Star Trek: Phoenix-X
"The Recruited"“Captain’s log, Stardate 47796.9. It’s been about three years now, and I always thought I had finally learned my lesson. Yes, I hate the Cardassians. Nothing would change that. But, after my incident with them and the damn Board of Inquiry, I thought I had a newfound respect for the Federation. I suppose I was wrong. Handing over our planets to the Cardassians: that’s what is truly wrong. That they killed my family. I will never forget that. After being taken down a few ranks, and finally reclaiming that of Captain aboard the Earth Spacedock, I’ve made my decision. It’s once again time for action.”
---
Commander Sith went down a hallway aboard Earth Spacedock and hid behind a wall before the next hallway. Around the corner, Captain Benjamin Maxwell was just exiting his quarters. Maxwell made his way down the corridor.
Sith followed silently behind and from a distance. He quickly hid behind the next wall before Maxwell stopped and looked over his shoulder. He thought he might have heard something, but must’ve been wrong.
Maxwell then proceeded to access a wall terminal to input a few distinct command codes. After that, he turned the next corner and entered an airlock hatch corridor. Going along, he looked at hatch after hatch, passing starship after starship. He finally came to an empty hatch to which he opened the interior doors only. Inside was a Starfleet Lieutenant, waiting for him.
“Captain,” Lieutenant Tengen greeted.
Maxwell handed him a PADD. “I have the data you need to take one of our ships. The Phoenix.”
“Your ship?” Tengen queried.
The older man nodded. “It was, once, a long time ago. I’m sure its current Captain won’t have any objections of you taking it— yet, anyway.”
“Daniel’s at the conference on Earth,” the younger officer remembered.
Maxwell confirmed, “Right. He won’t have any clue until you’re gone. There are only a few people onboard it. I’m sure you can handle them.”
Sith stepped out from around the corner, revealing himself. “Yeah, but can you handle me?”
The Lieutenant quickly pulled out his phaser and fired passed Maxwell’s shoulder. Maxwell dove as the phaser beam also missed Sith and singed the back wall. Sith had dropped to the ground and fired his own phaser at the PADD in Tengen's hand. The PADD flung out, half-vapourized. “Argh!!!”
Tengen then ran towards Sith, firing phaser beams, his shot becoming more accurate the closer he got. Sith jumped his back off the floor, to his feet. Another phaser beam missed him before he spun-kicked into the air once Tengen got into close-quarters. Sith’s foot kicked the phaser out of Tengen's hand as another spin-kick knocked the Lieutenant back into the airlock.
Maxwell grabbed the phaser and held it towards Sith from the end of the hall. “Commander.” He was surprised and a little nervous at what he found himself doing.
“Captain Maxwell, put the phaser down.” Sith trained his own phaser too.
The older war hero gritted his teeth. “Why did you interfere?? Can’t you see the Cardassians are our enemies??”
“You already worked through all this. What were you going to do? Join the Maquis? You want to be like him?” Sith nodded toward the unconscious Tengen.
Maxwell looked away. “I know it’s against what the Federation stands for. But giving up our worlds on Federation-Cardassian borders is more than wrong!”
There, he was suddenly approached by a mysterious man. “Great work Commander,” the tall, caucasian human greeted with a calm demeanour.
Sith turned and didn’t recognize him. He had Lieutenant pips on his Starfleet uniform. Another lieutenant confrontation? This must be a sign, Sith thought, part jokingly, part serious. “I’m sorry. You would be...?”
“Lieutenant Sloan,” he shook his hand. “Actually, I’m not a lieutenant.”
The Commander raised a brow. “What?”
“I’m not even in Starfleet. I’m part of an elite group that wants to recruit you.”
Sith looked at him more seriously now. “The Maquis. What is it? You have a message for me, don’t you?”
“No. I’m part of a section of the Federation that really isn’t known much. Section 31.”
The Commander now furrowed his brows. “Okay, now I’m more confused.”
“We deal with the heart of the Federation. We protect its citizens and everything the Federation stands for in covert ways. We also don’t have any tolerance for this new terrorist group called the Maquis,” Sloan said.
“Now that, I get. But I’m going to have to clear this with Admiral Theseus.”
“Go ahead. Coincidentally, he works with us. Basically, we were impressed by your relentless action in catching Maxwell. Of course, if you weren’t on the case, we would have stopped him ourselves, but we had to see what you could do.”
Looking away, Sith recalled, “Maxwell threatened to strip me of my command if I kept going through his files. It’s a good thing I followed my intuition.”
“Clear this with Theseus. You’ll see. Tomorrow I’ll come to pick you up." Sloan paused. "Don’t worry, I’ll find you.”
Sith retrained his focus. “What? I haven’t even agreed to this?”
“You’ll come.”
“How do you know?”
“Your curiosity demands it.”
---
Commander Sith did go to Theseus immediately and found he really was working with Section 31. Although, the Admiral liked to think he had more power than the group and was actually controlling them himself. Sith rolled his eyes. Theseus was more delusional than he thought. He didn’t know if that was more wrenching or funny.
He next went to his quarters and almost began packing. “This is crazy. I’m not doing this!” Sith threw his bag to the floor. What the hell was he doing? He didn’t know anything about this so-called Section 31. He checked records and there was nothing on them. They didn’t even exist according to Starfleet.
Just then, he was beamed away.
---
He found himself in a room on Earth. There, he was met with three more Section 31 operatives. They all wore black suits. “Sith.” Sloan walked over and gave him a suit.
“I can’t believe such an organization is recruiting me so easily.” Sith shook his head.
“Well, we’ve put many of our operatives under the most stressful of tests. Some took years to join us. But your skill expedites our trust. We know your kind well.”
“What makes me so different than the others?”
“Your strength. Your agility. You have the ability to take control of a chaotic situation and use that chaos to your advantage. It’s truly amazing.”
Sith rolled his eyes, annoyed and a little flattered. The others turned as he changed into the suit. It seemed so slick and mysterious wearing it. The black really blended in with the shadows.
---
Sloan and Sith took corridors underneath the Earth’s surface. They led to a secret engineering hangar underground. There, teams of scientists and engineers were working on a large starship warp core.
As Sith walked past the many, many people there, he couldn’t help but to be mesmerized. They all worked for Section 31. They were all doing something. He then looked up at the engine. It was impressive.
“Warp capable?” Sith opened.
Sloan answered, “Both, actually.”
“Both what?” He squinted.
The man smirked. “Both warp and transwarp capable.”
“Ha! That’s a good one,” Sith languished.
Sloan gestured. “Take a look for yourself.”
Leaving the Bridge, Section 31 Operative Sith ran down the Corridor’s of the ship. He leapt over a crouched Engineer and ran into the Turbolift before it was too late. The Turbolift brought Sith to the middle Vector just as the Phoenix-X was separating into three separate pieces. Just in time.
