Ranma walked out onto the bridge and turned to Minako. Minako nodded to him as she activated the communications terminal.

“Lieutenant Yuki,” Ranma greeted, “what is your status?”

“Captain, Commander Hino's team has been secured and transferred to the Sisko,” Kio answered. “However, the changeling and the Vorta have managed to elude us and have transported to the ship overhead.”

Minako nodded. “I am scanning eight bio-signs on board now.”

“Very good,” Ranma said. “The ship has been disabled and both the Sisko and the Infinity have tractor beams on it, so it won't be going anywhere for a while.

“We will be dispatching security to deal-”

“Captain,” Kio interrupted, “If it's all the same, I would request that we be allowed to finish what we started.”

Ranma pondered this. Obviously beaming over three hundred security officers between the Sisko and Infinity's security details and Marine detachments would make for a quick and easy end to things, but he had a lot of respect for Lt. Yuki's team and their desire to see this through to the very end.

He would honor their request.

“Make it so,” he ordered. “Let us know when you're ready for transport.”

“Checking their computers, it looks like they might have the same transport rerouting ability on that ship,” Kio reported. “It will likely be better if we take the Runabout.”

“Okay,” Ranma said.

“As well,” Kio continued, “They managed to replicate our weaponry and have schematics for our munitions, armor, and other equipment that Alpha team was carrying. As soon as the Runabout is clear, I suggest we destroy this facility as quickly as possible.”

Ranma turned to Makoto who nodded. “Targeting coordinates already laid in.”

“I have begun to upload their computer core to the Sisko,” Yuki continued. “It should be complete by the time we get to the Runabout.”

Ranma smiled. “Keep us informed, and good work, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The communication closed. Ranma turned to Shampoo as he walked towards the turbolift. “You have the bridge.” He paused as the lift doors opened and turned to Makoto. “As soon as the Runabout docks with that ship, obliterate that facility.”

“Yes sir,” Makoto replied.

Ranma walked into Sickbay to find most of the staff hovering over Commander Hino. Akane noticed Ranma and smiled to him as he walked up to her.

“How is everyone?” Ranma asked.

“Most of them are fine,” Akane answered.

“Most?”

Akane sighed and motioned for Ranma to follow her. Ranma did and once they were alone, Akane began to speak softly.

“They apparently shot Commander Hino in the leg at close range. It's likely the fact that it was such close range that the damage wasn't worse as the round pretty much went straight through her leg and didn't expand as it's designed to do.”

Ranma nodded, waiting for Akane to get to the point.

“However, the shot did basically disintegrate a part of her tibia as it went through, and I am unsure if we're going to be able to regenerate it properly.”

Ranma sighed. “So, what are her chances of a recovery?”

Akane looked down as she spoke. “As it looks now, I'd say she's going to live, but she won't be able to walk properly anymore.”

Ranma growled. “Does she know?”

Akane nodded.

Ranma walked over to Rei and looked down at her. Rei looked up at her Captain and smiled.

“I'm sorry we couldn't get you out sooner,” Ranma apologized.

Rei shook her head. “It happens.” Rei looked around the room a bit before turning back to Ranma. “Where is Ki- Lieutenant Yuki?”

“The Founder and the Vorta beamed themselves to the ship we disabled. Lieutenant  Yuki and her group were not content with only partially completing their job and are on their way to capture him.”

Rei smiled. “She will make a good replacement.”

Ranma sighed. “I think it's too early to file your long-term disability papers yet, Commander. I've seen people recover from worse.”

Rei nodded. “Yes sir.”

Ranma patted Rei on her shoulder, flinching a bit when Rei groaned.

“What did they do to you?” Ranma snarled.

“What is important,” Rei answered after shaking off the pain, “is the fact that they won't be able to do this to anyone else.”

Ranma nodded, walked over, and shook hands with the rest of Alpha team, and began to walk out of sickbay before being confronted by Akane and two doctors.

“Captain,” the doctor called out.

Ranma turned around, only to once again be drug off into a corner by Akane with the two doctors in tow.

“Yes?” Ranma asked.

“There is an... experimental... procedure that we can try that could likely give Commander Hino full mobility again,” the doctor explained.

Ranma raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

The other doctor looked around a little shifty-eyed but then nodded. “Some have called it unethical, but I guess it's how you look at it.”

