Star Trek - Blish, James - 11

by 11(lit)

  "And kept numbers and resources balanced to main-tain a stable state of violence! Spock, it's got to have a vul-nerable area. It's got to be stopped!"

  "Then all hostile attitudes on board must be eliminat-ed, sir. The fighting must end-and soon."

  Kirk nodded. "I agree. Otherwise, we'll be a doom ship-traveling forever between galaxies... filled with bloodlust... eternal warfare! Kang has to listen-we've got to pool our knowledge to get rid of that thing!"

  The crystal was showing agitation, bobbing as though angry that its secret was known. Now, as Kirk strode to an intercom, it moved toward him, throbbing loudly. For a moment Kirk wavered. Then he walked on. The crystal, its hum furious, approached Mara. Suddenly, without warn-ing, she hurled herself at Kirk, biting, scratching, pushing him away from the intercom. Spock lifted her from Kirk, quietly pinning her arms to her sides.

  Kirk hit all buttons. "Kang! This is Kirk! Kang! Kang!"

  Mara shrieked, "Commander! It's a trick! They are located-"

  Spock's steel hand went over her mouth. At the inter-com, Kirk hit the buttons again. "Kang!" It was hopeless. The Klingon wouldn't answer.

  "The alien is affecting his mind, Captain. Soon it will grow so powerful that none of us will be able to resist it."

  The intercom beeped and Kirk hit it fast-fast and hopefully. "Kirk here!"

  "Scotty, sir. The ship's dilithium crystals are deterio-rating. We can't stop the process..."

  Kirk struck the wall with his fist. "Time factor, Scot-ty?"

  "In twelve minutes we'll be totally without engine power, sir."

  "Do everything you can. Kirk out."

  The crystal stopped bobbing. It glowed brilliantly, back in the driver's seat. As they watched it, it vanished through a wall. Kirk spoke to Mara. "So we drift forever... with only hatred and bloodshed aboard. Now do you believe?"

  Her strained eyes stared into his. But she made no an-swer.

  The dilithium crystals were still losing power. Spock, rallying all his scientific know-how, toured the bridge, ex-amining panels. Finally, he broke the bad news to Kirk. There was nothing to be done to halt the crystals' decay.

  "We have nine minutes and fifty-seven seconds before power zero," he said. "But there is a logical alternative, Captain." He was looking at Mara, his face speculative. "Kang's wife, after all, is our prisoner. A threat made to him..."

  "That's something the Klingons would understand," Scott urged.

  Mara had flinched, remembering the unspeakable atrocities said to be visited on Klingon prisoners by their human captors. Kirk saw her remembering them. Though the idea of using her to threaten Kang just might result in a productive discussion with him, it revolted him. On the other hand, peace between them was the sole hope now. After a long, painful moment, he said, "You're right, Mr. Spock."

  He flicked on his intercom. This was going to be diffi-cult. He harshened his voice. "Kang. Kang! This is Captain Kirk. I know you can hear me... Don't cut me off! We have Mara-your wife!"

  At Engineering's intercom, Kang was listening. Kirk's voice went on. "We talk truce now-or she dies. Reply!"

  Kang was silent.

  "She has five seconds to live, Kang! Reply!"

  The answer came. "She is a victim of war, Captain. She understands." Kang flicked off the intercom, his dark emotion visible to his men. He turned to them. "When we get Kirk, he is mine," he said.

  The last card had been played. Kirk looked at Mara. She had stiffened, her head held high, proud, a queen awaiting death. He pointed to a seat. "Sit over there and keep out of our way. Lieutenant Uhura, guard her."

  She didn't understand. "... you're... not going to... ?"

  "The Federation doesn't kill or mistreat its prisoners. You've heard fables, propaganda." He looked away from her as though he'd forgotten her existence. "How much time now, Mr. Spock?"

  "Eight minutes and forty-two seconds, sir."

  Instead of taking a seat, Mara had gone to the panel Spock was studying. Reading it, she realized the dilithium situation. Near her, Uhura watched her as she turned in shocked belief. "So it was no trick..." she said, bewildered.

