Saavik looked at Song in the eye, her gaze even more intense than before. The commander, who sat very straight across from her, was unable to notice that slight change in her expression, even if she tried hard to read her, as hard as she tried to keep the Vulcan's stoic manners.
The admiral pressed a control on the table, and the holograms she had already prepared appeared in the room. They were the ones from the Romulan ships she had previously showed to Ba'el. When her eyes turned towards them, so did Song's.
"These are the Avenger and the Firebird, the Romulan vessels we are meeting next," she informed, "they are Tal Shiar."
It was a matter of fact sentence, but still, as she quickly absorbed the information displayed, Song figured that detail was important.
"Admiral Ajeya's position on board is unknown."
There it is. And has her voice sounded more hoarse? Inwardly, Song gulped. Saavik had stopped looking at the holograms and had again intently searched for her eyes. The fierce determination in her gaze impressed the young officer; deep emotions hid behind it, even if her voice was as controlled and even as ever.
"We are to meet her," she stated, "no matter the circumstances. We will second Commander Raghnill in her actions. We might face trouble."
She simply nodded, but then replayed the sentence in her mind. We might face trouble. It was a light way to put it, a too light one. Is she actually saying we may battle the other Romulan ships? Alarms raised in her head. She tried hard to understand the situation.
"Yes, ma'am," she doubted for an instant about questioning her, but Saavik went forward.
"The Romulans are our allies now," Saavik was explaining further, "and Admiral Ajeya is their higher ranking officer here, in the Gamma Quadrant".
Saavik looked so much the perfect Vulcan officer that until that precise instant Song had not even remembered the fact that Saavik was actually half-Romulan. Our allies…now. She wondered what that sentence really meant for the veteran admiral, how strangled or how close her personal relationship with that part of her heritage really was. And then, there was her aide, another half-Romulan, another one she actually knew nothing about, except the rumors that circulated around Starfleet, whose credibility was more than questionable.
"She is also a key figure to uncover a criminal who is threatening both the Federation and the Romulan Empire."
The young commander let aside her musing and focused entirely in her superior's debriefing again.
"A criminal that right now hides amid the Romulan fleet." It was as close to the truth as Saavik was willing to go at that moment; still, she realized that if Vulcans did not lie, she was bending the axiom to the limits of what could be admissible. "His identity must still remain secret, but I am giving you a report of his actions so you know who we deal with. It is already downloaded in your computer. How much you wish to share with your crew is your own decision, Commander. I think you understand this information is strictly confidential and cannot leave this ship."
"Yes, Admiral!" Now her eyes turned inwardly towards the controls that laid at Saavik's place and gave her access to the mentioned file.
It was extremely odd to be seated on the other side of the table, while her higher ranking officer sat again in the command chair. And not giving her much of a chance.
"To stop this criminal we will rendezvous the Romulan admiral first and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that meeting occurs."
That was again a disquieting sentence, and Saavik was there, piercing her with her eyes. However, this time, awaited her, tilting slightly her head. This time, the Vulcan admiral seemed to give her the opportunity to voice her doubts, or so she thought. Song tried to summon her courage. She realized there were too many facts that were unknown to her and could make her misunderstand; but she had still a question to voice. To Admiral Saavik, nevertheless. She gulped again. She was very conscious she was still at attention.
"Whatever is necessary may imply combat against those Romulan ships, ma'am?" Her voice was too soft.
What Song never suspected was that Saavik really wanted to hear that concern from the commander's voice. Saavik wanted to ensure that what she was doing was right, and she distrusted even her well-trained logical intellect in that matter, when her emotions were so strong, and she distrusted Ba'el, so loyal to her that she could be blind to her mistakes sometimes. Then, the young commander was feeling too intimidated by her presence. However, precisely since that a very short age she had successfully taken command of her ship and learnt her responsibilities. Saavik trusted she would stand up for herself and her crew.
"It may," she calmly nodded, and again waited.
And once more dark clouds formed in Song's head. "Admiral, you stated they were our allies."
"And I stated Admiral Ajeya is their sanctioned leader and we will support her, to bring our common enemy down." Saavik asked herself if she had sounded too hard and unyielding. If so, she was only trying to be hard with herself, trying to make her more passionate, resentful self to come to terms with what needed to be done. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one. Spock had taught her that. And there were too many lives at stake, not just her old sworn revenge.
But Song, unaware of Saavik's inner turmoil, took her words differently. "Yes, ma'am!" The commander was sweating; she knew she should take her orders now and stop questioning her superior officer. She realized Admiral Saavik was the last person in the universe to doubt and she was not the one to do so. But Numancia was still her ship, and she was still responsible of her crew, and her actions.
She fought to drag her words out, warily, but Saavik replied her even before she could utter a word.
"I understand your reservations, Song," Saavik appeased her, "but this mission must be carried out." She waited for a long moment, finally, Song nodded at her.
She stood up and immediately her subordinate followed suit. "You have not yet read about the criminal we are after." Saavik reminded her. "Do so. And once you understand better the situation, come to me and said it clearly, if you will follow me or not. But whatever your decision, bring it to me before we meet those ships. I will not accept any hesitation once we are in."
"Yes, Admiral."