civilization. They generally accept one postulant a season, so I doubt
that we need worry about contamination here."
Anitra sighed. "That's a relief. How's McCoy?"
Spock looked over at her. She had asked the question casually enough,
but even now, she could not hide the eagerness in her eyes. "He seems
to have suffered no permanent damage."
"I'm glad," she said simply and looked away.
Spock did not answer.
Soltar came to a halt in front of a high stone door and pushed it
aside; inside, the High Master sat, regal and silver-haired, in the
solitude of an empty chamber.
"High Master T'Sai," Soltar said from a respectful distance.
She opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Strangers," said Soltar, "needing our assistance." He bowed and left
the room.
T'Sai's face was quintessential^ Vulcan expressionless, devoid of
emotion, ancient and ageless at the same time. Yet it lacked the
severity of most Vulcan countenances, and the masklike quality of
Soltar's or Spock's. It was benign, childlike, a sincere reflection of
her innermost being. Although the others struggled to suppress
emotion, T'Sai had simply emptied herself of it.
Spock stepped forward. "I am Spock."
"Spock," T'Sai repeated in a very low, dreamlike
voice. "I have heard the name. The child of Sarek and Amanda, is
it?"
Spock bowed his head in acknowledgment.
"What manner of assistance do you require of us, Spock?"
"There are three of us," Spock said. "We were crossing the desert at
night when one of us--a human --was injured, slowing our pace. When
sunrise came, the heat was too much for him."
"We will see to him," T'Sai said. "What more can we do?"
"We need food."
"That can be provided." She examined him with serene black eyes. "You
are wearing communicators --the Star Fleet uniforms. Why did you not
contact your vessel for assistance?" There was no suspicion in her
question; merely--or perhaps Anitra imagined it--the smallest hint of
curiosity.
"Our ship is out of range. There was no other means of assistance."
"The frequency on your communicator could have been adjusted to contact
authorities in the capital."
Spock bowed his head silently for a moment. When he raised it, he
said, "We do not wish to have the authorities aware of our presence.
Here, in the isolation of Gol, you are not aware that an evil has
invaded our people."
Anitra watched, but T'Sai's expression shifted not even minutely. "What
evil is this?"
"An evil which devours personalities. It ... possesses. It brings
about violence. Vulcans are murdering each other, T'Sai."
TSai's eyes closed. "As in the time before Surak." She opened them
again and fastened them on Spock. "This evil--how many are
affected?"
"Impossible to estimate at present. It spreads rapidly; it is the same
force which destroyed the Hydrilla sector. You must maintain your
isolation; you must not accept any new postulants."
"But what of Vulcan?" T'Sai asked; her voice was as soft as a sigh.
"Shall we remain in the mountains while madness spreads?"
"We're going to the capital to try to reverse what has happened,"
Anitra spoke up. From the silence that followed and the look that
Spock gave her, she realized that she had committed a breach of Vulcan
courtesy.
"And you are?" T'Sai asked.
"Anitra." In spite of herself, she flushed.
"I am not familiar with the name. It is Terran?"
"It is."
"It is imperative that we reach the capital, T'Sai." Spock gestured
toward Anitra. "My companion here has an uncommon telepathic gift; she
scientist of great capabilities. With equipment at the Vulcan Science
Academy, we hope to find a means of rescuing our people."
"She would benefit from our training," T'Sai said approvingly. "And
the human with you?"
"A physician. When our ship was overtaken, he was one of the few who
escaped control."
"If you reach ShanaiKahr," T'Sai said slowly, "but find yourselves
unable to locate a solution--what then?"
"Vulcan will suffer the same fate as the other planets in the Hydrilla
sector. And not only Vulcan will be affected. The planets in the
Hydrilla sector had developed only a very crude means of interplanetary
travel; they had not yet discovered warp drive and could not leave
their own solar system. With starships available to carry the
madness--"
T'Sai raised a hand to silence him. "You speak of the destruction of
the galaxy," she said.
Chapter Nine
"FILING better?" AiMiTRA knelt down next to Me Coy and smiled at
him.
He opened his eyes and smiled at the sound of her voice and struggled
to sit up. She put a hand on his arm to help him; he tried to push it
away, but she was firm. "If you aren't a sight for sore eyes .. ." He
stretched stiffly.
"I don't suppose those rocks make a very comfortable bed."
