Captain's Glory

33

U.S.S. ENTERPRISE

STARDATE 58571.5

“Surrender?” Riker said.

On the viewscreen of the Enterprise’s bridge, Picard appeared to be as pleased with the strategy as his former first officer.

“For this to work,” Picard explained, “we have to get close enough to the Vulcan ships to take them off-guard.” His voice and image sparkled with interference, and there was a definite time lag between exchanges. Instead of using subspace, the Enterprise and the Belle Reve were communicating by laser transmissions-an old but effective method of evading eavesdroppers. In this case, the eavesdroppers were the two Vulcan cruisers chasing Picard’s vessel, within minutes of arriving, weapons armed.

“It isn’t quite what I had in mind for my first command action on this ship,” Riker said.

Picard smiled ruefully. “Just don’t get too used to that chair.”

Riker returned the smile. “Is there anything else Geordi needs to know?”

“Just follow Mister Scott’s lead and… hope for the best. Belle Reve out.”

Riker tapped his combadge. “Geordi, did you get all that?”

La Forge answered from engineering. “Sure did, Captain.”

“Think it’ll work?”

“Could get tricky if they try to board us while we’re attacking. But if Starfleet’s tested it, I’m ready to give it a shot.”

Riker was tempted to remind La Forge that Picard had said the artificial-gravity distortion techniques had been tested “in simulation,” but he decided not to add any additional distractions to what was already a complex situation.

When Spock had returned from the realm of dark matter with the knowledge that gravity was what kept the Totality away from the stars and galaxies, he had provided the key to the new strategy. Then Starfleet’s Department of Advanced Research had demonstrated proof of concept at Mercury, for using projected gravity fields as a weapon. Now Admiral Janeway was spearheading the crash program to use the new technology to engage the Totality at Vulcan, and, if need be, drive them from the Federation one world at a time.

Somehow, Riker wasn’t surprised that in the midst of such an enormous undertaking, James Kirk had found a way to apply it to a personal mission. He had also been heartened to learn that Picard really had been kidnapped by Kirk. But he was even more pleased that Picard had since made up his mind to do anything he could to help his fellow captain recover his son. And if Kirk’s personal quest offered the chance that the Totality could be defeated at the same time, so much the better.

“We are being hailed by the Vulcan cruisers,” Worf announced.

Riker exchanged a look with Troi, gratified to have her at his side again. He saw that she was ready, straightened his jacket, and told Worf to put the signal onscreen.

A sallow young Vulcan in a combat helmet appeared.

“U.S.S. Enterprise,” the Vulcan said coolly, “you are infringing on Vulcan territory. Drop from warp and prepare to be taken in tow.”

Riker knew he had to appear to surrender for Picard’s plan to work, but he had to make it look good. So with practiced offense, he refused the demand. “We’re well outside your system’s territorial boundaries.”

“In the current situation, new rules apply. All ships traveling at warp are presumed to be enemy vessels. Drop to impulse or be fired upon.” Despite the deadly threat he made, the Vulcan’s tone remained crisp and uninvolved.

Riker feigned annoyance. “We’re on a rescue mission.”

“Provide details.”

“We’ve been asked to rendezvous with a private vessel, the S.S. Belle Reve.”

Riker was certain he saw the Vulcan’s face tighten. He caught Troi’s eye. The nod she gave was imperceptible to anyone but him.

“The Belle Reve and her crew are guilty of criminal actions within the Vulcan system. If you persist in aiding them, you will be considered accomplices.”

Riker gave an impression of shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Adopting an air of extreme reluctance, he addressed his conn officer.

“Ensign Choyce, take us to impulse.”

Riker returned his attention to the viewscreen and the Vulcan. “I take it you want to scan us.”

“You will be boarded and searched,” the Vulcan said.

“I will file a complaint with Starfleet Command,” Riker threatened.

“That entity no longer exists.”

“Captain,” Worf interrupted, following his script. “The Belle Reve has been hit.”

“Damage?” Riker asked, as if it were of utmost concern and not part of Picard’s plan.

“They have lost warp engines,” Worf replied. “Shields are fluctuating.”

“There’re Starfleet personnel on board that ship,” Riker said with a hint of anger, knowing how that typically human emotional display would annoy a real Vulcan.

“They are reporting injuries,” Worf said loudly. “Severe burns. They are requesting emergency medical aid.”

Riker stood to face the nameless Vulcan on the viewscreen. “I’m responding to that request. If you want to board and search this ship, you’re going to have to do it when we reach the Belle Reve. Enterprise out.”

Riker gave a quick cutting gesture and the viewscreen returned to showing the stars at warp. He looked over at Troi and she applauded lightly. “Bravo. He believed every word.”

Another time, Riker might have taken a bow. But he was about to take the Enterprise into battle.

“Ensign Choyce, set a course to the Belle Reve. Maximum warp. Hold station at five kilometers when we arrive, and so the Vulcans don’t get suspicious if they scan us, alert transporter control to operate as if they’re preparing for medical evacuation.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

Riker turned to Worf. “What are the Vulcans doing?”

“Following. Weapons are armed, torpedoes are loaded.”

Riker waited a few moments, then, “If they haven’t shot at us by now, they’re going to wait to see if we follow through on what we said.”

