“Valdez isn’t it,” Kirk said as he remembered the face.
“Yes sir, it’s a long away from the helm of the Enterprise, but I like it.”
“It been a long time,” Kirk said.
“Five years, sir,” Valdez replied.
“That long? Maybe you can tell me what’s going on.”
“Not much to tell,” Valdez said. “A small ship named the Phoenix came screaming in at warp nine. Starfleet HQ has been on yellow alert ever since. An hour after the Phoenix got in, they sent me out to Starbase 11 with an encrypted memory-chip to give to a Klingon Captain O’mri with instructions that the base commander was to view it with them. Sure enough, when I got there, there was a Klingon ship in port. Starbase 11 was on yellow alert also. I almost got my ass shot off coming in. My lieutenant found the Klingon captain in a loud rather heated debate with the base commander over the repair of his ship. We ate dinner at the Starbase and before we left, they must have had every engineer in the Starbase working on that Klingon ship. I must admit I’ve never seen a ship being repaired with hand phasers. I went from there to here to pick you and Mr. Scott up. I’m supposed to run armed from this point on. You’re what I would call a hot potato. I have a chip for you too. The Lieutenant will show you to a room you can use to view the chip. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a ship to run.”
“This is damn peculiar,” McCoy said.
“You can’t fix anything with a hand phaser,” Scotty said.
“Spock, any comments?” Kirk asked.
“Insufficient data, Captain, although it may have something to do with why the Klingons attacked us,” Spock replied.
“Let’s go see what’s on the chip. Then maybe we can get some answers to some of the questions that keep popping up,” Kirk said as he followed the Lieutenant out of the transporter room and down the hallway to a small lounge.
“Command the computer when you’re ready,” the lieutenant said as he handed Kirk the memory-chip. “I must leave you now.”
Thank you, Lieutenant,” Kirk said. He plugged the memory-chip into the slot next to the computer. “Well, everyone get comfortable. Computer, this is Captain James T. Kirk run the chip.”
“Voice print verified,” the computer replied.
The face of Starfleet’s commanding admiral appeared on the screen. “Jim, by now you’re wondering what is going on,” he said. “You have been recalled to Earth to command a Klingon B’rel class Bird of Prey by Darien Rellen, a Federation Security Council agent, code name Darrel. It seems the Klingons loyal to the Klingon Empress have been sent to kill you in an effort by the Klingon High Command to have them killed by you in combat. This is part of a plan to kill the Empress and all those loyal to her. It is believed the Empress will be killed near the Neutral Zone in the very near future and we stand a good chance that Starfleet will get the blame. Darrel seems to think that you and he together can save the Empress and stop the takeover by General K’lgar and others. You should arrive before the Federation Security Council convenes in an emergency session to deal with this. Just between you and me I think you’re going to need a plan. I don’t think Darrel has one. If Darrel is right, and I believe he is, and you don’t save the Empress, we will have to go to war with the Klingons. Good luck, Jim.
“We’re going from the frying pan into the fire,” Chekov said.
“Where is Starfleet going to get a Klingon B’rel class Bird of Prey?” Sulu asked.
“I believe we solved that problem ourselves not too long ago,” Kirk replied. “Scotty, you haven’t said much.”
“I’ve been thinking, Captain, my orders have assigned me to the Phoenix,” Scotty replied. “I know Darrel and I helped build the Phoenix...”
“Scotty, you built the Phoenix,” Kirk interrupted.
“Aye sir, that I did, and if ever there was a bucket of bolts, but fast and armed to the teeth. If I know Darrel, he’ll be using the same junkyard we built the Phoenix in.
“What’s Darrel like? What kind of man is he?” Kirk asked.
“He’s a good man in a fight,” Scotty replied. “He’s a save the universe type and would like nothing more from life than for everyone to live in peace and harmony with each other. That’s almost word for word what he told me one night after two bottles of some of the finest scotch I have ever had. I can’t believe he doesn’t have a plan, Captain. And Captain, he’s worked alone most of his life, so if he’s got a plan, you’ll have to pry it out of him.”
“I wonder how he was able to get information on an assassination plot inside the Klingon Empire?” Spock asked. “I’m certain the Klingons didn’t tell him. To know when and where the Klingons' Empress will be is not something even most Klingons would know.
“A setup, Spock?” Kirk asked.
“It would seem so without knowing more facts,” Spock replied.
“Captain, we could be walking into a trap if Mr. Spock is correct,” Uhura said.
“If I am incorrect and we get captured the effect will most likely be the same,” Spock said.
“Provided we don’t save the Empress,” Kirk amended.
“Looks like we’re in for another course on how to read Klingon,” Sulu said.
In an old spaceship junk yard filled with wrecks of every kind sat two ships. One Klingon B’rel class Bird of Prey that looked as though it might have stopped over for spare parts. The other ship looked as if it belonged there among the rest of the junk. Everybody was fascinated with the variety of junk.
“They’ve got ships here that I’ve only read about in history books,” Chekov said looking at one ship.
