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So did Jaresh-Inyo’s.

Instinctively, Picard reached for a sidearm that, of course, wasn’t there. One did not enter the Palais de la Concorde armed, unless one was part of the president’s security detail.

The trio who made up that detail reacted as swiftly as expected, and whipped out their own phasers, training them on the undulating liquid that was now pooling in the president’s chair.

Before they could fire, though, a trio of tendrils shot out from the mass, smothering all three guards. One phaser beam burst through and fired into the ceiling.

With horror, Picard realized that all three guards were drowning. The shapechanger was unable to form anything solid, but it still had enough control of itself to move.

Then a phaser beam sliced through the air in front of Picard. Glancing to his right, he saw that Worf was holding a palm-sized phaser. While Picard would never enter the Palais armed, his first officer was not so politic-though Picard did wonder how he managed to get such a device past Palais security, especially in a time of war.

A high-pitched scream reverberated through the office, and a smell very much like that of burning leaves filled Picard’s nostrils as the shapechanger started to explode outward in several directions. Picard dove to the floor, deliberately knocking Kira and Quark down with him, to avoid being hit by a flying protrusion.

Worf kept firing, and one of the guards recovered well enough to do likewise.

Moments later, there was only black ash on the chair and around the president’s desk. Only then did Kira deactivate the device, believing, rightly, that it was best to keep the creature disguised as Jaresh-Inyo limited in its options.

Slowly clambering to his feet, Ross put voice to Picard’s thought. “I wasn’t aware that one could sneak a phaser into the Palais, Commander Worf.”

“There are no security measures that cannot eventually be overcome, Admiral” was all Worf would say on the subject.

Before the admiral could question his first officer more thoroughly, Picard asked, “Is everyone all right?”

“Not especially,” Councillor Mazibuko said shakily. The air in the room felt thick and oppressive to Picard. He hadn’t expected the meeting to end quite this way. While he believed that it was possible that shapechangers had infiltrated the Federation-he recalled vividly when parasitic beings had engaged in a similar campaign a decade earlier, possessing several key Starfleet players-he never imagined that the president himself would be a target.

T’Latrek regarded Odo, who had now reverted to his humanoid appearance, and Kira. “My apologies for doubting your story.”

Zh’Thane ran a hand through her feathery white hair. “This is disastrous. How long has this been going on?”

“We’re not sure,” Kira said softly.

“We must call an emergency session of the Federation Council,” T’Latrek said. “And we must decide our next move. For now, however, everyone should proceed as if nothing has changed. The Cardassians and their allies are invading Federation space, and we are still committed to aiding the Klingons against the Romulans.”

Quark was staring at the ashes near the desk. “What’ll you tell people?”

“We’ve got to come up with a cover story,” Whatley said. “There’s no way we can just say that the president’s been replaced by a doppelganger.”

“Agreed,” Krajensky said. “It would cause a panic.”

Testily, Picard said, “The Federation is fighting two wars, Mister Ambassador. I’d say panic is the order of the day.”

Ross held up a hand. “Nonetheless, Jean-Luc, we need to proceed cautiously. If nothing else, we can’t afford to tip the Founders to the fact that we’ve learned who they are.”

“The logical course of action would be to act as if Jaresh-Inyo is still alive,” T’Latrek said.

Odo said, “My people will soon learn that he has been removed from the field of play.”

“Perhaps,” T’Latrek said, “but it would be best to delay that as long as possible.”

Mazibuko asked, “What if there are others?”

“As far as we’ve been able to determine,” Odo said, “there are only four of my people in this quadrant.