The Enterprise
It didn't take long, both the Enterprise and Lexington working in tandem to map out and completely scan Omega IV. The planet had two major Continents. Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, and Dr. McCoy were located in a small fortress on the extreme western tip of the Eastern Continent. There were signs of civilization there, houses, small towns, and such.
"We have detected four life signs on the eastern continent," Lieutenant Sulu made his report. "Two Human, one Vulcan, and one…"
He paused, looked down at the PADD in his hands.
"The fourth seems to be humanoid. I'm picking up pulse, and respiration. But nothing else I've ever seen on bio scan before."
"I'm guessing that would be Tarnokh Aggadeen," Commodore Robert Wesley said. "How about the Western Continent?"
"That's where the power source is located," Sulu replied. "It's situated at the ruins of what looks to be an ancient castle, and it's…big. It also seems to be shielded. If you want it destroyed, we're going to have to beam down and assault it directly. After the shield goes down, ship's phasers could probably do the job. But that shield has to go down first. One more thing, sir…"
The young Lieutenant paused, gravely serious.
"We picked up a life sign reading there too," he added. "Only one life sign, and it's faint, sir…very faint."
"Very well," Wesley stood. "Our first job is to take that shield down. Assemble an assault force. We're going down."
"What about the virus?" Chief Engineer Scott demanded. "It could kill you all!"
It was Dr. Stephen Rosario, who spoke.
"We did bio scans of the entire planet, all the flora and fauna. Omega IV is clear of the virus."
"But Captain Kirk said that Commodore Tracey told him…" Scott's voice wound down. He looked down at the floor, and muttered an extremely nasty-sounding Gaelic profanity.
"We've been had, haven't we?" now, he looked up.
"Royally," Wesley agreed. "Let's get the team together."
Then, he paused again.
"Scotty, you're in command now, both Enterprise and Lexington. You are only to accept communications from Kaiel. Anyone else could be Tarnokh Aggadeen. Kaiel is of the same species as Aggadeen, and therefore immune to mental manipulation by Aggadeen,"
"You could end up stranded there too," Scotty warned.
"I know. If that happens, you are to destroy Exeter, emplace a buoy warning all ships away from the Omega system, take Enterprise and Lexington out of here, and inform both Starfleet, and the Taurek of our failure."
…..
Omega IV
Western Continent
The combined task force, under Commodore Wesley's command, materialized just out of visual range of the castle ruins. The red shirts-under the Command of Lieutenant Barry Giotto, held phaser rifles at the ready.
Commodore Wesley, and his Command Team, Drs. Rosario and M'Benga, Commander Anders, and Lieutenant Sulu, all had their Type-2 phasers out and ready. Kaiel of Taurek brought his own weapons. Right now, he was holding an extremely nasty-looking disrupter of Klingon origin.
Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that, Wesley thought as he peered cautiously through the protective glade of trees the party had beamed down to. The castle lay dead ahead.
It looked defended, sentries pacing back and forth amid the ruins.
"I'm not picking up any life signs from them," Rosario commented as he ran the tricorder. "Either they're androids, or they're not real."
"They're real…" Wesley watched the sentries as they paced the grounds. There was a solidity to their steps that illusion simply couldn't replicate. He drew his phaser.
"Take them down…"
It was quick, nasty, and brutal. But soon, all the sentries were down.
"Yep…Androids," Rosario bent to examine one of the bodies.
Wesley gathered the team together.
"Steve," he motioned to Commander Anders. "Take the main force down to the shield generator. Destroy it. Kaiel, and Dr. Rosario, you two go with me."
"Sir?"
"That faint life signal we picked up…" Wesley explained. "It could be Ron Tracey. He could be alive…even now, after all this time."
…..
Kaiel of Taurek followed the Commodore down into the depths of the castle. There were more sounds of battle upstairs, Anders and his team working their way to where the castle's shield generator lay. Kaiel wanted to be up there, with them. But, when the Speakers had pledged Kaiel to find Tarnokh Aggadeen, they had left this strict requirement. That Kaiel should obey the command of the Federation Officer in charge; and that was Commodore Robert Wesley.
Now, they were down in the cellars, a few sconces, with bulbs instead of torches, casting a dim light over the abandoned-looking halls.
The Commodore moved steadily, tricorder out, following the faint life signal down to its source…
It was a cell with barred windows, and cold stone floor; a half-naked body lying huddled on the floor…
Left there to rot like yesterday's trash…
Kaiel slipped his heavy over cloak off as Wesley walked over to the body.
It was a man, a big man, as humans went, six four or five, as Kaiel understood Terran Measurements.
Wesley knelt, lifted the body, turned it over…
Strong-boned face, many months growth of grizzled beard, bedraggled silver hair.
"Ron…" Wesley held the body close. "I'm here, Ron. It's Bob…"
Rosario ran his scanner over the unconscious man.