“I could spend days just looking around here,” Sulu said. “I wonder how many of the more intact ones work.”
“Fascinating,” Spock mused to himself.
“Jim, you have got to see the sickbay in this one ship I was in,” McCoy said.
“Captain...,” Uhura began to say before Kirk interrupted her.
“You too, Uhura. Can someone tell me what’s going on? We’ve got a job to do, and where’s Scotty?
Darrel jumped down from a nearby pile of junk where he had sat listening to his guests and measuring them as people. He instinctively liked them all. “I think I can help you on all counts,” he said. “My father was a dealer in junk. There are ships here that are over two hundred years old. I can even show you a spacecraft from the mid-twentieth century. I even have spacecraft from early Vulcan history Mr. Spock. One day....no I’ll save that tale for another time. I’m Darrel, Captain.”
“You’re not at all what I expected,” Kirk said as he looked over the big man standing before him.
“This is my home; I relax a little more here than when I am on the outside. It’s been three years since I was here last,” Darrel said.
“I think I’d like to hear the tale you told to get everybody at Starfleet hopping.
“The short or long version?” Darrel asked.
“I think the short one will do for now,” Kirk replied.
A few days ago, I bought a Vulcan slave girl in the Neutral Zone,” Darrel said as he began to tell the story. “She was at one time a slave to the daughter of the Klingon Empress. She overheard something she should not have. It was because of Klingon greed that she was not killed on the spot. After I heard her story, I knew how it would be done, I came here for help. You see some time ago I had the chance to save the Empress, which I did. I was given the highest honor the Klingon Empire has to give; I was listed as a member of the Empress’s guard. I had a private talk with the Empress, as a result, I know the whereabouts of the Empress at all times as does any other member of the guard listed on the active rolls. I chose you because you’re listed as a member of the guard on the inactive rolls. You see I work for both sides for a better end; I’m a spy of sorts. I keep the Federation posted as to the goings on of the Klingon Empire and I also trouble shoot for the Empress which sometimes takes me into Federation space.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Kirk asked.
“The Empress will soon begin a tour of the Neutral Zone. When she does, the bad Klingons will try to kill the good Klingons, Empress included. All we have to do is make sure the bad Klingons don’t win, and save the Empress,” Darrel replied. “Simple, isn’t it? The real battle comes tomorrow. We have to face the Federation Security Council and get their blessings. There the enemy will be deep rooted hatred and indifference. Come what may we will lift off in two weeks with or without their blessing. Later tonight, you will meet Tara and hear her story for yourself if she is willing to repeat it again. I must leave you now; I fear that Scotty may be having a little bit of trouble with Phoenix.” The beeping in his ear was persistent.
“I don’t think there is anything left to do except check on our ship,” Kirk said as he watched Darrel walk off toward the other ship.
“Don’t you think his plan is just a little too simple, sir?” Sulu asked.
“There ought to be more to it than the bad guys verses the good guys,” Chekov said.
“I like it,” Kirk said. “There are for the most part only two sides to any battle or war, the good guys and the bad guys. From our point of view, we’re the good guys. I feel like there is more at stake here than we can even begin to guess at. If we win, we will win big. If we lose, we’ll probably be dead, so we won’t have to worry about fighting in the war that follows.”
Scotty was standing next to the Phoenix trying to get the ship to open the hatch. “Alright you overgrown bucket of bolts, if you don’t open this hatch right now, I’ll tear the hatch off at the hinges and come in there and take you apart chip by chip,” he said angrily.
“I would not recommend such an action as I would be forced to defend myself,” Phoenix replied.
“Having trouble?” Darrel asked as he walked up.
“Yes sir. This person when denied access began to make extremely unpleasant threats directed toward a great variety of my parts,” Phoenix responded.
“Why you oversized scrap pile...,” Scotty said.
“See, he’s calling me names again,” Phoenix interrupted.
“I now know the one thing I could fix with a hand phaser,” Scotty said.
“Now, he’s threatening me again,” Phoenix said. “Should I zap him or maybe I should use the transporter on him and then lose him in one of my transporter storage banks for a while.”
Darrel started to laugh. “I don’t find this at all funny,” Scotty said.
“I’m sorry, Scotty,” Darrel said trying to stifle his laughter. “Phoenix, have a little respect, Scotty helped build you.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Phoenix replied.
“Phoenix, let him in anyway and give him whatever aid he might require.”
“I can fix that pile of microchips for you,” Scotty said as the hatch opened.
“No thanks, I like Phoenix just the way she is,” Darrel replied.
“Just what is it you want me to do to this...a... ship?” Scotty asked.
“I need warp fifteen.”
“The Phoenix can do that now.”
“Yes, but she can’t hold it for long and I need the speed. The Klingons are coming out with new ships that will be able to match the Phoenix as she is now, and then there are the ships like the courier ship you came in. The Phoenix couldn’t even begin to catch one. There are also a few missile pods and a few other things I would like to attach to the outside,” Darrel said.
