"Personal log, stardate 9201.8, Lt. Commander Ahida Uhura, boy that sounds good. One of the youngest Lt. Commanders in the fleet. But tonight, my first night sitting in the big chair. I'm a little nervous, but Captain Sulu is confident I won't wreck the ship. After all we are cruising through well charted space."
"Commander Albright," Ahida said as she stepped out of the turbolift,followed by her night crew, "night shift reporting for duty. Status?"
Excelsior First Officer Chris Albright stood up from the command chair. "Nothing much to report. Maintaining warp two. Still on schedule to relieve USS Potemken of Neutral Zone patrol in three days."
"You are relieved."
"I'm relieved. Have a seat." Chris motioned towards the command chair. As Ahida sat down, there was a loud, Fffft as she sat on a whoopie cushion. Several of the crew giggled.
Ahida looked dubiously at Chris. "I should have known you'd do something like this."
"Pay back. For all those times a certain young red shirt on Enterprise, had to track down a certain pointy eared toddler."
Ahida pulled the cushion out from under her and threw it at Chris. "Mister, get off my bridge."
"Yes ma'am." Chris smiled and headed for the lift.
The next hour was uneventful. Ahida turned slowly surveying the bridge and noticed that the comm officer was intensely working on something. She walked over to the station.
"Ensign Su, anything to report?"
"Yes ma'am." The very young Tiawanese officer looked up. "Very strange. A repeating signal. Old style amplitude modulation..."
"That should not be too unusual. Many pre warp civilizations used AM radio. It's not unusual to pick up signals from time to time."
"Yes ma'am. But this message specifically is requesting contact with a UFP star spaceship. I traced the signal to the Gamma Draconis VI system. It's listed on the chart as 'avoid contact.'
"Can you play the message?"
"Yes ma'am. I've cleaned it up. But the translation may not be 100% accurate." She pressed a button on her console. A gruff male voice began to speak.
"This is Erh Von, Grand Morg and Regent of the Nefaleeze, Gamma Draconis VI. We would like to meet people from a UFP Federation star spaceship. Come meet us. And talk about joining your group." The message began to repeat.
"Gamma Draconis VI? There is something familiar...Helm. Mr. Joel, lay in a course for Gamma Draconis VI, warp two." She punched the intercom. "Captain to the bridge."
In the Captains Ready Room, Sulu sat back after listening to the message three times.
"Gamma Draconis VI. Thought I'd never hear that name again."
"It is familiar." Ahida said. "Can you elucidate?"
"I'm not surprised your parents never spoke about. Very embarrassing. You were just a child in your mother's quarter's. The civilization on Gamma Draconis VI had been almost completely wiped out by a major ice age that had engulfed the planet. The civilization was once more advanced than the Federation. But had never traveled beyond their system.."
"The men, Morgs, lived on the surface as cavemen. The women, Eymorgs, lived in a comfortable underground city. Intellectually, they had devolved, over centuries, to a child like state. Even in that condition, an Eymorg named Kara, using something called the teacher, captured the Enterprise and...umm...stole your father's brain."
"What!" Ahida exclaimed.
"They used it to power their city. Anyway, we got Spock's Brain back. Dr. McCoy replaced into your father's body. Kirk left the Morgs and Eymorgs to fend for themselves. And the incident has pretty much been forgotten."
"Evidently, they are requesting Federation assistance."
"Yes. And you were right to change course. We are obligated to investigate their request. It will be interesting to see how much they have evolved."
"A once, technological civilization, now a recovering civilization. Will be fascinating to see if they can now meet Federation stand..."
"Bridge to Captain Sulu." Chris's voice came over the intercom.
"Go ahead." Sulu responded.
"Yes sir, we've established standard orbit and we're being hailed."
"On my way."
As Sulu entered the bridge, followed by Ahida, there was a staticky image on n the screen of a large bearded man. Sulu immediately recognized him as a Morg. Chris stood up from the command chair.
