Saratoga Bridge
1:55 PM

The entire bridge crew watched wordlessly as the Captain completed the message.

Thelin finally spoke. "I believe you have some 'trick up your sleeve', as the saying goes, Captain?"

Kirk gave the Andorian an insincere grin. "You believe right. In battle you use what you've got. We have
no weapons so I'll use the ship itself. I'm going to pull the infamous Kirk Maneuver; program the ship's
computer and ram it into the enemy vessel. Sounds like a good plan, no?"

At that moment McCoy made it to the bridge, just in time to hear about the 'Kirk Maneuver.'

"Dammit, Jim! You want to commit suicide or what?!"

"I'm not going to end up like my father, Bones," Kirk answered calmly. "I'll beam out before she hits.
You know me- always the rebel."

He turned to his First Officer. "Thelin, help me re-route these controls. The rest of you, get to the shuttles!
Keep the Saratoga between them and the Klingons. I'll protect you from here as long as possible."

He turned to Akari. "Harutu-san," he said solemnly. "You're my best pilot. You'll be flying the Waverider."

The Waverider was nearly twice as large as the regular shuttles and the only one equipped with warp drive.
In the event of evacuation all civilians and families were to head there, to the most secure remaining part
of the Saratoga and the place best equipped for escape.

"I'm entrusting you with the lives of those on it," Kirk whispered.

Akari nodded solemnly. "I will guard their lives with my own, Jim-san."

"I know, Sensei."


Saratoga Corridors

Minil and Alyen raced down the corridors toward the nearby nursery. Alyen, at least, had the assurance that
his lifemate and children weren't physically hurt, he would have felt it if they had been. But he could sense
his daughter's fear and confusion and concern for both her and the other children filled him.

He saw the same concern on Minil's face. She had taken over as Head Nurse ever since the Belzoni's had
transferred four years ago and she had a strong maternal streak.

Open entering the nursery the first thing he was aware of was the children's frightened cries.

The second thing he was aware of was Ensign Bazi bending over a crib. The young Saurian had transferred
to the Saratoga two years ago as a nurse. She was friendly and eager, but rather unsure of herself and very
intimidated by the CMO. By contrast she greatly respected Alyen and although she technically outranked him,
viewed him as a mentor and always deferred to him. An area where she truly shone was with small children
and she was the one most frequently appointed to tend the ship's nursery, which had been frequently needed
over the last two years.

The third thing he was aware of was Kevin Park. The now sixteen year old had grown up to have a soft spot
for children and regularly dropped by the nursery to help. He and Bazi were now frantically trying to bundle up
the nursery's four occupants.

Alyen made his way over to his daughter. Valonee rarely cried, but tears were streaming from her huge eyes.
As he snatched her up she clung to him and buried her face in his neck.

Kevin meanwhile had picked up two month old Eric who was crying hysterically.

Minil picked up Arn Omo'Ja. The two year old Trollari wasn't crying but her eyes communicated her fear.

Her seven month old sister, Arn Tama'Le, was shrieking even louder than Eric, flailing her blue-green
arms wildly as Bazi picked her up.

"Is anyone still in here?" Petty Officer Karl Logan from Engineering came in, followed by Science Crewman
Ji Hu Baek. They'd been rushing on their way to evacuate but had stopped to check the nursery.

"We're leaving now," Minil said. She turned to those with her. "Let's get to the Waverider!"


Notes
Sensei means 'Teacher' or 'Master'
Martial arts teachers are addressed this way as a sign of respect.