Star Trek The Original Series From History's Shadow (33 page)

Nothing.

Damn it!

She flinched at the sight of a figure coming around the building’s far end, relaxing only when she recognized Ryan jogging toward her. He once more held his portable scanner, and as he drew closer she heard the device’s characteristic low warbling whistle. Like her, the brief exertion had not even affected his breathing.

“I’m not picking up anyone running from this location. It’s like he just vanished.”

“Certoss,” Elizabeth said, biting on the word. “It’s that harness, cloaking shield or whatever the hell it is.” She let her gaze travel over every car on the street before checking each doorway and window within view. “The bastard could be standing right in front of us and we’d never know it.”

Ryan deactivated his scanner and returned it to his satchel. “If he was here, then he may have searched Sutherland’s apartment and come up empty like we did. Or, maybe we showed up and we spooked him before he could finish picking over the place.”

“If he heard us talking,” Elizabeth said, “then he might know we’re on to him. He probably also knows we’re not just anybody, either.”

“Yeah, but we have one thing going for us,” Ryan replied, patting his satchel. “We know he’s been undercover at McKinley. He and his friends might be looking to make their
move soon. An upcoming launch or something. Whatever it is, it’s worth killing people to keep their plans secret.”

Elizabeth nodded, considering the information they had retrieved from Sutherland’s cache, and how it likely had cost the reporter and his source, Joshua Langsford, their lives. “If so, then we might be running out of time.”

Of course, if that truly were the case, she reminded herself, then everyone on Earth might well be running out of time.

TWENTY-SEVEN

U.S.S. Enterprise

Earth Year 2268

On the
Balatir
’s cramped flight deck, Roberta Lincoln watched the activities unfolding in the
Enterprise
’s hangar bay with growing dread. On the small circular viewing screen dominating the helm operator’s console, she saw two figures—both dressed in formidable-looking dark body armor and helmets—working to set up some sort of device on the bay’s deck plating, close to the outer boundary of the
Balatir
’s shields.

“What is that?” asked Minister Ocherab from where she stood next to Roberta.

“I don’t know.” Turning to Mestral and Gejalik, Roberta asked, “Any ideas?”

Mestral replied, “Perhaps an explosive of some kind.”

“No,” Gejalik countered. “They wouldn’t use something like that in a contained space. I don’t recognize the exact design, but it looks similar to a device Tandaran ground forces employed against installations to disable their power systems.”

“Like our shields?” Roberta asked.

Gejalik nodded. “Exactly. Communications, as well.”

“That explains why we can’t contact Captain Kirk or his people. Wonderful.” Though she had thought gathering Gejalik, Mestral, and the rest of the Certoss crew aboard their ship to be little more than a stalling tactic—something to buy
time until Kirk could devise a strategy for dealing with the Tandaran landing party—it was becoming obvious that her off-the-cuff plan was not long for this world. If the Tandarans managed to breach the
Balatir
’s deflector shields, there would be nothing to stop them from using their weapons or a real bomb to penetrate the Certoss vessel’s hull. The device they had set up outside the ship, in addition to disrupting the
Balatir
’s communications, also seemed to be interfering with her servo. Roberta could not use it to contact the
Enterprise,
nor could she even utilize its emergency recall function to the Beta 5 for transport back to her own time.

Nice job, Roberta
.

“I suppose it’s too much to hope that you have any weapons aboard this ship?”

Ocherab seemed not the least bit embarrassed as she replied, “No, Miss Lincoln. We possess no weapons of any kind.”

“A laudable stance,” Gejalik said, “though of little use at the moment.”

Mestral added, “Indeed. I do not believe the Tandarans will be impressed.”

“Minister Ocherab,” Roberta said, “are you able to show me the rest of the hangar bay?”

