Chapter 3
De duobus malis minus est semper eligendum.
One must always choose the lesser of two evils. (Thomas a Kempis)
"Wake up."
Vicki Ann moved her head slightly. She was so weak, that was all she could do.
"Wake up."
She recognized the voice. Julian. "I would, but I'm a little weak right now. Your
interrogation was a little too much for me," she whispered weakly.
He nudged her. "Come on, we have to talk."
Vicki Ann sat up and looked at him. "Do you really think I'm going to talk to you? After you
used me for a guinea pig? Sorry, Julian. I've had enough of abusive relationships."
He sighed. "Look, I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter.
They needed to determine whether you could handle what could be thrown at you. And
you did very well, as a matter of fact. It wasn't personal, Vicki Ann."
"But you said-."
"Everything I said and did was a part of the act, even the Breen instrument. We wanted
you to belief that I'd turned against you. And you did."
"You're a fantastic actor, Julian. Did you ever consider changing your profession?"
"Look, Vicki Ann, I'm sorry. It would be wise to forgive me, Vicki Ann. I'm your only friend
here."
Vicki Ann tried to ignore the pounding in her head. "You do have a point there." She looked
at him. He seemed sincere. But, no one knew as well as Vicki Ann did how people can be
wonderful one minute and evil the next. But, she didn't have a choice. She needed an ally
in Section 31, someone she could trust. And unfortunately, Julian was it. "Alright. You're
forgiven, but if you do that again, I'm going to have to hit you back."
Julian laughed. "It's a deal."
Vicki Ann sat up a little more so that her back was supported by the wall. "Where do
Colonel Kira and Ezri think you are?"
"Kira thinks I'm on a mercenary mission to Cardassia and Ezri doesn't care."
"What do you mean?"
"You must sever all connections when you join Section 31. I had to break up with her after
you left us in Quarks."
"How come I didn't have to break up with David?"
"Well, you are considered missing. Everyone on the station thinks you went running off
because you getting kicked out of Starfleet. Technically, you did sever all connections.
With me, it's a different story, since I have to still be in Starfleet."
"Wow. You two seemed like you were really in love."
Julian's expression grew sad. "Not really. There was always something in the way."
"Like what? Fear of commitment? Memories of Jadzia? What?"
Julian looked her in the eyes. "You."
Vicki Ann was stunned. "What?"
"You were in the way. I still love you, Vicki Ann."
Vicki Ann couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I had no idea. I don't know what to say."
"Say we can try again. Think about it. We're both in Section 31, so there are no
connections to sever. It's a match made in heaven."
"I don't know, Julian."
The door opened and Sid and the man who had accused her of being a spy entered. Sid
smiled at Vicki Ann. "Victorianna, I'm glad to see that you've survived our little test." He
introduced his companion. "This is Adams. He is the equivalent of security for our section
of Section 31. My name is Sid and I am the one in charge here." Sid turned to Bashir.
"Doctor, you are needed in the lab."
Julian smiled at Vicki Ann, stood and left.
Adams came over to Vicki Ann and squatted down beside her. "We are aware of Dr.
Bashir's feelings for you. It would be to your advantage to accept any proposals he makes
about relationships. We have an assignment for you. The doctor has been selling
information to the Federation about us. We need you to teach him a lesson. Don't worry,
he'll be fine. He'll just regret crossing Section 31."
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Vicki Ann asked.
"No, not really." Sid replied.
"Just checking."
"I can't urge you enough to accept this assignment. We wouldn't want anything to happen
to you or your family because of your loyalty to the doctor."
"I understand." I'd have to be stupid not to understand.
"Now, is there anyway I can fix my injuries or get them fixed or something?"
"Your internal injuries will be fixed by Dr. Bashir. As for your bruises, unfortunately, those
must be reminders not to cross Section 31."
Oh, how nice Vicki Ann thought to herself.
The doors opened and Julian entered. "The situation is resolved," he told Sid.
"What situation?" Vicki Ann asked as she stood.
"Nothing to be concerned about, Vicki Ann," Julian replied.
"Doctor, would you care to show Vicki Ann to her new home?" Sid said to Bashir.
"I thought we were out of room," Bashir replied, confused.
