Tale of the Last Clans: Chapter 11
She nodded to him and they were led into a room with yellow walls. There was only one chair, in the middle of the room, poised next to a large machine. The machine had a cord that led to a helmet, and a touch panel facing Spock's direction with options in Klingon.
Engage Mindsifter
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4 (Warning: Fatal)
Spock had read about the mindsifter in his last Intelligence packet. The Klingons had used it successfully on human members of Starfleet and had a mandate to try it on other Federation species.
Even if he believes our ruse, it is still in his benefit to torture at least one of us, Spock thinks to himself. He turns to Nekae.
"Do not try to disarm them, no matter what you see or hear from me," he said, head bent forward, imagining how his father would counsel his mother, "They do not need a Vulcan woman to go through the machine if they have a Vulcan man." And while normally her incessant questions grated at him, this time he was expecting them. His mother always questioned his father, and certainly would in this instance.
"Why would they need a Vulcan man, but not a woman?"
"Women do not normally serve in the Federation's fleet." Her eyes widened then, and he was certain she understood what was about to happen. He was moved to the chair and sat before he could be pushed. Vulcans were actually stronger than Klingons, but he needed to stay in character as a trader.
"Let's see how he does. I'm sure someone's gonna make a pile of darseks tonight!" The metal helmet was placed on his head and then they activated the device. At first, it seemed like it had not worked. Then one of the Klingon soldiers spoke.
"What is your name?" he said, the words thundering at Spock in every way possible. They were loud, blinding, breath-taking, and they echoed in his mind as if they had been telepathically transmitted as well.
"Spock..." he answered, thankful that he could give the right answer without fighting. He had no way of estimating how long he could last against this onslaught.
"Who is this woman?" This was harder, but he held back the first part of her name. As if they were close, and he only needed a piece of her name to represent the whole.
"kae..." he answered again. He clung to this new knowledge, that if his answer were partially the truth then he did not have to fight. He just had to think, which was a feat in itself.
"Turn it up." He did not immediately understand this, not until they spoke again.
"Are you spies for the Federation?" The words were so bright, but his inner eyelids did not close to protect him. They thundered in his hears, but his eardrums did not burst. And they were in his mind, and he knew he could not lie. He was so relieved that he did not have to in this instance. Spies was plural, and certainly kae was no spy for the Federation.
"No..."
"One more time."
"ARE YOU SPIES FOR THE FEDERATION?"
"NO!" Someone screamed then, maybe he did, but there was a drop in pressure in the room and he felt his head, neck, and shoulders slump forward.
He was like that for several minutes, something going on around him that he could not commit to caring about. Then silence, and warm hands on his face.
"Hey, can you hear me? They're gone now. Hey?" His head was lifted from where his chin rested on his chest. He looked at kae, who he was here with, here on Organia. She expelled air in a hard breath, saying something he did not care to translate, and then she put her hands and fingers on his face. He could still see them, despite the thought that he should be blinded by now, and he watched her close her eyes.
Help me. I need to get in there. He's hurt.
This seems like a bad idea. Give me a good reason why.
A second voice joined hers, but while hers was in his ears this other voice was in his mind. A male, which should not be if she is here with him.
He's hurt because he was protecting me.
Very well.
This he felt much more intensely than when the mindsifter was activated. A much stronger telepath peeled back his barriers, pushing Nekae into his mind along with whoever this intruder was.
And then he was standing on the edge of the Katric Arc, on the ledge at the mouth of the cavern. It was crumbling and his mother was on the edge.
He watched her fall into the black hole.
This was a scene that had played itself out in his mind, his meditations, and even his dreams many times. And each time, regardless of his own desires, he felt the maelstrom of emotions that accompanied it. Fear, shock, denial, primal terror...
But this time was different. The memory began, but he felt confidence, hope, excitement, commitment...
And the memory continued, his mother surrounded in darkness, winds whipping around her, as she fell endlessly. Until below her there was a light, which she rushed towards, and soon she was falling out of the sky, on Vulcan, heavy gravity pulling her fast towards the ground.
From her side he rushed in, flying as if from a jump, and catching her in one arm.
