Dani Kosst had not expected picking up one lone Fenris Ranger to summon the squadron’s leadership, but the moment Endeavour had heard the news, Captain Rourke had insisted on rushing to join the Nighthawk. They hadn’t spent much time together, but she’d not known what to make of the burly captain, with his manner that swung between warm and brusque at a moment’s notice, and his background as a combat and law enforcement officer now commanding one of the region’s premier diplomatic platforms with no diplomatic staff aboard. And yet, the moment Endeavour arrived, Rourke hadn’t just hailed her – he’d beamed over with his Chief of Security.

‘I hear you have a Ranger problem, Captain.’ Although Rourke spoke respectfully, like he recognised he was on her turf as he’d descended the transporter pad, she knew the balance of power wasn’t on her side.

‘We had a Ranger problem,’ Kosst had said, nonplussed. ‘Now there’s a Ranger who’s committed crimes on the run, and another one who’s suspected of committing crimes in my brig.’

‘There is a small problem,’ was Rourke’s reply. ‘Because the one in your brig used to be a Starfleet officer. Shall we?’

Kosst did not appreciate having details like that dropped on her, then being treated like a guide. But for some reason Brennos had immediately moved to the door to show the captain and his Romulan security chief the way, forcing her to go along with it or make more of an issue of the situation than she’d have liked.

Gault was lying on the bench in the brig cell when they got there, but sprung to his feet at once. He looked a dishevelled state, dark hair mussed, hard-wearing clothes askew. He hadn’t been there long enough, Kosst felt, to justify this level of malaise, and she wondered if he was trying to stoke sympathy.

Then, to her horror, he beamed and clapped his hands together at the sight of Rourke. ‘Matty.’

Rourke’s reaction was more restrained, but there was still the slightest smirk at the greeting. ‘Eli.’

Kosst found herself exchanging glances with Rourke’s security chief, the Romulan arching an eyebrow before she said, ‘You know each other?’

‘We go back a ways,’ drawled Gault.

Kosst was just about to demand what was going on before Brennos stepped in. ‘If you have questions you’d like to ask, Captain…’

‘Just one,’ said Rourke, looking Gault up and down. ‘Did you get my message?’

But before Gault could answer, Percian’s voice came anxiously over the comms. ‘Bridge to Captain Kosst. Ma’am, the Triumph has arrived and Fleet Captain Jericho is asking to come aboard.’

From the look on Rourke’s face, this wasn’t ideal. With blossoming frustration, Kosst tapped her badge. ‘Beam him over. I’ll come up and meet him.’

‘I don’t think that’ll be necessary,’ mused Rourke gently. ‘I reckon he’ll want to be down here.’

Which was how, ten minutes later, Kosst had Jericho and the tall, lanky figure of squadron judge-advocate Commander Hawthorne coming into the brig. Nighthawk did not have a very large brig.

‘We’ve locked up someone responsible for the Mirabiel raid?’ was all Jericho said by way of greeting. ‘Why couldn’t this be handled at 23?’

That was directed at Rourke, who shrugged. ‘I wanted to make sure nobody did anything rash before the truth came out.’

‘The truth,’ said Jericho, ‘is that Fenris Rangers finally showed themselves the renegade opportunists they’ve always been and targeted innocent people.’ He jerked a finger at Gault, whose eyebrows were in his hairline by now. ‘I don’t need to hear about how the raid was necessary so the Rangers could have the resources to fight the good fight…’

Kosst cleared her throat. ‘Mister Gault reports that he was fighting Klein.’

‘Of course he does,’ Jericho sneered. ‘That Klein was the bad Fenris Ranger and he’s the good Fenris Ranger?’

‘Actually,’ chimed Gault, ‘that Klein’s not a Fenris Ranger. But I am.’

Jericho gave him the coldest of looks. ‘You say that like it’s a defence, like you’re not part of a group that undermines Starfleet in the Neutral Zone -’

‘To undermine Starfleet, Starfleet’s gotta be here -’

‘Eli.’ Rourke’s voice was brusque as he cut Gault off. ‘Cut the crap and stop being provocative.’

‘But I’m so good at it -’

Ignoring him, Rourke turned to Jericho. ‘Mister Gault is a Fenris Ranger. But he’s not responsible for the attack on Mirabiel. He was present, but he didn’t participate, and was involved with those who did in order to learn more.’

Jericho’s jaw jutted out. ‘And how do you know this, Rourke?’

‘Because he’s been feeding me information for the past year.’

‘Aw, man,’ Gault groaned. ‘Gotta out me as a snitch, Matty?’

‘Gault and I,’ Rourke pressed on, slightly louder, ‘server together in the Dominion War. He left Starfleet not long after the abandonment of the Romulan evacuation. When Endeavour came out here, I made contact with him and we’ve established back-channels for better cooperation in the region between our efforts and the Rangers since.’

