willing to kill to reach his goal,"

"..... And you are concerned the one offering us help will think likewise...?" Nia asked, but Carl could only shrug given he had no way of knowing one way or the other, so she continued, "... I think if we're going into a partnership, however tentative, with this Tkrnn, then we need a way of keeping an eye on our possible ally,"

"We could assign a Security escort," Dúpin suggested.

"Tag him..." Seeing the others turn to him, Carl said, "... I doubt he has a pulse or nervous system as we know it, but there 'has' to be some biochemical interaction within his body. If we ask him to wear a biometric bracelet, we input 'DNA', retinal scan etc, and then we monitor the bracelet. We'll have a constant fix on him and can transport him back here if need be. If he removes it we'll know, if he tampers with it, we'll know, at which point our 'tentative' partnership will be null and void,"

"You think he'll agree to that?" Nia asked.

"We don't even know if it would work on their race yet," Dúpin said.

"Then we should consider other options," Gheskori said ..........

The Changeling remained seated for some time, then left the Observation Lounge ..... Back in his quarters he retrieved one of the remaining explosive devices and left. Fifteen minutes later he was sat outside a café seventy-five metres away from the Klingon Embassy ..... It was only a matter of time before Ch'Lor left for the day, and less than an hour later there he was. The Changeling watched as the Diplomat spoke to several of his Klingon associates and then walked away. After a second he rose from his table and followed, gradually closing the distance until he was within two metres of the Klingon Diplomat. Reaching beneath his floor-length coat, he grasped the explosive and placed a finger on the activation tab - Looking around to ensure there was no one close by, he began to apply pressure! ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Clancy remembered very little until he awoke in the El Alamein's sickbay, and even then his initial thoughts and sensations were unclear and difficult of recall as he was slowly brought up from his near-comatical state. The Tkrnn had delivered him a heavy blow with his limb that'd been morphed into a sledgehammer, and that was after the initial strike which had taken Iorte laterally into the starboard bank of bridge consoles.

Picking himself up and collecting himself under Dr Ademe's guiding hand, he listened to the conversation of his fellow Intel officers, still somewhat groggy. Komin received a comm from the bridge and they all returned to the nerve centre, Iorte being seen off by Ademe who insisted on attaching the flattened cylinder of a cortical monitoring device to his neck behind the right ear.

"The Tkrnn?" he speculated about the other vessel after some back and forth from the other controllers on the bridge.

It would make sense, he thought, but then who are the Romulans really following, us or the possible Tkrnn ship? Either way, both craft were gaining on the Federation starship, and if the Romulans weren't directly following the El Alamein, the Tkrnn ship must be.

"What do you think ..... Run for home or play hide-n-Seek?" Fran asked the Intelligence Officers.

"Get everything we can out of the engines, would be my advice," Iorte replied, "And make as quickly as possible for Starbase. Getting into that L-class dominated star system could cause problems we can't at the moment foresee, but the Starbase offers a familiar port-of-call, even if there are intervening ships at points along the line."

"I agree with Clancy," Tan said, which settled Komin's mind upon the suggested solution. As luck would have it - while Chief Engineer Carre pushed the engines into overdrive - it seemed there was a Federation ship out there heading vaguely towards them, but then perhaps luck had little to do with it, Iorte thought, as he saw the oncoming craft was the USS Maracanda, outbound from Starbase.

"The Maracanda is still 1.2 parsecs away," Demik reported, "Sensors reading 4 Romulan warbirds and 7 Klingon cruisers roughly in our path. The warbird and the unknown ship behind us are about 10 minutes from overtaking us."

"We're almost going fast enough to reduce their closing speed to zero," Sharon Yip said, "If Carre can squeeze a little more performance out of the warp drive I should be able to keep them at a safe distance."

"What about the ships in front?" Komin asked from the centre seat.

Iorte shook his head, "With the Maracanda close by I doubt any of those Romulan or Klingon ships would risk an interstellar incident with us. They'll surely let us through."

"Ok, Carre's doing his absolute best," the helmsman reported, looking over her console, "He's given me as much engine power as he dare, and at this rate the pursuers will catch us in about 3 hours instead of 5 minutes." That should be enough time for the Maracanda and El Alamein to make rendezvous which should warn any other vessels off. At least that's what we're all relying on, Iorte thought.

"Sensors identify the unknown pursuing ship as Tkrnn in origin. It matches with some of the readouts of the ship docked with the IKS Qo'nos," Demik reported, "But I'd say it's larger, perhaps of destroyer size, of a little greater displacement than the El Alamein. Where did it come from?"

