Counselor's Log, stardate 3192.1. Enterprise soon to arrive at star cluster NGC 321. Our mission is to facilitate diplomatic interaction and perhaps trade with the peoples we know to inhabit the cluster. We carry Ambassador Fox to Eminiar Seven, which is the primary inhabited planet within the cluster, who hopes to establish peaceful relations. We have reached out to the planet with intentions of peace on all channels. As of yet, no answer. I keep the Ambassador company while we wait.
Spock examined the readings from Eminiar Seven, looking for anything that could account for a lack of communication, but the whole of the planet seemed to be functioning normally.
"Nothing yet, Lieutenant?" Captain Kirk asked, narrowing her eyes at the image on the screen.
"Nothing, Captain," Lieutenant Sulu confirmed. "Hailing frequencies are open."
As if on cue, the doors to the turbolift opened, and Counselor Buckingham entered, leading Ambassador Fox in her wake. Spock caught her eye and quickly looked away. She was tired, exhausted even, and the Ambassador had taken to pestering her constantly since his coming aboard.
"Have you received an answer to your message yet, Captain?" the Ambassador said importantly.
"Nothing yet, Ambassador. We're awaiting a reply. Today's the first time we've had any evidence they've picked up our signal."
"Captain," Sulu said, "message coming in from Eminiar Seven. Sir, it's code seven-ten."
"Are you sure?" the captain said, whipping her head around.
Vivian sat down at the station beside Spock's, putting in the earpiece and flipping on her station.
"Confirmed, Captain," she said. "They've put it on loop. A very firm seven-ten."
The Ambassador raised his eyebrows and said, "Is that supposed to mean something?"
"Code seven-ten," Kirk explained patiently, "means under no circumstances are we to approach that planet. No circumstances whatsoever."
"You will disregard that signal, Captain."
Spock glanced over at Vivian, who was glancing at him with pursed lips. She knew as well as anyone how absurdly illogical the upper brass could be, but human ambassadors were the worst.
"Mr. Fox," Captain Kirk said measuredly, "it is their planet."
"Captain, in the past twenty years, thousands of lives have been lost in this quadrant. Lives that could have been saved if the Federation had a treaty port here. We mean to have that port and I'm here to get it."
The captain shook her head, sighed, and said, "By disregarding code seven-ten, you might well involve us in an interplanetary war."
"I'm quite prepared to take that risk."
The counselor's hands tightened, but she relaxed them again immediately.
"You are," Kirk said, her tone hard. "I'm thinking of this ship, my crew."
Fox tilted his head back, uninterested in the logic of the Captain's arguments. "I have my orders, Captain," he said, "and now you have yours. You will proceed on course. That's a direct order."
He turned and walked toward the turbolift again, and Vivian clicked her teeth in irritation and gave Spock on last tired, irritated look before hurrying off the bridge after him.
Spock waited until the turbolift doors closed before turning to the Captain and saying, "In view of code seven-ten, Captain, may I suggest—"
"Yes, Mr. Spock," she said. She pressed the comm button on her chair and said, "This is the Captain. Condition Yellow Alert. Phaser crews stand by. Deflector shields up. We're going in. Peacefully, I hope. But peacefully or not, we're going in."
Counselor's Log, stardate 3192.5. We have begun orbit of Eminiar Seven on the orders of Ambassador Fox. Let the record show that I find his disregard for the desires of the natives of Eminiar Seven, and his willingness to sacrifice the lives of others for diplomacy to be to be poor traits for a representative of Starfleet and the Federation. We are preparing a small away team to make first contact, and I'll be pleased to have some time separate from the Ambassador.
"We know very little about them," Spock told the Captain after hours of examining the database on Eminiar Seven. "Their civilization is advanced. They've had space flight for several centuries, but they've never ventured beyond their own solar system. When first contacted more than fifty years ago. Eminiar Seven was at war with its nearest neighbor."
She nodded and said, "Anything else?"
"The Earth expedition making the report failed to return from its mission," Spock continued. "The USS Valiant. Listed as missing in space."
The turbolift doors opened and the Ambassador reentered the bridge, Vivian behind him, with her hair freshly put up.
"Kirk," the Ambassador said sharply, "what's this about you going down alone?"
The Captain glanced at Vivian who shrugged slightly and frowned. "Not alone. I'm taking the Counselor, and some security people with me."
He bristled and replied, "It is my prerogative."
Vivian smoothed her skirt and, in her best patient-ready voice, said, "Ambassador, given circumstances, it is our responsibility to ensure you receive a safe greeting. Our orders make us the party liable for your safety."
The ambassador considered her for a moment, but she seemed to have gained his esteem in their time together, because the man did not argue.
