The Enterprise lurched sharply as a rush of pallid amber light enveloped the ship. It was accompanied by a brief but unmistakable shuddering. This passed rapidly, followed by a series of detonations.
“An unknown energy weapon.” Spock’s attention was locked to the science console. “Powerful—but no match for our shields. It is the same for their equivalent of photon torpedoes.”
“No reduction in shields’ strength, Captain,” Chekov reported.
Kirk’s expression was set. “Let’s see if the same holds true for theirs. Fire photon torpedoes, Mister Sulu. Standard spread.”
Sulu complied. While both vessels remained in constant motion and the Perenorean colony ship continued its desperate defense against the three Dre’kalak craft, a brace of torpedoes rocketed from the Enterprise to impact against the shields of its own assailant. The resulting blasts and brief flare momentarily obscured the target.
“Sensors detect a diminution in the protective energy field surrounding the Dre’kalak vessel.” As he made the observation, Chekov expressed quiet satisfaction. “I would estimate a reduction in the neighborhood of one-third to one-half.” He glanced back at the captain. “They are firing at us again.”
“Respond in kind, Sulu,” Kirk ordered. “Photon torpedoes and phasers this time.”
Two more waves of amber energy flowed over the Enterprise. Some concussive damage was reported amidships, but her shields held and full hull integrity was maintained.
“Initial exchanges of fire and counterfire would seem to indicate that we are stronger than the Dre’kalak vessel is, Captain.” Left to himself, Chekov would have unleashed everything in the Enterprise’s considerable armory. He awaited Kirk’s order. Most significantly, at any moment the Dre’kalak commander might request aid from his flanking craft. Doing so, however, would leave one or more of them exposed to a counterattack from the Perenoreans. Given such a scenario, Chekov wondered, would the Perenoreans attack? Or provided with a temporary respite, would they take the opportunity to flee? That would leave the Enterprise to battle the trio of Dre’kalak warships alone. He voiced his concerns to Sulu.
“I believe I have an idea of what the captain is thinking, Hikaru.”
“Do you, now? Your accelerated matriculation must have crammed in a lot of subjects. Command psychology as well as navigation?”
“It is not difficult to see. If you are correct in your battlefield assessment that the Enterprise is more powerful than the Dre’kalak flagship, then in a one-on-one fight we are likely to defeat it. If its commander requests assistance from the rest of his battle squadron, then it opens the possibility that the Perenoreans may be able to retreat into warp space. Or in a consequent one-on-one fight, even defeat a Dre’kalak ship. Either way, if the Dre’kalak turn the majority of their attention to us, then they risk allowing those they really wish to destroy a chance to get away.”
Chekov found one particular aspect of the battle puzzling: the inability of even one Dre’kalak warship, much less all three attacking in concert, to defeat the Perenorean colony ship.
“They are much better defended than a Federation colony ship would be,” the ensign pointed out. “Based on what we have seen of Dre’kalak battle technology, it is surprising that the Perenorean shields have held up. And they continue to fight back with their limited weapons.”
“They’d better.” Sulu was studying his sensors. “Captain, a second Dre’kalak vessel has broken off the attack on the Eparthaa and is opening fire on the Enterprise.”
Having aced Interstellar Battle Theory and Practice, not to mention having engaged in a real and near-fatal combat with a ship from the future, Kirk was concerned but far from impressed by this new information.
“Mister Chekov, maintain our present position relative to the Eparthaa. I’m sure the Dre’kalak’s tactical personnel are intelligent and they won’t hit one of their own. Keep their flagship between us and their second craft—it’ll mitigate against the latter’s use of their own weapons. Mister Sulu, continue to direct all phaser fire against the Dre’kalak flagship and send a double salvo of photon torpedoes to skim it. Engulfing pattern.”
“Very clever, Captain.” There was muted admiration in Spock’s voice. “They won’t be sure who we’re firing at, and the resultant confusion can only be to our benefit.”
Kirk nodded. “Just like in a bar fight. Pretend to hit the guy in front when you’re really aiming at the one behind him. He ducks your punch and the load who’s second in line never sees it coming.”
“I wouldn’t know, Captain. But from what I have heard, it is evident that your knowledge of such tactics is extensive.”
Kirk only grinned. And not just because he was mildly flattered to learn that the ship’s science officer had taken the time to peruse his captain’s personal history all the way back to Iowa.
Rattled by the ferocious counterattack, the enemy vessel slipped sharply to port. In doing so, it avoided every one of the photon torpedoes that had been launched from the Enterprise. What the Dre’kalak failed to realize was that none of them had been aimed at the flagship in the first place.
The majority of them found their intended target—the second Dre’kalak warship, which was accelerating in its haste to come to the aid of its commander’s vessel.
Overwhelmed by the concentrated release of energy from the tightly grouped salvo of torpedoes, the Dre’kalak ship’s shields briefly collapsed. This allowed the remaining torpedoes to make proximate contact with the alien hull. Though only two of them got through before shields were restored, the resultant detonations were enough to seriously cripple the ship. Incapacitated and therefore unable to continue fighting, it withdrew from the battle.
Kirk offered: “That ought to even the odds a little. While maintaining contact with our opponent, Mister Chekov, see if you can’t maneuver us closer to the Eparthaa.”
“I’ll try, Captain.”
The Enterprise and the Dre’kalak flagship continued to dance around each other and exchange furious fire. Spock’s thoughts were focused on his readouts, while the science officer continued searching for openings in the enemy’s defenses. A part of him was silently contemplating the circumstances in which they and their determined adversaries presently found themselves.
Were Vulcans the only species in the galaxy that chose logic and reason over emotion and conflict? Were all disagreements between space-going sentients destined to be resolved at the end of a phaser? It was not logical. As a youth, he had often engaged in long discussions with his instructors and his father over the nature of humans, as well as that of other intelligent species. Sarek had repeatedly pointed out to him it was not necessary to participate in bloodletting to master the art of warfare. Humans who engaged in simulated combat never concluded the exercises by killing the loser.
So why then were they and other similar species predisposed to slaughter? Calm, reasoned discussion invariably produced similar conclusions. Today, the Federation had made contact with not one but two entirely new intelligent species, and true to form, one was seeking the extermination of the other. While he was unwilling to accept the Dre’kalak commander’s slightly hysterical insistence that the Perenoreans posed a threat, neither was he ready to grant the Perenoreans claim to be harmless and lost. Entirely benign races did not display the kind of weapons mastery that was displayed via the Eparthaa.