It's no holiday for Jamie Kirk when the Enterprise docks at Station T-12 for shore leave. Orion pirates have stolen the planet Cortina's national treasure. It's a race against time to apprehend the pirates and recover the Jewel before the social structure of Cortina collapses. The puzzle cube Jamie buys unwittingly plunges her into this deadly game of smuggling and deception.
Chapter 1
"Boy, is that ever a long way down."
Jamie Kirk leaned her forehead against the
space station’s transparent aluminum viewport and shivered. Deep Space Station
T-12 floated above the swirling red and orange planet like a spider hanging
from an invisible thread. Jamie knew T-12 orbited the gaseous giant planet just
as securely as the starship Enterprise
orbited the station, but her heart disagreed. It was pounding like a hammer.
Any
second that planet could suck us down into its poisonous—
“Jamie, come on!”
Jamie jumped, startled.
Heart thumping, she turned and peered past the crowd of tourists.
With his arms crossed,
Lieutenant Sulu leaned against an educational display filled with scientific
equipment. A bored expression covered his face. Next to him, Ensign Chekov was
yawning.
“Haven’t you seen enough of
that frozen ball of gas?” Sulu hollered. “This place is filling up from that
passenger ship that just docked. Let’s go.”
When Jamie didn’t move, he
barked, “That’s an order, Cadet.”
Jamie knew better than to
ignore the helmsman. After all, if it wasn’t for Sulu and Chekov, she would
still be back on the Enterprise.
Instead, she’d managed to sweet-talk the two officers into taking her around
the station in exchange for extra shore leave.
Her father had quickly
agreed—too quickly. Captain Kirk seemed relieved to have Jamie off his
hands for the morning.
She pushed herself through
the closely pressed bodies and stumbled into the open corridor. “Reporting as
ordered, sir.” Then she glanced back toward the view ports and scowled. “You
made me lose my place.”
“Can’t you find something
better to do?” Chekov groused. “If you want to look at the planet, you can get
a better view from Enterprise’s bridge.”
Very
true.
“You
called me just as a team was lowering a sphere into the planet’s atmosphere.
It’s an experiment. I want to watch. Please can I stay?”
Sulu
threw up his hands. “Fine. You can stay ten minutes more. Then we head back to
the ship.”
“But I get shore leave all day,” Jamie reminded him.
“Not
with us, you don’t. The captain asked us to show you around for a couple of
hours this morning, and then Chekov and I would have the rest of the day to
ourselves.”
“But—”
“No
buts, Jamie.” Chekov added his voice to Sulu’s. “We’ll finish up here and see
that you get back to the ship by noon. The captain should have that inspection
team off his back by then, and he can beam over with you then.”
Jamie
scuffed at the smooth floor with her shoe. Those
two have extra-sharp memories.
“You
don’t have to wait around for me,” she said sweetly. “Tell me where you’ll be,
and I’ll come find you in ten minutes. I promise.”
Chekov’s
expression brightened, but Sulu punched him. “I don’t think so, Cadet. If you
get lost”—he made a slicing motion across his neck—“there goes our shore
leave.”
“Lost?” Jamie burst out laughing. “How can anybody get lost on a
space station? It’s just one big circle. If we walk long enough, we end up back
where we started. I’ve seen most of the lower promenade already. The other
levels can’t be much different. I won’t get lost. It’s not like I can take a
wrong turn and end up on another planet.”
“T-12
may be a circle, but it’s very big circle,”
Sulu said. “There are plenty of places you could disappear into.”
“Not in
ten minutes.”
Sulu
gave in. “All right. We’ll be at the
Black Hole. It’s on the gallery above the main promenade.”
Jamie
grinned. I can talk those two into
anything!
“One
final word,” Sulu warned. “If you decide to wander off and disappear, I’ll send
Commander Perry’s security team after you. I don’t think you’d like that one
bit. Clear?”
“Very clear, Lieutenant. I won’t get lost.”
Jamie
waved as the two crewmen disappeared into the crowd. Then she turned back to
the view port, determined to regain her strategic position. Scrambling through
the sea of legs, Jamie arrived at the window just in time to watch the device
from the station fall into the atmosphere.
Instantly,
the sphere exploded in a ball of orange.
“Awesome!”
A boy’s voice rose over the murmuring crowd.
Jamie
totally agreed.
Ten
minutes later, she pulled herself away from the sightseers and headed toward
the Black Hole.
Sulu and Chekov are sure good sports, she thought
happily. Now, I just need to talk them into a little more time on
T-12.
After
all, she hadn’t shopped for her birthday gift yet.
Jamie’s
smile turned to a frown. “Some birthday,” she muttered, strolling down the
promenade. As usual, her carefully laid birthday plans had gone awry.
The
unexpected but joyfully received layover on Deep Space Station T-12 had been a
bad joke from the moment the Enterprise established orbit. Base
commander John Perry was still offering apologies when the Federation’s Quality
Control inspection team from Daran V beamed aboard the Enterprise for an
unscheduled inspection of the ship.
Captain
Kirk had responded with tightly controlled anger to the orders the men shoved
in his face.
Engineer
Scott had lost control of his temper when the inspection team demanded
access to the warp core and anti-matter pods.
Ship’s
surgeon McCoy fussed and fumed every time one of the inspectors stepped foot in
his Sick Bay.
Requests
for shore leaves flooded the recreation chief’s office.
No one
wanted to be around the inspection team, least of all young Jamie Kirk. Staying
out of an important person’s way was a skill she’d acquired almost a year ago,
not long after finding herself “temporarily” aboard her father’s starship. She
figured if she kept a low profile and didn’t interfere with the ship’s
operations, Starfleet would forget about her.
So far,
it had worked.
Maybe that’s why Sulu and Chekov let me
talk them into babysitting, Jamie
decided. I’m better company than those
grouchy paper-pushers taking over the ship.
She
shook herself free from the memory of the past two days and stepped into the
open lift to the upper gallery of the station. She did not want to go
back to the ship just yet.
Jamie
stepped from the lift and hurried down the promenade toward the Black Hole entertainment center. The
noise streaming from the establishment gave Jamie her first inkling of
uncertainty. How would she find her companions in such a maelstrom of activity?
Cautiously,
she approached the entrance and watched a steady flow of customers enter and
leave—humans, Orions, Denebians, and Rigellians. So many different species!
Jamie’s heart beat a little faster when she noticed a large neon sign flash a
warning:
No One Under 16
Earth-standard Years Allowed. No Exceptions!
Jamie
took up a waiting position outside the entrance. She crossed her arms and
leaned against the wall. Five minutes passed. Then ten.
Jamie
glanced at the chronometer, peeked into the entrance of the Black Hole, and then back at the timepiece. Where are you guys? Do I go shopping by myself, or do I go in there and
get them out?
Remembering
Sulu’s threat of sending station security after her if she disappeared, Jamie
decided that disregarding the sign was the lesser of the two evils. She glanced
around then slipped into the darkened area.
The
noise was deafening; the sights garish. Jamie covered her ears and stared at
the screaming images flashing from hundreds of video monitors lining the walls
and ceiling. Phaser fire from holo-games whined. Harsh laughter and alien
cursing assaulted her ears. She glanced around for Sulu and Chekov, but they
were nowhere in sight.
A huge
Orion brushed past Jamie, and she tumbled to the floor. He stopped, looked at
what he’d done, and grinned, exposing a mouthful of jeweled teeth. With a meaty
hand, he helped Jamie to her feet and patted her on the head.
“Forgive,
please.” He slurred his words and stumbled toward the bar.
Jamie
scurried past the crowd of humans and aliens and ducked into another alcove
blaring with the sounds of weapons firing and ships blowing up. Except for a
few surprised expressions, nobody seemed to care she was here. She let out a
sigh of relief when she spied the Enterprise’s
helmsman and navigator engrossed in an elaborate video game.
She
tapped Chekov’s shoulder.
Chekov
jumped. He banged his head on the hood of the game and bellowed his shock and
pain. When he saw Jamie, he slapped his forehead.
“What
are you doing in here?” He glanced around the room. “This is no place for kids.
The captain will put us on report.”
“Not to
mention what Perry’s security will do to us if they see her,” Sulu added.
“We’ll get tossed in the brig, the captain will have to bail us out, and then
we’ll be put on report.”
“I
waited, but you never showed up,” Jamie shouted over the noise.
Sulu
brushed aside her accusation and turned to Chekov. “Let’s get out of here, on
the double. I’m getting nervous.”
“Not as
nervous as you’re going to be.” A
firm grip on Sulu’s shoulder spun him around. The hand belonged to a Ferengi,
and he wasn’t smiling. Two huge human males—his personal security
guards—flanked him.
The
Ferengi snapped his fingers, and the security men each pulled out a neural
stunner. “I don’t want any trouble, boys, so I suggest you keep still until
we’re finished here.”
Jamie
swallowed and backed into Sulu, clasping his hand. “Sulu?”
Sulu
didn’t answer. He was staring at the Ferengi and his henchmen.
The
Ferengi manager looked at Jamie. “Personally, I couldn’t care less who comes
into my establishment. The more business, the more money I make, and on truly
free ports this is how it’s done. However, the Federation has some very
narrow-minded regulations concerning minors and I’m obliged, if I want to keep
my license, to go along with them.”
“Of
course,” Sulu agreed.
The
Ferengi waved a careless hand at the men’s uniforms. “I see you’re from the
starship. Perry is one strict base commander, especially when it comes to
Starfleet officers. Bringing an underage child into my place will get you
locked up and your captain fined.”
Neither
Sulu nor Chekov replied.
The
Ferengi turned on Jamie. “And you, hu-man child. Do you realize what
will happen if Perry’s security patrol finds you in my place? I’ll lose my
license for a month. I could be put out of business.”
Jamie
gaped at the Ferengi. She had never seen such huge ears.
“I don’t
know why you’re mixed up with these starship boys, but it’s time to find your
parents and—”
“Oh,
please don’t!” Jamie found her tongue. “It wasn’t Sulu or Chekov’s fault. We’ll
leave. You can’t tell my dad.”
The
Ferengi frowned. “Why not?”
“Because
her father is the captain of the starship.” Sulu sighed.
The
Ferengi studied the trio with new interest. He raised a long, slender finger to
his huge ear and began to stroke it in thoughtful contemplation.
Jamie
watched in fascination.
“About
those fines,” Sulu said. “I don’t think we need to be hasty. How much will it
cost to forget you ever saw us?”
The
Ferengi’s eyes lit up. He took on the expression of a sympathetic friend.
“Indeed. Why should Starfleet get the payment of the fines?” He smiled. “I’m
sure we can work something out that will be mutually beneficial to all.”
The
Ferengi motioned his personal guards to leave and then ushered the three
offenders into his private office.
Chapter 2
Sulu
stood, hands on his hips, outside the entrance of Bastin’s Famous Foods, far away from the Ferengi and his fees.
He lifted his eyes heavenward. “Fifty credits a piece. I can’t believe this.”
“You’re
right, Sulu. It’s my fault.” Jamie reached into her pocket and pulled out a
thin plastic rectangle. “You can take what you need from my card. Daddy put
enough on here today to buy a present, but—”
“I’m not
taking your birthday money,” Sulu interrupted. “You’re going to pay me back
another way. First off, we’re taking you back to the ship. Then you’re going to
water every plant in my botany lab. It’s posted on each specimen what the
plant’s needs are.”
“Right
now?” Jamie glanced at the chronometer hanging from a nearby bulkhead. “It’s
only eleven-hundred. Let me stay an hour longer. Please. I haven’t found my
birthday gift yet.”
“Whose
fault is that?” Chekov accused. “We don’t want to tag along while you shop.
You’ve cost us enough time and trouble this morning.”
“You and
Sulu stay right here at this café and get something to eat or drink. I’ll look
around on this level.” She pointed toward the tourist shops. “The stores are
right here, along this promenade. I’ll be back in time to beam back to the
ship.”
Sulu and
Chekov exchanged doubtful glances.
Then
Chekov shrugged. “She’s right, Sulu. She can’t get lost, and she can’t find any
worse trouble than she’s already been in this morning.”
Jamie
smiled. “I’ll water all your plants, Sulu.”
Sulu
grunted. “For a week.”
Jamie
lost her smile. “All right. For a week.”
Sulu put
out his hand. “Deal?”
“Deal.”
“So
long, then.” Sulu grabbed Chekov and ducked into Bastin’s. “You meet us back here at 1200 sharp. Not a minute later. You
got that, Cadet?”
“Aye,
sir.”
Jamie
watched her guardians disappear into the cheery café. Then she grinned and
headed toward the shops lining the main promenade.
“Well,
Jim, that’s the gist of it.” The grim expression on Commander John Perry’s face
filled the view screen of the Enterprise bridge. “Leave it to the Orions
to ruin a perfectly good shore leave for us all.”
Captain James Kirk sighed. “I should have
known our layover at your station would bring more headaches than an inspection
team waiting to pounce on us.”
Perry
threw his hands up in mock horror. “That isn’t my fault, Jim. They arrived last
week to inspect T-12’s facilities. Can I help it they jumped at the chance to
get their hands on the Enterprise?”
“You
could have warned us away, John.”
“And
deny your crew shore leave on the best station in the quadrant?”
“No
shore leave is worth putting up with Quality Control,” Kirk growled. “But back
to the subject at hand. Tell me how the famed Jewel of Cortina could be stolen
right out from under the Cortinians’ noses. You’d think they’d guard their
national treasure a little more carefully.”
“It’s a
mystery the Cortinians are not sharing,” Perry said. “What they are sharing
is that until they get their precious Jewel back, all negotiations between the
Federation and Cortina are at a standstill. Which,” he added thoughtfully, “is
no doubt what the thieving Orions intended all along.”
He
glanced at the hard copy he was holding. “According to this transcript, the
whole planet’s gone to pot in a day. The opposing political parties are blaming
each other and screaming at us to do something.”
“Us? What can the Federation do?
Cortina’s not a member planet, nor does it sound like it will become one
anytime soon.”
“They
want our help tracking down the Orion thieves.”
“Just
like that?” Kirk snorted. “Do they realize how big the alpha quadrant is?”
“They’ve
narrowed it down to three sectors.”
“Is that
all!” Kirk rolled his eyes.
Three
sectors of space contained billions of square kilometers of empty space and
thousands of stars and planets. How did Cortina expect the Federation to find
one small jewel in such a vast area?
Besides,
the Orions had a head start. By now they were most likely over the
Federation-Orion border and out of Starfleet’s jurisdiction.
“The
Federation has agreed to assist Cortina in recovering their jewel,” Perry went
on. “They have determined there are only three stations within those sectors
where the Orions can refuel their ship: Space Station K-7, Deep Space Station
5, and”—he smiled—“my little station.”
Perry
sat up straighter. “To the point, Jim. The Enterprise
has a bariat scanner aboard, doesn’t she?”
Kirk
nodded.
“That’s
good news. When Starfleet heard the Enterprise was here ahead of
schedule, they immediately assigned you and me the task of thoroughly scanning
T-12 inside and out for the Jewel of Cortina. Without a bariat scanner I can’t
do much. But with the scanner we can check the entire station in less than a day.”
Kirk
nodded. “True.”
“In
addition,” Perry continued. “Each departing ship will undergo a bariat scan
before being given clearance. Everything from a drone barge to a luxury liner
will be scanned. If we’re lucky, the Jewel of Cortina will light up like a
Christmas tree.”
“You are
aware, John, that bariat scans cause havoc with sensors and shields. It knocks
them out for hours.”
“After
the scan, my people will hold the affected ships by tractor beam until
everything is back online, with only minor discomfort to passengers and crew. I
have a feeling it’s going to be a long couple of days around here.”
“Shipmasters
will be hopping mad about having their schedules changed and their ships
scanned, just on the off-chance they’re hiding the jewel.”
Perry
shrugged. “I know. But recovering it would be a political coup for Starfleet
and the Federation.”
“I’ll
get on the bariat scanning right away,” Kirk told him.
“Thanks,
Jim. T-12, out.”
The
screen returned to a view of the circular image of Deep Space Station T-12.
Kirk
leaned back in his chair and let out a long, slow breath. It wouldn’t take Mr.
Scott long to rig up some engineering magic to scan the station this afternoon.
And the ships too. Maybe, just maybe, they’d catch an Orion or two, recover the
Jewel of Cortina, and be celebrating by tomorrow night.
Then he
frowned and punched the intercom button on his armrest. He rather doubted it
would be that easy.
“Scotty, I’ve got a job for you.”
Chapter 3
They
passed through the double airlock, ignoring the computer’s soft voice that
informed them of their position in relation to the rest of T-12. Instead, they
studied the screen displaying incoming and outgoing ships.
Jarid,
the half-human, cursed. “Starfleet’s locking up this station tighter than an
Aldebaran Shell Mouth.”
“This
was a stupid idea, Jarid,” the Orion, Tobrak, muttered as they strolled along
the promenade. “Why don’t we walk into the commander’s office and plunk the
jewel down on his desk? It’ll save everyone the trouble of tracking us down
when the station lights up during the bariat scan.”
