Star Trek
"Those Between, Part One"
(Rough draft)
By
Eric W. Hanke
Captain James T. Kirk lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling of his dimly lit cabin. He did not want to sit up and felt like his head was glued to the pillow. He turned his head, slightly, just enough to see the time. The chronometer informed him that he would have to get up in a few minutes whether he wanted to or not. It was almost time for him to go on duty. He had a headache and the thought of having to sit in his chair for the next several hours made his head throb harder. He had been having bad headaches for the past few days. Dr. McCoy had given him medication, but it did not work very well. Kirk suspected the reason for the headaches was, Dr. Janice Lester. Two weeks ago she had used alien technology to steal Kirk's body and his identity. She might have succeeded, but her erratic emotional state had given her away. At first, Kirk had thought his pain was caused by having his essence transferred to another body, but had since changed his mind. He had loved Janice Lester and to see her disgraced and in custody was a strain on his well being. He figured the headaches and physical fatigue would not go away until he had got over what Lester had done. Because of his feelings and past relationship with Lester, Kirk had personally brought her to Earth for treatment. He, along with a security team had escorted her to the Garner institute located in Vancouver, Canada. It had the reputation of being the best facility on Earth, and, Kirk wanted her to be taken care of in familiar surroundings. She had talked a great deal about how much she loved Earth when she and Kirk were dating. She had wanted to visit other planets, but Earth was her home and that was where she wanted to settle down in her old age. She was still young and attractive, and Kirk hoped she would able to get past her troubles and start over. It was obvious, now, to Kirk how much Lester blamed him for the fact that she could not achieve the rank of captain of a starship. Kirk had never agreed with this policy. He had met many female officers during the course of his career and considered all of them equal to any male officer. Lester was correct about the policy being wrong, and Kirk hoped it would change sooner than later. He wondered if he would ever see Lester again, and on better terms. During the escort she had not spoken to him. She had just stared, blankly, ahead and let herself be led from place to place. She had not even acknowledged him when he had said goodbye. Kirk got to his feet and readied himself mentally to assume the day's duties. The Enterprise had been assigned to go to Vulcan and pick up T'Pau and bring her to Earth for a meeting of the Federation Council. T'Pau herself had requested the Enterprise, specifically. Kirk had not T'Pau seen since taking Spock there for his wedding. Of course T'Pau knew that Kirk had not died that day. She had made no formal complaint so far as Kirk was aware, and he hoped she did not hold a grudge. He figured she did not for the simple reason that she was a Vulcan and therefore incapable of such feelings. Kirk was not really looking forward to her arrival on the ship. He expected that she would have a comment about McCoy's deception. The Enterprise was two days from Vulcan, so Kirk would not have long to wait. The intercom beeped just as Kirk was passing through the parting doors of his quarters. He crossed to his desk and activated the system. "Kirk here." Lieutenant Uhura the Chief of Communications was the caller. "Message from Starfleet Command, sir, priority one." Kirk flinched. "Relay it down here, lieutenant." "Aye, sir." The image switched from Uhura to that of Admiral Toby Young. Young was in his early fifties, and looked well for his age. His hair was thinning, but it looked healthy. And, he appeared to be trim and fit. Like most middle- aged men he was developing a bit of a spread, but he was in shape. His expression was grim, and Kirk suspected that Young was not grim by nature. "Captain Kirk," Young began, "you're ordered to return to Earth, immediately. Starfleet Headquarters has been destroyed!"
Kirk's eyes were glued to the main view screen as Earth came into view. From space the human home world looked just as it did thousands of years ago before man had even explored its entire surface. In the left corner of the viewer was the positive proof that man had gone way beyond its world and reached out to others. The Starfleet docking station hung in space above Earth. It was the Enterprise's destination. Kirk looked at it as a safe haven from something he did not know. Below on the planet's surface a tragedy had occurred, and many fine officers were dead. The building that made up fleet headquarters had been reduced to rubble. There was nothing to salvage. Kirk wanted to know who was responsible and punish them. "I waited until we had something substantial before contacting you, Captain Kirk." Young had said. "Do we know who did this?" "According to Starfleet Intelligence it was an extremist group of Andorians, reportedly operating from their home world. The Andorian government has been trying to stop their activities for several months with little success. Because of what's happened, we've requested the to right find this group. The Andorian leadership welcomes our help. I'll see you in a few hours, captain. Young out." That was it. The Enterprise was being assigned the duty of finding those responsible for that attack and bringing them to justice. Kirk sat back in his chair as the ship was brought into the station. While Kirk began his investigation on Earth, the ship was going to be fitted with new sensors. The weapons systems had recently been upgraded, and would be more than capable whatever they encountered. Kirk knew such groups were well organized, but most were not well equipped. He knew the Enterprise would be able to handle anything a group of radicals could throw at it. "Spock, come with me," said Kirk. He would take Spock with him to the surface and start compiling evidence at the source.
It was spring in North America, and California like a paradise. Overhead was a clear blue sky, and a slight breeze swept through San Francisco. It would have been a beautiful day except for the fact that the city now had a large, smoking crater where the academy used to be. Kirk and Spock materialized at the edge of the impact zone. Below in the pit numerous personnel were busy collecting data. Kirk spotted Young talking to another officer near the center of the hole, and led the way down to him. "Admiral" said Kirk. "This is most devastating thing I've ever seen. How could the Andorians do this?" Young had a wild and weary look in his eye when he spoke. "It wasn't the Andorians, sir." Young nodded, and his composure seemed to come back. "Yes, I know, you're right. But, I'm going see those responsible punished." Kirk concurred with that sentiment. "Let me show you what we've uncovered, so far," said Young. He led Kirk and Spock out of the crater and into a temporary operations center set up a few meters from the impact zone. It was a small structure designed to be mobile and containing only one large control area. A youthful lieutenant was working at this main control panel. "Lieutenant Brody, show Captain Kirk the data." Brody nodded then ran her fingers over the board. On the screen information about Andorian explosive devices appeared. Young waited while Kirk and Spock studied the data. "Our preliminary findings confirm that this is what was used. It's one of the most potent materials known to our science.as you've seen. The Andorian government has also identified these devices as what the extremists use." "Then, there's no doubt they're the ones responsible," said Kirk. "Lieutenant Brody, Mr. Spock, would you leave us?" Both agreed and left Kirk and Young alone in the mobile room. "There's something else, Captain. Because I want you to lead this investigation, I feel you should be aware of it. According to our log, a representative of Halkan was supposed to visit today. He never showed up, and no explanation has been given." "But, the Halkans are a completely peaceful people. They could not be involved." "I'm not saying there is any connection between the two, Captain. But we're forced to check everything." Kirk nodded. He intended to check everything for himself before acting. He trusted Young, but this was too serious a situation to take any chances. "One other thing," said Young. "We could be facing a shortage of Dilithium Crystals. And, at a time like this, we could be in trouble." "It won't come to that," replied Kirk. "I'll get those responsible." "I know I can count on you. After you've completed your investigation here, you will proceed to Andoria. Their leadership has promised full cooperation." "I've dealt with them before; I won't have any problems, sir." "Good, let's get to work." Kirk followed Young back to the scorched crater.
Kirk sat in his chair and reviewed what was known about the Andorian extremist group. Although Andoria was a long-time member of the Federation they were still a mystery to many of their fellow Federation members. They kept to themselves much of the time, so Kirk was surprised to have such a detailed report at his disposal. The Andorians were known as a warrior species, much like the Klingons, but they were not as boisterous as the Klingons. They fought hard, but they were quiet about doing it, and they were quite soft spoken. As Kirk had reminded Admiral Young, he had in fact dealt with them before, but never in a combat situation. Because of their fierce reputation he did not look forward to doing so, especially with a group that had separated itself from its people. The Andorian government had become a democratic state since joining the Federation. That had been one of the conditions for entry. It was never policy to interfere with the development of others, but the Federation would not tolerate an oppressive imperialist state as a member. Upon completing his review of the group's early history, he moved on to the list of offensives. Most recently they had destroyed two federal buildings in the Andorian capital city, and now it seemed clear that they had set their eyes on Earth. Kirk wished to know why they would attack Earth. Until now Andoria had not asked for outside help to deal with the extremists. What guarrel could they have with Earth? Maybe there was no reason. It had been Kirk's experience that such people were rarely rational. He wished that weren't so. This fact would make it difficult to stop them. The loss of life could be enormous on both sides. In three days the Enterprise would reach Andoria. Kirk would bring those responsible for the attack to justice. Noticing his clenched fist and swelling anger he took a few moments to try to calm himself. This was not a time for his primitive emotions to take over. He was sure Spock would tell him to maintain his logic. He glanced at the Enterprise's executive officer and chief science officer. The tall, slender Vulcan was bent over his scanners. The blue light from the device covered half his neutral expression. Kirk felt more secure with his long-time friend on the bridge, as he did with other members of the day shift, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov. All were at work at their respective stations. Kirk intended to have them there when the Enterprise reached Andoria. He trusted his entire crew to do their jobs at an ability of excellence, but he preferred to have the most experienced officers at his disposal. "Message coming in from Admiral Young, sir." "On screen." Kirk took a moment to straighten up. He had not noticed until then that he had been slouching. He had not slept much the past couple nights. Still he was a little disappointed in himself for letting himself slip in front of the crew. He dismissed his mistake and focused on the main view screen as the stars disappeared and were replaced by the visage of Admiral Young. Young's expression was grimmer than Kirk could remember it being. Apparently, things had gotten worse, Kirk determined. "Intelligence has uncovered some disturbing information, captain. They have discovered evidence that the Halkans may have been involved in the attack." Kirk could not hide the shock he was feeling. Without looking around he could feel the shock the rest of the bridge personnel had just experienced. "The Halkans?" Kirk heard himself utter. "According to their findings, the Halkans are apparently harboring the extremists on the Halkan home world. Your orders are to proceed to Halkan and determine if it's true. And, if it is, you are to demand that they be handed over to you. If they refuse, you are instructed to use whatever means necessary to force them to comply." "But the Halkans have always lived in peace. Not only with themselves, but with other races as well." "I'm aware of that. You have your orders, captain." "Yes, Admiral." "Young out." The stars returned. It took Kirk a few seconds to right himself, then he instructed Sulu to set a course for Halkan at maximum warp. "Course laid in, sir," replied Sulu. "Proceed," ordered Kirk. Then the Enterprise captain was on his feet and heading for the turbo lift. "Mr. Spock" then to Uhura, "Have the department heads report to the briefing room, immediately." "Aye, sir." Uhura went to work, as the lift doors closed behind Kirk and Spock.
