“I must also protect the vital work that Lazarus is performing inside the Romulan sphere of influence,TPol continued. “Should we fail, the repercussions will be incalculably larger than the life of any one person.
“Or evenour lives, I suppose,Malcolm said.
Something written millennia ago by the Vulcan philosopher Surak, a long-dead man whose living spirit had nonetheless once briefly shared the space inside his skull, sprang unbidden into Archers head, soothing his roiling emotions: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Reed added, “I know I once promised you that I was finished with this kind of subterfuge, Captain, and that my first loyalty was to you and toEnterprise I understand the consequences of my actions. But I wouldnt be doing this if I thought we had a better alternative.
As he listened, Archer felt a renewed surge of anger begin to sweep away the calming memory of once having been in close proximity to Suraks peaceful, orderly mind. How could the two of them leaveEnterprise at a time like this?he thought. Regardless of TPols vehement certainty that Trip was in mortal danger, her actions were a far cry from what hed come to expect from his logical first officer. Reed, yes. Trip, certainly. But not TPol.
“If it is at all possible,TPols image said, “we will return toEnterprise at our earliest opportunity, to take responsibility for our unauthorized actions. And to face whatever disciplinary consequences await us.
She raised her right hand in a familiar split-fingered gesture. “Live long, and prosper.
The message abruptly ended.
Slumping backward into TPols chair, Archer sighed into the semidarkness that surrounded him. Whatever qualms he had about what his subordinates had just done, he knew there could be no changing any of it now. The die was cast. Railing against what was done would do absolutely no good.
“Godspeed, he whispered to the blank screen.
Even before hed heard the recording, the main reason behind TPol and Malcolms clandestine stunt had been glaringly obvious to him.
Trip.
And because this entire business revolved around a man believed dead by all but a handful of people, there was only one person currently aboard Enterprisewith whom Archer could speak freely about what TPol and Malcolm were trying to do.
His frustration welled up again, and he slammed his fist down on another com button, striking the console nearly hard enough to shatter it. He found the pain that shot through his hand strangely calming.
“Archer to Phlox, he said, addressing the one crew member who would be awake regardless of the lateness of the hour. “Doctor, I have a hugeproblem on my hands.
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.