012 : Missing Persons

[Nia Lemond]

~ OOC : Gheskori post copied from Starbase Forty-Seven Thread ~

IC :

Deeply disturbed to learn about the part of the Starfleet Officer found stuck to an antenna far below, Gheskori withdrew from the party or ceremony or whatever it might be. Later DNA tests would tell them that the remains belonged to Petty Officer Minton, one of the eight missing personnel.

"Ah, and that matter you mentioned earlier, something that O'Toole thought he'd seen?" he asked. Carl said he was waiting to be updated by Sean on suspicions he'd had about the delegate Crelev talking with the Starfleet ensign.

With the events of the ceremony winding down - the dignitaries and other VIPs having drank their drinks, talked to who they felt they needed to talk to, and the like - Ghes started walking from the promenade, satisfied things - though hectic and unprecedented - were well in hand.

All Klingons and Romulans killed in the explosions over the last couple of weeks had been either accounted for or officially declared missing persons, and those who fell in the latter category were made up solely of those who were known not to have been in the vicinity of any of the trouble, except for the huge detonation which had probably killed Ch'Lor and taken a changeling with it.

Things were still tenuous in the extreme between the Klingons and Romulans, and something could be sparked any moment. But at least Section 47 now had another Vulcan ambassador aboard the Starbase - T'Nul - as well as the Vice President and her two senior diplomats from the two empires in tow from Earth. The first arriving Vulcan - Malvik - had left to travel into the border country of the Klingon and Romulan territories to assist in negotiations and try to quell the rage of various border outpost COs.

Commander Dolqar and his cruisers had withdrawn several lightyears and set up their blockade, and - albeit reluctantly - had agreed to manoeuvre to allow the Maracanda and El Alamein to come back through, those two ships currently en route.

Gheskori was under no delusions that the trouble between the two Beta quadrant powers was far from over if it could even be said to have reached any sort of the beginning of the end, something of which he was dubious. As long as there was no conclusive proof of what'd caused the explosions here on the Starbase, and as long as the Tkrnn were still out there, attempting to catalyse a conflict, things would remain difficult.

And admittedly the Tkrnn in and of themselves were a serious problem for the Federation...

Who exactly was responsible for the probable loss of all eight of those Officers and Enlistees? ..... The Klingons and Romulans still aboard were all locked down. The Denobulan could only think it was due to the Tkrnn. But which one?

Not presumably the one thought lost in the explosion that'd taken out Ch'Lor and most of his senior embassy staff. There was a Tkrnn in voluntary custody - the one who'd perhaps pretended to try to throttle Chu'vok. And that left one unaccounted for... the Tkrnn who'd briefly impersonated Torek and had shaken off base authorities by losing his biometric bracelet and disappearing just after the explosion at the entrance of O'Toole's.

But then perhaps there were other Tkrnn aboard - what the latter two changelings had said seemed to suggest that much. Both had claimed to be here trying to prevent those who'd preceded them into the Alpha and Beta quadrants from starting a conflict (both also claimed to be a good sort of Tkrnn, working on behalf of their government's executive).

Later Dupin and several returned Intelligence officers would find traces of Tkrnn DNA on Petty Officer Minton's lower body. Enough was enough! They would have to try to tackle the Tkrnn directly, and it would have to be more than asking all Tkrnn to leave Federation space.

Rounding the corner to approach the bank of turbolifts that would take him up into the Dome, Ghes was suddenly confronted by Mr Thomas! Botracht's business associate's features seized in anger and he swung at the Section Admiral. Gheskori leant backwards and just avoided taking a strike to the chin; unfortunately, he lost his balance and fell to the deck on his back. He cried out for assistance; Torek, Valente and his ADC Barton came running around the corner.

Thomas stood over him and raised an elbow, jumping and making to break his ribs. The Denobulan rolled aside and scrambled to his feet, gripping the off-balance Thomas by the raised arm. The businessman was unbelievably strong, but Gheskori held on to the arm with both hands, trying to wrench it around so he'd pin him to the floor, but Thomas, trying to force his arm in the opposite direction, let out a roar and slowly began overcoming him ..........

ooo000ooo

[David Tan]

SD: 2409.0222 ...
Two Days After Attack on Section Admiral Gheskori

Level One Nine One
High Security Holding ::

Between them, Carl Torek and Noah Barton had managed to overcome Gheskori's attacker, Thomas, more thanks to the kick in the ribs delivered by Calli Valente ..... Now, threatening to sue everyone from the Federation President down to any ancestors Calli may or may not have, a heavily bandaged Thomas sulked in his cell ..... Nia Lemond, Starfleet's Director of Intelligence, had pointedly refused to allow Thomas' broken ribs to be treated immediately, hoping that the incredible pain he must be suffering might in some way contribute to his willingness to talk when questioned!

David approached the Officer on duty and confirmed his identity.

"Any chance he's talkative?"

"He's done nothing 'BUT' talk, shout, threaten. I'm not exactly sure he's nothing to breathe in between rants," the Lieutenant said as they heard yet another barrage of threats and insults from the furthest cell. Sighing, David walked over.

"Mister Thomas, I'm here to ask you a few questions,"

"GO TO HELL!"

"This is going to go a lot better if we agree to cooperate from the get-go..." David said, walking over to collect a stool before placing it close to the forcefield holding Thomas in his cell, "... Let's start with why you attacked Section Admiral Gheskori in plain sight of dozens of people, shall we?"

"You DEAF?" the man asked.

"No ..... Far from it, my hearing is pretty good actually, now, this attack, any particular reason?"

"Maybe he deserved it," Thomas said childishly.

"How're the ribs, I heard them crack,"

"You are going against 'ALL' laws of detention, as an injured person I am entitled to any immediate treatment required. Once I get you all in court you'll be ruing the day. Especially that, WOMAN...!" he spat, glaring at David then at the extremely patient Secuity Officer, "... YOU, you will get me medical help ... NOW!"

"He's not going to help you, nor is anyone else unless, you start to cooperate with our investigation, the sooner you realise that the better..." David said, already annoyed with the prisoner. After a moment, he took a hypospray from his jacket pocket and turned it over in his hands before showing it to Thomas, "... Start to talk, and I'll allow you to use this,"

"I don't know what you want me to say ..... Why did I attack Gheskori, I was intoxicated, and to be honest, it seemed a good idea at the time. Would I have killed him, hmm, I think he might have got the better of me if left uninterrupted,"

"Stand against the rear of the cell," David instructed, then asked the Security Officer to deactivate the forcefield. He stepped inside and placed the hypospray against the man's neck, administering a general painkiller, seeing Thomas sigh with relief David stepped out of the cell and asked for the forcefield to be reinstated.

"Thank you," Thomas said, albeit reluctantly.

"So ..... Let's leave the attack on the Section Admiral for a moment ..... What can you tell me about the missing personnel?"

"Someone missing?" the prisoner asked, grinning.

"That painkiller is going to last roughly fifteen minutes, then you'll be needing either another shot, or those fractured ribs fixed..." Tan said, turning the hypospray over in his hand, "... So what's it to be, further pain, or treatment?"

"GO TO HELL!" Thomas said again, dropping onto the bunk. Sighing, David knelt in front of the cell and placed the hypospray upright on the deck half a metre from the forcefield.

"Give me a shout when you'll happy to talk," Tan said. He tentatively reached out and tapped the forcefield with one finger, numbing his hand but producing a satisfying 'buzz' to make Thomas turn in his direction. Seeing the hypospray on the floor, Thomas screamed obscenities at anyone within earshot. Grinning, David apologised to the Security Officer as he left ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Once again Clancy found himself glad to be back aboard the Starbase. Every time he went on mission with the El Alamein or in some other capacity it seemed he and the team were fighting for their lives, this time he'd only left the ship for a brief period but had been severely beaten by the Tkrnn on the IKS Qo'nos.

Iorte was hovering around the Intel offices, and Lemond and Paquin found themselves at a loose end for a moment in their back and forth discussions with senior officers, various controllers from the command centre and Intel staff. "Clancy, you and Iezeld," Paquin nodded and beckoned them over.

"What is it?" he asked as he reached them, Iezelda joining. Lemond explained about the eight missing personnel, confirming what Iorte had already heard. One had been found, so far, and it was thought given the manner in which she'd been recovered that there was little hope for the other seven. They had simply not shown up for duty the next day. What'd happened between then and the present was completely unknown.

Lemond spoke, "Nothing suspicious has been discerned in the vicinity of their quarters during that night. That could mean little, however. If a Tkrnn changeling was responsible, they could have entered in their liquid state through a number of different points apart from the entrance."

"The liquid state... Iorte saw something of that on the Klingon vessel," Iezeld said.

"And I can confirm it's very much like how we know the Founders are in their own original form," he chimed, "Except for cosmetic differences - the Founders being a sort of beige-gold, these Tkrnn are a kind of greyish silver. The Tkrnn are really quite formidable."

"It's thought that different Tkrnn have different levels of shapeshifting ability, with most not able to do it at all," Paquin said, perhaps wanting to give them all some consolation. Iorte regarded the Director and her adjutant evenly, what did they want him and Iezeld to do?

"Tan is questioning the renegade guildsman Botracht's associate, a Mr Nevill Thomas, who attacked the Section Admiral yesterday," Lemond said. Clancy took alarm. "Don't worry. The Section Admiral is fine, and maintaining his usual good humour, apparently. So we're all done for. David hopes to use Thomas as a stepping stone to get to useful information. If only to eliminate those suspects who may in fact know nothing about the missing persons, it's worth exploring," she insisted. "De Luca and Noon are to assist him in however he decides to pursue the investigation, while you and Iezeld are to go undercover on Gamma Promenade, the site of the guildhall. You're to pose as traders, prospective new business partners for Botracht, who is on the loose again, we think with one of the changelings who must've broken him out of the security levels."

"Is this the best way of going about this?" Iorte said after a pause. "We're investigating the missing personnel, not trying to bring Botracht to justice."

"Botracht is currently our only way to get to the Tkrnn changeling, or changelings. If they were responsible for the lost personnel, this plan gives us our best shout. If you should find that breaking your cover or following a different lead on our missing people is demanded by your situation, you're given leave to do so. This is just a starting point."

Clancy absorbed the information and finally nodded. He wasn't troubled at the idea of - if only initially - taking on an undercover role. The relative secrecy of his position had determined for him his relations with the people who frequented or worked on the promenades: his face and Iezeld's would be unknown to Botracht, the task wouldn't even require cosmetic alteration.

The question was could they get near Botracht? And if they met the probable Tkrnn who'd freed the guildsman, would their anonymity still be assured? How much did the changelings aboard the station know about them? How did Clancy and Iezeld know they weren't being watched by one right now? Iorte watched a Starbase enlisted shifting PADDs from one table to another, and spotted an ensign who was just wandering out of the Intel offices to the command centre. Could a changeling be near? A pertinent question while DNA tests weren't being done regularly.

He accepted and with that he and Iezelda were given four hours to think up their alter egos and to provide themselves with fake backgrounds; that afternoon they strode on to Gamma Promenade.

[David Tan]

Admiral Lemond's Office ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Centre ::

Nia Lemond, much like Carl Torek, employed an 'open door' policy when in her office, basically, if the door was open then you were free to enter, if shut, then that spoke for itself ..... David entered via Erin Paquin's office, sighing as he dropped into one of the two chairs opposite the Intelligence Directors Adjutant.

"Penny for them?" Erin said with a wry grin.

"Nothing to pay for..." David said as Lemond poked her head into the office, "... Got a minute?" he asked, Nia nodded.

"let's have coffee please Erin," the director said as he followed her into her office leaving the adjoining door open as always.

"Well, you look like someone who's just lost a bet," Nia said.

"That Thomas character, I couldn't get anything from him," Tan said, clearly disappointed.

"He'll take, they always do if given the right incentive..." Lemond said, taking the cup of coffee from Erin, David doing likewise, "... I've instructed Iorte and Iezeld to come up with backstories and go undercover on Gamma Promenade, hopefully, if they ask the right people the right questions there's a chance they will find a way to approach Botracht," she informed her Deputy.

