Prologue:
Fire

The fire caused considerable damage.

Automated shipboard systems, designed to operate with the minimum of human interaction, immediately rallied to repair the damage. Although the ship contained nothing like the artificial intelligence powering starships four hundred years in the future, it too had its own kind of electronic minder. Meticulously programmed by engineers who wanted to leave nothing to chance, the computers were equipped to deal with hundreds of possible scenarios, including their own set of procedures of what was to be done when the situation arose.

In this instance, the machinery to combat the problem took a moment longer than anticipated. The cause of the fire was mostly the reason for this delay. The engineers had accounted for every life form known to man at this stage of their tentative exploration into space. Though humankind was spread throughout the stars in the early twenty-first century, its method of exploration was next to worthless prior to the creation of Zefram Cochrane's warp engine. The Eugenics War had come and gone, the post-Atomic Horror was just on the horizon and at this brief juncture of time where no one could be trusted, the faith of humanity seemed to fall into the hands of the Multinationals.

At the very top of this commercial pyramid was the Weyland Yutani Corporation. The business of space exploration became a commercial venture and Weyland Yutani, or the Company as they were most often called, spearheaded the move to begin large-scale mining to satisfy the requirements of an Earth teetering on the brink of all-out destruction. The ship, a product of Weyland Yutani's military contracts, was a sleeper and travel through stars took years, sometimes even decades. Exploration was limited to the search for profit and while alien species were encountered, they were invariably primitive and non-sentient. It was not until after Cochrane had breached the warp barrier, did humans learn the galaxy was not all empty but teeming with all manner of intelligence, some vastly superior to their own.

The ship had been carefully monitoring its human passengers ever since they entered into hypersleep, the state of suspended animation allowing them to return to Earth, oblivious to the long journey. The ship's computer recorded three human life signs, an adult male with regenerative protocols in place to repair an injury sustained at their last known destination, an adult female in relatively good health and a juvenile female approximately eight years old. The ship also recognized one synthetic human in a state of severe damage, stored away for return to Company labs where it would either be retooled or scrapped altogether. When the ship's internal sensors detected movement, the computer banks immediately sought to identify the source of this sudden animation.

It was soon faced with something of a dilemma for the life form scrambling along the hallways, appearing as if it were a hand with too many fingers and an extended tail, was nothing it identified as a lifeform. Even if it could place the strange creature, the ship was not equipped to do anything about it other than note the observation. The stowaway continued along its path, single-minded in its purpose, towards the humans presently asleep in the hypersleep chambers. The ship was powerless to act until the life form's attempt to breach the glass capsules instigated the system safeguards. The break in the glass was immediately attended to by a force field, sealing off the fissure until such time as repairs could be conducted. The creature who did not give up its attempt to penetrate the module was skewered by the surge of energy.

It should have been the end of the matter but it was not.

The creature's acidic blood immediately ate through the bulkhead, causing an electrical fire threatening to consume the entire hypersleep chamber. The ship, still reeling from its disastrous encounter with the intruder, immediately turned its attention to the safety of the humans on board. The sleeper modules and their occupants, both human and synthetic, were quickly transported into an Emergency Evacuation Vehicle. Within ten minutes after the breach, the humans were ejected into space, with the EEV programmed to take them to the nearest world capable of sustaining their type of life. Once its charges were safely away, the ship turned its attention to the fire. While the fire itself was beyond its capability to prevent, the ship took efficient action to contain it and the Code Red was soon terminated with all systems reading nominal in a matter of hours.

As there were no more humans on board to be revived or to manually direct its program and purpose, the computer immediately referred to the guidelines left by Weyland Yutani engineers and proceeded to follow the path the EEV had taken. It soon tracked the small vehicle to a world on the edge of explored space. The computer identified the planet and discovered it was indeed inhabited although it considered the situation critical since the facility was labelled a prison colony. Of course, the machinery had no personal feelings or independent thought, merely programming that considered a penal colony to be a high-risk environment. Automatic navigation systems engaged and a course was laid out for Fiorina "Fury" 361.

The trip in real time without the benefit of warp took approximately one year. By the time the ship arrived at the planet and began transmitting its presence to the EEV, there was nothing left of the installation nor any human to realize had they been on board, was abandoned. The ship could not make such distinctions and thus, reverting to its programming instructions once more, it transmitted its signal to Earth to await further instructions.

The instructions never came.

The ship called Sulaco and the computer intelligence guiding it this far could not know on Earth a social upheaval was taking place. Fascist organizations led by Colonel Green and the like had seized control and was going to war with each other. Synthetics became outlawed and eventually, every iota of engineering text about them was summarily destroyed. Artificial intelligence was suddenly considered illegal and had to be eradicated. The fascist were thorough in this respect and four hundred years later, Dr Noonien Soong, the foremost mind in robotics would create a synthetic, though impressive, would still look primitive compared to the artificial persons of the 21st century. Eventually, the factions quarrelled and the launch of nuclear weapons ensured a dark age for the next twenty years. Only after Zefram Cochrane broke the warp barrier, did the course of human history become a little more optimistic.

