by Star Trek
have myself beamed aboard, it should only take a few minutes to
gather and process the information I require."
"Go, Spock," Jim said, finally hearing the first encouraging
word of the day.
"And, Captain," Spock said, "I believe, in light of this
information, you may cancel our 'Noon' appointment."
"Good, Spock. It will give me great pleasure to countermand
the, uhm, appointment," he said with relief. "Excuse me for a
moment, please." he said to his host and stepped a few yards away.
He pulled out his communicator, and opened a channel directly tied
in to the ship's computer. "Computer," he said quietly, "This is
Captain James T. Kirk."
"Working... identification confirmed," the Enterprise's
computer said to its Captain.
"Cancel auto-destruct sequence," Jim instructed the machine.
"Auto destruct sequence has been canceled."
Jim Kirk closed the communicator and he replaced it behind his
back and pulled his shirt over it. Turning around he saw Spock
begin to shimmer and disappear. Ayelborne was standing strangely,
with his eyes closed, as if he was engaged in deep concentration.
McCoy had finished picking up his medical equipment and now stood
beside the bear-thing, scanning it with his medical tool.
"Jim," he said, "this is amazing," he indicated the animal in
front of him. "This 'Asher' is very similar to a Grizzly bear of
Earth, but it is a vegetarian. It contains no harmful bacteria in
PAGE 87
its body, and it seems to be utilizing nearly 100 percent of its
brain."
"That is amazing, Bones," Jim agreed, feeling a great weight
off his shoulders.
"That's not all Jim, It seems to also be able to consume 100
percent of his dietary intake. It has a small stomach and in its
intestine, there's a naturally enlarged appendix that seems to
store excess food and processes it only when necessary. But that's
still not all," he said excitedly, "The animal's intestine has no
exit. There is no waste."
"Yes," Ayelborne said, opening his eyes, "on this world, all
the animals are semi-intelligent, plant eaters, and there is no
disease here." He turned to the Captain, with a serious look on his
face. "Captain Kirk," he began, "your Mr. Spock believes I have
given him the answer to your problem... I have not," he stated
somberly. "I have given him, perhaps, a solution to the immediate
predicament, but the problem runs far deeper than any of you
realize."
"What do you mean, Ayelborne?" Jim responded, truly interested
in whatever information this man could offer.
"First, Captain, I have been informed that you are on the brink
of war. A war that 'we' will not, by treaty, stop. We do not know
the details, but it is clear to my friend Claymare that 'you' will
figure prominently in an attempt to halt it. We are unsure that you
will be able to, but this time we cannot assist."
"A war that you won't stop?" Jim asked the man.
"We are bound by the Treaty as are you and the Klingons. But
we will go no further than the treaty indicates." He looked at the
Captain and saw that the man still did not understand. "We connot
allow your two opposing cultures to destroy each other and countless
trillions of innocents with them... But there is a limit we have
placed on ourselves, even for our own sakes. We have not wanted to
have contact with any being who embraces evil so easily as you."
He spoke to Jim, not condescendingly but matter-of-factly. "But
for your sakes we have committed ourselves to the protection of
both your races. However, as I mentioned before, we will not be
responsible for any 'police action'. We will not interfere with
your internal governments or anything outside of treaty bonds."
Jim Kirk, felt that he comprehended the reason as to 'why' they
had placed these restraints on themselves. He likened it to the
Federation's Prime Directive of non-interference. But he could not
understand the grounds for continually being referred to as 'evil'?
"Ayelborne, I know we are not perfect," Jim began, in defense of
his humanity, "but we are not without values. We prize honor,
justice, life, and most of all love. Surely you can't call us evil
with these noble qualities in us."
PAGE 88
"They are noble indeed, just as you say... But Captain,"
sorrow became evident in his voice, "with them you harbor malice,
self-centeredness and pride. You lust for what you do not have,
and when you attain it, it does not satisfy your greed. You call
good, evil and evil, good; ethics that are dependant only upon the
situation and personal opinion, not founded on basic truths...
Captain, do you not yet understand that it takes but a little poison
to destroy the whole banquet?"
Ayelborne spoke to the Captain, not as some 'Superior Being'
smug with self-righteousness, nor as an accuser, but he spoke to
Jim as one friend trying to help another.
"Your race has advanced into outer space and found others to
wage war against. All the while you claim that you have changed,
but what you mean is that socially and technologically you have
advanced, but you remain the same within yourselves, lacking the
ability to change your very nature."
