Mission 28

Desperate Measures (Part II) Prologue

“Tennison, scan the vicinity for any shuttles or escape pods that could have come from the Odyssey,” Lex ordered, leaping into action instinctively.  “Davis, sweep the area for any trace of a ship that may have rendezvoused with the Odyssey earlier – warp plasma residue, ion trails –anything, especially something that might indicate that a cloaked Romulan vessel was here.”“Aye, sir,” the two bridge officers replied in unison as they went to work.“Captain,” Sheridan volunteered over the still active comm channel, “the Odyssey’s records show that all shuttles and escape pods are accounted for – wherever Henriksen is, he obviously had some other means of transportation.”“Understood, Commander,” Lex replied pensively.  “Kate, secure the Odyssey and transport Commander Eloquin back to the Argus.  I’m sending Arkin over with some additional security personnel – I want you to search that ship from stem to stern; search every compartment, bulkhead and conduit, until you can say with utter certainty that she’s empty.”“Right away, sir.  Sheridan out.”“Lieutenant,” Lex said, turning to Arkin, “assemble a security team and rendezvous with Commander Sheridan on the Odyssey.”“Yes, sir,” the young Bajoran replied enthusiastically, eager to help.“No signs that any ships have been in the vicinity recently, Captain,” Davis responded.“Keep scanning,” Lex ordered.  “There must be some clue to what’s going on out there.  Henriksen can’t have disappeared into thin air.”  He paused suddenly, a theory beginning to form at the back of his mind – except it wasn’t quite a theory, but more of a suspicion … and once again, there was only one man who could tell Lex what he needed to know.  But right now, that man was being uncharacteristically quiet.“Admiral Morrison,” Lex said eventually.  “Could I see you in my ready room for a moment?” “You know where Henriksen is, don’t you, sir?” Lex asked once they were alone.  Morrison’s silence was all the confirmation Lex needed at this point.  “Admiral, I understand there’s a need for secrecy when it comes to intelligence work.  I recognise that like any other covert organisation, Starfleet Intelligence has to maintain a degree of deniability when it comes to some of its more … clandestine operations.  I am also aware of the fact that despite my rank and security clearance, you may not think that I can be trusted with all that you know.“But you’d better understand this – Henriksen has given us the slip; we don’t know where he is, where he’s going, or how he’s getting there.  At this stage you have a simple choice – level with me so that I can complete my mission, or allow Henriksen to make it all the way to Romulan space.  So what’s it going to be – keep your secrets or stop Henriksen – because you sure as hell can’t do both?”Lex paused, locking eyes with the admiral, waiting to see how he responded.  Once again, Lex knew that Morrison didn’t have to tell Lex a thing, and if he felt really vindictive, he could possibly even charge Lex with insubordination.  But Lex was sure that at this point, Morrison’s desperation would win out; it may have been the end of Lex’s career if Henriksen succeeded in defecting, but Morrison had made it clear that there was much more than one man’s career at stake here.

“Deniability must be maintained,” Morrison replied eventually in his usual gruff tone, “and so you never heard any of this from me.  But you are right, there’s no time for mistrust if we’re to stand any chance of catching Henriksen now.“Tell your people to scan the area for a cloaked ship – not that it’ll do them any good, but it’s probably worth a try.”“What ship?” Lex asked, his suspicions partially answered.  “The Romulans would be taking quite a risk venturing this far from their border.”“It’s not a Warbird we’re looking for,” Morrison confirmed grimly.  “It’s the ‘prize’ I was telling you about earlier – the one that could tip the whole balance of power if it falls into Romulan hands.”“It’s the USS Victory, isn’t it?”  Lex asked solemnly.“Yes,” Morrison replied gravely.  “Complete with its fully functional interphase cloaking device.”

ACT ONE“I don’t believe you people!” Lex cursed as his frustration grew to unmanageably levels.  “I’ve been tracking Henriksen and the Odyssey across this sector for days now, and you never thought it might be helpful for me to know he had a cloaked ship at his disposal?”“I had my orders, just as you had yours,” Morrison countered.  “A Starfleet officer has to recognise that some information must be restricted on a need-to-know basis.  It was felt that in this case, for you to stop him successfully, you did not need to know what Henriksen had been doing prior to his defection.”“I think information concerning his motives, his methods, his opportunities and his contact with the Romulans may have proved insightful when it came to anticipating his next moves.”“That is your opinion – it was not ours.”“And just who is this ‘ours’ you speak of?  You’re an admiral in Starfleet Intelligence – a law unto yourself it seems.”“We all answer to someone, Captain.”“So what about the Victory then?  I saw the records for myself – the records that show the Victory was deemed ‘unsalvageable’ upon its return from the Delta Quadrant.”“The Victory was severely damaged by the time she returned to Earth – but she was salvageable,” Morrison confirmed.  “However, the B’rhaim interphase cloaking device that you helped capture and fit into the Victory had become completely fused into the ship’s warp systems.  At that stage it became clear we had somewhat of a dilemma on our hands.“Should we destroy the cloak completely, hand it over to Starfleet Science for study, or leave it in the Victory for future use?”“What about the Treaty of Algeron?” Lex asked.  “It strictly forbids the development or use of cloaking technology by the Federation.”“Times have changed since the treaty was signed over sixty years ago,” Morrison retorted dismissively.  “The first Defiant-class ship was equipped with a cloaking device by the Romulans, under their strict observation to begin with.  But shortly after it was installed, the Defiant’s crew were allowed to use it without Romulan supervision, and it was left solely in Starfleet’s care.“Originally, it was reserved purely for use in the Gamma Quadrant; but again, Starfleet soon sanctioned Captain Sisko’s decision to use it when necessary in the Alpha Quadrant – even

though this was still strictly speaking a violation of the Treaty of Algeron.  Now, the new Defiant’s been fitted with another Romulan cloaking device, even though the Dominion War is over – so clearly even the Romulans recognise there has been a relaxing of the terms of the treaty.“And let’s not forget the ‘emergency’ justification.  Captain Picard and Captain Kirk, two of the most decorated and respected officers in Starfleet’s history, have both attached cloaking devices illegally to their ships in times of crisis.  Are we saying that they are criminals under treaty law?”“So maybe some captains have been forced to bend the rules in the past,” Lex conceded reluctantly, “but that’s not the same as making a premeditated decision to breach the treaty.”“How have you come so far, being so naïve?” Morrison asked rhetorically.  “It was agreed by all parties that ignoring the interphase cloak brought back from the Delta Quadrant would be like cutting off our nose to spite our face.  On the other hand, the general consensus was that to study, experiment and reproduce the cloak would be a step too far – clearly breaching the core principle of the Treaty of Algeron, that the Federation would not develop cloaking technology.”“So Starfleet Command agreed to hand the Victory, with its cloaking device, over to you at Starfleet Intelligence?” Lex guessed, filling in the blanks.“They felt that allowing us to ‘make the most of a piece of recovered alien technology’ was an acceptable compromise,” Morrison said with a slight smile.“So why the cover story?”“Like any government, the Federation Council occasionally authorises things in the interests of Federation security that it would rather not admit to publicly.  Despite the relaxing attitudes on both sides concerning the treaty, it was felt it would be wise not to rub the new cloak in the Romulan’s faces, especially if a return to the cold war days was imminent.  After all, they’ve been trying for years to perfect interphase cloaking devices, but without success.”“But now if they can get their hands on the Victory, they’ll have a template from which they could construct a whole fleet of interphase cloaked warships…” Lex concluded.“Now you see why it’s so important that we stop Henriksen from meeting with his contact at the border.”Lex paused for a moment, letting everything sink in.  He’d been present when they’d first fitted the cloak into the Victory last year; now he tried to remember the teething troubles they’d had back then, hoping to find a weakness that could be exploited now.“You said the cloak couldn’t be removed from the Victory because it had become permanently fused into the warp systems after it was damaged by the B’rhaim?” Lex asked.“That’s right.”“When it was first installed, the cloak used all available power from the warp core, which meant that its warp drive was inoperable.”“Of course,” Morrison said triumphantly, finally guessing what Lex was hinting at.  “We were never able to remove the cloak from the Victory’s warp core – that was the whole reason why we had to leave it in there.”“And with all warp power being diverted to the cloaking device, the Victory has no warp drive,” Lex continued.“That’s right – she only has impulse engines,” Morrison confirmed.  “To travel at warp, she has to be transported aboard the Odyssey.”“Which means that she must have launched from the Odyssey recently, while Eloquin was giving us the run-around,” concluded Lex.  “The Victory can’t have travelled far on impulse drive alone – there’s still a chance we could catch her before the border!”

“There’s a chance,” Morrison agreed, “but it’s a slim one.  There’s a hell of a lot of space that Henriksen could be hiding in, and we have no way of detecting the Victory while it’s cloaked.”“A slim chance is a lot more than we had a moment ago, Admiral,” Lex replied defiantly.  “Just trust me to do the job I was given, and I promise you we’ll find Henriksen before he reaches the border.”“As you wish, Captain – I’ll leave this in your hands.  But I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what’s at stake.”“No, sir – you don’t,” Lex replied, stressing the fact that he hadn’t failed to notice that Morrison had felt the need to remind him again.

 ***

 Captain’s Log, Supplemental, Security Classification Alpha:

It’s been four hours since we caught up with the Odyssey, only to find that Commander Eloquin had been alone, acting as a decoy.  Commander Sheridan and Lieutenants T’Kare and Arkin assisted Captain Jefferson’s personnel with a thorough search of the Odyssey, but this only confirmed that Eloquin had been alone.

