Star Trek: The Empty Chair by Diane Duane Page A

conduits.”
Veilt smiled. It was a wintry look.
“And then all of those big ships were destroyed by such a paltry little band? If I were in the Klingon High Command, I would find it hard to believe a word that ship’s commander said. Indeed, I’d suspect that they had turned and fled in theface of forces not nearly so overwhelming—just because
Enterprise
was there. You know what effect that name has on Klingons as well as I.
Enterprise
would be assumed to have done yet another of its sorcerer’s tricks on the task force.
That
they would believe. But that last poor ship’s command would be assumed to have run for their lives, and then made up the rest of the tale about giant ships out of nowhere to justify their cowardice. Were I the Klingon admirals in their High Command, I would have that ship’s officers all shot.”
That smile became more wintry yet.
    Ael had to smile herself, a touch ferally, at the truth in what he said. “Yet no word will come back to the Klingons from the other fifteen ships,” Ael said. “They are going to have to explain their loss to themselves eventually.”
    “By the time they find out the truth of what’s happened,”
Veilt said,
“we may hope it will be too late for them. They will already have committed more forces using tactics now outdated, and those forces will again be too scattered to deal with
Tyrava
properly. The big engagements to come, in the space outside Eisn’s heliopause, those give me concern indeed; but at those, I think we will have help.”
    Ael’s heart leapt in her side. This was the news she had not dared ask, for fear it would be bad. “
Divish,
then?”
    “Not only
Divish,
but
Taseiv
as well. Both ships’ complements were overwhelmingly in favor.”
Veilt gave her one of those obscure looks that had always made Ael so uneasy in the past.
“It will have had a great deal to do with the company you are keeping, and the way he has performed so far. The news that will come to them from Artaleirh will only solidify their decision.”
    “Are you going to tell
him
that?” Ael said.
    “Should I?”
said Veilt.
    It was that question of trust again.
Sharpen the knife cautiously, lest it turn in your hand.
So the saying went.
But at the same time,
Ael thought,
a knife that’s not sharp enoughdoes no one any good, and can be a danger when you try to cut.
    “I think you should, and must,” Ael said. “The alternative makes us look like fools, or makes us seem to think him one. Or it gives the impression we fear what Kirk will do if he comes to know himself indispensable to what we do. Like it or not, Veilt, indispensable he has been, and is. Pray the Elements with all your heart that
Enterprise
lasts until we get at least as far as Eisn space, otherwise I much fear all of this, and all of us, will come to nothing at the last.”
    Veilt was silent for a while.
“He has kept faith,”
he said at last,
“so far.”
    “He is no dayside fighter,” Ael said, “to slip away when the dark makes it easy. You will see, when you meet him. And then you will ask yourself how you could have thought I would deal with such a one for more than a single engagement.”
    Veilt held up his hands in a gesture of mock alarm.
“Cousin
thrai,” he said, very mild,
“keep your teeth for better use. I am willing to be convinced, if you’re right. For the moment, though, I need to make things ready for our guests to come.”
    “The doctor,” Ael said, with a slight smile, “is fond of ale, and well he’s earned it today, it seems. Gurrhim tr’Siedhri lives.”
    At that, Veilt’s half-lidded look went just briefly wide-eyed.
“We had heard he was like to die.”
    “So he was,” Ael said, “had he been left in
Gorget’
s infirmary. But he was snatched out of it and delivered straight into Kirk’s hands, and McCoy did the rest.”
    Veilt nodded, and the bland look on his face, Ael knew, was suddenly just a mask over calculation, reassessment, some whole new nest of