Of course, the Sulaco knew none of this. It remained in orbit around Fiorina waiting for someone to find her.

It waited for a very long time.

Chapter One:
Fragmented

Buck Wilmington was not a happy man.

He had a good reason for his unhappiness, which was in itself a rarity. As the First Officer of the USS Maverick, he was predisposed to display a brave face at all times. During a crisis, the crew and the civilians needed to look to him or the Captain and be assured when all things were done, they would be safe. These days, the task was left to him alone because all was not right on his ship and no matter what he did, he could not alter that fact. Buck moved through the days, stamping out brush fires left by the Captain and his stormy moods Suddenly, the volume of transfer requests had risen beyond normal frequency. While being posted to the Maverick was not exactly being on board the flagship of the fleet, it was still an assignment on the cutting edge of space exploration and those who were here wanted to be.

Until now.

The Senior Staff knew what the problem was of course, even if there was little they could do about it. For weeks now, they had been forced to watch the disintegration, being powerless to stop it and wishing something could be done, which was of course impossible. Chris Larabee was not the kind of person who accepted help easily. Buck, better than all the others knew this, having experienced rejection so many times before. Those who attempted to approach him on the matter soon learnt better than to try and the malaise coming from his disconnection to those around him, soon rippled throughout the ship and cast a pall on the atmosphere of the Maverick's day to day life.

Buck supposed it was hardest on Mary. She loved him even though Buck was certain it was never openly spoken and if Chris continued behaving the way he did, it might never be either. Buck could see the dilemma she faced, trapped between her duty, bound to observe the articles of conduct between officers while at the same time, trying to reach Chris because she loved him. Unfortunately, Chris's attitude had been to shut her out and though it hurt her deeply, Mary showed no outward signs of it. In the meantime, the Captain when he did emerge from his Ready Room, was sporting the filthiest mood Buck had ever seen from the man.

That damn Q!

Buck swore under his breath for the hundredth time as he sat at the counter of the bar in Four Corners, lamenting the state of things on board his ship. He sipped his synthehol quietly and alone and tried not to pay attention to the fact the crew noticed his melancholy as prolifically as they had noticed Chris's dark, brooding mood of late. If only Q had not told him the truth. Buck still was not entirely convinced it was, but Chris had snagged onto the idea like a man possessed and now he was a man obsessed. During their encounter with the alien entity a month before, Q who probably thought he was doing something selfless, had revealed to Chris the accident claiming Sarah and Adam's lives, was no accident. Buck was certain Q was wrong because there had been no evidence to support the claim but Chris would hear none of it.

Buck hoped the facts would speak for themselves once Chris looked into the matter but for every ambiguous iota of data he encountered, Chris's believe something evil had taken place became more and more pronounced. He soon locked himself away in his Ready Room when he was not required on the bridge and since they were mapping for the last month, he was not needed all that much. Yeoman Casey Wells informed Buck his reports were backing up and she had taken to writing some of them just so the Captain's administrative duties to Starfleet Headquarters would not be compromised. Efforts by Josiah Sanchez to talk some sense into him failed. Chris was not listening to anyone and in the end, nothing could be done except to withdraw and let the situation continue on its course, no matter how damaging it was to morale.

"Hey." Buck heard a gentle voice precede a shadow falling over him through the soft glow of the ambient lighting in the premises.

He looked up and saw Inez Recillos standing before him, looking thoughtful and a little concerned. Immediately, reverting to type in front of her, he straightened up on his stool and offered her one of those patented Wilmington smiles, oozing with schoolboy mischief.

"Hello there darling, come to keep me company?"

Inez flashed him a little smile, telling him with a look he was not fooling her. When Inez first met Buck Wilmington, she had him pegged as a womanizing little boy who was just as prone to breaking hearts as well as collecting them. It did not take long for her to realise this was not the case at all. He loved women. He adored each one he met and genuinely strove to make them feel better about themselves. With her, she sensed it was more than just that and when her fiancé died at the end of the Dominion War, Buck had been a close friend who tried to help her through it. She saw him in a different light even though she was not ready to take him to her heart as any more than a friend. In caring about him, she also understood his moods and at present, he was not in a very good one. It took no clairvoyance to know what ailed him since the entire ship was aware of it by now.

"Just for a little while," the bartender remarked as she made herself a synthehol through the replicator and joined him. "You look kind of distracted."

"Really?" Buck feigned ignorance. "I thought I was hiding it well."

"Is he still the same?"