With the security teams back aboard the Argus, we’ve set a course for the region of space where the Odyssey came closest to the Romulan border, as this seemed the most likely departure point for the Victory and the best place from which to start our search.  Captain Jefferson, Ensign Lon and a team of engineers from the Odyssey and Argus have remained aboard the Odyssey to conduct repairs and return the ship to Starbase 251.  Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Liral and her security personnel have remained with us to assist in the hunt for Henriksen.

I’ve assigned Lieutenant Commander Tennison and Lieutenant Dulmis to head up a team to figure out a way to penetrate the Victory’s interphase cloak, if and when we can discover their approximate location.  In the meantime, it falls to me to try and help Admiral Morrison get some useable information from Commander Eloquin, currently residing in the Argus’ brig.

Interrogation is not something I relish, and I can’t help but remember that the last time I was questioning someone in the brig, it was Voltrat, the B’rhaim prisoner, on the eve of the attack to recapture the Argus.  But as irritating as Admiral Morrison is, he is right about what’s at stake here.  We can’t let Henriksen hand over the Federation’s secrets to the Romulans … and we certainly can’t let them get a hold of the interphase cloak.  So question Eloquin I must … I only hope that this isn’t an omen that events are about to follow the same disastrous pattern as before.

 “Commander, I’m ordering you to tell us where Henriksen is heading!” Morrison repeated angrily.  “This little mutiny is over for you – but if you co-operate now, it could make all the difference when it comes to pleading in mitigation for your crimes.  However, if you continue to take this attitude with me, I promise that you will be an old woman by the time you are released from the penal colony!”Eloquin stood impassively on the other side of the force-field, respectfully standing to attention, but saying nothing.“Commander, you have nothing left to gain by remaining silent,” Lex urged.  “I understand that you feel a degree of loyalty toward Henriksen and the others, but at this stage, there’s really nothing they can do for you.  Are you really willing to throw everything away, all that you’ve earned during your time in Starfleet, just to help them save their own hides?”

“Captain, Admiral,” Eloquin said finally, “I have nothing but respect for the both of you, but I will happily face the consequences of my actions alone.  No one forced me to help Commander Henriksen, I chose to do so for my own reasons – but I’m afraid that nothing you say now will make me knowingly endanger the lives of my friends.”“May I remind you that your friends are about to betray the Federation to the Romulans just to line their own pockets?” Morrison replied contemptuously.  “Commander Henriksen, Lieutenant Campbell and Lieutenant Wong will go down in history as some of the greatest traitors the Federation has ever known.”“Admiral, you of all people should know that that’s not true,” Eloquin retorted, before falling silent again.“What do you mean by that?” Lex asked, worried that once again the admiral was holding out on him.“I just mean that Admiral Morrison should have learnt by now to trust Henriksen’s judgment,” Eloquin replied.  “Henriksen would no more betray the Federation that you would.”“Then explain to me why he felt he had to hijack a Starfleet vessel, abandon its crew at Starbase 88 and flee for the Romulan border?” Morrison asked rhetorically.“We did what had to be done,” Eloquin responded boldly.“We’ll see if your court martial panel takes the same view,” Morrison spat.  “One last time, Commander – where is the Victory heading?”  Eloquin stood her ground, holding the admiral’s gaze, but still saying nothing.  “Very well, Miss Eloquin, if that’s the way you want it … so be it.”With that he turned away from the cell and left the brig, signalling for Lex to follow.“We’ll see if she’s a bit more co-operative after some time alone in her cell,” Morrison suggested.“With all due respect, Admiral, I don’t think time alone will make the slightest bit of difference,” Lex said dismissively.  “Commander Eloquin is a very determined young officer – I think it’s clear here that she’s made up her mind and she’s sticking to her decision.  She let herself be caught aboard the Odyssey in order to buy Henriksen and the others more time, so I don’t think that her resolve is going to waver now.”“I would have to agree, Captain,” Sheridan volunteered, joining them outside the brig.  “Threats and intimidation will not work on her – if anything they’ll just strengthen her resolve.  But there may be another way that I could try, with your permission.”“Dulmis to Captain Lex – please report to main engineering; I think we have a lead on detecting the Victory through the interphase cloak,” came the chief engineer’s voice over the comm system.“On my way, Lieutenant,” Lex replied.  “Kate, do what you can with Commander Eloquin; time’s running out and we’ll never be able to detect the Victory unless we at least know its approximate location.  Handle the situation as you see fit, but get me Henriksen’s destination.”“Aye, sir.”“Admiral, if you’d like to join me in main engineering – I’m afraid your presence here may hinder Commander Sheridan’s approach.”“I don’t care what approach she uses,” Morrison said urgently.  “You know as well as I do, finding the Victory without her flight plan will be impossible, no matter what plan your engineer has devised.  If Eloquin doesn’t talk to Commander Sheridan, we may have to consider more extreme options.”“Admiral, what you do behind closed doors at Starfleet Intelligence is your own business,” Lex said sternly.  “But on my ship, my word is final – and I will not allow anyone onboard to breach Starfleet regulations regarding the treatment of prisoners.”

“Even if your blind adherence to these rules heralds the death of the Federation?”“If we no longer adhere to these rules, the Federation is already dead,” Lex replied determinedly.“Then we will just have to cross that bridge when we get there, Captain,” Morrison said grimly.  “Good luck, Commander,” he added politely, as he and Lex turned and headed for the turbolift. “Are you here to try and appeal to my conscience as well now?” Eloquin asked as Kate entered the brig.“Would it help if I did?” Sheridan replied with a half smile.“That depends on whether or not I have a conscience – and popular opinion is that I don’t,” Sarah-Louise answered, relaxing a little more.  “Look, Kate, I’m sorry that I can’t be of any more help to you, but with so much at stake, I just don’t know who I can trust with what.”“I would hope that no matter what, you could always trust me,” Sheridan replied earnestly.  “We’re friends, Sarah-Louise, and you have to know that I will do everything I can to ensure that we all make it out of this in one piece.”“It’s just not that simple.  I can’t ask you to disobey your orders – I wouldn’t want to put you in that position – but I can’t see what you can do to help us as long as you’re going by the book.  And anything I say to you could jeopardise the lives of the others … it’s just too great a risk.”Kate paused for a moment, considering her next move.  Something inside her was telling her to trust her friend – but could she trust that instinct?  All she did know for certain was that everyone seemed to be playing by their own rules, and unless she could figure out what was going on, she and Lex would always be at a disadvantage.“I know that Henriksen means a lot to you,” Kate continued softly, “but you have to know that whatever he has planned, he’s never going to be able to pull it off alone.  You might not want to tell me what he’s up to, but you know what it is, and you know it’s going to get messy and bloody before it’s over.  But I promise you now, if you help me find him, I will take him in alive, and we can all go home together.”Eloquin paused for a moment, obviously troubled by Sheridan’s words, as though they were forcing her to admit something to herself that she was trying to deny.“I can’t…” she repeated eventually.  “He’s relying on me.”“But you didn’t volunteer to act as decoy, did you?” Kate pushed, following a hunch.  “You knew what lay ahead and you wanted to go with him – but he told you to stay behind.  He was trying to protect you from what was to come, because he knew the odds were against him.”“I said I’d watch his back…”“But who’s watching it now?  He’s alone out there, one lone ship against who knows what – and there’s no one to back him up.  Henriksen knew the risks and he felt he had no choice but to continue and risk it all – but are you really ready to let him die alone, or do you believe that there could be another way?” “Report, Commander,” Lex ordered as he and Morrison entered Dulmis’ office in main engineering.“We think we’ve found a way to overload the Victory’s interphase cloak,” Tennison revealed.  “The records from the previous encounter with the B’rhaim cloaks showed that a sustained anyon bombardment destabilised the B’rhaim’s personal cloaks.”“We know that the cloaking devices on the B’rhaim’s ships worked on the same principle as their personal cloaks,” Dulmis continued, “so we hope that a concentrated anyon burst through the main deflector dish should overload the Victory’s cloak, rendering her visible again.”

