Jamie Kirk appears to have fallen into the lap of luxury and privilege. She’s included in a Red Carpet Tour for children of high-ranking diplomats during the Crynn Conference on the planet Babel. But being spoiled for two weeks has a downside. When the diplomats’ children are kidnapped, Jamie finds herself in the middle of a terrorist plot to force the delegates to vote their way. The terrorists are confident no starship can track them, but Jamie and her friends hatch a risky plan to bring the Enterprise to their rescue. Will it work? Or will the terrorists discover that one of their hostages is not who they think she is?
Chapter 1
“Stop fidgeting,
Jamie.” Captain James Kirk nudged her. “And what in blazes are you doing with
that tricorder? Not recording, I hope.”
Oh,
slime devils! Jamie
slouched. Caught again.
She hoped her father didn’t really want
an answer. Because, of course, she had been recording. Lieutenant Uhura
had programmed the tricorder to pick up Jamie’s slightest whisper and nobody
else’s.
Which
wasn’t doing her any good today.
She glanced up and tried to concentrate on the
dark-haired young historian conducting the most boring seminar in the alpha
quadrant.
“Thomas Crynn gathered a group of political misfits and
back-to-nature freaks and set out just as the warp drive was being developed,”
she was explaining to the packed audience in Conference Room Two.
Jamie
rolled her eyes. Lieutenant Gates was still on that whole crazy Crynn thing? Who cared where a bunch of earth misfits
had gone over a hundred years ago? That was ancient history.
Boring
history.
“They
shunned technology, took along only the bare necessities for survival, and
turned their backs on Earth and the fledging Federation,” Lt. Gates went on.
And on .
. . and on . . .
“They
wanted a new world order, one free from technology controlling their lives.
It’s no secret that even today, their descendants hold the Federation and its
philosophy in contempt.”
Kirk
shook his head and took a sip of coffee.
Jamie shook her head too and slumped down farther
in her seat. I bet the Crynns want something, and their hate for the
Federation is not going to stand in their way.
“You wanted to come to this briefing,” Kirk
whispered. “So, give the lieutenant your attention.”
“Actually,
I only came because Lt. Gates said I could count it as my history assignment
this week.” Jamie helped herself to a doughnut from a plate someone was passing
around. “It’s really boring, just like all her other lectures.” She bit into
the sugary treat.
Kirk
raised an eyebrow. “It looks to me like you came for the doughnuts.” He
snatched the half-eaten one from her hand. “You’ve had three already.”
“So far,
they’re the best part.”
“Cadet
Kirk.” Lt. Gate’s voice sliced through Jamie’s remark. “If you would return
your attention to the front of the hall, I can bring this briefing to a close.”
Heat
flew into Jamie’s cheeks. “Sorry,” she said in a tiny voice.
Kirk
gave Jamie an I-told-you-so look then smiled at his officer. “We’re both sorry,
Lieutenant. Continue, please.”
Lt.
Gates nodded. “About fifteen years ago, the starship Yorktown came across the Crynn Colonies during a mapping
expedition. Learning of their origins, the Yorktown
offered to maintain contact with them and open up trade. Sort of like welcoming
them back into the Federation.”
She
paused and put up a screenshot of the U.S.S. Yorktown.
“The
Crynns spit in the eye of this generous offer, and the Yorktown, true to the Prime Directive, backed off. Before they
warped out of orbit, however, they left a modern version of subspace
communications. But the report the Yorktown’s
captain logged was less than glowing. He regarded the Crynn colonists as
anti-social, belligerent, and full of contempt for the Federation and for all
it stands.”
Lt.
Gates took a breath. “Which brings me to the point of this lecture.”
“Good,”
Jamie whispered low enough so Daddy couldn’t catch it.
“For the
first time in fifteen years, a voice has come out of Crynn, using the subspace
communications array. It is a cry for help. Our old friends, the Galactic
Liberation Organization, are wreaking havoc on the Crynn Colonies.”
Alarmed
murmurs broke out.
“So, the
terrorists have climbed out from under their rocks?” Kirk said with disgust.
“What are their demands this time?”
“The
usual, sir. They claim the Crynn System as their territory, and the Crynns are
no match for terrorists. The colonists are screaming for help. All of a sudden,
the Federation is looking pretty good to these weaponless people. They want
starship protection, at the very least.”
“Why
can’t the diplomats take care of this?” McCoy groused. “Why is it always
Starfleet?”
“They’re
terrorists, Bones,” Kirk replied. “They eat diplomats for breakfast. The GLO is
not known for gathering around a conference table. They prefer to terrorize.”
He turned to the ship’s historian. “Anything else?”
“Oh,
yes sir,” Lt. Gates replied brightly. “Much, much more.”
Jamie
sighed, but only to herself. Would this briefing never end?
She
looked longingly at her tri-corder. It would be fun to whisper an entry into
her cadet’s log, but Daddy would catch her. Then he would probably confiscate
the device. Not good!
She
resisted the urge and pretended to pay attention.
“Earth,
Deneb, and the Antares Systems have petitioned to bring the Crynn Colonies into
the Federation and annex that entire area of space. It would guarantee the
colonists’ protection.
“On
the other hand, there are many conservatives in the Federation, like Centaurus,
Vulcan, and Andor, that hesitate to offer one-hundred percent support to a
colony that has openly spurned our organization for over a hundred years. They
feel it is a waste of manpower and resources.”
Kirk
furrowed his brow. “They have a point.”
“They
caution prudence and cite other hotspots in the galaxy where our military arm
is needed. They want to do as Dr. McCoy suggests and send negotiators to help
the Crynns help themselves. But without weapons to defend themselves, things
look grim.”
“And all
of this is going to be hashed out on Babel next week?”
“Yes,
sir. At the Crynn Conference. It’s shaping up to be quite an event. With Crynn
petitioning to join the Federation, and with the powerful Crynn family of Earth
supporting their appeal, it should be an interesting, as well as a long and
drawn out conference.”
Kirk
grinned. “In that case, I’ll authorize shore leave for the crew.”
Applause
and whistles greeted the captain’s announcement.
Jamie
sat, frozen.
Kirk
poked her. “Did you hear me? Shore leave! What do you think?”
Jamie
shrugged and ducked her head. As soon as Daddy had mentioned the word “Babel,”
she had stopped listening. Instead, her stomach turned over, and it was not
from too many doughnuts.
“What’s
the matter?” Kirk asked.
I can’t tell him, Jamie thought. He’ll think I’m being silly. She twisted her fingers in her lap and
shrugged again.
“Two
shrugs? That means it’s serious. Don’t you want shore leave?”
“Yes,”
Jamie said slowly. “But—”
“But
what?”
“You
said we’re going to Babel.”
“That’s
where most of the Federation conferences are held. So what? The Enterprise
has another load of delegates to transport.”
Jamie
swallowed. “Is it the same Babel conference we went to last year?”
Kirk
looked puzzled. Then a light came on in his eyes. “Oh, I see,” he said softly.
“Yes, it is. But this trip won’t be anything like the last one.”
“Are you
sure? I remember what happened last time.” She looked up into her father’s
face. “That Andorian—or Orion—or whatever he was, stabbed you, Daddy. There was so much blood. I was so scared. I
thought you were going to die.”
Kirk
pulled Jamie into a tight hug. “Hey, no worries. It’s been a whole year since
that wretched trip. There were good times too. Don’t you remember? Meeting Mr.
Spock’s mother and father? All those interesting delegates? Getting to stay up
late every night?”
“I
know,” Jamie whispered. “But what if those GLO—or whatever they’re
called—terrorists try to blow up the Enterprise like the Orions nearly
did last time?”
The
captain chuckled. “Listen to me, Jamie. The GLO terrorists are nowhere near
Babel. They’re out harassing the Crynn Colonies. Plus, I’m pretty sure the
delegates we’ll be transporting have no spies sneaking aboard. And it’s a quick
trip. A couple of days. Nothing will happen on this journey to Babel. I promise.”
Jamie
chewed on her lip, taking in her father’s words. Then she drew a deep breath.
“Okay. But remember. You promised.”
Kirk winked. “I sure did.”
Chapter 2
The Enterprise
is going to the planet Babel, where decisions are made by delegates from all
over the Federation. I should be happy. Daddy . . . oops, scratch that . . .
Captain Kirk has so far kept the promise he made to me the other day. So far,
nothing scary has happened on this journey to Babel.
The dozen delegates the ship
hauled were quiet. No spies. No kids, either. Two days later, and here we are.
Now, the big question. Will the captain make time in his always-busy schedule
to take a lowly cadet down for shore leave? We. Shall. See. But I’m not holding
my breath. The captain doesn’t have a very good track record in this
department.
Jamie
sat at a table in the crew’s mess, watching Lt. Kevin Riley put on his one-man
show for the off-duty gamma shift crewmembers before they retired for the day.
He
didn’t look a bit tired from his all-night shift at the Enterprise’s helm. He leaned back in his chair and sang his way
through another verse of his favorite Irish ballad, “I’ll Take You Home Again,
Kathleen.”
Riley’s
impromptu performance came to an abrupt end when he made an exaggerated turn
and came face to face with his captain.
“Good
morning, Riley.”
Riley
flushed. This song did not sit well with the captain, not since Riley had
commandeered the engineering section as the result of a rare virus two years
before. He had sung his way through an unending number of verses while the Enterprise spiraled toward her death
over Psi 2000.
“Good
morning, Captain.” Riley said with as much dignity as he could muster. He bowed
to his audience, who clapped appreciatively. “See you tomorrow, Cadet,” he told
Jamie. Then he saluted Kirk and disappeared through the doors.
Kirk
took a swallow of coffee and sat down next to Jamie.
Jamie
took a sudden interest in her cold breakfast.
I sure hope he doesn’t ask who requested
that song
“Morning,
Cadet.” He was smiling.
“Morning,
Captain,” Jamie mumbled through a mouthful of cereal.
“Don’t
bother finishing it. Even a starving tribble wouldn’t touch what’s left.”
Jamie
pushed the cereal away. Daddy was going to ignore Riley’s silliness. Yay!
She returned his smile. “They’re gone, aren’t they?”
“Who?”
“The
delegates. They must’ve all left the ship.”
Kirk
chuckled. “It shows that much?”
“Yep.”
Jamie smiled wider. “You’re in a really good mood.” She swallowed the rest of
her juice. Then she plunked the glass down on the table, took a deep breath,
and blurted, “Do you think you’ll have time to take me down to Babel today?”
Kirk
lost his grin. “I’m sorry, Jamie, but not today. I’ve got a pile of paperwork
in my office. You’ll just have to be patient.”
Here
we go again. “I’m tired
of being patient.” She sighed. “Please?”
“Not
today, but I’ll see what I can stir up for later this week.”
“Okay,”
Jamie agreed, “but don’t forget about me.”
“When
have I ever forgotten about you?”
“Let’s
see. Last month you—”
“Okay,
okay.” He held up his hands. “I’ll check into some interesting activities for
you down on Babel.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Kirk checked his chronometer. “Now, I’ve got to get up to the bridge. See you
later.”
Kirk
entered the bridge in high spirits. Jamie was right. He was in a good mood. The trip to Babel had, for once, been
hassle-free. The dozen delegates were sharply divided on the Crynn membership
issue, but they kept to themselves and left the crew alone.
Now they
were gone—beamed down over an hour ago.
The
ship’s taxi duty was shaping up to be a pleasant change, especially with the
long layover he’d authorized on Babel. Then, when the conference was over, the Enterprise
would carry the delegates back to wherever they’d come from.
“There’s
a message coming through from the Babel hospitality committee, sir,” Uhura
announced as Kirk slid into his command chair.
“The what?”
“I’m not
sure what the committee represents, Captain, but Jace Bellows wants to speak
with you.”
“Put him
on.” Kirk waved an arm in the direction of the screen. “Let’s see what he
wants.”
“Captain
Kirk?” A pleasant-faced young man came on the screen. “I’m Jace Bellows,
temporary head of the hospitality committee.”
He
laughed. “I see the amusement in your face, Captain, and I agree. It’s just a
temporary position. I’m actually part of the city council here in Lacey City,
but for the duration of the conference, my committee is in charge of all the
arrangements for the delegates: food, accommodations, transportation,
entertainment during off-hours, everything.”
“That’s
a tall order. So, what can I do for you?”
“The Enterprise is the last ship due in
before the conference begins tomorrow My first order of business is to see to
the entertainment and enrichment of the younger members of the delegation.”
Kirk
frowned his confusion.
Jace
chuckled. “You know, the kids who accompanied their folks to the conference?
We’ve got bigwigs galore, and many of them have turned the Babel conference
into a vacation for their families. The Federation president even showed up
with his grandson. We have other heads of state, ambassadors and the like. They
expect a good time for their offspring, full of organized and educational
activities, while they’re occupied with the conference.”
He
leaned forward. “I need the names of any young people who accompanied the
delegates aboard your ship. I’d like to get them assigned to a tour group for
tomorrow’s events.”
“Hmm.
Everybody beamed down this morning. I don’t remember any young people. I’m sure
Jamie would have told me if there’d been kids on this trip.”
“Jamie?”
“My
daughter.”
Jace
gave Kirk a wide smile. “Great. How old is she?” He glanced down at his
electronic data pad.
“Who?
Jamie? She’s almost ten.”
Jace
fiddled with his data pad a few moments then looked up. “All set, Captain Kirk.
I have her in the Red Carpet Tours Group
II, kids eight to twelve years old.”
“What
are you talking about?”
“I
included your daughter in the activities for the delegates’ children. Each day
of the conference, beginning tomorrow, the kids will enjoy a trip to the zoo,
the Science Center, a hike, the beach . . .” He brushed a hand across the data
pad. “I’ll send you the itinerary.”
He
smiled at the look on Kirk’s face. “You’re welcome to tag along if you feel
uncertain about sending her alone. But the security will be the highest level,
considering whose kids we’re entertaining.”
A slow
smile crept across Kirk’s face. This could be his salvation until things
settled down. He might even get time to conquer the “paper monster” in his
office. “I’m honored to have Jamie included. Thank you, Mr. Bellows.”
“Why
shouldn’t she be included? Your ship brought all these people.”
“You’re
very considerate.”
“That’s
my job—hospitality.” He grinned. “You wouldn’t happen to have a free day over
the next two weeks to host a small tour of your starship, would you?”
Kirk
laughed. “Why do I get the feeling I’m being set up?”
“You’re
not. Just say no, and I’ll sign off.”
“Contact
my recreation officer, Harb Tanzer. If he agrees to show your groups around,
I’ll authorize it.”
“Thank
you, Captain.”
Kirk
nodded. “Enterprise out.”
Chapter 3
Jamie
sat up in bed and gaped at her father. “I’m going where?” Her sleepiness disappeared, even though the hour was late.
“On a field trip to the Babel Science Center.
Tomorrow morning at nine o’clock sharp. It lasts all morning. Then you’ll have
lunch at an old-fashioned pizza parlor, explore a hands-on museum for kids, and
beam home just in time for supper.”
“You’re
going too, aren’t you?”
“I told
you at breakfast this morning that I can’t. The Enterprise only established orbit today. I have a lot of catching
up to do. Paperwork, you know.” He grinned.
Jamie
did not return his smile.
He
sighed. “Listen, Jamie. In a few days we can do a lot of interesting things
together, but for now I’ve arranged this day of activities for you. The
chairman of the hospitality committee personally invited you.”
Kirk
held out a hard copy of the agenda. “An excursion to the Science Center and the
museum tomorrow, tours of some interesting industries the next day, a trip to
the seashore, hiking to the top of some hill, a trip to the zoo, an amusement
park with water slides, and”—he smiled—“next week, a tour of a starship.”
“Which starship?” Jamie asked with a
spark of interest.
“The Enterprise, of course. Lt. Tanzer agreed
to show the kids around. You may assist, if you like.”
“Oh,
boy!” Jamie bounced on her bunk. “Can we show them the bridge?”
“Maybe.
Anyway, you’re changing the subject. Do you want to be included in these
activities, or do you prefer to hang around the Enterprise until I have time to arrange a shore leave for myself?”
“He
really invited me to go along with all those important kids?”
Kirk
nodded. “I’m sure I can count on you to behave yourself and not do anything to
embarrass Starfleet.”
“Of
course,” Jamie agreed instantly. “But are we going to get to do anything together, or do you have to go
to the conference?”
“Thankfully,
no. I’m not a delegate, only a lowly starship captain. More like a taxi-driver,
actually.” He ruffled her hair. “By the end of the week, I’ll be caught up and
ready for shore leave with my best girl.”
Jamie
giggled. “Everybody knows the Enterprise
is your best girl.”
“Okay,
so I have two best girls.” He gave
Jamie a mock look of sadness. “But you’ll probably want to continue seeing
Babel with your new friends. No time for your old man.”
“Never!”
Jamie threw her arms around her father’s neck and looked up. “Do you think
they’ll vote to let the Crynn Colonies join the Federation? Give them aid to
fight off those terrorists Lt. Gates was talking about?”
“I have
no idea.” He unwound Jamie’s arms from around his neck. “But that’s not your
worry. Your orders are to have the best shore leave ever.”
“Aye,
aye, Captain.”
He
handed her a paper. “Here’s what you need to take along.”
Jamie
scanned the list. “May I take a communicator?”
“What
for?”
Jamie
shrugged. “I don’t know. I’d just feel better, knowing I could beam up if I
don’t like it.”
“If it
makes you feel better, sure. On one
condition.”
Jamie
frowned. “What condition?”
“That
you take better care of it than the last one I let you use.”
“That
wasn’t my fault, Daddy! Kerla snatched it right out of my hand and dumped it
down the disposal chute before . . .” Her voice trailed off. “You’re teasing!”
Kirk
grinned. “Gotcha!” He checked his chronometer. “It’s getting late. Get yourself
a good night’s sleep and meet me in the transporter room at 0845 tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir!”
Cadet’s Log,
Stardate 2268.2
Jamie
arrived in the transporter room right on time. She was dressed in a gold
uniform tunic, black leggings, boots, and a jacket. She hiked her backpack over
her shoulder and smiled at the transporter chief. “Good morning, Lt. Kyle.”
“Morning,
Cadet. I see you’re starting your shore leave right away.”
“Yes,
sir,” Jamie replied. “When do you get yours?”
“Tomorrow
starting at 0700.” He grinned. “I can’t wait.”
Kirk
entered just then and held out a small, shiny metallic object. “Here’s the
communicator I promised you. Don’t lose it.”
“Thanks!”
Jamie took the device and sealed it in the front pocket of her jacket. “I’ll
take care of it.”
“I’m
counting on it,” Kirk said. “Please do not pass it around to the other kids.
Try to remember that it’s—”
“—that
it’s not a toy, but a very expensive piece of Starfleet equipment,” Jamie
recited. Then she sighed. “You tell me that every time, Daddy. I’ll take such
good care of it that you’ll never know it left the ship.”
Kirk
reached down and pulled her into a hug. “Have a wonderful time. I’ll see you
tonight.” Then he stepped back and turned to Kyle. “Energize.”
Chapter 4
A young, pretty woman with short, dark hair
smiled at her. “Welcome to the Lacey City Red
Carpet Tours. Having my molecules spread across space sometimes makes me
feel a little disoriented. How do you feel?”
“Fine,”
Jamie said. “But you’re right. Sometimes I get real dizzy.”
“My name
is Mindy Bennett.” She held out her hand. “I’m your guide for the activities
the Hospitality Center has arranged for the next two weeks.”
Jamie
took her hand and shook it. The sudden, scary feeling of being alone in a
strange place dissolved. She smiled. “I’m Jamie Kirk. It’s nice to meet you,
Miss Bennett.”
“Call me Mindy, please.” She flipped through a
data pad and handed Jamie a plastic nametag. “Here’s your pass into the
activities.”
Jamie
fastened the nametag to her jacket. “I look official now, don’t I?”
“You
certainly do.” She smiled. “Where are you from?”
“From?”
“Which
planet?”
“I’m
from Earth. Where are you from?”
“Right
here. Babel is my home, though my grandparents originally came from Centaurus.
I’ve never been to Earth, but I hear it’s a lovely planet.” Without waiting for
a reply, Mindy pointed to a door across from the transporter chamber. “There’s
our meeting room. Go on in. I’ll be along in a minute. I’m waiting for one more
child.”
Jamie
nodded. She took a deep breath, crossed the corridor, and activated the sensor.
The double doors slid open. She took two steps into the immense conference room
and stopped short. Eight pairs of curious eyes stared at her.
