Star Trek: Intrepid
Inevitability - Part 1
by Galen Holcomb
(intrepidlogs@hotmail.com)

Inevitability - Part 1

Forward from the author:
This is the final installment in a trilogy that began with "The Double Edge" and continued through "Preemptive Maneuvers."

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear-----not absence of fear."
-Mark Twain

Chapter 1

Captain's personal log, stardate 51721.5
(Starfleet Command Detention, San Francisco.)

For the record, I would first like to reiterate my desire that no one under my command be punished because of my actions during our last mission. Because of the nature of the crisis we were facing, they felt an obligation to follow my direction. They saw that the potential disaster of doing nothing was an unconscionable risk. But whether or not it is ultimately judged to be right or wrong, I take full responsibility for the behavior of my crew.

It's important for anyone reading this last entry to understand why I'm taking the action that I decided upon today. Of course, I know that many will choose not to understand my convictions, and that is certainly their right.

However, it's my hope that in time, history will not view this as cowardice or an admission of guilt. It is simply a choice that I've made.

Right or wrong, I simply don't feel that Starfleet should weather another damaging scandal. The public needs to believe in us. God knows we all need something to believe in.

I said "right" or "wrong" just now. But it's not really about who is right or who is wrong. It's about the greater good. Starfleet is an intuition that should always represent the highest standards and ideals of our civilization.

Therefore, the course I've decided upon is because, to the fullest extent possible, I want to protect those ideals and nurture those standards.

I ask that no one mourn my passing. During my career, I've always been ready to sacrifice my life for a higher purpose.

Understand then, that this situation is really no different...

* * * * *

"And what was Captain Aubrey's response after you ordered him to accompany you to Starbase 47?" The prosecutor was asking. He was a Hispanic man in his late eighties. His short nose and jowls gave him a bulldog-like face. The similarity was not just skin deep.

Admiral Edward Jellico answered in that flat, official voice he dusted off for use when having to speak to legal professionals. (Fortunately, very few in his career.) "He said that he would not be able to follow my order."

The prosecutor raised his eyebrows with timing that was perfectly orchestrated, acting as though he was hearing this shocking information for the very first time. "I see. And what happened at that point, Admiral?"

Jellico kept his eyes on the Federation pennant that adorned the far side of the courtroom, his body a rigid illustration of military posture that harkened back to the days of bayonets and gunpowder. "He cut communication between our two ships, then sped away at full impulse."

The prosecutor was now making a slow circuit of the courtroom. As he passed the defendant's table, he barely acknowledged Aubrey, as though his presence was an unpleasant truth that he was trying not to see. "And Admiral, did you take action to bring Captain Aubrey back?"

Jellico nodded. "I instructed Captain Caroline Hiroko, whom I had appointed to the USS Sentry, to go after Aubrey."

The elderly prosecutor walked back to his table and picked up a PADD as he sat down. "Thank you, Admiral. No more questions."

Aubrey's attorney was on her feet at once. She was a dark, lean woman of African decent. She was in her early thirties and had short-cropped hair that showed off the curves of her skull. "Admiral, let's go back to your conversation with Captain Aubrey." She paraded towards the stand, PADD held before her like an old detective character with an oversized magnifying glass. "After he explained his concerns to you about the Inth, and what he felt he had to do, did he make a request of you?"

"Yes," Jellico responded in that same flat tone. "He asked permission to go to Archer IV for reasons that I've already repeated in great-----"

The attorney held up her hand. "Excuse me, sir. You said he asked permission first, correct?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"And this was after he explained to you the urgency of allowing the Inth to evolve?"

Jellico narrowed his eyes for the first time. "According to him."

"And you denied his request immediately, correct?"

He exhaled quietly. "I heard him out first. However, I didn't find his reasoning to be sound."

"But you found his reasoning sound a short time before when Captain Aubrey suggested using a Genesis facsimile to destroy the Dominion shipyard at Kokala, isn't that so?"

