Текст книги "Kobayashi Maru"

The intrusive voice in Gannet Brookss earpiece carried with it the same unmistakable end‑of‑the‑world quality that she recognized from all the other times the end of the world had seemed imminentand yet had somehow failed to arrivesince the Xindi sneak attack of fifty‑three.

Sitting alone at a sidewalk table in front of Madame Changs Mandarin Cafй, Gannet paused in the midst of her current rather urgent search of Earths datanets and the Coalition networks to which they were already partially linked via the subspace bands. She smiled to herself. As usual, Nash McEvoy had gotten wind of the story well after she had. That,she told herself, is what separates a good reporter from a merely competent editor.

“Im way ahead of you, boss, she said, subvocalizing into her throat mic to guard against the possibility that anybody within earshotsuch as the half‑dozen or so Starfleet personnel shed seen entering the eatery since her arrivalmight overhear what she was about to say. “I know about the alien ships that opened fire on the Draylaxians.

“Is it still going on?McEvoy said, sounding shrill in her ear.

“Cant say, she said as she scrolled through the text messages recorded on her data padd. She would have paid serious coin for a knowledgeable and talkative Starfleet officer to share her table right now, but none of the carefree fleeters nearby seemed likely to fill the bill. “My sources say its been taking everything Draylax has to stand up to the assault. Assuming thats even possible.

“Did your sources say anything about who the attackers might be?

“Still working on that, boss.

“What about that significant other of yours in Starfleet? Do you think he could shed any light on the matter?

“Thats ex‑significant other, remember? she said aloud, apparently startling a young busboy who had begun clearing a nearby empty table of a spent coffee urn and several other remnants of a previous customers meal. Catching herself, she resumed her outwardly inaudible subvocalizing.

“As if its any of your business anyway, Nash, she said as she pushed an errant lock of her otherwise straight brown hair away from her eyes. “Besides, Travis Mayweather and I have barely been on speaking terms all year.

Although she and Travis had parted company on friendly enough terms after Terra Primes poop had finished hitting the ventilator, Gannet hadnt forgotten Traviss suspicions that she was in league with Terra Prime in their failed assassination plot against Nathan Samuels, and she suspected that he hadnt forgotten either; he hadnt believed her when shed claimed to be doing spook work on behalf of Starfleet Intelligence, even though her journalistic career made it a professional necessity to forge and maintain close working relationships with certain key intel operatives. Traviss distrust during that crisis still stung, and it fueled her continued determination to resist any impulse to ask him for favorseven if it seemed as likely as not that hed grant them.

A new line of text scrolled into view on her padds display, as if summoned by her thoughts. She recognized it immediately as a reply from one of the clandestine sources Travis hadnt believed she sometimes worked with.

She gasped when she read it, once again momentarily startling the busboy.

“Whats wrong, Gannet?McEvoy murmured.

“Looks like one of my best sources knows who attacked Draylax, she said, still subvocalizing.

He sounded impatient, though she could hardly blame him. “And?

She paused long enough to pick up her sweating water glass and raise it to her lips in the hopes of moistening her dry throat enough to make an intelligible reply. “Its the Klingons, she said a moment later.

“The Klingons?he said, sounding quizzical. “Those motorcycle‑gang types with the big knives and the shellfish attached to their foreheads?

Gannet replied with a sigh and a resigned shake of her head. Nash McEvoy sometimes stood as a talking, breathing object lesson proving the Vulcans right in questioning humanitys readiness to move out into the galaxy.

“The hostile ships are of Klingon configuration, she said. “Three heavily armed battle cruisers. And their attack began sometime yesterday.

“Klingons,McEvoy repeated, his tone again oscillating back toward the shrill end of the spectrum. “From what little I know about them, it sounds like its going to be a slaughter. If it isnt all over for the Draylaxians already, that is.

Gannet could only wish that her intelligence source had been able to provide a more up‑to‑the‑minute report on that score.

Another chill thought occurred to her then.

Whatever happens next,Enterprise is sure to be in the middle of it.

With Travis behind the wheel.

NINETEEN

Saturday, July 19, 2155 San Francisco

N ATHAN S AMUELS NEARLYjumped out of his chair when his office door flew open and slammed into the wall behind it with a resounding thud.

“Have you looked at the newsnets? Haroun al‑Rashid said, holding up a large sheet of gray e‑paper. The black text that dominated the page was so large that it all but screamed at him.

Samuels couldnt remember the last time hed seen Earths interior minister appear so agitated. On the other hand, it wasnt every day that he saw headlines like this one:

KLINGON EMPIRE ATTACKS DRAYLAX

“Contact the sergeant at arms, Rashid, he said, swallowing hard. “Tell him to round up every available delegate immediately. And call Ambassador Li on Centauri III.

“The Coalition Security Council is going into emergency session.

The last time Minister Soval had seen such a grim mood descend upon the Coalition Councils spacious assembly chamber, half the planet Coridan Prime had been engulfed in flames.