Kirk was seated at the head of the briefing room table with Spock and McCoy seated on his right and left. On either side of them were Chief Engineer Scott, and Security Chief Nathan Tate. He had been assigned to the Enterprise only a couple of weeks prior. So far, he had proven to be a good officer, and Kirk was grateful to have him on board at a time like this. He was equally grateful to have the rest of those present. "I've called this meeting to hear opinions," began Kirk, "about the current situation." Spock was the first to respond. "It is not logical that the Halkans should be involved. It is not in their nature to be hostile." "All humanoids have hostile tendencies," said McCoy. "The Halkans are no different." "Do you think they're involved?" Kirk asked McCoy. The doctor thought about it for a moment. "According to the report I just read they're involved. But, no, I don't believe they're involved." "But you just said all humanoids can be hostile?" "Yes, but my experience with those people tells me they are not. You know as much about their history as I do." "The Halkans have no reason to act against the Federation," said Spock. "There is no logic in it." "If I may, sir," said Tate. "That's why I called this meeting." "I find it hard to believe those people are in some way responsible for this. But if they are harboring the ones who are, then they must be made to hand them over. If they refuse, then it's my opinion that they would be committing an act of war against us." "It won't come to that," said Kirk. "If the extremists are there, they were not invited by the Halkans. The Halkans have always been peaceful. They've never committed an act of aggression against anyone, including themselves." "So they say," replied Tate. "But they could be lying." Kirk did not like Tate's tone. The security officer was starting to sound as if the Halkans were guilty of something without any evidence. Kirk felt the same frustration, but he would not let himself or any members of his crew condemn anyone with proof of guilt. He would not tolerate it on his ship. "We'll arrive at Halkan in three days. Lt. Tate, you will prepare all security personnel for what might come. But I ask you not to form an opinion until you have all the facts." Tate's hard expression seemed to soften. "Aye, Captain. I'll have my people ready. I'd like to begin the exercises right away, sir. I just hope we won't have to fight. My parents did visit Halkan last year, and they said it was very nice there. I guess I'm just frustrated. " "I know," replied Kirk. "I think we all are." "May I be dismissed?" Kirk nodded, then turned his attention to Scotty, as Tate disappeared through the parting door. "Scotty, are the engines ready?" "Aye, captain. But, I find it hard to believe those people could responsible for this. Like Mr. Spock said, it ain't logical." "I know, but we have to be prepared for anything." Scotty nodded, but his expression was grim. Kirk noted that with the exception of Spock everyone's visage was contorted with worry and fear. However, he knew they would perform at a stellar level when called upon. "I believe," said Spock, "all we can do is wait until we reach Halkan. We have only speculation and no facts. The report from Star Fleet is not concrete." "That's what I think, too," said McCoy. Kirk listened as the rest of the assembled echoed similar feelings. He agreed with their opinions. They would assume nothing until an investigation could be conducted and solid evidence was presented. Kirk hoped that Intelligence would be able to continue to assist in the matter. He wanted this over with as soon as possible. "Dismissed." All but Spock exited the conference room. "Captain, I have a theory that I wish to investigate." "What is it, Spock?" "I'd rather not say at this time, sir. But, it may shed some light on this matter." Kirk nodded. "Very well, Mr. Spock. Report to me if you find what you're looking for." "Yes, captain." Then, Spock was gone leaving Kirk alone with his thoughts. His mind was filled with the planet Halkan, and how beautiful it was. As a child he had read the bible, and if the Garden of Eden existed anywhere in the universe, then it was Halkan. The idea that a serpent had corrupted it made Kirk ill. He exited the conference room and went to his cabin to lay down.
From space the image of paradise was stronger. Halkan was mostly green. The population was technologically advanced and yet very close to nature at the same time. Kirk had the planet found quite alluring when the Enterprise had previously visited. He had never quite seen the joining so complete. Many other planets, including Earth, had tried with some success, but nothing came close to what Halkan had achieved. More than ever Kirk hoped that what was suspected of them was not true. He did not relish the thought of the Halkan government put on trial as criminals. But, if they were involved in the attack they would have to be imprisoned, and the garden would be destroyed. As the Enterprise closed in on the planet he decided he would fight to not let that happen. Those responsible would be punished, but he intended to see to it that the planet was not harmed. He wondered if it would be possible or if the snake had won.
Tharn, leader of the Halkan council rested his head on the soft cushion and closed his eyes. He was tired from a hard day at work. Although Halkan did not suffer from war, famine or other such hardships, there was still much to be done. Tharn had spent most of the day overseeing the planning of an irrigation system for some of the smaller settlements outside the capital city. The current one was quite antiquated and needed an immediate upgrade if the people were going to have clean water. Tharn was determined to see it that they did. Tharn was short and lean, but rarely suffered from ill health. Halkan had managed to keep pollutants to a bare minimum over the years, so the air was clean. Tharn was approaching old age, but he was very lively in body, mind, and spirit. There was some recent talk that he would be retiring. He had no intention of doing so until he could no longer perform his duties to his level of satisfaction, and, he did not see that time coming any time soon. He enjoyed his responsibility and saw no reason to give it up. The intercom sounded, and Tharn was sorry they had been installed in the relax center. The center was a place to relax, mediate, or otherwise unwind from the workday. Of course, if there was an emergency of some sort, it had to be possible to contact your desired party, quickly. As leader, Tharn had his own relaxation chamber, but he did allow his friends to use it, as well as citizens on special occasions. And they probably received calls there. It was known that he was there that evening, so the call was for him. "Tharn here, what is it?" The caller was Thel, one of the other members of the council. "The Federation Vessel Enterprise is approaching, sir." The Enteprise, thought Tharn. I wonder what they're doing here? He recalled his meeting with Captain Kirk and some of his junior officers, and had read about what had happened to them when they tried to beam back to their ship. Halkan had had a limited relationship with the Federation since then. Halkan was not a member of the Federation because they did want much contact with outsiders. Federation citizens were welcome to visit the planet and enjoy all that it had to offer, but they not permitted to stay for extended periods of time. And Halkan had remained firm about not allowing the Federation to mine Dilithium Crystals on there planet. Tharn had enjoyed Captain Kirk's company. He hoped the visit would be sociable. "I'll be right there. Have they made contact?" "No," replied Thel. "Nor have they responded to our hails." That's odd, Tharn thought. He dressed quickly, and went to the communications center.
