Star Trek: Starfleet Academy #3: Cadet Kirk Read online

  Before he became the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise…

  James T. Kirk was a “by-the-book” Starfleet Academy cadet. Until he had to throw the book away!

  It was a simple shuttle trip—just a quick hop to a nearby planet where renowned computer genius Richard Daystrom will give a lecture. But then a tractor beam forces the shuttle to land at a remote Federation outpost. Medical Intern McCoy, Ensign Spock and Cadet Kirk have been kidnapped by space pirates! They’re outnumbered and outgunned. McCoy and Spock simply want to escape and alert the authorities. But Professor Daystrom is the real target, and his shuttle will be entering this region of space soon. For Daystrom's sake, the fiery young Kirk is determined to destroy the pirates’ outpost—even if he has to do it alone.

  “There they are,” Cadet Kirk said.

  McCoy looked up. On the screen, inside the bright circles of the landing pad, were several men watching them come in.

  “What’re they holding?” he asked.

  “Laser rifles, that’s what!” Abruptly Cadet Kirk leaned into his controls, snapped off a couple of connections, and took the throttle in his right hand and the steering console in his left. He leaned forward, and the engines whined in response.

  “Cadet!” Spock shouted. “We will overshoot the complex!”

  The cadet nodded sharply. “I’ll be sure to do that, sir!”

  At that instant, the Atlantis complex sheared past beneath them. Instead of veering toward it, the craft muscled past, screaming and fighting against the tractor beam.

  “That was not an order!” Spock reached out for the piloting controls. “Stop immediately!”

  The cadet put out his own hand, just long enough to nudge Spock back. Not exactly a hit, but a firm bump. “Too late, sir!”

  “Release your controls, Cadet!”

  “It’s too late! Everybody hang on! We’re crashing!”

  Star Trek: The Next Generation

  STARFLEET ACADEMY

  #1 Worf’s First Adventure

  #2 Line of Fire

  #3 Survival

  #4 Capture the Flag

  #5 Atlantis Station

  #6 Mystery of the Missing Crew

  #7 Secret of the Lizard People

  #8 Starfall

  #9 Nova Command

  #10 Loyalties

  #11 Crossfire

  #12 Breakaway

  #13 The Haunted Starship

  #14 Deceptions

  Star Trek:

  STARFLEET ACADEMY

  #1 Crisis on Vulcan

  #2 Aftershock

  #3 Cadet Kirk

  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

  #1 The Star Ghost

  #2 Stowaways

  #3 Prisoners of Peace

  #4 The Pet

  #5 Arcade

  #6 Field Trip

  #7 Gypsy World

  #8 Highest Score

  #9 Cardassian Imps

  #10 Space Camp

  #11 Day of Honor: Honor Bound

  #12 Trapped in Time

  Star Trek: Voyager

  STARFLEET ACADEMY

  #1 Lifeline

  #2 The Chance Factor

  #3 Quarantine

  Star Trek movie tie-in

  Star Trek Generations

  Star Trek First Contact

  Available from MINSTREL Books

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  The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as “unsold and destroyed.” Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this “stripped book.”

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A MINSTREL PAPERBACK Original

  A Minstrel Book published by POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  Copyright © 1996 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

  STAR TREK is a Registered Trademark of Paramount Pictures.

  This book is published by Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc., under exclusive license from Paramount Pictures.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-671-00077-2

  First Minstrel Books printing October 1996

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  A MINSTREL BOOK and colophon are registered-trademarks of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  Dedicated to the children of the men and women of

  the United States Armed Forces

  Starfleet Timeline

  1969

  Neil Armstrong walks on Earth’s moon.

  2156

  Romulan Wars begin between Earth forces and the Romulan Star Empire.

  2160

  Romulan peace treaty signed, establishing the Neutral Zone.

  2161

  United Federation of Planets formed; Starfleet established with charter “to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

  2218

  First contact with the Klingon Empire.

  2245

  Starship U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 launched on its first five-year mission under the command of Captain Robert April and First Officer Christopher Pike.

  2249

  Spock enters Starfleet Academy as the first Vulcan student. Leonard McCoy enters Starfleet Medical School.

  2250

  James T. Kirk enters Starfleet Academy.

  2251

  Christopher Pike assumes command of the Enterprise for its second five-year mission.

  2252

  Spock, still a Starfleet cadet, begins serving under Captain Pike on the Enterprise.

  2253

  Spock graduates from Starfleet Academy. Leonard McCoy graduates from Starfleet Medical School.

  2254

  James T. Kirk graduates from Starfleet Academy. As a lieutenant, Kirk is assigned duty aboard the U.S.S. Farragut.

  2261

  U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, completes its third five-year mission.

