Star Trek - Log 10

by Alan Dean Foster

  Kirk's estimate of Briamosite decision-making ability was correct. At least four hours had passed before the assembled knot of gangly aliens filed back into the conference chamber and resumed their seats. They looked exhausted, mentally worn, but satisfied. Clearly they had reached agreement on one or more points.

  Leader Sarvus alone did not sit down. Instead, he made a complex gesture with both hands, his amazingly flexible hearing organs dancing like the sails of toy boats in a spring breeze. "The Council of Briamos has decided."

  Kirk leaned forward in surprise. So did Kumara. Neither captain had expected a final dispensation this quickly.

  Sarvus noticed their heightened attentiveness, smiled with his ears. "We of Briamos do not do things in haste, but we like to do them without of time being wasteful. We do not feel further information is warranted or necessary. Enough has been presented, combined with what we already have learned, for a lasting decision to be handed down.

  "Toward the unsuccessful side, we wish no animosity." Kirk tensed in spite of himself. "We wish to remain friends with all. But it has been determined that it is in the best interests of the United Systems of Briamos to ally itself with the United Federation of Planets."

  Kirk began to smile broadly. He glanced to his right—and what he saw killed the smile instantly. Fortunately, the Klingons were so outraged and excited at the Briamosites' announcement that they didn't notice Spock was also smiling. If they had noticed that inexplicable anomaly . . .

  "Ssst! Mr. Sulu!"

  Sulu-spock looked down at the insistent whisper, the smile fading curiously. Kirk grinned back, hugely, grotesquely, and pointed casually to the "science officer's" mouth. Sulu-spock looked blank for a moment, then shocked, as he realized what had happened. The smile vanished instantly from his face and he resumed the dour expression more suited to a Vulcan executive officer.

  Kirk returned his attention to the rest of the chamber. No one had seen the unnatural smile. Certainly none of the Klingons had, or they wouldn't be raving with such single-mindedness at their Briamosite hosts.

  "Sorry I am," Leader Sarvus declared in a firm, no-nonsense voice. "But Council its decision has made. We have all the factors considered and balanced in objective fashion. We see no reason to change that decision. Nor can you present any additional evidence which would lead us to do so." He paused to let the Klingons absorb that. "Until tomorrow when we will an official leave-taking have for both sides, is suggested strongly we—"

  "I have some suggestions of my own," a furious Kumara broke in. He was wholly Klingon now, his veneer of carefully cultivated gentility obliterated by the brusque finality of the Briamosite decision. "Since you have chosen to display the irrational obstinacy of so many of the more primitive races, you leave me no choice now but to—!"

  Kirk had his communicator out and was in the process of activating it. He was too late. Kumara had come to the conference prepared to deal with any eventuality, including the Briamosites' announced decision. The Klingon did not bother with a communicator, with orders or directions, but simply touched a switch at his waist.

  A vast humming filled the chamber, the heartbeat of a huge yellow glow that enveloped various sections of the room. Members of the Briamosite council scattered in confused panic. At their cries, wall panels slid aside and armed, alert Briamosite guards rushed into the chamber. But there was nothing for them to do, no one for them to arrest, no antagonists for them to subdue.

  The Klingons, the four Federation representatives, and Leader Sarvus of the United Systems of Briamos had vanished with the glow.

  Kirk realized what was happening before they re-materialized on board the Klingon cruiser. So incensed was he at Kumara's action that he nearly spoke out of turn—and out of character. Luckily, his companions were as furious as he was.

  Sulu, carefully maintaining his Vulcan pose, spoke first as waiting Klingon guards herded the prisoners out of the transporter alcove. His angry but controlled comments reminded the others that they were still imprisoned in the bodies of their friends and shipmates. "This is a direct violation of the Federation-Klingon treaty," Sulu-spock declaimed. "Such an action is tantamount to a declaration of war."

  "I would hardly go that far," countered Kumara thoughtfully. There was no humor in his words, but he seemed less apoplectic now that he was safely aboard his own ship and once more in control of events.

