by Tony Daniel
“But our scientists assure me that the planet will not be broken into pieces,” Faber said. “In fact, while the asteroid will leave quite a scar, Vesbius is much too large to be geologically destabilized by it.”
Spock raised an eyebrow. What would it take to make them understand the danger they faced?
“In under one second, the asteroid impact will have dug its way through the planetary crust, blasting up streamers of superheated steam and molten rock, including not only vaporized portions of the asteroid but the material excavated from the crater. Some of this material will be accelerating so rapidly it will achieve escape velocity and fly into space. Most of it, however, will remain suspended for a time in the atmosphere. An enormous dust cloud will form, blanketing your planet.”
“Yes, global cooling,” said Faber. “We are aware of the effect.”
“Since Vesbius is more than two thirds covered with water, you should also be aware that, depending on where the asteroid hits, the impact will likely create a mega-tsunami that will crest at three to four kilometers in height and will move inland for hundreds of kilometers. On Earth, the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs generated a tsunami that, on the North American continent, traveled all the way inland from the coast to the middle of the continent.” Spock picked up a napkin and carefully held it over his plate. “Worldwide earthquakes and volcanic eruptions will be generated that may last for centuries. Steaming new basalt plains will form, devoid of life. There will be hurricane-force winds, and wildfires will burn all exposed vegetation to a crisp. At first, the fires will create a rapid temperature rise and the greenhouse effect. But soon supercooling will result. The resulting sulfuric and carbon dioxide components in the air will eventually fall back down as acid rain. During this time temperatures will plummet. A global ice age will begin that will last for millennia.” Spock dropped his napkin on the plate and put his hand over it. “You will emerge from your shelters, if you emerge, into a devastated world. A world that is as close to hell as this one currently is close to heaven.”
Chancellor Faber looked pale, and his daughter, who sat beside him, seemed overcome by the summary Spock had just delivered. The Vulcan reflected that at least he had gotten through to some. But would it make a difference?
Major Merling, on the other hand, was trying to keep a smile off his face and nodding in the most self-satisfied manner. Spock thought it ironic that the man who seemed to despise his presence was also his ally at the table.
“Doomed,” muttered Hannah Faber. “We’re doomed.”
“Not if you let us get you off this planet,” said Captain Kirk.
Spock nodded in agreement. “It would seem the only logical solution,” he said. “But to achieve this objective, we must begin immediately.”
“No, you don’t understand,” said Hannah. “We’re not leaving. We can’t leave. But our poor world—it will die.”
Chancellor Faber became agitated at his daughter’s despair. He turned to Kirk. “Surely a Federation starship, with the weapons you carry, the resources you could marshal, surely you can do this. Photon torpedoes, phaser banks, tractor beams. It has to be possible.”
“For a small meteor this would be true,” Spock replied. “But this is no mere piece of space debris. It is a planetary body nearly twenty-four kilometers in diameter—that is, over twice the size of the asteroid that struck Earth, destroyed the dinosaurs, and caused an extinction event that nearly wiped out life entirely. The Enterprise will be dwarfed by it. Trying to use our weapons against such a menace would be like trying to hold back the tide.”
“But how do you know unless you try!” exclaimed Hannah. “Go now! Go and destroy it!”
“If only it were that simple,” said Kirk. “We have encountered technology that would be capable of deflecting this asteroid. The extinct race known as the Preservers had one such system in place within the Amerind system. But, as of yet, Federation scientists have not succeeded in duplicating this apparatus. We have been able to deflect other asteroids at times, but never one this size, at such close quarters and traveling at such velocity. Mister Spock?”
Spock considered the alternatives again briefly but shook his head. The facts added up to a certain conclusion, and to ignore the facts would be mere wishful thinking—a mental activity Vulcans found extremely wasteful.