"Yeah," Buck nodded, feeling comfortable about talking to Inez about this since she was not in the command structure of the Maverick. "I don't know what to do Inez. Nobody can reach him. He's so focused on this idea Sarah and Adam were murdered he's forgotten everything else. It's almost like it just happened like he just lost them again."

Inez paused, feeling a sliver of pain when she realised how much it hurt to think about losing people. Images of Raphael would inevitably remind her she was suffering the same form of pain the Captain was presently enduring himself. "Maybe that's exactly what it is for him." Inez offered. "It’s one thing knowing your loved ones were taken from you in a random act of fate, but to know someone out there decided to kill them, that changes things a lot."

"I'm not blind to the possibility Inez," Buck returned, having already thought about this from that point of view. "But he has a life now. There are a thousand people on this ship who rely on him. "I've covered as much as I can. Hell the entire senior staff is doing the same but we can't keep going on like this and frankly, I'm worried he's gonna do something he'll regret. He is the best starship Captain I have ever served with and I'm not saying it because he's my friend either, he just is. I don't want to see everything he's worked for in the last few years be thrown away."

"Buck," Inez met his gaze. "What if he is right? What if they were murdered? If it were your family, wouldn't you move heaven and earth to find out who was responsible?"

Buck knew she was right but he did not think he was wrong either, which was what made this entire situation so untenable. In one instance, he wanted Chris to find out who had killed Sarah and Adam if it was indeed murder and on the other hand, he wanted Chris back the way he had been since coming on board the Maverick.

"I don't know what to do Inez," Buck confessed. "I want to help him but I don't know how."

Inez placed her hand on his shoulder and said with a tender expression on her lovely face. "Sometimes, there is no helping a person. Chris has to do this, he has to do this or else he'll never get past their deaths. Perhaps Q was wrong in telling him if it is the truth but I sense part of the reason he found it so easy to believe is because he suspects on some level the possibility may exist."

"I can't imagine who would have wanted to hurt them," Buck stated, giving the subject more credence after hearing Inez put it that way. "She was a school teacher for God's sake. She taught first graders. How could someone make an enemy doing that?"

"What about Chris?"

"Well he was a Commander back then but I didn't know he had any enemies to warrant murder." He answered taking another sip from his glass. "The only thing going on at the time was he was one of two officers being considered for taking up the second seat on the USS Reliant. It was a plum assignment. The Reliant was one of the first ships to be sent through the Bajoran wormhole, long before we discovered the Dominion was there. After the accident, he pulled himself out of the running and that was that."

Inez nodded in understanding. When the Bajoran wormhole was discovered, she heard Raphael talking about it with the same excitement. The possibility of charting an entirely new region of space, without having to suffer the seventy years it took to make the trip to the distant Gamma Quadrant, was tantalising. She wanted to tell Buck about how excited Raphael was about taking the Venture through the wormhole when he was finally assigned there, and how he personally visited several planets in that distant part of space. However, the opportunity did not come because Buck's com badge began thrilling softly.

Instinctively, the first officer tapped the small piece of gold on his uniform. "Wilmington here. What's up?"

"Commander," Alexandra Styles voice transmitted clearly through the air. "We've come across an unidentified vessel directly in our course trajectory."

"I see," Buck answered. "Have you informed the Captain?"

The pause in her answer indicated she had not.

"Its okay," Buck frowned, understanding completely why she had not. The way Chris was these days, interrupting him was a crime equal to mutiny. "I'll do it on my way to the bridge."

With that, he stood up from his stool and gazed at Inez. "Thanks for the talk, Inez." He said genuinely grateful to have been able to voice his concerns and for a moment, shed the responsibility of being First Officer.

"My pleasure," she smiled, hoping it had helped as much as he claimed. She did not entirely believe him despite the fact he wanted her to think otherwise. Buck started to turn away when Inez thought of something and immediately called out.

"Hey, Buck, who did eventually become the First Officer of the Reliant?"

"I think her name was Gaines," Buck called back as he made his way to the bridge. "Ella Gaines."

*****

When she walked through the door, Chris Larabee sensed immediately his behaviour these last weeks was finally going to haunt him. Mary Travis entered the room with a mercurial expression on her face, barely registering him seated behind his desk. Her blue-grey eyes scanned the table top of its contents and raised them just long enough, to tell him with a look the reason for what was about to happen had a great deal to do with what she was observing there. For a moment, she did not speak. They faced each other not as Captain and Protocol Officer but as man and woman, with the chasm that was miles deep being represented by the plasteel desk between them.

For a few minutes, neither spoke but each could feel the distance between them growing deeper and wider with each passing moment. She was summoning up the nerve to speak her mind, telling herself what she decided was for the best even if he protested and the sad part was; she did not think he would because she would be one less problem he had to cope with now. Chris stared at her and remembered how easily she captured his heart the first time he laid eyes upon her and knew whatever happened from this point on, the blame would rest solely upon his shoulders.

