EPISODE 3: The Parasite

The turbolift doors slid swiftly open with a familiar whoosh to welcome the captain onto the bridge. He was still in the midst of reviewing the data that Spock had sent to his PADD, but he knew the terrain so well that he did not even need to look up to find his way to the captain's chair. Finished, he stowed the PADD away and asked Sulu for an update. Nothing, status holds, no change. Another boring exploratory mission on some desolate tundra planet.

"Captain, the scanners have located something."

"Define 'something'."

"An artificial structure of some kind, sir, very small and covered by snow and ice. It would seem to be quite old."

"I thought there were never any civilizations here." Kirk's interest was piqued.

"There were not - and it appears that this structure is the only one."

"Alright, arrange a landing party, just a few men. We'll go investigate."

"Certainly, Captain."

"I don't see anything, Captain," observed Lieutenant Kramer when he, Dr. Vallok, and the captain beamed down to the surface - fitted, of course, with heavy snow gear along with the standard landing party equipment

"Neither do I," Kirk mused, and fumbled to get his communicator open.
"Kirk to Enterprise. Are you sure we're in the right spot?"

"Yes, Captain. Coordinates indicate the structure's about twenty feet ahead of you."

"Alright, we'll take a closer look, it's pretty hazy down here. Stand by."

There did seem to be a slight plateau of snow when they approached the approximate location of where the structure ought to be.

"Should've brought a shovel," Kirk muttered as he began kicking hard clumps of ice and snow out of the way in an attempt to get a better look at whatever was underneath. The others followed suit, and quickly came upon a layer of dark, unrusted metal. When one of Kirk's boots came in contact with it, it sounded more like stone than metal. Must be really thick, he thought, if it's even hollow at all. Evidently the building had either been built slightly underground or had gradually been covered up by layers upon layers of snow - Spock was right, it was definitely old. Who knew, though, how old it might be?

"Stand back," Kirk ordered, pulling out a phaser. "I'll just melt this off so we can get a better look at it. Don't get too close or the snow'll melt underneath you."

The other two did as he said and Kirk aimed a low-energy beam at the structure, careful to avoid overheating the metal itself in case there was something inside. Soon, they were all standing in a puddle surrounding a squat building that looked to be a sort of bunker, with a single low door that sat next to a small box welded at knee-level to the door.

Crouching beside this box, he examined it to find that he could lift the outer panel to reveal what looked to be a crude intercom beneath. Maybe it's a computer, or a database, he considered.

Holding down the button, he tentatively asked, "Hello?"

"People!" came a tinny voice from the other side, startling all three. After recoiling suddenly, Kirk leaned closer as if to see through to the interior. Before he could reply, the query came, "Let me out of here, please!"

Astounded, the captain began to consider the impossible.

"Is there… someone in there?!"

"Yeah, I'm here, I'm here! You can hear me, can't you? Please tell me this is working…"

"Don't worry," Kirk quickly reassured him, "we can hear you. We're from the U.S.S. Enterprise. Who… who are you?"

"My name's Finn Casey. I got trapped in here!"

"Wha- when?" marveled the captain. "Judging by the snow cover and crude technology, this building's been buried for… who knows how long."

"I… " The man faltered. "I have no idea… snow comes down fast around here, so it's no wonder you had to uncover it, but I don't know how much time has passed. Please, just let me out! It only unlocks from the outside."

Kirk found himself moved by the poor man, but was nonetheless slightly suspicious of the odd circumstances.

"Why? How do you unlock it? What is this place?"

"It's a storage bunker for the history of the Federation and its member planets. In case of some kind of disaster. Nobody was meant to be in here, but the door slammed shut on me and I guess my shipmates assumed I'd died in the storm. They're long gone, that much I know."

"I think I found the lock," Kirk told him now. "Hold on a second, it feels tight."

When he finally managed to free the heavy door from the icy grip of its hinges, he was pushing with such a force that he fell in after it; the crewmen came to help him up. At first, squinting into the darkness, he could see no one at all, but soon a young man stepped out from the shadows. When Kirk stood, he saw that Casey was slightly taller than him and had platinum-blond hair that matched the color of his short beard. Both were remarkably clean, as was his black jumpsuit - Spock would say he looked like Prince Hamlet.