“Hi,”
she said.
No one
answered.
Jamie
looked around. There were four girls and four boys. Some were older than Jamie,
a few were younger. Two older girls stood off by themselves, giggling and
rolling their eyes.
The
tallest girl brushed her thick black hair over her shoulder and turned away
from Jamie’s curious gaze. Her skin was creamy white under her flowing cape and
tunic of reds and yellows.
Her
companion was equally stunning. She was dressed in a garment of flowing fabric
and lace. Her hair was done up in exotic blond braids. The girls created an
illusion of grace, elegance, and wealth.
Jamie
felt unkempt and sloppy.
The two
younger girls staring at Jamie were identical Andorian twins. Jamie smiled at
their pretty, snow-white hair and pale-blue faces. Identical, delicate antennae
protruded from their heads. They were dressed in fluffy lavender and pink
sweaters and velvet skirts.
The
girls approached Jamie with identical shy smiles.
“I’m
S’hora,” a whispery voice said. “And this is my sister T’helva.”
Jamie’s
smile widened at their friendliness. They looked about eight years old, though
one could never tell with Andorians.
“I’m
Jamie.”
“Would
you like to play a game to pass the time?” T’helva asked. She lowered herself
carefully to the floor and pulled out an odd-looking case.
Jamie
plopped to the floor. “Sure.”
T’helva
brought out a small, orange ball and some odd-looking metal objects. She threw
the pointed objects on the floor then tossed the ball into the air. With a
practiced hand, the Andorian girl began to scoop up the scattered objects.
Jamie
watched, fascinated. When her turn came, she tossed the ball up, reached for
the small objects, and missed. The jacks scattered across the floor. The ball
bounced and rolled out of her reach.
“It’s
harder than it looks,” Jamie confessed. “I’ll go after the ball.”
To her
surprise, a tall, red-haired boy scooped the ball up and clutched it in his
fist. “It’s mine now,” he teased.
The
Andorian twins froze. Their smiles disappeared. They clasped hands and
exchanged frightened looks.
Jamie
jammed her hands on her hips. “It’s not yours.
Give it back.”
“Nope.”
The boy tossed the small ball into the air and caught it.
Another
boy joined him. “Whatcha got, Derek?”
Before
Derek could reply, a dark-haired Vulcan boy strolled up. “You delight in
causing trouble for no purpose, Derek. Return the ball.”
Jamie’s
eyebrows went up. He sounded just like
Mr. Spock!
He
caught her look. “I am Shaull. Please forgive the rude welcome. Derek and
Clarence sometimes forget their manners.” With a quick, cat-like grace, Shaull
gripped Derek’s wrist, peeled away his fingers, and plucked the ball from his
hand.
Derek’s
face turned red in fury, but he said nothing.
“Here is
your ball.” Shaull dropped it into Jamie’s hand.
“Thanks.”
She smiled and tossed the ball back to T’helva. Then she turned to Shaull. “My
name’s Jamie.” She spread her fingers in the Vulcan salute. “Dif-tor heh
smusma, Shaull.”
She
hoped her Vulcan was smooth enough to speak the “live long and prosper”
greeting correctly. It should be. Mr. Spock has hammered it into me
plenty of times.
Shaull’s
Vulcan mask cracked. His lips parted in a wide smile. “Peace and long life to
you. I confess I am somewhat startled to hear your greeting in my language.”
Tthe
other boy and two girls had made their way over to the group.
“Where
did you learn to speak Vulcan?” One of the girls demanded.
Jamie
turned and looked at the tall girl with the black hair and lovely skin. She
could just make out the girl’s nametag. It read J’nai Jelaan.
“From
Mr. Spock.”
“Who’s
that?”
“He’s
first officer aboard the Enterprise.”
“That
sounds like a ship to me,” J’nai said.
“It is a ship. So what?”
J’nai
tossed her head. “The Red Carpet Tours are for children of delegates to the Babel Conference. Are your parents delegates?”
“No.
But Miss Bennett—Mindy—gave me a nametag. I’m on the list. My father told me I
could go.”
J’nai
sniffed. “Who’s your father?”
“Captain
Kirk.” A hard lump settled in her stomach. I
do not like this J’nai girl.
“Definitely
not a delegate,” the blond girl piped up.
Jamie’s
face grew hot. One snippy girl was bad enough. But two? “Who made you the
boss?” she burst out.
Shaull
clapped his hands. “Well said, Jamie.”
“She
shouldn’t be here,” the blond girl said.
“That is the adults’ decision, RiAnn,” Shaull
said. Before she could reply, he turned to Jamie. “While we wait for Mindy, I will introduce
the rest of our group.”
He waved
his hand at the red-haired boy. “Derek Stronton. His grandfather is president
of the Federation. Clarence Maks, whose parents are ambassadors from
Centaurus.”
He bowed
to J’nai. “J’nai Jelaan, from Elas. Her family is part of the royal delegation
to Babel. RiAnn Cardone comes from Daran V. Her father is a member of the
Federation High Council, and RiAnn never lets anyone forget it.”
“Why
shouldn’t I use my family’s name to good purpose?” RiAnn laughed. “I go to the
best schools, have friends of the highest—”
“This is
York,” Shaull interrupted, pulling a chubby young boy forward. “His mother is
High Advisor to the Babel Conference. You’ve already met S’hora and T’helva,
daughters of the ambassador from Andor. And I am the son of the Vulcan
ambassador to the Babel Conference.”
Shaull
looked intently at Jamie. His eyes sparkled with interest. “And you’re from the
flagship of Starfleet. The USS
Enterprise.”
“Big
deal,” RiAnn muttered. “Come on, J’nai. We can find better company than this.”
She turned to Derek and Clarence, the two oldest boys. “Want to join us?”
The four
older youths wandered to the other side of the room. As soon as they were out
of earshot, Shaull turned eagerly to Jamie.
“Do you
really know Mr. Spock?”
“Sure, I
do.”
“How
fortunate.” Shaull sighed. “I hope to emulate Spock, son of Sarek, and join
Starfleet someday.” He cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t suppose you could arrange an
introduction?”
“Can’t
your father talk to Mr. Spock?”
“Unfortunately,
meeting busy Starfleet officers is not on my father’s list of priorities,”
Shaull said.
Jamie
wrinkled her forehead in thought. Surely Mr. Spock could take a few minutes and
meet her new friend! “I’ll ask him,” she promised.
Shaull
nodded. “That would be most appreciated.”
The
doors slid open, and Mindy Bennett stepped through. “I apologize for the delay.
I had to wait for our last arrival. Please welcome Prince Essak of the planet
Araby—and his entourage.”
A
handsome boy of about eleven years old strolled into the room. His dark eyes
glinted with excitement. “I’m pleased to meet you all!” He threw his arms out
to indicate the entire group.
“Prince
Essak,” Derek bowed his head in respect. “Welcome to the conference.”
The
other children followed suit, the girls curtsying.
Jamie
swallowed. A real prince! Maybe J’nai
was right. A lowly cadet didn’t belong with these kids. Her hand curled
around the communicator in her pocket. Maybe
it was time to go home.
“There’s
to be none of that today.” Essak laughed and tossed aside his turban, which a
tall, dark man caught. “I’m here for an exciting day, not surrounded by
protocol or busybody servants.” He gave the tall man a fierce stare. “You may
leave now, Moshi, and take the rest with you.”
Moshi
shook his head. “Nay, young prince. I will send the others away, but your
father, the king, would have me executed if I abandoned you to the mercy of
these aliens and infidels.”
Essak
groaned. He pulled off his robe, rolled the clothing into a sloppy ball, and
handed it to Moshi. Underneath, he was dressed in a pair of ordinary pants and
a tunic. “I don’t care about aliens and infidels. Let me have some fun for a
change.”
Moshi
crossed his arms and stood firm, like an immovable statue.
Mindy
smiled at Essak. “It’s all right, Prince. Your bodyguard may accompany us.
What’s one more security guard? Now, let me introduce the others in your group,
and then we’ll be off. The private tram is waiting.”
After a
quick introduction, the children scattered, searching for their outer garments
and backpacks. Jamie found her backpack and lifted it to her shoulder.
RiAnn
brushed by Jamie, shoving her out of the way. Jamie lost her grip on her
backpack, and it tumbled to the floor. “Oh, excuse
me.” RiAnn giggled.
Jamie’s
cheeks burned. She glared at RiAnn’s and J’nai’s backs.
“Anger
is illogical,” Shaull whispered in her ear. He steadied the backpack until she
managed to get it over both shoulders.
“You
sound like Mr. Spock.”
“Why,
thank you!” Shaull said. “Listen, Jamie. You and the twins stay close to the
prince and me. Essak appears to be a youth with common sense and honesty.
Together, we can enjoy what remains of this day. When J’nai and her companions
realize we do not become irritated over their thoughtless remarks, they will
desist.”
“You
make it sound like a math problem.”
“It is.
We have a saying: One cannot have a fire
where there is no fuel.”
“What if
they bring their own fuel?” Jamie asked, dropping into line with the others.
Anger might be illogical, but she couldn’t help it. Those four older kids seemed interested only in themselves. She hoped Mindy Bennett could control them, or this would be a long day.
Chapter 5
Cadet’s Log,
Stardate 2268.5
Today was the best shore leave I’ve had since coming to
live aboard the Enterprise. J’nai’s and RiAnn’s rude
comments didn’t bother me at all, once Miss Mindy introduced us to all the
activities.
Best of all, I’ve discovered an important secret. Being a
Federation delegate’s kid has its advantages. I’ve never been treated so … well
… special. Sure, everybody on the Enterprise treats me nice,
and I’m the ship’s mascot and all. Riley even says I’m his favorite crew
member, but that’s it. I’m just one of the crew. Nothing real special. Not
compared to all this special attention. And privileges. I wish my father was an
ambassador or a fancy diplomat.
Hmmm, I wonder what Daddy—oops, Captain Kirk—would say
about that. If he finds out, that is.
“This
holodeck is our last stop at the Science Center,” Mindy said. “It will make you
feel like you are anywhere in the galaxy. Any planet, any time. It’s
experimental right now, so there are limits to where we can ‘go,’ but you’ll
experience the cutting edge of Federation technology.”
Jamie
couldn’t wait to see inside. The holodeck building rose up large and white as
the group rounded the corner.
She
groaned. The line of waiting visitors stretched clear around the backside of
the building. They’d be standing in
line for an hour!
With a
disappointed sigh, she shuffled into place at the end of the line, but one of
the guards plucked her sleeve. “Don’t fall behind,” he warned.
Mindy
led the rest of the kids past the people standing in line and right up to the
front entrance. Jamie was too surprised to do anything but follow. One by one,
they stepped past the crowd and into the building.
When
Jamie and the rest of the children settled into the reserved, front-row seats
to watch the holodeck demonstration, her mind whirled at her good fortune.
It’s fun to get special privileges
because of who your parents are.
Jamie
was yanked back to grim reality when she left the holodeck.
“Well,
look who’s flying high today.” Lt. Kevin Riley stood with three off-duty Enterprise crewmembers, waiting for the
next showing of the holodeck. It looked like he and his companions had been
waiting a very long time. “I saw you parading past us a while ago.”
Jamie
flushed and turned away. She suddenly felt embarrassed to have Riley see her
with this group.
Riley
reached for her sleeve. “I’m sorry, Jamie. I was just teas—”
A huge,
hairy hand gripped Riley’s wrist like a vice and ripped it away from Jamie’s
jacket. He whipped out a phaser and pointed it directly in the lieutenant’s
face.
“Back
off, Lieutenant,” the security man ordered. “Do not—I repeat—do not interfere with these kids, or I will
place you under arrest. Understood?”
Jamie
backed away from the security guard, eyes wide and scared.
“I
understand, ensign.” Riley rubbed his sore wrist. “Boy, do I!”
The
guard turned to Jamie. “Did he hurt you, kid?”
“No,
sir,” Jamie replied quickly. “Not a bit.”
“Okay,
let’s go.” He waved to Mindy. “Next stop, Miss Bennett?”
Jamie
glanced behind her shoulder at the Enterprise
crew.
Riley
grinned and winked to show he had no hard feelings.
The rest
of the day was not quite as enjoyable after that. The security guard’s rough
handling of Lt. Riley forced Jamie to consider something she didn’t want to
think about. Sure, it might be fun to be an important person’s kid, to get the
best seats, to never have to wait in line.
But
maybe it cost more than Jamie wanted to pay.
For the
first time all day, Jamie looked at the group she was with—really looked. Ten children, an adult guide, and four—no, five if
she included Essak’s body guard, Moshi—security guards. They ringed the group
on all sides.
Maybe being an important person’s kid wasn’t
exactly safe. The guards
were certainly taking their job seriously. Was Jamie safe with this people? Surely her father would not have allowed her to beam down if
there was any hint of danger.
She
relaxed. Of course not!
A
friendly grip on her shoulder brought Jamie around. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes,
Miss Mindy.”
Mindy
squeezed Jamie’s hand. “I’m sorry about the guard and that Starfleet officer.
Ensign Murray knows how important you children are. He doesn’t want anyone
frightening you.” She smiled. “Were you frightened?”
“Not at
all,” Jamie answered. “It was just Ri—”
“Mindy!”
A high, shrill voice demanded. RiAnn ran up and placed herself directly in
front of their guide. “When do we eat? I’m starved.”
Mindy
released Jamie’s hand and motioned to the group. “If you all feel the same way,
we can get lunch right now.”
The
whooping and hollering gave Mindy her answer.
“Well,
then. Ensign Murray, lead the way to the Pizza Palace.”
“Do you
know what we did after that?” Jamie asked breathlessly.
Kirk
glanced at the chronometer.
Jamie
knew it was late, but she had so much
to tell him. Don’t make me go to sleep
yet, she pleaded with her eyes.
He
smiled. “No, what did you do?”
“Mindy
took us into something called a holodeck. She programmed it for Earth, and
guess what? There we were, right on Earth.” Jamie leaned back against the wall
of her bunk and sighed. “Mindy is the nicest, smartest, prettiest lady I’ve
ever met. You’d like her a lot. She’s going to be our guide during the entire
conference.”
“I’m
glad you’re having a good time. Did you get to know any of the other children?”
“I met a
Vulcan boy who wants to meet Mr. Spock. Do you suppose I could invite him up
sometime?”
“I don’t
know why not. Even Mr. Spock is on shore leave.”
“Oh,
good. I’ll tell Shaull. He might even smile.” Jamie grinned. “And there’s a
prince—a real live prince of a whole planet. His name’s Essak and he’s so
funny. He has a bodyguard who’s always stopping the prince from doing anything
fun. Moshi is so serious. He’s always
peeking around corners to look for assassins.”
She
burst into giggles and continued. “I met Andorian twins. They look alike. Same
blue faces. Identical antennae sticking out of their heads.”
She
paused and frowned. “I also met a stuck-up girl named J’nai. She thinks I
shouldn’t be in the same tour group as her and her friends, just because you’re
not one of the Babel delegates. They act like they’re too good for the rest of
us. One of her friends is a boy named Derek. He’s the president’s grandson.”
“President
Shyler’s grandson?” Kirk’s eyebrows rose. “I had no idea. No wonder security is
so tight.”
“Yeah.
Four security guards plus Essak’s bodyguard watch us all the time. One of them
nearly tore Lt. Riley’s arm off today, when all he did was talk to me.”
Kirk
whistled. “They’re not taking any chances.” He seemed pleased.
“We’re
all very important,” Jamie chattered
on. “We got to go in first for every exhibit—even ahead of those already in
line. When we go to Six Flags tomorrow, I bet we get to do it again.”
“Do
what?”
“Go
first,” Jamie said smugly. “All the kids in line will look at us, and they’ll
wish they were part of our group.”
“I see.”
Kirk fell silent.
Jamie
squirmed. Why was Daddy suddenly looking at her like that?
“You
don’t see anything wrong with that?” he finally said.
“What’s
wrong? It’s fun being treated special. It makes me feel—”
“It
makes you feel like you’re better than those who were asked to step aside for
you?”
Jamie’s
cheeks grew hot at the disapproval in her father’s voice. She hung her head,
not sure how to reply. Riley’s comment suddenly slammed into her mind. “We’re certainly flying high today, aren’t
we?”
“I
d-don’t know,” she finally stammered.
Kirk
gently lifted her chin. “Look at me, Jamie.”
She
tried not to flinch when she looked into his serious, hazel eyes. “Yes, sir?”
“I
want you to listen carefully. I have something to tell you, and I don’t want
you to ever forget it.”
“Am
I in trouble?” she whispered.
“No,
but I want you to remember who you are. You’re not the spoiled daughter of an ambassador,
someone who thinks only of herself. You are the daughter of a starship
captain.”
Jamie
wrinkled her eyebrows, puzzled. She knew who she was. Daddy was an ordinary
starship captain, who commanded an ordinary crew. Not important at all. So
what? But she didn’t say anything out loud. Daddy looked serious about this, so
she kept quiet and listened.
“I
hope you’ve been aboard the Enterprise long
enough to have learned that Starfleet officers think first of protecting and
serving the citizens of the Federation,” he said. “We don’t put ourselves
forward for special privileges. We do just the opposite. We risk our lives, especially
out on the frontier, for the good of others. That certainly makes us important,
but not in a way you might think.”
Jamie
nodded wordlessly. She’d never heard her father speak to her like this before.
“You say
you want to join Starfleet when you’re older,” he continued.
“Yes,
sir.”
“Well,
Cadet Kirk, it’s never too early to start practicing to be a Starfleet officer.
While you’re with this group of children, you’ll be receiving a lot of special
attention and privileges. Just remember what I said and don’t let those
privileges go to your head.”
“I’ll
remember,” Jamie whispered.
Kirk
grinned and got up from the bed. “Good. Now, it’s very late and you have a big
day tomorrow.”
Jamie
yawned and snuggled under the blankets. She let out a contented sigh. “I love
you, Daddy.”
“I love
you too.” Kirk planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your
shore leave. It looks like it will be a long one too. The delegates have just
begun their discussions.”
“Good,”
Jamie whispered.
“Do you
still want to take shore leave with me at the end of the week? Or shall we wait
until the Red Carpet Tour runs out of
places to see?”
Jamie yawned.
“Let’s wait. I like Essak and Shaull. They’re making this shore leave fun.
Maybe you can take shore leave with Dr. McCoy.”
“Why,
thank you, young lady. I just might take your advice.”
Kirk
lowered the lights and left the cabin. Now that Jamie’s shore leave was taken
care of, perhaps he would accept Dr. McCoy’s invitation to join him at a few
selected shore leave spots.
Yes,
indeed, this journey to Babel was shaping up to be much better than the last!
Chapter 6
“I’m
impressed, Bones. How did you find this place?”
“I have
my ways. Now”—McCoy scanned the lounge—“Ah! Gena. Come over here and meet my
captain.” He waved to a dark-haired woman and her companion.
McCoy
was always at his Southern best when entertaining the ladies, and Kirk played
along, enjoying the downtime. It was rare when he found the time to relax, and
he was grateful that the Crynns were a stubborn and obstinate people. It made
for a long, drawn-out conference.
So far,
according to the news updates, nothing of significance had been decided. The
spokesmen for the Crynn Colonies had spent two full mornings addressing the
council—stating their desperate need and their desire to receive aid from the
Federation. Afternoons were spent fielding questions from the floor. The Crynns
showed video clips of attacks from the terrorists, which was sure to move the
delegates to tears.
In spite
of the way Crynn had originally turned its back on the Federation, it appeared
the conference delegates were beginning to show support for the besieged world.
After all, weren’t they originally from Earth? And wasn’t it the Federation’s
responsibility to assist the trampled peoples of the galaxy?
For
once, James Kirk was not involved in the decision-making process of the
policies of the Federation, and he liked it that way. Becoming involved in
politics invariably led to trouble for his ship.
A few more days of
shore leave will certainly be welcome, he decided as he enjoyed another
round of drinks with his chief medical officer and their companions. His
beeping communicator startled the captain from his daydreaming.
“Kirk
here.”
“Captain,” Spock said. “Lieutenant Uhura has
been monitoring the local broadcasts covering the conference. An incident has
erupted that may soon concern us. I suggest you and Dr. McCoy return to the
ship at once.”
“Spock,”
McCoy chimed in over Kirk’s shoulder, “there’s nothing in the Crynn conference that could possibly concern us.”
“Captain,”
Spock replied, ignoring the doctor, “The probability of Starfleet Command
contacting us in the next ten minutes is high.”
