1)
Life couldn't get any better.
Captain Johnson stretched out on the beach chair, his eyes shielded by sunglasses from the twin suns of the paradise world of Pacifica. As he took another sip of his sweet Pacifican tea, he heard the high squeals of dolphins frolicking in the ocean, mixed with the crash of the surf on the beach.
Life couldn't get any better.
'More tea, sir?' asked a scantly clad waitress. Johnson nearly jumped in surprise.
'Uh, yes, please' he said, lifting his sunglasses slightly. The tea was poured, and the waitress walked away. Kristian laid back, taking a drink of his beverage.
Thoughts clouded Johnson's mind like an overcast sky. Recent events had not all been pleasant; the recent war, the loss of many comrades, and the Kasatka's temporal excursion, six years into the future.
But he was stuck here now, so why not make the best of it?
'Kasatka to Johnson!'
Was...was that his communicator?
'Kasatka to Captain Johnson, please respond!'
Johnson growled, and pressed his communicator badge, sitting on the wicker table next to him.
'Johnson to Kasatka, this had better be important!'
'Sir, Starfleet Command has ordered us to report to Starbase 6 immediately for reassignment!'
Johnson cursed silently. Cancel his shore leave? How could they? Damn the system!
'All right Commander, advise the rest of the staff, I'll be on board within the hour.'
'Aye sir, Kasatka out!'
Johnson swung his feet over the side of the chair and sat up. He picked up his drink and towel, and walked to the beach house, cursing under his breath the entire way.

2)
The Kasatka arrived shortly thereafter at Starbase 6. Johnson and his senior staff reported to the conference room, where they were briefed on their new mission.
'You're crazy!' Johnson yelled across the room.
'I'm not sure you understand us correctly, captain' said Admiral Edward Allgeyer.
'Let me see if I hear you straight. You want my crew and I to take one destroyer into the heart of Dominion space, to retrieve a ship which is my only chance of getting back home?'
'Well, yes and no. You're leaving some things out.'
'Such as?'
'For one thing, the ship you'll be using is not a stock Samson class vessel.' Allgeyer got up and activated a large display screen on the wall, which showed a technical schematic of a starship.
'This Samson class destroyer has been specially refit for this mission, including increased offensive weaponry and defensive armor, higher sublight and transwarp speeds, increased sensor range and resolution, and a full store of the most advanced fighter craft available.'
Johnson thought for a moment. 'All right. So say I get this ship and myself back in one piece. What's in it for me?'
Allgeyer turned off the screen and sat down. 'Recognition, for one. This is not an easy mission. I'm not denying that. But captain, you have to realize that you're the only person we feel is even remotely capable of completing this mission. If it were that easy, why not assign the captain of the Samson ? Because we'd never see him or the ship again!'
Kristian smiled. He knew the captain, and designer, of the Samson , Kori Prins. Kori wasn't any brilliant tactician, but he was no doorknob either. They had served together before in times of crisis. How would this be any different?
'All right.' Johnson stood up and shook Allgeyer's hand.
'Thank you captain, and good luck,' said the admiral. 'Please have your crew report to docking bay 12 by 0800 tomorrow.'
Johnson and Allgeyer exchanged salutes, and the crew of the Kasatka left the conference room.