“Missiles?” Scotty looked at Darrel like he had lost his mind. “Nobody uses missiles anymore.”
“These missiles can travel at speeds up to warp five and carry ten one pound magnetic mines with tracking devices and high explosive charges in them; plus, fifty pounds of what is essentially shredded aluminum foil to add to the smoke screen. I've found that most technologically advanced races don't handle clouds of scrap metal coming at them very well. The foil tends to scatter standard radar and laser based sensing equipment. Dust embedded with the foil forms a cloud made up of some really nasty minerals that distort or block the more sophisticated sensors, add a certain amount of magnetic distortion, and by the time they figured it out it’s usually too late,” Darrel replied. “It’s a lot like chaff countermeasures used by jet aircraft in the 20th and 21st century only a little more high tech. Each pod holds twenty missiles, I have ten pods.”
“I would begin to think you expect to be outnumbered.”
“By ten to one, I will also need heavier shielding.”
“Then you do have a plan,” Scotty said.
“Sure I do. Can you keep a secret?” Darrel asked.
“If the price is right,” replied Scotty.
“How does four cases of scotch sound?” Darrel asked.
Later that night Kirk and the others sat around a small fire talking among themselves, they were waiting for their host to arrive. Darrel and Tara were not so far away that they could not be overheard. “No, I will not tell it again,” Tara could be heard saying. “I’ve told it ten times already. Those old men were more interested in my life as a Klingon slave than they were in the fact that K’lgar will kill the Empress and all those loyal to her.”
“Please, Tara...,” Darrel said.
“No! Those dirty old men made me relive the things A'chan did to me over and over again and I hate them for it. I will not go through it again.”
“As you wish, tonight just relax and forget,” Darrel capitulated.
Darrel and Tara walked into the small clearing surrounded by junk. Darrel set the box he was carrying down gently. “Tonight my friends we relax and get to know one another better. Scotty catch,” he said as he tossed him a bottle of scotch. “Here, Captain, you have one too. Four hundred year old scotch my father and I found in the hold of a pirate ship we salvaged. In truth, there were eight cases in all. Among other things Mr. Chekov I believe that pirate was Russian.” Darrel tossed Chekov a bottle.
“Vodka,” Chekov said with a touch of surprise.
“We found the wreck on Io; it had been there for about two hundred years. Dr. McCoy, I am told you have a passion for ale from Romulus,” Darrel said as he handed McCoy a bottle.
“This is six hundred years old. How did you get it?” McCoy asked.
“That is another story, Doctor. If we make it back, I’ll tell you it over another bottle twice as old as the bottle you hold in your hand.” Darrel walked over and handed Sulu a small bottle. “Mr. Sulu off the coast of Japan in the eighteen hundreds an English ship sank. Most of the cargo rotted in the water. All that remains of that ship can be seen in a museum in Japan. Well, almost all that remains of that ship, except a few choice bottles.”
“Sake, how?” Sulu asked.
“My grandfather was on the salvage crew a long, long time ago,” Darrel replied. “Mr. Spock, I know Vulcans don’t normally drink but they do go in for fruit juice.” Darrel tossed Spock a bottle and then handed Tara one. Uhura your records don’t show you if you drink. I think you’ll find Vulcan grapes delightful if you want to share with Tara or perhaps you could talk one of these gentlemen into sharing some of their libations with you.”
Darrel walked back to stand next to Tara after passing out glasses to everyone. “Tonight, my friends, if I may call you my friends, we relax and drink together and recount tales of old times gone by,” he said. “A toast, we need a toast, Captain, if you would do the honors.”
“My friends, old and new, I think I’m beginning to catch a glimpse of what our new friend here sees,” Kirk said. “We are players in a game. This time the stakes are the highest we have ever played for, and the odds are against us, but we’ve been there before and come away victorious. So, to good times yet to come; to the good guys, may they always win; to a victory for peace.”
“Here, here,” Darrel said as everyone raised their glass. “To a victory for peace.”
The next day Darrel sought out Spock for a bit of advice. “Mr. Spock, I wonder if you could help me,” he asked.
“Certainly,” Spock replied.
“It’s Tara, she a Vulcan and you’re a Vulcan, so I thought you might be able to give me some advice,” Darrel said.
“I am not certain....,” Spock said as he started to reply.
“Shame on you Spock for jumping to a conclusion without all the information,” Darrel said with a smile before continuing. “Tara is consumed with hatred for some of the things that have happened to her, Spock. I fear that her hatred will eat her up unless something can be done to help her. She has no family except a sixth or seventh uncle or something like that. It seems that he’s the Vulcan ambassador. I haven’t been able to reach him yet. I thought maybe you could talk to her. What do you say, want to give it a try?”
“Yes, I will as you say, “give it a try,” Spock said.
“Thanks. You’re a good man Spock. Just remember when all else fails, try love.”
In the Federation Council Chamber, the President banged his gavel. “It is the Council’s decision not to interfere in the matter at hand,” he said as he set the gavel aside.
