Myriad Universes 02_ Echoes and Refractions - Keith R. A. DeCandido [67]
The short-haired woman nodded her acknowledgment. “Admiral,” she said.
“Admiral,” Thelin replied with a smile. “You’re looking well. Have you lost weight?”
The woman raised an eyebrow but appeared at a loss for a reply.
As the men took their seats, the doors slid open again, and David Marcus quietly stepped into the room, timidly looking around at the pastel colors of the walls and floors, and at the artistic depictions of Mount Seleya that hung between the various viewscreens.
Thelin practically jumped from his chair. “Doctor Marcus!” he said, extending his arm to shake the young man’s hand, in accordance with human custom. David smiled, showing some relief at the sight of a familiar face, but was still clearly puzzled to find himself at such a prestigious meeting. Thelin continued, “How is your mother, David?”
“Oh, she’s, uh…fine, I guess,” David stammered. “Retired now, of course. The situation on Earth really hit her pretty hard. She’d spent a lot more time there in her childhood than I had.”
“I can only imagine,” Thelin replied with genuine sympathy. “I hear she’s living on Pacifica now?”
“That’s right. I just don’t think the Vulcan deserts were really her thing.”
“Well, she should have come back to Andor. We have retirement homes on the shores of the Khyzhon Sea that are absolutely stunning.” The Andorian bowed his head in respect, his antennae nearly lying prostrate against his white hair. “We worked together for years, and she is a truly brilliant mind. I know that the president would have liked her to join us today, but there was no time.”
“Thank you, Thelin,” David replied, “but it’s just as well. I’m sure she wants to get away from all of this…politics and such.”
“I have no doubt.” Thelin smiled warmly, then gestured to the other representatives at the table. Following a second round of introductions, David took his seat next to T’Pragh.
President Ra-ghoratreii wasted no time in calling the meeting to order. “Lady, and gentlemen,” he began. “I understand that this meeting is a little unexpected, but circumstances as they are, the potential exists for a fundamental shift in the war strategy.” He focused his gaze squarely upon David. “Doctor Marcus, your presence here was requested for the purpose of a qualified scientific consultation. I must make it absolutely clear that any and all information disclosed here today is given in complete confidence, and that your divulgence of any such information without authorization is punishable as an act of treason against the Federation. Do I make myself clear?”
David looked as if he wanted to crawl under the table, or perhaps simply bolt for the door. But he swallowed and nodded his head. “Yes,” he said in a near-whisper. “Crystal clear.”
“Very well,” the Efrosian said, apparently satisfied. “Admiral th’Valrass, would you please open with your report on the overall status of the conflict.”
“Certainly, Mr. President,” Thelin replied, and briefly looked to each of the other attendees in turn, hoping to convey the gravity of the information he was about to impart. “As we enter the fifth year of the conflict, the consensus among field commanders is that we have effectively reached an impasse. On one hand, our campaigns in the Archanis sector were quite successful, and have provided us with valuable positions from which to launch additional offensives into Klingon territory.”
“You bet,” West interjected. “In fact, we now have opportunities for strategic advances into the Klinzhai sector that we could only have dreamed about months ago.”
“On the other hand,” Thelin continued, “Klingon advances on two fronts are now beginning to seriously threaten the Alpha Centauri system, and with the Sol sector under Klingon control, we don’t have the strategic presence from which to mount an effective defense.” He looked over at David. “Despite the high costs the Klingons have incurred in holding the system, we…we still have made effectively zero