Chapter 2: They Are In My Head

The Enterprise was pulled into the massive ship, and they stared in awe at the view screen. The inside was brightly lit, and they were pulled into what looked like a docking station, with many other smaller alien craft surrounding them, in various stages of assembly and repair. Finally they were parked at one of the docks, and the crew waited anxiously for orders. There was no sign of any life, just the other ships.

"Report," Kirk snapped.

"All systems functional, shields still at maximum, Captain."

"I'm still not getting through to Starfleet, sir,' Uhura updated him.

"Take us down to yellow alert. Mr. Spock, see if you can scan for life forms. These ships didn't build themselves, so they've got to be here somewhere."

Spock didn't answer, and Captain Kirk looked over to see that he was at his station, holding his head in his hands.

Kirk and Dr. McCoy rushed over to him. "Spock, what's wrong?" Kirk asked as Dr. McCoy began waving his medical scanner over him.

Spock gasped, still clutching his head, "A moment please, Captain."

"Bones?" Jim asked as the doctor finished scanning.

"I can't tell, Jim. All of his readings are normal, apart from slightly elevated blood pressure."

"Captain," Spock rasped, still clutching his head, "I… I cannot… Aaahhh!" he cried out in pain dropped from his chair and onto his knees.

"We've got to get him to sickbay, Jim! Come on, help me!" Bones said. They each took an arm and rushed him off of the bridge.

"Mr. Sulu, you have the conn! Keep the shields up!" Kirk yelled as they rushed Spock out.

"Aye, Captain!"

When they got to sickbay, they laid him down and Jim had to hold him, as he was still holding his head and writhing in pain.

"Nurse Chapel, I need a 6% hydrocortiline spray, stat!" Bones called. She quickly prepared the hypospray and handed it to him. He quickly injected Spock and waited to see if it would have any effect. Spock continued to writhe and groan in pain. "I don't understand it, I gave him enough hydrocortiline to knock a migraine out of a Talosian. It should be working by now."

"Ugh, make them stop!" Spock cried, "You must make them stop!"

"Who, Spock? Make who stop? What are they doing to you?"

"They are in my head, Captain," Spock rasped, "They are trying to steal my thoughts."

"Who?" Jim asked again.

"I do not know. I… I cannot resist them for much longer…" Spock cried out in pain again, and the Captain, Dr. McCoy and Nurse Chapel looked on, horrified, as tears began rolling out of the corners of his eyes. None have them had ever seen Spock in so much pain that he'd been reduced to tears.

"They are trying to find a way to lower our shields without damaging the ship. There are many, eight hundred and two... Doctor! You must sedate me! If I am unconscious they can get nothing from my mind! I cannot resist them for much longer!"

"Nurse Chapel, 10ccs of somnovazine," Bones said.

"Doctor," Spock rasped, "you must find a way to suppress my telepathic ability. It seems that they cannot effect beings who do not have telepathic abilities. I am the only telepathic being on the ship, which is why they are targeting my mind. Until you find a way to block my telepathy, you must keep me unconscious."

Nurse Chapel handed him the hypospray, and before Dr. McCoy was able to inject it, Spock said, "Doctor! If you do develop something to suppress my telepathy, I may be… different... when I awake. Aaahhh! Vulcans in the past who have taken mind altering substances have be known to act… illogically. Ah! Sedate me, now! I cannot keep them out!"

Bones quickly administered the spray, and after a minute, Spock finally dropped his hands away from his head and slipped into unconsciousness.

"Jesus, Bones…" Kirk said, looking traumatized by what his friend had gone through, "I've got to get back to the bridge."

Nurse Chapel came back over to the bedside and used a tissue to gently wipe the tears from Spock's face.

"He'll be alright, Christine," Bones comforted her, "Come on, help me get him undressed and set up an IV drip to keep him hydrated. Then we've got homework to do. It figures that Dr. M'Benga is away at that conference. The one time we need a Vulcan specialist..."

Captain Kirk stepped back onto the bridge, "Report, Mr. Sulu."

"It seems we have company, Captain," Sulu replied.

Kirk looked at the view screen and saw several small, unidentified humanoid looking creatures, each about 4 feet tall. He could not see their features, however, as they were all wearing what looked like primitive style space suits and helmets. They were gathered around the ship on a platform, and appeared to be scanning it.

"Spock said they were trying to figure out how to penetrate the shields without damaging the ship. Mr. Chekov, were you able to determine how many life signs are aboard the alien vessel?

No, sir. Zey seem to hawe a shield that is blocking our instrument readings. Ze only life we're detecting are ze eight outside of ze ship."

"How is Mr. Spock?" Uhura asked.

"He's sedated. Apparently, these... creatures are telepaths. Mr. Spock is the only only person on the ship with telepathic abilities, so they targeted him to access information about the ship. He resisted them, which I guess is why he was in so much pain. Bones is trying to figure out a way to temporarily block his telepathy."

"So, what happens now, Captain?" Chekov asked.

"Now? We wait. I need to talk to Spock before we do anything else. Keep the shields up. Uhura, continue to broadcast universal peace messages, and keep trying to contact Starfleet, or any ship that may be in range to hear us."

"Aye, sir."

Kirk walked over to the com system and pressed a button. "Mr. Scott?"

"Scotty here, sir."

We have visitors outside of the ship that seem to be scanning us and looking for a way in. Shields are holding for now, but I'm worried that these little guys might get crafty."

"Well, I suppose it may be possible to rig up a temporary force field just inside the main doors. That way, even if they get the doors open they won't get far."

"How long, Mr. Scott?"

"Three hours, sir, but I understand that time is precious, so I'll do it for ya in one."

Kirk smiled, "I appreciate that, Scotty, get to it."

"Aye, sir."

Kirk pushed another button on the com system, "Lieutenant Commander Giotto?"

"Giotto here, sir."

There are… creatures scanning the Enterprise as we speak looking for a way in. Scotty and his engineering team are working on an extra force field inside the main doors. I want you to post security teams at every access point, and assign extra men to guard the main doors. All access doors are to remain closed. The shields are still up, but if they do go down, make sure nobody gets in or out."

"Understood, Captain."

"I'm going back to sickbay. If those things start getting aggressive with the ship, go to red alert. Sulu, you have the conn."

"Aye, sir."

TBC...