"Transporter room standing by," Spock said when the indicator lit.
"What coordinates?" the Captain asked, brushing off her own skirt.
"We've selected a sight which from the traffic seems to be near an official establishment."
"Final sensor readings?"
"No hostility directed toward us," Spock said, examining sensors once more. "No apparent notice taken of us at all, which seems strange. They did scan us when we assumed orbit. Obviously, they know we're here."
"What's the status of ship's defenses?" Vivian asked, tucking that one, perpetually loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Screens down, but all defensive details on general alert status, Counselor."
"Good," Captain Kirk said, motioning. "Landing party will pick up phaser number ones from the arsenal. Keep them inconspicuous. Mr. Scott."
Mr. Scott turned away from the engineering station.
"Yes, sir."
"The ship is yours. Take care of her until I come back."
He nodded and said, "Aye, aye, sir. And have a bonny trip."
"I certainly hope so," Vivian said, smirking. "Let's go."
Spock, Kirk, and Vivian stopped at the armory, then to the transporter room. Spock confirmed the coordinates, and then they stepped onto the transporter pad with a yeoman and two security guards. On the Captain's order, transport was completed, and the rematerialized on Eminiar Seven.
A woman stood before them, waiting for them, on a clean, quiet planet. She wore black tights and a kind of draped scarf, and she had two guards with her, but they were not pointing weapons. Instead, she was smiling and warm with hospitality. The Captain took a step forward and smiled.
"I'm Jamara T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise," she said, "representing the United Federation of Planets."
"I know," the woman said, smiling sadly. "I'm Mea 3. I congratulate you on your instrumentation. You've come directly to the Division of Control. If you'll follow me, please."
She led them into a corridor, with steady, swift paces.
"Captain," she said, "I wish—"
"Yes?"
"You were warned not to come here," the woman said, sounding almost disappointed. Spock found how her tone and facial expression were at odds with each other to be very curious.
"I had orders to come here," Kirk said. "Why did your people tell us to stay away?"
"It was for your own safety, Captain."
"I see no danger here," Kirk said looking around the clean, peaceful corridor.
"The danger exists," Mea said, obviously a bit distressed. "Nevertheless," she continued, smiling slightly, "you are here. It would be morally incorrect to do less than extend our hospitality. Anan 7 and members of the High Council await you. If you will come this way, please."
She directed them into a council chamber, where five stern-looking men were sitting at a long table facing the door. Spock's eyes grazed all five faces for some clue as to what this danger was, but they were very good at containing whatever was troubling them.
"I'm Captain Kirk," the Captain said, stepping forward to greet the men. She then gestured to each person in turn, continuing introductions. "My First Officer, Mr. Spock, Counselor Buckingham, Lieutenants Galloway, Osborne, Yeoman Tamula."
The man in the center, clearly Anan 7, said, "Welcome to Eminiar Seven." His eyes grazed each person, lingering with some intrigue on the faces of the women in the party, before he said, "Well, what can we do for you?"
Vivian stepped forward, smiling. Spock noticed how she had a particular expression she used with diplomats and dignitaries, one that was confident and yet somehow one of deference. It suited her face well.
"Thank you, sir," she said. "We have been sent on behalf of the United Federation of Planets in order to establish diplomatic relations with your world, your people."
"That is impossible," the man replied quite simply.
To her credit, Vivian did not show great astonishment at this pronouncement, and left the incredulity to the Captain, who said, "Would you mind telling us why?"
"Because of the war."
Spock, Vivian, and Kirk exchanged glances.
"You're still at war?" Captain Kirk asked.
"We have been at war for five hundred years."
"You conceal it very well," Kirk said. "Mr. Spock."
Stepping forward, Spock addressed the leader of the council: "Sir, we have completely scanned your planet. We find it highly advanced, prosperous in a material sense, comfortable for your people, and peaceful in the extreme. Yet you say you are at war. There is no evidence of this."
Anan blinked at him, unimpressed, and said, "Casualties among our civilian population total from one to three million dead each year from direct enemy attack. That is one reason, Captain, why we told you to stay away. As long as your ship is orbiting our planet, it is in severe danger."
"With whom are you at war?" Spock demanded.
"The third planet in our system, called Vendikar. Originally settled by our people and now a ruthless enemy. Highly advanced technologically." An alarm sounded, and Vivian's whole body tensed, but apart from the alarm, nothing seemed to be happening. Anan stood and said, "Please excuse me. Vendikar is attacking. Mea, care for our guests."
The council members rapidly adjourned to an adjacent room, where a large computer was housed. A map was visible on a monitor.
"Well, that's…odd," Vivian said softly, eyes following the council.
