The Romulan War_ Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Book 1) - Michael A. Martin [32]
And the bitterest part of it was the realization that there was nothing he could do but accept it.
He took a couple of steps backward and dropped onto the edge of his cot to contemplate his painfully altered circumstances. After a measureless interval, he looked up at the two Vulcans, both of whom were regarding him with something that resembled curiosity.
“All right,” Trip said. “Let’s start by filling in some of the gaps in my knowledge.” If the spy trade had taught Trip anything, it was that it’s the things you don’t know that are likeliest to catch you unawares and kill you. “Just what the hell is kevas anyway?”
“You will be given ample training in the various trade goods your cover vocation will require you to handle,” Ych’a said. “And, of course, we will make certain both of your ears are implanted with the most advanced universal translator units available. Doctor Sivath discovered that only one of your ears was so equipped.”
He nodded. “Okay. You Vulcans are nothing if not thorough. Which reminds me, I’ll need a bit more than superficial plastic surgery if I’m going to live among you green-blooded folk undetected.”
Ych’a and T’Vran exchanged a brief look that Trip instantly translated to mutual puzzlement.
“I do not understand,” Ych’a said.
Remember, it’s always best to be as literal as possible with Vulcans, he reminded himself.
Aloud, he said, “My blood is red. Your Doctor Sivath might call it a copper deficiency. Anyway, when I was working in the belly of the beast on Romulus, I was taking a special sulfatriptan drug from Earth to turn my blood green. But I’m fresh out of the stuff at the moment.”
Ych’a finally appeared to understand. “And you are hoping to acquire additional supplies of the drug on Vulcan.”
“I seriously doubt that anyone on Vulcan ever developed a drug specifically designed to turn blood green,” T’Vran said. “I assume I needn’t point out the redundancy inherent in such a thing on a planet of green-blooded people. However, I will ask Doctor Sivath to research it for you.”
Ych’a nodded. “If Doctor Sivath cannot secure the drug for you, perhaps one of your trade missions as Sodok will yield a supply.”
“I certainly hope so,” Trip said. “And I hope it happens before anybody figures out where ‘Sodok’ really came from just because I accidentally cut myself shaving.” He rubbed his long-neglected chin, and noticed only then that it felt about as rough as a wire brush.
“Until then, Commander Tucker,” Ych’a said without a trace of irony, “I suggest you consider growing a beard.”
Before Trip could deliver a rejoinder, a high-pitched tone sounded, nearly beyond the range of human hearing. Trip noticed immediately that it wasn’t out of the Vulcan aural spectrum, however, when both T’Vran and Ych’a reacted to it, the captain by engaging the small comm device she was carrying and Ych’a by giving the captain her undivided attention.
“Captain T’Vran, this is bridge watch officer Sinak,” said the tinny voice that issued from T’Vran’s comm device. “You instructed me to alert you about any significant findings in the Tezel-Oroko system.”
So we definitely haven’t left the system yet, Trip thought. Are they searching for survivors from the Kobayashi Maru? Or looking to salvage whatever she was carrying on her way to the listening post the Vulcans were trying to set up here?
He decided there was no reason that the Vulcans couldn’t be doing both at once.
“Yes, Altern Sinak,” T’Vran said. “Have you detected any Romulans?”
“No, Captain. But we remain ready to leave the system at maximum warp should any appear, per your orders. However, we have found a strong duranium signature coming from the surface of one of the outer system’s cometary bodies.”