And what do these people want? Iorte said to himself through gritted teeth. They knew at least that the Tkrnn were trying to start a war between the two Beta quadrant empires, planning to ruin both and colonise devastated star systems left weakened or empty in the wake of the great conflict. But why were they busy antagonising the Federation as well? Perhaps the Tkrnn didn't see it that way, and the Federation's presence was something which kept inadverently tripping the Tkrnn up. He was brought out of his reverie as Demik alerted that the distant Intrepid class was hailing.

=/\=El Alamein, this is Captain Manley of the Maracanda. We're here to escort you in to base. Do you have a status report?=/\=

=/\=Captain, we're glad to have your help,=/\= Komin replied, =/\=We have a Romulan cruiser and a Tkrnn destroyer closing on us. It's possible the cruiser is chasing the destroyer and not us, considering the Tkrnn and Romulans are at war. But if that's so, we have no idea why the Tkrnn alone would be following us.=/\=

=/\=We may have an idea,=/\= Manley replied, =/\=Starbase is now certain there is more than one Tkrnn changeling aboard the Starbase, perhaps several. The changelings clearly have some investment here that may or may not extend merely to antagonising the Romulan and Klingon embassies against each other.=/\=

=/\=The Tkrnn ship is heading for the Starbase then?=/\= Iorte said over the comm.

=/\=If such a ship is pursuing you, we think it's very likely they will head to the Starbase, whoever you are,=/\= Manley replied. =/\=Ok, El Alamein. We're coming into rendezvous. Suggest we both momentarily drop from warp to reach coordinates my tactical officer is transmitting to you now. Then we'll come about and jump back to warp with you towards the Starbase and hope the Klingons and Romulans, and the Tkrnn ship, decide to leave well enough alone.=/\=

[David Tan]

Manley, who had been listening to the conversation deep in thought commented in the lull:

=^= We may have an idea .. .. The Starbase is now certain there is more than one Tkrnn changeling aboard the Starbase .. Perhaps several .. The changelings clearly have some investment here that may or may not extend merely to antagonising the Romulan and Klingon embassies against each other =^=

=^= The Tkrnn ship is heading for the Starbase then? =^= Iorte asked over the comm.

=^= If such a ship is pursuing you .. We think it's very likely they will head to the Starbase whoever 'you' are .. .. Ok .. El Alamein We're coming into rendezvous .. Suggest we both momentarily drop from warp to reach coordinates my Tactical Officer is transmitting to you now .. .. Then we'll come about and jump back to warp with you towards the Starbase and hope the Klingons and Romulans and the Tkrnn ship decide to leave well enough alone =^= Manley confirmed closing the comm as the Intrepid Class Starship, dropping from warp, passed the El Alamein then turned in a wide arc of close to a thousand kilometres before coming alongside the much smaller Defiant Class. Five seconds later both vessels returned to warp.

The pursuers had closed the distance considerably due to the manoeuvre and it was clear that despite the conflict, both the Romulans 'and' the Tkrnn were intent on preventing the Federation Starships from reaching their goal!

At Tactical on the Maracanda, Lieutenant Jarves was frowning ...

"Lieutenant?" Frank Scober said.

"It's not looking too good..." Greg said, putting the tactical plot on the viewscreen, "... The eleven vessels ahead of us are seemingly working together, whether their intention is to stop us, or the unknown ship is debatable. Our turn cut the chasers' time to weapons range to three minutes present speed,"

"Thoughts anyone?" Manley asked with a wry grin.

"We could head for Garsi Alliance Space," Onizuko said with a chuckle from Operations.

"Ha, bloody, ha...!" Scober said, eyeing the tactical plot, "... I think we only have two options, given fighting the thirteen is verging on the suicidal ..... So, we continue to run for home and hope they see the sense in not wanting to start an interstellar war today, or we run for the unclassified System off our Starboard,"

