Star Trek_ A Choice of Catastrophes - Michael Schuster [62]
“Query: clarification, not-I presence alone?”
“Of course! I always travel on my own. It’s much more fun that way.”
“Query: knowledge of previous biped?”
“I never saw him before in my life! I don’t even like other… bipeds. Why do you think I came to the planet of the octopi?”
“Order: statement of name!”
Chekov hesitated for a moment, before finally gasping out, “Cyrano Jones.”
Kirk had to smile at that.
“Query: purpose of presence? Order: truth!”
“As I said, I like nice beaches. Swimming is my favorite pastime, and I—aah!”
“Feeling of disbelief. Confusion, annoyance. Anger! Order: biped cooperation! Alternative: fatality!” The Farrezzi who was interrogating Chekov motioned to the one holding the ensign. They set off for the enormous structure that dominated the cavern. “Order: task completion high-speed. After merchandise transfer there, start of takeoff procedure now.”
They were running out of time. If they didn’t act, they’d lose Chekov and Yüksel. What was the first-contact protocol when the first members of a new species encountered were criminals?
The captain asked Rawlins for his tricorder. “Commander, make sure you keep everybody safe.” There was confusion on Giotto’s face, quickly followed by a sequence of astonishment, shock, then finally determination.
“Sir, this is crazy! I won’t let you—”
“You will. Take them back to the shuttle and contact Spock.” Before anybody could try to stop him, Kirk was speeding along the row of cryopods.
As he ran, the captain considered his dilemma. If they wanted to get Chekov and Yüksel back unharmed, he needed to act. He’d never been able to sit back and watch while others risked their lives. This was how he’d been raised by his parents, how he’d been trained at the Academy, and—most important—how he defined himself.
The rest of the Farrezzi had disappeared inside. Kirk ran across the open space between the last row of pods and the building. He put his back to the wall and began skirting along toward the door. He reached the open door and peered around the edge. What he saw made him wonder if he should wait until the Enterprise was here. The structure was a hangar, a large one, at least a hundred meters deep. Filling the vast space were either simple aircraft or something more complex.
Two of the larger craft had big bellies and were in the process of being loaded with pods. The other three were smaller and looked like they’d be nimble in the atmosphere. They all shared a common design. The central fuselage was short and narrow for the three smaller ones, long and wide for the bigger two. Five armlike booms jutted out, connecting to ventral protrusions that Kirk assumed were the engines. From the engines, landing gear extended that supported the craft. As Kirk studied the ships, it struck him that there was a similarity to those of Orion raiders.
Kirk had to wait for an opportunity to get past the Farrezzi who were loading pods onto the two big ships. There was no trace of his men, no clue as to which of the craft Chekov and Yüksel had been taken on.
He wasn’t letting them fall into the hands of slavers.
Today hadn’t been a good day for Salvatore Giotto. He couldn’t just leave without attempting to get the captain and the others back. Orders be damned. Only Tra had combat experience. Their chances would improve if he took Tra with him, but Giotto could not leave Seven Deers and Rawlins to fend for themselves.
“Listen up.” Giotto had trouble keeping his voice even. “Tra, you take Rawlins and Seven Deers back to the Columbus. Move quickly. No matter what happens, get them to safety.”
“You can’t be serious!” Seven Deers said. “Commander,” she added after a pause. “They’ll catch you, too.”
“You’ll do as ordered. Once you’re in the shuttle, seal the hatch and take off. Hail Commander Spock, hail the Enterprise, hail whoever you can, just get help.”
Giotto nodded at Tra