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Sub Space 9204_C09
Chapter Six
Picard watched as hundreds of Kryons filed into the council
chambers. He knew that the council was trying to delay a decision
for as long as possible. He also knew that he would have to listen
through hundreds of anti-Federation speeches. He wished he could
find an easy way to convince these peoples that the outbreak was
not "premediated murder" by Starfleet.
Riker came up to him. "Commander Riker reporting, sir. We
still have not been able to contact Commander Data. Worf believes
that foul play is involved and wants to search for him."
"Has the crew been returned to the Enterprise?"
"Yes, sir. Except for the senior officers, all Enterprise
personnel are back on the Enterprise. LaForge is commanding the
Enterprise now."
"Good. Tell Lieutenant Worf to begin his search if Data
does not return in another half-hour."
"Aye, sir. By the way, how did you convince Jihx Rah to
return the Enterprise crew to us?"
"That's not important, Number One. What is important
is that we avoid war with these people. When will the medical
supply ship arrive?"
"In a couple of hours, sir. Dr. Crusher and Admiral
McCoy are standing by in sickbay with a full medical staff."
"The public hearings will now begin. Representatives
from Soniak, Tarien, and Parenick have received permission from
this council to speak. Each village will have 90 minutes to
present their speeches."
"The council recognizes Parenick."
For the next three hours, the senior officers of the
Enterprise listened as the Parenick and Tarien representatives
described how horrible it was to watch their parents, brothers,
sisters, and children die from the disease. Each advocated
condemning Starfleet. The Parenick representative was bold
enough to suggest that the outpost and Enterprise personnel
should be executed for the "crime."
When Soniak's turn came, twenty Kryons stood up and
approached the speaker's podium.
"Which one of you is the Soniak representative?"
"Oh, Great Tenth Council of Kryon. We regret to give you
this bit of bad news. This is so great that all of us want to
speak." One of the Soniak said. "We have captured a Federation
spy!"
The auditorium became extremely quiet. A dozen of the
Soniak stepped aside to reveal a heavily restrained Data. A large
force field surrounded the andriod. One of the Soniak held an
electronic leash that had been attached to the andriod's neck.
A riot broke out. Fifty Kryons jumped the barricade which
separated the people from the council and the Enterprise bridge
crew. Fighting between the Parenick and the Tarien villagers
broke out as each person tried to get a better view of the "spy."
"Order! Order! The council demands the immediate
restoration of order! The council will now vote on Decision
Nine Eight One, placing the representatives of Starfleet under
arrest for espionage and disruption of public order."
"Aye..."
"Aye..."
"Aye..."
"Aye..."
"Aye..."
Jihx Rah stood up. "The vote is unanimous.
Under the power given to me by the Kryon Commandments, with
official approval of the Kryon Tenth Council in Decision Nine Eight One,
I am now placing the representatives of Starfleet and the United
Federation of Planets, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T.
Riker, Lieutenant Commander Data, Lieutenant Worf, and Counselor
Deanna Troi, under arrest for spying, espionage, and disruption of
public order."
The Kryons attending the event began cheering the decision.
The Soniak representatives became public heros for capturing Data.
The cheering became louder and louder as Kryon police officers
placed electronic handcuffs and leashes on the Enterprise bridge
crew and led them out of the council auditorium.
The Kryon president heard a voice from the dark shadows of the
auditorium. The words were "War is inevitable, and we shall be
victorious ...."
Chapter Seven
"Sir, there is a subspace disturbance at the edge of our
long range sensors."
"Can you determine the source of the disturbance?" asked LaForge.
"It may be cloaked Romulan ships."
"Yellow alert, lieutenant."
"Aye, sir. Yellow Alert... Sir, the medical supply ship U.S.S.
Illinois has arrived."
"Inform Dr. Crusher and the Admiral to go to Cargo Bay Two.
Instruct the U.S.S. Illinois to prepare to beam the supplies directly
into Cargo Bay Two."
"Aye, sir."
"It is a great pleasure to work with the famous Doctor McCoy."
Dr. Crusher said.
"Same to you. What made you leave the Chief Medical Officer
position at Starfleet Medical?"
"It's personal."
An attention signal came from the intercom. "Lieutenant Dong
to Dr. Crusher and Admiral McCoy, proceed to Cargo Bay Two. The
supplies have arrived."
