Star Trek: TOS It Wasn't A Dream
Historians note, this story takes place shortly before the events in "The Doomsday Machine."
Capt.'s log, stardate 4192.7, on assignment surveying Kittos V. Briefly surveyed fifteen years ago. Uninhabited, its native flora seemed to have unusually powerful medical properties. Now the Enterprise is back for a more in depth investigation.
Kirk didn't need to be here. But in deep space, enjoying a spring day was a rare treat. The Enterprise had chosen an area of the planet that was experiencing local spring time and Kirk couldn't let the opportunity pass him by. Around him the landing party was busy with the scientific necessities of a planetary survey. Spock looked happy, if that was possible, running his tricorder over one of the many flowering plants that grew in the area. McCoy looked more like a farmer than a doctor, on his knees gently digging the soil away from the roots of a small tree.
Flowers, blue, green, white and yellow, filled the meadow where the landing party was working. Kirk noticed a bright red flower on a stalk, about head high. The only one of its kind in sight. Kirk walked over to it and took in a deep breath of its scent. A small burst of pollen issued from it. Kirk staggered back and dropped to his knees coughing. Within seconds McCoy and Spock were at his side.
"Jim," McCoy asked, "are you ok? What happened?"
"That flower," Kirk said, "powerful scent, caught me by surprise. I'm ok now." Kirk shook his head, then looked at his chronometer. "The time, I almost forgot, the orders from Section 31. Spock gather the landing party, we're beaming up." Kirk opened his communicator, and alerted the Enterprise to prepare to beam up the landing party.
Spock looked at the red flower, then at McCoy. McCoy understood the silent communication, clipped the flower and dropped it in his sample bag. Moments later the landing party was assembled and beamed up.
"Red alert." Kirk called out as he entered the bridge. The captain had been unusually tight lipped on the turbo lift, only telling Spock that he was acting on orders from Section 31 and he would learn what he needed to know when they reached the bridge. Lt. Sulu stepped down from the command chair and took his usual place at the helm.
"Chekov plot a course for Kronos."
"Aye sir," Chekov replied and gave a nervous glance at Sulu.
Kirk punched a button on his arm rest. "Scotty, standby to go to maximum warp."
"Aye sir?" came the questioning reply from Chief Engineer Scott.
"Uhuru, put me on ship wide."
Uhuru threw a switch, "You're on Captain."
"Crew of the Enterprise," Kirk began, "I'm sure you're wondering what's going on. Per orders from Section 31, we're invading the Klingon Empire. Now don't worry, this is a well thought out and coordinated plan. We expect little resistance. Kirk out." Kirk turned to Chekov, "Pavel?"
"Course plotted and layed in sir."
"Sulu, maximum warp." The Enterprise sprang out of orbit and soon the stars were streaming past on the forward view screen.
"Uhuru," Kirk said, "open a channel to the U.S.S. Constellation."
"Channel open."
"Constellation, this is Capt. Kirk, the invasion of the Klingon Empire has begun. Per orders of Section 31, you are ordered to join us. Kirk out."
The doors to the turbo lift opened. Two security officers, Lt's. Baldwin and Albright took their place on either side of the doors. Spock turned his attention to his station and activated the com.
"Sickbay, McCoy here."
"Dr. have you made any progress?" Spock asked.
"It appears the plants pollen contains a very powerful hallucinogen, I can synthesize an antidote, that is if you don't call me every five minutes to ask how its going, McCoy out."
U.S.S. Constellation
"Sitrep." Commodore Matt Decker yelled as he stepped from the turbo lift. Commander Uchegbu stepped down from the command chair and took his regular place at helm.
"We were hailed by Capt. Kirk. He stated per orders of Section 31, we are ordered to join him in the invasion of the Klingon Empire. Sensors picked up the Enterprise at maximum warp on course for the Klingon home world. I ordered an intercept course and engaged at max warp. Further attempts to hail them have been unsuccessful."
Decker was already seated in the command chair, two data disks in his left hand. "How soon before the Enterprise cross the neutral zone?"
"Twenty one minutes twelve seconds." Uchegbu replied.
"Time till we're in weapons range?" Decker asked.
The young South African gave the commodore a shocked look.
"I asked you a question."
Uchegbu checked his read out. "Twenty two minutes."
"That's not good." Decker turned to the engineering station. "Maxwell, get me more speed."
"Aye sir." The engineer said, "But that's Montgomery Scott out there, if he..."
