ENT - 012 - Kobayashi Maru

SEVENTEEN

Friday, July 18, 2155 83 Leonis V

T RIP FOUND HIMSELFadrift in a borderless white nothingness that seemed to stretch out into infinity.

He tried to calm the terror that clawed his guts. I must be dreaming,he thought, though the vivid clarity of his senses argued otherwise. As did the fact that he had been to this very same nonplace before.

A familiar voice behind him spoke urgently. “Trip.

Though he didnt understand how his feet were able to find purchase in this insubstantial netherworld, he nevertheless planted them solidly and turned toward the sound.

TPol stood before him, attired in a Starfleet uniform. “Are you safe at the moment?

He chuckled and waggled his hand back and forth. “Safe enough to fall asleep about a swords length away from a Romulan soldier who thinks Im a Vulcan spy. Or maybe Im just tired enough to hallucinate.

“Youre not asleep, Trip. And youre not hallucinating or dreaming.

He shrugged. “Then I guess Im as safe as safe gets here in the belly of the beast. Unless my watchdog decides to turn on me, that is.

The only thing he felt fairly certain about was that Admiral Valdore wasnt deliberately feeding him disinformation. At least not since hed received independent confirmation from Captain Stillwell that an Earth Cargo Service freighter had indeed gone missing from its pre-filed course, a fact that was consistent with the Klingon attack that a Romulan outpost had reported having witnessed in the Gamma Hydra sector.

TPol nodded, a look of concern threatening to overwhelm her usual Vulcan stoicism. “Help is coming, Trip. In the meantime, please be careful.

He smiled at the dream-image of the woman with whom hed once thought he might build a future. But he knew enough about nostalgia and wish-fulfillment fantasies to resist believing that she was really communicating with him telepathically and in real time across all the boundless light-years that separated them.

And he knew enough about life not to expect any hairbreadth rescues or other miracles to intervene on his behalf.

“I promise to wear my mittens until the cavalry comes, he said, not quite suppressing an ironic smile.

She raised an eyebrow in a classic expression of Vulcan perplexity. “Stay safe, Trip, she said after a seemingly uncertain pause. “And remain vigilant.

I know,Trip thought wistfully. I guess I still love you, too.

The real world returned to Trip in a disorienting rush of sensation. “Cunaehr! a stern male was shouting into his ear, startling him back into wakefulness. The fathomless white expanse around him vanished like fog, taking TPol with it. The face of Centurion Terix, whose aquiline features were creased with both concern and frustration, now nearly filled his vision.

“I had feared you dead for a moment, Terix said, releasing his grip on Trips bulky Romulan travel robes and backing away to his own nearby barstool.

Trip allowed his gaze to drift momentarily around the crowded, noisy, and dimly illuminated gambling establishment that surrounded them both as he regained his psychological bearings. The barstool that had somehow kept him from tipping over backward during his apparently brief episodehe no longer felt entirely certain that it had been a mere dream or hallucinationreminded him that the seat hadnt been designed with the Terran backside in mind. That single tangible reality jolted him the rest of the way back into the real world.

“Im fine, Terix, Trip said. “Just a little tired, thats all. It was a long flight out here.

“Sleep duringthe flight next time, Cunaehr, the centurion said in a low growl. “I didnt bring you all the way to the Empires southern galactic limits for you to doze off while so much work still lies ahead of us.

Right,Trip thought as he discreetly eyed the telltale bulge beneath Terixs otherwise unassuming dark travel robes. I should just take a catnap right next to a man whos convinced that Im a Vulcan spy.He knew that the centurions deliberately nonmartial garment was intended to conceal both a disruptor pistol and a razor-sharp military Honor Blade, though he didnt think it was accomplishing that objective particularly well with regard to either weaponand that was to say nothing about Terixs aggressive stance.

He wondered which Terix would grab first, the gun or the blade, once he decided that he finally had an adequate excuse to follow his instincts.

“Id be happy to get started, Terix, Trip said. “Im just hoping not to die of sheer boredom while were sitting around waiting for our contact to turn up.