3)
The crew of the Kasatka boarded the Samson early the next morning. Johnson walked onto the bridge, and was immediately greeted by the Samson's former captain, Kori Prins.
'Hello Captain, welcome aboard the Samson! ' Prins said exuberantly.
Johnson walked out of the turbolift and onto the bridge. 'Not bad' he thought to himself, looking around.
The bridge was elliptical in shape, the command positions occupying the center, and facing the navigation and tactical stations at the front of the bridge. Lesser positions, such as science stations, were at the rear of the bridge. It was simple, but efficient.
Johnson sat down in the captain's chair. It was decidedly larger than all other chairs on the bridge. The back was stiff, but adequate. Kori took the first officer's seat to Johnson's left. All the rest of the former Kasatka crew were in place aboard the Samson.
'Sir, Fleet Command reports that we're ready for departure' said communications officer Ben Bastien.
'Ben, hail the starbase for departure clearance. Mrako, stand by on thrusters' Johnson ordered.
'Aye sssir, thrusters powered and ready' said navigation officer Mrako.
'Starbase clears us for departure, captain.'
'All right. Mrako, ahead one-quarter.'
The Samson slowly emerged from the gigantic door of the starbase.
'We've cleared the outer perimeter, captain.'
'Set course for the Bajoran Wormhole, maximum transwarp.'
'Courssse and ssspeed ssset, captain' Mrako said.
Johnson stood up. 'Engage.'
The Samson disappeared in a flash of incadesent light.

4)
'We've arrived, sssir.'
The Samson dropped out of warp, positioned where the Bajoran Wormhole once was. The plan was to temporarily reactivate the matter transfer matrix of the dead wormhole, a one-way process which would instantaneously whisk the Samson through the collapsed intergalactic tunnel, a journey normally taking over 70 years.
'Johnson to engineering!'
'Engineering, Takkata-jim here!' a high-pitched voice answered.
'Jim, is the warp tunnel equipment ready?'
'Sure is! Just give me the signal and I'll fire it up!'
Johnson laughed. Takkata-jim was always a bit hyper, but then again, he was a dolphin, and a young one at that. 'All right Commander. Whenever you're ready.'
'Aye captain, stand by!'
Johnson rubbed his hands together nervously. He looked at Prins.
'Well, here it goes!'
No sooner had Johnson spoken than the Warp Tunnel equipment activated. The structure of the ship seemed to change as it was reformed to the Warp Tunnel's matrix.
The Samson was reshaped by the matrix as easily as silly-putty. Space and time became one as the vessel entered the inner workings of the matrix.
Suddenly it was all over. The ship returned to its original shape, crew as well. Sighs of relief were heard all around the bridge.
'Mrako, what is our position?'
The velociraptor navigation officer worked her console intently. 'Bearing 147, mark 053, approximately 90,000 light-yearsss from our previousss posssition.'
Johnson looked at Prins. 'Now what?'
Kori shrugged. Then Mrako spoke up. 'Captain, I'm reading a large ssstructure of sssome type 7.5 light yearsss from our current posssition.'
'Sounds like our best bet. Lay in a course, maximum speed. And activate the cloaking device.'
'Aye sssir, cloak active, courssse laid in.'
'Engage!'

5)
The giant ship dropped out of warp and cruised slowly towards the space station, which curiously resembled Deep Space Nine.
'Ben, hail the station, masked frequency, text only. Request docking clearance' Johnson ordered.
'Aye captain, hailing.' There was a long pause. 'We're cleared to dock on upper pylon three.'
Johnson let out the breath he had been holding. 'Okay, well then, Mrako, take is in, nice and slow.'
The Samson headed toward the docking arm and was secured.
'All right, Prins and Bastien, you're with me. Hwiii, you have the bridge. Let' get going!'
Kristian, Kori, and Ben beamed onto the station. They had been slightly disguised with makeup to hide their human features.
'Kori, Ben, split up and see if you can get any information that might help us out here. We'll meet back at the beam-down point in one hour.'
Johnson and the other two officers went in separate directions. Kristian saw a bar, and went in. A young woman met him at the door.
'Hello there' she said. She was beautiful in a strange sort of way. The first thing Johnson noticed were her eyes. They were like those of a cat, dark and mysterious. Her skin was scaly but soft, and she had flowing golden hair. And her face... well, if looks could kill, she would have the station to herself.
'Ah... Hello... there... yourself.' Kristian was at a loss for words.
'My name is Nharg H'tebaggem. My friends call me Nharg. You may call me Nharg.'
Johnson smiled. She reminded him so much of Mrako, except for Nharg's radiant personality. 'Well, I-'
Nharg cut him off. 'Wait! Say no more! I know what it is that you need.' She put a sharply clawed, three-fingered hand on Johnson's forehead.
Kristian suddenly felt dizzy, and then she took her hand away. He quickly regained his composure.
'Information. You require information about-'
Johnson took her hand. 'Let's go somewhere and talk, shall we?'
Nharg smiled, revealing a mouth full of sharp, serrated teeth. 'I would like that.'

