Day of Honor - Treaty's Law

by Dean Wesley Smith

Projeff shook his head slightly. "The modifications worked, but not well enough, I think. "

  The ensign beside Scotty stiffened, obviously expecting an outburst. But Scotty knew the truth of Projeff's statement.

  "I agree," Scotty said. "We're working on more improvements here, but so far we haven't found much. "

  "I think there's a third element to the enemy weaponry that your calculations didn't catch," Projeff said.

  "And what's that?"

  "Harmonics."

  "You said that before, lad, but you had no evidence. "

  "I do now, " Projeff said. "Your modifications took care of the new and the old versions of the weapons systems, but these weapons also use a harmonics sequence that is out ofthe range ofour systems. It is, I think-"

  "What makes them truly alien," Scotty said, suddenly understanding. "You're right, lad, it's worth checking out. Send me your information. "

  "I will," Projeff said, "and my ideas for solving the problem. " Then he grinned. "Courtesy of the Farragut. "

  Captain Bogle paced back and forth in front of his chair, his hands tucked behind his bacK, his gaze watching the alien ships on the main screen. Now at least the enimy had a name.

  Narr.

  Over the last century there had been rumors of a race called the Narr, but there was no actual record of any contact with them, and no one had any idea where their homeworld was or what they looked like. Nothing. Just rumors.

  Until now.

  Now seven of their wing-shaped ships formed an effective blockade of the planet below-the planet the Narr were attacking for some unknown reason.

  Behind the Narr ships, on the planet's surface , Bogle knew the colony was moving into the heat of the morning. Kirk and the colonists had managed to hold off the Narr ground troops for one attack, but Bogle doubted they could do it again.

  "They're moving again," Mr. Lee said.

  "Red alert," Bogle said.

  Around him the lights dimmed and the sirens went off.

  On the main screen the two Narr ships that had released the transports were moving, shifting to a position closer to the Enterprise and the Farragut.

  At the same time the three new arrivals were shifting to positions closer to the planet, more protected from the Federation ships, with their transport bays turned away.

  Instantly Bogle knew what they were planning to do. More transports would be heading to the surface from the new ships any moment, reinforcements to make sure the colony didn't survive another attack.

  "Arm torpedoes," he said. "Lieutenant Book, take us above the Narr ships. I want to be able to see exactly what comes out of those transport bays. "

  "Yes, sir," Book said.

  "The Enterprise is moving under them, sir, " Lee

  said. "And the two new Klingon battle cruisers are entering the system."

  "Here we go, people," Bogle said as he dropped down into his captain's chair. "Stay sharp. "

  The two front Narr ships suddenly opened fire, their phaser beams striking out against the Farragut and the Enterprise as the two Federation ships tried to move above them, trying for a better angle on the three new ships.

  The Farragut's shields flared bright white and the ship rocked slightly.

  "Shields holding," Lee said. "The modifications seem to be working. "

  Bogle nodded to himself. The changes Projeff and Engineer Scott had made on the shields were keeping the ship in much better shape than in the first encounter. And would give him more room to try to save those on the planet.

  "Hold your fire until you see a transport," Bogle said.

  He stared at the edges of the three Narr ships as if trying to see what was happening on the other side. He would bet money that their docking bays were opening.

  Again the Farragut rocked from phaser impacts against the shields.

  "Shields still holding," Lee said.

  The two new Klingon battle cruisers dropped out of warp and instantly joined the other battle cruiser facing the Narr ships. All three opened up on the big Narr ships almost simultaneously.

  The Narr shields flared from orange to red.

  "Transports," Lee said at the exact moment Bogle saw the nose of one transport poking out of the docking bay of a Narr ship, then another from the second ship. All three new ships were releasing transports, j ust as he'd feared.

  "Target transports and fire," Bogle said. "Don't let them get to the atmosphere. "

  Photon torpedo after photon torpedo sped from the Farragut, blasting the shields of the transports with direct hit after direct hit.

  From the other side, the Enterprise was doing the same, as if Mr. Spock was mirroring Bogle's actions.

