Boredom, the most simple problem of all was plaguing cooper as roamed the corridors. He was unassigned, and off duty but he needed something to do. He had searched the roster but had not anybody he had known. Strangely he found himself outside of sickbay for some reason, Bored Cooper wandered inside . The doctor seemed irritated for some reason, Cooper found a chair in the corner and decide to see how long he could go unnoticed.

Jadzia

The First Officer was livid. This was supposed to be a simple mission: just go and sign a peace treaty with Cardassia. If she had known everything that would happen, she would have never brought Laizia along.

Seemingly, everyone else seemed relatively calm, but Jadzia Dax felt like she was on the edge of a precipice and felt like she would fall forever into a void.

Everyone was talking rapidly and tossing around technical terms, and Jadzia could figure it out if she wanted to expend the energy, but she simply decided not to.

She wanted Laizia back and she didn't care about anything else. Not about a centuries old rift with the Irrisi or the Q or about Klingon honor. Hell, she didn't even care about the backgrounds of her crew anymore - well, no, she did, but right now Laizia was most important.

Silence descended on the Bridge as if everyone was waiting for the Captain to make a recommendation. Worf seemed at a loss for words, so Dax said, in a tone harsher than usual, "I don't care what it takes or what you have to do; I want my daughter back. Is that understood?"

Rafko

"Laizia is gone?" I asked in disbelief. Okal nodded. I figured that other people were looking for her, but I remembered the little girl had been injured so her movements needed to be restricted.

"Some peace mission this turned out to be, right?" Okal asked.

I indicated my bags, still unpacked. Hell, with all of the excitement, I still hadn't managed to find room for any of my things yet.

"I don't even know what's going on," I confessed. "I'm starting to think a whole hoard of Cardassians is preferable to this - this Q business."

Okal nodded. "Indeed," she said. "Well, I thought I'd let you know about Laizia. I'm going down to Engineering."

"Wait," I said. "I'll come with you. I haven't eaten in hours."

We enjoyed a pleasant walk and parted ways in Engineering. I continued on my way, lost in my own thoughts, until I nearly tripped into a tall man. I looked up and there was the Cardassian.

"Careful," he said pleasantly enough, but I backed away. Starfleet or no, it wasn't easy to put away old prejudices.

That's when the lights started flickering.

"What's going on?" I asked. And then I wondered out-loud, "Why do I ask anymore?"

"Okal to Rafko."

"Rafko here."

"I think you may want to come take a look at something."

The lights went out completely.

"On my way," I said. I put my hand out and touched - the Cardassian.

"I have a flashlight," he said. "If you don't mind..."

He turned on the light. I followed him, wondering what kind of officer would randomly carry a flashlight.

*** Nu'Daq ***

This mission was getting crazier all the time. At the moment he was standing with Commander Dax at his side. A warp core breach was imminent, the containment field was at 53% and falling. The Q's had just disappeared from the bridge with Laizia, and now everything was total confusion.

After a few minutes of suspense the containment field started regaining strength. It seemed like the people in Engineering were still at work, even though the communication system was down.

The calm voice of Commander Dax started issuing orders. "Nu'Daq, get the communication system online ASAP. And then check the status of our sub space scanners." Nu'Daq nodded and started working on repairing the communications. It only took him a couple of minutes to locate and fix the problem - it was a malfunctioning condensator relay in the primary and secondary power system of the central router. He reported it to the commander and started checking the external scanners and the weapons system (after all he was Klingon). They were al off line, but since Engineering in the mean time had gotten the main computer system back online it was just a matter of restarting the local targeting systems, before they were all operational again. Nu'Daq stood back for a moment. "You can say many things about Starfleet officers, but they sure are quick workers...", he thought. He initiated a surface scan of the planet and a simultaneous sub space life sign scan to look for Laizia. But there was no sign of her after all.

