Hunter strode through the corridor with more on his mind than he'd had for a long time. Each footstep seemed heavier than the last. In a strange way the thought of breaking physics and falling through the floor with the weight of his mind became a passing idea more than once. So many questions that needed to be answered. Deep and profound decisions were all coming back, digging into his shoulders like a beast hell bend on making him bow. Nerves humming on what felt like the edge of madness. Stopping at the suite he and Jack shared in Alchemy House for a brief moment his mind tried to tell him it was wrong. That this should have been his quarters back in Fleet. His sanctuary with Jack seemed to become a cage. Heart racing for the match to come. "How can I tell her" I don't want to become him." Pouring a drink of bourbon, Hunter stared into the dark amber depths of the horrid drink. By no means was it his drink of choice, but for the storm that was raging it should to be strong enough to cut through. No matter what he had to say it. To her. To himself. Sitting at the table in the dining room the contemplation of the three fingers of liquid shimmering in the glass began. One sip made his whole body cringe bringing a sharper focus on what could happen, the fight that would come. Did he need a helmet' Time had been lost to the wear of the day. Minutes were closer to hours. Dates, locations were meaningless till that front door opened. For a moment the idea of having C.A.M track Jack so he knew how much time he had seemed the best, but that would be excessive. Then again he didn't make that usual stop to her bunker to make sure she ate either. Failure hit him hard knowing he hadn't been there to meet her needs and then to greet her with this" Hands shaking on the glass, it was very tempting to throw it across the room.

Hunter's mouth went from being a set line to slightly down turned. To most this would have been a simple frown, but for him the corners of his lips might as well have been touching his chin in over exaggeration. Without realizing it, his shoulders rolled back to stiffen his back. Body ridged in the chair as if he were addressing his former crew. Old habits taking over more as a shield for what was to come locking himself behind the proper rules and regulations drilled into every admiral, former or active.

"There was a meeting today that I was asked to attend." Realizing he was dancing around what needed to be said, ice blue eyes found the edge of Jack's wing. Focusing on it for Hunter knew the second his eyes met hers the mask of fleet he was using would break. "I met with Dex and the others. They want the Legion to rise again...There is a huge gap left in the defenses. Without the unified Legion a lot of the groups have started fighting for territory...territory that was never the fleets in the first place. Fleet needs someone who can handle chaos. Someone who can see the larger picture under pressure and as much as the others try it was never really within their abilities. Not even Dex."

He took a sip of the bourbon and shoved it aside, adjusting his seat again. The damn uniform wouldn't sit right today.

"I don't know why I try with that stuff."

He clenched a fist and gave a little shake of his head, the only indicator that he was still angry over it. Taking a deep breath Hunter forced down the storm of emotions long enough to give her a smile to show how much she meant to him.

He took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting go. Anger and jealously reaching into his features. Hunter was pissed that fleet even thought they should contact him after their last meeting, even though he knew they were right. He was the only one who could pull this off. Jealous of that damn chair holding her. That was his job! Trying not to growl Hunter tried to follow her lead. The opposite side of the coin taking it all in. Ridged versus fluid, it was clear why they worked so well together.

"Nothing, it has nothing to do with me. That isn't what they want to hear though...They want me to bring it back. Me and couple of the others."

His anger rising again at the memory of them standing there. Daring to ask when they had no right to. His eyes finding hers in this contest of wills his mask already cracking. Fleet washing away at the very sight of what he had left it for. There was no regret, no second guessing. She was all he wanted.

"They won't take my opening answer though...think about it, talk to your wife about it. I told them they should look somewhere else...you are my fleet now...My Jack....this school."

He looked back to her searching her face, and watching her wings for any indications of the mood he had caused her to be in. Hunter looked at Jack with those Ice blues and reached for her hand.

He caught her robe and looked at her appreciatively before coming away from the table and embracing her from behind. Right here and now she had proved one of the many reasons he love her. Jack has a way of putting the pieces of the puzzle in his favor, showing all the possibilities and then scattering it all so that he could decide. Never pushing or swaying his choice in life no matter the outcome.

"I am happy here, there is certainly less excitement over the choosing of classes than there is in flying through hostile space...There is slightly less danger in it too though."

He kissed the back of her head and released her letting his fingers trail across the tip of a wing. Hunter knew she would fuss at him for undressing her after she just got dressed. A playful argument they seemed to keep having.

"If I told you that I had a vision once that had me back in fleet and you hating me...What would you say?"

He was close enough to feel the heat that had gone into her from her shower. Smell the soap she had used and the bourbon clinging to her lips. The delicate wing held is attention while he spoke but his eyes came back to hers as he finished.