"Objection!" The prosecutor barked. "Your Honor, none of this is relevant. Admiral Jellico is under no obligation to explain WHY he turned down Aubrey's request." He glowered at the young woman. "As Captain Aubrey's commanding officer, he had the expectation of his orders being obeyed."

"And Captain Aubrey had good reason to question those orders, especially in light of Jellico's recent performance."

"That's enough, counselor." The Starfleet Trial Judge interrupted. "Prosecution is correct. Jellico is not on trial here today, Captain Aubrey is. The objection is sustained."

The attorney continued smoothly into the next question, having anticipated the rebuff. "Admiral, you were in command of a task force known as Tango Fleet during the Archer IV engagement, correct?"

Jellico's face stiffened ever so slightly. "Correct."

The attorney took a moment to access something on her PADD. Without looking up she asked, "Admiral, wasn't two thirds of Tango Fleet destroyed during that engagement and the planet taken by enemy forces?"

This time the prosecutor snapped to his feet, looking as though someone had just threatened bodily harm to his mother. "Objection again! Your Honor, this is outrageous!" He sputtered. "Jellico's military record has no bearing here." He pointed an accusing finger at his colleague. "She has no business bringing this up. To cast disparity on an officer like Jellico is tantamount to insulting the brave Starfleet officers who gave up their lives to-----"

"That will be enough theatrics, Mr. Gonzales. You can dazzle us during your closing." The judge rolled his head towards Aubrey's attorney. "And once again, counselor: Jellico's various successes or alleged failures are not ours to pass judgment upon-----a point I've already made very clearly and which I had better not have to make again. All that concerns us here today, is that he gave an order, and that order was disobeyed."

"May we approach the bench?" She walked over; already assuming the answer would be a "yes".

When the prosecutor and defense attorney were both beneath the judge's bench, His Honor tapped a nearby control panel. An audio dampening field activated, making it impossible for anyone to hear their conversation.

Counselor Nyela continued her dissertation a moment later. "Your Honor, I'm establishing that Jellico has recently made questionable command decisions which contributed to Captain Aubrey's own decision to disobey the order in question. Recent events have only confirmed that my client took the correct course."

The prosecutor opened his mouth, but the judge raised his index finger to stop the rebuttal before it could launch. To Nyela he said, "I've just warned you about this, counselor. Twice. So listen carefully: I happen to share Mr. Gonzales' opinion. I won't have a decorated Starfleet Admiral dragged through the mud so you can put together a smoke and mirrors defense."

"If it pleases the court, I would-----"

"In fact it DOSEN'T please the court, Mrs. Nyela. I understand that you're a civilian officer who rarely practices in Starfleet matters. Therefore, you may be under the belief that launching a character assassination on the good Admiral will put the prosecution on the defensive. And maybe that kind of grandstanding works outside of these walls-----but I won't stand for it in my courtroom. Now I strongly urge you to move on to another line of questioning."

Nyela considered making an indignant protest along the lines of telling the judge that he legally had no right to dictate what defense strategy she could or couldn't use. After all, she wasn't breaking any rules. At worst, she could even file a protest with the Starfleet Judge Advocate's office.

But none of that would help her client. Come to think of it, Aubrey didn't look much happier than the judge regarding her cross-examination. She had allowed herself to forget the strong chains of camaraderie that bind officers together within military organizations. (Even benevolent ones such as Starfleet.)

Prosecutor Gonzales, his protest having just been vindicated by the judge, was beaming with satisfaction as he retook his seat.

She again absorbed the image of the proud officer on the witness stand, deliberated for just a moment longer, then finally said, "I have no more questions for this witness."

Not long after, the court recessed for the day. Nyela gathered up her PADDs and waited for the room to clear out.

"I need to go back to my office for awhile to discuss strategy with my staff. Then you and I will need to meet later this evening so I can prep you for tomorrow."

