One Small Step

by Susan Wright

  There were a few details of her plan for escape that were still undetermined — such as what she was going to do about the men who were dismantling the portal. But, carried away by her grand passion to return to her birthing world, she was convinced that everything would fall into place. She was doing the right thing, so it had to work.

  Pausing carefully in the oval nexus chamber, she listened before looking down the corridor. The botany labs were empty, as was the entrance chamber at the top.

  Luz waited a few moments more to be sure that Tasm had returned to their ship. Then she went through the U-shaped corridor to stand before the door. It slid up smoothly, then the rock slab moved aside.

  There it was: the bulky Teleris shield. It had been acquired a generation ago, and every Petraw ship carried one. Luz knew several ways to subvert the command lock on the shield so that it would open to no one but her.

  Unfolding her padd to full extension, she crouched next to the shield and inserted the tab into the port. When she was done, the shield would not drop unless it received a command from her personal padd. Luz worked fast.

  Chapter Sixteen

  STRIDING ONTO THE BRIDGE of the Enterprise, Kirk took command from Mr. Sulu. “Report.”

  “Sir! The Klingon battleships are entering this sector. They’ll be within hailing range in eight minutes.”

  Sulu took the helm again, as Kirk slid into the command chair. He knew what was coming. The Klingons were aware that the ’Ong had been destroyed. They wouldn’t care whether it was the Kalandans or the Enterprise who had done the deed. Especially if they knew the ’Ong had been engaged in battle with his ship at the time of its destruction.

  Not that it mattered. Kirk knew only too well that Klingons would use any excuse for a fight. At least this time the Enterprise was in shape to do battle.

  Tasm’s panel scrolled the data she needed as the three Klingon vessels neared the planetoid. It was unfortunate that their replicator had only had time to create two quantum torpedoes. They did not have an advantage in this encounter, so it was not the type of fight that scouts usually engaged in.

  But strategically, she could still turn it to her benefit. The portal was being dismantled and would soon be removed. And she believed her claim would be strengthened if she could dispatch the Klingons. With two quantum torpedoes, she was confident that she could deal a severe blow to at least two of the vessels. As long as the Enterprise dispatched the third battleship, that would clear the field except for the Starfleet ship. And now she had the advantage over Kirk with the station sealed under her shield.

  Tasm examined every detail of the Klingons’ approach from her panel, along with the condition of her own ship and the Enterprise. Kirk had shields on full, with phaser banks fully charged.

  Both ships stayed in orbit around the planetoid. It could be tactically useful to be near the surface in a fight. That kind of proximity would help sustain more complex attack patterns. The Petraw navigational computer was up to the task, ready to engage in maneuvers on command.

  When she finally had a moment to think of anything other than battle prep, Tasm called one of their other pod-mates. Pir and Mlan were manning the other two stations, so she ordered the pod-mate to check on Luz’s condition. Kad had informed her that Luz had returned to the ship due to information-feed overload.

  Before Tasm had finished initiating the targeting computer for the quantum torpedoes, their pod-mate contacted the command center. “Luz isn’t in her cell.”

  Tasm instantly consulted the interior scanner. Luz was not anywhere on the ship.

  “Luz isn’t on board. She must still be inside the station,” Tasm announced.

  Pir looked up, stunned by the verbal announcement. “Maybe she lost consciousness on her way out.”

  “The search teams would have seen her . . . unless she was hiding,” Tasm finished grimly.

  She could see the questions in their eyes. They couldn’t believe it, because it was contrary to everything they held dear. Luz had stayed in the station, defying orders. It was incomprehensible that one of their pod-mates could be malfunctioning that badly.

  What was Luz thinking? Tasm knew her pod-mate had an individualistic streak. Luz wanted to excel, that was certain. But there was no telling why she had stayed on the station.

  Tasm notified Marl and Kad through the information feed to their padds. They would see her order to find Luz and restrain her, if necessary, when they next entered data.

  Tasm was determined to seal Luz in her cell for the duration of this engagement. If Luz interfered any further, then, for the good of the Petraw, she would have to be put away.

