A sense of the practical outweighing the aesthetic, Takeshewada thought. She wasnt sure what it meant, really, but she noted it anyhow.
One of the Enterprise guardsa woman named Leskanichset up a comm system on Laubenthals lawn. Vascogne handed Kirk an amplifier, which the captain attached to his uniform shirt. The rest of the guards moved into formation, surrounding the house, covering all the possible exits (the garage door, the front door, and a back door) and windows. Takeshewada tried to get a tricorder reading inside the house, but couldnt. Something was interfering with the scanpresumably the Malkus Artifact.
Attention, Ms. Tomasina Laubenthal, Kirk said, his voice now loud enough to be heard for blocks around, this is Captain James T. Kirk. Im about to contact you directlyplease answer. He then gave Leskanich an expectant look.
For her part, Leskanich had brushed aside a lock of curly brown hair to place an earpiece in. She seemed to be staring at nothing while her fingers played across the controls of her portable comm unit. Then she looked up and nodded just as Kirks communicator beeped.
Kirk turned off his amplifier and flipped open his communicator. This is Kirk. Am I speaking to Ms. Laubenthal?
Ive got a hostage!
For a second time, Takeshewada muttered, Chikushou. This was a complication they didnt need.
Muting his communicator, Kirk asked Takeshewada, Can you verify that?
Takeshewada shook her head. I cant even verify that shes in there right now.
Kirk set his jaw, then de-muted the communicator. Ms. Laubenthal, I need you to listen to me. We dont want to hurt you. Please, let the hostage go, and we can talk thi
Theres nothing to talk about, Kirk! They took it all away from me, dont you understand? Soon theyll all be dead and this will be over. Them and you and your precious starships.
Ms. Laubenthal, you dont need to do this.
Oh, I dont, dont I? What do you know about it, anyhow?
I know that you feel you were cheated out of your job, and I
I feel ?! You dont have the slightest idea how I feel, Kirk! They took everything from me! That job was mine, they had no business taking it away from me!
Takeshewada sighed. She whispered to Vascogne, Shes hysterical. I dont think reasoning with hers gonna cut it.
Maybe, maybe not, Vascogne said with a shrug. We cant do anything else as long as she has a hostage. Besides, Ive seen the captain in action before. Stopped a mob in its tracks. Damndest thing I ever saw. Give him a shot.
Id rather give Laubenthal a shot.
Vascogne grinned. Well, were working on that. He opened his communicator, which was set on a separate frequency from the one Kirk had Laubenthal on.
Talk to me, people.
Each member of the team reported in, but nobody could see anyone through the windows of the house.
Shaking his head, Vascogne said, I cant believe thishowm I supposed to work without tricorders? Who depends on line of sight, anyhow? Its like firing blindfolded.
Lifes full of little frustrations for you, Takeshewada said with a small smile.
Kirk, meanwhile, was continuing to try to talk Laubenthal down. Ms. Laubenthal, I dont pretend to understand what youre going throughbut I do know that we can work this out.
Really? Laubenthal let out a rather disturbing laugh. Why should I believe you? You really think anyone here is going to work anything out with me?
You forgetCommodore Decker and I are in charge of the planet now. I can guarantee that you wont be harmed if you free the hostage and turn yourself and the artifact in nowbefore anyone else is hurt or killed.
NoI cant take that chance! It wont be over until everyone is dead!
And then what? Kirk said quickly. Once everyones dead, what will you do then? Youll be left with nothing but an empty planet. Starfleet knows whats happening here. When no one replies to any of their calls, theyll send someone else.
Then Ill kill them, too. Ill kill everyone, if I have to!
Dont you understand, theyll keep coming until theyve stopped you, once and for all. In force if they have to, but they will come. If you end this now, we can keep the damage to a minimum. Please, Ms. Laubenthal, end this now before it gets beyond your control or mine.
Takeshewada heard only heavy breathing through the communicator for several seconds. I dont like this, she thought as she opened her own communicator, tuning it to the frequency the security guards were using. Does anyone have a shot?
Several choruses of Negative met her query.
