The Saracen’s gym facility was small compared to other starships, but that didn’t stop the crew from enjoying it. At the starboard side of the gym, there were hand to hand classes being carried out. And on the far side, two crewmembers were ‘ironing out differences.’ At the center, a heated game of basketball between a pair of teams from Ops and Science. The cheers from their fellow scientists indicated that the rivalry between the two departments was far from settled. To the port side of the heated game and separated by a large glass window, rows of fitness machines were seeing heavy use. On one near the wall, a lone thin Bajoran female ran on a treadmill.

Crewman First Class Pisitelli and Crewman First Class Ross set on a bench along the forward wall of the gym. Their attention taken from the basketball game by the newcomer to the Saracen crew on the treadmill. Instead of supporting their fellow Operations mates, they were deeply involved in conversation.

There was a cheer from the scientists as their team scored once more against Operations. The Ops/Sci Rivalry was a Saracen legend among the enlisted crew and those few officers that took part. The two five player teams would often practice throughout the week before showing off their talents as they clashed in a titanic battle.

Walking over from the mats, Crewman Marte and Senior Chief Petty Officer Asencio walked up to the two Operations crewmembers. “What are you two yakking about,” Asencio said coming to a stop in front of the two crewmen.

Ross smiled as he pointed to the thin Bajoran dripping with sweat, “a new crewmember.”

Asencio laughed, “she isn’t all that new. I have seen her around over the past few weeks.”

Marte nodded, “Hey,” he said turning to the seasoned non-commissioned officer, “didn’t you say your girlfriend is her cabinmate?”

Asencio turned and popped the young man in the back of the head as he spoke, “first Probie, she isn’t my girlfriend. That would be fraternization! When that officer requires something for her lab, she calls me. And yes, they are cabinmates.”

Pisitelli perked up, “well, don’t be shy Chief. What do you know about the new girl?”

He glared at them and chided, “new OFFICER.” Normally locker language wasn’t an issue in the gym. However, with the game going on and a higher-than-normal number of officers in the gym, he chose to keep his men safe from their own stupidity. He paused a moment then added, “well, from what I have heard, she is nice,” he said deciding to withhold the endless complaints his Orion friend had about her Bajoran roommate.

Marte shook his head, “I heard she snuck aboard and shot up the sick bay.” He moved in closer and whispered, “the captain’s wife was on duty…with their son!”

Ross rolled his eyes, “Probie, why are you such a moron.”

Pisitelli pinched the bridge of his nose, “I know I’m going to regret this. But what’ve you heard?”

Before the other two could stop him, the young crewman started his story, “well, I heard from Stive in Engineering, who heard it from his roommate’s girlfriend.” He paused as if to clarify the source, “who happens to work in sick bay.” With a nod to the three, Marte continued, “Stive told me what really happened down there.”

The three enlisted crewmembers rolled their eyes as the young man continued. “So, she beamed aboard from an unknown location, possibly Romulan, or she is a Synthetic!” There was a great sense of urgency in his voice. “I bet she was hired to assassinate the CAPTAIN!” Pisitelli and Ross both hushed the young man so to keep his voice down.

Marte nodded and continued with a lower voice. “That was when she,” he said getting excited about his story, “killed her first Saracen! Snapped his neck like it was a twig! Then she went to sick bay blasting away,” his hands showing twin fingers in the shape of pistols while making blaster like sounds. “Then the captain….”

“Oh I can’t help it,” Ross said cutting in and taking over the story, “Captain Knight beamed in to save the day!” Ross stood up taking on a hero like pose. “He defeated the assassin with Phasers blasting from his eyes and torpedoes out his BUM!” His hand flying about indicating the phasers blasting from his eyes.

Tossing a white towel over his head as Pisitelli stood up and leaned up against Ross. He softened his voice to mimic a female’s voice, “OH Captain, MY Captain…You saved us! MY HERO!” The two older crewmembers started to laugh as they fell back on to the bench.

Back on the court, the clock was running down as Ops was driving for the winning basket. With less than seconds remaining, a do or die three-pointer was shot by a Vulcan just beyond the line. The ball flew through the air in a perfect trajectory. The winning points was seemingly assured, only to have it slammed away from the basket by a large Bajoran. The clock rang the end of the game, and a Science Department victory!

