ENT - 012 - Kobayashi Maru

TWENTY-NINE

Taugus III

T RIP CLOSEDhis eyes and wondered whether hed feel the disruptors searing heat before the weapon broiled his vital organs from the inside out. Or if, just before the end came, hed hear the sizzle of the pistols energy discharge over the din of the alarm klaxons that continued to blare and reverberate throughout the Ejhoi Ormiinfacility.

The klaxon did little to blunt the crackle of a column of disturbed air, which arrived right on schedule. Trip was surprised at how little pain he felt.

In fact, he felt no pain whatsoever.

A familiar male voice spoke from behind him. “Commander Tucker? Is that really you? Are you all right?

He opened his eyes, which were immediately drawn to the spot on the floor where Terix lay supine, his body crumpled near a pair of the unconscious dissidents and his own fallen disruptor pistol. The blare of the klaxon must have drowned out whatever sound the centurions body had made on its way down.

Trip turned to face the English-accented man who had called to himand was further surprised to note that the man hadnt come alone. Both figures wore black paramilitary-type clothing rather than their more familiar blue Starfleet jumpsuits.

Somebodyd better pinch me,he thought, momentarily half convinced that he was experiencing another one of those dreamlike yet almost tangibly real visions that sometimes came to him when his mind straddled the weird twilight realm that lay between slumber and consciousness.

Then he realized that he had rarely, if ever, felt quite so wide awake as he did at this moment. After all, its kinda tough to nod off while somebodys got a gun pointed straight at your head.

“Malcolm, Trip said, still incredulous. “TPol. How the hell did you two get here?

TPol paused to glance at the setting on the phase pistol in her hand, then gazed back at Trip with one eyebrow raised in an ironic arch. “Very likely the same way you did, Commander, she said. “In a spaceship.

Trip frowned. “Well, I didnt think you paddled after me in a rowboat. Cant afford to start getting used to these last-minute reprieves,he told himself, nettled even thoughor perhaps becausehe knew he owed his life to the out-of-the-blue intervention of two of his closest friends. But he didnt want to examine this new turn of luck too closely, lest he convince himself either that he was indeed dreaming or that some higher power was quietly guiding his destiny.

Still feeling poleaxed by the cavalrys unexpected arrivalnot to mention disoriented by the blaring alarmsTrip could only stand and watch as Malcolm methodically gathered up the disruptor weapons that lay scattered across the floor or were still attached to their unconscious Romulan owners, either holstered on belts or clutched in insensate fingers. Malcolm kept his phase pistol at the ready as he went to work, starting with the fallen centurion, whom Trip noted was still breathing.

Unlike these folks,our weapons have a stun setting,Trip thought, relieved that no one had died here as yet. He was bitterly aware, however, that circumstances would still probably require him to kill Terix at some pointprobably sooner rather than laternow that he and Sopek had unmasked each other in front of the centurion.

With a start, he became conscious that TPol was speaking to him again. “I take it you came here in pursuit of a specific goal, Commander, she said, her voice raised to a near shout to cut through the voluminous background noise.

He nodded. “The dissidents based here stole some of Doctor Ehrehins warp-seven drive research data. We came to determine exactly what they took. Andto get it back, to prevent them from putting any of it to use. He realized even as he spoke the words that she probably had no knowledge about Ehrehin, much less anything else he was talking about. But he hoped she would understand the urgency of his task nonetheless; he hoped theyd have time to discuss all the particulars in detail later.

Just as he knew that the mission that he and Centurion Terix had undertaken might already be a lost cause were they to overlook so much as a single copy of the purloined data.

“And have you managed to locate the stolen information yet? TPol wanted to know.

“No, said a groggy male voice. “And he wont.

Trip and TPol turned together toward Chuihv, who was rather laboriously trying to rise to a sitting position on the floor. Once he had done so, he raised his hands in surrender in response to Malcolm, who stood nearby with his phase pistol aimed straight at the dissident leaders midsection.

“Captain Sopek? TPol said. Trip allowed himself to enjoy the flash of surprise that somehow managed to make a momentary escape to her usually stoic face.

“Small galaxy, isnt it? Trip said, not quite suppressing a small but determined grin.

“Sub-Commander TPol, Sopek/Chuihv said, nodding in her direction.

“Commander, she corrected.

The man nodded. “Ah. Im pleased to see that youve prospered. It would be a pity were you to be less fortunate with regard to the long life part of the traditional Vulcan greeting, however.

“What the hell are you talking about? said Malcolm, brandishing his weapon.

“Do you understand what the klaxon youre hearing signifies? After a pause, Sopek said, “Its our automated intruder containment system.

“Let me guess, Trip said. “Youre going to blow up the whole building.

