The red alert klaxon blared through Jeffries tube P24, section 6 on

Deck 36. At an open access panel to the main power transfer conduit, LTJG Michael Shoenberger and CDR T'Aiya Llire worked feverishly to avoid disaster. While removing a sabotage device implanted by a Jirzzaque spy to damage the warp propulsion system, the two engineers had inadvertently activated the auto-destruct sequence of the USS Lexington. The computers voice echoed throughout the starship, 'WARNING! AUTO-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED. T-MINUS THREE MINUTES AND COUNTING! COMMAND OVERRIDES INOPERATIVE!"

"My tricorder indicates that the connectors holding the bio-electric device in place contained routing sub-routines intended to trip the auto-destruct sequence should the device be tampered with," said TAiya with an elevated sense of urgency in her voice.

"Well," said Michael, his arms working within the panel, "that explains what happened. Now, will reattaching the bio-electric implant disable the auto destruct?"

Suddenly the ship lurched, causing Michael to drop his hand-held laser torch. "What the hell is doing on anyway?" he exclaimed.

"It would appear that we are under attack," said T’Aiya smoothly. "What is your progress?"

"I've almost gotten the last connector reattached to the transfer conduit wall," answered Michael, sweat running down his face.

The tension level on the bridge of the Lexington was beyond description, especially between Captain K'yra Bay and Commander James Phillips.

"Captain, that last phaser hit dropped our shield efficiency to eighty-nine per cent," Phillips insisted. "I suggest we return fire."

"And I say wait, Mister Phillips," roared the captain in response, "let's handle one problem at a time." She slammed the comm link on the center seat, "Commander Llire, what's your status?"

As if in answer, the ship's computer voice announced ship-wide, "WARNING! AUTO-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE DISENGAGED!"

Captain Bay was relieved by that announcement and sat back in the command chair She motioned to Ensign bBroe'll at the comm. station, "Open a channel, ensign. M'rrhri vessel, you have fired on a Federation vessel in Federation space. Please cease firing. We wish to discuss the situation peacefully."

Lieutenant Commander Stev turned around from his position at the conn., "Captain, I have run an extensive scan of the M'rrhri systems."

"What is your analysis, commander?" asked Bay, impatiently tapping the arm of the command chair, her eyes riveted on the view screen.

"The M'rrhri shields and main weapons are generated by the residual energy of their main drive systems," explained Stev.

Bay narrowed her eyes, "Which means that if we hit their engines, their shields and main phasers go down."

"Precisely," confirmed Stev. "Their system also causes a marked variance in shield frequency around their ship."

Another volley of phasers rocked the Lexington. Bay slammed her hand down on the arm of the command chair, "Enough!" she exclaimed. "Commander Phillips, fire phasers. Pinpoint a weak point in their shields and target their engines "

"Yes, sir," replied Phillips.

The calibration took only seconds, and Phillips fired the main phasers. Only one volley overloaded the M'rrhri vessel's engines and blew them out. The ship began to drift towards a nearby planetoid.

Connelly awoke and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He was lying on top of a table and a bright light was making him squint. A figure loomed over him and blocked most of the light. The figure’s eyebrows and ears were arched in traditional Romulan fashion. He sighed realizing his worst fear. He had been captured

"Are you in any pain?" The figure asked. Connelly blinked in surprise. It was a female and she spoke perfect Federation standard. "Are you in any pain?" She repeated.

"No. . .I. Where am I?" Connelly asked. The doors to sick bay opened, footsteps approched and another figure stepped into the light. "You saved me?" Connelly asked.

"For purely personal reasons." Captain Donati said. "I want to know the location of Commander T'Prist."

"And you expect me to just tell you." Connelly scoffed. 'What's in it for

me?"

"You are alive." Donati said.

"Not good enough." Connelly countered. Donati fought back the urge to throttle the traitor. Having to bargin with a man like Connelly made his blood boil. "What is your price?"

"Amnesty." Connelly stated.

"You know I cannot offer you that."

"Then release me to a neutral planet." Connelly said. "And promise to forget about my location."

"Damn you Connelly." Donati spat.

"Consider it a trade, me for Commander T'Prist." Connelly grinned knowing, if agreed upon, the Captain would keep his end of the bargin.

"If we locate her, alive, " Donati finally answered, "You have a deal."

Commander Llire and Lieutenant Shoenberger climbed out of the Jeffries tube on Deck 36. They immediately moved towards Engineering. "Mister Shoenberger," began T'Aiya, "begin research immediately on how to disconnect that implant from the power transfer conduit without activating the auto-destruct sequence."

"Yes, sir," replied Michael.

"I will join you shortly," continued T'Aiya, "but, first it is imperative that I see Counselor Cary...." She opened a channel on a nearby comm. panel in the bulkhead, "Lieutenant Pruett, and Lieutenant Brandon, please report to

Lieutenant Shoenberger in Engineering ASAP. " She surmise how to remove the organic element of that implant safely. "I will be in Counselor Cary's office."

