Part 22 (1/2)

Leaving the Romulan s.h.i.+p damaged and its crew occupied and reeling, Spock drove the remarkably responsive one-man stars.h.i.+p toward the surface of the planet below. A single carefully directed burst from the Vulcan craft's compact but powerful weapons sliced through the complex of cables supporting and powering the plasma drill. The energy vortex shut down, a few remaining lines snapped, and the drill platform, together with the complex of dangling cables above it, plunged downward, falling, falling...

On the grounds of Starfleet Academy and elsewhere on the fringes of San Francis...o...b..y, onlookers scrambled for cover as the heavy drill platform slammed into the cold green water and sent out a wave that drenched the surrounding sh.o.r.elines.

Fully occupied with trying to track the enigmatic attacking vessel that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, the Narada' Narada's overwhelmed tactical officer now looked fearfully in his captain's direction.

”The plasma drill has been severed and the platform has crashed into the surface!” This news was followed by an even more startling report.

”Amba.s.sador Spock's s.h.i.+p has been stolen and is heading outsystem!”

Nero was beside himself. ”Who stole it? I want identification-now! Which traitor...?”

The first officer paused, studying his readouts. ”A crew member managed to transmit a portion of a visual at the last moment before severe hangar damage was incurred.” He looked up in disbelief. ”It is impossible to resolve fine details without further processing, but I believe the pilot to be Amba.s.sador Spock.”

Shock rippled through the bridge. Somehow, Nero kept control of himself as he settled back down in the command chair and hissed, rather than spoke, a single command.

”Follow.”

Both s.h.i.+ps were well on their way outsystem when he finally spoke again to his communications officer. ”Open a hailing channel.”

The officer complied swiftly. ”Channel open.” A brief pause, then, ”We are receiving a response.”

An image appeared on the forward viewscreen. It was of a very young Vulcan officer, remarkably composed given the circ.u.mstances. Ignoring for the moment the inexplicable difference in age from the hated Spock he knew, Nero stared at the all-too-familiar visage, his voice cold.

”Spock. It It is is you. I should have killed you when I had the chance. I wanted you to see Vulcan destroyed as you let Romulus be destroyed. But you. I should have killed you when I had the chance. I wanted you to see Vulcan destroyed as you let Romulus be destroyed. But I should have killed you.” I should have killed you.”

The subject of the threat stared directly back into his s.h.i.+p's pickup. A human would have reacted differently, perhaps with a counterthreat, possibly with a challenge of his own, maybe with a word-string full of hatred and accusation and foul language. Spock responded purely as Spock.

”Under authority granted me by the Europa Convention of Sentient Species, I'm confiscating this illegally obtained s.h.i.+p and order you to surrender your vessel. No terms. No discussion. No deals.”

Nero could only gaze at the screen in wonder. The sheer audacity of the Vulcan. The absolute absurdity of it. ”You can't cheat me again, Spock. I know you better than you know yourself. I know what has to happen, what is preordained by the time stream, and you can't stop it!”

The level gaze never flinched, the icy determination did not waver. ”Last warning: unconditional surrender or you will be destroyed.” ”Last warning: unconditional surrender or you will be destroyed.”

The game had gone on long enough. In Nero's mind, fury overcame reason. Whatever happened from this moment on, ensuring the Vulcan's death had become paramount in his mind. Even if it was necessary to destroy the captured s.h.i.+p and its irreplaceable contents, the Narada Narada would remain invincible, by far the most powerful wars.h.i.+p in this corner of the cosmos. As for the Red Matter device, the science team on his s.h.i.+p had garnered a good deal of information about it. Returning to Romulus and explaining the necessity of building another one would also a.s.sure his world's salvation. Then, led by himself and his crew, Romulan rule would still spread across the galaxy. would remain invincible, by far the most powerful wars.h.i.+p in this corner of the cosmos. As for the Red Matter device, the science team on his s.h.i.+p had garnered a good deal of information about it. Returning to Romulus and explaining the necessity of building another one would also a.s.sure his world's salvation. Then, led by himself and his crew, Romulan rule would still spread across the galaxy.

A galaxy devoid of treacherous Vulcans, and of one Vulcan in particular.

He turned toward tactical. ”Fire at will.”

His second-in-command was reluctant. ”Sir, if a direct hit should occur, either phaser energy or photon torpedoes contain enough explosive force to momentarily duplicate the heat and pressure present in the core of a planet. A strike could cause a portion of the Red Matter aboard the Vulcan's s.h.i.+p to implode and ignite, thereby...”

Nero glared at him, his voice rising. ”Don't talk back to me! ”Don't talk back to me! That's a direct order! This isn't a time for arcane scientific speculations- That's a direct order! This isn't a time for arcane scientific speculations-I want Spock dead!”

