Khatami feared the situation on the planet had just taken a turn for the worse—and that she was about to send her landing party into the thick of it. “Are the Klingons hearing this?”
He looked at his screens. “Yes, sir. They’re receiving it now.”
“I want to hear it, from the beginning. Put it on speakers.” She sat back and waited while Estrada queued up the incoming message for playback.
A feminine voice wafted down from the overhead speakers. “This message is for the people on the sky-ships above us. I don’t know where you’ve come from, what you want, or why you’ve involved us in whatever fight you seem to be waging. But know this: You are not welcome on Arethusa, either of you. My name is Nimur, and I rule this world. Tell your people, and anyone else who might be foolish enough to come here: If you trespass on our soil again, you will do so at your own peril. Because as of now, Arethusa, and every living thing that dwells upon it—including your stranded comrades—are now mine. This will be your only warning.”
The transmission stopped, and a shocked silence settled over the Endeavour’s bridge. Khatami looked over her shoulder at Estrada. “Anything else?”
He shook his head. “No, sir. That’s the whole message.”
Stano grimaced. “I bet the Klingons are gonna love that.”
McCormack let out a cynical harrumph. “I’m surprised they aren’t glassing the planet.”
“Give them time,” Neelakanta deadpanned.
Khatami stood and strode forward, doing her best to project confidence and authority. “Lieutenant McCormack, keep our shields at maximum, and arm all weapons.”
McCormack entered the commands as she asked in a shaky voice, “Am I targeting the planet or the Klingons?”
Neelakanta muttered with dry gallows humor, “With our luck? Both.”
Khatami cursed her luck with a grim sigh. So begins another glorious day in Starfleet.
TO BE CONTINUED IN
Point of Divergence
by
Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Acknowledgments
Kara, my wife: Thank you for, as of this writing, suffering me to go on living under your roof. I’m sure my friends would all say that suffering is the operative word to describe your patient forbearance of my ongoing writerly foibles.
Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore: Thanks for agreeing to follow me on another damned-fool fictional crusade into the Star Trek universe. It wouldn’t be the same without you guys at my side. Here’s hoping our new mission to tell tales of strange new worlds and new life-forms in the twenty-third century is one that we’ll continue together for years to come.
Rob Caswell, artist extraordinaire: Without your unique vision, and your inspired pairing of the cover-art aesthetics of James Blish’s classic Star Trek anthologies from the 1970s with Masao Okazaki’s masterful design for the Archer-class scout ship Sagittarius, we might never have conceived of Star Trek: Seekers. We all owe you a debt of gratitude. I salute you, sir.
My esteemed editors, publisher, and licensor: Thanks for letting us build another new corner in the Star Trek sandbox. We’ll try not to break too many of your toys this time.
Lucienne, my agent: I promise I will get back to work on my new original novel manuscript very soon. (And this time, I mean it.)
Bourbon: You’re perfect just the way you are. Don’t ever change.
Lastly, I extend my gratitude to you, gentle readers, for all your kind support and encouragement. Here’s hoping that Star Trek: Seekers exceeds your wildest expectations.
Ciao!
About the Author
David Mack is a professional working on a closed course. Do not attempt to replicate his literary stunts without trained supervision. Learn more at his official website:
www.davidmack.pro
Read more adventures of the starships
Endeavour and Sagittarius in the saga of
Harbinger
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Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Reap the Whirlwind
David Mack
Open Secrets
Dayton Ward
David Mack
Declassified
(anthology)
Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore,
Marco Palmieri, David Mack
What Judgments Come
Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Storming Heaven
David Mack
In Tempest’s Wake
Dayton Ward
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Cover art and design by Rob Caswell
ISBN 978-1-4767-5307-2
ISBN 978-1-4767-5312-6 (ebook)