closer to Zhatan, but the guard who’d threatened Palamas—a large cross between a Vulcan and a Neanderthal—pushed him forward. Of the three guards, he was the biggest and seemed focused on Kirk. The other two held their weapons on Spock and the lieutenant, and McCoy, Pippenge, and Tainler respectively.
“If we were as vile as you think us,” Zhatan said, “would we not kill you where you stand? We do not need you.”
Kirk thought that sounded like she was trying to convince herself she was acting justly. Or at least not foolishly.
“You’re looking for a weapon of uncontrollable destruction.”
“It can be controlled. It will be,” she said. “We are sure it can be done.”
Can be , Kirk thought. “So you’ve never used it.”
“It has been beyond us,” Zhatan admitted sadly. “We have held the plans within us for so long.”
“But you needed the prototype. You don’t remember it all.” Like some ancient game of telephone, Kirk surmised, their memory of the plans had become too divergent from the original.
“As I said, Captain, you’re quite astute.” Was that respect in her tone? How many of the consciousnesses within Zhatan admired Kirk, and how many wanted him dead?
That was something he might have to test.
“We have a modern version of the devices you found,” she continued. “But we do not have all the details on the original. Some things,” she said quietly, “are lost to time.”
“And,” Kirk pressed on, “you don’t have the nu’hubis .”
“ Na’hubis ,” she corrected him. “But you are right. Re-creation and refinement has always eluded us.”
Spock spoke quietly from his position near the front. “We accessed Maabas copies of your data. If your antiquated computers no longer function, would it not be best to use more modern equipment?” Kirk knew he, too, was looking for a way to slow down the Kenisians until the Enterprise returned. If they decided to go back, rather than forge ahead, it would waste significant time.
“Did you find details on how to create na’hubis , Mister Spock?” Zhatan asked. “Or meticulous plans on the prototype?”
“No.”
“Because such information would be hidden, nontransferable. And incorruptible.”
“You didn’t have time to take the plans or the compound when you fled,” Kirk realized.
Zhatan softened, as if remembering far back—part of her likely was—and her voice was heavy with emotion. “We tried. There was great debate about what the weapon might do to our planet, and some were very much against its use without further testing.” As if pivoting on a mental heel, Zhatan became bitter. “Others were sure it would work, and we were denied the chance to save ourselves from exile.”
Differing factions , Kirk thought. How many are still alive within her that remember the exodus? The captain stopped and waited for Zhatan to catch up with him. It was all so natural that the guards stopped, eating away more time.
“Zhatan, you can have your planet back. You can share it with the Maabas. We can even find a new world for you.” Kirk held out his arms, half pleading with her, half welcoming her in peace. “There doesn’t need to be violence.”
She sighed. “Captain, we are well aware that your ship is due to arrive soon. You Starfleeters seem to be ones of habit and schedules. We applaud it.” She motioned him forward with her weapon. “But we shan’t be fooled by your tactics.”
“Keep walking,” the guard next to him said, pressing the point of the weapon into Kirk’s back. Reluctantly, the prisoners started down the corridor again.
When they entered a stairway that led down—to where, Kirk couldn’t see—he thought this should be where he made his move.
Mock-tripping, Kirk stumbled down three stairs and into Pippenge as well as McCoy’s and Tainler’s guard, which caused Spock and Palamas’s guards to falter.
Spock quickly recovered and attempted to subdue his sentry with a neck pinch,
“If we were as vile as you think us,” Zhatan said, “would we not kill you where you stand? We do not need you.”
Kirk thought that sounded like she was trying to convince herself she was acting justly. Or at least not foolishly.
“You’re looking for a weapon of uncontrollable destruction.”
“It can be controlled. It will be,” she said. “We are sure it can be done.”
Can be , Kirk thought. “So you’ve never used it.”
“It has been beyond us,” Zhatan admitted sadly. “We have held the plans within us for so long.”
“But you needed the prototype. You don’t remember it all.” Like some ancient game of telephone, Kirk surmised, their memory of the plans had become too divergent from the original.
“As I said, Captain, you’re quite astute.” Was that respect in her tone? How many of the consciousnesses within Zhatan admired Kirk, and how many wanted him dead?
That was something he might have to test.
“We have a modern version of the devices you found,” she continued. “But we do not have all the details on the original. Some things,” she said quietly, “are lost to time.”
“And,” Kirk pressed on, “you don’t have the nu’hubis .”
“ Na’hubis ,” she corrected him. “But you are right. Re-creation and refinement has always eluded us.”
Spock spoke quietly from his position near the front. “We accessed Maabas copies of your data. If your antiquated computers no longer function, would it not be best to use more modern equipment?” Kirk knew he, too, was looking for a way to slow down the Kenisians until the Enterprise returned. If they decided to go back, rather than forge ahead, it would waste significant time.
“Did you find details on how to create na’hubis , Mister Spock?” Zhatan asked. “Or meticulous plans on the prototype?”
“No.”
“Because such information would be hidden, nontransferable. And incorruptible.”
“You didn’t have time to take the plans or the compound when you fled,” Kirk realized.
Zhatan softened, as if remembering far back—part of her likely was—and her voice was heavy with emotion. “We tried. There was great debate about what the weapon might do to our planet, and some were very much against its use without further testing.” As if pivoting on a mental heel, Zhatan became bitter. “Others were sure it would work, and we were denied the chance to save ourselves from exile.”
Differing factions , Kirk thought. How many are still alive within her that remember the exodus? The captain stopped and waited for Zhatan to catch up with him. It was all so natural that the guards stopped, eating away more time.
“Zhatan, you can have your planet back. You can share it with the Maabas. We can even find a new world for you.” Kirk held out his arms, half pleading with her, half welcoming her in peace. “There doesn’t need to be violence.”
She sighed. “Captain, we are well aware that your ship is due to arrive soon. You Starfleeters seem to be ones of habit and schedules. We applaud it.” She motioned him forward with her weapon. “But we shan’t be fooled by your tactics.”
“Keep walking,” the guard next to him said, pressing the point of the weapon into Kirk’s back. Reluctantly, the prisoners started down the corridor again.
When they entered a stairway that led down—to where, Kirk couldn’t see—he thought this should be where he made his move.
Mock-tripping, Kirk stumbled down three stairs and into Pippenge as well as McCoy’s and Tainler’s guard, which caused Spock and Palamas’s guards to falter.
Spock quickly recovered and attempted to subdue his sentry with a neck pinch,
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