“The shuttlecraft is refusing my hails,” Rand said.

“Several of the nearest Tholian ships are powering up their weapons,” Akaar reported. “As is Oghen’s Flame.”

Chekov’s mind whirled. “Get me whoever’s in charge of Jeb’v Tholisand Oghen’s Flame,” he shouted to Rand, preparing to talk faster than he ever had before.

Chapter 31

Somewhat disoriented, Sulu rose from where he’d fallen when the transporter beam released him. Except for the faint glow coming from the superheated air around him, he was in darkness. Standing in his damaged, hurriedly patched environmental suit, he tried to get his bearings.

Then he noticed that the light levels all around him were quickly rising, and within moments had reached full illumination.

Beside him stood Admiral Yilskene and Ambassador Mosrene. Despite their expressionless faces, Sulu gathered that they were both at least as confused as he was.

Then he heard the voice of Ambassador Burgess. “It’s good to have the lights turned up again. There doesn’t seem to be much point in stealth anymore. Everyone knows what we’ve done by now. We’re committed.”

Sulu turned and saw that Ambassador Burgess and Jerdahn were both watching him from the cockpit of one of Excelsior’sshuttlecraft. A flashing light on a forward corn-panel, indicating an incoming hail, was being ignored. Jerdahn was holding a Starfleet-issue phaser. And a semiconscious Neyel military officer—Sulu recognized him immediately as Drech’tor Joh’jym—was strapped to a chair near the boundary of a forcefield, which Sulu surmised [343] must be maintaining a separate atmosphere suitable for the Tholians.

What the hell is going on here?

Sulu was relieved to learn that the Tholian military caste apparently wasn’t as keen on assassinating higher-up as were their diplomats. So far, the Tholian ships visible through the forward windows hadn’t opened fire on the shuttle. However, several of them displayed dully glowing weapons tubes, apparently making ready to vent some wrath. They must be taking aim atExcelsior, he thought, chilled.

Sulu’s gaze fell back upon Burgess, and his anger swiftly rose to a flash point. She’s finally crossed the line. Now I’m party to three kidnappings. And worse, she may have just touched off a three-way interstellar war.It would matter little to Starfleet Command and the Federation Council that she had acted both behind his back and without his knowledge. As commander of Excelsior,he was responsible for the actions of everyone aboard his ship.

With an extreme effort of will, he reined in his anger, keeping his deep voice as level as he could manage. “You’ve got some serious explaining to do here, Ambassador.”

“Isn’t my purpose obvious, Captain?” she said. “I’m trying to broker a peace between parties who’ve so far proved reluctant to talk.”

“By abductingthem? Listen to me, Aidan. You’re about to throw your whole career away.”

Her eyes narrowed. “This isn’t about my career. Or yours. It’s about a war between the Tholians and our own distant relatives. That war will inevitably drag Earth into it as well. Unless we act now to prevent it. We haveto get a dialog going between influential parties on both sides. By whatever means are at hand.”

“This certainly isn’t the way, Ambassador.”

“And a swordfightwas?”

“The truthcombatwould have settled everything without [344] bloodshed. You may have just tossed that out the airlock. Congratulations, Ambassador.”

Coming from behind him, Yilskene’s deep, multilayered voice interrupted Burgess’s reply. “This display is a farce.”

Sulu turned to face the admiral. Ambassador Mosrene, who stood beside him, seemed content simply to watch and listen.

Yilskene continued speaking before Sulu could respond. “Though you would pretend otherwise, Captain, your deceit is apparent. First, you ally yourselves with our most deadly enemies,”—he pointed a claw toward Jerdahn and Joh’jym—“all the while denying it. Then you conspire with those same enemies to obtain rescue from a lawful truthcombat.”

Sulu decided he had finally reached his threshold for sanctimony. “What exactly does combat have to do with truth?” He was acutely aware of how easily Yilskene could kill him simply by ripping the patch from the front of his damaged suit. Though he could have backed away another meter toward the atmospheric forcefield, he stood his ground.

“Whatever deceptions you have attempted, human,” the Tholian admiral said at length, “I grant that you have courage.”

Sulu met Yilskene’s gaze unflinchingly. “I’ll admit that I wasn’t completely candid with you in the beginning. I didorder Excelsiordeep into your territory without your government’s authorization. But it was only to discover whether or not your Neyel adversaries might pose a threat to us. And I neither ordered nor approved your abduction.”

Mosrene turned toward Yilskene, looking like a stone gargoyle that had suddenly come to life. “I believe the human is being truthful. Ambassador Burgess has exceeded her authority before.”

“The captain istelling you the truth,” Burgess interrupted. “And to demonstrate mygood faith, I will agree to return you both to your flagship—on two conditions.”

At that moment, some of the Tholian vessels that had [345] charged their tubes loosed their volleys of directed energy, split seconds apart.

“Excelsiorhas sustained a number of hits,” Jerdahn said calmly, looking down at a tactical display on the console before him. “But I perceive no serious damage.”

Her shields are holding,Sulu thought, his fists clenching involuntarily. For now.

He glared at Burgess. “You have no right to strike bargains that affect the safety of my ship, Ambassador. I want you to let them go now.Along with the Neyel commander. As a show of mygood faith.” Sulu reasoned that Yilskene didn’t really want to kill him, or his crew. After all, the admiral had just walked away from an easy opportunity to simply rip open his environmental suit.

“I don’t answer to you, Captain,” Burgess said, her green eyes blazing. “And I’m holding all the cards right now.”

Sulu glared silently at her, forced to admit that she was right, at least for the moment. There was nothing he could do except wait for an opportunity to gain control of the situation. And hope that she didn’t bury them all in the meantime.

“Name your terms,” Mosrene said.

“One,” Burgess said, holding a finger aloft. “You both must agree to allow me to mediate a provisional truce between your forces and those of the Neyel commander, Drech’tor Joh’jym. And two, Admiral Yilskene must allow Excelsiorand the Neyel vessel safe passage back to their respective territories.”

“You ask much, human,” Mosrene said.

“I ask you to consider a way to avoid an unnecessary war. You may destroy Excelsiorand the Neyel vessel today. And they will be but the first small stones that will start the rock-slide of war tomorrow. And that, I fear, will crush us all.”

Several long, tense seconds passed while the Tholians turned toward each other, evidently conferring via the wordless ether of the Lattice. Sulu wondered if Yilskene was also [346] simultaneously relaying orders to his crew in the same manner.

Finally, Yilskene turned to face Burgess, his rock-hard features unfathomable. But the universal translator picked up the anger in his voice. “Regarding your first demand: I presently have no alternative other than to listen to your words. My response to your second demand will be contingent upon their persuasiveness.”

And with that, the admiral sat on the deck, suddenly becoming as motionless as a garden gnome. The Tholian ambassador followed suit.