"Captain, we have reached the designated co-ordinates," said Data, turning round from his Ops panel on the Captain's left, "There is no sign of the Augustus."

"All stop," ordered Picard, "Anything on long-range sensors?" "Nothing, sir," intoned Worf. A beeping noise forced Worf to return his gaze to Tactical. "Object entering long-range sensors, it is travelling at Warp 8 on an intercept course."

"The Augustus?" mused Riker.

"Hail them, Mr Worf."

"Aye, sir," Worf negotiated with his console, "Hailing frequencies open."

"This is the USS Enterprise, please identify yourself," requested the Captain.

"Receiving transmission."

"On screen." A bearded human face loomed in front of the bridg crew.

"This is the USS Augustus, Commodore Dedman commanding," the commodore paused, surveying the plush bridge of the Enterprise, "Sorry we're late, we have new orders and some extra cargo for you. Please hold your position, rendezvous in ten minutes. Augustus out."

The face disappeared, replaced by the serene star-field.

Ten minutes later, in the transporter room, Captain Picard and Commander Riker stood ready to receive the first transfer from the Augustus.

"Mr O'Brien, energise." Miles O'Brien slid his fingers up the panel, energising the six figures onto the transporter pads.

When the process was complete, Commodore Dedman stepped down and greeted Picard. "Good to see you Jean-Luc, it's been a while."

Five junior grade engineers peered cautiously from the transporter, looking nervously around the huge transporter room. Commander Riker stepped towards them, "If you'd like to follow me, I'll show you to your quarters." Riker left the room, followed by his troop of engineers.

"All right Robert, what's so important they had to drag you all the way out here and tell me personally?" asked the Captain.

"Let's go discuss that in your Ready-room," the two friends walked towards the door, "You still drinking that Earl-Grey stuff?"

"Now and then."

"Still can't stomach it." The doors closed

"The extra cargo is a cover for your real mission," Commodore Dedman informed the officers, "which is to field test a new development in transporter technology."

"The scientists there believe they can use a subspace squirt to carry the transporter signal," clarified Dedman.

"How do they propose to integrate the annular confinement beam?" inquired the android.

"I don't know, the scientists haven't published any of their findings or methods for fear of attracting attention. This would be of great strategic importance to any military power."

"Ceti IV Station is close to Cardassian territory, and I don't think that the truce will hold them off if they catch word of this," said Picard, reclining in his chair.

"That's why Starfleet are sending you. They've already dispatched the Excalibur to cover the trade conference on Rigel. It's down to the Enterprise."

The viewscreen showed the USS Augustus, with a backdrop of stars. Captain Picard emerged from his Ready-Room, relieving Data. He had just seated himself when Commander Riker strode onto the Bridge. "Commodore Dedman has returned to the Augustus," reported Riker, "and the last of the supplies for Ceti IV Station have been stowed in Cargo Bay 3."

"And the personnel transfers?"

"They've all been assigned quarters. Dr Crusher and Lt. Commander LaForge have completed the new duty roster."

"Good," Picard turned to the ensign manning the Tactical station, "Inform the Augustus that we are leaving."

"Aye, sir," confirmed the junior officer, "Augustus acknowledges."

"Lieutenant," Picard addressed the Conn, "Set course one five nine Mark two three eight, Warp six."

"Course laid in."

"Engage," Picard motioned forward with his fingers as the Enterprise entered Warp speed.

The door to the Captain's quarters chimed. "Come," answered the Captain, just setting out breakfast on the table.

Dr Crusher entered, "Morning Captain." Seating herself at the table, she started her croissant.

"So, have you thought any more about my offer?" asked Beverly.

"What offer?" asked Picard, sipping his coffee.

"The play... Shakespeare... Romeo and Juliet... remember?"

"Oh no, sorry. It completely slipped my mind," setting down his coffee cup, "What part did you have in mind for me?"

"Nothing big. I've already cast most of the major parts. I was thinking of maybe Tybalt or, no," inspiration strikes, "You'd be great as Escalus."

"The prince?," Picard leaned back, recalling the words of the Bard, "Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, profaners of this neighbour- stained steel - Will they not hear? What, ho - you men, you beasts, that quench the fire of your precious rage with purple fountains issues from your veins!"

"Great, I'll put you down for Escalus then?"

"I don't like performing in front of all those people. I'll think about it."

"Okay. I'll need an answer soon though."

"All right, all right," surrendered Picard. "I'll do it."

Beverly smiled, pulling a Padd from her smock, and tapping in her latest conscript.

Deciding that he had been had, Picard changed the subject. "I've got something you might want to see," said Picard, looking through a stack of Isolinear chips. Finding the right one, he inserted it into a chip reader, typing in a security code. "Here are Professor James's medical records." Picard handed a data Padd to her, "Commodore Dedman included them with the mission orders. Apparently she'll need some special treatment while on board."

