Mission to Horatius

by Mack Reynolds

  Uhura said urgently, "I am picking up a subspace communication, Captain."

  "Ah? Bring it in, Lieutenant" He flicked a switch on his command chair.

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  Captain Kirk said, "Captain James Kirk, United Space Ship Enterprise of United Federation of Planets here."

  A voice said, "You are entering the territory of the planet Bavarya."

  "We are aware of that. Who is speaking, please?"

  "This is Oberst Muller of Planetary Defense Command. It is forbidden for you to enter Bavaryan jurisdiction without permission."

  "Very well," Kirk said dryly. "How do I manage to secure permission?"

  There was a short silence.

  "Well, Oberst... ?' Kirk said.

  'There is no manner in which you can secure permission to enter Bavaryan space. Military spacecraft are forbidden to enter our jurisdiction."

  "I see. However, Oberst Muller, the Enterprise is not exactly a military craft in the old sense of the word. The Enterprise is a patrol starship operating under Starfleet Command of the Federation. We have approached Bavarya in response to a call of distress. I am afraid, Oberst, I must request that you check with higher authority and call me back. Captain Kirk, over and out."

  He flicked off the switch and looked over at Spock. "Comments?"

  Spock said, "At last, Captain, we have come upon a more advanced culture than that which prevails on the other Horatian planets-a culture, it would seem, capable of sending both the distress call and expeditions to Neolithia and Mythra. I would suggest, Captain, that the deflectors be activated. Our Oberst Muller might be a bit precipitate."

  "Your point is well taken, Mr. Spock. Mr. Sulu, activate the ship's deflector shields and adjust them to the third magnitude."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  "And while we're awaiting Oberst Muller, we might as well take a look at this Bavarya." He touched controls, brought the planet in question into the bridge viewing screen, and rapidly increased magnification.

  "Another Class-M planet, of course, Mr. Spock?"

  Spock was busily taking readings from his hooded screen at his library computer station.

  "Yes, Captain, remarkably similar to the other two planets, with the exception here that the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would indicate a high industrial development and the use of fossil fuels such as petroleum."

  Kirk said testily, "I am getting tired of planets that reject our assistance no matter how selflessly it's offered. All three of these Horatian worlds seem to wish to remain hermits among the planets." He increased magnification again and frowned as a moderately large city swam into view.

  "Mr. Spock, refresh me on our information on Bavarya."

  "Yes, sir. It is the most recently settled-less than a century ago. The original colonists numbered approximately one thousand political malcontents from Earth itself."

  "Did you say less than a century?"

  Spock looked at him. "Yes, Captain."

  "Mr. Spock, as a rough estimate, what would you say the po pulation of that city in the viewing screen might be?"

  Spock stared at the screen, and even as he took it in, his face registered uncharacteristic surprise.

  "Very interesting, Captain, and your point is well taken. I would estimate at least one hundred thousand citizens. I am assuming that it is what it would appear to be, a city similar to one of the middle twentieth century."

  "See what you can find in the library banks, Mr. Spock, that might pertain."

  Spock bent over his hood for a few moments. When he looked up again, there was disbelief in his Vulcan face.

  "Captain, it would seem that an increase that could be termed a population explosion would result in a doubling of the number of citizens in fifteen years. Even with advanced medicine and the most fruitful of conditions, the most healthful of climates, and the absence of pestilence and war, such an increase in less than fifteen years cannot be expected."

  Captain Kirk scowled at his first officer and then let his eyes go back to the city on the screen. He decreased magnification and scanned the planet surface quickly, going over towns, villages, and cities. He finally settled on one of the latter and zeroed in on it as before.

  He said, "Mr. Spock, given a doubling of population every fifteen years, which seems a fantastic speed, what would a population beginning with one thousand be in a century?"

  Spock put it on the computer. "In a century it would be one hundred and twenty-eight thousand."

  "I submit, Mr. Spock, that one city below has a population of at least that."

  "It would appear so, Captain."

  "And from what we have seen of the rest of the planet surface, it would be difficult to gauge its population at less than five million."

