Sarek (Star Trek: the Original Series) - Softcover

Crispin, A.C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0743403746 ISBN 13: 9780743403740

Publisher: Star Trek, 2000

Synopsis

The novel begins after the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country?. Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson, is dying, and Spock returns to the planet Vulcan where he and Sarek enjoy a rare moment of rapprochement. But just as his wife's illness grows worse, duty calls Sarek away -- once again sowing seeds of conflict between father and son. Yet soon, Sarek and Spock must put aside their differences and work together to foil a far-reaching plot to destroy the Federation -- a plot that Sarek has seen in the making for nearly his entire career. The epic story will take the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise? to the heart of the Klingon Empire, where Captain Kirk's last surviving relative has become a pawn in a battle to divide the Federation...and conquer it. With Sarek's help, the crew of the Starship Enterprise? learns that all is not as it seems. Before they can prevent the Federation's destruction, they must see the face of their hidden enemy -- an enemy more insidious and more dangerous than any they have faced before...

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

Sarek of Vulcan stood at the window of the Vulcan consulate in San Francisco, gazing out with growing disquiet. Today's demonstration by the Keep Earth Human League had begun with only a few picketers, some carrying homemade placards, others more sophisticated holosigns, but, even in the short time he'd been standing there, the crowd had grown rapidly.

Now a full score of shouting humans milled before the gateway. Sarek's Vulcan hearing could easily make out what they were chanting: "KEEP EARTH HU-MAN! KEEP EARTH HU-MAN!" interspersed with occasional, strident shouts of "VULCANS GO HOME!"

"Illogical," murmured a voice from beside him, and the Vulcan ambassador glanced sideways to see his young aide, Soran, standing beside him, his dark eyes troubled. "Last year, the Keep Earth Human League was considered a refuge for weak-minded racists. I examined the records...there were no more than forty or fifty members on this entire planet. But now, Federation Security estimates their numbers to be in the thousands. Why this sudden growth, Ambassador?"

Sarek hesitated, on the verge of giving a vague answer, but instead shook his head slightly, warningly.

"Ambassador Sarek?"

The two Vulcans turned as one of the young diplomatic attachés, Surev, approached. A few minutes ago, the young Vulcan had asked the ambassador if he could spare a moment to be introduced to a human friend of his, and Sarek had graciously agreed. Now, however, Surev's unlined features were even more somber than usual. "Ambassador, I believe we must cancel the meeting I mentioned."

"Why?"

"I just received a communiqué from the Federation Security Office," he announced. "The security chief, Watkins, asks that we stay inside the building until they can dispatch sufficient officers to control the crowd. It is not safe to go outside, and they say that under no circumstances should you agree to meet with the KEHL leader, Ambassador."

Sarek raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Has such a meeting been requested by the leadership?"

Soran cleared his throat slightly. "As a matter of fact, it has, sir," he said. "A message arrived a few minutes ago from the demonstrators."

"Why was I not informed?" the ambassador demanded, turning to face Soran. His aide was obviously taken aback by the question.

"Ambassador, I never considered that you might wish to accede to their demand for a meeting -- that would be most unwise. Possibly dangerous." Soran sounded faintly aggrieved, and Sarek could not blame him. But his aide, as yet, knew nothing of the ambassador's hidden agenda. He would have to take Soran into his confidence today, Sarek decided. He would need help when he made his next trip. And the youth was good with computers -- almost as talented as his own son. Those skills would prove useful.

"Who requested the meeting?" Sarek asked.

"The planetary leader of the KEHL," Surev said. "His name -- or, at least, the name he goes by in the organization -- is Induna. He is from the African nation of Kenya."

Sarek looked out the window again. Surev pointed to a human who stood nearly a head above the others. "That is Induna," he said.

The Vulcan ambassador studied the imposing figure of a dark-skinned human, who wore a silk robe brilliantly patterned in black and red. "I will speak to him," he said, reaching a sudden decision. He needed more information about the KEHL, and firsthand observation would not be amiss.

