Star Trek: Section 31: Abyss
Written by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang
First Printed July 2001
292 Pages
No Law.
No Conscience.
No Stopping Them.
The back cover reads: 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 committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.
Abyss is the book that takes place in the universe where Section 31 originated: Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Sloan is no more, at least not in this tale. Cole is the new agent from the vaunted Section 31 group that visits with Dr. Julian Bashir and lays out the dilemma: One of their own agents, Dr. Ethan Locken has turned against Section 31 and he has a most nefarious plan; Locken intends to remake the universe in his image. This is Khan Noonien Singh on a galactic scale. Locken is genetically enhanced, superior in body and soul and only Julian Bashir is on par with Locken and Section 31 needs Bashir’s help to save the day.
From the get go, this story feels like a DS9 episode and it moves forward with a purpose – we know what must happen and the devil awaits Bashir, we’re all along for the ride.
Cole tells Bashir:
“You know, of course, that you are not the only genetically enhanced human in the Federation. And I don’t mean only your little circle of friends-Jack, Lauren, Sarina, Patrick, that lot. There are many others, far more than Starfleet Command knows about . . . or wants to know about, if you want my opinion. One thing I’ve learned in my line of work, Doctor, is that the best place to hide is where your enemies don’t wish to look. Almost four hundred years after the Eugenics Wars, humans are still so terrified of the idea of someone spawning another Khan that they’re afraid to admit to themselves that black-market genetic labs exist on dozens of worlds. What do you think of my assessment?”
“I agree.”
Cole informs Bashir that
Locken survived the Dominion attack on New Beijing – one of the worst events
of the entire war against the Dominion and this makes Locken receptive to
Section 31 advances. In time, Locken turns on his handlers and makes his way to
a secret Dominion facility in the Badlands – a place from whence Locken
intends to build his new galaxy of genetically enhanced humans. Bashir is the
only one that can understand and communicate with Locken and stop him.
“But why?” Ro asked
again.
“Why?” asked Taran’atar. Isn’t it obvious? Because he could. Because he knew that whatever he once had been, he was no longer. Because there was no one who could tell him he may not. Because it is what unchecked power will always do.”
One could say that this
small snipped sums up the entire book and the existence of Section 31. Who
checks on this secret organization? Why do they do what it is that they do? Are
they always correct in what they do? Unchecked power is dangerous. The
ends justify the means? For Section 31, the
“means” mean nothing, protection of the Federation is everything, no matter
who dies, no matter what is destroyed, no matter.
Turns out that the
adventure is a series of double-cross after double-cross. Almost all of the
participants get duped and the story is a real complex one when where if you are
not paying attention, you’ll miss how the story moved forward. There were some
genuine surprises in the book, but at the same, it seemed as if some events just
magically happened. Nevertheless – Abyss
is a taught story and is worth reading.
Roger’s rating: B
