A sequel to TOS: Hike to Mt. Salaya.
It had been a year since Ahida Uhura failed in her first attempt to hike from Shikarh City to the Lodge at Mt. Salaya. Now, age eleven, in better shape and wiser than the year before, had made excellent time. Even the sehlot, Teela, past her prime in age, seemed as energetic as a pup. Together on the first day, they had made it into the dry lake bed. A little further than the year before.
Darkness had fallen and Ahida had set up camp. She sat back, watching the stars. Teela was napping, suddenly she stood up, her ears flicking back and forth and stared into the dark. She let out a low growl.
"What is it, girl?" Ahida asked. She pulled a number two hand phaser from her pocket, she'd taken Uncle Jim's advice and brought a bigger one. The two stared into the darkness. Then she saw it, a shadow coming out of the night. Ahida ducked, a small civilian shuttle passed so low overhead, she could almost touch it.
"Those people are crazy! Flying that low and no lights." She stood and watched as it hit the ground and came to a skidding halt, less than fifty meters away.
"Come on girl, they might need help." With Teela behind her she ran towards the shuttle. As she approached, the rear cargo hatch was already down. Faintly illuminated by a light from inside the cabin, three men were busy strapping on back packs and other gear.
Just before Ahida stepped into the light, she froze in terror at the sight of their uniforms:. Romulans!
She was still in the dark and the whine of the engines as they powered down, had cloaked her approach. She reached for her communicator, but she had left it in her backpack. It would only be seconds before one of them noticed her.
She drew her phaser and fired. Locked on stun and wide beam dispersion, the three men dropped to the ground. She ran forward, they were each armed with a hand held disrupter. She grabbed the first two and flung them into the darkness. The third, she kept, she backed away holding both weapons on the Romulans.
Then she heard the terrorizing scream of a sehlot. She spun around. A fourth Romulan had emerged from the shuttle. He was face down in the desert sand, Teela growling in his ear. He was struggling to get his hand on his disrupter. Ahida pocketed her phaser, darted over and grabbed the disrupter, she hit the ground and came up with both weapons trained on him.
The man looked up. "Young lady..."
"Shut up, shut up." She screamed. "I'm Ambassador Sareks grandfather, this is my home and you have no right to be here." The man looked confused and Ahida realized she was so excited she didn't know what she was saying. She paused and reached for her Vulcan calm.
"Teela, let him up." He crawled out from under her. She motioned towards the stunned Romulans. "Over there, get next to them."
"Listen..."
"I...said...shut up."
He realized that the screeching girl had transformed into a menacing force. He crawled over and sat by his stunned comrades.
"Teela, if he moves, tear him in half."
She darted through the cargo hatch and to shuttles cockpit. Found the communication panel, adjusted it to an emergency military channel.
"Hello? Military, security anybody? Hello is anyone there?"
"This is Vulcan Defense Force Base, Shikarh City." A male voice said. "Who is this?"
"Umm, I'm out in the desert and I've caught four Romulans. I need help."
"Romulans?"
"Yes."
"Alright, we've locked on to your signal. An armed squad will be there shortly."
"Hurry."
She ran back outside. The three stunned Romulans were beginning to sit up. She could feel panic rising up again and she wondered if her luck would hold out.
"Nobody move." Her voice was getting screechy again.
"Listen to me." The one who was the apparent leader said.
"I said shut up." She waved the disrupter around wildly and, accidentally pressed the firing stud on one of them. A bolt narrowly missed the leaders head. It stuck a boulder ten meters behind them and blew it into a million pieces.
Oops, Ahida thought. Didn't mean to do that, but it got their attention. The Romulans sat perfectly still, with hands on their heads.
Several tense moments passed. Then the area was lit up by a transporter beam. Three Vulcans and a human in a Starfleet uniform materialized.
"Pavel?" Ahida said.
"Aheeda? Vhat are you doing here?" Commander Chekhov strolled over. More than a little surprised to see Uhuras baby, grown up and brandishing two Romulan disrupters.
"I was camped over there." she used one of the weapons to point. Chekhov cringed as for a moment the barrel pointed at his chest.
"Umm, vhy don't I take those?"
"Oh, sure." She handed the weapons over and reached in her pocket and pulled her phaser out.
Chekhov eyed the weapon. "I can tell, you vere born on the Enterprise. Now, you vere camping and vhat?"
"Those Romulans showed up, and I caught them."
"I'm afraid they're not Romulan, they're Wulcan."
"Huh?"
"You stumbled across a security exercise. They vere supposed to test security at Shikarh Base."
"Ohhhh." Ahida said.
"Young lady." The leader said. He was still seated, hands on his head. "Would you mind calling off your sehlot?"
"Oh, sorry." She ran over and put an arm around Teela. "It's OK girl, they're good guys."
Ahida was waiting outside the base commanders office. She had explained, twice, what happened. The whole time he glared at her like a stone statue before telling her to wait outside. Finally the door opened.
"Pavel, am I in trouble?"
"Of course not. They're actually wery impressed. The commander vants you talk to him, vhen you're old enough to join the Defense Force. But, they are a leetle embarrassed. One of their elite commando units vas taken out by a sehlot and a ten year old kid."
"I'm eleven."
"Nyet, eet vas just the other day you vere two feet tall. Running around the Enterprise and geeting on Kepten Kirk's nerves."
"Ahida!" Amanda, wife of Sarek came running up the corridor. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, grandmother."
Sarek came up behind his wife.
"Ambassador Sarek, it is good to see you, sir." Chekhov said.
Sarek nodded, "Commander." He turned. Ahida, I've been briefed on what you did. That was very illogical and irrational to take on what you thought were four Romulans, alone and in the desert."
"Yes, grandfather."
"You should have been more cautious."
"Yes, grandfather."
"However, I'm pleased that had the bravery to stand up for your home world when you thought it was under attack."
"I couldn't have done it witout Teela."
"Speaking of which, where is she?"
"I told her to wait at my camp."
"I think it's time to go home. I will arrange for Teela to be transported home."
"But I want finish my hike."
"After today's events, that would be illogical."
"Husband," Amanda said. "How long has it been since we went into the desert and just looked at the stars?" She held a finger to his lips. "And don't quote a number."
"Too long."
"Why don't we join Ahida at her camp, for a little while."
"That would be agreeable."
"Excuse me, Ambassador," Chekhov said, "I have other duties to attend to."
"Of course, Commander." Chekhov turned to Ahida.
"Good job." And walked away.
An hour later, Sarek and Amanda were sitting under the stars. A few feet away, Ahida, exhausted from the days events, slept soundly, snuggled up to Teela.
Amanda broke the silence. "On Earth, a long time ago when lovers were separated by long distance. They would look at the stars and take comfort knowing their loved one was looking at the same star."
"I feel a similar sentiment. There, rising above Salaya, Sotak the Hunter, on Earth you know him as Orion the Hunter. I've always had this thought, centuries ago, before our people met, our ancestors would look on the Hunter at the same time. Separated by light years, we were still united by the stars."
"I like that. It's getting late, we should be going."
"Yes." Sarek said. He took out his communicator. Amanda was surprised. Instead of calling for transport. He called the Vulcan diplomatic office, reported he wasn't sleeping or feeling well and would not come in tomorrow.
"You liar." She teased. "There's nothing wrong with you."
"On the contrary. I have not slept tonight and have this strange feeling that can only be cured by spending the night in the desert with two of the most important people in my life."
Teela raised her head and looked at him.
Sarek smiled, "yes Teela, you're very important as well."
Teela threw her head back, sniffed the mid night air. Satisfied that there was no danger. Lowered her head and went back to sleep.