One Small Step Read online

  The image seemed frozen, with the first figure of Losira stepping on the heels of the second, while the third was almost completely gone except for her raised heel and one arm.

  “What is it?” Marl asked, voicing Scotty’s own confusion.

  Spock was perfectly calm, while Kad was almost as impassive. To Scotty, the only reassuring thing was that the Losira replicas were walking away from everyone.

  “It appears to be a resonance echo.” Spock finished examining his readings. “This was apparently the last task the portal performed.”

  “Three Losiras,” Scotty said. “When you beamed down, Mr. Spock, there were three Losira replicas, weren’t there?”

  “That is correct, Mr. Scott. One replica for each of the surviving landing party members.”

  “So this portal sent them,” Kad said. “Does that mean it could start sending out more killer replicas?”

  Scotty was concerned. “The Losira replica sabotaged the Enterprise when it was still a thousand light-years away.”

  “Agreed; however that requires the use of the directional node, which has been destroyed.” Spock put his hand against the computer bank. “Somewhere in this defense computer exists the capability of creating corporeal replicas that can kill with a touch.”

  “Maybe it’s time to crack open some of those modules.” Marl was looking at the computer with a speculative zeal that Scotty didn’t like.

  “Nobody here needs to access such terrible technology.” Scotty put a calming hand on the lad’s shoulder.

  Spock checked the progress of the subprocessor. “The unit has initiated a top level diagnostic. Once that is completed, we can test the portal.”

  “It’s going t’ work, Mr. Spock, I just know it!” Scotty didn’t mind Spock’s tendency to be skeptical. With the help of the Kalandans, they were going to do it. He would bet a bottle of Romulan ale that the portal would be operational within hours.

  Scotty was still grinning as he took another look at the retreating Losira replicas. “But you never know, lads. You better keep an eye on that arch to make sure nothing else comes out of it.”

  Marl started eyeing the arch with renewed suspicion, as Scotty clapped his hands together. “I’m going to report to th’ captain. He could use a bit o’ good news.”

  Tasm had rejoined Captain Kirk in the command center to question Losira. Kirk was in the chair, leading their current session. Overall, he seemed increasingly suspicious toward her. He had not allowed her to get any closer to him than within arm’s length. She had pushed it until he rebuffed her, just to be sure, then abandoned seduction as a potential ploy. Obviously this male was not as susceptible to feminine wiles as she had first thought.

  Kirk started to ask Losira, “Could you give us a sample of your genetic —”

  “Why do you want that?” Tasm interrupted.

  “A genetic sample could tell us a great deal about the Kalandans. You know that. Aren’t you interested in it?”

  “Our genetic makeup is no concern of yours. I believe you’re asking because you don’t trust us.” She tried to sound gravely disappointed, as Losira sometimes did. Like she was lovingly guiding an errant child.

  “Don’t you trust us?” Kirk countered.

  Tasm couldn’t ignore his doubt. She was going to have to brazen this through. “Of course we trust you. We have done nothing but cooperate with you. By all means, ask the replica for a copy of our genetic code.”

  Once again Tasm was saved by Losira’s evasive answer, “That information is controlled by the defense computer.” Apparently the Kalandans were well-versed with biological weapons and knew better than to freely toss their DNA around.

  Just then, Kad arrived with his report on a padd. She quickly scanned it as Engineer Scott verbally gave his report to Captain Kirk. Scott was talking about seeing the Losira replicas again.

  Tasm was more interested in Kad’s report. Marl had investigated the arch, as she had ordered, and found that the neutronium was superficially attached to the structural supports of the station. It appeared the entire arch could be lifted with an anti-grav gurney. If it were turned on its side, it would fit through the corridors. They could push the archway to the top level where they could then transport it onto their ship.

  The only problem was the Starfleet ship. With Kirk’s growing distrust, she didn’t think she could convince him to let her take the portal. Not without a fight. But the replicators were almost finished with the two quantum torpedoes. Then she would take the portal, with or without Kirk’s agreement.