  Captain Kirk flicked on his command chair intercom and pressed a button connecting it with the computer banks. He said, "Is it possible for a population of one thousand to increase to over five million within a period of less than a century?"

  Within seconds the mechanical-sounding computer voice came through. "It is impossible."

  Lieutenant Uhura interrupted from her communications control station. "A message from Bavarya, Captain Kirk."

  "Very well, Lieutenant, bring it in." He flicked a control and said, "Captain James Kirk of the United Federation of Planets Starship Enterprise here."

  A voice they recognized as that of Oberst Muller barked abruptly, "His All Highest, Nummer Ein of Bavaryal"

  "Another All Highest!" Sulu muttered disgustedly.

  7. NUMMER EIN

  "Lieutenant Uhura, are we close enough to throw this on the viewing screen?" Kirk asked.

  "Yes, sir."

  "Please do so. I would like to confront, ah, Nummer Ein face-to-face."

  Uhura touched controls, and the viewing screen was filled with the figure of a uniformed, stern-faced, military type who was staring directly ahead so defiantly as to seem almost ludicrous. His eyes quickly took in the bridge and a new respect came into them. The bridge of the starship Enterprise was obviously the control center of a very sizable craft, by Bavaryan or any other standards.

  Captain Kirk said courteously, "I assume by the manner in which the Oberst addressed you that you are the Bavaryan Chief of State."

  "You are correct, Captain Kirk. And I warn you that we are not so long gone from Earth but that we are familiar with Federation usage. You have no jurisdiction here, Captain, and by Bavaryan law are forbidden to enter orbit about us. Almost a century ago we Bavaryans left Earth and its institutions behind us to find a new way of life. You are not welcome."

  Captain Kirk looked at the uniformed strong man for a long, thoughtful moment He said finally, "Nummer Ein, we have come a long way in response to a distress signal from this star system. Thus far we have been unable to locate its source."

  "It did not emanate from here."

  "Most interesting," Spock murmured.

  The captain said evenly, "That remains to be seen. The other planets of this star system do not have a technology advanced enough to send such a call. When we checked with them, however, we found that both have been suffering raids upon their property and people. Your planet is obviously advanced enough to cross space and, ah, visit your neighbors."

  "Such raiders, if, indeed, they exist, do not originate on Bavarya, Captain Kirk. So now I warn you, if you attempt to orbit this planet, we will defend ourselves."

  "I suggest to you, Your All Highest, that by interplanetary usage a vessel with peaceful intent is not forbidden to orbit a world at a perigee of twenty thousand miles or more. Jurisdiction of a planet does not extend beyond twenty thousand miles."

  Captain James Kirk deliberately turned to his chief helmsman. "Mr. Sum, if you please, standard orbit, twenty-thousand-mile perigee. Lieutenant Uhura, if you please, a fix on the communication center Nummer Ein is utilizing. Undoubtedly it is located at his capital. We will station ourselves above it."

  On the screen the Bavaryan's face gre
w furious. "I warned you!" he snapped, and suddenly the screen went blank.

  "Mr. Sulu, maintain full shields. We shall see what our Bavaryan bullyboys have to offer."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  Spock said, "It will be interesting to discover if these colonists have advanced to the point of developing phasers of enough power to affect our defense shield."

  Kirk twisted his mouth. "It is to be assumed, Mr. Spock, that the thousand Bavaryan colonists left Earth a century ago with the technology of that period. However, there were but a thousand of them, and I doubt that all were scientists and technicians. Since that time the Federation has had literally millions of scientists at work perfecting such items as the defense shields of starships. Mr. Spock, I suspect we have little to fear."

  The ship shuddered very slightly.

  "We are under Bavaryan attack, Captain," Sulu said.

  "Thank you, Mr. Sulu."

  "Shall I lock the ship's phasers on target?" Sulu said.

  "Don't bother, Mr. Sulu. Lieutenant Uhura, please open hailing frequencies again and let me know when our Nummer Ein is willing to talk."

  "Aye aye, sir."