"Acknowledged. On my way."
The two doctors plus two medical technicians ran toward Cargo
Bay Two. The faster they get the supplies to sickbay the faster
they would be able to handle the sick, and the faster they would
be able to complete the mission.
Just as they completed placing the supplies on a cargo sled
for transport back to sickbay, a medical technican approached them.
"Doctor Crusher, we have three cases of meningitis on the
ship now."
"When did this happen?"
"I don't know. We found the virus during routine medical
examination. It is a mutated strain. It doesn't respond to
normal treatment."
"Crusher to Transporter Room Two. I need emergency
deck-to-deck transport. I need these medical supplies in
sickbay now!"
"Energizing..."
"Sir, seven Romulan warbirds decloaking, 214 mark 14."
"Red Alert! Gomez, how long before we have shields."
"Sorry, sir. System is down. We'll need another day."
"We don't have another day, ensign. We need it now." LaForge
stood up from the captain's seat. "Ensign Wilhelm, evasive
manuevers, 104 mark 25."
"104 mark 25, acknowledged."
"Increase to full impulse."
"Full impulse."
"Sir, the warbirds are following us at warp two. They'll
be in firing range in ten seconds."
"Lock phasers and torpedoes. Prepare to fire on my mark."
"Phasers locked. Sir, they're firing..."
"Return fire, lieutenant!"
"We've been hit, sir. Damage on Decks Twenty through Thirty."
"Minimal shields and warp engines on line..."
"Evasive manuevers, 74 mark 284."
"Deck Nine hit. Shields and engines off line..."
"One warbird destroyed, another has decloaked..."
"Sir, transmission from Kryona. The senior officers have
been arrested by the Kryon military."
"Standby, lieutenant. Continue firing. Emergency evasive manuever
protocol now in effect."
"WARNING: OUTER HULL BREACH, DECK TWENTY FIVE." announced
the computer.
"Minimal deflectors. We can not take another hit..."
"WARNING: OUTER HULL BREACH, DECK THIRTY."
"Two warbirds destroyed. Five to go..."
"Sir, it's a miracle! The warbirds are self-destructing."
"Evasive manuevers 90 mark 0, ensign. We don't want to be
hit."
"Danger has ended, sir."
"Why did they self-destruct?" LaForge wondered. He didn't
have to wait long for an answer.
"Sir, just before the warbirds self-destructed, I detected
an electronic transmission from somewhere on the Enterprise to
the warbirds."
"Can you determine where?"
"Doctor Tai's quarters, sir."
Picard looked up as the guards let in a visitor.
"Admiral! How is the Enterprise?"
McCoy looked at him. "She's hurt, Jean-Luc. The Romulans
almost got her."
"I am confused by what you have said." Data said inquisitively.
"Seven Romulan warbirds attacked the Enterprise. The Enterprise
was not yet repaired. Without Dr. Tai's help, the Enterprise would
have been no longer."
"Has the Kryons done anything about it?" Riker asked.
"They haven't done a thing. They don't seem to care that
Romulans entered the sector." Dr. Crusher said as she entered. She
walked up to each holding cell and ran a medical check on the
imprisoned members of the Enterprise with a medical tricorder.
"What brings you down to the planet, Doctor?"
"We've begun treatment for the ill Kryons. It took hours to
come up with the right vaccine. The planet is infected with a
never before seen mutation of meningitis. We've also had three
cases of the mutation on the Enterprise. Condition critical."
"We're also working on getting you free, Captain. The Enterprise
needs you."
"Thank you, Admiral."
Ensign Mark Wilhelm awoke suddenly. Someone was asking for him.
He turned on the viewscreen. When he saw who it was, he checked his
old-fashioned watch and realized he was late for his shift. With
a quick apology to LaForge, he got up, changed, and headed for the
bridge.
Long ago while in college he had planned on becoming a history
teacher, but he became tired of all of the questions he got from
his students but could not answer because the answers weren't in the
teacher's manual. He decided to join Starfleet to learn about
how to think. Somehow, he managed to get through the first 21
years of his life without learning that simple little thing. He
had believed that everything he ever needed in order to teach
others would be provided for him in a book.
"Ensign Mark Wilhelm, reporting, sir."
"Your station, ensign."