“So, you’re going to sweep it under the rug just like that. Hide your head in the sand and hope it all goes away. Well, I can’t, I have friends I have already sent in and there is no way out for them now. The least I can do is go die with them,” Darrel said angrily.
“We can have you stopped,” the President of the Federation replied.
“Try it! I am a member of the Empress’s Guard, and the Empress owes me her life. Don’t make the mistake and think I cannot draw on the power of what that means,” Darrel said just before he stormed out of the Council chamber.
“Captain Kirk, I trust you will talk to him and make him see reason,” the President said.
“Talk to him. I plan to help him!” Kirk said. “Just knowing Darrel has reaffirmed my belief in mankind. Which is more than I can say for you gentleman here. Darrel sees everything in black and white, good and evil. For him and men like him there are no shades of grey. If we truly believe that we stand for good and have found the true measure of what civilization is really about then we cannot stand idly by and let what is about to occur happen. If we know of a crime that is about to take place, and do nothing, then we would be just as guilty as if we ourselves had committed the crime. In this case, the crime that will be committed is murder.”
“I have worked for the good of the Federation all my life and I believe in the things that it stands for,” Kirk continued. “I’ll be damned if I’ll let some bureaucrats who lack vision enough to know the difference between right and wrong throw it all away. I’ll resign first.” Kirk turned and followed Darrel out without as much as a glance backward.
“Captain Kirk...Captain Kirk...” The doors shut behind him as the President of the Federation tried in vain to call him back.
Standing in the hallway Darrel gave him a one man applause. “Good speech,” he said. “They won’t dare to stop us now. They still won’t do anything, but they won’t stop us either.”
“Will we still get the help we’ve been getting so far?” Kirk asked.
“I don’t know. The Klingons pay well; we’ll still get the help we need even if I have to pay for it myself.
Spock found Tara in one of the hanger buildings in the junkyard looking at a small Vulcan merchant ship Darrel kept out of sight. “I knew your father; he was respected as one of the great merchants of Vulcan,” he said.
“He flew a ship a lot like the one before us only larger,” Tara replied. “We had no warning; I would have died too had it not been for Ashalara. I owe her my life. Strange the twists of fate. I hate the Klingons with all my being for what they have done to my family and for what they did to me, and yet I owe my life to a Klingon. Ironic isn’t it.”
“Hate is an emotion,” Spock said. “If you let it, it will eat away at you until it destroys you.”
“Hate? I don’t just hate I want to kill a man with my bare hands. I want to watch him die really slowly. Yes, Spock, I have come to know what hate is and it is something that can help you survive when all hope is gone.”
“Your logic is flawed. On what do you base your data?” Spock asked. “Do you hate all Klingons?”
“No, but...”
“How many do you hate? Do you hate a hundred Klingons?”
“No, but...”
“Do you hate fifty Klingons? Given the data of the reasoning of the behavior patterns of the Klingons, would you say you hate twenty Klingons? Ten?” Spock asked.
“Ok, I hate three Klingons, but one most of all,” Tara said.
“Then you don’t hate all Klingons, and yet you do hate all Klingons, but you don’t, but you do. Your logic goes nowhere and has no end,” Spock said.
“It has an end, Spock. In the Neutral Zone between the Klingon Empire and Federation Space,” Tara said.
“Your logic will fill up your mind long before then.”
“Damn your Vulcan logic. My parents are dead, I’ve been raped, and then I’ve been worse than raped. How could you know what it is like?” Tara asked angrily. “You what to know what hate is, Spock? I’ll show you my mind to yours. See what I saw, feel what I felt. Reach out and touch my mind, Spock.”
Spock reached out and touched Tara’s head gently with his fingers. For a moment he was one with Tara and knew what she knew, felt what she felt, and then Tara replayed and re-felt the horrors of riding in A'chan’s starship. Spock recoiled from the violence of what was done to her and the hate that filled her mind. Tara’s mind gripped his and tried to keep his mind from pulling away from her. With some effort Spock broke the mind-meld and Tara dropped slowly to her knees sobbing. Spock stood there looking at her for a moment not sure what to do and then he knelt down and pulled Tara to him and held her as she cried.
“Do you feel better?” Spock asks gingerly after a while.
“Yes,” Tara replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Can you tell me about this ship?”
“Yes, it seems Darrel’s family has been in the junk business for six hundred years. The grandfather took this away from some pirates in the Neutral Zone a hundred and twenty years ago. Darrel’s even got all the parts to a Klingon battlecruiser around here someplace.” Tara tried to smile but the sadness that remained in her eyes tore at a part of Spock’s soul.
“Darrel, I’m afraid you’ll need new engines for sure,” Scotty said meeting him and Kirk on their return from their meeting with the Federation Security Council.
“Is there any way to make do?” Darrel asked.
“No, and I’ve looked almost everywhere for parts.”
“Did you look in the two canvas covered buildings next to the main building?”
