Continuing the adventures of Kirk, Spock, and Chekov, as they attempt to rescue Romulan Commander Jennera from the clutches of Orion slavers.
Click here to read part one of “The Clearer Path.”
Click here to read the prequel, “A Passion For Peace.”
“Star Trek: The Clearer Path” – Part II
Phil Giunta
CHAPTER THREE
During the journey into Orion space, Baren and Tivun gave the rest of the crew a detailed overview of the Sotek’s helm, navigational, and engineering systems. As it turned out, they were not all that different from those installed in Starfleet vessels, aside from the modifications and upgrades performed by the two Romulans.
At one point, Baren asked Tivun to take over while he excused himself and departed the bridge for a visit to the medbay. It was not until he walked clear across the bridge and into the turbolift that Kirk noticed the stiffness in the man’s movement, as if each step required momentous effort. When he was out of earshot, Kirk questioned Tivun about it. The younger Romulan recounted the incident in the gowdle field.
“Baren suffered third degree burns over most of his lower body as a result of the fire sparked by the Orions’ attack. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t reach him sooner.”
“You saved his life, carrying him off that field,” Kirk reminded him. “I saw it when we beamed down. The fact that either of you survived is a testimony to your strength.”
“Or desperation. Nonetheless, the pseudo-skin treatments are progressing well. Though Doctor Lipinski has assured him of a full recovery, the pain can sometimes become intense.”
“We are within visual range,” Chekov announced, as the Sotek dropped out of warp.
Kirk turned away from Tivun and stepped down to the center seat. “On screen.”
All eyes became fixed on the image of a massive dull gray sphere rotating in lifeless solitude, its atmosphere a smoky haze of poisonous gases. As planned, their approach brought them to the opposite side of the planet from Thora’s current orbital position.
“Long range sensors detect no indication of Romulan vessels in the area,” Spock reported.
“Helm, bring us in, full impulse,” Kirk ordered.
At Dresden’s ‘request’, Chekov brought the Sotek into a geosynchronous orbit directly above the outskirts of Thora’s largest city. Without a word, he moved to the communications console and sent a coded message presumably to the moon’s surface. Seconds later, he received and decoded the response.
His expression turned grim.
“From one of my agents,” he explained to the expectant stares. “The exact time and location of Jennera’s transfer to the Romulans has apparently been changed. It’s much earlier than we originally believed.”
“When?” Kirk asked.
“A Romulan Bird of Prey has just decloaked and entered the moon’s atmosphere,” Baren announced urgently.
And with that, the answer had been given.
Now.
***
The setting for the encounter was the heart of Thora’s largest indoor black market district during its busiest hours. According to Dresden’s source the transaction was to occur right in the center of it all, among the hordes of customers and street hawkers bargaining over illegal weapons, drugs, and stolen merchandise, most of it openly displayed and blatantly demonstrated.
Such an atmosphere provided ideal cover. The sheer number of sentients so densely packed made it nearly impossible for standard starship sensors to detect any specific lifeform either from orbit or even from the nearby spaceport.
Fortunately, the Sotek’s sensors were slightly above standard.
“Colonel, there are four Orions and one Romulan approaching your position on foot from the west end of the street,” Spock reported.
Hidden among the shadows in an empty alley between two towering, dilapidated factories, Dresden pulled his communicator close, his voice barely a whisper. “How far?”
“Sixty-two point five meters. At their current speed, they will be within your visual range in three minutes and eighteen seconds.”
“Fast walkers,” Kirk commented.
From behind him, Chekov adjusted his tricorder. “I have them.”
Turning to Kwan, Dresden nodded toward the rear of the alley. Drawing their phasers, the duo quickly disappeared around the corner of the building. Their objective was to get behind the Orions once they neared the rendezvous point and ambush them the moment they were between the two ground teams. Whoever was the first to reach Jennera would be the first to be beamed back to the Sotek with her. Only then would the remainder of the teams be recovered—dead or alive.
