IX

Jean-Luc Picard had been quite shaken by what he had heard on Vashti. Not simply that a man who could have been raised on Romulus, and trained by the Tal Shiar was an advisor to the C-in-C of Starfleet, and could be the head of Section 31, but that he himself-somehow-had set in motion the events that had led to this. Guinan had hinted at this thirty years ago. He hadn't believed it then, and continued to not believe it.

That had changed with Zani's words on Vashti. Somehow, in the past, in what had to be an alternate timeline, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, had put Tasha Yar aboard the Enterprise-C, where she, and apparently at least two other crew members, had been held by the Romulans.

Yet he had no conscious memory of that. He didn't know how to get at such a memory, if it existed somehow. It frustrated him beyond belief.

He also knew he had to move on from it, at least as far as the present situation was concerned. Perhaps he could deal with it later. Maybe he could find Guinan again, and somehow come to terms with it. But he had bigger fish to fry right now.

He had informed Admiral Jellico and Admiral Janeway that he was committed to trying to turn the tide against what was becoming an authoritarian Federation government, and to stop the mistreatment of XB's in the Quadrant. Being a synth himself now, he felt even more determined to quash the brutal treatment of the former Borg, and also synthetic life forms.

Despite the fact he was no longer in Starfleet, his was an immensely powerful voice, especially on Earth. Like Kathryn Janeway, he was seen as a hero in so many regards, even as Necheyav hated him because The Borg had assimilated him before the Battle of Wolf 359.

As the La Sirena departed Vashti, Picard had not advised Rios where they were going. But has he thought more and more about the events taking place, he was coming to a decision. He knew where he belonged.

He left his holographic suite, overlooking his vineyard in France, and headed to the bridge. Raffi saw him first.

"Hey, JL", she said quietly, the others having been equally as stunned by what had transpired. "Get any rest?"

He shook his head. "No, not really. I've been doing a lot of thinking, about what Zani told me."

"Spooked you, too?" Raffi smiled at him.

"More than you can imagine, and I can't go into all the details about all the reasons why it spooked me, as you say."

"What?" Agnes gave a lopsided smile. "Hearing a human was raised on Romulus, worked for the Tal Shiar, and could be advising Necheyav wasn't enough?"

Picard chuckled, taking the sarcasm in the spirit it offered. "My dear Dr. Juarti, as I said, there's a lot more to it, at least from my end, to what spooked me. But I simply cannot go into it, because, quite frankly, I don't understand all if it myself."

"Must be pretty heavy", Raffi offered, still trying to make the conversation light. "You'll tell us if you want to, JL. Don't sweat it."

Raffi had been piloting, while Rios was getting some much-needed rest. About thirty minutes after Picard entered the bridge, the ship's captain arrived.

"You look like hell, Cris", Raffi said with a snicker. "You go around with a Nausican or something?"

Rios looked over at Agnes, whose eyes went wide. "Don't look at me, pal, I didn't keep you from sleeping-well, not this time."

Picard and Raffi snickered, Agnes turning red, Rios simply rolling his eyes.

"Is Elnor still asleep?"

"He is, JL", Raffi affirmed. "The visit took a little bit of an emotional toll on him. He was happy to visit his...family, but to only be there a short time, was a bummer."

"I know it was. Let him rest."

So, Admiral", Rios said, taking his seat next to Raffi, looking at his virtual display, "do we have any marching orders yet?"

"That's what I wanted to discuss with all of you."

"Uh-oh", Raffi said guardedly.

Jean-Luc smiled. "I have made up my mind where I want to go, but I'm under no illusions that I can order, or force any of you to stay with me. I know all of you are aware of how serious the situation is, and how much more serious it could get, and all of us, without exception, has to make our own decisions on this point."

"Elnor will go where you go, you know that, JL?"

That came from Soji, who spoke for the first time. "I know that, as he's sworn to protect me, but I will even offer him the choice."

"OK, Admiral", Agnes said with a sigh, "out with it?"

Very well." First he went to the replicator. "Computer, tea, Earl Gray, hot."

In moments he had the drink and sat back down. "I am going to see this through on Earth. I believe my voice still carries a lot of weight on Earth, and I can best oppose Necheyav by being back home."

There was silence in the room, but it wasn't one of shock. They had talked among themselves earlier, and they were quite certain that Picard wanted to go back home. It had been an arduous couple of months for all of them.

"Into the Lion's Den", Rios said ominously. "Jesus, Picard, do you ever take the easy way?"

"The easy was isn't a luxury given to a Starfleet Admiral, even a retired one, Cris. That's where my duty lies."

"Obviously, you're all from Earth", Soji said, "and obviously, I've never been there. I really have nowhere else to go."

"Your...unique skill set", Rios said carefully, "might come in handy on Earth in helping JL."

"You and Elnor could make quite a front for the Admiral", Agnes added.

"I don't want them to go to put them in harm's way", Picard objected, "but I will take whoever wants to go."

"Count me in", Raffi said without missing a beat. "I'll follow you where you'll lead, JL. I've never liked that bitch Necheyav anyway", she said with a devilish grin, making the others laugh.

"You're under no obligation, Raffi."

Raffi gave him a glare. "I'm going with you, JL. Don't you try to talk me out of it, you hear?"

"Earth is home", Agnes Jurati sad more soberly. "I've missed home. I've got nowhere else to go."

