Before Destruction! Page 4

  lash out at his enemy. This faceless foe could not know of

  Klingons and believe they would surrender until their very breath

  had left them. 'Who is he?' The question reverberated in his mind.

  Kang needed a plan. Something unpredictable and quick; nothing

  elaborate. If he could only contact the Terror so they could act

  as one. But no, he dare not make any open gestures of deceit. He

  would have to act alone.

  "Gor, send a detailed recount of our predicament to Imperious

  Admiral Sorr. Request immediate advisory. Encode to him that by

  PAGE 17

  the time he receives the message we may not be here anymore and

  that my crew was brave in facing their enemy."

  "Yes, Sir," said the Comm. officer.

  "Now we act," Kang decided. "Weapons officer, have torpedo

  bay send 6 torpedoes to the transporter room immediately." Kang

  turned to his wife. "Mara, keep scanning the intruder. If his

  shields drop for any reason, we open fire no matter what events are

  transpiring. Understood?"

  "Yes my lord," spoke Mara and the weapons officer in unison as

  they began their separate tasks.

  "Helmsman, when I give the command, I want full reverse,

  emergency speed!"

  The helmsman turned with a surprised look on his face. "We

  are going to flee, my lord?"

  Mara quickly rebuked him, "Have care what you say Torvak. I

  do not expect you to question his orders again! Your life at least

  will be at stake, perhaps all of ours."

  Kang looked to his wife. Long had they served together.

  Longer had they loved one another. She could give him no son, no

  heir, and he was the last of his proud line. He bore her no grudge

  for that. She had given him everything else. Her loyalty above

  all had earned her his love, even from the beginning.

  "Torpedoes are in position in the transporter room, sir!"

  "Transporter room. This is Kang." He spoke carefully so that

  no word would be misinterpreted. "Set torpedo detonation range for

  the proximity of zero. Set warheads to arm themselves by timer and

  set timers at ten seconds minus," he paused, waiting for them to carry

  out his command. The moments passed slowly.

  "Done, my lord," came a disembodied voice from the speaker.

  "When I give the command, I want the computer to trip the

  timers. We are then going to transport all six of the torpedoes

  simultaneously. Their destinations are to be calculated, handled

  and executed by computer. They have to materialize exactly when

  the timer's counter reads zero. Understand that I mean zero."

  "Yes, my lord," came the voice.

  "Encoded destinations are to be equidistant points against the

  enemy vessel's deflector shield perimeter. Am I understood on all

  points?" Kang demanded.

  "Yes, Sir."

  "Then repeat it!" said Kang, not trying to insinuate that his

  PAGE 18

  transporter officer was incompetent, but wanting to stress the

  importance of his exact compliance. The officer repeated it to the

  last detail. "Good. Kang out."

  Kang turned to his weapons officer. "When the torpedoes have

  detonated you are to fire all weapons at the enemy vessel, but do

  not ready weapons until I give the order or the intruder will

  detect it on his scanners."

  "Yes, Sir," said the space veteran. He had total faith in his

  commander but still expected a glorious death.

  "Torvak, when the vessel's shields are down, she is our equal.

  As our first salvo hits her, she will explode due to the detonation

  of the very weapons she would use to destroy us. The Federation

  message we intercepted stated that this ship caused an explosion

  akin to a micro nova. Do you think it would not be prudent to be

  elsewhere when detonation occurs?"

  "Sir... I spoke from ignorance," the young officer said looking

  at the floor.

  Kang stood, prepared to strike back at the one who would

  challenge the Empire. His crew was also ready, once again having

  the hope of the glory of battle. They watched him for the signal

  that would start the offensive. He put his fist to his chest in

  salute of his crew, "Victory to the brave!" he shouted.

  "Victory to the Strong!" responded his crew.

  "Transporter room!" Kang commanded, "Prepare to,"

  "MY LORD!" Mara cut in. "The Terror is charging disrupters

  and has armed her torpedoes. She is going to engage the enemy."

  "The fools! Forward viewer on Terror."

  The view-screen changed from a high resolution 2-D on the

  intruder, to a close-up of the Terror. All watching could see her

  forward torpedo tube go from dark to a glowing red.

  "Intruder firing on Terror!" came Mara again.

  "Brace yourselves!" spoke Kang.

  The screen in front of them glowed brilliantly white and the

  ship was again hit by the terrible blast, causing the backup power

  to fade. Fire broke out at the science station while Mara, and

  others who were standing, now lay sprawled across the aft section

  of the bridge.

  "Damage report!" ordered Kang, coughing for all the smoke.

  Mara pulled herself up and headed for her post.

