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"TREKING"
SAGA OF STAR TREK TOS ALTERNATIVE .
By Alfredo Francisco Humberto Juillet Frascara.
BOOK FOUR
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"SECOND STAR ON THE RIGHT THEN ON UNTIL MORNING."
29 JUNE 1997
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"SECOND STAR ON THE RIGHT THEN ON UNTIL MORNING."
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1. Captain James Tiberius Kirk.
2. First Officer John Newark.
3. Second Officer Maora Noemi
4. Science Officer Xtmprszntwlfd S'chin T'gai Spock
5. Medical officer Leonard Horatio McCoy
6. Chief Engineer Charly Evans .
7. Transporter Engineer Wladimir Smirnoff.
8. Ensign Pavel Adreiev Chekov.
9. Exo Biologist Jennifer Smith
10. Communications Officer Nyota*/Upenda*.... Uhura
11. Radar Man Lemuel the fleto
12. Guards {Enlisted First and Second Class}: Simpertigue, Lagrange
13. Nurse Christine Chapel
14. Itaka Hikaru Sulu
15. Winston* Kyle (Lt - Transporter Chief)
16. Janice Rand (Yeoman)
17. Kevin Thomas Riley (Lt)
18. John Farrell (Lt)
19. Dave Bailey (Lt)
20. Charles/Carlos Jaeger (Meteorology Officer/helm)
21. Leslie (Lt)
22. Kelowitz (Lt Cmdr)
23. DeSalle (Lt)
24. DePaul (Lt)
25. Hansen (Lt)
26. Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer
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Chapters of this obra :
chapter one Thayn page 2
chapter two Sulafat page 23
chapter three Of mice and dragons
chapter four Dinos galore
chapter five Climbing trees
chapter six Hera
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chapter one
Her name was Thayn Marden
She was medium sized, with brown hair ,blue eyes and resembling 20 years of age.
Thayn waited until Hammond went out of the destroyed chamber and walked fast to the elevator, who opened its doors to let her pass. She said " Eight sub level"
So recorded was that Thayn waits for Hammond to went out of the destroyed main chamber of the Spiral Tower, and walks very fast to the elevator, that carried her to the eight sub level.
The machine closed their doors and began the descent.
The recent cruel attack from the Third Men fused the wonderful halls of the upper part of the Spire, together with the complicated instruments storage there. The upper part of the building was now rubble over the plain of Altar. The barbarian attack of the Third Men fused the upper levels of that building, smashing the marvelous instruments who were there. Now the spire was shattered in four great chunks, lying under the fiery blaze of the sun.
Under the surface the many sub levels were intact. The doors opened at the eight level, and she went to a chamber she knew well, finding Borgton inside. Borgton was working at a bench with some crystals and wires attached to a metallic box..
- Did he went away?- Asked the vramen, as he was aware of her passion for the hooman.
- Yes. What do you expected? Your Death drug cheats him. Nobody would believe I was alive, as my breath stopped and the heart beats were inaudible. Also the blood at my ribs was the final touch !"-
- What are we going to do now?
- Wait. Also, poor man."
- Why ? Hammond received too many hopes from me, and I expected not to broke his heart so easily...But I have 2.000 years old, and since my 300 birthday that I hadn't doing myself a treatment to forget ."- Thayn said.
- Because you hadn't wishing really to do it ! Now you should travel to Sulfux, in order to forget...Here there is nothing very useful, after the attack."- Borgton remarked.
- Nobody in his sixth senses would be staying here, now. The Third Men learn how to do us harm."- Thayn said.
In that moment a group of warriors came, and the chief officer told them:'- All the personnel must be present at the surface, as Commander Nospe will address you. "
- All right, captain. We will go immediately."- Borgton replied.
The officer gave a bow and departed.
- You heard the vramen. We get to climb up."- Borgton said.
- Not with this face ! Have you any morpher handy ?"- She asked.
- No. But I have a Capucha."- Offered Borgton, and he find a mask from a box near by.
- I thought there were not in existence this pieces of museum ! Well, I guess I must put this on, to pass unnoticed."- Thayn said.
She puts the mask in front of her face, and it stuck there, as a second skin.
Borgton leads the way up.
When she went out of the building, she saw a flier taking off, and another three landing near the rubble who was now the Spire.
Commander Nospe approaches them.
- Commander Nospe, did Hammond the Hoomen goes already ?"- Thayn asked to the fat old warrior.
- Positive, Thayn. And are you hurt, at the ribs ?"-
- No, Commander. I did this faking wound as he loves me and I cannot mate with someone 1970 years younger than me."- Thayn replied.
- I am not interested in this so personal incidents. But now I assure you all personnel at the Spire must depart in this ships. The Fourth Men rinsed the brains of all the Third Men, saying to us they will re educate them."- Nospe informed the crowd of scientist that were pouring from the inner levels of the spire.
- Well donned ! They deserved that, because they were ambitious and cruel."- Thayn exclaimed.
- You can climb to the ships, ladies and gentlemen !"- The commander shouts to the crowd. He return to Thayn, saying "- Now is the time to get down the Spire an take whatever you want, as this place will be deserted for ever."
- Thanks you, uncle."- Thayn kissed his cheek. Then she walks to a flier, climbing the ladder without effort.
She was not interested in souvenirs, as the planet Altair was a bad place for her, after the long struggles against the rebels and the Third Men.
He chooses the " Anzewen" flier. His Captain was Somasdo, who gave her a fine chamber aboard the vessel.
Thayn Marden shut the door, and takes a sonic bath. The invigorating waves leaves her wishing to sleep...Thing she does, after 72 hours awake ...using the antigravitor bed, so she was suspended in mid air for the next eight hours...
Outside the ship, the Vramen were carrying the machines from the sub levels to the decks of the fliers. The Commander Nospe was there, hurrying the vramen, as he wasn't aloud by the Fourth Men to save those machines...
The Fourth Men had said that all vramen must abandon Altair in a hurry, and there were no questions about that. The Vramen were no match for the powerful Fourth Men from the planet Altair !
The sky was a glimmering shadowless radiance, who lit the landscape with an strange light not devoid of enchant.
Then the first of the fliers ended it`s cargo load, and depart ,throwing the blue flames by the exhaust. They were going from Sharanna for the very last time, leaving behind the ruins of what was the proud of the Vramen race.
Then follows the rest, one by one in their pillars of fire.
The night engulfed the debris of the Spire , not any more the symbol of the strength of the Vramen...
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AT PLANET JOKONG...........................
A conversation and something more.............
- I rather belong to the Fleet !"
- As you prefer, my niece. But you very well could be remaining at Jokong. Its a new city, near the Masendo Sea. Plenty of sun rays, little to do , and there are many sea - games to play."- Commander Nospe smiled.
- I rather be at the deck of one of your ships, Uncle. No matter which mission you gave me ."
- I see. You want to be useful. I am glad."- Replied the Commander.'- I will designate you to some vessel. Do you like the Mech. ?"
- I can bear their presence."-
- Perfect. I will see what I can do. By the moment, you have my house at your disposal. "- Commander Nespo offered, smiling to his preferred niece.
Thayn was delighted as she prefer to be protected , for a while. Back at Altair, his life was very different, so now she enjoy the difference...
She was at the mansion ,served by three Mech. , waiting for the signal to re- embark at the Vramen fleet.
She takes several courses at the Academy, as to be fit for whatever mission the Commander chooses for her.
She graduated as first officer... and two days elapsed, his uncle called her to his office, saying :"- I have your new post ready, Thayn."
She felt the electricity running through her body. Also she thought his uncle must have been informed of her new status {First Officer Diploma} ...
- I am glad to hear you said that ! I am ready for space !"- She grinned.
- Better this way ! You will have opportunities for to practice your new skills !"-
- That is what I hope. And about the ship ?"
- It is a Super flier. It is not the exact vessel I were thinking of , but is a beginning. '- Nospe commented, extending his arms.
- But, do not be worried, Uncle dear ! I understand that in this changing epoch there are a shortage of ships."- Thayn said, and mentally she was remembering all the characteristics of the Super Fliers...:32 crew members, little space for cargo , interplanetary velocities...Not too thrilling , indeed.
- You will be the Captain. It's name is " Orrtol" { Verity}.It is now at the 809 pole station."
- Thanks you, my uncle ! Because now I will be controlling my own ship ! "- She exclaimed.
She was presented ,officially, after two days elapsed.
The 31 crew members were all Vramen, as her. She noticed there were of her same age. She felt a twinge of relaxation, as she wasn't willing to command over 3.000 years old people.. .
She memorized the names and full ranks in a quarter of an hour.
Her uncle visits the ship before the departure, giving the CD with the mission plan with his own hands.
Thayn looked him when she went put off the ship, feeling herself proud of such an old gentleman.
She sighed and closed the airlock, and went to the control room.
Thayn opened the CD content on her desk, and read the orders on screen.
"Vramen Fleet Command.
To : Captain of the Verity super flier vessel.
Thayn Marden.
Mission to accomplish = Replacement of the Governor of Fonax.
Time for this mission = 3 weeks elapse.
Special Order = Maintain daily communications with Headquarters, designed Chief : Commander Nospe.
End of Schedule."
Thayn grinned, as the Special Order was meant just to calm down the nerves of her uncle, who was worried for her... She will be glad to send the messages.
She leaned back at her new commanding chair, looking at the chamber .This room has the form of a triangle, with the point directed to the prow. Six chairs in all, together with control panels, communication systems with the rest of the ship, scanning, monitors...
The first officer was Avimond, who said :- " Engines ready, Captain."
- Half impulse power in two minutes."- She ordered.
She revised the indicators, seeing there that they were all O.K.
- Attention ! Ten seconds for ignition."- Avimond said, and then the ship gave a little jerk and it was moving .
The main generator and the two engines were propelling the ship ahead.
The Super Flier class wasn' t supposed to fly more than around the planets of a designed solar system, as they hadn't hyper space warp engines.
As they were leaving Jokong, second world of the Vramen system, they should be traveling to the 5th. planet, 89.000.000.000 kilometers away.
- Set a course to Ramansi, First Officer."- She said.
- Course in process , Captain."- Avimond said, digitizing on his console.
Seconds elapsed, he said :'- Ready to correct course, Captain."
- Fine. Proceed at full speed."- She said, wrapping herself tighter to her seat.
She felt the thrust and the several jerking movements the ship were doing, as to correct the path. Some little objects went flying over the room.
- Full impulse power, Captain."- The First Officer announced.
She was looking the indicators on her console, showing her the new course.
- Select an encrypted channel to communicate with headquarters, Lieutenant Orr."- She asked.
- Channel ready, Captain."' - Orr replied. She was a tall female, with bright eyes.
Thayn speaks by the microphone several minutes, explaining to Headquarters the new course, the velocity and estimated time to arrive to planet Ramansi.
Three days traveling inside the system were needed to arrive to Ramansi. As they were communicating daily with the base at that world, all personnel at the Base were ready to receive the delegation Thayn send, in order to bring the Ex Governor aboard ship.
When arriving to the " Verity" , ex governor Djone was received by Thayn Marden at the Deck, with her officers in line.
- Welcome to the " Verity", ex governor Djone. "- Said Thayn, and she gave their names to the fat old man.
- Nice to meet you all ! Glad to be here, Captain, but permit to tell you there is a terrible injustice here ! The politic people has the blame ! The new appointed governor here is a cousin of the President !"- Complained Djone, almost yelling and looking in all directions.
- We are not able to emit a pronunciation, vramen Djone. But I can gave you a nice cabin aboard."- Thayn offered.
- Must obliged. Very nice of you, Captain. You are very young in this post, so you must be very clever."- Djone manage to say grinning.
- Thanks you, ex governor. My uncle is Commander Nospe."
- Nice gentleman, as I had heard."- The eyes of the ex governor became slits.
Thayn send one of the officers to show the room to the guest.
Twenty minutes elapsed, she gave orders to abandon the planetary orbit, in order to began traveling to the second planet of that system.
Then a strange vessel materialized itself at 600.000 km. away. The alarm ring began to sound.
- Vessel ahead! It's coming from Hyper !"- Luxendial, the second officer , announced, after a brief looking at his control panel :
- It is coming directly against us ! Collision route !"- The first officer announced.
- Change course to 30.2"- Thayn asked, fascinated to see one of those fast ships in front of her.
The " Verity" turns the prow to the port side, but it wasn't fast enough and the incoming vessel rubs the fuselage, cutting all the antennas and two levitation towers of that side.
The half crash also produced some holes in the hull, so the air began to escape from several parts, activating the automatic door seals.
The compartments of the "Verity" closed all the inner locks.
- Report damages."- She asked, looking by the flickering video screen the fast going strange ship.
- Compartments 2 and 3 damaged, there is no antennas to send radio messages. Two refrigerant tubes are missing, the liquid is spraying unto the void. "- Informed the communication officer Orr.
The other ship make a sharp U turn, and came back by starboard. Several magnetic harpoons came flying and stuck to the metallic hull of the " Verity", so both ships came very close to each other.
- " Alien ship fasten our vessel, Captain."- Officer Avimond said.'- It is no known ship...alien vessel it is ."
- Stop all engines."- ordered Thayn, seeing the indicators were in red, and all efforts to release the tightening grip was useless...
From the alien vessel several figures came flying very fast. They fused one of the entrances, and came inside the Verity.
Aboard USS Enterprise, NCC 1701.
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- Ready to the Jump, Captain."- Sulu said.