“Don’t
get started on that again,” Jarid
growled. “We managed the hard part—getting past Cortina. This lock-up is a
minor inconvenience.”
“Not to
mention a surprise!” Tobrak hissed. “Who would have thought Starfleet would be
here waiting for us? No Starfleet ship was supposed to be anywhere near this
sector!”
“We can
still make it work,” Jarid insisted. He ran his finger along the list of ships
and scowled in thought. “All we have to do is find a ship that won’t be
undergoing a bariat scan. We arrange to slip the jewel aboard. When the ship
leaves the station, we retrieve it.”
“Sure,
easy as petlok pie.” Tobrak was
in dark humor.
“Don’t
you see? There is a ship that won’t
be scanned.” He jabbed a finger at the glowing letters listing the Enterprise.
“The starship. All we have to do is get the jewel aboard her, and it will get
past any bariat scan.”
“You’re
mad,” Tobrak whispered. “How do you propose to do that?”
Jarid
winked. “You leave that to me.”
Ten
minutes later the two smugglers were leaning over the counter of a fat, furious
Orion shopkeeper. Jarid slid his precious cargo across the countertop. “Hello,
Kornish. We brought you the package, as arranged.”
Kornish
lifted the lid off the small, wooden box. Nestled on a cushion of blue velvet,
the throbbing, shimmering egg-sized jewel glowed a deep, rich red. Then he
carefully closed the lid.
“I can’t
move this,” he whispered. “Not now. The starship appeared out of nowhere two
days ago. My shop will be scanned in a matter of hours. You’ll have to make
other arrangements.”
Jarid
exploded. “Other arrangements?” He
shoved the box closer to Kornish. “We planned this heist for months, risked our
hides pulling it off, and we’re not taking it back. You’re the best smuggler in
the business. We were told to deliver it to you, and we’re delivering it.”
“This jewel is too hot for me to handle,”
Kornish insisted. “The d’slik Cortinians
already suspect me of illegal activities. I can’t take chances.”
Jarid
leaned farther over the counter. “Figure it out. If you refuse, I’ll drop this
thing down a disposal chute. I’m not going to be caught when the scan begins.
Maybe there’s a way to slip it aboard the starship.”
He
chuckled. “Wouldn’t that be a nice joke on the Feds?”
Kornish
swore—long and violent—a sign that he would take the Jewel, even if he didn’t
want it. He slipped the box into an oversized pocket of his jacket. “Don’t tell
me my business, Jarid. The less you know about this, the better. But I’ll tell
you this. If I manage to smuggle the Jewel aboard the starship, then you will have to retrieve it. I wash my
hands of it.”
Jarid
folded his arms across his chest. “Agreed. You get the Jewel past the bariat
scan and safely aboard a non-scanned ship, and I promise you, I’ll figure out
how to get it off.” He gave the Orion shopkeeper a wide grin. I’m half human,
and my human half is the charming, resourceful half.”
“All
right, clever man. I’ll do my part. But if the Federation ends up with this
Jewel, your heads will roll.”
“As will
yours,” Jarid reminded him. He plucked Tobrak’s tunic. “Let’s get out of here.”
They
headed to the Black Hole, the Jewel safely out of their hands.
******
Jamie
glanced at the chronometer and gulped. 1130 hours! If she didn’t get moving,
Sulu and Chekov were really going to get after her.
Her birthday-present quest had so far been a bust.
She saw nothing new. Nothing interesting. And mostly, nothing the right price.
Each tiny shop Jamie
entered displayed the same boring things she’d seen a dozen times before on
other star bases and outposts.
Jamie
had saved all her hopes for the last stop—Station T-12’s famous toy store. At
first, Jamie didn’t want to visit a toy store. Nine years old was too old for
toys. But she wavered when she saw the large sign.
You want it?
We’ll find it. Guaranteed!
Jamie stepped through the doorway’s arch and
immediately found herself in another
world. It didn’t appear to be a store at all, but the crossroads of a dozen
different cultures.
Entire
rooms were devoted to various alien games and toys. Klingon video games,
Romulan toy swords, reproduced Vulcan weapons from ancient times, model
spacecrafts from every world in the Federation—and outside as well.
Maybe I should have come here first, Jamie thought with a twinge of guilt
that she’d wasted her entire shore leave. This
place looks like fun!
Curious
to see what sort of games Klingon children played, Jamie joined a group of
customers watching a tourist play a complicated, electronic Klingon board game.
When one of the game pieces exploded in the teenager’s face, Jamie jumped a
foot.
The rest
of the onlookers burst into laughter. The customer sheepishly returned the
controls to their resting place.
A large,
smiling Orion strolled up. “What do you think of Klinz’hai? The exploding game
pieces are just one of the special features programmed into this game.”
“Took me
by surprise,” the teen replied.
The
Orion waved a hand over the board, clearing the controls. “Try again, if you
like. All my games are intended to be enjoyed—whether you make a purchase or
not.”
The
youth nodded his thanks and took the controls.
“Help
yourself, my friends,” the Orion encouraged the onlookers. “There are more
games around the corner.”
“Where’s
Starship Encounter—Part V?” a human
boy asked.
The
shopkeeper pointed across the alcove. “The Federation games are over there.
Follow the red line on the floor all the way around the illusion display.”
Then to
Jamie’s surprise, he turned and spoke to her. “And what about you, little lady?
Would you like to play a portable holo-game? They’re all the rage. You can go
anywhere, be anyone. A Klingon warrior or a Fellinum Princess. The queen of
Rigel 6 or an Orion slave dancer. You can enlist in the mercenary forces of
Deneb 7 or”—his gaze swept over Jamie’s gold uniform tunic—“join Starfleet.
Holo-games are your gateway to adventure.”
Jamie
shook her head. “I don’t have time to play any games today, mister. I’ve got to
find a gift and get back to the transporter terminal in half an hour.”
The
Orion nodded his understanding. “Yes, it seems visitors to our station are
always afraid of missing their ships and being left behind.”
“I’m not
afraid of being left behind,” Jamie told him. “Mostly I don’t want to lose my
shore leave privileges, especially on my birthday.”
“No
indeed!” The Orion gave her a wide smile, exposing his jeweled teeth. “Happy
birthday.” He frowned. “That is the correct phrase for a human celebrating
their day of birth?”
“Yep.
I’m nine years old today.”
“An
excellent age,” the Orion remarked. “Would you accept my assistance in finding
a gift?”
Jamie
grinned. She liked this old, fat Orion. He was friendly and seemed interested
in her. “Thank you. I do need help. The rest of the shops just had boring
things.”
“I am
happy to assist you.” He spread his arms to include the entire complex. “I’ve
been in business on T-12 for over fifteen years. I guarantee you will not go
away from my store disappointed. You
will be the envy of every crewman on the starship.”
“How did
you know I’m from the Enterprise?”
Kornish
laughed. It was a jolly laugh from deep within his belly.
“I’ve
seen my share of Starfleet personnel come through this station,” the Orion
explained. “You all dress the same way. And since the Enterprise is the only Starfleet vessel in orbit at present, it
isn’t hard to infer that’s where you’re from.”
He
winked. “Aren’t you a little short for a crewman?”
“I’m not
a crewman. I’m not even a real cadet.”
“Well,
Miss—”
“Jamie,”
she corrected. “Jamie Kirk.”
The
shopkeeper acknowledged her name with a slight bow. “I’m pleased to meet you.
My name is Kornish. Now, didn’t you say you were on a tight schedule?”
Jamie
threw a frantic look at the chronometer. “Sulu and Chekov are gonna kill me!”
“Easy,”
Kornish soothed. He led Jamie in the direction of a brightly decorated display,
where cubes of various colors lay stacked on top of each other. “I have in mind
the perfect gift for your birthday. If you agree, I can have it ready for you
in no time. You will meet your deadline and save your shore leave privileges.”
Jamie
smiled. “You’re sure nice, Mr. Kornish.”
“That’s
my job. If I weren’t nice to my customers, I wouldn’t stay in business very
long, now would I?” He stopped in front of the display of cubes. “Here’s what I
had in mind.” He picked up one of the cubes and placed it in Jamie’s palm.
Jamie
examined the colorful cube. It was about four inches square and had nine
individual squares in varying colors on each of its six sides. The sides
rotated freely with the gentlest of turns.
“What is
it?” she asked, wrinkling her eyebrows.
“An
Aldanian Puzzle cube, a Rubik’s Cube, a Klingon Teaser, an Orion Mixer, or a
Vulcan Logic Cube. It all depends on where you’re from. You’re from Earth?”
Jamie
nodded.
“I
believe Earth people call it a Rubik’s Cube.”
“What
does it do?”
“There
are six distinct colors on the cube. The object is to twist and turn the cube,
so that each side becomes one complete color. If you are successful, the cube
opens, and you have a place to store trinkets and such. I warn you, however.
The puzzle is difficult to solve—but not impossible.”
Kornish
reached under the display table. “Let me show you a completed cube.” He pulled
out a cube and made three quick turns. Suddenly, the cube began to light up.
Each side glowed the color of the completed squares.
“Oh,
wow!” Jamie felt her eyes grow wide. “It’s so pretty!”
Kornish
continued flipping and turning the cube. His hands flew. “The cube comes with
an everlasting power supply, which makes each side glow when completed. It also
powers the mechanism, which operates the compartment on the inside. Watch.”
He made
one last turn, and the cube slid into its final position. It glowed brighter
than ever. Then it opened, revealing a small chamber.
Jamie grinned.
“I love puzzles. I want one of these!”
Kornish
nodded. “I thought you might. It’s our most popular selling item. It comes in
either the primary and secondary colors, the neon glow colors, or even colors
for Klingons. See?” He held up a pure-white cube.
“How do
you solve it?”
“A
Klingon’s eyesight goes into the shorter wavelengths. They can see past violet
into colors we can’t even imagine.”
Jamie
had never seen anything like this. Then a worrisome thought crossed her mind.
“How much does it cost? More than twenty-five credits?”
“This
week only, the primary colors are on special—twenty-five credits exactly.”
Jamie
let out the breath she’d been holding. “That’s perfect. Exactly what I have.
It’s like . . . well . . . like this puzzle cube was meant for me.”
“Indeed,”
Kornish agreed. “You’re in the right place at the right time. Come to the sales
counter. I’ll test the power source and wrap it up.”
Jamie
followed the fat, friendly shopkeeper to the sales counter, which stood near
the archway leading to the promenade. The clerks stepped respectfully aside as
Kornish slipped behind the counter.
“Please
don’t wrap it,” Jamie said. “Could you fasten it to a chain or something, so I
can carry it around?”
“Of
course. And no extra charge.”
Jamie
beamed and handed him her card. “Thanks, Mr. Kornish.”
“I’ll be
right back.” Kornish disappeared into the storeroom behind his counter.
The
Orion was gone a long time. The clerk completed the sale and handed Jamie her
empty card. Jamie looked at the chronometer. 1210.
Hurry up, Mr. Kornish. I’m already late.
Sulu and Chekov are gonna to be so mad!
She
glanced through the archway. They were nowhere in sight.
But
someone else was. Red engineering uniforms milled around the entrance to the
toy store. They were setting up a strange-looking device just outside the
doorway.
“Hi,
guys.” Jamie waved through the open doorway. “Whatcha doing?”
The
lieutenant looked up with a start. Then he smiled. “Oh, hi, Cadet. We’re
setting up a bariat scanner.”
“A
what?”
“A
bariat scanner.”
“What’s
a bariat scanner?”
“Something
too complicated for cadets to understand.” He winked at her. “Don’t have time
to chat right now. Mr. Scott will have our paychecks if we don’t have this up
and running by 1300.”
Just
then, Kornish joined Jamie and the technicians. His face turned a strange shade
of green when he caught sight of the bariat scanner.
“What’s
the matter, Mr. Kornish?” Jamie asked.
The
Orion handed Jamie her new cube and pointed to the bariat scanner. “That is the matter. I hate it when
officious base commanders decide to scan honest business owners.”
He
peered at the device and then glared at the two Enterprise crewmen. “What is it, boys? Illegal pharmaceuticals?
Traffic in human flesh? What’s Perry thought up to irritate honest businessmen this time?”
“Valuable
stolen relics.” The deep voice of Commander John Perry cut through the
shopkeeper’s complaints. “It’s nothing you should have any protest against, if
you’re behaving yourself these days.”
Kornish
scowled at the station commander. “I resent your insinuation. I’ve never been
arrested for smuggling. Or for passing stolen merchandise.”
Perry
nodded. “Only because you’re very, very clever.”
“Commander,
I protest! A bariat scan will knock out my demo games and holos for hours. How
do you expect me to sell merchandise if the customers can’t try them out?”
Perry
crossed his arms. “I’m afraid business has taken a turn for the worse for the
rest of the day, Kornish. You’re not the only merchant who will be feeling the
impact of the scan, so spare me your griping. I’ve already had an earful from
Jop, over at the Black Hole.”
Then the
commander noticed Jamie. His expression cleared. Bending slightly at the waist,
he reached out a friendly hand. “And who do we have here?” He took Jamie’s hand
and shook it. “Welcome to Deep Space Station T-12. I’m Commander Perry.”
“I’m
Jamie Kirk, from the Enterprise.”
“Delighted
to meet you. Are you enjoying your visit to my station?”
“Very
much.” She held up her Rubik’s Cube. “I found this puzzle cube in Mr. Kornish’s
shop.”
Perry
eyed the merchant. “You’re not trying to sell this child a worthless piece of
junk, are you, Kornish?”
Kornish
puffed out his chest. “Of course not, Commander. I carry only the highest
quality merchandise in my store.”
“Glad to
hear that. Jim Kirk’s a friend of mine, and I wouldn’t like to learn you’d sold
his youngster a cheap toy.” He glanced around. “Where is he, by the way?”
“On the Enterprise,”
Jamie said.
Perry
did not look pleased. “He let you beam over by yourself?”
“No, sir.
I came over with Sulu and Chekov. They get extra shore leave in exchange for
showing me around.”
“If
that’s the case, then where are they?”
“I don’t
know,” Jamie confessed. “I was supposed to meet them at noon, but I lost track
of the time.”
Perry
grunted his opinion of Jamie’s escorts. He reached out a hand. “Come with me.
I’ll see you back to the ship. T-12 is not going to be safe this afternoon.”
Jamie
hesitated. Would Commander Perry lock
her up, like Sulu had said he would? She bit her lip and kept her hand
to herself.
“What’s
the matter, Jamie?” Perry gave her a friendly smile. “Are you afraid of getting
lost on my station?”
Jamie
looked up into a pair of cheerful blue eyes. He didn’t look like the stern base
commander her escorts had threatened her with.
She
relaxed, grasped his hand, and waved good-bye to Mr. Kornish.
“No,
sir,” she said. “It’s just that Sulu and Chekov told me I’d get in major
trouble if I wandered off. They said you’d send security after me and haul me
to your office and—”
Perry
laughed. “On the contrary, I’m rather glad you wandered off. Otherwise we might
not have had this opportunity to meet. Don’t worry, Jamie. It’s your father’s
officers who dropped the ball here, not you.”
Jamie
felt relieved, but only for the few minutes it took to walk to the transporter
station.
“Put
a call through to the Enterprise,” Perry told the technician.
A
moment later, Jamie heard her father’s voice. “What’s up, John?”
“I
have somebody here who belongs to you. As much as I’d like to continue enjoying
her company, I’m afraid that will be impossible, due to the current situation.”
There
was a pause, then, “Where are my officers?”
Perry
was about to reply, when Sulu and Chekov jogged up.
“Jamie!”
Sulu called, clearly furious. “Where in blazes have you been?”
Perry
grinned at the look on Sulu’s and Chekov’s faces. “Your officers are here now,
Jim. But I suggest that next time you give them more specific instructions
regarding the care of your daughter.”
“Perhaps.”
Jamie could hear the amusement in her father’s voice. “But Jamie knows how to
give them a run for their money. Don’t be too hard on them. Kirk out.”
Perry
turned to the two Enterprise officers.
“Gentlemen?”
“C-Commander
Perry,” Chekov stammered. He came to attention.
Sulu
followed suit.
“Good
afternoon, Lieutenant, Ensign. Look what I found wandering around alone in
front of the toy store.”
Before
the men could respond, he went on. “I’m pretty sure when Captain Kirk agreed to
exchange extra shore-leave privileges for showing his daughter around the
station, he didn’t mean for her to be left unattended. T-12 sees a lot of
traffic—some of it less than appropriate for a young girl.”
“Yes,
sir,” Sulu and Chekov said together.
Perry
continued. “A situation has come up that will shortly affect everyone on the
station. We’re to be bariat scanned, which will turn T-12 into a beehive of
activity.”
“Bariat
scanned?” Sulu exchanged a puzzled look with Chekov, who shrugged. “How soon?”
“Soon
enough.” He nodded at Jamie. “I suggest you return your captain’s daughter to
the ship ASAP.”
