Kobayashi Maru ste-12

by Andy Mangels

  Whois he, really?Valdore wondered, as he had done for the past nine dierha. And how did the Vulcans manage to place one of their spies in such a sensitive position?

  Valdore knew he couldnt discount the possibility that his own instincts had been compromised more than he had realized by his own recent political imprisonment following the drone-ship fiasco of the previous fvheisn. Or perhaps the spy had gained his initial foothold on Romulus during the several long khaidoaof Valdores incarceration.

  But Valdore allowed all such questions to go unasked, at least for the moment. He knew that there was nothing to be gained by letting the spy understand the extent to which his assumed identity had been compromised. Far better to allow him to continue operating with impunity, all the while keeping him under close but discreet scrutiny. This Vulcan might be put to considerable productive use for the Empire, whether knowingly or not.

  “On behalf of all the military forces of the Romulan Star Empire, Valdore said, “please accept my apologies for your confinement.

  “Im sorry? the spy said, looking nonplussed.

  Valdore assayed a smile he hoped the man would find reassuring. “No. Imsorry. For having allowed you to be arrested and imprisoned, and so soon after the slaying of your mentor. You are free to go, Cunaehr.

  “Sir? said Terix, who was still standing with the uhlans near the office doorway.

  “I wasnt addressing you,Centurion, Valdore said, using a tone that brooked no further argument. He kept his gaze fixed upon the spy, whose blunt response took him by surprise.

  “Why?

  Valdore chuckled. “Contrary to what many of our officers believe, not even the Romulan government is infallible. I stand before you as proof of that. I, too, was once imprisoned. Until my superiors thought better of that erroneous decision, that is.

  “I was arrested, the spy said quietly, looking more puzzled by the moment, “by mistake?

  “We thought you were someone else, Valdore said, nodding. “It appears you were the victim of a simple case of mistaken identity. Nothing more.

  The spy nodded, a look of hesitancy bordering on suspicion displayed across his face, as though he feared falling victim to some devious psychological trick. “Its a real relief to hear that, Admiral, he said at length.

  “I hope this unfortunate incident will not significantly slow down your progress toward accomplishing Doctor Ehrehins objectives.

  The spys earlier hesitancy abruptly vanished. “I live only to serve the Empire, Admiral, he said in his hard-to-place, possibly rustic accent.

  And serve the Empire you will, my Vulcan friend,Valdore thought. Regardless of your real intentions.

  “My chief technologists office will furnish whatever you require to continue the good Doctor Ehrehins work, Valdore said aloud. “You will find that the laboratory in which you and Doctor Ehrehin worked has already been repaired. And it will be under much heavier surveillance from now on,he added silently.

  “Thank you, sir, the spy said, lowering his gaze contemplatively in a way that made him look vaguely troubled.

  “You may speak freely here, Cunaehr, Valdore said, hoping to inspire the other mans confidence.

  “Have you learned the identities of the ones responsible for Ehrehins murder? the spy asked. Valdore noted with some surprise that the mans expression of concern for the dead mentor whose legacy his very presence threatened appeared as authentic as it did. It was a fine performance. Or perhaps he really had developed some genuine affection for the old man, his Vulcan emotional repression and political predilections notwithstanding. After all, despite all their pretensions to the contrary, Vulcans were no less emotional than their Romulan cousins; they were merely far more repressed, and therefore arguably far less saneand thus more dangerousthan the typical Romulan.

  “Centurion Terix, Valdore said, his eyes still riveted upon those of the spy. “Since we have established that this man is indeed a loyal Romulan, I believe his question deserves an answer. What have you learned so far about the assassins?

  Terix made flustered noises. “Admiral, these are sensitive security matters. I shouldnt

  “What you shouldntdo, Centurion, is disobey a direct order, Valdore said, stepping down hard on the young officers protestations. “Give me the general outlines of your report. Now.