"Beats the desert all to hell." McCoy unconsciously rubbed the bruised
ankle, keeping his eyes on her all the while, mesmerized. She had
changed out of her uniform and wore the soft, draping folds of a desert
soft suit--a size too large, but its golden color made her hair seem,
if at all possible, even redder.
She was meeting his eyes intently, the imp replaced by the houri. "You
had us very worried."
"Sorry about that. You'd never know it, but I once got a merit badge
in hiking--"
"A what?"
"A merit badge. Weren't you ever a scout?" McCoy asked.
She shook her head.
"Pity. You'd have made a good one."
"Thanks ... I think. Hungry?"
McCoy shrugged. The nausea, at least, had passed. "A little. But if
all you've got is d'manu vine, you can forget it."
Anitra laughed. "Nothing of the sort. I can bring you a home-cooked
meal--vegetarian, of course, but not bad."
"Where did you find something to cook in all this sand?"
"There's a group of about fifty Vulcans living in this mountain. Spock
calls them the masters of Gol. I think it's some sort of religious
thing. They keep to themselves --they didn't even know what's been
happening on Vulcan."
McCoy made a face. "Religious Vulcans, huh? I bet they have one hell
of a sense of humor."
"Not particularly. The High Master had the nerve to tell me I should
sign up for Vulcan lessons."
Her expression of outrage was so comical that McCoy laughed. "I can
just see it now. What'd you do, put a frog in his ceremonial robe?"
"Her robe," Anitra corrected. A look of mischief crossed her face.
"Frogs are few and far between here, but it's an idea.. .."
"Oh, no," McCoy said with mock horror, "let's not get you started--"
"Don't worry," she sighed. "Spock would never forgive me."
"So? All the more reason to do it. Besides, what do you care what
Spock thinks? Anyone who would risk court-martial pl
aying a joke like
that on the captain--"
"Maybe that was the idea," she said, but she still smiled.
"Uh-oh. This sounds serious."
"I'm never serious. It's just that I hate spit and polish, the whole
rank thing. There are days when I'm sorry I signed up."
"Why did you?" McCoy asked seriously.
"It seemed like fun. Travel the galaxy, meet unexpected danger--"
"Well, you've certainly done that. But look, you haven't been in the
service long enough. Give it a chance. It might grow on you."
"I've been in it long enough to know. Of course, I'm sure it's all
there in my psychological profile rebellious, dislikes authority--"
"It doesn't say that at all."
Her expression became curious. "Oh?"
"No. As a matter of fact, it says that you are--" He ticked them off
on his fingers, "Intelligent, creative, stubborn, sensitive,
telepathic, a practical joker, stubborn, optimistic ... did I say
stubborn?"
"Twice," she giggled.
"Oops, almost forgot--and extremely beautiful."
"That's not in there," she said, lowering her eyes.
"I know. But it's quite true."
"I never noticed."
"I have," he said. And he leaned over and kissed her.
Uhura had made it back from sealing Amanda safely inside her quarters
when she returned and found Kirk missing. It was preposterous--there
was no way that he could have recuperated that quickly, and yet he
had, and she could only hope that he had not been able to stop Spock
and the others--but there was no way of knowing. She had cursed
herself soundly for not taking the extra precaution of locking him in
the small lounge first. After some time of sitting and waiting, she
decided to take matters into her own hands and risk looking for Kirk
herself. It beat waiting around for him to find her. She had searched
for hours on C deck, thinking that the likely place to find him, and
had given up in despair and returned to auxiliary. It was then that
she saw Kirk waiting for her outside auxiliary. She swore softly under
her breath. Luckily, he had not yet caught sight of her, and she
pressed her back against the wall of the eme rgency shaft. Discretion,
she decided, was the better part of valor, and she angled herself
forward just enough to be sure her shot would not miss.
She fired, and Kirk crumpled compliantly on the floor. "Sorry about
that, sir," she said sincerely, unable to shake the feeling that she
should be court martialed for what she had just done.
She studied his limp form with indecision. She couldn't leave him
outside--he knew where she was, and had obviously been waiting for her.
When he came to again, he would alert the others. Besides, she felt a
pang of guilt at the thought of leaving him in the hallway, at the
mercy of God knows what. She dragged him into auxiliary control and
sighed. She most definitely could not leave him in here--she'd have to
hit him over the head or stun him each time he revived. The thought
struck her as perversely humorous, and she giggled at the insanity of
the situation.