McCoy
opened his mouth to snap a rebuttal, but Kirk waved him aside. “Very well, Mr.
Spock. I’ll be right up. Kirk out.” He snapped his communicator shut and turned
to McCoy. “Bones, you have ten minutes to report back to the ship.”
“I’ll go
with you now, Jim,” McCoy decided with a sigh. “As irritating as that Vulcan
is, he’s usually right.” He turned mournfully to the ladies. “I knew this shore
leave was too good to last.”
“We’d
better head back ourselves if something’s going on over at the conference.
Thanks for the drinks, gentlemen.”
“Our
pleasure,” Kirk said easily. He turned to the doctor. “Let’s go.”
“A
report just came in. The terrorists have struck here on Babel.”
“Here?
How is that possible?”
“Unknown
at this time, sir.”
Kirk
turned and focused on the view screen. The camera showed the Babel council
chambers in an uproar. Hundreds of delegates appeared confused. Some looked
hysterical. He exchanged a brief look with his first officer then gave all his
attention to the scene being played out before him.
Everyone
was speaking at once. The gavel banged down again and again, but no one paid
any attention. Then the camera zoomed in on a young newscaster.
“As you
can see,” the woman was saying, “the council chambers are in chaos. The
terrorists’ actions have struck fear into the heart of each and every delegate.
As of this moment, no demands have been made. All we have are scenes of the
massacre atop Mount Nanson.”
The view
shifted to a pristine scene of a grassy meadow, surrounded by gently waving
evergreen trees. A dozen armed security guards combed the area; runabout
shuttles cruised through the sapphire-blue sky; and news teams swept the scene
with their cameras.
“What
happened?” Kirk demanded. “What have the terrorists done?”
Before
Spock could reply, the scene returned to the council chambers and the young
newscaster. Her face was ashen.
“For
those of you who have just tuned in,” she said, “here is what we know so far.
Twenty minutes ago, a security guard assigned to one of the dozen groups
touring Lacey City during the week of the conference failed to check in. This
prompted an immediate search of the area this particular group was seeing—Mount
Nanson. When security arrived at the top of the hill, they found the bodies of
three guards and discovered a charred area, where a runabout shuttle may have
taken off. The terrorists left behind a data tape marked with GLO: Galactic
Liberation Organization. This is the group responsible for the attacks on the
Crynn Colonies.”
The
newscaster took a deep breath and continued her story. “What the tape contains,
and why the terrorists would so rashly attack a tour group, remains a mystery.
How they were able to succeed is even more disturbing. This is Alish Hayara,
reporting from the Babel Council Chambers, with breaking news of the
terrorists’ strike into the heart of the Federation. Stay tuned for further
developments.”
Kirk
made a slashing motion, and the screen returned to a view of Babel. Before he
could speak, Uhura announced, “Captain, there’s a Priority One signal from
Admiral Komack.”
“On
screen,” Kirk snapped. His head was spinning from the newscast.
The
anguished face of the admiral filled the screen. “Captain Kirk, I’m glad to see
you aboard ship.”
“I was
recalled only moments ago. What are they carefully not saying on the news?”
The
admiral took a deep breath. “The local law enforcement turned the GLO tape and
every scrap of evidence over to Starfleet when they realized it was a terrorist
attack. We viewed the tape, and it’s the worst possible scenario. I need the Enterprise. You’re the only heavy
cruiser in orbit, and we’ve got to move fast on this one.”
“Let me see the recording.”
Admiral Komack pushed a button, and immediately the screen darkened. The entire bridge fell silent at the eerie symbol and the words that flashed from the darkened screen:
We Will Prevail
A
muscular young man stepped into view. He folded his arms across his chest and
said nothing. His dark, shoulder-length hair hung in greasy hanks around his
face. He brushed it aside carelessly and refolded his arms.
“My
name is not important,” he said. “Nor are the names of my companions. You will
learn them soon enough. The entire quadrant will know our names and shake with
fear. We fight a war you cannot win, not even the mighty Starfleet of the
Federation. We spit on your weapons. We laugh at your attempts to hunt us
down.”
He
unfolded his arms, and the camera panned a large cavern filled with more than a
hundred people. Most looked human, but many were Orions and Andorians, with the
burly forms of a few Klingons sprinkled among the crowd.
“We
are the Galactic Liberation Organization.” The camera focused once again on the
fierce young man. “We claim the planet Crynn. We intend to liberate the people
of Crynn from their foolish ideals and high-minded superiority. However, it has
come to our attention that the United Federation of Planets has stuck their
big, fat noses into our business and are considering coming to the aid of this
colony.”
He
moved closer to the camera pick-up until it showed only his cold, black eyes.
“Hear us, Babel delegates. The Federation will stay out of the private affairs
of this sector of the quadrant. Crynn is not in the Federation, nor will we
allow it to become a member. Starfleet’s meddling will not be endured.”
He
folded his arms and backed away. “We have only one demand: the Babel Council
will vote within the next seventy-two hours to withhold aid from the Crynn Colonies. In order to ensure the
vote for aid fails, we have taken a number of valuable hostages. They will
remain guests of the GLO until we have assurance the Federation has complied
with our demands.”
A
cruel smile appeared on his face. “I know you will send your pitiful Starfleet
after us. You won’t find us. Use your state-of-the-art sensors and warp-trail
analyses as often as you like.” He chuckled. “There is a starship in orbit
around Babel as I speak. Send it. Search the quadrant for us. It will keep your
ineffectual Starfleet busy while the vote is being taken.”
The
man lowered his arms. “One final word. We killed the guards in order to secure
our hostages. We are not afraid to kill again. If our demand is not met, the
hostages will die. Crynn is ours. Vote to keep it that way.”
The
image faded, to be replaced with the haggard face of Admiral Komack. “As of
1430 hours this star date, the Enterprise
is ordered to go after the terrorists. Track them down, Jim,” he pleaded.
“Find some way to rescue those hostages and do it in less than three days. The Enterprise is the best ship we’ve got.”
Kirk
stared at the admiral. “Three days?”
“I’m
afraid so. The council can put off the GLO a few more hours with some fast
talking, but it won’t take them long to see through the ploy.”
“I’ll
need an hour to recall my crew,” Kirk said, strangely apprehensive. There was
something not quite right about this situation. It tickled the back of his mind
and filled him with dread. “Have you learned who these hostages are?”
Komack
fiddled with a printout then held it up. “I have it right here, Jim. It’s our
worst nightmare. Ten young children, plus a tour guide by the name of Mindy
Benn—”
“Are you
certain?” Kirk snapped his interruption.
“Yes. President
Shylar’s grandson, ambassadors’ children, the king of Araby’s son. All
extremely valuable hostages. Their parents are hysterical. They feel helpless,
betrayed—” He broke off. “What’s wrong, Jim?”
Kirk
gripped the armrests to keep his shaking hands still. His stomach clenched in a
mixture of white-hot rage and cold terror. “I think Jamie’s part of that
group.”
He
closed his eyes to get a grip on himself. “And now she’s gone.”
Chapter 7
I can’t stop shaking. I am so scared.
Jamie
huddled on the deck of the cramped runabout shuttle, squished between Shaull
and J’nai. Sobbing children surrounded her, and Jamie knew she was not far from
doing the same.
A guard
shoved them together with a string of profanities. “Closer, brats. There’s not
enough space in here for a rat to breathe. Move closer!” He gave a blubbering
J’nai a rough push. J’nai slammed into Jamie.
Jamie’s
stomach lurched. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to think about Ensign
Murray’s limp, bloodied body lying in the meadow at the top of Mount Nanson.
Essak’s bodyguard, Moshi, lay dead also, as did Ensign Parkhurst. Imagining
their lifeless forms made her choke.
But that
wasn’t the worst of it.
Jamie
raised her head and peeked over RiAnn’s shoulder toward the front of the
runabout. Tears sprang to her eyes at the sight of Mindy Bennett talking freely
with the other two security guards—people Jamie and the others had come to know
and trust.
She was
so frightened she wanted to throw up. A strong, acid taste came to her throat,
and she choked back a sob.
“Don’t
think about it.”
Shaull’s
quiet, logical voice penetrated Jamie’s terror. She turned around and looked at
the Vulcan boy. All she could see were his dark eyes close to her face. He
reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. He nodded toward Mindy and the
guards. “Push it aside to think about another time.”
“How?”
Shaull
gave her a serene Vulcan look. “A logic lesson, one that will make your Mr.
Spock proud for your concise recording of the facts that led up to this
intolerable situation.”
He
reached his other hand and gripped Jamie’s arm. “When we return to Babel, the
authorities will want to know what happened. If we put it in order now, we will
be able to tell them. Perhaps our testimony will help prevent anything like
this from ever happening again.”
Jamie
gulped back a sob and gave her friend a slight nod. Her pounding heart returned
to normal. “All right. I’ll try.” She closed her eyes.
Let’s see. Everything started out
normally enough . . .
This was
the fifth day Jamie had spent with her new friends, and she felt as if she had
known them all her life. Shaull was a younger version of Mr. Spock, and Essak
was just plain fun. He had a ready smile and was full of practical jokes, which
landed him in trouble nearly every day.
Glancing
behind her shoulder, Jamie glanced past the four security guards. Moshi was
still tagging along also. All five men appeared to share the same frustrated
looks.
“I think
Moshi’s mad at you, Essak,” she said, giggling. “He doesn’t want you to run so
far ahead.”
Essak
dismissed Moshi with a wave of his hand. “He’s convinced an assassin lurks
behind every tree along this trail. He can scold me as much as he likes, but
I’m going to have fun on this hike. Look! He’s helping with the slowpokes.”
Moshi
was swinging one of the Andorian twins onto his shoulders.
Shaull,
Essak, and Jamie increased their pace when J’nai and company broke into a run
to catch up. “Hey, wait for us!” Clarence bellowed. He was breathing hard.
His
companions yelled similar commands, but the three ahead paid no attention. They
continued up the gradually increasing incline toward the top of a small hill.
It promised a panoramic view of the city of Lacey and the surrounding
countryside.
“Mindy!”
RiAnn screeched. “Aren’t we supposed to stay together? Tell those three to wait
up.”
RiAnn’s
whining spurred Jamie and her friends to run even faster up the trail. They
scrambled to the top of a huge boulder and waved to the group far below.
“They’re
gaining on us,” Essak said a minute later. “Let’s get to the top.”
The
three scrambled down from the boulder and hurried on their way.
“Wait
for us!” Derek yelled. “We see you. Wait up!”
“We’re
here.” Shaull rounded the last corner and stopped. Jamie and Essak came to a
halt just behind him.
Jamie
glanced around the grassy meadow. “It’s beautiful. Just the place for a picnic.
Where shall we wait for the others?”
“I’ve
got an idea,” Essak said. “We should hide until they come, then jump out and
scare the living daylights out of them.”
“For
what purpose?” Shaull wanted to know.
“No
reason. It’s just for fun.”
“It
doesn’t sound like fun to me.”
“That
figures.” Essak rolled his eyes. “It’s because you’ve been sheltered on Vulcan,
my friend. Just do what I do. I do stuff like this all the time back on Araby.
I drive my sisters crazy.” He waved at another huge boulder near the trailhead.
“Let’s hide behind that boulder and really scare them.”
“Wait.”
Shaull pointed across the meadow. A glint of silver sparkled through the trees.
“What is that?”
“I don’t
know.” Jamie shaded her eyes.
Shaull
stared long and hard into the forest. “I believe it is some sort of shuttle, or
perhaps a ground car or flitter.”
“Maybe
we get to ride back to the city,” Jamie suggested with a grin. “J’nai would
like that.”
Essak
laughed and motioned the others around the boulder. “Come on. They’re almost
here. I can hear them just around the bend.”
They
quickly ducked behind the boulder. Jamie pressed her hand over her mouth to
keep from giggling.
“Get
ready for them,” Essak whispered.
“Mindy!”
It was Derek. “Where are the others? They’ve disappeared.”
“They’re
probably hiding,” Clarence replied sourly. “Getting ready—”
With
shouts and squeals, Jamie and Essak leaped out at their victims. Shaull came
behind, observing and shaking his head. “A strange custom.”
The
twins and little York shrieked in delight and ran toward the meadow.
Just
then, a loud grunt yanked Jamie’s attention from their joke. She gasped. Ensign
Murray clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground. Two more loud thumps,
and Ensign Parkhurst and Moshi lay next to Murray, groaning.
J’nai
screamed. RiAnn crumpled to a heap on the grass. The rest of the children
stood, frozen in horror and uncertainty.
Jamie
whirled and watched Mindy and the other two guards returning wicked-looking
weapons to their belts. Instantly, Jamie’s world flipped upside down. Her heart
flew to her throat. Run! The communicator she’d forgotten about all week
screamed to her.
Her legs
took off, and the rest of her body followed. She fled down the trail. Run!
Hide! Use the communicator. Go home! Her thoughts chased around and around
inside her head.
“Go
after her!” Bishop roared.
A large
guard pounded after her.
Bishop
blew a whistle, and three armed men ran over. “Get the boy!” He pointed at a
fleeing Essak. He was running in the opposite direction from Jamie.
Mindy
and the other men surrounded the remaining children. The twins and York were
crying, while Derek and Clarence stood, eyes wide with fear. Shaull’s face was
a mask of stone.
“You
can’t even gather a bunch of kids without messing it up?” Mindy shouted. “I
made it as easy for you as I could.”
Jamie
didn’t hear any reply. She was tearing down the trail as fast as she could. Her
lungs heaved. Don’t stop! Don’t stop!
Hide!
There
was no time to hide. The trail was steep. It pulled her down like something
alive. She dared not look back, but the huffing of the burly guard told Jamie
he was only yards behind her.
Suddenly,
she slipped. Loose pebbles and pine needles gave way. Jamie slid to the ground
with a yelp. Her knees and shoulder screamed with pain, but she pulled herself
up and limped ahead, clenching her teeth with each step. Faster! Faster!
Then she
tripped again and slid off the trail, down a steep bank of underbrush. She
slammed to a sudden halt against a giant tree trunk. Dazed, she looked up.
Towering
over her was the terrifying figure of Evans, the other security guard. He
placed his hand on his hips and shook his head. “Nice try, kid, but there’s
really no place to go.” He grabbed Jamie’s arm and yanked her to her feet.
Jamie
bit back a sob. She hurt all over.
Evans pulled her up the steep bank and back onto the trail.
He swung her over his shoulder and grunted. “Ya know what, kid? You’re a real
pain.”
Jamie
didn’t answer. She was too miserable.
Chapter 8
Shaull was right. By the time I finished remembering, the
details of the hike, Mindy’s betrayal, and those dead guards were forever burned
inside my head. And boy, I’m happy to get up in a Federation court and tell the
judge everything I saw. I feel calmer too, even though the other kids are still
blubbering. I just try to ignore them. But I can’t ignore my shoulder and my
knees. They sting something awful from my slide down the trail.
By the
time Jamie stashed her tri-corder back inside her backpack, the runabout
shuttle had started slowing down. Jamie rose to her knees and looked past the
other children. Through the front window, Babel loomed huge, all browns and
blues. The shuttle was in orbit. But for how long?
Cautiously,
she stood up and steadied herself against the bulkhead. Near the front of the
shuttle, Mindy and the other terrorists were gazing out the windows.
“What
are you doing?” Essak whispered. He caught her jacket. “Do you want ’em to come
over here and knock you down?”
Jamie
ignored Essak aside and kept looking. Babel wasn’t the only large object
filling the view. A large cruiser was making its way closer to the shuttle. Her
heart skipped. “This is bad,” she whispered. “Really bad. We’re going to dock
on that ship.”
Essak’s
eyes widened. “Why?”
Jamie
shook her head and slumped to the deck. She couldn’t answer. The knowledge was
too awful. That cruiser had warp drive. It could take them far away from Babel,
far away from the Enterprise, in a heartbeat.
And
nobody would ever find them.
Jamie
pulled her knees up to her chin and tried to shut out the commotion around her.
Would the others never stop crying? Blood from her scraped knees showed through
her torn leggings. Tiny particles of dirt and rocks were embedded in one knee.
She picked them out one by one.
I want to go home! Oh, Daddy, please
come get me.
Jamie
rubbed her eyes, but a few tears leaked out. She reached into her pocket to
find a tissue, and something hard struck her hand. Jamie caught her breath. Her
communicator!
The Enterprise was orbiting Babel, just like the little runabout shuttle. Her
hand curled around the precious device, and she drew it out. She stared at the
shiny metal cover. Open it, she told
herself. Open it and press the red
button. Before anyone can stop me, I’ll be back on the ship. Safe.
Jamie
tore her gaze from the communicator and glanced at her companions. J’nai’s eyes
were closed, and she was trembling. The other children were sniveling.
“What
are you doing?” Shaull nudged her.
Jamie’s
eyes brimmed with tears. “I want to go home. I’m scared, and I want my father.”
“So do
we.” He touched the communicator. “Will you transport away and leave us
behind?”
“Yes . .
. no . . . I don’t know,” Jamie stammered. Her hands shook. “As soon as I beam
aboard, my dad can get a fix on you. Then Scotty will beam all of you out . . .
too . . .”
Her
voice trailed away at the look on Shaull’s face. It read, Who are you trying to fool?
Jamie
looked at the Andorian twins. They were scared too, probably more scared than
Jamie was. Could she leave them?
And
what about Essak and Shaull? A verse from Grandma’s big black Bible back on
Earth brushed her thoughts. “There is a friend that sticks closer than a
brother.”
Jamie
wouldn’t be much of a friend if she abandoned her friends.
As
soon as the terrorists heard the whine of the transporter, they would figure it
out. In seconds, they’d warp out of orbit before the Enterprise could beam the others aboard too. The terrorists were
evil, but they were far from stupid.
Jamie
would be safe, but—
“You’re the daughter of a starship
captain,” her father’s
words from a week ago whispered in her head. “Not an ambassador’s spoiled girl. Our job is to protect Federation
citizens.”
Jamie
bit her lip. She couldn’t use the communicator. She couldn’t transport away and
leave her friends behind. Instead, she’d prove she was a real Starfleet cadet by sticking by them, no matter how scared she
was.
A
rumbling vibrated the little runabout. A moment later the shuttle whined to a
stop.
“What’s
happening?” RiAnn asked in a frightened whisper.
“I
believe we just docked inside a larger ship,” Shaull answered.
There
was a louder, deeper rumble, then a split-second shriek of metal. Then silence.
Jamie
looked at the communicator in her palm. It was too late to beam anywhere now.
The shuttle had vanished into warp space. Her communicator was useless.
Shaull
curled Jamie’s fingers around the device. “Thank you,” he said softly. “Thank
you for staying. And do not despair, my friend. A Starfleet communicator is a
useful device. There are ways to use it to our advantage.” He lowered his
voice. “Keep it hidden—and keep it safe.”
Jamie
carefully slipped the communicator to her jacket pocket. Then she leaned
against the bulkhead and allowed her tears to flow. She turned her head away
from Shaull, embarrassed that the Vulcan boy should see her in such an
emotional state.
Shaull
leaned over and whispered in her ear. “As a famous philosopher on Vulcan once
said, ‘There are always possibilities.’”
Jamie
wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve and smiled through her tears. “Or,
as the Klingons say, ‘Survive and succeed.’”
Shaull
nodded.
The door’s
soft chime sounded once. Twice. Three times.
Kirk
clasped his hands behind his head. “Come.”
The door
to his quarters slid open. A square of yellow light glowed against the floor of
the unlit cabin, outlining a dark figure.
“Thought
I’d find you here.” Dr. McCoy glided into the cabin. The door slid shut behind
him.
“Illumination,
fifty percent,” Kirk ordered, pulling himself to a sitting position. The room
lit up.
“You look terrible,” McCoy remarked. He took a
few long strides to the table next to the bunk and set down a decanter.
“Saurian brandy.”
Kirk
waved it away, but McCoy poured a small amount into a glass and held it out.
“Doctor’s orders, Captain.”
Reluctantly,
Kirk took a swallow of the harsh liquid. It burned all the way down his throat.
But McCoy was right. The icy feeling in his stomach instantly disappeared, to
be replaced with a warmth that spread to his fingertips. He downed the rest of
the drink and handed the empty glass to the doctor. “Thanks.”
“No
charge,” McCoy said with a grin. Then he sobered. “Jim, I know this sounds
wholly inadequate, but . . . I’m sorry.”
