Текст книги "Kobayashi Maru"

Автор книги: Andy Mangels

Соавторы: Michael Martin
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“What you shouldntdo, Centurion, is disobey a direct order, Valdore said, stepping down hard on the young officers protestations. “Give me the general outlines of your report. Now.

Terix nodded, apparently hastening to focus his concentration and gather his scattered thoughts. After a momentary pause, he said, “So far as my people can determine, Doctor Ehrehin was killed by terrorist revolutionaries whose larger goal is to compromise the stardrive project.

“The Ejhoi Ormiin,Ill bet, the spy said, his eyes now riveted upon Terix.

“Why are you so certain of that, Cunaehr? Valdore asked, raising an eyebrow and using a tone of voice that had been known to make first‑year uhlansand occasionally even sublieutenants and decurionssoil themselves during inspection tours.

The spy didnt appear to be cowed in the least as he faced Valdore again. “Lets just say I know theyre highly motivated to go after Ehrehin a second time. Its got to be the same dissident group that I helped rescue Ehrehin from in the Rator system two khaidoaago. Addressing Terix, he added, “I tried to explain that to you when you and your men arrived in the physics labjust a little bit too late to save Ehrehins life.

Terix nodded impassively, not rising to take the obvious bait. “My men immediately began investigating the Ejhoi Ormiin,beginning with a most thorough interrogation of the lone surviving assassin. It was a far more intensive questioning than any such terrorist operative is capable of coping with. Or surviving, as we discovered during last nights, ah, interview session.

As Valdore nodded his dispassionate acknowledgment, he noticed that the spy seemed to flinch ever so slightly at Terixs description of standard military interrogation procedures, which the intelligence experts in the much‑feared Tal Shiar had refined almost to an art form. The ousted Vulcan leader VLas, with whom Valdore had once quietly conspired, had had no such compunctions about the prosaic realities inherent in transacting the sometimes‑bloody business of espionage. It seemed odd that even the largely peace‑loving Vulcans would not have selected someone equally sanguine about the use of aelhihdruusmnequipment for direct mind‑scans and other such things to employ as a deep‑cover spy inside the Romulan Star Empire.

You should handle that font of compassion with great care, my covert friend,Valdore thought as he studied the spy. It can be as hazardous as raw antimatter in a profession like yours.

“Please give me a summary of the results of your investigation, Centurion, Valdore said.

“We have a high degree of confidence, Terix said, “that the Ejhoi Ormiinterrorists have already managed to acquire a good deal of classified data concerning the avaihh lli vastamstardrive project. We will need to infiltrate their organization directly in order to determine their precise capabilities pursuant to that stolen data.

“I suppose that such an operation would require a great deal of highly specialized expertise in warp‑field theory and related fields, Valdore said, stroking his clean‑shaven chin. His gaze drifted to the tapestries that adorned the far wall, as was his wont whenever he was deep in consideration of weighty strategic or tactical matters.

“Indeed, Admiral, the centurion said. “I will need the help of personnel capable of recognizing every possible permutation of the stolen data if we are to succeed in tracking down the thieves and their confederates. And if we are to prevent what they have taken from becoming a direct threat to state security.

“The level of expertise required would have to be comparable to that of the late Doctor Ehrehin himself, Valdore added as he fixed his stare back upon the spy, whose face was beginning to pale as understanding appeared to dawn upon him.

Despite his evidently discommoded emotional state, the spys next utterance surprised Valdore yet again. “As I said before, Admiral: I live only to serve the Empire.

“I believe the admiral has just ordered you to accompany me on a field mission to infiltrate the Ejhoi Ormiinterrorists, Terix said, his words tinged with no small amount of incredulity. “The very same people who once took you and your mentor prisoner.

“Correct, Centurion, Valdore said as he studied the spys reactions. “Youve just been drafted to serve the Empire in a way you doubtless hadnt anticipated, Cunaehr.

“Im an academic, the spy said, his jaw setting in apparent determination as he paused and regarded both Terix and Valdore for a long and sober moment. “But I think I can handle that. The stakes in this particular game of trayatikare way too high to do otherwise, Admiral.