Terixs eyes narrowed dangerously. “Be patient, Cunaehr. And remain alert.

Trip nodded as he reached toward the bar on which hed set his now half-empty mug. His first impression of the surprisingly potent blue ale had been that it probably ought to be illegal. The sip he took now only confirmed that initial opinion.

Several more minutes passed, during which Trip ever so slowly drained his glass. “What makes you so sure were even waiting in the right place, Terix? he said as he contemplated whether or not ordering a refill would make him more or less likely to experience another vivid hallucination.

“This place is more a frontier outpost than an established colony, Cunaehr. Therefore relatively few places like this exist on all of Cheron, since the Rihannsu population here numbers only a few thousand at most.

Cheron,Trip thought, reminding himself yet again that it would be a bad idea to slip up and call the place by its Earth astronomical designation, 83 Leonis V.

Aloud, he said, “But I saw huge cities when we were making our approach from orbit.

Terix shook his head. “No. You saw but the skeletonsof those cities. Their builders preceded the Rihannsu presence on this world by many millennia. They died out before our people arrived and gained a toehold here, perhaps centuries before. If they died by their own hands, they did quite a thorough job of destroying themselves.

Terixs statement roused Trips curiosity. “What do you mean?

Terix paused to quaff some of his own drink. “I take it youve never wandered about in the unexplored sectors of this city.

“No. Ive never been here before. And I didnt think you wanted to take the time for a sightseeing tour today.

“Well, I havebeen here before, Cunaehr, when time was not so pressing. I have seen the results of whatever plague felled these people, whether it came from happenstance or biological warfare. Whatever the cause, it killed all but a few of the hardier lower species of plants and animals. Even most of the natural microbiological processes that should have rotted away the remains of the dead eons ago have been crippled, or even stopped altogether.

The centurions eyes grew distant and haunted. “This world is like an unburied corpse, mummifying alone and forgotten in an uncaring desert.

Trip shivered inwardly. “Then why would anyone want to come to this planet, much less establish a permanent outpost here?

“For the strategic value of the place, of course, Terix said, studying him as though he were an exotic butterfly awaiting an unpleasant end in some oversize killing jar. “This system provides an almost completely unobstructed view of the world of our most remote ancestors. He paused, cranking up the amperage of his already accusing stare. “As well as those of their degenerate allies.

A beachhead,Trip thought. The beginning of an invasion route thatll take bastards like this straight on to Vulcan.

And then Earth.

A hand gripped his shoulder, startling him into nearly falling off the awkwardly contoured barstool. He turned and dismounted clumsily from the seat, expecting combat.

Instead Trip stood facing a smiling Romulan woman who appeared to be about his age. She was dressed much as both he and Terix were, in simple, dark travelers robes.

“Whos your new friend, Terix? the woman said to the centurion, her eyes moving appraisingly up and down Trips body in a manner that made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. No wonder Vulcans are so hard to get along with,he thought. Id be cranky, too, if I had to try to keep a libido like theirs reined in all the time.

“His name is Cunaehr, Terix said in a tone that implied that he still wasnt absolutely convinced of that fact.

“Cunaehr. Good, solid name, the woman said, her dark eyes now fixed on Trips, although she was still pointedly addressing the centurion. “And does he know how to talk?

“Maam Trip began.

“Its not hisjob to talk, TLuadh, Terix said, interrupting. “We came to this necropolis of a world to hear what youhave to say.

“So much for formal introductions, the woman said, looking disappointed. “Its always right down to business with you, isnt it, Terix? Perhaps you should have another round of khehirhobrews before we proceed. She raised a clear glass full of a sapphire-blue liquid, which she seemed to have conjured out of thin air. Trip wondered if he was drinking the same stuff she was.

“Do not play games with us, TLuadh, the centurion said. “The Ejhoi Ormiincell we seek could be putting many liorae-eisaeof distance between themselves and lawful pursuit even as we speak. He reached into his robe, and Trip feared for a moment he might draw one of his weapons.

