by 05(lit)
"My apologies," Bele said readily. "I overstepped my powers. 'Claim' was undoubtedly an unfortunate word."
"What authorization do you have and from what source?"
"I am Chief Officer of the Commission on Political Traitors. Lokai was tried for and convicted of treason, but escaped. May I see him, please?"
"He's in sickbay. Understand that since you are now aboard the Enterprise, you are bound by its regulations."
Bele smiled, a little cryptically. "With your per-mission, Captain."
There were two guards at the door of Sickbay when Kirk, Spock and Bele arrived; McCoy was inside. Lokai glared up at them.
"Well, Lokai, it's a pleasure to see you again," Bele said. "This time I'm sure our 'joining' will be of a per-manent nature. Captain, you are to be congratulated. Lokai has never before been rendered so-quiescent."
Lokai made a sound remarkably like a panther snarl-ing, which brought in the two guards in a hurry. "I'm not going back to Cheron," he said with savage anger. "It's a world of murdering oppressors."
"I told you where you were going," Kirk said. "We brought your compatriot here simply as a courtesy. He wanted to identify you."
"And you see how this killer responds," Bele said. "As he repays all his benefactors..."
"Benefactors?" Lokai said. "You hypocrite. Tell him how you raided our homes, tore us from our families, herded us like cattle and sold us as slaves!"
"They were savages, Captain," Bele said. "We took them into our hearts and homes and educated them."
"Yes! Just enough education to serve the Master Race."
"You were the product of our love and you repaid us with murder."
"Why should a slave have mercy on the enslaver?"
"Slave? That was changed millennia ago. You were freed."
"Freed? Were we free to be men-free to be husbands and fathers-free to live our lives in dignity and equal-ity?"
"Yes, you were free, if you knew how to use your freedom. You were free enough to slaughter and burn all that had been built."
Lokai turned to Kirk. "I tried to break the chains of a hundred million people. My only crime is that I failed. Of that I plead guilty."
"There is an order in things," Bele said. "He asked for Utopia in a day. It can't be done."
"Not in a day. And not in ten times ten thousand years by your thinking. To you we are a loathsome breed who will never be ready. I know you and all those with whom you are plotting to take power permanently. Genocide for my people is the Utopia you plan."
Bele, his eyes wide with fury, sprang at Lokai. The guards grabbed him. "You insane, filthy little plotter of ruin! You vicious subverter of every decent thought! You're coming back to stand trial for your crimes."
"When I return to Cheron, you will understand power. I will have armies of followers."
"You were brought here to identify this man," Kirk told Bele. "It is now clear, gentlemen, that you know each other very well. Bringing you together is the only service this ship has to offer. It is not a battlefield."
"Captain," Lokai said, "I led revolutionaries, not criminals. I demand political asylum. Your ship is a sanctuary."
"I'll say it just once more. For you this ship is a prison."
"Captain, it is imperative that you return him for judgment."
"Cheron is not a member of the Federation. No treaties have ever been signed. Your demand to be given possession of this prisoner is impossible to honor. There are no extradition procedures to accomplish it. Is that clear, Commissioner Bele?"
"Captain," Bele said, "I hope you will be sensible."
"I'm not interested in taking sides."
"Since my vessel has left the area-I was only a paid passenger-I urge you to take us to Cheron immediately."
Kirk felt himself beginning to bristle. "This ship has a mission to perform. Millions of lives are at stake. When that is completed, I'll return to Starbase 4. You will both be turned over to the authorities. You can each make your case to them."
"I'm sorry, Captain, but that is not acceptable. Not at all!"
"As a dignitary of a far planet," Kirk said, seething, "I offer you every hospitality of the ship while you are aboard. Choose any other course, and..."
"You're the Captain," Bele said with sudden mildness.
"And as for you, Lokai, I suggest you rest as much as possible. Especially your vocal chords. It seems you will have a double opportunity to practice your oratory at Starbase..."
He was interrupted by the buzz of the intercom. "Chekov to Captain Kirk. Urgent. Will you come to the bridge, sir?"
It was urgent, all right. The ship was off course; it seemed to have taken a new heading all by itself; it was moving away from Ariannus on a tack that would wind it up in the Coal Sack if it kept up. A check with all departments failed to turn up the nature of the mal-function.
"Mr. Spock, give me the coordinates for Cheron."
"Roughly, sir, between 403 Mark 7 and Mark 9."
"Which is the way we're heading. Get Bele up here. I assigned him to the guest quarters on Deck 6."
Bele, once arrived, did not wait to be asked any questions. "Yes," he said, "we are on the way to Cheron. I should tell you that we are not only a very old race but a very long-lived one; and we have developed special powers which you could not hope to understand. Suffice it to say that this ship is now under my direction. For a thousand of your terrestrial years I have been pursuing Lokai through the Galaxy. I haven't come this far and this long to give him up now."
