Prisoner 8472, or Riandri to everyone else, stared a the unexpected arrivals, her crewmates from the Denver, with a mixture of emotions but the strongest had to be shock at seeing her own face staring right back at her and the multiple phaser rifles pointed right at her.

Before she could say anything else the other Riandri let out a laugh as she readied her rifle, “I’m no imposter, clearly we have stumbled upon some Dominion infiltration plot. We cannot trust any of them.”

“Spoken like a true Changeling, you Coward,” prisoner 8472 spat.

Commander Cheon’s voice resonated with authority as he continued to address the tension-filled room. His years of experience in navigating complex and delicate situations shone through in his measured words.

“Riandri, I know it’s a lot to take in, but jumping to conclusions won’t help us. We need to remember our principles and values as Starfleet officers. In a situation like this, we have protocols to follow. Let’s begin by gathering information. Riandri, could you provide some details that only the real Riandri would know? Personal memories, specific mission details, or something unique to you that would prove your identity.”

Turning to the other crewmembers from the Denver, he added, “And to the rest of you, I understand your concerns about Dominion infiltration. We can’t take this lightly, but we must also consider the possibility of a misunderstanding or another explanation. Let’s keep our phasers lowered for now and maintain a defensive posture. We’ll conduct identity checks and background verifications to determine the truth.”

Cheon’s approach was calculated, aiming to bridge the gap between suspicion and trust. He knew that in such a tense and uncertain situation, hasty actions could lead to tragic consequences. By encouraging open communication and a methodical investigation, he hoped to uncover the truth without unnecessary conflict. The crewmembers exchanged nervous glances but followed his lead, lowering their phasers and agreeing to start the verification process. The room began to shift from a hostile standoff to a more cooperative environment, where the crew could work together to unravel the mystery of the duplicate Riandri and the potential Dominion threat.

“I do not believe we have sufficient evidence to decide which is an imposter and which is not at this juncture,” T’Val said, unsure where to aim her phaser rifle.

Instinctively, Arin’s hand wrapped around the Type 2 phaser in its holster. The cricket was in her flight suit pocket near her offhand. Her training and quite a bit of practice allowed her to change the settings without looking.

Greene pointed his weapon first at one Riandri, then at the next. Sweat trickled down his back, sending chills up his spine. “Hold on now! We can’t all be infiltrators. I highly doubt there are this many Changelings in the quadrant, let alone this sector. And I certainly don’t resemble a Jem’Hadar. However,  we do have a duplicate here. I suggest we stun both of them, take them back to your ship, and sort things out there. Engaging in a Mexican standoff in the corridor, waiting for the bad guys to return and lock us all up is not a good idea.”

Prisoner 8472 glanced at the prisoners around her and exhaled slightly as they had almost all taken a step or two away from her and she could almost feel the weapons now pointed at her back. She glanced over at the other Riandri and shrugged, “I have nothing to hid so happy to go along for whatever tests the XO and Captain want. Though I would per not to be stun. Always makes me a little nauseous afterward.”  She gave Greene a hard look as she spoke.

“Oh course you would say that, easiest way to get onto the ship for an infiltrator. Best to just test us here, then kill the imposter,” Riandri said as she stared daggers at the other one, surrounded by the prisoners. 3436 stepped forward, the one with the purple hair, matched by the purple bruises on her face.

“Blood screenings are ineffective as of the Leyton incident,” she started in a tone of some authority. “They know how to circumvent them now. It’ll have to be a phaser sweep to force it to change form. What you do with the imposter is up to you.”

Addressing the group, Arin offered. “People, our taxi awaits. I, for one, would like to get out of here. Preferably intact. We could always store them both in the transporter’s pattern buffer. Deal with it on more even terms.”

“Wouldn’t recommend knowingly transporting a changeling on board.” 3436 replied. “And I should know, that’s how I ended up here. You know the good thing about being a Commander? This. Pass that here, that’s an order” she commanded one of the Starfleet prisoners who had a Jem’hadar weapon. With her hands on the Polaron rifle, she started adjusting settings and raised the weapon, pointing at the Riandri amongst the Starfleet officers, ready to fire.

“Hold on! Here?” Greene exclaimed. He looked behind him down the corridor.  “Whatever we need to move. Make a decision people.”

“Who’s in command here?” 3436 asked, the frustration in her voice evident.

Both Riandris just stood there staring at each other keeping their faces calm in an eerie mirror image of each other. 

Commander Cheon’s authoritative presence and tone demanded immediate attention and compliance, causing the woman holding the Polaron rifle to lower her weapon, albeit reluctantly. His unwavering determination was a reminder that he was indeed the one in command.

“Thank you,” he nodded at her before turning his attention to the two Riandris. “Hold your hands out, palms facing me,” he ordered once more, maintaining a watchful gaze as they complied. The process was tense, but it was a necessary step to determine if there were any molecular or physical differences between the two individuals.

Cheon’s concern grew as he noticed the absence of his Chief Medical Officer, which could complicate the situation. He hesitated, then turned to the woman who had been holding the Polaron rifle, hoping she might have the medical training they needed.

