Disclaimer: Star Trek and all its characters belong to Paramount Pictures. Carrie belongs to author Stephen King but the words are mine. The characters of the Four Orders (FO*) are entirely my own.

Requested Story by T-Rex-1000

Part Two:

AU/Multiple Star Trek Shows/Carrie: Having become part of 24th century, Carrie White is enlisted in the clandestine organization Section 31 to help protect the Federation from a looming threat that has the power to change Starfleet's future forever.

Chapter 23

Stardate 46686.30 (08.09.2369)

Carrie emerged from the pool. She noticed guardian Xai's concerned face. Apparently, he had not anticipated that she would remain there for this long, though how long she did not know.

"How long was I in here?"

"A record time for sure," Xai replied and helped her out of the pool. He then crossed his hands at his shoulders and bowed to her. "Do you remember the names?"

Carrie frowned. She hoped she had not become a host. Though, as she recalled the symbionts only join with a willing host still, she checked just to be sure, and then relaxed.

"I remember only one as it is the only one that shared it with me – Tal."

Guardian Xai bowed again. "It is the first time I have seen the symbionts developing an interest in a non-Trill. Sharing their names is a sacred honor. You are always welcome on Trill and in the caves of Mak'ala."

The experience for Carrie was eye-opening. It had showed her something she had missed the first time. She had been consumed by darkness and vengeance that she did not see that the world is not black and white.

There were also good people even back then. But the sting she had felt had driven her darkness out and though she had thought that she had managed to quell its thirst here in the future she had been wrong. But now she felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest.

She was not a new person because of it but different. She had seen the light within the darkness and she felt relieved of her burden. 'You are special.' The words still resonated in her. Weirdly she still did not feel special. But perhaps that is what Tal meant. People have to be told if they are good or bad, normal or special while the person itself must never feel it otherwise it will go to their heads and corrupt them.

She now understood many of the lessons of history. If people actually listened to others, then perhaps many pains would have been spared. And she was happy she was one of those people that needed to hear it from someone else's perspective – from a neutral party.

Ella was family so even if something was off, she would not tell her. It would not have been done on purpose but because they are kin. Her friends in the Academy wouldn't tell her either as she had been seen as the Enterprise's prodigy or protégé. So, perspective mattered but truth can only be heard from a completely neutral party.

"Thank you, Guardian Xai." Carrie said and bowed in the manner he had just a moment ago thus expressing all the gratitude she felt at that moment.

Guardian Xai smiled. He took her by the hand and led her back into the cave to get freshened up and dressed.

Meanwhile on the other side of quadrant on Earth in a remote area, the Professor waited. He had received the usual cryptic invite. If Starfleet ever realized its prized spy organization had two different agenda, it would have reconsidered keeping it active. But Starfleet needed it as it was the last defense.

The Professor had not received the invite for some time but it was still in its vague form. It was designed not to draw attention. He remembered the first time he had been recruited. He needed several weeks to figure out the meaning of the message but its sender had been patient enough with him. He has had the suspicion the sender had been watching him, knowing exactly when he would solve it and then appear to greet him.

This time it would seem the sender was late. Now it was his turn to be patient. Protocol required of him to wait at least a week before considering the meeting's off. Fortunately, he had what to occupy his time with – grading papers, besides, it was the perfect cover.

His students had been working hard this last semester and he had been especially proud of some of them though he would never admit that publicly. He had a reputation to uphold. Every time one becomes mushy the students start to lose decorum. He could not have that. He had future commanders and captains to train. There was no room for mushy feelings in it.

Of all the teachers there, he was definitely the best. He was certain that the Vulcan ones could argue that they were better suited to tutor but the pointy eared ones were as dry as the scorched sand of a desert. Besides, the Vulcans, he thought lived ten centuries behind them. They were like a country with too many old traditions and all of them were obsolete in the times they lived.

Starfleet Academy was the best in the galaxy. Of course, he did not know the entire galaxy but in the Alpha Quadrant it was definitely the best. Sometimes he wished Starfleet would add more militancy to their curriculum. That way, the cadets would know better how to defend themselves. But the general doctrine was – we are not a military organization.

The Professor believed that having a few MACOs more would have been beneficial to Starfleet rather than a deterrent. The Federation has already a few wars and having more military oriented minds would have made things much easier but Starfleet wanted to remain annoyingly pure.

"Professor,"

The Professor cursed under breath. His mind had been occupied with his thoughts so much that he failed to notice the person in the room. It was his boss (whose ability to sneak on people was legendary) but that was no excuse for being careless.

"Lt. Deville,"

The lieutenant studied the room the Professor occupied. It was simple enough. He noticed the graded papers and a tiny smile appeared on his ageless face.

The Professor had always wondered how old is the lieutenant. Lieutenant, this did not seem to fit that person at all. He had more experience than all the admirals in Starfleet combined and yet his cover had always been that of a midlevel security or science lieutenant. He enjoyed being in the shadows.

Consensus on his age has never been reached among the ranks of Section 31. Some claimed he was a hundred years old some claimed he was much older though there was no proof of either theory. Whenever he had undergone a physical his age was always the same forty-two. It was like he was aging at a pace much slower than that of the human race.

Human – the professor had always wondered if he was human at all. Life expectancy in the 24th century had significantly advanced but Lt. Deville was something else. By all accounts he was human and yet his knowledge spanned all the years of Starfleet – from the beginning until now.

There was a time they all considered if he was not some kind of augment but continuous and various medical opinions have disproven that theory. Still for a human, he was considerably stronger and much more durable that any of them.

