by Dayton Ward
“I’m sure the good doctor would’ve come if he were able, sir,” replied Scott, “but they’re keeping him busy these days.”
Uhura made a show of nudging Chapel’s shoulder. “That’s all right. We’ve got another of the best doctors in Starfleet, right here.”
“Doctor Chapel recently honored my request to serve as the Enterprise’s chief medical officer during those training missions when Doctor McCoy is unavailable,” Spock said, “or, if he just doesn’t feel like it, as he prefers to say. Regardless, we are most fortunate to have her aboard.”
Chapel smiled. “Thank you, Captain.”
“As for Pavel,” Sulu said, “I don’t even know where he is, but I know he’d be here if he could.”
For a moment, Kirk felt a twinge of regret that the other two members of his former senior Enterprise staff could not be here. Leonard McCoy, currently assigned to Starfleet Medical’s research facility at Jupiter Station, had been unable to break away from other matters requiring his attention and approval. As for Commander Pavel Chekov, he was not even in the system, having volunteered for a long-duration exploration assignment under the command of Captain Clark Terrell aboard the U.S.S. Reliant. Kirk had inquired about that posting as well as the Reliant’s mission, but it was one of a handful of starships with duties overseen by Admiral Nogura himself. So tight was the security around the operations of these particular vessels that Kirk would not be informed about the details of those projects until such time as Nogura decided he had a need to know.
“At least you four are here,” said Kirk, smiling again. “I’m going to have to find some way to thank Commandant Rouviere for allowing you all to come along.”
“The commandant’s already figured that out for you, sir,” replied Uhura. “He asked us to tell you that you now owe him two lectures next month.”
“Done.”
• • •
There was just enough time for a brief reunion before the Enterprise completed the transit from Earth to Neptune. With the senior officers now at their stations and immersed in their work, only Kirk was left without anything to do, forced by rank and billet to stand and watch as these people with whom he had shared so much fell back into their old roles without missing a beat. He felt like an extra nacelle, as he often did during cruises of this sort. Of everyone on the ship, he was the only one who—for the moment, anyway—served no useful purpose.
Admiral Dunsel, indeed.
“Shields at full strength,” reported Commander Sulu from where he sat at the helm console. “Weapons on standby.”
Still sitting in the command chair at the center of the bridge, Spock said, “Mister Sapp, sensor report, please.”
“No sign of the energy distortion, Captain,” replied the midshipman, his attention focused on the data being relayed to the science station from the starship’s array of sensors. “So far as I can tell, we’re the only ones out here.”
Spock replied, “The original reports suggested a form of cloaking technology was responsible for the earlier energy distortions detected by long-range scans.” Rising from the center seat, he stepped from the command well and moved to join Sapp at the science station. “The distortion might not be so easy to detect if the vessel—if indeed it is a vessel—is holding station.” He looked to Kirk, who was doing his best to remain an observer. “Wouldn’t you agree, Admiral?”
“I would.” Stepping over to join his friend, he added, “That, and it would be easy to find a hiding place among the moons. We could spend days out here, hunting for the thing, and that’s assuming it doesn’t give us the slip.” He knew that odds were slim for the unidentified craft to elude the Enterprise as well as the long-range scans that had detected it in the first place, but Kirk had learned a long time ago never to assume anything. “Beyond a few perimeter outposts, sensor arrays, and early warning systems, there’s not much out this far that’s worth spying on.”
“Covert reconnaissance requires time and patience,” replied Spock. “It is possible that anyone attempting to obtain information about our interplanetary defenses would first ascertain our abilities at the perimeter, before attempting to maneuver toward a target of greater perceived value. For a single vessel, acting alone and without support, this would be a prudent and logical course of action.”
“It also works if you’re just trying to hide,” said Kirk.
Spock nodded. “Indeed. Continue scanning, Mister Sapp. Increase scan field to widen your search.” Turning to Uhura, he said, “Commander, transmit linguacode greeting on all frequencies.”