Kirk
gazed at his friend. “I’ve been lying here thinking about what I’d like to do
when I catch up with those terrorists.” He lifted his hands into a circle and
squeezed the air. “I want to take their slimy necks and choke the life out of
them for the terror they’re causing Jamie and those other children.”
He
clenched his fists. “I keep seeing her, over and over, huddled on the deck of
some rust-bucket, frightened and hurt, and I’m helpless.”
“At
least the admiral sent the Enterprise after
them,” McCoy reminded his friend. “He just as easily could have taken you off
the assignment when he learned Jamie was one of the hostages.”
Kirk
closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath. “That’s the worst of it,
Bones. I’ve got to be the captain, even though I’m torn up inside. I’ve
got to treat this like any other assignment. I can’t make it personal.”
McCoy
nodded. “I’m glad you realize that. If the unthinkable happens to Jamie, you
cannot make a vendetta out of this. You have to apprehend the terrorists and
bring them to trial, no matter what they’ve done.”
“I
know.” Kirk flopped onto his bunk and stared at the ceiling. “If the admiral
knew how I really feel, he’d never have let me take the Enterprise after the terrorists.”
“He
trusts you, Jim. He knows you’ll do your job and do it well.” McCoy rose. “When
are you returning to the bridge?”
“When
there’s something to report. I had Chekov set our initial course based on the
seven ships, all of which departed within the time frame of the terrorists’
estimated departure. Four of the ships’ flight plans take them into the Kotona
Sector. It’s as good a place as any to begin the search.”
“The
Cyrnn Colonies are located in the Kotona Sector, aren’t they?”
“A small
speck in the sector. Finding a needle in a haystack is child’s play compared to
tracking an unknown ship in an area the size of twenty solar systems. The
terrorists are having their little joke. They know we can’t track them. It’s
impossible.”
He
sighed. “But it makes it appear that Starfleet is doing something while the vote is being decided. And it gives me
something to do too, I guess. Between moping around my cabin, that is.”
The
shrill whistle of the cabin intercom sounded. Kirk flew from his bunk and
pressed the ’com. “Kirk here.”
Spock’s
face filled the tiny screen. “Spock here, Captain. Lieutenant Uhura just
retrieved a message buoy on the edge of the Melium System. It appears to be a
data dump from the terrorists.”
“I’m on
my way. Kirk out.” He glanced at McCoy. “So we’re on the right track, after
all.”
“Maybe,”
McCoy grumbled. “Or maybe they just want to make us think we are.”
Chapter 9
Clarence’s
hysterical outburst echoed inside the shuttle bay of the small,
Orion-registered cruiser. Larger than most ships of its class, the Rim Pride was fast and sleek. She could
outrun a starship at sub-light, and her newly modified phasers packed quite a
wallop.
A dozen
tiny, two-man fighters lined the bay, along with the stolen Starfleet shuttle,
which sat placidly against the far bulkhead.
The Rim
Pride was a fighting machine. She had created misery and terror for the
Crynn Colonies many times during the past few months.
Footsteps
clicked rapidly across the deck of the fighter bay. A tall, blond man
approached Clarence. “There will be no outbursts of this nature aboard the Rim Pride. While I sympathize with your
fear and uncertainty, you will maintain decorum at all times. Do you
understand?”
Clarence
gave the man a look of defiance. “I want to go home. Can you understand that, you filthy piece of terrorist
trash?”
“Perhaps
you will understand this.” His hand
landed a sharp smack to Clarence’s freckled face.
Clarence’s
defiance melted. He screamed and clawed at the man, begging for release. Then
he crumpled to the deck in a weeping mass.
The man pulled him up by his jacket and tossed
him against the wall. Then he turned to face the other children.
“My name is Captain Sean Finnegan,” he
announced in a clear, controlled voice. “Welcome aboard my ship, the Rim Pride. The Galactic Liberation
Organization has hired me to look after you and see that you reach their base
in one piece. As long as you behave, you will be treated well.” He thrust a
thumb over his shoulder. “Act like the spoiled brats you are, and this boy’s
fate will be your own.”
“Let us
go now,” Essak said, “and I will intercede with my father on your behalf. Your
lives may yet be spared.”
Finnegan
regarded the Arab boy with interest. A grin cracked his face. “You’ve got guts,
young prince.” He gave Essak a mocking bow.
Essak’s
face darkened in fury. “Clarence is right. You are a filthy piece of terrorist trash.”
Finnegan
looked pained. Then, quick a lightening, he reached out and slapped Essak
across the face.
Essak
didn’t flinch. He stood firm, his arms crossed defiantly across his chest. “I
am a king’s son,” he remarked at Finnegan’s surprised expression. “You have
just forfeited your life for striking me.”
Finnegan
patted Essak on the head. “I like you, king’s son.” He waved a careless arm
over the group. “Enough of this. I’ve come to tell you that we are making a
visual recording of each of you. We want to assure your parents and the
delegates of the Crynn Conference that you are alive and well. You may say
anything you like on the tape, but each of you have only one minute. Tell them
the name of my ship. I don’t care. Tell them my name. It doesn’t matter.
They’ll learn soon enough that all their searching is to no avail. Now—”
Finnegan
indicated the huge guard, Reynolds, who was holding a video recording device in
his hand. “I believe you already know Reynolds. Let us begin.” He pointed to
Essak. “You, Prince. You go first.”
Uhura
swiveled her chair around to face her captain. “I’ve been scanning all
broadcasts, all unusual signals originating in this corridor. Without warning,
a powerful signal sliced through the others, overriding everything for fifty
square light years. I traced it to the Mesium System, but it did not originate
from any of the planets. I narrowed it down and found it was a free-floating
message buoy sending out a greatly enhanced signal.”
She
fixed her gaze on Kirk. “Somebody went out of their way to make sure we tripped
over this.”
Kirk
chewed on his thumb. “Can you figure out its point of origin?”
“I’m
sorry, Captain. I tracked it six—maybe seven—light years in the direction of
the Tau Ceti System, but then it faded away to nothing.”
“Tau
Ceti? That’s ninety degrees off the direction we’re headed.”
“The
terrorists may be flying circles around us, Captain,” Sulu said, “in order to
keep us guessing.”
“I
agree,” Spock added. “The odds of pinpointing the terrorists’ location from
this buoy are 96,738 to one.”
Kirk
threw an annoyed glance in his first officer’s direction. “Thank you, Mr.
Spock. I won’t waste the bridge crew’s time trying to extrapolate
trajectories.” He turned to the screen. “Play the recording, Uhura. Let’s see
what the GLO has to say.”
The
screen darkened. A young woman stepped in front of the camera. “My name is
Mindy Bennett. You know me as your children’s tour guide, but I have more
important work. We hold the Federation children hostage. For now, they are in
good health. No harm has come to them.
“We have
put together a brief visual recording of each hostage. We wish to assure the
parents and the Crynn Conference that the children are safe and are being
treated well. To the ship that intercepts this message buoy, we instruct you to
turn over this data file to the authorities on Babel.” The woman smiled. “Crynn
delegates, you now have a little over two days to comply with our demand.”
The
screen began to play a scene that would haunt Kirk and his officers for the
rest of their lives. One by one, each child was placed in front of the camera
and told to speak.
Dark
eyes blazing, a handsome Arab boy spoke fervently in Arabic. He looked neither
frightened nor upset but spoke with emotion and much gesturing. Kirk had no
idea what the boy was saying, but he couldn’t help smiling. It looked like this
boy could give his captors a run for their money.
Two
little Andorian girls didn’t say anything at all. They cried and held each
other tightly. They were obviously scared out of their wits. Kirk’s heart went
out to the small girls, and murmurs of sympathy came from the crew. Then a
tall, proud-looking Vulcan boy spoke quietly for a full minute. Spock raised an
eyebrow and looked thoughtful at the boy’s Vulcan’s words.
When
Jamie appeared, the bridge crew fell silent. She looked rumpled and frightened,
but not as miserable as Kirk expected. Although a scrape covered one cheek, and
she looked like she could use a bath, she seemed in good shape. Kirk let out a
silent prayer of thanks and sighed his relief.
Jamie
brushed aside her tousled hair and straightened her dirt-encrusted jacket. “I
don’t like it here, Daddy,” she said with a brave smile. “It’s cold, dirty, and
full of mean people. Before we boarded, I tried to escape, but one of the
guards caught me and carried me back. Then, when we were in the runabout, I
wanted to come home. But I thought about what you told me—you know—about
remembering who I am. I couldn’t leave the others. I just couldn’t.”
She paused
then went on. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Everything happened so fast. I couldn’t bring
everybody with me, so I stayed. But Shaull says he’ll figure something out.
He’s way smart cuz he’s a Vulcan, just like—”
She
broke off and glanced off-screen. “Well, like you-know-who.” She took a deep
breath and finished in a hurry. “Don’t worry. I’ll be brave, and I’ll make you
proud. But I’m scared. Really scared. Please hurry up and come for us.”
That was
all.
Two more
shaking girls; a plump, pasty-faced boy; a red-haired boy; and a stocky,
curly-haired youth spoke in turn, but Kirk barely listened. His mind was
racing. When the tape ended, he turned to Uhura. “Let me hear again what Jamie
said. I think she’s trying to tell us something. In her inexperienced way,
she’s giving us information she we can use. But what?”
Twenty
minutes and six replays later, Kirk sat around the briefing table with his
department heads. “Well? What are your thoughts?”
Lt.
Frazier from linguistics spoke up. “As far as I can tell, there’s no code woven
into her speech.”
McCoy
snorted. “She’s not even ten years old, Frazier. Were you really expecting a
Starfleet code?”
“Bones,”
Kirk said, “I want every avenue explored.”
Spock
rested his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers, clearly deep in
thought. “I believe the part about wanting to come home and not being able to
bring everyone with her refers to using the communicator. There must have been
a few moments before the shuttle docked with the larger ship when she could
have signaled the ship. She chose not to.”
“Why didn’t she press the emergency recall?”
Kirk asked.
“Would you
beam out of danger and leave even the lowliest ensign behind?” McCoy asked.
“Of course, you wouldn’t. Jamie’s your daughter. She couldn’t leave the others,
either. That was a brave act for a child. You should be proud of her.”
Kirk
folded his hands tightly and rested them on the table. “Yes, you’re right. But
it doesn’t make me feel any better.” Before another wave of hopelessness
engulfed him, he plunged on. “I don’t think the terrorists are aware of Jamie’s
connection to the Enterprise. I think
that’s a good thing—not only for her, but for us, also.”
“I
agree,” Spock said. “In addition, I believe the communicator in her possession
is the key.”
“The key
to what, Spock?” McCoy asked.
“The key
to finding the terrorists.” He turned to Kirk. “Jamie mentioned the boy,
Shaull, would figure something out. He might try to use the communicator in a
way that gives them an advantage of some kind over the situation.”
“Don’t
suggest they’re going to turn the communicator into a phaser, Spock,” McCoy
scoffed.
“No,
Doctor. Even if the boy could do it, one phaser against a shipload of
terrorists would be suicide. However, while a communicator is useless in warp
space as a communications device, it is possible to rearrange the
micro-circuits to transform it into a transmitter capable of sending a signal
through warp space.”
“A
signal we could lock on to and follow?”
Spock
nodded. “Indeed, captain. It would be a very specific signal, one that could
only be identified as a communicator signal. I recommend putting our
communications department on full-time duty scanning this sector and the
neighboring ones for one specific signal—an altered communications beacon.”
“The boy
can do it?”
“With
the correct tools, Shaull could accomplish it easily.”
“And
without the right tools?”
“It may
take a little longer, but it can be done.”
“Excellent.”
He turned to Uhura. “Make a copy of the tape to transmit to Babel. The parents
are no doubt anxious to learn that their children are alive and well.”
Uhura
rose from her seat.
Kirk
held up his hand. “But I want the recording edited, Lieutenant. Cut out Jamie’s
part. Nobody on Babel knows her, but if the unedited recording is broadcast, it
will eventually come out. The more times they broadcast the kids’ speeches, the
greater the chance of it leaking back to the terrorists. If they learn that Jamie
is from the Enterprise, they’ll
probably discover the communicator.”
“Aye,
Captain,” Uhura replied.
Kirk stood. He felt a glimmer of hope. “This
briefing is adjourned. Stations, everyone.”
Chapter 10
Cadet’s Log,
Stardate Still Unknown
There is no day or night aboard this garbage scow. It’s
dim, dirty, and disgusting. I’m cold all the time, which means my Vulcan
friend, Shaull, is probably half frozen. Vulcans don’t like cold, on account of
they come from Vulcan, a hot, desert planet.
Something strange is happening. The snooty diplomats’ kids
are talking to me. A lot. They want to know where the mighty Captain Kirk is.
Why hasn’t he rescued us yet? Where is the Enterprise? When
will it get here? Why am I talking into that machine [my tri-corder]? The only
question I can answer is the one about the tri-corder. Whispering into it is
how I keep focused. When I feel like crying, I talk into my cadet’s log. But
the other questions? I’m asking them too. But I already know the answers. Daddy
is not coming anytime soon, not unless we can figure out a way to tell him
where we are. Because not even the Enterprise can find the Rim Pride
without any clues.
Derek
slammed his fist against the bulkhead. “We’ve got to do something!”
“Yeah?”
Essak fiddled with a piece of wire he’d found on the deck. He glanced up at the
annoying older boy. “Like what?”
“For one
thing,” Clarence put in, “we could all stop the sniveling. It’s getting on my
nerves.”
“That
sounds strange, in view of your earlier performance,” Shaull remarke. He slid
down the bulkhead and settled himself next to Essak.
Clarence’s
cheeks flamed. “All right. So, I lost control.” He shrugged and threw himself
to the deck. “It’s freezing in here.”
“We
know,” Essak snapped. “You don’t have to remind us.”
“I’m
scared,” S’hora whimpered.
T’helva
wrapped her arms around her sister. “I’m scared too.”
“So am
I,” Jamie said. “And I’m cold.” She pulled her jacket up around her shoulders
and sealed the closure. Then she wrapped her arms around her knees and leaned
back against the bulkhead.
Would
these horrid terrorists make them spend forever down here in the shuttle bay?
RiAnn
sniffed and turned to Jamie. “Where’s your father and his fancy starship,
anyway?”
Jamie
glared at RiAnn. “For the dozenth time, I don’t know. But he’ll come. You just
wait and see.”
“Sure,
he will,” Derek scoffed. “How’s he supposed to find us?”
“He
will,” Jamie insisted.
But
Derek asked an important question. How, indeed? She sighed and returned to
contemplating the rapidly widening holes in her leggings.
“The
captain will find us only if we show him the way,” Shaull said. “It is simple
logic. A ship needs a beacon to track a specific ship.”
Essak
looked up. “What are you thinking, Shaull? Do you have a plan?”
“I
believe so. May I examine your communicator, Jamie?”
“Her
communi—what?” RiAnn said.
Shaull
ignored RiAnn and held out his hand. “Let me see it?”
Jamie
shrugged and unsealed the pocket of her jacket. “Why not?” She pulled out the
shiny device passed it over to her Vulcan friend with only a little hesitation.
The
children gathered around Shaull.
“It’s
just a sat-phone,” Clarence remarked in disappointment. “It’s no good here.
They only work on a planet.”
“It is a
Starfleet communicator,” Shaull said. “Not
a sat-phone.”
“What’s
the diff?”
“There
is a vast difference, as you will shortly discover, assuming you allow me some
peace and quiet to think about this problem.” Shaull examined the outside
carefully, then opened the cover.
“Where
did you get it?” J’nai wanted to know.
“From my
dad,” Jamie replied.
Shaull
glanced up. “Jamie could have beamed over to the Enterprise before we went into warp space. She chose to stay here
with us.”
Eight
pairs of eyes stared at Jamie. RiAnn gasped.
Clarence
whistled. “I’d’ve beamed out of here if I’d had the chance.”
“It’s a
good thing she did not feel as you do, Clarence,” Shaull said with a very
un-Vulcan scowl. “We would truly be without hope. But thanks to Jamie, we now have
a Starfleet communicator, a gift I hope to use to our advantage.” He slid away
from the rest of the group. “Now, let me think about this.”
Jamie
joined the others and became interested in the ball and jacks the Andorian
twins were occupying themselves with. She was just beginning to get the hang of
the twins’ game, when Shaull called her back.
“Jamie,
I have a plan, but I’m going to need more light and some tools.”
“Well,
the light I can give you.” She pulled out a small flashlight from her backpack
and handed it over. “But I don’t carry micro-tools around.”
Shaull
sighed. “It would be so much easier if I had the proper tools.”
“What
would be easier?” Derek wandered over. The rest of the group gathered around to
watch.
Shaull’s
eyes shone with an intense, dark light. “I believe I can rearrange the
transmitting modules to transmit over a much greater range than is normal for these
ship-to-shore devices.”
“What’s
that in plain Federation English?” Derek asked.
“It
means he can mess around with the communicator and make it send out a signal
through warp space,” Essak said.
“Why
didn’t you just say so?”
Shaull
raised one eyebrow. “I did say so. Of course, the signal will only be
one way—transmitting. But if anyone is looking for us, they could find us. It
would be a noisy beacon.”
J’nai
caught her breath. “That little thing could bring Starfleet to the rescue?”
“Very
likely,” Shaull admitted. “If they’re looking in the right place.”
“That’s
a great idea, Shaull,” Jamie exclaimed. “Do it.”
“There
is a negative side.”
Jamie
lost her smile. “What?”
“First
of all, I will have to take the communicator apart. Permanently.”
Jamie
pressed her lips together. To lose another communicator was not her first
choice. But under the circumstances, her father might agree. “I think my dad
will forgive you for tearing it apart, especially if it helps him find us.”
“The
signal would be temporary,” Shaull added. “Twenty-four hours at the most. Then
the power supply will be completely drained.”
“Twenty-four
hours?” J’nai repeated. “That’s not very long.”
“A full
day. It’s enough time if Starfleet is already looking for us. We made that
video recording for the terrorists. They had to dump it somewhere for a ship to
pick up. If a starship is in the general area, the communicator signal should
reach it.”
He
turned to Jamie. “Do you think the Enterprise
is looking for us?”
“Yes,”
Jamie said as confidently as she knew how. “I know he isn’t sitting around in
orbit around Babel. He’s out here. I know he is. And he won’t give up. He never
gives up. The Enterprise crew is the
best in Starfleet.”
Shaull
agreed. “It will not take Mr. Spock long to piece together our situation. I
hinted the best I could during our recording. He knows by now that I can modify
the communicator. He must know. It is
up to us to do everything we can to show the Enterprise where we are.”
“I feel
like celebrating,” J’nai said.
“Do not
be premature,” Shaull warned. “There is one other small complication.”
“Another
one?” Clarence said sarcastically.
“Yes.
One that is much closer to our situation.”
“Go
ahead, Shaull. Spill it,” Essak said.
“When I
activate the transmitter, there is a chance the signal will show up on the
terrorists’ communications board. Hopefully, they will assume it is a glitch in
their equipment, a sensor ghost, an anomaly from space, or any number of
things, rather than what it really is.”
“That
doesn’t sound too good,” Derek muttered.
“It is a
risk me must take,” Shaull said.
“I’m
willing,” Jamie said. “I’d rather do anything than sit around and wait for bad
things to happen to us.”
“I
agree,” J’nai said, giving Jamie a rare smile. “Let’s try it.”
“Are we
all in agreement?” Derek asked.
There
were nods all around.
“Excellent,”
Essak announced. He turned to Shaull. “Now then, my Vulcan friend, what do you
need to fix this little box up?”
Shaull
described the tools he needed. The entire group crept away to look for little
scraps of metal and wire that could be fashioned into crude instruments, while
Shaull began to carefully take apart the back of the communicator.
They
returned later with a double handful of junk—screws, wires, springs, metal,
small chips of gemstones, any number of potentially useful or useless items,
which Shaull inspected in a hurry. His eyes lit up at some of the stuff. He
chose a piece of metal here and a wire there, then he sat down.
“I need
the light,” he announced.
Jamie
settled herself next to the Vulcan boy and held her small but powerful
flashlight. Twice she felt herself falling asleep.
Finally,
Essak tapped her on the shoulder and held out his palm. “Let me take over.”
Jamie
nodded gratefully. She dropped the light into Essak’s hand, found a corner next
to the other girls, and curled up into a tight ball.
But sleep was a long time coming . . .
Chapter 11
Cadet’s Log,
supplemental
Terrorists are scary and mean. Oh, and did I mention bossy?