"Contact Captain Komin and put it through to my Ready Room," Maley said, striding off the Bridge .....

~~~~~

"Helm, keep an eye on the El Alamein, stand by to come about, we're going to head for the 'L' Class System, we should be able to put some distance between us and them there," Manley said as he re-entered the Bridge. He took the centre seat vacated by his Exec' but before either vessel could change course the Maracanda was rocked as a torpedo slammed into her Aft shields! ..... The El Alamein had seemingly been hit at the same time and had peeled away to Port, now in full defensive mode, Scober began issuing rapid course changes to avoid a second hit. It was immediately apparent that 'both' Federation Commanding Officers had underestimated the Tkrnn vessels' capabilities.

As the Maracanda approached the undesignated Star System, the El Alamein had been hit a second time and was also now running ..........

[Carl Torek]

Level Eight Five Eight
Starbase Forty-Seven ::


The Changling had of course known about the modifications made to the devices he had purchased, but it had suited his purposes not to comment, this time however, he needed the device to reach its full potential ..... Therefore, prior to using this particular device, he had reversed the modifications and indeed enhanced them substantially, he had also added a generous amount of Romulan 'DNA' to aid the inevitable Federation investigation.

Now, as he approached the Klingon Diplomat, he knew full well that this would be their last opportunity to instigate an all-out war between the Klingons and Romulans. Two metres behind Ch'Lor, he reached beneath his floor-length coat, and grasping the explosive, placed a finger on the activation tab - Looking around to ensure there was no one close by, he began to apply pressure!

The resulting explosion decimated the area on Level Eight Five Eight along with Levels above and below. Everything within a sphere almost sixty metres in diameter vanished instantaneously before emergency forcefields and fire suppression could react. Subsequent investigations would bring the death toll to over one hundred, with the remains of many Federation Personnel, Civilians, and visiting members of various species, predominantly Klingon Personnel, never found ..........

Mezzanine Level
Commmand Centre ::


Carl was standing on the Mezzanine Level overlooking the main Command Centre floor speaking to his Adjutant when below him numerous consoles began to light up like Christmas trees as alarms sounded, people below instantly began reacting to the emergency as Carl and Jessica ran the length of the ramp to the main floor.

"What's happening?" he asked as the Head of Starbase Operations - Captain Erik Helgesen approached them.

"Explosion...!" Helgesen confirmed as he checked numerous readouts, "... Fire suppression, what there is left in the section, and forcefields have activated. Emergency Services are already on their way,"

"WHERE!?"

"Klingon Embassy Level," Helgesen confirmed as Colonel Dúpin arrived:

"Colonel, I want an immediate evacuation of five Levels above and below the blast... No one and I do mean no one, is to be on those Levels unless they are Emergency Personnel or Federation Officers, understood?"

"There's going to be a lot of casualties," Jessica said quietly as the Deputy Security Chief issued appropriate orders.

"Yes..." Carl admitted worriedly, "... Let's get down there!" Helgesen nodded, remaining in the Command Centre, he would contact the Section Admiral and Admiral Lemond to apprise them of what has happened while Dúpin, Jessica and Carl ran to the closest turbolift. The drop was agonisingly slow but eventually, the doors slid aside to utter pandemonium! ..... The turbolift had been automatically halted six Levels above the blast, a Security Officer stepped aside, giving a brief update on what they knew thus far as they were led down via a service lift to Level Eight Five Eight - Preliminary reports point to an explosive device being activated close to the Klingon Embassy and a substantial loss of life was expected.

"Colonel, have all Klingon and Romulan Personnel on the Starbase detained for their own safety. If they object, hard luck, and have that bloody Changeling found, NOW!" he said, slapping his commbadge:

=^= Torek to Helgesen .. .. =^=

=^= Command Centre .. Helgesen =^=

=^= Captain .. Implement emergency procedures  .. .. No vessels are to be allowed to depart .. No vessels dock .. Nothing en-route approaches within a one million kilometres cordon of the Starbase until further notice! =^=

=^= Understood Admiral =^= Helgesen said, closing the comm.

"Looks like the Changelings will get their damn war afterall," Jessica Yu said, fighting back tears as the first of the injured were carried away from the devastation ..........

[Gheskori]

Security levels, Starbase 47

The Tkrnn who'd held Torek and Yu captive eventually agreed to talk to Ghes who wanted to find out how many changelings might be on the station. The Tkrnn - who at least had some shapeshifting ability because he'd presented himself to Torek in the form of the same Fleet Admiral before changing to that of some indeterminate Starfleet officer - told him he and the other changeling on the base were the only Tkrnn in Federation space.