“You hope?” Morrison repeated.“It’s all theoretical, Admiral,” Dulmis confessed.  “We have nothing we can try any of our theories out on.”“But I see another problem,” Lex interjected.  “In order to strike the Victory with the focused anyon beam, you’re going to have to already know where it is.  It seems like a vicious circle to me.”“That was our main sticking point, Captain,” Dulmis confirmed, “but we think we’ve found a way around it.”“We only need to find the Victory for a moment, just long enough to target it with the deflector array,” Tennison explained.  “We went back over everything we know about B’rhaim cloaking fields, and I think we have something we can use.”“If you remember when the B’rhaim foot-soldiers tried to board us last year, sir,” Dulmis continued, “they beamed over while cloaked, so we were unable to track them once they were aboard.”“But we were able to detect them for a brief second as they beamed onto the ship,” Lex remembered.“That’s right – the interphase cloak not only makes its subject invisible, but also shifts it out of phase so that the subject can pass through any solid matter.  However, we discovered that when an object in an interphase-cloaking field passes through another uncloaked object, it briefly generates a weak chroniton field.  It was these fields that allowed us to briefly detect when B’rhaim infiltrators beamed aboard, and I think these chroniton fields will be the key to revealing the Victory to allow us to target it with the main deflector array.”“Excellent work, people,” Lex congratulated them.  “But none of this will do us any good without the Victory’s approximate location.”“You’re right, it’s only a short-range measure,” Dulmis admitted.  “I’m afraid that unless we can narrow the search area, it’ll be like searching for a needle in a whole barn full of hay.”“Then I bring good news,” Sheridan announced as she entered the office.  “The Victory’s heading 326, mark 074 – she’s attempting to reach an asteroid field that stretches across the Romulan border.”“Well done, Commander!” Morrison said, smiling for the first time in days.  “I’ll see that you receive a commendation for this when we return home.  How did you get her to tell you where to find Henriksen?”“I promised her that we’d protect him,” Sheridan replied.  “I told her that she didn’t have to tell me what was going on, but that if she told us where to find him, I’d make sure we all lived to see tomorrow.”“Ingenious,” Morrison replied smiling.  “When appealing to her self-interest failed, I should have tried to get to her through the others.  Very perceptive, Commander.”“The reason why she opened up to me,” Kate said unwaveringly, “is that it wasn’t a trick or manipulation.  I gave my word that we’d take Henriksen in alive, and I meant it.”“If Henriksen surrenders peacefully, he’ll make it home alive,” Morrison responded sternly.  “If he doesn’t … then he wont.  But we don’t negotiate with traitors, Commander.”“At least we have a destination now,” Lex interjected.  “Tennison, you have the bridge – set a course for the asteroid belt, maximum transwarp.  Dulmis, make all the preparations you need to the deflector array – I want everything ready before we catch up with the Victory.  I’ll be in my ready room – dismissed.”The group disbanded as Tennison headed for the bridge, while Dulmis returned to work and Morrison made his way back to his quarters.  As she turned to leave, Kate felt Lex gently grab her arm, urging her to stay for a moment longer.“Are you as worried about all this as I am?” Lex whispered once they were alone.

“You mean the feeling that no one has been straight with us from the word go?” Kate replied with a wry smile.“You could say that,” Lex said smiling back.  “Everyone here seems to have something to hide – Henriksen, Eloquin and Morrison.  No one has given us the full picture, and when the fur starts to fly, Henriksen and Morrison are both going to be unknown variables.  The only ones we can really rely on are ourselves.”“Sounds like you have something in mind,” Sheridan said with a smile as she read Lex’s signals.  “What do you want me to do?”“Just a little something to level the playing field…”

ACT TWOThe Argus exited transwarp in a flash of brilliant light as it approached the desolate asteroid field.  The Sovereign-class ship appeared to be alone as it slowly manoeuvred between the gigantic rocks, but all onboard knew that that may not be the case at all.“Slow to one quarter impulse,” Lex ordered as he entered the bridge from his ready room.  “Scan for chroniton fields – just on the off-chance we might get lucky.”“I’m not picking up anything yet,” Tennison announced.  “But that doesn’t mean they’re not here.”“Just that they’re not passing through anything at this moment,” Lex concluded.  “Helm, position us between those formations to starboard and come to full stop.”“Aye, sir,” Arkin responded.  “The density of this asteroid field is surprisingly low, so manoeuvring within the field shouldn’t be a problem, even for a vessel this size.”“That’s good to know,” Sheridan said quietly, “but it also gives the Victory more space to hide from us.”“Captain,” Tennison called urgently.  “For a moment there, I detected two warp signatures bearing 086, mark 327, distance one point three light years.”“So where are they now?” Sheridan asked.“Gone,” Tennison replied, as she continued her scans.“You mean cloaked,” Lex hypothesised.“Romulans,” Kate whispered, only saying what was on everyone’s minds.“Come to collect their prize, no doubt,” Morrison suggested gruffly.“Well we’re still in neutral territory,” Lex said determinedly, “so if they want Henriksen, they’re going to have to come and get him.”“Which is no doubt exactly why they just cloaked,” Morrison added.  “A Sovereign-class ship is an impressive vessel, but I wouldn’t like to see her try and face off against two D’deridex-class Warbirds.”“I think we’re all here to see that it doesn’t come to that,” Lex retorted confidently.“We’re in position, sir,” Arkin announced.“Very good, Lieutenant.  Alert all decks to prepare for saucer separation.  Arkin, T’Kare, Davis – you’re with me.  Admiral, the bridge is yours – Commander Sheridan will provide you with anything you need.”With that, Lex rose from his centre chair and made his way to the turbolift where he was joined by the other officers.“Deck fourteen; battle bridge.” 

*** “All decks and all stations report ready for saucer separation,” Arkin announced, once they had taken their positions on the stardrive’s battle bridge.“Begin separation sequence,” Lex ordered.  “Once that’s done, bring us about to 218, mark 037, one quarter impulse.  Admiral,” he continued, activating the comm, “bring the saucer section to bearing 025, mark 347, thrusters only.”“Understood, Captain,” Morrison replied.  “Helm, set course.”“Yes, sir,” Lex heard Ensign McFarlane answer.  Lex couldn’t help but wonder if allowing McFarlane back on duty now was such a good idea, especially given the sensitive nature of what they were about to attempt – but he trusted in Sheridan’s ability to handle the situation, and if she said McFarlane was the best person to pilot the saucer section, he’d stand by her decision.“Separation complete,” Arkin confirmed a moment later.  “Stardrive and saucer section are now in position.”“It’s now or never, Captain,” Sheridan urged from the bridge.  “If Eloquin was telling the truth, the Victory should be passing through this region any moment now.”“Agreed, Commander.  Lex to Dulmis; are all the modifications in place?”“Ready for your signal, Captain,” came the confident reply.“Very well – on my mark, the stardrive and saucer sections will begin firing the antimatter spread.”“Stardrive ready, sir,” T’Kare reported.“Saucer module holding for your command,” Sheridan confirmed.“Fire!” The barrage from the Argus’ two modules instantly lit up the void around them.  As the antimatter charges were launched from both vessels, they exploded into brilliant showers of dazzling sparks, so bright that the crews on both bridges had to shield their eyes from the detonations.“I hope this works,” Morrison said anxiously, as the seconds ticked by.  “The antimatter spread isn’t going to cause any damage to the Victory – it’s little more than a firework display at the end of the day, that’s why it’s never been used as a tactical weapon by Starfleet.”“But it doesn’t have to cause the Victory any damage,” Sheridan reminded him.  “If the Victory wants to make it to the Romulan border from here, she’s going to have to pass through this clearing, or else abandon this route entirely and try elsewhere – but with time being so limited, I don’t think they can afford to do that.“We’ve flooded this clearing with the antimatter spread, which means the Victory should find it impossible to get by us without passing through some of the spread’s explosions.  When she does so, her interphase cloak will generate a brief chroniton field, giving away her location.”“Like an invisible man’s location being given away by a squeaking floorboard,” Tennison volunteered from the ops console.“I see,” Morrison nodded.  “No matter how good the cloak is, it still reacts in some small way to its surroundings – and thankfully we know what to look for.”“And I think we’ve found it!” Tennison announced triumphantly.  “I’m reading a weak chroniton field off our port bow.” “Confirmed,” Davis agreed from her post on the battle bridge.  “Detecting another chroniton field bearing 148, mark 345, distance 500 metres – she’s just passed through another explosion.”

“Keep those antimatter charges coming,” Lex ordered.  “T’Kare, transfer your targeting data to Dulmis in deflector control.”“Aye, sir.”“James – this is as good as it’s going to get.  Fire when ready!”“Deflector array aligned with target,” Dulmis reported.  “Activating anyon pulse now.” The invisible beam surged from the stardrive’s deflector array, only revealing its existence when it passed through the antimatter spread, slightly changing the shades of the explosions.  Finally, it struck its intended target, silhouetting the Victory against a haze of electrical interference.“The blast is holding the Victory,” T’Kare informed Lex.  “The readings from its cloak are fluctuating – it’s becoming visible!”Sure enough, the image on the viewscreen showed the small Starfleet prototype slowly becoming more and more opaque, as the electrical discharge increased.  The triumph seemed short-lived however, as a moment later the Victory began to return to its transparent state.“We’re losing her,” T’Kare warned.  “The anyon bombardment isn’t strong enough – they’re managing to remodulate the cloak.”“Captain – you have to stop Henriksen now!” Morrison bellowed over the comm channel.  “We wont get another chance like this!”“Commander, close comm channel,” Lex snapped.  “I’ve really had enough of him peering over my shoulder.  Dulmis – we need more power to the deflector array, increase the strength of the pulse to maximum.”“Captain, the pulse is already at maximum,” Dulmis replied.  “Any more and we could overload the whole system.” “As much as Admiral Morrison irritates me, he’s right about one thing – we will not let the Victory escape us this time,” Lex said determinedly.  “James, override the safeties and give it everything you’ve got – we have to penetrate that cloaking device.”“Aye, sir.  Increasing anyon bombardment to one hundred and forty percent maximum.”The barrage from the deflector array intensified and again the Victory began to solidify.  Sparks started to fly from the stardrive’s dish, but still Dulmis managed to maintain the bombardment, until finally the Victory’s cloak failed and it became in-phase with its surroundings again.In the deflector control room however, Dulmis was still working frantically with his technicians to keep the system from overloading.  But a moment later it became too much for even the ingenious engineer to handle and he had to admit defeat.“Everyone, out of here – now!” he ordered, as a number of power conduits ruptured behind him.“James, it looks like it’s worked,” Lex informed him over the comm.  “The Victory’s cloak is down – it looks like its main power has shorted out too.”“That’s good to hear,” Dulmis replied with a wry smile, “because I think we may be joining them.  The deflector array is caught in a feedback loop – it’s overloading and I can’t shut it down.”“Lieutenant, get out of there now,” T’Kare ordered.  “These readings show the whole deflector control system is about to blow.” “Lieutenant – emergency beam out,” Lex ordered.

