Star Trek: Invasion!: First Strike by Diane Carey

Author:Diane Carey
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, Star Trek
ISBN: 9780671040956
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1999-10-16T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

"THE SHIP IS RUN at sublight speed by an internally metered pulse drive. We call it impulse."

"We have something similar."

"I know you do. There's quite a bit that's similar about your civilization and ours. If we can reach an understanding, perhaps your people will be satisfied to settle here and exchange knowledge, share a few things."

"Vergokirk – you underestimate the passion of my civilization. You are too comfortable in your identity. You and your friends, and the Klingons and others here, all have a sense of home. You all know where you came from. You have no doubt in your souls about defending it. When we find our space, we will defend it."

Each corner of the captain's cabin and office had been thoroughly roamed, and now Zennor had found himself the most amenable corner from which to contemplate the place and people among whom he now found himself. He hovered behind the perforated privacy partition, which cast a gridlike pattern of shapes and shadows upon his face and form. Standing there in the dimness, he was as bizarre a visage as Jim Kirk had ever seen.

"You say that with great conviction, but I'm not sure I accept what you say," Kirk told him. "You've admitted you think the evidence is too scant."

"Scant or not, it is taken as religion now." Zennor turned to Kirk, and his bony face was terrible as it caught the brittle shadows. "I do not believe you are the conquerors."

Strange how his words were so antithetical to the appearance of this enigmatic alien. He was indeed a ghastly visage hovering there in the shadows, the light designed mostly for humans stamping in confusion across the angles and twists of his skull and horns. And it had no idea what to do with those eyes.

"If we find this is the wrong space, we can live among your Federation. There is something here upon which to build, and my people are builders."

"And we'll welcome you," Kirk said. "We'll welcome you right now, if you'll let us."

Before Zennor could answer, the comm unit behind Kirk twittered and he turned to it. "Kirk here."

"McCoy, Captain. As soon as you can, would you please come down to sickbay? I've got an emergency and I believe you should know about it."

Abruptly interested, Kirk pressed his elbow to the comm and leaned closer. "Is Spock all right?"

There was a pause. "It's something else, Captain. Please come alone."

Come alone? What was that supposed to mean?

Instantly he knew what it meant. Leave Zennor up here, something's been found out.

"If you'll excuse me," he said quickly, "my first officer was severely injured this morning and I think my ship's surgeon is trying to cloak any weaknesses in my staff. If you wish to leave here, push this button and Security will answer. They'll escort you back to the bridge or to the others in your party. As I understand it, they're enjoying their tour of the ship."

* * *

"Bones? What's going on?"

Sickbay's main door panel to the corridor closed behind Kirk.

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