"It's bad, he said. "Looks like he's been tortured…"
Kaiel saw the signs of it too, wounds, scars, and burns all over the naked torso.
"Here," he handed his heavy over cloak to Wesley. "He can be warm, at least…"
"Thank you, Kaiel," Wesley wrapped his friend up in the cloak. "We have to get him out of here."
"I can carry him," Kaiel volunteered. "I am strong. He will not burden me."
Kaiel knelt to lift the unconscious man's body, as carefully as possible. Then, he stood, the cloak-wrapped body cradled gently in his arms.
"Sir," Commander Anders stood in the cell's doorway. "We've found the shield generator. We've placed explosives…"
He paused, stared at Kaiel, and the burden the Taurek carried.
"Is that…"
"Trigger the explosives when we're safely out of here," Wesley strode out into the hall, Kaiel following, back up to the outside, and the clear air.
The Android sentries were still…whatever passed for death among androids, open eyes staring up sightlessly at the blue sky.
The Away Team made their way back to the glade of trees. Everyone heard the rumbling sound of the explosion inside the castle, felt the rumbling under their feet.
"The shield generator is down," Anders looked up at Wesley.
"Comm Enterprise, Kaiel" Wesley instructed. "Order Enterprise, and Lexington to destroy the power source."
Awkwardly, still holding the unconscious man, Kaiel did as ordered, relaying Wesley's command up to Lieutenant Commander Scott.
Minutes later, with the Away Team watching from a safe distance, phaser bolts from the two starships streaked down to their target…
It was over in minutes…
"The power source is gone!" Anders announced, looking down at his tricorder readings.
"Still more to do…" Wesley muttered. "Kaiel, pass on this order. Locate Captain's Kirk's position. Beam us all directly to him."
…..
It had been a frustrating couple of days for Captain James T. Kirk. He had never figured Commodore Ron Tracey to go rogue the way he did.
Bones had said something about how losing Exeter's entire crew to a virus might have sent Tracey over the edge.
Like it had Matt Decker…
Still, the man had seriously violated the Prime Directive; and Kirk had no recourse, but to see to it that justice was done.
The Kohm/Yang War had complicated matters. Now, he, Spock, Dr. McCoy, and Ron Tracey were all prisoners of the Yang, each of them with hands bound tightly behind his back. Everyone was assembled together, in what used to be a Kohm Council Room, scores of Yang in attendance, Cloud William the proud victor.
Kirk was trying to figure out a way to get them all-even Tracey-safely out of this mess. Cloud William strode up to them, grim features unsmiling. Then, he stopped. Dead in his tracks, and all the other Yang…
They stopped too.
"What the hell?" that was McCoy. "What's wrong with them?"
"Fascinating…" Spock murmured. "They do not seem to be breathing."
"Fascinating, Mr. Spock?" the doctor shot back. "I can think of lots of words to describe this. But fascinating isn't one of them."
"Androids, Dr. McCoy," Spock's voice was even, in spite of injury. "The Yang must be androids; and, ipse facto, so must the Kohm."
"All right…" Kirk tried to take stock of the situation, which had suddenly changed right under their feet…
Again…
"Can we at least free ourselves?" there was a hint of fear in Ron Tracey's voice.
"Spock," Kirk ordered. "You and Bones…"
It was awkward, but as Kirk watched, Spock and McCoy, standing back-to-back, finally managed to undo each other's bonds.
"Sit down, Spock, you're on the hurt list," McCoy hurried over to undo Kirk's bonds. And then, as Kirk bent to retrieve his communicator, he saw Dr. McCoy retrieve the other gear they had beamed down with, two phasers, one tricorder, and his medical gear.
"Kirk to Enterprise…Kirk to Enterprise…"
Nothing…
No response at all.
"This is Kirk. Come in Enterprise…"
Still, silence on the other end.
"What happened?" McCoy walked forward; blue eyes alarmed.
"Enterprise isn't responding,"
"What could have happened, Jim?"
"Maybe the same virus that took my crew," Tracey pointed out.
"Enterprise is okay, Jim," Commodore Robert Wesley's voice brought everyone around, to the back of the room.
Any other time or place, Kirk would've been happy to hear Robert Wesley's voice. Here, and now, though...
He felt the shock of it down to his toes.
Commodore Robert Wesley…here?
He wasn't alone. A full score of Security officers, led by Lieutenant Commander Giotto, Lieutenant Sulu, a handful of Lexington's crew, and…a Taurek, of all things, holding a cloak-wrapped body.
It was all so unexpected. Kirk couldn't think of anything to say.
Tracey looked at Wesley.
"Who the hell are you?"
Wesley laughed softly…grimly, even…at Tracey's question.
"Boy…am I glad you said that. Now, I know you aren't who you say you are."
"Bob?"
"Captain Kirk," Wesley was speaking formally. Now, he wasn't speaking as Jim Kirk's friend. He was speaking as Kirk's superior officer.
"Captain," Wesley continued. "Bring Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy over here. I have a patient here you should see."
