mother planet. Silver white clouds swirled over the planet's face, but
through occasional breaks in the cover Kirk could distinguish flashes of
brilliant blue green. The clouds vanished, and a mediumsized continent came
into view as the planet revolved on its axis.
"The larger of the two continents, Captain," Spock said from the science
station. .
"Orbit in three minutes, Captain," Sulu said, glancing down at the
chronometer set in the navigation console.
The bridge door hissed open. Kirk glanced quickly over his shoulder. Maslin
and McCoy stepped onto the bridge. Maslin's narrow face was white and tense
as he watched the screen. He moved quickly to stand next to Uhura's chair,
while McCoy drifted down to stand slightly behind Kirk's chair. He stared
meditatively at the screen, and bounced lightly up and down on the balls of
his feet.
S3
The Tears of the Singers
"So, this is it," Maslin said softly to Uhura.
"Yes," she said, continuing to watch the screen while one hand delicately
touched the monitor in her ear.
"When will we be heading down?"
"Probably an hour or so after we enter orbit. Spock will have to run a
scan, and the rest of the ground party will have to--2' She broke off
abruptly, the fingers of her right hand playing rapidly over the
communications console.
"What is it?" Maslin asked. She silenced him with a quick gesture.
"Captain, I'm picking up a coded transmission."
"Source?"
"Uncertain, sir. I had it for only an instant."
Kirk knuckled his chin, weighing what he had heard. Every person watched
him intently, waiting for orders.
"Mr. Sulu, pull out. I don't want us trapped against this planet in case we
should have company."
"Aye aye, Sir.,,
The Enterprise began to swing away from the planet. Spock stood hunched
over his scanners. Suddenly his head jerked up. "Ships, Captain! TWo of
them." He returned to the scanner. "And by their configuration they are'
"Klingon," Kirk finished for him as he watched two of the Empire's battle
cruisers appear from both sides of the planet. Spock turned slowly to
survey the screen, and one mobile eyebrow quirked upward.
Kirk slarnmed his hand down onto one of the buttons set in the arm of his
chair, opening the ship's intercoms. "Red alert! Battle stations! Ali hands
to battle stations. This is not a 'drill!"
IMe alarm began whooping through the ship. Sulu brought up the screens, and
readied the phasers and photon torpedos. Maslin placed his hand on Uhura's
shoulder, gripping it tightly. Unconsciously she reached up and laid her
hand over his. Her brown eyes were locked on the screen.
"IMe Klingons are holding their position some one hun-
54
The Tears of the Sinprs
dred and fifty kilometers from the Enterprise," Sulu reported.
"Interesting. It seems they are as uncertain as we are.Kirk sat silent for
several moments. "Lieutenant, open a hailing frequency. Let's see if we can
find out why the Klingons aren't shooting first and asking questions
later."
"Aye, sir."
The screen flickered, then settled into a picture of the bridge of a
Klingon warship. A man was seated with his back to the Enterprise bridge
crew. Slowly he swung about in his chair, and smiled ironically into the
screen.
"Greetings, Captain Kirk. I knew your high command would send someone to
investigate this phenomenon, but I never expected you. It has been a while,
hasn't it?"
Kirk and Spock exchanged glances. "A long time, and a long way from
Organia, Commander."
Kor smiled, his teeth gleaming whitely in his dark face. He reached up and
lightly stroked at his thin, drooping moustache. "I'm surprised you
remember, Kirk."
"It would be difficult to forget, Commander."
"I found it so myself. I still regret the Organian interference that kept
us from our appointed duel."
"Are you suggesting that we pick up where we left off?"
"I would say that depends on you, Kirk, and that thing," Kor added,
pointing off to his left, "which is eating away at the fabric of space."
"I'll get back to you, Commander."
"Don't take too long, Captain. There are some aboard my ships who would not
be as forbearing as I am." The screen went dark.
McCoy released a pent-up breath. "Well, what do you make of that?"
"I make of it that he's worried about that phenomenon, just as worried as
we are, and he doesn't want to risk his ship in a battle."
"I concur, Captain. At present the space/time warp repre-
ss
The Tears of the Singers
sents a greater threat to the Klingons than it does to the Federation. They
hold inhabited planets closer to this sector than we do. Kor has obviously
been sent here to investigate the phenomenon. He will not willingly risk his
ships even for the lure of a Federation starship."
"How the hell do you know what their willin' to risk, Spock?" McCoy
exploded. "These are KUngons, for God's sake. They're about as trustworthy
as a rattler."
"Maybe, maybe not, Bones. They've got a problem on their borders that's
larger than the Federation right now. I think they may hold off."
"I hope you're right, Jim, but just in case you're not I'm going down to
sick bay, and get set up for casualties." McCoy gave a nod for emphasis,
and stomped from the bridge.