Looking twice his age, Captain Aubrey folded his hands on the table. "I'd like to thank for trying so vigilantly to defend me."

"It's my job," She said quickly. "And believe me, it's not over yet. I'll meet with you tonight, as soon as I get back from Somalia. Remember, don't talk to any reporters."

"Don't worry, I'm pretty much done talking these days."

"Unless I say so," She added, missing the relevance of his comment.

As they walked out of the courtroom, two Starfleet security guards took up positions on both sides of the captain, escorting him through the doors.

They were now entering the outer room of the courthouse where a throng of reporters was waiting, holographic recorders tucked behind their ears.

"Captain Aubrey, do you feel this court-martial is just?"

"What about the rumors that your former security chief is also standing trial?"

"Is it true that you threatened Admiral Jellico?"

Nyela paused long enough to make only one remark. "Captain Aubrey has no comment at this time. We're still in the early phases of the trial. Anything we say now could jeopardize our defense. Thank you, everyone."

She began to push through the crowd, her client and his two guards right behind her.

Stepping closer, Aubrey said, "Nyela, thank you again for everything you tried to do. Please remember that none of this was your fault."

This time she scowled with irritation, not liking his defeatist tone. She turned to tell him to put a sock in it-----that she expected him to pull his own weight by helping in his defense. She would further remind him that he was a Starfleet captain, that he was the man who had brought his ship and crew through countless battles and adversities. He needed to fight every bit as hard now as he ever had before.

As it turned out, she got the chance to say none of those things.

Life and death situations often play out in a matter of seconds. Yet, what occurs can often seem to take much longer, events unfolding with the maddening gait of a nightmare.

In this case, what transpired took barely eight seconds. Later, her mind would neatly organize those seconds into the following chronology:

One: Nyela turns to see Aubrey inexplicably struggling with one of the security guards. She is dumbstruck. The scene appears to make no sense.

Two: Aubrey clobbers the guard with a back fist strike to his temple. The guard collapses. (Distantly, she remembers that the captain holds a black belt in one of the martial arts.)

Three: people gasp in surprise. The second security officer yells, "Freeze!" He then immediately fires on the captain.

Four: The beam hits Aubrey's lower abdomen. He grunts, then returns fire with a phaser he had appropriated from the first security guard.

Five: The phaser beam punches guard number two, who falls backward into the crowd.

Six: Aubrey brings the weapon up to his temple, simultaneously increasing the power setting to maximum.

Seven: Nyela finally regains her senses. She starts forward but trips over a reporter whose legs tangle with her own in the commotion. She hits the ground butt first, while trying to think of something, anything to say that might stop what is about to happen next. She is an attorney, and glib dialogue is second nature to her. But nothing comes. For the first time, her oratory fails her.

Eight: Aubrey activates the phaser and is instantly awash in a hellish light. All too quickly, the light dissolves away, taking him with it. A very faint aroma of charred flesh is left behind.

Shouts. Chaos. People crying out in alarm and confusion. Reporters desperately trying to complete their narration as they excitedly explain what they have just witnessed.

Through it all, as the sea of turmoil ebbs and flows around her, attorney Yvonne Nyela can only sit on the ground and stare at the empty space that seconds ago had held her client, a human being-----a decorated Starfleet officer.

In front of the entire Federation, she thinks numbly. He died in front of the entire Federation.

It is a very long time before she regains her feet or her wits.

* * * * *

"Good evening, Captain. I trust you are well?"

The Starfleet officer stared bleakly in the direction of the voice that had awakened him. It was a very dark room so at first, he saw nothing. Restraints held his arms and legs to the chair he was seated in. He was a man in his late thirties with light brown hair and blue eyes. His features were well pronounced, betraying his German heritage. He had an average build composed of well-toned muscles.

Before him were two men-----and each was a notable curiosity in his own right. The first was a young Vulcan who made no effort to hide his volatile disdain. Apparently the youth had chosen not to follow the path of Surak's teachings, instead emoting his feelings for all to see.

