"The Entellus Dilemma"
A STAR TREK story
by
Jeffrey Holt

Captain's Log, stardate 3049.1. Only a few days after our initial contact with the Gorn race and the super-intelligence of the Metrons the Enterprise is taking a diplomatic party to the Gorn homeworld. While we expect no trouble from the Gorn due to the proximity of the Metrons we must consider the possiblity that the Romulan empire nearby might have allied itself with the Gorn.

James Kirk wore the gold of as if it had been born on him. His green duty tunic fit him like a second skin revealing the outlines of the body that had captivated not a few women. He sat in the chair rigidly as he was addressed by a tall Vulcan in a diplomatic uniform -- a solid color suit and slacks with a vertical two-color stripe on the left-hand side of the tunic.

''I had not intended for you to be a member of the contact party, Captain. However, Starfleet insisted and the Federation agreed since you had made contact with the Gorn before. ''

"Yes," Kirk agreed, nodding. "But only from behind the barrel of a homemade cannon."

Stelik's face showed the Vulcan equivalent of impatience. "You will, of course, refrain from mentioning that incident to any of the Gorn delegates. it could provoke them."    

"Yes, sir. But I would rather not accompany the party. I am not a diplomat."

''Obviously not, Captain Kirk. Yet the Federation requires me to take you with the party.
I do not disobey orders.''

"Yes, sir," Kirk replied a bit sheepishly, as he stared at his feet. Stelik seemed to wait for Kirk's eyes to drift back up.

"in that case, Captain, there will be a meeting in the Deck Seven briefing Room at 0800 hour. I demand punctuality." Stelik turned on his heel and left.

Kirk slumped in his chair, grateful to be out from under that steady gaze of his temporary superior. Glad to be back in the role as ship master, Kirk allowed himself to smile. He turned to his Science Officer and his friend. "Mr. Spock, I don't think I am going to enjoy this trip."
 
"I am unable to see why, Captain."
 
Kirk smiled ruefully. "For the life of me, Spock, neither can I. Mr. Sulu, how long until we reach Gorn?"
 
"Six days and eight hours, sir."
"I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. Mr. Carson increase speed to warp factor  six."        
 
Carson, one of the newest Ensigns on board the Enterprise bore a striking resemblance to Kirk. At a distance it was difficult to tell the two apart. Carson and Kirk had hit it off immediately Carson had one handicap, though -- he was missing the little finger of his left hand due to an accident with a phaser during his Academy days.
 
As Carson's hands danced over the control panel, the throb of the warp engines increased as it was transmitted along the struts of the Enterprise. Kirk sank back in his chair and thought very dim thoughts about diplomats   and ambassadors.
 
*******
 
Six people made up the contact party, not counting Kirk. The leader of the party was Stelik, the effective but highly controversial diplomat whose strong point was the ability to smooth- talk anyone who got hostile.
 
Shras of Andor was the second member. His abilities at stopping confrontations in very delicate situations had won him Federation-wide renown as a great diplomat. His reign had been the most peaceful one in that belligerent planet's history. Shras was also known as an excellent fighter. Very few men had ever defeated him in competition wrestling. After seeing the wiry blue-skinned man, Kirk did not doubt that reputation. 

Commodore Tamara Adams of the Federation Cultural Survey Board, sent to ana1yze Gorn's culture and provide solutions to their problems, had done a lengthy computer sketch of what Gorn could contribute to the Federation over the next decade. She had raven b1ack hair and very blue eyes that sent Kirk into shivers. "Lovely" fel1 very short in describing her.

Janet Therpe was a civilian medical techno1oglst who was to examine a number of Gorn and report on their anatomy and their medical achievements. She had short red hair with many freckles, and Carson had all but fallen in love with her.

The remaining two members of the party were two male aides. Kirk could never remember their names. One was Brown, the other was Robertson...no, Robinson, and both looked and acted alike. Kirk didn't like them.

Spock interrupted his Theugbts. “Trouble, Captain.”

''What is it, Spock?”

"An ion storm of unprecedented size, Captain, easily five parsecs across and four parsecs wide. its speed is warp point three, and it is on an intercept course."

"Estimated time of arrival?"

"Less than an hour, sir"

"Suggestions?"

"increase speed to warp factor nine and hope to clear the storm, sir?" Carson asked.

"No, Carson. we can wait it out."

"Only one problem, sir."

"And that is, Mr. Spock?"

“The storm seems to be slowing. if we wait for it to pass, we could wait for as much as two weeks."

''With a five-day trip to Gorn, Stelik wou1d not enjoy that."

"No. sir."

Kirk hesitated a momentand weighed his options. Starfleet would not look too kindly on him backing out, especially since Admiral Fitzpatrick had made it clear that the Gorn were to be invited to join the Federation, and that failure on his part to secure that agreement would mean his hide. "Mr. Carson, warp factor nine. Mr. Sulu, plot a course to give us as much time as possible."

Both men busied themselves at their tasks. Kirk glanced down at the chronometer between the Navigator and Helmsman. it read 0802. Kirk leapt from his chair, saying, "Spock, you have the con. I'll be in the Briefing Room.”

Stelik was more annoyed at Kirk's tardiness that the Captain himself was. The delegates were seated around the table. Shras was speaking with the two aides, every now and then using a slashing gesture to make a point. Kirk entered and assumed his seat under the gaze of the party 1eader.

"Captain, more often than not, diplomacy is as much punctuality as it is moderation. May we begin this meeting?"

Kirk allowed himself an expansive gesture. "By all means.” He spoke with as much insubordination as he felt he could get away with.

Stelik stared at Kirk. The Captain stared back. Stelik broke the gaze and said, “The Gorn
situation could be extremely de1icate. We had unknowingly encroached upon their space. They felt threatened and destroyed a base on Cestus m. By now, they may have allied themselves with the Romulans.”

Commodore Adams asked, ''What were the causes of the attack?"

Kirk answered, “The Gorn felt that the base on Cestus m was a forerunner of an invasion of their space."

Although she knew of the incident, she asked Kirk to tell the story one more time -- more to give Stelik a chance to calm down than to refresh her memory.

“We had been receiving messages from Cestus m for about a week, inviting us to beam down and have dinner with them. When we materialized on the surface, we knew we had been trapped. The area was scarred and devastated.

“My first thought was to return to my ship; but as soon as we had safely reached the surface, the Gorn ship attacked. Mr. Sulu, then in of the ship, raised the shields to save the Enterprise. in doing so, he trapped the landing party on the surface. We ourselves came under attack. We drove them off using some abandoned infantry weapons in the outpost arsenal.

“We discovered Lt. Harold, the only survivor of the attack, and he told us of the bloodthirstiness of the attack. As the party that had attacked us on the surface returned to their ship, we returned to ours and began to chase them.

“We chased them into the uncharted Metron sector, when both our ships were caught and held like files in amber. The Gorn Captain and I were transported by the Ketron to a small planetoid and ordered to fight each other. He came very close to killing me and winning. but, in the end, I made a cannon with raw materla1s on the surface and wounded him. When I refused to kill him, the Metron released both our ships, and we went on our way."

Stelik managed to look bored. "All very interesting, Captain. We will attempt to apologize for your actions.”

Kirk half rose. "MY actions? What about theirs? They attacked an unarmed base and levelled it. I showed mercy on him, and you apologize for that?"

"No. Captain," Shras interjected, trying to calm him. "Not for that, but for infringing upon
their space and causing the affair.”

Kirk sank slowly back into the chair.

Stelik went on as if there had been no interruption. "Ms. Therpe, wou1d you please tell the group of the Gorn homeworld?"

