Post
by Praeothmin » Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:02 pm
Ok, it was slow at work, so I wrote a little chapter...
Hope you guys like it...
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“You inhuman son of a bitch!” Picard yelled at the man sitting behind the desk, as he entered a lavish office located deep into the NERV complex in Buenos Aires, on Earth.
He knew the reputation of the man he was barging in on, knew how dangerous what he was doing was, how much it could affect his career, but Jean-Luc Picard cared not at all, for at that moment, the slayer of Borg, vanquisher of Remans, felt indignation he had not felt in ages, and he would be damned if he wasn’t going to let the man know what he thought about the situation.
The man, apparently deeply immersed in examination of a document on a PADD, barely lifted his eyes at Picard’s irruption.
“Ah, Captain Picard,” He said amiably, as greeting an old, friendly acquaintance, “to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you here?” He asked in a nonchalant way which had the effect of increasing the other man’s agitation.
“You know damn well why I’m here, Gendo!” Picard told the man with anger in his rich voice.
“You had no right to give that order, and you know it.” He told the man still sitting behind his desk.
Gendo looked at Picard, perplexity on his face, as if he’d been presented with an indecipherable puzzle.
“According to the United Nations Star League, my position, one in the highest echelons of Command, does indeed allow me to do such a thing as to give orders to a mere Starfleet Captain, orders which I have the right to expect will be followed.” Gendo told the older man as if explaining things to a child.
Picard became livid at the man’s reply, his rage barely in check.
“I will do everything I can to make you regret ever giving such an order, and to ensure you are never again in a position to do so again, even if it is the last thing I do.” He told Gendo, his stare boring through the younger man, though if it had any effects on him, he didn’t show it.
“Captain,” Gendo began, “You know why I had to give the order.” He said in a dispassionate voice.
“I have extremely reliable sources that told me the enemy was, and still is, planning to attack the planet Zeta Gamma IV and use it as a supply base for their following attacks on Federation territory.
The order I gave you could save billions of innocent lives that would perish in a war if they have that base.
It is one of the most strategic locations inside United Nations Star League borders the enemy could have.” He told the aging Captain.
“So you would sacrifice over 600 million lives for a plan that could, not even an assurance it will, save, what, ten times more lives?” Picard told him almost derisively.
“If you are so concerned with saving lives, Gendo,” Picard said, once more ignoring the man’s title in obvious contempt, “Then perhaps you could have considered sending a task force to intercept the enemy fleet before they can reach the planet, and destroy them there.” He said.
“After all, we both know a Genesis torpedo will destroy everything within an AU after detonation, whether is it on a planet, or in space.” Picard told the man.
“Putting one aboard a shuttle launched at the enemy would destroy the enemy fleet and prevent the unnecessary and inhuman sacrifice of the planet’s population.” He finished.
“But that would let the enemy know we have information leaked to us, it would let them know with 100% certainty they have a mole in their higher echelons.” Gendo Ikari told Picard.
“Blowing up the planet with a Genesis device hidden in a power plant on its surface would also tell them that, to the cost of 600 million innocent lives.” Picard answered smugly, his expression letting Gendo know his explanation was devoid of reason and logic.
“Of course not,” Gendo replied gently, “Zeta Gamma IV possesses a secret Proto-matter production facility, of which the enemy has been aware for some time.
And as the Genesis torpedo uses Proto-matter, the explosion would simply look like there was an accident in that facility, thus killing the enemy fleet and protecting our source within the enemy ranks.”
“Proto-matter?” Picard almost yelled incredulously at Gendo.
“Why are you so surprised, Picard?” The man asked, this time foregoing the Captain’s title.
“You know well the power Proto-matter produces, far beyond M/AM reactions.
Starfleet needs this if it’s going to prevail against all its enemies.
They are too powerful for us to let some backwards morals and laws get in the way of strengthening ourselves.” Gendo said coldly, as if he was above those laws.
The Starfleet Captain couldn’t believe it.
The most illegal substance in the UNSL was being secretly produced by NERV on a remote world, and what was even worse was that the enemy knew of it.
He had often heard Gendo associated with highly irregular experiments or dealings within the UNSL, but he never imagined how far the man was willing to go to ensure what he felt was the UNSL’s security, never imagined how easily and callously he was willing to dispose of innocent lives to further his plans.
“These backwards morals, as you call them, are what allowed the United Nations Star League to become the beacon of humanity and good it is today,” Picard said sternly, having re-asserted his calm.
“It is these morals people look up to, these morals which have always allowed others to trust us, to elevate ourselves as a large community willing to help each other through adversity, which have helped forge alliances which last to this day.” The Captain added, as if lecturing a small boy who had done something wrong.
“Without these morals, the League would still be a small power in a vast interstellar sea, most likely grinded under the boots of petty tyrants, dissolved under the constant strain of power hungry mongrels tearing at its heart.” He added.
“People like you, it seems, willing to de everything to reach their goals, no matter what the cost… To others, of course, never to you.” Picard almost spat out.
“The problem with indignant people like you, Picard, always on the front lines, always nose-deep in the day to day affairs of the small people, is that it becomes easy for you to miss the greater picture in our fight for the League, and how little we count individually.” Gendo told Picard.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.” He added, finally getting up and moving towards the door as if he was leaving.
“The problem with people like you,” Picard countered as Gendo was leaving his office, “Is that you stand so far back from the front lines that it becomes easy to forget that the United Nations Star League we so dearly fight for is essentially all those individual people you so easily spit upon and conveniently forget.
It is easy to forget that without them, there would be no League, you arrogant, self-centered bastard.”
Gendo turned at those words, and looked Picard in the eyes.
“Never forget who you’re talking to, Picard, for I have many friends in high places.” He said with menace in his voice.
“So do I, Gendo, so do I!” Picard said with just as much gusto.
Gendo turned around and left then, making sure Picard could not see his smile.
Last edited by
Praeothmin on Wed Jul 24, 2013 11:07 am, edited 2 times in total.