“The momentum of the asteroid must be taken into account. The mass headed toward your planet is traveling at about one hundred and three thousand kilometers per hour, which is twenty-nine kilometers per second. Assuming we had the ability to blow it to pieces, you would still have the same mass headed for Vesbius with the same kinetic energy, only now it would be akin to a barrage rather than a torpedo. This would make little difference in the ultimate outcome. It would distribute the destroying energy over a much larger area, perhaps causing even greater damage, depending upon where the fragments hit.”
“But you could deflect the smaller pieces, perhaps,” said Hannah, not giving up hope.
“The problem is twofold,” Spock replied. “If we were to somehow blow the asteroid apart—and I have no ideas how to do that at this point—the resulting debris would need to fall within exactly the correct size and mass parameters for the Enterprise’s deflector and tractor beams to have a useful effect. If they were too large, the deflectors would not work. If the debris were too small and scattered, we would not be able to deflect it. Any attempt to destroy the asteroid must be an attempt to destroy it in an exacting manner; in the way a jeweler might break a large diamond into smaller ones. As I stated, I can think of no way to achieve this with our current technology.”
“And you cannot leave it intact, yet deflected from its current path?” asked Chancellor Faber. “Use the Enterprise as a pushing or pulling engine?”
“The problems are essentially the same,” Spock replied. “The energy required to sufficiently alter the directional vector of an asteroid traveling at one hundred and three thousand kilometers per hour this close to your planet is quite simply far more than the Enterprise can generate.”
Merling, who had been listening to Spock’s lecture on asteroid dynamics with a mixture of horror and seeming satisfaction, appeared unable to take any more. “Don’t you see we have to get out of here!” he shouted to the other Vesbians. “If an alien creature such as this understands the danger, is it not clear we have no choice?”
“We do not have the choice to leave,” said Hannah Faber. “The Council has had this discussion, and all understand that evacuation is not an option.”
“Then we must make it one!” Merling continued. “We must alter ourselves even further, make it possible to leave, save what we can, and form into a stronger, more centralized society as a result. We know Vesbians are better. This will be our chance to prove our superiority!”
Chancellor Faber stood up and turned to his aide in anger. “Now you have gone too far, Merling! You will cease to discuss these matters in front of our guests. Do you understand? This is not a matter for anyone other than ourselves to consider.”
The major drew back in his chair, abashed. He held his hands up and shook his head. “Very well, Chancellor, I will do as you command, of course. But my objections stand. And I will only say that you would do well to listen to them.”
“Is that some sort of threat, Merling?”
“No, of course not, Mister Chancellor.” Merling let a smile play over his face for a moment and then returned to a serious expression. “I will, as always, do as the Council wishes. That is my role as a military man within our system of governance, after all.”
“It is,” replied Chancellor Faber. “And you will do well to remember it.” Faber turned to Spock. “I hope you understand, Commander Spock, that none of us hold any animus against you. You are merely the messenger. We understand that. You put the situation in the stark terms that it demands. But it is we who must make the decision on what to do, and we have made that decision.”
“Then all I can say,” replied Spock,
“is that your decision is an illogical one. You seem a most rational and logical people, in all other respects; it will be a shame to lose you.”
Beside Spock, McCoy was fidgeting in his seat. It was unusual for the doctor to let him continue at such length without interrupting, so he was not surprised when McCoy broke in.
“Damn it, I don’t often agree with Spock here. But he’s right,” McCoy intoned. “Let me stress the humanitarian aspects of the coming disaster you will face should you survive in your underground chambers. You’re going to emerge into a world utterly changed. The suffering that will fall upon everyone will be immense, especially on your children. Do you have any idea what it will be like to live in such primitive conditions? The nasty diseases of old Earth and other primitive humanoid worlds will return. Cholera, rickets. Your planet developed the Rigelian fever vaccine and so many other pharmacological marvels. You must know what epidemic disease will do to a population without basic medical supplies or the ability to manufacture more! Why would you subject yourself to such suffering? You must not do it!”
“We are most moved by your pleas,” Faber replied. “We see that you are well-meaning and good people. Do not doubt that we understand this.”
