As it turned out, the lifts were working. On the downside, however, there were two Romulans already in the lift when you reached it. You tried not to look too human, keeping one eye on Spock's movements all the while. He saluted, so you quickly imitated him. The Romulans returned the salute and addressed Spock with a long stream of words you didn't understand. His hand went instinctively to the Romulan-type communicator tucked into his belt, and you guessed that these two had been sent to investigate why their officers had not checked in.
Spock said something in reply. The taller Romulan frowned, and after a moment, removed his own communicator before passing it to Spock with a few words that didn't sound pleasant. Spock seemed to have explained that his device had malfunctioned, which the Romulan hadn't taken kindly to. The next words, from the shorter of the two, sounded very much like an order.
Spock said the only Romulan phrase you had a chance of recognizing: "Ie, rreki."
The lift stopped moving, and he saluted before exiting. You saluted an instant after him, but the Romulans didn't seem to notice the lag. They returned the salute once more, and you hastened to keep up with Spock. Once you had rounded the corner, he came to a stop.
"What did we get told to do?" you whispered, just in case there were more Romulans around.
Spock matched your low tone. "Random chance seems to have operated in our favour. We have just received orders to reinforce the guard on the ship's auxiliary control."
That was good news, certainly, but you frowned. "Why should they reinforce the guard? Do they suspect that someone's trying to get in?"
"They cannot know that two of their boarding party have been taken out of commission," Spock reflected. "If they had discovered the two we knocked unconscious, we would have been under immediate suspicion when we claimed to be them."
"Maybe someone else escaped," you suggested.
"Perhaps," he agreed. "Regardless, greater caution appears to be advisable from here on."
"Right. Shall we get to auxiliary control before they send someone looking for us again, then?"
