“So Coridan must be the Romulans’ first target,” Trip said, swallowing hard. “For lots of reasons.”

“Once the Romulans annex the most productive dilithium mines in known space, the Coalition wouldn’t stand a chance of resisting strikes from a Coridan beach‑head. Tellar, Andoria, even Vulcan would fall like dominoes following a long war of attrition, bolstered by Coridan’s captured resources and the Romulan expansion ethic.”

“And then Earth.” Trip’s voice was pitched barely above a whisper.

“It certainly isn’t a pretty picture, Commander.”

Trip gripped the sides of his desk tightly. His head was spinning, and only in part because of all the tequila he’d just consumed with Malcolm.

“How do you know all this, Harris?”

When Harris responded, his tone remained patient, almost like that of a college professor conducting an introductory lecture. Or perhaps, Trip thought, like a very slick salesman.

“As Lieutenant Reed has no doubt already told you, Commander, I am part of an organization that has access to numerous intelligence networks and other resources, including some not immediately available either to Starfleet or most of the other agencies of United Earth’s government.”

“And is that who you represent? Earth’s government?”

“I suppose the answer to that question depends upon whom you ask. Let’s just say we represent Earth’s long‑term interests.”

Harris’s words weren’t doing anything to allay Trip’s nagging suspicions. “That sounds to me pretty much like what John Frederick Paxton said about Terra Prime.”

“Hardly,”Harris said with a gentle chuckle. “Paxton is a xenophobe and a terrorist. And he’s exactly where he belongs right now–in prison. He saw Earth’s contact with other sentient races as something to be feared, and therefore curtailed.We see that contact as inevitable and beneficial–but we’re not so naive as to believe there won’t be dangers that have to be managed very carefully along the way.

“My group is part of Starfleet, Commander, and it’s keeping an extremely watchful eye on what’s left of Paxton’s network, to prevent terrorist acts like those committed by Terra Prime from ever happening here again. But we’re keeping even closer tabs on Earth’s many potential interstellar adversaries. Most notably the Romulan Star Empire.”

They’re part of Starfleet,Trip thought, still having a little difficulty digesting the concept, even though Malcolm had already told him as much in the crew mess.

“You say you’re an arm of Starfleet, Harris,” he finally said aloud. “But you seem to be operating independently of Starfleet’s direct control. How is it you can get away with that?”

“You seem to be implying that there’s somethingillicit about my group’s activities, Commander.”

Trip shrugged, and restrained himself from commenting on the trouble Harris’s clandestine organization had caused Malcolm a few months back. Malcolm’s activities on Harris’s behalf had very nearly gotten him court‑martialed.

“I’m just saying it’s damned irregular,” Trip said.

“Perhaps. But it’s also authorized by Starfleet’s own charter.”

“Come again?”

“I refer you to Article Fourteen, Section Thirty‑one. You’ll find that it establishes an autonomous investigative agency that holds nonspecific discretionary power over certain security‑related matters. I’d say that incipient aggression by the Romulans certainly qualifies as one of those matters.”

Trip was still digesting the surprising revelation that Harris’s spy bureau might have been hidden right out in plain sight, buried in the text of Starfleet’s own founding document, when Harris’s last remark finally registered.

“So…are you saying you can help me do something about the Romulans?”

Harris put on an ingratiating smile that almost convinced Trip there was some real warmth behind it. “I am, Commander. Our best analysts have already confirmed that the Romulans present a clear and present danger to Earth and her Coalition allies. We’re already conducting operations intended to throw a monkey wrench into the Romulans’ warp‑seven drive program, while also trying to learn as much about it as possible.”

“It’d be nice to use the Romulans’ own research to jump‑start a Starfleet version of the same thing,” Trip said, nodding. He wondered just how much warp‑seven technology Starfleet already had on the drawing board, and hoped it wasn’t as sketchy as he feared it was.

“Exactly, Commander. In fact, I was just about to approach Lieutenant Reed again regarding this very matter. Things are going to begin happening very quickly, and very soon.”

“I wouldn’t bother calling Malcolm again if I were you. He’s still not very keen on working with you folks.”

“So you’ve both already said. Regardless, we were also planning to contactyou as well. I must thank you for saving me the trouble.”

Trip blinked in surprise. “Why contact me?”

“Because your skills could prove invaluable to us, Commander. We need engineers capable of neutralizing the Romulans’ plansdirectly. People like you who already have a hands‑on grasp of the inner workings of Romulan technology. I read your reports on the Romulans’ cloaked mine field, their flirtation with stealth ships, and their remote‑control drone‑ship experiments. Very impressive work. It helped convince me that you are anideal candidate for field work.”

Trip immediately felt flattered, then reminded himself of Malcolm’s repeated warnings that Harris was a master manipulator. “Thanks. But those reports must have been evaluated by better engineering minds than mine. Besides that stuff, what makes you think I’myour man?”

“Whether you realize it or not, you arealready a citizen of the coming galactic confederation. You are a human being ahead of his time, Mister Tucker. You have demonstrated an ability to empathize with and understand the minds of aliens, like the Tellarites and the Andorians.”

“Wow. Malcolm warned me that you lay it on a little thick sometimes to get what you want.”

Harris’s brow furrowed. “I’m not speaking about your gifts hyperbolically, Commander. People skills are just as important to a field agent’s success as engineering talent. Perhaps evenmore important. Case in point: You may be the first human ever to have a serious romantic relationship with a Vulcan.”

“In case you missed it, that relationship crashed and cratered.” Whatever might lay ahead between him, Harris, and the Romulans, Trip hoped for a smoother trajectory than the one he had shared with T’Pol.

“Allthat proves is that there are no guarantees in this life.”Harris paused to close his eyes and rub the bridge of his nose with a steepled pair of index fingers. “Frankly, I’m a little surprised at your ambivalence about us, Commander. Need I remind you that no one outside of yourEnterprise colleagues other thanus has been willing to listen to your warnings about the Romulans? We, on the other hand, will not only listen, we’ll also provide you with whatever resources, cover, and contacts you’ll need while working covertly in the ‘off‑channel’ sector. With our resources at your disposal, you will finally have a real opportunity to protect Earth and her allies.”

Trip sat in silence for a lengthy time, evaluating Harris’s words as the other man continued studying him from across the light‑years. While he thought Harris’s praise of his alleged exodiplomatic skills was highly overblown, he knew he couldn’t remain on the sidelines while Starfleet continued to do nothing, Malcolm’s warnings about Harris notwithstanding.

He’s not the devil,Trip told himself. If he were, then why would Malcolm have suggested I talk to him?