“Exactly,” Ro agreed. “Once the murder was committed, we assume the killer would want to get as far from the scene of the crime as possible. But what if the killer knewwe’d assume that?” Ro looked at Kira. “Think about it, Colonel: We had our shields up during the ceremony. The Gryphonwas the only active ship in the system, and yet Gard beamed away. Maybe he could mask his weapon to the sensors and then scramble them to conceal transport, but beam throughthe shields to a cloaked ship in wait? I don’t buy it, sir.”

“Superior transporter technology is not unheard of, Lieutenant,” Akaar countered. “Colonel Kira herself was once beamed off the station across three light-years. You have no evidence to support your conclusion.”

“That’s absolutely true, Admiral,” Kira said, and then turned deliberately back to Ro. “But assuming you’re right, Lieutenant, then your conclusion would be…?”

“I think Gard is still somewhere on Deep Space 9, biding his time, waiting for an opportunity to escape.”

“What steps have you taken to test this hypothesis?” Asarem asked.

“I have DS9’s internal sensors sweeping the station section by section, with emphasis on the most likely hiding places. Several of my deputies are conducting on-site inspections of some of the more difficult areas to scan, using tricorders. And Taran’atar is also searching the station, shrouded.”

“Have they found anything?” Lenaris asked.

Ro shook her head. “Not yet, but on a station this size, with its labyrinthine design, it’s going to take time to—”

“Ops to Admiral Akaar.”

Akaar tapped his combadge. “Go ahead.”

“Ensign Ling here, sir. I have Captain Mello calling from theGryphon. She says she needs to speak with you immediately.”

“Put it through to the wardroom, Ensign.” All eyes turned to the viewscreen as it lit up to show Captain Mello on the bridge of her ship. “Report, Captain,” Akaar said.

“Per your instructions, Admiral, we’ve just completed our sweep of the Bajoran system,”Mello said. “Our sensors have picked up a faint energy trail, one consistent with a cloaking device.”

Kira felt Ro tense next to her.

“Can you tell where it leads, Captain?” Akaar asked.

“That’s just it, sir. If the readings remain consistent, we believe it’ll lead into Federation space. To the Trill system.”

Akaar looked as if he’d been struck. “Are you certain?”

“My first officer reported the findings himself, sir. There’s no mistake.”

Silence again, broken once more by Asarem. “What else can you tell us, Captain?”

“Only that the readings are dissipating rapidly, First Minister,”Mello said. “But there may be time to follow the trail while it’s still strong enough.”

“First Minister,” Akaar said. “With your permission, the Gryphoncan attempt to overtake the cloaked vessel before it reaches its destination.”

Asarem frowned as she considered her options. “Very well,” she said finally. “But I want Bajoran representation on that ship. Someone who will observe what transpires and report back to me. General Lenaris.”

Lenaris stood. “First Minister?”

“Prepare to beam aboard the Gryphon.”

“Respectfully, First Minister,” Akaar said abruptly, “I must disagree.”

Asarem’s eyes darkened. “I beg your pardon, Admiral? Are you refusing my request?”

“Not at all,” Akaar replied evenly. “But I would like to recommend strongly that Colonel Kira be the one to join the Gryphon.”

Kira’s eyebrows shot up.

“General Lenaris is the senior Militia officer,” Asarem said.

“And as such, he should remain aboard Deep Space 9 to take direct command of Bajoran operations here,” the admiral argued, “where I will also remain to assist as senior Starfleet officer. During this difficult time, it is essential that we send a clear signal to the rest of the quadrant demonstrating the Federation and Bajor’s unwavering mutual commitment, and our ability to work together from the lowest levels to the highest.

“Furthermore—and with all due respect to General Lenaris—Colonel Kira is experienced with starship operations and Starfleet protocols. In addition, she is still recognized by Starfleet as an active-duty commander with all the authority thereof. She is better equipped to participatein the mission, not merely act as an observer.”

Kira blinked. What the hell—?

“First Minister,” Lenaris chimed in. “With great respect, I have to agree with Admiral Akaar. Colonel Kira is the best choice for this undertaking.”

Asarem looked again at Kira, who kept her expression carefully neutral. Akaar’s arguments made sense, but she didn’t like the idea of leaving Bajor at a time like this. And although she’d come to like Captain Mello over the last few months, she wasn’t sure how she felt about being assigned to a Federation starship right now.

Asarem was hesitating, she saw. Akaar was certainly taking a gamble challenging one of her orders this early in the game and under the present circumstances. But he made a good case, which Lenaris himself supported, and Asarem was no fool. “Captain Mello, how soon can you be ready to depart?”

“Immediately, First Minister.”

“Very well. Please be prepared to receive Colonel Kira and to set out in fifteen minutes.” Asarem closed the link and addressed her listeners. “General, Admiral, I suggest you head to ops and work out whatever strategy of mutual cooperation you feel is necessary…. Lieutenant Ro, please coordinate with Dr. Girani. I want your incident report together with the autopsy findings within twenty-six hours. Councillor zh’Thane, I would like you to come with me to Bajor.”

“It would be my honor, First Minister.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Asarem warned. “I’m still not certain anything will reverse my decision. But like you, I am not quite yet prepared to give up on what Shakaar—and the Emissary—both fought in life to achieve. Please be at my ship in ten minutes. That will be all. Colonel Kira, please stay a moment.”

Kira nodded to Asarem as the others began to file out. She caught the look on Ro’s face as her security chief left the room, wishing Akaar would ease up on her. But after Mello’s report had so completely torpedoed Ro’s theory, she knew nothing else Akaar said or did would matter. Kira suspected Ro must now be more determined than ever to go through with her resignation, even if Bajor never joined the Federation. What a way for it to end,Kira thought, wishing she had time to talk to her. Despite their initial difficulties—and their continuing differences—Kira had come to feel a mutual respect growing between them, and had begun to believe that Ro’s posting to DS9 had been the right fit after all, for both of them.

The right fit…The words completed a circuit in Kira’s mind about recent thoughts she’d had regarding her own life, and she leaned over for a quiet word with Akaar before he stepped away from the table. “Admiral, may I have a moment?”

“Colonel?”

“I just wanted to thank you for your vote of confidence in me.” Kira said sincerely. “But I’m confused about what you said regarding my Starfleet status. My commission was always supposed to be temporary. I resigned it when I returned from Cardassia after the war.”

“Did you?” Akaar said, and then shrugged his great shoulders. “We must have lost the paperwork.”

Did he just crack a smile?“I see,” Kira said. “Well. I guess that explains it.”

Akaar inclined his head. “Good hunting, Colonel.”

“Thank you, sir.” Kira watched him go, not quite sure how to feel about the admiral’s little sleight of hand. Still, she was grateful for the chance to take an active role in bringing Shakaar’s killer to justice.

Alone now with Kira, the first minister sighed wearily before she spoke. “We share a burdensome secret, Colonel.”