'I need to know where to find the Dominion base.'
Nharg nearly choked on her veggie-malt. 'The Dominion? Are you crazy?'
Suddenly a large, towering figure overshadowed the table where Johnson and Nharg sat. 'N'Dominionhaq? ' it bellowed.
Johnson slowly looked up, and then to Nharg, with a questioning look on his face.
'Oh, I'm terribly sorry Kris. This is my, uh, friend, Nayrb.' She then spoke to Nayrb in their native language. 'N'Nayrbhaq, siht N'Kristian, N'Johnsonhaq.'
Nayrb extended a hand. 'E'cin teem uoy N'Johnsonhaq.'
Kristian looked at Nharg, confused. 'What did he say?'
'He said it's nice to meet you.'
'E'ra uoy god t'sipar N'Johnsonhaq?'
'What?'
Nharg giggled. 'It's probably best you didn't know.' She got up, and took Johnson's hand. 'Why don't you show us to your vessel, and I'll help you as best as I can.'
Johnson smiled. 'Sounds great!' He began to walk towards the door, when Nharg pulled him into a corner, and whispered quietly to him. 'If I give you the information you need, will you promise to do something for me?'
'Sure, anything!'
'I need you to get rid of Nayrb. Any excuse, drop him off at some planet or something. Just get him away from me!'
Johnson looked confused for the third time in five minutes. 'But... I thought you two were friends!'
Nharg grabbed Johnson's arm. 'You think I like him? Hell no! I met him on a scouting expedition three years ago, and I've had him in my hair ever since! I mean, sure, he's a nice...guy, I think, but he's so annoying I can't stand it anymore! I feel like my cephlopathic organ is going to explode!'
'Your what? ' asked Kristian.
'Nothing. let's go.' Nharg and the captain walked out of the bar, with Nayrb in tow.

6)
Kristian, Kori, Ben, and Nharg walked onto the bridge a few minutes later. Johnson had kindly explained to Nayrb, with Nharg's help, that the bridge was off-limits to beings who massed over 1000 kilograms.
'What a beautiful ship you have here captain!' Nharg said as she took the first officer's seat next to Kristian.
'Thank you!' Kori said, standing next to Nharg.
Johnson stared coldly at Kori, and then turned to Nharg. 'Well, I think we can arrange a little vacation for your friend Nayrb, but first, would you please tell me anything that might help us?'
Nharg grinned. 'I would be happy to. I can give you the exact co-ordinates of the station, as well as the number and type of forces stationed there.'
'Wonderful! Please, give us the co-ordinates and everything else you know!'
'As you wish. The position is 2-1-7 by 3-1-6 by 0-9-4, range 27 light-years.'
'Mrako, set a course for that position, maximum warp, and activate cloak.'
'Aye sssir, courssse ssset.'
'Engage.'

The Samson arrived about a day later.
'Sir, I'm reading a large structure, but none of the forces which Nharg mentioned,' said tactical officer Laka.
Johnson stood up from his chair. 'Hmm. Damn peculiar. Ben, get Nharg and-'
The captain was interrupted by the communications officer. 'Sir! Someone has just sent an encoded message on a subspace frequency!'
'What is the location?'
'Source...cargo bay three! Destination unknown!'
Kristian tapped his comm badge. 'Johnson to security! Get a team to cargo bay three stat! You're authorized to use site-to-site transport!'
'Acknowledged sssir, Maktor out!'