  The prisoners were escorted down a corridor and into an elevator shaft. "The Federation-Imperial treaties have power only within Federation-Imperial space," Kumara declared pleasantly. Kirk badly wanted to respond to that statement, but forced himself not to. It wasn't his place.

  Uhura-kirk had to speak for him. "The systems of Briamos lie within the areas covered by treaty."

  "That's so," conceded Kumara as the elevator moved. "However, within an inhabited, intelligence-dominated, technologically advanced system such as Briamos, the treaties have no force. Briamosite independence takes precedence over outside agreements. If we were acting outside the region claimed by Briamos, then all treaties would be in effect. Within their system, Briamosite jurisdiction has precedence," he added smugly. "We're prepared to argue the point with the Briamosites, not the Federation."

  "You're basing this kidnapping on a legal technicality," Spock-uhura risked adding. "Submitting your specious argument to jurisprudence will reveal holes in it large enough to drive a starship through, Captain Kumara."

  Kumara eyed Uhura's form curiously. "You dabble in interstellar law in addition to handling communications, Lieutenant?"

  "A hobby only," replied Spock-uhura, promptly shutting up. It was exceedingly painful, but Spock was going to have to force himself not to reply to the Klingon commander's continued perversions of logic. Lieutenant Uhura wasn't supposed to know about interstellar law.

  "Don't talk to me of technicalities," Kumara countered.

  "Technicalities!" Uhura-kirk exclaimed in disblief. "You call the abduction by force from a treaty conference of your counterparts a technicality? Not to mention the kidnapping of the leader of an independent system."

  "By force?" Kumara's lips curled in a Klingon grin. "No one has touched anyone. As for the other, we'll argue about it later. I have no more time to waste on subtleties."

  That casual comment was far more chilling than any direct threat could have been.

  The elevator doors slid aside and they were ushered onto the bridge of Kumara's ship. Several Klingon officers looked back briefly from their respective stations. One called out urgently, "Honored Captain, the Briamosite security vessels are converging on your position."

  "They have received word then that we've invited their Leader to be our guest," Kumara murmured.

  A curt alien sound, midway between a cough and a grunt, came from the vicinity of the Briamosite leader. Translation was not necessary. Its meaning was abundantly clear.

  Kumara made a gesture and two of the Klingon soldiers prodded the tall leader. He moved forward reluctantly. Kirk watched, thinking frantically, cradling the stasis box under one arm. It had been beamed aboard with him, and there was nothing more he could do beyond grabbing it before some Klingon plucked it from its resting place in the transporter alcove. He wondered how much longer it would be before Kumara's attention switched from the viewscreen forward and the closing Briamosite ships, to the softly pulsing box Kirk held tightly next to his left side.

  "Give me an open channel," the Klingon commander instructed his communications operator, "to the Briamosite ships."

  A few adjustments to his instrumentation and the Klingon nodded to his captain. Kumara indicated that the Briamosite leader was to come forward, where he would be within range of the bridge visual pickup. When the leader refused, he was "assisted." Not especially gently, Kirk noted tight-lipped.

  "They're your ships," Kumara said, indicating the converging shapes on the main viewscreen. "Tell them that you're in good health and that as long as they keep their weapons quieted you will not be harmed."<
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  "Why to my people should I lie?" The Leader stared over Kumara's head, entwined his flexible fingers in resignation.

  "If you insist on playing the martyr, then naturally I can't stop you," said Kumara shrewdly. "You can always be one later. I think we can resolve our present situation, if you don't find our hospitality pleasing. So let's discuss before we come to any final, fatal decisions, shall we?" He indicated the viewscreen again.

  "They can attack any time. Why rush your death?"

  Leader Sarvus looked uncertain. He glanced back at Kirk-uhura for advice.

  Uhura grew frantic, tried to look at Kirk-sulu without looking at him. But they had several simple, prearranged signals for communicating in emergencies without giving their altered identities away. One tap on the floor would indicate a negative, two taps positive. Kirk-sulu's boot stamped twice, nervously it seemed to any onlooker, and Uhura hurried her reply.

  "Go ahead and tell your ships to hold back, sir. Let's see what Kumara has in mind, first."

