Chapter 6

Emily Hart slowly lifted her hands from the console. No, Blake's call hadn't startled her, not really. After the skirmish at the door, she was probably just a little nervous, a little tense. Clearing her throat, she reached up and lightly tapped her badge. "Go ahead."

"They escaped back into the conduits." From the sound of things, Blake was almost running as he spoke.

Adrenaline shot through her own body at his words. "What?" she snapped. Then she forced herself to pause, calm down. "Where are they?"

"Don't worry, we're cornering them on the bridge. They have nowhere to go."

Emily nodded; yes, she knew that. Nowhere to go - she'd made sure of it. "I want them disarmed, Ted. And then get them restrained. I don't want any details out of our control."

"Trust me, I know," Blake replied. "We're at the bridge now. The others have Sickbay secure."

"Exactly how many are you going to be dealing with?"

"There were six of them in the ready room - and four on the bridge... we'll be facing as many as ten people. Five of them armed."

Hart blew out a sigh. There are only eleven of us. "Right. This could get rough...." Abruptly she turned and scanned through Engineering with one sweeping glance.

There were only two with her. One of them was Jake. They were watching her, practically jumping with nervous energy.

"I'm sending you Riley," she told Blake tersely, gesturing the officer to the phaser cabinet as she spoke. "How is Malachy?"

"Milne is functional. Westfall only stunned him."

Hart nodded in satisfaction. "Nine of you armed with phaser rifles should be enough to end this quickly."

But Blake made a frustrated noise; over the comm link, it sounded more like a metallic growl. "We'll be funneled through the door - even with only five phasers they'll be able to pick some of us off. They might even be able to hold us back. We can't afford that."

Hart shook her head, irritated. "If you have a better idea...."

"I do," Blake interrupted. "We can seal off the bridge and drain life support until they submit."

Riley froze in mid-stride at this, staring at her. Emily clenched her fist involuntarily. "I'm not prepared to do that," she said angrily. "We aren't trying to kill anyone, Ted."

"Bashir might not be offering us the same courtesy," Blake shot back.

"You have no way of knowing that. Westfall wouldn't allow...." But she broke off and sighed heavily. "Only as a last resort. Try to storm the bridge, and if that doesn't work...."

"I'll keep you updated," he replied. "Blake out."

Riley glanced at her once more, then shouldered his phaser and walked out the door. The forcefield dropped to let him pass, then sprang back into place.

Hart sighed again, leaning her hands against the console. She didn't like this - but they had no choice. She couldn't allow Bashir and the captain to keep a stronghold on the bridge. It would only complicate matters once they reached Cheiron IV.

She just hoped it would be over soon.

Jake shifted a bit on his feet, and she turned a weary smile toward him. "You holding up all right?"

"Yeah," the young man replied, returning her smile with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. "If I can do anything...."

"No," Hart shook her head. "I don't want you caught up in the middle of this, Jake. It's enough that you support us." She walked past him on her way to the jury-rigged console that served as their communications array, and patted him on the shoulder. "I may as well get some work done. Tell me if you need anything."

"Sure," Jake said. "I should start putting my reports together anyway."

She smiled one last time, then sat down at the terminal and started entering commands. Jake watched her carefully for a moment, then walked over to the counter where he'd laid his camera. The three silver spheres were deactivated and nestled in their protective casing, next to the console. He had to smile slightly - they'd come in handy.

He removed a data rod from the slot in his arm console and walked over to one of the engineering units. He'd spent much of the last several hours going over his still shots and interviews. The information he'd gathered could be helpful, if he worked fast.

*****

By the time he reached the tunnel that led to the bridge, Bashir felt like a solid mass of tension and bruises. His shoulders and neck were cramped from being hunched over for so long, and every exposed joint on his thin frame - elbows, knees, hips, wrists - ached dully from being banged against the wall of the conduit as he crawled.

But he wouldn't slow down; Vak and Westfall were hard pressed to keep up with him. It seemed vital that he waste no time, and considering their bleak situation, he didn't even know why. His feverish mind simply refused to let him stop struggling.

"Here." Breathing heavily, Vak caught at his ankle to bring him to a halt. "The bridge... to the left...."

Bashir looked where the Bolian indicated and saw a hatch, like the one in the ready room. It was a tight squeeze, but he managed to inch close enough to inspect it. At first, he was seized with the claustrophobic dread that there would be a shimmering blue energy field over this one, too, and they'd be stuck in the tunnels with nowhere to run.

