To: Dana MacKenzie

From: Major EK Hoberman

MACO Liaison, Andoria

Date: July 30, 2379 

Ms. MacKenzie – 

The men are excited to be meeting you and your team! We’re hoping for a good show. A lot of the spouses, girlfriends and boyfriends will be in the stands. We’re hoping to make a festival of it. 

Therefore, my proposal to you is as follows: regardless of the outcome of the game, we’d like to have a fair on the base, for our unit, the immediate families, your team, any guests they might want to bring, and our brass. Consider it a chance to mingle with the kinds of people who could pretty easily become your fan base. 

Of course, all bets are off in the event of the unit being called to duty. Please consider this a personal invitation. 

Looking forward to it, Hobie 

“Hobie?” Mack was sitting in her bunk, dawdling before getting up for the day. She chuckled a little. “Nobody’s got a real name anymore. Huh.” She tapped out a response. 

Sounds good to me. My people will be up for it. – Mack 

The PADD dinged – another message. 

Mystic, 

It’s confirmed; I can’t get away to see the game in person. I’m sorry. We’re studying a phenomenon – I can’t tell you anything beyond that – and it is interesting. But I would rather be catching up in person. Send me a tape if you can get one shot, okay? 

Go Easy, Straight Arrow 

She responded. 

Baa. Good idea on the tape. We’re shoving off today. – Mack 

=/= 

Wesley Crusher had learned everything he could about the Cookie, but it still didn’t feel like enough. He found Crita on the middle level, at the perimeter. She was sketching on the wall. 

“What’s that gonna be?” he asked. 

Her furry hand slipped a little. “Oh! You startled me!” She erased a bit of it. 

“Is it a big mistake? I didn’t mean it. I could come back later.” 

“No, no, it is not much. It is all right. And, it is going to be, it will be a place on your planet called the Big Canyon.” 

He thought for a second. “You might be thinking about the Grand Canyon.” 

“Oh, yes, of course! No wonder it has been so difficult for me to find good images of it.” She looked at him. “Are you troubled?” 

“Nervous. Excited. Wondering when Mack will figure out that I don’t really know what I’m doing.” 

She giggled a little nervously. “I feel the same way. It is a bit daunting.” 

“I want to assure you, Crita,” he told her, “it’s not that I’m incompetent. At least, I don’t think that’s the case. It’s more that there’s a lot to learn and most of it is wholly unfamiliar.” 

“I understand. We all want this to go well. Do you think any of the gaps in your knowledge would endanger us at all?” 

Wes thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. I want to know everything on here. It’s so interesting! Then I remember, I’m it for engineering around here. I can’t be just studying this and that when I’m supposed to be monitoring the warp containment field.” 

“This mural,” she gestured, “I doubt that it will be completed any time soon. I will need to run Communications as a priority. I cannot be hiding back here and drawing and painting all the time. Hmm,” she chewed on the end of her stylus for a moment, lost in thought, “maybe some of the athletes could help. Even for a little bit. Someone will need to take the nights, yes?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“We should suggest this to Mack. If one of us ends up in Sick Bay, and Majira cannot heal us quickly, then everything will grind to a halt unless this sort of an arrangement is made, I feel.” 

“Definitely.” 

Mack wandered over to the middle level as soon as they contacted her. “Way ahead of you,” she assured them, “there are people with experience, either former Starfleet or Academy, or they ran freight. But I haven’t tapped them yet. Do you think we should put off the launch?” 

Wesley replied, “No, I think we’ll be okay, at least to start. Besides, we’ve got the game. I think we should play it.” 

“It would be better,” Mack stated. “This is a chance to not only play and get a payday. It’s also a chance to see how well our team holds together. I think it could almost be an audition. We do well here, even if we lose, I figure we might be able to get more gigs out of this.” 

“Plus there is the matter of the,” Crita looked around furtively, to be sure they were alone, “the Tactical thing.” 

“Ah, yes,” Mack agreed, “the thing.” 

Most of the team was in the holodeck, practicing on their own initiatives. There were several skating rinks set up, and athletes raced each other, or shot on goals, or defended. Gone were the days of barely keeping their balance. 

