“And why didn’t we hear directly from Suran?” Vale wanted to know.
Troi thought that was a good question. And possibly also an unanswerable one. Were Donatra and Suran really in complete agreement about how best to handle Praetor Tal’Aura and the Remans? She recalled having sensed some discord between them during that first meeting in Ki Baratan.
“Maybe the new Klingon-Reman arrangement will keep the peace between Donatra and Suran the same way Tal’Aura expects it to keep Durjik in line,” Troi said. “But I think we can let Donatra worry about that for the moment.”
“Exactly,” Will said, clearly not in the mood right now to find dark clouds inside his silver linings. There would be plenty of time later for that. For now, there was a real prospect for peace. Tenuous and balanced on a knife’s edge, to be sure, but also substantial enough to offer a genuine cause for hope.
Chapter Twenty-three
U.S.S. TITAN,STARDATE 57020.5
In spite of himself, Riker felt he was the least of the three people present in his ready room, now that the crisis had been averted. Akaar and Spock sat on the other side of the desk from him, discussing the resolution of the immediate Romulan-Reman conflict, and what was to come next. They all knew that what they had done today was merely a stopgap measure. But now the way was clear for the Federation to send in specialists from the Diplomatic Corps to help work out the fine details of the Klingon administration of a Reman protectorate. Riker was well aware that the deal he and Spock had brokered between the Klingons and the Remans might have unpredictable consequences down the road.
For the moment, the result was peace, however fragile it might be. And that was infinitely preferable to the alternative.
“Admiral, do you think you could see your way clear to allow Ambassador Spock to return to his work with the Unification movement and the Remans?” Riker asked, posing the question that he felt was the elephant in the room that Akaar had so far ignored.
Seated in the tall chair before Riker’s desk, Akaar regarded him with a testy expression. “You are fully aware of the Federation Council’s wishes, Captain.”
“As am I, Admiral,” Spock said calmly, looking Akaar in the eye. The ambassador was sitting, hands folded in his lap, in one of the ready room’s other “visitor” chairs.
Riker knew well that Spock was fully capable of defying authority if the stakes were high enough. Spock’s hijacking of one of the earliest starships named Enterpriseto the forbidden world of Talos IV, and his subsequent acquittal by a Starfleet court martial, were common knowledge. Therefore Riker could empathize with the respectful yet wary expression he saw on Akaar’s lined face.
“I believe that I shallreturn to Earth to meet with President Bacco and the Federation Council,” Spock continued. “Such was my plan prior to the upheavals caused by Shinzon, after all.”
“But what about your ongoing Unification work on Romulus?” Riker asked. “Commander Tuvok tells me that when he first tracked you down, you weren’t willing to leave Romulus, even for a short time.”
“Given the presently changing fortunes of the Romulan Star Empire, logic dictates that workable solutions will require expansive minds. Perhaps my views will be seen as expansive.”
“But what if the president or the council tries to keep you from going back to Romulus?” Akaar asked.
“I have returned to Earth on more than one occasion since I began my association with the Romulan dissident movement. Federation authorities have never attempted to interdict me.”
“But suppose they decide to do it thistime?” Akaar asked. “Do you plan to return to Romulus afterward, regardless of whatever the council or President Bacco decides?”
Spock put his hands in front of his face and steepled his fingers against his lips. “My mission is infinitely more complex and dangerous than it ever was before, Leonard. Where once my task was to reunite the Romulan and Vulcan cultures via the logical teachings of Surak, I must now do so while helping the Romulans and Remans overcome their long-standing mutual hatreds. To adopt the ways of Surak, the removal of hatred is a necessary first step.”
“I will take that as a ‘yes,’ ” Akaar said, smiling grimly.
“If you must,” Spock said, sounding like a patient teacher working with a willfully obtuse child. “However, I have faith in my ability to persuade both the president and a council majority to resume the Federation’s support of the Unification movement.”
“Faith, Mr. Ambassador?” Riker said. “Are you sure that’s entirely logical?”
Spock nodded, as though acknowledging at least the appearance of a paradox. “There were times, Captain, when faith in the power of logic was all that sustained Surak himself. It will suffice, I should think.”
“I hope you are right,” said Akaar. “You may find Councillor T’Latrek of Vulcan difficult to persuade. Not to mention Councillor Gleer of Tellar. That one would surely tax the patience of even Surak himself.”
“Indeed,” Spock said, his craggy face taking on a determined cast. “But if logic was an easily attainable goal, there would be little need for diplomats.”
Akaar inclined his head. “Or for Starfleet.”
“Admiral, will you be joining your advisers and Ambassador Spock on Der Sonnenaufgang?”Riker asked, unable to suppress a smile himself. All three of the convoy’s Starfleet cargo vessels were due to depart for re-supply in Federation space within the hour. Very soon, Starfleet vessels would be making regular freight and personnel runs to assist Romulan and Reman alike in rebuilding the infrastructure of their respective worlds—under the watchful eyes of both Starfleet Command and Klingon Governor Khegh of the newly instituted Reman Protectorate.
Akaar’s small smile widened. “You will not get rid of me quite that easily, Captain. I intend to stay aboard Titanuntil her stopover at Starbase 185.”
“If you must,” Riker said dryly.
Akaar let out a hearty laugh, while Spock turned to regard Riker with a raised eyebrow.
Deanna Troi walked toward sickbay slowly, unable to suppress a slight feeling of trepidation. It was one thing to see a Reman from the safe remove of the bridge viewscreen. But it was quite another thing to know that a Reman was aboard Titan,waiting for her.He had specifically requested to speak with the ship’s diplomatic officer.
Entering sickbay, Troi gently rapped her knuckles against the plasteel wall beside the biobed where the creature lay. “Commander Deanna Troi. You asked to see me?” she said, willing a professional calm into her voice despite the restless churning of her belly.
The large Reman opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. He was draped with a powder blue blanket, but she could see deep scars crisscrossing his torso, giving his fish-white flesh a texture reminiscent of broken concrete.
“Thank you for coming, Commander,” he said, his voice low and deep as a gravel pit. “Pardon me for not getting up to greet you, but your captain has had me restrained as a security measure. Over the objections of your healers. And your Commander Tuvok, I might add.”
Troi noted that the Reman was, indeed, restrained by a forcefield. She knew that Will was taking a reasonable precaution in keeping a former Vikr’l Prison inmate confined in this fashion. But she also wondered whether she would have felt shock rather than relief at the sight of his treatment had he been a member of some other species.
“I hope you can understand our caution, given the circumstances, Mister…” She trailed off, eyeing him inquisitively. She’d heard his name spoken only once.