Star Born
Stardate 4125.7
The Attack
"Mayday. Mayday. This is Starbase Seven. We're under attack," the voice shouted. "A fleet of unknown ships. Planetary shield beginning to fail. Defence satellites sabotaged. Long range communications are out. Any ship who hears this message relay to Starfleet Command."
"Contact lost, sir," Uhura said.
Kirk met Spock's eyes before he swivelled his chair around to the communications officer. "Keep trying to raise them. Inform Starfleet. Tell them we are responding."
Before Kirk could ask, Chekov supplied the necessary information. "Captain, at warp six, our ETA is almost two hours."
"One point nine two hours, Mr Chekov," Spock corrected
Uhura worked her console with consummate skill. "I can't get any message out. There's too much subspace interference. I'll try to punch through it, sir."
Kirk jumped up and strode over to the railing. "Any information on the attackers?"
Spock was listening to the sensor blips. "Negative, sir. The distance is too great. All sensors are at maximum. Readings should be available in thirty point seven minutes."
Kirk could not avoid a smile at his friend's precision. "Very well, Mr Spock." He became serious. "I can't help but feel a sense of deja vu. At least they have a planetary shield now. Even if it is failing it should hold off an attack for a while. Give me some speculation," Kirk demanded.
"There have been no recent intelligence reports of enemy infiltration, sir, and the neutral zones are quiet. Therefore one must assume a new menace to the Federation."
"And one from within," Kirk murmured.
Spock raised an eyebrow. "Indeed," he said, and released a deep breath.
Kirk returned to the centre seat and put the ship on yellow alert. Once that was done he turned to Uhura. "Can you get any messages out yet?
"No, sir. It's unlike normal interference. My whole department is working on the problem. It seems to be coming from somewhere near Tau Ceti. It's almost as if someone is directing it at us."
"A deliberate attempt to keep us incommunicado," Kirk said, keeping his worry to himself. "Stay on it. Send a message buoy to Starfleet."
After fifteen minutes, the ship's sensors began to detect something. The science officer studied the readings and consulted with his staff before turning to report to his impatient captain. His expression was grave. "Five ships are in our path. At this speed we will rendezvous with them in three point two minutes."
"Sir." Uhura's voice cut in.
"Subspace emissions show that the distress call came from
one of those ships. It's also the source of the
interference."
Kirk leaned his chin in his hand. "What are they playing at?
Sulu, reduce speed to warp one. Uhura, can you contact
them?"
"Aye, sir. Short range frequencies are clearing."
"Send a message to those ships. Ask them to identify themselves."
"Incoming message, sir," Uhura said after a minute. "Audio only."
"We have the power to disable you," a distorted voice threatened.
"Get something visual," Kirk ordered. He signalled Uhura to open hailing channels. "This is Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Are you responsible for sending the distress call?"
There was a laugh then the voice said, "James T Kirk, it's a pleasure to talk to you. Yes, the message was false but it will soon be very real. That is, once we've disposed of you."
"Identify yourself," Kirk demanded.
"They've cut contact, sir," Uhura said.
"Try to reach Starbase Seven. Relay the situation."
"Blocked, sir. I'll keep trying. I now have visual."
The darkened main viewscreen sprang to life to show five sleek warships. A human face then replaced the display. The man's hair was white; his face lined, and something about him was familiar. "So you managed to get visual," he said. "Your people are better than I thought." There was the light of fanaticism in his eyes.
"Well listen to me, Captain Kirk. I've waited a long time for this. A very long time."
"What do you want?" Kirk sensed Spock by his shoulder. He glanced up at the Vulcan then returned his attention to the viewer.
"You, Kirk, and the Vulcan. I want you dead like you should've been years ago."
"Demarco," Spock said.
A chill swept through Kirk at that name from the past. Spock was right. It was Demarco. Eighteen years had changed the man but those cold eyes should have given his identity away.
"Well, well, Mr Spock," Demarco sneered. "Still a smartass. Best first officer in the fleet and all that. You and your captain haven't long to live. Make the most of it."
Demarco's image was replaced by a view of his ships. Kirk was aware of his crew's confusion but there was no time to explain. He dismissed everything but the moment in hand. "Red alert, Uhura," he snapped.
"Battlestations. This is not a drill.
Battlestations," Uhura responded.
As the alert sounded, Kirk studied the enemy ships. "Can we
take them on, Spock?"