“Got him,” the tactical officer confirmed.  As soon as T’Kare had spoken, the stardrive was shaken by a thunderous explosion that threw everyone from their seats.  The lights and the consoles around the battle bridge all went blank, and the room was plunged into an eerily silent blackness.“Report,” Lex said as the emergency lights kicked in.

“We’ve lost all power to the controls,” Davis confirmed, attempting to get something out of her console.“We’ve still got life support and environmental controls,” T’Kare elaborated, “but it looks like the feedback has crippled all primary systems – propulsion, transporters and weapons.”“We still have communications at least,” Davis reported optimistically.“Inform Admiral Morrison of our situation,” Lex ordered, rising from his chair.  “Then find Dulmis and tell him to assemble every technician he has in main engineering – I want the power back up yesterday!” “Sir, they did it,” Sheridan announced from the tactical station.  “The stardrive’s focused anyon beam has overloaded the Victory’s cloak – she’s adrift, her main power’s failing.”“And Lex?” Morrison asked.“The stardrive seems to be experiencing difficulties,” Tennison reported.  “I’m reading elevated power readings from their deflector control – it’s gonna blow!”“Raise shields,” Morrison ordered.  “Casualties?”“None, Admiral – it appears they were able to evacuate the section in time.”“What’s the status of the stardrive now?”“Their primary systems have overloaded from the feedback caused by the strain on the deflector systems,” Tennison informed them.  “They’re signally that they’re temporarily crippled, but hope to have main power rerouted through secondary systems shortly.”“Then it’s up to us to bring in Henriksen,” Morrison said, with almost visible glee.  “Helm, bring us alongside the Victory; tactical, have weapons at the ready, just in case.”“Aye, sir,” replied Sheridan and McFarlane from their respective positions.“Admiral, Henriksen’s flooded the ship with another thoron field,” Liral announced from the auxiliary tactical station.  “I can’t lock onto their bio-signatures to beam them out with all the interference.  And with those Romulan Warbirds in the area, I don’t think it’s a good idea to wait here while we physically search the ship for them.”“Agreed,” Sheridan said.  “We need to tractor the Victory back away from the border, then we can search her at leisure in friendly territory.”“But the tractor beam emitters are on the stardrive,” Tennison pointed out.“A ship as small as the Victory could be towed by a Chimera-class fighter,” Liral suggested.“Good thinking,” Sheridan agreed.  “Launch three fighters – just in case Henriksen gets any of the ship’s systems back online and thinks about making another run for the border.”“Right away, ma’am,” Liral said.  “With your permission, I’d like to lead the fighters myself.”“As you wish, Commander,” Morrison said smiling.  “You can be the one to bring him in.” Minutes later, the sleek Starfleet fighters were launching from the saucer section’s main shuttlebay and falling into standard arrowhead formation.“Fighters closing in on Victory,” Sheridan informed Morrison.  “Three hundred metres and closing.”“Admiral, the thoron field on the Victory is failing,” Tennison called out suddenly.  “They’re launching a shuttlepod – it’s heading for the border.  I’m reading one lifesign on the Victory, and another two on the shuttlepod, all human.”“It’s Henriksen, it’s got to be,” Morrison growled, as he watched the tiny fleeing craft on the viewscreen.  “Commander, order the fighters to break off and pursue the shuttlepod.”“Aye, sir.”“This is Admiral Morrison aboard the USS Argus,” Morrison said, opening a comm channel.  “Surrender now or we will be forced to open fire.”“Admiral, we’re receiving a reply,” Sheridan said, obviously surprised.“On screen.”

“Admiral, you know why I have to do this,” came a voice through the static.  As the picture cleared, they saw it was Henriksen himself, his uniform torn and dirty from the damage caused to the Victory, sat beside his pilot, Ellen Campbell, in the tiny spacecraft.  “I’ve come this far, and I wont turn around now.  If you still want to stop me, you’re going to have to open fire on an unarmed shuttle, but otherwise, I have an appointment to keep.  Henriksen out.”“Dammit!” Morrison cried.  “Why wont the man admit when he’s defeated?”  He opened another comm channel to the lead fighter before continuing.  “Commander Liral, I hereby authorise you to open fire on Henriksen’s shuttle.  Do whatever it takes, but don’t let him reach the border.”“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Admiral,” Liral replied.  “I came here to protect Henriksen, not betray him.”“What’s she talking about?” Morrison asked urgently.“The other pilots are reporting that their fighters are powering down,” Sheridan replied.  “It’s Liral, she’s activated a hidden cascade virus embedded in the fighters’ main computers.  They’re completely crippled.”“No!” Morrison yelled.  “He can’t make it! Helm – pursuit course, full impulse!”“Aye, sir,” McFarlane responded, clearly doing her best to bite her lip and follow orders.“Tetryon surge directly ahead,” Tennison reported.  “It’s a decloaking Romulan ship.”“The Warbirds?” Sheridan asked.“Negative – it’s a scout vessel, badly damaged by the look of it.”“It’s Henriksen’s contact…” Morrison whispered.  “He’s nearly made it.”“The shuttle’s nearly within transporter range of the scout ship,” Tennison pointed out.  “What are your orders?”“Charge phasers to maximum and lock onto the shuttlepod,” Morrison said sternly.  But for McFarlane, this was the step too far.“You can’t fire on it!” she pleaded, leaping from her station.  “A shuttle that size would never survive a Type XII phaser blast!  They’re unarmed – they don’t even have the Victory anymore!”“I can’t let Henriksen escape to Romulus with all that he knows – now return to you station or I’ll have you removed from the bridge, Ensign.”“The shuttle is within transporter range of the scout ship,” Tennison announced.  “Both ships are lowering shields for transport.”“Phasers are locked, Admiral,” Sheridan reported.  “But I’m not sure-”“Well I am! Now fire phasers!”“No, you can’t!” McFarlane cried, lunging for Morrison.  “They pose no threat to us – it’s murder!”“It’s justice!” Morrison argued, as his aides grabbed the young ensign and pulled her to one side.“Shuttle has initiated transport,” Tennison warned.“Fire!” Morrison repeated, rising from the centre chair.“Sir, I don’t understand,” Sheridan said, hesitating.  “Henriksen wasn’t beaming off – he’s beaming someone aboard.”“That’s enough, Commander,” Morrison spat, pushing Sheridan aside.  “If you can’t follow orders, you can consider yourself relieved.”With that he hit the phaser controls himself, sending a powerful beam of energy lancing out from the saucer section towards the tiny shuttle.  It hit, and in the blink of an eye the shuttle and the scout ship were both completely obliterated in a ferocious explosion.“If you want something done properly,” Morrison whispered, “you have to do it yourself.”

ACT THREEEveryone on the Argus’ bridge fell into a stunned silence as the viewscreen filled with the image of the exploding ships.  They could clearly see that the blast had left nothing of the small shuttlepod, and there was no chance that its occupants could have survived.“You murdering bastard!” McFarlane screamed, breaking the silence as she struggled against the admiral’s aides who held her from him.  “How could you? They were unarmed!”“Remove her from the bridge and confine her to quarters,” Morrison instructed his guards dispassionately.  “If she continues to struggle, throw her in the brig with the traitor Eloquin.”“Her quarters will be fine,” Sheridan said sternly.  “And she wont give you any further trouble,” she added, glancing at McFarlane.  But Eliza’s eyes were still locked on the man who’d murdered her father, and they never wavered as she was taken into the turbolift.“Admiral, Ensign McFarlane’s outburst may have been unprofessional,” Sheridan began once the young helm office was gone, “but I don’t believe it was completely unwarranted.  Even officers in Starfleet Intelligence have to follow regulations – and I’m not sure that the destruction of an unarmed shuttlepod can be justified by anything you say.”“Then it’s a good job I don’t have to justify myself to you, Commander,” Morrison retorted.  “I did what all Starfleet officers have sworn to do – whatever is necessary to protect the Federation.  Except that in my position I’m able to see the big picture, and so I know what it really takes to safeguard our way of life.”“Admiral,” Tennison interrupted, happy to break Morrison and Sheridan apart, “Captain Lex is signalling that they’ve managed to reroute main power on the stardrive module.  They’ve beamed Lieutenant Wong out from the Victory and are tractoring the Chimera fighters aboard.  He says they’ll be ready to reattach with the saucer section once they’re done.”“Excellent news,” Morrison replied.  “Make sure Lieutenant Commander Liral is escorted to the brig as well as soon as the fighters are docked.  Then when we’re reattached, we can tow the Victory back into Federation space.”  The crisis over, Morrison rose calmly from the centre chair and heading for the turbolift himself.“Commander Sheridan, I’ll be in my quarters should you need me.  You have the bridge.”As the turbolift doors closed, Sheridan and Tennison exchanged uneasy glances before the bridge once again fell silent.

 ***

 An hour later, Admiral Morrison stormed into the observation lounge on the reassembled Argus under a visible black cloud.  His mood only worsened when he saw who was with the gathered Argus personnel.“What’s the meaning of this, Captain?” he demanded, pointing accusatorily at Eloquin, Wong and Liral as they stood before Lex.  “I went down to the brig to continue with the interrogations, only I find that there’s no one there!  These traitors should be in custody – just what do you think you’re doing interviewing them up here?”“I wasn’t so much interviewing them,” Lex said evenly, “as I was asking them to fill in a few blanks for me.  In that respect, they’ve proven most helpful.”“Captain, I must protest-”“You can drop the act, Admiral,” Lex said sternly.  “We know the truth.”

