Kirk spoke the terrible words no father should ever be forced to say. “I left him behind.”
Picard knew then there was nothing he could say or do to change Kirk’s mind.
If Joseph was on Vulcan, the only possible reason Kirk could have for traveling to Earth was because he believed it was the only way to save his son.
“Jim, rendezvous with the Enterprise. Let me help.”
A haunted expression came to Kirk then, as if something Picard had said meant something other than he had intended.
“I can’t.”
“I’m under orders, Jim. I’ll have to stop you.”
Kirk held his hand over a control on his chair.
“You can try.”
For a moment, it seemed as if Kirk was about to say something more, but at last, all he added was, “Kirk out.”
The viewscreen changed to an image of the Belle Reve, coming closer.
There was nothing more Picard could do.
“Battle stations,” he ordered.
20
THE OORT CLOUD, SECTOR 001
STARDATE 58567.3
“Jim, you have to reconsider.”
“Let Jean-Luc do the reconsidering. He’s the one under orders.”
Kirk got up from his chair, went to the tactical console. Doctor McCoy stayed at his side.
“Listen to yourself,” McCoy said. “You know that’s Picard on the Enterprise. This isn’t a trap.”
“It’s not as simple as that,” Kirk said. “On Vulcan, Marinta was exactly who she said she was. But she was also bait for a trap she didn’t know about.” Kirk checked the readings on the tactical console, frowned at the holographic doctor. “Why aren’t the weapons online?”
The Doctor folded his arms across his chest. “As I told you, I will not fire on a Starfleet vessel.”
Kirk reached past him to engage the master arming controls. “No, but you will fire on planetsimals, cometary bodies, and other debris that’s about to get in our way.” The status indicators on the console now glowed green, ready for firing. “Won’t you?”
The holographic doctor frowned, but he didn’t argue.
Kirk stepped away from the console to find McCoy still staring at him.
“I don’t think Jean-Luc Picard will be as easy to fool as a young Romulan ambassadorial attache,” McCoy said.
“Bones, you’re right. Jean-Luc is right. Everyone’s right. But we still don’t know how Norinda and… and the Totality, move from point to point. There’s no way to know where they might appear next.” Kirk knew he owed his old friend a better explanation. “If you were chasing me, had me on the run, who’s the first person I’d go to for help?”
Kirk could see that McCoy sensed he was being led into a logical trap, didn’t like it.
“With Spock not here,” McCoy said, “you’d go to Picard.”
“And that’s exactly why I can’t go to him.” Kirk started toward Scott at the navigation console. “Norinda has had access to Spock and Teilani… two people who know me well. Everything I do now has to be something that I wouldn’t normally do, so she can’t predict it.” Kirk realized he had no choice. He had to reveal the reason why he was determined to get to Earth. “That’s why we’re going to Earth, to get help from Admiral Janeway and Starfleet Command.”
McCoy nodded in reluctant agreement. “You’re right about that. You going to Starfleet for help these days, that’s definitely a tactic no one would expect.”
Kirk gave McCoy a tight smile to thank him for his unenthusiastic support, then looked over Scott’s shoulder. “How’re the engines, Mister Scott?”
“Purrin’ like tribbles.”
“Very good.” Kirk took a breath, knew he was about to commit his ship and his crew to a course of action from which there was no coming back. “Set a rendezvous course for the Enterprise– ” He ignored Scott’s questioning look. “– and start to slow to warp one point five. Make it look as if we’re going to do what he wants.”
Even as Scott questioned Kirk, he made the necessary course adjustments and began to decrease the power output of the warp engines. “Aye, Cap’n. But why one point five?”
Kirk patted his chief engineer on the shoulder. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“The Belle Reve is slowing, sir. She’s… she’s on an intercept course.”
Picard knew better than to ask if Lieutenant Leybenzon was sure of his readings. Instead, he looked to Troi. “Counselor?”
Troi seemed as puzzled as the security officer. “I didn’t sense that Kirk was intending to do anything except go past us.” Her expression became grim. “But the fact that his ship is now doing what he said he wouldn’t do implies there might have been a change in command.”
Picard understood the conclusion, but didn’t see how it was possible. “He only had three crew: two retired Starfleet specialists and a hologram. That’s not the makings of a mutiny.”
Troi frowned. “Three crew that we were permitted to see.”
“Good point,” Picard acknowledged. He turned back to Leybenzon. “Lieutenant, scan the Belle Reve for life signs. I want confirmation of how many crew Kirk has on board, and where they’re positioned.”
The security officer brought up the tactical scanner controls on his console at once. But he also replied, “Captain, I’ve reviewed the specifications of Kirk’s ship. With the signal processors and emitters on board, he could have a battle group of Jem’Hadar warriors belowdecks and we wouldn’t be able to detect them until we’re within docking range.”
Worf stepped closer to Picard, dropping his voice. He was always reticent to offer advice to his captain when they were in other than private surroundings. “Captain, it might be better not to scan them. Why give them reason to think we have any suspicions?”
“And that way, we keep the advantage,” Picard said, instantly understanding Worf’s suggestion. “Lieutenant, belay that last order. Do not scan the Belle Reve until she comes alongside.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Picard saw that Troi was about to object, stopped her. “It’s all right, Counselor.” He added for Leybenzon, “And if, instead, the Belle Reve does try to bypass us, here are additional orders….”
“The last thing Jean-Luc will want to do is destroy us,” Kirk said. “He knows it’s me on board and not a duplicate. But he can’t be sure we’re not being manipulated, any more than we can be sure he’s free of the Totality’s influence.”
“You think he’s bluffing?” McCoy asked. It was clear from the way he asked the question that he thought no such thing.
“Not completely. He’s going to try to disable us.” Kirk looked past McCoy to his engineer. “Scotty, what’s the best way for the Enterprise to attack us with maximum damage and minimal chance of casualties?”
Scott didn’t have to think about his answer. “Knock out our warp engines with an overload surge. If we have to rely on impulse alone, we’ll be outnumbered before we reach the orbit of Neptune.”
“Exactly,” Kirk said.
“Exactly?” McCoy repeated.
Kirk shrugged. “That’s what I’d do in Jean-Luc’s position.”
“So what’s our defense?” McCoy asked.
Kirk watched the center screen, where the Enterprise was growing larger, showing more detail as the Belle
