The Captain and the Cadet 3 – A SHIPLOAD OF TROUBLE With an epidemic threatening the Federation, there’s no time for shore for the weary Enterprise crew. Captain Kirk grudgingly follows order for a new mission and beams up the dignitaries, who immediately make outrageous demands. Kirk can handle them, but he is hard-pressed to know how to deal with their unwanted “baggage,” their unruly young family members. The teens consider the ship their personal amusement park and disrupt everyone’s lives, especially the life of one frightened young cadet, Jamie Kirk. Chapter 1 Cadet’s Log, Stardate 2267.6 It doesn’t get any better than this. I finally got to see my dad for an entire afternoon—just the two of us. His communicator never beeped. He didn’t even call the ship. Not once! For the first time in two months, Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise (the best ship in the fleet) remembered he’s a father too. Best of all, he promised me two more days exploring Starbase 23. This has got to be the beginning of the best shore leave of my life. Oops! I’ve got to sign off. I’m getting poked.”
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Transcript
The Captain and the Cadet
3 – A SHIPLOAD OF TROUBLE
With an epidemic threatening the Federation,
there’s no time for shore for the weary Enterprise
crew. Captain Kirk grudgingly follows order for a
new mission and beams up the dignitaries, who
immediately make outrageous demands. Kirk
can handle them, but he is hard-pressed to know
how to deal with their unwanted “baggage,” their
unruly young family members. The teens
consider the ship their personal amusement park
and disrupt everyone’s lives, especially the life of
one frightened young cadet, Jamie Kirk.
Chapter 1
Cadet’s Log, Stardate 2267.6
It doesn’t get any better than this. I finally got to see my dad for an
entire afternoon—just the two of us. His communicator never
beeped. He didn’t even call the ship. Not once! For the first time in
two months, Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise (the best ship
in the fleet) remembered he’s a father too. Best of all, he promised me
two more days exploring Starbase 23. This has got to be the
beginning of the best shore leave of my life. Oops! I’ve got to sign off.
I’m getting poked.”
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ut that thing away.” The whispered order was accompanied by a gentle
nudge. “The play is about to begin.”
Nine-year-old Jamie Kirk clapped the tricorder’s lid shut, slung it over an
armrest, and slid deeper into the plush, velvet seats of the Imperial Opera House
on Starbase 23. The auditorium lights dimmed.
Stifling a yawn, Jamie asked, “What’s the name of this play?”
“You’re asking me that now?” Captain Kirk said with a chuckle. “It’s called A
Comedy of Errors, and you probably won’t have a clue what it’s about. Are you sure
you don’t want to go back to the ship? It’s getting late, and I expect you’ll fall
asleep before the intermission.”
“No, I won’t,” Jamie insisted with a shake of her blond head.
She sat up straighter in her seat and focused on the stage curtain, which was
just going up. Her eyelids fluttered, but she forced them open. No way was she
going to fall asleep. Falling asleep meant bad dreams. Dreams about the ship’s
most recent patrol.
Two months was a long time to be continually jerked awake in the middle of
the night by the whooping of the red-alert claxon. It was no fun to scramble down
to sickbay—the best-protected part of the
ship—and huddle in a corner while the
Romulan scout ships took potshots at the
Enterprise.
Worse, days and days went by when
Jamie didn’t see so much as a passing
glimpse of her father. He spent every waking moment—and sometimes half the
night—on the bridge.
P
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Then after one especially fierce skirmish with a Romulan patrol, Jamie had
overheard the captain lose his cool. “A science vessel is one thing,” he said to ship’s
surgeon, Leonard McCoy, “but a battleship is something entirely different. I need
to get Jamie off this ship.”
That’s when the bad dreams got worse. What if she had to leave the
Enterprise? What if boarding school was the ship’s next stop?
Jamie shuddered at the horrible memories, even though she knew the mission
was over now. The whole crew had sighed in relief when the last Romulan scout
ship scurried back to their own side of the Neutral Zone.
The crew had welcomed their captain’s announcement of a one-week-long,
much-deserved shore leave on Starbase 23. But they had not welcomed it as much
as one small cadet.
At last. Here she was, snuggled down in an over-sized theater chair next to—
Beep, beep, beep!
Jamie jumped at the sound then immediately felt stupid for startling at the
communicator’s signal.
“Kirk here,” came his impatient whisper. “It’s late. Can’t this wait?”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Lt. Kevin Riley’s reply was clear. And loud. Heads turned.
Kirk closed the device. “Come on, Cadet.”
When they were away from the crowd and stood in the opera house’s
immense foyer, he flicked open his communicator. “What’s going on, Riley?”
“A communiqué from Starfleet. Priority One.”
Jamie hung her head in disappointment. Her shore leave burst like a popped
balloon. Not again!
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“Somebody at HQ had better have a good reason for this,” Kirk
muttered, stepping down from the transporter platform. He turned to Lt. Riley,
who had met him in the transporter room. “The Enterprise is in no shape to take
on any assignments, priority one or not.”
“I mentioned that to the admiral, sir.” Riley
looked flustered. “He didn’t care about our
repair schedule. The admiral didn’t want to talk
to Mr. Spock either.”
Kirk winced.
“The orders have been cached and await
your perusal,” Riley offered.
“I’ll look at them in my quarters.”
“Yes, sir.” Riley hurried back to his officer-of-the-watch position on the bridge.
He looked relieved to have the big brass off his back.
Kirk headed down the corridor to the turbolift.
Jamie clasped his hand and jogged to keep up. “Mr. Scott told me we get a
two-week layover so he can repair the ship. Dr. McCoy says the crew needs a—”
“I know what the good doctor thinks about the crew’s health,” Kirk cut in.
“You’ll fix it up with the admiral, won’t you?” Jamie pleaded when the ’lift
stopped on deck five. “We’ve got things to do tomorrow. You promised.”
The door to Jamie’s quarters slid open. Kirk sighed. “I’m afraid I may not be
able to keep that promise, Cadet. Now, get to bed.”
