Who Goes There? Part 3

Who Goes There?
Or
The Mind of Garth of Izar
A re-envisioning of Whom Gods Destroy
By Gale Force
CHAPTER Five

Part One

As a perceptive Vulcan once observed, "It is far easier for civilized men to behave like barbarians, then it is for barbarians to behave like civilized men."

The same might be said, in reverse, for the insane…or at least for Garth of Izar. Oh, he was insane, but his insanity did not manifest itself in the flamboyant, openly psychotic mannerisms that he had adopted on his arrival at Elba II. He had not hidden his intentions…he would take over the universe by right of conquest…but by playing a flamboyant role he had cowed his fellow inmates and bent them to his will. By his quicksilver moods and temper tantrums he had also succeeded in reducing the respect for him of the guards and medical staff, who saw him simply as a posturing fool.

Except for Dr. Evangeline. She had listened to his monologues, to his soliloquies about the universe and his place in it…and she had believed. To her he had been as a god…she had been among the first of his converts.

And now this girl…this Katya Landau…would become one, too.

It was galling, of course, to walk among these ants, these inferiors, to have to play these roles…but it had to be done…but once he had achieved his rightful place…he would cast aside these shackles and….

"I guess I do feel a little sad," admitted Katya.

Garth blinked, and returned his attention to the girl. "What….what?"

"Well, who wouldn't, orbiting a place like this?"

"Oh, yes," said Garth, bringing himself back to the task at hand. "Elba II, home to the most incorrigibly criminally insane in the universe."

"Not even that, although that's depressing, of course. But to think that Garth of Izar is down there…"

Garth raised an eyebrow. "You've heard of Garth of Izar?"

It was her turn to stare at him in surprise. "Everybody has! Garth of Izar! We studied him at the academy."

"Not him," murmured Garth. "You studied his strategies…his battles…the famous battle of Axanar where he made his reputation."

Katay nodded. "That's true. But I've found out stuff about him since. Did you know he was actually born on Axanar?"

Garth's eyes flared briefly. "You are incorrect," he said, very quietly. "Garth was born on the planet Izar."

She shook her head. "No…no he wasn't. He was born in a little village called Izar, on Axanar."

A fin of rage poked up out of the black waters of Garth's mind. He jumped to his feet, and seizing her wrist, pulled Katya to her feet also. "Where's your proof?" he demanded.

Katya stared at him in surprise, as he punched a button that caused a computer screen to rise up out of one of the tables in the observation chamber. (They were all equipped with them.)

"Show me," he said.

"What's the matter?" laughed Katya. "Have you been writing your thesis on Garth, or something? You're not going to find the truth in the computer system. Electronic books can be rewritten easier than anything, you know."

"Yes," said Garth, with a quick smile. "That's true. That is very true. But…I must admit I am somewhat disconcerted. Of a thousand people on this ship, I sit next to the one person who knows that Garth was born on Axanar."

"Oh, no, everyone knows," said Katya carelessly.

Garth felt like he was going insane. (The irony of that feeling was lost on him.) He forced himself to speak calmly.

"How do they know? Explain this to me!"

"Well, I shouldn't say everyone," admitted Katya. "Probably just everyone in my jetpack group. The Pit Boss told us."

"The Pit Boss?"

"That's just what we call him," Katya said with a grin. "We have a weekly poker game – my jetpack group, that is – the Boss is the only one who won't play. So we just call him the Pit Boss. Anyway, his father was actually one of the marines who fought on Axanar. And he brought back a book...a printed book…they still had those on Axanar back then. And it says that Garth had been born there. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"I see," said Garth. Each word dropped like a piece of ice.

"I've often wondered who was responsible for this rewriting of history," Katya admitted. "The Federation let down Axanar badly, and then Garth came in to save the day. Saves the Federation fleet only to find out that his entire planet is destroyed, all his people, killed."

Garth was very, very still.