Sopek nodded. “You have very little time.

TPol brandished her weapon. “Youre coming with us, Captain. Your presence here raises a number of questions for which I require answers. I need to determine whether you are acting here at the behest of the VShar, or in pursuit of some other agenda.

Sopek nodded, his face now a stony mask of dignified Vulcan equanimity. “Your curiosity is certainly understandable, he said as he rose to his feet.

Trip gestured toward the unconscious centurion. “We need to take this man into custody, too. A few moments later, he and Malcolm hoisted the surprisingly heavy Romulan soldier in a modified firemans carry while TPol covered the three of them with her phase pistol.

“What about the other people? Malcolm asked, tipping his head toward the table where the academics were seated. “Were not going to just leave them here to die, are we?

The question made Trip feel a slight twinge of guilt, but he suppressed it. After all, these people were allied with the craven killers who had murdered Ehrehin.

Turning his back on the academics as he shifted Terixs dead weight, Trip said, “If theyre smart enough to poach a great mans research, they ought to be smart enough to find their own ride out of here.

“What about the stolen data? Malcolm said.

“To hell with it, Trip said. “With any luck, itll burn up when this place goes boom. Thoughts of all the harm the missing data might cause in the wrong hands expunged his remaining guilt over his decision not to extract anyone other than Sopek, Terix, and his friends.

Yet another voice spoke up loudly then, originating from behind the wardrooms small dining table, directly behind Trip.

“No!

Though he was still burdened by half of Terixs dead weight, Trip turned his head and shoulders toward the speaker, who turned out to be one of the three Romulan civilians whom he and Terix had surprised when theyd arrived. It was the womanand she held a disruptor pistol that one of the Ejhoi Ormiinparamilitary people had evidently dropped earlier; Malcolm must have overlooked it when hed been rounding up their scattered equipment.

Trip sighed. Yet again, an unfailingly lethal weapon was pointed more or less straight at his head. Only now, there was no guarantee that either Terix or Malcolm wouldnt be killed right along with him should that weapon go off in the womans shaking two-handed grip. TPolwho still held her phase pistol at the readymight be able to stun the Romulan woman, but probably not before the academic released an energy discharge that would almost surely kill somebody.

“Easy peasy, there, Trip said to the woman. “Why dont you put that down? Lets talk about this, all right?

“Theres no time to talk, she said, keeping the weapon up and apparently ready. “Chuihv is our leader, and he must leave with us.

“How much time do we have? Trip said.

Chuihv/Sopek shrugged. “Perhaps enough for you to get back to your rescuers ship. If you leave now, unencumbered, that is. Put the centurion down. I promise you, we shall take extraordinarilygood care of him.

“He could be bluffing, Malcolm said, still holding up at least half the weight of Terixs unconscious form.

Maybe,Trip thought. But you gotta know when to fold em.

“You know, Ive survived a whole lot of bad stuff since all this craziness got started, Trip said. “But Im not fool enough yet to think I can roll sixes whenever I need em. Put him down, Malcolm.

Great,he thought. I dont get to recover the missing data, which was the whole point of coming here in the first place. And on top of that, Ive just lost the option of destroying it.

On the other hand, he just might survive long enough to make plans to do something about all of that. Which was better, he had to admit, than nothing.

“Cover us, TPol, he said. “Lets get the hell out of here while thats still an option.

After engaging the launch thrusters, TPol checked the sensors for any evidence of either outbound Ejhoi Ormiinvessels or incoming Romulan patrol ships; she could find no sign of either so far, though she knew that the planets problematic ionosphere might conceal a multitude of dangers, at least until the shuttlepod attained a high enough altitude to clear the atmosphere entirely. Even then, another ship could always hide itself by flying just beyond the limb of the planet itself.

Satisfied that the shuttlepod was now relatively safe, at least for the moment, she watched in silence as the planets surface continued its swift retreat until it became a vast aquamarine curve far below Shuttlepod Twos ventral hull.

Several soundless, nearly concurrent explosions appeared like rapidly blooming orange flowers a few moments later, despite the dense cloud layer that covered them.

“So Sopek wasnt bluffing after all, Trip said as he stared out one of the windows on the shuttlepods starboard side, just to the rear of the cockpit.

“Vulcans never bluff, TPol said. “I suppose the same might be said of other related species as well.

“Its good to see you again, Trip, Lieutenant Reed said, turning his copilots seat to the side to face Trip. “Even if you do look like Old Scratch himself at the moment. Turning back toward TPol with wide eyes, he added, “No offense meant, Commander.

TPol shook her head. “None taken, Lieutenant. She made a mental note to do some research on Earths religious mythologies before deciding whether or not Mister Reed had given her any reason to take offense. Of course, the fact that yet another human knew the secret of her peoples genetic relationship with the Romulans was of far greater importance than her ethnic pride.