"I never want to hurt you at all...you are My Jack, my life is with you, not with a memory of you. I don't know why I am even bothering to talk about it except that I couldn't simply hide it from you. I won't choose Fleet over you...not ever."

Dark hair smoothed down her back as he held her to him. Hair rolling between his fingers, hovering over the delicate flesh of her neck. His nose dipped down to nuzzle the ear that held the earring he made for her, that would one day make her his wife. Her words warmed his heart and soul. That one could give him their all and despite their own wants think only of his and voice them honestly. His mind trying to grasp what then, what could make her turn from him so completely in that vision' His lips giving voice to what ate at him.

"What then is it that would make you hate me? If the vision doesn't mean this then what did I do that upset you so much at me."

Her place in his arms so familiar, wanted at all times. She was his to hold onto like this, the one person who managed to find a way through his defenses to the person beneath. He would have let her inside of him if it would make them feel any closer.

His fingers slipped under her chin, tilting those delicate features she tried so hard to keep set to his. Ice blue eyes looked into her glowing greens and he nearly broke down again at what he saw. There had been a lot of that lately, though he usually kept it to himself.

"I don't want to be parted from you for a minute...Those three day refits were murder to deal with Jack, and you were just a transport beam away from me. Chaos knows how often I wanted to just show up and sweep you off your feet. Find a little secluded spot and remind you what you were missing at home."

Even as the truth left his lips he knew. This was different; there would be a void that wasn't easily crossed between them physically and that very truth stabbed at his heart. Changing the subject so that he could try and make her smile.

"There is also the running of the House and the classes that will be missed."

His head dipped in nuzzling against her fingers. Like any man with their love part of him wanted to say how much he didn't deserve her, but he would rather show how much he loved her.

"I didn't think this would come Jack. My decision to leave shouldn't have had that effect on them. I am just one man...we were only one ship." He listened to her and smiled as he could picture tools flying across a room at some of the more vocal kids. She won the battle of who would smile first this time.

"They offered me my old ship...but I refused it...even if I were to go back I wouldn't take Unimatrix from Lacha...he has earned that place." He kissed her softly hoping it would lead to more. So much more that made their life rich beyond momentary value.

"I will consider their offer love...and what they will need to give us in return."

His skin tingled at her kiss, his mind finding a new joy that she had given him with her support, and understanding. His was full to bursting with love and desire for the dark haired engineer who had taken such a place in his heart. No had the pleasure, but her of making him blush. Turning her into a gumball with wings would be adorable beyond reason, but good luck getting him to say that to anyone other than her.

"That is my goal...my sweet angel."

He held tight to her when she kissed him next her skin outlining his hand as he pressed her tighter to him. The burden lifted from his mind let him concentrate on the one person he had been worried over the whole day. He murmured softly to her.

"I love you Jack Absinthe...?

There had been many kisses, two had hurt more. One of those was in retrospect, when he believed her dead. How many times had he replayed the last kiss before the accident, wishing he had said more" The transporter room was abandoned"no it was ordered this way. Hunter wanted to be alone for their parting. The trip down the corridor had been with last minute to-do's that would need to be attended to. Jack smiled supportively, struggling to hide how much she would miss him. Hunter saw it though, the lighting of the corridors was adequate, or just enough to see where you were going. It was enough to work by too if you didn't mind hunching over your tools to read them. That had been one of the things on her long list of improvements. He was silent for the walk except for the sound of his feet echoing off the walls. Quietly he was listening to her, or rather drinking in every tone her voice held. Hunter had issued his order at the opening to the transporter room and sent the chief scurrying into the dimness. He had known this would be the way he felt at this moment even as he was meeting Erin for the first time that morning.

There had been a change, Erin would relinquish command. The irony was that it had little to do with fleet and everything to do with the ship's crew. When they understood whom they were retrieving and how he would need a ship they decided Erin's time had come to go back to her people. She had taken the ship many months back, sent on orders after an encounter had left it listing badly and in need of aid. Listing she was, venting warp plasma, and bleeding power from nearly every system. They had recorded the encounter one small Vigilante class escort that had been made overpowered by what Erin could tell. Part of her was jealous, she wanted that ship. She had put it back together, or her team had. Many of them were still here working in engineering. Hunter was the one they wanted though. He was the one who had put them in the condition in the first place.

