After his initial brief conversation with Picard’s first officer, Kirk had used the Belle Reve’s powerful sensors to scan that interior shell of cosmic debris. Though it would take days and a much closer position to assemble a complete picture of the current structure of the shell, it was instantly obvious to Kirk that Starfleet hadn’t changed its tactics.
Sensors identified approximately eighty vessels positioned in the cloud, each about the same distance from the others, establishing a defensive network. And if Kirk could see eighty ships with a preliminary, long-distance sensor sweep, he suspected that meant hundreds of others were also in position, carefully hidden among the planetoids and smaller orbital debris.
Even a warp vessel attempting to pass through the Oort Cloud to enter the system could find itself under fire from those ships. And if that vessel stopped, as Worf had instructed Kirk to do, it would quickly be englobed-surrounded in three dimensions. Escape from such a trap was possible, Kirk knew, but could be costly.
The end result of the tactical situation was that, contrary to the holographic doctor’s wishes, it would not be possible to avoid confrontation. So, in his search for advantage, Kirk decided to maintain course toward the Enterprise, if only because a few members on that ship’s crew, like Worf, might still remember him, and that memory might result in a few seconds of doubt and delay before hostilities began. Battles and the fates of empires had been decided by less.
“I’m not asking for a confrontation,” Kirk said reassuringly to the hologram. “It’s just that of all the ships defending the system, the Enterprise is the one least likely to fire on us.”
“You mean, as long as Picard’s still in command,” McCoy added. He sounded unconvinced.
Kirk wasn’t open to debate. “Bones, I didn’t abandon Joseph on Vulcan to come here and waste time. We’re not stopping till we get to Earth.”
“Well, don’t waste time telling me,” McCoy said crossly. “Tell them.”
On the center screen, the sensors finally were in range to create the subspace image of the ship they bore down on.
At the edge of a cluster of tumbling ice and rock that in battle could be used to confuse sensors, the enemy waited.
The U.S.S. Enterprise.
19
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE, SECTOR 001
STARDATE 58567.2
“He is not slowing,” Worf growled as he moved from the center chair.
Picard remained standing, studying the viewscreen. The Belle Reve was twelve minutes out but little more than a smudge of white on the screen, even at maximum enlargement. Tactical sensors showed it closing at warp nine point two. He wasn’t certain what kind of engine could produce that factor in such a small ship. But then, that was the idea behind its unique design: surprise and misdirection.
Picard glanced over at Lieutenant Leybenzon at tactical. “Hail the Belle Reve.”
The young officer acknowledged the order with military crispness, and a moment later the viewscreen switched to an interior view of the small starship’s bridge.
In the center of the image, on a blocky, black command chair that to Picard looked antique, sat James T. Kirk. He wore civilian clothing, but for the calm assurance he projected, it might as well have been a Starfleet uniform.
“Jean-Luc,” Kirk said in greeting.
“Jim,” Picard answered.
Kirk smiled. “We have to stop meeting like this.”
Picard momentarily looked to the side as he heard turbolift doors open. Deanna Troi hurried out, escorted by three guards. She had agreed to Picard’s request to return to his crew for the duration of the current emergency; as the flagship for the embargo mission, the Enterprise was in need of the most experienced counselor in the system. Picard knew he was lucky to have her.
“Like what?” Picard asked.
“With the odds against us and the situation grim.”
Picard returned Kirk’s smile, remembering their first face-to-face meeting, ten years ago at Veridian. Kirk had said the same words then as now.
But Picard knew Kirk wasn’t making idle conversation, nor was it Kirk’s nature to dwell in the past. He had chosen his words carefully and deliberately to let Picard know that he was Jim Kirk.
Unfortunately, in a universe where telepathy was a given, Starfleet demanded more than shared knowledge to confirm identity.
“Jim,” Picard said, “Worf tells me he briefed you on the current state of emergency that Starfleet’s declared.”
“Shapechangers.”
“Exactly,” Picard confirmed, pleased. Kirk was never one to talk around a subject. “The nature of the enemy we’re facing is such that a new series of identification protocols has been established.”
“Understandable,” Kirk said. “I’ve seen what these creatures are capable of.”
That revelation took Picard by surprise.
“You’ve encountered them?”
“I believe Vulcan is now under their control.”
Reflexively, Picard looked to Troi, tapped the audio control on the arm of his chair to prevent what she might say from being transmitted.
She looked stricken, almost fearful. “He’s telling the truth as he believes it. And at his core, he’s troubled.”
Picard turned his attention back to the screen, enabled audio again. “Clearly, we have a great deal to discuss.”
Again, Kirk got to the point. “Not today, Jean-Luc. I’m not stopping until I get to Earth.”
Picard knew there was nothing to be gained by confronting Kirk so quickly. The Belle Reve was still eight minutes out.
“May I ask why?” Picard inquired.
Kirk stretched back in his chair, looked thoughtful. “Let’s just say the concerns you have about me not being who I appear to be… it works both ways.”
