The Enterprise was in high orbit above Takar, the homeworld of the Takar United Imperium. Its rich brown surface, mottled with streams of cloud and bright cobalt patches of ocean, seemed to turn slowly before them.

Kirk swung onto the bridge, dressed in a crisp clean uniform and still appreciating the coolness of the ship's atmospheric systems. The time in warp over from Rho Darag had barely been enough for a shower and a quick nap, and he was anticipating the upcoming formalities and inevitable dinner party with something approaching weariness.

"How are we looking, Mr Sulu?" He fell back into his chair, then tried to straighten up a bit. This is all about appearances.

Sulu, his left hand wrapped in a bandage but otherwise seemingly its normal size and colour, spared Kirk a glance. "Steady orbit, captain; we're coming in range of the transfer station now."

"Very good. Lieutenant Uhura?"

"Hailing them now, sir."

The transfer station floated into view. It was a fairly standard orbital base, a central module surrounded by concentric rings of docking ports, big enough for a couple of interstellar liners but nothing major. Takar was still a growing power, as Starfleet liked to phrase it.

The station glittered in the sunrise, the light slanting from just behind the Enterprise to gild a beautfiul vista of the planet. The dawn picked out the shuttles sitting in their places on the planet-side of the station, a sweet little star-clipper sitting at one of the far docks … hold on, that shower of debris arcing from the central module wasn't supposed to be there, was it?

"Captain!" cried Uhura suddenly, her hand flying to her earpiece. "I'm getting – something's wrong!"

A glittering spray of metal was drifting away from the station, tumbling in that removed, chaotic way that space wreckage has in zero gee. As the Enterprise cruised closer, Kirk could see the extent of the damage. Almost half of the central dome had been blown away – by what? He pushed himself to his feet.

"We're being hailed," said Uhura suddenly. "It's – the Ambassador's shuttle. They request permission to dock at the Enterprise, sir."

Kirk strode up to the viewscreen, past Sulu and Chekov's worried, alert faces. There was a shuttle speeding towards them, a dot of light against the wreckage – Kirk could just about recognise it as a somewhat outdated Class C shuttlecraft; something quality for a diplomat, but still Federation hand-me-downs. Fire bloomed suddenly inside the transfer station.

"Tell them they have it," said Kirk. "Mr Spock, have a security detail accompany me to the shuttlebay. Mr Sulu, shields up." He left the bridge at a trot.

Even flanked by two burly crewmembers in red shirts, with phasers at their hips, Kirk didn't feel a lot safer (just shorter) as he entered the docking bay. He watched from behind the glass as the Takarian shuttle – he could see the markings on its flank now – lurched in and was guided to rest on the nearest platform. He frowned at the scorch marks on its blast shields. Unconsciously, his fingers drummed against the side of his leg.

The outside hatches of the shuttlebay sealed with a hiss, and the light beside the door blinked green. Kirk was through it and jumping down the steps to the docking platform before his security team could even think the words 'safety check'.

He stopped about three feet away as the shuttle's door slid open. A man stepped out, wearing long robes, in layers of dark purple and woven with angular, metallic patterns. He had short-cropped black hair and incredibly dark skin that shone in the blinking lights of the shuttlebay. Kirk frowned. He was sure this wasn't the ambassador. Whoever it was, he looked … familiar, in a nagging, sinking way that gave Kirk a sense of something really heavy about to hit him really hard in the face.

The stranger locked eyes with Kirk, and for a long moment they stood there silently, weighing each other up. Kirk got the feeling that the other man learned a lot more than he did. Then the stranger stepped forward, and Kirk saw that he was holding a little girl by the hand. He helped her down from the shuttle. She had skin as dark as him and long, long braids tied back in a ponytail. Her dress was orange with sequins on the hem and she was clutching a stuffed animal. There was a cut on her cheek. She looked up at Kirk with the same fear and uncertainty as the man had, but written much more plainly in her big dark eyes.

It was the girl who finally tipped Kirk off. Certainly not the Takarian ambassador to Andoria – the Enterprise's new guests were none other than Prince Themba, the ruler of the Imperium, and Princess Neo, his six-year-old niece and the person he claimed to be his only legitimate heir.

"Shit," said Kirk.

