up with-finding a way to shut down the anti-gravity
devices, for example-weren't possible with the small force he had.
"The shuttles must launch manned, so they can defend themselves. They must have one pilot each."
Kirk had already thought of that option as well. He didn't like it. But endangering one or two crew members to rescue four was far more acceptable than risking the entire Enterprise. And with the modified shields and a pilot, the shuttles would have a fighting chance against the Narr transports .
Also with the Enterprise and Farragut shuttles on the ground, the colony would have a fighting chance against the Narr troops. Kor's plan undoubtedly had a number of other advantages, but there was no way Kirk would sacrifice a pilot in a shuttle to those Narr ships in orbit. The shuttles were to be used as decoys. Nothing more.
He looked Kor directly in the eye. "I will sacrifice four unmanned Federation shuttles to this fight, but no more lives."
Kor laughed and smacked his hand down flat on the table. "Kirk, in your position, I would do the same thing. You are smarter than I gave you credit for. "
Kirk sat back, staring at the Klingon commander. He had expected Kor to call him a coward. But instead he had agreed. "You surprise me, Kor."
"'Surprise' puts it mildly," McCoy said. "The sound of my jaw hitting the table could have been heard outside, I'm sure. "
Again Kor laughed. Clearly his strength was returning as his voice and laugh were increasing in volume.
"Kirk, this is a Klingon planet. Our duty is to defend it. Our shuttles will be manned to engage the Narr transports. Your unmanned shuttles can be used to confuse them and draw their fire. It is a sound plan."
Kirk smiled at Kor. "The team behind the Narr camp will confuse things even more by firing on the transports. "
Kor slapped the table again and stood. "Kirk, someday it will be glorious to fight you. But at the moment working together is also glorious."
Kirk stood also, facing Kor. He flipped open his communicator. "Mr. Spock, are the shuttles loaded and ready to launch?"
"Yes, Captain," Spock said.
"Stand by for my order," Kirk said. He faced Kor. "Commander, we will launch when you give the word. "
Kor bowed slightly to Kirk. "It will take five minutes for my pilots to prepare," he said. "Then we shall surprise the Narr. "
"That we shall," Kirk said. He sat down beside McCoy as Kor turned away to call his ship.
"Sometimes you really amaze me, Jim," McCoy said as Kirk took another long drink of water.
"How's that?"
"You're more like the Klingons than you think. "
Kirk stared at his friend for a moment, then smiled. "I hope that was a compliment, Bones. "
McCoy snorted, then said, "I'm afraid, in this instance, it just might have been."
Captain Bogle stood facing the main screen. For the past few hours nothing had changed. The Narr ships had remained in their blockade over the planet, facing the two Federation starships and the three Klingon battle cruisers. But Bogle knew that was about to change. He wasn't sure how, but it would change. Of that he had no doubt.
"Captain," Lieutenant Sandy said, "the Enterprise has signaled we should stand by."
"On their signal," Bogle said. He punched his communications button. "Projeff, status of shuttles?"
"Loaded, armed, and ready when you are, Captain," the chief engineer said. "I've patched the automatic launch controls into the bridge. "
"Good work, Pro," Bogle said.
"And sir," Projeff said, "we've modified the shields even more. They should hold solidly now. "
"Excellent," Bogle said and punched off the comm button.
He sat down in his chair. "Get ready, people. I suspect this is going to get somewhat wild."
Around him the bridge seemed to hum.
No one said a word, but the tension was so thick he could sense it. Lieutenant Michael Book sat on the edge ofhis chair, his fingers tapping beside his control panel. Science Officer Lee stared into his scope, gripping it firmly with both hands.
"We are receiving a scrambled message from the Enterprise ," Lieutenant Sandy said, his voice slightly higher than normal.
"Put it on-screen," Bogle said. He took a deep breath and exhaled as Spock's image appeared.
