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M’Benga stares at the captain. “Are you going to turn me in?”
Pike sits back in his chair in Sickbay. “Are you worried I will?”
“That depends on who I’m talking to right now. My friend, or my captain?”
Pike crosses his arms. “Don’t say it like that,” he snaps. “Don’t throw our friendship in my face, not when we both took oaths. You broke yours.”
“If that’s how you feel.”
“It is,” Pike retorts. He sighs and shakes his head. “Look, I didn’t fight in the war. Maybe I’ll never understand what it was like for you. But what you did was wrong, Joseph. I need you to understand what.”
“You weren’t there,” the doctor protests. “If you had been in my place—”
“You murdered an ambassador in my Sickbay!” Pike hisses, glaring at M’Benga. “And then lied to me about it.” He shakes his head. “Even if I thought you had done the right thing, I’d be obligated to tell Starfleet about an officer killing someone in cold blood.”
M’Benga nods slowly. “So, you will report me.”
“No.” Pike climbs out of his chair. “Officially, there was no mission to Kenfori. I can’t file a report without triggering an investigation that would tie up Enterprise for months. They’d take the Chimera Blossom from Marie, and I won’t make her pay for your bad decision. You’re off the hook.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Joseph, I trusted you. And you betrayed that trust.” Pike heads for the door. “I’m sending you to counseling.” He shakes his head. “There’s not much else I can do, but I’m going to have Dr. Piper review all of your decisions from here on out.”
“I understand.” Joseph nods. “I’m sorry, Chris.”
“Don’t say that.” Pike turns in front of the exit. “Show me.”