Thorpe cleared her throat and looked around the room. She was terribly shy, but she was one of the best med-techs around. “The Gorn homeworld is in the system of Tau Lacertae. it must be very close to the star for reptilesto have evolved into the dominant form of life. The air is hotter and thinner than that of Earth, possibly comparable to that of Vulcan. I hypothesize that there are severa1 species of reptile which are native to Gorn and are intelligent, or maybe different subspecies of the same genus, as all races of Homo sapiens are H. sapiens regardless of their skin color. The gravity must be higher than that of Earth as Captain Kirk observed in his log that the Gorn was stronger than he, and much less agile.

"Anyone walking in an increased gravity would walk in a similar fashion. That is all readily deduced. But what comes next is purely conjecture.

"Psychologically speaking, the Gorn must be bred warriors. Either that, or they are hopelessly paranoid. They attacked Cestus m in an extremely vicious manner. Their culture, therefore, could be comparable to that of the Klingons or the Romulans." .

Stelik nodded, indicating that she was finished. Therpe looked cowed and nodded back. "The goa1s we have set," Stelik went on, "are to bring the Federation to this section of the galaxy, and to prevent Romulan expansion nearer to the Federation. I think that . . . "

"Red Alert. This is no drill...Red Alert...Captain Kirk to the Bridge." Spock's voice boomed from the speakers. Before Stelik could registeris indignation, Kirk had left the Briefing Room at a run.

"I thought you said the stotm was slowing, Spock?"

"I did, Captain. However, the Janie fabric of this sector of space must be conducive to ion
storms. in the half hour you were in the Briefing Room, the storm tripled in size and speed. it is now travelling at 98% the speed of light. The Enterprise has just crossed the centerline of the storm. We cannot escape it." Spock said the last with a note of finality.

"Can the Enterprise weather the stom?"

"We do not know the extent of the storm's powers."

''What is Mr. Scott's opinion, Spock?"

''He, too, is unsure. it is not your decision, Jim." Spock felt it his duty to comfort his
friend. “The ship will be drawn into the storm, whatever you order."

"But will we survive, Spock? That's all I want to know. Will we survive?"

"I do not have the data to answer that. The energies holding that storm together are immense. That much,I can surmise. If we can follow the lines of ionic force at their weakest points, we will survive. I have begun a scan. So far, nothing."

Carson broke in. "Contact, sir. in two minutes."

"Very well. Uhura," Kirk said, crossing from the science station to his chair, "put me on intraship."

"Aye aye, sir."

“This is theCaptain speaking. The Enterprise is being drawn into a huge ion storm that dwarfs the most powerful we've ever encountered. Mr. Spock is not sure that the ship can stand the strain. Wecannot escape. All personnel . . . stand by."

"Three. "

"Two."

“One." As Carson finished his countdown, Sulu grabbed his post end held on until his knuckles turned white. Kirk wedged himself in his chair, grippinq the armrests. Spock, tike most of the others seated around the outer circle of panels, braced his feet and firmly anchored himself to the edge of the board.

Then the Enterprise was sucked into the maelstrom.

The ship was pulled at by talons of strange demons disguied as streams of ionic flux – just as early wooden ships had been tugged at by taloned wind-creatures. Energy flickered around the hull of the ship.

Over the roar of protesting equipment came Scotty's worried voice. "Captain, engines are
over1oaded. We were at warp nine too long!"

''Mr. Sulu," Kirk cried. "cut all engines."

For two hours, the Enterprise battled the ion current, and was finnaly through the other
side. But the stars were wrong. Kirk had suspected that something like this might happen.

Captain's Log, stardate 3049.1 supplement. The Enterprise is lost. A freak ion storm swept us up and spit us out here, wherever 'here' is. Stellar Cartography has been trying to triangulate for several hours, but since we lost much of our power in the course of the storm, their power is diminished.

Mr. Scott informs me that the warp engines are unusable at this time. The overload at warp factor nine. Combined with the strength going through the storm has drained them. it will take forty minutes before Mr. Scott can begin the lengthy restarting precedure. He has his crew working around the c1ock.

Ambassador Stelik is, naturally, quite upset at this untimely delay of our mission, and demands that we get underway immediately. When I explain our problems, he just looks tolerant and says, "Please hurry."

My main concern now is figuring out our location and then getting us home. I shudder at the thought of spending my life here.

Kirk pounded the arm of his chair in frustration. "Still no word from stellar cartography, Spock?"

"Negative. They are still searching for one more known star, sir." Spock turned back to his pane1 and to his private search. Although he had not gottena complete answer, he did not like the implication of what he had.

Engineer Scott, who had been in Engineering when the storm hit, called the Bridge. “We hae little or no impulse power, Captain. Somehow, the power flow to the impulse engine has been severed. Our life support keeps on a-runnin', but for how lang, I dinna know. Only the main intercom channels function. I might be mistaken, but our intra-ship communications may be out ta boot. I have the turbo-lifts operatin' at one-third speed to conserve energy. We're workin' on it, Captain."

“Good, Scotty. Kirk out. Uhura," Kirk said. turning to face his Bantu Communication
Officer. "Status report.”

"Only Engineering, Weaponry and Stellar Cartography are on the channel, Captain. I have run a check on the hailing frequencies: they indicate 'Go.'”

''Thank you. Sulu?"

"SinS still shows us on a course for Gorn. sir. We cannot correct that until Stellar Cartography can give us coordinates."

"Thank you. Carson?"

"Both the weapons system and the navigation computer have green lights. Captain. if we only had coordinates . . . "

"Yes. Spock, still nothing?"

"Negative, sir. Stellar Cartography has just triangulated. Coordinates are: 32-23-00 Mark 380-09, Range: 2.81 KPC. Deep in the Romulan Empire, almost directly behind Gorn from Earth."

''Put a chart on the screen." Kirk said. instead of releiving him of a burden, as he'd hoped,
Spock's news only weighed Kirk's mind down. How could he hope to explain to a Romulan? Would he be believed?

Spock put a map of the Federation and the Romulan Empire on the screen. ''We are presently in the Perseus Arm, which is under Romulan control. Should Mr. Scott manage to repair the impulse engine first, we can cross into the Orion Arm and return to our space while he continues to work on the warp drive. The main advantage of this plan is that Mr. Scott should be able to repair the engines in two days. Since that course will take us directly to Gorn, we will not be off schedule."

"Mr. Sulu." Kirk ordered. "Prepare the course."

"Aye. sir." Suddenly. Sulu's tel1-tale flashed. Turning to the viewer, he announced.

"Romulan ships, Captain.”

"How many?"

"Six. Three personnel carriers, one air-to-surface attack vessel, and two bird-of-prey
cruisers. They are on course for Gorn."

"Stelik was right," Kirk said. ''The Romulans are going to make overtures to Gorn, but of a very hostile nature. Uhura, open hailing frequencies."

After a second. Uhura replied, "No response, sir.”

Spock interrupted. “No verbal response, Captain, but the Romulans have activated their
cloaking devices. They are surrounding us."

"Uhura, keep trying These hailing frequencies. Mr. Sulu, shields up."

"Aye, sir." Sulu's nimble fingers depressed the proper switches, but a red light lit up on
his board. "Not fully operational, sir."

Kirk hammered the intercom switch. "Scotty, we need deflectors.”

"We're working on it, sir."
“Ships in phaser range and closing, Captain." Sulu looked cautiously over his shoulder at
Kirk while Spock spoke.

Carson cut in. ''We are completely surrounded, sir."

Kirk had never given in to desperation before, but this seemed like the perfect time to try
it. He whirled his command chair around. "Uhura!"