But there was no forcefield. The hatch was simply locked from the inside. Bashir laughed shortly, blowing up a puff of month-old dust. Must be my lucky day.

"Make way," he warned, and Vak scrambled backwards into Westfall's approach to give him room. Twisting onto his back, Bashir drew his knees to his chest and focused all six hours, nine minutes, and thirty-nine seconds of frustrated anger into a two-footed kick.

The impact of his boots against the hatch sent pain shooting up his spine. But it worked; the seal wrenched open with a screech of metal against metal. The sound of the hatch clanging to the floor echoed through the silent bridge.

"Hold!" Westfall shouted ahead from inside the tunnel. And in a moment, as he tumbled out into the open, Bashir was grateful for the captain's interference. From his place on the floor, he found himself staring up at the Nightingale's helmsman, towering over him with a small piece of pipe raised over his head.

The lieutenant cursed blankly, lowering the pipe and reaching out to help him up. "Sorry. I thought you might be one of Blake's..."

"We'll have to worry about Blake soon enough," Westfall said curtly. "Ensign, the door."

Vak was already running over to the doorway. Whipping out his phaser, he flicked it to its lowest setting and pressed the tip against the lock. The keypad sparked angrily as the weak beam sliced into it, then slowly blackened as the circuits fused and melted together.

And not a moment too soon. Vak had barely stepped away to inspect his handiwork when the security forcefield hissed away, and muffled voices could be heard on the other side of the door. "We've got company."

"Commander Kreiger," the captain indicated his first officer. He palmed his hand phaser from its holster and threw it to her; he kept Rudavich's type-3 rifle for himself. "Looks like we're going to be making a last stand here. Let's get the door and the access hatch covered...."

Something banged against the wall of the tunnel they'd just left; Bashir whipped toward that sound, phaser drawn.

"Don't shoot - it's us!" Ptacek lifted one hand in defense as she wriggled out of the cramped space. Her uniform was grimy, and her gleaming white hair had fallen out of its coif and fell in disarray across her face. As she stood and reached down to help Lausten through, she batted impatiently at the loose strands in her eyes.

"Were you followed?" Westfall demanded.

"No," Aya coughed, sliding her petite body out of the conduit with one smooth pull. She shoved the hatch closed behind her with one foot. "We barely made it out of Sickbay before Blake's people got there, but we were able to get the entrance sealed off before they could come after us."

The captain nodded curtly. "Good work."

The door shuddered slightly, and angry words could be heard booming from the other side. Aya lifted her weapon instinctively toward that voice, then drew in a steadying breath.

After a moment, a distant humming sound could be heard, faintly, through the door, slowly growing in intensity. It had to be Blake, phasering his way inside.

"Sindelar?"

The Bajoran officer shook her head. "I tried everything, sir. We're completely cut off. Communications are dead, we've got no control of navigation, ship's systems are completely rerouted - we can't even flush the facility."

Westfall sighed deeply with frustration, studying his all-too-quiet bridge. Every console was dark, completely shut off, as Sindelar had said. The four bridge officers who'd stayed at their post rather than join the mutiny had set out the handful of portable hand torches from the emergency kit. The light they provided was feeble, spilling weakly over the dead computers and casting distorted shadows across the floor.

"I'm not ready to roll over and surrender my ship," the captain stated, each word forceful and clipped. "Ensign Vak, give Robinson your phaser. Then do something."

"But what, sir?" the young Bolian asked helplessly.

"I don't know. Something. Sindelar, you too. Keep trying. The rest of us will buy as much time as we can -- that door isn't going to hold long, and there's nowhere else left to go," the captain continued grimly. "Kreiger, Robinson, take positions opposite the door, set up a crossfire if that door opens so much as a centimeter. The rest of you, find whatever cover you can. But be ready to fight, any way you have to." He strode to his command chair and ducked behind it, using one control arm as a support for his phaser rifle.

The others scattered around the small bridge. Aya crouched on the other side of Westfall's chair, which gave the best aim on the door; Bashir took position several long strides to her right. Vak and Sindelar stared at each other.

In the shadows, something chirped faintly, and a light flickered, gained strength, bloomed across the bridge in an unexpected but familiar glow. Stunned, Aya turned her head toward it.

A console was working.

"Hey," she gasped, springing back to her feet. "Vak, we have a computer!"

