The Good That Men Do - Andy Mangels [62]
Still, Trip had to cling to the hope that an all-out war with the Romulans was still somehow avoidable. “There’s no way around this thing, is there?” he asked Phuong at length.
“A way around war with the Romulans?” Phuong’s expression became grave, and he shook his head. “I’m afraid I’ve come to understand the Romulans a little too well to believe that’s possible.”
That’s saying a lot, considering the fact that he’s never even seen a Romulan, Trip thought. Aloud, he said, “Don’t you think Romulan dissidents- like these Ejhoi Ormiin people- might have anything to say?”
Phuong chuckled, but it was a dry, humorless sound. “Passion isn’t the same thing as power, Commander. Unfortunately, the Ejhoi Ormiin aren’t in charge, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon.”
Trip sat back in silence, staring straight ahead at the starfield through which the Branson was headed. He was suddenly struck by the sheer immensity of the implacable forces arrayed against Earth and her allies- and by the Coalition’s remote chance of survival, given its apparent blindness to the very real dangers that lay directly in its path.
“Why is it that only a few people can see what ought to be obvious?” he said a few moments later, once he’d found his voice again.
Phuong answered in soothing, encouraging tones. “Maybe certain people can’t help but see it- especially if they’re trained problem solvers.”
That seemed to Trip entirely too facile an answer, and he turned to cast a skeptical eye upon the other man. “There are lots of ‘problem solvers’ on Earth who have bigger brains than either of us do, Tinh.”
“Granted. But a lot of those ‘big brains’ are pursuing other agendas, too- like struggling to hang onto a high political office or an admiral’s pips. Public controversy and fear can work against those sort of agendas, and people like Nathan Samuels and Admiral Gardner damned well know it, especially now that they need to put the Terra Prime attacks behind them in order to keep the public calm and the Coalition together.”
“What about the other Coalition worlds?” Trip asked. “Aren’t any of them willing to listen and help?”
“Our bureau- Section 31, as you call it- is a secret organization based on Earth, Commander. And it would be a lot tougher for us to stay secret if we were to tip our hand to Earth’s allies- to say nothing of the damage we might do to interstellar relations if our allies ever got the notion that Earth is either an active or an unwitting host to what some might call a rogue spy network. Not that they don’t use similar means and methods themselves, mind you.”
Trip nodded. “Like the Vulcan agents who spied on the Andorians while posing as monks on P’Jem.”
“Exactly. Besides, I wouldn’t count on a lot of help from the allied planets right now anyway. They’ve each got their hands full. The Andorians and Vulcans are still busy spying on each other, even now. Minister T’Pau is still in the process of purging the Vulcan High Command of V’Las loyalists, which has hamstrung Vulcan’s military response capabilities, at least for a while. The Coridan worlds have been so close to civil war over the past few years that I doubt Coridan Prime would share its warp-seven technology with Earth in time to provide any tactical advantage over the Romulans. And the Tellarites never seem to get tired of arguing among themselves, or with anyone else, for that matter.”
Trip sighed, not sure how to respond, though he was certain that Phuong’s analysis was pretty much spot-on, if a bit cynical. “Sounds like you don’t have a lot of faith in the Coalition.”
“Not true,” Phuong said, waving a hand as though to dismiss Trip’s words. “I’m just realistic enough not to expect it to solve every problem overnight. The Coalition is only a starting point for Earth’s future. It’s going to need quite a bit of time to prove itself truly useful to all the parties involved.”
“But it won’t get that time if the Romulans move before we’re ready for them,” Trip said.
“Precisely.” Phuong nodded and smiled, evidently delighted at Trip’s insight. “It’s crucial that we prevent