Rubbing his temple Asencio turned to his charge, “I keep telling you, Probie. Stive is messing with you!” Taking in a deep breath he continued. “No one is sneaking aboard the Saracen! The Senior Staff knows what they are doing. I mean, think about it Probie! Someone isn’t going to just walk around the corridors of the ship. And no less, armed!” He shook his head, “I mean how can you be so smart and yet so gullible!”

Shaking his head Asencio continued, “She is probably some exchange officer from the Bajoran Militia.”

“She’s no Militia,” said Ensign Yijo Doz said walking from the court while he wiped the sweat from his face. From out of nowhere, a bright eyed bright tailed, white Caitian rushed up and gave the MVP a huge hug, thanking him for yet again another Science victory. He smiled as the young Ensign rushed off to congratulate the other four players. Ensign Yijo set down on the bench next to Ross as he continued to wipe the sweat off his face and head.

“Okay Mate,” said Ross turning to Doz, “what do you know about your fellow Bajoran over there.”

Dropping the towel next to his bag, he pointed to the female Bajoran, “you see her tattoos.” The four men took note of the tattoos then nodded. “That’s all I need to know. Like the markings on the back of a Roxlus Viper, it tells me she’s dangerous.”

Like moths caught by the brilliance of the flame, the four leaned in, “What,” Pisitelli said. The puzzlement was clear in his voice. “What do you mean,” he questioned.

“The one on her back links her to a religious cult from the edges of the Kendra Province. Crazy zealots the whole lot of them. They have always been at odds with the new Government. Though why she is here is a bit of a mystery. They don’t tend to travel far from Bajor, and I didn’t take them for trusting the Federation much. Still, it’s the two on her chest that are the most telling.” Like a masterful storyteller, he waited for just the right amount of time before dropping the bomb, “she’s Marquis!”

While the others were transfixed on Doz, Asencio scoffed as he waved off the warning, “you almost had me Doz. Marquis! Come on! She’s what twentyish? Thirty at the best. How the hell can she be Marquis!?”

“I tell you, Chief,” Doz spoke in terms of dire warning. “Heart and soul, she is Marquis,” Doz explained to them. “She can’t be trusted!”

“Oh, come on now,” Ross protested laughing. “She’s Bajoran, all Bajorans love the Federation and Starfleet. We saved them from the Cardassians.”

Pistelli turned to face Doz, “wait, I thought the Marquis were the heroes?”

Doz faced the two younger crewmembers, “at one time they were. But then the end of the war came and those who managed to survive the Dominion came home. Many of them couldn’t trust the new alliance between Bajor and the Federation. They formed tight likeminded communities across the Kendra Province. As talk of joining the Federation became a planetary goal, they became more and more militant. They claimed that the Federation would just abandon Bajor again.

Doz moved to continue but was cut off by Asencio. He looked around and noticed that their conversation was being overheard. “Okay, okay enough doom and gloom,” Asencio said waving his three other crewmembers to calm down.

Bending down to pick up his gym bag, Doz countered with narrowed eyes, “she is a bad omen aboard this ship, Chief! Nothing good can come from having her aboard,” Doz said raising from his place on the bench. “Take my advice, my friends, leave that one alone. Less you wish to invite the Pah-wraiths into your world.” He turned and walked away, leaving the words hanging there around them.

Asencio finally laughed and was soon joined by the other three, “Doz is just too religious for his own good.” Asencio turned and searched the exercise machines for the new Officer. Disappointment washed over him as he couldn’t find her. He let out a sigh, “sometimes superstitions are just as dangerous.”

He then turned to Marte, “Okay Probie, let’s get going.”

“Chief,” Marte said softly, “didn’t you fight the Marquis?”

Pisitelli laughed, “Probie,” Ross soon joined into the laughter as Pisitelli continued, “you are looking at one of the most combat experienced enlisted on the ship. Chief here fought in the Border Wars with the Cardassians.”

Ross picked up, “and even against the Marquis.”

Asencio waved off further conversation, “that’s enough fanboying.” He pointed for the exit, “let’s go Probie, we have duty in less then an hour.” He grinned, “and you smell like failure and defeat, so move it!”

As the two walked away, Ross yelled to them, “at least Probie got those mats cleaned!”

“Way to use your back, Probie,” Pisitelli completed the joke.