Worf bared his teeth in an unsettlingly predatory smile. “Then we have them.”

Riker wasn’t as convinced as Worf, but he had long ago learned the folly of arguing with a Klingon.

“Th’Enterprise is droppin’ from warp,” Scott said.

Picard watched the viewscreens carefully. A moment after the Enterprise streaked to relative stop, the two Vulcan cruisers completed the same maneuver.

“Distance to targets?” Picard asked.

“Five kilometers port and starboard,” McCoy answered. “They’ve sandwiched us.”

Picard tapped his finger on the arm of his chair. “We have to turn that around.”

“We’re being hailed,” McCoy announced. “It’s the Vulcans.”

Picard looked at Spock, standing at his side. “Any suggestions?”

“Resume laser communications with the Enterprise,” Spock said.

“This close,” Picard cautioned, “the Vulcans will detect the transmission.”

“Correct,” Spock agreed. “But they will not be able to decipher its content unless they intercept it.”

Picard grinned as he saw the end result. Lasers were a line-of-sight communications method. “One of those two ships will have to position itself between us and the Enterprise.”

“Captain,” Scott said, “the Vulcans are gettin’ a wee bit peeved. They want us t’ open a channel or they’ll fire.”

Picard stood to be better prepared to play his part for the Vulcans. “Doctor McCoy, establish a laser com link with the Enterprise. Transmit sensor data, anything in the library… just be sure to encrypt it to make certain the Vulcans will be curious.”

“Vulcans do not need to be ‘made’ curious,” Spock observed.

“If those are Vulcans,” Picard said. “Onscreen, Doctor.”

A stern Vulcan appeared on the center screen. Picard was surprised to see that he wore a battle helmet, as if he expected to take part in personal combat at any moment.

“I demand to know why you fired on me,” Picard said angrily.

“Demand?” the Vulcan replied. He almost smiled. “Drop your shields and prepare to be boarded.”

Picard continued playing his role, wondering how long it would be before the Vulcans noted the laser link.

“I will do no such thing. You have no authority in open space.”

The Vulcan was about to respond to Picard’s challenge when he abruptly looked offscreen as if someone had just arrived with an important message.

It was the right message.

“Belle Reve, you will cease all laser communications with the Enterprise at once.”

Picard hoped Spock’s logic was sound as he forced an escalation. “We don’t have any laser-communications capability.”

The Vulcan glared at him from the screen. Then McCoy announced that the Vulcan ship to starboard was moving in at high speed, and just as quickly as that had positioned itself directly at the midpoint between the Belle Reve and the Enterprise, blocking the laser link between the two craft.

Picard tapped the control that cut viewscreen communications. “Is he where we need him to be?”

“Precisely,” Spock said.

“Fire,” Picard ordered.

For the first time since the war with the Totality had begun, light-matter life fought back.

The attack was crude, the weapon of choice imprecise.

Had the Enterprise and the Belle Reve attempted such a tactic on a Romulan warbird, after a few seconds of confusion the Romulans would have laughed and adjusted their shields to make themselves impervious to further annoyances.

But a few seconds was all that Picard and Riker needed.

So far from the Vulcan sun, there was little to see in the darkness of interstellar space.

The Belle Reve and the Enterprise could be noticed only by their running lights, effectively invisible against the vista of stars.

The Vulcan cruiser might have been glimpsed, traced by the glow of its impulse engines as it dropped into position between the two Starfleet vessels. But once it was in place, its running lights and the soft illumination from its viewports were lost against the tens of thousands of other points of light that made up the galactic band of stars.

The energy that the Enterprise and the Belle Reve directed against the Vulcan ship was equally invisible.

Each ship altered its artificial-gravity generators to project toward the other, out of phase. The phase shift was precisely tuned so that the peaks of the Casimir wavelengths met at the coordinates of the Vulcan ship, where they amplified each other, creating a dramatic increase in local gravity.

At this point in the attack, an observer might have seen flashes of light as interior conduits collapsed within the Vulcan ship and multiple explosions strobed behind its viewports. A few more seconds, and the ship was easily discernible because of the detonation of its port nacelle.

Then the heavens were ignited by multiple quantum-torpedo bursts and phaser fire from the second Vulcan cruiser.

But the light show didn’t last long.

The second cruiser made the mistake of coming to the assistance of the first. When it was between the two Starfleet vessels, it was also caught in the gravity waves.

More explosions followed.

The cruisers were crushed.

And when they were scanned, no evidence of any physical bodies was found, because there had been no real Vulcans on board either ship. Only projections of the Totality.

The Federation strategy was a success.

As soon as Leybenzon confirmed that there had been no casualties, cheers erupted on the bridge of the Enterprise.

“Break radio silence,” Riker told Worf. “Send a message to Admiral Janeway: It worked.”

Picard appeared on the viewscreen, definitely pleased. “Well done, Will.”

“To us both.”

“Ready for round two?”

“I’m ready for as many rounds as it takes.”

Picard grinned. “See you at Vulcan,” he said.

Explosions still erupted from the tumbling ruins of the Vulcan cruisers as their fuel and energy systems broke down and consumed themselves.

But even those small, sporadic flashes were eclipsed by the sudden glowing starbows of two ships jumping to warp.

The first skirmish in the battle of Vulcan had been fought.

It was not the last.