Star Trek - Sarek

by A. C. Crispin

  transfusions."

  "Okay," McCoy said. "Set up sickbay for filtration and transfusions.

  Check our supply of Vulcan Q-positive blood.

  That's a common type, we should have some on hand."

  "But ... he's a Romulan," Kirk said. "Or do they have the same blood

  types?"

  "I have no idea," McCoy said. "But this one's a Vulcan, Jim."

  Spock looked over at the captain and nodded confirmation.

  "All right, Spock, you're going to have to play donor for your father

  again," the doctor snapped. "Get ready."

  "I am prepared, Doctor," the Vulcan said, removing his jacket and

  rolling up the sleeve of his shirt.

  "Okay, I think they're stable enough to move! Get those antigrav

  stretchers over here, Nurse!" the doctor ordered.

  The captain. turned to McCoy. "Will he make it?"

  "Don't know yet, Jim," McCoy grunted, his fingers flying as he injected

  the Romulan with a hypo. "Maybe. These Vulcans are tough ... as well as

  stubborn," he added, giving Spock a sidelong glance.

  Kirk watched as they loaded both unconscious Vulcans onto the stretchers

  and followed them into the hall. He was halfway to sickbay when Uhura's

  page reached him. "Cap tain Kirk ... Captain Kirk, please report to the

  bridge immediately."

  A quick slap on the nearest intercom panel brought him into contact.

  "This is the captain. What's going on, Commander?"

  Chekov's voice responded, sounding breathless and a little scared. "Sir,

  I am picking up ships on our long-range sensors. Ten of them. Coming out

  of the Neutral Zone, and heading straight for us."

  "On my way," Kirk said, and began running for the turbolift. It never

  rains but it pours, he thought grimly. What a time for Kamarag to show

  up ...

  "Right on time," Kirk muttered to himself as he reached the bridge and

  glanced at the chrono. "I suppose punctuality is a must for a diplomat

  ... "

  Chekov turned to regard him questioningly. "I beg your pardon, Captain?"

  Kirk shook his head as he headed for his command seat.

  "Nothing, Mr. Chekov. Status?"

  "We have picked up ten ships coming out of the Klingon Neutral Zone."

  "ETA, Commander?"

  "Three point six minutes, sir."

  "What type?"

  "I am scanning four cruisers and six birds-of-prey, sir." Kirk's heart

  sank even further. Klingon cruisers were almost a match for the

  Enterprise, unlike the smaller war-birds.

  The captain turned over plans in his mind ... run for it, try to stay

  ahead of them until reinforcements could arrive? No ... because as soon

  as they crossed the Neutral Zone, they'd probably split up, in order to

  do the most possible damage to the maximum number of planets.

  "Commander Uhura, try to hail Kamarag's ship."

  "Yes, sir."

  Kirk was surprised when the Klingon's ship, the Hohwi;

  accepted the contact. Moments later, the ambassador's heavy features

  coalesced on the screen. The moment his eyes fixed on the captain, he

  scowled, and his glare would have drilled neutronlure. "Kirk ..." he

  growled. "How dare you contact me? We have nothing to say to each

  other--unless you want to beg me for your life, and that of your crew. I

  would enjoy that sufficiently to allow you several minutes for that ...

  "At the thought, he smiled, but it was anything but a pleasant

  expression.

  "Ambassador," the captain said, forcing himself to use his most

  reasonable voice, when the very sight of the Klingon made him furious,

  remembering how he'd agonized over Peter's disappearance, "we need to

  talk. There are some things I have to tell you. Break off your attack,

  because you're doing this as a result of alien mind influence.

  Ambassador Sarek is aboard, and he has proof of what I'm telling

  you--proof I'd be happy to let you see for yourself.

  I'm sure that, under the circumstances, if I explain everything to

  Chancellor Azetbur, she'll--"

  Kamarag interrupted with a sound that was halfway between a growl and a

  snarl. "Kirk, you lying, cheating murderer! I know you have kidnapped my

  niece and are holding her prisoner. Your thrice-cursed nephew has

  attacked my finest officer, Kargl For this you will die in writhing

  agony. When I free my niece, she will perform the be/oy' on both Kirks,

  and I and my troops will wager as to which of you shrieks the loudest

  and longest!"

  Turning his head, he addressed one of his officers. "This is an order.

  Target Kirk's ship to cripple only--do you understand?

  I want him alive! He is mine!"

  Kirk, watching, would have found the ambassador's blustering amusing,

  under different circumstances. He sounds like one of the villains in a

  dime novel, he thought, sardonically.

  "Ambassador Kamarag," he began, only to have the Klingon's image

  abruptly disappear.

  "He broke contact, Captain," Uhura said, unnecessarily.

  "Just as well," Kirk muttered.

  "Veil," Chekov said, dourly, "I guess that is that. Ve are

  the only ship between them and the Federation colonies so I guess've

  stay put."

