Myriad Universes 02_ Echoes and Refractions - Keith R. A. DeCandido [45]
And as he knelt, his left hand touched the control panel at the side of the cell entrance, engaging the forcefield.
The Klingon looked about as the shimmering bands of energy left him trapped within the cell. “Hey!” he shouted angrily. He fired his phaser into the forcefield, only to watch the bolt harmlessly dissipate throughout the barrier.
“Well, that was easy,” Sulu said. “Admiral, the bridge has been secured.”
“Good work, Mister Sulu. We need to go back to the main deck and see if a Klingon officer is still aft, in engineering.”
“Oh, him? I intercepted him on the way down here. He was led by some large smelly animal. I had to stun that thing twice.”
“Excellent,” Kirk said, smiling. “Get back up there and get the rest of the crew secured.”
“Aye, sir. And it’s good to have you back, Doctor Marcus.” Sulu turned and dashed back up the stairs.
Kirk and David remained in the brig, along with the Klingon guard who now sat morosely upon the bench in the cell. Kirk stared at David with contrition. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”
“You came,” David replied. “That’s all that matters.”
And they warmly embraced, poignantly aware for the first time of the unbreakable bond between father and son.
The mood was jovial as Kirk and David entered the bridge of the Katai, and the Enterprise officers each in turn expressed their elation at David’s safe rescue, his terrible injuries notwithstanding. Kruge and his three officers remained under guard on the port side of the bridge, scowling with disgust as they overlooked the proceedings. The image of the nearby Enterprise shone proudly upon the viewscreen.
Before long, the unconscious members of Kruge’s crew had been safely secured in the brig. The two small cells were not terribly accommodating, especially when most of the occupants were lying prostrate upon the floor; Kirk suggested that the remaining four officers be housed in the Enterprise brig, where Kirk would have ample opportunity on the trip home to question Kruge about just how widespread support was among the Klingon High Council for his operation.
“Gentlemen,” Kirk said, “Sulu and Chekov will stay behind to pilot the bird-of-prey. Thelin, I’ll beam over first with David and prepare the Enterprise to receive the prisoners.”
The rest of the crew nodded their assent. Kirk looked at David, a young man troubled and traumatized, but presently at peace, knowing that he was returning home. Kirk’s son was safe, and all was right with the cosmos.
“I want to thank you all again,” Kirk quietly offered to his crewmates. “You’ve all risked your lives and careers, and I will never forget it.”
Chekov motioned toward the exit. “Admiral, may I have the honor of transporting you back to your wessel?”
“As you wish, Commander,” Kirk replied. He flipped open his communicator as he and David followed Chekov through the doors. “Scotty, lower the Enterprise shields and prepare for transport.”
“Aye, sir,” came the reply, and then the bridge doors closed behind them.
Doctor McCoy had just completed his final diagnostic procedures upon the calmly seated Saavik as the silence on the Enterprise bridge was pierced by the sound of two transporter beams penetrating the open area between the helm and the viewscreen. James Kirk, once fully materialized, stepped forward and looked about the bridge of his ship with satisfaction. Beside him, David spied Saavik among the rear consoles, and gingerly but rapidly rushed back to meet her. She stood, and they threw their arms around each other, sharing the joy and relief at their newfound freedom.
Smiling, Kirk followed his son, pausing to pat Scotty on the back as the engineer sat at an operations console monitoring the automation systems that continued to run the