As they approached the central turboshaft, TPol spoke again. “Captain, while we docked with the Vulcan vessel, we also discovered some intelligence related to you.

“Me? Archer said as he came to a stop just outside the turbolift door, which slid obediently open for him.

She nodded. “We know, for instance, about the evidence you presented to the Coalition Council concerning the Romulans and this new ability of theirs to remotely commandeer Klingon vessels.

As the trio stepped into the turbolift, Archer said, “Good. That ought to make it easier to persuade the Council not to get caught up in the wrong war against the wrong enemy. The doors hissed closed and Archer directed the turbolift to A deck, and the bridge.

“Our understanding, at least from those aboard the Vulcan ship, TPol said, “was that the Vulcan government may be far more inclined to accept your interpretation of the danger posed by the Romulans than are the other Coalition members.

“I wonder how much of that agreement stems from the relationship we know exists between the Vulcans and the Romulans? Archer said. He knew that Reed hadto know about that relationship by now; he couldnt have undertaken an extended mission into Romulan space without gaining some exposure to the startling physiological similarities between the two races.

“I am not sure, Captain, TPol said with evident sincerity; Archer knew that this was an extremely sensitive topic for her.

Noting they were about to reach the bridge, Archer pressed the stop button on the control pad. “Before we go any further, I want to cover the one topic weve all been avoiding since you two came aboard. He wasnt certain he wanted to hear the answer, but he had to know the truth. “How is Trip? Did you find him?

Reed nodded and displayed a sober expression. “We found him, and arrived just in the nick of time, too. Whatever these psychic flashes or connections that TPol has been having with our late chief engineer, she was right; his life wasin danger. After we helped get him out of the jam hed gotten himself into, we offered to bring him back, but he refused. He felt he still had a mission to complete.

“Something about the Romulan warp‑seven project? Archer asked.

“That is at least oneof the objectives he appears to be pursuing, TPol said, her voice dropping lower. “He had also gathered other information, which he passed on to us. It concerned the Klingon attack on Draylax.

“He found more evidence that the Romulans were behind what happened at Draylax?

TPol shook her head, looking almost wistful. “No, Captain. His Romulan intelligence contacts had led him to believe that the Klingons were indeed the aggressors at Draylax.

Archer was puzzled. “But we already know that cant be true. How could he discover something that isnt true, unless

The answer to his question dawned on him before he could finish his sentence, and the idea chilled him to the core.

“Unless he was purposelybeing misled, TPol said. “Meaning that his identity as a spy may well have been compromised.

Archer shuddered, trying desperately to force his mind not to wander down the path it was already navigating. If Trip was indeed compromised, any information he was finding was likely to be tainted. And if he failed to pass along what was almost certainly disinformation concocted by the Romulan Star Empires intelligence servicesor if he managed to discover that Romuluss own spymasters were using him as a pawn in their gamethen he was likely to end up in the crosshairs of some Romulan assassin.

Archer knew that in the shadowy world of espionage, compromised spies frequently ended up very dead.

THIRTY‑NINE

Tuesday, July 22, 2155 S.S. Kobayashi Maru , Gamma Hydra sector

K OJIRO V ANCE TRACEDthe swell of the womans dusky‑hued hip as she slumbered, his fingertip traveling over the exquisite area he had so recently ravished. She had tasted like plums, although he granted, in retrospect, that it might have been the liqueur they had consumed before theyd had passionate sex against nearly every flat surface in his opulently appointed quarters.

Orana Shubй clearly wanted to go places on the ship, but Vance wasnt certain that there was any place for her to go. After all, she wasnt particularly intelligent, and her mechanical aptitude was laughable. He suspected that she would best serve him exactly where she was, in the captains bed. Or, perhaps, in the galley, preparing food for the crew and passengers. And, of course, thetemporary guests.

Yawning, he clambered over his plaything and padded naked toward the shower, absentmindedly scratching his groin as he walked. Stepping into the shower, he mourned the days on Earth when hed been able to enjoy real showers, with unlimited supplies of hot water. But on a fuel carrier like the Maru,carrying the huge quantities of water needed for such a personal extravagance was not something he could justify, either to his financial backers in the Tau Ceti system, or to the crew that would expect to share this amenity. And since theMaru is a retrofitted Klingon fuel carrier,he thought, having any luxury at all is, well, a luxury itself.

He heard a chime at his door, and poked his head out of the shower stall. “Enter!

Jacqueline Searles, the chief engineer of the Kobayashi Maru,stepped into the cabin, first noticing the nude woman on Vances bed, then turning her head just enough to ascertain that her captain was in the shower.

“What is it, Jackie? Vance asked, reaching for a towel.

She made a face. “Whatever is in that cargo we picked up for the Horizonseems to be slowing us down.

“How is that possible? Vance asked, spreading his hands wide and shrugging. The towel fluttered to the deck.

Searles made another face and put a hand out as if to block her view of his nakedness as she turned away. He noticed that she seemed to object a great deal less to viewing Oranas plump behind. “Would you mind terribly putting some clothes on, Captain? Searles said. “I dont need to talk to allof you.

Shrugging again, Vance walked naked to his large wardrobe, which he opened so he could consider which of his many fanciful outfits he was going to wear. After all, if he was to be dealing with histemporary guests again, he wanted to make the best of impressions, regardless of their present demeanor.

Theyd picked up the nearly two dozen new passengers nine days ago, along with their cargo, at Altair VI. The Earth Cargo Service freighter Horizonwas supposed to have been the ship to ferry them, along with their equipment, from the Marus destination of the Sataghni II fuel depot in the near side of the Gamma Hydra sector all the way to the outskirts of the Tezel‑Oroko system, deep in section ten. But the Horizonhadnt been heard from in about a week, and Vance had agreed to perform the Horizons runsurreptitiously, of coursefor triple his regular fee. Finding out a little bit about the sensitive nature of the mission had also been part of the bargain Vance had struck with his clandestine passengers.

Hed kept the full facts about the mission, at least as he knew them, from his first mate, Arturo Stiles, a man whose pragmatism was matched only by his excitability. So far as Stiles knew, they were making an unscheduled but highly paid delivery, and that was all he needed to know for now. The unexpected windfall ought to have made the economics‑minded Stiles very happy indeed.

But if Stiles were to learn that the Vulcans aboard the Kobayashi Maruwere headed for a stable cometary body in the Tezel‑Oroko systems Kuiper belt, where they intended to fortify and expand a small, covert listening post whose electronic ears and eyes were aimed at both the Romulans and the Klingons, he would probably go ballistic. Vance didnt much care about the galactic politics involved, though he knew he would prefer that the stodgy Vulcans have the upper hand over either the Klingons or the Romulans; from what little hed seen, both empires were far too capriciously aggressive to suit a free spirit like Captain Kojiro Vance.