The Rings of Tautee (20 page)

"The wave is past them," he said. "They seem dead in space, but they are still in one piece."

"Yessss!" Bogle said, clenching a fist and shaking it. The rest of the crew grinned too. Bogle cleared his throat, tugged his shirt into place, and resumed his dignified-captain pose as if he hadn't just acted like a schoolboy whose team had won the championship.

THE RINGS OF TAUTEE "Hail the Enterprise, Gustavus."

"Aye, sir," she said. She moved her hand across the communications board. "I'm getting no response."

"Two Klingon vessels are dropping out of warp near us, sir," Rodriguez said.

Bogle turned to Lee. "Can we get back to the Enterprise?"

Lee shook his head. "No, sir, not for a few days at least. They're inside that expanding sphere of the subspace wave. The same thing would happen to us if we tried to go back that just happened to them. We have to wait until the intensity of the wave has diminished by a factor of fifty at least."

"We're being hailed by the Klingons," Gustavus said.

"On screen," Bogle said. He turned, narrowly missing the feet of a Tauteean infant.

The child squalled and crawled back toward its mother.

Bogle barely managed to face the screen before KerDaq's image appeared.

"It seems your friend Kirk has gotten himself in trouble again," KerDaq said.

Bogle nodded. "It seems that way."

"Are you foolish enough to try to return?" KerDaq asked.

"There is nothing we can do at the moment," Bogle said. "We need to proceed to the starbase and unload these survivors."

"I agree," KerDaq said. "Then we shall return to help Kirk."

""We"?" Bogle blurted out the word in spite of himself. He couldn't really believe what he had just 223 Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch heard. But he was facing a Klingon who was temporarily his ally. He should have been more tactful.

KerDaq snorted. "Kirk saved my life when the wave smashed my ship. Returning is the honorable thing to do."

It was, but Bogle hadn't realized the Klingons would feel that way. There was so little that he really knew about them. "We'll rendezvous after we drop off the survivors on Starbase Eleven," Bogle said.

"I shall leave you a time and place," KerDaq said. His image winked off the screen.

"I was supposed to say that," Bogle muttered.

But it didn't matter. They had agreed. And if KerDaq understood the word "honor" the way Bogle did, they would set up a rendezvous and return for the Enterprise.

"Mr. Rodriguez," Bogle said. "Full speed to Starbase Eleven. Engage when ready."

Then Bogle returned to his chair and sank into it heavily. Lee stepped past a group of survivors to stand beside Bogle. "Well, Mister Lee," Bogle said, "when Kirk's involved, the universe is never a dull place."

Lee laughed. "I think that's an understatement, Captain."

"You know, Mr. Lee," Bogle said, smiling to himself, "I believe you're right."

Chapter Thirty-Three PRESCOTT WAS TUCKED under the console, her knees against her chin and her arms trapped at her sides. She had braced herself as well as she could, but even that was not well enough. She was nauseated and terrified and angry at herself for the first two emotions, and for causing this mess in the first place.

The ship was rocking like a Tauteean Silksail in a hurricane. People were being tossed all over the ship. Lieutenant Uhura fell against Prescott's console. Mister Sulu tumbled off his chair. Mister Chekov flew through the air like a ball thrown by a child.

Only Mister Spock held his ground, as if by magic.

The clang and clatter was terrifying, and beneath 225 Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch it was the rumble of the ship herself, as if she were screaming in protest.

Even the moon's breakup had not been this violent. They had said this would be worse, but she hadn't imagined anything this bad.

Apparently her imagination hadn't been good enough.

Then Captain James Kirk flew out of his chair. He looked graceful for a moment, tumbling feet over forehead, as if he had intended to fall all along. The illusion was shattered, though, when he slammed into Mister Chekov's console. He brought a hand up, moaned, and collapsed.

The shaking stopped.

All except the shaking inside.

Lieutenant Uhura stood first. She staggered as if she couldn't quite get her balance, then made her way back to her chair. Mister Chekov moaned and grabbed his arm. Mister Spock helped one of the crewmen out from under a nearby console.

No one, apparently, had noticed Captain James Kirk.