"I bet Iorte was happy about that," David replied grinning.

"What would you think about us releasing Thomas?"

"I wouldn't, we're having enough trouble finding the Guild Rep, letting one of his henchmen go will only make him more cautious, he's bound to know we're up to something," Tan replied, sipping at the excellent hand-ground coffee.

"We can't hold him indefinitely, so far all we have on him is his attack on the Section Admiral, which would get him three, maybe six months, then he'll be out,"

"It's six months out of our hair though,"

"Fine, I'll see what 'JAG' have to say ..... Anything else on the missing Changeloings?"

"Nada..." David replied, frustrated while realising they had only just commenced investigations, "... I'd like your permission to change tack on Thomas. He knows full well that he has cause to complain about our withholding treatment for his bruised, possibly cracked ribs, so maybe I go back in there, sympathise and have Medical treat him while hopefully gaining some sort of trust with the man,"

"He's not going to fall for that David," Lemond said.

"Exactly ..... He'll know we're trying to get something out of him, but he'll also know that we would be stupid to think he'd fall for it. That alone would give him pause for thought,"

"Fine, I'll leave it to you. One thing, don't promise him anything, h has to know he's there for the long haul..." she said as David got to his feet ready to leave, "... Oh, and make sure everyone is aware that should they come across Clancy and Iezelda, they're to completely ignore them unless approached," she said as Erin entered with several PADD's for her to action ..........

Level One Nine One
High Security Holding ::

"Anything to report?" David asked the Duty Security Officer.

"Only that my request to have him 'GAGGED' was refused, twice!" the Security Lieutenant said, glaring at her prisoner before nodding for Tan to enter.

"I see you've been making friends,"

"You'll see ..... YOU'LL SEE!" Thomas said between wheezes. David nodded to the Lieutenant, who motioned for a Marine Medic to approach Thomas' cell, the forcefield was dropped and the Medic, along with Tan, holding a phaser, entered.

"Lay down," the Marine ordered.

"Go to HELL!" Thomas replied.

"Hey, fine by me. I was sent here to treat your injuries, suits me if you just sit there," the Marine said with a shrug as he stepped back over the raised threshold and out of the cell.

"FINE!" Thomas said as if he were ceding to the woman as not to upset her. He lay on the bulk glaring at Tan, his eyes flicking between him and the phaser constantly as the Medic ran a tricorder over his chest area:

"Stay still," the Marine said, using a hypospray to dull the pain, then an Osteogenic stimulator to rapidly knit the fractures to two of Thomas' ribs. Once done she stood back and returned her equipment to her med kit and nodded to Tan.

"Thank you, Lieutenant, David said as both stepped out of the cell. David handed the phaser back to the Security Officer who placed it on the console in arms reach as he watched the Intelligence Officer and his detainee. David crossed the open area of the Brig and grabbed a stool before placing it outside the cell:

"Looks like you'll be doing a bit of time ..... Two, maybe even three years for the attack on Gheskori, with the right Judge Advocate," he said with a shrug.

"I'll do that standing on my head," Thomas gloated, though David could tell that the timeframe gave Thomas pause for thought.

"Fine by me..." David replied, pausing for a few seconds before continuing, "... How're the ribs?"

"Better. Not that you having someone come in here and treat me is going to stop my bringing charges,"

"You 'could' do yourself a favour you know, all this talk of charges, we both know they will get you nowhere. Any Judge will think you are trying to lessen the inevitable sentence by making false accusations, besides, records will undoubtedly show that you were treated the moment you arrived. No one's going to believe we kept you for almost 'three days' before treating your injuries... That said, if you were able to offer information relevant to any ongoing enquiry Security may have, that could help you no end,"

"I'll still be charged with attacking the Denobulan," Thomas said hesitantly.

"Well, maybe the Section Admiral could be persuaded to drop the charges, after all, it was a party, people had been drinking, maybe you tripped, collided with Gheskori who fell with you, and the resulting tussle could have been misconstrued?"

"I'm no SNITCH!" Thomas said.

"OK. Well, if you change your mind. I think your appearance on the assault charges is set for the day after tomorrow, if you have a change of heart in the meantime, ask Security to get me..." Tan said, standing to return the stool to its previous location before heading for the doors, "... Oh, and give Security some slack, they can't help you, so annoying them is only going to get you in more trouble," David said, walking out, wondering if he'd made any headway ..........

[David Tan]

They had made a mistake in recruiting him - It was highly likely that they had realised that fact themselves by now, but it no longer mattered .....

At first, he had welcomed the request to participate in their scheme, but it soon became clear that they had failed ..... Their whole attention had been on instigating a war between two naturally warring races, but somehow, the two had realised what was happening, and now those of the Tkrnn remaining on the magnificent Starbase, were fleeing, trying to find a way home, but not him!

They had made a mistake in recruiting him - Because, unlike his brethren 'HE' was a killer. There was no cure for what he was, an anomaly they had said, a genetic abnormality, something to be shut away from the eyes of the innocent ..... He, unlike his brethren, relished in ending the lives of the unwary. Yes, he preferred, even thrived on his victims knowing their end was near, but sometimes he just had to stand back and allow events to take their course. Now, with their so-called 'plan' in ruins, the remaining Tkrnn wanted to scamper back to the safe haven of their Homeworld, something he was loath to do.

They had made a mistake in recruiting him - Realising their error, they had tried to persuade him to return to the fold, but he knew what would be waiting if he did, and now he had tasted freedom, of sorts, he was unwilling to cede to their demand he goes back, return to his incarceration, to be hidden away from all, out of sight, out of mind, but importantly, to be denied his urge to kill!

In all of their long history, no Tkrnn had ever willingly, knowingly, taken the life of another ..... He of course was the exception to the rule, so to speak because he had used pharmaceuticals to compel one of their own to sacrifice himself. Not 'murder' as the definition said, but he was responsible nonetheless. His associates had found a record of his complicity and had subsequently demanded his surrender. He had laughed, actually finding their demand hilarious given the circumstances, so no, he would not return, he had been given his tentative freedom for services rendered, services only he among them could supply without falling into the depths of despair for his actions.

They had even discussed options while he sat patiently listening, all the while knowing he wouldn't return home, but it had amused him to allow them the illusion it was they who were in charge. Would they even contemplate the thought of retaliation for his misdeeds, he doubted it. The Tkrnn by their very nature were given to submission, preferring to suffer rather than fight .....

They had made a mistake in recruiting him - Now, as far as he was aware, he was alone, his erstwhile associates had taken their leave of the silver blue needle that drifted in the darkness of space, they had gone, escaped before they could be apprehended and incarcerated for their part in the crimes committed. But not him ..... Now, those enjoying the safe haven of the gleaming spire would suffer for their ignorance, he would teach them the meaning of loss! ..........

[Elena De Luca]

Crew Quarters
Level Nine Four Six ::

Elena had been on duty when the call had come into Security .....

"Who found him?"

"Me, Ma'am..." the young Chief Petty Officer said.

"Who is he?"

"Petty Officer Second Class Malcolm Wright Ma'am,"

"What made you go looking?"

"He was supposed to be working on phaser array maintenance on Level seven ninety, that was three days ago .... When he didn't file any maintenance report on time, I checked why he hadn't reported in, for some reason his communicator showed he was on Level sixteen fifty-one - Industrial Replication, when we couldn't contact him we headed there,"

"..... You normally have people going missing for three days without any concerns?" Elena asked, eyeing the body as Medic's arrived.

"Maintenence Personnel are usually given a weeks' schedule, they pretty much get through the list then head back to report, unless something needs more than basis attention, in whi ....."

"Really..." Elena said, looking around the room, "... OK... We've established that he didn't report in, so....?" she prodded, eyebrows raised.

"Well. When we went looking for him, in 'Ind Rep' we only found his communicator, Ma'am. I instructed someone go look in his quarters on the off-chance, and well ....." she finished, trying not to look at the copious amount of blood surrounding the body.

"How long's he been, dead Doctor?"

"Approximately two, maybe three days, give or take, I'll know more once we get him back to Medical," the Doctor said dismissively.

"Ma'am ..... We checked his rota, and he finished work at eighteen hundred as usual..." the Chief continued, "... There was no need for him to be down in Replication at all. I took the liberty of retracing his movements. He had been in his quarters until zero two hundred three nights ago, then he left and went to Replication," the woman said, clearly trying to be helpful.

"Thank you, Chief, so, we still need to know 'why' he went down there and 'how' he ended up back in his quarters, sans his hands!" DeLuca said, her frustration obvious.

"Ma'am, I feel kind of responsible, he was new, and maybe I should have supervised better,"

"You were doing your job Chief, as was he, no need to rebuke yourself,"

"But if I'd gone wi ....."

"Was he qualified to do the job assigned?" Elena asked, impatiently waiting while the Chief nodded, "... Then there would have been no need for any supervision on your part ..... Am I right?"

"Yes, no, Ma'am," the woman said reluctantly, Elena inwardly swaring that if the woman referred to her as Ma'am once more she might end up on the dead list too.

"OK, go up to Security, someone will take a statement from you," she watched as the Chief left, seeing her glance back once as her colleague's body was lifted onto the maglev' stretcher. Once everyone left, Elena contacted Nia Lemond, David Tan, and Iorte Clancy, saying she had found another of the missing personnel from thre list. Lemond said she would send the others down soonest. Once the comm snapped off she began a systematic search of the quarters. There were no correspondence, no letters from home or loved ones, and crucially, no instructions to go down to Industrial Replication at two in the morning.

While waiting on the others, she sat on the couch in the living area deep in thought, primarily wondering where Petty Officer Second Class Wright's hands were! ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Gamma Promenade

What was the meaning of this? Iorte supposed that in some respects the question answered itself. According to most of the faces in the guildhall Botracht hadn't been seen since his arrest in the Command Centre by the Section Admiral, so he hadn't returned to Gamma Promenade since his breakout (probably assisted by a changeling). And why was that? Of course, for Botracht to return to a place where at least one person working for the authorities - Sean O'Toole - had found and spoken with him before would be supremely foolish.

He was close to giving up on the undercover search to find the guildsman, even trying to convince himself that it hadn't been a Tkrnn who'd freed Botracht from the security levels - and so any work he might do down here wouldn't lead to a changeling anyway.

But still there had to be one or more of the Tkrnn left aboard the station, if any had departed at all. The Tkrnn were under no material need to do so except for the obligation brought about by the authorities' demand to that effect.

His concealed commbadge buzzed under the abdominal part of his tunic and he excused himself from his and Iezelda's conversation with a businessman. Heading away from the credit-changing office he entered a small cubicle or anteroom and took out the badge, =/\=This is Clancy,=/\= he whispered.

=/\=Iorte, you're to halt your operation briefly,=/\= Captain Paquin said, =/\=De Luca has summoned you, David and the boss to crew quarters, deck 946. Another of the bodies has been found. Lemond considers it of overriding importance. Leave Iezeld in place to continue the investigations; return to her and Gamma in the morning.=/\=

He acknowledged and returned to the credit office, the mask of his adopted persona coming up again as he smiled to various traders who welcomed him back. He informed Iezeld quietly and she nodded, returning to her unenviable task of quizzing this restaurateur from Gamma's slightly less dilapidated end. Iorte would like to find out more about the restaurateur; he and Iezelda would end up having a dreadful meeting with him the next morning.

* * *

Crew quarters, deck 946

"Iorte. I thought you'd have undergone cosmetic alteration," de Luca greeted him as he arrived in Wright's quarters, last of the invited three.

"It wasn't needed. No one knows me down there. Botracht didn't know about O'Toole's connections with Intelligence despite the fact they're reasonably well publicised on Alpha Promenade, so..."

Elena nodded impatiently and brought the three of them up to date on what she'd discovered about the dead Petty Officer. "In the middle of the night?" Tan asked. "Is it possible Wright was taken to level 1651 rather than heading there of his own volition? Or possibly that he was called there, via comm?"

Apparently internal comms records had revealed no sort of communication to or from the Petty Officer's quarters that time three nights ago. If Wright had been due to meet someone that evening after 0200 hours then it would have been prearranged by 12 hours or more in advance, and that opened up the location at which the meeting was arranged to a vast number of possibilities throughout the Starbase.

