CHAPTER 11

Jim Kirk and his team walked into the secret chambers. Georgiou waited for them. "Well, Admiral Kirk, we finally meet," she said. "Won't you come in so we can talk?"

"I don't think we have much to talk about," Jim replied. "I'm only here for one thing and that's to arrest you."

Georgiou smiled an unfriendly smile. "You won't find that easy."

"I didn't think it would be easy."

"Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"

"Nothing you can say can justify what has been happening. You're experimenting on beings, killing, and kidnapping. Need I go on? You've also teamed up with these beings who intend to take over this galaxy."

"Admiral Kirk, you have no idea what benefit our experiments could have. You're close-minded about everything because you're so loyal to Starfleet."

"You're experimenting on people against their will. We know all about where you're getting your subjects from and how they're never seen again."

"Well, you can't get anywhere without a few casualties."

Jim frowned. "You're under arrest."

Georgiou walked over to Jim. "Do you think you can take me down?" she asked. "You don't know what you're up against."

"I do, but I don't think you do."

Suddenly, Anakin had his lightsaber out, and he sliced a syringe in half, along with half of Georgiou's hand. She screamed and glared at him. Jim looked at the syringe in the floor and then at Georgiou. "I never come unprepared," he said.

Georgiou looked at Anakin with his glowing eyes. "You can come quietly now," Anakin said.

"You won't get me past the first tables," she snarled.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that."

Jim looked around the place they were in. He realized there weren't many people in there, and none of them seemed to want to fight. They looked very uncertain of themselves now that their leader was incapacitated. "I don't know how you all got into this, but you have your chance to surrender," Jim said.

The others looked at each other and then dropped their weapons. Jim had thought this would be harder than it was to take them. He was not sure he was comfortable with this. He took out his communicator. "Artie."

"Yes Admiral," Artemus answered.

"Are you in?"

"I am."

"Are you detecting any other people in this place?"

"No. Don't you think that's odd?"

"Yes, but we have them." Jim thought about bringing security into it, but he was not even sure that was the right thing to do. He knew they would be taking Georgiou themselves, but the others could be handled by security. "Artie, send security down here. They need to take these prisoners. Also, contact Admiral Winston and let him know we have Georgiou in custody."

"Yes, Admiral."

Jim switched frequency on his communicator. "Ajah."

"Yes Admiral," Ajah answered.

"I want you to transport Grakar and our prisoner back to the ship. If she tries anything, give her the shock of her life."

"Yes Admiral."

Soon, Grakar and Georgiou were transported. "Take all these weapons," Jim said.

Solan and the others gathered up the weapons that the others had dropped and cuffed the prisoners. Jim looked at the ships that were there, which was only about five ships like the ones Goran had described. However, there was another larger ship that looked like a transport ship. "I think we'll confiscate one of these ships."

Solan walked up beside Jim as he said that. "You think they're enhanced with tiberium?" he asked.

"I don't know," Jim replied. "But we're going to find out. You think you can fly one of them?"

Solan looked at him. "Are you kidding?"

"Good. Then you and Una get to it. I want one of them taken to the Enterprise. Once security is here to take this over, we're getting on our way to Thinkuna in case Spock needs help. Since there is hardly anyone here, most of them must be there."

"I don't think they have many people in this outfit. They sacrifice them all to their experiments."

"Yeah, but there are some, including some of Khan's people who were never accounted for. You figure out one of these ships and we will meet you back at your ship."

Solan hurried to find out some about the ship so he could pilot it. "I'll go with him," Anakin said. "I can help."

Jim nodded and went back over to Korax. "I want a sample of that stuff from that syringe," Jim said. "I want to know what she was trying to do to me."

Korax had brought a kit with him since Doctor McCoy had insisted. He took a sample of the substance which looked rather green and seemed to glow. "I believe we will find that it has tiberium in it," he said.

"I do too."

Soon, security arrived, and Jim explained to them what happened. "I want all these people detained," he said. "If I come back here and they're not in the brig here, I'm going to let you guys take their place."

"Yes sir," the commander said.

"I want everything in this place to be inventoried as well. I want to know what all they have in here, and be careful what you touch, especially anything that glows green. Get some doctors and scientists from this planet in here and take care of this. I have more to deal with, but I will be back."

"Yes Sir."

Jim took out his communicator as he walked away from the commander. "Solan."

"Yeah," Solan answered.

Jim shook his head slightly as he heard Solan's answer. Everyone else said admiral or sir, but not Solan. "You ready?" he asked.

"I think we're ready."

