Crisis of Consciousness (13 page)

“We thought we might need their protection,” Lodi explained. “Obviously we were prescient.”

“Who?” Tainler demanded. “You? And you?” She accused them both.

“I and the Court knew,” the president said.

“Ambassador Pippenge didn’t know,” Tainler realized, and Lodi confirmed it with a pucker of her lips.

“We thought it best the delegation act in isolation from our intentions,” Moberte said.

“Except for Skent? Is that why he was snooping around?”

Lodi sighed. “He isn’t that clever and was merely curious. No one asked him to steal Federation secrets.”

That much Tainler believed. Skent always had been a bit of a fool, and what he’d done had been harmless enough.

“They will not abandon us,” Lodi said as she moved toward Tainler and took the woman by the shoulders. “Have faith in the Federation. We believe them to be of good character. They will overlook our misstep, should they learn of it.”

Tainler scoffed. “They’re of good character. What are we?”

“Desperate,” Moberte said. “And even after all these years, still afraid of genocide.”

Lodi released Tainler and motioned her out of the room. “Go. Give them the access they request.”

Tainler looked to the president, who pressed her lips together in agreement. “Worry not,” she said. “I don’t think it’s what they’re looking for.”

“WHAT EXACTLY
are you looking for, Jim?” McCoy asked.

“I’m not sure.” Kirk offered the doctor a half shrug. “I’m hoping I’ll know it when I find it.”

The doctor was unsatisfied by the captain’s reply.

Just then Tainler returned.
“Captain?
I have authority from President Moberte to open our planetary databanks to you. I will send your communications officer the proper security protocols.”

Kirk glanced back at Uhura, who nodded in acknowledgment.

“This is unprecedented access for an offworlder
,
”
Tainler continued.

Of course
, Kirk thought. The Maabas had been xenophobic before finally embracing what the Federation had to offer. And yet, they’d opened their arms warmly once they’d chosen their path. “Please extend the president my deepest gratitude, as well as my assurance that your databanks are safe with us.”

Her expression wrought with emotion, Tainler’s voice was thick with held-back tears.
“Never mind the data, Captain. Whatever you search for and no matter what you find . . . just bring Ambassador Pippenge back and save our world
.
”

The only response to that plea that Kirk could manage was a nod. “
Enterprise
, out,” he said softly. The main viewscreen returned to a starscape at warp.

Save our world?
If the Kenisians used that weapon, there was a lot more at stake than one planet.

Twisting around, Kirk pushed himself up and toward Uhura. “Lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir,” she said softly, one hand gliding smoothly across her console. “I have full access to the Maabas records.”

“Set up an instantaneous gateway,” Kirk ordered. “I want our computer to be able to search and interpret the entirety of their archive.”

“Aye, sir.”

Were Spock available, Kirk would ask him to take lead on the task of searching the Maabas records for relevant information. But the captain had done some of that as a young lieutenant, and he knew another officer who had the kind of mind that could sift large amounts of data quickly. “As soon as that’s ready, please join me in the briefing room, Uhura.” He stepped toward the lift. “Have Lieutenant Palamas meet us there.”

“Sir?” Still working her controls, Uhura turned and looked after him curiously.

“We’re going on a fishing expedition.”

McCoy stepped up from the lower bridge. “Jim, you don’t know what you’re fishing for.”

“I’m casting a wide net,” Kirk said, continuing the metaphor as he stepped into the lift.

“
COMMANDER?”
To be roused by Nidal’s voice was an unexpected comfort, and Zhatan reached across the bed toward her. But Nidal wasn’t there. “
Commander?
” It was the intercom.

Groggily, Zhatan tapped the comm button above her bed. “What is wrong?”

“
Nothing, Commander
.
You were expected back at the beginning of the watch. Are you well?”

We are not well
, Zhatan thought, but she didn’t want to have that argument again. “We are fine,” she lied.

She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. She had only intended to meditate, but slumber had come too quickly to avoid.