Beverly put down her tea, and began to scan through the Padd's memory. "This is incredible. Why, that would mean she is about three hundred years old."

"Yes, it's one of Starfleet's best kept secrets. The original version died in 2242, but the 'copy' has remained alive to this day." "The accident was due to a miscalculation she made on the transporter mass sensor. The dematerialisation sub-routine never took effect properly, but an altered version appeared at the other end of the laboratory."

"Due to the over-load, and her exposure to tachyons and stray baryon particles, she remained intact with a much slower metabolism."

"She's been working on an improved version for about fifty year now."

"Fascinating," Beverly read on though the padd, "and she needs a dose of Dichronaline every four hours or her body will start to decay."

"Imagine all the history she's lived through; the Klingon Wars, the Babel conference, V'ger, the Genesis scandal, the Khitomer conference," Picard paused, wondering how his name would stand the passage of time, "It's a shame she can't give a talk to the crew; her very existence has to be kept a secret."

"Contact the station."

"Channel open," said Worf, "Ceti IV responding." A woman's face filled the viewscreen. High, upswept eyebrows and pointed ears identified her as a Vulcan, the emotionless and, above all, logical backbone of the Federation.

"Ceti IV Station," addressed Jean-Luc, sinking into his seat, "I am Captain Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. We are ready to beam you aboard."

The Vulcan woman merely nodded and replied, "Acknowledged, please beam down the supplies to our cargo area." The viewscreen went blank, and then returned to the stars and the slowly circling green planet below.

"Channel closed," added Worf.

"That must be Dr T'Kaer," stated Geordi, "She helped design the new Delta-T resonator array that our transporters use. Did you know she's won five Nobel prizes for her work in subspace technology and transporter beam regeneration?"

"Very impressive," said Counsellor Troi, looking up from her seat next to the Captain, "I can see why Starfleet places so much importance on this mission. Let's hope her friends are more... conversational."

"Engineering reports the last of the supplies have been beamed down, sir," reported Geordi LaForge, standing by his console on the back of the bridge.

"Text transmission from the surface," informed Worf, reading from his panel. "A party of three is ready to beam up."

"Energise."

Three figures shimmered in the air above the transporter pads, then solidified into the bodies of two women and one man. The man was an Andorian, a blue-skinned being whose species had distant links with insects. Two small antennae stuck out from a crop of unkept white hair. He stepped down from the platform, eyeing it distastefully.

"W... ah.. yes, sir," replied Miles, walking over to the side of the transporter room, dragging a young ensign with him.

"Captain Picard, I'm Seelev, Administrator of the Ceti IV facility," grasping Picard and Riker's offered hands, he shook them violently. "A fine ship you have here."

"Yes, thank you Seelev," said Picard, disentangling himself from the enthusiastic Andorian. The Captain, doing the best he could to ignore the aggravating alien, walked past him to the two ladies waiting on the pad. One was the Vulcan he had talked to earlier.

"Dr T'Kaer," Picard nodded, "A pleasure."

"I will take your word for it," greeted the doctor.

"And you must be Professor James..." turning to the human female standing beside T'Kaer. "Welcome to the USS Enterprise."

"Right, if you'd like to come this way," walking toward the door.

"You've been assigned guest quarters on Deck 5." The three visitors followed Picard out of the transporter room.

"Who the bloody hell does he think he is?" shouted an irate Irishman, with his head between two resonator chambers, throwing down his tricorder at a bewildered technician.

Geordi LaForge, Chief Engineer of the Galaxy class Starship Enterprise, leaned back in his swivel chair, frowning at the data Padd he held in his hand. The powerful engine core thrummed quietly in the background.

"Well, Commander," inquired the woman, leaning provocatively across the main systems display table, "do you agree with my adjustments?"

"Well... yes, but I'm still trying to come to terms with the capability of this," Geordi passed the Padd to Dr James. "It's huge! The range could be as much as..."

"One light year," supplied the doctor.

"One light year," echoed Geordi, amazed, "Why, up 'til now we thought the furthest we could use a transporter beam was forty thousand kilometres, and now you're saying it's... one light year?"

"After that the signal starts to degrade, but if we boosted the power to the transmitter array, we could probably get out another...", she paused, and looked hopefully at the pale android by her side.

"Boosting the signal should provide another hundred thousand kilometres distance," stated Data.

"One light year," cooed Geordi.

"Impressed?"

"I'll say," Geordi was still dazed, "How much space do you need?"

"Not much," shrugged the doctor, "We'd like to just take over Cargo Bay 4, and adjust the transporter unit there."

"Okay, fine. I'll assign Sherbet and Barclay to help you get set up in there."

Cargo Bay Four was bustling with activity. The transporter pad had been dismantled and was in several pieces on the deck. A computer core from the station had been brought aboard to handle to longer transporter functions, and a large console had been set down next to the pad. Heavy duty optical fibres were strung from unit to unit, like a giant spider's web, glistening in the bright bay lights.