"They are not of Starfleet or merchant design. They have warp capacity and are armed with phaser technology. Their combined weaponry is approximately equal to ours. They may have superior speed and manoeuvrability. The odds are... "
"Please don't, Mr Spock," Kirk interrupted.
Spock looked up from his hooded viewer and over at Kirk. "Captain, what can he hope to gain by destroying us?"
"Revenge," Kirk said.
"Our academy days were long ago, sir."
"To Demarco that doesn't matter."
"Captain, they're preparing to attack," Sulu said.
Kirk's well-trained crew swung into action. The small armada of ships surrounded Enterprise and simultaneously fired phasers at her. The beams glanced harmlessly off her deflector shields but the ship rocked under the impact. "Shields holding," Sulu called.
"It's been more than twenty years since he last saw starship duty, Spock," Kirk said. "Let's see if he can cope with the best ship in the fleet."
Using all of his combat experience to confuse the enemy Kirk launched his ship into a dirty and exhausting fight. But Demarco was wily; his tactics were sound and his technology advanced. The fleet's barrage inflicted substantial damage on the Enterprise but Kirk's crew did not let him down. Four of the enemy ships were disabled leaving only the command vessel intact.
"Surrender," Kirk said. "Prepare to be boarded."
Demarco's expression was ugly. "Never." The viewer went blank.
"Visual," Kirk demanded.
"Warp emissions, sir," Sulu reported. "He's trying to escape."
"His shields are down by sixty five percent, sir," Spock said.
"Arm photon torpedoes," Kirk ordered. "Sulu, get them through those shields."
"Aye, sir," the helmsman said.
Kirk trusted Sulu and watched, scarcely breathing, as one after another the torpedoes were launched. There was a sudden flash as the shields buckled then two torpedoes smashed into the hull of Demarco's ship.
"Got him." Sulu turned to his captain. "His engines and weaponry are disabled."
Kirk leaned back and took a deep breath. "Reports," he said.
"Hull breaches in decks three and four," Spock said. "Auxiliary control is sealed off. Damage control teams are on their way. Circuit failures in Engineering.
Warp engines functional at limited speed. Impulse power unaffected."
"Dr McCoy reports sixty-seven injured," Uhura said. "Some serious."
"Damn." Kirk pressed a button on the arm of his chair. "Auxiliary control, report."
There was silence. Kirk looked to Spock for support and received it from the Vulcan's eyes. "Sir, " Spock said. "Auxiliary control has been breached."
Later, Kirk told himself. "Get me visual of that bridge, Uhura." He braced himself for the confrontation as Demarco's face appeared. "Surrender now. You have no choice."
The enemy bridge was littered with debris. Dead bodies lay on the deck. Blood seeped through Demarco's clothing and his face was bruised and streaked with dirt. "Damn you, Kirk, and that Vulcan half-breed. You've destroyed everything."
Kirk dismissed the man's ravings. "Spock, take a security detail over to that ship. I want that crew safely locked up in our brig. Have medics standing by."
"Affirmative," Spock replied, and began to organise the boarding parties.
"Take care, Spock. I don't have to tell you how dangerous he is."
Kirk controlled his urge to lead them himself, however his first duty lay with the welfare of his ship and crew. Leaving Sulu in charge of the bridge he raced for auxiliary control.
***
The transporter room was empty as Spock, Commander Giotto and three security men stepped down from the platform but they remained cautious. Spock knew it was possible that some pockets of resistance remained. Demarco's words to Kirk had been ominous. The man could still be a threat to them. As Giotto and his men exited the room to check their prearranged location Spock watched as a group of four materialised. "Follow me," he said and led them towards the bridge.
Those crewmembers they met surrendered and were left stasis-cuffed until they could be transported to the Enterprise. The bridge doors were locked but Spock managed to override the codes and, with phasers drawn, he and two of his team entered. Du Pont and Zahria, the less experienced men, waited outside.
Demarco was facing them, a disruptor weapon in his hand. "So, Kirk sends his half-breed to do his dirty work for him. The Academy was so proud of their first pet Vulcan weren't they? Genius they called him. Without him they'd have lost a generation of good little starship officers. I wanted to get you for years. I waited and planned but you beat me again."
Spock could not completely exclude the man's hate but he attempted to ignore it. Demarco laughed and took aim. Spock hit the deck and rolled out of the way as the beam whined over his head. The others followed suit and found hiding places behind fallen consoles. Spock scrambled away to the comparative safety of an upturned chair.
"I won't let you get away this time, half breed." The disruptor fired once and then again as Du Pont and Zahria rushed in.