Picard understood. He raised his hand to show Kirk his wrist monitor. “That’s why we wear these,” he explained. “When our ships rendezvous, we’ll beam you over. That’ll enable us to compare your cellular and genetic structure with our identification files. Once that’s done, you’ll receive a monitor like this that can be scanned continuously, establishing what they call somatic continuity, so we can’t be replaced by a shapechanger.”
Kirk remained noncommittal. “Sounds complicated enough to be a Starfleet plan.”
Picard heard Troi speak softly, telling him what he already knew. “He’s not convinced.”
Picard tried another tack. “Jim, if you can’t be certain that I’m who I say I am, why do you think it’ll be easier on Earth? If the Enterprise has been taken over by shapechangers, why not all of Starfleet Command?”
“It’s easier to take over a ship than a planet.” Kirk glanced to the side. “My sensors show your warp drive is offline, so to be where you are now, you’ve been away from Earth for two or three days at least. A lot can happen in that time.”
Picard was again surprised that the little ship’s sensors could detect the condition of the Enterprise’s warp drive at its current distance. He cut the audio, looked over at the tactical station.
“Lieutenant, call up the specifications for the Belle Reve.”
The security officer didn’t look up from his console. “Aye, sir.”
Picard turned back to the screen, enabled audio again. “Jim, two years ago, you remember that vacation we tried to take?”
“We’ll have to do it again, sometime.”
“In the desert, we spoke about risk.”
Kirk’s benign expression changed as his eyes narrowed. Picard hoped he was thinking back to their adventure on Bajor.
After a few moments, Kirk nodded thoughtfully. “I remember.”
“By now you’ve scanned the system’s defensive perimeter. You know what you’re facing. And even in the Belle Reve, you have no chance of getting through. What you’re going to attempt, that’s my definition of risk, Jim. It’s not worth the gamble.”
Kirk tapped a control on his chair arm, and the image on the viewscreen changed from one
of Kirk to a wide-angle view of the entire bridge.
“Since we’re both being paranoid,” Kirk said, “and can’t be sure who else might be listening, here’s my entire crew. Do you see who’s missing?”
Picard recognized Montgomery Scott and Leonard McCoy, exactly as he would expect to find on any ship Kirk commanded. But he was puzzled to also see an Emergency Medical Hologram at the tactical console.
As for who was missing, Picard didn’t know. Ambassador Spock had disappeared a year ago and, in any event, was never a member of the Belle Reve’s crew.
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Picard confessed.
“Remember little Melis,” Kirk said evenly.
“He’s doubting your identity,” Troi whispered.
Picard tried to place the name… Melis… Melis…”The little girl.” He remembered her now. A Bajoran child afflicted with F’relorn’s disease. It was caused by environmental toxins left by the Cardassian Occupation. But why was Kirk invoking her memory now?
“I had a difference of agreement with the Prophets,” Kirk said.
“Captain,” Troi said quietly, “he’s not interested in your memories of the past. He’s probing how you think.”
Picard understood at once. It was entirely possible that the shapechangers attacking the Federation had the ability to extract information from the beings they impersonated, so they could answer any question about that being’s past, know every secret.
But how a person thought, that was a dynamic function of mind and spirit, and Kirk was attempting to see if the Picard he spoke to was the real captain, and not just a duplicate with all of Picard’s memories.
And then Picard had it-what Kirk was trying to tell him.
On Bajor, the mother of the stricken child had believed that the illness was the will of the Prophets, that the child was being punished for her father’s transgressions.
The sins of the father… Picard thought.
Kirk had somehow cured the child, though he had insisted he had merely delivered her into the hands of the Prophets.
But the story was enough for Picard to understand Kirk’s question.
“Joseph,” Picard said. And in Kirk’s eyes he saw the rest of this story, the revelation of what drove Kirk now.
Kirk spoke the terrible words no father should ever be forced to say. “I left him behind.”
Picard knew then there was nothing he could say or do to change Kirk’s mind.
If Joseph was on Vulcan, the only possible reason Kirk could have for traveling to Earth was because he believed it was the only way to save his son.
“Jim, rendezvous with the Enterprise. Let me help.”
A haunted expression came to Kirk then, as if something Picard had said meant something other than he had intended.
“I can’t.”
“I’m under orders, Jim. I’ll have to stop you.”
Kirk held his hand over a control on his chair.
“You can try.”
For a moment, it seemed as if Kirk was about to say something more, but at last, all he added was, “Kirk out.”
The viewscreen changed to an image of the Belle Reve, coming closer.
There was nothing more Picard could do.
“Battle stations,” he ordered.
20
THE OORT CLOUD, SECTOR 001
STARDATE 58567.3
“Jim, you have to reconsider.”
“Let Jean-Luc do the reconsidering. He’s the one under orders.”
Kirk got up from his chair, went to the tactical console. Doctor McCoy stayed at his side.
“Listen to yourself,” McCoy said. “You know that’s Picard on the Enterprise. This isn’t a trap.”
“It’s not as simple as that,” Kirk said. “On Vulcan, Marinta was exactly who she said she was. But she was also bait for a trap she didn’t know about.” Kirk checked the readings on the tactical console, frowned at the holographic doctor. “Why aren’t the weapons online?”