The elevator doors snapped open and Lokai ran out, followed by the two security guards.
"I will not return to Cheron!" he cried despairingly. "You guaranteed me sanctuary! Captain Kirk..."
"He cannnot help you," Bele said. "You have lost, Lokai. You are on your way to final punishment."
"Stop him!"
"Not this time, you evil mound of filth. Not this time."
"My cause is just. You must help me-all of you..."
"The old cry. Pity me! Wherever he's gone, he has been helped to escape. On every planet he has found fools who bleed for him and shed tears for the oppressed one. But there is no escape from this ship. This is your last refuge."
With a cry of rage, Lokai leaped at him. Kirk pulled him off. "Security," he said, "take both of these men to the brig."
The guards stepped forward. In an instant, a visible wall of heat formed around both the aliens.
Bele laughed. "You are helpless, Captain."
"What a fool I am," Lokai said bitterly, "expecting help from such as you."
"This ship," Kirk said, "is going to Ariannus. The lives of millions of people make no other choice possible."
"You are being obtuse, Captain. I am permitting no choice. My will now controls this ship and nothing can break it." Every cord in Bele's body and every vein in his head stood out with the ferocity of his determination.
"Bele, I am Captain of this ship. It will follow whatever course I set for it-or I will order it destroyed."
Bele stared at him. "You're bluffing. You could no more destroy this ship than I could change colors."
Kirk turned sharply toward Uhura. "Lieutenant, tie bridge audio into master computer."
"Aye aye, sir."
Kirk sat down and hit a button on his chair. "De-struct Sequence. Computer, are you ready to copy?"
"Working," said the computer's voice.
"Stand by to verify Destruct Sequence Code One."
"Ready."
"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship USS Enterprise. Destruct Sequence One-Code One One A."
There was a rapid run of lights over the face of the computer, accompanied by the usual beeping. Then on the upper left of the panel a yellow square lit up, with a black figure 1 in its center.
"Voice and Code One One A verified and correct. Sequence One complete."
Mr. Spock, please continue."
"This is Commander Spock, Science Officer. Destruct Sequence Number Two-Code One One
A Two B."
"Voice and code verified and correct. Sequence Two complete."
"Mr. Scott."
The sweat was standing out on Scott's brow. Perhaps no one aboard loved the Enterprise as much as he did. Looking straight into Kirk's eyes, he said mechanically, "This is Lieutenant Commander Scott, Chief Engineering Officer. Destruct Sequence Number Three-Code One B Two B Three."
"Voice and code verified and correct. Destruct Se-quence engaged. Awaiting final code for thirty-second countdown."
"Mr. Spock, has this ship returned to the course set for it by my orders?"
"No, Captain. We are still headed for Cheron."
Bele said nothing. Kirk turned quietly back to the computer. "Begin thirty-second countdown. Code Zero-Zero-Destruct-Zero."
"Count beginning. Thirty. Twenty-nine."
"Now," Kirk said, "let us see you prevent the computer from fulfilling my commands."
"Twenty-five."
"You can use your will to drag this ship toward Cheron. But I control this computer. The final command is mine."
"Fifteen."
"From five to zero," Kirk said, "no command in the universe can stop the computer from completing its Destruct order."
"Seven."
"Waiting," Kirk said relentlessly.
"Five."
The lights stopped blinking and became a steady glare, and the beeping became a continuous whine. Chekov hunched tensely over his board. Sulu's hand was white on the helm, as though he might put the ship back on course through sheer muscle power. Uhura looked at Kirk for a moment, and then her eyes closed peacefully. Spock and Scott were tensely impassive.
"Awaiting code for irrevocable five seconds," the computer's voice said.
Kirk and Bele stared at each other. Then Kirk turned back to the computer for the last time.
"Wait!" Bele said. It was a cry of despair. "I agree! I agree!"
Kirk's expression did not change. He said, "Captain James Kirk. Code One Two Three Continuity. Abort Destruct order."
"Destruct order aborted." The computer went silent.
"Mr. Spock, Are we heading for Ariannus?"
"No, sir. The Enterprise is now describing a circular course."
"And at Warp Seven, Captain," Scott added. "We are going nowhere mighty fast.'
"I warned you of his treachery," Lokai said. "You have weapons. Kill him!"
"We are waiting, Commissioner," Kirk said, "for you to honor your commitment."
"I have an alternative solution to offer, Captain. Simple, expedient, and, I am sure, agreeable. Captain-I am happy to have you complete your mission of mercy to Ariannus. It was madness to interfere with such a worth-while endeavor."
Kirk listened stonily.
"Please, sir. You may proceed to Ariannus. Just guarantee me that, upon completion, you will take me and my traitorous captive to Cheron."
