“Avarilone million kilometers,” Prynn announced.

“Take us out of warp,” Vaughn ordered. “Maintain cloak.”

Rahim looked up from sciences. “Avarilshuttlebay doors have been activated. Sensors detect the launch of one Yrythny shuttle.”

A third spacecraft graphic, a smaller version of the Avaril’s green circle, appeared.

“Scan the shuttle, Ensign.” This is it.Vaughn thought.

“Two Yrythny life-forms—” Rahim paused to smile. “—and one Ferengi.”

Vaughn turned to Leishman at engineering. “Transporter lock?”

Leishman studied her panel and shook her head. “Not possible. We should be able to knock out their shields, but whatever inhibitor field they were using before is now encompassing all three shuttle occupants. Looks like it’s plan B, sir.”

Vaughn turned to conn. “Ensign Tenmei, follow course two-one—zero mark zero and bring the Defiantwithin ten thousand kilometers of the Yrythny shuttle. Lieutenant Bowers, power phasers and prepare to drop cloak on my mark. Ensign Leishman, report to transporter bay one.”

The tall engineer vacated her post and started for the exit.

“Good luck, Mikaela,” Vaughn said as she crossed close to his chair.

“Yes, sir,” she said with a wink. “I’ll give ’em hell.”

On the viewscreen, Vaughn saw the shuttle, just a little bigger than its Starfleet analog, cross the expanse between the two ships, dwarfed by the massive Avariland the equally formidable Cheka warship. At the requisite distance, Prynn adjusted the Defiant’s course, bringing her parallel with the shuttle.

“Chao to the bridge. Ensign Leishman is ready to transport to the Yrythny shuttle.”

Vaughn didn’t hesitate. “Drop cloak, Lieutenant Bowers. Target the shuttle’s shield generators and fire phasers.”

“Phasers firing sir,” Bowers said.

Green circles rippled and winked out around the Yrythny shuttle, indicating a direct hit. “Shuttle’s shields are down, sir,” Bowers reported.

“Energize, Chief!”

“Ensign Leishman is away,sir,” Chao replied over the comm.

Vaughn sat back down. Now that we’ve crashed the party, let’s see who tries to throw us out first.

Sensors told Ezri that the Avarilwas having technical trouble and that the Cheka warship had powered weapons. Looks like an ambush,she thought helplessly. The Sagan’s weapons might divert the warship’s attention for a minute, but ultimately, she could do nothing to help the stranded Yrythny vessel.

“What now, Jeshoh?” Ezri said.

“We wait.” He sat stiffly in the chair beside her.

“Fine. All stop, Shar.”

As the Saganheld position, Keren left her seat, dropping down to crouch beside Jeshoh. She rested a hand on his leg and tried gazing up into his face but he twisted away from her. “My whole life’s work has been about helping all of my people. Not myself. Please don’t keep me from helping them,” she pleaded.

“Sit down, Keren. We’ll talk when this is over,” he said gruffly.

“Jeshoh, we can stop this now. Let’s dock on the Avaril.Turn in the terrorists. They’ll reduce our punishment.”

“Yrythny shuttle launching from Avaril,”Shar reported. “It’s moving toward the Cheka vessel.”

“Please, Jeshoh—” Keren whispered.

“Wait for a signal from the shuttle,” Jeshoh ordered.

“I’m monitoring communications channels,” Ezri said. A cursory survey revealed the Yrythny shuttle wasn’t transmitting, but jamming the Sagan’sinquiry. Something’s not right here.

“We should be receiving instructions by now,” Jeshoh said, jumping from his chair and pacing. “I wonder—”

“Lieutenant, look,” Shar said excitedly. “The Defiant!”

Keren scrambled to her feet, crowding next to Jeshoh so she could see the console screen. Keen in her focus, Ezri gasped when Defiant’s phasers took out the shuttle’s shields.

Jeshoh slumped forward. “It can’t be…”

“Were I to hazard a guess,” Ezri said, “I’d say your deal is off.”

“No!” Jeshoh slammed the console. “No!”

Anticipating the Cheka’s displeasure with Defiant’s appearance, Vaughn made a preemptive move. “Tactical, raise shields and ready phasers.” Vaughn said. “Ensign Rahim, monitor all transmissions between the three ships. Audio feed over the comm system.”

“— a direct hit to our shield generators. You have to help us!”the panicked Yrythny voice said. “We have the cloaking specs and an engineer who can install and replicate the technology.”

“What about the eggs?” came the vibrating Cheka voice.

“—theDefiant off starboard—” static disrupted the transmission.

Vaughn searched his memory to place the Yrythny voice; he knew he’d heard it before.

Ensign Permenter suddenly looked up from the engineering station, where she’d replaced Leishman, recognition written on her face. “That was—”

Tlaral,thought Nog, wondering why he hadn’t pegged her before. For his money, he thought it would be Minister M’Yeoh. No one in a position like his was that incompetent unless it was for show. But he hadn’t had any latinum riding on the deal so he’d live with the disappointment.

I’m being traded to the Cheka. In exchange for what? What do the Cheka have that the Yrythny want? Uncle Quark always says the four hungers are food, sex, power and money, not necessarily in that order. But because money can buy food, sex, and power, money trumps them all. If I’m the money, the Yrythny are trading me for…Wait. Not all Yrythny are in need,Nog amended his thought. Only the Wanderers because—

They want weapons. To push Vanìmel into a civil war. If they can’t wrangle their rights legally, they’ll take them by force.

The shuttle’s control panel beeped like crazy. Before he could guess what might be happening, the shuttle rocked a second time, tipping from side to side and acrid smoke filled the cockpit.

“We’ve lost our shield generators. Grab hold of—”

Suddenly he heard the whine of a Starfleet transporter beam.

“We’ve been boarded!” Tlaral shouted. “Get—!”

Feet hit the deck, followed by scuffling, rustling, clattering and a thud. Nog hitched along the floor toward the rear of the shuttle to avoid being dragged into the fray. Having heard the Yrythny use the word “defiant” he hoped it meant Vaughn was close by. For now, however, as much as he wanted to believe he had friends aboard, he couldn’t be sure. Braced against a metal corner, he pushed his wristbands against the edge.

“Lock onto the Yrythny. Two to transport,” he heard someone say. Mikaela.

The sound of the transporter beam filled the cabin again. Then hands pulled the hood off his head and yanked the gag out of his mouth. “You okay?” Leishman asked, performing a cursory check.

“Could be worse,” Nog answered, managing a smile. “You couldn’t have just beamed me off first?”

“’Fraid not,” she said, holding up two ripped armbands with little devices attached. Transporter scramblers, Nog guessed. She reached for the one on Nog’s arm and snapped it off as well. “You ready?” Nog nodded, and Mikaela tapped her combadge again. “Leishman to Chao. Lock onto Lieutenant Nog and beam him out.”

He didn’t even get to say good-bye before he rematerialized in the transporter bay. Chief Chao informed the bridge that he was back aboard. Maybe he was imagining things, but Nog thought he might have heard applause.

Suddenly Dr. Bashir was there, hauling him off the transporter pad and sitting beside him. He unfastened Nog’s restraints and checked him over to make sure he wasn’t bleeding, broken, or too badly bruised.

“You had us worried,” Bashir said, examining his wrists and ankles. “Welcome home, Lieutenant. I wish I could let you retire to your quarters, but we’re a little shorthanded in engineering, and we still have to get out of here.”