"I'm sure we can find somewhere for her to stay," Sid replied. He turned to Vicki Ann.
"Perhaps since you are so close with the doctor, you can stay with him."
Real smooth. Vicki Ann thought to herself. And subtle.
She put on her best fake smile. "That would be fine." Vicki Ann could tell that Julian was
anything but upset about the arrangement.
"Follow me, Vicki Ann," Julian replied.
Vicki Ann obeyed and followed Julian down the hall. They arrived at a set of doors marked
with the numbers 4023. The doors opened for Julian. They were very similar to her
quarters on the station, except for the decor. "Here we are. Sid has suggested that you
rest. You'll need your strength. I have a feeling you'll be getting a tough assignment soon."
You don't know how soon. Vicki Ann thought to herself. "Probably. Sid said that you
would fix my internal injuries."
Julian nodded. "Just a second." He went over to the bed and grabbed the med kit from
under it. "Sit down."
Vicki Ann sat down on the edge of the bed. Julian sat beside her and took out his
tricorder. "I can't do anything about the bruises, but I can fix the neural pathway damage
and the internal fractures."
Vicki Ann nodded. "I know. Sid told me about my bruises serving as reminders."
Julian smiled. "So you do have a mission coming up. Did they tell you what it is?"
Vicki Ann shook her head. "Not yet."
"Well, good luck," Julian replied. He folded his tricorder and sighed. "Vicki Ann, have you
thought about what I said earlier? About us?"
Vicki Ann sighed. Here we go. "It sounds like a good idea, Julian," she said, smiling.
Julian became excited. "That's wonderful!" He calmed himself down. "I'm sorry, but I have
to go. Sid has asked me to work on a special project in the lab." He kissed her. "See you
later. Until Sid replicates some clothes for you, you can borrow some of mine. Now get
some rest."
"Yes, sir," Vicki Ann said, saluting Julian. As soon as the doors shut behind him, Vicki Ann
shook her head. "Yet another mess you have gotten yourself into, Vicki Ann." She stood
and walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of blue pajamas. She changed into
them and then went over to the replicator and got some chamomile tea. She sat on the
bed and sipped her tea, wishing for her old life back.
De duobus malis minus est semper eligendum.
One must always choose the lesser of two evils. (Thomas a Kempis)
"Wake up."
Vicki Ann moved her head slightly. She was so weak, that was all she could do.
"Wake up."
She recognized the voice. Julian. "I would, but I'm a little weak right now. Your
interrogation was a little too much for me," she whispered weakly.
He nudged her. "Come on, we have to talk."
Vicki Ann sat up and looked at him. "Do you really think I'm going to talk to you? After you
used me for a guinea pig? Sorry, Julian. I've had enough of abusive relationships."
He sighed. "Look, I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter.
They needed to determine whether you could handle what could be thrown at you. And
you did very well, as a matter of fact. It wasn't personal, Vicki Ann."
"But you said-."
"Everything I said and did was a part of the act, even the Breen instrument. We wanted
you to belief that I'd turned against you. And you did."
"You're a fantastic actor, Julian. Did you ever consider changing your profession?"
"Look, Vicki Ann, I'm sorry. It would be wise to forgive me, Vicki Ann. I'm your only friend
here."
Vicki Ann tried to ignore the pounding in her head. "You do have a point there." She looked
at him. He seemed sincere. But, no one knew as well as Vicki Ann did how people can be
wonderful one minute and evil the next. But, she didn't have a choice. She needed an ally
in Section 31, someone she could trust. And unfortunately, Julian was it. "Alright. You're
forgiven, but if you do that again, I'm going to have to hit you back."
Julian laughed. "It's a deal."
Vicki Ann sat up a little more so that her back was supported by the wall. "Where do
Colonel Kira and Ezri think you are?"
"Kira thinks I'm on a mercenary mission to Cardassia and Ezri doesn't care."
"What do you mean?"
"You must sever all connections when you join Section 31. I had to break up with her after
you left us in Quarks."
"How come I didn't have to break up with David?"
"Well, you are considered missing. Everyone on the station thinks you went running off
because you getting kicked out of Starfleet. Technically, you did sever all connections.
With me, it's a different story, since I have to still be in Starfleet."
"Wow. You two seemed like you were really in love."