Jamie stood in the open doorway and watched her father hurry back to the
turbolift. He paused at the ’lift and turned. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t help,” Jamie murmured. But her father didn’t hear her. The ’lift
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doors had already whooshed shut.
Twenty minutes later, in the privacy of his quarters, Kirk was still trying to
make sense of his new orders. Why was the Enterprise being assigned to this taxi
service? He rubbed his eyes and scanned the message once more.
CAPTAIN JAMES KIRK
COMMANDER USS ENTERPRISE NCC 1701
PROCEED DIRECTLY TO STARBASE 12—ARRIVE NO LATER THAN
0800 HOURS. YOU WILL TAKE ABOARD AMBASSADOR RANDLE
TRONIUS, FEDERATION HIGH COMMISSIONER LORNE THOMAS,
AMBASSADOR CHESTER FORTRAN, THE FEDERATION BIO-LIFE
TEAM, AND ANY OTHER PERSONNEL THEY REQUEST. AMBASSADOR
TRONIUS WILL BRIEF YOU ON THE NATURE OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT
AND WILL RELAY FURTHER ORDERS REGARDING THE NEEDS FOR
THE MISSION.
ADMIRAL BRETT KOMACK
STARFLEET OPERATIONS
STARBASE ONE
Kirk stretched, massaged his tired muscles, and sat down at his desk to wait
for the subspace call.
Ambassador Randle Tronius! The name rang a bell, but he wasn’t sure why. He
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only knew the name of this ambassador was associated with distaste. Toss in a
high commissioner—he hadn’t yet met one he respected—and a weary crew, and
the coming assignment jumped to a nine on his stress meter.
By the time the subspace call came through, Kirk was determined to keep his
ship and crew at Starbase 23. “Admiral Komack is waiting to speak with you,” the
gamma shift communications officer said.
“Pipe it down here, Lieutenant.”
The screen shifted, and Admiral Komack appeared, looking strained.
“Admiral,” Kirk jumped right in.
“These orders. I, well, the Enterprise
has just been through a very difficult
patrol. The ship needs repairs. My
crew needs time to unwind. I can’t
ask them to jump into another
assignment right away. Can you give
us a few more days?”
“No, Jim. I’m sorry. I’ve seen the
repair specs, and it’s nothing that can’t be done en route. I know Mr. Scott’s
reputation as an engineer. He’s your miracle worker.” The admiral smiled.
Kirk did not return the smile. “En route to where? The orders are vague.”
“Your final destination is the Delphini System. Are you underway yet?”
“No. My crew’s scattered from one end of the base to the other. I plan to break
orbit at 0600.”
“Not good enough, Captain. I need you at Starbase 12 by 0800.”
“The warp engines are below par. I have to recall my crew.”
Komack seemed to deflate. “All right, Jim. Best time to Starbase 12.”
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“Admiral . . .” Kirk tried one more time. “I’ve got a good crew. The best. But we
are weary, sir. The Romulans really took it out of us. I respectfully request that you
assign another ship to this run.”
“Denied.”
“The Yorktown is patrolling near Starbase 12.”
Komack shook his head. “The assignment is yours, Captain Kirk. Starfleet out.”
Chapter 2
irk had never met Ambassador Tronius, but he picked him out right away
when the first group of guests materialized on the transporter platform.
Tronius wore the black and gray of the Federation
Diplomatic Corps. His bald head was rimmed with silver hair
combed to perfection. An angry look covered his distinguished
features. Here was a man who knew he was important, and
everyone had best keep that in mind.
The ambassador sized up the Enterprise officers with one brief
look, picked out the captain, and turned his fury on him. “You are
late, Captain! How dare you disregard your orders.”
Kirk didn’t miss a beat. “My apologies,” Kirk replied smoothly, even though he
was not sorry at all. “The Enterprise was pulled off a desperately needed R&R for
this mission. It took time to—”
“Enough excuses.” Tronius cut him off with a wave of his bony hand. “This
K
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mission is of the utmost urgency. Lives depend on our haste.”
“What exactly is our mission, sir?”
“All in good time, Captain,” the ambassador replied. “Your superiors assured
me the Enterprise is fast. I hope they are correct in their assessment. I’ve no time
for diplomatic courier ships. Once my team is settled aboard, I’ll call a general
briefing to inform you and your officers of our urgent mission to Delphi II. I hear
you have excellent lab facilities on board.”
“The Yorktown is also a starship with excellent lab facilities,” Kirk countered
between clenched teeth. “The Delphini System falls within the Yorktown’s current
patrol. Pulling the Enterprise from our layover on Starbase 23 not only delays—”
“I will not travel aboard the Yorktown,” Tronius said. “I despise Captain Rivers.
Starfleet honored my request for the next-closest starship.”
Kirk eyebrows shot up. What had Ty Rivers done to alienate this man?
But the real surprise was that Starfleet had humored the ambassador.
Tronius turned on Lt. Kyle. “Well, what are you waiting for? Beam up the rest
of my team.”
The next few minutes passed in a blur.
The Federation high commissioner, Lorne
Thomas, beamed aboard and verbally
attacked the captain. “I’ve never known
Starfleet to be late before. It’s downright
insulting.”
The other ambassador, Chester Fortran,
stepped down and took his place next to Tronius. “Speed is of the utmost
importance.”
Diplomats! Kirk knew the type. He’d had more than his fair share of them. He
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only hoped they’d spend their time on this trip locked behind briefing room doors,
out of his hair.
His attention was brought back to the group when the transporter whined yet
another time.
“The ambassadors’ and the commissioner’s wives,” Tronius announced with
the first smile Kirk had seen so far. “And their families.”
Families? Kirk glanced at the arrivals. A couple of harried-looking women;
three youths. He barely listened to the introductions. Instead, he studied the
teenagers. He didn’t like what he saw, and warning bells went off in his head.