"Where was the first body found?" Iorte asked to be reminded.

"Deck 1153, outside the station, only some of it and floating about an antenna," Lemond confirmed.

Iorte nodded to himself; there didn't seem to be any connection between the two locations then, unless the man was robbed of his hands and left to expire that way on 1153 and only then headed back to his quarters in that condition. Otherwise, it was only their deaths on the same night that tied together the stories of the eight persons, six of whose bodies were still unaccounted for, with their respective quarters found to be empty. "What kind of work did he do?"

"Basic maintenance for the most part. He was meant to have been repairing a phaser array only, on level 790, but his duties involved many different systems in different sections," de Luca replied.

"An all-round handyman then. Well, once upon a time!"

"Now is not the time for levity, Iorte," Elena said.

"... Yes, ma'am!" He didn't understand why that earnt him such a hard glare from de Luca. "Now, let's think... Why the hands?" he asked the three of them.

An accident, it'd been first supposed. However, the four considered, was it possible that given it was suspected a Tkrnn was responsible for the deaths (at least two of them; at most eight if there was no hope for the others) that he or she'd been the cause of the fatal injury? Assuming they were on the right track: if the Tkrnn was of the shapeshifting variety, it might've made some of its physical form into something that could efficiently cut through bone.

A search for Petty Officer Wright's DNA was being conducted on deck 1651, aside from that found on his commbadge. Could they find the hands themselves? Or could there be microscopic flecks of blood somewhere in the vicinity of the badge's findspot? Anything to indicate where the attack or accident had taken place.

* * *

Officers' lounge

"The Tkrnn remain undetectable except by a DNA test. But having one submit to such a test is well nigh impossible," Lemond mused frustratedly over coffee in the officer's lounge with Iorte, Tan, de Luca and Noon gathered around. It seemed they were going around in circles. Iorte checked the chronometer; it was just after 1500 hours; in the morning he would be returning to Gamma Promenade and very much hoped he and his fellow Intel officers would've made good progress by then. He wondered how Iezelda was faring.

"Internal sensors don't detect them, certainly," he said, "And of course they're indistinguishable from those around them on surveillance records."

Those records were preserved for deck 1651 that evening, and nothing on them suggested anything untoward. If the tapes had been missing that would've been a story in itself; the Tkrnn would've been revealing their theoretical presence by such an action. One timeslice had indeed shown Malcolm Wright moving through a series of sections of the level, his hands still attached; critically perhaps, no visual showed where he'd been thought to enter a turbolift to exit the level - surveillance equipment not pointing that way.

Could a Tkrnn have known this and used that small space of deck next to the lift to carry out an attack? It was possible, but sweeps of the blindspot had revealed no trace of blood or other Wright DNA, so the changeling would've had to clean up very efficiently. The other possibility was that the Petty Officer had entered the lift unscathed and suffered his injury during his suspected meandering return to his quarters. What other places could he have visited on the way back? Scouring of further surveillance records to reconstruct his path on what'd possibly been his last night was under way.

"The word's now been put out to his neighbours on deck 946," Paquin came in to inform them and again departed.

"Well, that's good. Perhaps someone saw him returning, they might be able to tell us something," Iorte said, "Though surely they would've reported it by now if they thought something had been amiss."

[David Tan]

Officers Lounge
Level Ten ::

The atmosphere in the lounge was dire. It seemed that the Tkrnn, however many remained aboard the Starbase, were winning the battle by keeping themselves out of the arms of Starbase Officials .....

They had been forced to temporarily take Iorte his undercover assignment to look at the latest deceased found.

While they were discussing options, primarily allowing Iorte to return to his assignment before his absence was noticed, hoping that at some point they would attract the right attention for the right reasons, and be able to progress. Elena had been looking at the list of missing personnel and frowned. Standing she walked back and forth before sending the data she had on her PADD to the others around the table.

"The eight personnel that are missing..." she said, waiting for the others to fall silent, "... We didn't find any comm badges for them did we?"

"Erm..." Iezelda said, checking her own files, "... No, they were either disabled or more likely destroyed, why?"

"Our latest deceased - Malcolm Wright ....." Elena said, still frowning as if trying to put something straight in her head before vocalising her concern, "... We 'found' his comm badge, so why leave this one, and not the others?"

"Maybe the killer couldn't find it after the attack," Erin Paquin suggested.

"Or didn't think," Rosa Noon said with a shrug.

"Or ..... Our Petty Officer Second Class Malcolm Wright wasn't one of the original eight..." she said, pulling up files, eyes flicking through data before she slapped the table dislodging glasses in the process before pointing at the screen of her PADD, "... DAMN! ..... Petty Officer Wright had a partner, Technician Elizabeth Chapman, they were seeing each other, and Technician Chapman 'IS' one of the missing eight!"

"So why kill her partner?" Rosa Noon asked.

"He 'SAW' who took her...!" DeLuca said almost shouting, or the killer believed he'd been seen, so had no option but to go after Chapman's partner,"

"There was nothing in his quarters to say he was seeing anyone..." Paquin said, then clicked her fingers realising why, "... He was in 'single-crew' quarters, she had a suite, a left-over from before her brother and nephew returned to Earth. In normal circumstances, she would have had to give up the family suite, but with the Starbase being so sparsely manned, Personnel presumably allowed her to keep the suite!"

Nia Lemond slapped her commbadge:

=^= Admiral Lemond to Commander Ki Yalao =^= she said, hailing the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

=^= Commander Yalo .. What can I do for you Admiral? =^=

=^= Ki .. Medical had just retrieved a body .. A Petty Officer named .. Malcolm Wright .. I want a thorough examination made of the body .. .. =^=

=^= I'll deal with it personally Admiral .. Anything particular you're hoping to find? =^=

=^= Evidence of who killed him =^= Lemond said, snapping the comm off.

"OK ..... So our friend has possibly made his, or its first mistake!" David said, slapping the arm of his chair ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Restaurant, Gamma Promenade

Clancy sat frozen and thought that Iezelda must be doing the same beside him. He dared not move anything except the muscles of his face as he looked over across the table, which was small enough that they could talk with the person opposite, large enough that he couldn't easily make a lunge and remove from consideration that which had sharpened the moment with peril.

Clancy looked from the face of the restaurateur, along his arm to what he held in his hand: the weapon the proprietor had drawn after sitting at this dinner table in his establishment at Gamma Promenade's less dingy end.

Having returned this morning to the promenade levels and his assumed identity as a Martian trader, Iorte had resumed trying to get a lead on Botracht's whereabouts and so hopefully start to track the changeling who probably broke the guildsman out of jail and possibly killed and knew the location of the eight dead officers and enlisteds.

He'd followed Iezelda some ten minutes later in traipsing from the guildhall, which lay at about the midway point on the promenade, down to the restaurant.

Of all the merchants and businessmen who frequented the offices of the guildhall the restaurateur didn't seem the most likely to give them anything meaningful, or so they'd thought on first examination, but then Clancy had found that his surname had been changed from that on a previous record last current eight months ago... Of course, Iorte had done the same way back: aak'a'Nerei to Clancy.

Neuchri was the restaurateur's old name, which was that of Botracht's mother's first husband... In other words, it'd emerged that the restaurateur was Botracht's elder half-brother! If anyone knew where the former guild representative had gone, Neuchri was at least a good start.

Both of them regretted following that logic now as the man pointed his phaser their way, "It doesn't make sense to me that traders such as yourselves would agree to meet with me, especially out in the open like this. No, there's something else about you, which tells me I shouldn't take any risks..."

"If we're so much in the open," Iorte said eventually, "Why would you risk holding people at gunpoint, unless you want to cause a public incident?"

"This is about par for the course around here," Neuchri said dismissively, gesturing with his phaser, "Is that something else you didn't know? What, did you spend so long on wonderful paradisical Mars that you forgot what the world of illicit money is like? And out here - now Starbase 47 is on the frontier - it can be particularly unpleasant. But it doesn't have to be," he said more brightly and shrugged.

Iezeld glanced briefly at Iorte and recognising the agreement in his eye spoke to the man, "Ok, we will level you. We're interested in finding out about Mr Botracht... We understand you have links with him. What those are we don't know -" except that he's your half-brother, she thought and kept her eye on the phaser, "- but we were wondering whether you could point us his way..."

"You will be lucky... In more ways than one," the weapon started lowering, "I do have close links with him, yes. But as to his current whereabouts, I wouldn't have a clue, but... Well, perhaps some reassignment of the titles to credit ownership is to be advised."

Clancy rolled his eyes. The restaurateur wanted some money. But at least they were making some progress even if it came with its jeopardy.

Studying a PADD, waiting for the funds to arrive, Neuchri's eyes eventually lit up; he paused and nodded to them decently and suggested they go to a place on level 925 at 1500 hours today where he they sought or associates of his would meet with them. Not believing it was going to be that easy, Iorte and Iezelda would take their phasers this time.

* * *

Guildhall bar, Gamma Promenade

Waiting in the guildhall bar at lunch - having been going to go to O'Toole's but deciding they were in too much danger to even marginally break their cover by leaving Gamma Promenade during the business day - the two of them talked on the rest of their team's findings, not worrying about keeping their voices down as most of the clientele (a mix of traders of the four promenades) were too busy being jolly in the middle of the day. So this was why the station's commerce had been suffering so much, Clancy thought.

"Wright is of course not one of the eight, but de Luca's found that Elizabeth Chapman, one of the dead enlisteds, was his partner," Iezeld said.

"I didn't know that," Clancy sipped water and nodded, "But did you hear that they've found another of the bodies? That makes three of the nine now - including Wright."

"Yes, someone told me this morning. The most senior of the eight." Autopsies would hopefully reveal the nature of the deaths - not so much DNA traces from a killer but signs of an attack by a strong and versatile being...

[David Tan]

23:00 hrs ...
Admiral Lemond's Office
Mezzanine Level
Command Centre ::

Hours earlier they had watched as the USS Charleston departed the Starbase, hopefully conveying the Federation Vice President back to Earth, and out of harm's way .....


"I just don't know where we can go from here ....." David said. Nia Lemond could only agree. Their investigations into the missing personnel, not to mention the presumed offenders - The Tkrnn - Had stalled spectacularly!

They had committed extensive resources to search for the Shape-Shifting Tkrnn, primarily on Levels of the Starbase that were still to be certified safe - Thirteen full Levels, between eight six one and eight seven four, were still uninhabited, and there was no reliable power or utilities in those Levels, yet the dregs of Federation life had found their way down there and 'somehow' eeked out a living, of sorts.

Yet the blatantly obvious issue hadn't gone unspoken, that being: They could have walked right past the one, or more, Shapeshifters without even knowing it! ... David was about to get up and call it a day when Erin Paquin entered from her office:

"Admiral, we've lost contact with Clancy and Iezeld ....."

"Where?"

"They were last seen on Gamma Promenade, having a conversation in the Chinese Restaurant but then got up and left. There weren't many people around so our observer couldn't follow them,"

"Where did he lose them?" Nia asked, hardly surprised given Clancy and Iezeld had been given carté blanché to do as they deemed necessary to make progress.

"They were entering the Guild Hall ....."

"Bloody hell, into the lion's mouth eh..." David said with an exaggerated shrug, "... Did they manage to leave a drop?" he asked Nia's Adjutant, referring to the agreed form of information gathering should they not be unable to communicate directly.

"No, our observer checked, but no go," Paquin replied.

"What do you think?" Lemond asked David.

"I'd as leave them to it ..... There's no point in rushing in there every time they're out of contact. Iorte obviously deems it vital to remain incommunicado, maybe they suspect they're being watched, they 'have' been asking a lot of questions, and it's bound to attract attention. He's not due to report until tomorrow anyway,"

"OK, let's leave it for now, thank you, Erin... Pour yourself a drink," Nia said, stretching out the seemingly constant backache she had developed, "... We're sure the blood screening is working?"

"As sure as we can be..." Tan said with a shrug.

