Ashur stood in roughly the same place on the bridge as he had been when Kass led her assault team into the<em>Bellona</em>.  He wasn’t much given to pacing and the crew were no doubt looking to him to provide a stable presence.  Years of command hadn’t made it any easier to wait patiently while he had crew members in danger… but it had taught him how to look serene while doing it.<br/><br/>He allowed himself a small sigh of relief when he saw the assault craft float away from the enemy vessel, though.  Barring a complete catastrophe that meant the mission was essentially accomplished and the crew would soon be whole again.  Within the span of a minute, the tiny shuttle had covered the space between the two ships and was commencing docking procedures.<br/><br/>“Open communications, Indira.  Narrow band, if you please.”<br/><br/>Indira nodded.  “Communications opened, sir.”<br/><br/>Ashur smiled into the view screen as it shifted from the external view of the<em>Bellona</em>to the ship’s bridge, replete with a visibly infuriated Hiska Deen and a handful of milling, uncertain members of his crew.<br/><br/>“Captain Deen.  I thank you for your… enthusiastic cooperation.  In a moment I will order your ship released.  I advise you in the strongest possible terms to leave Sector 7 immediately.  After all, you do have pressing matters to attend at Absalom…”<br/><br/>Hiska Deen looked to be chewing his tongue.  He started to respond at least twice, but ultimately said nothing.  Ashur half expected to see tendrils of steam rising from his ratlike ears.<br/><br/>“Docking procedure completed,” a tinny voice assured through a speaker in the wall.  “Asset recovered.”<br/><br/>Now Ashur’s smile was broad, genuine and entirely charming.<br/><br/>“I bid you farewell and safe travels, Captain.”<br/><br/>He nodded to Indira, who cut the graviton beam, freeing their prey.  Within seconds, the ship was away.  He suspected at top speed.<br/><br/>Ashur chuckled softly.<br/><br/>“It shouldn’t be as amusing to make someone piss themselves, Indira… but it is.  Matara help me, it is.  I’m a bad man.”<br/><br/>She and the rest of the bridge crew, save Hightower, smiled and laughed with each other.  The mission was accomplished.  Soon they’d all be the richer for it.  Some of them significantly so.<br/><br/>As if thinking of their “cargo” had summoned him, the door hissed.  Ashur turned smoothly to watch as Kass and her team entered, Dannilov slung unceremoniously like a sack of potatoes over Adams’ shoulder.  He sighed heavily.<br/><br/>“You shot him, didn’t you,” Ashur asked, frowning.  “Kass, we talked about this.”<br/><br/>He nodded once more to Indira, his good mood evaporating as the Science Officer checked Dannilov’s vitals.  After a few moments he saw the tension in her relax slightly and relaxed himself as a result.<br/><br/>“He’s alive, sir.  In fact…”<br/><br/>The sack of potatoes groaned softly.<br/><br/>“In fact,” she continued, “he seems to be rousing.”<br/>