- Jump attention signal ready ."- Uhura said.
- Ten seconds to the blast off and counting !"- Spock said, fastening his security belt.
"...0 !"
The ship sparked when the Warp engines began to function, and the Enterprise plunged into the Unknown, from where it was spit as an alien material, 100 parsecs away,
- Attention !- Kirk reacted, and the vessel jerks it`s course suddenly, to starboard, for not to crash unto the object situated just in front of it.
It wasn't, then, the dexterity of Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu what saves them from collision, but the Automatic Guidance System of the Enterprise ...
Krrrrrrr !
The rasping sound was heard in all the ship..
- Near collision with a ship of unknown origin. Dimensions are : length 80 meters, beam: 20 meters, propulsion : photon emissions."- Spock said calmly.
- Ensign Chekov, go and prepare a rescue team ,to go helping at that ship. Lt. Uhura, try to communicate with them."- Kirk ordered.
The "Enterprise" makes a quick U turn ,who took several thousands kilometers wide, due to the enormous velocity the Jump gave to the vessel.
It stops near the "Verity"...
- The alien ship didn't respond to our signals."- Lt. Uhura informed.
- Lt. Sulu, send several magnetic harpoons to that ship."- Kirk ordered.
- I am ready to aboard the ship, Captain."- Chekov said by the intercom.
- Are the harpoons secure, Lt. Sulu ?"
- Yes, sir."
- Aboard ship, ensign Chekov. On the double."- Kirk ordered.
- Yes. Sir."- Chekov smiled from the Lock.
With the personal propellers Chekov and his team of ten guards went to the marooned alien ship. With the Maser disrupters they fused the main entrance of the alien ship, and went inside.
It was a 3 x 5 meters chamber, sealed at both ends. Three dead bodies were expelled out of the chamber.
- Chekov to Enterprise : we are in, but the chamber has two door locked: we cannot continue, as we are endangering the crew. Also we find here two dead bodies, perhaps from the decompression."
- Enterprise to Ensign Chekov : try to open manually the sealed doors. "- Kirk said, disliking the killing.
Chekov and his team began to look for the electronic system , and when they find it, one of the guards opened a door, using one electronic device.
They get hurry crossing to the other door, so the oxygen wasn't wasted too much.
They find two aliens there.
- Chekov to Enterprise : we are at another chamber ,this time with atmosphere. There are here two human beings, similar to us."
- Try to communicate."- Kirk said,
- If you want . Sir, I can go there and try a mind- meld with one of them."- Spock said.
- Please do, Mr. Spock . And take care."- Kirk replied.
When Spock arrives to the chamber, he saw a woman and a male, of medium height.
He approaches the girl, and did the mind meld. Ten minutes elapsed, he call to the Enterprise.
- Spock to Enterprise : I mind meld one of the humanoids. They are not from Earth. "
- Enterprise to Spock: can you communicate internally with the rest of that crew ?"-
- I will ask them."- Spock said. He signaled the girl and he mind meld her for a short while. Then the girl takes a gadget from a wall, and talked into it. Some minutes elapsed, one of the doors opened, and she signaled to the intruders to follow her.
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Thayn received Spock and the other intruders at the main control chamber, surrounding them with armed personnel from the rest of the ship.
- You are damaging my ship, unlocked the main entrance, and rasped and damaged my communication system."- She said.
- I am Spock First officer of the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, from the United Federation of Planets. We were coming from hyper Space, and almost crash unto your vessel."- He said.
- I guess that is an apologize."- Thayn remarked.
- It is, Lady. "
- I am Thayn Marden, Captain of the "Verity" vessel, one of many from the Vramen Fleet. "- She informed.
- Glad to meet you, Captain."- Spock replied.
- Now that we met each other, tell your Captain to release my ship. There are several magnetic harpoons fastening our ship to yours."- Thayn asked.
- Right away, Captain."- Spock replied, and called to the Enterprise. As Kirk wants to see the Captain of the "Verity" before release, Spock asked her to go visiting the Enterprise.
- " Tell him I will go."- She said, stiffly.
Ten minutes elapsed, Spock and Chekov's team, plus Thayn and three other Vramen, went flying to the Enterprise.
When entering the ship, they salute her with the whistles of rigor.
- Welcome aboard USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, Captain Thayn Marden. I am James Kirk, Captain of this vessel."- Kirk said, smiling to her.
- Thanks."- She replied, looking startled at the Negro woman Uhura.
- We ram each other, perhaps too roughly. It was the velocity of Hyper Space. Otherwise we should never bruise your scout vessel."- Kirk announced.
- I accept your apologies, Captain Kirk.'- She said .looking steadily at the human. Something in him told her he was of a special breeding...
- Please be my guest to night, so you can attend at our dinning table, together with your officers."- Kirk invited her.
- Thanks. This is Luxendial, my Second Officer, and Lt. Gowander and Lt. Farlung, crew members.- She presented the three male vramen.
- Glad to meet you , Sirs. "- Kirk bowed slightly, and also he presented Thayn the officers out of duty at the Bridge, in that moment.
- You have a great ship here, Captain Kirk. Nothing comparing to my vessel."- She said.
- I guess it is because your vessel it's designed just to run in this system only."- Kirk remarked.
- Yes. But now we are in trouble, as the communication system is busted, some holes in the hull and two sustentation towers are missing.."- She said.
- So you hardly can move."- Ended by saying Kirk.
- Yes. And we need to carry our ship to the docks. Could you be so gentle as to tow us to ...., the nearest Vramen controlled planet ?- Thayn asked .
- It can be arranged."- Kirk replied.
- Then I will stay to your soup."- She smiled.
Kirk finds the girl utterly attractive, with a pair of legs matching those of Uhura, a beautiful white face, and also a magnific body structure...
- Are all humans so interested in the female anatomy?"- Thayn asked.
- Well...I..."- Kirk blushed, and McCoy came to his rescue, by saying"- No, Madam, but you are so beautiful that you impressed favorably our Captain."-
- And you , his Doctor, what recommends him, in this case ?'- She teased .
- That he must go to his duties, that his doctor will take care of your welfare here."- McCoy replied, grinning.
As everyone were smiling now, and the tension was subdued, the general disposition between the two crews became very friendly from then on.
Kirk showed the Enterprise to Thayn, who was enchanted to see the ingenious machines of the humans.
- And where is Earth located ?"- She asked.
Spock told her at a screen.
- My people never went in that direction, as it is the fringe of the Via Lactea."- She said.
- We developed out technology alone, but now we had find three other allies in this Galaxy - plus several others that are not willing to mingle with humans."- Kirk said.
They went to the dining table, and Kirk was in the front seat, Thayn at his left and Spock and McCoy at his right, Also at the table were Uhura, Chekov , Sulu and the three officers Thayn brings from the "Verity".
- I see that there are some allies here, too. She is one of them?"- Thayn said, pointing to Uhura.
She laughed, and explained the Vramen that she belonged to a tribe in Africa.
- Really ? "- Thayn replied, not fully convinced, as she noticed several differences between Kirk and Uhura.
- I am the alien in this table."- Spock said. '- I came from the honorable planet of Vulcan, where our race has evolved utterly alone, producing also technology and what we cherished the most, our philosophy of life. "-
- Which is that philosophy, Officer Spock?'- She asked.
- The sublimation of all emotions to the reason, to logic. Also the emotions are shunned from our way of life."- Spock said.
- What a pity ! Must be a very somber kind of living !"- Thayn assured, must to the rejoice of McCoy and the amusement of Kirk.
- It is the only way to live a life of creation and peace."- Spock replied.
Thayn didn't answered to that, but she gave a complicity stare to Kirk and McCoy.
- And your race, where is located ?"- Asked Kirk.
- At the Derio System... This planetary system is ours, too, and we called this sun The Star of Life... ! We live in peace and harmony, without enemies, now the Third men and the Fourth men are no longer our foes.- She explained.
- Third men,,, Fourth men...I don't understand."- Kirk said.
- The hoomen were the original race of Laudania, our home planet at the Derio System. We developed out science and became the conquerors of the Universe...so to speak, as every intelligent race of the Cosmos believe he is, when reaching to the stars.- Thayn grinned.
- Same at Earth. But go on, "= McCoy corroborated.
- Then we came to the Triffid Nebula, where this sun is entombed. This star, whose rays are so different from the other suns who populated the Cosmos, gave special strength to the cells of our bodies, that the reproduction of cells became perfect. No aging . So our lives became almost eternal, excepting a major injury, of course."- Explained Thayn.
Every human- and Vulcan- at the table began staring to the vramen who were present with awe and a hint of terror.
- So your are...very old ?"- Murmured Kirk, feeling his stomach became very tense.
- We are young, to our standards. Captain."- Thayn smiled to Kirk.
- And how young are you ?"- McCoy murmured.
- Two thousands years, Doctor. And the elder of our race has seven thousands years...That is the exact elapsed time between this year and the year when we discovered this sun..."- She informed.
- It makes sense."- Whispered Uhura, looking with terror the smooth face of Thayn , who appeared as a twenty years old woman of Earth.
- But then, the people who came to this star system began to have children who were different to them. Of a gray skin color, harsh and malignant. So the rush here began to stop, but it was too late for the thousands of thousands who were already doomed."
- A terrible situation ! "- Uhura remarked.
- Then all this was happening in Altair, our preferred planet in the Star of Life System. Our government prohibited the travels here, except for the already affected by this radiations...and as to their children, the mutated ones, were called the Third Men, to whom we banned the secret of the spatial ships...as they were a warrior race ."= Thayn said, drinking a little of the Algolian beer.
She smiled sadly, and asked Farlung to continue with the story.
- Then the Third Men became the fathers of the Fourth Men, a race where the brain development was exaggerated. With feeble bodies, their sole interest in life is the study and development of the brain capacities. AS the Third Men asked their sons to help build starships, they refused and retired to another city of their own, where they resisted all efforts made by his fathers, on order to help them in their warlike ideals."- Said Farlung .....
- A fortunate decision."- Spock remarked.
- Then the Third Men were unable to do ships as at Altair there are no iron or any other kind of heavy metals. But one day arrives here a ship from another civilization, who brings them the metal they want, and a war was issued against Sharanna, our main city at Altair.
" We were in the verge of defeat but Thayn, present here before you, asked help ,with one of the alien beings, to the Fourth Men, who intervened and brain washed all the minds of the Third Men, to became re educating them ...As to us, they asked we should depart from Altair, for ever."- Farlung .... ends his explanation
- So they overpower their own fathers !"- Exclaimed Chekov.
- But for a good reason !"- Thayn said.
Then Kirk began to tell them several humorist anecdotes, as to enlighten the spirits, who were set very low with all those miseries.
They were served the desert, and then tea and coffee, that the vramen finds excellent.
After three hours of being seated there, Thayn called for the retire, so the vramen salute and went to their appointed bedrooms at the Enterprise.
- It has been a delightful dine, Captain Kirk."- Thayn said to him.
- My pleasure was to have you at my table to night."- He said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. As Thayn was unaccustomed to that custom, she blushed...
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Thayn awoke and felt a little tremor . She dressed and went out of her room. A guard was posted outside, who asked her where she want to go at that hour.
- I want to see Captain Kirk."- She asked, very seriously.
The guard , Frances Raken, called by the intercom, and he was informed Captain Kirk was at his cabin.
- Please follow me, Captain."- Raken asked to the vramen female, and she followed him .
They arrive to the cabin, after some two decks elapsed. She was accepted, and she enter with a brisk pace.
Kirk was seated at her cot, but when seeing her, he stands up and asked :- Captain Thayn ! I am here to serve you ! What do you want from me ?"
- I want a straight answer, Captain Kirk ! What is happening here ? "-
- In which sense, Captain Thayn ?
- I sense we are moving in space , Captain ! What is happening to my vessel ?"- She looked at the human straight in the face.
- We are towing it, Captain, at your First Officer requests. We are heading to the nearest planet of this system , the Third of it."- He replied.
- Lieuman. The name of the planet is Lieuman...very well, But they should had advised me ."- She said.
- You was tired, and asleep."- He smiled gently.
She seats at the border of his bed, feeling tired.
- Want a beverage, or a coffee, perhaps ?"- He invited.
- Call me just Thayn. And a coffee will be good, thanks you."- She grinned.
Kirk went to the food dispenser and serves her a cup of coffee, and seats at her side.
- The hoomen are ,then, the normal people, isn't it ?- He asked.
- Yes. They are normal , as they live up to 120 years and they die. Is it alike at Earth?"- She asked.
- Similar. There are lots of efforts to enlarge the human span of life, but there is some catch in it, as we cannot extend life more than a hundred, average. Most people die before that, due to accidents, drug habits, bad nourishment. "- Kirk said.
- Extrange, that. You should had banned those illnesses."
- It is because we humans at Earth are very independent, and there are several dozen countries, and some of them are poor. They cannot feed properly the unemployed, the injured. Also there are lot of people that just didn't care about the life span. "
- Same at the hoomen, there are lots who despise life..."- Thayn said, finishing her cup and standing.- I am going, now. I will be at my ship."
- As you please, Captain Thayn Marden. It will be always a pleasure to have you in this ship."- Kirk smiled.
She went out, and Kirk followed, as he must gave the proper orders for her transfer.
They arrive to the planet in eighteen hours, and several vramen ships takes care of the "Verity" , it`s crew, plus Ex Governor Djone. Then two officers of high rank went into the Enterprise, where Kirk and Spock explained them the objectives of the Federation.
