The Rings of Tautee Read Online Free PDF

ruffled, as if he'd been running his hands through it. Not at all the smiling, relaxed Jim Kirk that Bogle was used to.
    Was it the Klingons?
    Or the system destruction itself? Bogle really
    THE RINGS OF TAUTEE hadn't had time to absorb the system's destruction or its meaning yet. He suspected he would have to do that in private.
    Then Kirk grinned, and Bogle saw the friend he had spent many a satisfying shore leave with.
    'Kelly, nice to have you with us."
    "Good to be here, Jim," Bogle said. He'd worked with Jim Kirk a number of times in the past and it had always been successful despite their different command methods. Kirk seemed to have an ability to come out on top. As far as Bogle was concerned, that was a great trait for a teammate to have.
    Someone spoke behind Kirk and his grin faded. "Tell your crew to hang on to something." His voice was serious and very cold.
    "Now."
    Bogle didn't hesitate or even ask why.
    He grabbed the arms of his own captain's chair, and then punched his intercom. "This is the captain. Find yourself something solid and hang on to it. We[*thorn]" The ship moaned and then jolted backward.
    Bogle's finger flew off the button, effectively ending the communications.
    The ship rattled and moaned like a sick teenager, first to one side and then the other. His officers twisted and leaned, but didn't lose their places.
    He had only felt something like this once bef[*thorngg'in a battle with the Bnez when he was an ensign. The Bnez had rammed his ship.
    Sparks flew from Commander Lee's panel, but he just fanned the smoke away and continued working.
    Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch Another hard jolt sent an ensign sprawling.
    "Intense subspacewave, sir," Lee shouted over the rumbling and moaning. "It should be passing right about . . . now."
    As Lee spoke, the shaking diminished and stopped.
    Silence descended over the bridge like a heavy blanket.
    Bogle tapped his comm button and hailed his chief engineer, ProjeffEllis. Ellis could lead a team of engineers through a desert and come out the other side with a pool full of water and a blonde swimming in it. "Pro, what's the damage?"
    "None, sir." The chief's voice came back strong. "Just a few bruises and some wounded pride."
    "Thanks," Bogle said. He turned to Gustavus. She still clutched her console, her knuckles white with the strain. "Hail the Enterprise for me."
    "There's no need, sir," she said. "They're still on-screen."
    Kirk's hair looked even more tousled, and his cheeks were red, as if he'd been exerting himself.
    Bogle suspected he didn't look much better.
    "That was some welcome," Bogle said.
    "Thanks," Kirk said, smiling. "Expect it every five-point-four minutes. This is a charming section of space."
    "I'm gathering that," Bogle said. He glanced at Lee, who nodded. Apparently his science officer's assessment of the sector was the same as Kirk's.
    Behind Kirk, Bogle heard a woman say, "Captain, we are being hailed by the Klingons."
    THE RINGS OF TAUTEE Kirk nodded to Bogle. "I'll patch this through to you. It should be interesting."
    Bogle laughed. "Thanks." The screen went blank.
    Everything with Kirk was always interesting. Never by the book, but always interesting.
    Chapter Six PUT THE KLINGONS on screen, Kirk said after Captain Bogle's face disappeared. "And patch this through to the Farragut."
    "Aye, sir," Uhura said.
    Kirk rose so that he would face the Klingons head-on. He spread his feet slightly, his hands on his hips. He would let Bogle, an old friend, see the shock Kirk felt at the destruction of the entire section, but he would let the Klingons only see his anger.
    His very deep anger.
    But he did have to handle this well. There were possible survivors to think of.
    The rescue would be delicate at best.
    Impossible at worst.
    After a moment, Klingon Supreme Commander 40 THE RINGS OF TAUTEE KerDaq appeared on the screen. He wore the standard Klingon military uniform, with two insignias near his right shoulder Kirk had