---
Sith was on Vector 2. He found the Vector 2 Control Bridge, from there he gained control of it. The Vector engaged Engines and sped away from Teketekon station, which had the top and bottom Phoenix-X Vector’s floating limp in space.
Vector 2 jumped to Warp in the direction of the Cardassian Ship’s ion trail.
It approached the same Cardassian ship from earlier. “Tain to Phoenix-X. What the hell is going on here?” But he got no response.
---
Sith beamed onto the Cardassian ship, armed with a phaser. The air on this ship was stingy, and very thick. “Alright this should be fun.” He ran off.
In an interrogation room, Maxwell was tied to a chair. There he was getting beaten even more by the two Cardassian henchmen. “We know who you are, Human.” He slapped Maxwell across the face with the back of his hand. “You’re a big war criminal on our World, you know that?”
“You’re going to be put on trail on Cardassia and proven guilty in a court of law,” the other said.
Sith was just outside, kicking his foot into one of the guards and grabbing the Cardassian disrupter rifle out of mid air. He shot at the other incoming guards, vapourizing them.
---
In a second, the doors to the Interrogation Room were blown apart. Sith was standing in the wake of the smoke as it cleared. “Section 31 sends its regards.” He blasted disrupter pulses into both the Hench Men, knocking them back into the walls and vapourizing them.
After, he ran in and deactivated the cuffs on Maxwell. Sith lifted the weak Captain up, who was partially standing on his own will. “Captain!”
“Uuhhh...” Maxwell was not well. “Sith...? What are... you doing here?”
“I’m going to get you out of here, Captain.” Sith held the disrupter rifle in one hand and his other arm was around the Captain.
“Uuugghhh... Where’d you get that suit?”
Sith lead Maxwell out into the hallway. He blasted disrupter pulses at more arriving Cardassians. Each one was vapourized.
One Cardassian leapt onto the floor pumping pulses at the two Human’s. Sith quickly slammed his foot into the curled end of the door panel he blew apart earlier. With great accuracy, the door panel flew up in front of Sith, shielding and taking the incoming pulses and impacts. The panel was vapourized in mid air, giving enough time for Sith carrying Maxwell to duck. Sith blasted his pulses at that Cardassian and eliminated him from existence.
They made their way down to the Transporter Room.
“Not so fast,” it was Enabran Tain’s voice. “I’m getting too old for this... Kill them!” He ordered his men. A group of Cardassian’s ran for Sith and Maxwell. Sith couldn’t run, so he used Maxwell as a weapon and threw the Captain into two of the Cardassian’s. With that distraction, he leaped up and kicked another Cardassian in the chest, knocking that one back into another.
Out a nearby window, going unnoticed by Sith, was the three Vectors of the Phoenix-X re-assembling. Disrupter pulses flew through the air at him, and Sith spun around catching their direction so that he could dodge them. Gripping his rifle as he spun around, and fired back. He hit three Cardassian’s dead on and vapourized them.
When the way was clear, he picked up Maxwell and brought him into the Transporter Room. Activating the transport he and Maxwell disappeared.
They found themselves on the Bridge of the Phoenix-X, where Sloan intercepted their transporter beam redirecting them to there.
There was a pause as Sith had Maxwell leaning against his shoulder. Sloan chuckled for a moment. “You’re good.” He chuckled again. “You’re damn good.”
Sith was getting annoyed like hell now. Who the hell did Sloan think he was? My new mentor? Sith pulled up his disrupter rifle and aimed at Sloan. “Oh yeah? Well you’re about to find out how good I really am.”
Sloan’s eye caught the direction of the aim and he dodged it before it was shot. Sith fired the disrupter and missed Sloan, but there was no time to fire another because he had to get out of there. He ran to Tactical and started messing around with the Systems. As he was programming, more Section 31 Op’s ran behind him and grabbed his arms away. Sith struggled, loosened himself, and knocked each Op back.
Suddenly the gravity on the Bridge got slightly lighter. “He messed with the environmental systems!!” One Op yelled, but Sith ran and jump kicked him. That Op flew across the Bridge and slammed into the Viewscreen. Another Op put his arms around Sith’s neck from behind, but Sith flipped himself in the light gravity, throwing that Op into a group of Section 31 Op’s. All those Op’s were richocheted into the air, floating into walls and consoles.
Sith got the Tactical Console again and restored gravity. The floating Op’s hit the floor in pain. “Argh! Stop him!!” Sloan yelled.
Sith tapped into the Transporter Systems and begun programming like crazy. As soon as an Op tried to grab him, the Op was beamed a few feet away. Another Op punched for Sith’s face, but Sith leaned back and dodged it. That Op was suddenly beamed five more feet away. He continued to program the site-to-site System’s, beaming approaching Section 31 Op’s after the other to random locations on the Bridge.
Transporting was happening all over the Bridge simultaneously. It was chaos, but he was watching every single placement with great detail. He beamed Maxwell away, and then Sloan away. Maxwell rematerialized by his side, but Sloan was beamed right in front of the Viewscreen.
Another Op grabbed Sith as he just extended his range, beaming that Op into the Corridors of the Deck below. Three more Op’s ran for Sith, but Sith beamed one into the Observation Lounge, one into the Shuttle Bay, and one into the Captain’s Ready Room.
Sith located the Valiant, who had just arrived on sensors. He locked onto himself and Maxwell and programmed the transporters to beam them out when the Valiant got into range. The last group of Section 31 Op’s grabbed Sith and pulled him away from the Tactial Console. Sith punched for each one, only hitting two. Three more kicked him in the chest and knocked him back into the Tactical Console. Sith was trapped there, but then jumped himself off the Console flipping in mid air as he and Maxwell were dematerialized.
---
Sith landed on the Bridge of the Valiant. There, it was also being run by Section 31 Op’s. He pushed the Section 31 Agent who was behind the Valiant’s Tactical Console away and quickly put the Valiant’s shields up.
All the other Op’s in the room immediately stood up and headed for Sith. As they ran for him and begun firing phaser beams, Sith programmed a thin standing force field which blocked the one sourced incoming phaser beams. The field went away, and he programmed a floating force field which one of the Op’s ran into clumsily. The Op hit the floor, as Sith programmed two more force field shards right in front of two more Op’s.
They hit the floor, but one Op was able to grab Sith’s neck from behind. Sith programmed a horizontal force field shard behind him. He used the Op’s closeness to spin the Op around and knock him back. The Op flew back onto the floating force field, getting shocked by the energy until he fell off it to the floor.
Programming, the entire Bridge was suddenly shattered with random force field fragments, walls, and ledges. It was like a maze that Sith quickly memorized.