“Details, please.”

“Well,” the first doctor said, “basically you take the last good transporter record from the pattern buffer-”

“I already don't like where this is going,” Ranma sighed.

“No, no,” the second doctor said, understanding Ranma's concern. “You don't actually materialize a whole... second person. Just the...”

“Just the part you need,” the first bluntly stated.

“You mean we would just 'replicate' a new leg for her?” Ranma asked.

Both doctors shrugged. “More or less, yes,” the first nodded.

“We could then go in, remove the damaged tibia from Commander Hino, and then replace it,” the second doctor explained.

“And then she'd be fine?” Ranma asked.

“When it has been done, successfully, patients had a 92 percent full recovery rate. The other eight percent only had minor drawbacks,” the second doctor explained.

“Successfully?” Ranma asked.

“The doctors that tried this were trying to fix major problems like neurological disorders,” the first explained. “Replacing a brain is a far different task than replacing a leg bone.”

Ranma sighed. Akane looked at him and tugged slightly on his arm. “If nothing else, Ranma, just... look the other way.”

Ranma looked to Akane. “You're okay with this?”

“The information in the pattern buffer...” she said, quietly. “It's just ones and zeros. If it can help her, and not harm anyone...”

Ranma exhaled deeply. “They are her ones and zeros. If Commander Hino agrees, I won't object.”

The doctors nodded and scurried off. Akane leaned up and kissed Ranma. Ranma smiled a bit and walked out of sickbay. He was certainly hoping that they were almost done as he was quite sick of having to make ethical decisions for the week.

Once again, Lt. Yuki did not consider that the Runabout's airlock was on the top of the craft and the docking hatch was on the side of the Jem'Hadar warship, which led to her tumbling out and onto the deck.

“Dammit,” she swore as she hopped up and looked around. Alarms were sounding, letting the emerging group know that those on the ship knew they were there.

Kio was not concerned though. She was quite certain that the changeling would keep most if not all the Jem'Hadar with it to secure his safety.

The facility had been destroyed. The group saw the amazing explosion as they were docking. There was now no place for their enemies to go. Either they were going to capture the changeling, or they were going to force it to self-destruct the ship to avoid capture.

Either way, it would no longer be a threat, and the job would be complete.

The airlock sealed behind Yuki's team and the Runabout headed back towards the Sisko, Kio's faith in her transport enhancers ability to get them off the ship even if the Jem'Hadar managed to get the shields back up convincing JC to return with the two Marines.

However, now that meant that if anything DID block their beam out, they would be stuck until the small ship could return.

Kio decided not to think about that and rather to concentrate on the task at hand. The group easily moved down the corridors of the ship, deciding to stop at engineering where they removed the dilithium from the warp core, making sure that even if the engines went back online, the ship could not warp anywhere.

“There are several self-maintenance programs running,” Xiang noted.

“They're likely trying to fix the ship, only without a crew,” Kio smirked. “Will take forever.”

“We should probably still hurry,” Anthony suggested.

Kio nodded and moved her group forward some more. Xiang looked to his tricorder as they walked. “Lieutenant, I tapped into their computer. It appears that they mirrored some of that facility’s work up here, so some of our data is on board this ship.”

Kio nodded. “The Sisko will probably destroy this ship as well then,” she noted.

They continued to walk, getting closer to the ship's bridge. A few hundred meters out, Kio stopped the group. “Wait,” she whispered.

Kio raised her rifle and looked forward. She could see nothing, but she could swear she heard something.

“Kio?” Anthony asked.

Again, she heard it. Kio opened fire down the corridor. Three Jem'Hadar dropped their cloaks and began to fire back, however, they were quickly all gunned down by Kio and her group, as they were unprepared to be fired upon; their ambush being foiled.

“Damn Kio,” Anthony smiled. “Love those ears.”

Kagurazaka nodded in agreement. Kio smiled at the adulation and motioned for the rest to start moving again. They were down to five enemies now, two of which they knew would be unlikely to put up much resistance.

The group turned a corridor and found a door. Kagurazaka scanned it and noted one bio-sign. Bravo team all readied themselves. Kio hit the button to open the door. The group gasped at what they saw.

Just past the door was... Rei? Hanging from the ceiling, a noose around her neck. She was stripped down, even further than she was before, cuts, bruises, and burns all over her body.