Leaving the command chair, he roughly pushed his tactical officer out of the way and began readying the Narada' Narada's weaponry himself. He was looking forward to the opportunity to kill someone without an intermediary, for a change.

As a brace of advanced torpedoes launched from the Narada, Narada, Kirk continued to work his way through the vast and largely deserted reaches of the Romulan wars.h.i.+p. Occasionally he would pause to check the information that had been downloaded to his tricorder. Once he had to back up and retrace his steps, another time he took a wrong turn and was forced to correct his course. Kirk continued to work his way through the vast and largely deserted reaches of the Romulan wars.h.i.+p. Occasionally he would pause to check the information that had been downloaded to his tricorder. Once he had to back up and retrace his steps, another time he took a wrong turn and was forced to correct his course.

Eventually he confronted a closed doorway with specific and unpleasant markings in Romulan. A quick pa.s.s with his tricorder identified it as the chamber he had been seeking. It yielded without hesitation to his request for entry, there being no reason to secure it from anyone on board.

The room was dark and damp even for a Romulan interrogation chamber.

He saw Pike still fastened to the slightly tilted platform. The faint moan that reached Kirk as he hurried toward it was more uplifting than a whole stadium full of cadets cheering on their Academy team. The captain was still alive.

There was nothing elaborate about the straps that held him down. As traditional and straightforward as they were effective, they yielded rapidly to his determined hands. As he worked, Pike's head lolled limply in his direction. The captain's eyes struggled to focus.

”...Kirk?”

”Came back, sir. Just like you ordered. Hold still-I'll have you out of this in a minute.”

Pike managed a nod to show that he understood. ”How-how did you...?” He swallowed, coughed. ”Where are we?”

”Still on board the Narada, Narada, sir. A lot has happened since you were taken prisoner. Some of it I'm still not sure I believe myself. But believable or not, we have to deal with it.” He pulled hard at the main strap, yanking it free. ”One thing you sir. A lot has happened since you were taken prisoner. Some of it I'm still not sure I believe myself. But believable or not, we have to deal with it.” He pulled hard at the main strap, yanking it free. ”One thing you can can believe: I'm not leaving here without you.” believe: I'm not leaving here without you.”

As more straps were released, Pike fought to move his arms and legs and rea.s.sert some control over his stiff muscles and unused nervous system. ”I believe your presence here const.i.tutes violation of at least a dozen ordinances, Mister Kirk.”

Working above the supine senior officer, Kirk had to smile. Pike was going to make it, all right. ”Guilty as charged, sir. You can decide my punishment as soon as we're back on the Enterprise. Enterprise.”

With his back to the entrance, he failed to notice the arrival of several heavily armed guards. Kirk's presence hadn't been detected by s.h.i.+p security; the guards were simply carrying out a time-scheduled check on the prisoner. Eyes widening in surprise, the Romulans perceived what was taking place and started to raise their weapons.

In a tribute to a lifetime of hard work, and demonstrating to the utmost the efficacy of Starfleet training, Pike pulled Kirk's own sidearm and shot them in perfect sequence before a single one of them could trigger their weapons. They went down as Kirk whirled. Exhausted, Pike let the phaser fall from his fingers. Kirk caught first it and then his superior officer.

”Thanks, Captain. Don't worry-I've got you. Can you stand?”

Gritting his teeth, and with Kirk's help, Pike was on his feet a moment later. Once he was sure he wasn't going to fall, he nodded to his rescuer.

”Not only can I stand: if circ.u.mstances require it I think I can run.” He gestured past the dead guard in the direction of the only exit. ”The question is, where do we run to? I don't know how you got on this s.h.i.+p, but from what I've seen, there's no way off it.”

Draping one of Pike's arms over his shoulders, Kirk helped the older man stumble toward the portal. ”I don't suppose, Captain, that you've by any chance heard of a disgraced Starfleet engineer named Montgomery Scott?”

Having unleashed the first volley of torpedoes at the fleeing smaller s.h.i.+p, Nero had subsequently returned tactical to the officer in charge. He could not direct the Narada' Narada's firepower if he also wanted to bathe fully in the moment of destruction.

The Vulcan's evasive maneuvers were carried out with exceptional skill and his small but advanced s.h.i.+p was proving difficult to hit, but the number of weapons the much larger Romulan wars.h.i.+p could bring to bear could not be avoided forever. Detonated by a proximate program, one torpedo finally ripped into the hull of the Vulcan craft. Though it self-sealed, Spock's vessel had unmistakably suffered some permanent damage. The Narada' Narada's tactical sensors confirmed the partial hit.

Observing the ongoing pursuit via the forward viewscreen, Nero whispered to himself with satisfaction.