The main terrorist says he is NOT a terrorist, but he sure acts like one. The
captain of this rust bucket calls himself Sean Finnegan and he says he’s been
hired. I guess that makes him a … mercenary. That is a new word, one I could
have gone my whole life without learning. I wonder how long Captain Finnegan
and his band of mercenary outlaws plans to keep us.
“Everybody
up!”
The
harsh command jerked Jamie from a groggy sleep. She had spent the long, cold
hours shivering, drifting in an out of a fitful sleep, and taking turns helping
Shaull with his project. She was not ready to begin the day.
Or was
it still nighttime?
The
lights rose to full intensity, and the brightness bored painfully into her
head. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed it was all a nightmare.
No such
luck. Evans grabbed her by the jacket and lifted her to her feet in one rough
motion. “Let’s go, kid.”
Jamie
tried to stand. Her legs felt wobbly, her knees ached, and her shoulder felt
like she’d slammed into a bulkhead at warp speed. Cringing, she limped after
the others. They staggered out of the docking bay and through the narrow
corridors of the Rim Pride.
Jamie
glanced around. Shaull’s and Essak’s eyes were open too. They took in each
hatchway, each new corridor. Jamie followed suit. It might not be a bad idea to
learn her way around this rust bucket. It might come in handy one day.
It was
easy to remember their route. The Rim
Pride was not even a quarter the size of the Enterprise, and Jamie had learned her way around the starship in
less than a week. Regardless of size, most ships were laid in much the same
way, and the Rim Pride was no
exception.
I bet engineering is down that corridor, she thought. She craned her neck to
read the sign beside a bright red door, but it was in a strange, foreign
script.
The ship
had no turbolifts, but the ladders to the upper deck were easy to navigate.
After the first yelp of pain from a slow-moving prisoner, the others scampered
up like monkeys.
“This
way,” Evans ordered. “Come on. Let’s go. Mealtime.”
This was
welcome news. Jamie had had nothing to eat since breakfast, either yesterday or
the day before. The few skimpy snacks from her backpack didn’t count. Her
stomach was complaining with loud growls and painful cramps. She glanced
eagerly into the galley then froze. Sitting at the tables were beings of every
description.
Two
scruffy humans lounged against the far wall, observing the new arrivals. They
said nothing, but merely grunted their opinion. A handful of Orion pirates sat
near the doorway, downing their breakfast with loud slurps and rude belches.
They stopped and stared with interest at the ragged group of children.
“They
won’t get much on the market, unless you clean ’em up.” The Orion nearest the
door sniffed. “Don’t smell too good, neither.”
His
companion reached out and grasped a fistful of Jamie’s hair. “I bet under the
dirt there might be something worth selling.” He guffawed at the look of terror
Jamie shot him. “Might be interesting to see how much we could make on the open
market of Rigel V.”
“These
kids aren’t going to market, Borsh, and you know it.” Finnegan stood in the
doorway, scowling at his crewman. He strode into the galley, took hold of the
Orion’s arm, and peeled his fingers from Jamie’s hair. “Don’t scare the kids,
please. They’ve been through enough.”
He
looked down at Jamie. “Borsh is just a talker, kid. You’re safe on the Rim Pride. Unless, of course, the vote
goes the wrong way. Then I just may hand all of you over to our Orion friends
here. They can make you disappear for good.”
Jamie quickly
put two and two together. They took us as hostages so the Federation
delegates would vote the way the terrorists wanted.
She
relaxed. The Babel delegates would do what the terrorists told them. They would
vote, and this nightmare would end. Yay!
But one
look at Essak’s pale face told her it wasn’t that simple. Chances were that
Essak knew way more about politics than a lowly Starfleet cadet.
Finnegan
motioned across the room at a young woman. “Mindy, let’s get our guests
something to eat. They look hungry and it’s been a while.”
Mindy
joined Finnegan. She seemed uneasy, as though she sensed the hostile stares on
her.
S’hora
summed it up. “Why, Miss Mindy? Why did you steal us and trick us? Don’t you
like us?”
Mindy
went down on her knees before the young Andorian girl and gripped her shoulders
in a friendly gesture. “S’hora, sometimes there are bigger things in the galaxy
to fight for. You don’t understand. We’re fighting for our right to—”
“For
your right to wage war and bring terror to the unsuspecting colonists on
Crynn!” Essak shouted, pushing his way to Mindy. “I know all about it. My
father told me what’s happening on the Crynn Colonies. Attacking them unawares.
They have no weapons, no defenses. You’re a bunch of dirty, cruel terrorists.”
“Think
what you like, Prince,” Finnegan snapped, “but don’t call me a terrorist. The GLO hired us. They pay me and my crew
well to do their bidding.”
Shaull
spoke up. “You’re mercenaries. You have no honor.” He glared at Mindy. “You
betrayed us for the oldest reason in the galaxy—currency.”
Finnegan
grinned. “Not just currency, Vulcan. A
lot of currency. Now, enough gabbing. Spread out, find a table, and eat
your breakfast. Then I’ll show you to your new quarters.”
“We
don’t have to go back to the docking bay?” RiAnn said.
“No,”
Finnegan replied. “It’s not the safest part of the ship, and we want to keep
you safe.”
Derek
plopped down at an empty table. Immediately, the rest of the children crowded
around him.
A
sinking feeling settled in Jamie’s stomach as she sat down between Essak and
T’hora. A green-skinned Orion with a straggly beard and greasy hair began
passing out bowls of a steaming, grayish liquid.
“There’re
no replicators on this ship?” She peered into her bowl and swallowed.
Finnegan
laughed. “This isn’t a passenger liner or a Starfleet vessel. The Rim Pride offers the real thing, cooked
to perfection by C’loony.” He gave a mock bow to an Andorian standing over a
pot of stew.
Jamie
continued to stare at her breakfast. Large, dark lumps of brown floated in the
gray liquid. She pushed the bowl away. “I’m not hungry.” She closed her eyes.
When she
opened them, Essak was looking at her, a grin on his face. His bowl was empty,
and he looked as if he were having a grand adventure. “Go ahead, Jamie,” he said.
“It’s really not so bad. Looks aren’t everything.”
Jamie
took a deep breath. “I’ll never, ever complain about starship food again,” she
whispered. Then she raised her bowl. Five gulps later her bowl was empty, but
her stomach burned at the new addition.
The rest
of the children swallowed their breakfasts without comment. They sat still,
staring at the strange crewmembers of the Rim
Pride.
“All
right,” Finnegan announced, “on to your new quarters.”
He and
Mindy led them down a corridor. A door slid open to reveal a spacious but
cluttered room. Mattresses and piles of blankets covered the floor. The
children rushed forward and threw themselves onto the floor coverings. York
grabbed a blanket and wrapped himself in it, grinning at the joy of being warm
and well fed at last.
“These
accommodations are not what you rich, spoiled kids are used to,” Finnegan said,
watching the scene, “but it looks like you’re adjusting. I knew time spent on
the cold hard deck of the docking facilities would soften you.” He pointed to a
door in the corner of the room. “Through there you’ll find the head.”
“The
head of what?” J’nai asked.
“The
bathroom,” Jamie told her.
Finnegan
gave her an odd look before nodding. “Do not leave this room. A guard will be
posted outside at all times.” With that, he stepped through the door. It
whooshed shut, and the children were left alone.
“The
temperature is much improved over that in the docking bay,” Shaull said. He
found a mattress and made himself comfortable.
“It’s
very warm,” Jamie agreed. For the first time since leaving the Enterprise, she unzipped her jacket and
shook it from her shoulders. Then she rolled it into something resembling a
pillow and laid it across the mattress. “Almost like home,” she mumbled,
snatching up a blanket. With a tired sigh, she snuggled down under the covers,
closed her eyes, and fell quickly to sleep.
The rest
of the children followed suit. Soon, the only sound from their quarters was the
soft echo of childish snoring.
“That’s strange,” Moira, the communication’s
officer, mumbled. Her fingers flew over her console. “Something’s not right,
Sean.”
Finnegan
left his chair in the center of the Rim
Pride’s bridge and sauntered over to the woman. “What now, Moira? You’re
always nagging about some glitch on that comm board.”
“We have
a signal leak. Almost undetectable, but it’s there.” She closed her eyes and
tried to concentrate on the beacon. “I don’t recognize it.” She cocked her head
at Finnegan. “And believe me, I’ve heard them all.”
“You say
it’s coming from inside the Pride?”
Moira
nodded.
Finnegan
tensed. “Could a ship detect it?”
She
shrugged. “Possibly, but unlikely. It’s faint, almost like an echo.”
“So,
what’s the problem?”
“I like
to keep my board clean and snappy. It’s dangerous to splatter your ship’s ID
all over the quadrant from a sloppy comm unit. It bothers me that we’re leaking
something I can’t clean up.”
“Is it
coming from your board?” A sliver of concern shot through Finnegan. His comm
officer was a worrier, but she’d saved the Rim
Pride more than once by acting on her suspicions.
“Definitely
not. My board is clean. No leaks. Not a whisper.”
“Why
don’t you run a program and see if you can trace the signal back to its
source.”
Moira
gave Finnegan a look of longsuffering. “I started the trace just before I
talked to you, but it will take a couple of hours to run the complete program.
I don’t want to take any shortcuts.”
Finnegan
agreed. “Let me know what you find. Oh, and send a subspace message to Paus at
the base. Let him know our ETA. I want the hostages transferred to a secure
location within minutes of our arrival.”
“Sure
thing.”
“Monitor
the Federation news frequencies for updates on what is going on with the vote.
I want to know the minute a decision is made.”
“Of
course, Sean. We all want to know.”
Rubin,
the Rim Pride’s navigator, spoke up.
“Speaking of the vote and the hostages.” He eyed Finnegan. “I heard a rumor
that the GLO doesn’t intend to return the kids, even if the vote goes like they
want. Is that true, Sean?”
“It’s
dangerous to listen to rumors, Rubin. Especially those kinds of rumors. The GLO is paying us a lot of money for
these kids. Once we dump ’em at the base, Paus can do whatever he likes with
them. I don’t think he’s about to let go of such valuable bargaining chips.”
“And
you, Sean?” Rubin persisted. “You’re in agreement?”
“They
hired us. We do what they say as long as they pay us.”
“What if
the vote goes sour?”
“So
what?” Finnegan slammed his palm against the console. “That will be the GLO’s
problem. As long as they pay us, I don’t care what happens.”
Rubin
laughed. “You’re a hard case, Sean.”
“I’m a
businessman.”
“A
businessman with an attitude.” Rubin chuckled. “We all know your grudge against
Starfleet. This little cat-and-mouse hunt you’ve got them on is half your fun,
isn’t it?”
Finnegan
scowled. “Get back to work.”
Rubin
grinned. “Aye, aye, skipper.”
Chapter 12
Captain’s Log, Stardate 2268.17
Twenty-two hours have passed since the Enterprise left Babel. Our search for the terrorists who hold ten innocent
children hostage has so far proven futile. Their ship has disappeared into a
sector of space crowded with heavy traffic. It is impossible to track a single
ship without knowing its identifying warp signal. Nor do we have the time to
stop each ship and search it. I admit the chances of finding the terrorists are
slim.
Since finding the data buoy in the
Mesium System, our sensors have been modified to pick up any weak but
distinctive communicator transmission. So far, our success in picking up any
such signal has proven futile, also. It is a distinct possibility there is no
signal to pick up. If that is the case, we have no hope of locating the
hostages.
He
stared at the view screen. The stars rushed by as distorted streaks of warp
space. Rushing to where? For all he knew, the Enterprise was racing at warp four in the opposite direction of the
terrorists.
Uhura,
anything on that signal?”
“Negative,
Captain. I’m beginning to listen for it in my sleep.”
“How
many people have you got on it?”
“A
dozen, monitoring around the clock.”
“Let me
know the second you pick it up.”
“Of
course, sir.” Uhura looked at her captain in surprise.
“What
about the news updates from Babel? Anything on the secure Starfleet channel?”
Spock
turned from his science station. “I’ve taken the liberty of monitoring the
council chambers. From what I can gather, things are—to put it
poetically—heating up. Many of the delegates are pushing for complying with the
terrorists’ demands, in spite of the fact that—”
“The
policy of the Federation for over two hundred years has been that we don’t
bargain with terrorists.” Kirk completed his first officer’s sentence.
“Yes.
Whatever the outcome, the Federation loses. If they comply with the terrorists’
demands and vote to deny membership and protection for the Crynn Colonies, no
system will be safe from this happening again. If, however, they refuse to give
in to the GSO and admit Crynn, the Federation will be viewed as heartless
monsters.”
Spock
paused. “Our Kobyashi Maru, if you
will.”
Kirk
looked up. “If you remember, Spock, I beat that no-win scenario.”,
“You
changed the conditions of the test so you could win.”
“I
intend to change the conditions of this Kobyashi
Maru too.”
“The
communicator signal is the pivotal point. If the Enterprise can find the terrorists’ ship before they return to
their base, it would give us a distinct advantage, especially if they were
unaware of our approach. I calculate the odds at—”
“Captain
Kirk!” Uhura’s voice was a gleeful shout. “I’ve picked up the communicator
signal. It is faint but steady.”
In a
heartbeat, Kirk barked his orders. “Chekov, plot a course to follow the signal.
Don’t lose it.”
“Aye,
Keptin.”
“Sulu,
as soon as our course is locked in, go to warp six. Mark and move, people. We
don’t know how long the signal will last.” He shot an anxious glance at Spock.
“Best guess?”
“Four
hours before the communicator’s power source is depleted.”
“Can we
catch them in time?”
“Unknown,”
Spock replied. “We have a signal, but no source.”
“Go to
warp seven,” Kirk ordered. “I want a warp trail or a ship’s ID in our sensors
long before our hours are up. If we have not made contact in one hour, go to
warp eight.”
Sulu and
Chekov turned and stared at their captain. “Warp eight, sir?”
“If necessary, we’ll push her to warp nine.”
He punched his console. “Engineering.”
“Scott
here.”
“I might
need warp nine. Can you give it to me?”
There
was a long pause. “Aye, Captain. I can coax warp nine from m’bairns if
absolutely necessary.”
“I hope
it won’t be, Scotty, but I intend to catch us some terrorists.”
“I’m for
that, sir.”
Kirk
grinned. Finally! Something he could do. The agonizing wait was nearing an end.
He felt the Enterprise leap forward
in response to his desperate need to take action.
Now, if only the signal lasts long
enough to identify a ship and source.
“Lt.
Uhura,” he said. “Send a coded message to Admiral Komack on Babel. We have
found what we believe is a transmission from the terrorists’ ship and are
pursuing at warp seven. Will inform you of our progress when we have them in
our sensors. Kirk, commanding Enterprise,
out.”
“With
pleasure, sir.” Uhura’s fingers flew over her board.
“I’ve
traced the leak,” Moira announced in a weary voice.
Finnegan
shook himself from his troubled thoughts and glanced at his Moira. The other
six members of the bridge crew looked up also.
“It’s
coming from the docking bay. It could be the comm board on one of the attack
fighters acting up. Somebody could have left one in the transmit position.”
Finnegan
let out a breath. “You’re certain?”
“No,
Sean, I’m not. I only know it’s somewhere in the bay. Maybe some bright boy
left the runabout’s comm board transmitting. It is a stolen Starfleet shuttlecraft, you know.”
Finnegan
looked thoughtful. “Doesn’t hurt to check it out.” He toggled a switch. “Hey.
Anybody near the docking bay?”
A harsh,
crackly voice came on-line. “Hogan here. What d’ya want?”
“Get a
few of the boys together and rummage around in the docking bay. Moira thinks
something is leaking a signal into space. Probably nothing to worry about, but
I want you to check it out.”
“Will
do, boss-man,” Hogan replied. “Brack and Jock are here with me. I’ll get back
to you if we find anything unusual.”
Finnegan
switched off the intercom and leaned back in his chair. “Does that satisfy you,
Moira?”
“Not
really. I just feel like something is wrong.”
“I hope
you’re mistaken this time.”
“When
has Moira ever been wrong about her feelings, boss?” Rubin piped up from the
helm.
“There’s
always a first time,” Finnegan grumbled. “Picking up anything on the sensors,
Piker?”
“Nope.
It’s bare and empty in this sector of space. We’ll pick up traffic in about six
hours, once we near Crynn.” He chuckled. “Friendly traffic.”
“Until
then,” Finnegan warned, “if you see anything out there, you holler good and
loud. I don’t like surprises.” With that, he cupped his chin in his hand,
leaned an elbow on his armrest, and stared out at the stars streaking by on the
view screen of the Rim Pride.
A
stunning surprise greeted Finnegan a few minutes later.
“Boss!”
Hogan stumbled onto the bridge. His companions were only seconds behind him. He
tossed a small metal device toward Finnegan.
Finnegan
snagged the object from the air. It was a communications device. The size,
shape, and what remained of the hinged cover gave its identity away. “This is a
Starfleet communicator.”
Silence.
Moira
left her station and gazed down at the small metal box. “Where did you find it?
Was it in the runabout? Maybe some Starfleet boy left it lying around.”
Hogan
shook his head. “If it was left behind, then it grew legs and walked right out
of the shuttle and into a corner of the docking bay. I found it wedged into a
behind a pile of trash.”
“Interesting,”
Finnegan remarked. “How do you suppose it got there?”
“Beats
me. I’ve never seen a Starfleet communicator, much less messed around with
one.” He grunted. “And it has been
messed with. Look inside.”
“Let me
see it,” Moira ordered. Carefully, she pried the back of the device open. A
jumble of tiny crystals and microchips lay before her. “Hogan’s right. Somebody
took this communicator and turned it into a long-range transmitter powerful
enough to travel through warp space.” She frowned. “This was done by an
expert.”
The
implications of her statement hung like a dark cloud over the bridge. Finnegan
rubbed at the stubble on his chin, wrinkled his brow in thought, and asked,
“Are you saying a starship could find us?” He pointed at the communicator.
“With that?”
“If
they’re looking in the right place, yes, it could.”
Finnegan’s
face turned dark. “That means we have a traitor in our midst.” He brought his
fist down with a crash.
Mindy
Bennett entered the bridge just then. “What’s going on? Hogan and his pals were
bellowing through the corridors like wild men.”
Finnegan
tossed the communicator to Mindy. “They found this planted in the docking bay,
all primed to lead a starship right to us. It was leaking a signal, but thanks
to Moira, we found it. Hopefully in time.”
“A
starship?” Mindy gaped at the communicator. “Could a starship really find us
with such a little thing?”
“There
isn’t much a starship can’t do,
Mindy,” Rubin put in. “And remember, there was a starship in orbit around
Babel. Paus pretty much dared the
ship to follow us. The Enterprise probably
took him up on it. Until now, I’d be laughing. Let ’em fly in circles.” He
shook his head gloomily. “But now . . . I’m not laughing.”
Finnegan’s
head snapped up. “The Enterprise was
in orbit around Babel?”
Rubin
shrugged. “Yeah. Didn’t you know?”
“I
didn’t know the ship’s name.” Finnegan’s voice dropped to a whisper. “The Enterprise.
James Kirk.” He shook his head and glanced at the view screen. “I hope we
plugged that leak before he got a whiff of it, Moira, or we are in a lot of
trouble.”
“Who’s
James Kirk?” Mindy handed the communicator back.
Finnegan
took a deep breath and let it out. “He’s the captain of the Enterprise. He and I attended Starfleet
Academy together, for a while, anyway.” His look turned hard. “I was an upper
classman and Jimmy was a plebe. He made up for my hazing him by stealing part
of my life and ruining my chances for a career in Starfleet.”
He
sighed. “A formidable enemy, my friends. Very, very dangerous. If anyone
can find us, Jimmy Kirk can.”
Mindy
was shaking her head. “I’ve heard the name Kirk before—somewhere—but I can’t
remember. It has to do with the conference.”
“The Enterprise carried a number of delegates
to Babel,” Rubin offered.
Mindy
shook her head. “It’s not that. Something closer. I . . .” Her voice trailed
off as she stared at the bridge ceiling. “Think,” she ordered herself. Then she
muttered, “I’ve been around kids so much this past week, I can’t think straight
any longer.”
Suddenly,
she clapped a hand against her forehead. “That’s it! The kids. One of the kids
in my group is a Kirk. Jamie Kirk. Sounds suspiciously like James Kirk.”
Finnegan
gaped at Mindy. “Jamie . . . Kirk?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Which kid?”
“The
spunky blond girl. A real bright kid. I like her. She told me she’s from Earth.