"Ambassador -- you must not! It is not safe, sir!" Soran half-barred the doorway, struggling to maintain his composure in the face of what must seem extremely anomalous behavior on the part of the senior diplomat.

Sarek merely looked at him for a long second. Soran hesitated, then stepped silently out of the way. Surev half-bowed. "May I at least accompany you as far as the gates, sir?"

Sarek nodded graciously. "Certainly, Surev."

Leaving the domed building and walking down the ramp, Sarek heard the crowd as it caught sight of him, flanked by Surev and Soran. Insults were hurled at the Vulcans, many of them personally directed toward the ambassador himself. The sight of Federation security officers around the fringes of the crowd was reassuring.

The Vulcan approached the demonstrators, seeing that someone had closed the gates to the consulate, which had always stood open before this. Shouts and epithets filled the air:

"They want to take over Earth! Spawn of the devil!"

"Dirty aliens, think they're so smart!"

"Go back to Vulcan!"

"Vulcans go home!"

Approaching the gateway, Sarek raised his voice to be heard. "I am Ambassador Sarek," he called out. "I understand that Induna wishes to speak with me. Which of you is Induna?"

In response, the crowd (which now numbered forty or fifty people) parted, and the KEHL leader stepped forth. "I am Induna," he announced. His voice was a deep, bass rumble.

"Greetings, Induna," Sarek said, raising his hand in the Vulcan salute. "I wish you peace and long life."

"I accept no good wishes from Earth's enemy," Induna said coldly.

"I assure you that I wish only good relations between our worlds," Sarek said. "I invite you to enter the gates, so we may speak together."

The man drew himself up, clearly antagonistic. "I have nothing to say to you, Ambassador, that cannot be said within hearing of those who follow me. And I refuse to speak with a being so cowardly that he hides behind gates."

"I am not hiding, nor do I have anything to hide," Sarek corrected him, his tones civil but firm. The ambassador heard shouts from the crowd, but Induna appeared to be able to control his followers. "Very well, then, I will come to you, so we may speak together like civilized beings." Before either of his companions could remonstrate with him, Sarek reached out and opened the gate. Head high, still flanked by the young diplomats, he strode forward into the crowd, straight for Induna.

The moment he stepped into their midst, brushing against the demonstrators, Sarek was nearly sickened by the miasma of hatred that he sensed from the humans in the crowd. His planet and this world had been allies and friends for over a century. How could such a thing be happening now?

The KEHL leader was clearly taken aback as the ambassador approached him, but recovered his aplomb quickly. Turning to the crowd, he motioned for quiet -- but instead the shouting intensified.

"Vulcans go home!"

"Sarek sold out Earth to the Klingons!"

Induna gestured again, more peremptorily. "Let me speak to this Vulcan, my friends and comrades," he ordered. "If I can make him see that he and his kind have no place on our world, then he will leave Earth! We do not want war, we want peace -- they can keep to their planet, as we shall keep to ours!"

The protesters closest to their leader obeyed, but others, farther back in the crowd, continued to hurl abuse.

"Go back to Vulcan!"

"Vulcans go home! Vulcans go home!"

The crowd surged wildly, and then someone threw a clod of dirt. Other refuse followed. Sarek smelled rotting vegetables.

"Stop!" Induna shouted, and the missiles halted -- but the crowd was clearly getting out of control. "Quiet down!" the leader commanded. The noise abated slightly.

"We have no designs on your world," Sarek cried, raising his voice to be heard above the demonstrators. "Our species have been allies for decades. We -- "

"Go back to Vulcan, damn you!"

The angry shriek cut through Sarek's voice like a knife. The crowd swelled and heaved like a storm-tossed sea. "She's right! Go home!" screamed another protester. "Devil's spawn!" yelled yet another.

"Quiet!" Induna roared. "Let us speak -- "

But the leader's words were lost as the crowd surged forward. Missiles filled the air. An egg spattered against Soran's robe. "Filthy aliens!" screamed an old woman.

The missiles g

Edition details

• Publisher: Star Trek
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0743403746
• ISBN 13: 9780743403740
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 416