Kirk’s communicator beeped. He flipped it open. “Go.”
“I’ve marked them,” Dresden announced. After a pause, he continued. “Positive ID on Jennera.”
At that, both Kirk and Chekov pulled their phasers in unison, setting them to heavy stun.
“Status on the Bird of Prey, Mr. Spock,” Kirk inquired.
“No one has yet exited the vessel.”
That fact unsettled Kirk. He wondered what they were waiting for unless they too were using their short-range sensors to confirm that the Orions actually showed up. Either that, or–
“Move!”
Dresden’s voice barked from the communicator and the two Starfleet officers charged from the alley into the street, their aim directed at four massive Orions. Almost immediately, two of the pirates dropped face first before their hands even gripped their blasters. As they fell, Kirk spotted Dresden and Kwan in the background, the tips of their phasers still lit with the afterglow of discharge.
It was then that Jennera vanished in the shimmering curtain of a transporter beam and the air exploded with the lethal burning of weapons fire.
***
“Report, Mr. Spock.”
As he limped from the transporter pad, an agitated Colonel Dresden waved off Doctor Lipinski’s attempts to usher him to the medbay despite her insistence and the hideous blast wound the almost completely covered his right thigh. The rest of the ground team escaped the firefight relatively unscathed.
“The Bird of Prey is powering up its engines.”
Dresden pointed to Kirk. “Get to the bridge. Have Baren get us out of orbit as fast as possible and intercept it.”
“That will not be necessary.”
Everyone froze as glances darted from Dresden to Spock. Lipinski stole the opportunity to begin treating the Intelligence officer while he was actually standing still.
“I’m not letting that ship out of this system with a Starfleet prisoner.”
“Jennera is not aboard the Romulan vessel,” the Vulcan informed him coolly.
Dresden was clearly beginning to lose his patience. “She was beamed aboard five minutes ago!”
“On the contrary, sensors indicate that no transports were made to the Bird of Prey. Rather one was made from it.”
“Then were is Jennera?” Kirk asked.
“Hers was a sight-to-sight transport to somewhere else in the spaceport, though I was unable to ascertain the exact location. However, I believe it is reasonable to assume that her destination was the same as that of the transport made from the ship, most likely to another vessel close by.”
Just then, Baren’s voice called from the Sotek’s intercom. “Bridge to Colonel Dresden. The Bird of Prey is lifting off.”
Dresden did not answer right away, but instead kept his stern gaze fixed on Spock, an almost equal match for the Vulcan’s own.
Kirk stepped forward between the two men. “I’ve trusted my first officer for over twenty years. You know his service record and I don’t think I need to remind you of Vulcan precision or efficiency. It saved my butt several times not to mention my crew, my ship… and Earth.”
“The Bird of Prey just cleared the atmosphere.” The helmsman was clearly anxious for an answer.
“Let it go,” Dresden said flatly.
The pause that followed lasted so long, Kirk began to wonder if there was a sudden problem with the comm system.
“Colonel, did I understand–”
“I said let it go. It’s a decoy. Standby, we’re on our way.”
Dresden was first out of the transporter room on the way to the bridge, but it was not until he emerged in the corridor when he realized he was no longer limping.
***
Thirty tense minutes passed while the crew waited for confirmation of Spock’s theory. During that time, the Vulcan worked with Baren in an attempt to pinpoint the exact coordinates of the mysterious dual transports.
Kirk could only imagine the heavy disappointment that Tivun must be experiencing although the Romulan was masking it well. Their present inactivity could only enhance his frustration. Still, the captain found himself admiring Tivun’s maturity. Growing up among a community of Vulcans had apparently had some influence. Kirk wondered if Spock noticed it as well.
“I’m surprised they risked a sight-to-sight transport with someone so waluable,” Chekov was remarking from navigation.
Beside him, Kwan was leaning over the console. “It’s just another indication of the lengths they’re willing to go to.”
“A wery dangerous chain of events just to capture one person.”