On the Enterprise Bridge, Kirk watched main view screen as the ship reached high orbit range. He wondered how much closer they should get before making contact. "Assume a high orbit, Mr. Sulu." The Asian Navigator looked puzzled for a moment, then carried out the order, realizing that it was a security measure. "They're hailing us again, captain," Uhura informed Kirk. "It's Tharn this time." Exactly the person Kirk wanted to talk to. "Mr. Spock, begin scanning the planet for Andorians." Then to Uhura, "open a channel." Looking a little perplexed, Tharn appeared on the main view screen. "Welcome back to Halkan, Captain Kirk. Our facilities are at your disposal." "We're not here for the hospitality I'm afraid." "I don't understand, Captain. Is there a problem?" "Yes. We have reason to believe that you're harboring an extremist group that recently attacked Earth." Tharn's look of shock was like nothing Kirk had ever seen before. It seemed clear that he had not been expecting to be accused of such an offense. Kirk reminded himself that appearances could be deceiving. Based on his knowledge of the Halkan people, he did not think so in this case. He decided to break the momentary silence. "If you're being held against your will, we're here to help you." "No, captain. And I assure you were not harboring anyone. We would not condone violence of any kind." "We're aware of that, sir. But I must ask you for permission to continue our investigation on your planet. They may there without your knowledge." "Yes, of course." "Thank you, Councilman Tharn. We'll be in touch when we're ready to beam down." "Very well, captain." "Kirk out." The image of the planet returned. Kirk swung his chair around to face the science station where Spock was still at work. "Report, Mr. Spock." Spock turned his attention to Kirk. "Preliminary scans negative. I shall increase the intensity." "If they're down there, they could be shielding themselves somehow, so, scan for any unusual energy patterns." Spock nodded, then began the task.
Kirk took the amber drink and wiped his forehead. The headache that had started a few hours ago was getting worse. He moved the glass to his mouth and took a sip. Normally he liked the taste of brandy, but not these days. The pain began to throb even harder. He put down the glass and went to his desk. The cabin was dimly lit, bright light aggravated his pain, but he could easily see the controls that activated the monitor. "Kirk to sickbay." The gruff, but gentle features of McCoy appeared. "Sickbay here, what is it, Jim?" "I have a wicked headache." "I gave you a couple of pills yesterday. Maybe I should give you a full exam." Kirk dismissed the idea with a wave of hand. "No, just come to my cabin." "I'll be right there." The screen went dark. Kirk sat back and began rubbing his temple. He continued to do so, until he heard chime. "Come." Carrying a fresh bottle of brandy and a couple of pills, McCoy stepped through the splitting door. "Here, take these." Kirk downed the pills with another sip from his glass. His bottle was almost full, so McCoy set his aside and poured from Kirk's. "Any progress on the scans?" "No, Spock has completed three intense scans. So far, nothing unusual." "It would be unlike Spock to miss anything. Maybe the Andorians have left Halkan." Kirk sipped his drink. "Or maybe they were never here at all," said Kirk. "Do you think Star Fleet has made a mistake?" "I don't know. At the moment, it appears so." "Well, I can't believe these people had any part in attacking Earth." Kirk nodded. "If the Andorians are or were here, then it was independent of Halkan Council. I agree with you, completely, Bones. You remember the Halkans in the mirror universe." "Yes." Kirk continued. "The Halkans of our universe are no different. The Andorians would have had to destroy them, because they would not have cooperated a hostile force." "When we find the Andorians we'll be able to prove the Halkans are innocent." The intercom sounded. Kirk opened the receiver. It was Uhura calling from the bridge. "Message coming in from Admiral Young." "Relay it down here, lieutenant." "Aye, sir." Young's image arrived on Kirk's small desk monitor. "Report your progress, Captain Kirk." Kirk informed him of the results of the scans. "They must be hiding the Andorians somehow." "Are we sure about all this, sir?" Young frowned. "Absolutely. Star Fleet has uncovered irrefutable evidence of Halkan involvement with the terrorists." Kirk's heart sank. "I'm aboard the Yorktown, and en-route to Halkan. I should be there in a few days. In the meantime, continue the investigation. Demand that the terrorists are handed over to your, immediately." "Yes, sir." "I want to end this as soon as possible. Young out." Young severed the communication. Stiffly, Kirk shut his monitor off, and turned to McCoy. The expression on the face of the Enterprise's Chief medical officer was grim, and not encouraging. Without looking in the mirror, Kirk knew his own expression matched that of his friend. "I better go the bridge and see if Spock has found anything. Thanks for the pills, Bones." "I'll be in sickbay if you need me, Jim. After you've talked to Spock, I suggest you get some rest." "If I have time." McCoy's frown deepened. Kirk ignored it and exited his cabin, McCoy a couple of steps behind.
Mr. Spock sat in the conference room and studied the data on the monitor. What would have made a human grimace and be visibly worried did not show on Spock's rigid visage. If he was feeling such things it was not detectable. He simply took the information in and stored it for future reference. When he had completed his task, he would pass along what he had learned to Kirk. What he was finding out he knew Kirk would like to hear, but there was no other choice. The truth had to be revealed no matter how awful it was. Spock did not look forward to it. A voice deep down in him told him that in doing so he might be jeopardizing his career. He dismissed that feeling and continued his research. Spock had just completed reading the last piece of information when Kirk entered the room. Spock had timed his contacting of his commanding officer and the finishing of his queries, perfectly. He watched as Kirk rested his hands on the table. He noted that his captain was pushing himself too hard, as usual. "You have something to report, Mr. Spock?" "Yes. Although I only have a hypothesis at this point." It was Kirk's opinion that what Spock considered to be only a hypothesis was fact. "Admiral Young mentioned the shortage of Dilithium Crystals," began Spock. "So, I started checking the recent productivity of our Dilithium mining station and found that the shortage is more severe than is being reported by Star Fleet. I have also discovered that Admiral Young has made several attempts to convince the Halkan Council to allow mining." "Are you saying Admiral Young is trying to provoke a conflict with Halkan in order to get their Dilithium?" "I have no evidence to support such a position. As I said, it is only a theory. We have found no evidence of a connection between the Halkans and the extremist group." "Admiral Young is bringing the evidence with him on the Yorktown. He'll be here in two days. Until then we'll continue with the investigation. I'm going to go down to planet's surface to search for any signs of the extremist group." Kirk was silent for few moments. "I'd like you to remain here and continue your investigation. I can't believe Admiral Young could be responsible for such activity, but we have to check everything." "Agreed." "For the time being, I want you to keep this to yourself. Report your findings to me only." "Understood, captain." Kirk watched as his first officer exited. He hoped that Spock was wrong, but knew how rare that result was. Kirk did not look forward to the next few days. This was going to get worse before it got better. Of that, he was sure.
The Enterprise sensors were many times more powerful than those of a tricorder, so Kirk was not surprised not to be finding evidence of Andorian habitation on Halkan. He had hoped that the Enterprise instruments were being blocked somehow, and that once on the surface he would have the answers he was looking for. Upon his arrival with a security team Tharn had welcomed Kirk. "This has to be a mistake, Captain Kirk. We are a peaceful people. When we heard about the tragedy on Earth we sent our condolences, immediately." Tharn had said. "I'm aware of that," had been Kirk's reply "but, I'm under orders to investigate. Star Fleet has evidence that you're involved with these terrorists. I advise you to cooperate. If you're being manipulated or blackmailed somehow, we're here to help you. You'd not be held accountable." "I'm glad to know that, captain. But, again I assure you that we're not harboring anyone. If they're hiding here, then we want them removed, immediately. And, I must ask you to do so as peacefully as possible." "We will make the effort." As Kirk stood on the hillside that overlooked the capital city, he wondered if it would be possible to capture the extremists without having to fight. Kirk was finding it difficult to believe the Halkans would be part of such violence, or any violence for that matter. In all their recorded history there had never been a war. He envied them. The people had always managed to get along, except for minor disagreements. The Halkans were of one mind, and of one philosophy. Still, Kirk could not abandon his duty based on his beliefs in this case. Star Fleet, the Federation, and Kirk wanted those responsible for the murder of Federation citizens. He would continue the investigation, even if it meant discovering what he considered to be the impossible.
Kirk sat on his bed and read the final report on the day. The search teams had found no sign of the terrorists. Landing parties had searched almost two thirds of the planet's surface. Admiral Young was due to arrive in a few hours, and Kirk had not made any progress. The Halkan council continued to deny any involvement with the terrorists, and Kirk was beginning to lose hope of completing his mission. Kirk laid the stylus on the floor and then his head on his pillow. He did not close his eyes, just stared up at the ceiling. He had to go to return to the bridge, so he got to his feet, reclaiming the stylus as he rose. All results negative, so far, he did not understand how they could be hitting a dead end. Star Fleet intelligence was second to none in providing accurate information. But Kirk was beginning to doubt their findings that the Halkans were involved with terrorists. The intercom sounded. "Kirk here." Since he was on his way to the bridge he stayed vertical. "Spock here, captain. I have something very important to show you." "I'm on my way to the bridge." "I think it would be better if we discussed this privately." Kirk did not like the sound of that. "We'll discuss it here." "Very well, captain. I shall be there, shortly. Spock out." Kirk switched the channel. "Kirk to sickbay."