Kirk, Scotty, and Darrel all walked over to the buildings and Scotty looked in. “Oh my...The things I can do with you two... Where on earth did you get these?” he asked.
Kirk stepped into the building right behind Scotty and then backed quickly out of the building. “Where on earth did you get those?” he asked too.
“When they were trying to invent a transwarp engine a lot of experiments in warp drive got scrapped,” Darrel replied. “These were among the scraps. You can drive a ship at...”
“...Warp twenty five and hold it there for couple of days before it would start to get warm,” Scotty finished as he stepped out of the building.
“Could you use the old engines to add more power to the shields?” Darrel asked.
“Sure. no problem,” Scotty replied.
Scotty called in some favors and a whole army of student engineers descended on the junkyard for nearly two weeks for some hands-on training. Darrel’s junkyard was more museum than junkyard and he let some of the engineering students talk him into letting them come out and try to get some of the more intact ships running again.
“Captain, you should see the Phoenix’s communication section,” Uhura said as she sat down with the others to watch the sun set. “The Phoenix monitors all bands at all times. There is nothing the Klingons can say that is not heard and understood by the Phoenix. The one thing I don’t understand is how you broke the Klingon codes?”
“I didn’t break them. I was given them,” Darrel said as he set the box he was carrying down and began to pass out cups. “You might say I have friends in high places in the Klingon Empire.”
“And, they just gave you the codes?” Sulu asked in disbelief.
“It may not be vodka but it’s about the only thing we’ve got left,” Darrel said as he handed Chekov a bottle of scotch. “The Empress and I have an agreement and so I am supplied with whatever I need as one of her guards. Would you like to know what you are about to fly into and what it is all about?”
“What would be helpful is to know how many ships we will be fighting?” Kirk asked.
“At last report thirty-two,” Darrel replied.
“How many ships will be on our side?” Chekov asked
“Counting us, a maximum of seven,” Darrel replied. “The odds are about five to one.”
“Four point five seven one four to one to be a bit more precise,” Spock amended.
“Actually, the odds are 4.5714285714285714285714285714286 to 1,” Darrel said. “My mother was part Vulcan, Spock. There are 32 ships at present in an area only about 10 light years across just inside the Neutral Zone. The Empress will pass through this area in 37 days. At warp 6, we should make it in time. The Empress’s ship is a heavy battlecruiser with extra shielding with 2, possibility 4, K’Vort class Birds of Prey as escorts. Of the 32 ships so far, there are 8 K'Vort class Birds of Prey and 3 B’rel class Birds of Prey, 12 light cruisers, 5 heavy cruisers, and 4 yet to be identified. Fifteen are on the ground; three are in space dock for minor repairs, and the rest are in space just sitting there waiting.”
“I’m curious as to how you are able to obtain this information when all of Starfleet could not?” Spock asked.
“I listen to everything they say,” Darrel replied. “Given enough time the Klingons will tell you what you wanted to know. I also have a list sent to me that tells me where everybody is supposed to be. They are not always there, but at least I know where they should be. Right now, there is a whole bunch of Klingons that aren’t where they should be.”
“You said you would tell us what it is really all about,” Sulu said.
“On the other side of the Empire the Klingons are fighting a war and they are losing,” Darrel replied. “The Empire itself is on the verge of economic collapse and there have been a few rebellions on worlds they control that didn’t amount to much.”
“The Empire at this time is held together by the Empress even though she is little more than a symbol around which the Klingon Empire is gathered. If the Empress were to die it is possible that K’lgar could unite the Empire by blaming the Federation for all their troubles and then if he could blame the Federation for the Empress’s death on top of it all. War with the Federation would be the outcome.”
Darrel continued. “If we save the Empress and stop K’lgar. There will be no war. It is likely that a trade agreement with the Klingons would be reached which would help their economy. The war on the other side of the Empire would be stopped and peaceful contact with those people could be tried. In time, a lasting peace with the Klingons might be reached.”
“So, you see Sulu it’s all about and over power. K’lgar or someone he works for wants it and the Empress sort of has it but can’t really use it. She can only work within the limits of her power which is very limited because she is a female, but it is enough to keep the Klingon Empire from falling apart. K’lgar is trying to steal and consolidate all the power in the Empire for himself or someone else. One way or the other in thirty-seven days, ten hours, and forty-three minutes it will all change.”
It was early morning, just before sunrise, that two heavily armed ships prepared to get underway. One was a Klingon B’rel class Bird of Prey that was sleek, clean, and looked like it just rolled off the assembly line. The other ship, in contrast, looked like a fat flying junk pile, some bastardized creation of a demented mind made up of a dozen different ships. Things folded out and retracted from its side as the two ships prepared to lift off.
“Bounty, this is the Phoenix calling. Isn’t the sunrise beautiful?”
“It is, isn’t it,” Kirk replied over the bridge speaker.
“Phoenix, pre-flight check,” Darrel said. “Scotty, how are things going?”
“Almost done, I’m fine-tuning the transporter sensors now,” Scotty replied.
