- 10 -
To the credit of the crew of the USS Endurance, the appearance on their viewscreen of the Empire fleet and its six doomsday machines did not cause panic on the bridge. It did, however cause some concern.
"Should we raise shields and go to battle stations?" asked Reyna Skullcrusher.
"Negative," said Grace Coleman.
"Captain?"
"As you were, Ms Crusher."
"The lead ship is hailing us, captain," said Zoe Nyonga.
"Onscreen, Ms Nyonga."
An image of the Empire ship's bridge appeared on the viewscreen. Sitting in a throne behind the captain's chair was a man Grace recognised from her studies at Starfleet Academy. Beside him standing next to that throne was a small girl.
"Hello, Federation ship. This is the ISS Leviathan, flagship of the imperial fleet, and I am Emperor Khan Noonien Singh."
"I am Captain Grace Coleman of the USS Endurance, and we know who you are. Starfleet had a couple of run-ins with your counterpart over here, which he lost. The last resulted in his death."
"Careful, woman," said Khan, menacingly, "It isn't wise to try and provoke me. If you and your crew hope to survive you will now kneel before Khan, just as your entire United Federation of Planets soon will."
"That will not be happening," said Grace. "I'm afraid you appear to be labouring under a misapprehension. Starfleet didn't send me here to bend a knee. They sent me here to accept your surrender."
A low murmur went around the bridge. They trusted their captain, but this was suicidal.
"Are you mad, woman? You're facing a vastly superior force and you haven't even raised your shields or gone to battle stations."
This wasn't an assessment Grace's crew could argue with.
"I don't need to," replied, Grace, "and I'm still awaiting your surrender."
Khan looked as if he was about to explode.
"Helmsman, open fire on that ship," he snarled, "phasers at full power!"
Khan leaned forward in his throne, clearly anticipating their destruction.
Nothing happened.
"I gave you an order!" he shouted. "Destroy that ship!"
"I..I'm trying, my lord," came the reply, "but weapons systems aren't responding. None of our systems are except life support and communications. The Leviathan is dead in the water!"
Khan hit the comms button in his throne's armrest.
"All other ships," he yelled, "obey your Emperor and fire on that enemy vessel!"
Again, nothing happened.
"All ships are reporting complete failure of their systems," said the ship's captain, sounding fearful, "and none of the doomsday machines are responding to commands."
That was when Leviathan killed the link and the image on the viewscreen reverted to showing the space in front of Endurance, with the Empire ships arrayed before them.
"What just happened?" said Kevin Okuda, speaking for the rest of the bridge crew. "How did you do that?"
"If and when I'm allowed to tell you more I will," said Grace. "Suffice it to say that when I took the call in my ready room ordering us to Charon, I was also informed of the Empire threat and how I should respond to it."
"You knew they were coming?" said Michael Shaw, in his clipped English accent. "That's not possible!"
"Starfleet Intelligence knew. My orders came directly from them."
"Since when do we take orders from Starfleet Intelligence? asked Reyna.
"Since Headquarters directed us to. This one is Starfleet Intelligence's play, and I trust the man in charge of the operation implicitly. You would too if you knew who that was."
Michael Shaw suddenly leapt to his feet and turned to face Grace, phaser in hand. Before he could fire it he was felled by a phaser stun blast from Zoe Nyonga.
"I was waiting for him to try something like that," she said.
"Were you indeed?" said Grace. "I think when this is all over you and I are going to have to have a long conversation Ms Nyonga, not least about what you and he were doing on my bridge armed with phasers."
By the time security officers had come and taken her navigator away Grace was ready to contact the Leviathan again.
"Reestablish contact, Ms Nyonga. It's time to put this to bed."
The viewscreen sprang back to life. Once again it showed Khan on his bridge. If anything, he looked even more concerned.
"You've had long enough to consider your position, 'your majesty'," said Grace. "Now I need to dispose of those nasty doomsday machines of yours."
When Grace destroyed the doomsday machines merely by snapping her fingers, the bridge crew stared at their captain in awe, and not a little fear. They knew there were no weapons on board Endurance capable of the feats they had just witnessed, so it appeared Grace had somehow acquired powers far beyond those of ordinary mortals.
"I'm ready to accept your surrender now, Emperor," said Grace.
"Before that can happen we have to determine if I am to remain Emperor," said Khan. "After such a defeat I have to offer the challenge. It is our way."
The faces of his starship captains appeared on the viewscreen.
"Well?" he said to them. "Does anyone choose to challenge me?"
There was a sudden bright light, and somebody materialised on the bridge.
"I do," said the newcomer.
"You?!" said Khan. "How can it be you? Your ship is supposed to be out beyond Vulcan."
"As indeed it is," said mirror-Spock. "But one of your other captains suspected this incursion would not go well. He smuggled me aboard his ship so that I could challenge you if and when the time came."
Spock was already stripped to the waist, the grey of his chest hairs mirroring the grey in his hair and beard.
"Very well," said Khan, rising from his throne and tearing off his own shirt, "challenge accepted."
The Leviathan had a large open area between the helm and the viewscreen and it was here that the two circled each other, while the assembled captains looked down on them from that viewscreen.
Khan made the first move, leaping at Spock with terrifying speed. Fast as he was Spock was faster. He threw Khan aside with almost contemptuous ease. As Khan got to his feet the concern on his face was plain for all to see. With that one move Spock had demonstrated he was the stronger and faster of the two. Khan feinted, drawing Spock in, then lashed out, his hand flat, slashing it across Spock's chest as if it was a blade. And just as a blade would it drew blood, a thin red line appearing. Khan grinned triumphantly, as if this move had given him the edge in their combat. He was quickly disabused of that notion. When they engaged again Spock was as strong and fast as before. Panic appeared in Khan's eyes, but it was too late. Spock got him in a headlock then wrenched his head around with great force, snapping his neck.
As Spock stood over Khan's body so the shouts of the other captains started to ring out:
"Hail Spock! Hail Spock! Hail Spock! Hail Spock! Hail Spock!"
He was now their Emperor. He turned to the viewscreen and addressed Grace.
"I am ready to negotiate the terms of our surrender," he said. "Myself and one other will transport aboard your ship."
"Acknowledged," said Grace, breaking contact.
"A pity," said Reyna, arms folded across her chest. "I had hoped for battle so that I could send many of the enemy to meet their ancestors."
"Perhaps next time, Reyna," chuckled Grace. "Zoe, contact Starfleet and tell them we're ready to have them send the USS Vladivostok and the USS Montreal to babysit the Empire fleet while we're gone. They've been on standby, waiting to hear from us."
"Aye aye, captain."
That just left one more thing to do.
"Mr Okuda, as soon as our guests are on board set a course for Camus II."