[LEFT] Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Star Trek, they all belong to CBS Studios. This story is set after the end of Deep Space Nine and follows the novel canon, diverging slightly from Before Dishonor. There are also references to the novel only series Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Star Fleet Intelligence Trials The Saber class Einstein-A decelerated to low impulse then came to a stop just outside of the Romulan Neutral Zone. The vessel was smaller than some ship's saucer sections, with just a crew of forty or so. They were mostly intended as light couriers and patrol boats, not war ships, but when a emergency call came in you had to answer. Captain Rachel Hunter leaned forward in her seat, her red hair tied back as she studied the seemingly crippled ship in the view screen. The slim young woman looked over at communications, "Are we still getting the distress message?" The lieutenant jg at the station listened, the young man frowning. "We have a live transmission. Should I put it on screen?" Matt Rllison asked. "Do it," Rachel ordered briskly. The man who appeared on screen was dirty, smudged with oil and haggard looking as he said, "This is Captain Choy of the Summer Belle. We were hit by some kind of meteoroid, and it took out our primary engine coupling. We've been drifting for days..." Rachel cut him off, "Captain, this is urgent. Can you get your impulse drive up? Thrusters?" Choy looked a bit offended by her stark manner but answered, "I barely have maneuvering thrusters, and they aren't enough even to stop our momentum." "I see," Rachel sat back, for a moment debating what to say. "Sir, you have drifted into the Romulan Neutral Zone," she said, deciding to be frank. His eyes widened and Choy's face paled. "Captain, you have to get us out of here!" he squeaked, obviously terrified. "We have five hundred settlers bound for New Hope colony..." "We'll do everything we can," Rachel promised before gesturing to Matt to cut the transmission. There was a beat of dead silence on the bridge then Rachel said briskly, "Is there any way we can get them back here without crossing into the Zone?" Commander T'lea, the second in command and a Vulcan female, calmly noted, "The tractor beam lacks the power or range. The Summer Belle outweighs us by several times, we would have to cross into the zone to even attempt it." 'She's actually not being a precise as normal, I guess being around humans has paid off a bit,' Rachel noted. She looked over at Tactical,. "You agree, Lt. Green?" Samuel Green nodded, his black hair falling into his eyes. "Even if we pump phaser power into the tractors, which I do NOT recommend, we still couldn't grab them." Rachel looked at sciences next, "Lt. Commander Kh'tanr?" Kh'tanr was a rarity, a Klingon scientist who was participating in a exchange program with the Federation. She was tall, red haired, and was from the non-ridged minority of Klingons, which probably explained her willingness to serve on a Federation ship. Kh'tanr scowled at the image, "I agree, we have to get closer. Even attempting to evacuate the ship would require us to enter the Zone." Rachel nodded, her expression calm. Her staff was making it clear Rachel didn't have a choice, and to be honest she didn't like it. Still, what options did she have? "Lt. Rllison, notify Starfleet Command," she hesitated, "and Romulan Fleet Command that we are entering the Neutral Zone on a humanitarian mission." Commander T'lea raised a eyebrow, her auburn hair shining neatly as she noted, "Is notifying the Romulans wise, Captain?" "Our entering the Neutral Zone is a provocative act," Rachel answered her quietly, "doing it openly might prevent a war. Maybe." Raising her voice she addressed the helmswoman, "Ahead full impulse, take us in." "Aye, ma'am," Ensign Merrick Hudson answered. "Tactical, full scan sweeps," Rachel ordered as they began to move, "If there's cloaked ships out there, I want to know it." The Einstein-A crossed the invisible line between Federation and the Neutral Zone and hurried to the Summer Belle, a freighter that loomed large above them in space. "Readying tractor beams," Lt. Green reported, then he yelped. "Ships decloaking!" "Hudson, evasive pattern delta!" Rachel barked the order as the ships appeared on the screen around them. Two were Birds of Prey, which was bad enough, but there was also a Cardassian Galor class ship too. Commander T'lea calmly noted, "It seems the rumors of a Cardassian alliance with the Romulan Empire were correct." "They're firing!" Green yelled as disruptor blasts rocked the ship, only Merrick's skills as a pilot keeping them intact. "Return fire, quantinum torpedos. Just target their weapons for now," Rachel ordered. "Aye, returning fire," Green said as shining white streaks raced out from their ship, most harmlessly detonating against their shields. "We're being hailed," Rllison reported, "it's the Romulans." "On screen," Rachel ordered, sitting back and trying to project the image of complete calm. The family resemblance between Vulcans and Romulans was obvious, with the same green tinted skin, sharp faces and pointed