by Judith
Kirk opened his mouth to answer just as a second rapping sounded on the hull.
“Request permission to come aboard,” Spock said formally.
“The door is open, Mr. Spock,” Kirk answered.
“Pardon me for interrupting, Captain, but I was curious to know if you had determined your course of action.” Spock sat behind McCoy, and also turned to face the captain.
“Partially, Spock. I was just about to go over it.”
“Please continue.”
McCoy’s eyes flashed at Spock. “Oh, yes, Captain, please do,” he said facetiously.
Kirk stretched out his legs and hooked an arm over the back of the pilot’s chair. “My main concern is to keep all our options open until the last possible second. The less I commit the Enterprise to do, the less likely the chance of inadvertently compromising the Prime Directive.”
“Leaving command decisions to the last second sounds pretty risky, Jim.”
“But striving to maintain the Prime Directive is most logical.”
Kirk had the sudden feeling that if he ever decided on a course of action that both Spock and McCoy supported, then he would be sure to be making a mistake. “I admit that it’s a compromise. But in the meantime, I’ll be gathering as much new information as possible about current conditions before deciding additional actions.” Kirk watched as Spock nodded and McCoy’s lips tightened. Good, he thought, they’re still not agreeing. Maybe this plan has some merit after all.
“The first thing that concerns me,” Kirk continued, “is what that Talin lunar mission is up to. Given the state of their world’s economy and the war footing the nation states are on, I don’t think it’s reasonable at this time to expect them to commit such considerable resources to a purely exploratory lunar mission.”
“It is a troubling development,” Spock said.
[152] “So, I’ve sent Scotty his orders by tightbeam. He’s to lock sensors on the lunar vessel the next time it passes out of line of sight from Talin. Then the first thing he’s to do is to send out a quarter-second sensor pulse to see if the vessel is carrying rubindium or dilithium.”
“If it is,” McCoy cautioned, “then subspace resonance is going to light up those crystals like the dickens.”
“But only for a quarter second, Bones. And if the sensor return indicates that crystals are on board, then the scan will not be repeated. That’s well within the bounds of the Directive.”
“However,” Spock interjected, “if the sensor scan reveals no such crystals are present, then the Talin aboard will not be able to detect further investigation by sensor.”
“Exactly,” Kirk agreed. “In that case, Mr. Scott is instructed to conduct a full sensor survey of the Talin vessel. At the same time, any stray subspace signals will be blocked from ground-based stations on Talin by the moon’s mass. And from those radiation signatures Chekov picked up, I’m betting that we find fusion warheads on that ship.”
“Why the hell would the Talin send warheads here?” McCoy asked. “They have no bases on the moon.”
“But the FCO says some Talin suspect extraplanetary surveillance. This moon is a logical place to conduct such surveillance. The early Vulcan observer missions to Earth used our moon as a base from time to time, correct, Spock?”
“That is true,” Spock admitted.
“So you think the lunar mission’s part of the war effort,” McCoy asked, “come to wipe out the alien invaders?”
“Remember what Wilforth’s data files told us, Bones: The Talin leaders don’t believe in aliens. That ship’s more likely to have been launched by one Talin nation state to seek out and destroy a base believed to belong to another. Which is why we have to have a complete scan of it. If the vessel is on a war mission, and it has warheads, and it’s carrying instruments which might locate this outpost, then everyone stationed here is at risk.”
[153] McCoy looked grim. “There’re more than a hundred personnel here, Jim, and their evacuation plan depends on a ship with the Enterprise’s capabilities. There’s no way the outpost could be evacuated quickly without revealing our presence.”
“Believe me, Bones, if we have to evacuate the outpost because the Talin have launched warheads at it, they’ll already know we’re here.”
“The Enterprise’s sensors do have the ability to selectively disable the old style electronic components used for detonating such warheads, Captain.”
“I know, Spock. I’m already having Scotty run simulations to prepare for that possibility. Though if it ever did come to us taking that action, once again they’d know we were here—and that we’re technologically superior to them. And if that happens, the whole mission has failed. Ours and the FCO’s.”