He backed up and punched an Op. Another one came by, and Sith kicked him into a force field. Everyone walked around slowly, unsure where the force fields were exactly. A few zaps were heard here and there. Maxwell just remained still, still hurt from the interrogations.
Sith and two Section 31 Op’s found their way to each other. Sith grabbed one Op and shoved him into a force field room. “Aahh!!” The Op screamed.
Sith punched and blocked the other one, and then kicked him into another two enclosed force fields.
He was suddenly surrounded by all the Section 31 Operatives. He punched one, and blocked another one. One Op grabbed him, but Sith kneed him in the stomach. He flung one Op into the wedge of two force fields, and kicked another Op over the ledge of another forcefield. The last five Op’s grabbed Sith, but Sith ran his feet around each one, knocking them in all directions. Each five Op’s were wedged into different force fields, getting shocked like crazy.
Sith ran back and deactivated only a few of the force fields. The remaining Op’s were stuck where they were. It was an interesting sight.
The one Agent Sith pushed away earlier was free and was behind Sith. He slammed his phaser nose into the back of Sith’s head. “Argh!!” Sith irked in pain.
From behind, Maxwell had the disrupter rifle and vapourized the last standing Section 31 Op. A smoking end was left at the nose of the rifle. “Heh... Didn’t think I had it in me, did you?” He said, still in pain.
Sith smiled, “Let’s get out of here.”
He leaped into the chair at the helm and got the Valiant to turn around in space. Maxwell limped his way to the Captain’s chair and took a much-needed rest. The Valiant jumped to warp.
---
But in warp is where they were hailed. Sloan came onscreen. "Where do you think you’re going?" Sloan smiled.
“I quit your organization Sloan.” Sith spoke back. “I’m sorry but my curiosity just couldn’t catch on.”
"You don’t know what you’re giving up here, Sith," Sloan replied angrily.
“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea.” He increased the Warp Factor to 9 so that the transmission would break up sooner than normal.
"Section 31 is the heart of the Federation! Without us it’s nothing!!!"
The transmission then broke up and the Valiant eventually made it back to Federation space.
---
In time, the Valiant returned to Earth. It was to be given back to the shipyards for further systems installations. The Section 31 Op’s on board all had committed suicide. Some were able to escape. Sickening as it was, Sith would never understand how they could be so disillusioned.
---
A couple days later, Maxwell had regained his strength. He was in the Observation Lounge of Earth Spacedock, at a table.
Commander Sith, not wearing the black suit anymore, was in the Control Center of the starbase with Admiral Theseus and Council Member Chang.
“I’m telling you, Section 31 is out there,” Sith was at a console scanning Earth.
“Those underground tunnels may have been for this group you call Section 31, but obviously they’re not there anymore.” Chang replied. “Frankly, I’ve never seen those tunnels before. If there was a Section of the Federation working there, they weren’t recognized by us at all.”
Theseus shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose we’ll never know.”
Chang left the room, where Sith and Theseus found themselves alone.
“You bastard!” Sith said to him.
Theseus shrugged again. “Hey, I don’t know what Section 31 does and frankly I don’t want to know.” He walked around. “I don’t work for them, I just know them. All we do is support each other.”
“You’ll pay for this Admiral. Not by me, but by yourself. Because I just know you’ll screw up somewhere along the lines... No one can keep a secret like this for long.”
“You must be worried that Sloan will come back for you. Because he could, you know. He could kill you at any time if he wanted. He could probably return Maxwell back to the Cardassian’s.”
Sith eyed him, “Maybe. But I know it takes a lot of work for that and he doesn’t have the time.”
“Actually, now that you’ve become his enemy, you’ve become very valuable to him. There’s no way he’ll let you die now... and Maxwell? Well that’s just icing on the cake.”
---
With that he left. Sith turned and left aswell. He made his way to the Observation Lounge, walking in for a drink but suddenly noticing Maxwell. Sith got a drink and then went up a few stairs to approach the Captain. “May I...?” He gestured for a seat.
“Of course.” Maxwell said.
Sith sat down and looked out the window with the Captain. “Sloan was a mad man.”
“Indeed he was.”
“He’s still out there...”
Captain Maxwell nodded. “If he’s truly a human being, then he’s already received the punishment he deserves... Himself.” He paused. “And maybe so have I. He was willing to go so far enough to protect the Federation he loved... and what did it bring him? The worst characteristics a man could ever have.” Maxwell obviously was talking about himself aswell. “Perhaps... I’ll think twice about assisting the Maquis.”
“That’s good to hear, sir.” Maxwell raised his glass for a toast. Sith raised his too and toasted it. Maxwell shook his head in disbelief. “Sir?”
He shook his head again, “I just don’t get it. Section 31 was the best of the best... and you took them all down.”
THE END
Sith followed silently behind and from a distance. He quickly hid behind the next wall before Maxwell stopped and looked over his shoulder. He thought he might have heard something, but must’ve been wrong.
Maxwell then proceeded to access a wall terminal to input a few distinct command codes. After that, he turned the next corner and entered an airlock hatch corridor. Going along, he looked at hatch after hatch, passing starship after starship. He finally came to an empty hatch to which he opened the interior doors only. Inside was a Starfleet Lieutenant, waiting for him.
“Captain,” Lieutenant Tengen greeted.
Maxwell handed him a PADD. “I have the data you need to take one of our ships. The Phoenix.”
“Your ship?” Tengen queried.
The older man nodded. “It was, once, a long time ago. I’m sure its current Captain won’t have any objections of you taking it— yet, anyway.”
“Daniel’s at the conference on Earth,” the younger officer remembered.
Maxwell confirmed, “Right. He won’t have any clue until you’re gone. There are only a few people onboard it. I’m sure you can handle them.”
Sith stepped out from around the corner, revealing himself. “Yeah, but can you handle me?”
The Lieutenant quickly pulled out his phaser and fired passed Maxwell’s shoulder. Maxwell dove as the phaser beam also missed Sith and singed the back wall. Sith had dropped to the ground and fired his own phaser at the PADD in Tengen's hand. The PADD flung out, half-vapourized. “Argh!!!”
Tengen then ran towards Sith, firing phaser beams, his shot becoming more accurate the closer he got. Sith jumped his back off the floor, to his feet. Another phaser beam missed him before he spun-kicked into the air once Tengen got into close-quarters. Sith’s foot kicked the phaser out of Tengen's hand as another spin-kick knocked the Lieutenant back into the airlock.
Maxwell grabbed the phaser and held it towards Sith from the end of the hall. “Commander.” He was surprised and a little nervous at what he found himself doing.
“Captain Maxwell, put the phaser down.” Sith trained his own phaser too.
The older war hero gritted his teeth. “Why did you interfere?? Can’t you see the Cardassians are our enemies??”
