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“Reopen the channel,” Kirk said. “Commander,” he appealed to Kruge, trying to sound apologetic. “We just wanted confirmation that the two hostages are on board. After all, you could have been falsifying their voices.”

“Listen very carefully, Kirk. The entire brig is magnetically shielded. Any attempt to beam out the hostages will get you a jumble of grotesque dead flesh.”

Kirk whirled around to face Thelin’s station, where the Andorian was already running scans to verify Kruge’s claim. The results were distressing. “Confirmed, sir,” Thelin said. “Beaming in or out of the brig won’t be possible.”

The computer console chirped. “Transmission complete,” it announced.

It didn’t take long for the Klingons to examine the cache of electronic data files they had just received. The voice of Kruge was heard over the open channel, arguing with his bridge crew. “What are you saying, Maltz? Why can’t you read the data?”

“It appears to be encrypted, sir,” the voice of Maltz replied.

“Kirk!” Kruge angrily shouted. “You’re trying my patience!”

“You have the data,” Kirk explained. “Now it’s your turn. Release the hostages, and I’ll provide the decryption key and the Genesis torpedo.”

“What kind of idiot do you take me for?” Kruge hissed. “You expect me to give up my only leverage, so that you can beam over a torpedo already armed for detonation?”

A silent pause, then Kruge continued. “I will release one of the prisoners as a token of my…goodwill.” He spat out the last word as if it made him violently ill to say it. “You will agree to simultaneous exchange and send over the Genesis device. This is not subject to negotiation.”

Kirk took a moment to consider. “All right,” he said. “Your terms are understood. Stand by for transport.”

The admiral turned to face his small crew-his friends, who had put their entire careers on the line to accompany him on this mission. “Well, gentlemen…It looks like our hand is pretty weak, and we only have one card left to play.”

“We vill support your decision, Admiral,” Chekov said.

“Just give the word, Admiral,” Sulu agreed.

“Aye, let’s git on with it!” Scotty added.

Kirk looked over at Thelin, who merely bowed his head in approval.

“Thank you, my friends,” Kirk humbly acknowledged. “To the transporter room.”

Aboard the Katai, the Klingon transporter operator stood at attention as the doors opened and Torg entered, escorting the Vulcan prisoner. Visibly agitated as the young woman bantered with him, Torg growled at her, “You’re being released! Now shut up and get on the platform before I disobey orders and disintegrate that pretty little mouth of yours.”

Not willing to chance the possibility that Torg was serious in his threat, Saavik pressed her lips tightly together and stepped onto the nearest transporter pad. At the transporter console, Kruge’s voice called out from the intercom. “Transporter room! Prepare for simultaneous transport with Enterprise. Engage!”

“Yes, sir,” the operator responded. He moved the sliders on the control panel, and Saavik’s form on the platform began to dematerialize, accompanied by the telltale whine and the sparkling energy from the containment beam. In the same instant, on the pad next to hers, a twinkling form gradually coalesced into the shape of a tall storage ark-a metallic obelisk about two meters tall with no readily discernible markings.

The operator punched the intercom on the console. “My lord, we have the Genesis device.”

“Inspect the cargo,” Kruge commanded. “Report immediately when you have verified its authenticity.”

Torg approached the platform, and turned two metallic latches along the vertical seam at the front of the container. Slowly he pushed apart the two halves of the ark.

A phaser beam lanced outward from the interior of the ark and struck Torg squarely in the chest. With a muffled, nasal groan, he tumbled to the deck.

The officer behind the transporter console immediately stepped backward, fumbling about his holster for his weapon. But by the time he was able to successfully retrieve it, the two