“Last call, all a shore that’s going ashore,” Darrel said. “Now, everyone sit back and enjoy your free vacation to the Klingon Empire. This includes a brief stopover in the Neutral Zone at no added charge. Tell them what else they’re getting in their free vacation package, Scotty.”
“We’ll give you your very own starship to fly to the Klingon Empire in. She may not be a fast ship, but she won’t be a slow one ether at warp eight. High powered phasers are a nice compliment to the twin auto-load photon torpedo tubes.”
Darrel continued where Scotty left off. “And, so you won’t be bored we’ll give you forty photon torpedoes and all the phaser power you can use for a little target practice along the way.
“With us as the targets,” Chekov muttered.
“I heard that,” Darrel said. “I prefer to think of them as sitting ducks. How can we not hit something? For each shot that misses, they risk doing more damage to each other than to us.
“It’s the shots that hit I worry about,” McCoy said.
“Darrel, I remember you said you had friends in the Empire,” Kirk said as he took one more look around the bridge of his ship for signs of trouble.
“Yeah, so?”
“What are they doing about now?” he asked.
“All systems are green for launch, launch when ready,” Phoenix said interrupting the conversation.
“Bounty, you ready for launch?” Darrel asked.
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Kirk said. “About those friends of yours?
“Phoenix, prepare to launch in five, four, three, two, one, beginning lift off,” Darrel said. “If all’s gone well, they should be heroes about now.”
A very battered looking B'rel class Bird of Prey drifted rapidly toward their home world on a course that would take them to the capitol city and the Empress. “This is flight control; do you hear me GhochwI’?” There was a long empty silence. “This is flight control; this is a red alert. This is not a drill; crash teams to your stations, fire control stand ready. We’ve got a hot one coming in. GhochwI’ say again, you’re fading out again, we can barely hear you.”
“This is Guard Command,” a booming voice in the flight control tower interrupted. “GhochwI’ hears you just fine Flight Control, but they seem to be experiencing some kind of malfunction as their transmissions are bleeding over onto one of our frequencies. GhochwI’ has been trying to tell you that their port engine is about to come off and that they have an unexploded ordinance lodged in their outer hull near their landing gear.”
“Thank you, Guard Command,” the flight controller said. “GhochwI’, you’re looking good. You should see the landing field any moment now.”
“They see the landing field, Flight Control,” Guard Command relayed.
“Good luck, GhochwI’,” the flight controller said.
The GhochwI’ came down like a rock hard over the city but seemed to regain control at the last moment. They overshot the landing pad, then pulled back a bit before starting to settle on the pad. The port engine chose that moment to fall off which overbalanced the ship causing the starboard engine to hit the ground before settling badly on its landing gear. Inside the GhochwI’, O’mri and his crew stood waiting for the hatch to open. “We’ve practiced the story and the drill all those times for this moment. Remember the life of our Empress depends on us,” O’mri said.
Outside the GhochwI’ as the hatch opened Klingons came running out. O’mri stood at the top of the ramp yelling, “Out everybody out, this thing is going to blow.” O’mri followed the last man out. Everybody was running like a bat out of hell. “Run, run!” he continued to yell as he stopped to help a crewman that had twisted his ankle and fallen down.
“Go on, leave me,” the crewman said.
“I don’t leave men behind,” O’mri said as he helped him up and carried him away from the ship just as the base of the GhochwI’ near the hatch exploded blowing the ship off its landing gear. No one was hurt badly. Fire crews went to work, and a medical transport flew in to check for wounded. Kratok was on the transport.
“I thought you’re supposed to be hunting down Kirk.” Kratok said.
“Well, we’re back,” O’mri replied somewhat irritated. “What the hell was that little ship you wanted stopped anyway?”
“Oh..., oh yes. A federation spy.”
“Needless to say, we didn’t stop him. GhetwI’ is still stranded out there. Da’nal was destroyed. If he had made a second pass, we’d all be dead.”
“You should have stayed out there and followed your orders,” Kratok said.
Two floating gun platforms set down silently behind the medical transport. Followed by a larger ship. Out of the night in the early morning mist walked the Empress dressed in grey and black.
“Should still be out there!” O’mri snapped back. “How the hell can you understand? Do you even know what it’s like to live with death? I don’t mean we could get killed doing this kind of death. I mean a useless kind of death that having an unexploded bomb under you might bring. Thinking today could be the day I die and die so uselessly without a chance to look your enemy in the eye and spit in his face. Would it be a quick death or a very slow one? Stay out there and do what? Die without a fighting chance. If we had to die, why do it in the loneliness of space? We chose to die here on our own home world near the Empress to whom we have all pledged our loyalty and our love.”
“Your love is returned, Captain O’mri, I have heard good words spoken of you,” the Empress said as she stepped into the light.
“Empress,” Kratok said startled almost as though he had been caught doing something he should not have been doing.
“My Lady, we live to serve you,” O’mri said as he and his crew knelt before the Empress.