“You already worked through all this. What were you going to do? Join the Maquis? You want to be like him?” Sith nodded toward the unconscious Tengen.
Maxwell looked away. “I know it’s against what the Federation stands for. But giving up our worlds on Federation-Cardassian borders is more than wrong!”
FZZT! Unable to take it anymore, Sith fired his phaser and stunned Maxwell unconscious, to the floor.
Having regained consciousness, Tengen lept up from the side and tackled Sith into the wall. Sith struggled, kneeing the Lieutenant in the stomach and then using the same lifted leg to kick the Tengen away. Sith used the same leg to kick multiple times as Tengen came back for him. The Lieutenant was finally weak enough from kick after kick before he fell back to the floor.
Sith dropped his leg and stood before the two fallen, so-called Starfleet officers. Traitors.
---
Later, Maxwell and Tengen were put to trial on Spacedock. The courtroom was audience-filled with council members and admirals. They had already begun questioning. This was it for Maxwell. His second major offence would surely do him in.
Sith gave his input on what happened, and that was it. He left the courtroom and went to the Observation lounge to do some thinking.
Having regained consciousness, Tengen lept up from the side and tackled Sith into the wall. Sith struggled, kneeing the Lieutenant in the stomach and then using the same lifted leg to kick the Tengen away. Sith used the same leg to kick multiple times as Tengen came back for him. The Lieutenant was finally weak enough from kick after kick before he fell back to the floor.
Sith dropped his leg and stood before the two fallen, so-called Starfleet officers. Traitors.
---
Later, Maxwell and Tengen were put to trial on Spacedock. The courtroom was audience-filled with council members and admirals. They had already begun questioning. This was it for Maxwell. His second major offence would surely do him in.
Sith gave his input on what happened, and that was it. He left the courtroom and went to the Observation lounge to do some thinking.
There, he was suddenly approached by a mysterious man. “Great work Commander,” the tall, caucasian human greeted with a calm demeanour.
Sith turned and didn’t recognize him. He had Lieutenant pips on his Starfleet uniform. Another lieutenant confrontation? This must be a sign, Sith thought, part jokingly, part serious. “I’m sorry. You would be...?”
“Lieutenant Sloan,” he shook his hand. “Actually, I’m not a lieutenant.”
The Commander raised a brow. “What?”
“I’m not even in Starfleet. I’m part of an elite group that wants to recruit you.”
Sith looked at him more seriously now. “The Maquis. What is it? You have a message for me, don’t you?”
“No. I’m part of a section of the Federation that really isn’t known much. Section 31.”
The Commander now furrowed his brows. “Okay, now I’m more confused.”
“We deal with the heart of the Federation. We protect its citizens and everything the Federation stands for in covert ways. We also don’t have any tolerance for this new terrorist group called the Maquis,” Sloan said.
“Now that, I get. But I’m going to have to clear this with Admiral Theseus.”
“Go ahead. Coincidentally, he works with us. Basically, we were impressed by your relentless action in catching Maxwell. Of course, if you weren’t on the case, we would have stopped him ourselves, but we had to see what you could do.”
Looking away, Sith recalled, “Maxwell threatened to strip me of my command if I kept going through his files. It’s a good thing I followed my intuition.”
“Clear this with Theseus. You’ll see. Tomorrow I’ll come to pick you up." Sloan paused. "Don’t worry, I’ll find you.”
Sith retrained his focus. “What? I haven’t even agreed to this?”
“You’ll come.”
“How do you know?”
“Your curiosity demands it.”
---
Commander Sith did go to Theseus immediately and found he really was working with Section 31. Although, the Admiral liked to think he had more power than the group and was actually controlling them himself. Sith rolled his eyes. Theseus was more delusional than he thought. He didn’t know if that was more wrenching or funny.
He next went to his quarters and almost began packing. “This is crazy. I’m not doing this!” Sith threw his bag to the floor. What the hell was he doing? He didn’t know anything about this so-called Section 31. He checked records and there was nothing on them. They didn’t even exist according to Starfleet.
Just then, he was beamed away.
---
He found himself in a room on Earth. There, he was met with three more Section 31 operatives. They all wore black suits. “Sith.” Sloan walked over and gave him a suit.
“I can’t believe such an organization is recruiting me so easily.” Sith shook his head.
“Well, we’ve put many of our operatives under the most stressful of tests. Some took years to join us. But your skill expedites our trust. We know your kind well.”
“What makes me so different than the others?”
“Your strength. Your agility. You have the ability to take control of a chaotic situation and use that chaos to your advantage. It’s truly amazing.”
Sith rolled his eyes, annoyed and a little flattered. The others turned as he changed into the suit. It seemed so slick and mysterious wearing it. The black really blended in with the shadows.
---
Sloan and Sith took corridors underneath the Earth’s surface. They led to a secret engineering hangar underground. There, teams of scientists and engineers were working on a large starship warp core.
As Sith walked past the many, many people there, he couldn’t help but to be mesmerized. They all worked for Section 31. They were all doing something. He then looked up at the engine. It was impressive.
“Warp capable?” Sith opened.
Sloan answered, “Both, actually.”
“Both what?” He squinted.
The man smirked. “Both warp and transwarp capable.”
“Ha! That’s a good one,” Sith languished.
Sloan gestured. “Take a look for yourself.”
The new agent moved to examine the open conduits. To him, the technology was all new and configured strangely. It had everything a warp core needed and more. “This is impossible. How??”
“Well, almost 80 years ago Earth received schematics and components for such an engine from whale probe aliens. These such schematics came at good timing too. The Transwarp testing from the Excelsior had just failed and the Federation was entering a new era.”
Sith just walked around the core, listening and looking at it in awe.
“It wasn’t until recently, after some intense testing and heavy Phoenix-named starship loss, that we’d been able to properly integrate the function into our normal warp cores,” Sloan finished.
“Amazing.”
He suddenly started going through the Transwarp Database. “Look at this. These Systems you have set up are so amazing. Transwarp Initiation Sequence... Transwarp Field Conditioner... Resonating Frequency Settings...” The list went on.
Sloan walked over and placed his hand on Sith’s shoulder. A chill went down his spine... Sloan almost felt evil.
Sith pulled himself away. Maybe being this man’s friend was undesirable. “I can’t wait until all the Ship’s in Starfleet are refitted with these engines. Space travel is going to be revolutionized over the next ten years.”
“Oh, we won’t be distributing the transwarp engine to Starfleet,” Sloan said.
Sith’s smile left his face, “Are you crazy? This is a breakthrough.”
“Section 31 will not let this go. It is a significant piece of technology. If we let it go into the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous.”
Sith just stood there, shocked. He looked at Sloan, who looked right back at him with an evil brow. Was this man serious?