"No reply, Captain." She looked at himwith a lookof complete helplessness,and Kirk did not doubt her.

He turned back to the screen, rested his chin on his left fist and asked himself, aloud,
''What the hell are we goingto do?"

If anyone heard him, they gave no indication.

Dafal, the Romulan commander, was as surprised to find the Enterprise as Kirk had been to find his ship surrounded. But although he was surprised, he was not unfamiliar with the ship or its long and famous history. Under the command of James Kirk, the Enterprise had played a key role in the destruction of the Praetor's Pride almost a year and a half ago. Dafal knew that Kirk cou1d not be trusted, so as the call came in, he ordered that the Enterprise be surrounded before he would respond. Even though the Enterprise had not firmed her shields nor primed her weapons, Dafal did not grow careless. He waited for a moment, until he was sure there was no trick. Then he had Formllius, his Commications Officer, send the surrender beacon. "Dadelus, on my word, fire a disruptor bolt at the starship."

As soon as the surrender beacon ended its transmission, Dafal cut into the channel. He looked into the camera and said, "Surrender or die."

Dafal's Science Officer, Rondes, said. ''The Enterprise has not firmed her shields, nor have they charged their weapons. They still sit there, obilvious to us."

"No," Dafal said, "not oblivious to us, but conscious of us."

“We are getting a message from the Federation ship. Conrnander."

''Put it on the speakers."

"By your leave, Commander."

"Kirk to Romulan ship. The Enterprise was on course for Tau Lacertae when we were swept into a freak ion storm. The storm left us here with no shields, no weapons, and no warp drive. Our only hope of survival rests entirely on your shoulden. We will leave in peace as soon as the engines are ready. Please allow us to return to the Federation. We await your reply. Kirk out."

Dafal waited passively as he listened to Kirk's communique. "Rondu, has ther been an ion
storm through this sector of space recently?"

"By your leave, Commander, there has. it just left the area. it was incredibly large... 57 ki-kikyrts across and half as long."

"What do you think of their message? it has the ring of truth."

"By your leave, sir, but, by the blood of Guillus, that is all it has: the ring of truth. A tape of the ring of a Desinae bell has the ring of a bell. it does not mean that the tape is a
bell."

Dafal rubbed his hand over his long, aquiline nose. "No shielding, no weapons, and no means of escape. A perfect opportunity, Rondes. What wou1d the Praetor think of a gift of the Enterprise?"

"I rather think he would like it, Commander."

Before the message of Dafal's boarding had come over the channel, Kirk had broached the idea of painting a target on the hull to Spock. Spock, sensing the anger behind the suggestion, chose not to reply. Uhura broke whathad become tangible silence. "Reply coming in from the flagship -- the Revenge. it is commanded by Dafal.”

"P1ay it, Lieutenant." Kirk rested his chin in his hand.

“If you do not tell the truth behind your presence here, Commander Dafa1will have armed
boarding parties sent over from all the ships in the fleet. You have five minutes. Revenge out."

"A boarding," Kirk mumbled. "Uhura have communicators been issued?"

''To most of the crew."

"Broadcast this: The Enterprise is about to be boarded. All personnel qualifiedfor the use
of Merk II phaser rifleswill be issued them immediately. Everyone else will be armed with number two phasers.”

"Aye. sir." Uhura quickly and quietly went about following those orders. Then, "Another
message, Captain."

"Put it on, Lieutenant."

"Ship-to-ship, sir."

“On the screen. Kirk here."

Dafal's face appeared on the screen. "This is Commander Dafal aboard the starship Revenge. it is my duty to inform you that you will be boarded and escorted to a Romulan base near the Federation where your crew will be handed over to Romulan authorities. Your ship is ours."

''My message explained our presence here."

"An obvious lie, Captain. Do not try to fool me. Dafal out."

"Pleasant chap," Carson said.

''Yes. he is.” Kirk hit the intercom button. "Scotty. do we have any way to prevent a boarding?"

A silence was the only response. "I dinna know, Cap'n."

Spock interrupted. "Captain, the portable force field generators prevent any unauthorized
transportation in or out of the field."

"Scotty?" Kirk asked.

''We can do it, Cap'n. A neat trick."

"Set them up around priority one areas of the ship."

"Cap'n, we have nae enough for the whole ship. We'll have to sacrifice the Main Bridge. You'll hae to move to the Auxillary Bridge belowdecks."

"Uhura,” Kirk said, "have all ambassadors report to Sick Bay. Mr. Scott, Sick Bay is on your list."

"Aye, sir." Scott replied, and the channel went dead.

"Aye aye." Uhura added.

"Spock. I want to know the moment the Romulans are beaming over."

"Affirmate.” Spock bent over his viewer.

"Uhura, sound an A-5 Red Aert. Play the message I am going to give you."

"Recording, sir."

"Romulan troops are about the board the Enterprise. We still have a chance of regaining
contro. I want no - repeat – NO casualties. If you surrender peacefully - if you must -
you will be more able to help us re-take the ship. You are the best crew in Starfleet, aboard the best ship in Starfleet, and I want all of you to get home. Kirk out."

"Recorded, sir. As per regulations, the message will be played at regular and subliminal
levels."

"Good."

The whistleof the intercom brought Kirk to Spock. “Portable defensive screens are up around strategic areas, sir."

"Very good, Scotty. Stand by. Sulu, handle the logistics of the move to the auxilary bridge.”

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Spock, code the turbolifts for the use of Humans only, and any aliens known to be aboard as of yesterday. Uhura, broadcast a Red Alert."

Spock stiffened visibly. "Jim! The Romulan ships have now activated their transporters. They are setting down in various parts of the ship. One beam is focused on the Bridge."

Kirk drew his phaser. The rest of the Bridge crew, except Spock, did the same. They looked wildly about, Kirk perhaps wilder than the rest. He was about to lose his ship.

Captain's Log. supplemental. Sensors indicate transporter activity aboard the Romulan ships. A single beam is aimed at the Bridge. Other strategic areas have been sealed off by portable deflector units. Commendations to Mr. Spock and Mr. Scott for the idea.

Of the Bridge crew, only Technician Thule, Ensign Carson and myself remain at our posts. Our job is to prevent the Romulans from getting any information from the panels in the Bridge. The rest of the Bridge crew has been transported either to Engineering or to the Auxiliary Bridge on Deck Seven.

My immediate plans are to wait for Mr. Scott to effect repairs on the deflector screens, and then retake my ship.

Thule, a tal1, sandy-haired young man in an engineering jumpsuit, first noticed the pale green shimmering near the viewscreen. "Romulans!" he cried.

Kirk drew his phaser and aimed it at the figures. As soon as they stopped shimmering.Kirk stunned them. ''Thule, lock them in the inspection corridor."

"Aye, sir." Thule relieved the men of their weapons and communications devices.

The only way to prevent the Romutans from getting tactical information from the Bridge was to remove every panel and transport it to Deck Seven. Since Dr. Daystrom had designed the panels for easy replacement, the job progressed quickly. Kirk was glad he did not have to destroy the Bridge as Captains in the past had had to. But he had to admit, he had more hope than they did.

Or was it hope? Was it—could it—be that he was insanely trying to fight a losing battle?
Gambling with their lives? The Romulans were creatures of their word. Kirk's crew would be turned over to the Federation if Dafal had said so. But the huge tactical advances—as well as military advantages—would fall to the Romulan side once they had studied the Enterprise.

Kirk's first priority was to ensure the safety of the Federation. That meant that, in a case
such as this, he was to destroy his ship. But when the time had come, he had still felt hope. And as long as he felt that hope, he would not give up his ship. To be sure, it was a slim chance, but one to which Kirk clung tenaciously.

