Star Trek: 10 Times Starfleet Officers Crossed The Line

9. Michael Eddington Betrays Starfleet For A Greater Good - For The Cause

Michael Eddington was a Starfleet officer, long before he ever switched his allegiances to the Maquis. He may have put Garak to shame when it came to spinning a lie, but from his point of view, he stepped over a line he had no choice in crossing.

The treaty between the Federation and the Cardassian Union left the quadrant with a demilitarised zone. This zone was a hotbed of political tumult, with several colony worlds finding themselves under new jurisdictions with the swish of a pen.

Hindsight may be a wonderful thing but there were many in the zone and beyond who knew that the Cardassians were never going to honour the treaty. Skirmishes and raids, as well as brutal attacks that were just small enough not to incur Starfleet reprisals, became the order of the day. The Maquis were born to combat the Cardassian threat and to many, including Eddington and others, they were last, best hope for those colonists' salvation.

Many officers, like Chakotay, resigned their comissions to join the Maquis. Eddington finds himself on this list as, rather than put down the combadge and leave the service, he used his Starfleet position to trick his way into possession of industrial replicators, stunning Major Kira, and embarking on a daring campaign of freedom fighting. 

His intentions were pure, though his actions left little room for sympathy from a captain who felt betrayed more than twice over.