Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [85]
“And Malcolms got an independent streak about half an AU wide, too, Archer said, nodding. “But thats no excuse. Im going to be even more disappointed if they get themselves killed, he thought.
He preferred to reserve that privilege as one of a captains most sacred prerogatives.
“If I had suspected that Commander TPol would actually abscond with a shuttlepod and head out into Romulan space on her own authority, Phlox said, “I suppose I could have ordered her confined to sickbay. But I didnt do that. So it appears that I missed the very same warning signs that you did, Captain.
The Denobulan stepped toward Archer and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“The question you have to answer now, he said, “is what do you intend to do about it?
Archer felt a great empty chasm open up in the pit of his stomach as he realized that he had no answer to Phloxs question.
EIGHTEEN
Saturday, July 19, 2155 San Francisco
“G ANNET, SOMETHINGS HAPPENED at Draylax.
The intrusive voice in Gannet Brookss earpiece carried with it the same unmistakable end-of-the-world quality that she recognized from all the other times the end of the world had seemed imminentand yet had somehow failed to arrivesince the Xindi sneak attack of fifty-three.
Sitting alone at a sidewalk table in front of Madame Changs Mandarin Café, Gannet paused in the midst of her current rather urgent search of Earths datanets and the Coalition networks to which they were already partially linked via the subspace bands. She smiled to herself. As usual, Nash McEvoy had gotten wind of the story well after she had. That, she told herself, is what separates a good reporter from a merely competent editor.
“Im way ahead of you, boss, she said, subvocalizing into her throat mic to guard against the possibility that anybody within earshotsuch as the half-dozen or so Starfleet personnel shed seen entering the eatery since her arrivalmight overhear what she was about to say. “I know about the alien ships that opened fire on the Draylaxians.
“Is it still going on? McEvoy said, sounding shrill in her ear.
“Cant say, she said as she scrolled through the text messages recorded on her data padd. She would have paid serious coin for a knowledgeable and talkative Starfleet officer to share her table right now, but none of the carefree fleeters nearby seemed likely to fill the bill. “My sources say its been taking everything Draylax has to stand up to the assault. Assuming thats even possible.
“Did your sources say anything about who the attackers might be?
“Still working on that, boss.
“What about that significant other of yours in Starfleet? Do you think he could shed any light on the matter?
“Thats ex -significant other, remember? she said aloud, apparently startling a young busboy who had begun clearing a nearby empty table of a spent coffee urn and several other remnants of a previous customers meal. Catching herself, she resumed her outwardly inaudible subvocalizing.
“As if its any of your business anyway, Nash, she said as she pushed an errant lock of her otherwise straight brown hair away from her eyes. “Besides, Travis Mayweather and I have barely been on speaking terms all year.
Although she and Travis had parted company on friendly enough terms after Terra Primes poop had finished hitting the ventilator, Gannet hadnt forgotten Traviss suspicions that she was in league with Terra Prime in their failed assassination plot against Nathan Samuels, and she suspected that he hadnt forgotten either; he hadnt believed her when shed claimed to be doing spook work on behalf of Starfleet Intelligence, even though her journalistic career made it a professional necessity to forge and maintain close working relationships with certain key intel operatives. Traviss distrust during that crisis still stung, and it fueled her continued determination to resist any impulse to ask him for favorseven if it seemed as likely as not that hed grant them.
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