Cave Canem

Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Jim came to in a small cell with Spock standing over him and Scotty just rising from a pallet similar to the one Kirk occupied.

"Oi," Scotty rubbed his head. "Wha' sort o' beastie was tha'?"

"It appeared to match the description of a costodix," Spock supplied. "One of the mythological guardians said to keep the peace and protect the welfare of Zagarian cities. However, the depiction of costodices has always been assumed to be a symbolic representation of the attributes. This is a fascinating development."

"Yeah. Fascinating." Kirk wondered yet again how a piece of obscure scientific information could distract his no-nonsense XO like a new toy waved in front of a toddler. "Well there doesn't seem to be anything symbolic about this holding cell we're in, so I'm guessing we didn't make a great first impression."

"Ah notice yer cube has gone missing." Scotty nodded to Spock. "Whoe'er tha' merchant got it from musta took it from here and no doubt the beastie thinks tha' we're the thieves."

"That's not good. We've got to find some way to talk to her." It was a her. Jim was fairly sure that if he could communicate, he could bring her around.

"Unfortunately, while we have deciphered many Zagarian symbols, no one has spoken the language in over a millennium," Spock noted. "It was never incorporated in the universal translator and it is highly unlikely that a costodix would be familiar with Standard."

"Then we better find some way to escape." Kirk looked around, hoping for some ideas when a door suddenly appeared in one wall. The costodix stood in the opening.

Jim held his hands up. "We - come - in - peace." He enunciated slowly with small hand gestures, ending, for lack of any other symbol, in a peace sign.

The costodix stared at him, tilting her head with the confused look of a dog confronted by a squirrel attempting sign language. Finally, she turned her attention from Jim to Spock, pointing at him. "Addes."

Kirk looked at his XO. "What do you think she's saying?"

A sound like a low growl was directed at Jim. She pointed at Spock again, gesturing toward to doorway. "Addes."

"It would seem that she wishes me to go with her," Spock observed. "Perhaps if I acquiesce, it will provide an opportunity to gain our freedom."

After a brief pause to consider that, Kirk nodded and Spock proceeded to walk through the door. As soon as the costodix turned to follow, Jim made a break for it. She turned, reaching for her torque, but Spock reacted quickly and grabbed her shoulder in a nerve pinch.

"That was not precisely what I meant in terms of finding a way to gain our freedom," Spock commented as he lowered her gently to the ground.

"At least it worked," Scotty said. "Kin ye get tha' collar off o' her?"

A brief try revealed it to be firmly secured around her neck. "As she will be even less likely to believe that our intentions are peaceful once she awakens, I would suggest we make haste to leave."

"This time I think we understand each other, Spock." Kirk cautiously looked down the hallway. "Let's go."

"Readings indicate no human or Wulcan life signs, zair," Chekhov reported.

"Well, at least there's a planet here," McCoy said. "Maybe there's a clue down there as to where the thing sent them."

"It's a big planet. First we need to figure out the best place to look," Giotto replied gently. The doctor was trying to contain his agitation, but the very fact that he had all but volunteered for an away team showed the depth of his concern.

"I am reading a wery strong energy source. It is on zee southern continent, approximately 1.6 kilometers underground."

"Sir, topological scans indicate some kind of ruins on the surface," Sulu reported. "They're nearly right on top of that energy source."

"Magnify." Giotto rose to view the helmsman's data. It was clear enough on the main view screen, but he was glad of an excuse to get out the chair. The view zoomed in on a patch of vibrantly colored jungle which gradually showed the outlines of underlying columns and partial walls. "Life signs?"

"Nothing but small animal life, sir," Lt. Washburn reported from the science station. "If there's anything down at the level of that energy source, we can't read it."

"Which means we can't beam down to that level either. Mr. Sulu what kind of magnification can you get in this atmosphere?"

The screen zoomed in to a view of creases in eroded stone blocks just visible beneath deep purple vines. "We could read a PADD over someone's shoulder from here. That is, if there was anything down there to read."

"Wait," Lt. Uhura called. "Pan back, I think there just might be."

As the view panned back it became apparent that the creases were part of symbols obscured by the overgrowth. Sulu began to slowly sweep the area at that level of magnification.

"Stop. There," McCoy pointed. "It looks like someone cleared a patch right over there."

Sure enough a section of wall with a faded series of etchings stood out. "It might just be a spot Latro cleared," Giotto cautioned. "But it's a reasonable a place to start. Get Palamas up here. I'd like an idea of what that says before we head down."

