...
Chapter 9
Stardate 2259.32
USS Enterprise – Shuttle Bay
Kirk's eyes snapped open, gasping as Spock retracted his hands from the Gorn's face. Like a horrible nightmare.
Kirk could still see every detail. He blinked a couple of times, trying to burn out the images of the genocide from his mind. The vivid sights made him feel as if he was responsible.
It was all so real...His eyes fought back the liquid that filled them. He stood up on shaky legs, sucked in a breath and regained his composure. Pain turned to anger. "Take the thing to the brig. I want 24-hour security. This thing doesn't eat unless I know about it."
Two security personnel knelt down, grabbing the creature's legs. One officer responded, "Aye sir." They left the room, dragging the scaly beast away, streaking the puddle of yellow blood behind it.
Kirk turned back to Spock, who was still kneeling on the floor. The anger drained from Kirk's face. Instead, his features displayed sadness. Sympathy. He reached out a hand, resting it on the Vulcan's shoulder."I'm sorry."
Spock's eyes remained downcast, filled with pain, bewilderment, loss. His response came off weakly. "The regret is not for myself. This is a great loss for the Vulcan people." And T'Mar. The kneeling officer's mind swirled with thoughts of regret, thoughts of pain. Surok was his mentor and friend. Suddenly, something flashed in his eyes. A look of anger, determination.
"We should seek to limit such losses." The first officer held his Captain's gaze, breathing erratically. His voice was low and bitter.
At least he was talking. Kirk decided to be honest with the Vulcan about the implications of what they had just observed. "If they tortured and killed Surok for that information, they'll do the same to T'Mar." His words hung in the air for a few seconds.
"I am afraid you are correct, Captain." He walked on past Kirk, only to be halted by a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Kirk's face was again one of understanding and sympathy. "How do you want to handle this one?"
Without looking over, Spock explained. "Our mission could not be more clear. We must go through the rip and recover the Helios machine." Again he tried to leave.
"And T'Mar?" Kirk's question stopped the Vulcan in his tracks.
He sighed. "I suppose we will just have to save her as well." Placing his hands behind his back, he strode away.
A slight smile formed on Kirk's face as he followed. "You read my mind, commander. And you didn't even have to do that 'voodoo' mindmeld thing with my face." He waved his hands near his head, the typical human sign for craziness.
Kirk unholstered his communicator. "Kirk to bridge. Sulu?"
At his station, the helmsman clicked his comm open. "Sulu here, sir. Red alert's been cancelled. Did you catch the intruder?"
"We did, Mister Sulu. You can tell Mister Chekov I don't hold him responsible by the way." As Kirk said it, Sulu shot Chekov a confused look. The Russian turned red and looked guilty. How did he know I vas there?
"Uh...thank you, Keptin. I'm wery, wery sorry. I should have been more careful." He said, leaning closer to the communicator.
"It's okay, Chekov. Sulu, set new course, back towards the rip. We're going in after them." Kirk's face hardened with firm resolve. He had made up his mind, and now no one could change it.
Sulu didn't want to. "Aye aye, sir. What about back up?"
"No time. We've got hours to get that device, and T'Mar back. Besides, if I can help it, I don't want anyone else exposed to those things."
"They got T'Mar too?"
"That's what I said, Lieutenant."
"Setting new course...now." Chekov and Sulu worked in tandem with the Enterprise's flight control and navigation. "Course plotted, sir." Sulu said curtly as he punched in the final coordinates.
"Punch it, maximum warp!" Kirk said, flipping the comm closed and joining in the turbolift. He swore even with inertial dampeners on, he could feel the ship jump into hyperspace.
...
Stardate 2259.32
Unknown location
A cold chill caused T'Mar to shiver.
Where am I? She couldn't open her eyes, but she could hear distant voices of various Gorn, beeping equipment and rumbling engines.
Her entire body ached with pain. How long had she been here? Struggling, she tried to move her legs. Her arms. Neither could shift more than an inch or two. The feeling of restraints binding her wrists and ankles ruled out paralysis in her mind. To prevent escape... I do not believe I have the strength to try. She licked her dry lips and concentrated on modulating her respiration. Calm...you are alive...others will come for you. The likelihood of that happening was slim. Most certainly, based on the awful smell, she was no longer in the Starbase. A Gorn vessel, or station perhaps...
T'Mar...
A voice whispered from the shadows. A familiar voice. She attempted to lift her head, to speak, but no sound came. Father? She thought.
T'Mar...I have...little time...
T'Mar's throat caught. Somehow, her father had attained the rare Vulcan ability to meld without physical contact. Where are you?
I am...in an unknown...location...
What did you mean, "little time?"
I am...dying...
No! Her face contorted, her mind racing. Are you close? I can assist you. I believe I can break free-
It is too late...I have incurred mortal wounds. Losing blood...