Seelev had changed into bland coveralls, not that you could see him though, he was immersed in the guts of the transporter.

"Lieutenant, hand me that scanner," came a muffled voice. A blue hand emerged, wiggling it's fingers impatiently. Lieutenant Barclay, throwing down his tricorder, made a grab at the sensor lying on top of one of the crates. Catching the handle, it toppled over, clanging on the metal deck. Seelev obviously heard this, muttering something about 'Starfleet incompetence' and waved his hand around all the more frantically. Barclay placed the tool in the blue palm, which sunk slowly into the innards of the transporter pad.

The large doors at the end of the bay swished open, and a very angry woman stormed in, followed by a concerned Vulcan. "Where is Seelev?" asked James, circling around the bay. Ensign Sherbet, climbing down from the access conduit on the wall pointed at the transporter pad.

Professor James stormed up to the platform and knocked on the top.

"Seelev! Get out of there at once!" she shouted, waving a data Padd around. Two feet, legs and the rest of the Andorian slid out from beneath the platform. Pulling himself up he demanded, "What's the matter now?"

"This," the Padd was thrush beneath his nose. Seelev peered down at the text, and then up at the women.

"And what about this?" a blue hand swatted it away from his face.

"This is the paper on OUR work that you were writing last week,"

T'Kaer enlightened him, her face still calm.

Professor James on the other hand was far from calm at the moment,

"Do you know how many times your name is mentioned?" She paused, but not long enough for him to answer, "The computer counted the word 'Seelev' thirty-nine times." T'Kaer raised her eyebrows. "And, my name is in there once," thundered the doctor, "Just once! Now unless there is some new transporter system called 'The Seelev Device'," her eyes bore down his, "then you've put yourself in here a hell of a lot more -"

"Actually Miss James," Seelev hadn't batted an eyelid, "as project administrator, I thought we should name this the Seelev Process."

"Why you blue-blooded son of a -"

"Calm yourself doctor," T'Kaer placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"Need I remind you that I came up with the design for the phase transition realignment module?" her eyes fell on the unit next to the transporter platform. "It was my work, my genius, and just because you provided a little bit of funding at one time does not make you God!" She spat the words at Seelev, clenching her fists at her sides. T'Kaer's iron grip preventing her from jumping onto the Andorian and ripping off his antennae.

"We shall continue this discussion later," she glanced around the room at the half a dozen engineers who had stopped working, "in private," she added. T'Kaer pulled a fuming Professor James out of the bay.

Seelev turned round, his face had a slightly purple hue to it. Six crew-members, who, of course, would never eavesdrop, suddenly became very interested in their scanners and tricorders.

"Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet," said Doctor Crusher, leaning over the balcony.

On the stage Barclay looked away from his Juliet, saying to the empty chairs, "Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"

Juliet, glancing at her Padd, replied, "Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. Oh, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without a title. Romeo, doff thy name; and for thy name, which is no part of thee, take all myself."

Clapping emanated from the darkness, followed by a smiling Captain Picard. "Well done."

"Thank you, dear prince," replied Beverly from the balcony. "And you're early too."

"I thought I'd come and see how you were doing."

"If only everyone were as enthusiastic," Beverly turned to Reg. "Any word from Lieutenant Portolan yet?"

"N-no. He said he didn't want to join," stammered Reg. His nervousness increased whenever he was near the Captain.

"Did he give any reason?"

"H-he just said that he couldn't-t a-act to save his l-life."

"That's strange, Portolan was practically running the Amateur Dramatics society on Starbase One."

"Perhaps Counsellor Troi could help?" suggested Picard.

"No, I don`t want to push him. If he doesn't want to join, that's his decision." Consulting her Padd, she said, "Well, seeing that you're here, we can rehearse your first scene."

Picard, turning down the offer of a script, took up his position.

Beverly read Lady Montague's line, "Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe."

Jean-Luc, on cue, stepped onto the stage. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth --

"Captain, Seelev requests your presence in Cargo Bay Four," came Riker's voice over the intercom.

"Once more, on pain of death, all men depart."

"Captain?"

Data's voice could be heard in the background, "Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1."

"On my way, Picard out."

Captain Picard walked down the corridor and nodded occasionally to whatever Seelev was retelling. He wasn't really listening. The doors to the cargo bay approached. Seelev reached the finale to his story and laughed heartily, throwing back his antennae. Picard smiled his best diplomatic smile.

The doors parted, revealing a clean cargo deck. The transporter dais stood proudly in the centre, with a shiny new computer panel next to it. The auxiliary computer core stood tall in the corner, next to some impressive piece of technology that Data and T'Kaer were discussing in depth. Off to one side Lieutenant Barclay was arranging various test objects to be transported. Doctor Crusher was also here, arranging a series of tissue samples and biological cultures.

"Well Captain," grinned the Andorian, "What do you think?"

"Impressive," admitted Picard, taking in the view.