Prescott crawled quickly on hands and knees under the rail and down to where Captain James Kirk lay sprawled beside the navigation console. He had a massive cut along the top of his head which seemed to be bleeding a river of dark red blood.

Mister Chekov, still clutching his arm, hurried down the stairs beside her. He knelt near the console, let go of his arm, and pressed his hand against Captain James Kirk's neck.

"He's alive," Mister Chekov said. ""But I don't know for how long."

Tl1Every RINGS OF TAUTEE Mister Sulu punched a comm-link button while Prescott and Mister Chekov worked to stop the blood from flowing. "Dr. McCoy to the bridge," Mister Sulu said.

Behind her Prescott heard Spock say, "Mister Scott, I need a status report."

Obviously this crew was well trained. Even with their leader injured, they went on.

Captain James Kirk moaned, but didn't regain consciousness. She carefully eased his head into her lap and used her sleeve to stop the blood flow from the gash on his head. She had reached an understanding with this man. They had communicated one leader to another. He had helped her. She would be able to move forward because of him.

He couldn't die.

Not here, not now.

Not after they'd been through so much.

Mister Sulu dropped down beside them with what appeared to be a device similar to the one Dr.

Leonard McCoy used. Mister Sulu ran it quickly over Captain James Kirk, then used another setting on the device to stop the blood flow. The cut stopped bleeding and then closed as if by miracle.

Then Mister Sulu turned to Spock. "He's got a slight concussion. I don't know how serious it is, but he'll live." Then Mister Sulu smiled. "I'm just glad I'm not going to have the headache."

Prescott felt relief run through her. These people were like magicians. Their technology was so advanced that it was beyond her.

Everything they did was a miracle.

Including saving their leader as if his injury were 227 Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch routine instead of life-threatening. A Tauteean who had suffered that much blood loss away from a medical facility would probably have died.

"Return to your posts," Spock said. "I need a ship's status report, since Mister Scott is not responding."

Just then the comm line buzzed. "Scott to bridge."

"Go ahead, Mister Scott," Spock said.

Prescott marveled at the man's calm even in the face of this disaster. Didn't he have any emotions?

"The old girl took quite a pounding, Mister Spock," Mister Scott said. Mister Scott's voice sounded excited and he seemed winded. "All engines are off-line and will be for some time. She's suffered so much damage, I doubt I can fix her in a week. But she made it, Mister Spock. She survived just fine. She's a marvelous lassie, she is."

"Yes, she is," Spock said dryly, as if he were humoring Mister Scott. "What is the status of lifesupport? Our bridge lights are still dim."

"Well, sir, the bridge lights and lifesupport are two separate systems, even though they're part of the environmental controls."

"I realise this, Mister Scott," Spock said. "That is why I specifically asked about lifesupport."

"All decks have full lifesupport," Mister Scott said, as if it were obvious.

Prescott grinned, and put her head down so that no one could see her. "And structurally the Enterprise is fine. We're just stuck here for a while."

"Thank you, Mister Scott," Spock said.

He 228 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE punched the intercom button as if it had annoyed him.

That was the first hint of emotion that Prescott had seen him display.

"It seems," Spock said, turning and glancing down at Captain James Kirk in Prescott's arms, "that we beat the odds again."

Prescott looked up at Spock. "I think beating the odds would be an understatement for me and my people."

Spock's eyebrow lifted, as he were actually calculating the odds she had just mentioned. For all she knew, he was.

She didn't want to know what they were.

And she wasn't sure she ever wanted to.

Chapter Thirty-four THE BLACKNESS SLOWLY EASED, replaced by light and a stabbing pain in the side of his head.

Kirk moaned, then blinked[*thorngg'or attempted to. His eyes felt gummed shut.

His ribs ached. He was still sprawled on the deck[*thorngg'he recognised its hardness against his back[*thorngg'b someone was holding his head.

Cra-dling it, in fact. The fingers on the side of his face were as light as feathers.

He wanted to stay in the darkness, but he couldn't.

He had things to do. He couldn't quite remember what, but he knew he would when he opened his eyes.

He moaned again, and blinked. This time his eyelids fluttered.

THE RINGS OF TAUTEE Blurry faces hovered above him, and behind them light. Painful light.

He blinked again and his eyes focused on Prescott's tiny features. She smiled.