Hang on! T'Mar suffered to hear the voice of her pained father growing weaker. Oh, Father! It is my fault. I assisted the commodore, I facilitated the creation of the rip! Our people-
You are not to blame...you didn't know...Daniels is...to blame for this...
I have failed you, father...failed Savan...
You never...have! Silence interrupted the emotional exchange of thoughts. Surok purged his mind of the burning pain in his stomach and neck. T'Mar...I am proud of you...always...will be...
Tears threatened. T'Mar fought as hard as she could to maintain her composure. She failed. Why? After all that has happened...
After all that has happened...I love you, daughter...His thoughts became broken with pain, but not just from the torture. Savan loved you, and your sister –ugh!
Father?
Silence. You dedicated your life to us, to the Vulcan people...no matter what happens...I will always be proud...of you, T'Mar...
Tears streaked down her face. I am feeling...crying like a child...
It's okay, T'Mar...okay to cry...don't mourn for me...you need to live...I want...you to live...
I want to help you, but I can't! Emotions flooded her mind.
You have...every day after we lost your mother...you saved me...
From what?
From myself...my hurt...my grief...my pain...
It is what you would have done for me, father...
I will always love you...always, my child...His voice cut off, leaving a silence in her mind.
Father? FATHER? Nothing. Horrible silence. A dark void.
In that moment, the walls that she had put around herself came down. No amount of Vulcan mind-to-mind contact, no therapy, no comfort could stop the wave of emotional distress that rocked T'Mar to the core. She now had lost both parents. This time, it was her fault.
A sob escaped her lips. Turning her head to the side, her energy gave out. Heaving on the slab she was on, she let her mind go, grasping for the memories of her family. When it was whole.
Now, it was all gone. She had failed her people, her civilization, and her father.
...
Stardate 2259.32
USS Enterprise – Bridge
"Communications log, supplemental. I've been able to break down the alien syntax enough to decipher a basic lexicon. What I've found is troubling. Even in exchanges between members of the species themselves, every word, every sentence, every intonation is highly aggressive. Obviously we can only analyse small fragments of their speech we've been able to capture so far...but I doubt their language has anything approaching a word for peace."
Uhura let the log recording program linger for a few seconds before shutting it off. Her speculation was far from improbable; it was often the case that if a culture had little or no experience or frame of reference for a concept, it would be entirely absent from their language. Earth missionaries of the past had made special note, for instance, of the fact that prior to their making contact with an isolated tribe, those people had no word in their vocabulary for "unconditional love".
She brushed a loose strand of hair off her face and sat back in her chair. Based on what she had heard, there was clearly no love lost between the Gorn, unconditional or not. How do you reason with somebody who has no heart?
You don't. She was seriously considering the disturbing possibility that there was no way to speak with them. They were already capable of killing without feeling, destroying without any care. Spock had already pointed out that they used their own officers as merely a means to an end. A debris field of their own ships was part of the reason the large Gorn ship had escaped in the first place.
She took a sip of her tea, letting the fragrance permeate her senses. It calmed her, but only briefly.
One thing was for certain; after experiencing the Gorn's brutality first-hand, Dr. McCoy would never be able to criticise Spock quite the same way he had before about his "lack of feeling." She knew he cared deeply for her. She also knew this attack on the colony had hurt him more than she could know.
Taking a look behind her, she saw Chekov and Sulu busy with the instrumentation, working together to make minute course corrections. Her eyes held on the brilliant blue and white streaks of the warp field outside the viewscreen, indicating they were moving faster than light. Around her, she saw other familiar faces; Slater to her right, Cruz, Richards, and Brown at their various stations.
Her comm chimed, prompting her to turn back around and pick up. "Lieutenant Uhura here. What is it?"
Spock's voice answered. "Nyota – Lieutenant, please report to sickbay. Captain Kirk and myself will meet you, Mister Scott and Dr. McCoy there."
"I'll be right there, sir – Spock? Can I ask a personal question?"
Spock's voice lowered slightly in volume. "What is it, Nyota?"
"How are you holding out?"
"I am all right. Thank you for asking. Spock out."
Still not ready for that yet. Once this was over, he would be. Uhura was sure of it. Pushing back in her chair, she strode off toward the turbolift.
...
Stardate 2259.32
Unknown Location
"There's still a chance. I can still get out of here alive. I'm too valuable not to. I just have to convince these creatures of that. They're obviously not stupid."
The creatures had all that technology. They flew ships, led a coordinated attack on his base. Surely they could see he had some use. Maybe he could convince them he needed the others. Anything to get out of this place, away from the disturbing sharp tools and the teeth.
"If only I had been more patient with T'Mar's tests."
He knew she was right. He was wrong. If he had just let them go, the Vulcans, the base, and everything would be alright. If only this never happened...
"There's no way Starfleet will be able to hold off a full scale invasion."