“I expect my boys to be treated as the sons of a high commissioner—with
respect and deference.” Thomas clasped his hands behind his back. “They’d like a
tour of the ship at your earliest convenience, complete with a look at the warp coil
and matter-antimatter pods. Also, they’ll require the services of an officer who
specializes in computers and—”
“Don’t forget the bridge, Dad,” one of the boys piped up.
“And the Jeffreys tubes,” the other boy interrupted. They stepped off the
transporter platform and flanked their father.
Kirk counted to twenty in Orion trader tongue. Then he counted backward in
Klingonese. His anger still hadn’t cooled, so he ignored the boys and turned to
Tronius. “Is this your entire party?”
“The science team has yet to come aboard.”
“Kyle, beam them up,” Kirk ordered.
The transporter whined, and the platform filled with men and equipment.
Dr. Reese Brainard, a tall black human, stepped down and gripped Kirk’s
hand. “Captain Kirk!” He smiled broadly. “You don’t know what a pleasure it is to
finally be able to catch a ride aboard the famous USS Enterprise.” He looked
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around the transporter room with genuine pleasure. “Now, let me introduce my
entourage.”
The introductions included entomologists, bacteriologists, and numerous
aides, who would be assisting the entire diplomatic team.
“This is my son, Jack,” the scientist finished. “I don’t go anywhere without
him since his mother passed on. He won’t be any
trouble aboard ship. He’s used to traveling.”
Jack shook Kirk’s hand with respect. “I’ve never
been aboard a starship before.”
“You’ll find there’s nothing quite like it,” Kirk
replied.
Tronius stepped forward. “I’m calling a briefing
for”—he glanced at his chronometer—“fourteen-hundred hours. That gives us
plenty of time to move in and get to know the ship.” He looked at his companions.
“It is at our disposal.”
Kirk blinked in surprise. “Excuse me, Ambassador. The crew of the Enterprise
is honored to have you aboard, but this is not a passenger liner. There are a
number of off-limit areas to passengers, no matter how distinguished.” He smiled
to take the sting from his words.
“Does that mean he’s not going to show us the warp-coils?” Denn whispered
to his brother. Kirk had no trouble hearing the comment.
“Captain Kirk,” Tronius said, “please understand that there is nothing more
important than our negotiations on Delphi. I am in charge of this mission, and you
are under my orders. Part of those orders include making things pleasant for my
team and their families.”
“Of course, Ambassador,” Kirk said tightly. He would deal with the man’s
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high-handed ways later. It was time to get underway. “I’m sure you wish to get
settled in your quarters. My first officer, Mr. Spock, will direct you there.”
He motioned to McCoy. “This is my chief medical officer, Leonard McCoy. If
Dr. Brainard’s team agrees, he can take you directly to the research facilities.”
“Very good, Captain.” Reese Brainard nodded.
“What about our tour?” Clark demanded. “I’d like to see the ship right now.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible at the moment,” Kirk said. “Lieutenant Tanzer is
the ship’s rec officer. He’s in charge of making the Enterprise’s guests comfortable.
However, because of the short notice of your arrival, he has yet to prepare an
itinerary. I’m confident a tour of the ship will be forthcoming within the next day
or two. Right now, he has his hands full assigning quarters.”
“A day or two?” Denn scowled at his father. “Can he do that?”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Kirk said, “I have duties on the bridge. However, my
officers and I would be honored if you would join us for the evening meal in the
VIP dining hall at nineteen-hundred.”
Tronius and Thomas seemed mollified. “Of course. Thank you, Captain.”
“Then I leave you to get settled. If you need anything, either Lt. Tanzer or I
will be happy to speak with you. Dr. McCoy, see to the needs of the science team.”
Kirk turned abruptly and exited the transporter room in ill humor.
Chapter 3
Cadet’s Log, Stardate 2267.7
This is not starting out to be a good day. I was so tired I slept ’til
noon. Now I wish I hadn’t got up at all. We’re not orbiting Starbase
23 anymore. Instead, we’re on our way to Starbase 12. All shore
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leaves have been canceled. Can a day get any worse than this?
Cadet’s Log, supplemental
I sure hope our new assignment doesn’t have anything to do with
Romulans. I’ve never been as scared in my life as I was last
month. I thought the Enterprise would be captured or blown up
or . . . Well, I don’t like to think about that.
amie shut off the log she was recording and scowled at the message glaring at
her from the monitor screen in her cabin.
SORRY, CADET. ALL SHORE LEAVES CANCELED. SHIP EN ROUTE TO
STARBASE 12 FOR EMERGENCY DUTY. REPORT TO LT. TANZER IN
THE MAIN REC AT 1300 FOR ASSIGNMENT.
The smiley face at the end of her father’s message did not take away the sting
from the bad news that Jamie’s shore leave had fizzled away—barely before it got
started. She deleted the message and slumped onto her bunk to pout.
“It’s not fair! Why can’t he just say no for once?”
Because he’d be busted lower than an ensign, she answered her own dumb
question.
Jamie stared at the now-dark screen. Emergency duty, the message had read.
What kind of emergency? She shuddered, reached for her shoes, and slipped them
on.
Her father didn’t know how scared she’d been every time the ship buckled
under fire. She never told him. She couldn’t tell him. He had enough on his mind,
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just trying to hold his ship together.
Worse, ever since her father had found her cowering in the corner of Sickbay,
Jamie had been more afraid of being sent away to school than of being blown up.
She loved the Enterprise. She never wanted to leave. But it was hard to put on a
brave face when the red-alert claxon began to whoop. No, it gave her a bellyache.
And now, another mission. So soon!
A soft trilling interrupted her misery.
Jamie reached out and picked up K-7, her tribble—a beige-colored ball of fur.
“This always happens,” she complained. “Just when I’m
starting to have fun. Now, there’s nothing to look forward to.
No shore leave. No nothing.”
The tribble trilled louder. Jamie stroked its fur and
glanced at the chronometer. It read 1315, and she hadn’t
eaten breakfast yet.