"It's an old style television transmission sir."
"Put me on." Sulu told the comm officer.
"You're on, sir." She responded.
"This is Hikaru Sulu, Captain of the Federation starship USS Excelsior, with whom am I speaking?"
"I'm Ehr Von, Grand Morg and Regent of the Nefeleeze. Please come down here and talk about us being part of your Fedi...Fedahrah..."
"Federation." Sulu finished for him.
"Ah, yes, that one. Please come down."
"I'd like to bring my Chief Science Officer and Tactical Officer."
"Umm, ok. Do you know how to get here?"
Sulu glanced at the comm officer and she nodded indicating that she had the coordinates.
"Yes, we can beam directly to where you are now. If that would be acceptable?"
"Umm. Ok, that'll be oh kay." The transmission ended. Sulu looked at Ahida.
"What do you think?"
"If the UT is functioning within normal parameters, his vocabulary is not much better than a child. Our long range scans, made as we approached the planet, much better than the Enterprises, indicate a vast amount of technology beneath their underground city. It could be advantageous to consider his request."
"Agreed. Contact Lt. Mudinia. Meet me in transporter room one in ten minutes."
Sulu elected not to beam into the Regents office, instead selected a site just outside of what scans indicated was a corridor leading to the office.
As they materialized, they were surrounded by several Morg security guards. They were armed with old fashioned tazers. Non-lethal, similar to what police carried on Earth centuries ago.
They were escorted down the corridor to a large ornamental, though dilapidated, door. Inside Ehr Von, stood up at the end of a large conference table. He was imposing, seven feet tall, he could pass easily for a caveman or a modern executive. He motioned for the landing party to be seated.
"We talk, about joining you."
The meeting lasted just under an hour. The Grand Morg and Regent of the Nefeleeze, assured Captain Sulu that after Kirk had left them, the Morg and Eymorgs had learned to live together, treating each other as equels.
Even with the Controller and the Teacher out of operation, they had learned to use and repair some of the advanced technology they had.
As the meeting was about to adjourn, Sulu said, "Well, you have made a compelling case for becoming a member of the Federation."
"Good." Ehr Von said. "We will enjoy being in your Fedahation."
"Yes. I'll beam up to the Excelsior and transmit your request to the Federation Council. It may take a few days before we hear something back. In the meantime, I'd like to have my officers here to take a look around your city."
"That would be nice." He motioned for one of the guards who ringed the room. "Take them out and show them the interesting things."
Outside the Regents office, Sulu whispered to Ahida, "Have you seen any Eymorgs?" She shook her head no.
"I want you and Lt. Mudenia to try to ditch the guard. There's something fishy about this. See if you can find something really interesting."
After Sulu beamed up, the guard escorted Ahida and Jasmine down several corridors. He would point out various and tell them what they were. He hovered over them like a cloud. They approached some large double doors.
"This will be interesting, Ehr Von would like you to see this." The hulking guard cranked the doors open. Ahida and Jasmine walked into a valley, an ancient landing field. The floor of the valley was littered by the remains of old shuttle craft. One craft remained intact, though it was in an advanced stage of delapidation.
"I don't believe it." Jasmine said as she stared at her tricorder. "It's ion drive, thousands of years old. The power cord is still functioning."
"Think I know a certain Starfleet engineer who would love to get his hands on this." Ahida commented.
Without warning a rock sailed over Ahidas head and struck their Morg escort in the head. He collapsed unconscious. The officers drew their phasers as several Eymorgs came rushing at them from behind some old scrapped equipment.
Jasmine was struck on the forehead and crumpled to the ground.
Ahida was struck by at least two stones. A glancing blow off the side of her head and one strike on her wrist causing her to lose her grip on her phaser. The attackers were quick and efficient. In seconds Ahida was subdued, her hands lashed behind her back. The last thing she saw as a bag was placed over her head was Jasmine laying prone, blood pooling around her head.