Lex paused, almost daring Morrison to say something to vindicate himself, but the admiral was playing his cards close to his chest.  Lex knew he wanted to see just how much Lex knew before he said anything to incriminate himself, and in this instance, Lex didn’t mind obliging him.“Henriksen approached you a week before his ‘defection’, after he received an urgent message from his contact in the Romulan Empire,” Lex began.  “This contact, a man named Peltek, claimed that his superiors had discovered that he’d been supplying the Federation with military secrets, and that his life was in danger.  Henriksen wanted to go and retrieve Peltek, but you vetoed the operation.”“I don’t know how you found that out, Captain,” Morrison said warily.  “Obviously security on the Odyssey was never that tight in the first place.  I admit that all that is true – but you didn’t say why I vetoed the rescue mission.“Peltek wasn’t our only informant in the Romulan military – but he was the only one who was a double-agent.  My other contacts informed me that Peltek was an undercover member of the Tal Shiar, and that his function was to recruit Starfleet officers to act as informants for the Romulan intelligence service.  That was why I wouldn’t authorise Henriksen’s rescue mission – I wanted to see if Peltek had already got to him, or whether Henriksen’s request had been genuine, albeit misguided.”“So when Henriksen stole the Odyssey and headed for the border with the Victory, that was all the proof you needed,” Lex concluded.“Exactly.  I couldn’t be sure which of Henriksen’s co-conspirators were genuine defectors, and which Henriksen had fooled into believing his rescue mission cover story.  But more importantly, I couldn’t afford to tip off the Tal Shiar that we were onto Peltek, otherwise it might betray the existence of our other informants.”“So you conveniently left out all information about Peltek,” Lex said calmly, “and told us it was a simple case of defection.”“It was a simple case of defection.  Peltek was a traitor, and Henriksen was on his way to meet him – to hand over the Federation’s secrets to him.”“That all sounds very believable,” Lex said with a grim smile.  “Except for one fact.  Your order to disavow Peltek when his cover was blown had nothing to do with Starfleet’s best interests – and everything to do with protecting your own.“You discovered that Peltek had uncovered evidence that you had been a double-agent in Starfleet, feeding the Romulans confidential material since the end of the Dominion War.  That is why you revealed his existence to the Tal Shiar and then ordered Henriksen to abandon him – to protect your own secret.”The room fell silent as everyone waited to see how Morrison would react.“This is ridiculous – bordering on gross insubordination, Captain,” he snarled eventually.  “I will have your commission for this, mark my words.  You can’t go around making these kind of wild accusations – you have no supporting proof whatsoever.”“You certainly did all you could to ensure that was the case,” Lex replied.  “Keeping us in the dark about what was going on, making sure that the right hand didn’t even know there was a left hand.  And then destroying the Victory’s shuttlepod just as they beamed over Peltek and his evidence from his damaged scout ship.  You certainly did your best to cover your tracks.“But your best isn’t always good enough,” he said smiling, as he tapped his comm badge.  “Send then in, Lieutenant.”The far doors opened and T’Kare entered – closely followed by two dishevelled Starfleet officers, and a Romulan male whose uniform was visibly burnt and torn.“You already know Commander Henriksen and Lieutenant Campbell,” Lex said politely, “but allow me to introduce you to Sub-Commander Peltek, formerly of Romulan Communications.”

Morrison looked like he was about to say something, but the words just wouldn’t come.“I’m sure you’re wondering what they’re doing here?” Lex continued.  “Just before you decided to obliterate Henriksen’s shuttlepod, Lieutenant Dulmis was able to reroute our main power through the stardrive’s secondary systems.  With transporters back online, and the shuttlepod’s shields down, we were able to beam everyone off just as you opened fire.“I knew something wasn’t right about this mission, but with everyone being so secretive, I couldn’t be sure exactly what it was.  The one thing I did know, was that I wasn’t going to burn any bridges until I got the full story, and when I saw what you were about to do, I got the feeling that bringing in Henriksen alive may be the only way to get to the truth … and that was something you seemed increasingly desperate to avoid.”“I’ve listened to enough of this nonsense, Captain,” Morrison interrupted.  “I’ve given you some leeway here, allowed you to say what you felt you needed to – but I will not stand here as you hurl unsubstantiated accusations at me, based on nothing more than the word of a traitor and a Romulan spy.  Of course they have a convincing cover story – did you really think they’d be totally unprepared for being captured by Starfleet?”Lex said nothing in response to the admiral’s question, but turned and nodded to Henriksen.  The older officer tossed the PADD he’d been holding on to the conference table and sent it skidding towards Morrison at the other end.“You want proof?” he asked gruffly.  “Read that – a complete set of classified Romulan logs detailing each and every one of your communications with various individuals within the Romulan Empire.  It makes for quite an interesting – and lengthy – read.”Morrison looked down at the PADD resting on the table, obviously considering his options.  He paused for a moment longer, then let out a long sigh, and turned back towards Lex.“I knew I should never have allowed you to be assigned to this mission,” he said wearily.  “I thought that a young, relatively inexperienced captain like yourself would be easier to manipulate – more obedient, less questioning.  Especially after all your previous run-ins with Starfleet Command, I though you’d be too concerned about your record to try and second-guess me.  But you’re not nearly as naïve as you sometimes appear, Captain.”“You should never judge a book by its cover,” Henriksen advised.“Indeed,” Morrison agreed.  “I had failed to take into account that worm in your gut – that’s what makes you so much more than you seem.”“So you admit that these records are accurate?” Lex asked, pointing to the PADD.  “That you’ve been providing the Romulans with classified data for over a year?”“Everything I told you earlier about the Romulan/Federation power struggle was true,” Morrison explained.  “Only these two powers were in any position to vie for dominance in the Alpha Quadrant, and we all knew it.  As relations grew frosty after the victory celebrations ended, it became obvious to us in Starfleet Intelligence that the Romulans were channelling all their resources into rebuilding their military.  While the Federation busied itself with reconstructing civilian installations and reopening trade routes, the Romulans were building warships and training soldiers.  This, combined with the greater losses we suffered during the war, left the Romulans in a far stronger position than us.“With that being the case, I simply wanted to make sure that I was on the winning side.”“And how did I fit into your little scheme?” Henriksen demanded.  “Was I ever anything more than a puppet?”“I recruited you because you were so desperate to get back into space, I knew you’d do anything I told you to without asking too many questions … or at least that was the idea.  But it seems that I went too far when I ordered you to abandon Peltek.”“I’d spent a lot of time with him by then,” Henriksen explained.  “I’d seen the lengths he’d gone to to cover his tracks, and how scared he was of getting discovered.  When you told me he was a double-agent I knew you were wrong – I just didn’t know it was a deliberate lie.  All

I did know was that I wasn’t going to leave a friend to die because he risked his neck to help us.”“How noble,” Morrison said sarcastically.  “Maybe you’ll find it funny to know that the Romulans knew about Peltek from the very beginning – I told them about him as soon as he first contacted us.  He was fed with disinformation which he then passed on to you, you passed on to me, and I passed on to Starfleet.  It was hoped that by monitoring him, he would eventually lead us to the other members of his dissident group.”“But then I found out about you,” Peltek reminded him, bursting the admiral’s bubble.“Yes – the only piece of actual information you ever managed to get your hands on.  The Romulans warned me about what you’d discovered, and that you’d gone to ground somewhere, so I just had to make sure you never made it out of Romulan space.”“I managed to get word to Starfleet that I had been discovered,” Peltek explained to Lex, “but didn’t know who else may be in league with Admiral Morrison.  I couldn’t afford to tell anyone what I had discovered, and the next thing I knew, all my channels to Starfleet were being shut down.”“I then told Starfleet Intelligence that you’d been unmasked as a double-agent,” Morrison continued, “and showed then all the disinformation you’d supplied as proof.  They agreed with my recommendation to sever all contact with you, and that should have been the end of it.  But I didn’t reckon with Henriksen, already on such thin ice, disobeying orders to go after you.”“Well because he did,” Sheridan chipped in, “you’re going to be behind bars for a very long time.”Suddenly, the lighting in the room changed as the red alert was sounded.“Captain to the bridge,” Tennison called urgently over the comm a moment later.“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Commander,” Morrison said to Sheridan smugly.  “Things don’t work like that in this game.  Do you really think I’ve been standing here, confessing all, in an attempt to seek redemption or something?  It’s called stalling for time, and I think that I should have delayed you all for long enough by now.”He took off his comm badge, revealing it to be some sort of modified distress beacon. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be going,” he said in a self-satisfied tone.  “And I think you’re needed on the bridge,” he added.“Lieutenant, bring him with us – and watch him like a hawk,” Lex said to T’Kare as he left the room.  “No pun intended,” he added with a smile. “Report, Commander.”“Two D’deridex-class Romulan Warbirds have just decloaked ahead of us,” Tennison informed Lex, as she rose from the centre chair.  “They’re hailing us.”“On screen.”“Captain Lex,” the Romulan Commander began as soon as he appeared on the viewscreen.  “My CO had told me that you were stationed near this region – I’m glad we’ve had the opportunity to meet face to face, or at least, the next best thing.”“You have me at a disadvantage, Commander,” Lex replied politely, “I’m afraid I don’t know your name.”“Forgive me for not properly introducing myself – I am Commander Garilik.”“And your CO?”“Is an old … acquaintance of yours.”“And what can I do for you, Commander?”“Ah, straight down to business,” Garilik replied, his thin smile fading.  “While conducting geological scans in the asteroid field, we were shocked to witness a Federation ship – your saucer module, to be precise – open fire on a Romulan scout ship.  This unprovoked attack is