"Aye, sir."
"Status, Lieutenant Dong?"
"Sorry, sir. It'll take a minute while I program that
command into the LCARS system."
"Worf doesn't take that long..."
"I am not Worf, sir. I have the report now. We had seventy
casualties during the battle with the Romulans. The U.S.S. Illinois
was destroyed by one of the warbirds. We should have impulse in
two hours, warp in twenty. Shields won't be available for another
three days. Minimal computer functions available."
"Thank you, lieutenant." LaForge turned to the conn. "Ensign
Wilhelm, new heading, 127 mark 40. Engage quarter impulse
on my mark."
"Course laid in and plotted. Standing by..."
Jihx Rah sat at his desk, working on signing the latest batch
of decisions and resolutions. He stopped as thoughts of watching
the death of ill Kryons came to his mind. Hatred flooded his
thoughts. He had spent so many years trying to improve Kryon
society, and now the Federation was threatening that improvement.
They secretly already had transporter technology, with assistance
from the Romulans. According to the Minister of Space, they
would need only another month before their first starship would
be ready. But all of that had fallen apart with the events of
the last four days. He had planned on going to Federation
headquarters with the ship plans and requesting dilithium
crystals. But now that the Federation had committed genoicide,
there was no way that the council would approve of going to the
Federation for the much needed crystals.
Most of their research, technology borrowing, and planning
were done in the Soniak village. After the Enterprise bridge
personnel had been arrested, he immediately ordered the Space
branch to move everything from Soniak to another village. He
was afraid that the Federation might have found out about the
secret goings-on and didn't want evidence lying around.
His doorbell rang.
"Come in." he said.
An old man and a woman walked in. They were dressed in
Starfleet uniforms. Jihx recognized the type of uniform. One
of them was an admiral, and one was a medical officer. Were
these the people the Federation sent to negotitate the freedom
of the Enterprise's bridge crew?
"May I help you?"
"We have received the medical supplies that we requested
when we first came to your planet. I have created a vaccine
based on the antibodies of the three Enterprise crew members
who caught the disease from your invasion force. Dr. Ching
Tai has prepared a list of your ill people and we are ready
to treat them. I would like permission to do so."
"What guarentees do I have that it will work?"
"I can't make any guarentees."
"What if this is all a trick to kill more of our people?"
"I can give it to you first. If you die you would be
a martyr to your people. If you live, by allowing us to treat
your people, you become a hero."
"All right. Proceed."
An hour later, Jihx contacted the Enterprise. "I give
you permission to treat my people."
"Thank you. Oh, may we see Captain Picard?"
Chapter Eight
Data pulled out the tricorder he had hidden in his uniform. He
checked a few settings. He turned to Picard.
"The guards did not find the tricorder. Would you like to
see the recording, captain?"
"Of course, Data."
Data handed the tricorder to him. Picard played back the
two hours of recordings.
"Notice, sir, that building. It is large enough to contain
an experimental space vessel. It may also contain experimental
transporter equipment. I was able to determine that the Kryons
that beamed aboard the Enterprise came from that building."
"Were you able to determine the contents of the building?"
"No, sir. I overheard someone say 'Starfleet', and I stopped
to listen. That was when I was captured."
"You might have something. Perhaps we can get Admiral McCoy
to look around."
"Yes, sir. But we are unable to contact the Enterprise
without our communicators."
"Does anyone here have any comments?"
"They don't seem to care too much about us, do they? My
neck is so sore from those leashes they used." Riker interjected.
"I sensed nothing but the desire to do their duty. But
I think Jihx Rah is hiding something." Troi said.
"There are a lot of questions I want to ask that false
warrior." Worf stood up from his seat.
"I believe I have located a weak point in the force field
surrounding this prison cell." Data announced.
"Can you shut it down, Data?"
"I believe I can. Working..."
"We are receiving a transmission forwarded from Starbase
One Seven Four, sir."
"On screen, lieutenant."
The Starfleet Command emblem flashed for a second. A conference
room appeared on the screen. LaForge could see Admiral James T.
Kirk at the head of the table.
"Lieutenant Commander LaForge, Starship Enterprise. This is
Admiral James T. Kirk."
"Yes, sir."
"A negotiation team is being sent to you from Starbase One
Seven Four. Do you think you can handle being the leader of this
negotiation team?"