Lieutenant Commander Buffy Cary sat at her desk in her office, staring at the PADD in front of her. She had gone over her report several times, and still could not believe it. Lieutenant Karl Cole had died in her office while under her care. She looked wearily up at Commander Debbie Wilson who stood before her. "Here's the official report, which I will file with Starfleet," said Buffy holding out a PADD.

"I don’t envy you the task of informing his parents."

"It's so hard to believe," said Wilson shaking her head. "I mean, to lose him in such a strange way."

The two officers were silent a moment, not looking at one another. Debbie turned and headed for the hatch. "I'll, uh, take care of this as soon as we stand down from red alert."

"Yes," said Buffy absent-mindedly, rising, "I should head to sickbay as it is my red alert station." Just then the door chime sounded. "Enter."

Commander Llire stood in the hatch, a PADD in her hand, "Commander, we need to talk ....about Lieutenant Cole."

"Oh?" said Buffy, puzzled.

"This PADD contains the lieutenant's last words before he 'died'," explained T'Aiya. "There is a footnote containing the Alpha Centauran word for a type of meditation used to slow down bodily functions to the point of death."

Buffy and Debbie were stunned and glanced quickly at each other. "Do you mean that it is possible we could revive Karl?" asked Buffy.

"Yes," replied T'Aiya, "but, if that is so, we must act quickly."

Lieutenant Alexandria Brandon had set up a computer simulation on a secondary console in Engineering. She was trying to understand the workings of the biogenic component to the Jirzzaque sabotage device in the PTC. She found her mind wandering repeatedly. She had just talked to Lieutenant Cole two hours earlier, and now she was told of his death. Their newfound friendship was cut short. She began to wonder if it was her lot in life to lose all friends to untimely deaths. Brandon steeled herself for the important task at hand and put thoughts of her fellow crew member's death to the back of her mind. Using her tricorder, she began formulating different tasks for the simulated device to perform. She would then monitor the results.

Lieutenant Shoenberger, hunched over the main warp propulsion console in Engineering, fed logarithm after logarithm into the system's parameters, but ended up shaking his head each time with the results projected on the monitor Lieutenant Keith Pruett joined him at the console.

"I made some calculations on a PADD, lieutenant," said Doc. "The energy consumption of the port power transfer conduit has jumped 300 per cent. Whatever that device is that the Jirzzaque planted there, it's using our own ship's energy to sabotage the warp core."

Michael nodded, not looking at Doc, "It's initiating a feedback loop down the electro plasma system and spiking at the juncture with the matter/anti-matter reaction chamber, thus endangering the warp core."

Doc furrowed his brow, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Somehow, we have to trick the device into thinking it's still attached to the PTC so that we do not trip the auto-destruct sequence again."

"Apparently KC didn't kno-" Michael stopped at the mention of Lieutenant Cole's name and he and Doc looked at each other and then caught Alex's eyes.

Lieutenant Commander Joel Gates, on duty in Sickbay during red alert, approached Commander Doaquat who was separating sterile field emitters from hyposprays on a tray.

"Commander," began Joel hesitantly, "what happened to Lieutenant Cole's body?"

"His body is in stasis until we stand down from alert status, Mister Gates," replied Doaquat, looking up from what he was doing. "Then I want to do an autopsy to see exactly what caused his death."

Just then T'Aiya and Buffy entered Sickbay. T'Aiya approached Doaquat, her hands behind her back, "Commander, I have reason to believe that Lieutenant Cole is not dead."

One of Commander Doaquat's eyebrows shot up, though his voice was quiet, "And just what makes you believe that, commander?"

"His last words were the name of an Alpha Centauran ritual of slowing bodily functions through meditation," explained T'Aiya.

"Gaascht uuf gga?" Doaquat interjected. "I've heard of that, but never encountered it."

Buffy spoke up quickly, "If it is that, doctor, we have to get KC to "restart" his bodily functions... from within his mind."

Joel and Commander Doaquat looked at each other in amazement.

On the bridge, Lieutenant Commander Stev made some calculations on his console, "Captain, with the M'rrhri engines off-line, their shields are down."

"Thank you, commander," replied Bay, "maybe now they'll listen to what we have to say."

"Captain," Stev continued, his voice raised in volume, "the M'rrhri ship is approaching the ejected warp core."

"Mister Phillips, fire the phasers across her bow to warn them off, " ordered the half-Klingon.

"Aye, sir," said Phillips complying. "No effect, sir. The M'rrhri vessel is drifting toward the warp core. They seem to be maneuvering towards it with thrusters."

"Open a channel, Ensign bBroe'll," ordered Bay. "M'rrhri vessel, do not interfere with the warp core. Please respond."

"No response, captain," said the Bolian ensign.

"Contact the Sentry, and instruct them to protect the core," said Bay. "We cannot just sit idly by while the M'rrhri vessel tears itself apart in the planetoid's upper atmosphere. By the same token, we cannot allow them to take our warp core hostage."

