by Andy Mangels
Particularly once the Coalition weaklings set their vigilant eyes upon the wrong part of the sky and became preoccupied with the phantoms that would shortly be planted in their distracted field of view.
With a little help,he thought, from my newest loyal servant, Cunaehr.
TWELVE
Thursday, July 17, 2155 EnterpriseNX-01
A LTHOUGH SHE HAD APPEAREDon the bridge during the alpha watch just long enough to request that Captain Archer excuse her from her duties for unspecified personal reasons, TPol had really done so to show Ensign Sato that the captain had no issues with her earlier unauthorized transmissions. As she had anticipated, he had honored her request that he refrain from prying into the specifics that lay behind it. That was perhaps for the best, since TPol knew she had never mastered the fine art of lying. Misdirection seemed more credible, at least in theory, but had proved only marginally easier in practice.
Though he didnt insist on it, Archer nevertheless seemed to wish to discuss the matter further; TPol ignored the instinct that impelled her toward forthrightness and duty and walked away from him. He had already made it abundantly clear in sickbay that he had no intention of rescuing Trip, which meant that her plans simply didnt fall into line with the captains.
The feeling was odd. She had defied authority before, but usually in the service of the needs of the many. This time, however, she knew that she was acting largely to satisfy her own deeply personal needs, no matter how she might seek to justify them using arguments about the urgency of the encroaching Romulan menace.
Life calls to Life,she thought, using the immortal words of the Third Analectsof Surak to validate her all but irresistible compulsion to come to Trips aid. In doing so, she knew she was brushing aside one of the ancient Vulcan philosophers even more fundamental axioms: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.She didnt care.
Once safely within her quarters again, TPol triggered a subspace signal burst to Denak, who had signaled already during the brief time she had been on the bridge. Even with the knowledge of her transmissions shared now by Archer and Sato, TPol still took the precaution of activating the scrambling device as Denaks incoming signal announced itself with a series of beeps on her desktop computer terminal. Its preferable for them to think Im discussing personal medical issues with a doctor on Vulcan than to learn what Im really doing,she thought.
Denak appeared on the screen, his eyes tinged with green and his skin visibly ashen even across the many light-years that separated them; he clearly had not been sleeping well. “Ive succeeded in getting you a ship, TPol, but it has not been easy. Lets just say that youve exhausted every debt Ive ever owed you.
TPol nodded slowly, acknowledging her old friends implied warning without allowing herself to appear intimidated by it. “Will the ship be capable of getting me into Romulan space?
“It can get youin, but notout, Denak said ominously. “You will need to rendezvous with this vessel using a ship of your own near the periphery of Romulan space. I presume you will not be usingEnterprise to do this.
“I feel certain that I will be able to find some kind of craft, TPol said, ignoring Denaks sarcasm as her mind quickly worked the problem of acquiring a small auxiliary craft on short notice.
“The ship I have secured for you can take both you and whatever small craft you arrive in well past the Romulan Star Empires borders. As long as you dont encounter any Romulan patrol vessels along the way, you should be fine.
“Where should I rendezvous with the ship, and when?
“Ive arranged for the vessel to be diverted from its regular course and mission,Denak said. “Neither of which is known to anyone outside the VSharand even then, it is known only to a handful. I am transmitting to you the rendezvous coordinates and timetable, along with a brief profile of the ship. You will haveone contact on board, and you will be required to remain confined to whatever sections of the ship she specifies.
TPol stared at him inquisitively. “Why?
“The vessel carriessensitive matériel to which you have not been granted access.
TPol saw a file open in the corner of her screen and was surprised to see that it was the image of a familiar face, even if it was noticeably older than the last time she had seen it. “Ycha? Sheis my contact?
“We both risk much with this, TPol,Denak said.
“I appreciate the trust you have placed in me, Denak, TPol said.