“Yes,
sir,” Sulu replied smartly. He took Jamie’s hand. “Come on, Cadet. Your shore
leave’s over.”
Jamie
turned to Perry. “It was nice meeting you, Commander Perry.”
“Likewise,
Jamie. I hope to see you again soon.”
Chapter 4
The
ship-wide announcement did little to boost Jamie’s spirits. Even though she had
a small and insignificant part in the upcoming drama production, the reminder
of the practice only filled her with a feeling of being rushed.
More
announcements flooded the intercom system. Jamie listened with only half an
ear. Most of the announcements aboard the Enterprise
had nothing to do with her.
Lt.
Uhura’s pleasant voice continued to pour from the speakers. “The briefing for
all senior officers and department heads is scheduled to commence in ten
minutes. I repeat. All senior officers and department heads report to Briefing
Room One by 1400.”
There
was a short pause. “All personnel, attention. Because of the new situation on
Station T-12, consult your displays for updated shore leave rosters. Any
scheduling conflicts with your leave time should be directed to your department
head. Consult your display for further information. That is all. Bridge out.”
Jamie
set aside the watering device and called up the shore leave roster on the
computer screen in Sulu’s laboratory. She scrolled down until she came to the
Ks.
Kirk, Jamie. Shore leave canceled until further notice.
No fair! Today was her birthday. Daddy had promised
her shore leave all day on T-12. What was going on?
She
slumped into the chair and stared at the screen in dismay. Sulu and Chekov had
been angry with her when they’d been dressed down by the base commander, but by
the time she was whisked away by the shimmering transporter, it appeared as
though they’d cooled off. They’d given her a friendly wave good-bye and watched
her disappear.
“Those squealing traitors,” Jamie huffed. “Now I’m
in trouble.”
Gathering
up the watering device, Jamie tended to her task with renewed fervor. She
wanted to be done with this before the briefing was over. She planned to be on
hand when her father walked out of his meeting.
She had
to salvage her shore leave. She just had to!
Jamie
was leaning against the bulkhead across from Briefing Room One, fiddling with
her new toy, when the door whooshed open. A long line of department heads and
senior officers left in groups of twos and threes, muttering among themselves.
“Hey,
Jamie,” Sulu called. “Did you get the watering done?”
Tattletale! she wanted to shout at the helmsman. But
she answered in a calm voice. “Yes, sir. It took me forever. Oh, you’d better
check those plants with the reddish leaves. There’s some weird fuzz growing on
them.”
“It’s
nothing that can’t wait until tonight,” Sulu replied hastily. “I’ve got to get
back to T-12. Chekov’s saving my place at Bastin’s, then we’re going to a
Tragle contest. Catch you later, Cadet.”
“Sounds
fun,” Jamie said. “What’s a tragle?”
But Sulu
was gone.
She
studied her puzzle cube and made another twist. Suddenly, one side began to
glow a brilliant green. “I did it!” In her excitement, she nearly missed the
captain when he sauntered out ahead of Spock and the doctor.
“Hey,
Daddy! Wait.”
“Make it
snappy,” Kirk warned as he headed toward the lift. “I’ve got a backlog of
messages waiting for me on the bridge and a million other things to do.”
Jamie
ran to catch up. “I want to know why my shore leave’s been canceled.”
Kirk
regarded Jamie with a keen look. “I’d like to say it’s because you gave Sulu and
Chekov too many headaches today.”
Jamie
hung her head. “I knew they squealed. Traitors.”
“Sulu
didn’t say anything,” Kirk told her. “Neither did Chekov. The reason you’re
staying aboard ship is because something’s come up on the station.
There’s going to be a lot of confusion over there.”
“That
bari—bariat scanning?”
Kirk
nodded.
“What is
it?”
“Something
that involves a great deal of equipment and a lot of manpower from the ship.
Half the establishments will be shut down, and the other half crowded to
overflowing because of it. I want you out of it and safe on the ship.”
“But you
promised I could have the whole day. Sulu and Chekov in the morning, and you
and me this afternoon.”
“Plans
have changed, I’m afraid.” He headed for the ’lift. “I’m really busy, Jamie.
I’ve got to get up to the bridge. Let’s talk about it later.”
Jamie
shrugged acceptance. She watched her father enter the lift, along with Mr.
Spock and Dr. McCoy. “Aren’t you even going to wish me a happy birthday?” she
called out as the ’lift doors shut.
They
whooshed open again.
“Go on
ahead,” Kirk motioned to Spock and McCoy. “I’ll be along in a minute.” He left
the lift and motioned Jamie to him. “I’m sorry. It’s been an awful day. Happy
birthday. Did you find something nice on the station?”
Jamie
held up her Rubik’s Cube and showed him the glowing side.
“Nice
start,” he said. “You know, don’t you, that as soon as you begin to work on a
new side, this one”—he pointed to the green glow—“will get mixed up.”
Jamie
considered his words. “I guess you’re right. This may take longer than I
thought.”
Kirk
laughed. “It certainly will. Those puzzle cubes are difficult to solve. Believe
me. Your Uncle Sam had one, and I had a heck of a time solving it.”
“Did you
solve it?”
“Sam
helped me out. He had a knack for puzzles.”
“Maybe I
do too.”
Kirk
handed the cube back. “I’ll give you a hint. You’ve got one side done. Consider
it the top of the cube and solve it in layers, rather than one side at a
time.”
Jamie
wrinkled her eyebrows and studied the cube. Then she nodded. “All right.
Thanks.”
Kirk
gave her a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. “I’ve really got to run, Cadet.
I’ll restore your shore leave privileges tomorrow when things get back to
normal on the station. Besides, we wouldn’t have any fun this afternoon with
the confusion going on over there. I’ve got an idea. Let’s make a date. A birthday
sundae at Bastin’s at 1900
hours tomorrow night. How about that?”
Jamie
brightened. “Okay!”
“Enjoy
the rest of your afternoon. I’ll see you at supper.”
“May I
come up to the bridge later on, since I’m stuck on the ship this afternoon?”
She gave her father her most pleading look.
Kirk
ruffled her hair. “Sure. It’s your birthday. Why not?”
Jamie
grinned and scampered away.
Chapter 5
Jamie
saw it all from her perch just above and behind the captain’s chair, where she
was leaning over the railing and watching the exchange.
That is one creepy Cortinian, she thought with a shiver.
“I
insist you let my ship dock,” the man growled. “I have been ordered to make
sure the Federation space station does not hide the Jewel of Cortina.”
The Jewel of Cortina. Jamie repeated the words in her head. That sounds like something a princess would
own. The Jewel of Cortina. Hidden away. Like a mystery!
Kirk
rubbed his forehead. “I’m sorry, sir, but I have my orders. T-12 is even now
undergoing a complete bariat scan. I assure you it will reveal the jewel’s
location more efficiently than your search-and-seizure force.”
So, that’s why the station is being
scanned? To find a missing jewel? Jamie
wrinkled her eyebrows. I wonder how it
got lost.
“My
orders, Captain, are to conduct a physical search of the station, with or
without your approval.”
“Under
no circumstances will any ship be allowed to dock without a bariat scan. The Enterprise will enforce those orders, if necessary.”
The
Cortinian nearly turned black in the face. “I will speak with your superiors,
Captain.”
“That is
your privilege,” Kirk replied stiffly. “But until then, you will not be allowed
to disembark from your vessel. Enterprise out.”
The
clearance came ten minutes later. Jamie knew it was bad news by the way her
father groaned.
“Captain?”
Spock asked from his science station.
“The
Federation must really want Cortina as a member planet. Listen to this. ‘Show all courtesy to
Commander Varst. Commander Perry will allow whatever force the Cortinians deem
necessary aboard T-12. Maintain control of the situation but do nothing to
offend our guests. The bariat scan is not necessary for their vessels. Admiral Komack,
Starfleet Command.’”
“Interesting,” Spock remarked.
“Now, on
top of a confusing bariat scan, the space station will be subjected to an armed
search.” Kirk tossed the paper aside. “Uhura, get me the Well-Being.”
The view
screen flickered. The Cortinian commander smiled a toothy grin. “Captain Kirk,
you have news?”
“I do,
sir. As a display of goodwill from the Federation, you are to be shown all
courtesy on the station. Of course, we expect courtesy in return from your
landing parties.”
“Of
course.”
“In
addition, the bariat scan is not necessary for your ship if you dock after we
have finished the station scan.”
“That is
acceptable.”
“You may
contact Commander Perry after 2100 hours this evening to arrange docking
facilities at your convenience.”
“Excellent,
Captain.” Varst smirked. “There may be hope for an alliance between our world
and the Federation, after all.”
The view
screen blinked out.
Jamie
shook her head. “If all Cortinians are as grouchy as Commander Varst, why would
the Federation even want Cortina as a member planet?”
She
didn’t expect an answer, so she was surprised when her father swiveled around
in his chair and grinned at her. “That, Cadet Kirk, is a very good
question.”
******
“You should have been there, Spock,” Kirk
reminisced. “I could have used some logic, not to mention a Vulcan nerve
pinch.” He leaned back in the plush chairs of Bastin’s Famous Foods and took a
swallow of coffee. They had the best coffee in the quadrant.
“I fail
to see how logic would have resolved the situation, Captain. And a Vulcan nerve
pinch has no effect on Denebian slime devils.”
McCoy
sighed. “Jim meant he should have taken you along on the trip. You’d have
enjoyed it.”
Spock
raised an eyebrow at McCoy’s illogical statement. “I see.”
Jamie
watched the banter from behind a tall sundae. She scooped a spoonful of whipped
cream from atop a mountain of ice cream and dark, flowing hot fudge and opened
her mouth.
Then she
caught Mr. Spock’s fascinated expression and said, “Want a taste, Mr. Spock?”
She held out the spoon.
Spock
gazed thoughtfully at Jamie. “I fail to understand why the captain allows you
to ingest mass quantities of sucrose and animal fats. Both substances are
potentially harmful.”
Jamie
plunged the heaping spoonful into her mouth and closed her eyes in pleasure.
The Matterhorn was Bastin’s most popular confection, and it beat the Enterprise’s food processors by a long
shot.
“Because
it tastes so delicious,” she mumbled, her mouth full of ice cream and
chocolate. “Are you sure you don’t want a teensy bite? I’ve got more than
enough to share.”
Spock
shuddered. “I assure you, I do not.”
“You’re
missing something awfully good.”
When Mr.
Spock raised an eyebrow and turned away, Jamie giggled and dug her spoon into
the sundae. It felt good to be sitting here, eating a hot-fudge sundae,
listening to her father laugh and joke with his officers.
The busy
and tense times of the scanning business were over. She heard the relief in her
father’s voice. It felt right. Her shore leave privileges had been restored. Tomorrow,
Lt. Uhura was taking Jamie to someplace on the station that featured a special
kind of music with a Vegan instrument Jamie couldn’t even begin to pronounce.
“Hey,
Daddy,” she said. “When I’m finished with this sundae, can I show you the toy
store where I found my puzzle cube? It’s a huge place.”
Kirk
smiled at her. “Whatever you want to do.”
“And
after that I—” Jamie broke off. Her eyes widened at the sight of a dozen armed
men approaching. “Look! It’s that Cortinian commander you were talking to
yesterday afternoon. He’s coming this way, and he looks really mean.”
Kirk
twisted around in his seat. Marching down the center of the promenade, six
abreast, strode the silver-clad and heavily armed soldiers of the Cortinian
military. They came to a halt in front of Bastin’s. The stone-faced commander
paraded past the customers and began shouting orders to his subordinates.
“Make
the search thorough, Lieutenant.”
His
voice sent a shiver through Jamie. She glanced at her father for reassurance.
He said
nothing, but Jamie could sense his sudden alertness.
Mr.
Bastin appeared, red-faced and irritated. “Listen here, Cortinian. I’ve already
submitted to a lousy bariat scan from the starship and I’m not going to put up
with anything more.”
Commander
Varst gestured to one of his men, who shoved Mr. Bastin aside with such force
that he stumbled and crashed to the floor.
Jamie
yelped her surprise and dropped her spoon. It clattered to the tabletop. She
watched in horror as the Cortinians burst into the eatery.
“Commander
Varst.” Kirk pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. “This
search-and-seizure farce has gone on long enough.”
The
commander whirled and drew his weapon. He lowered it when he saw the captain.
“Captain Kirk, you’ll forgive me if I don’t exchange pleasantries. I’ve very
pressing matters to attend to.”
“As in
terrorizing shop owners? You recall the courtesy that was granted to your
landing force? There is to be none of this harassment, sir, or station security
will accompany your men as they make their rounds. There will be order on this station. Those are my orders.”
Varst’s
expression changed as he studied the captain and his party. His gaze fell on
Jamie, who slid down in her chair to be out from under the Cortinian’s
scrutiny.
“Captain
Kirk,” Varst said in a patronizing tone, “this is not the best evening to be
engaged in, shall we say, family
outings. I suggest you return to your ship and stay out of my way. I will search this station until the
very last second allowed. It’s your job, and that imbecile station commander’s,
to inform the shop owners to be cooperative. Do I make myself clear?”
“Commander,”
Kirk said smoothly, “how would you like your ship impounded for violating
density/mass restrictions?”
Varst
gaped at the captain. He started to speak, then turned and gave a sharp order
to his men. They reformed their ranks and marched out of Bastin’s, toward the far end of the promenade.
“Irritating
bunch, aren’t they?” McCoy said when Varst was out of earshot. He glanced at
Jamie, who was watching the Cortinians with wide, scared eyes. Her sundae had
turned into a puddle of cream. “Hey, Jamie. Look at that poor sundae of yours.”
Jamie
ignored the doctor and tugged on her father’s tunic. “What did he mean by
saying we have to go back to the ship?”
“Nothing,”
he assured her. “Nothing at all.” He turned to a server. “Can we get another
sundae over here? This one’s melted.”
“Right
away, sir.” The server turned to go, but Mr. Bastin appeared at Kirk’s side.
“Thank
you, Captain, for your timely interruption. The next sundae is on the house.”
Halfway
through her new sundae, the group was interrupted for a second time.
“Captain
Kirk!” A grating, vaguely familiar voice broke into Jamie’s musings.
This is not my best birthday ever, she decided with a sigh.
Jamie
abandoned her sundae and turned around in her chair. It was the tall, thin,
grouchy man from the Quality Control inspection team. He had been in the way
ever since the ship entered orbit around T-12. He and his inspection crew had
nosed their way into every crook and cranny on the Enterprise.
What were they doing here?
“Mr.
Powers,” Kirk said in a dangerous voice.
Jamie
knew that tone. It meant go away.
Would the unwelcome visitors get the message?
“Do you
realize how many of these shops I’ve searched, looking for you?” Powers
demanded. “Your orders are to make yourself available to me for information
whenever I need it. You could have been courteous enough to carry your
communicator. I have the reports from today’s follow-up inspection of sickbay—”
Kirk
raised his hand. “Not now, Mr. Powers.” He turned around to look in the man’s
face. “As you can probably tell, I am on my shore leave. I left my communicator
aboard ship so I would not be disturbed. You can take up any ship’s business
with Mr. Scott. I left him in command.”
“I
know,” Powers whined. “He says his duties do not include speaking to my
inspection crew. He told me it was not urgent, and it could wait for your
return.”
“Good
for Scotty,” Kirk mumbled, just low enough for Jamie to hear.
She
giggled.
“Captain
Kirk, I really must insist,” Powers demanded. “I must do some follow-up work on
various sections aboard your ship. The readings showed too many discrepancies
to allow me to overlook them.”
“I’m
sorry, but no. You’ve had your mandated time aboard my ship, and my crew needs
their shore leave more than they need your team pushing them about.
Inspection’s over.” He turned around and picked up his coffee cup. “Now, if
you’ll excuse me, it’s my daughter’s birthday, and I would prefer not to have
it interrupted.”
Powers’s
face puffed up and turned red. His eyes seemed to pop out of his head. “We’ll
see about that, Kirk. The Enterprise may
be the flagship of Starfleet, but that doesn’t give you the right to order a
Federation-mandated inspection team around.” He motioned to his assistants, and
they hurried down the promenade.
“You’ve
made another lifelong friend, Jim,” McCoy observed dryly. “Can he really go
over your head like that?”
“I guess
I’ll find out in the morning.” He signaled a server to refill his cup and
grinned at Jamie. “How’s the sundae?”
“Really
good. Want a taste?”
“I’d
love a taste.” He leaned forward to accept the offering, but the public
announcement system broke in on him.
“Captain James Kirk, please report to
Commander Perry’s office immediately. Captain Kirk, please report to Commander
Perry’s office. Thank you.”
“I don’t
believe it,” McCoy grouched. “Why can’t they leave you alone?”
Kirk
shoved back his chair and stood up. “It must be important. John knows I’m on my
shore leave.” He turned to Spock. “Do you want to join me, or would you prefer
to watch Jamie eat something you so thoroughly disapprove of?”
Spock’s
eyebrow rose, and he rose in one fluid motion. “I will join you.”
“I
thought so. What about you, Bones?”