Jem"Hadar ranking system was something Erin was only partly familiar with. The First, basically the first officer, had been killed; the Vorta a race that had been placed in charge of the Jem died in the explosion moments later. Erin had been their savior; they recognized command within her immediately. She was hard but never so hard she let herself be carried away. She had developed a love of this ship in those intervening months, perhaps even an anger at the one who had so wounded her. She cried no tears when he left them. Only regret did she hold in that moment, that she wouldn't be able to face him. His record was fair, he held no lofty acclamations during his time at the academy in point of fact he had been outperformed at every event by Mark. Erin had looked closer though, yes Mark had out done him at every event. Yes he had taken every record many still stood, however a closer look at the times and scores showed that had Mark not been in the class H.K. would have taken those accolades. He would have held those records. Erin would have thought the man bitter by such things but the way Mark went on about him she knew that he didn't.

The Jem"Hadar crewmen were giving open looks as they passed by him. Did they wonder the reason behind the intricately braided set of wings that his topknot had been fashioned into or did they already know about the little visiting civilian engineer" It was perhaps fitting that the Jem"Hadar favored the topknot. Hunter had fashioned his differently than ever before. Mark had mentioned it to him; it was obvious that he understood the significance of the style. "It will be this way until I am safely reunited with her Mark." That was when the poor lighting and the thought that Jem"Hadar have some strange fascination with purple. Everything was a shade of purple, even bare hull had a purplish tinge. The hull of course was easily attributed to the metals used and the way it was processed. He already knew the ship had a much heavier armoring than the Unimatrix. It was also much larger and far less maneuverable. This was the reason behind the pair of single cannons. They would give him the firing arc he needed while trying to bring the nose around. Then those dual heavies would go to work and make a mush of anything in front of the ship.

"Mark, have we considered RCS Accelerator's on this?" He knew they had, there was some improvement but the improvement wasn't enough to make much of a difference do to the shear mass of the ship. There had to be a way to bulk them up, double them up perhaps. The lack of beams meant the need to be able to steer the ship like something much smaller would be of utmost importance.

He wondered if Jack had already had an opportunity to go out in one of the fighters and inspect the ships exterior. He had studied the holo-model at some length. He loved the aggressive look to the ship. It wasn't like their attack ship which resembled a beetle. This ship was longer, and more squared, the forward sections sloped in an arch up and back widening and flattening. The nacelles were parallel with the bottom of the ship, and ran about half the length of the hull. Even the conduits running along the hull gave off purple hue.

The ship had one hanger bay that held six ships; they would serve as support for the bigger ship, and be under Erin's direct command. Hunter could have laughed that Mark was interested in yet another pilot. The hanger provided its own problems. By far the weakest point on the ship, and a direct path in for the time it took to launch and land fighters. Erin was telling him the finer points of the ship, and it had some very fine points. It boasted a hull that was as solid as an excelsior class cruiser but was much more agile. The Jem knew how to build an impulse engine.

He looked up at it now and was relieved at the difference in the engineering section. Erin watched him with those calculating eyes. He betrayed almost none of the feeling as he wouldn't be reminded of her by simply coming to any one section of the ship. Hunter walked the ship finding flaws here and there to go along with the good. "I wonder if the perfect ship will ever exist."

Erin stopped short, Hunter nearly ran into her. "You don't like the ship?" Her tone held a low heat as though she had kept her temper on simmer until she could find an excuse to blow the lid off and release some pressure. "Are you really so ungrateful"! So spoiled?" She spun and her eyes flashed angrily at him. "We don't need you?this ship, its crew"we don't need you!"

Mark snapped at Erin when she exploded. He was always happy to watch a rivalry, but had little tolerance for open hostility. "That is quite enough Captain!" Hunter though simply looked at her, he thought he understood the stress she was under. To be rejected by a crew when you had spent months working successfully with them must feel like the worst betrayal.

He held up a hand to Mark and put those eyes of ice on her. "You mistake me Captain Sune. I mean no disrespect to this ship. Quite simply sometimes it feels like by the time the designer has to keep changing their specs, they need to rush to finish. Perhaps they aren't familiar with the needs in space rather than the wants. Regardless every ship has flaws, even those coming out of the space dock at Rhydin. They leave with fewer than they come with though. This ship won't have the opportunity, we leave today headed for the Legion Starbase." He turned from her exposing his back to both of them. "You have done an outstanding job with this crew, but you need to take another look at them. There are no women. You are a reminder to them every day that they are made by men not born."

The Jem were tough skinned, it stretched over plates that were very much like a humanoid Rhinoceros. Bone spikes lined the sides of their head and ran on down beneath their uniforms which were made of another of those purple materials and looked far more durable than anything he wore. Eyes that were brightly yellow often found the three of them. They were difficult to tell apart; perhaps that was the cloning process. He figured they felt much the same about the others on the ship. He studied them; saw subtle differences in the features of their faces. A wider nose here a sharper chin there. The yellow eyes seemed to have many hues as well, something that wouldn't be easily seen unless they stood side by side. The time to put names and faces together was coming. Now was the time for being diplomatic though.