  “Keep me informed,” she ordered Kad. “I want to be there when you test the portal.”

  Kad agreed, turning smartly to go back down the long corridor to the computer chamber. Tasm was very pleased with his work. She had observed him interacting with Commander Spock, and their rapport was exceptional. Marl had also manipulated Engineer Scott into taking a protective role with him.

  Kirk had turned out to be trickier than she had anticipated. So she had prepared another plan of action. It would be Kirk’s last chance to surrender the portal.

  With the six members of the other pod working on search teams, and Luz still sealed in her cell, that left only Mlan and Pir to work on Tasm’s special weapon. It was a tractor-projector they had acquired on one of their first engagements, not long after they had left their birthing world. Using a tractor emitter, the projector would create an interference pattern on a distant focal point. They could set the pattern so that sensors would read it as two Klingon battleships on an attack approach.

  Captain Kirk knew that Klingons were coming. He would believe it long enough to evacuate the station and notify Starfleet Command. If he didn’t leave in the face of certain Klingon attack, she would disable and, if possible, destroy the Enterprise using their quantum torpedoes. By the time any other ships arrived, it would be too late. She would be well on her way home with the interstellar transporter.

  She took the opportunity during Kirk’s discussion with his chief engineer to check with Mlan on board their ship. “Report,” she ordered through the padd.

  Mlan’s report flowed over the screen — the notched symbols that indicated the tractor-projector was ready to be deployed. Since it was better to place the tractor-projector far away from the target, Tasm decided to place it strategically on the surface of the planetoid. They could engage a course change — claim there was Klingon debris or something — and beam the unit down to the southern pole. The Enterprise wouldn’t be able to detect it from their equatorial orbit.

  It would take three of her pod-mates to deploy the tractor-projector in the window of time they would have during a minor course change. Tasm knew she would have to unseal Luz from her cell.

  “Carry on, Scotty,” Kirk finally said to his officer.

  Scotty nodded uncertainly at his captain. Apparently he couldn’t understand why Kirk was so dour when everything was going smoothly. Tasm had to give Kirk credit. He was not an easy dupe. He had nothing concrete to go on, but he persisted in doubting her.

  “I’m needed back on my ship.” Tasm pocketed her padd, glad of an excuse to end this unproductive session.

  Kirk seemed surprised that she would leave him alone with the Losira replica. But she preferred him to concentrate on questioning the replica rather than questioning what she was doing.

  Their ruse had almost played out. It was successful, despite the contradictions that had inevitably arose. Their cover as Kalandans only needed to hold for a short while longer.

  The portal would soon be tested, and the quantum torpedoes were almost ready. After that, no one, not even Captain Kirk, would be able to stop her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  DR. McCOY KNEW that progress was being made down on the station, while he spent too much time conducting a long-needed meeting between the botany staff and his medical technicians. McCoy tried to be positive, congratulating them on working well together on the sporophyte virus as they drew up protocol to use in future invest
igations. The fact that they didn’t discover the vaccine on their own was a moot point, as he told Dr. Es. For the moment he had succeeded in avoiding a tour of her lab space, and merely agreed they all needed more room.

  Everything paled in comparison to the Kalandans and their station. McCoy could understand why the captain stayed down there. Jim was better off in the thick of the activity. Even he found it unnerving not being directly involved, when they knew the Klingons were bearing down on their position.

  McCoy called up the search team roster to see who was going down to the station next. Luz was assigned as one of the Kalandan searchers, so he immediately signed himself up to be on her team, booting off the luckless Ensign Chekov, who had also volunteered. Sometimes rank had its privileges.

  As the search teams introduced themselves in the upper chamber and started down to the living quarters, McCoy fell in beside Luz. She was pleasant, but a bit withdrawn.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Her eyes shifted. “Working too hard, I suppose.”

