Chapter 12

"This is Captain James Kirk. You will return the shuttlecraft Columbus to the Enterprise immediately, or I will be forced to take action against you. Acknowledge, Columbus."

Jamie shrank in her seat. Her father sounded furious. "Answer him, Clark," she ordered in a tight voice.

Clark snorted. "I don't know why I should. I'm not finished with my tour. Besides, what can he do to us? Take action against us? I'd like to see him try."

"He could fire on us," Jamie said. "Chekov's good enough to pinpoint our engines and poof! We'd be dead in space. Or, he could—"

"Shut up!" Clark pulled the shuttle into a wide, sweeping turn. "Next on our tour, ladies and gentlemen. A starship. I want you to note the warp nacelles and sensor disk especially. They have been designed to—"

"Stow it, Clark." Jack approached him. "Just do what Captain Kirk told us and take us back."

"Please," Jamie begged. "We're in so much trouble."

Clark laughed. "Nobody does anything to a Federation high commissioner's kid."

"That's what you think," Jamie said, blinking back tears. "We just stole a shuttlecraft and put the Enterprise in danger. We're all going to find ourselves in the brig—you just wait and see."

"He has to catch us first. I'll return when I'm good and ready." Clark reached out and made another course adjustment.

Jamie clasped her shaking hands together and waited.

"Can't you do anything, Jamie?" Jack asked her.

"Don't worry, Jack. My dad's really good at this sort of thing. The Columbus won't stay stolen for long."

"Oh, sure," Clark mocked. "You know everything."

A sudden lurch sent the children to the floor. They sat up and looked at their pilot.

"What was that, Clark?" Denn demanded.

Clark tried to adjust his controls. "I don't know. I didn't do anything."

"We're going to crash!" Ronda shrieked.

Indeed, it looked as if the shuttlecraft was heading straight for the massive starship.

Clark, face pale, rounded on Jamie. "What's going on?"

Jamie swallowed. "It's a tractor beam. They're pulling us back."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

The tractor beam set the Columbus onto the hangar deck as gently as a newborn baby. The deck pressurized, and a long line of red-shirted security guards strode in and lined up in front of the hatch, phasers drawn. Kirk had heard a brief, stuttered report from the guard, so he had a pretty good idea who was aboard. He intended to give those troublemakers a lesson they'd never forget.

His stomach churned at the thought of what could have happened. By the grace of God, no one had been caught when the hangar deck depressurized. A few scrapes and bruises, a couple of frightening moments when crewmen scrambled for safety, but all in all, they'd managed to avoid a catastrophe.

If I don't count Scotty's nerves, Kirk amended. The Enterprise's chief engineer was fit to be tied over the damage that had been inflicted on his precious ship.

Inside the Columbus the intercom crackled. "Unlock the door and come out." Kirk paused. "Now."

Clark peered through the viewport and turned pale. "Uh-oh." He backed away from the hatch.

All eyes turned toward Jamie.

"He's your father." Ronda gave her shove that sent her sprawling. "You go first."

"Aw, leave her alone," Jack said. But he didn't move from his seat.

"Go out and explain things," Ronda pleaded.

Explain things? Explain what?Jamie wanted to shriek. That I was so scared of being kicked off the Enterprise that I did whatever Clark told me to?

But they couldn't stay in the shuttlecraft forever. And Jamie knew it would be the ultimate humility if the guards had to drag her out, screaming and kicking.

Be brave! she told herself. Then she took a deep breath and rose to her feet. "All right. I'll go." With her heart in her throat, she pushed the button to open the hatch.

Jack jumped up. "Wait. I'll go with you."

Together they stepped through the hatch, down the steps, and onto the hangar deck. Jamie walked the length of the red-shirted security guards, looked up into her father's furious face, and waited.

"Where are the others?"

Jamie pointed to the shuttle. "They're afraid to come out."

"They should be," Kirk muttered, but Jamie heard him. He nodded to his men. "Go drag the rest of them out."

A few minutes later, the entire group stood in a straight line. Ronda Fortran was sobbing. The two Thomas boys looked pale and uncertain for a change. Clark opened his mouth as if to say something, but the look on Kirk's face silenced him immediately. He stared at the domed ceiling, instead.

Kirk turned to his security chief. "Commander Stoddard, were you not ordered to post guards at all sensitive areas of the ship?"

Mark Stoddard came stiffly to attention. The look on his face revealed his anger at the botched security of his department. "I posted a guard at the hangar deck per your orders, sir. As far as I know, the orders are still in effect." He turned to his men. "Whose watch is this?"

Ensign Matthews stepped forward. "Mine, sir."

"Ensign Matthews." Kirk turned toward the security guard before Stoddard could reply. "You told me a few minutes ago what happened. I didn't have time to learn anything else. Would you now care to explain how these five persons gained access to a restricted area?"

The guard, red-faced, snapped to attention in front of his captain. "I gave them access, sir."

Jamie waited for the ensign to tell the whole story—in front of everybody—about how she'd gotten them all past the guard.

But Matthews said nothing more.

Poor Ensign Matthews! Shaking, Jamie stepped forward and tugged on her father's tunic. "It's m-my fault," she stammered. "I asked Ensign Matthews to let us pass—"

"Get back in line—now."

Jamie swallowed and stepped back in line.

Kirk turned back to the guard.

"I'm sorry, sir," Matthews said.

"You're sorry, sir?" Kirk stared at the man. "You let a nine-year-old talk you into abandoning your post. The Enterprise is almost torn apart at the seams. And . . . you're sorry, sir? You're relieved, Mister Matthews. Report to your quarters to await disciplinary action from your commanding officer. Dismissed!"

Ensign Matthews turned smartly and left the hangar deck.

Jamie cringed at the icy tone in her father's voice. Never had he sounded so angry. And it was all her fault. Her face grew hot with shame.

"I am calling a hearing, for the record, of the activities of the past hour," Kirk said in a tight voice. "Each offender will be brought to the briefing room, where he or she will be questioned and then returned to the holding facilities until 0800 tomorrow. In the morning, after reviewing the facts, I shall make the final judgment of the consequences of their actions.

"Until then, you will be taken to the brig, where you will remain until called for." He motioned to a security guard. "Take them away and lock them up." He glared at Jamie. "All of them."

Then he turned on his heel and stalked out of the hanger deck.