3
Cesar Wasco could read a room as well as anybody and he had no illusions that Captain Owens and the others had their doubts about not just General Lam but also of his own fierce attempts to defend him. Then again they weren’t Marines. They couldn’t possibly understand how people like him and Lam thought. They didn’t understand that theirs was a life dedicated to loyalty, to total focus on a mission objective and of course, more than anything else, defending the Federation against all enemies.
Unlike people like Owens, Wasco and Lam had not been trained as diplomats or explorers. They were first and foremost warriors. And in a life of a warrior, dedication and loyalty were more than just high concepts. They formed an essential life style. It gave them an undeniable purpose.
Wasco harbored no ill feelings towards regular Starfleet personnel. In fact he admired Michael Owens’ even-handed and calm command style quite a bit. It reminded him somewhat of a former commander of his. The very man they had come here to see. Of course that’s where the similarities with the general ended. Owens wasn’t a military man. He ran his ship and his people far more magnanimously than any Marine unit he had ever been part of. It could be seen in the way he had chosen his closest confidants. A formerly disgraced Starfleet captain acted as his first officer and a young woman who had clearly been raised a pacifist and sometimes appeared as delicate as an exotic flower often served as his chief advisor.
And while he held a certain respect for the fighting ethos of Cardassians, their loyalty and their dedication, it was obvious that Gul Belore, a man who had until recently been a diplomat, didn’t truly exhibit any of those qualities.
In short it was not surprising that these people would not be able to fully understand what it meant to be a Marine and what made people like Lam truly tick.
Of course all this was perfectly fine with Wasco. He didn’t need Owens and the others to understand. After all they all had their purpose in the greater scheme of things. And General Lam’s purpose was to fight to defend the Federation, no matter the cost. Something he had excelled at over most of his career. Wasco was convinced that without people like Lam, Starfleet and the Federation would have been defeated by its enemies a long time ago. He was an unsung hero who had put his life on the line again and again to defend what he held most dear. They didn’t talk about men like Wasco and General Lam at dinner parties on Earth or Alpha Centauri, they didn’t regard them as the last line of defense between their comfortable lives and the end of the freedoms they took so much for granted. Those people didn’t show their gratitude to him and his ilk for being able to live the lives they so greatly enjoyed and Wasco wasn’t bitter or angry about this fact. Marines didn’t need thanks or recognition for doing their jobs.
He found the general in his office and just like Owens had guessed, Lam was immediately pleased to see him again, quickly ushering him in. “Cesar, I hope you’ve slept well.”
“Yes, sir, thank you, General.”
But Lam seemed to be able to see beyond those words. He offered a sly grin. “Bed a little to soft for you?”
The major smiled. “Not used to it.”
Lam nodded. “Of course, I understand. We can always put you up in the barracks with the men if you prefer.”
“I might consider that, sir. However we are not planning on staying very long.”
Lam stood from his chair and filled two glasses with the yellow wine which had remained from the day before. He offered one to Wasco and they both sipped from their drinks.
“Just as I remember it.”
“You were always fond of it, I recall.”
Wasco nodded even though it wasn’t entirely true. He had come to tolerate it but he wasn’t overly fond of the bittersweet taste of the Chinese wine. Of course as a young officer when your mentor and superior offered you his favorite drink, you accepted it without question. Wasco may have believed in honesty but he didn’t see the harm in indulging a man of such accomplishments as Lam.
I’ve been thinking.” The general stepped away from the desk again. “I could use a new XO around here. Most of the senior officers I have either lack experience or a indispensable running a forward operating command.” He glanced at Wasco with expecting eyes. “What do you say?”
“You are aware I’m attached to Sixth Division?”
“General ch’Nek’s outfit.” Lam sat behind his desk and gestured for Wasco to do the same. “Don’t worry, the old Andorian is a close friend of mine and he knows he owes me. He won’t have any trouble seeing you and your company join us here on Valeria.”
“My company?” Wasco sat and put down his glass. “They are stationed on Eagle.”
Lam waved him off. “Marines were ever only to serve on Starfleet ships during wartime. From what you and Captain Owens are telling me, the war is over. Which means so is your tour on Eagle.”
Wasco nodded. “Yes, sir. But with the war over, why would you need my company here?”
The general leaned back in his chair. “You are starting to sound quite a bit like your captain.”
