"As does the Federation beside you," Kirk said.
"True," Kor said.
"We honor our agreement," Kirk said. "And the Narr may honor an agreement, given the chance to make one. If we can't make one with them, then we will fight. I will stand beside you in defending this planet. I will die beside you honoring our agreement. "
"The Narr have no honor," Kor said. "They destroyed a colony of farmers. "
"A colony they thought was destroying their planet," Kirk said. "You would have done the same thing. "
Kor waved his hand at Kirk, then stood and moved toward Kerdoch, the expression on his face noncommittal. Kirk had no idea if he had gotten through to the Klingon. Arguing with Klingons had always been an annoying experience at best.
After a moment Kor turned back to Kirk. "Talk if you want," he said.
"Youu must come with me," Kirk said. "Kerdoch must also, to represent the colonists. The others can remain and prepare for the coming fight. "
"This is stupidity," Kor said, half spitting the word onto the floor. Then he turned and headed for the door. At the entrance he stopped and turned to where Kirk still sat at the table . "Come. We will talk to the Narr. Then we will fight."
"Coming?" Kirk said to Kerdoch, who nodded.
Kirk smiled and shrugged at McCoy as he stood.
"Just make it back to shelter in enough time, Jim," McCoy said.
"Let's hope we don't need to," he said as he followed the Klingon commander out into the dry heat.
Kerdoch stood on the edge of a blackened field next to the human captain and Commander Kor, one of the most honored of all Klingon warriors. They faced the Narr camp, without weapons. Two days ago Kerdoch had stood in his own fields, working to help them grow, fighting back the weeds and the forces of nature. It had been a long two days. Much had happened.
Before him the Narr camp still poured black smoke into the air. The smoke pleased him. The Narr had burned his fields, attacked his home. He had burned their camp, destroyed their ships. It gave him a feeling of closure. For the moment the circle of revenge was complete for him.
They had stood facing the Narr camp, unarmed, for twenty minutes, letting the hot sun pound on them. Now the smallest of the two suns neared the horizon. The promised Narr attack would begin soon.
"They will kill us where we stand," Kerdoch said.
"Would you kill unarmed soldiers facing you?" the human captain said.
"No," Kor said. "It would be dishonorable. "
"The Narr will act the same," the human captain said.
"You trust Narr honor?" Kerdoch asked. He did not believe the Narr were honorable. He stood in this field because he was willing to die beside Commander Kor and because he had come to trust the honor ofthe human captain. But he did not believe the Narr had honor.
Then he realized he had thought the same of humans just two days before. If the human enemies had honor, then the Narr might also. Enemies having honor was a difficult concept to understand.
"There," the human captain said, pointing.
Kerdoch could see five Narr in armor moving toward them through the scrub brush and rock. The human captain had been correct. The Narr did have honor.
"Keep your hands away from your sides," the human captain said. "We must show them we carry no weapons. "
Kerdoch did as the human captain said because Commander Kor did also.
The Narr stopped twenty paces in front of them. Then the one in the center moved two steps closer and stopped again.
"I will talk for us," the human captain said. He took three steps forward and also stopped.
"We have discovered since we talked before," the human captain said, "that this planet does belong to you."
"Then leave this place," the Narr leader said.
"We will leave if that is what you demand, and if you give us safe passage ," the human captain said.
Kerdoch could not believe what he was hearing. The human captain was surrendering for the Klingons. How could Commander Kor stand and listen?
"But," the human captain said before the Narr could respond, "first would you tell us your intended use of this planet?"
"To expand our food resources. At a time in the future we plan to grow our crops here."
"You do not seem to be farmers by nature ," Kirk said.
"We are warriors," Narr said, straightening up slightly inside his armor. "We are not farmers. "
"The Klingons are also warriors," the human captain said. "But they are also farmers. They work the land and grow the crops as iffighting a great war every season. They are great farmers ."
Kerdoch marveled at the human captain's understanding of Klingon nature . But at the same time he was puzzled that the human captain failed to understand that Klingons never surrendered.
"The Klingons have already established a base on this planet," the human captain said. "An agreement could be struck between you and the Klingons, so that they could farm this planet. They would grow their own crops as well as yours ."
The human captain was giving Kerdoch's hard work away. Kerdoch almost stepped forward at that moment, his anger was so strong, but Kor's raised
hand stopped him. Kerdoch turned to question the commander.
"Let him continue, Kerdoch," Kor said, raising his
hand higher, signaling Kerdoch to say nothing.
Kerdoch turned to listen to the treachery going on in front of him. At that moment he could not tell who he was most angry at. The human captain, or Kor for allowing the human captain to speak such words.
The Narr hesitated, then stepped closer to the human captain. "You suggest that the Klingons grow our crops on this planet? Is that correct?"
"Yes," the human captain said. "They would grow your crops as well as their own. "
"They would grow them in exchange for the planet?"
The human captain nodded. "And I'm sure you would pay them a fair price for your crops. Details beyond that could be worked out later. But such an agreement would allow the Klingons to stay on this world, as they want. It would also allow you to expand your food base as you need, years ahead of your schedule. Both sides would win. "
"I must confer," the Narr said, and turned away.