Jim listened intently to the man, not liking to see the truth
about himself, not liking someone else to reveal it to him. He
knew this was what Ayelborne would call 'pride'. "You said, once
you were like us. What enabled you to attain this 'peace' that you
have, and the power to change?"
"Once, we were like you, and with further contact it is
conceivable that we could again be seduced into that way of thinking.
That is the danger we fear most," he added in all seriousness. "I
will give you our secret... that has never been secret:"
With that announcement, Bones stood up and gave the being his
full attention too.
"You, as all beings everywhere, have heard the message of
peace. Now as ever, it is up to you to accept or reject it." His
voice sounded hopeful, for the first time this day. Ayelborne
continued. "Press on into space, Captain... Advance; find new
worlds; search the stars and attain what was once thought
unattainable. But do not forget the Creator who caused it all to
be. Do not leave His truth behind you as you go. Do not allow the
One who made you and gave you purpose to become hated, or worse...
ignored."
Dr. McCoy looked at Jim, who seemed thoughtful of the saying,
and then to Ayelborne, "That's it?" asked Bones incredulously, dis-
liking what he would call 'being preached to'. "That's the Big
secret?"
"Do not mistake its simplicity with folly, Doctor. If the
solution were not so easy, only the intelligent and educated would
find peace. If it were difficult, no child, no unlearned, no
simple in mind would be able to take hold of this peace. It is
'mercifully' easy and is the only true way of peace in this creation
we call the uni
verse. But it first starts with the believing, before
you can receive it. It begins with the simple faith that 'God is'."
PAGE 89
Spock suddenly appeared behind Bones. As a shimmer at first,
then whole and complete.
Ayelborne pointed to the Vulcan. "Ask your companion who is
schooled in logic. Ask him if there be a God, as is consistently
believed in on all worlds, is it not logical that wise men still
seek Him? Is it not equally logical that He provide a way to be
found?"
Spock looked momentarily uncomfortable; as if he had walked
into the middle of a discussion... which he had. He was able to
hear Ayelborne's words and felt compelled to comment. "The argument
that you offer, Ayelborne, appears to be 'quite' logical. I might
ask however, to which God is it that you refer, and what 'way' to
him are you suggesting?"
Ayelborne smiled for the first time. "I know that there are
many beliefs. In times past, even to this day, people worshipped
stone and wood images, they worshipped the trees and animals, even
other people. They worshipped the planets and the stars. I refer
to the One who made all that is; seen and unseen. It is the Creator
we know and glorify, not the creation," the gentle man said. "The
'way' is the one way that was provided by Him. All have heard of
it, though most still disregard it." He turned to Jim. "Your word
for him is 'The Christ'. Mr. Spock's is 'The Ancient T'alal'."
"Interesting..." Spock stated thoughtfully. "I have often
reflected upon the many parallels of the words and deeds of T'alal,
in comparison to that of Christ. The only substantial differences
are cultural in nature, the fundamentals are identical. Even the
stories of Eden, compare to that of Sha Ka Ree and there are many
other similarities. It is indeed something to consider."
Jim's thoughts were of how much the worlds, and peoples of the
universe had in common, but have failed to see a common design.
He realized then that, though he wanted to hear more, he had
serious worries about this 'war', Ayelborne mentioned. "Spock," he
said, knowing that he was breaking the spirit of the moment, "what
have you come up with?"
"Captain, I have two hypotheses," Spock stated, "both of
which implicate not the Klingon Empire, but Commodore Stormcloud.
I searched the Commodore's recent travel history to help
corroborate my suspicion. It seems that he personally visited Elba
II, 2.3 months ago, and had spent an entire week there. His stay
was almost exclusively devoted to visiting former Captain Garth.
Upon leaving the planet, he made a direct trip to the planet
Tolmera. The justification for the trip was filed as 'classified'.
My conclusion is this; that either A: Commodore Stormcloud is the
primary person responsible for engineering the destruction of Elba
II and outpost Delta Gamma 13. This being done in order to
implicate the Klingons with the Organian people, giving him excuse
to start a war... and end Organia's ability to prevent it."
"And hypothesis 'B'?" Jim asked.
PAGE 90
"That Commodore Stormcloud is merely a pawn in a much greater
game. That Garth, the Izarian, was possibly 'not' cured of his
madness as we had thought, and that he escaped his imprisonment
with Stormcloud's direct or indirect assistance and has fled to the
Klingon Empire to wreak destruction and perhaps fulfill his
intentions of galactic conquest," Spock concluded.
