“Star Trek: A Passion For Peace” is set in the classic Star Trek universe during the first season of the series before Chekov was introduced.
Written in July 1995 for a contest, this story was inspired by Spock’s appearance on a two-part episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called “Unification” in which Spock undertook a personal mission to negotiate peace between Romulans and Vulcans, two enemy races who share the same lineage but were divided over a thousand years ago by a philosophical schism.
There is a sequel to this story called “Star Trek: The Clearer Path” that I will post next week. For now, I hope you enjoy “A Passion For Peace.”
“Star Trek: A Passion For Peace”
Phil Giunta
Entering the bridge of the ship, the woman quickly inspected the scene of charred flesh and burning circuitry. If she was affected by any of this, she did not allow it to show.
“Commander Jennera, our shields are down seventeen percent,” announced a voice through the heavy fog. It was her navigator, Baren.
“Can you compensate?” asked Jennera.
“Impossible. Main power is almost depleted. Our only option is to reduce speed and divert warp power to shields.” Baren replied.
“No. Continue present speed. We have to get out of the Neutral Zone as quickly as possible.”
“As you say, Commander.”
Jennera made her way to the still functioning Ops station. Bringing up a damage report, her thoughts grew more dismal. Weapons out, cloaking device disabled, life support at minimal.
Presently, they were scheduled to reach Federation space in under one hour. Their pursuers were stopping at nothing to ensure her failure. Her thoughts were interrupted as another blast slammed the ship’s engines.
“We’ve lost aft shields,” the panic in Baren’s voice was barely perceptible. “Attempting to compensate.”
But it was too late. Their pursuer fired the fatal shot. The Ops panel exploded in a flash of sparks barely missing Jennera’s head.
Moving swiftly to the communications panel, she flipped a series of switches somewhat hesitantly, and began the distress call.
***
Captain’s Log: Stardate 3221.06
The Enterprise is en route to the Kohinoor system near the Neutral Zone. Starfleet reports have indicated possible Romulan activity in that sector over the past two days. As there are no obvious targets or points of interest in that area of space, we have been sent to investigate and report back to Starbase 13.
Sitting tensely in his command chair, Captain James T. Kirk looked to the ship’s chronometer. As expected, they arrived at their destination on schedule.
“Coming to assigned coordinates, Captain.”
“Thank you, Mister Stiles. Mister Sulu, full stop.” Kirk glanced over at his first officer who was leaning intently over his station, peering into his raised monitor. “Mister Spock, report.”
“Curious. Sensors detect two vessels, both Romulan Bird Of Prey Class. One seems to be disabled. Warp coils offline, low power levels throughout the ship. Three lifesigns aboard, all Romulan. The other vessel is approach—”
“Captain.” It was Uhura. “Excuse me, sir, but we have a distress call originating from one of the Romulan vessels. Audio only.”
“Let’s hear it, Lieutenant.” Kirk ordered.
“Aye, sir.” Uhura pressed a button on her console.
“… Romulan vessel Charbarus… need assistance… warp engines destroyed, life support depleted… crew needs medical assistance. This is the Romulan vessel Charbarus, we—”
The message abruptly ended.
“Signal apparently being blocked from the source, sir.” Uhura explained.
Kirk leaned forward in his chair. Two Romulan vessels, one disabled and the other… “Mister Spock, what about the second ship?” he asked.
“The second vessel is rapidly closing on the Charbarus,” Spock began. “It is possible the vessel is assisting. However, it is also plausible that the second ship was the source of the molecular implosion field detected earlier.”
“Are you saying the Romulans are firing on their own people?”
“It is only a theory, Captain. Nevertheless, current evidence seems to point to that conclusion.”
Objectively, this seemed like an internal affair in which Kirk should not risk his crew. Assisting the Charbarus may cause new difficulties with the Romulan Empire, but as Starfleet officers, they could not turn their back on a distress call.
“Plot a course to those vessels, Mister Stiles. Mister Sulu, ahead Warp one.”
“Warp one, aye.” Sulu said.
