Cadet Denver Colton was the last of the four-member Epsilon Squadron to arrive at the training center's holodeck. As leader, Denver was more than aware of the importance of this final freshman simulated examination. When the doors automatically parted, Denver found himself walking into a holographic shuttle bay. Before him was the shuttlecraft Pompeii. "Impressive," he thought. Cadet Tera North was busy running a level-three diagnostic test on the shuttle's primary weapon and shield systems. Cadet Vheck, a Ferengi, was entering data into the navigational system. Cadet Laneea Morsha, a Trill, was adjusting warp core specifications. Denver mentally smiled; he was pleased to see the efficiency of his team.

As Denver began to make himself comfortable in one of the vinyl chairs, Commander Granville Taylor boarded the vessel carrying a small data padd. Denver immediately stood at full attention and instructed the others to do the same. Commander Taylor was the examination advisor assigned to Epsilon Squadron.

"At ease," the commander stated flatly, and the four cadets relaxed their stance by clasping their hands behind their backs. One by one he inspected each cadet closely. Finally stopping in front of Denver, he handed the eighteen year old leader the padd. "Here are your intructions, Mr. Colton. Good luck." And with that he turned and walked briskly out; the Pompeii's door shut tightly behind him.

"To your stations," Denver ordered. He sat in his chair and began scrolling through the information on the padd. "Mr. Vheck, set a course for the planet Romulas--warp eight."

"Yes, sir," the Ferengi answered, smiling and revealing a mouthful of hideous teeth, a trademark for his unique race. Denver allowed a smile to slip from the corner of his mouth. Vheck was both Denver's closest friend and roommate at the Academy. "Diagnostic complete," Tera reported, eyes fixed on the small screen before her. "Weapons and shields are at 100 percent."

"Thank you, Cadet," Denver said, aware that everything said and done inside the shuttle was being monitored by Commander Taylor and the Examination Council. In Denver's eyes, this awareness was the only drawback to simulated exams. "Initiate thrusters," he added.

"Thrusters initiated, sir," Laneea stated, swiveling around in her chair. Denver caught her eye and nodded his approval. She continued entering data into her console. He had almost called her by her nickname "Spot" but thankfully caught himself. Although the Trill species were well-known for their spotted skin, Denver was sure that Commander Taylor would not find it amusing.

The shuttle began to shake as the roar of the engines grew. The Pompeii lifted slowly off the deck and straight up through the open bay doors in the ceiling. As the shuttle ascended into the clouds leaving behind Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Denver watched the beautiful scene on the viewscreen before him. "This particular holographic simulation is very realistic," he thought. Minutes later, the shuttle left the Earth's upper atmosphere and was speeding toward Romulan space. *

* * * * * *

The young man began briefing his team on their mission. He ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair--a bad habit whenever speaking in front of a group. "Once we establish an orbit around Romulas, we'll be contacted by the U.S.S. Calcutta. At that time Captain Shiva will give us the exact coordinates where Ambassador Margaret Monteverde is being held prisoner. As an away team, we will beam down to the planet's surface and conduct the standard rescue operation Taggart-seven."

"Understood," Vheck replied, vigorously nodding his large lobes up and down.

"Sir, do we know if the Ambassador is heavily guarded?" Tera asked obviously preparing for a confrontation with the Romulans. For a human, Tera was as logical as a Vulcan and as brave as Klingon. Denver was proud to have her in his squadron.

"No, but I think we should assume that she is," Denver said, realizing that the holodeck safeties would be activated and there was no real need for concern.

The Trill stood and faced the team. "I'm ready for hand-to-hand combat with every Romulan that gets in my way," she stated and pretended to karate chop imaginary attackers for emphasis. The other three cadets smiled and laughed at the idea of their dear friend taking on the entire Romulan Star Empire by herself.

The two-hour flight was passed with similar, entertaining discussions and procedure reviews. At 1300 hours, Vheck enthusiastically reported that the Pompeii was crossing the Federation/Romulan border, and it would be arriving at Romulas in approximately five minutes. Denver switched on the visual screen. The twin planets of Remus and Romulas were growing larger as the shuttle quickly approached.

"Drop out of warp. Initiate standard orbit, Mr. Vheck," Denver ordered. "Take us over the planet's northern polar region."

"Understood."

"Bearings, Mr Vheck?"

The Ferengi grinned. "Two points forward of starboard beam, sir."

Denver kept his eyes on the viewscreen. Romulas was now a large, beautifully turquois sphere. "Thank you, Cadet."

"The Calcutta is hailing us," Tera announced.

Denver entered a series of codes into his console and the planet was replaced with the image of Captain Mahesh Shiva. "Cadet Colton, I'm Captain Shiva. We are sending the Ambassador's coordinates to you now."