Once on the bridge, Zhatan felt more herself, and comfort returned as she took her command chair. At least her ship was a constant, forgiving companion.

“Engineers are complaining that maintaining our present velocity is becoming difficult.” Nidal handed her a palm screen with the report. “They suggest cutting speed by one third.”

Zhatan skimmed the recommendation. “So we see.”

“Shall we reduce to level eight?”

Hesitating, the commander was awash in internal input.

“We must not slow.”

“Maintain speed.”

“We cannot be delayed.”

“Stay strong.”

“Listen to us.”

“Kirk is following. We know he is.”

“Maintain speed.”

“If we reduce to eight,” Zhatan told Nidal, “Kirk will intercept us.”

“We’ve had no indication the
Enterprise
pursues us.” Nidal shrugged. “We tainted the heliosphere as you ordered. Our path is well masked.”

“Well masked.” Zhatan shook her head. “But not perfectly so.” She handed back the palm screen.

Nidal took it, glanced at the report again, and sighed slightly. “Commander, we
cannot
maintain this speed. Reducing to level eight is more than a suggestion.”

Zhatan looked away. “We are the commander here. Only our own wishes are more than suggestions.”

“How do you know Kirk pursues us?” Nidal was clearly frustrated, but there was a reason she was only the first and not the commander.

“We know,” Zhatan said. “We touched his mind. We know his soul.”

Nidal seemed to let that sit for a while. She nearly turned away, then said, “
Enterprise
’s pursuit does not improve our engines. We must limit our speed.”

“Do not,”
warned Tibis, and the others stirred.

“Mustn’t.”

“Maintain.”

“Maintain.”

“Reduce.”

“Listen to us.”

“Listen.”

“Maintain.”

“Reduce.”

“Stay vigilant.”

“Kirk pursues,”
Tibis cautioned.

“Counter him.”

“Confound him!”

“Maintain speed.”

“Reduce speed!”

“Deal with Kirk now.”

“Cripple Kirk.”

“Maintain!”

“Stop Kirk,”
Tibis ordered.
“He must be stopped.”

“Stop him.”

“Stop him.”

“Yes, stop him.”

Zhatan nodded to them. “Stand by to reduce speed to level eight,” she told Nidal. “We will delay Kirk. Or, with luck, stop him.”

SWISHING THE COFFEE
around the cup by rolling it in circles, Kirk watched as a lick of steam rose from the black liquid.

It was his second cup. Uhura was still on her first. Palamas had tea but she’d left it untouched.

At the center of the briefing room’s long table, the tri-viewer showed a rolling list of data that at this point had become a blur to the captain.

“Here’s something interesting,” the communications officer said, looking up from the data slate she’d been monitoring.

“What?” Kirk stood and reached out a hand as she brought him the slate.

“I’m not sure it’s pertinent,” Uhura said, “but it explains a lot.”

The captain scanned the data, smiled, then handed it back to her and sat down. “It does, yes.”

Palamas cleared her throat. “Want to share with the class?”

“The Maabas aren’t babes in the woods,” Kirk said, bemused. “They knew the Kenisians were around—or suspected it, at least. Which is why a treaty with the Federation became so important.”

“And you’re not surprised, sir?” Palamas said.

With a chuckle, the captain explained, “Why would they all of a sudden change their minds and push for an expedited agreement? I don’t believe in coincidence.”

“They must have known we might find this,” Uhura pointed out. “But they gave us full access to their records. They could have deleted that part of the archive.”

“We would be left with a data hole that they would have to explain,” Kirk said. “It was a brave move.”

“They need us,” Palamas said empathetically.

Kirk nodded and took a sip from his coffee cup, then set it on the table and began again. “Let’s try a different tack.”

Seated in front of the computer console, Uhura looked up. “I’m certainly ready for a new approach. I don’t feel we’ve learned much.”

“I’m still not sure what we’re looking for, sir,” Palamas said.

“As I told the doctor, I’m hoping,” Kirk said tiredly, “we’ll know it when we see it.”