As the last of the panels were loaded into the elevator, Kirk set his phaser on full strength
and fired at the schematic diagram of the Enterprise situated on the bulkhead nearest the elevator.

As the turbollft doors closed behind them, the bridge was plunged into darkness. Kirk and his two men were safe for the moment.

Sixteen Romulans materialized on the Recreation Deck, taking the small security force by surprise. No boarding had been expected to begin on this deck. Within moments, they had cleared the deck for use as a holding area for their prisoners.Twelve Romulans had beamed into the ship's fabrication facilities and captured the fifteen crewmembers who manned that post. Throughout the starship, the same scene would be repeated. Eventually, almost two-thirds of the crew was held on the Recreation Deck.

A Romulan guard had entered the corridor that separated the Rec Deck from the ship's Computer Section. He noticed that blaster fire had had no effect on the wall. Pulling from his vest a portable sensor unit, not unlike Spock's tricorder, he realized that a force field had been set up that had effectively blocked the blaster charges. Speaking quickly to a few of his underlings, Centurion Servicious asked them to bring a crewman.

A moment later they returned, a man in a red tunic hanging limply between them. His nose was bleeding freely. His face was a mass of bruises. It obviously had taken a little persuasion to get him to accompany Servicious' guards.

Grabbing a handful of hair. Servicious raisedthe crewman's head and said. “Tell me what this is.” He indicated the wall. Realizing that he had no alternative. Lt. Peter Robinson decided to tell them. "It's the Computer Section. Sealed off to all non-Humans not listed as crewmembers."

Servicious released the man and let the two guards carry Robinson away. He reached for his communicator, then thought better of it. He was a simple foot soldier, not a technician. Let technicians worry about such matters. He decided to ignore the wall. He went into the Rec area and smiled benignly at all the prisoners.

Kirk and the others had settled into the Auxiliary Bridge nestled deep among the computer banks on Deck Seven. After he dismissed Thule and a few others—the Auxillary Bridge was large enough to hold Sulu, Carson, Uhura, Spock, and himself—Kirk ordered, "Get me a line to Dafal."

Uhura hurriedly complied. She didn't want to risk his wrath. And she didn't like the look on his face.

"Dafal. I demand an explanation for the presence of Romulan nationals aboard my ship. I told you the truth!"

"I could not believe you, Captain. A fabrication such as that is too unbelievable." Dafal
sighed and tried a new approach. "Suppose you were in my position and found a Romulan ship that claimed to have been sucked up into a giant ion storm and left deep in Federation space. What would you do?"

“Listen."

"Easy to say now, Captain. But I doubt you really would. You would have reacted as I have. Dafal out." Dafal's face appeared to dissolve slowly into a velvety sea of stars that was deceptively peaceful.

Kirk sank deeper into the uncomfortable command chair which had not been worn in to the contours of his body. "Keep me posted as to the rate of Romulan beam-over. Spock."

"Commander Dafal, the cruiser Formidable requests permission to initiate boarding procedures of its own. Avez feels that the presence of our troops will only cast an unfavorable reflection on himself." Formillius, Dafal's Communications Officer, waited patiently for his Commander's reply.

“Tell Sub-Commander Avez that the two troop carriers under my command can handle it. His men are to wait for later. Have them on stand-by alert in case anything should go wrong. Have Sub-Commander Medicus prepare room on the Praetorean for special prisoners. Tell him to ready one for the Captain of the Enterprise himself." As Formillius acknowledged the order. Dafal allowed himself a grim smile as he thought of Kirk in a Romulan brig.

"By your leave, Centurion," said Tarlus, Servicious' aide. "We now have approximately 360 of the Enterprise crew accounted for. Some are in areas inaccessible to us - the hangar area, for example. The rest of those known to be aboard are on this deck.”

Servicious lifted his eyes and marveled at the stupidityof junior officers these days. “Then," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "don't you think it would be a good idea to post guards around the hangar area to ensure that the people inside do not escape?"

''Yes, Centurion."

''There is a party of troopers searching the ship from top to bottom, looking for escapees.
Have a special team set up to keep contact with them to insure that we have every one of the crew on this deck."
'
“Yes, Centurion."

"And make doubly sure—if you are able to handle this—there are no escapees from this deck."

"Yes, Centurion."

"Captain, the Romulan boarding parties have stopped coming over."

Kirk whirled to look at Spock. He smiled. Flipping open his communicator, he said, "Scotty, how's the work going?"

''We'll hae the deflectors within the day. sir.”

"Good. Kirk out.”

Kirk ached to be out retaking his ship. He couldn't, though. His presence here was essential. Or was it? With the ship not moving, all that was required was Communications Officer and someone to man the scanner. "Carson, Sulu." Both men looked at Kirk. "I want you two to coordinate the move from here to Engineering."

"Sir?"

"We can't do anything here. At least in Engineering we'll be able to do something. Uhura,
run a channel from Dafal's ship direct to my communicator. Spock, what do you think?"

"I agree, Captain. Logically, we must be where we will accomplish the most good."

"Mr. Spock, it's good to see that your Vulcan logic parall-- Stelik!"

"Pardon?"

"I haven't heard from Stelik, Spock. By now, he should have been here, trying to talk our way out of this. I haven't heard from McCoy, either. Uhura, we're going to see if the diplomats made it to Sick Bay." Kirk dashed for the exit beside the elevator. "It's a good thing you thought to seal off Sick Bay as well as the Auxil iary Bridge, Spock."

"I anticipated that we would need the facilities if we were to attempt to retake the ship."

They ran through the deserted corridors of Sick Bay to McCoy's office. Leonard McCoy sat morosely at his desk. "Jim, what's going on? We have no communications here. Then this techno sealed me off from half my staff."

"We've been boarded, Bones. Where 's Stelik?”

"I don't know, Jim."
“What?"

“The only people in here are Chapel, four nurses a couple of technos and me."

“The diplomats were ordered . . .”

“They never showed up, Jim."

Kirk's communicator beeped. "Kirk here."

"Surrender, Kirk." Dafal's voice sounded less threatening over the small speaker in his hand than it had when Kirk looked at him on the Bridge. ''You cannot hope to hold out forever."

“I hope to ho1d out just long enough to defeat you, Dafal. I refuse to surrender my ship."

“Then stand by to be destroyed. Captain Kirk.”

And that seemed to be that.

Kirk had once played a hand in poker where he'd held three aces. The others had felt Kirk was bluffing and kept raising the stakes. Kirk had played along until there was three weeks' salary in the pot. Then he'd laid down his aces. He decided to lay down his aces now. "Dafal, you won't destroy the Enterprise. The Praetor obviously wants this ship badly. Too badly to see it destroyed. If you ordered its destruction, you would lose favor in his eyes. Not even you would risk that."

"The Praetor is interested only in your death, Captain. You destroyed the flagship of the Romulan fleet, the Praetor's Pride, and its Commander, Torl. He wants you dead. I repeat:
Surrender. "

There was an audible click. Kirk shut his communicator. "Bones, have your staff report to Engineering. You'l1 be needed more there."

"I'm a doctor, not a mechanic."

"Then take a bottle and be a supervisor, Bones, just do it. Spock. . .” The two men turned and left a somewhat perplexed McCoy reaching for his brandy.

"Uhura," Kirk said as he entered the Auxillary Bridge, "try to get communications rigged so that you can monitor calls from Engineering."

"Aye, sir."

"Sulu, you help. Carson, come with me.”

