It had been yet another outpost that they were taking some basic supplies to on this mission for the Federation. Just the supply run that any ship, and any crew, could do but for some reason they had been sent and it annoyed Kirk. No, it did more than that, it infuriated him. He wondered if those in power had forgotten that his ship was meant for and designed and crewed for the exploration of space beyond the known boundaries as well as maintaining those boundaries and not home deliveries. He, and most of his crew, if not all members of it, were on the Enterprise to explore, to learn, and to see what is beyond the presently known.
Captain James T. Kirk was aware that the younger newer crew had been excited about being off-ship on a new place and shook his head as he realized that they still had a great deal to learn about repetition and how so many outposts were so much alike. It was good for them to get off the ship just for a change, to experience it for of the older crew knew what to expect and only stayed long enough off the ship to do the delivery, to have a quick look around, and to get back aboard as soon as possible.
As the captain it was his role to go and meet and greet the officials and to find out if what they were delivering to the outpost was the material that was required as well as to find out if any other form of support or aid was needed and to hear of any unusual conditions or situations that might be worth further investigation. Usually on so many of these trips they had had at least twenty-six various specialists that they were to leave and twenty-six they were to collect and take somewhere else but this was a plain delivery trip and it frustrated Jim Kirk.
Ever since Spock had received a personal message he had attended the meet and greet function and then gone into the different bars on each outpost and just looked around. Kirk had not asked why his Vulcan friend and First Officer had suddenly started doing it as he knew he would be told in time. Four times he had accompanied Spock to the bars and seen how the Vulcan part of his friend had just looked around the room. There had been those who had made it plain they did not like those who were different in their drinking establishments, especially those who were clearly not Human but there had been something in the quiet calm about Spock and how he often did not enter beyond the door or where he could see all in the bar that puzzled Kirk. It was as though he was looking for something, something he was unsure of.
At least this stop at Outpost Beta Thirty-six was the last and they would soon be doing what they were meant to be doing. This was one of the roughest outposts as it was largely a mining base and recycling station. Of all the outposts they visited Kirk knew that this would be the worst for Spock as most of the other outposts, while perhaps wary of those clearly alien to them, welcomed the Federation's assistance and personnel but on Outpost Beta Thirty-six there was a known, almost volatile, hatred of aliens, actually all outsiders for that matter. The Federation was only just tolerated as the ships meant trade and supplies.
Kirk had been in with the governor discussing what more the outpost needed that was not on the Enterprise when he was notified that Spock had been attacked and was back on the ship in Sickbay and in a healing trance.
The governor had looked at him, "You had been warned about allowing him off the ship, Captain. As I told you, there are some here who still do not like nor trust the likes of aliens for any number of reasons, bigotry is a very bad Human failing that is not kept hidden on this outpost in the middle of nowhere. We only have real problems when non-Humans are here. And, as I also told you, whoever did attack your officer did not kill him. There is a belief that it is best to let them live to tell how unwanted they are here than to kill them. A few aliens do succumb to their injuries. Your officer was attacked but will live. As far as this base is concerned the matter is closed."
It was clear to Kirk's annoyance that no action would be taken and he had quickly got back to the ship.
He had all but run to Sickbay as soon as he had materialized on the Enterprise and McCoy had stopped him at the door. "He's still in a healing trance, Jim. A few bumps and bruises but nothing serious. Would have been a lot worse but three officers rushed to his aid helped get him out. Only one of them was a security officer. I've sent them to their quarters for thirty-six hours rest and Collel will be off heavy duties for about a week till his hand and arm heals. They did say that one man, a very rich and powerful man apparently, had poured and handed out a lot of drinks and then had hurled insult after insult at Spock, inciting the others who gathered around Spock and starting to manhandle him. They had rushed in to protect Spock but he had been knocked unconscious by the time they could get to him."
"Only one a security officer? Which,"
"Collel. You really need to take time to at least know some of the regular crew, Jim. No need to get close and personal with them but know what they do. I'd bet there's officers who have been on this ship for some time that you know very little about. As for Spock, he could wake up any time soon if you want to wait with him."
For over an hour Kirk had sat beside the bed, waiting for Spock to come out of his trance. In his mind he was thinking of all he would have done to the man. All the charges he could have laid against him had the outpost and planet be bound more tightly to Federation laws. All he would have physically done to the man had he been there.
"Jim?"
"How are you feeling?"
"I am fully rested and will be able to resume duties shortly."
"Spock, I warned you about,"
"I had to go, Jim. It was the last place I could look."