"Botracht is connected to all this, I'm sure. We've gone through all his communications for the last twelve months, reams of detritus, the man could win prizes for the length of time he takes explaining the simplest issue, it's no wonder he's where he is. My worry is 'how' is he remaining hidden, hell we boast we can find a needle in a bloody haystack, so to speak, yet here we have a man that comes and goes at will," Nia said, her frustration obvious.

"He's clearly got something over enough people to maintain his hold on the Guild, he's got a close-knit cliqué of confidantes who presumably pass on instructions, but as to his connection with the Tkrnn ....." David said, falling silent.

"Why not simply remove the Guild's authority over the traders?" Erin asked sheepishly.

"We can't do tha ....." Lemond began but fell silent as David leaned forward:

"Why not...?" he said, seeing Nia look at him as if he'd just suggested she chop a hand off, "... we wouldn't have to actually go through with it, just the mere 'suggestion' that Command is considering it as an option, should things continue as they are, would at least make Botracht think twice about allowing more to happen?"

"Alright, let's find a way to get this 'suggestion' to Iorte and Iezeld, maybe if they let it drop in conversation it could help but of us," Nia said.

"You look done in," Tan said, seeing the intelligence director try and fail to stifle a yawn.

"We'll call it a night, reconvene at ten hundred, I'm having a lay-in," Nia said, rising, David and Erin doing likewise ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Deck 925 - 1500 hours

Iorte and Iezelda had headed for the meeting place on level 925 at 1500 hours. Arriving, they found they were at a three-way intersection with barely functioning lighting and environmental controls: at the corners of the walls and ceiling, frost stuck to exposed piping and battered circuitry cases, illuminated only occasionally by flickering lights.

The place was deserted. Clancy didn't like it... Were they here a few minutes early? No, slightly late if anything; he didn't think the person or people they were due to meet - whoever they were and whatever clue they'd give them, explicitly or otherwise, about the location of Botracht and hence one or more changelings - would clear off that quick...

"Is there anyone there?" he said into the flickering shadow. "We've come as requested by someone who once went by the name Neuchri, an owner of a Chinese restaurant on Gamma." Botracht's elder half-brother, Iorte remembered.

"Yes, he's here with us," a quiet voice came; in addition to the voice's owner and Neuchri, there was a third individual who lay concealed with them, someone not currently imitating a humanoid form: a shapeshifting Tkrnn in league with the current speaker as well as - tentatively - Neuchri. None of them except the speaker knew this or would know it for the next several days... That went for Neuchri, Intel officers and all the base authorities.

"We're interested in Botracht's whereabouts," Iezeld called.

"We may be able to do some business, you two and I. But I see you've brought weapons," the voice whose origin point was hard to locate spoke softly again, "We can't deal with you in such a state... 1000 hours tomorrow, guildhall function room 7. And no phasers!"

---

Guildhall, Gamma Promenade - 0945 hours the next morning

That next morning, with the previous night's midnight rendezvous of Tan, Lemond and Paquin concluded and the information on the plan the three had come up with passed down to Iorte and Iezelda at Gamma Promenade, the latter two entered the guildhall having crossed the way from their hotel. It was 0945, or just about... The meeting in function room 7 would be starting soon, and - even before it'd started - Clancy was feeling like he liked this situation even less than yesterday's.

Fetching a glass of water from the guildhall bar to refresh and calm himself, he turned, scanning the bar's occupants and deciding that nothing seemed amiss - nothing different from usual, nothing uncanny that suggested trouble was round the corner. His survey complete, he caught sight of Iezelda by the manual stairwell leading to the upper storyes; he nodded to her and joined her in climbing to the third floor and function room 7...

At least they'd managed to meet with someone this time... Four people had presented themselves, one who identified himself as he who'd spoken with them yesterday afternoon on deck 925, another two who said they were seeing them for the first time (both of them were about seven feet tall) and the fourth being Neuchri the restaurateur. Things were not going well, and Iorte had decided to deploy the new information,

"It's what I hear," he insisted, "Ask people on Alpha and Beta Promenades... I know that glitzy realm is unknown to you: its high-flying merchants and big names in the sector's commerce... I know that it's tough down here on Gamma, and the guild is one of the few things you have... But it is unfortunately true... I heard through the grapevine that base authorities are wanting to sever the guild from its natural clients."

"We're to lose our control over the businesses throughout the promenade levels?" the lead speaker from the day before, an Andorian named Tar'Dalian said again.

"It's possible. Which is why it's essential that I and my associate find Botracht, to warn him," he signalled Iezeld.

"Don't worry. We will tell him." And with that Tar'Dalian nodded to the two heavy-set individuals present, and they stepped forward and seized the unarmed Intel operatives by the arms. Neuchri backed away, demanding of Tar'Dalian to know what he was doing.

The Andorian guildsman ignored Neuchri, "You see, during the night we did some research... We discovered that you two are Starfleet officers. Well, technically Ms Iezeld is an enlisted. Both of you have close links with high ranking base officials. In what capacity we are unsure, but it stands to reason, given your links to Admiral Lemond, that you are Intelligence. We can't allow you here. And we can't allow you to rob us of our authority."

He nodded again and the two seven footers forced Clancy and Iezeld down into chairs and bound their hands and arms to the armrests.

"You should fetch us a fine ransom," one of the heavies said, and Tar'Dalian approached with some device - a neural inhibitor stun weapon. As Iorte struggled with gritted teeth, the device was held to the Intel officer's temple and a jagged beam of electric green shot out at him; the shock of it had him emit an involuntary guttural cry and he was sent into a state of deep unconsciousness...

[David Tan]

David was in the Command Centre reviewing numerous dead-end reports about 'sightings' of various suspicious natures when Erin Paquin, Admiral Lemond's Adjutant came in .....

"Thought you might want to add this to your pile," she said, handing him another PADD. He was about to add it to the seemingly ever-growing stack when something caught his eye ... He read the report and stood up.

"Do we have anyone available?" he asked.

"Not really, unless you want to pull someone off another task,"

"No problem..." he said as he noticed the Starbase Marine Commanding Officer, Tor Zamblis, passing, "... Colonel ..... Have a minute?" he asked. The Marine turned and approached.

"I wonder if I could borrow a couple of your men. I've had a report that Maintenence confronted someone on one of the unoccupied levels, whoever it was disappeared, I'd like to go down and take a look?"

"No problem, where do you want them...?" Tor Zamblis replied. David referred to the report:

"Erm ..... Level Eight Seven Six, Section Alpha, fifteen minutes?"

"I'll have them waiting, two enough...?" the Colonel asked, David said yes, "...OK, good hunting," Zamblis had replied, already speaking with his Deputy .....

When David arrived on Eight Seven Six, the two Marines, Sergeant Murdoch and Private First Class Vant, were already waiting for him, they snapped to attention as he stepped out of the turbolift. Tan waved at them instructing them to relax. They were basically going to search for anyone 'not' authorised to be in the Levels above that were still undergoing repair prior to being reopened. Both Marines efficiantly checked their phaser rifles and sidearms then waited for instructions, David resisted shrugging, 'Marines were, well, Marines' he thought grinning inwardly .....

Level Eight Six Eight...
Unoccupied Level Undergoing Repairs ::

When ready, David had instructed Command to withdraw all Maintenence Personnel, then seal 'ALL' access both above and below the repair levels, As a consequence, they had been forced to climb up via Jeffries Tubes, through the 'Decompressed Separation Level' before reaching their goal, The lighting was sporadic at best, strips of light hung precariously here and there, casting shadows, they could hear water dripping somewhere ahead and David recalled that sections had been cut into the floor/ceilings to allow flooding to filter down to the lowest unoccupied Level before it was drained off.

"What's the plan, Sir?" Murdoch asked. Truth be told, David wasn't sure. The interloper had been seen entering 'Beta Section' so he assumed they would have to head that way. He was regretting turning down the offer of more men. He stepped to one side as a drip managed to get between the collar of his jumper and his neck, the freezing liquid had a sticky feel and he quickly wiped it away.

"We'll head this way, the intruder entered the coming Section about twenty minutes ago, so he could be anywhere by now,"

They began to move forward, trying to minimise their footfalls while listening intently for any sort of movement or tell-tale sound from ahead. He was surprised at the state of the Level, it looked for all the world as if a tidal wave had passed through destroying everything in its path, doors to apartments were open and furniture was strewn around each room, the wide corridor too was almost unsurpassable. Large swathes of bulkhead had been dislodged, making them either go around or carefully step over the large sections. One end of an overhead light chose that moment to swing away from its fixing and hit Sergeant Murdoch on the back, the man practically leapt into the air but managed not to scream, his colleague grinned.

Suddenly they heard something ahead of them!

All three lowered themselves onto one knee, weapons ready. Murdoch silently instructed PFC Vant to move forward to recce ahead .....

Thirty metres ahead, Vant waved them forward, before clambering over a large box-like piece of equipment, David could see that it had, at some point, had a power supply as numerous strands of fibre-optic cable were almost resting in a small pool of water. Sparks flew as the cables brushed the surface intermittently. Vant, who had gone forward once more, continued to move further into the Section, pausing suddenly when they heard a noise. It sounded like something was being scraped along the deck above. Tan looked up, pointing the light attached to his phaser rifle towards a dark opening in the ceiling, the light seemed to reflect off one side of an object before it plummeted through the hole. Vant had no time to move before he was crushed beneath the falling object. David fired twice into the opening above but hit nothing.

"DAMN ..... He's got above us!" Murdoch said, stating the blindingly obvious. Cautiously, keeping their weapons trained on the dripping opening above, they moved forward, but there was no saving the crushed Corpsman Vant. Murdoch knelt beside his colleague to check for a pulse, then still on one knee, spun and fired a volley through the opening in frustration, David could only wait for the man's anger to ebb.

"Sorry ....." Murdoch said finally, clearly embarrassed at his loss of composure, his professionalism. It took both of them to lift the fallen piece of equipment off Vant, David slapped the commbadge on his belt, hoping to get Medic's down to retrieve the body, but there was no reply. He frowned, picking the device from his belt to look it over, comms 'should' be functioning here despite the Levels being unoccupied, so why weren't they?

"There's a Jeffries Tube ahead..." David whispered quietly, motioning with his rifle, "... We'll go up. At least we know whoever it is is close by," he said. With a look at Murdoch, he moved away, the Marine Sergeant following a few seconds later.

Level Eight Six Seven ::

They clambered from the cluttered Jeffries Tube, Tan moving left, Murdoch right, rifles moving in a slow arc to cover the darkness ahead.

"Too slow... Federation!" someone in the shadows goaded ..........

[David Tan]

Level Eight Six Seven ::

..... "Too Slow... Federation!".....

David and the Marine Sergeant cowered in the semi-darkness, trying to limit their silhouette to the Tkrnn ahead of them. Still, Tan knew that if it got off this Level and back into the populace of the enormous Starbase, there would be no finding him until 'he' decided to act once again, so, in reality, they had no option but to press on, despite the obvious danger!

He pictured the layout of the Residential Levels on the Starbase - Three rings, Living quarters for the higher-end clientele, situated on the outermost edge of the Starbase with large windows looking out beyond the behemoth, a central ring, and an inner ring that held all other Civilian arrivals. They were in the outer ring now, the wide corridor having suites on only one side, the bulkhead they were next to contained only access ports and Jeffries Tubes for ongoing maintenance ..... He motioned for Murdoch to run across the corridor towards one of the open doors opposite them. The floor was strewn with furniture and other objects, water again dripped from fissures in the ceilings. The Marine nodded and cowering to make himself as small as possible, ran across the corridor into the nearest of the open suites.

...... "What is taking you so long, Federation?"....."

"We're getting to you," David replied almost casually, as he saw the almost invisible shadow of Murdoch inching forwards to the next open doorway. Halfway to his goal something slammed against the bulkhead above his head and fell, slamming into his shoulder. David heard the man grunt in pain as he dropped to his knees, phaser rifle still pointing into the darkness ahead. They heard a laugh up ahead, the Changeling goading them into reckless action no doubt!


