To his credit, al‑Rashid sidestepped the Tellarites verbal jab without offering any provocation of his own. “Theres still a lot we dont know about the Draylax situation, Ambassador Gral, he said. “And I have to point out that the Coalitions boundaries are a relatively new addition to the galactic map. Perhaps the Klingons werent aware they were violating them.

“Klingons care little for such niceties, Gral said. “Indiscriminate expansion through conquest is their way. When the Klingons decide to go after you, your choices usually amount to either surrender or war. Therefore we would do well to teach them some respect for our boundaries, and to do it in the most direct fashion possible.

Thoris nodded grimly. “Photonic torpedoes can be excellent educators in situations such as these.

“I grant you that Klingons respect strength, al‑Rashid said. “But

Gral interrupted him. “And do you also grant that the security of nearby nonaligned worlds such as Draylax has a direct bearing on the security of the Coalition members? The Tellarite leaned forward across the table, his hairy knuckles supporting his weight. “Indeed, on the Coalitions continued existence?

The humans eyes narrowed as he appeared to struggle to keep his internal emotional fires carefully banked. “I understand that all too well, Ambassador.

Seated beside al‑Rashid, Prime Minister Samuels nodded in agreement, though he maintained as emotionally neutral an expression as Soval had ever seen on a human face. “Earths delegation believes very deeply in maintaining peace and security in the local systems. Indeed, we would hope that the assistance Earth is already providing to the Draylaxians would convince them to finally join the Coalition. We hope it will entice other nearby worlds as well, such as Porrima V.

Soval couldnt help but agree, even though he was well aware that additional alien recruitment into the Coalition suited the humans own self‑interested political purposes; after all, the inclusion of more nonhuman worlds in the Coalitions roster would go a long way toward blunting the ill feelings that persisted among the rest of the current membership because of Earths insistence on granting not only Coalition member status but also full Security Council voting rights to the human‑inhabited Alpha Centauri system.

“A stout blade and a fully charged disruptor pistol will get far better results with a ravening Klingon than will any amount of hope, Thoris said, punctuating his declaration by pounding his cerulean fist upon the tabletop several times. “We must waste no more time mounting a full counterattack!

“The last thing we should do is allow ourselves to be drawn into an all‑out war, al‑Rashid said. “At least not until our fastest frontline starships gather more firsthand information about what really happened at Draylax. We still dont know, for instance, precisely why the Klingons apparently resolved the situation themselves by destroying their own warship.

Thoris appeared unmoved. “With respect, Minister, the Klingons have never shown much interest in resolving anything. Were it otherwise, they would not have made the additional brazen move of destroying an Earth freighter in the Gamma Hydra sector.

“Weve seen no definitive evidence of that so far, said Samuels. “But I can see that your intelligence bureaus must be listening to the same rumors as ours do.

“No one has heard anything from the E.C.S. Horizonfor several days, Thoris said. “That is no mere rumor.

“True enough, Minister, Samuels said, crossing his arms before him. “But Im not prepared to go to war over what might turn out to be only a faulty com system.

“The Andorian government does not require the permission of Earth, or of this Coalition for that matter, to take whatever action we deem justifiable and prudent in the face of this grave danger, Thoris said, his antennae flattening backward against his scalp.

“Nor does Tellar, said Gral. “The provisions of the Coalition Compact notwithstanding.

Remaining in his seat, Samuels made an admirable display of equanimity in the face of such vehement opposition. “Of course not. Were a body of equals, meeting as equals. Thats why nobody is addressing anybody else from up there, especially today. He paused to gesture toward the empty speakers podium that stood upon the unoccupied raised dais at the front of the room. “But must I remind you both that your governments actions will reflect on allthe members of this body?

Gral huffed. “And must Iremind youthat Earth and Alpha Centauri are entangled with Draylax in a webwork of mutual defense treaties? You do your entire species a disservice by leaning on diplomacy during a time that demands soldiery instead.

Gral pushed away from the table, as did Thoris a moment later. Soval watched as his Tellarite and Andorian counterparts stalked angrily out of the room, heading for separate exits, their respective aides following closely on their heels.

Soval was grateful that neither the press nor any members of the general public were present in the gallery that overlooked the formal debating chamber; the participants in todays meeting had agreed to convene behind closed doors. Presently a tense and uncomfortable silence stretched between the human and Vulcan contingents, the only Coalition representatives who now remained in the room.

Haroun al‑Rashid was the first to break that silence. “May nobody do anything stupid over the next few days, inshallah,he said.

“Hear, hear, Samuels said, looking crestfallen and small.

Soval recognized al‑Rashids last utterance as a word from the human language known as Arabic.

Inshallah.If God wills it.

Though Soval himself espoused no specific deity of any sort, he couldnt help but agree with the ministers overall sentiment. Just as he concurred with Grals and Thoriss general contention that the Klingon Empire did indeed pose a potentially grave, if not an immediate, danger. While weve debated the issue of Romulan aggression,he thought, we have allowed ourselves to become blind to the Klingons.

Nevertheless, both logic and simple decency dictated that war could never be a first option.

“Even the Andorian and Tellarite governments must engage in a deliberative process of sorts before going to war independently of the will of the Coalition, Soval said, intent on offering his human colleagues at least some small degree of comfort.

Samuels and al‑Rashid both nodded in agreement. “Well stand adjourned until tomorrow, Samuels said, finally rising from behind the table.

“I suppose we ought to be thankful that Gral and Thoris arent the final decision‑makers on their respective homeworlds, al‑Rashid said.

Soval rose from his seat, thereby signaling his aides that it was time to leave the chamber. Addressing the humans, he said, “We must maintain hope thathow do the humans put it?cooler heads will prevail on both Andoria and Tellar.

But that hope felt nearly as forced as Thoriss smiles, or Grals table manners.

Sunday, July 20, 2155, 7:22 A.M . Montgomery, Alabama

When Charles Anthony Tucker II saw what he had just finished downloading onto the e‑paper, he nearly spit his morning orange juice across the kitchen.

“Elaine! he shouted when hed finally managed to stop sputtering.

His wife emerged from the hallway into the kitchen nearly at a run, pulling her bathrobe sash tightly about her slim waist. Wet hair framed her face, which was a study in concern at the moment, as though shed half expected to find him dying on the kitchen floor. Considering everything the Tucker family had endured over the past few yearsthe loss of their two adult children still felt like an open wound to Charles, and probably would continue to feel that way for whatever span of time remained to himhe could hardly blame her for believing the worst.