Instead, Terix pulled out a small cloth sack and gave it a gentle toss. The little bag jingled as it landed heavily on the bar, and the woman wasted no time snapping it up, hefting it, and tucking it inside her own robe.

“Arent you going to count it? Trip asked.

She displayed an ironic half-smile. “The centurion knows better than to cheat his prime intelligence sources. After all, the last thing he wants is to cause them to dry up. Or give them a reason to send him off hunting mogaiin downtown Dartha.

Even without prompting from his translation gear, Trip recognized the Romulan idiom for “wild goose chase. Despite the fact that the Romulan equivalent of wild geese were as large as people, on top of being rather nasty carnivores.

“Where are the Ejhoi Ormiinwere pursuing? Terix said, his right hand straying again toward the robe-shrouded shape of his Honor Blade.

The centurions less-than-subtle movement had obviously not escaped TLuadhs notice, any more than it had Trips. “Kroiha,she said in a tone that contained both fear and warning. “They were seen on Taugus III as recently as yesterday morning, Dartha chRihan Standard Time.

Drawing on his recent studies of the Romulan star charts hed obtained from Ehrehin, Trip tried to get a fix on the location of the new Romulan place name in relation to their present position. Unless he was very much mistaken, Taugusknown on UESPA star charts as Gamma Equuleiwas probably at least several weeks away from Cheron. Trip could only hope that he and Terix would have a reasonable chance of running the dissident technology thieves to ground during that time, reaching them before they vanished into the woodwork permanently and put their ill-gotten gains to the worst possible use.

“And what is the name of their present leader? Terix asked.

The woman took a short swallow from her glass, then looked quickly around the bar as though she feared she might be overheard. None of the other carousers or gamblers present appeared to have taken any particular notice of her.

“They answer to a man named Chuihv, she said at length, speaking in a voice so quiet that Trip had to lean toward her to hear her words clearly.

Trip barely managed to avoid knocking over his drink when he recognized the name shed just dropped.

“Youve dealt with this Chuihv before, Cunaehr? Terix asked, his curiosity clearly piqued.

Trip nodded, not seeing any point in trying to paper over his initial reaction. “Yes, in a way.

Terix scowled at Trips uncertain pause. “Out with it, Cunaehr.

After taking a moment to decide just how much to reveal, Trip said, “He was the leader of the Ejhoi Ormiingroup that captured me and Ehrehin a few khaidoaago. The doctor and I both barely managed to escape from them with our lives.

He restrained himself from blurting out the additional fact that Chuihv was known to have worked on both sides of the Romulan territorial border, having once been Captain Sopek, the commander of the Vulcan Starship NiVar. But how could I know anything about that,he thought, unless I reallyam the Vulcan spy that Terix already suspects I am?

Still holding her drink, the woman used her free hand to toss a small object toward Trip. He instinctively caught it a split second before he managed to identify it as a standard Romulan data module.

“You need to learn not to be so trusting, Cunaehr, she said around another appraising leer. Then she nodded toward the finger-sized bit of plastic in Trips hand. “For all you knew, that might have been something dangerous.

Im sure it is,he thought. Aloud, he said, “Thanks for the advice. He did his best not to sound sullen and resentful, even though he couldnt help but remember how angry hed felt whenever his older brother Bert would aim a finger at his chest, then flick Trips nose when hed look down to see what he was pointing at.

“Are you going to tell us whats on this thing, he said, “or am I going to have to see for myself?

“The module contains the precise coordinates of Chuihvs base in the Taugus system, she said. “Hand delivered to you rather than transmitted in order to maintain your element of surprise.

Unless youre as trustworthy as Chuihv and have already warned him that were coming,Trip thought as he pocketed the chip.

Terix rose from his stool and tightened his cloak about him. “Lets waste no more time, Cunaehr, he said. “We must make haste to Taugus.

“Youre welcome,TLuadh said with what Trip thought was an overly theatrical pout.