"Captain," Spock said, "the Klingons will launch their manned shuttles in exactly twenty-six seconds. The Enterprise will launch two unmanned shuttles with them. "
"Understood, Mr. Spock. We will do so also. Good luck."
Spock nodded, and his image was replaced with the familiar scene of the Narr ships and the blue-green planet beyond.
Nothing more needed to be said. All the details of the directions that the seven different shuttles would take had been worked out almost an hour before between Spock and the Klingons.
Now it was almost time to launch.
"Got the count, Lieutenant Book?" Bogle asked.
"Yes, sir," he said. "Fifteen seconds." Bogle glanced around the bridge. Everyone was ready. "At two seconds go to red alert," he said.
"Ten seconds."
Bogle took a deep breath. "Stay put," he whispered to the Narr ships facing him. "Just stay put." He desperately hoped they would catch the Narr ships unprepared. At least enough that before they could react the shuttles would be in the atmosphere . He knew he was dreaming, but he could hope.
"Five seconds," Book said. "Four… three. "
"Red alert! " Bogle said. Around him the lights went to a red hue and the siren blared.
"Two… one."
"Launch."
Lieutenant Book's fingers flew over the panel.
On the main screen Bogle could see the two Enterprise shuttles emerging from the shuttle bays. One turned and went along the equator ofthe planet to his right. The other went left.
Bogle knew the two shuttles from the Farragut were programmed to head for the planet's poles and drop into the atmosphere there. The three Klingon shuttles were to take courses between the Federation shuttles and, with luck, be near the colony when the Narr transports lifted to meet them.
"We have launch," Book said, his voice clearly excited.
"Captain," Lee said, "the Narr ships. Look! "
Bogle could feel his j aw drop in surprise. Of all the reactions by the Narr that he had expected, this was not it.
None of the big Narr ships moved.
Not a one.
However, two of them were opening docking bays. The same two who had launched the small attack
ships.
He couldn't believe it. They were going to send their attack ships after the shuttles, right on down into
the atmosphere. How could they have been ready?
"Target those opening bays! " Bogle shouted. "Fire phasers ! "
Bright phaser beams struck out of the Farragut, right on target, lighting up the insides of the Narr
docking bays with intense white light.
At the same instant the Enterprise and Kor's ship fired, also targeting the docking bays.
A moment later the remaining two battle cruisers joined in.
Then it seemed to Bogle as if space had gone crazy.
Seven shuttles streaking away from the bigger ships, in seven different directions.
Full fire power aimed at two Narr ships from five other war ships. Then dozens of smaller Narr attack ships suddenly filled the area from the Narr docking bays. They were like bats coming from the mouth of a cave that was on fire, pouring into space.
"How many of those things can they hold?" Book
asked.
Bogle had been wondering the same thing.
"Target the Narr attack ships and take them out,"
Bogle shouted. "Fire at will. "
"Captain," Lee said. "To the right. "
Bogle had already seen what his first officer was pointing out. One of the larger Narr craft had turned, broken ranks, and was making an attack pass at the Farragut. Another was doing the same
thing at the Enterprise. The other five remained in blockade position.
"Keep after any of the smaller ships," Bogle ordered. "Don't stop firing until I tell you to stop."
Around the larger Narr ships the small craft seemed to swarm. There were far more of them than during the first attacks. How in the world had the Narr had them prepared?
Unless they had planned to run attack missions at the colony before the ground troops attacked at sunset. It would be a logical tactical move. And launching the shuttles hadjust forced them to launch a little early.
The Farragut rocked as the larger Narr ship blasted it with full power.
Bogle hung on to the arms of his chair, studying the screen as the combined focus of the Federation ships blew up one small Narr attack craft after another, like small, silent firecrackers exploding in the night sky.
"Shields holding," Lee said.
"Ignore the big ship," Bogle ordered. "Stay on the attack craft. Knock the stupid little things out of the sky."
"Sir," Book said, "most of the smaller craft are behind the larger Narr ships, dropping toward the atmosphere."