The Helmsman, Spock and Kirk entered the elevator. A short forty-meter ride brought them to a cross-corridor. The Engineering door was across the hall. The elevator door opened and Kirk looked out cautiously. He opened his communicator. "Scotty, on the count of three, I want you to open the Engineering door. Mr. Spock, Mr. Carson and I are across the hall in the turbo-lift. When the doors open, we'll cross the hall. Now, Mr. Scott. One. . ."

"Captain.” Spock said softly.

"Hold, Mr. Scott."

"Aye. sir."

''What is it, Spock?"

“Jim, suppose there is a Romulan patrol in the corridor. Would it be wise to present them with a target of such high rank?"

''We'll have to risk it, Spock. I need to get in there."

"I know that, sir. But suppose we borrow an old trick from Earth's history of hunting to ensure your arrival."

''What, Spock?"

"A decoy, Captain. I have often noted the marked similarity between you and Ensign Carson. If you were to trade tunics. . ."

"Good idea, Spock. But I don't think I can order Carson here to do that."

“No need, sir. I volunteer. I doubt that the Romulans will notice that I am not Captain Kirk until it's too 1ate for them."

"Odds. Mr. Spock?" Kirk asked, while Carson licked his lips nervously. What expression was on his face? Lust?

"76.564.327 to one, in our favor. sir."

"Spock. do you ever actually calculate those figures, or do you make them up to impress me?"

"Real1y, Captain, I do not thinkthat this is the proper time to discuss the authenticity of
my figures."

"All right, Spock. Carson...Stan...could I borrow your shirt?"

Kirk had not been an Ensign for some time. It didn't feel right. Of course, the tunic fit. It was just that every time he 1ooked down at his sleeve, he didn't see the gold braid he was used to.

Carson, on the other hand, reveled in the feel of the braid. It would be some time before he would wear that much for himself.

Kirk ordered Scotty to open the door again. Just a spilt second before the door opened. Spock dashed across the hall. He timed it perfectly.

Kirk's communicator beeped. “What is it?”

"A Romulan patrol is in the area, Captain," Spock said. "You two should come across together."

“Okay. One, two. . .” Kirk dashed across the hall, followed closely by Carson. As they neared the door, the bulkhead before them exploded in a barrage of disruptor fire. Kirk was knocked off balance and went skidding against the Engineering door. Carson went down in the middle of the hall. As Kirk stood up to go after the Ensign, another Romulan fired and sent Kirk into oblivion. As the Romulans ran for Carson and Kirk, the Engineering door opened and the battle went on. A blue-covered arm grabbed Kirk's collar and dragged him inelegantly into Engineering.

“Mr. Scott, seal the doors," Spock ordered.

"But, Ensign Carson, sir."

"Mr. Carson has risked his life for Captain Kirk. If you do not close the doors, his sacrifice will have been in vain, for the Romulans will be here."

Scotty sealed the door. "I dinna see how y' kin be so hard-nosed about it, Mr. Spock."

"I appreciate Mr. Carson's sacrifice, but the Enterprise must be retaken. If we had attempted to rescue Carson and failed, Captain Kirk would now be in the hands of the Romulans, and we would have no hope of recapturing the ship."

"But they'll kill him."

"No, Mr. Scott, they won't. Once they discover that he is not the Captain, Carson will be interrogated to reveal the Captain's location. Mr. Carson can be very tight-lipped. We should get about two hours from him. That shall be plenty of time.”

Kirk stirred; Spock placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Spock, status report.”

"Mr. Carson is a prisoner. Preliminary scans of the ship indicate that prisoners are being held on Deck Nine. A group of fifty or sixty crewmen have sealed themselves inside the Hangar Bay. The standard defense screens have sealed that area off. Before we left the Bridge the last time, I scanned the ship. I could find no reading on Stelik. There are. however 300 Romulans aboard, so my scan may have been in error. I could find no Andorian readings aboard the ship."

"Great. Scotty, how long until the deflectors are repaired?"

"I'd say another hour or so, sir."

Kirk scratched his chin a moment. "Mr. Spock,do you suppose we could liberate the crewmen on the Hangar Deck?"

"In one hour. Captain?" Spock asked.

"Yes."

"It is possible. If we have a plan."

''Then it's possible, Spock. I have a plan."

Captain's Log, stardate 3050.2. For nearly a day now, the Romu1ans have controlled my ship. In accordance with my orders, most of my crew have surrendered and are being held on the Recreation Deck. A few, on the Hangar Deck, were sealed off when the anti-boarding defense screens went on automatically.

Mr. Spock reports that no traces of the ambassadorial party can be found. I must assume they have all been taken prisoner. All but Commodore Adams were civilians on this ship, and presumably important civilians. Adams herse1f was probably captured due to her high rank, which would make her attractiveto any Romulan soldier looking for a promotion. I must also assume that Dafal has been questioning them.

Kirk, now wearing his regular uniform, paced uneasily around the Engine Room. “I think it will work, Spock. All we need to do is issue some phasers. Mr. Scott, can you get two
phaser rifles and about ten number two phasers?"

"Aye, sir."

"Good. Since The defense screen can only be shut off from the Bridge or Engineering, Mr. Scott, I will give you a signal to turn it off. Ready, gentlemen? Then let's go."

Maybe if he had been a little more careful....

Maybe if he had been a little less careless....

Maybe, if the Romulan guard had kept his ears open and his mouth shut, he would have been awake now, instead of crumpled at Spock's feet. It had been simple enough for the Vulcan to slip up behind him. But when the guard started humming the war song, Spock's job became that much easier.

Spock carefully scanned the corridor, then wavedfor Kirk to Join him. They were on the Observation Deck that ran around the hanger about two decks higher than the floor of the Hanger Deck.

Kirk looked,out the window.

Lieutenant Polly Harper sat against the bulkhead of the Hangar Deck, contemplating her navel. It was the only thing that didn't send her into fits of panic. Since their battle stations were near here, she and a few others had rushed here when the boarding alarm sounded. It had seemed the logical place to go. There was food. Each of the shuttles had food processors and necessity rooms. But even though they were safe, Polly was uncomfortable.

She grew tired of visualizing her navel. She thought it boring (although Eric Phillips and Gary Parker didn't agree). She looked up and brushed a lock of brown hair from her eyes. Someone on the Observation Deck was waving. She looked back down at the deck.

Waving. . .?

She looked back. It looked like Captain Kirk. She couldn't be sure. They had only met once, when he had welcomed her aboard. She screamed in joy and waved back. Kirk smiled.

Kirk pulled away from the window and said, "Spock, go down to the next deck and clear it off Romulans. I'll take five security guards and go down two decks."

Spqck and a detachment of security men went down a gangway. Kirk stunned the Romulan guard at his feet one more time for good measure before leading his men down two decks. He took a security guard's tricorder and scanned for Romulans two decks down. There were three. "Let's go," he said. They headed for the turbo-lift.

Once on the deck, Kirk pinpointed their exact position via tricorder. He tried to visualize where they were before he opened the door. They mere where he had pictured them to be. He and the security guards fired, stunning all three Romulans.

A beeping at his hip caused Kirk to reach for his communicator. "Kirk here."

"Romlans taken care of up here, Captain."

"Good, Spock.” He switched frequencies. "Scotty?"

“Aye, sir?”

"Deflectors?"

"Eighty-three percent operational now, sir."

"Have Uhura rig a communications jammer to keep the Romulans from contacting the flagship. And then, Mr. Scott, activate deflectors. Let me know the second they are up."

"Aye. aye sir," Scotty said enthusiastically. There was a short pause. "They're up, sir."

"Good." Another change of frequencies. "Spock? I am releasing the people on the Hangar Deck. Have Mr. Scott shut off the screen."