"To say the least," the Captain agreed.
"It will not last long," Mea said, although she sounded nervous.
"Don't you take shelter?" Captain Kirk asked.
"There is no shelter, Captain."
"Are these attacks frequent?" Spock asked. Something was wrong here, and he wanted to figure out what it was.
"Oh, yes," Mea said, "and we will retaliate immediately." Her eyes widened as an area flared up on the map in question. "Oh!"
Kirk turned to look at the map.
"What is it?" she asked.
"A hit right here in the city."
Spock and Kirk exchanged a glance. He could see that his captain was startled and confused.
"Do you hear any explosions, Mr. Spock?"
"None, Captain." Spock turned to the other crewmen. "Yeoman Tamula."
"Sir?" the young, dark woman said.
"Tricorder readings. Radiation. Disturbances of any kind."
The girl took out her tricorder and began scanning, running the full spectrum.
"Working, sir," she said, shifting on her feet. "No evidence."
Vivian frowned, turning to their escort.
"Mea," she said, "what weapons does Vendikar use?"
"Fusion bombs, materialized by the enemy over their targets."
Vivian's face betrayed momentary confusion, but the Captain opened a channel to the ship with her communicator and said, "Kirk to Bridge. Scotty?"
"Scott here, Captain."
"Scanners operative on planet's surface?"
"Of course, sir. As per orders."
Vivian leaned in and said, "Have they picked up any changes or anomalies?"
"Nothing, Counselor," Scott said. "All quiet."
"Thank you," Captain Kirk said, glancing around, frowning. "Kirk out."
She closed her communicator as Anan rejoined them from the side chamber.
"It's a vicious attack," Anan said sadly, "extremely destructive. Fortunately, our defenses are firming, but our casualties are high. Very high."
Kirk drew herself up and said, "Sir, I have been in contact with my ship, which has had this entire planet under surveillance. All during this so-called attack of yours, we have been monitoring you. There's been no attack, no explosions, no radiation, no disturbances whatsoever. If this is some sort of game you're playing—"
"This is no game, Captain," Anan said, frowning. "Half a million people have just been killed. Activate the attack unites, Sar," he added to a nearby councilman.
"Yes, Councilman," a man replied, who must be Sar.
"Launch immediate counterattack."
The man turned back to the computer, and Spock realized what they Eminiar people meant.
"Computers, Captain," he explained. "They fight their war with computers. Totally."
"Yes, of course," Anan said.
"Computers don't kill half a million people," the Captain reasoned.
"Deaths have been registered," Anan explained. "Of course, they have twenty-four hours to report."
The Counselor looked as though she'd swallowed something a bit too large for her throat. She blinked at Anan and said, "I'm sorry. Report?"
"To our disintegration machines." At these words, the Counselor's eyes grew very wide, and Spock noticed, not for the first time, how strangely soft of a brown they looked to be. Anan continued, "You must understand, Counselor, we have been at war for five hundred years. Under ordinary conditions, no civilization could withstand that. But we have reached a solution."
"Then the attack by Vendikar was theoretical," Spock said.
"Oh, no, quite real," Anan explained. "An attack is mathematically launched. I lost my wife in the last attack. Our civilization lives. The people die, but our culture goes on."
Vivian looked as though she wasn't sure of what she was hearing, and she didn't seem to be the only one. The Captain said, "You mean to tell me your people just walk into a disintegration machine when they're told to?"
As though it were obvious, Anan replied, "We have a high consciousness of duty, Captain."
"There is a certain scientific logic about it," Spock said.
"I'm glad you approve."
Spock turned to Anan and said, "I do not approve. I understand."
"Good," Anan replied, still seeming to miss the point. "Then you will recall I warned you not to come here. You chose to ignore my warning. I'm sorry, but it's happened."
The Captain's eyes narrowed.
"What's happened?" she asked.
Anan seemed a little nervous as he said, "Once your ship was in orbit about our planet, it became a legitimate target. It has been classified destroyed by a tricobalt satellite explosion. All persons aboard your ship have twenty-four hours to report to our disintegration machines. In order to ensure their cooperation, I have ordered you, Captain, and your party held in custody until they surrender. If possible, we shall spare your ship, Captain, but its passengers and crew are already dead."
Tactical Officer's Log, delayed. The Enterprise has been declared forfeit as a casualty of war by the Council of Eminiar Seven. It is still in orbit, but this computer-fought war matters a great deal to the leaders of Eminiar Seven. Landing party on surface is apparently not a casualty, but we are held on the surface now, although what they are waiting for I can only wildly guess.
Vivian watched the Captain pace and she tried to think of what she would say if the Captain got them an audience with the Council. It was clear that there was no real desire for peace because the war had become sanitized, but how to make the people see that was unclear.