Hunter hadn't let Erin's outburst alter him. He was on the edge of such feelings too. Mark would understand, he was there early on in the war against the Romulans. One of the three survivors of an away mission that had them shutting down planetary defenses. The losses had been great, Hunter's anger, his very aggressive nature that had been placed in his file had shown. It was a nature he suppressed. Anger got him nothing, though they had succeeded in bringing the defenses down. He still owned the rifle that had destroyed his crewmates. He used it against his enemies almost unmercifully. Still wars end, new wars begin. The three had advanced quickly'survivors of battles often do.

Hunter gave his head a shake. He wasn't sure what had driven him out on such a tangent. The hanger bay was before them, Jack, he could just see her in the irritated flick of a wing. He had expected that, what he hadn't expected was Eight to be standing next to her. Mark leaned in close to talk to him. "She heard you would be here and insisted you would need her'something about if she isn't with him he will need me. We thought a familiar face would do you some good." Hunter nodded as Mark spoke softly, but his eyes had found what he was looking for. A pair of irritated glowing green eyes softened for a moment before they turned away to write on a data pad and issue more orders. She wasn't shouting exactly, more vocalizing so that the repair teams knew she meant business. Eight was standing alongside her issuing more orders. Men moved to comply, Hunter knew they would have excelled under Jack but she wasn't coming. She was leaving in just a few short hours, and he hated this trip even more now.

(I have reposted this thread at L.O.D. site. Come check us out.)

Hours past and morning had become afternoon. With the return of Eight and Jack to the ship, duties were already being handed out. In the back of Jack's mind she ran a list of a personal nature parallel to needed work. Many things that would come in handy for the time they were going to spend a part and ways to help him with this crew. Her wings twitched with the small smile on her face. Hunter would be proud. She hadn't reached for a wrench yet.

Final diagnostic scans came in on her 8th cup of coffee. Every now and again her eyelids twitched in aggravation at her lack of sleep. It was never said out loud and yet practically shouted in her heart. This was all to make sure Hunter would come back to her, that this crew had all they needed.

Braced on the main control panel in engineering, Jack glanced at the data pads as she programed them with order The list of repairs, replacements and complete re haul was long with some plans nearly taking four days around the clock working to finish.

"The storage units and holo emitters will need to be expanded in section 27, deck 9 to be a tactical astrometrics room. Sensors will need to be upgraded acrossed the entire ship, internal and external. There are a few new programs for extend means of communication that need to be downloaded and tested. Bio filters need to be changed and upgraded accordingly since they are two years out of date in addition to new threats to the bio neural circuits and gel packs. Weapons will be upgraded and at the very least the a few options should be presented to Captain K'lar for additional fire power. As for the warp drive, I will bring in my team to help recreate the first paneled warp drive I made for Unimatrix 00 as well as upgrade the shields. We should be able to complete half of this list by tomorrow morning. You shouldn't have any questions as to your projects at this stage. Go."

The crewmen in front of her with their orders blinked unsure yet of what to say to her until the word go. Darting out in all directions like lightening in the sky. Yet she knew what she had given them was only the top priority of the list. The very weight of it in thought showed in the droop of her wings even as they flickered upon looking in the empty coffee cup. Before she could get out a swear, Eight handed her cup number 9 as her hands shook to take it. Maybe it was time to switch to decaf.

Jack didn't need the swish of the automatic doors, of the computer to tell her whom had entered engineering. Her body shifted already knowing what ice blue eyes studied her and the number of footfalls stating he was not alone. Part of her wanted to tease him, lean back on the console with a grin calling him out.

"Any special requests, Chief?"

It had been along time since she called him that. Old habits brought back by a position she thought she would never be in again. Jack waited for him to address her presence. This ship was his now, he was captain and she would be the one person not of his crew that would always follow his lead.

Pacing back and forth in her personal quarters like a tiger trapped in a cage, Erin was in a furious mood. Most would have assumed this was her normal look, a scowl that could melt flesh and a temper that only perfection the Borg found insane would calm her. It wasn't her fault that doing a good job in her book seemed difficult and unreasonable. The crew just needed to change their standards. To see things the capt...seething as she poured salt into her own wound about no longer being the captain of the ship.