Inserting a Feinberg receiver into her left ear, the communications officer replied, “Aye, sir,” before setting to work.
“Starfleet’s been sending those greetings since that thing first showed up on sensors,” Kirk said. “There’s been no response.”
“And neither do I expect one now. At least, not in the conventional sense.”
It took Kirk a moment to realize his friend’s meaning, but then the pieces fell into place, and he smiled.
I must be getting old.
“You think they might react to the increased scan field and our hail, believing we detected them.”
“Precisely.”
Still hunched over his console, Sapp scowled. “Captain, I’m picking up something, but it’s from the long-range scans.” Kirk watched the younger man tap several controls before leaning once more over the illuminated sensor viewer. “The energy distortion is back, but it’s not here. I mean, not out here at Neptune, sir. It’s moved farther into the system, and looks to be heading for Jupiter.”
“Are you certain?” asked Spock.
The cadet replied, “Yes, sir. Now that the sensors know what to look for, the thing is easier to track, even though the readings are still intermittent. I think I only caught it because it’s moving again.”
“Excellent work, Mister Sapp.” Turning from the science station, Spock said, “Mister Sulu, lay in a pursuit course and engage at fastest safe speed.”
Kirk said, “Jupiter’s a bit more interesting than Neptune, Spock.” In addition to the terraforming efforts that now allowed permanent residents to live and work on two of the immense planet’s larger moons, Io and Ganymede, Starfleet also had a considerable presence on or near several of the Jovian satellites. There was Jupiter Station, orbiting the planet and containing research and development facilities as well as Commander Tonia Barrows and the early warning monitoring team that had detected the alien vessel. The moons Europa and Callisto also were home to forward operating bases for perimeter defense of the Sol system’s outer planets, as well as training facilities for Academy cadets. As targets went, Jupiter was nothing less than tempting.
“Admiral Kirk,” Uhura said, turning in her seat at the communications console, “I’m receiving a message from Jupiter Station. Captain Wyatt reports it and the Starfleet assets there are on full alert, but standing by for your orders, sir.”
“Tell them to maintain alert status until further notice. Are any other ships en route to intercept the sensor readings?”
Uhura replied, “The Endeavour is the closest starship, but it’s also maintaining position in Jupiter orbit, per your instructions.”
“Good.” Nogura had given Kirk operational command of the entire mission, which included the Enterprise and the Endeavour as well as whatever assets he thought he might need as the situation continued to evolve. With Spock commanding the Enterprise, it left him free to consider the larger picture with respect to the still unidentified craft, along with whatever intentions it might harbor. To Spock, he said, “Right now, we still don’t know if this is a threat. I don’t want to give the thing any more holes to slip through, but I also don’t want to provoke a fight until we know what we’re dealing with.”
The Vulcan said, “Agreed. The vessel’s crew—assuming it possesses a crew—likely knows that we are still able t
o track its movements despite its attempts at evasion. What is required now is more information about the vessel’s capabilities.”
Stepping closer to the science station, Spock consulted several of the console’s displays. “The energy fluctuations we believe to be related to the craft’s stealth technology appear to operate in a manner different from other cloaking devices we have encountered, such as those utilized by the Romulans and Klingons. Those systems are dependent upon energy directed at frequencies similar to those utilized by deflector shield generators in order to mask a vessel’s other power emissions. Based on these sensor readings, that does not seem to be the case here.”
Sensing motion behind him, Kirk turned to see Uhura crossing the deck from her own station. The look on her face was one of puzzlement.
“Captain,” she said, pulling the Feinberg receiver from her ear, “I’ve detected a very low-level communications signal. It’s broadcasting on a wide range, and at a frequency we don’t normally track. I only noticed it because I was picking up odd readings along one of the lower bands that we do monitor, and when I tried reconfiguring the communications array to sort it out, this other signal showed up.”