Mea, the woman who had greeted them, appeared at the door with guards.
"I have been sent to ask if you require anything," she said.
The Captain stopped pacing and said, "We require a great deal. I wish to speak to Anan 7."
"He's busy coordinating casualty lists."
"He'll have more casualty lists than he knows what to do with if he doesn't get in here and talk to me."
Mea, puzzled and despairing said, "Don't you understand? Our duty—"
"Your duty doesn't include stepping into a disintegrator and disappearing," the Captain insisted.
Mea's eyes downcast, she said, "I'm afraid mine does, Captain. I too have been declared a casualty. I must report to a disintegrator by noon tomorrow."
"Is that all it means to you?" Kirk asked. "To report and die?"
"My life is as dear to me as yours is to you, Captain."
"Then how can you stand—"
"Don't you see?" Meg said urgently. "If I refuse to report, and others refuse, then Vendikar would have no choice but to launch real weapons. We would have to do the same to defend ourselves. More than people would die then. A whole civilization would be destroyed. Surely you can see that ours is a better way."
Vivian shook her head, looking at the woman, feeling bewilderment and a stab of pity at how calmly Mea accepted her fate.
"I see that it's cleaner," she said, "but that isn't better in my book."
"It's been our way for almost five hundred years." Mea turned back to the Captain wearily. "Is there anything I can bring you?"
"Yes," the Captain said, agitated. "Anan 7."
/-/
Vivian sat forward as Spock stood at the wall between them and freedom.
"Are you sure you can do it, Mr. Spock?" the Captain asked.
"Limited telepathic abilities are inherent in Vulcans, Captain," Spock said simply. "It may work. It may not."
"Do your best," the Captain said, nodding him forward.
Spock pressed his hands to the wall and worked his way along it, seemingly searching for something with his fingers. It was not the first time Vivian wondered about Vulcan's fingers and whether they perhaps had some special nerve structure. He seemed to be doing a kind of mind meld with the wall. To her shock, the guard slowly opened the door and entered. As discussed, Vivian grabbed the guard's weapon and knocked him out with it before the spell could be broken.
"Thank you, Mr. Spock," Captain Kirk said as Vivian smoothed her skirt.
"My pleasure, Captain."
Yeoman Tamula said, "What do we do now, Captain?"
Vivian examined the weapon she was holding and said, "We need to find our communicators." Particle weapon, basic. "Spock, do you think we can get some more of these weapons?"
He nodded and said, "I understand."
"We'll try to take it easy," the Captain said to the group, "but if we're forced to kill…"
Then she nodded to Vivian, who led the way as the holder of the weapon. They went out into a corridor, down the hall, and at a junction, Spock held her back. They gathered to see a woman, then a guard, go into a booth.
"An entrance, Captain," Spock said softly, "but no exit. They go in, but they do not come out."
"A disintegration machine," Kirk said, little more than a breath.
"So I would assume."
They continued the approach, carefully, and Vivian jumped at the sight of someone familiar.
"Mea!" she said. "What are you doing here?"
The woman, puzzled, gestured to the chamber and said, "I'm going—"
"You're not going in there," Kirk said firmly.
"But I must."
"No, you're not."
"Please. Alright, don't worry about me."
Not listening to her, the Captain said, "Mr. Spock, that guard. Counselor, cover him."
Spock casually approached a guard at the front of the queue, and Vivian her weapon ready.
"Sir," Spock said calmly, "there's a multi-legged creature crawling on your shoulder." As the man turned to look, Spock neck-pinched him, and Vivian tried not to laugh as he grabbed the weapon out of the unconscious man's hand. He and Vivian turned their weapons onto the third guard.
Seeing that it was hopeless, the man surrendered his weapon, which Spock passed to the Captain.
"Everyone," Vivian said firmly, "move away from the machine."
As soon as she felt they were sufficiently clear, she fired on the booth, watching it begin to shudder, but not sufficiently to know it would cease to work.
"What are you doing?" Mea asked, horrified.
"Throwing a monkey wrench into the machinery," Kirk said, satisfied, as she used her own weapon to fire on the machine.
"You can't do this," Mea said.
"I've done it." The machine blew up, sparks flying around twisted and melted metal. "Come on, let's get out of here."
Ship's Log, stardate 3193.0. Chief Engineer Scott recording. The Captain, First Officer, and Counselor are overdue and missing on the surface of Eminiar Seven. I have taken standard precautionary measures while we continue our attempts to locate them.
Vivian licked her lips, motioning in the Yeoman and Mea.
Yeoman Tamula said, "Why did we come back here, Captain?"