"I'll try my best, sir."
At that moment, McCoy walked in. Kirk reacted with much
surprise.
"Bones! What are you doing there?"
"Treating a bunch of terrorists."
"I order you to return to Earth. The U.S.S. Toyota will be
arriving at your present location in one week. I want you on
that vessel, heading home."
"But, Jim..."
"No buts, doc. I want you back here. You are too valuable
to Starfleet to be in such a volatile location."
"All right Jim. I'll get ready right away."
The force field dissipated. The Enterprise's senior
officers slowly and carefully walked into the hallway. They could
see two guards in the distance.
"I believe I have found what appears to be a cache of weapons."
Data whispered.
"Good work, Data."
"Follow me."
Data led them to a reinforced metal door. A computer code was
required to open it. Data tried several combinations on his tricorder.
Ten minutes later, the door opened. They found not only weapons,
but Kryon military uniforms as well. Each one of them put on
a uniform, and a helmet, and grabbed a laser rifle.
Data looked outside and then came back into the room. "The
two guards we saw earlier are approaching."
A minute later, the two guards looked in. "You're not supposed
to be lounging in here! Move to your assignments." one of them
yelled.
"Yes, sir." Data replied. After the two guards left, Data
took out his tricorder. "Captain, I believe the exit to be at
this location." He pointed to a spot on the map on the tricorder
screen.
"We'll head that way then."
Halfway there, a siren sounded. They heard an announcement
from a hidden speaker system. The words filled them with dread.
"The Federation prisoners have escaped. All forces begin
massive search. Split up in two-person teams. Use invasion
search protocol alpha. Your orders are to shoot to kill the
prisoners once found."
Chapter Nine
"You don't understand, sir." LaForge told Jihx Rah. "We
did not trick you, and we did not purposefully use the virus
to commit genocide on your people."
"You have shown me no evidence to the contrary. Without such
evidence, the council will not release the prisoners, and will not
negotiate with you for a new treaty."
"We do not want war. Can't we negotiate for a treaty
at the same time we try to prove that we are not guilty of genocide?"
"I will discuss it with the council. However, I do not
believe the council will approve. Large groups of protestors
are forming against the Federation. In their view, I should not
even be talking to you now. There are very influential people
among the protestors."
"Will you allow me and some Federation negotiators to speak
to the council?"
"Be at tonight's council meeting. Now, leave me."
Jihx Rah looked up. A Romulan stood before him. He hoped
LaForge and the negotiators had not seen the Romulan.
"What are you doing here? Federation representatives were
here not five minutes ago."
"I know. I would like to make you an offer you can not
refuse."
"This better not be a waste of my time."
"You will convince the council to start a war against the
Federation. We will provide you with super-efficient weapons
and enough dilithium crystals to power two dozen starships for
two years."
"How much do you want? Your offer is too good to be true."
"We only ask that you give us seventy-five percent of the
Federation once you have defeated them."
"I will talk to the council. I am sure they would be most
pleased to hear your offer."
An ensign from Engineering walked onto the bridge. The ensign
proceeded to LaForge and saluted.
"Engineering reporting, sir. All systems on-line. Communications
should be restored within the hour."
"Thank you ensign." LaForge turned around. "Ensign Wilhelm,
move to standard orbit around Kryona, warp two."
"Aye sir. Engaged."
The red alert klaxon sounded. Terror filled Ensign Dong's face.
The Enterprise stopped moving.
"Engineering has exploded, sir."
"Data, Number One. Go down this corridor. Deanna, Worf. Go
down the west corridor. I will travel alone down the east corridor.
Mingle with the military patrols if you have to. Pretend to be
looking for us. If we are lucky, at least one of us will make it."
"But sir. I think this is too dangerous."
"Number One, we don't have time. Hurry."
Data and Riker continued toward the exit to the compound.
Several teams of military police passed by them without incident.
They turned the last corner before freedom.
Riker's hopes at escape fell at what appeared before them.
A blockade guarded by two patrols was between them and the
exit. He and Data walked up to the blockade.
One of the guards signalled for them to place their ID
badges in a card reader. They complied. The guard looked
at the output produced by the card reader.
