Star Trek: Before Destruction - Chapter 15
*** FIFTEEN ***
The Enterprise pulled herself higher above the planet that she orbited. Her shiny hull lifted upwards and away from the strong gravitational pull of the blue world she very nearly embraced. Up into the star-spangled sky, where she was placed into a safer, standard orbit. The damage that she had sustained within her tubular- shaped propulsion unit was unnoticeable from the exterior. She still looked as if she could fight with the best of them, for, by most accounts, she was the best of them.
In sickbay, Dr. M'Benga stood over Commander Montgomery Scott's bed and continued to argue with the Chief Engineer about not getting out of it. Nurse Chapel had been avoiding the Commander to delay getting herself involved in the same conversation with him. His hand looked much better, and the lacerations on his face were closed and covered with synthetic skin. The missing finger would be replaced with a micro-bionic prosthetic digit which he could choose to wear or detach at his leisure. Mr. Scott did not like the idea of having a finger that could leap tall buildings in a single bound and determined within himself that he would only wear it to his sister's wedding, while playing the pipes, and to church.
In his own quarters, Commander Spock was preparing an edited version of his log concerning the events on the planet Holberg 917g. Spock had promised his captain that he would be provided with a copy to compare with his own. Had it not been edited, it would cause Jim no small amount of confusion. Spock had not considered all the problems that locking away the Captain's memories would present, not that it would have prevented him from doing so. He finished with his work and retrieved the flat memory square from the console. Rising from his desk, he exited his quarters and headed for the Main Bridge. Any time now, they were expecting a visitor from the Klingon Empire. Spock wanted to be present for this interesting event foretold by Ayelborne.
As the doors parted, allowing Spock entry to the bridge, he became immediately aware that his captain and Dr. McCoy were listening intently to a subspace message over the bridge speakers. Spock listened as well. Starfleet was announcing that the Klingonese Emperor was on his way to Earth to join the United Federation of Planets. While this process of peace was taking place, all Starfleet vessels were ordered to maintain a low profile and refrain from even giving the appearance of hostility towards the Empire. It also mentioned the grave danger the Federation was now in with regards to the Romulan Empire. Spock walked over to his science station and recalibrated his instrument panel as he listened.
While Sulu and Checkov listened, they exchanged glances of surprise and disbelief. "This is getting weirder all the time," Sulu remarked to his partner at arms.
"That is the end of the message, Sir," Uhura stated.
Jim Kirk turned to Commander Spock. "Did you catch the message, Spock?" he asked.
"I did, Captain. It would seem that we are not far from the war Ayelborne spoke of."
That little word 'war' was very effective in getting the attention of the bridge crew. It seemed to instantly dash all hope of the peace they had just heard of into the abyss. Not trusting the Klingons anyway, their hopes of peace with them had not been extremely high in the first place.
"But the Klingons as allies? The Romulans entering the picture? That's not what I understood him to mean. He mentioned specifically 'police action'."
Spock pondered the meaning from every angle. "I can think of no explanation, with the information we have currently obtained, that would connect all elements of the puzzle. We must assume that there are still several missing pieces."
"Well, sounds like we're doomed, ta me," McCoy said, only half jokingly. "The Klingons are famous liars and the Romulans seldom bluff. Maybe we should beam back down to Organia and go native."
"Spock," Kirk said, ignoring the Doctor's comment, "analyze the Starfleet transmission. Maybe it was a counterfeit engineered by the Klingon ship we are expecting."
"Doubtful, Captain, but I shall examine it," Spock responded.
"Captain?" Sulu asked. "May I ask about what you meant about us 'expecting' Klingons?" The sentence did not sound quite right to Sulu either.
"I'm not sure myself, Sulu. But yes, we have been informed by the Organians that we should expect a Klingon warship soon," Jim stated. "It is presumed that this will not be a hostile encounter. That's all we know."
Checkov turned to his friend, "Do not try to figure eet out, or you'll go crazy... Like de time ve ver in orbit around Psi 2000 ven you tought you ver de vorld's greatest swordsman, and you had to rescue Uhura."
"That wasn't my fault!" Sulu said, not too angrily. It had been a sensitive point, but one that was, with time, gaining its calluses. "Besides, Riley was the one who really went nuts on us."
"That's ancient history," Jim said to the two, "gentlemen," In hopes that they did not bring to mind the fact that Kirk had lost control of himself during the incident being discussed.
"Captain," Spock reported, "I have completed my analysis of the Starfleet transmission. It is genuine."
"That's what I was afraid of," he said. "Spock, it has been quite a while since Ayelborne said the Klingon ship was coming. At the time, he said it would only be a matter of minutes."