How many more deaths would be added to this massacre? Daniels shook his head. As he tried to continue his log recording, a large armoured Gorn entered. The alarmed commodore staggered back, clutching the comm. A floating object with mechanical arms came in after. Outside the room, more Gorn. They eyed him curiously. Daniels' heart rate was now beyond what he'd ever felt running down the streets of San Francisco what seemed like a lifetime ago.
"What! What are you doing? No! I CAN HELP YOU!"
It was useless. The Gorn restrained him, dragging the damaged, injured man kicking and screaming from the room. He fought and fought, every thrust and punch draining more energy. Punch, jerk, breath. Kick, lunge, thrash, gasp. A sharp object caught his eye, making him push back with all his might on his abductors.
"NO! DON"T! NOOOOOO!"
...
Stardate 2259.32
USS Enterprise – Medbay
Scotty, Kirk and Spock crowded around the engineer's PADD . He seemed quite animated as he showed off his findings. Behind them, Lieutenant Uhura came in to join the officers.
"Well, Captain," Scotty said, "Being the quick thinkin' man every engineer need to be, I've taken all your scans, done plenty of research, and compiled it all for your easy reading. Don't do it, mind you, right before bed, otherwise it'll take more than a warm cuppa milk to settle your nerves. Some of this is creepy stuff, and I have a feeling it'll only get worse."
Spock shared a look with Uhura, and then glanced at the screen. "Excellent work, Mister Scott. This dossier you have constructed will prove highly advantageous. May I ask that you forward any scientific data to the labs?"
"Already done, sir." Scotty nodded proudly. "Dossier! That's the word I've been looking for."
Kirk grabbed the PADD, scrolling quickly through it. "So, what have you found?" He tugged at the hem of his fresh golden-yellow command uniform. It felt good to be out of the tight environmental suits. Spock donned his blue science uniform.
"Oh, loads of information. Some I don't care about, some I find fascinating. You'll have to wait a moment though, Doctor McCoy needs to be here. After all, he helped me with some parts."
What did he say? The Captain's eyes widened as he took in the information. He never imagined that he'd hear what the engineer had just confirmed. Montgomery Scott and Leonard McCoy were working together on something. It wasn't that they hated each other, but they definitely had very different approaches to work, very different opinions of sickbay. "You and the doctor working together?"
"If you'd told me before this happened, I wouldna believed you. But alas..."The Scot trailed off as McCoy strode forward, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Hi, Jim. Spock, Uhura." He nodded to each. "As he was saying before, the Gorn are strange things. We've got tech, weapons, and biological data that'll blow your mind. For instance, take what we found with those guns-"
Kirk put up a hand. "Listen, I am really glad you put in all this work, and I'll be more than happy to read it all, file it in my official report, and give you commendations once we're all done with this, but please, we don't have much time before we reach the rip. Can I have a condensed version, on say, the Gorn themselves?"
"All right, that's Scotty's territory, mostly. If you want more physiological and biological data, I'll be over here." McCoy gestured, moving off to the side to see to another doctor.
"Scotty?" Kirk put his hands out.
"Ah, yes. Well, here we have the beasties you've seen." He brought up rough scans of the creatures, pointing them out. "Since we don't have better scientific names for these guys, I've taken some creative licence and named them myself."
Scotty brought up the first one the Kirk referred to as a wiry. "I call these "Initiates." Based on their smaller brain size than the others, I would guess these guys are of lower intelligence, and are sort of like foot soldiers."
Kirk nodded, a look of seriousness observing the most familiar type of Gorn. "Saw a lot of those guys down on New Vulcan and on the station."
"I thought you would. With these guy's little brains, you might say," he glanced down at his description, reading it verbatim. "The kind way to say it: 'a bit slower on the uptake'. The more accurate way to say it would be 'cannon fodder.'" Scotty said, trying to suppress a smile.
"What else?" Kirk asked.
"Well, to not drone on forever, these beasties are enforcers. They have a higher metabolic rate, an upright stance and bigger brain. If I had to guess, this one would be in charge of the initiates." He pointed to the outline of the bulky blue, armoured reptile. Kirk again nodded.
"Like a platoon leader." Uhura interjected.
"Exactly, lassie." Scotty flipped over the display. "This is a Gorn tech," he pointed out the slender blue Gorn's outline, "which has a bigger brain, which I think makes them better served with technical stuff than fighting, hence the name. Sorta like me." He paused, swallowing."They're much like these ones here," he scrolled to the red slender Gorn, "only I call these Gorn observers."
"Why 'observers'?" Spock asked, curiously.
"Because the buggers are always lurking around, watching ye, peeking 'round corners! Can you think of a better name?" Scotty exclaimed with slight exasperation.
McCoy returned, hastily placing a hand on Scott's shoulder. "Calm down, man. Don't you go crazy on me." His glance shifted to the Captain's. "Both these slender ones here? They're female. That much I do know."
