Wishing he hadnt neglected to bring along the padd upon which he had organized his thoughts during the voyage to Earth, Archer cleared his throat and searched his mind for a way to get at what he had intended to say.
Before Archer had uttered a single word, Gral suddenly rose to his feet and shouted, “I object! Absurdly, Archer felt only gratitude for the interruption.
“I presume that surprises no one, Soval said, one eyebrow raised in what might have signaled droll Vulcan humor.
“Captain Archer has addressed this body more times than has any other military officer from any Coalition world, Gral continued, ignoring Sovals verbal jab. “This is yet another sign of creeping human hegemony.
“Again, I must agree with my Tellarite colleague, Thoris said, though he remained seated. “While I certainly respect the captains accomplishments on behalf of my world and other Coalition members, it is not appropriate for humans to so thoroughly dominate these proceedings.
Archer fumed quietly. So its all right to have me aroundonly when you need somebody to keep Andoria, Vulcan, and Tellar from blowing each others fleets out of the sky.
“Gral is correct, Thoris said. “Under the Coalitions parliamentary rules, a member world cannot unilaterally call one of its own people to address the Council if that person is not a duly recognized planetary delegate.
“That is true, Minister Thoris, Soval said. “However, the United Earth government did not call Captain Archer here to speak. In fact, I have little doubt that the captains military superiors would prefer that he be elsewhere today.
Archer stole another glance at the admirals and the general, all of whose scowls seemed to deepen and intensify, confirming Sovals contention, if only inadvertently. Boy, Soval, you dont know the half of it,he thought, then allowed his gaze to drift back to the Vulcan minister to make certain that Admiral Gardners basilisk stare hadnt just turned him to solid stone.
“If Earths delegation did not call Captain Archer here, then who did? said Thoris, his antennae thrusting forward in an apparent mix of curiosity and querulousness.
“First Minister TPau of Vulcan, Soval announced in his customary matter-of-fact tones.
Thoris and Gral harrumphed in unison, almost as though they had rehearsed the joint maneuver in advance.
“Proceed, the Tellarite growled with a defeated sigh before dropping ungracefully back into his chair.
Once more unto the breach,Archer thought. He cleared his throat again, screwed up his courage one last time, and plunged forward.
“The Romulans, he announced as his preface. “Maybe weve all been a bit too busy lately arguing among ourselves to focus on the threat they pose to every world in the Coalition and beyond. The attack on Coridan was only the first catastrophe to emerge while weve been preoccupied with politics.
“How can you be so certain that the Romulans are to blame for Coridan, Captain? Gral asked, interrupting.
Archer paused and thought of Trip, who had been behind enemy lines for the past several months, covertly risking his life. I wish I could tell you the plain unvarnished truth, Gral.
“Indeed, said Soval. “The Klingons are equally likely to be the responsible parties.
“Or a rogue asteroid strike, for that matter, Thoris said.
Archer shook his head. “With respect, Minister Thoris, asteroids dont travel at multiwarp speeds. And Ive never seen a natural impact produce an antiparticle flux capable of igniting half a worlds underground dilithium supply.
“But you cannot deny the occurrence of a number of recent border skirmishes between Coalition vessels and warships from the Klingon Empire, Thoris said.
Archer nodded. “Of course not, Minister. But the occasional up-front fight with the Klingons over territorial jurisdiction isnt what Im talking about here. Sneak attacks on dilithium freighters are something else entirely.
Soval raised an eyebrow. “The Klingon Empire is a starfaring civilization, like each of the Coalition worlds. They require dilithium just as we do.
“Blatant piracy just doesnt fit the Klingon Empires profile, Minister Soval, Archer said. Addressing the entire room, he continued. “Youre all aware of the recent attacks on Coalition cargo vessels. Weve found the energy signatures of disruptor fire wherever weve recovered debris after one of these incidents. This is certainly consistent with Romulan technology.
“The Klingons have disruptors as well, Captain, Soval said.
“True enough, Archer said, spreading his hands before him. “But would the Klingons ambush our ships while were still trying to negotiate the boundaries of the Neutral Zone between Coalition space and their own empire? He held up a hand to forestall any interruption. “And again, everything Ive learned firsthand about the Klingons tells me that sneaking up on unarmed freighters just isnt their style.
“I must agree with thatpart of your assessment, Captain, Soval said, stonily calm. “However, ambushes using disruptor weapons are also characteristic of the Orions, as well as a number of other races that you have, so far, been fortunate enough not yet to have encountered. The Breen, for example.
After all weve been through together over the past four years, he still sees us as poor relations,Archer thought, biting back a sharp verbal retort. Even now, he just cant resist rubbing my face in how much more Vulcans know about the rest of the galaxy than we do.
Then, doing his best to emulate Sovals damnable coolness despite the concerted glowers of his superiors, Archer began methodically outlining the facts concerning the so-called pirate raids of the last several weeks, taking care to reveal nothing that might compromise the secret of Trip Tucker and his present critically important covert activities behind enemy lines, or the secret kinship of the Romulan and Vulcan peoples.
But the impassive demeanor of the assembled delegates immediately told him that only definitive firsthand evidenceinformation that would almost certainly compromise Trips ability to contribute to the continued survival of the Coalition, and maybe even that of Earth itselfwould suffice to persuade the assembled wise heads of four worlds to set aside their many differences.
And to act on something other than the ever-shifting internal politics of their fractious, fragile new alliance.
Archer wondered, not for the first time, whether he had embarked on a fools errand by coming here.
Archers main recollection an hour after hed presented his case before the Coalition Council was that his audience had listened attentively for the most part, but had nevertheless seemed either unwilling or unable to deal head-on with the coming Romulan threat. Sitting in the copilots seat of Shuttlepod One beside Travis Mayweather, Archer silently dissected his own performance before the Coalitions massed powers-that-be as he watched the fog-shrouded San Francisco skyline drop over the horizon. He felt almost robotic as he went through the motions of assisting his helmsman in taking the small auxiliary craft back up into the parking orbit where Enterpriseawaited.
Travis checked in with Lieutenant Donna “D.O. ONeill, Enterprises third watch commander, who confirmed the shuttlepods approach vector. Then Archer secured his console and rose from his seat to face the rest of his senior officers, all of whom were seated aft of the cockpit area. TPol regarded him with an all but unreadable expression, while both Phlox and Hoshi watched him as well, their gazes radiating quiet concern. Malcolm stared distractedly out of one of the small portside windows, apparently lost in his own thoughts.