by Star Trek
he had recently learned. He wished he had a guarantee that it would
work.
"Checkov to Bridge. Mr Spock, ve are ready to test da shield
integrity," the voice from the overhead speaker said.
"Acknowledged," spoke the Acting-Captain. "Mr. Sulu, raise
shields."
"Aye, Sir, raising shields," he said and executed the
procedures that brought the energy barriers up.
The bridge lights dimmed for a moment, then regained their
brilliance. "Shields are up, Sir, Quadruple front. Should I test
them at maximum power?" the Oriental officer questioned.
"Yes, Mister Sulu, channel full power to the shields."
Sulu increased the shield energy-strength with the controls
before him. The bridge lights dimmed again, and then completely
went out. "Uhmmm, Mr. Spock? I think I've overloaded the
circuits."
"That is all too obvious, Mr. Sulu," Spock stated, as the much
dimmer emergency lighting kicked in. "Mr. Checkov? Are you still
there?"
"Yes, Sir," the ensign said sheepishly.
"It appears that the power cable split at the main junction is
not the most advantageous solution. I suggest that you start the
engineering crew in hooking up three more junctions directly from
the master panel."
"Aye, Sir. Ve vere just tinking about doing dat," the ensign
said.
"Proceed, Mr. Checkov. Spock out."
First Officer's log, supplemental.
"It is my hope that the Captain will return to the
Enterprise as rapidly as possible."
End supplemental log.
* * *
PAGE 118
Captain Kirk sat in Kang's private quarters, behind his desk
and glanced over the information on the tri-corder, given to him by
Dr. McCoy. He contemplated the procedure that both Mara and Kang
had devised, in order to transport him down to the planet, when
they arrived at Earth. If they uncloaked, they would be shot from
the sky as 'hostile' enemies to both parties. The transporters
would not have enough power to beam him down, with the cloaking
device engaged. Therefore, it was decided to channel the Warp
engine power through the transporter and beam the Captain down at
warp speed. It had never been done before.
James T. Kirk was now the Captain of the Klingon cruiser. A
fact that had not been widely spread throughout the crew. The ship
was now divided in its loyalty, among the members who had been
enlightened to their Emperor's identity. A mere handful gave their
continued loyalty to Kang. It was a very dangerous situation for
the vessel.
Jim, Kang, Mara and Gor had held several sessions with crew
members, illustrating the danger that both Empire and Federation
were facing. Only a dozen had believed. The rest were now in direct
opposition to Kang, and were preparing to take the ship. They were
lead by the officer, Torvak. The opposition held two of the lower
decks but were, for the moment, sealed in and temporarily
contained. It was thought prudent by all to keep Jim's status as
Commander of the Fury, a secret, to avoid further division among
the crew.
Jim pressed the medical scanner's 'on' switch and looked at
the readings on the tri-corder. They displayed typical human
readings for a brief period, then jumped to radically different
readings as the cabin's doors unbolted and parted, admitting both
Kang and Mara. Jim looked at the readings, then up to the two. He
shut the medical equipment off and rose to meet the two.
"Captain," Kang began, "there is no hope of arriving at your
home planet in time. We shall be lucky if we reach Earth before the
Thunder breaks orbit."
"We must, Kang. Our plan will only work if we catch him in the
open, with as many witnesses around him as possible."
"There is the increasing danger that we may not reach your
Earth at all," Mara spoke bluntly. "Our comrades are taking
measures that may cripple our engines. It is possible that they
will break through our barriers and storm this deck."
"I have never doubted that possibility, Lieutenant," Jim said,
giving credit to his formidable enemy; his new crew. "Kang, have
you distributed arms to our men?"
"Yes, Captain, but I caution you that it is unwise to limit
our disrupter's fire power, to stun-force. If the 'others' have
found a way to arm themselves, they will intend to kill us with
their weapons."
PAGE 119
"You suggest we use deadly force against your own crewmen?"
Jim spoke his astonishment.
"I have no desire to shed Klingon blood, Captain," Kang stated
in stern sincerity, "but we risk failure and perhaps death at their
hands if we show weakness of any kind. They are honored and
valiant brothers and they fight as I do, for the sake of the
Empire. Yet I will sacrifice them all with a clean conscience, if
needs be, to save my Empire. They would do no less. That makes
them all the more dangerous."
"I don't want any needless deaths, Kang. All we need is to
contain them for a few more hours." The thought was cut short as
an explosion from the deck below rocked the ship from under them,
casting all to the floor. Shouts of battle were heard in the
distance as Jim regained his ground. "They're through the
barricade!" he said drawing his phaser from behind his back.
