Open Secrets

All right,Ganz decided. He’s definitely not an idiot.In fact, Nogura seemed to be one shrewd bastard, with an air of arrogance that belied his tiny frame. There were only two good reasons to display such bravado: either you were bluffing, or you knew you held the wi

“Even if I were to consider something of this nature,” Ganz said, now working to maintain his composed façade and present the appearance that nothing Nogura had said to this point was a shock, “I’d need certain assurances.”

“You have my assurance,” Nogura replied, “that if you don’t accept this arrangement, your ship, your crew, and your own fat ass will be off my station before lunch.”

Ganz forced down his rising ire. He paused to ensure that his response would be measured before replying. “I’d need time to think about it.”

Nogura shrugged. “Take your time. You’ve got ten seconds.”

Now, Ganz stood. “Admiral, I’ve been most cordial with you this morning, but I’m not used to being talked to in this ma

If Nogura was worried about the Nalori, he revealed no hint of his fear. “Time’s up. What’s your answer?”

“If I were even suspected of assisting Starfleet with anything,” Ganz replied, “every one of my rivals would paint a target on my back. I’d be signing my own death warrant. Even being docked at your station wouldn’t save me from that.” The truth was that he could see the advantages on several levels that would come from such an arrangement, but he could not allow himself to be browbeaten into accepting the offer as extended by this human. Such action would send the wrong message, which definitely would be bad for business.

This also was a matter of pride, Ganz admitted. It could not happen in this ma

“That’s a no, I take it?” Nogura asked.

There was no choice. “Correct.”

The admiral nodded. “So be it. You have two hours to be off my station and on your way out of its sensor range, or I’m seizing it and everything and everyone aboard.” With that, he turned and headed for the door, exiting the office without another word and leaving Ganz in the grips of anger threatening to explode from within him.

“What do you want to do?” Zett asked after a moment.

Ganz’s immediate answer was to ball his right hand into a fist and slam it down on the desk. He felt its metal surface give just a bit beneath the force of the blow, the echo from the strike reverberating off the walls of the office. Staring at the door through which Nogura had left, he contemplated all of the ways he could have the admiral killed before he left the Omari-Ekonand returned to the space station. Instead, he turned his gaze to Zett and beheld the Nalori’s unreadable expression and his own reflection in the assassin’s eyes.

“Start packing.”

24

“So, you’re telling me…what, exactly?”

Leaning back in his chair, with his arms folded and his feet resting on the drab metal table, Reyes regarded Commander Nathan Spires as the attorney, visibly disturbed by the news he had just received and imparted, paced the length of the interview room. His normally well-groomed hair was disheveled, a consequence of ru

“Captain Sereb is a force of nature,Commodore,” Spires said, continuing to pace. “That he’s here is a clear sign that Starfleet is leaving nothing to chance and pulling no punches with respect to your court-martial.” Pausing, he held up a hand. “They’re not throwing you to the lions or anything like that, but they want to be sure that every last detail of this trial is aboveboard.” He shrugged. “That won’t be especially hard in this case, given Sereb’s credentials. Call him gruff, call him rude, call him insufferably arrogant in the finest Tellarite tradition, but unethical he most certainly is not.” Shaking his head, he moved to the table, took a glass of water from where it sat next to his briefcase, and drained its contents.

Reyes, of course, had been expecting Starfleet to replace Desai as the prosecuting attorney. Even though very few people in her chain of command would be so foolish as to question her integrity and commitment to carrying out her duty, no matter how unpleasant, Reyes was confident that someone at Starfleet Headquarters would demonstrate sufficient humanity—and common sense—to relieve Desai of the responsibility of doing her best to send him to prison for the rest of his life.

Small favors, I suppose.

Reyes brought his feet off the table and leaned forward in his chair. “What’re you trying to tell me, Commander? I should just give up now? Throw myself on the mercy of the court and so on?”

“Of course not, sir,” Spires countered, waving away the suggestion. “I’m just trying to make it clear that our battle has gotten that much harder. After all, unlike Captain Desai, Sereb has no personal co

“Belay that, Commander,” Reyes snapped, cutting off Spires with such volume and force that the commodore could almost see the blood drain from the other man’s face. Rising from his seat, he pointed a finger at Spires’s chest, and when he spoke again, the words came out dripping with undisguised menace. “That’s the first and last time I ever want to hear you so much as think that Captain Desai isn’t and hasn’t been conducting herself in accordance with Starfleet regulations, particularly with respect to this court-martial. Do I make myself absolutely clear?”

Swallowing the obvious lump in his throat, Spires nodded once. “You do, sir. My comments were out of line, and I apologize.”

Reyes frowned as he watched the commander resume his pacing. Was this other lawyer, Sereb, really so formidable? Even if that were the case, Spires, from Reyes’s admittedly layperson’s viewpoint, seemed a rather effective attorney in his own right. During the past weeks, whether spent together in conference or with Spires working alone to interview relevant witnesses and review computer files, the commander had demonstrated a seemingly unwavering focus, determined to do his level best to mount an effective defense for Reyes.

“You sound scared, Commander,” he said, returning to his seat. “You said this Sereb was a stickler for the rules. That means I’ll still get my chance to answer questions, to say my piece, right?”

Spires cleared his throat. “You’ll get your chance, sir, and then he’ll hang you with your very words.” As though anticipating Reyes’s reaction, he held up both hands in a gesture of supplication. “Commodore, with no disrespect intended toward Captain Desai, this needs to be said. Captain Sereb is one of the most effective prosecutors in JAG. He doesn’t lose. He’s never lost,and the only thing he seems to like more than wi

Releasing a tired grunt, Reyes shook his head. “Sounds like someone Jetanien might like.” For a moment, he was amused by the image of the bombastic Rigelian Chel facing off against a Tellarite in a no-holds-barred verbal joust.

Maybe we could sell tickets.

After a moment, Reyes shrugged. “Okay, then, so we have to work that much harder to get ready for this guy. I need to check my calendar, but I’m pretty sure I can work in any extra time you think we’ll need.” The way he saw it, he had nothing to lose, no matter whom Starfleet put up to prosecute him. If Spires was right about his new opponent, Sereb would not only welcome any attempt to present a forthright defense based on facts, but he would also relish any victory he attained in the face of such opposition. Regardless, Reyes at least would get his day in court, his opportunity to put a face to the secrets and mystery surrounding Starfleet’s presence in the Taurus Reach.