"So did the Federation rewrite the reference books, change Garth's birthplace, so it wouldn't seem…I dunno, quite so tragic? Or did Garth ask that it be done himself? I mean, it would have been galling, wouldn't it, everyone complementing him on his success at the Battle of Axanar, and then saying, in low tones, "too bad about the planet and your family, though. You're coping very well." So he has them change the references to where he was born, so he doesn't have to put up with that stuff."

"Yessss," said Garth.

"As a matter of fact," continued Katya, "I don't think it was his later accident that drove him mad, at all. I think it happened the day he beamed down onto what was left of Axanar. Well…the seeds of it were sewn then, anyway."

"How perceptive of you, Katya," murmured Garth, looking at her with his cold grey eyes.

Katya looked at him searchingly. "Are you alright? Don't tell me, you are writing a thesis on Garth, aren't you!"

Garth laughed. "No, not at all. But I wonder…would you mind introducing me to this Pit Boss of yours? I would very much like to meet him."

"Sure. Now?"

"Yes."

Katya looked at her chronometer. "He's off duty, too. I think he spends his time in Library Four about now. Let's go."

They turned toward the door, then suddenly Garth swung back. He watched, incredulously, as the aspect outside the rear observation window changed. The Enterprise had turned so that the beautiful green…and ironically poisonous….atmosphere of Elba II loomed large in their sights. And then suddenly it began to drop away, as the ship left orbit in a hurry.

Katya stared out with him. "That's odd," she murmured. "I thought we were here for another forty-eight hours. I wonder what's going on."

"Yes," said Garth very quietly. "So do I."

Who Goes There?

Or

The Mind of Garth of Izar

A re-envisioning of Whom Gods Destroy

By Gale Force

CHAPTER Six

Part One

"Bridge to Captain Kirk."

Even before Kirk and the others had had a chance to leave the ready room in order to give thought to their little problem, Lt. Uhuru had signaled the Captain.

Kirk punched a button on the conference room table. "Kirk here."

"I'm picking up a distress signal sir. A Federation ship is under attack."

"On my way."

Kirk stood up. "Gentlemen. Stay in pairs. Return here in an hour. Mr. Spock, you're with me."

Kirk strode to his command chair, while Spock assumed his position at his science station.

"On screen, Uhuru."

Uhuru pressed a button, and the view screen sprang to life… or rather, to death. Out of the fog of a severely damaged bridge, the beaten and bloody face of a man looked out…his shirt showing that he was a captain in the Federation.

"This is…" static…. "of the USS Red Admiral. We've been…" static. "Nothing left… no hope…. Help."

"Open a channel, Uhuru." Kirk barked.

"Channel open, sir."

"Red Admiral, this is the USS Enterprise. I repeat, this is the USS Enterprise. What is your location? I repeat. What is your location?"

Nothing.

"There communications must be out, Captain," said Uhuru. "All I'm getting is the same distress signal, over and over again."

"Spock?" asked Kirk.

Spock twisted in his seat to look at Kirk.

"The USS Red Admiral is an advance scout ship, captained by Richard Budman. Last reported location was in Sector Alpha Gamma 2.2. We are the closest starship to that location, Captain, by at least a week's travel time."

"Uhuru, do you have the coordinates from the distress signal?"

"Yes, sir, I've fed them to Mr. Sulu."

"Sulu, plot us a course. Then take us out of here. Warp factor six."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Uhuru, can you clean up that message. I want to be able to hear the whole thing."

"Working on it, Captain."

"Very good. Spock, a minute with you in my ready room, please."

As the doors closed behind them, Kirk turned to Spock. "What do you think? Could this be a trap? Something laid on by Garth?"

"Impossible to say, Captain. But I would not have thought that Garth could have orchestrated anything of this nature from Elba II."

"That's what I think, also. If he could give orders to a ship capable of destroying the Red Admiral, he wouldn't have wasted it on destroying that ship. He'd have had it come here to take over Elba II."

"Agreed , sir."

Kirk pounded his right fist into his other palm.

Part Two

"Boss. There's someone I want you to meet. This is Gus Keller."

The two men shook hands.