David fired forwards, knowing he was not going to hit the Changeling, but maybe he would be close enough to give the Tkrnn pause for concern - If he thought they could see better than they actually could, he may try to stay concealed.

"Sergeant?" David whispered.

"I'm OK," came the reply, but Tan could tell the man was injured, how much and how seriously, there was no way to tell until they were able to check further.

David moved forwards, trying to keep his back to the bulkhead as much as possible, several times he was forced into the open where a panel or piece of mounted equipment, a display monitor for example, had partially sprung from its fixtures, leaning precariously, it was now that he realised that the Tkrnn, far from wanting to escape, was toying with them for his own amusement. But they had no option but to try to corral the Alien forwards into the arms of the waiting Security Personnel further around the Level. He paused, straining to see Murdoch, still crouched behind what might have been a piece of furniture.

...... "I'm rapidly tiring of this game, Federation, what say we call it a day?"....." they heard from far ahead of them, how had the Tkrnn been able to move so far ahead without their seeing at least 'some' movement!

Murdoch, growled his frustration, firing several times into the darkness, but this only resulted in yet another goading snigger from their target.

Up ahead, a section had been pulled out from the bulkhead, David moved quickly, seeing Murdoch opposite doing likewise. If nothing else they were at least keeping pace, they hoped. At some point, they would reach one of the sealed emergency bulkheads that cut the Level into eight separate Sections, and behind that bulkhead was Security, so unless the Tkrnn was able to find an unsealed Jeffries Tube, he was walking himself into a dead end.

They had moved approximately one hundred metres further forwards when Murdoch suddenly yelped in pain before falling silent! ..... Several times Tan tried to coax a reply from the Marine but there was none, so he made the decision, he had to cross the corridor to reach his associate. He strained to look ahead into the shadows, wondering where the Changeling was waiting, maybe it knew Tan would try to reach the fallen Marine and was waiting for his chance to get him in the open, but David had no choice, he could check the man to see about his condition or leave him for dead!

..... Hmm ..... Difficult decision, isn't it....."

The voice, so close to David that he couldn't help but cringe away, ducking away from the breath on the back of his neck as he spun to face his attacker, but the Changeling had already moved and he fired into nothingness ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Seven levels directly below Gamma Promenade Guildhall

Only through an act of self-reflection did Iorte realise he was conscious, until then wallowing in a state of delirium, in a particularly uncomfortable dream state full of hallucinated spectres dominating the space of the indistinct room.

And spectres avaunt! Iezeld had stirred on the next duranium cot or table over to him, and his analysis of this realisation that he was not, after all, alone was what'd catapulted him into consciousness. He turned and saw Iezelda, strapped in to her cot, as he believed he was in his, and as he saw that she too was awakening; he was turning back to survey his surroundings and the light struck.

Terribly blinding and - he recognised as his self-awareness grew leaps and bounds and he was able to remember himself - consistent with a method of torture, it was shone in both captives' eyes for about a minute. Squeezing his eyes shut had only a slight effect, as the illumination was powerful enough to seep through the lids; trying to turn away was useless, as with only minimal give he couldn't move his head.

Finally the light shut off. "Mr Clancy... Until we receive your ransom from base command, you are tell us everything about the workings of your business."

"My business?" he wheezed after a while.

"Starfleet Intelligence in this sector, of course, particularly the operations overseen by Tetsutaro and after him Lemond. And particularly the actions of your own team. I want details!" the unseen - and unrecognised as being such - Tkrnn changeling intoned. Iorte made him out as a dim figure, the Intel officers' eyes still saturated, and behind the Tkrnn, looking on, were the hazy outlines of the Andorian Tar'Dalian and Botracht's half-brother Neuchri...


Intel offices, Command Centre

The duo working on Gamma hadn't given their customary report that evening, and those in Intel and in Gheskori's office were concerned. After that, both had learnt that David Tan and his marine escort also were missing, the three having chasing a lead on the apparently unoccupied level 868.

That left Admiral Lemond just de Luca and Noon from her primary team to work with, and together with Paquin she had the two in conference now, along with both Gheskori's aide Barton and Deputy Security Chief Dupin by audiovisual comm.

Part way through the meeting, they received news from the promenade levels. The guild had broadcast a message for the authorities. Two Intel operatives had been seized at the guildhall, and their demands were either/or: a ransom of 10,000 bars of latinum to be paid by the end of 10 stardates, or in lieu of the payment the guild being allowed to retain its authority over promenade businesses (which Clancy masquerading as the Martian trader had told the guild was in danger of being snatched away).

"We're still hoping to regain communications with Tan," Noon quietly told Barton and Dupin on the split screen.

Dupin's head and shoulders nodded, "I've had my staff look at it. Readings on Tan and his two marines' lifesigns are uncertain; we're only detecting two of them, and one faintly at that. Their precise locations are unknown."

"The Section Admiral needs a solution," Barton said. "We can't be held to ransom, and we're not going to withdraw a threat when the guild are now doing more to deserve it than ever! Now what about Botracht himself?"

Paquin spoke for Director Lemond, "Botracht is no longer head of the guild, but he likely lies in the background. Unless he's managed to smuggle himself off the station in the last week or so, he's still a factor. There are a lot of good people still in the guild... but we believe they've been commandeered."

"It was likely a Tkrnn that freed Botracht from the security levels," Dupin said, "I assume Clancy and Iezeld were trying to find Botracht in order to get to the changeling?" A little reluctantly, Lemond nodded; Intel secrets were jealously guarded. "What about their current location?" the colonel asked. To that the Intel Director could have no answer.

"It won't be long before Gheskori decides to send in the troops..." ADC Barton spoke after a while, "He needs you to find your personnel soon, Admiral, and deal with this situation quietly so we don't cause such a disturbance, for the sake of the well-being of the Starbase population... for all our sakes."

[David Tan]

Level Eight Six Seven ::

David could feel the sweat running in ice-cold rivulets down the back of his crewneck jumper.

..... You really are beginning to get jumpy, Federation. Maybe it's time I ended your humiliation ..... Hmm? ....."

"This thing is 'REALLY' beginning to get on my last nerve!" Murdoch spat.

"..... Temper, temper ....." The Tkrnn said with what could have been a brief laugh before falling silent once again.

Frustrated, David again slapped his commbadge with no luck. The thing should be able to transmit throughout the Starbase and well beyond, but it couldn't even pick up anything two or three Levels above or below their position. It was clear that the Changeling was either carrying, or had positioned and activated something to prevent the small device from functioning, not that that made any difference, the Tkrnn was clearly playing with them, and at some point, possibly pretty soon going off their last comment, he was going to tire of the game, at which point it would go only one of two ways .....

David waved Murdoch over from the other side of the wide corridor - The Marine knelt, weapon ready but with nothing to aim at it moved in a slow arc back and forth.

"We need to find a way off this Level," Tan said.

..... Ahh, no we're talking ..... A plan? ....."

"Jeffries Tubes would have been sealed, so we're not going up or down that way..." David said, eyes trying to focus on anything out of the ordinary in the semi-darkness, "... I would have thought we'd have been missed by now,"

"Maybe whatever our 'friend' is using to block the communicators is messing with scans...?" Murdoch speculated. David could only invisibly nod in agreement, "... Why's he, it, even taking the time with us, that's what I'd like to know,"

"Well, if we ever get him in a cell, we'll be sure to make that one of the first things we ask," David said. He moved out from the crumbling bulkhead plates to look ahead. there was still the battery-operated lighting, giving them 'some' idea of what was ahead, but certainly not enough to make a run for it. Either one or both of them would undoubtedly trip and fall, possibly seriously injuring themselves in the process. There were also unseen holes cut into the deck to drain excess water from the Levels above, if they were to fall through one of them, they would likely die in the resulting drop.

"We can't just keep moving around this Level David..." Murdoch said, eyes darting back the way they had been moving, "... Admiral Lemond will undoubtedly be looking for us, we're well past the time we should have reported our progress,"

"True, Security would have reported not hearing from us too," Tan said, the comment not making him feel any better about their predicament.

"..... Just out of curi ....." the Changeling began, falling silent as volleys of rapid-fire came from two phaser rifles, strafing the corridor before each bolt of almost pure energy slammed into something solid.

"Why not simply show yourself, there 'must' be something you want, otherwise why play this game...?" David asked the empty corridor, hoping to goad the Changling into a reaction, "... Unless you're stuck here, what, nowhere to go, no means of escaping the Starbase, no more willing allies ..... Surely you have some sort of fallback plan, or have you been left here, a proverbial 'sacrificial lamb' to the slaughter because you're of no further use to your associates?"

..... What makes you believe I'm alone here?....."

"I never said you were, but it's a possibility. You've exhausted your efforts to get the Klingons and Romulans on the Starbase at each others' throats, so you killed Civilians in your frustration, but what have you got left?"

"..... I could remain here, hiding, killing one after another of you, until the novelty wore off, you would never find me, and you know it ....."

"You'll slip up, your kind always does," David said, eyes moving over the corridor hoping for the smallest hint of movement.

The shaft of metal, almost like a javelin, came from nowhere - Two metres long, it flew through the air slamming into the bulkhead between David and the Marine Sergeant, the impact made both of them leap away from each other.

"..... You 'really' should not underestimate my abilities ..... Federation!....." ..........

[David Tan]

"I'm rapidly losing patience with this thing!" Marine Sergeant Murdoch spat as he pulled a sliver of metal from the palm of his hand.

"..... Giving up already.....?"

David clambered towards the Marine and leaned in, hoping that the Tkrnn wasn't close enough to overhear their whispered conversation:

"I think if we can get him, it, into one of the narrower sections, we might have a chance of hitting him," David said, eyeing the wide corridor ahead.

"I'll go down the left, the second you see 'ANYTHING' you fire, don't mind me," Murdoch said, moving away before Tan could object or approve the plan.

The Tkrnn had fallen silent, no doubt watching proceeding from up ahead. David knew they were losing, the Changeling could if it chose, be done with both of them in short order, and once its amusement was fulfilled, he knew their time would be up .....

Kneeling, David set the phase rifle to a 'wide beam' configuration and fired - Numerous beams lanced from the weapon each less than five degrees off from its predecessor. Given there was no cry, he realised he'd missed hitting the Tkrnn once again. Seconds later Sergeant Murdoch did likewise from the far side of the corridor, with the same lack of success.

Murdoch had been watching a section of the tattered bulkhead - A minute earlier he had been sure he'd seen something, a shadow, or reflection. Ensuring that his focus wasn't aimed solely at the section he was watching, he nevertheless kept it in his peripheral vision, and then the shadow moved!

"The Marine spun, dropping onto one knee and firing all in one swift action. Seemingly out of nowhere, something slammed into his left shoulder, the pain caused him to let go of the phase rifle to put his hand down on the deck, and then something was standing over him, it was almost transparent, shimmering between silver and gold before morphing into what seemed to be a kryonian tiger! ..... Murdoch rolled onto his back, right arm outstretched as he sought the dropped weapon, the tiger eyed him much like a kat would 'play' with something it had fought before going in for the kill. David saw the transformation and having reset his phase rifle to single shot, he fired at the two-metre tall animal.

The beam hit the Changeling in the shoulder, spinning it back and away before it ran from them and out of sight.

"NICE SHOT!" Murdoch shouted, glaring in the direction the 'tiger' had fled.

"He's injured now..." Tan said as he helped the Marine to his feet, "... You can bet the next time he appears he'll try to finish one or both of us off," Murdoch leaned forward to retrieve his weapon, that was when the Changeling struck!

Neither man had been expecting another attack so soon, Tan was sure he'd done significant harm to the Changeling, but clearly not as much as he'd believed. It appeared ahead, morphing between a land and air animal seemingly in mid-run. First, it was the tiger seen seconds earlier, then a massive condor-like bird, bristling with stiff spines along the leading edge of its wings, it swooped, knocking Tan off his feet before whirling one eighty degrees to grasp Murdoch's left shoulder
in one massive talon, the other pushed out at its side as a counterbalance for the sudden load. It dragged/lifted the Marine off the deck as it tried to get away.