“Sir, do you want to respond to the distress call?” asked Uhura.
“No, Lieutenant,” Kirk replied. “I want to see what we’re getting into before we make any commitments. There may be more to this than we presently know. Mister Stiles, arm all phasers and photon torpedoes.”
The navigator complied swiftly. “Done, sir.”
Kirk punched the intercom button on the arm of his chair. “This is the Captain. All decks, Red Alert, I repeat, all decks, Red Alert. The Enterprise is now entering the Neutral Zone. Again, all decks, Red Alert…”
***
Sulu squinted into his tactical viewer as he hastily flipped switches on his console. He noticed something alarming, but not unfamiliar, on his screen. He spun to face the captain. “Sir, the second vessel has vanished from sensors.”
Kirk rose from his chair and walked down to the helm. He pulled the viewer to his eyes. He continued to stare into the screen as Sulu again manipulated the sensor controls. And again, they came to the same conclusions. “They’ve spotted us and cloaked. Slow to one half impulse, Mister Sulu.” he ordered.
“Aye, sir, slowing to one half impulse.” Sulu said.
Kirk walked over to the science station. “Any change on the Charbarus, Mister Spock?” he asked.
“Life support has dropped below minimal standards,” Spock announced. “However, life signs have not changed. The vessel itself does exhibit signs of definite battle damage. Local debris displays traces of molecular implosion.”
“She was attacked.” Kirk stated bluntly.
Spock nodded slowly. “No other explanation is apparent at this stage, Captain.”
“Could it have been the second Bird Of Prey?”
“Long range sensors show no sign of any other vessels in the area, therefore, that is the strongest possibility.”
“And it’s a good bet we’re their next target.”
“Probable, Captain,” Spock answered. “If this is an internal matter, which I suspect it is, the Romulans would not want the Federation alerted to the situation. Although the vessel could have chosen any number of courses, it is more likely they are preparing to attack. Hence, the activation of the cloaking device.”
“We have to get our hands on that thing one of these days,” Kirk commented.
“Agreed.” Spock nodded.
From behind them, Uhura leaned forward abruptly in her chair. “Captain, the distress call is no longer being blocked. Picking it up again on audio.”
Kirk walked over to the communications station. “Open a channel.” She nodded and Kirk looked to the main screen. “Charbarus, this is the Federation vessel Enterprise. What is your present condition?”
The static ridden response was barely perceptible. “Enterprise… vessel was attacked… most of the crew dead… life support diminished… need assistance… please.”
“Stand by, Charbarus.” Kirk walked down to his chair and hit a button on the arm. “Bridge to Transporter Room.”
“Transporter Room. Scott here.”
“Mister Scott, there’s a crippled Romulan Bird Of Prey out there with no life support. Can you get a lock on the crew and beam them out?”
In the transporter room, Scotty attempted to get a fix on the life signs in the Charbarus. “Radiation levels on the ship’ll make it difficult. The bridge seems the best area for transport.”
“Stand by, Mister Scott.” Kirk ordered. He began considering the risk he was about to take. Their shields would have to be lowered during the transport process. With a cloaked Romulan vessel in the vicinity, it was not the preferable course of action. It wouldn’t be the first time and it won’t be the last. He nodded his head to Uhura who reopened the channel. “Charbarus, we can transport your crew to the Enterprise if you can gather everyone on your bridge.”
A short moment of empty static followed. “Give us five of your minutes, Enterprise,” the voice acknowledged.
“Five minutes. Enterprise out.” Kirk responded as Uhura severed the connection. “Uhura, call security. I want three men in the Transporter Room.”
Kirk turned back to the intercom and pressed another button. “Bridge to Sickbay.”
“Sickbay. McCoy here.”
“Bones, we’re beaming aboard a Romulan crew of three. Possible radiation exposure. Be in the transporter room in five minutes.”
“Romulans?” McCoy said in mock amazement. “I have enough trouble with one pointy-eared Vulcan.”
“You’ll manage, Doctor. Bridge out.” He looked back at the viewscreen. Now for our next trick, he thought. “Any sign of that second vessel, Mister Sulu?” he asked.