Triumph
His eyes opened. He was in the yellow room, hands on his face, still tied to a chair. The hands were removed, and he heard an impact. Lifting his head, which was difficult but not impossible, he saw Nekae. Her skin was flushed green and she was gasping, taking in large gulps of air. Pulling his arms, he discovered she had undone his bonds at some point.
He rose and moved over to her. He was slow, but he did have some control over his movements. In moments, he was on the tiled floor, on his knees as he leaned over the Nomad.
"Do you require assistance?"
"No! No no..." she trailed off, and scooting herself back and out from under him she pushed herself up on her arms. "I'm so sorry. I know that looked a little weird, but I promise you its fine. Everything's completely empty." Was she so confusing due to after effects from the mindsifter, or was it just how nonsensical she normally was?
"Pardon?"
"You saw my lady. The lady who was falling. I know that looks weird and-wait, you saw her right?"
My lady she said. The lady who was falling. His mind was at once still and completely focused. He thought she had seen his memory, but now she was claiming that he saw hers.
"Yes," he said simply, hoping she would say more. She nodded.
"That's what I thought. Anyway, I know it looks crazy but she's fine. Or she will be. That's just my thing."
She's fine. Or she will be. He was utterly unable to conjure up possible scenarios that explained this conversation, but he knew better than to allow for hope. It was an emotion and, like all the others, required control.
"I see." She nodded at that, and then started to rise. She reached out to help him, but ended up needing help too, which lead to a tug-and-pull as they helped each other.
Thoughts from the minutes and hours leading up to the interrogation started to hit his consciousness, and he remembered that he was imitating his father's behavior. She was helping him, but even if they were both hurt he knew his father would be focused on his mother as the priority. He shifted, moving into her arm around his waist-which stabilized his stance—so that he could lift an arm over her shoulders.
He needed to know more about the lady who was falling, but he did not want to rouse suspicion. He thought of the most casual way to reengage the topic as they walked.
"She fell on Vulcan. How will she be fine?" Nekae turned her head towards him, eye level with his chin.
"She's my destiny. Its complicated, but don't worry about her." She was looking into his eyes, and hers reflected the confidence and determination he had felt in the link. "I've got her."
He thought himself weak, but his controls were strong enough to conceal his surprise at her statement. Still looking into her eyes, he committed right then as well. He would do whatever was necessary to get this full story, on the very small chance (at the moment not enough data to even estimate precisely how small) that it could lead to his mother.
The door opened and the guards entered the room again. Standing, Spock pulled her away from them, slightly behind him, using body language the way his father would if his mother were threatened. The Klingons seemed to understand this and even to respect it, stepping back and giving the two room. They were ushered into a room with Kirk and Kor.
"Report," Kor ordered.
"They are what they claim to be, Commander. Vulcanian merchants named Spock and T'Kay. Their main concern seems to be each others' safety under our occupation." He looked down at her, taking the opportunity to reinforce the body language component of their ruse. Their eyes locked and she mirrored the emotion he was feigning. She seemed to understand it now. Perhaps his intentions got through while they were mentally tethered.
"Anything else?"
"The usual. A certain amount of apprehension regarding us. His mind is remarkably disciplined." As disciplined as a Vulcan in Starfleet would be.
"Are you sure you broke through?"
"We used force three, sufficient to break through any pretense." He tested this against his memory and confirmed that he did remember three distinct levels. He was also able to recall the display, which featured four levels, where the fourth was labeled fatal. He would need to document that in his report, should they escape-now 15.761% with this task accomplished if they have also garnered the Organians' support-and the fact that the Klingons thought three levels was enough.
"Sufficient." He turned to Kirk, evaluating him as one would an enemy. "Would you like to try our truth finder?" Kirk looked in Spock's direction showing concern, which Spock thought he should be working harder to conceal.
"I don't understand," Kirk asked, and he suspected the Captain was fishing for more information as well. Of course his emotion would have a logical purpose.
"It is a mindsifter, or a mind ripper, depending on how much force we use. We can record every thought, every bit of knowledge in a man's mind. But if we use that much force, well, there won't be much of anything left. He would be a mental vegetable." At his side, Nekae stiffened at this, and looked at him again. He met her questioning eyes and nodded. He was fine.
