"At this point, they are in no danger. If other Jurnamoria ships join the attack against us, I cannot say what the effects will be."
"Should I return fire, sir?" Chekov asked eagerly. His finger quivered over the firing button that would allow incomprehensibly potent phaser beams to leap forth.
"Keep the power at a minimum on the phasers. Ready photon torpedoes. Set proximity fuses to explode one thousand kilometers in front of each target."
"Sir, that will do no damage!"
"Mr. Chekov, your bloodthirstiness in pursuit of defending this ship is admirable, but I don't want to destroy that fleet. I want to show them what we can do—and haven't done."
"Sir," the young ensign said, chastised.
"That's not gonna work, Jim," said McCoy in exasperation. "They'll think we're not destroying them because we can't. When a planet gets the warring bloodlust like they've got it, nothing but victory or death will sate it."
"Mr. Chekov, are torpedo triggers set as ordered?"
"Aye, sir."
"Fire tubes four through seven—now!"
Chekov's finger plunged downward savagely. A deep shudder passed through the ship as the four photon torpedoes launched. On the viewscreen the torpedo traces showed vividly in comparison to the smaller, less effective rockets fired by the warring craft. The screen turned blinding white as the four torpedoes exploded a million meters in front of their targets.
"Sir, they're renewing their attack. Three of the craft we fired on are disabled. They are forming on us and allowing the Ammdon vessels free rein."
"Scotty, give me impulse power to get out of orbit. Let's try to lead them away from Ammdon, if nothing else."
The vessel quivered as power flooded the ignition chambers of the impulse engines. Kirk knew he risked much with this maneuver. Fuel for the impulse engines was at a premium; using the warp power would have been a more conservative approach, but he worried at the instabilities mounting in the stardrive engines. If he needed phaser power, it had to come from their gargantuan energy reserves available, even at an eighty percent functional level.
"They are following us, sir. Their communications officers are tracking and giving course data," reported Uhura. "There isn't too much else being passed between them."
"They know what to do. This is a warlike culture. They've practiced enough to act without overt direction." Kirk sat back and enjoyed the brief respite he'd won by turning tail and running.
"Sir, the vice-regent wishes to speak to you. He sounds very angry."
"I imagine he is, Lieutenant. Very well, put him on the screen." Kirk watched as the viewscreen tore apart, then re-formed with the image of Vice-Regent Falda. The man's chocolate complexion had turned even darker with anger. Kirk imagined he saw sparks actually flitting about in the jet irises as Falda tried in vain to control his wrath.
"Captain Kirk," he said, turning the name into an insult. "You run like a whipped cur. You throw Ammdon to the wolves at our door. What value is this Federation of yours if it does not deliver the protection our treaty guarantees?"
"Vice-Regent, greetings." Kirk waited for the man to respond. When he didn't, Kirk smiled and said mildly, "We have no wish to be caught between warring factions. We do not wish to view this war at all. We bring offers of peace, of assistance."
"Assistance means helping us destroy those interlopers! They bombard my planet even at this moment. We outnumber them, but their weapons are superior to ours. We require your firepower to stop them. Without it, we perish."
"Jim," whispered McCoy. "Should you contact Starfleet and get orders?"
"It wouldn't do any good. I know as much about the situation as anyone there—more. If I can't handle it, how can a bureaucrat four hundred parsecs away?"
Kirk held up his hand to silence McCoy. "I won't pass along the responsibility, Bones. This is my command. I've been assigned to keep the peace, and I'll do it. I will!"
"Captain Kirk, are you returning to defend Ammdon, or do we count this as a breaching of the Ammdon-Federation treaty?" The vice-regent glared from the viewscreen.
"We will return, Vice-Regent Falda. As long as your ships do not fire on us, as they were doing."
"The heat of battle," the man apologized insincerely. "Our peace-loving commanders lack experience. Some fired at anything in their sights."
"I'm sure that's how it happened. However, there is a condition to our return. We will once more sit at the conference table and discuss mutually acceptable peaceful solutions to your problems with Jurnamoria."
"Sit with Constable Ganessa? Impossible. She ordered this attack. I have no truck with murderers."