When Spock arrived, Kirk and McCoy were waiting for him. Spock had not expected to see McCoy, but he made no objection to his presence. Instead he moved to Kirk's desk and slipped a data wafer in the slot. A moment later information appeared on the monitor. "I have discovered some rather disturbing data concerning our mission," began Spock, "and, I believe this all an attempt by members of Star Fleet to gain control of Halkan's Dilithium Crystals." Kirk was silent for moment. "What is it you've found out?" he finally asked. "I have uncovered a secret communication between Admiral Young and Captain Andrew Negley, currently commanding the Yorktown." Spock displayed the correspondence on the screen. As Kirk and McCoy read their expressions became grayer. According to Spock's research, the Yorktown had begun mining the crystals, covertly. And that Negley had received his orders directly from Young. Fearing that they might be discovered they had halted their activities with little results. Mining Dilithium was time consuming. "Is Star Fleet aware of this?" asked Kirk. "I do not believe so," replied Spock, "and, I have found no record of where the stolen crystals were taken." "I'd heard the shortage was becoming serious," said McCoy. "But to steal it. I never thought that would happen." "How did you discover this, Mr. Spock?" "I had heard rumors about it, and, Admiral Young seemed so sure about the extremists being here. It seemed logical to access his logs and look for any proof." "It appears you've found it." "Indeed." "So, what do we do?" asked McCoy. "We have to proceed cautiously," said Kirk. "I want to see what proof he has that the Halkan's are linked to the extremists. Mr. Spock I want you to dig further. We have to be absolutely sure about our facts." "Agreed. Admiral Young is a highly respected officer. I would not want to accuse him without more solid evidence." The intercom chimed. "Kirk here." Uhura informed him that the Yorktown was arriving. "Bones, report to the conference room. Spock, come with me." While Dr. McCoy made his way to the conference room, Kirk and Spock went to greet Admiral Young.
As they entered the corridor, Young made the expected announcement of wanting to have a briefing immediately. Captain Negley had accompanied him from the Yorktown. Even though Kirk had strong evidence that Young was manipulating this entire situation, in order to rob Halkan of its natural resources, Kirk was still interested in the evidence Young had to offer against the peaceful Halkans. There was still the possibility that Spock's findings were wrong. No, Kirk did not believe that. He had known Spock too long. As a Vulcan he would not have presented Kirk with the evidence if he were not sure of its validity. However, Kirk intended to continue with the investigation so as to see how far Young was willing to go to achieve his evil objective. Young led the way into the conference room followed by Negley, giving Kirk the distinct impression that the two fellow officers were already assuming a position of authority over this situation. Young had announced that very thing, but Kirk still did not like it. The Enterprise was his ship, and, considering that Young was there to commit crimes against the Halkans, Kirk would resist any orders given by his superior officer. Kirk did not object when Young positioned himself at the head of the conference table, Negley on his right. Instead he sat down in the chair across from the other captain. He had only met Negley once, a few years ago at a seminar. He did not recall anything special about Negley. They and a few other officers had had dinner together on first day, and they had talked for a few minutes about the splendors of the universe. Negley seemed be agreeable enough. Kirk wondered why Negley would be a part of something so wrong. "Time is of the essence," Young began. "The President of the Federation will be making an announcement shortly, and I want to bring you up to speed before his speech." "By all means." "We'll now for sure that the Halkans are involved the terrorist group that attacked us." Young produced a data disk and slipped it into the computer. At Young's command the computer accessed, then ,displayed the information on the disk. An image of a small Andorian freighter appeared on the screen. "This photograph was taken less than two solar weeks ago by one of our long range beacons, when the ship entered Halkan space. According to the Andorians the terrorists possess such a craft. We don't how involved they are, but the Halkans are a part of this." "What have you found?" Negley asked Kirk. "So far, we've found no sign of any Halkan involvement." The intercom sounded. Bypassing Kirk's extending arm, Young activated the system. "Admiral Young here. What is it?" "The President of the Federation is making an announcement. Should I relay it to all decks." Asked Uhura. "Yes, lieutenant," ordered Young. Young took it upon himself to activate the monitor. The image of a desk and chair appeared. Seated in the chair was the president of the United Federation of Planets, Malcolm Tanner. Many species had held the office over the years, but the current president was human. He was in his early fifties with a receding hairline. He had strong features, and many laugh lines. Normally, San Francisco Bay could been through the windows behind the desk. However, they were covered with what seemed to be protective shielding. Security had become tighter since the attack. Kirk expected nothing less. "My fellow members of the Federation," Tanner began. "Recently we were attacked by a group of terrorists determined to destroy our peaceful way of life. Many of our loved ones were lost when they destroyed Star Fleet headquarters here on Earth. Now is a time when we must be strong and hold true to each other, because we have tough times ahead. We have discovered that a conspiracy against the Federation exists from those we thought were our friends. The planet Halkan has committed an act of war against us and we must fight back. I have ordered the Halkan council to surrender. They have refused to so, and insist that they are not linked to terrorism. But we know that they are lying and we will hold them accountable for their actions. The flagship of our great Federation is already at Halkan and more ships are on the way. We will bring those responsible to justice. Good evening and thank you for your strength." Young switched off the monitor. The admiral had a determined look on his face. "I'm going to talk to the Halkan council myself," he said. "If they will not surrender, then we will take action." "But, we haven't found any evidence that they're involved." Young looked insulted. "I've shown you the evidence, Captain Kirk. And the President of the Federation has spoken. You've dealt with the people before. Will they surrender?" "I believe they will, sir." Young nodded. "Then, you must help convince them to do so." Kirk agreed, then followed Young into the corridor, Captain Negley at their heels. It was clear that Negley wished to be next to Young, but Kirk had cut him off.
The Star Fleet officers stepped onto the Enterprise Bridge, Young still leading the way. However, he did not try to occupy the captain's chair. Kirk sat down and focused on the main view screen. "Lt. Uhura open a channel to the Halkan council." "Aye, sir." Tharn appeared on the screen. "I don't understand, Captain Kirk. We have not attacked the Federation. We would not attack or harm anyone. Yet, the president of your Federation has demanded that we surrender." "This is Admiral Young. You must surrender your planet, immediately or face the consequences." "We cannot surrender," replied Tharn. "We did not support the murders of those people." "Then, you leave me no choice. Screen off." Uhura complied. "Helm prepare to fire phasers on the Council chambers." Reluctantly, Sulu armed the phasers. "Belay that order," said Kirk. Shocked, Young turned to his junior officer. "What is the meaning of this, captain? How dare you belay my order?" "The Halkans did not attack Earth. You've manufactured the evidence against them because you want control of their Dilithium Crystals." The look of shock on Young's face did not impress Kirk. Spock, who had been watching the exchange between admiral and captain from the science station, now stepped forward. "I have been analyzing the disk you brought, and there are strong indications that is not authentic." "Furthermore," said Kirk, "we've discovered evidence that you and Captain Negley have been secretly mining Halkan crystals. And we have found no evidence that the Halkans are involved with the terrorists." "This is outrageous. I'll have you both court-martialed for this." Kirk activated the intercom on the arm of his chair. "Security, report to the bridge." "You're making a serious mistake," warned Young. "You're going to regret this. Now, I order you to attack." Two security personnel stepped off the turbo lift. "Captain Kirk is a traitor," said Young. "Arrest him." The two did not move until Kirk spoke. "Admiral Young and Captain Negley are under arrest. Confine them to the brig." Young and Negley did not resist as the guards escorted them into the turbo lift. "Lt. Uhura, open a channel to the Halkan Council." Before Uhura could comply the intercom sounded. "Security alert. We have a security alert. Young and Negley have escaped." "Security from Kirk. Find them and take them into custody." Uhura spun around in her chair. "Captain, security reports the transporter chief has been attacked. Admiral Young and Captain Negley have transported over to the Yorktown." "The Yorktown is raising its shields and powering up their weapons systems," said Spock from the science station. "Mr. Sulu, target the Yorktown," ordered Kirk. "Try to disable their shields." Sulu quickly complied. On the main view screen, Kirk watched as two red bolts struck the Yorktown. "Direct hit, sir." Reported Sulu. "Their shields are dropping." The Yorktown was a good ship, but it was not designed for battle. Kirk was thankful for that. He did not want to have to destroy it, in order to save the Halkans. "Message from the Yorktown," said Uhura. "They're surrendering." "Acknowledge their message." Kirk ordered. As he looked at the peaceful planet, Halkan on the main view screen, Kirk felt like a great weight had been removed from his shoulders. The Halkans were safe, and the search for those who did attack Earth would continue until they were found. Kirk intended to see that through.
Kirk lay on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. The day's events had left him exhausted, and he was looking forward to a good night's sleep. Admiral Young and Captain Negley were in custody, and the President had issued a formal apology to the Halkans. Although there was no evidence suggesting that Tanner or members of his cabinet were involved in the conspiracy, Kirk had a feeling that there could very well be others involved. To Kirk's dismay the Enterprise had been assigned to other duties other than finding the terrorists. That task had been passed on to the new captain of the Yorktown, along with its new command staff, because in addition to Negley others were being indicted for their involved in the conspiracy. Kirk could not complain about the new assignment. After all, if he were successful, then the Federation would have a new source of Dilithium. A probe had discovered a possible source on an unexplored planet within Federation borders. Even though the probe's findings were not one hundred percent positive, Kirk looked forward to exploring the possibility. But not until had got some rest. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.