"The last place they'll look for us is the place we escaped from," the Captain said, handing the Yeoman her gun. "Cover the door."
Tamula nodded and turned to do as ordered.
"Captain, you've got to let me go," Mea said firmly. "My time is almost up."
"Are you that anxious to die?" the Captain asked, frowning.
"You don't understand."
Before she could try to persuade them of the necessity of her death, Spock came in with the security officers.
"You successful was the raid, Spock?" Vivian asked.
He said, "We captured four of their disrupter-type weapons, three complete outfits of male clothing, and perhaps most important of all, one of their communication devices."
She nodded as he held it up.
"Will it reach the ship?" the Captain asked.
"Not at this time. Its range is limited in comparison with ours. I may be able to alter its components, but it will take time."
"Work on it," Kirk said. "We've got to contact the ship. Vivian, figure out what you can make of the clothes. Mea, I want you to give me a complete layout of the building. How do I get to the war room?"
"No!" Mea said, horrified.
But the Captain shook her head and was insistent. She said, "Now, listen to me. I'm trying to help you. To save your life and the lives of millions like you. If you help me, maybe I can do it. If you don't, you'll die, we'll die, and the killing will go on. Or are you that fond of war?"
Mea paused for a moment, frowning, and Vivian recognized in her eyes the look of someone struggling within herself. Mea knew that the war was wrong somehow.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"We're going to help you," Vivian said, in her patient voice. She was careful to set down her weapon and pick up the clothes to seem as nonthreatening as possible. "We're going to end this war. Do you believe us?"
Mea looked between them, and she said, "I believe you, but—"
The Captain moved closer and said, "Tell me what I want to know. Please."
/-/
With the information given to them by Mea, it wasn't hard for Vivian and Jamie to find Anan 7, but as Spock had suggested, Anan wasn't not surprised by their entrance. Even with his back turned, he said, "Won't you join me for a drink, ladies? You'll find our trova most interesting."
Vivian and the captain exchanged glances.
"We didn't come to drink," Captain Kirk said.
Anan turned and looked at the disrupters they were holding.
"I assume that is what you used to destroy disintegration chamber number twelve," he said.
The Captain nodded and said, "A very efficient weapon. I'm not afraid of using it."
"My first impression was correct. You are a barbarian."
"Am I?"
"Don't sound so incredulous, Captain. Of course you are. We all are. A killer first, a builder second. A hunter, a warrior, and let's be honest, a murderer. That's our joint heritage, is it not?"
Vivian shrugged, and the Captain said, "We're less cold-blooded about it than you are."
Anan did not deny this suggestion, but merely said, "What do you want, Captain?"
As business was being discussed, Vivian raised her own weapon and said, "We want our communicators. We want to contact the Enterprise."
"They're in a safe place."
"You take a lot of chances, Councilman," the Captain said.
Anan licked his lips and smiled. He said, "You're worried about your ship, Captain. I'm trying to save a world."
"If I were you, I'd think about saving my life."
"Won't you have a drink, Captain?"
The Captain frowned and poured herself a glass of trova, and Vivian poured a half glass to be polite. Not that she felt especially polite in this moment.
"And then we can discuss our differences," the Councilman said, sitting down.
Jamie shook her head and said, "I'm not interested in discussing our differences. You don't seem to realize the risk you're taking. We don't make war with computers and herd the casualties into suicide stations. We make the real thing, Councilman. I could destroy this planet."
"Why do you think I don't let you talk to your ship?"
"I don't need the ship for that," she said with a smile.
"You mean, all by yourselves, with a couple of disrupters, you can destroy this planet?" Anan said, narrowing his eyes at them.
"That's exactly what I mean."
"I had no idea you were so formidable," Anan said with a small smile.
Vivian, not wanting to lose the tension of the situation, trained her disrupter on the Councilman and leaned forward.
"You seem to think this is all some joke, Councilman," she said sternly. "I assure you, it's not. The communicators?"
His eyes were trained on her disrupter, but she knew his mind was not so preoccupied.
"If I told you, ladies," he said, "would you walk right out and get them?"
"Something like that," the Captain said.
That answered one of their unspoken questions. He had guards waiting outside.
"Very well, Captain. They're in the War Room. Go left down the corridor, left again. They are unguarded."
The direction matched those Mea had given to the War Room, and they were unguarded because Anan was guarded. Why guard what you believe will never be reached? The question was, how many guards?
The Captain motioned for Anan 7 to lead the way, and he hesitated to move, furthering Vivian's belief that guards were waiting on orders to attack whoever left the room. Kirk pushed Anan forward, and into the first guard in the corridor. She tackled the second guard, and Vivian rushed out, intent on tackling the second guard while he was still surprised at having Anan pushed at him, but he was too strong for her. The struggle wasn't a long one, but Vivian and Jamie got in several good blows. Vivian saw her Captain crumple to the ground before the blow to her own head, and then everything went dark.