Kerdoch squeezed his fists tight. Why had Kor allowed the human captain to betray them?
The human captain turned and moved back to where Kerdoch and Kor stood. He was smiling and Kerdoch desperately wanted to smash the smile from his sickly human face.
"You are a crafty one, Kirk," Kor said. "You knew we would never surrender. "
"Of course," Kirk said, laughing. "I never intended to surrender. But I had to get the Narr's attention ."
"You gave away our planet," Kerdoch said, his voice almost shaking with his anger.
"You will keep the planet, Kerdoch," the human captain said. Then, facing Kor, he continued, "And the strategic advantage ofits location, which is important to the Empire. Am I right, Commander?"
Kor bowed slightly, but said nothing.
Kerdoch felt his anger suddenly drain as if it were nothing more than the escaping air of a child's balloon, pricked by a needle. He looked at Commander Kor before turning back to the human.
The human captain continued. "You would also gain a strategic advantage over the Narr by controlling part of their food source in the future . And you will discover the locations of their home worlds in case a future conflict should arise."
Finally Kerdoch was starting to understand what Commander Kor had understood all along. It was why Kor was such a great warrior and he was only a farmer. His respect for the commander increased, as did his respect for the human captain, who had understood Klingons well enough to make such a deal.
"And what do you get, Kirk?" Kor asked.
"I get off this planet alive," Kirk said. "And a chance to cool down."
Kor laughed. Then he peered at Kirk. "You also get the continuation of the Organian Peace Treaty. "
"That too," the human captain said, s
miling.
"Human?" the Narr said.
The human captain turned to face the approaching Narr soldier.
"Do you speak for the Klingons?" the Narr asked.
"I speak for the Klingons," Commander Kor said, stepping forward beside the human captain. "I am Commander Kor of the Imperial Fleet. "
The Narr soldier nodded and glanced at Kerdoch, who gave him a hard stare in return but said nothing.
The Narr soldier turned back to Commander Kor. "We will agree to talks based on the principles the human has put forth. "
"You will withdraw your claim to this planet?" Kor asked.
"We will," the Narr said, "ifyou agree to produce a base amount of our crops on this planet each year, to be sold to us."
"It is agreed," Kor said. "We will talk. "
"In twenty of this planet's days we will send a representative to this location."
"As will we," Kor said.
The Narr nodded to the commander.
Kor nodded back.
The Narr soldier turned, lumbering away in his heavy armor.
Kerdoch watched him go, not completely understanding that the fighting had been stopped that quickly.
"Come," Kor said.
Kor, the human captain, and Kerdoch all turned as one and moved back toward the colony across the blackened field. Kerdoch let his feet guide him, his mind still on what he had just heard.
After twenty paces the human captain laughed, "That armor must have been hot."
"Very hot," Kor said. "The heat must have reached his brain. He just gave away an entire planet." With that both the human captain and the commander laughed.
"Commander," Kerdoch said, still slightly confused, "what exactly occurred?"
"This human has given us a glorious victory," Kor said. "One that will be talked and written about for generations. "
"And you trust the honor of the Narr?" Kerdoch said. "They will hold their side of the agreement?"
"I have learned this day," Kor said, "that my enemies may have honor. It seems humans have honor. A warrior race such as the Narr must, therefore , surely have more. Yes, I trust their word. "
"I think I've just been insulted," the human captain said.
"Ah, Kirk," Kor said, clapping the human on the back. "It is the nature of our relationship for me to insult you."
At that the human captain smiled. "And for me to insult you," he said.
"On that we are agreed," Kor said.
"I'm glad to know this relationship won't change," the human captain said.
But Kerdoch knew that it had. They were laughing together, something enemies rarely did.
Chapter Twenty-four
VIVIAN RATHBONE sat for a moment at the controls of the shuttle Balboa as the Farragut docking bay pressurized.
After the final sequencing was finished, she let her hands drop into her lap from the control panel. They were shaking. And she was sweating, almost as much as she had in the intense heat of the plasma attack, even though the shuttle's climate controls were working perfectly.
"Well, I did it," she said to herself. It had been almost four years since she'd piloted any form of shuttle, and she had never piloted a starship shuttle like the Balboa. But when Captain Kirk told her she was to fly one of the shuttles back to the Farragut, she hadn't objected. One thing she had learned on her first landing party was that a crew member really had no limits. You did what you were ordered to do, even if it cost you your life , as it had Ensign Chop.
But it could have been much worse than just flying a shuttle and docking it on the Faarragut. On the way from the colony to the shuttles Ensign Adaro, who had piloted the other Farragut shuttle, the De leon, had teased her that flying back to the Farragut was a lot easier than flying in battle against the Narr, as they were supposed to have done.
That was the first time she had heard that Captain Kirk had planned for her to fly the Balboa against the Narr fighters. Ensign Adaro had been right. This flight was a lot easier than flying in combat. But the idea of the captain trusting her that much had made the flight to the Farragut even more nerve-racking. She didn't want to do anything wrong that would let the captain know she might not have been able to handle any assignment he would have given her.