“I
prefer the company I’m keeping, thank you. I’ll learn soon enough what the
station commander wants. Besides”—he winked at Jamie—“this young lady will need
some help with that ice cream, and I intend to be that help.”
“Thanks.”
He turned to Jamie. “Sorry for rushing off like this, Cadet. I’ll be back as
soon as I can. Then we’ll check out that toy store.”
“Promise?”
“I
promise, honey.” He bent over and kissed her forehead. “It won’t take long.”
“All
right.” Jamie licked her spoon. “Dr. McCoy and I will have a good time. I’ll
show him the shop if you don’t come right back.”
“I’ll
make it quick,” Kirk promised.
Chapter 6
The
station attracted tourists, tramp freighter captains, and ships from the rim
worlds of Klingon or Romulan influence. An Orion or two spiced up life on the
station, and the Ferengi kept things interesting. He usually enjoyed his
position as commander of T-12, but the scanning hassle, jewel theft, and the
culmination of it all on his station
had caused him to miss too many nights of sleep.
Perry
stifled a yawn and got right to the point. “Starfleet’s hot under the collar
about this one, Jim.”
“What’s
up?”
“I take
it you haven’t looked at your new orders.”
“New orders?” Kirk shifted in his
chair. “What new orders? In two days, we’re heading out to the Beta Quadrant on
an information-gathering mission based on reports of unstable binary stars in
that region. Purely routine. Easy. Restful—” He broke off at the scowl on
Perry’s face.
“You
didn’t check your messages before you beamed over tonight?”
“I was
in a hurry. It’s Jamie’s birthday. With all this Cortinian business, I’m afraid
she’s been neglected. I wanted to salvage what I could of our shore leave.”
“I’m
sorry I had to pull you away,” Perry apologized. “Starfleet called a while ago
to make the transfer arrangements. They were surprised you hadn’t been in
contact with me.”
“Is it
more of this Cortinian stuff? I’ve about had enough of that.”
“I’m
afraid you’re going to see a lot more of it.” Perry leaned back. “The station
scan came up a big, fat zero. You know that, of course.”
Kirk
nodded. “The Jewel of Cortina is not here. It’s not on any of the ships that
docked, nor is it aboard any of the ships that left. A dead end. So, the Enterprise gets on with her patrol.
Right?”
“Wrong.
If you’d checked your orders, you would have discovered that the Enterprise has been assigned new duty.
Because of your sophisticated bariat scanner and the fact that you’re the only
heavy cruiser in this sector, you’ll be patrolling the Orion-Federation border
for the next couple of weeks, while it’s still possible to get a lead on the
jewel.”
Kirk
opened his mouth to protest, but Perry waved him off.
“While
you’re patrolling, you’ll stop any traffic within ten light years of the border
to perform bariat scans on every vessel with which you come into contact.”
“Whether
or not they agree.”
“That’s
right.”
“So, the
Enterprise is going to become the
neighborhood bully. And every little freighter we scan will have to be taken in
tow for ten hours for its own protection.”
Perry
grinned. “I’m glad I’m staying here on my quiet, mixed-up little station. The
frontier adventure is all yours.”
“When
do we leave?”
“O-eight-hundred
tomorrow morning. Sorry about the remainder of your shore leave, Jim.”
“Not
as sorry as my crew will be.” He rose.
“Just
a minute, Jim.” Perry stood too, unhappy with what he was about to say.
“There’s one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“The
Federation thought it would be a good idea to show the Cortinians as much
cooperation as we can.”
“Haven’t
we cooperated enough already?”
Perry
ignored him and continued. “They’ve requested that a representative of their
government accompany you during the border patrol. They are desperate to find
their Jewel and want to be involved with the recovery as much as possible.”
Kirk
waited.
Perry
took a deep breath. “Prepare to beam Commander Varst aboard the Enterprise at O-seven-thirty tomorrow
morning. You can read the orders yourself, but you should know that Starfleet
wants you to show him all diplomatic courtesy.”
Kirk
let out a disgusted breath. “I don’t relish the thought of that Cortinian
aboard my ship, breathing down my neck with his high-handed ways. I’ve seen him
in action, John. Do you know what he’s doing to your station?”
“Oh,
yes.” Perry waved data disks at the captain. “I’ve received numerous complaints
for the past two days, but my people will live. We both know the Jewel isn’t
here, but if it placates the Cortinians to have Varst search, let him search.
The Federation wants Cortina badly.”
“I
guess so.” Kirk headed for the door. Spock, who had remained quiet during the
meeting, joined him.
The
whistle of the intercom sliced the air. “Commander Perry. This is Stewart from
security.”
“Go
ahead, Lieutenant. What’s the problem this
time?”
“Major
problem, sir. We’ve got the makings of a riot outside Kornish’s store. We could
use a little help down here.”
“Acknowledged.
I’m on my way.” Perry turned to Kirk and Spock. “Ten to one it’s got something
to do with Varst. Want to join me?”
Kirk
shook his head. “I’ll let you deal with him. I’ve got to get back to Bastin’s.
I promised Jamie I wouldn’t be long.”
“Have a
good evening, Jim.”
Kirk
grinned. “You too, John.”
Dr.
McCoy dropped his spoon in the dish with a satisfied clink. “That was
delicious, Jamie. Shall we order another?”
Jamie
shook her head and glanced in the direction her father and Mr. Spock had
headed. “Shouldn’t they be getting back by now?”
McCoy
snorted. “Don’t count on it. You want to do anything while we’re waiting?”
Jamie
jumped up from her seat. “I want to show you the toy store where I bought my
present. We can wait for my dad there. Come on.”
McCoy
waved to a server. “If Captain Kirk returns, tell him we headed for some toy
store.”
“Right,
sir. I know the place.”
Jamie
and the doctor made their way down the promenade. The evening hours hadn’t
slowed the crowds, and most shops along the strip were doing a brisk
business—no doubt making up for disruptions from the bariat scan the day
before.
McCoy
was a good listener and always ready to let Jamie bend his ear. She chattered
on in detail about the fascinating things she had seen in Kornish’s shop.
“Wait
’til you see Mr. Kornish. He’s an Orion. His teeth are made of jewels. He’s old
and fat, and very friendly. He helped me pick out my . . .” Jamie’s voice
faltered when they rounded the corner and stepped into the middle of chaos.
A large
crowd of onlookers competed with station security and the Cortinian military
for control of the situation. A bedraggled group of customers from the toy
store staggered through a search procedure as they attempted to leave.
The
observers were a vocal lot, booing and catcalling the Cortinians. The Cortinian
soldiers had all they could do to push back the crowd. The noise was deafening.
“What’s
going on?” Jamie watched a station guard speak into his communicator. Hopefully
he was calling for help.
McCoy
shook his head. “I have no idea.”
At the
forefront of the chaos paraded Commander Varst. He looked smugly satisfied as
he bullied and pushed a large, fat Orion male through the store’s front
entrance.
Varst
shouted orders to his men. They yanked the Orion to the other side of the
promenade and shoved him into a small alcove cut into the bulkhead. He went
down with a crash. Four huge guards, armed with neural stunners, stood guard.
Jamie
gasped. “It’s Mr. Kornish, the owner of the toy store. What are they doing to
him?” She took two steps toward the Orion.
McCoy
pulled her back. “Stay put.”
“But Mr.
Kornish is my friend. Why are they treating him like that?”
McCoy
didn’t answer. His gaze was fixed on the station security guards. They were
jogging up the promenade.
Jamie
kept her eyes on the sorry-looking figure lying in the alcove. Surrounded by
brutal guards, shoved and battered by a cruel Cortinian commander, Kornish
looked near death. Station security didn’t appear to be doing anything to help
the merchant. They clearly had their hands full keeping back the crowds.
“Why do
you want him?” a Rigellian shouted. “He’s done nothing!”
“Let him
go, you stinkin’ Cortinian!” another bystander bellowed.
A wave
of people suddenly surged forward, and Jamie found herself carried along with
them. Before she knew it, McCoy was on the far side of the promenade. Then she
lost sight of him.
Scrambling
between the legs of the crowd, Jamie made her way to the small alcove and
slipped past a guard as he shoved two humans aside.
She
found herself face to face with the battered Orion lying in the shadows. His
face was a mixture of dark-orange blood and bruises. One eye was swollen shut.
Blood flowed freely from his nose. He was gasping.
“Mr.
Kornish,” Jamie cried out, “what have they done to you?”
Kornish
looked up and groaned. “You should not be here.”
“But
they beat you. And—and all that blood. What have you done?”
“You’re
in danger here.” Kornish drew a ragged breath. “Grave danger. If Varst sees you
with me, he’ll arrest you.” He gasped. “Leave quickly.” He tried to push Jamie
away, but his hands were manacled.
Jamie
blinked back tears at seeing the Orion’s helplessness. “I don’t understand. Why
is the commander hurting you? What have you done?”
Kornish
let out a painful sigh. “Varst thinks I somehow smuggled their priceless Jewel.
He’ll take me back to Cortina and torture me until I confess.” He paused to
take a shaky breath.
Jamie sucked in her surprise. That
mystery jewel again!
“Commander
Perry won’t let him hurt you,” she said. “Neither will my father. He’ll beam
you over to the Enterprise. You’ll be
safe there.”
Kornish
shook his head. “Varst will never allow that. He’ll see me dead first. Neither
a base commander nor anyone else from your Starfleet will stop him. They want
Cortina as a member planet too badly.”
He
strained against his bound hands and moaned. “I’m only a shopkeeper. I’ve done
nothing wrong. But I’m to die at the hands of that accursed Cortinian.”
Poor Mr. Kornish! Jamie laid a gentle hand on his arm. “You won’t die. My
father is Captain Kirk. He won’t let Commander Varst kill you.”
A
commotion from the promenade caught Jamie’s attention. She peeked out the
alcove but could see nothing but the legs and backs of the guards. Quickly, she
scooted deeper into the shadows. “I’ll stay with you until Commander Perry
comes.”
“No. You
must go.” He flailed his shackled hands toward her. “Go!”
Jamie
stumbled backward, blinking back tears. “All right. I’ll tell my dad, and he’ll
rescue you,” she promised.
“Yes,
yes, that’s a good girl.” Kornish jerked his chin toward his chest. “Do me one
favor before you leave. Reach into my vest pocket and pull out one of my violet
candies. My mouth is so dry. The candy will restore the liquid I need.”
Jamie
poked her fingers into the Orion’s vest pocket and pulled out three squares of
shiny purple candy. She gently placed one into Kornish’s open mouth. “May I
have one?”
“No!”
Jamie
gulped back her surprise.
“What I
mean is”—the Orion’s voice softened—“this is special candy, for Orions only. It
would make little girls very sick. Do you understand?”
Jamie
closed her hand around the candy and nodded.
“Promise
me you won’t eat it.”
“I
promise.”
Kornish
sighed. “Thank you, Jamie. I enjoyed your company yesterday. Do you like your
puzzle cube?”
“Very
much.”
“Don’t
lose it.” His eyes rolled back. “Take good care of it, won’t you?”
Before
Jamie could answer, Kornish’s body gave a sudden spasm.
Then he
lay still.
Chapter 7
“Kornish’s?”
“The toy
store,” the server explained.
Mr.
Spock raised an eyebrow. “I believe Kornish was mentioned in the security
guard’s communication with Commander Perry.”
“We’d
better get down there.” Kirk started down the promenade at a jog, Spock just a
few steps behind.
The
scene in front of the toy store resembled the food riots Kirk had once seen on
Tarsus IV as a youth. The shouting, booing, and raised fists seemed out of
place on a Federation space station. What could have caused such an uproar?
“Lieutenant
Stewart was right.” Perry waved Kirk and Spock to his side. “This could turn
into something ugly. Varst is sitting on a powder keg. Out here on the
frontier, Orions like Kornish are decent and well liked. He has a lot of
friends among station personnel.”
Kirk
couldn’t help hearing the shouts of contempt. He raised an eyebrow in question.
“I
know,” Perry answered. “There are just as many off-station visitors who hate
Orions and feel Kornish is a smuggler. Add to that those who are attracted to
trouble like iron filings to a magnet, and it adds up to this.”
More
station security arrived on the scene with their weapons drawn.
“Commander
Varst has Kornish holed up under heavy guard over there.” Lt. Stewart pointed
to the alcove across the promenade. “He intends to take him back to Cortina for
questioning.”
Perry
snorted. “We know what that means.
Kornish will live just long enough to spill his guts, then—” He made a slicing
motion across his throat. “The Cortinians, if nothing else, are efficient.”
“Are
you going to allow that, John?” Kirk asked. “After all, this is Federation
territory.”
“I’m
afraid I don’t have a say in this matter. When Starfleet told us to cooperate
with Cortina in all things, they meant it. Kornish’s fate is out of my hands.”
He started toward the alcove, where he spotted Varst. “At least I can restore
order to my station.”
Kirk
and Spock followed Perry across the promenade. The crowd parted at their
approach.
“Varst,”
Perry barked, “I demand to know what is going on here.”
“Ah,
Commander Perry. Captain Kirk. We meet again. I am happy to report that we have
apprehended an Orion smuggler for whom we have a legal warrant.” He thrust the
data pad under Perry’s nose. “This man is a contact point for all sorts of
illegal activity, including numerous counts of smuggling. I’m surprised the Federation
doesn’t know about him.”
“What
do you intend to do with him?” Kirk demanded.
“We have reason to believe, from searching
his establishment—”
“You
mean from destroying it!” A tall human bellowed.
A
Cortinian guard swung his weapon at the man. It grazed the side of his head.
The results were disastrous. The bystanders surged forward.
Perry
signaled his men, who stationed themselves shoulder to shoulder in front of the
crowd. “Varst, call off your men, or so help me, I’ll arrest the whole lot of
you.”
Kirk
drew his phaser.
Varst
made a slicing motion across his neck. His guards backed off.
“Commander
Perry, I suggest you disperse your riot-happy people. Kornish has knowledge of
the Jewel of Cortina, and I intend to send him back to Cortina for
questioning.”
Perry
motioned to the guards. “Disperse the crowd.” He glared at Varst. “Secure your
prisoner and get off my station.”
Commander
Varst gave a grunt of acknowledgment and crossed to the alcove. The guards came
stiffly to attention and saluted him.
Perry
turned his back on the disgusting scene. “I’m beginning to feel real pity for
your patrol, Jim. Varst is not about to let up on anyone who gets in his way.
He’s obsessed with this Jewel affair.”
Kirk was
about to agree, when he spotted McCoy. He waved the doctor over.
McCoy
ran up, out of breath. “Jim! I can’t find Jamie. We got separated in the
crowd.”
Jamie
stared at Kornish in horror. Was he dead? She shook him. “Mr. Kornish!”
There
was no movement. No sound. She didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly,
the guards parted. Jamie looked up—straight into the cold, black eyes of
Commander Varst. She fell back from Kornish as if struck.
Varst’s
gaze passed from Jamie to the still form. Instantly, he was on the floor beside
Kornish, shaking him. He laid his fingers against the dead man’s neck. Then
with a roar of anger, he reached across the Orion and took hold of Jamie’s
tunic.
“What
have you done?” He dragged her over Kornish’s dead body and to her feet. “How
did you kill him?” He gave her a shake. “What did he tell you?” Another shake.
“Answer me.”
Jamie
couldn’t answer. She was too frightened. She tried to pull away from the
commander, but he held her fast.
Varst
bellowed for his guards. When they entered the alcove, he pointed to Kornish.
“Get him out of here.” Then he thrust Jamie roughly at two other men. “Guard
her well and take her to the ship. She will be questioned immediately.”
Jamie
found her voice. “You can’t do that. Let me go! I want my father.”
“He will
do you little good. You have tampered with my prisoner, perhaps even killed
him. You are under arrest.”
Varst
shoved his way past the guards and stalked out of the alcove. The guards
followed, dragging Jamie between them. They started down the promenade toward
the docking bay, Varst in the lead, a grim look on his face. Bringing up the
rear, two guards dragged the dead body of Kornish between them.
Jamie
frantically searched the crowd for Starfleet uniforms. Surely, someone would
rescue her before she ended up on a ship to Cortina. She tried to pull away
from her captors, but their grip was too tight. A sob caught in her throat.
“Daddy!”
she screamed.
There
was no answer. No one could hear her over the noisy crowd.
Then she
saw Commander Perry making his way along the promenade. “Commander Perry!”
A hand
clamped over her mouth. Jamie burst into tears. She kicked and struggled, but
the guards held her fast.
John
Perry turned in her direction. His eyes grew wide. “Jim!”
Jamie
saw her father emerge from the crowd lining the promenade. With a few long
strides he was by Perry’s side. Together they jogged toward the line of
Cortinians.
“What’s
going on here? Release that child immediately.”
Varst
stopped. His men stopped. “That will be impossible, Commander Perry. She’s
under arrest.”
Kirk’s
hand clamped down on the guard’s arm. “Let her go. Now.”
Varst
jerked his chin toward the guard. Immediately, the man holding Jamie released
her, and she tumbled to the ground.