Julian's expression grew sad. "Not really. There was always something in the way."
"Like what? Fear of commitment? Memories of Jadzia? What?"
Julian looked her in the eyes. "You."
Vicki Ann was stunned. "What?"
"You were in the way. I still love you, Vicki Ann."
Vicki Ann couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I had no idea. I don't know what to say."
"Say we can try again. Think about it. We're both in Section 31, so there are no
connections to sever. It's a match made in heaven."
"I don't know, Julian."
The door opened and Sid and the man who had accused her of being a spy entered. Sid
smiled at Vicki Ann. "Victorianna, I'm glad to see that you've survived our little test." He
introduced his companion. "This is Adams. He is the equivalent of security for our section
of Section 31. My name is Sid and I am the one in charge here." Sid turned to Bashir.
"Doctor, you are needed in the lab."
Julian smiled at Vicki Ann, stood and left.
Adams came over to Vicki Ann and squatted down beside her. "We are aware of Dr.
Bashir's feelings for you. It would be to your advantage to accept any proposals he makes
about relationships. We have an assignment for you. The doctor has been selling
information to the Federation about us. We need you to teach him a lesson. Don't worry,
he'll be fine. He'll just regret crossing Section 31."
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Vicki Ann asked.
"No, not really." Sid replied.
"Just checking."
"I can't urge you enough to accept this assignment. We wouldn't want anything to happen
to you or your family because of your loyalty to the doctor."
"I understand." I'd have to be stupid not to understand.
"Now, is there anyway I can fix my injuries or get them fixed or something?"
"Your internal injuries will be fixed by Dr. Bashir. As for your bruises, unfortunately, those
must be reminders not to cross Section 31."
Oh, how nice Vicki Ann thought to herself.
The doors opened and Julian entered. "The situation is resolved," he told Sid.
"What situation?" Vicki Ann asked as she stood.
"Nothing to be concerned about, Vicki Ann," Julian replied.
"Doctor, would you care to show Vicki Ann to her new home?" Sid said to Bashir.
"I thought we were out of room," Bashir replied, confused.
"I'm sure we can find somewhere for her to stay," Sid replied. He turned to Vicki Ann.
"Perhaps since you are so close with the doctor, you can stay with him."
Real smooth. Vicki Ann thought to herself. And subtle.
She put on her best fake smile. "That would be fine." Vicki Ann could tell that Julian was
anything but upset about the arrangement.
"Follow me, Vicki Ann," Julian replied.
Vicki Ann obeyed and followed Julian down the hall. They arrived at a set of doors marked
with the numbers 4023. The doors opened for Julian. They were very similar to her
quarters on the station, except for the decor. "Here we are. Sid has suggested that you
rest. You'll need your strength. I have a feeling you'll be getting a tough assignment soon."
You don't know how soon. Vicki Ann thought to herself. "Probably. Sid said that you
would fix my internal injuries."
Julian nodded. "Just a second." He went over to the bed and grabbed the med kit from
under it. "Sit down."
Vicki Ann sat down on the edge of the bed. Julian sat beside her and took out his
tricorder. "I can't do anything about the bruises, but I can fix the neural pathway damage
and the internal fractures."
Vicki Ann nodded. "I know. Sid told me about my bruises serving as reminders."
Julian smiled. "So you do have a mission coming up. Did they tell you what it is?"
Vicki Ann shook her head. "Not yet."
"Well, good luck," Julian replied. He folded his tricorder and sighed. "Vicki Ann, have you
thought about what I said earlier? About us?"
Vicki Ann sighed. Here we go. "It sounds like a good idea, Julian," she said, smiling.
Julian became excited. "That's wonderful!" He calmed himself down. "I'm sorry, but I have
to go. Sid has asked me to work on a special project in the lab." He kissed her. "See you
later. Until Sid replicates some clothes for you, you can borrow some of mine. Now get
some rest."
"Yes, sir," Vicki Ann said, saluting Julian. As soon as the doors shut behind him, Vicki Ann
shook her head. "Yet another mess you have gotten yourself into, Vicki Ann." She stood
and walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of blue pajamas. She changed into
them and then went over to the replicator and got some chamomile tea. She sat on the
bed and sipped her tea, wishing for her old life back.