“And, I you, Captain,” the Empress replied. “We must all learn service. Captain, you must dine with me tonight, and do bring your crew. Kratok see to it that they are given rooms at the palace and new clothes are brought to them at once. Brave men need a reward.”
“I think the brave part comes later,” O’mri said under his breath as the Empress turned to leave but his words, not meant to be heard, were not lost on her.
In the palace at dinner, O’mri and his crew were surprised to find they were the only ones dinning with the Empress and her daughter Ashalara. “Captain, how is the food?” the Empress asked.
“Great!” O’mri replied with his mouth full of garbat.
“What news do you bring me, Captain?”
“My Lady?” O’mri was unsure what he should say.
“I see through your story, Captain,” the Empress said gently but firmly. “You were broadcasting on a channel that is a long way from the one you were trying to talk on. You could have stopped anywhere and been beamed off your ship. Why come here? Spare me the garbage you told Kratok. Who sent you?”
“There is no lying to you, is there?” O’mri said.
“No, there isn’t,” the Empress replied. “You were on a channel reserved for one person in my guard and for his use only. Now start talking, Captain.”
“We were ordered to stop a ship called the Phoenix at all cost. It was to have been carrying secret information vital to the Klingon Empire. We tried to stop the Phoenix, but the Phoenix was faster and more heavily armed than I expected, and it got away. We went to Starbase 11 for repairs.”
“You went to a Starbase for repairs?” the Empress asked in disbelief.
“Darrel told us to,” O’mri replied almost apologetically. “Empress, he has got to be a spy for Starfleet. He knows codes that can turn a Starbase upside down.”
“I like to think of him as my Federation bodyguard.”
“Then you know he’s a spy?
“He is a spy and then he isn’t,” the Empress said. “He’s not after our secrets. Darrel is more or less the Federation keeping a watchful eye on us. Like an advanced scout, but he works both ways and he has done a few odd jobs for me from time to time. Captain, Darrel’s loyalty to me is without question and will come even before his duty to the Federation. So, while I may know he works for the Federation, I doubt very seriously he had any secrets vital to the Empire. So, tell me what it is you are trying hard not to tell me.”
O’mri could think of no way else to say what had to be said. “Darrel thinks someone will try and kill you when you tour the Neutral Zone. He thinks we can catch them all if we stick to the plan.”
“What is the plan?” the Empress asked.
“Well, first I need to be in your escort...,” O’mri replied as he began to tell her of Darrel’s plan.
K’lgar and Kratok met together in one of the many rooms in the place. K’lgar was standing at the window looking out deep in thought at the report Kratok had just given him. “I tell you he knows,” Kratok said after K’lgar’s silence stretched out longer than he thought necessary.
“If he knew we would both be dead right now.” K’lgar said. “No, he knows nothing. The Empress herself asked if it couldn’t be arranged for O’mri to be in her scout escort. No sane man would go with her if he knew what was going to happen. I think I will have Captain O’mri lead the escort and let him pick the men that will fly the escort with him. As the humans would say, few extra birds when we throw our stone.
“It is a trap,” Kratok said
“It’s a trap alright and they’ve walked right into it,” K’lgar replied.
“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said. The Empress will want proof of our treachery before she acts. What better way than to let us hang ourselves?”
“To do that she would have to go to the Neutral Zone wouldn’t she. There is no one that could reach her in time even if she called for help yesterday. The only way that would work is if she had changed her plans, which she has not done.”
“And what of Darrel?” Kratok asked. “What do you think he’s been doing all this time? He’s had time to ask the Federation and Starfleet for help.”
“The Federation will do nothing. That is their way,” K’lgar replied. “They might send a warning to the Empress, but the time has long past for the Federation to have sent such a message. At the most Darrel might be there. If he can find out where there is.”
“Are you forgetting Darrel’s ship?”
“I’m forgetting nothing. Not even Darrel and his ship could withstand the fire power of thirty-seven ships. Kratok, I want you there to make sure nothing goes wrong.”
“As you wish, General. Let us proceed with caution, our lives hang in balance.”
“I am always on my guard, my friend. At least you’ll be on a ship and can run if things go wrong. I have nowhere to run in case things go badly.”
O’mri stood in a small classroom on a military training base outside the capital city Qam-Chee. Before him stood the best pilots and gunners in the Klingon Battle Academy. “Be seated,” he said to the cadets. “How many of you are willing to die for the Empress? All of you, I hope. I want, no, I need volunteers to man scout ships. Now, before all of you volunteer, I must tell you that at some point the Empress will ask you to sacrifice your life for her. I know I am a dead man, and my death will count for nothing. The Empress goes to meet her death and is in need of an escort. Now, who will go with me to die? Come and stand with me that I should know I will not die alone.”
There was some hesitation by those in the room. Klingons love a good fight to the death but O’mri was asking them to throw their lives away. In the end, only enough men stood with him to barely man two scout ships. “The Empress thanks the rest of you for your time. You may leave,” O’mri said and waited for the room to clear before turning to face those who remained. “If you’re really good, it’s possible that you might live,” he said. “Combat training will begin at sunrise. Be at the landing field at that time.