ears. Still, Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen a Vulcan with such a arrogant look on his face. "Human, you have trespassed into the Neutral Zone," he said coldly, "surrender your ships or die." "Romulan Captain, we are on a mission of mercy," Rachel stood, spreading her hands, "there is no need to break the fragile peace between our peoples." "You have already broken it by crossing into the zone to save your spies," the Romulan hissed. "They must be very valuable, if you would dare so much to rescue them." Rachel kept calm, though her thoughts were racing. They could possibly escape from the three ships, the Saber class was fast and agile enough, but not while towing the Summer Belle. They would have to drop shields to either grab the Belle or transport anyone off, and there was no way their opponents would let them do that and live. "You're right," Rachel said as she walked to the captain's chair and sat back down, "The Belle is important. That is why I won't let you have her." She looked at tactical, "Target the Belle, phasers and a full spread of torpedos. Then fire." Green looked at her in shock, then training took over. He targeted the larger ship and fired, phasers and torpedos racing across near empty space. The transport wasn't armored and only had light shields, not enough to protect it as it exploded in a burst of light and fire. "Yes!" Kh'tanr cheered, "That is the act of a warrior!" The Romulan commander even looked shaken as he said, "It seems we no longer have anything to fight over. But the Empire will not forget this." "Get us out of here," Rachel ordered Hudson, "maximum impulse." "Aye aye," Hudson agreed, then as they crossed the border back to the Federation, a whooping alarm rang out. "Simulation Over," the computer boomed as they control boards shut down and the lights went from 'bridge lighting' to the standard used at Starfleet Academy. Rachel slumped in relief, glad she was no longer 'captain' and instead was merely a command track cadet. She got up as her fellow cadets were getting up to go, several giving her thoughtful looks as they left the bridge. Sam Green gave her a faint smile as he said, "I can't believe you had me shoot the ship." Rachel walked beside him, her own expression troubled. "I don't see how we had much choice," she said, "though I don't want to think of the bad grade I'm going to get." Not long after that her grade was what was on the minds of two admirals and a captain as they met in a conference room not far from the holodeck. All three had finished reviewing the data, and much of it they had watched in real time. "Well," Kathryn Janeway admitted as the auburn haired woman took a drink of her coffee, "that wasn't how I expected her to respond to the No Win Scenario." After her return to the Alpha Quadrant the former captain of Voyager had been tapped as the Federation Borg expert, and had nearly been killed by a new strain of Borg. Afterward she was offered the role of Commandant of the Academy, a job she happily accepted. The No Win Scenario had been around for almost as long as Starfleet, based on real events confronting a early crew. It was updated and revised every few years with the latest ship types and possible enemies, as well as name changes to counter rumors spreading about the test. A few people had beaten it over the years, but it was a rare event, much like today's. "Do you think it counts as a win?" Admiral Ross asked curiously. William Ross was one of the heads of the Federation forces fighting the Dominion War, and had been involved in some murky parts of the war. While he wasn't directly Starfleet Intelligence he was well connected to that branch of the service. "I'm not entirely certain," Captain Jean Luc Picard admitted ruefully. He took a drink of his tea as he mused, "If a Starfleet captain made that decision, he'd be up before a board of inquiry once he returned to base." "Commander S'teck interviewed her as to why she made the decision to fire," Kathryn said, bringing up a file on the view screen. Rachel Hunter looked tired, but was bearing up well under a debrief. "It was the Cardassian presence there," she admitted. "If it was just the Romulans we could have expected them to suffer rough treatment, but we'd get the people back in some POW trade eventually. But the Cardassians engage in torture, hell, they regard it as a art form!" Grimly Rachel finished, "I couldn't let Federation citizens fall into their hands." "I don't know if I would want to be the one she shot," Admiral Ross admitted after a moment, "but she has a point." Captain Picard looked uncomfortable, though that was quite understandable considering he himself had experienced Cardassian torture first hand. "Indeed," he agreed, "but Starfleet has a long tradition in trying to save civilians at all costs." "She did successfully prevent a war with Romulus," Kathryn noted, "at least, that's what the holodeck computer decided." Picard looked amused, "The computer was probably as surprised as we were." Quietly he quoted, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." "A vulcan might make the call to sacrifice the ship based on