The Pit Boss, as he seemed to prefer to be known, was a tall, husky youth of perhaps twenty five, Garth estimated. Several inches over six feet, with the musculature of a body-builder, he noted, as the youth rose to his feet from where he'd been seated gazing into a computer screen, and gave Garth a firm handshake.

He was also wearing the off-duty uniform of a security guard, as Garth had deduced he would…if his father had been a marine on Axanar, the Boss would follow in his father's footsteps. (All off-duty uniforms still had the insignia of one's rank and position aboard the Enterprise.)

So far…so good.

Katya continued the introductions. "I told Gus about what you knew about Garth of Izar, and he was very interested."

"Katya tells me you actually have a book…a printed book…from Axanar. I wonder if I might see it."

"Uh, sure. It's in my quarters."

"I hate to impose…"

"Oh, no, not at all. I love showing it to people."

"So Katya tells me. Everyone in your…. Jet Pack….knows of it, eh?"

"That's right. I'm sure she told you my father was on Axanar."

"Yes, she told me."

Katya looked at the two men consideringly. She'd always had rather a thing for the Boss, but he was too tall. Keller, now…he was older, indeed, he was one of the oldest crewmembers she'd seen aboard the Enterprise, but he'd kept himself in great shape, and he was just the right height, and kind of handsome, too. She wanted to stick around – after all, she'd been interested in Axanar too and she was not too shabby in the stratagem department…but she had the impression that Gus wanted to talk to the Boss alone. Well, she'd let them. Time enough for her to display her knowledge and acumen later on…

"Well, I'll let you two go alone, eh?" she said aloud."I'm going to go over to the duty room and try to find out why we've left station."

"We've left station?" asked the Boss, surprised.

Katya nodded. "Just a few minutes ago."

"Weird."

Katya nodded again. She sketched a wave at Garth, who gave her a charming smile, and then she turned and walked away.

Part Three

Garth and the Boss walked down the corridor. "Katya has only referred to you as The Boss," Garth commented. "What was your father's name?"

"Rick Hubbard. I'm Vince."

"Rick Hubbard," said Garth, musingly. He had led many marines, when he'd beamed down to Axanar for hand-to-hand combat with the enemy remaining on the planet's surface, after he'd destroyed their fleet…but he didn't remember a Hubbard…he must have been on the ground prior to the invasion…prior to the destruction of Axanar…one of the Federation men tasked with protecting Axanar from the Klingons…and failing.

He had expected as much. None of the marines who'd landed with him would have found any print books still in existence…nothing had been left of his planet when he'd arrived except burned shells of buildings, scorched bodies, and Klingons to hunt down and kill.

They arrived at Vince's quarters, he pressed his palm against the hand plate and they walked in.

All the security guards lived two to a suite…but worked split shifts so that each person usually had the rooms pretty much to themselves. So it was on this occasion.

"Have a seat," said Vince. "Would you like a drink?" He waived his hand at the dispenser set in the wall. Garth went over and filled a cup full of Pepsi as the big security guard went to a bookcase. A bookcase, filled with archaic, print books.

Instead of sitting down, Garth went over and looked at them. "It's been a long time since I've touched a paper book," he murmured, running his left hand over the spines gently.

"Not many people have," said Vince, glancing at Garth in surprise. He drew out one of them. "Here it is. The book from Axanar. A History of the Royal House of Gaveston."

Garth took the book in fingers that trembled a little. Of all the books the Boss might have had, he had not expected this one. In its pages was almost the whole story of his life, of how he'd been a peasant boy, saved the life of Baron Simov's son from a runaway horse, been taken into the royal household as a reward and had grown as close to Simony as to a brother. How he had left Axanar to join the Starfleet Academy, while Simony had stayed behind.

That's where the story ended, too, for this book had been printed a couple of years before the battle of Axanar. The publishing house had decided to honor him when he had graduated from the Academy quicker than any cadet had ever done it before. The book had ended by predicting a bright future for him… Garth blinked away tears, and then looked up to find Vince staring at him.