David felt something wet running down his face, wiping at it with one hand he could see blood, lots of it. The 'Eagle' had used one of its talons to gouge a deep cut into his head running from above his left eye down to behind his left ear. David ripped the sleeve off his roll-neck jumper and tired it bandanna-fashion around his head, but he was already feeling the effects of blood loss, his vision was blurred and he was struggling to get fully to his feet.

Suddenly he heard a scream, and seconds later a severed arm dropped in front of him! ..... Trying to fight off dizziness and nausea, David began to lift his phase rifle to meet the oncoming animal, but not quick enough - the 'Eagle' came into view high up, tail feathers running along the ceiling plates as it aimed for Tan, then one heavy talon plucked him off his feet, he was flung through the air like a rag-doll, landing heavily his weapon lost. The Changling landed before him, slowly morphing into a Human form.

"Well, this has been fun, but alas I have other things that require my attention. You put up a valiant if fruitless fight Mister Tan, but time to end this ....."

David watched as one arm began to change until it seemed like a long, silver sliver on metal, much like the blade of a samurai sword. The Changeling turned the weapon admiring its form and grace of design, then lowered the tip until it rested, almost feather-like, against Tan's carotid artery.

"..... Farewe ....."

The beam from a phased weapon passed through the Changeling and off into the darkness, it looked down, almost surprised at the sudden turn of events, but not done yet, it lifted the arm/weapon and began to bring it down in a smooth arc until the arm seemed to detach itself, less than a second later another beam vaporised the Changling, erasing it from existence!

"Tan ... TAN!" despite all his efforts to remain conscious, he lost the fight .....

Medical Center One ...
Level Thirty-Six ::

"Ahh, we're back among the living then?" he heard someone say. gradually he forced his eyes open and saw Elena DeLuca standing next to his bed.

"Whe ....." he tried to ask, but he felt as if he had a mouthful of the Atacama desert in his throat. Elena lifted his head and placed a cup against his lips to allow him to sip at the cold water.

"Don't gulp, you'll throw up," she warned, taking the cup away.

"Wha ..... What happened?" he asked, realising he was only looking at her with his right eye.

"Lemond sent Security and the Marines down to the Levels we thought you were on, they basically flooded the Level until someone came across the Sergeant ....." she paused.

"How is he?"

"He'll be OK, luckily his severed arm was underwater when they found it. He's in surgery now and should regain full use after physio..." she said, checking the patch covering his right eye, "... That 'thing' almost ripped your eye out when it grabbed you, you were lucky, they will finish treatment in the morning then you should have full vision back,"

"The Changeling?"

"Gone," DeLuca said defiantly.

"There are others aboard the Starbase, at least one, maybe more,"

"Well, that's not your concern, at least for the next two days, you're confined here until your treatment is finished..." she said, moving aside as one of the nursing staff check his readings, "... Get some rest, I'll pop in tomorrow,"

"Ask about Sergeant Murdoch will you," David said as tiredness and fatigue got the better of him ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

The Andorian trader continued via the comm to the Intel offices, "Unless the ransom monies or a guarantee of our continued authority over the Starbase's businesses is provided by 1800 hours tomorrow, end of the trading day, neither of your officers will be returned to you." Briefly his face contorted in fury, "You're not to play games or delay and try to claim the moral high ground, in your standard Starfleet way. It's the monies, or the continued authority of our guild! There is no other option open to you."

The Andorian Tar'Dalian closed the channel his end, giving no time for any Intel officer present to make a further riposte.

"It seems to me he doesn't make a great businessman," Lieutenant Maerwicz said at the edge of the main room, "For them, negotiation is key, isn't that right? But it seems he's not willing to give any quarter... No pun intended."

In the absence of de Luca - visiting Tan who'd been rescued that afternoon in the medical centre - Rosa Noon took the lead and frowned, not understanding what the Pole meant nor knowing that he had some familiarity with currencies of the old world economy. "It seems to me that the best we can do is offer Tar'Dalian and the others in charge of the guild what they want. Give them the second option: their continued authority over trade," she said, "Then after they release Clancy and Iezeld, we can go back on our word."

"That doesn't seem proper," Helgesen said via audiovisual comm. "But I'd expect it of Intelligence. No offence. You know what's needed in these situations."

"None taken," Lemond spoke from behind her desk. "Look, the problem that hasn't been stated so far is that we can't know that the guild itself will keep its word: it may not free our two personnel, no matter what we do. Granted, though: in that way they risk bringing the weight of base security down on them. But there may be another option..."

"A further infiltration," Maerwicz nodded, understanding Admiral Lemond's mind having previously served with her on Earth before the Betreka Event.

"If Tan is ready to return to duty he can lead de Luca and Noon into the guildhall," Lemond said, "It won't be an undercover op... rather it'll be a break in. If he's not ready - did the CMO say the day after tomorrow? - Elena can lead it instead." Waiting 'til the day after tomorrow would take them clear past the guild's deadline... if they allowed themselves to be guided by such impudence from the traders.

<Tag Tan or de Luca>

---

Seven levels below the Gamma Promenade guildhall

Neural energy passed through fractures of Iorte's mental architecture, shattered archives of long-neglected memories some of which - and the skills associated with which - he thought could help him in this dilemma. This energy of his mind was the same temporary unity that might once have been able to escape from linear spacetime, travel through shortcuts and loop-backs (allowing quick access to one century or another), but now, since the accursed Hybrudeans had taken this from him, he could only use it within his own limited mind, fixed in this place and epoch.

He'd wanted nothing more to do with that origin of his, those people who'd cast him out having accused him of rebellion and robbed him off his heightened abilities (or at least their ready use). He might access some of them with considerable difficulty. But such difficulty paled next to another inhibiting factor... that he very much didn't want to use the couple abilities he had left, due to their association with his original countrymen. The last time of use had been a number of years ago, during the Intel team's time on the Alicoran vessel...

His and Iezelda's captors had been trying to extract information from them in this room, but no one was currently present. He thought how he might be able to very briefly accelerate his consciousness. "I might have a way of escape," he managed to whisper across to Iezelda, bound in her own cot.

[Elena De Luca]

Level One Five Five One ...
Gamma Promenade
Tradesman's Guild Hall .. 19:30 hrs ::

With David still under medical suspension, apparently, he had suffered two broken ribs and a sacral vertebra, 'S1' and 'S2' damage to his spine which would need forty-eight hours to repair, so Elena was put in charge of the upcoming ingress .....

Having briefed the ingress team in the Intelligence Offices, Elena, along with Rosa Noon and eight Security Personnel, led by Commander Kevin Gough, were ready. They had grouped approximately twenty metres from the front of the Tradesmen's Guild .....

"We're going in..." de Luca said, making sure everyone knew their individual tasks on entry. It was a given that the Guild would object to their presence, which was unfortunately not going to affect the outcome of their arrival, "... Make sure that once inside, your teams get to 'ALL' exit points immediately. We already have people on the Maintenance and Service Level below, as well as the Levels above and below that and us, so no one should be leaving without our knowing,"

"Whenever you're ready," Commander Gough confirmed after speaking with the two teams above and below them.

Elena walked the short distance to the Guild Hall and could already see people looking at their unexpected arrival. They knew they would need to reach the doors 'AND' get into the foyer 'before' the Guild's Officers could seal the doors. If that happened de Luca would have no real option but to force entry, something she would rather not do given the Promenade was still open, and both Starfleet and Civilian Personnel were present. With fifteen metres to go, she could already two people readying the large ornate doors in readiness to slam them on the approaching people. Gough had also seen this and motioned to two of the Security Team to move forward!

"What are you doing?" one of the two 'Doormen' said as Security put themselves in the doorway. Elena moved towards the men and asked to see the Guild Chairman, immediately.

"You must make an appoin ....." the man began before being manhandled out of the way so the team could get inside.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING DOWN THERE!?" someone shouted. Elena looked up to see an elderly man making his way down the curved staircase to their level, then she stepped forward and handed the man a PADD.

"I assume this is some sort of a joke?" the man said, waving the PADD back and forth as several of the Guild Hall staff entered the foyer trying, and failing, to prevent the Security Personnel from moving into place.

"..... And you would be?" Elena asked politely.

"I... MADAM... Am Horace Whitman ..... I am the Deputy Chair of the Guild!" he said as if she should have known that beforehand.

"Well, 'Mister' Whitman. No... It's no joke..." de Luca said, eyeing several people who could undoubtedly handle themselves should the need arise. She almost grinned, wondering vaguely why such a place would need its own internal Security, "... that document, authorised by Admiral Lemond - Director of Starfleet Intelligence - Sector Forty-Seven - Gives us full access to all areas of the Tradesman's Guild Hall, this establishment, for the purposes, but not confined to, the location of two missing Intelligence Officers. Therefore I strongly 'suggest' you instruct all Staff currently on site to cooperate fully. If they do so I am sure this can go without too much inconvenience to all concerned,"

"The Guild Hall is Sovereign Territ ....." the man began, but de Luca interrupted him again:

"Don't embarrass yourself, Sir..." she said, taking a step towards the elderly man who had still not confirmed his identity, "... This Starbase, and by extension, everything on it, is Federation territory, with the sole exception of individual Embassies, so ..... Shall we begin, or would you rather I have all members of your Staff taken into custody while the search is done?"

"What 'exactly' are you hoping to find, might I ask?"

"As stated in the warrant, we're looking for two Intelligence Personnel last seen entering these premises," de Luca replied patiently.

"And you believe that the Guild, and by extension, the Tradesmen of this illustrious Starbase, have become KIDNAPPERS?"

"Mister Whitman, I'm not saying that at all..." Elena said, trying to look as exasperated with proceeding as he was, "... Believe me, Sir, I have much more important things to be dealing with than some possibly fruitless search, which is as inconvenient for you as it is for me. So, how about 'you' give us the tour, that way you can reassure yourself that we're not trampling on anything other than you're plush carpeting?"

"You expert 'ME' to give you a tour!" the elderly Guild Deputy said as if Elena had asked him to lop an arm off!

"Well, you could deputies of course..." Elena said, her patience rapidly running out, "... But we're up against time restraints here, Sir, so what's it to be?"

"You may conduct your search," the man said, theatrically stepping aside with a flourish. Elana turned to Commander Gough:

"Let's go," she said with a smile to the clearly annoyed Guild Deputy ..........

[Nia Lemond]

Office of the Director ⁘ Starfleet Intelligence ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Center ::

Forty-eight hours after Starfleet Intelligence and Security carried out the spectacularly unsuccessful search of the Tradesmen's Guild Hall on Gamma Promenade .....

"We've been made out as bloody laughing stocks," Colonel Theo Dúpin was saying.

"It wasn't that bad," Elena replied, sipping the still-too-hot coffee Erin had distributed.

"Well, I'm happy you see it that way..." Nia Lemond said, the sarcasm unwarranted, "... Tradesmen, Guild Members, even damn visitors are all but laughing at the failure," she paused as the Section Admiral knocked before entering, despite his being in Command of Starbase Forty-Seven, he still respected etiquetté and under normal circumstances wouldn't simply walk into an office unannounced.

"Anything from the Council?" Nia asked, referring to Gheskori's recent contact with Starfleet Command on Earth.

"They still believe we're more than capable of dealing with the 'situation' though it seems 'time' is now a factor," the Denobulan replied before sitting in one of the vacant seats.

"Understandable, no one is overly happy at the mounting loss of life," Nia commented.

"They were practically laughing at us..." Elena said, still inwardly seething, "... They clearly knew all along that our people weren't being held in there but they played the downtrodden and complained every five minutes just for show,"

"This is all because the Tkrnn want to force the Klingons and Romulans into all-out war, and we're catching the flak from their efforts..." Lemond said, pausing to try to gauge the Section Admiral's mood before continuing, "... We're not going to get them to leave without leverage, and we don't have that. We can't bloody well find them to haul in!"

"You have something in mind?" David Tan asked, newly released from Medical but on 'light duties' for the next week.

"We ask them to leave," Nis said.

"Excuse me?" Elena replied in disbelief.

"We 'ask' them to leave ..... We won't try to apprehend them, we won't retaliate, we'll give them amnesty, provid ....." the Director began, only to be interrupted by de Luca:

"You CAN'T be serious Admiral!" de Luca snapped.