  The Leader's, ears twitched sharply. "It shall be as you say, Captain Kirk." He turned back toward the screen, his gaze passing over and utterly ignoring Kumara. "As we have little experience in dealing with the things of Klingon, we must rely on the advice of those who know them better."

  Leaning forward over the pickup, he gave the order not to attack. There was a wait. A report came from the Klingon science station.

  "Scanners show that all alien vessels continue to maintain their positions, Honored Captain."

  Kumara looked up warningly at Sarvus. "Tell them to pull back. They can keep us within range if they like, but they're close enough to make me nervous."

  The Briamosite leader spoke into the pickup once more. Then the viewscreen showed the warships, now numbering an impressive dozen, moving away from the Klingon cruiser.

  Kumara appeared satisfied, and turned his attention to Uhura-kirk. "Now it's your turn, Jim. You'd better talk to your own people. As soon as they discover you're not down on the surface, and learn what happened, they're liable to panic instead of reacting sensibly."

  "That'd be hard on you, wouldn't it?" a bitter Kirk-sulu said. Kumara ignored the lieutenant.

  "Any attack would of course result in your death, Jim, and that of your companions. Needlessly, as you'll soon see. Either that or we'd destroy the Enterprise. Neither possibility can be to your liking." He barked an order at the communications officer, who promptly switched to standard Starfleet intership frequency.

  Kirk-sulu's foot struck the deck twice again. Uhura-kirk didn't even look in his direction this time as she absorbed the instruction. "Enterprise?" she said into the aural pickup.

  "Scott here. Is that you, Captain?" The chief engineer's worried voice gave no sign that he knew he was speaking to Lieutenant Uhura and not Kirk himself.

  "Yes, Mr. Scott. We have been kidnapped by the Klingons."

  Scott started to reply, sputtering, but Uhura-kirk cut him off quickly. "Remain calm, Mr. Scott." (How fortunate, Kirk mused, that Kumara wasn't aware Kirk commonly called his chief engineer Scotty.) "We have not been harmed. So far, it seems we are not going to be. We are going to . . . discuss the situation soon.

  "Leader Sarvus of the United Systems of Briamos has been abducted with us." She added, for good measure and for Kumara's edification, "If it was only myself involved I'd have you arm all weapons and engage, Mr. Scott. However," and she looked back at Sarvus, "with the Leader of our new allies on board, we cannot risk a confrontation."

  Kirk mentally wrote out a commendation for Uhura, She had managed to confirm officially that the Briamosites had now formally joined themselves to the Federation.

  "Are you certain, Captain?" Scott inquired, emphasizing the "Captain."

  "Mr. Scott," Uhura-kirk replied, "Mr. Spock, Lieutenant Sulu, and Lieutenant Uhura are all here with me. If any of them could speak, I can assure you they would give exactly the same orders."

  That satisfied Scott that Uhura was acting with Kirk's approval. "Verra well, sir. But tell the Klingons not to try movin' a single planetary diameter farther out than they are now. If they do, we're goin' to open their ship up like a pre-stressed package of carbonated beverage."

  Kumara chuckled. "Such belligerence!" The amusement didn't last but a couple of seconds. "That's enough," he instructed his communications officer. "Keep monitoring both Enterprise and local frequencies. I want to know if and when any of the involved parties contemplates aggressive action."

  "Yes, Honored Captain," the communications chief replied efficiently.

  Another officer called out. "The Enterprise is raising defensive screens, sir. Energy readings indicate that she is activating her phasers!"

  "Calm down, Kivord," the Klingon commander said. "They're just warning us not to do anything without informing them first of our intent." His gaze traveled to Uhura-kirk and Leader Sarvus. "We have no intentions of trying anything without your knowledge . . . and consent."

  Leader Sarvus recognized a negotiating cue when it was offered to him. "You mentioned we might to an arrangement come," he murmured resignedly. "What sort of arrangement? You must know there is nothing I, a single individual, can do concerning the decision of the Council."

  Kumara took his time, walked away from them and sat down in the command chair. "I realize that we cannot force Briamos to rescind its verbal agreement with the Federation, no matter how much more beneficial an alliance with Klingon would be."

