But he shouldn’t have to bear that burden alone, Archer decided. He turned to Commander Sato. “Hoshi, contact Babel and have them send up a shuttlepod for myself and the Rigelian delegates.” As Sato acknowledged the order and began to carry it out, he turned to T’Pol. “Captain, as soon as we disembark, I want you to head for Rigel, best speed. You’re going to join Pioneer in searching for our people.”
On the viewer, Reed looked hurt. “I see. Well, if you think that’s necessary, sir . . .”
Archer could guess what Malcolm was thinking. He hadn’t been a captain very long, and T’Pol was his former commanding officer. And Reed always had been prone to a certain insecurity. “I have every confidence in you and your crew, Malcolm,” Archer assured him. “These are your people, and there’s nobody who’ll fight harder to bring them home safe. But you know the situation. Rigel’s a huge system, so the more ships we have searching, the better our chances.”
Reed straightened and nodded stiffly, not looking very reassured. “Understood, sir. You’ll have our full cooperation, Captain T’Pol.”
“Thank you, Captain Reed.”
Archer smiled at T’Pol’s emotional insight—stressing Reed’s title to demonstrate her respect for his authority. Speaking of which . . . He turned to the Rigelians. “That is, if it’s all right with you.”
“Of course, Admiral,” Hemnask said. “Starfleet sensors are significantly more sensitive than any we have. A second starship is more than welcome.”
“Thank you, Director. Shall we?” At Hemnask’s nod, he escorted her and Jahlet to the turbolift. “Good luck, T’Pol. Malcolm.”
The captains acknowledged his benediction and he left. Once in the lift, Hemnask studied him. “Do humans truly believe that luck guides the outcome of events? That such a blessing will bring some favorable cosmic influence to bear?”
“Once, I guess. These days it’s more just an expression of hope. Letting someone know that you wish them success.” He thought for a moment. “Personally, I think success comes from the effort and determination we put into achieving our goals.”
“Then should you not say ‘good effort’?”
He smiled. “That’s just it. With captains like T’Pol and Malcolm Reed, I don’t have to say it. I already know I’ll get it.”
Tregon, Rigel V
“We do not need outside assistance,” Jemer Zehron insisted. Though the Jelna endomale’s words were nominally addressed to his fellow directors, he was all but glaring toward Travis Mayweather. As this was an impromptu emergency session, Mayweather and the board members were in a small, secure meeting room rather than the council hall, and while there was a table present, the four had all chosen to stand. “This is the Commission’s responsibility, and we should deal with it ourselves.”
“Do not be obtuse, Jemer,” intoned Director Sajithen. The Chelon clicked her beak and clutched the hems of her ornate robe. “We need every available resource to search for the missing archives.” She peered through hooded eyes at the other two directors present. “And there are other factors to consider.”
“That’s right,” Director Tenott agreed, gesturing with a stubby yellow finger. “Pioneer personnel were taken as well. They have a stake in the search themselves.”
“Thank you,” Mayweather told the Xarantine.
“While that is true,” Sajithen acknowledged, “it is not what I meant. This raid was an inside job. Vons may not be the only one who was compromised. He may not have been working alone.”
Tenott scoffed. “Surely you don’t mean to suggest that Sedra was involved! She has more reason to hate the Families than any of us.”
“We all have our secrets—as you well know, Nop. Like certain payoffs for an environmental inspector on Colony Three to look the other way?”
Tenott wrinkled his noseless face. “You know I made amends for that mistake years ago. I worked hard to restore the dome’s stability. What, what about Jemer?” the colonial director went on, gesturing toward his counterpart from Rigel II. “He’s taken kickbacks from Family-run businesses before.”
Zehron ignored the charge, instead keeping his red-eyed gaze on Sajithen. “And you’re so pristine, you sanctimonious reptile? If certain radical ties were to come out—”
“As I said,” Sajithen interrupted, bowing toward him with sardonic courtesy, “we all have secrets. This is the value of accepting Starfleet assistance. An outside, neutral party—”