The Romulan War_ Beneath the Raptor's Wing (Book 1) - Michael A. Martin [63]
“Correct,” Ych’a said. “But the planet does support a thriving multispecies trading colony that services many of the economic needs of several adjacent sectors of space, with a special emphasis on the extraction and sale of dilithium and other valuable mineral commodities.”
Ych’a’s description of the place brought to mind images of the Yukon Territory or California during the Gold Rush era of three centuries past, the sort of rough and lawless environment to which he’d first been exposed in old flatvid films before experiencing something very much like it firsthand nearly two years ago, while scouring the Delphic Expanse for the Xindi who had attacked Earth.
“Sounds like a good place to hide whatever secret research the Romulans might be doing nearby,” he said. “They can keep it out of sight but still maintain fairly easy access to raw materials.”
Ych’a answered with another firm nod. “Again, correct. According to the V’Shar’s analytical division, pursuing this strategy has put the creation of a viable warp-seven-capable bird-of-prey-class vessel very nearly within the Romulan military’s reach.”
The chill-footed spiders abruptly returned to Trip’s spine, arranging themselves into an energetic Radio City–style kick line. “How long before they can pull it off?”
“A handful of your Terran months, at most,” Ych’a said, her shoulders rotating in a gesture that strongly resembled a shrug. “Hence the current close alignment between our intelligence service and yours. This Romulan research initiative presents a clear danger to both Vulcan and Earth, as well as to the other member worlds of the Coalition of Planets.”
As badly as he wanted to go home, and to leave the shadowy world of espionage behind forever, Trip couldn’t help but agree. “Okay,” he said. “This thing has got to be stopped. The odds against Earth are bad enough right now without the Romulans getting their hands on Vulcan-level warp technology.”
“Which is why Vulcan intends to do everything possible to prevent such a catastrophic upheaval in the relative balance of power between Earth and Romulus,” Ych’a said.
“But Vulcan’s gonna do it using the V’Shar from behind the scenes,” Trip said, not asking a question. “Instead of going after the Romulans directly with the whole Vulcan fleet.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Of course. We are a logical people, Commander. And subtlety is part and parcel of logic.”
Tucker wasn’t sure how to take that. He was sorely tempted to point out that subtlety might not have been the ideal way to meet a challenge like the invasion of Calder II, which as far as he could tell had already become a Romulan beachhead right on the Coalition’s back porch.
Instead, he said, “You know, Vulcan could just decide to share its warp-drive technology with Earth. That would sure as hell short-circuit everything the Romulans are doing to try to change the balance of power.”
Ych’a appeared unsurprised by Trip’s idea, which led him to believe she had already given the issue a fair amount of consideration. “Such a move would be neither subtle nor logical, Commander.”
“Maybe,” he said, matching her earlier shrug with one of his own. “On the other hand, if the Romulans’ warp-seven project actually succeeds, Vulcan might find that it’s finally run out of better options.”
“That is certainly possible, Commander. However, it is also a moot point at present. And we should both do everything in our power to see that it remains so.”
“I understand,” Trip said with a grudging acquiescence that did little to ameliorate his frustration. After all, there was no getting around the reality that such decisions were never made at Ych’a’s pay grade, let alone his.
“All right, Ych’a. Neither of us wants to find out what’ll actually happen if the Romulans pull this