“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.