For at least an hour she was forced to walk over rocks and ice. Her pleas to go back and help her friend were answered by a sharp point in her back and a very stern: Keep moving.
After a while she deduced the Arctic cold was giving way to warmth. From echos she could hear, they were now in a cave or tunnel.
For another thirty minutes they walked. Then she was told stop. The bag was yanked off her head and she was surprised to find herself in a brightly lit room.
An older Eymorg stood in front of her.
"Who are you? What do you want?" The woman came face to face with her and examined the wound on the side of her face.
"Luma!" She snapped."I didn't want these people harmed. Where is the other?"
"Maybe dead." Luma said. "I hit her hard."
"Why? I did not want that. I want to be friendly. Not hurt anyone."
"Ehr Vons guard. The big ugly one was with them. We had no choice but to attack with all anger."
"I am Kara, leader of the Eymorgs." The older one said. "I grieve for your loss, I did not want that to happen."
"Well it's happened. Now what do you want?"
Kara reached up and brushed Ahidas mussed up hair away. "Green blood like his, strange ears." She placed her hand on her forehead. "You have the same mind." She pulled her hand away and looked stunned. "The one they called Spock, you are his daughter."
"Are you the one who took his brain?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to take mine as well?"
"No. The Controller no longer works. Luma, were they armed?"
"Yes, with these." She drew two phasers from her pocket and gave them to Kara.
"I remember these. Very powerful. With just a few, we could retake the city. Untie her." A younger Eymorg freed Ahidas hands.
And Kara handed the weapons back to Ahida.
"Kara, no we need those." Luma cried.
"We need friends." Ahida was stunned by having the weapons simply handed back to her.
"Kara," Ahida said, "you are much more, umm, smarter than I was expecting."
"Years of running fighting and hiding from the Morg, tend to sharpen one's mind. I'm curious, what did Ehr Von tell you?"
"That the Morgs and the Eymorgs live in peace as equels."
"Hmmph...no. After Kirk left us. The Controller and the Teacher no longer worked. The Morgs quickly took over the city. Ehr Von forced us into slavery." She closed her eyes as fighting back a bad memory. "We endured years of abuse. I led a revolt. Four hundred of us fled the city into these caverns. The Morg hunted us. Many were captured and returned to slavery. Too, many died. These 33 Eymorgs standing here, are all that remain."
"What can I do?"
"Weapons. Like those. Only a few and we can retake the city and free my people. Then we can live in peace."
"If I can return to my ship, I'm confident I can convince my Captain to help."
"Luma, take our new friend to the surface and let her go."
When they reached the surface, Luma gave Ahidas communicator back. She flipped it open.
"Ahida to Excelsior."
"Ahida!" Su's voice came back. "We've been looking for you. Are you alright?"
"Lt. Mudinia?"
"We found her. She's in Sickbay. Dr. Phalaun says she will recover." Ahida let out a sigh of relief.
"One to beam up."
In the Captains Ready Room, Ahida briefed Sulu on the situation. Then asked about weapons for the Eymorgs.
"Absolutely not. That would be an unexcusable violation of the Prime Directive. We are not to involve ourselves in internal disputes."
"But Captain, on Neural, Kirk gave muskets to to the Hill People."
"Yes, that was to counter the muskets provided by the Klingons to the Villagers. We didn't choose sides, the Klingons did that for us."
"Kara wants to free her people and live in peace with the Morgs."
"A good sentiment. But what guarentee do we have the Eymorgs won't enslave the Morgs or banish them to the surface? Scans indicate the iceage is worsening. Banishment would amount to a death sentence."
"None, but Captain, this isn't a fight between two political or religious ideologies. It's slavery. Prime Directive or not, we can't turn our backs when they only need a few weapons."
"On Omega IV, Captain Ron Tracy of the Exeter, burned out four hand phasers and still killed over a thousand Yang when he sided with the Kohm over some misguided belief."
