Star Trek: Typhon Pact: Rough Beasts of Empire

by David R. George III

  As Alizome stepped forward, she acknowledged the two advisors present, who sat opposite the autarch, the polished stone blocks of their seats smaller versions of the desk. Velenez Bel Gar-A and Zelent Bel Gar-A both glowed a pale yellow, the former with green eyes, the latter with orange. “You wished to see me,” Alizome said. She hadn’t seen the autarch since reporting to him after her mission to Typhon I, where she’d taken the title of ambassador and finalized the agreement defining the Typhon Pact. That agreement subsequently had been ratified by the Tzelnira—the government ministers—and endorsed by Korzenten.

  “Yes, Alizome,” said the autarch. Typical of Tzenkethi culture, he began their conversation without greeting or preamble. “Now that the Coalition has consented to be a part of the Typhon Pact, we must ensure that the new alliance serves our needs.” Korzenten’s voice rang out in low tones, resonating like the tolling of bass bells.

  “Of course, my Rej,” she said. “How can I assist?”

  “That is what we are trying to determine,” said Velenez. “The Typhon Pact carries with it some obvious advantages, chief among them the ability to provide a check on the Federation. We want to ensure that none of the Pact’s deficiencies compromise that advantage.”

  For an instant, Alizome grew concerned. Though she had been provided guidance by the autarch and his advisors, the responsibility for negotiating the details of the Typhon Pact had fallen to her. Despite approval by both the Tzelnira and the autarch, if the treaty agreement failed to provide for the best interests of the Coalition, Alizome would answer for it.

  As well I should, she thought. But any anxiety she felt quickly vanished. Not only had she been bred for the specific duty she performed for the Tzenkethi, but she also knew well all of the elements contained in the final accord.

  “Forgive me, my Rej,” Alizome said, “but it is unclear to me what possible deficiencies there could be in the Typhon Pact. Indeed, the terms are quite favorable for the Coalition, including the exceptional agreement by the Romulans to install their cloaking technology throughout our space fleet.”

  “We are not discussing the provisions of the Typhon Pact,” said the autarch, “but its members.”

  “Our chief concern,” said Zelent, “is the new balance of power with respect to the Federation.”

  The declaration did not surprise Alizome. The United Federation of Planets had vexed the Tzenkethi for a century, forcing them into more than one shooting war and maintaining tense political standoffs against them the rest of the time. The Federation continuously sent out starships far beyond their borders, always in the name of exploration, but often resulting in expansionism and imperialism. The number of star systems and the volume of space annexed by the UFP since the Tzenkethi first made contact with them approached the size of the entire Coalition itself.

  Compounding those problems, there could be little hope that the Federation would ever change its ways. Almost inconceivably, it functioned—or malfunctioned, Alizome thought—as a republic, and not just as a republic but as one with an unregulated gene pool. The notion that a society would allow all of its adult members, including the vast majority of those of moderate or lesser intelligence, to choose their government officials seemed beyond absurd. Giving such power to the inferior components of a nation could only produce inferior results. Those mediocre and substandard minds—uneducated, self-centered, avaricious, prejudiced, chauvinistically patriotic—would ultimately bring about the downfall of their society, but until then, they would continue to export their failures to the rest of the galactic neighborhood.

  “Surely the Typhon Pact will provide a counterbalance against the Federation and the Klingons,” Alizome said.

  “I would agree,” the autarch said, “if not for the Romulan schism.”

  “Tensions continue to run high between Praetor Tal’Aura’s old Romulan Star Empire and Empress Donatra’s new Imperial Romulan State,” Velenez explained. “With the recognition of Donatra’s new nation by the Federation and the Klingons, those tensions are likely going to increase. If fighting breaks out between the two Romulan states, it will destabilize the region and weaken the Typhon Pact.”

  “So a united Romulan Empire would redound to the benefit of the Pact,” Alizome concluded, “and therefore to the benefit of the Tzenkethi Coalition.”