  Tasm would deal with that when called upon. Meanwhile, the three Klingon vessels had changed course and were bearing down on them in attack formation. The Enterprise was attempting to hail the Klingons with repeated queries that went ignored. It looked like there would be a fight.

  With the shield under her control, Luz reentered the station. Now she had gained the time she needed to concentrate on those who stood between her and perfect bliss.

  But how?

  Casting her eyes down at her padd, she was not sure if there was any way to turn it into a weapon. It was too light to use as a blunt instrument. She looked around the entrance chamber. The lift was still in place under the burnt-out computer node. The medical equipment McCoy had used for his tests had been removed since the Petraw had arrived.

  Then she noticed something on the table near the stools used by the Starfleet security guards. Going closer, she saw that it was a full hypospray. Next to it were two extra vials of reddish liquid. It was the vaccine for the sporophyte virus. Apparently a few doses were left here in case anyone’s vaccine wore off and they needed another booster before they could be transported back up.

  The sporophyte vaccine was dangerous if too many doses were taken. The information feed that Tasm had forced down her brain had repeated the information — which Luz already knew — that a double dose of the vaccine could bring on seizure. A triple doze could cause an irreversible coma.

  Sweeping up the loaded hypospray and the two extra vials, Luz hoped that Marl and Kad had recently been given their booster. It would make her attack more effective.

  With her weapons in hand, she hurried down the corridor, heading back to the computer chamber.

  With anyone but her plodding pod-mates, the distraction wouldn’t have worked at all. It simply proved her opinion. If Tasm couldn’t figure out that it was their own tractor-projector creating an image of three Klingon battleships, then she wasn’t likely to succeed in this engagement.

  Luz knew it was up to her to save the interstellar portal for her people.

  Chapter Seventeen

  LT. UHURA CONTINUED to issue the Starfleet hail on all channels. “Klingon vessels, this is the Starship Enterprise of the United Federation of Planets. Please respond!”

  Pressing the hail button repeatedly, she was reminded of the way the Kalandan ship had swooped down on them, also without responding. But the Klingon attack by the ’Ong had been so merciless and their situation so desperate that she couldn’t help feeling more confident now that Captain Kirk was back in command. The tension on the bridge was different this time, more expectant and ready rather than apprehensive.

  The captain appeared confident, examining the approach pattern of the Klingon battleships. “Change course to bearing three-three-zero mark two-four.”

  Ensign Chekov acknowledged, “Aye, Captain.”

  That swung the Enterprise out of synchronous equatorial orbit. Uhura continued to repeatedly send their hail.

  Lt. Sulu reported, “Captain, I’m reading some unusual energy emissions coming from the planetoid.”

  “Is it the shield?” Kirk demanded.

  “Negative, Captain. This is something else.” Sulu was concentrating on his panel. “It’s nowhere near the entrance to the station. The readings are faint. . . .”

  Kirk glanced at the Klingon battleships loomin
g closer on the screen. “What is it, Mr. Sulu?”

  “Unknown, sir —”

  Chekov interrupted, “Captain! The battleships have stopped. They’re five hundred thousand kilometers away and holding.”

  Kirk waited, as they all did, hardly drawing breath. But the Klingons came no closer.

  Tasm’s ship was prepared, her finger ready on the command to activate the quantum torpedoes. But the Klingon battleships halted just outside weapons range.

  Unexpectedly, the sensor feed blinked off, then back on, as if the Klingon ships had blipped out of existence for a micron.

  Out of existence . . . Sensors were operating perfectly . . .

  Tasm exclaimed, “There aren’t any Klingon ships!”

  Both Pir and Mlan were seeing the same sensor readouts. “What’s happening?” Mlan asked.

  Tasm dug into her pouch, pulling out the initiator. The program she had created appeared to be in waiting mode. But when she ran a self-diagnostic, the initiator reported the tractor-projector was currently operating.

  “It’s our own tractor-projector!” Tasm clenched the unit in frustration. “Is there any way we can turn it off from here?”