Valdores initial surprise at the spys sentiments dissipated after a moments consideration. Being an operative from one of the worlds allied with the fragile young Coalition of Planets, this man almost certainly had no more desire than did Praetor Dderidex himself to permit a group of self‑styled renegades and revolutionaries to gain control of the most potent stardrive ever conceived.

Cunaehr, or whatever his name really was, offered a clumsily executed Romulan military salute. “When can I get started?

Valdore suppressed a victors smile. “Centurion Terix, please take Cunaehr to your computer terminal. I want you, personally, to familiarize him with the briefing materials Im about to transmit there. Those materials contained everything “Cunaehr would need to know. The success of the rest of the coming mission would hinge largely upon Terixs suspicious nature; Valdore knew he could rely on the centurion to keep a weather eye on his Vulcan charge, regardless of any superiors orders.

After Terix and the uhlans had escorted the spy away, Valdore smiled in his otherwise empty office. As he activated the terminal atop his desk and transmitted the files he had prepared in advance for Terixs mission, he quietly savored a feeling of triumph.

He always felt this way whenever a significant new weapon came into his possession.

When the guards had thrown open his cell door and dragged him abruptly to his feet, they had awakened Trip Tucker from a fitful sleep and an extremelyconvincing dream about TPol. As he awakened, he had been convinced then that he was finally about to die. Well, I guess Ive had a good run,he thought, wondering precisely what hed do during his final moments before the fatal disruptor blast, or sword slash, or guillotineor whatever the hell they were planning on usingfinally carried him off to glory.

The last thing hed expected his captors to do was to offer him an apology, a job, and the freedom to move about Dartha as he pleased during the few hours that remained before he was to embark on his first mission on behalf of the Romulan Star Empires military, under the supervision of one very dour‑faced Centurion Terix. He found the situation almost laughably complicated: here he was, a human masquerading as a Romulan, but mistaken by the Romulans for a Vulcan; all the while, hed be working with the Romulans to catch people who might actually beVulcans infiltrating the Romulan Star Empire.

Reasonably sure he hadnt been surreptitiously followed back to his small rented suite of rooms near Darthas central commercial district, Trip carefully checked the apartment for listening devices. Once he felt satisfied that no one was about to kick his door down, he removed his small subspace transceiver unit from its hiding place beneath his bedroom floorboards. For the first time during the two days since hed called in to make the initial report about Ehrehins untimely death, he activated the heavily shielded units battery pack, powering it up.

Stillwell thought he needed to worry about me going native before,Trip thought as he waited for his unscheduled transmission to wend its way across the light‑years and negotiate the labyrinth of the bureaus clandestine two‑way audio‑video communications protocols. I wonder what hes going to say aboutthis report.

As hed expected, Stillwell had seemed fairly bowled over by Trips revelation about his most recent change of plans.

“So youre just charging off to some remote part of Romulan space alongside one of their military officers,Stillwell said, looking doubtful as he digested Trips initial bare‑bones report about his arrest, his temporary confinement, and the mission briefing that had followed his sudden and unexpected release. “Just like that.

Trip smiled ironically at the image on his screen. “Sure beats a summary execution, Captain.

“You still have plenty of time to stumble into one of those, Commander. I just hope you havent forgotten that Romulans can turn on you like rattlesnakes. Im sure you havent forgotten what our friend Sopek did to your partner on Rator II. Treachery seems to be these peoples national pastime. I give you the Romulans ownEjhoi Ormiin dissident group as Peoples Exhibit Number One to prove my point.

The Romulans are hardly alone onthat score,Trip thought. He was sorely tempted to remind his superior that Sopek might have been about as Romulan as TPol was, and to mention the xenophobes of Terra Prime, a human terror group that had nearly succeeded in strangling the infant Coalition of Planets in its cradle a few months back. Even after the death of its founder, the fading remnants of Terra Prime were still a thorn in the Coalitions side.

But because he didnt want to get bogged down in an ideological argument, Trip skirted the issue. “Valdore didnt leave me a lot of other options, good or bad, he said. “Anyway, you have to admit that this is one time when what we want and what Valdore wants fit together like spoons. Letting a bunch of rogue dissidents have the potential to build their own warp‑seven‑capable starships wont do a damned bit of good for us orfor the Romulans.

Stillwell considered the matter in thoughtful silence for several moments. Then with a sigh and a nod he said, “For whatever its worth, Ive always found it damned difficult to get toothpaste to go back into the tube. But Im forced to agree that you have to at least try. Good luck.