“This is great!” Mack enthused. “Look at how much better everyone is! I’m so proud of you! Now, listen up – you may remember, when I called for applications, I asked for full crew experience. I’m going to be tapping whoever gave me background on working on a crew, no matter how small the vessel was. We need backups for all of the major areas – Tactical, Communications, Engineering, Sick Bay, and piloting. If you didn’t provide your information before, feel free to state it now, if you wanna volunteer to help out.” 

This time, stopping was a lot easier for everyone. They gathered around Mack, who stood on the ice in her regular shoes. “I want to shove off today. I think we need to. But I also need some help with the running of the ship. Anyone who provided expertise information with your application, you’re with me for the moment. Plus any volunteers. Don’t worry if you don’t have the experience or you don’t want to volunteer. Don’t worry if you think your experience isn’t perfect. This is a wacky, somewhat unique vessel. I doubt there will be too much perfect or near-perfect matching of experience to needs.” 

She paused for a breath. “This is in addition to playing and practicing, of course. We will work out the schedule as we can. Not everybody’s gonna play hockey anyway. Right now I’m just looking for options and to get rolling. The kinks will be worked out as we go, all right? Now, who’s with me?” 

“I washed outta Tactical,” Tag admitted. 

“I can learn whatever you require,” T’Val stated. 

A Tandaran, Dathan, stated, “If you are willing to train me, I am more than willing to learn basic engineering.” 

M’Belle spoke up. “I could assist with basic medical, but I do not know much.” 

“That’s okay,” Mack said, “for the hard stuff, you’d be calling on Majira anyway. Anyone else?” 

Xo looked at her. “Do you trust me to run your Communications station?” 

“Of course I do,” Mack decided. “We’ll get down to formalities later. Right now, all I really need is relief for my main crew in eight hours or so, and then another round of relief eight hours after that. Otherwise, is everything on board? Is everybody here? I want to get going already.” 

They all looked around. “Crita, Xo,” Mack commanded, “take a head count, please. All other volunteers, I want you to spend some time with your counterparts in the inner circle. I am Tactical, for anyone who’s unsure,” she smiled a little. “Okay? We are all in this together. I know we’ll all have a good time.” She began to leave, and the inner circle and the volunteers all hurried to keep up with her. 

=/= 

“What have you got?” asked Commander Madden. It had been a few days and he, Geordi and B-4 had been going full tilt for most of that time. Both Marty and Geordi hadn’t shaved. 

“The chi spectrum radiation,” stated the android “appears to be somewhat variable in intensity. However, the variances are misleading.” 

“Can you specify?” Geordi inquired. 

“Affirmative. The pulses are following a complex, yet repeating, pattern. Every 16.12 seconds, the angle varies by .73 degrees.” Ping. 

“Every single time?” Marty asked. 

“That appears to be the case,” B-4 confirmed. 

“So,” Geordi prompted, “this isn’t random activity at all. But it’s being presented like random actions. Whoever is doing this, they’re hiding what they’re doing.” 

“Let’s see, who would hide their actions?” asked Marty. 

“Maybe a scientist is testing a multiverse theory,” Geordi opined. 

“A corollary to that could be an engineer testing a new methodology,” added B-4. Ping. 

“I can’t help but to think tactically,” said Marty. “Maybe this behavior is illegal wherever it originates, or the equipment is stolen. Or maybe someone means to escape their own universe.”

=/= 

Wesley settled into Engineering with his new team. “Listen up,” he said to them, “the main thing we’ll need to do is to check that the warp containment field is holding. These gauges here,” he pointed, “show the levels. It’s not hard. You don’t need to know warp theory for this part. Now, over here,” they followed him as he walked along, “you can check on fuel and efficiency. For the most part, we’ll use dilithium. This engine is the most efficient one I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot, considering that I’ve seen the Enterprise-E’s engine.   This efficiency is fantastic, but it’s also not a fantasy impossible perpetual motion machine, or anything. It can and will run low on fuel at times. If you see slipping, tell me. Also tell me if you ever see efficiency degrading.” 

The Denobulan, Effenston, looked at a panel. “What is this for? It appears there may be some other material being measured.” 

“I admit, I’m not sure,” Wes stated, “There are all sorts of things like that on the Cookie. I intend to figure them all out, eventually. Feel free to try to dope it all out, too.” 

At the Tactical station on the Bridge, Mack stood behind Tag and looked over his shoulder. “Show me how you fire a torpedo,” she requested. 