  "We'll give them a fight," Kirk said.

  Then something occurred to the captain, and he turned to Uhura.

  "Commander, open a wide-beam frequency to all those ships. I'm going to

  see if some of those other commanders aren't a little more open to

  reason."

  "Frequency open, Captain."

  Kirk took a deep breath. "This is Captain James T. Kirk of the

  Federation starship Enterprise. I believe most of you know memas an

  opponent, in the past, and as a friend to your Empire in recent days. I

  swear to you on my honor as a Starfleet officer that you are following a

  man who is under the influence of alien mind control. Kamarag is no

  longer thinking independently. If you will break off the attack, and not

  intrude into Federation space, I will personally speak to Chance llor

  Azetbur on your behalf. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan is aboard this vessel

  and he will speak for you. It is my belief, under the circumstances,

  that the chancellor will agree to grant clemency for any commander who

  breaks off the attack. I ask you to consider what you are

  doing--betraying your own government, to follow a madman. Kirk out."

  The ships were almost within firing range. Kirk waited tensely, but none

  of them broke formation--the warbirds clustered together in groups of

  threes, with the cruisers between them and to either side

  "Well," he said, to no one in particular, "it was worth a try ... guess

  we go it alone ..."

  "Captain," Uhura said, plainly startled by what she was hearing, "we're

  being hailed."

  "By the Klingons?"

  "No, sir ... by the Romulan vessel!"

  "On-screen."

  The bridge crew watched as the screen flickered; then the oncoming

  Klingon vessels were replaced by the features of an officer in Romulan

  uniform. "I am Centurion Poldar," he said.

  "I am Captain Kirk."

  "Yes, I know. Captain, my commander's orders were to honor his word to

  Ambassador Sarek. I hereby place my ship at your disposal. I am prepared

/>   to fight alongside you as long as necessary." Kirk glanced at the

  tactical schematic, and saw that Shardarr had drifted over until she was

  behind the Federation vessel, clearly preparing to defend her from the

  rear.

  "I appreciate your assistance, Centurion," Kirk said.

  "Too bad the odds aren't more even."

  Poldar drew himself up. "I stand by my orders, Captain Kirk," the young

  officer said expressionlessly. "You will find Shardarr prepared for

  battle." He cut the connection.

  "Well," Kirk muttered, "that's one for the history books ... "

  "Stand by phasers and photon torpedoes," Kirk said.

  "Target the Hohwiand fire on my order."

  "Aye, Captain!"

  As the Klingon vessels came closer, they slowed, and spread out until

  they encircled the Federation and the Romulan vessel. Hohwi' was still

  the closest. There wasn't much Kirk coutd do about tactics; surrounded

  as he was, evasive action would be limited to only a few hundred

  thousand square kilometers of space.

  His eyes fixed on the tactical screen, Kirk watched the blips, then

  snapped, "Fire, Mr. Chekov!"

  Two deadly phaser blasts shot out, striking the Klingon vessel's

  shields.

  "Slight damage to their forward shield, Captain," Chekov reported.

  The flagship returned fire, and the Enterprise shuddered violently as

  she was struck amidships. "Port shield down twenty percent, Captain."

  Oh hell, this is it, Kirk thought.

  Just what I need, with a full sickbay, Leonard McCoy thought grumpily,

  another damned space battle.t The Enterprise shuddered violently as she

  was hit. Beside

  the doctor, on the couch where he was lying for the transfusion to his

  father, Spock struggled to sit up. The Vulcan had already given more

  blood than was good for himmhe was pale and unsteady, but still

  determined to gain his feet.

  "And where in hell do you think you're going, Spock?" McCoy snapped.

  "The ship is obviously engaged in battle, Doctor." Spock was halfway up

  now, swaying like a ship in a gale. "I must report to the bridge." McCoy

  gave him an evil grin and reached in his pocket for a hypo he'd prepared

  specially and been saving, knowing he'd probably need it. "I told you

  twenty-six years ago that my patients don't walk out on me during

  medical procedures," he said, jamming the hypospray against the Vulcan's

  arm. Spock sagged back onto the couch, unconscious.

  The ship shuddered again. Leonard McCoy ignored the motion. He was a

  doctor, and he had lots of work to do ... "Target Hohwi' with a photon

  torpedo and fire, Mr. Chekov!"

  "Firing, Captain!" The Enterprise gave a different, more internal

  shudder as the weapon was launched. Kirk held his breath, then pounded

  his fist on the arm of his chair in disappointment.

  At the last possible second, the Klingon vessel managed to evade the

  torpedo. Chekov was crestfallen. "A clean miss, Captain." Behind them,

  Shardarr fired, catching a warbird and shearing off half a wing. "Good

  going, Centurion!" Kirk whispered, just as Enterprise shuddered again.

  "Forward shield down to fifty percent, Captain!" Chekov reported.

  Kirk groaned inwardly. We're going down this time.