Vheck nodded. "We have received them, sir."

"Good," the Captain continued. "The Calcutta will create a diversion on the other side of the planet while your squadron rescues the ambassador. You have exactly thirty minutes to get in and out. That's as long as we can give you, Mr. Colton."

"Understood, Captain," Denver stated, and with a nod from the Captain the viewscreen went blank.

* * * * * * *

Minutes later the squadron beamed down to the planet's surface; the four cadets materialized within a hundred meters of the building where the ambassador was supposedly being held. With phasers in hand, the cadets paired off and approached the front of the compound from two different directions: Tera and Denver from the east, Laneea and Vheck from the west.

Deep in conversation, the two Romulans guarding the entrance were not expecting any action; they casually leaned against two pillars. Suddenly, Laneea and Vheck jumped out from behind a nearby Cari plant. With phasers set on minimal stun, they shot the two guards knocking them out cold.

Denver and Tera emerged from their hiding place. "Tie them up over there," Denver said, pointing at one of the pillars. "Miss North, you're with me."

"Aye, sir," she said, following Denver into the building. She immediately removed a hand-held scanner from her belt and attempted to locate the ambassador. "I think I may have found her," she stated, "about fifty meters ahead."

As they walked slowly down the corridor, Tera carefully monitored the scanner. A series of "bleeps" indicated there was indeed someone behind the one door at the far end of the building. Laneea and Vheck joined the two. With phasers set on maximum stun, the four cadets proceeded with caution. Laneea watched the rear.

"Bleep...bleep...bleep."

"I'm reading one humanoid life sign and...," she said, pausing in mid-sentence.

"Bleep."

Denver looked at Tera with a question in his eyes.

"Bleep."

"And two Klingons," she added.

"Klingons?" Laneea inserted. The cadets stopped. When the door did not automatically open, Tera, Vheck and Laneea looked at Denver for guidance.

"Why don't we just knock?" Vheck asked half-heartedly.

Denver glanced back down the corridor. "Are you detecting any Romulans inside the building?" he asked.

Sweeping the scanner slowly from side to side, Tera replied, "Negative."

"Well, then let's knock," Denver stated. "Mr. Vheck, if you would."

Vheck waddled closer to the door; the others stepped aside with phasers held tight. At first, the Ferengi softly rapped three times. There was no answer. He looked at his friends and shrugged his shoulders. Denver nodded. Next, Vheck gave it three hard knocks.

Suddenly, a male computerized voice began blaring, "Warning: Intruder Alert! Warning: Intruder Alert! Warning..." Red and yellow lights began flashing.

The cadets looked at each other in bewilderment. Tera was saying something, but the computer voice was so loud that Denver could not comprehend her words. She pointed her phaser at the door's locking module and shot it. The door opened.

"Fifteen minutes," Laneea mouthed, pointing to the chronometer on her wrist. The computer wailed. Lights flashed.

Vheck entered the small room first and signaled for the other team members to follow. There was nobody there; in fact, it was entirely empty except for three tiny black boxes in the center of the room.

"This is what the scanner was detecting!" Tera shouted, pointing the scanner at the boxes.

"Could this be a trap?" Denver thought. He chided himself for not thinking ahead and possibly causing his team to fail the examination. "Open them!" Denver ordered. Vheck picked one up and slid off its metal top. Inside he found a Starfleet communication badge. Tera opened the other two and found similar Klingon badges.

"Eleven minutes!" Laneea announced, pointing her phaser at the open door.

Suddenly the computer voice stopped. Denver was able to think straight. "Two guards, a locked door, an alarm, and three comm badges--it doesn't add up," he said. "Suggestions?"

"I think the ambassador is here, somewhere," Tera said, glancing around. "Another room?"

"Negative. This is the only room in the building," Laneea inserted.

"In the building," Denver repeated. "But what about below the building?" The cadets stared at the floor.

"There!" Tera said, pointing at a slight bulk in the tiles under foot. She carefully ran her hand across the floor discovering a large panel. Vheck and Tera removed it exposing a dark narrow shaft leading straight down. There was a metal access ladder attached to one side. Using her scanner, Tera estimated that the shaft dropped about fifty meters.

"Laneea and I will remain behind," Denver stated. "I want you two back in five minutes, with or without the ambassador." Tera, then Vheck, immediately disappeared down the shaft. Laneea monitored the corridor from the doorway. Denver searched the room for additional clues.

* * * * * * *

It was Laneea who broke the silence. "Seven minutes," she said.

As if Denver could read her mind, he reassured, "They'll make it." However, he was not sure he believed it himself.

"We have company!" Laneea blurted as she fired her phaser down the corridor. A return of phaser blasts showered the doorway as Laneea fell back into the room. "Three Romulans!" she announced.