Prince Themba raised his free hand. In a heavy accent he said, "Ey hoped they would ssend you, Captahn Jeyms Kirk."

-0-0-0-0-0-

The briefing room was tense. Kirk, Spock and Uhura stood around one side of the table; Prince Themba and his niece sat at the other. Kirk had ordered the Enterprise out of Takar local space; they were orbiting the system's star now, but he felt far from secure.

"Do you speak English?" asked Kirk.

"No," said the prince, with a firm shake of the head.

Bones had found a nest of tribbles where the translators were supposed to be, which was embarrassing enough. Kirk had caught himself feeling glad that the ambassador wasn't aboard as planned.

Kirk turned to Uhura. "And you don't speak …"

"Tsont-tarra? No, sir. Nor any of the other twenty or so languages native to the Imperium. But … if I remember my history – " She sat down opposite Prince Themba and leaned towards him. "Swahili?"

The prince nodded and said something in that language. Uhura looked up at Kirk.

"Okay, he knows enough to get by. At least until Communications finds some spare translators."

"Alright." Kirk took a seat, and Spock sat at his other side. The captain leant his elbows on the table. "Prince Themba, why are you on my ship? Where is the ambassador?"

Uhura translated and the prince answered at length, directing his words at the captain. He looked grave, but then he hadn't stopped looking grave the whole time he had been on board.

Uhura said quietly, "He says, the ambassador was never intended to come aboard the Enterprise. The whole plan was laid out months ago. The prince believes – " she glanced at Prince Themba – "he knows that there is a design on his life in the capital, and on his niece's life. He needed to get them both off-system without using official channels. Asking Starfleet for an honourary escort for a mid-level diplomat was … the perfect excuse."

Kirk nodded slowly. The sinking feeling in his stomach was solidifying into something more like lead. He could tell Spock was far from pleased, as well. There was a tiny crease forming between the Vulcan's pointy eyebrows.

"Alright," said Kirk. "Ask him – Your highness, what happened to the transfer station?"

Another frustrating lag as Uhura translated and the prince struggled with his response in a language he was unfamiliar with. At last Uhura turned back to Kirk, her face grim.

"That was an accident. The people who are trying to kill him and his niece must have traced them there and made a last-ditch attempt to finish the job. Apparently the station is crippled. Prince Themba doesn't know how many are dead, but he fears it must be a lot." She paused a moment, but as Kirk opened his mouth, added, "The prince doesn't know who exactly is chasing him, if that's your next question. Sir. He says it could be any of a handful of groups who want the throne, or who just want chaos." Kirk shut his mouth again, frustrated.

Spock put his hand on the table by Kirk's elbow. "Captain, you understand we can't go back to Takar orbit. With Prince Themba and Princess Neo on board we would be endangering the whole ship and anyone in our vicinity. And … any other survivors are most likely rescued or dead by now."

Kirk frowned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. At last he said, "Your – your highness, what do you … what are you expecting us to do for you?"

Prince Themba nodded as Uhura conveyed this to him, his eyes locked on Kirk's. "Captahn Jeyms Kirk," he said. "Ey hoped – ey hoped – " He turned to Uhura and spoke in fast Swahili. Her eyes widened.

"He was hoping that the Enterprise would take him and his niece to Earth, captain."

Spock raised an eyebrow. Kirk leaned forward. "Do you intend to ask for asylum on Earth, Prince Themba?" Good lord, Starfleet's going to kill me … what a political nightmare.

But Uhura was already shaking her head. "He said, to Earth but not to Starfleet, sir."

"What?"

"He doesn't want to make contact with the Federation, sir. At least, his syntax was a bit strange but that's what I gather. He wants us to take him to Earth … and not be seen. By anyone."

Spock's other eyebrow went up.

"I …" Kirk leaned back in his chair, regarding the Takarian prince with a whole storm of conflicting emotions. Exasperation won. "Sir, you realise you're asking a Federation ship to break – God, I don't know – how many Federation laws?" Uhura glanced at him, clearly editing the message down.

Prince Themba steepled his long fingers in front of him as he replied. "He realises," said Uhura dryly. "He says he has important reasons for staying under the radar, most critically the protection of those around him. He doesn't want another attack like on the transfer station to happen to Earth."

"Tell him Earth has its own defenses," snapped Kirk.

