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The phaser spun to a stop at the Klingon’s feet in the center of the cell. He shoved David away, over to Kirk’s side just within the entrance of the cell, keeping his own weapon trained on both of them, then stooped to pick up the phaser. Pocketing the extra weapon, he then retrieved his communicator from another pocket. “Brig to Kruge!” he called into the device. “I have the Starfleet admiral! What are your orders, my lord?”

As the doors to the Katai bridge slid shut behind the three guards delegated to delay the intruders, the three officers remaining on the bridge with Kruge sprang into action. “Bridge doors are sealed,” one of the men spoke from the security console.

“Shield modulations are complete,” Maltz called out. “Nothing further can be beamed on or off the ship.”

“Very good, Maltz,” Kruge said. “Now go to the weapons console and target the Enterprise warp core. If they lower their shields for an instant, you’re to blow them to Gre’thor.”

Maltz moved to the console at the aft end of the port side of the bridge. “Target locked, my lord.”

“Assume defensive positions,” Kruge ordered, and the other two men scrambled to stand in between Kruge and the rear entrance to the bridge, disruptors at the ready. Maltz rose from his station and stood facing the doors with his weapon drawn as well. Within moments, they were aware of a commotion out in the corridor-banging noises as the Starfleet boarding party attempted to force their way through the doors, punctuated by occasional phaser blasts impacting against the metal. The racket increased in intensity, finally culminating in the sound of a shrill whine.

Kruge looked to his left, to his right, and above his head. “What’s that noise?” he demanded.

Suddenly all fell silent. Then from behind them, at the fore of the bridge, a clear, commanding voice rang out. “Don’t turn around. It would be so dishonorable to have to shoot you all in the back. Now, all of you, drop your weapons.”

They did so. Seconds later, the bridge doors finally opened and Sulu entered, Chekov rushing in just behind him. The two men gathered up the assortment of dropped weapons, then ordered the four Klingon officers to place their hands upon their heads and to move toward the row of consoles on the port side of the bridge.

As Kruge turned, accompanied by his defeated men, he saw Thelin standing alone in front of the viewscreen. “You transported in here!” he grumbled, then stared coldly at Maltz. “I thought no one else could transport through the shields!”

Thelin looked at him with amusement. “No one else transported through the shields, you fool,” he said. “I transported onto the bridge from your own transporter room.”

The bridge intercom chirped, and the voice of a guard was heard from the lower deck. “Brig to Kruge! I have the Starfleet admiral! What are your orders, my lord?”

The three Starfleet officers exchanged hurried glances. “I’m on it,” Sulu said, and he dashed through the doors and down the corridor.

The Klingon guard in the brig was growing visibly agitated as he shouted into his communicator. “Commander Kruge, come in! I have two prisoners on the lower deck! Requesting instructions!”

“Sounds like he’s indisposed right now,” Kirk observed. “Perhaps you should leave a message, and he can get back to you later.”

“Shut up, human!” the Klingon spat, raising his weapon. “My last orders were to kill the prisoner. Perhaps I should carry out that order.”

Kirk and David each took a step back, stumbling slightly as they crossed the threshold at the entrance to the cell. The exit into the outer corridor beckoned about ten feet away, but they couldn’t possibly outrun a disruptor blast to reach it. “There’s no need to kill anyone,” Kirk argued. “We’re your hostages. You can use us as leverage; take back the ship.”

With a flurry of footsteps, Sulu rushed through the entryway.

“Stop!” the Klingon shouted. “Drop your weapon or these two men are dead.”

Sulu raised his hands, his own weapon pointed benignly at the ceiling as he looked about the outer area of the brig, assessing the situation.