The Bolian was across the bridge in an instant. His fingers were flying over the terminal by the time Bashir and Ptacek both had rushed to join him, Ptacek holding a hand torch for him to work by in case the light went out as unexpectedly as it had come on.

"What?" the captain said in disbelief, unwilling to take his eyes away from the door. "Ensign, you really did it? You got in?" Even as he spoke, the locking mechanism sparked angrily. Soon, the fused latch would melt completely away, and the doors could be forced open.

"It just came on, I don't know how -- I'll do what I can, but I don't know if we have time," Vak muttered, working furiously at the controls. "Without the proper codes, I can't--"

Westfall cursed, hopes dashed as quickly as they had been raised. "Keep at it."

The console chirped again - an answer to a prayer. Automatically, Vak opened the incoming file; his eyes widened in amazement as data scrolled across an inset on the screen. "It's a copy of Hart's command codes!" As if to prove his point, the screen switched to the layout of the main system as Vak cleared the first security checkpoint. His skin flushed a triumphant sapphire blue. "Yes! I can use this!"

Ptacek laughed, a breathless, overjoyed sound. "Julian, you just might have your miracle!"

Bashir couldn't find words to answer at first. In a moment of paranoia, he felt this could be a trap. But it was also a chance - more than they'd had before. Vak's flying fingers took them past the identification check, admitted them to the central controls. Things had switched directions so fast he was almost dizzy.

Then his gaze flicked across a brief message at the end of the transmitted clearance codes. Hope this helps. Tell Trey the camera works wonders. -JS.

The relief that washed over Bashir was so powerful he felt he had to lean on the console for support. "Jake," he breathed. "Thank God."

"He was playing along." Lausten grinned with delighted amusement over his shoulder from a position across the bridge. "Cocky little runt."

"Damn smart kid," Westfall corrected, as the door took another blow. "I should appoint him my personal advisor. Vak, whatever you're going to do, you have to do it now."

Allowing Vak to focus on the algorithms before him, Bashir leaned over his shoulder and quickly scrolled through the data Jake had given them. "We can get into the command structure from here," he noted quickly. "Try to get the captain's codes back online - if we can at least lower forcefields in the crew quarters, we'll have enough people free to outnumber them."

"We can do more than that," Vak murmured intently. "We have to hurry - she might try to lock me back out...." His eyes flicked rapidly over the console. "Find me Commander Hart's manual authorization code. I have to get past the voice print clearance."

Bashir found it easily. Jake had been very precise in his surveillance. "Got it. Here."

Behind them, the keypad of the bridge door blew out abruptly. Julian couldn't help half-turning at the sound. He saw Westfall ducked back, shielding his head from the small explosion.

"Ensign!" Westfall yelled urgently.

"Almost there, sir," the Bolian said quickly. "I just need a few more seconds!"

"You've got two!" the captain shouted back. "Robinson, Kreiger -"

The lock failed; the door shuddered, then slid. A crack of light...a few centimeters...a hand appeared.

Four phasers shot directly toward the hand.

There was a scream and the hand disappeared. The door slid back, leaving only a thin crack of light.

"Riley," Westfall muttered. "He's a good kid."

From the other side of the door, someone spoke indistinctly, followed clearly by Blake's shout of rage: "Then we go in firing!"

Aya drew a quick breath, hunching her shoulders as if that would protect her from any fire that came through. More muttering outside - something about "irreparable damage" and "set to kill."

"Ptacek, we're almost in the line of fire -- get behind the other chair," Bashir whispered tensely. He held out his phaser toward her, handle first. The Andorian glanced at the barely open door, protesting, "But you'll be-"

"Somebody's got to help Vak, and if Jake sends any more messages-"

The door slid again; the first blast of phaser fire came through - and by some fluke, struck Lieutenant Sindelar square in the chest. She went down without a word, landing sprawled at Bashir's feet. Both doctors jumped toward her, reflexively.

Westfall and Aya opened fire.

"She's alive!" Ptacek held out a hand, pushed Julian back. "It's just a stun. I'll take care of her. You help Vak!" She began dragging the woman aside, behind what little shelter the next station chair could offer.

"Almost got it...!" the Bolian shouted.

"Damn!" Aya hissed. "The power cell's dead!" She threw down the now-useless phaser. Robinson jumped, distracted for half a second.

The door slid open; someone jumped through, rolling past Kreiger's half of the crossfire.