At that moment the 5 Romulan commanders and Captain Worf gathered in front of the bridge. They were talking quietly, but according to what Nu'Daq could hear they had agreed upon a friendly solution. Apparently the Valjean should supply spare parts for the Romulan Warbirds and then everyone should part in peace. Nu'Daq shook his head slightly. "A mistake. A big mistake. We should have taken the opportunity to seize their vessels and strip them of information and technology. Typical Starfleet behavior. Always peaceful and friendly. Thank God they were not like the Romulus or Cardassians, otherwise the Federation would be a serious threat to the Klingon Empire......"

After about half an hour ship systems were back to normal. The captain called all senior officers to a meeting. Nu'Daq went into the meeting room. The captain and the commander were there, as were Xenia (as CMO), Lt. Janor (CSO), Lt. Lan (as CEO) and our resident counselor Lt. Kata. Nu'Daq sat down next to Xenia. For a moment he wanted to touch her, feel her soft skin - but he took his hand back and decided not to. This was not the time nor the place.

Worf called them all to attention. "As some of you know the Q have kidnapped Laizia. We need to find her. But before we can do that, we need to know why they are so interested in her." He looked at the crowd. After a moment's silence Xenia lifted her voice, to Nu'Daq's astonishment. "I might shed some light on that. When we were on the planet fleeing from the Hur'q crowd, ensign Okal was carrying Laizia. She later told me, that the male Q had snatched Laizia out of her arms, while yelling towards the Hur'q crowd something like 'You will never get her, you will never get the key' - apparently this was a reference to the Hur'q searching for the key to entering the Q continuum. At that moment we were all beamed to the ship, except Laizia and the Q's. We, meaning ensign Okal and myself, later found Laizia on the planet in a cave. Next to her was a huge glowing orb. Our tricorders didn't register it. We decided to return to the ship and make sure, that Laizia was OK. After a thorough examination I released Laizia from sickbay, and she went to the bridge, where I hear the Q's staged a warp core breach and kidnapped Laizia again. Which more or less wraps up my story".

Again there was a moment of silence. Worf and Dax looked at each other, before they turned towards the rest of the officers. Dax was the first one to break the silence. "Doctor, you, ensign Okal, Lt. Kata and Lt. Nu'Daq will escort me down to the planet to take a closer look at this glowing orb. The rest of you stay here and increase the search efforts from here. Dismissed." They all got up and hurried out the door. Nu'Daq picked up his equipment and a tricorder and followed the commander and Xenia to transporter room 3. They were all silent while walking, and Nu'Daq couldn't help admiring the beauty of Xenia, while she walked in front of him. She looked so beautiful, yet so fragile. And Nu'Daq knew exactly how fragile. Ever since Xenia had told him about her illness, inflicted upon her by the Cardassians during the occupation, he had started to build even more hatred towards the Cardassians.

Kata, walking alongside him, could sense there was something going on inside Nu'Daq. Ever since Nu'Daq and Xenia had gotten back together she had only sensed happiness within Nu'Daq. But lately she had felt a growing amount of hatred. It concerned her. She hadn't yet found the time to confront him with it, she was still searching for an opportunity. Perhaps after this mission.

They entered transporter room 3, where ensign Okal was waiting for them. Dax questioned her about what had happened on the planet, and she confirmed what Xenia had told. And then they all beamed down to the planet.

They materialized on a grassy field. 20 meters ahead of them were a small cave. Nu'Daq could see they were close to where he had fought the Hur'q and killed them. He smiled, a devious smile. Killing those Hur'q had been the first time he had ever killed a person in close combat. And it had felt so good......

Nu'Daq was interrupted in his memories by Dax's voice.

"Doctor, lead the way".

Xenia took point and led them all into the cave. A few meters inside they could all see it. A large glowing orb, approximately 1 meter in diameter floating freely in the air. Almost simultaneously Dax, Okal and Xenia pulled out their tricorders - just like a showdown in some of the old Terran 2D-movies Nu'Daq enjoyed to watch. Nu'Daq believe they were called "Westerns". While the three examined the orb with their tricorders, Nu'Daq looked around the cave. He could hear Dax complaining about the orb causing interferences in the tricorder functions, making it impossible to obtain any readings. But Nu'Daq continued to search the cave. "That's another good thing about being Klingon. The Klingon senses always work - as opposed to tricorders.....", he thought to himself.