"What do we do now, Captain?" Sulu asked.
"Maintain red alert and wait. We'll let the Klingons make the next move."
Sulu grinned, and turned back to his console.
'I hope he knows what he's doing," Maslin muttered. Uhura glanced up at
him, noting that in spite of his dubious tone there was an expression of
respect and grudging admiration on his face.
"He's always known before," she said quietly, and returned to work.
The conference room aboard the Klingon flagship was a scene of chaos.
Kandi, captain of the second Xlingon vessel, sprawled in a chair near the
door, stared morosely at the toes of his high-topped boots and wondered if
Kor had lost his reason. lb have the Enterprise under the disruptor fire of
two Imperial cruisers, and let the opportunity pass, seemed like madness.
Apparently the other men in the room agreed, but they chose to be more
vocal in their objections. Karsul, Kor's ambitious second-m-command, was
holding forth the loudest, and drawing nods of approval from his listeners.
Kandi thoughtfully stroked his spadelike beard, and watched Karsul through
narrowed eyes. Ambition was a good
56
The Teikrs of the SkqW"
thing in an officer, but not when the officer served under one's best
friend.
Perhaps it is time to suggest to Kor that we arrange a tragic accident for
this one, Kandi mused.
The door hissed open, and Kor strode into the conference room. The hubbub
died as the top officers of the two ships eyed their commander. Kor
straightened the gold command sash, and dropped heavily into a chair at the
head of the table.
/>
"Recommendations?" he asked.
"Attackl Attack at once!" Karsul stated. He brought his fist down on the
table for emphasis.
"Any other recommendations?" Kor asked mildly. There was a confused
muttering.
"It would help if we had some idea about your own thoughts on the matter,"
Kandi drawled, rising from his seat and moving to the table.
"Clever, Kandi," Kor murmured to his old friend and companion. "Put me on
record so that if my plan goes wrong there will be only one to bear the
b lame."
"I am not trying to trap you," Kandi replied in the same low tone. "But
there are others who win," he added with a glance toward Karsul.
"I am aware of the situation, but this is not the time to discuss it." Kor
lifted his head, and scanned the handsome, dark-skinned faces of his
officers. "I admit it is difficult to forgo a tempting target like the
Enterprise," he said in a normal tone.
"Then why do it?" Karsul demanded.
"For an obvious reason--the spacehime rip. A computer extrapolation
indicates that the rip is increasing at a terrifying rate. At its present
rate of growth it will begin to offer a substantial threat to Imperial
shipping in fifteen days, and a threat to nearby worlds in another thirty."
"So let us deal with the Federation ship, and then turn to the phenomenon."
57
The Tears of the Singers
"You make it sound as if we are dealing with a scout ship. This is the
Enterprise ... with Kirk in command. Even with two cruisers it is very
likely that we would end up with both ships crippled or one destroyed. That
would certainly hamper our investigation of the phenomenon."
"Kor is right. The Enterprise is the most powerful starship in the
Federation fleet, and Kirk is no average Earther. He can fight like a
Klingon when pressed to it." Kandi shook his head. "I would not willingly
go up against him unless he were heavily outnumbered, and certainly not
when we are faced with what could potentially be a greater threat than the
Federation. "
"What would you consider a sufficient number of ships?" Karsul asked. His
tone was polite, but there was something in his expression that indicated
that he thought Kor and Kandi were behaving like cowardly old men.
"Three at least," Kandi replied, refusing to be provoked.
"So what do we do?" KaandalKor's aide-de-camp, asked. "Sit and stare at the
Earthers until the phenomenon devours us all?"
Kandi cocked an eyebrow at Kor. "He has a point. I'm also not enamored with
the idea of a standoff with the humans."
Kor folded his hands on the table, and carefully studied his fingers. "The
humans are technologically superior in some areas to us Klingons. " He cut
off the babble of protest with a hard glance. "It serves no purpose to deny
it. Their worlds are richer, and such abundance gives them advantages. It
is possible that they have techniques, equipment that will allow them to
solve the puzzle of this space/time warp faster than we could."
"So we sit back and let them do the work for us?"
"No. We work with them. It will increase our chances of success if we pool
our resources."
"Work with humans?" Karsul spat out, his face twisted with anger. "Never!"
He paced furiously away from the men clustered at the table. Kor's eyes
narrowed in fury, and he
58
The Tears of the Singers
rose and kicked back his chair with a booted foot. He walked to his second,
and swung the younger man around.
"Is your answer still 'never' when I say this is an order?" 'Me silence
stretched between them. Karsul panted slightly with anger. "Think well,
Karsul," Kor said softly. "The agonizer is an effective device for quelling
even the hottest temper.9t
The younger mants jaw worked for several seconds, then he gave an abrupt
nod. "If it is your order, Commander, I will work with the humans."