"I don't like him Mark"you're going to ask me why and I can't give you a why just my gut feeling on him. It's weird that my crew has taken to him so quickly. What did his little wife do' Bribe them with her stupid holo deck programs?"

Mark stirred from his position on the couch. Evidently now she was ready for him to talk. If she had any idea how hard it was not to chuckle at her rambling. The way she dragged her bare feet in the carpet and cursed each time metal gave her a zap. Never mind the wrinkle she was going to make permanent on her forehead one day.

Erin watched as his eyes drift from her to look at his shoes. The playboy was watching his moves tonight. Part of her mind started running with all that he could be thinking. What he could be holding back. It was bad enough keeping Mark so close and now that Hunter K'lar was here it was worse. Something had changed in Mark and reading him had become damn near impossible which brought her back to pacing. Erin was dressed comfortably the sleeveless tunic was spacious and gave her room to breathe.

A simple requirement really; room to breathe, but she always felt like she was under a microscope. Her record was impeccable, but she looked at the reports that had earned her commendations and saw only the flaws. The men who died the things she couldn't accomplish. Mark kept telling her that she beat herself up too much over things that couldn't be helped. "Of course you regret the decision. It is always going to happen when you make any decision. No matter what you decide you will at some point believe the other direction would have cost less."

Erin heard him, but she also heard her father. His words burned into her, That's great Erin almost perfect. If you just did" That was where Erin lived, in the place that said if you just did this differently. Intellectually she knew Mark was right and perhaps had she done that other thing something worse could happen. That knowledge didn't stop her from fretting and wearing it on her face.

He'd been here a lot lately, she knew what he wanted or at the least she thought she did. He hadn't pressed though. Just the bit of innuendo back in forth hidden in playful insults. Part of that was fun but she just didn't have space for another disaster in her life. That was all Mark could be. She just couldn't reach for him. He was the flirt who could have anyone he wanted and she was hell bent on proving him wrong. It wasn't like she wasn't a woman! Mark was attractive, but....her life was complicated and there was no room for errors. Not even her own, which came down to a relationship with him being out of the question. Thoughts that brought her to that end were troubling. Making her wonder if she had admitted to wanting to reach. Wanting to make an error. It was out of the question, she had her life, her career! She was happy! She would prove it!

Mark took a deep breath and brought those green eyes up to her face. Erin had to stop herself from wondering exactly what shade of green they were, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to look him in the eye. Arms crossed just under her bust with a huff, letting Mark know it was his turn. That she might actually listen. He knew better though. Erin was the kind of woman who would only consider what was being said to her till she thought it was a good idea.

"Sorry"you are going to have to be more specific. Many don't like you either, they find you bold and arrogant. They doubt your ability to speak politically on any subject. A friendly word of advice, I wouldn't bring up Jack like that in front of Hunter unless you really want to see a temper that can put yours to shame."

Erin flinched at the words coming from him. She knew some of it was true. Sure she was opinionated. Someone had to be or nothing would get done. There hadn't been many combat simulations where another ship had out performed hers and sure she had a temper, but it kept people jumping. Doing what was needed. Tired of the pity party she seemed to be throwing for herself it was time switch gears and see if playboy could keep up. Erin's fingers went round her waist and her hip jutted to the side playfully to see just where his eyes were going.

"Arrogant' Huh"oh I see, sounds like they need an excuse to hide behind for being bested. He runs Mark"in his off time he runs, or plays those damned holo-games with the crew. Then as if that isn't enough running for him he runs more. I don't think he's slept and that is just creepy. Beyond that if he isn't sleeping then he isn't fit to lead. Fit to claim my title."

Mark looked at her tilting his head to the side a little and lowering his brow in thought. His eyes staying on her face. He was not about to take the bait while she was looking and it was clear she still hadn't learned that he could turn the tables just as fast on her.

"You're worried about him then?"

"What"! No"not precisely, I'm worried about the rest of us. I am sure he has determined what I have by now. There will be a fight and he and the crew are untested. I'm worried that he doesn't know this ship. I'm worried that he has been gone too long"it has been a year Mark."

Erin found her features slipping into shock over that comment. Scrambling to prove her point because she knew she was right! There was more that she hadn't said, but Mark was his friend. Did she dare to continue" She did know how to hold her tongue, but she had never needed to with Mark.

"This is my ship Mark and I resent him being on it"He had the nerve to ask me to play those ridiculous games with him. I refused him outright. This change is far from a game to me"and I hate him for it."

She didn't know what had started her crying, couldn't remember the last time she had done so. Mark moved quickly enough to try and comfort her, but she stepped back from his advance. Erin had held him close, but he had not earned the right to be anything more than a sounding wall. This whole thing felt like a failure to her, another thing for her father to hold over her head. She jerked away from Mark and ran the back of a hand across her eyes.

