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“Not Ross?”

Pińiero almost sputtered her soda, thinking of what Helga was grooming the admiral for. “If Admiral Ross wanted to get into the political arena, he would have just run and had done with it,” she said, hoping to hell it was true.

“And if the FNS is wrong and President Pagro is the one making decisions?” Abrik said with a smile.

Pińiero smiled right back. “Then you can do whatever the hell you want, and this conversation will be meaningless.”

“Fair enough.” Abrik grabbed his punch glass and leaned back. Again, he started whirling the drink around, staring at the liquid as it splashed against the sides of the glass. Then he looked back at Pińiero. “The FNS isn’t wrong, is it?”

“Hasn’t been yet.” She leaned forward. “Look, Jas, this is your chance to make sure that Pagro’s agenda will still at least have a voice in the administration. We both want the same things, it’s just a question of how we go about it. You’re right, we do need to defend people who can’t defend themselves, but a kamikaze run at the Klingon Defense Force won’t do anything to help the jeghpu’wI’.”

Abrik’s mouth fell open for a moment. “The what?”

“That’s what the Klingons call their subject species. The point is, we can work to effect those changes through peaceful means. And you can help us do that—keep us on the right track. You’re the right man for the job, Jas.”

He smiled. “That, and I can screw your administration before it starts.”

“Which,” she said quickly, “doesn’t do anyone any good, unless you’re just in this to be a bastard.”

“Don’t underestimate the considerable drawing power of being a bastard, Esperanza. It can be very satisfying.”

Pińiero refused to rise to the bait. “Not nearly as satisfying as doing the job right.”

He set the glass down. “Let me ask you something. You joined Bacco’s staff after you resigned your commission, right?”

Pińiero nodded.

“Funny—before that, she was a good, solid planetary governor who never showed any inclination to be anything but that until the day she died or retired. Then, suddenly, a little while after her good friends’ daughter joins up, she decided to expand her profile.” He picked up the glass again. “I’m guessing you were the one who put the idea in her head to run for president, and that you didn’t let up until she agreed.”

“You have every reason to guess that,” Pińiero said neutrally.

Abrik chuckled. “All right, then. You, Esperanza, have yourself a deal—and a security advisor.” He moved his glass toward her in a gesture of toasting.

Picking up her cobalt soda, she did likewise. The clink of their glasses touching echoed off the wall next to them. “To the future,” she said.

“I’ll drink to that,” he replied as he gulped the last of his allira punch.

Chapter 14

U.S.S. Enterprise

AS HE ENTERED TEN-FORWARD, Geordi La Forge felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

He’d been agonizing over what answer to give Riker regarding the position of first officer on the Titan, to the point where it was seriously interfering with his ability to do his job. Taurik had been taking up the slack, at least, and it wasn’t as if engineering had a huge number of responsibilities while they remained in orbit of Qo’noS, but La Forge hated being too distracted to perform his duties properly—especially in the middle of an inspection. Thank God Scotty’s the one keeping an eye on me—if I got this flaky while someone like Go or Genestra was standing over my shoulder, I’d be busted back to ensign so fast

In addition to his talk with Scotty, La Forge had discussed the possible promotion with Data and with Troi. Both listened to him go on about the pros and cons, both agreed that it was a difficult decision, both said that either choice would be a good choice.

In practical terms, that meant they were both absolutely no help at all.

Then last night, he watched the feed from the Federation News Service, and saw Nan Bacco being declared the new president of the United Federation of Planets, winning sixty-one percent of the vote. La Forge watched as Bacco stood there with her