“So much for Talin’s moon,” McCoy said. “What are you going to do about the Talin planet?”
Kirk frowned, showing he had still not completely made up his mind. “So far, I’ve told Director Wilforth that I’ll take his people into orbit over the key military installations he’s interested in. I’ll decide then whether or not to beam down his intrusive-collection teams.”
“What will determine your decision at that time?” Spock asked.
“A lot will depend on how well Scott can keep the Enterprise hidden from the Talin’s sensors. She’s not a Wraith, gentlemen. And she won’t be passive. While we’re in such low orbit, we’ll have to use our deflectors plus full electronic and subspace countermeasures to remain invisible to the Talin sensor stations.”
McCoy didn’t look pleased. “How low is ‘low’?”
Kirk shrugged. “Scotty’s working on it. He says it’s likely going to be somewhere between sixty and eighty kilometers above the planet.”
“A very good estimate,” Spock commented.
But McCoy scowled. “Damn it, Jim, the Enterprise is a [154] starship, not a glider! What the blazes are we going to be doing literally in the planet’s atmosphere?”
“Endeavoring to keep stray transporter radiation to a minimum,” Spock said, “by cutting the transporter beam to the lowest gain which will still allow for the safe transmission of intelligent lifeforms.”
“Exactly, Spock. We’ll do a preliminary test run at a higher altitude for the orbital insertions of the passive sensor satellites the FCO wants launched. If everything checks out and we’ve not been detected, then I’ll authorize a low-orbit pass over the key installations. Then, and only if we’re still undetected, I’ll authorize the collection teams to beam down.”
“I tell you, Jim,” McCoy said, “if something starts coming at us while we’re at that altitude, even I know we’re not going to be able to warp out of orbit. Not that close to a gravity well.”
“I understand, Bones. And so does Scotty. But the only way to eliminate all risk is to do nothing. And if I do nothing, then I have just about the same chance of breaking the Prime Directive as I would if I did the wrong thing.”
McCoy turned to look at Spock, eyes wide. “I don’t believe it. You’re not going to quote the odds?”
“Doctor, I regret that in this situation I am incapable of quantifying all possible scenarios.”
“Really?” Kirk asked in true surprise. “I was hoping for some input from you.”
“I am still at your disposal.”
McCoy shifted in his chair. “Well, what would logic dictate that the captain do, Spock?”
“Exactly what he has outlined. Uphold the Prime Directive while minimizing risk and maximizing knowledge. At this stage, there is no more that can be done.”
Kirk bowed his head. “Thank you, Mr. Spock. I’m satisfied with that input.”
“That’s it?” McCoy asked. “That’s as far as logic takes you?”
“Because of the unusual situation that exists on Talin, there are too many variables to prepare additional strategies without additional information.”
[155] McCoy leaned back against the shuttle’s bulkhead and smirked.
“Bones, from the look on your face, I’d say you had some input of your own fo
r me.”
“Damn right I do,” McCoy said smugly. “I know why the Talin are convinced they’re under extraplanetary observation even though the FCO has done nothing to alert them.”
“Is that so?” Kirk asked.
“Indeed,” Spock said dryly.
“Because someone else is observing them!” McCoy stated proudly.
Kirk looked at Spock.
“There is no one else in the system, Doctor. Except for ourselves, there are no alien lifeforms and no alien probes. Because this is a system under FCO jurisdiction, everything that enters or leaves Talin space is monitored by the automated sensor stations in place at the edge of the system, and they have detected nothing in eight years.”
“Klingons with Romulan cloaking devices,” McCoy said, though less smugly. Then his smile disappeared in stages as Spock offered another explanation.
“We are so far removed from the Klingon Empire that even they would realize that the Organian Peace Treaty would give them no right of claim over this system. Likewise, the Romulans are too far away. Furthermore, the Talin system offers nothing of unusual value which would entice distant invaders to risk penetrating this far into Federation space. There are hundreds of uninhabited systems with natural resources of far greater value than Talin’s in many disputed territories much closer to our frontiers. Not only is there no one else in this system, no others would travel to this system for what it has to offer.”
