The Brontes was quiet, Captain Kohlir glasch Pef stood on the bridge alone, the light of the Paulson nebula casting twisting shadows across his face. He knew that asking Thyn to keep an eye on Bepon was a dangerous idea, Bepon was well known on Starbase 4 for his anti-Cardassian sentiments and, even after reprimands, he hadn’t changed his attitude or even tried to disguise it. Kohlir knew that this could be career ending for Bepon and potentially even worse for Thyn if things went truly wrong but his Cadet would be able to keep Bepon under surveillance without raising too much suspicion, Thyn was already assigned to shadow Bepon.

With less than 2 hours till the Brontes reached Mellstoxx V, Bepon was still raging about the information that the Captain had given to both him and Thyn, Bepon was pacing the small recreational area frantically, flexing his fists constantly, almost like he was waiting for the sympathiser to transport in front of him to be dealt with. Thyn, despite his young age, stood taller than Bepon and his slender frame belied a strength that Bepon had yet to discover. “And hopefully never will” thought Thyn as Bepon made yet more angry threats against the injured miner.

“If I get my hands on him, sorry when I get my hands on him, he’ll feel all the pain my people felt during the Occupation. All the suffering and agony that he, and people like him allowed to happen” His voice reaching a fever pitch, his eyes looking manic. “And the Captain expects me, ME! to help him instead of watching him die slowly and painfully like my family did”. Thyn began to move away from Bepon, worrying that Bepon may lash out in his frustration. “ME! helping a traitor to my own people is not going to happen Thyn, I swear this on the Prophets I will watch them die before I help them” Bepon stormed out, locking himself in his quarters but continuing his ravings.

Thyn straightened his uniform, breathed deeply and stepped onto the bridge, awaiting the Captain’s attention. Kohlir chuckled softly, sipped his strong Tellerite `coffee`, smiled and turned to the young Cadet, who was still standing at attention at the entry to the bridge. “Come in Thyn and try to relax” Thyn walked up to the Captain and leaned close “Sir, Bepon is wanting to kill the injured sympathiser when we arrive, he’s been raging for hours in the rec area and now he’s continuing in his quarters, you can hear him even down in engineering over the hum of the Warp Core” Thyn straightened up, his face betraying his feelings and unease about spying on the officer he’d been assigned to shadow but at the same time ordered to watch by his Captain. Kohlir sighed heavily, shaking his head with a sorrowful look on his face, the light being cast by the Paulson Nebula lighting his face in unusual patterns

“Come with me Thyn, we need to do something about Ensign Shede before he hurts anyone” Kohlir rose from his chair, headed to the armaments locker at the back of the bridge, picked up a phaser and handed it to Thyn. “Hopefully we won’t need these but if Bepon is as far gone as I fear he is we may have to stun him” Kohlir took his own phaser and secured it to his hip. Both Kohlir and Thyn headed to Bepon’s quarters, on the starboard side of the Brontes

Kohlir nodded to Thyn “Be calm, young one. Bepon is usually a rational man, I’ve served with him before and he’s always been a good man but this was always something the Starbase Admiralty have worried that Cardassian presence could set him off” Thyn, checking his phaser was set to stun, breathed out slowly, steadying his hands. The Captain rang the door alert and waited, several minutes passed with no answer except the continued shouting from Bepon. “Thyn, use the manual release, we need to get in there”, “Yes sir” replied Thyn as he prepped the system the sounds within the cabin stopping. “Ready sir” whispered the young Cadet. “Open it”

The door opened slowly reavealing a darkened cabin, the smashed remains of Bajoran pottery scattered around the room, impact marks clear on the wall, even in the dim lights. “Bepon? It’s the Captain, we need to talk” Kohlir spoke confidently as he entered the room, scanning left and right for any sign of the clearly distressed Ensign. With a roar born of pure hatred, Bepon stormed out of the dark corner, knocking Kohlir down his phaser knocked out of his hands by the impact with the deck plating. A sharp flash of metal and a scream issued from the dark recesses of the floor, the metal raised again before Thyn grabbed the wrist, his Andorian physique far stronger than Bepon had expected. Using his greater size and strength, Thyn forced Bepon to the ground, his hands pinned under Thyn’s knee. Quickly tapping his com badge “Thyn to medical personelle, you are needed immediately on C deck Starboard side. The Captain is hurt”