“Uh, aiming is here, this part is the z-axis and over here are the x-axis and the y-axis.” 

“Right. You see this?” 

“Yeah. What does it do?” he inquired. 

“Truth is, I have no idea. But I aim to find out. These are related to the phaser banks, over here. But all of these,” her sweeping gesture encompassed a number of complicated-looking switches, “are a mystery. Don’t fire or change them or anything, of course. We can’t just go around firing on innocent ships or a star system on account that we can’t figure out what the hell everything is.” 

“Right,” he agreed, “anything else?” 

“Uh, there’s a little something extra. Only me and my inner circle know about it, or can run it. If I need to run it, I’ll bring you up here to cover Tactical, okay?” 

“Uh, sure.”

Crita and Xo sat together in the mess in order to work. “We can send notes to everyone,” she suggested, “and perform our head count that way. Everyone will be responsible for determining whether they have all of their possessions on board.” 

“That is a good idea,” he allowed. “A question?” 

“Hmm?” The Daranaean didn’t look up as she composed a generalized note to everyone on the team.

“Do I frighten you?” 

She stopped what she was doing and looked up. “I, uh, yes.” She drew a breath. “It is not just a little. But, but, truth be told, many people do.” 

“I see. I would like to apologize for how I treated you during the first few days of interviewing. I was unnecessarily intimidating. I should have been better, to you and to everyone else.” 

“It, it is all right.” She thought for a second. “I mean, it is not all right, the way you treated me. But what I do mean is that I accept your apology.” 

“Thank you. It is difficult,” he admitted, “For I am a stranger here, in many ways, an outsider. But I suppose many of us are. This is a rather diverse team. A lot of us are the sole representative of our various species. There can be pressure, self-imposed, of course, where one wonders, is anyone judging my species solely by how I behave?” 

“I think I understand.” 

“Do you feel, Crita, that my actions reflect upon the entire Jem’Hadar race?” 

“I, I can’t say. Do you feel that my words and my actions represent the whole of Daranaea and its many provinces?” 

“I don’t suppose I do,” Xo stated. “If I start to behave that way, please tell me. Call me on it, all right? I do not wish to prejudge your people.” 

“I can see,” the fluffy woman opined, “that you are trying very hard. I, I must admire that. It is a good thing, that you are doing so.” 

“All I want is to try to fit in.” Xo admitted. 

“As do I.”

=/= 

“So, maybe this is an attempt to escape from a universe? Is that what you’re suggesting, Commander?” asked Geordi. 

“Well, we can’t really speculate about motivations now, can we? But the hidden patterning, I just think it means something. Otherwise, why would anyone bother to do it?” 

“It is possible,” B-4  postulated, “that the patterning is a reflection of the running of equipment.” 

“I think you’re reaching there,” Geordi opined. 

“Another possibility,” Marty added, “is that this is another Tactical move – Tactical on top of Tactical.” 

“How so?” inquired the engineer. 

“Let’s say you’re in a room with ten doors, okay?” Marty explained, “You want to find out which is the good door.” 

“What is this so-called good door?” asked the android. 

“It could be nearly anything. But let’s go with Tactical, and take it to an extreme. You’re a conqueror, okay? Behind these ten doors, well, you have no idea what’s back there, not really. But you figure at least one of them; one of the rooms behind all of these doors, one of these rooms holds a powerful enemy. Your best possibility for defeating that enemy is through the element of surprise.” 

“I think I’m with you so far,” Geordi said, “but you still need to knock or open the doors in order to see what’s behind them.” 

“Right,” Madden agreed, “so you want to knock, but not make it look like you’re really knocking. That means, you have to find some way of hiding your knocking. In our real-world situation, that means you do your best to hide the patterning of your radiation pulses. You don’t want your pulse shots to look like pulse shots; you want them to look like just so much background noise.” 

“Therefore, this is either the behavior of a thief or an escapee, or that of a cautious conqueror,” B-4 deduced. 

“Maybe,” allowed Marty, “but we don’t have any way to confirm any of this unless they get in.” 

“In a lot of ways,” Geordi sighed, “I’d rather this stayed a mystery.” Ping ping ping. 

“Me, too,” Marty agreed. 