"No need, sir," Uhura said. "I studied Zagarian as part my thesis on the history of interstellar languages. It says: Any who disturb the peace of the city shall answer to the Guardians."

"Thank you, Ms. Uhura." Giotto hoped that meant that Spock could read that sort of thing too. "I believe you've just earned a spot on the away team. Mr. Sulu, you have the conn. Palamas, the doctor, and -"

Warning signals blared. "Sir," Jenkins reported from tactical. "Someone's taking a shuttle."

"Well, stop them, Mr. Jenkins."

"I can't, sir. Whoever it is has over-ridden the controls."

Frak. There was only one person on the whole ship who'd steal a shuttle, especially right now. Giotto slammed his hand on comm button. "Bridge to the brig. Report."

Silence.

Giotto glanced at the doctor, who was already half-way to the lift to see what had happened to the guard at the brig. Sam hoped Calvin was alright, but if he'd fallen for some version of the 'sick prisoner' trick, Giotto was going to run him though guard training sims until he could follow correct procedure in his sleep.

"Hail that shuttle."

"Aye, sir." Uhura played her fingers across the comm station. "Enterprise to shuttle Galileo, come in Galileo. Galileo come in." She looked up. "No response, sir."

Sam leaned over the comm station. "Mr. Mudd bring that shuttle back NOW."

"Now, now, Mr. Giotto, I'm only borrowing it, until I get me own ship back."

"Return now or you will regret it."

"Tut, tut, you wouldn't fire on an unarmed civilian would you?"

No, he wouldn't although firing off Mudd's bow just to scare him did briefly cross Sam's mind. However, there was a simpler and more rational approach. "Mr. Sulu, get a tractor beam on that shuttle."

After running sequences on his controls, Sulu looked up. "There's something interfering, sir. I can't get a lock and the shuttle's heading toward the planet."

"What are you playing at Mudd?" Giotto barked.

There was no reply. Uhura checked her instruments. "He seems to have closed the shuttle's comm, sir."

Unbelievable. Giotto considered the options. He could order Kyle to try to lock onto Mudd and transport him aboard, but without a pilot the shuttle would crash. Losing a shuttle wasn't worth hauling Mudd back when they could track him down on the surface - which they would. If he thought he could drop low for a bit and sneak off later, he was going to find that he was very wrong. "Mr. Chekhov, keep a bead on that shuttle. If he lifts off, I want a tractor beam on him the moment it's possible."

"Aye, sair."

"Mr. Jenkins, I get me the best map of those ruins we can generate from here within the next fifteen minutes. Ms. Uhura, coordinate with Palamas on equipment for the away team." Giotto stalked toward the lift. "And alert Mr. Kemal that he'll be joining us; we're going to need someone to track a rabid goat."

Mudd put the shuttle down on a nearly flat slab of rock that almost seemed designed for the purpose. Once the Enterprise was busy searching for their missing crew, he planned to slip away, but in the mean time he'd do a little prospecting. He'd need loot to trade if he was really going to get his ship back (it had taken a lot of effort to swindle that ship off of Marsh's widow, so as far as Harry was concerned, it was his by rights).

Upon exiting the shuttle, he could make out some ruins fairly close by. He smiled to himself. If Latro could find treasure here, so could he. And now that he understood what it might be worth, if he found a Tessera he could buy a brand new ship. Harry wasn't concerned by warnings about monsters. Greeley was a boomer - born and raised in space - with little or no experience of normal wildlife. Latro had probably been scared by a big snake. ...Harry paused and looked carefully at the nearby vines, just to make sure none of them were snakes.

As Mudd descended from the shuttle's perch, something in one of his pockets grew warm. He pulled out the amulet he'd secretly lifted from Greeley and unwrapped it. It was emitting a faint glow.

Suddenly a being with a sharp, wolf-like head materialized before him.

Okay, maybe Latro hadn't panicked over a snake. Mudd turned to run only to have the thing pop into the spot directly in front of him. It raised a clawed hand. Desperate, he held out the amulet, hoping that if he gave it back the thing would let him go.

The creature stared, its expression as close to astonishment as possible on canine features. Then it dropped to one knee, bowing its head in fealty and clasping a fist to its chest. "Maggistu."

Harry smiled. This had definite possibilities...

AN: Cave canem = beware of the dog (you knew I had to use this one eventually, right?); Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes? = Who watches the watchmen?/Who guards the guardians?

Of course I had to give Harry a chance to get the upper hand - that's when he's at his obnoxious best.

please r&r