“Then let us help,” said Kirk softly. “You keep mentioning a ruling Council. Let me speak to them. Let me try to convince them, the way we have tried to convince you. Major Merling has issues with democracy and touts the need for a centralized commander. But one of the strengths of democracy is the ability of the people to change their minds together. Allow me to attempt to change yours.”
Faber sat back down and seemed to consider Kirk’s request for a moment. Finally, he looked to his daughter. “What do you think, Chief Advisor? Do you think it would at least convince these good people of the futility of their request?”
Hannah slowly nodded. She smiled sadly at Kirk. “I do,” she replied.
“The Planetary Council meets in two days,” said Faber. “You will be allowed to address the chamber at that time. And until then, I very much hope that you will remain with us as our guests.”
Kirk did not hesitate to agree, and Spock suspected this might have something to do with Hannah Faber. The captain plainly found her an attractive human—and, Spock noted, she returned the interest.
“That would be most pleasing,” Kirk replied.
“But I am afraid that you will find the others as unmoved and immovable as I am,” Faber continued. “We Vesbians are a stubborn people. This was not a planet ready-made for survival when we arrived, yet we carved an existence from its rocky soil. And I believe we can and will do so again.”
“If there’s anybody left alive to try it,” muttered McCoy next to Spock.
The Vulcan could only nod his head, and he reflected that he and the doctor were in uncharacteristic agreement.
Three
Captain’s log, Stardate 4898.5. I continue with Doctor McCoy and Mister Spock on a landing party to the outlying colony, Vesbius. Although a world-shattering asteroid is on a collision course with their planet, the Vesbians have chosen to dig in rather than evacuate. What is most curious is that the Vesbians seem to be aware of the consequences of their actions, yet have decided upon an irrational course nonetheless. We are continuing to investigate and to try to persuade the Vesbians that the time has come to leave.
“A dance?” said McCoy. “Do these people have no conception of what’s about to fall on their heads!”
“Clearly they do, Doctor,” Spock replied.
“They’ll be dancing in the ruins soon enough!” McCoy exclaimed.
Kirk found that he agreed with McCoy. Yet he also understood that continuing with local tradition was a way for the colonists to keep up their morale. He would’ve ordered such a dance to proceed had he been colonial governor. Still, the captain knew he must convince the Vesbians that the course they had chosen would lead to their annihilation.
The quarters they had been assigned within the government complex were luxurious by any standards. His sleeping area in Stratos, the cloud city of Ardana, had been beautiful—except for the fact that it had come with an attacking rebel from the planet below (albeit a beautiful attacker)—but these rivaled those accommodations. The bed and furniture were made of some sort of local equivalent of mahogany. They were stained a lovely color. The cushions and mattress were extremely soft and covered with intricate textiles. The walls were hung with tapestries depicting the settlement of the planet. There were no closets in this room, but there were standing wardrobes and dressers to store items. Kirk was even happy to see an exercise station in one corner with a treadmill not dissimilar from that on the Enterprise. Maybe he could complete that Pikes Peak run after all.
More food and beer was offered to them, but the landing party dismissed the servants. They all sat down to assess the situation around a table in the central atrium that connected to each of their bedrooms.
“I’ve been looking over the colony’s history,” Spock began. “There are some fascinating and ill-explained anomalies.”
“Anomalies? What do you mean?” asked Kirk.
“The colony was originally a Federation settlement,” said Spock. “There is no indication that the original settlers had any desire to separate themselves from the Federation. In fact, several were retired Starfleet officers of the era, mostly science officers—and many of them biologists. But fifteen standard years ago the Vesbians initiated proceedings to legally separate from the Federation.”
“What were the reasons?” asked McCoy.
“Unclear,” said Spock. “But they appear to coincide with the period when the first children were born in the settlement. The official reason for separation was put down as the refusal to uphold and maintain Article 17 of the official Federation Homestead Act.”
“And what, pray tell, would that be?” asked McCoy.