"You okay?" asked Vince.

"Do you…" Garth began in a tight voice. He stopped, swallowed, and started again. "Do you know the story…of the destruction of Axanar?"

"What do you mean?" asked Vince cautiously.

"Not the battle of Axanar. The destruction before it. The destruction in which your father undoubtedly died."

Vince's face froze. "He did die on Axanar, yes. When the first wave of Klingons attacked."

"Do you know how it happened?"

"Yes," said Vince quietly. "I know how it happened."

Garth spoke, as if reciting a funeral dirge. "The Federation promised to protect Axanar, and its mining resources, from the Klingons. There was a squadron on station in that solar system. A whole squadron, under the command of the brother of the President of the Federation himself, Admiral Dixon Welles. And then the Klingons launched a feint that shouldn't have fooled the greenest of lieutenants, and Dixon Welles detached himself and half his squadron to meet it. Then the Klingons came in and overwhelmed the remaining ships, and then they beamed down to the surface of Axanar and they systematically destroyed it!"

"You're…uh…you sound very passionate about this…" said Vince, looking at him closely. "Did you lose someone on Axanar, too?"

"I lost everybody," gritted Garth. "And I use that word with precision. And what happened to Dixon Welles, eh? Nothing. Nothing! He retired on half-pay and was assigned to a cushy job at a space station at the other end of the galaxy, where he lives now, in luxury."

"I'm sure he thinks about what he did every minute…" said Vince uncertainly.

"That's not enough," Garth barked. "Even if it were true, that's not enough! But it isn't true. If he felt any guilt about what he'd done that day, he'd have committed suicide long ago to make amends. But he continues to live…and laugh…and love."

Vince drew himself up to his full six foot six frame, and stood in front of the door to his quarters, as he realized that something was very, very wrong here. "Who are you?" he asked hoarsely.

Garth flung back his head. "I am Garth of Izar."

Vince stared at him, knowing it was true. "But…but…how did you get off the planet….?"

Garth came closer to Vince, who simultaneously shifted his feet into a karate stance. The huge, muscular man had no fear of the smaller one.

Garth relaxed control over his face, and the molecules shifted and dissolved.

Vince's eyes widened in horror and he turned his face away, clamping his lips together and swallowing convulsively.

"Look at me," said Garth, reaching out to turn the other man's face back to his. "Look at me! My parents! My sister! My brother! My wife! My people! Do you think any of them looked better than this, when the Klingons were finished with them?"

Vince shoved him away, but instead of trying to leave the room he strode further into the room itself, covering his face with both hands.

"What do you want from me?" he demanded from between his hands.

Garth breathed deeply, fighting for calm, and brought his face back to its usual, handsome appearance. "The Federation was supposed to protect them. Your father was supposed to protect them. You owe me a debt."

Vince balled his hands into fists and whirled on Garth. "My father died trying to protect your people from the Klingons! All his squadron died!"

"That's right, Vince. That's right. It's retired Admiral Dixon Welles who owes us all. And I think he should be made to repay it."

"But….but…" Vince looked at him uncertainly. "You're….this is an insane asylum…"

"I'm not insane, Vince," Garth said quietly. "Far from it. But the President knew that I was going to seek out his brother, eventually…and he framed me…he had me sent here to protect his brother."

That was a good story, Garth thought. And clearly Vince was believing it. And it was true, as far as it went. He did intend to kill retired Admiral Dixon Welles, as one of his first acts when he got command of a starship…he'd been working his way around Dixon Welles' station, in the course of fulfilling his duties….before the accident…before Antos IV.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Vince.

"Captain Kirk knows I'm on board. He knows I can change my face – as you have seen. He is doubtless taking precautions. He will have someone with him at all times. A security guard. I want you to be that security guard."

"No," said Vince, incontrovertibly. "I'll do a lot for you, but I'm not going to betray my captain."

"That is no more than I would expect from you," said Garth, calmly. "Kirk is a tremendous captain, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir," said Vince.