“He has a mission, sir.”
“He doesn’t understand what is at stake.”
“To be frank, sir, I’m not entirely sure I do either. Why not take a chance on a cease-fire? You and your men have been fighting this war without pause for nearly two years. Even Marines are not supposed to be deployed to a single theater for such a long period of time. You had no troop rotations, nobody on this planet has seen another world in twenty-two months.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” He sounded unhappy but quickly got his blooming anger in check. “But trust me, a cease-fire would be exactly what Metral is hoping for in order to gain an advantage. Do you truly think he cares about the peace treaty?” Lam determinedly shook his head. “If you’re right and if Cardassia is really hurting as badly as you make it out, Metral will want to do whatever he can to edge out at least a small victory out of this loss. Cardassia has had its eye on Valeria for decades. This is their opportunity.”
“The Federation wouldn’t let him keep it.”
“The Federation won’t care.” Lam spoke forcefully now, with total conviction. “They haven’t in a long time. As far as they are concerned Valeria is a neutral world. They haven’t sent me a single additional unit since the Dominion pulled out and if it had been up to the suits in Paris, we would have abandoned Valeria and left it to the Cardassians a long time ago.”
Wasco considered that for a moment and came to the conclusion that Lam was probably exactly right on that point. After the high losses in the war, Starfleet was stretched to the breaking point, trying to support not just its own war ravished worlds but Cardassians as well. It would spare little to no resources to assist Valeria.
“Do you know what happened to the last world the Federation abandoned to the Cardassians? I won’t let Valeria become another Bajor. Not while I can do something about it.”
“But is it our place to safe the Valerians?”
“It’s not just our place, Cesar, it’s our obligation. Not to mention what a Cardassian occupation of Valeria would mean in the big picture. Once they have a foothold here its only a matter of time until the Cardassians move on to worlds like Mariah IV and Fahleena. And after that they are just a stone’s throw away from key Federation worlds.”
There was a certain kind of logic to his argument but even Wasco had to admit that it seemed unlikely the Cardassians could make any such land grabs even if they could somehow hold on to Valeria. After all their military was a mere shadow of its former self since the Dominion had turned on them. Lam still saw the Cardassians as the same threat they had once posed during the height of the Border Wars. It wasn’t the same Cardassia anymore. Not after fighting a costly war with the Klingons and then being decimated when their so-called allies, the Dominion had turned on them in revenge for revolting against their leadership.
Lam could apparently see the doubt in Wasco’s eyes. “Don’t underestimate them, Cesar. We’ve done that mistake before and look where it led us. Even if they won’t be able to make such moves now, eventually they will. And in the meantime they’ll use their forces here to strip Valeria raw like they did with Bajor.”
“And you really think that a few dozen more Marines and a starship will be enough to turn the tide on Valeria and prevent all this?”
Lam nodded. “It won’t take much, Cesar. Not really. Our troop levels are almost identical and one starship and a few more fresh boots on the ground may be all we need to gain the advantage. With Eagle we’ll have an orbital weapon’s platform at our disposal, something the Cardassians have no access to. The threat of it alone could be enough to make Metral realize that he has no chance to holding on to Valeria.”
The major looked doubtful, already fully aware that Owens would never agree to use his ship in this manner.
Once again Lam seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. “It will be up to you to convince Captain Owens of the necessity of such actions. I could order him to cooperate of course but this would all be much easier with his support.”
“You’re putting me into a difficult position, sir.”
Lam nodded slowly. “I understand and I wish I didn’t have to but too much is at stake here for us to do nothing. Surely you can see that.”
For a moment neither man spoke as Wasco considered his options. Loyalty had never been an issue for him. If nothing else, as a Marine loyalty was a given. To your fellow man, to your superior and to the Federation. It was supposed to be at the core of what it meant to serve in the Corps and it was supposed to be the simplest of all mandates, one that didn’t need much consideration at all. Now he realized that this was perhaps not always the case. Certainly not here and not now.
“But perhaps you are right, Cesar.” Lam offered a little and seemingly understanding smile. “You know Owens much better than I do. Even though I am convinced that I have met many of his type before. Starfleet captains tend to be idealists, men and women who are so desperate to do the right thing at all cost that sometimes it ends up being their greatest flaw.”