  “Yes, but not enough,” said the autarch. “Under the wrong leader, the Romulans would attempt to control the Typhon Pact.”

  “So we need to find a way to bring their empires back together,” Alizome said, “and ensure that an appropriate person leads them.”

  “As we understand it from well-placed observers within Romulan space, several competing attempts to unite the Empire are already under way,” said Zelent. “What we need is to find the right person to be praetor, and to ensure that they are maneuvered into place.”

  “And that is where I turn to you, Alizome,” said the autarch.

  Alizome suppressed any outward display of emotion, but she felt a flurry of excitement. Her DNA provided her a set of skills that made her best suited to this sort of work, and satisfying her genetic heritage fulfilled her. “I understand,” she said.

  “Good,” said the autarch. “Then prepare for a long stay on Romulus.”

  II

  Blood Brimmed the Curse

  I am gall, I am heartburn. God’s most deep decree

  Bitter would have me taste: my taste was me;

  Bones built in me, flesh filled, blood brimmed the curse.

  —GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

  19

  The applause did not thunder through the auditorium, but that it arose at all satisfied Spock. He stood at a lectern in the center of an otherwise-empty stage, having just concluded his remarks, the last of six speakers that afternoon. Gazing out across the house, Spock estimated that the rally had filled three-quarters of the Orventis Arena. One of Ki Baratan’s primary entertainment venues, it seated fifteen thousand. Just seven months of peaceful public dialogue, with no reprisals from the Romulan government, had increased attendance at Vulcan-Romulan reunification events by two orders of magnitude. The heightened interest manifested not just within the capital city but across the face of Romulus.

  “Jolan tru,” Spock told the audience. Then, raising his hand in the traditional Vulcan gesture, he said, “Live long and prosper.” Amidst renewed applause, Spock collected his data tablet from atop the lectern and headed offstage. The five other members of the movement who had spoken at the rally waited in the wings, as did Dorlok and D’Tan, charged with overseeing security for the event.

  “Congratulations,” D’Tan said at once, the young man clearly pleased with the success of the rally.

  “Thank you, D’Tan,” Spock said. “Do we have any reports from other cities?”

  “We do,” Dorlok said. “There are significant turnouts in many places. The venues in Rateg, Dinalla, and Ra’tleihfi have had even larger audiences than we have. In Villera’trel, there are—”

  “Spock!”

  Following the sound of the voice, Spock peered through the backstage darkness toward a rear entrance to the arena. There, he saw T’Solon racing toward him, escorted inside by a member of Dorlok’s security team. Captured and imprisoned a year earlier by Romulan Security, T’Solon had been released, along with Vorakel, after the repeal of the anti–Reunification Movement law. Small in stature and well into her middle years, T’Solon normally projected an inconspicuous profile. Calling out and hying toward him, she looked more agitated than Spock had ever seen her. She carried a data tablet in one hand.

  Moving through the group bunched around him, Spock met her as she came up. “Mister Spock,” she said. “I need to speak with you.”

  Upon her initial discharge from prison, T’Solon had been wary of returning to a position of leadership within the Movement, or even to rejoining the Movement at all. With a husband and two children, she had not wanted to risk being separated from them again. Despite her freedom and the legalization o
f her beliefs, she had been reluctant to trust Praetor Tal’Aura’s government.

  As the Movement had grown, though, and as the government had continued to refrain from interfering, T’Solon had drifted back to it. Because of her prior experience with the Romulan comnet—she had worked as a technician all over the planet—Spock had asked her last month to assist T’Lavent with a research project. She had agreed, and Spock could only surmise that her obvious anxiety related to that, and he asked her as much.