"You are certain about Stormcloud?" Jim questioned, inwardly
hoping that hypothesis 'A' was the correct one.
"We have motive: His expressed views while in conference on
the Javelin, coupled with our orders for the destruction of Organia.
We have opportunity: His stay on Elba II and voyage to Tolmera.
We have the intended weapons: The Enterprise, the Tolmerian
android and the Fringe Ranger. I believe we have enough evidence
to initiate a general court-martial."
"Good work, Spock. Now maybe we can do something to stop this
insanity before it begins." he said, forgetting the words of war
prophesied to him. But only for a moment. He turned to Ayelborne,
"It's not going to be stopped in time, is it?" he asked solemnly.
Ayelborne responded, equally as solemn, "No, Captain. I am
afraid it will not."
"Is there anything you can tell us that will help?" Jim asked.
"Yes, though I do not know the significance of it." he
remembered the words of days past, when Claymare foretold the
Captain's coming. "A Klingon battleship is on its way here. It
will arrive in a matter of minutes."
"A Klingon Cruiser? Why?" Jim questioned.
"I can only assume that it is here for the same reasons as
you. The need for answers to questions of happenings in their
part of the galaxy. You may find that you can supply them with as
many answers as they can supply you with." he offered, on a
hopeful note. Then, "Gentlemen, it is time that you return to your
ship. Please," he said.
Jim looked at the alien man, whose face seemed to be made for
smiling, not for sadness. They had come to this planet twice now,
neither time had it been under peaceful circumstances. Captain
James T. Kirk regretted this. He would have liked to demonstrate
the virtuous ideals held by the Federation, the friendship that it
offered and the brotherhood that he enjoyed in it. But the Captain
thought that, perhaps even their very best paled against what the
Organians had offered them.
"Ayelborne," Jim said, wanting to express his sorrow for all
that had been brought to this peaceful world. He wanted to
apologize for every angry thought that he and others in the
Federation had harbored towards them. He wanted to tell him of how
he wished he could stay longer and become friends with the people
of this world. All he could manage in the end was, "I wish
PAGE 91
things were different."
Ayelborne looked him in the eye, "Captain, my friend... things
will be. Don't forget." he said, as he began to glow and change
into a being of pure light. "Don't forget." He vanished, but was
not gone. Asher looked up as if he knew exactly where his master
was, and began to wag his tail. The huge animal got up off of the
ground and seemed to follow the invisible man back the way they had
come. He stopped, looked back at the strangers, smiled pleasantly
at them and entered the forest.
"The more I know about this place," the Doctor stated, "the
less I understand."
"Gentlemen," Jim said, "let's get back to the ship."
PAGE 92
*** FOURTEEN ***
The Starship Javelin slowed as it neared the Neutral Zone,
where it took its place ahead of the other cruisers. The
Federation Fleet had arrived at the border of the Zone mere hours
earlier. Large and small craft alike faced the invisible boundary
that had been established as a buffer to prevent war. Small
armored fighter craft swarmed and darted about the perimeter of the
fleet in battle formation, ready to engage the enemy at a moment's
notice. Six Constitution-Class Starships were there with twenty-
two destroyers in protective formation around them. The cruiser
Javelin readied its weapons and with the rest of the Fleet, it
waited.
On the bridge of the Javelin, Commodore Stormcloud stood
behind the captain's chair, rehearsing in his mind the plans of
Garth's war. He knew his part well. He would play himself,
'Stormcloud the Klingon hater'. The idea was his to send the
android to destroy Organia, one he was singularly proud of. Garth
had said that it was unnecessary. 'Perhaps', thought the Commodore,
'but it would be a shame to have the new empire of the elite
delayed or halted by underestimating their place in the equation'.
Stormcloud had not always been a man bent on the destruction
of the 'Romulan' and 'Klingon' Empires. Once he would have even
been pleased to have participated in friendly relations with both
empires. That was before the Romulans invaded Federation space
three years ago and murdered his wife. Andrea Stormcloud was
stationed on Outpost 4 bordering the Romulan Neutral Zone. This
particular Zone was established eight decades ago at the end of
the 'Hundred Years War', the war between the Romulans and
Interplanetary Coalition now known as the UFP.
The Outposts there were older battle stations, the forerunners
of the ones now guarding the Klingon Zone. They were buried deep
within asteroids, moons and planets along the perimeter of
Federation space. The Romulans had been silent and had not even