“None, sir,” answered the helmsman.
“Keep scanning, I don’t want any surprise appearances,” Kirk ordered. “Mister Stiles, plot a course for Starbase Thirteen.”
“Course plotted and laid in, sir,” Stiles responded.
“Mister Sulu, as soon as we get our visitors take us out of here warp six.” Kirk commanded.
“Warp six, aye.”
And they waited.
***
As the ship’s chronometer indicated that five minutes was almost over, Kirk rose from his command chair and stepped down to the helm. He suspected the captain of the cloaked vessel was waiting for them to lower their shields, else he would have attacked by now. No, if they could jam the Charbarus’s communications they could probably tap into them as well. “Report, Mister Sulu.”
“No sign of the second vessel yet, sir.” Sulu announced with an intense, waiting stare at the captain.
“I expect they’ll attack the minute we drop shields. After we beam our guests aboard, raise shields and get us out of here fast.”
“Understood, sir.” Sulu replied.
Kirk moved to stand beside his command chair and pushed a button on its arm. “Bridge to transporter room.”
“Transporter room, Scott here.”
“Mister Scott, how fast can we get these people aboard? I don’t want shields down any longer than necessary.”
“It’ll take a little longer wi’ the bloody high radiation levels,” the engineer admitted. “But we’re already locked onto their bridge. I’d say about thirty seconds maximum.”
“You have fifteen seconds, Mister Scott. Energize on my mark.”
Kirk left the comm channel open and could hear McCoy and his medical team arrive in the transporter room decks below. McCoy’s voice sounded gruff as he called out. “Where’s the party, Jim?”
“Starting soon, Bones.” Kirk responded.
Just then, the Charbarus’s message broke in abruptly. Uhura put it on audio again so that the bridge crew and Engineering could listen.
“We are ready for transport, Enterprise,” announced the weary voice of the female commander.
“Acknowledged, Charbarus,” Kirk replied. “Beginning transport, now.”
Kirk watched as Sulu lowered the shields. “Now, Mister Scott!” His eyes snapped up to look at the viewscreen. Sure enough, the second Romulan Bird Of Prey began decloaking and heading straight for the Enterprise.
“Scotty, report!” Kirk yelled over the intercom as the automatic red alert klaxons blasted through the ship.
Suddenly, a voice shouted over the intercom. “We got ‘em, Captain!” Scotty’s announcement was followed by McCoy’s voice barking orders at his medics.
“Shields!” Kirk commanded. “Fire, Mister Stiles!”
As the Enterprise’s phasers shot out, the attacking Bird Of Prey cloaked immediately. The beams contacted the derelict Charbarus in a sun burst explosion. Debris scattered in all directions. A clean miss, Kirk thought angrily. There was no sign of their attacker, as if the destruction of the Charbarus caused it to be distracted. Kirk took the opportunity while he had it.
“Helm, get us out of the Neutral Zone, warp six.”
Sulu manipulated his controls and brought the Enterprise about. “Warp six aye.”
All eyes were fixed on the viewscreen to see if their attackers would follow. Once they were out of the Zone, Kirk ordered full stop. “Report, Mister Sulu.”
“Sensors indicate no sign of the other Bird Of Prey, Captain.”
“Excellent, Mister Sulu, take us to Starbase Thirteen.”
As the Enterprise turned to set out on her new course, Kirk turned back to the intercom. “Kirk to Transporter Room, report.”
“We have three survivors, Captain,” Scotty reported. “Doctor McCoy rushed them to Sickbay with security.”
“Thank you, Mister Scott. You’ve earned your pay for the week. Kirk out.” He punched off the intercom and turned to the science station.
“Mister Spock, would you like to join me in Sickbay?” Kirk asked. He knew the Vulcan would be extremely curious about the Romulans.
“I would indeed, Captain, “ Spock replied as he walked, rather hastily, toward the turbolift with Kirk.
***
Hours later, in the briefing room, Kirk and Spock sat in anticipation. Earlier, the two had gone to Sickbay to check on the condition of the Romulans, but McCoy would not allow any questioning while he treated his patients.
