The Romulan War_ Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Book 1) - Michael A. Martin [40]
He would have thought that his objective should have been obvious. “I will attempt to persuade the governments of both Andoria and Tellar to do their utmost to help Earth defend itself from the Romulans,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back as he continued forward at her side.
“In order to make up for Vulcan’s absence from the front lines at Calder and other potential Romulan beachheads,” she said, articulating his purpose at least as well as he could have done.
“Yes,” he said, gratified by her evidently clear understanding of the many obstacles and difficulties that his task would almost certainly entail.
“Then it is indeed fortunate that I managed to reach you prior to the start of your meeting,” she said, coming to a stop. “Because you must argue precisely the opposite proposition.”
Soval came to a halt as well. This time he couldn’t have been more surprised if Earth’s yellow star had suddenly begun to rise in the west, or if the local gravitational field had abruptly reversed itself.
“I do not understand,” he said. “The Romulans pose a danger to the entire Coalition, but most particularly to Earth and Alpha Centauri. The humans’ technological and military infrastructure is nowhere near as ready for a full Romulan assault as are Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar. Since we are opting out of the fight that we all know is coming, it will be incumbent upon the other Coalition members to compensate for our absence.”
“No,” she said, and resumed walking.
Once again, he trotted to catch up and continued forward at her side. “I do not understand.”
After a pause to look over her shoulder, T’Pau began talking as she walked. “I must speak of something that I cannot allow even my closest aides to overhear.”
“And that is?” Soval’s surprise and curiosity was beginning to give way to frustration, which he pushed firmly down.
“The relationship, both genetic and cultural, that Vulcan shares with the Romulans,” she said. “I know that you are among the few who are aware of this fact.”
A mind-meld decades ago with one of his diplomatic mentors—a man who had seen much of the closing phases of the century-long Vulcan-Romulan War—had given him personal knowledge of the intimate connection between the two peoples. Ever since experiencing this revelation, Soval had regarded it as a source of terrible embarrassment. He had always been vigilant about keeping it quiet, but never more than he did at the moment; should it ever get out, the fact of the Vulcan-Romulan connection could only strain Vulcan’s Coalition relationships further, very likely past their breaking point.
“It is entirely possible that I am the only one currently working in Vulcan’s diplomatic service that knows,” he said, keeping his voice low. He assumed that T’Pau became aware of Vulcan’s Romulan connection only after her ascension to the office of administrator, which would have given her instant access to the classified files that V’Las and his predecessors had left behind.
“The knowledge of Vulcan’s common ancestry with a people as violent and passion-bound as the Romulans is a terrible burden for those of us who carry it,” T’Pau said.
“Agreed,” Soval said.
“And the burden has grown more profound for me personally as I have continued advancing along the path of Kolinahr attainment since I took office.”
Having spent so much of his life learning to empathize and deal with often over-emotional aliens, Soval had never seen the discipline of the Kolinahr to completion. Nevertheless, he found it all but impossible to imagine anyone successfully achieving the Kolinahr—and its attendant abandonment of every last vestige of emotion in the pursuit of the Syrrannite ideal of pure Surakian logic and peace—while bearing the weight of the massive emotional millstone that the administrator carried.
“I believe I understand, Administrator,