p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanA young man stood on the front steps of Starfleet Intelligence Headquarters. His wavy blonde hair and black long coat blew in the breeze as he checked his watch. He suddenly heard footsteps coming from the covered entranceway lined with tall columns. The footsteps got closer and suddenly he saw the familiar face of one of his former female colleagues. She smiled and walked down the steps to meet him. Her auburn hair also moving in the breeze as the warm San Francisco air. She wore a black duty jacket over a black tunic and pants. A silver Starfleet badge sat on the left side of her jacket./p
p class="MsoNormal""I see you found the place all right." She said./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's good to see you too Monica. You know, I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"have/em been here before. When I worked for Starfleet security I had to come here a few times." The man said./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well you impressed someone here with your work. Black looks good on you by the way, the new uniform compliments you well. Anyway, we should be going, we're going to be late." Monica replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"The man followed behind her as they entered the large building. He noted the incredible polished marble floors and high vaulted ceilings. The building looked more like a temple then a military structure. They entered a turbolift at the back of the large vestibule. Monica swiped her hand over the panel near the door. The door slid shut and he could feel the brief moment of inertia as it shot upward. It slowed to a stop and the doors opened up into a more modern looking corridor with grey walls that were illuminated by strips of light along the floor. Monica continued to lead him down the hallway until they came to a T intersection with a door. Monica pressed a panel on the side of the wall and the door chimed. It hissed open and they walked inside./p
p class="MsoNormal"One inside, the man recognized the elder Vulcan sitting on the other side of the desk. His uniform indicated he was Chief of Starfleet Intelligence./p
p class="MsoNormal"The Vulcan gestured for him to take a seat. "Thank you Lieutenant Chambers that will be all. It's nice to finally meet you Jean-Luc."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The man sat with his hands folded in his lap. "Thank you for the opportunity you have provided me Chief Spock."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I've seen a lot in my time Lieutenant. When I see an asset that will protect the Federation I use it. As you know, things are often complicated by a single event. We've seen it with the Klingon War, we saw it when Section 31 was revealed for what it was and we saw it when Romulans came from the future and tried to wipe out Earth. There are many more situations I could cite but you don't have the clearance yet." Spock said./p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc shifted in his seat. He knew of the basic details of the events Spoke mentioned but had a feeling that details had been left out on how close the Federation met its end. "What is it that I can do for Starfleet Intelligence sir?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock almost appeared to smile and then it faded back to the granite expression Vulcan's were known for. "Jean-Luc, I may have had a very unique insight that allowed me to see threats before or as they were unfolding. However, after some time, it appears that the Observer Effect Principle is unescapable. The more you study something, the more it changes. The events to come that I had once theorized have now changed to a point of unpredictability."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc rubbed his chin as he looked sternly at Spock. "Sir, are you speaking of some sort of time travel anomaly? Did the Romulans tell us something back when the Enterprise stopped them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock got up turned with his back to Jean-Luc as he looked out the large window to the Starfleet HQ tower across the arboretum. "I'd say answering that question would break the Temporal Prime Directive, but even saying that gives away the answer. Temporal paradoxes have always been a troublesome thing."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc smirked. He had never met Spock but he liked him. He figured he was a different man in his old age than he was when he was a young commander. "Sir, are we dealing with another temporal threat?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock turned back around and placed his hands on the back of his chair. "No…not today anyway. I requested your transfer after I read the paper you wrote during your Academy days. You compared the Praxis Disaster to the Chernobyl Disaster that Earth experienced in the late 20supth/sup style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe Soviet Union was a powerful and looming threat to Western Civilization. It was seen as near unstoppable until the unimaginable accident that happened. Toxic radiation poisoned the area and the Soviets depleted most of their resources to stop it. Similarly, the explosion of the moon Praxis that almost ended all life on Qo'nos seemed to have stopped the Klingon threat dead in it's tracks. I was with Captain Kirk when we ushered in the alliance that stopped the hostilities and provided the Klingons with Federation resources to save their world. I'm starting to think that someone else had studied certain historical events and reused them to their own ends."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You think someone caused Praxis to explode?" Jean-Luc asked leaning forward./p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock lifted a padd from his desk and slid it over to Jean-Luc. "I think someone part of something much larger attempted genocide. Although the resources to pull of the destruction of a moon would require an organization and to do it undetected would require one with a clandestine background."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc looked down at the padd and back at Spock. "You think it was Section 31? Aren't they gone?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock shook his closed his eyes and shook his head. "Section 31 is much like a cancer in Starfleet. After we disbanded the division and outlawed any further activity by it we thought we got all of it, but it looks like it has grown back, maybe even stronger. We ended up pushing them so deep into the shadows that we lost track of their movements."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why am I here?" Jean-Luc decided to cut to the chase./p
p class="MsoNormal""Your primary objective with Starfleet Intelligence is to hunt down whatever remnants of Section 31 exist. Although you may occasionally be tasked with other missions to assist in Starfleet and Federation protection. You will not answer to any division heads, only me." Spock explained./p