I assumed her parents were some upper-level Federation highbrows from Earth.
She, the Vulcan boy, and the prince are friends.”
Finnegan
let out a deep breath. “If what you say is true, and the kid belongs to Jim
Kirk, it’s very likely this communicator is hers. Throw a Vulcan into the mix,
and who knows what they could turn the device into. Sneaky little brats. Be
glad they didn’t turn it into a weapon.”
“What
are we going to do, Sean?” Rubin asked.
“Do?”
Finnegan tossed the communicator into the air and caught it with a smack of his
palm. Then he smiled. “I’m going to return Jamie Kirk’s communicator to her.”
He jerked his head toward the corridor. “Let’s go.”
Jamie
was hungry. It seemed like hours since their last meal, but no one had come
near their quarters. Her stomach rumbled.
“I
wonder when they’re serving the next meal,” RiAnn murmured, lying on her
mattress. She stared at the ceiling. “It must be way past noon.”
“It has
been exactly five hours and twenty minutes,” Shaull said.
Clarence
raised his head on his elbow and glared at Shaull. “What are you? A walking
chronometer?”
“Your
description is an accurate one. One of the disciplines I am studying is using
part of my mind to keep track of the passing of time. It is a fascinating
study, and one in which I am having a fair amount of success.”
“How do
you do it?” Essak asked. He leaned against the bulkhead.
“It is
part of the Komniahor Discipline for Vulcan youths. First of all, we are
instructed in—”
The door
slid open, interrupting Shaull’s lesson. Finnegan entered, followed by Mindy,
Rubin, and Hogan. The door slid shut.
“Is it
time to eat?” Derek asked hopefully.
Finnegan
ignored him and held out his hand, palm up. Slowly, he uncurled his fingers and
allowed the children to see what remained of the communicator.
“I am
returning something you misplaced in my docking bay. Very careless of you to
leave so valuable a device lying around for just anyone to pick up. To whom
does it belong, please?”
Jamie’s
heart skipped a beat. He found the
communicator. We are SO in trouble.
She
exchanged a quick, frightened glance with Essak, then pretended to be busy with
the holes in her leggings. She dared not look at Finnegan. In the silence, she
could hear S’hora and T’helva weeping. From the corner of her eye she saw all
of the boys except York staring at Finnegan and his crew. RiAnn and J’nai had
backed against the wall and were clasping hands.
Finnegan
hurled the communicator across the room. It crashed against the bulkhead only
inches from Jamie’s head and fell to the ground.
RiAnn
shrieked.
Jamie
didn’t touch the device. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her dirty
leggings and buried her head on her knees. The next thing she knew, a rough
hand grasped her by the shirt and yanked her up.
“Leave
her alone!” Essak threw himself at Finnegan, but Hogan ripped the boy away and
tossed him to the floor.
“Do you
realize what you’ve done?” Finnegan roared.
Jamie
cringed.
“Of
course,” Shaull answered calmly. “We have used the materials available to
create a means for possible escape. Is that not what intelligent beings do?”
Finnegan
whirled and slapped Shaull with his free hand. “Shut up.”
The
Vulcan boy toppled over and fell to the floor.
RiAnn
cowered at the sight. J’nai turned white. The twins sobbed.
Finnegan
returned his attention to Jamie. “If you’d stayed where you belong, your
communicator would not be here.”
“I don’t
know what you’re talking about.” Jamie trembled, but she willed herself not to
cry. She tried to wriggle free, but he held her tight.
“You
know exactly what I’m talking about,” Finnegan said. “But no matter.”
His voice suddenly lost its menacing tone. He loosened his grip on Jamie’s
tunic and backed away.
Jamie
dropped to the floor. She looked up at her friends, who were standing frozen,
clearly trying to figure out what was going on. One minute this crazy man was
yelling and threatening; the next minute he was quiet.
It was
scary.
Finnegan
crouched beside Jamie, picked up the communicator, and dropped it into her
shaking palm. “This is yours I believe.”
Jamie
shook her head and let the communicator fall from her hand.
“You’re
a beast!” Essak shouted. “Can’t you see she’s scared?”
“She should be scared. Her presence here puts
you all in danger. If that communicator has lured the Enterprise here, you will all be very sorry.”
“The
Enterprise?” Jamie whispered.
He gave
her a crooked smile. “I know who you are. Mindy told me your name. I know your
father. We went to Starfleet Academy together.”
Jamie’s
mouth dropped open. “You’re a Starfleet officer?”
“Not any
longer. Your dad saw to that.”
The way he said it made Jamie’s heart flutter in fear. “I’ve one more question
for you.” His voice lost its mocking tone. “Does your mother serve aboard the Enterprise?”
Jamie
shook her head. “She died when I was a baby. I don’t remember her.”
Finnegan
grasped Jamie’s shoulders. “Ruth is dead?” His grip tightened, and Jamie let
out a yelp.
Essak
threw himself at Finnegan. “Stop it!”
Finnegan
swatted Essak away like an annoying insect. “After all these years, to discover
she’s dead . . .” His voice trailed off.
An alarm
tore through the air.
Finnegan
released Jamie and leaped to his feet. He punched the intercom. “What’s going
on?”
“A ship
just showed up on our sensors. If it weren’t for these new, stolen upgrades we
installed last month, we’d never have sensed it. She’s following us just out of
ordinary sensor range. Her captain probably doesn’t know we spotted them.
That’s our only advantage, and it won’t last long.”
“Which
ship?” Finnegan snapped.
“Unknown.
We can barely sense their presence. An ID is impossible to discover until they
move closer.”
“But
they know who we are?”
“Very
likely. I’d take a guess and say the communicator signal led them right to us.”
Finnegan
took one more glance around the crowded room. His eyes burned with fury at this
new development. He raised a finger and pointed at Jamie. “Sit tight, kid. I’m
not finished with you yet.”
Chapter 13
Captain’s Log, Stardate 2268.18
We have found what is most likely the
terrorists’ ship. The warp signature has run true ever since the communicator
beacon stopped transmitting. I have ordered the Enterprise to stay just out of sensor range for the present, as I am not sure how
to proceed. So far, it looks as if the terrorists are unaware of our presence.
I have informed Starfleet of our situation and am awaiting their
recommendations. Until then, we follow at a discreet distance.
Kirk
shut off the log and let out a deep sigh. So. The Enterprise had done what Starfleet requested. They had tracked and
caught up with the terrorists.
“Now
what?” Dr. McCoy leaned over the back of the command chair and expressed Kirk’s
thoughts aloud. “I doubt the Federation Council really wants you to ride in on your white horse and rescue the
hostages. That could quickly go bad.”
Kirk
swiveled his chair around and looked at his friend. “I agree. On the other
hand, Command has been very close-mouthed regarding a plan of action.”
McCoy
smiled. “Command expects the very creative Captain Kirk to come up with a
miraculous plan for rescuing the hostages and capturing the terrorists, thus
showering accolades on Starfleet.”
The
bridge crew turned and regarded their captain quietly.
Kirk
laughed. “They’re not serious. I mean . . .” His voice trailed off. The bridge
crew was looking at him, waiting for—
Waiting
for what? They do! My people really
expect me to come up with a plan! The idea terrified him. So many lives. So
few options.
He
cleared his throat. “Let’s make some plans while we’re waiting to hear from
Starfleet. I’m calling a briefing for 1530. All department heads come prepared
to review our options.”
“As
limited as those are,” McCoy said.
Kirk
nodded. “Yes. As limited as they are. Ten minutes, people.”
He rose
from his chair and left the bridge. Alone in the turbolift, he slumped against
the wall. I must command at this meeting.
I mustn’t let personal concerns outweigh whatever actions my officers suggest.
The
thought that Jamie could be a victim of any hasty command decision made his
stomach clench. All those kids! Jamie,
frightened and at the mercy of those—
He
closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. By the time he entered Briefing
Room Two, he was under control and ready to lead. “All right, ladies and
gentlemen,” he said crisply. “What is our situation?”
“We have
slowed to warp three to match the speed of the vessel in our sensors,” Spock
answered. “We are maintaining a distance of 900,000 kilometers, far enough away
that they cannot detect us, but close enough to maintain a lock on their warp
trail.”
“Thank
you, Mr. Spock.” He turned to Uhura. “Lieutenant. Any word from Babel?”
“My
source at the conference reports that an unofficial show of hands supports the
Federation bringing aid to Crynn, in spite of the consequences to the
hostages.”
“The
Federation does not bargain with terrorists,” Kirk mumbled.
“What
was that, sir?” Uhura asked.
He
sighed. “Never mind. What about the children’s parents?”
“They’re
fighting for their kids’ lives. The president wants his grandson back at any
cost, even if it means giving Crynn to the GLO.”
Kirk
stared at the tabletop. “I understand how he feels, and I can’t say I blame
him.” He took a deep breath. “But we must work with the reality in which we
find ourselves. The Federation does not bargain with terrorists. So, back to
the situation at hand. Their ship is less than a million kilometers away. How
long would it take to overtake and board it?”
Spock
raised an eyebrow. “No time at all. At that distance, we would appear as though
appearing with no warning. The boarding, however, is another matter. Punching
through their deflectors involves a measure of risk to those aboard.”
“Other
options?” Kirk asked. “The deadline is nearly up. We must act soon, or not at
all. I need suggestions. How do we engage the enemy vessel with a minimum loss
of life and with 100% recovery of the hostages?”
“You’re
not asking much, Jim,” McCoy quipped.
“I’m
only asking what Starfleet requires of us.” He glanced at his chronometer. “We
stay here until we come up with a plan. Yeoman?”
Janice
Rand looked up from her recording log. “Yes, sir?”
“Have
the galley make some sandwiches and plenty of coffee. We have a long afternoon
ahead of us.”
As it
turned out, they didn’t need a plan to overtake the enemy ship. One hour into
brainstorming, the enemy vessel overtook them.
The
emergency claxon blared.
“Captain
Kirk to the bridge!” Riley shouted the over the intercom. “The enemy vessel has
dropped out of warp and is powering up its weapons. Prepare for impact!”
The Enterprise lurched as powerful phasers
sliced through their minimum deflectors. Kirk and his officers staggered across
the room.
“Full
shields!” Kirk shouted into the intercom.
“Already
up.” Lieutenant Riley’s voice quavered only a bit. “They only got the one shot
off.”
By the
time Kirk stepped onto the bridge, Riley had recovered his composure. He
quickly turned the center seat over to his captain.
“Status,
Lieutenant,” Kirk barked.
“One
minute they were at maximum range, the next minute they popped out of warp and
laid into us with their forward phaser banks. I ordered full shields, but they
took a bite out of the forward port engineering hull shields before full
shields came on-line. Minor damage in levels twenty-two, twenty-three, and
twenty-four. No casualties.”
There
was a slight rumble as additional phasers bounced harmlessly off the starship.
“Shields are holding, sir. Sensors indicate the enemy vessel is sitting a
couple hundred kilometers off our starboard bow.”
“Good
work, Riley.” Kirk settled into his seat. “All stop.”
“So much
for sneaking up on them, eh, Jim?” McCoy muttered. “They turned the tables on
us quite nicely.”
“They
knew exactly where we were,” Spock said from his station. “Their sensors are
obviously top-of-the-line. Most likely stolen.” He turned to Kirk. “We have
grossly underestimated their strength and abilities.”
“Really!”
McCoy grumbled.
Spock
raised an eyebrow at the doctor and returned to consulting his sensors.
Kirk
waved McCoy into silence. “I won’t underestimate their captain again.” He took
a deep breath. “It looks like our plan for offensive action needs some serious
revision.”
He
turned to Uhura. “Open hailing frequencies, Lieutenant. Let’s see if they’re in
the mood to talk.”
Chapter 14
“That
we did, Rubin. Good shooting.” Finnegan slumped back in his chair. The sight of
the Rim Pride’s phasers slicing
across the starship’s main engineering hull without even a flicker of
resistance had sent ripples of satisfaction through his crew. The next barrage
had no effect, but the Rim Pride had
drawn first blood.
“The
most satisfying part of all,” Mindy said, “is the fact that they can’t fire
back, not without putting the hostages in danger.” She stared at the view
screen, where the massive bulk of the heavy cruiser floated like a diamond
jewel. “We can pound them again and again. Eventually, we’ll wear down their
shields.”
“We
won’t wear down their shields before we drain our phaser banks,” Finnegan told
his crew. “This is a starship we’re
up against, not a passenger liner. Their captain will not make the same mistake
twice, especially if it’s who I think it is.” He turned to Rubin. “Have you
ID’d them yet?”
The
burly man nodded. “Bingo. Enterprise.”
“Ah,”
Finnegan said in satisfaction. “Perfect.” He turned to Moira. “Have you gotten
a reply to the message we sent to Paus and the others back at the base?”
Moira
nodded. “Came in a few minutes ago. The GLO supports whatever you need to do to
assure their eventual victory. Paus knows you’re the best fighting mercenary
commander for hire.” She gave Finnegan a sly smile. “And he would consider it a
personal favor if you blew the starship out of the sky.”
The
bridge crew erupted in cheers.
“I’m
gratified at Paus’ confidence in me,” Finnegan said. “But it’s not likely an
Orion fighter with a crew of twenty-five can hope to go up against a Federation
starship with a well-trained crew of over four hundred.”
“It
would be fun to try,” Rubin said.
“No
time for personal enjoyment, I’m afraid.” Finnegan sighed. “We need to get the
hostages back to base so we can get paid. A prolonged battle with the Enterprise
would delay our trip and give Jimmy Kirk time to pull some trick to subdue us.
I can’t let that happen. Let’s get the starship off our backs so we can head
for base.”
“How
do you intend to do that?” Rubin scoffed. “We can’t outrun them, and we can’t
outshoot them.”
Finnegan
smiled. “Watch and see, my friend.” He looked at Mindy. “Run fetch our little
Starfleet hostage and bring her up here. Then get me the commander of the
starship.”
“They’re
one step ahead of you, Sean,” Moira said. “They’re hailing us.”
Finnegan
smiled. “Put ’em on.”
“Yeah,
yeah, Jimmy, I hear you loud and clear.” The familiar yet much-older face of
Sean Finnegan appeared on the Enterprise’s screen. “Bet you never
thought you’d see me again.”
Kirk
slowly straightened and tried to control the flood of memories that washed over
him at the sight of this specter from the past—a most unpleasant past. “Finnegan,”
he whispered in shock.
“In
the flesh. How’ve ya been, Jimmy?” He draped an arm over the back of his chair.
“What’s it like being a fancy starship captain?
That was a pretty clever stunt, you know. Finding us. Yes, clever indeed.”
Kirk
said nothing. Finnegan was prattling in an obvious attempt to distract and
unnerve the captain. It had worked every time back at the academy, but Jim Kirk
had learned a few things since then.
When
he didn’t respond to the needling, Finnegan sighed. “You were no fun back at
the academy, and you’re no fun now. But,” he admitted, “you were always
clever—too clever for your own good. Tell me, Jimmy. Did you get lucky, or did
that communicator signal tip you off?”
Kirk
ignored the question. “Prepare to be boarded. I will guarantee safe passage for
you and your crew.”
“No
deal.”
Kirk’s
jaw clenched. “All right. How about this? You let us beam the hostages to the Enterprise, and you go free, no strings
attached. No pursuit. You’re free to live and terrorize the quadrant another
day.”
“Go
free?” Finnegan grunted. “Surely, the high mucky mucks at Starfleet would not
agree to that.”
Kirk
shrugged. “They’re on Babel. I’m here.”
“I
see.”
Kirk
leaned closer to the screen. “Frankly, Sean, I don’t see you and your crew as
part of the GLO. I think you’re their hired guns. I’m offering you a whole lot
more than they are. I’m offering you your ship, your crew, and my word that you
can go on your way.”
“Your
word, Jimmy?” A dangerous glint
appeared in Finnegan’s eyes.
Kirk
nodded. “And you know my word is good.” He caught the man’s gaze and held it
until Finnegan looked away.
He
sighed. “Your offer’s tempting, but it won’t go down well with my crew or with
the GLO.”
“It
looks like we’re at a stalemate, then,” Kirk said. His insides churned.
Finnegan
smiled wider. “Not quite. You see, we can afford to sit here for as long as we
like. The deadline is creeping up on the Federation. Until then, I intend to
take potshots at you whenever the mood strikes.”
His
grin widened. “In a few hours, you’ll be hurting. You can fire on us at your
pleasure but breaking through our screens will require more power than you’re
willing to risk. And you can’t target our shield generator and take it out, not
while our screens are up. Can’t take chances with the little hostages, can we?”
Finnegan
took a deep breath and finished his speech. “I know about your kid, Jim. Mindy
made the connection. The rigged communicator only confirmed our guess.” He
shook his head and stared off-screen for what seemed like an eternity.
What’s
he thinking? Kirk
wondered. He could never be sure where an attack from Finnegan might come next.
The man was a loose cannon.
When
Finnegan returned his gaze to Kirk, he looked bitter. “You got the best of everything, Jim. Command school. Top
of your class. But me? I was dismissed from the Academy.”
“Sean .
. .” A cold fear settled in Kirk’s stomach. It was dangerous to delve into the
past with this man.
“You got
Ruth—my Ruth,” Finnegan continued as
though Kirk had not spoken. He seemed lost in a past of his own making. “She
turned her back on me for you.”
“You
drove her away,” Kirk argued. “Your irresponsibility nearly cost Ruth her life.
I gave her my word she’d never have to fear you again.”
“Yes,
and you kept your word by stealing her away and marrying her.”
Kirk
opened his mouth to refute Finnegan’s twisted memory, but then closed it again.
It would do no good.
“You
have a beautiful little girl, Jim. She should have been mine. Mine and Ruth’s.”
“I’m
sorry, Sean.” Kirk swallowed the cold fear that was clutching his heart. “I’m
sorry things didn’t work out for you. Hurting Jamie won’t change the past.”
Finnegan’s
eyes widened. “Hurt Ruth’s daughter? Never.” He smiled.
Kirk
recognized the expression at once. His old nemesis had something evil up his
sleeve. Something the captain would not like at all.
Finnegan’s
next words confirmed Kirk’s premonition. “I have decided that this small memory
of Ruth will remain with me, regardless of the outcome of the Crynn vote.”
Kirk
gritted his teeth. “Over my dead body.”
“If
you like.” Finnegan motioned to someone off-screen.
A
moment later, Mindy led Jamie to Finnegan. Her appearance hadn’t changed from
the video the captain had seen earlier. Her hair was tousled, her clothing
rumpled. Tear stains streaked her dirty cheeks.
But
her face lit up when she saw him. “You found us! Shaull said it would
work.”
“It
worked beautifully. Are the rest of the children okay?”
Jamie
hazarded a quick peek at Finnegan. “For now.” Then her voice dropped to a
whisper. “But I’m scared.”
“I
know, Cadet, and I’m so proud of you. Hang on a little while longer. Remember who you are.”
Jamie
gave him a watery smile. “Aye, Captain.”
“See
you soon. I love you.”
The
screen went dark.
Finnegan
jerked up. “What happened? I wasn’t finished with him.”
“The
Enterprise cut the signal, boss,”
Moira replied.
“Show
them we’re not pleased,” Finnegan ordered. “Fire all phasers. Target the saucer
section.”
Jamie
turned white. “Don’t fire on the Enterprise!”
Suddenly,
a lance of blue light struck the Rim
Pride. The ship heaved to
starboard, and everyone on the bridge went with it, Jamie included.
“They’re
using a narrow, precise beam to target our shield generator,” Moira shouted.
“If they punch through, our deflectors will go down. Then they can beam in and
out as they please.”
“Give
me a 180-degree turn, helm. Keep that shield generator away from their weapons,
no matter what.” He glared at Borsh. “Keep our screens at full strength.
Continue to fire on the Enterprise every
ten minutes, random points. Give them something to think about.”
Then
he looked at Jamie. She lay sprawled on the deck, eyes wide and scared. “Put
her with the others,” he told Mindy. “I don’t need her any longer.”
Cadet’s Log,
supplemental
Seeing my dad just a few thousand
kilometers away chased most of my fears away. Then, when I told the other kids
and about a dangerous plan, I got all scared again. Do Starfleet cadets get
scared? Hmm, I don’t know. I’ve never seen my dad scared. But maybe he’s good
at keeping it inside, like Mr. Spock. I’m not very good at it. But since it’s
my crazy idea, I’ll have to pretend I know what I’m doing and not show how
scared I really am. The big question is . . . will it work?