  Again the Farragut rocked as two direct phaser hits flared against the shields.

  Bogle held on.

  "Shields still at ninety-six percent," Lee shouted over the rumbling noise.

  "Keep firing," Bogle shouted.

  On the screen the shields of one of the transports flared bright red, faded into blue, and then vanished. In the next instant a huge flash of light signaled the end of that ship.

  "Target the ship that's cleosest to the atmosphere," Bogle said. "Fire! "

  Again the Enterprise simultaneously mirrored his actions.

  The Farragut sustained another direct hit, rocking Bogle almost out of his chair. He held on, his gaze never leaving the transport they were firing at.

  With the full force of both Federation ships pounding it, the transport's shields flared through the spectrum and disappeared. An instant later the ship exploded like a small sun going nova.

  "The third transport has already reached the atmosphere," Lee said.

  "Damn," Bogle said, pounding his fist into the arm of his chair. Normally he managed to control his anger, but this failure made him angry.

  He sat and watched the Narr transport, which looked like a streak of light as it cut through the upper layer ofthe atmosphere. It was now beyond his reach.

  Again the ship rocked with more direct hits.

  "Mr. Book, take us back to our previous position."

  "The Enterprise is also withdrawing," Lee said. "And the Kliengons have broken offtheir attack. "

  Bogle stared at the image of the planet on the screen. With another transport ship heading to the surface, Kirk and the colonists would have no chance of holding off a ground attack.

  "Sorry, Jim, " Bogle said softly to himself. "For a moment there I thought we were going to win that round. "

  "excuse me, sir?" Lee said.

  "Nothing, Commander," Bogle said.

  Then he spoke louder to get everyone's attention. "I need ideas, people. We have to figure out a way to get Kirk and those colonists out of danger. Think, people. Think. "

  Bogle managed not to smile at the shocked looks he got from his crew. He almost never asked for their opinions; now he was asking for their help.

  He sat back in his chair, staring at the Narr ships and the planet beyond as the silence on his bridge became almost deafening. If he had anything to say about it, his friend Jim Kirk would not die in such an awful place.

  And if that meant asking for help, so be it.

  Kirk flipped his communicator closed and sat down on the edge of the cannon platform. Another transport ship had made it past the Enterprise and the Farragut.

  Now what? He hadn't felt this tired and discouraged in years.

  Sulu, Dr. McCoy, Ensign Adaro, and Rathbone stood near him, Rathbone and McCoy both in the shade of the cannon shelter. They had all heard the news.

  Kirk wiped the sweat from his forehead. Only two hours into the day and already the heat was stifling. Freezing at night, cooking during the day. What a wonderful planet to die defending.

  "Dammit, Jim," McCoy said, "there's got to be something we can do. We should negotiate ."

  "That's hard to do, Bones, with a race that won't talk. "

  "That young soldier talked to us," Rathbone said.

  "He answered every one of our question
s."

  Kirk looked at her, then back out over the blackened field where the armored soldiers lay. He hoped their armor had an air supply and a cooling system. The ones out there who were still alive were going to need it.

  Suddenly Dr. Rathbone's words sank in. The Narr had talked. The problem was getting them to do so.

  "You have a point, Dr. Rathbone," Kirk said.

  "Maybe there is a way to get them to talk. "

  He stood. Removed the sweat-drenched shirt. He had an idea, and the only way to make it work was to

  show to the Narr he was no threat.

  "What are you planning, Jim?" McCoy asked.

  Kirk could already hear the skepticism in McCoy's

  voice.

  "I'm going to do a little peace talking," he said.

  He sat back down on the edge of the cannon platform, reached for his boots, and took them off. Then he stood again, dropped his trousers, and slipped them off, handing them to the startled doctor. Now he wore only standard Starfleet-issue shorts. The dirt-covered and burned red skin on his arms and face were a sharp contrast to the pale skin on his legs. He wagered he looked damned funny.

  He slipped his boots back on quickly.

  Rathbone choked back a laugh, and Kirk looked at her. Both she and Sulu had their hands over their mouths. He had been right.

