Section 31_ Rogue - Andy Mangels [130]
“You may be free to go in a few days, Corey,” she said, interrupting, “but God help you if our paths ever cross again after that. Not even Section 31 is invulnerable.”
She turned and walked away. Corey’s organization had taken her fiancé from her, and then one of her oldest friends.
It had much to answer for.
Chapter Nineteen
Jean-Luc Picard was not one who brooded often-if he did, he wouldn’t admit it to others-but today, his mood was as black as obsidian. After Hawk’s confessional visit, Admiral Rossa’s orders, and his brief confrontation with Zweller, sleep had been coming only fitfully. The stress and fatigue of the last several days-to say nothing of his brush with death on the subspace singularity mission-had taken their toll.
He had spent the morning organizing the files to be sent over to the Tian An Men along with Zweller, and classifying all the other relevant documents stored within the Enterprise’s computer banks. Although he could have assigned the task to Data and gotten it done more efficiently, he preferred to do it himself, though every deletion, transfer, or security classification chipped away at whatever good humor remained within him.
If only there had been some way to read the encrypted information on that Romulan data chip, Picard thought bitterly. At least then, Marta and I would have been able to warn some of Section 31’s next targets. Perhaps even set some traps.
Riker had contacted him a short while ago, telling him that the Tian An Men was approaching. The time of the scheduled rendezvous was almost upon them.
Just minutes from now, Corey Zweller will be free. He cursed under his breath.
The ready-room door chimed quietly, then slid open. Vice-Admiral Batanides hesitated for a moment before stepping in. “Good morning, Jean-Luc,” she said, moving over toward the replicator.
“Either you have some news of which I’m not yet aware, or you mean that rhetorically,” he said, forcing a smile.
She ordered almond amaretto coffee with cream, and then turned toward him as a cup sparkled into existence in the replicator. “No. No good news. And the Tian An Men is almost within transporter range.”
Picard regarded her for a moment, his hand to his chin. “Marta, I need to speak with you off the record. Truly off the record.”
“Sure, Johnny,” she said. She took a seat before the desk, her coffee cup in hand.
He sighed heavily. “I’ve been running this week’s events over and over in my mind. I’ve been reading and rereading the logs. And I’m still tremendously uncomfortable with Admiral Rossa’s orders.” He looked her directly in the eyes. “There are a lot of unpleasant consequences associated with this mission that I can accept. I can accept that a sovereign people have elected to reject Federation membership. I can accept that the Romulans have gained three sectors of relatively worthless territory at our expense. I can even accept the fact that we never learned whether Falhain’s assassination was the work of Section 31, the Romulans, Ruardh, or even Grelun himself.
“But I cannot accept the prospect of Corey Zweller leaving this ship a free man after what he’s done.”
She looked supremely concerned. “What are you telling me, Johnny?”
“I have no intention of simply turning Zweller over to the Tian An Men. It’s clear that Section 31 has contrived a way to sweep his misdeeds under the rug, as well as any proof of the bureau’s existence that we might furnish.”
Batanides sipped her coffee, but said nothing, nor gave any hint of her feelings. Picard continued. “I’m planning on proceeding to Earth with Zweller aboard, where I will appeal directly to the Federation Council. Something must be done about Section 31.”
She appeared to mull his words over for a moment, then set her cup down on Picard’s desk. “That would be a huge mistake, Johnny. We’re not talking about taking on a trio