Chapter 4
Dubitando ad veritatem venimus.
We arrive at the truth being skeptical.
(Pierre Ab‚lard, Sic et non?)
Dr. Julian Bashir finished his log and took a sip of Tarkalean Tea. He sighed to himself. He
didn't feel any better. He was still worried about Vicki Ann. This wasn't like her. Maybe she
was upset, but it wasn't like her to deliberately do something that would make him angry.
Or anyone for that matter. Vicki Ann was always thinking about other people. She would
never have left without telling him. Even if all she did was leave a note for him to find the
next day. He and Ezri had told Kira about Vicki Ann being missing, but there were no clues
as to where she had gone. Kira had said that she had probably just gone on a little trip to
get her mind off of things. There was nothing that could be done. Something just isn't
right about this, Julian thought to himself. I think I'm going to conduct my own
investigation. He stood, told his nurse that he was leaving, and went to Vicki Ann's
quarters.
When he got there, he told the computer to override the privacy lock. He went inside and
looked around. Everything was as she had left it. On her night table was a picture of
Commander Alexander. Her suitcase was lying on the bed, her clothes still in it. That's
odd. If she went somewhere, why didn't she take her suitcase? Julian, on a hunch, took
out his tricorder. He scanned for genetic material. There were traces of four other DNA
patterns other than Vicki Ann's. He saved the information in the tricorder. "Who has been
in Dr. Troi's quarter's since her arrival?" Julian asked the computer.
The computer replied, "Dr. Victorianna Troi, Commander David Alexander and Dr. Julian
Bashir have been in Dr. Troi's quarters since Dr. Troi's arrival."
"That takes care of two of the extra DNA patterns, but what about the other two? They
must used something to block their detection.
Something is definitely wrong," Julian said to the empty room.
"So what you're saying is that two people abducted Vicki Ann yesterday, but somehow the
computer didn't detect their arrival or departure?" Kira asked Julian.
"Yes. Two other DNA patterns showed up on my scans, but the computer denied the fact
that anyone besides Vicki Ann, Commander Alexander or myself had been there," Julian
replied.
"I suggest you cross reference those patterns with the computer to see if there's a
match," Kira said.
"Good idea," Julian said, standing.
"I'm coming with you."
They went to the infirmary. They checked the patterns first with Julian's medical files. No
luck. Then, Julian contacted Starfleet Headquarters to see if they had a match. They did.
"The first pattern, Doctor, is that of the former Commander Sid Patrick. Five years ago,
while he was serving on the Philadelphia, he was killed in a transporter accident," Admiral
Stewart told Bashir.
"Sounds like it wasn't an accident," Kira muttered.
"The second pattern, is that of Lieutenant Adams Smith. He disappeared two months ago
while on shore leave."
"Is there any indication of criminal activity in either file?"
Bashir asked.
Stewart checked. "Before Patrick disappeared, he was suspected to be an agent for
Section 31."
"That explains it. I'll bet Section 31 got wind of both Vicki Ann's enhancements and her
being kicked out of Starfleet and saw the opportunity for a new operative," Bashir replied.
"That's definitely a possibility, Doctor. We must also consider the possibility that she went
willingly and gave up her life here."
Julian shook his head. "Believe what you want, Admiral. But, I can't believe that Vicki Ann,
no matter how angry she is, would betray the Federation and join Section 31."
Vicki Ann heard the doors to her room open. She heard Julian's footsteps as he went over
to the dresser and got out clean clothes and then again as he walked over to the bed.
She felt him lie next to her in the bed. She pretended to be asleep. He looked over at her
to see if she was awake. When he saw that she wasn't, he rolled over and went to sleep.
Vicki Ann sighed and cried herself to sleep.
The next morning, Vicki Ann woke up a few hours before she was due at the lab with
Julian. She looked over and saw that Julian was awake. She smiled at him and then
pretended to go back to sleep.
Julian returned the smile. "You look better in my pajamas than I do." When Vicki Ann didn't
reply, Julian added, "Come on, Vicki Ann, I know you're not asleep."
"Yes, I am," Vicki Ann replied.
"No, you're not," Julian said, leaning over to kiss her.
Vicki Ann didn't have a choice but to kiss him back. She was supposed to be 'accepting'
Julian's advances. She tried to convince herself that her heart wasn't in it because this
'Julian' was different than the one she had been in love with months ago. Unfortunately,
memories of her time with Julian flooded her senses and she found herself kissing him with
the same passion as before.