“You may
join us on my ship and be present during questioning,” Varst said through
clenched teeth.
Kirk
scooped Jamie up. “Questioning? What questioning?”
“The
Orion is dead. The girl was with him. I will learn what he told her. I will
learn why she killed him.”
“You’ll
learn nothing,” Kirk said. “Jamie’s not going anywhere.”
Before
the Cortinian could say or do anything, Perry signaled his men. A dozen guards
surrounded Varst and his force, phasers leveled.
“You won’t
fire your weapons and risk losing Cortina as a member planet.” Varst’s gaze
bored into Jamie. “All for one insignificant child.”
“Don’t
be so sure of that, Commander,” Perry snapped.
Jamie
buried her head against her father’s neck and closed her eyes. “Don’t let him
arrest me,” she sobbed.
Kirk
held her close. “Shh. No one’s going to arrest you.”
Perry
spoke. “Excitement’s over. Everyone but station security will go about their
own business.” The bystanders took the hint and broke up. In a few minutes
there remained only Varst, his dozen men, Perry and his men, and the Enterprise complement.
Varst
broke the silence. “You are obstructing justice, Captain Kirk. I found the
child with Kornish. She was leaning over his dead body. How long was she there,
talking with him, aiding him? I will learn these things.”
“Not
tonight, you won’t. You’ve terrorized her enough for one day.”
“I will question her.”
“Over my
dead body.”
Commander
Perry spoke. “Commander Varst, you have overstayed your visit on Station T-12.
I want you to take your men and leave.”
“Is this
how the Federation aids Cortina? Is this how you establish diplomatic ties with
our world? You’re refusing to allow me to question this child. She was the last
person to see Kornish alive. She was instrumental in his death. She will
account for it, and for anything he might have told her.”
“That’s
ridiculous,” McCoy broke in. “She’s barely nine years old.”
“I will
learn what Kornish told her,” Varst said. “If we were on Cortina, you would not
be so brash.”
Kirk and
Perry exchanged glances.
Perry
sighed. “I’m sorry, Commander Varst. This is not Cortina. This is a Federation
space station, and Federation law is observed here. You will not question
Captain Kirk’s little girl. I don’t know how many times we have to say it.”
Varst
stared at the two officers. “Then you question
her, Captain Kirk.”
Kirk
set Jamie down and knelt beside her. “Jamie,” he said gently, brushing aside
her tangled golden waves. “Why did you sneak in and see Kornish? What happened?
Tell me.”
Jamie
looked fearfully at Varst.
“He
won’t hurt you. I promise. Just tell me what happened.”
Jamie
sniffed back her tears. “He was nice to me today. I felt sorry for him. He was
bleeding and beat up. I told him you’d beam him to the Enterprise, so he’d be safe from him.” She pointed at Varst.
“He said he was going to die, and he hadn’t done anything wrong. Commander
Varst thinks he stole that jewel, but he told me he didn’t.”
Varst
snorted. “He lies. And you’re lying for him.”
“Shut
up,” Kirk ordered. He turned back to Jamie. “What else? How did he die?”
Jamie
shrugged. “I don’t know. He just died.”
“Just
like that?” Varst shouted.
Jamie
jumped at his tone.
Kirk
gripped her shoulders. “Don’t be afraid. Tell me. Did he kill himself? Did he
ask you to do anything to him?”
Jamie
shook her head.
“What
about pills? Did he take any pills?”
Jamie
gasped. “The candy.”
“What
candy?”
“He
asked me to give him a piece of candy from his pocket. His mouth was so dry,
and he wanted to suck on it. They were purple squares.”
Varst
groaned.
Kirk
pulled Jamie to him. “Oh, honey, Mr. Kornish tricked you. Those were suicide
pills, not candy.”
Jamie
drew in a sharp breath.
“What’s
the matter?”
“I asked
if I could have one, but Mr. Kornish said they would make me sick.” She reached
into her pocket, drew out two purple squares, and dropped them into her
father’s hand.
Kirk
looked at the deadly candy.
Varst
pounced. “I’ll take those, Captain.”
Kirk
turned them over to the Cortinian, who immediately secured them in a pouch.
“Commander
Varst,” Perry said, “you are within your rights to request extradition of the
child for questioning.” He shook his head when Kirk frowned. “Go through the
proper channels and see what comes of it.”
Varst
snorted in disgust. “I can see how far I would get with that. I imagine the
Federation would no more turn a small child over to me than Cortina would allow
the Federation to take one of my own young away from the nest. Besides”—he
produced a large Cortinian equivalent of sarcastic smile for the captain of the
Enterprise—“I am going to be a guest
of the Federation for some time aboard their flagship. I wouldn’t want our
relationship to deteriorate any further than it has.”
Kirk
gave the Cortinian a slight nod.
Varst
turned to his men. “Lieutenant, take this hunk of dead meat”—he kicked
Kornish—“back to the Well-Being and
store it for transfer to Cortina. Tell Lieutenant Commander Bascht to have my
personal items transferred to the Federation starship immediately. I’ll relay
my final orders to him from the Enterprise
before the Well-Being leaves T-12.”
“Yes,
sir.” The lieutenant saluted.
“As for
you, Captain Kirk”—Varst turned to Kirk—“I’ll see you aboard ship.” He turned
and stomped off.
Kirk
gave Perry a tired smile. “I have a feeling that having Commander Varst aboard
the Enterprise is going to be worse
than a shipload of tribbles.”
Perry
didn’t return the smile. “Jim, I’m sorry about this.” He reached out and laid a
gentle hand on Jamie’s head. “I’m sorry Commander Varst frightened you, Jamie.
Things aren’t usually so dramatic on my station. Shall we go to Bastin’s for a
snack?”
“No,
thank you, sir. I’m not hungry anymore.”
Perry
looked at Kirk.
“I think
we’ve had all the excitement we can take for one evening.” Kirk grasped Jamie’s
hand and forced a grin. “What do you think? Exciting birthday?”
Jamie
shook her head. “Mr. Kornish died, Daddy. Why? Why did he want to kill
himself?”
“To keep
some secrets, Jamie.” Kirk sighed. “To keep some secrets.”
Chapter 8
Jamie
sat cross-legged atop the counter in the botany lab, diligently working on the
glowing Rubik’s Cube. Two layers showed completion. The green side glowed
brightly as she twisted and turned the cube to solve the third and final layer.
“Sure,
Sulu,” Jamie replied without looking up. “I do my schoolwork. That’s why I’m
here. I’m supposed to see how my plants are growing.”
“Well,
take a look.” Sulu gestured toward a tray of sorry-looking plants.
Jamie
followed Sulu’s gaze and bit her lip. “Uh-oh. I guess I forgot about them the
last few days.”
“Didn’t
you water them when you were watering my plants?” Sulu asked in exasperation.
Jamie
shook her head. “I’m sorry. With all the excitement on the station . . .” Her
voice trailed off.
“Sorry
is not going to help your grade. You’ll have to start over unless you want to
fail the class. Do you?”
“No,
sir. I’ll start right away.” Jamie set aside her Rubik’s Cube and jumped down.
She disappeared into the storage rooms, where more seed and dirt were located.
Sulu
went back to his experiment, absorbing himself with his latest acquisition—a
pair of transparent water skitters that were completely dependent upon a rare
form of lily.
He was
analyzing which molecular part of the lily and skitter were interdependent,
when the door to the lab swooshed open and two people entered. Mr. Spock was in
the lead, his face as devoid of emotion as ever.
“Mr.
Sulu, our guest is interested in Botany. Would you be willing to show him your
lab?”
Sulu
looked up, surprised. He had avoided Commander Varst for the ten days the
Cortinian had been aboard. Sulu had asked for, and received, permission to
carry out some botany experiments during this routine patrol. It gave his
helm-relief more practice and himself a chance to relax with his hobby. It also
kept Sulu away from Varst, for whom he was beginning to develop an active
dislike.
“Mr.
Sulu?” Mr. Spock prompted.
“Oh, of
course, sir. Come in. You caught me by surprise.”
“Botany
is my passion,” Varst said. “Your facilities are most impressive.”
“A starship
can do as much as a fully equipped base, sir.”
“Ah.” He
turned around in appreciation. “Do you have a Velityn Glow Plant? I’ve been at
a loss since mine died before I could clone it.”
“I’ve
got a large one right over there.” Sulu pointed.
Varst
hurried over to the display and reached out a tentative finger. The plant
responded by glowing pale lavender. “A lavender glow plant. How exquisite!
Would you consider cloning it for me?”
Sulu was
at a loss. He looked at Spock, who merely raised an eyebrow and nodded.
“Certainly,”
Sulu agreed. “I’ll have my assistant bring a specimen tube. Jamie,” he called,
“Bring me a cloning tube for a type H plant, would you? It’s in the second
drawer to the left of the electron microscope.”
A minute
later, Jamie emerged from the storeroom, carrying a carton of small,
transparent containers. She handed the package to Sulu, eyeing the newcomers
warily. Sulu knew Jamie had kept herself scarce whenever Varst was around.
She’d told the lieutenant that it looked as if Varst were sizing her up for a
detention cell.
“Your
lab assistant is—” Varst broke off.
“Jamie,
this is Commander Varst. Commander Varst, our captain’s daughter. Perhaps
you’ve already met?” Sulu ignored the warning look in Spock’s eyes. He knew
very well the circumstances of Jamie’s last meeting with the Cortinian
commander.
If Varst makes any discourteous move
against our young mascot, I will skewer him with my rapier, Sulu decided.
“We’ve
met.” Jamie sidled up next to the helm officer. “Can I go back now?”
Before
Sulu could answer, Varst spoke. “A moment, please. I would speak with the
child, if I may.”
Sulu
laid a protective hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “What about?”
“Her
brief relationship with the toy-store owner, Kornish.”
Jamie
scowled. “I don’t have anything to say about him. He was my friend. Because of you he’s dead now.”
Spock
closed his eyes.
Varst
glanced from Jamie to the Vulcan officer. “Do all Federation children show such
disrespect to their elders?”
Spock
opened his eyes and regarded Varst solemnly. “Only those who have been badly
frightened by those same elders, sir.”
Varst
opened his mouth to speak then closed it abruptly. He forced a smile. “As they
say in the Federation—touché. Now,
about those glow plants? I prefer to remain here in the lab, to watch your
botanist clone my plant.”
Sulu
knew Jamie didn’t like the sound of that.
Mr.
Spock must have caught her terror too, for he nodded and said, “Of course,
Commander. Mr. Sulu will see to your needs.” Then he turned to Jamie. “Come
with me, Jamie. Now would be an excellent time to review your logic lesson.”
With a
sigh of relief, Jamie swept her Rubik’s Cube off the counter and left the lab.
She knew there was no logic lesson today. Good
ol’ Mr. Spock! He rescued me from Commander Varst most efficiently.
“Jamie,”
Spock said when they entered the turbo-lift, “although I understand your fear
of the commander, I am most distressed at the way you responded.”
“I don’t
like Commander Varst.”
“Ninety-nine
percent of the crew has no liking for him, either. However, that does not
excuse anyone from being disrespectful to the commander of a military force of
a planet the Federation is hoping to bring into the fold.”
“Yes,
sir.” She gave Spock a tiny smile. “Is this
the logic lesson?”
“Affirmative.”
The ’lift came to a stop on deck five. “You may now go about your other
activities.”
“Thanks,
Mr. Spock.”
Jamie exited
the ’lift, but Mr. Spock called her back. “Do not hesitate to call me or any of
the crew if Commander Varst frightens you again.”
The
doors swooshed closed.
Jamie
grinned. She almost wished Commander Varst would try and ask her questions when
Mr. Spock was around.
I
betcha he’d give Commander Varst a nerve pinch!
That
thought kept Jamie in high spirits the rest of the afternoon.
“Ten
days,” Jamie muttered as she headed down the corridor toward her cabin later
that evening. “We’ve been floating around, going nowhere, for ten days. Daddy’s
in a bad mood, the crew is bored, and I’m tired of looking at the same star map
every time I go to the bridge.”
She
heartily wished they would find whatever it was they were looking for. That
missing Jewel of Cortina? A smuggler? A pirate? She couldn’t keep it straight.
She only knew that whatever was happening was the fault of that awful Commander
Varst.
Jamie
made it her business to stay far away from the Cortinian, especially if he was
harassing her father or some other ship’s officer. The man seemed obsessed with
his pursuit of his mystery jewel. Even at dinner he was prone to talk on and on
about the sacred object of such worth.
Commander
Varst seemed to blame the Enterprise
crew for their lack of success, and Jamie could feel the tension building
aboard ship.
She
rounded the corner near her quarters and stopped short. Leaning against the
bulkhead next to her door stood Commander Varst. Jamie looked around. The
corridors in officer country was never crowded, and tonight it was deserted.
“Well,
well, just the person I want to see.” Varst pushed himself away from the
bulkhead and covered the distance to Jamie in three long strides. “If I didn’t
know better, I’d say you were avoiding me. Why is that?”
Jamie
said nothing. She remembered Mr. Spock’s advice about calling on him or the
crew, but it didn’t do much good if the crew was nowhere around. She glanced up
at the intercom, but it was out of reach.
“I’m
going to my cabin,” she said, stepping away from the Cortinian.
“Not so
fast, little girl.” He reached out and took hold of her arm.
Panic
rose. Jamie’s heart thudded.
“I’m not
going to hurt you,” Varst said. “I just want to talk to you.”
Jamie
shook her head.
Varst
ignored her terror and spoke. “You were the last person to see and speak with
Kornish before he died. I want to know what he told you.”
“He
didn’t tell me anything.” Jamie tried to pry the Cortinian’s fingers from
around her wrist. “Let go. You’re hurting me.” She peered past him, hoping to
find someone wandering about, but the
corridor remained empty.
Varst
hung on. “Your attitude is inexplicable. Why should you withhold information?
The more I listen to your denials, the more convinced I am that Kornish dropped
some sort of clue regarding the jewel.”
“I don’t
know anything about your dumb jewel.”
Varst
knelt down. He let go of Jamie’s wrist and gripped her firmly by her shoulders,
forcing her to look at him. His soft voice disappeared.
“Listen
to me! You believed Kornish was your friend, but he was really an evil man.
He’s an Orion. They take
children like you and sell them for slaves, or worse. Kornish is dead. You
don’t need to protect him any longer. Whatever you’re hiding, you must tell
me.”
“I’m not
hiding anything,” Jamie insisted,
trying to break away. “Mr. Kornish wasn’t bad. He was nice. He helped me pick
out my birthday present.”
“He must
have told you something. Did he tell
you to do anything? Speak to anyone? Did he tell you where he had hidden the
jewel, or perhaps to whom he’d given it?” Each question was accompanied by a
rough shake.
Jamie
shook her head. “Let me go!”
Varst’s
grip tightened. “You’re lying. Do you know what happens to lying little
girls?”
“I’m not lying.” What did he think she knew?
Jamie closed her eyes and started crying.
“Lying
little girls end up in a cold, dark cell with nothing to eat. I have a place
all picked out for you back on Cortina, and if your father thinks he can stop
me, then he’s mis—”
Suddenly,
Commander Varst was no longer squeezing her. Jamie’s eyes flew open just in
time to see her father snatch the Cortinian away and hurl him against the
bulkhead wall. She tumbled to the deck in a heap and wiped her tears away on
her shirtsleeve. Then she scrambled out of the way.
Kirk
pinned the Cortinian against the wall. He threw Jamie a quick, worried look
then turned his attention back to the Varst. “If I weren’t the captain of this
ship, I’d give you a beating you wouldn’t forget.”
He took a deep breath and yanked the man to
the intercom. “However, protocol requires that I do this by the book.”
He
slammed his palm against the button. “Security, this is the captain. Get up
here on the double. I’m on deck five, just outside my quarters. Kirk out.” He
glanced at Jamie. “Did he hurt you?”
She
shook her head.
“Captain
Kirk,” Varst said, “Kornish told the child about the jewel. I’m sure he did.
And she refuses to disclose the information.”
Kirk’s
look hardened, and his fist tightened on the Cortinian’s vest. “Sir, you are a
guest aboard my ship. How dare you
insult me by harassing my crew and terrorizing my daughter!”
He
turned at the sound of the security guards jogging up. With a curt nod, he
released Varst. The guards surrounded him.
“You are
obsessed with this Jewel affair,” Kirk said. “I was willing to go along with
it, to a point. You have now reached that point. Jamie is an innocent victim
and knows absolutely nothing about your Jewel. You have terrorized her twice
now, and I have had enough.”
He
motioned to the guards.
“You
will accompany the guards back to your quarters, where you will remain the rest
of the evening. From now on, until the end of this mission, you will go nowhere
aboard my ship without an escort. Is that clear?”
Varst
nodded sullenly.
“One
more thing. If I learn you’ve gone near my daughter again—with or without a
guard—you will find yourself in the brig for the remainder of this mission.”
“Your
superiors will hear of this.”
“They
won’t hear about it until the end of this patrol, and then I won’t care.” Kirk
turned to the guards. “Take him to his quarters, Lieutenant Bowen, and don’t
you dare let him out of
your sight.”