  McCoy knew there was something more, but he felt constrained from probing her. These Kalandans were private people. They didn’t talk a lot about themselves.

  It was the same as they went about cataloguing the personal items in each of the rooms. Luz wasn’t like the Kalandans on the other teams, who seemed to be in high spirits. They chatted with the Starfleet officers as they scanned the objects. He could sometimes hear them talking in the corridors before entering another room.

  The more of Luz McCoy saw, the more he liked her. She sat on the bed, her head bent as she held the scanner to a small flat icon taken from a container. Her fingers held it delicately, almost reverently. The hollows in her cheeks were filled with shadows, and her forehead was tight with some worry. She seemed defenseless somehow.

  “Why are you so sad?” McCoy sat on a bench near her.

  Luz looked up, her light brown hair falling back from her face. “Don’t you think this is sad?” She lifted her hand at the empty room. “We live, but only for a wink in time. Then we are dead, and everything we thought and dreamed and hoped is gone with us.”

  “At least we leave behind what we’ve accomplished,” McCoy said gently, seeing that she was truly distressed.

  “The scientists left this behind.” Luz gestured to the compact container of useless and unidentifiable objects.

  “It’s hard to know why these things had emotional significance,” McCoy admitted. “But there might be patterns that the individual search teams can’t see. Besides, you’re forgetting this station itself. This place is a remarkable accomplishment.”

  Luz shrugged and tried to smile. “I’m being over-emotional again, I know. My . . . crewmates would say it’s my worst trait.”

  “Well, I prefer people who are in touch with their emotions. There are some people who want to go through life feeling nothing! I don’t understand it, myself. Especially when they take such a high and mighty attitude, like they’re better than us because we feel joy and sorrow . . .”

  “That’s exactly it.” Her eyes were shining. “I feel defective sometimes, but I know I’m not.”

  McCoy frowned at the idea of those plodding Kalandans making her feel bad. He had seen that officer working with Spock, and he acted just like a Vulcan. All work and no time for any pleasantries.

  Luz sighed. “If I died tomorrow, I wouldn’t leave enough behind to fill even this small container. There would be literally nothing left of me.”

  McCoy felt awful. She seemed lost and unhappy, with no one but a stranger — an alien being — to talk to. How could he complain about his life compared to hers? He reached out to pat her hand, awkwardly feeling like an older brother or uncle. She was very attractive, with her slightly upturned nose, but he no longer felt romantically inclined toward her.

  Which made it worse when Captain Kirk appeared in the doorway and saw them in that intimate pose. McCoy started, letting go of her hand.

  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Kirk gave McCoy a penetrating look.

  That flustered him even more. “Of course not! We were just cataloguing items . . . You know Dr. Luz, Captain.”

  “Nice to see you again.” Kirk sauntered into the room, glancing around at the barrenness. “Ensign Chekov complained that he had been bumped off the duty roster by you. Now I see why.”

  McCoy thought there was no need for him to be so smug. “I find this station as interesting as you do, Jim. I see you’ve been working after duty-shift, too.”

  Kirk’s eyes slid to Luz. “I’m trying to learn more about the Kalandans. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind telling me a few things.”

  “Whatever you’d like to know.” Luz looked up with composure.

  Kirk was quite serious. “How far back do your records go?”

  “We have data fragments that go back fifteen thousand years, but nothing substantial until after the age of darkness ended three thousand years ago.”

  “That’s what Commander Tasm said.” Kirk smiled slightly. “If you only have fragments, how did you recognize the signal that was sent by this station?”

  Luz readily answered, “We detected the extreme energy burst, which carried an identification tag of the station and commander.”

  “That’s what Commander Tasm said,” Kirk repeated.

  “Well, then!” McCoy was irritated by Jim’s overtly suspicious attitude. “Maybe that’s because it’s the truth.”

  Kirk glanced at McCoy. “Bones, what I meant was — that’s exactly what Commander Tasm said. Word for word. Like it came out of some kind of manual.”

