"I wouldn't underestimate them," the captain said.

The former official turned toward the man next to her. "And I would not overestimate them, Captain. Nature favors the destructive process. It took that Reman all of a minute to destroy the senate, and it only took him another few days to get himself killed and ruin his own revolutionary government. That will take decades to rebuild."

Before the captain could say anything, the councillor said, "Your words are not false, Ythril, but just because it will not happen quickly does not mean it will not happen. Witness the Klingon Empire following Praxis."

"Yes, Councillor," the former official said in a voice that the observer thought indicated annoyance, "but this summit should not be concerned with what might happen fifty years from now but what is happening now."

The discussion leader asked the councillor, "T'Latrek, do you think Praetor Tal'Aura should be included in the summit?"

"There are benefits to including her-and to excluding her."

The former official's antennae went wild. "How equivocal of you, T'Latrek."

The journalist spoke up. "I don't think the High Council will be too pleased with the idea of Tal'Aura being there, Velisa. There's no love lost between the Great Hall and Romulus, especially after the incident at Klorgat IV."

The former official once again grew agitated. "Starfleet proved conclusively that Admiral Mendak was responsible for that, and he was a rogue element."

"Oh come on," the captain said, "you don't really believe that, do you, Ythril? Mendak's always been a loyalist. h.e.l.l, I met the man right after Brasito. Patriotic to a fault."

The councillor said, "Even patriots will go against their government if they feel it necessary. Tal'Aura, remember, supported Shinzon's coup. Mendak has always been loyal to the Romulan government, yes, but he has also consistently spoken out in favor of continued Reman oppression. It is logical to deduce that it is at least possible, if not probable, that he refused to cooperate with the government as long as Tal'Aura was praetor and his status as a criminal was genuine."

"I don't buy it," the captain said. "Mendak didn't do anything that actually hurt Tal'Aura, and when the S.C.E. found him out on Klorgat, he conveniently commits suicide. I gotta go with Ythril here, that lady shouldn't be anywhere near the summit."

"The next question is about the issues under dis- "

Then the playback went dead. So did the observer's reporting equipment.

He let out a sigh. He supposed this was inevitable, since he had already gone over his allotted time to study this section of the universe several millennia ago. But they were so fascinating!

Sighing again, he collected himself and shifted the universe so that he would be back home to file his report.

Chapter Twenty-Six.

"THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY RATIFIED the motion to allow Koa into the Federation. The Koas are now based in the Mu Arae system-though that's not where they're from."

Kav glasch Vokrak recorded Kant Jorel's words as he sat in the holocom-in truth, his small one-person office in Vancouver-waiting for him to finish babbling so he could ask his question. He'd heard that the summit was going to happen on Grisella, and he wanted confirmation from Kant. But he was still carrying on about these potential new members. As if the Federation needs a one-hundred-and-fifty-fifth member. Was I the only one who wanted the Ontailians and the Trill to follow the Selelvians out the door? This government is too big for its own good.

"When their sun was threatening to go nova about four years ago, they were able to make use of an ancient device to shrink their planet down and place it in a pyramid-shaped box. With some help from Starfleet, the box was brought to Mu Arae and the planet was deposited there, with the system actually rearranging itself to accommodate the new world. Talks began shortly after that, and now they're ready to join. The date for the signing ceremony still needs to be set." Kant looked around the holocom. "You all look sufficiently bored. It's pathetic, you know that? They put their planet in a box. Don't you think that's-Oh, never mind." He looked down at his padd. "One last thing."

Thank you, Kav thought toward every Tellarite deity who'd ever existed.

"The president's office would like to officially announce that the summit with Chancellor Martok, President Bacco, and Praetor Tal'Aura will be held on Grisella one week from today."

Kav blinked his sunken eyes. He answered my question. This relieved Kav, as it eliminated the need to try to get Kant's attention, which had always been problematic under the best of circ.u.mstances, and which had gotten worse the past seven weeks or so. It was right after judiciary's landmark decision in the B-4 case, the retirement of Admiral Ross, the pa.s.sing of the new transportation bill, the birthday of three different councillors' chief aides, and Ozla Graniv's return to the Palais press room. Knowing Kant, any one of those could have set him off. My bet would be on the birthdays-he never likes it when people are having fun.

However, his announcement prompted more questions. It was Regia Maldonado who asked, "So the Romulans will be represented at the summit?"