Kio moved forward; her eyes wide open. “Co-Commander?”

“KIO!” Anthony yelled, trying to grab her and pull her back. What was now obviously a faux Rei opened her eyes and smiled, her body morphing a bit and grabbing Kio by the neck and pulling her off the ground.

Bravo team opened fire, but their projectile ammo passed right through the changeling, not causing it even the slightest bit of discomfort. As well, it was starting to position Kio to try and use her as a shield, all the while doing what it could to choke her.

Kio dropped her rifle and struggled at the creature's 'arms' that were wrapped around her neck much like a python. Now about a meter off the deck, she began to kick at it, fruitlessly, as she gasped for air.

“HEAVY STUN!” Anthony ordered the group as they switched their rifles. They began firing at the changeling, but unlike before where it simply shrugged off their assault, the heavy stun setting of the Federation phasers did hurt it. It took several shots, but finally, it let go of Kio, allowing her to drop the meter to the deck, and morphed into a goo, escaping through the ship’s ventilation ducts.

Anthony and Yayo ran up to Kio as she coughed attempted a couple of times to stand.

“Kio!” Anthony said, rubbing her back. Yayo ran her tricorder over Kio, checking her vitals while Kagurazaka and Xiang stood guard.

“I'm fine,” Kio coughed, finding her rifle, and finally, successfully standing up. Anthony looked to Yayo who simply shrugged, not really thinking anything she could say would convince Kio to go back to the Sisko at this point.

“I'm going to fucking kill that thing myself if he tries that again,” Kio grumbled, moving forward. “Let's go.”

The group nodded and moved with Kio to the control room. Kio pulled out a smoke grenade and set it on the ground. She activated the timer before opening the door. The grenade went off and she kicked it in.

It was an effective screen. Shots came flying through the doorway. Kio and her group, however, did not go through the door. They waited. After a moment, the Jem'Hadar came out to look at what they assumed were several dead Federation soldiers.

Instead, they ended up being shot and killed by Bravo team.

“Two left,” Kagurazaka smirked.

Kio stood and started to move but was grabbed by Anthony and pulled back.

“Don't think that Founder doesn't have a weapon,” he said. “They don't usually put themselves in harm’s way, but him attacking you means he's a bit more aggressive than they usually are.”

Kio nodded. “Good point.”

The quintet moved in slowly and found Pallor standing in front of Sor. Sor, for his part, was working on a computer terminal, while Pallor had his arms spread out in a somewhat feeble attempt to make a last stand attempt to defend his god.

“Back!” Pallor demanded. “Do with me what you will, but you will not harm the wise and noble Founder!”

Sor looked up and to Pallor. “Do you really expect to hold them off like that?”

“I only need to stop them long enough for you to escape, Founder.”

Sor sighed. “You are very loyal, Pallor.”

“You are too kind, and wise.”

Kio groaned.

“I share your annoyance, Starfleet,” Sor smirked. “I really wish my brethren had not made the Vorta so... what is your term? Such ass-lickers?”

“Ass kissers,” Anthony corrected Sor.

“Ah, thank you.”

“Look,” Kio growled, giving Anthony a stern look. “No one else has to be harmed here. Surrender and I assure you we will treat you better than you treated Commander Hino.”

“You say that,” Sor said, turning towards Kio, “yet if I remember correctly it was the Federation that attempted genocide with the disease you infected my people with.”

“The acts of a fringe group do not reflect the whole,” Kio replied. “This is why we're not holding the Dominion responsible for your behavior.”

Sor laughed. “My dear, I am the Dominion. I am a Founder. I was placed here to lead this sector of space.”

“The war is OVER!” Kio barked.

“No, it is not,” Sor retorted. “My people may have had to withdraw for strategic reasons, but the war will never end until the Dominion is in control of the entire galaxy.”

He pointed to his computer. “I have sent a request for reinforcements. Soon they will blow through your blockade and arrive to quash your tiny ships and lead us to nothing but undeniable victory.”

Xiang shook his head and whispered, “If he transmitted anything, there is no way it got out of The Badlands.”

“The Founder is wise!” Pallor beamed.

“Oh, for goodness...” Sor groaned and shot Pallor in the back. He then blinked and grumbled. “Now look what you made me do. Until I get my dreadnaught back, I don't have any cloning facilities for him.”