That made everyone look at Rios. The affair he and Agnes were having was not a secret-and had kept them up at nights, as they weren't exactly discreet sometimes.

"What are you guys looking at me for?"

Agnes simply gave him her own devilish grin. "You know, Cris, you're under no obligation, but..."

He turned beet red, which of course Agnes had wanted. Raffi snickered loudly.

Cris gave her a smile back. "Are you saying you have me wrapped around your finger or something, Juarti?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Captain."

Raffi again hooted a laugh, as did Soji. Picard just groaned.

Cris shook his head. "I guess I have no choice then." He smiled warmly at Agnes after the ribbing had ended. "I'm going with you, you know that?"

"Always knew it", Agnes said smugly.

"Children", Picard said, almost sotto voce. "Very well, Raffi, Rios, plot a course for home."

Starfleet Headquarters

Admiral Owen Paris read, and re-read the scrambled message from his son, the information that could be about Sloan, rolling around in his mind. He had seen the images. No one dare acknowledge out loud that they had seen it, not inside Starfleet Headquarters. The encrypted transmission had come to his home, and he had put it on his PADD when he went to work. When he was done mulling over it, he would wipe the PADD clean of the information.

He knew Jellico and Patterson received the transmission as well, and, as soon as Riker returned from his "vacation", they would go over the merits of the information, including trying to come up with a way to find out if Sloan was, indeed, the late Senator Aurelius, and this mystery man from Romulus.

The story was something out of a trashy spy novel, Paris thought. He had actually laughed out loud first time he had read the details. But he knew Jean-Luc Picard didn't fall for trashy spy novels, except in his holographic activities. The man was still as sharp as anyone Paris knew, and he couldn't discount the man's instincts.

That was still only a sideshow for now, and they all knew it. With Shelby's fleet just days away from sailing, that had and would continue to occupy more of his time. He and Patterson were still moving the fleet as inconspicuously as possible. Patterson had done it for so long that Necheyav would be none the wiser. He knew Necheyav felt Patterson was simply a bumbling old fart, and would simply do as he was told.

He would-except not in a way Necheyav would have ever guessed.

"Admiral on The Bridge!"

"As you were", Admiral Elizabeth Shelby said back automatically. The Alpha Shift went back to work. "Mr. Johnson", she said to her Number One, "how are we doing?"

"Admiral", the man responded, "Engineering reports a minor problem in the magnetic constrictors, which should be corrected within a half hour. All other stations report green."

"Thank you, Commander", she said easily. "I'll be in my Ready Room. You have The Bridge."

"Aye, Admiral."

Shelby stepped into her room. "Computer, tea, Earl Gray, hot." It always made her smile when ordering the wonderful liquid. Admiral Picard had hooked her on it years ago, and their falling out hadn't stopped her from having it quite often every day.

She thought about Picard and Will Riker. A large part of her regretted that they had become, for lack of a better word, adversaries. She admired both of them to this day, but Shelby had sincerely felt her views on what were now called XB's had been correct, and she had never regretted making her recommendations to Necheyav. They had severed the connection between them, to use a Borg analogy. She had simply done her duty.

She hoped, someday, to mend that fence. But she was a realist, and knew that might not be possible. She had to concede that they had felt as strongly about opposing her recommendations as she had been in giving them, and she didn't begrudge them that. Yet their rejection of her ideas and, in turn, of her, had only motivated her even more to prove her mettle, and that she had been right.

The truth was, she had almost vomited when Necheyav had told her about the death of the young man Icheb. She hadn't wanted that for anyone. Shelby had heard rumors that Bjayzl had been hired by The Federation to hunt down Icheb and Seven, but there was no proof of that. She didn't honestly believe that anyone in the organizations that she loved would be that brutal.

Then she remembered Sloan. She know nothing about the man. Less than nothing, except that he was an ally of Necheyav. The man personally made her skin crawl, for reasons she could not define, but their views were quite similar.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth Shelby had never been good or very cognizant of politics, and she didn't see the forest for the trees. She still felt The Federation was the noble entity it had always been, and couldn't even grasp the changes that she was helping to bring to fruition.

She was going to Fenris. She didn't want war. She simply wanted Seven of Nine, and that would end all of this bullshit that was going on. Shelby was well aware that a war was possible, and that if it came, she would carry out her duty.

One thing that made her breathe a little easier is that if war did come, there would be opposition back on Earth, but she wouldn't have to worry about either Picard or Riker. They were no longer active obstacles.

"Bridge to the Admiral".

"Shelby here."

"Sir, Engineering is reporting that repairs are complete."

"Acknowledged, Mr. Johnson."

Shelby re-entered The Bridge.

"Attention all hands, prepare to depart for Fenris. Shelby out."

The die was being cast.

Admiral Edward Jellico was just getting ready to retire for the evening. He had been going over some reports on the current situation, still intrigued about what Picard had heard.

As he was preparing to turn the lights out for the night, his computer warbled that he had an incoming, live video transmission. Few people could get him live, so he knew it had to be serious. When he flipped on the viewer, Mike Patterson was looking at him. His face was calm, but his words spelled trouble.

"Mike", Jellico said evenly, "I was just going to bed. You have something?"

"I do, Ed", he said with no drama. "The ships are sailing."

Jellico paused before answering. "Very well, time to start gathering our assets. I'll talk to you in the morning."

In moments, Patterson's visage faded from the screen. Ed Jellico knew sleep would be hard to come by this night.