Lucky for me there arent too many people here,Trip thought. Less than a dozen others had come to the crypt, and most of these were fellow scientists or lab assistants with whom Tucker was already familiar, having worked alongside them fairly closely for the past few months. A few uniformed centurions and other military officers were present as well, the most conspicuous of which was a tall, broad-shouldered brute who seemed to be scrutinizing all the mourners very carefully as they came and went.
Trip recognized the man as the same brusque centurion who had been in charge of the security team that had come to Ehrehins lab after the Ejhoi Ormiinassassins had attacked. He had taken the lone surviving assassin away, promising to interrogate her. So whats he doing here, giving the stink-eye to all ofus? Trip wondered, his hackles rising.
Trip watched as the others began to approach the raised granite bier upon which stood the half-meter-high ceramic tibulecvessel that contained Ehrehins mortal remains; per Romulan custom, the scientist had been cremated within an eisaea single revolution of the imperial homeworldafter his death. Each person who approached the urn performed an intricate series of hand movements while simultaneously murmuring words that Trip interpreted as some sort of ancient prayer. He couldnt see exactly what the other visitors were doing, or hear their words precisely, but the whole business strongly resembled the burial ritual he had learned a few months earlier, when he and TPol had interred the body of their infant daughter Elizabeth at the TKarath Sanctuary on Vulcan.
I should be able to fake my way through this easily enough,Trip thought, his confidence rising as his turn neared to mount the few narrow steps that led up to the highly decorated, tubular vessel. Despite his covert mission, he still had every reason to pay his heartfelt personal respects to Ehrehinthe man had saved his life and taken him under his wing even after discovering that Trip was actually a non-Romulan spyand he needed to do whatever he could to send his fondest, most positive thoughts toward whatever afterlife Ehrehin might have anticipated. As he approached the raised bier, prepared to make a quickbut not tooquickrun-through of the gestures and murmurs hed seen the other mourners make, he redoubled his concentration on remaining as inconspicuous as possible.
As he moved forward, Trip caught a flash of movement to his left, and his newly acquired confidence sank like a stone dropped into a canyon.
“Please, feel free, Ehrehins young laboratory assistant said, making an “after you gesture.
Centurion Terix studied the young man again carefully, just as he had done earlier in todays animaurolhao,the Ceremony of Respect. Something seemed out of place with the man, and he couldnt quite put his finger on it. The dead scientists assistant seemed nervous; perhaps the loss of his colleague was the sole reason for his apparent discomfiture, or maybe it was something else, something less than seemly.
“No, you were closest to Technologist Ehrehin, Terix said. “You may perform the rite of pizanris.
The young man seemed to swallow hard before he nodded and walked up the small steps that led to the tibulecof his slain mentor. His back angled away from Terix, he began to speak, his voice low, and his hands moving in the time-honored manner. Finally he quit speaking and touched his index finger and pinkie to the base of the tibulec.
The gesture brought a rush of insight to Terix, as well as certainty about what he had to do next.
As the assistant turned away and descended from the bier, he pulled up the hood on his mourning cloak. Terix looked over to Sweba, the uhlanwho stood guard at the rear of the mausoleum districts ceremonial arena; Terix jerked his chin up sharply, directing the uhlans attention toward the departing young man.
After seeing Swebas curt nod of acknowledgment, Terix turned back to the tibulecand concluded the ceremony swiftly, using a fusing device and a military seal to specify that this vessel contained the physical essence of one who had given his life in service to the Romulan Star Empire and Praetor Dderidex. Although Technologist Ehrehin had a checkered pastlike so many of the greatest scientific and military leaders of Romulushis work and service had nevertheless furthered both the strategic and the tactical goals of the Empire, and the Praetor who personified her. And as hed learned yesterday, the murder of the scientist had been far larger than the simple act of burglary that appeared to have precipitated it. Terix felt certain that Doctor Ehrehin had been a martyr to a conspiracy whose existence was known, as yet, to perhaps no more than a handful of others.
Stalking away, Terix saw that Sweba had properly detained the assistanta man whom Terix believed was notwho he pretended to be.
“And what makes you so certain that this Cunaehr is a Vulcanspy? Valdore asked, squinting up at Terix from behind his vast desk, atop which sat numerous reports and other paper documents. On the wall behind the admiral was mounted the datheanofv-senthe Honor Bladethat usually hung at the admirals side.
“During Doctor Ehrehins animaurolhao,he performed several movements that I know to be specific to Vulcantradition, rather than ours, Terix said. He had hoped that Valdore would have received the news of this discovery a bit more favorably.
“I had no idea you were so well versed in Vulcan traditions, Centurion, the admiral said, lofting an eyebrow.
The admirals stare made Terix feel like a bug in a jar. “I performed two covert intelligence missions there right out of the Academy.
“And you find this mansVulcan movement to be proof that Cunaehr is a Vulcan? Have you interrogated him? Tested his blood?
Terix nodded. “We haveinterrogated him, sir, though not as thoroughly as we might without authorization from your office. Our admittedly cursory medical tests on him revealed that he has a very unusual mutative blood type, with traits common to both Vulcan and Romulan genetics.
Valdore held up a hand, palm outward. “Do not force further interrogation on the prisoner yet. Yourallegation may require further investigation first. Doctor Ehrehin was working on a veryimportant project for the Praetors fleet when he died, a project whose ultimate goal remains unfulfilled. This Cunaehr may hold the key to reaching that goal. If you damage him, or do anything to make his mental state morefragile than it may be already, you may seriously jeopardize that prospect.
“Then do you wish me to release him? Terix asked. He had hoped for permission to use every tool at his disposal to extract the truth from the scientist, but it appeared that Valdore wasnt about to grant him that.
“Not yet, Valdore said, looking thoughtful. “Let me think on this for a night. Keep Cunaehr in custody for now, but keep him sequestered away from Ehrehins assassin. I must consider all of my options. But if I dont find a way to make him usefulor if we find hard evidence that he really is somehow involved with the Vulcansthen you,Centurion, will be allowed to choose the method of execution.