"Take us right at them, Lieutenant," Bogle said.
"Follow them to the edge of the atmosphere if you have to."
"But, sir-"
"Do it, Lieutenant! " he ordered, his voice loud and firm. He was more than aware that to follow the small attack craft they must go right through the larger Narr ships' blockade. But the Narr had been holding that blockade long enough. It was time for someone to challenge it.
The Farragut turned slightly and accelerated right at an opening between two of the larger Narr ships, firing constantly at the small attack ships as it went.
Then two ofthe larger Narr ships opened up on the Farragut, and the bridge seemed to explode. Sparks flew everywhere. Smoke filled the air around Bogle as something behind him caught fire . The ship rocked as the stabilizers faught to keep the ship level under the pounding it was taking. He held on to both arms of his chair, focusing on the smaller ships.
"Shields at eighty-six percent," Lee shouted.
"Keep firing at those fighters," Bogle ordered.
Another direct hit on the shields again rocked the Farragut.
Then they were past the larger Narr craft and picking off the smaller fighters like darts popping balloons.
"The Enterprise is following us in," Lee shouted.
"Klingons are also attacking. The Narr blockade has split."
"The shuttles?" Bogle asked.
"Are all still descending through the atmosphare," Lee said. "None of them was even fired on. "
"Keep firing on those fighters," Bogle ordered.
Another blast rocked the ship, sending him almost out of his chair.
Then another and another.
"Shields at sixty-five percent," Lee said. "I think we made the Narr mad. "
"Good," Bogle said.
"All fighters now too far into the atmosphere to fire upon," Lieutenant Book said.
"How many got through?"
"Twenty, sir," Book said.
"Let's hope the shuttles beat them to the ground," Bogle said.
The ship rocked with another hit.
"Mr. Book," Bogle said. "Target the ship that just fired on us and return fire."
"Yes, sir," Book said.
"And hold this position. If they want to re-form the blockade, they can do so right over the top of us."
Bogle gripped the arms of his chair tightly. He wasn't about to lose this battle .
He'd had enough of the Narr.
Chapter Twenty-two
VIVIAN RATHBONE couldn't believe she had managed to keep up with the Klingon colonist. He had walked with huge strides, seemingly never tiring. At times she had found herself almost running to stay with him through the brush and rocks. And the two short rests hadn't been near enough considering the heat. It had been everything she could do to catch her breath and drink enough water while they walked.
After the second stop, they had crawled over one ridge, hiked down through a shallow valley, and then crawled on their stomachs to the top of the second ridge. In the years of studying the natural plant life of this planet, she had never thought she would end up crawling on her stomach through it, Klingon phaser rifle in hand, desperately trying to keep her head down so she wouldn't be seen.
Sulu was to her right, Kerdoch to her left, when they stopped on the ridge .
She had found a small rock outcropping to hide behind and rest her gun on. Below her, not more than two hundred paces away, was the Narr camp. Large tentlike structures filled the flat area behind the shuttles. She wagered those "tents" were a lot harder than they looked.
The two Narr transports stood in what looked to her to be awkward positions, noses upward. They formed a perfect blockade line between the tents and the colony beyond. The nose of the closest transport was no more than f1fty feet below her level. Those craft were huge and very strange looking, as if someone had buried both ends of an old boomerang in the ground.
Beside her, Sulu's communicator beeped. He had it in front of him on the ground. He flipped it open almost without moving or taking his eyes offthe camp below.
"Problems," Kirk said. "The shuttles have launched, but the Narr launched their attack ships right after them. "
"How many?" Sulu asked. It was the exact same question she wanted to ask.
"At least twenty made it into the atmosphere," Kirk said.
Twenty attack ships with those wide-angle plasma beams. And the three of them were out in the open with no protection. They didn't stand a chance. They'd be cooked alive in one pass.
"What are your orders, Captain?" Sulu asked.
"Is there shelter close by?"