Trip wondered what Stillwell would say if he told him hed planned on going on the mission anyway, regardless of the bureaus input. “I appreciate that, Captain.

“I do have another concern, Commander,Stillwell said.

Im all alone on Romulus, the center of a hostile galactic nation‑state, a place where I dont dare trust anybody,Trip thought. What the hell is there to be concerned about beyond that?

“And whats that, sir? he said aloud.

“I have to consider the possibility that the Romulan intelligence apparatus has compromised your disguise, and is deliberately allowing you to continue to operate.

Trip frowned. “Why would they do that?

“To feed you disinformation to report back to us, of course. You must have considered the possibility that something other than good luck intervened on your behalf.

“Of course I have. I just seriously doubt that Admiral Valdore thinks Im stupid enough to fall for a gag like that. Especially when you can test at least some of the information from my mission briefing independently.

“What kind of information?Stillwell said, raising an eyebrow.

“Okay, why dont you take a close look at a detail from the written report Im about to file?

“All right, Commander. But give me the short version now.

Trip nodded. “A Romulan outpost recently observed what appeared to be an Earth Cargo Service freighter being attacked and destroyed by a Klingon battle cruiser. The attack occurred somewhere in the Gamma Hydra sector, where the ECS probably doesnt have very many ships operating at any one time. It shouldnt be too hard to check this out, or at least get confirmation if any freighters in Gamma Hydra are overdue or missing.

“My people here will run that down immediately, Commander,Stillwell said. “Ill transmit our findings via a subspace burst as soon as possible. In the meantime, let me wish you Godspeed on your mission.

“Stillwell out.

Trip continued staring into the screen for long, uncounted moments after the display had faded to black. All he could do at this point was hope that Stillwell could verify the data hed been given before the time came to embark on an extremely hazardous mission.

A mission that would be dangerous enough if it were completely on the level, rather than merely part of some hypothetical trap set for him by a wily Romulan admiral.

“I am ready to begin the next sequence of real‑time tests, Admiral, Nijil said, gesturing toward the labs central holo‑projector, which had created a free‑floating three‑dimensional representation of one of the three Klingon battle cruisers his long khaidoaof continuous effort had finally succeeded in acquiring for the illustrious Praetors fleet. “The remote‑control tactical system should be ready for practical operation very shortly thereafter, should everything go according to plan during the next round of trials.

Valdore watched the virtual ship as it slowly turned through every conceivable degree of pitch, roll, and yaw, and silently thanked all the gods of Erebus for the coming culmination of his painstaking work. Both Praetor Dderidex and First Consul TLeikha had lately been applying an uncomfortable amount of pressure on him to produce results.

They would soon see results beyond their wildest expectations. Valdore was beginning to feel sure of it, even though years of finely honing his instincts gave him a general distrust of such complacent certainties.

“Very good, Nijil, he said, nodding appreciatively at his chief technologist. “But remember, both the klivamvessels and the personnel we captured along with them are to be considered expendable should anything go wrong after we launch the attack.

“Of course, Admiral, Nijil said, fist clenched and elbow bent in a crisp salute. “I will see to it that their brutish lives are spent profitably in the defense of our Empire. And that theirs are the only identifiable fresh corpses anyone will be able to recover from the wreckage.

Soon, Earth and her Coalition partners would have all the proof they might need that the slope‑browed ahlhwho infested the Klingon Empire represented a far more imminent danger than did the Romulan Star Empire. Despite his ingrained, pragmatic aversion to wish‑fulfillment fantasies and his hesitancy to believe in best‑case scenarios, Valdore grinned as he considered what was to come.

Particularly once the Coalition weaklings set their vigilant eyes upon the wrong part of the sky and became preoccupied with the phantoms that would shortly be planted in their distracted field of view.

With a little help,he thought, from my newest loyal servant, Cunaehr.

TWELVE

Thursday, July 17, 2155 Enterprise NX‑01

A LTHOUGH SHE HAD APPEAREDon the bridge during the alpha watch just long enough to request that Captain Archer excuse her from her duties for unspecified personal reasons, TPol had really done so to show Ensign Sato that the captain had no issues with her earlier unauthorized transmissions. As she had anticipated, he had honored her request that he refrain from prying into the specifics that lay behind it. That was perhaps for the best, since TPol knew she had never mastered the fine art of lying. Misdirection seemed more credible, at least in theory, but had proved only marginally easier in practice.