It was then that Spock made an announcement that sent an almost tangible ripple of anticipation surging through the bridge.
“I believe we have found the next link in that chain.”
CHAPTER FOUR
He was getting too old for this.
It had been many years since Montgomery Scott was placed in command of a starship while her captain and first officer were away. He was an engineer first and foremost and when he was not working miracles there, he felt more useful helping to repair some of the ship’s more recalcitrant systems which, on this latest vessel to bear the name Enterprise, seemed disturbingly numerous.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Worse, they had been asked to remain on standby until their rendezvous with the Sotek upon its return from Orion space. If it did not do so in three days, Scotty’s orders were to contact Starfleet with a status. At which point, Intelligence would take over.
The possibility of such an event worried him. No doubt Starfleet would reassign the Enterprise, expecting Scotty to abandon three of his best friends. The bureaucrats never understood the bonds that form between officers who have served together for almost a quarter of a century. Thus, he would simply refuse such orders.
Starfleet brass be damned.
However, the Sotek had only been gone for a day and a half and Scotty had the utmost confidence in Kirk, Spock, and Chekov. In the meantime though, he was beginning to realize that his patience for this sort of thing had not advanced with his years. After only two uneventful duty shifts in the command chair, the engineer could not help but to start fidgeting and that was a sign that it was high time to go elsewhere.
“Mr. Scott.” Just as he started toward the turbolift, Uhura beckoned from the communications panel behind him. “We are receiving a hail from the Sotek. It’s Captain Kirk.”
“On screen.”
The white studded blackness of space was abruptly replaced by the image of the Enterprise’s true commanding officer.
“Anything to report, Mr. Scott?”
“Not a thing, sir. It’s good to see ye back so soon and in one piece. I take it ya rescued the Romulan lass?”
Kirk exhaled tiredly. “No, but we’re working on it. As I speak, we’re in pursuit of an Orion slaver on its way to the Neutral Zone. If she keeps on her present course, she’ll first be crossing through a small sector of Federation space, the Delor system, in about twelve hours.”
Scotty had heard of this desolate solar system near the Zone a few years ago when Federation terraformers expressed an interest in it. Delor reportedly contained seven uninhabited planets, each one more arid and hostile than the next.
“I need you to intercept that ship,” Kirk continued. “From your present position, you should be able to reach Delor in about ten hours at warp seven. I’m transmitting the coordinates to you now.”
“Pardon me fer askin’, but how do ye know she won’t change course?” Scotty asked.
“Mr. Spock says the odds are against it.”
The two men exchanged a knowing grin. “Aye, then I guess it must be so.”
Uhura confirmed receipt of the data and transferred them to the helm.
“Good luck, Scotty. Sotek out.”
“Course plotted and laid-in,” the helmsman confirmed.
As he settled back into the center seat, Scotty found that the urge to fidget had suddenly disappeared.
“Ye heard the captain, warp seven.”
***
“The Orions are dropping out of warp,” Baren glanced up from the helm. “Slowing to impulse.”
“Have they detected us yet?” Dresden asked as he stepped beside Kirk.
“Negative,” Kwan answered from tactical. “We are still beyond their sensor range.”
It was not unusual for senior officers to stand next to the command chair while on the bridge. In fact, Kirk had become accustomed to both Spock and McCoy doing so for years aboard the Enterprise, either individually or together. Of course, the latter instances were frequently accompanied by bouts of verbal sparring between the two, normally with the captain caught in the middle. Now, however, Dresden made Kirk downright uncomfortable. The man was too eager and far too impatient. He was someone who was obviously used to being on top of every situation and despised the idea of standing by idly while another took control.
“Match their speed,” Kirk said. On the forward viewscreen, the passing stripes of starlines quickly compressed to slow moving pinpoints of light.
“Captain, I want that ship overtaken immediately.”
