Yesterday I was sick ( still am) so I accomplished a rare feat- I read an entire book, from beginning to end, in one day. I had bought the Voyager/Section 31 book "Shadow" for Matthew the day before, of all places at the children's resale store while looking for ballet shoes for Andrew ( got him Capezios for $2.50, by the way!). He read it that evening and I read it in one day, so it's obviously a fast read. However, this novel by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch packs in plenty of depth. It looks at two of the "tough" subjects of the Star Trek universe- How does one apply the Prime Directive to a species that is about to be annihilated by a disaster of some sort? Is it interfering in the natural development so stop their extinction, whether or not First Contact must be established to do so? I have always found the arguments for letting another species or culture die to uphold the PD specious-so I was happy to see the Voyager clue save the pre-warp culture in this book.
The other half of the plot of this book concerns repeated murder attempts against Seven. It is eventually found to be the work of a Section 31 operative ( though if you want to know how, you'll have to read it!)
Which brings me to the DS9 episode- in delicious symmetry, we watched "Inquisition" right after I finished the book ( not by design, but because it was next on the disc). Some of the same issues are paralleled, naturally; How can loyal Starfleet officers live with the knowledge that Section 31 exists. What does it say that a peaceful, advanced culture has people who can kidnap and murder with impunity- all in the name of preserving that peace?
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