Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [89]
COALITION COUNCIL DEBATES WAR RESOLUTION AGAINST KLINGON EMPIRE ANDORIAN AND TELLARITE FLEETS MOBILIZING FOR BATTLE
TWENTY
Sunday, July 20, 2155 Enterprise NX-01, near Draylax
“D OCTOR P HLOX TO THE TRANSPORTER , Archer said, turning away from the viewscreen to regard Enterprise s beta-watch commander, Lieutenant Commander Mack McCall, with a half smile. “Good job, Commander.
McCall grinned under his graying close-cropped mustache and goatee. “The credit really belongs to several members of the bridge crew, sir. The lifesigns were so faint that it took eight sensor sweeps to zero in on the Klingons escape pod. Im not even sure how she stayed alive out there, given that the atmosphere in the escape pod had almost completely vented by the time we located it.
“Well, lets hope our Klingon castaway can shed some light on what the hell those battle cruisers were really up to at Draylax, Archer said, turning to exit the bridge. “Have Sergeant McKenzie and two of her MACO troopers meet me in sickbay immediately. And call over to Columbia ; let Captain Hernandez know what weve found.
“Ive already notified Captain Hernandez, McCall said. “Shell be coming aboard Enterprise as soon as she can.
Archer let out a sigh as the turbolift doors slid closed behind him and the car began to descend. He reflected on the fact that he still hadnt told anyone other than Phlox about TPol and Reeds abandonment of their posts, or their unauthorized departure in Shuttlepod Two, predominantly out of a desire to avoid further exacerbating Trips predicament.
A question flitted across his mind regarding TPol and Malcolms dereliction of duty: Are their actions really any worse than my own? He knew that his hands werent entirely clean, and that made condemning the actions of his officers even more difficult. How many times had he disobeyed orders himself, stretched the limits of a mission, disregarded Starfleets code of honor, engaged in some deception all in pursuit of a higher goal?
The turbolift arrived at E deck, and Archer exited, feeling glum as he stalked into sickbay. Seeing that the MACOs had beaten him there cheered him somewhat, as did the fact that one of the troopers was already deployed outside the doors of Phloxs sickbay, his pulse rifle at the ready.
Inside, Phlox was moving quickly around the biobed on which lay a Klingon woman, her bodystill inside a battered pressure suittwisted into an almost fetal position, probably as a consequence of the decompression injuries she had suffered. Phlox strapped a mask to her face, and the warrior woman offered no resistance.
With a nod, Archer acknowledged Sergeant McKenzie and another MACO trooper nearby, then spoke up. “Does it look like shell pull through, Doctor?
Phlox barely spared him a glance, his orange-hued fingers tapping on some of the medical controls. “Hello, Captain. Im not certain yet. She has been breathing intermittently on her own for some time now. But it is likely that she will not regain consciousness.
Archer moved closer to Phlox. “Do everything you can for her, Doctor, but understand this: the Klingons may have struck the first blow in a war against the Coalition, and we need to know why . Do whatever you have to whatever the costto get her back to consciousness.
Phlox regarded him with a curious expression. “I imagine you must consider her a prisoner of war then, Captain. I hope youre not suggesting that I take any measures to awaken her that might further jeopardize her life?
Archer clenched his jaw for a moment, letting out a heavy breath through his nose. “We dont know if shes a prisoner of war or not because we do not know if we are at war. What I am suggesting, Doctor, is that we need to question her. That is your imperative, beyond doing everything in your power to save her life.
Phlox nodded noncommittally. “I will do my best to accommodate you, Captain. So long as doing so does not threaten the life of my patient.
The doors to sickbay whisked open, and Archer turned to see Hernandez, escorted by another MACO, enter the room.
“Will