"I see the top of this thing opens. We will transport to the ship." Jim walked over to one of Georgiou's people. "How do we open the top of this thing?"

The man just stared at Jim a moment. "That lever over there. The blue one."

Jim walked over to the lever and pulled it down, and the top of the building opened. He and Korax got ready for transport. "Ajah, two to beam to the ship," he said. "Korax and myself."

They were soon aboard Solan's ship. "Dapodi, we're heading to Thinkuna to rendezvous with the Enterprise," Jim said. He looked at Ajah. "Where's the prisoner?"

"She's in the cargo hold, cuffed," Ajah said.

"Good. Did you find any weapons on her?"

"We made her take off her jacket and boots. She's about like Solan. Grakar is guarding her."

"Good. Let's go, Dapodi."

They were soon blasting off to space with Solan and Anakin behind them. "I'm assuming that ship has warp capability," Jim said over the intercom as he sat down in the co-pilot's seat.

"It does," Solan replied.

"Let's go then."

They were not at warp for long before they were at Thinkuna and they could see the Enterprise. "Scotty," Jim said as he sent them a signal.

"Yes Admiral," Scotty answered.

"We're coming aboard."

"We're ready for you, Admiral."

Dapodi set Solan's ship down gently on the deck of the shuttle bay, and Solan came in with the other ship. They disembarked, bringing the prisoner with them. "I want her put in the brig," Jim said. "Korax, you and Grakar see to it."

"Yes, Admiral," Korax replied.

"I have to get up to the Bridge and find out what's going on."

Jim hurried to the Bridge with Solan, Ajah, Una, and Anakin following him. Scotty was in the captain's chair, and Bones stood beside him. "Well, how did it go?" Bones asked as he took out his scanner.

"I'm fine," Jim said. "If you ask me, it was too easy."

"Didn't have to fight your way out, huh?"

"No. How is Spock's mission going?"

"They're inside the building, Sir," Scotty said. "You know, Admiral, since we have the technology from the GDI and the Nod, it wasn't difficult at all to get into the system."

"Really?"

"Oh yes, after all, it's primitive, except where we have enhanced it in the GDI base."

"So, Spock isn't having any trouble either?"

"I'm not sure. They also had the Federation technology to work with, but I was able to shut down their security system."

"Is Carol with him?"

"No Sir."

Just then, Carol walked onto the Bridge. "Jim. So what happened on your mission?"

"She surrendered," Jim said. "Which was rather peculiar."

"You're going down there, aren't you?"

"I have to. Scotty, you take care of this ship."

"Yes Sir."

Jim left the Bridge, along with Carol, Solan, Anakin, Ajah, and Bones. "We'll go down there and see what's going on," Jim said.

They got weapons and went to the transporter room after changing into electro-suits. "Six to beam down," Jim said.

They were soon on the moon, outside the facility. The doors were open, so Jim and the others went in with their weapons ready. "Where do you think they are?" Solan asked.

"Let's just keep moving," Jim replied.

They hurried down the corridor and then stopped at the end as they came to an adjoining corridor. They listened to see if they could hear anything like fighting going on. As they listened, they heard a lot of phaser fire and then they could hear the unmistakable sounds of Helek firing as well. "Let's get down there," Jim said as they turned toward the left.

When they got to the end of that corridor, they came to an area with a large lab. Jim could see that there were guards protecting the lab, but he could also see that the lab technicians were packing up things while the others held off Spock and his team. Jim could see another door that went into the back of that lab. He signaled to Spock to let him know they were there. "Anakin, come with me," Jim said. "The rest of you help Spock and the others."

Jim and Anakin hurried down the corridor, keeping low to get to the other door in the lab. He could see that one of the people in that lab was Petrova, and also, the Scrin Overlord was in there. They got to the door, and Anakin sliced it in half with his lightsaber. The ones in the lab were surprised as Jim and Anakin walked in, but the Overlord wasted no time and fired at them. Anakin deflected the shot with his lightsaber. The shot hit the overlord in the center where they had found that the Scrin were vulnerable. However, Anakin found that they had made improvements. Jim fired at the center with his phaser rifle and that made the overlord stumble backward.

Anakin jumped over the console in the lab and sliced the overlord in half. They were drawing some of the attention of the guards who were holding off Spock and the others. Jim hid behind another console and returned their fire, while Anakin made havoc of the lab equipment and the cases that the technicians were packing. "NO!" Petrova screamed as Anakin sliced her case in half spilling out liquids and papers.

Anakin held his lightsaber in her face. "This atrocity stops now!" he said. He continued slicing equipment and deflected a shot from a phaser at the same time. He then turned around towards the guards and relieved them of their weapons, using the Force. As the weapons came to him, he sliced them all with his lightsaber.

