More Than a Lifetime #6: Sweetest Sin

Chapter 1: Surveying the Damage

Jean-Luc Picard looked at each of the faces of the Enterprise E's senior crew, seated around the large conference table in the observation lounge. He hated meetings of this nature, but it was necessary that they be informed of the bittersweet results of their most recent mission. They all knew that Federation Ambassador Hea Starr had been successfully rescued from a labor camp on Cardassia Prime. They also knew that both Will Riker and Danielle Janeway had gone to Prime to rescue Starr and that Janeway hadn't returned to the Enterprise with Riker and Starr.

"As I'm sure you're all aware of by now, Lt. Janeway did not return to the ship with Commander Riker and the ambassador. I have been informed that she is being held on Cardassia Prime as a prisoner of the Cardassian state," Picard said, simply stating what was already known by his senior staff. "Now we've got to try to find a way to get her back."

Will Riker looked down at the table. She doesn't want to come back, he thought.

Picard continued. "I've been in contact with Command, and they are in the process of -"

The captain was interrupted by the sound of the observation lounge doors swishing open. He swiveled around to see who had just joined his meeting - late. Ambassador Hea Starr made his way to an empty seat at the table.

"I apologize, Captain. I didn't mean to interrupt you," Starr said, settling in at the table. "Please - continue."

"Ambassador - good of you to join us," Picard said. "I'm pleased to see you are in good health."

"All thanks to your skilled officers and medical staff," Starr replied with a smile. He was a handsome, middle-aged human with warm, dark eyes and wavy salt-and-pepper hair. "If not for them, I wouldn't be here right now. Chances are, I probably wouldn't even be alive." Starr had escaped from Prime with Riker nearly three days earlier, and had been on board the Enterprise for nearly twelve hours.

"Yes," Picard began again, "actually, one of my officers is the purpose of this staff meeting."

Starr's smile faded. "Lt. Janeway," he said sadly.

"I was just telling my crew how headquarters has initiated negotiationtalks with the Cardassians in hopes of freeing Lt. Janeway," Picard said. "It is our hope that the treaty we signed with them at the end of the Dominion War will play to our favor."

Starr nodded. "She is the reason that I am in attendance at this meeting," he revealed. "I didn't want the opportunity to tell everyone what kind of officer the lieutenant is to pass. She wasn't forcibly taken by the Cardassians."

Will's head shot up in the ambassador's direction. He had been dreading the moment when he'd have to reveal to the captain, to everyone, what Dani had done. She'd abandoned the Federation and Starfleet for Dukat. So far, he hadn't been able to bring himself to offer that information up to anyone. He hadn't been planning to unless he was ordered to. But it looked like Starr was about to spill the beans right now. When Will had made his decision to keep to himself as long as possible, he'd forgotten that the ambassador had been standing right there when Dani had done it. He'd watched on as Dani had thrown away her Starfleet life.

His heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, he watched and listened as Starr continued.

At Starr's last words, everyone at the table had looked at each other, obviously puzzled.

"Ambassador, what do you mean she wasn't taken forcibly," Geordi asked. "You don't mean she wanted to go with them?"

"Oh, yes, Commander, that's exactly what I'm saying," Starr said. "Lt. Janeway went with the Cardassians willingly because she wanted to make sure they released me. She offered herself as a bargaining chip. I saw her do it before my very eyes. She offered herself to them for my freedom."