"We're ready when you are, sir," the Andorian was now bubbling with excitement, grinning from ear to light blue ear.

"Picard to LaForge," the Captain tapped his Starfleet insignia.

"LaForge here, sir," replied Geordi.

"Is your team ready to accompany Dr James to the station?"

"Nearly, sir. We'll be ready in five minutes. LaForge out."

Picard returned his gaze to the equipment, "We'll break orbit in five minutes. I take it T'Kaer will be operating the unit?" T'Kaer nodded. "In that case, perhaps you would like to join me on the Bridge, Administrator?"

"Certainly, Captain."

Lieutenant Portolan stood to attention, his back straight, his arms tense. This was his first mission on the Enterprise after his transfer. He had already impressed Lt. Commander LaForge with his knowledge of advanced transporter theory. He was doing well. His chief engineer started pacing back and forth across the front of the transporter room.

"Where is she?" demanded Geordi, "I promised the Captain we'd be ready in five minutes. If she isn't..."

The doors split in two as Dr James panted round the corner, hauling a large container. She heaved it onto the centre of the transporter platform, and then joined the lieutenant on the stage.

"Energise," ordered LaForge.

Lieutenant Portolan hated the transporter, that's why he knew so much about it. Know thy enemy. He had seen what happened to the unlucky ones, the mess left on the transporter after a botched attempt. The world hummed blue and vanished, replaced by the stars. At first he thought there had been a mistake, and he'd been beamed into space. Taking a deep breath, he opened the other eye, seeing a large room with an enormous window set at the end.

"You going to stand there gawping or help me carry this?" asked the lady, bending over to grab one of the handles of the crate.

"Err... Yessir," choked Portolan, pulling up the crate.

"Set it down on the table," she ordered, pointing at a large systems display monitor in the centre of the room. Putting it down, he cast his eye around the room. It vaguely reminded him of Cardassian architecture, but that was a long time ago.

Professor James was standing by a panel, working the computer. Suddenly the window of stars changed to a view of the Enterprise's bridge, with Captain Picard sitting in his command chair. James pressed a button on the console and said, "Ceti Station to Enterprise. Ready to receive. Out."

Great, thought Lieutenant Portolan, another talkative one.

"Seelev, proceed with the tests," said Picard. The viewscreen showed a view of the cargo bay. Doctor Crusher was milling about in the background. Barclay had just finished setting a large container on the dais.

"Engage transporter when ready," ordered Seelev.

T'Kaer was working by the computer, "Subspace communications tie- ins established. Beginning dematerialisation subroutine." The cylinder fizzled into nothingness.

"Split screen," ordered Seelev. The viewscreen reset, showing both the cargo bay and the science station. Professor James was running her tricorder over the object in her transporter chamber.

"Intact. Re-energising," she nodded to Lieutenant Portolan off- screen. The container disappeared, appearing once again in the cargo- bay.

Seelev chuckled away in his seat. Picard addressed the Conn ensign, "Break orbit, one quarter impulse. Take us to forty thousand kilometres." The Enterprise slid away from the planet, heading for the extreme range of the normal transporters.

"All stop," ordered Picard on the forty thousand line. The beaming process was repeated, with no complications. This time Dr Crusher added some tissue samples to the items vaulting backwards and forwards through subspace. When she got them back she ran extensive scans on them in Sickbay. Having reported no anomalies, and declaring the new transporter fit for living passengers at forty thousand kilometres, Seelev had the Enterprise moved to one light years distance, nine point five trillion kilometres.

More tests were carried out at the one light year mark. Dr Crusher again declared it fit for human transportation.

On the Bridge, the command crew watched all this, thinking of all the uses for the improved system. The lives it could save, the communities it could bring together, but there were also the wars this could cause: the devastation this new power in the quadrant could bring. Seelev turned to Mr Worf, "Shields at maximum, please." Worf waited for confirmation from the Captain, who nodded, awaiting whatever Seelev was about to do. Worf raised the shields, diverting extra power from auxiliary systems.

"Dr T'Kaer, engage transporter."

The container vanished, flashing into being on the other side of the viewscreen, having passed through the ships shields and one light year of space. Mr Worf took it as a personal insult: a transporter beam had passed through his shields. How could this happen?

Having witnessed all this from the Bridge, Seelev leaped up, saying it was time he visited Dr James. Captain Picard and Commander Riker exchanged glances, having heard about the fight earlier, they felt sure there would be contention over who would be the first to transport from one light-year away.

Down in the guts of the Enterprise... "This is a momentous day. The Federation will name planets after me," mused Seelev as he stepped onto the platform.

T'Kaer looked up at him, "Transporter systems stand ready."

"Good," he looked up, addressing the Com system, "Dr James, prepare to receive transport."

On the bridge, Picard saw Dr James' head jerk up as she realised what he was doing. She turned towards the viewscreen, "Captain, I strongly advise against this. We haven't even begun to test the -" The signal cut off sharply, heads twirled expectantly to Mr Worf, consulting his panel. "Signal interference at source, sir. Some kind of subspace interference. I can't raise the station.