Then she gasped. 1315! The e-mail message had told her to report to Lt. Tanzer
at 1300! “Yikes! I’m late!” She tossed K-7 on her bunk, snatched up her tricorder,
and raced out the door and down the corridor.
Technician Walters grabbed her by the shoulders as she brushed by. “Slow
down, Cadet. You nearly ran me down.”
“Sorry. I’m in a hurry.”
Walters chuckled. “Are you supposed to be running in the corridors?”
“No, but it’s an emergency.” She raced into the turbolift and gripped the
control. “Deck ten,” she gasped. “And make it quick.”
The lift started down while Jamie caught her breath. When the doors flew
open a few seconds later, she tore out of the ’lift like a photon torpedo. She hurried
around the corner and—
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Whack! Jamie collided with an old man.
With a grunt, the man fell backward. He stumbled, tried to catch himself, and
landed on the deck with a muttered oath. A small, clear cube sailed from his hand
and crashed against the bulkhead.
Jamie sprawled across the man’s stomach.
“Ooof!” He man coughed and sputtered.
Jamie scooted away and slammed against the bulkhead, panting. This was no
Enterprise shipmate she’d run into this time. It was a frail old
man, and she’d knocked him to the deck.
I am so in trouble! Her empty stomach clenched.
Two other men—important men by the cut of their
clothes—hurried over and steadied the man to his feet.
“Ambassador Tronius, are you injured?”
Tronius shook off the men. He leaned against the bulkhead
and wheezed, obviously in pain.
Jamie slowly rose to her feet. “I’m s-sorry,” she stammered. “Are you all right?”
Her gaze darted from one man to the other. None of them looked familiar.
Not good.
“I am not all right!” Tronius rounded on her.
Jamie backed into the bulkhead.
“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Tronius shouted. “I’m in pain. And”—his
face paled—“my artifact. What’s become of my artifact?”
One of the men held out his hand. In it lay the clear cube Jamie had seen
flying across the corridor. “The artifact is secure, sir. You must have activated the
containment field just in time.”
Tronius snatched the cube and waved it in Jamie’s face. “A moment sooner
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and you would have destroyed a ten-thousand-year-old artifact. What do you have
to say for yourself?”
Jamie stared at the shimmering object inside the cube and wondered who in
the world this grumpy old man was. “I said I was sorry.” She began to inch her way
along the bulkhead.
Tronius passed the artifact back to his companion and grasped Jamie’s arm.
“You’re not going anywhere.” He squinted at her. “You aren’t from our group.” He
turned to his associates. “This isn’t one of your children, is it?”
The others shook their heads.
“Good.” He turned back to Jamie. “You and your family will be put off this ship
at the nearest port. I will not stand by while an ill-mannered brat sabotages a life-
or-death mission.”
Put off the ship? Jamie’s fear rose another notch.
Tronius pulled Jamie along until he found the intercom. He punched the
button.
“Kirk here.”
“Captain, there has been a disturbance near briefing room five on deck ten.
I’ve been attacked, and my belongings nearly destroyed.”
“What?” Kirk’s voice was filled with alarm. “You’ve been attacked?”
“Get down here immediately.” He punched the intercom off and fixed Jamie
with a grim smile. “The captain will deal with you shortly.”
Jamie bit her lip and said nothing.
Captain Kirk alerted security then pushed out of his command chair and
headed briskly for the lift. “You have the con, Mr. Spock,” he told his first officer as
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the doors whooshed closed.
A few minutes later, accompanied by two red-shirted security men, Kirk
turned the corner and looked around for the cause of Tronius’s complaint. “What
is the trouble—” He broke off at the sight of the man holding a white-faced Jamie.
“What’s going on here?”
Tronius puffed up like a turkey-gobbler. “This child not only bowled me over,
but nearly destroyed an irreplaceable art object from Alda, an article I plan on
using when we begin our talks on Delphi II.”
He thrust the case beneath the captain’s nose, forcing him to see what looked
to Kirk like a perfectly good artifact resting quietly within a sophisticated
containment field.
“So? What’s the matter with it?” He spared Jamie a quick, puzzled glance.
“Nothing’s wrong with it!”
“Then what seems to be the problem?”
Tronius drew a deep breath. “I have been attacked and humiliated. I want to
file a formal complaint against this child, and against her parents, for allowing her
to run rampant around this ship.”
Kirk caught his breath. “You can’t be serious.”
“I most certainly am. I want the girl and her parents off this ship.”
“Come here, Jamie,” Kirk said.
Jamie scampered to his side and clutched his hand. “It was an accident,” she
whispered in a shaky voice.
Tronius’s eyebrows shot up. “You know this child, Captain?”
“I do. And what you ask is impossible. Jamie can’t leave the ship. She’s my
daughter. I’m sure she did not intend to run into you, Ambassador, and it won’t
happen again.” He lifted Jamie’s chin. “Will it, Cadet?”
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“No, sir!” Jamie promised.
Tronius’s eyes nearly popped from his head. “This is outrageous! I insist—”
“Excuse me, Ambassador,” Kirk said, “but no one insists anything on my ship.”
He turned to Jamie. “Report to my office. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Jamie didn’t stick around to hear what the ambassador was no doubt going to
tell her father. She ran. Double-quick.
Chapter 4
amie shifted nervously in her chair while she waited for her father to arrive.
That ambassador must be someone very important. And mean. And bossy.
And—
The door slid open with a gentle hiss, and Kirk strode into the room. He took a
seat across from Jamie, folded his hands, and
laid them on the desktop. “Well?”
Jamie gave him her most innocent hazel
look. “Well what, Captain?”
Kirk frowned. “Don’t ‘captain’ me, Jamie.
This is serious.” He lifted a finger and pointed
it at her. “You were running in the corridors
again, disobeying my distinct orders.”
“I was late to meet Lt. Tanzer,” Jamie said in a small voice.
“There are reasons for orders, Cadet. Avoiding a disaster like this is only one of
them. The ambassador has every right to be angry.” Kirk paused and rubbed his
forehead. “You’ve made a powerful enemy today, Jamie, and put me in an awkward
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position.”