Sulu turned to Kerdoch. "Shelter against plasma beams?"
Kerdoch seemed to think for just a moment, then nodded. "A small rock hollow down the valley behind us. It should be sufficient. "
Sulu spoke into the communicator. "Captain, there is a small rock area near. "
"Good," Kirk said. "Here's what I want you to do. In exactly eighty seconds, open fire on those transports."
Sulu nodded, and so did Vivian. Eighty short seconds. Her heart pounded so hard it was amazing the Narr couldn't hear it down in the camp.
"See if you can keep at least one transport on the ground. Make a thirty second attack, then run for the shelter. Don't give those transports time to fire back atyou. "
"Understood, Captain," Sulu said.
"Good luck. Kirk out. "
Sulu snapped the communicator closed and reattached it to his belt.
She did a quick check of the Klingon phaser rifle, then made sure her Federation phaser was still on her belt. She tried to dry her sweating hands on her shirt, but only came away with dirt. If she ever got out of this heat she would never complain about cold again. Ever.
"Target the right wing of the closest craft," Sulu said. "See the vent there near the ground? Let's hope it's a thruster vent. "
"A good choice," Kerdoch said.
Rathbone nodded to Sulu, then took aim over the rock at the target. It did look oddly like a closed thruster vent. If they were lucky they could blow that thruster and make it too dangerous for the transport to risk a takeoff. But they were going to have to be damn lucky.
"Ten seconds," Sulu said.
Below, a number of armored Narr were moving now, coming out of the tents like slow, lumbering ants. Picking them off would be like shooting slow targets on a training range . But she doubted that the Klingon rifle would do much damage to that heavy armor.
"Five seconds," Sulu said softly.
She took a deep breath of hot, dusty air and let it out slowly. Calm. Focus on the target. Calm.
The years of training came back to her, and her hands calmed on the stock of the rifle.
"Two," Sulu said.
She waited.
"One."
The time between seconds seemed to take forever.
"Fire ! "
She pulled the trigger, and the phaser surged in her hands.
The vent area on the side of the Narr transport instantly lit up as the three beams hit it.
Quickly it turned bright red, went to white, then exploded, sending sparks and burning material out over the tents and the armored Narr.
Amazing. She wanted to stand up and cheer.
But she kept firing.
The side of the Narr hull seemed to melt away, and then, just as suddenly as it had exploded, their beams were through the outer shell and cutting into the insides the ship. She couldn't believe it.
She held the trigger down, letting the rifle beam cut into the ship like a scalding hot knife into cold butter.
Kerdoch and Kor did the same thing beside her.
Then she could hear the rumble as something inside the transport started to ignite.
"Target the same area of the other transport! " Sulu yelled over the rumbling.
She swung the rifle into position and fired. Sulu and Kerdoch were only a fraction of a second behind her.
Again the target went red, then white, then another explosion. There must have been small liquid fuel tanks of some sort right behind those vents. The heat from their fire on the surface ignited and blew away the protective outer shell, letting their phasers cut clear inside. They had gotten lucky.
Very, very lucky.
The first transport seemed to be shaking. High-pressure steam was shooting out of the hole they'd made in its side.
For what seemed like forever, they continued firing on the second shuttle until finally they were inside, cutting through the interior metal as if it didn't exist.
Suddenly the ground in front of them erupted, spraying rocks and dirt into a cloud, blocking her vision. One of the Narr soldiers must have started firing at them.
"Let's get out of here," Sulu shouted.
Instantly she had the rifle down and began scrambling on hands and knees away from the top of the ridge. Rocks and brush cut at her hands and knees, but she ignored the pain.
The rock she'd been hiding behind exploded as a shot from the camp below cut it apart.
Sulu and Kerdoch were right beside her as she gained her feet and ran. Like wild animals stampeding down the hill, they scrambled over, through, and around brush, rocks, and small shrubs.
Day of Honor - Treaty's Law Page 18