"Welcome back, Captain James Kirk."

"About time you woke up." McCoy's loud, grating voice seemed to echo around the pain inside his head.

"Ow," Kirk said.

McCoy laughed. That sound was even more unpleasant than his voice. Why hadn't Kirk noticed that before?

"The headache will go away shortly," McCoy said.

"Could you please lower your voice, Doctor?"

Kirk asked.

Above him Prescott laughed. Maybe the doctor hadn't really been talking that loud.

The headache receded a bit. The rest of his memory gathered together. He remembered the subspace wave. "Am I the only one who was injured?" he asked.

"I wish," McCoy said.

Kirk pushed himself into a sitting position with the help of Prescott. "The wave. Did it damage the ship?"

He barely got the words out before the room spun and he had to close his eyes against the pain. Then, after a moment it eased and he opened them again. Now the room was only spinning slowly. And as he focused, it stopped.

He had been Iying on the floor near the naviga231 Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch lion station. Prescott was sitting beside him, and McCoy knelt above him.

"We survived the wave, Captain," Spock said from somewhere beyond Kirk's range of vision.

"Well, if he's asking about the ship, he's fine," McCoy said. He peered at Kirk. "I have about five hundred patients who need me and it's clear you don't anymore." He stood and headed for the lift door. He stopped just inside a nd stuck his head back out. "Captain, I'd tell you to report to sickbay, but I don't have room for you.

And I'd tell you to rest in your quarters, but we don't have room for you there either. So against doctor's best judgment, you can stay on duty."

McCoy stepped back and the turbolift doors whooshed closed over the sound of light laughter.

Prescott and Sulu both helped Kirk to his feet and to his command chair. Sitting on the hard padding hurt even worse this time. He had to have bruises over half his body.

"How long was I out?" he asked, bringing a hand to his forehead. A lump had grown there.

"About an hour, sir," Sulu said. "It took Dr. McCoy that long to reach the bridge."

Kirk raised his head gingerly. He remembered the tossing and bucking.

Barely.

"Is it that bad below?"

Sulu nodded. "Yes, sir."

Kirk forced himself to take two deep breaths, then swiveled slowly to face Spock. Might as well get back to work.

Doctor's orders.

THE RINGS OF TAUTEE "What's our status, Mister Spock?"

Spock nodded at him, and Kirk thought he saw the ghost of a smile flit across Spock's lips.

Then Spock clasped his hands behind his back and looked as serious as ever.

"Lifesupport is fully functional, Captain. The hull came through the event without major damage. All shields are at forty percent. Both the warp engines and impulse power are off-line."

"For how long?)"' "To quote Chief Engineer Scott, sir, "We ain't going nowhere fast." I believe those were his exact words."

For a moment Kirk couldn't believe what he had just heard. Then he started laughing. "I would hope so, Mr. Spock."

And the rest of the bridge crew laughed too. Their laughter made Kirk laugh harder. And the more he laughed, the more his head hurt. But it was a good hurt this time.

Captain's log, supplemental The Enterprise has remained in this position for almost two days while Chief Engineer Scott and his crew effect repairs. The ship was damaged in a huge subspace wave created when the Enterprise, the Farragut, and two Klingon vessels destroyed the rift in the Tautee system.

The Klingons, led by KerDaq, rescued survivors of the Tautee disaster and, following the suggestion of Captain Kelly Bogle of the U.s.s. Farragut, took them to Starbase 11. Then the Klingon ships and the Farragut, now empty, returned to the Enterprise. 233 Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch Bogle tells me this was KerDaq's idea.

If I had heard that from anyone but Bogle, I would think it hyperbole. But Bogle does not exaggerate, especially when it comes to Klingons.

I do not expect a friendly interaction with KerDaq, but I am surprised at the amount of courtesy the Klingons have shown so far. If this incident is any indication of the future, the Federation and the Klingons may well be able to work together someday.

The damage sustained during that last wave affected the warp engines most severely. Chief Engineer Scott is working to bring the warp drive back up on-line.

The Farragut's science officer, Richard Lee, is assisting in the final stages of getting the warp drive on-line. I am also transferring half the Tauteean refugees to the Farragut to give us more room on the return to Starbase 11.