"Don't! It's just stress and I will get through it. I mean who the hell"."

Hunter's voice cut across the ship. "Senior staff report to your stations. To the rest of the crew, battle stations, this is not a drill." The red alert sounded and flashed on all decks. Mark was already in motion heading towards his quarters to change into uniform, but he knew not to rush out the door to fast. Erin caught herself checking the embroidery on the back pockets of his jeans and then blushing slightly. She was more prepared than he was for random battle, proving the tunic was a better idea than his button down shirt. It would be easy to beat him to their stations. Her heart was sinking in her chest as she thought of taking orders from Hunter K'lar.

She didn't know if she could easily follow someone who couldn't hack the life and ran. The betrayer of the fleet. Secretly she harbored that feeling about him, a thief now as well as a traitor. The worst part was that he had already developed some strange bond with the crew on board. She heard them talking, and laughing over their exploits on the holo-deck. They were calling someone Iceman and Erin started to wonder until they mentioned the wings and that they believed he could use them to fly if he chose. That night she left the mess hall hungry last night.

The corridor was filled with busy crew, the Jem were excited. They hadn't been in battle for some time and would relish this. Erin hoped it was something simple like a rogue band of Orions. A hope soon dashed when the walls seemed to come alive with every voice in the universe.

We are the Borg, unnamed ship lower your shields and prepare to be boarded. We will join your collective to ours. Those who do not submit will be destroyed. Resistance is futile.

Behind him he could hear the communications officer speaking, he paid half attention to Nikar"Gorir as he gave clearances to the fighters. Luvol"Kaval free to launch, fighter three Baraj"Igar on flight deck. He watched the ships fly out, noticing a problem as they formed up on the Heavy Escort. He turned to Nikar with a curious expression.

"Where is our sixth fighter?" He looked again and counted, sure that he had perhaps made an error. Nikar looked at Hunter soberly. "Admiral, the pilot of that ship was injured and is unable to perform his assigned duty."

Hunter opened a channel to the medical bay. "Bridge to Limaen'this is K"lar, I need to know the status of my pilot."

Limun"Limaen's voice cut back across at him. "He is still in a comatose state Sir, there is nothing I can do for him beyond keep him stable."

"Acknowledged"K"lar out." He cut off the channel and turned back to Nikar. "Why haven't we put a replacement pilot in?"

Nikar looked from him to Erin and then back again. "Sir, we are to pick up additional pilots at the starbase. It was deemed prudent to keep them behind for some additional training, as this mission wasn't expected to run into a battle."

Hunter nodded to Nikar and shot a look to Erin. There was no accusation in his expression; there was only that emotionless stare that said he expected discipline. Erin began tentatively as though searching for the right thing to say. "Sir, we have no one left rated to fly the last fighter." She swallowed and stiffened as though bracing herself for his wrath. Hunter just looked beyond her to Mark who was studying the Main View Screen.

Hunter could tell Mark was thinking exactly what he was. "Nonsense Captain"we have two rated to fly that ship." Erin's eyes widened enough for the brown to look like it lightened up some to a more gold color. She looked from one admiral to the other. Both Hunter and Mark were looking into the blackness at the soon to be battlefield.

Hunter however began to move, he stood quietly and started for the turbo lift doors. Mark's voice stopped him. "Haitch' You remember Darius XII?"

Hunter stiffened, of course he remembered the small moon. "I'm afraid not old friend"you will have to refresh my memory."

"You remember Haitch"back in the Rommy Tal"Shiar days." Mark knew that Hunter was holding out. Erin picked up though as she had read the file.

"That was a ground based operation..M"Admiral, it has no bearing on this." She spoke with an I told you so defiance to them both.

Mark looked at he as though he had just feinted and now had her lined in his sights. "Mmm"yes, I was there. I remember losing a draw to Haitch to pilot the one ship we had. The purpose to take word out of the situation. We had been badly tricked there, our intel was way off. One of us had to try to get out and bring back help, the other would"."

Hunter took over the story. "The other would stay behind and do what he could against the waves of Romulan soldiers coming in. It has no bearing on this Mark and you know it." Hunter started forward again to be halted by the voice of his friend.

"You won the draw Haitch"you were supposed to fly that ship out of there"You refused"what did you say to me"I can't quite remember." Mark had turned from the screen and held both hands on his hips. It was clear from his demeanor that he did remember, and he remembered well. "I think it went something like"We need this to succeed Mark, and you're better than I am. Milliseconds yes, but that may be all the difference between success and being blown into the vacuum of space. Go and come back"I will hold as long as I can." Mark's look was smug, as he watch Hunter's shoulders sag. "Brother, am still better than you, and probably more than milliseconds now. This is my show"your turn to watch."