Captain Bay moved back to the command chair and sat. She gazed thoughtfully at the view screen at the image of the disabled M'rrhri ship. "Commander Stev, I'd like you to work with Ensign bBroe'll. Try and contact the M'rrhri captain, and see if you can't communicate with him and get him to understand we are who we say we are, and that we'd like to offer them assistance."

"Aye, captain," replied Stev leaving the conn position. He walked over to the comm. station. "Ensign bBroe'll," he said as he stood beside her, his hands behind his back, "let us begin by running a diagnostic on the universal translator, and on the log of all communication with the M'rrhri up to this point."

"Yes, sir," said bBroe'll complying, "what are we looking for?"

"I will know that, ensign, when I see it," said Stev arching one eyebrow. Stev suspected that simple miscommunication may have had a hand in this crisis.

Captains Log. Stardate: 2313.04.01. Donati recording: Colonel Mc Queen has been transported to a Federation cruiser and is en route to resume his normal duties. The Spectre, now under my command, is preparing to return to Romulan space. By my authority only, I have decided to investigate the possibility of Commander T'Prist being alive and held prisoner at a Romulan penal colony. I realize the source of this information, the former Commodore Connelly, is at best unreliable. However, I must proceed relying only on my instinct for the truth. In the event my crew and I become captured, I hope the Romulan authorities will accept this recording as acceptance of my responsibility and exonerate my crew of any wrongdoing. Donati out.

The Captain placed the padd into the slot on the console and turned to the officer behind him. "That log entry should cover you and the rest of the crew." He said

"Do you believe the Romulans will respect your log entry?" Commander Sabin asked.

"Probably not." Donati truthfully replied. "After being interrogated, we will most likely be put to death."

"Then your logic for returning is incorrect." Sabin countered. "By using your same set of circumstances, Commander T'Prist should long since be dead."

"I know." Donati agreed. "There is nothing logical about my decision. I just believe it to be the right choice... However, " He rose to his feet. "I cannot in good conscience order you to follow me on this mission. We could locate another Federation freighter. . ."

"That will not be necessary." Sabin interrupted. "We were asked to locate you and return you to Federation space. To return without you would be a failed mission." She smiled slightly. "And the crew and I would not want that staining our service records."

Donati looked past Commander Sabin and T'Bec nodded in agreement. Turning to his right Doctor T'Kara acknowledged him with a tight smile. At her side checking the readings on her console, Adria smiled. "You know better than to ask me." She said tapping a series of buttons then moving to her position at the CONN.

At the tactical station Grande swiveled in her chair to face him."Just promise me that once this is all over I'll get my blond hair and blue eyes back." The small crew found her comment amusing and the air of tension in the Spectre was broken. "Absolutely." Donati grinned.

"All systems functioning at 100 percent of capacity." Adna announced.

"Cloaking device is nominal." Grande added. "All defensive and offensive systems are on standby."

"Course for Angstrya 11 plotted." Adria said.

"Excellent." Donati said then ordered. "Engage warp engines, warp factor six."

Aboard the shuttlecraft Sentry, Lieutenant James Bodden and Commander Gordon Smith watched as the M'rrhri ship slowly approached their position near the ejected warp core, blocking their view of the Lexington. "What the hell are they doing?" exclaimed Smith.

Bodden was quickly checking his console, "I don't know, commander, but sensors indicate that their engines and shields are off-line."

"Let's maneuver between the warp core and the alien vessel, lieutenant," suggested Smith.

"Sir," interjected Bodden, "the alien vessel is drifting towards the planetoid. If their engines are not repaired soon, they will enter the atmosphere of the planetoid. Without shields, their ship most likely will not survive the stress of atmospheric entry."

Well, then, James, we have to make sure they don't take our warp core with them, won't we?"

Captain Bay's voice rang out over the comm. system, "Commander Smith, the M'rrhri vessel is maneuvering towards the warp core. Intercept the core and tractor it back towards the Lexington. "

"Yes, sir," replied Smith. "You heard the captain, lieutenant. Let's get to that warp core before the M'rrhri do."

Just then, Lieutenant fFkhar spoke up from Science Station One, "Captain, that M'rrhri ship is caught in the planetoids gravity. If they don't get their engines back on line they'll be destroyed."

"Stev, full impulse!" Bay ordered. "Take us to within tractoring distance of the ship."

"Aye Captain, full impulse." The Vulcan replied. The Lexington slid though space and came to a position 100 meters starboard of the M'rrhri vessel. The tractor beam was engaged and began pulling the ship to a safe synchronous orbit

"Captain, I have another contact on long range sensors." Lieutenant fFkhar reported. "It's another M'rrhri sir. They are on an intercept course. Estimate arrival in two and a half minutes."

"Shields Captain?" The tactical officer asked

"Are the M'rrhri free from the planetoids gravity?" Bay asked knowing that they would have to sever the tractor beam to raise the shields.

"No sir." Stev replied. "The M'rrhri will be at a safe altitude in two point seven minutes"

Bay sank back into the command chair and momentarily pondered her choices. "Maintain tractor beam," the Captain said. "Let's hope these M'rrhri can be reasoned with."