Spock arched a brow. "Fascinating." Uhura's brows rose as well, equally curious. Given their unique biology to the male Gorn, not to mention their shapeliness. It was unusual to see such distinct gender characteristics in reptiles, but not unbelievable. Scott didn't seem to care much, so long as he got through his descriptions and facts.
"These creepy little buggers that jumped you and Spock I call 'rushers', for obvious reasons. I kinna understand it, but for some reason they're different from the other Gorn. If all the Gorn types are in a family tree of sorts, they'd be an outlier."
Spock gave the image and corresponding information a closer look. His eyes widened slightly, but only as an indication of his interest and not his shock. "A most strange genetic variation. The chances of something like this occurring naturally are extremely low."
Precisely the kind of mystery the communications officer found fascinating and eerily strange as well. Uhura tilted her head to the side. "What about the one we've got in the brig? He's different than the others, I'm sure."
"A warrior. Slightly bigger brain, more developed musculature, more aggressive, and he was charged with stealing the Helios device. That plus all that armour he's got? Definitely a warrior." Scott moved his face to point directly at Uhura. "And yes, they are unique as well. In fact, they all are. No two types bear much of any strong genetic resemblance."
"One more, Scotty. This one" Kirk looked at the outline of the deceased Gorn that had almost killed him and Spock. That awful breath... "He shoulder charged through solid pillars, took barrages of fire without even reacting."
"Indeed, he was remarkably strong, and much larger than most of the other creatures we have encountered." Spock added, looking at Scotty and then Uhura.
"Aye, nasty one, this. He's a brute. While he does appear too stupid to use standard Gorn weaponry, he only needs his muscles to kill things. I picked up signs of toxic stimulants coursing through his veins." Scotty made a face. So did the Doctor, for that matter.
"So it was high on performance enhancing drugs?" Uhura posited, putting out a loose hand toward the display.
Kirk grimaced. "Makes sense." he added, remembering how savage and relentlessly it fought.
Scotty closed the tab, then opened another. "I've also taken note that you've seen these guys with certain weapons, which I've also named very appropriately."
Kirk was almost amused in anticipation of his chief's interesting names for Gorn armaments. As the situation was growing complicated and the danger level was increasing, he did not respond with anything but seriousness and professionalism.
"Go on."
"First, the initiates carry something I call a 'ravager'. Fully automatic plasma shots and knockdown stun capabilities. Next, the enforcer class of weapon: the 'maurader.' Fires semi-automatic spread shot and a knock down flash bang grenade. A brutal shotgun-like weapon. Absolutely nasty thing." He swiped a finger, revealing a long barrelled weapon with a diagonally angled handle. "This is a 'railer,' used by the Gorn techs. High-powered charge shot that requires pinpoint accuracy. This bloody thing can also beam in drones!"
Kirk, Spock and Uhura's faces became gradually more serious and concerned. Spock added, "The railer's fire can penetrate walls and injure multiple people at the same time."
Scotty's eyes were now wide with worry. "Yeah, these Gorn aren't just simple brutes, they are smart. They have the intelligence to build weapons to rival Starfleet's own!" Breathing in slowly and deeply, he continued. "Plasma grenade. I've looked at this thing from all sides; it's for carnage only. It can stick to any surface, an interesting quality, but that means trouble. Rip it off right quick and throw it back1"
Kirk placed a hand on Scotty's shoulder. "Calm down, Mister Scott. We're not in a fire fight now."
"Well, the last weapon came off that bloody bugger that ran amok around shuttle bay. A 'pillager,'I call it." His brows drew together in serious thought.
"This one is markedly different from the others." He tapped the screen. "It fires fully automatic projectiles, and its secondary fire is just a spread shot."
Uhura leaned forward. "All their other weapons are plasma-based. I thought they'd have moved beyond bullets."
"They have. Though used by Gorn warriors, I believe this weapon is not Gorn in origin."
Not Gorn? "So what, they stole it? Or should I say, 'pillaged' it?" Kirk crossed his arms.
McCoy found a moment to speak up. "The other weapons you scanned, the tech, all of it had its own unique qualities, metals and biological components. These are the odd ones out. They're ballistic."
Spock held up a hand. "Biological components? Explain, doctor."
"At first I thought it was contamination, but I was wrong. It seems these guys have found a way to grow their own weapons. Rhubarb, radishes, railers; can you find the odd one out?"
A head shake. "So...these are alive?"
"No, Uhura, not in the typical sense. But, I believe they can be produced with the aid of Gorn scientists. We also found out that these weapons are dangerous to handle with bare hands." McCoy eyed Kirk and Spock. "They may carry any number of viruses, including the one I'm fighting now, and they could also do a number on your bodily systems. I just don't have time to study the effects of longer term use."
"Indeed, Doctor." Spock said, closing his eyes for a moment. "Though I believe full biohazard containment gear would be counterproductive to our mission. Manoeuvrability would be inhibited."