  “We . . . can’t,” Mlan protested. “Not from here. The initiator only works at close range.”

  “The Enterprise will figure it out soon.” Tasm frowned at the illusion of Klingon battleships hovering just out of range. “It must have been Luz!”

  Who else would have done such a thing but Luz? Luz who was still down on the station.

  Now Tasm would have to convince the Enterprise that Luz had deployed the tractor-projector on her own and was running rogue inside the station. Once Luz was captured, she would have to be put away.

  Tasm reached out and hailed the Enterprise.

  Luz crept close to the doorway to the gateway chamber, listening to the low voices as they worked on the arch. Carefully, she eased her eye around the edge of the door. She could see the chopped-up computer bank with the solid row of modules hiding most of the room. But there was movement on the other side, and the top of the arch was in view.

  “Back up there, man,” Engineer Scott drawled from behind the bank.

  Marl stepped back, holding a maser-saw limply in one hand. Luz took the chance and leaned out further. Flicking one hand, she caught his eye. His mouth opened to exclaim her name.

  Luz quickly motioned for silence. Then she gestured for him to come over.

  Puzzled, he stepped forward for a moment. She wasn’t sure if he spoke to Kad. Then Marl rounded the computer bank, coming toward her.

  She darted up the corridor, urging him to follow after her.

  Marl, the dim-witted, looked eager as he caught up to her in the command center. She headed directly into the corridor leading to the living quarters, trying to put as much distance between them and the portal chamber as possible.

  “What’s happening?” Marl whispered, unable to wait any longer.

  “This is it,” Luz said, trying to maneuver to his side. “You need to go up to drop the shield.”

  “But we’re not done yet dismantling —” Marl started to say.

  Luz jabbed the hypospray against his neck as she had seen the Starfleet medical technicians do. The vial emptied into his bloodstream.

  Marl let out a strangled shriek, spasming. His fingers drew into claws as he gasped for air.

  Luz watched nonplussed as he went rigid and fell flat on his face. It was a large vial, made for the heavier Starfleet personnel, so it was probably extra-strong for the Petraw. That was good, since she only had two vials left.

  She grabbed Marl’s stiff, trembling arm and pulled. It was hard to drag him. He had always been big for a Petraw, more like a defender than a scout. Luz had nothing in particular against Marl. If anything, he was somewhat less irritating than the rest. But she didn’t care enough about him to worry whether the vaccine would cause permanent damage.

  Once she got Marl moving, it was easier to slide him across the polished floor. She managed to drag him through the branching corridor into one of the living quarters.

  She was coming out the side corridor, wiping her palms on her pants, when Kad appeared. “Luz! What are you doing here? Where’s Marl?”

  “Tasm ordered him to disengage the shield. I’m to brief you.” Luz moved a few steps closer. “We’re taking the archway.”

  “But it’s too soon,” Kad protested.

  Luz moved closer, lowering her voice. “We’re only taking the cylindrical unit. It’s the key component.”

  Kad looked at her, startled. “That’s true . . . the arch is just a solid neutronium ring that carries the magnetic resonances.”

  “That’s what I thought.” With one quick motion, she jabbed the hypospray against Kad’s neck and emptied it.

  Kad was smaller than Marl. He went so rigid that his back arched. Something gurgled in his throat, and he turned an alarming shade of blue.

  Luz reached out to try to soften his fall. For a moment she was shaken out of her resolve. Kad’s eyes were open and staring, and his entire body shook.

  Then she remembered the birthing world. If she didn’t act now and carry through with her engagement, the portal would be lost to the Petraw. Her goal was too important for her to hesitate now. Her people needed the interstellar transporter technology.

  Uhura tried hailing the Klingons again on all channels, thinking they were breaking off their attack and finally ready to open discussions. But there was nothing. “No answer to our hails, sir.”

  “No,” Kirk agreed. “Something’s not right.”

  The bridge officers shifted uneasily. Many were glancing from their panels to the screen, where the Klingon battleships hung motionless yet menacing.