Though he didnt insist on it, Archer nevertheless seemed to wish to discuss the matter further; TPol ignored the instinct that impelled her toward forthrightness and duty and walked away from him. He had already made it abundantly clear in sickbay that he had no intention of rescuing Trip, which meant that her plans simply didnt fall into line with the captains.

The feeling was odd. She had defied authority before, but usually in the service of the needs of the many. This time, however, she knew that she was acting largely to satisfy her own deeply personal needs, no matter how she might seek to justify them using arguments about the urgency of the encroaching Romulan menace.

Life calls to Life,she thought, using the immortal words of the Third Analectsof Surak to validate her all but irresistible compulsion to come to Trips aid. In doing so, she knew she was brushing aside one of the ancient Vulcan philosophers even more fundamental axioms: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.She didnt care.

Once safely within her quarters again, TPol triggered a subspace signal burst to Denak, who had signaled already during the brief time she had been on the bridge. Even with the knowledge of her transmissions shared now by Archer and Sato, TPol still took the precaution of activating the scrambling device as Denaks incoming signal announced itself with a series of beeps on her desktop computer terminal. Its preferable for them to think Im discussing personal medical issues with a doctor on Vulcan than to learn what Im really doing,she thought.

Denak appeared on the screen, his eyes tinged with green and his skin visibly ashen even across the many light‑years that separated them; he clearly had not been sleeping well. “Ive succeeded in getting you a ship, TPol, but it has not been easy. Lets just say that youve exhausted every debt Ive ever owed you.

TPol nodded slowly, acknowledging her old friends implied warning without allowing herself to appear intimidated by it. “Will the ship be capable of getting me into Romulan space?

“It can get youin, but notout, Denak said ominously. “You will need to rendezvous with this vessel using a ship of your own near the periphery of Romulan space. I presume you will not be usingEnterprise to do this.

“I feel certain that I will be able to find some kind of craft, TPol said, ignoring Denaks sarcasm as her mind quickly worked the problem of acquiring a small auxiliary craft on short notice.

“The ship I have secured for you can take both you and whatever small craft you arrive in well past the Romulan Star Empires borders. As long as you dont encounter any Romulan patrol vessels along the way, you should be fine.

“Where should I rendezvous with the ship, and when?

“Ive arranged for the vessel to be diverted from its regular course and mission,Denak said. “Neither of which is known to anyone outside the VSharand even then, it is known only to a handful. I am transmitting to you the rendezvous coordinates and timetable, along with a brief profile of the ship. You will haveone contact on board, and you will be required to remain confined to whatever sections of the ship she specifies.

TPol stared at him inquisitively. “Why?

“The vessel carriessensitive mat й riel to which you have not been granted access.

TPol saw a file open in the corner of her screen and was surprised to see that it was the image of a familiar face, even if it was noticeably older than the last time she had seen it. “Ycha? Sheis my contact?

“We both risk much with this, TPol,Denak said.

“I appreciate the trust you have placed in me, Denak, TPol said.

Denak raised an eyebrow, giving her the look that had made her feel so very uncomfortable during her years as his underling in the VShar. “I wish you would extend me the same courtesy. I know that you are hiding things from me about the true purpose of this mission. But I also sense that you are actingoutside the purview of both Starfleet and the Coalition of Planets. Perhaps even against direct orders.

He paused, leaning slightly closer to his own com unit. “Before you were even born, a wise woman once told me that sometimes it takes those who will travel past the boundarieswithout regard to arbitrary rulesto discover what truly lies beyond the horizon.

TPol had heard her mother express the same sentiments before, and suspected that it was she to whom Denak was referring. She offered him a slight nod of acknowledgment. “Whatever I must do, I have no intention of causing any harm either to the Coalition or its member worlds. I act to preserve life, and to protect our people. You have my word on that.

Denak settled back in his chair again and steepled his hands and fingers underneath his chin. TPol saw that the thumb and forefingers were still missing from his right hand; he had lost them during a mission years ago, and had been unable to receive appropriate medical attention in time to save the nerves that would have allowed them to be regrown successfully.