"It is a tool-" Kor had continued his conversation with Kirk, "-somewhat brutal. But efficient."
"Are you sure you're alright?" He looked up, realizing he was being spoken to, and some response was expected.
"Certainly. But it was an interesting experience." He felt Nekae move at his side, a puff that he suspected was a laugh.
"Alright Vulcan! You may go!" Kor directed his comments at Spock specifically. "But know this: You are an enemy alien, under our scrutiny at all times." Kor looked over at his men and one of them nodded to him. He continued, "And we spared your woman, knowing how your people are about your mates, but we can always bring you in again. Do we understand one another?"
"I understand you. Very well." He remembered his father's next conversation with the Emissary from the Orion Syndicate after the incident. Sarek's tone had colored ever so slightly with emotion. Now, Spock understood it was because he loved his mother. Then it had only led to more questions.
Outside, walking on the street that led through the center of the village they were in, Kirk quickly found them a place to sit. There was a stone bench just off the road and Kirk ushered them over.
"Sit, Spock. Is he okay?" he asked the Nomad.
"I think so. He wasn't at first." They shared a look, which did not make any sense to him. On all of the calls between their two vessels, she always focused her attention on Kirk. Spock assumed this was to avoid Sarek and any other Vulcan, himself included. Now he wondered if in even that short a time Kirk had been able to develop a rapport. There had been rumors about Kirk's "way with women" since before his days as a cadet.
"But it can't have been that bad, right?" Now his Captain was addressing him.
"I would not underestimate it. The device reaches directly into the mind." This defense of its power seemed to make the Captain more anxious, and he watched as the human visually verified his health-or lack thereof.
"But you tricked it," Kirk said, pitching his voice lower. Spock nodded.
"Vulcans have… mental defenses. They are necessary, as we are touch telepaths. These defenses are built and reinforced through mental disciplines. Without these disciplines, there is no defense against this device." Nekae was still close to him, so when she shifted he felt it. He looked over, a small gesture out of the corner of his eye. She looked uncomfortable, like she was reminded of something that made her want to move away from him.
"What's wrong?" he asked, switching languages and softening his tone so she recognized that he was talking to her.
"Nothing why?"
"We must keep up appearances," he reminded her, looking around. There were Klingons everywhere now, in almost every open space, and going in and out of every building. She nodded, her eyes narrowing, and then relaxed into his arm.
"Watch where you're looking, Organian!" a Klingon roared. He was across the street and the Captain was staring at him.
"Captain, I strongly suggest we focus on accomplishing our mission here."
"Are you saying this because you think I need a reminder not to start a fight?" Kirk asked, his blue eyes bright with a dark humor.
"Yes," he said with confidence, knowing it would raise the human's spirits.
"What mission? Why are you here?" Nekae asked, and he found himself straightening.
"It's classified," the Captain answered.
"That's what you said before," she said, turning in his arm to look up at him. "Does it just mean secret? Is it really the case that it is so secret, I can't even know that its secret?" He remembered why she bothered him.
"We were pressed for time before and I did not estimate that we had enough of it for me to explain."
"So, let's catch up," Kirk broke in the middle, seeing a familiar sight and jumping in before a disagreement turned into anything more. "We're here representing the Federation. The rest is classified. Why are you here? I thought you were going to a party."
At that, she shot Spock a self-satisfied look, as if to say that was what you were supposed to say, and continued. "We have a relationship with the Organians."
"What do you mean, a relationship? There are a few traders we know of that come down here, and most rarely, if ever. The Organians just don't really have much to attract intergalactic notice, you know?"
"No, I don't know. Honestly, I'm not sure you really get them. Anyway, we have a relationship with them because of a planet in our system."
"The Organians are not a space-capable race," Spock began, as he realized that he had unconsciously shifted positions-confirming the mythical lecture mode that so many on the Enterprise claimed he had-noticing only because the Nomad was still at his side. It was an odd sensation, being warm on one side, "and thus could not have concerns as far away as Nomad territory."
"Wrong. Well, not wrong, but not right either. And I don't know why they are letting you be not-wrong-not-right on this, but it is not mine to discuss." She shrugged, an odd sensation against his arm and side, and looked away. He managed to shut her down every time he contributed to their conversations via comm, and now he was replicating that result in live action. He looked to Kirk, knowing they were losing the chance to collect vital information about this new race.