"Subspace interference?" asked Riker. His eyes suddenly widened. Picard had the same idea, "Dr T'Kaer, stop the transport!" It was too late, Seelev had already gone from the screen, beaming into subspace interference. "Get him back!"

On the viewscreen, T'Kaer worked furiously, trying to reverse the transporter beam. After some time she stepped back from the computer. "It's too late, the beam has degraded eighty percent."

"Take us back, ensign," ordered Riker, standing behind the Conn, "Warp Six."

"Any luck Mr Worf?" asked Picard, strolling round to the back of the bridge.

"No, sir. Sensor readings indicate the interference is an artificial disturbance, possibly jamming," reported Worf, his back straightening as the Captain stood beside him.

"Any sign of ships in the area?"

"None, sir. No sign of eddy currents either, except our own."

"What could create that kind of distortion" queried Riker, "apart from a ship's subspace emitter?"

"You would need a high resolution graviton emitter. The only one in the area is on the Ceti IV Science Station," reported Worf.

"Entering orbit, sir."

"The distortion is clearing," informed Worf, "but it will be another 3 hours before we can communicate or beam down to the station."

Picard turned to Riker, "Number One, take a shuttlecraft down there."

"Aye, sir."

Lieutenant Commander Data expertly guided the Shuttlecraft Asimov down onto the landing pad. The door at the back of the shuttle began to rise slowly.

Riker handed out phasers to Geordi and Data, "We don't know what we're dealing with here," he explained. T'Kaer stood at the back, neither wanting nor receiving a phaser. They stepped out on to a windy platform, Data spotted the Station entrance. The door slid apart, revealing a lit stairwell, leading to the station below.

Following the stairs, they soon found the control centre. They were greeted by Lieutenant Portolan.

"Sir. We've been unable to communicate since the ion storm, and one of Professor James' experiments exploded. Other than that, nothing happened."

"Did Seelev beam down?" asked T'Kaer.

"The Andorian?" the Lieutenant shook his head, "No."

"This experiment that Dr James was running, when did she start it?" asked Data.

Lieutenant Portolan furrowed his brow, thinking, trying to place a time on the event he could see in his mind's eye. "Just before the ion storm hit, sir."

"Geordi, find Dr James and take a look at that experiment," ordered Riker.

"I can help you with half of that," said the professor, emerging from a side room, "but I destroyed the experiment."

"What was the experiment?" asked Riker, trying to make the question as polite as possible.

"I was investigating whether poly-leptons or neutrons degenerate faster in a phased-warp environment."

"And what were your findings, doctor?" asked Data.

"Poly-leptons."

"The theoretical data agrees with you, however no-one has been able to -" "Data," interrupted Riker, "would that cause a disruptive subspace field?"

"No, sir."

"That means something else created it," said Geordi, "maybe a cloaked ship."

"Well whatever it is, I don't like it," mused Riker, "T'Kaer, Dr James, collect any personal effects and load them onto the shuttle. Geordi, Data, check out that graviton emitter."

The party split up on their respective tasks. Riker moved to the communications panel. The interference was still too heavy to contact the ship.

Suddenly the whine of phaser pierced his ears. He ran in the direction of the blast, drawing his own phaser. Rounding a corner, he was in time to see T'Kaer's body sag down against a wall and disintegrate on the floor. Doctor James stood at the other end of the room, her mouth hung limp. A hand phaser lay at her feet. Riker snatched it up. James didn't move.

"Lieutenant!" shouted Riker. Portolan came jogging round the bend, out of breath. He looked at the burnt patch on the floor, and at the motionless women. "What happened?" he asked.

"Dr T'Kaer is dead."

Captain's Log (Supplemental), Stardate 45506.7

Professor James has been confined to quarters following an incident on Ceti IV in which Dr T'Kaer was killed by a phaser blast. I find it hard to believe that the Federation's best scientist is capable of murder, in which case her confinement may also serve as protection.

"Priority One transmission for Captain Picard," stated the computer.

"In my Ready Room," ordered Picard, getting out of his command chair and heading for the side door off the Bridge. When he was seated, he tapped the console on his desk.

"Picard, Jean-Luc, code Epsilon Yellow Omicron Theta, Enable."

The United Federation of Planets logo unscrambled itself on his screen. A familiar face appeared, that of Commodore Dedman:

"Jean-Luc, you've got a damned imposter aboard. When I got back to Starbase One, there was an investigation underway, some suspicious remains had been found in a plasma junction. Forensics revealed that they were the remains of a Lieutenant Rory Portolan. Whoever we transferred to your ship was not Portolan. I don't know whose responsible, but you can bet it's either the Romulans or the Cardassians. Sorry I can't be much more help. Dedman out."

The recording finished, leaving the UFP logo on the screen once again.