"I'm sure she'd say the same, Captain," said Spock. "Their bioprofiles indicate extreme hostility toward one another. If Ammdon or Jurnamoria had selected any other negotiators, this might have been avoided. The personality conflicts are too great."
"They're too much alike," said Kirk, nodding in understanding and still at a loss how to defuse the interplanetary war and all its far-reaching consequences.
A flare of red lights caught Kirk's attention. All over the bridge flashed emergency warnings. The deflector screens at full barely held off the attacks launched against them now.
"Phasers, sir? More torpedoes?" Chekov nervously licked his lips, eyes riveted to the readouts showing how near the point of failure for the screens was.
"More power to the deflectors." He thought hard if they turned and ran, they might reach starbase before everything aboard the Enterprise fell apart or blew up. But that accomplished nothing. The war would rage between Ammdon and Jurnamoria, and the Romulans would have what they wanted: a planetary civil war that they could exploit for their own expansionist motives. If the Enterprise fought, the Jurnamorian fleet might be destroyed and Jurnamoria must align with the Romulans as a self-defense measure. There seemed no way to defeat either fleet without massive loss of life, since the leaders were totally opposed to further negotiations.
"Spock, identify the flagship with Constable of Peace Ganessa aboard."
"Done, sir. Her vessel is at distance seventeen point zero light-seconds, heading—"
"Never mind all that. Sulu, maneuver us closer. Maintain deflectors at full power. Mr. Chekov, use photon torpedoes to keep them as far away as possible. Try to interdict incoming rockets with our phasers, set on lowest power."
"What is it you're planning, sir?" asked Spock.
"Prepare the transporter, Mr. Spock. I want to get close enough to the constable's flagship to beam her out. And at the same time I want the Enterprise positioned in such a way that we can beam up the vice-regent."
"But you can't do that, Jim. Their deflector shields'd prevent it," protested McCoy.
"You're forgetting something, Bones. These are primitive ships. They don't have deflectors."
"They have to."
"No, sir," said Sulu. "None does. I never thought of it before the captain mentioned it. We're too used to fighting ships at the same technological level."
"So, all right, you beam the two leaders aboard. Then what? They still hate one another."
"Dr. McCoy, your lack of faith in me is appalling. I think I see a way of resolving many of our problems with one small meeting of the minds."
McCoy shook his head. Scotty burst onto the bridge and cried, "The engines'll take nae more, Captain. The deflector shields are wearin' us down too much."
"Cut power forty percent as you use the transporter."
"Transporter?" he cried in surprise. "But, Captain, that's nae possible. I kenna be sure we'll hold together or not."
"Do it, on Spock's command. Mr. Spock?"
"Nearing locus, sir. Approximately equidistant between Ammdon's surface and the Jurnamorian flagship Bor. Transporter room, activate now!"
The lights dimmed on the bridge as power shifted from internal demands to the transporter. As soon as the enormous energy requirements of the transporter had been met, Kirk ordered full deflector screens and a course away from Ammdon.
"Put us out of reach of both fleets. I want this peace conference to be uninterrupted."
He swung out of his seat and motioned for Spock and McCoy to accompany him. Dr. McCoy followed, grumbling. The expression on Spock's face was unreadable.
Chapter Twelve
Captain's Log, Stardate 5012.5
I find my ship to be in jeopardy. The intense assault by the Jurnamorian fleet has severely damaged certain portions of the Enterprise. Mr. Scott and his able staff are repairing those circuits most needed for warp-speed capability. I have ordered beamed aboard the Ammdon and Jurnamoria leaders for one final conference. There is one last tactic I have not tried to bring peace to the warring planets. If it fails, I must return to Starbase One and allow the Romulans their way with this section of space. I do not think I will fail this time. My argument for peace is one so potent the vice-regent of Ammdon and the Constable of Peace of Jurnamoria will not be able to resist.
"I protest this cavalier behavior on your part, Captain Kirk," Vice-Regent Falda said in his icy tones, "Your technology was to aid, not to kidnap. I demand to be returned to my planet immediately. The war raging requires my personal supervision."