Jamie gulped. She knew she’d made an enemy the minute the ambassador
glared at her. But what did that have to do with her father?
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “The ambassador’s been aboard the
Enterprise for less than two hours, and he’s already put the captain’s daughter on
his blacklist. I’ve denied his group certain privileges they believe they have a right
to, so I’m on his blacklist too.”
“I said I was sorry,” Jamie said.
Kirk leaned forward and formed a narrow space between his finger and
thumb. “You came this close to disaster today. Our assignment is already a difficult
one. You know what we’ve all been through. The crew needs a rest. I need a rest.”
He dropped his hands on the desk. “The ship’s undergoing repairs. Not in a
docking bay in orbit around a star base, but en route. That’s hard on Scotty and his
technicians. I have enough on my mind without having to hear complaints about
you.”
Kirk stood up and let out a long, slow breath. “Ambassador Tronius agreed not
to file a complaint, so long as I keep you away from him. And that’s what I intend
to do.”
Jamie looked up. “How?”
“I’ll confine you to quarters if necessary.”
Jamie’s heart thumped wildly. “That’s not fair!”
“On this ship, Cadet Kirk, I decide what’s fair. If confining you to quarters
keeps Ambassador Tronius off my back, then confine you to quarters I will. I hope
it doesn’t come to that.”
“Me neither.”
Kirk made ready to leave. “I’ve got to check in with the bridge. Then I have a
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briefing to attend. I’ll leave you with a piece of advice: steer clear of our guest for
the next three weeks.”
Jamie gulped. “Three weeks?”
“I’m afraid so. We’re headed for the Delphini System, and it’s not just around
the corner.”
“May I go up to the bridge later?”
“Not today.”
Jamie wilted. “Please?”
It wasn’t the bridge she cared about. She missed her father and wanted to be
near him. The two-month Romulan patrol still gave her bad dreams at night.
But she couldn’t tell him that. Not now. Not in the mood he was in. It was
better to keep her mouth shut, at least until things calmed down.
The intercom on the desktop whistled. Kirk bent down and punched it. “Kirk
here. I’m busy.”
The familiar face of Dr. McCoy filled the small screen. “Sorry, Jim, but
regulations state that I’ve got to give our guests a medical checkup. Half of them
are refusing. They say they haven’t the time or the need. Some of them were
unnecessarily rude to my staff. I want—”
“I’ll be down after I stop by the bridge.” Kirk broke off the communication and
looked at Jamie. “As you can see, I’ve got problems everywhere. Do me a favor and
stay out of trouble for the next few days, will you?”
Without waiting for a reply, he whirled and left his office.
Jamie stared at the closed doors. Her father sounded tired, grumpy, and
frustrated. And it didn’t look like he’d be getting much rest on this assignment. In
fact, it sounded like he’d be busier than ever. Not again!
She gulped back the lump that had been building in her throat and slumped
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in the chair. Then she reached for her tricorder and flipped open the lid.
Cadet’s Log, supplemental. This is going to be a long trip.
Kirk checked in on the bridge then hurried to Sickbay, only to find the doctor
absent.
“The briefing, sir,” Nurse Chapel reminded him.
Kirk nodded his thanks and rushed to the briefing room. He checked his
chronometer—1422. His talk with Jamie and his duties on the bridge had taken
longer than he realized.
The doors to the conference room whooshed open, and Kirk slipped into his
seat next to Mr. Spock. The room was crowded with specialists and Enterprise
department heads.
“How nice of you to join us,” Tronius drawled.
Kirk had no intention of explaining his tardiness. In his mind, his presence at
this briefing was a courtesy, nothing more. He could read a transcript of the
proceedings later.
“You obviously take this assignment too lightly, Captain,” Commissioner
Thomas said.
“On the contrary, sir, I take all my assignments seriously, as soon as I learn
what they are.” He leveled his gaze on Tronius. “If you would care to enlighten us?”
Tronius shuffled his data disks and inserted one into the viewer. “Delphi II is
in the Delphini Cluster, right on the edge of Federation influence. The Delphians
have been engaged in a civil war for the past decade. At last, however, the more
democratic faction has managed to gain the upper hand and has a tenuous hold on
the government. The new prime minister has petitioned the Federation for
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A SHIPLOAD OF TROUBLE
membership and for aid in strengthening the fledging administration.”
“The assignment appears straightforward, Ambassador,” Spock commented. “I
see no logical reason to pull the Enterprise away for a courier assignment. The
difference in arrival times between a starship and a diplomatic courier vessel is six
days, eight hours, and twenty-two minutes.”
Tronius fixed the Vulcan with an icy-blue gaze. “Mr. Spock, have you ever
heard of expicoccus mengi?”
Spock’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed. Is there a connection between this bacterial
infection and the negotiations on Delphi?”
“They are intimately connected, Mr. Spock.” Tronius pulled out the first disk
and inserted another, which showed a graph of statistics and a holograph of a
coccus bacterium. “I turn the meeting over to Dr. Reese Brainard, the foremost
authority on this bacteria and others like it.”
Reece Brainard indicated the screen. “Expi is one of those highly resistant,
mutated strains of bacteria that thrive in our world of space travel. It is rare but
deadly. Once it finds a host—usually on a smaller spacecraft with close working
and living space—it spreads like wildfire.
“Without an antibiotic, the survival rate is less than five percent. No synthetic
antibiotic has been successful. The natural antibiotic is in the form of a toxin that
is found only in certain species of insects, all of which reside, unfortunately, within
the borders of the Romulan Empire.
“Up until recently, we have quarantined the infected ships and hope for the
best. We lose about a hundred people a year to this incurable and extremely
painful disease. However, we’ve recently heard rumors of this expi bug taking hold
in certain types of colonies—small, closed societies, under domes.”
“This is serious, Doctor,” Spock broke in.
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“Serious, Spock?” McCoy broke in. “It’s a disaster!”