  Terix nodded, apparently hastening to focus his concentration and gather his scattered thoughts. After a momentary pause, he said, “So far as my people can determine, Doctor Ehrehin was killed by terrorist revolutionaries whose larger goal is to compromise the stardrive project.

  “The Ejhoi Ormiin,Ill bet, the spy said, his eyes now riveted upon Terix.

  “Why are you so certain of that, Cunaehr? Valdore asked, raising an eyebrow and using a tone of voice that had been known to make first-year uhlansand occasionally even sublieutenants and decurionssoil themselves during inspection tours.

  The spy didnt appear to be cowed in the least as he faced Valdore again. “Lets just say I know theyre highly motivated to go after Ehrehin a second time. Its got to be the same dissident group that I helped rescue Ehrehin from in the Rator system two khaidoaago. Addressing Terix, he added, “I tried to explain that to you when you and your men arrived in the physics labjust a little bit too late to save Ehrehins life.

  Terix nodded impassively, not rising to take the obvious bait. “My men immediately began investigating the Ejhoi Ormiin,beginning with a most thorough interrogation of the lone surviving assassin. It was a far more intensive questioning than any such terrorist operative is capable of coping with. Or surviving, as we discovered during last nights, ah, interview session.

  As Valdore nodded his dispassionate acknowledgment, he noticed that the spy seemed to flinch ever so slightly at Terixs description of standard military interrogation procedures, which the intelligence experts in the much-feared Tal Shiar had refined almost to an art form. The ousted Vulcan leader VLas, with whom Valdore had once quietly conspired, had had no such compunctions about the prosaic realities inherent in transacting the sometimes-bloody business of espionage. It seemed odd that even the largely peace-loving Vulcans would not have selected someone equally sanguine about the use of aelhihdruusmnequipment for direct mind-scans and other such things to employ as a deep-cover spy inside the Romulan Star Empire.

  You should handle that font of compassion with great care, my covert friend,Valdore thought as he studied the spy. It can be as hazardous as raw antimatter in a profession like yours.

  “Please give me a summary of the results of your investigation, Centurion, Valdore said.

  “We have a high degree of confidence, Terix said, “that the Ejhoi Ormiinterrorists have already managed to acquire a good deal of classified data concerning the avaihh lli vastamstardrive project. We will need to infiltrate their organization directly in order to determine their precise capabilities pursuant to that stolen data.

  “I suppose that such an operation would require a great deal of highly specialized expertise in warp-field theory and related fields, Valdore said, stroking his clean-shaven chin. His gaze drifted to the tapestries that adorned the far wall, as was his wont whenever he was deep in consideration of weighty strategic or tactical matters.

  “Indeed, Admiral, the centurion said. “I will need the help of personnel capable of recognizing every possible permutation of the stolen data if we are to succeed in tracking down the thieves and their confederates. And if we are to prevent what they have taken from becoming a direct threat to state security.

  “The level of expertise required would have to be comparable to that of the late Doctor Ehrehin himself, Valdore added as he fixed his stare back upon the spy, whose face was beginning to pale as understanding appeared to dawn upon him.

  Despite his evidently discommoded emotional state, the spys next utterance surprised Valdore yet again. “As I said before, Admiral: I live only to serve the Empire.

  “I believe the admiral has just ordered you to accompany me on a field mission to infiltrate
the Ejhoi Ormiinterrorists, Terix said, his words tinged with no small amount of incredulity. “The very same people who once took you and your mentor prisoner.

  “Correct, Centurion, Valdore said as he studied the spys reactions. “Youve just been drafted to serve the Empire in a way you doubtless hadnt anticipated, Cunaehr.

  “Im an academic, the spy said, his jaw setting in apparent determination as he paused and regarded both Terix and Valdore for a long and sober moment. “But I think I can handle that. The stakes in this particular game of trayatikare way too high to do otherwise, Admiral.

  Valdores initial surprise at the spys sentiments dissipated after a moments consideration. Being an operative from one of the worlds allied with the fragile young Coalition of Planets, this man almost certainly had no more desire than did Praetor Dderidex himself to permit a group of self-styled renegades and revolutionaries to gain control of the most potent stardrive ever conceived.