Captain James T. Kirk lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling of his dimly lit cabin. He did not want to sit up and felt like his head was glued to the pillow. He turned his head, slightly, just enough to see the time. The chronometer informed him that he would have to get up in a few minutes whether he wanted to or not. It was almost time for him to go on duty. He had a headache and the thought of having to sit in his chair for the next several hours made his head throb harder. He had been having bad headaches for the past few days. Dr. McCoy had given him medication, but it did not work very well. Kirk suspected the reason for the headaches was, Dr. Janice Lester. Two weeks ago she had used alien technology to steal Kirk's body and his identity. She might have succeeded, but her erratic emotional state had given her away. At first, Kirk had thought his pain was caused by having his essence transferred to another body, but had since changed his mind. He had loved Janice Lester and to see her disgraced and in custody was a strain on his well being. He figured the headaches and physical fatigue would not go away until he had got over what Lester had done. Because of his feelings and past relationship with Lester, Kirk had personally brought her to Earth for treatment. He, along with a security team had escorted her to the Garner institute located in Vancouver, Canada. It had the reputation of being the best facility on Earth, and, Kirk wanted her to be taken care of in familiar surroundings. She had talked a great deal about how much she loved Earth when she and Kirk were dating. She had wanted to visit other planets, but Earth was her home and that was where she wanted to settle down in her old age. She was still young and attractive, and Kirk hoped she would able to get past her troubles and start over. It was obvious, now, to Kirk how much Lester blamed him for the fact that she could not achieve the rank of captain of a starship. Kirk had never agreed with this policy. He had met many female officers during the course of his career and considered all of them equal to any male officer. Lester was correct about the policy being wrong, and Kirk hoped it would change sooner than later. He wondered if he would ever see Lester again, and on better terms. During the escort she had not spoken to him. She had just stared, blankly, ahead and let herself be led from place to place. She had not even acknowledged him when he had said goodbye. Kirk got to his feet and readied himself mentally to assume the day's duties. The Enterprise had been assigned to go to Vulcan and pick up T'Pau and bring her to Earth for a meeting of the Federation Council. T'Pau herself had requested the Enterprise, specifically. Kirk had not T'Pau seen since taking Spock there for his wedding. Of course T'Pau knew that Kirk had not died that day. She had made no formal complaint so far as Kirk was aware, and he hoped she did not hold a grudge. He figured she did not for the simple reason that she was a Vulcan and therefore incapable of such feelings. Kirk was not really looking forward to her arrival on the ship. He expected that she would have a comment about McCoy's deception. The Enterprise was two days from Vulcan, so Kirk would not have long to wait. The intercom beeped just as Kirk was passing through the parting doors of his quarters. He crossed to his desk and activated the system. "Kirk here." Lieutenant Uhura the Chief of Communications was the caller. "Message from Starfleet Command, sir, priority one." Kirk flinched. "Relay it down here, lieutenant." "Aye, sir." The image switched from Uhura to that of Admiral Toby Young. Young was in his early fifties, and looked well for his age. His hair was thinning, but it looked healthy. And, he appeared to be trim and fit. Like most middle- aged men he was developing a bit of a spread, but he was in shape. His expression was grim, and Kirk suspected that Young was not grim by nature. "Captain Kirk," Young began, "you're ordered to return to Earth, immediately. Starfleet Headquarters has been destroyed!"
Kirk's eyes were glued to the main view screen as Earth came into view. From space the human home world looked just as it did thousands of years ago before man had even explored its entire surface. In the left corner of the viewer was the positive proof that man had gone way beyond its world and reached out to others. The Starfleet docking station hung in space above Earth. It was the Enterprise's destination. Kirk looked at it as a safe haven from something he did not know. Below on the planet's surface a tragedy had occurred, and many fine officers were dead. The building that made up fleet headquarters had been reduced to rubble. There was nothing to salvage. Kirk wanted to know who was responsible and punish them. "I waited until we had something substantial before contacting you, Captain Kirk." Young had said. "Do we know who did this?" "According to Starfleet Intelligence it was an extremist group of Andorians, reportedly operating from their home world. The Andorian government has been trying to stop their activities for several months with little success. Because of what's happened, we've requested the to right find this group. The Andorian leadership welcomes our help. I'll see you in a few hours, captain. Young out." That was it. The Enterprise was being assigned the duty of finding those responsible for that attack and bringing them to justice. Kirk sat back in his chair as the ship was brought into the station. While Kirk began his investigation on Earth, the ship was going to be fitted with new sensors. The weapons systems had recently been upgraded, and would be more than capable whatever they encountered. Kirk knew such groups were well organized, but most were not well equipped. He knew the Enterprise would be able to handle anything a group of radicals could throw at it. "Spock, come with me," said Kirk. He would take Spock with him to the surface and start compiling evidence at the source.
It was spring in North America, and California like a paradise. Overhead was a clear blue sky, and a slight breeze swept through San Francisco. It would have been a beautiful day except for the fact that the city now had a large, smoking crater where the academy used to be. Kirk and Spock materialized at the edge of the impact zone. Below in the pit numerous personnel were busy collecting data. Kirk spotted Young talking to another officer near the center of the hole, and led the way down to him. "Admiral" said Kirk. "This is most devastating thing I've ever seen. How could the Andorians do this?" Young had a wild and weary look in his eye when he spoke. "It wasn't the Andorians, sir." Young nodded, and his composure seemed to come back. "Yes, I know, you're right. But, I'm going see those responsible punished." Kirk concurred with that sentiment. "Let me show you what we've uncovered, so far," said Young. He led Kirk and Spock out of the crater and into a temporary operations center set up a few meters from the impact zone. It was a small structure designed to be mobile and containing only one large control area. A youthful lieutenant was working at this main control panel. "Lieutenant Brody, show Captain Kirk the data." Brody nodded then ran her fingers over the board. On the screen information about Andorian explosive devices appeared. Young waited while Kirk and Spock studied the data. "Our preliminary findings confirm that this is what was used. It's one of the most potent materials known to our science.as you've seen. The Andorian government has also identified these devices as what the extremists use." "Then, there's no doubt they're the ones responsible," said Kirk. "Lieutenant Brody, Mr. Spock, would you leave us?" Both agreed and left Kirk and Young alone in the mobile room. "There's something else, Captain. Because I want you to lead this investigation, I feel you should be aware of it. According to our log, a representative of Halkan was supposed to visit today. He never showed up, and no explanation has been given." "But, the Halkans are a completely peaceful people. They could not be involved." "I'm not saying there is any connection between the two, Captain. But we're forced to check everything." Kirk nodded. He intended to check everything for himself before acting. He trusted Young, but this was too serious a situation to take any chances. "One other thing," said Young. "We could be facing a shortage of Dilithium Crystals. And, at a time like this, we could be in trouble." "It won't come to that," replied Kirk. "I'll get those responsible." "I know I can count on you. After you've completed your investigation here, you will proceed to Andoria. Their leadership has promised full cooperation." "I've dealt with them before; I won't have any problems, sir." "Good, let's get to work." Kirk followed Young back to the scorched crater.
Kirk sat in his chair and reviewed what was known about the Andorian extremist group. Although Andoria was a long-time member of the Federation they were still a mystery to many of their fellow Federation members. They kept to themselves much of the time, so Kirk was surprised to have such a detailed report at his disposal. The Andorians were known as a warrior species, much like the Klingons, but they were not as boisterous as the Klingons. They fought hard, but they were quiet about doing it, and they were quite soft spoken. As Kirk had reminded Admiral Young, he had in fact dealt with them before, but never in a combat situation. Because of their fierce reputation he did not look forward to doing so, especially with a group that had separated itself from its people. The Andorian government had become a democratic state since joining the Federation. That had been one of the conditions for entry. It was never policy to interfere with the development of others, but the Federation would not tolerate an oppressive imperialist state as a member. Upon completing his review of the group's early history, he moved on to the list of offensives. Most recently they had destroyed two federal buildings in the Andorian capital city, and now it seemed clear that they had set their eyes on Earth. Kirk wished to know why they would attack Earth. Until now Andoria had not asked for outside help to deal with the extremists. What guarrel could they have with Earth? Maybe there was no reason. It had been Kirk's experience that such people were rarely rational. He wished that weren't so. This fact would make it difficult to stop them. The loss of life could be enormous on both sides. In three days the Enterprise would reach Andoria. Kirk would bring those responsible for the attack to justice. Noticing his clenched fist and swelling anger he took a few moments to try to calm himself. This was not a time for his primitive emotions to take over. He was sure Spock would tell him to maintain his logic. He glanced at the Enterprise's executive officer and chief science officer. The tall, slender Vulcan was bent over his scanners. The blue light from the device covered half his neutral expression. Kirk felt more secure with his long-time friend on the bridge, as he did with other members of the day shift, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov. All were at work at their respective stations. Kirk intended to have them there when the Enterprise reached Andoria. He trusted his entire crew to do their jobs at an ability of excellence, but he preferred to have the most experienced officers at his disposal. "Message coming in from Admiral Young, sir." "On screen." Kirk took a moment to straighten up. He had not noticed until then that he had been slouching. He had not slept much the past couple nights. Still he was a little disappointed in himself for letting himself slip in front of the crew. He dismissed his mistake and focused on the main view screen as the stars disappeared and were replaced by the visage of Admiral Young. Young's expression was grimmer than Kirk could remember it being. Apparently, things had gotten worse, Kirk determined. "Intelligence has uncovered some disturbing information, captain. They have discovered evidence that the Halkans may have been involved in the attack." Kirk could not hide the shock he was feeling. Without looking around he could feel the shock the rest of the bridge personnel had just experienced. "The Halkans?" Kirk heard himself utter. "According to their findings, the Halkans are apparently harboring the extremists on the Halkan home world. Your orders are to proceed to Halkan and determine if it's true. And, if it is, you are to demand that they be handed over to you. If they refuse, you are instructed to use whatever means necessary to force them to comply." "But the Halkans have always lived in peace. Not only with themselves, but with other races as well." "I'm aware of that. You have your orders, captain." "Yes, Admiral." "Young out." The stars returned. It took Kirk a few seconds to right himself, then he instructed Sulu to set a course for Halkan at maximum warp. "Course laid in, sir," replied Sulu. "Proceed," ordered Kirk. Then the Enterprise captain was on his feet and heading for the turbo lift. "Mr. Spock" then to Uhura, "Have the department heads report to the briefing room, immediately." "Aye, sir." Uhura went to work, as the lift doors closed behind Kirk and Spock.