Sloan looked up at his Engine. “With this thing, Section 31 has power.” He then looked back at Sith. “Besides, most of the parts are impossible to replicate. This Engine will be the only of its kind.” He looked back up at it.
“So what now?”
“We’ll be fitting it onto a ship of our own, in the morning actually. Your job will be to oversee it.”
Commander Sith didn’t know much about the Transwarp Technology, but more than likely there would be experts with him.
“Until then, you’re free to roam around the premises. Your Quarters are just down the hall. Welcome to the underground,” he said with open arms. Sloan left through the crowd of Starfleet Officers who were walking by. In an instant he was gone through the doors, like the Devil disappearing into nothingness.
Sith went around, talking to people, getting to know their situation. They were a friendly bunch. One man, by the name of Beck, had just begun working there. The group was known as the X-Team, or rather, not known.
---
The next morning, a Defiant-class vessel had made its way to Earth. It was new and actually just launched that morning. The U.S.S. Valiant landed somewhere in northern Canada where Section 31 had concealed their location.
The transwarp engine was raised up from the underground on a platform. The platform sped up through the vertical tunnel at a fast speed and slowed as it came up above ground. It was snowing and cold outside. Harsh winds dealt the atmosphere for this transfer. The Valiant was a few inches above, as the engine was raised into a compartment into the bottom of the ship.
Most of the X-Team and Sith made their way onto the Valiant, not to mention the Section 31 Operatives. Sith had plans on how he was going to deal the installation of this Engine. He’d been going over the schematics of the Ship and Engine Room it was going to be installed on all night. Fascinating.
The Valiant closed its compartments and lifted itself into the sky. It sped through the clouds and then out of Earth’s atmosphere. Clouds were left in spinning swirls as the Valiant entered space with enough time to get to a safe distance for warp jumping. The new Section 31 operative, Sith, looked out the window. No doubt Sloan came up with a good excuse for Starfleet for the Valiant being there.
---
Sith entered the Bridge of the Valiant. There Sloan was in the Captain’s Chair. “Not really my fit. I prefer to be on the sidelines. This Captain’s Chair get’s... so much attention. You know what I mean?”
Sith shrugged, “I suppose.”
“We’re almost there,” he looked back on screen. “Cardassian Territory.”
“Cardassian Territory??”
“Where else do you expect us to put a vessel together? Any place in the Federation would get us noticed.”
The Valiant approached a Prometheus-class starship, being hugged by a McKinley-type station. It was actually named, Teketekon Station. As they got closer, Sith’s eyes were once again in awe.
“What is that...??”
Sloan smiled, “A Prometheus-class Starship. Well, actually, we might rename it as the Multi-Vector-class.”
“What’s her name?”
“The U.S.S. Phoenix-X. The extra X is for, well, the transwarp engine. But to Starfleet, it’ll be for the testing of minor technologies.”
“But there’s already a Phoenix in service.”
“Like I said, Phoenix-X. It’s different. We’ll probably get a second rate crew to pilot her. Just enough to keep Section 31 in control of it.”
Sith shook his head in disbelief. Control of a Starship? Sloan was crazy.
In no time everyone was aboard the Phoenix-X. Its corridors were busy as hell. Engineers who were already there, including the X-Team, all had been running around the ship trying to get it online. It was a normal pre-launch atmosphere that happened on most Starship’s before their launch.
It wasn’t any different for him. Sith was in Engineering directing the installation of the transwarp engine. It was brought into the ship from the belly of the Phoenix-X, more specifically, the ejection tunnel. As the Transwarp Core made its way up into the Room, Sith knew he had executed a job well done. The Transwarp Core clicked into place and the X-Team immediately got to work incorporating its systems.
Sith left Engineering and went to the Briefing Room where he would speak to Sloan. Yeah, that’s fun, He thought sarcastically. As he made his way through the ship, out windows a Cardassian Galor class vessel could be seen.
---
Entering the Briefing Room he stumbled upon Section 31 Director Sloan, a couple of his henchmen holding Captain Maxwell, and a group of Cardassians. “Hello...”
“Sith you’re just in time. We were about to show the Obsidian Order a gesture of good will.”
One of the Cardassians nodded to Sith, accepting his presence. Sith nodded back and then walked over to the other two Section 31 Operators. There, they held Maxwell, who was in bad shape. He looked as if he was badly beaten.
“Ugh...” Maxwell moaned.
The Section 31 Operators handed over Maxwell to the Obsidian Order Operatives. The leader, who was known as Enabran Tain, nodded to his own henchmen to take Maxwell away. A look of confusion scrambled Sith’s face.
“We’re giving the Cardassian’s Maxwell in return for letting us build the Phoenix-X here,” Sloan explained.
“Did you tell them he was working for the Maquis?”
“Of course. That was just icing on the cake,” Sloan shrugged as Tain had left the room. After a moment Sloan left the room as well. Sith was left alone to his thoughts once again.
---
He turned to the window and saw the Cardassian ship rotating to leave. It jumped to warp. Sith shook his head, “This isn’t right...” First deprive the Federation of the transwarp engine, and now send a man who collaborated with the Maquis into the hands of the Cardassians?? Maxwell was especially a large war criminal to them. There was no telling what they would do to him... Yes there was...
Execution.
“It’s not right. It’s not right...” He paced, trying to convince himself of the truth. He then remembered the Captain. Maxwell was a good man. He fought in the war. He was Sith’s mentor on Earth Spacedock. They shared laughs, truths, and stories. How could he let this happen? How was he going to stop it?
Yes, he was going to stop it. Sith stopped pacing. “I can’t let this happen.” After he said that, he walked out the Briefing Room onto the Bridge of the Phoenix-X. Sloan was there, chatting to a few Engineers. He turned and nodded to Sith. Sith just stared at the evil man, coldly.
Sith then made his way to the Tactical Console. Sloan walked over. “Well it looks like the Obsidian Order’s got us in their good books now.” He smiled. “What’s going on Sith?”
“Just this,” Sith activated the multi-vector sequence. The ship went to red alert and Engineers started panicking like crazy.
“What are you doing!?!” Sloan reached for the Tactical console but Sith turned and elbowed Sloan in the chest. Sloan was sent back into the back control panels. “Argh!!”
---
“Well, almost 80 years ago Earth received schematics and components for such an engine from whale probe aliens. These such schematics came at good timing too. The Transwarp testing from the Excelsior had just failed and the Federation was entering a new era.”
Sith just walked around the core, listening and looking at it in awe.
“It wasn’t until recently, after some intense testing and heavy Phoenix-named starship loss, that we’d been able to properly integrate the function into our normal warp cores,” Sloan finished.
“Amazing.”
He suddenly started going through the Transwarp Database. “Look at this. These Systems you have set up are so amazing. Transwarp Initiation Sequence... Transwarp Field Conditioner... Resonating Frequency Settings...” The list went on.