Denak raised an eyebrow, giving her the look that had made her feel so very uncomfortable during her years as his underling in the VShar. “I wish you would extend me the same courtesy. I know that you are hiding things from me about the true purpose of this mission. But I also sense that you are actingoutside the purview of both Starfleet and the Coalition of Planets. Perhaps even against direct orders.
He paused, leaning slightly closer to his own com unit. “Before you were even born, a wise woman once told me that sometimes it takes those who will travel past the boundarieswithout regard to arbitrary rulesto discover what truly lies beyond the horizon.
TPol had heard her mother express the same sentiments before, and suspected that it was she to whom Denak was referring. She offered him a slight nod of acknowledgment. “Whatever I must do, I have no intention of causing any harm either to the Coalition or its member worlds. I act to preserve life, and to protect our people. You have my word on that.
Denak settled back in his chair again and steepled his hands and fingers underneath his chin. TPol saw that the thumb and forefingers were still missing from his right hand; he had lost them during a mission years ago, and had been unable to receive appropriate medical attention in time to save the nerves that would have allowed them to be regrown successfully.
“While you might not harm the Coalition, TPol, remember that your actions may have consequences for those who have placed their trust in you. You must be prepared for that eventuality.Denak held up his good hand, splitting his fingers into a salute. “Live long and prosper, TPol.
TPol returned the salute as her viewscreen went black.
Denaks words stung her, but she still felt certain that her mission was absolutely necessary, even if it might not be entirely logical. Assuming, of course, that the encounters she had experienced with Trip in her mindscape were not, in fact, hallucinations.
Launch Bay Two seemed unnaturally quiet as TPol quickly went about her work. Her fingers moved smoothly over the computer panel as she input data and observed the results. The subroutines she had accessed were complicated, and one wrong keystroke could signal her actions to someone on the bridge, or elsewhere.
The gamma watch commander, Lieutenant ONeill, and those on her shift were used to quiet “nights aboard ship, and TPol knew from experience that this would be the best time to set her plan into motionnot because ONeills bridge crew was any less capable than the alpha watch team, but because nobody would even suspect the borderline sabotage she was engaged in at such a late hour. With the likely exception of Doctor Phlox, all of those aboard Enterprisewho were closest to her would have been asleep for hours by now.
An alert light blinked on the computer viewscreen, prompting TPol to curse under her breath. She realized she must have run afoul of a security subroutine for which she had not prepared; perhaps Lieutenant Reed had installed a new code. She wondered briefly if he had done so because hed anticipated her present course of action and felt the need to preempt it. Illogical, she told herself. There was no way Reed could have anticipated her plan. The captain, maybe the doctor
Her fingers hovered over the keypad as her mind raced. She could back out of the subroutine, but that would mean taking care to erase every step she had already taken. Worse, her failure to beat Enterprises security measures tonight would force her to miss the rendezvous that Denak had so painstakingly arranged.
“Enter code alpha-two-epsilon-seven-niner-ninertau-nu, said a voice from the shadows behind her in distinctively accented English.
Malcolm Reeds voice, to be precise.
“And what will happen then? TPol asked, not turning around to face him. Despite her lifelong Vulcan training, she felt fear turn her spine to ice.
“That command will reroute the new security subroutine, Reed said. “Once thats out of the way, you can finish carrying out your plan to bypass the entire security system and commandeer one of our shuttlepods, Reed said. She heard his footsteps as he approached her. “That iswhat you intended, isnt it?
TPol tensed, then ducked, sweeping her leg out quickly in a low, wide arc. She felt it connect with Reeds calves, and as she spun around she saw him collapse backward, a look of intense surprise on his face.
Hes not carrying a phase pistol,she thought with a start. And hes not even in uniform.In fact, Reed was wearing what appeared to be a dark robe, similar to the attire of a civilian Vulcan merchant.
Reed quickly rolled backward, regaining his footing and springing to a crouching defensive stance. “Do you want to fight me, TPol, or do you want my help? Because Vulcan or not, Ill kick your ass, plus youll miss your chance to input the code I just gave you. If you dont do that in the next twenty seconds, the security alarms will go off and well bothhave some heavy explaining to do.