"Captain James T. Kirk," he said as he offered a hand.

Casey shook it. "Of the U.S.S. Enterprise," he remembered. "A Federation starship?"

"Exactly!" said the captain proudly. "If you'd care to come with us? I don't imagine you'd want to stay down here."

"By no means," the man agreed with a grin.

"Come on out. It's freezing, but we'll be outta here in just a second."

"Kirk to Enterprise. Four to beam up."

"Four?" It was Scotty on the other end. "Captain, 'ow in god's name did you manage to get more people down there?"

"Long story. Come on, we're freezing down here!"

"Aye aye, Captain."

"Look who I found, Mr. Spock!"

Spock braced himself. The captain sounded much too pleased to have not brought trouble aboard."

"Captain, if you have somehow come by yet another tribble, I must insist-"

But this was most certainly not a tribble. It was a young human male, one who reminded him vaguely of some Shakespearian character that he did not have the time to place at this moment.

"Captain, who is this and how did he get here?"

Kirk feigned a pout - an expression he had by now learned to identify - and said, "I thought you'd like him."

"I am rather fascinated by how he came to be here. Were you down on the planet, sir?"

The man nodded. "Finn Casey. I got trapped in that bunker." Ignoring, or perhaps failing to notice the stares from the bridge crew, he meandered about the room.

"Odd," said Spock as he watched. "There were no readings of any life forms on the surface."

"That building was made of pretty thick metal," Kirk added. "I couldn't identify it. Maybe it had some effect on the scanners."

"Evidently. How long had he been inside it?"

Kirk shrugged. "He said he didn't know. But, I mean, it was covered with snow. Tech was pretty old, too. I don't know how he survived. Hey, Casey," he added. "want me to show you to your quarters? We can start for the nearest starbase tomorrow to drop you off there."

"Thank you, Captain," the man answered, glancing between him and Spock as he returned. "I appreciate your help."

Kirk laughed. "We couldn't just leave you there, could we?"

Together they stepped onto the turbolift. Spock had what Kirk would call a 'bad feeling' about this man. He found this entire circumstance highly illogical, and was unable to explain it. There was missing data.

It was near midnight when the navigator heard the captain's voice patched through to him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Take us out of here, bearing 1.8. We're leaving early."

"Captain, that direction-"
"I know there's not much that way, but we've got new orders. Proceed at warp three, we're in no hurry."

"Yes, sir."

Kirk did not wake in his bed. He groaned and pushed himself up from a cold, hard floor, but could barely feel his hands. The only light in the room was streaming, piercing blue-white, from the open door. Just beyond lay a thick sheet of icy snow, and a wind that lifted powdery flakes from the surface in soft little swirls.

"Great. I'm on the planet again."

"I am afraid this is a 'we', Captain."

He jerked his head around to see Spock huddled in the far corner, apparently trying to avoid the worst of the frigid wind.

"Spock! Why are you here?"

He moved across and sat beside him, between his friend and the door in such a way that his own body would take the brunt of the cold - he knew Vulcans were more susceptible.

"I do not know why either of us are here, sir. Neither can I remember arriving."
"Let me go outside and call the ship."

"Already attempted, Captain. They appear to have left the area."

He sat back down. "Something must've happened. At least the door's open, so we're not locked in."

Spock raised an eyebrow with effort. He did not need to point out the absurdity of that statement, considering their present predicament.

"You're shivering!" he realized momentarily.

Spock had tried and failed to suppress the involuntary reaction. "I am aware, Captain. It is snowing, after all."

Kirk rolled his eyes and edged closer. Luckily they had enough clothes to prevent skin contact, but they needed to share as much body heat as possible. He started to remove his uniform shirt, leaving just the black undershirt, but Spock blocked his arm from moving.

"Please, Captain. I am not so frail as you seem to believe."

"How sweet." Finn Casey was standing in the doorway, but unfortunately provided no protection from the cold.

"Casey! You're here, too? Do you know-"

The man's sadistic grin caused Kirk's face to fall. Oh.