"Picard to Lieutenant Worf," Picard tapped his Com badge, "Please see me in my Ready Room."

"Aye, sir." A few seconds later the door chimed.

"Come." Worf strode in.

"Captain?"

"Mr Worf, we have an imposter aboard. His name in Lieutenant Portolan, and I suspect he may have killed both Seelev and Dr T'Kaer. Please find and detain him."

"Yes, sir," Worf turned to go.

"Oh, and you'd better take the guards away from Professor James' quarters after you've caught Portolan."

"Aye, sir," and Worf was gone, in search of honour and Lieutenant Portolan.

"Red alert! All hands to battlestations," shouted Riker, as the viewscreen shifted, showing a Cardassian warship rising out of the planet's atmosphere. "Captain Picard to the Bridge, please."

"Cardassian vessel arming forward disruptors," announced the Tactical officer.

"Full power to the shields. Load torpedo bays. Arm phasers,"

ordered the Captain, coming out of his Ready-Room and replacing Riker in the command chair.

"Cardassian vessel is hailing us."

"On screen."

The twisted features of a Cardassian face appeared on the screen. Accusing eyes focused on Picard.

"This is Gul Macet of the First Legion. We have discovered the Federation's invasion plans and your weapons development station. You will surrender to us the long range transport system or we will destroy you."

"Gul Macet, I assure you that the Federation is not preparing to invade Cardassian territory, and this is a science station, not a weapons research plant," said Picard, trying to calm the irate Cardassian.

"Then deny that you have been testing a new device which can penetrate our shields," demanded Gul Macet.

"I cannot deny that the new system can penetrate shields, but we did not develop this as a weap--"

"Enough Picard! I'm tired of your lies," said Gul Macet, terminating the communication.

"What are the Cardassians doing?" asked Riker, turning to the Tactical station.

"Nothing, sir. Their weapons systems are still active and their shields are up, but no indication that they are going to fire."

"Curious, they seem to be waiting for something," inferred Number One.

"Suggestions?" asked the Captain.

"They could be sending for reinforcements," suggested Data.

"Sir! Our shields are dropping!"

"Get them back up!" ordered Picard. "Mr Data, why have we dropped our shields?"

"I am detecting an unauthorised tap to the main computer," a buzzing on his console diverted his attention. "Someone is transporting off the Enterprise."

"Reverse transport!"

"Too late, sir," replied Data, "The transport is already complete."

"Picard to Lieutenant Worf," said the Captain. "You can stop looking for Lieutenant Portolan, he just left."

"Aye, sir," came back Worf's voice from the intercom.

"Mr LaForge," said the Captain, "Get those shields up again."

"Generators should be back on line now," informed Geordi.

"Cargo Bay Four reports the subspace cross-link device has been stolen."

"Raising shields," informed Ops. Mr Worf entered the bridge, clearly annoyed that his shields had been lowered by the intruder before he could catch him. Worf took his place at Tactical.

"Hail them, Mister Worf."

"Open," said Worf.

"Gul Macet, respond please," requested Picard.

The jagged features of the Cardassian appeared on the screen once more, this time wearing an air of superiority. "What can I do for you Captain?"

"You can return our machinery for one."

"Honestly Captain, do you really expect us to just lamely lower our shields and surrender? I doubt that you'll attack us, the Cardassian truce is too valuable to you, isn't it?"

"Close channel."

"The Cardassian vessel is turning to leave," reported Worf, his fingers poised over the weapons controls.

"We can't let them have the device! It would take our scientists years to rebuilt it, and by then the Federation would be overrun by Cardassians. Starfleet wouldn't stand a chance!" exclaimed Riker.

"Captain, if we break the Cardassian truce I don't think they will feel constrained to respect our borders any more," said Deanna, seated on the Captain's left.

"It looks like they have decided for us," said Picard. "Mister Worf, target their engines. I want them stopped, not destroyed. Fire phasers and photon torpedoes."

Crimson streaks of light lanced from the Enterprise. Explosions racked the Cardassian ship, stopping it in it's tracks. "Coded subspace transmission from Cardassian ship," reported Worf.

"Calling for reinforcements no doubt," said Picard. "Worf, contact Starfleet. Ask for reinforcements."

The Cardassian ship hung in space, her engines useless, and her life ebbing away. The hulking bird was reflected on the surface of the Conference Room table.

"Their weapons and engines are off-line. They have directed all power to their shields," announced Worf, pleased with his handiwork.

"I estimate that their reinforcements will arrive within the hour, assuming they travel at maximum speed," Data informed.

"You can bet they will, "said Will Riker, "the Cardassians know how important this is."

"What about our reinforcements?" asked Worf.

"The closest help is just over one hour away," sighed Picard, "I just wish it wouldn't come down to this."

"We must regain the device before more Cardassians arrive," declared Worf.

"Couldn't we simply destroy Macet's ship and the device along with it?" asked Riker. It was an option he didn't like, but he had to bring all options to the Captain.

