Before Destruction! Page 7

  how sketchy the details are. We're only working with bits and

  pieces of information and there are no witnesses to the events,

  save on the ship that headed into the neutral zone."

  "Granted, Captain Kirk," his voice slightly calmer.

  "However, I am officially putting all quadrants bordering the

  Neutral Zone on full alert. Martial law is now in effect in all

  systems within 10 parsecs of the zone. I have already mobilized

  one quarter of the fleet to form a defensive line until we decide

  how to proceed." Stormcloud pressed a button on his console and a

  PAGE 35

  data storage square ejected from its slot into the Commodore's

  hand, who then passed it to Lt. Grensk. "If what I suspect about

  the Organians is true, these actions will make little difference.

  That is why I have a secondary phase to this strategy." The

  Commodore extended his hand out to his aide, who placed a sealed

  envelope bearing the Starfleet insignia with Kirk's name below,

  into it.

  "Our new orders?" Jim asked, used to receiving them via coded

  subspace transmission.

  "If it were up to me, Captain, these orders would be going to

  someone who had a different, shall I say, 'perspective', on the

  situation. But Starfleet seems to have more confidence in you than

  I do." He pushed the packet across the table to Jim.

  Kirk picked the packet up, examined the biomagnetic seal,

  making sure there were no tamper marks. Regulations require this

  before accepting any sealed classified document.

  "You may go over the specific details on the Enterprise at

  your leisure, but in essence, they are as follows: One; set course

  for Organia. Two; observe war-time regulation 24 section 12, no

  subspace communication until objective has been successfully

  engaged. Three; while exactly eight standard hours from your

  destination, set the Enterprise for self-destruct."

  Jim Kirk opened his mouth to object, and was immediately

  silenced by Stormcloud, who lifted a hand indicating that Jim had

  better shut his mouth and listen to his superior officer. Spock

  showed no sign that he cared that this could be the Enterprise's

  last mission. 'Vulcan inscrutability', Jim thought. Sometimes it

  really got on his nerves.

  "The computer-controlled countdown to destruction is to be

  modified for nine hours minus. Four; upon arrival, assume lowest

  possible orbit. Five; disembark via shuttlecraft, I stress,

  shuttlecraft. Contact this fellow, Ayelborne, with whom you dealt

  with on your last mission to Organia, and question him as to why

  there has been no effort on his part to enforce the treaty. Six;

  and this part you had better follow to the letter or I will

  personally dance at your court-martial, if Ayelborne has not

  explained himself satisfactorily, you will return to the Enterprise

  and command all hands to abandon ship. You will then allow

  Enterprise to self-destruct by antimatter intermix, not hull

  charges. I want Organia's surface wiped clean. Understood,

  Captain?" asked Stormcloud finally.

  "Understood!" answered the Captain, not attempting to conceal

  his contempt from his superior. "One question. What makes you

  think we have the ability to destroy the Organians? The Klingons

  used disrupters on them to no effect."

  "An anti-matter explosion is considerably different from a

  simple disrupter, Captain." He pointed to the packet Jim was

  holding. "Lieutenant Grensk will be accompanying you on this

  PAGE 36

  mission as an observer and to document everything done on the

  mission. You will afford him every courtesy but ask nothing of

  him."

  "I am perfectly capable of carrying out a mission without

  being escorted by an intelligence watchdog. I'm a Starfleet

  Captain, and I am certain that my record speaks for itself."

  "Your record speaks many things, Kirk. We shall see just how

  accurate the record is. Nevertheless, you might say Mister Grensk

  is my personal insurance policy." Stormcloud pushed himself away

  from the table. "If there is no further comment, gentlemen, I will

  call this debriefing to a close."

  "Sir," Spock raised an eyebrow, "there is a great deal that

  has not been covered, and the evidence, as of yet, is

  circumstantial, to say the least."

  "I assure you, Mr. Spock, that the investigation is far from

  over, on our part. Is there anything specific you wish to ask or

  disclose?"

  "There is, Sir. Though all the relevant particles of debris

  have yet to be recovered, there has not been any substance analyzed

  that would indicate the destruction of a Starship. Not even the

  trace energy of the antimatter reactor has been detected. My

  question therefore is, what happened to the Fringe Ranger?"

  "Missing, Mr. Spock," was his only reply. "Lieutenant Grensk

  will meet you at your shuttlecraft in twenty minutes." He looked

  at Kirk, then Spock. Both were about to ask more questions. He

  held up his hand to stop them. "Dismissed!" he said.

  Jim looked at Spock, knowing the Vulcan could read the

  frustration on his face. "Let's go, Mr. Spock." He saluted the

  Commodore and left the room with his First Officer. They were

  greeted on the other side of the door by the young Ensign who had

  escorted them to the conference room.