Laubenthals breaths got progressively slower. Takeshewada tried to convince herself that it was a good sign, but found herself unable to do so. The number of instances of psychotic episodes were many fewer than they were even fifty years ago, but Takeshewada had been present for one of themwhen they established a mining outpost on Beta Argola six months ago. One of the miners had an episode and nearly killed both Vascogne and Takeshewada. After that she read up on the phenomenon.
Right now what she remembered most was that oftentimes psychotics were quite calm when they committed their most hideous acts.
Maybemaybe youre right.
Takeshewada held her breath. Laubenthal sounded much too calm for comfort.
I am right, Ms. Laubenthal, Kirk said in a honeyed voice. Please let the hostage go.
Maybe youre right, Captain, Laubenthal repeated in an even calmer voice. Maybe this does need to end. Maybe it needs to end now. Right now.
Then they heard a phaser blast, followed by a scream.
Takeshewada didnt hesitate as she screamed into her communicator, Move in! Everyone, move in! I cant believe she shot the hostage, she thought angrily.
As fast as the commander and the security detail reacted, Kirk reacted even faster. The second the phaser blast sounded, Kirk was running full tilt toward the staircase that lead to the front door. By the time he reached the top of the stairs, his phaser was out. By the time she reached the top of the stairs, Kirk had tried and failed to get the door open. As Takeshewada was wondering if Vascogne had brought a P-38 with him, Kirk aimed his phaser at the door mechanism and fired.
The door opened a second later.
Nothing like the direct approach, Takeshewada muttered as she and Kirk ran in, past the smoking remains of the door mechanism. She could hear Vascogne and several security guards running up the stairs behind them.
Dimly, Takeshewada registered the dcor of the houses interiorseveral pictures of a woman at varying ages. A few trophiesa quick glance showed that they were for sports, and all dated from her time at Yasmini University. Several of the pictures of her in her younger days had her in climbing or hiking gear, which fit the profile of someone whod take a vacation on a mountain.
Oddly enough, there were no pictures of anyone else. No family, no significant others, nothing. Just Laubenthal herself.
The furniture was fairly ugly to Takeshewadas eyeand she was no interior decoratorbut the place definitely felt lived in. The gaudy flower-print couch was piled with readers, and there were more on the shelves. Most of it was fiction, with titles Takeshewada didnt recognize.
The commander followed Kirk through a hallway and a sitting roomthen he stopped short at a doorway. Kirk was, of course, taller than Takeshewada, so she couldnt see past him to determine what the room was, nor why he stopped.
What is it? she prompted.
That had the desired effect, and he moved out of the way, his head lowered.
What the hell?
As Kirk walked back into the sitting room and Litwack and two others came into the room, Takeshewada looked into what turned out to be the dining room.
A white plastiform table sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by white plastiform chairs. A comm unit sat on the table.
Takeshewada registered that in her subconscious. Her conscious mind was taken up with the dead human female body on the floor next to the table with the very large hole in her chest.
The face on the body matched that of all the pictures.
Vascogne stuck his bald head into the room. Theres no one else in the house.
Well, I was right, Takeshewada said with a heavy sigh. She did shoot the hostage.
Chapter Seven
M ATT D ECKER found Jim Kirk sitting on the bench next to the statue in Posada Circle. It had been almost eighteen hours since Tomasina Laubenthal had killed herself. Decker, who had indeed been unable to sleep, had dealt with everything since then, as Kirk had left the scene and wandered back to this bronze likeness of Captain Bernabe Posada.
You plan on spending the rest of your life here, Jim?
Kirk looked up, his eyes bloodshot. If youre here to reprimand me, Commodore
What the hell would I want to do that for?
I failed, Kirk said, sounding surprised that Decker would ask such a foolish question. I was supposed to take Laubenthal into custody, and I didnt do it.
Decker held up a small handheld computer. Know what this is?
Kirk shook his head.
