Star Trek: Voyager - 043 - Acts of Contrition

by Kirsten Beyer

  Paris assumed that their choice had more to do with their feelings for their mother than him. Both still lived on Earth. Julia was a constant in their lives. Tom was the brother they hardly knew, and he couldn’t exactly blame them for siding with Julia. But if there were any future family gatherings, they were going to be incredibly awkward.

  A parade of Starfleet officers followed, most of whom had been close to both his mother and father. Their praise of Julia was well deserved, if a bit heavy-handed. Paris didn’t know if any of them knew the specifics of the case. None mentioned him. They painted a portrait of Julia as the most selfless, devoted, and loving woman on the planet.

  After three hours, it was time for Paris to present his witnesses. Shaw began by saying, “It should come as no surprise to Your Honor that most of those who know Commander Paris the best, and have seen firsthand the love he bears for his wife and daughter, are too far from Earth at the present time to speak on his behalf.”

  “If the commander can provide no references, Lieutenant Shaw—” Ozimat began.

  “No, Your Honor,” Shaw interjected. “But, for instance, in the case of our first witness, he has come to speak in place of his wife, who is unavailable at the current time.”

  “Proceed,” Ozimat said.

  Paris turned to see a tall Ktarian enter the room, dressed in civilian attire. He barely remembered the man, but his cranial horns and smile were familiar; he shared them with his daughter, Naomi Wildman.

  After introducing Greskrendtregk and thanking him for coming, Shaw said, “Can you please tell us how you know Commander Paris?”

  “I don’t,” Gres replied. “But my wife, Lieutenant Samantha Wildman, and my daughter, Naomi, do. Sam was supposed to be here, but there was an urgent mission. We spoke for several hours last night and she told me what she would have said if she’d been able to come.”

  “Go ahead,” Shaw encouraged him. Gres was clearly ill at ease and he spoke in a low, hesitant voice. “Sam spent seven years in the Delta Quadrant with Tom. They worked together frequently. She said at first, he was hard to get to know. He was funny, and a great pilot, but he kept everybody at a distance. She’d heard rumors about his past. But Sam isn’t the type to let others make her mind up for her. She said where Tom started was not nearly as important as where he ended up. The crew was close. But Tom was the first guy you wanted by your side when things got tough. He didn’t give in to the temptation to despair. He kept everybody else’s spirits up, even when things were bad. And Sam said he and B’Elanna were made for each other. Nobody was more excited than Sam when B’Elanna found out she was pregnant. And Sam knew that child would be so lucky to have them as parents.”

  “Why is that?” Shaw prodded gently.

  Gres considered this for a moment. “Sometimes love is a soft, safe place. Sometimes it’s fierce. Sam said that nothing Tom and B’Elanna had done after Miral was born, including lying about their deaths, was a surprise to her. Their love was the fiercest thing she’d ever seen, and they care for Miral with the same passion. We should all be loved that way by our parents.”

  “Thank you,” Shaw said.

  Gres nodded to Paris as he rose from the table.

  “Anyone else?” Ozimat asked.

  “Oh, yes, Your Honor,” Shaw said.

  Paris couldn’t believe his eyes when the next person to enter the room was Lieutenant Vorik.

  Once he was introduced, Vorik said, “I had serious misgivings about appearing here today. But upon deep reflection, it occurred to me that whatever dispute has arisen here between Commander Paris and his mother, it is secondary to the needs of Commanders Paris’s and Torres’s daughter. It was difficult to learn that they had deceived their comrades and closest friends about B’Elanna’s and Miral’s deaths. It was an unnecessary burden to add to those so many of us have carried. But to think that way was to place my needs before theirs or their daughter’s, and my needs, in this instance, are irrelevant. They are Miral’s parents. The responsibility for raising her and keeping her safe is theirs. That they would go to such extraordinary lengths to do so says nothing about their regard for me. It speaks only to the seriousness with which they have assumed their responsibilities for Miral. I have come to see that their willingness to sacrifice the friendship and companionship of those who have been essential to their lives for so many years in order to keep Miral safe is the truest indicator of their fitness as her parents.

