=^=The USS Marion got underway late last night after your report and request.  This is a mess, Captain Harris.”  The Admiral on the screen was looking through the PADD report, =^=She’s a science ship with a dedicated science crew – they’re equipped for this and the additional diplomatic concerns that are going to spin off this thing.=^=

Ambrose sat in his ready room, agreeing, “The Vulcan ship Temerity is set to arrive in a few hours.  They’re staffed with a similar group.  We’ve gone ahead and stunned the group of Mirror Universe crew and returned them to stasis.  The power for the station has been restored – aside from the defense system.  Chief Okada managed to figure out how to disable it.”

=^=And how did she manage that, captain?=^=

“She unplugged it, sir.  Took her the better part of yesterday to trace back the wiring and cords, but she did it.  We recommend the entire system be disabled and possibly permanently deactivated to prevent further issues in the sector.”

The Admiral scoffed, impressed, =^=You’ve managed to do some pretty good work here, Harris.  And Henry Wyatt=^=

Ambrose sighed, “We’re working on bringing him out of stasis slowly.  Doctor Reid and her team have been involved in the process most of last night into this morning.  We’re confident he’ll come out OK.  You’re still going to want him?”

The Admiral shifted in his seat, =^=The matter of his theft is still unresolved, and the reason for his ending up there is also unknown.  We’d like you and your crew to interview him and see what you can find.  He may turn out to be more of an asset than a liability.=^=

Harris questioned, “Has something changed, sir?  Last we heard…,”

A nod, =^=We’ve been made aware of additional information regarding Mr. Wyatt.  We’re sending you the updated details, but needless to say, Master Chief Wyatt is more than we first concluded.  Once the Marion arrives, your orders are to pursue and investigate the missing prisoners.  Godspeed and good hunting.=^=  The channel clicked shut, and Harris sat in the silence of his ready room.

He stood and walked slowly through to the bridge.  He sat gently down in his chair and mused to himself.  Whatever they had found out about Wyatt had been enough to put off his returning to Starfleet Security custody.  His badge beeped to life, =^=Reid to Harris, our patient is awake.=^=

He walked into sickbay and got the nod from his girlfriend and chief medical officer.  He noticed the security presence first and gave Reid a glance, and she shrugged it off.  He pulled a stool and wheeled up the edge of the biobed, and drew close.  Wyatt was older, and his eyes fluttered behind heavy glasses.  His breathing was labored, and Jordan signaled that she was working on it.  His voice was scratchy at first but began to warm as he spoke, “I would stand to attention,  Captain, but I’m not quite feeling it.”  He smiled wanly, his face echoing his pain.

Harris returned the smile, “Understandable, Master Chief.  You’re onboard the Federation starship USS Mackenzie.  I’m Captain Ambrose Harris.  This may come as a shock, but the year is 2400.”

The El-Aurian grimaced, “I wondered how long they had kept me sleeping.”  He blinked his eyes a few times, “It’s been some time since I breathed the air  It smelled different…time is a funny little thing.”  He turned his eyes to Harris, “I can only hope the people of that wretched prison haven’t sold you their story.”  Harris felt as if the man should have reacted more to the loss of time, but in his limited research about El-Aurians, he’d found they looked at many things differently.

“They’re all dead, Master Chief. The last one died yesterday.  The true purpose of the facility became clear to us.”  Harris waited a beat, then asked, “How did you come to be a part of their collection?”

Wyatt grimaced at his easing discomfort.  “It was not known that I was an El-Aurian at first.  Once they discovered the truth, they wanted to test me and figure out what made me tick.  This wasn’t Starfleet Command, but it was the ship I served on – I was a medical mystery, and they wanted to study me.  My mistake for putting myself on a science ship, I suppose.  I stole a shuttle and came under fire.  Somehow, I took it to warp…and I ended up in the Mirror Universe.  Got picked up by the ships you probably found in orbit.  They just wanted a way to come to our universe.  They worked me over.  I’m not proud of what I did.”  He accepted some water from Reid before continuing, “Lucky break for me; my calculations took us far from Earth and put us on the doorstep of The Island.  The rest…well, the rest is history.”

Reid checked his scans, “He’s recovering, but I’m going to need to monitor him for another 24 hours, sir.”

Ambrose nodded as he stood, “Starfleet has put on hold our transfer of you to Starfleet Security.  They think you can help us with what we’re chasing.”

Henry sighed in relief, “I’ll do whatever I can, Captain Harris.  You have my word.”

Reid followed her CO into her office and closed the door, “You believe him?”

A shrug, “We’ll have to get confirmation from the crews that’ll take The Island’s computer logs apart, but I think he’s telling the truth.  He’s been a captive, tested, operated on, and abused in terrible ways.  The Mackenzie might be the safest place he’s been in a very long time.”

Jordan gave a nod, “Fair enough, Ambrose. Dinner tonight?”  A nod with a smile, and he was back out the door, headed to the bridge.  She watched him leave.  There was such a deep heart of care in him. She was sure he was as close to The One as she was going to get.  The question was – did he feel the same way?