Before Destruction!
Page 7
how sketchy the details are. We're only working with bits and
pieces of information and there are no witnesses to the events,
save on the ship that headed into the neutral zone."
"Granted, Captain Kirk," his voice slightly calmer.
"However, I am officially putting all quadrants bordering the
Neutral Zone on full alert. Martial law is now in effect in all
systems within 10 parsecs of the zone. I have already mobilized
one quarter of the fleet to form a defensive line until we decide
how to proceed." Stormcloud pressed a button on his console and a
PAGE 35
data storage square ejected from its slot into the Commodore's
hand, who then passed it to Lt. Grensk. "If what I suspect about
the Organians is true, these actions will make little difference.
That is why I have a secondary phase to this strategy." The
Commodore extended his hand out to his aide, who placed a sealed
envelope bearing the Starfleet insignia with Kirk's name below,
into it.
"Our new orders?" Jim asked, used to receiving them via coded
subspace transmission.
"If it were up to me, Captain, these orders would be going to
someone who had a different, shall I say, 'perspective', on the
situation. But Starfleet seems to have more confidence in you than
I do." He pushed the packet across the table to Jim.
Kirk picked the packet up, examined the biomagnetic seal,
making sure there were no tamper marks. Regulations require this
before accepting any sealed classified document.
"You may go over the specific details on the Enterprise at
your leisure, but in essence, they are as follows: One; set course
for Organia. Two; observe war-time regulation 24 section 12, no
subspace communication until objective has been successfully
engaged. Three; while exactly eight standard hours from your
destination, set the Enterprise for self-destruct."
Jim Kirk opened his mouth to object, and was immediately
silenced by Stormcloud, who lifted a hand indicating that Jim had
better shut his mouth and listen to his superior officer. Spock
showed no sign that he cared that this could be the Enterprise's
last mission. 'Vulcan inscrutability', Jim thought. Sometimes it
really got on his nerves.
"The computer-controlled countdown to destruction is to be
modified for nine hours minus. Four; upon arrival, assume lowest
possible orbit. Five; disembark via shuttlecraft, I stress,
shuttlecraft. Contact this fellow, Ayelborne, with whom you dealt
with on your last mission to Organia, and question him as to why
there has been no effort on his part to enforce the treaty. Six;
and this part you had better follow to the letter or I will
personally dance at your court-martial, if Ayelborne has not
explained himself satisfactorily, you will return to the Enterprise
and command all hands to abandon ship. You will then allow
Enterprise to self-destruct by antimatter intermix, not hull
charges. I want Organia's surface wiped clean. Understood,
Captain?" asked Stormcloud finally.
"Understood!" answered the Captain, not attempting to conceal
his contempt from his superior. "One question. What makes you
think we have the ability to destroy the Organians? The Klingons
used disrupters on them to no effect."
"An anti-matter explosion is considerably different from a
simple disrupter, Captain." He pointed to the packet Jim was
holding. "Lieutenant Grensk will be accompanying you on this
PAGE 36
mission as an observer and to document everything done on the
mission. You will afford him every courtesy but ask nothing of
him."
"I am perfectly capable of carrying out a mission without
being escorted by an intelligence watchdog. I'm a Starfleet
Captain, and I am certain that my record speaks for itself."
"Your record speaks many things, Kirk. We shall see just how
accurate the record is. Nevertheless, you might say Mister Grensk
is my personal insurance policy." Stormcloud pushed himself away
from the table. "If there is no further comment, gentlemen, I will
call this debriefing to a close."
"Sir," Spock raised an eyebrow, "there is a great deal that
has not been covered, and the evidence, as of yet, is
circumstantial, to say the least."
"I assure you, Mr. Spock, that the investigation is far from
over, on our part. Is there anything specific you wish to ask or
disclose?"
"There is, Sir. Though all the relevant particles of debris
have yet to be recovered, there has not been any substance analyzed
that would indicate the destruction of a Starship. Not even the
trace energy of the antimatter reactor has been detected. My
question therefore is, what happened to the Fringe Ranger?"
"Missing, Mr. Spock," was his only reply. "Lieutenant Grensk
will meet you at your shuttlecraft in twenty minutes." He looked
at Kirk, then Spock. Both were about to ask more questions. He
held up his hand to stop them. "Dismissed!" he said.
Jim looked at Spock, knowing the Vulcan could read the
frustration on his face. "Let's go, Mr. Spock." He saluted the
Commodore and left the room with his First Officer. They were
greeted on the other side of the door by the young Ensign who had
escorted them to the conference room.