  “I have known both of them to behave illogically. This choice was logical from their point of view, and one I doubt many humans would have the strength or courage to risk.”

  “Thanks, Vorik,” Paris said softly.

  “I have done nothing to earn your gratitude, Commander,” Vorik said.

  “You have it anyway,” Paris said.

  Vorik nodded sharply and departed without another word.

  “Is there anyone else, Lieutenant Shaw?”

  “There is.”

  “Who?” Paris whispered.

  Before Shaw could answer Ozimat said, “It’s been a long morning. We’ll take a short break and resume the testimony in one hour.”

  Everyone rose as Ozimat departed.

  “Who else has come?” Paris asked Shaw softly.

  Shaw smiled faintly and passed a padd to him. The list of names appeared to go on forever. Tom scanned it quickly. People he hadn’t seen in years or spoken to in longer than that were listed, among them Libby Fletcher, Dil Moore, Jenny Delaney, and dozens of other officers from Voyager who had served on her maiden journey but been reassigned once she returned home.

  “I had no idea I had this many friends,” Paris said.

  “Neither did I,” Shaw said. “But every person I asked gave me the names of two or three more who would be happy to speak for you, and all of them are here today.”

  “Do they know why?” Paris asked.

  “Yes. They all said the same thing: ‘If Tom Paris needs me for any reason, I’m there.’ ” Off Paris’s shocked expression, Shaw said, “Make yourself comfortable. It’s going to be a long afternoon.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  FIRST WORLD

  The conference room of the Market Consortium was one of the most lavishly appointed spaces on the First World. The table was massive obsidian stone, inset with wide grooves through which liquid flowed in slowly shifting colors beneath a transparent surface. Thirteen chairs sat around it, constructed of metal and cushioned with a fabric that merged rather delightfully with one’s body once seated. Though an odd sensation, Admiral Janeway had to admit that the confluence of comfort and support was extraordinary. It was the first technological accomplishment of the Confederacy the admiral seriously considered requesting should the alliance proceed.

  Dreeg sat at the table’s only head. From this one flat end, the rest of the table was shaped like a pendant. Janeway, Decan, and Cambridge sat to Dreeg’s left. Among those assembled, she remembered Elvoy, Raniet, and Mistoff from the tour of the Vesta. Six other Djinari and Leodt she had met briefly at the Ceremony of Welcoming. She assumed Decan had made note of their names. Psilakis and Lasren stood along the wall on one side of the door. Two CIF officers mirrored them on the opposite side. Seated at two chairs behind the far end of the table were Yent, Dreeg’s secretary, and Mister Grish. Running along a wall of windows that offered a stunning view of the capital city’s skyline was a table set with a variety of finger-foods and beverages. Janeway hadn’t brought an appetite, but she graciously accepted some indacine, a tealike beverage Dreeg suggested she might enjoy.

  At 0800 hours precisely, Dreeg called the meeting to order. He wasted no time in addressing himself to the admiral.

  “We have enjoyed the company of our distinguished guests from the United Federation of Planets for several days now. Counselor Cambridge, Commander O’Donnell, and several of their fellow officers began our diplomatic relations almost a full cycle ago, and with each passing day, we have grown more certain that an alliance between our peoples woul
d offer great advantages to both parties.”

  “Thank you, First Consul,” Janeway said. It was fair to say that she did not share Dreeg’s optimism at this point, but she was obligated to hear him out.

  “I have been authorized by Presider Cin to present you with a proposal. In order for our work to proceed, it is necessary for you to understand what our Confederacy is able to offer you in return for a pledge of mutual assistance and peaceful coexistence. Further, you must be apprised of those things we . . .”

