Two Alone
Chapter 10
"They also serve who only stand and wait."
John Milton
On the Ship
Spock sat in the Captain's chair and looked around the bridge. It was Alpha shift, so the Command crew was on duty. He sat still, his body language relaxed and at ease, mirroring what he had always observed in Jim Kirk as he presided over the bridge during routine shifts. Spock was by no means an expert at interpreting human facial expressions, however since his years of association with the Captain, and more notably with Dr. McCoy, he had acquired a more than adequate ability in reading and interpreting human facial expressions. Thus, he had little difficulty in doing so now. The Command crew, he could readily tell, was definitely not relaxed or at ease. No great skill on his part was required to read the despondent visages of Lieutenants Sulu, Uhura and Ensign Chekov. He had no doubt, that should he have occasion to go to the Engineering department, he would find a similar look on Commander Scott's face, and also in Commander Giotto's visage in the Security Department.
The command crew was worried, impatient, and generally discontented. It had been two days and nights since their last contact with the Captain. Since that time, the Enterprise had traveled far away from the Perseus solar system and now sat far from Perseus 2, becalmed and still. The faint subatomic hum of her engines which usually was undetectable when she was flying, was now a persistent background noise as they waited for...something, anything; a confirmation that the Romulans had arrived and were orbiting Perseus, or better yet, that they had decided to bypass the planet all together, or even better than that, an attempt by the Captain to contact the ship. So far, there had been nothing; absolutely nothing.
Spock had done his best to keep the command crew engaged and busy. One of Jim's command strategies was to make sure that his crew remained at peak efficiency, that neither boredom nor anxiety compromised their unequaled competency. He worked hard to maximize everyone's productivity, trying to keep them happy and motivated. Jim led by example, always looking for ways to improve himself, and all his crew followed his lead; they were constantly looking to improve their already high degree of productivity and performance. This type of focus and professionalism is what made them the best crew in the Fleet.
So Uhura sat glued to her station working on boosting her communication output, Chekov fiddled with the long range sensors working to enhance both distance and acuity, and Sulu sat working out the algorithms for retrieving the Captain and Dr. McCoy from under the Romulan's noses. Mr. Scott, he was sure, was at his engines seeking to boost one more tiny percentage out of the warp drive, and Commander Giotto was, at this moment, doing drills to hone the Security personnel's phaser reflexes and physical stamina just in case they were pitted against superior Romulan strength and their disrupters.
So far Spock had not questioned or curtailed any of these activities and endeavors. He knew they were the results of agitated minds seeking equilibrium, all of them a little lost without the presence of that charismatic man who sat in this chair and led them so brilliantly. It was eerily silent on the bridge. Always, when Jim was in the Captain's chair, there was conversation, light banter, the presence of Dr. McCoy to brighten the bridge atmosphere, and, it must be confessed, irritate, yet challenge Spock's thought processes. Spock and McCoy's daily exchange amused the Captain, often drawing a chuckle or the bright sunny smile that always seemed to release the constant tension in the broad gold shoulders.
"Mr. Spock?" Uhura's pulled him from his reverie.
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"I've finished with the communication modules rewire. I've managed to increase our range by 21.4 percent. However, that percentage will not be constant, Mr. Spock. Mr. Scott and I agree that using the communication array consistantly at that level might blow the modules. We've also agreed that it would be best if we only use them when it's absolutely necessary to monitor the War Bird or communicate with the Captain. I still need to calculate what our maximum distance from Perseus would have to be in order to do either of those things, but Chekhov and I will soon have that figured out, Sir."
"Excellent, Lieutenant." Spock stood. "Mr. Sulu, you have the con for a short time. I am going to Engineering to confer with Mr. Scott."
"Aye, Sir." Sulu slipped smoothly into the command chair as Spock walked toward the lift. "Lieutenant Uhura, please call a briefing for the Command crew during the lunch break. Please notify Commander Giotto I need for him to attend also. We will all confer on our progress at that time. Please arrange for your lunches to be delivered to the Ready Room by the mess, it will be a working lunch."
"Yes, Mr. Spock."
As the lift door closed behind Spock, the Command crew exchanged mutual glances of satisfaction. Finally there was progress toward getting Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy off the planet. The three of them began making notes for their reports to Mr. Spock. They knew he would have many questions about what they had tried to do and what they had accomplished thus far.