The other man was older. He had a full beard and mustache, which was streaked with gray highlights. His hair was long and tied off at the back in a ponytail. He also had a large gut that accessorized his stocky build.

Jason Aubrey quickly realized that he was not able to move anything below his neck.

"It would seem I'm NOT well. But thank you for the rhetorical question."

"Ah, but you are." The older of the two replied helpfully. He was sitting in a nearby chair as he spoke. He possessed a disarming southern accent that might have come right out of an old holonovel about plantation owners. "The paralysis is only temporary-----and as you can see, your necessary motor functions, such as breathing, are unaffected."

"The last thing I remember was being in the brig aboard the USS Sentry."

"And what is your first question?"

"Is this is where I'm supposed ask who you are and what I'm doing here?"

This incited a small grin. "Please do. Otherwise you'll take all the fun out of this."

"Then consider the questions asked."

The youth exhaled with irritation. He leaned over to whisper in his partner's ear. "Why do you insist on this insipid banter? Every second we wait is dangerous!"

"My associate doesn't realize that it's important for you to know WHY this is happening, Captain. And what your role in this is. But I promise you will understand before this is over."

The young Vulcan began to pace behind him like a cat.

"My name is Agent Theodore Mase. My impatient friend here is Agent Xon. We work for an organization that has been around for at least two hundred years. Our mission, simply speaking, is to protect the Federation at all costs."

Aubrey looked around the bare room, and then re-examined both of the men before him. He noted that they were dressed in black uniforms that bore no emblems, badges or insignias.

"Why do I get the feeling that your activities are not sanctioned by Starfleet or the Federation?"

"Because you're naive, of course." Mase said at once. "The citizens of the Federation, every last man, woman and child, owe their very lives to us. Believe me, the Council is more than aware of our activities."

"And what does your organization call itself? If you don't mind my asking."

"I don't mind at all. We are known as Section 31."

Aubrey noted the look of naked fear and hatred that adorned the Vulcan's face-----and it was all directed at him. He doubted it was an act. If Xon had his druthers, Aubrey was certain the young man would have gleefully twisted his head off on the spot.

"You mean there really IS a Section 31? I'd heard rumors, but I had dismissed them as someone's dark fantasies."

"Most people don't even hear of us through rumor. Ah am impressed." Mase allowed.

"Except this is something of a disappointment. You people aren't as smart as I would have expected you to be."

"What do you mean by that?" Xon asked coldly.

"Kidnapping a Starfleet captain days before his court-martial? It's not as though I won't be missed."

"Your trial is already over, Captain. You just don't know it yet." Xon hissed quietly.

Mase took a great deal of pleasure over the next few minutes, showing Aubrey the holofootage of his own suicide, which was being played relentlessly by the Federation news services. When the sequence ended he waited expectantly for the captain's reaction.

Aubrey was appalled at witnessing his own death. He was also furious that he might forever be remembered a coward by his former crew and Starfleet-----the dishonored officer who took his own life rather than answer for his actions.

But he would be damned if his captors would get the satisfaction of seeing how much this had wounded him.

Donning a careful poker face he asked, "So what was that? A sophisticated hologram of me? Or someone surgically altered and willing to die for your cause?"

"None of the above." Mase said. He was still looking intently into the captain's eyes, hoping for any scrap of anger or hatred that he could relish. It took almost a minute before he realized that no such morsels would be offered. With reluctance, he turned away. "A replica, actually. Ah wouldn't sacrifice one of my own unless it was the only option."

"How noble."

Mase's voice dropped to a quiet rumble. "Don't be facetious. I deplore unnecessary death as much as you do, Captain."

Xon added his own input. "The microscopic remains contain your DNA fragments and the correct quantity and type of chemical traces that would be consistent with vaporization." No doubt he had a hand in the operation, judging by the pride in his voice.