“While you might not harm the Coalition, TPol, remember that your actions may have consequences for those who have placed their trust in you. You must be prepared for that eventuality.Denak held up his good hand, splitting his fingers into a salute. “Live long and prosper, TPol.

TPol returned the salute as her viewscreen went black.

Denaks words stung her, but she still felt certain that her mission was absolutely necessary, even if it might not be entirely logical. Assuming, of course, that the encounters she had experienced with Trip in her mindscape were not, in fact, hallucinations.

Launch Bay Two seemed unnaturally quiet as TPol quickly went about her work. Her fingers moved smoothly over the computer panel as she input data and observed the results. The subroutines she had accessed were complicated, and one wrong keystroke could signal her actions to someone on the bridge, or elsewhere.

The gamma watch commander, Lieutenant ONeill, and those on her shift were used to quiet “nights aboard ship, and TPol knew from experience that this would be the best time to set her plan into motionnot because ONeills bridge crew was any less capable than the alpha watch team, but because nobody would even suspect the borderline sabotage she was engaged in at such a late hour. With the likely exception of Doctor Phlox, all of those aboard Enterprisewho were closest to her would have been asleep for hours by now.

An alert light blinked on the computer viewscreen, prompting TPol to curse under her breath. She realized she must have run afoul of a security subroutine for which she had not prepared; perhaps Lieutenant Reed had installed a new code. She wondered briefly if he had done so because hed anticipated her present course of action and felt the need to preempt it. Illogical, she told herself. There was no way Reed could have anticipated her plan. The captain, maybe the doctor

Her fingers hovered over the keypad as her mind raced. She could back out of the subroutine, but that would mean taking care to erase every step she had already taken. Worse, her failure to beat Enterprises security measures tonight would force her to miss the rendezvous that Denak had so painstakingly arranged.

“Enter code alpha‑two‑epsilon‑seven‑niner‑ninertau‑nu, said a voice from the shadows behind her in distinctively accented English.

Malcolm Reeds voice, to be precise.

“And what will happen then? TPol asked, not turning around to face him. Despite her lifelong Vulcan training, she felt fear turn her spine to ice.

“That command will reroute the new security subroutine, Reed said. “Once thats out of the way, you can finish carrying out your plan to bypass the entire security system and commandeer one of our shuttlepods, Reed said. She heard his footsteps as he approached her. “That iswhat you intended, isnt it?

TPol tensed, then ducked, sweeping her leg out quickly in a low, wide arc. She felt it connect with Reeds calves, and as she spun around she saw him collapse backward, a look of intense surprise on his face.

Hes not carrying a phase pistol,she thought with a start. And hes not even in uniform.In fact, Reed was wearing what appeared to be a dark robe, similar to the attire of a civilian Vulcan merchant.

Reed quickly rolled backward, regaining his footing and springing to a crouching defensive stance. “Do you want to fight me, TPol, or do you want my help? Because Vulcan or not, Ill kick your ass, plus youll miss your chance to input the code I just gave you. If you dont do that in the next twenty seconds, the security alarms will go off and well bothhave some heavy explaining to do.

TPols mind raced, but her decision came quickly. She tapped the code into the datapad, and was rewarded with a green light.

“Now, we have ten minutes of safe time to get away from Enterprisebefore the system stops running the redundant program I wrote to conceal our little act of piracy, Reed said, cautiously moving closer.

TPol turned to him, reflexively raising an eyebrow. “Our?

“Whatever your plan is, Im coming with you, Reed said.

“Why?

“Id rather save the detailed explanation for after weve gotten safely under way, Reed replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Suffice it to say that I know your intention is to rescue Trip. And he wouldnt be in this mess if it werent for me.

TPol knew that Reed had worked in the past for the same secretive Starfleet organization for which Trip had since become an agent. She also knew that after Reed had told them he would no longer work for them, they had recruited Trip. She didnt know how or why they had convinced Trip he could be an effective spyshe hoped hed tell her after they extracted him from Romulan spacebut she assumed they had their reasons. She was surprised, however, to learn that Reed felt so guilty about Trips recruitment.