"You know of another way to end what's happening Elena, if so, I'm all ears,"

"..... And the people killed?" David commented quietly.

"I'm more than aware of our losses..." Lemond replied, glancing at Gheskori, who remained in something approaching silent contemplation, "... But it seems clear that now their attempts at getting the Klingons and Romulans at each others' throats, they're making sure them ..... AND US ..... Are going to suffer regardless,"

"We can't find the damn Changlings to hold them to account, how do you propose we contact them with this, proposition?" David asked, but Nia could only remain mobile behind her ornate desk ..........

[Gheskori]

The present

"Anything from the Council?" Nia asked, referring to Gheskori's recent contact with Starfleet Command on Earth.

"They still believe we're more than capable of dealing with the 'situation' though it seems 'time' is now a factor," the Denobulan replied before sitting in one of the vacant seats.


Two hours earlier...

Ra-ghorennii leant towards his screen at Federation HQ, Paris, Earth. Either side of Ra-ghorennii, just within shot, was the C-in-C of all Starfleet - to the extent that that role was differentiated from Ra-ghorennii's - and Romulan Ambassador Crelev. "I'm afraid Starfleet's new strategic operations branch is on to me, Gheskori, as it is on to the C-in-C," the President said, "You need to sort this out soon or next time we'll need to send more than just the Vice President and her entourage, esteemed though Her Dignity is."

"What kind of people did you have in mind, Your Excellency?"

"Less people, and more Starfleet military assets, Admiral," the Starfleet uniformed C-in-C put in from the right of the screen. "The USS Buenos Aires and the USS Attila - both Sovereign classes - and four Sabre class light cruisers. The Buenos Aires is currently under the authority of Starfleet Intelligence; their branch at Sol would be taking over the matter of the Tkrnn, the Klingons and Romulans from your own Intel teams, if you can't resolve the issue. The ships are awaiting to depart from Barnard's Star, to head to your sector. They need only my command. Sort it now, Gheskori; I don't like using these heavy-handed tactics."

"Yes, sir," Ghes said immediately, "But, if I may, we have to some extent 'sorted it' already. The Klingons and Romulans are no longer about to go to war; a mix of diplomacy and clever thinking by Section 47's security and intel staff -"

"It's my understanding that five of eight - or is it nine? - Starbase personnel are still missing, presumed dead, Gheskori," the Starfleet bigwig cut him off in frustration, "Are you any closer to finding the perpetrator?"

"No, sir," he had to admit, "Though we believe the person responsible is a Tkrnn shapeshifter, which - I know - makes them near impossible to find by conventional means," he paused, "Forgive me, sir. But my people are working on it, and I believe it's wise to give them time. We've infiltrated the guild that oversees Starbase business, which through its deposed representative Botracht is thought to have links with one or more Tkrnn changelings."

The Starfleet C-in-C regarded Ghes with consternation before acknowledging, but not without misgivings, "You have two days, Gheskori, then I have to send the Buenos Aires and her cohorts." Ra-ghorenni himself seemed as if he didn't quite know what to do. To the two men's right, Romulan delegate Crelev sat impassively. His mysterious black eyes were the last thing Ghes saw of the visual feed from Paris before it winked out.


The present

"We can't find the damn Changlings to hold them to account, how do you propose we contact them with this, proposition?" David asked, but Nia could only remain mobile behind her ornate desk

Leaving his reverie of remembrance, Ghes found that the conversation had halted. Like when sudden silence would wake one up if one had gone to sleep listening to music, Ghes had risen from reflection to find everyone in a state of uncertainty; it became clear a question had just been asked.

Ghes recalled it and broke out of his silence, "We've tried that already, though admittedly we did order the Tkrnn, not ask them. The Federation doesn't want any Tkrnn in its territory, considering we made a technical declaration of war against their species. We could try being nice and ask them to depart, try to be reconciliatory, but as you say, Admiral Lemond, we need leverage, which we simply don't have if we can't find any of them."

"But we can locate the humanoid Tkrnn, if any of those are aboard the base," Rosa Noon put in, "You might think they have to be aboard, and potentially in greater numbers, if changeling Tkrnn are here."

"About 95% of all Tkrnn are humanoid," Ghes nodded, "And not all of the 5% or so of changelings are able to change completely. It's thought that perhaps only 0.8 to 1% of Tkrnn can shapeshift to any corporeal form. A small gas cloud; a sword; a rat's tail. So yes, it stands to reason there'd be Tkrnn humanoids aboard, and we should be able to scan for them... But we don't know what their biology would look like."

"We could've already detected them, and not know it," Lemond nodded in understanding, "Then we need to learn something about a typical Tkrnn humanoid; if only we could get a confirmed test sample of humanoid DNA, something to compare wider scans of the base population to."

"In the meantime, sirs, I think we need to keep pressing to find the missing personnel," Noon said, "Five are still to be located; it might lead us to a changeling. And keep trying to find Clancy and Iezeld, while we're at it," she stated the obvious, "Perhaps we need to widen the search from the guildhall. They were last seen entering it, but who's to say they're still there? They could easily have been moved by the guild officers."

<Tag Tan, de Luca>

[Iorte Clancy]

OOC: See above for Gheskori post

IC:
Seven decks directly below the Gamma Promenade Guildhall

With Tar-Dalian having departed again, and with no sign of either him, Botracht's half-brother Neuchri or that insufferable deputy guild rep Whitman, Iorte set about thinking his way free from his bonds.

Thinking, indeed, as in this mode of conscious operation he could project himself and splay out his neural architecture into the room, the antiquated, gutted form of that mind, shattered by the Hybrudeans who'd cast him out into temporally-locked and permanent exile, for the rest of his existence as a human.

Able to think, or look back on himself in this room as if he was another, he could see his physical form. He could zero in on the bond of the right wrist, and as a disembodied spectral presence begin to loosen it; he could do the same with that of the left wrist. He was not a ghost, nothing so fatuous; he wasn't even a mind or part of a mind, or an avatar of neural processes free from the body; he was a thought of Iorte Clancy, the thought itself, a thought constituted by the wish to be free, released from these harsh shackles that bound mind... and matter, the matter of the material that restrained him.

The bonds on his wrists began to loosen. Losing the mental projection, he huffed and his features were wracked with pain as he engaged in a supreme act of concentration to think himself again, a neural instant, an intentionality, existing in multiple parts of the room - temporal not available; only spatial - and from these different angles to slough off the bonds at his ankles and neck.

With repeated efforts he was successful, and sighing as he relaxed from the difficulty he drew in his patchy neural architecture and rose from his cot.

Iezelda looked across at him in shock, and he made out that he'd had a small razor up his sleeve, only a few minutes ago managing to shake it free, down into his palm, and had used it to cut one bond after another.

Not needing to use the non-existent razor this time, he freed Iezelda by using his hands to untie her bonds.

"Now to find out where on earth we are," the Petty Officer said as she sat up, rubbing at her sore wrists. "Do you remember anything of what happened after they attacked us? I guess we were both unconscious, until we woke up here a couple days ago?"

His mind occupied and still reeling from his disused and reviled mental ability, he nodded to her quickly and moved to the door, only now noticing the simple loose clothing and sandals he and Iezeld both now wore, as if they were medical patients.

He released the mechanism on the door and looked down either end of the corridor beyond, which led out into the Starbase's interior. "Let's try to avoid people," he said, looking back at the Petty Officer, before they crept out and turned left, hurrying down the passage. The clacking of the sandals was irritating and made too much noise; they kicked them off and streamed silently through the section.

[David Tan]

Admiral Lemond's Office ...
Mezzanine Level
Command Centre ::

"..... About ninety-five percent of all Tkrnn are humanoid..." Ghes nodded, "... And not all of the 5% or so of changelings are able to change completely. It's thought that perhaps only ......."


David seemed to stop listening as he thought about the Tkrnn - They had been set on inciting war, and when that failed, they chose to take their frustrations out on the occupants of Starbase Forty-Seven!

"David ..... You with us?" he suddenly realised he'd been spoken to and that everyone in the room was now looking in his direction, he shook his head, 'cobwebs' he thought.

"Sorry..." he said by way of an apology, "... You were saying?" he replied, not aiming the reply at anyone in particular.

"I was saying 'Perhaps we need to widen the search from the guildhall. They were last seen entering it, but who's to say they're still there? The guild officers could have easily moved them'..." Rosa Noon said.

"I agree, in hindsight the Guild Officials did seem to be a little 'too' cooperative, they obviously knew that either Iorte and Iezeld weren't in the Guild Hall, or if they were we were never going to stumble on them..." Tan said, pausing as something occurred to him, "... I think finding one of the Humanoid Tkrnn might go faster if we make it known we're looking for one of them,"

"They're not going to simply walk into the Command Centre and shout 'HI' are they!" Elena said, knowing they were all strung out from lack of sleep.

"Maybe not, especially if Security or Intel' go waltzing into the Guild Hall ....."

"You have another approach in mind?" Gheskori asked. David thought for a moment then replied.

"Why not ask Sean O'Toole to take a message?" Tan suggested.

"He made it pretty clear that he was out of the 'Intelligence' business last time he was involved, and I can't see his fiancé being overly pleased with us asking for his help," Nia said.

"Who better though ..... He's refused on numerous occasions to become a member of the Guild, but that doesn't stop him from being entitled to any 'perks' that might come from joining, and while his presence at the Guild Hall might raise a few eyebrows, no one can question his legitimately entering the Hall on Promenade business?"

The group gathered in Lemond's office looked at each other, presumably trying to think up an alternate plan of action...

"I'm not sure," Nia said after a moment.

"All he would need to do is request an appointment with the Traid Guild Representative, our elusive 'Mister Botracht' and when he can't get to see him he can insist on leaving a message with that fop Horace Whitman,"

They were still discussing options when Nia's Adjutant came running into the office:

"THEY FOUND THEM!" she said, she saw Gheskori and apologised, not realising that the Section Admiral had joined the meeting in her absence.

"Found who, Erin?" Nia Lemond asked.

"Clancy and Iezeld!" she said, handing Nia a PADD from one of the Marine Detachments training on their Levels, apparently they had burst into a 'live fire' exercise on one of the Marine Training Grounds, and almost got themselves shot to pieces!"

Nia was almost laughing, both with relief and amusement, as she read the report from one of the Marine Training Officers, who said the two Officers, who apparently looked more like vagrants than serving Intelligence Officers had been taken to Medical on Level One Five Six Seven. They were being treated for mild malnutrition and cold, by one of the Marine Medical Corps Doctors, but despite insisting they needed to get back up to Command, the Doctor in charge clearly had other ideas on the matter, and had even posted a bloody guard on the two to prevent them from leaving without his say-so. Grinning, she handed the PADD to Gheskori:

"Perhaps we should send someone down to 'retrieve' our formerly lost souls?" the Section Admiral said with a wide grin as he stood to leave, handing the PADD back to Erin Paquin ..........

[Iorte Clancy]

Level 1567, Starbase 47

Still trying to convince the doctor to allow him and Iezelda to leave, without much success, Iorte found happily that his work was done for him as someone from the Command Centre came down; it turned out to be the aide to the Section Admiral himself, Commander Barton. Still having to present a PADD showing his orders and who he was, the ADC finally had them free.

Truth be told, Iorte had almost wanted to stay and recuperate there instead of going back to work.

They'd left the complex of what appeared to be makeshift interrogation centres and temporary offices - which were contained in their own enclosed volume with various improvised blast doors separating them from the rest of the SB's interior, in the levels immediately below Gamma Promenade (with Delta Promenade not extending over that area of the two decks that formed the top of the enclosed section).

Who was responsible for that build-up and creation of various spaces? Clancy believed it was the guild itself, on the orders of Botracht, Whitman or possibly Tar-Dalian. Command now needed to deal not only with the guildhall on Gamma Promenade but that new space in the levels below it.

This had been Clancy's thought - undergoing ragged formation - as he and Iezeld had virtually staggered from their interrogation chamber and gradually realised where they were in the Starbase. They'd left the level, still not knowing where they were, and several decks up had stumbled in a daze upon a place they'd rather they hadn't.