“It is the article that prohibits any manipulation of the human genome, Doctor. I would think you might be familiar with it. It relates back to Earth’s history, and the Eugenics Wars. It was assumed that Vesbius initiated this secession in order to conduct experiments on its barley produce. There were some attempts to splice human DNA into certain grains of the time in order to build into them tolerance to microbes that humans naturally resist. Such experiments were outlawed within the Federation but were practiced on its fringes for a number of years. These proved to be inefficient, ineffective, and unprofitable. The line of research was eventually dropped. In any case, Vesbius never reapplied for admission to the Federation. Nevertheless, it maintains extensive trading ties to the entire Omega sector, and most people do not realize it is not a Federation colony.”
“Kind of like being a Canadian in North America,” said Kirk.
“I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with that comparison,” Spock replied.
“Never mind,” said Kirk. “The point is that Vesbian independence seems to have something to do with genetic manipulation.”
“That would seem to be the case,” Spock said.
“But what kind of genetic manipulation?” said McCoy. “Is it in the plants—or is it in them?”
“I believe I can answer that question, Doctor McCoy,” said a voice from across the room. They turned to see Hannah Faber standing in the doorway. “May I enter?”
“Of course,” said Kirk. “You will always be welcome here.”
“Thank you, Captain.” Hannah walked across the room. She had changed from her official jumpsuit into a gown that Kirk found extremely becoming. Its plunging neckline ended in the lace of a bodice and its blue-and-white colors accented Hannah’s eyes and features. She stood before them at the table and gave them an apologetic smile.
“There is something we failed to tell you today, something that I think you need to know about us,” she said. “You see, when I told you that in many ways we are connected to Vesbius, I was not being allegorical or sentimental. May I sit?”
McCoy stood and motioned for her to take his chair. “Please,” he sa
id. Hannah nodded graciously and sat down.
“When the first colonists arrived on Vesbius,” she said, “the planet was as potentially fertile and as beautiful, in a stark way, as you see it today. But they soon discovered that all was not as it seemed. An extended exposure to the Vesbian biological environment had an extremely deleterious effect on humans. The colonists began to experience allergies, at first only mild ones. But they got worse and worse. Then the children, the first generation, began to die. It seemed that the planet was rejecting us. But this was our home, and we wanted to stay. Those of us who were born here never knew Earth, and we did not wish to migrate to some place new that also was not our home. So we adapted.”
Hannah reached for a glass from the group of drinking vessels that sat on the table. She poured herself water from a nearby pitcher and took a sip.
“You modified your DNA, did you not?” said Spock.
Hannah nodded to Kirk’s first officer. “We modified the DNA of all plant and animal life you see, including ourselves. With selective terraforming and a careful study of the local ecology, we discovered how to blend Earth and Vesbian biology into the most advantageous mix. Hence, the Vesbian barley strains that can grow nowhere else and produce some of the finest ale in the galaxy, as I think you will attest.”
“It is,” said Kirk. “Many things on Vesbius are among the finest.”
“In the process, the Vesbian settlers became both more and less than human. We didn’t just talk the talk, but walked the walk; we became one with the planet. There is native Vesbian DNA in my genetic makeup. I am part of the planet’s biosphere, and the planet is part of me. As a native-born child of Vesbius, I have none of the allergies and immune system deficiencies that the original settlers had, and have to this day. Allergies that must be continually suppressed by a drug regimen. While they, too, received genetic modification, the originals will never be truly native the way a Vesbian child is.”
Kirk noticed that McCoy had begun to shake with what seemed to be anger and consternation as Hannah went on with her explanation. The doctor could finally take no more and burst out with a pronouncement: “There’s a reason genetic engineering of humans was prohibited within the Federation. The Eugenics Wars are an infamous part of human history. Millions were killed with the rise of Khan Noonien Singh and his compatriots, the Augments. Their most powerful augmentations turned out to be overweaning pride, arrogance, and aggression. That horror resonates across the years.”
