Free Vectors by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch

conflicting motives in sending them there.
    "I do not want you to spy," Pulaski said. "You will be debriefed when you return. Remember all you can. I'm not even sure you should record anything in your personal logs-aside from the things you did that day, or medical notes. We have to be very cautious. Very cautious."
    "Why are the Cardassians even allowing us to come?" Governo asked.
    "They didn't say," Pulaski said, "and neither did Kellec. But I have a guess."
    They waited, staring at her.
    She took a deep breath. "I think they think this disease is so contagious none of them will be able to avoid it. I think they're gambling on it not affecting us, that we'll have a chance of curing it before everyone dies." "Wow," Marvig said. "That's a dark view." Pulaski nodded. "They wouldn't have sent for us otherwise. The Bajorans have no power over the Cardassians, and the Cardassians have repeatedly rebuffed Federation overtures in the past. I think this request smacks of desperation."
    "I thought we were in negotiations with the Cardassians," Marvig said.
    "We are," Pulaski said, "but they're not going well, and there are rumors they will fail. For whatever reason, the Cardassians do not trust the Federation, and we are representatives of the Federation. That's why we're going in an unofficial capacity, and that's what makes this mission even more dangerous." "How's that?" Governo asked.
    "If we run into trouble," Pulaski said, "we're on our own. The Enterprise will be just outside of Cardassian space, but she cannot enter it without Cardassian permission, permission they did not give in this emergency to get us to Terok Nor. I can't imagine that they would give it to get us out."
    Marvig's face grew pale. "But what if we need to escape?"
    "We have to be creative," Pulaski said. She stared at both of them. They were so young. Alyssa Ogawa was young too, but more experienced. A starship did that for its crew. "But we have to understand the risks. The greatest risk for all of us here is that we will not come out alive."
    "What do you think the chances are of that?" Governo asked.
    "High," Pulaski said. "I won't lie to you about that. I think at best we have a fifty-fifty chance of survival."
    "I don't understand," Marvig said. "If we're in negotiations with the Cardassians, then why would they kill us?" "We don't know what this disease is," Pulaski said. "And we've never seen the inside of one of their ore-processing stations. If one of us inadvertently comes across information that the Cardassians see as sensitive, we could all be punished for it."
    They were staring at her as if it were her fault the mission was dangerous. Perhaps it was. Perhaps this wouldn't be happening at all if it weren't for her relationship with Kellec. But that didn't matter. What mattered were all those lives being lost.
    "You may back out now," she said, "as long as you keep what I've told you confidential."
    Governo seemed to be considering what she was saying, but Marvig jutted out her chin.
    "I joined Starfleet so that I could do more than practice general medicine in some human colony. I joined it for the risks," she said. "It wouldn't do my oath any good to back out now, just when things get really difficult."
    Governo looked at her as if he were surprised at what she said. "You're right." He nodded, a crisp, military move. "I'm a healer first."
    "All right," Pulaski said. "Let's hope that all my warnings were merely an overreaction to the Cardassians' conditions."
    But in her heart, she knew they weren't. And she wondered, as she gathered up her things, whether she had misrepresented the odds to the two before her.
    If anything, she had overestimated their chances of survival. If all the stories Kellec had told her were to be believed, she would be surprised if they got off the station at all.
    Chapter Nine KIRA NERYS STOOD in the heat, sweat plastering her filthy shirt to her back, her feet swollen inside her boots. A blister rubbed against the