Spock took the lift to Engineering. He and Mr. Scott had been working steadily on increasing the scope and range of their long range sensors. It was imperative that they have eyes on the planet soon. Last night, he had increased his mediation time in order to contain and suppress his impatience and rising anxiety. Today he felt more confident in the logical premise of his calculations for the long range sensors. Mr. Scott would double check the algorithms and they would make their report to the entire Command crew on their increased capacity and the CE's boost to the warp engines.
Lt. De Salle was on the main Engineering deck. "Mr. Spock," he said respectfully. "Mr. Scott is in his office. He said to tell you to go right in, Sir."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Spock made his way to Mr. Scott's office and opened the door to find him at his main computer. The office was meticulously neat, as was all of the Engineering department. Mr. Scott would tolerate no messes in his department, as all the engineers and techs found out immediately should they leave something out of place.
"Good morning, Mr. Scott."
"Mr. Spock, 'tis glad I am that you're here, Sir. I have finished my upgrade calculations, so let's get doon to business shall we?" Spock noted that the Scottish brogue was out in full force, always a sign that Mr. Scott was agitated.
"Very well, Mr. Scott. What do you have for me?"
"Well now, Sir. I have checked and double checked your calculations and they are correct. My lads and I can get started on modifying the sensors straight away. However, Mr. Spock, we must be judicious in using them, because that much of an increase in energy output for an extended period of time will fry the sensor's modules. I can give you one full hour at most, Mr. Spock, then we'll need to rest the sensors, let them cool down so to speak. That will mean that we won't be able to use them again for double that time. In other words, Sir, for every period of use, we must double the period of non-use." He sighed. "I canna' do more, Mr. Spock."
"Yes, I see, Mr. Scott. I expected something of the sort, but thought it best for you to double check my findings. So in effect, if we use the long range sensors, we will be blind for a period of time following their use."
"That's it in the nutshell, Mr. Spock." Scotty waited knowing better than to rush that brilliant mind as Spock did rapid calculations in his head.
"What about the short range sensor array, Mr. Scott?"
"That array will nae be affected, Mr. Spock. They work on a different power matrix altogether. We will still be able to use them, but their range is limited, as you know. Maximum range is usually planetary orbital range, no more than that, and that's stretching it some, Mr. Spock."
"Very well, Mr. Scott. Please prepare a briefing report for the Command crew. We will meet in the Captain's Ready Room during lunch. It will be a working lunch. I will see you at that time, Mr. Scott."
"I'll have the report ready, Sir. 'Tis glad I am that we're preparing to do something. Our lady is not the same without her Captain."
Spock nodded his agreement, and returned to the bridge. He had to admit, that he too, was ready to do something productive in order to bring the Captain and Dr. McCoy back to the ship.
At noon, the Command crew assembled in the Ready Room. Spock waited until the mess crew wheeled in the food trolleys with their lunches. After the mess crew had gone, Chekov distributed the lunches and drinks to everyone, and they sat down to discuss ways and means.
"Let us get started with the briefing," Spock said. "Let me be very clear. The Captain's orders stand. We must not let the Romulan ship know we are anywhere near Perseus, and we must not engage them in any way. To that end, there has been some progress in finding a way to retrieve the Captain and Dr. McCoy as well as evading detection by the Romulan ship. Lt. Uhura, will you please report on the progress with your Communications array."
"Yes, Sir. Just before our briefing began, I completed the temporary upgrades to our Communication array modules. I had reported earlier to Mr. Spock that I managed to increase our communication capacity range by 21.4; I have since eked out almost another percent, 22.1. Mr. Chekov double checked my equations and the results are accurate."
Chekov nodded his agreement.
Uhura continued. "It doesn't sound like much, but that extra percent is an increase of over 3 million kilometers of communication distance. Our communicator capacity, however, will not be constant, the modules just can't take it, but they should work well enough so that when we get close enough I can monitor the Romulan War Bird without their knowing it or contact the Captain or Dr. McCoy if need be." Uhura sat back in the chair looking pleased with herself.
"Excellent, Lieutenant. Mr. Chekov?"
"As Lt. Uhura reported, I double checked her calculations and, of course, they vere correct." He smiled at Uhura shyly. "With those calculations in mind, I then plotted the optimum course to take us closer to Perseus 2 so that Lt. Uhura would have the least interference and also ve would have the least possibility of detection by the War Bird, Mr. Spock."
