Free Star Trek: ALL - Seven Deadly Sins by Dayton Ward

point of working together for some common goal.”
    Leaning forward, Solow rested his arms on his desktop, reaching up to run the fingers of his left hand through his thinning, gray hair. “From what we know of how the Romulans go about things, they might be interested in seeking such an alliance, but only if they had something to gain, and felt they were in the superior negotiating position.” Assuming this theory of a partnership between the two enemy powers was correct, the natural question was what the Romulans felt the Klingons had to offer that justified handing over technology as advanced as a cloaking device. Solow wondered if seeking such a partnership, particularly with the Klingons, might create more problems than it solved.
    Sounds like wishful thinking.
    “Why do I feel like we’re on the outside looking in?” Allen asked.
    “Because we are,” Solow replied, rising from his chair and retrieving the juice glass from his desk before making his way to the food slot situated in the wall to his right. “Or, we will be, if there’s any truth to this.” Starfleet had been attempting to develop their own versionof a cloaking generator for years, or at least create sensor technology that might penetrate such a field, with no tangible results. When the Romulans disappeared deep into their own territory, seemingly never to be heard from again, that research slowed and eventually faded to nothing as other priorities took precedence. With the reappearance of Romulan ships during the past year, efforts had begun anew, but the progress to this point did not look promising. According to the reports Solow had read, new teams of undercover agents were at this moment being prepared and trained for insertion behind enemy lines, in the hope that they might eventually uncover information pertaining to the cloaking technology, as well as other military secrets. Such operations required time and patience to carry out with any degree of success, and Solow now doubted the Federation had that kind of time.
    Turning from the food slot with a fresh glass of juice, Solow returned to his desk. “When can you have the updated reports ready?” he asked, reaching up to rub his temples. Was it his imagination, or were the analgesics actually working?
    “Eleven hundred hours today, Admiral,” Allen replied.
    “Good,” Solow said. “I want a package encrypted and readied for secure transmission to Starbase 47. Nogura’s our foremost expert on the Romulans, and if they’re getting into bed with the Klingons, we need him looking over the data we’ve collected.” Pausing, he shook his head. “Figures Starfleet would ship him out to the farthest point of known space that doesn’t require you to speak Kelvan.”
    Admiral Heihachiro Nogura was one of Starfleet’s leading tactical minds and a key player in much of the strategic planning that had been put into motion during the previous year when war with the Klingon Empire had seemed inevitable. For over a year, he had been stationed at Starbase 47, a remote installation on the fringes of Federation space. Overseeing a massive—and highly classified—research and military operation taking place in that region, Nogura still had been called upon to weigh in on the escalating situation with the Klingons, even after the mysterious Organians had put a stop to the pending hostilities between Starfleet and the Empire. If the Romulans were emerging from their figurative shells and seeking renewed conflict with the Federation—and asking the Klingons to participate—then Starfleet once again would require Nogura’s keen insights.
    “What do we do in the meantime, sir?” Allen asked.
    Releasing a heavy sigh, Solow settled back in his chair, turning it so that he once more looked out over the bay. To the west, storm clouds were gathering.
    Was it an omen? If so, then it most certainly was going to be a very long day.
    “For the moment,” he said, not liking the way his words sounded,