Sloan walked over and placed his hand on Sith’s shoulder. A chill went down his spine... Sloan almost felt evil.
Sith pulled himself away. Maybe being this man’s friend was undesirable. “I can’t wait until all the Ship’s in Starfleet are refitted with these engines. Space travel is going to be revolutionized over the next ten years.”
“Oh, we won’t be distributing the transwarp engine to Starfleet,” Sloan said.
Sith’s smile left his face, “Are you crazy? This is a breakthrough.”
“Section 31 will not let this go. It is a significant piece of technology. If we let it go into the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous.”
Sith just stood there, shocked. He looked at Sloan, who looked right back at him with an evil brow. Was this man serious?
Sloan looked up at his Engine. “With this thing, Section 31 has power.” He then looked back at Sith. “Besides, most of the parts are impossible to replicate. This Engine will be the only of its kind.” He looked back up at it.
“So what now?”
“We’ll be fitting it onto a ship of our own, in the morning actually. Your job will be to oversee it.”
Commander Sith didn’t know much about the Transwarp Technology, but more than likely there would be experts with him.
“Until then, you’re free to roam around the premises. Your Quarters are just down the hall. Welcome to the underground,” he said with open arms. Sloan left through the crowd of Starfleet Officers who were walking by. In an instant he was gone through the doors, like the Devil disappearing into nothingness.
Sith went around, talking to people, getting to know their situation. They were a friendly bunch. One man, by the name of Beck, had just begun working there. The group was known as the X-Team, or rather, not known.
---
The next morning, a Defiant-class vessel had made its way to Earth. It was new and actually just launched that morning. The U.S.S. Valiant landed somewhere in northern Canada where Section 31 had concealed their location.
The transwarp engine was raised up from the underground on a platform. The platform sped up through the vertical tunnel at a fast speed and slowed as it came up above ground. It was snowing and cold outside. Harsh winds dealt the atmosphere for this transfer. The Valiant was a few inches above, as the engine was raised into a compartment into the bottom of the ship.
Most of the X-Team and Sith made their way onto the Valiant, not to mention the Section 31 Operatives. Sith had plans on how he was going to deal the installation of this Engine. He’d been going over the schematics of the Ship and Engine Room it was going to be installed on all night. Fascinating.
The Valiant closed its compartments and lifted itself into the sky. It sped through the clouds and then out of Earth’s atmosphere. Clouds were left in spinning swirls as the Valiant entered space with enough time to get to a safe distance for warp jumping. The new Section 31 operative, Sith, looked out the window. No doubt Sloan came up with a good excuse for Starfleet for the Valiant being there.
---
Sith entered the Bridge of the Valiant. There Sloan was in the Captain’s Chair. “Not really my fit. I prefer to be on the sidelines. This Captain’s Chair get’s... so much attention. You know what I mean?”
Sith shrugged, “I suppose.”
“We’re almost there,” he looked back on screen. “Cardassian Territory.”
“Cardassian Territory??”
“Where else do you expect us to put a vessel together? Any place in the Federation would get us noticed.”
The Valiant approached a Prometheus-class starship, being hugged by a McKinley-type station. It was actually named, Teketekon Station. As they got closer, Sith’s eyes were once again in awe.
“What is that...??”
Sloan smiled, “A Prometheus-class Starship. Well, actually, we might rename it as the Multi-Vector-class.”
“What’s her name?”
“The U.S.S. Phoenix-X. The extra X is for, well, the transwarp engine. But to Starfleet, it’ll be for the testing of minor technologies.”
“But there’s already a Phoenix in service.”
“Like I said, Phoenix-X. It’s different. We’ll probably get a second rate crew to pilot her. Just enough to keep Section 31 in control of it.”
Sith shook his head in disbelief. Control of a Starship? Sloan was crazy.
In no time everyone was aboard the Phoenix-X. Its corridors were busy as hell. Engineers who were already there, including the X-Team, all had been running around the ship trying to get it online. It was a normal pre-launch atmosphere that happened on most Starship’s before their launch.
It wasn’t any different for him. Sith was in Engineering directing the installation of the transwarp engine. It was brought into the ship from the belly of the Phoenix-X, more specifically, the ejection tunnel. As the Transwarp Core made its way up into the Room, Sith knew he had executed a job well done. The Transwarp Core clicked into place and the X-Team immediately got to work incorporating its systems.
Sith left Engineering and went to the Briefing Room where he would speak to Sloan. Yeah, that’s fun, He thought sarcastically. As he made his way through the ship, out windows a Cardassian Galor class vessel could be seen.
---
Entering the Briefing Room he stumbled upon Section 31 Director Sloan, a couple of his henchmen holding Captain Maxwell, and a group of Cardassians. “Hello...”
“Sith you’re just in time. We were about to show the Obsidian Order a gesture of good will.”
One of the Cardassians nodded to Sith, accepting his presence. Sith nodded back and then walked over to the other two Section 31 Operators. There, they held Maxwell, who was in bad shape. He looked as if he was badly beaten.
“Ugh...” Maxwell moaned.
The Section 31 Operators handed over Maxwell to the Obsidian Order Operatives. The leader, who was known as Enabran Tain, nodded to his own henchmen to take Maxwell away. A look of confusion scrambled Sith’s face.
“We’re giving the Cardassian’s Maxwell in return for letting us build the Phoenix-X here,” Sloan explained.
“Did you tell them he was working for the Maquis?”
“Of course. That was just icing on the cake,” Sloan shrugged as Tain had left the room. After a moment Sloan left the room as well. Sith was left alone to his thoughts once again.
---
He turned to the window and saw the Cardassian ship rotating to leave. It jumped to warp. Sith shook his head, “This isn’t right...” First deprive the Federation of the transwarp engine, and now send a man who collaborated with the Maquis into the hands of the Cardassians?? Maxwell was especially a large war criminal to them. There was no telling what they would do to him... Yes there was...
Execution.
“It’s not right. It’s not right...” He paced, trying to convince himself of the truth. He then remembered the Captain. Maxwell was a good man. He fought in the war. He was Sith’s mentor on Earth Spacedock. They shared laughs, truths, and stories. How could he let this happen? How was he going to stop it?
Yes, he was going to stop it. Sith stopped pacing. “I can’t let this happen.” After he said that, he walked out the Briefing Room onto the Bridge of the Phoenix-X. Sloan was there, chatting to a few Engineers. He turned and nodded to Sith. Sith just stared at the evil man, coldly.
Sith then made his way to the Tactical Console. Sloan walked over. “Well it looks like the Obsidian Order’s got us in their good books now.” He smiled. “What’s going on Sith?”