"The Cardassians have been sending a steady stream of data back to their homeworld, obviously they are learning as much as they can." glowered Worf, "If we destroy the ship, they will know more than us."

"This new process could radically alter the politics of the galaxy. Whoever has it could board starships through their shields, they could destroy Starfleet. After Wolf 359 they wouldn't have to destroy many ships to cripple our defence force. The Klingons and the Romulans would be no match for them. This could drastically tip the balance of power. We have to regain the device and quickly."

"I agree," said Picard. Sifting through the possible courses of action in his mind. "Doctor James, would it be possible to somehow penetrate their shields with a transporter beam?"

"It has never been done before, but I think I could do it," replied Dr James.

"Number One, lead an away team over there."

"Worf, Data, Dr James," addressed Riker, "let's go." The four left the briefing room, ready to storm the Cardassian ship.

"Well Mr O'Brien, what do you think?" asked Dr James, finishing the reprogramming of the transporter console with a flourish of her hand.

"Bloody hell," muttered Miles under his breath.

"Okay, I'll take you through it," started Dr James. "The Cardassian shield generators refresh the shields every two point three nanoseconds. We can beam between those refreshes."

"If you do it out of synchronisation..." said O'Brien.

"...you won't come out of it alive," finished James.

"How will you get back?" asked O'Brien. "If you try to contact us, the Cardies will spot you for sure."

"We'll have to create a diversion long enough for you to lock onto us," said Riker, dishing out phasers and tricorders. Data took a set of tools from Geordi.

"We may not be able to lock onto you. Try to knock out their shields," suggested O'Brien.

The team stepped up onto the platform. Riker, Data, Worf and Dr James stood ready. O'Brien started a countdown. "Synchronisation in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Energising."

The Away Team vanished...

Cold metal deck-plates appeared below the feet of the Away Team. A fine mist filled the corridor. Wires hung from the ceiling, sparking when two collided. Red lights flashed rhythmically, accompanied by the shriek of a siren.

Data produced his tricorder. Opening it, he circled around, scanning. "Assuming the Cardassians took the device to Engineering, we should go this way." Data started off in the direction he had pointed.

Riker went first, drawing his phaser, while Worf guarded James and their backs.

Coming to the end of the corridor, they were presented with a set of doors. Data scanned them. "A turbolift - inadvisable," he reported.

Worf pushed past him, yanking open a large wall panel. A ladder led downwards into the gloom. Data put back his tricorder and whipped out a flashlight. Climbing onto the ladder, he started his descent. The others followed.

After toiling for ten levels, Data pushed open a side panel, and left the tunnel.

They emerged in another corridor, is a similar state of repair.

Cardassian voices could be heard a little way off. Drawing their phasers once more they advanced into the gloom.

The passageway widened into a large room. Computer panels covered the walls, most of them were flashing a red colour. Engineering skills were not needed to tell that the ship was in grave danger of falling apart at the seams.

Their entrance into the Cardassian engine room had not gone unnoticed; several imposing figures were bearing down on them. Riker and Worf stunned them easily, dropping to the deck just as a phaser beam cut the air above them. The Cardassian phaser beam traced a path right to where the hidden engineer was situated. Worf took him out with one shot.

Having disposed of the resistance, they examined the engine room. Spare parts were spread liberally over the work area. Dr James' subspace cross-link stood in the centre. Two of the panels had been removed, and it's inner workings were exposed. James slapped the panels back in place.

"Data, can you lower the shields from here?" asked Riker.

"No Commander, the shields are controlled directly from the bridge, replied Data, "However, we may be able to disable the generator, but we would have to go down five levels."

"Is there any other way?"

"None that I can see."

"All right. We'll just have to create a diversion up here," decided Riker, "Any ideas?"

"We could create an explosion," suggested Worf.

"Too dangerous."

"Steal one of their shuttlecraft?"

"Which way Data?" Data consulted his tricorder.

"Follow me." Data lifted the device effortlessly.

Riker led them off to the right. Soon they came to a control booth. Looking down below they saw five shuttles laying in the hold. Worf ripped open the door panel, preventing any Cardassians from walking in.

On the intercom, a Cardassian voice boomed out orders. Harsh guttural syllables in a deep, gravelly tone issued all over the ship. Data translated; "Intruder alert. Security forces to Main Hanger Bay."

"They know where we are, so we don't have to maintain radio silence," said Riker, pulling out his communicator. "Riker to Enterprise. Riker to Enterprise. Chief, can you beam us up?"

Riker's plea for help was met by static.

Worf was already by the ladder which led down to the shuttlecraft. "This way," he urged.

"Commander, we have a problem," said Data, no panic showed in his voice, "One person must remain to depressurise the bay and open the Bay door."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I will remain," offered Data.

"No!" shouted James, "I will stay."

