Strange new worlds v, p.6
Strange New Worlds V, page 6
“Then you are damned,” said Fiffick sharply. “Are you not, Thias?”
All eyes were upon me now, but only hers I met, returning her glare of contempt with one evendeeper of my own.
“Tell them, Thias,” she continued. “Tell them how I saved your life when you were Heavenbound . . .”
How could I have loved her?
“. . . and instead of begging your killer to finish the job, as the law demands . . .”
How could I . . .
“. . . you chose to live, and swore me to secrecy.”
. . . love her?
“Liar!” I shouted.
The Godkirk raised his weapon higherpointing. “Then you won’t mind if I kill you now,” he calmlysaid. “In fact, you’ll welcome it.”
I felt a pressure then as if the force of stares upon me had intensified. None of my greenbrother allies dared to break the waitingsilence in the greenlodge.
“You’ll all welcome it,” said the Godkirk, raising his voice to include the surrounded greenbrothers. “You’ll thank us for sending you to a better world.”
Frozen in place, I considered what I knew should be an easy choice . . . but it was not so easy after all. For the second time in my life, as I faced my own death, I turned my eyes to Fiffick.
“Any takers?” said the Godkirk. “Speak up. Why would you want to stay here when you can go to Heaven?”
I fought a silent moment with myself and then another, knowing every hesitation sunk me deeper in disgrace. Though I knew the only answer I could give, a feltbefore reluctance held my tongue.
Then, Fiffick spoke. To this day, I wonder still if there was something in my eyes that made her do it.
“I can’t allow this,” she said. “Not inside a hospital.”
The Godkirk did not waver. “Then we’ll do it outside.”
“No,” said Fiffick. “Heaven’s too good for them.”
Holding steady for a moment, locking eyes with mine, the Godkirk made me wonder what was next . . . and in that moment I confess I was afraid.
Afraid of what? I later wondered. How could anyone fear Heaven?
“All right,” said the Godkirk. “Have it your way.”
Slowly, he lowered his weapon, his eyes never leaving my own. “Consider this,” he said. “Why did you hesitate?
“Why did any of you hesitate?” he said to us all. “You could have been in Heaven right now.
“Could it be,” he said, “that life is more precious than you thought?”
I did not answer him. None of us did.
* * *
Weeks later, though, when Fiffick returned from the faraway country of Gideon, flushed with success from a mission of mercy, the change had begun.
Thinking back now, I thank Dr. Fiffick for saving my life and rightchanging my mind . . . for the NewWay she helped me conceive . . . and for being my wife, furtherproving each day that the Godkirk was right about life being precious.
* * *
TWO: RAYVIS
From The Diary of Rayvis Vo, Earth Year 2343
So there we were, Captain Garrett and Lieutenant Castillo and I, surrounded by five hundred Romulans, and I wasn’t afraid even though I didn’t have a weapon and I started fighting them.
Okay, make that five Romulans. And I guess I was kind of afraid.
But I really did fight them! It was like everything they’d done to the Kolyati, and especially my parents, just built up inside me and I went crazy! Captain Garrett tried holding me back but she couldn’t, and I don’t think the Romulans were expecting me to fight, since people say I’m kind of small for a twelve-year-old (even though I don’t think I’m that small), because I actually knocked two of them—okay, one of them—down on the ground!
That’s when all of a sudden these people appeared out of thin air!
There was this humming sound and this twinkling in the air, and then they just appeared! They were all bushy and bumpy and they looked a lot meaner than those Romulans, so of course I thought we were in even bigger trouble than before!
But here it was Kestrel and Warlog (though I didn’t know who they were back then, of course) so I didn’t have anything to worry about! And the other three were Klingons, too, so we were in luck.
Boy, did they get those Romulans! They cut them up with their big curved swords, and there was green blood everywhere, and they didn’t even break a sweat doing it!
It was the second time I saw anyone get killed, counting my parents. It was a good thing I was getting used to it, what with how things went for me later on.