“There is found on Delphi,” the ambassador broke in, “a large, insect-like
creature called a Scalla. It resembles the insects from the Romulan worlds enough
to make us think there might be a chance we could find a cure for expi from the
venom. It is vital we get to Delphi in time to do the research and come up with an
antibiotic. If expi is indeed now spreading to small colonies, then there is no way
of knowing when or where it could strike next. It is deadly and—without a
serum—incurable.”
“I see why you’re in a hurry,” Kirk said softly. “If this disease reaches epidemic
proportions—”
“That’s why the Federation has sent along its best research bacteriologists and
entomologists. It is my job to negotiate with the Delphians on the government
level, while Dr. Brainard’s job is to find a cure for expi.”
He smiled grimly at Kirk. “Your job, Captain, is to cooperate with us. Is that
understood?”
Kirk suddenly understood the priority one nature of this assignment. “Clearly,
sir. We’ll get you there as fast as we can.”
Chapter 5
Cadet’s Log, Stardate 2267.8
I’m not sure if it’s a good idea, but I’m headed to the officers’ galley.
Daddy told me to stay away from Ambassador Tronius, and I intend
to. But I’m awfully hungry, and the food at the captain’s table is
always delicious. Besides, he never said I couldn’t have supper with
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him. Only that I should stay away from the grumpy ambassador. I’ll
follow his orders to the letter and hope the ambassador is sitting at
the opposite end of the table.
he doors to the VIP galley whooshed open. Jamie hesitated before entering
and glanced around the noisy, crowded room. She didn’t see her father
anywhere. Neither did she see the ambassador, so she took a few quick
steps and slid into an empty seat next to Mr. Scott.
The engineer smiled, and Jamie smiled back.
A few minutes later, Kirk, followed Ambassador Tronius, entered and found
their seats. Thankfully, the ambassador was clear at the head of the table, seated
next to the captain.
Jamie scooted closer to Scotty and tried to make herself small. Perhaps the
captain wouldn’t notice her presence. After all, it was a long table, and all twenty
seats were taken.
“Are you okay, lass?” Scott asked when the galley crew began serving them.
“Perhaps you’d like me to pass ye the salt?”
Jamie shook her head and glanced up. She caught her father’s look of surprise
and dismay. His look confirmed what she already knew.
This is one of my dumber ideas. I should not be here.
Kirk motioned toward the door with his chin.
Jamie’s heart sank. She had no trouble interpreting his quiet signal: Excuse
yourself and get out of here.
Instead of obeying, Jamie ducked her head. If I don’t look at him, I won’t see
him telling me to leave. She took a sip of her soup—and choked. Loud, hacking
coughs burst from her throat.
T
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Scotty clipped her on the back and handed her a napkin. “There, there, lassie.
Take a drink. Are ye all right now?”
Jamie was not all right. She reached for a glass of water. It tipped over, spilled
across the tablecloth, and poured into the lap of the girl sitting across from her.
The girl leaped from her chair with a shriek. “Look what you’ve done! My best
dress.” She burst into tears.
“What is all the ruckus?” Tronius peered down the length of the table.
Jamie slid down in her seat, face burning. But trying to hide did no good.
The ambassador’s eyes opened wide. “Captain Kirk! Would you care to explain
why this child is here? You assured me she’d be kept away, and here she is, causing
havoc all over again.”
An uneasy silence fell over visitors and Enterprise officers.
Jamie’s eyes welled up in tears of shame, but she clenched her fists and stared
stonily at the tabletop. I will not cry!
“What about my dress?” the teenaged girl demanded, sniffling.
“It’s only a bit of water, Miss Fortran,” McCoy said. “I suggest we all get back
to our meal. Captain?”
Jamie gave McCoy a grateful look.
“Of course,” Kirk quickly agreed.
Ambassador Tronius, on the other hand, was clearly unwilling to let the
matter go. “I cannot enjoy my meal with that child here.” His voice echoed off the
walls. “Remove her.”
Jamie heard the shocked intake of breath from McCoy, three seats away.
“Just a minute, Mr. Ambassador.” The doctor’s tone matched the annoyance in
the other man’s voice. “I don’t see why you need to be hasty.” He indicated the
three teenagers. “These other youngsters are enjoying the meal. Why not Jamie?
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A SHIPLOAD OF TROUBLE
Surely you aren’t making a fuss over an overturned glass of water. It was an
accident.”
Tronius ignored McCoy and turned to Kirk. “Captain, are you going to comply
with my request or not?”
For one hopeful second, Jamie thought her father might agree with Dr.
McCoy. The ambassador was pulling rank, and it might make her dad mad enough
to remind the old man just who the captain of the Enterprise was.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he gave McCoy a watch-your-step look and said to Jamie, “I think it
would be best if you left. Find Lt. Tanzer and ask him to—”
“Jim!” McCoy burst out. “What in blazes is going on?”
Heartened by the doctor’s support, Jamie added, “You’re the captain, Daddy.
Why are you letting that ambassador boss you around?”
Kirk rose from his seat. In his dress uniform, he looked forbidding. First, he
glared at McCoy. “Doctor, you’re out of
line.” Then he turned to Jamie. “And you,
Cadet Kirk, are dismissed. Go to your
quarters.”
There was no mistaking the order this
time.
Jamie knew she’d talked back to her
father once too often today. But it was too late. She couldn’t back down. Not in
front of all these strangers. Besides, Dr. McCoy was on her side. He could see how
unfairly she was being treated.
Jamie clenched her jaw and pushed back her chair. Her father had no idea
how she felt. Her shore leave was canceled. She couldn’t sit and eat with Daddy
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A SHIPLOAD OF TROUBLE
and share funny stories. He didn’t want her on the bridge. No, things were grim.
And it was all that grouchy ol’ Ambassador Tronius’s fault. No fair!
Shaking, Jamie leaped up without thinking. “You are a
mean and horrible old man!” she shouted. “You and your
stupid mission ruined everything. I’m not sorry I ran you
down—not one bit. I wish you’d never come aboard!”