"I don't care who it is. If Kirk crosses the zone, we're going to have one hell of a war on our hands." Decker turned to communications. "Hail the Enterprise, put it down here."
U.S.S. Enterprise
Uhuru looked up from her station, "Capt. you're being hailed by Commodore Decker himself."
"Put him down here." Kirk ordered.
"You're on."
"Matt, good to hear from you. Glad you could join us on this merry chase."
"Jim, what the blazes are you doing? Drop out of warp and turn around, that's an order."
"Now you know we can't do that, orders from Section 31."
"Kirk." Decker yelled, "Reverse course, or I'll fire..."
Kirk punched the button on his arm rest, cutting off the commodore. "Nothing to worry about, that's all part of the plan. It'll confuse the Klingons, they'll think we're a rogue ship, catch'em by surprise."
U.S.S. Constellation
"... on you when we're in range."
"No use, he's cut you off." The communications officer said.
"Masada," Decker addressed the science officer, "what ships are in this sector?"
The science officer checked his read out and looked up. "Columbia, Excalibur, Intrepid, Potemkin and Yorktown, sir."
"Communications, order those ships, proceed to the neutral zone at max warp. We'll need a show of force if Kirk crosses that line. How soon till weapons range?"
Uchegbu looked up from his readout. "Nineteen minutes, but the Enterprise will cross the zone in...eighteen thirty."
"Maxwell, get me that speed." Decker was almost chewing on the two data disks in his hand.
Praxis
Commander Krug, of the bird of pray Praxis, stared at the tactical display. Seven Federation Constitution class vessels were on course for his home world. How did they know? Two months before, a brazen sneak attack by Romulans, using their newly developed cloaking devices, had caught the Klingon fleet completely by surprise. Dumb luck, Klingon guile and an unexplainable retreat by the Romulans, when victory was nearly theirs, prevented even greater loses. Half the K'tinga fleet of warships had been destroyed. The other half of the fleet sat in ship yards or space docks being repaired. The first K'tinga wasn't scheduled to return to service for another two weeks. All that protected the home world was a ragtag fleet of birds of prey.
"Commander," First officer Torg said from his station, "fleet reports in position."
"Fleet?" Krug spit the word out. "We have eight ships, what chance do we have?"
"We are Klingons," Torg said, "we will find a way to prevail."
"No," Krug said, with a touch of...sadness? in his voice. "Send the following order to all commanders: When the first Federation ship crosses the neutral zone, we will surrender."
"Nooo," Torg screamed and jumped to his feet, his hand reaching for his disruptor. But before his hand could reach it, he found himself staring down the barrel of Krug's disruptor. A weapon Torg had seen used many times against his own crew.
"Go ahead Torg, if I kill anyone today, it might as well be you. Do you think I want to give that order? I'd rather fall into a lava pit. The order was given to me by the emperor himself."
"Can't be." Torg said.
"Yes, it seems our dear emperor thinks with the disadvantage we face, surrender and joining the Federation, is the only way to insure the survival of our home world. He believes we can throw the Federation off at a later time. Fighting would only destroy our homes and leave us with no future, except as slaves to the Federation. So, should I pull this trigger? I'm sure there are other pataks here who would love to take your place." Krug glanced around the bridge, the other officers quickly turned their attention back to their stations.
Torg slowly backed away. "I will give the order."
The muzzle of Krug's disruptor never wavered from Torg. When he looked up from his station and said, "The other commanders have acknowledged the order and will obey." Krug holstered his weapon, and turned back to the tactical display. In three minutes the first vessel would cross the neutral zone, and Commander Krug would surrender the Klingon Empire.
U.S.S. Constellation
Decker had sat in silence for several minutes. His chief engineer had given him the extra speed he asked for, but every time the Enterprise also increased.
"Time till weapons range?"
Uchegbu checked his read out. "Three minutes eighteen seconds. Enterprise will cross the zone in two minutes fifty seconds."
Decker was an explorer, and right now he would rather be exploring the most boring asteroid in the galaxy than give the order he was about to give.
"Red alert, all hands to battle stations, charge phasers and arm photon torpedoes."
Enterprise
Kirk spun around in the command chair. "Cry havoc and unleash the dogs of war."