/-/
Spock was sitting with the communication device he had taken from a guard and turned it over. He believed he'd done enough to reach the ship, but there was no way to tell until he tried.
He flipped it on.
"Spock to Enterprise."
Thankfully, Mr. Scott's voice answered, "Scotty here, Mr. Spock. Go ahead."
"Is the ship alright?"
"We've been through a bit, but we're alright now. How about you?"
The Eminiar Council had fired, then.
"The Captain and the Counselor are overdue," Spock said, standing. "We've suffered no casualties among us. This is important. Under no circumstances shall anyone beam down from the Enterprise. They'd be killed the moment they arrived."
With some consternation in his voice, Mr. Scott answered, "That ties it. That popinjay Fox went down a couple minutes ago."
"The Ambassador?"
"I knew it had a rotten ring to it."
"Orbit out to maximum phaser range and stand by for further orders. Spock out."
He closed the line, trying to think of where the Ambassador would be if he used the same beamdown point as the first party.
"What are you going to do, Mr. Spock?" Yeoman Tamula asked nervously.
He looked at her and said, "Find the Captain, the Counselor, and the Ambassador. Yeoman Tamula, you stay here and prevent this young lady from immolating herself," he said, gesturing to Mea. "Knock her down if necessary. This is a killing situation. Do what you must to protect yourself. Clear?"
"Yes, sir," the Yeoman said.
Spock then gestured for the security guards to follow him. He led them out, down a corridor, toward where Spock was pleased to find the most logical point for taking the Ambassador to a disintegration device. As he had hoped, the Ambassador was still alive, and a guard was attempting to force him into the machine.
"What are you doing?" Ambassador Fox was saying, horrified. "I'm a representative of the United Federation of planets! A special representative!"
"Get in line," the guard said, unmoved.
Using the element of surprise, Spock and the security guards managed to disarm and disable the Eminians with no injuries.
"Spock!" the Ambassador said, with a great deal of relief in his voice.
"Please, Mr. Fox," Spock said, gesturing for him to step aside. "Ladies and gentlemen, please move away from the chamber or you may be injured."
"What are you doing, Mr. Spock?"
"Practicing a peculiar variety of diplomacy, sir." He then turned up the disruptor given the earlier attempts of the Counselor and the Captain. With a few key shots, he managed to destroy the booth. He turned back to the counselor and said, "I'll take you to a place of comparative safety. Then I must find the Captain and Counselor Buckingham."
"They have them," Mr. Fox said urgently. "The guards told us. They're in the Council Room under heavy guard."
Spock nodded and said, "By now, Ambassador, I'm sure you realize that normal diplomatic procedures are ineffective here."
Fox picked up the weapon of one of the disarmed guards and said, "I've never been a soldier, Mr. Spock, but I learn very quickly."
"Very well, sir. We need all the help we can get."
/-/
Vivian tapped her foot to give off an appearance of anxiety, but mostly she just felt annoyed. She wanted them to call the ship, as she and the Captain had discussed, but as of yet they had not.
"Captain," Anan 7 was prattling on, "surely you see the position we are in. If your people do not report to our disintegration chambers, it is a violation of an agreement that dates back five hundred years."
With an undignified snort, Vivian turned to him and said, "You can't hold strangers responsible for your agreements."
A hard expression, Anan said, "You will be responsible for an escalation that will destroy everything. Millions of people horribly killed. Complete destruction of our culture here and yes, the culture on Vendikar. Disaster, disease, starvation, horrible lingering death, pain and anguish!"
Vivian, smiling, jumped to her feet and crossed to him, almost laughing at the shudder that ran across his face at her smile.
"And you're afraid," she said softly.
"It would frighten any sane man."
"Yes," she said softly. "Of course it would."
He shook his head, bewildered, and said, "Don't you understand, Counselor? We have done away with all that. Now you are threatening to bring it down on us again. Are those four hundred people of yours more important than the hundreds of millions of innocent people on Eminiar and Vendikar? What kind of monsters are you?"
The Captain looked up and said, "We're barbarians. You said it yourself."
"I had hoped I'd spoken only figuratively."
With a small smile of her own, the Captain said, "Oh, no. You were quite accurate. I plan to prove it to you."
Finally, Anan turned to another Councilman and said, "Open a channel to the Enterprise. You give me no choice, Captain. We are not bandits, but you force us to act as bandits."
Soon enough, Scotty's voice said, "This is the USS Enterprise."