To say the least, Ghes was mistrusting of the being. How could he know for sure, if he wasn't able to detect another changeling in his proximity until weeks had passed? Ghes was stood before the Tkrnn on one of the security levels, "Nevertheless we'll try to work with you. You'll learn that about the Federation... we give people every chance, and only when they show themselves intractable, resolutely hostile, do we punish them, always aware of our capability and how to exercise power properly."

"You are more advanced technologically than the Klingons and Romulans, this is known to the Tkrnn," the Tkrnn observed, smiling in mockery, "But you have no need for concern, Gheskori. Our quarrel, such as it is, is not with you but with the Romulan Star Empire. Anything else is hearsay and falsehood."

By the latter he meant primarily the ostensible Tkrnn rebel elements' attempt to start a conflict between Romulans and Klingons, weakening both their current opponents and the Klingon Empire. The Denobulan spoke, "But you've already admitted to Fleet Admiral Torek that there are Tkrnn trying to start a -"

"I mean as pertains to our Ruling Council," the Tkrnn interrupted irritably. "Yes, it's true as I've said there are those amongst us, predominantly those who are advanced shapeshifters, who wish to spark a war in the Beta Quadrant. Which I might add is why I'm here, to stop it! The Ruling Council doesn't want this conflict."

It was a convincing performance, Ghes thought, and perhaps it was real. Well, whether or not it was... "We'd like you to wear a biometric bracelet for the rest of your stay."

"Why is that?" the Tkrnn became sullen, "Trust hasn't been established between us, I assume. How do you think wearing your device will change the matter? Are you sure it will even work on me?"

"You will wear the bracelet while trying to expose your warmongering fellow Tkrnn, if they do indeed differ in their goal from you. If your DNA has enough humanoid features, it will certainly take and give us results. If you are a changeling, it should still work, shouldn't it? Aren't the changelings amongst you derived from some sort of ancient DNA modification, with sequences taken from those we call the Founders? Their natural state may be a liquid but it is still biological."

"That's correct. Evidently, your research on us is almost as extensive as ours on you. Fine, Admiral, I will wear your bracelet. But you'll find I'll keep to my brief as agreed with Torek, who I'm sure would prove more amenable than yourself!"

Ghes nodded to a security officer who approached and attached the bracelet around the changeling's ankle. Who knew, perhaps the Tkrnn could shapeshift, as he had done into Torek's form, but was restricted to humanoid forms, while it was only fully Founder-like changelings who could adopt any shape they wished between full liquid and elaborate solid forms.

The half-changeling Tkrnn was permitted to depart the security levels and a short time later Gheskori, still present on the levels, news was passed to him from Helgesen via ADC Barton. =/\=There's been another attack... Outside the temporary Klingon embassy.=/\=

In the mid-800s levels, to which the Klingons have been sequestered! Ghes thought. So the changeling who'd earlier impersonated Helgesen had managed to find another way in... The Tkrnn they'd just released couldn't have been involved, at least directly; he'd only been gone a few minutes, and in any case his biometric bracelet suggested he'd been moving through the levels 100-200, with no attempt at communication at least that they could detect. It was possible though the two Tkrnn had decided on the attack before the now-tagged Tkrnn had met with Torek.

=/\=Casualties?=/\= Ghes's voice became flat.

=/\=Unclear, sir. Several dozen have been reported missing. The true number may be higher,=/\= Barton commed, =/\=It does seem though that a Klingon transportation signature occurred just after the blast, right at the epicentre. It's reported by surviving Klingons that Ambassador Ch'Lor and others are missing... He, perhaps also they, could've been vapourised like everything else at the locus, or they could've been beamed away...=/\=

=/\=I'm on my way to the command centre,=/\= Ghes tapped his badge to end the comm and nodded to the security personnel, "Keep a close eye on our tagged friend," he referred to the possible half-changeling Tkrnn who was moving through the base. They acknowledged as Colonel Dupin joined them to oversee their work.

---

Command Centre, Starbase 47

"We should bring him back in for questioning straight away," Lemond said in the gathering of senior officers on the mezzanine level of the command centre.

"It's a deal we've struck," Ghes said, feeling as if his hands were tied, "He helps expose his fellow changeling, or changelings, and we give him the freedom of the station and an eventual way off as long as he heads towards the border with the Romulans, or to the Garsi and Ceylanite-controlled neutral zone. Where are we on casualties now, and a damage report?" he sighed.

"Over one hundred now confirmed dead," Helgesen said, "About twice that number injured. Large sections of the surrounding decks - the two above and two below - are gone, cut-out segments of a rough sphere of annihilation. The temporary Romulan embassy four decks more or less directly above the blast zone is intact and the suspicion of the Klingons is naturally falling on them. Everyone's been locked out of those levels and security's been increased even more, but there could be serious trouble between the delegations now."

