There was no response. That gave him no choice. "Sulu, plot a course back to the Federation."

"Course laid hi, sir."

Scotty confirmed, "We've got her, Captain! Snug as a bug in the shuttlebay."

"Ahead, warp 8!" Kirk ordered.

"Aye, sir," Chekov acknowledged.

The strain on the bridge eased, slightly. As the Enterprise reached warp 8, the trailing edge of the Badlands shifted between them and the Romulan bird-of-prey.

"I've already talked to the engine room, sir," Scott added. "We'll soon be able to get more out of her."

Kirk was watching as the Romulan bird-of-prey disappeared behind the plasma storms. "Perhaps now they'll give up."

"The remote sensor relay indicates the bird-of-prey is continuing to pursue," Spock said.

"Let's see it," Kirk ordered.

The image from the remote sensor relay appeared on the screen. Kirk was tempted to try again to reason with the Romulans, but the martial philosophy of their people prevented them from showing any sign of weakness.

Even their ships were a fierce sight, the upswept wings supporting the warp nacelles, the nose blunted and deadly. The giant stylized bird-of-prey painted on the underhull was intended to evoke an instinctive fear response. Kirk had recognized it instantly, and he felt the same chill every time he encountered a Romulan bird-of-prey.

Suddenly a jagged white flame cut through the back of the bird-of-prey, ripping away in a ball of fire. For a moment the proud beak of the bird flew onward, then it too was consumed in a second, larger explosion.

Kirk squinted against the white-hot flash, flinching as it blossomed even brighter. Red spots were seared into his vision, and he blinked to clear his eyes.

Then he saw a wave of distortion punch through the trailing edge of the plasma storms. "All power to"

The Enterprise was pitched out of the warp field by the powerful energy wave. Kirk was thrown from his chair as the shockwave tossed the ship.

He expected to hit the floor and was prepared to roll on impact. But instead, his stomach lurched, and he continued to fly through the air. Kirk hit the viewscreen with his back. The concussion knocked the wind out of him.

The lights failed completely, leaving only the red glare from the flashing alert signals.

But still Kirk didn't fall. He hung against the viewscreen, feeling disoriented. Then he abruptly dropped to the deck. He could feel the strain as the artificial gravity system tried vainly to compensate for the unusual conditions.

The Enterprise pitched again beneath him, then settled as the failsafes kicked in. Kirk pushed himself up as the emergency lights flickered on.

Spock was the first one to report. "According to the remote sensor relay, the bird-of-prey has been destroyed. Ship's sensors are currently offline, sir."

Kirk stiffly climbed into his seat, noting the flashing lights as his crew reported in. He kept remembering what the first Romulan commander had told him "We are creatures of duty." Was that reason enough to die?

"Damage, Mister Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Warp and impulse engines are offline. There are overloads and burnouts in the electroplasma circuits throughout the ship," Spock said. "Minimum auxiliary power. Damage repair crews are already underway."

"How long before we get impulse power back on line?"

Scotty stood up, ready to leave the bridge. "I'll have to see, Captain. Dependin' on how many circuits were blown, it could take some time."

"Do what you can," Kirk told Scott, as the engineer stepped into the turbolift. "Mister Chekov, use thrusters to retreat toward the sensor shadow of the Badlands. Keep us just inside, out of range of the strongest gravitational pull." Weapons would be limited to photon torpedoes while they were on auxiliary power, so Kirk intended to use the plasma storms as cover in case another Romulan vessel showed up. "All decks maintain security alert."

"Acknowledged, sir," Sulu confirmed.

The view shifted away from the last fading spangles of light and spinning debris from the bird-of-prey. Kirk felt a pang of regret. Twice now, his encounters with the Romulans had ended hi total destruction.

Kirk punched the comm. "Captain to sickbay. Report."

"McCoy here." The doctor sounded strained. "Sixteen casualties so far. Mainly impact fractures and contusions."

Kirk acknowledged, "Could be worse."

"It is worse, Jim. I'm reading high levels of multiflux radiation onboard the ship. It could take an hour for the full effects to manifest."

Kirk asked, "Spock? Why weren't we alerted by the medical program?"

Spock nodded, "Internal sensors are offline, Captain."

"What will that do to the crew, Doctor?" Kirk asked McCoy.

"I'm not sure yet, Jim. Multiflux radiation is highly erratic. It may simply pa.s.s through the ship without affecting anyone."

Kirk told both Spock and Dr. McCoy, "Keep me informed."

For a moment, Kirk considered their distance from Federation territory. If anything went wrongand it certainly hadthey were on their own. As usual, it was best to focus on his primary duty and complete his mission.

Kirk signaled the shuttle bay. "Captain to shuttle bay. Report."

"Sir, the vessel is in our custody." The chief of security's deep voice was unruffled by the disruption in gravity and power. "The forcefield is holding and the hatch has not yet opened."

"Maintain position," Kirk told her. "I'm on my way." He gestured to Spock. "Let's go see what our guest has to say."

Chapter Three.

The romulan vessel was in the middle of the shuttle bay, isolated by the blue shimmer of a forcefield. Security personnel were stationed around the walls, their phaser rifles held ready.

Kirk acknowledged Security Chief Kelley. Kelley, a human from the Palazian colony, had recently been a.s.signed duty on board the Enterprise. The strong gravity on Palazian created strong, muscular colonists.

Soon after Kelley had joined the crew, Kirk had competed against her in a strenuous new game called parrises squares. Kirk enjoyed playing, but he wasn't sure the sport would catch on with the rest of the crew. McCoy was already complaining about the antic.i.p.ated increase in minor injuries if it did.

Kelley nodded smartly to the captain as he entered. "There's been no answer to our hails, sir."