“Just this,” Sith activated the multi-vector sequence. The ship went to red alert and Engineers started panicking like crazy.
“What are you doing!?!” Sloan reached for the Tactical console but Sith turned and elbowed Sloan in the chest. Sloan was sent back into the back control panels. “Argh!!”
---
Leaving the Bridge, Section 31 Operative Sith ran down the Corridor’s of the ship. He leapt over a crouched Engineer and ran into the Turbolift before it was too late. The Turbolift brought Sith to the middle Vector just as the Phoenix-X was separating into three separate pieces. Just in time.
---
Sith was on Vector 2. He found the Vector 2 Control Bridge, from there he gained control of it. The Vector engaged Engines and sped away from Teketekon station, which had the top and bottom Phoenix-X Vector’s floating limp in space.
Vector 2 jumped to Warp in the direction of the Cardassian Ship’s ion trail.
"Matt to Bridge, what’s going on here?" a comm. signal from Engineering came through.
“Sith here. There’s nothing to worry about. Is the Transwarp Drive Operational?”
"What happened? We need the whole ship together to get this thing going."
“Can I activate it with this one Vector?”
"Well... Theoretically it could work... but--"
Sith interrupted, “But nothing. I’m going to activate it. I know that it can create its own temporary Conduits.” He tapped his commbadge off and went over to the Helm.
The vector suddenly jumped to transwarp. Everyone on board was silent for that moment. They couldn’t believe what had just happened. Everyone ran to a window in rooms next to their own and looked out. The conduit walls were beautiful.
Sith was too busy to care. He was trying to scan normal space, but it was coming in too muffled. In an instant, a Cardassian signature came on sensors. “Got it!” He dropped transwarp and the vector re-entered normal space.
“Sith here. There’s nothing to worry about. Is the Transwarp Drive Operational?”
"What happened? We need the whole ship together to get this thing going."
“Can I activate it with this one Vector?”
"Well... Theoretically it could work... but--"
Sith interrupted, “But nothing. I’m going to activate it. I know that it can create its own temporary Conduits.” He tapped his commbadge off and went over to the Helm.
The vector suddenly jumped to transwarp. Everyone on board was silent for that moment. They couldn’t believe what had just happened. Everyone ran to a window in rooms next to their own and looked out. The conduit walls were beautiful.
Sith was too busy to care. He was trying to scan normal space, but it was coming in too muffled. In an instant, a Cardassian signature came on sensors. “Got it!” He dropped transwarp and the vector re-entered normal space.
It approached the same Cardassian ship from earlier. “Tain to Phoenix-X. What the hell is going on here?” But he got no response.
---
Sith beamed onto the Cardassian ship, armed with a phaser. The air on this ship was stingy, and very thick. “Alright this should be fun.” He ran off.
In an interrogation room, Maxwell was tied to a chair. There he was getting beaten even more by the two Cardassian henchmen. “We know who you are, Human.” He slapped Maxwell across the face with the back of his hand. “You’re a big war criminal on our World, you know that?”
“You’re going to be put on trail on Cardassia and proven guilty in a court of law,” the other said.
Sith was just outside, kicking his foot into one of the guards and grabbing the Cardassian disrupter rifle out of mid air. He shot at the other incoming guards, vapourizing them.
---
In a second, the doors to the Interrogation Room were blown apart. Sith was standing in the wake of the smoke as it cleared. “Section 31 sends its regards.” He blasted disrupter pulses into both the Hench Men, knocking them back into the walls and vapourizing them.
After, he ran in and deactivated the cuffs on Maxwell. Sith lifted the weak Captain up, who was partially standing on his own will. “Captain!”
“Uuhhh...” Maxwell was not well. “Sith...? What are... you doing here?”
“I’m going to get you out of here, Captain.” Sith held the disrupter rifle in one hand and his other arm was around the Captain.
“Uuugghhh... Where’d you get that suit?”
Sith lead Maxwell out into the hallway. He blasted disrupter pulses at more arriving Cardassians. Each one was vapourized.
One Cardassian leapt onto the floor pumping pulses at the two Human’s. Sith quickly slammed his foot into the curled end of the door panel he blew apart earlier. With great accuracy, the door panel flew up in front of Sith, shielding and taking the incoming pulses and impacts. The panel was vapourized in mid air, giving enough time for Sith carrying Maxwell to duck. Sith blasted his pulses at that Cardassian and eliminated him from existence.
They made their way down to the Transporter Room.
“Not so fast,” it was Enabran Tain’s voice. “I’m getting too old for this... Kill them!” He ordered his men. A group of Cardassian’s ran for Sith and Maxwell. Sith couldn’t run, so he used Maxwell as a weapon and threw the Captain into two of the Cardassian’s. With that distraction, he leaped up and kicked another Cardassian in the chest, knocking that one back into another.
Out a nearby window, going unnoticed by Sith, was the three Vectors of the Phoenix-X re-assembling. Disrupter pulses flew through the air at him, and Sith spun around catching their direction so that he could dodge them. Gripping his rifle as he spun around, and fired back. He hit three Cardassian’s dead on and vapourized them.
When the way was clear, he picked up Maxwell and brought him into the Transporter Room. Activating the transport he and Maxwell disappeared.
They found themselves on the Bridge of the Phoenix-X, where Sloan intercepted their transporter beam redirecting them to there.
There was a pause as Sith had Maxwell leaning against his shoulder. Sloan chuckled for a moment. “You’re good.” He chuckled again. “You’re damn good.”
Sith was getting annoyed like hell now. Who the hell did Sloan think he was? My new mentor? Sith pulled up his disrupter rifle and aimed at Sloan. “Oh yeah? Well you’re about to find out how good I really am.”
Sloan’s eye caught the direction of the aim and he dodged it before it was shot. Sith fired the disrupter and missed Sloan, but there was no time to fire another because he had to get out of there. He ran to Tactical and started messing around with the Systems. As he was programming, more Section 31 Op’s ran behind him and grabbed his arms away. Sith struggled, loosened himself, and knocked each Op back.
Suddenly the gravity on the Bridge got slightly lighter. “He messed with the environmental systems!!” One Op yelled, but Sith ran and jump kicked him. That Op flew across the Bridge and slammed into the Viewscreen. Another Op put his arms around Sith’s neck from behind, but Sith flipped himself in the light gravity, throwing that Op into a group of Section 31 Op’s. All those Op’s were richocheted into the air, floating into walls and consoles.
Sith got the Tactical Console again and restored gravity. The floating Op’s hit the floor in pain. “Argh! Stop him!!” Sloan yelled.
Sith tapped into the Transporter Systems and begun programming like crazy. As soon as an Op tried to grab him, the Op was beamed a few feet away. Another Op punched for Sith’s face, but Sith leaned back and dodged it. That Op was suddenly beamed five more feet away. He continued to program the site-to-site System’s, beaming approaching Section 31 Op’s after the other to random locations on the Bridge.