"I've changed my mind. Although your stamina has increased since last night, I still think
you need some more rest," Julian said to Vicki Ann as he put on his boots.
Vicki Ann still hated that word. She wanted to do something, not sit in these quarters all
day 'resting.' She went over to Julian, sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his
neck. "Didn't I prove this morning that I have my strength back?" she asked sweetly.
Julian tried to be strict, but had a difficult time. "Yes, you proved that you have most of it
back. But with the extent of the neural damage, I'd like you to rest a little more."
Vicki Ann tried a different tactic. "But it's going to be so boring being all by myself in these
quarters all day, not to mention lonely," she pouted.
Julian stood, knocking Vicki Ann onto the bed. "No, Vicki Ann."
When she opened her mouth, he leaned down and placed his finger over her lips. "No
arguments. I have to go. I'll see you this evening for dinner, around 1900 hours." He kissed
her goodbye.
"Bye," she said, frowning.
"Goodbye," Julian replied.
Vicki Ann sat down at Julian's desk and turned on the viewer. "Computer, begin personal
log for Victorianna Troi. Save and encrypt every five minutes."
The computer replied, "Specify password."
Vicki Ann thought for a moment. "Benedict Arnold."
"Password saved. You may begin when ready."
Vicki Ann took a deep breath. "Where to start? The beginning, I guess. I'm writing this in
the hopes that if I die while in Section 31 or get put in prison for it, my side can be told. It
all started when the Enterprise joined the war. I started to see the results of the
Dominion's wrath. The war stopped being so distant and became a part of my life. The
casualties began to pile up. Names that I knew began to appear on the reports. Friends
and colleagues began to disappear. Everyday, there were more people in sickbay.
Everyday, the injuries grew worse. I could barely concentrate on my work. My days were
fill with worry and my nights were plagued by nightmares. I wanted to call Julian and Ezri
to see that they were all right, but I couldn't face them. I knew that they would see right
through my facade. I had completely shut out everyone. When asked how I felt, I told
everyone that I was fine. David was my only salvation.
I met up with him on Starbase 17 when we stopped for repairs. He broke through my wall.
He decided not to leave me alone and let me grieve. Instead, he fought with me over my
seclusion. He refused to take no for an answer. He made me admit that I was scared, not
only for myself, but for the people I love. David and I had dinner and he confessed that he
still loved me. We'd been together on the Goddard. Things just didn't work out then. I
didn't want to settle down. I didn't want to stay in one place. David thought that it had
something to do with him. Maybe it did, but I didn't want to admit it. We fought and ended
our relationship. Just before I left, he apologized and we agreed to stay friends, though we
barely spoke until we met on DS9. Anyway, David and I had dinner, a candle-light dinner
to be exact, and before the evening was over, we ended up making love. At first, I
thought I was trying to get over Julian, but I realized that I still loved David.
Enough of my psychiatric profile and back to the war. David helped me feel better, until
the attack on Starfleet Headquarters. As Julian said, "That shook everyone." Especially
me. If Earth could be hit, anything could. The station, the Goddard, even the Enterprise.
After that, I emotionally shut down. I became numb. Seeing Julian and Ezri when we went
to the station and knowing that they were okay brought some of my feelings back. But I
still wasn't alright. I didn't know if I wanted to be in Starfleet anymore. I blamed Starfleet
for the war and all the people that had been killed, for all the children that had been made
orphans, for all the people like me who had lost their love, their reason for living, or had
lost brothers, sons, sisters, or daughters.
When the Admiral told me about my genetic engineering, I really wasn't that shocked.
Most of my shock was because I knew what I had to lose. When the admiral told me that I
couldn't stay in Starfleet or practice medicine anymore, I shut down even more.
Everything I had known had been ripped away, by the Dominion and by Starfleet.
Everything I believed in had been made into nothing. Starfleet had become a sham, going
through the motions, but not really believing in anything anymore. I'm just trying to help
Starfleet to remember what they stand for. I'm not trying to get revenge, I'm just trying
to refresh their memory."
Vicki Ann leaned back in her chair and let out a long, slow breath. "End log."
The computer replied, "Saving and Encrypting."
The emotional release had been too much for her; she broke down into tears.
"A man matching Patrick's description was seen on a transport headed for Earth. His
companions were described as a blue-eyed brunette woman and . . ." Kira said, her voice
trailing off toward the end.
"What?" Bashir asked. "What's wrong?"
Kira looked up at him, her expression filled with confusion. "The third person matches your
description, right to the number of pips on your uniform."
