Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [132]
“Thank you all for agreeing to attend this special meeting today, said Nathan Samuels, addressing all the nonhuman delegations simultaneously once everyone had taken their seats. Casting a significant glance at the woman from Draylax, he added, “I know I speak for everyone here when I offer my sincere hopes for our success in maintaining interstellar peace, especially beyond the present boundaries of Coalition space.
Not to mention inside them, al-Rashid thought, taking comfort in a bit of gallows humor.
But no amount of humor, gallows or otherwise, could contain his mounting impatience to discover the outcome of the nonhumans just-concluded meeting-within-a-meeting. Addressing his alien colleagues, al-Rashid said, “Have you come to a decision yet about how to deal with Draylaxs, ah, Klingon problem?
Samuels scowled, evidently not comfortable with such a blunt frontal assault, while Li seemed only mildly surprised at the forwardness of al-Rashids question. Fortunately, none of the nonhumans present appeared offended. Gral, Thoris, and Grethe Zhor merely looked silently toward Minister Soval, almost as though they had all agreed to make the phlegmatic Vulcan their spokesman regarding the matter.
Steepling his fingers contemplatively before his pursed lips, Soval said, “Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar have each agreed to defer their final decisions about whether to declare war on the Klingons until after Earths military experts present us with a new intelligence briefing on the issue.
Minister al-Rashid nodded, thankful for whatever restraint the other Coalition membersparticularly the Andorianswere willing to exercise.
“This decision is only a provisional one, of course, Thoris said in a cautioning manner. “As far as the Andorian government is concerned, at any rate. My people are not in the habit of allowing threats of incursion to grow unchecked, whether they arise near our homeworld or our colonies. But my government has agreed to stay the hand of the Imperial Guard for the momentat least until we have more complete information about thisKlingon problem.
“Thank you, Samuels said. Coming from the notoriously touchy Andorians, this was practically a declaration of pacifism.
Lets hope their restraint lasts long enough for us to find a way to keep the whole Coalition from being dragged into a major shooting war, al-Rashid thought. And to keep our allies at our backs in case diplomacy with the Klingons fails at the end of the day.
“Regarding the other matter before this body, Soval said, “I believe we have come to a far more definitive decision.
“You are referring to Minister al-Rashids compromise proposal regarding Alpha Centauris petition for Coalition membership? said Samuels.
The prime ministers gaze broke with Sovals long enough to communicate very clearly to al-Rashid that there would be hell to pay if the Coalition continued tearing itself asunder over this extraordinarily sensitive issueparticularly with a Klingon war apparently looming on the horizon.
“Indeed, Soval said. “We have all decided to accept the interior ministers compromise offer. Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar will support Alpha Centauris admission to the Coalitionif Earth and Alpha Centauri will both support the simultaneous admission of Draylax.
Li displayed a smile of gratitude that gave every appearance of utter sincerity. “Alpha Centauri will be pleased to share with the Coalition of Worlds all the mutual defense responsibilities to which we have already committed with both Draylax and Earth, she said.
Just as our nonhuman allies will no doubt be delighted to share in Alpha Centauris shipbuilding resources via the Coalition, al-Rashid thought as he cast a grin back at Li. It would certainly suit their individual governments interests better than allowing humanity to keep those resources all to themselves via exclusive Earth-Centauri arrangementseven if they still dont much like the idea of humans getting more than one vote on the Coalition Council.
Ambassador