  Scott spoke. "The alien has done all this. We are in its power. Our people-and yours."

  Kirk rose from his chair. "We wanted only to end the fighting to save us all," he told her.

  Her relief had bred a need to explain. "We have al-ways fought, Captain Kirk. We must. We are hunters, tracking and taking what we need. There are poor planets in the Klingon systems. We must push outward to survive."

  "Another way to survive is mutual trust, Mara. Mu-tual trust and mutual help."

  "I will help you now," she said.

  He'd hoped to no point too many times to feel any-thing but skepticism. "How?" he said.

  "I will take you to Kang. I will add my plea to yours."

  Scott's suspicion found voice. "Captain-I wouldn't trust her..."

  "We can't get past the Klingon defenses in time now, anyway-" Kirk paused. "Unless..." He whirled to Spock. "Spock! Intraship beaming! From one part of the ship to another! Is it possible?"

  "It has rarely been done, sir, because of the great danger involved. Pinpoint accuracy is needed. If the Tran-sportee should materialize within any solid object-a wall or deck..."

  "Prepare the Transporter," Kirk said.

  "Mr. Scott, please help me with the Main Transporter Board." Spock moved to a panel but Scott hesitated, wor-ried.

  "Even if it works, Captain, she may be leading you into a trap!"

  "We're all in a trap, Scotty. And this is our only way out of it."

  "We'll go with you, sir..."

  "That would start the final battle." Kirk took a long-searching look at Mara. "I believe her."

  Scott took one for himself. He believed her, too. "Aye, sir," he said.

  Mara entered the elevator. Following her, Kirk said, "We'll wait for your signal." As the doors closed, Scott thoughtfully fingered his sword. "But she can't guarantee that Kang will listen. Right, Mr. Spock?"

  But Spock was intent on the Main Transporter Board. "No one can guarantee another's actions, Mr. Scott."

  The Transporter Room was empty. Entering it, Kirk deliberately removed his sword; and, disarmed, placed the weapon on the console. Mara smiled at him. Spock's voice spoke from the intercom. "Your automatic setting is laid in, Captain. When the Transporter is energized, you will have eight seconds to get to the pads."

  The console was flickering with lights. As Kirk pressed a button, it beeped to every second that passed. Its hum rose and Kirk said, "I hope your computations are correct, Mr. Spock."

  "You will know in five point two seconds, Captain."

  Kirk and Mara went quickly into position on the plat-form. There were eight more beeps from the console before they shimmered out.

  At their appearance in Engineering, the startled Kang exploded to his feet. "Mara! You are alive!... and you bring us a prize!" He turned, shouting, "Guards!"

  Swords drawn, his men ringed Kirk.

  "Kang-wait!" Mara cried. "He has. come alone- unarmed! He must talk to you!"

  "Brave Captain. What about?" Kang swung to his men. "Kill him."

  Mara rushed into place before Kirk. "No! You must listen! There is great danger to us all!"

  Kang paused-and Kirk moved her aside, unwilling to allow her shield to him. "Before you start killing," he said, "give me one minute to speak!"

  Kang ignored him. He spoke to Mara. "What have they done to you? How have they affected your mind?" Then he spotted her torn garment, her bruised shoulder. His slanted eyes went icy. "Ah, I see why this human beast did not kill you..."

  She flashed into action. She seized a sword and tossed it to Kirk. He caught it as Kang launched himself headlong into attack. Defending himself, he retreated before another fierce slash. Mara, held by a Klingon, was struggling, agonized by the turn events had taken.

  "They didn't harm me! Kang, listen to Kirk!"

  Kang backed away for another onrush
. "With his death, we win!"

  "Nobody wins!" Kirk shouted. "Have any of your men died?" He broke into sudden attack but only to bring himself closer to Kang. "Listen! We can't be killed-any of us! "There's an alien aboard this ship that needs us alive!"

  Kang shoved him away only to come back with anoth-er vicious onslaught.

  "You fool!" Mara screamed.