Kirk nodded, eyeing the vessel. She was a beauty, sleek and fast. Similar to the finest private cruisers to be found in the Federation. The nose flared at the bottom, curving up to a point, and the warp nacelles bulged out slightly from the sides. The condition of the exterior hull indicated that the ship had been used hard. Yet her design was innovative, so she must have been launched from dry dock within the past few years.

The black scoring along the rear section was unmistakable. It nearly covered the name etched on the starboard panelBarataria. Kirk could see where the plasma beam had licked close to the nacelles on the underside. Obviously the Barataria had come within a hair's breadth of being destroyed.

"Drop the forcefield," Kirk ordered. The blue sheen disappeared, along with the faint tang of ions in the air.

Kirk put his hand phaser on his belt as he went to the comm. It was already tied into the Barataria's frequency. "This is Captain James Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise. Please open your hatch and come out."

There was a pause, during which only the hushed breathing of twenty-four security personnel disturbed the silence of the shuttle bay.

"This is Commander Teral of the Barataria." The voice was flattened and distorted with hissing feedback. "I demand that you release my ship."

Kirk glanced at Spock before answering, "Why don't you come out so we can discuss this?"

"The time for discussion is past," Teral noted. "You took my ship by force."

Kirk gestured for the security team to stand down.

They folded their arms, holding their phaser rifles at rest. Kelley remained alert, standing where she could see both Captain Kirk and the vessel.

"You can be a.s.sured of your safety," Kirk told the captain. "We acted in haste because you were being pursued by the Romulan bird-of-prey."

"Thank you, but the situation was under control," Teral informed him. "Am I free to go now?"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that until you come out and answer some questions."

There was silence from the comm, only the hissing and popping of the Barataria's open channel.

Kirk turned to Spock. "Well, now what? Do we blow the door open?"

"A most difficult decision," Spock commented.

"I'd hate to ruin such a fine ship," Kirk said speculatively, knowing full well the channel was still open. "But if there's no other way...."

Spock caught on fast, as always. "We are currently outside Federation territory. Free-s.p.a.ce codes include the rights of salvage"

"Salvage!" the intercom shrieked.

There was a puff of vacuum breaking, and the seal of the hatch split. The door slid aside with a smooth whir.

"You cut across my bow!" Commander Teral declared.

She jumped down from her vessel, ignoring the steps in her outrage. Planting both feet wide and folding her arms, she took up a proud stance in front of her ship. "Salvage, indeed!"

"That was the general idea...." Kirk was thoroughly amazed. He had been picturing some renegade alien from one of the planets the Romulan empire had subjugated. Even the nameBaratariawas not Romulan.

He hadn't imagined Commander Teral would be a Romulan Amaz on, her eyes snapping with fire as she faced down an entire security platoon. She wore linked-mesh body armor, but it wasn't military in style. Her high boots had silver plates covering her shins, and her gauntlets had sliver plates over her forearms. A belt encircled her hips, and a disruptor swung low on the left side, tied to her thigh. Kirk noted that in case it came to a fight.

He hardly wondered that he considered the possibility. Even though she was drastically outnumbered, the Romulan seemed ready and willing to fight.

Kirk walked towards her, with Spock and Kelley half a step behind him. As she came closer, he noted she was as tall as Spock. He stopped well back, warned by the hand shifting to her disruptor. The security platoon tensed, and Kelley made a warning sound low in her throat.

Kirk figured they were close enough. "I'm Captain James Kirk."

"Commander Teral," she replied cautiously. Her dark hair was pulled up tightly, twisted into a knot on top of her head. It showed off her small pointed ears and slanted brows. She shifted to look at the security platoon, and Kirk could see a long tail of hair hanging down from the knot on top, curling slightly at the ends.

"Where's the rest of your crew?" Kirk asked.

"Crew?" She crossed her arms again. "I work alone."

"What sort of work is it that you do?" Spock politely inquired.

'Transport services." She turned and paced to the back of her ship. She bent down, examining the scoring and the bulkheads. "Your tractor beam was gauged too high."

Kirk joined her. "It looks like you were damaged in a recent battle. Is that why the Romulan bird-of-prey was chasing you?"

"I suppose they didn't want to give up once they found a likely target." She bent over to rub at the scoring, then checked the nacelles. Her gloved hands moved over the ship with familiarity.

Kirk waited impatiently until she stood up and faced him again. "Your ship matches the description of one carrying vital data on Romulan plasma weapons systems."

Her eyes opened wide. "Plasma weapons? Ah... now I understand. That would be reason enough for you to s.n.a.t.c.h me from s.p.a.ce."

"Do you have this information?" Kirk bluntly asked.

"No, you stopped the wrong ship." Teral smiled. "Maybe it was that Romulan bird-of-prey you destroyed."

"We didn't destroy it," Kirk said sharply.

"Ah... yes," she repeated noncornmittally. "It must have been an engine overload...."

Her bland expression made her look like Spock, but maybe it was just the similar facial characteristics.

"Then you don't mind if we search your ship?" Kirk asked her.

"On the contrary," she replied, "I do mind."

Spock stood with both his hands clasped behind his back, clearly reserving judgment as Kirk and Teral stared at one another. "It would appear you have as little choice in this matter as we," Spock offered.

"Just as I had little choice about being taken hostage?" she asked.

Kirk realized Spock was rightthey also had no choice. Starfleet orders were specific. "If you give us the information, you will be free to go."

Exasperated, Teral's voice filled with scorn. "I have nothing to give you."

Kirk tightened his lips, wishing she had not forced him to this. "Spock, search the computer database and scan this ship. I want every circuit checked."

"Aye, sir," Spock acknowledged.

Kirk waited until Spock, Kelley, and two security guards had entered the ship. Commander Teral fumed silently, refusing to meet his eyes. Kelley finally emerged and reported that there were no other crew members on board.