Kirk was seated at the head of the briefing room table with Spock and McCoy seated on his right and left. On either side of them were Chief Engineer Scott, and Security Chief Nathan Tate. He had been assigned to the Enterprise only a couple of weeks prior. So far, he had proven to be a good officer, and Kirk was grateful to have him on board at a time like this. He was equally grateful to have the rest of those present. "I've called this meeting to hear opinions," began Kirk, "about the current situation." Spock was the first to respond. "It is not logical that the Halkans should be involved. It is not in their nature to be hostile." "All humanoids have hostile tendencies," said McCoy. "The Halkans are no different." "Do you think they're involved?" Kirk asked McCoy. The doctor thought about it for a moment. "According to the report I just read they're involved. But, no, I don't believe they're involved." "But you just said all humanoids can be hostile?" "Yes, but my experience with those people tells me they are not. You know as much about their history as I do." "The Halkans have no reason to act against the Federation," said Spock. "There is no logic in it." "If I may, sir," said Tate. "That's why I called this meeting." "I find it hard to believe those people are in some way responsible for this. But if they are harboring the ones who are, then they must be made to hand them over. If they refuse, then it's my opinion that they would be committing an act of war against us." "It won't come to that," said Kirk. "If the extremists are there, they were not invited by the Halkans. The Halkans have always been peaceful. They've never committed an act of aggression against anyone, including themselves." "So they say," replied Tate. "But they could be lying." Kirk did not like Tate's tone. The security officer was starting to sound as if the Halkans were guilty of something without any evidence. Kirk felt the same frustration, but he would not let himself or any members of his crew condemn anyone with proof of guilt. He would not tolerate it on his ship. "We'll arrive at Halkan in three days. Lt. Tate, you will prepare all security personnel for what might come. But I ask you not to form an opinion until you have all the facts." Tate's hard expression seemed to soften. "Aye, Captain. I'll have my people ready. I'd like to begin the exercises right away, sir. I just hope we won't have to fight. My parents did visit Halkan last year, and they said it was very nice there. I guess I'm just frustrated. " "I know," replied Kirk. "I think we all are." "May I be dismissed?" Kirk nodded, then turned his attention to Scotty, as Tate disappeared through the parting door. "Scotty, are the engines ready?" "Aye, captain. But, I find it hard to believe those people could responsible for this. Like Mr. Spock said, it ain't logical." "I know, but we have to be prepared for anything." Scotty nodded, but his expression was grim. Kirk noted that with the exception of Spock everyone's visage was contorted with worry and fear. However, he knew they would perform at a stellar level when called upon. "I believe," said Spock, "all we can do is wait until we reach Halkan. We have only speculation and no facts. The report from Star Fleet is not concrete." "That's what I think, too," said McCoy. Kirk listened as the rest of the assembled echoed similar feelings. He agreed with their opinions. They would assume nothing until an investigation could be conducted and solid evidence was presented. Kirk hoped that Intelligence would be able to continue to assist in the matter. He wanted this over with as soon as possible. "Dismissed." All but Spock exited the conference room. "Captain, I have a theory that I wish to investigate." "What is it, Spock?" "I'd rather not say at this time, sir. But, it may shed some light on this matter." Kirk nodded. "Very well, Mr. Spock. Report to me if you find what you're looking for." "Yes, captain." Then, Spock was gone leaving Kirk alone with his thoughts. His mind was filled with the planet Halkan, and how beautiful it was. As a child he had read the bible, and if the Garden of Eden existed anywhere in the universe, then it was Halkan. The idea that a serpent had corrupted it made Kirk ill. He exited the conference room and went to his cabin to lay down.
From space the image of paradise was stronger. Halkan was mostly green. The population was technologically advanced and yet very close to nature at the same time. Kirk had the planet found quite alluring when the Enterprise had previously visited. He had never quite seen the joining so complete. Many other planets, including Earth, had tried with some success, but nothing came close to what Halkan had achieved. More than ever Kirk hoped that what was suspected of them was not true. He did not relish the thought of the Halkan government put on trial as criminals. But, if they were involved in the attack they would have to be imprisoned, and the garden would be destroyed. As the Enterprise closed in on the planet he decided he would fight to not let that happen. Those responsible would be punished, but he intended to see to it that the planet was not harmed. He wondered if it would be possible or if the snake had won.
Tharn, leader of the Halkan council rested his head on the soft cushion and closed his eyes. He was tired from a hard day at work. Although Halkan did not suffer from war, famine or other such hardships, there was still much to be done. Tharn had spent most of the day overseeing the planning of an irrigation system for some of the smaller settlements outside the capital city. The current one was quite antiquated and needed an immediate upgrade if the people were going to have clean water. Tharn was determined to see it that they did. Tharn was short and lean, but rarely suffered from ill health. Halkan had managed to keep pollutants to a bare minimum over the years, so the air was clean. Tharn was approaching old age, but he was very lively in body, mind, and spirit. There was some recent talk that he would be retiring. He had no intention of doing so until he could no longer perform his duties to his level of satisfaction, and, he did not see that time coming any time soon. He enjoyed his responsibility and saw no reason to give it up. The intercom sounded, and Tharn was sorry they had been installed in the relax center. The center was a place to relax, mediate, or otherwise unwind from the workday. Of course, if there was an emergency of some sort, it had to be possible to contact your desired party, quickly. As leader, Tharn had his own relaxation chamber, but he did allow his friends to use it, as well as citizens on special occasions. And they probably received calls there. It was known that he was there that evening, so the call was for him. "Tharn here, what is it?" The caller was Thel, one of the other members of the council. "The Federation Vessel Enterprise is approaching, sir." The Enteprise, thought Tharn. I wonder what they're doing here? He recalled his meeting with Captain Kirk and some of his junior officers, and had read about what had happened to them when they tried to beam back to their ship. Halkan had had a limited relationship with the Federation since then. Halkan was not a member of the Federation because they did want much contact with outsiders. Federation citizens were welcome to visit the planet and enjoy all that it had to offer, but they not permitted to stay for extended periods of time. And Halkan had remained firm about not allowing the Federation to mine Dilithium Crystals on there planet. Tharn had enjoyed Captain Kirk's company. He hoped the visit would be sociable. "I'll be right there. Have they made contact?" "No," replied Thel. "Nor have they responded to our hails." That's odd, Tharn thought. He dressed quickly, and went to the communications center.
On the Enterprise Bridge, Kirk watched main view screen as the ship reached high orbit range. He wondered how much closer they should get before making contact. "Assume a high orbit, Mr. Sulu." The Asian Navigator looked puzzled for a moment, then carried out the order, realizing that it was a security measure. "They're hailing us again, captain," Uhura informed Kirk. "It's Tharn this time." Exactly the person Kirk wanted to talk to. "Mr. Spock, begin scanning the planet for Andorians." Then to Uhura, "open a channel." Looking a little perplexed, Tharn appeared on the main view screen. "Welcome back to Halkan, Captain Kirk. Our facilities are at your disposal." "We're not here for the hospitality I'm afraid." "I don't understand, Captain. Is there a problem?" "Yes. We have reason to believe that you're harboring an extremist group that recently attacked Earth." Tharn's look of shock was like nothing Kirk had ever seen before. It seemed clear that he had not been expecting to be accused of such an offense. Kirk reminded himself that appearances could be deceiving. Based on his knowledge of the Halkan people, he did not think so in this case. He decided to break the momentary silence. "If you're being held against your will, we're here to help you." "No, captain. And I assure you were not harboring anyone. We would not condone violence of any kind." "We're aware of that, sir. But I must ask you for permission to continue our investigation on your planet. They may there without your knowledge." "Yes, of course." "Thank you, Councilman Tharn. We'll be in touch when we're ready to beam down." "Very well, captain." "Kirk out." The image of the planet returned. Kirk swung his chair around to face the science station where Spock was still at work. "Report, Mr. Spock." Spock turned his attention to Kirk. "Preliminary scans negative. I shall increase the intensity." "If they're down there, they could be shielding themselves somehow, so, scan for any unusual energy patterns." Spock nodded, then began the task.
