This time the colonists didn't need Kor's permission to move. As a unit they j umped from the platform and ran toward the remaining domes, shouting the warning as they went.
Only Kerdoch held his ground. "I am here to fight," he said. "I will help you with the gun. "
Kirk looked at the Klingon colonist's stern expression for a moment, then nodded. "Take some water inside the shelter. "
Kerdoch jumped into action without so much as a
nod.
"Mr. Sulu, ready the gun." Kirk glanced at the bare chest of his officer and remembered the coming heat. "And you might want to put a shirt on to protect your skin. "
Sulu nodded and sprang into action.
Kirk grabbed another sheet of paneling. He tossed it in on the floor of the shelter near the gun. Then he did the same with two more. It wasn't much, but they might serve as one man skields in case the ships came in from another direction.
It wasn't until he j umped back up on the concrete platform and moved inside the gun shelter that it dawned on him that McCoy, Rathbone , and Adaro hadn't returned yet.
He glanced in the direction of the colony. No sign of them yet. They had less than two minutes. Surely they must have heard the warnings from the colonists.
As the seconds ticked past, Kirk's stomach twisted with the realization that his friend McCoy wasn't returning.
With one minute left, Kirk moved to the edge of the concrete platform, turned his back on the colony, and began scanning the skies on the western horizon for the ships.
McCoy was smart. He and the others would find shelter. They'd make it.
Somehow.
McCoy knew the moment he, Rathbone, and the young ensign entered the main colony square near the well that something was wrong. A large Klingon woman was sprawled on the edge of the pool, one hand dangling in the water. A boy, not more than two years old, lay with his head against her stomach. A baby in a basket moved slightly.
McCoy ran up to her, dropping the water containers and pulling the medical scanner from his belt. The woman was almost dead. It was amazing she had made it this far, she was so dehydrated.
Since the baby moved, he scanned it first. It was alive and dehydrated, but not as bad as the woman. The boy was also alive.
"Get the children water," he said to Rathbone . Then he quickly gave the woman an injection of fluids, hoping to pull her away from death enough to get water into her the natural way.
She didn't move.
"Damn," McCoy said under his breath.
"Is she going to make it?" Rathbone asked, taking the baby into her arms and patting the child's dry lips with a wet part of her uniform. Ensign Adaro put his arms around the small boy and lifted him. The child moaned. Adaro held the boy near the fountain, and he
drank as though he had never had water in his life .
"I don't know if she's going to make it," McCoy
said. He knew he should have studied the Federation's limited records on Klingon physiology on the way here instead of checking the medical supplies.
"We need to get her out of this heat somehow, and pour water down her."
Rathbone stood with the child and looked quickly
around the square. "There is no help in sight," she
said, sounding perplexed.
No help in sight. He didn't like the sound of that, but he didn't have time to think about it.
He scanned the woman's vital signs. No change at all. And he didn't really know if he was doing the right thing by giving her fluids directly. For all he knew, what worked for a human might be deadly for a Klingon. It had never occurred to him to study the fluid needs of Klingons in hlgh heat. In his worst nightmare he had never imagined he'd need to know such a detail.
Suddenly three of the colonists who had been working with the captain came running into the square. "The ships ! " they shouted. "Take cover. "
"Wonderful timieng," McCoy said to himself. He stood and shouted at the running colonists. "We need help here ! " He pointed to the woman and children.
One of the colonists veered his way while the others went on giving the warning. "My home is close," he said.
"Fine," McCoy said. "Take her anywhere. Ensign, help him. "
Ensign Adaro set the small boy down and came to McCoy's side. Together he and the colonist picked up the large, unconscious woman.
"We'll follow with the children and water, " McCoy said.
The Klingon who had offered his home only nodded.
McCoy quickly grabbed three pans and filled them, then took the little boy by the hand and headed after the two men. Rathbone, with full bottles of water and the baby, was right behind him.
As they ducked behind the two men inside one of
the domed homes on the edge of the central courtyard, McCoy's own words about making it back to the bunker came back to him. They weren't going to be back, at least not until this attack was over.
He hoped the captain made it through the attack.
Then the woman moaned as the two men laid her on a cotlike bed, and McCoy became too busy to think about his captain.
Until the first blast shook the domed structure and the heat filled the room so fast he could hardly breathe.
"So much for deciding what to do," Captain Bogle said to himself as the Farragut dropped out of warp. "Battle stations everyone! "
The alarms blared and the lights dimmed slightly as his ship smoothly went to alert.
Bogle forced himself to take a deep breath and focus on the events giong on in front of him. They'd been in fights before. This was just another. Even though it was five against three. And each of the five ships against them was twice the size of the Farragut. It was still j ust another fight.
On the main screen two of the five huge alien ships were opening their large rear sections. Small, thin, wedgelike craft were pouring from both ships and turning toward the planet's atmosphere, obviously heading into another attack run at the Klingon colony.
Both the Enterprise and the Klingon battle cruiser had turned and were moving in, firing phaser beams at the smaller ships scattered behind the larger ones. It looked as if they were firing at a swarm oflarge flies buzzing a cow.