  2263

  James T. Kirk is promoted to captain of the Enterprise and meets Christopher Pike, who is promoted to fleet captain.

  2264

  Captain James T. Kirk, in command of the U.S.S. Enterprise, embarks on a historic five-year mission of exploration.

  2266

  Dr. Leonard McCoy replaces Dr. Mark Piper as chief medical officer aboard the Enterprise.

  2269

  Kirk’s original five-year mission ends, and Starship Enterprise returns to spacedock. Kirk is promoted to admiral.

  2271

  U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on Kirk’s second five-year mission (Star Trek: The Motion Picture).

  2277

  James T. Kirk accepts a teaching position at Starfleet Academy; Spock assumes command of the Starship Enterprise.

  2285

  In orbit around the Genesis planet, Kirk orders the destruction of the Starship Enterprise to prevent the ship from falling into Klingon hands (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock).

  2286

  Kirk is demoted to captain and assigned command of the Starship Enterprise NCC-1701-A (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).

  2287

  The Enterprise is commandeered by Sybok, Spo
ck’s half-brother, and taken to the center of the galaxy (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier).

  2292

  Alliance between the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire collapses.

  2293

  The Klingon Empire launches a major peace initiative; the crews of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the U.S.S. Excelsior, captained by Hikaru Sulu, thwart a conspiracy to sabotage the Khitomer Peace Conference. Afterward, the Enterprise-A is decommissioned, and Kirk retires from Starfleet.

  U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B, under the command of Captain John Harriman, is severely damaged on her maiden voyage. Honored guest Captain James T. Kirk is listed as missing, presumed killed in action.

  2344

  U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-C, under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett, is destroyed while defending the Klingon outpost on Narendra III from Romulan attack.

  2346

  Romulan massacre of Klingon outpost on Khitomer.

  2364

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard assumes command of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D.

  2367

  Borg attack at Wolf 359; U.S.S. Saratoga destroyed; First Officer Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko and his son, Jake, are among the survivors; Enterprise defeats the Borg vessel in orbit around Earth.

  2369

  Commander Benjamin Sisko assumes command of Deep Space Nine in orbit over Bajor.

  2371

  U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D destroyed on Veridian III.

  Former Enterprise captain James T. Kirk emerges from a temporal nexus, but dies helping Picard save the Veridian system.

  U.S.S. Voyager, under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway, is accidentally transported to the Delta Quadrant. The crew begins a 70-year journey back to Federation space.

  2372

  The Klingon Empire’s attempted invasion of Cardassia Prime results in the dissolution of the Khitomer peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

  Source: Star Trek® Chronology / Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda

  Chapter 1

  “This is the coldest loading bay I’ve ever been in! I hope that bucket has heat inside, because I’m losing the feeling in my toes. Is that the door? You’re in my way, kid.”

  This was one of those days. The annoying kind. The kind when nothing went wrong, exactly, but a hundred little tiny things didn’t go right.

  Like at this moment, there was a hole in Leonard McCoy’s left shoe. He’d gotten dressed in the dark this morning because his eyes were tired. That was because he stayed up too late last night studying for an exam on the Orion respiratory system, and he’d accidentally put on an old pair of shoes that he had intended to throw away.

  Now they were on McCoy’s feet. Every time he took a step, cold air was sucked into that hole, blasting the side of his foot.

  And there, in the middle of the loading bay, was the Zodiac-class warp shuttle, all warmed up. He was finally going to be able to settle down in a quiet, warm vehicle and read a book.

  But there was something in his way.

  The uniformed individual he’d just asked to move aside.

  McCoy noticed the kid’s face—fair-skinned, with a touch of outdoor ruddiness, topped by buff-colored hair. The hazel-eyed teenager wore the typical tinsel-gray shirt of a Starfleet Academy student. The traditional color had been around almost a hundred years, and was meant to imitate the shimmer of water off Point Bonita Light at the entrance of San Francisco Bay. The fabric had been chosen by one of the first Starfleet admirals, inspired as he looked out over the Bay past the 1877 lighthouse. That was when they had decided to locate Starfleet Command and the Academy in San Francisco.

  The younger fellow didn’t seem impressed by McCoy’s gruff attitude. “I’m not a kid, sir,” the kid said. “I’m a cadet.”

  McCoy nodded briskly. “Good for you. Pardon me.”

  But the cadet stayed in the way. “Sorry. Regulations say you can’t board any Starfleet vessel without proper authorization.”

  “Starfleet vessel!” McCoy looked at the scout ship.

  It was a banged-up box with two sausage-shaped impulse engines running the whole length of the hull and extending beyond the small crew compartment. On a vessel this small, the hyperlight engine system made up almost half the craft’s weight. It was hardly a “Starfleet vessel” in the way this kid was referring to it.