“Well, Spock, at least you’ve got to admit it was a good suggestion. Logical even.”
Spock turned back to Kirk. “If your definition of logic includes ignoring established facts, then it was indeed quite logical, Doctor.”
[156] “Thanks, Bones,” Kirk said, trying to soften the blow. “It was one of the first things I thought of, too. But not even a cloaking device could fool the sensor stations surrounding the system long enough to get a ship to Talin IV.”
“So that’s it?” McCoy asked. “The whole plan?”
Kirk nodded.
“But it’s not enough, Jim.”
“Best I can do under the circumstances, and I know it’s not much. To be honest, I’m not holding out too much hope that I actually will allow Wilforth’s people to beam down because the last thing a war-ready nation state needs is to catch aliens materializing inside a military installation. And that means, if the Talin do have their war, that we might never recover the data we’d need to determine—even in hindsight—exactly what the best course of action should have been for me to follow.”
“And we’ll never know how things went so terribly wrong down there,” McCoy said. He sounded stricken.
“You don’t have to tell me, Bones. I can’t see a way out of this one no matter what happens. I’m going to be happy just to get the Enterprise out of orbit in one piece and let Command and the Council work it out. The last thing I need is a run-in with a board of inquiry over the Prime Directive.”
Spock nodded. “You are in a classic no-win situation, Captain.”
Kirk tried to keep the look of pain from his face but without success.
McCoy turned to the science officer. “Mr. Spock, you could have talked all day and not said that.”
“But he’s right, Bones,” Kirk said. “If things on Talin really are as bad as the FCO’s updates indicate, then there are not going to be any winners in the next few days. Either here or on Talin.”
McCoy stood up and put his hand on Kirk’s shoulder. “I know it doesn’t happen very often, Jim, but you have been known to be wrong before. And I hope this is one of those times when you’re wrong again.”
“So do I,” Kirk said. But he knew he wasn’t, and from the [157] guarded look in Spock’s eyes, his friend and science officer knew it, too.
For the first time in almost five years, Kirk was preparing to take his ship and his crew into a mission he knew he could not possibly complete with success. But to fulfill his duty to Starfleet, to defend the Articles of Federation, and to uphold the Prime Directive, he had no choice but to seek out and accept defeat.
It was the one thing he had never been taught at Starfleet Academy—and the one thing he had never learned to do on his own.
FIVE
No matter what Kirk thought he might face in the next forty-eight hours, he had no doubt that the best place to face it would be the bridge of the Enterprise. Returning there, as always, he felt renewed.
The instant the turbolift door opened onto the somehow soothing noise and activity of the bridge, Kirk saw Scotty step out of the central chair.
“It’s good to have ye back, Captain,” Scott said.
“Good to be back, Mr. Scott.” Kirk stood by his chair, one hand on the arm, surveying his domain. Behind him, Uhura and Spock took up their stations. In front of him, Chekov and Sulu took up theirs.
“Satellite status, Mr. Scott?” Kirk asked.
“All eight ready to go when ye give the word, sir.”
Kirk turned to Uhura. “Has the hangar bay reported yet?”
Uhura wheeled in her chair, one hand to her earpiece. “Three Wraiths have landed and are being stowed, Captain. All assigned FCO personnel are onboard.”
“Status of Talin lunar craft, Mr. Spock?”
“Approaching farside cut-off in seven minutes, Captain.”
“ETA on intercept orbit, Mr. Sulu?”
[159] “Seven minutes, ten seconds to arrival, sir.”
“Talin warhead status, Mr. Chekov?”
“No change, Keptin. Two armed, four on standby.”
Kirk paused in silence. Each person on the bridge was poised, waiting for his words, his commands.
He took his chair.
“Helm, take us to Talin vessel intercept.”
“Aye-aye, sir.”
The Enterprise effortlessly slipped from her station-keeping orbit, dropping lower and faster to the moon of Talin, heading for the primitive vessel thousands of kilometers ahead. The mission had begun.
