The Starship Trap by Mel Gilden

Author:Mel Gilden [Gilden, Mel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Space Opera, Media Tie-In, Fiction
ISBN: 9780671793241
Publisher: Star Trek
Published: 1993-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

blasted into her atomic components," Omen said with

growing anger, "during a starship battle with

Klingons." Omen glared at him as if Kirk were

personally responsible.

Kirk said, "Nobody is drafted

into Starfleet. Your daughter took her chances just

like the rest of us. She obviously thought the risk was

worthwhile."

"Why she was murdered is not the point. She is

dead."

"You can't bring her back, no matter how many

starships you destroy."

"No, but I can save others like her."

Kirk shook his head. "You can't stop

Klingons from attacking if they're so inclined."

"In my universe, Captain, no one would be

armed."

"We're not talking about the destruction of

armament, are we, Professor? We're talking

about the destruction of starships full of people,

individuals as innocent as your daughter."

"Thousands suffer so that millions may live."

"Intellectual poppycock."

"You refuse to understand." He shrugged. "Perhaps

it is really of no consequence."

In fact, Kirk was convinced that he did

understand. Before, he'd called Omen crazy, but that

was only a metaphor for Kirk's conviction that

Omen was terribly wrong. Now it was clear that

Omen was attempting to bring back his daughter

by eliminating the weapons that had killed her--

weapons very much like the ones he himself had designed.

The action was futile, of course;

intellectually, even Omen had to know that. But

guilt, and the desire of a father to save his daughter,

were strong forces and not alt rational. McCoy had

been correct Nobody on the Enterprise

had the time or the expertise to cure Omen.

"Yes, the understanding of one starship captain is

of no consequence," Omen said.

"And the destruction of one starship?" Kirk

asked.

"Granted, it is only a symbolic action.

But we are speaking of the Enterprise, the

flagship. After it is gone Ms. Payton will

interview me. I will explain my reasoning so that

anyone who cares to listen cannot help but understand."

"That's where Conrad Franklin Kent

comes in," Kirk said.

"Precisely. A man in his position will

make my ultimatum much easier to deliver."

Kirk was confused. Omen wanted the galaxy

to live in peace, but he wanted to do it by destroying

any starship that flew by. He could try

justifying that to the parties involved, but Kirk

didn't think that any of them would be particularly

sympathetic. He asked, "Ultimatum?"

"Yes, Captain. Certainly you don't

believe that even I would be so callous as to throw

starships into the Aleph without giving their crews a

chance to reform."

"Reform?"

"Have I reduced you to single-^w questions,

Captain?"

Kirk was peeved by Omen's amusement. He

said, "Answer them if you can."

Omen sighed and said, "Through the report that Ms.

Payton will write for Mr. Kent I will offer the

fleets of the galaxy a choice. If they will

completely disarm, I will not destroy their ships."

Certainly the Klingons and Romulans would not

go for Professor Omen's plan, which meant that

even if Starfleet were inclined to send ships out

unprotected, it would be constrained to ignore that

inclination. Kirk tried to explain this prediction

to Professor Omen.

Omen said, "Then what happens next will be on

their heads, not mine." Omen walked back down the

gallery, stopping now and then to appreciate a work

of his daughter's art.

It seemed to Kirk that they had reached an

impasse, and that he would learn no more from Omen.

He was also curious to know how Spock and

Scotty were doing.

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