The guard looked at Riker. "You are supposed to be with
Seargent Inka searching the north corridors, lieutenant." He
turned toward Data. "Miss Kaya, you are supposed to be searching
the restrooms."
One of the other guards grimaced. "Why are you two not
with your patrol partners? Why are you here?"
"Sir, our patrol partners have been killed by the enemy.
We received orders to search outside of the prison for the
enemy." Riker said.
The guard picked up a phone, and began a conversation
with someone in the Kryon native language. A minute later,
he hung up and turned toward Riker.
"You received no such orders. I will allow you to search
outside though. Those criminals must be killed."
"Thank you, sir." Riker said as he and Data walked out
of the prison.
"Evacuate whoever's left and seal off Engineering!" LaForge
yelled.
"Aye, sir. Evacuation procedure has started. Engineering
will be sealed in ten seconds. Containment field at 70%. We
have a small radiation leak."
"Sickbay, prepare anti-radiation treatments. We have
a radiation leak."
"Sir, the containment field is weakening."
"Prepare to dump engine core, ensign."
"Engineering sealed. Fifty casualties. Attempting to
stabilize containment field. Engine core dump on stand by."
"WARNING!! RADIATION LEVEL TWENTY PERCENT ABOVE SAFETY
MARGIN. LETHAL DOSAGE IN FIVE MINUTES."
"Contact Starbase One Seven Four and the U.S.S. Toyota.
Inform them of our situation."
"Aye, sir."
"Computer. Captain's log. Stardate 49290.3. Lieutenant
Commander Geordi LaForge commanding. While awaiting the start
of negotiations for a new Kryon-Federation treaty and for the
release of five Enterprise senior officers, a critical part
of Engineering has exploded. Unless we can stabilize the
containment field, I will be forced to dump the Enterprise's
engine core to prevent severe casualties..."
"Sir, communications are still down. We can't call
for help."
"WARNING!! RADIATION LEVEL FORTY PERCENT ABOVE SAFETY
MARGIN. LETHAL DOSAGE IN TWO MINUTES."
"Sir, the U.S.S. Toyota has arrived. We are being hailed."
"Open frequencies."
"Communications still down."
"Shutdown nonessential decks. Create force field around
containment unit. Divert excess power to force field."
"Aye, sir. Engaged."
"Prepare evacuation lifeboats. Power on emergency transporters."
"Aye, sir."
"Sir, communications have been restored. The U.S.S. Toyota is
aware of our situation and is prepared to receive us if we evacuate
the Enterprise."
"Good."
"Sir, Security has arrested a Kryon and a Kryon spy."
"Good work, lieutenant."
"WARNING!! RADIATION LEVELS CRITICAL. LETHAL DOSAGE IN
ONE MINUTE, TEN SECONDS."
LaForge went to the Engineering station on the bridge. He
keyed up a diagram of the Enterprise. He thought of something.
"Computer, overlay power circuity on this diagram."
"WORKING..., DONE. WARNING!! RADIATION LEVELS CRITICAL..."
"No, nothing there..." LaForge said to himself softly. Out
loud, he ordered the lower fifteen decks abandoned.
Suddenly he noticed the source of the problem - a blockade
in a power conduit and the destruction of a lot of circuitry. He
hailed Transporter Room Two and had Chief O'Brien beam him directly
into a clean room on Deck 36.
He quickly put on a radiation suit. Only 40 seconds left...
He entered the radioactive chamber and located the power conduit.
He pulled out large chunks of debris that had entered the conduit
during the explosion. Only 20 seconds left...
He ran to a panel and began overriding everything. He rerouted
stuff away from the severed circuitry. With seconds left, the
engine core returned to a stable state. LaForge breathed a sigh
of relief.
The route Worf and Deanna was taking was the long way. They
saw strange looks from patrol teams passing by. A member of another
patrol team stopped them.
"Where do you think you are going?"
"To find the escapees."
"You are in the wrong quadrant. You are supposed to be searching
the south side. Now move it!!"
Worf and Deanna began walking back the way they came. Right behind
them, the man whom Worf guessed to be a Kryon sergeant followed. After
walking about ten yards, another Kryon approached them.
The Kryon gestured at Deanna. "Inek, there you are. Come along,
we have to catch those murderers."
Deanna nodded and followed. After some hesitation, Worf also
followed. The Kryon sergeant grabbed him.