- It is a combination of peaceful civilizations, working united for the welfare of their people. They exchange goods, ore and manufactured articles, also they maintain a multipurpose Star Fleet, to protect the worlds against any invading Army."- Kirk explained.
- We understand and we are very surprised of their existence. We will be happy to send diplomats there, in order to know more about the Federation of Planets, and eventually join our race to that institution."- Heuton Ferfa , Admiral of the Vramen Fleet, expounded.
Kirk was already in communication with Starfleet High Command, and the arrival of the Vramen delegation will be expected by the vessels in charge of the routes to Earth.
- One of us should go with them, Captain Kirk."- Spock said.
- You ?
- No, Captain, I was thinking in yourself and Madame Thayn Marden . You seem to have a good relationship with her."
- Yes, you are right in that last remark. An no, I will not leave Lt. Newark at the Captain post of the Enterprise. - Kirk replied to the demoted officer.
- Then he could go."- Spock insisted.
Kirk didn't answered, looking at the main screen. A person was flying to the Enterprise.
- Open hatch."- He told Sulu.
- Hatch opened."- The Asiatic acknowledged.
Kirk went to the hatch and find Thayn Marden, undressing of the spatial suit.
- Welcome to the Enterprise, Captain Marden."- He greeted the lady.
- Captain Kirk ! I came to talk to you...personally.
- Of course. Came with me."- He said, and they went to his cabin. She seats herself in the verge of the bed and said"- I was commissioned to fly with you, Captain Kirk. Me and 20 other vramen. Of course you are the indicated to say yes or no. "
Kirk asked more details of the strange request, and she said :- Really, it was my idea, Captain. I am bored to see this planets over and over again. Also, when I requested to my uncle, General Nospe, he gave me the boat you just so : a ship only capable of to roam around the planets of one sole system ! And I want to look at the wonders of nature, in deep space !"
Kirk paced the room, thinking about this problem. As Captain, he very well could say yes, and later explain matters to Headquarters. Twenty vramen...aliens, means not real difference in a crew of more than 400 members...also this people were handling a lot of experiences, as their age were close to the 2.000 years each....
- I regret to say I must to think about this, Captain Marden. 20 people aboard this ship is not a very great number of aliens, so to speak, but in case they get wrong ideas, they really could do a lot of harm ."- He said.
She stand in front of him , looking rejected. Kirk hold her in his arms and kissed the beauty of 2.000 years old...
She tastes good ! He begin to take some interest in the Vramen female, after all
- Pardon me !"- Somebody said, and Kirk turns around, seeing Spock staring at the entrance.
- yes, Officer ? What do you want ?
- I came to told you there is some vramen requesting entrance at the gate number two."- Spock said, with unmoved face.
- Let them in."- Kirk said, and Spock departed.
- Thanks you, Captain. You will not regret."- Thayn said.
Kirk noticed that the female was blushing. He take her again in his arms, and this time the fire in her consumed all his desires ...
----------------------------------------
Chapter 2
SULAFAT
----------------------------------------
- Engines ready, Captain.
- Jump in."- Kirk ordered.
Sulu pressed the necessary buttons. and the Enterprise went into the Hyper space, in a flash of light.
Thayn was looking all this novelty, near the chair of command.
- It is very beautiful, this colors."- She said.
- And did you notice something else ? - Kirk asked her, turning his head towards her.
- Yes ! Something all over my body...like electricity..."
- Yes, that is the second queer thing , here..."- Kirk said, turning his head towards his console.
Suddenly, the colors finished their appearance, and the darkness of space return.
- Scanning near space. "- Sulu announced.
- This is very exciting ! Like a game ."- Thayn said, approaching even more to Kirk.
- Sun approaching, sir."- Said Sulu.
- My Good ! The sun cannot be approaching !"- Kirk said,
- Oh, well, I had read too many poetry in this days. Pardon me. Commandant."- Sulu grinned.
- Poets !"- Grunted Kirk, looking suspiciously to the Asiatic.
- Which star is that, my Captain? - She asked of the man at the Wheel.
- This is Sulafat, my vramen Captain Thayn."- Kirk turned his torso to look at her at the face.
- Nice to see that stare into your eyes. Captain Kirk. I rejoice in the thought I put it there...with my kisses."- Thayn said.
- You are correct. This star we are heading now is called Sulafat. It is in the Lira Constellation. By the way, this Enterprise correspond to a kind of ships called Constellation Type."- Kirk said.
- How cute !"- She laughed.
- Captain, we are receiving signals from a ship in orbit. "- Uhura said.
- Let's hear what they are saying."- Kirk demanded.
- SOS SOS SOS -
- Guess it's one automatic distress call."- Spock noted.0
- That is ! Locate it for me, Mr. Spock."- Kirk begged.
- It is going round the visible horizon, Captain. In three seconds we will be out of visual."- Spock said, after seven minutes looking at his scanners.
- Great. Sulu, let's go after them. Scotty : how are we of fuel ?
- Fine Captain, We can descend without problem."
- Are you nuts ? Descending the Enterprise ! I cannot believe my hears !"- Kirk said.
- Why, dear ? Is it too heavy to the take off ?- Thayn asked.
- Yes, my Lady Vramen."- Kirk said, looking again at those green eyes.
- Captain ! We are approaching the vessel. It keeps on sending the distress call."- Spock announced.
- Sulu ! Put the enterprise at a cable's reach of that Ship, Chekov, take your volunteers and went to investigate. - Kirk commanded.
- Yes, Sir ! "- Chekov smiled, as he was proud of his bravery.
Thayn approaches to the central monitor,
- This cargo vessel seems to be very old."- She noticed.
- What ? It cannot be. Federation vessels never have come this far, Lady."- Spock said, rising his favorite eyebrow.
- But look ! It is all ragged and dusty."- Thayn said.
- Enlarge."- Kirk asked, and the zoom brings the alien vessel incredible closer.
- It is not possible."- Spock said.
- Why. Vulcan ? - McCoy asked, looking at the incredible long heared Spock.
- Not Vulcan, Doctor. I am the Scientific Officer here."- Spock answered, looking amazed the alien structure...
- We are in the ship, Captain. Nothing but dust here."- Came the voice of Chekov by the radio.
- Can you see humans ?"- Kirk asked to the Russian.
- No, Captain, I noticed there are not humans. Here are only machines."- Chekov replied.
Kirk sighed, and Thayn pressed his shoulder with her hands.
- I will go myself. Newark, you are in command , now."- Kirk orders.
- Yes, Sir. "- Newark said, sitting at the chair of command.
- And don't mess with the buttons ! Last time I must to reset my game of chess."- Kirk ordered.
- Oh, pardon me, Sir ! "- Newark blushed, as he was a lousy chess player, and always he was doing tricks to the computer, in order to win a game....
- Shall I go with you ?'- Thayn said, taking him by the arm.
- Better not, dear. Could be danger there. "- Kirk replied.
- Oh, bah ! Then I will take a bath."- She said, going out of the control room .
- Women must be protected!"- Kirk said, and he walks to the lock.
Kevin Thomas Riley(Lt.) was there at the Lock, and he said "are you going to travel alone. Sir ?"
- Yes, Or do you want to go with me ?
- Of course ! "- The guy replied, and he dressed too, with a spatial suit.
- Let`s go !"- Kirk said, and the lock was opened. As the suits has propellers, they went to the other ship really fast.
Kirk reads the name on the hull : CHINO RIOS. SANTIAGO.
- My Good Luck ! I cannot believe it ! "- Kirk said.
- The ship disappeared when jumping with the Enterprise to Earth ! "- Kevin said, looking amazed.
They enter ship. All was in the vacuum of space, the doors open. Inside was Lt. Chekov.
- The cargo vessel " Chino Rios ", sir !"- He said, looking through the glass of his helmet.
- Yeah ! Have you find some body inside ?- Kirk asked.
- Nothing ! The ship is deserted. My men are revising it all, but up until now, the main chambers has no bodies."- Chekov informed.
- Perhaps they went down in a shuttle, Captain."- Kevin said.
- And where is the other "Enterprise " ? "- Chekov asked.
- Perhaps they went to the surface in the Enterprise Refitted !"- Kevin proposed.
- Possibly. We will revise this, take pictures, and also Sulu will go down the planet, to search for the missing crew."- Kirk said, and he takes his personal radio transmitter and send Sulu down.
- You scan the surface, contact me every three hours. We will gave more data, if it is available, Commander Sulu."- Kirk said.
- Aye, Captain, but Captain Thayn Marden want to go with us to the surface of the planet. "- He informed.
- Tell her to go, if she wants. Perhaps she will serves you as an interpreter."- Kirk smiled to the radio transmitter.
- Shall we continues our research, Captain?- Asked Kevin.
- Of course, let us proceed."- Kirk accepted.
They walked by the corridors. All was pitch dark, as the energy was missing, so they uses the lights of their helmets.
Kirk went to the cabins, and the clothes and personal belongings weren't there. So the people was in the planet....
Kirk and the rest if the scouts returns to the Enterprise n` 3, and told Uhura to scan the surface of the planet Sulafat 3.
- I am working in it since we came here, Captain. And I found several metallic objects on the surface."- She said, turning to face him.
Kirk swallowed his eyes on her splendid legs. Those legs were a magnet for him...
- Well ! You always so competent. Commander Sulu is flying there, already, so please inform him of whatever you see from here."- He said, feeling his mouth watering.
- You adulator you ! "- She smiled.
- We could..."
- Captain ! There is a signal in the radar."- Chekov told the Captain.
- Who where how ?
- There !"- Chekov interjected, and in the main screen he showed a red flare, coming from deep space.
- A rocket !"- Kirk said, and then he gave the red alert .
- Red alert, red alert !"- The voice advice all personnel, through the intercom.
The Enterprise III face the enemy. The incoming vessel sends two large objects against the Enterprise.
- Collision course, Captain."- Spock said, looking inside his apparatus.
- Shields!"- Kirk yelled by the intercom. In the Engines room Charlie Evans and Scotty run to the controls, erecting the shields in a flash.
- Shields on, Captain."- Scotty said by the intercom.
Chekov turns the Enterprise , so the incoming missiles passed without harming the structure, and the shields make them bounce.
- Something in the radio, Uhura ?
- Nothing, Sir !
- Call those idiots and asked them their intentions.!"- Kirk ordered.
- Ja ja ! Is it a joke, Jim ?- McCoy said, coming from the Infirmary.
- Go to your Department, Bones !"- Kirk yelled.
- Hush hush ! A little attack and he is all nervous !"- McCoy commented, leaving the Deck.
- They are not responding, Sir ! But they are sending encoded signals to an unknown destiny." = Uhura said.
- I have their next move calculated, Captain. Did we send a torpedo there ?- Spock asked.
- Do it, Chekov ! "- Kirk replied.
The photon torpedo rush to the site, who were vacant at the moment, but in the next eight seconds, the alien navy passed by there. The explosion lights that portion of space as if a new sun was rising.
- Whea !"- Someone exclaimed.
- Seems they have a lot of missiles storage there !"- Chekov said.
- It must had been a cruiser."- Kirk looked amazed.
- Metallic object scanned below us, Captain ! Must be a ship wreck of some kind ! "- Uhura announced then.
- Could be the ancient " Enterprise"- Kirk sighed. Chekov ! Take a team and go down below ! And inform ."-
- All right, Captain !"- The Russian said, leaving the deck at a brisk pace.
- Can I go too, Captain ?- Uhura asked.
Kirk looked at her in surprise. The question were asking for a rebuttal, and some points less for the Communications Officer, as she was leaving the Bridge when needed...
- You can go, Lt. Uhura. But call first your replacement."-
- Thanks you, Captain."- She replied.
Five minutes elapsed, the shuttle went with Chekov, Uhura and ten guards aboard.
- Move the Enterprise now, Newark ! Set a changing course. I don't want to be a seating duck."- Kirk ordered, scanning deep space for more probably enemy vessels...
- Chekov to Enterprise. We are flying over the ruins of a vessel, Captain. It is the old Enterprise Refitted, all right ! Seems they landed over a hill, goes down the slope and smashed the disk unto a big boulder. "
- Radiation signals ?
- Scant quantities, Sir. Seems the chambers weren't affected."
- Signals of life in the vicinity ?
- We are flying over the site for the second time, Sir. No signs until now. "- Chekov informed.
- O.K., stay tuned . "- Kirk ends the transmission.
- We will land now, Captain. "- Chekov said, ending the conversation.
- Incoming vessels from Deep Space, Sir. Three ships."- Spock said, looking at his console.
- Damn luck ! Uhura ! Tell Chekov what is happening, ask him to have silence at the transmitter. We will came back here soon."- Kirk ordered.
- But Sir ! Lieutenant Uhura went down to the planet, and now is me, Hera Gletony, your Communication Officer , Sir."-The young woman replied, talking to Chekov by the radio.
- Chief Engineer Charly Evans ! Impulse power, please."- Kirk asked.
- Ready , Sir " - Evans replied.
- Newark ! Get us out of here !"- Kirk commanded.
- Yes, Sir !"- Smiled the Yankee.
The Enterprise III jumps into deep space, leaving the three incoming vessels standing in awe .
- Uhura ! Did you scanned those alien ships for me ?
- I am not Uhura ! And yes, Captain, I am scanning those aliens. Do you want the photos in the main screen ?- Said Hera Gletony
- Yes, Ensign.
- You must be waiting a lot, then, Captain, as I am new in this post .So try not to put me nervous, as you did with Uhura "- She said, seating at her post...