  “What do you mean I can’t board?” McCoy demanded. He palmed his brown hair back and wished he’d gotten a haircut yesterday.

  “You’re not allowed to go on board. That’s the rule, sir.”

  “Look, strong-arm, have you given any thought to why that rule exists?”

  “No, sir.”

  “That code is to keep people from wandering onto ships of the line and full-sized transports, not two-ton taxicabs, Corporal.”

  “That’s not what it says, sir. It says ‘any’ Starfleet vessel. And I’m a cadet, sir.”

  “But you’re supposed to pick me up!”

  The cadet’s jaw tightened. “I have my passenger manifest. Your name’s not on it. Regulations say you can’t get on this shuttle without authorization. Nobody but a flight officer can change that without signed orders from Starfleet Central Dispatch. I haven’t received any order countermanding my manifest.”

  McCoy stepped to one side and waved his arm toward the distant control offices. “All you have to do is walk across the bay to that communications station over there. Contact Central Dispatch and verify the change in your orders. How about that?”

  “I’m not allowed to leave my ship, sir.”

  “Not allowed—your ship?” The medic tried to keep the blood running in his cold legs and feet. “How ’bout if I stand guard while you go over there and contact Dispatch?”

  “You’re not authorized to do that, sir.”

  Stiffening, McCoy pulled at his shirt. “What do you think this rag is? I’m a Starfleet ensign.”

  “Medical Corps, sir. Only Starfleet flight-certified officers can countermand the orders of—”

  “Yes,” McCoy interrupted, “but I outrank you.”

  The feisty cadet raised his chin. “You can certainly order me around,” he said, and cocked his head toward the warp shuttle. “But you can’t order the ship around.”

  Staring, McCoy leaned forward. “Are you saying I’ve got to have a blessing from Starfleet Command to stand next to a box with an engine on it while you walk across the loading bay?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Look, Generalissimo, I don’t want to stand out here—freezing—until you find a regulation you like. Something’s got to give.”

  “Yes, sir, as soon as the person arrives who is on the manifest. We’ll see if he brings any changes in orders for me.”

  “Listen, junior!” McCoy blurted. “It’s freezing out here! I was told to come to this bay and pick up this dogsled, right here, on this dock. I’m getting on board before I have to test for my medical license by amputating my own toes. Stand aside.”

  McCoy tucked his chin and took three steps up the stumpy boarding ramp, heading for the open hatchway. He could hear the heater whirring inside.

  But suddenly the cadet jumped up onto the top of the ramp, a clean three-foot hop. “I’d rather not have to prevent you from doing so, sir,” he said flatly, being careful of his tone.

  He stood with legs braced, blocking the hatchway.

  The country boy in Leonard McCoy made him think about duking it out with this cocky kid, because that was how a lot of folks handled things back in Georgia, where he came from.

  On the other hand, a lot of people back there needed medical care. He’d spent his younger days patching together the bruised and broken parts of other kids in his neighborhood. Now he was a medical intern, on his way toward becoming a doctor.

  He gazed up the ramp at the stocky body and muscular thighs and arms of the younger fellow, elbows slightly bent. The kid had a wrestler’s body, compact and strong, and eyes like amber tigers staring out
of the dark grass.

  McCoy started to think he might be smarter not to have to patch himself together.

  With most of his weight on his aching foot, he held still for a moment. “I’d … rather you didn’t have to either. Maybe I’ll just stand out here in the nice cold bay….”

  “Good idea, sir.”

  McCoy backed down the ramp. The cadet didn’t move until the medic cleared the ramp.

  Then he got off too.

  “So,” McCoy attempted, “when do you think the iron gate might go up and I could get on board?”

  “As soon as the person who is supposed to be transported gets here. Then we’ll see if the manifest has been amended.”

  “I guess I’ll wait.”

  “I guess you will.” The cadet turned his back and attended to something inside an open mechanics hatch.

  No matter how much McCoy stared in blustering anger at the spot right between the boy’s shoulder blades, the cadet refused to note that he was being stared at.

  What a snot! the medic thought. This was one of those military types who not only followed rules, but actually liked them. Probably came from a long line of soldiers. Could probably quote the rank, regiment, and serial number of his great-great-great-grandfather from the Light Brigade.

  Ah-hah! Somebody was coming through the access tunnel from the main terminal. He could see a narrow form walking their way, cast in shadows inside the tunnel. Finally!

  He kept his eyes on the lean form striding toward them. Narrow shoulders, long legs, no hat, but maybe a helmet, the newcomer stepped into the bright lights of the loading dock.