"And where do you think you're going? You're with me, remember?"
The Kryon that had called Deanna "Inek" turned around. "No. He
can come with me if he wants."
The sergeant relunctantly let them go.
Deanna and Worf followed the Kryon through a maze of passageways.
When they were at a desolate location, the Kryon stopped. He removed
his helmet.
"Captain! How did you get a general's uniform?" Worf asked.
Picard put the helmet back on. "Not now. We must find Jihx
Rah's quarters."
"What do we do when we get there?"
"Force the truth out of him."
Chapter Ten
"Captain's Log. Stardate 49305.6. Lieutenant Commander Geordi
LaForge commanding. In ten minutes a negotiation team and I will be
beaming down to Kryona to negotiate a new treaty and to find out the
truth about what has been going on the past few days. The Kryons so
far refuse to answer our hails. Work is proceeding well. The
Enterprise should be repaired in two months."
LaForge and the team walked into the council chambers. From the
looks of things, it was another public session. The Tenth Council
walked in.
"This council is now in session." said Jihx Rah. "Mr. LaForge,
representative of the United Federation of Planets, San Francisco,
Earth, I have the unfortunate duty of informing you that the five
we arrested have now escaped. Under the laws of Kryona, this is
punishable by death. I have ordered our police and military forces
to shoot to kill if they find any of the five escapees."
"Sir, I have information that Kryona is not what it seems.
We have captured one of your people. He tried to destroy the Enterprise.
He is under the jurisdiction of Starfleet and will be court martialed."
"Congratulations. You have captured one of our greatest
military strategists. We want him back."
"You give us our people."
"You underestimate us, Mister LaForge."
LaForge's communicator beeped. He tapped it.
"Enterprise to LaForge. Seven unidentified warbirds have
uncloaked."
"Estimate strategic strength, ensign."
"Odds in enemy's favor, sir, if we engage in battle."
Jihx Rah smiled. "So Mister LaForge, what say you we deal on
my terms?"
"What are your terms?"
"We will give you your bridge officers in exchange for our
military strategist and the Federation leaves us alone for the next
fifty years."
"I don't know. Let me think about it."
"But LaForge, your ensign said my ships were stronger than
yours. You dare refuse my offer? I am not a fool, LaForge. I
know how weak your Enterprise is. The seven of my ships can
easily destroy it."
"Let me talk to Starfleet Command."
"You have one day, mister."
LaForge and the team beamed back onto the Enterprise. LaForge's
mind was in complete turmoil. Here was an engineer that had to do
something beyond what he was trained for.
On the way to the turbolift to the bridge, he ran into Dr. Ching
Tai. Tai was typing on a personal access display device.
"Doctor, how are you doing today?"
"All right. I've got work to do. I'll see you later."
"Sure, doc."
LaForge entered the bridge. What he saw both suprised him
and shocked him at the same time.
"Captain..."
"Geordi, nice to have you back."
"But how did you get back? I thought the Kryons had you."
"The five of us split up and we managed to escape alive." Riker
interjected. CONCLUSION: PRIMITIVE LIFE
Chapter 11
"Captain's Log, stardate 49310.6. The Enterprise is now on
its way to Starbase One Seven Four for major repairs and overhaul.
After my return to the Enterprise, it was decided that Kryona was
not yet ready to resume inclusion in the Federation. Although it
had achieved a high level of technology, the people of Kryona have
not yet learned the need for cooperation, nor have they learned how
to handle discussions and negotiations. The two terrorist attacks
on the Enterprise, and the mock trials only prove that. Because
of that, Starfleet has decided to take the risk of the Kryons being
our enemies forever."
"I have the final report for you, sir." Worf announced.
"Yes, lieutenant?"
"Lieutenant Dong and Commander Johnson have died. Ensigns
Wilhelm and Mitchell have been promoted to lieutenant, and ordered
to return to Starfleet Command. Starfleet has given Lieutenant
LaForge and Doctor Ching Tai the job of repairing the Enterprise.
All other personnel have been given shore leave until the Enterprise
is repaired."
"Sir, I estimate the Enterprise will not be repaired until
stardate 51043.7." Data said.
"Really? Mister Data, slow to quarter impulse, heading
074 mark 315. Let me know when we are docked."
---------------------------The End---------------------------------
