Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [111]
His hands raised and his palms out, Trip tried to put on the same lets-both-be-reasonable-and-talk-this-over-before-either-of-us-does-anything-rash grin that had forestalled more than a few bar fights during his undergraduate years.
“I should have listened to my mother when I was in school back in Romii, he said aloud. “She always warned me about playing those Frenchotte recordings with the volume up so high.
Terix appeared unmoved by Trips improvised excuses. “Once I obtain whatever warp-drive data Chuihv has stored in this place, he said, “you will die with everyone else here when I vaporize this complex.
“Is killing me your idea, Terix? Or Valdores?
“I have made the admiral aware of my suspicions.
“But Im willing to bet he doesnt share them. At least he might not until after he hears your next report. “Otherwise he wouldnt have sent us out here together on this wild mogai hunt without another couple of men to watch your back.
Terixs scowl deepened, but Trip could see that doubt was warring with resolve behind the centurions dark, hooded eyes.
“You are not loyal to the Empire, he said. His weapon remained unwaveringly trained on Trips head. “And even the Ejhoi Ormiin accuse you of being a Terran spy.
“And you believe that? Chuihv is a pathological liar, Terix. Its how he makes his living. He gestured toward the spot where the dissident leader lay unconscious. “For Erebuss sake, man, hes so crooked he has to screw his pants on every morning.
The weapon seemed to waver ever so slightly in Terixs hand, though Trip couldnt be sure that wasnt merely wishful thinking on his part.
“But you are not even Romulan, the centurion said. “You couldnt be. He punctuated his point by holding up the protective earplugs he still clutched in his free hand.
Think fast, Charles. “Why? Because my hearing is defective?
“I find it curious that you have never seen fit to mention this rather convenient defect before, Terix said.
From somewhere far beyond the confines of the building, Trip could hear the sound of distant thunder. He found it mildly ironic that the keen-eared centurion had shown no sign as yet of having noticed it.
Just as he found it hard not to fantasize that the sound represented the faint and fading hope of a last-minute cavalry rescue. More goddamn wishful thinking, he thought, trying but not quite succeeding in dismissing the distracting notion.
“My bad hearing isnt something Im particularly proud of, Trip said, hoping it wasnt as painfully obvious to Terix as it was to him that he was merely grasping at straws in order to stay alive. “After all, its kept me out of the military my whole life. And its kept me from having a career like the one youve had. Can you imagine how that feels? When all else fails, he thought, theres always flattery. Not to mention spadefuls of good, old-fashioned Florida bullshit.
Another rumble of thunder sounded, much closer this time. Terix obviously noticed it now, and cast a quick glance at the still-empty doorway, to which his right side was now faced.
Jumping Terix remained out of the question. But Trip knew he still had to press forward with whatever advantage he might have just created for himself, however narrow.
“Listen, Terix, he said, trying to sound far more reasonable than worried. “Whatever you might believe about me, Im the best chance Admiral Valdore has of achieving the goal of creating a working avaihh lli vastam stardrive prototype now that Ehrehin is gone. The admiral might be a little upset with you if you do anything to compromise that. Kill me and you set the whole project back by fvheisn .
For an interminably long moment, Terix appeared to mull over the prospect of losing years of hard-fought progress in high-warp physics. Despite his apparent internal debate, hed lowered his gun only a few centimeters, if that.
More thunder, inside the building this time. A klaxon blared, its repetitive tattoo echoing throughout the complex.
Terix raised