The
door slid open, and the burly guard tossed Jamie into the warm, familiar room.
By now, the close company of ten unwashed children had turned the place into
something that smelled little better than a cramped scout ship.
They
sat staring at nothing. Jamie’s arrival clearly perked them up.
Essak
threw himself next to his friend. “What’s going on? The ship shook, and all the
girls shrieked.”
“Are
we going to blow up?” J’nai wailed.
“I
want my mama!” S’hora cried. “I don’t want to blow up.”
“It’s
the Enterprise,” Jamie said.
“Enterprise!” Clarence crowed. “So, she did
come, after all.”
RiAnn
frowned. “Why is your father’s ship shooting
at us?”
“I
overheard them talking to each other,” Jamie said. “They’re scared. The Enterprise is trying to hit their shield
generator.”
“Whatever
for?” J’nai gasped. “And what if they miss and—”
“Shut
up, J’nai,” Essak snapped. But he looked worried.
“If
my dad can punch a hole through the deflector shield and take out their shield
generator, the ship’s screens will drop.”
Derek
smiled. “The Enterprise will then be free to beam us out of here and
send an armed guard to capture the terrorists.”
Cheers
went up from everyone. Everyone except Shaull. “I hope they have calculated
their power use carefully. If not, we risk the chance of the hull being
breached.”
“Like
blowing a hole in this stinking ship?” Essak asked.
Shaull
nodded.
“The
Enterprise crew is the best. They
won’t blow a hole in this ship. Not with us aboard,” Jamie said. “What scares
me is that the terrorists can fire phasers at the Enterprise as often as they want. I hope her shields hold.”
“Hmm,”
Essak mused. “They could use a little help. Maybe we can come up with a plan to
help Captain Kirk take out the shield generator.”
“A
fine idea, Essak.” Shaull nodded his approval.
Derek
snorted. “How can a bunch of kids help a starship?”
“Listen,
Derek,” Essak shot back, “this bunch of kids brought a starship here. Remember?”
Derek
shut up.
“All
we need to do is find a way to disable the screens.” Shaull said. “If we can do
that, the Enterprise will do the
rest. Simple.”
“It
sounds simple to talk about,” Clarence said. “But impossible to do.”
“Yeah,
Shaull,” Essak said. “How do we go about lowering the screens of a ship, with a
crew of adults ready to stop us?”
Jamie
gasped. Tingles skittered up her neck. A fuzzy idea was taking shape. It was a
long shot, but . . .
“Listen.
We don’t have to disable their deflector screens for good. We just lower them
long enough for the Enterprise to get
one good shot at that shield generator. Then poof! No more deflectors.”
Clarence
muttered, “Disable. Lower. What’s the difference?”
“There’s
a difference.” The tingles grew stronger, and Jamie shivered. Oh, if only this could
work! “If we create an emergency, the ship’s safety program will override
everything else. It might take a few moments to reset the system and activate
the deflectors again. But the Enterprise
only needs few seconds to knock out shields for good.”
“That
makes sense,” Essak agreed slowly. “What kind of an emergency would cut out the
screens?”
“Something
that has to do with the docking bay. If the hanger doors suddenly open because
of, say, an emergency launch, the screens would automatically cut out long
enough to let the smaller ships leave the bay. Otherwise, they’d crash into the
shields.”
“How
do you know all this?” RiAnn asked.
Jamie
flushed. “I found this out the hard way, about six months ago. Somebody
launched a shuttlecraft from the Enterprise when the screens were up.
It’s a long, horrible story, but believe me: once the emergency button is
pushed, everything happens quick. The screens will go down.”
I
hope, she added
silently. After all, this rust bucket wasn’t a starship. Maybe their screens
worked differently. Maybe—
“It’s
worth a try,” Essak said.
“One
more thing,” Clarence said. “There’s a guard the size of a gorilla just outside
our door. How do we get past him?”
Jamie
shot a look at Shaull.
“What?”
the Vulcan boy asked.
“Do
you know how to do a Vulcan nerve pinch?”
Shaull
raised one eyebrow. “Of course.”
“Can
you do it on a big gorilla of a guard?”
Shaull
smiled. “The only difference between a big gorilla and a small, fragile person
is the rate of their fall and the impact as they hit the ground.”
“You
mean, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall,’” Essak joked.
“I
believe that is what I said.”
Derek
rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get to it. I’m sick and tired of being the
victim. I want to watch Shaull do a number on the guard.”
Chapter 15
Cadet’s Log,
supplemental
I did not think my idea through very
well. I hope Mr. Spock never finds out. He will be disappointed if he learns
about my illogical decision. But at least the rest of the kids will be safe.
Shaull
did a number on the guard. It wasn’t difficult to lure the huge man into the
room with the shouts and screams the girls provided. He raced through the door,
expecting to see murder taking place. Instead, he crumpled to the ground before
he had taken four steps.
“You’re
as good as Mr. Spock,” Jamie said in awe. She yanked a wicked-looking weapon
from the guard’s holster. “This is not a phaser, but I guess it will do.”
Essak
held out his hand. “I am skilled in firing weapons and with the bow. I would be
honored to carry this weapon. If Allah is merciful, he will send a terrorist my
way so I can demonstrate my ability.”
With
one easy motion, he holstered the gun in his belt sash. “Follow me. I remember
the way to the hangar deck. If we meet anyone, I can clear a path for us.”
“Put
the weapon on stun,” Jamie pleaded. “I don’t think I could watch you kill
somebody with that thing.”
Essak
pulled out the laser pistol and examined it. “I will put it on the lowest
setting, but I don’t know if it has a setting for stun. I’ll do my best not to
aim for a vital area.” He returned the gun to his belt. “Let’s go.”
Jamie
fell in behind Essak. Then came J’nai and RiAnn, followed by the twins, who held
hands and tried not to cry. York hurried after them. The three older
boys—Shaull, Derek, and Clarence—took up the rear.
They
met no one on the upper level and came to the ladder hatchway without incident.
Essak shook his head. “This is too easy.”
One
by one, the children climbed down the ladder. Soon they were standing in the
lower engineering sections.
At
the sound of heavy footsteps, Essak motioned the rest of the group around a
corner. A lone crewman strode down the corridor, muttering to himself. When he
spotted Essak, his eyes opened wide. He opened his mouth to shout, but the
words died in his throat. A yellow beam of light crumpled him to the ground in
a moment.
Jamie
and the others rushed over to see the damage.
“What
did you do?” Derek asked. “It was a good shot, whatever it was.”
“He’s
alive,” Shaull pronounced. “You must have stunned him.”
Essak
nodded. “I have no idea how long he’ll stay out. Come on, let’s drag him into a
spare room.”
It
took all four older boys to drag the heavy Orion into what looked like a
storage area. They left him propped up against some crates and hoped he
wouldn’t wake up too soon.
“Hey,”
Clarence said. “That was fun.”
J’nai
and RiAnn gaped at him.
“Well,
it was. I’m sick of doing nothing. It felt good to fight back.”
A
few minutes later, the group stood in front of the large double doors of the
docking bay. A transparisteel viewing window allowed the children to peek into
the bay.
“It
looks deserted.” Derek turned around and faced the group. “What now?”
They
all looked at Jamie.
“There’s
only one safe place aboard this ship when the terrorists find out we’ve
sabotaged their screens.” She pointed at the window. “In there.”
Essak
protested. “If we open the docking bay doors like you want us to, we’ll be
sucked out into space.”
Jamie
shook her head. “No. You all crowd into the runabout shuttle. It’s right over
there.” She pointed it out through the window. “You seal it up and wait until
the bay doors close again and the pressure goes back to normal. The runabout is
heavy enough that it shouldn’t get sucked into space. But even if it does,
you’re safe.”
“If
nobody shoots at us,” Derek muttered.
Jamie
frowned. “I guess that could happen. But this whole thing is scary-crazy,
anyway. Stay in the shuttle and wait to be rescued. I think it will take the
terrorists awhile to find you. The Enterprise
will probably scan you and beam you to the ship in no time.”
“But
what about you?” Essak asked. “Aren’t
you coming with us?”
Jamie
walked over to a panel set in the wall next to the door. Opening it, she saw a
red lever. The writing was Orion script, but she had a pretty good idea it read
Emergency
Override. “I want nothing more
than to go with you. But somebody’s got to create the emergency and launch
those little fighters we saw in the bay.”
“The empty fighters?” Essak asked.
Jamie
nodded. “That’s the emergency that’s going to lower the screens.”
No
one said a word.
Finally,
Shaull spoke. “Logical.” But he sounded concerned.
“But
if you stay behind, you’ll get caught,” J’nai said softly.
“I’m
going to pull that lever and run,” Jamie said. “I’ll find a place to
hide until the Enterprise guards
secure the ship.”
Essak
sucked in a big breath. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” He turned to
Jamie, who was standing alone by the panel. “Good luck, Jamie. Hope to see you
soon.”
“Jamie,”
RiAnn blurted, “I’m glad you were part of our group, after all.”
J’nai
added her thanks, and the Andorian twins hugged Jamie.
“A
starship’s a pretty handy thing,” Derek said with a lopsided smile.
Clarence
nodded his agreement. “You’re lucky to live aboard her.”
“Live
long and prosper.” Shaull raised his hand and spread his fingers.
Jamie
returned the Vulcan salute but didn’t speak. A lump had formed in her throat.
In just a few short days, these kids had become her friends, even snooty J’nai
and RiAnn.
Jamie
did not want to be left behind.
But there’s no other way, she told herself. And that’s what Daddy would do. Or any Starfleet officer.
The
children piled through the door and into the docking bay, and the doors slid
shut. Jamie watched them through the view port as they scurried across the bay
and disappeared into the shuttle. The hatch closed.
Jamie
sighed. “Now or never.” With a determined lift of her chin, she reached into
the panel and yanked on the red level as hard as she could.
The
instant depressurization of the docking bay threw Jamie against the bulkhead opposite
the doors. The ship tilted. Alarms blared.
Jamie
pulled herself to her feet and glanced through the view port. All six fighters
were floating freely in space. The docking bay doors were closing slowly,
ponderously. The runabout shuttle had shifted halfway across the bay, but it
was still a safe distance from the outer doors. She heaved a sigh of relief and
turned to scamper away.
A
huge body blocked her way. It was the man Essak had stunned. He reached out and
gripped Jamie with both hands. Then he jogged down the corridor, yanked her up
the ladder, and headed for the bridge.
******
“Screens
are down!” Chekov yelped from his weapons station. “I repeat. Shields on the
enemy vessel are down.”
“Target
their shield generator and fire!” Kirk leaped from his chair. This was an
opportunity he had no intention of losing. “Disable those screens permanently.”
Chekov
punched his phaser control panel. A thin lance of blue shot out from beneath
the ship. It touched the rounded, bulky object on the terrorists’ aft starboard
side. Instantly, it was pulverized. Pieces of metal tumbled end over end
through the void. A cheer went up from the bridge.
“Good
shot, ensign,” Kirk said. Then, “Quickly, Spock. Where are the kids? Can you
pinpoint their location?”
“Affirmative.
My sensors show two Andorian life forms, a Vulcan, and an indiscernible number
of human life forms.” Spock glanced up. “They are clustered together in the
docking bay, in what appears to be a shuttlecraft.”
Kirk
slammed his palm down on his armrest. “Transporter room.”
“Kyle
here, Captain.”
“Lock
onto the coordinates Mr. Spock is sending you and prepare to beam some guests
aboard.”
“Aye,
sir.”
“Mr.
Sulu,” Kirk asked, “how long will it take the terrorists to notice if we lower
our screens to beam the hostages aboard?”
Sulu
twisted in his seat and frowned. “No time at all, sir.”
Kirk
nodded. “I suppose they’ll open fire.”
“A
certainty, captain.”
“I
think we need a distraction. Mr. Chekov?”
“Sir?”
“What’s
out there we could use as target practice, without hitting their ship?”
“I’m
tracking six contacts,” Chekov replied. “Similar to Starfleet’s two-man, warrior-class
fighter ships. They’re drifting and unmanned.”
“Perfect.
On my signal, drop our screens and open fire on a couple of the fighters.
Transporter room, prepare to energize on my signal.” Kirk clutched the
armrests, took a deep breath, and barked, “Now. Lower screens, fire, and
energize.”
The
Enterprise dropped her screens as two
streaks of blue lanced out.
“Magnification
ten,” Kirk ordered. The view screen lit up with a close-up of the tiny
fighters. Silently, two of them exploded. Debris fell against the Rim Pride. “I hope this keeps them too
busy to return our fire,” Kirk muttered. “Transporter room. What is your
status?”
“I’ve
got a room full of hysterical children,” Kyle reported gleefully.
“Well
done, lieutenant.” He turned to Chekov. “Raise shields.” He looked up at Dr.
McCoy. “Care to join me in the transporter room, Doctor?”
“I
would be delighted.” He slapped Kirk on the back as they headed toward the
’lift. “You pulled it off, Jim. I don’t know how you did it, but you pulled it
off.”
“A
freak accident and a sharp crew.” He turned to Spock. “Mr. Spock, you have the
bridge.”
“Acknowledged.”
Kirk
and McCoy entered the transporter room to the sound of weeping, shouting,
laughing, and talking. Children were everywhere. Most were sitting on the
platform, but a few were already exploring the room. A friendly-looking,
dark-haired boy turned when he saw the new arrivals.
He
ran up to Kirk. “Are you the captain?” When Kirk nodded, the boy became
frantic. “You’ve got to go over there. She’s still there. You can’t leave her.
Hurry.”
“Whoa,”
McCoy broke in. “What are you talking about? Everything’s going to be all
right. You’re safe now. What’s your name?”
“Essak,”
the boy answered in a rush. “Jamie’s not safe. She stayed behind to pull the
lever that forced the docking bay doors to open. She knew the shields would
drop long enough for you to blast the generator.”
Kirk
felt the blood drain from his face. “Where is she?”
“I
don’t know. She was going to hide, but when the rest of us entered the
shuttlecraft, we couldn’t see her anymore. Can you send some security men over
there to capture the terrorists and rescue my friend?”
“You
bet I can.” Kirk slammed the intercom. “Stoddard, I need two dozen men for a
boarding party.”
“We’re
on our way.”
It
took two minutes for Lt. Commander Stoddard and his men to crowd onto the
transporter platform. Kirk explained the situation and secured himself a
phaser.
“My
men and I can handle this, captain,” Stoddard suggested softly.
“Fine.
You round up the terrorists. I’ll find Jamie.” He punched the intercom.
“Bridge, I want you to lower our shields, fire on the remaining ships floating
out there, and beam our boarding party to the enemy vessel.”
“Captain.”
Spock’s voice sounded grim. “That ploy worked well as a surprise. I am not
sanguine about a second attempt. We have the children. It would be best to
disable their vessel more permanently from here.”
“Spock,
Jamie didn’t beam aboard with the others. I’m going after her.”
There
was a long pause. “Understood, Captain. Your orders?”
“See
to the safety of the crew and our guests. If things don’t go as planned over
there, you’re in command. Take care of my ship.”
“Yes,
sir. Bridge out.”
Chapter 16
Finnegan
snatched her out of the guard’s arms. “Stop hollering and tell me what you did
to my ship. Where are the other kids?”
Jamie
glared at him. “Figure it out for yourself.”
Her
brash reply earned her a sharp slap, and she tumbled backward. She clenched her
jaw shut and blinked back tears.
Finnegan
turned to Mindy. “Watch this brat before something worse happens. I’ve got a
ship to hold togeth—”
A lurch
threw Finnegan across the bridge. Jamie slammed into Mindy.
The
loudspeakers screamed, “Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Enemy soldiers have
boarded. Intruder alert!”
“Where?”
Finnegan shouted into the intercom.
“Lower
level. Docking bay. But it won’t be long before they’re up there.”
“Seal
the bulkheads. Keep them out of this level.” He glanced around at the damage to
his bridge. The destructive waves from the fighters’ explosions had torn it up.
“Hail the Enterprise.”
“On
screen,” Moira said.
A tall,
calm Vulcan in a blue tunic regarded Finnegan carefully.
“Who are
you?” Finnegan snapped.
“Commander
Spock, in temporary command of the Enterprise.”
“Get me
Jim and get him fast.”
“He is
indisposed,” Spock replied. “I am in command.”
“Your
men are on my ship. Get them off. Now. Or I toss the girl out an airlock.”
Spock
raised an eyebrow and continued to hold Finnegan’s gaze.
“I’m not
bluffing.” He yanked Jamie away from Mindy and stood her in front of the
viewer. “Her little trick nearly cost me my ship and the lives of my crew.”
“That is
not true, sir. We disabled your shield generator, which is not a
life-threatening act. Surrender now, and—”
“Shut
up!” Then Finnegan’s voice grew soft. “If you do not recall your boarding
party, I will put your captain’s daughter into the emergency escape hatch, without
the pod. Then you can explain to Jim
when he gets back from whatever business is more important than his own kid.”
He
snorted. “He’s probably playing nursemaid to those spoiled, snot-nosed,
troublesome delegates’ kids.” He tightened his grip on Jamie’s hair. “Now,
recall your men. Stand down your weapons.”
“As you
wish.” Spock turned to Uhura. “Open a hailing frequency to Commander Stoddard’s
boarding party.”
Stoddard’s
communicator beeped. He glanced at Kirk.
The
captain frowned and scanned the docking bay. All appeared quiet. “Answer the
hail, commander.”
Stoddard
flipped open the small, shiny box. “Stoddard here.”
“Commander
Stoddard, you are ordered to return to the Enterprise.
The boarding action is canceled. I repeat. The boarding action is canceled.
Prepare to beam back to the ship.”
“Acknowledged,
Mr. Spock. Beam us aboard on my next signal.” He signaled his men to gather
around. “Captain? What’s going on?”
“I’m not
sure, and I’d rather not guess. But I trust Spock, and he wouldn’t recall us
without a good reason. Beam back to the ship and tell Spock to do whatever
Finnegan asks.”
“And
you, sir?”
“I’m not
leaving my daughter with that psychopath.”
“Sir,”
Stoddard said carefully, “if you stay, the terrorists will have a valuable
hostage to bargain with—a starship captain.”
Kirk
smiled. “I don’t intend to give them that chance. Leave me two men. Tell Spock
to stay just out of sensor range and await my signal. If all goes well, I’ll
hail him from the bridge of this ship.”
Stoddard
waved Ensigns Marshall and Walker toward Kirk. “Three against a ship full of
terrorists,” he said. “Not very good odds, sir.”
“Sir,
with respect!” Ensign Marshall brought himself stiffly to attention. “One
Starfleet officer is as good as eight from any other fleet.”
Kirk
laughed. He hadn’t laughed for nearly three days. It felt good. “Those are
about the odds here, ensign. Glad to have you along.” He and the guards backed
away from the rest of the landing party. “Keep our part in this as quiet as you
can. Good luck.”
“And to
you, captain. My men won’t let you down.” He pushed the recall button on his
communicator and the away team dissolved in twinkling lights.
“All
right, gentlemen,” Kirk said softly, “our first order of business is to remain
undetected. I suggest we head for the shuttle and make some plans.” He nodded
at his men’s red shirts. “First of all, we’ve got to find ourselves some
different clothes. We stick out like a nova in the night sky.”
“I’m
sure the terrorists can supply whatever we need,” Walker said, following his
captain into the relative safety of the runabout shuttle.
When
they were settled inside, Kirk laid out his plans. “There are only three of us
against a crew of twenty-five. Remember, these are ruthless men and women. They
kill to create terror and chaos, and they won’t hesitate to shoot you on sight,
if they figure out who you are. We must move fast on this. We can’t give them a
chance to put together a defensive plan.”
“Understood,
Captain,” Marshall replied.
“All
right, then. Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll work my way to the phaser control
section near engineering. I’ll take out their ability to fire on the Enterprise. If we don’t gain control of
the ship, Mr. Spock can still lower his screens and beam us safely out of
here.”
He turned
to Marshall. “You, Mr. Marshall, clear the sections aft of here. Render any
terrorists you find unconscious and secure them for our return to Babel. And I
mean securely. Mr. Walker, you take
the terrorists fore of here.”
He
looked at his chronometer. “On a ship this size, with roughly half the crew
down here and half above us, that gives us four terrorists a piece to knock
out. Think you’re up to it?”
Marshall
grinned. “Bring ’em on.”
“We’ll
meet at the aft hatchway in five minutes. We must get to the bridge and take
the ship ten minutes later, or Finnegan will begin to suspect something is
wrong.”