"What?" Bashir exclaimed. "I've been here the entire time! You can't believe that report!"
Kira smiled. "I don't, doctor." She looked down at the PADD again. "It says here that the
woman was ill. She was unconscious most of the trip and the man matching your
description took care of her. Now, I doubt that it was a changeling. But, it could have
been a shape-shifter of a different kind."
"Or a clone," Bashir replied. His eyes lit up as if he had just had a sudden insight. "Wait!
That explains the readings in her quarters. I hadn't been in Vicki Ann's quarters until that
day, but my DNA showed up on the scan. At first I assumed that it was because I was in
there while I was running the scan. But if it was a clone, the DNA would be in there from
before."
"Better have Ops run a scan to find out exactly when 'you' were in her quarters," Kira
replied.
Sid checked the monitors in his secret room. The only people that knew about this room
were him, Adams and the higher-ups of Section 31. He smiled to himself when he saw the
results of his work. Victorianna Troi was sleeping and the levels of tricolate and dethacol in
her system were constant. The implant was receiving his suggestions and putting them in
her subconscious. She would only do what he wanted her to do.
When they had used the drugs on Bashir on Romulus, they discovered his friendship with
Troi. Sid decided that they could use this to their advantage. They used their clone of
Bashir to abduct her and perform the implant surgery. They figured that if Troi thought
that Bashir was in Section 31, it might make her more cooperative. After the surgery, the
Bashir clone was sent away on another mission. Then, they used the implant to guide her
hallucinations. She believed that Bashir was with her and that her test was to survive the
his interrogation.
The point of her hallucination was to prepare her for life in Section 31; to desensitize her.
He monitored her hallucinations and adjusted the implant's suggestions accordingly. He
decided that she needed to kill her lover, Dr. Julian Bashir. In her hallucination, she had
rekindled her relationship with Bashir, on his suggestion. Sid knew that was the only way
she could get close enough, so he programmed the implant to make the Bashir image in her
hallucination fall in love with her again. Troi had no real feelings of love for Bashir, except
for that of a friend. But that was enough. The death of her best friend would most
definitely affect her. And if he fed her the right information, he could use it to turn her into
the perfect operative. Yes, everything was working out perfectly. Section 31 was going to
get their genetically engineered doctor after all.
Dubitando ad veritatem venimus.
We arrive at the truth being skeptical.
(Pierre Ab‚lard, Sic et non?)
Dr. Julian Bashir finished his log and took a sip of Tarkalean Tea. He sighed to himself. He
didn't feel any better. He was still worried about Vicki Ann. This wasn't like her. Maybe she
was upset, but it wasn't like her to deliberately do something that would make him angry.
Or anyone for that matter. Vicki Ann was always thinking about other people. She would
never have left without telling him. Even if all she did was leave a note for him to find the
next day. He and Ezri had told Kira about Vicki Ann being missing, but there were no clues
as to where she had gone. Kira had said that she had probably just gone on a little trip to
get her mind off of things. There was nothing that could be done. Something just isn't
right about this, Julian thought to himself. I think I'm going to conduct my own
investigation. He stood, told his nurse that he was leaving, and went to Vicki Ann's
quarters.
When he got there, he told the computer to override the privacy lock. He went inside and
looked around. Everything was as she had left it. On her night table was a picture of
Commander Alexander. Her suitcase was lying on the bed, her clothes still in it. That's
odd. If she went somewhere, why didn't she take her suitcase? Julian, on a hunch, took
out his tricorder. He scanned for genetic material. There were traces of four other DNA
patterns other than Vicki Ann's. He saved the information in the tricorder. "Who has been
in Dr. Troi's quarter's since her arrival?" Julian asked the computer.
The computer replied, "Dr. Victorianna Troi, Commander David Alexander and Dr. Julian
Bashir have been in Dr. Troi's quarters since Dr. Troi's arrival."
"That takes care of two of the extra DNA patterns, but what about the other two? They
must used something to block their detection.
Something is definitely wrong," Julian said to the empty room.
"So what you're saying is that two people abducted Vicki Ann yesterday, but somehow the
computer didn't detect their arrival or departure?" Kira asked Julian.
"Yes. Two other DNA patterns showed up on my scans, but the computer denied the fact
that anyone besides Vicki Ann, Commander Alexander or myself had been there," Julian
replied.
"I suggest you cross reference those patterns with the computer to see if there's a
match," Kira said.
"Good idea," Julian said, standing.
"I'm coming with you."