“I am not sure if I would describe Captain Owens in that manner.”
Lam nodded. “I agree with the captain in one regard. This war must end as quickly as possible. He has come here to make that happen and there is no reason that it won’t.”
“By turning Eagle into a weapon.”
“Not necessarily. I mean, yes, that would be advantageous but the truth is this war will not be won by who has more men on the ground or who has more firepower in orbit. This war will be won by whoever has access to more consumable energy. In the past we tended to be fairly equal in this regard but lately we’ve been able to built up a slight edge and very soon, with Eagle’s help, we will be able to truly press our advantage.”
Wasco nodded. “The power plant you mentioned.”
“Yes. It might not sound like much but the sooner we complete it, the sooner we will be able to engage in an offensive which will end this war for good. With us as the clear and undisputed victors. And with that victory we will not only secure the future of Valeria and prevent Cardassian oppression on this world, we will be able to stop any long-term plans the Union has on this sector of space and beyond it. Captain Owens and people like him in San Francisco and Paris are only thinking about the short-term implications. Their only concern is the end of the war and starting to mend the damage and heal the wounds. I’m looking ahead, Cesar. I’m more interested in the bigger picture. And I know that this means that we will have to make some unpopular decisions now but I don’t just want to end this war, I want to avoid us having to fight the next one. And I will need your help to make sure we won’t have to.”
Wasco had to give it to this man; he did tend to make convincing arguments. And who could possibly argue with the point that they had already paid such a high cost for fighting the Dominion War, that perhaps it wasn’t enough to have won the war. Didn’t they have a duty as well to do whatever they could to avoid having to go through such a devastating experience again?
Before he could consider what the general had said any further, a massive explosion rocked the building.
Both men jumped to their feet and turned towards the window. There, just a few hundred yards away, a large cloud of smoke was rising from behind a line of trees.
Lam immediately recognizing the location. “The main barracks.”
“The Cardassians are already making a move?”
Lam frowned angrily as he headed towards the doors. “I told you they couldn’t be trusted. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Instead of a cease-fire, all Metral is interested in is more violence, exploiting any chance to get the upper hand. And mark my words, this is only the beginning.”
Cesar Wasco could read a room as well as anybody and he had no illusions that Captain Owens and the others had their doubts about not just General Lam but also of his own fierce attempts to defend him. Then again they weren’t Marines. They couldn’t possibly understand how people like him and Lam thought. They didn’t understand that theirs was a life dedicated to loyalty, to total focus on a mission objective and of course, more than anything else, defending the Federation against all enemies.
Unlike people like Owens, Wasco and Lam had not been trained as diplomats or explorers. They were first and foremost warriors. And in a life of a warrior, dedication and loyalty were more than just high concepts. They formed an essential life style. It gave them an undeniable purpose.
Wasco harbored no ill feelings towards regular Starfleet personnel. In fact he admired Michael Owens’ even-handed and calm command style quite a bit. It reminded him somewhat of a former commander of his. The very man they had come here to see. Of course that’s where the similarities with the general ended. Owens wasn’t a military man. He ran his ship and his people far more magnanimously than any Marine unit he had ever been part of. It could be seen in the way he had chosen his closest confidants. A formerly disgraced Starfleet captain acted as his first officer and a young woman who had clearly been raised a pacifist and sometimes appeared as delicate as an exotic flower often served as his chief advisor.
And while he held a certain respect for the fighting ethos of Cardassians, their loyalty and their dedication, it was obvious that Gul Belore, a man who had until recently been a diplomat, didn’t truly exhibit any of those qualities.
In short it was not surprising that these people would not be able to fully understand what it meant to be a Marine and what made people like Lam truly tick.
Of course all this was perfectly fine with Wasco. He didn’t need Owens and the others to understand. After all they all had their purpose in the greater scheme of things. And General Lam’s purpose was to fight to defend the Federation, no matter the cost. Something he had excelled at over most of his career. Wasco was convinced that without people like Lam, Starfleet and the Federation would have been defeated by its enemies a long time ago. He was an unsung hero who had put his life on the line again and again to defend what he held most dear. They didn’t talk about men like Wasco and General Lam at dinner parties on Earth or Alpha Centauri, they didn’t regard them as the last line of defense between their comfortable lives and the end of the freedoms they took so much for granted. Those people didn’t show their gratitude to him and his ilk for being able to live the lives they so greatly enjoyed and Wasco wasn’t bitter or angry about this fact. Marines didn’t need thanks or recognition for doing their jobs.
