Free The Long Night by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page A

outlying planets, eighty in all, forming the Jibetian Confederacy. The same confederacy was now in the middle stations of applying for membership to the Federation.
    Centuries of research and speculation discussed the whereabouts of the ship and the consequences of finding the Supreme Ruler or his descendants on some distant outpost. Even more documents dealt with the wealth of the ship itself, which had to be Quark's interest in all of this.
    She had just finished reading the first three files on the Nibix and now couldn't shake the fear of impending doom. She was starting to understand why Dax and Sisko had acted so harshly. If they actually did find the lost ship, the station would be overwhelmed with curiosity seekers, treasure hunters, and a thousand Federation and Jibetian officials. At the moment the calm around the station felt like the calm before the storm.
    A very powerful storm if her guess was right.
    At least she could use the time to become more informed. She pulled Commander Sisko's chair up closer to his desk and punched in the request for information on the current status of Jibetian and Federation treaties and the Jibetian's request to join the Federation. After a moment the screen brought up the file, and she settled in for a long afternoon of technical reading when her comm badge chirped.
    "Kira here."
    "Major," said Ensign Stafa, whom she had left in charge of communications in Ops, "there's an incoming message for you from the Jibetian High Council."
    Kira couldn't have heard that right. She had been reading about Jibet, so she must have inserted that word in for something else. "From whom?"
    "The Jibetian High Council. Do you want me to pass this along to someone else? They're saying it's rather urgent."
    And odd. She squared her shoulders and put on her best military poker face. There was no way the Jibetians would know about the discovery of the Nibix, or what could be the Nibix. She and Odo had been monitoring all outgoing communication and nothing had been leaked. Nothing. This had to be about some other matter unrelated to the Nibix and the timing was just bad.
    She forced herself to take a deep breath. "I'll take it here."
    The screen on Commander Sisko's desk cleared to show a middle-aged man with an almost albino complexion and thinning blond hair. His cheekbones were ridged, and his deep blue eyes had green dots in the whites.
    Kira smiled as if greeting any dignitary. "I am Major Kira Nerys, first officer of Federation Station Deep Space Nine. How may I be of service?"
    "Forgive the intrusion, Major. I am Jiber Kidath of the Jibetian High Council." She could see the man from the waist up. He bowed slightly as he addressed her. "I am inquiring about a mission we believe your commander has undertaken. A mission looking for our ship the Nibix."
    "The lost ship?" Kira asked. She hated diplomacy. It went against every blunt bone in her body. Yet she knew that each word she said now was important. It was equally important to satisfy the official without lying to him. If possible.
    "Yes," Kidath said, nodding. "The lost ship. We understand your commander has led an expedition to find it."
    "I am not at liberty to discuss Commander Sisko's activities, Councilman. Perhaps if you went through regular Federation channels..." She let her voice drop off.
    "I intend to, Major," Kidath said. "I had hoped that you might cut through the official red tape. I understand your people have a deep religious faith and know what it means to have other cultures interfere with your beliefs."
    "The Bajoran religion accepts other cultures," Kira said, unable to let the misconception through. "I wouldn't be on this station if it didn't."
    "Forgive me, Major. I had presumed much on little knowledge." Kidath bowed again. "Perhaps it would be best if I spoke with your commander."
    "I think you need to go through Federation channels," Kira said, her palms flat on the desktop. A trickle of sweat ran down her spinal column. He