“You...” Kio stammered. “You are insane.”

“Everyone keeps saying that today,” Sor said, looking out the window, presumably for his expected reinforcements. To his surprise, he still only saw the Sisko and the Infinity.

Kio looked to the rest of the group and nodded. They all opened fire on him, hitting him several times, their rifles set on high stun. Sor screamed from the pain, his ability to hold his humanoid shape failing. As he was being stunned, Kio quickly ran up, tossed a transport enhancer into his goo, and hailed the Sisko.

“Yuki to Sisko, one to beam directly to the brig.”

“Acknowledged.”

Sor dematerialized.

“Saotome to Yuki, the Founder has safely arrived in cell 2-A.”

Kio grinned. She looked down to poor Pallor, a look of utter shock on his now lifeless face.

“Let this be a lesson to you, Tony,” Kio said, turning to him. “Sucking up to the boss will get you nowhere.”

Tony quickly moved up next to Kio and leaned into her. “What about kissing her?” he whispered.

Kio turned bright red as she turned to Anthony. “I... I... I... She... She was badly hurt. I...”

An exceptionally large smile crossed Anthony's face. “You are so unbelievably sexy when you're embarrassed.”

Kio stammered a bit more till Anthony, after making sure the rest of the team was not looking, quickly kissed Kio softly. He then moved back to her ear. “I know it can't happen now, Lieutenant, but regardless, you will always have me as your best friend.”

Kio turned to Anthony, smiled, and nodded.

Anthony again leaned in and whispered, “And for God's sake, the next time you're going to kiss her, tell me. I would LOVE to see that.”

Anthony had no idea how such a small woman could send a man his size so far across a room.

Captain's Log: Stardate 62340.5. After Lt. Yuki's team returned from the Jem'Hadar ship, we decided it was best to destroy it, rather than risk an automated transmission protocol being programmed into it and bringing it out of The Badlands.

The bulk of the fleet assembled to confront this threat has dispersed. While we were successful, we did in fact pay a heavy toll. Nine ships were lost, with a total of 3,900 brave Starfleet officers and enlistees giving their lives. Fortunately, the vast majority of the missing lifeboats were found, the Blackout's jamming keeping the Jem'Hadar from picking them off like they usually do.

Ranma sighed. It really seemed like a horrid thing to do, even in war, to destroy escape pods. It seemed like it was equal to bombing hospitals or ambulances, but the Jem'Hadar had little regard for their own lives. Why should they have any more regard for the lives of their enemies?

Starfleet Intelligence is on its way to pick up Sor. The Federation again contacted the Dominion and demanded to know their role in all of this, but they have disavowed any knowledge of Sor's actions. They further claim that all changelings were instructed to return to the Great Link, so any that may be running around are doing so of their own volition and have their own agenda.

For what it's worth, they apologized for the inconvenience caused.

Ranma thought to Rei, who was still confined to Sickbay, then grumbled.

“Inconvenience.”

Once SI arrives, we will be – slowly – heading back to the Lincoln Park yards to have our engines repaired. I will once again be arguing for our engineering staff to be fully educated on ALL aspects of the engines so that at a minimum, we can return to any shipyard and our engineers can repair them.

The Infinity will be departing soon as well. Ukyo will be joining us for a celebratory dinner before she leaves, however. I have once again commissioned Lt. Commander Tsukino to cook, however, though I have decided to have the dinner in the holodeck so that she can torment some holographic people, rather than my crew.

“End recording,” Ranma instructed the computer. The console complied with a chirp. Akane walked up behind Ranma and wrapped her arms around him, kissing the back of his neck. Ranma placed his hands on hers and looked at her reflection on his computer monitor.

“Latinum for your thoughts.” Akane offered.

“I don't think I am going to accept any offers of Admiral they present,” Ranma said.

“How come?” Akane asked, knowing the answer, but asking anyway.

“I like making a difference,” Ranma replied.

Akane nodded. “You'd be bored anyway.”

Ranma nodded in agreement. “What about you? What if they offered you something better?”

Akane tightened her grip on Ranma. “Nothing they could offer could be better than this.”

Ranma smiled. It was moments like this that he knew exactly why he loved Akane.

There were several tables set up in holodeck two. At first, Ranma had argued for one large table, but then after seeing it he thought that it felt too 'mid-evil', so he decided to accept Gosnell's suggestion that they make three smaller tables.