“We know,” Uhura began, “the Maabas found the planet twenty-four hundred years ago.”

“Twenty-four hundred thirty-three years,” Palamas corrected.

“Thank you,” Kirk said with a smile.

“Forgive me, Captain.” Palamas cradled her tea in both hands and took a small sip. “Historians and dates,” she explained.

Kirk nodded his understanding. “
Over
two thousand years ago the Maabas landed on this planet. They migrated to the same locations where the Kenisians had built their civilization,” the captain said.

“Temperate areas, land which could be cultivated, near resources, potable water sources,” Uhura added.

“Which is how they found the Kenisian ruins,” Palamas said, taking another sip from her tea.

“Correct.” Kirk rose and began to slowly pace the room. “They find the ruins—most of them aren’t hard to find—and, being a highly technological people, they wanted to study them, learn from them.”

“But they don’t,” Palamas chimed in, “at least not at first.”

“You’re right,” the captain agreed. “They’re war weary.”

“They cannibalized what technology they could find,” Palamas added. “The earliest histories are personal diaries and private archival footage.”

Kirk nodded. “A society in survival mode.”

“In some ways the personal is a more interesting history,” Palamas said. “Unfiltered by official historians. Unedited.” She turned toward Uhura. “Lieutenant, can you find the archive labeled one-four-three-four
indok
?”

Uhura nodded toward the tri-viewer as a shaky recording taken thousands of years ago began to play. A mother sat cradling her crying baby as the wind kicked up and people ran for shelter.

The baby was long dead. Her great-great-great-great-great-grandchild was long dead too. But her progeny
had
survived and thrived, and now were being threatened along with a large swath of the galaxy.

“Who is that?” Kirk asked of the vid.

Uhura checked. “Archive recorded by Arublis Pa’atar Maalganq.” She looked up. “No information on the mother or her child.”

“They’re long since dust,” Kirk said quietly.

“The Kenisians aren’t,” Palamas said. “From what you have told us, sir, some of the same ones who lived then are alive in other people’s minds.”

“Whoever attempted to conquer them got more than they bargained for,” Uhura said. “They created an eternal enemy.”

“They did,” Kirk agreed.
But who were they?
He stalked back toward Uhura and flipped a switch. “Computer.”

“
Ready
,” the computer replied in a voice that was a cross between respectful and bored.

“Access all Maabas databanks and cross-reference against Federation historical records.”

“
Working.
” There was a short pause. “
Ready.
”

“According to the archaeological investigation conducted by the Maabas, how long was the planet uninhabited before they arrived?”

“
Working.
”

Kirk felt a smile tug at his lips. He knew he was on to something. He wasn’t sure what, and maybe it was just the excitement of posing a question they’d not asked before. But if the answer spurred on another question, and another after that . . .

A few chirps and the computer continued.
“Maabas Archaeological Institute estimates between two hundred fifty and three hundred years
.
”

“That would mean Zhatan’s people lived there about three thousand years ago,” Palamas pointed out, but the computer disagreed.

“Incorrect.”

“Explain,” Kirk demanded of the computer.

“Archaeological evidence suggests third race between Kenisian and Maabas habitation.”

“Damn.” Kirk slapped the back of his right hand into the palm of his left loudly enough that Uhura, startled by the sound, blinked her eyes. “Conquerors conquer for a reason.”

“Resources,” Palamas told Kirk. “Computer, extrapolate from sensor data and archives. Has Maaba S’Ja been stripped of natural resources?”

“Working. Negative
.
”

Kirk shook his head and began pacing again. “If you can manage warp speed, the resources you need move from basic elements to dilithium and rodinium.”

“The planet isn’t rich in either and never was,” Uhura pointed out.

The captain nodded and bit his lip thoughtfully. “What if . . . what if the Maabas and the Kenisians are somehow connected?”

“How?” Palamas asked.

Kirk motioned to Uhura. “Star charts—show me where the Maabas came from, in relation to their current system.”

Uhura nodded toward the tri-viewer. “On-screen, Captain.”