To one side of the transporter room stood Constable of Peace Ganessa, arms crossed just below her small breasts. She glared at all and said nothing until Spock tried to take her arm and escort her into the corridor. The woman flew into a murderous rage, slamming Spock back against a bulkhead.
"She is remarkably strong, Captain. I had not anticipated such strength in the Jurnamorians."
"Try to touch me again, deformed one, and I'll show you Jurnamorian strength."
"You won't be harmed, Constable. I give you my word," said Kirk.
"Your word? What's that? The promise of one bedding with Ammdons? A kidnapper? How did you steal me away from the safety of my vessel? The Bor is the strongest vessel in space, yet no alarm was raised when your boarding party entered."
"Entered?" asked McCoy, puzzled.
"You must have used some diabolical gas to poison my crew, then whisked me away and brought me here."
"Was she unconscious at any time, Mr. Kyle?" asked McCoy, concerned for her health. "A blow to the head might have distorted both time and perception."
"Doc, she arrived in one piece and fighting mad. I don't know what she's carrying on about."
"Vice-Regent, Constable, please accompany me. Since you seem unwilling to do so at my personal request, as the captain of this ship I hereby order you to do so." A security team, phasers drawn, appeared. "Please escort our guests to the detention level."
"Detention level?" parroted Falda. "So you imprison me. I will petition that the Ammdon-Federation treaty be voided because of this discourtesy. Or, if you slay me, my successor will so order."
"See the type of slime lizard you bed with, Falda?" taunted Ganessa. "They are as treacherous as the Romulans claimed."
"I mistrusted the Romulans; their motives were too transparent. But perhaps I was hasty. They might have been turned to Ammdon's advantage, after all."
"They are Jurnamoria's advantage now, scum eater." The woman stalked off, head held high. Falda cast Kirk a withering, look and followed at a discreet distance, close enough to watch Ganessa but far enough back to thwart any attack she might launch.
When the security team and their two hostages vanished into the turboelevator, McCoy took Kirk's arm and spun him around. "What's the meaning of this, Jim? You can't hold the heads of two planets like this. That's a violation of—"
"Noninterference with a culture's right to self-determination. I'm aware of that. But what I'm going to do is meddling even more. I have to count on a peaceful settlement so that neither side will want to tell Starfleet exactly what's happened up to this point."
"They'll hang you, Jim, and the entire crew along with you. I don't have any desire to see my neck stretched."
"You are quite right, Doctor," broke in Spock, coming down the stairwell from above. "Your neck is already quite long enough. Further elongation would give you the aspect of one of your planet's turkeys."
Kirk gripped the doctor's arm and squeezed so that he wouldn't respond to Spock's sarcasm. To Spock he said, "Is the detention cell ready for our guests?"
"Eminently so, Captain. I wish you luck with this ploy."
"I didn't think you believed in luck, Mr. Spock."
"I don't, Captain. But it is obvious you do, or you'd never have tried such a scheme."
"Let's go to the detention level. I want to see how things are progressing." The turboelevator returned and the trio entered. The lift speedily deposited them on the level above. Before entering the cell area, Spock took earplugs from his pocket and handed them to both Kirk and McCoy while inserting a pair into his own ears.
"What are these for?" asked McCoy.
"I had Mr. Spock construct them specially for our use. They filter out all but the frequencies between two hundred fifty and two thousand hertz."
"That's about the normal range for human voices."
"They filter out harmonics and beats and other interesting but virtually unexplored areas of speech. What you hear will sound flat and even uninteresting, but the reason for the earplugs will be obvious."
Kirk gestured for his two friends to enter the detention area. Mr. Neal stood by, earplugs already in place. Inside the large cell where Lorelei had been alone, she now had two visitors. Neither the vice-regent of Ammdon nor the Constable of Peace of Jurnamoria appeared to enjoy the small woman's company in the least.
"We must protest, Kirk. This is a violation of the Covenants of War. You cannot imprison three in one cell of this size."
"Especially when two are leaders," cut in the vice-regent, glaring at Ganessa.
