Part 18 (2/2)
Fluttering eyes half shut, Scott was shooting down the final conduit leading to the distribution chamber. All that remained was to see if he died from drowning or being torn apart by the distributor pump. Then...
The rush of water ceased as emergency seals fell into place on either side of him and a maintenance access panel in the underside of the conduit abruptly dropped open, unceremoniously dumping onto the deck a couple hundred gallons of water and one severely waterlogged engineer. Kirk rushed to his traveling companion and propped him up as a gasping Scott spasmodically relieved his insides of a liter or so of involuntarily imbibed liquid. Worse, it was water.
”You all right...?”
Taking a deep breath, the engineer wiped at his dripping face, looked up, and recognized his new friend.
”Nice,” he coughed up water, ”s.h.i.+p. Really.”
Kirk helped him to his feet. ”Better to be remembered as the inventor of the equations that allow for long-range s.h.i.+p-to-s.h.i.+p transporting than as the first man in history to die from drowning aboard a stars.h.i.+p.” Still supporting the engineer, he was looking around worriedly. All this commotion in what was normally a tranquil section of the s.h.i.+p was bound to attract attention.
”Come on-let's get to the bridge!”
His prescience was soon proved correct as a security team arrived barely moments after they had departed. Noting the presence of entirely too much water on the deck, an emergency release latch that showed no sign of having accidentally given way, and wet boot-prints leading deeper into the s.h.i.+p, the team drew their sidearms as they went on immediate alert.
”Captain,” the team leader reported into his communicator, ”we appear to have unauthorized access on the engineering level.”
Spock responded quickly to the new information. ”Seal engineering. All security personnel on high alert.” He moved quickly toward the helm station. ”Mister Sulu, activate security imaging. Check the entire crew, including the wounded and those still in sickbay. Also all refugees-their vitals should have been entered into records by now. Do we have any unregistered life-forms on board?”
Sulu swiftly entered the request. In response to his query the monitor provided a scalable schematic that showed every deck and every corner of the Enterprise. Enterprise. On some decks dozens of green dots glowed, often in small cl.u.s.ters. On other decks only a few green identifiers appeared. On engineering... On some decks dozens of green dots glowed, often in small cl.u.s.ters. On other decks only a few green identifiers appeared. On engineering...
Two red dots, moving fast and beeping steadily.
”Affirmative, sir.” A disbelieving Sulu confirmed what was evident on-screen. ”Engineering bay-hydrologics. But-but that's impossible impossible....”
Spock leaned forward. ”There is visual confirmation. It could could be a system anomaly.” be a system anomaly.”
The two security guards had their weapons trained directly at Kirk and Scott. With nowhere to go, both men slowed. Bemused but professional, the security team came closer. Then one of them grinned unpleasantly at Kirk.
”Come with me-moonbeam.”
Kirk recognized the voice as well as the body. It was the cadet he had bloodied in an Iowa bar in what now seemed like centuries ago...
When they entered the bridge the pair were greeted by stunned expressions. From Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov. Only Spock, and his father, who was also present, regarded the arrivals calmly. Scott wisely kept silent and drew little of the attention. He knew none of them anyway and was unaware that the tension on the bridge was due as much to the awkward relations.h.i.+p that existed between its acting captain and Kirk as to the far greater danger that now threatened them all.
Spock straightaway confronted the one prisoner he knew. Flanked by security personnel, Kirk met the Vulcan's probing gaze without flinching. The effects of the stun that had been used to subdue him had already worn off.
”Surprise,” Kirk said.
Ignoring him, Spock eyed his companion. ”Who are you?”
He's with me.” Kirk's smile widened.
”How did you beam yourself aboard this s.h.i.+p while it is traveling at warp speed?”
Battered and exhausted from what had been a very long day indeed, Kirk still managed to grin. ”You're the genius: you figure it out.” He nodded toward a particular bridge station. ”Why don't you ask the s.h.i.+p's science officer?”
”As captain of this vessel I order you to answer the question.” It was not exactly a shout, but much more than a casual request. ”You are a prisoner. There is nowhere for you to go. This question impinges on the very security of Starfleet itself. I a.s.sure you that I will utilize whatever authorized methods are at my disposal to convince you to respond to my inquiry.” It was not exactly a shout, but much more than a casual request. ”You are a prisoner. There is nowhere for you to go. This question impinges on the very security of Starfleet itself. I a.s.sure you that I will utilize whatever authorized methods are at my disposal to convince you to respond to my inquiry.”
”Well, I'm not telling.”
Clearly taken aback, Spock had no rejoinder for that. Relis.h.i.+ng the confusion he had engendered, an energized Kirk pushed harder.
”Does that frustrate you? My lack of cooperation? Does that make you angry?”
Turning away from him, Spock studied the stranger who had accompanied him.
”You are not a member of this s.h.i.+p's crew. Under penalty of court-martial, I order you to explain how you beamed aboa-”
”Don't answer him, Scotty.”
Spock was not to be denied. ”You will will answer me,” he ordered the stranger. answer me,” he ordered the stranger.
Scott looked from Vulcan to Kirk-and demurred. ”I'd rather not take sides, if you dinna mind.”
Frustrated beyond measure, Spock nodded to the security guards. ”Escort them to the brig.”
But Kirk wasn't yet ready to go. In fact, he was just getting warmed up.
”What is it about you, Spock? Your planet was just destroyed. Your whole civilization civilization was wiped out. Your mother murdered-and you're not even was wiped out. Your mother murdered-and you're not even upset upset?”
Spock stared back at him, hard and unblinking. ”Your presumption that these experiences interfere with my abilities to command this s.h.i.+p is inaccurate.”
”Ha! I mean, did you see that b.a.s.t.a.r.d's s.h.i.+p? Did you see what he did?”
”Yes, of course I...”
”So are you angry or aren't you?”
”I will not-allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion.”
Kirk moved closer, before the guards could think about intervening. ”Then why don't you stop me?”
Spock's eyes did not waver from the human confronting him. Off to the side, McCoy was watching the growing confrontation nervously. Sarek merely-watched.
”Step away from me, Mister Kirk.”
<script>