"Your last log entry even contains a sort of suicide note." Mase concluded. "So you see my boy, there will be no one charging to your rescue."

Aubrey tried to get his body to respond to his commands. Nothing happened. However, his legs were tingling like crazy. That could mean the paralyzing agent was wearing off. Still, hoping to get free of these constraints then defeating two armed captors, then escaping from a compound about which he knew nothing was sheer delusion.

But it was a goal. And it was better than giving up.

So he would keep them talking, buy himself as much time as possible...

"So what is it you want from me? You wouldn't have gone to the trouble of faking my death if you meant for me to survive. And I'd already be dead if you didn't need something." He let his head move back and forth between them, his contempt clearly evident. "So what is it?"

Strangely enough, Mase was immediately forthcoming. "A mechanism you may have seen as a child-----something very dangerous. You probably aren't even aware that you know its whereabouts. But it's important we find this device before the Opposition does. And since time is of the essence, we've made the decision to remove the data in question from your mind telepathically."

"You're not even bothering to ask me first. How do you know I won't help you?"

"We know more about you then YOU do, my dear Captain." Mase removed a cigar from his pocket. He lopped off one end of it, and then lit it up. A cloud of reeking smoke enveloped him at once. "We know without question that you would certainly not help us in our endeavor. And even if you might, we simply don't have the time to make sure your information is accurate. There's too much at stake."

Seeing Xon walk slowly behind him, Aubrey shook his head in disgust. "So that's it. You're going to have your angry partner force a mind meld on me."

Xon was amused. "Not something I would relish, I can assure you."

Mase rose from his chair. "No Captain. Although ah have faith in Vulcan techniques we need a higher degree of accuracy on this particular occasion."

Answering an unheard summons, a door slid open and a humanoid entered the room. As the figure emerged from the shadows, his features became more recognizable.

And that's when he realized that his time was about to run out.

"I do apologize for what's about to happen, Captain." Mase patted his shoulder as though he were a kindly old uncle trying to comfort his nephew. "You see, if I didn't have to terminate you, I would have our friend here take care not to damage your mind during this procedure." He spread a hand before him. "However, under the circumstances, I think you'll agree that it's a moot point."

The Lethean began to advance towards Aubrey. The telepathic alien would soon touch him, forcibly extracting every thought and memory. In the process, Aubrey would probably be left brain-dead.

As Mase and Xon turned to leave, he said, "Just a minute."

They looked at him with mild interest.

"You said you'd tell me why this is being done. I know you need information from me, but you still haven't said why I have to die."

Mase took a long puff on his cigar, and then let out a plume of smoke from his mouth. He seemed to study the cloud as it rose towards the ceiling. "I suppose I have been remiss." The portly agent replied.

"You're not going to waste more TIME?" Xon exclaimed. "We need to get on with this!"

"My boy, I did promise our good captain an explanation." He consulted his timepiece, an antique pocket watch. "We have a few minutes still." He winked. "And I do believe you will make your presentation brief."

. "You wish ME to-----!" Xon sighed despondently. "Very well, but this will indeed be short."

Mase gestured theatrically with his cigar as if to say, "The stage is yours." Before stepping back into the darkness.

Although the Lethean seemed eager to get on with his work, he too stepped back.

"Very well, Captain." Xon began. "You are being eliminated because you pose a threat to the Federation."

"This should be good. If you-----"

Xon belted him across the face, hard.

Aubrey saw tiny bursts of light scatter across his vision. A trickle of blood ran down from behind his left ear.

"Keep your mouth shut." Xon said. "This is not a discussion-----and I will not have you prolonging this any longer than is required."

"As I was saying, you are a threat to the Federation. That is because you're a-----in technical terms, you would be referred to as a critical causality anchor, with exponential wave fronts linked across multiple probability vectors-----or in laymen's terms, a 'focal point' in time. A concept you no doubt have heard about in a temporal mechanics class."