"They'll head straight for the bridge!" shouted Kang, as he
lifted his wife to her feet and dashed out of the room. Jim
followed closely, running down the dim, and now, smoke filled hall.
Both held their weapons tight in hand and slowed, as they neared
the bend in the corridor. Shadows of movement could be seen
through the smoke, but Jim could not tell who it was that made
them. Suddenly a disrupter blast sliced through the haze and burned
itself into the wall behind them. The heat of the beam was felt on
Kirk's face.
Jim dropped low and fired three times, with the silent,
invisible discharge of his weapon. Kang turned, knowing by the
disturbance in the smoke, that Jim had returned fire.
"You use a coward's weapon, Kirk. Where is the honor in
felling an enemy, when he cannot even detect the threat?"
"I suppose the 'honor' comes from knowing that my weapon won't
kill, but their's will. The honor of the outgunned." Jim said
clicking off two more shots into the thick, dark clouds.
Kang acquiesced with a nod, and pressed his back against the
corridor's smooth wall. He peered around the bend, then quickly
pulled back, as several bursts of the deadly light beams streaked
past him. "I can't see who it is we fight! It could be our side."
"Switch to wide spread. We can take them all down, and sort
through them afterwards!"
The two men adjusted their weapons and rounded the corner, Jim
down low on one knee and Kang, standing beside him. They blanketed
the hall with the stunning energy beams, knowing that some would be
missed by ducking into an entry-way or by shielding themselves with
fallen bodies. Both Captains slowly moved down the hall, finding
several un-conscious crewmen, lying still, on the deck.
Kang looked at their faces as they made their way past the
crewmen. "These are of the opposition. We were fortunate thus
PAGE 120
far," Kang said. Another deadly blue disrupter bolt shot between
the two. They raised their weapons again, and fired, hugging the
walls of the corridor as they slowly advanced. The din of muffled
voices and distant shouts did not seem to be getting any nearer.
Kang was, however, able to hear the battle cry of his
Communications Officer Gor, holding the bridge from the opposition.
Kang began to hasten their advance, for he knew that the odds would
be at least 3 to 1 against Gor and the others on the bridge.
More downed crewmen were found in the murky darkness as
they neared the main access-way to the bridge. Thick dark smoke
billowed out of the once-barricaded companionway. The air handlers
were blowing the black clouds away from the bridge, making
visibility much better once they were past the travel chute. It
also made both Kirk and Kang visible to the rear of the mutinous
crewmen.
Gor, seeing them in the distance, behind the opposition
forces, howled another battle cry, drawing attention to himself.
Before Jim and Kang were seen, they fired on the crowd, and
continued to fire until all were downed. Quickly, the two checked
the crewmen for wounds and made certain that none were merely
'playing' dead. Gor came towards them, unsteadily, leaving a trail
of thick Klingon blood behind him.
"Captain Kang," Gor managed weakly, "we... have prevailed."
"You are wounded." Kang looked at his friend of years. The
side of the Officer's head was scorched by the intense heat of a
narrow miss, but Kang saw the dark purple-red blood spilling out
from under his breastplate. He could tell in an instant that the
wound was fatal. "Sit, my friend." Kang grabbed Gor's shoulders and
eased him to the deck.
Jim looked at Kang. This man had once been a hated enemy. It
was not long ago that Jim had thought Klingons were incapable of
the compassion he was now a witness to. His eyes met Kang's. Jim
silently expressed the look of hopefulness towards his ally, but
Kang shook his head in a solemn response. Jim nodded to Kang that
he understood, and would offer his condolences later, but the
bridge was still open to attack, and not all crewmen were accounted
for. Jim stepped over another body and headed for the bridge
entrance, disappearing inside.
"Die well, my friend," Kang whispered to Gor, cradling his
comrade's head in steady hands.
"You will not do the same!" spat a familiar voice, from behind
Kang.
"You have lost, Torvak," Kang stated without turning from the
dying man. "Our brother has paid the price for your mutiny. There
is no need for further payment from either side."
"I think you are mad, my former Captain, but in the least, you
are incorrect."
PAGE 121
Kang looked up at his once eager, once innocent helmsman. He
saw Mara being held to Torvak's chest, a barbed razor sharp blade
at her throat. Kang's heart froze in that instant. Ejhak poison
dripped from the jagged edges of the knife.
