One of these encounters had been an extremely close call. Probably after making a faint sensor contact with Excelsior,the Tholian patrol vessel had altered course. Asher had moved the ship counter to the path of the Tholian vessel, spiraling about the boundary of the interphase filament like thread on a spool. Each time they were directly opposite the Tholian ship, Excelsiorput on a slight burst of speed, drawing them further and further out of the other vessel’s sensor range. Eventually, they had placed enough distance between Excelsiorand the patrol ship to sustain a higher speed without creating undue risk of the Tholians penetrating the starship’s disguised warp signature.
Now Excelsiorwas rapidly nearing what the charts indicated was the far border of Tholian space, the very region where their probes had been sent—and destroyed—earlier.
[125] “Commander, sensors have just detected a warp signature from another ship,” said Ensign Fenlenn, one of the junior science officers.
“Tholian?”
“No, sir.”
“Range?” Chekov asked, eyebrows raised. Are we finally about to meet the enemy?
“Only light-days away, Commander. They’re in close proximity to a small planet orbiting an F-type star.”
“Where did it come from, Ensign?” Chekov wanted to know. A ship that close should have been visible much earlier, even via passive long-range scans.
“The sensors are picking up some very strange interspatial readings emanating from not far outside that system,” Fenlenn said. “It’s as though the interspatial filament has widened into some sort of terminus. Like a colossal rip leading straight into interspace.”
And maybe straight into wherever that ship came from.
“Mr. Akaar,” Chekov said. “Give me a tactical appraisal, please.”
“Aye, Commander,” came the Capellan’s rumbling response. “The vessel does not appear to be scanning us at the moment, but ... sir, they have just deployed their weapons.”
“Against whom? Scan for other vessels. There’s no way we could be within range of their weapons.” Chekov leaned forward in the command chair, even as Akaar’s fingers danced across his own console.
“They appear to be firing on the planet,” Fenlenn said. “It’s inhabited. Given the harsh class-N atmospheric conditions, I suspect that it’s a Tholian border settlement.”
“I confirm that,” said Rand, raising a hand to her earpiece. “I’m receiving several Tholian distress signals from the surface.”
“Maintain yellow alert status,” Chekov said. “Lieutenant Asher, bring us in closer. Let the attackers know we’re here.” [126] He turned his head slightly. “Commander Rand, hail them.” Rand looked quizzical. “Are we dropping our disguise, sir?”
Chekov shook his head. “Let them think we’re the biggest, meanest Tholian ship they ever saw.” He punched the comm button on the chair’s armrest. “Captain Sulu, please come to the bridge. We’ve got a situation here.”
“Hailing frequencies open, Commander,” Rand said. “Making challenge.”
Akaar spoke before Chekov could, his voice raised somewhat. “Sir, they have just begun strafing the planet with a volley of ionic blasts. They appear to have hit some structures on the surface. But I cannot ascertain casualties as yet.”
Chekov’s mind raced. “Keep hailing the attacker, Jan—”
Rand interrupted him. “They’re hailing us,sir.”
The viewscreen dissolved into static, then gradually regained a measure of coherency. The creature who stared out of the viewer was humanoid, though clearly not human. It’s skin was a mottled gray, with a rough texture that resembled thick tree-bark. The ropy black hair atop its head was shaved into dozens of slender, even rows.
“Weki kwen jun belaï stofre winá Neyel daod joela.”
“Sounds like the universal translator is still trying to sort out their language,” Fenlenn said.
The alien continued speaking, its rigid brow crumpling into furrows, apparently moved by incredibly powerful facial muscles. “Tia foti ö rwek zam dis de’evl woos émim Neyel,”it said just before the screen went blank.
“Find out what they’re saying,” Chekov said. “Run the recording of that transmission through every exolinguistics protocol we have. And hail them again as soon as we can communicate.”
As the doors to the turbolift opened and Sulu stepped out, Akaar spoke again. “Sir, the alien vessel has just fired on [127] the planet again. This time our sensors have confirmed casualties. Hundredsof them.”
Chekov glanced toward Sulu, who wasted no time saying, “Let’s go put a stop to this, Pavel.”
And so it begins,Chekov thought. Relinquishing the command chair with an efficient nod, he set about filling his old friend’s simple order. He raised his voice so that everyone on the bridge could hear him clearly. “Red Alert. Raise shields. All hands to battle stations ...”
Chapter 11
Sulu felt energized as he took back the captain’s chair from Chekov. He ordered Janice to disable the red warning lights and alarm klaxons, and Pavel quickly brought him up to speed on the events of the last few minutes. Lieutenant Hopman—once again in her male form—arrived on the bridge as they were speaking, and positioned herself near the science station, where Ensign Fenlenn was working.
“Captain, I believe the universal translator has finally cracked the aliens’ language,” Rand announced suddenly.
Sulu took this as an encouraging sign. Talking was always the most desirable starting point in any first contact situation. Without a mutually intelligible language, combat with these obviously aggressive beings would shortly prove inevitable.
“Good work,-Rand,” Sulu said. “Let’s start by replaying their hail in Standard.”
On the viewer, the long-range image of a tapered, cylindrical alien ship orbiting the yellow-tinged planet was replaced by a recording of the alien hail. “Incoming vessel, the Neyel Hegemony has no record of a ship matching your configuration, “State your purpose here.”
“Neyel,” Sulu said. “So, now we at least have a name for them.” Turning to Rand and Fenlenn, he asked, “Can you [129] confirm that the U.T. is up for a full, real-time conversation?”
“Tes, sir,” Rand nodded, one hand lifted to the communications receiver in her ear.
“Then open a channel, please.” Sulu stood as the screen briefly went black. A moment later, the rough-skinned humanoid—presumably the same one from the earlier transmission—appeared on the viewer.
“Commander of the Neyel vessel, I am Captain Hikaru Sulu of the Federation starship U.S.S. Excelsior.We were on a diplomatic mission to negotiate with the Tholians—the species which claims the world you have attacked—when we learned of their conflict with your people. We would like an opportunity to discuss your side of this matter in a peaceful, neutral setting if—”
The screen went black again, prompting Sulu to smile crookedly. “Was it something I said?”
“I’m sorry, Captain,” Rand said, hurriedly touching panels on the communications display in front of her. “They’ve broken off communication.”
“Reestablish,” Sulu said, scowling.
Moments later, the Neyel leader was back on the viewscreen, but before Sulu could manage to say anything, the Neyel interrupted. “These crystalline Devils are an opportunistic infestation, a scourge to be exterminated,”the alien spat. “Nothing more, nothing less. Anyone who would treat with them is most assuredly an enemy of the Neyel.”
“Captain, they are locking their weapons on us,” Akkar said.
Two seconds later, Excelsiorwas rocked by a blast of directed energy, and the bridge shimmied as the inertial dampers worked to even out the impact. Sulu grabbed onto his chair to stay steady as the deck righted itself.