Seven minutes later, the Talin lunar vessel filled the main screen. It consisted of a main eight-meter metallic sphere ringed by six bell-shaped thruster skirts. The main sphere was connected by a ten-meter-long open grillwork tube to two six-meter spheres, one of which had folded-up landing legs. The overall structure was heavily textured with wiring conduits, three small antenna dishes, and a variety of asymmetrical bulges which could be anything from attitude thrusters to instrument bays.
“What are they throwing at us, Mr. Chekov?” Kirk asked.
“Sweeping with standard radar signals only, Keptin. Our sensors are creating perfect inwerse phase delays to show there is nothing in the immediate wicinity.”
“Orbit intercept,” Sulu announced. “Holding back ten kilometers, running lights out.” At their angle to the Talin craft, the Enterprise was safely hidden within the glare from the lunar surface.
Scott stood beside the captain’s chair and made soft tsk tsk noises.
Kirk smiled. “What do you make of her, Scotty?”
The chief engineer cocked his head skeptically. “They deserve an A for effort, but I don’t know how they’re managing to keep an atmosphere in her. My preliminary scans showed absolutely no magnatomic adhesion bonds in the whole craft.”
[160] Spock stepped up to the railing by his station. “I believe you’ll find the entire pressurized crew compartment is sealed by welding and rivets.”
Scott shook his head. “Och, then she might just as well be carved of wood for all the structural strength she’ll be having.”
Chekov turned away from the screen for a moment. “Is it supposed to be a one-way trip for them, Mr. Spock? I don’t see any part of the craft which could survive an atmospheric re-entry.”
“The Talin strategy at this time is to leave their re-entry vehicle in orbit around their homeworld rather than expend the extra fuel required to send it to their moon and back,” Spock explained.
“But they’ll be using up far more fuel trying to slow down enough to dock with it on the return,” Sc
ott said.
“The Talin have a great deal of patience, Mr. Scott. In the past, their lunar mission profiles included a week’s worth of high-orbit deceleration loops to match orbits with their reentry vessel.”
Scott frowned. “Then they’ll be spending extra fuel for carrying their increased life-support consumables. I don’t understand their reasoning.”
“Life-support consumables are minimal owing to their ability to cocoon themselves when conditions are less than optimal. There is a complete report—”
Kirk interrupted. “We are due in Talin orbit within the hour, gentlemen. Perhaps we might proceed to the next phase?”
“Aye, Captain” Scott said, going to join Spock at the science station. “The sensors are all set for ye, Mr. Spock.”
But Spock stayed at the railing. “I believe you are more qualified than I at what must be done, Mr. Scott. I do not claim to have your level of engineering expertise.”
Scott appeared to be surprised by Spock’s compliment, and pleased by it as well. “I’d be happy to handle the procedure.”
“Then please do,” Spock said, offering Scott his station.
Scott peered into the hooded science scope and blue light [161] flooded his face. “Mr. Chekov, would ye please transfer tractor beam controls to the science station.”
“Transferring now, Mr. Scott.”
“That’s a fine lad ... now ... now ... scanning for the detonators ... easy ... easy ...” Scott kept a quiet conversation going with himself as he simultaneously manipulated controls for the ship’s finest resolution sensor probes, as well as for the tractor beams. But Kirk tuned him out. It was just a sign that Scott was completely absorbed in what he was doing. And what he was doing demanded no less than total concentration.
Earlier, as Scott had followed Kirk’s tightbeamed orders from the FCO outpost, the initial quarter-second sensor pulse had revealed that the Talin lunar craft was not carrying rubindium or dilithium. That meant its crew would be completely oblivious to further sensor scans, provided they were done on the side of the moon opposite any detectors on Talin. Subspace radiation from the ship’s sensors could easily travel through the moon’s solid matter. But with the sensor’s focus controls tuned to line-of-sight nearspace, the radiation that emerged would be virtually undetectable by any but the most sophisticated sensing systems. And no matter how unusually advanced the Talin might be with their discovery of second-stage matter’s subspace resonance effects, they were still decades away from building the transtator technology that could fully exploit that class of natural phenomena.