Five tense minutes later, the bridge's communication system beeped. 'Maktor to bridge!'
'Bridge, Johnson here, what's going on?'
'Sssir, we have the offender in cussstody in the brig! She incapasssitated three of my officersss before we were able to sssubdue her!'
Johnson looked at Hwiii. They both knew who Maktor was talking about: Nharg.
'Maktor, bring herself and her companion up to the bridge!'
'Aye sssir!' The comm channel closed.

7)
A few minutes later, the turbolift doors opened, and Nharg, Nayrb, and six velociraptor security officers walked out.
Johnson stood up. 'Nharg. I should have known.'
Nharg shook her guard's grip off and walked toward the captain. The raptor started to grab her, but Johnson held up a hand. He wanted to hear what she had to say.
'My dear captain, what a fool you were to trust someone who you knew not,' she said, walking around him. 'But now that I have served the Dominion as they wished, I shall be rewarded.' With that Nharg began to change shape. Her stunning features were replaced by smooth skin and a plain face.
Johnson turned his attention to Nayrb as he, too, shape-shifted into a similar being.
Nharg spoke softly to Kristian. 'Did you not wonder how I came to be the holder of such knowledge? Of how I happened to be right where you needed me, when you needed me?'
Johnson stood, stunned for a moment, but quickly came back to reality. 'What are you going to do? Kill us all for the glorious Dominion?'
Nharg walked even closer to Kristian, standing nearly toe-to-toe. 'No, no, my dear captain. Much more than that. Yourself and the more valuable members of your crew will be taken for questioning. The rest of your friends will become laborers in the nearest Dominion labor camp.'
'Sssoundsss like fun,' remarked Commander Maktor.
'Furthermore, your vessel will be used to travel back into the Alpha Quadrant where we, under disguise as your ill-fated crew, will infiltrate the Federation as we have planned for decades.'
Kori stood up. 'Ah, excuse me, but how exactly do you plan to do that?'
Nharg held up a small black square produced from her pocket. 'Like this,' she said, and pressed a button on the unit.
Suddenly the ship rocked with a huge explosion. The bridge lights flickered as consoles overloaded and spewed fiery arcs. Crewmen, dolphins, and velociraptors were thrown in every conceivable direction as the ship lost attitude control.
Johnson, having fallen to the floor, held onto his chair as the bridge tilted at a crazy angle. 'Mrako! Try to regain helm control!'
The raptor, having been dislodged from her seat, struggled into her chair and pressed some buttons on her console. The ship slowly settled back down.
The captain, now in his seat, pointed to Nharg and Nayrb. 'Get that slime off my bridge,' he said. But before the raptors could act, the two Changelings suddenly dematerialized in a transporter beam.
'Johnson to transporter room! Get a lock on the individuals who just beamed out!'
'Sorry captain, transporters are down!' came the reply promptly.
'Damn!' Kristian said, sitting back down. He paused for a moment. 'Laka, what is the status of the cloaking device?'
The dolphin pressed some buttons, and frowned. 'It's offline!'
'Shit! Johnson to engineering!'
The captain heard muffled screams and explosions over the intercom. Then a voice: 'Engineering, Haoke here!'
'Lieutenant, what happened to Takkata-jim?' Johnson asked, tension in his voice.
'He's been injured by the explosion! Makanee is taking care of him, so don't worry!'
Johnson looked visibly relieved. 'What happened down there?'
'High explosive somehow got planted on the phase/cloak! It's fried now sir, there's no way we can fix it!'
'Damn! Do we have warp drive Haoke?'
'Yes, thank Nukapi! All other systems appear to be okay or only slightly damaged!'
'All right, thank you Lieutenant! Johnson out! Mrako, set a course out of here, anywhere, maximum warp, engage!'
'Aye sssir, engaging warp enginesss!'
The warp engines were heard powering up, but the ship didn't move.
'What's going on? Why aren't we moving?'
'We appear to be caught in some kind of tractor beam!' Laka reported. 'And I'm reading ships uncloaking!'
'Power down engines! Shields up, ready weapons!' The red alert klaxon sounded loudly. 'Laka, what kind and how many?' Johnson asked.
'Fifteen Gem'hadar light cruisers, three dreadnoughts, five Romulan Warbirds, and eight Cardassian Galor class vessels! They're powering weapons! They're firing!'
'All power to shields!' Several ships opened up on the Samson , inflicting heavy damage. The ship rocked violently under heavy fire.
'Damage report!'
'Aft photon tubes twelve through fourteen offline! Impulse drive damaged! Shields down to sixty percent!' said the tactical officer.
'All weapons, return fire!' Johnson yelled.
The Samson's limited but powerful armament streamed out toward the adversary. Three Gem'hadar and one Galor class vessel exploded in a fiery blaze.
'Direct hit! We got four ships!' Laka shrieked with joy.
'Great shooting Laka! Mrako, search for the Sibilant , it's probably in the main structure. Use the active graviton-'
A large explosion completed the captain's sentence for him. Laka's panel exploded, sending her flying a substantial distance to the rear of the bridge. Johnson rushed to her aid.
'You okay Laka?'
The dolphin sighed. 'Sometimes I need to be reminded why I do this.' Then she smiled.
'We'd better have Makanee take a look at you,' Johnson said, noticing a large mark on her flank. 'That burn looks pretty bad.'
'Does it?' Laka said, unable to turn her head to see.
'Johnson to Sickbay! Medical assistance required on the bridge!'
'Aye sir, on our way!'
Johnson gave Laka a reassuring pat on the side and stood up. 'Johnson to shuttlebay!'
'Shuttle opsss here!'
'Launch all fighter squadrons on my authorization!'
'Aye sssir, Shuttlebay out!'
The captain walked back to his chair. Another officer, Lieutenant Deriki, had taken over Laka's position.
'Lieutenant, give those fighters some cover fire!'
'With pleasure captain!' the dolphin said, and targeted the enemy vessels.