Kant nodded. "Your powers of deduction remain ordinary, Regia. Yes, since the future of the Romulan Empire is one of the primary goals of the summit, it was felt that the Romulan government should have a voice."

Ozla asked, "Jorel, there are several indications that Tal'Aura's on her way out. Is including her in the summit the Federation's way of supporting her in light of her dwindling support on Romulus?"

"Including her in the summit is the Federation's way of including her in the summit," Kant said. "That's it."

Kav was suddenly back in his small office. Standing across from him in the small s.p.a.ce between his desk and the door was a person he never thought he'd see again.

"Brek? Is that you?"

Brek chim Glamok nodded. Kav stood up and slammed his arm against Brek's. "I don't believe it! They declared you dead!"

"There were many times, my friend, that I wish I was."

"How did you get here? What're you doing here? You should be back on Tellar!"

"Kav, I'm only here-I'm only alive-because of Amba.s.sador Emra and Zaarok."

At that, Kav almost swallowed his own tongue. "Zaarok? You mean the Tzelnira Zaarok?"

"That's who I mean, yes. He sent me because he needs our help."

"How would the Tellarite News Service help- ?"

Brek spit at him. "No, you idiot, the Federation's help!"

"Spare me your anger, Brek!" Kav spit right back. "You disappeared months ago. You were declared dead. Phant almost ripped all his fur out."

"I know-and I apologize for that. It has been-difficult."

Kav nodded in understanding. "Of course. What is it you've been asked to do?"

"Zaarok has a son who is dying. He was diagnosed with cal-tai a year ago."

Frowning, Kav said, "I don't know what that is."

"It's something that only Tzenkethi get, apparently-some kind of growth in their spines. They had been hoping the diagnosis was wrong, but apparently all the best doctors in the coalition checked him over. The only cure that is known is a surgical procedure that removes the growth."

"So where does the Federation come in?"

Brek stared at Kav. "There's only one doctor who has ever successfully performed that surgery-a Starfleet doctor named Rebecca Emmanuelli, who was a prisoner during the Tzenkethi War."

"So let me see if I understand this," Nan said as she ran her hand through her paper-white hair, convinced that it was all going to fall out before her second year in office was halfway done. "The son of a Tzelnira is sick, the only doctor who can save him is in Starfleet, and the Tzenkethi are willing to ship the boy here for the operation?"

Sitting across from her were Esperanza, Secretary Safranski, Kant Jorel, Z4 Blue, Myk Bunkrep, Councillor Strovos of Ardana, Admiral Akaar, and Chirurgeon P'Trell, the head of Starfleet Medical. Nan had been surprised to see that P'Trell was Caitian, considering that he had an Andorian physician's t.i.tle, but Esperanza had explained before he'd arrived that, although he was Caitian by species, he was born and raised on Andor and studied medicine there.

Esperanza said, "I wish it was that simple, ma'am. The Tzenkethi aren't willing to ship the boy anywhere. It's just this one Tzelnira that's trying to make it work."

"Ma'am," Z4 said, "I'm pretty sure this is what Emra was trying to see you about back in January."

"And how is this supposed to work?" Nan asked Jorel.

"Brek said a ship would be entering the Temecklia system in ten days carrying the patient."

Nan stared intently at the Bajoran. "You believe him?"

"In general, no. Brek's a sensationalist, and he takes ridiculous risks. But he's also spent nine months in a Tzenkethi prison on Kliradon, where they aren't known for treating Federation species with anything like kindness."

"All the more reason why he'd say anything to get out," Safranski said.

Nan looked at the Rigelian. "You think it's a setup?"

"No, ma'am, but I think we should proceed as if we're expecting it to be."

Z4 said, "I can't imagine it is a setup, ma'am. This was telegraphed almost a year ago. Yes, we should be careful, but the Tzenkethi don't strike me as being this sloppy."

"Reality tends to be a lot more sloppy than constructed plans," Esperanza added.

Nan smirked. "Occam's razor at its dullest. All right." She turned to Akaar. "Admiral, can we meet that ship?"

"The Sugihara is in the area. I trust Captain Demitrijian to be able to smell a trap."

"All right, get it over there, and let's see what happens." She turned to P'Trell. "a.s.suming this is on the level, how soon can this doctor get here?"

P'Trell's ears flattened. "That may be a bit of a problem, Madam President."