Garth nodded. "Vince, I'm not asking you to betray him, in the way you mean. He will not be harmed. No one on this ship will be harmed. All I'm asking is that you help me get to some kind of an outpost where I can get off this ship, and get on another one. That's all I ask."

"But…so why do you want the captain?"

"Because, should I assume his shape, it will make it all the easier for me to get to that outpost."

"But you won't harm him?"

Garth nodded. "You have my word, Vince. No one aboard this ship will be harmed, if you help me. The first man I'm going to kill is Dixon Welles."

Vince took a deep breath. "O…kay. Okay then."


Who Goes There?
Or
The Mind of Garth of Izar
A re-envisioning of Whom Gods Destroy
By Gale Force
CHAPTER Seven
Part One

Captain James T. Kirk regained consciousness in a heartbeat. He remained unmoving, however, as he tried to assess what was happening. He was sitting…in a chair…from the way it felt to his body he knew it was his chair, in his own quarters. He didn't need to try to move his arms lying on the armrests to know that they were secured, he could feel the tightness of the straps on his wrists. His legs were free, however.

What had happened? The Enterprise had been warping along towards what remained of the USS Red Admiral, with an estimated arrival time of 18 hours. He'd decided to get some sleep… he'd need to be rested and refreshed to deal with both a madman loose on his ship and some unknown aliens going around destroying Federation starships…

He'd been walking along the corridor to his quarters with a security guard…but he'd never made it…what the hell had happened?

He strained his ears. He could hear nothing…or could he…no one was moving about…but was someone breathing?

Kirk opened his eyes. They widened only slightly when he saw himself sitting opposite him, smiling cheerfully.

"We meet again, Captain Kirk," said the apparition.

"Captain Garth."

"You will address me by my proper title," said Garth/Kirk. "I am Lord Garth, master of the universe."

"You look like a captain to me," said Kirk.

Garth/Kirk's forehead creased, as he tried to figure out if Kirk were trying to insult him. Then he laughed mirthlessly. To Kirk, the world seemed to turn inside out, and then he saw Garth of Izar sitting in front of him, clad in the simple blue tunic of the scientist.

"You…" Kirk tried away to swallow away the dryness in his mouth… "you're very good with that little trick. How do you do it?"

"Cellular metamorphosis," Garth said. "Taught to me by the Antosians…"

"But…you can't be controlling your clothing as well?"

"Oh, that. No, that's another little trick I taught myself…we don't need to discuss it. What I want to know is this. Why has the Enterprise left orbit? Where is she going?"

"Don't you know?"

Garth's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm asking you."

"We received a distress call. The USS Red Admiral has been attacked…destroyed. We're en route to their last known location, in Sector Alpha Gamma 2.2. How long have I been…here?"

"Four hours."

"Then we're fourteen hours away."

"I see," said Garth, musingly.

Garth gazed at Captain Kirk speculatively. His story had worked with the Boss…would it work with Kirk?

"I want you to read something, Kirk."

Garth pointed a device at Kirk's left hand, and the restraining strap released. Kirk glanced down at his wrists, and saw that he was restrained by straps used by his own security people. Someone had punched holes through the fabric of his favorite chair in order to do so. When he got out of this predicament, he'd allow himself to be annoyed by that.

Garth tossed him a print book, which Kirk caught awkwardly. "Read the marked passages."

Kirk did as he was bid. Then he looked up. "This doesn't match what the Federation has on file about you."

"No, it doesn't. But that's the true story."

"Yes…yes, I believe you." Kirk looked at him with compassion.

"I'm not insane, Kirk. I never was. But as you doubtless know, retired Admiral Dixon Welles, the man responsible for the debacle which I thenhad to go in and salvage, is the brother of the President of the Federation. He suspected…rightly, I grant you… that I wasn't going to let his brother get away with his incompetence. So he had me framed."

Kirk blinked at him. Didn't the man remember five minutes ago, when he'd instructed him to call him Lord Garth, Master of the Universe? But even if that happened…Kirk had a lot of respect for Donald Cory, governor of Elba II, and Cory believed Garth to be mad.