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “T’Lavent and I—”

  “Not here,” Spock said. Although the praetor had agreed to meet him, had listened to his appeal, had pushed through the revocation of the anti–Reunification Movement law, and had granted T’Solon and Vorakel their liberty, he did not trust her. As long as Tal’Aura’s aims coincided to some degree with his own, he hoped to continue his efforts on Romulus, but he suffered no illusions that the situation could change at any time. He also recognized that just because the government allowed the Movement to thrive, it did not mean that Romulan Security had suddenly closed its eyes and ears.

  Spock started to lead T’Solon outside, intending to use the rear entrance, but Dorlok stopped them. The security chief insisted that Spock take an escort. Once the rest of the security team arrived for the other speakers, Dorlok and D’Tan accompanied Spock and T’Solon.

  Outside, Spock walked up Avenue Renak and led T’Solon several blocks to Cor’Lavet Park. There, he directed T’Solon to an unoccupied bench situated within a large greensward. Dorlok and D’Tan took up separate positions nearby.

  “You may proceed,” Spock told T’Solon.

  “As you know, Mister Spock, T’Lavent and I have been researching the death of the Reman who tried to kill you,” T’Solon said. “Because you didn’t want us breaking any laws, it’s taken us longer than it might have otherwise.”

  “As long as the Romulans are permitting the Movement to exist legally,” Spock explained, “we must do nothing to jeopardize that.”

  “I understand,” T’Solon said. She held up the data tablet for him to see, and then she touched a control. “Do you recognize this man?”

  Spock studied the face, which belonged to that of an older Romulan. He had strong, weathered features and a steely countenance. Gray hair dusted his temples. Spock recalled him at once. “That is R’Jul,” he said. “He was the protector at the Via Colius security station when I attempted to turn in the Reman.”

  “R’Jul is still the protector there,” T’Solon said. “At least we believe he is. He was spotted entering the station as late as two days ago.”

  “And why is he of interest?”

  “Because of his background,” T’Solon said. “Over time, we’ve assembled a roster of the personnel assigned to that security station.” She tapped at the tablet, and a list of Romulan names scrolled down the screen. “We then searched public news accounts, unshielded comnet entries, and any related, declassified material we could find. We came upon no detail, no connection, that drew our attention.”

  “Obviously until today,” Spock said.

  T’Solon found R’Jul’s name on her list and selected it. A dossier appeared on the small screen, comprising a series of photographs and documents. She chose a comnet article, which enlarged to fill the viewable area on the device. The headline read: LOCAL MAN TRANSFERRED TO WARBIRD. A picture of R’Jul adjoined the text. “We found this from before Shinzon’s coup,” T’Solon said. “R’Jul served in the Imperial Fleet as a security officer, mostly on transports, until he received this assignment to the Mogai-class warbird Valdore.”

  “The Valdore,” Spock said. “Donatra’s ship.”

  “Yes,” T’Solon said. “R’Jul served in her crew on the security staff, eventually working his way up to security chief.”

  A large inflatable ball skittered across the grass toward the bench, a young Romulan girl chasing after it. Spock stood up and collected the ball, then handed it to the girl when she reached him. She could barely spread her arms wide enough to hold the ball. “Thank you,” she said, then scampered off.

  Spock glanced over at Dorlok, who had apparently watched the episode closely. Although the security man did not appear to be carrying anything, Spock inferred that he must have used a portable sensor to scan both the girl and the ball. If he hadn’t, Dorlok would have run over and intercepted both.

  Returning to the bench, Spock asked, “For how long did R’Jul serve under Donatra?”

  “We haven’t found enough documentation to determine a precise timeframe,” T’Solon said, “but for at least two years.”

  “When did he leave her command?” Spock asked. “And did he move directly from the Imperial Fleet into Romulan Security?”

  “We haven’t been able to ascertain those details,” T’Solon said. “But we do know that he was aboard the Valdore as late as five days prior to Shinzon’s assassination of Praetor Hiren and the Senate.”

  Spock nodded, trying to make sense of the information. “Is there anything further?”