* * *
Kestrel was the kind of guy I want to be just like when I grow up. Even though he was big and tough and he always let you know it, he was a nice guy and he liked to joke around.
The first thing he said to us was “Captain Garrett, I presume?” and he even bowed when he said it. “It’s an honor to meet the captain of the Enterprise- C.”
I’m pretty sure Captain Garrett liked him right from the start, even though she was all business and didn’t show it. She said, “And you are?”
“Captain Kestrel of the Qob’ral, at your service. This is my first officer, Commander Warlog.”
Warlog just snorted, but I could tell he was all right. He was old and kind of grumpy and didn’t say much, but he was basically nice and he sure could fight.
Kestrel said, “We’re answering your distress call. I take it you’re in distress?”
Captain Garrett got a funny look on her face. “You mean our coded signal on a secure channel to Starfleet? That ‘distress call’?”
Something about the way Kestrel laughed made me smile. “So you’d rather we left you to your own devices, Captain?”
Captain Garrett smirked at him, and that’s when I knew for sure they’d get along great. “Absolutely not, Captain. In the spirit of Klingon-human cooperation born in the Khitomer Accords, I’ll prevail upon you for whatever assistance you can render.”
Kestrel had a big twinkle in his eye when he said, “Especially since your ship has left you high and dry, eh?”
“Let me bring you up to speed,” said Captain Garrett. “Preferably while we get the hell out of here.”
* * *
Even though all kinds of terrible stuff was going on, the greatest thing happened while we were walking through the forestreef! All of a sudden, Warlog put his hand on my head and rubbed it, and he told me I was a brave warrior even though I was still green! (Which I don’t know why being green would make any difference, but that’s Warlog for you.)
Okay, so he said brave “little” warrior.
* * *
Things would have been easier if Kestrel’s ship hadn’t gone away, but they called him on this talkbox he had—like the one they say Godkirk had?—and said they had to go get more ships because the Romulans had them outgunned.
Kestrel laughed and told them to take their time getting back! Can you believe it? He said that just meant less Romulans for him to share killing with someone else!
Captain Garrett didn’t laugh, but she said maybe we’d be okay since the Kolyati are such a force to be reckoned with, which is why we were quarantined for so long, until the Romulans sneaked in.
There was just one problem, she said, and that’s because Kolyati hate fighting.
* * *
When we got to the secret hidingcamp, way off in the forestreef, all these Kolyati were looking at us and I felt really proud because of who I was with.
Captain Garrett was saying to Kestrel how “Two centuries ago, their culture was based on ritual murder-sacrifice. Now, they’re opposed to all violence, even in self-defense.”
“Unthinkable.” Kestrel shook his head, but I thought he was kind of kidding. “Poor, misguided souls.”
“They have extraordinary capabilities,” Captain Garrett said. “They could easily overpower the Romulans, if they so chose.”
Kestrel said, “Ah, which is why the Romulans are here, of course.”
Captain Garrett said, “They’re carrying out mass executions to force the Kolyati to become killing machines for the Empire. Since the Kolyati would rather die than kill, that isn’t likely to happen.”
“And there won’t likely be any more Kolyati.” That’s what Kestrel said, and it was the one thing he said that made me angry. More like scared, I guess. But angry, too, because he shouldn’t have said it in front of me since I’m a Kolyati, too, after all.
But see, then he went and did something that made me like him all over again!
Kestrel winked at me and said, “It’s a good thing this warrior shows promise! If he can fight the Romulans, then by Kahless, so can the rest!”
* * *
So then, Kestrel and Warlog tried to get the Kolyati ready to fight, but I don’t think they expected how hard it would be. Kestrel even told Captain Garrett to stand back and watch the master at work, which I guess was supposed to mean him.
I’ll tell you what, those Kolyati just wouldn’t fight no matter how much the Klingons pushed them or screamed at them. Not even when a messenger ran in and told everyone that the Romulans had executed a whole town where a bunch of their friends and relatives lived.