Laubenthals diary. Vascogne found it when he and Bronstein went through her house. Most of its pretty dryuntil she lost her job. After that, she completely lost it. Jim, the woman was several crystals short of a warp corethere was nothing you could have said. She was completely insane. Those people you talked to at the SCMC were just scared, normal people. Words work on rational people. Crazy people, though, thats a no-win situation.
Ive never believed in the no-win situation.
Decker snorted. Yeah, well, I dont like to lose, either. Doesnt mean it isnt gonna happen.
Kirk said nothing in response to that.
Vascogne also recovered the Malkus Artifact. For all the trouble that thing caused, its pretty dull. Just a square piece of metal with a slight green glow, and this weird marking on it. It cant be transported, so the Enterprise is sending a shuttle down.
That got Kirks attention, and he looked up at Decker. The Enterprise?
Decker smiled. The last Kirk knew, his entire ship was under sedation. Thats right, Jim. Youve got your ship back. Whatever Rosenhaus and McCoy came up with worked. Theyve been administering the antidote on your ship, and the hospitals have been handling it down here. Its not an instant cure, but your people should be ship-shape again in a few hours.
Kirk let out a long breath. Thats good news, Matt. Thanks.
Not only that, but you and I can finally get out of here. The minister of state is going to be Acting Chief Representative until they can hold another election in a month or two. Once shes released by the hospital, shell take over, and we can revoke martial law.
At last, Kirk smiled. Thats even better news. The smile then fell. What was the final death toll?
Four hundred and fifty-six. Well, technically, four hundred and fifty-eight, if you count Laubenthal herself and that other wrongful death Bronstein has had to deal with that was unrelated.
Thats more than the crew of either of our ships, Kirk said in a quiet voice.
True, Decker said as he sat down next to the younger man on the bench. On the other hand, over four hundred thousand were infected. Thats a point-one-percent fatality rate. He sighed. That doesnt change how much it stinks, but it couldve been a lot worse.
Kirk stared straight ahead. It couldve been a lot better, too.
Look, Jim, I know this wasnt easy. You sit in that chair on that bridge, and you know that everyones relying on youand when you dont come through, its rough. But dont go beating yourself up over it. You did some damn good work here. Look what you did at the SCMChell, Vascogne and I were all set to stun em and sort it out later. Instead, you talked em out of it. Thats a rare gift youve got there, my friend. All right, so it didnt work on Laubenthalbut trust me, she was so far gone, I doubt that the entire Federation Diplomatic Corps could have talked her down.
Letting out a very long breath, Kirk said, Youre right, MattI know youre right in my head. But Ive still got this sense ofof failure.
Decker stood up and put an encouraging hand on Kirks shoulder. Keep that sense of failure, Jim. But dont let it overwhelm you. Just make sure you try to do better next time. Thats what separates the good captains from the great ones.
Kirk stood up and chuckled. Im hardly a great anything, Commodore.
Maybe not yet. Give it time. So, you done sulking? Youve got a planet and a ship waiting for you.
That I do, Commodore. Lets go.
As they walked toward the aircar Decker had arrived in, Kirk asked, So whats next on the Constellation 'sagenda?
Well, we have to spend the next few hours getting everything together for handing power back over. And theres a memorial service tonight that I think you and I should attend.
Agreed.
So, by the time thats all finished, well have just enough time to get to the Crellis Cluster.
The diplomatic conference? Kirk asked, wincing. I was wondering who got saddled with that.
Decker shuddered. Yeah, lucky us. Hiromis handling most of it, but I still need to at least be visible.
Im barely gonna have time to shave, he added with a rueful rub of his stubble-filled cheek. As it is, I havent slept in two days.
Actually, Matt, Ive found that half-asleep is the best way to deal with diplomats.
Decker considered that. Good point. Have to remember that. As he climbed into the aircar, he asked, Dont believe in no-win situations, huh? You mustve just loved the Kobayashi Maru test back at the Academy.
Oh, it was a challenge, Kirk deadpanned.
Frowning, Decker asked, Whats that supposed to mean?
The night before, I reprogrammed the simulation so I could rescue the Maru and got away from the Klingons. He smiled. Youre not the only one who doesnt like to lose, Matt.