“Aye,
aye, Captain.” The men politely allowed Varst to lead the way.
Kirk
reached down and gathered Jamie into his arms. “I’m sorry, honey,” he
whispered.
Jamie’s
sobs began anew.
“Tell me
what happened.”
Jamie
poured out the story as Kirk carried her into her quarters and set her down on
her bunk.
“It’s
all over now. Commander Varst won’t be bothering you again, I promise.” He
continued to hold her. Finally, her shaking subsided and she wiped her eyes.
“Would
you like me to stay with you awhile?” Kirk asked.
Jamie
sighed in relief. “Yes.” She reached out and pulled her puzzle cube next to
her. “Would you like to try my cube?”
“How can
I refuse?” He took the puzzle, and to Jamie’s delight, he twisted it around and
was able to line up a few of the squares. With a grin, he handed it back.
“That’s the best I can do on short notice.”
“Stay
here until I fall asleep,” she begged, setting the cube on the shelf. “I’m
still a little scared.”
Kirk nodded. He held Jamie’s hand until she fell asleep.
Chapter 9
Tobrak
snorted. “I know, I know. Or we’ll lose the Jewel forever.” He lined up the
phaser weapon on the one-man tramp freighter floating in space just off his
starboard bow.
“Just
nick me to make it look real. But you’d better not permanently hurt my sweet
little ship, or I’ll have your head.”
“Yeah,
Jarid. You’ve only told me about a million times. I know what I’m doing. The
starship should be along in a day or two to rescue you.”
Tobrak
sighted his target carefully and squeezed the firing button. A lance of green
light shot out from the ship. A small explosion erupted a few kilometers off
his starboard. “Gottcha!” the Orion smuggler announced.
The
speaker came to life. “Nice work, Tobrak. I’ll meet you back at the base in one
week . . . with the Jewel of Cortina. Now, get out of here!”
The Enterprise
has been patrolling the Epsilon Sector along the Orion-Federation border for
twelve days. No progress has been made on recovering the famed Jewel of
Cortina. Commander Varst is understandably discouraged by our lack of success
and shows it by being impatient and rude to the crew. His behavior deteriorates
steadily with each passing day. The Enterprise has made more than a few
enemies these past two weeks. The ships we have detained and scanned have been,
for the most part, independent freighter captains on tight schedules. They have
balked at having to be detained for ten or more hours. The Federation is
reimbursing them for the inconvenience, but the ship commanders have taken the
vouchers without a word of thanks. I don’t blame them.
James
Kirk flipped off the recorder with a jab of his finger. This was the most
tedious, uncomfortable patrol his ship had ever had to endure.
He
was glad he was primarily an explorer. This police duty did not sit well with
him or with his crew.
Commander
Varst had settled down nicely the past two days—thanks to his escort. However,
he was sullen and quiet. No doubt writing
up the charges he plans to bring at my court martial, Kirk decided grimly.
“Captain!”
Uhura’s voice broke into Kirk’s thoughts with a force that made him jump.
He
turned his chair around. “What is it?”
“A
distress call. ‘May day. Attacked by Orion pirates two days ago. Stabilizer
damaged beyond repair. Life support barely functional. Estimate eighteen hours
left of air. May day. May day.’ He gives the coordinates, and it all repeats.
It’s an automatic beacon, sir.”
“How
long to reach those coordinates, helmsman?” Kirk turned to Ensign Farmer,
Sulu’s relief. This would be a good run for him.
“Two
hours and fifteen minutes at warp five,” Farmer replied with a touch of
excitement in his voice. No wonder. Nothing of interest had happened for days.
“Lay
in a course for the distressed vessel, Mister Chekov.”
“Laid
in, Keptin.”
“Warp
five, Mr. Farmer.”
“Aye,
Sir!” José Farmer nearly shouted in his eagerness to change course. The ship’s
engines hummed in readiness, and she leaped into warp space.
“How
is my ship?” the young captain whispered. He struggled to sit up, but McCoy’s
hands pressed him backdown on the diagnostic bed.
“Take
it easy, Captain. You need to lie still. It’s a wonder you didn’t suffocate by
the time we pulled you out of there. It will take a day or two before you’re
feeling well enough to worry about your ship.”
“But—”
McCoy
snorted. “Captains. They’re all alike.”
“My
cargo. Is it gone?”
“I’m
afraid so. You say Orion pirates attacked you?”
The
man threw an arm across his face. “Yes. Thank you for coming. I didn’t think a
distress beacon would find anyone in the hind end of space.”
McCoy
grinned. The young ship captain had a shock of curly black hair, the bluest
eyes he had ever seen, and the strength of an ox. Not an hour ago he had been
dragged from under the wreckage of his control room, barely hanging on. Now he
seemed ready to jump into his ship and fly away.
McCoy
glanced at the readings above the bed. “You’ve got some mighty funny readings.
Care to enlighten me?”
“Doctor,
you are very perceptive. I’m a tramp freighter captain and asteroid charter
simply because no one wants me. The Orions spurn me because of my human
heritage, and the humans won’t give me the time of day because of my Orion
heritage. So, here I am—trying to scrape together a living out here on the
frontier.”
He
sighed. “Those accursed Orion pirates stole everything!
My entire hold of Spican Flame Gems, Argulian Glow Water, and”—his voice
dropped to a whisper—“Romulan ale.” He looked pleased at McCoy’s reaction.
A
loud voice bellowed through the sickbay. McCoy rolled his eyes.
“The
captain?” his patient asked, eyes wide.
“No.
Another visitor. One I wish we could get rid of.”
“Captain
Kirk!” Varst shouted, following Kirk into Sickbay. “Is it true?”
Kirk
paused just outside the observation room. “Is what true, Commander Varst?”
“That
you have an uninvited guest aboard the ship?”
“We
answered a distress call, Commander. We do this sort of thing all the time,
especially when we’re patrolling the frontier.”
“It
could be someone who knows about the Jewel of Cortina. I must be allowed to
speak with the survivor.”
Kirk
let out an irritated breath. “Commander, we have stopped every vessel for the
past ten days. Word has apparently gone out about us, because the usual traffic
has come to a standstill. I believe your jewel has either crossed the border,
or it is being hidden until things cool off. This lone freighter captain knows
nothing about your jewel.”
He
paused. “I’m really very sorry, Varst.”
“Sorry.”
He grunted. “It’s our entire religious, economic, and social symbol all wrapped
up into one national treasure, and you’re . . . sorry.”
Varst
took a step toward the door. “In any case, Captain, your orders still stand.
You are to cooperate with me. I have not been demanding so far, but I demand to see this new guest.”
Kirk
shrugged. “All right, Commander. Let’s go see him.”
They
entered the room together. “Welcome aboard the Enterprise, Captain . . .”
“Jarid.”
He pushed himself to a sitting position. “I told your medical officer how
grateful I am for your timely arrival. I realize it may be asking too much, but
can my ship be repaired? I have nothing with which to repay you, since the
pirates stole everything, but I’m good for my debts. An IOU perhaps? I have
contacts on many—”
“Skip
it, Jarid.” Kirk waved his offer away. “My engineer is with your ship now,
drooling over it. You must have poured a lot of credits into her.”
“You’ve
discovered my weakness, Captain,” Jarid replied with a sigh. “That’s why I so
desire her to be repaired. I weep seeing her in such a condition. Mon Ami.”
“It
will be Mr. Scott’s privilege to restore your ship, but we’ll have to conduct a
bariat scan on it, if you don’t mind.”
“Why
should I mind? I must wait for repairs, and how could I say no when you are
being so generous?” His eyes narrowed. “What are you looking for? That
ridiculous rumor I’ve heard for the last ten-day over subspace? That jewel of
such worth?”
“As
a matter of fact, that’s exactly it.” Varst eyed Jarid with hostility.
Jarid
smiled. “Search away, Captain. I have nothing to hide.” He lost his smile.
“Actually, I have nothing at all.” Then his smile returned. “Your search will
be a waste of time.”
“It
is our time to waste,” Kirk remarked. He turned to McCoy. “How long before we
can return his ship and he can be on his way?”
“A
few days,” McCoy replied. “No more than a week.”
Kirk
walked over to the intercom. “Security, this is the captain. I’d like a
twenty-four-hour guard on our guest.”
“Right
away, sir.”
Kirk
turned to Jarid. “You’ll forgive me, but this is a Starfleet vessel. Please do
not leave this area without an escort.”
“Of
course, Captain. I will obey your restrictions.”
“What
about the questioning, Kirk?” Varst rubbed his palms together.
“What
about it?”
“I’d
like to know how his ship came to be fired on. A session under Cortinian
interrogation might loosen his tongue.”
“Commander
Varst, I cannot in all good conscience turn this man over to you. My orders are
to scan ships, not take shipmasters
into custody for your sake.” He turned on his heel and left the room.
Kirk
pulled McCoy aside as they entered the outer office of Sickbay. “There’s
something funny about that trader. He’s a bit too friendly, if you ask me. I don’t want him out of your sight
while he remains in Sickbay.”
“I
suppose you’re right, Jim. We’ve all become a nasty group of suspicious minds.”
Kirk
grinned. “It comes from hanging around our friend Varst.”
“What
about visitors?” McCoy asked. “Starship gossip takes no time at all to
circulate. Do you want him isolated?”
Kirk
thought it over then shook his head. “I see no reason why our new friend
shouldn’t mingle with the crew. All the more eyes to watch him.”
“What
about Jamie? You know she’ll be down here as soon as news gets around. She’s as
curious as a Vulcan about visitors.”
“Let
her visit our guest if it pleases her. He seems like just the distraction we
need around here. With a guard outside and your staff here, I’m not concerned.”
“It’s
a crying shame what happened with Varst the other night,” McCoy complained.
“Poor kid.”
Kirk
agreed. “I wish we could get rid of Varst, and not only for Jamie’s sake. He’s
a thoroughly disagreeable character.” He met the security guard outside
Sickbay.
The
man immediately came to attention.
“At
ease, Lieutenant. We don’t have a desperate character on our hands. I just want
you to be his shadow for the next few days. He’s not to leave your sight, not
even to use the head. Understood?”
“Yes,
sir,” Lt. Miller replied. “You can count on me.”
“Then
carry on, Lieutenant.”
Chapter 10
McCoy snapped off his viewer and looked up.
“What person?”
“Commander
Varst.”
“No, the
coast is clear.” McCoy grinned. “So, what brings you down this way?”
“Ship’s
rumors. They say there’s a smuggler and pirate on board.” Jamie craned her neck
toward the other room. “I’ve seen his ship. It’s shiny and black. Just the kind
of ship to avoid sensor sweeps, and then there’s the guard and—”
“Where
do these rumors originate?” McCoy cut off her chatter.
“Rec
Room. Gamma shift. I eat breakfast with Riley and Tyler.”
McCoy
rolled his eyes. “That’s all it is, gossip. We have a guest—an injured
freighter pilot—and his small, wrecked ship. Scotty and the boys in engineering
are fixing it up. He’ll be leaving in a few days.”
“It was
more exciting the other way.”
“No
doubt. Would you like to meet the pilot?”
“Does he
even look like a pirate?”
“Nope.”
Jamie
sighed. “I guess I’ll meet him. Maybe he’s seen a pirate.”
“Possibly,”
the doctor agreed. He crooked his finger and stood up. “Come along with me.”
Then he noticed the puzzle cube in her hands. “Are you still working on that impossible thing?”
Jamie
held it up. “I’ve almost got it solved. I’m on the last layer, but Daddy says
the last layer’s the hardest.”
“Jarid,”
McCoy called out as they entered the isolation ward. “I’ve got a visitor for
you.”
Jamie
peeked around the doctor and grinned at the handsome young man sitting up in
bed. “Hi. I’m Jamie. I was hoping to meet a pirate. Your ship’s a beauty. Did a
pirate try to blow it up?”
“One
did, indeed.” Jarid switched off the viewer and held out his hand. “I’m Jarid,
master of the Mon Ami. It’s a
pleasure to meet you, young lady.”
Jamie
beamed. She set her puzzle cube on the bed and shook Jarid’s hand. “Welcome
aboard the Enterprise.”
Jarid’s
eyes opened wide. He reached out a tentative finger to touch Jamie’s cube.
“Will you take a look at this!” he exclaimed. “These little Aldarian Puzzle
Cubes are sure popular these days. Every kid in the quadrant must have one.”
“Really?”
Jamie scooped it up. “I got it for my birthday a couple weeks ago. It’s called
a Rubik’s Cube.” She gave Jarid a keen look. “Do you know how to solve it?”
Jarid
laughed. “I’m afraid not, even though I’ve shipped enough of them from the
Federation to the Rim Worlds and beyond. Take a look.” He reached into a
leather bag and pulled out a puzzle cube identical to Jamie’s. It was even
connected to a chain.
Well, almost identical, Jamie thought. His cube is hopelessly mixed up. She giggled.
Jarid
frowned. “Are you laughing at my attempt to solve this thing? If so, you’re
right. I can’t figure it out. Every time I try to get a third side, the rest of
them get mixed up.”
Jamie
held her own cube toward Jarid. “I’m solving it by layers. My dad said it would
be easier that way.”
Jarid
took the cube and studied it. Indeed, two layers were solved. There remained
only the last one. With shaking hands, he returned the cube and smiled. “You’ve
certainly given me something to think about. You must spend a great deal of
time with your cube, if you’ve only had it two weeks.”
“That’s
an understatement,” McCoy put in. “She carries it around all the time. I
suspect she takes it to bed and works on it after lights-out.”
Jamie
gave the doctor a sour look. That was exactly what she did, and if Daddy found
out, he’d take away her cube for good.
McCoy
saw her look and laughed. “Come along, Jamie. That’s enough for now. I don’t
want you wearing out my patient.”
“I’m not
tired,” Jarid protested. “We can work on our cubes together if you let her
stay.”
“I’ll be
quiet,” Jamie added.
“Sorry,
no,” McCoy said. “Doctor’s orders, I’m afraid.”
“I’d
like to visit with you again, Jamie,” Jarid invited. “Perhaps you’ll show me
around when I’m on my feet. That is, if it’s okay with your dad.”
He
nodded at McCoy. “How about it, Doc? Can she visit me again?”
“I’ll
check,” McCoy promised. “But I believe the captain will agree you’re harmless.”
“The
captain?” Jarid asked, puzzled.
Jamie
smiled. “My dad.”
As
Jarid got a starship education through the eyes of this precocious young girl,
he couldn’t help thinking how complicated this whole situation was becoming.
Kornish had gotten a message to him. Cube Delivered Starship
It
had been little enough to go on. There were over four hundred crewmen aboard a
starship. How could he track down one puzzle cube? He had been elated when the
cube miraculously fell into his lap.
But
now he knew he had been . . . oh, so premature with his joy.
Jarid
understood how Kornish would have thought it a good idea to sneak the jewel
aboard the starship in a child’s toy. Adults, especially travelers, paid little
attention to what their children bought as souvenirs, and children paid little
heed to affairs of state.
It
was obvious Jamie knew nothing of importance about the starship’s vital
mission, nor of the devastation the loss of the Jewel of Cortina had caused. To
Jamie, Varst was just another unpleasant guest aboard her father’s ship. Soon
he would be gone, and life would go on as before.
When
Jarid casually questioned Jamie about the Jewel of Cortina, she shrugged and
told him what she knew. It was a gemstone of great value. Someone had stolen it
and taken it to T-12. There were a lot of angry people on the space station,
and her friend, Mr. Kornish, had been arrested because Commander Varst thought
he was involved. She knew nothing more than the fact that the Enterprise had spent two long, boring
weeks looking for one tiny jewel.
“They’re
never going to find it,” she finished. “I think Commander Varst will have a
heart attack when he finally figures out it’s gone for good.” She frowned and
fiddled with her cube. “It’s a huge galaxy and such a little jewel.”
Seeing
the cube never out of Jamie’s hands, Jarid wondered how he would manage to
switch cubes. It’s as though the Jewel has acquired a watchdog in the
form of one little girl. He cursed Kornish and his idea.
It
didn’t take long for the Enterprise crew
to become accustomed to seeing the threesome—Jarid, his guard, and
Jamie—exploring the ship together. Jarid was friendly and enjoyed talking. He
had a keen sense of humor, and it took the crew no time at all to become
interested in his stories.
Jarid
gladly told tales of his exploits in the Outer Limits, as the traders called
it. His stories were full of excitement and adventure, narrow escapes and
stranger-than-truth events. Each evening the crowd around the half-Orion grew
as word spread throughout the ship.
It was
not difficult to find the reason. The crew was weary of chasing imaginary
jewels and entertaining antagonistic guests, and Jarid was a breath of fresh
air. He could have the entire rec hall roaring with laughter or quiet as a tomb
as he wove his tales.
Jarid
was good medicine for the crew of the Enterprise.
He was
good medicine for Jamie.
Jarid
won their hearts.
