by Gene DeWeese
"Fascinating, Captain," Spock said after nearly two minutes of steady concentration on the readouts. "I have never encountered anything quite like it."
"Artificial life, perhaps?" Kirk suggested.
"Negative, Captain, at least no type of artificial life I am familiar with."
"Don't forget, this is another part of the universe. Who knows what could have been created here?"
"Granted, Captain. But this reading is not only different but…diffuse. In some ways it appears to be a single being, and yet it is not." Spock paused, looking again at the readouts.
"I apologize, Captain," he continued after a moment, "that I must express myself so imprecisely. It is a most disturbing feeling to suspect a pattern exists and yet to be unable to define that pattern or even to describe logically why I suspect its existence."
"It's called intuition," McCoy said, but without the grin that would normally have accompanied the remark. Here, in a universe of seemingly endless death, smiles had been rare. "It's from your mother's side of the family, that's all."
"Perhaps you are right, Doctor," Spock said, without the argument or the arched eyebrow that, like McCoy's missing mischievous grin, would normally have been a part of their byplay.
"An organic computer, then," Kirk said. "Remember, the Federation experimented with them for a time before Duotronics came along."
"I have considered that possibility, Captain. I have also considered the possibility that the readings are the result of distortion caused by the intervening mass of rock or even the radiation. Neither theory, however, has proven satisfactory."
"At least," McCoy said, "whatever it is isn't shooting at us the way those booby traps did."
"And no sensor probes have been detected," Kirk added. "And Uhura's found no indication of subspace activity of any kind. My own guess is that, whatever it is, it was put out of commission when the surface of the planet was destroyed, and that was at least thirty-five thousand years ago. In any event, it is obviously not the builder of the gate, and I can see no way of learning more without beaming someone down—through five kilometers of solid rock and a thousand kilometers of radiation—to look."
Spock stared at the readouts another few seconds and then straightened. "You are correct, Captain. Such a risk would be illogical simply to satisfy one's curiosity."
After two standard weeks and twenty-seven planetary systems without finding anything more advanced than insects anywhere outside the oceans, even McCoy was becoming inured to the seemingly endless destruction. His eyes began, like everyone's, to glaze over with each new scene of devastation.
Finally, as the twenty-seventh system fell astern, Kirk ordered a new course laid in, and they returned to their starting point. There was, however, no indication that the gate had reappeared, and after half a day, despite Dr. Crandall's strenuous objections, they resumed their explorations. Now, however, instead of spiraling slowly outward, the Enterprise struck out radially, putting as much distance as possible between itself and their starting point. And instead of stopping at every system that might hold a habitable world, they leapfrogged over ten for every one they investigated. For the first fourteen days, nothing changed. Destruction was everywhere, and everyone was beginning to wonder if every habitable world in this entire cluster had been destroyed.
But then, on the fifteenth day, more than thirty parsecs out, as the Enterprise dropped to sublight velocity to take detailed readings on yet another planetary system, the routine they had fallen into was abruptly shattered.
Spock, studying his instruments as always, was the first to spot the new intruder.
"Captain," he announced, "sensors indicate approaching craft."
Kirk, who had been concentrating on the magnified image of the planet they had dropped out of warp drive to inspect, looked around sharply. "Another booby trap?"
"I do not think so, Captain. It is moving under its own power, and there are indications it is capable of warp speed."
"Bearing, Mr. Chekov?"
"Three-seventy-five, mark twenty-three, sir."
"Mr. Sulu, get that on the screen, maximum magnification."
"Aye-aye, sir." As the helmsman spoke, the planet vanished abruptly from the screen, replaced by yet another view of the impossibly dense star field. After an instant of hesitation, the view expanded, the countless stars spreading outward and shooting off the edges of the screen. Finally, near the center, something nonluminous appeared in the star field, and soon its seven-sided shape was fuzzily evident.
"Details, Mr. Spock."
"Mass approximately thirty million kilograms. Heavy shielding indicated. Range one-hundred-seventeen-point-six-million kilometers, moving at point-two-three-five-c on a heading that will, at its closest point, bring the craft within thirteen-point-two-million kilometers of our present location. Preliminary indications are that the craft is technologically comparable to early Federation cruisers of the Cochrane or Verne class. There are only five life forms aboard, however."
"Any sign that they're aware of our presence?"
"None, Captain. No sensor beams detected as yet. The probability is that we are well beyond the range of its sensory apparatus."
"You mentioned shielding. What about weapons?"
"Unknown, Captain, but based on the type of shields detected, lasers are the most likely. Their shields would present no resistance to phaser fire."
"Estimated time of closest approach?"
"Twenty-seven-point-nine minutes, Captain."
"Lieutenant Uhura, any indication of subspace radio activity?"
"None, sir."
"Is it possible they don't have subspace radio capability, Mr. Spock?"
"Possible, Captain, but unlikely since they appear to have warp drive. It is more likely that they are simply not broadcasting. From the amount and type of shielding they carry, they would appear to be intentionally trying to avoid letting their presence be known. To another craft of the same technological level, without sensors similar to ours, they would be virtually undetectable beyond direct visual range."
