“I think they want me because of my eidetic memory, but it could be because of my piloting skills, or something else entirely. And don’t worry. Nobody has asked me to leave the Enterprise.I’m assuming that I would be their agent on this ship.”

“A spy, in other words.”

Hawk was uncomfortable, but he didn’t sense that Ranul was prejudging him. “No . . . maybe. I think they feel that they need someone on this ship who can work for them– who is working withthem. You know as well as I do that the Enterprisegets itself caught in the middle of a lot of turmoil. And those sorts of situations are their specialty.”

“If this organization is so secret, and they want an ‘agent’ on board, how do we know there isn’t one here already?”

Hawk thought for a moment. That hadn’t occurred to him. “I guess we don’t,” he finally offered.

Keru opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again with a sigh. “You remember how I lost my family,” he said at last.

Hawk nodded. Keru’s father, stepmother, and teenage sister had been living in a settlement on Hakton VII, a planet in the Federation–Cardassian demilitarized zone. Then the Federation signed a treaty with Cardassia in 2370, effectively abandoning several Federation colonies to the Cardassian Union’s tender mercies. Many settlers had refused to relocate, not wanting to leave their homes and lands behind. A few months later, the Keru family was among those reported killed during an unprovoked raid on the settlement, following reports of anti‑Cardassian factions stockpiling weapons there.

Ranul continued speaking, his voice taking on a slightly bitter edge. “I think that the Federation was wrong in giving its citizens a choice between giving up their homes and accepting Cardassian rule. When they chose to stay, our government deserted those people, knowing that they probably wouldn’t survive.” He paused for a moment and ruffled the back of Hawk’s hair. “I don’t have to remind youwhat was lost in the conflict with Cardassia, Sean.”

Logan,Hawk thought glumly. And four other Academy classmates. Gone forever because the Cardassians breached the warp core on theBarbados.

Hawk put his hand up to his partner’s cheek, and felt a tear there. Ranul had been close to his family, and invoking their memories now must have struck him hard. But Hawk felt pain as well. Logan had been Hawk’s firstlove, and if their assignments out of the Academy hadn’t forced them apart–or if Logan had gotten his transfer before the destruction of the Barbados–they might still be together. And he never would have met Ranul.

So, perhaps some good has come from the pain?He had never considered it that way.

Ranul sniffed, and turned to look at Hawk. “Didn’t you once tell me that some of your ancestors fought in the Martian Revolution?”

Hawk nodded and smiled. “Native Martians prefer to call it the War for Martian Independence. And yes, I’m descended from some of the freedom fighters. They were New Reformationists–religious pacifists–so they were among the last people to join in the war. A few of them even fought at Gundersdotter’s Dome and helped turn the tide for Martian sovereignty.”

“So, you know what theydid,” Ranul said. “They set aside their stated principles in order to achieve a higher goal. Mars gained its independence, even if blood was spilled on both sides.”

“I’m not convinced that Section 31 is always working toward the higher goal though, Ranul.” Hawk looked his lover in the eyes, dark pools on the shadowed face.

“I guess if I were in your situation, I’d ask myself where this organization stands on situations of ethics and morality and honor. And if what you feel about Starfleet and its ideals is compatible with that answer.” Keru looked down, his voice barely louder than a whisper. “I know that Ithink the Federation made a mistake in the past. And that mistake cost me my family. Do I think that the Federation and Starfleet alwaysmake mistakes? No. Do I think Starfleet’s leaders and officers are fallible? You bet I do.”

He paused, and added, “But I’ve never worked under a leader who was acting against what he felt was ethical and honorable.”

Hawk leaned forward, and hugged Ranul tightly again, less sure than ever which way to proceed.

The door opened in front of Hawk, and he stepped inside. The officer standing near the console toward the center of the room stiffened slightly, looking at him. Hawk handed him a padd. “I need to speak with Commander Zweller. Here’s my authorization, from Commander Riker.”

The guard studied the padd’s screen for a moment, then gestured toward one of the recessed detention cells across the room. “He’s over there. Are you going to be long? You want a chair?”

“No. Actually, I’d prefer to talk to Zweller inside, if you don’t mind.”

The guard raised an eyebrow, glanced down at the padd again, and nodded. “Okay. If that’s what you want. I’ll keep an eye out for trouble.”

Hawk approached the detention cell and saw Zweller sitting against one wall, his face blank, his eyes closed, and his posture relaxed, as if he were meditating. The forcefield at the front of the cell sparked for a moment, and Hawk stepped through it. The slight crackle behind him meant that the field was back in place.

“Commander?” he asked quietly.

Without opening his eyes, Zweller responded, gesturing beside him on the bench. “Mr. Hawk. Won’t you sit down? The view from here is astonishing.” His lips moved into a slight smile.

Hawk sat. He was edgy enough because of the discussion he sought, and the spartan accommodations made him even more uncomfortable. “I needed to talk with you a bit more before making my decision,” he said, his voice low.

“I trust you’ve already talked to some of my erstwhile shipmates about me,” Zweller said.

Hawk nodded. Unfortunately, those conversations– none of which involved questions about Section 31–had told him little more than he already knew. To hear Roget and Dr. Gomp tell it, Zweller was clearly a traitor who ought to be clapped into irons and sent straight off to the Federation Penal Settlement in New Zealand. Other former Slaytonofficers, like Kurlan and Tuohy, tended toward maverick stances in their professions, and thus seemed more willing to give Zweller the benefit of the doubt.

Hawk knew that only Zweller could tell him what he really needed to know. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Why did you . . . how . . .”

“How did I come to be involved with this group?” Zweller opened his eyes and stared calmly at Hawk. His gaze seemed almost fatherly, but Hawk didn’t sense much warmth behind it. “It’s a personal story which I do not care to share in detail. Suffice it to say that I was a part of a mission in which I was forced to question a decision made by my friend and commander. We had received two distress calls–from a Starfleet vessel and an alien craft–with only the time to answer one. If we aided the Starfleet ship, we would save the lives of less than a dozen fellow officers. If we aided the alien ship, we would not only save hundreds of lives, but we would also keep a set of experimental weapons from falling into the clutches of the Breen.

“The decision my commander was compelled to make–because of Starfleet rules and regulations– meant that we were to save the other Starfleet vessel,” Zweller continued. “I disagreed. In the process of disabling some of the warp systems to force us to the aid of the aliens, I was caught by a senior engineer. Luckily, the woman who caught me was there to perform the same bit of ‘mutiny’ that I was engaged in. And she was the person who recruited me for the bureau.”

“Did you succeed?”

Zweller nodded. “Oh, yes. The sentients survived because of our actions, and the weapons were kept from the Breen. And the Starfleet officers on the other vessel managed to escape before their ship was destroyed. No lives were lost. To date, there have been no negative repercussions from our operation.”