“Did Captain Archer put you up to this, Lieutenant? TPol asked. Had the captains reticence about helping her merely been another secret maneuver, a tactic akin to the deliberate disinformation that still concealed, from most people, the fact that Trip wasnt really dead? Were Archers earlier protestations simply an official gesture intended, as Trip might have put it, to “cover his ass?

“Im afraid not, Commander, Reed said, looking a bit crestfallen. “In fact, I suspect this may be my final straw with the captain. Ive had to lie to him before because of my relationship with the bureau, and he believed me afterward when I told him I was through with all of that.

“My hope is that we will be able to retrieve Trip, and that the information he has gathered will be directly useful in mounting a defense against the Romulan Empires encroachment on Coalition space, TPol said. “The ends would justify the means in this instance, and Captain Archer would understand, especially if we keep him insulated from our actions.

“Thats a great hope, Reed said. “We can also hope for ticker‑tape parades, commendations from our superiors, and free hot fudge sundaes for life. But I suspect that even if were successful, most of those wishes wont be coming true.

“Then why come with me? TPol asked, fixing Reed with an inquisitive gaze.

He offered a wan smile. “Because youre not the only one who cares about Trip, Commander. We didnt start out as friends when this whole journey began, but there are few men Ive met before or since whom I hold in higher esteem.

He pointed toward the viewscreen on the console where TPol had been working. “We have four minutes left before our departure window closes. Time to get packing.

TPol pointed toward a small traveling case shed left leaning against a nearby bulkhead. “I have already packed.

Reed shook his head. “Its a human expression, TPol. Dont take it literally.

“Like kicking my ass? TPol asked, grabbing the case and heading toward Shuttlepod Two. “Why are humans so fixated on the gluteal muscles? she said.

Reed fell into step beside her, snorting slightly. “Perhaps its because weve all got em, Commander. Even Vulcans, I suppose. He reddened visibly as he moved to open the shuttlepods hatch. “Not that I take much notice of such things.

“Indeed, TPol said in the most frostily polite tone she could muster. “And just so were clear, Lieutenant, you could nothave kicked mine.

THIRTEEN

Friday, July 18, 2155 Columbia NX‑02, near Draylax

“P LEASE ASSIST US ! Our defenses cannot hold much longer against the hostiles weaponry!Even without the bridges linguistic translation matrices rendering the incoming message into intelligible English, the static‑laced voice that carried it would have conveyed a crystal‑clear message of desperation and fear all on its own.

Captain Erika Hernandez leaned forward in her command chair as she listened to the plaintive distress call and stared straight ahead into the star‑flecked infinitude displayed on the large forward viewer.

“Origin point of the transmission? she said, turning her chair slightly toward the portside com station.

“Looks like its coming from the Draylax system, Captain, said the redheaded Ensign Sidra Valerian, her Scottish burr thickening into a heavy brogue as it often did during times of heightened tension. The youthful senior communications officer had gotten busy tracing the Mayday signal immediately after its arrival a few moments ago.

“Maybe its lucky for the sender that he isnt farther away, Captain, said Lieutenant Reiko Akagi, from the helm console. “Draylax is very close to our current position. At maximum warp, I can get us there in just a few hours.

“Lucky for them,maybe, said Commander Veronica Fletcher, Columbias executive officer and Hernandezs second in command. “For us, not so much.

“Especially if were expected to stop a threat that the entire Draylaxian defense fleet cant cope with, said Lieutenant Kiona Thayer, the senior tactical officer. She stood in the bridges starboard section, studying the readouts on her station as Lieutenant Commander Kalil el‑Rashad, Columbias second officer and sciences expert, analyzed the same data on his own console.

“Not necessarily, Hernandez said. “From what Ive seen, Draylaxs defenses are nothing to write home about. In fact, their defensive capabilities have always been weak enough to make me wonder why theyve been so uninterested in joining the Coalition.

“I wonder if they might be a bit more friendly to a Coalition sales pitch after this, Fletcher said, her New Zealand accent sharpening her words.

If theyre still around afterward,Hernandez thought, recalling the horrible devastation that had been visited upon Coridan Prime not so very long ago. Aloud, she said, “Ill leave that sort of thing to the diplomats. Our main concern is putting an end to this assault, if we can. Reiko, make best speed to Draylax. Sidra, get me Starfleet Command. Advise Admiral Gardner of our diversion to Draylax.

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