"Now, why do you always have to take everything I say to the extreme? All I'm trying to tell you is be careful. Touch these biotech nightmares as little as possible." He covered his face with one hand. "Can you promise me that much, Jim?"
"Promise, yes. Keeping that promise remains to be seen. We might have no choice."
Scotty poked his head in between them. "If you don't mind me saying, sir, the doctor's right. Stick to Starfleet issue arms, and you kinna go wrong. But, if you do find some, bring me back some more samples. I'd love to examine these things, as terrible as they are."
McCoy interrupted whatever Kirk was going to say. "If you do that, they're all going straight to quarantine. These are not just weapons, they're organisms, in a way."
"Here's one more bit about them: those Gorn have none of the stun capabilities we do. With the beasties, it's either blow it away, or don't shoot at all. No in between option."
Uhura shook her head in disgust. "None of the other war like races we've encountered have gone to these lengths. From what I found with my language analysis of them, this all lines up. They're an aggressive race, to the extreme. Even when conversing with each other, they're violent."
Kirk's head soaked up the information, but it hurt. This was all too much at once. On the good side, at least he had a way to identify these Gorn now. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed. "Listen, this is really great. The information you've compiled helps will give us an edge out there." He strode to a nearby replicator to get a drink.
Southern doctor and Highland engineer both said "Thank you." In unison. Both shared a look.
Kirk's look became serious. "Bones...how are the injured doing? The Gorn was in officer's quarters, shuttle bay the halls..." His voice trailed off, awaiting the doctor's grim prognosis. There were likely several dead, he was sure of it.
"I know, I know. That damn thing was even running around the turbo lifts. Just glad he didn't get in here." McCoy offered a chuckle.
"Bones! The patients! My crew!" Others shared Kirk's worried facial expression.
"Countless injured and maimed, but I'm happy to say that we have zero dead." The CMO nodded sharply.
None? Kirk didn't know whether to be thrilled or stunned. "How? I mean, that's great, but how did you manage it?"
Spock raised an eyebrow. "Doctor, there were several individuals infected with the Gorn virus inflicting wounds on the non-infected. Some crewmen were shot-"
"Now listen, Spock. When I say they're alive, I mean it. I give all the credit to my great staff, and the patients themselves. All tough as nails. The most severe injuries are in induced coma, under quarantine or out of surgery. All will live, trust me. It seems that even with the virus, its early stage seems to make the crew ill, not render them dead." He wiped his brow with a sleeve and continued. "The infected can't be reasoned with very well, so they're staying in coma until I find a cure."
All alive. Kirk wanted to hug his Doctor, and jump up for joy. The faces of Uhura, Scotty, and even Spock showed they too were most relieved and pleased their fellow crewmen were okay. Noticing the med bay's wall communicator go off, Spock cut in front of McCoy before he could activate it and did so himself. "Go ahead, bridge." McCoy frowned and said nothing.
"Sulu here. Sir, we're approaching the rip, should be there in two minutes."
Kirk straightened up. He approached the wall. "We'll be right there, Sulu." He clicked the comm off, turning to Spock as he hurried away. "Come on, Spock. If we hurry, we can just about make it." Spock hesitated, prompting Kirk to add, "Don't tell me you're not dying to see what that thing looks like from the inside? You're chief Science officer."
"I must confess some fascination, Captain." He took off after Kirk.
"There's the Spock we all know and love!" Kirk clapped him on the back. Sorta, on both accounts. Kirk was getting to really like his first officer.
Uhura smiled and followed. "Come on, doctor. Even you must be curious."
McCoy sighed, breaking into a jog behind Uhura, who also hurried along out of sickbay to the turbolift. "Here we go again. Jim, you know I have a bad feeling about this."
"You usually do, Bones." He pointed back toward his chief engineer. "Mister Scott, get down to engineering! We need a lot of juice to get through that rip!"
"Aye sir! I'll be right there." He took off past some doctors. Juice, ye say? Perhaps I oughta head to the mess hall instead, eh? He chuckled softly to himself.
...
Stardate 2259.33
USS Enterprise – Bridge
"Keptin on the bridge!" Chekov exclaimed, watching Kirk and three other officers file out of the lift. Sulu eased the Enterprise's speed down to impulse power. Outside the viewscreen, the blur of blue and white became a sea of stars. As the ship moved right, the massive pink, orange and white streaks with black clouds all pointed into the golden spherical light at its center came into full view.
Uhura chimed in. "Captain, we've moved as many Starbase evacuees and deceased onto New Vulcan as we could. The rest that made it to escape pods and shuttles back on the base are en route to the colony. They'll receive the best of Vulcan medical care until the USS Intrepid or Constitution arrive."
"Great. Sulu, status?"