"You ask to see me," Chris spoke first, feeling as if they were strangers again.

"Yes," she nodded, seeming more like the Vulcan wife she had been when she first came on board the Maverick. "I am requesting a leave of absence."

"A leave of absence?" He dropped his eyes onto the data pads before his desk, feeling as if he had been punched in the stomach. "Why?"

"Billy's grandparents have been asking me to take him home to Vulcan for a visit," Mary answered, her voice little more than a whisper. "I have decided to do that."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Indefinitely." Her answer was abrupt and rehearsed, Chris was certain.

"I need a definitive timeframe Lieutenant," he retorted, feeling a little angry she was abandoning him. "I need to know how long you will be gone."

"A month," Mary replied tautly. "After that, I'll either resign or return."

"Resign?" This time he did look at her. "Why are you doing this?"

"I am not doing it, Chris," Mary took a step back, her eyes softening to the point where another word from him could physically hurt her. "You are."

"Because I want to find out who killed my wife and son? Are you so petty you would deny me that?"

As soon as he said it, he knew it was a mistake. Her eyes widened long enough for him to understand what a mortal blow he delivered to her heart. He expected tear and angry words but neither came from her as he saw her hands at her sides, knot into fists as she composed herself. Mary took a deep breath and raised her chin, in that proud defiant way only Mary Travis knew how to do and stared directly at him, keeping her tough mask in place as she began to speak. "I am in love with you. You know that, don't you?"

Deflated because he knew he had just done something terrible," Chris nodded. "I know."

"That's something at least," she whispered under her breath before clearing her throat of her anguished emotions. "When you told me about what Q said. I was angry Chris, I was angry they could be taken away from you like that. I was prepared to support you in whatever you wanted to do, no matter where it led. I even understood the pain might make you keep me at a distance for a bit but not like this. You've shut me out, Chris. You won't accept help and you think everyone who tries to reason with you, doesn't give a damn about the truth. We all do and it kills me you think I am being petty or jealous of a memory because I care what happens to you. I love you Chris Larabee but I will not allow you to hurt me."

"Mary..." Chris started to say but the words would not come out. He had to find the truth about Sarah and Adam and he had to find it alone. Nothing else mattered in this world except for that and God help him if it meant he had to sacrifice Mary then so be it. So he remained silent instead of saying what his heart was demanding he revealed to her while there was still time. Instead, he opened his mouth and replied, "leave of absence granted. You may disembark this ship when we return to Deep Space Five."

Mary nodded slowly, feeling her insides crumble because she had just offered him her heart and he had thrown it back in her face. She had hoped for something, anything to show her he still cared. Mary prayed there was something left of their love for each other that could survive this present situation but as Chris delivered his verdict on their relationship and then resumed the study of his data pads, she knew otherwise.

Swallowing thickly, she turned around and quickly went for the door, causing it to slide open just as Buck Wilmington reached it. The First Officer noted how Mary refused to look at him or Chris as she walked past and suddenly the executive officer had a premonition of the worst.

"What did you do?" Buck hissed as he marched up to Chris's table, forgetting all about their professional relationship.

"She wanted a leave of absence." Chris gazed at his friend and answered without hiding anything from him. Buck would find out soon enough anyway. "I gave it to her."

Buck closed his eyes and forced his rage to settle down. "You let her go."

"She didn't want to stay," Chris said gruffly. "I saw no reason to keep her here."

"No reason!" Buck finally exploded, unable to believe Chris could be so obtuse or cruel for that matter. "She's been bleeding at the heart for the last month trying to reach you, you arrogant bastard! All she wanted to do was to help you, to be there while you tried to find out the truth and you've treated her like she was nothing!"

"Commander," Chris warned, taking exception to the tone Buck was using and not caring they had years of friendship between them. He was Captain of this ship and he made his decision, Buck had no right to interfere. "Keep out of it."

"Keep out of it or what?" Buck roared. His rage made him forget Chris was his captain. "Will you kick me off this ship too? Be my fucking guest!"

Buck swung around and stormed towards the door, pausing long enough to add. "By the way, you're needed on the bridge. That is if you still give a damn."

Chapter Two:
Transmissions

Ezra had only to see the storm cloud following Buck Wilmington when the First Officer stepped onto the bridge from the Captain’s Ready Room to know Buck’s meeting with Chris had not been well received. The security chief was well aware of the worsening relations Chris Larabee seemed to be fostering with the rest of his crew these days and had so far managed to stay out of the firing line because he refused to give any opinions on the matter. There was enough gossip murmuring through the ship without Ezra's voice being added to the mix. In the commander's opinion, it was unseemly to discuss the Captain's failings even though everyone seemed to be privy to Chris Larabee's mood these days.

