Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [134]
“We do indeed have such evidence, said General Casey, nodding. “The audiovisual records supporting Captain Archers findings will be made available to each of you later today. He paused momentarily before adding, “I must admit up front that the quality of the images is less than optimal; as with many intelligence finds of this sort, it had to be obtained using less-than-optimal means, and under less-than-optimal circumstances.
Something in the MACO generals tone warned al-Rashid that pressing him on those “less-than-optimal means and circumstances would be less than welcome.
After the two Starfleet admirals had finished spending the next twenty minutes furnishing the details of Archers fateful discovery, Soval said, “Attacking the Klingons would have been a grievous error on our part. Despite his peoples vaunted emotional control, the Vulcan foreign minister looked somewhat rattled by the enormity of what the Draylax affair had nearly caused.
“We would have been the aggressor, said Samuels, his expression mirroring Sovals, only without the hard veneer of Vulcan composure. “The Klingons would have felt entirely justified in striking back at us, and hard.
“There will be no war with the Klingon Empire, al-Rashid said, sinking back into his chair as he allowed a tremendous sensation of relief to take wing; his words, which he had aimed at no one in particular, sounded almost like a benediction in his own ears.
A womans voice sliced through al-Rashids joy like a hot blade. “Why do you seem so happy about this?
He found himself blinking his incomprehension at the official observer from Draylax, who regarded him with undisguised puzzlement from across the table.
“Im afraid I dont understand, al-Rashid said. “The Klingons werent behind the attack against your people. You dont want war with them, do you?
Grethe Zhor shook her head, sending a cascade of golden hair tumbling around her leonine face. “Of course not, Minister. But instead of an easily conceptualized enemy to rally my people to straightforward action, we now must contend with a mystery attack by phantoms disguised as Klingons.
“Which is why Starfleet is already busy planning tactical countermeasures against the new Romulan weapon, Samuels said.
“Until those countermeasures become available, the Draylaxian said, “and perhaps for a goodly period afterward, we will be at war with phantoms, Minister, make no mistake. Against whom shall we rally the varied peoples of the Coalition in such a phantom wara struggle in which one cannot even see the enemys face? At whom shall we point the Coalitions guns?
“Pfagh, Gral said. “Romulans are no more phantoms than are Klingons. And there is no more reason to fear them than the Klingons.
The silence that came from both the Andorian and Vulcan delegations spoke more eloquently than any counterargument al-Rashid could have devised.
Recalling the terrifying holovids he had seen of the charred bones and burning seas of Coridan Primethe handiwork of phantomsEarths interior minister began to believe that the Draylaxian had the bleakest vision of the future of anyone in the room.
He also thought it was probably the clearest.
THIRTY-FIVE
Day Thirty-nine, Month of KriBrax The Hall of State, Dartha, Romulus
N IJIL TRIED to affect a look of cool composure as he watched Valdore rise from behind his massive sherawood desk. The admiral remained quiet until his impressively broad form had finished unfolding to its full height.
“I have given you all the time I can spare, Nijil, Valdore said. “Praetor Dderidex and First Consul TLeikha are both growing restless, as are the admirals of the fleet. Is the arrenhehwiua telecapture system finally ready for general deployment?
While there was no way to know for certain whether the new offensive system would work perfectly in actual use, the tests thus far had given Nijil every confidence that the fleet would experience no significant problems with it.
Which meant that there was only one thing Nijil could afford to say. “It is ready, Admiral. The Coalition