"Moving toward the center, sir." Sulu said, considering his readings, then looking at the viewscreen data overlay. Diagrams and projections of the energy patterns, contraction rates and radiation levels were in a state of flux. Several bridge officers worked to stabilize the ship and compensate for the changes in atmosphere and particle exposure.
"All right, Sulu. Keep the engine running." Sitting down in his chair, he switched on the intra-ship communications. Around the Enterprise, people stopped at the sound of a whistle alerting them of an announcement.
"Attention Enterprise crew. This is your Captain speaking. Approximately two hours ago, the colony of New Vulcan was attacked, resulting in the destruction of the Helios Station and severe damage to the colony itself. Several Vulcan citizens were killed, and hundreds were injured and infected with a virus. In addition, several Starfleet officers were also killed and or infected with the same life-threatening disease in the subsequent attack on Frontier Starbase. As we know, the Gorn are a violent, militant race that have, in their possession, a very powerful weapon, the Helios device, and two Vulcan scientists, Surok and T'Mar. It is the decision of the senior staff that we enter the singularity the Helios device has created with the intention of retrieving both them, and the device. It could be dangerous, and we have a limited amount of time in which to act. I cannot express the importance of this mission: to us, and to the Vulcans. All I ask is that you trust me, and that you continue to perform to the best of your abilities. Kirk out." Flipping off the comm, he leaned back in his chair, crossing a leg over the other.
"Shields up, Mister Chekov." Kirk said, pointing at his navigator. "Bring us to yellow alert."
"Aye, sir. Shields up," the Russian replied enthusiastically.
"Yellow alert on," another officer called out.
At the communications station, Uhura tapped the comms. "Attention, Enterprise crew. We're about to have a turbulent ride, please take the time to secure yourself and any loose articles or components." To make sure the message got through, she repeated it.
"Might want to brace yourself, Bones. Hold onto your stomach." Tapping his chair arm, seat belts ejected from over Kirk's shoulders and crossed over his torso in an "X". The other crewmen and –women quickly followed suit.
McCoy looked down to find his hand already on his abdomen. Settling into an empty chair, he engaged the belts, tugging on them where they met.
"All systems online, and functionality confirmations in from all decks. We are ready, sir." Spock turned in his chair to face the Captain.
"Mister Sulu..." Kirk paused, adjusting in his chair. "Take us in."
Inhaling sharply, Sulu clutched the handle on his Conn, shoving it forward. Gradually, the image in front of the screen stretched out of shape. At the screen's top, the warp factor counter climbed up to maximum.
Outside, the Enterprise disappeared in a blink of light.
...
VOOOOM!
On the bridge, a muffled sound indicated they had entered warp again. Within a second, the familiar colours outside the window turned to bright pinkish-orange streaks. The red alert klaxons automatically sounded, triggering a flashing red light to illuminate the bridge. The ship's hull began to vibrate, the turbulence becoming more and more severe as they travelled deeper into the anomaly. On all decks, objects were jarred loose and people not strapped in were sent toppling to the floor. Artificial gravity kept objects from becoming flying projectiles and crewmen from being tossed about too badly. Slightly put off but still at their posts, they tried to steady themselves using fixed bars and anything that refused to rattle.
The sound of the engines was an ever increasing straining whine in Mister Scott's ears. All the engineering crew grappled with hand rails and support beams as feet slid along the floor. The chief engineer's mind raced as fast as he could. Running back and forth with Keenser, he tried to keep tabs on the multiple alerts and system breaches and near complete failures.
From where Sulu was seated at the helm, everything was in a state of chaos. His hands moved back and forth, frantically adjusting and readjusting the course heading to keep the ship from veering into the wall of the vortex. All eyes around the room were pulled between computer readouts and the brilliant light show illuminating the bridge. Clenching his jaw, he focused intently on his task; maintaining a level flight path. With each passing second, that exact task became harder to do.
"Having a hard time keeping her steady!" Employing both hands, the helmsman struggled to keep the ship on course. The loud reverberation off the hull made it too loud to communicate at a normal volume.
Three more flashing red lights on the warp core monitor made Scotty cringe. Tightening his fists, he banged the wall pickup and shouted over the loud noise of the stretching, shaking vessel.
"She kinna take any more of this Captain!"
"I know, Scotty. Just try to hang on a little longer." Kirk leaned forward, clutching the arm rests. He watched the screen absorbedly.
Scott's voice came back over the comm quickly, obviously strained. "It's taking everything I've got to keep the ship from ripping apart!"
The noise got louder. Hearts raced and eyes shot around the bridge, looking for the first crack in the ceiling that hadn't come yet. Spock's lips pursed tightly. McCoy pleaded quietly for a safe arrival, looking upward. Uhura jolted to the side as her ear piece skidded across her station and onto the floor. As the ship tilted left, all hands leaned over, using all their strength to keep stable.
Again the engineer's voice sounded, more worried than before. "Hate to be such a bother, sir, but how much longer?"