"Ma'am?" Ensign Adaro said over the comm line . He was already standing on the hangar deck. When she looked down he waved for her.
She punched the exterior comm line . "On my way. "
She stood and looked around for anything she might have left behind. Then she laughed. She hadn't taken anything to the planet and had even less coming back.
The airlock door hissed open. As she passed through it, she patted the metal side of the shuttle .
"Thanks," she said to it.
Inside her head she added, "and I'm glad we didn't have to fight together. "
The young ensign looked filthy and very, very sunburned standing among the Farragut docking bay crew. As she joined him the ten or so who made up the docking bay crew broke into cheers, standing and applauding her and Adaro.
She wasn't sure about Ensign Adaro, but she blushed. Then laughed.
Having them acknowledge that what she'd gone through and survived had been difficult, made her feel better. Made her feel as if she hadn't let Captain Kirk down quite as much as she feared she had.
"Enterprise, " Ensign Adaro said, "two to beam aboard. "
"Stand by, Ensign."
"Thank you for coming to our rescue," she said to those still applauding.
As the transporter beam took them, both she and Ensign Adaro applauded those around them.
"By my count, " Projeff was saying on the screen in front of Scotty, "it's two ideas from the Farragut to your one. "
Scotty leaned back. He and Projeff had worked well
together. Someday they might even resolve that environmental control problem they'd been discussing on
Starbase Eleven. But he wasn't going to let Projeffget the last word.
"I think we're even, lad."
"How do you figure that?" Scotty smiled. "My first idea was on how to fix the shields. It worked. "
"Not well enough, " Projeff said. "I had to improve it."
"Your first real idea was on how to disrupt the Narr's antigravity suits. "
"I wouldn't agree with that," Projeff said. "That was my second idea. "
"But your first original one, lad."
"It's still two ideas to one," Projeff said.
"Not quite," Scotty said. "You see, we dinna get a chance to test your antigravity idea."
"What?" Projeff asked. "The simulations worked fine. "
"So did my shield simulations," Scotty said. "But in battle they needed modifications. I'll wager in battle your weapons would have needed modifications too."
"There's no way to know that," Projeff said.
"And there's no way to know if your idea even worked," Scotty said. "So I see us as tied, one idea to one."
Projeff's eyes narrowed, but it looked as if he were using the expression to hide his amusement. "Ifwe're tied, we need a tie-breaker. "
"I agree, lad, but we're heading off to different parts of space."
"It would need to be a long term project then," Projeff said.
"That wouldn't be fair," Scotty said. "There'd be no way to know who succeeded first. "
"True enough," Projeff said.
"So I challenge you, lad, to a duel of the minds the next time we share a shore leave."
Projeff grinned. "You're on, Scotty. "
Scotty nodded. "It's been fun, lad."
"That it has, Mr. Scott." Projeff signed off.
Scotty sighed and leaned back in his chair. "An even score," he whispered, "courtesy of the creative mind of the Enterprise's chief engineer."
The turbolift doors hissed open, and Captain Kirk strolled onto the bridge. He had showered and shaved, then reported to sick bay as Dr. McCoy had ordered. Now, feeling better than he could remember and very happy to be alive, it was time to
get back to work.
"Welcome back, sir," Lieutenant Uhura said.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," he said. "It's good to be back."
Spock nodded to him as Kirk stepped down to his captain's chair.
"Good work, Mr. Spock," Kirk said. "You handled the situation very well."
"Thank you, sir," Spock said.
Mr. Sulu had already returned to his post next to Ensign Chekov. Both seemed to be busy at their stations.
On the main screen the Narr ships had moved away from their positions over the colony. According to the report he'd been given before showering, they would remain in orbit for another twenty minutes finishing up repairs and the boarding ofground troops.
The three Klingon ships were grouped in a small triangle between the two Federation ships and the Narr ships. Hanging in space to the right of the Enterprise was the Farragut. Repairs to both starships had been mostly completed.
He sat down in his chair and activated his log. He gave the stardate and then winced. He might as well get the worst duty over first. Then move on.
"Let the record show," he said, his voice solemn and low, "that Ensign Chop died doing his duty for the Federation, in a brave and noble manner. "
Kirk paused for a moment.
"Mr. Spock?" he said.
"Yes, Captain?" Spock said.
"Have Ensign Chop's remains been returned to the ship?"
"No, sir," Spock said. "The ensign left instructions in his personal records that if he died on a landing party he was to be buried on the planet or in space. A detail was transported down twenty minutes ago. They buried his remains in one of the bunkers near the colony, next to other dead from the attacks. The colonists have promised to maintain the site with honor and respect."
Kirk nodded. The colonists would keep their word. He had learned that much about those people. He took a deep breath and put the ensign's death down inside him, where every death of every crew member stayed.
He could see all of their faces. He knew all of their names.
There were already far too many in there.
He let out a deep breath slowly.
"Okay," he said and reactivated the log back. "On a more pleasant subject, let the record show commendations for Lieutenant Sulu. "
"Commendations also for Ensign Adaro, Vivian Rathbone, Dr. Leonard McCoy, Science Officer Spock, and Chief Engineer Scott."
Day of Honor - Treaty's Law Page 20