Now, three burly security officers escorted McCoy and the two Romulan officers into the briefing room.
The commander was tall and slender, with high cheekbones, striking green eyes, and long brown hair. She kept an air of confidence and energy about her as she slowly sat down at the conference table, head held high. One of the security officers took up position along the wall directly behind her.
The other Romulan, a male, sat two seats down from his commander, and continued looking over his shoulder at the guard who stood behind his seat. Finally, he just folded his hands atop the table and stared at them solemnly.
McCoy took a seat at the table opposite Kirk. The third security officer stood just inside the door. Spock sat a computer console at the end of the table, inserting a cartridge onto which this meeting would be recorded.
Kirk looked over at the commander who returned his gaze resolutely. “I’m Captain James T. Kirk,” he informed her. “This is my first officer, Mister Spock.” He indicated the Vulcan at the computer console who spoke up impassively.
“Please state your names and ranks for the record,” Spock ordered.
The commander spoke in a hoarse but audible voice. “I am Commander Jennera of the Romulan Empire.” She said no more as she looked over to Baren who looked back at her then quickly over to Spock. “I am Centurion Baren, serving under Commander Jennera.” He spoke quickly, nervously.
“Commander, would you please explain why you were in the Neutral Zone?” inquired Kirk.
“We were attempting to reach Federation space,” Jennera replied matter-of-factly, as if this one sentence would explain everything. As expected, it did not although it caused alot of glances to dart around the room.
Without missing a beat, Spock continued the questioning. “To what end?”
“We were, and still are, attempting to defect.”
“What prompted this decision, Commander?” Kirk asked. Never mind Spock, his own curiosity was growing.
Jennera looked down at the table for an instant before answering. “My husband, Novan, was a senator in our government,” she began. “He was rather outspoken about his ideas of peace with the Federation. Once, during a senate conference, he went so far as to announce his ideas about reuniting with our Vulcan cousins.”
A look of more than mild surprise, if that was possible, crossed Spock’s face. “Such an undertaking would be rather massive and would involve taking unprecedented steps toward a compromise that I doubt your government would favor.”
“You are correct, Mister Spock. They did not favor it.” Jennera’s voice began to take on a darker tone. “Some of his fellow senators, even those he called his friends, began to turn on him. They denounced his ideas first as irrational and insane.
“It wasn’t long before news of my husband’s activities reached the Praetor. He ordered my husband arrested for treason.”
Closing her eyes for a moment to hold her composure, she continued. “He was imprisoned for three days without food or water. When the day finally came for his execution, it was decided that it would be a public spectacle as an example to others who supported him. They brought him to the middle of a courtyard in one of our government buildings. His hands were tied behind his back, and he could not even raise his head. The soldiers pushed him to his knees, fired three disrupters at the back of his head. He died instantly.”
“My God,” McCoy whispered.
***
After the briefing, security escorted the Romulans to their quarters leaving Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to ponder their fate.
McCoy was the first to break the silence. “What do you think Starfleet will do with them, Jim?”
Kirk leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I don’t know, Bones. I’m sure Intelligence will want to question them first. Maybe they’ll put them in a colony somewhere.”
Spock looked over at Kirk but hesitated a moment before speaking. “With your permission, Captain, I would like to contact the Vulcan ambassador and request sanctuary for them on Vulcan. He and I are… familiar with each other. And I hope he will see my logic.”
“Permission granted, Mister Spock,” Kirk said. “Though may I ask why you want to do this?”
“I, too, have considered the possibility of peace between my people and the Romulans. Although a reunification might seem highly improbable, it could be attained with enough support. Perhaps not now, but in the near future, I would be prepared to assist in accomplishing this goal, especially now that I know there are others on the Romulan homeworld who feel the same.”
McCoy was about to comment on Spock’s use of the word “feel” but decided against it. He was impressed with the Vulcan’s compassion for the Romulans they rescued today. “As you’re always so fond of saying, Spock, there are always possibilities.”