"If you will follow me, Sirs, I will lead you back to your
craft," he said, almost cheerfully.
"You may escort Mr. Spock to the shuttle, Ensign, and you can
point me to the nearest head," said Jim.
"Down corridor C, third door to the left." With that, Spock
and the Ensign proceeded down the hall, opposite in direction to
corridor C.
Kirk followed the ensign's directions, but found the entrance
blocked by a maintenance man unloading his tool box from a gurney.
Looking up from his tools, the man in the maintenance jumpsuit
raised his hand indicating for Jim to stop. "You probably don't
want to go in there, Sir!" the man warned.
"That's strange, Mister,"
PAGE 37
"Maintenance Chief Holtz, Sir."
"That's strange, Chief Holtz, I was under the impression that
'that' was exactly the place I wanted to go."
"Yes, Sir, I mean no, Sir. It's not that you aren't allowed,
but we are installing a new fixture, specially designed for the
Ambassador we're receiving next week," he spoke assuming the
Captain was aware of whom he was talking about. "He's a
'Stelmeko', Sir," he added for clarity.
Jim had made it a point to keep abreast of all the new races
entering the Federation, but this was a new one on him. He shook
his head admitting his ignorance.
"They're built differently than we are. Very differently!" he
emphasized. "I've never seen one, mind you, but by the design of
the facility I'm installing, I'm not sure I want to," he said very
seriously.
"There are many races that look different than we do but when
you get down to it, you'll find we are all pretty much the same."
'Besid
es,' he thought to himself, 'how strange can a toilet be?'
"Gives me the willies," the maintenance chief stated as if he
could read the Captain's thoughts.
James gave him a half smile as he stepped around him, entered
the restroom, and closed the door behind him. Reaching behind his
lower back, he pulled out his communicator and snapped it back,
thus opening it. He adjusted the frequency for tightest possible
beam and aimed it towards Enterprise's relative position. Before
he could speak, his eyes caught a glimpse of the alien waste
disposal unit. His eyes widened as he tried to take in the view of
the hideous, semi-organic, gurgling mass of, something? Then the
smell hit his nostrils. His brain expanded to three times the
diameter of his skull, or at least that's what it felt like to him.
Then he heard a low moan coming from the unit and saw its plastic
tubing, which seemed to be woven through the horrendously shaped
mass, start to move. He put his free hand up to his throbbing
forehead and did an about-face to relieve the strain on his eyes.
Jim twisted a knob on his communicator. It beeped twice. "K-
Kirk to Enterprise," he managed to breathe.
"Uhura here, Sir."
"Uhura, I need you to search Starfleet personnel records on a
Lieutenant Reudolpho or Randolfo, I can't remember which, Grensk.
G-R-E-N-S-K," he spelled for her. "Presently attached to S.I. Age
about thirty. Get me everything you can on him and send it to my
cabin." He wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "How's Mr. Scott
coming with our propulsion unit?"
"I don't know, Sir. He's climbed up into the access-way and we
haven't heard from him since," she said. "Is there anything
PAGE 38
else?"
"Is there what?" His head was pounding and his stomach was
beginning to knot. "Oh, no Lieutenant. Kirk out."
He replaced his communicator and made a straight shot for the
door, not wanting another look at the freakish monstrosity. As he
stepped through the door, he quickly exhaled and gulped a breath of
fresh air.
The Maintenance Chief looked at him with a red face. "Sorry,
Sir, I should have given you an odor screen. The ventilation isn't
hooked up properly yet."
"C-Carry on," he managed and made his way back down the
corridor, trying to keep from staggering.
PAGE 39
*** SEVEN ***
The Klingon cruiser Fury defolded from hyperspace followed
closely by the Intruder's ship. They were only on the rim of the
territory claimed by the Klingonese, yet if traffic had not been
diverted, they would have already encountered many spacefaring
merchants, miners and trade vessels of all kinds.
The Trinary System before them had been the agreed rendezvous
site. Specifically, they were to meet in orbit around the ninth
planet of the system. Kang stepped onto the bridge in full dress
uniform. This consisted of black armor and cape with the red
family crest of his House of Klinzhai, on his chest. His armor hid
many weapons besides the disrupter that hung at his side. He was
prepared to meet his Emperor, whether to fight by his side or die
at his hand, he could not tell.