“Got
it,” Walker said.
“With
our phasers we have a distinct advantage over these animals,” Kirk said. “Let’s
use that advantage to end this terrorist threat once and for all.”
“Aye,
aye, sir!” the ensigns replied with eagerness.
“Now
that your men are off my ship, Mr. Spock, I want you, your captain, and your
crew out of my sight,” Finnegan said. “Tell Jim he lost his chance to say
good-bye. I might send him a transmission from our headquarters. I may even let
Jamie talk to him. But for now—”
Finnegan
made a slicing motion across his neck. The screen returned to the stars and a
dazzling white starship. An instant later, the Enterprise streaked into warp space and vanished.
“No!”
Jamie choked back a sob. Daddy was gone. The Enterprise was gone. Her
friends were gone, and she’d been left behind with a crazy man.
“It’s
all right.” Finnegan sat down in his command chair and pulled Jamie onto his
lap.
“Let me
go!”
He
didn’t. “Take it easy. I won’t hurt you.”
Jamie
stared at the view screen. Silent tears dribbled down her cheeks.
Finnegan
sighed. “Your father’s actions don’t surprise me a bit, Jamie. He stole your
mother and charmed her into marrying him. He left her alone numerous times. His
career always came first.” His voice grew soft. “I don’t know when your mother
died, and I’m sorry about that. Jim was probably out in space when it happened,
leaving you without a mother or a
father.”
Jamie
clapped her hands over her ears. “Shut up.”
Finnegan
kept talking. “He was driven to command a starship. He got his ship, and she
comes first. Remember that, Jamie. He left your mother to fly among the stars.
He left you when you were small, and now?”
He
sighed again. “Your father has left you again. The ship comes first. You don’t
matter to him.”
Jamie
squeezed her eyes shut. “No, no, no!” It couldn’t be true!
She had
only a dim idea what Finnegan was talking about, but the part about being left
behind struck a nerve. It was her worst fear. Whenever Starfleet contacted the Enterprise, she endured another waking
nightmare, wondering if Daddy would be ordered to ship her off to school
somewhere.
“Don’t worry, Jamie,” Finnegan was saying. “I
won’t leave you. You’re Ruth’s little girl, and I’ll take care of you. You’ll
stay aboard the Rim Pride. In a few
years, you won’t even remember your old life.”
“No,”
Jamie whispered. “I want to go home.”
Finnegan
smiled. “Jamie, you are home.”
“Only if
you can call this garbage scow a home.” The golden voice of James Kirk rolled
across the bridge like a resounding trumpet.
Finnegan’s
eyebrows shot up in undisguised shock. He swiveled his chair around and froze
at the sight of a Starfleet phaser pointed at his head.
“Don’t
make any quick moves,” Kirk ordered in an icy voice.
Moira
and Rubin drew their weapons. The whine of two other phasers broke the
stillness. Moira and Rubin slumped to the deck.
Evans
jumped from his seat. Marshall stunned him before he could take a step. The
rest of the bridge crew sat helplessly while the two security men from the Enterprise disarmed them and kept them
covered.
“Daddy!”
Jamie stared at her father in astonishment. He was dressed in a set of
too-large, filthy, black-and-gray clothes. A military cap perched on his head.
An ugly, oversized weapon hung from his shoulder. He looked mean. He looked
like a terrorist. The two ensigns from the Enterprise
were dressed similarly.
It
looked as if none of them had washed in weeks.
“Pretty
good, Jimmy,” Finnegan said, recovering his poise. “I take it you have stunned
or rendered useless my entire crew.”
“You
take it right.” Kirk gave Jamie a quick grin. “Hi, honey.”
Jamie
beamed.
Kirk
returned his gaze to Finnegan. “Most of your men will recover enough to stand
trial for kidnapping and for terrorist acts against the United Federation of
Planets. It will be my pleasure to personally attest to this at your trial.”
“I’m
afraid I have the last word. I still have your daughter.” He proved it by
scooping Jamie up in his arms and stepping down from his chair. “The ship is
yours. Call the Enterprise. Tow it
back to Babel. But I won’t be here.” He took two steps toward Kirk. “Jamie and
I will leave in the runabout.”
Kirk
raised his phaser. “Not in your wildest dreams.”
“If you
shoot me, Jamie will get hit too.”
“A stun
blast won’t hurt Jamie any more than it will hurt you, Sean.”
“A stun
beam hurts something awful.” Finnegan shifted Jamie in his arms. “Consider her
low body mass.”
“I’ll
take the risk. But you will not take my daughter off this ship.” He adjusted
his phaser to wide beam and pointed it at Finnegan and Jamie. His thumb rested
on the firing button. “Put her down.”
Finnegan
let out a long, slow breath. “All right, Jimmy. You win, like always.”
With a
heave, he tossed Jamie aside and flew into Kirk, knocking the phaser from his
hand and onto the deck. He grabbed the captain around the waist and shoved him
against the control panel.
Kirk
grunted and fell onto the hard surface. He brought up a fist and slammed it
into Finnegan’s jaw.
With a
cry of rage, Finnegan slugged Kirk over and over, but the captain managed to
ward off the blows. He spun around and knocked Finnegan to the deck, falling on
top of him with a grunt.
The
bridge crew watched with wide eyes. They didn’t move. The ensigns didn’t step
in. They continued covering the Rim Pride’s crew.
Jamie
lay on the deck a few yards away from the rolling, struggling men. She had to
get out of the way before she got caught in the middle of it. She pulled
herself to her hands and knees and crawled behind the command chair.
Then she
spotted the phaser. It lay just within her reach. She scooped it up and crawled
out from behind the chair. Using both hands to steady the weapon, she aimed it
at Finnegan’s back and pressed the firing button. He slumped over Kirk’s body
and lay still.
Kirk
shoved Finnegan’s unconscious form away and sat up. He looked at his daughter
in amazement. “Come here, honey,” he said. “Bring me the phaser.”
Jamie
jumped to her feet and threw herself into her father’s arms. He uncurled her
shaking fingers and took the phaser, securing it to his belt. Then he engulfed
Jamie in warm hug and buried his face in her grimy hair. “It’s all over now.”
Jamie
burst into tears of joy. “You didn’t leave me. You didn’t leave me.”
“Never,
Jamie. I would never willingly leave you.”
“He said
you left Mommy and me and”—she caught her breath in a sob—“he said you—”
“It’s
okay. I was aboard all the time. You just couldn’t see me. Just like you can’t
see God, but He’s always near you.”
Jamie
nodded and hugged her father tight.
Kirk
lifted Jamie and stood up. “Marshall, contact the Enterprise. Tell them the ship is secure. Have Mr. Stoddard ready
the brig for twenty-five prisoners. We will take this vessel in tow.”
Ensign
Marshall grinned. “Aye, aye, Captain!”
Chapter 17
Cadet’s Log,
Stardate 2268.24
I thought everything would get back to
normal as soon as Daddy—oops, I mean Captain Kirk—took us kids back to Babel.
The trip itself took less than a day, hardly enough time to show Essak and
Shaull and the others all my favorite spots aboard the Enterprise.
There was hardly enough time for Mr. Spock and Shaull to have a nice little
chat, but I guess it worked out okay. At least, Shaull was smiling when he left
Mr. Spock’s warmer-than-I-can-stand quarters.
When I asked him what they had talked
about, Shaull just raised one eyebrow. “I believe your Mr. Spock is willing to
speak for me when I’m old enough to join Starfleet.” Huh. Mr. Spock is
certainly not “my” Mr. Spock, but I’m glad Shaull and him hit it off. Well, as
much as Vulcans every “hit it off” with each other.
Jamie
hiccupped. Once. Twice. Her hand flew to her mouth, but the hiccups wouldn’t
stop.
Essak jabbed her in the side. “Cut it out.
You’re going to embarrass yourself and us if you go on hiccupping during the
ceremony.”
“I
can’t—hiccup—help it.”
“Hold
your breath,” J’nai suggested in a low whisper.
“Stand
on your head,” chirped S’hora.
“Somebody
scare her.” Derek leaned over and offered his advice from four seats away.
Shaull
quietly reached out and placed three fingers on Jamie’s shoulder.
“Don’t
give me a nerve—hiccup—pinch!” She
tried to ignore the hundreds of people wandering around in the great council
chamber on Babel, congratulating one another, finding seats, and in general
smiling and relaxing. Everyone appeared to be in a festive mood.
“Trust
me.” Shaull worked his fingers, lightly squeezing the muscles in Jamie’s neck.
Then he released her and sat back.
Jamie
waited one minute. Two minutes. Then, “They’re gone!” Her delight came out as a
happy squeal.
On
stage, from about twenty feet away, an important-looking man dressed in the
colors of the Federation Diplomatic Service turned. “Hush!”
Jamie
clapped a hand over her mouth and felt her cheeks heat up.
Shaull
shrugged. “That’s High Commissioner Philips,” he explained. “He is, as Essak
would put it, a stickler for protocol. He never smiles.”
“He’s
grouchy,” Clarence added from Shaull’s left. “I can’t stand him.”
Jamie
folded her hands in her lap and slouched against her seat on the huge platform
in the council chambers. She and her friends had been sitting in a long row of
special, reserved seating for ten minutes now.
Jamie
felt restless and hungry. She hadn’t wanted to give up her last morning on
Babel to listen to a bunch of people talk about the ordeal the hostages had
been through and how brave they’d been, but her father had insisted she attend.
So now,
instead of enjoying her last shore leave at Six Flags over Babel, Jamie sat in
a hard seat, heartily wishing the ceremony would begin soon . . . so it could
end.
Jamie
glanced down the long row of seats. Judging by the looks on her friends’ faces,
she figured most of them didn’t want to be here, either. Except perhaps J’nai
and RiAnn. They appeared to relish the attention they were getting this morning
as honored guests of the UFP and the Babel Conference.
“I wish
they’d get started,” Essak complained, expressing Jamie’s sentiments. “This
turban is getting hot.”
Wrapped
in the magnificent white and scarlet royal robes of the Prince of Araby, Essak
looked uncomfortable and out of place. He lifted the jeweled turban, scratched
at an itchy spot on the top of his head, and replaced it.
“We are
all experiencing varying degrees of discomfort,” Shaull said. His robes of
ceremonial Vulcan, while not as cumbersome as Essak’s attire, hung on Shaull in
heavy brown lengths.
Up and
down the line, children shifted and scratched. Only J’nai and RiAnn sat
regally. Their silk capes and dresses flowed about them like a soft breeze.
Jamie
was glad she hadn’t been forced to
dress up in a party dress. She glanced down at her clean, gold uniform tunic
and sighed her relief.
Suddenly,
a trumpet fanfare echoed through the chamber halls. It wasn’t a real trumpet, Jamie knew, only an
electronic recording. It had called the Babel Conference to order for over one
hundred years, and the sound now brought scores of men and women, representing
dozens of planets, streaming in to find their seats.
“Finally.”
Essak rolled his eyes and slumped. Then just as quickly, he sat up straight.
His gaze locked onto someone in the first row of the delegates’ seating.
Jamie
followed her friend’s gaze to watch the arrival of what could only be Essak’s
father, the king of Araby. He was dressed more magnificently than his son, and
his bearing commanded instant respect. No wonder Essak sat up and took note.
“My
father,” he whispered from the side of his mouth.
“I
figured,” Jamie replied. She scanned the first row and recognized her own
father. He was dressed in his dress uniform—his ‘class As’—and was sitting with
Mr. Spock and Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan. Next to Sarek, a tall, distinguished
Vulcan man sat. His robes looked identical to Shaull’s.
“Your
father?” Jamie asked her friend.
Shaull
didn’t reply. He was staring at the imposing figure of Sarek of Vulcan. “I
cannot believe it,” he whispered to Jamie. “The man sitting beside my father is
the premier ambassador of all of Vulcan. What’s he doing here?”
Jamie
shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he was in the neighborhood and wanted to see
what all the fuss was about.”
Shaull’s
Vulcan composure fled. He looked at Jamie in shock. “Levity. You are using
levity about so distinguished a guest as Sarek of Vulcan.”
“I don’t know what levity is, but Ambassador
Sarek is my friend.” Jamie grinned at Shaull’s look of disbelief. “Really, he
is. I met him last year on another trip to Babel. I tripped and fell right at
his feet. He helped me up and acted like nothing out of the ordinary had
happened. I was so embarrassed, but Sarek invited me to be his guest at the
reception that night on the rec deck.”
She
waved at the Vulcan ambassador. Sarek lifted his hand in quiet greeting.
Shaull
gaped, but there was no time to answer. The moderator of the Babel Conference,
a tall, regally dressed Andorian, strode up to the podium, picked up the
ceremonial gavel, and brought it down three times. “This conference is now in
session. All rise in honor of the president of the United Federation of
Planets.”
Everyone
in the council chambers rose. The ten children behind and to the left of the
podium stood. Derek’s grandfather walked up to the podium and nodded to the
moderator. Then he turned to the audience. “Please be seated.”
There
was a rustling noise as hundreds of delegates, visitors, and newscasters found
their places. Then the noise died down and a hush fell over the auditorium.
“This is
a proud day for the freedom-loving peoples of the United Federation of
Planets,” the president said. “We are gathered this morning to recognize the
courage of ten young citizens. They played a significant role in undoing what
surely would have been the worst tragedy for the UFP in over one hundred
years.”
For
twenty minutes Derek’s grandfather recapped the horrific events of the past
week, beginning with the cry for help from the Crynn Colonies, the nightmarish
kidnapping of his grandson and nine others, and the parents’ despair at
learning the UFP would not bargain with terrorists.
He spoke
right up to the happenings of three days ago, when Admiral Brett Komack of
Starfleet had passed along the glorious and unexpected news to the Babel
delegates that the starship Enterprise was
returning to Babel with all ten hostages in good health and with the GLO’s ship
in tow.
President
Shylar certainly knew how to carry his audience. The celebrative mood reached a
climax when the president turned and introduced the small heroes of the hour.
The
children rose. As their names were called, each child stepped forward to
receive a warm handshake and a citation for bravery, which the president hung
around their necks in the form of a small, jewel-studded medal, hanging from a
ribbon of blue and gray satin.
President
Shylar turned and presented the group to their audience. “In a spirit of
cooperation, these children banded together—forgetting their differences and
origins—and worked for the good of the group, showing us the true spirit of the
United Federation of Planets.”
Jamie
and the others stood quietly amidst a thunder of applause. Finally, the
president nodded at them, the signal that they could once more be seated.
“Do you
suppose it’s over now?” Essak wiped beads of sweat from his forehead and tried
not to appear as hot and tired as he felt. “I haven’t been this uncomfortable
since the Founder’s Day parade last year on Araby.”
“I sure
hope it’s over.” Jamie glanced at the front row. Her father was smiling at her.
She resisted the impulse to wave, and instead sent him a pleading look and
mouthed, Is it over?
Kirk
frowned and placed a finger to his lips. He shook his head.
Jamie
slumped in her seat and swung her legs. The president was speaking again, but
Jamie’s attention wandered. She studied the huge auditorium. Hundreds of people
filled the circular tiers. Banners from the different worlds hung from the
ceiling. Jamie tried to guess which flags went with the different planets. She
recognized Vulcan, Altair VI, Centaurus, Earth, Deneb—
A quick
intake of breath from Shaull jerked Jamie from her musing. She looked up in
time to see her friend rise from his seat and walk to the podium. Ambassador
Sarek was waiting to greet him.
“What’s
going on?” Jamie whispered to Essak.
“I think
they’re giving Shaull an award. Some Vulcan honor.”
Jamie
watched Sarek gave Shaull the Vulcan salute. Shaull returned it, although his
hand trembled. Jamie didn’t doubt Shaull was uneasy. To be singled out in front
of all these people and have Sarek of Vulcan talk to you would make even the
most logical Vulcan anxious.
I
would melt into a puddle,
Jamie thought. I’m sure glad it’s Shaull and not me.
Sarek
addressed the crowd in a rich, deep voice. “It is not our custom to thank logic
and bring unnecessary attention to one who has merely performed his duty.
However, the Vulcan Science Academy has examined the actions of a remarkable
young person this past week, and it is our wish to give honor where honor is
due. His resourcefulness and careful attention to detail transformed an
ordinary Starfleet communicator into a transmitter that alerted the starship Enterprise to the hostages’ location and
thus saved lives.”
He
turned to Shaull and held out a small metal pin. “Your actions were flawlessly
logical. Vulcan honors you with the Clasp of Surak.”
Shaull
swallowed. “I am honored.” He took the pin and clutched it in his hand. He
returned to his seat, a deep green flush in his cheeks.
The
audience burst into applause.
Jamie
clapped and grinned. “You look positively green,
Shaull.”
“I
confess I do not feel well.”
Jamie
touched the small pin in his hand. “What’s the Clasp of Surak?”
“It is a
very great honor . . .” His voice trailed away.
Essak
reached across Jamie’s lap and slapped the Vulcan boy’s knee. “Good for you,
Shaull.”
Jamie
brought her attention back to the conference in time to hear the moderator
announce, “We now welcome Admiral Brett Komack to our assembly.”
Jamie
stiffened. She didn’t like admirals. Not one little bit. Any one of them had
the power to send her packing. Warily, she watched Admiral Komack make his way
down the aisle and up the steps to the platform.
He
crossed to the podium and shook the moderator’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”
The
admiral turned and scanned the children until his gaze rested on Jamie. He
smiled and crooked his finger. “Come here, Jamie.”
Jamie
went white. Her heart leaped into her throat, then settled in her chest with a
hammering that made her gasp for breath. It was one thing to stand in a long
line with nine other kids and get a ribbon around your neck, but to be singled
out by an admiral from Starfleet for an unknown reason?
No way!
Desperately,
Jamie sought her father’s face and pleaded silently to be rescued. He gave her
a barely perceptible shake of his head. Then he crossed his arms, leaned back
in his seat, and winked at her.
With
this sign of encouragement, Jamie slid from her seat and started toward the
admiral. Don’t trip and fall, she
commanded her quivering legs. They shook so much that she didn’t think she’d
make it the twenty feet to the side of the podium.
“Jamie
Kirk,” Admiral Komack said when she stood in front of him.
Jamie
looked up into a pair of smiling blue eyes and said nothing. Her tongue was
stuck.
“It
is my great privilege as chief-of-staff, military operations, Starfleet, to
present you with the Silver Palm and Star for Conspicuous Valor. It is also my
pleasure to confer upon you the official title of Starfleet Cadet, with all its
rank and privileges.”
Jamie
watched, stunned, as Admiral Komack bent down and attached the glittering
decoration just above her uniform insignia.
The
admiral grinned at her bewildered look. “Furthermore, you are hereby granted an
automatic appointment to Starfleet Academy when you reach the minimum age of
admittance. Until that time, you are assigned to the USS Enterprise, or to any ship your father, Captain James Kirk,
commands.” He paused.
Jamie
couldn’t speak. She couldn’t think. Everything was happening too fast. What did
the admiral mean, “assigned to the Enterprise”?
“Jamie!”
Essak’s whisper sliced through the silence. “Say thank yo’!”
There
was a murmur of soft, rippling laughter from the first few rows.
“Th-thank
you, sir,” Jamie stuttered, flushing hot.
Admiral
Komack smiled and turned Jamie around to face the audience. He laid a friendly
hand on her shoulder.
“This
Starfleet cadet showed remarkably clear thinking when she gathered the hostages
together in the safety of an air-tight structure to await rescue. Then she
chose to stay behind and trigger the chain of events that gave the Enterprise the few seconds it needed to
permanently disable the shields, putting her own life at risk. By doing this,
Cadet Jamie Kirk upheld the highest ideals of Starfleet to protect and serve
Federation citizens. I am proud to admit her to our ranks.”
Admiral
Komack looked at Kirk. “Captain Kirk, I present to you the newest member of the
Enterprise crew.”
Amidst
the cheering and applauding, Kirk left his chair and hurried to the platform.
Instead of shaking Jamie’s hand, he picked her up and gave her tight embrace.
“Welcome aboard—officially,” he said
softly.
“It’s
true, then?” Jamie burst out, hardly daring to believe. “I never have to leave
the ship? Not ever?”
“It’s
true. At least for as long as I’m the
captain.” He turned to Admiral Komack. “He did it.”
Jamie
reached out and threw her arms around the admiral’s neck. “Oh, thank you, sir!”
The
moderator brought his gavel down onto the podium three times. “This conference
is adjourned. Everybody go home and count your blessings.”
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