Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [5]
“No, he said with a glum shake of his head. “The Romulans are way too subtle to leave any fingerprints behind.
She frowned again. “So why bring up Coridan?
“Because Starfleet has been able to use it as a diversion to keep a lid on something we discovered on Andoria a little bit before the Coridan attack. The admiralty has classified my report on the subject. But in my judgment you have a legitimate need to know what theyve been sitting on these past few months.
Hernandezs brow furrowed. “Youve found evidence of some sort of Romulan incursion on Andoria?
“Indirect evidence. But its as close to a smoking gun as youre going to get with people as slick as the Romulans. Youve been briefed about their use of telepaths to pilot remote-controlled attack ships, right?
“Of course. I know that you and your crew destroyed a telepath-guided Romulan prototype last year.
“Right. But what you havent been told is that the Romulans have recently been trying to get their hands on more telepaths for similar military applications, using the services of third parties brokered through Adigeon Prime.
A look of understanding crossed her olive features. “The Adigeons. Gotta love those tight-lipped Swiss banker types.
“Believe me, the Adigeons make the old Swiss bankers look like the village gossip. In spite of that, we managed to track down and rescue about three dozen Aenar-Andorian telepaths that a third party had captured on behalf of the Romulans.
Hernandezs face became a study in horror. “Enslaving all those people. Just to launch another remote-control attack against us.
“And theyre not going to back off, either. Not when they can just lie in the weeds and wait until theyre ready to try again.
The horror on Hernandezs countenance slowly solidified into an almost palpable anger, and her words carried the timbre of blood and fire. “And youre content to let Starfleet just go on reacting instead of actually doing something?
Archer endured her not-so-subtle criticism with all the stoicism he could muster. “What makes you think Im not doing anything?
“Lets see. Maybe its the fact that youre still out here patrolling the boonies, just like I am.
“Lets just say Im working on the problem through a back channel and leave it at that.
“I know you have political pull that I dont, since youre the man who saved Earth from the Xindi. But I cant believe youve got a special back channel with Starfleet Command that I dont even know about.
Archer grinned. “What makes you think I was talking about Starfleet Command? Their hands are full at the moment just keeping the Coalition from collapsing into four squabbling pieces, especially since the Coridan attack.
“Unlike either of us, Hernandez said as the door chime sounded.
“Be careful what you wish for, Erika, Archer said, even though he was half hoping for news of another so-called pirate raid, if only to break up the tedium of the past several days of utterly fruitless patrolling. He held up a hand for silence, then turned toward the door.
“Come.
The door hissed open and Commander TPol stepped gingerly over the slightly raised threshold, then paused in the open hatchway. She wore a standard-issue, dark blue Starfleet duty uniform, a sight to which he was still only beginning to become accustomed, though she had adopted it nearly three months ago. To the Vulcan womans credit, she appeared as comfortable and unself-conscious wearing Earths service attire as she had in the somewhat more formfitting uniform of the Vulcan military from which she had retired over a year earlier. Despite the lateness of the hour, her clothing looked fresh and neatly pressed.
“I apologize for disturbing you, Captain, but I have received some news that you will wish to hear immediately, she said, still hesitating in the open hatchway. She glanced toward the image of Captain Hernandez, which was clearly visible from her vantage point. “Am I interrupting anything?
Archer smiled gently at his second-in-command. Long before their respective careers had conspired