  "Dr. Rathbone," Kirk said, keeping his face serious while he faced her, "it doesn't do a man's ego much good to have a woman laugh at him when he takes off his clothes."

  She had enough sense to blush under her dirty and sunburned skin, but her laughter didn't disappear far below the surface of her eyes,

  "I'd be laughing too," McCoy said, his voice angry,

  "if I didn't know you were damn serious. "

  "That I am, Bones," Kirk said. He turned to Mr. Sulu. "Inform Mr. Spock that I'm trying to talk to the Narr. If I don't return, give them your best fight. "

  "Aye, Captain," Sulu said, all the laughter gone out of his eyes.

  Kirk glanced at McCoy. "Bones, keep Kor alive."

  "It looks at the moment as if he's going to outlive you," McCoy said.

  Kirk laughed, then turned and headed out toward the blackened field and the fallen Narr. In the dis- tance he could see the enemy transport ship. In a few minutes it would be joined by another. The time for talking was now or never.

  "Jim?" McCoy called out behind him.

  Kirk stopped and turned around. The three of them remained at the edge of the disrupter cannon.

  "Do you know how silly you look?" McCoy asked, a grin slowly crossing his sunburned face.

  "Yes, Doctor, I do," Kirk said. "I'm counting on it, in fact. "

  "Well," McCoy said, "for heaven's sake keep your shorts on. You don't want them laughing too hard when you try to talk to them. "

  Beside McCoy, both Rathbone and Sulu almost managed not to laugh.

  "I owe you, Bones," Kirk said. Then with a smile at his old friend he turned and strode out into the blackened field, heading straight for the Narr transport ships, his hands above his head in the traditional sign of surrender.

  For a moment Kerdoch could not believe his vision. The human captain, with almost no clothes on, walking directly at the Narr ships. What was he thinking? He had not seemed to be a fool in the first battles. Had the heat gotten to him?

  A number of colonists stood near their shelters, pointing and laughing. It was a humorous sight, but not one that Kerdoch would laugh at until later.

  Kerdoch moved quickly along the edge of the colony until he reached the other three humans near the disrupter cannon.

  "Your captain," Kerdoch said. "He has gone insane?"

  "It would appear that way," the human doctor said. "But he thinks he can get the Narr to talk this way. I'm not sure why he thinks that, but I gave up years ago trying to figure James Kirk out. "

  "Talk?" Kerdoch asked. 'Tor what purpose?"

  The human doctor looked at him. Kerdoch could tell that he was very, very angry.

  "To save your stupid, ungrateful life, that's what purpose," the doctor said.

  "Doctor," the one named Sulu said.

  Ketdoch looked at the doctor. He felt no anger at the insult; he was only puzzled. "We are prepared to fight," he said. "It would be an honorable death to die defending our homes."

  The human doctor shook his head. "Honor can be gained in more ways than fighting and dying."

  "He's at the edge of the field," the human woman said.

  Kerdoch turned from the doctor and watched as the human captain stopped, his hands high in the air.

  Six minutes later when the other Narr transport landed beside the first, he was still standing there.

  Chapter Eighteen

  KIRK HAD STOOD NOW for one hour at the edge of the black field in the hot sun, watching the Narr transports. The sweat ran down the sides ofhis face and off his back. He knew if he stayed much longer he might not have the strength to stand, let alone walk back to the colony.

  Every few minutes during the hour he'd lowered his arms and let the blood flow back into them. But as time went along, he was having more and more problems holding his arms above his head for even thirty seconds. Yet he kept trying.

  Finally, what he hoped for happened.

  Three Narr in full battle armor strode toward him from the transports. Somehow he managed to keep his hands in the air until they stopped ten paces in front of him.

  "You are human," the Narr soldier in the center said.

  "Yes," Kirk said, letting his arms drop to his sides.

  "I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise. "

  The one in the center nodded slightly.

  Kirk could tell no difference between the one who spoke and the others. Inside their faceplates, they all had long black hair, flat noses, and lines of hair on their foreheads. In an odd way they were almost catlike in appearance, but still very humanoid.