- Damned luck ! Now I get students as crew members !"- Kirk yelled, looking at the blank screen.
- I can provide those photos for you, Captain. I am Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer."- The girl said, trying to look serious.
- You can laugh , Ensign Gletony."- Kirk said, smiling at her.
The photos were six. They showed three big vessels, with lots of torpedo tubes, radar towers, and scaring towers of propulsion of a strange design.
- Spock : tell me what are those."- Kirk asked of the Science officer.
- Those are three Scifimanglers, Sir."- The Vulcan said stiffly.
- Do you know those ships ?
- Yes, Captain, They are in the Database . The race of the Scifimanglers is very old, and someone said this beings are older than humans. Their home planet is Argotoso , at the Yenool System. "- Spock was enchanted to see all faces looking in his direction, He loved to lecture those earthlings !
- O.K., but tell us something to spot them at our charts."- Gletony asked, as their fingers were itching to punch the necessary buttons , in order to command the computer and show Kirk the sky map .
- It is the star 436, Ensign Gletony. "- Spock said, in an hollow voice.
- Near very near !"- Kirk said, after looking at the map Gletony showed at her post.
- Just half a parsec away."- Sighed she.
- You sighed.
- Yes, Captain ! So lot of time I were wanting to be so near you ! And Uhura ,always here ,as she have a health of iron !"- She said, looking at her with her green eyes.
- Oh, those eyes will be my condemnation !"- Kirk told her at her left hear.
- Oh, you are so..."
- Captain ! I am receiving radiation increase signals from the main engine !"- Chief Engineer Charly Evans told by the Intercom.
- Damned luck ! I will go there myself !"- Kirk said, leaving the Bridge.
Hera Gletony walked past him, saying :- You can demote me, but please not deny me a kiss !"
Kirk looked at the blonde girl with incredulity.
- What are you doing here, Ensign ? Get back at your post !"- He said.
- But first, take one of these !"- She said, and kissed him with ardor.
- My me !"- Kirk said, after the embrace. She laughed and run back to her post.
- This new members of the crew makes me very nervous ."- Kirk said to himself, running to the engine room...
He arrive to the engine room, and Scotty said to Him :- Please, Jim, gave me back my old post ! I cannot bear this guy commanding me !
- Charly Evans! What is the problem ?- Asked Kirk.
- The main engine seems to be in malfunction, Sir ! The percentage of radiation had increased. Two grades more and we would be abandoning the ship !"- Evans told him, with trembling voice.
- Terrific. But what I can expect from a Replica ? The replicas are the fashion, this days, Pity the ships are not as they were, any more."- Scotty yelled.
- Scotty ! You should be trying to fix the engines, and instead you are banging your head against a wall !"- Kirk reprimanded.
- You monster you ! Now I must serve here as a common engineer...me the greatest of all engineers ! Or so they used to told me."- Scotty replied.
- Yes, you were that good. But since the replica engines era begins, you are the shadow of yourself."- Kirk said.
- Captain my captain ! You seems to be ignorant in this matters, as you should know this engines are discardables ! Little I can repair, as all came in one piece ! "- Scotty informed.
- Is that true, Chief Engineer Evans?- Kirk asked, and Scotty moaned when hearing the title.
- I am afraid he is right, Captain. "- Evans said.
- Look ! The numbers are in red, now."- Kirk said, looking at one indicator.
- Red ! The main engine ! We must abandon ship right away, Captain ! Or we will be a nice light in the middle of two planets."- Evans asked .
- Came on, came on , man ! It cannot be that serious !"- Kirk said, walking out of the Chamber.
- But ...!"- Evans said, looking incredulous at the open door.
- Guess the Captain cannot believe the ship is going to explode. "- Scotty said.
- Then we must tell the First Officer Newark !"- Evans said, and he takes the Intercom.
Newark asked twice about it, and searched for Kirk.
- Captain ! We are about to explode !"- Newark said ,when seeing Kirk at his office.
- Naw ! I don't believe a little radiation..."- Kirk was saying , and a explosion was heard through out all the Enterprise III.
- See ?- Newark told him.
- Hear, you should say. Well, I guess we must abandon ship, but we must get near the planet number four."- Kirk said.
So he communicate with Chekov, and the Enterprise puts its prow to that planet.
- Tell the Captain there is ten minutes left for the detonation ."- Scotty said by the Intercom, but he uses the general audio system, so everybody aboard heard it.
The pandemonium began , organized by the women, who yelled and run to the shuttles.
Several shuttles takes off with great spurts of flames, damaging the paint of the hull. Kirk search Ensign Hera Gletony, but she was the first aboarding a shuttle, so he didn't find her.
- Captain, there is no time left. Came .- Spock said, and taking him by one arm, introduced him in the last shuttle. Instead of 20 persons Kirk saw 89, but he keep on being silent.
The shuttle takes off, turns and then the Enterprise number III explodes.
- Oh, there it goes again !"- Said Scotty, and Kirk wept .
- The Sulafat Four it`s a nice planet, Captain. You will enjoy it."- Spock said, trying not to incinerate the overweighed shuttle in its descent through a mass of clouds.
- So you have time to study the planet ? - Asked Kirk, strapping himself to a chair, as he was very aware of the dangerous moments he was traversing.
- Just a little, Captain. Air ,water, heath... we will survive."- Spock said, and the cabin began smelling .
- Is it something burning ?- One of the girls asked.
- Yes, it is just the hull."- Spock replied, very calmly. McCoy laughed , but then the shuttle gave a terrible jerk, and they began flying heads on top.
- What are you doing , green blooded Vulcan ?- Asked McCoy, but the answer he didn't notice, as the ship landed upside down in a stony prairie.
The sounds of metallic structure being ripped apart, flames and a roar was all one, for those inside the shuttle. After five minutes of that, the vessel stops and the flames began to increase everywhere.
- Out, out ! - Kirk ordered , and everyone tried to accomplish with the order, but some of them just didn't make it.
There were 70 crew members alive, and the rest burns to smithereens inside the hull.
- A pity ! Young fellows, in the apex of their lives..."- McCoy said, looking at the big flames that the shuttle were giving birth in that moment...
Kirk was busy trying to communicate with the rest of the shuttles. Several of them answer his calls that afternoon, and at dusk three vessels arrive at the prairie, so Kirk and the rest of the 70 marooned people could sleep in a bed.
- From the 20 shuttles just 7 made it."- Spock informed Kirk, who was lying at a bed.
- A real pity. Now we are stranded here. Could you communicate with the Fleet ?"- Kirk asked.
- Captain ! I am very surprised of this ! "- Spock replied, stiffly.
- Why, have you seen an alien or something ?
- No ! But you now the proceedings ! First , the Manual said that when abandoning a ship, no matter the cause, a distress signal must be issued, plus one artificial satellite, who is responsible of to send a distress signal with a very powerful emitting wave band, so Starfleet can retrieve the aforementioned signal."- Spock lectured, satisfying himself the most with that.
- All right ! So now there is an artifact over my head sending powerful distress signs all over the Universe !"- Kirk resumed.
- In theory, Captain, not to all the Universe, but sure they will listen it at Starbase !"- Spock permitted himself a half smile.
- So ! Now we seat here, and wait. And perhaps the aliens ...what were their names ?"- Asked Kirk.
- The Scifimanglers, Sir."
- Yes, that. The Scifimanglers will know we are here as sitting ducks, so we could wait and see the appearing here in their shiny pantagruelic battle cruisers...."- Kirk sighed.
- Well, Sir ! You must risk something to be saved !"- Spock replied, going to the door.
- Good night, Scientific Officer."- A voice saluted him in the corridor. Kirk was beginning to get asleep, when he heard someone undressing at the bed side.
- What is going on here ! This room is occupied !"- He yelled.
- Hush- hush , Captain ! You will arouse the dead ! It is just me, Ensign Hera Gletony... preparing to go to bed !"- Chuckled her, climbing to the bed.
- Oh, Captain ! How cold you have your knees !"- She complaints, embracing him.
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Chapter Three
Of mice and dragons.
And it came to pass that the humans at the planet Sulafat iv begin to interest themselves in food and hunting, as the ships were few and the ex crew members too many for the food dispenser, that ceased to function at the 45th. day, devoid of former chemicals for their good work.
So Kirk ordered the males in three main groups, performing three main occupations : Warriors, to defend the village [ who comprised the landed shuttles } Hunting { who obviously works in the woods hunting animals to eat } and the Technocrats, who were improving gadgets with the spare parts they found at the vessels...
- Guess we are stuck here."- Kirk said.
- Oh, my love ! What an adventure ! You, me, and the whole savage planet unfolding valley after valley ...just for us !"-Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, said.
Kirk looked at the blonde girl with incredulity.
- You mean you look at this just as an adventure ? I looked at this as the worst problem I had in years ! Without a main vessel to leave the planet, and arrive to where we all belong ! Also those aliens can appear here in any minute !"- He said.
- Aliens ? I think they really were scared of you ! And they will never return ! So why don't you just relax ? - She said, embracing him.
They were seated at a rock, in a near by hill. The hill was one of many that belongs to a big chain of mountains, some of them more the 9.000 meters high.
- I send a vessel to search the Enterprise."- He said.
- Darling ! The Enterprise was blown to pieces up there ! Are you feeling good ?- Hera Gletony asked.
- No, you don't understand me ! The Enterprise III blows up. But the older one, the one that seems to have been united with the CHINO RIOS cargo vessel, landed at Sulafat III and Chekov finds it !"- Kirk said, standing up.
- Oh, I remember ! But also that the Enterprise Refitted was abandoned there perhaps for how much time !"- Hera Gletony replied.
- Perhaps they could made it tick again ! And came here to the rescue."- Kirk remarked.
- And cows rise chickens ! Please, my love ! If somebody from the Federation didn't came here, nobody will came."- Hera Gletony muttered.
The sun of the system was shedding light all over the mountains. The ice cups shines white over there.
- How beautiful this planet is ! And I regret not to be here."- She affirmed.
- You are young and thinks not in responsibilities." - Kirk reminded.
- Oh, and you are so old ? I bet you have 40 years."- She laughed.
- And you ?
- I have 21 years old. "- She replied, defiantly.
Kirk felt the impulse to kiss her, so he did. She leaned on him, chuckling, and told him at the hear :- Do you like to have a young woman all for yourself ?
- And what do you think about that ?
- That you likes !"- Hera Gletony laughed.
Kirk spanked her, and she run down the hill, to the vessels parked there.
That night was Saturday, so all the personal out of duty dine together. Then they all seated on the chairs, and began to eat. The commander officer Kirk was telling jokes and smiling, as to enlighten the spirits. And he succeeded, because he injected them with optimism.
After the meal they sing, and that was all for that night. Of course everyone could go out of the ships and enjoy the night and the stars. AS everyone were young, the romances were very common between the crew. Kirk has nothing to say about that, except all must be donned out of duty hours....
Kirk went to smoke at the shuttle number 3, with his woman.
- The usual bunch." - Hera Gletony said, when seeing the faces at the saloon.
- Did you prefer to go somewhere else ?
- Oh, no ! I prefer this. "- Hera smiled, kissing his cheek lightly.
- The lovers."- Someone said, and they all grinned. Kirk looked for a guilty, and it was McCoy, who blinked an eye to him, offering a glass of Bourbon.
- Have a seat and a glass of booze, Captain ! Same for your girl."- McCoy offered.
- Thanks you.'- Kirk replied, taking the glass from McCoy's hand.
- We were talking about the Sulafat 3, Jim.'- Spock said.
- And...?
- We think the discovery of the Enterprise Refitted is a treasure for us, in this state of things. We could travel there, using two of the seven shuttles. As you know, four wrecked at the landing, and the rest has not too much fuel . So we put all the fuel in those two shuttles, depart to Sulafat III, searches for the Enterprise Refitted...and walks home."- Spock presented thus his project.
- Sounds good."- Kirk grinned.
- So you are accepting the plan of this green eyed Vulcan ?- McCoy looked surprised.
-Bones ! You and me are old birds from the sky ! We can bear to see the years goes by here , as death is not so much ahead. But think in this young fellows ! They are so very young !"- Kirk expressed.
- And they deserve to live in our civilization, instead of here, where their child will be playing the Tarzan."- McCoy smiled.
- Yes ! We must to try to solve this situation ! Spock ! When you could begin pumping the fuel to the two shuttles ?- Asked Kirk.
- I am refueling them, Sir !"- Spock smiled.
- Good Lord ! What a green blooded piece of ice !"- McCoy said, rising his cup in form of a token to the Vulcan.
They all drink Bourbon, except the Vulcan and Hera Gletony ,who drinks water.
Then Scotty enters the room. A silence fell upon them, as it was not habitual his presence there.
- Good night, fellows. Can I seat and chatter a minute or two ?"- He asked, moving his great bulk from one feet to the other.
- You can join us all right."- Spock replied, after a brief glance to Kirk, who seems to ignore the situation.
- Thanks a lot. I was worried for this . "- Smiled the ex chief engineer.
- Take a sip, old mate."- McCoy offered some Scotch to the engineer.
- Thanks you ! But I bring my own flask of scotch."- Scotty denied the offer, and he produces a metallic flask, drinking from it.
- I always wonder how we are here as in the Enterprise, following orders and taking all with so much calm."- Scotty said.- In older days, we would had been fighting hard to came back to Space and defied those aliens bare hand."-
- Speak for yourself."- Kirk barked.
