So they really don’t know about transporters,Sulu thought, recalling Jerdahn’s earlier confusion and incredulity at the prospect of being beamed back onto his ship. But Jerdahn appeared to have adapted to the situation quickly. If the commander of Jerdahn’s ship proved equally adaptable, then there was real cause for hope.

Sulu listened with greater interest as the Neyel troops engaged Jerdahn in the conversation, and began arguing amongst themselves about just what to do with their prisoners.

“Surely they cannot be beings of reason, like us,” said the gray-sashed commander of the guards.

“They are,” Jerdahn said. “They had many chances to kill me. But each time they offered peace instead.”

“Bellstine!”one of the guards exclaimed. “They are too [246] dangerous to be allowed further life. One of these may have been the toktofwho killed my Gretsel.”

Several of the Neyel began thumping their club-tipped tails onto the ground and walls, creating a discordant, metallic gonging sound. The rough-hewn hands of a few of them also began to twitch on or near their weapons.

Chapel was crouching near Sulu. “Now would be a good time for a plan, Captain,” she said in a low voice. “Before they decide to escort us straight to the nearest airlock.”

“Sit tight, Chris,” Sulu said, sensing a great deal of uncertainty in their captors’ body language. “Something tells me these soldiers won’t want to take on that kind of responsibility.”

“Let’s hope you’re right,” said Chapel.

Glancing toward Akaar, Tuvok, and Burgess, Sulu saw the same calculated stillness in each of their gazes. He suspected it masked completely different mental preparations. Akaar was likely planning how best to tear the Neyel limb from elongated limb, should the need arise; Tuvok seemed to be carefully evaluating every word and gesture; Burgess was no doubt engineering a last-ditch plan to negotiate with them, should the situation deteriorate further.

But it was Jerdahn who spoke up first on their behalf. “Adjun-drech’tor Bannohn, in case you do not recall me, I am Subaltern Jerdahn from Level 47, Post 16. As you can see, I have spent some time among these humans,and believe them to be ... different from most other species we have encountered before.”

The leader of the Neyel forces snorted, his mouth twisted into a derisive grin. “Why should I care what a waste reclamation worker thinks? These humans fired upon our vessel, hulling it and killing many Neyel in the process.”

Sulu felt his heart sink for a moment. Jerdahn was apparently only a lowly maintenance tech. Clearly, his opinion held little sway here.

But Jerdahn didn’t flinch from the provocation. Instead [247] he puffed up his chest and squared his massive shoulders. “My presentoccupation has nothing to do with my old life, nor the knowledge I still retain, Adjun-drech’tor. It would be in your best interest to remember that.”

Bannohn flinched almost imperceptibly. Sulu noticed it, however, and he suspected that others in his boarding party might have picked it up as well. Clearly, Jerdahn ismore than just a maintenance tech. That’s good.

“Although many facts remained to be confirmed, my belief grows that this group may indeed be OROM,” Jerdahn continued.

As a noisy muttering began amongst the soldiers, Jerdahn addressed Sulu’s group as well. “If they are indeed an Other Race of Men, they must command respect. Their actions have shown them to be gentle unless provoked, rather than a dangerous or hostile species fit only for killing or enslavement.”

The angry guard who had earlier spoken of the loss of his Gretsel snarled and brandished a vicious-looking knife. “He speaks heresy. How many truly OROM aliens have the Neyel met since the Long Fall from Far Aerth? He is clearly under their influence. Look! He even wears their garb.”

Jerdahn held up his hand, and amazingly, the Neyel troopers quieted. “I think I’m well aware of what is heretical and what is not,” he said with conviction. “I wear their garb because they clothed me. My garments were destroyed when I was blown into space. I would have been killed and gone, had they not recovered my body just before death embraced it.”

“So what are you proposing we do with them?” the Neyel squad leader asked, clearly refusing to show Jerdahn respect by using his name.

“They must speak with the drech’tor and his visor,” Jerdahn said. “ Oghen’s Flameis currently ensnared by the Devils, as is the humans’ own ship. If our crew is to have hope of escaping this trap, then we must work with the humans.”

Jerdahn stepped forward, staring directly into the leader’s [248] eyes. The action might have seemed defiant, but Sulu didn’t sense that any of the soldiers felt threatened.

“I believe that this is not just a matter of the survival of our persons and our vessel, Adjun-drech’tor Bannohn, nor of the humansand their Excelsior,”Jerdahn said. “These people may represent the salvation of worlds, perhaps even of the entire Neyel people. You mustallow us to speak of this to the drech’tor. Immediately.”

The gray-hued leader stared intently into Jerdahn’s eyes, and Sulu saw him flinch almost imperceptibly yet again.

What power does Jerdahn have over him?he asked himself. And will it be enough to convince whoever commands this ship to cooperate with us?

Minutes later, Sulu and the group had ascended through several levels of the Neyel vessel, Oghen’s Flame.Sulu assumed that they were traveling toward the core. None of his team said anything, especially since their armed Neyel escorts still looked ready to shoot them dead or slice them into pieces if they stepped out of line, “either verbally or physically.

Eventually, they were herded into a large rounded chamber that seemed both ceremonial and functional. Narrow tapestries festooned the walls, but between each of them were large monitors that showed various internal and external views of the ship, as well as the space surrounding it. On one of them, Sulu could see Excelsior,while another was focused on one of the wedge-shaped Tholian vessels and the energy web filaments that emanated from it.

A Neyel man was watching one of the monitors closely, as was a female Neyel who was seated nearby. Both were dressed in garments that were clearly of better quality than those worn by the soldiers, but still seem to retain a completely utilitarian function.

Ignoring the soldiers, Jerdahn approached the pair and began speaking to them. He kept his voice low enough so [249] that the universal translator couldn’t pick up what he was saying, but Sulu saw Jerdahn gesture toward them several times during the conversation.

Finally, the male approached Sulu’s group, his tail switching languidly behind him. “You are Hikarusulu?” he asked. “You are the drech’tor of your ship?”

“I’m the captain of the U.S.S. Excelsior,”Sulu said, offering what he hoped was a nonthreatening smile. He gestured toward the others in the boarding party. “I bring with me Federation Ambassador Aidan Burg—”

“I am Joh’jym, the drech’tor of the Neyel Hegemony Fleet Cruiser, Oghen’s Flame,” the Neyel man said, interrupting Sulu. He gestured toward the woman. “This is my visor, Oratok.”

Since neither of them offered their hands to shake, Sulu didn’t offer his. He noticed that Burgess was regarding him almost as intently as were the Neyel leaders.

Oratok spoke, her voice soothing, almost purring. “Jerdahn says that you have come to us with knowledge and offers of peace, although even today you have aided the Devil scourge and caused the deaths of many Neyel.”

“I’ve taken no one’s side in this conflict,” Sulu said. “The actions I took were intended solely to prevent the slaughter of innocent civilians on the planet.”