p class="MsoNormal""Will I have a team?" Jean-Luc asked./p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock nodded as he seemed to be considering his next words. "Meet with Lieutenant Chambers, she will introduce you to your partner. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a conference call."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock gestured to the door and Jean-Luc left the office./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I see you found the place all right." She said./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's good to see you too Monica. You know, I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"have/em been here before. When I worked for Starfleet security I had to come here a few times." The man said./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well you impressed someone here with your work. Black looks good on you by the way, the new uniform compliments you well. Anyway, we should be going, we're going to be late." Monica replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"The man followed behind her as they entered the large building. He noted the incredible polished marble floors and high vaulted ceilings. The building looked more like a temple then a military structure. They entered a turbolift at the back of the large vestibule. Monica swiped her hand over the panel near the door. The door slid shut and he could feel the brief moment of inertia as it shot upward. It slowed to a stop and the doors opened up into a more modern looking corridor with grey walls that were illuminated by strips of light along the floor. Monica continued to lead him down the hallway until they came to a T intersection with a door. Monica pressed a panel on the side of the wall and the door chimed. It hissed open and they walked inside./p
p class="MsoNormal"One inside, the man recognized the elder Vulcan sitting on the other side of the desk. His uniform indicated he was Chief of Starfleet Intelligence./p
p class="MsoNormal"The Vulcan gestured for him to take a seat. "Thank you Lieutenant Chambers that will be all. It's nice to finally meet you Jean-Luc."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The man sat with his hands folded in his lap. "Thank you for the opportunity you have provided me Chief Spock."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I've seen a lot in my time Lieutenant. When I see an asset that will protect the Federation I use it. As you know, things are often complicated by a single event. We've seen it with the Klingon War, we saw it when Section 31 was revealed for what it was and we saw it when Romulans came from the future and tried to wipe out Earth. There are many more situations I could cite but you don't have the clearance yet." Spock said./p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc shifted in his seat. He knew of the basic details of the events Spoke mentioned but had a feeling that details had been left out on how close the Federation met its end. "What is it that I can do for Starfleet Intelligence sir?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock almost appeared to smile and then it faded back to the granite expression Vulcan's were known for. "Jean-Luc, I may have had a very unique insight that allowed me to see threats before or as they were unfolding. However, after some time, it appears that the Observer Effect Principle is unescapable. The more you study something, the more it changes. The events to come that I had once theorized have now changed to a point of unpredictability."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc rubbed his chin as he looked sternly at Spock. "Sir, are you speaking of some sort of time travel anomaly? Did the Romulans tell us something back when the Enterprise stopped them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock got up turned with his back to Jean-Luc as he looked out the large window to the Starfleet HQ tower across the arboretum. "I'd say answering that question would break the Temporal Prime Directive, but even saying that gives away the answer. Temporal paradoxes have always been a troublesome thing."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc smirked. He had never met Spock but he liked him. He figured he was a different man in his old age than he was when he was a young commander. "Sir, are we dealing with another temporal threat?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock turned back around and placed his hands on the back of his chair. "No…not today anyway. I requested your transfer after I read the paper you wrote during your Academy days. You compared the Praxis Disaster to the Chernobyl Disaster that Earth experienced in the late 20supth/sup style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe Soviet Union was a powerful and looming threat to Western Civilization. It was seen as near unstoppable until the unimaginable accident that happened. Toxic radiation poisoned the area and the Soviets depleted most of their resources to stop it. Similarly, the explosion of the moon Praxis that almost ended all life on Qo'nos seemed to have stopped the Klingon threat dead in it's tracks. I was with Captain Kirk when we ushered in the alliance that stopped the hostilities and provided the Klingons with Federation resources to save their world. I'm starting to think that someone else had studied certain historical events and reused them to their own ends."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You think someone caused Praxis to explode?" Jean-Luc asked leaning forward./p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock lifted a padd from his desk and slid it over to Jean-Luc. "I think someone part of something much larger attempted genocide. Although the resources to pull of the destruction of a moon would require an organization and to do it undetected would require one with a clandestine background."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Jean-Luc looked down at the padd and back at Spock. "You think it was Section 31? Aren't they gone?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock shook his closed his eyes and shook his head. "Section 31 is much like a cancer in Starfleet. After we disbanded the division and outlawed any further activity by it we thought we got all of it, but it looks like it has grown back, maybe even stronger. We ended up pushing them so deep into the shadows that we lost track of their movements."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why am I here?" Jean-Luc decided to cut to the chase./p
p class="MsoNormal""Your primary objective with Starfleet Intelligence is to hunt down whatever remnants of Section 31 exist. Although you may occasionally be tasked with other missions to assist in Starfleet and Federation protection. You will not answer to any division heads, only me." Spock explained./p
p class="MsoNormal""Will I have a team?" Jean-Luc asked./p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock nodded as he seemed to be considering his next words. "Meet with Lieutenant Chambers, she will introduce you to your partner. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a conference call."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Spock gestured to the door and Jean-Luc left the office./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p