Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [62]
The Romulans are hardly alone on that score, Trip thought. He was sorely tempted to remind his superior that Sopek might have been about as Romulan as TPol was, and to mention the xenophobes of Terra Prime, a human terror group that had nearly succeeded in strangling the infant Coalition of Planets in its cradle a few months back. Even after the death of its founder, the fading remnants of Terra Prime were still a thorn in the Coalitions side.
But because he didnt want to get bogged down in an ideological argument, Trip skirted the issue. “Valdore didnt leave me a lot of other options, good or bad, he said. “Anyway, you have to admit that this is one time when what we want and what Valdore wants fit together like spoons. Letting a bunch of rogue dissidents have the potential to build their own warp-seven-capable starships wont do a damned bit of good for us or for the Romulans.
Stillwell considered the matter in thoughtful silence for several moments. Then with a sigh and a nod he said, “For whatever its worth, Ive always found it damned difficult to get toothpaste to go back into the tube. But Im forced to agree that you have to at least try. Good luck.
Trip wondered what Stillwell would say if he told him hed planned on going on the mission anyway, regardless of the bureaus input. “I appreciate that, Captain.
“I do have another concern, Commander, Stillwell said.
Im all alone on Romulus, the center of a hostile galactic nation-state, a place where I dont dare trust anybody, Trip thought. What the hell is there to be concerned about beyond that?
“And whats that, sir? he said aloud.
“I have to consider the possibility that the Romulan intelligence apparatus has compromised your disguise, and is deliberately allowing you to continue to operate.
Trip frowned. “Why would they do that?
“To feed you disinformation to report back to us, of course. You must have considered the possibility that something other than good luck intervened on your behalf.
“Of course I have. I just seriously doubt that Admiral Valdore thinks Im stupid enough to fall for a gag like that. Especially when you can test at least some of the information from my mission briefing independently.
“What kind of information? Stillwell said, raising an eyebrow.
“Okay, why dont you take a close look at a detail from the written report Im about to file?
“All right, Commander. But give me the short version now.
Trip nodded. “A Romulan outpost recently observed what appeared to be an Earth Cargo Service freighter being attacked and destroyed by a Klingon battle cruiser. The attack occurred somewhere in the Gamma Hydra sector, where the ECS probably doesnt have very many ships operating at any one time. It shouldnt be too hard to check this out, or at least get confirmation if any freighters in Gamma Hydra are overdue or missing.
“My people here will run that down immediately, Commander, Stillwell said. “Ill transmit our findings via a subspace burst as soon as possible. In the meantime, let me wish you Godspeed on your mission.
“Stillwell out.
Trip continued staring into the screen for long, uncounted moments after the display had faded to black. All he could do at this point was hope that Stillwell could verify the data hed been given before the time came to embark on an extremely hazardous mission.
A mission that would be dangerous enough if it were completely on the level, rather than merely part of some hypothetical trap set for him by a wily Romulan admiral.
“I am ready to begin the next sequence of real-time tests, Admiral, Nijil said, gesturing toward the labs central holo-projector, which had created a free-floating three-dimensional representation of one of the three Klingon battle cruisers his long khaidoa of continuous effort had finally succeeded in acquiring for the illustrious Praetors fleet. “The remote-control tactical system should be ready