The adamant tone in Dresden’s demand caught the attention of everyone. Out of the corner of his eye, Kirk could see Chekov slowly shaking his head while keeping his gaze fixed on his console. The colonel was clearly beginning to overstep his bounds. After all, it was he who placed Kirk in command of the Sotek from the onset. Although he understood Dresden’s desire to complete the mission, while aboard ship, Kirk gave the orders.
“That’s what the Enterprise is for, Colonel,” he spoke evenly, not even bothering to look at the Intelligence leader. “Whenever possible, I like to use all the resources at my disposal. I also don’t want to come out of warp too close to the Orions in case anyone unexpected shows up.”
“Unfortunately, that is already the case.” Spock scanned the sensor data scrolling across his screen. “Sensors detect two Birds of Prey at the rendezvous coordinates. It would appear that Mr. Scott is otherwise engaged.”
“We have visual,” Kwan announced.
A magnified view of the Delor system painted a grim picture. Far ahead of the Orion vessel, the Enterprise could be seen exchanging heavy weapons fire with the Romulans. When they were within almost a million kilometers of the incursion, the slave ship suddenly altered course, taking it on a more direct heading for the Neutral Zone.
The Enterprise would have to hold her own for the moment.
“Helm, lay in an intercept course,” Kirk rose from his seat. “Tactical, target their engines and prepare to fire on my mark.”
Kwan’s hands flew deftly over the tactical controls. “Phasers ready. Positive target lock acquired.”
“Looks like you’re about to get your wish, Colonel,” Kirk remarked in a low voice.
Within seconds, the Sotek had easily closed the gap and was well within weapons range of their quarry.
“Fire!”
Two red-orange beams lanced out from the forward hull, scoring a direct hit on the Orion’s impulse engines.
“Propulsion systems off-line,” Spock confirmed. “Though damage is minimal.”
Suddenly, Kwan spun to face Kirk and Dresden. “One of the Romulan ships just broke off its attack on the Enterprise and is heading directly for us.”
“Shields!” the two said in unison.
“Ready photon torpedoes,” Kirk added.
On the main screen, the Bird of Prey approached at full speed, only to abruptly stop beside the disabled slaver.
“Captain, there is a massive energy build up in the Orions’ warp core,” Spock turned to peer at the viewscreen. A look of concern crossed the Vulcan’s face. “At its current rate, the vessel will self-destruct in thirty point nine seconds.”
Dresden pointed at Tivun who, up to this point, had remained silently in awe at the events unfolding before him. “Can you get a transporter lock on Jennera?”
The young Romulan worked feverishly at the engineering station but the effort was in vain. “There’s too much interference from the warp core’s radiation,” he responded desperately, slamming his fist on the console for added emphasis.
“Twenty point three seconds.”
“Full reverse!”
The commander of the Bird of Prey had apparently given the same order. The shrinking image of the fleeing ship was the last thing the crew of the Sotek observed before everything around them became awash in brilliant, blinding white.
CHAPTER FIVE
It suddenly turned pitch black.
This section of the ship must have lost power when it was struck by… what? The woman was not certain. She had not even the time to determine exactly where she was before being slammed to the deck, the ice-cold metal pressing against the skin of her face and hands.
She must have injured her head. Unable to think clearly beyond the throbbing, she closed her eyes. Distantly, a loud thud followed by the sound of footsteps entered her cloudy consciousness. Before she fully awoke, a hand grabbed the woman by her hair and jerked her to her knees. Lights suddenly burned into her vision. Automatically, she shielded her eyes. She could see nothing but shadows and silhouettes such was the intensity of the lighting in what she now realized had to be a cell.
“I hope you’ll appreciate the great trouble and expense I incurred to bring you here.”
The words were spoken in fluent Romulan and the deep voice was familiar though not immediately recognizable. Its tone was that of an older man, mature, controlled.
Predatory.
The woman’s mind brought forth the image of a cool summer wind that warned of an impending storm.
“Once again, you have put me through a most laborious ordeal, Jennera.”