  There's no way around it. "Lieutenant, evasive--five-oh-six mark four!"

  Enterprise heeled over, but the disrupter blast caught her glancingly on

  the saucer. The entire bridge lurched violently.

  "One of the birds-of-prey is preparing to fire, Captain!" Chekov

  exclaimed.

  But, to everyone's utter astonishment, the Klingon vessel wheeled around

  like a nervous horse and loosed a blast at Kamarag's ship!

  "What the hell?" Kirk demanded.

  "Captain, we're being hailed!"

  "Captain Kirk? Ambassador Sarek?" A strongly accented voice came over

  the ship-to-ship, audio only. "This is Commander Keraz aboard Bahwil'. I

  request that you and Ambassador Sarek speak for me and my crew ...

  should we by any chance survive this. I will fight with youmand we will

  die as true warriors, with honor!"

  "Glad you could join us," Kirk said, dryly.

  With a graceful dip of her painted wings, the bird-of-prey moved out of

  formation and joined the other two ships in the middle of the circle.

  "Commander Keraz, Commander Poldaryou stay behind us, and use our

  shields to augment your own," Kirk instructed. "See if you can't take

  out a couple of those ships for me." Both commanders signaled their

  assent to Kirk's plan.

  Moments later, the captain was rewarded with a view of S hardarr and

  Bahwil' moving in a corkscrew evasive pattern, firing at the warbirds on

  the Enterprise's port and starboard sides. Bahwil' got lucky--or its

  gunner was extremely skillful. Keraz's disrupters penetrated the

  renegade's shields like a phaser slicing rock, and, for a moment, space

  lit up with a mini-nova as the bird-of-prey exploded violently.

  Kirk shook his head. This is the craziest fight 1 have ever been in ...

  look at this! A Federation, a Klingon, and a Romulan ship, ready to duke

  it out with a whole squadron of Klingon renegades? I never thought I'd

  be fighting battles with Klingons and Romulans, instead of against them!

  Enterprise bucked like a spurred horse under another blast from Hohwi'.

  "Aft shield down sixty percent, Captain! We can't take another hit

  there!"

  Kirk glanced at the schematic, saw that Hohwi' had drifted closer to

  Shardarr. "Ship to ship, Uhura! Tight beam to Shardarr.t"

  "Aye, Captain?

  "Centurion Poldar--I want you to fire at Kamarag's ship in exactly

  thirty Federation Standard seconds," Kirk said, tersely. "Target

  coordinates seven-six-three mark nine. I know she isn't there now--but

  she will be! On my mark, and counting!" Without waiting for

  acknowledgment from the Romulan, he turned to Chekov. "Target the

  flagship on its port side and fire, Mr. Chekov. Targeting coordinates

  seven-six-six mark two."

  "Aye, Captain! Targeting ... and firing!" As Kirk had hoped, Hohwi'

  evaded most of their blast, swinging to port--which brought the cruiser

  directly into the line of Shardarr's blast. Fire flared along the

  Klingon ship's side, and Chekov yelled, "Captain, she's lost all

  maneuvering power!"

  "Target weapons array and fire, Mr. Chekov!" The phasers blasted the

  listing ship, wiping out her weapons with one shot. The bridge crew

  whooped in triumph.

  Three down, seven to go, Kirk thought grimly, just as one of the

  warbirds fired on them.

  Enterprise lurched so violently that Kirk was nearly flung from his

  seat. Quickly, he activated his restraint system.

  "Captain, we've lost our aft shield," Chekov reported.

  "Another hit there, and we're dead."

  "Chekov, target that vessel, and fire on my order."

  "Aye, Captain?

  James T. Kirk drew a deep breath, thinking that it might be his last. He

  opened his mouth, said, "Fi--" and stopped in midword.

  Suddenly, the long-range scanners showed a huge fleet of ships pouring

  out of the Klingon Neutral Zone! Dozens of ships ... "Captain? We're

 
being hailed!" Uhura's eyes were wide with amazement.

  "On-screen, Commander." A gruff, familiar voice filled the air, even as

  the forward viewscreen filled with well-known features. "Kirk? This is

  General Korrd. The chancellor tells me our former ambassador is giving

  you some trouble." The general's fleshy, squint-eyed features were

  wreathed in a malicious smile.

  Kirk noted the emphasis on the word "former."

  "Well, yes, General ... just a little trouble." Korrd guffawed heartily

  at the captain's attempt at humor, which, to be frank, did not quite

  come off. "Get that Vulcan of yours to man the guns, then!" the general

  advised, genially. "He's one Hu'tegh fine gunner!" Kirk glanced at the

  sensor array, saw that the renegade vessels were streaking off in all

  directions. He realized suddenly that his uniform was sticking to him,

  and that his face was covered with sweat.

  "Kirk?" It was General Korrd again.

  "Yes, General?"

  "Looks like I'll have a good hunt for the next few days.