Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [53]
“During Doctor Ehrehins animaurolhao, he performed several movements that I know to be specific to Vulcan tradition, rather than ours, Terix said. He had hoped that Valdore would have received the news of this discovery a bit more favorably.
“I had no idea you were so well versed in Vulcan traditions, Centurion, the admiral said, lofting an eyebrow.
The admirals stare made Terix feel like a bug in a jar. “I performed two covert intelligence missions there right out of the Academy.
“And you find this mansVulcan movement to be proof that Cunaehr is a Vulcan? Have you interrogated him? Tested his blood?
Terix nodded. “We have interrogated him, sir, though not as thoroughly as we might without authorization from your office. Our admittedly cursory medical tests on him revealed that he has a very unusual mutative blood type, with traits common to both Vulcan and Romulan genetics.
Valdore held up a hand, palm outward. “Do not force further interrogation on the prisoner yet. Yourallegation may require further investigation first. Doctor Ehrehin was working on a very important project for the Praetors fleet when he died, a project whose ultimate goal remains unfulfilled. This Cunaehr may hold the key to reaching that goal. If you damage him, or do anything to make his mental state morefragile than it may be already, you may seriously jeopardize that prospect.
“Then do you wish me to release him? Terix asked. He had hoped for permission to use every tool at his disposal to extract the truth from the scientist, but it appeared that Valdore wasnt about to grant him that.
“Not yet, Valdore said, looking thoughtful. “Let me think on this for a night. Keep Cunaehr in custody for now, but keep him sequestered away from Ehrehins assassin. I must consider all of my options. But if I dont find a way to make him usefulor if we find hard evidence that he really is somehow involved with the Vulcansthen you, Centurion, will be allowed to choose the method of execution.
Terix saluted and favored his superior with a rare smile.
TEN
Wednesday, July 16, 2155 Enterprise NX-01
TP OL WASHED HER HANDS CAREFULLY , looking in the mirror as she did so. It was something she rarely didwhatever her many failings might be in following Suraks teachings, she did not number vanity among thembut she could see in her reflection that she looked tired.
She hoped that none of her colleagues on the bridge had noticed this, or any fatigue-related errors she might have made. She regarded the chance of the latter as relatively minuscule, given that she generally triple-checked her work; on the other hand, she had been up for most of the last forty-eight hours, applying her off-shift hours to her ongoing surreptitious search for more information about Sopek, emphasizing anything that might connect him with the Romulans.
She moved through the open secondary hatchway inside the sanitary facility the humans referred to as “the head, entering the tiny interior chamber in which puffs of aerosolized sanitizer attacked any bacteria or other dirt that might be present, on either bodies or uniforms. Some of the crew occasionally joked about the heads “decontamination chamber, but TPolwith her heightened sense of smellwas grateful for it.
Exiting the head, she found herself immediately disoriented. Instead of being back on the bridge, she now stood in a corridor whose walls and floor and ceiling exuded an almost painfully brilliant white light. To her right, TPol saw that only a few meters down the corridor the light ended, dropping abruptly off into the inky, star-strewn vastness of space.
TPol turned her head and saw two figures, both of them far enough away to appear somewhat indistinct. One seemed to be slumped on the floor, while the other stood above the first in a threatening stance. The standing figure leaned over and picked up the slumping one by grabbing a handful of its dark hair and dragging the body to which it was attached to a nearly upright position.
Running toward them,