Chapter 2: Sticks to Burn Him
Jim sat in the mess, pushing his salad around his plate. It was unappetizing and he was distracted, so much so, he completely missed Doctor McCoy's pointed question.
"One more time, Bones?"
"I SAID you have been distracted. Damn it, Jim! You want to tell your ole country doctor what has got you tied up in knots?"
"Get off it, Bones! I'm fine. I'm off duty."
McCoy snorted. "Yes. Yes you are."
Jim felt a shift in awareness and looked over his shoulder to see Spock stride into the mess. He went directly to the replicator and returned to sit beside Jim with a bowl of soup and a plate of fruit.
Jim nervously fiddled with his fork, and acknowleged Spock with a nod. This was the first time they'd been together off duty. Things had been awkward between them since their aborted chess game three days ago. He didn't know how to act with him.
"That all you going to eat, Mr. Spock? You eat like a bird."
"I assure you Dr. McCoy, this meal meets my nutritional needs far better than 'grits' and gravy." Spock looked pointedly at McCoy's
plate.
"I will have you know, generations of McCoy's have grown and thrived on this particular meal."
"Ah, that it explains it, then."
"Why, you arrogant, son of a . . ."
"Enough! Both of you! Trying to eat here! All this bickering is bad for my digestion."
"Doesn't look like you are eating or digesting, Jim. You're just pushing that food around. You going to eat that or torture it?"
"Indeed, Captain. You do not appear to be embracing your lunch with your usual enthusiasm."
Jim groaned, "Et tu Brute?"
He stared morosely at his salad until he felt a sharp poke on his calf. He looked up at Spock, innocently eating his fruit. The poke returned, as if to make a point. There was a glint in Spock's eyes and his mouth was set in a thin line, evidence of a suppressed smile.
Damn. Damn if his stoic First Officer wasn't teasing him. Subtly, of course.
"Well, gentlemen, I, at least, have better things to do than watch you eat. I'll see you later, Jim. Spock, don't let him choke on those greens unless you want to run the Enterprise by your self."
"I will endeavor to prevent the lettuce, in particular, from causing any permanent damage. Thank you."
McCoy bustled away, mumbling under his breath. Jim looked at his First Officer placidly eating beside him and tried to think of something to say. He was rarely at a loss for words, but he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't be banal or provocative.
Trust Spock to cut to the heart of the matter. "Jim, you appear to be uneasy. May I be of assistance?" Spock's voice was low, aimed for Jim's ears only.
Jim considered several responses but finally went with honesty. "Spock, I really don't know what to say to you. You have been on my mind for the last several days. I'm not exactly uneasy, it just is taking longer than I expected to come to grips with . . ."
"Forgiveness, Jim?"
"That's it precisely."
"It is difficult for me as well, Jim. I am content with matters as they stand and suggest we 'see where it takes us' as my mother would say."
Jim opened his mouth and shut it abruptly when the red alert klaxon began to flash.
"Captain and First Officer to the Bridge. This is a red alert. Captain and First Officer report to the Bridge. Repeat, red alert." Lieutenant Uhura's voice was calm as always.
Jim and Spock both bolted to their feet and Jim hit the con on the way out. "Captain here. Acknowledged. Mr. Spock and I are on our way."
Just as they exited the turbo lift and stepped onto the Bridge, the ship rocked.
"Report!"
Lieutenant Sulu quickly stepped away from the Captain's chair. "Two unidentified vessels are approaching at Warp Four. We hailed them but no response."
"Keptin, dey have fired an energy weapon, unknown origin or quality." Ensign Chekov moved out of Spock's way, who immediately checked the sensor array.
"Shields?"
"We raised them before they fired, Sir. They are holding . . ."
"At 86 %, Sir!" Chekov chimed in as he took his seat at navigation. He gave Sulu a worried glance.
"Spock, what are we looking at?"
"A moment, Sir." Spock's hands swept over his console and the ships appeared on the view screen. "Unidentified vessels, no record of them, resembling nothing we have seen before."
"Weapons?"
"The weapon they fired is simple energy, not unlike our photon torpedoes."
"Packs some power, though."
"Yes, sir."
"Uhura, hail them again, make sure the Universal Translator is enabled. Let's try this one more time."
"Hailing frequencies open, sir. You're good to go."
"Alien vessels, I am Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Starship, Enterprise. Identify yourselves and state your intent."
Jim waited.
"Captain! Sensors show an energy build up from one of the vessels."
"Are they arming weapons?"
"Unknown, energy signature is different, but I would advise caution."
"Transfer everything we've got to the shields. Uhura, order Battle stations. Prepare for impact."
The Bridge watched as the vessel began to glow, the energy reaching across space, enveloping Enterprise. The ship shook and bucked. Everything went still, absolutely still, while everyone held their breath.
"Captain, shields off line!"
"Warp engines off line!" Sulu spun in his chair and stared at the Captain.
"Get Scott on it, immediately! Spock, what did they do to us?"
"It appears they have knocked out every system on the ship." Spock glanced at Uhura, who shook her head. "We are blind, deaf and dumb, Sir."
Suddenly there was a crackle from Uhura's communications board. "Incoming hail, Sir. They are sending us their terms, for surrender!"
Jim stood beside the command chair. Great. Just damn great.