STARDATE 55439.15: Last Day of the Trial

"Commander Brown said prison is for redemption and remorse. She was wrong. I have lived in my own prison for seven years and used that time to fight for Voyager, to help its crew and to help whatever species that asked. I did this to rid myself of what Khan revealed in me. Prison would not change me. I could only do that myself.

"In the past seven years, I have done all that I could to redeem myself for my crime. I have tried to help. I tried to be the best Starfleet officer I could. I tried to undo as much of my failures as Khan's atrocities. And I have failed. I did everything as a eugenic. Skills, knowledge and interaction were all easy. I could make myself anything I needed to be, except a Starfleet officer. I tried to understand you, your culture, what humanity has become. I failed. But every time I learned something new about you, every time I saw my own failures, I wanted to be one of you even more. I once told Captain Janeway that Starfleet was all I could ever want. That was one of my few truths to her. I am not the Starfleet officer you desire. But I will become that officer if given the chance."

He sat down. "Do you think it will be enough?"

"No," Anzhelika said. It was strange how comfortable his cell felt now.

"I understand."

"And your ace?" she said.

"You mean win for losing? I still don't know."

"That's too bad," she said. "You are much better now."

"Thank you."

"I hate to ask this, but that cadet—?"

"Yes."

"So, you were..."

"Her autobiography described me as 'faulty exercise equipment'."

"Right," she said. "In Starfleet, you learn to bend only the right rules. Consider that."

He smiled at her, genuinely happy.

"What?" she said.

"You have been very helpful to me as a co-counsel."

"Damn straight."

"With clear knowledge of the rules against eugenics, Philip Keegan entered Starfleet. He did so not for remorse or redemption, not to repair the harm done by Khan, but for his own satisfaction. All that he did, save run Voyager's Computer Core, could have been done as a non-Starfleet crewmember. Mister Neelix and Seven of Nine both served Voyager without ever obtaining Starfleet rank. Indeed, he could hide his secret more effectively without that rank. He could refuse the Doctor's scans. He never needed to corrupt his programming. All that Mister Keegan did could remain intact without the deceptions, without the crimes. Mister Keegan wants to make up for his own crimes and those of his people. That uniform is not required for that. That uniform serves Mister Keegan. He does not serve it."

Simone Brown sighed quietly when she finished and sat down.

"Lieutenant?" Admiral Chauhan said. "Your closing argument?"

Phil closed his eyes and listened to the advice of his friends and his superior officers. He played back the questions he asked and the answers they gave. He saw the hope in their faces. He saw desire in the eyes of some. He saw what he wanted, and he saw what he needed. He remembered the fear and the pain and the anger of those who knew him better than he liked. He saw himself in a mirror the first time he put on the uniform. He still didn't understand this culture. But that wasn't enough.

He opened his eyes. "Stardate five-eight-four-three-point-seven," he said.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Chauhan said. "We will take this information into consideration. This court is in recess as we consider the case. Ambassador Spock, the Tribunal would like to speak with you."

"Of course, sir," the ambassador said.

"Sir," Commander Brown said. "Any testimony should be publicly delivered."

"Lieutenant?" Chauhan asked.

"Defense does not contest this action, sir."

"Commander, do you withdraw your objection?" Chauhan said.

She turned to Keegan, but he did nothing to help. "Yes, sir. I withdraw my objection."

"Very good. This court is in recess." The admirals filed out with Ambassador Spock. Guards approached Phil to take him to the holding cell.

"That was it?" Anzhelika said.

"Yes."

"Well, good luck," she said.

"Lieutenant?" Commander Brown said.

"Yes?"

"I wish you the best."

"Thank you, sir."

He was taken to the holding cell. Lunch passed and dinner approached, and they called him back inside. Ambassador Spock watched in the gallery. The crew of Voyager and the witnesses he called waited. Admiral Kathryn Janeway kept her eyes on him but signaled nothing. Finally, the Tribunal entered.

"Please stand," Admiral Pek said. "On the charge of entering Starfleet illegally, the Tribunal finds Lieutenant Keegan not guilty. His claim that he is a victim of time travel is valid. On the charges of deceiving a superior officer and altering computer records, the Tribunal finds the defendant not guilty. These acts were committed to hide personal information not bearing on Mister Keegan's right to be a member of Starfleet as previously noted. On the charges of interfering with the development of a sentient lifeform and mutiny, the Tribunal finds Lieutenant Keegan guilty. These acts, however small their impact or duration, are in violation of the laws and purpose of Starfleet.

"Lieutenant, the Council considered many possible punishments for your crimes. Eventually, we had to choose between exile and—"

"Exile?" Anzhelika asked.

"Lika, please," Phil whispered.

She shook her head. "Admiral, exile?"

"Lika!" Phil hissed.

"No. Admiral, the Federation does not exile people."