clearly a threat to the newly established peace between our two empires, and so we are eager to ensure that this incident does not escalate into further hostilities.“Accordingly, we will be happy to keep the matter quiet and assume it was the action of a lone, renegade individual … if that individual is handed over to us to be tried for his crime.  I believe our readings showed an ‘Admiral Morrison’ was in command of the saucer module at the time it fired?”“I cannot hand over a Federation citizen to you without going through the proper channels,” Lex said firmly.“Remember, Captain, this is neutral space,” Garilik cautioned him.  “The Federation has no jurisdiction here – and I will not be heading back to Romulus empty-handed.”“You’d better give him what he wants,” Morrison advised Lex, gloating at his apparent victory.  “Best case scenario – if you don’t hand me over, you risk creating a diplomatic incident that could destroy the fragile peace between the Federation and the Romulan Empire.  Worst case scenario … well I told you I wouldn’t fancy the Argus’ chances against two Warbirds.”“That may be the least of our worries,” Tennison announced urgently.  “I’m detecting another three vessels closing in at maximum warp.”“It’s over, Captain,” Morrison goaded.  “Have the decency to know when you’re beaten.”“It is over,” Lex agreed.  “But not the way you think it is.  Kate, signal the ships to fall in behind us, delta formation.”“Aye, sir.”The viewscreen switched to the rear angle, showing the Odyssey, Sentinel and Infinity coming out of warp behind them.“Right on time,” Lex said with a smile.“What are they doing here?” Morrison asked, the confidence draining from his face.“When it appeared that neither you nor Commander Eloquin were prepared to give us the full story,” Lex explained, “I asked Commander Sheridan to call in some people we could trust.”“Captain, I demand to know what’s going on?” Garilik interrupted.  “You have no business bringing so many vessels into neutral space!”“Commander, earlier today we responded to a distress signal from a Romulan scout ship, while we were conducting our own geological scans,” Lex explained.  “Unfortunately we were too late to prevent the ship from exploding, or to save the pilot.  This sad tragedy must have been what you partially witnessed earlier.”Garilik remained motionless on the viewscreen, obviously undecided as to how to respond.  Lex decided not to give him an option.“Commander, you and I both know what’s been going on – but let me make it perfectly clear to you that no one is leaving the Argus for your ship – peacefully or otherwise.  If you let this one go, any Romulan ‘indiscretions’ that we’ve uncovered may be attributed to … lone, renegade individuals, acting without the knowledge or authority of their superiors.“However, if you force the issue, it may be close, but you wont win against four Starfleet vessels – and all you’ll have succeeded in doing is exposing just how many were actually involved in any possible breaches of Treaty Law.”Garilik sat impassively, listening to what Lex had to say.  He was visibly uncomfortable now that the tables had been turned on him, but eventually spoke with the same veil of politeness as before.“May I extend the Empire’s gratitude to you for attempting to save our damaged ship,” he said in a hollow tone.  “I look forward for the opportunity to return the favour in the near future.  Garilik out.”The comm channel closed and the Warbirds turned back towards Romulan space, recloaking as they went.

“Keep shields up, maintain yellow alert,” Lex ordered.  “We don’t want to be caught out if they decide to try something after all.  Signal my thanks to the other captains, and advise them to do the same until we get some distance between us and the border.”“With pleasure, Captain.”“As for you, Admiral,” Lex began, turning back towards the panicking traitor.  “You can begin to adjust to life behind a force-field.”“Not today, I wont!” Morrison cried, revealing a concealed Type I phaser.  He spun around and shot at T’Kare, striking her in the wing as she went for her own weapon.  He swung back towards the others as they dived for cover behind their consoles, attempting to reach their own weapon lockers.  Before anyone could arm themselves, Morrison turned and dashed for the turbolift and freedom beyond.But as the turbolift doors opened, Morrison was thrown to see Ensign McFarlane standing in front of him.  He tried to recover his composure and raise his phaser, but McFarlane’s reactions were quicker – and her blow struck him with such force that he went toppling back onto the bridge, blood flying from his nose as his weapon fell from his grasp.“You damn murderer!” she cried, leaping on him as he went for his phaser.  “I’ll tear you apart, you son-of-a-”“Eliza!” Henriksen called from the far side of the bridge.  “I think you got him.”“D-dad?” she whispered, dropping Morrison back down, as Sheridan and Arkin moved in to cover him, their own weapons now drawn.  McFarlane and Henriksen rushed into each other’s arms and held each other tightly, both having thought that they would never have the opportunity to enjoy this simple pleasure again.“Captain, what are your orders?” Kate asked, as Lex joined her by the turbolift.“Take Morrison to the brig, then get Frazier to see to T’Kare and check out Peltek and Campbell,” Lex said softly.  “As for Liral, Wong, Eloquin and the others – tell them they’re suspended from duty until we return to Starbase 251, but they’re free to move about the ship in the meantime.”“And what about Henriksen and McFarlane?” Kate asked, looking back over to the reunited family.“There’s going to be a lot to sort out later – but for now, just let them enjoy the moment.”

ACT FOURCaptain’s Log, Supplemental:

The Argus was able to return to Starbase 251 without incident with the disabled Victory in tow.  The Sentinel, Infinity and Odyssey kindly escorted us back to the Federation outpost, just in case the Romulans were tempted to follow us.  I’ve thanked Captain Foxton again for her assistance, and the Sentinel has resumed her patrol along the Romulan/Federation border.  Meanwhile, the Odyssey and Victory are both undergoing preliminary repairs here, until they return to Starbase 88 in a few days time.  However, the question of who will be serving on those ships when they do return is still to be decided.

For that reason, we’ve just been joined by two admirals aboard the starbase – Admiral Keaton, over from Starbase 88 again, and Admiral Hellinor … another representative from Starfleet Intelligence.

I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to this meeting, but as Admiral Morrison said, sooner or later, we all have to answer to someone.

 Lex stood to attention patiently next to Henriksen in the briefing room aboard Starbase 251.  The admirals had beamed aboard an hour ago, although they had been perusing the various reports and ship’s logs during their long journey there aboard the Centaur-class USS Watchtower.  They now idly thumbed through their last few PADDs, deliberately keeping the two officers waiting until they were ready to begin the debriefing.“Well I can honestly say that I don’t know where to begin,” Keaton said, with a smile that showed he certainly wasn’t joking.  “Captain Lex, you deliberately acted behind the back of your superior officer, potentially jeopardising both your mission and your crew.  Yet if you hadn’t, Commander Henriksen, Lieutenant Campbell and the informant Peltek would have lost their lives and Admiral Morrison’s duplicity may never have been uncovered.“Thomas, your … ‘infractions’, shall we say, are even worse,” he continued.  “You disobeyed direct orders from your superior officers, stole and damaged two Starfleet vessels and almost caused a serious diplomatic incident with the Romulan Empire.  However, the selfless actions of you and your officers exposed a conspiracy within Starfleet Intelligence that could have crippled the Federation if left unchecked.  And thanks to Captain Lex’s skilful handling of the situation, no official complaints have been lodged by the Romulan government and the feared diplomatic crisis has been avoided.”He paused to look the two officers in the eyes, pushing them for some kind of reaction or response.  But both Henriksen and Lex knew better than that at this stage; it would be far wiser to save any comments until the admirals had said all that they had to say … there was no point in digging themselves a bigger hole to have to get out of.“You both acted without the consent of your superiors, and in your case, Commander, you out-and-out flouted orders and ignored regulations,” Keaton continued sternly.  “Both of you favoured your own judgment and initiative over the expertise of your superiors, choosing to do what you thought was right – even if that meant crossing the line between duty and mutiny.”  He stopped again, putting down his PADDs to give Lex and Henriksen his full attention.  “And for that, I commend you.”The two officers couldn’t help but blink at this, as they exchanged brief glances, both surprised by the admiral’s last comment.“Despite our militaristic aspects,” Admiral Hellinor explained, “Starfleet is not a purely military organisation.  During our war with the Dominion, that side of Starfleet had to come to the fore to defend the Federation – but it is certainly not the be all and end all of Starfleet.  Even in Starfleet Intelligence, where our priority is the protection of the Federation, we have sworn to protect not only its territory and its people, but its ideals as well.  If we fail to protect them, then we’ll lose the Federation without a single shot ever being fired.“What Starfleet needs,” the veteran Benzite woman continued, “are officers who can think for themselves, and who remember that above all, their oath of loyalty is to the people of the Federation – not necessarily their CO.“In short, officers like you.“Commander, Admiral Morrison officially stated that he recruited you because he believed that you would be prepared to do ‘whatever was necessary for the greater good’.  Personally, I believe that can be said about the both of you.”“But before you start feeling too pleased with yourself,” Keaton warned, “I must remind you that an organisation like Starfleet needs order and stability – and this is threatened by ‘maverick’ actions such as yours.  You’re lucky that everything worked out for the best in this instance – but remember, luck always runs out.“As for you, Commander, you are already on very thin ice.  You’ve used up all of your second chances in Starfleet, so think very carefully the next time you feel the need to follow your own instincts.”

