Hernandez interrupted. “And Earth.
ShiKahr, Vulcan
“I have just received word that the hijacked vessels attacking Alpha Centauri have all been neutralized, Minister, said Minister Kuvak, desert sunlight streaming in from behind him through the partially open office door.
TPau, first minister of the recently reconstituted global civilian government now known as the Confederacy of Vulcan, nodded a silent acknowledgment to her silver-haired aide. She could sense from the tension in his posture that Kuvak had not yet finished delivering the latest newsand that what he had yet to report would prove even less pleasant than the tidings from Alpha Centauri.
“And what of the assault against Calder II? TPau asked as she rose from behind her simple yet gracefully curved desk. Although Calder IIs scientific outpost was primarily populated, staffed, and administered by humans, the Vulcan government had taken a strong interest in the settlement for decades.
As the lower-ranking government minister took a moment to assemble his thoughts, TPau studiously avoided commenting upon his all-too-evident lack of composure.
“Starfleets forces may have arrived too late, First Minister, the middle-aged Vulcan said a moment later. “As have ours, apparently. Early reports are sporadic, of course. But the hostiles may have already succeeded in establishing a military toehold at Calder.
Hostiles,TPau thought. It is a fine euphemism.
TPau stood stock-still in the center of her office. The sparsely appointed stone-veneer walls, bare but for a single minimalist meditation tapestry, now seemed somehow too busy, too stimulating to look upon as she struggled to master her own rising fear and agitation.
“Summon all the senior enriovof the High Command, she said. “And alert the entire High Assembly, as well as the Coalition Security Council.
“I shall do so at once, Kuvak said just before he disappeared through the same doorway hed used to enter the office.
TPau continued to stand alone in the rooms center, feeling a bereft sense of desolation she hadnt experienced since Syrran had died protecting Suraks katrafrom the predations of Administrator VLas, TPaus ousted predecessor.
Surak had always believed that the logic of peace transcended all other considerations. TPau, however, was becoming bitterly aware that such logic often broke down when one was beset by uncompromising, rapacious hostiles such as those who had just attacked Alpha Centauri and Calder.
Especially when those hostiles were Romulans, misguided cousins of Suraks children, bent on destroying everything that Vulcan and her allies had worked so hard to create.
FORTY-SIX
Gamma Hydra sector
T HE MORE TIME HE SPENTon the busy bridge of Sopeks bird-of-prey, the warier Trip felt.
Why hasnt the bastard just tossed me into a cell?Trip thought as he ran a hand slowly over the bridge console to which the Vulcan-Romulan double agent had posted him. Since the console was out of orderits lone functioning monitor displayed a blood-green pictogram proclaiming that it had been closed down temporarily for diagnostics and repairTrip assumed that Sopek didnt expect him to be able to do much harm here, right out in plain sight, no less.
But why is he letting me anywhere near any of this stuff, whether its working or not? It cant be because hes decided hetrusts me all of a sudden.
Glancing toward the hulking armed uhlanwho stood watching him from beside the nearest turbolift entrance, Trip realized that Sopek might have allowed him onto the bridge for reasons altogether unrelated to trust. The situation brought to mind a twentieth-century flatvid film, an organized-crime drama that he had seen with TPol on a long-ago Movie Night back aboard Enterprise,years ago and parsecs away. According to one of the gangsters portrayed in the film, it was best not only to keep ones friends close, but also to keep ones enemies closer.
Maybe Sopek even thinks theres a chance Ill volunteer to sign up with his own warp-seven engineering team if he holds me captive long enough.
The exclamation of a junior com officer interrupted Trips ruminations. “Commander Chuihv! I am picking up a subspace transmission from the vicinity of Tezel-Oroko.
“Put it on audio, Sublieutenant, said the bird-of-preys commander, whom Trip still had trouble thinking of by any name other than his Vulcan nom de guerre, Sopek.
A crackling rush of static heralded the panicked utterance of a deeply terrified-sounding human male. “imperative! This is theKobayashi Maru, nineteen periods out of Altair VI. We have struck a gravitic mine and have lost all power! Our hull is penetrated and we have sustained many casualties
Extremely conscious of the disruptor-carrying uhlanwho continued to eye him from the rear of the bridge, Trip moved away from his dead console and cautiously approached the central command chair upon which Chuihv/Sopek sat.
“Is this the freighter you mentioned? Trip asked, trying to pitch his voice so that only the captain could hear him clearly. “The one thats carrying the spy gear you said you wanted to help Earth and Vulcan set up at Tezel-Oroko?
The other man only nodded before looking down at a small display screen built into the arm of his chair; whatever it showed lay just outside Trips immediate line of sight.
“Well, arent we going to rescue her? Trip asked, scarcely able to contain his mounting impatience.
“Something tells me we might not have to, Commander, Sopek said, still staring down at his hidden display.
A moment later, another human voice rose above the background hum of the bridges instruments. “Kobayashi Maru, this isEnterprise. Please confirm your position.
Hoshi!Trip experienced the first real surge of hope hed allowed himself to feel since hed encountered TPol and Malcolm at Taugus III.
“Enterprise, our position is Gamma Hydra, section ten,said the frightened man aboard the freighter. “Hull penetrated. Life-support systems failing. Can you assist us,Enterprise? Can you assist us?
“Kobayashi Maru, Hoshi said. “Were on our way to you now. Please stand by. Well reach your coordinates in approximately twenty minutes.
Trip craned his neck in an attempt to gauge the freighters position relative to Sopeks vessel, making a few quick mental conversions and translations in the process.
He turned back toward Sopek quickly enough to prompt the uhlanto reach for his weapon. “We could reach the Kobayashi Maruand start a rescue operation nearly twiceas quickly as Enterprisecan.
“We could indeed, Commander, Sopek said, apparently unfazed by Trips accusatory tone.
Understanding was settling uncomfortably onto Trips consciousness, like a heavy, smothering blanket. “But thats not what youre planning to do, is it? At the moment he didnt care what the rest of the crew heard, and it seemed clear that neither did Sopek.
The other man shook his head. “Regrettably, no. We cannot afford to be too close to the freighter when Valdores people engage their arrenhehwiuatelecapture system against it. Its going to happen very soon.