"Hold your fire!" he'd said, his hands up, the loose white material of his clothing - provided by the guild's officers who'd kidnapped them - rippling and shining in the torches on the sights of the marines' weapons, "I'm a Starfleet officer!" He and Iezeld were lit up brilliantly; behind them two targets, variously coloured concentric circles painted on old duranium boards.

Corporal Sierlen paused as he looked down his sight at the desperately waving man (dressed in some white gear he'd perhaps been given in some clinic) who'd blithely walked in front of the target just as the corporal had been preparing to fire.

"But it's low yield," Sierlen for some reason found himself blurting down the alley, as if he was actually going to pull the trigger.

Now they were heading back to the Command levels, led by Barton. "Your boss Lemond is under pressure to send in the troops," he told them as they neared the Command Centre, the two back in uniform but still worse for wear, "Open assault. Of the guildhall, and now undoubtedly of this place you've told me about."

"I doubt it'll work," Iezelda said, and Clancy repeated it when he and Iezelda reached the Director's office.


Intelligence offices, Command Centre

"I doubt that attack will work. It became clear to us that the important personages in the guild, and in the guildhall are able to make themselves disappear whenever the authorities are about," he said, "You could send in squads of armed security, but they wouldn't find anyone or anything of importance to take to task."

"Yes, de Luca found that out," Lemond said quietly from her desk.

"We need to go back in, Admiral," Iorte said, "Obviously not undercover this time; that's blown. But infiltrate, covertly, the places they like to frequent, this time in company with whoever else of our team you can spare. Bars, other establishments, perhaps even holodecks, and most importantly - when they don't know someone's watching - the guild and those levels beneath it. As I said, a frontal attack on either of them will only send them into hiding."

Nia nodded, "Tan and co should be ready to join you. Tell me about what you've found. I'll await your report of your work of the last few days, but give me a quick rundown on the guild. Who's prominent?"

"There's Botracht of course, but we never saw him; no one has, since before he was broken out of the detention levels, after he presented himself in the Command Centre and was arrested. But the information is that he is still on the base, somewhere, hopefully along with a changeling. Other prominent people in the guild... there's Horace Whitman, an Andorian called Tar-Dalian, and Botracht's half-brother Neuchri who's a restaurateur on Gamma."

"They're not going to like that you've escaped..." Lemond mused, "We haven't heard from the guild yet, but obviously this means we won't have to pay your ransom. They tortured the both of you?"

Clancy nodded, "Light torture, sir. Still, although the different rooms were empty, we don't know who else they might've had down there over the last few months... It's an unofficial operation we surely can't let continue."

[Elena De Luca]

First Floor Utilities Room ...
Tradesmen's Guild Hall
Gamma Promenade
03:30 hrs ::

She had entered the Guild Hall late that afternoon on the pretext of finding out what properties were currently vacant, saying that a cousin from Earth was thinking about relocating now the Starbase was back within reach, so to speak ..... One of the Staff had escorted her to 'Letting' on the first floor where she was seated opposite an obnoxious bureaucrat who clearly overstated his importance in the grand scheme of things. He had shown her numerous vacant establishments before informing her that she would need to return the following day as the guild's business hours ended at sixteen hundred each weekday.

Declining his offer to escort her from the premises, she left the office and quickly moved down the corridor to where plans indicated a small 'Utilities' room. Intel had established that the Cleaning Staff came at around five in the morning, leaving before the doors opened to the general public at eight-thirty each day, so hopefully, she would be well and gone before anyone decided to open the door and find her sat in the corner .....

The Guild Hall was hardly a 'Top Secret' establishment and thus wasn't overly secure - Intelligence had checked the schematics and found that while the doors on both Promenade and Mezzanine Levels were alarmed, none of the internal doors should be. Unless of course, the Guild had employed 'outside' tradesmen to bolster their need for Security!

Elena retrieved the PADD from the satchel she had with her and activated the device. It immediately indicated her location within the building, along with all rooms on the First and Ground Floors. She, along with Iorte Clancy, who would make his way inside undetected, had been tasked to confirm that the blueprints of the Guild Hall, as supplied by the Federation Corps of Engineers when the Starbase was finally fitted-out prior to the final commissioning, matched what they were going to be looking at during their covert searches. Because Admiral Lemond, along with David Tan and Iorte Clancy, were convinced changes had been made that had not been made public, and it was 'these' changes the Intelligence Officers were trying to discover.

She knew that Clancy was already in the building, either on the Ground Floor or in the Service and Utilities Level directly beneath the Hall, she would need to 'map' the layout of the First Floor and then, if time permits, do the same on the Ground floor, Iorte would do likewise moving 'up' from the basement ..... Ideally, neither would meet with any unexpected company, alas, she wasn't going to be that lucky .....

climbing to her feet, slowly rubbing the numbness out of her thighs after her prolonged self-imposed incarceration, she listened for any signs of movement before reaching for the pressure pad to open the door. The corridor beyond was lit only by service lighting giving off a subdued blue hew, positioned at one-metre intervals along the edge of the carpet close to the walls.

According to the PADD, she was roughly in the middle of the First Floor in the man corridor that ran the length of the Guild Hall. Towards the front, the corridor was directed by two large ornate doors, beyond 'should' be the Main Ballroom used for official functions. Deciding that was as good a place as any to begin her search/mapping, she cautiously made her way towards the doors, mindful of any hidden devices that might make her presence known to all the wrong people. As she approached the doors she paused, lowering herself to one knee as she scanned the door frame from top to bottom for any signs of monitoring equipment, but she could see nothing apart from what looked like an activation pad for the doors themselves, so rising to her feet, she inched forwards until she could reach the doors with an outstretched hand, she was about to activate the doors when it occurred to her that the room might automatically raise lighting to suit the time of day or night, in this case, and the sudden lighting up of the room in the early hours might attract attention.

Approaching the pad she teased it from its fixture and deactivated it before lowering it to hang from several strands of fibre optic cable, then she reached for the point where the doors met and eased her fingers between the two. The doors parted as if held up by levitation, gliding apart smoothly until she had opened them enough to slip through the gap - Once inside, she closed the doors by hand and waited, motionless, allowing her vision to adjust to the almost complete darkness of the room.

The Guild had indeed been busy - The Ballroom took up the whole front of the Hall, yet on either side were corridors leading to - according to the schematics her PADD was showing her - On the left, three small rooms, presumably meeting rooms, but she would need to check, and on the right, a corridor leading to four more rooms, both sets of rooms were 'above' privately owned shops on the Main Promenade.

Turning left, she entered the corridor and approached the first of the doors, inside were a table and chairs complete with monitors and alpha/numeric pads that were built into the table's surface, so 'Meeting Room' she thought, taking a tricorder from her satchel she walked around the perimeter of the room scanning as she went, but no hidden hidy-holes materialised. Leaving the room she crossed the corridor to the first room on the right, this looked like a store or cloakroom, small, she scanned this one with the same result so exited and closed the door, she moved to the second and paused, for a second she thought she'd heard something.

"Bloody hell, you'll be talking to yourself soon....." she whispered to herself, before opening the door. This room too was empty and devoid of any secret lairs. Satisfied she retraced her steps to the Main Ballroom and crossed it to the second corridor ..........

[Elena De Luca]

First Floor ...
Tradesmen's Guild Hall
05:00 hrs ::

..... She crossed the Ballroom and approached the second corridor, checking the schematics on her PADD this too expanded over the main Promenade establishments, clearly, the Guild had rented single-level properties, cheaper for those either not able or not needing another floor, but it was clear that the guild had expanded the Hall well beyond original plans had specified, nothing illegal in that of course, and she was pretty confident that she would find rental agreements assigned to the Guild Hall for the extra floor space if she wanted to see them.

Her tricorder showed four rooms off this corridor, two on either side: She opened the door and almost jumped out of her skin - At the end of the corridor was a lifesize portrait of none other than Botracht, the Guild Association Representative!

"Geez, like yourself much?" she muttered.

The first room on the left looked like a ship's galley, presumably, this was for food preparation for the multitude of functions the Guild Hall hosted throughout the year, same for the first room on the right. She diligently scanned both rooms, walking the extremities of each room while holding the tricorder facing the gleaming metallic walls, but again, no hidden room, not even a 'dumb waiter' she thought, almost disappointed. Back in the corridor, she checked the schematics once again, and apart from the Guild Hall surreptitiously acquiring extra floor space, there seemed nothing to indicate some hidden torture chamber or the like.

She was about to move to the next room when she stopped dead in her tracks, she was sure she'd heard something behind her. Holding her breath she tensed and then spun, dropping to one knee as she did so, but the Ballroom, framed by the doors of the corridor, remained completely devoid of movement. She slowly lowered the PADD and tricorder to the plushly carpeted floor then lifted the strap of the satchel over her head. That done she plucked her phaser from her belt and inched back towards the Ballroom, but again saw nothing, but she'd been sure this time that she had heard movement, sure of it!

She froze, holding herself motionless for long seconds, ready to fire, but apart from the shadows, nothing stirred.

Returning the phaser to its position on her waistbelt, she retrieved the tricorder and PADD then moved back along the corridor towards the third and fourth rooms, hoping all the while she could bring up the lighting, just enough to highlight anything coming for her, but she knew that any change would be noticed, if not by a Guild Official, by Security, who Lemond had asked colonel Dúpin 'not' to inform his Officers regarding their nocturnal, and not to mention, suspect activities.

Shaking off her paranoia, she opened the door of the third room and glanced inside. Again it was in complete darkness but she could see several small tables, one the righthand wall were three replicators, so she assumed this could be possibly a Staff Refectory, another door led off to what looked like a small storeroom. Once again she scanned, keeping the tricorder centimetres from the walls, and again it confirmed that the room was as specified ..... She was rapidly losing patience, partly because she had so far found nothing, and was under instruction not to contact Clancy or anyone else involved in their covert search, but more because she had frustratingly almost convinced herself she wasn't alone, when there was nothing, or no one, there. She wasn't prone to frightening herself to death, but somehow this place was sending a constant shiver down her spine!

She approached the fourth room, the second on the right-hand side of the corridor, and furthest away from the Ballroom, This room was clearly different - It was locked.

Stepping back, she adjusted the tricorder to 'passive scan' and then cautiously approached the locked door, ready to run should her attempt to gain entry set off any alarms, silent or otherwise. The tricorder diligently scanned the door and surrounding wall structure before confirming there were no hidden alarms and that the door was simply locked and would require a numeric pin. Shrugging, she reset the tricorder and scanned for the access code, seconds later the tricorder obliged, and with a muted 'beep' the door slid aside, again the room was in complete darkness.

Concerned at finding the locked room she was once again cautiously moving forward. She held the tricorder in front of her and approached the open door, pausing as her outstretched hand became level with the doorframe. She activated a scan of the room but flinched as she felt something on the back of her neck, almost as if ice-cold air had moved over her skin, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and shivered. With the minimum of movement, hoping not to warn whoever was behind her, she slowly she reached for the phaser and then spun!

Nothing .....

"Your's being bloody ridiculous!" she said to herself, frustrated. The tricorder 'beeped' signifying an anomalous reading, frowning she lifted the device to see what it had picked up. She looked to her right, at the first door, then across at the ones on the other side of the corridor. According to the schematics, the expansion options, even for the Guild, were finite, you couldn't purchase something that didn't simply exist, yet according to the readings she was looking at - The dimensions of this room differed from the room opposite.

This room, like its neighbour, was on 'inside' walls, so no windows - Just electronic displays that would show woods, fields, sunrises, pretty-much whatever you fancied if looking at silver metallic panels wasn't to your fancy. The room, according to the tricorder, had another room adjoining it on the far wall. Picking a torch from her satchel she aimed the white light against the far wall, running it back and forth slowly, but apart from a single portrait, the wall was devoid of anything, including a door. She was about to enter the room when:

"Might I be of assistance?"

She began turning at the sound, but a fraction of a second before she could see who it was, her world plumetted into sudden, impenetrable, darkness ..........