  From behind them all, the Transporter humming sounded. Spock, McCoy, Sulu and the Enterprise forces sparkled into shape and substance. Kang's men rushed for-ward, swords aimed. The Security guards, led by Sulu who uttered a yell that might have been "Banzai!" closed with them.

  Kirk, downing a Klingon with a hard right to the jaw, reached Kang-and grabbed him. Nose to nose, he shout-ed, "Listen to me! Let me prove what I say!"

  Kang wrenched free, his sword up for the lethal downsweep. Kirk parried the blow in mid-descent. Mara, huddled against a wall, covered her face with her hands, despairing. Kang came back with another vicious slash. As Kirk ducked it, he heard the triumphant throbbing. He looked up. The crystal-above their heads, brighter than he'd ever seen it-was casting its virulent red light on Kang's face.

  The sight was all that he needed. He pushed Kang back, pinning him, and whirled him around to face their common enemy.

  "LOOK! Up there!"

  Kang looked. He shot a glance at Kirk-but the real meaning of what he'd seen didn't get through to him.

  The fight went on, interminably. Sulu plunged his sword into an opponent's chest. The Klingon staggered, pawing at the wound. Then he rallied. He drove so straight for Sulu's heart that the Enterprise helmsman barely man-aged to escape the thrust.

  Kang, his eyes on the crystal, was just beginning to get the lay of the land. Kirk pressed his advantage. "... for the rest of our lives, Kang! For a thousand lifetimes- fighting, this insane violence! That alien over our heads will control us forever!"

  The crystal throbbed loudly. Kirk himself felt the heat of its bloody radiance. But Kang still twisted, snarling, avid for killing. Kirk smashed the sword that had reappeared in his hand. He struck it furiously against a bulkhead. It broke. Kang stared at him. Then he stepped forward, his own weapon upraised. Kirk stood his ground.

  "Come on! In the brain, the heart-it doesn't matter, Kang! I won't stay dead! Next time the thing will see to it that I kill you. And you won't stay dead! The good old game of war-mindless pawn against mindless pawn! While something somewhere sits back and laughs... laughs fit to kill, Kang-and starts it all over again..."

  The sword was at his throat.

  "Jim-jump him!" McCoy shouted.

  Spock spoke out of his wise Vulcan heritage. "Those who hate and fight must stop themselves, Doctor-or it is not stopped."

  Mara had flung herself at Kang's feet. "I'm your wife -a Klingon! Would I lie for them? Listen to Kirk. He is telling the truth!"

  "Then be a pawn!" Kirk said. "A toy-the good sol-dier who never asks questions!"

  Kang looked up at the excitedly throbbing crystal. Very slowly, his hand relaxed on the sword. It dropped to the deck.

  "Klingons," he told the crystal, "kill for their own purposes." He turned to his men, shouting. "Cease hostili-ties! At rest!"

  They were puzzled by the order-but they obeyed. Kang yanked a Klingon away from a downed Security man. "At rest! At rest! You heard the order!"

  Through the open door they could all hear the clash-ing sounds of continuing battle in other parts of the ship. "All fighting must be stopped, Captain, if the alien is to be weakened before our fuel is gone."

  Kang had lifted Mara to her feet. They joined Kirk at the intercom as he activated it, Kang still suspicious.

  "Lieutenant Uhura, put me on shipwide intercom..."

  "Ready, Captain."

  "Attention, all hands! A truce is ordered... the fighting is over! Regroup and lay down weapons." He stepped back, speaking urgently. "Kang! Your turn at the intercom..."

  The Klingon hesitated, reluctant. He couldn't resist a push at Kirk as he moved to the intercom. "This is Kang. Cease hostilities. Disarm."

  The crystal was bobbing wildly with anger; but its throbbing had lessened and its redness was dimmer. "The cessation of violence appears to have weakened the alien," Spock said. "I suggest that good spirits might prove to be an effective weapon."

  Kirk nodded. A hard smile on his lips, he addressed the crystal. "Get off my ship!" The thing retreated, still bobbing. "You're powerless here. You're a dead duck. We know all about you-and we don't want to play your game any more."