"Captain, surley you can see..."
"NO." Sulu said very sternly. "Lt. Commander, you are dismissed."
"Please, at least think about it." Ahida said as as she walked out of the room.
Sulu turned to his computer to resume his report to the Federation Council. But he couldn't concentrate. She had struck a nerve. Too many times Starfleet had stood by and allowed atrocities to occure. In the name of the Prime Directive. He thought for hours. He stared at a picture of his daughter, Demura, what would happen to her if some unforeseen disaster befell the Federation? He touched the intercom.
"Captain to Chief Engineer Macenzy."
"Macenzy here sir."
"Mac, I want you to replicate five phaser rifles. Permanently locked on stun. How soon can they be ready?"
"Couple hours."
"Let me know when they're done."
The next morning Ahida beamed down and presented the phasers and several power packs to Kara. After a brief training session with Luma, she wished them good luck and hoped they would be able to join the Federation in a few years.
After she beamed up, Excelsior warped out to make it's rendezvous and relieve the USS Potemken on Neutral Zone patrol duty.
Three days later the Eymorgs mounted their attack. The Eymorgs, with rifles locked on stun they moved quickly though the underground city. The Morgs, with their ancient tazers, were no match.
Ehr Von was holed up in the Council Chambers with a handful of his guards. The Eymorgs were at the door. He knew it would only be a few moments before they would bust in.
But Ehr Von had a secret weapon. A device that would stun everyone for many kilometers. He soon would be able to retake the city. Or at least that was what his limited thinking told him.
He opened a control panel and pressed the button.
Excelsior.
One of the few good things about Neutral Zone patrol, was the wasn't much to do. This gave Ahida the chance to spend extra time in the ships gym, pushing her body to the limit.
Sulus voice came over her comm badge. "Sulu to Ahida Uhura."
"Here sir."
"Report to my ready room, immediately."
"On my way."
When she entered the ready room, Sulu was standing with his back to her looking out his window.
"Sit down." He ordered. "I just got a message from the Potemken. I requested Captain Rosello to swing by Sigma Draconis VI and run some scans. When they arrived in orbit, they found a fourteen kilometer crater where the city used to be."
Ahida closed her eyes. "Captain, did we kill those people?"
"We don't know what happened. But it is reasonable to assume our actions led to this disaster. Captain Rosello is leading an investigation. Admiral Taffe will be coming here from Starbase two to conduct an inquiry. If a courts marshal is deemed necessary, several crew could be implicated. Right now, as Captain, I'm solely responsible."
"Captain, I'm so sorry."
"You should be. What ever the out come. Both of us will have to live with the guilt."
Five days later, Admiral Taffe arrived. The inquiry was held in the ships main conference room. Testimony was taken from all involved. Ships logs, going back to Kirk's first encounter with the Morgs and Eymorgs, were reviewed.
After a lengthy recess, the inquiry was reconvened. "Captain Hikaru Sulu," the Admiral began, "after reviewing the facts in this incident, it is my judgement that the Morgs and Eymorgs were once a highly advanced technological civilization. You were authorized to consider their request for weapons. I commend you for providing non-lethal weapons. However, the destruction of the underground city was so complete, it is impossible to determine exactly what happened. Detailed examination of Excelsior's scans indicated there several weapons of powerful, but unknown type, ancient and undoubtedly very unstable."
"Those people were sitting on their own version of Damocles Sword. It may have been a matter of time before they destroyed themselves. There is no need for a courts marshal. These proceeding are hereby closed." The Admiral tapped the ceremonial Bell ending the inquiry.
Ahida and Sulu remained in the room after everyone else had left.
"Captain," she said, "the fact remains. We killed those people."
"Yes. But we both learned a valuable lesson. The Prime Directive is nothing to be triffled with. Every civilization has its Sword of Damocles. It's our duty as Starfleet officers to make sure no more swords fall."