The place went utterly silent as everyone was stunned at what just happened. Jim was even a little stunned even though he had seen Anakin do such things. Spock and the others came into the lab then. "Now we can clean this place out," Jim said. "Spock, I'd like you to go back to the ship. If any ships try to escape this moon, destroy them."

"Yes, Admiral," Spock replied.

"Make sure Artie saves all the information he got on Risa into the Enterprise so we can have it all for Admiral Winston."

Spock returned to the Enterprise. Jim and the others took the ones in that lab into custody. "Where is Legion?" Jim asked as he walked up to Petrova.

"I shall not tell you," Petrova replied.

Anakin stepped closer to her. "Yes you will," he said. "Now, where is he?"

Petrova looked terrified. "He is in the other part of the lab, below ground. He oversees the experiments. You won't be able to get in. If you try, you will never return."

"Why?"

"Because Control also oversees the lab. It will not be stopped."

"Oh yes it will," Jim said. "I want these prisoners taken to the brig on the ship." Jim took out his communicator. "Scotty, I want these prisoners beamed directly into the Brig. We have ten here."

"I'm getting a signal, Admiral," Scotty said.

"I also want you and Mister Gordon to go to the science lab and then contact me."

"Yes, Admiral."

Petrova and the other prisoners soon disappeared. Jim waited, and soon, Artie and Scotty contacted him. "There's a lab under this lab," Jim said. "Petrova says it's underground and that Control is in charge of it. I want you to break into it. If you need to come down here, come ahead. We have to destroy it."

Artie and Scotty began their work. "Looks like a complicated system, Admiral," Scotty said. "This may take some time, Sir."

"Just get us in. If you need to use these computers here, you can come down."

"Admiral, I have a suggestion," Ajah said.

"Go ahead," Jim replied.

"If we can find the main power source for that underground lab, Helek and I could send a power surge to destroy it and then no one would have to go down there."

"You think you can do that?"

"It's worth a try."

"Where do we look for such a thing?" Jim opened his communicator again. "Scotty, I want you to tell us where the main power conduit for the lower lab is."

"We're scanning the facility now," Scotty said. He was silent a moment. "I believe it's inside the wall, Admiral, but there is a power station that connects to it. Go down the next corridor and hang a right."

Jim and the others followed Scotty's orders. "Where is it?" Jim asked as he could hear humming. He could see they were in a room full of power relays, and it reminded him of the warp core.

"It's to the left," Scotty said. "You should see the power conduit through that small opening."

Jim squeezed through along with Ajah and Helek. "Inside this wall?" Jim asked.

"Yes Sir," Scotty said.

Anakin came in next. "I'll cut through the wall," he said. "My lightsaber can cut through just about anything."

Anakin cut a square hole in the wall, and they could hear even more humming now, and could see the cables that carried power down to the lower lab. "So, which one is it?" Jim asked.

"There are two," Scotty said. "The two in the center. There are three on the left of them, and two on the right from where you're standing."

Ajah and Helek stepped over to it. "Why don't I just slice them?" Anakin asked.

"Because we want it destroyed," Jim said. "Just cutting the power will not destroy the entire thing."

"You can cut through the rubber," Ajah said.

Anakin did just that. Ajah stuck his hand in and his eyes glowed brighter as he looked at Jim. "You better step back, Admiral," he said.

Helek stuck his hand into the other cable housing. "That's it alright," he said. He looked at Ajah. "You ready?"

"I am."

They both let go of a huge power surge. At first, they heard nothing, but then there was a muffled explosion that shook the ground and the building. They poured even more into it and there was a deep rumble and the floor shook. "Uh oh, I think that's our queue," Jim said. "Let's get out of here!"

They all headed out of the building as they heard more explosions, and the building was starting to come apart. They got out of the building and hurried to get behind some rocks. Not two minutes later, the building exploded into a brilliant, green cloud. Jim was flabbergasted. "You think they had liquid tiberium in there?" he asked.

"Too late to ask now," Bones replied.

The building became a crater, and it looked like a green volcanic eruption as green bits of tiberium fell to the ground. "Oh boy," Solan said. "Don't you think we should get out of here?"

"Yes." Jim took out his communicator. "Scotty, get us out of here!" There was no answer. "Scotty!"

"Admiral, there's a lot of interference," Scotty replied, but the message was very staticky.

"Let's get further away from this!"

Jim and the others ran to get as far from the disaster as they could. "Jim, we've created another tiberium bed," Carol said.