  Cunaehr, or whatever his name really was, offered a clumsily executed Romulan military salute. “When can I get started?

  Valdore suppressed a victors smile. “Centurion Terix, please take Cunaehr to your computer terminal. I want you, personally, to familiarize him with the briefing materials Im about to transmit there. Those materials contained everything “Cunaehr would need to know. The success of the rest of the coming mission would hinge largely upon Terixs suspicious nature; Valdore knew he could rely on the centurion to keep a weather eye on his Vulcan charge, regardless of any superiors orders.

  After Terix and the uhlans had escorted the spy away, Valdore smiled in his otherwise empty office. As he activated the terminal atop his desk and transmitted the files he had prepared in advance for Terixs mission, he quietly savored a feeling of triumph.

  He always felt this way whenever a significant new weapon came into his possession.

  When the guards had thrown open his cell door and dragged him abruptly to his feet, they had awakened Trip Tucker from a fitful sleep and an extremelyconvincing dream about TPol. As he awakened, he had been convinced then that he was finally about to die. Well, I guess Ive had a good run,he thought, wondering precisely what hed do during his final moments before the fatal disruptor blast, or sword slash, or guillotineor whatever the hell they were planning on usingfinally carried him off to glory.

  The last thing hed expected his captors to do was to offer him an apology, a job, and the freedom to move about Dartha as he pleased during the few hours that remained before he was to embark on his first mission on behalf of the Romulan Star Empires military, under the supervision of one very dour-faced Centurion Terix. He found the situation almost laughably complicated: here he was, a human masquerading as a Romulan, but mistaken by the Romulans for a Vulcan; all the while, hed be working with the Romulans to catch people who might actually beVulcans infiltrating the Romulan Star Empire.

  Reasonably sure he hadnt been surreptitiously followed back to his small rented suite of rooms near Darthas central commercial district, Trip carefully checked the apartment for listening devices. Once he felt satisfied that no one was about to kick his door down, he removed his small subspace transceiver unit from its hiding place beneath his bedroom floorboards. For the first time during the two days since hed called in to make the initial report about Ehrehins untimely death, he activated the heavily shielded units battery pack, powering it up.

  Stillwell thought he needed to worry about me going native before,Trip thought as he waited for his unscheduled transmission to wend its way across the light-years and negotiate the labyrinth of the bureaus clandestine two-way audio-video communications protocols. I wonder what hes going to say aboutthis report.

  As hed expected, Stillwell had seemed fairly bowled over by Trips revelation about his most recent change of plans.

  “So youre just charging off to some remote part of Romulan space alongside one of their military officers,Stillwell said, looking doubtful as he digested Trips initial bare-bones report about his arrest, his temporary confinement, and the mission briefing that had followed his sudden and unexpected release. “Just like that.

  Trip smiled ironically at the image on his screen. “Sure beats a summary execution, Captain.

  “You still have plenty of time to stumble into one of those, Commander. I just hope you havent forgotten that Romulans can turn on you like rattlesnakes. Im sure you havent forgotten what our friend Sopek did to your partner on Rator II. Treachery seems to be these peoples national pastime. I give you the Romulans ownEjhoi Ormiin dissident group as Peoples Exhibit Number One to prove my point.

  The Romulans are hardly alone onthat score,Trip thought. He was sorely tempted to remind his superior that Sopek might have been about as Romulan as TPol was, and to mention the xenophobes of Terra Prime, a human terror group that had nearly succeeded in strangling the infant Coalition of Planets in its cradle a few months back. Even after the death of its founder, the fading remnants of Terra Prime were still a thorn in the Coalitions side.

  But because he didnt want to get bogged down in an ideological argument, Trip skirted the issue. “Valdore didnt leave me a lot of other options, good or bad, he said. “Anyway, you have to admit that this is one time when what we want and what Valdore wants fit together like spoons. Letting a bunch of rogue dissidents have the potential to build their own warp-seven-capable starships wont do a damned bit of good for us orfor the Romulans.

