Michael A. Martin, whose solo short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, is also coauthor (with Andy Mangels) of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Mission: Gamma, Book Three-Cathedral; Star Trek: The Next Generation, Section 31-Rogue; and the forthcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers #30 and #31 (Ishtar Rising Books 1 and 2). Working with Andy, Martin has also coauthored Roswell: Skeletons in the Closet; Roswell: Pursuit; and Roswell: Turnabout (the last of which is forth-coming). Martin was the regular cowriter (also with Andy) of Marvel Comics' monthly Star Trek: Deep Space Nine comic-book series, and has generated heaps of copy for Atlas Editions' Star Trek Universe subscription card series. He has written for Star Trek Monthly, Dreamwatch, Grolier Books, Wildstorm, Platinum Studios, and Gareth Stevens, Inc., for whom he has penned several World Almanac Library of the States nonfiction books. Martin lives and works in an ancient house in Portland, Oregon, surrounded by his wife, Jennifer J. Dottery, their two boys (James and William), and much love and laughter. Andy Mangels is the co-author of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Section 31-Rogue; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Mission: Gamma-Cathedral; and a number of upcoming Star Trek novels, e-books, and short stories, all written with Michael A. Martin. The pair have also written Roswell: Skeletons in the Closet and Roswell: Pursuit, with Roswell: Turnabout forthcoming. Flying solo, Andy is also the author of Animation on DVD: The Ultimate Guide, as well as the best-selling book Star Wars: The Essential Guide To Characters, plus Beyond Mulder and Scully: The Mysterious Characters of The X-Files and From Scream To Dawson's Creek: The Phenomenal Career of Kevin Williamson. Mangels has written for The Hollywood Reporter, The Advocate, Just Out, Cinescape, Gauntlet, Dreamwatch, Sci-Fi Universe, SFX, Anime Invasion, Outweek, Frontiers, Portland Mercury, Comics Buyer's Guide, and scores of other entertainment and lifestyle magazines. He has also written licensed material based on properties by Lucasfilm, Paramount, New Line Cinema, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Microsoft, Abrams-Gentile, and Platinum Studios. His comic-book work has been published by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, Wild-storm, Image, Innovation, WaRP Graphics, Topps, MVCreations, and others, and he was the editor of the award-winning Gay Comics anthology for eight years. He has also written DVD supplemental material and liner notes for Anchor Bay. In what little spare time he has, he likes to country dance and collect uniforms and Wonder Woman memorabilia. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his longtime partner, Don Hood, and their dog, Bela. Visit his website at www.andymangels.com.

Chapter One After bowing respectfully before his opponent, Captain Hikaru Sulu straightened, tensing his wiry form as he raised his epee to the ready position. "En garde!" he shouted, then lunged forward, the slender blade flashing before him.With a grace that belied her considerable size, Lieutenant P'mu'la Hopman deflected Sulu's foil toward the captain's left with a deft parry sixte. Sulu tried to conceal his surprise at how quick the muscular exosociology specialist was on her rather large feet. Though less than twenty years Sulu's junior, Hopman moved like someone far younger. On top of that, she was in her male phase this morning. Sulu had become accustomed to sparring with Hopman when she wore her female form, which was more equivalent to Sulu's own mass.Recovering quickly, Sulu renewed his attack, stepping forward, then back, then forward again, all the while probing his opponent for weakness or hesitation. He thrust, cobralike. Hopman countered him once again with a quarte parry, melding fluidly into a forward-lunging riposte that Sulu easily sidestepped."You're not going easy on me just because I'm the captain, are you, Lieutenant?" Sulu said, wishing he could see his opponent's expression through the white duranium-mesh facemasks.Hopman drew a languid circle in the air with the tip of her foil. "The captain is being entirely too modest about his skills," she said, the smile behind her mask clearly audible.Sulu recalled how Hopman -- a variable-gendered Thelusian who still carried the surname of a human ex-spouse -- had recently stared at the platinum belt he kept on the wall of the situation room. The trophy had hung there for so long that Sulu rarely thought about it anymore. It had been years since he'd bragged to anyone about having swept the Inner Planets championship tournament as a Starfleet Academy cadet.On the other hand, he was far from ashamed of his prowess with the blade. After all, those talents had saved his life years earlier, when he'd been forced into bat'leth combat during Curzon Dax's impulsive hajj into the Klingon Empire. But it's nice not to have the burden of defending a current championship title, Sulu thought. Command of Excelsior was responsibility enough."I know that flattery doesn't work on you, sir," Hopman said, now standing motionless except for the slow twirl of her blade tip.Sulu grinned. "Really?""Yes, sir. At least that's how Lieutenant Tuvok tells it."Sulu's throaty chuckle resonated through the otherwise empty gymnasium. If any member of his senior staff was above the giving or receiving of flattery, it was Lieutenant Tuvok, his Vulcan senior science officer. Five years ago, shortly after coming aboard Excelsior as part of a contingent of junior science specialists, Tuvok had brought a cup of Vulcan tea to the bridge and presented it to Sulu. The subtle blend of flavors had been delightful, and Sulu had wondered for more than a year afterward why Tuvok had never repeated the gesture -- until Janice Rand finally revealed that she had ribbed Tuvok that very day by suggesting that his gift of tea might have been taken as a career-advancement tactic. Sulu, too, had made a similar mock-serious observation in Tuvok's presence even as he'd taken his first sip of the proffered beverage.Ever since that day, Tuvok never again made another unsolicited gift of any sort to a superior officer, no doubt intent on making it crystal clear that he wished to receive no unearned favors."And I wasn't going easy on you, sir," Hopman said earnestly, her wide shoulders slumping. Sulu thought the mannerism might have been unconscious. "I just feel more comfortable when I'm...smaller."Sulu raised his foil again. "That additional mass you're carrying at the moment gives you a strength advantage, Pam. Why not use it?"With that, Sulu renewed his assault on Hopman. She parr