"It seems you've already found one area for agreement. You don't want to remain in this cell longer than necessary. I don't think you will be here for much longer."
"Let us out. Now." The cut of command laced the constable's voice.
"Shortly." To Lorelei he said, "A word in private, please." The small woman stood by Kirk, her hand rising to touch the earplugs he wore. She made no attempt to remove them.
"You trust me so little?" she asked.
"Lorelei, you can only be true to your philosophy, what you've trained for all your life as a Speaker of Hyla. I don't ask any more. Unless you wish to allow a war to rage, one which you all too accurately predicted."
"The presence of your ship precipitated the war?" she asked. Kirk only nodded. The woman's words echoed slightly, sounding flat and almost lifeless due to the earplugs. Only the intensity of her personality acted on him—or was it also her pheromones to which he was so intimately attuned? Even with the earplugs, Jim Kirk had to fight to keep from falling under this beguiling woman's spell.
"I wish I found some satisfaction in saying 'I told you so.' That particular idiom is new to me, but it fits so many of your situations. On Hyla, there is scant opportunity for such words. We know our destiny and all contribute to achieving it."
"There's nothing more I can do with either Ganessa or Falda. Would you talk to them? Just for a few minutes? Try to persuade them that their war is a foolish one and that they really ought to cooperate."
"I will see what can be done, but I will not speak for your Federation."
"Speak for peace. That's what we both want in the matter."
She nodded briskly. The tiredness washed from her face and the woman turned to the others in the cell. Where once she had felt the strain of influencing an entire starship crew of the error of their ways, now she had only two. Lorelei began talking, first in Hylan, then in the common language shared by Ammdon and Jurnamoria.
Kirk stood by Spock and McCoy as the woman began learning more and more of the Ammdon speech.
"It is truly amazing, Captain, how fast she learns a language. Lorelei not only picks up the gross grammar, she seems to intuitively understand the nuances."
"The body language is part of it. Look at that," said Mc
Coy. "See how she lifts her left shoulder and drops her right when she speaks to Ganessa? That must have something to do with obeisance, of knowing her position."
"Knowing her position," said Kirk, smiling. "Falda and Ganessa haven't seen the smallest part of what Lorelei can do. She's just now mastering their language."
"It took four point nine three minutes," offered Spock.
"In just about five minutes she's dickering with them, probing, finding their weaknesses. In another ten, she'll have them shaking hands." Kirk felt the vibrancy of Lorelei's voice, even through the earplugs. He watched as she positively radiated confidence as she expounded on the True Path, on peace and mutual cooperation. Like magic, the frowns and tenseness faded from both Ganessa and Falda, to be replaced with a wariness of one another. Soon this too vanished and the lifelong antagonists began arguing, not with rancor but for mutual gain. Threats no longer entered their speech as they bargained for the maximum possible for their individual worlds.
"It's truly amazing," said McCoy. "Those two act like business partners rather than commanders of opposing armies. Why, I can actually feel it when Lorelei talks to them. She must be laying on the sonic persuasion as heavily as she can."
"I'm certain of it. Note the expression as her empathic powers sense the shifts in mood. Two enemies are becoming two cautious friends. And, unless I miss my guess, Falda and Ganessa are strong enough leaders to sway their own people. They'll return to Ammdon and Jurnamoria with peace plans instead of war tactics. And they'll make it stick, in spite of the hawks that must have surrounded them for so many years."
Satisfied, James Kirk indicated that Lorelei and the two leaders be left alone to work out any remaining differences. The only thing he misjudged was the time it took Lorelei to convince Ganessa and Falda to shake hands. It wasn't ten minutes; it was eight.
"I'm undecided as to what to do with Lorelei," Kirk admitted to Spock. The captain of the Enterprise hiked tired feet up and put them on the corner of the desk as he leaned back in his seat. His quarters provided about the only sanctuary he had now. The crew bustled about, repairing all they could to prepare for the long trip back to Starbase One. Lorelei had achieved great results with Ganessa and Falda, but their respective cabinets refused to support peaceful actions—until they, too, had the opportunity to speak with Lorelei.
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