Denver pulled the Trill to her feet. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Not a scratch," she said. They backed into a far corner of the room, phasers in hand, awaiting the enemy.

Two Romulan guards appeared in the doorway firing randomly about the room. This time Laneea was hit. She fell to her knees and dropped her phaser. Denver fired hitting one directly in the center of the chest knocking him off his feet.

"Drop your weapon!" the other Romulan ordered, pointing a phaser rifle at Denver. Realizing that he was out-armed, he obeyed and simply put his arms high in the air showing no resistance. Stepping over the dead Romulan, another guard entered. She picked up the two Starfleet weapons.

Glancing at the open shaft, she said, "Well, I guess we got here just in time. A few more minutes and you two would have been gone."

With that remark, Denver was not quite sure whether they were aware that two other cadets were with Denver and Laneea. He decided to play a pawn. "Where does that shaft lead to?" he asked. Laneea stirred, clutching at her left wrist.

"That is none of your concern, Starfleet," the female guard stated.

"On your feet," she ordered, looking down at Laneea, pointing one of the phasers at the injured cadet.

Laneea stood slowly. She held her wrist in pain. Denver noticed that she was alright--the phaser had hit her chronometer and shattered it. Remembering the holodeck safties, Denver dismissed thoughts of a squadron member getting injured.

"Seal it," the female ordered. The male guard leaned his rifle against a wall and picked up the heavy panel. Just as he was struggling to replace it, a Klingon arm shot out from the shaft and pushed the panel up and on top of the male guard. Taking his cue, Denver grabbed the phaser from the surprised female Romulan. Two Klingon science officers emerged from the shaft followed by Ambassador Monteverde, Tera, and finally Vheck.

"Let's move!" Denver shouted. One Klingon grabbed the male Romulan and the other grabbed the female pushing them down the corridor. The small band quickly exited the building. Once outside Denver tapped his comm badge, "Computer, seven to beam up." At that moment, the Klingons shoved the Romulans aside. The four cadets, the ambassador, and the two Klingons materialized aboard the Pompeii.

"Mr. Vheck, set a course for Earth--warp eight," Denver stated, turning to his new passengers. "Make yourselves comfortable."

Suddenly the shuttle lurched forward, tossing Laneea out of her chair. "We've been hit!" We are under attack," Tera reported. "Romulan Warbird off port side."

"Shields up!" Denver announced. "Hail the Calcutta, Miss North."

"They are not responding," Tera reported. The Pompeii lurched forward again, this time briefly losing power. The terminals winked back on.

One of the Klingons rose from where he was sitting and gave Denver a data padd. "This contains information on Romulan shield modulation. My colleague and I payed a high price for these codes before we were captu..."

"This is no time for an explanation," Denver interrupted. "Miss North, adjust phasers to match. Target primary reactor."

"Understood. On your mark, sir."

"Fire!" Denver stated.

"Direct hit!" Tera reported. "Their reactor is off-line. They are re-modulating their shields."

"Target their weapons array! Fire at will, Miss North."

"Firing, now. Weapons have been destroyed. They are dropping out of warp." The cabin was filled with celebration as the shuttle proceeded on its course without any more interruptions.

* * * * * * *

Arriving back at the Academy, the damaged Pompeii was greeted by an array of technicians. Through a port hole, Denver saw Commander Taylor standing in the wings of the bay. As the shuttle's door opened, the commander stepped forward.

He extended his hand to the ambassador. "Ambassador Monteverde, I'm Commander Taylor. Welcome home."

As everyone began exiting the holodeck, Denver was astonished to see the ambassador and the two Klingons leave also. After all they were holographic images. The looks on the faces of Tera, Laneea and Vheck told him they too were amazed.

"But how?" he asked.

"Mr. Colton," Commander Taylor began, "this final examination was not a holographic simulation, but a very real rescue mission. The top of the training center is a retractable roof which the shuttle actually departed and arrived through." And with that the commander and the Klingons continued down the corridor.

The ambassador turned and winked at Denver. "Situations are not always as they appear," she noted before following the commander. The Epsilon Squadron stood motionless, mouths agape.

It was Vheck who finally spoke. "The commander never said whether we passed the examination. Well, he didn't."

* * * * * * *

Ensign Denver Colton is a Communication Specialist currently stationed aboard the USS Alliance.

Ensign Tera North is an Acting Security Chief (Tactical) currently stationed aboard the USS Massachusetts.

Ensign Laneea Morsha is also an Acting Security Chief (Tactical) currently stationed aboard the USS Avenger.

Ensign Vheck is a Flight Control Specialist currently stationed aboard the USS Calcutta.