The midshipman's voice trickled off as he paused, deeplydisturbed by what he saw out on the water."interrupt holoprogram, code Riker Zero One. "Around Picard and Alexander, the old-style holoprogram slowed toa crawl, but this time, due to its partial incompatibility withthe modern holosystem, didn't entirely freeze. A cannon puff fromout on the water groaned toward the Justina, its flash of fireand violence slowed to a long bright yellow slash, and there itseemed to stay.To their right, the door to the holodeck appeared, opened, andWilliam Riker strode through."Sorry to interrupt, Captain.""Mr. Riker," Picard sighed heavily, shaking himself back to hisother world. "Are you dead yet?""Yes, sir, I'm dead. Everything went as you planned. Thepatroller trick was a good one, sir.""Thank you. Alexander, why don't you go get lunch while I speakto Mr. Riker."Alexander glanced furtively out at the ship and the battle,clicking along very, very slowly,then shrugged and nodded. Hestarted to leave, but hesitated one last moment to gaze fondly atthe paused form of Alexander Leonfeld, the man whose name hecarried. The boy seemed unwilling to leave his new hero in such astate. Only the silent eyes of Picard and Riker eventually drovehim off the holodeck and on toward lunch.After he was gone, Riker looked around at the nearly still menfrom the past and said, "Heck of a lesson plan, sir.""Yes, I'm rather enjoying myself, more than I expected to. Butyou can see this technology isn't completely compatible withours. It's still moving along. The computer can't completely stopit unless I authorize a complete shutdown. Interesting""Yes, it is." Riker peered out over the slowly flickering watersat the stranded frigate. "Lose your ship?""Not mine," Picard said peevishly. "Well? What's going on?""Oh, sorry. Worf destroyed the drone ship with his usualpanache." Riker offered a canny grin. "The freighter had to turnback to Sindikash, so I assume that happened because Worfsuccessfully sabotaged it and kept that shipment from reachingRomulan space. The Rogues didn't make a very good showing forthemselves. They're supposed to throw themselves on their swordsfor Odette Khanty, and they didn't. I guess she wasn't worthdying for.""So she failed to frame the lieutenant governor.""Right. And Worf made it look as if they almost got caught, sonow she's not very happy with her Rogue force. That can work inour favor.""Yes. It'll make her desperate," Picard observed. He looked outat the Justina, a template for desperation.Riker nodded. "And now Worf's a hero in Khanty's eyes, because hekept the freighter and the Rogues from being arrested. If she hadany doubts about him, she won't anymore.""Perfect. Very good -- very good. What was in that shipment, Mr.Riker?"Riker retired an itch on one ear and said, "We aren't sure, sir.Tainted seed, bogus pharmaceuticals, chemical adulterants -- OdetteKhanty's done 'em all. Things would've looked bad for thelieutenant governor, to be attached to a cargo like that. EvenWorf couldn't find out what was in that ship, but whatever itwas, I'll bet we're glad it didn't get through."Picard nodded and peered out over the barely frozen bay and said,"Poor luck often forces men to fail at their missions. I'm gladto hear Mr. Worf is having better fortunes. Has Mr. Worf beenable to maneuver Mr. Grant into an inside position?""I don't think so. Worf's last communication came through severalrelays, but he indicated that he is gaining the trust of Mrs.Khanty. He'll find a way to get Grant inside. Even if the Roguesdon't particularly like him, they certainly trust him now. He'sslowly wheedling his way to the upper levels of security at...