Today, Vulcans senior representative couldnt help but wonder whether the nascent Coalition of Planets might not be about to undergo a similar immolation, succumbing to the fires lit by the all but ungovernable passions of some of its small but extremely variegated membership.

“Never before have the Klingons made such a bold incursion so deep behind the Coalitions boundaries, said Andorian Foreign Minister Thoris, who stood behind his worlds designated section of the rooms curved central table between a pair of his aides. The ministers twin antennae lay flat against his white‑maned scalp, pointing forward in a conspicuous display of outrage. “This body has no choice other than to respond in kind, and to do so immediately.

Minister al‑Rashid rose from behind his own section of the table almost directly opposite the Andorian delegation, and spread his hands in a placating manner. “There are alwayschoices other than war, Minister Thoris, the human said.

“Not when youre talking about the Klingons, Gora bim Gral of Tellar growled in a rare display of agreement with his Andorian counterpart. The hirsute diplomat remained seated at a position at right angles to both the human and Andorian parties, where he was flanked by a pair of Tellarite junior functionaries, both of whom were nodding in vociferous agreement with their superior. “You starry‑eyed humans simply havent been out in the galaxy long enough yet to take such basic realities at face value.

To his credit, al‑Rashid sidestepped the Tellarites verbal jab without offering any provocation of his own. “Theres still a lot we dont know about the Draylax situation, Ambassador Gral, he said. “And I have to point out that the Coalitions boundaries are a relatively new addition to the galactic map. Perhaps the Klingons werent aware they were violating them.

“Klingons care little for such niceties, Gral said. “Indiscriminate expansion through conquest is their way. When the Klingons decide to go after you, your choices usually amount to either surrender or war. Therefore we would do well to teach them some respect for our boundaries, and to do it in the most direct fashion possible.

Thoris nodded grimly. “Photonic torpedoes can be excellent educators in situations such as these.

“I grant you that Klingons respect strength, al‑Rashid said. “But

Gral interrupted him. “And do you also grant that the security of nearby nonaligned worlds such as Draylax has a direct bearing on the security of the Coalition members? The Tellarite leaned forward across the table, his hairy knuckles supporting his weight. “Indeed, on the Coalitions continued existence?

The humans eyes narrowed as he appeared to struggle to keep his internal emotional fires carefully banked. “I understand that all too well, Ambassador.

Seated beside al‑Rashid, Prime Minister Samuels nodded in agreement, though he maintained as emotionally neutral an expression as Soval had ever seen on a human face. “Earths delegation believes very deeply in maintaining peace and security in the local systems. Indeed, we would hope that the assistance Earth is already providing to the Draylaxians would convince them to finally join the Coalition. We hope it will entice other nearby worlds as well, such as Porrima V.

Soval couldnt help but agree, even though he was well aware that additional alien recruitment into the Coalition suited the humans own self‑interested political purposes; after all, the inclusion of more nonhuman worlds in the Coalitions roster would go a long way toward blunting the ill feelings that persisted among the rest of the current membership because of Earths insistence on granting not only Coalition member status but also full Security Council voting rights to the human‑inhabited Alpha Centauri system.

“A stout blade and a fully charged disruptor pistol will get far better results with a ravening Klingon than will any amount of hope, Thoris said, punctuating his declaration by pounding his cerulean fist upon the tabletop several times. “We must waste no more time mounting a full counterattack!

“The last thing we should do is allow ourselves to be drawn into an all‑out war, al‑Rashid said. “At least not until our fastest frontline starships gather more firsthand information about what really happened at Draylax. We still dont know, for instance, precisely why the Klingons apparently resolved the situation themselves by destroying their own warship.

Thoris appeared unmoved. “With respect, Minister, the Klingons have never shown much interest in resolving anything. Were it otherwise, they would not have made the additional brazen move of destroying an Earth freighter in the Gamma Hydra sector.

“Weve seen no definitive evidence of that so far, said Samuels. “But I can see that your intelligence bureaus must be listening to the same rumors as ours do.

“No one has heard anything from the E.C.S. Horizonfor several days, Thoris said. “That is no mere rumor.

“True enough, Minister, Samuels said, crossing his arms before him. “But Im not prepared to go to war over what might turn out to be only a faulty com system.

“The Andorian government does not require the permission of Earth, or of this Coalition for that matter, to take whatever action we deem justifiable and prudent in the face of this grave danger, Thoris said, his antennae flattening backward against his scalp.

“Nor does Tellar, said Gral. “The provisions of the Coalition Compact notwithstanding.

Remaining in his seat, Samuels made an admirable display of equanimity in the face of such vehement opposition. “Of course not. Were a body of equals, meeting as equals. Thats why nobody is addressing anybody else from up there, especially today. He paused to gesture toward the empty speakers podium that stood upon the unoccupied raised dais at the front of the room. “But must I remind you both that your governments actions will reflect on allthe members of this body?