  "Torvak, has the enemy's position changed?"

  PAGE 19

  "I can't locate," Torvak paused, "Sir! He's astern," spoke

  the officer.

  "Commander," said Mara. "Damage to shields, 50 percent. On-

  board computer is down, now operating on station micros. Scanning

  equipment is damaged, extent not yet assessed."

  "My lord, we are being hailed by the vessel with no name,"

  spoke Gor over the sound of the extinguishers.

  "On speakers," Kang commanded, though not desiring to face

  the one who had dishonored him on these terms.

  "Commander Kang, is it your intention to attack this ship like

  your previously 'living' comrades?" the voice asked almost

  pleasantly.

  "What the Terror did, she did of her own accord. Not by my

  command, which is sovereign here. Though I do not apologize for

  what she attempted."

  "You are a brave man, Commander. But remember, it is a small

  thing for me to destroy you so do not tempt me... I believe that I

  will give you a more definitive idea as to whom and what you are up

  against. I will demonstrate that not only could I be the Empire's

  greatest ally, but its deadliest enemy." Kang already knew this.

  "Much of which will be determined by the hospitality I receive from

  his Imperious Majesty's representative, who's ship I just happen to

  be targeting presently. Is my meaning plain enough for you?"

  "It is," Kang said flatly, already beaten.

  "Very well. A force of arms, as the expression goes, will be

  displayed before you. Do be good enough to make a recording of

  this demonstration, I shall do it but once, and it is significant

  that your Emperor understands the import of our meeting."

  Another voice was heard in the background, "All is in

  readiness your Highness," it said.

  "Excellent!" came the enemy again then back to Kang. "As well

  as yourselves, we are targeting the last planet in the nea
rest

  solar system. What do you call this planet?"

  "Skarr 18" Kang said.

  "Witness then that in a few moments, Skarr will have only 17

  planets in orbit around her... Fire!" the voice commanded.

  PAGE 20

  *** FOUR ***

  Enterprise shone like a pearl against a black velvet sky. She

  remained stationary as the smaller ship, dart-like in appearance,

  approached. Static electricity discharged with various degrees of

  intensity, arcing, almost dancing about them, in bright blue bolts.

  They were enfolded by the dark and dense cloud of particles that

  had once been Elba II.

  On the bridge of the Enterprise, damage control was completing

  repairs to the ship's injuries, sustained while reaching the

  Petroski solar system.

  "Bridge to Engineering. Mr. Scott, repairs are about done up

  here. How are things coming on your end?" spoke Jim Kirk to his

  chief engineer.

  "We have green across the board, Capt'n. Though there is

  still an energy flux in me port nacelle. I cann'a seem to fine

  tune it out, and it's gonna worra me till I do," said the

  Scottsman.

  "Well done, Mr. Scott. Keep me informed about that flux. If

  it gets worse, let me know," Kirk said.

  "Aye Sir, Scott out." The channel closed.

  "Mr. Spock, I believe it's time to go over to the Javelin for

  debriefing," the Captain said as he left his chair, "Mr. Sulu, you

  have the Con."

  Spock followed Jim to the turbo-lift. Sulu rose from his post

  and took the center seat as the lift's doors 'swooshed' closed.

  "Hanger deck," Jim instructed the lift. He rubbed his palms

  against his trousers, then folded his arms across his chest. "Mr.

  Spock," he began, "have you finished the detailed report on the

  landing expedition to Holberg?"

  "Yes, Captain, it is on file and ready to be transmitted to

  Starfleet Command."

  "I'd like to look at it before you have it sent. I want to

  compare it to my own log," said Jim. "Not that I mistrust your

  accuracy Spock, I just want to be sure I didn't leave anything

  important out," he continued, hoping his First Officer would not

  detect his uneasiness about the subject. He wanted to compare the

  two logs because his memory seemed to have lapsed and he did not

  wish it known to his friend.

  Embarrassment crept up inside him as he thought to himself of

  the way he was trying to conceal this fact from Spock, the very one

  whom he should confide in. His cheeks shone the barest hint of red

  and he could feel the flush of them.

  PAGE 21

  So concerned with himself, Jim did not even notice the

  slightly greener cheeks of Spock.

  Spock was hardly pleased to hear Jim's request. It was not

  difficult to deduce that Kirk had discovered some missing time

  concerning Flint and the Holberg expedition, more to the truth,

  concerning Reena.

  It is considered not only immoral and illogical but quite

  dangerous for a Vulcan to interfere uninvitedly into another's

  thoughts. Spock's decision to alter his Captain's memory of the

  death of his love was not derived from logic, but one of "brotherly

  affection". An emotion alien to him before he knew the man James T.