Seeing a patch of darkness ahead, Kirk nodded. "Not too much longer, Scotty."
"Keptin, we're closing fast on the edge of the anomaly! I still can't read anything, but I can see a large drop off in energy output."
Sulu followed the Chekov's comment immediately, his intonation obviously on edge. "Dropping from warp in 5...4...3...2...1..."
With a loud whooshing noise, the rattling and whining stopped. As the Enterprise punched its way out of the singularity, a cloud of gas shot forward and was left in its wake. A collective sigh of relief sounded throughout the crew compliment. Doing a once-over of the instruments, everyone realised they had made it through the rip with little to no damage to any systems or the hull.
For Kirk, a different realization formulated in his mind. The vessel he captained drifted forward confidently toward out into space. But not just any space.
They were now truly where no one had gone before.
...
The Enterprise drifted away from the immediate corona of the rip, moving straight forward into the unknown. Now that they were cruising again.
"Unknown planet dead ahead, sir." Chekov said, turning back to his superior.
"Onscreen." Uncrossing a leg, Kirk leaned on his knees, peering out at the mysterious brown planet spinning to their left. Greenery was scare except near the equatorial regions. Clouds covered a lot of the surface, but exposed a mix of large light brown blotches and some darker brown areas.
At his station at the bridge's rear, Spock kept his gaze fixed on the sphere that seemed so familiar it was as if he'd been there. "It appears as if this is the same planet we saw during the mindmeld, Captain."
No doubt, Kirk thought. After all the terrible things he'd seen during the meld, it'd be weeks before a single detail, a single image didn't haunt him when he shut his eyes. Asking anyone who'd hear, he asked, "Have they spotted us?"
Uhura revolved in her chair to answer. "It doesn't appear so, sir. If the Enterprise stays near the rip, the interference should keep us hidden." Her eyes caught on the single bright sun just poking out from behind the planet's edge.
"Perfect." Kirk stood, pointing toward his navigator. "Chekov, take the controls. Sulu," he looked to the helm, "you've got to get us down there."
"Our only chance is if we fly a shuttle in manually. But the odds of them not seeing us are-"
"-I've total faith in you." Kirk clapped Sulu on the shoulder, his lips curving upward. Sulu couldn't help but smile at the compliment. Turning to see McCoy lost in thought at the broad vista of the viewscreen, he added, "Bones, you're with us."
McCoy snapped out of his trance-like state, looking at his Captain with disbelief. "What?! Why do I have to go? Jim, I'm a doctor, not a covert agent."
"Precisely." Spock replied. He pivoted his chair, getting up and clasping his hands behind his back. "And as a doctor," he continued, closing the gap between himself and his two fellow crewmen, "you may be our only hope in defeating the Gorn. If you are able to discover an antidote to their venom, we could definitely gain an advantage."
There's that darn logic again. McCoy tried to think of a way around it. It was no use. As much as he hated to admit it, Spock was right. Yet again. "Uh...damn it!" He thrust his hands downwards, jerking his head down in a mix of frustration and defeat.
Brushing off the doctor's objections, Kirk addressed the navigator. "Chekov, how much time do we have?"
Wheeling to analyse the readings, he recalibrated the instruments and equations to get a proper read on the ever narrowing anomaly. "At the current rate of contraction, the rip will close in approximately six hours, sir."
"Chekov, I want the Enterprise back on the other side of that rip before it closes." Thumbing over his shoulder toward the singularity now behind them, he strode toward the turbolift and the back right corner of the bridge. McCoy eyed him at the word "Enterprise", detecting a tone in his voice that wasn't there a moment ago.
"After you return-right sir?" Chekov asked, expecting the answer would obviously be yes. Everyone on the bridge expected the same. It wasn't at all.
Turning, Kirk's lowered voice responded. "Whether or not we return."
It took a moment for the gravity of the Captain's words to sink in. For the second time in as many minute, McCoy was caught completely off guard.
"Wait..." His face contorted as he looked out the screen. "What?!" He turned, gaping at Kirk, his eyes filled with abject horror.
Uhura pivoted in her chair. "Captain?" She, too, was stunned.
Kirk wouldn't stand around waiting for the entire bridge to object. He used his best command voice, speaking firmly while staring into his navigator's eyes. "That's a direct order, Mister Chekov." He pointed downward with force. "I will not have this ship and my crew left at the mercy of those things if we can't get out of there in time." He finished, thumbing over his shoulder again to illustrate.
"Aye sir." Chekov spun back around, looking dejected. For a moment, Kirk wished he hadn't been so hard on him.
"Spock, Sulu, Bones – with me." He pointed to each as he spoke. As the group of four left, McCoy snuck back beside the young Russian navigator who was now thoroughly engaged in his work.
"Chekov, I'm counting on you," he said, hands on the young officers shoulders.
From inside the lift, Kirk looked around for his CMO, spotting him by the Conn. "Bones, let's go!"