Servicious stared around the Recreation Deck at his prisoners. They were milling about and stealing furtive glances around them. With one hundred and fifty Romulan guards in this area, Servicious felt safe. But it was quiet. Too quiet. He put his hand on his communicator. Just then, twelve guards walked in the door. They carried large bags filled with some kind of metal.

A tall man approached him. He was lean and acted very somber. “We have captured some Federation weapons. Where do you want them?"

“Where are your manners? You salute a Centurion and say, 'By your leave' before you speak to him."

The man saluted. "I am sorry. It was an unfortunate omission. By your leave. We have found some Federation weapons. Where do you want them?"

"You have done well." Servicious said with a smile. As the merciless smile began to spread, he fe1t something poke him in the back. One of the twelve Romulans had a dlsruptor in his back. He suppressed the urge to laugh. "What is this?"

The shorter Romulan standing beside the tall one spoke in perfect English. “I am Captain James T. Kirk. I am retaking my ship. Mr. Spock, you and a couple of security guards distribute these weapons secretly.”

Servicious understood him only because his communicator's translator was relaying the information.

"Yoneta!" he cried. The Romulan guards drew their weapons. Spock ripped open the sack and scattered the phasers they had removed from a nearby arsenal across the floor. Crewmen dove for the weapons. The disguised Enterprise crewmen ditched their Romulan uniforms so they wouldn't be shot by their own mates.

Blue phaser beams criss-crossed the room. Very quickly, the crew was free.

Kirk ordered all crewmen to report to their posts. Security forces herded the Romulans found onto the Hangar Deck. No crewman was to go anywhere alone; everyone was to have a partner, for protection.

“Captain," Spock said. "I have found the two aides to Stelik and Shras. They are shaken, but undamaged.”

"How about Thorpe or Adams?"

"Not aboard, sir."

“Where are they, Spock? Never mind. I think I know."

"You had no Starfleet uniforms, and you are too old to be in active service." Dafal was getting nowhere in the interrogation of Stelik and Shras.

Shras shook his head. "We were on a peaceful mission to Gorn. We encountered a huge ion storm that swept us off course and left us here. If you do not choose to believe me, I do not care. Romulans regularly choose to believe what they wish."

Dafal stepped back, as if startled. "Listen, old man. Things will go better If you cooperate
with me. Things can only get worse if you do not cooperate."

"Things can get worse?" Shras asked with a shrug.

''Yes. You should fear me and my methods, Andorian."

"I fear no man, nor any device created by man. I know that I am old. But I have faced death many times, and she does not frighten me. I fear only Azmehin, the Creator."

''Your loyalty to your god Is admirable, Andorian." Dafal paused a moment to pace. Then he said, "You, Vulcan. Speak!"

''Of what?"

"Of your mission inside the Romulan Empire!" Dafal shouted.

“We were on a peace missionto Gorn when Captain Kirk led us into an ion storm that left us here. Intrusion into your space was an accident."

"Under the threat of death,Vulcan, you will tell the truth."

"Vulcans, unlikeRomulans, do not lie."

Dafal looked at the four guards behind the two Federation ambassadors. "I haven't told you of my other prisoners, have I?"

“You mentioned an ensign who was dressed as the Captain."

"No. Not only the good Ensign. Guard." The door was swept open, and Janet Thorpe and Commodore Adams were pushed into the room. They were naked and bleeding.

Shras stood up. "If you have harmed either of them, Romulan, by the connandments of Azmehin, I will avenge their injuries a thousandfold."

“Do not worry, Andorian. I have not ordered more than mild torture for them. They told much the same lie you did, incidentally. Of course, I cannot say what my guards may have done when they were not under my direct supervision." Dafal and the guards smiled wolfish grins as the the women cringed on the floor in obvious pain.

''Why have you not tortured us?"

"Because Romulans know that Andorians and Vulcans are immune to our torture."

"I will avenge her."

"It is so gratifying to see such inter-species cooperation. Now, tell me of your mission!"

Shras smiled. "Very well, I shall confess. We were sent to blow the Romulan capitol off tha map."

Dafal struggled to control his anger. "Insolence'" he cried, and struck Shras across the face. Shras looked up from the floor at Dafal in undisguised hatred. Quicker than the eye could follow, the Andorlan leaped up and had Dafal in a choke hold and Dafel's disruptor aimed at the guard.

"Tell themto drop their weapons," he said.

Since Romulans cannot sweat, Dafal could not break into a cold one. He did the next best thing: he lost his patience. "Drop them."

The guards nervously complied. Stelik grabbed the weapons, and gave Thorpe and Adams each one. Stelik ordered the two smallest men to shed their outer clothes. He gave these to the two women.

Once clothed, the two women felt much better. Tamara asked, "How are we going to get back to the Enterprise?"

Dafal said, ''The transporter is on the fourth deck."

“Take us there."

"Walt," Janet cried. ''What about Ensign Carson""

"Well," Shras asked, ''where is he?"

"In the brig. Down two decks."

''You wi II take us there." .

''Of course."

The brig in the Romulan flagship was on the bottom deck. From Dafal 's office, they walked to a stairway and went down two decks. They wound up at the rear support airlock. Shras said. "Dafal, if you so much as speak to the Security Officer, I will kill you. Send one of your guards to fetch the Ensign."

Dafal complied. When Carson returned with the guard, he looked bewildered. No more bewildered than Stelik did, though, for Carsonwas stillwearing Kirk's tunic.

Shras waved the dhruptor menacingly. ''Take us to your transporter room."

Dafal shrugged. ''Very well." He led them back up the hallway. "Here it is.”

"Take us inside,” Shras urged.

The transporter room looked similar to the one on the Enterprise. There was a control console across the room, and there was a hexagon with six plates equally spaced in the corners, for the transportees. Stelik went over to the panel, looked at it, then peered through what appeared to be a sensor unit. “It would appear that the Enterprise has her shields up."

It was Dafal's second major surprise of the day. He had planned on letting them escape to the Enterprise, where he could inform Servicious, and they could be put under guard. The fact that the Enterprise shields were up meant that Kirk had somehow turned the tables.

Carson asked. "Is there another way to get back?"

Stelik answered. "According to intelligence reports, ther eare two hangars on either side of the center fin, each containing a small shuttle. Perhaps . . .”

Shras Interrupted. "Dafal, take us there."

“It is on the second deck." Dafal knew he didn't have a chance of stopping them. Half his crew was on the Enterprise and the other half was trying to cover for the missing crewmen at battle stations. He led them back up the stairs.

Unconsciously, Janet and Adams had edged closer to Carson. No one seemed to notice.

Dafal led them to the two hanger bays. ''These shuttlecraft can only hold three people," he said, sighing. He was admirably cooperative with a disrupter in his back.

Stelik looked across the corridor and saw a door. He crossed the narrow corridor and opened it. It was an officer's cabin. With his disruptor. Stelik waved the five guards into the room. They eyed their Commander, who dejectedly nodded. They went in. As soon as the door shut behind them, Stelik destroyed the door control panel in the corridor, locking them in.

''Shras,'' Carson said, "I Would like you and the two women to go in one shuttle; Stelik, Dafal and I will go in the other."

“Very we11, then. Ladies, come with me." Shras led them into the Hangar Bay. It was a small room, just large enough to hold the single shuttle. The Andorian helped the two women into the shuttle and followed them in. The two doors separating the shuttlecraft's bay from the corridor closed. Only the throb of the shuttle's engines, transmitted by the walls, told the three in the corridor that the shuttle was lifting off. "Ambassador, I told Shras to go with them because I wanted someone who equalled Dafal's strength with me."

