A Kestrel for a Star (Star Trek fanfiction)

Chapter 15

Here you go! A nice update :) sorry its taken so long!!!!!

Enjoy!!!!!!

Uhura found it easy to keep up with Kez but extremely difficult to keep up with Kirk who was sprinting ahead, driven purely by some private issue.

“Where the hell is he heading?” She asked her friend who stared back at her blankly.

“Like I have any idea!” Kez said sounding worn out and exasperated, “If I knew this whole spontaneous act would be a whole lot clearer.”

Uhura had to agree then frowned, “How is he even on board?”

“Uh – well . . . yeah, tell you later.” Kez said flashing weary smile as they rounded a corner into another corridor in pursuit of Kirk.

“What did you do?!” Uhura exclaimed, dreading to think what Kez could have possibly done to smuggle Kirk aboard. She also dreaded to think how many rules and codes Kez had violated.

“It was Bones.” Kez said diverting Uhura’s attention to the doctor who was running behind them.

“Oh no. It was your idea, Missy!” He said looking up from his various lotions and potions he was carrying.

Kez shoot him a look, “In no part of me saying ‘get him aboard’ did I tell you to repeatedly inject him with contagious viruses!”

Uhura’s eyes went wide, “Contagio-,”

“They are not!” Bones yelled back watching as Uhura checked her own hands for signs of inflation.

They only caught up with Kirk when they all burst out of the lift and onto the bridge.

Everyone stationed at positions on the bridge turned their attention to the four officers now present, including Captain Pike who was studying each face in turn. Unauthorized entry onto the bridge was in itself a court-martial worthy offence but on top of that, those who knew who Kirk was stared at him in horror as well as disbelief.

“Captain Pike! The energy source near Vulcan . . .” Kirk began as he rushed towards the captain.

“Cadet Kirk? How did you . . . ?” His gaze drifted backwards towards Kez and he sighed, “Lieutenant Stibbons, something you’d like to tell me?”

Oh yeah, Kez thought, everyone blame the Sytrox because they could port people around.

Bones stepped in before Kez could respond, “It’s my fault, sir. I gave him -,”

“It’s my fault too!” Kez stepped in, not willing to let Bones take all the blame, “We – well Bones- gave him a sh-,”

“I don’t want to know how!” Pike snapped impatiently, “I want to know why!”

Kez opened her mouth but Pike silenced her with a firm stare.

“Not why you’re on board but why you are standing here in front of me, Kirk.” Then he lowered his voice, “And by God, son. It better be good.”

Kez looked across at Kirk who looked to be readying himself for the one stop shot chance he had to explain himself. Kez willed him with her eyes not to say anything stupid or mess it up; otherwise they were all in for it. Plus she wanted to know what was actually going through his head.

Kirk steadied himself slowly, “I checked the energy description of the energy surge that was reported near Vulcan. The parameters are almost identical to the surge just before the U.S.S Kelvin was attacked by a Romulan ship, on the day of my birth. Furthermore it was described as a lightning storm in space, you know that sir; I read it in your dissertation. That ship was then never seen from or heard of again.

“Last night there was an attack; forty-seven Klingon warbirds were destroyed by Romulans and it was reported that the Romulans were on one ship, sir, one massive ship.”

Kez bit her lip as Pike’s expression darkened, “And you know of the Klingon attack how?”

Kez dared to move slightly in the silence that fell over the bridge, but finally Uhura cleared her throat, “Sir?”

Kez looked across at her friend in disbelief but Uhura just continued to talk, her chin set stubbornly, “I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk’s report is accurate.”

Kirk stepped closer to Pike, “We’re warping into a trap, sir. The Romulans are waiting for us, I promise you that.”

Pike suddenly looked conflicted and seemed to turn towards Spock for some kind of reassurance in the matter.

To Kez’s surprise, Spock had stayed remarkably silent while Kirk had spoken, surveying the scene with alert and calculating eyes.

“The cadet’s logic is sound and Lieutenant Uhura’s record in xenolinguistics is unmatched. We would be wise to accept her conclusion.”

Pike considered this point then looked at Kez who could only stand there hoping this would all be okay.

Then Pike ordered, “Scan Vulcan space. Check for any transmissions in Romulan.”

“Sir, I’m not sure I can distinguish the Romulan language from Vulcan.”

Kez cleared her throat, “Sir, Cadet Uhura can.”

Pike looked at Kez then at Uhura, “Can you -?”

“Cadet Uhura. All three dialects, sir.” Uhura said sharply.

“Then relieve this lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kez watched as Uhura took the seat and began flicking switches.

Pike looked at Kez who just returned the look with stern eyes before looking away.

Kez felt something fall into the pit of her stomach. And Kirk could only stand and watch.