He picked up a faint scent. It was Klingon, or at least partially Klingon. He bent down and focused on the scent. There was no doubt in his mind, it was Laizia's. She had been here no more than an hour ago - after she had disappeared the second time. He could also smell the scent of two other, unknown individuals. Human, or at least in human form..... He stood up and looked at the others. Dax, Xenia and Okal were fingering heir tricorders, trying to get them to work. For a moment Nu'Daq looked at them and smiled. Sometimes humans and Bajorans relied too much on their technology. Kata, however, was just standing there with her eyes closed. Nu'Daq wandered whose mind she was listening in on now. Damn those mind sneaking telepaths. He would never feel secure in their presence.

He raised his voice: "Commander, Laizia was taken here by the two Q's after they disappeared from the bridge. Without any doubt."

They looked at him. For a moment Dax was not sure, but Nu'Daq confident look convinced her that he was telling the truth. "Thank you, lieutenant. Do you have any idea where they've gone." He shook his head.

Then Kata opened her eyes. "I have an idea. I can feel life signs from within the orb. Faintly, but they are there. Thousands of them."

Dax looked at her tricorder. "Shoot, we need to get these tricorders working."

kal opened her tool box. "Just a few more minutes. It seems the orb is emitting solanagen, which interrupts the normal flow of subspace around the orb, making it impenetrable to our tricorders. But if I adjust the tricorders similar to when we closed the rift, it might work." She grabbed a isometric adsorber from the tool kit and started adjusting the tricorders again. After a few minutes she started smiling. "That ought to do it." She activated the tricorder and gave a little shout: "It did! I can read within the orb." Dax and Okal looked at the tricorder. "Oh my God, there are several hundred life signs within the orb. It is impossible to determine the species. But considering the nature of the orb I would say they were all Q."

They only slowly realized the importance of the nature of their discovery. Somehow this orb was a subdomain of the Q-continuum. Or maybe at portal to the Q-continuum, like a shuttle terminal or something. They continued to monitor the orb, and they soon learned more and more about it. Indeed it seemed like some sort of entrance point to the Q-continuum, a transit station. Apparently the Q had to pass through one of these entry points to get into the Q-continuum. But what had Laizia to do with all of this. Dax was the first to speak. "We need to attract the attention of the Q. Okal can we send a solanagen pulse into the orb?"

Okal shook her head. "Not without the risk of destroying the orb. But perhaps we can cause a temporary resonance field in the orb, if we transmit an Eigner pulse sequence into the orb grid."

Dax looked a her. "Do it!"

Okal starting fingering with the tricorder. Suddenly it emitted a bright light pulse, which penetrated the orb. For a few seconds the orb started pulsing, but then it returned to normal. They all waited for a few minutes, when suddenly the male Q appeared next to them. He looked nervous, even though he tried to conceal it.

"Well, my little friends. It seems you have found one of our small doors to the continuum. But move along now, there is nothing to see."

He made a move to push them out of the cave, but Dax didn't budge.

"Oh no. You've got my daughter and I want her back."

The Q looked at her as he was surprised by the notion that he had kidnapped Laizia. I assure you, my dear, I did not take your precious little girl".

Perhaps he hoped, that Dax would buy the story, but no. She pulled out her tricorder and pointed it at the orb.

"Give me my daughter back, or I destroy the orb. You have ten seconds to comply".

Dax started to program the tricorder, while the Q looked in agony. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." "No, don't", the Q shouted. He snapped his fingers, and Laizia appeared in front of them.

"Here she is, the little darling. Safe and sound."

Laizia smiled and jumped into her mothers arms.

