One week later...
The Council of Five held a special tribunal. Starfleet's JAG Corps was not invited and the defendants did not receive counsel. Nor would their sentences ever be made public.
Jellico was the sole observer of the meeting. Akaar called the tribunal to order, "Captain Ro Laren and Captain Brin Macen, you are here to receive administrative justice for violating presidential orders and assisting a fugitive from justice."
"What was P'ris accused of?" Macen wondered.
"You are out of order," Akaar snapped, "But if you want to know, she was charged with treason."
"Against whom?" Macen had to ask, "She wasn't a Federation citizen so she couldn't be charged with treason against this government only espionage. But I think the charge is rather profound in that count. P'ris was only accused of treason by the Romulan Star Empire. So are we now administrating Romulan justice?"
"One more outburst and you will be tried in absentia, understood?" Akaar threatened.
""How do you plead?" Nechayev interrupted.
"Not guilty on the basis that the orders were illegal in the first place," Ro asserted, "Like Macen asked, are we police officers for the Romulans now?"
"We are not here to discuss the purview of diplomats," Akaar countered.
"I think we are," Macen rebutted him, "That's what this is all about. We stood to make points with the Romulans if we gave them back one of their own despite the fact that she did prevent us from going into a manufactured war with the Gorn. A war manufactured by the Romulans themselves. So why are seeking to reward them?"
"Do I detect an accusation here?" Akaar asked while his fellow admirals fell gravely silent.
"It is what it is," Macen allowed.
"We are adjourned and shall reconvene in forty-five minutes," Akaar announced.
Macen and Ro were taken to a side room. Ro looked concerned, "I know my staff on DS9 is fine but what about your team? Weren't they detained as well?"
"The ship's logs showed that the team knew next to nothing of my plans and took no actions to impede Starfleet in their pursuit," Macen shared, "And my crew isn't contractually obligated to Starfleet so their escaping unscathed."
"Cenn is probably panicking over being in command," Ro chuckled.
"Shannon's probably gloating," Macen mused.
They avoided discussing the trial except to note that the tribunal had no legal authority. But they consensually agreed that wouldn't matter. If things played through Bacco's way they'd be buried in a hole so deep no one would err find them.
Then the door slid opened and a Starfleet lieutenant stood in the opening, "They're ready for you."
The hearing resumed as soon as Macen and Ro got to their seats. Akaar spoke for the group, "Your defense is purely conjectural yet it also raises a good many questions. Questions that need to be answered. However, this isn't a forum to explore those questions. To be blunt, this is a forum to figure out just what the hell to do with the two of you."
Akaar was warming into his topic, "You two have consistently broken the chain of command throughout your careers, especially after your involvement with the Maquis. This sole point needs to be addressed."
Akaar addressed Ro, "Captain Ro, your service after joining the Bajoran Militia has been exemplary until now. But you have demonstrated that your skills and temperament are suited for tasks other than commanding a starbase. Therefore you are being removed as Commanding Officer of Deep Space Nine effective immediately."
Ro accepted this news with grim stoicism as Akaar continued, "And your insubordination regarding lawfully, if questionably, issued orders strikes at the very heart of whether or not you can continue commanding a starship. It is the consensus of this quorum that you are unable to. In order to spare you and the service the embarrassment of a court martial you are being asked to tender your resignation from Starfleet."
"Gladly," Ro threw back at him.
"Captain Macen, you are a civilian contractor with the Special Investigations Division. Therefore are not being asked to resign but your status as a contract is being revoked. No further SID contracts will be offered to you. Am I understood?" Akaar put forth.
"Clearly," Macen evenly replied.
"Good," Akaar nodded, "Lieutenant, escort them to the waiting room."
Macen and Ro waited for twenty minutes before the door opened and Admiral Jellico entered in. Macen gave him a dubious look, "Come to gloat?"
"Actually I'm setting the story straight," Jellico said as he sat down, "That little circus was for President Bacco's consumption."
"So it wasn't real?" Ro asked.
"Oh, it was real enough but it also doesn't carry any legal weight," Jellico revealed, "We need the illusion to last long enough for the pair of you to uncover just how far President Bacco's complicity with the Typhon Pact in general and the Romulans in particular goes. It seems that Section 31 was on to something after all."
"You want us to spy on a sitting Federation President?" Macen sought clarification.
"Yes," Jellico replied, "And I want you to turn over any evidence to the Attorney General."
"Do you know how many laws this is going to violate?" Ro needed to know.
"Forty-three to be precise," Jellico readily replied, "Which is why a serving Starfleet officer, or a current Starfleet employee, cannot be the ones doing it."
"You're seriously scaring me," Ro stated, "What happened to the real Admiral Jellico?"
Jellico sighed, "Ro, Macen, we're desperate. We had to contrive this solution in order to satisfy Bacco's lust for revenge for making her look bad before the Romulans."
"That motive alone says a lot," Macen commented.
"Doesn't it?" Jellico mused, "But our play acting also opened up a door for you to resolve this situation."
"You're assuming we'll agree to this," Macen countered.
"You will," Jellico predicted, "Both of you have spent lifetimes making the Federation or Bajor a better place to live. I'm trusting you don't want to live in the Federation we're becoming if you can possibly help it."
"Damn, you do know me after all;" Macen remarked.
"I was thinking the same thing," Ro admitted.
"Your ship is in orbit," Jellico told Macen. He turned to Ro, "And for the sake of convenience I suggest you depart with him. Deep Space Nine is expecting you so you can pick up your belongings."
"I travel light," Ro said.
Jellico stood, "Good luck. All our hopes go with you now."
He exited and Macen looked over at Ro, "Celeste is not going to believe this one."