"Ensign Summer, bring us in over the planet," Bogle said.
He moved up and put his hand firmly on Lieutenant Michael Book's shoulder. "Lieutenant, target any of the smaller ships you can lock on to and fire when in range."
"Yes, sir," Book said.
Bogle let go of the lieutenant's shoulder and stepped back next to his captain's chair.
The next few seconds went by slowly as the Farragut moved into range. Then the phaser fired three times as one of the larger alien craft turned and moved toward them, firing as it came. Two of the targeted smaller craft exploded.
"Got them," Lieutenant Book said.
"Keep firing, mister," Bogle said.
The Enterprise had destroyed three of the atmosphere fighters, and the battle cruiser had taken out two. But at least fifteen of the smaller craft were still dropping toward the planet's surface.
The Farragut rocked with the impact of phaser fire from the large alien ship.
"Shields holding," First Officer Lee said.
"Continue targeting the smaller ships! " Bogle ordered. "They'll be out ofrange soon."
More phaser fire shot from his ship and took out two more of the smaller craft in small balls of orange and red flame.
The larger alien ship fired its phasers again and again, all direct hits against the Farragut's screens.
The Farragut rocked so violently Bogle was tossed to the deck.
Annoyed at himself for not being in his chair, he rolled with his fall and came up on one knee holding on to the rail.
Somehow Lieutenant Book had managed to stay in his seat, but everyone else was down on the deck, scrambling to get back to their stations.
"Arm torpedoes," Bogle yelled. "Target the large ship and fire when ready. "
A moment later the farragut rocked
as four torpedoes were fired, all exploding in direct hits on the alien's screens.
"Evasive action," he said as Ensign Summer scrambled back to his chair.
The ship swung high and to the left of the huge alien ship, but not fast enough to avoid three more direct hits on the screens. This time Bogle remained in a kneeling position, his eyes on the screen, as the Farragut shook and rumbled at the impacts.
After the rocking calmed he quickly climbed back to his feet and dropped into his chair.
"Screens at forty percent," Lee said. "Damage on decks eight and ten. "
"The Enterprise? " Bogle asked.
"Under heavy fire," Lee said, "but still returning fire. The Klingon battle cruiser is pinned between two of the big ships. One of the alien transports seems to be standing off and watching. "
Bogle nodded. Lucky break there .
"The Klingons will have to take care of themselves for a moment," he said, more to himself than any of the crew. Then to Ensign Summer he said, "Take us right at the shiP the Enterprise is firing at. Ignore the one that's after us."
The main viewscreen shifted around to show the fight between the Enterprise and the much larger alien ship. Even from here Bogle could see the Enterprise rocking with the impact of the alien phasers.
"Lieutenant Sandy, open an audio channel to the Enterprise. "
"Open, sir," Sandy said almost instantly.
"Spock, this is Bogle." The captain didn't wait for a reply. "Target their right wing section. On my mark. "
Then he turned his attention to his crew. "We're going to do the same," he said. "On the same mark. All right, Lieutenant?"
"Ready, sir," Book said.
"Now! " Bogle said to him and Spock.
The phaser beams from both starships pulsed on the alien's right wing screens for a long moment, then broke through, cutting into the skin of the ship underneath.
Then the Farragut rocked like a bad ride in an amusement park as the alien ship behind them hit them with a series of full, direct hits, one right after another.
Bogle managed to stay in his chair this time, but not by much.
"Aft screens failing," Lee shouted.
"Turn us around," Bogle ordered. "Return fire! "
More direct hits rocked them.
Behind them the Enterprise was firing over the Farragut's bow, going after the ship that was attacking the Farragut.
"You got it, Mr. Spock," Bogle said through his teeth as his ship rocked again. "We've got a chance if we gang up on these giants."
"Shields failing," Lee shouted.
"Full fire," Bogle said. "All weapons. Now! "
Ifthey were going to die, Bogle figured, they were at least going to put a dent in the ship that killed them, maybe give the Enterprise a fighting chance.
Bogle noted the Enterprise was also firing with all weapons at the alien ship when everything on the screen and around him suddenly exploded.
He was tossed sideways from his chair like a doll thrown by an angry child.
He cleared the handrail in the air, rolled once, and smashed shoulder and head first into the turbolift doors.
The last thing he heard was the whoosh of the lift's doors opening before the blackness took him away.
Chapter Eleven
KIRR STOOD at the opening of the shelter over the disrupter cannon. He gripped the edge of the three-layer-thick material, and studied the horizon. Both suns were lower in the sky, and the light seemed to shimmer in the heat waves ocross the flat, blackened farmland.
Then, j ust at the exact time Spock had predicted, the ships appeared, thin silver lines against the sky. They were staging their run from the exact same direction as the first attacks. Whoever these aliens were, they certainly were patient, as well as creatures of habit. That fact might come in very handy in face to face meetings, if he lived long enough to get to that point.
Kirk counted seven ships in the first wave. At least three less than last run. Maybe Spock and Bogle had managed to make a dent in their numbers.
"Get ready," Kirk shouted, both to Sulu and Kerdoch behind him, and to Kor and his first officer in the bunker.
