Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [149]
Trip frowned, incredulous. “ You work for the Vulcan Security Directorate?
“I have been a VShar agent for many years, the older man said, nodding. “Among my numerous ongoing directives is the task of continuously monitoring the evolution of the Romulan Star Empires military posture in order to accurately assess its threat potential to Vulcan. To perform these duties successfully, I must keep certain key individuals within the Empire convinced that I am, in fact, a loyal Romulan. Simultaneously, others must believe that I am leading an insurgency of sorts against the Romulan military.
Trip involuntarily displayed his teeth. “So which of those audiences were you playing to when you murdered Tinh Phuong?
The man on the other side of the desk released a sigh, an almost haunted expression momentarily displacing his usually dour demeanor.
“Suppose I were to tell you that the VShar had obtained proof that Mister Phuong had become a grave threat to Vulcan security? he said at length. “His death may well have saved a hundred other lives, both on Vulcan and elsewhere in the Coalition.
“Thats a damned convenient charge for you to make, Trip said, “especially now that Phuongs not around anymore to defend himself. I suppose I should expect you to pass that same sort of judgment on me now that I know way more about you than you ever wanted me to. Unless Valdore catches up to this ship in the meantime and serves up a little fire and brimstone to the both of us, that is.
“I assure you, Commander, that I have taken great care to remain several steps ahead of Admiral Valdore, Sopek/Chuihv said. “Particularly after the unpleasantness you and I experienced on Rator II.
Anger and astonishment wrestled one another to a standstill within Trips chest; whatever “unpleasantness the dissident leader had endured while fleeing from Valdores assault force, what Phuong had suffered was infinitely worse.
Easy, Charles, he told himself. Calm down. Try to make it look like you were born with these ears, even if this guy really knows better.
“How do I know youre not secretly working for Valdore? he said aloud. Making a broad gesture that encompassed the entire small office chamber, he added, “After all, it cant be easy to pinch a bird-of-prey right out from under the admirals nose.
“No, it isnt, Sopek/Chuihv said. “It was extraordinarily difficult, in fact. But we had an advantage of which Valdore is unaware.
“And that is?
Sopek/Chuihv leaned forward, the fingers of both hands interlaced atop his desk. “Some of my Ejhoi Ormiin compatriots recently learned about a secret Romulan military weapon capable of usurping the command and control computers of Vulcan vessels. This weapon may also be able to usurp the technology of other Coalition worlds as well, which is why I have decided to share this knowledge with you.
Huh, Trip thought. So hes not gonna kill me. I think.
The other man continued: “My people applied what knowledge we could gain of the principles behind this new weapon to the task of liberating this vesselhe paused to gesture broadly at the walls that surrounded them“from a repair dock located in the Taugus sector.
This ship would have come in really handy when he needed to make his quick vanishing act from Taugus III, Trip thought. And it also probably explains those sensor ghosts TPol and I saw when we were on the shuttlepod.
It occurred to Trip then that one very prominent loose end remained from that incident. “What did you do with Terix? he asked.
“The centurion who accompanied you to Taugus III, the other man said, his expression emotionless even by Trips notions of Vulcan standards.
Trip did what he could to restrain his impatience. “Yeah. Him.
“Unfortunately, Centurion Terixsuccumbed during debriefing.
Debriefing, Trip thought, parsing the gentle euphemism for