"How did they get that much of it?" Jim wondered out loud.

"Who knows if they were creating it?"

They finally got behind some more rocks and watched as the "eruption" continued. Jim thought he would get the blame for this. How would they ever get this cleaned up and under control? However, he knew someone who knew how. McNeil would know how to refine it, and maybe they could figure out a way to use it as a source of energy, but not in its current form. "Scotty, can you get us now?" Jim asked.

"I'm getting a signal now, Admiral," Scotty said.

Jim and the others were soon standing on the transporter pad behind a force field. "Scan us, Scotty," he said.

When the scan was done, any tiberium particles were pumped out of the force field. Jim stepped down from the pad. He was not sure what to say. "They won't be using that lab anymore," he said.

"Definitely not," Scotty replied. "What are you going to tell Admiral Winston?"

"Everything. We have to keep anyone from getting to this stuff."

"Admiral, while I was scanning, I found that while it is mostly the green tiberium, there are other types as well."

Jim remembered seeing his opposite self with blue tiberium enhancements, and the others too. "We have to get in touch with Starfleet, and while we wait, we have to make sure no one comes near this place."

"You think it's over now?" Bones asked.

"I hope so."

Just then, Spock walked in. "Admiral, are you alright?"

"Yes," Jim said. "I want these suits thoroughly cleaned. Let's get changed and then I have to talk to Admiral Winston."

When Jim was changed into his uniform, he went to the conference room. "Admiral," Spock said.

"Yes," Jim replied. "I'm about to contact Admiral Winston."

"The head of security on Risa wants to speak with you."

"I'll take it in here. Tell Uhura to get in touch with Admiral Winston for me."

Jim went on into the conference room which seemed awful empty when he was in there alone. He went over to the intercom and turned it on. A man in a Starfleet uniform appeared on the screen. "Admiral Kirk," he said.

"Yes," Jim replied. "To whom am I speaking?"

"Commander Stone."

"And how can I help you?"

"Admiral, almost everyone on this planet saw that explosion. Would you mind explaining it and tell me whether this planet is safe?"

"It was a tiberium explosion. I think it's going to stay on the moon mostly. We destroyed that lab over there. Now we have to keep it out of evil hands. I don't have time to have a debate with you. Just stay alert. Are those prisoners and that place down there secure?"

"They are. What do you want us to do next?"

"Just keep the prisoners secure. I'm about to talk to Admiral Winston. We will get back to you once we know more ourselves. For now, you're safe."

"Thank you, Admiral. We'll wait for your instructions."

"Kirk out."

Jim ended that transmission and got a signal immediately. He flipped it on, and Admiral Winston was there. "Admiral," Jim said. "It's good to see you, Sir. I have a lot of information to send to you, but we have an issue at hand. We found Georgiou and her lab rats. She had a bar called the Salty Spittoon as a front for her operations on Risa. She tried to jab me, but Anakin was there and she won't be using that hand anymore. After that, we didn't have any trouble shutting that place down. So, on Thinkuna, they had taken over that old Starfleet base, and when we destroyed the underground lab…" Jim sighed. "Well, there was a tiberium explosion. The moon is contaminated. We need McNeil over here to help oversee the cleanup."

"I see," Admiral Winston replied. "But you think you destroyed all of it this time?"

"Nothing in there survived. It's like a…tiberium volcano. You know, just bits coming out, and you know that it takes root wherever it lands."

"I'll have McNeil and Michael come over there to oversee that cleanup. They're still on New Vulcan."

"I'm sending you all the information that we've collected, Sir. And we have several prisoners. They also have several prisoners on Risa. We have Georgiou on the Enterprise, along with some others who were working for her."

"You've done your work, Admiral Kirk. I'm gonna recommend you to take my place when I retire."

"Admiral…"

"No arguments. Those who think they aren't good enough are usually the ones who should."

"But, Admiral, I don't know that I want that position. I mean, I'm not well-liked…"

"Nonsense. You stay there until we can get more people over there. Don't let anyone go near that moon."

"Yes Sir."

"And, Kirk, get some rest. I'll look over this information."

"Yes Sir."

"Winston out."

The transmission ended. Jim could not believe Admiral Winston thought he was capable of being the head of Starfleet. He had created another tiberium explosion. How was that worthy of moving up the ladder? He had not thought of a tiberium explosion when he ordered Ajah and Helek to destroy that lab, but he had thought it was the only way to get rid of it. If they had gone down there, it could have been deadly for one or more of them.

Spock came into the conference room next. "Admiral, I have moved Goran to guest quarters," he said. "He does not seem to have any hostile intent, and he was very uncomfortable being in the brig with Georgiou and the others."

