Enemy Unseen (Star Trek: The Original Series Book 51) by V.E. Mitchell

Author:V.E. Mitchell [Mitchell, V.E.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Pocket Books/Star Trek
Published: 2000-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

Kirk dropped into his chair and waited for the rest of the somber group to find places around his cabin. Brady and Tenaida took the chairs by the worktable, while McCoy sat on the bed next to Layton. Chekov stood by the door, poised as if to respond to any threat. Kirk studied their faces while they settled in. Both Brady and Tenaida looked the way Kirk felt: mentally exhausted from trying to outthink the spy, nervous from wondering where the intruder would strike next, and weighted by revulsion at the gruesome murder of the security guard.

Anger was McCoy's dominant reaction. His job was to fight death, and the killer had given him no chance. Chekov appeared unaffected, but Kirk knew only strict discipline and the desire to live up to the responsibilities of his new position kept the security chief from looking as disturbed as the rest of the group.

"All right, people. We need answers. Chekov, what's your report?"

"We have found almost nothing so far, Captain. The intruder walked through the door as if it were standing open, attacked Ensign Yendes, reprogrammed the computer, and then walked out again. Yendes did not fire his phaser or call for assistance. It is as if he did not think he was in any danger.

"We have followed the killer's trail as far as the turbolift on that level. He took the turbolift to Deck Six, where he got out near the recreation lounge. No one there saw anything unusual, and we have not been able to trace him after that."

"A pretty cool customer," Brady said.

Kirk nodded. "He isn't worried about being noticed."

"May I suggest something, Captain?"

"What, Tenaida?"

"I could program the intercoms in the turbolift to record the voice patterns of everyone who uses them. Also, we could tie scanners into the intercoms to monitor personnel movements."

Kirk scowled. Spying on his crew went against the grain, but until they identified the intruder, recording every movement and searching the records for anomalies seemed their best hope of catching the spy. "All right, Tenaida. I don't like the idea, but I don't have a better one. When this briefing is over, get together with Commander Scott and tell him what you've got in mind. But monitor only the heavy traffic areas.

"By the way, why did the scanner in Auxiliary Control let the spy get past it?"

"You're not going to like it, Captain," Brady said.

"I already don't like it. Why don't you tell me what it is that I don't like?"

Brady and Tenaida looked at each other, trying to decide who should answer the question. Finally Brady spoke. "When he entered and when he left, the scanner identified the person as Captain James T. Kirk."

"Oh." For a moment, Kirk saw the room through a red haze. He took two deep, slow breaths to calm himself. When he could speak without swearing, he said, "While you're fixing scanners, Tenaida, fix that one, too! Mind-control theory or not, I wasn't in Auxiliary Control. And no impostor should be able to create a disguise that will pass a maximum security check.

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