Star Trek Coda

Chapter 16: The needs of the many

EARTH, 2383, SECTOR 001

In the minutes that passed following the change in leadership, Picard and Archer had joined the Admiral - forming her counsel alongside the boys. "We have two hours until the attacking force arrives. We need a plan," said the Admiral.

"If I may Admiral," Picard replied, "we have a tendency to see the unwinnnable as winnable through sheer will but I don't think that's the case here."

"Then what do you propose?"

"I propose that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. When one starts a fight that is not noble or good, then they must be the ones to end it. We need to surrender."

"Give up Earth?!" Asked Janeway.

"Yes. Ask for mercy. See the best in our attackers. Beg for forgiveness. Hold war crimes trials. We are the criminals. We must atone for what we've done."

"And what about Earth?" She asked.

This time Archer replied. It was time for his chess piece to move. That's all they were at the end of the day, pieces on a galaxy sized board, with an unknown game master. The broken man finally said his piece, "I fought tooth and nail for this world but I have to agree. We can't win this. And we can't destroy this beautiful, wonderful galaxy with our hubris," his voice cracked now, "it destroys me to say this but ... it's too late for humanity. We can only do our best to lessen the damage, but we still have a chance to reduce the number of victims ... victims of humanity. We are responsible, each and every one of us, for the dark path we've taken, for the actions of President Scott and the soldiers who followed her orders. Now we make penance." He remembered when he tortured a man to save his people - and yet here he was giving up on them. He had changed, just as the galaxy had changed and just as all of humanity had. He could only hope it was for the better.

They all stood silent as they realised, it was about more than the Human Race. It was about the galaxy. "Kathryn, if we don't stop this, the entire Alpha Quadrant will burn," spoke Picard. She knew he was right. That was the worst part. She had taken over to be better and now was her chance to make that happen

"Alright. I won't make this decision on my own. Do we all agree? We surrender?"

The room all nodded heads in agreement, except Jack, "no! Don't you see?! This is why we came back. We've seen the future. We've lived it. This isn't a world worth living in. We're real. We're standing right here in front of you and our pain is real. Our future is real," Ethan held is hand as he sobbed. Jack looked to his father, "you're going to die in pain and regret. Once you see the world."

Riker walked over and pulled the sobbing boy into a hug and then pulled back as he looked into Jack's eyes, "I'm sorry son. I am so sorry. I haven't known you long but I can see that you are good. You're so good. And I am proud of you. I am sorry you've seen far more pain than anyone should in a lifetime."

Jack was silent and he was speechless. This really was his father. He sobbed into his loving father's arms. The arms of a man who was alive, not broken and not an empty shell. A man who hadn't become a survivor yet. "I love you dad," he said.

"I love you too son," but this is what we have to do, "and maybe just maybe the two of you being here has altered the course of history already. This is our future now and it belongs to us."

"The road to hell really is paved with good intentions," muttered Janeway.

The meeting came to an end. There were was nothing left to be said.

*****

Janeway stood before the screen with her counsel beside her, "to the incoming force, the people of Earth and the United Federation of Planets declare their unconditional surrender. The attacks perpetrated against your worlds were illegal and the President who initiated those orders has been removed from office. We beg that you honour the principles of just war, protect the immunity of the civilian population and subject our leaders and military to a fair trial."