=/= 

Crita tapped her communicator. “We have sent messages to everyone, and they all report that they are aboard and have all of their possessions. I, er, Xo and I, we believe that we are ready to depart.” 

On the Bridge, Mack answered, “Great work. Come on up here and we’ll shove off. MacKenzie out.” 

She turned to her Bridge crew. “I’d suggest anyone not on the first shift should either rest or head back to the holodeck for more practice and other athletic pursuits.” She paused for a second. “Oh, and of course you’ll be paid extra for taking on this extra responsibility.” 

They filed out, with Tag being the last to leave. “I, um, Coach,” his voice broke a little, “I wanna thank you for believing in me.” 

She leaned over and quietly said to him, “It’s easy.” He flushed a little and, smiling, left as Crita entered. Mack waited for the fluffy woman to get situated. “Ready, Puppy Girl?” 

Crita laughed a little. “I am ready.” 

“Is piloting ready?” Mack asked. 

Daniya nodded. “Ready.” 

“Open a channel to Engineering, please,” Mack commanded. Crita nodded, so Mack continued, “Ready in Engineering?” 

“Ready to go,” Wes replied. 

“Contact Sick Bay, please.” After another nod from Crita, Mack asked, “Ready in Sick Bay?” 

“Yes,” Majira replied. “Secure for departure.” 

“Let’s call the folks in the holodeck, too. Hell, can you give me the intercom, please?” 

Crita flipped a few switches. “I believe the expression is – you are on.” 

“Um, … hi,” Mack said, “I just wanted you all to know that we are shoving off. So write this day down – July thirtieth of 2379 – in your own personal histories, all right? When we’re two days before the game, I’ll pick the team, both starters and bench players, and I’ll pick alternates, too, in the highly unlikely event that somebody gets hurt and they can’t be healed by Majira in two days. If you’re not in any of these three groups, please don’t fret. I’m sure there will be ample opportunities for everyone to shine. In the meantime, saddle up, kids, ‘cause we’re movin’ out!” 

Daniya turned back in her seat to face Mack. “Shall I?” 

“Yep. Please set a course for Andoria. Uh, whatever is the safest and most efficient speed. Confirm it with Wes, if you like.” 

“Sure,” Daniya replied, turning to face the front and flipping some switches. “I like this unconventional style,” she declared. There was a small tug as they cleared a field around the Perseus Trading Post, and the ship jumped to warp. 

Crita turned to Mack. “We will need uniforms. I have a few preliminary sketches. May I send them to you?” 

“That would be great. Thanks for remembering. Make sure they’ve got a blue accent, like we planned, okay?” 

“They do. I have done my best to draw the image of a black sheep. It resembles a food animal on Daranaea.” 

“Well, yeah,” Mack confirmed. “They are definitely prey animals. But the black sheep, see, it’s like the family disappointment, or the, I dunno, the problem child.” 

Crita thought for a moment. “Dana, do you identify with that assessment?” 

“Yeah,” Mack admitted. “But it wasn’t because of my incarceration. It was before that, even. My cousin and I are close, and it’s because there weren’t too many family members in our generation, but also because we just get on so well. We just kinda click. He was always the good one, the straight arrow. I suppose I’ve always been the opposite.” 

=/= 

Back on the Enterprise-E, Marty pulled off his boots and finally got a chance to shave, for the first time in days. He had tousled his hair and put on a clean tee and boxers when there was a communications chime. He blinked a few times, his eyes bleary and bloodshot. “Computer, who’s calling?” 

The incoming communication is from M. Dana MacKenzie. 

“Put the call through.” He got into his own bed. “Mystic!” he smiled. 

“Oh, man, Marty, you look like a wreck. Should I call you back tomorrow?” 

“No, no, it’s okay.” He yawned. “I’m just, I’m glad to hear from you.” 

“I’m glad to be talking to you. We shoved off today.”

“Ah, terrific. We, uh, well, we did, ha, mystical things,” his eyes crinkled a little as he smiled at her. 

“More confidential stuff, eh?” 

“Yeah,” he admitted. “It’s all cloak and dagger, I guess. Anybody shoot at our team?” 

“No, not this time. Then again,” she leaned over to check a wall chronometer, “there are still a few minutes left in the day. Anyway, I just, quickly, wanted you to know that we’re on our way. I’ll let you know what happens. G’night.” 

“Night, Mystic.”