The name that surfaced in her thoughts, accompanied by the jolt of fear through her heart, provided a sudden and rude awakening.
Zarred.
“No witty replies of defiance this time? Perhaps the warrior has gone out of you after all. Living among our Vulcan cousins has undoubtedly made you weak and inferior, or is that simply a result of age?”
“Release me and find out,” Jennera retorted in her native tongue. By this time, her eyes had adjusted to the harsh lighting just enough to make out the form of her captor pacing slowly back and forth before her.
“Ah, now that is more like the soldier I remember. The same one who caused me to lose any chance of a position on the Senate.”
Abruptly, he stopped directly in front of Jennera. “I have waited much too long for this moment. Your escape over twenty years ago left me disgraced in the eyes of the Praetor. As punishment, he had one of mine removed.”
His hands were suddenly around Jennera’s throat, lifting her violently to her feet. He pulled her face close to his and she could see the scarred flesh partly covered by a thick, oversized eye patch. His hair was a mix of black and gray and his complexion rough and leathery. Time had not been kind to Zarred.
“I certainly hope you like what you see because your execution as a traitor to the Empire will help me restore my reputation.” He shoved her back into the grips of the guards behind her.
“Welcome back, Jennera. You’re going home.”
***
“To Romulus?”
In what was surely the ultimate irony, the thought of returning to his native planet struck Baren as oddly foreign. The idea never dared cross his mind before now as he pondered Dresden’s outrageous proposal.
Presently, aboard the Enterprise, the colonel peered silently through the conference room viewport into space at the expanding field of debris that marked yet another mistake, another failure, in this mission. Superimposed over the scene, his own reflection stared back at him, serving as a reminder that it was he who carried the weight of those failures. Disgustedly, he turned away to address a table full of questioning gazes.
“Mr. Spock, are you absolutely certain the sensor logs are correct?”
“There is no doubt that a ship-to-ship transport occurred from the Orion vessel to the Bird of Prey five point seven seconds before the former self-destructed.”
“Then unless someone can offer an alternative, I see no other course of action but to continue our pursuit,” Dresden paused and shot a glance at Baren before continuing. “All the way to Romulus.”
“Unless, of course, Starfleet denies authorization,” Kirk reminded him.
“To be candid, Captain, my superiors gave me authorization to take whatever steps I deem necessary to retrieve Jennera, and I intend to take full advantage of that directive.”
“Then you wouldn’t object to informing them of your decision.”
“I don’t think we have time to wait for the bureaucrats to mull it over.”
It was an answer that Kirk had fully expected. Dresden knew he would never get the express permission to proceed. It was a tactic that the captain himself couldn’t totally condemn, but it only raised more questions.
“Then tell me how ve’re going to reach the core of Romulan space unhindered,” Chekov cut in. “Even if ve cross the Neutral Zone at a point with little or no Romulan activity, eventually a ship or outpost vill detect us.”
At that, Dresden merely smiled and nodded his head slowly. Confused by his reaction, Kirk looked around the table at the others. It was then that he noticed that neither Baren, Tivun, nor the rest of the Intelligence team appeared outwardly concerned by the notion of charging full speed into enemy space.
“Captain Kirk,” Dresden spoke finally. “Do you think your ship could spare her chief engineer for awhile?”
“May I ask why?”
“Well, when we reach Romulus, naturally we’re going to have to get a team to the surface to locate Jennera.” Dresden stepped behind Baren and Tivun as he spoke. “I think it’s obvious who that’s going to be. However, while they’re gone, I’m going to need an engineer aboard ship. Preferably one who has had prior experience with a cloaking device.”
***
“If you had just told me that in the first place, we could have avoided that entire meeting,” Kirk grumbled as he took his seat on the Sotek’s bridge fifteen minutes later.
“I didn’t want to make it public knowledge,” Dresden said. “As it is, too many people know.”
As if on cue, Montgomery Scott entered the bridge with a visible spring in his step.