“The next time?” Henriksen repeated hopefully.“If it wasn’t for certain … outside considerations, I’d have little choice but to proceed with court martial proceedings over the theft of the Odyssey,” Keaton confessed.“However, as the details of your original mission with Starfleet Intelligence were highly classified, and relations with the Romulans are so delicate at this time,” Hellinor explained, “it has been agreed that there will be no official records of this incident.  As such, there will be no formal punishment for Captain Lex, Commander Henriksen, or those officers that followed him.  Your reports and ship’s logs will be sealed and classified, and you will both return to your previous assignments.”“Unofficially,” Keaton added, looking over to Lex, “I’d like to add that I was most impressed with your handling of this incident.  There were those in Starfleet Command who questioned the wisdom of assigning you, a fleet captain, as sector commander for this region.  They felt that an admiral would be better suited to establishing relations with the worlds in this sector, and would be more able to handle any problems as they arose, this far from the rest of the Federation.  However, I think your actions here have demonstrated that you are more than capable of handling your assignment.  It can’t have been easy deciding whether or not Admiral Morrison was to be completely trusted – but your decision not to blindly follow orders may have saved countless lives.”“I couldn’t agree more,” Hellinor said nodding.  “If Starfleet wanted automatons to carry out our orders without question, we’d crew ships with robots and computers.  Our officers are trained to adapt to any situation they come across, even when, in a case like this, their orders and their duty seem to clash.  Your ability to adapt during this crisis has allowed us to plug a potentially devastating leak in Federation security, and for that, I intend to add a letter of commendation to the classified section of your personnel file.”“Thank you, Ma’am,” Lex replied, unable to hide a brief flicker of a smile.  When he’d walked into the room, he’d had no idea how the admirals were going to react; he’d feared he could face a reprimand over the risks he’d taken, instead he got a commendation for his initiative.  Sometimes he felt it was impossible to predict what the admiralty was going to do next.“As for you, Thomas,” Keaton said, turning back to the commander, “I don’t know what you expected to get out of this little escapade.  You were this close to being removed from Starfleet permanently earlier this year, and then after you were given a second chance, you go and pull a stunt like this.  You must have known that, no matter what the outcome, you faced a court martial – or worse – when you went AWOL with the Odyssey – so why did you do it?”“As we’re speaking ‘off the record’, Walter,” Henriksen said impassively, “I can say that I didn’t do this thinking about my career, or thinking about unmasking moles in Starfleet – I did this because I had to, because a friend of mine was in trouble and he had no one else to turn to.“I’d been meeting with Peltek for over four months, and I’d gotten to know him fairly well during that time.  I saw the extreme lengths he went to to try and obtain us classified communications data from the Romulan military, and I saw the risks he took each time he rendezvoused with me on the Victory.  Neither one of us was under any illusions about what the Romulan authorities, or the rebuilt Tal Shiar, would do to him if they discovered what he was doing.  But that never stopped him from helping us time and again, putting his life on the line each time because he felt it was the right thing to do.  He wanted to protect Romulus from the forces within that would cripple his people by waging another war on their neighbours, and so he provided us with information in the hope it would negate any Romulan advantage.  He knew the Federation would never start a war, and so he believe that by keeping the Romulan military weakened, the government would be forced to consider exploring

diplomatic avenues with the Federation, and this would help protect his people from another costly confrontation.“So when he was uncovered and appealed to the Federation for help, I couldn’t abandon him, no matter what Admiral Morrison tried to tell me about him, or what I was ordered to do.  And so to answer your question, I did what I did because I knew it was the right thing to do.”“And because you did,” Keaton retorted, “we rescued a Federation informant from the Romulan’s clutches, and exposed a traitor within Starfleet Intelligence.  But you must realise that nothing can truly mitigate against your gross insubordination here.  You stole a ship, and whatever the justification, that cannot simply be ignored.”“And if the ship had been stolen,” Hellinor interrupted, “action would have to be taken.  But you’re forgetting two facts; firstly, this whole incident never officially took place, and secondly, even the classified files will show that Commander Henriksen was operating under the implicit authority of Starfleet Intelligence.”At this last comment, everyone’s heads turned toward the Benzite admiral in surprise and confusion.“As an operative for Starfleet Intelligence, Commander Henriksen’s overriding duty was to take whatever steps were deemed necessary and appropriate for the protection of the Federation,” Hellinor explained.  “In this case he felt that the … use of the Odyssey to rescue Peltek was necessary, and I am willing to stand by his decision.  As the only orders contravened by his decision were from a corrupt source and therefore were invalid in the first place, I don’t consider that he has, in fact, disobeyed any orders.”“That’s certainly an interesting piece of interpretation,” Keaton commented.  “But if that’s the approach Starfleet Intelligence intends to take, I have no problem with it – Commander Henriksen is your responsibility, after all.”“Thank you, Admiral,” Hellinor replied courteously.  “Commander, you may report back to the Odyssey as soon as you are ready.  You will continue to serve as strategic operations officer to Captain Jefferson until we contact you again.  Dismissed.”Lex and Henriksen both nodded respectfully to the two admirals, before turning sharply on their heels and leaving the room. “I guess I owe you again,” Henriksen said outside, in a tone that meant Lex couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.“I was just doing my duty,” Lex said stoically.“Well, I just want you to know … I’m glad it was you.  Morrison was right about one thing; if someone else had been assigned to stop me, I’d probably be dead right now.  Thank you, for being ‘more than meets the eye’.”“I must admit,” Lex replied, finally smiling, “ it is handy being underestimated most of the time.”“It’s a gift you’re right to value.”The two of them fell back into silence as they made their way to the turbolifts, until Henriksen eventually spoke again.“I never thanked you properly for the last time, either,” he said, without looking at Lex.  “If not for you, I might never have been freed from the B’rhaim, and my crew might never have made it home again.”“We all did what we could,” Lex replied, also looking ahead.  “I can’t ignore the fact that without your help, I’d never have retrieved the Argus from the B’rhaim who stole her.  I’m just sorry about … the way things ended.”“For what it’s worth, I wish we’d never even encountered the B’rhaim,” Henriksen admitted.  “I wish that you and both our crews could have been spared the … problems of the last year.  I know my actions in the Delta Quadrant effected you all.”

“And what about those actions?” Lex said, stopping and turning to confront Henriksen finally.  “Do you still believe it was the right thing to do?”“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to answer that question impartially,” Henriksen confessed.  “As for whether I’d do it again – I hope to God I never have to find out.”They both turned and continued down the long corridor again, until Lex broke the silence once more.“I guess it’s true what they say, that you can never judge a man until you’ve lived in his shoes.  In that respect, I hope I’m never in a position to judge you, Thomas.”“‘We all have to answer to somebody eventually’, isn’t that what Morrison said?  I’m sure I’ll have to answer to someone someday for my actions, and for the deaths of the B’rhaim civilians.  In the meantime, it’s all I can do to seek some kind of redemption, and to make the life I’ve been given a second chance at count for something.”“I wish you luck, Commander,” Lex said respectfully, as they finally reached their destination.  “Maybe after this we can all try to move on and put the events of last year behind us as best as we can.”“I certainly hope so, Captain,” Henriksen replied, shaking Lex’s outstretched hand.  “It’s been a pleasure.”“It’s been … an experience I’ll never forget,” Lex countered with a smile, as they boarded their waiting turbolifts and went their separate ways. “Come in,” Sheridan called, as she slipped off her uniform jacket in her quarters after an exhausting shift overseeing the repairs to the Argus’ engineering section.“Commander, I hope I’m not bothering you,” McFarlane apologised as she entered.  “I just hoped I could have a moment of your time.”“Of course, Ensign – what is it?”“I’ve been speaking to Admiral Keaton about spending some leave aboard Starbase 88.  My father and I are hoping to spend a couple of weeks together while the repairs to the Odyssey and Victory are completed, to try and make up for lost time.  The admiral’s approved my request in theory – I just need your approval for the leave.”“Eliza, after everything you’ve been through over the past few days, it’s the least I can do to approve your request for leave,” Kate said kindly.  “Take as much time as you need,” she added, as she placed her thumbprint on the PADD McFarlane had brought with her.“Thank you, Commander.”“So how are things between the two of you now, if you don’t mind me asking?”“Whatever happened between my mother and Commander Henriksen, or between him and Captain Lex, he’s still my father – and I think I realise the importance of that now more than ever.  When I thought he’d been killed, and I realised I’d been deprived of the opportunity to ever really know him – I felt devastated.  After my mother’s death and then her bombshell, I felt I had nothing left to hold on to, but I never realised what I did have until I thought I’d lost it.“But now I have another chance to meet with the father I never knew, and I truly realise what a gift that is now.”Eliza’s words stirred up Kate’s memories of her own father, currently lost somewhere in the Delta Quadrant.  She knew that the chances of ever seeing either of her parents again were remote at best, and a part of her would have done anything to have the same opportunity that McFarlane was being offered.  But she knew that that was never going to be possible, and so pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.“Is everything alright, Commander?” McFarlane asked, bringing Kate back to reality.“Of course, Ensign,” she replied with a friendly smile.  “Now get packing – you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