Without waiting for a prompt, she stepped closer to the science console and tapped several controls. In response to her instructions, one of the station’s smaller display screens flared to life and a string of information began scrolling, almost too fast for Kirk to follow.
“You think it’s from the other ship?” he asked.
Uhura replied, “I don’t know what else it could be. It’s not a spoken message, but more like a continuous data stream, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was trying to interface with our sensor array.”
“Excuse me.”
The voice came from behind Kirk, and he looked to see another of the cadets standing at attention, her body so stiff he was certain she might sprain a muscle. Her nervousness was evident on her face, despite her best efforts to maintain her bearing.
“Cadet . . . ?” prompted Kirk.
“Leah Feeze, Admiral.” She swallowed, then stopped herself from saying anything else until she swallowed again. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, sir, but I couldn’t help overhearing the discussion, and I . . . I think I might . . . that is . . .”
Spock said, “Midshipman Feeze is preparing to enter the advanced engineering track following her graduation. She has shown remarkable aptitude in starship sensor and tactical systems.”
“Something about all of this caught your attention, Mister Feeze?” Kirk asked.
The cadet nodded. “Yes, Admiral. Commander Uhura mentioned the communications signal she detected, and how it’s trying to connect with our sensors. What if . . . what if the signal is actually trying to manipulate them?”
“Manipulate them how?” asked Uhura.
“It would require a penetration of our sensor array’s oversight software, Commander, and it should be impossible with our internal security protocols. However, a focused, pervasive attack at a vulnerable point in our protection schemes might have an impact on our sensor capabilities.” Feeze had relaxed a bit now, her confidence no doubt buoyed after not being sent back to her station with a reprimand for daring to insert herself into the conversation.
After crossing his arms, Kirk reached up to rub his chin. “You’re talking about affecting what the sensors tell us?”
“Yes!” Feeze’s nodding was so animated at this point that Kirk feared for her suffering cranial damage. “That’s basically all we’re talking about.” She gestured toward the viewscreen and the image of Jupiter dominating it. “The ship itself isn’t really cloaked at all. It’s just fooling our sensors into thinking that. They did the same thing with the long-range sensors from the perimeter defense outposts. It might’ve even been easier to do that, thanks to the distance involved.”
Uhura frowned. “But what about the distortion readings?”
“That may be an artifact of the process,” replied Spock. “A result of our security protocols working to correct what they perceive as an incorrect or anomalous reading.” He looked to Feeze. “That is a most impressive display of deductive reasoning, Midshipman. Mister Sapp, please assist her in reconfiguring the sensors to account for this new information.” Stepping away from the science station, the Vulcan returned to the center of the bridge. “Commander Sulu, if this theory proves correct, we will be in a position to intercept the vessel in rather short order.”
Sulu smiled. “I’ll be ready, sir.”
“Very nicely done, cadets,” Kirk said. “Nice to see Starfleet’s going to be in good hands when you graduate next year.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” said Sapp.
Now standing a bit straighter, Feeze could not seem to help her sudden wide smile. “I appreciate that, sir.”
Leaving the cadets to their work, Kirk moved to the railing behind the captain’s chair. “They’re making you look pretty good, Spock.”
“They respond according to their gifts, Admiral.” His friend once more cocked his eyebrow. “I simply teach them how to harness those capacities.”
An alert tone echoed across the bridge, interrupting any reply Kirk might have offered, and Sulu shifted in his seat.
“The sensor mods worked, sir,” said the commander. “Readings are still a bit fuzzy, but it’s enough to go on. We can get a fix on their general location. A few more minutes, and we should have them locked in.”
“Uhura,” said Kirk, “relay whatever information you have to the Endeavour. I want them to move in, now.”
Once again, he found himself feeling out of place as the bridge crew—seasoned veterans and untested cadets alike—turned to their duties. Spock, having retaken his place in the center seat, was dividing his attention between the people under his command and the image of Jupiter, which was growing larger on the viewscreen. Looking past his friend’s shoulder, Kirk could see the astrogator and the icons representing the Enterprise and the Endeavour as the sister vessel closed the distance. Also visible on the scanner was a new indicator, a blue symbol standing in contrast to the red markers signifying the two starships.