Jamie
listened, wide-eyed, as she sat across from Jarid at the crowded table, enjoying
his latest tale. She rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin in her
hands, hanging on every word. She stifled a yawn and hoped nobody would notice
how late it was.
It was
Jarid’s last night aboard the ship, and Jamie wasn’t about to miss it. Not for
anything.
“And
there I was, kid”—he winked at Jamie and grew more animated—“right in the
middle of the biggest card game of my life. I had a pile of jewels and credits
so huge it was impossible to guess its value. My worthy opponent had no more to
wager. He was getting nervous, as the entire casino was watching our game. He
wanted to make a bet so badly you could see his eyes bugging out. So, do you
know what he brought out?”
Jamie
sat up straight. “A phaser?”
Most of
Jarid’s stories involved weapons of some kind.
Jarid
grinned and ruffled her hair. “Nope. He snapped his fingers and a gorgeous
Orion slave dancer weaved her way over to my side. Before I knew what was
happening, she—” He paused, as if reconsidering what to say.
“Yeah?”
Jamie urged.
The rec
hall had grown deathly quiet.
Lt.
Miller cleared his throat in warning.
Jarid
scratched his chin. “Maybe you don’t want to hear this story.”
“But I
do,” Jamie said. “What happened next?”
“Okay,
okay. You know about Orion slave dancers, don’t you?”
Jamie
shook her head. “Only that they’re green, like all Orions.”
Jarid
laughed. “Well, Orion slave dancers can’t be resisted. This one came weaving
over to my side. My mouth fell open, and I nearly became hypnotized. Never did
I think a Dancer would be a wager. It was my moment of opportunity. Beyond my
wildest dreams—”
The
doors to the rec hall slid open. Captain Kirk, followed by a couple of off-duty
bridge personnel, strolled through the door. He caught Jarid’s friendly wave
and nodded. Then he wandered over and stood behind Jamie.
“So,
what’s going on?” he asked cheerfully.
“I’m
relating some of my exploits from the hind end of space, Captain. Your crew
seems quite interested.”
Jamie
tipped her head back and gave her father an impatient look. “And he was just
getting to the interesting part when you walked in and interrupted.”
“Really?” Kirk folded his arms over his chest.
“Well, don’t mind me. By all means, finish your story.”
Jarid
took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Where was I?”
No one
said a word. Lt. Miller looked embarrassed. “You were just getting to the part
where your opponent was putting up a beautiful Orion slave dancer as a wager
and you were thinking about—” Jamie broke off when she saw the look on her
father’s face.
Jarid
saw it too. “Well, perhaps the rest of that story needn’t be told.”
“That’s
a wise choice,” Kirk agreed. He nudged Jamie. “I think you’ve heard enough of
our visitor’s tall tales for one night. Better get to bed.”
“But
he’s in the middle of the story. Can’t I wait until he finishes?”
“Sorry,
Jamie, but it’s getting late.”
“I’m not
tired. Please let me stay up. It’s Jarid’s last night.”
“Say
‘good night,’ Cadet.”
Sighing,
Jamie pushed back her chair and stood up “G’night,” she said without
enthusiasm. “Will you finish the story tomorrow before you go, Jarid?”
He
shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Will I
at least get to say good-bye to you?”
“I don’t
know the answer to that, either.”
Jamie
sighed and shuffled out of the rec hall. The doors whooshed closed behind her.
Kirk sat
down in Jamie’s recently vacated seat. “Really, Jarid, I don’t think I
appreciate my daughter hearing some of your more colorful tales about life on
the Orion frontier.”
“Forgive
me, Captain. I got carried away. I would never purposely expose your little
girl to anything that even hinted at being in poor taste.”
Kirk
favored the man with a genuine smile. “I want to thank you for letting Jamie
tag along after you the past few days. I know she’s been pestering you about
her puzzle cube, and I appreciate your patience.”
“She’s a
charmer,” Jarid admitted. “I’ve enjoyed her company.”
“She had
quite a scare a couple of weeks ago. Varst terrorized her back on the station
and again aboard ship not too long ago. Since you arrived, she’s happy again
and seems to have forgotten about Varst. I’m grateful.”
Jarid
smiled. “It’s the least I can do to repay your hospitality.”
Kirk
rose to leave. “Your ship is repaired, and Dr. McCoy has given you a clean bill
of health. You’re free to go. Just notify my watch officer if you leave
tonight. The guard will accompany you to the hanger deck, and”—he shrugged—“I
guess that’s it.”
His gaze
came to rest on the puzzle cube lying on the table. He picked it up. “Jamie
must have forgotten her cube,” he remarked, tossing it in the air. He caught it
and grinned. “I’ll drop it off on my way to bed.”
Jarid
stood up. “Uh, Captain, that one’s mine.”
Kirk’s
eyebrows shot up. “Really? Well, no wonder Jamie enjoys your company. I guess
you two have had plenty to talk about the past few days.” He turned the cube
around and around. “It doesn’t look like you’ve gotten very far on it.”
“I’m
further along than I was when I came aboard, thanks to Jamie.”
Kirk
stifled a yawn. “I’m turning in, Jarid,” he said in way of farewell. “You can
probably finish that story now.”
The rec
room doors closed.
Jarid
was left with the disturbing thought that he liked the captain of the Enterprise. He liked him a lot.
He liked
the kid too.
This is not
good, he told himself as he turned back to his rapt audience.
Chapter 11
She
glanced at the chronometer: 2330! If Daddy knew she was still awake, he’d take
her puzzle cube away for good. “But I’m so close!”
Jamie
wanted to solve the puzzle tonight. She wanted to show it to Jarid before he
left in the morning. His eyes would probably pop out in surprise.
She
leaned back against the headboard of her bunk and yawned. A guilty conscience
warred with her desire to solve the cube.
It can’t take more than a few minutes, she decided, suppressing another yawn. A few more twists. There . . . that one goes
here, and this orange one can move there, while the blue one moves back into
position.
She grinned. There. That’s it!
The
Rubik’s cube glowed in all six colors, bathing Jamie’s white nightgown in a
rainbow of colors. “I did it,” she whispered in awe. “I really, really solved
it! Won’t Daddy be surprised!”
The
puzzle cube fell open. Instantly, a dark-red jewel dropped out and landed in
her lap. It was intricately cut and polished and glimmered with a light all its
own.
“Oh . .
. wow.” Jamie picked up the jewel and cupped it in her hands.
It was
warm and made her palms tingle. She held it up to the light above her bed and
peered into it. Thousands of smaller crystals swirled inside the larger jewel.
She couldn’t pull her gaze away. “I wonder how this pretty jewel got inside
my—”
Jamie’s
voice caught. Like an unexpected bolt of lightning, the truth hit her. The
Jewel dropped into her lap.
“The
J-jewel of C-cortina,” she stammered in horror.
If this was
the beautiful jewel everybody was looking for, then she held the wealth of an
entire planetary system in her hands. “But how—”
Then she
knew. Just as the last square of color on the Rubik’s cube had fallen into
place and solved the puzzle, so now all the pieces of the last two weeks fell
together.
The
scanning of the station.
The
missing jewel.
Kornish’s
death.
The
boring patrol.
Everything
came together in a blinding flash of realization.
“Mr. Kornish knew I was from the Enterprise. He put the
Jewel of Cortina in my cube on purpose, to hide it from the scanning.”
Jamie’s
heart thudded. There was no doubt about it. But . . . what good did it do to
hide the jewel aboard the Enterprise? How would anyone get it off?
Unless—
The
duplicate Rubik’s Cube flashed through her mind. “No!”
She
shook her head to chase away such a horrible thought. “Jarid wouldn’t do
anything like that. He’s my friend.”
But
Mr. Kornish had acted like Jamie’s friend too, and he had used her. Used her to
smuggle the jewel off the station and into safety.
How could I have been so dumb not to
figure it out?
It
was flawlessly logical, and Jamie had missed it.
Nobody
had told Jamie everything that was going on, but if the truth were told, she
hadn’t tried very hard to find out. Her fear of Commander Varst had kept her
from wanting to know anything about this mission.
And
now she was smack in the middle of it.
Jamie
shivered and stared at the jewel in her lap. Commander Varst was right. Kornish
had told her something about the Jewel. He told her to take care of her
birthday present. Her puzzle cube.
Her
heart pounded harder. “Commander Varst will arrest me when he finds out I have
it. What am I going to do? I’ve got to get rid of it.” She stared at the Jewel of
Cortina as if it were a poisonous snake.
Staring
at the jewel did not make it go away. Jamie realized she had to do something.
She couldn’t leave it lying on her bed in plain sight.
I’ll
put it back inside the puzzle cube, she
thought. She snatched it up then paused. Stupid! Jarid might get it. Think
it through.
It
didn’t take long to come up with a plan.
“I’ll give it to Daddy,” she decided, chewing on
her lip. “He’ll keep it safe and give it back to Commander Varst. And maybe he
won’t tell that grumpy ol’ Cortinian where he got it.”
Jamie
glanced at the chronometer. It was nearly midnight. She did not look forward to
confessing to her father that she was still awake.
Maybe she’d better hide the Jewel and give it to
him in the morning.
Jamie
scurried around her cabin, looking for a good hiding place. Her gaze fell on
her rock collection, sitting unnoticed on a shelf above her bed.
She
stood on her bunk and reached into the pile of rocks, forming a small round
hole. Quickly she thrust the Jewel of Cortina into the collection and covered
it up so the glow would be hidden. Then she snapped her Rubik’s cube together
and mixed up the last layer. It might not be wise to let anyone see that she
had solved the puzzle.
With a
sigh of relief, Jamie dropped to her bed. She scrambled under the covers and
snapped off the light just as she heard the familiar whooshing of her cabin
door opening.
Just in the nick of time!
Jamie
felt weak with relief. Her father wouldn’t discover her late nights, and she
could hand over the jewel this very minute. She closed her eyes and waited for
what she was sure would be a goodnight kiss. Then she’d surprise him with the
jewel.
She
heard the soft padding of feet crossing the carpeted floor and held her breath.
No kiss.
No nothing.
Jamie
opened her eyes. “Daddy?”
A
shadowy figure, outlined from the corridor lights, stood next to the bunk,
gazing down at her.
It was
not her father.
Captain
Kirk was not asleep, although he wished he were. The hour was late. He had been
called to a midnight briefing, and he was not happy. He seated himself at the
table, folded his hands, and spoke.
“All
right, Mr. Spock. What’s so important that it can’t wait until morning?”
Spock
raised an eyebrow. “We have been patrolling this sector of space for two weeks,
scanning every ship that attempts to cross the border. We’ve scanned all ships
that docked at Space Station T-12, for a total of 659 ships.”
He paused
then continued. “Cortina sent a message earlier, informing us that their
security check identified two possible suspects for the theft, both confirmed
visitors to T-12 two weeks ago—the same time as the theft.”
Spock
picked up a data disk. “This communiqué from Starfleet indicates that both
Space Stations DS-5 and K-7 turned up empty. There was so little traffic out
that way that Station Manager Lurry held all transports in dock until a bariat
scanner arrived. DS-5 did the same. T-12 is the only station through which the
Jewel must have passed. There is no alternate fueling station.”
Kirk
stifled a yawn. “I know all this, Spock.”
“I
would like you to consider the possibility that the Jewel of Cortina did pass through Station T-12.”
“Impossible.
It would have showed up when we scanned the station.”
“Perhaps
not, Captain.”
Kirk
rubbed his forehead. “Spock, I’m really tired. Would you get to the point?”
“Captain,”
Varst said tightly, “I am very interested in what your first officer has to
say.”
“So am
I,” Kirk admitted, “but couldn’t it have waited until morning?”
“I
believe it is imperative we take action tonight.” Spock gave Kirk a grave look.
“The station was scanned. Every ship
was scanned, correct?”
“Yes,”
Kirk agreed, trying hard to stay awake.
Spock
shook his head. “No, Captain. Every ship was not scanned.”
“Oh?”
“The Enterprise was never scanned.”
Kirk
gaped at his first officer. “Are you saying the Jewel of Cortina is aboard the Enterprise?”
“It is a
distinct possibility.”
“That’s
. . . well, incredibly improbable,” Kirk managed.
“True.”
Spock leaned back in his chair. “But it is an option the Orions would have
found most logical.”
“What
good would it do the Orions to stash the jewel aboard the Enterprise? It’s not likely they could beam aboard and collect it
again.”
“Their
first thought would be to get the jewel away from the bariat scan,” Varst
jumped in, clearly excited. “That would give them time, the one thing they
didn’t have on T-12. Once it was safely aboard, they could think of any number
of ways to recover the jewel.”
Kirk was
fully awake now. “All right, Spock. Suppose your theory is correct. How do you
propose to find the jewel?”
“A
bariat scan, of course.”
Kirk
agreed. “We’ll return to T-12 for that. We can’t afford to lose our sensors out
here on the frontier.” He punched the intercom. “Bridge, this is the captain.
Plot a course back to Station T-12. Warp five. Kirk out.”
He
turned back to Varst. The Cortinian’s face was bright with anticipation. “Don’t
get your hopes up, Commander. I find it difficult to believe someone could
smuggle a jewel aboard this vessel without a crew member being aware.”
Varst
snorted. “Half your crew was on shore leave, Captain. I doubt it was smuggled
aboard unaware. One of your officers or crew is an accessory to theft and
murder, and I intend to catch him—before he or she can smuggle the Jewel off
your ship.”
He
closed his fist and slammed it down on the table. “And when I do, not even your
Federation will be able to stop the execution of—”
“Control
yourself, Varst,” Kirk snapped. “I can vouch for every member of my crew. No
one on the Enterprise was party to
smuggling.”
“A
very dangerous declaration, Captain,” Varst sneered. “Do you think someone
brought it aboard by accident?” He barked a scornful laugh. “You are
naïve. The Jewel is worth a fortune to someone bold enough to take the chance—”
“What
did you say?” Kirk’s voice dropped to a whisper. A fuzzy thought began to take
shape in his tired mind.
“What?”
Varst demanded, pulled from his tirade.
“You
said by accident,” Kirk murmured. “By accident.” He turned to the
Cortinian commander. “Could the Jewel of Cortina fit into a cube this size?” He
molded his hands into the approximate size of Jamie’s puzzle cube.
The
look on Varst’s face was one of amazement and satisfaction. “Yes, Captain. It
could indeed.” For the first time, he spoke softly. “Kornish sold your daughter
a puzzle cube then conveniently died to prevent me from discovering this fact.”
Kirk
slapped his forehead, completely awake. “For once, Varst, I’m in agreement with
you. It’s too much of a coincidence to brush aside. I’ll secure the cube and—”
The
image of a second puzzle cube tickled at the back of his memory. He felt
himself pale. “Oh, no.”
He
glanced at Spock, who was apparently thinking the same thing.
“Jarid,”
they said together.
Kirk
leaped to his feet. “And to think I’ve allowed Jamie to visit that trader. He’s
planning on switching cubes.”
“He
may have already done so, Captain.” Spock rose, along with Varst.
Kirk
punched the intercom. “Security, this is the captain. Get down to Sickbay on
the double and give Miller some support. I want you to hold that trader. Don’t
let him out of your sight. Also, confiscate his puzzle cube.”
“Aye,
sir,” came the reply.
“And”—Kirk
exchanged a grim look with Spock—“post a guard outside Jamie’s cabin
immediately. Don’t let anyone in until I get there.”
“Yes,
sir.”
The
captain slapped the intercom once more.
“Kirk
to Sickbay.”
“What
are you doing up so late, Jim?” McCoy asked.
“I
could ask you the same question, but there’s no time. Is Jarid there?”
“No.
He told me he was going to the rec hall earlier this evening. I haven’t seen
him since. What’s the problem?”
Kirk
didn’t answer. He punched the intercom once more. “Security. Post a couple of
guards at the hanger deck. Our visitor is not to have access to his ship.
Understood?”
“Yes,
sir,” came the reply.
Another
punch. “Rec room. This is Kirk. Is Jarid there?”
A
cheerful voice answered. “No, sir. He finished his stories about fifteen
minutes ago and said he was turning in for the night.”
Kirk
turned to Spock and felt his stomach clench. “Where is he, Spock? Where’s his
guard?”
“Unknown,
Captain.” Spock raised an eyebrow. “But I think a visit to Jamie’s quarters
would be prudent.”
“Let’s
go.” Kirk left the briefing room at a run.
Chapter 12
He
slowly removed his hand. “You okay?”
Jamie
swallowed her scream and nodded. It was a lie. She was not okay. But
Jarid couldn’t know that. “What are you doing here? It’s the middle of the
night.”
“I’m
leaving,” he said. “I came to say good-bye.” He gave her a half-hearted smile.
“Well .
. .” Jamie sat up and scooted against the wall, pulling her knees up under her
nightgown. “Good-bye, then.”
Jarid
held Jamie’s gaze. “There’s something else.”
Jamie
found herself staring into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. They were sad
eyes—full of apology. “What?”
The
Orion pirate sighed. “I’m sorry, Jamie. I really am. But I need your puzzle
cube.” He held up his own. It glowed green and orange. “I’ll give you mine in
exchange. I meant to do this while you were sleeping, but . . .” His voice
trailed off.
