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Cover image.
Authors: David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang
Publisher: Pocket Books
Series: Pocket DS9
Section 31 #4
Published: 1 July 2001
Pages: 292
Year: 2376
Stardate: Unknown
Reference #: ISBN 0671774832 (US paperback)

No law. No conscience. No stopping them.

Summary

From the book jacket
Section 31. They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group commited to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.
Mere days after the startling events of Avatar, Doctor Julian Bashir faces his darkest nightmare when Section 31 compels him to undertake amission to stop one of their own. But this renegade is no ordinary agent. Like Bashir, Dr. Ethan Locken is genetically enhanced, a human superior in body and mind. But Locken dreams of remaking the galaxy in his own image -- and creating a new human empire based on the example of the infamous Khan Noonien Singh.
And as he begins to understand the terrifying truth about his opposite number, Bashir will learn more about himself than he ever wanted.

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Deep Space 9 is running in reduced power mode after having been crippled by recent events. The engineering crews are taking part in a detailed plan by Nog to use materials from Empok Nor to repair the stations power generators.

Bashir is approached by one Cole, who reveals himself as member of Section 31. He tells Bashir about a Dr Ethan Locken, a former section 31 agent, who is genetically engineered, just like Julian, and who now starts to build his own, private Jem'Hadar army on a distant planet. Julian resistantly agrees to go after Dr Locken, and he takes Taran'atar, Ro and Ezri with him. Julian talks with Elias Vaughn before their departure, and is surprised that he does not seem to be surprised by the existence of Section 31.

After some hours of flying through space, the away-team encounters an unknown Romulan vessel - inside, they find Romulans that have been murdered brutally and a recorded message of Locken; he seems to think of himself as the new Khan Noonien Singh. When they finally approach the planet, their runabout gets shot by some defensive weapons; while Ro and Taran'atar can beam out, Julian and Ezri are caught by Locken's Jem'Hadars.

While Taran'atar and Ro, with the help of the Ingavi, a ape-like species that settled on the planet some decades ago, try to reach both their runabout and Dr Locken's headquarters, Ezri and Julian finally meet Locken, who invites them to diner, shows them his headquarter and does everything to pull Julian on his side. This almost seems to work when Julian, forced to choose between Ezri and Locken, chooses Locken. But he was only pretending, helping Ezri to break out of their prison, and in the cause of that, she manages to poison the White of Locken's Jem'Hadar. When Locken realises Bashir's treachery, it is too late - Taran'atar, being caught by the other Jem'Hadar, manages to convince their First that Locken is not a real god, and Locken is finally killed by his own creatures.

The crew wants to save some of Locken's work for evidence reason; however, the headquarter all of a sudden is attacked by Section 31 forces, and they flee from the planet - thinking that the Ingavi are now all killed by Section 31. Back on DS9, Vaughn reveals several things to Julian: First, he is a member of a secret group who has been fighting against Section 31 for a long time; second, he used the vessel shown in Star Trek: Insurrection (where it was used to relocate the Son'a), to secretly relocate the Ingavi; in fact, Section 31 is responsible for the events told in Insurrection, although they made it look like the fault of one admiral. Julian joins the secret group, happy to do something against the sinister organization.

Kira, in the meantime, gets a message from Shakaar Edon, prime minister of Bajor; he warns her that with her recent actions (see Avatar, Book 1 and Avatar, Book 2), she has made some powerful enemies. Kira realizes that she has not many Bajoran friends left on the station because of her Attainment; only one security guard, Shul Torem, does not seem to bother with this fact. Also, we learn that ensign Prynn Tenmei is commander Vaughn's daughter. Finally, Kasidy Yates and Joseph Sisko find out that Jake Sisko is missing - as he never arrived on Earth, as he was claiming.

Background Information

Characters

Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Pocket DS9 characters.

Regular and recurring characters

Julian Bashir
Lieutenant commander, CMO of Deep Space 9.
Kira Nerys
Colonel, station commanding officer.
Ro maquis

Ro Laren in the 2270s. (TNG: "Preemptive Strike")

Ro Laren
DS9's new security chief, Bajoran Militia lieutenant.
Elias Vaughn
Starfleet commander and DS9's first officer.
File:Nog2375.jpg

Lt. Nog.

Nog
Lieutenant, chief of operations.
Taran'atar
Jem'Hadar "ambassador" on DS9.
Ezri Dax
Starfleet command division lieutenant.
Ethan Locken
Augment.
Shul Temor
Bajoran security guard aboard DS9.
Shakaar Edon
Bajoran prime minister.
Prynn Tenmei
Starfleet ensign, daughter of Elias Vaughn.

Referenced

Bennett (Rear Admiral)
Starfleet JAG officer who ruled on Bashir's status as a recipient of gene enhancement.
Tiris Jast
Starfleet commander who was the late first officer to Colonel Kira. Jast died in Avatar, Book 1.
Miles O'Brien
Starfleet CPO, Nog's predecessor as operations chief. O'Brien was remembered as saying that the Cardassians built stations to last. O'Brien left the novel series in the "What You Leave Behind" novelization.

Other characters

Cole
Section 31 agent.
Kel
Ingavi native.

References

File:Deep space 9.jpg

Deep Space Nine.

Deep Space 9
USS Euphrates
DS9 runabout.
USS Gryphon
Federation starship, Akira-class
Li Nalas
Bajoran flagship, named for Li Nalas.
File:Fed danube.jpg

USS Rio Grande.

USS Rio Grande
DS9 runabout.
Section 31
USS Sungari
DS9 runabout.
Wayfarer
Starship, a civilian transport.

External link

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Previous DS9 novel:
Avatar: Book 2
Novels
Pocket DS9
Section 31
Next DS9 novel:
Gateways #4: Demons of Air and Darkness
Previous novel:
#3: Shadow (VOY)
Next novel:
Final novel in series
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