  That’s when the Kalandan’s subspace channel was activated. Uhura said, “Sir! Commander Tasm is hailing us.”

  “I can’t wait to hear this,” Kirk muttered. “On screen.”

  Uhura opened the channel, routing it directly to the screen. Commander Tasm appeared, replacing the silent Klingon vessels, her head and shoulders filling the large screen. Her expression was closer to blank than serene. This time, Uhura thought her parti-colored eyelids seemed too festive and expressive for her face.

  “Captain Kirk, we’ve been tricked. One of my officers has planted a tractor-projector on the planetoid. That unit is creating the illusion of the three Klingon vessels.”

  “A member of your own crew did it,” Kirk said with deceptive quiet. “And you didn’t know about it?”

  “Officer Luz.” Tasm frowned. “She’s been acting strangely since we discovered the station. It appears she’s down there now, in spite of my orders.”

  “She’s inside the station?” Kirk demanded.

  “Our sensors don’t read her on the surface,” Tasm confirmed.

  “Drop the shield,” Kirk ordered.

  While Tasm worked on the screen, Uhura prepared to hail Mr. Spock. The Kalandan shield was much stronger than Scotty’s, and they couldn’t get a subspace message through the interference. Just as Uhura finished keying in the proper sequence, an indicator light flashed in one of the open frequencies, then was gone. Some kind of communications blip.

  Uhura was distracted when Kirk stood up and took several steps forward. Tasm was working faster now, apparently having difficulty.

  “Commander,” he warned. “We’re waiting.”

  Tasm looked up, more worried than Uhura had ever seen her. “I can’t drop the shield. Something’s jammed it.”

  Kirk’s tone was biting. “Do you expect me to believe that?”

  “Yes!” she exclaimed, staring at him. “It’s been tampered with. Perhaps Luz did it from inside. . . .”

  Kirk’s fist clenched. “We have to get inside that station.”

  Commander Kolar of the Klingon battleship GhIj whirled on her second officer, cuffing him so hard across the head that the man flew against the bulkhead. “I ordered communications silence!” Kolar roared.

&n
bsp; The other Klingon officers shifted at their stations, growling low in their throats. The second officer hurriedly got to his feet and resumed his station, even though he knew that he might get cuffed again.

  Commander Kolar raised her gloved hand, but didn’t bother to follow through when the officer didn’t flinch. He offered no excuses, either, for contacting the Leng, the battleship that accompanied them. If he had, he would be dead and another would rise to fill his place.

  Kolar swung back into her command chair under the heavy main bulkheads. The GhIj was a fortress, ready to destroy those who dared to strike at the Klingon Empire.

  “Status,” Kolar demanded.

  “Captain! Nearing the last known coordinates of the defense cruiser ’Ong. We will be within sensor range in four tup.”

  “And the Leng?” That was the other battleship. Kolar was the superior commander of the sortie. This territory belonged to neither the Federation nor the Klingons. Her actions could be the start of a Klingon expansion into these sectors.

  Her orders were to investigate the distress signal sent by the ’Ong. There was no explanation for why the cruiser had deviated so far from its normal patrol, nor why it had been engaged in battle with a Starfleet vessel.

  Kolar didn’t care why. She liked surprises. They made the battle all the more juicy. And with two battleships at her command, she could lay waste to anything that tried to stop them.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “WE’RE BREACHING that shield, Commander!” Captain Kirk insisted. “There must be some weakness in it.”

  “It bonds atomically to the bedrock,” Tasm explained. “The frequencies are overlapping, so there’s no gap in the cycle. A quantum torpedo might destroy it, but the shock wave would kill everyone inside.”

  Kirk turned away, thinking hard. Both Scotty and Spock, the two men who might know a way around that shield, were trapped inside the station. And he had a feeling that time was slipping away from them.

  They couldn’t use the phasers to punch through the bedrock because of the layers of diburnium-osmium alloy protecting the outpost below. If the phasers were set high enough to pierce the alloy, it would impact disastrously against the forcefield layers.