The Doctor folded his arms across his chest. “As I told you, I will not fire on a Starfleet vessel.”
Kirk reached past him to engage the master arming controls. “No, but you will fire on planetsimals, cometary bodies, and other debris that’s about to get in our way.” The status indicators on the console now glowed green, ready for firing. “Won’t you?”
The holographic doctor frowned, but he didn’t argue.
Kirk stepped away from the console to find McCoy still staring at him.
“I don’t think Jean-Luc Picard will be as easy to fool as a young Romulan ambassadorial attache,” McCoy said.
“Bones, you’re right. Jean-Luc is right. Everyone’s right. But we still don’t know how Norinda and… and the Totality, move from point to point. There’s no way to know where they might appear next.” Kirk knew he owed his old friend a better explanation. “If you were chasing me, had me on the run, who’s the first person I’d go to for help?”
Kirk could see that McCoy sensed he was being led into a logical trap, didn’t like it.
“With Spock not here,” McCoy said, “you’d go to Picard.”
“And that’s exactly why I can’t go to him.” Kirk started toward Scott at the navigation console. “Norinda has had access to Spock and Teilani… two people who know me well. Everything I do now has to be something that I wouldn’t normally do, so she can’t predict it.” Kirk realized he had no choice. He had to reveal the reason why he was determined to get to Earth. “That’s why we’re going to Earth, to get help from Admiral Janeway and Starfleet Command.”
McCoy nodded in reluctant agreement. “You’re right about that. You going to Starfleet for help these days, that’s definitely a tactic no one would expect.”
Kirk gave McCoy a tight smile to thank him for his unenthusiastic support, then looked over Scott’s shoulder. “How’re the engines, Mister Scott?”
“Purrin’ like tribbles.”
“Very good.” Kirk took a breath, knew he was about to commit his ship and his crew to a course of action from which there was no coming back. “Set a rendezvous course for the Enterprise– ” He ignored Scott’s questioning look. “– and start to slow to warp one point five. Make it look as if we’re going to do what he wants.”
Even as Scott questioned Kirk, he made the necessary course adjustments and began to decrease the power output of the warp engines. “Aye, Cap’n. But why one point five?”
Kirk patted his chief engineer on the shoulder. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“The Belle Reve is slowing, sir. She’s… she’s on an intercept course.”
Picard knew better than to ask if Lieutenant Leybenzon was sure of his readings. Instead, he looked to Troi. “Counselor?”
Troi seemed as puzzled as the security officer. “I didn’t sense that Kirk was intending to do anything except go past us.” Her expression became grim. “But the fact that his ship is now doing what he said he wouldn’t do implies there might have been a change in command.”
Picard understood the conclusion, but didn’t see how it was possible. “He only had three crew: two retired Starfleet specialists and a hologram. That’s not the makings of a mutiny.”
Troi frowned. “Three crew that we were permitted to see.”
“Good point,” Picard acknowledged. He turned back to Leybenzon. “Lieutenant, scan the Belle Reve for life signs. I want confirmation of how many crew Kirk has on board, and where they’re positioned.”
The security officer brought up the tactical scanner controls on his console at once. But he also replied, “Captain, I’ve reviewed the specifications of Kirk’s ship. With the signal processors and emitters on board, he could have a battle group of Jem’Hadar warriors belowdecks and we wouldn’t be able to detect them until we’re within docking range.”
Worf stepped closer to Picard, dropping his voice. He was always reticent to offer advice to his captain when they were in other than private surroundings. “Captain, it might be better not to scan
them. Why give them reason to think we have any suspicions?”
“And that way, we keep the advantage,” Picard said, instantly understanding Worf’s suggestion. “Lieutenant, belay that last order. Do not scan the Belle Reve until she comes alongside.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Picard saw that Troi was about to object, stopped her. “It’s all right, Counselor.” He added for Leybenzon, “And if, instead, the Belle Reve does try to bypass us, here are additional orders….”
“The last thing Jean-Luc will want to do is destroy us,” Kirk said. “He knows it’s me on board and not a duplicate. But he can’t be sure we’re not being manipulated, any more than we can be sure he’s free of the Totality’s influence.”
“You think he’s bluffing?” McCoy asked. It was clear from the way he asked the question that he thought no such thing.
“Not completely. He’s going to try to disable us.” Kirk looked past McCoy to his engineer. “Scotty, what’s the best way for the Enterprise to attack us with maximum damage and minimal chance of casualties?”
Scott didn’t have to think about his answer. “Knock out our warp engines with an overload surge. If we have to rely on impulse alone, we’ll be outnumbered before we reach the orbit of Neptune.”
“Exactly,” Kirk said.
“Exactly?” McCoy repeated.
Kirk shrugged. “That’s what I’d do in Jean-Luc’s position.”
“So what’s our defense?” McCoy asked.
Kirk watched the center screen, where the Enterprise was growing larger, showing more detail as the Belle Reve closed in. “With the shields we have, Bones, there’s only one way the Enterprise can target our engines without tearing the rest of the ship apart.”
Kirk smiled as he saw Scott and the holographic doctor look to him with the same expectant expression McCoy had.
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