  The throbbing was fainter. Spock was right. What the invader needed was a cheerful scorn. Kirk looked up at it. "Maybe there are others' like you still around. Maybe you've caused a lot of suffering-a lot of history. That's all over. We'll be on guard... we'll be ready for you. Now butt out!" He laughed at the crystal. "Haul it!"

  McCoy waved a contemptuous hand. "Get out, al-ready!" he yelled.

  As the throbbing faded, Kirk was amazed to hear a hoarse chuckle from Kang. Then he laughed as though he weren't used to it. His gusto grew. "Out!" he shouted at the crystal. "We need no urging to hate humans!" He laughed harder at Spock's irritated glance. "But for the present-only fools fight in a burning house."

  Guffawing, he rattled Kirk's teeth with a sadistic whack on the back. McCoy nudged Spock. After a moment, the Vulcan thumbed his nose at the crystal. "You will please leave," he said.

  The red was now a dull flicker. They all watched it, laughing. Suddenly the crystal vanished through a bulk-head. Floating in space outside the Starship, it flared up and winked out.

  The forced laughter had come hard. Kirk's relief from hours of nervous strain overwhelmed him so that he wasn't surprised to see that swords and shields had disappeared. Spock and McCoy discovered their phasers in place. Mc-Coy made a point of drawing his; and Kang, noting the weapon, went right on chuckling. Caution-it was how things were between the Federation and his Klingon Em-pire.

  Uhura's voice spoke. "Captain, jettisoning of fuel has stopped. The trapped crewmen are free. All systems returning to normal."

  "Carry on, Lieutenant. Mr. Sulu, resume your post Set course for-well, set it for any old star in the galaxy!"

  As Sulu left, Kirk nearly knocked Kang from his feet with a mighty thump on the back. Kang spun around, blood in his eye-and Kirk grinned at him. "Friends!" he said.

  The command chair was a place again where a man could relax. For a moment, anyway. Kirk leaned back in his seat.

  "Ahead, Mr. Sulu. Warp one." He turned to Kang and Mara. "We'll reach a neutral planet by tomorrow. You'll be dropped there. No war, this time."

  He eyed Mara. A real woman, that one. If she hadn't been Kang's wife... if there had been time. Ah well, no man could accommodate all opportunities...

  Kang was saying, "Why do you humans revere peace? It is the weakling's way. There's a galaxy to be taken, Kirk, with all its riches!"

  Spock looked up. "Two animals may fight over a bone, sir-or they can pool their abilities, hunt together more efficiently and share justly. Curiously, it works out about the same."

  Kang turned. "One animal must trust the other ani-mal."

  "Agreed," Kirk said. "Cooperate... or fight useless-ly throughout eternity. A universal rule you Klingons had better learn." He paused. "We did."

  Had it got through? Maybe. At any rate, Kang's face seemed unusually thoughtful.

  Plato's Stepchildren

  (Meyer Dolinsky)

  The planet was uncharted; but the sensors of the En-terprise, in orbit around it, had detected mineral and chem-ical riches under its rugged, mountainous surface. Spock looked up from his viewer to say briefly, "Kironide depos-its, too, Captain."

  "Record coordinates," Kirk told him.

  Uhura turned. "Mr. Spock, what is kironide?"

  "A particularly potent and long-lasting source of power, Lieutenant-very rare."

  She was about to question him further when her board's lights flashed. Surprise still on her face, she report-ed to Kirk
. "A distress signal's coming in, Captain."

  It was disconcerting news. An uncharted planet, ap-parently uninhabited-and an SOS call. Kirk said, "Let's have it. Put it on audio, Lieutenant."

  A woman's voice, amplified by the bridge's audio sys-tem, was loud enough for everyone to hear.

  "My spouse is dying. We need a physician immediate-ly. The situation is urgent. If there's a physician hearing this, we need you. Please make contact. My spouse is dying..."

  Kirk said, "I thought there was no life down there, Mr. Spock."