The fleet captain’s gaze was now thunderous. ‘So how come it didn’t stop the raid on Mirabiel?’

‘I tried to send word,’ Gault protested. ‘But nobody picked up.’

Rourke shifted his feet. ‘I was in the Delta Quadrant.’

‘So much for that,’ Jericho said, looking like he was about to swing back into indignation.

But Rourke raised his hands. ‘I have evidence for all of this. Several of our successes can be credited to intelligence he gave us. When I learnt he’d been arrested, I hurried here to make sure this was all handled fairly.’

‘But no evidence that he’s innocent of the Mirabiel attack, and every evidence that he’s associated.’

‘That sounds like something which can be ascertained in debriefing.’ All eyes turned on Hawthorne, who had stood several steps back from Jericho, hands clasped behind his back. Now he spoke at last, it was in a light, sing-song drawl with a hint of superiority that Kosst didn’t like much.

Jericho balked. ‘Debriefing? What?’

‘Yeah.’ Gault’s eyes narrowed. ‘What?’

‘Debriefing,’ picked up Rourke, and Kosst would swear he looked relieved, ‘considering you were reactivated into Starfleet service last year, and have been legitimately undercover all this time.’

Kosst watched everyone, jaw clamped silent. She saw the flash of anger in Jericho’s eyes, but also saw the hesitation in Gault’s. She saw Hawthorne give Rourke something of a look, but Endeavour’s skipper remained stalwart, looking like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

And at length, Hawthorne drew a breath. ‘I have the paperwork, sir,’ he said to Jericho.

‘You didn’t think to mention this?’

‘I didn’t realise you didn’t know.’

‘Obviously,’ interjected Rourke, ‘Gault’s cover’s been blown by this. I want him to come aboard Endeavour for debriefing, which I’m sure Commander Harrian can handle, and it would be best for us to then find him an appropriate billeting. He might not be able to go back to the Rangers, but his knowledge of the region is unparalleled.’

‘I’d want to go back to the Rangers,’ grumbled Gault, ‘except they lost their godsdamned minds a few months ago and have been doing more harm than good.’

‘I see no difference,’ snapped Jericho. ‘I’d rather he be debriefed aboard Triumph.’

Why not here? Kosst thought bitterly, but didn’t dare sally forth.

‘Commander Harrian is best qualified to do so, sir,’ Hawthorne drawled.

Jericho’s nostrils flared. Then he shook his head. ‘Fine. But this man doesn’t get a billet in my squadron until I’m sure the intel on the Fenris Rangers is sound.’

Commander Brennos inclined his head. ‘We’ll prepare the paperwork to transfer Mister Gault to your custody,’ he said, looking to Kharth.

Will we? Wondered Kosst, but again wasn’t about to speak up. At least, she thought, Endeavour’s security chief looked just as discontented as she felt.

The team from the Triumph left soon after, and so Kosst left Brennos and Kharth to handle the paperwork once Rourke headed out. She caught up with him in the corridor, and was relieved to find it quiet. What she had to say was not for anyone else’s ears.

‘Sir, you could have contacted me once word went out we’d arrested Gault.’ This stopped him short, and she felt a little guilty for diving in so bluntly at a superior officer.

Rourke turned back to her, and she could see him mulling over his words. ‘I thought this conversation would be best had in person.’

You mean you didn’t want to warn me in case I warned Jericho. ‘We don’t know each other very well, sir. And I know a lot of officers are dubious about the Fenris Rangers. But I have sympathy for why a lot of them have done what they’ve done, sir.’

An eyebrow raised. ‘Captain Jericho disagrees.’

‘I’m capable of having a different opinion to my superiors and still following orders.’ She hesitated. ‘You got here very quickly.’

He shrugged. ‘Endeavour’s a fast ship.’

Not that fast. But she didn’t like the way that line of thinking led, the notion that one of her crew had tipped off Rourke before she’d had the chance to send the report to the squadron. ‘Maybe, but bringing everyone here has made my brig, frankly, a battlefield for internal squadron politics. That didn’t need to happen.’

‘Politics?’

‘You didn’t tell Captain Jericho either. You wanted to pick up Gault first.’ She shifted her feet. ‘That would have put me in a very difficult position if this meeting had gone differently.’

Rourke watched her for a moment, brow furrowed. At length he gave a stiff, stern nod. ‘I’m sorry for that, Commander. Really.’ He drew a slow breath. ‘Next time I’ll send word.’

She wasn’t sure if she believed him, despite all of his thoughtfulness. But she did not, she reflected, have much of a choice but to accept his words.

Especially if he had someone on the inside on her ship.