"That's fine, Spock," Jim replied. "Have a seat. I want to talk to you about something."

Spock sat down at the table. "Is there another problem?"

"Yes and no. I talked to Admiral Winston. He's going to send McNeil and Michael here to oversee the cleanup on the moon. We have to stay here until they arrive with some others."

"And there is more?"

"Yeah." Jim was silent a moment as he thought of his conversation with Admiral Winston. "Spock, he says he wants to recommend me for head of Starfleet when he retires. Why?"

"I do not understand your question, Jim."

"Why me?"

"I believe it is because he knows you can be trusted."

"But could I handle that?"

"You always seem to accomplish what you set out to do. You would find the way."

"I don't know if I would ever be content just staying in an office and never going off with you on the Enterprise to chase down some lead or going on some diplomatic mission."

"I believe you would do what you felt like doing as you do now. You must know that Admiral Winston does not always stay on Earth. You have met with him in other places as well."

"Yeah."

"Jim, I believe you underestimate yourself as you did in times past. You have created an alliance with the Klingons and some other worlds as well. You even went against the norm and saved a planet that would have perished."

"Much to the dismay of Admiral Pike and everyone else."

"Despite the consequences we faced for it, I still believe we did the right thing. Your compassion and leadership are what Starfleet needs. It is what Admiral Winston sees, and he believes you will go against the normal routine."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Perhaps not always."

"Well, he also told me to get some rest. Do I look that bad?"

"I suppose we could all use some rest."

"You side-stepped that really well." Jim stood up. "I'm going to my quarters. Let me know if anything weird or violent happens. Otherwise, just handle it if it's too much for Scotty."

"Yes, Admiral."

Jim went to his quarters, yawning as he went down the corridor. He just lay down on the bed and did not know when his head touched the pillow. Carol came in later, not knowing he was there. She almost turned the lights on but saw him before she did. She thought it was awfully quiet on the ship. She lay down on the bed and sighed as she realized they had gotten through the worst part of the mission without much trouble, except for the tiberium.

Jim was awakened by the door chime. "Who's there?" he asked sleepily without getting up.

"Korax," came the answer.

Jim sat up starting to wonder how long he had been asleep, and he realized Carol was there too. He got up and went to the door. "Korax, is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No, Admiral," Korax answered. "We wish to return to Kronos if you no longer need our help."

"Oh, that's fine. I thank you guys for coming on such short notice."

"Call us if we can be of further assistance."

Jim nodded. "Have a safe trip."

Korax did his salute and then went down the corridor. Jim closed the door and turned to see Carol standing in the other doorway. "I don't know how long I slept," Jim said. "I must have been on the verge of collapse. Admiral Winston even told me to get some sleep." He frowned as he remembered what else they had discussed. "I want to talk to you about something."

"Well, come back in here," Carol said.

They lay down on the bed and Jim stared at the ceiling. "So, what is it?" Carol asked.

"Admiral Winston said that he's going to recommend that I take over as head of Starfleet when he retires."

Carol sat up and looked at Jim. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious. He told me that when I was talking to him. I don't understand it. I always thought they wanted me to stay out in space to get me away from headquarters."

"Jim, I told you that wasn't the reason. Why do you think that?"

"I know…Admiral Carson didn't like me. I think he was glad I was out in deep space."

"It's okay for you to talk about it, you know."

"Talk about what?"

"What my father did. You haven't talked about it in years."

"Why should I bring it up? It just brings up bad memories for you."

"Jim, I know he intended to kill you and your crew. I know it's a painful memory, but it happened. Sometimes I want to talk about it."

Jim looked at her then. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"We've been so busy and when we were finally alone together, I certainly didn't want to talk about that," Carol said.

"I wanted you to forget it."

"I can't. I've told you about my childhood before. Why, Jim? Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"Carol, Honey, that was a long time ago."

"It was, but it still hurts like it was today."

"I had no idea you felt like this."

"Sometimes it just comes crashing down on me."

Jim pulled her to him and hugged her. "I know what you mean," he said. "I was too young to remember, but it's like I saw it happen because of reports and things like that. I can't imagine actually seeing it." Jim felt how tightly she was holding onto him. "I'm sorry I haven't talked to you about this before."

"It's not your fault. We're just alone now and I just want you to hold me."

Jim could not believe he never knew she felt this way. He hoped she did not think he would become heartless if he became the head of Starfleet. "If I become the head of Starfleet, I promise you, I will still be the man you married," he said.

Carol looked up at him. "I know that, and I will be right beside you."