"A wise choice." Kor turned back to the other officers. "Kandi, get back to
your ship. Ile rest of you return to your stations. We will see if Captain
Kirk is willing to be reasonable."
Kandi paused at the door, and looked back over his shoulder. "And after we
have dealt with the phenomenon?"
A small, almost mischievous, smile tugged at Koes lips. "We can always
attack the Enterprise then."
There was a gust of laughter from the relieved officers, and Kandi nodded
slightly, indicating his approval of Koes tactics.
Kor waved dismissingly to his junior officers, and fen into step with his
old friend. The corridors were deserted. Everyone was at his post because
of the alert which had been called with the arrival of the Enterprise. They
reached a connecting corridor, and halted. Here they would have to part,
Kandi to the transporter room to return to his ship, and Kor to the bridge.
"You are going to take vengeance on Kirk for the trouble he has caused
you?"
Kor sighed, leaned against the wall and folded his arms
across his chest. "I suppose so, although I would probably be
better served by taking vengeance on those men at Fleet
Command who reprimanded me. Kirk and I were merely
victims of the Organians. No matter who had been in
command on Organia the result would have been the same. 1
59
The Tears of the Singers
did not fail in my command," he concluded, and his expression was bitter.
"Not so loud," Kandi warned. "There are some on your ship who wouldn't
hesitate to report such insubordination back to Klinzhai.1'
"You think I can't control my officers?"
"I don't think you are realistic about their capability for treachery."
Kor smiled faintly. "That just makes them good Klingons.
"And thwarting them makes you a better one," Kandi retorted. He clasped Kor
on the shoulder. "I must go now. And remember-watch your back."
"I always do." Kor watched as Kandi strode quickly down the corridor, and
felt bereft. He wished he could have had Kandi as his second. Then he would
have known that his back was secure, but the younger man was too fine an
officer to be left playing second fiddle to him. He deserved a ship of his
own.
Kor continued to stare down the hall long after the lean, elegant figure of
his friend had vanished. Then with a sigh he pushed away from the wall, and
continued to the bridge. It did no good to repine. He would just have to
guard his own back.
His bridge crew turned expectantly to face him as he entered. He waved them
back to their stations, then paused by his communications officer.
"Get me Kirk."
"Yes, sir. "
"Sir, we're receiving a signal from the Klingon cruiser."
"Put it on the screen, Lieutenant." Kirk gave a smile of satisfaction and
leaned back in his chair, his fingers laced over his belly. Maslin moved
away from Uhura to stand near the command chair.
"I apprehend that you expected this development, Captain," Spock said,
stepping down from his science station.
60
The Tears of the Singers
"Quite true, Mr. Spock."
"May I
know the reason, Captain?"
"T'he Klingons are obviously as concerned about the phenomenon as we are,
and I find the fact that they sent two ships very telling."
"In what way?"
"Two ships? TWo science teams? They obviously don't have much confidence in
their ability to solve this mystery."
"I see. Then you believe they will propose a truce?"
"I think it highly likely."
"But can we trust them?" Maslin said abruptly, moving in to join the
conversation. "I've heard stories about Klingon treachery."
"Beginning to be glad you're on a starship, and not on a luxury cruiser,
Mr. Maslin?" Kirk asked with a teasing gleam in his eye. "But as for your
not unfounded fears, this is Kor we're dealing with. He's a Klingon, but on
Organia he seemed like a man who disliked senseless waste. I think he'll
respond the same way in this situation. At any rate, we'll just have to'
He broke off as the Klingon bridge flickered to life on the screen.
"Captain Kirk, still waiting I see."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Commander. Besides, I have a job to do.
Your presence here doesn't alter that fact."
"And I too have a job to do, Captain. However, since our jobs overlap, I
suggest that we pool our resources. It may lead to a speedier resolution of
the problem."
"I think that's an excellent suggestion, Commander. The rate at which this
phenomenon is expanding makes it imperative that we act at once. I don't
think either one of us has the time to indulge in the luxury of a battle."
Kirk smiled, and Kor gave a wolfs grin in answer.
The Klingon made a sound of disappointment, and shook his head. "It's a
pity that we are once more thwarted in our test of strength."
"T'hat space/time rip may require all the strength we've got,
61
The Tears of the Singers
Commander." Kirk paused. "Then I take it we have a truce?"
Kor nodded. "What kind of surety do you want, Kirk?"
'We'll prepare a jettison buoy outlining our agreement,
and voice printed under both our names. That may deter any treachery on
either of our parts."
"You're a trusting man, Kirk."
"Hostages are more trouble than they're worth, Commander, and I'm sure you
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