Gral huffed. “And must Iremind youthat Earth and Alpha Centauri are entangled with Draylax in a webwork of mutual defense treaties? You do your entire species a disservice by leaning on diplomacy during a time that demands soldiery instead.

Gral pushed away from the table, as did Thoris a moment later. Soval watched as his Tellarite and Andorian counterparts stalked angrily out of the room, heading for separate exits, their respective aides following closely on their heels.

Soval was grateful that neither the press nor any members of the general public were present in the gallery that overlooked the formal debating chamber; the participants in todays meeting had agreed to convene behind closed doors. Presently a tense and uncomfortable silence stretched between the human and Vulcan contingents, the only Coalition representatives who now remained in the room.

Haroun al‑Rashid was the first to break that silence. “May nobody do anything stupid over the next few days, inshallah,he said.

“Hear, hear, Samuels said, looking crestfallen and small.

Soval recognized al‑Rashids last utterance as a word from the human language known as Arabic.

Inshallah.If God wills it.

Though Soval himself espoused no specific deity of any sort, he couldnt help but agree with the ministers overall sentiment. Just as he concurred with Grals and Thoriss general contention that the Klingon Empire did indeed pose a potentially grave, if not an immediate, danger. While weve debated the issue of Romulan aggression,he thought, we have allowed ourselves to become blind to the Klingons.

Nevertheless, both logic and simple decency dictated that war could never be a first option.

“Even the Andorian and Tellarite governments must engage in a deliberative process of sorts before going to war independently of the will of the Coalition, Soval said, intent on offering his human colleagues at least some small degree of comfort.

Samuels and al‑Rashid both nodded in agreement. “Well stand adjourned until tomorrow, Samuels said, finally rising from behind the table.

“I suppose we ought to be thankful that Gral and Thoris arent the final decision‑makers on their respective homeworlds, al‑Rashid said.

Soval rose from his seat, thereby signaling his aides that it was time to leave the chamber. Addressing the humans, he said, “We must maintain hope thathow do the humans put it?cooler heads will prevail on both Andoria and Tellar.

But that hope felt nearly as forced as Thoriss smiles, or Grals table manners.

Sunday, July 20, 2155, 7:22 A.M . Montgomery, Alabama

When Charles Anthony Tucker II saw what he had just finished downloading onto the e‑paper, he nearly spit his morning orange juice across the kitchen.

“Elaine! he shouted when hed finally managed to stop sputtering.

His wife emerged from the hallway into the kitchen nearly at a run, pulling her bathrobe sash tightly about her slim waist. Wet hair framed her face, which was a study in concern at the moment, as though shed half expected to find him dying on the kitchen floor. Considering everything the Tucker family had endured over the past few yearsthe loss of their two adult children still felt like an open wound to Charles, and probably would continue to feel that way for whatever span of time remained to himhe could hardly blame her for believing the worst.

“Whats wrong, Charles? Elaine said.

He held up the e‑paper and coughed again before croaking out a single syllable. “Look, he said.

Maybe Trip and Lizzie were the lucky ones,he thought. They never saw things come tothis.

Charles watched Elaines eyes widen even further as she silently absorbed the bold, thumb‑high morning headlines:

COALITION COUNCIL DEBATES WAR RESOLUTION AGAINST KLINGON EMPIRE ANDORIAN AND TELLARITE FLEETS MOBILIZING FOR BATTLE

TWENTY

Sunday, July 20, 2155 Enterprise NX‑01, near Draylax

“D OCTOR P HLOX TO THE TRANSPORTER, Archer said, turning away from the viewscreen to regard Enterprises beta‑watch commander, Lieutenant Commander Mack McCall, with a half smile. “Good job, Commander.

McCall grinned under his graying close‑cropped mustache and goatee. “The credit really belongs to several members of the bridge crew, sir. The lifesigns were so faint that it took eight sensor sweeps to zero in on the Klingons escape pod. Im not even sure how she stayed alive out there, given that the atmosphere in the escape pod had almost completely vented by the time we located it.

“Well, lets hope our Klingon castaway can shed some light on what the hell those battle cruisers were really up to at Draylax, Archer said, turning to exit the bridge. “Have Sergeant McKenzie and two of her MACO troopers meet me in sickbay immediately. And call over to Columbia; let Captain Hernandez know what weve found.

“Ive already notified Captain Hernandez, McCall said. “Shell be coming aboard Enterpriseas soon as she can.

Archer let out a sigh as the turbolift doors slid closed behind him and the car began to descend. He reflected on the fact that he still hadnt told anyone other than Phlox about TPol and Reeds abandonment of their posts, or their unauthorized departure in Shuttlepod Two, predominantly out of a desire to avoid further exacerbating Trips predicament.

A question flitted across his mind regarding TPol and Malcolms dereliction of duty: Are their actions really any worse than my own?He knew that his hands werent entirely clean, and that made condemning the actions of his officers even more difficult. How many times had he disobeyed orders himself, stretched the limits of a mission, disregarded Starfleets code of honor, engaged in some deception all in pursuit of a higher goal?