TPols mind raced, but her decision came quickly. She tapped the code into the datapad, and was rewarded with a green light.
“Now, we have ten minutes of safe time to get away from Enterprisebefore the system stops running the redundant program I wrote to conceal our little act of piracy, Reed said, cautiously moving closer.
TPol turned to him, reflexively raising an eyebrow. “Our?
“Whatever your plan is, Im coming with you, Reed said.
“Why?
“Id rather save the detailed explanation for after weve gotten safely under way, Reed replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Suffice it to say that I know your intention is to rescue Trip. And he wouldnt be in this mess if it werent for me.
TPol knew that Reed had worked in the past for the same secretive Starfleet organization for which Trip had since become an agent. She also knew that after Reed had told them he would no longer work for them, they had recruited Trip. She didnt know how or why they had convinced Trip he could be an effective spyshe hoped hed tell her after they extracted him from Romulan spacebut she assumed they had their reasons. She was surprised, however, to learn that Reed felt so guilty about Trips recruitment.
“Did Captain Archer put you up to this, Lieutenant? TPol asked. Had the captains reticence about helping her merely been another secret maneuver, a tactic akin to the deliberate disinformation that still concealed, from most people, the fact that Trip wasnt really dead? Were Archers earlier protestations simply an official gesture intended, as Trip might have put it, to “cover his ass?
“Im afraid not, Commander, Reed said, looking a bit crestfallen. “In fact, I suspect this may be my final straw with the captain. Ive had to lie to him before because of my relationship with the bureau, and he believed me afterward when I told him I was through with all of that.
“My hope is that we will be able to retrieve Trip, and that the information he has gathered will be directly useful in mounting a defense against the Romulan Empires encroachment on Coalition space, TPol said. “The ends would justify the means in this instance, and Captain Archer would understand, especially if we keep him insulated from our actions.
“Thats a great hope, Reed said. “We can also hope for ticker-tape parades, commendations from our superiors, and free hot fudge sundaes for life. But I suspect that even if were successful, most of those wishes wont be coming true.
“Then why come with me? TPol asked, fixing Reed with an inquisitive gaze.
He offered a wan smile. “Because youre not the only one who cares about Trip, Commander. We didnt start out as friends when this whole journey began, but there are few men Ive met before or since whom I hold in higher esteem.
He pointed toward the viewscreen on the console where TPol had been working. “We have four minutes left before our departure window closes. Time to get packing.
TPol pointed toward a small traveling case shed left leaning against a nearby bulkhead. “I have already packed.
Reed shook his head. “Its a human expression, TPol. Dont take it literally.
“Like kicking my ass? TPol asked, grabbing the case and heading toward Shuttlepod Two. “Why are humans so fixated on the gluteal muscles? she said.
Reed fell into step beside her, snorting slightly. “Perhaps its because weve all got em, Commander. Even Vulcans, I suppose. He reddened visibly as he moved to open the shuttlepods hatch. “Not that I take much notice of such things.
“Indeed, TPol said in the most frostily polite tone she could muster. “And just so were clear, Lieutenant, you could nothave kicked mine.
THIRTEEN
Friday, July 18, 2155 ColumbiaNX-02, near Draylax
“P LEASE ASSIST US ! Our defenses cannot hold much longer against the hostiles weaponry!Even without the bridges linguistic translation matrices rendering the incoming message into intelligible English, the static-laced voice that carried it would have conveyed a crystal-clear message of desperation and fear all on its own.
Captain Erika Hernandez leaned forward in her command chair as she listened to the plaintive distress call and stared straight ahead into the star-flecked infinitude displayed on the large forward viewer.
“Origin point of the transmission? she said, turning her chair slightly toward the portside com station.