"If what you say is true, Garth…" began Kirk.

"If?" said Garth dangerously.

"Then I'll help you. But you can't hijack a starship…"

"Can't?" said Garth again.

"Yes," barked Kirk. "If! Can't! Do those words infuriate you so?"

Garth took a deep breath.

"And if they do, it doesn't mean I'm insane, damn you. It just means I'm used to people following my orders."

Kirk nodded. "Yes, I understand. Well, I'm telling you, this is my ship…."

At that precise moment, there was a beep and Lieutenant Uhura's voice filled the room. "Bridge to Captain Kirk."

Smilingly, Garth punched the button, even as to Kirk, the world seemed to turn upside down again, and then Kirk was looking at himself. "Kirk here," said Garth, grinning at his captive.

"You're needed on the bridge immediately, Captain. There's…."

Suddenly, the ship rocked violently, and Garth/Kirk almost fell out of his chair. It rocked again. Garth knew what that meant – they were being hit by torpedoes!

The door to the living room of Kirk's quarters slid open, and the Boss strode in. "Captain…" he began. He stopped, looked at Kirk imprisoned in his chair and Garth/Kirk standing.

Garth/Kirk grabbed a phaser from his belt. "I'm Kirk, sergeant," he barked. "That's Garth in the chair. Now, take me to the bridge."

The ship rocked again, so violently that the Boss and Garth were flung against the bulkhead like ragdolls. The red alert sirens began to shriek.

"Garth!" Kirk yelled. "Let me go! They're blowing apart my ship!"

Garth of Izar swore viciously, even as he resumed his own form. He could not deny the captain a chance to protect his ship. He deactivated the other restraint. As three, Kirk, Garth and the Boss raced for the bridge.

It was a difficult journey. The Enterprise was being hit by torpedo after torpedo. Smoke and fire filled the corridors. Damage repair crews swarmed here and there. The Boss put his bulk to good use, running interference for the two captains behind him. Finally they reached the Bridge.

Spock jumped out of the command chair and Kirk slipped into it. Spock glanced at Garth and an eyebrow raised as he assumed his own seat.

"What's going on, Spock?" Kirk demanded.

"We were attacked from long range, Captain. Our sensors spotted incoming torpedoes, but they came in too fast. We are too slow, and too immobile. We are being beaten into submission, and there's nothing we can do."

"Who's attacking us?"

Sulu put it on screen without being bid. The ship was neither Romulan nor Klingon. But whatever it was, it was killing them.

Kirk pounded the button to Engineering. "Scotty, what's the status down there?"

Scotty's voice came coughing. "We're dead in the water, Captain. No power to the warp engines at all. We've barely got enough power left to run essential systems."

"Right. Hang in there, Scotty, Kirk out."

Kirk turned to Sulu. "Status of our weapons, Mr. Sulu."

"Photon torpedoes are out sir. Phasers are offline…it will take at least thirty minutes to repair them…." Replied Sulu.

"Not that it would do any good," Chekov said, sotto voce.

"Uhura, open hailing frequencies," barked Kirk.

"Hailing frequencies open, Captain."

Garth was impressed by the calmness displayed by the Enterprise crew. They were seconds away from death and they must now it, yet they were going about their business as if it were an everyday occurrence. Did they have so much confidence in their captain, then, that they believed that even now he'd be able to do something to save them?

Two aliens appeared on the view screen, ugly (to human eyes) lizard like creatures.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise," began Kirk, and then Kirk felt a hand on his shoulder, as Garth came to stand beside him.

"And I am Fleet Captain Garth of Izar," said Garth, loudly. "In command of the Enterprise at the present time. What are your terms?"

"Terms, Garth of Izar?" laughed the lizard. "You are beaten. One more launch of torpedoes and your ship is blown into millions of pieces."

"I don't deny what you say…yet you haven't blown us apart yet, so you must want something. Therefore, I ask again, what are your terms?"