  “Excuse me, First Consul,” Janeway interrupted. “Although I am aware that this august assembly is responsible for regulating and controlling the markets upon which the Confederacy’s economy is based, it is common practice for our diplomats to enter into negotiations such as these with representatives of the government, usually including but not limited to representatives of an executive branch, monarch, or head of state, along with selected members of legislative committees responsible for regulating interstellar relations.”

  “I can assure you, Admiral, that I speak today on behalf of those who will have the final word in determining the status of our relationship with the Federation going forward and am duly vested by them with the authority to negotiate our terms.”

  “I see,” Janeway said.

  “Although the details will be left to others, in principle, the Confederacy is willing to offer your fleet ships use of a limited number of streams accessing vital resources within the Confederacy, as well as our spaceports orbiting the First World. As allies, you will enjoy unrestricted access to the goods and services available here, provided your accounts with us remain in good standing. Ships of the Confederacy Interstellar Fleet will be made available to you to assist with any exploratory mission you would care to undertake within our territory, with prior approval. Should you come under attack while within our space, the CIF will defend your vessels as they would their own. We understand that the ancient protectors have provided you with the harmonic resonance frequency required to access the Gateway. You will be free to use the Gateway to enter and depart, but you will also be granted access to several other streams less centrally located that still access our territory for the purposes of coming and going from our space as you desire. When you travel to worlds beyond our space, you will bear in mind that your actions will reflect not only on your Federation, but on your greatest ally as well, the Confederacy of the Worlds of the First Quadrant.”

  “That is most generous of you, First Consul,” Janeway said.

  “As you have no doubt surmised, Admiral, there are a number of items your fleet ships possess that we wish to acquire from you. I admit that when you first made contact with us, I did not nurse high expectations in terms of your technology. The fact that your ships were nearly destroyed at the Gateway suggested you could not be as advanced as the Confederacy. However, I have learned otherwise,” Dreeg said, smiling as those around the table chuckled lightly.

  “Each item will be appraised and assigned a designated value. Those values will be credited to your account with us, and a very generous exchange rate will be settled upon to ensure that you can always afford to purchase any Confederacy resources you require.”

  “And what items would those be?” Janeway asked.

  At this, Dreeg gestured to Yent, who brought a small tablet and placed it before him. Dreeg reviewed it in silence for a few moments before he said, “Your holographic technology is unlike anything we have developed. We would place a high value on the firmware and software required to install such systems here for recreational purposes. Naturally, we would not expect you to part with your own. The schematics will suffice.”

  Janeway nodded for him to continue.

  “Your propulsion systems are also very advanced. Intelligence from the CIF indicates that your vessels are capable of speeds that surpass the streams. In particular, your quantum slipstream technology would be of great interest to us.”

  Janeway kept her face neutral as she said, “Forgive me, First Consul, but I was not aware, nor did I authorize any of my officers to provide you with knowledge of the existence of that particular technology.”

  “It is possible that our scans of your vessels have been more thorough than you understood,” Dreeg said.

  “Clearly,” Janeway said.

  “In addition, there are several classes of ordnance we are interested in acquiring, as well as your multiphasic shielding, triaxilating forcefields, and regenerative circuitry. Raniet, here, is also intrigued by your bioneural systems—gelpacks, I believe they are called?”

  “Those are essential to the functioning of our vessels. They cannot be replicated and we do not carry enough in reserve to consider trading them,” Janeway said.

  “Admiral, you have the ability to travel to and from the Federation where these devices are manufactured. Should you be reluctant to offer us the specifications for production, you could certainly return to the Federation and obtain enough to satisfy our needs.”

  “I—” Janeway began.

  Dreeg immediately cut her off. “Finally, we would be most interested in learning more about the matter dematerialization and rematerialization systems you use for transportation.”

  Admiral Janeway did not waste precious time asking how Dreeg had acquired the intelligence he had just listed. He would never tell her, though Janeway suspected that the hapless Mister Grish had played a part. The more important fact was that in addition to violating the terms of their initial diplomatic agreement, which clearly limited the types of scans each party would use, he had completely misunderstood the interests of the Federation.

