“The Council hopes that this resolution will broker a truce, however tenuous, and thus stave off a war.

Archer sighed heavily. “And of course, nobody is paying attention to what the Romulans might be doing while were all distracted by this Klingon business.

Gardners expression turned to one of angry incredulity. “Unless Im missing something here, Captain, the Romulans had nothing to do with this attack. And no evidence has turned up yet linking them to the other recent

“Except for Coridan, Archer said, interrupting.

Gardner closed his mouth, and Hernandez thought she could hear the grinding of his teeth across the gulf of light‑years that separated them. “There are some on the Council and in Starfleet who agree that your warnings were vindicated by the attack on Coridan. But at this time, the Council has voted that the most clear and present threat currently emanates from the Klingon Empire. That is where the Council feels our priorities should lie, and for eminently understandable reasons.

The rooms intercom let out a bosuns whistle a moment before Phloxs voice announced, “Sickbay to Captain Archer. My patient is regaining consciousness, but I cant guarantee how long it will last.

Archer leaned in toward the viewscreen. “Thats the sole survivor from the destroyed Klingon battle cruisers, Admiral. She might be our only chance to get to the bottom of whats really been going on here.

“Go,Gardner said, testiness still slightly audible in his voice. “And good luck, Archer.

Before they exited the room, Archer tapped the com panel once more. “Ensign Sato, meet me in sickbay. On the double.

Moving quickly to follow Archer out of the ready room and into the turbolift, Hernandez spoke in low tones. “I dont get why you set out to antagonize the admiral, Jon. Hes not an idiot, and hes probably trapped by the politics of the situation. And as my father used to say, you catch more flies with honey.

As the turbolift doors opened onto E deck, Archer grinned humorlessly. “Im not interested in catching flies, Erika. And duty or not, the things mydad used to say about the top brass in Starfleet would have made an Andorian blush.

“Admiral Krell is lying. Captain Veshtk wasneither a traitor nor a rogue,the Klingon woman said, her words rendered into standard English by one of Lieutenant Satos pleasant‑voiced universal translator units. The Klingons natural voice came as a kindling‑dry rasp that Archer found painful to hear. Every word she uttered had to be causing her excruciating pain.

“She says that Admiral Krell is lying, Hoshi said, listening directly to the womans Klingon speech in order to confirm the accuracy of the electronic translation. Archer didnt want to leave any of the Klingon survivors inflections or half utterances to chance. “She says that her commanding officer, Captain Veshtk, was not a traitor, and that he wasnt operating as a rogue agent.

“Then why did they attack Draylax without any official authorization? Archer asked, waiting anxiously for Hoshi to translate his question for the woman. Nearby, Phlox frowned, tapping away at his monitor consoles. Archer saw that he was pumping sizable quantities of painkillers into the womans system.

As before, the electronic translation device spoke on behalf of the Klingon woman before Hoshi did. “We were on patroland something seized control of our ship. Our guidance systemsour gravity, even our life‑support systemsnothing would respond to us. I barely got intoa pressure suit in time. The others were still alive, but barelyand we were unable to do anything butfloat in the air while our ship acted as thoughit had a mind of its own.

“She claims that something remotely gained control of their ship while they were on patrol, Hoshi said. “It took over their guidance systems, artificial gravity, and even the life‑support systems. This woman was able to don an environment suit, but the others were kept just barely alive. Apparently the artificial gravity system remained disabled while the ship was being controlled.

“How could something like that happen? Erika asked after Hoshi had confirmed the machine translation.

The Klingon woman responded to Erikas question with a series of halting rasps that Hoshis equipment quickly transformed into English. “The first thing they did wasto use some remote means of seizing and deactivating each of our systems, one by one. They started with life‑support

“Who seized control of your ship? Archer asked. “Was it someone aboard one of the other two Klingon vessels that attacked Draylax?

The woman moaned loudly, coughing up purple‑hued bloody mucus as Hoshi questioned her in the Klingon tongue. But the look on the patients faceeven through her painwas one of surprise.

“I was not even aware of the other ships untilthe battle began. The screens on our shipsshowed me the carnage. I tried to return your hailsor stop the weapons from firing, but Iwas unable. The others on the crew weretoo far gone.

“Does she have any idea whoit was that took over her ship? Archer asked.

The womans body suddenly began to jerk, her back arching up off the bed as her hands clawed feebly at the air. Purple blood spouted from her nose, and she coughed up a darker fluid.

“Move back, Captain, Phlox said, his manner grim and urgent. He punched a few buttons, and the movements of the woman lessened somewhat, though the blood still flowed. For a moment, her gaze seemed to focus on something distant, then moved back toward Hoshi and Archer.

“RomuluSngan.

The word was clear, but final. The womans eyes rolled back in her head, and her body fell limp.

Phlox lowered his head. “Shes gone, Captain.

“You did what you could to ease her pain, Archer said softly. “You didnt do anything to contribute to her death.

Phlox stared at him, but Archer couldnt quite read the tightly coiled emotion that showed in the Denobulan physicians blue, recessed eyes. “No, I did not. Her survival until now was, frankly, a miracle. She might have lived longer had I notinduced consciousnessbut probably not for more than another day or two.

Hernandez stepped forward, looking toward Hoshi. “Was her last word what I thought it was?

Hoshi nodded, her expression glum. “ RomuluSngan. Its the Klingon word for

“Romulan, Archer said, interrupting her.

Archer reached down to scratch Porthos between the ears, then took a sip of the Skagaran Lone Star tequila he had poured for himself and Erika from the bottle Trip had left behind. He had brought Hernandez back to his quarters, rather than to his ready room, to discuss what to do next. “Im just sick of sitting behind that ready‑room desk and waiting for more orders and more news that I know will take us down the wrong path, he said before taking another swallow.

Hernandez stopped pacing and sat on the edge of the small desk across from Archers bunk, where she stared contemplatively at the amber fluid that covered the bottom of her own glass. “So what do we do now? The only proof we have that the Romulans mayhave been involved with this is the dying declaration of a Klingon who had enough morphine in her to tranquilize an elephant.

“If the Romulans aresomehow behind the attack on Draylaxif theyve managed to gain control of at least these three Klingon ships, then who knows what other surprises they might have in store for us? Archer said, trying not to let the despair he was feeling creep into his voice. “If were being tricked into going to war against the Klingons, then the Coalition may be about to pick a fight with the wrong enemy. That would leave us vulnerable to ambush from the realenemy. We might even find ourselves surprised by another Coridan‑style sneak attack.

“Or the Romulans might just wait until the Klingon and Coalition forces have worn each other down in battle, Hernandez said. “They could swoop in then and start picking up the pieces while nobodys fleets are in any shape to do much to stop them.