Chapter 7

Mr. Scott and Mr. Spock were standing in Dr. McCoy's office, and the atmosphere in the room was quite tense. Spock had contacted the admiralty to inform them of the facts that the landing party was missing, including Captain Kirk, and also that he had declared the equivalent of martial law on Outpost 3, pending the completion of the Enterprise's investigation.

Anyone who knew Spock would see that he was becoming fully frustrated with the conversation, though he was hiding that frustration well, for the moment.

"Admiral, I cannot take command of the Enterprise from Mr. Scott. The Captain left him in command of this vessel, during a crisis situation, and according to regulations, he cannot relinquish command during a situation of such import unless he is relieved by the Chief Medical Officer or by the Captain himself. Regulations recognize no other authority in such a situation, Admiral."

"Captain Kirk left him in command when he thought you would be off ship, Commander."

"I regret, sir, that the regulations recognize no exceptions in the Captain's orders. Mr. Scott is fully capable of commanding this ship, and even if I could, I would resist taking command from him for two reasons. One, I know he can command this ship as well as either myself or the Captain could under present circumstances, and I would not have him think I thought otherwise. Two, Captain Kirk would not have placed him in command if he had not been sure he could handle that command. I have great faith in the Captain's judgment, and would not willingly countermand his orders."

"All right, Mr. Spock. About the Captain, how goes the search for him?"

"It is proceeding as well as can be expected with no data on where to look, Admiral."

"Have you turned up anything on Outpost 3?"

"Not presently. However, we plan to question the crew on the Outpost this afternoon. I believe someone must have seen something, and to that end, I respectfully request permission to do whatever is necessary to obtain the truth of this situation."

The Admiral sat back in his chair, not sure he wanted to know what Spock had planned, or what he meant when he asked to "do whatever is necessary". Mr. Spock was the best First Officer in the fleet, and since he was also a Vulcan, the Admiral knew Spock wouldn't lie if he were asked what he meant. But, Spock was also one of the gentlest beings in the universe until he was threatened, and he was very loyal to his Captain, which assured the Admiral that he would not stop until he learned the truth.

McCoy sat behind his desk, and had been silent the whole time they were discussing this, which was totally out of character for him. "What do you think, Dr. McCoy?" the Admiral asked.

"What it all boils down to, Admiral, is whether you trust these men or not."

"Do you? Your quarrels with Mr. Spock are rumored throughout the galaxy."
McCoy looked uncomfortable. "I will admit that Commander Spock and I have our differences. We are two strong personalities on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to philosophy, but I would trust him with my life, sir, and I have, as he has trusted me with his."

The Admiral was silent for a moment, thinking. Finally, he said, "We are all bound by the regulations, Commander, but so long as you work within them, you have carte blanche to do whatever is necessary to locate and return Captain Kirk to the Enterprise, and to find the perpetrators of this act, and bring them to justice. The other members of the landing party are included in that, too, of course."

"Thank you, Admiral. Spock out." He cut the connection, and turned to Doctor McCoy.

"And thank you, Doctor." McCoy nodded once and then turned away, not ready to discuss what had just happened with either of the men in the room. The other two men prepared to take their leave. A moment later, an alarm claxon raucous noise echoed through the room, then stopped as quickly as it had started. Mr. Scott and Spock exchanged glances.

"Was that what I think it was?" McCoy asked quietly.

"It sounded like an intruder alert, but why did it cut off so suddenly?" Scott said.

A moment later, their question was answered when a whistle on the communications station sounded.

"Transporter room to Captain Scott."

"Scott here," he answered. "Was that an intruder alert?"

"Yes, sir." Here he hesitated, not sure how much he should say. "Well, who is it, Laddie?"

"I think you should see this for yourself, sir."

"On m' way." Turning to the other two, he said, "Doctor, Commander, you are both with me."

They raced down to the transporter room. When the doors slid open, McCoy gasped and fairly ran across the room. Jim Kirk was lying face down on the floor where he had fallen off of the transporter pads. He was thin, as though he hadn't eaten in weeks, though he had been gone for only a few days. He was pale and feverish, his skin boiling hot to the touch. The pulse in his wrist raced under McCoy's thumb and first two fingers. When the doctor turned his Captain over, he gasped again. Kirk's face was black and blue, and his eyes were sunken, like he had been beaten soundly. Suddenly, Kirk's eyes snapped open, but the parts of his eyes that were visible through the swelling were unfocused and far away. When McCoy tried to help him up, there was a sag to his countenance that had never existed before, even in the most trying times the Enterprise had faced. McCoy pointed the medical scanner toward his Captain, and Kirk's reaction was much like Jefferson's had been. The Captain jumped and managed to move about three feet sideways before he collapsed again. McCoy exchanged glances with Spock, and his voice was tightly controlled with as deep an accent as Scott had ever heard in it, when he said, "Spock, clear the halls and call for a medical team. Ah need to get 'im to sickbay, now."

Spock did not even wait for McCoy to finish before he carried out the medical order. Quickly moving up to help support Kirk on the other side, he said, "What is his status, Doctor?"

"Ah don't know, Spock, and probably won't till I get 'im where I can look at him proper. Ah'll let you know."

"I will be on the bridge with Mr. Scott. Inform me immediately of any change in the Captain's condition."

"Ah will, Spock."

McCoy's orderlies pushed an antigrav stretcher through the doorway at that time, and McCoy began barking orders to them. "Get 'im up there quick. S'port his head. Strap 'im down so he dudn' fall off. Don't spare the horses."

The hallways were almost eerily clear by the time they left the transporter room, and true to his orders, the medical team sprinted for sickbay.