Spock nodded. "Please send me and Mr. Sulu your navigational coordinates, Mr. Chekov."
"Done, Mr. Spock."
Spock looked at his padd and nodded. "Mr. Sulu?"
"Helm is ready to implement our course with Mr. Chekov's coordinates. Just waiting for your speed orders, Sir."
"Very good, Mr. Sulu. Mr. Scott?"
"Aye, Sir. I have managed to increase warp engine capacity by .058 percent," he told the group. "It dinna' sounds like much, but if we have to get away from the vicinity of the War Bird in a hurry, every little bit helps. Also, as Mr. Spock already knows, I have modified the long range sensors modules." He went on to explain what he had done to the long range sensors and how the process had to work.
Four pairs of eyes looked at him dubiously. Uhura voiced their concern. "Can we really do without the long range sensors for the periods of time they'll be unavailable after each time we use them? We don't know what kind of traffic might be out there or even if there is another Romulan War Bird in the vicinity."
Spock nodded. It was a valid concern and question. "We have limited knowledge of Romulan mission protocols, that is true. We do not know for certain if their ships travel alone on exploratory missions the way Fleet ships do, or if they travel in pairs or as part of a convoy. However, from the Captain's and my limited contact with a previous Romulan ship, that particular War Bird was unaccompanied, flying alone. We will proceed with that assumption, and Mr. Scott assured me that Enterprise will still have use of her short range sensors, so we will not be totally blind."
"'Tis the best I can do, Lass," Scotty interjected to Uhura's still dubious face. "There is no way around it. Energy once depleted must be built up again. 'Tis the ancient energy output input equations we canna' get around even these days."
"Since Mr. Scott can do nothing about this, we will proceed as best we can with the limited use of the long range sensors and the full use of the short range sensors. It will have to do," Spock told them. "It is either that, or we sit here becalmed and do nothing."
"No, Mr. Spock," Uhura said, and the others nodded their agreement with her. "We must try to make contact with the Captain. I think I speak for the others, that doing nothing is not an option we would like."
"Mr. Giotto?"
"Security is at top efficiency, Sir. I have scheduled practice with the phaser rifles just in case they're needed. Romulan disrupters do not have a stun setting, as far as we know."
Spock agreed. They knew so little about Romulan battle tactics, except that they were fierce warriors with a highly developed sense of honor. "It is my hope Security proficiency will not be needed, Mr. Giotto. Very well, tomorrow morning marks the beginning of the third day that the Captain and the doctor are on the planet. Either the Romulans have moved on or they are still in orbit over Perseus 2. Either way we must find out."
"What is the plan, Mr. Spock?" Chekov asked.
"Tomorrow at the beginning of Alpha shift we will begin our move back to Perseus 2. Mr. Sulu, you will follow the navigational coordinates that Mr. Chekov has plotted. We will travel very slowly at sub light speed, 1/8 C., for one full hour. We will then stop, use the long range sensors to scan the space around and in front of us, then spend the next two hours becalmed. When the long range sensors can be activated again, we will once again move. It will be an extremely tedious and prolonged process, but it is the only way to insure that we do not accidentally encounter the Romulan ship or that we leave a warp trail that they might find."
Scotty sighed and nodded. "I agree, Mr. Spock. 'Tis the only way."
Spock continued "During the time we are moving, Lieutenant Uhura, you will get ready to use the enhanced communication array modules. I want you to engage them to full power while we are becalmed. I will leave it to your discretion to determine the duration and scope of your communication grid search. You know your systems best. Any subspace chatter that you might pick up you will report to me immediately, even if it is not Romulan."
"Of course, Sir, but why is that, Mr. Spock?"
"It may be, Lieutenant that a passing ship might have seen or encountered the Romulan War Bird, which would certainly help us determine its whereabouts."
"Yes, of course, Sir."
"Very well. I suggest we all get back to our duty stations and prepare for tomorrow. Make certain you are well rested tonight. You will need to be at your best tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
Spock watched them leave the Ready Room. He had confidence that they had done all they could under the very trying circumstances of trying to avoid the Romulans, yet still find a way to retrieve the Captain and Dr. McCoy. The plan was simple and elegant, and his Vulcan self, highly approved of both of those things.