"Then they could be listening?"
"Of course, Captain."
"Is it possible that this ship could be related to the destruction we've seen?"
"Impossible to say, Captain, but if by 'related' you imply responsibility, I would think it unlikely for a number of reasons."
Kirk nodded, sighing. "I know. Most of these worlds were destroyed thousands or tens of thousands of years ago, so no ship we come across now could possibly have had any part in whatever happened that long ago. And one would expect whoever was responsible for that destruction to have come up with an even more sophisticated and destructive technology in the interim, while this ship appears more primitive."
"Precisely, Captain."
"Then who are they? Mr. Chekov, does their flight path, fore or aft, intersect any nearby star system?"
"No, sir. Except for the one we are both in right now."
Kirk paused, studying the seven-sided dot on the screen as if trying to force it to yield its secrets by simple concentration. Finally he said, "Lieutenant Uhura, see if you can get any response."
"Right away, sir." Her lithe fingers stabbed at the controls as she spoke.
"Sensor beams, Captain," Spock announced. "However, though we can detect the beams themselves, it is unlikely that the alien craft is able to gain any useful information from them. We are still well beyond their effective range, probably indistinguishable from background noise."
"Subspace radio transmission, sir," Uhura said, "but nothing intelligible. And it's already stopped."
"Let the computer have it, Lieutenant. Maybe it can make something out of it."
"Analysis in progress," she said, "but it doesn't look hopeful." She paused, listening. "There is a pattern, though, Captain. It could be an identification code of some kind. A challenge to us, perhaps."
"Apparently they heard us, at least," Kirk mused. "And they obviously have subspace radio and sen
sor capability. Let's get a little closer, Mr. Sulu. Lay in an intercept course and proceed on impulse power, deflector shields up."
"Laid in, sir, and deflectors up."
"Lieutenant Uhura, continue broadcasting and monitoring all subspace frequencies."
"Yes, sir."
"Any change, Mr. Spock?"
"None, Captain. Their course and speed remain unchanged, and their sensor beams continue to operate. No further subspace emissions."
On the screen, the alien ship was no longer simply a dot, and the relatively primitive nature of the ship was becoming ever more apparent. A single, massive warp-drive engine mounted behind a much smaller, blunt-nosed pyramid that apparently contained the living quarters reminded Kirk of the probes the Enterprise had been using to investigate the anomalies. The craft was purely utilitarian, and it was little wonder that there were only five crew members aboard.
"What would you estimate the range of their sensors to be, Mr. Spock?"
"Based on their intensity, they should be at least marginally effective at our present range."
"In all likelihood, then, they know not only that we exist but where we are," Kirk said thoughtfully.
"Affirmative, Captain."
"But except for the sensor beams and that one subspace emission, they're ignoring us." Kirk paused, frowning at the craft as it continued to expand on the viewscreen. "Or, more likely, pretending to ignore us. All stop, Mr. Sulu. Let them come to us."
"All stop, sir."
"And Lieutenant Uhura, cease broadcasting but maintain surveillance of all frequencies."
"Yes, sir."
Shields up, the Enterprise waited.
As the alien, stolidly maintaining its original course, closed to within five million kilometers, Spock said, "Definitely laser weaponry, Captain. It is detectable through their shields at this range. Sixty-three seconds to closest approach, now estimated to be three-hundred-twenty-seven-point-six-thousand kilometers."
"Our own deflector screens can handle anything they can put out, I assume."
"Of course, Captain."
They continued to wait and listen, but the approaching ship remained totally silent. At two million kilometers, Kirk ordered Uhura to resume transmitting. Still there was no response.
At just over five hundred thousand kilometers, the alien emitted a single concentrated burst of nondirectional subspace radio energy. A split second later, it changed course abruptly and began accelerating.
"Collision course, Captain," Spock said. "At present acceleration, impact in seven-point-three seconds. Lasers preparing to fire."
"Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Sulu."
Almost instantly, the Enterprise leaped ahead on impulse power, but not before the alien craft's lasers fired at what, in space, was the equivalent of point-blank range. A moment later, the alien's drive proved itself far closer to being truly inertialess than any comparable early Federation starship's had ever been. In a matter of seconds, the craft came to a virtual halt, reversed its course almost as quickly as the Enterprise itself could have done, and put itself once again on a collision course. Sulu and the navigation computer responded, and the alien ship shot by a hundred kilometers below, its lasers still drenching the Enterprise's shields and surrounding space in concentrated radiation.
"They apparently do not like us, Captain," Chekov commented.
"Apparently," Kirk agreed. "If this is the way everyone in this neighborhood reacts to strangers, it's no wonder all these worlds were destroyed."
"They are persistent, too, sir. The ship is returning again."
Again the alien craft was on a collision course, and again it was firing its lasers steadily, putting out prodigious amounts of energy. Though they were no more advanced than early Federation weapons, they far surpassed them in sheer brute force.
Again the Enterprise, under Sulu's sure hand, avoided the alien, and the Enterprise's deflector screens absorbed the coruscating laser energy without damage.