Erin had an eidetic memory, she remembered though her time with the file had been short. Hunter had held for two weeks while word was sent and decisions of what to do were made. He had spent another two in detention at the hands of the Tal"Shiar. Erin had been able to access those eyes only files to see what had been done to a young lieutenant as he refused to let those under his command undergo interrogation and torture. The official stance had the battle marked as a failure, except for the commendations that were listed within that file surrounding the man who had stood boldly in his internment. The eyewitness reports of those underlings and the respect they held painted a picture of the man who so desperately was trying to spare his friend yet again.

"It's not gonna happen Haitch"this time I go into the jaws and leave you to save me." Mark spoke matter of factly, and Erin's spine went icy.

She wasn't sure what that meant, or why she suddenly spoke out. "Sir you can't let him go out there." She had turned to Hunter and left the emotion she had been feeling out of her words.

"You're wrong Sune." Hunter turned to Mark and nodded, the tall dark haired playboy moved off quickly against Erin's noises of protest. "He's right"he has always been better in the cockpit than I have"we need our best out there. I suggest if you want him to return, then you coordinate those fighters to the best of your ability as I leave them in your hands. I want them on intercept duty to begin. Nothing gets through"nothing you got that?"

Hunter heard Erin on comms with Mark, and commands going out to the fighters. Pull back get out of the blast radius your shields won't handle it! Hunter turned his heart to stone knowing that he had friends in harm's way. Men he had placed there, men who may die at any moment. This was what he remembered, the emptiness that had made him good. The hardness that he couldn't afford to lose or he might just lose himself. He recalled being so stern that young officers stammered when they looked at him. He recalled running in halls that were emptied by the rumor of his impending passage. He brought that cloak back around himself and sealed it off from the world. Except he couldn't seem to remove that one little wrinkle. A vision of glowing green eyes in a face so beautiful to him it almost hurt to look at it"almost.

Behind him the science station called out. "I'm reading a massive buildup in the cube warp core Sir! She is going to blow!"

Hunter stood, it had worked but they were still in trouble, a ship that massive would do tremendous damage. That had been the plan, Hunter could see the second cube trying desperately to move away from the time bomb that used to be a Borg Cube. "Helm'do this exactly as I say it!"

The Jem before him bent to his console fingers poised. Hunter got the impression that the man had suddenly become an extension of himself. "Auxiliary power to the inertial dampeners?" In his head he knew that Jack remembered how many issues they had, with his stop start flying style. He was supremely confident that she would have bolstered them. The sounds of the dampeners falling into place hummed across the ship, but the helmsman's head never came up to check and see what Hunter needed next. "Evasive maneuvers?" Erin's voice cut across him as he said the command. "But sir we are in full reverse"we don't have the speed?" If she had more to say it didn't matter to him. The helmsman tapped at the console and the ship began to shudder with the stress of the added power. Hunter ignored her, there was a time to question and a time to learn. "Helm..come about"one hundred eighty degrees?" The Heavy Escort Carriers nose twisted round across the bridge all hands were holding to their consoles"all hands except the helmsman. He was held in place by Hunter who gripped on to the console with one hand, the other locked onto the man's belt. He expected the Jem to slide or scramble as other had or at worst take over the position when the helmsman fell away. But the sturdy Jem hadn't fallen.

"Forward engines all available power"engage!" He didn't need to shout the words, he was so close to the man. The officer tapped the console and the ship still under evasives shot forward so hard it ripped Hunter's grip from the console. The two men tumbled across the deck but the ship was moving away if possible faster than if they had been able to fully engage their impulse engines.

It couldn't be sustained, but it wasn't meant to be. The ship made ground quickly as it rocketed away from the exploding cube. The explosion would catch them but its strength would diminish as the force of the blast spread out. The shock wave hit the retreating ship, its strength diminished even more by their speed and direction of travel. The hull shook with the impact though, and Hunter knew that there would be injuries"to the ship and to the crew. He prayed to Chaos that they would be minor. A hand reached down to him, it was decidedly feminine. The look Erin wore was somewhere between accusing and impressed. Hunter took the hand and rose to his feet. He wasted no time with the disapproval from Erin. "Excellent work Ensign'resume your station! Come about once more"let's see what we have accomplished.?

