"I'm sorry, Owen," My hand insinuates itself warmly over his knee. "But who are you talking about? And Jack," I look to my left. Jean Luc, I meet his eyes, isn't this what we were afraid of? "We killed Jack – that's why we were taken and accused of murder… that's why-" I swallow, burying the sickening metallic taste.
Owen smiles. "Why you were thrown in jail? Why Jean Luc faced the death sentence?"
"Admiral," Jean Luc sits back, a tiny incongruous grin yanking at him. "What's going on?"
The older man settles in, as if to tell a great story. "It started a long time ago. Among a select and high-up few, there has always been a hint of resentment evident between Vulcans and humans-"
"Vulcans and human?" But I thought… "They've been our biggest allies – our strongest supporters since first contact!"
"Yes," Paris gestures. "That's true – in the eyes of some. But," he smiles at us, "You know how Vulcans can be. Their calm demeanor can come off as haughty, proud… A few humans have always begrudged –"
"Well, there's always going to be prejudice, Owen," Jean Luc concedes. "For such is the nature of mankind – of every kind!"
"Yes, Jean Luc." Paris sinks back, raising one leg to sit over the other. "But prejudice is so much more insidious when it's held by those in power – those with the clout to make policy and dictate foreign relations." He rubs his tired face and yawns. "Look at the examples in our own distant past: the treatment of black in post Civil War South, the treatment of the Jews by Hitler; other worlds are no stranger to this – the Cardassian genocides, the Bolian coups…"
"Yes," I yield. "But what does that have to do with humans and Vulcans?"
"I'm just making a point, Beverly. In short, Starfleet, in the last ten years or so – ever since the old Admiralty," he laughs. "Of which Brandt, myself, and a few others are a part of – have been dying off, or retiring a new view has come to pervade the next generation of leaders."
"I noticed that," Jean Luc looks at me. "In fact I think we talked about it one morning over breakfast not too long ago."
I remember. But at the time, I told Jean Luc that he was imagining things. Which, I smile to myself, led to bickering as was our habit over the breakfast table.
"Well," the older man continues. "They believe that we, humans, are superior – that our delegation and our influence over the three quadrants is more morally correct and that our influence should extend beyond the limits that it's at already."
"Is that," I wonder. "What bore this latest Romulan/Cardassian crisis?" That was the true start of our woes.
"That was only a symptom, and the attempt failed – too many got suspicious and Starfleet had to cover its tracks so they blamed a faulty operative in the Cardassian government."
"Attempt?" Jean Luc leans forward. In one word I can hear the litany of ideas spinning in his head.
"To extend human dominion over the quadrants- lessen Vulcan sway as well as Cardassian and Romulan influences; the Federation has been playing both sides in this battle for years now."
"No," Jean Luc shakes his head. "No, it can't be! The Federation has been trying mediate peace between the Federation and both Empires!"
"That's what we wanted you to think, Jean Luc – what they wanted everyone to think!" His face is reddening, an ode to his frustration and overall exhaustion. "Would you really have given your life and service otherwise? Would anyone?"
"You said it's only a few admirals who want to extend control, though. Surely it can't be policy?"
"Jean Luc," He smiles. "It's not only Starfleet. You found the list, you know that this isn't just the policy of Starfleet – the view is widespread even in the government and among Federation Council officials!"
I'm still a bit confused. "What does any of this have to do with Jack?"
"Jack," Paris hangs his head. "I found out, is behind something that Starfleet secretly called the Advancement."
"Advancement of what?" What, I think, could possibly be going on? And what did that have to do with Wesley or me?
"Human advancement." He exhales, "Human advancement – the kind that he thinks people like himself, Wesley, and a few others exhibit."
"Is that what the Daystrom Institute was looking at? Human advancement?" I remember something he said to me: "Jack told me that he thought that he was the next stage of human evolution and that Wesley was a continuation of that. Are there others – others like Wesley?"
"From what Reg and I found on the computer database, there are others. However, it's not common what Wesley is able to do. Jack and the others saw him and other "probands" for lack of a better word, as part and parcel of Starfleet's new aim, which is to take control of the quadrant and eschew Vulcan, Romulan, Bolian, Cardassian, Ferengi, Betazed, and etcetera influences in favour of subjugation."
"Well obviously," Jean Luc sits back and tries to audibly console himself. "They were stopped – they haven't been successful and with the trial starting in a few weeks, motives will be unearthed and the guilty will be brought to justice."
"No," Paris asserts. "What you don't understand is that Jack and the real culprits won't be brought to justice and none of this will be unearthed unless we stop it. This trial is a sham and I think you know that. When Wesley manipulated the warp field all those years ago under the tutelage of the Traveler, he was able to not only transcend distance, but space and time. From what I read in the reports, you were, at that point, ten times as far from Federation Space as Kathryn was when the Caretaker's array stranded her in the Delta Quadrant." He takes a breath before continuing, staging his next words. "Without Wesley and the Traveler's manipulation, it would have taken the Enterprise over ten generations to even reach the Delta Quadrant! What Wesley was able to do was transcend the boundaries of time – and that is precisely what Jack has the rudimentary ability to do."
"So you're saying that Jack can erase the timeline?" We're aghast, terrified by impending his answer.
"He's getting there – and he's getting close which makes what we have to do all the more urgent."
"But Owen," My mind is spinning. I think I should have taken that glass of water when Wesley offered it. "Jean Luc killed Jack – the EMH confirmed his death!" And then it hits me. Jack is a master of deception – he faked his own death before, and quite well. "Oh," I look down, granting my own response before one is given to me.
A strong hand takes mine and tightly meshes our fingers together. "What can we do, Owen? We don't have any influence, we don't have any access… How can we help?"
"You might not have access, Jean Luc," he sighs. "But you do have Wesley."
Big thanks to all my naggers - you know who you are. :)
Martin: This is my preemptive strike: hopefully I'll get another chapter up before bed!
Linds: Thank you thank you for my Shakespearean nagging! Alright, stay tuned, I think I have a clear picture of how I am wrapping this baby up! Next chapter: family time! I CAN'T WAIT to write it.
Lydia: Thank you Lydia! Whenever I look at your name I don't know why, but I think of a book that I read when I was a kid called Linnea in Monet's Garden or something along that line. I don't know why. Did you ever read that book? I know I am crazy. Seriously good to have you back with us. I got my mojo back today - after a long nap where I dreamt about serval cats and Gates McFadden.
Meg: Your favourite kind of chapter is coming up! What? Are you excited :)
Reagan: Here you go! Can't wait to post more! Sorry that I've been out of the loop - I don't even know where my brain is these days.
Sasha: I know - but Wesley's in on the next chapter. I love writing those kind :)