Taking Wing - Michael A. Martin [48]
“With respect, Praetor, the Tal Shiar always seem to learn things that would be better kept quiet. I believe it would be a serious mistake to count them out. I very much doubt that the Empire’s current…difficulties have slowed them down much.”
“You are probably correct, Captain,” Tal’Aura said.
Riker couldn’t restrain himself from frowning slightly. “Praetor Tal’Aura, you seem to be saying that you don’t expect our secret meeting to stay that way. Doesn’t that concern you?”
Tal’Aura chuckled, then settled back in her chair. “Not terribly, no. If there’s one thing the Tal Shiar excels at, it is the ancient art of keeping secrets. Provided, of course, that they are secrets the Tal Shiar wants kept. But I sense that the Romulan Star Empire’s much-feared shadow army isn’t really what concerns you, Captain.”
Riker nodded. Deciding that a little flattery couldn’t hurt, he said, “You are very perceptive, Praetor.”
She didn’t seem overly impressed. “Then please speak plainly, Captain.”
“Very well. Nearly three years ago, Ambassador Spock’s Unification movement—and the many Romulan citizens who have quietly supported it over the years—received the approval of one of your predecessors. Why weren’t any Unificationists invited to this initial meeting?”
Tal’Aura inclined her head toward Tomalak, who stepped forward. “Captain Riker, much has changed during the past three years, as I’m sure you’re aware. Praetor Neral was replaced by Praetor Hiren fairly quickly. And I can’t overemphasize the damage the subsequent…praetorship of Shinzon has wrought.” Tomalak’s expression looked especially sour as he fairly spat Shinzon’s name. “In light of the current troubles within our borders, our new praetor has wisely assigned a much lower priority to Romulan-Vulcan relations.”
“I see,” Riker said. He had to admit to himself, however grudgingly, that Tomalak’s rationale actually made a great deal of sense under the present circumstances.
“I hope we have answered your questions satisfactorily, Captain,” Tal’Aura said in a clipped tone that brooked no further delay. “Now will you agree to mediate the initial meeting, as we have described it?”
Riker felt as though his boots were poised at the crumbling verge of a bottomless abyss. And he knew that the time had come for him to take a deadly, yet necessary, step over the edge. He briefly thought of his late father, who’d been killed during the recent civil unrest on Delta Sigma IV. Though Kyle Riker had possessed more than a few less-than-admirable traits, indecision wasn’t among them.
Squaring his shoulders, Captain William Thomas Riker made up his mind.
“All right, Praetor Tal’Aura. Proconsul Tomalak. My senior staff and I will agree to conduct the prefatory meeting as you suggest—without the Remans and the Unificationists.”
“Excellent, Captain,” said Tal’Aura, dipping her head slightly. Something approximating a smile pulled at the sides of her narrow, patrician face.
“With one small proviso,” Riker continued, raising a hand.
She lifted an eyebrow in an almost Vulcan manner. “Say on, Captain. What is your proviso?”
“That the Federation’s participation in this early meeting is not to be taken as an official endorsement of any of the leaders present,” Riker said coolly. “Including you, Praetor Tal’Aura.”
Tal’Aura bristled visibly at this, but remained silent. After a lengthy pause, she said, “Very well. My staff will contact you again in sixteen of your hours. Jolan’tru , Captain Riker.”
“Jolan’tru, Praetor,” Riker echoed, though the praetor’s image had already vanished, to be replaced immediately by the infinite depths of star-bejeweled space.
“Well, we already knew the praetor wasn’t likely to agree to share power quickly or easily,” Vale said, rising from her seat.
Deanna nodded. “Taking that into account, I think that went fairly well. We’ll soon be dealing with three of the most powerful factions in the Romulan government. You went a long