"Scotty," the Captain said quickly, "General Order Twenty-Four. Two hours! Two hours!"
Anan's eyes narrowed, but he said, "Enterprise, this is Anan 7, First Councilman of the High Council of Eminiar. We hold your Captain, his party, your Ambassador, and his party prisoners. Unless you immediately start transportation of all personnel aboard your ship to the surface, the hostages will be killed. You have thirty minutes."
The communication was terminated, and Vivian smiled and said, "Of course you will, but we'll simply die a little before you. General Order Twenty-Four means that in two hours, the Enterprise will completely destroy Eminiar."
Anan's eyes grew wide and he cried, "Planetary Defense System, open fire on the Enterprise!"
The voice of whoever was manning that system replied, "I'm sorry, Councilman. The target has moved out of range."
Anan shook visibly as he turned to them.
"You wouldn't do this. Hundreds of millions of people."
The Captain sat a bit straighter and said, "I didn't start it, Councilman, but I'm liable to finish it."
Sar entered and said, "Councilman, I received a message from Vendikar. Our time is nearly up. Our quota is short by several thousand. They accuse us of reneging on the treaty."
"You see?" Anan said urgently. "It's started."
"You're wrong," Jamie said. "It hasn't begun."
The same voice that had responded about destroying Enterprise came through an intercom and said, "Councilman, Disintegrator station eleven has been destroyed. Guard positions in tunnels eight and ten fail to answer. Earth party reported seen in corridor 4A."
Anan looked flabbergasted as Captain Kirk said, "You have less than two hours, Councilman."
"What I want or don't want has nothing to do with it," Anan 7 said, almost hysterically. "Escalation is automatic. You can stop it!"
"Stop it? I'm counting on it."
Scotty's voice was then heard.
"This is the commander of the USS Enterprise. All cities and installations on Eminiar Seven have been located, identified, and fed into our fire-control system. In one hour and forty-five minutes the entire inhabited surface of your planet will be destroyed. You have that long to surrender your hostages."
"What can I do?" Anan said, staring at an invisible something in front of him. "Somebody please tell me."
Vivian motioned for one of the guards, and as he approached, she lunged out, knocked him off-balance, and managed to wrench the weapon from his hand. She brandished it to hold off the other guards.
"Back away!" she cried, and several guards and Councilmen hesitated. "There," she motioned, "move over there." They began to comply. "That's it. Move away."
They moved to the wall, and the Captain retrieved a weapon from one of the guards and moved to stand at the council table.
"Now we'll talk," she said with a smile.
Before any more could be discussed, however, Spock came in with two security guards and Ambassador Fox of all people.
Spock looked at them, and his eyebrows shot up.
"I had assumed you needed help. I see I'm in error."
Vivian smiled and said, "No, Spock, your timing is perfection. You're needed in here."
She led him into the War Room, where the computers were kept.
"Kirk to Enterprise. Come in, Scotty."
"Aye, Captain, are you alright?"
"Everything's secure here. Maintain position. If everything goes according to plan, you can beam us out in ten minutes. If you don't hear from us, carry out General Order Twenty-Four on schedule."
"Aye, aye, Captain. Is there anything else we can do?"
"Cross your fingers. Kirk out." The Captain looked at the nervous Eminians. "Death, destruction, disease, horror. That's what war is all about, Anan. That's what makes it a thing to be avoided. You've made it neat and painless. So neat and painless, you've had no reason to stop it. And you've had it for five hundred years. Since it seems to be the only way I can save my crew and ship, I'm going to end it for you, one way or another. Mr. Ambassador."
Vivian received assurance from Spock that he understood the computers well enough before she rejoined the others.
"Yes, Captain," Ambassador Fox said.
"Please take these people to the corridor and see they stay there," Vivian said, gesturing to the guards.
Fox nodded and held up his weapon.
"Gentlemen," he said, "if you please."
They did as ordered, and Kirk turned her attention to the Councilmen. To Sar she said, "You. Come with us. Mr. Osborne," she added to the Ambassador's aide. Vivian followed them into the War Room, where Spock was still familiarizing himself with the equipment. "Our communicators, weapons," Jamie said to Sar, who opened the cupboard. Osborne retrieved the equipment. "Alright, Mr. Spock, Counselor."
Spock gestured and said, "These are the attack computers, Captain. That one's defense, that one computes the casualties. They're all tied in with a subspace transmission unit, which keeps them in constant contact with their Vendikan counterparts."
"Yes, go on."
Vivian glanced at the equipment, which she had gotten a look at while Spock was acquainting herself.
"It would seem that should contact be broken," she said, "the agreement made with the two planets is also broken."
"What are you going to do?" Sar said anxiously.