- I am speaking for us all, Captain. I know you are resented with me, as you are thinking I damaged the warp engines of the first Enterprise vessel, but I swore..."
- Do not swear at night, Scotty. It gave nightmares."- Kirk replied.
- See ? He is holding a quarrel with me ! "- Scotty said, and began to weep. His sobs softens the "mother" there, Hera Gletony , compassionate of him.
- Jim ! Do not be so rough with this man ! Remember all those adventures you had with him."- Hera said.
- Yes. I remember quite well. He was always right, he was always chasing some blondie... Pathetic."- Kirk grinned.
- Pathetic ? Do I looked pathetic to you ? Why ?"- Scotty asked, drinking of his flask.
- Oh, Scotty ! You were so obvious , when chasing women ! And your inferior tooth's so ridiculous small...And look at you know ! You are the grandfather of all of us ! Fat, with scant white hair, an elephant's stride... Look at Bones ! He is as old as you, and he looks slim, vigorous without looking fat. "- Kirk expounded.
- Sorry , Captain ! Sorry indeed ! I thought the accomplishments of old were merit enough to be accepted by you ! But I am seeing you are looking for streamlined crew members ! So I will began to do aerobics from right now !"- Scotty said, and began doing exercises.
- Let's go, Hera Gletony . Seems the Ringling Brothers gets into town."- Kirk said, taking his woman out.
Spock makes his brow tilt upwards once...
McCoy said :- Now he is gone, Scotty. Stops that."-
- OH, why he is so mean with me ? I had adored him since I get into the Starfleet !"- He bawled.
- Please, take some grip on yourself, man !"- The Vulcan said, revolting at the scene.
- But I cannot restrain myself !"- Scotty replied, seating again at a chair.
- Guess you were drinking Scotch before you get inside this room."- McCoy assured.
- Oh, just a sip !"- Scotty said, and he takes another drink.
- Seems to me you are paying too much attention to this matter. Captain Kirk is a man who had put all his efforts in his career. He always wants the best from machines and men."- Spock assured.
- Don't waste words in him, Spock . The man is sleeping."- Bones said, grinning...
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The refueling of the two elected shuttles ends , and Kirk gave order to man the vessels. At 04.00 hours the first shuttle went into space, in a solid wall of fire and brimstone. Half an hour later, the second departs, scorching earth.
- Nice and tranquil planet, that is. I will miss it."- Hera Gletony told Kirk in his left hear.
- Yes, I guess it gave as no troubles.' "- He replied.
- How many time to arrive to Sulafat III ?
- Guess a matter of two weeks. This engines works fine, but we must take care ,as we have not spare parts."- Kirk said.
The shuttles began the flight in unison, so they were very close to each other, but there were not human travels between the two ships.
- We must close our fingers and expect for the best. I tremble thinking those aliens could spot us now. This shuttles cannot defend themselves."- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, told Newark.
- Pay more attention to your instruments, and don't talk to me if I call you not."- The First Officer replied.
- Oia ! We have a second Captain Nemo here !"- She scowled, walking to her post.
- This woman forgets we are still in the Starfleet, no matter if we are having some problems."- Newark remarked.
Kirk went to his post, and told Newark not to quarrel with women.
- Aye , Sir."- Newark replied, but he blushed hard. He was not humble, and the words of Kirk were a stab at his back.
Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer smiled to Kirk, who looked to her legs.
- 408 hours to the arrival, Captain."- Spock said, looking at his panel.
- 408. A lot."- Complained Kirk.
- You can fasten ships .if you will, Sir."-
- No, thanks you. I remember last time I try to fasten ship. This machines are replicates. Must be handled with special care."- Kirk scoffed.
Scotty heard it at the Engines Room, and told Evans the Captain was now an old granny.
- I will report your words."- Evans told him.
So he did, that night.
- So he said that of me, eh ?- Was all Kirk said, dismissing the case.
- Poor Scotty ! He is suffering as you retired your trust from him."- Hera Gletony told the Captain.
- Please, dear ! Turn off the light and came to talk of pleasant things to me !"- He urged.
- Now be quiet ! My period is missing. Seems I am pregnant ."- Hera announced.
- Really ! So we must celebrate this occasion !"- Kirk laughed, as he was taking pills and the lady couldn't possibly be pregnant of him.
But in the morning [ship time zone] he looks things different. If she was pregnant, then she was cheating him with some other male . And as he was a man, and also the Captain, he cannot look the other side. So he went to McCoy, who has two rooms for the Infirmary aboard that shuttle.
- Look, Bones, I know in this century man and women has the same rights and the same responsibilities. But I am a macho man, and cannot stand a cheating."
- Better explain to me from the beginning."- McCoy smiled.
- Hera Gletony said she is pregnant of me. So I cannot be ! As you know I am taking your anticonceptive pills !"- He explained.
- Ahum ! I see."- McCoy rubbed his chin.
- Did she came to you, or something ? "
- What do you mean ?
- I mean if she came here to make herself some examination ! "- Kirk was exasperated .
- Take it cool, man ! No, she hasn't came here. But I must ask to my assistant , Nurse Chapel . Perhaps she came to visit her."- McCoy replied.
- Fine ! Check that out ! Also call her , if she hasn't came yet ! Do a DNA test on the fetus ! "- Kirk asked.
- Calm down ! All will be walked, here. Step by step."- McCoy taps his shoulder, and he goes to the corridor.
McCoy asked Nurse Chapel, who revised his files and finds not such a consultation.
- Look here, Nurse Chapel : Captain Kirk is our ass card here, so we must have him working fine. And Hera Gletony , her women now, told him she is pregnant."- McCoy informs.
- I think that is great ! A son of Captain Kirk here ! "- She was radiant.
- Take it easy ! The man is taking anti conceptive pills ! The baby- is it is a baby and not a delay - is not his !"-McCoy explained.
- Oh . I see. "- Nurse Chapel turns her face serious, as if comprehending the problem...
- Now, as I am his personal friend, it is better not to call on her myself. So why don't you call her here, to a routinely medical check, and you do the whole works on her ! So then we should know if the kit is or not of our Captain !"- McCoy explained her.
- Oh. I see. Yes. I will cooperate."- Said Nurse Chapel, looking at the doctor with her big round blue eyes...
- You did that. Don't mention my name."- He asked.
So she did. And when McCoy saw the examinations later in that day, he called Kirk to the Dispensary and told him "- I have news for you. Hera Gletony was examined here and she is not pregnant."-
- Silly child ! She has me worried.- Kirk said.
- But wait ! There is a bad new in this. She have a carcinoma."
- Carcinoma. Cancer. Too risky to operate?
- Yes. And it is located not only in her reproductory system, but in other parts of the body. We will began treating her right now, but I tell you she will cease to be the healthy person you met. "
Kirk didn't say anything, and went out.
He walked as a sleeping person, and enters his cabin. There she was, telling him she will go to the Infirmary, as they detected her some anomalies.
- But nothing to worry about."- Hera added.
- Yes, my baby."- Kirk embraced her, feeling a great hollowness in his chest.
Later he went to his commanding post, and for the first time begin to question his permanence at that place. All things presented to him different, now. ...
- Captain, some messages are being received."- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, told him.
- Let's hear."
The message was in a foreign language, and Spock said :- " It's - The Scifimanglers, Sir."
- Oh. How far are they ?
- 890.000 km. away. More or less."- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, said.
- And the far flung radar, did they show ?
- Three specks.- Newark signaled.
- Evans ! How about a little more speed ? - Asked Kirk.
- Possibly. Sir. Perhaps a little more waste of fuel."
- I'll go there. "- Kirk said, standing from his chair and walking to the Engine Chambers.
- Captain, we can afford an increase of 13 % ."- Scotty said.
- Where is Evans ?
- At the main engine.
Kirk went there. Evans looked at him, saying "- I am calibrating . We can increase the sped now, Sir."
- Do it. There is menace outside."
- Enemy chips, Sir?"
- Right. Those Scifimanglers. Seems they are three cruisers. Perhaps the same we leave behind, when we had the Enterprise III."- Kirk remembered.
- Pity that machine went amok. It was a nice shiny vessel."- Evans remarked.
Kirk remained there, looking the engines and talking with Scotty and Evans, until Spock came to see him.
- Captain, there is one alien vessel coming this way. What we are going to do ?
- I guess we cannot do nothing. Tell me how fast is that ship ?"
- Warp 9."
- Wow !"- Exclaimed Scotty.
- Evans, which is the maximum velocity of this shuttle ?- Asked Kirk.
- 1/8 warp maximum, Sir."- Evans was very pale.
- We will keep on traveling as until now, Officer Spock. Tell Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, to be hearing at all moments they garble...that I guess you understand."- Kirk said.
- Yes, Captain. They are signaling our ships as intruders. But they hadn't send any message to us...yet."- Spock answers.
- Good. "- Kirk replied.
Spock goes to the Bridge, and Kirk went to the Infirmary.
- Jim ! I thought you were at the Bridge. Seems there is problems there."- McCoy said, when seeing him.
-Yes, I know there is an alien ship chasing us. Soon it will be here. So please gave me a doses of your vademecum."- Kirk smiled tiredly. The sickness of Hera Gletony was over his head as an iron sheet .
- And what are you going to do ? - Asked McCoy, handling him a portion of Bourbon.
- Guess I will surrender. "
- Yes, guess that's the only possibility. And what Spock said about this ?
- I ignore."
- He sometimes has clever solutions."- McCoy said, looking at some X-ray sheets.
Kirk finished the glass and giving the thanks, retired from there.
He was walking by the corridor, and this corridor was not like at the Enterprise, but smaller and with the walls covered by tubes.
Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, looked at him, when he arrive to the control room. She said "- They are surveying us from a distance. The communications has ceased."
- Have you send some message to them, First Officer'?"- Kirk asked, and Newark denied.
- Fine. We will keep on trekking, provided they didn't stops us."- Kirk commanded.
So the rest of the journey they were escorted by the alien cruiser. Every minute seemed the last one, but when the days began to pass, they began to smile to each other.
Sulafat III was reached, and Kirk said :- Newark, scan for the ships down there."
They gave a full circuit to the planet- one orbit- and then Newark detected one ship, close to a sea.
- There is a big vessel near the sea. "- Newark announced.
- Hera , send them a radio message."- Kirk asked.
She did it, but there was no reply. The twin shuttles passes over the stranded vessel, and then Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, said :- I am receiving a message, Sir !"
- Newark, coordinate the descent with shuttle number two."
- Wait ! The message is coming from other direction ! "- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer said, moving controls at her console. Then she said "- The messages came form the north ! "|
So they keep on orbiting, and then Kirk saw the ships and the message was of Chekov.
- ! This is Chekov, on the north pole ! We are here, the Ice One expedition ! "
- Kirk here. How are you, any problems ?"
- Problems , Captain ? We are loaded with problems ! But now you have not the Enterprise III ?"- The Russian asked with incredulity.
- We loosed it, it is destroyed. But we have tailing us an alien cruiser... We will descend."- Kirk said, and ordered the two shuttles to do so.
The ships went down fast, and in ten minutes the big machines were trailing over the ice, spraying it a hundred meters upwards.
- Hera Gletony, can you receive messages from those aliens ?- Asked Kirk.
- When we were changing orbit, for the descent, I perceive a short burst of a message. But now I heard nothing at all. Could be their silence, or the atmosphere."- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer replied.
- Fine. "- Kirk said, and in that minute the shuttle stops. They all sighed and the smiles came back to all faces.
- Well , ladies and gentlemen, we will be going down and traveling to the other shuttle."- Kirk announced.
The other shuttle was 4 kilometers away.
They climb on several caterpillar vehicles and retraced their path to the other shuttle.
- Look ! They are coming to receive us !"- Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer said, looking at Kirk.
Kirk looked gravely through the windscreen. The ice and snow were white and the sun was high in the sky.
When they meet, they stop the engines and went down to salute each others. In the pair of caterpillars were Chekov, Thayn Marden and Uhura, among others.
- Glad to see you, Captain !"- Chekov handshakes Kirk.
- Me too, Ensign."- Grinned Kirk. The Russian looks tanned.
- Pity we are marooned here."- Chekov announced.
- That is a problem we will tackle later."- Kirk said.
After some 20 minutes of chatter, they all climbs to the caterpillars, this time mixing the crews, and they went to the other shuttles.
There Chekov show Kirk all he made to resist the strong winds and also how he was sending parties to search for food.
- Plenty of food here, Sir ! There are polar bears and also delicious fishes ! All big species, kind of good nourishment around this place !"- Chekov smiled.
- Glad to hear that. What are you using to kill the bears ?"- Kirk asked.
- Phaser, Sir. And the fish we take with tractor beams !"- Grinned the Russian.
- Clever solution. "- Kirk moves his head, approvingly.
They went to eat some at a chamber . Sulu asked permission to tow the shuttle near them.
- We better have all the artifacts here, Sir. We are over 200 meters of ice, but in this spot also are a bed of rocks. In some other places there is no such thing."
- Do it, Lt. Sulu."- Kirk replied, mouthful of good meat and some faked potatoes.
- Nice view, from here. "- McCoy said, signaling outside a porthole.
The ice glared out there, and the sky was a white sheet of pure radiance.
- The eyes, Sir. We must protect them from that glare. "- Spock said, eating slowly.
- Guess there must be goggles, somewhere."- Kirk thought aloud,
- I think there is not such thing, Captain.- Chekov replied- We find none, so we did as the skimos : two bones puts together, and we looked through a slit between the two pieces."
