Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [144]
“I was wondering how you were going to manage to pull off that part of your plan, Archer said. “You were flying a short-range Starfleet shuttlepod, after all.
“Apparently, a craft as small as a shuttlepod can escape detection even deep inside Romulan space so long as it calls no undue attention to itself, TPol said. “Unfortunately, the only way we could discover that fact was to proceed with our plan.
“Gaining access to a Vulcan spys rather detailed Romulan star charts didnt hurt either, Reed added.
Archer stared at him as the hatch that led to E decks corridors opened in front of them. “Youve got maps ? The official Coalition maps of the Romulan Empire were astonishingly incomplete, cobbled together mainly by means of long-range scans. Archer didnt know what good Reeds maps would do anyone at the moment, but he suspected that they might become extremely valuable in the days ahead.
Reed nodded, grinning an “aw-shucks grin that he had developed after four years of close association with Trip. “I certainly hope those maps will buy us back some of the goodwill weve lost.
“Ill consider it a down payment, Archer said. “As long as it stays in trustworthy hands, and away from certain shady characters I could name. The idea of having a resource that the mysterious black-garbed Agent Harris and his secretive Starfleet intelligence organization might lack appealed to him greatly.
Reed swiped his index finger across his chest, miming the letter X. “Cross my heart, sir. This little adventure of ours had nothing to do with the bureau.
As they approached the central turboshaft, TPol spoke again. “Captain, while we docked with the Vulcan vessel, we also discovered some intelligence related to you .
“Me? Archer said as he came to a stop just outside the turbolift door, which slid obediently open for him.
She nodded. “We know, for instance, about the evidence you presented to the Coalition Council concerning the Romulans and this new ability of theirs to remotely commandeer Klingon vessels.
As the trio stepped into the turbolift, Archer said, “Good. That ought to make it easier to persuade the Council not to get caught up in the wrong war against the wrong enemy. The doors hissed closed and Archer directed the turbolift to A deck, and the bridge.
“Our understanding, at least from those aboard the Vulcan ship, TPol said, “was that the Vulcan government may be far more inclined to accept your interpretation of the danger posed by the Romulans than are the other Coalition members.
“I wonder how much of that agreement stems from the relationship we know exists between the Vulcans and the Romulans? Archer said. He knew that Reed had to know about that relationship by now; he couldnt have undertaken an extended mission into Romulan space without gaining some exposure to the startling physiological similarities between the two races.
“I am not sure, Captain, TPol said with evident sincerity; Archer knew that this was an extremely sensitive topic for her.
Noting they were about to reach the bridge, Archer pressed the stop button on the control pad. “Before we go any further, I want to cover the one topic weve all been avoiding since you two came aboard. He wasnt certain he wanted to hear the answer, but he had to know the truth. “How is Trip? Did you find him?
Reed nodded and displayed a sober expression. “We found him, and arrived just in the nick of time, too. Whatever these psychic flashes or connections that TPol has been having with our late chief engineer, she was right; his life was in danger. After we helped get him out of the jam hed gotten himself into, we offered to bring him back, but he refused. He felt he still had a mission to complete.
“Something about the Romulan warp-seven project? Archer asked.
“That is at least one of the objectives he appears to be pursuing, TPol said, her voice dropping lower. “He had also gathered other information, which he passed on to us. It concerned the Klingon attack on Draylax.
“He found more evidence that the Romulans were behind what happened