Setting those matters aside, she decided she had to agree wholeheartedly with his underlying sentiment; it was indeed good to see Trip again. And although she regarded it as an unlikely possibility, she found herself hoping for an opportunity to tell him that herself, away from Reed. She wanted to reach out to Trip, to touch him outside the surreal confines of the telepathic link that had finally drawn them back together.

“Likewise, Trip said.

“You dont sound very happy, Malcolm said. TPol was inclined to agree.

Out of the corner of her eye, TPol saw Trip shrug. “I just wish your timing had worked out a little better, thats all, he said.

TPol frowned at the patent illogic of that comment. She was certain that the Romulan, whom Trip had identified as Centurion Terix, would have killed Trip where hed stood had she and Reed entered the room only a few seconds later.

Before she could press him on this point, Trip asked, “What are the chances of anything surviving those blasts? He seemed to be addressing no one in particular as he continued studying the distant embers of the explosion, which were moving swiftly beyond the planets eastern limb owing to the combined motion of the shuttlepod and the planet.

“Id tend to doubt it, Reed said. “The explosives they were using must have had one hell of a yield to produce a flash intense enough to be this visible right through such a heavy cloud deck.

“But that doesnt mean they couldnt have hotfooted it out of there at the last second, just like we did, Trip said, his tone growing increasingly sour. “Between this planets cloud layer, the weird local ionospheric effects, and the electromagnetic pulse those fireworks just put out, Sopek could have flown a small ship right past our sensors and wed never even know it.

“And if thatshappened, then that warp-seven drive data his people stole is still in some pretty damn untrustworthy hands.

“It might already have been too late to prevent that from happening even before we arrived, Commander, TPol said as she laid in a course away from the planet and began powering up the main drive. She wondered silently whether Trip actually considered the hands of an aggressive and expansionist Romulan military to be significantly more trustworthy than those of the political radicals who at least nominally stood against them. After all, the enemy of ones enemy could sometimes be ones friend, as Suraks adversary TKarik had pointed out on more than one occasion.

But such considerations could be complicated enormously by rogues such as Sopekagents whose true loyalties were anything but clear.

“Dont you think I knowthat? Trip said, his evident anger creating a jarring counterpoint to his outwardly Vulcanoid appearance. “Data is the hardest thing of all to contain once it gets out. And your kicking down Sopeks door didnt make dealing with the thieves any easier, especially now that theyve taken a Romulan centurion prisoner. Theyll take their time trying to wring everything they can out of him, just like they did with Ehrehin.

Trip turned to the side, the planets reflected light surrounding him in a faintly bluish aura. Although she could see him only in profile, she noticed that his eyes had taken on a haunted, faraway cast that she could only wonder about. He seemed somehow disappointed, and perhaps a little angry as well. She wondered if his feelings stemmed from a mission that had ostensibly failed. Or whether he was disappointed by his apparent failure to extricate himself from a dangerous situation unassisted.

“I wish you two hadnt come, Trip said quietly, almost as though he had read her mind. As she watched him stare down at the slowly rotating alien world below, she considered their mental link again, and decided that he might indeed have picked up a cue from her on some subconscious level.

“Youre welcome, Commander, Reed said sourly. “My apologies for misjudging the situation down there so badly. I should have realized you were just trying to lull this Terix fellow into a false sense of security when you let him get the drop on you.

Malcolms mention of the Romulans name brought a shudder to TPols spine. Not because she recognized his name, but because she had recognized his face. She had seen him several days earlier, via the mind link, torturing Trip.

TPol watched in silence as Trip turned toward Reed, bristling. “At least Imanaged to get in there without setting off the goddamn self-destruct system.

Reed seemed to be running out of patience. “Would you prefer we set you back down on the planet so you can have another go at this?

Trips eyes widened as though he had suddenly become aware of just how ridiculous he sounded. Then he shook his head and chuckled. “Of course not, Malcolm. He paused, apparently gathering his thoughts. “On the other hand, Terix and I left a scoutship down on the planet only a few klicks from Sopeks base, just a short ways from the spot where you two parked the shuttlepod. If that ship is still intact, I cant risk leaving it down there. Itll be easy pickings for any Ejhoi Ormiinwho might happen by.

Though TPol desperately wanted to get the shuttlepod back to the relative safety of Coalition space as quickly as possibleand with Trip aboard itshe knew that she couldnt dispute his logic.

An alarm sounded on one of the sensor consoles, persisted for perhaps two seconds, and then stopped by itself.

“What is it? Trip said as he approached the front of the cockpit.

TPol studied the readout and frowned. For a moment, something that strongly resembled the profile of a large vessel had appeared. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished.

