Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [91]
The rooms intercom let out a bosuns whistle a moment before Phloxs voice announced, “Sickbay to Captain Archer. My patient is regaining consciousness, but I cant guarantee how long it will last.
Archer leaned in toward the viewscreen. “Thats the sole survivor from the destroyed Klingon battle cruisers, Admiral. She might be our only chance to get to the bottom of whats really been going on here.
“Go, Gardner said, testiness still slightly audible in his voice. “And good luck, Archer.
Before they exited the room, Archer tapped the com panel once more. “Ensign Sato, meet me in sickbay. On the double.
Moving quickly to follow Archer out of the ready room and into the turbolift, Hernandez spoke in low tones. “I dont get why you set out to antagonize the admiral, Jon. Hes not an idiot, and hes probably trapped by the politics of the situation. And as my father used to say, you catch more flies with honey.
As the turbolift doors opened onto E deck, Archer grinned humorlessly. “Im not interested in catching flies, Erika. And duty or not, the things my dad used to say about the top brass in Starfleet would have made an Andorian blush.
“Admiral Krell is lying. Captain Veshtk wasneither a traitor nor a rogue, the Klingon woman said, her words rendered into standard English by one of Lieutenant Satos pleasant-voiced universal translator units. The Klingons natural voice came as a kindling-dry rasp that Archer found painful to hear. Every word she uttered had to be causing her excruciating pain.
“She says that Admiral Krell is lying, Hoshi said, listening directly to the womans Klingon speech in order to confirm the accuracy of the electronic translation. Archer didnt want to leave any of the Klingon survivors inflections or half utterances to chance. “She says that her commanding officer, Captain Veshtk, was not a traitor, and that he wasnt operating as a rogue agent.
“Then why did they attack Draylax without any official authorization? Archer asked, waiting anxiously for Hoshi to translate his question for the woman. Nearby, Phlox frowned, tapping away at his monitor consoles. Archer saw that he was pumping sizable quantities of painkillers into the womans system.
As before, the electronic translation device spoke on behalf of the Klingon woman before Hoshi did. “We were on patroland something seized control of our ship. Our guidance systemsour gravity, even our life-support systemsnothing would respond to us. I barely got intoa pressure suit in time. The others were still alive, but barelyand we were unable to do anything butfloat in the air while our ship acted as thoughit had a mind of its own.
“She claims that something remotely gained control of their ship while they were on patrol, Hoshi said. “It took over their guidance systems, artificial gravity, and even the life-support systems. This woman was able to don an environment suit, but the others were kept just barely alive. Apparently the artificial gravity system remained disabled while the ship was being controlled.
“How could something like that happen? Erika asked after Hoshi had confirmed the machine translation.
The Klingon woman responded to Erikas question with a series of halting rasps that Hoshis equipment quickly transformed into English. “The first thing they did wasto use some remote means of seizing and deactivating each of our systems, one by one. They started with life-support
“Who seized control of your ship? Archer asked. “Was it someone aboard one of the other two Klingon vessels that attacked Draylax?
The woman moaned loudly, coughing up purple-hued bloody mucus as Hoshi questioned her in the Klingon tongue. But the look on the patients faceeven through her painwas one of surprise.
“I was not even aware of the other ships untilthe battle began. The screens on our shipsshowed me the carnage. I tried to return your hailsor stop the weapons from firing, but Iwas unable. The