Ring of Treason

Chapter 7

"Betrayal, though…
betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope."

Steven Deitz

Sarek led them all over to the big conference table across the room. Jim sat next to his mother, Sarek and Nogura directly across from her, and Spock and Bones on either side of Jim.

Winona looked across to Nogura and began. "Admiral, thank you for being willing to come to the Embassy and my thanks to you also, Ambassador Sarek for arranging this meeting. Admiral, let me just start at the beginning and tell you exactly what happened. Then if you have questions, I'll do my best to answer them."

Winona went through her story step by step starting with the walk in Central Park and the sound of phaser fire, what she did, and her conversation with the wounded Commander Bradford. Nogura stopped her. "Dr. Kirk, please stop for just one minute. I want to be sure that you remember Commander Bradford's conversation exactly, word for word."

Winona looked at Nogura. "But Admiral, I don't have to remember it. I recorded it."

"You recorded it!" Nogura looked totally shocked and even Sarek's black eyes showed some surprise. Jim covered his face with his hand and looked down at the table striving for self-control. Bones coughed loudly, and Spock studiously avoided looking at Jim, though his lips quirked uncontrollably.

"There is no need to look so surprised, Admiral. I've been a Star Fleet wife and mother for many years and I'm also a Federation scientist, so I certainly know the value of gathering accurate information; of course I recorded it! I knew Commander Bradford was very badly wounded, and that he was Star Fleet. I wasn't going to chance forgetting a single word of what he said. He was so desperate that I knew whatever he was trying to tell me was terribly important." She brought out the small recorder she always carried and put it on the table. "Shall I play it?"

"You surely are your mama's son, Jim boy," Bones leaned over slightly and whispered very softly into Jim's ear.

"Please go ahead Dr. Kirk." Nogura said, as he cleared this throat, still looking nonplussed at her.

They listened to the halting words of Commander Bradford, Winona's face showing her deep distress as she again listened to his labored, gasping speech. "He was so worried for my safety; he kept telling me to leave, that it was dangerous for me to stay. Such a brave young man. Admiral, I also have the data disc he gave me if you would like to have it now. And Admiral Nogura, if I may ask, is there any way you can find out about Commander Bradford's condition? I've been so worried about him."

"Yes, I'll take the disc now, thank you, Dr. Kirk and I'll make inquiries about Commander Bradford as soon as I can. Sarek, I think we should view the disc now. Gentleman, since we don't know how highly classified this Intel is, Sarek and I will look at it first."

Sarek led the Admiral to another room where his secure data terminals were kept. Jim looked a question at Spock.

"As the Chairman and highest ranking member of the Federation High Council, Sarek's security clearance is almost equal with the Admiral's, Jim."

Winona was looking very tired now and she excused herself to freshen up. For some reason, in spite of his relief about her safety, Jim still felt uneasy. He had a feeling that there was something his mother wasn't telling him and it was a nagging worry in the back of his mind.

Bones looked at Jim's frown and worried face and the doctor, who knew his friend very well, could see the difference between the 'son' face in front of him and the 'Captain' face which was totally absent right now. McCoy knew that after the hostage situation they had gone through two months ago, Jim was still hyper vigilant about Peter and now, his mother's safety as well. He thought, I think it's time for a little mental distraction. "Hey, Jim boy, I think you should know that I've fallen, as the song says, truly, madly, deeply in love with your mama. That lady is somethin' else, beauty, brains, courage; all I can say is, Wow! Do you think she would go for a good lookin' younger man? I could adopt you, you know, and you could start calling me Step-Daddy Bones."

Jim's head jerked around to Bones. He looked at him unbelievably. "Oh my God! After a remark like that, I need some brain bleach. If you want to go on living, Bones, just don't say another word! Not one more word! Don't even go there, and I'm not kidding."

"Yep, my step son, the youngest Captain in the Fleet. I'd be so proud. Sounds down right perfect to me."

"Doctor McCoy, your thoughts about Dr. Kirk, seems somewhat inappropriate, although I must admit, Captain, that her face and form are very aesthetically pleasing," said Spock with a glint in his eye and a side glance at McCoy.

Jim cast him a reproachful glance. "Eh tu, Spock?"

"Oh I don't know…how can it be inappropriate? I'm divorced, she's a widow. Seems perfectly proper to me."

"Bones, I'm warning you!"

With another death glare at McCoy, Jim rose as his mother came in with Sarek and Nogura right behind her. Nogura's face was red with fury.

