Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [78]
“Damn the regulations,” Batiste scoffed.
“I beg your pardon, Admiral?”
“You heard me. These people will, in time, through contact with vessels like ours, enhance their technological capabilities and they will do so in the name of finishing the work the Borg began. We have an opportunity right here and right now to nip that in the bud.”
“And how do you think they’ll respond?” Eden asked. “You really want to tell these people we killed their gods?”
“We didn’t,” Batiste argued. “Not really.”
“Yes, I’m sure they’ll grasp the distinction. We were there, Willem. Our people witnessed the transformation firsthand and we’re still trying to figure out exactly what happened. Do you think the Indign are just going to take our word for it? They don’t know us. They have no reason to trust us. And all we’d be doing is handing them a reason to make war on us. What’s that going to solve, other than making you feel better about this?”
Batiste’s breath was quick. Beads of sweat had broken out on his forehead and she guessed that if she had a tricorder right now, it would have shown his heart racing in his chest.
“For the time being, Voyager, Hawking, and Galen will remain in orbit,” he ordered.
“I think that’s a mistake, Admiral,” she replied.
“That much I gathered. For what it’s worth, I think you were mistaken to allow Chakotay, Seven of Nine, and B’Elanna Torres to join your crew.”
“It’s my ship, Admiral. My crew.”
“That’s right. And you get to make mistakes. My ordering you otherwise isn’t going to change your nature, nor will it help you learn from these mistakes.”
Eden felt her own heart beginning to run its own quick race. “I appreciate your concern, Admiral, but I don’t need it. I understand my nature better than you ever could. I recognize my weaknesses and play to my strengths, just as you do. Please don’t assume that simply because you have formed an opinion, it’s the only viable one to be had. B’Elanna Torres has freely offered her expertise to Lieutenant Conlon. Seven has acquitted herself admirably and hasn’t failed once to honor the terms she agreed to when she boarded.”
“What about Chakotay? You honestly believe he’s only here to help a friend?”
“At this point, yes,” Eden replied, conscious of the hesitation in her voice. “But I’m not an idiot. If he has other intentions, they will become clear soon enough.”
“You already suspect him of planting those deflector protocols you reported.”
“He and I have discussed it and for the time being, I am satisfied with his answers. If that changes, I won’t hesitate to throw him or any other responsible party into the brig, pending transport back to the Alpha quadrant.”
“Afsarah,” Willem said, shaking his head morosely. “You’ve always been too quick to see the potential in everyone, and you possess a huge soft spot for strays.”
“You didn’t used to mind.”
“No, because when we were together, I knew I could protect you from those who would take advantage of your naïveté.”
“You abandoned your post as my protector a long time ago,” she replied heatedly. “Not that I ever wanted that from you anyway. And I certainly didn’t mean to burden you with my propensity for rash Pollyanna-esque lapses.”
“That’s not what I—” he began.
“You want to know what I think?” she hammered on without waiting for a response. “I think the only thing you hate more than being wrong is when I’m right. You constantly look for the monsters in the darkness. You’re terrified of them. Frankly, I don’t know how you rose through the ranks of an organization like Starfleet so quickly given your pessimism.”
“A lot of people are still alive today because of that pessimism,” he countered.
“There’s living and breathing, and there’s alive . One of these days, you’re going to learn the difference.