"I am here, in part, Captain," he answered. "I am also aboard your ship, leading your crew into empty, uncharted space so I can keep them for myself."

"Then why are we here?" Spock asked.

"Good question!" cried Casey, his voice echoing. "Full marks!"

On the bridge of the Enterprise, he answered, "Well, I couldn't very well leave the captain in charge, could I? Wouldn't want any rallying around him, that would be most unpleasant."

"If tha's true, then why'd ye put Mr. Spock down there with him?" Scotty asked, still outraged.

Casey laughed mirthlessly. "Well you can't bring one with you if you're gonna leave the other one behind, can you? You'd never get anything done."

"We'll be searchin' for 'em too, ye know. We'll no' just play along wi' ye."

"Won't you?"

Scotty did not have a chance to retort; suddenly, the faces of all his shipmates began to distort drippingly, and as horrifying features began to melt down to the ground, he was deafened by piercing screams - he could not tell whether his own was among them. Covering his ears, he squeezed his eyes shut and was on his knees, hunched over.

"Scotty, are you alright?" It was Uhura - she was fine, as were the others that he saw looking around.

"Thank god, lassie! Wha-" She helped him up, and he kept his hands on her shoulders as he turned to Casey. "What was that?"

"A mere taste of what is to come."

He was right. Over who knows how many hours, the crew were kept from accessing the ship's controls, and even from talking to each other for more than a second at a time, by Casey's constant assaults of telepathy, as he could seemingly cause anyone to see, hear, and feel anything he wished them to - the only restriction seemed to be that he had to transition between each person, being only able to exercise his power over one at a time. They attempted to rush him, but were met only with agonizing pain and, when they looked up, he had disappeared, although he always returned for more.

"Aren't you gonna come in here, at least?" Kirk growled between clenched teeth. "Just lookin' at you makes me colder."

Casey sneered. "Good." He was sitting just outside the door, examining his fingernails in apparent boredom; every once in a while, however, Kirk would notice a small smirk creep across his face unbidden. It must be something on the Enterprise, he thought. It has to be. He had to believe they were still alive.

Every so often, Casey would send some terrifying image through one of their thoughts; suddenly either Kirk or Spock would believe that whatever they were seeing was reality, and needed the other to snap him out of it.

"Jim!" Spock's eyes were wide open, but unseeing.

"Spock! I'm right here! Remember? Listen to my voice!" He shook him by the shoulders until he recovered.

Casey gave that same smirk that he had seen out of nowhere for the past hours. That must be the same thing he's doing to the crew. But how? They're so far away…

"Mind-jumping," Spock whispered suddenly.

Kirk worried momentarily that he was having another vision, but his friend's eyes were looking straight into his.

"This is not telepathy," he continued in a low voice, the wind outside obscuring Casey's hearing slightly. "I believe he is moving from person to person, which would explain the long-distance communication but his failure to affect multiple people at a time."

"Yes!" Kirk hissed. "I think I understand. So that person there … probably isn't even him?"

"Unlikely."

"That would explain the resistance to cold. And how he managed to survive in here for so long."

"And also why he chooses to remain outside. These walls must have some property that can contain even a being with no physical form."

"We have to get him in here somehow."

They were shown horrific things, their worst fears, things they did not know they feared, felt things they never knew were possible, were tricked into hurting each other. Although they were largely unable to move, someone had heard that a few had died in the lower decks. On the bridge, Chekov was knocked unconscious while flailing wildly against whatever horror Casey had sent his way - a swarm of rabid Andorian wasps, perhaps - and they rushed to his side.

To their surprise, no one was stopped until, moments later, Casey recovered from being jolted out of Chekov's mind. Perhaps unconsciousness was the only way to repel him - that, or death.

Suddenly, the lights went out on the bridge and only the red glow of the emergency light remained; an alarm of some kind began to blare and, under that cover, Scotty sidled towards a control panel.

"Computer," he whispered. "What's our current location?"

Rather than the familiar whirring, he heard tinny laughter from somewhere nearby.

"Hell," was the computer's answer.

"He can get in the machinery!" Scotty shouted, as if hoping that someone would be able to make use of that information.

That was when they felt the oxygen go.