“I hate to ask you this, but given the circumstances, do you have any advanced medical training?” he inquired, his voice laced with a sense of urgency. They needed someone with the expertise to assist in the identification process, utilizing specialized knowledge or equipment to reveal any discrepancies or signs of Changeling infiltration. The situation remained precarious, and determining the true nature of the two Riandris was of paramount importance.

3436 didn’t take her eyes off the identical pair. She was pissed after her previous ship was destroyed and was only too happy to melt a changeling.

“Short answer: yes,” She said quickly. “Doctor Lavender Haigh, serial AX-411-9078 PQA. A low-level phaser sweep would force them to change shape, but the real human would get burned by it. Basic blood tests can be faked. I can do more involved testing but I’d need access to your sickbay.”

Commander Cheon nodded at Lavender’s suggestion, appreciating the input. The situation was delicate, and they needed to proceed with caution and a well-thought-out plan.

He then issued a firm command to the individuals present, ensuring that no one would make any sudden moves. “No one moves until I say to,” he ordered, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a controlled and secure environment.

His attention shifted to Greene, one of the individuals from the prison. “You,” he addressed Greene directly. “What’s your name and job?” Cheon needed to gather information about the members of his own crew to establish their identities and roles, as this would be a critical step in resolving the uncertainty surrounding the two Riandris.

“Ensign Charles Greene,” he replied. “Former engineer on the USS Fermi.”

Both Riandri’s looked to Cheon, Green and Haigh. “Sir, if you must do a phaser sweep then so be it,” said the one within the group of officers which a snort from the other. “Trying to cover your nerves changeling?”

Suddenly an idea came to mind and Cheon turned his focus from Green to T’Val, “Ensign,” he said as he looked over at her. 

He then stepped away from the group and waited for her to join him.

The Ensign nodded and joined the man, “Yes sir?” 

Cheon, standing a bit apart from the group with Ensign T’Val, spoke in a low, measured tone to ensure privacy.

“Ensign, did you happen to pack a photon grenade in your kit before we left the Denver?” he inquired, his gaze focused on her with a mix of urgency and determination.

He hoped that T’Val had the requested equipment, as it would simplify the identification process and potentially unveil any impostors or hidden threats among them. However, Cheon deliberately kept the specifics of his plan hidden, not wanting to reveal too much until he was certain of the available resources and the Ensign’s readiness to carry out the task at hand.

The tension in the air lingered, and the crewmembers observed their commanding officer and the Ensign with a combination of curiosity and concern, waiting for the next steps in this unfolding drama.

“Denver to away team.” Rebecca’s voice rang through the team’s combadges. “Report commander.”

As Cheon stood there with T’Val he heard the voice of his Captain. Reaching up he tapped his combadge, “Captain, Rey Al Ert needs to be notified of the situation down here. As a possible PG contamination discharge is emanate,” he hoped that the captain would understand what he was saying.

“Are you sure?”

“Affirmative Captain, Rey Al Ert needs this information,” he confirmed again.

‘”Cheon do as you see fit, but we have a Cardassian cruiser entering extreme sensor range.  Whatever you decide do it quickly. The bases’ shields are down so once we have the all-clear we’ll start beaming our people over.”

“Understood, it shouldn’t take too long to lock down the discharge. Will contact you once everything is clear,” he replied as he tapped his badge severing the connection. His eyes came to rest on T’Val as he waited for her response to his inquiry.

T’Val nodded, “I have the requested equipment Commander.“

Out she withdrew three photon grenades which she had secreted about her person for easy access. She was not aware of his plan, but she had felt that the weapons might be useful, although at close range they posed a threat to not only her own life, but everyone else’s. Hence she was careful with handling them.As Cheon executed his plan, he worked with precision and speed, discreetly altering the photon grenade to serve as a means of identification. With his back turned to the crew, he skillfully disassembled and modified the device, ensuring that his actions remained concealed. T’Val observed silently, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Once the modifications were complete, Cheon turned about, the altered grenade hidden behind his back. His eyes flickered with determination as he moved to the center of the gathered crew. The tension in the air thickened, each crew member watching Cheon with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

With a subtle wink, Cheon revealed the grenade, pulling the pin and letting it fall between his feet. The crew braced themselves as a bright, intense light emanated from the modified device, followed by a deafening explosion. The shockwave rippled through the area, and everyone instinctively shielded their eyes from the sudden burst of light.

As the brilliance faded, Cheon surveyed the aftermath. His gaze shifted between the two Riandris, searching for any telltale signs of the altered explosion’s effects. 

Greene rolled to his knees his head still ringing. These people are crazy, he thought to himself as he tried to make the world stop going inverted like a roller coaster. They have been out in the black too long.

Both Riandri’s stared at each other as the shockwave rippled through the area. The second it passed through the Riandri in the Starfleet uniform she let out an ear-piercing screech and collapsed inwards and down, turning into a golden brown liquid. The changeling then shut upwards in the shape of a line poll before exploding outwards knocking the nearby officers to the ground as it angled itself towards a small grate on the wall. 

Riandri let out a shout and dove for the captured Jem’Hadar rifle she had dropped as she tried to bring it to bear but was a second too slow. As she did several reactionary shots flew over her head striking the wall around the changeling with only one hitting home causing the changeling to wail in agony before it vanished from site.

“DAMN IT!,” Riandri said as she regained her feet. “Clever trick with that one XO, I appreciate it.”