  "Do humans have a claim on this planet?"

  "No," Kirk said.

  "Then why do you fight for it?"

  "We fight because we were asked to help. This planet belongs to the Klingons ."

  "This planet is ours," the Narr soldier said. "We have kept it for years, preparing it. We want you and the ones called Klingons to leave."

  "I'm afraid Klingons don't normally give up a planet they claim just by asking. "

  "Nor do we," the Narr said. "We will reclaim the planet at sunset. "

  With that all three turned their backs on him.

  "Wait! " he shouted.

  They stopped and slowly turned around.

  "Your wounded," Kirk said, pointing to the armored soldiers lying in the field. "If you want to retrieve them, we will not fire on you."

  The one in the center nodded. "We shall do so." Again they turned their backs on him.

  Kirk stood there, watching them lumber away in

  their heavy armor. The only thing he could think of was sunset and the coming attack. At least they had the sense not to attack during the heat of the day.

  And that gave him until dusk to come up with a plan.

  Dr. Rathbone stood with McCoy, Sulu, and Kerdoch at the edge of the colony, watvhing the captain talk to the Narr. The sun was beating down on Vivian, and she could feel the back of her uniform growing wet with sweat, but she didn't move into the shade. There was no way she was going to leave the others watvhing the captain. She wished she could hear what was being said, listen in to the negotiations going on at the edge of the black Klingon field.

  Then suddenly the talks were over. The Narr turned and moved slowly over the natural plants in the direction of their transports.

  After a moment Captain Kirk turned and started toward the colony. She could see that his skin was now bright red from the sun. He was clearly having problems. Finally, when he stumbled and fell, they all started out across the field toward him.

  While Kerdoch stood watching, she sat down next to the captain and held his head.

  Sul
u helped him gulp down water mixed with nutrients specially prepared by McCoy.

  McCoy scanned him with the medical tricorder, then grunted.

  "Will I live?" Kirk asked, smiling up at McCoy.

  "Another half hour and you'd have ended up beside Kor in that dome," McCoy said. "Now lie still."

  As Kirk relaxed a little, his head became heavier in Vivian's hands. His hair was wet with sweat, and, like her, he was covered with black soot.

  McCoy took out a medical spray and gave the captain a shot, then sprayed a fine mist over the bright red skin on his shoulders and arms. Then Vivian helped him sit up, and McCoy sprayed the captain's back and legs.

  The captain started to say something, but McCoy interrupted. "Keep drinking. You're not moving until you have two of those bottles of water down you."

  Kirk nodded, leaned back against her again, and drank. Then she and Sulu lifted him to his feet.

  He leaned against Sulu, and with Kerdoch on his other side they slowly made their way to the shade of the cannon shelter.

  The captain dropped down into a sitting position, and Sulu handed him more water.

  "You are crazy, you know that?" McCoy said.

  The captain started to say something, but McCoy pointed at him. "Drink. "

  Kirk laughed, but he obeyed. Finally, after the captain had drunk another half a bottle of water, McCoy said, "So tell us what happened. "

  "Kerdoch," Kirk said, his voice raspy for a moment, then clearing.

  The large Klingon colonist knelt beside the seated captain.

  "Tell your people not to fire on the Narr, " Kirk said. "They will be unarmed and retrieving their wounded from the field very shortly. "

  Kerdoch nodded. "I will tell them." He stood and moved quickly away from the shelter.

  McCoy watched the Klingon go, then glanced at the captain. Rathbone could tell that McCoy understood something she had missed. She wasn't sure what, but she knew that look.

  "So what didn't you want to tell him?" McCoy said.

  Kirk smiled and took another drink. "The Narr claim they own this planet. "

  "What?" she found herself asking.

  "That's about all they said," the captain said. "That and that they had been preparing the planet for years. "

  Vivian looked at Sulu, and he glanced at her. It was clear he was thinking what she had been thinking... that it was the Narr who had modified the planet's natural plant life .