"Captain, we must return him to this prison."

Prison. That's what it was. "You're right," Kirk answered quietly, "but how? It's not as if we can drag him in, seeing as that man there is an illusion."

"We must utilize our minds." It sounded as if he had already formulated a plan.

"You mean distract him to keep him from mind-jumping back to the ship."

"Precisely."

Kirk knew they were both aware of what that meant. "One of us is gonna have to stay here. That must be how they managed to trap him last time, but whoever did it has long since become dust."

"Unfortunately, Captain, I believe you are correct in surmising that this is our only option. However, as I am considerably more adept than you at telepathy and control of one's mind, I submit that I am the logical choice."

"Yes," said the captain, standing. "The logical choice to live."
"Captain, that is not-"

Kirk had already drawn Casey's attention. He knew Spock was right, of course, that it would be much easier for him to keep him - the creature - trapped within his mind until the door was safely shut, but at this moment he was not particularly interested in logic.

Spock had followed him outside, despite the cold, still attempting to deter him.

"Captain, do not do this. You must protect the ship."

Kirk ignored him.

"Is that the best you can do?" he challenged, towering threateningly over Casey, who raised himself up from the biting ground.

"Want more, do you?" he sneered. "I'll always oblige."

Spock was rather surprised that this tactic had worked, but was distracted when his captain fell against the ice. He knelt down beside him and attempted to keep him upright.

"Captain!" He could not respond.

I refuse to submit to his stubborn persistence in illogic.

When Spock placed numb fingers against his psi-points, Casey started forward, "What are you doing?!", but Spock knew that his unreal form could do nothing against him; the real threat was a creature lodged in Jim's mind. Finding it, he quickly enveloped it within himself and withdrew, outward, past his friend's consciousness which was only now recovering. Spock? he recognized. Spock withdrew and struggled to contain both himself and the creature within his own mind; he made a dash back towards the bunker, knowing that Kirk was right behind him - but he was faster.

Slamming the door, he was plunged into darkness, and released the creature from his hold; having nowhere else to go, it stayed within him, but was too exhausted yet to use any force against him. Spock braced himself against the door, knowing that Kirk could not open it against the combined force of Spock's strength and the sheer weight of the metal.

Nevertheless, he could faintly hear persistent banging on the other side, though no other sound could make it through the thick slab. A beep was emitted from the intercom on the wall nearby, accompanied by a short sparkling flash that alerted him to its location; he shifted closer to it so that it came within arm's reach, even from the ground.

"Spock!" came the captain's voice. "Are you okay? Spock!"

He pressed the button. "Captain, I assure you I am quite well."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! I should be the one in there! This is illogical, Spock. You know the ship needs you more than me!"

"You are her captain. You must be there when they come to rescue you."

"I need you! The ship…" He ceased argument, knowing there was no longer anything he could do. Even if he managed to open the door, the creature would simply stay with the Enterprise crew permanently rather than remaining to torment the two of them further, and there would be no chance of ever returning him to this prison. They both knew this.

They simply sat on opposite sides of the impenetrable door, backs to each other, for some minutes before Kirk opened the channel again.

"Want to bet whether I freeze to death before you starve?"

"You have forgotten to factor in the lack of oxygen in this chamber."

"Oh, you're right, my mistake."

There was another long pause before Kirk continued.

"You really think the ship's coming back here?"

"I see no reason to doubt it, Captain, now that Casey's influence has been removed."

He could practically hear Kirk's groan even before the light sparkled once more, marking his presence. "Spock, we're about to die here, you can call me Jim."

"You will not die, Jim." He was confident in this - he needed to be.

"I will without you keeping me in line on the ship."

It was true, he was rather prone to risky behavior. "You must take care of yourself, Jim.'

Kirk was angry. "Don't say that like you're saying goodbye!"

Spock made no answer. He could feel the creature rising, attempting to escape the walls that he had erected around it.

"Spock?-"

"I am here. The creature- Casey is once more gaining strength."

"How do you suppose he survived in there once the host…" Considering the circumstances, Kirk could not bring himself to finish his sentence.

"Are you attempting to keep me focused?"

"You have to keep your mind working - you can't fall asleep in this cold."

