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AvengerbyWilliam ShatnerThis book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, placesand incidents are products of the authors' imagination orare used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events orlocales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020Copyright © 1997 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.STAR TREK is a Registered Trademark of Paramount Pictures.This book is published by Pocket Books, a division ofSimon & Schuster Inc., under exclusive license fromParamount Pictures.All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book orportions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address PocketBooks, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020ISBN: 0-671-55132-9First Pocket Books hardcover printing May 199710 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks ofSimon & Schuster Inc.Printed in the U.S.A.Three is a lucky number. This is the third of a trilogy of novels. AndI ALSO have three editors to whom I wish to dedicate this novel: KevinRyan, John Ordover, and Margaret Clark, members of the illustrious clanof Simon & Schuster. All good things come in threes. Now just to lousethings up, the publisher has asked for another two novels. I've got tofind me a couple of editors!ACKNOWLEDGMENTSGar and Judy Reeves-Stevens deserve accolades, not acknowledgments.What would I have done without them?PROLOGUE.Kirk knew it was over ... in Yosemite The rocky face of El Capitanblurring past him ... on the Enterprise. the bulkhead of the deflectorroom ripped away by the unfathomable power of the Nexus, pulling himinto space ... on Veridian Plunging downward, twisting, in a tangle oftorn metal as Picard defeated Tolian Soran ... ... and on the Borghomeworld. The two captains of the Enterprise, Kirk and Picard, eachready to throw the switch that would shut off all power to thecollective's Central Node The power feedback would be immediate Whoeverthrew that switch would die."It's my job to do it, "' Picard insisted "You've done enough "" ButKirk's course was chosen. His body was being inexorably damaged fromwithin by the Borg nanites that had reconstructed him and brought himback from that undiscovered country that lies beyond life."Jean-Luc, "" he said, I'm dying. "" The nanites would see to that inless than a day. But Picard would not be swayed. "Who isn't?"Spock's voice crackled out of Kirk's comm badge. "Enterprise to awayteam. We are at thirty seconds to emergency beam-out. What is yourstatus?"Picard locked eyes with Kirk. Touched his own comm badge. "This isPicard, Enterprise. Break off your approach. Repeat--"Kirk pushed Picard's hand away from his comm badge, hit his own."'Ignore that last order, Spock. Bring that ship in." "I am not leaving"Picard said.Kirk was about to shout back, when he suddenly stood down."Did you ever try to save the Kobayashi Maru at the Academy?"Picard regarded Kirk with deep suspicion. "Yesss ... But it can't bedone. It's a no-win scenario designed for cadets'. ""Kirk smiled. "That's what they'd like you to believe. But there is astrategy that can win it. It's just that nobody in your time seems to doit anymore. Spock tells me it's a lost art now.""Are you suggesting a compromise?" Kirk thought it over. "You could callit that. "'"Well, "Picard said. "Go ahead. I'm always open to suggestions. '"Kirk nodded. "Good. ""Then he slugged Picard in the jaw as hard as he could. Picard droppedlike deadweight.Kirk dragged Picard by his collar, until he was well away from the powerconduit.He pulled off his own comm badge, touched the front to activate it."Kirk to Enterprise," he said. "Spock here." Kirk smiled.He felt better already."'Keep the ship out of danger, Mr. Spock." He studied the Starfleetdelta in his hand. Remembered when it had belonged only to theEnterprise. But some things had to change. It was the way of the world.Of the universe.He was glad to have been part of it."Lock on to my signal, "Kirk said. "One to beam up." Then he tossed hiscomm badge onto Picard's chest and stepped back.Picard reacted to the impact of the badge. His eyes opened. He lookedup. Started to speak.Then dissolved in the transporter as the Enterprise once more claimedher own.Kirk turned back to the power conduit. Grabbed the lever in both hands.Tested it once to see how much force he might need. Felt it move easily."A second chance, "' he said aloud. Then he closed his eyes. Squeezedhis hands tight. Pulled.Heard a sudden, deafening roar of thunder coming from the dome.Then a scrape as quiet as a footstep behind him. Kirk turned. Opened hiseyes.Saw