- Fine solution ! But I saw just a couple of you using it."- Kirk said.
- You better ordered them to use that, or we will have a load of people injured by the sun ."- McCoy asked of the Captain.
So he ordered all men to use the aforementioned sun protectors...
The 3 shuttles rested aligned on the ice.
Hera Gletony approaches to Kirk, saying :- Darling, I am so heavy with sleep, and the sun is still up."
- Yes, darling. Here the sun has five months to go down the horizon. So better go to sleep."- Kirk smiled.
- Oh ! I forget those stories about the sun at midnight ! Well, I hope we both could go to sleep."- She said, kissing him.
Thayn Marden was looking all that scene, and then she realized Kirk was not hers any more...So she went outside, in silence.
- Something wrong, Thayn ? - Uhura told her.
They were at the packed ice, near the shuttles.
- That man ! He has a new ... love."- She said, sadly.
- Pity you get involved with him ! I had also an affair with him...until you came around."- Uhura told the lady.
Thayn looks unto the dark eyes of Uhura, who was like a child to her, in age.
- I think he is using his short life soundly."- Thayn murmured.
- Eh ? - Asked Uhura.
- Yes, as he will live, at the most, 120 years. .. And I have 2.000 already."- Thayn explained.
- Oh , that ! I forgot !"- She laughed, touching the vrawoman at the elbows.
- You can laugh, now. Perhaps I will recover my laugh , soon."- Thayn complained.
- Let's not talk of men, my dear ! They are all traitorous ! "- Uhura recommended the vrawoman, and carried her to the fishing place, where they were entertaining themselves, running to the captured fishes, after using the tractor beams.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk wakes up 8 hours elapsed, and saw Hera Gletony asleep. He dressed himself and went to the main chamber.
There was a reunion there, so he directed it.
- We were discussing our position, Sir. Uhura said the cruising vessel is orbiting the planet each 8 hours. So we have plenty of time to move a shuttle from here and went to the Enterprise Refitted, who is marooned near a sea."- Spock said.
- We must see what our friend up there thinks of that."- Kirk said, looking at them.
- One other thing it occurred to me, Sir, was to carry some of us there, in a shuttle, and then came back. The Enterprise then could be revised, and if the engines have some possibility of to be repaired, then others will follow. "- Sulu said.
- Good idea, just a little dangerous for the ones that will be left there waiting. Guess the ship has their doors opened ?"- Kirk asked Chekov.
- Yes, Captain. There is no system working there, we visit it , but we depart from the place, as those alien ships begin to hover the site too close."- Chekov explained.
- So they want us away from it ! Yes, I understand...we are no treat for them in this shuttles, but the Enterprise refitted is another thing !"- Kirk exclaimed.
Hera Gletony, Second Communications Officer, came to the room, asking "- Who is not a treat, Captain?"
- Us, Second Communications Officer, for the aliens... those Scifimanglers."- Kirk said.
- Of course we are not... in this shuttles !"- She affirms.
- Spock, you will be in charge of the election of the crew who will be going there. Search for the engineers."- He said.
- Yes, Sir. "- Spock went out.
- Sulu, look which shuttle it`s better equipped for the travel. Also we will maintain strict silence on the radio, not a signal betraying our plan."- Kirk asked .
That afternoon the team was choose, the shuttle was prepared for the travel, and the Captain asked Sulu to go to the Enterprise as the Commanding Officer.
- I will do my best, Captain." - Sulu grinned.
- That I know. Look the work of the Engineers, they are the key men now. And we will go there in a week elapsed, to carry all back here, in case the ship cannot be repaired, or to carry more help, if the ship could be re refitted."- Kirk explained slowly.
- Yes, Captain, I understand. Good bye."- Sulu bowed, and departs.
They wait until the alien craft was traveling by the other side of the world , and then the selected shuttle roars and takes off, in a shower of hot water.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The repairing mission.
The vessel flies as fast as it was possible, and they arrive to the site where the Enterprise Refitted was stranded. As Chekov was directing the shuttle, with previous experience, he craftily landed close to the sea.
- You can disembark, now. And good luck."- He told the repair team, who were opening the hatch.
Ten minutes elapsed, with those people far away of the boosts, he take off again in a dust of fire...
- We are in our own, now. "- Sulu said, looking upwards. They were near a forest, that was between them and the wrecked Enterprise Refitted.
- Let's go !"- Asked Thayn Marden, leading the way. For her now there was just the emotion of the adventure, as her romance with Kirk was finished.
Everyone of them were carrying knapsacks . They enter the forest. It was heavily forested, with close knitted trees, branches and weeds. They find several birds, darting through the upper branches.
OUCN PUCNH PUUUCNH !
- What is that !"- Thayn stopped in her tracks, terrified.
- Some kind of beast, for sure."- Sulu replied, looking at the left, but the trees were blocking the sight...
- We better hurry, That sounds is a scaring omen to me."- Asked Uhura, who begin to sweat.
- No need to be worried, lads."- Scotty said.- We here brings powerful weapons."-
He was referring to the Phaser's
They almost run to the sea, and they arrive there in 30 minutes, using the metal detector as a sea- compass.
The sound of the waves were heard clearly. as no other sound was there . The beach was a scant 300 meters away.
- Beautiful sight."- Sulu said, looking at the blue ocean, bright sky and warm weather.
- Yes. I was tired to see white ice all over around me."- Thayn expounded.
- Look !"- Thayn cried, pointing to the near- by forest.
A big animal was staring at them, among the trees.
- A stegosaurus !"- Sulu said, amazed.
- Really ! "- Thayn said, crouching to see it .
The monster was 4 meters high and his little eyes were staring point empty in their direction.
OUCN PUCNH PUUUCNH !
The beast uttered the same cry again, and walked to the beach.
- It's enormous !"- Sulu said, climbing the ladder of the Enterprise Refitted.
- Let's climb inside !"- Thayn recommended, so they all rushed in.
- No need to close the door. It's too small for him."- Sulu remarked.
OUCN PUCNH PUUUCNH !
The great beast arrives to the side of the big vessel, but paid not further attention to the crew members...
- He is a plant eater."- Sulu said to Thayn.- At least he was at Earth, 200.003 millions years ago."
Thayn was half terrified. She never was so close to a mountain of flesh and bones...
- I don't know what he was trying to told us."- Sulu said, touching his chin pensively.
- Said ? Do you think those beast could talk?- Thayn smiled.
- Why not, in a primitive way ?"- Sulu replied, and descended to the earth.
The big Stegosaurus was walking at a brisk pace down the beach. The sun projected his huge shadow against the blonde sand...
- Let's get inside. We have much work to do."- Sulu said, so all the people return to the Enterprise.
The interior was very filthy, as the doors were open. Some doors looked irregular at the borders, as if some kind of animal would have bitten it.
- We must try to take the energy back to the primal systems. "- Sulu asked to Evans and Scotty.
They went to the engine room, pity it was pitch dark there, as it was located in the center of the hull, and no window was available there...
- We need all the lamps available"- Asked Evans to Sulu.
- I will collect them , but all the same we will need some of them for the surveillance, to night."
- You will be not needing them, if we can start one of the generator...."- Scotty said.
Sulu commanded some of the other crew members to help the engineers, and he went to the Deck.
He was amazed to see how alike it was the chamber to the other two Enterprises he remember. Everything was clean there, and the Commanding seat was covered by a blanket.
Sulu walked by there, with his lantern . It was like a dream, where in any minute a ghost could appear from the Past...
AAN PAAAUUUCNH !
The horrific roar almost pierced the walls. Sulu crouched instinctively.
- Commander ! There is another monster in the vicinity !"- Frances Raken told him , walking inside the chamber with a lantern.
- Let's go see it."- Sulu said.
They hurried outside, and then they looked at the mountain of flesh who was galloping by the sand.
- He seems to be trailing the footsteps of the Stegosaurus !"- Frances Raken said.
- Possibly."- Sulu said, trying not to show him to the monster, that seems like a Tyrannosaurus. Those two enormous legs were landing in an equal compass, at some 35 km per hour, leaving all the body of the terrific saurus almost horizontal to the floor...
- Poor Stegosaurus ! "- Thayn Marden said, coming from inside the hull.
- Yes. Sure thing this new animal will catch up with it in no time."- Frances Raken grinned.
- You were out of the navy ? - Thayn asked.
- Out of the ship ? No, madam. I was close by, and when I hear the roar of challenge, I went outside very carefully. The monster was passing in front of the main dock, and I almost faint !"- Frances Raken grinned to her.
- I can imagine. "- She said.
- I will go to see the engineers. Suddenly I have a strong desire to leave this place.'"- Sulu said.
So Thayn went down the ladder, and Frances Raken followed her, saying"- You better wait inside, Lady. It is dangerous now to be here."
- The afraid to death made us half-living creatures. "- She said over her elbow.
Frances Raken, a tall handsome man, followed her to the sea, not wishing that the superb body of the female could be injured by beasts...
- Why are you following me ?- She asked, when they arrive to the surf.
- I am trying to protect you. Two are better than one, sometime."- He grinned.
- You mean for to confront the beasts of this planet ? Don't be silly ! They can eats us in a sigh !"- She looked at the man full in his eyes, who were green.
- You are superb, you are unique !"- Frances Raken told her.
- I know that to be a vrawomen among humans must make those words true."- She said, but she likes the compliment.
- Look ! "- Frances Raken told her, pointing at some birds up there in the sky.
- What are they ?- She asked, taking her clothes out and walking inside the water.
Frances Raken was so astonished and impressed to answer her. The naked body of the wrawomen leaves him speechless....
She swims as a mermaid among the waves, and Frances Raken looked at her, not daring to go inside the water.
- Came, man ! Are you afraid of a little cold water ?- She yelled at her, laughing.
He smiled and takes his clothes, going inside the waves.
- I am no coward."- He said, when arriving at her side.
- And your name is ?
- Frances Raken. Guard."- He presented himself.
- Glad to meet you. "- She laughed, and swims against the incoming waves. Some of them were big breakers, foaming as wild bulls. Frances Raken wasn't a good swimmer, also the confined life aboard those vessels made of him not a good sportman.
He saw her swimming more and more inside of the sea. He stops, and then he began to think in the many creatures that in the sea could abide ...perhaps ante- diluvian fishes ...
- Hey ! Are you afraid ?- She yelled at him, and he barely hear her , with the sound of the wind and the whispering of the waves.
- Came here !"- He called .
She laughed, and swim to him. When approaching, she looked steadfastly at him, and then they embrace and make love there, floating. The wrawoman was nothing comparable to women, so he felt a great desire for her.
- Hey ! Wait, we could drown here !"- She said, and he drinks a good swallow of salt water, trying to cling to her body. She smiled, and they continues...
Half an hour later, a wasted Frances Raken went out of the water, but she was brisk as a feather...Smiling , she lay on the hot sand, with eyes shut.
Frances Raken seats at her side, and looks at the sun. A shadow passed between he and the luminary... Glancing again, he saw a big bird going straight against them.
- Came, we are in danger !"- He said to Thayn, taking her by the arm.
She stands up very fast, looking in all directions.
- Up there ! A bird is coming !"- Frances Raken urged her.
She then saw the big bird, that it was as no other bird she knew in her 3.000 years of long life... Featherless, its skin was gleaming under the rays of the sun. The long curved wings span were about 20 meters and only the head measured about 4 meters, with a long red beak in front, with a pair of red shot eyes at the sides of a head ...The legs were curved in their direction, with claws shining black against the light...
- Run !"- Thayn urged Frances Raken , who was staring again at the Pteronodon.
They find some rocks near by, so they crouched among them. The pteranodon gave a fast thrust at them, but they were inside a crevice.
- Look ! There is another !"- Thayn exclaimed.
Another of those tall dinosaurs were approaching at a terrible speed...
- We better run from here !"- Frances Raken said, and taking her by the hand, began running to the Enterprise Refitted. Soon they arrive to the ship, just in time to see some 12 creatures in two feet, running fast from the forest.
- Look ! More dinosaurs !"- Thayn yelled.
Frances Raken went up the ladder with her firmly taken by his hand. He turns at the top of the dock, and aimed his Phaser against the first of the little Tyrannosaur that was coming .
ssssssssssst !
The firing began, and some other crew members appeared there, to help. called by Thayn Marden.
The terrible lizards stops ad retrace their steps to the forest, when three of them lie motionless on the ladder...
- This creatures are clever ones ! Look how they retrace their way, seeing we have weapons !"- Frances Raken told Thayn.
- Dangerous creatures."'- Sulu acknowledged, looking at the pack of nine cubs of tyrannosaurus, who enters the forest, who appeared then very peacefully again, with those branches of dark green slowly moved by the breeze.
Chief Engineer Charly Evans said to Sulu "- Commander, we had find some strange things here. Some parts are missing, probably by the men that landed this ship here."
- Simpertigue and the rest. Continue."
- They take vital parts. We need to find them."- Evans said.
- That is a job to do in the future, and by the Captain orders...by now, then, try to realize how things could be mended, perhaps using parts from the three shuttles we have."- Sulu said.
- No way, Commander ! Those parts cannot be of any use here ! They were made to propel ships of another kind !"- Scotty uttered.
- Very well then, but just the same help your Chief Engineer in the task ! Reasons have Captain Kirk to demote you to simple Engineer ! Always finding negative reasons for not to move a finger !"- Sulu exclaimed.
- That is your reasoning, Commander ! It is not my fault to be clever and said the things straight and to the point ! "- Scotty approaches at the littler Sulu.
