“Thats both ridiculous and unfair! al‑Rashid said, startling Samuels, who wasnt used to seeing his colleague react with such vehemence. Samuels saw his usually phlegmatic colleagues overstressed outburst as an ominous sign. It was also a tacit admission that the Tellarites assertion was anything butridiculous. After all, no one who monitored Earths popular media, its independent editorial journals, or its talknets could plausibly deny that humanitys small minority of committed xenophobes still maintained a formidable presence in the planets collective hindbrain, if only on a rhetorical, propagandistic basis.

Nevertheless, this was a point on which anyone representing Earths interests could ill afford to give ground. Playing up Homo sapienss lack of unanimity for the purpose of defusing the other Coalition members fears of human hegemony was one thing; making Earths population appear ungovernable, or portraying its leaders as dysfunctional without the advantage of a potentially unfair plurality, were other things entirely.

At the Vulcans table, Minister Soval rose, his hands clasped before his conservatively adorned Vulcan diplomatic robes as he addressed Samuelss lectern. “Ridiculous or not, it is abundantly apparent that we will not resolve this matter soon or simply.

“At least thatmuch is certain, Gral muttered, evidently just within the universal translator systems hearing threshold.

Depressing as the realization was, Samuels had to admit that he was inclined to agree.

“No wonder nobodys been listening to my warnings about the Romulans, Archer said quietly to Doctor Phlox, who sat to his left, his uncannily blue Denobulan eyes riveted to the diplomatic tableau unfolding beyond the railings that separated the balcony from the council chamber below. “These guys have their hands full just keeping the alliance from unraveling.

“I pledge never again to complain about the difficulties inherent in practicing medicine, Phlox said with a somber nod.

“Indeed, said TPol, who was seated at Archers other side.

Lieutenant Malcolm Reed leaned forward against the railing between TPol and the seats that Ensigns Hoshi Sato and Travis Mayweather had taken. “Makes myjob look dead easy, Reed whispered, to silent nods of agreement from Hoshi and Travis.

Archer watched as Soval addressed Minister Samuels, who stood at the central lectern. “I recommend we table the issue of Alpha Centauris admission pending a special meeting of this body dedicated to that purpose. We must move on to other essential business, most notably our collective security.

“Agreed, Minister Soval, Samuels said, nodding. He then turned toward the observation gallery and did his best to make his voice project to the back of the room. “I call Captain Jonathan Archer of Starfleet to address the Coalition Council on these matters.

Phlox offered an encouraging smile as Archer rose from his seat. “Good luck, sir, Hoshi said as he passed her chair and began making his way toward the nearby staircase that wound down toward the center of the council chamber.

As he stepped onto the central dais to stand beside Minister Samuels, Archer did his best to ignore the sheer terror that always gripped him whenever he was called upon to address the crowned heads and eminences of the Coalition of Planets. Is it too late to order Malcolm to shoot me?he thought. He could take some comfort, at least, in the fact that his slightly late arrival seemed to have come just in time to preempt a filibuster that might have lasted for days.

Samuels shook his hand warmly, gestured toward the lectern, and took a seat, yielding the floor to Archer. The delegates of four worlds, all of them once again seated behind a semicircular array of curved tables, watched him quietly, jangling his nerves further. Archer looked up and past them toward the gallery, where his senior officers sat watching him expectantly. Not far from them, Admiral Black, Admiral Gardner, and General Casey uniformly glowered at him over folded arms, like a trio of gargoyles. The light babble of applause that usually accompanied a guests ascension to the lectern was conspicuously absent, creating a lacuna of uncomfortable silence that Archers imagination filled with the stridulations of crickets and the low, warp core‑like thrumming of his own anxious heartbeat.

Wishing he hadnt neglected to bring along the padd upon which he had organized his thoughts during the voyage to Earth, Archer cleared his throat and searched his mind for a way to get at what he had intended to say.

Before Archer had uttered a single word, Gral suddenly rose to his feet and shouted, “I object! Absurdly, Archer felt only gratitude for the interruption.

“I presume that surprises no one, Soval said, one eyebrow raised in what might have signaled droll Vulcan humor.

“Captain Archer has addressed this body more times than has any other military officer from any Coalition world, Gral continued, ignoring Sovals verbal jab. “This is yet another sign of creeping human hegemony.

“Again, I must agree with my Tellarite colleague, Thoris said, though he remained seated. “While I certainly respect the captains accomplishments on behalf of my world and other Coalition members, it is not appropriate for humans to so thoroughly dominate these proceedings.

Archer fumed quietly. So its all right to have me aroundonly when you need somebody to keep Andoria, Vulcan, and Tellar from blowing each others fleets out of the sky.

“Gral is correct, Thoris said. “Under the Coalitions parliamentary rules, a member world cannot unilaterally call one of its own people to address the Council if that person is not a duly recognized planetary delegate.

“That is true, Minister Thoris, Soval said. “However, the United Earth government did not call Captain Archer here to speak. In fact, I have little doubt that the captains military superiors would prefer that he be elsewhere today.

Archer stole another glance at the admirals and the general, all of whose scowls seemed to deepen and intensify, confirming Sovals contention, if only inadvertently. Boy, Soval, you dont know the half of it,he thought, then allowed his gaze to drift back to the Vulcan minister to make certain that Admiral Gardners basilisk stare hadnt just turned him to solid stone.

“If Earths delegation did not call Captain Archer here, then who did? said Thoris, his antennae thrusting forward in an apparent mix of curiosity and querulousness.

“First Minister TPau of Vulcan, Soval announced in his customary matter‑of‑fact tones.

Thoris and Gral harrumphed in unison, almost as though they had rehearsed the joint maneuver in advance.

“Proceed, the Tellarite growled with a defeated sigh before dropping ungracefully back into his chair.

Once more unto the breach,Archer thought. He cleared his throat again, screwed up his courage one last time, and plunged forward.

“The Romulans, he announced as his preface. “Maybe weve all been a bit too busy lately arguing among ourselves to focus on the threat they pose to every world in the Coalition and beyond. The attack on Coridan was only the first catastrophe to emerge while weve been preoccupied with politics.

“How can you be so certain that the Romulans are to blame for Coridan, Captain? Gral asked, interrupting.

Archer paused and thought of Trip, who had been behind enemy lines for the past several months, covertly risking his life. I wish I could tell you the plain unvarnished truth, Gral.

“Indeed, said Soval. “The Klingons are equally likely to be the responsible parties.

“Or a rogue asteroid strike, for that matter, Thoris said.

Archer shook his head. “With respect, Minister Thoris, asteroids dont travel at multiwarp speeds. And Ive never seen a natural impact produce an antiparticle flux capable of igniting half a worlds underground dilithium supply.