"That is what he indicated. I do not think that they would either misinform us or make an error about the point. The logical alternative is,"
"The logical alternative is that they are already here."
"Quite logical, Captain," Spock concurred.
Jim had to stop himself from signalling a call to general quarters. The message they had just received forbade that unless there was no other option. "Uhura, open a wide band, short range channel and uncoded."
The use of subspace as a broadcast medium was still impossible, but reception and local broadcast was undamaged. "Channel open now sir," the pretty, dark woman said.
"Klingon vessel, this is Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. We know you are out there. Show yourself and we may be able to help each other," spoke Kirk.
There was no response. The stars in front of them revealed nothing but the vacuous blackness between them. "Klingon vessel," Jim continued, "we have been down to the surface of Organia. We now know that you are an innocent party concerning the destruction of Outpost Delta Gamma 13 and that our suspicion of your invading our space is untrue. We also have information involving the ship that did invade Klingon space. If you are interested then show yourself, or we will be on our way." Jim said, hoping to be able to spur an exchange of information with them.
"Captain, look!" Uhura said, pointing at the viewer. The Imperial Cruiser, Fury, became visible, not more than 1000 meters in front of them. The Predator class cruiser looked, to Kirk, like the deadly weapon that she was intended to be.
"Captain Kirk," the familiar voice coming from the Klingon ship greeted Jim, "this is Command," he caught himself "This is Captain Kang. It seems that the hand of providence would have us meet again."
"It would seem," Jim agreed. "It would also seem that Starbase 16 was able to return you to your people safely." Jim referred to the last time they had met: A time they had almost killed each other, more than once, and perhaps for all eternity. When Kirk and Kang had been forced to work together, to purge an enemy 'entity' from the Enterprise, an entity that forced them to fight, then healed their wounds that they might fight again and again. Kang's ship had been destroyed, so in the end the Enterprise had ferried the Klingon crew to Starbase 16, where they were processed and returned home.
"I am here with them," Kang stated. "Enough with the obvious, Captain. You mentioned that you had information on the ship that has entered Klingon space? I would hear this news you offer."
"Why don't we meet? Face to face. You could beam aboard and perhaps enlighten us to the event as well. We too have some questions that you may be able to provide answers to."
"Kirk, my one-time enemy, what makes you think that I would enjoy being aboard your ship again?" he posed to the Starship Captain. "I will give you the same offer. In addition, I will guarantee that this ship is free from 'Hate Consuming Entities' and that you will not be harmed in any way."
"You seem gracious today, Kang," Jim said, in partial jest. "My First Officer and I will take you up on the offer. We'll be there shortly. Kirk out." he announced. "Lieutenant Uhura..."
"Yes, Sir, channel closed." she said in anticipation of his command.
"Lieutenant Uhura," Jim continued, "you have the Con."
"Me, Sir?" she questioned. "I mean, Aye, Sir!" she said, rising from her station and removing her ear-peace. Her first duty would be ordering her replacement for communications.
"Let's go, Spock. We have to stop a war that has yet to begin," the Captain reminded the one person who never needed reminding. Dr. McCoy decided that it was time he returned to sickbay, and followed Spock and Jim to the turbo-lift.
Uhura set herself down in the seat of command. She placed an arm on each rest and felt the comfort of the chair. "Oh boys?" she said to Checkov and Sulu, as the lift doors closed. They both slowly turned to her, wary of her tone of voice. "If you are going to continue exchanging any more jokes... they had all better be in good taste," she said sternly but with a partial smile on her face. "That is an order," she purposely added.
The two looked at each other for a moment, resigning themselves to her authority. "Yes, ma'am," They said at the same time and dejectedly turned back to their stations. She rested back into the chair, sorry that her orders were only temporary.
In the lift, Spock handed his captain the small flat square, that was his altered log entry. The Captain placed it in his pocket with a "Thanks, Spock," and the doors opened to let the Doctor off at sickbay.
"Be careful Jim," Bones said as they parted company.
"Have you ever known me to be otherwise, Doctor?" Jim asked and quickly added, "Don't answer that! G'bye, Bones."
The doors closed again. When next they opened, both Jim and Spock exited the lift and headed for the transporter room. Jim noted to himself that he had been down here more times than usual in the past few days. The maintenance crew was working diligently on repairing the broken unit. Kyle was again on duty, and entreated the two officers to choose a pad.
"Coordinates are coming through now, Sir," Kyle spoke to his captain. "Ready to transport."
"Energize, Mr. Kyle."
The two men faded into oblivion, hopefully to be restored to completeness on board the Klingon warship that faced the Enterprise.