“Looks like its coming from the Draylax system, Captain, said the redheaded Ensign Sidra Valerian, her Scottish burr thickening into a heavy brogue as it often did during times of heightened tension. The youthful senior communications officer had gotten busy tracing the Mayday signal immediately after its arrival a few moments ago.
“Maybe its lucky for the sender that he isnt farther away, Captain, said Lieutenant Reiko Akagi, from the helm console. “Draylax is very close to our current position. At maximum warp, I can get us there in just a few hours.
“Lucky for them,maybe, said Commander Veronica Fletcher, Columbias executive officer and Hernandezs second in command. “For us, not so much.
“Especially if were expected to stop a threat that the entire Draylaxian defense fleet cant cope with, said Lieutenant Kiona Thayer, the senior tactical officer. She stood in the bridges starboard section, studying the readouts on her station as Lieutenant Commander Kalil el-Rashad, Columbias second officer and sciences expert, analyzed the same data on his own console.
“Not necessarily, Hernandez said. “From what Ive seen, Draylaxs defenses are nothing to write home about. In fact, their defensive capabilities have always been weak enough to make me wonder why theyve been so uninterested in joining the Coalition.
“I wonder if they might be a bit more friendly to a Coalition sales pitch after this, Fletcher said, her New Zealand accent sharpening her words.
If theyre still around afterward,Hernandez thought, recalling the horrible devastation that had been visited upon Coridan Prime not so very long ago. Aloud, she said, “Ill leave that sort of thing to the diplomats. Our main concern is putting an end to this assault, if we can. Reiko, make best speed to Draylax. Sidra, get me Starfleet Command. Advise Admiral Gardner of our diversion to Draylax.
Brushing a lock of her blond hair away from her eyes, Fletcher stepped close to the command chair and leaned toward Hernandez. “Gardners not gonna be happy about this, she said in an almost conspiratorial tone. “After all, were supposed to be protecting the Coalition shipping lanes from pirates and litterbugs, arent we?
Hernandez favored her exec with a wry smile. “Werent you just complaining about how much patrol duty bores you?
“Lets just say that boredom is infinitely preferable to reenacting the Charge of the Light Brigade, Fletcher said quietly.
“Dont worry, Veronica, Hernandez said with a grim chuckle. “Well scout out the situation first and assess the odds. Then whether we stay or fall back will be up to the c
aptains discretion.
Fletchers reply was preceded by a bantering smirk. “Thats very reassuring, Captain. You have always been the very soul of discretion.
An excited exclamation from Ensign Valerian interrupted Hernandezs rejoinder. “Admiral Gardners on the line, the com officer said, looking surprised.
“Very efficient, Sidra, Fletcher said.
The com officers brogue thickened even further. “Commander, I didnt raise him. Hescalling us.
“He must have a spy aboard, Fletcher said quietly, her voice obviously pitched for the captains ears alone. Hernandez couldnt always quite tell when she was kidding. “Or maybe hes bugged our helm console.
Hernandez ignored the comment. Nodding to the com officer as she rose from her command chair, she said, “Ill take it in my ready room.
“Admiral Gardner, Hernandez said as she seated herself at her small and perpetually cluttered desk. Fortunately, she had taken the liberty of pushing the stacks of paper, books, and two coffee cups safely out of the admirals line of sight. “Please go ahead, sir.
The subspace-transmitted image of the stern-faced man displayed on her ready-room terminal began speaking without any preamble. “Captain, an emergency situation has arisen.
“Draylax, she said.
Gardner nodded soberly as he ran a hand across his duranium-colored crew cut. “Its a potentially explosive situation.
“Were already on our way there at maximum warp, sir. My com officer was about to advise you of our course change. Well reach Draylax in less than four hours.
Assuming we dont get sent back out on pirate patrol in the meantime,she added silently.
“Outstanding, Captain,Gardner said with the faintest hint of a smile. “The Draylaxians are in considerable danger, given their relatively limited defensive and tactical capabilities. Even a singleNX- class starship could make all the difference.