Gasps rippled through the important guests like shock
waves.
Jamie caught her breath. Did I really say those horrible
words out loud? By the astonished looks on the faces
around her, she knew she had.
Kirk reached Jamie in three steps. He grasped her arm and yanked her away
from the table. The doors whooshed open as he led her out of the officers’ mess.
When the doors closed, he spun her around to face him. “That was the worst
display of defiance and disrespect I have ever seen. I’m ashamed of you.”
Jamie gulped but said nothing.
“You get to your quarters on the double and stay there until further notice.”
Jamie blinked back tears. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” She didn’t know how those awful
words had spewed from her mouth.
“Sorry won’t help you this time. Now, do as you’re told.”
Jamie backed away, crushed by her father’s angry look. Then she ran, not
caring that she was disobeying again. The corridor was deserted, anyway.
The turbolift doors opened, and Jamie’s headlong flight ended in a crash.
“Ooof!” She and another person hit the floor of the lift. The doors closed.
Jamie threw herself against the wall, drew up her knees to hide her face, and
sobbed.
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“Hey,” a friendly voice said. “What’s the matter? You’re not hurt, are you?”
Jamie shook her head but refused to look up.
“Then why are you crying?”
Jamie cautioned a quick peek at the newcomer. Looking down at her with
concern was a tall, handsome boy with a friendly smile on his dark face.
The youth fished out a handkerchief. “My dad always tells me to carry this
around. I never use it, but he said it might come in handy sometime. Never
thought I’d be offering it to a lady in distress. Blow your nose and stop crying.”
Jamie lifted her head. “W-who are you?”
“I’m Jack Brainard. I’m supposed to be at some fancy reception dinner, but I
had a few things to finish up first.” He shrugged. “I didn’t want to eat with that
crowd, anyway. I’d rather eat in the galley with the crew.”
He gave Jamie a keen look. “I don’t remember seeing you when we beamed up
from Starbase 12.”
Jamie rubbed her eyes. “I just left that dinner. The ambassador kicked me
out.”
“Sounds like the ambassador, all right. He’s the biggest bully in the quadrant.
It’s a pity he picks on little kids.”
Jamie held Jack’s handkerchief to her nose and blew. The turbolift chimed,
and Jamie looked up. She reached out and locked the ’lift in place. “Now it’ll stay
put until someone gets really insistent.”
Jack grinned. “Great. Tell me everything.” He settled himself on the floor next
to Jamie and waited.
Jamie started with her collision that afternoon.
“Two crashes in one day?” Jack laughed. “I heard the ambassador ranting and
raving about some unruly brat running him down. He made it sound like a
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Romulan plot to disrupt his mission.”
Jamie continued with the ill-fated dinner. “Then I yelled at the ambassador for
ruining my shore leave, and that’s when my dad blew up and sent me to my
quarters.”
Jack’s eyes grew huge. “You yelled at Ambassador Tronius?” He raised his hand
in a snappy salute. “I salute you, little girl, for your daring. That took guts.”
“I was just so mad.”
“Obviously.” He grinned. “Maybe I’ll try it sometime, so I can get kicked out
too. Who’s your dad, anyway?”
“Captain Kirk. I’m Jamie.”
He stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Jamie.”
Jamie grasped his hand. Together they stood up. “I’d better get going before I
get into more trouble.” She smiled Jack. “Thanks for being nice.” She held out the
slightly used handkerchief, but Jack waved it away.
“Hey, Kid, don’t spread it around—the part about my being nice. It’s not good
for my image.” With that, the ’lift doors opened, and Jack Brainard was gone.
Chapter 6
amie didn’t remember when she fell asleep, but a gentle shake roused her. She
gazed sleepily at her father, who sat down beside her on the bed. He wasn’t
smiling.
“Good morning,” he said.
J
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Jamie pulled the covers over her head. This is not a good morning! It’s a terrible
morning!
“Oh, no, you don’t.” He removed the covers and lifted her to a sitting position.
“I’m going on duty in a few minutes, and we need to talk.”
Jamie yawned and peeked at the chronometer. O-six-hundred. Way too early!
She closed her eyes and slumped, but her father shook her.
“Wake up, Jamie. I’ve no patience for silly games this morning.”
Jamie sighed.
“I’ll get right to the point. What on earth has gotten into you? You were told
to stay away from the ambassador. It’s a mystery to me why you didn’t follow my
instructions. But you blew it last night with your disrespect.”
Jamie hung her head. He sounded very angry.
“Until we reach Delphi, you are forbidden to eat at the captain’s table.”
Jamie’s head snapped up. “But I always eat at the captain’s table.”
“Not any longer. I’m also confining you to quarters for the next three days.”
“Why?”
“Because I refuse to confine you for three weeks, like the ambassador
ordered.”
Jamie paled and sucked in a frightened breath.
Kirk nodded. “Yes. Ambassador Tronius was adamant about keeping you away
from him. Worse, he’s threatening to lodge a complaint with Starfleet about how
you’re interfering with my command and with this mission.”
Jamie was completely awake now. Complain to Starfleet! This was bad news.
So far, red tape had kept Jamie from being shipped off the Enterprise, but if
someone important like the ambassador started complaining—
“Can he make Starfleet kick me off the Enterprise?”
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“I honestly don’t know. But I’m going to do my best to keep you away from
him, at least until he cools off.”
“Jack says the ambassador’s a mean old bully,” Jamie said. “I promise I’ll keep
away from him, but I’m not staying in this boring cabin for three days. There’s
nothing to do.”
Kirk rose to his feet, clearly shocked. “That’s enough.”
Jamie swallowed. Never had she talked back to her father like this! Not in her
whole life. She deserved a paddling and half-hoped she’d get one. It would feel
good to have a reason to cry long and hard. Then her father would hold her tight,
say he loved her, and everything would be all right.
That’s not what happened.
Kirk stalked across the cabin, clearly frustrated. When he reached the door, he
whirled. “Listen to me, Cadet Jamie Kirk, and listen well. You will stay in this cabin,
or I’ll post a guard at the door to make sure you do.”
