Open Secrets

She’d tell me I was being illogical,he guessed.

As he stuck his hands into his pants pockets, the fingers on his right hand brushed across smooth metal, and he extracted the mandala. Its burnished surface reflected the dim lighting and the multihued indicators from different bio monitors, casting an odd kaleidoscopic pattern of colors across T’Pry

“Here,” he said, his voice low. “I bought it for you, anyhow.” Looking up at M’Benga, he shrugged, offering a sheepish, humorless grin. “Stupid, I know.”

“Every little bit might help, I suppose,” the doctor replied.

Pe

21

“Admiral on deck.”

Cooper issued the command with snap and precision as he stood next to Jetanien, and he and the officers from the senior staff—Lieutenant Haniff Jackson and Dr. Fisher—came to positions of attention just as the doors leading to the docking port’s access gangway parted. Standing alone in the foyer just beyond the doors was a slender Asian man of shorter-than-average height, dressed in the standard-duty uniform of a Starfleet flag officer. His once-black hair was liberally streaked with gray and styled in a brush cut, and his face was ta

Rear Admiral Heihachiro Nogura.

“You must be Commander Cooper,” he said, moving to stand before the younger man. “Permission to come aboard, sir?”

“Permission granted, Admiral. Welcome to Starbase 47.” Until the moment the perso

Taking the admiral’s proffered hand and shaking it, Cooper said, “I’d like to introduce key members of my senior staff.” He made quick introductions before indicating Jetanien with his free hand. “And this is Ambassador Jetanien, our diplomatic envoy.”

“A pleasure to meet you all,” Nogura said. “I look forward to getting to know you better as we move forward.” In his left hand, the admiral carried a computer data card, which he handed to Cooper. “Commander, these are Starfleet’s orders assigning me as commanding officer of this facility and returning you to your position as executive officer. Your reassignment is by no means a statement of Starfleet’s lack of faith in your abilities. On the contrary, I’m counting on you to help push me through the inevitable settling-in adjustments I’ll have to make.”

Cooper nodded. “Understood, sir.”

“I’ve been keeping updated with the reports you’ve been filing,” Nogura said, “but for now, give me the highlights. For example, what’s the latest with the Tholian we’re protecting?”

Not wasting any time, is he?After glancing around to ensure that no one without the proper security clearance was within earshot before responding, Cooper nodded to Jetanien.

In a subdued voice, the ambassador said, “She’s under the supervision of Dr. Marcus and Lieutenant Xiong, who currently head up our primary research team.” Indeed, the Tholian, Nezrene, had spent almost all of her time with Marcus and Xiong in the Vault, the top-secret research facility hidden deep in the bowels of the station, working to understand the various artifacts and information recovered from planets now known to have existed once under the rule of the Shedai.

“That research facility,” Nogura repeated, also mindful to prevent his voice from carrying. “Its security hasn’t been compromised?”

“No, Admiral,” replied Lieutenant Jackson at Cooper’s prompting. “It and its contents remain classified.”

Nogura nodded in approval. “Excellent. We’ve got more pressing concerns out here. Now, my understanding is that both the Endeavourand the Sagittariusare away from the station, with neither ship due back for some time?”

Cooper said, “That’s correct sir. The Endeavouris on security patrol and won’t return for at least three weeks. Sagittariuswas sent to perform a low-profile recon probe based on some new intelligence we received about Klingon ship activity, and she’ll be back in six days.” After a moment, he added, “Both ships, as well as the Lovell,have been getting run pretty ragged, Admiral.”

“I know,” Nogura replied, “and I’m already taking steps to fix that. Until then, they’ll just have to do the best they can, but we’ll see about not overextending them any more than absolutely necessary for mission-critical assignments.” He paused, reaching up to cover his mouth as he stifled a yawn. “Pardon me, Commander, but I’m afraid my aging body doesn’t cope as well as it once did with long-duration space travel. It probably doesn’t help that the bunk they gave me is smaller than the bed my grandson sleeps in. I’d like to grab a shower, a decent meal, and a real bed for a few hours before we dive into everything.”

“Absolutely, sir,” Cooper said.

Jackson added, “Quarters have already been prepared, Admiral, and I’ll see to it that your belongings are delivered there. All of the latest reports, including detailed information on the topics we’ve just discussed, are available to you at the personal workstations in your quarters and your office.”

Cooper asked, “Admiral, is there anything else you need from me at this time?”

“Actually, there is. I never cared for all the pomp and circumstance of a formal change-of-command ceremony, and I’m sure the crew has better things to do. So, if it’s all the same to you, I’m opting to forgo the formal song-and-dance routine and get down to business.”

Hearing such an unpretentious request, particularly when it came from an officer of Nogura’s rank and standing within the upper echelons of the Starfleet Command hierarchy, filled Cooper with relief, but it was Fisher who could not pass up the opening Nogura provided.

“The crew will be devastated to hear that, sir, but we’ll do our best to deliver the news gently and soften the blow.”

When Nogura laughed, it was from his belly, and the results echoed off the curved corridor walls. His whole face seemed to expand to accommodate the full smile that took over his features. “Nicely played, Doctor.” Nodding once more to the group, he said, “Thank you, all. I won’t keep you from your duties any longer.”

“Aye, sir,” Cooper said, before indicating to Jackson that he should accompany the admiral to his quarters. Nogura and Jackson departed, leaving Cooper alone with Jetanien and Fisher.

“Not what I expected,” Fisher said.