He found the general in his office and just like Owens had guessed, Lam was immediately pleased to see him again, quickly ushering him in. “Cesar, I hope you’ve slept well.”
“Yes, sir, thank you, General.”
But Lam seemed to be able to see beyond those words. He offered a sly grin. “Bed a little to soft for you?”
The major smiled. “Not used to it.”
Lam nodded. “Of course, I understand. We can always put you up in the barracks with the men if you prefer.”
“I might consider that, sir. However we are not planning on staying very long.”
Lam stood from his chair and filled two glasses with the yellow wine which had remained from the day before. He offered one to Wasco and they both sipped from their drinks.
“Just as I remember it.”
“You were always fond of it, I recall.”
Wasco nodded even though it wasn’t entirely true. He had come to tolerate it but he wasn’t overly fond of the bittersweet taste of the Chinese wine. Of course as a young officer when your mentor and superior offered you his favorite drink, you accepted it without question. Wasco may have believed in honesty but he didn’t see the harm in indulging a man of such accomplishments as Lam.
I’ve been thinking.” The general stepped away from the desk again. “I could use a new XO around here. Most of the senior officers I have either lack experience or a indispensable running a forward operating command.” He glanced at Wasco with expecting eyes. “What do you say?”
“You are aware I’m attached to Sixth Division?”
“General ch’Nek’s outfit.” Lam sat behind his desk and gestured for Wasco to do the same. “Don’t worry, the old Andorian is a close friend of mine and he knows he owes me. He won’t have any trouble seeing you and your company join us here on Valeria.”
“My company?” Wasco sat and put down his glass. “They are stationed on Eagle.”
Lam waved him off. “Marines were ever only to serve on Starfleet ships during wartime. From what you and Captain Owens are telling me, the war is over. Which means so is your tour on Eagle.”
Wasco nodded. “Yes, sir. But with the war over, why would you need my company here?”
The general leaned back in his chair. “You are starting to sound quite a bit like your captain.”
“He has a mission, sir.”
“He doesn’t understand what is at stake.”
“To be frank, sir, I’m not entirely sure I do either. Why not take a chance on a cease-fire? You and your men have been fighting this war without pause for nearly two years. Even Marines are not supposed to be deployed to a single theater for such a long period of time. You had no troop rotations, nobody on this planet has seen another world in twenty-two months.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” He sounded unhappy but quickly got his blooming anger in check. “But trust me, a cease-fire would be exactly what Metral is hoping for in order to gain an advantage. Do you truly think he cares about the peace treaty?” Lam determinedly shook his head. “If you’re right and if Cardassia is really hurting as badly as you make it out, Metral will want to do whatever he can to edge out at least a small victory out of this loss. Cardassia has had its eye on Valeria for decades. This is their opportunity.”
“The Federation wouldn’t let him keep it.”
“The Federation won’t care.” Lam spoke forcefully now, with total conviction. “They haven’t in a long time. As far as they are concerned Valeria is a neutral world. They haven’t sent me a single additional unit since the Dominion pulled out and if it had been up to the suits in Paris, we would have abandoned Valeria and left it to the Cardassians a long time ago.”
Wasco considered that for a moment and came to the conclusion that Lam was probably exactly right on that point. After the high losses in the war, Starfleet was stretched to the breaking point, trying to support not just its own war ravished worlds but Cardassians as well. It would spare little to no resources to assist Valeria.
“Do you know what happened to the last world the Federation abandoned to the Cardassians? I won’t let Valeria become another Bajor. Not while I can do something about it.”
“But is it our place to safe the Valerians?”
“It’s not just our place, Cesar, it’s our obligation. Not to mention what a Cardassian occupation of Valeria would mean in the big picture. Once they have a foothold here its only a matter of time until the Cardassians move on to worlds like Mariah IV and Fahleena. And after that they are just a stone’s throw away from key Federation worlds.”