"Professor James, I can't --"

"That's enough Commander. As a member of the Federation Science Council I order you to get in that shuttle," demanded James, her voice growing louder. "As you wish," acquiesced Riker.

"Besides," Dr James voice had returned to it's usual softness, "I've lived two lifetimes already. Go."

Data examined the hatch to the bay below, "Commander, the device will not fit through the hatch."

Riker handed his phaser to Doctor James, "I'll let you do the honours. We cannot let it fall into the hands of the Cardassians." Riker and Worf climbed down the ladder and into the nearest shuttle. Dr James closed the control booth hatch and began depressurising the bay.

The shuttles engines began to fire up, no doubt under the control of Commander Data. Acrid smoke filled the booth. Looking around she saw that a phaser was being applied to the door. Tapping the communicator she said, "Sorry Commander, I'm out of time. Hold on." Her gentle fingers depressed the bay door toggle. They leapt open. The partly depressurised bay emptied of its contents at high speed as the pressures equalised, pushing the shuttle out into space.

Three Cardassian ships flanked Gul Macet's crippled warship. Their shields were up and their weapons charged and ready. They had arrived shortly after the Away Team's captured shuttlecraft had touched down in the Enterprise Shuttle Bay. Federation help had not yet arrived. The Cardies had the upper hand, and they knew it..

"Captain Picard, why do you insist in this charade. We KNOW the Federation developed a weapon, we even had it in our hands. You cannot justify this. You WILL surrender to us or we will destroy you."

"If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace," said Picard. Delaying with Shakespeare had worked before.

"What?! Have you lost your mind Picard?" shouted Macet, "You cannot withstand the might of a fleet of Cardassian warships. Surrender now and I will spare your crew."

"A gracious offer, Gul Macet, but unnecessary I think," smiled Picard.

A beep on Worf's panel told Picard all he wanted to know, he had stalled for long enough. Two Galaxy and four Nebula Class starships hove into view. Spreading out around the Cardassians, they waited for further orders.

On the lead Cardassian ship, Macet's eyes bulged as he looked at the sensor image. Picard was still smiling on his screen. Macet turned to the camera.

"Captain Picard, it seems violence will not be necessary after all. I'm sure we can resolve this amicably."

"Of course, Gul," replied the smug Captain.

"I hope our truce has not been affected by my unsanctioned actions," said Macet, doing his best to extricate the Cardassian Council from a sticky diplomatic mess. Gul Macet himself would be in a sticky mess when he got home, without the Federation's new weapon. He would probably be demoted all way down to Glinn again. Glinn Macet, most probably posted on a milk run to Bajor for the rest of his career.

"Goodbye Captain," he said, terminating the connection. The Cardassian ships drew back to their border, defeated.

Captain's Log, Stardate 45507.1

The Cardassian's have retreated to their border and our Away Team has been recovered, but at the cost of Doctor James' life and her life's work - the long-range transporter device. Her selfless sacrifice allowed my officers to escape unharmed.

The Enterprise is remaining on the Cardassian border, beginning what will probably be a constant watch by Starfleet on our troublesome neighbours. Gul Macet's fleet are also remaining on the border; it seems that a peace between our two powers is still a long way off.

Worf stood tall, although he was nervous about making a fool of himself, Dr Crusher had assured him that he was a good actor. "But I can give thee more. For I will raise her statue in pure gold, that whiles Verona by that name is known, there shall no figure at such rate be set as that of true and faithful Juliet."

"As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie, poor sacrifices of our enmity!" declared Data.

Picard stepped forward to deliver the final speech, "A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things. Some shall be pardoned, and some punished. For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her --"

An alien transporter effect sparkled on the stage. Gold swirls and flashes identified it as a Cardassian transporter. Worf immediately dashed into action, abandoning his role as head of the Montague house, reverting back to head of security. He was in position in front of his Captain before the transporter had finished, a phaser in his hand.

The Cardassian transporter died down, revealing a lone figure in the darkness of the ship's theatre.

"Lights!" demanded Worf. The computer obliged, filling the room with the harsh reality of light.

"Doctor James!" exclaimed Picard, walking out from behind Worf's ample shoulders.

"Captain," she acknowledged, before collapsing into Beverly Crusher's supporting arms.

Captain's Log, Stardate 45507.2

Professor James has been safely returned to the Enterprise, having managed to escape death again. Apparently she tied her long-range transporter device into the Cardassian central computer and beamed herself to an unoccupied crew cabin. Then she spent the best part of two days attempting to by-pass the Cardassian's shield controls. Unfortunately, in order to escape from the Cardassians, Dr. James had to leave her device connected to the Cardassian transporter sub- systems. The device was rigged to self-destruct shortly after her final transport, and Mr Worf has observed a small explosion on the Cardassians forward hull.

Having finished our patrol duties on the Cardassian border, we are proceeding to Starbase 13 to drop off Doctor James and have a few days of R & R before our mission charting the Mab-Bu sector.

END

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