The Romulan War_ Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Book 1) - Michael A. Martin [33]
“Could it be an escape pod?” T’Vran said, even as Trip wondered if somebody had made it off the Kobayashi Maru before the Romulans destroyed it, or if someone besides Sopek and himself managed to escape from Sopek’s ship just prior to its demise.
“Our scans have been inconclusive so far, Captain,” Sinak said. “We have detected the presence of kelbonite precipitates in the object’s surface layers.”
Trip blinked. “Kelbonite. Is that anything like kevas? Or trillium?”
A subtle narrowing of the eyes was the only reply either woman deigned to offer Trip for his impertinence.
“Kelbonite would tend to interfere with the ship’s sensors, would it not?” T’Vran said to her subordinate.
“It would, Captain,” said Sinak. “It could also significantly impair the operation of our transporter and tractor beam.”
“Please stand by for further instructions, Altern Sinak,” T’Vran said. “Captain T’Vran out.” She touched the small comm unit in her hand, closing the channel to the bridge.
“If an escape pod has indeed landed on one of the system’s cometary bodies,” Ych’a said soberly, “then you may need to send a reconnaissance and recovery team out to investigate it directly.”
Nodding, T’Vran said, “I regret that I can see no alternative. Unfortunately, the Kiri-kin-tha is a merchant ship, not a military vessel. Our auxiliary vessels were designed primarily for delivering cargo rather than for rescue and recovery operations. And very few members of my crew possess the training necessary to perform such operations, even if our equipment were adequate to the task.”
“In that case, Captain, I request that you allow me to undertake the mission,” Ych’a said with no hesitation that Trip could detect.
T’Vran paused and displayed a thoughtful expression before replying. “If an escape pod has indeed landed on that cometary body, it may hold injured people who cannot wait for the conclusion of a lengthy deliberative process.”
These people must get paid by the syllable, Trip thought. They’re wordy even when they’re trying to say they’re in a freaking hurry!
“Very well,” the captain said. “This is somewhat irregular, but in this instance urgency demands it.”
“I will leave immediately,” Ych’a said as she moved toward the hatchway, which slid obediently open in response to her approach. Pausing over the threshold, she looked back at T’Vran and Trip and said, “I have one request before I depart, Captain.”
“What do you require?” T’Vran asked.
The V’Shar agent pointed directly at Trip. “I want Commander Tucker to assist me.”
Trip’s eyebrows rose involuntarily. Well, I did want to get out of this teensy little footlocker they call ‘guest quarters,’ he thought. Guess I should start being a little more careful what I wish for....
SEVEN
Enterprise
“ERIKA!” ARCHER SAID TO the image of the dark-haired, olive-skinned woman a heartbeat or so after it appeared on the monitor screen sitting atop his ready-room desk. “Damn, but you’re a sight for sore eyes! I was beginning to think the worst.”
“Those Vulcan ships that attacked us near Alpha Centauri knocked out our subspace radio, and we only managed to get it back up and running a little while ago,” Captain Erika Hernandez said. “They gave us a run for our money, but Columbia is quite a bit tougher than the bad guys gave us credit for. Notwithstanding our having to accept a tow home for the rest of our repairs.”
Archer’s relief at this long-distance reunion gave way, at least in part, to renewed worry. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that the Romulans were really the ones loading the tubes and pushing the ‘fire’ button.”
“I’ll go out on that limb with you, Jon. But you can certainly color the Vulcans embarrassed.”
“Let’s hope their getting caught with their pants down like that spurs them into taking some serious action against the Romulans,” Archer said, leaning forward in his chair.
A look of unease crossed Hernandez’s face. “That might be a bit optimistic,” she said.
“Why do you say that?”
“I just checked in with Admiral Gardner.