"We have arrived, my lord," spoke the Science Officer.
"Do we have full power yet?"
"No, my lord. Power level is only at eighty percent," she
responded.
"Have repairs been completed on the cloaking device?" He took
his chair of command and sat heavily in it.
"No, lord Kang."
"No?" He turned his head in anger towards Mara. He looked at
her for a moment and regained his equanimity. "It was to be
completed before we broke light." He could see her tremble
slightly, trying to hide her concern for her husband.
"The device failed incorporeality twice in simulation, Sir.
At last report, its completion was near, but no definite timeframe
was given. I will apprise you when it is operational."
"I do not suppose it will matter until we have full power
restored. Advise me when we have both."
"Yes, my lord," 'and my love', she added in her thoughts.
It had been two standard days since the enemy had entered
Klingon space and every moment weighed heavily on Kang. In his
crew, he could see a turmoil of emotions. Some were afraid of the
Emperor's anger at their failure. Most were afraid of what the
enemy had in store for the Empire, and all, including Kang himself,
had a blind hatred for the foe. Many strategies on how to battle
the intruder were discussed, planned and discarded, for by
Imperial command, the Fury was ordered to make no further attempts
of aggression, a directive any Klingon would find most difficult
to obey. If not for his crew's fierce loyalty, he might have had
mutiny in the ranks. The greatest advantage to being named a 'Hero
PAGE 40
of the Empire', was being able to hand pick his ship's detail.
They were more than a crew to him, they were a tempered force, a
team. They would, he was certain, follow him to the ends of the
universe, if need be. Just now, however, he did not feel worthy of
their devotion.
"Sir, long range scanners are registering five contacts.
Distance, point eight, bearing seventy-two mark three. It is the
Imperial Command Ship and escort."
"Gor, open a channel and stand by to receive."
"Channel open, Sir," replied the communications officer.
"Standard orbit achieved around Tukom Tal nine, Sir. Intruder
ensuing at eight kel's astern," said the helmsman.
"Transmission coming in now sir," spoke Gor.
"On screen," commanded Kang.
The forward view of the planet they were now in orbit about,
dissolved into the ominous presence of Klinzhai's greatest monarch.
Kang rose from his command chair only to kneel before his Emperor.
"Rise," spoke the Emperor to Kang, though strangely not quite
in the form of a command. Kang stood in silence before the image
of his lord. "Kang the Destructor, you return from your assignment
without victory for your Emperor?" Kang remained silent. "Do you
now await my wrath?" the Emperor inquired in his bass voice.
"I expect it for myself and request my lord's mercy towards my
crew." He now awaited the death command.
"Do you believe that you will serve my purposes better alive
or dead?" He spoke in an even tone.
"I have failed you, my Emperor, whatever your purposes."
"I see no failure in realizing the need not to throw your life
and that of your crew away. Had Volte and Pakor not acted so
rashly, they might have been able to share in our soon coming
victory over the Federation."
Kang held his peace, not knowing for sure if his life was to
be spared or not. He did know that whatever was stated by Tromok
at this moment, could by no means be construed as irrevocable.
"Commander Kang, by using your intelligence, and restraint,
you have not only brought me the weapon our best scientists could
not have conceived of developing, but an ally to my realm."
the
Emperor tossed a bejeweled ceremonial dagger to the floor, by his
own feet. "I give you back your life, and impart honors to you
as well."
Kang stood from the deck and with both hands to his side, he
PAGE 41
bowed his head. "Thank you, my Emperor," he said stiffly,
unaccustomed to gratitude, wary of flattery. Had he turned his
head, he would have seen Mara wiping a tear from her eye.
"You will now fall back while I approach the escorted vessel
behind you," the Emperor commanded. Then Kang saw it. It was the
truth behind the words he had heard. In the Emperor's eyes, rage.
Rage at the terrible power Kang had loosed in his empire. It was
the reaction that Kang had expected from him all along. Now it was
confirmed. Kang inwardly began to prepare himself for his own
death.
"As you command, my lord," Kang said, and the screen went
dark. "Torvak, move us out slowly, but do not exceed photon
distance from the enemy." Kang walked back to his Science Officer.
"We are not out of this yet, my wife," he whispered to her,
confident of the fact.
"He gave you your life, would he retreat from his word?" she
asked under her breath.
"Military men say many things they do not mean, while under
enemy observation. We will see how forgiving he really is when I
present myself before him, officially and in private." He rubbed