Buck, on the other hand, had valiantly defended his Captain and friend to those who were unafraid of pointing out what the senior staff was attempting to conceal, that the Captain was disinterested in his duties, rarely venturing beyond his quarters or Ready Room unless absolutely necessary. Even Vin Tanner's efforts to coax him to the holodeck was met with refusal although the helmsman was smart enough to leave well alone, unlike everyone else excepting Ezra of course who agreed wholeheartedly with Vin’s assessment. Still, Ezra had to force himself not to feel angry when he saw Mary Travis similarly shunned. Of course, he knew what was at the bottom of it but his offer to assist the Captain in his investigation was refused which was a pity Ezra thought because if anyone could find some discrepancy in the records regarding Sarah and Adam Larabee's death, it would be himself.

Buck strode across the bridge and made a beeline for his seat next to the command chair. He was visibly smouldering and both Ezra and Alex exchanged knowing glances, acknowledging the cause of this mood must have been his unsuccessful attempt to garner the Captain's interest in the new situation the Maverick was presently facing. Buck's dark mood immediately dropped a veil of tension over the room and everyone seemed uneasy by what was progressing between the two senior officers. JD kept glancing at Buck, obviously worried but not knowing what to say to the man, or being unable to decide whether or not it was his place to do so.

Mary's absence spoke volumes.

"This can't go on," Alex whispered under her breath loudly enough for only Ezra to hear.

"I know." Ezra frowned. "The situation is not improving. If anything, it is becoming progressively worse."

Alex who was in third in the chain of command seemed to agree but there was little she could do and in truth was unwilling to at this time. He did not envy her position. Ezra knew as untenable as things may appear on the Maverick at the moment, the science officer and lieutenant commander were loyal to both her Captain and her First Officer but Ezra had to wonder just how long it would take before duty won out over friendship. Ezra was worried just as Alex was, both senior officers were focussed so completely on personal issues at the moment it was to the detriment of the Maverick's functioning. As much as Alex may hope Chris might snap out of this malaise infecting the rest of the ship, there was going to come to a point where she would have to address Buck about seriously solving the problem if that did not eventuate.

"Report," Buck asked tautly after a moment of rumination where he calmed down following his scene with Chris. It appeared his disposition was almost a black as Chris's had been lately.

"We've picked up a signal from an unidentified ship," Alex announced, getting to business immediately because Buck did not look like he had much patience for small talk. Unfortunately, it did not look likely to improve when the Ready Room doors slid open and Chris Larabee stepped onto the floor of the bridge. It was the first time in all day anyone had seen the Captain on the bridge but no one dared to make comment on it.

Buck faced front with his eyes fixed on the viewer before him, suddenly becoming interested in the collection of stars on the screen. He left Alex to do the explanations, forcing himself to get his temper under control as Chris approached the Captain's command chair.

"I thought we detected a ship," Chris asked quietly as he settled into his chair.

"It was my mistake," Alex quickly responded. "I meant to tell Buck we detected a signal from an unidentified ship. It was transmitted by carrier wave signal."

"Carrier wave." Chris turned to her sharply; stirrings of interest in something other than his investigation into Sarah and Adam's deaths churned inside him for the first time in weeks. He was always partial to mysteries and this one had rightly inspired some measure of curiosity that detracted from his other concerns. "You mean radio."

"Not exactly Sir," Alex spoke up, encouraged by Chris's inquiry. He was almost monosyllabic about anything concerning the ship of late and this animated response took her a little by surprise. Alex immediately composed her thoughts to deliver a coherent response. "It's a highly refined carrier wave signal with a focussed data stream. It is still considered radio by our standards but for its type, it's extremely sophisticated."

"I thought carrier wave signals went out in the late 21st century with the advent of subspace," Vin remarked from the conn, glad to see Chris was taking an active interest in what was happening. In fact, this was the most involved he had been with anything related to the Maverick since Q's 'gift' to him.

"It was," Buck responded, uncertain whether or not his outburst had anything to do with Chris's behaviour now but chose not to question it too closely. At present, Buck was happy to take what allowances he could. Very quickly, Buck reminded himself until Chris was back to normal; he still had a responsibility to the Maverick even if he was madder than hell at the moment. Buck was a Starfleet officer who should know by now how to shelve his personal feelings when his ship needed him. "But that's not to say that this signal is Terran in origin. It could be another race using the same form of communication."

JD and Alex exchanged quick glances across the floor of the bridge that Chris caught immediately. "What?"

"It's definitely Terran in origin," Alex responded, remembering what she and JD discussed prior to the arrival of both senior officers. "However, judging by the trajectory of the message, it was being sent to Earth, not from it."

This captured both Buck and Chris's attention even more than the notion of a carrier wave signal floating so far out from civilized space. It was Buck who spoke first. "How can that be? We never came out this far."

"That's not entirely true," Chris quickly interjected. "During the period between the Eugenics War and the rise of the Optimum Movement, Earth was more or less in the purview of the Multinationals."