Let slip the dogs of war. Spock silently corrected. Time was running out. The increasingly bizarre behavior of the captain made clear he was under the influence of the pollen. Spock had not heard from McCoy in several minutes, and he knew that any contact with sick bay would only result in an emotional, illogical outburst by the doctor. Spock gauged the distance to the joint in the captains neck. He calculated the time it would take to render the captain unconscious. He calculated how long it would take either Baldwin or Albright to draw and fire their phasers. Would they fire or would they stand down? Either way, it would be uncomfortably close.
Spock was about to make his move, when turbo lift opened and Dr. McCoy entered the bridge. The guards allowed him to pass. He gave Spock an, it'll be alright look, and he noted a hypospray concealed in the doctors hand. Kirk sat up. "Bones, what are you doing here? You should be in Sick Bay."
"Sick Bay is as ready as it can be, besides I need to be here when the fun starts."
"Yes," Kirk said, "it's going to be glorious." He turned, stood up and faced the screen, both arms opened wide in a sweeping jester. "Soon, there will be no Klingon Empire, they will bow to Captain James Tiberius..." Kirk felt the hypo press against his side and heard the hiss. He spun and slapped it away.
"Bones what have you done?" Already the bridge was beginning to spin. Kirk grabbed the back of the command chair.
Spock stepped forward, "I'm taking command, Mr. Sulu turn us about 180 degrees."
"Belay that order." Kirk screamed. "Security, arrest these, traitors." The guards stood still. "No, you're all traitors, the Klingons will surrender to me, because I'm...Kirk...they will...bow... to...me."
The captain collapsed onto the floor. McCoy was at his side in seconds running his tricorder over him. McCoy looked up, "Baldwin, Albright help me get him sick bay, he's dying."
Spock took the command seat, "Mr. Sulu carry out my last order. Lt. Uhuru, send to Constellation that I'm now in command."
On the view screen, the stars of the Klingon Empire shifted direction, as the Enterprise executed a one hundred eighty degree turn, at warp speed.
Praxis
Commander Krug dared not believe what his eyes saw. He was seconds away from surrendering the Klingon Empire. Now all seven Federation ships had dropped out of warp, and were turning away from the neutral zone.
"What are they doing?" Torg asked.
"Don't know," was Krug's reply. "It seems they are returning to their normal patrol and exploration routes."
The two watched for several minutes as the invading fleet dispersed.
Finally, Krug said, "Send to the fleet, return to normal operations. But maintain high vigilance, this may not be over yet."
Enterprise
Commodore Decker sat at the head of the conference table in the Enterprise's main briefing room, the ever present data disks in his left hand. Mr. Spock had just completed closing remarks of the preliminary hearing. Decker was in deep thought, finally he spoke.
"Dr. McCoy, do you still stand by your original diagnosis?"
Chafing under his dress uniform, he wanted to yell, for the third time, yes. But somehow managed to stay, relatively calm. "Yes, the captain was under the influence of the most powerful hallucinogen I've ever encountered. It damn near...It nearly killed him. In two to three days, he should be able to return to duty."
Decker glanced down the table at the Constellation's Chief Surgeon, who nodded her agreement. Decker again was in deep thought for several seconds.
"If this was any one but Kirk, they'd be on the next shuttle to Earth. We need people like him out here. Dr. McCoy as soon as you deem him fit, he can return to command. If there are no other comments?" Decker paused for a few seconds. "Then I declare this hearing closed." One tap on the ceremonial bell signified the end of the hearing.
As Decker stood up, he commented, "Well, everyone, I suggest we get back to doing what we're supposed to be doing. And that's exploring, our long range sensors had just picked up some anomalous readings in the vicinity of the L-274 system. Can't wait to get out there and see what it is."
Sickbay
It was night time, Kirk had been tossing and turning, his body still trying to throw off the effects of the pollen and Dr. McCoy's hastily prepared antidote. Kirk suddenly sat up, McCoy was sleeping at a nearby work station.
"Bones?...Bones?" McCoy was up and at his friends side in seconds. He studied the diagnostic display. The captains vital signs had finally settled down to normal. McCoy began preparing a sedative. "Bones, I had the weirdest dream. I thought I could conquer the Klingons all by myself, can you believe that?"
"Well, you do that every couple of weeks." McCoy pressed the hypo against the captains arm. "Now you need a few hours of real sleep. You'll be alright in the morning."
"The dream, Bones, it was so weird and so...real." His eyes fluttered shut. McCoy leaned close to his friend and whispered.
"It wasn't a dream, Jim, it wasn't a dream."