But not past Westfall's. His aim was true; the man was stunned - but his forward momentum sent him tumbling over the captain's chair. Westfall flung his arm up in sheer instinct; the unconscious officer reeled across Aya's crouching body. She stumbled beneath his fall with a startled yelp.

Another round of phaser fire from the corridor made everyone duck. Two more mutineers plunged through the door - Kirkland and Madison. Lausten got Madison; Kirkland dodged the next blast and grabbed for Kreiger and her weapon. Without Kreiger's backup, Robinson went down in the scuffle. The door slid back completely, and two darted through, then three more - followed by Blake himself.

The newcomers were armed. Kreiger and Kirkland went to their knees, struggling, each firing wildly as they tried to disarm the other. One of the torchlights was hit, exploding in a shower of sparks, and suddenly it seemed half the bridge was plunged back into darkness.

Through all the confusion, Commander Blake's attention focused on the lit console, where Vak worked frantically to override Emily's security codes and lockouts to regain control. He aimed his phaser.

Without thought, Bashir deliberately stepped between them.

Their eyes met and locked in stares. Determination was in Bashir's eyes, a willingness to put himself in the line of fire to buy just one more second. Myriad angers flashed across Blake's features. Then his face contorted and, with an outraged scream, he threw himself at Bashir.

The two men hit the deck, rolling. The phaser vanished in the scuffle, somewhere out of reach in the odd light.

"You...." Bashir heard Blake gasp. "You mutant...genetic...freak.... You did this! You!"

The words burned deep, over the sounds of struggle and cries throughout the bridge. Blake's hate-filled tone was worse than any blow would have been. Bashir blocked a punch, tried to get a grip on the other man's collar as they grappled. Blake's fingers found his throat. Their faces were so close each could taste the other man's breath.

"Blake... this isn't the way-"

Blake's fingers tightened, and the doctor knew he'd better save his breath. He managed to get a blow to Blake's solar plexus. The grip loosened; Blake jerked back just a few centimeters, but it was enough. Breathing raggedly, Bashir wrestled one leg under his weight and pushed hard, rolling Blake beneath him and dragging himself to his feet.

"Captain!"

Bashir's head whipped around at Vak's cry, icy adrenaline shooting through his blood. Then something struck him heavily, and he felt himself flung against the wall. All remaining breath was expelled from his lungs as he hit solid metal. For a second, he saw stars. Blake was back on his feet, and threw himself at Bashir, pinning him.

"No," he snarled. "You're not getting out of this, Doctor, your little escape is over, and I'm tired of having to look at your sanctimonious, Cardie-loving face...."

Even if Bashir had enough breath left to speak, he wouldn't have replied. He didn't have to. For the second time in six hours, his keen senses had picked up something half a second before anyone else could notice.

The Nightingale had dropped out of warp.

A moment later, she ground to a full stop, and the following silence was almost deafening.

"Computer." Captain Westfall's voice broke the pause with a certain elegance. "Lights."

With a prompt chirp, the lights blinked on, as strong and steady as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. To the captive officers on the bridge, it was probably one of the most beautiful things they'd seen all day.

Bashir could see clearly now. And the first thing he noticed was Blake's hard brown eyes glazing over as his last chance to keep control of the ship burned away in the glaring light.

They stared at each other.

"You're right," Bashir found breath to say. "It's over. Now let go of me."

Incredulity took the fight out of Blake. He let go and stumbled back from Bashir, his expression stunned and disbelieving.

It had only been a moment, Bashir realized. Westfall was on his feet, already giving more orders. All around him, Blake's guards stood motionless, stunned, phasers hanging awkwardly at their sides as if they suddenly didn't know what to do with them. "Computer, lower all security forcefields except for those surrounding Engineering. Cut power to computer consoles in that area and shut down engines. All hands - I need security details to the bridge and Engineering immediately."

To every command, the computer complied without hesitation. Lausten, holding his assailants at gunpoint, listened to the sequence of beeps and clicks with a contented sigh. "Beeeeautiful."

Ptacek stood up from behind her chair, grinning. "When you get a chance, Julian, make sure to let our friend in Engineering know that we owe him a huge favor."

Bashir exhaled lightly, straightening the collar of his uniform. "More than happy to."

Aya had finally crawled out from under the first man to rush in. She paused to check his pulse and to probe his skull where he had hit his head as he fell. "Hmm, good size bump. We may have a concussion here."

That was enough of a reminder for the other doctors. Six motionless figures were scattered across the bridge, injured or stunned in the battle. There were people to care for.

Chapter 7