  “I am curious, First Consul,” Counselor Cambridge said before Janeway could respond. “Your interest in the items you have listed is understandable, but there are two notable absences, technologies you might have assumed the admiral was interested in sharing, as she has already demonstrated them for you: our universal translators and our replicators.”

  “Neither of those perform functions deemed necessary by the Consortium,” Dreeg said.

  Cambridge smiled. “Come now, First Consul. Your presider has already expressed an interest in our universal translator directly to the admiral. The only reason you could possibly be unwilling to trade for them is because you have already managed to acquire the technology by other means.”

  Janeway turned to Cambridge. “That’s quite an accusation, Counselor,” she said with feigned dismay. “Have you any proof?”

  Cambridge nodded. “After Lieutenant Kim reported that Miss Ligah had damaged his combadge when she tried to steal it, I got curious. When Kim found that it no longer functioned, he recycled it and was issued a new one. I checked the recycling logs and determined that while Ligah did return the casing to Lieutenant Kim, she successfully removed the internal circuitry before she dropped it. Those components were not present to be recycled, according to our logs.”

  “I do hope she was well compensated for her efforts,” Janeway said drily. “But you’re not the only one who has been doing a little research, Counselor.”

  “Really?” he asked, intrigued.

  “Did you spend much time yesterday in that beautiful library attached to the capital museum?”

  “I did not,” Cambridge replied.

  “The presider was kind enough to offer our people access to all of the public records contained at that library. I asked Commander Glenn and her staff to begin working last night researching their material ownership decrees. Would it surprise you to learn, Counselor, that more than forty years ago, an industrious Leodt named Ugret was granted a decree for a new form of molecular conversion technology that is the most basic component of our replicators?”

  “Not at all,” Cambridge said, smiling. “Our friends among the Confederacy have demonstrated their industriousness time and again.”

  “Of course, that ownership decree was transferred to the Market Consortium immediately upon filing. Since then, no one has troubled themselves to pursue that technology’s possible uses,
” Janeway noted.

  “It would destabilize the markets considerably should Confederacy citizens be able to replicate their basic needs rather than purchase them,” Cambridge said.

  Turning to Dreeg, Janeway said, “While espionage on the level the Confederacy has displayed is not surprising, it is most disappointing. I’m much more concerned, however, by the fact that this Consortium would willfully ignore technological developments of their own people that might limit the stranglehold the Consortium currently enjoys on the Confederacy’s markets.”

  “Admiral, I assure you that the values we will place on the items we have requested will be more than generous. You have but to name your price for us to move forward,” Dreeg said.

  “They have no price,” Janeway said simply. “Honestly, I blame myself. In all our hours of discussion, I have clearly failed to help you understand what the Federation is and what we are seeking from those we ally ourselves with. The first and most important criterion is demonstrable trust.”

  “Admiral, please spare us your indignation,” Dreeg said sharply. “Those in power are held to a different standard than common men. In time it is possible you would have agreed to share this technology with us. We could have forced you to do so against your will. Instead, we simply pursued the most efficient course before us. The Consortium was tasked with determining whether or not you possessed skills or technology of value to the Confederacy. You do. Therefore, we will proceed with all due haste to secure that technology on terms you find acceptable.”

  “Or?” the admiral asked.

  “Or our negotiations will end,” Dreeg replied. “Your fleet ships will be recalled to the First World and escorted from Confederacy space and you will not return to it under pain of death.”

  Janeway nodded thoughtfully. “The Federation values the meaningful and peaceful exchange of knowledge, and sometimes technology, among sentient species. But before any such exchange can take place, we consider first how those technologies will affect the daily lives of the people who are to receive them. Were you interested in obtaining the items you have listed to better secure your people, or to gradually enhance their living standards, I would be open to further discussions. My fear is that this is not your intent. Your Consortium would acquire this technology in order to monopolize it. Your only intention is to further enrich yourselves, at the expense of your citizens and noncitizens.”