DECEPTION

What, indeed, could be asked further from him?

Perhaps only that one word will suffice.

Perhaps he can assuage the shock.

As Subcommander Cheryl Augusta Major continued to hear the voice in her head, the response came slowly.

"Calm down, my dear," her uncle's soft voice echoed throughout the room.

Finally.

Beneath all that veneer of calm was a sense of familial confidence. The young, resourceful woman would understand everything in due time, and this old man was more than eager to help her in this endeavour.

"Anyway, unknown to his secret comrades, he was quite idealistic…"

That is unexpected and unbecoming of the enemy within, even of a young one!

"His official stances while in office were for real, and when he met in secret, he paid lip service to pragmatism, successfully deceiving his comrades into thinking that his public idealism was a facade."

Quite antithetical to the securitarian purpose of Section 31, wouldn't you say?

The look of confusion quickly re-conquered the young woman's face. However, seeing the classified records control panel on the side, that conquest was short-lived. She would finally know the relevance of events that transpired two centuries ago to current events.

----------

Like two centuries into the future, the surface of Paradise was equally serene. This time, however, it was the serenity that presented itself like a calm night before a terrible storm. After all, the full might of the Klingon Defense Forces, with the perpetual war economy at peak supporting effectiveness and with the lack of internal geopolitical problems to confront since the sitting Chancellor of the High Council took power over an entire generation ago, was over the horizon.

Glimmering amongst the cityscape of Paris was the Palais de la Concorde, the old seat of Federation power – or the relative lack thereof. On the fifteenth floor of this prestigious building, currents of interstellar-scale thoughts pulsed the mind of its occupant.

How could a relatively divided Federation – with its mix of republican institutions and semi-democratic aristocracies, coupled with its more drastic mix of peaceful and aggressive foreign-policy advocates from the individual members – withstand a more united and homogenous imperial power that embodied the perfect mixture of their warriors' virtues with glory and conquest?

How could the divisions not strengthen especially with the pervasive influence of our usually pragmatic "patriots" – those guided by the cause of a covert organization that predated the Federation itself? And what of my role in all of this, as both interstellar leader and one of them?

For someone who was by far the youngest president in the Federation's history, even for two centuries afterwards, idealism and having many such currents pulse through his mind was quite normal.

But that was for the mind.

For the matter around him, on the other hand, he was faced with a holographic conversation with one Starfleet admiral Cartwright of the RADM-U rank, recently promoted from Commodore. Moreover, he was dealing with a fellow "patriot" – and one of the most hotheaded foreign-policy advocates in the entire Starfleet Admiralty.

"Do not forget your duty to the Federation, sir. As a fellow agent, you know that these TRASH of the galaxy have engaged in a 'cold war' of sorts with us for G-d knows how long!"

A look of surprise overtook the president's face.

That is quite moderate of you, sir! For a man whose anti-Klingon credentials have been well established, you haven't resorted to your usually more "colourful" vocabulary.

Nevertheless, the president was more concerned about a different terminology being used, given historical implications.

"Yes, but I'm surprised at a small detail in your remarks."

Admiral Cartwright could not help but snap.

"Oh? And what detail would THAT be?"

Surely you know all too well by now, or have current events overtaken your history lessons?

A calm response was in order.

"Aren't you more accustomed to saying 'warm war' – given your past commands involving border skirmishes?"

Both men knew that what was said was a mere understatement, for Admiral Cartwright would never have risen to the Admiralty so quickly without having established his military credentials as the most decorated starbase commander to serve along the Federation-Klingon border. On his battle record are several key victories against intrusive Klingon border raiders, ranging from rogue warship commanders to established colonels probing for weaknesses in Starfleet's strategy.

That was merely the past. Both men knew of the admiral's strategic importance to Starfleet if, some day, he were to be a full admiral or higher – especially if war with the Klingons broke out.

"Whatever – political correctness does reign supreme in all of politics, you know."

He just had to break out that worn-out term, didn't he?

"Don't worry – I expect these 'non-aggression negotiations' to be rather brief, given the excess of territorial disputes and the simpleton nature of the Klingons."

Nothing could be further from the truth for the president. He studied the political and strategic maneuverings that led to the devastating Earth-Romulan War, the very war out of which the Federation was born. He did not want history to repeat itself on a more interstellar scale.

Only the words of Admiral Cartwright prevented additional currents of thought pulse through.

"And what if war breaks out?"

That was one hard question. Peace was his ideal, but on the other hand, he definitely did not want to appear to be an appeaser. At the most basic and personal level, that was grounds enough for Section 31 to terminate his affiliation with that organization in EVERY sense of the word. Perhaps the words of a more operational hawk would do.

"Then, as your friend and fellow agent Major West would say: we'll clean their chronometers."

----------

For all his inner confidence, the old man certainly failed to assuage the shock. While seeing the visual records, the young woman failed to react any other way.

Talk about big trouble – how in blazes could Section 31 operate that openly back then?

----------

In regards to time, the president realized that the conversation had to end.

"Anyhow, I've got some 'diplomatic matters' to attend to. Wescott out."

After pressing a button to end the holocommunication, entering his office was a very young Efrosian diplomat, Ra-ghoratreii.

Asked the rising star of the Diplomatic Corps, "How did the conversation go?"

Surprisingly, the president reclined on his chair and gave an unusually relaxed look. Kenneth Wescott was well known for giving only two impressions – a pensive look and a politically attentive one.

"Cartwright remains stubbornly militant and racist as usual, my friend. He has even gone to that point of raising the possibility of war all too early. I tell you: if you EVER discuss Federation-Klingon relations with him, Major West and their type, they'll try to win you out by using even the most minute of opportunities."

Ra-ghoratreii, on the other hand, never was pensive – even on interstellar affairs. His response came quickly.

"Like a border skirmish or two that they've fought?"

What a question! Then again, the quick response was no surprise.

"Given the right circumstances…"

----------

A sense of trepidation overcame Subcommander Major. It was as if she were reading or viewing a suspense story.

Did Ra-ghoratreii know all about Section 31?

A suspense story that was real…