Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [116]
“He could be bluffing, Malcolm said, still holding up at least half the weight of Terixs unconscious form.
Maybe, Trip thought. But you gotta know when to fold em.
“You know, Ive survived a whole lot of bad stuff since all this craziness got started, Trip said. “But Im not fool enough yet to think I can roll sixes whenever I need em. Put him down, Malcolm.
Great, he thought. I dont get to recover the missing data, which was the whole point of coming here in the first place. And on top of that, Ive just lost the option of destroying it.
On the other hand, he just might survive long enough to make plans to do something about all of that. Which was better, he had to admit, than nothing.
“Cover us, TPol, he said. “Lets get the hell out of here while thats still an option.
After engaging the launch thrusters, TPol checked the sensors for any evidence of either outbound Ejhoi Ormiin vessels or incoming Romulan patrol ships; she could find no sign of either so far, though she knew that the planets problematic ionosphere might conceal a multitude of dangers, at least until the shuttlepod attained a high enough altitude to clear the atmosphere entirely. Even then, another ship could always hide itself by flying just beyond the limb of the planet itself.
Satisfied that the shuttlepod was now relatively safe, at least for the moment, she watched in silence as the planets surface continued its swift retreat until it became a vast aquamarine curve far below Shuttlepod Twos ventral hull.
Several soundless, nearly concurrent explosions appeared like rapidly blooming orange flowers a few moments later, despite the dense cloud layer that covered them.
“So Sopek wasnt bluffing after all, Trip said as he stared out one of the windows on the shuttlepods starboard side, just to the rear of the cockpit.
“Vulcans never bluff, TPol said. “I suppose the same might be said of other related species as well.
“Its good to see you again, Trip, Lieutenant Reed said, turning his copilots seat to the side to face Trip. “Even if you do look like Old Scratch himself at the moment. Turning back toward TPol with wide eyes, he added, “No offense meant, Commander.
TPol shook her head. “None taken, Lieutenant. She made a mental note to do some research on Earths religious mythologies before deciding whether or not Mister Reed had given her any reason to take offense. Of course, the fact that yet another human knew the secret of her peoples genetic relationship with the Romulans was of far greater importance than her ethnic pride.
Setting those matters aside, she decided she had to agree wholeheartedly with his underlying sentiment; it was indeed good to see Trip again. And although she regarded it as an unlikely possibility, she found herself hoping for an opportunity to tell him that herself, away from Reed. She wanted to reach out to Trip, to touch him outside the surreal confines of the telepathic link that had finally drawn them back together.
“Likewise, Trip said.
“You dont sound very happy, Malcolm said. TPol was inclined to agree.
Out of the corner of her eye, TPol saw Trip shrug. “I just wish your timing had worked out a little better, thats all, he said.
TPol frowned at the patent illogic of that comment. She was certain that the Romulan, whom Trip had identified as Centurion Terix, would have killed Trip where hed stood had she and Reed entered the room only a few seconds later.
Before she could press him on this point, Trip asked, “What are the chances of anything surviving those blasts? He seemed to be addressing no one in particular as he continued studying the distant embers of the explosion, which were moving swiftly beyond the planets eastern limb owing to the combined motion of the shuttlepod and the planet.
“Id tend to doubt it, Reed said. “The explosives they were using must have had one hell of a yield to produce a flash intense enough to be this visible right through such a heavy cloud deck.
“But that doesnt mean they couldnt have hotfooted it out of there at the last