the shimmer of an energy beam sweep across the floor like asearchlight. Whatever that beam touched glowed as if lit from within,then disappeared.As if the shimmer were a transporter beam.Or a phaser set to disintegrate.The dome above him cracked open with an explosive blossom of energy.Kirk felt the floor rise up beneath him.Less than a heartbeat remained before the energy feedback that he hadset in motion would destroy the Central Node.There was no time for Spock's logic. No time for Mccoy's emotion. Therewas only time for action. And Kirk responded, even in what might be hislast moment of existence.He threw himself forward, dissolving in the beam as all around him wasvaporized.Whatever the beam's origins, whatever it was, Kirk was still alive.Within it.Once more he fell. From El Capitan ... From the Enterprise-B ... Fromthe Veridian precipice ... Alone to his death.As he had always known he must. But without knowing why he knew. Or howhe knew. Until now ... ONE.This was the first time.When it had all begun.When it hurt even to breathe the icy air of Tarsus IV. Blinding snowswirled around him, glistening in the light of the planet's twin moons,covering his tracks as quickly as he made them. He was weak with hunger,shaking with fear and bitter cold as he fled into the darkness, knowingthat he could not run forever.This first time, he was thirteen years old. He was alone and the shadowwas behind him. Running even faster.There could be no doubt. Death pursued him. Relentless. Inescapable.The boy lost his footing in the snow, slammed into the ice prickled barkof a dagger tree, thudded backward to the ground with a gasp of pain.He lost his breath. Tasted blood from a sudden cut on his cheek.Tears ran from his eyes.His whole body ached with the cold, with frustration, with fear, morethan any child, any man, anyone should bear.Sprawled in the snow, the boy gave up, closed his eyes. Saw the face ofKodos staring back at him. A face he would never forget.... boy.., keep running ... Jimmy Kirk's eyes flew open. He looked up,startled, expecting to stare into the glowing barrel of a laser rifle.Whoever had just whispered in his ear could only have been centimetersaway.But there was no one near him.The boy struggled to his feet, convinced he was not alone. But all hesaw was the stabbing shaft of light dancing through the dark silhouettesof the trees, coming from the hand torch of his pursuer... keep running ... The boy stumbled forward, sobbing. His toes burnedwith the cold in his frozen boots.But he ran.Eight thousand people had lived on this planet when he had arrived here.It was a colony world. His parents had friends here. He was to spend asemester with them, then meet his father to travel back home. To Earth.But the Romulans had done something in the Neutral Zone. His father'sleave from Starfleet had been canceled. The shipping lanes closed.And then the fungus struck.It destroyed the grain. Poisoned the animals..Four thousand peoplesurvived on Tarsus IV now.Governor Kodos had killed the other four thousand to extend the foodsupply.It was a "necessity," the governor had told those gathered by the openpits that would be their graves.The boy still heard the lasers. The screams.And still there was not enough food.So thirteen-year-old Jimmy Kirk, with no parents to protect him, noration book to feed him, no one to speak up for him, was selected forthe second list.Out of necessity, said the governor.A beam of light flashed over him.The boy almost fell, knowing he had been found.But the near yet distant voice whispered once more ... keep running ...The boy wavered, confused. It was almost as if he were hearing someoneelse's thoughts.A shaft of light locked on to him.He tried to twist away, but it followed him.He tensed, waiting for the searing pain of a laser, lost his footing,slipped in the ice and the snow, tumbling wildly, arms waving, screamingout for his father as he fell ... alone----into two strong arms that caught him.Saved him.Then a caring voice spoke, calm, reassuring, soothing beyond anyrational explanation. The same voice that had whispered to his mind nowspoke to him in person."Let me help," that voice said, three words which would resonate in theboy's life forever.The boy stopped struggling. He knew it wasn't Kodos who held him, norone of the governor's men.He looked around, suddenly realizing that his run through the woods hadled him to the field where the landing pads were.There was a new ship there, its outline barely visible through theblowing snow. But its viewports and loading bay were clearly defined bythe blin... 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