Unfinished Business
Chapter 12 : Stolen
March, 2273
She was gone, vanished. The device she had been used lay on the deck, but she was not there. Kirk bent, and retrieved the device, and stood there looking at it, stunned. This was not anything that might have been anticipated. He had no idea how she had been taken, nor how they might retrieve her. And Decker was livid.
Decker and Spock moved to a console which was in working order, and began to activate the computer interface at that location. And then the red alert sounded. Kirk started up from his chair, wondering what could possibly be wrong now. And Spock's flat voice informed him that they had been seized by a tractor beam of some sort. He ordered a replacement navigator and told engineering to lay on power and break free of the tractor beam. Scotty informed him that they had only a few seconds to break free, or the engines would seize up, and Spock broke in to tell him that they had only a small fraction of the power necessary to break free. Immediately, although reluctantly, he canceled the order, ordering all main drive systems to be disengaged. They must not destroy their engines, for who knew what might happen next.
The ship moved along, faster now than when they had been under their own power. And they had no control over the direction in which they went, or what they would encounter when they arrived wherever it was that they were being dragged. Uhura readied a communications drone, containing all the ship's records, but Decker warned her to wait as long as possible before launching it, for it would not be able to escape as long as they were held by the tractor beam. McCoy wandered onto the bridge and looked about at all the activity, and kept silent, not sure that whatever he said might not interfere with something that needed doing.
Decker bent over the bridge pit railing and suggested that a maximum power phaser beam right into the center of the beam might weaken it enough for them to break free. As Kirk was considering that, Spock voiced a question in his harsh, flat voice. "Break free to where, Commander?" He clasped his hands together, his fingers interwoven, the look on his face stern. "A show of resistance would be futile."
Kirk and McCoy both looked at Spock in astonishment. This was totally unlike the Spock that they were familiar with. To just give up without trying anything? This from the man who had always found one more thing to try, one more explanation for the unknown, one more search in the computer for something, anything which would aid them? This made no sense, none at all. They looked at each other, worry clear on their faces, but neither said anything. After a short time, McCoy turned and left the bridge, never having said a word.
Decker rose, and stood behind Kirk, wondering aloud why they had been brought inside. Not to destroy them, surely, for they could have done that while they were still outside. Spock stood beside him, and replied that they still could. And then he added, "Curiosity, Commander, insatiable curiosity." The two men stood there, side by side, watching the viewscreen over the top of Kirk's head.
It was then that Uhura's alarmed voice broke into the quiet, announcing that sonar readings had informed her that the aperture through which they had entered was closing. Sulu put the rear-view on the main screen and all watched as the aperture slowly closed. They were trapped, inside, and the communications drone had not been sent and now could not get out.
Spock confirmed that the tractor beam had released them. Kirk rose and stood, looking out, frowning. What was the best course of action now? He ordered maneuvering thrusters, but at only one-third power. They would go slowly, and not take unnecessary chances. And now, surely it was safe to do a scan, and so he ordered Spock to proceed.
It was then that the aperture in front of them closed. Kirk ordered a full stop. Spock reported that all scans were being reflected back, that sensors were useless. Now what? He asked Spock for his opinion, and he was in the middle of it, when he froze again, like he had once before. The red alert sounded, and there was an intruder alert on deck five. Quickly Kirk headed in that direction, ordering Spock to accompany him, and leaving Decker in charge of the bridge.