While the enemy ships were preoccupied with the fighters, the Samson was able to transport the Sibilant right out of the Dominion base (which, surprisingly, had no shields), and the cetacean engineering crew configured it to the Samson's propulsion system.
After recalling the fighters, the Samson engaged its newly modified Transwarp drive, much to the surprise of the Dominion forces. Hours later, the Samson was back in spacedock, receiving much-needed repairs.

8)
Captain Johnson stepped into the conference room with a smile on his face. He quickly took his seat, and turned his attention to Admiral Allgeyer, who delivered the debriefing.
'Captain, you have done a wonderful job. You completed the mission with minimal casualties, and brought the Samson back in one piece.'
Johnson grinned. 'Aww, shucks.'
Allgeyer smiled as well. 'For this, the United Federation of Planets has arranged a formal gala for you and your crew at the Mecca of Ultimate Paradise.' Cheers were heard from every human, dolphin, and raptor in the room.
'Captain Ross Meyer, operator of the Mecca, has been advised of your forthcoming presence, and has agreed for the gathering to be held there next Saturday at 1800 hours.'
Johnson and Allgeyer stood up. 'Congratulations captain,' Allgeyer said, shaking Johnson's hand.
'Thank you admiral. I hope to see you at the party, of course?'
'Of course!' Edward said, walking out of the room.
Johnson remained at the door while the rest of his senior crew filed out. Commander Laka 'swam' up next to him, smiling.
'Feel like seafood, Laka?' Johnson asked the dolphin.
Laka smiled even wider. 'Of course! How about Laukani's on level thirty? I hear it's simply to die for.'
Johnson put a hand on Laka's back. 'Well then, shall we?' he said.
The captain and commander left the conference room together.