- It is not clever who finds himself so ! "- Sulu said.
- Please, Commander, take no offense of his words ! Let me handle this person... I beg of you."- Evans said.
- O.K., he is in your hands. But I will report this disagreeable incident to our Captain."- Sulu said, leaving the half lighted engine chamber.
The corridors seems endlessly, and Sulu saw no one at them.
Then he climbs to the dock.
- The doors are ajar, Commander ! The energy is not yet ready ?"-
Asked Frances Raken. a mere shadow among shadows, as he was at that post.
- Not ready and seems they will be not ready in a lot of time. The Engineers found some pieces missing. "- Sulu said, peeking out. The darkness was total. There was no satellite to pour light at the planet. Only the murmur of the sea was evident.
Sulu seats there, with a Phaser at his hand...
The light of dawn wake him up.
- Good morning, Commander. "- Frances Raken grinned at him.
- Good morning. I guess I fall asleep."
- No problem, Commander. Just some minor animals running under the ramp, but that was all. "- Frances Raken said.
Sulu stands up, and went inside.
At the Engine Room just Scotty was awake, the rest of the team, 12 persons, were sleeping in the cabins, two decks away.
- Good morning, Engineer. Something new?
- Good morn's. Not a new thing, but some old interesting things. I am working for...there !"- Said Scotty, and with a spark, a generator began to whirl.
- This will serves to gave light to the entire ship !'"- Scotty grinned.
- Very well donned. Now get some sleep."- Sulu ordered.
- Not until I connect the energy...just some minutes only, Commander."- Scotty replied.
Sulu went out of the Chamber, not accustomed to wait for the accomplishment of a direct order, so he better went in other direction. He arrive to the control room. {Deck, for the Trekkers}
But before he arrives there. the lights went on, and the corridor lies the same as he remembers. Some tear drops run by his cheeks, remembering the good old times, when he was catching stars with Kirk , Scotty was the best at hand and they all were young.
He seats at the commanding chair, and he surveyed the whole saloon, dusty and with all the monitors dark looking remains of another era...
- The lights came back ! Who did that ?- A nice female voice asked. The Asiatic came back from his revenue, and focused his eyes on the vrawoman Thayn Marden.
- Oh, it's you, dear Lady ! Yes, it was the efforts of Scotty and Evans that made it. But I am afraid the engines are other matter. They told me some vital parts aren't here ."
- What do you mean, they aren't here ? Who takes them ?"- Thayn 's eyes flashed like fire.
- Seems the people that landed here. Simpertigue and some other crew member of the Enterprise, and possibly of the " Chino Rios"..."- Replied Sulu.
- We must find them ! "- Thayn interjected.
- Yes, but where, my Lady ? Here we cannot confide in compasses... There is no way to know it ."- Sulu remarked.
- Perhaps if we brings here the shuttles, they will be able to listen at the roar of those engines. Or perhaps survey all this area, from the air. "- She said.
- You forget our enemies, up there."-Sulu remembered her.
- I guess they are not interested in us, anymore. They should know by know we are to be stuck here by decades !"- Thayn said.
- True. Well, here we are not too much of use, now the truth unveiled . But the ships will came to the rescue in four days elapsed, so we must work in something useful, here."- Sulu said.
- Yes, like to clean all the ship ! And also now we could close the main lock."- She said, going out from there.
Sulu tried several gadgets around the room, but nothing was working, except the lights...
- The lights can shine for years , now ! "- Montogomery Scott said, stepping in.
- Good to hear that. But we need to seal the locks. Can you manage to divert some energy there ?"- Sulu asked.
- Yes, Commander, but right now I am going to bed. I feel dizzy."- Scotty said, and he was handling the threshold for support.
- Go on ."- Sulu said, and he looks how the fat man went by the corridor. The truth was he was already old. How many spacers were retired ten years ahead of him ? "- Sulu thinks ....
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then a movement was discernible, and Sulu run to the main entrance. The sound of many Phaser he heard, with a knot in his stomach.
- AAN PAAAUUUCNH !
The big roar was accompanied this time with whistles, and Sulu saw the Tyrannosaur and nine cubs trying to eat the men at the post...
He takes his Phaser and begun firing against the monsters, but just the little ones could be killed, as the other seems not to be wounded in the least by those weapons designed to kill people...
Sulu saw how the big beast were pushing his big head inside the door, and several men were trying to stab him with iron rods.
- To the eyes !"- Somebody yelled, and all the firing was aimed in that direction........Several minutes elapsed, and the beast roared , spitting pieces of meat in all directions, when one eye exploded in a mass of hot blood and water....
The beast retreat clumsily to the outside, and after some other roars, that deafened the men at that post, went straight to the forest....
Sulu looked at the unhinged lock.
- Seems we will be not closing the door to-night.'- Sulu said.
- Sir ! But there must be some more potent weapons aboard ! This ship is enormous ! Cannot have been ransacked too thoroughly by the former crew "- Frances Raken said.
Sulu called three other men and went to search for more strong weapons...
In that moment the Tyrannosaurus came back , The blood was oozing from the wound, the left eye disappeared, the right one ablaze with hate and rage...
AAN PAAAUUUCNH !
His call of defiance deafened the humans, who begin again to shoot against the beast, but this time the Tyrannosaurus didn't shy and banged the metallic structure at his leisure, making the men retreat by the corridor. The Tyrannosaurus was too big to get inside, but he can do a lot of damage with his head inside the lock, and that he did.
- We found nothing."- Sulu said, returning there after one hour.
- The beast cannot possible enter here. "- Frances Raken said, firing the Phaser against the bloody head of the monster.
Sulu discharged his pistol unto that hideous head, that was without both eyes, and the bone was exposed, as the flesh was charred by the rays.
- He have a thick cranium, so his brain is out of our reach."- Sulu gave his opinion.
Scotty appears then, carrying a rod with some cables connected to the energy system.
- I will gave this critter the shock of his life. Please, lads, stay back !"- And he move a switch, putting also the rod in contact with the creature. A voltaic arc was produced, and the charred head began to gave cracking sounds and smoke.
- Stay back !"- Scotty said to Marden, who was too close to the rod, in her efforts to see the whole situation.
The Tyrannosaurus gave a terrible spasm, and the head went out of the locking chamber...
- Look ! He is dying all right !"- Frances Raken said, seeing how the big body was being shaking as a dog run- down by a car.
Half an hour later the movements ceased, and the body was there, with a head almost gone.
- This will teach him a lesson."- Scotty said, and went inside the hull with his hand- made weapon...
Three days elapsed the Shuttle came , and they were waiting at the fringe of the forest, Phaser's ready to salute any dinosaur ...
- Now !"- Sulu demanded, and they all run to the shuttle, who opened his door .
- Hello !"- Chekov greets the team, from the upper part of the ramp.
- Just in the nick of time !"- Sulu said , going inside the shuttle.
This he said because a terrible growl was heard in that moment, coming from the forest.
The shuttle began the ascent meanwhile a Diplodocus were walking by the fringe of the forest, eating the upper branch's leaves.
- We made some acquaintances down there."- Sulu said to Chekov, who was in command.
- How come ?
- Dinosaurs. The place is full of that monsters. Scotty charred one at the lock."- Sulu informed.
- My mother ! Not good neighborhood, for sure... And how about the reparations in the Enterprise Refitted ?
- They take some of the basic components, so we need to find the former crew members of the Enterprise and Chino Rios vessels..."- Sulu said, seated at a chair.
- Good work. Any idea where they went ?
- Not a clue."- Sulu replied, closing his eyes...
-------------------------------------------------------
AT THE BASE...
- The alien ship is descending."- Uhura said.
- And the shuttle ?- Kirk asked
- Is coming this way. Altitude 2.000 feet's, velocity...2.000 per hour...Sir."- She replied.
- Bad situation."- McCoy said, looking the screens.
- Distance of the shuttle : 3.000 kilometers from here. The alien ship is almost at the same distance....only 3 kilometers higher."- Spock reads.
- Nasty situation ! What are you going to do ?- McCoy asked Kirk.
- Uhura : open a channel . Communicate with the shuttle."- The Captain said.
- Donned, Sir.-
Kirk takes the microphone and said : "Base to Shuttle One . Cambio."
- Shuttle One to Base : Chekov here."
- Chekov : You have an alien ship over you."
- Cannot see it in the radar, Sir."
- We are seeing it, at 3 kilometers above the shuttle. "- Kirk said.
- I am increasing speed, Sir."- Sulu informed seconds later.
- No need to run, Commander. They can outrun you any time. Just keep the course straight."- Kirk ordered.
At last, the shuttle One arrived to the so-called Base, and landed .
Then the alien ship sends a missile, who opened a crater just behind the landed craft, and went up wit ease, disappearing from sight, but not from the radar...
- The alien ship is going south... "- Uhura said.
- Keep an eye on him. I will go seeing the Shuttle One."- Kirk said, leaving the room.
McCoy went with him. The ice was giving them that white glaring they detested.
- This goggles aren't not as good than I thought."- McCoy said.
- Bones ! The aliens are threatening us to be in this spot only ! Do you see that blast over there ?- Kirk asked the Doctor.
- Of course I saw it ! What, do you think I am blind, or what ?"
- As you were talking about the glaring...
- It is a nuisance, too !"
They arrive to the Shuttle One, where their members were going outside by the ladder.
- Good afternoon , Sir !"- Sulu said.
- Good afternoon, Commander. How was the trip ?- Kirk asked.
They walked to the other shuttles, talking.
- Nice and easy, just a little scaring... That alien ship send us a last minute rocket, as you see."- Sulu said.
- Bad situation, this. But tell me , could the Enterprise be repaired ? "- Asked Kirk.
- The engineers told me some basic elements are missing. Possibly retired by the people that landed there."- Sulu said.
- It makes sense. That people are aware that if some team came here and takes the Enterprise fully equipped, then they loosed the possibility of to be rescued...Some idea where they went ? Some message ?"- Kirk asked.
Sulu was surprised. He did not think in messages being somewhere inside the Enterprise Refitted...
- I found not such thing, Sir, but the truth it is that I don't search for it thoroughly."- Sulu replied.
Kirk said nothing, and they arrive to the other vessels.
That night a reunion was held, and they talked about the aliens, the Enterprise vessel, the new dinosaurs and the lost crew...
After the officers gave their opinions and propositions, Kirk said :- We cannot be scared by those aliens. True, we are the mice and they are the dragons, but just the same we must be brave mice..."
They all smiled at that.
- And we need the vital artifacts those people surely have somewhere. This is what we will do : another team will go there, better equipped, and by that I mean weapons...Those dinosaurs are a real threat...And also we must search for some clue...inside the Enterprise R."- Kirk said.
Then he asked about the fuel. Spock was the officer in charge of that, so he replied "-- The last trip to the Enterprise R. uses half our fuel. So we have for another trip to that site...and the remnant could serves to another shuttle, who will be able to travel half that distance."
- So we must to think."- McCoy said.
- Yes, about the aliens, the path we could use to walk the distance ... the food we will require... " - Kirk expounded.
- Captain- Said Spock, with his usual teacher's mode - We need to remain here. That aliens will miss the shuttles. They will saw them at the Enterprise site... They will add one and one.... So our plot to fly upwards to the stars will be aborted."
- Possibly.- Kirk replied.- Now excuse me, gentlemen, but I think best after a good nap. I repeat my welcome to the Dinosaur Expedition....Good night."- He said, grinning.
They laughed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hera Gletony said :- We are going to the sea ?"
- Perhaps. I hadn't decided yet."- Kirk said.
- Do you think the former crew is somewhere in this planet ?
- Most possibly they are somewhere. Or somewhere they are all dead. Two possibilities out of a handful more..."
- Why is all so complicated ? Why we just don't find the Enterprise R ready to the take off ?- Hera complains.
- Who knows ? This is a good Universe, kitty. Things happens like this, complicated sometimes, impossible others. A big fractal, this is . "- Kirk said, undressing.
She undressed , too, and they climb to the bed. She said :- I heard there are some dinosaurs there."
- Yes, here we are lucky. No dinosaurs in the ice."- He replied.
- Yes, but also here there are no greens."
- Yes, no vegetables, but plenty of fishes."- He said, pressing the button of the lamp. The darkness fell on them.
- I am scared of those beasts. As of those aliens that are surveying us."- Hera Gletony said, embracing the man.
- Have confidence in us."- He said, kissing her.
- My love !"- Hera Gletony said, kissing him with more passion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
At noon Kirk called all officers to a meeting, and he said :- This is what I decided, gentlemen : The shuttle One will be refueled. A team will get aboard and will fly to the Dino Galore."
They smiled at the name.
- Then they will search all over that Enterprise R., in all the places they think a message could be hidden. Also, Commander Sulu, in the Computers."- Kirk ordered.
- The computers are not working, Sir. Just the lights of some of the corridors and chambers."- Sulu informed him.
- Pardon me , Captain, but this is my field."- Scotty interjected- "I can connect the energy to those computers. Only the corridors will be in pitch darkness."
- No matter that, as we need just to scan in the computers for a message. After that, you can gave the energy back to those corridors ."- Kirk replied.
- Very well, Sir. So I am in."- Scotty smiled to all the assembly.
- Yes, you will. Lieutenant Sulu, you will be in charge ,again. You seem to have some experience in Dinos."- Kirk said.
- Yes, Captain, but I hadn't tasted that meat, yet."- Sulu smiled back.
