Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [126]
“Why is the system still generating an audiovisual record if all the other bridge systems have failed? Archer asked. Beside him, Phlox moved his medical scanner over the captains shoulder area, and Archer turned his head just enough to see the doctor frowning at the results. Though Phloxs reaction certainly piqued his curiosity, he had no time to pursue the matter at the moment.
“A secondary crew happened to be aboard the KajDeel at the time, recording these images for instructional and training purposes, Krell said. “Their equipment was not tied in to the ships systems.
On the screen, Klingon personnel rushed around, shouting at one another in evident anger and frustration. Several even pounded their fists ineffectually at the consoles in front of them.
Then, in a scene inset within another, the Klingon battle cruisers bridge viewer changed images; instead of displaying a neutral star field, it now showed a dark emerald Romulan bird-of-prey. The orientation of the warship didnt permit Archer to see its ventral underbelly, which the captain knew from experience usually carried a garish, predatory bird design; nevertheless, there could be no mistaking the horseshoe-crab configuration of this vessel as anything but Romulan.
The image on the screen-within-the-screen changed again, backing off to a longer view, even as the agitation of the KajDeel s crew ratcheted even higher. The audio quality of the recording played havoc with the language matrix of Archers translation device, enabling him to parse only every fourth or fifth word at best. But he was absolutely certain he understood why the Klingons on the screen were so excited.
The KajDeel s viewer showed a second Klingon vessel, this one apparently a fuel tanker, of the same class that the Klingons had used to carry deuterium fuel when Enterprise had aided the pirate-besieged deuterium miners of the settlement on Yeq three years ago.
“What are they saying? Archer asked.
“They were shouting that most of the ships systems had gone offline, Krell said. “Life support and communications were among the first to fall. The weapons systems were apparently still functioning at this point, though the weapons control interfaces were not. Therefore the KajDeel could neither call out for help nor warn the freighter PeD NIHwI that their weapons systems had targeted the vessel, all on their own.
“Was the freighter similarly affected? Archer said, scowling. Phlox had begun scanning him again, and he waved his arm in mild annoyance to encourage the doctor to back away.
Behind him, MRek spoke up, apparently having grown irritated by Phloxs kibitzing as well. “DenobuluSngan! Is it necessary for you to coddle your captain during a classified briefing? A pair of Klingon soldiers began to advance toward Phlox, evidently taking a hint from the chancellors stern tone and Krells decision to pause his audiovisual presentation.
Phlox nodded toward the otherwise empty Council bench where the chancellor sat, and showed no sign of even having noticed the Klingon officers who now flanked him. “Chancellor MRek, despite his victory today, Captain Archer could still face grave complications because of the injuries he has sustained. I fear that his tertiary lung might have suffered an undetected laceration, and that he is developing a severe penile-craniotomological distension.
What the hell? Archer bit his tongue slightly. Clearly Phlox was up to something, but he wasnt about to inquire into it at the moment. Turning to MRek, he said, “My apologies, Chancellor. I will instruct my physician to be a bit less obtrusive. But he is right to point out that humans react differently to trauma than Klingons do.
MRek scowled, but said nothing further, pointing instead toward the viewscreen on the wall. Archer saw the two soldiers back away from Phlox as Krell depressed a small switch on a hand-held device, allowing the images and sounds to begin playing again.
On the KajDeel s screen,