"You are the one marooned in open tundra."

"Yeah, but it's worse for you. I know how tired you are, I saw it before you locked yourself in that damn hole."

"Nevertheless, you pose an intriguing question." He happened to agree with the captain. "Perhaps he is able to float about in this contained space, given no other option."

"Maybe. But… then how did he talk to us over the intercom, if he had no body to produce a voice?"

Spock began to realize. "Captain, he must have been inside the machinery."

"Yes, Spock! You're right - that would explain why his voice sounded strange, computerized almost, before we got him out of there. Yours doesn't sound like that because you're actually there!"

"Indeed," Spock marveled. "Fascinating."

"You've got to force him back in there."

"He refuses to be moved, Captain. I have already attempted to expel him; he is much stronger than I, and I am at this moment barely able to contain him even within the boundaries of my mind."

"Jesus, Spock, why'd you do this." It was not a question.

"Spock, the communicator channel's open - they're here!"

"Good. You must go, Captain."

"I'm not leaving, Spock!"

"Goodbye, Jim."

"Spock? Spock!"

He had resolved to ignore the glimpses of light and the captain's voice so that Jim would be persuaded to leave - engaging him would only compel him to stay.

"Kirk to Enterprise, Kirk to Enterprise. Scotty, are you there?"

"Captain! Thank god yer alright! We go' here as fast as we could."

"I'm okay, but Spock's locked himself in the bunker with Casey and he's not answering the intercom. He's keeping me from opening the door, and even if I could get in I can't let him out without Casey escaping."

…

"I... might have an idea, Cap'n. We're beamin' down."

When Scotty arrived with McCoy and two security officers, they brought along extra cold-weather gear for Kirk.

"Thanks," he said as he took it. "Man, am I glad to see you guys. You said something about a plan?"

Scotty nodded almost frantically. "We discovered tha' Casey can't affect people who're unconscious, he gets sort of… expelled from their minds."

McCoy proudly displayed a small tricorder-like device. "I rigged this up to emit a high-frequency sound that we can't hear, but that'll knock the hobgoblin out cold. Then we'll have about fifteen seconds to drag him outta there before Casey can get readjusted and escape."

Kirk was skeptical. "You sure this'll work? Is it dangerous?"

"Well, we're gonna be real careful. If you activate it for too long his brain could hemorrhage, but if you don't do it for long enough nothing'll happen and Casey can escape as soon's we open the door.

"I don't like this," he worried as Bones approached the panel.

"You got a better idea?"

"Spock?" McCoy called over the intercom.

Kirk joined him. "He's not answering. He's hoping I'll leave if he doesn't talk to me."

"Well I'll talk at him, then. Spock, we're gonna transmit a high-pitched noise that'll put you out, that way Casey'll be stuck in the machinery and we'll have a bit of a window to get you out."

McCoy purposely continued holding down the button so that Spock could not protest. "Here goes," he said, and switched on the device.

"Turn it off, Bones!"

"Not yet."

…

"Bones!"

He held up a finger, paused, and clicked it off. "Now!" he ordered. "Get in there, quick!"

Kirk helped the others shove against the door, nudging his crumpled body to the side. Now that the strength was gone from his limbs, he was lighter than expected. Kirk dragged him by the shoulders over the threshold and across the ice as quickly as he could until Scotty and the security officers were able to close the door once more; tentatively, they listened.

A blood-curdling scream, high-pitched and inhuman, was emitted from the intercom, and they knew the creature was trapped once more.

"Spock!" Kirk was shaking his limp body by the shoulders, but nothing happened. "Bones, do something! Is he alright?"

The doctor scanned him and put a hand on Kirk's shoulder. "He's fine, Jim. He should wake up any minute now, but we gottta get him back up to the ship before he freezes to death."

"Jim?" came a rattling voice. Bones was right.

"Spock! You're okay! Don't worry, we trapped Casey, everything's fine. We're gonna beam back to the ship and warm you up."

"You are certain-"

"He's trapped, Spock. And we're gonna make sure nobody's ever getting near this planet again."

Still kneeling on the ice, he looked up. "Let's get the hell out of here, Scotty."