Xon paused to see if his lecture would be interrupted. Deciding that he was safe for the moment, he continued. "As you know, a focal point is a person, or event that has a drastic affect on the outcome of history-----to such an extent that the face of a particular civilization is irrevocably altered-----or even destroyed."

Aubrey risked a comment. "So I'm a 'focal point'. I'm flattered that you've concocted this fairy tale to justify kidnapping and murder."

Xon clenched his right hand into a fist and raised it. He didn't hit Aubrey, but he was clearly resisting the impulse. He smiled unpleasantly. "It is no fairy tale."

The captain plowed ahead recklessly. "I find it implausible that you're only just now discovering I'm a threat-----now that my Starfleet career is over."

"You've been observed your entire adult life. You have always lived at the pleasure of Section 31, you just didn't know it until now."

"And what's different now?"

"Two events. First, the incident concerning the Inth. The Alpha Quadrant was nearly destroyed because of you, which only illustrates the danger you've always posed."

"I stopped that from happening."

"Only by chance. It was you who set those events into motion in the fist place. It was YOU who captured counterfeit Genesis weapons from the Ferengi. It was YOU who convinced Admiral Jellico to use Genesis to destroy the Kokala Nebula, which in turn disrupted the evolution of the Inth. It was these actions that nearly devastated the quadrant. None of this would have occurred without you."

"Ridiculous. You could accuse anyone using that kind of reasoning. I'm not-----"

Aubrey was hit again, this time harder. Blood flew from his lower lip and splattered the floor. His jaw was nearly dislocated by the impact. His vision darkened ominously.

"Do learn to control your temper, lad." Mase said from the shadows. "We need him alive for just a bit longer."

When Xon was sure that Aubrey was coherent again, he continued. "Second, your true memories have been restored, courtesy of the nanites your doctor discovered-----placed there by another agency."

"The Opposition," Mase said, unable to resist the spotlight any longer, "As we refer to them. As I mentioned, they also want the device in question and almost beat us to the punch."

The captain spat blood from his mouth. "What true memories?" He slurred.

Mase laughed heartily. "Fascinating, isn't it, Xon? Even with a complete restoration, he's still trying to suppress his real recollections."

But Xon was too involved to respond. "To sum this up, Captain, you need only know that as a focal point in time you are far too dangerous to leave alive. Even more so now that your real memories are intact." He stepped closer and grabbed a fistful of Aubrey's hair, jerking the captain's face up to his own. "Had it been up to me," He said softly, "you would have been terminated years ago."

"Quite true," Mase interjected again. "But then we never would have had the chance to find the device. Don't feel too bad, my boy. You see, destiny never intended for you to survive your childhood. Your life so far has been a quirk of fate-----an unintentional bonus. But in the end, an adult Jason Aubrey is, shall we say, a dangerous anomaly within our timeline."

"One that's soon to be removed." Xon concluded.

Mase gestured for the Lethean to approach.

The telepathic alien drew up behind him and placed his hands on either side of Aubrey's head. Arcs of energy began to spread form the Lethean's claws, enveloping his captive.

Aubrey felt his mind being violated at once, as the Lethean's presence began to penetrate his deepest memories, his most private experiences and feelings.

RESIST! DON'T LET HIM IN!

But it was like being impaled. The alien continued to intrude into his mind. A veil of gray descended across his eyes.

The cold faces before him only watched without pity.

Then he experienced a horrifying sensation. It was as if his body and become insubstantial and his head was sinking deep into his chest, his torso swallowing him whole, like a great Venus flytrap.

Confident that their associate was doing his job efficiently, Xon and Mase stepped out of the room and into the hallway.

"Sloan wants an update." Xon reported as he listened to the COMM unit within his ear.

"Tell him that the operation is in progress and we expect to have full disclosure within the next four hours."

From behind the closed door, Captain Aubrey cried out in anguish.