Star Trek: Picard — Second Self
{5/5} “She had not liked him (was it possible to like a Tal Shiar agent?), but their working relationship during the Dominion War had been mutually beneficial. She hadn’t trusted him (was it possible to trust Tal Shiar?), but she had respected him. He’d understood the gray area in which they operated, and how to make it work for both of them.”
Star Trek: Picard — Second Self by Una McCormack, published in 2022
Raffi is visiting JL at his vineyard, pondering what to do next, Starfleet Intelligence being one of the options. Picard brings to her attention a problem in Cardassian-Bajoran relations — the Bajorans wants the Cardassians to hand over Elim Garak and they say he’s no longer in their space. He might be on a planet where Raffi had a deeply unpleasant experience when she was younger. Picard suggests she use this as a test run to see if she wants to be in Intelligence.
This novel is about dealing with people who have done terrible things in the past. It’s about how the complex relationships between the Federation, Bajorans, Cardassians, and Romulans. It is, in an astonishing way, about restitution.
Other characters who show up include Cristóbal Rios, Elnor, and Laris.
Fans of Elim Garak will want to read this book, where he ends up with an even more amazing fate than in the other universe (where he became the leader of his planet).
I’ve read 11 books by McCormack. I previously reviewed the Cardassia: The Lotus Flower half of Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Volume One. She’s also had stories in anthologies such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Prophecy and Change.