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To her credit, Rosh recovered quickly. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve spoken with Commander Bowles at Outpost 22. She says that the Remans have specifically requested asylum.”

“So we were right,” Esperanza said.

“Not entirely, Ms. Piniero. Their leader, who is called Jianuk, is requesting asylum from other Remans.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Jas said.

“I do not agree with that assessment, Admiral,” Spock said. “Jianuk was one of Shinzon’s soldiers. They fought together during the war.”

“Ambassador Spock is correct.” Her initial surprise having passed, Rosh was now all business. “The twenty-nine Remans on the Vkruk were all loyal to Shinzon-emphasis on were. They claim to have been persecuted by their fellow Remans because they condemned Shinzon’s actions. They wish to live out their lives in the Federation.”

Jas looked at Nan. “What are your orders, ma’am?”

“Still the admiral, huh, Jas?” Nan realized immediately that her tone was unnecessarily snide, but Jas had it coming. Besides, it gave her a chance to think. “Rosh, tell Commander-Bowles, is it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Tell her to render whatever aid and assistance the Vkruk requires. Tell them their asylum request is pending, but in the meantime, they’ll be guests of the Federation at the outpost.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

“Get right on that.”

“Thank you, Madam President.” With that, Rosh signed off.

Nan looked around the room. Jas sat on the sofa, looking slightly petulant, as if Nan had denied him the right to do things his way, or perhaps as if his deputy had stolen his thunder. Next to him were the two councillors, T’Latrek looking placid, Molmaan looking aggravated. Facing Nan were Spock and Akaar; surprisingly, the Capellan was the more stoic of the two. Spock actually looked thoughtful. Turning to her left, she saw Esperanza, her right hand, and Raisa, looking nonplussed.

“All right, we’ve got us a mess here. Everyone weigh in, I don’t care how stupid you think you’ll sound. You can rest assured that you can’t possibly sound any stupider than I’m going to when I give the inevitable press conference that will result from this incident. Raisa?”

“My feelings have not changed, Madam President. These Remans are, for all intents and purposes, refugees from the Klingon Empire. Accepting their asylum request could damage our relationship with the empire.”

T’Latrek said, “I do not believe that will be an issue.”

“Why not?” Nan asked.

“Because we have a relationship with the empire. This need not be done in secret. Ambassador Rozhenko can plead the Remans’ case to the High Council.”

“Wait a minute,” Jas said, “how do we even know these people are on the level?”

Nan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“These people were loyal to Shinzon-the same Shinzon whose first action upon taking over the Romulan government was to invade the Federation. Are these really people we want to just let in?”

“I agree with Admiral Abrik and with Secretary Shostakova,” Molmaan said. “It’s lunacy to let them anywhere near us. Sure, we can repair them and give them a hot meal, but after that, let them find a neutral planet, or a nation that doesn’t mind getting into interstellar conflicts. Maybe the Tholians’ll take them.”

“If that was an attempt at humor,” Nan said, “it failed.”

Molmaan smiled, an action his face was ill-suited for. “I don’t have a sense of humor.”

“Worked that much out on my own, Councillor. Esperanza, what do you think?”

Esperanza folded her hands on her lap. “We still need to inform the Klingons just of the asylum request-if we’re going to be pitching Reman relocation to them anyhow, we may as well do this, too.”

Nan nodded.

However, Esperanza wasn’t finished. “But I disagree with T’Latrek on one point. It shouldn’t be Ambassador Rozhenko who makes the case, it should be Ambassador Spock.”

Everyone turned to look at Spock at that. For his part, Spock gazed at Esperanza, one eyebrow raised. “Indeed?”

“You’re the best man for the job, Mr. Ambassador. You’ve spent most of the