"Multinationals?" JD asked, knowing the dictionary term but not the actual historical reference, much to his embarrassment.

However if Chris noticed his discomfiture or his lack of knowledge, the Captain did not comment and continued with his explanation. "Commercial organisations that financed large-scale space exploration for profit of course."

"I do recall reading some of this," Ezra remarked from his security station. "In the height of their day, the multinational corporations became so powerful they were almost a law unto themselves. Unfortunately as is the case of any person or organization that amasses too much power, it became susceptible to corruption and is largely responsible for the rise of the Optimum Movement and the Third World War."

The Optimum Movement, not unlike the Third Reich of Hitler's Germany had risen to power on the strength of a population thoroughly sick of genetically engineered supermen seizing power, and large corporations holding the almighty dollar in more reverence than human lives. Led by the infamous Colonel Green, the fascist movement spread across the planet and eventually led to the Third World War that would bring Earth to its knees. Only through the united efforts of independent colonies scattered throughout the solar system and Alpha Centauri had Earth managed to survive this conflict to evolve in the future they now enjoyed.

"So you're saying that these Multinationals sent out ships this far?" Vin asked, still rather dubious about space travel to this remote part of space especially without warp technology. The journey had to take years at least.

"Yes, there were mining colonies scattered throughout a large area of the galaxy during the 21st century," Alex explained. "But when the Multinationals began to collapse, cost-cutting meant dismantling many of these outposts and with a war looming, no one wanted to be stranded in the wilderness when what ships available at the time would be engaged in fighting. Its possible the signal we’ve received may have come from a ship of that era."

"What else do you know about the signal?" Chris asked Alex, finding himself more than a little intrigued by what they had stumbled across.

"Well JD is running it through decryption now," Alex replied automatically. "We'll have the content of the message transcribed and then we can make a determination on whether or not we should pursue it."

"Do we know where it came from?" Buck looked at her, just as encouraged by Chris's interest as she, and hoped there was more to this mysterious signal than met the eye. His rage was bleeding away and despite himself, he felt a little hopeful his words might have had some effect on Chris after all.

"I calculate it at about five light years from here," Alex answered. "However, there are no records of any ship or outpost being in this vicinity."

"That doesn't say much," Chris mused, wrapping his mind completely around the puzzle and finding it oddly liberating. "After World War Three, there was not much in the way of accurate records. If there was an outpost this far out, we would never have known."

"That's true." Alex agreed.

"All right," Chris eased back into his chair and allowing himself to be comforted by its welcome embrace. He felt a twinge of guilt at staying away so long and wondered if perhaps Buck was right, that he was being unreasonable. An argument for another time, Chris decided. For the moment, he wished to concentrate on this. "Set a course for the source of the signal."

"Captain is that wise?" Ezra immediately interjected. "We do not know what the signal was intending to convey. It may be a warning or perhaps even a decoy."

"It's a four-hundred-year-old signal Ezra," Buck spoke up quickly, not wanting to break Chris's momentum now it was driven by something other than his personal hunt for Sarah and Adam's killer. "I seriously doubt we're in any danger."

"Buck's right," Chris said tonelessly. "It's a minimum risk venture. Besides, I assume JD will be deciphering the signal soon enough?"

However, JD was more than prepared for the inquiry this time. "Actually Captain, it's ready." The young man beamed proudly.

"Good," Chris threw him a little smile. "Let's hear it."

"Aye Sir," JD said enthusiastically as his fingers flew over the console before him, instructing the ship's computer to carry out the Captain's order.

As they were waiting for the message to play out, Chris leaned towards Buck and whispered loud enough for the First Officer to hear but no one else. "Buck, I'm sorry for how I've been but you have to understand, I do have to do this myself. I know it’s not much of an excuse for my behaviour but it’s the truth. I have to walk the path alone."

Buck swallowed, trying not to let Chris know how the apology was affecting him. Chris rarely made such gestures regarding his behaviour and even though Chris was not ready to let go of his obsession, he was at least willing to concede he was behaving irrationally. Where they went from there was anyone’s guess but at least it was better than nothing.

"I don’t understand Chris but I won’t press the issue. I just want you to remember we’re here for you." Buck was not about to throw away the conciliatory effort his Captain was making towards him and chose not to bring up the issue of Mary Travis at this time. "All you have to do is ask."

"Thanks," Chris threw him a faded smile. "I'll remember that."

"Here it is, Captain," JD announced, snapping them both to the task at hand rather abruptly as they sat up straight in their seats and were greeted by a loud burst of electricity, followed by a rather docile female voice. Her tone was not unlike the voice of the Maverick's own computer with its erudite and polite speech.