"Sir," Kirk said, "he is not your captive-and I make no deals about control of this ship."
Bele's shoulders sagged. He closed his eyes for a moment, his face curiously distorted, and then opened them again. "The ship's course is now in your control."
"Mr. Sulu?"
"She responds, sir. I'm resetting course for Ariannus."
"And as for you two-let me reaffirm my position. I should put both of you in the brig for what you have done. As Lokai observed, we have weapons, from which no heat shield will protect you. But I won't do it, since you are new to this part of the Galaxy, which is governed by the laws of the United Federation of Planets. We live in peace with the fullest exercise of individual rights. The need to resort to force and violence has long since passed. It will not be tolerated on this ship."
"You are both free to move about the ship. An armed guard will accompany each of you. I hope you will take the opportunity to get to know the ways of the Federation through some of its best representatives, my crew. But make no mistake. Any interference with the function of this ship will be severely punished. That's all."
Bele, his face inscrutable, nodded and went out, fol-lowed by a guard.
Lokai said, "You speak very well, Captain Kirk. Your words promise justice for all."
"We try, sir."
"But I have learned to wait for actions. After Ariannus -what is your justice? I shall wait to see it dispensed."
He too went out followed by a guard. Spock looked after him.
"Fascinating," the First Officer said. "Two totally hostile humanoids."
"Disgusting is what I call them," Scott said.
"That is not a scientifically accurate description," Spock said.
"Fascinating isn't one, either. And disgusting describes exactly what I feel about those two."
"Your feelings, as usual, shed no light on the matter."
"Enough for one day," Kirk said. "Those two are beginning to affect you."
Lokai settled upon Uhura as his next hope, perhaps feeling that since he had made no headway with the white members of the crew, a black one might be more sympathetic. He was talking eagerly to her in the rec room, with Chekov and Spock as bystanders. Racially, the four made a colorful mixture, though probably none of them was aware of it.
"... and I know from my actions you must all think me a volcanic hothead-erupting lava from my nostrils at danger signals that are only figments of my imagina-tion. But believe me, my friends, there can be no moment when I can have my guard down where such as Bele are present. And so what happens? I act the madman out of the anger and frustration he forces upon me and thereby prove his point that I am a madman."
"We all act incorrectly when we're angry," Uhura said.
"After all," Chekov added cheerfully, "we're only hu-man."
"Ah, Mr. Chekov, you have used the phrase which puts my impatience into perspective-which focuses on my lack of ability to convey to your captain, and to you, yes you here in this room, my lack of ability to alert you to the real threat of someone like Bele. There is no persecution on your planet. How can you understand my fear, my apprehension, my degradation, my suffering?"
"There was persecution on Earth once," Chekov said.
"Yes," said Uhura. "But to us, Chekov, that's only something we were taught in history class."
"Yes, that's right. It was long ago."
"Then," said Lokai, "how can I make your flesh know how it feels to see all those who are like you-and only because they are like you-despised, slaughtered and, even worse, denied the simplest bit of decency that is a living being's right. Do you know what it would be like to be dragged out of your hovel into a war on another planet? A battle that will serve your oppressor and bring death to you and your brothers?" There seemed to be no answer to that.
Bele, for reasons not to be guessed at, continued to work on Kirk-perhaps because he had developed a grudging respect for the man who had faced him down, or perhaps not. He visited the Captain's quarters when-ever asked, though Kirk took care on each occasion to see that Spock was present as well.
"Putting the matter in the hands of your Starfleet Command is of course the proper procedure," Bele said on one such occasion. "Will it be long before we hear from them, Captain?"
"I expect the reply is already on the way, Commis-sioner."
"But Command may not arrive at the solution you anticipate," Spock added. "There is the matter of the shuttlecraft Lokai appropriated."
"Gentlemen," Bele said, almost airily, "we are dis-cussing a matter of degree. Surely, stealing a shuttlecraft cannot be equated with the murder of thousands of people?"
"We don't know that Lokai has done that," Spock said.
"Well, the one thing we're agreed on is that Lokai is a criminal."
"We are agreed," Kirk said, "that he took a shuttle-craft-excuse me. Kirk here."
"Captain," Uhura's voice said, "I have your commu-nication from Starfleet Command."
"Fine, Lieutenant. Read it out."
"Starfleet Command extends greetings to Commissioner Bele of the planet Cheron. His urgent request to be transported to his
planet with the man he claims prisoner has been taken under serious consideration. It is with great regret that we report we cannot honor that request. Intragalactic treaty clearly specifies that no being can be extradited without due process. In view of the cir-cumstances we have no doubt that after a hearing at Starbase, Commissioner Bele will be provided trans-portation, but whether with or without his prisoner re-mains to be determined. End of message."