"Perfectly understandable and 1ogical."

Dafal had edged closer to the other door. "Are you two ready?" He reached up to the door contro1 panel and opened the airlock. As his hand fell from the activation switch, his fingertip brushed against another switch. Suddenly the corridor was filled with the wall of a klaxon.

Carson spat out an oath. He slanmed his fist into Dafal's face. The sound of footsteps filled the corridor now, as the rest of Dafal's crew 1ocated the source of the alarm.

Carson aimed his disruptor and started firing. Stelik. who had ducked around a Gorner, just watched the Helmsman. Carson looked across the corridor. "Shoot!"

"I cannot kill."

"You have no choice!" Carson said, then fired off a couple of shots around the corner.

Stelik straightened. “I will not kill."

Carson just cursed, and continued to fire.

Down the corridor, Executive Officer Cincittus stood around the comer from the two men who held Dafal. He turned to his friend Branicus. "Take a man and go forward through the starboard Computer Section. I'll send two more through the port side Computer Room. You'll wind up at the corridor where the Federation men are."

"By your leave." Branicus pointed to another Romulan; they ran down the corridor and turned right. Two more followed him until he had turned right, and they turned left.

Carson continued to fire. He knew he wasn't hitting anyone, but at least he kept them pinned down. He only wished he had studied those intelligence reports on this class of ship, instead of only glancing at them. Suddenly, oneof the doors at the end of the corridor to his right opened. He turned, fired,and felled one Romulan, but another came through and returned the fire. Fortunately, he missed, and Carton squeezed off another shot. He didn't fire fast enough, though. Branicus ducked back through the door.

Stelik, who had watched the volley impassively, heard a noise behind him. He turned to see the door at his end of the corridor open. Involuntarily, he raised his weapon, but did not fire.

In battle, he who hesitates is lost. Stelik fell under the gun of two Romulans. Carson whirled, fired, and dropped the two Romulans. As he turned back to face Branicus, the Romulan fired. Carson fell to the deck..

His cruise aboard the Enterprise had ended only five days after it had begun.

Captain's Log, stardate 3052.1. The Enterprise has been liberated for almost five hours now. Sensors have picked up a small shuttle. From the Romulan ship. One Andorian and two Humans are aboard.

Mr. Spock, scanning the Romulan flagship, found Stelik and Carson just in time to witness their deaths. Commendations to Ensign Stan Carson for giving his life inperformance of his duties. Also, I would like to officially record my sorrow at the passing of Stelik of Vu1can.

We are not out of the woods yet. We cannot hope to escape without warp power.

"Mr. Sulu, extend the shields to surround that shuttlecraft." It felt good to give orders from his old Command chair. Scotty had done a remarkably fast job of fixing the circuitry. "As soon as that's done, bring the shuttle aboard."

“Now, sir? There are Romulans on the Hangar Deck."

''Then move them, Sulu. I want to speak with Shras."

"Captain,” Spock interrupted.

"Yes?"

''We are able to beam them aboard." .

''Then do it, Spock. I'm sorry, it slipped my mind.”

"Perfectly understandable. Captain.”

Uhura contacted Shras and told him to be prepared for transportation. Kirk added that he would meet them in the Transporter Room.

Scotty easily handled the controls, and the three survivors were soon brought aboard. Shras, shaken by his ordeal, nearly col1apsed as he came down from the platform. McCoy, who had come not because he had been asked, but because he was curious, rushed to the Andorian's side. "Cardiac arrest, Jim. Scotty, get a medical team down here on the double." He looked over his patient, waving the scanner over the body. "Everything checks out as damaged, too. this man has had one hell of a shock."

Adams knelt down beside the Andorian, whom McCoy had seated against a bulkhead. “I know you'll be all right, Shras."

"I know that, as wel1."

Chapel and M'Benga rushed inwith a stretcher. Quickly and efficiently,the Andorian diplomat was carted off.

Kirk turned to the two women. "I suppose you'll want to know this. As far as our sensors can determine, Ensign Carson and Ambassador Stelik are dead."

Both women reacted calmly. “We thought as much, when the other shuttle didn't follow us out." Adams stared at the floor as Thorpe wenton. They saved our lives, Captain Kirk. Shras and Stelik attacked Dafal in his office. They got to the hangar area by taking Dafal at gunpoint . . .”

Kirk listened mutely as the women reported. Finally he said, ''We'lI discuss this in greater detail later. You two get down to Sick Bay and let McCoy check you over."

The women nodded and left. Kirk followed them out the door,but went to a different turbo-lift and returned to the Bridge.

Dafal was revived shortlyafter Stelik and Carson hadbeen killed. Cincittus stood by the bed in the Medical Center. "By your leave," he said. as Dafal came around. ''We have lost three crewmen at the hands of the one dressed in the uniform. The other took no life."

Dafal raised himself to one elbow. "Our pacifistic cousins will always be as such. Send the uniformed one into space with the decorations befitting a warrior. And put the medals of the three he slew into his casket. Aim him at the Enterprise. After such a fight, he deserves to be sent home.”

“And theVulcan?"

"Simply put him in the disposal tube -- no ceremony, no casket -- and aim him at the Enterprise. I want no further part of him."

"By your leave, sir."

''Have Formillius clear a channel to the Enterprise. I wish to tell Kirk of my decision.”

"By your leave."

Uhura broke the moody silence on the Bridge. "A message from Commander Dafal."

Kirk looked surprised. "Put him on, Lieutenant."

"Kirk, I regret to say that you have won the first round. You won with dignityand honor. I salute you as a fine warrior.

''One of the people under your charge—who was wearing your uniform. . .clever trick, that—and who was killed aboard my ship, took threeRomulan lives in batt1e. He is being buried with full Romulanhonors and returned to your ship. You may use your tractor beam to retrieve his casket. The Vulcan, however, has been set adrift. If you wish to retrieve his body, you may use your tractor beam. I will give you one hour to honor the memory of the Ensign, then I will begin the attack anew. Dafal out."

Kirk tried to reply, but could not get the words out fast enough.

“Well, Spock," he said. ''We need to get out of here."

"Affirmative. If only Mr. Scott could get the warp engines repaired."

"Scotty is doing his best, Spock. Even he can't be everywhere at once."

The chirp of the intercom cut off Spock's reply. "Kirk here."

"Scott, Captain. The warp engines have been restarted; they're operating at 75% efficiency. We can move, sir."

''Thank you, Scotty. Look real hard in your pay this week, you'll find a bonus." Kirk cut off the channel, and said, "Sulu, plot a course out of here."

"Aye, sir. Dlrection?"

"Anywhere. Just away from those Romulans."

"Captain," Spock interrupted, urgently for him. "At the extreme edge of sensor range. The ion storm is returning.'"

"The same ion storm?"

"The same, Captain, but greatly weakened."

"Course?"

"Direct collision course, sir. Travelling at 60% of light speed, it will arrive in twenty minutes."

Kirk looked at the screen thoughtfully. "Mr. Sulu, set a direct course for the storm."

"Sir?"

“You heerd me, Lieutenant. Set a course through the heart of the storm. As soon as we are through, hard about and follow that storm as if it were the bow of this ship.”

Sulu looked back over his shoulder for a moment, then looked at the Helmsman who had taken Carson's place. Both shrugged. Sulu laid in Kirk's ordered course.

"Mr. Spock, what we need is a diversion.”

"Captain?"

"Have Mr. Scott load a shuttlecraft with some very violent explosives and launch it directly away from the storm. Mr. Sulu, once that ship is near the optimum firing range for our phasers, Iwant you to destroy it.”