"We need a way to keep remodulating"these runs where nothing happens are wearing us down"Sune'suggestions?" He looked over at Erin who remarkably didn't show the surprise she felt on her features. "Perhaps"A different weapon type sir?" Erin was looking at the sphere out there which had tried unsuccessfully several times to put a tractor beam on them. She started tapping at a console. "Perhaps modifying the tractor beam to repulse instead of hold?" Part of her was aggravated that he couldn't come up with it on his own. She had fighters to keep on task! One of them being Mark damn it! If he came out of this alive she didn't know if she would punch or kiss that smug grin off his face!

Hunter ran the tips of two fingers along his jaw line as he considered what that could mean tactically. "Do it"then have the fighters break off and form up ten kilometers out"I have a plan." He narrowed his own eyes and watched the fighters move. "Target the sphere closest to them"Be ready on that repulsor Sune"we are getting into range very quickly." Hunter sent the ship forward at full impulse, the sphere in question managed to lock that tractor beam on them as the repulsors hit. It shoved the sphere forward with the momentum of the Victory. The tractor beam ensuring that the sphere never moved out of range. The sphere was isolated, and the fighters were closing in. Polaron cannons belched forth balls of purple energy and pummeled the shield facing too. The combination made adapting more difficult. The fighters would converge long before those shields rose again.

The Victory was hit in the rear by a plasma burst. "Sir the Borg Cube is showing signs of life"and the other ten ships are converging on our location. Also"I am reading a subspace distortion off the port bow"Sir it is a cloaked ship!"

The sphere on the main screen bulged and exploded outwards. The beam that punched into it was no Polaron Cannon. The ship off the bow became visible as a Phaser Lance burst forth and drove a whole right through the sphere. The massive Galaxy Dreadnaught cruiser powered its forward shield and the screen filled up with a smug faced admiral. "U.S.S. Victory' This is the U.S.S. Hell's Kitchen"Admiral Ryan Murray commanding. You look like you could use a little help there H.K. now just where the hell have you been hidin" boy?"

Hunter heard Erin on comms with Mark, and commands going out to the fighters. Pull back! Get out of the blast radius your shields won't handle it! Hunter turned his heart to stone. Focused on what it was to be the admiral, Admiral Hunter K'lar.

Hunter stood and waited for the last of the soldiers to beam into sight. He had made contact with the remaining command structure. "Assemble!" His voice carried over the heads of everyone and as a single unit they turned and looked to him. "The Commander of this station has fallen to the Borg. I do not need to remind you what that means. The Borg kill only when they cannot assimilate. The commander would have every code in his head, it explains how they have managed to advance so quickly. They do not know what a force fifty trained Jem soldiers can be. They are about to find out, Victory is Life!"

Hunter broke the men into five man squads, they promptly disappeared. He knew they still were present but invisible. Hunter looked like he was alone. He dropped the barriers between himself and the Borg. The corridors were cramped but he felt a couple brushes across his arms. They had worked this signal out to let Hunter know how many were ahead of him. Two squads moved in at point, they would tell him what was ahead. The first turn in the corridor had borg worker drones installing nanites into the walls. They turned when Hunter rounded the corner, one paused to communicate while the other started to move.

Hunter smiled when he pulled his plasma rifle up and fired. The bolt ripped through the moving female, leaving a burning mass on the corridor floor. The second raised a wicked looking probe, Hunter knew what happened of the nanites from that were place in him. As quickly as it rose however the end came off as well as the hand and a large portion of the forearm that hand was attached to. The drone looked at the injury as though trying to figure out what had happened. A mistake that would cost it dearly as his head was removed by another invisible blow. Silence was still maintained, though a voice crackled across the comms. "Ah Admiral K"lar, surrender and you will be shown mercy and assimilation. Those who do not submit will be destroyed."

Hunter started walking once again counting as he went the hands that moved ahead of him. "I don't think I am going to let you assimilate anyone else today. Tell me Rebecca Simmons, how will your death here affect you back home?" He now had fifteen men ahead of him and a confidence in those men. The next room had a distribution node in the center of it. The function of that node was to reboot any borg that shut down. Hunter pulled a plasma grenade and lofted it at the node. Another group of Jem hit a pair of drones hard as they were trying to insert nanites into a lieutenant.

The explosion of the grenade and the fire that was provided by the plasma lit the faces of the borg who suddenly found Hunter very interesting. They stalked towards him slowly weapon arms coming up and started to fire a barrage at him. Hunter dove and rolled bringing his own weapon. "One shot one kill if you can. The few the shots the longer it takes them to assimilate. I want every squad on a different Frequency. Let's make this as hard for them as possible. He twisted the rifle and began to adjust the frequency.