Their dying screams pierced Spock's defences. So young. He closed his eyes for a moment, fought his horror over the meaningless deaths, and then stood up in full view. "It is me you want. It is not necessary to take the lives of these men."
"Mr Spock!" one of the security men exclaimed.
Demarco smiled. "How brave and noble you are, Mr Spock. Very well. I'll let them go. All of you drop your phasers and communicators."
Spock placed his own down then gestured for the others to obey Demarco. With reluctance they did so then left the bridge. Spock knew they would contact the ship as soon as they located one of the other Enterprise crewmembers but there might not be time to effect his rescue. He would need to take drastic action. Now alone with the human, Spock lowered his shields. As Demarco's hand touched the firing button, Spock reached out with his mind. It was not a skill he used very often but, distasteful as it was to him, it was the only way he might overcome his enemy.
He envisaged flame and heat. Drop the disruptor. It burns your hand. It burns. It burns. Pain. Fire. Searing agony on your flesh.
The man screamed and dropped the weapon. Spock launched himself forward, grabbed the disruptor then stumbled back. His mind was still open to the other's and it was impossible to exclude the hate, pain and fear. He staggered with the force of its ugliness.
"Spock." Kirk's voice drew him back from the edge. "Mr Spock, report at once."
Spock drew a sharp breath. He pointed the weapon at Demarco and, kneeling down, picked up a communicator. "S..Spock here, Captain. Demarco is my prisoner. I regret to say that Ensigns Du Pont and Zahria were killed." His voice had a slight shake to it despite his efforts to keep it even. He struggled to erect his mental barriers.
After a moment's silence Kirk responded, "Beam the prisoner over."
Using the ships comm. system, Spock summoned his two security men back. "Take him to the Enterprise." They glanced at their fallen comrades and there was sorrow mixed with anger in their eyes. They were too well trained to show any other signs of emotion and after cuffing the shaken Demarco they led him away.
"Are you all right, Spock?" Kirk asked.
"I am functional, Captain." Spock shook his head, startled that Kirk had somehow sensed his distress. He dismissed it for the present then after taking a few moments to compose himself he called a team of experts over to begin a painstaking investigation of the ship's systems.
He returned to the Enterprise to find Kirk waiting in the transporter room. "Captain, Demarco's ship is disabled beyond repair."
"I'll ask Starbase Seven to send tugs for all five ships." Kirk's eyes were concerned. "Are you sure you're all right?" He placed his hand on the Vulcan's shoulder. "I got the strangest feeling of discomfort. I knew something was wrong with you. Then your prisoner beamed over clutching his hand, screaming it was burned. Dr McCoy found no evidence to support his claim."
"Indeed?" Spock was exhausted beyond the norm but tried to hide it from his friend.
"Poor Du Pont and Zahria. It was their first tour of duty. Only youngsters. We also lost the crew in auxiliary. Four more lives. What a waste." Kirk's eyes filled but he brought himself under control. Spock knew that the human would grieve later. "All right. We're going to Starbase Seven. We could use their medical and repair facilities. Give me a full report later. You're off-duty now, Mr Spock. Go and rest. I have an idea what you did so don't argue."
Spock nodded and left the room. He should have known better than attempt to fool Kirk. The human knew him too well. He retired to his quarters, meditated then slept and woke refreshed eight hours later to find a message signal on his computer.
He activated it and Kirk's face appeared on the screen. "Spock, I've been on the Starbase for the last few hours. Starfleet Intelligence says they've discovered some interesting facts from our prisoner. I have to go to another briefing soon but if you're recovered will you meet me... " Kirk trailed off and smiled a little.
"Meet me at the fountain at 15:00 hours planetary time. Kirk out."
Spock had not been to the Academy since his graduation. It would be a welcome return. Within an hour he arrived at the transporter station where people stopped, stared at him, and whispered. His face was only too familiar here. Trying to ignore the watchers, he strode towards the circle of willow trees where a fountain lay hidden. It had been a favourite haunt during his cadet days and many relaxing hours had been spent there listening to the gurgle of water, and fortifying himself against the outpourings of human emotions.
Kirk was already sitting there, trailing his fingers in the water. He looked up. "Are you well?" At Spock's nod, Kirk smiled then said, "This brings back so many memories. It's where we first met, Spock. Do you remember?"
Spock sat beside him. "Indeed, Jim. I forget nothing."
He dipped his hand into the coolness of the fountain and recalled his arrival at Starfleet Academy as if it were yesterday.
***