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Canto Four: Devilish Plot

Captain's Log; Supplemental: I have one clue, one hint as to why they've done this, and it doesn't make much sense. "He's happy there." Happy where? And why? These are answers I will not have unless Spock succeeds…until Spock succeeds.

I

"Tell me another story," Joanna said, curling up tighter on the chair by Spock's bed. She'd been enamored by the strange man since she'd first laid eyes on him and no decree from her mother was going to keep her away, no matter how many times he father scolded her.

"I have just finished telling you one," Spock said, closing his eyes. He was getting stronger, but he still grew exhausted early in the evening. He supposed it had something to do with the Qillarans and the control they had over the dream, since it did indeed feel very real.

"I want another," Joanna insisted, tugging at Spock's arm and interrupting his thoughts. "Please?" Every night since Spock had moved into the spare room in the McCoy house, Joanna had come in and asked for a story, and he had obliged as best he could. He told her stories of his life on Vulcan, being very careful to make sure she believed they were purely from his imagination. He didn't dare stray into stories of the Enterprise, to be sure he would not accidentally name her father as the CMO.

"It is late, Joanna," Spock said. "I am tired."

"Well I'm not," Joanna said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You are much like your father," Spock observed.

"Stubborn, I know," Joanna said, a broad grin quickly brightening her face. "Mama never lets me forget it."

"Indeed," Spock said with a nod. "And I am sure you enjoy being reminded?" Joanna grinned in response and Spock closed his eyes, thinking back to his childhood and trying to pick the next story for the night, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Spock opened his eyes to see Leonard poking his head in.

"Joanna, it's past your bedtime," he said. "You'd best get to your room before you mama finds you in here."

"Aw, but Daddy!" Joanna protested.

"No buts," Leonard countered. "You're lucky I don't add a few chores to your list for this. Now, hurry up, I'll be there to tuck you in in a few minutes." Joanna sighed, but she slid from her seat and hurried from the room, pausing to give her father a quick hug on the way out.

Spock waited until he was sure she was out of earshot before he spoke. "Why do you let her see me?" he asked.

Leonard shrugged and took Joanna's vacated seat, pulling open his medical bag and digging around for a hypo-spray. "I don't see any harm in it, really," he said. "I honestly can't believe Jocelyn's buying into all this superstitious nonsense 'bout you bein' the Devil." He shook his head, loading up the hypo-spray with the medicine he'd prescribed for Spock. He finished and pressed the spray against Spock's neck, listening to the familiar hiss that told him it was working. "There," he said, standing. "Now, get some rest, will ya?"

"Are you not curious about the stories I have been telling Joanna?" Spock asked, forming a plan as he spoke. He wasn't sure it would work, but he had to try something.

Leonard shrugged. "Fairy tales 'bout some planet or other," he said.

"I have been telling her about my home."

Leonard burst out laughing. "Your home? I know for a fact ain't no place on Earth anything like what Joanna says you been tellin' her about."

"Indeed, Doctor, I am not from Earth."

Leonard said nothing for a moment, then shook his head. "You just get some rest." He turned and left.

II

Nurse Chapel stood watching Spock and McCoy in their Mind-Meld. McCoy had twitched a few times, his fingers tapping or his eyes scrunching, but for the most part he had remained still, and Chapel wondered if Spock was really helping at all or if his efforts would only make it worse. She tried to imagine the Enterprise without Doctor McCoy, but soon shook such thoughts away. They would only make this harder.

Suddenly, a loud rumbling filled the sickbay, distracting Chapel from any other thoughts of losing the Doctor that might threaten to depress her. She whirled around, looking for the source, but found nothing, and by the time she returned her attention to Spock and McCoy the rumbling had stopped.

Chapel heaved a sigh of relief, but soon found she had relaxed too soon. The room began to shake violently, and Chapel fell to the floor, watching Spock in horror, afraid he too would lose his footing. But the Vulcan stood his ground, his face contorting just a little more with even greater concentration, and the shaking stopped.

Nurse Chapel waited a few moments before standing. She smoothed out her skirt and walked quickly to the comm. on the wall. She pressed the button and took a deep breath, calming her still shaky nerves before she spoke. "Captain, were we just attacked?" she asked.

"No," the Captain's voice came over the comm., confused and worried. "Why, what's happened?"

"Sickbay shook," Chapel replied. "But everything's all right," she added quickly, not wanting to worry the Captain any more than he already was.

"All right, I'll have Scotty run some diagnostics," Kirk said. "Keep me posted."

"Of course, Captain."

The minute she turned off the comm., the room darkened. Chapel whirled around, but still found no one there but Spock and McCoy. She blinked, wondering if the lights had failed, but if she squinted she could see they were still on, beyond the darkness. She hoped Scotty would hurry with that diagnostic.

III

Kirk leaned back in his chair. Scotty had just headed down to Sickbay to see if anything technical was wrong, and Kirk wanted to go with him to make sure his CMO and first officer were all right, but he knew there was nothing he could do down there. Not that there was much he could do on the bridge, either, not with the Enterprise completely out of his control.

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He felt so useless, and he hated feeling useless.