Kirk ducked back inside the shelter and took up a position near Sulu, who had the targeting controls for the cannon.
"The moment they're past us, target and fire," Kirk said. "You might have time to get two shots off before they're out of range ."
Sulu nodded.
Kirk picked up a panel and slid it to Kerdoch on the other side of Sulu. Then he picked up a second. "Hold these up in front of us to slow down any heat backwash," Kirk said. "But be careful to not block Sulu's aim."
Kerdoch nodded and got the first sheet into position just as the world exploded around them.
The structure over them shook, and the heat washed over Kirk like a full-force blast furnace. The world seemed to go red, the ground trembled, wind whipped the hot air through the shelter at almost hurricane force.
Kirk barely managed to hang on to the sheet he was holding, and only then because it was braced and it had smashed back against his chest.
Kerdoch stood no chance of holding his panel. It blasted out of his hands and the shelter like it had been shot from some strange gun. It swirled in the air like a feather from a passing bird.
Somehow, the shelter the colonists had built over the gun withstood the plasma attack.
Almost instantly the ships were beyond the edge of the colony.
Sulu fired.
The report of the disrupter cannon discharging in the confined space ofthe shelter was more like a bomb going off inside a small room. The concussion filled the air and rocked the shelter.
Kirk's ears rang, and he hoped his eardrums hadn't been damaged.
Just beyond the edge of the colony the third alien craft from the right exploded in a ball of orange flame .
Sulu fired again.
Kirk had managed in the short instant between shots to cover his ears. The sound of the discharge still increased the ringing in his head to a painful level.
The second craft on the right exploded.
"Great shooting, Mr. Sulu," he shouted over the ringing in his head, then scrambled to the front edge of the shelter. If the alien ships stayed on the same pattern as the morning attacks, there would be almost a full sixty seconds before the next wave.
He slowly poked his head around the corner to stare through the heat waves to the west.
He was right. No ships had yet appeared for an attack run, and the remaining five ships from the first run were long out of sight.
"Get ready," Kirk said. Sulu and Kerdoch nodded as they checked over the gun.
Kirk stepped farther out on the concrete platform to get a better view of the surrounding blackened farmland. He scanned all sides once, just to make sure. Then he saw the new wave of attack ships forming in the same location.
He glanced in the other directions again. Nothing but the one wave forming in the exact same place as before. Seven ships again. If nothing else, they were consistent. That would be their downfall.
He ducked back into the shelter. "Next wave in about fifteen seconds."
"Should I try for three ?" Sulu asked.
"Do you have time?"
"No way of telling exactly," Sulu said.
"His second shot," Kerdoch said, "was well within the range of this cannon. "
Kirk nodded to the Klingon, then faced Sulu. "Why not? I think my ears can take it. Brace yourselves."
As the last word came from his mouth the shelter again seemed to explode in a whirlwind of heat, thundering sound, and shaking ground.
Then Sulu fired.
The concussion from the gun pounded Kirk into the side of the shelter, but he managed to keep his feet under him.
The center ship exploded.
Sulu fired again.
The next ship to the right exploded.
Sulu fired a third time.
The next ship down the line exploded.
Three down, four to go
in this wave.
"Great work," Kirk shouted over the deafening ringing in his ears. He was convinced that all three of them were going to have their hearing damaged, but that was a small price to pay for staying alive.
Kerdoch laughed and slapped Sulu on the back.
Sulu patted the handholds on the gun. "We got to get us one of these," he said. "That felt good. But I might never hear again. "
Kirk had to agree with his officer. Fighting back did feel good. Much better than hiding in a bunker. And he too was amazed by the ability of the Klingon disrupter cannon. A very impressive weapon.
Kirk looked around for water. Two of the pans had been knocked over by the high winds, but a large jug still looked full He picked it up and handed it to Sulu.
"Ifthe aliens are as consistent as I think they are," Kirk said, "we've got four minutes until the next attack."
"My ears might almost recover by then," Sulu said as he took the j ug from Kirk and took a long drink. Then he handed it to Kerdoch, who did the same and passed it back over the end of the gun to Kirk.
Kirk let the warm water almost pour down his throat. Every inch ofhis skin was coated in sweat, and even the hot afternoon wind felt cool compared to the furnacelike temperatures caused by the enemy plasma beams.
He handed the j ug back to Sulu and moved out to take his watch post. No ships in sight at all. In any direction. It would be a few minutes, if they stayed on pattern.
He moved to the end of the platform above the bunker and inspected the panels. Like the shelter, every panel had stayed in place.
"Kahaq? Kerdoch?" Kor shouted. "Are you okay?"
"We live," Kahaq's voice came back strong and defiant from inside the bunker.
"We downed five of their ships," Kirk said. "Another attack should be coming in a few minutes. "
"We will join you," Kor's voice came back, much weaker than that of his officeer.
"There is no more room in the shelter," Kirk said.
"If we are killed, you must take our place. Until then, stay where you are. Rest and prepare for the fight. "
"Kirk," Kor said, "you sometimes know us too well. We will remain here. "
Day of Honor - Treaty's Law Page 9