Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [65]
The gamma watch commander, Lieutenant ONeill, and those on her shift were used to quiet “nights aboard ship, and TPol knew from experience that this would be the best time to set her plan into motionnot because ONeills bridge crew was any less capable than the alpha watch team, but because nobody would even suspect the borderline sabotage she was engaged in at such a late hour. With the likely exception of Doctor Phlox, all of those aboard Enterprise who were closest to her would have been asleep for hours by now.
An alert light blinked on the computer viewscreen, prompting TPol to curse under her breath. She realized she must have run afoul of a security subroutine for which she had not prepared; perhaps Lieutenant Reed had installed a new code. She wondered briefly if he had done so because hed anticipated her present course of action and felt the need to preempt it. Illogical , she told herself. There was no way Reed could have anticipated her plan. The captain, maybe the doctor
Her fingers hovered over the keypad as her mind raced. She could back out of the subroutine, but that would mean taking care to erase every step she had already taken. Worse, her failure to beat Enterprise s security measures tonight would force her to miss the rendezvous that Denak had so painstakingly arranged.
“Enter code alpha-two-epsilon-seven-niner-ninertau-nu, said a voice from the shadows behind her in distinctively accented English.
Malcolm Reeds voice, to be precise.
“And what will happen then? TPol asked, not turning around to face him. Despite her lifelong Vulcan training, she felt fear turn her spine to ice.
“That command will reroute the new security subroutine, Reed said. “Once thats out of the way, you can finish carrying out your plan to bypass the entire security system and commandeer one of our shuttlepods, Reed said. She heard his footsteps as he approached her. “That is what you intended, isnt it?
TPol tensed, then ducked, sweeping her leg out quickly in a low, wide arc. She felt it connect with Reeds calves, and as she spun around she saw him collapse backward, a look of intense surprise on his face.
Hes not carrying a phase pistol, she thought with a start. And hes not even in uniform. In fact, Reed was wearing what appeared to be a dark robe, similar to the attire of a civilian Vulcan merchant.
Reed quickly rolled backward, regaining his footing and springing to a crouching defensive stance. “Do you want to fight me, TPol, or do you want my help? Because Vulcan or not, Ill kick your ass, plus youll miss your chance to input the code I just gave you. If you dont do that in the next twenty seconds, the security alarms will go off and well both have some heavy explaining to do.
TPols mind raced, but her decision came quickly. She tapped the code into the datapad, and was rewarded with a green light.
“Now, we have ten minutes of safe time to get away from Enterprise before the system stops running the redundant program I wrote to conceal our little act of piracy, Reed said, cautiously moving closer.
TPol turned to him, reflexively raising an eyebrow. “Our?
“Whatever your plan is, Im coming with you, Reed said.
“Why?
“Id rather save the detailed explanation for after weve gotten safely under way, Reed replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Suffice it to say that I know your intention is to rescue Trip. And he wouldnt be in this mess if it werent for me.
TPol knew that Reed had worked in the past for the same secretive Starfleet organization for which Trip had since become an agent. She also knew that after Reed had told them he would no longer work for them, they had recruited Trip. She didnt know how or why they had convinced Trip he could be an effective spyshe hoped hed tell her after they extracted him from Romulan spacebut she