It was then that her eyes came upon the small lounge She dragged Kirk
into the small room, and with a touch of consideration and a lot of
grunting, pulled him up onto the couch. She walked outside and pressed
the panel that sealed the lounge off, turned, and, resting her back
against the door, sank to the floor with a sigh.
The sound of a contrived cough at the entrance to the small cave made
McCoy and Anitra break off their embrace immediately. Spock entered
with a tray of food.
Anitra brushed a stray lock of hair back. "I'll be back," she murmured
and went outside.
Flustered, McCoy straightened his tunic.
Spock set the tray down. "I thought your appetite might have improved,
Doctor."
"Hm? Oh ... yes. Thanks, Spock." McCoy gingerly inspected the
contents of the tray. "Anitra was just explaining to me where we
are."
"Obviously," Spock said, making McCoy shoot him a guilty glance, but
the Vulcan's expression was one of innocence.
McCoy cleared his throat nervously. "How long have we been here?"
"Only four-point-two hours, Doctor. Your recovery has been most
rapid."
"I'm sorry I was such a problem. I don't know why the heat got to me
so fast.. .."
"It has nothing to do with you personally. It's a matter of
physiology. All humans are affected in the same way by the heat."
"Well, even so, I'm sorry that I held us up."
Spock nodded. "It is an inconvenience."
McCoy reddened. "You don't have to be so damn blunt, Spock."
The Vulcan continued. "I have been thinking about it, Doctor. We can
afford no more delays, and quite frankly, you will be of little help to
us once we arrive at the academy--you could, in fact, prove to be a
hindrance. I have decided that you should stay here, at Gol, where you
will be safe. I am sure that the masters would not object."
McCoy struggled to his feet. "Now, wait a minute, Spock. How can you
say that a doctor is not worth having around? And I'm perfectly
capable of making the trip--"
"Are you, Doctor?" Spock folded his arms resolutely. "It seems to me
that you are still weak as a result of exposure. And why should you
risk going into the capital? I suggest you consider your own safety.
Even if we failed in our mission, you would survive here at Gol."
"Survive--with a bunch of Vulcan mystics. You call that living?"
Spock was silent for a moment. "If I have to order you to stay,
Doctor, I will."
"What does the service have to do with it anymore? We're talking about
survival here. And I prefer to take my chances with you and Anitra
than be left behind."
"As long as I am alive," Spock said slowly, "you will obey my
orders."
"Don't pull that crap on me," McCoy replied vehemently. "I'm a doctor,
not a soldier, and I'm going with you and Anitra."
"Anitra," Spock echoed, and nodded, one eyebrow lifted.
McCoy blushed deeply. "Yes, and what the hell business is it of yours
if I--" He broke off suddenly. "Oh, now I get it, Mr. Spock. It has
everything to do with Anitra, doesn't it?"
"I don't understand."
"Oh, but you do understand, Spock--only too well. You're jealous,
aren't you? I'm moving in on your territory, so you're just going to
get rid of the competition by leaving me behind."
"That's absurd," Spock replied simply.
"Is it?" McCoy hissed. "Is it really so absurd, Spock? Maybe deep
down somewhere you feel that it's unfair. After all, you've spent a
lot of time with her. You probably know her better than I do. And why
wouldn't you want her? Her intelligence is a match for yours; she's
gifted, she's beautiful .. . she's even mind-linked with you. What
more could you want?"
"Doctor, you are rationalizing," Spock said calmly. "The truth of the
matter is that you do not wish to remain behind, therefore you cannot
admit to yourself that you might be a burden."
"You're a hel
l of a one to tell me about rationalizing," McCoy
answered, glaring. "I won't stay here."
Spock's voice was soft, controlled, the voice of the masters, yet it
carried a steely edge that made McCoy swallow any further protests.
"You will stay, Doctor --on my order."
He left and did not look back.
Kirk opened his eyes and saw nothing but polished white metal ceiling.
He rubbed his face and sat up.
"Where the hell am I?" he asked aloud, but no one replied; the small
lounge area was empty. "Anyone
here?" he called. No answer. He rose stiffly and walked to the
door--and bounced off it when it refused to budge. He struck it with
his fist. "Damn it, open!" Nothing. Disconsolate, he walked back to
the couch and sat down heavily. It made no sense. What was he doing
here? And how had he come to be here in the first place?
He closed his eyes and snatches of memories came back to him. He was