The professor had seen him breathe without space suit or breathing mask in oxygen deprived environments. It was uncanny. He had not shared that with anyone. He liked to think that knowing something extra was an advantage.

"Anyone sticking out of the mud, yet?" Lt. Deville asked.

For anyone else that question would have evoked other questions as it seemed out of context but the Professor understood its meaning quickly.

"No one distinctive – no, but as a group they are very strong this year."

"Hum, that remains to be seen." Lt. Deville observed. "Have they undergone the Vulcan's test?"

Again, not many people would have made the proper association. "It is a bit early to pass through the Kobayashi Maru."

That was Starfleet's best test to gage the reactions of future commanders in a no-win scenario. To this day, only one Starfleet cadet has beaten the test – James T. Kirk, but then again, he had cheated. He was among the slice of captains that did not believe in a no-win scenario. But the purpose of the test was exactly that – how Starfleet officers would react in such a situation. It was what determined their future as commanders and captains of Starfleet. It was invaluable skill.

"On the contrary, Professor, now is the perfect time to gage their true abilities."

"I believe Starfleet Command would object to subjecting young cadets to it just yet."

"Hum, you are probably right." Lt. Deville did not approve of Starfleet's cautious tactics but has done nothing to change their ways. In the past, he had tried but they were very obstinate and resistant to change. "Enough with the pleasantries, Professor. Do you have any assets on DS9?"

"Yes, one,"

"Current mission?"

"Observe the Cardassian tailor and assess recruitment possibilities among the Starfleet personnel."

Lt. Deville accessed Section 31's information banks. The professor had filed the spy well. But the name of the spy is what brought interest to him as it seemed familiar. He browsed her history and suddenly remembered her.

She was brought on the Enterprise after their unexpected visit to the past. An enterprise undertaken by the now incarcerated Admiral Brigham. It appeared she was one of his ancestors that he used to cure his daughter's life. It was an admirable undertaking but the blunt disregard for protocol was also astonishing.

He had been surprised at the time that Captain Picard would approve of such mission but perhaps the desperation of the good admiral had rubbed off the captain. What was troublesome though was the reaction of Starfleet's temporal bureau. It was nearly nonexistent.

Since then, Ms. White had completed Starfleet Academy in record time. That in itself was quite the feat for someone coming from the twentieth century. But as records showed she was nearly a blank slate. Her background suggested she was mostly home tutored and had very little interactions with the outside world. Perhaps that also was one of the reasons Picard kept her.

Still, if his memories served, she also had powers. He remembered her because of her clumsy efforts to access his mind, which he had found benign but also amusing. 'Ah, there it is.' He found the file that described her abilities – telepathic and telekinetic. That file was sealed with the mark above top secret.

That was perhaps one of the best things, the Professor had done for her and for Section 31 who currently had many enemies but no one more dangerous than the cabal of Romulans masquerading inside Starfleet itself.

"I thought you should know that Stanton died at her door right before the Romulans attacked." The professor added. "I did not put that in the official records as I was not sure how deep is the problem."

"You have done well. Did he share anything with her?"

"Yes, data crystals, apparently given to him by you,"

Lt. Deville's gaze narrowed. "And Carrington?"

"No one has seen him for over a semester. Starfleet security pointed him as a person of interest in the poorly manned joke on Academy grounds."

"In other words, they are looking for him and yet they have kept it from the official database."

"Yes," The professor confirmed. "That knowledge is privy only to the admirals and the captains of the ships."

Lt. Deville had been on an extended assignment in deep space hence he had not heard of this development. "That explains why I did not know anything about it. But my nesting period is over."

"Sir?"

"I took some time off with the latest assignment – deep space. We were testing some of Starfleet's newest vessels additions." He spoke. "But I couldn't have anticipated the secrecy and stupidity of Starfleet Security."

"Will this be changing anything for my asset on DS9?"

"No, it will not. I was going to give you a specific job but with this knowledge now, it appears the mission has changed."

"I also want to let you know that I did not pry into what these data crystals contained though agent White offered."

Lt. Deville smiled. He has always enjoyed the complexity of the professor's psyche. He had perhaps realized the potential danger of such knowledge. And danger there was.

"Thank you for telling me." Lt. Deville nodded approvingly. "You have done well not to pry. Some knowledge is just too dangerous to be known by many."

"I figured it is something like that, with Stanton dead because of it and the alienation of Carrington."

"We live in trying times, Professor." Lt. Deville said. "So, your asset is currently on DS9?"

"Yes, she is…" The professor checked out of routine but his voice trailed off.

"Is she, or isn't she?"

"Apparently, she is currently on Trill."

"Trill?" Lt. Deville's showed a tad of surprise. So, she has opened the data crystals and she's acting on them. "Inform your asset that I will be on DS9 within the month."

"You are going there?"

"Yes, Q asked me to rattle a bit its commander. Apparently, he is more susceptible to provocation than the others."

"Since when do we listen to Q?"

"Well, I am intrigued by his proposal. I sensed some level of disdain towards the good commander. "

"Something more to it then?"

"Yes, and I intend to find out what."

"Very well, I shall inform agent White to be expecting you. Do you need to know where she's staying? I can check."

"No need, I will find her when I get there."

"Will there be anything else?"

"Yes," Lt. Deville replied and gave him a data crystal. "This contains your instructions until I return from DS9. And also, keep an eye on Red Squad."

"Okay, why?"

"They always get in trouble. I need a heads-up if they screw up again."

"Will do…"

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