As he spoke, the Taurek gently lowered the unconscious man he'd been carrying to the floor. Kirk followed Spock and McCoy over to where the victim lay.
Recognition felt like a slug to the solar plexus. For a second, James T. Kirk forgot to breathe.
Commodore Ron Tracey, wrapped in a Taurek Hunter's cloak. He had been tortured; the scarred naked chest half-hidden by the folds of the Taurek's cloak.
But…but…
He spun around, to look at the other Ron Tracey. But, now that the veil had been lifted, he wasn't Ron Tracey anymore…
Another Taurek, wearing the uniform, and insignia, of a Starfleet Commodore. This one was not as tall as Kaiel, with golden skin and hair. Only the eyes were the same; golden, with slit pupils.
"Hunter Kaiel," Kirk had never heard such ice in Robert Wesley's voice before; such iron control. "Here is Tarnokh Aggadeen. Do what you must."
Kaiel stood, drew his great sword. The weapon's blade shimmered oddly, as if the stars themselves had been baked into it…
"Bob…"
"Stay out of this, Jim!" Wesley commanded. "Kaiel has to cut Aggadeen down to size first."
"Aren't they supposed to be immortal?" Kirk had heard that much, at least, about the Taurek.
Kaiel charged, his oddly shimmering blade ready.
If it was a battle, it was a kind that Kirk had never seen before. The two Taurek danced and weaved, Kaiel's blade seemingly passing right through the other's body. And, each time, light flared out from Aggadeen's body. Then, finally, after what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes, the sword struck, cutting into flesh, golden blood spurting…
Kaiel spun away, flicking golden blood off his sword. And Tarnokh Aggadeen, kneeling on the floor, a gaping wound in his chest, hate-filled golden eyes peering upwards.
"You cannot kill me, Hunter," he rasped. "Your grandsire hurt me worse, and yet, here I am."
"And that is why we came to the Federation, to Starfleet, and asked their help," Kaiel picked up the communicator,
"Enterprise," he said.
"Scott here," the response was immediate. "Has the beastie been dealt with?"
"He is powerless now, and that is enough," Kaiel walked over to Wesley. "As agreed, I now give you over to Commodore Robert Wesley."
He handed the communicator over.
"Wesley here," the Commodore said. "Do you have Aggadeen's life signal now?"
"Aye, sir. We do."
Wesley turned to Kirk.
"Jim, you remember what you did with Jack the Ripper? The story's been making the rounds at Starfleet HQ."
"Yes," Kirk felt pure horror at the idea. But, an implacable, unkillable enemy…
"You don't really have a choice," he agreed. But it still made him feel ill.
Wesley nodded wearily, like it made him feel ill too. Then, he spoke into the communicator.
"Beam Tarnokh Aggadeen out, maximum possible dispersion," Wesley took a deep breath. "Smear him across the galaxy…"
There was just time enough for Kirk to see the sudden horror in Tarnokh Aggadeen's eyes before the transporter beam took him.
Out and away…
…..
Epilogue
In the aftermath of it all, there was cleanup to be done.
Exeter had to be destroyed. The virus in the ship was simply not containable. So, once again using Exeter's Prefix Code, the starship was sent on course to head right into Omega's Sun. A fitting funeral pyre for the dead crew of the Exeter. As the Exeter made her way to the Sun, each man and woman on Enterprise and Lexington stood at attention with heads bowed, as each crewman on the Exeter was named and honored.
Later that day, Captain Kirk walked into the Enterprise's Chapel. He knew what he would find there. Commodore Robert Wesley standing vigil over a coffin; the Federation's colors draped over it.
Commodore Ron Tracey had died in Enterprise's Sickbay without ever regaining consciousness; and Kirk had no idea what words of comfort he could offer. He knew Wesley and Tracey had been friends.
Then, the words came to him, and he knew what to say.
"It's one thing," he spoke softly, looking down at the flag-draped coffin. "One thing to resist when you know there are friends out there who have your back; when you know the cavalry is just right around the corner. Quite another to resist when there is no hope, when all you can do is die."
He laid a gentle hand on Wesley's shoulder.
"He humbled us, Bob. He humbled us all."
"Yeah…" Wesley looked down at the coffin that held the mortal remains of a very dear friend. "He died a hero. But he died alone, without hope."
Wesley rubbed his face tiredly.
"I need to tell his daughter…"
"I know," One of the responsibilities of command…
Sir…Madam…I regret to tell you…
Fin
…..
Notes: I kind of double up on Barry Russo here. Commodore Wesley has always been a favorite of mine, and Lieutenant Commander Giotto too. Since Giotto's first name was never given, I decided to give him the first name of the actor who played him.
Secondly, and more importantly, I wanted this fic to honor Morgan Woodward, who passed away last February. I wanted to do something deep, something epic. For better or worse, this is the end result, and I hope it honors the memory of a gifted actor who was always riveting in whatever roles he played