Dax turned and looked at the Q. "Listen to me, Q. Now we know your secret. Now we know how you get in and out of the continuum. And we know how to find and how to destroy your entrance points to the Q-continuum. This means we will take no more from you. You cannot come and practice your omnipotence on us. Not anymore. I suppose Laizia had involuntarily stumbled upon the location of the entrance and that's why you kidnapped her. But now we all know, and if you try something, we will use the knowledge. Trust me on that. You might rely on the forgiving nature of humans, but I am Trill and the father of my daughter is Klingon. Mess with us once more, and we will destroy you!"

She turned and left the cave, followed by Okal, Kata, Xenia and Nu'Daq. Nu'Daq was impressed at Dax's reaction. For a moment she had sounded like a Klingon.

Outside the cavern the contacted the ship and beamed up. Commander Dax and Laizia went to the bridge, leaving the rest of them in the transporter room. Okal looked at them all. Except for Nu'Daq they all looked tired and exhausted - especially Xenia. "Why don't we all go down to Ten-Forward and relax a bit? My treat." Without another word they all went out the door and headed for Ten-Forward.

Okal, Rafko, Kata and Nu'Daq entered Ten-Forward. The familiar sound of the doors (unique on the ship) almost immediately conveyed a feeling of leisure and relaxation. The room was only sparsely filled. Nu'Daq wasn't sure what time it was. It had to be late in the evening. And according to his stomach it was way beyond dinner-time.

They all sat down at a table in the back.

"What does everybody want?", Okal asked. Nu'Daq ordered a chech'tluth and a big bowl of gagh. Xenia ordered only a light meal, she had never been very fond of Klingon cuisine. The others ordered veal stew and water.

They started talking about the strange happenings, that had befallen them ever since they left DS9. This was supposed to be a quiet trip to the peace talks, instead it had involved into an exiting adventure filled with spies, Romulans, Q's and the likes. Nu'Daq didn't say much, he had never been very talkative.

The others, however, talked all the time. Nu'Daq had never understood the need of many other species to talk and talk and talk. But what the heck, they seemed to like it. He halfway listened to their conversation, but mostly just kept looking at Xenia. She was so beautiful. He had always been especially fond of her beautiful eyes. And every now and then during all this talking their eyes met just for a second. It made him feel happy.

After they had finished their meals, they stayed at their table and enjoyed each others company. Suddenly the doors opened and everyone went silent. Someone entered into Ten-Forward. For a moment it seemed like the shadow followed the person, but then he entered into the dim light of the room. It was that Cardassian Leget. Nu'Daq could feel his stomach clench. Today more than ever he hated any and every Cardassian. He didn't care why or how Leget had qualified to become a member of Starfleet. He didn't care, that he had helped Starfleet and betrayed his own race - if anything it made him even more despicable in Nu'Daq's eyes. And whatever hint of good mood was gone from Nu'Daq's mind.

Nu'Daq followed the Cardassian entering into the midst of Ten-Forward. Slowly people started conversing again, ignoring the Cardassian. Nu'Daq kept his eyes on the Cardassian, and to his astonishment he suddenly looked towards their table with a smile and went towards them. Nu'Daq was disgusted at the idea of sitting at the same table as a Cardassian.

Leget came all the way over to their table. "Doctor, ensign, lieutenants. May I join you?".

Nu'Daq was about to reply with a firm "NO", but before he was able, Xenia looked at the Cardassian and said: "Sure, go right ahead".

This took Nu'Daq by complete surprise. In his mind Xenia was the one person on the ship who should hate Cardassians more than him. For a moment he felt the urge to stand up and strike down the Cardassian without warning - but he had promised Xenia not to provoke any more fights with crew members or others. A promise he was intent on keeping. But he had absolutely no intention of sitting at the same table as Leget. He stood up and said: "If anybody needs me I will be in my quarters". And without waiting for any kind of reply he walked firmly out of Ten-Forward without looking back.

As he entered his room, his rage had risen. He was confused and angry. Why had Xenia invited that patagh to sit at their table? Why? He couldn't believe it. The anger burned inside him, he had to take out his rage on something. And the small table at his bed had the misfortune to be the target. With one heavy stroke he smashed it to pieces. At that moment his door bell chimed. He heard himself shout a loud and angry "ENTER!".

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