Part 8 (1/2)

Akaar's voice was surprisingly subdued. ”I believe the problem may be more fundamental than that. Since s.h.i.+nzon's coup, the Romulan military is in disarray. Where once they were united under the political guidance of the praetor and the senate and the spiritual leaders.h.i.+p of the emperor, they now have neither. Emperor s.h.i.+arkiek was a.s.sa.s.sinated during the Dominion War and never replaced, which created a crisis within the Romulan hierarchy that was made all the worse by the Watraii affair. s.h.i.+nzon had some of the Romulan military on his side-and plenty of it against him. With their fleet already sundered, they have splintered even further with this new arrangement. There are at least five different factions vying for power-six if you count the Remans. Any action taken by a Romulan s.h.i.+p cannot be taken as sanctioned by the Romulan government as a whole because right now the Romulan government's authority is limited.”

Bacco let out a breath. ”This is just going to get worse when those Remans. .h.i.t Outpost 22, isn't it?”

”Probably,” Piniero said.

”Definitely.” Councillor Molmaan spoke with more finality than the chief of staff. ”President Bacco, I think that we should send s.h.i.+ps into Romulan s.p.a.ce. It's the only way to guarantee peace in the region.”

”I must disagree with the councillor from Zaldan,” Mazibuko said in a quiet voice. ”Adding more armed s.h.i.+ps to the equation is unlikely to guarantee anything resembling peace.”

Molmaan glowered at Mazibuko. ”I'd expect you to say that. But the only thing that will keep Klingon and Romulan pa.s.sions in check is the presence of the Federation. Otherwise I guarantee there will be a war.”

”War's never a guarantee, Councillor,” Bacco said, ”and it's a last resort, not a first one.”

”For us, maybe. Not for the Klingons, nor the Romulans.”

”I disagree,” T'Latrek said. ”Where Klingons seek battle for its own sake, Romulans do not-they only seek battles they can win.”

Abrik was about to point out that they were getting off-topic when Bacco did it for him. ”Much as I'd love to dive into these philosophical waters, let's save it for when people aren't shooting at each other. Mr. Amba.s.sador, I need to know what the High Council's response to this is, and I need it yesterday.”

”Yes, ma'am.”

Bacco then looked around the rest of the Monet Room. ”As for the rest of you, keep on this. Admiral Ross, I want whatever s.h.i.+ps you can divert to the Romulan border to head there now. Make it clear that we're keeping an eye on things.”

Ross nodded. ”The Intrepid's already on the way. I can also send the Bellerophon, the T'k.u.mbra, the Malinche, and the Prometheus.”

”The Prometheus is the one that can split in three, right?”

”Yes, ma'am. The Prometheus-cla.s.s is our best quick-response combat vessel.”

Abrik said, ”We should put s.h.i.+ps near the Klingon border, as well.”

”What for?” Piniero asked.

”To make it clear that we're keeping an eye on them, too.”

Shostakova shook her head. ”They are our allies.”

”For now.”

”They will view this as hostile,” T'Latrek said calmly.

Again, Abrik snorted. ”They view everything as hostile!”

”And they've been itchy since Tezwa,” Bacco said.

Rozhenko spoke up. ”I'm with Secretary Shostakova. Putting s.h.i.+ps on the Romulan border is a show of support for the empire. Putting s.h.i.+ps on the Klingon border'll just isolate us from both of them.”

”If they fired first, we don't support them.” Abrik was wondering why someone with only two months of diplomatic experience was doing anything in this conversation other than take instructions from the president.

”We'll stay off the border for now,” Bacco said, ”but meanwhile, I want K'mtok's a.s.s in a chair in my office first thing in the morning.”

”He'll be there, ma'am,” Piniero said. ”We can slot him in at 0900.”

”Make it later-I want you there, too.”

”No need, ma'am. I can be there at 0900. Emra canceled. Said it was nothing, just a mistake on his part.”

”Uh-huh.” Bacco sounded dubious. ”Maybe you should have Z4- ” Then she waved her hand in front of her face. ”Oh, forget it-the whole d.a.m.n thing was his idea in the first place. He wants to cancel, that's one less thing I have to think about.”

Piniero smiled. ”Down to only six billion, ma'am?”

Several of those around the table chuckled. Abrik was not one of them.

Neither was Shostakova. ”The difficulty here is that we do not know if this is an isolated incident. Until we know who was commanding that warbird- ”

”Everything that happens in Romulan s.p.a.ce right now is almost by definition an isolated incident, Madam Secretary.” Akaar made the p.r.o.nouncement in his usual pompous tone.

”Hang on a second,” Bacco said, ”we've got the Federation's leading expert on Romulans right there in Romulan s.p.a.ce. Esperanza, tell Amba.s.sador T'Kala to get Spock for us.”

Piniero s.h.i.+fted in her seat. Abrik wondered what that meant. Piniero was fairly comfortable with the president, so for her to react like that was telling.

Abrik wasn't the only one to notice; Bacco picked up on it right away. ”What is it, Esperanza?”

”They found T'Kala in her apartments, dead. Suicide.”

Now why don't I like the sound of that? Abrik thought glumly.

”We sure it was a suicide?” Bacco asked.

Hostetler Richman nodded. ”We're sure, ma'am. T'Kala did it in full view of the security cameras at the emba.s.sy. Used her honor blade and everything.”

”In that case,” Akaar said, ”it was an honorable suicide. To be expected given that the government that a.s.signed T'Kala no longer truly exists.”

Sighing, Bacco said, ”I'll bet anything that the first question Jorel gets tomorrow is if she killed herself in embarra.s.sment over what happened with the travel office. Look, I don't care how we get Spock here, but get him here. Right now we're talking through our hats. I want someone who actually knows what he's talking about, which pretty much rules out everybody in this meeting.” Several people chuckled at that also. Abrik was a.s.suredly not one of them. ”All right, I'll be back in the Palais in two hours. I don't care if you know anything or not, I want a report every two hours from each of you.”

”You'll have it, ma'am,” Piniero said.

”Good. See you all soon.”

Everyone in the room, with the notable exception of Molmaan, said, ”Thank you, Madam President.”

Abrik himself only said it because it was proper and it was expected. It certainly wasn't a sign of respect. He had a feeling that President Bacco was going to lead the Federation to ruin.

March 2380 ”Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

- Winston Churchill