Of course, then there was an issue as to the seating arrangements. Ranma insisted that he be placed where he would be able to talk to any of the three tables, and Gosnell agreed that would be a good idea. However, Gosnell also suggested that they do not segregate the groups by division, department, or rank, which then would also mean that some people would end up sitting next to people that they didn't really know.

Minako then began to complain that Ryouga was not on the guest list. Ranma's logic was that it was just the NEO teams and bridge officers, but then Minako pointed out the Marine involvement. Gosnell interjected to ask then if all the Marines should be invited as that would only be fair, to which Minako yelled at him.

Akane finally intervened, to mediate and said that spouses should be allowed. Gosnell and Ranma relented, but then Usagi grumbled as that meant she had one more that she had to cook for. Gosnell suggesting that her objections were more because she did not have a spouse were met with flying dishware.

Finally, the time had come, and most people were seated. The final two to arrive were Rei and Kio. Rei had her arm wrapped around Kio as the pair walked in. Rei, limping quite a bit paused and looked quite shocked as the room stood and gave her a standing ovation.

“Unexpected,” she smiled.

Kio smiled at her as she helped her get to her seat two seats away from Ranma.

“How is your leg, Commander?” Ranma asked.

“Hurts like hell, sir,” Rei responded, chuckling. “Mostly from the surgery.”

“Will you recover okay?” Ukyo asked.

Rei nodded. “They say that I need about two months of physical therapy to get it working right again, but I should be fine.” Rei looked to Akane and smiled. “They managed to attach everything properly, so thank you for that.”

“Don't thank me!” Akane laughed.

The room laughed as well. The food started to trickle in. Before everyone started to eat, Ranma stood and tapped his glass. Everyone fell silent and turned to him.

“Again, I find myself in the position of pointing out what a spectacular group of people I have the good fortune of working with,” Ranma smiled. “But I would be very selfish if I did not point out that without the help of our good friends aboard the Infinity, we may not be here to enjoy this meal.”

Ranma turned to Ukyo and raised his glass. “To the Infinity!”

“To the Infinity!” everyone repeated.

Ukyo smiled and raised her glass back. “The Sisko is a special ship,” she said, looking towards first Rei and then towards Kio and her team. “We cannot do what you guys do. But always know, we will be there for you whenever you are in a situation that requires a sword, rather than a scalpel.”

Rei nodded and smiled.

“I thought that was our job,” Ryouga grumbled.

“Ryouga, you're more like a wooden club,” Ranma chuckled.

The room laughed. Ryouga scowled a bit before chuckling himself. Minako ruffling his hair helping him to lighten up slightly.

The room ate and chatted for a while. Ukyo watched Ranma and Akane chat, obvious love in their faces as they talked. It still bothered her. Not as much as it did a few days ago, but she acknowledged that she could not just turn it off.

Shampoo noticed Ukyo. Ukyo felt Shampoo watching her and turned to her. Shampoo allowed a slight smirk to cross her face. Ukyo shook her head before turning away, albeit just for a moment before turning back to Shampoo.

“Does it ever go away?” she whispered to Shampoo.

Shampoo shook her head. She looked to Jansen who was in a very animated conversation with Makoto, likely about ships being blown up. Shampoo scooted closer to Ukyo before speaking again.

“If you let it consume you, it only hurt more.”

“Why her?” Ukyo asked, a bit sad. “Why not me?”

Shampoo shrugged. “Why not Shampoo? Why not Rei? Does it really matter?”

Ukyo sighed. “I guess not.”

“Shampoo love Ranma. Will till the day I die. If something ever happen and Akane no longer in picture,” Shampoo grinned, “Shampoo will pounce.”

Ukyo looked to Shampoo, both disgusted by and in awe of her honesty, as the Sisko's first officer continued. “That said, Shampoo love him enough to let him be happy. Ranma happy, so Shampoo happy.”

Ukyo slowly nodded.

“Besides,” Shampoo said, checking again on Jansen who was still waving her arms around to emphasize whatever point she was trying to make to Makoto, “we friends and unlike lovers, friends forever.”

Ukyo had not thought of it like that. While it was certain that a friendship did not have the level of invulnerability to it that Shampoo was implying – Ukyo had nearly learned that lesson the hard way earlier that week – it certainly was a lot more stable than a 'relationship'.