"How long can they keep this up, Spock?" Kirk asked as the alien executed yet another U-turn and began yet another blazing run at the Enterprise.
"Not more than another five-point-four minutes, I would estimate, Captain. No laser device can continue to produce that level of power for long without beginning to seriously malfunction. In addition, the repeated rapid course changes appear to be straining not only the craft's primary power source but the structure of the craft itself."
"Very well. When their weapons become inoperative, perhaps we'll be able to talk."
As Kirk spoke, Sulu once again took the Enterprise safely out of the path of the charging alien craft. This time, however, the alien did not immediately turn and resume its attack. Instead, it paused and emitted another concentrated burst of subspace radio energy.
"Anything intelligible this time, Lieutenant Uhura?"
"Nothing, Captain. But these last two transmissions were much more complex than the first. They were obviously nothing as simple as an identification code or a challenge. The computer indicates that both transmissions contained massive amounts of information, compressed into periods of less than forty-three milliseconds."
"They're telling their friends about us?" Kirk wondered aloud.
"It is a distinct possibility, Captain," Spock said.
"Perhaps they will be less belligerent."
"They well have to be, sir," Chekov said, shaking his head in annoyed disbelief as he watched his instruments. "This one is coming back again!"
"But this will be its last run, Captain," Spock said. "It appears to be purposely inducing an overload in its primary power source. Unless something is done, all its matter and antimatter fuel will be simultaneously converted to energy in eighteen-point-three seconds, which time will coincide with its closest approach to the Enterprise. If that approach is as close as previous approaches, our deflector shields will not be able to withstand the energy release."
Chapter Five
"WARP SPEED, MR. SULU, now!" Kirk snapped, even before Spock had finished speaking.
Acknowledging the command only by his actions, Sulu stabbed at the controls, and the Enterprise surged ahead, warp drive engaged within seconds.
In another second, the relativistic starbow in the viewscreen was replaced by the computer-generated star field and the now slightly off-center alien craft.
"Destruction of alien craft no longer imminent, Captain," Spock said. "The overload sequence has apparently been aborted!"
"A bluff?" Kirk wondered aloud, relieved but not yet relaxing. "Or perhaps they were only simulating an overload. Possible, Mr. Spock?"
"Possible but unlikely, Captain. The power drain was real and of massive proportions. Obviously, however, it was under their control at all times, and they were able to cut it off within seconds of the Enterprise's departure."
"So, the danger of an explosion was real, but the alien's actions could still have been a bluff."
"Again, possible but unlikely. For the alien to undertake such an action, it would have to assume that we were continually monitoring the craft's internal workings and were aware of the impending explosion. The technological level of their own equipment would not allow such monitoring."
"Therefore," Kirk finished when Spock paused, "they weren't bluffing. They intended to commit suicide in hopes of taking us with them."
"Almost certainly, Captain."
"And yet, when the Enterprise warped out of range, they were able to remove the overload and stabilize their engines in a matter of seconds."
"In three-point-four seconds, Captain."
"Such proficiency would seem to indicate that they have done that sort of thing before."
"Very likely, Captain."
"Which would indicate any number of possibilities.
For example, just because their own technology doesn't allow them to monitor the internal workings of other spacecraft doesn't mean that they aren't accustomed to meeting ships like ours that can monitor such things. Meeting and attacking."
Kirk grimaced. "Any progress in analyzing those subspace bursts, Lieutenant Uhura?"
"The computer has been working on it," she said, studying one of the small screens in front of her. "Most of it is still unintelligible, but part of it appears to be a crude image of the Enterprise. There are several accompanying symbols that might specify a scale for the image. Perhaps Mr. Spock can make more sense out of them."
"So they were telling their friends about us." Kirk looked back at the image on the screen, once again vanishingly small among the stars. "Are we out of range of their sensors, Mr. Spock?"
"Affirmative, Captain."
"All stop, Mr. Sulu. Let's watch and see what happens." He paused, glancing around the bridge. "Unless someone has a better idea. Now that we appear to have a breather, I'm open to suggestions, gentlemen."
"The course you suggest seems eminently logical, Captain," Spock said when no one else volunteered anything. Then, his full attention back on his instruments, he announced, "The alien craft is in motion, accelerating away from us. It will—it has just achieved warp speed and is continuing to accelerate."
"Don't lose them," Kirk snapped. "Mr. Sulu, keep us within sensor range—our sensor range, not theirs."
"Aye-aye, sir."
"They are at warp two-point-five and holding, Captain. That appears to be their maximum speed."
"Antimatter drive, but without dilithium crystals to focus the power?"
"Apparently, Captain."
"And their heading—I don't suppose they're aiming for any particular star?"
"None within a dozen parsecs. Nor does their present course bear any discernible relationship to the course they were initially following."
Frowning, Kirk settled back in the command chair.
Where were the aliens going? Did they think the Enterprise had simply run away, or did they suspect they were being followed? And if they did suspect it, were they, like a bird defending its nest, trying to lure the intruder away from their home world? Was that why its course was not aimed at any of the thousands of relatively nearby stars but at the empty space that separated them?