"It's as bad as it can possibly be," reported Nogura. "It's unbelievable! So far Bradford has identified at least three Fleet Commodores and one HQ Admiral who have turned. traitors within Fleet and on my watch! I must be blind, stupid, and irresponsible not to have seen any signs of it. Well, gentlemen, it's ultimately my responsibility and I'll root it out if it's the last thing I do. From what Bradford has found out, the Romulans are after Fleet's Trans Warp technology, and they're willing to do anything, pay anything to get it. The Romulans think that with their cloaking device and our Trans Warp capabilities, we'd have a hard time stopping them if they decide to start a war and that, unfortunately, is true enough."

"Admiral," said Spock. "It is my understanding that the Trans Warp technology is still in the exploratory stages. That it's not ready for implementation or testing yet."

"That's only partially true, Mr. Spock. Development of the Trans Warp core technology is further along than Fleet rumor would have it. Initially there were some fundamental problems with the science behind the technology. But according to the best Trans Warp engineering minds, (and they have reviewed all Cochrane's early and later warp theories for months) these problems are not insurmountable and they are making rapid progress. We can't allow any of this technology, early though it may be, to get into Romulan or Klingon hands. Romulans have fine scientific minds working for them as we know, or else the cloaking device would not be a reality."

Jim looked at the Admiral. His tactical mind was all ready reviewing and discarding ideas as Nogura talked. "Sir, I agree that it's unthinkable that Romulans or Klingons get this technology. War would be inevitable; millions of lives could be at stake. I think this is the part where we have to come up with a plan. As I see it, we have to root out the Star Fleet traitors and arrest them for treason, catch Bradford's assailant, keep the Trans Warp technology out of Romulan or Klingon hands and we have to do this so covertly that confidence in Fleet and the Federation is not undermined."

Nogura nodded. "Yes, Captain, that's the whole nut in the nutshell. I want you and your team to come up with a plan that will carry out these goals, Jim. It's almost an impossible thing to ask of you, but you've done the impossible before, and you have the best starship, the best crew and the best command team in Star Fleet, so who else can I ask? While you and your team work on a plan, I'll have to get back to San Francisco tonight before I'm missed, but I'll be back here tomorrow mid morning. I'll have to catch the flu or something and 'stay home' for a few days; my office will have to get along without me."

"Admiral Nogura," Spock said, "Enterprise is scheduled to take part in the War Games in forty-eight hours. At present, she is without her Captain and perhaps it would behoove us to somehow use the War Games as we strategize and formulate plans."

Nogura cast a keen glance at the Vulcan. "You have an idea, Mr. Spock?"

"Yes, sir, I do, but I must speak with the Captain first, to discuss the feasibility of the plan." He looked at his Captain, and Jim, whose face had shifted subtly but definitely into command mode, and in whom the faint glimmerings of a plan were also stirring, looked back at him and gave a slight nod, their unspoken thoughts already in sync.

"Very well, Mr. Spock" said Nogura. "You and the Captain can give me the details tomorrow morning. Now I must leave. Good night to you all." He turned to Winona. "Dr. Kirk, you have my profound gratitude. If not for you, it might have been months before we got wind of the treachery inside Feet. You are a very courageous woman and a credit to our Star Fleet family."

Winona looked taken aback at the compliment, but managed a murmured 'Thank you, Admiral,' as he walked away.

Jim went up to his mother and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "He's right, Ma. I'm very proud of you." He gave her a keen look. "You've had a very long day, and you look tired. As soon as Peter comes back, I think both of you should go to bed and get some rest."

"I think you're right, dear. I am feeling a little tired; I just wish I knew about Commander Bradford, if he's even still alive. If he is, Jim, he needs protection, and I want to go see him to assure him his information is safe in your hands and if he needs any help that I'm available."

"Tomorrow. The Admiral will see to it. I'll send Peter up to you as soon as T'Lane brings him back. Good night, Ma, sleep well. "

"Good night, dear, I'm so happy you're here. Jim, there's one more thing I haven't told you, but Ambassador Sarek knows and he can tell you about what happened when we left the hotel."

Peter soon came back with T'Lane and walked over to his Uncle Jim who was sitting in the easy chair. He laid his head against Jim's shoulder and yawned. Jim got up. "Say goodnight to everyone, Peter. It's bed time for you, young man." Peter walked over to Spock and whispered in his ear, "Could we play a game of chess tomorrow, Mr. Spock?"

Spock whispered back, "Yes, Peter, we'll find time to do that. I would enjoy it."

Peter said good night to everyone and Jim took him upstairs to his mother.

When he came back into the office, his first words were to Sarek. "All right, Ambassador, what is it that my mother hasn't told me."

Sarek's face was grave. "I'm afraid that the man who shot Commander Bradford, is now a viable threat to your mother and to Peter. Your mother saw him enter the hotel lobby just as T'Lane took them from the hotel. He knows who she is, and it did not take him long to discover it. This bodes ill for us; I am impressed with the speed and accuracy of their intelligence network. Whatever plan you and Spock conceive, we all and Nogura must take into consideration their formidable network."

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