"This is the US Space Command Colonial Marine Corps vessel Sulaco to Central Command at Gateway Station, Earth." The sound echoed through the bridge of the Maverick, capturing the attention of all those present. It was like listening to a voice from the past, which in truth it was, a verbal record from a more barbaric age in their history.

"Reporting present ship status as per Emergency Protocol 225.1 of 21st October 2060. Crew has been ejected from cryogenic chamber due to an electrical fire of undetermined cause. Crew roster consists of Corporal D Hicks, United States Colonial Marine, civilian, Ellen Ripley - Special Consultant to the Acheron mission on planet designated LV427, PDT scanned identified female juvenile - Rebecca Jorden and one synthetic - Bishop Model Hyperdyne Systems. Emergency Protocol 125.22 initiated with the danger to cryogenic chamber detected all capsules were transported to Emergency Evacuation Vessel and ejected into space for travel to nearest planet exhibiting Earth type atmosphere. Auto navigation has tracked EEV homing beacon to planet Fiorina "Fury" 361, Class C Prison Unit 1237154. At present, no confirmation signal has been received from this location regarding status of ejected personnel. Initiating Emergency Protocol 1 - maintain position over planet until further instructions are received."

With that, the message from the past halted abruptly, emitting another burst of static signalling the end of the ancient recording. "That’s all there is Sir," JD volunteered. "It repeats every 5.2 seconds and I imagine it has been doing so ever since the original transmission was sent some four hundred years ago."

"And no one ever answered." Vin sighed, revisited by those memories of his childhood when he and his family were marooned on that distant world far from civilised space, sending messages of help that would never be answered until it was too late. In the case of the Sulaco, it was worse than late, it was never.

"Well according to the date, the message was sent in the year 2060, which was a year before the start of the Third World War," Alex explained automatically, accustomed to providing information on such things. "Since this is a carrier wave signal, by the time it reached Earth, the war would have well and truly begun. It was just a freak set of circumstances."

"Fiorina 361," Chris mused a moment before asking out loud to no one in particular, requiring only an answer. "Do we have any information about it on record?"

Despite his desire to return to his personal quest at the moment, Chris could not deny he was tantalised by the thought of unravelling this riddle from the past. In a space of a century, Earth had seen the rise and fall of genetically perfect humans led by Khan Noonien Singh before succumbing to the might of multinational companies like the Weyland Yutani Corporation before self-destructing completely with the advent of the Third World war. It was hard to imagine that out of this carnage would come a new age, an age of peace and exploration, heralded by the launch of a small ship built in a nuclear silo in Colorado. It was perhaps one of the most turbulent centuries in human history with billions dying with each new crisis. Like the rest of his contemporaries, Chris found the idea of such global disintegration unacceptable but could not help be intrigued by the mechanics of the day that allowed it to happen.

Besides, a vessel of the Colonial Marines intact would be a prize to Federation historians. Chris, in particular, was curious to see the thing since he recalled one of his ancestors from the period had served with the organisation. A great, great, cousin or something, he was not entirely sure which but was certainly amongst his father’s papers in storage, there was probably a family tree somewhere which explained the association more clearly.

"There is nothing very detailed," Ezra answered a moment later after consulting the main computer. "Records dating back to that period are fragmentary with so much lost. Fiorina 361 was a penal colony established for double Y chromosome offenders as well as a mining facility. Almost all the prisoners were serving life sentences but according to this, the mine was purchased by the Weyland Yutani Corporation and the prisoners apparently offered to remain at the facility to continue the work, rather than return to the core worlds for reassignment." Ezra paused a moment as he noted an addendum to the report and brought it up on his console before speaking again. "I have some further information but the data records transcribed from the source document was damaged so this is somewhat vague."

"This whole thing is vague," Vin remarked.

"Go on," Chris glanced in Ezra’s direction for the security officer to continue.

"Well according to this, the mine was closed by the Weyland Yutani Corporation in the year 2060, possibly before the Sulaco arrived there. It goes on to say there was an incident that resolved itself, after which the Company simply felt it was no longer feasible to maintain operations. They closed the facility with all personnel returned to the core worlds. All personnel being one prisoner."

Chris swung around in his command chair and stared at Ezra. "One prisoner? They closed down the facility and had to only transport one prisoner?"

"That is what it says." Ezra was just as perplexed.

"How many were there, to begin with?" Buck asked.

"More than one I’m sure," Alex declared.

"I cannot say," Ezra confessed after a few seconds of unsuccessful wrestling with the computer to produce the information. "There was too much sector damage in the source document to yield that data."

"Curiouser and curiouser," Chris replied thoughtfully. After a moment he rose to his feet and announced. "Take us to Warp 8 Vin. We might as well see where this trail of breadcrumbs leads."