“Thanks,” Ukyo smiled.

“What are you guys talking about?” Ranma asked, noticing Ukyo and Shampoo.

“Oh, she was just giving me some advice,” Ukyo smiled.

Shampoo nodded. “World is topsy-turvy. Romulans helping Starfleet, Shampoo helping Spatula-Girl, what next? Cats marry dogs?”

Ukyo laughed and shook her head, ignoring the spatula-girl comment.

“Commander,” JC called after Usagi as she walked down the corridor from engineering towards a turbolift.

Usagi stopped and turned around. She smiled at JC as he scurried to catch up with her.

“Hi!”

“Do you have a minute?”

Usagi nodded and motioned for JC to follow her. “I've got an appointment to get my hair done soon, so I hope you don't mind if we talk and walk.”

JC shook his head as the pair moved into the turbolift.

“So, what's up?”

“Well,” JC said, sheepishly, “I just wanted to make sure we were cool.”

“Cool?”

JC nodded.

“I didn't know we were ever 'uncool',” Usagi said.

“Uh...”

The lift doors opened and Usagi walked out. JC trailed behind her a bit, listening to her as she spoke.

“I overreacted,” she admitted. “I understand that when you sound and act like an ass, you don't actually mean to.”

JC blinked. “An ass?”

Usagi nodded. “Yes. But it's fine.”

“Well,” JC said, running up in front of Usagi and stopping her, “I don't think it is. Not if you think I have been an ass.”

“Hrm,” Usagi mumbled, pulling a small PADD out of her pocket and looking it over. “This thing is all wrong.”

JC ripped the PADD from Usagi's hand and began to read. “Ten ways to make a man fall in love with you?”

Usagi shrugged. “It was worth a shot.”

“Number six, accuse him of being an ass...”

Usagi again shrugged.

“Who writes this crap?”

Again, Usagi shrugged.

JC took the PADD and put it in his own pocket, making sure Usagi did not get a chance to use number four; one that mentioned physically assaulting a man. At first glance, it seemed to be written for Klingons, not humans.

“Look, when we get to the shipyard, there will be a week while they disassemble the engines and we won't have anything to do,” JC explained. “Would you like to take a trip with me to Risa-”

“OH MY GOD!” Usagi screeched.

“Please let me finish,” JC sighed.

Usagi groaned sadly. “Okay.”

“Would you like to take a trip with me to Risa and meet my wife and daughter?”

“Wouldn't I be a third wheel? Isn't Risa a super-sexy lover's paradise?”

JC chuckled a bit. “You've never traveled with a child before, have you?”

Usagi shook her head.

“Yeah, there's not a lot of super-sexy stuff going on when they are around.”

Usagi smirked. “I see what you're doing.”

“Oh?”

“You think I will have so much fun with your daughter that you and your wife can sneak off for all kinds of naughty activities.”

JC smugly grinned.

“Does she like manga?”

“She's five.”

“So...”

JC shrugged. “I'm not certain her reading comprehension is to the point where manga makes much sense yet.”

“I should help her with that.”

JC nodded. “A noble task.”

“I agree to your terms,” Usagi said, stretching out her hand.

“Excellent!” JC smiled, shaking Usagi's hand.

“If nine months from now you have another daughter, I am going to insist you name her after me.”

JC chuckled nervously. “Actually...” JC quickly positioned himself to where he could make a quick dash for the turbolift if necessary, “...we already have an 'Usagi' in our household.”

“Oh?”

JC nodded, moving farther away from his boss.

“Yes, a beautiful little cat.”

“What a coincidence!”

“Yes...” JC stammered. “Coincidence.”

Usagi suddenly realized why JC was moving away. She started to move towards him.

“What's he like? Clumsy?”

“It's not the most graceful cat, no.”

“Loud?”

“He meows quite a bit...”

“What else?”

“Loud noises make him hide...”

Usagi glared at JC as he swiftly moved backward away from the advancing chief engineer.

“When did you get it?”

JC looked around, turned, and sprinted towards a turbolift.

“Last year!!” he called out as he fled.

Usagi considered pursuing JC but instead decided to simply continue to her hair appointment. There would be plenty of time between now and their trip to plan her revenge.

Yes, she would have her revenge, and it would be sweet.