On the bridge of the Phoenix, Tara stood defiantly before Darrel seated in the captain’s chair. “This is far enough,” she said. “Remember your promise.”
“Jim, will need her,” Darrel said.
“I’ll not have what happened to me happen to her. Do you stand by your word or not?” Tara replied.
“I’ll standby what I said then,” Darrel said. “That does not mean I have to like the idea now...Wouldn’t hurt.... Phoenix, simulate a short in your communication equipment... Bounty, this is the Phoenix; I seem to have a problem here.”
“This is the Bounty. What kind of a problem?” Kirk asked relaxing in his chair on the Bounty’s bridge.
“I’ve lost communications with the Klingons, and I have to be able to talk to some of the Klingons. Could I borrow your communications officer for a short time?” Darrel asked. “I need an expert. I’ll get her back to you as soon as I can.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Phoenix,” Kirk replied. “Uhura?”
“It shouldn’t take me long, sir,” Uhura replied to the unasked question.
“Phoenix, I’m sending Uhura over. Take good care of her,” Kirk said.
“Thanks, Jim. I owe you one. Oh, by the way, everyone over here flies first class. Uhura is in good hands, trust me.”
Phoenix chose that moment to interrupt the conversation. “Long range scanners show multiple targets closing on four ships.”
“Stay cloaked. I’ll go in and get their attention” Darrel said. “You sneak up behind a few of these ships and introduce yourself.”
Darrel glanced over at the door as it swished open and Uhura walked in. “Scotty, are we all ready to go?” he asked.
“Aye, just checking the shields again,” Scotty replied.
“Uhura, on behalf of the captain and crew I’d like to welcome you onboard the Phoenix. I hope your stay with us will be a pleasant one. Now, please take your seat,” Darrel said. “Phoenix, go to warp ten.”
McCoy sat at the communication station filling in for Uhura while she was on the Phoenix. The others were busy at their stations. “The Phoenix’s shields are powering up and it has just accelerated. Speed is now warp ten,” Spock said.
“We’re never going to catch him,” Chekov said.
“Sulu, warp eight,” Kirk said. “Chekov, man your guns. Spock, a course to the nearest ship we can come up behind.”
On the Phoenix’s bridge Uhura was trying to locate a very stubborn short in the ship’s communications system. Just when she thought she had it, it vanished.
“Phoenix, to GhochwI’. Talk to me O’mri,” Darrel said.
“Darrel, welcome to the party. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” O’mri replied.
“What? Throw a party and then don’t show up, perish the thought,” Darrel said.
“What now?” O’mri asked.
“Start shooting, you got thirty-seven ships surrounding you, all cloaked,” Darrel said. “Phoenix, I need a direct link with the Empress.”
“I can’t find a short anywhere. As far as I can tell the system is working perfectly,” Uhura said when she finally gave up trying to solve the problem.
“I promised Tara that I would not let the Klingons capture you. That’s why you’re here,” Darrel said.
“You can’t keep me here,” Uhura said angrily, mad that she had been so easily tricked.
“You would best serve Jim by staying here,” Darrel said. “In any case, it’s not me you need to be talking to. I would send you back if it were not for Tara.”
“Tara, I’d like...,” Uhura started to say something but the look of deep pain she saw in the girl’s eyes stopped her. She looked over at Darrel.
“I have a daughter somewhere about Tara’s age...,” Darrel said leaving things unsaid hanging there.
“I am tracking multiple ships with cloaking devices engaged,” Phoenix interrupting everyone’s train of thought. “No shots have been fired during the time I have been scanning them. All ships are out of range of one another at present. The scouts around the battlecruiser are moving out for a battle drill.”
On the bridge of the GhochwI’ the crew was preparing for battle. O’mri had the other ship commanders on his main view screen and was addressing them with one final pep talk. “This is it,” he said. “The Empress’s life depends on our action here today. If all goes well, I shall see you again. One way or the other we shall be remembered forever for what we lived or died for this day. Remember to break when I give the command and head for Starbase 11. From this point on you are members of the Guard; guard the Empress well!”
“Now tracking all thirty-seven ships,” Phoenix said
“Now O’mri, fire...,” Darrel said more to himself. “Shoot.... Now!”
“The Empress’s escort have just fired 3 photon torpedo spreads and have started random disruptor fire,” Phoenix reported.
Communicated as a battle drill so anyone listening would not suspect anything was amiss until it was too late. The escort ships, 3 K'Vort-class Birds of Prey, began what seemed like random firing of their phasers and photon torpedoes cloaking and de-cloaking between each salvo fired. The battlecruiser they were escorting fired its weapons in counterpoint covering the smaller ships as they re-engaged their cloaking device. The MaQmIgh, the Dark Omen of Hell as the ship was sometimes called was a front line capital ship with all the firepower needed to go with her name.