By way of reply, the elder Certoss gestured to one of her two subordinates occupying stations along the cramped control room’s forward bulkhead. The other Certoss, a young male, moved his hands across the console without making actual contact with the station’s smooth black surface, and beneath his fingers a series of soft-lit indicators glowed in varying colors, each accompanied by an almost musical tone Roberta might have found soothing on any other occasion. On the display screen the image shifted to show the
Enterprise
hangar deck from different angles based on what she guessed to be sensors positioned around the
Balatir
’s exterior. In addition to the pair of Tandaran intruders working on the device, Roberta counted four others, each of them wielding nasty-looking rifles and acting as though they were on the lookout for potential threats.

“Look!” Gejalik said, pointing to the screen as its image changed again to show the two Tandarans and their mysterious equipment. “They’re running away. I think . . .”

Her words were cut off as a tremendous flash of light erupted on the screen, washing across the entire picture at the same instant the very hull of the
Balatir
itself shuddered around them. Every light and console on the flight deck flickered and Roberta heard a warble in the ship’s engines, as though they now were fighting not to lose power.

“Minister,” the helm operator said, “our shields are down!”

“Can you reestablish them?” Ocherab asked, and Roberta heard the controlled tension in the elder’s voice.

His fingers moving across his console in rapid fashion, the subordinate shook his head. “No, Minister! The shield generator has overloaded. The engineer is already attempting to effect repairs.”

“I do not believe we will have sufficient time,” Mestral said, gesturing to the screen where the image now depicted the pair of Tandarans returning across the hangar bay. One of the intruders was brandishing a rectangular-shaped object in one hand, which Roberta could not identify before he disappeared from view, now unfettered by the
Balatir
’s deflector shields.

“I don’t like the looks of that,” she said. “Something to override the door’s magnetic lock?”

Gejalik said, “It’s an explosive charge.”

Roberta felt her pulse quickening, as much from fright
as anticipation. Even if the Tandarans captured the Certoss, which was looking more likely by the second, they still were trapped on the
Enterprise
. How far was Abrenn willing to take this? Would he kill Ocherab and her crew if he felt he had no other options?

If you’re going to pull off one of your miracles, Kirk, now would be a good time
.

•   •   •

“
Captain, the Tandarans have activated their dampening device. The Certoss vessel’s shields are down
.”

With Lieutenant Commander Giotto following him, Kirk cursed at Spock’s report while sprinting the final dozen meters to the reinforced pressure hatch leading onto the
Enterprise
hangar deck. “What are they doing now?”

“
From what we’re able to see, they’re now moving on the
Balatir
, and have placed something on the vessel’s exterior access hatch. Sensors have determined that it’s a form of explosive
.”

“We’re out of time,” Kirk said. After checking to verify that his phaser was set to its maximum non-lethal setting just as he had ordered for Giotto and the others, he looked to the security chief, who offered a reassuring nod. “Let’s do this, Spock.”

“
Acknowledged
.”

A moment later, alarm klaxons began wailing in the narrow corridor, followed by the stilted, feminine voice of the
Enterprise
’s main computer. “
Warning, hangar doors will open in thirty seconds. Safety overrides have been disabled. No depressurization cycle will occur. Move immediately to the nearest exit
.”

“Come on,” Kirk said, gesturing for Giotto to follow him as he hit the switch to open the pressure hatch. The alarms grew louder as the heavy doors parted to reveal the hangar deck, enough that the sirens were hurting his ears, and all of it
accompanied by the chaotic flashing of the alert indicators positioned around the bay. Kirk ran into the cavernous chamber and crouched near the bulkhead. To his left, he saw Giotto mimic his movements, the security chief taking up a defensive position in order to guard his captain’s blind side. On the far side of the bay, Kirk saw another hatch open and a trio of Giotto’s security detail run onto the hangar deck, two of them carrying phaser rifles. They were led by Ensign Minecci, who gestured with his phaser pistol for the other two men to follow him.

“
Warning, hangar doors will open in twenty seconds. Safety overrides have been disabled. No depressurization cycle will occur. Move immediately to the nearest exit
.”

“I hope the computer knows what it’s doing!” Giotto shouted over the sound of the alarms. “Not that I don’t trust you or Mister Spock, sir, but still . . .” When Kirk glanced over his shoulder, it was to see the commander shrugging. Despite the present situation, Kirk could not help a small grin.