- You will have plenty of time, I am afraid. And then, I leave you the decision of whom to include in your team. "- Kirk conceded.
- So I went there, find the message, went outside and find the lost crew members. Then I retrace my steps, get the Enterprise under way, came here, rescue you and up we go !"- Sulu said.
- Nicely put. "- Kirk grinned.
- And if he didn't make it ?- McCoy asked, sick to hear so much optimism in a minute.
- Then, we will depart in the last usable shuttle, land somewhere between here and the Dinos Galore, and walk the rest of the way there. We reunite our forces, and perhaps we move to a safer place... Because, Gentlemen, I cannot be here for ever, fishing in the cold . "- Kirk replied.
- There is the little item of those aliens , up there."- Spock reminded him.
- There is no way to cheat them , now. I cannot take back the Shuttle One ,just to deceive them. We have not enough fuel. "- Kirk denounced, adding :'- "Session dismissed."
They all went out of the chamber, talking aloud . Sulu was helped refueling the shuttle, and also every big weapon available was cargoed at his vessel .
The entire population there was 400 humans, 20 wramen...So Sulu takes 80 humans and went to the Captain, saying :- Captain, as you know, I cannot take any other person, because then the shuttle will never take off the ground..."
- I am not asking to take more than that, Sulu."
- Yes, Captain, but I were thinking in how do you think you will carry there 340 persons, Sir."- Sulu was really concerned about this problem.
- I will manage, Commander. Do not be worried, and go there and find that message. In a couple of months you will be seeing us all arrive there...dinos or no dinos."- Kirk said, grinning and patting his back lightly.
- Thanks, Captain . Your words are a lenient for me. "- Sulu said, relieved somehow.
Kirk went to his room, and take his head between both hands. He knew that problem was one of the worst ahead to solve...
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Chapter 4.-
Dinos Galore .
------------------
Sulu went to his office and clicking his video phone called Second Officer Maora Noemi, who then enters the room with her sensual pace.
- You called. Commander ?
- Yes, Second Officer Maora Noemi. Take a seat, please. "
- Thanks."- She said, managing to not rip her dress at her hips.
- Do you like a cup of tea ?
- Yes, Commander. "- She smiled gently, and the Asiatic felt his hairs rise. The woman was a sexual dynamo ! He control himself, and place the cup of tea in front of the female.
- I bring this tea directly from Hong Kong."- He said, serving himself some.
- Glad to know it ! I like tea, but I seldom drink it."- She said, smiling, as she prefers coffee.
- I called you to ask some questions. First, you must be aware I am preparing a mission to the Mons.... site where the "Enterprise Refitted" is. Nice place, full of sunshine, and near a beach."- He said.
- I heard that."
- And secondly, if you want to join in the expedition. As you are Second Officer, your work here could be needed, but I also need someone with experience , because if we are lucky, we will find soon the missing crew of the Enterprise R., and the missing parts will be relocated, and then...we will fly the Big Bird sky high ! What do you tell me ?"- Sulu said, sipping his tea.
- Oh, my ! What a question you ask !"- She said, opening [more] those big eyes , in which pools Sulu tried not to drown...
- Yes ! If you ask me directly, it is because you gave the matter a second thought ! I will help you in any way I can."- She replied, standing.
- You don't serves yourself the tea !"- He said, alarmed.
- Oh. I am sorry."- Second Officer Maora Noemi said, seating herself again at the chair, leaving a good portion of her legs in the open, making Sulu feel his eyes were going to pop out...
- I am so terribly nervous ! It is the emotion, don't you think ?- She said, sipping with her [painted] red lips the brewing.
- Don't ! It is perfectly safe, now we have better weapons... Also we will be heading wherever those astride crew members are !"- Sulu asseverated.
- Nice."- She whispered, and Sulu stand up, ready to jump over her.
- Well, Commander Sulu, I am going to prepare my belongings for the trip...Excuse me."- Second Officer Maora Noemi said, walking out of the office.
- Oh, it's terribly hot here !"- Sulu said, fanning his face with a paper.- Must be the tea..."
Some time later he made a list, and summoned all those selected persons to a reunion outside the shuttle. They were 80 of them.
- Ladies and gentlemen : we are here to day to accept the mission Captain Kirk gave me : to go boldly where no much people had gone before, and search for the missing crew. Take the repair parts of the Enterprise Refitted, ensemble them, fly the ship here. Or to wait there for Captain Kirk, this is not clear to me yet. Also is the little matter of dinosaurs, flying aliens and decease's, to whom we have not medical vaccines ,as they are new to us. Some question ?"- Sulu said.
Somebody laughed.
- Well, I will read the names, to make sure you are all here."- Sulu said, and he reads aloud the names.
When he finished, he adds :- The person that chooses not to go, will be dismissed. That will be all, ladies and gentlemen. We depart at 20:00 hours of to- day. You have one and a half hour to pack."
They all rushed to their cabins, in order to put their belongings in the bags.
Scotty was working at the Shuttle One, and seeing Sulu, he saluted thus :- - Good afternoon, Commander ! This engines are in good shape ! The fuel is already in the tanks. I think we will have a nice flight."
- Tell that to those aliens."- Sulu said.
- Oh, I am not scare of them ! "- Scotty brawled.
Sulu went to see Kirk at his office, and the Captain told him :- I have made my mind about the future flights. We will not use the shuttles, they will remain here. So the aliens will be thinking we are still in this spot."
- But surely they have scanners ! "- Sulu protested .
= Most sure. But I will leave dummies here. "
Sulu prefer not to push the matter too much...
- Then I will wait for you there."- Sulu proposed.
- Yes, Commander. You will spent plenty of time chasing those missing persons, also fixing that old ship. That time will serves us to walk there."- Kirk said.
- How many miles do you think you will be walking ?
- Miles ? That kind of measurement ends in the year 1998 ! Kilometers is the word now, as it is more logical, as Spock is forever telling me."- Kirk said.
- How many kilometers, Captain ?
- 4.569 kilometers. But wait ! We are going to build a boat ! We will walk the 75 kilometers from here to the sea, and then we will walk until we found suitable wood. With luck , in a month we will have assembled a boat. Another two months to arrive there... "- Kirk exposed.
- Good luck ! "- Sulu said, handshaking Kirk.
- You too."- He replied.
Sulu went out, restraining to move his head in a fatalistic way. There were too many "ifs" in that plot of Kirk !
He enters the shuttle, and began heating the engines. All the crew members went inside, and they were ordered to strap themselves to the beds.
- There is not enough room at the main chamber for all !"- Sulu explained.
At 20:00 hours they were ready. The big engines spit their lungs out, and the machine take off with a mighty roar.
- It is noticeable the weight those engines are pushing up ! Hear the roar !"- Kirk told to McCoy.
- They are lucky. They will arrive in no time there, and we will walk for months to arrive there !"- McCoy said.
- And what do you want ! I cannot depart this site ! Those aliens would began to search for us ! They can even destroy the Enterprise R !"- Kirk said, leaving the Doctor looking at the receeding light that was now the Shuttle One...
At 20:24 hours the Shuttle landed near the Enterprise. Nobody went outside, as it was pitch dark.
- We will wait until morning. No need to rush ."- Sulu said.
- I am very excited here."- Second Officer Maora Noemi said.
- Me too."- Sulu said, looking at the girl, who was seated next to him.
- Commander, the radar shows some object coming here, from the sky. "- Uhura told Sulu.
Sulu went to her post, looking at the little speck of light. It was surely the alien ship.
- Lt. Uhura, tell all the crew to abandon ship at once."- Sulu asked.
Uhura opened her eyes wide, but she accomplished the order in seconds.
Every male and female went running down the ramp, and they all seats at 200 meters from the ship, seeing the dark sky with those thousands of stars shining over their heads.
- Look !"- Thayn said to Sulu, gripping his arm.
A light was descending. At 400 meters, a missile went zooming down, and the Shuttle One was blowed out to oblivion.
After the big explosion, the alien ship went upwards, disappearing from their sight.
- Bastards !"- Yelled Sulu, blandishing his fists to the sky.
The flames were in progress, and some explosions began.
- Commander ! We better get out from here ! There was some fissionable elements inside... "- Scotty told Sulu.
- Uhura ! Tell the people to follow me !"- Sulu asked, and he began walking to the woods...
They all followed him. The light of the burning ship increased , and the red light was enough to see clearly. At least, the first 100 meters...
Sulu asked them to take precautions not to be leave behind, so they all went in a packed group , walking with the heart at their mouths...Sulu tried not to think of those beasts, but the explosions seems to have scared all beasts from the surroundings.
At last they saw the big dark bulk of the Enterprise.
- At last !"- Sulu said to the Second Officer Maora Noemi, to whom he was walking hand in hand.
- Yes ! We will have a place where to sleep."- She smiled.
Scotty opened the thatched door, and they get inside. Some minutes elapsed, Scotty turns the lights on, and they all cheered him.
Sulu ordered no lights out of the ship being lit, as he was scared of those alien people, who was showing less generosity to them....
- I don't understand, Commander !"- Second Officer Maora Noemi said to him - "They let us travel in the former occasions, even in the space. And now they fight us !"
- Perhaps they have a new leader. Or perhaps they want us to be in just one spot. I am not a doctor in exo psychiatry."- He replied.
- There is no need to be one, Commander ! To understand those aliens is enough to think they are s.o.bs. !"- Scotty uttered, looking at Second Officer Maora Noemi .
By the meantime, Frances Raken was finishing the reparations of the lock. He was using an inner door, un - hinged from its former place. This were not a proper lock, but a door.
- This will serves us ! It is metallic, and with some iron bars pushing from the inside, I doubt one of those beasts could make an entry here."- Frances Raken said.
They put the rods in place, and just the same Sulu leaves there a guard for the night.
- Just in case."- He smiled.
Scotty, as all the old people, wasn't sleepy at midnight, so he works and studied the engines of the Enterprise a little longer, trying to improve more gadgets to use afterwards...
Sulu went to the Deck, where he could see to the stars by a little porthole.
Second Officer Maora Noemi told him "- I didn't feel secure now ! After seeing what those aliens did to our shuttle !"
- Yes, they can send us another blow, easily. But I guess they are thinking now we are all dead."- Sulu replied, looking at her in the dim light of the Deck. where they were alone.
- Oh, don't look to me that way ! You scare me."
- Oh, no need to be scared of old Commander Sulu !"- Sulu said, taking her in his arms.
The lady parted her lips, and the Asiatic kissed her a long time.
- I feel secure now."- She said, dreamily.
- Nice to hear that."- He grinned, feeling himself the owner of the Fifth Galaxy...
- But I must sleep ! Oh, how sleepy I am !"- She said.
- I will show your room."- He informed her, and they went, hand in hand , to the cabins.
By the corridors there were nobody, as it was 02.00 hours already. They arrive to the chamber of the Captain, and Sulu invited her to a little nap.
- I accept."- She said- Because alone, I would never sleep."
Sulu leave her at the main bed, and he went to sleep at a big arm chair, after locking the door.
By the meantime, Frances Raken was looking Thayn Marden undress at their cabin.
- Darling, please tell me about your planet."- He ask of her.
- Oh, there is not too much to say about it ! Different customs, not so much people, and plenty of time to spent in leisure things."- She grinned.
- Skiing, swimming, boxing ?
- Oh, just the peaceful games, only ! I guess my race didn't like the violence, like yours."- She said.
- Perhaps we are younger than your race."
- Oh, yes ! All of your history elapsed time is what I had lived !"- She laughs.
- Oh, granny, came here to kiss little Frances !- He asked.
She went there, seating in his legs and facing him.
- Like this ?- She asked, kissing him lightly.
- Mm! Delicious."- He smiled.
- To- morrow we will began the search for those messages Kirk said the old crew could have left here."- She said.
- Perhaps there is no message at all. Perhaps we will need to search all around this place, for weeks !"- Frances said.
- Enough ! I will dim the lights, and we will sleep."- She ordered.
So she did.
=====================================================
----------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second day at Dinos Galore.
=====================
Commander Sulu wakes up early in the morning, and his first act was to look on Maora Noemi. She was asleep at his bed, one full leg dangling out of the bed. It was a very handsome leg, something to look at, if you were a real man...
Satisfied, he went out with a sight. ...
He summoned all personnel half an hour later, and he commend them the mission to search in all the ship for a possible message from the former crew, and he also asked Scotty to lend a little energy to the computer system...
This Scotty accomplished in the twilight time.
- I started another generator for you, Sir !"- Scotty announced, beaming proudly.
- Thanks you. "- Sulu said, with his British accent.
He went immediately to the Deck, where he commanded Uhura to search in all the Directories and Files available.
- All the files, Sir ? There are a million files here !"- She complained.
- And how many it will take to scan every file ?- Sulu asked.
- A day."- She said.
- How queer ! I thought this machine has the fastest computer system of the Cosmos !"- Sulu replied.
- Yes, Commander, but this computer system is half awake ! I must enter in sector where special programs must be set."- She explained.
- Do whatever you need. I will be waiting ."- Sulu said.
The machine began his scanning .....
By the meantime, Thayn Marden and Frances Raken were walking to the beach.
- I guess we should be searching for a message aboard the Enterprise R."- Raken Said.
- We are searching for clues...out here."- She explained.
- How ? At the beach ?"- He grinned.
- Yes. We will march along the shore, looking for some clue."- Thayn smiled back.
They leave the clothes near a tree, and they swim for some minutes. Then they return to the beach, and began wal