  It took a bit longer than James Kirk had expected. For a full fifteen minutes the Enterprise was subjected to the phaser fire of the weapons of a century past. The lighting system did not even dim. The captain nonchalantly touched a switch on his control chair, and the bridge viewing screen changed views so that the officers and crewmen could see the exterior of the Enterprise. The ship was bathed in an impressively colorful display of pyrotechnics. Beams launched up from the planet below and seemingly splattered themselves against the graceful Federation starship- completely ineffectively.

  "Very pretty," Kirk said coolly.

  Finally the bridge viewing screen switched back again and a furious Nummer Ein was there.

  Captain Kirk said, "I now point out that you, as Chief of State of Bavarya, have taken it upon yourself to make an unprovoked attack upon a Federation starship." He allowed his face to go cold.

  Behind the captain, Spock's eyebrows went up, and even Uhura looked surprised at the bluff.

  The uniformed Bavaryan blanched. "Capitulation!" he blurted. "Your terms, if you please?"

  Kirk held up a hand, as though in surprise. "But it is not a matter of capitulation or terms, Your All Highest. I simply urgently request to be received in a manner befitting an ambassador of the Federation. I sincerely hope that you can give me assurances that the distress call did not emanate from this planet and that Bavarya is not the base of the space raiders. Upon securing such assurance, my ship will leave the vicinity."

  "Very well," the other said, evidently regarding the situation as beyond his control. "You and your senior officers are invited to a reception at my palace tonight. We can discuss at that time what proofs you will require."

  "Accepted," Kirk said. "Captain Kirk, over and out"

  The screen faded, but the captain stared at it for a long, thoughtful moment

  Spock asked, "What sort of proof can we expect, Captain?"

  "That's what I was wondering about," Kirk mused. He looked at his chief helmsman. "Mr. Sulu, where is your charge?"

  "Grang, sir? Mr. Chekov has him while I'm on watch."

  "Lieutenant Uhura, if you please, put a call on the intercom for Mr. Chekov and young Grang to repair here at once."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  The captain looked back at Sulu. "How is our young savage doing?"

  The helmsman was enthusiastic. "Wonderfully, sir. He's picked up ship life as though born to space."

  "Has he picked up such niceties as how to use a knife and fork, Mr. Sulu?"

  Sulu looked at him curiously. "Why, yes, sir."

  Ensign Chekov entered the bridge, closely followed by Grang. It was the first time the Neolithian had been in the nerve center of the Enterprise, and he looked around in obviously intelligent interest

  The captain hadn't seen the youngster since he had bathed, and Kirk was suitably impressed. He said, "Grang, have you ever seen any of the raiders who have been attacking your planet?"

  "Yes, Captain of the Kirks. Three different times. We of the clan Wolf fought them bravely, but they had weapons we didn't know, and they killed and captured many of us."

  "You know what they look like? What kind of uniforms they wear, that sort of thing?"

  "Why, yes, sir," the boy said questioningly.

  The captain turned to Sulu and measured him with his eyes. "He's about your size. Get him a haircut, similar to those of the rest of us. Then get him into one of your uniforms and instruct him to the extent you can in the time available on how to conduct himself as a ship's officer of the Enterprise. Ensign Grang, you will accompany our landing party tonight to the palace of His All Highest Nummer Ein."

  The group materialized on the parade ground which was the center of the complex of buildings composing the palace of Nummer Ein. A full regiment of armed men, uniformed in gray, was there to meet them, rank upon rank, their faces militarily blank, t heir bodies straight and motionless.

  An officer barked a command, and, moving like robots, the assembly came to the salute.

  "Very impressive," Spock said.

  Captain Kirk said softly, "Yeoman, I want you to record all developments, both visual and auditory, on your tricorder. Whether or not I will have explanations to make on my handling of this mission when we return to Starfleet Command remains to be seen."

  "Aye, aye, sir," Yeoman Janice Rand said. She flicked a switch on the small over-the-shoulder case she carried, activating the electronic recorder-camera-sensor combination.

  They remained where they stood for the time. Toward them, marching stiffly, approached a group of what were obviously high-ranking officers.

  Kirk asked softly, "Well, Grang, are these the raiders?"

