TNG/DS9
Cardassian Border Problems
Part 4
by Darrell Mason
(farspeak@yahoo.com)

Tales of Thomas Riker - Cardassian Border Problems

Part 4

Teaser: Warp Cores and fields are a tough thing to destroy. A chief Engineer and Science Officer have to Prove the Impossible to be possible.

"Bad news Skipper." Hammond III pointed to the Warp Core. "We have a damn near perfect Warp Core that cannot simply explode. We have run test after test to no avail." Hammond scratched his head. "The blast patterns are not matching the conditions of the two ships we found."

Riker sat at the head of a small table in the Mess hall with a cup of coffee in his hand trying to figure out how he is going to tell Starfleet their ships exploded for no reason? It is not the kind of news his mission called for from this sector. Two ships from different races explode in the same manner and the only common denominator is the Warp Core explosion?

"I am inclined to take even the most preposterous ideas before I tell the Boss that we came up empty handed." Riker admitted.

Hammond and T'Prinn had worked endlessly on this project and still nothing significant came from it. With only a few hours before the next transmission is due and Riker had a Datapad telling him that in the twenty plus tests the computer could not admit the ships were destroyed by natural causes. Given a lack of weapon fire to lend an easy answer the computer kept referring to the anti-matter readings on the hull to support the damage to the ships. Especially the Warsaw that experienced an explosion that cast the fragments all outward.

"It would seem logical that the only way a ship could be destroyed in this manner is by the Warp Core exploding. The radiation and other evidence supports this conclusion." T'Prinn told Riker again. "You can ask the question for infinity and get the same logical answer."

"Then ask another question." Riker said without thinking.

"What question would you ask?" T'Prinn put in her own question.

"Why destroy the ships in this manner?" Riker continued. "Was it an inside job, could the Dominion be coming back to add the Shape Shifters to cause havoc?" Riker noticed something in the data. "How about the question as to why the two signatures of Anti-Matter are mixed?"

"Excuse me?" T'Prinn checked her data.

"The readings around the blast area have the same signature, the reactors all give a slightly different reading."

"Like a Ion trail of a ship the core processes it at a different frequency and level by point 000004 variation." Hammond III remarked.

"Did the sensor readings take in that much information?" Riker asked.

"The full sensor sweep would be able to add the needed data to a conclusion."

"Then I think you two need to run more tests?" Riker said as he rose from his chair. "I have a watch on the bridge."

Riker finally had something he could hope for, the possible answer to the problem?

* * * * *

Riley had her hands full with Starfleet Command demanding her sources. She could give them the answers they wanted and compromise the operation, or she could take the heat and be done with it? Riker could do a lot of good work if left to his own devices. So far the ship was working as planned.

To be perfectly honest, Riley wished he had not gone into the region and found the ships because now Riley had to hope he finds the responsible party and method of attack. She did not like the open puzzle of this situation but the fact she brought it to the attention of Starfleet and the Klingon Empire did assure her continued resources. Getting this kind of results helped her cause. She wanted the universe to know SFI could get results. Now she had to live up to her newly found fame and notoriety.

The problem now is to get the answers without giving away the fact Riker operated on the wrong side of Cardassian boarders. Explaining why a prisoner of war is loose with a questionable ship is more than she could handle with her usual ease. Janeway is not the type to leave things not answered to her satisfaction. Riley had to respect the tenacity of Janeway and the fact the new Admiral does not use her weight lightly. The woman brought her crew back from hell and earned every respect that her rank demands, but it is annoying to deal with her from a secretive view.

Her console beeped.

"Here we go." She said and turned on the Communications link. "Captain Riker, It is good to hear from you."

Riker's face had not changed significantly since the days on Earth. The years showed with the beard but time had touched him kindly and he still had a twinkle in his eye that attracted her to him. She felt a pang of emotion at the thought he could be killed, but her Professional Training brought her back to reality.

"I take it from your pleasant tone that I am in deep trouble?" Riker replied. "Whenever Riley is pleasant she is being tactful and that equates to trouble."

"Have you figured it out yet?" Looking past his smile that he was using to work her over.

"We have a working theory." Riker transmitted the data to her computer. "Whoever is doing this is able to place a bomb near the core and detonate it before the crew can register it. It would appear to be an inside job or at the very least a Shape Shifter to get that close. The bomb transports site to site into the warp core." He explained. "Problem is that the explosion does not give even a shape shifter the time needed to escape."

"The Shape Shifters are not known for their desire to sacrifice themselves for a cause." Riley pointed out. "So how else can this be done?"

"Unless the ship lays out the red carpet getting to the core is really hard and we are working the angles on it." Riker continued. "The hard part is connecting the Klingons to this, they do not follow the same regulations and would not be so friendly as to open their ships up for an attack of this sort. They do not answer distress calls unless they need more tonnage for their campaigns. The Klingon ship was destroyed the same way but the methods had to be diametrically different from each other?"

"Then you have half the answers." Riley admitted. "What is your next move?"

"Get a fact and follow it to Cardassian Space to see what comes up?"

"Are you in safe space now?" Riley wondered.

"Affirmative, but not for long. I have plans to check some additional data for rock-solid conclusions. Nothing less than the best." Riker's smile was still the same as when they dated, or at least like the original Riker.

"Be careful." Riley heard herself say.

"I didn't realize you still care?"

"It is an expensive ship and the crew are all specialized." She showed no snicker on her expression. "Good hunting until next time." She cut him off.

It was time to get a few other men on this case and find out of Riker was feeding her a line or not? The data she got from him should keep the boys in research busy for a time and could even give her an answer to pass onto Starfleet and get the breathing room she wanted? The fact he had something to work with did not surprise her but she is relieved to know he is alive and the ship remains undiscovered.

* * * * *

"They are fools." The Captain said to his Jounior Officer. "They want us to find this ship and put an end to the spying."

"How must we do that?" The Officer asked.

"That is the part they neglected to tell us." He boarded the shuttle. "So I am suggesting we proceed with our weapons at the ready."

"What is the plan?" The Officer asked.

"WE put ourselves in the region of space near the wrecks and wait. These spies will return to the scene to get more data and that is when we strike." The Captain told. "The plan is simple and should be interesting."

The shuttle lifted off.