Transporting was happening all over the Bridge simultaneously. It was chaos, but he was watching every single placement with great detail. He beamed Maxwell away, and then Sloan away. Maxwell rematerialized by his side, but Sloan was beamed right in front of the Viewscreen.
Another Op grabbed Sith as he just extended his range, beaming that Op into the Corridors of the Deck below. Three more Op’s ran for Sith, but Sith beamed one into the Observation Lounge, one into the Shuttle Bay, and one into the Captain’s Ready Room.
Sith located the Valiant, who had just arrived on sensors. He locked onto himself and Maxwell and programmed the transporters to beam them out when the Valiant got into range. The last group of Section 31 Op’s grabbed Sith and pulled him away from the Tactial Console. Sith punched for each one, only hitting two. Three more kicked him in the chest and knocked him back into the Tactical Console. Sith was trapped there, but then jumped himself off the Console flipping in mid air as he and Maxwell were dematerialized.
---
Sith landed on the Bridge of the Valiant. There, it was also being run by Section 31 Op’s. He pushed the Section 31 Agent who was behind the Valiant’s Tactical Console away and quickly put the Valiant’s shields up.
All the other Op’s in the room immediately stood up and headed for Sith. As they ran for him and begun firing phaser beams, Sith programmed a thin standing force field which blocked the one sourced incoming phaser beams. The field went away, and he programmed a floating force field which one of the Op’s ran into clumsily. The Op hit the floor, as Sith programmed two more force field shards right in front of two more Op’s.
They hit the floor, but one Op was able to grab Sith’s neck from behind. Sith programmed a horizontal force field shard behind him. He used the Op’s closeness to spin the Op around and knock him back. The Op flew back onto the floating force field, getting shocked by the energy until he fell off it to the floor.
Programming, the entire Bridge was suddenly shattered with random force field fragments, walls, and ledges. It was like a maze that Sith quickly memorized.
He backed up and punched an Op. Another one came by, and Sith kicked him into a force field. Everyone walked around slowly, unsure where the force fields were exactly. A few zaps were heard here and there. Maxwell just remained still, still hurt from the interrogations.
Sith and two Section 31 Op’s found their way to each other. Sith grabbed one Op and shoved him into a force field room. “Aahh!!” The Op screamed.
Sith punched and blocked the other one, and then kicked him into another two enclosed force fields.
He was suddenly surrounded by all the Section 31 Operatives. He punched one, and blocked another one. One Op grabbed him, but Sith kneed him in the stomach. He flung one Op into the wedge of two force fields, and kicked another Op over the ledge of another forcefield. The last five Op’s grabbed Sith, but Sith ran his feet around each one, knocking them in all directions. Each five Op’s were wedged into different force fields, getting shocked like crazy.
Sith ran back and deactivated only a few of the force fields. The remaining Op’s were stuck where they were. It was an interesting sight.
The one Agent Sith pushed away earlier was free and was behind Sith. He slammed his phaser nose into the back of Sith’s head. “Argh!!” Sith irked in pain.
From behind, Maxwell had the disrupter rifle and vapourized the last standing Section 31 Op. A smoking end was left at the nose of the rifle. “Heh... Didn’t think I had it in me, did you?” He said, still in pain.
Sith smiled, “Let’s get out of here.”
He leaped into the chair at the helm and got the Valiant to turn around in space. Maxwell limped his way to the Captain’s chair and took a much-needed rest. The Valiant jumped to warp.
---
But in warp is where they were hailed. Sloan came onscreen. "Where do you think you’re going?" Sloan smiled.
“I quit your organization Sloan.” Sith spoke back. “I’m sorry but my curiosity just couldn’t catch on.”
"You don’t know what you’re giving up here, Sith," Sloan replied angrily.
“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea.” He increased the Warp Factor to 9 so that the transmission would break up sooner than normal.
"Section 31 is the heart of the Federation! Without us it’s nothing!!!"
The transmission then broke up and the Valiant eventually made it back to Federation space.
---
In time, the Valiant returned to Earth. It was to be given back to the shipyards for further systems installations. The Section 31 Op’s on board all had committed suicide. Some were able to escape. Sickening as it was, Sith would never understand how they could be so disillusioned.
---
A couple days later, Maxwell had regained his strength. He was in the Observation Lounge of Earth Spacedock, at a table.
Commander Sith, not wearing the black suit anymore, was in the Control Center of the starbase with Admiral Theseus and Council Member Chang.
“I’m telling you, Section 31 is out there,” Sith was at a console scanning Earth.
“Those underground tunnels may have been for this group you call Section 31, but obviously they’re not there anymore.” Chang replied. “Frankly, I’ve never seen those tunnels before. If there was a Section of the Federation working there, they weren’t recognized by us at all.”
Theseus shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose we’ll never know.”
Chang left the room, where Sith and Theseus found themselves alone.
“You bastard!” Sith said to him.
Theseus shrugged again. “Hey, I don’t know what Section 31 does and frankly I don’t want to know.” He walked around. “I don’t work for them, I just know them. All we do is support each other.”
“You’ll pay for this Admiral. Not by me, but by yourself. Because I just know you’ll screw up somewhere along the lines... No one can keep a secret like this for long.”
“You must be worried that Sloan will come back for you. Because he could, you know. He could kill you at any time if he wanted. He could probably return Maxwell back to the Cardassian’s.”
Sith eyed him, “Maybe. But I know it takes a lot of work for that and he doesn’t have the time.”
“Actually, now that you’ve become his enemy, you’ve become very valuable to him. There’s no way he’ll let you die now... and Maxwell? Well that’s just icing on the cake.”
---
With that he left. Sith turned and left aswell. He made his way to the Observation Lounge, walking in for a drink but suddenly noticing Maxwell. Sith got a drink and then went up a few stairs to approach the Captain. “May I...?” He gestured for a seat.
“Of course.” Maxwell said.
Sith sat down and looked out the window with the Captain. “Sloan was a mad man.”
“Indeed he was.”
“He’s still out there...”
Captain Maxwell nodded. “If he’s truly a human being, then he’s already received the punishment he deserves... Himself.” He paused. “And maybe so have I. He was willing to go so far enough to protect the Federation he loved... and what did it bring him? The worst characteristics a man could ever have.” Maxwell obviously was talking about himself aswell. “Perhaps... I’ll think twice about assisting the Maquis.”
“That’s good to hear, sir.” Maxwell raised his glass for a toast. Sith raised his too and toasted it. Maxwell shook his head in disbelief. “Sir?”
He shook his head again, “I just don’t get it. Section 31 was the best of the best... and you took them all down.”
THE END