The Rings of Tautee by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Authors: Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Media Tie-In, Space Opera, American Fiction, Interplanetary voyages, Kirk; James T. (Fictitious Character)
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turned back to the screen. Prescott followed his gaze.
The two green vessels floated at odd angles, obviously dambleaac Dean Wesiey Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch aged. Suddenly the one on the right seemed to collapse in on itself Then it exploded in a bright flash of orange and red.
"We got them all, sir," said a tinny disembodied voice.
Captain James Kirk punched the comm button again. "Good work. Escort Commander KerDaq to the bridge. We have a few matters to discuss."
"Aye, sir," the tinny voice said.
Captain James Kirk then turned to Dr.
Leonard McCoy and smiled. "Well, Bones, did I end that fast enough for you"?"
Prescott glanced at McCoy.
McCoy snorted and kept working on Folle.
"It would have been better not happening at all."
"I agree," Captain James Kirk said.
Then the captain turned and focused on Prescott where she leaned against the wall. "It seems we have a few minutes now," he said.
Beside her Folle moaned and McCoy helped him sit up.
Quickly, under his intense gaze, she scrambled to her feet and stepped forward. "I am Prescott, the leader of the group you rescued."
Kirk stood and bowed slightly. His gaze perused her, all of her, as if he were trying to assess all the differences between them in a single glance. "Captain James T. Kirk of the U.s.s. Enterprise," he said. "Pleased to have you aboard."
She was stunned at how nice he seemed.
After just fighting two enemy ships, he suddenly seemed warm and friendly.
1 1 4 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE Beside her McCoy stood. "She claims to be responsible for the destruction of this system."
"I heard her earlier, Bones," Captain James Kirk said, the warmth in his voice like a caress. Prescott put her hands behind her back.
This man was as dangerous as he was unpredictable.
And powerful. Very powerful.
"I simply don't believe it," he said.
She straightened her back, wishing for the first time in her life that she was taller. "Believe it," she said. "I destroyed the system. And if you give me a chance, I'll tell you how."
"And why," Captain James Kirk asked, "would you destroy your own system?"
"It was an accident." Her voice trembled and she forced herself to keep it level.
Everyone in the ship's command center stared at her.
And for the longest time no one said a word.
1 1 5 Chapter Sixteen KIRK FELT HIMSELF FREEZE.
All the energy and excitement of the last few moments faded as he realized not just what the frail Tauteean woman had said, but what it meant.
She believed she had destroyed her entire race.
A shiver ran down his back. Whether or not she was right, he had to listen to her.
Spock had swiveled in his chair and was staring at her. Uhura took her hand away from her ear, her wide brown eyes soft with compassion. Sulu turned, mouth open. McCoy took a step forward, reached for the woman[*thorngg'Prescott[*thorngg'b let his hand fall a few inches away from her.
The Tauteean on the floor was breathin g in deep shuddery breaths. He put a hand on the wall, and 1 1 6 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE propelled himself upward, as if her words meant more than his pain.
"Prescott," he said, his voice shadowy with lack of oxygen.
"It's all right, Folle," she said, without even turning around.
Kirk frowned. He had been so convinced that the Klingons had caused this with a superweapon[*thorn] and he still wasn't willing to rule that possibility out. But the possibility had diminished greatly, and he didn't need Spock's gift with percentages to tell him just how much.
But that didn't solve the problem from the other side. The Klingons had accused him of using a special weapon. He had thought it a cover for their own behavior, but what if they were both wrong, and this Prescott was right?
Kirk couldn't examine her evidence alone. He needed the Klingons here as well.
"Captain James Kirk," she said. "I will give you the answers you've been seeking."
He nodded, feeling a bit offbalance from the new direction the conversation had gone.
"Before you tell me," he
The two green vessels floated at odd angles, obviously dambleaac Dean Wesiey Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch aged. Suddenly the one on the right seemed to collapse in on itself Then it exploded in a bright flash of orange and red.
"We got them all, sir," said a tinny disembodied voice.
Captain James Kirk punched the comm button again. "Good work. Escort Commander KerDaq to the bridge. We have a few matters to discuss."
"Aye, sir," the tinny voice said.
Captain James Kirk then turned to Dr.
Leonard McCoy and smiled. "Well, Bones, did I end that fast enough for you"?"
Prescott glanced at McCoy.
McCoy snorted and kept working on Folle.
"It would have been better not happening at all."
"I agree," Captain James Kirk said.
Then the captain turned and focused on Prescott where she leaned against the wall. "It seems we have a few minutes now," he said.
Beside her Folle moaned and McCoy helped him sit up.
Quickly, under his intense gaze, she scrambled to her feet and stepped forward. "I am Prescott, the leader of the group you rescued."
Kirk stood and bowed slightly. His gaze perused her, all of her, as if he were trying to assess all the differences between them in a single glance. "Captain James T. Kirk of the U.s.s. Enterprise," he said. "Pleased to have you aboard."
She was stunned at how nice he seemed.
After just fighting two enemy ships, he suddenly seemed warm and friendly.
1 1 4 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE Beside her McCoy stood. "She claims to be responsible for the destruction of this system."
"I heard her earlier, Bones," Captain James Kirk said, the warmth in his voice like a caress. Prescott put her hands behind her back.
This man was as dangerous as he was unpredictable.
And powerful. Very powerful.
"I simply don't believe it," he said.
She straightened her back, wishing for the first time in her life that she was taller. "Believe it," she said. "I destroyed the system. And if you give me a chance, I'll tell you how."
"And why," Captain James Kirk asked, "would you destroy your own system?"
"It was an accident." Her voice trembled and she forced herself to keep it level.
Everyone in the ship's command center stared at her.
And for the longest time no one said a word.
1 1 5 Chapter Sixteen KIRK FELT HIMSELF FREEZE.
All the energy and excitement of the last few moments faded as he realized not just what the frail Tauteean woman had said, but what it meant.
She believed she had destroyed her entire race.
A shiver ran down his back. Whether or not she was right, he had to listen to her.
Spock had swiveled in his chair and was staring at her. Uhura took her hand away from her ear, her wide brown eyes soft with compassion. Sulu turned, mouth open. McCoy took a step forward, reached for the woman[*thorngg'Prescott[*thorngg'b let his hand fall a few inches away from her.
The Tauteean on the floor was breathin g in deep shuddery breaths. He put a hand on the wall, and 1 1 6 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE propelled himself upward, as if her words meant more than his pain.
"Prescott," he said, his voice shadowy with lack of oxygen.
"It's all right, Folle," she said, without even turning around.
Kirk frowned. He had been so convinced that the Klingons had caused this with a superweapon[*thorn] and he still wasn't willing to rule that possibility out. But the possibility had diminished greatly, and he didn't need Spock's gift with percentages to tell him just how much.
But that didn't solve the problem from the other side. The Klingons had accused him of using a special weapon. He had thought it a cover for their own behavior, but what if they were both wrong, and this Prescott was right?
Kirk couldn't examine her evidence alone. He needed the Klingons here as well.
"Captain James Kirk," she said. "I will give you the answers you've been seeking."
He nodded, feeling a bit offbalance from the new direction the conversation had gone.
"Before you tell me," he
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