  Kirk, but alien no longer.

  To all who did not know Spock well, he appeared to be

  typically, totally, Vulcan. A being devoted entirely to logic,

  suppressing or uprooting any inborn emotion, never discerning the

  turmoil inside him of being only half Vulcan. His human and Vulcan

  sides constantly strove with each other for supremacy in his

  heart.

  Unlike most humans and Vulcans, Jim Kirk had accepted him as

  is, and demonstrated the strength that could be found in the very

  emotions he struggled to suppress. There is a balance between the

  two opposing cultures that Spock was only recently becoming aware

  of. Once thought mutually exclusive, he now could see the harmony

  of the two working in him. This did not, however, make it any

  easier for him to arrive at an explanation as to why James had no

  memory of Reena Kapec. He would not lie to Jim. Perhaps he could

  'exaggerate'?

  The lift doors opened to the face of Dr. Leonard McCoy holding

  two flat squares, one orange, one blue.

  "Bones, I was just wondering if you had the medical tapes for

  us," said Jim.

  "I thought I would deliver them personally, Jim. Governor

  Cory's staff and patient's files are all here though I'm not sure

  how much help they will be. They are only as current as the last

  time we were here." The doctor placed the squares in his Captain's

  hands.

  "We were ordered to gather all information pertaining to the

  disaster, regardless of how insignificant."

  "I know, I saw all of the equipment and space debris you are

  taking over to the Intelligence boys. Not much room for the two of

  you, is there?" Bones escorted the two down the corridor.

  "If we had another shuttle craft available, we would have

  distributed the material between the two. As it is, it will still

  be a couple of hours before our second recon team returns, and no

  ship will be able to use transporters for weeks in this area with

  all the electromagnetic energy around."

  PAGE 22

  "'Months' is what Scotty said," added Bones.

  "Two point seven three months, to be more accurate," offered

  Spock, more to irritate the doctor than to assist. Dr. McCoy

  was, to Spock, the most emotionally fascinating person to observe.

  It seemed, paradoxically, that the good doctor was most happy when

  most irritated. As a friend, Spock felt obligated to keep Bones

  'happy'. "That estimate is of course barring,"

  "Can't you even say a complete sentence without a statistical

  exposition?" griped the doctor.

  Spock raised an eyebrow. "I find a curious satisfaction, if I

  understand the usage, in being as accurate as possible," he said.

  "Especially around you," he added. "Perhaps I am overcompensating

  for your consistant and general inaccuracy."

  "I can't take you two anywhere, can I?" Jim cut in.

  The corridor ended with the shuttle bay doors, which opened as

  Jim and company reached them. He led them into the airlock.

  After the first pair of doors closed behind them, the second,

  leading into the hanger, opened. A lone shuttlecraft sat on the

  turntable with the name 'Columbus NCC-1701/3', emblazoned on the

  side. The small interplanetary craft hummed softly as the prep-

  technician ran her through pre-warm and pre-flight procedures.

  Spock and McCoy followed the Captain as he walked the 20

  meters to the central rotational platform, then to the open doors

  of the Columbus. Spock passed his Captain and entered the craft as

  Jim stopped, realizing McCoy was still tagging along, and turned to

  him.

  "I hope you aren't waiting around for a goodbye kiss, Doctor,"

  the Captain stated, in good humor.

  "Very funny! I was just making sure you've got everything

  needed from medical, and what do
I get for it?" came the Doctor. "I

  wonder if jokes like that are what made Vulcans turn into binary

  brains."

  "Calm yourself, Doctor. What's put you on edge this time?"

  "Nothing's put me on edge. I just thought you might have been

  able to work me into your schedule without me having to order you

  down to sickbay for a complete physical."

  "I'm sorry, Bones, is there something you need to discuss that

  I don't know about?"

  "I'm sure you are aware of it," he said, "Painfully aware."

  Jim wrinkled his brow. 'What the heck are you talking about

  Bones?', he thought to himself. Then an echo from his memory spoke

  'bruised ribs'. Jim then connected that with "Painfully aware"

  and naturally assumed they were finally on the same wavelength.

  PAGE 23

  He was wrong.

  "Oh, that! Well, when I get back I'll stop in and you can

  tell me how I'm doing," Jim said, tugging at his tunic which

  covered the flexi-truss. "It doesn't seem to be important, though.

  I hardly feel bruised at all."

  "My God, Jim, I thought you were crushed." Bones, on the other

  hand, was referring to Jim's heart, at the loss of the android /

  lifeform / love: Reena Kapec.