"Shields!" Paris yelled.

  The blast rocked the Enterprise, sending more than one person crashing to the deck plating.

  *****

  "Enterprise!" Captain Mittous hailed urgently. "Did you get them? We have six escape pods, but they are the guards. The transport ship was taken over by the prisoners during the attack."

  *****

  Paris glanced over his shoulder at Seven. She shook her head.

  "Negative, Argentina," he told Dyneb with a frown. "We were unable to get a lock before the ship was destroyed. The cloaked ship knew just where to strike."

  "Very well, Enterprise. Argentina out."

  Admiral Dyneb turned to Captain Mittous. "Scan them."

  "Sir?" the captain questioned. Was he insinuating that Captain Riker and Commander Paris were lying?

  "You heard me, Captain," the admiral gritted out. "How many people do you read aboard the Enterprise?"

  Captain Mittous frowned and looked to his Tactical Officer.

  "One thousand, one hundred, seventy-two," she told him. "Their normal complement."

  "Thank you, Ensign." The captain nodded then turned back to Admiral Dyneb. "Satisfied, Admiral?" The contempt for the other man was evident in his voice.

  "Quite, Captain."

  *****

  The investigation into the attack was completed post haste. Admiral Dyneb sent the Enterprise on her way within a few hours of the attack. Even their offer to help with the repairs was turned down.

  "I believe you need to shake down those new gel-packs, Captain Riker," Admiral Dyneb told him with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

  "Yes, Sir," Riker replied. "We'll be running the Enterprise out to the Badlands and back to ensure all systems are operating nominally."

  "On your way, then, Captain. Dyneb, out."

  *****

  "Lieutenant?" Commander Paris turned and looked at the Chief of Security the moment the Enterprise was out of scanning range of the Argentina.

  Seven's hands moved over the console, tapping at the blinking lights.

  "All patterns present and accounted for, still being held in the buffer." A collective sigh of relief was heard over the bridge.

  "Get them out of there, Seven. The Captain and I will wait in Cargo Bay two."

  When they got there, B'Elanna was adjusting one of the pattern enhancers.

  "Try it now, Seven," she ordered.

  A moment later 117 prisoners materialized along with the captain of the Enterprise. Whom, much to Tom Paris' annoyance had a huge grin on his face.

  "Welcome back, Captain," he muttered in disgust.

  Will Riker laughed out loud. "Could you put a little more feeling into that, Commander? I might start thinking you don't want me around."

  Paris rolled his eyes. "It would sure make my job easier."

  *****

  Paris entered his darkened office with a sigh of relief. They'd done it. Everything had gone just as planned. Now all they had to do was get them to the Badlands and they would be safe. He smiled with satisfaction as he shrugged out of his uniform jacket.

  "Computer," he called out tiredly. "Lights."

  Then, he turned around.

  "Oh, hell!" Commander Tom Paris swore vehemently. "What are you doing here?!"

 

 

  Tracy Sobieski, Klingon Hearts 06 Battles - The Ones You Lose

 

 

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