"Forget them for a minute. What planet? I mean, what kind of planet could the Organians possibly care about?" Kirk's tone and body language was casual, as if nothing socially abrupt had just occurred.
"The Time Planet. Its the whole reason we're where we are." Kirk leaned in and Spock mimicked the motion, leaning into their makeshift embrace. "It is deep within our system and, legend has it that when our ancestors were expelled from Vulcan, they passed it on their way. The planet gives off waves and waves of temporal displacement and if you are sleeping while exposed to the waves, you get glimpses of other times."
"Glimpses?" Spock asked. He had a theory that he wanted to test.
"Yes, glimpses. Like, into the future."
"Wait, are you saying your people use this planet to know the future?" Kirk responded, his mind busy with the implications, were that true.
"No no no. It goes like this: Thousands of years ago, our ancestors ships were sailing through space, uncharted space that had never been explored by our kind before. And then they were all stopped, a whole group of ships, caught in these waves. And our people, if they were asleep or unconscious or in utero, each saw something. Just one thing, individual to them. That thing is their destiny." Spock had heard many odd origin stories from many different species, and even wild ideas often had normal, scientific explanations. It was not out of the mean of likely probabilities that these forced explorers discovered a new phenomenon in previously unexplored space.
And then he remembered the Andorian historical star charts.
"Is this Time Planet in the middle of the space between Tesnia, Sigma Seti, and Pollux?" He caught the Captain's eyes just as they lit up, and he knew the Captain remembered their briefing, and the odd place where the first Vulcan expatriots stayed for 23 days with no explanation.
"Yes. Why, do the Andorians know it is there too? Not that it matters. It is impossible to land on, even if you know where it is."
"Because of the waves of time displacement?" Kirk asked. She nodded.
Spock turned to the side to address her, careful to maintain body language and voice modulation appropriate for their ruse, but staying in Standard so the Captain could keep up.
"You said before that the falling woman was your destiny. Do you use that same word here intending the same meaning?" Kirk looked confused but did not ask. He would make sure to brief him fully later, if they escaped.
"Yes. When our mothers are pregnant, they take a trip to the Time Planet and spend some of their pregnancy in orbit there. All of us have a destiny, something we saw while there that will at some point happen in our lives. Something we'll do. The thing we make sure happens."
Spock knew he needed to focus on the mission. He could not allow his curiosity to work against him, not with such a low percentage for possible survival.
"And this is how you know the Organians?" He was beginning to be able to distinguish yes or no just from her small movements.
"Yes. Some of them travel there as well, and once, long ago, one met a Nomad just as you met me."
"I see. And you know Trefayne well?" Spock wondered if he could collect additional data to support his theory that protecting the Nomad would turn the Organians in their favor.
"Yeah, we're friends. Every now and then I come out this way to party, and then afterword I come by here for a visit. I guess, in this place," she articulated with one hand, moving it around in a wide motion, as if to indicate everything around them, "I guess you'd say he was an innkeeper."
"What do you mean, 'in this place'?" Kirk asked. The thought for a few moments before she answered.
"I mean, normally when I come here, this," she waived her hand around again, "is not what I see."
"Could you perhaps explain it a different way?" Spock asked, and he could tell immediately from her movements that this was the wrong question.
"I honestly can't think of a better way to explain it," she said drily, obviously annoyed.
"Either way," Kirk said, watching as a group of Klingon soldiers walked by, gesturing rudely and making lazy, obnoxious sounds, "eventually the Organians are going to start to resent how the Klingons run things."
"I don't think you're right about that." Nekae leaned in, and Spock moved with her, his chest at her back. "These are patient people, Kirk. They'll stay in occupation for thousands of years if it will teach somebody a lesson. If you want to get something done around here, you need to make some noise. Cause some trouble. Blow some shit up." Kirk smiled, and Spock had the feeling that was exactly the type of thing his Captain wanted to do to relieve all of this built up tension. He caught Kirk's eye.
"You'll need a distraction, Barona."
"Do you have something in mind, Mr. Spock."
"Indeed I do."
The Errand of Mercy Redux, Part 2
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