Jamie nodded wordlessly. This was worse than a spanking.
“Yeoman Tamara will bring your meals.” Kirk took a step. The doors swished
open, and he turned one last time. “If you don’t change your attitude, missy,
Ambassador Tronius will have more than enough ammunition to send you
packing, and I can’t say I blame him.”
When the doors closed, Jamie threw herself onto her bunk and sobbed. Gut-
wrenching fear clutched her belly. Was she truly a disruption? Jamie trembled at
the thought. Her father had looked so angry when he left.
“Please come back, Daddy. I’m sorry I talked back. Come back and give me a
spanking. Please.”
Her cabin remained quiet. Only the low hiss of the ventilation system
continued.
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Jamie was trapped. Alone. For three days.
An eternity.
Kirk arrived on the bridge in a sour mood. It was barely 0630 hours and he felt
as if he’d been on duty for an entire shift. He felt drained. Jamie had looked so lost
and scared when he left. But she was out of line. What had possessed her to speak
and act so rashly?
Correction, Captain. What possessed you to speak and act so rashly to your
own daughter? He groaned. His own weariness and irritation at the ambassador
had spilled over onto Jamie, and she’d gotten the brunt of it. What kind of
heartless father was he, anyway?
He fell into his command chair and closed his eyes.
“It’s about time you showed up, Kirk.”
The captain’s head jerked up, and
his eyes flew open. Standing on the
quarter-deck near the turbolift, looking
like he owned the ship, stood
Commissioner Thomas. His two
teenaged sons stood nearby.
“We’ve been waiting since 0600,”
the man said. “Where the blazes have
you been? You told us your shift would be starting early for the duration of this
voyage.”
“No one comes onto my bridge without permission,” Kirk snapped.
“Captain Kirk, do you realize to whom you’re speaking?”
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“Yes. I’m speaking to three civilians who have entered my bridge without
permission.”
“I’m here to arrange a tour of the ship for my boys,” Thomas insisted. “They
don’t want to wait any longer.”
“What your boys want or do not want is irrelevant,” Kirk said. “Are you going
to get off my bridge, or must I call security?”
“You wouldn’t!”
Kirk made a slight motion with his hand. Two red-shirted security guards
hurried over. They stood at attention. “Under regulation 43, section C. No
unauthorized person shall—”
“Don’t quote regulations to me, Captain.” Thomas eyed the guards warily, as
though trying to determine if Kirk were bluffing. He scowled. “We’ll leave.”
“But, Dad!”
The commissioner laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Denn. I’ll
see that you get your tour, one way or another.”
He turned back to the captain. “You are quickly forcing me to put this lack of
cooperation into my report to Starfleet Command. They won’t like what I’m
planning to write, Kirk.”
“That is your privilege, Commissioner. But in any event, the bridge is off limits
to your party without permission. Do I make myself clear?”
“You do, Captain Kirk. Very clear, and very uncooperative.” He stalked toward
the turbolift, his sons following in his wake.
Kirk knew he had just made another enemy. What else can go wrong on this
trip?
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Chapter 7
hree days later, Kirk glanced at the briefing room chronometer. 0842. He
took a swallow of coffee and groaned. It’s too early in the morning for this.
In twenty minutes, he was expected to attend yet another round of
briefings with the ambassador and his aides, along with whomever Tronius could
pull away from the science team to join him.
This current meeting had been called at the request of Kirk’s senior officers,
who had been gathering complaints from their subordinates over the past few
days. Minor damage reports had been trickling in from almost every department.
It was time to address the situation before it escalated into a political
nightmare for his crew. Everyone knew they had over two weeks left with these
people. Something had to be done.
“It’s not so much the ambassadors themselves,” Mark Stoddard, head of
security, was saying. “They stay holed up in the briefing room, hammering out
their plans for Delphi. It’s their families that are the problem. They think they own
the ship. And if you ‘insult’ one of them by asking them to leave? Well, it’s like
you’re putting the entire mission at risk.”
He turned sorrowful eyes on his captain. “Captain, there are some places these
people cannot go.”
“I am aware of the problem.”
“Another thing. Those kids. I’ve never seen such undisciplined brats in all my
life. That one girl—the young teenager—is openly flirting with my men, sir. I can’t
have that. They’re on duty.”
“I’ll speak to her parents,” Kirk said wearily. “What else?”
T
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“Well, sir,” Stoddard continued grimly, “I’d like to toss those two male juvenile
delinquents into the brig. Short of that, is there any way we can confine them to
quarters?”
“They’ve been aboard less than a week, Stoddard.” Kirk turned to the other
department heads. “Anybody else having trouble yet? Bones, how about you?”
“Not yet, thank goodness, but I suspect Sickbay will not remain unscathed.”
“What about the science team?”
“No complaints there. Reese and his team are great people to work with. I’ve
been spending most of my time with them, down in the xeno labs.”
The captain turned to his first officer. “Mr. Spock? What about your area?”
“I’ve noted excessive computer activity from the terminals in the Recreation
Area. Nothing that effects ship’s operations, but I am having it monitored
nevertheless.”
“Wise decision, Mr. Spock.” Kirk stood. “If that’s all, let’s get to our shifts. You
are all intelligent professionals. Find creative ways of preventing our young guests
from interfering with the ship’s operations without offending them. Starfleet is
firm on this last item. They are to be treated with the utmost deference. This expi
thing is a cause for much concern, and our unwelcome guests hold the key to its
solution.” He sighed. “It’s our misfortune they chose to bring their kids along.”
The department heads left the briefing room, chatting among themselves.
Kirk glanced at the chronometer. Two minutes to get to that next briefing. He
grabbed his coffee and hurried toward the door.
McCoy plucked his sleeve. “Say, Jim. I haven’t seen Jamie around lately. She
usually stops by Sickbay for a chat. What’s up?”
Kirk stopped just inside. The doors whooshed closed. “I’ve confined her to