Kirk took the amber drink and wiped his forehead. The headache that had started a few hours ago was getting worse. He moved the glass to his mouth and took a sip. Normally he liked the taste of brandy, but not these days. The pain began to throb even harder. He put down the glass and went to his desk. The cabin was dimly lit, bright light aggravated his pain, but he could easily see the controls that activated the monitor. "Kirk to sickbay." The gruff, but gentle features of McCoy appeared. "Sickbay here, what is it, Jim?" "I have a wicked headache." "I gave you a couple of pills yesterday. Maybe I should give you a full exam." Kirk dismissed the idea with a wave of hand. "No, just come to my cabin." "I'll be right there." The screen went dark. Kirk sat back and began rubbing his temple. He continued to do so, until he heard chime. "Come." Carrying a fresh bottle of brandy and a couple of pills, McCoy stepped through the splitting door. "Here, take these." Kirk downed the pills with another sip from his glass. His bottle was almost full, so McCoy set his aside and poured from Kirk's. "Any progress on the scans?" "No, Spock has completed three intense scans. So far, nothing unusual." "It would be unlike Spock to miss anything. Maybe the Andorians have left Halkan." Kirk sipped his drink. "Or maybe they were never here at all," said Kirk. "Do you think Star Fleet has made a mistake?" "I don't know. At the moment, it appears so." "Well, I can't believe these people had any part in attacking Earth." Kirk nodded. "If the Andorians are or were here, then it was independent of Halkan Council. I agree with you, completely, Bones. You remember the Halkans in the mirror universe." "Yes." Kirk continued. "The Halkans of our universe are no different. The Andorians would have had to destroy them, because they would not have cooperated a hostile force." "When we find the Andorians we'll be able to prove the Halkans are innocent." The intercom sounded. Kirk opened the receiver. It was Uhura calling from the bridge. "Message coming in from Admiral Young." "Relay it down here, lieutenant." "Aye, sir." Young's image arrived on Kirk's small desk monitor. "Report your progress, Captain Kirk." Kirk informed him of the results of the scans. "They must be hiding the Andorians somehow." "Are we sure about all this, sir?" Young frowned. "Absolutely. Star Fleet has uncovered irrefutable evidence of Halkan involvement with the terrorists." Kirk's heart sank. "I'm aboard the Yorktown, and en-route to Halkan. I should be there in a few days. In the meantime, continue the investigation. Demand that the terrorists are handed over to your, immediately." "Yes, sir." "I want to end this as soon as possible. Young out." Young severed the communication. Stiffly, Kirk shut his monitor off, and turned to McCoy. The expression on the face of the Enterprise's Chief medical officer was grim, and not encouraging. Without looking in the mirror, Kirk knew his own expression matched that of his friend. "I better go the bridge and see if Spock has found anything. Thanks for the pills, Bones." "I'll be in sickbay if you need me, Jim. After you've talked to Spock, I suggest you get some rest." "If I have time." McCoy's frown deepened. Kirk ignored it and exited his cabin, McCoy a couple of steps behind.
Mr. Spock sat in the conference room and studied the data on the monitor. What would have made a human grimace and be visibly worried did not show on Spock's rigid visage. If he was feeling such things it was not detectable. He simply took the information in and stored it for future reference. When he had completed his task, he would pass along what he had learned to Kirk. What he was finding out he knew Kirk would like to hear, but there was no other choice. The truth had to be revealed no matter how awful it was. Spock did not look forward to it. A voice deep down in him told him that in doing so he might be jeopardizing his career. He dismissed that feeling and continued his research. Spock had just completed reading the last piece of information when Kirk entered the room. Spock had timed his contacting of his commanding officer and the finishing of his queries, perfectly. He watched as Kirk rested his hands on the table. He noted that his captain was pushing himself too hard, as usual. "You have something to report, Mr. Spock?" "Yes. Although I only have a hypothesis at this point." It was Kirk's opinion that what Spock considered to be only a hypothesis was fact. "Admiral Young mentioned the shortage of Dilithium Crystals," began Spock. "So, I started checking the recent productivity of our Dilithium mining station and found that the shortage is more severe than is being reported by Star Fleet. I have also discovered that Admiral Young has made several attempts to convince the Halkan Council to allow mining." "Are you saying Admiral Young is trying to provoke a conflict with Halkan in order to get their Dilithium?" "I have no evidence to support such a position. As I said, it is only a theory. We have found no evidence of a connection between the Halkans and the extremist group." "Admiral Young is bringing the evidence with him on the Yorktown. He'll be here in two days. Until then we'll continue with the investigation. I'm going to go down to planet's surface to search for any signs of the extremist group." Kirk was silent for few moments. "I'd like you to remain here and continue your investigation. I can't believe Admiral Young could be responsible for such activity, but we have to check everything." "Agreed." "For the time being, I want you to keep this to yourself. Report your findings to me only." "Understood, captain." Kirk watched as his first officer exited. He hoped that Spock was wrong, but knew how rare that result was. Kirk did not look forward to the next few days. This was going to get worse before it got better. Of that, he was sure.
The Enterprise sensors were many times more powerful than those of a tricorder, so Kirk was not surprised not to be finding evidence of Andorian habitation on Halkan. He had hoped that the Enterprise instruments were being blocked somehow, and that once on the surface he would have the answers he was looking for. Upon his arrival with a security team Tharn had welcomed Kirk. "This has to be a mistake, Captain Kirk. We are a peaceful people. When we heard about the tragedy on Earth we sent our condolences, immediately." Tharn had said. "I'm aware of that," had been Kirk's reply "but, I'm under orders to investigate. Star Fleet has evidence that you're involved with these terrorists. I advise you to cooperate. If you're being manipulated or blackmailed somehow, we're here to help you. You'd not be held accountable." "I'm glad to know that, captain. But, again I assure you that we're not harboring anyone. If they're hiding here, then we want them removed, immediately. And, I must ask you to do so as peacefully as possible." "We will make the effort." As Kirk stood on the hillside that overlooked the capital city, he wondered if it would be possible to capture the extremists without having to fight. Kirk was finding it difficult to believe the Halkans would be part of such violence, or any violence for that matter. In all their recorded history there had never been a war. He envied them. The people had always managed to get along, except for minor disagreements. The Halkans were of one mind, and of one philosophy. Still, Kirk could not abandon his duty based on his beliefs in this case. Star Fleet, the Federation, and Kirk wanted those responsible for the murder of Federation citizens. He would continue the investigation, even if it meant discovering what he considered to be the impossible.
Kirk sat on his bed and read the final report on the day. The search teams had found no sign of the terrorists. Landing parties had searched almost two thirds of the planet's surface. Admiral Young was due to arrive in a few hours, and Kirk had not made any progress. The Halkan council continued to deny any involvement with the terrorists, and Kirk was beginning to lose hope of completing his mission. Kirk laid the stylus on the floor and then his head on his pillow. He did not close his eyes, just stared up at the ceiling. He had to go to return to the bridge, so he got to his feet, reclaiming the stylus as he rose. All results negative, so far, he did not understand how they could be hitting a dead end. Star Fleet intelligence was second to none in providing accurate information. But Kirk was beginning to doubt their findings that the Halkans were involved with terrorists. The intercom sounded. "Kirk here." Since he was on his way to the bridge he stayed vertical. "Spock here, captain. I have something very important to show you." "I'm on my way to the bridge." "I think it would be better if we discussed this privately." Kirk did not like the sound of that. "We'll discuss it here." "Very well, captain. I shall be there, shortly. Spock out." Kirk switched the channel. "Kirk to sickbay."