  Stillwell considered the matter in thoughtful silence for several moments. Then with a sigh and a nod he said, “For whatever its worth, Ive always found it damned difficult to get toothpaste to go back into the tube. But Im forced to agree that you have to at least try. Good luck.

  Trip wondered what Stillwell would say if he told him hed planned on going on the mission anyway, regardless of the bureaus input. “I appreciate that, Captain.

  “I do have another concern, Commander,Stillwell said.

  Im all alone on Romulus, the center of a hostile galactic nation-state, a place where I dont dare trust anybody,Trip thought. What the hell is there to be concerned about beyond that?

  “And whats that, sir? he said aloud.

  “I have to consider the possibility that the Romulan intelligence apparatus has compromised your disguise, and is deliberately allowing you to continue to operate.

  Trip frowned. “Why would they do that?

  “To feed you disinformation to report back to us, of course. You must have considered the possibility that something other than good luck intervened on your behalf.

  “Of course I have. I just seriously doubt that Admiral Valdore thinks Im stupid enough to fall for a gag like that. Especially when you can test at least some of the information from my mission briefing independently.

  “What kind of information?Stillwell said, raising an eyebrow.

  “Okay, why dont you take a close look at a detail from the written report Im about to file?

  “All right, Commander. But give me the short version now.

  Trip nodded. “A Romulan outpost recently observed what appeared to be an Earth Cargo Service freighter being attacked and destroyed by a Klingon battle cruiser. The attack occurred somewhere in the Gamma Hydra sector, where the ECS probably doesnt have very many ships operating at any one time. It shouldnt be too hard to check this out, or at least get confirmation if any freighters in Gamma Hydra are overdue or missing.

  “My people here will run that down immediately, Commander,Stillwell said. “Ill transmit our findings via a subspace burst as soon as possible. In the meantime, let me wish you Godspeed on your mission.

  “Stillwell out.

  Trip continued staring into the screen for long, uncounted moments after the display had faded to black. All he could do at this point was hope that Stillwell could verify the data hed been given before the time came to embark on an extremely hazardous mission.

  A mission that would be dangerous enough if it were completely on the level, rather than merely part of some hypothetical trap set for him by a wily Romula
n admiral.

  “I am ready to begin the next sequence of real-time tests, Admiral, Nijil said, gesturing toward the labs central holo-projector, which had created a free-floating three-dimensional representation of one of the three Klingon battle cruisers his long khaidoaof continuous effort had finally succeeded in acquiring for the illustrious Praetors fleet. “The remote-control tactical system should be ready for practical operation very shortly thereafter, should everything go according to plan during the next round of trials.

  Valdore watched the virtual ship as it slowly turned through every conceivable degree of pitch, roll, and yaw, and silently thanked all the gods of Erebus for the coming culmination of his painstaking work. Both Praetor Dderidex and First Consul TLeikha had lately been applying an uncomfortable amount of pressure on him to produce results.

  They would soon see results beyond their wildest expectations. Valdore was beginning to feel sure of it, even though years of finely honing his instincts gave him a general distrust of such complacent certainties.

  “Very good, Nijil, he said, nodding appreciatively at his chief technologist. “But remember, both the klivamvessels and the personnel we captured along with them are to be considered expendable should anything go wrong after we launch the attack.

  “Of course, Admiral, Nijil said, fist clenched and elbow bent in a crisp salute. “I will see to it that their brutish lives are spent profitably in the defense of our Empire. And that theirs are the only identifiable fresh corpses anyone will be able to recover from the wreckage.

  Soon, Earth and her Coalition partners would have all the proof they might need that the slope-browed ahlhwho infested the Klingon Empire represented a far more imminent danger than did the Romulan Star Empire. Despite his ingrained, pragmatic aversion to wish-fulfillment fantasies and his hesitancy to believe in best-case scenarios, Valdore grinned as he considered what was to come.