“This ship is constantly awash in emotions, Commander. Humans tend to treat important Starfleet protocols in an extremely lackadaisical fashion, as we have seen on this very mission. Logical counsel is rarely accepted, even by the highest-ranking officers aboard.” Tuvok considered saying something disparaging about the captain’s challenging Admiral Yilskene to a duel, but decided to hold his tongue.

“Tell me about the Kolinahrtraining,” Lojur said.

Tuvok experienced some surprise at that. Halkans, he knew, were a disciplined people; following the narrow path of total nonviolence as they did required an extreme focus of mind and will. But however disciplined Lojur might be, he was not a Vulcan. Being a Vulcan, for that matter, was no guarantee of success at Kolinahr.

“Tell me first why you are interested in Kolinahr.Completely purging one’s emotions is a radical step for any non-Vulcan to take.”

Lojur took a deep breath. “When I was in my teens, I raised my hand in violence. Necessary violence, but violence nonetheless. Afterward, I had no home on Halka. Commander Chekov and Starfleet took me in. Now, I fear I may soon lose that as well.”

Without warning, the Halkan collapsed onto his knees, weeping. “Shandra’s death has brought that violence back upon me. If I do not learn to control it, it will overwhelm me.”

[368] Tuvok didn’t hesitate to help his friend. Stepping over to the table, he carefully lifted the tangle of crystalline-metal t’anrods that comprised the kal-tohpuzzle.

Perhaps on Vulcan,he thought, we can both find a measure of peace.

Tuvok set the puzzle before the distraught Halkan. “Then let us begin together.”

Chapter 34

Sulu retrieved the glass of Merlot from the food slot and returned to the couch. Chekov sat on a chair across from him, nursing a small glass of vodka. Chekov hadn’t changed to off-duty gear yet, but Sulu was in his white turtleneck undershirt, and he had kicked off his boots.

“I still feel as if it’s my responsibility,” Sulu said. “I was in command of the ship when Burgess took the shuttlecraft into the rift. I could have tried to stop her.”

Chekov snorted. “Well, of courseyou feel responsible, Hikaru. You’re a Starfleet captain. Everythingthat happens on this ship is your responsibility, whether you know it’s going on or not. But that doesn’t mean that you’re to blame for her actions. Shestole the shuttle all on her own—with a little unauthorized help.”

Sulu knew that Chekov was referring to Lieutenant Commander Lojur. He was still uncertain as to exactly what punishment the navigator should receive. Perhaps it had been a mistake to allow Lojur to come back to duty so soon after the death of his fiancé. That thought brought with it, unbidden, a sad reminder that there were several dead crew members for whom he and Pavel had to plan memorial services.

Chekov interrupted Sulu’s clouded thoughts. “Burgess was a real styervo,but I think that in the end, I can [370] understand why she did what she did.” He took a swallow of his vodka, then continued. “I don’t think it was ego that drove her. At least not completely.”

“Well, shedidn’t seem to think so,” Sulu said. “So, what do you think it was?”

“Humanity has been unified for centuries,” Chekov said. “But the Neyel have been left out of all of that, and they’ll need a lot of guidance if they’re ever to join the human mainstream. How many human diplomats ever get an opportunity to help unite mankind all over again?”

Sulu nodded. Put that way, Burgess’s passion made a great deal of sense.

A chime rang out then, followed by Janice Rand’s voice coming over the comm. “Captain, I have Admiral Nogura on subspace for you.”

Sulu put his glass down on the table and walked over toward his desk. “Put it through to my quarters, Commander.”

Back to the beginning,Sulu thought as he sat behind the desk and activated the terminal there. This is where it all started.

“Captain Sulu, I’m looking forward to reading your report regarding the situation with the Tholians.”

Sulu swallowed. “Yes, sir. I’ve just finished it, but I haven’t filed it yet. If you’d like to hear it now, I’m ready.”

Nogura smiled as if he were indulging a request instead of making one. “Please do, Captain.”

Sulu launched into a narrative of the past days’ events, laying out the highs, lows, and middles, as well as the surprises along the way. He ended with his admission that only the most foolhardy of risks and the sheerest luck had prevented a war. And that because of his dereliction of duty, Burgess had stolen the shuttlecraft Genjiand kidnapped key figures in the local Tholian-Neyel dispute in an effort to force a truce whose final resolution was still admittedly uncertain.

Nogura leaned back in his chair as he listened. When [371] Sulu finished, he sat back upright. “Captain, let’s deal with Burgess first. She revealed sensitive information to the Tholians without authorization. It sounds to me that her actions were beyond the pale long before she stole the shuttle. No matterwhat she ultimately accomplished, I can guarantee that neither the Federation Council nor Starfleet Command will look kindly upon her should she ever return.”With a slight smile, he added, “Not that I expectthat to happen any time soon. Her career is finished.”

Chekov moved around to the area behind the monitor, and Sulu saw that his expression was full of misgivings. He’s not happy about my taking responsibility for Burgess’s actions,Sulu thought. But I have no real choice.

“Regarding your own actions,”Nogura said, “I’m not certain that I’d use a phrase like ‘dereliction of duty’ to describe them. True, the assignment I gave youdid call for a ‘discreet investigation,’ and you do seem to have failed miserably at that.”He smiled broadly then, as if to soften his last statement. “But in the end, everything seems to have turned out very well indeed for all concerned, thanks in no small part to your own quick thinking.”

Sulu wasn’t aware he was holding his breath until that point, and he let it out in a rush.

“From where I sit,”Nogura continued, steepling his fingers in front of him, “Ambassador Burgess seems far more deserving of blame for anything that went wrong on this mission than you are. So let me ask you this: when you file your official report, are you certain you want to include absolutelyeverything you’ve just told me?”

Chekov cleared his throat, and held up a hand to get Sulu’s attention. Sulu looked back down at the monitor. “Admiral, will you excuse me for a moment? Something urgent has just come up.”

“Certainly, Captain.”

Sulu muted the audio feed on the subspace channel and [372] stood, moving around the desk and out of the visual pickups field of view.

“What is it, Pavel?” he asked.

“Don’t you understand what the admiral is telling you?” Chekov asked, scowling. “The Federation Council is going to pressure Starfleet Command to pillory somebodyover the various breaches of diplomatic protocol that occurred during this mission. It’ll be a lot harder for them to do that to Burgess in absentiathan it would be for them to go after somebody else.”

Sulu nodded. “I know that.”

“Well, that somebodythey’re after doesn’t have to be you.”

Chekov stepped forward and put his hand onto Sulu’s shoulder. “You and I have been friends for a long time, Hikaru. I know you want to take full responsibility, the way you’ve always done. But sometimes the responsibility for a bad choice needs to stay with the one who made it. Don’t put yourcareer in jeopardy because of the things that shedid.”