"Complete surrender. You must beg for our mercy, and perhaps we will extend it to you."

The other lizard made a noise that sounded like laughter.

"We don't beg for anything," snapped Garth.

"Oh…you will beg, Garth of Izar. You will beg. We beam you over to our ship, you surrender, you beg."

"If I beam over to your ship, you let the Enterprise go free?"

More laughter from the lizards. "They do not die…yet," said the leader.

"You have attacked a starship of the United Federation of Planets. Do you really want a war?"

"If your Enterprise is an example of the starships you have, why should we be afraid of a war?" laughed the lizard.

Garth's shoulders shrank, defeated, even as his eyes continued to dance around what he could see of the bridge of that alien ship. All starship builders, regardless of race, seemed to put the same kinds of instruments in the same kinds of locations….

"Very well," he said. "I will beam over to your ship."

"Garth…." Said Kirk.

Garth turned to face him. "Thirty minutes, Kirk," he said meaningfully. "All you need is thirty minutes."

"The wessel has lowered its shields," Checkov reported. "They're activating their transporter beam."

Garth shimmered and disappeared, and the view screen of the alien ship snapped off.

Kirk brought his hand down on his communication console. "Scotty. Get to the transporter room now. Now."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Chekov, you said thirty minutes for phasers. Do it!"

"Yes, sir."

Spock came to stand beside Kirk's command chair. Kirk glanced up at him.

"You don't think Garth planned this?" Spock asked.

"There's no way he could have," Kirk said, definitively. "With a ship like that at his command? He never would have messed around trying to hijack the Enterprise. No, whatever those things are, they're acting on their own."

"Scott here," came Scott's voice. "I'm in the transporter room, Captain."

"Scotty, in about thirty minutes something's going to happen. I want you to be ready to get a fix on the bridge of that other ship. You're going to need to beam Garth of Izar aboard as soon as possible."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

They waited. Damage control reports flowed in from all over the ship. Damage repair parties went out to do what they could."

Kirk knew what Garth was going to try to do. Hell, they all knew. Nevertheless, he gave Sulu the order. "Keep your sensors on their shields, Sulu. Let me know the instant they come down."

For that was Garth's plan. That had to be Garth's plan. Beam over, stall for time, then, either as himself, or metamorphosizing himself into a lizard, he'd find someway to cut the shields of that alien ship. And once he did so…

"Phasers back on line, Captain," Chekov shouted joyously.

"Sulu, status of their shields?"

"Their shields are fully operational, Captain. Our phasers will bounce off them like peashooters."

"Wait for it, Sulu."

Five minutes…ten….then Sulu shouted. "Their shields are down! Their shields are down!"

"All phasers fire," Kirk ordered. "Scotty, get Garth out of there!"

Without shields, a starship is as vulnerable to a microscopic meteorite than as to a phaser. The Enterprise's phasers darted outward, targeting every vulnerable spot Sulu and the weapons control room could think of, from what looked like engines to their phaser and torpedo capability.

"Direct hits," shouted Sulu. "Like a knife through butter. She's going to blow!"

And indeed, within a very few seconds the starship opposite them had disappeared into a white hot fireball.

Kirk hammered the communication console again. "Scotty."

"Captain."

The jubilation on the bridge quieted abruptly, as they all heard the sound of failure in Montgomery Scott's voice.

"Captain…I was never able to get a fix on him…I tried to beam the entire bridge crew aboard…but nothing came… I lost him, Captain."

Kirk took a deep breath. "It's okay, Scotty. It was a long shot. Get back to the engine room, you've got a lot of work to do there."

"Aye, aye, captain."

Kirk punched another button.

"Captain's log, stardate 1205.72. The Enterprise, en route to answer the distress call of the USS Red Admiral, was attacked and disabled by an unknown alien ship. Fleet Captain Garth of Izar gave his life, in order to rescue us all. …. Kirk out.

Kirk brought his hand down on the log button again. Mad or not, Garth had died a hero. And that's how he would be remembered.