Terix exited the saloon without so much as a backward glance, and Trip followed a short distance behind him. As they wended their way through the rough and shopworn spaceport district toward the austere launch pad where they had left their small scoutship, Trip considered what might await them in the Taugus system. They would either root out the thieves who had raided Ehrehins lab, or else walk right into a trap set for them by TLuadh and the Ejhoi Ormiindissidents.

Life or death, to be determined by capricious fate as much as by their own brilliant improvisations. As they strapped themselves into their seats in the vessels cramped cockpit and worked their way through the pre-launch checklist, Trip hoped the former would take a back seat to the latter.

“ScoutshipDrolae, said a tinny voice from Cherons spaceport traffic control facility. “You are clear to depart from launch pad khider.

“Scoutship Drolaeacknowledging, Terix said after toggling open the channel. He entered a brief series of commands into the console before him, and a moment later Cherons broken and silent mausoleum cities fell away into the infinite night as the chase resumed.

“Leaving Cheron orbit, Trip said, casting a sidelong glance at Terix. The centurion acknowledged him with a silent nod before returning his attention to his console and the star-sprinkled blackness that filled the forward window above it.

Trip continued studying his traveling companion surreptitiously, and wondered what would happen in the event their mission succeeded. After all, he still couldnt allow the Romulan military to obtain the secret of the warp-seven stardrive. And he felt certain that Terix still regarded him merely as a useful enemya resource to be exploited, but tolerated only for the duration of the current circumstances.

Am I going to have to kill this guy before he gets a chance to turn on me?

Prepared to remain alert and vigilant throughout the entire voyage to Taugus III, he gazed forward into the boundless void and hoped he was betraying no outward sign of his internal turmoil.

He wondered if Stillwell and Harris would be reassured by his newfound paranoia.

EnterpriseNX-01

“Sometimes venting at a computer screen just wont cut it, Archer said as he stepped into sickbay. “Phlox, youre the only other person aboard I can really talk to about this.

“Captain, Phlox said in a gently bantering tone. “You know I only sleep six days per year, whether I need it or not. And unless Im very much mistaken, I wont need to do it again for another seven or eight of your months. The doctor busied himself feeding one of the exotic alien animals he kept in his small therapeutic menagerie.

“I need TPol and Malcolm here,Phlox, Archer said. “Captain Hernandez and I need their help sorting out this Draylax business. We still dont have a clue about the real reasons behind the Klingon attack. Or why the Klingons felt it necessary to destroy their own ships to stop it.

Phlox adopted a patient expression, as though he were ministering to a particularly challenging patient. “But you said yourself that Commander TPol and Lieutenant Reed left Enterpriseprior to the Draylax crisis.

“I did, Archer said, almost snapping despite his best efforts to remain calm. “But that doesnt do us any good at the moment.

Phlox nodded. “Youre angry because they left without official authorization.

“Of courseIm angry about that! Again, frustration seemed to be getting the better of him, but he felt too damned tired to fight it off any longer.

“Thats certainly understandable, Captain, Phlox said, unfazed. “Would you like a mild sedative?

“Thanks, but no, Archer said as he rubbed at eyes that felt as gritty as a sandlot baseball diamond. “I should have seen this coming. And kept a closer eye on TPol. I cant believeI missed the warning signs!

Phlox closed up the container that housed his specimens, then focused his icy blue eyes on Archers face. “Captain, when TPol makes up her mind, she doesnt take no for an answer very easily.

“And Malcolms got an independent streak about half an AU wide, too, Archer said, nodding. “But thats no excuse. Im going to be even more disappointed if they get themselves killed,he thought.

He preferred to reserve that privilege as one of a captains most sacred prerogatives.

“If I had suspected that Commander TPol would actually abscond with a shuttlepod and head out into Romulan space on her own authority, Phlox said, “I suppose I could have ordered her confined to sickbay. But I didnt do that. So it appears that I missed the very same warning signs that you did, Captain.

The Denobulan stepped toward Archer and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“The question you have to answer now, he said, “is what do you intend to do about it?

Archer felt a great empty chasm open up in the pit of his stomach as he realized that he had no answer to Phloxs question.