  "Yes, Captain of the Kirks."

  "Just Captain Kirk," Dr. McCoy said. "It's his rank and his family name, not a first name and clan designation."

  "Yes, Doctor of the McCoys," Grang said agreeably.

  "You're sure that the raiders of Neolithia wore this type uniform, carried this type weapon, and looked like these soldiers?" Kirk insisted.

  "Yes," Grang said.

  Kirk pulled forth his communicator and activated it "Kirk to the Enterprise."

  "Lieutenant Uhura here, Captain."

  "Keep a close fix on us. Things are already heating up. Have the transporter room stand by."

  "Aye, aye, sir."

  The group of officers was approaching. Captain Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy, Scott, Yeoman Rand, and Grang-now done up in the uniform of an ensign of the Federation spacefleet-turned and faced them.

  The Bavaryans halted, clicked heels in unison, bent slightly from the waist, and snapped a brisk salute.

  Those of the Enterprise were not particularly familiar with this military gesture of yesteryear, but they courteously returned the salute. Grang, from the corner of his eye, watched Scott and duplicated his movements.

  One of the Bavaryans stepped forward, saluted again, and introduced himself stiffly. "Feldherr Jodl, of His All Highest's personal staff." He half turned and introduced each of the other officers who accompanied him.

  Captain Kirk, following protocol, introduced his own party. All saluted again.

  Jodl said, still stiffly, "Nummer Ein awaits you in the palace ballroom." He turned and began to march back to the largest of the gloomy buildings which comprised the palace proper.

  "Lot of nonsense," Scott said from the corner of his mouth to Dr. McCoy, who was marching beside him. The yeoman and Grang brought up the rear, with Grang appearing somewhat wide-eyed at all the magnificence.

  But the doctor was scowling. "You know," he said, "I've seen a lot of troops in my time, but I've never seen such perfect drill in my life. And, do you notice? These Bavaryans have obviously interbred too much. There hasn't been enough mingling of the genes. They all look the same."

  Scott nodded and scowled, too. "Aye,
they do, at that, mon. There seem to be only a dozen or so different types in all. But it doesn't seem to have affected their health. Impressive-looking lads."

  They marched the full length of the parade ground and to the massive main entrance to the palace. Here their guard of honor deserted them, save for Feldherr Jodl. They entered and came face-to-face with Nummer Ein.

  The All Highest of Bavarya stood in more elaborate uniform now, and beside him was a tall, formally gowned young woman. Feldherr Jodl spoke introductions, then stepped back and made himself inconspicuous.

  Nummer Ein, his face expressionless, said, "We all know the circumstances under which we meet, Captain Kirk, so I will not dwell upon them. We have a reception of the Herr-Elite tonight and I shall introduce you to my leading people. And now may I present my daughter, Anna?"

  Anna, womanlike, had been inspecting Janice Rand's neat uniform. Now she responded to the bows of the men from the Enterprise. She was perhaps in her mid-twenties, blond, and, save for a slight plumpness, attractive.

  "Anna," Nummer Ein said, "if you will take the captain's arm and accompany him into the ballroom, I will follow with Commander Spock and the other officers. That way, Captain."

  Captain James Kirk offered his arm in the best cavalier tradition and led the way, murmuring, "May I congratulate you on the stunning gown, Miss .. . ah, I can hardly address you as Miss Nummer Ein."

  "Anna Shickle, Captain," she answered as they strode toward the sounds of revelry in the adjoining long hall. "And we do not use the term 'Miss' on Bavarya, but 'Fräulein.'"

  "I see. Then your ancestors on Earth were Teutonic in origin, Fräulein Shickle ?"

  "The elite of the Teutonic peoples, Captain," she replied.

  Behind them, Nummer Ein and Feldherr Jodl were accompanying the remainder of the Federation representatives, and the murmur of their voices in polite conversation could be heard.

  Suddenly a whisper from Anna Shickle almost caused Captain Kirk to stop stock still in his tracks.

  "At last you have come," she said under her breath, so the others could not hear.

  "I beg your pardon?" he said, keeping his own voice low.