The Good That Men Do - Andy Mangels [41]
“Perhaps. But it’s also authorized by Starfleet’s own charter.”
“Come again?”
“I refer you to Article Fourteen, Section Thirty-one. You’ll find that it establishes an autonomous investigative agency that holds nonspecific discretionary power over certain security-related matters. I’d say that incipient aggression by the Romulans certainly qualifies as one of those matters.”
Trip was still digesting the surprising revelation that Harris’s spy bureau might have been hidden right out in plain sight, buried in the text of Starfleet’s own founding document, when Harris’s last remark finally registered.
“So… are you saying you can help me do something about the Romulans?”
Harris put on an ingratiating smile that almost convinced Trip there was some real warmth behind it. “I am, Commander. Our best analysts have already confirmed that the Romulans present a clear and present danger to Earth and her Coalition allies. We’re already conducting operations intended to throw a monkey wrench into the Romulans’ warp-seven drive program, while also trying to learn as much about it as possible.”
“It’d be nice to use the Romulans’ own research to jump-start a Starfleet version of the same thing,” Trip said, nodding. He wondered just how much warp-seven technology Starfleet already had on the drawing board, and hoped it wasn’t as sketchy as he feared it was.
“Exactly, Commander. In fact, I was just about to approach Lieutenant Reed again regarding this very matter. Things are going to begin happening very quickly, and very soon.”
“I wouldn’t bother calling Malcolm again if I were you. He’s still not very keen on working with you folks.”
“So you’ve both already said. Regardless, we were also planning to contact you as well. I must thank you for saving me the trouble.”
Trip blinked in surprise. “Why contact me?”
“Because your skills could prove invaluable to us, Commander. We need engineers capable of neutralizing the Romulans’ plans directly. People like you who already have a hands-on grasp of the inner workings of Romulan technology. I read your reports on the Romulans’ cloaked mine field, their flirtation with stealth ships, and their remote-control drone-ship experiments. Very impressive work. It helped convince me that you are an ideal candidate for field work.”
Trip immediately felt flattered, then reminded himself of Malcolm’s repeated warnings that Harris was a master manipulator. “Thanks. But those reports must have been evaluated by better engineering minds than mine. Besides that stuff, what makes you think I’m your man?”
“Whether you realize it or not, you are already a citizen of the coming galactic confederation. You are a human being ahead of his time, Mister Tucker. You have demonstrated an ability to empathize with and understand the minds of aliens, like the Tellarites and the Andorians.”
“Wow. Malcolm warned me that you lay it on a little thick sometimes to get what you want.”
Harris’s brow furrowed. “I’m not speaking about your gifts hyperbolically, Commander. People skills are just as important to a field agent’s success as engineering talent. Perhaps even more important. Case in point: You may be the first human ever to have a serious romantic relationship with a Vulcan.”
“In case you missed it, that relationship crashed and cratered.” Whatever might lay ahead between him, Harris, and the Romulans, Trip hoped for a smoother trajectory than the one he had shared with T’Pol.
“All that proves is that there are no guarantees in this life.” Harris paused to close his eyes and rub the bridge of his nose with a steepled pair of index fingers. “Frankly, I’m a little surprised at your ambivalence about us, Commander. Need I remind you that no one outside of your Enterprise colleagues other than us has been willing to listen to your warnings about the Romulans? We, on the other hand, will not only listen, we’ll also provide you with whatever resources, cover, and contacts you’ll need while working covertly in the ‘off-channel’ sector. With our resources at your disposal, you will