You should have heard some of the swear words Kestrel used after that! I mean, I didn’t understand a single one, but I sure wish I could swear like he did!
* * *
I also wish I had hands. Tentacles don’t cut it when you’re trying to learn how to use a Klingon sword.
After Kestrel got frustrated and gave up on getting the Kolyati to fight the Romulans, he showed me some sword moves—but wouldn’t you know it, my tentacles just weren’t as good at swinging it around like he did.
He said it didn’t matter though, since I had the warrior spirit, and once you have that you can kill any enemy.
* * *
I’m kind of confused about the killing part, though. I don’t know who to believe, Kestrel or Captain Garrett. Or the Kolyati, I guess.
I mean, the Kolyati are against fighting and killing, right? But then Captain Garrett said sometimes violence is necessary, like in self-defense, which is why it’s okay to fight the Romulans and maybe even kill them.
Kestrel really laughed at that! He said, “Without the glory of battle, life isn’t worth living!”
We were sitting around a fire, and he jumped up right then and there and howled at the sky! And then the other Klingons around the hidingcamp did the same thing! (Except Warlog, who was snoring.)
Then Kestrel said, “There is no greater glory than killing a worthy opponent in battle!”
But Captain Garrett said, “We believe in killing only when our survival is at stake, and then only as a last resort.”
And Kestrel said, “Kill for revenge! Kill for honor! Kill for victory! Kill for love!” He got all excited and was stomping around the fire swinging his sword.
Then all of a sudden, he jumped down in front of me and stared me right in the face. I got a big whiff of his breath, which made me gag, and he said, “But there is no glory in killing the weak. There is no honor in killing the defenseless.
“Which is why these Romulan ptakh have no place in Sto-Vo-Kor!” (Whatever that meant.)
* * *
Anyway, I got pretty mad the next morning, because Captain Garrett tried to leave me behind when they were going off to fight the Romulans. It was a good thing I had Kestrel on my side!
What we did was, we headed through the forestreef to a town where the Romulans were killing everybody. There were just the eight of us, but we were going to try to save as many Kolyati as we could till we got reinforcements.
“Whether the Kolyati like it or not!” That’s what Kestrel said. He sure did laugh a lot! (And I don’t think Rachel knew it—that’s Captain Garrett’s name, Rachel—but I caught her smiling a couple times when he did!)
So we snuck in, and there they were. Romulans. Lots more than us, even without all the ones Kestrel and the Klingons killed on our way into town.
The Romulans had masks on their faces, I guess in case the people sprayed sleeping gas at them like I heard they did in other towns. They had all the Kolyati lined up, and whenever the Romulans asked them if they would serve the Empire, and the people said no, the Romulans shot them with ray guns and there was nothing left except a puff of smoke.
The funny thing was, I wasn’t even a tiny bit scared watching all that, and not just because of Kestrel and Warlog being there. Instead, I just got madder and madder the whole time.
* * *
Now, when I think about what happened next, I just get sadder and sadder. I guess it’s dumb, since things worked out pretty good for the Kolyati and it’s partly because of me, but even the good parts make me feel pretty bad.
You know how sometimes when you’re trying to sneak up on somebody, you sneak in from one side and your friend sneaks in from the other side, and you’ve got them cornered? That’s what we did with the Romulans.
Except for me, because even Kestrel told me to stay put, so I just watched while the Klingons and Captain Garrett and Lieutenant Castillo sneaked up on the Romulans and started shooting them.
What a light show that was! There were so many rays flying around, I got spots in my eyes!
My team did the best job ever! Romulans were falling down or disappearing all over the place!
But then, a bunch more of them ran into the square! There must have been at least a hundred of them and they came from every direction and it was total chaos! (Maybe it was more like fifty of them, I don’t know. Or twenty-five?)