"Mara will die, slowly, horribly, before your eyes," Torvak
promised the man before him. "Unless I have my victory for the
people of Klinzhai!"
There was only one person who could be held against Kang, who
could make him choose defeat over his Empire's salvation. He had
lived with the fact that she could lose her life in battle, a brave
death that they would share, but not like this. He had once been
able to lie to Jim Kirk about that point. Long ago he had
convinced Kirk that Mara was not a bargaining chip to be
considered. His ploy bore fruit on that day, but Torvak would know
better.
Kang looked at his wife and took a deep breath. "I... yield,"
he said, dropping his weapon to the deck and lowering his head
slowly in grudging defeat.
"The only Klingon who yields, is a dead one, my Captain!"
Torvak spoke with victorious pride. "You may take your own life
now, and die as a coward, or you may follow your beloved Mara."
"Torvak," Mara tried to turn towards her captor, but was held
fast by his powerful arm, "I beg you, do not do this." She held
back most of her tears with great resolve. "I will do anything for
his life, but spare him this, this indignity!"
"Silence, my wife!" Kang commanded her, then to the man who
held her. "I will slay myself as you will, Torvak. But not
before you swear to me that Mara will neither be harmed, nor even
touched by you again!"
"I should not even consider making a bargain with one such as
you." He looked at his former Captain with hate at what he had
become, a traitor to the Glorious Empire. "But I give you my honor
bound word that it shall be as you require. NOW TAKE YOUR LIFE!"
Kang looked to his wife as he removed his own dagger from the
thigh scabbard he wore. Mara could not restrain herself and
struggled, futilely against Torvak. Kang placed the hilt of the
dagger on the deck, holding it with both hands and aiming the tip
skyward. Klingon suicide was usually done in this fashion. The
ritual was simple. Kang would drop his head forcefully down upon
the blade, driving it far into his skull. Kang closed his eyes,
keeping the image of his wife in his mind. He erected himself,
preparing to thrust his head downward, when he heard a heavy thud.
Opening his eyes, he saw Mara standing alone, Torvak sprawled on
the floor behind her.
Kang rose in anger, throwing the blade into the corridor's
nearest bulkhead and turned around to see Kirk, still holding the
phaser, standing in the doorway to the bridge. "You certainly took
your time!" Kang said in a fury that he had been unable to direct
PAGE 122
at Torvak. "I was nearly upon my blade!"
"Sorry, Kang," Jim said in earnest. "I never saw a Klingon
suicide before and didn't realize that I was seeing one until a
moment before I fired."
Mara fell to the floor in a faint, distracting Kang's anger
and drawing him to her. Jim stepped over and looked at the bodies
lying on the deck, then rubbed his hands together. "Well we'd
better be getting these men tied up soon, or we will have to go
through this all over again."
"Is the bridge secured?" Kang asked over his shoulder.
"Yes," Jim said. "We are nearing the innermost systems of the
Federation. We should reach Earth in forty hours."
Jim looked down at the fallen warriors, both the living and
the lifeless, and was instantly filled with a sense of dread. 'The
first men to fall, perhaps of many,' he thought to himself. 'And
the galaxy may never be the same.'
PAGE 123
*** EIGHTEEN ***
Earth: UFP Headquarters, Supreme Assembly Hall.
Stardate: 5857.4
Ambassadors from a multitude of worlds were present in the
largest room of the stadium sized building. Alien races, both rare
and familiar, filled their delegated seats of Federation member
representation. They waited in silence as the President of the
Assembly entered the stage and walked purposefully to his podium.
The expression on his face betrayed the gravity of the
circumstances which the Federation was about to face. His eyes
looked heavy, and all knew that with the intense effort in
preparation for this meeting, sleeplessness was one thing they all
had in common. The President of the Assembly came to a stop behind
the dais with the presidential emblem on it. He faced his audience
with grace, as if addressing old friends.
"Welcome, all races of the Federation," greeted the President,
"to this, the most critical hour of our time. We have been forced
into a position which could bring either galactic peace or
unparalleled chaos to all worlds represented here."
He looked upon the multitude of faces, seeing old friends and
acquaintances, beings to whom his respect had been given and some
of whom his respect had been strained. Sarek of Vulcan was seated
in the front row. It gave great comfort to the President, seeing
his friend, knowing the Ambassador would promote stability in all
decision making.
"Unfortunately, there is not much time for a formal
deliberation of all factors concerned in this matter. Neither is
there time to determine what consequences our decision here today