"This one's the key," Spock said, pointing to the computer for the casualties. "The circuit is now locked. Destroy this one, and they'll all go."
"Good," Kirk said, and she nodded at Sar. "Get him out of here."
"Now wait a minute," Sar said. "Please, please!"
Kirk took her phaser from Osborne and destroyed the computer.
"Let's go," she said, leading them into the corridor, the crew all ushering the Eminians into the corridor to avoid the blast. "Against the wall!" she cried." They took cover as a series of explosions sounded.
"You realized what you have done?" Anan 7 said when the explosions died down.
"Yes, I do," Jamie said, standing and brushing herself off. "I've given you back the horrors of war. The Vendikans now assume that you've broken your agreement and that you're preparing to wage real war with real weapons. They'll want to do the same. Only the next attack they launch will do a lot more than count up numbers in a computer. They'll destroy cities, devastate your planet. You of course will want to retaliate. If I were you, I'd start making bombs. Yes, Councilman, you have a real war on your hands. You can either wage it with real weapons, or you might consider an alternative. Put an end to it. Make peace."
Anan looked close to tears as he said, "There can be no peace. Don't you see? We've admitted it to ourselves. We're a killer species. It's instinctive. It's the same with you. Your General Order Twenty-Four."
"You're right," Vivian said, stepping forward, once again using her gentle voice. "We are killers by instinct. But instincts don't have to rule us! We also have an instinct to stay alive, to struggle for life, and your computer wars denied that instinct. The only way we can improve on our base flaws is to look them in the eye, to be afraid of ourselves, and to make steps toward change." She gestured to Anan, who still looked about to cry, and she said, "You're afraid of what will happen next. That's good. If you reach out to the Vendikans, I think you'll find they feel the same, and with that understanding, that shared fear, you can build a better instinct. You can build peace. It all depends on what you do next."
Ambassador Fox stepped forward, cleared his throat, and said, "As a third party interested only in peace and the establishment of normal relations, I shall be glad to offer my services as a negotiator between you and Vendikar. I've had some small experiences in such matters."
Vivian tried not to laugh at the false humility of the Ambassador and merely tried to be grateful that he seemed to understand his role now.
"There may be a chance," Anan said softly. "We have a direct channel with Vendikar's High Council. It hasn't been used in centuries."
"Then it's long overdue. Shall we go?"
Fox and Anan left without a glance backward at the rest of them, and Vivian breathed a small sigh of relief.
"There's a chance it may work, Captain," Spock said, and Jamie shook her head, smiling, opening a channel on her communicator.
"Kirk to Enterprise. Scotty?"
"Scott here, Captain."
"Cancel implementation of General Order Twenty-Four. Alert transporter room. We're ready to beam up."
/-/
Spock settled back into his chair on the Bridge, checking his monitors and sensors to see that they were all still well-calibrated in his absence. He was satisfied with their condition as the Captain took her chair.
"Lay in a course for Argona Two, Navigator. Mr. Scott."
"Space details set, Captain," Scott said, lingering beside the Captain's chair as Vivian took her seat beside Spock.
"Message from Eminiar Seven, Captain," Mr. Sulu said. "Ambassador Fox reports negotiations underway with Vendikar. Outlook hopeful."
"Excellent!" Vivian said brightly, putting in her earpiece.
"Captain," Spock said, finally unloading an issue that had struck him, "you took a big chance."
"Did I, Mr. Spock?" she asked, amused. "They've been killing three million people a year. It had been going on for five hundred years. An actual attack wouldn't have killed any more people than their computer attacks, but it would have ended their ability to make war. The fighting would have been over permanently."
"But you didn't know that it would work," Bones said, standing on the other side of the Captain's chair.
"True," Vivian said, flipping through the channels experimentally, glancing up at them. "But we both agreed to the calculated risk. Considering what we knew about the clean and orderly Eminians, odds were good. After all, war is a messy, terrible thing." She smiled. "I had a feeling they would have done virtually anything at all to avoid actual weaponry."
"A feeling is not much to go on," Spock said.
"Sometimes a feeling, Mr. Spock," the Captain said, "is all we humans have to go on."
"You almost make me believe in luck," Spock said, and as soon as he said it, for reasons he could not explain to himself, he glanced at Vivian, who had already turned back to her panel, the smooth, pale side of her neck facing him.
"Why, Mr. Spock," the Captain said, grinning and clearly amused, immediately pulling Spock's attention from the Counselor's skin, "you almost make me believe in miracles."
A/N: Review Prompt: Obviously, we know how we're meant to feel about this, but what do you think you would have actually done in Kirk's place? The previous Captain to encounter this civilization obviously made a different choice.
-C