“Commander Uhura,” said Spock. “Retransmit greeting messages on all frequencies. Mister Sulu, alter our course so that there is no doubt we are moving to intercept the other craft.”
Jupiter now filled the viewscreen, and Kirk could see something else: a small object matted against the gas giant’s atmospheric maelstrom. “There it is.”
“We’ve finished reconfiguring the sensors, sir,” reported Midshipman Sapp. “They can’t hide from us anymore.”
The vessel was small, thin, and angular, with a bulbous section at its forward end that suggested a cockpit or bridge. To Kirk it resembled a knife’s blade. Its hull surface was a striking silver that reflected the feeble light offered by the sun that was five times more distant from Jupiter than it was from Earth. Its very shape suggested speed, Kirk decided.
Spock replied, “Excellent work, Mister Sapp. You as well, Mister Feeze.”
“They’re making a run for it,” Sulu reported, pointing to the viewscreen.
“Maintain pursuit course.”
Kirk said, “After all of this, they’re not going to stand and fight?”
“They can’t, sir,” reported Sapp. “They’re unarmed. Sensors aren’t detecting anything that might be an external weapons port.”
“Life signs?” asked Spock.
The cadet shook his head. “Inconclusive, sir. The ship’s hull is reflecting our scans, so we can’t get a look inside.”
“Captain,” Uhura called out, “I’m picking up an incoming transmission. It’s on a low frequency, like their other broadcast.” Her attention still fixed on her console, she moved one hand across the clusters of controls while her other hand held her receiver to her ear. “It seems to be a repeating message, audio only. There’s not a
lot here, but I’m feeding it through the universal translator.” As Kirk moved to stand next to her, the communications officer tapped additional keys before looking up and nodding. “I think I’ve got it, Admiral. It’s a greeting, and . . . something else.”
Kirk replied, “Let’s hear it.”
A moment later, the bridge’s intercom system flared to life, and a high-pitched, almost childlike voice said, “Greetings. We apologize for our secretive transit of your star system. We are travelers, searching for a spacecraft that went missing in this area of space some time ago, and we request your assistance. It is our belief that this vessel crashed on your system’s third planet.”
Seven
“Energize.”
Along with Spock, Kirk stood before the transporter room’s shielded console, facing the pad as Montgomery Scott manned the station itself. The chamber flared to life in response to the engineer’s commands, and two columns of sparkling light appeared. They solidified into a pair of humanoid shapes as the transport process completed, and both figures looked first at each other before glancing around the room, and Kirk forced himself not to smile as both new arrivals patted themselves as though to verify that their entire bodies had made the transit.
“I’m Admiral Kirk,” he said, stepping forward and offering a small, formal bow. “Welcome aboard the Enterprise. On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, I extend you our warmest greetings.”
Both of the aliens—a female and a male, as far as Kirk had been able to determine during their earlier communication in preparation for this meeting—nodded in return, and it was the female who spoke first.
“Thank you, Admiral. I am Jepolin, and I stand before you as a representative of all the Iramahl people. Once again, please accept my apologies for our furtive entry into your star system. It was a precautionary measure on our part, and one I am happy to see was unwarranted.” She held out her hands, which were long, thin, and possessed three fingers and a longer digit on the outside of the hand that resembled an opposable thumb. Neither of the Iramahl possessed any hair on their heads or narrow faces, and pale yellow skin accented by bright gold eyes flanked a thin, angular nose. Each was dressed in a single robe-like garment covering them from the neck down, leaving only their heads and hands visible, and appeared tailored to minimize any gender-specific physical attributes. Jepolin’s garment was deep blue with an intricate gold pattern woven into the shiny fabric, while her male companion’s ensemble was emerald green and featured similar embroidery.