  Luz was sitting there, her mouth tightly closed. It was her hands that bothered McCoy, the fingers gripping each other so tightly that her knuckles darkened.

  “I just asked several other Kalandans on the search teams, and they told me the same thing.” Kirk stepped closer to Luz, lowering his voice. “Your entire crew has been given some kind of party line of what you can and can’t say — isn’t that true?”

  “No,” she quickly denied, getting up from the bed. Her arms crossed in front of her. “How could you think that?”

  “Because that’s what’s happening. But I think you’re different. You can tell us the truth.”

  “I’m not different!” She looked to McCoy for support. “It’s just that I have to work harder to try to be like the others, or they bother me about it.”

  McCoy knew she was alluding to their conversation, and he felt compelled to step in. Her body language was screaming for help. “Come on, Jim. I don’t think we gain anything by badgering our allies like this. . . .”

  “You, too, Bones?” Kirk stared at him.

  “You’re being confrontational.” McCoy felt aggravated, but he tried to restrain his reaction in front of

  Luz. “Here we are working together. I think it’s time you stop acting like we’re enemies!”

  For a moment, McCoy wondered if he had overstepped the boundaries of rank. He was good friends with the captain, and sometimes they disagreed, but McCoy felt sure Kirk knew that he would back up any decision he made.

  Kirk wasn’t too pleased, but before he could reply, his communicator beeped. Frowning, he flipped it open. “Kirk here.”

  “Spock here, Captain. We are prepared to run a test of the portal.”

  Kirk nodded shortly. “Very good, Mr. Spock. We’ll be right there.”

  McCoy was relieved by the interruption. “I’m going with you. If anything is being tested, you’ll need a doctor on hand.” He glanced at Luz. “Two doctors.”

  Luz noticed that Captain Kirk readily gave in to Dr. McCoy’s suggestion. She had apparently managed to suborn a significant target. McCoy was clearly second only to Kirk, if that.

  The fact that she had done so well with McCoy gave her a boost of confidence. There was nothing like the agony of four hundred crons of the information feed to motivate a person.

  It was Tasm’s fault she had repeated exactly the same words forced into her
through the information feed. They had fallen from her lips without conscious control. That just showed how dumb Tasm could be. And the others for blindly reciting the information they had been given.

  The pain of being sealed in the cell for so long, unable to stand or move about . . . it gnawed at her. Normally they spent a few dozen crons at the most meditating in their cells. The aftereffects of the prolonged feed made her less charming and inviting toward Dr. McCoy. But as it turned out, her fragile state had served to bond him more deeply to her.

  Luz had managed to work out the most severe of her release shakes during their covert mission to deploy the tractor-projector. Another one of Tasm’s disastrous decisions, in Luz’s opinion. It was so predictable. Tasm had used the tractor-projector on every engagement for which she had been leader.

  Luz doubted the tractor-projector would work to repel the Starfleet vessel. She was sure the Enterprise would stay and defend the station at all costs. It was inevitable that they would discover the tractor-projector. Tasm would lose any trust they had gained, and it would accomplish nothing.

  But Luz hadn’t said a word against the plan, biting her tongue the entire time they deployed the tractor-projector. She didn’t want to risk being sealed in her cell again. She would do almost anything to keep that from happening.

  Luz and Dr. McCoy took a place along the back wall just as Tasm arrived in the portal chamber. Tasm looked as if she wanted to order Luz back up to the scout ship. But Luz was with her target, and it gave them an equal number of Petraw and Starfleet officers. Tasm’s reasoning was as clear as if she spoke out loud.

  Marl also stood near his target, the Starfleet engineer, while Kad and Spock were working next to the portal. The shiny blue cylinder had been jury-rigged to a Starfleet subprocessor that had been placed next to one base of the arch.

  Captain Kirk stepped closer with a speculative look. “Is this arch responsible for transporting the Enterprise a thousand light-years away, Mr. Spock?”