A pause, a lag, a quick patter of Swahili. "He says, 'Not all of it.'"

"What do you mean, not all of it?"

"That's what he said, captain. I asked for clarification but that's all he would say."

"Captahn," said the Prince suddenly. "Ey ahm …" He spoke quickly to Uhura.

"Protecting a friend," she said quietly. The Prince nodded.

Kirk sighed. Prince Themba, tall and straight-backed and serious, looked back at him across the table. Beside him, Princess Neo watched Kirk too, with solemn eyes. She still had her little toy dog tucked under her arm. Kirk's eyes went to the little strip of sterilizing plaster Bones had stuck to her face.

"Prince Themba," he said suddenly, "Where's your security detail? Your advisors? The rest of your family? You didn't bring anyone with you?"

Uhura translated this, and the prince shrugged. A wry note crept into his eyes as he said one short sentence.

Uhura glanced between them. "He says, 'Who could I trust?'"

Kirk looked at the two Takarians for a long, delicate moment. He could feel Spock's tension on one side and Uhura's palpable compassion on the other. Slowly he nodded. At that moment, an explosion rocked the ship.

The lights flickered and they were all shunted sideways as if they had been struck by an invisible hand. Uhura went sprawling. Princess Neo was knocked into the prince with a shrill cry, and he caught her in a frantic hug.

Kirk dragged himself upright with a hand on the edge of the table and slammed the Comm button. Sulu's face appeared on the screen. "What's going on, Sulu?"

Sulu looked harried, lit by flashing lights from screens all over the bridge. "Some kind of long range torpedo, captain! It damaged our shields but they're holding at seventy percent."

Kirk glanced at Prince Themba. "Did you know – no, of course you didn't." The Takarians were still braced against the table, the terror of the transfer station attack written in both their faces.

Spock was helping Uhura to her feet. "Captain, I think it's time we – "

"Yes, you're right, Spock. Mr Sulu, take us to warp. Set course for – Andoria. I'll be right up."

"Yessir." Sulu blinked out.

"Andoria?" said Uhura, straightening her uniform.

"Well, if we're meant to be at Earth secretly, we don't want to be followed from this end, do we?"

Uhura smiled and Spock shot him a glance.

"Captahn," said Prince Themba. Kirk turned to face him. The prince said something and placed a hand over his heart, shifting his grip on his niece, who still clung to him. Uhura gave him a deep nod.

"What did he say?"

"That this is why he hoped it would be the Enterprise that was assigned to this mission. He says our reputation is for helping people, not following the rules. I think he gambled everything on this, captain."

Kirk quirked a grin he didn't feel, then gave the prince a nod of his own. "Lieutenant Uhura, take the prince and princess to the ambassador's cabin and see that they have a security detail with them at all times. Then meet us on the bridge. I think we're going to need you to hide our frequencies from Earth channels."

Uhura made a face – half excitement at the challenge, half nervous – and moved to the Takarians, speaking in quiet Swahili. Kirk and Spock strode out of the briefing room.

"Captain, I question your willingness to trust a stranger over Starfleet regulations," said Spock as they headed for the lift tube.

"You know, your problem, Spock, is that you assume the regulations are there for a reason."

"In some cases I would be willing to debate that point with you, captain, but bringing a foreign leader of dubious legitimacy to Earth in secret is not one of them."

"I was teasing you, Spock. And what would you have me do, throw them back out into space?"

Spock gave him a very Vulcan Look. "Hardly, captain. But ceding to the prince's request to keep our presence a secret – "

"I think he does have good reasons. And I think we'll find them out soon enough."

"But those reasons might not be for the good of Starfleet, captain! Need I repeat the phrase 'foreign leader'?" They stepped into the lift and both said, "Bridge," automatically. It began to whir upwards, rings of blue light sliding along the glass. "The only logical thing to do is to report to Starfleet as soon as we reach Earth. This matter is the jurisdiction of the Federation; it is not something for a single starship to decide. We do not have all the information in the matter – we have barely any."

"Takar is part of the Federation," said Kirk mildly.

"They may not be soon if we act rashly. I repeat, captain – I do not think it advisable to trust Prince Themba's word on this."

The lift doors hissed open onto the noise and activity of the bridge. Kirk turned to face Spock. "What makes you think I trust him?" he said, stepping backwards onto the bridge.