Chapter One

U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
FEDERATION SPACE

Captain's Log Stardate 3197.2.

The Enterprise is headed for System 7348 at best speed, but it is still three days away. The crew is tense. Though the diplomats are even now making a final push, few doubt that war with the Klingon Empire is imminent. The question on the minds of the crew: will the first shots be fired at the Enterprise when we reach our destination? I know we will be facing a Klingon warship when we arrive. And despite the claims of the Klingon Empire, I am sure that whatever the Klingon vessel's purpose, it is not to make peaceful contact with the primitive genetic Klingons on that world. For now, we have no choice but to wait and see.

"CAPTAIN, I'M READING a distress signal," Lieutenant Uhura said.

Captain Kirk was immediately alert. He felt Doctor McCoy tense behind him as he turned to his communications officer and asked, "Who is it?"

Uhura shook her head. "It's very faint… I'm boosting power." She waited for a few seconds. "I have it. The message is from a civilian ship called the… Harmony."

"Location?" Kirk said.

A flash of surprise registered on Uhura's face. "The message originates from 2.7 light-years inside Klingon space."

There was a collective intake of breath from the bridge crew, and even Spock raised an eyebrow. "What in hell is a civilian ship doing there?" McCoy said, giving voice to what everyone else was thinking.

"Mister Spock?" Kirk asked.

There was a momentary pause as Spock studied the viewer at the science station. Then the Vulcan looked up. "The Harmony is a privately owned passenger vessel. It left Earth orbit heading for an agricultural colony twenty-seven light-years from the point of origin of the distress call. The flight plan for the trip was filed by the Anti-Federation League."

"Someone made one hell of a detour," McCoy said.

"Could it really be them, Spock?" Kirk said.

The half-Vulcan nodded. "There is no record of the Harmony making orbit anywhere. And if the vessel traveled at nearly its top cruising speed, it could have reached Klingon space by now."

"Why would anyone do that?" McCoy said.

"The Anti-Federation League has been extremely critical of both Starfleet and the Federation throughout the current crisis with the Klingon Empire. They have launched a number of efforts via subspace communications to establish private peace talks with the Empire. The Empire has declined their offers to date."

"Then why would…?" McCoy started to ask, his voice trailing off. It didn't seem to make sense, but Kirk already had the answer forming in his mind.

"They may have taken the initiative anyway," Kirk said. It fit the profile.

A few months earlier, the Enterprise had answered a distress call from an Anti-Federation League colony. They had come under attack from Orions, whom Kirk had good reason to believe were working with the Klingons to test Starfleet tactics and capabilities.

Sam Fuller had led the rescue. Fifty-nine colonists had been saved, with only one lost during the operation. The mission had been a success… a success that had cost the Enterprise too many of her crew. A number of others were injured, Sam Fuller among them. Sam had been lucky on that mission. His luck had run out just a few weeks later.

"How long would it take us at maximum warp to reach their position, Mister Spock?" Kirk said.

The Vulcan did not have to check his computer terminal for that data. "Twelve hours, fourteen minutes. However, I must point out that any delay in our arrival at System 7348 will only give the Klingons more time to establish their position there."

Kirk knew that. If war was truly inevitable, then any advantage that he allowed the Klingons now might cost lives later. Simple logic, as Spock would say. Turning his head to Doctor McCoy, Kirk said, "Bones?"

"Jim, we don't even know if they are alive, or if they sent the message at all. This is more than likely a Klingon trick," McCoy said.

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