There was a certain kind of logic to his argument but even Wasco had to admit that it seemed unlikely the Cardassians could make any such land grabs even if they could somehow hold on to Valeria. After all their military was a mere shadow of its former self since the Dominion had turned on them. Lam still saw the Cardassians as the same threat they had once posed during the height of the Border Wars. It wasn’t the same Cardassia anymore. Not after fighting a costly war with the Klingons and then being decimated when their so-called allies, the Dominion had turned on them in revenge for revolting against their leadership.
Lam could apparently see the doubt in Wasco’s eyes. “Don’t underestimate them, Cesar. We’ve done that mistake before and look where it led us. Even if they won’t be able to make such moves now, eventually they will. And in the meantime they’ll use their forces here to strip Valeria raw like they did with Bajor.”
“And you really think that a few dozen more Marines and a starship will be enough to turn the tide on Valeria and prevent all this?”
Lam nodded. “It won’t take much, Cesar. Not really. Our troop levels are almost identical and one starship and a few more fresh boots on the ground may be all we need to gain the advantage. With Eagle we’ll have an orbital weapon’s platform at our disposal, something the Cardassians have no access to. The threat of it alone could be enough to make Metral realize that he has no chance to holding on to Valeria.”
The major looked doubtful, already fully aware that Owens would never agree to use his ship in this manner.
Once again Lam seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. “It will be up to you to convince Captain Owens of the necessity of such actions. I could order him to cooperate of course but this would all be much easier with his support.”
“You’re putting me into a difficult position, sir.”
Lam nodded slowly. “I understand and I wish I didn’t have to but too much is at stake here for us to do nothing. Surely you can see that.”
For a moment neither man spoke as Wasco considered his options. Loyalty had never been an issue for him. If nothing else, as a Marine loyalty was a given. To your fellow man, to your superior and to the Federation. It was supposed to be at the core of what it meant to serve in the Corps and it was supposed to be the simplest of all mandates, one that didn’t need much consideration at all. Now he realized that this was perhaps not always the case. Certainly not here and not now.
“But perhaps you are right, Cesar.” Lam offered a little and seemingly understanding smile. “You know Owens much better than I do. Even though I am convinced that I have met many of his type before. Starfleet captains tend to be idealists, men and women who are so desperate to do the right thing at all cost that sometimes it ends up being their greatest flaw.”
“I am not sure if I would describe Captain Owens in that manner.”
Lam nodded. “I agree with the captain in one regard. This war must end as quickly as possible. He has come here to make that happen and there is no reason that it won’t.”
“By turning Eagle into a weapon.”
“Not necessarily. I mean, yes, that would be advantageous but the truth is this war will not be won by who has more men on the ground or who has more firepower in orbit. This war will be won by whoever has access to more consumable energy. In the past we tended to be fairly equal in this regard but lately we’ve been able to built up a slight edge and very soon, with Eagle’s help, we will be able to truly press our advantage.”
Wasco nodded. “The power plant you mentioned.”
“Yes. It might not sound like much but the sooner we complete it, the sooner we will be able to engage in an offensive which will end this war for good. With us as the clear and undisputed victors. And with that victory we will not only secure the future of Valeria and prevent Cardassian oppression on this world, we will be able to stop any long-term plans the Union has on this sector of space and beyond it. Captain Owens and people like him in San Francisco and Paris are only thinking about the short-term implications. Their only concern is the end of the war and starting to mend the damage and heal the wounds. I’m looking ahead, Cesar. I’m more interested in the bigger picture. And I know that this means that we will have to make some unpopular decisions now but I don’t just want to end this war, I want to avoid us having to fight the next one. And I will need your help to make sure we won’t have to.”
Wasco had to give it to this man; he did tend to make convincing arguments. And who could possibly argue with the point that they had already paid such a high cost for fighting the Dominion War, that perhaps it wasn’t enough to have won the war. Didn’t they have a duty as well to do whatever they could to avoid having to go through such a devastating experience again?
Before he could consider what the general had said any further, a massive explosion rocked the building.
Both men jumped to their feet and turned towards the window. There, just a few hundred yards away, a large cloud of smoke was rising from behind a line of trees.
Lam immediately recognizing the location. “The main barracks.”
“The Cardassians are already making a move?”
Lam frowned angrily as he headed towards the doors. “I told you they couldn’t be trusted. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Instead of a cease-fire, all Metral is interested in is more violence, exploiting any chance to get the upper hand. And mark my words, this is only the beginning.”
* * *