  “No,” T’Solon said, deactivating the tablet.

  “The implication is clear,” Spock said.

  “Because of R’Jul’s affiliation with Donatra,” T’Solon said, “it seems possible, maybe even likely, that he acted on her orders to kill the Reman.”

  “Which would in turn imply that Donatra employed the Reman to assassinate me,” Spock said, “and that once he failed—or even if he had succeeded—she wanted to silence him.” He pondered the matter. “But does all of that follow?”

  “I think it does,” T’Solon said. “Donatra gained the loyalties of a significant portion of the military, enough to allow her to take control of a number of Romulan worlds and declare them a new nation. But while she commands a force strong enough to defend her Imperial Romulan State, she does not have enough firepower to seize the rest of the Empire. Tal’Aura also enjoys some significant advantages, in that she controls Romulus, at least a marginally stronger military, and a greater population. Also, she has rebuilt the government, even ceding political power to a new Senate that she herself reinstituted. Donatra might therefore want to minimize any sentiments championing the reuniting of the two powers, since a return to a single Romulan government would be far more likely to put Donatra’s position at risk than Tal’Aura’s.”

  “And because a popular Vulcan-Romulan Reunification Movement would likely empower a Romulan unity movement,” Spock said, “she chose to weaken the cause of reunification by removing its head.” Spock had argued to the praetor that his cause would benefit her cause, and indeed, that had happened to a large degree. While Vulcan-Romulan reunification rallies had drawn more and more interest across Romulus, many more voices had called out for the Romulan Star Empire to be made whole. “Logical,” Spock said. “But if Donatra did employ the Reman to kill me, and if she then wanted R’Jul to kill the assassin, it would seem coincidental that I happened to deliver the Reman directly to the protector.”

  “Coincidences do happen,” T’Solon said. “But if Donatra had wanted R’Jul to kill the Reman all along, I would assume that he did not simply wait for him to appear in the security station; presumably he employed a more active search. And perhaps he was just one of a number of individuals employed by Donatra to eliminate the Reman.”

  “Perhaps,” Spock said, not convinced either way. “But if you were able to locate this information, surely the praetor’s staff must have uncovered it as well. If they have, if they can make this link to Donatra, then why haven’t they made that information public? Any assassination attempt by Donatra made on Star Empire soil could readily be regarded as an act of war, and perhaps of greater importance, it could sway public opinion within the Imperial Romulan State away from Donatra.”

  “Maybe Tal’Aura is waiting for the most opportune moment to reveal all of this,” T’Solon suggested.

  “Perhaps,” Spock said again, “or perhaps the link that you and Vorakel found between the Reman’s death and Donatra
is itself a coincidence.”

  T’Solon remained quiet for a few moments, evidently considering the situation herself. Finally, she asked, “What are we going to do?”

  “I would ask that you and Vorakel continue your efforts to learn more about Protector R’Jul,” Spock said. “Also, to continue searching for anybody else who might have killed the Reman.”

  “We will,” T’Solon said. “We’ll get right back to it.” After Spock nodded his acknowledgment, T’Solon stood from the bench and headed away.

  At once, Dorlok made his way over to Spock. “Is everything all right?” he asked. “Have they learned something important?”

  “I do not know,” Spock said as he rose from the bench. “But I intend to find out.”

  20

  Captain Benjamin Sisko sat behind the desk in his ready room, his gaze directed to the personnel file displayed on his computer interface. He read through the record, which began with Lieutenant Sivadeki’s time at Starfleet Academy and continued through her postings aboard Starbase Icarus, U.S.S. T’Plana-Hath, and U.S.S. Fortitude, as well as her two years serving aboard Robinson. As he consumed the details of her life in Starfleet, a hand reached in and tapped at the screen.

  “She’s been awarded a Ribbon for Meritorious Service,” said Commander Rogeiro in his lyrical accent. “Consistently high marks for performance at the conn. She’s—”