  "If you will follow me, Sirs, I will lead you back to your

  craft," he said, almost cheerfully.

  "You may escort Mr. Spock to the shuttle, Ensign, and you can

  point me to the nearest head," said Jim.

  "Down corridor C, third door to the left." With that, Spock

  and the Ensign proceeded down the hall, opposite in direction to

  corridor C.

  Kirk followed the ensign's directions, but found the entrance

  blocked by a maintenance man unloading his tool box from a gurney.

  Looking up from his tools, the man in the maintenance jumpsuit

  raised his hand indicating for Jim to stop. "You probably don't

  want to go in there, Sir!" the man warned.

  "That's strange, Mister,"

  PAGE 37

  "Maintenance Chief Holtz, Sir."

  "That's strange, Chief Holtz, I was under the impression that

  'that' was exactly the place I wanted to go."

  "Yes, Sir, I mean no, Sir. It's not that you aren't allowed,

  but we are installing a new fixture, specially designed for the

  Ambassador we're receiving next week," he spoke assuming the

  Captain was aware of whom he was talking about. "He's a

  'Stelmeko', Sir," he added for clarity.

  Jim had made it a point to keep abreast of all the new races

  entering the Federation, but this was a new one on him. He shook

  his head admitting his ignorance.

  "They're built differently than we are. Very differently!" he

  emphasized. "I've never seen one, mind you, but by the design of

  the facility I'm installing, I'm not sure I want to," he said very

  seriously.

  "There are many races that look different than we do but when

  you get down to it, you'll find we are all pretty much the same."

  'Besid
es,' he thought to himself, 'how strange can a toilet be?'

  "Gives me the willies," the maintenance chief stated as if he

  could read the Captain's thoughts.

  James gave him a half smile as he stepped around him, entered

  the restroom, and closed the door behind him. Reaching behind his

  lower back, he pulled out his communicator and snapped it back,

  thus opening it. He adjusted the frequency for tightest possible

  beam and aimed it towards Enterprise's relative position. Before

  he could speak, his eyes caught a glimpse of the alien waste

  disposal unit. His eyes widened as he tried to take in the view of

  the hideous, semi-organic, gurgling mass of, something? Then the

  smell hit his nostrils. His brain expanded to three times the

  diameter of his skull, or at least that's what it felt like to him.

  Then he heard a low moan coming from the unit and saw its plastic

  tubing, which seemed to be woven through the horrendously shaped

  mass, start to move. He put his free hand up to his throbbing

  forehead and did an about-face to relieve the strain on his eyes.

  Jim twisted a knob on his communicator. It beeped twice. "K-

  Kirk to Enterprise," he managed to breathe.

  "Uhura here, Sir."

  "Uhura, I need you to search Starfleet personnel records on a

  Lieutenant Reudolpho or Randolfo, I can't remember which, Grensk.

  G-R-E-N-S-K," he spelled for her. "Presently attached to S.I. Age

  about thirty. Get me everything you can on him and send it to my

  cabin." He wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "How's Mr. Scott

  coming with our propulsion unit?"

  "I don't know, Sir. He's climbed up into the access-way and we

  haven't heard from him since," she said. "Is there anything

  PAGE 38

  else?"

  "Is there what?" His head was pounding and his stomach was

  beginning to knot. "Oh, no Lieutenant. Kirk out."

  He replaced his communicator and made a straight shot for the

  door, not wanting another look at the freakish monstrosity. As he

  stepped through the door, he quickly exhaled and gulped a breath of

  fresh air.

  The Maintenance Chief looked at him with a red face. "Sorry,

  Sir, I should have given you an odor screen. The ventilation isn't

  hooked up properly yet."

  "C-Carry on," he managed and made his way back down the

  corridor, trying to keep from staggering.

  PAGE 39

  *** SEVEN ***

  The Klingon cruiser Fury defolded from hyperspace followed

  closely by the Intruder's ship. They were only on the rim of the

  territory claimed by the Klingonese, yet if traffic had not been

  diverted, they would have already encountered many spacefaring

  merchants, miners and trade vessels of all kinds.

  The Trinary System before them had been the agreed rendezvous

  site. Specifically, they were to meet in orbit around the ninth

  planet of the system. Kang stepped onto the bridge in full dress

  uniform. This consisted of black armor and cape with the red

  family crest of his House of Klinzhai, on his chest. His armor hid

  many weapons besides the disrupter that hung at his side. He was

  prepared to meet his Emperor, whether to fight by his side or die

  at his hand, he could not tell.