Though he believed the Tandarans’ helmets and armor likely would protect them from any loss of atmosphere, Kirk was counting on Abrenn and his people not wanting to be in the bay should the massive clamshell doors begin to open. The effects of abrupt depressurization would send every unsecured item and piece of equipment careening for the bay doors, carried on the invisible wave of escaping oxygen and turning the entire room into a hazardous gallery of flying debris.

At the center of the bay sat the
Balatir
, and Kirk caught sight of the first Tandarans moving about the hangar deck. As he expected, the intruders were moving away from the rear of the bay, trying to distance themselves from the hangar doors and get behind the various equipment, storage crates, and other items taking up space in the chamber. He counted four figures running for the front of the massive chamber, moving
toward Minecci and his men and appearing to focus more on getting to safety than anything else. As they passed another access hatch, that portal opened to admit still more
Enterprise
security personnel.

“
Warning,
” the computer droned, “
hangar doors will open in ten seconds. Move immediately to the nearest exit
.”

Into his communicator, Kirk barked, “Minecci! Take them!” With Giotto on his heels, he rose from his crouch and headed across the bay, angling for the
Balatir
and where he suspected the two remaining Tandarans still lurked. Weapons fire caught Kirk’s attention, and he turned to see Ensign Minecci and his people engaging the other intruders. Phaser beams flashed across that section of the hangar deck as the
Enterprise
personnel caught the Tandarans in a crossfire, the maximum stunning force of the security team’s weapons penetrating even the intruders’ tactical armor. Within seconds, the quartet of Tandarans had fallen unconscious to the hangar deck.

“
Warning
,
hangar doors are opening
.”

Kirk grunted in resignation. “So much for our big bluff.” He of course had no intention of subjecting the hangar bay to sudden decompression with his own people exposed to danger, but he had been hoping the perceived peril might force the Tandarans into dropping their guard and making mistakes. Now that the computer’s countdown had concluded and the hangar doors remained closed, Abrenn would know for certain that it all had been a ruse.

Stepping around the
Balatir
’s forward section, Kirk caught movement above and to his right, and he looked up to see a dark figure leaping at him from atop the Certoss vessel. He had time only to brace himself for the impact before the attacker crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the deck. Kirk’s phaser fell from his hand and he heard it
sliding away, but he ignored it as he rolled to his feet, bringing himself into a defensive stance. Backpedaling to give himself maneuvering room, he saw Abrenn staring at him through the faceplate of his protective helmet.

“Captain!” he heard Giotto shout from somewhere behind him before another weapon report echoed in the bay and the security chief was forced to seek cover. More shots followed him as he dashed around the front of the
Balatir,
leaving Kirk alone with Abrenn.

“My compliments, Captain,” said the Tandaran, his voice muffled by the small speaker grille at the base of his helmet. “You employ deception and diversion with great skill, but I did not think you would risk exposing your crew and ship to unnecessary danger. However, I have no such reservations. Ranzareq! Now!”

In response to the colonel’s barked command, a small explosion rumbled through the bay and Kirk felt the shockwave in his chest just as he stepped around the
Balatir
’s forward section. He ducked, throwing up his arms to protect himself, but then realized it had to have been the device Abrenn or his companion had affixed to the Certoss vessel’s access hatch. The charge was shaped to cause only the amount of damage necessary to force open the door, and the echo of its detonation still was ringing throughout the hangar bay as Kirk saw another Tandaran—Abrenn’s companion, Ranzareq—running toward the hatch. He applied some new device to the hull and activated it, resulting in the ship’s outer hatch cycling open.

“No!” Kirk shouted, moving forward despite Abrenn standing in his way, but the Tandaran closed the distance between them. As the colonel reached for him, Kirk grabbed him by the shoulder and drove his knee into Abrenn’s gut, just below the chest plate of his armor. He had no
expectations of inflicting any real pain but the blow still was enough to catch the Tandaran off guard, giving Kirk the seconds he needed to grip Abrenn’s arm and lever his opponent over his hip, dropping him to the deck. The Tandaran fell on his back and Kirk heard his grunt of surprise.