"Look for what? Ever since you got that message from your father you have been acting odd. What was it? What are you looking for?"
For a few moments his friend lay with his eyes closed then looked at him, "Twenty-two standard weeks ago unknowns managed to illegally break into the special room where the only known collection of what you Humans would refer to as the musings of Surak was kept and stole one of the books. There were three volumes of the thoughts of Surak written in his own hand before he gathered them in the volumes which guide Vulcan and our way of life and the unknowns took the second one. Our best scientists have so far been unable to identify neither the signature of the ship nor the residue of who was in the room other than it being Human and male with indicators of alcohol consumption. It was obvious that they knew precisely what it was, where it was, and were aware that to Vulcans it is beyond price yet was minimally guarded as no Vulcan would think of entering the room without an Elder let alone dare to even touch the box the book was in."
"So that's why you've been going to the bars?"
"Through various informants it is known that an extremely xenophobic Human trader has it. It was reported that most of the traders observed seem to prefer drinks with a very high alcoholic content."
"But you do not even know what the person looks like, do you? You have to know that there are a lot of Human males who like to drink strong alcoholic drinks, just ask Mister Scott. Do you have any idea what the man might even look like? You do not think he would carry something like that around, do you?"
Spock gave him one of the rare smiles they shared before he sighed and laid back down, "I was attempting to employ something that Humans do. It is something, Jim, that seems to come so naturally to you that at times I find I almost envy you that ability and now, having tried and failed at it, I am even more impressed by your skills."
For a moment Kirk looked at his friend and saw the smile still about the dark eyes, "And what is that?"
"I, I was working basically from a hunch as I have seen you succeed with so many times. I was also aware, having watched you, Doctor McCoy and Mister Scott at functions and during drinking session, noted that many Humans, when inebriated, talk more freely and say things that reveal things they would not normally talk about."
Kirk half-smiled as he knew his Vulcan friend had seen them not overly inebriated but very much relaxed because of the drinks, "Did it help any?"
"That man had obviously more than merely heard of the theft as he said he heard that it was easy to take rare treasures like books out of the safest of safe places on Vulcan."
"Nothing else? He could have heard it anywhere."
"That is highly unlikely, Jim. Such things are not talked about to or with off-worlders." Dark eyes looked at him and Kirk saw the certainty. "He somehow knew of it. He also has a very deep disdain for Vulcans. He would know."
While Kirk sympathized with his friend he had also seen flaws in his thinking if he were truly acting on word-of-mouth. "Give me a moment and I'll go down and,"
"No!" it had been so emphatic that Kirk almost jolted. "He will know that you are my senior officer and most likely know you are not a bigot which would put you in danger. With the reaction given to those officers who came to my assistance it might be wise to recall all personnel."
Reluctantly Kirk had agreed. He had been to too many places where bigotry and racial hatred had caused the deaths of many. He walked over to the intercom, "Uhura, have all personnel return to the ship."
"Sir, all but one officer has reported back."
"Whoever is still on that outpost get them back immediately."
"Yes, Sir."
When Kirk looked back at his First Officer he saw that Spock was looking at him in an unusual way, one he had seen a few times when the Vulcan was trying to understand Human actions.
"Spock?"
"I can recall, just as I was being attacked and the three were coming to my aid, that another officer had walked by me, glanced at me, then went and sat with the man. Something was said and the man let him look in a sack. There was an odd movement, slight but there, in the way the officer stood, then he nodded and shook the man's hand as he sat down. I recall thinking it unusual as I could not recall ever seeing the officer imbibing in alcoholic beverages and yet he took and drank the glass of liquor that man handed him."
Anger flared in Kirk, "Who? Do you remember the name of the Officer?"
"I will deal with him, Captain. I remember Officer Collel was one of the three who came to my aid. What are their conditions?"
"They are fine although McCoy sad Collel has some minor injury to his hand and arm and is off-duty for a week or two. But are you saying that an officer from your own department ignored you?"
"Captain," Spock could see the anger building in his friend.
"Captain," Uhura's voice stopped him, "the last officer is ready to beam aboard and requests that Mister Spock be present."
"Tell whoever it is,"
"I will be there." Spock stood and looked at Kirk as his Captain and friend said, "Tell the Transporter Officer not to energize till I arrive."
"Now just you wait a a minute there, Spock. I'm the doctor here and I will say when you can leave."
Just for a moment as he stood Spock looked at the doctor, "Doctor McCoy, as you can see I am fully recovered and I have to get to the Transport Room."
"Not without me."