They went to the infirmary. They checked the patterns first with Julian's medical files. No
luck. Then, Julian contacted Starfleet Headquarters to see if they had a match. They did.
"The first pattern, Doctor, is that of the former Commander Sid Patrick. Five years ago,
while he was serving on the Philadelphia, he was killed in a transporter accident," Admiral
Stewart told Bashir.
"Sounds like it wasn't an accident," Kira muttered.
"The second pattern, is that of Lieutenant Adams Smith. He disappeared two months ago
while on shore leave."
"Is there any indication of criminal activity in either file?"
Bashir asked.
Stewart checked. "Before Patrick disappeared, he was suspected to be an agent for
Section 31."
"That explains it. I'll bet Section 31 got wind of both Vicki Ann's enhancements and her
being kicked out of Starfleet and saw the opportunity for a new operative," Bashir replied.
"That's definitely a possibility, Doctor. We must also consider the possibility that she went
willingly and gave up her life here."
Julian shook his head. "Believe what you want, Admiral. But, I can't believe that Vicki Ann,
no matter how angry she is, would betray the Federation and join Section 31."
Vicki Ann heard the doors to her room open. She heard Julian's footsteps as he went over
to the dresser and got out clean clothes and then again as he walked over to the bed.
She felt him lie next to her in the bed. She pretended to be asleep. He looked over at her
to see if she was awake. When he saw that she wasn't, he rolled over and went to sleep.
Vicki Ann sighed and cried herself to sleep.
The next morning, Vicki Ann woke up a few hours before she was due at the lab with
Julian. She looked over and saw that Julian was awake. She smiled at him and then
pretended to go back to sleep.
Julian returned the smile. "You look better in my pajamas than I do." When Vicki Ann didn't
reply, Julian added, "Come on, Vicki Ann, I know you're not asleep."
"Yes, I am," Vicki Ann replied.
"No, you're not," Julian said, leaning over to kiss her.
Vicki Ann didn't have a choice but to kiss him back. She was supposed to be 'accepting'
Julian's advances. She tried to convince herself that her heart wasn't in it because this
'Julian' was different than the one she had been in love with months ago. Unfortunately,
memories of her time with Julian flooded her senses and she found herself kissing him with
the same passion as before.
"I've changed my mind. Although your stamina has increased since last night, I still think
you need some more rest," Julian said to Vicki Ann as he put on his boots.
Vicki Ann still hated that word. She wanted to do something, not sit in these quarters all
day 'resting.' She went over to Julian, sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his
neck. "Didn't I prove this morning that I have my strength back?" she asked sweetly.
Julian tried to be strict, but had a difficult time. "Yes, you proved that you have most of it
back. But with the extent of the neural damage, I'd like you to rest a little more."
Vicki Ann tried a different tactic. "But it's going to be so boring being all by myself in these
quarters all day, not to mention lonely," she pouted.
Julian stood, knocking Vicki Ann onto the bed. "No, Vicki Ann."
When she opened her mouth, he leaned down and placed his finger over her lips. "No
arguments. I have to go. I'll see you this evening for dinner, around 1900 hours." He kissed
her goodbye.
"Bye," she said, frowning.
"Goodbye," Julian replied.
Vicki Ann sat down at Julian's desk and turned on the viewer. "Computer, begin personal
log for Victorianna Troi. Save and encrypt every five minutes."
The computer replied, "Specify password."
Vicki Ann thought for a moment. "Benedict Arnold."
"Password saved. You may begin when ready."
Vicki Ann took a deep breath. "Where to start? The beginning, I guess. I'm writing this in
the hopes that if I die while in Section 31 or get put in prison for it, my side can be told. It
all started when the Enterprise joined the war. I started to see the results of the
Dominion's wrath. The war stopped being so distant and became a part of my life. The
casualties began to pile up. Names that I knew began to appear on the reports. Friends
and colleagues began to disappear. Everyday, there were more people in sickbay.
Everyday, the injuries grew worse. I could barely concentrate on my work. My days were
fill with worry and my nights were plagued by nightmares. I wanted to call Julian and Ezri
to see that they were all right, but I couldn't face them. I knew that they would see right
through my facade. I had completely shut out everyone. When asked how I felt, I told
everyone that I was fine. David was my only salvation.
I met up with him on Starbase 17 when we stopped for repairs. He broke through my wall.