"Commander," Admiral T'Lara said. "May the Tribunal finish rendering its verdict?"

"Yes, ... sir," she said.

"We had to choose between exile," Admiral Pek continued. "And demotion. It is the determination of this court that the Federation would be better served by allowing Mister Keegan to remain in Starfleet. However, we cannot allow his crimes to go unpunished. Lieutenant, you will be reduced in rank to ensign and placed on three years' probation. During that time, you may not advance in rank or hold a security rating greater than required for your post. You will also not be allowed access to a computer core where not required by your post.

"This is the decision of the Tribunal. This court is adjourned." He tapped the bell three times.

"My god," Phil whispered. "They were listening."

"Yes, Mister Keegan," T'Lara said. "We were."

"Yes, sir," he said. "Thank you, sir."

"Ensign Keegan, the Council would like to see you regarding your new post," Chauhan said.

"Yes, sir. May I have a moment to thank my co-counsel?"

"You have fifteen minutes."

"Yes, sir," Phil said. The Tribunal left and Phil turned to Anzhelika. "Lika, I'd like to thank you for all your help."

"Your...welcome?"

"Don't worry about it, Lika. You did well."

"Excuse me," Simone said. "What the hell just happened?"

"You won." Phil was smiling and likely wouldn't stop soon.

"Yes, how? Forget that. Why? No. What the hell did they mean by exile?"

"I'm not allowed to say. Starfleet orders."

She blinked at him a few times. "Well, I see. Am I ever going to understand this?"

"I doubt that," he said. "But they delivered the right decision." He laughed. "Why the hell didn't I see that?" He spun around. "Lika, I have a gift for you."

"That's not required, Phil."

"Who the fuck cares?" He handed her a PADD. "My family liked codes."

"You mentioned that."

"We also hid things. My sister hid a novel in every twenty she wrote. I've extracted them for you. Eleven new novels. You'll be the first to read them."

She tapped the PADD and scanned the text. "Oh. Thank you." She lowered the PADD. "What happened to her? To your niece?"

"She lived a third life and began a fourth. She moved to one of the new colonies and died in a shuttle accident at the age of a hundred and seventy-six. I wish I could have met her."

"Ensign?" Simone said with a cough.

He turned and handed her a PADD. "Three operas, seven symphonies and numerous shorter arrangements. Some of my brother's best work."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm... It was a pleasure, Phil." She shook his hand.

Phil turned toward the council room and found Captain Scott in his way. "Captain, my apologies for what I did."

"See you don't do it again."

"Yes, sir."

"I want to know, am I one of you?"

Phil shook his head. "No, sir, you are not. Neither were Admiral Kirk nor Ambassador Spock's mother."

"Any of them? Any of my friends?"

Phil sighed. "Doctor McCoy was descended from a batch nine eugenic. It's why he lived so long. None of the others."

"Aye, I guess that'll do. Ye best do that uniform right."

"I will do my best, sir."

"I'm sure you will."

Packing was a slow process. Phil spent too much time laughing at his situation. He was like that when Admiral Janeway knocked at his door.

"Sir!" he said, standing at attention.

"At ease, Ensign. And wipe that smile off your face."

"Yes, sir."

"Ensign, what the hell just happened?"

"I lost."

"You know what I mean," she said.

"I learned why Khan lost to Kirk."

"Enlighten me, if you can."

He took a deep breath. "I thought I always knew. I thought it was Theories of Capitol Ship Combat in Micro-Gravity."

"I guess we humans got a few things right."

"Yes," he said. "So did Khan."

"What? Are you serious?"

"The most influential work by a human on starship combat. I believed two hundred years of advanced ideas and real-world experience gave Kirk the edge. But that was how Khan lost, not why." He laughed, the healthiest she'd ever heard from him. "I have a secret."

"Oh, god."

"I was convinced the Council would keep me in Starfleet so they could order me to reveal my secret. Instead, they are keeping me in Starfleet so they can order me not to."

"You sound... happy."

"This is the best failure of my life, Admiral. I am finally beginning to understand your culture. I want very much to be a part of it."

"I don't suppose they will let you explain any of this?"

He smiled at her, not in a way an ensign should smile at an admiral. "I made your counterpart a promise. If my secret is ever needed, I asked the Council to allow you to be there. They agreed. I should warn you, though, I don't think you'll like it."

"Klingon shock troops couldn't keep me away."

"I'll remember that."

She scanned his suitcases. "And what will you do until then?"

He sighed. "Utopia Planitia. I am going to design starships, B'Elanna is going build them, Tom is going to fly them."

"They want to keep you close."

"No," he said. "They want to keep me busy."

"Fair enough." She sighed herself. "Philip, you're a damn good officer. It was a pleasure serving with you."

"Thank you, sir. I felt the same."

She shook his hand and walked out. Dammit, she thought, he got the last word.