 “Congratulations to the both of you on a job well done!” Captain Jefferson said to Henriksen and Eloquin with a beaming smile, after they reported to his ready room as requested.  “You rescued your informant, exposed Admiral Morrison’s treachery and plugged the leak within Starfleet.  There is just one small problem, though – you walked all over me to do it,” he concluded, the smile vanishing.“This is my ship,” he continued sternly, “and I expect the officers onboard to be loyal to me.  If I can’t rely on my executive officer, then there is no trust established, and the running of the entire ship suffers,” he said, turning to Eloquin.  “Henriksen is not your captain anymore – I am.  I don’t care if he’s your friend, father or lover – your loyalty should be to your captain.  Your job on this ship is to present me with options, not stab me in the back –  and when I can’t trust you, all you do is limit my options.“Command may have taken a lenient view with you, Miss Eloquin, that you were only following Commander Henriksen – but I just don’t accept that excuse.  He is not your CO and he doesn’t outrank you, and as the first officer on this vessel, your decisions are your own responsibility.  You chose to conspire with Henriksen – and I find that hard to forgive, whatever the circumstances.”“Sir, permission to speak,” Eloquin asked formally.“Denied, Commander – I’m not finished yet,” Jefferson said calmly, taking his seat behind the desk.  “I’m not sure if we can carry on as before after a breach of trust like this.  If I can’t rely on you as my first officer then you shouldn’t be my first officer, it’s as simple as that.  And if it were up to me, you probably wouldn’t be.“But I’ve been told by Admiral Keaton that I mustn’t ‘rock the boat’, as this whole incident ‘never happened’.  So we’re going to carry on as before and pretend that everything is normal.  But I am sorely disappointed in you, Commander, and I must warn you, it will take some time for you to earn my trust, and my respect, again.“That’s it for now,” he concluded suddenly.  “Dismissed.”Henriksen and Eloquin exchange glances as they turned and headed for the door back onto the bridge.“Captain?” Jefferson called suddenly as they left.“Yes?” Henriksen replied, turning back – before he realised his mistake.“Could I have a quick word with you?” Jefferson said, smiling smugly as Henriksen came back in.“Take a seat, please,” Jefferson insisted, as he got himself a coffee from the replicator.  “I think we’ve just discovered the source of this particular problem, Thomas – you still think you’re a captain – the captain.  But you’re not.  They are not your crew, this is not your ship.  The sooner you realise this, the better it’ll be for all of us.“Now I’m not going to debate the ethics of your actions – I understand why you did what you did, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I agree it was the right thing to do,” Quentin continued, returning to his chair.  “But in many ways, that’s not what’s important here.“Do you realise just how damaging your presence here is?  The crew don’t know who’s in charge – you or me – and in a crisis, that can be disastrous.  A crew needs clear leadership, but you throw everything off balance.  I said when you came aboard that I’d do everything I could to try and make this work, but I’m not sure it can.  You’ve divided the crew into two camps – yours and mine – and that was the last thing I wanted to happen.“I can’t fire you, or reassign you – but you can still voluntarily resign your commission and leave Starfleet.  And given the effect you’re having on the moral of my crew – I honestly hope that’s what you’ll do.”Henriksen paused for a moment, obviously considering his response carefully.

“I am sorry, Captain,” he said finally.  “You must believe me when I say that I never intended to divide the crew.  This tension between us is not a good thing – for them or for us – and I hope we can resolve it like professionals before it does impair the smooth running of our ship.“But I don’t regret what I did – I’m only sorry that I had to divide the crew in order to get the job done.  I’m only sorry that it wasn’t you leading the Odyssey on the mission to save Peltek.  I’m sorry that you chose to hide behind Admiral Morrison’s orders and leave a good man behind to die.  A man who disobeyed his own orders to follow his conscience and help us.  You said that this crew needs clear leadership and you were right.  But if you’re not able to provide it, then someone else is going to have to step in and take up the slack.”“This is precisely what I mean,” Jefferson said exasperatedly.  “This is no way to talk to a superior officer!”“Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” Henriksen replied formally.  “When you said you hoped I’d resign my Starfleet commission, I assumed we were talking man-to-man.”  Henriksen stood to attention, and continued looking straight ahead.  “I regretfully inform you that I cannot in good conscience take your advice regarding my resignation.  Despite my shortcomings, I believe I still have a lot to offer, and that I can do a lot more good in Starfleet – here – than I can anywhere else.”Jefferson slowly took a sip of his black coffee, eyeballing Henriksen as he did so.  After almost a full minute, he placed his coffee cup back on the desk and looked up at the commander.“Dismissed,” he said simply, and turned his chair around towards the large window at the rear of his office.Henriksen turned and left the ready room, wondering just how difficult his future on the Odyssey was going to be.  Quentin Jefferson meanwhile, took another long swig of his drink, and smiled widely as he gazed out at the vast void before him.

 ***

 Lex was sat in his fitted chair on the bridge of the Argus, preparing to leave Starbase 251 and return to his negotiations with the P’Dralans, when T’Kare’s console suddenly started chirping behind him.“Captain, we’re receiving an encrypted subspace transmission marked your eyes only,” the Avian officer informed him.“Source?”“Unknown.”“Could it be from the admirals?” Kate asked.“Could be, they’re on their way back to Starbase 88 right now,” Lex replied.  “Pipe it through to my ready room, Lieutenant.”Once Lex was settled behind the desk in his office, he activated his monitor – and fought to contain a gulp of surprise when he saw he it was who had contacted him.“Admiral Tomalak,” he said, with only a hint of surprise.“I’m flattered you still remember me,” the veteran Romulan replied with his usual crocodile smile.  “I, of course, have never forgotten you.  How is that lovely worm of yours?  I understand that you had a few … problems earlier this year – not anything serious, I hope?”“Nothing you need worry yourself about, I assure you,” Lex replied politely, refusing to be thrown by the highly personal information Tomalak had chosen to toss casually into the conversation.“Well that’s certainly good to hear.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you on some fine strategic manoeuvring at the border earlier – Katanna would have been proud.  You positioned my men into a particularly unpleasant no-win situation.”

“Your men?” Lex asked, a feint shudder running down his spine.“Oh yes, hadn’t I mentioned that already?” Tomalak asked innocently.  “It seems that your assignment in this region puts you next door to the sector for which I am responsible.  I’m certain that means we will be seeing a great deal of each other in the near future.“Katanna Lex once made a grave mistake by humiliating me,” Tomalak added, his tone suddenly becoming more menacing.  “You have now repeated this mistake.  I assure you, Captain, there will not be a third occasion.  I think you will find that crossing me is not a wise thing to do; most live to regret it … or rather, they don’t,” he concluded, smiling politely again.“I’m sure I can look after myself, Admiral,” Lex replied boldly.  “But thank you for the warning.”“I am sure we will meet again soon – but remember, in the meantime, I’ll be watching you, young Lex.”The monitor screen blanked out for a moment before returning to the image of the Federation seal.  Lex leant back carefully in his chair, and couldn’t help but think that life out here on the edge of Federation space was nothing if not interesting…

EPILOGUE“It’s done,” Tomalak said, as he entered the inner chamber of the Romulan outpost.  “Captain Lex knows of my displeasure, and will certainly be watching his back from now on.”“Excellent,” Garilik replied, swivelling the chair around to face the admiral.“You’re in my chair, Major,” Tomalak observed caustically.“It is appropriate for the military to extend every possible courtesy to a visiting member of the Tal Shiar,” the younger officer replied sternly.  “Your chair is a good start.  Now what of Starfleet – are you sure they suspect nothing?”“Captain Lex’s demeanour was one of a victor,” Tomalak confirmed.  “He believes that he’s outwitted us, and rescued a loyal Federation spy from our clutches.”“And the beauty is, that’s exactly what he’s done,” Garilik said smiling.“You’re sure the mind blocks will hold?” Tomalak asked dubiously.“Relax, Admiral, I do have some experience with this sort of thing.  Peltek was a Federation spy – but he will have no recollection of the fact that we apprehended him before he went on the run.“We striped all useful information concerning the so-called dissident movement from his mind, and implanted a little … surprise for our Federation friends, before we sent him on his way.”“You then allowed him to be rescued by Commander Henriksen,” Tomalak said slowly, putting the pieces together.  “But why? And why expose one of your own agents, Admiral Morrison, in the process?”“Morrison was a greedy man, only out to protect his own interests,” Garilik replied dismissively.  “He was never a believer in our cause.  His careless actions were already beginning to arouse some suspicions within Starfleet – and his actions on the mission to stop Henriksen only confirmed our worst fears.  We need operatives to be invisible – he was anything but.”“So he never knew anything about your real plans for Peltek?”

“He was the scapegoat – the currency to make Peltek believable.  Peltek is exactly what we need – a spy who doesn’t even know he’s a spy,” Garilik explained, taking two glasses and bottle for the desk draw.  “He’ll integrate into Federation society after his debriefing, having earned Starfleet’s trust by unmasking the traitor in their midst.  He’ll be taken in as the self-sacrificing crusader that he is … and all the Federation’s secrets will be shared with him.”“And then when you are ready…” Tomalak said smiling.“…We activate his suppressed programming and bring him home for debriefing,” Garilik concluded triumphantly, passing him a glass of his own vintage Ka-li-fau.“And you’re sure the mind blocks and subliminal programming wont be detected when he’s debriefed by Starfleet?”“They would have to know exactly what they were looking for – and more importantly, they would have to tear Peltek’s mind apart to do it, and I think that’s too heavy a price for Starfleet’s peace of mind.”“But all you’ve accomplished is to exchange one spy within the Federation for another,” Tomalak pointed out.“One reckless spy, for one undetectable spy,” Garilik countered.  “And let’s not underestimate the effect Morrison’s treachery will have on Starfleet’s psyche.  They will know that we were able to place a spy in the highest ranks of Starfleet … and they will wonder how many more are still there, waiting to betray them.”“And as the old Romulan saying goes,” Tomalak said, raising his glass.  “A paranoid enemy is an unproductive enemy.”“I’ll drink to that,” Garilik replied, bringing up his own glass.“Cheers.”    

Created Stardate 10109.18© 2001 Michael Axe

Posted Stardate 10202.24