  "We have arrived, my lord," spoke the Science Officer.

  "Do we have full power yet?"

  "No, my lord. Power level is only at eighty percent," she

  responded.

  "Have repairs been completed on the cloaking device?" He took

  his chair of command and sat heavily in it.

  "No, lord Kang."

  "No?" He turned his head in anger towards Mara. He looked at

  her for a moment and regained his equanimity. "It was to be

  completed before we broke light." He could see her tremble

  slightly, trying to hide her concern for her husband.

  "The device failed incorporeality twice in simulation, Sir.

  At last report, its completion was near, but no definite timeframe

  was given. I will apprise you when it is operational."

  "I do not suppose it will matter until we have full power

  restored. Advise me when we have both."

  "Yes, my lord," 'and my love', she added in her thoughts.

  It had been two standard days since the enemy had entered

  Klingon space and every moment weighed heavily on Kang. In his

  crew, he could see a turmoil of emotions. Some were afraid of the

  Emperor's anger at their failure. Most were afraid of what the

  enemy had in store for the Empire, and all, including Kang himself,

  had a blind hatred for the foe. Many strategies on how to battle

  the intruder were discussed, planned and discarded, for by

  Imperial command, the Fury was ordered to make no further attempts

  of aggression, a directive any Klingon would find most difficult

  to obey. If not for his crew's fierce loyalty, he might have had

  mutiny in the ranks. The greatest advantage to being named a 'Hero

  PAGE 40

  of the Empire', was being able to hand pick his ship's detail.

  They were more than a crew to him, they were a tempered force, a

  team. They would, he was certain, follow him to the ends of the

  universe, if need be. Just now, however, he did not feel worthy of

  their devotion.

  "Sir, long range scanners are registering five contacts.

  Distance, point eight, bearing seventy-two mark three. It is the

  Imperial Command Ship and escort."

  "Gor, open a channel and stand by to receive."

  "Channel open, Sir," replied the communications officer.

  "Standard orbit achieved around Tukom Tal nine, Sir. Intruder

  ensuing at eight kel's astern," said the helmsman.

  "Transmission coming in now sir," spoke Gor.

  "On screen," commanded Kang.

  The forward view of the planet they were now in orbit about,

  dissolved into the ominous presence of Klinzhai's greatest monarch.

  Kang rose from his command chair only to kneel before his Emperor.

  "Rise," spoke the Emperor to Kang, though strangely not quite

  in the form of a command. Kang stood in silence before the image

  of his lord. "Kang the Destructor, you return from your assignment

  without victory for your Emperor?" Kang remained silent. "Do you

  now await my wrath?" the Emperor inquired in his bass voice.

  "I expect it for myself and request my lord's mercy towards my

  crew." He now awaited the death command.

  "Do you believe that you will serve my purposes better alive

  or dead?" He spoke in an even tone.

  "I have failed you, my Emperor, whatever your purposes."

  "I see no failure in realizing the need not to throw your life

  and that of your crew away. Had Volte and Pakor not acted so

  rashly, they might have been able to share in our soon coming

  victory over the Federation."

  Kang held his peace, not knowing for sure if his life was to

  be spared or not. He did know that whatever was stated by Tromok

  at this moment, could by no means be construed as irrevocable.

  "Commander Kang, by using your intelligence, and restraint,

  you have not only brought me the weapon our best scientists could

  not have conceived of developing, but an ally to my realm."
the

  Emperor tossed a bejeweled ceremonial dagger to the floor, by his

  own feet. "I give you back your life, and impart honors to you

  as well."

  Kang stood from the deck and with both hands to his side, he

  PAGE 41

  bowed his head. "Thank you, my Emperor," he said stiffly,

  unaccustomed to gratitude, wary of flattery. Had he turned his

  head, he would have seen Mara wiping a tear from her eye.

  "You will now fall back while I approach the escorted vessel

  behind you," the Emperor commanded. Then Kang saw it. It was the

  truth behind the words he had heard. In the Emperor's eyes, rage.

  Rage at the terrible power Kang had loosed in his empire. It was

  the reaction that Kang had expected from him all along. Now it was

  confirmed. Kang inwardly began to prepare himself for his own

  death.

  "As you command, my lord," Kang said, and the screen went

  dark. "Torvak, move us out slowly, but do not exceed photon

  distance from the enemy." Kang walked back to his Science Officer.

  "We are not out of this yet, my wife," he whispered to her,

  confident of the fact.

  "He gave you your life, would he retreat from his word?" she

  asked under her breath.

  "Military men say many things they do not mean, while under

  enemy observation. We will see how forgiving he really is when I

  present myself before him, officially and in private." He rubbed