logic," Kathryn agreed, "but I'm surprised a human did." "If you want my opinion, I think she passed," Ross said, "she may be a bit cold blooded, but I think it was the right choice to make under those specific circumstances." "I think she should have looked for other options," Kathryn said after a moment, "I'm not comfortable with a Starfleet officer deciding to destroy a ship in cold blood." Picard sighed as both of them looked at him. "I think it would be wise for her to review the principles of Starfleet including out commitment to preserving Federation citizens," he said thoughtfully, "but I think she made the best choice she could out of several bad ones." Kathryn nodded, though she didn't look terribly happy. "Thank you for your help," she said, "I'll include your comments with Hunter's grades." She smiled wryly, "Now I'm sure my aide Seven has her usual pile of things I need to see too, so please excuse me." "Glad to help," Ross nodded. "It's been good seeing you again," Picard shook Kathryn's hand before she left, smiling. He, Spock and Seven had been the ones to rescue her from the Borg, and he felt a small surge of pride over that. Pride, and regret over the losses Fleet had suffered. As he turned back Picard saw Ross activating the view screen, calling up the last image of Rachel Hunter. Like the admiral Picard took a moment to study that determined face, with brown eyes that seemed older than her years. "What branch of Starfleet is she interested in?" Ross asked thoughtfully, not having the file close at hand. Picard flipped through the old fashioned hard copies and smiled slightly. "As you'd expect, she's command track," he told Ross. Ross tapped the table with a finger, frowning thoughtfully. "She'd be wasted in a normal command," he said after a moment. "You want to scoop her up for Fleet intelligence?" Picard asked curiously. "She might not be interested," he pointed out. "With those eyes?" Ross snorted, "She was born for this sort of work. I just have to hope the academy doesn't do too much damage before I can recruit her." "Good luck, Bill," Picard smiled wryly as he added, "but I don't think this will be as easy as you expect it to be." Later that evening William Ross reflected on that warning as he tidied his uniform, making sure the jacket was sitting right. Then he pressed the chime on the cadet's room, waiting a moment before pressing it again. "Sorry, coming!" a voice called and the door swished open to reveal a semi nude Rachel Hunter, who had apparently just been in the sonic shower. "Terribly sorry," Ross blurted, turning around as Hunter struggled to get her robe done up. "I didn't expect company, sir," Rachel said as she tightened the robe and made sure everything was covered. Ruefully she added, "And I'm being shunned by some of my classmates, so they aren't coming by." "Why is that?" Ross asked, though he expected he knew. "They aren't happy with how today's test went," Rachel shrugged, "apparently my solution wasn't traditionally Starfleet enough for them." Irritably she added, "The only one who really approved was the Klingon." "If it helps I think you made the correct choice," Ross said, "or at least the best choice out of several bad options." He shrugged, "Then again I spent a while in Starfleet Intelligence, where we dealt with murkier issues." "Really?" Hunter looked interested and Ross had to fight back a smile. 'I've hooked her,' Ross decided, 'now I just have to reel her in.' To be continued... Notes: I've always wanted to see more in the various Star Trek series about what Starfleet Intelligence actually does. We've seen the shadowy Section 31, and occasionally seen captains like Kirk and Picard carry out missions for them, but other than that not much is known. [/LEFT]
It's a bit clunky to read but I'm assuming this is your first crack at writing fanfic so that can be forgiven, a bit of editing will sort out the problems. I think the fundamental problem with the Kobayashi Maru scenario the fact that the Romulans decloak and confront the starship the second it crosses into the Neutral Zone - they are just as much in the wrong by being there as the Starfleet vessel. Neither Romulan nor Federation military ships are allowed into the Neutral Zone, so the Romulans waiting cloaked for a Starfleet ship to cross into the Zone seems a bit convoluted.
I like the idea of story about Starfleet Intelligence. We've seen a lot of stuff about Section 31 and the like that it would be interesting to learn more about the more straight-laced parts of the intelligence community. While I liked your protagonist's unconventional solution to the Kobayashi Maru, for me it didn't come as much of a surprise as I just finished reading a Trek novel in which a character used the exact same method to 'beat' the test.
The novel is Stone and Anvil from Peter David's New Frontier series. As somebody who reads and writers Trek fan fiction based on original characters, I wholeheartedly recommend it but I fear it may not make a lot of sense without having read the previous novels.
I actually read the series back when it started, and a bit beyond. May try tracking that down, then. Thanks!