Decker didnt know whether to be outraged or amused. The bark of laughter that exploded from his mouth settled the debate. Youre a piece of work, you know that? he said as the aircar took off.
Thats what the instructor said when she gave me the commendation for original thinking.
You got off easyand Ill bet that wasnt all she said, either. Decker shook his head, then offered his hand. Its been a pleasure ruling the world with you, Captain Kirk.
Kirk returned the handshake. Likewise, Commodore Decker, likewise.
So this is it, huh?
Guillermo Masada stood outside the Shuttlecraft Galileo with Spock and Leonard McCoy. They were preparing to bring the Malkus Artifactcurrently cradled in Masadas armsinto orbit. The Enterprise 'snext port of call was Starbase 10, whereas the Constellation was going straight to the Crellis Cluster, so the former ship would drop the artifact off at the starbase, for its ultimate transfer to the Rector Institute on Earth. Spock and Masada had contacted the institute directly, and the director was champing at the bit to get his hands on it, as was a team of human and Vulcan anthropologists. TRamir herself was catching the next shuttle from Vulcan to Earth.
Meanwhile, a day and a half after Tomasina Laubenthal took her own life, most of the infected population had been given the serum to cure them of the virus, the senior staffs of both ships had attended a general memorial service led by Chief Bronstein and the new Acting Chief Representative, and life on Proxima was starting to return to a semblance of normal.
And all this because of a ninety-thousand-year-old artifact. Masada wondered if the folks at the Rector Institute would react the same way McCoy did upon seeing the thing.
The doctor continued Its just a box.
Spock did his eyebrow thing again. I believe, Dr. McCoy, that there is a human saying about judging a book by its cover. Sometimes the outer form gives no indication of inner capabilities.
Oh, I dont know, Mr. Spock. Looking at you, one would expect a cold, emotionless Vulcanand theyd be absolutely right.
And looking at you, they would see an overly emotional human, Spock said, which is why I used the adverb sometimes.
Masada chuckled. There you go again. You really do crack me up.
Before either Enterprise officer could reply to that, the artifact
which had been glowing a slightly greenish colorsuddenly let loose a quick burst of bright green light.
So surprised by this action was Masada, that he dropped the boxright onto his right foot. Yeow! he screamed as the metal corner of the artifact slammed into his boot.
As he pulled his foot out from under it, he noticed that the artifacts green glow had disappeared altogether.
Both Masada and Spock took out their tricorders. To Masadas surprise, he was now getting a reading from the thingwhatever interference it had been running before was gonethough the reading he got was, in essence, nothing.
The artifact has gone inert, Spock said, his words matching what Masadas own tricorder was telling him. Fascinating.
Maybe its shutting down, Masada said. According to the records, it was attuned to Malkus. If it became similarly attuned to that Laubenthal woman, her death may have caused it to go inactive again.
McCoy said, She died almost two days ago. He had taken out his Feinberger, and was now running it over the three of them.
Masada shrugged. So its not a perfect hypothesis.
Well, McCoy said, that discharge doesnt seem tove done any harm. Low-level radiation, only about half a rad. No damage to any of us that I can find. He smiled. Well, except for that foot.
The artifact was a tool of an absolute monarch, Spock said. It is logical to assume that any displays it is programmed for would be ostentatiousmuch like the lieutenants histrionics.
Histrionics? Masada asked angrily as he knelt down to massage his hurt foot.
Yes. Although, I do admire your continued quest for knowledge. Having already exhausted the possibilities inherent in deconstructing Vulcan speech patterns in order to extract a nonexistant humorous intent, you have now moved on to the much simpler examination of the form of humor known as slapstick.
Having satisfied himself that nothing was broken, Masada stood up. I have not been studying slapstick, all I did was drop the artifact when it surprised me. For that matter, I havent exhausted anything, I was just pointing out what I observed and you know all of this already, dont you? He shook his head, and also noticed that McCoy was trying, and failing, to keep a straight face. Youve been pulling my leg all along, havent you? I can assure you, Lieutenant, Spock said gravely,
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