"If I may ask, sir.” Spock cut in.

“Why?"

"I want their minds off that storm until the 1ast moment."

"Very well. sir. I shall See to it."

''Thank you. Spock."

The Copernicus drifted lazily from the Enterprise and began a small course change. No one looking from the Romulan ship could guess that the shutt1ecraft was being controlled by the Enterprise Navigator. All Romulan sensors were trained on the shuttle. Spock had set up disruptive field so that the Romulans would not know what was inside the craft.

Suddenly—almost as suddenly as it had left the starship—the Copernicus was fired upon. The Enterprise shot out a single phaser beam at the fleeing shuttlecraft. Just as the blue
phosphorescent beam hit the shuttle, the craft exploded.

Kirk had seen several Fourth of July celebrations while he was growing up. He still could not explain his awe at the peaceful use of explosives to make beautiful patterns across the heavens. Now, he was reminded of lying stretched out on the grass in the front yard of his farmhouse as the local men's club shot off an hour's worth of fireworks.

He watched that sight multiplied a thousandfold and hoped that it would awe the Romulans.

It was more than enough. No sooner had the glare of the explosion disappeared from the viewing screens than the ion storm hit. Even though the Federation starship had met this storm before, it was still buffeted about by the titanic forces involved. .

Sulu managed to steer the ship through the storm to the side opposite the Romulans, who were then fleeing. The storm swept along at 57% of lightspeed, followed closely by the Enterprise.

But Dafal was not fooled. He could not afford to be. Kirk had humiliated him. He had retaken his ship from Dafal's seasoned, combat-trained warriors. The Praetor would take a dim view of the affair. He had to recapture the Enterprise; of that, he was sure.

So he followed the storm, along with his fleet. The storm put out so much distortion and interference that his sensors could not find the Enterprise. But he knew it was there.

So he waited. He waited like a wolf over prey. He had patience. He could not afford less.

"According to my calculations,sir. we should be near the Neutral Zone." Spock looked back at his panel, then said, "Within five parsecs, Captain."

"Where along the Neutral Zone, Spock?"

"Almost incredibly—near Gorn, sir.”

“Mr. Sulu, go to Warp Factor Eight. Loop around Cestus III and tnen head for Gorn."

"Aye aye, sir."

The Enterprise accelerated like a bullet through a gun barrel. Very quickly the starship had crossed the Neutral Zone and was on a direct course for Cestus III.

"Captain, may I ask why we are on a course for Cestus III?”

"Just to make sure we aren't followed, Spock. Call it a hunch."

"Cestus III in ten minutes, sir," Sulu announced.

Dafal's fleet accelerated to warp eight just a few seconds after the Enterprise did. He did not want the ships to be seen, so he ordared the cloaking devices activated.

The seven starships circled Cestus III. It was then that Spock found the Romulan ships. "Captain, the Romulan fleet is following."

"Uhura, Red Alert. Sulu, arm and prime all weapons systems." Kirk shouted orders easily, now that his ship was free and under his command. "Mr. Sulu, go to Warp Factor Nine and continue on the course previously ordered."

Only Spock looked at the Captain. The rest, except Kirk and his Science Officer, had forgotten the incident with the Metrons less than a week ago. Kirk hoped for some Metron intervention once again.

He didn't have long to walt.

Almost as soon as the seven ships entered the Metron star system, they all stopped dead in their tracks.

''This phenomenon fascinates me, Captain." Spock said.

"Why Is that?”

"An object cannot be stopped completely from Warp Factor Nine without producing some violent effects. When a moving ball strikes another moving ball, the amount of energy between the two balls in the same as the amount of energy after collsion. This is an impossible situation."

The bridge lights dimmed and the screen showed kaleidoscopic patterns as a voice said. "Consider it the moment of collision." The Bridge was silent, except for the hum of machinery. The voice continued. "Captain Kirk, it has been too short a time since your last visit. Again, you are involved in violence. It speaks badly for your race."

"Both times we were not ilt fault."

"Both parties in a violent act are at fault, Captain, especially in one of this magnitude. We have scanned your ship's memory banks and learned of your mission. You would be wise to return home.”

“We came to make peace with the Gorn. We met the Romulans who were headed for Gorn.”

“They were not bound for Gorn in the sense you mean, Captain.

''That was their course. They were going to launch an attack on the Gorn homeworld.''

“No Captain. They were not on a mission of violence to Gorn but to our homeworld.''

Kirk was shocked. He didn't think the Romulans were stupid enough for something like that.

“True enough Captain, their course was for Gorn. Their orders were to pick up some Gorn troops and then attack my people.”

“Why didn't you stop them?” Kirk asked. He didn't notice that his command crew were as immobile as statues.

“We know but little of what goes on outside our system. You see, Captain, we have met the Gorn before. They were a dying race whose last energies were being spent on their small barren planet. One of my people went to them and instructed them in matters of science. The Gorn rose to rule their sector of space over the centuries. They forgot our part in their rise and grew to hate us. There have been repeated attacks against us but we are never hurt. We protect ourselves. Besides while Gorn weapons are formidable to you they are nothing to us.

“Just a decade before the establishment of the colony you call Cestus III the Romulans discovered Gorn. A treaty was signed, and the Romulans promised them help if they would do one thing—destroy any Federation outpost they came in contact with. We inhabit a remote section of the galaxy, Captain. The Gorn felt that they had made an excellent agreement. While the Gorn are capable killers, they do not like to kill.

“So when the Gorn discovered Cestus III they were reluctant to attack. But the Romulan Empire threatened to withhold the aid that they had become dependent upon. They attacked and you were lured into the trap. It seems the Praetor has not forgiven you for the destruction of one of his ships.

''We could not allow the Gorn to lead your ship into a trap so we arranged an altercation between you and the Gorn. If you had killed the Gorn, we would have destroyed the fleet that would have destroyed you. When you chose mercy we decided to let them live.

“We informed the Romu1ans of our decision. Dafal was the Comander of the f1eet. He 1ost favor in the eyes of his Praetor. To regain it, he colunteered his fleet to attack us . We are grateful for your interference but we wi11 take it f rom here.”

''Wait a minute!” Kirk said. ''What are you going to do to them?”

“Destroy them, of course.”

''You can't!”

“Oh?”

''You told me that mercy was a quality of an advanced race. I cannot deny that you are an advanced race. Yet I see no traces of mercy in you. You cannot avenge a wrong that has not been committed. It is wrong.”

“By whose standards, Captain?''

“By the standards of any intel1igent being with a soul. And compassion.”

“You are, of course right, Captain. Again, you have proven your race worthy of our faith in you. Go now, Captain, and do not fear for their lives. They shall not die. You have my word.”

The lights went back on bright again. “Entering the Headquarters district, sir. We will enter orbit in five minutes.”

Spock looked thoughtful. “Captain, I am at a loss.”

Kirk, still bewildered from Sulu's unexpected statement, said ''Eh?” and crossed the Bridge to his friend's station.

“Yes. We were about to enter the Metron system. in fact we had been stopped by the Metrons. Then suddenly, we are here—with no lapse in time,” Spock added with a wave toward the chronometer.

“Mr. Spock, just let me say that we were helped along the road to our destiny.”

“Sir?”

“Never mind . It wi11 be in my report.”

“I hope it wi11 be 1ucid, sir.”

“As lucid as I can take it, Spock,” Kirk said with a smile.

“Perhaps I shall understand it nonetheless.”

“I hope so Spock. Mr. Sulu.''

“Sir?”

“Take us in easy. Lt. Uhura?”

“Captain?

“Begin to authorize shore leave. We're home.”

THE END