  This time Sarvus didn't bother to sneer. "Whatever chance the Klingon Empire might have retained for future assignations with Briamos has been obliterated forever by your actions this day of," the Leader said woodenly.

  "I'm aware of that." Kumara sounded disgusted. "Those who are foolish enough to join themselves to the Federation rarely manage to extricate themselves from their entrapment. The Federation has numerous exceedingly devious methods for insuring that captive peoples never regain their independence of action. Once snared by Federation lies, a race can never free itself from that efficient network of agents, lies, and deceptions.

  "However, we can do something else. If we cannot convince Briamos of the efficacy of aligning itself with the Empire, at least we can prevent you from making the fatal error of joining the Federation. You, Leader Sarvus, will sign treaty forms declaring yourselves to be permanent neutrals. You will make no alliance, mutual agreement of cooperation, or material exchange of any official sort with either the Federation or Klingon." Kumara leaned forward intently.

  "Furthermore, Jim," he told Uhura-kirk, "you and your executive officer Spock will acknowledge witnessing this treaty. You will sign, in your official capacity as ambassadors-designate, treaty forms to the effect that the Federation will not violate Briamosite neutrality or attempt in any way to induce the Briamosites to ally themselves with the Federation any time in the future." He sat back in the command chair.

  "I think that's a reasonable request, considering your present situation, Jim. If you consent to do this, then upon the signing and registering with relay stations of the treaty articles, you will all be permitted to return to your ship and you, Leader Sarvus, to your world, free and unharmed."

  "I . . . I don't know what to do." Sarvus looked hopefully at Uhura-kirk.

  She responded, staring straight at Kumara, with the same words she thought her captain would use. "You expect us to give in to political blackmail, Kumara? If you kill us, the Enterprise will take you apart deck by deck. If the Enterprise fails, the Briamosite fleet surely won't. The Briamosites will know what you've done because you'll have to kill Leader Sarvus also. Once that's done, their alliance with the Federation will become stronger than ever. And there will be trouble on a scale you can't begin to imagine."

  "Oh, I can imagine it," Kumara responded, unperturbed by Uhura-kirk's stormy reply. "I just don't think what you postulate could happen."

  "You seem to place a great deal of confidence in the Federation's unwillingness to go to war."

  Kumara executed
the Klingon equivalent of a shrug. "A few officers lost here, a couple kidnapped there. That's not sufficient grounds for intergalactic war. Besides," he continued, smiling humorlessly at each of them in turn, "future political possibilities and the legality of the treaties you sign need not overly concern us here. What is actually at stake, now, here, this moment, is far simpler to grasp and balance: your lives. But there's no need," he added more easily, "to consider such extreme possibilities." The smile returned. "I can see that in order to convince you to see clearly, some persuasion beyond mere logic is going to be necessary . . ."

  XVI

  The Klingon bridge was silent save for the steady thrumming of instruments as the prisoners considered that first direct, ominous threat.

  "This is the so-called civilization you considered allying yourselves with," Uhura-kirk said sadly to the towering Briamosite leader.

  "Forgive us," Sarvus replied. "We were ignorant of true facts. That has now changed."

  "One of our respective moral codes is not necessarily better than the other," Kumara observed, "simply different." He turned his gaze on Uhura's form. Spock regarded the Klingon commander calmly out of Uhura's eyes.

  "Say what you mean," snapped Uhura-kirk. "Your attempts at rationalizing criminal behavior aren't fooling anyone."

  Kumara ignored her, glanced at the Briamosite leader. "I think we can demonstrate the sniveling sentimentality of the Federation races in the face of danger, Leader Sarvus. It will serve to illustrate the undependability of the Federation in difficult situations. For example, it is enlightening to know," he went on, his attention returning to Spock-uhura, "that humans are absurdly irrational when it comes to threats to females of their species. All I need to do is threaten one of them. That one," and he pointed suddenly at Spock-uhura, "with bodily harm, and they will rapidly capitulate to the most unreasonable demands. Are those the kind of people you wish as allies?"