“Mr. Scott,” Kirk began. “It seems you’re going to get a good look at our little ship sooner than you thought.”
“Little?” Baren repeated from the helm.
“Tivun will brief you on the technical details of the cloaking system.”
“Lookin’ forward to it,” the engineer assured him.
“Before we depart,” Dresden began as he stepped to the front of the bridge to address everyone. “I’d like to outline the plan. Our first stop is twenty-one hours into Romulan space, a colony planet called Gammet. When we reach orbit, Baren, Tivun and Doctor Lipinski will beam to the surface and buy passage on a transport ship, which the Sotek will follow directly to Romulus. As we speak, the good doctor is in the medbay having her ears lifted.
“This strategy is the only way to get a ground team through the planetary defense grid without drawing attention. We have more than enough Romulan currency in the cargo hold to allow three people to survive for a week. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long.”
Chekov leaned toward Major Kwan who had once again taken position next to navigation. “Vhere did you get that much Romulan money?” he asked in a low voice.
“Confiscated from previous operations.”
“Vow.”
“Mr. Spock,” the colonel continued. “When we reach Romulus, I’d like you to analyze the sensor data on that grid and find a way to punch a transporter beam through it. I’m afraid our team may not have the opportunity to leave the planet the same way they arrived.”
“With all due respect, Colonel,” the Vulcan replied. “Mr. Chekov is more than qualified to accomplish that task. I believe I would serve a greater purpose on Romulus.”
“I suppose you have a logical reason,” Kirk prompted.
“Indeed. Aside from the obvious physical resemblance, I have had prior contact with the Romulans on multiple assignments including one particular occasion where Captain Kirk successfully acquired a cloaking device from one of their vessels. It was, in fact, the same mission during which Mr. Scott gained his experience with the technology.”
“Aye, and what an experience it was,” the engineer added.
Saying nothing at first, Dresden exhaled heavily and rubbed the back of his neck as he considered Spock’s request. “Very well,” he agreed finally. “Unless the captain has any objections.”
“Nice of you to ask,” Kirk gibed. “Though having known Mr. Spock for as long as I have I can tell you that it’s not easy to change the mind of a curious Vulcan.”
“Curiosity was hardly a determining factor in my decision.”
“Of course, forgive me. I’m sure it was pure logic.”
“You’ve been spending too much time with Doctor McCoy.”
“Moving right along,” Dresden interrupted. “I am placing Baren in charge of the ground team since he is the most familiar with the territory. Currently, we have no agents on Romulus, but the Federation has a few ambassadors that travel to and from the planet under heavy security. They have been able to provide us with limited information as to changes in the government, economic and social environments throughout the years.
“Baren, since you haven’t been on your home planet for over two decades, you may want to review this information. Kwan can take the helm until we get you off Romulus.
“Are there any questions?” The colonel glanced from one face to the next. No one spoke. “The coordinates for Gammet are already set in the navigational system.”
“Then take us out, warp six,” Kirk ordered. “Tivun, let’s disappear for awhile.”
***
Nyota Uhura was about to end her shift on the bridge when the comm system signaled an incoming coded message. When she asked the computer to trace its origin, she tensed at seeing the coordinates the computer displayed.
“We’re receiving a hail from the Hawkeye,” she announced. “Audio only. They’re near the Klingon border and requesting assistance.”
Hikaru Sulu turned the command chair to face her. “Let’s hear it.”
“This Captain Auran of the Hawkeye. Enterprise, we could use your assistance at Starbase Sixty-Three. Please respond.”
“They need help at a starbase?” Sulu was incredulous. “Open a channel.”
Uhura pressed a button on her console and nodded.
“Hawkeye, this is the Enterprise, please describe your situation. Are you under attack?”
After a moment, the typically gruff Andorian voice answered with a hint of a chuckle. “Hardly, but we just beamed alot of people off of three Orion slavers who are looking to get back home to Renar Prime and my ship can’t hold them all.”
“On our way, Captain. Enterprise out.”