Anyway, that’s when Rachel almost got killed. She didn’t see this Romulan and he shot her, but luckily this Klingon jumped in front at the last second and saved her life. Not so luckily for him, though.
And you know, I’ve been through a lot, but that kind of pushed me over the edge.
* * *
That’s when I killed all the Romulans. (Did I say twenty-five? Maybe it was twelve.)
See, the reason they wanted us to work for them was we can control chemicals better than anybody. We can mix up sprays or fluids or gases right in our own bodies. We can breathe in one thing and breathe out another.
Like a poison gas that’s absorbed through Romulan skin and turns copper-based Romulan blood into poison sludge.
(Maybe it was eight.)
So that’s what I did.
* * *
And don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I did it, because a bunch of Kolyati didn’t get killed then. Plus, I got a lot of people to change their minds about violence and fight back.
But see, I still don’t feel good about that day, and I don’t know if I ever will. I mean, my parents are still dead.
And I’m glad Rachel’s still alive, but I just wish Kestrel didn’t have to die to save her. I’m not stupid, I know he wouldn’t have stayed on Kolya when he was done helping Captain Garrett and us, but I would of rathered if he was still alive, so I’d know he was still running around somewhere laughing that crazy laugh of his.
* * *
Before he left, Warlog said Captain Garrett owes Kestrel and his house a blood debt, so I guess I do too. Since I can’t get to his home at Narendra III, wherever that is, I think I’ll repay him by helping keep our people strong in honor of his memory. And laughing at everything every chance I get.
And I really, really want to learn how to swear in Klingon.
* * *
THREE: NYDA
From Call Me Obsolete: The Memoirs of Officer Nyda Em Kay, Earth Year 2368
When Captain Picard ushered me into the crime scene, all I could think was what a snooty pink stiff the guy was. I wanted to find the killer and smack him around just for making me spend five minutes with this pretentious creep.
“The victim was blown apart from within,” said Snooty.
“Gee,” I said, looking around. “Here I thought he was smothered with a pillow.”
Every square inch of the room was splattered with exploded Vulcan. There was green blood and green guts everywhere, all over everything.
“The room was sealed from the inside,” said Snooty. “The door was not opened from Commissioner Stonn’s arrival last night until the discovery of his body this morning. And no transporter activity took place in or around this building during that time.”
“What a mess,” I said, and then I turned around and whipped right past him out the door. “Well, thanks for the tour! Good luck!”
* * *
I would’ve been home free if I hadn’t walked right into the world’s biggest butt kisser, Minister Dulcid.
“Going somewhere, Officer Kay?” he said in a way that made me want to punch his fat face.
“You don’t need me,” I told him. “You need a cleaning crew.”
“You’re the only one who can help us, Nyda. It’s the biggest case of your career.”
“Can you say ‘retired’?” I snapped. “When I turned seventy, you told me to get lost . . . so now I’m telling you to get lost!”
“You’re the only police officer in the world,” said Dulcid. “Please help us to get this quarantine lifted.” What a piece of work! The only reason he cared about the dead Vulcan was that the commissioner was the head of the team about to recommend lifting the quarantine of Kolya!
“How many ways do I have to say this?” I said to Dulcid, jamming my shriveled-up old-lady kisser in his face. “I don’t want to be here!”
Dulcid was scared of me, I could tell. “Well, nevertheless,” he said, his left eye twitching a little, “you’re not leaving until this matter is resolved.”
“Okay then. He did it!” I said, jabbing a tentacle toward the snooty pink stiff’s bearded weirdo first officer. “Now get out of my way!”
The butt kisser shook his head. “You’re not leaving until this matter is resolved in a diligent fashion, to Captain Picard’s satisfaction. Now get to work.”
“Get to work yourself!” I yelled in his face. “It’d be the first time!”
But I knew I was beat. I was on the case whether I liked it or not.
And it was going to be a tricky situation. At the same time I was investigating one murder, I was already planning another.
* * *