"Why, where is she?"

"Her location is not the problem. She's stationed at Starbase 1, in orbit of Earth."

Nan frowned. "So what is the problem?"

"She refuses to perform the procedure."

That surprised Nan. Her eyes wide, her mouth constricting into a line under her nose, she said, "Say that again, please."

"She refuses- "

Slamming a hand on her desk, Nan said, "What the h.e.l.l happened to 'First, do no harm'?"

Esperanza looked pained. "Ma'am, Dr. Emmanuelli was a prisoner of the Tzenkethi for four years. She was captured during the war, and they kept her alive because of her skill as a surgeon, and while a prisoner she saved fourteen Tzenkethi from cal-tai. They told the Federation that she'd died in prison so they could keep her out of the prisoner exchanges after the armistice. A civilian group called Liberation Watch obtained evidence that she was still alive, which they turned over to Starfleet. The Saratoga went to investigate further, and the Tzenkethi turned her over rather than risk another war."

Nan relented. "Yeah, okay, I can see why she'd be a little peevish." She sighed. "How old is this boy, anyhow?"

"Only two," Z4 said.

P'Trell added, "But Tzenkethi mature to full growth when they're five, so that's not as young as you might think."

"Chirurgeon- " She hesitated. "Ghee, can anyone else perform this operation?"

Again, the flat ears. "Tzenkethi biology is not common knowledge. Dr. Emmanuelli never published anything about her work on Tzenketh because she didn't wish to relive the experience."

"Can't blame her for that, either. So there's no one else?"

"It's a spinal operation, Madam President. A single wrong move, and the patient will die. Even Dr. Emmanuelli didn't have a one-hundred-percent success rate-although she saved fourteen, seven died under her care as well."

Softly, Esperanza said, "Sixty-seven-percent odds aren't bad."

"No." P'Trell fixed his gaze on Esperanza. "But those odds are reduced to less than ten percent with any other surgeon." Turning back to Nan, he said, "Madam President, I have tried to convince Dr. Emmanuelli that this is the right thing to do. I've done everything short of ordering her to, and I've not done that only because she's made it clear that she will resign before she followed that order, and I'm not about to lose a fine physician over this."

Nan drummed her fingers on the desk. "Admiral, what's the Sugihara's travel time back to Earth from Temecklia?"

"Five days."

She nodded. "All right, then. We won't know a d.a.m.n thing for ten days, and we've got two weeks to convince Dr. Emmanuelli of the error of her ways. Chirurgeon, keep talking to her."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Admiral, get the Sugihara out there. And- "

Jorel interrupted. "Excuse me, ma'am, but there is one other thing."

"What?"

"My staff has picked up some reports from some of the Tzenkethi press. Until Brek showed up this morning, I didn't really think anything of it, but- "

"But what?"

Jorel tugged on his earring, a gesture that suddenly reminded Nan of Xeldara. "They're talking about how the Federation is attempting to kidnap Tzelnira Zaarok's son in an attempt to start another war-oh, and that the summit next week is so you and the Klingons can plan the invasion of Tzenketh that will follow your s.n.a.t.c.hing of the boy."

Nan leaned back in her chair.

Esperanza said, "Now this seems a little more like a setup."

"No, it doesn't," Z4 said. "Zaarok's gone rogue, I'm sure of that. He couldn't get it done in January, so he pulled Emra back, but now he's desperate. He's high enough among the ministers to have the ability to do this quietly, but if someone else picked up on it, they'd be more than happy to use it as Federation propaganda."

"Honestly," Jorel said, "it's only different from what the Tzenkethi press says about the Federation insofar as it has some vague bearing on reality for a change."

Nan chuckled mirthlessly. "So we've got what is at worst a setup for an attack on the Federation, and at best an anti-Federation propaganda opportunity for the Tzenkethi."

Esperanza nodded. "That about sums it up."

Standing up, Nan said, "Well, I can't kill myself worrying about what the Tzenkethi press think of me-I have enough problems worrying about what the people in Jorel's room think. And ultimately, the only thing I really give a d.a.m.n about is saving a two-year-old boy's life. Let's get this moving and see where it takes us."

"Thank you, Madam President," Esperanza said, and everyone got up. However, while most folks headed for the exit to the turbolifts, Esperanza and Myk, who hadn't said anything the entire meeting, approached the president's desk.