"Ch'Lor is still unaccounted for, along with many other Klingon and Federation personel," Torek said, "That transporter signature we detected presumably shows that somebody - probably Dolqar and his cruiser out there - beamed some Klingons aboard, but no idea at the moment whether or not Ch'Lor is amongst them."

"Well, let's see if we can find out. Tactical, raise Commander Dolqar."

"His cruiser's now out of standard comms range, sir. We'll have to get him on subspace. It seems he and his six ships have moved to block the Maracanda's return path to the station. Romulan warbirds are with them."

Why would the Klingons and Romulans worry about the Maracanda? Ghes thought. Was there something else whose passage they were trying to prevent, something that would make them put their differences aside and decide to work together? If so there was reason for hope. Ghes had tactical contact the Klingon Dolqar on subspace.

"Commander, this is Gheskori on Starbase 47. We believe in the wake of the latest explosion you transported aboard your vessel a number of Klingons. Tell me if you will, who is amongst them? It will assist us in our investigations. And why are you blocking the USS Maracanda's return course?"

[Gheskori]

Civilian residential levels, Starbase 47

Why have I been sent back? The businessman had to ask himself again as he looked around his quarters. He shook his head. The Klingons had rescued him from a difficult situation, it was true, but it wasn't as if the trouble had abated, if anything it had grown even worse, so why beam him back aboard now? He'd have thought suspicion was now at the greatest, with Ambassador Ch'Lor having disappeared - having been vapourised to the undiscerning eye - and Romulan Ambassador Hazr'vat being held in custody for his own safety. The Federation was probably at its highest possible alert level, and the Klingon cruiser was sending back someone already wanted for supplying weapons to terrorists.

All the same, the returned guildsman Botracht realised that whatever measures Starfleet took were bound to be incredibly lax. He looked around, taking in the ruins of his quarters which had been ransacked, the cupboards, the chests of drawers and their contents turned inside out, even the holophoto of his family dashed from his bedside table and trampled upon.

He tapped his commbadge lightly, =/\=I'm here. What do you need?=/\=

=/\=Head for the command centre. Demand access to the promenade levels, as is your due,=/\= the guttural Klingon voice aboard Dolqar's vessel commanded.

=/\=I won't be able to find him.=/\=

=/\=Do not worry!=/\= the Klingon screamed, =/\=There is more than one changeling aboard the station, so we've been told by the Tkrnn Ruling Council. You will find a changeling. He who carried out the attack on Ch'Lor's people may be gone, but others will remain. Argh! If need be I will demand he attend you in your quarters! IKS Jolar out!=/\=

Botracht still struggled with the fact that certain Klingons were willing to help potential enemies in the Tkrnn. The Klingon Dolqar and his friends were hawks who wanted a fight with the Romulans, that much was true, but the idea of them teaming up with the very people who wanted to instigate the conflict between Empire and Star Empire - the Tkrnn struck Botracht as very strange...

There was a chime at the door. A shiver went through his already trembling body and he walked hesitantly to the entrance, "Hello?" he said hesitantly as he used the door controls.

The door slid aside and a grey dignitary and a Starfleet officer wearing the insignia of a captain stood there. "This is Captain Helgesen," the Romulan dignitary said, indicating his accomplice, and the changeling Helgesen's hand melted and enclosed Botracht's own.

"My compatriot sacrificed himself in the attack worthily, even if Ch'Lor was saved by the Klingon captain," the changeling said.

"We are reliant on you, Mr Botracht. You must get yourself near the senior officers of the Starbase. You must return to your old post. If it isn't possible," the Romulan diplomat presented him with a small spherical device, "this should aid you in your mission. Botracht, we have tried all we can to rid Starbase 47 of my fellow Romulans and Klingons, but the Federation are so considerate that it seems only a direct attack upon them will accomplish our task. Kill the base's leadership!"

Botracht looked at the explosive for a second and then cast an incredulous eye at the duo, "You and the Klingons are all working together... I don't understand... Why collaborate with one another so that you may fight with one another?!"

"There are those of my own people who wish for peace," the Romulan diplomat, an aide to Hazr'vat, replied, "But there are those like myself who see that it's in the best interests of the Romulan Star Empire to be at enmity with the Klingons. The Tkrnn will help us achieve that state."

The Tkrnn changeling disguised as Helgesen listened and nodded, "And certain amongst the Klingons agree. Dolqar wants glory for the Klingons, more especially for himself."

The Romulan agreed, "I for one have my own personal arms company. As the Ferengi would say, war's good for business."

"I'll take this device to the admiralty and will do as you ask. Then I want nothing more to do with you!" Botracht blurted, snatching the spherical device and bashing the controls to close the door on the duo.