“Nothing, evidently, she said, shaking her head. “A sensor ghost, perhaps. Or our reflection bouncing off the planets ionosphere.

“Looks like its gone, whatever it was, Reed said, facing forward again in order to study his own console. “Theres still no trail to follow, in any case.

“I will take us back down, TPol said, trying not to show how much the brief sensor apparition had rattled her. “Once the conflagration on the surface dies down somewhat.

“Thanks, Trip said, his expression grim.

Reed turned back toward Trip. “If I may say so, Commander, I dont think Ive ever seen anybody look quite this unhappy after receiving such a textbook hairbreadth rescue.

Trip allowed himself the luxury of a small smile. “I suppose I made my peace with dying with my boots on months ago. Just as long as the cause is a good one. And I cant think of a better cause right now than keeping the secret of sustained high-warp travel out of Romulan hands. Valdores orSopeks.

“Too bad we werent able to get our own hands on a complete set of that data, Reed said. “Imagine what it might do for Starfleets warp-seven program.

TPol watched as Trip nodded, his eyes once again growing distant. “Captain Stillwells wet dream, he said, puzzlingly. “But thats moot for the moment, Malcolm. Hell, it might have been better for everybody if wed decided to just shoot it out down there.

TPol was having trouble believing what she was hearing. “At least one of us would almost certainly have been killed, she said, frowning.

“But not all of us, Trip said. Though his gaze was cold, his expression was otherwise as unreadable as that of a Kolinahr-disciplined Vulcan. “It would have taken only one of us to make sure that the stolen data never got off the planet.

“But the only way to do that, Reed said, clearly aghast, “would be to have somebody stay behind with the data until the explosives detonated.

Trip nodded. “Like I said, that idea looks a lot less scary than youd think to somebody whos already dead.

“But youre notdead, Trip, TPol said, convinced that she was largely responsible for that simple fact.

His cold eyes began to blaze with a fire that reminded her of the savage, destructive historical epoch that preceded Suraks golden age of logic and intellectual discipline on Vulcan.

“No, TPol. Im notdead. But I amall the way back to square one in terms of my overall objective, arent I? So I hope youll excuse me if Im not overflowing with gratitude for your timely entrance, okay? Im a little too busy at the moment trying to figure out what Im going to tell Admiral Valdore about this little setback. If Im reallylucky, he might just assume the worst and have me summarily executed.

“Then why dont you simply come back with us? TPol said almost before she realized that the words were leaving her mouth.

“Thanks for the offer, Trip said, his voice more gentle. “But Ive been officially declared dead, remember? Wed have to undo that somehow, along with a whole hell of a lot of expensive Adigeon Prime plastic surgery. Id like to have a little more to show for all of that before I decide to pull the rip cord on this warp-seven-drive business.

“Staying in Romulan space is a pretty risky proposition, Commander, Reed said.

“Leaving strikes me as even riskier, under the circumstances, Trip said, shaking his head. He turned to face TPol directly. “Im sorry, TPol. The stakes are just too high right now for me to up and leave. I have to find a way to salvage whatevers left of my mission here. Then he turned back to stare again in silence at the cloud-streaked world below.

TPol felt a parsec-wide gulf open up between them. She had saved Trips life. She might even have prevented the Romulan military or the dissidents who opposed it from capturing him and subjecting him to tortures like those shed glimpsed through the mind link.

But Trips sudden remoteness told her more eloquently than words that none of that really mattered to him at the moment. For the first time, she wondered if her rescue had inadvertently prevented him from executing some crucial contingency plan, thus closing some window of opportunity that might never open up again. And she discovered she felt extremely reticent about asking him whether or not this was so.

At last she began to understand the true enormity of her obsessive insistence on coming out here to Romulan space, as well as the ultimate futility of it. However anyone might attempt to excuse her actionsshe could easily imagine an advocate at her upcoming court-martial citing her emotional vulnerability owing to residual trellium-D damage and the recent death of baby Elizabethshe now understood in a deep and visceral way that she couldnt run from their possibly ruinous larger consequences.

She understood now that she had done a good deal more than merely damage her relationship with her captain and friend, Jonathan Archer, to say nothing of having allowed Malcolm Reed to do the very same thing; she had also grievously damaged whatever might have remained of the intimate bond shed forged with Charles Tuckerall because she had believed it necessary to save his life at all costs.

A bottomless abyss of pure, unalloyed shame opened within her. Perhaps I actuallydisrupted Trips mission. A mission that was the very reason he risked suffering a second, more permanent death inside the Romulan Empire in the first place.

To her horror, she realized that her illogical, emotional actions might have compromised the safety of both of their homeworlds.

Not to mention that of the entire Coalition of Planets.