“What’s
so special about my cube? Yours is
exactly the same.”
“Not
quite. Kornish put something extra in your cube, and I need it.” He nodded
toward the shelf that held Jamie’s new toy. “Get it, please.”
Jamie
stood up and grasped her cube. She plopped down on her bed and held out her
hand. “The Jewel of Cortina?”
Jarid
nodded. He snatched up his prize and stowed it in his pouch. “Now,” he
murmured, “What to do with you. The minute I leave, you’ll no doubt sound the
alarm.”
Sooner than that! Jamie decided.
While
Jarid glanced around the small cabin, Jamie leaped from her bed and tore across
the room. The doors whooshed open just as Jarid caught her by the sleeve of her
nightgown. He jerked her back inside, away from the doorway.
“Security!”
she shrieked.
But
Jarid had her now, one strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist. With his
other hand he pulled out a wicked-looking Orion needle-knife.
“Stop
it,” he demanded through clenched teeth.
Jamie
didn’t listen to this traitor. She struggled and squirmed. One arm flew
up, nicking the knife’s razor-sharp edge.
“Settle
down,” Jarid pleaded. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Jamie
stared at her arm in horror and disbelief. The sleeve of her nightgown was
turning bright red with blood. She hadn’t felt the slice, but it sure stung
now.
She
gaped at Jarid, her eyes pooling with tears of fear and pain.
“It’s
just a scratch, Jamie. An accident.”
The
cabin door slid open just then, and a security guard planted himself across the
entrance. He pointed a phaser directly at Jarid. “Hold it, sir.” His eyes grew
hard at the sight of Jamie’s bleeding arm. “Let her go.”
Jarid
pressed Jamie close to him and raised his knife. It gleamed in the soft light.
“You’ve seen what a needle-knife can do, friend. Now, back off. You can’t stun
both of us fast enough.”
The
guard obeyed instantly. The doors whooshed shut.
Jarid
relaxed his grip and allowed the knife to drop to his side.
Jamie
fled to her bed and huddled there.
“I’m
sorry, Jamie. I never meant to frighten you or hurt you.”
“Go
away.” She rubbed her stinging arm. The palm of her hand turned sticky. “Take
my puzzle cube and go away. I never want to see you again.”
“I can’t
just leave. The minute I step foot outside this cabin, I’ll be stunned, or
worse. I’d hoped to swap cubes and sneak away, but now?” He sighed with what
sounded like true regret. “I’m afraid you’re my only way off this ship.”
Terror
surged through Jamie. Off the Enterprise?
“No!”
she yelled in a shaky voice. “I won’t go with you. I won’t. You just
pretended to be my friend. You tricked me, just like Mr. Kornish did back on
T-12. All you care about is that stupid jewel.”
“That’s
not entirely true, Jamie. I do care what happens to you. I like you a lot.” His
eyes showed his misery.
“Then please
let me stay here.”
Before
Jarid could say anything more, the door to Jamie’s quarters slid open once
again. Kirk stepped through the door, motioning the others to stay back. It was
clear the guard had filled him in, for his face was ashen.
He stood
like a man perched on the edge of a precipice.
Jarid
reached across the bed and pulled Jamie to him. The needle-knife rested in his
hand. He raised it slightly and faced the captain. “Please don’t force me to do
something we will both regret.”
Kirk
raised his hands, palms outstretched. “I’m unarmed. The guards have put down
their phasers. Can we talk?”
Jarid nodded reluctantly. He motioned the
captain forward with his knife hand. “Just you. The rest of you stay back.”
Kirk
stepped inside, but the door stayed open. He lowered his hands and focused his
gaze on Jamie. “Are you all right, honey?”
“She’s
fine,” Jarid answered. “The knife slipped. It’s just a scratch. Hardly worth
noticing.”
Kirk
stiffened. “I noticed. And I will
thank you to allow Jamie to speak for herself.” He looked at her.
Jamie
blinked back tears. “I’m okay, Daddy.”
Jarid
shook his head. “Captain Kirk, you don’t know how sorry I am that it has come
to this.” He tightened his grip. “I don’t want to take her with me. I hadn’t
planned to. All I wanted was the cube.”
He
shrugged. “It’s obvious you figured out that Kornish smuggled the jewel aboard
the only ship that wasn’t scanned. I knew he’d used a puzzle cube, but—”
Jarid’s
voice turned pleading. “You must believe me when I say I had no idea who had the cube. I didn’t know it was a
child. I’m sorry.” He pulled Jamie closer. “I have to guarantee safe passage
off your ship and across the border.”
“Take
the puzzle cube, Jarid,” Kirk said hastily. “It’s yours. All I want is Jamie.”
A gasp
went up from the Cortinian, who pushed his way forward. “Kirk! You can’t give
away the Jewel of Cortina!”
“Shut
up, Varst!” McCoy yanked him back.
Kirk
ignored the outburst. “Take the cube, Jarid. Your ship is repaired and will be
allowed to leave. You have my word. Just let Jamie go. That’s all I ask.
Please.”
Tense
silence filled the cabin as Jarid considered. He looked at the small group in
the doorway and let out a long, shaky breath. “This was supposed to be so easy.
Just switch cubes and leave in the morning, with no one the wiser.”
He
glanced at the Cortinian. “Maybe I can trust you, Kirk, but I don’t
trust Varst. I can see it in his eyes. He’d do anything, even to the point of
letting this little girl get hurt or killed, if it meant the return of his
Jewel. Isn’t that right, Varst?”
“Yes!” Varst struggled against the guards
but couldn’t free himself. “So many lives have already been lost because of the
jewel, what is one more?” He jabbed a finger toward the captain. “If you value
the alliance between your Federation and Cortina, then your first concern must
be the safe return of our jewel. If you fail in this, I’ll see to it that
you’re busted lower than an ensign.”
Kirk
turned and regarded Varst with disgust. He looked at Jamie, who stood trembling
next to Jarid. His little girl’s sleeve and hands were bright red with her own
blood, her hair tousled. His heart squeezed.
Varst
would hate him for what he was about to say.
When
Kirk spoke, his voice did not betray the agony of his decision. “I’m sorry,
Commander, but I’m afraid I don’t value the alliance that much.”
He took
a deep breath, no doubt assuring himself of a court martial with his next
words. “I decline your request to assist in the return of the Jewel. But
understand this, sir. I would make the same choice if it were your child standing here.”
Varst
gaped at Kirk in shock and dismay.
Kirk
turned to Jarid. “I give you my word as a Starfleet officer that the Enterprise will do nothing to interfere
with your departure. We will neither track you nor hinder you in any way, on
the condition that you let Jamie go when we reach the hangar bay.”
Jarid
looked nervously from the captain to the guards, then at Jamie. “But can I
trust you, Captain?”
“You can
trust me in this one point, Jarid.” Kirk’s voice grew hard. “If you take my
daughter off my ship, I will use all the resources at my command to track you
down . . . and I’ll kill you.”
Jarid
swallowed. The silence was intense.
“Please,”
Jamie pleaded. “I want to stay here. If
my dad says he’ll let you go, he’ll let you go. He’ll keep his word.”
Jamie’s
innocent pleading seemed to break through to Jarid. He looked down and caught
her staring at him. He let out a breath. “It’s no use. I must be getting soft.”
He
turned back to Kirk. “If only I hadn’t gotten to know you, Captain. If only I
had Commander Varst in my grip now, instead of your charming and innocent
little girl.”
He gave
Kirk a smile of surrender. “I have to trust you. I have no choice. I can’t take
her. We’re friends.”
Kirk
relaxed. He nodded and walked across Jamie’s cabin to the intercom. “Attention,
all hands. This is the captain. Clear all corridors from deck five to the
hangar deck. I repeat. Clear all corridors between deck five and the hangar
deck. Kirk out.” He motioned to Jarid. “After you.”
“No
thank you, Captain. You all go first. Jamie and I will follow right behind. I
especially want to keep an eye on Varst. He’s a wild card I don’t want to play
with.”
“As you
wish.” Kirk gave Jamie a smile. “Hang on a few more minutes, Cadet. When we get
to the hanger deck, Jarid will let you go.”
Jamie
nodded tearfully and started down the corridor, barefoot and clad only in her
white nightgown. Jarid held her firmly by her arm.
Captain
Kirk was as good as his word. The corridors were deserted. The hanger deck was
empty except for the Enterprise shuttlecrafts
and a sleek little ship. Jarid hurried across the vast chamber, dragging Jamie
along. At the bottom of the ramp to his ship, he stopped. He took one last look
at his hostage and released her.
“Good-bye,
Jamie.” Jarid winked. “I apologize for scaring you so badly. I really do like
you, but you know how it is with us pirates.”
He
glanced across the hanger deck at the captain and his party. “Now I find out if
your father will keep his word. Once you’re safe and I’m in my ship, he could
easily refuse to open the hangar doors. I’d be trapped.” He sighed, as though
it didn’t matter any longer.
“He’ll
let you go, Jarid,” Jamie said. “He promised.”
“I hope
so.” He climbed the ramp, and with a final wave disappeared into his ship.
Jamie
turned around and raced across the deck. She threw herself into her father’s
arms. He picked her up and nearly crushed her in a tight hug.
“Open
the hangar doors,” he ordered, stepping into the corridor. The door whooshed
shut. He motioned McCoy to his side. “Take Jamie to Sickbay and have a look at
her arm, would you? I’ve got to get up to the bridge.”
McCoy
gathered the sleepy girl in his arms. “Will do, Jim. Come on, Jamie. This won’t
take a minute.”
“But,
Daddy,” Jamie said. “I have something important to tell you.”
Kirk was already halfway to the turbo-lift. “Later, Jamie.”
“Well,
there he goes.” Kirk sighed and settled into his chair with a mixture of relief
and concern. Relief that Jamie was safe, and concern over what would be the
ultimate consequences of his decision. He knew the Federation couldn’t sweep
something like this under the carpet.
He
watched the tiny ship streak away and imagined it was a good illustration of
how quickly his career was going to streak away to new and unappealing
destinations.
“Shall I
track him, Captain?” Chekov asked from his station.
“No. I
gave him my word.”
“Your
word!” Varst spat, spinning Kirk’s chair around to face him. “To a pirate and a
thief. I am disgusted with you.” He clenched his fist. “You had him in your
grasp and still on the ship. Your daughter was safe. You had the opportunity to
arrest him, and what did you do? You let him go.”
Kirk
didn’t respond. Nothing he said would placate the Cortinian.
Varst
hung his head. “Failure. Disgrace. My entire planet—the entire star
system—ruined because of a misguided sense of honor to keep your word to a
thief.” He raised his gaze to Kirk. “I know only one thing, Captain James Kirk.
You will pay dearly for your part in this disaster. This I vow with my last
breath.”
“I
know,” Kirk replied. “You are within your rights to have me brought up on
charges. I accept that and offer no defense. When we arrive at T-12, I will
turn myself over to Commander Perry. He will take the proper steps of action.”
Varst
seemed taken aback by the captain’s admission of guilt.
The
intercom whistled.
“Kirk
here.”
“Jim, I
think you better get down here,” McCoy said. “Something’s come up.”
“Is
Jamie okay?”
“She’s
fine. Just get down here. Now.”
When
Kirk arrived in Sickbay, he found Jamie sitting on a diagnostic bed, swinging
her feet. She was wearing a gray-blue medical jumpsuit, and her arm was
bandaged. She smiled when he approached.
“How do
you feel?”
“My arm
stings, but Dr. McCoy fixed me all up.”
“Tell
him what you told me, Jamie.” McCoy crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned
against the wall and grinned.
“Tell me
what?”
“Remember
I had something important to tell you?” Jamie didn’t wait for Kirk to answer.
“Well, tonight I solved my Rubik’s Cube.”
Kirk
looked puzzled. “That’s nice. But I don’t think it’s important enough to pull
me off the bridge.” He laid his hands on her shoulders. “You need to get to
bed. We can talk more in the morning.”
“Let her
finish, Jim,” McCoy said. He nodded at Jamie. “Tell him the rest of it.”
“When I
solved the puzzle, the cube opened up and a jewel fell in my lap. It was the
Jewel of Cortina.” She took a deep breath. “I planned to tell you in the
morning, so I hid the jewel in my rock collection. I knew it was too important
to leave it lying around where anybody might see it.”
She
scowled and went on. “Then Jarid walked into my cabin, without even knocking! I
was sure he’d guess I’d found the jewel, because I was so scared. But he
didn’t.”
“You
mean . . .” Kirk paused, at a loss for words.
Jamie
nodded. “Yes, sir. The Jewel is still in my rock collection. Jarid stole my
cube, but it’s empty. I think he’s going to be awfully mad when he finds out.
And serves him right.”
Kirk
snatched Jamie up in a tremendous hug. “You have the Jewel in your rock collection?” He hugged her again.
“Well done, Cadet. Very well done, indeed.”
He
punched the intercom. “This is the captain. Find Commander Varst and escort him
to Jamie’s quarters. Tell him I’ll meet him there.”
When the
buzzer signaled, Kirk called, “Come.”
Scowling,
Commander Varst stepped through the doorway. “What sort of game are you playing
now, Kirk?”
“No game,
sir. Jamie has something she would like to return to you.”
Jamie
stepped forward and reached out toward the Cortinian with a smile. “Here’s your
Jewel, sir. I found it and kept it safe.”
Mouth
agape, Varst cupped his hands.
Jamie
dropped the dark-red, glowing Jewel of Cortina into Varst’s palms and stepped
back. “Now maybe you won’t be so angry with me all the time. I really didn’t
know anything about it. The Jewel just fell out of my puzzle cube tonight.”
Kirk quickly
explained Jamie’s part in the rescue of the jewel.
Varst
turned slowly and looked at Jamie. His face showed his incredulity and thanks.
He bowed. “Child, I ask your forgiveness for my recent conduct.” Then he
smiled. “And I request that you accompany me to Cortina and restore the Jewel
to its rightful place.”
Jamie
looked at her father in astonishment.
“Say
yes, Cadet,” he advised.
Epilogue
“Empty.
It’s empty!” Jarid swore vehemently at the smashed Rubik’s cube. He turned to
Tobrak. “It’s impossible.”
Tobrak
swept the pieces of the puzzle cube across the table. “We went through all this
for nothing. Kornish pulled a double cross on us.” He growled. “If he
wasn’t dead already, I’d kill him myself.”
At that
moment, another Orion pirate ran up. “You’d better take a look at this new
update, boys.” His face was smoldering in rage. He turned a nearby monitor in
his companions’ direction and flipped it on.
A scene
of thousands of cheering people filled the screen.
The
announcer was jubilant. “This is a grand day for Cortina and the Federation.
Not only has the famed Jewel of Cortina been returned safely to the Hall of
Memories, but the acceptance of Cortina into the Federation is a double cause
for celebration.”
“What’s
going on?” Jarid demanded. “I don’t understand. How—”
“Shut up
and listen,” the pirate barked.
“The details
behind the recovery of Cortina’s irreplaceable national treasure is a story in
itself,” the newscaster continued. “Smuggled aboard a Federation starship in a
child’s puzzle cube, the jewel lay hidden for days.”
“What?”
Jarid gasped, but the light was beginning to dawn. “No!”
“No one
knew where it was,” the announcer continued. “But the puzzle was solved just
minutes before the cube was stolen. The Jewel was hidden by the nine-year-old
daughter of the starship commander in, of all things, an ordinary rock
collection. It’s a story that legends are made of, and everyone is praising the
quick thinking of Jamie Kirk, the little girl who has become a heroine
overnight. Her only comment?”
The
screen switched to an earlier recording. Jamie sat uncomfortably between two
high-ranking Cortinians. Her face was flushed with what Jarid could tell was
embarrassment.
“It all
happened so quick. When I solved the puzzle and the jewel fell out, I knew it
was the thing everyone had been looking for, so I hid it. Just in case.”
“Why,
that little brat!” Jarid yelped. “She outsmarted me. The whole time I was
holding a knife to her throat, she knew her puzzle cube was empty.”
“You
should have slit her throat,” Tobrak said sourly.
Jarid
shook his head. “No, Tobrak. She won this round fair and square. It was
ingenious of her.” He threw back his head and laughed. “She’d make a grand
little pirate.”
He
turned back to the viewer.
“I’m
sorry, Captain Jarid,” Jamie was saying, “but I couldn’t let you have the Jewel
of Cortina. If you’re watching this, I hope you understand. Thank you for
letting me go.” She smiled shyly. “I like you, even if you are a pirate.”
Jarid
flipped the viewer off. “There’s one piece of good news in all this. None of us
are captured or dead.”
“Not
much of a consolation,” Tobrak muttered. “Seeing as we never got paid for our
heist. No Jewel. No pay.” He flopped to a worn chair and buried his head in his
hands.
Jarid
was undaunted. “Hey, friends. We’ll just have to think up a new scheme to make
some money. Something will turn up.” He grinned. “After all, it’s a big
galaxy.”
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