When Spock arrived, Kirk and McCoy were waiting for him. Spock had not expected to see McCoy, but he made no objection to his presence. Instead he moved to Kirk's desk and slipped a data wafer in the slot. A moment later information appeared on the monitor. "I have discovered some rather disturbing data concerning our mission," began Spock, "and, I believe this all an attempt by members of Star Fleet to gain control of Halkan's Dilithium Crystals." Kirk was silent for moment. "What is it you've found out?" he finally asked. "I have uncovered a secret communication between Admiral Young and Captain Andrew Negley, currently commanding the Yorktown." Spock displayed the correspondence on the screen. As Kirk and McCoy read their expressions became grayer. According to Spock's research, the Yorktown had begun mining the crystals, covertly. And that Negley had received his orders directly from Young. Fearing that they might be discovered they had halted their activities with little results. Mining Dilithium was time consuming. "Is Star Fleet aware of this?" asked Kirk. "I do not believe so," replied Spock, "and, I have found no record of where the stolen crystals were taken." "I'd heard the shortage was becoming serious," said McCoy. "But to steal it. I never thought that would happen." "How did you discover this, Mr. Spock?" "I had heard rumors about it, and, Admiral Young seemed so sure about the extremists being here. It seemed logical to access his logs and look for any proof." "It appears you've found it." "Indeed." "So, what do we do?" asked McCoy. "We have to proceed cautiously," said Kirk. "I want to see what proof he has that the Halkan's are linked to the extremists. Mr. Spock I want you to dig further. We have to be absolutely sure about our facts." "Agreed. Admiral Young is a highly respected officer. I would not want to accuse him without more solid evidence." The intercom chimed. "Kirk here." Uhura informed him that the Yorktown was arriving. "Bones, report to the conference room. Spock, come with me." While Dr. McCoy made his way to the conference room, Kirk and Spock went to greet Admiral Young.
As they entered the corridor, Young made the expected announcement of wanting to have a briefing immediately. Captain Negley had accompanied him from the Yorktown. Even though Kirk had strong evidence that Young was manipulating this entire situation, in order to rob Halkan of its natural resources, Kirk was still interested in the evidence Young had to offer against the peaceful Halkans. There was still the possibility that Spock's findings were wrong. No, Kirk did not believe that. He had known Spock too long. As a Vulcan he would not have presented Kirk with the evidence if he were not sure of its validity. However, Kirk intended to continue with the investigation so as to see how far Young was willing to go to achieve his evil objective. Young led the way into the conference room followed by Negley, giving Kirk the distinct impression that the two fellow officers were already assuming a position of authority over this situation. Young had announced that very thing, but Kirk still did not like it. The Enterprise was his ship, and, considering that Young was there to commit crimes against the Halkans, Kirk would resist any orders given by his superior officer. Kirk did not object when Young positioned himself at the head of the conference table, Negley on his right. Instead he sat down in the chair across from the other captain. He had only met Negley once, a few years ago at a seminar. He did not recall anything special about Negley. They and a few other officers had had dinner together on first day, and they had talked for a few minutes about the splendors of the universe. Negley seemed be agreeable enough. Kirk wondered why Negley would be a part of something so wrong. "Time is of the essence," Young began. "The President of the Federation will be making an announcement shortly, and I want to bring you up to speed before his speech." "By all means." "We'll now for sure that the Halkans are involved the terrorist group that attacked us." Young produced a data disk and slipped it into the computer. At Young's command the computer accessed, then ,displayed the information on the disk. An image of a small Andorian freighter appeared on the screen. "This photograph was taken less than two solar weeks ago by one of our long range beacons, when the ship entered Halkan space. According to the Andorians the terrorists possess such a craft. We don't how involved they are, but the Halkans are a part of this." "What have you found?" Negley asked Kirk. "So far, we've found no sign of any Halkan involvement." The intercom sounded. Bypassing Kirk's extending arm, Young activated the system. "Admiral Young here. What is it?" "The President of the Federation is making an announcement. Should I relay it to all decks." Asked Uhura. "Yes, lieutenant," ordered Young. Young took it upon himself to activate the monitor. The image of a desk and chair appeared. Seated in the chair was the president of the United Federation of Planets, Malcolm Tanner. Many species had held the office over the years, but the current president was human. He was in his early fifties with a receding hairline. He had strong features, and many laugh lines. Normally, San Francisco Bay could been through the windows behind the desk. However, they were covered with what seemed to be protective shielding. Security had become tighter since the attack. Kirk expected nothing less. "My fellow members of the Federation," Tanner began. "Recently we were attacked by a group of terrorists determined to destroy our peaceful way of life. Many of our loved ones were lost when they destroyed Star Fleet headquarters here on Earth. Now is a time when we must be strong and hold true to each other, because we have tough times ahead. We have discovered that a conspiracy against the Federation exists from those we thought were our friends. The planet Halkan has committed an act of war against us and we must fight back. I have ordered the Halkan council to surrender. They have refused to so, and insist that they are not linked to terrorism. But we know that they are lying and we will hold them accountable for their actions. The flagship of our great Federation is already at Halkan and more ships are on the way. We will bring those responsible to justice. Good evening and thank you for your strength." Young switched off the monitor. The admiral had a determined look on his face. "I'm going to talk to the Halkan council myself," he said. "If they will not surrender, then we will take action." "But, we haven't found any evidence that they're involved." Young looked insulted. "I've shown you the evidence, Captain Kirk. And the President of the Federation has spoken. You've dealt with the people before. Will they surrender?" "I believe they will, sir." Young nodded. "Then, you must help convince them to do so." Kirk agreed, then followed Young into the corridor, Captain Negley at their heels. It was clear that Negley wished to be next to Young, but Kirk had cut him off.
The Star Fleet officers stepped onto the Enterprise Bridge, Young still leading the way. However, he did not try to occupy the captain's chair. Kirk sat down and focused on the main view screen. "Lt. Uhura open a channel to the Halkan council." "Aye, sir." Tharn appeared on the screen. "I don't understand, Captain Kirk. We have not attacked the Federation. We would not attack or harm anyone. Yet, the president of your Federation has demanded that we surrender." "This is Admiral Young. You must surrender your planet, immediately or face the consequences." "We cannot surrender," replied Tharn. "We did not support the murders of those people." "Then, you leave me no choice. Screen off." Uhura complied. "Helm prepare to fire phasers on the Council chambers." Reluctantly, Sulu armed the phasers. "Belay that order," said Kirk. Shocked, Young turned to his junior officer. "What is the meaning of this, captain? How dare you belay my order?" "The Halkans did not attack Earth. You've manufactured the evidence against them because you want control of their Dilithium Crystals." The look of shock on Young's face did not impress Kirk. Spock, who had been watching the exchange between admiral and captain from the science station, now stepped forward. "I have been analyzing the disk you brought, and there are strong indications that is not authentic." "Furthermore," said Kirk, "we've discovered evidence that you and Captain Negley have been secretly mining Halkan crystals. And we have found no evidence that the Halkans are involved with the terrorists." "This is outrageous. I'll have you both court-martialed for this." Kirk activated the intercom on the arm of his chair. "Security, report to the bridge." "You're making a serious mistake," warned Young. "You're going to regret this. Now, I order you to attack." Two security personnel stepped off the turbo lift. "Captain Kirk is a traitor," said Young. "Arrest him." The two did not move until Kirk spoke. "Admiral Young and Captain Negley are under arrest. Confine them to the brig." Young and Negley did not resist as the guards escorted them into the turbo lift. "Lt. Uhura, open a channel to the Halkan Council." Before Uhura could comply the intercom sounded. "Security alert. We have a security alert. Young and Negley have escaped." "Security from Kirk. Find them and take them into custody." Uhura spun around in her chair. "Captain, security reports the transporter chief has been attacked. Admiral Young and Captain Negley have transported over to the Yorktown." "The Yorktown is raising its shields and powering up their weapons systems," said Spock from the science station. "Mr. Sulu, target the Yorktown," ordered Kirk. "Try to disable their shields." Sulu quickly complied. On the main view screen, Kirk watched as two red bolts struck the Yorktown. "Direct hit, sir." Reported Sulu. "Their shields are dropping." The Yorktown was a good ship, but it was not designed for battle. Kirk was thankful for that. He did not want to have to destroy it, in order to save the Halkans. "Message from the Yorktown," said Uhura. "They're surrendering." "Acknowledge their message." Kirk ordered. As he looked at the peaceful planet, Halkan on the main view screen, Kirk felt like a great weight had been removed from his shoulders. The Halkans were safe, and the search for those who did attack Earth would continue until they were found. Kirk intended to see that through.
Kirk lay on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. The day's events had left him exhausted, and he was looking forward to a good night's sleep. Admiral Young and Captain Negley were in custody, and the President had issued a formal apology to the Halkans. Although there was no evidence suggesting that Tanner or members of his cabinet were involved in the conspiracy, Kirk had a feeling that there could very well be others involved. To Kirk's dismay the Enterprise had been assigned to other duties other than finding the terrorists. That task had been passed on to the new captain of the Yorktown, along with its new command staff, because in addition to Negley others were being indicted for their involved in the conspiracy. Kirk could not complain about the new assignment. After all, if he were successful, then the Federation would have a new source of Dilithium. A probe had discovered a possible source on an unexplored planet within Federation borders. Even though the probe's findings were not one hundred percent positive, Kirk looked forward to exploring the possibility. But not until had got some rest. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.