"Aye Sir," Vin said more than happy to oblige because Chris was starting to sound remotely normal in comparison to what he had been these past few weeks and the helmsman was bored to tears with the tedium of star mapping. The possibility of unravelling a little mystery was a morale booster as far as he was concerned and perhaps, it might just distract Chris long enough for the man to forget his troubles. Unlike the rest of the crew, Vin was not inclined to force his help upon Chris Larabee. He was perceptive enough to know those who offered it was more than likely to have their head bitten off. If there was one thing Vin Tanner knew about Chris Larabee, the man was fiercely private, even to the point of obstinacy.

While the main body of the Maverick’s crew was unaware of what was occupying their Captain’s thoughts of late, the senior staff knew otherwise. Vin could not blame Chris for being so determined to learn the truth about his wife and son’s death. If it were Vin, he did not think he would have behaved any differently. Although the rest of the senior staff was determined to help Chris through this difficult period, Vin was firm of the belief any gesture made in this regard would be viewed as nothing but interference. It was not to say Vin had sat by and done nothing in the meantime. He tried to give Chris a break from his quest by urging him to the holodeck and provided an ear to listen whenever the Captain felt deign to talk about the subject, which was not often.

The only thing Vin did find objectionable was his behaviour towards Mary Travis but unfortunately, it was a subject almost as capable of provoking a volatile response as advising Chris his desire to learn the truth about his family was bordering on obsession if it had not passed that point already. However, at present, Vin hoped their present situation with this mysterious message from the past was enough to offer the Captain some respite from his private troubles.

Besides, who could say no to a riddle?

******

"I take it things did not go well with Chris." Josiah Sanchez asked of Mary Travis when he sighted her in Four Corners at the same time the Maverick was altering course on a heading towards Fiorina "Fury" 361.

"It did not," Mary said stiffly, not wishing to talk to the Counselor about this but finding no way of leaving the table without seeming rude. It was not that she was averse to seeking his advice; it was just there seemed no solution to her current predicament. She had thrown down a gauntlet before Chris thinking he would see reason. Mary had hoped if he saw she was serious enough to leave, he might be prepared to discuss the matter but instead, he had done what she had prayed he would not do. He called her bluff and she had no choice but to go or lose his respect entirely.

"What happened?" The Counselor said taking a seat at her table even though he was not invited. However, she was clearly distressed and Josiah could tell she was barely managing to keep the tears from coming. He could not fathom why she was here and not in the privacy of her quarters were such disappointments were best endured.

"I told him I was leaving," Mary said softly, feeling another lump form in her throat and quickly picked up her glass of synthehol to take a large sip in order to force it away.

Bad idea. Josiah thought automatically even before the words left her lips. Chris was not someone who received such ultimatums well and he could just imagine how the Captain would have responded. Still, Mary had a valid reason for what she had done and Josiah only wished it could have gone better for her. Unfortunately, no one was able to reach Chris in the place he had driven himself. Josiah knew if the Captain continued with this behaviour there would come a point where as ship’s Counselor he would be forced to act. To say Chris had been less than cooperative so far would be an understatement. The idea of his wife and child being murdered had become Chris Larabee’s Holy Grail and Josiah feared he might abandon everything else in his life, including Mary Travis, to pursue it.

"He granted me the leave of absence." She replied bitterly, her eyes welling up with tears but Mary managed to hold it in.

"I’m sorry Mary." Josiah started to say. Counsellor or not, there were no words to ease her pain and he was not going to reach into his bag of professional tricks to make the attempt. She was more than just a crewmate, she was his friend.

"I’ve no one to blame except myself," she sat up in her chair and raised her chin in an effort to be brave about this. "I pushed and he reacted."

"That is true," Josiah conceded that point. "But you ought to remember you were driven to this course of action because of his behaviour as well. You are not alone in being at fault if I’d call it that at all."

"I try telling myself that but I keep thinking of what he must be going through despite the fact that he’s shut me out and I can’t entirely blame him. If I found out Syan was taken from me by murder, I can’t say I would be as reasonable. I would probably do the exact thing he is doing. Unfortunately, its empathy that has come too late."

"Mary," Josiah frowned, not at all believing what was done was as irrevocable as that. Chris did love Mary, there was no doubt in Josiah’s mind about this, but at this time the Captain was in a place where the present had very little impact on him, not until this haze he was currently experiencing relinquished its hold upon him. Only then would he take stock of what he was doing and most likely regret it. "I don’t think Chris will think of you any less if you chose not to go."

"I would think less of me," Mary said firmly. "Call it pride but I can’t go back on my decision to leave, even for a month." She paused a moment and resumed speaking, her voice a little less steady than it had been when she made her defiant statement. "The only problem is, I just can’t bring myself to go to my quarters because I’ll just keep thinking I have to pack."

Josiah felt the same pang of sorrow as she said those words and wondered what it would take for both of them to lower their pride. Whatever it was, he hoped they discovered it before it was too late for either of them.

Chapter Tree:
Sulaco