He decided not to leave me alone and let me grieve. Instead, he fought with me over my
seclusion. He refused to take no for an answer. He made me admit that I was scared, not
only for myself, but for the people I love. David and I had dinner and he confessed that he
still loved me. We'd been together on the Goddard. Things just didn't work out then. I
didn't want to settle down. I didn't want to stay in one place. David thought that it had
something to do with him. Maybe it did, but I didn't want to admit it. We fought and ended
our relationship. Just before I left, he apologized and we agreed to stay friends, though we
barely spoke until we met on DS9. Anyway, David and I had dinner, a candle-light dinner
to be exact, and before the evening was over, we ended up making love. At first, I
thought I was trying to get over Julian, but I realized that I still loved David.
Enough of my psychiatric profile and back to the war. David helped me feel better, until
the attack on Starfleet Headquarters. As Julian said, "That shook everyone." Especially
me. If Earth could be hit, anything could. The station, the Goddard, even the Enterprise.
After that, I emotionally shut down. I became numb. Seeing Julian and Ezri when we went
to the station and knowing that they were okay brought some of my feelings back. But I
still wasn't alright. I didn't know if I wanted to be in Starfleet anymore. I blamed Starfleet
for the war and all the people that had been killed, for all the children that had been made
orphans, for all the people like me who had lost their love, their reason for living, or had
lost brothers, sons, sisters, or daughters.
When the Admiral told me about my genetic engineering, I really wasn't that shocked.
Most of my shock was because I knew what I had to lose. When the admiral told me that I
couldn't stay in Starfleet or practice medicine anymore, I shut down even more.
Everything I had known had been ripped away, by the Dominion and by Starfleet.
Everything I believed in had been made into nothing. Starfleet had become a sham, going
through the motions, but not really believing in anything anymore. I'm just trying to help
Starfleet to remember what they stand for. I'm not trying to get revenge, I'm just trying
to refresh their memory."
Vicki Ann leaned back in her chair and let out a long, slow breath. "End log."
The computer replied, "Saving and Encrypting."
The emotional release had been too much for her; she broke down into tears.
"A man matching Patrick's description was seen on a transport headed for Earth. His
companions were described as a blue-eyed brunette woman and . . ." Kira said, her voice
trailing off toward the end.
"What?" Bashir asked. "What's wrong?"
Kira looked up at him, her expression filled with confusion. "The third person matches your
description, right to the number of pips on your uniform."
"What?" Bashir exclaimed. "I've been here the entire time! You can't believe that report!"
Kira smiled. "I don't, doctor." She looked down at the PADD again. "It says here that the
woman was ill. She was unconscious most of the trip and the man matching your
description took care of her. Now, I doubt that it was a changeling. But, it could have
been a shape-shifter of a different kind."
"Or a clone," Bashir replied. His eyes lit up as if he had just had a sudden insight. "Wait!
That explains the readings in her quarters. I hadn't been in Vicki Ann's quarters until that
day, but my DNA showed up on the scan. At first I assumed that it was because I was in
there while I was running the scan. But if it was a clone, the DNA would be in there from
before."
"Better have Ops run a scan to find out exactly when 'you' were in her quarters," Kira
replied.
Sid checked the monitors in his secret room. The only people that knew about this room
were him, Adams and the higher-ups of Section 31. He smiled to himself when he saw the
results of his work. Victorianna Troi was sleeping and the levels of tricolate and dethacol in
her system were constant. The implant was receiving his suggestions and putting them in
her subconscious. She would only do what he wanted her to do.
When they had used the drugs on Bashir on Romulus, they discovered his friendship with
Troi. Sid decided that they could use this to their advantage. They used their clone of
Bashir to abduct her and perform the implant surgery. They figured that if Troi thought
that Bashir was in Section 31, it might make her more cooperative. After the surgery, the
Bashir clone was sent away on another mission. Then, they used the implant to guide her
hallucinations. She believed that Bashir was with her and that her test was to survive the
his interrogation.
The point of her hallucination was to prepare her for life in Section 31; to desensitize her.
He monitored her hallucinations and adjusted the implant's suggestions accordingly. He
decided that she needed to kill her lover, Dr. Julian Bashir. In her hallucination, she had
rekindled her relationship with Bashir, on his suggestion. Sid knew that was the only way
she could get close enough, so he programmed the implant to make the Bashir image in her
hallucination fall in love with her again. Troi had no real feelings of love for Bashir, except
for that of a friend. But that was enough. The death of her best friend would most
definitely affect her. And if he fed her the right information, he could use it to turn her into
the perfect operative. Yes, everything was working out perfectly. Section 31 was going to
get their genetically engineered doctor after all.