Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [92]
“Does she have any idea who it was that took over her ship? Archer asked.
The womans body suddenly began to jerk, her back arching up off the bed as her hands clawed feebly at the air. Purple blood spouted from her nose, and she coughed up a darker fluid.
“Move back, Captain, Phlox said, his manner grim and urgent. He punched a few buttons, and the movements of the woman lessened somewhat, though the blood still flowed. For a moment, her gaze seemed to focus on something distant, then moved back toward Hoshi and Archer.
“RomuluSngan.
The word was clear, but final. The womans eyes rolled back in her head, and her body fell limp.
Phlox lowered his head. “Shes gone, Captain.
“You did what you could to ease her pain, Archer said softly. “You didnt do anything to contribute to her death.
Phlox stared at him, but Archer couldnt quite read the tightly coiled emotion that showed in the Denobulan physicians blue, recessed eyes. “No, I did not. Her survival until now was, frankly, a miracle. She might have lived longer had I notinduced consciousnessbut probably not for more than another day or two.
Hernandez stepped forward, looking toward Hoshi. “Was her last word what I thought it was?
Hoshi nodded, her expression glum. “ RomuluSngan . Its the Klingon word for
“Romulan, Archer said, interrupting her.
Archer reached down to scratch Porthos between the ears, then took a sip of the Skagaran Lone Star tequila he had poured for himself and Erika from the bottle Trip had left behind. He had brought Hernandez back to his quarters, rather than to his ready room, to discuss what to do next. “Im just sick of sitting behind that ready-room desk and waiting for more orders and more news that I know will take us down the wrong path, he said before taking another swallow.
Hernandez stopped pacing and sat on the edge of the small desk across from Archers bunk, where she stared contemplatively at the amber fluid that covered the bottom of her own glass. “So what do we do now? The only proof we have that the Romulans may have been involved with this is the dying declaration of a Klingon who had enough morphine in her to tranquilize an elephant.
“If the Romulans are somehow behind the attack on Draylaxif theyve managed to gain control of at least these three Klingon ships, then who knows what other surprises they might have in store for us? Archer said, trying not to let the despair he was feeling creep into his voice. “If were being tricked into going to war against the Klingons, then the Coalition may be about to pick a fight with the wrong enemy. That would leave us vulnerable to ambush from the real enemy. We might even find ourselves surprised by another Coridan-style sneak attack.
“Or the Romulans might just wait until the Klingon and Coalition forces have worn each other down in battle, Hernandez said. “They could swoop in then and start picking up the pieces while nobodys fleets are in any shape to do much to stop them.
“But you already know what the higher-ups will say about that theory, Archer said. “Wheres your proof? We cant change our entire defense posture based on nothing but assumptions and speculations.
Hernandez set her glass on the desktop, then moved to sit down next to Archer, who was perched on his bed. “If you were in Admiral Gardners shoes, would you have it any other way, Jon? It seems were rushing headlong toward an interstellar war, and weve only just started getting out into the galaxy in the first place.
“And the galaxy has turned out to be a much more dangerous place than any of us realized, Archer said, staring down into his nearly empty glass. On the other side of the room he could see Trips tequila bottle.
He immediately regretted having let his last few words slip out.
“You still miss him, dont you? Erika said quietly, backing away slightly, giving him some room.
He nodded silently.
“I know how close the two of you were, she said. “Commander Tucker didnt serve aboard Columbia all that long, but I worked with him long enough to know what a good sounding board