"Right behind you, Jim." McCoy turned and raised a hand in the air before walking away. Noticing his commanding officer was distracted in conversation, he returned to the Conn.
"Seriously...don't leave me down there," he pleaded in a low voice. Then he hurried after the Captain.
Alone at his seat, Chekov's face paled. He could feel the pressure both men had just placed on him. One was his captain, the other his doctor. Both were his friends.
Vhat do I do now?
...
Stardate 2259.33
Gorn Planet–Northern Region
Mountain Range
Jagged, snow capped mountain tops towered into the dismal yellowish-grey sky. Mahogany brown in colour, several rocky outcropping and ragged peaks gave the region unique character. Clouds and fog made any sort of vision difficult at best.
That was, however, different for anyone inside the shuttle craft. The guidance system in front of Sulu on the controls helped him avoid hitting the blanketed cliffs, and allowed him to detect the masked frequencies coming off a nearby mountain top. After locating a plateau suitable for landing ten minutes earlier, he brought the craft into a gradual descent, though not getting a visual of their decided on landing point.
"Okay everybody, belt up tight. Moving us in for final approach." Sulu called over his shoulder. The officer's responded by securing themselves a little tighter. Spock adjusted in his seat beside the pilot. McCoy turned to elbow his captain in the ribs, only to see that he had been belted in the whole ride, much to his surprise.
"Good job, Sulu. See if you can manage a nice, soft landing." Turning to McCoy, he grinned. "What? Even I put safety first sometimes."
McCoy felt glad hearing this. "If only you'd feel like this more often. It's the other times I worry about."
"Lighten up, Bones. You worry too much."
"For good reason."
Spock spoke back into the back of the shuttle, not facing the CMO. "You need not be nervous, doctor. Everything is proceeding according to plan."
The humming of the shuttle's engines became the only noise in the craft. Kirk looked over, nodding to two security officers who accompanied the four members of the bridge crew down to the surface. At the front, Spock and the pilot busily worked to keep the shuttle steady and monitor the planet for further signs of activity. Suddenly catching notice of a projectile moving rapidly toward them.
His eyes widened. "Captain, we've got trouble."
Fumbling with his restraints, Kirk jumped up and raced toward the front.
A large golden plasma beam shot by the shuttle's aft. Another hit the mark, damaging out the left nacelle. Fire and smoke shot out from the wrecked propulsion system, casting almost a tail behind the suddenly crippled ship.
"What was that?" Kirk shouted, picking himself up off the deck.
Spock quickly made a rough scan of the projectile's origin. An outcropping a distance away was unlike the others. It was metal plated, and definitely unnatural. "We've been hit by a high energy plasma beam. It appears it was fired by an automatic security tower, approximately a mile out!" The first officer's words shot out in quick succession.
The cockpit console was now beeping with alerts. Trying as hard as he could, Sulu righted the shuttle, glancing down quickly to gauge the extent of the damage to their thrusters. Without power to manoeuvre properly, it was only becoming more dangerous to fly as they dropped between mountains and rock walls. What was worse was that they risked dropping out of the sky and spearing the craft on the spear-like formations below. At the speed they were going at, even a glancing blow could risk the hulls integrity.
The shuttle began to shake. Sulu fought to keep it steady, quickly bypassing broken power conduits and kicking in emergency backup power, as Spock's eyes caught the words ENGINE OVERHEATING flash on the screen. More warning began turning from green to yellow, and some went red. The next warning to Sulu's right was the worst. They were rapidly losing altitude. Every attempt he and his Vulcan co-pilot made to climb, a new problem arose.
No choice, have to set us down. Kirk's voice from behind him only added to the pressure. "Sulu, status report!"
"Sir, we're losing altitude fast, all attempts to compensate have failed. Auxiliary power has already been rerouted, but no change. The thruster's still not responding, it's too badly damaged. We might need to initiate emergency landing procedures!" Temporarily shifting focus away from his controls, he accessed main scanners, one of the few systems not malfunctioning from the shock of attack.
"I would have to agree, Captain!" Spock added, not looking away from the front.
Kirk's face didn't show fear, but his eyes betrayed a growing level of anxiety. He gaped at the passing snow whipping against the front view, squinting to see the mountains though the fog. "Try to level us out at cruising speed. Take us in low through the mist, hope we'll lose them!" he shouted over the loud engines straining and the shaking shuttle.
Though not even close to their initially planned landing spot, a wide open area near a ridge looked good enough. Any farther, and their engines might cut out with them hundreds of feet in the air. Not an option. "We're a little far from our target, but I have to put her down here, sir." The shuttle jerked down, sending all passengers pitching forward. Sparks shot out from the above their heads. Sulu cast his eyes to Kirk.
"As long as we land safely, I don't care where you put us down!" Kirk responded, clutching the console to lean in beside his pilot. Out the window, the greenish-grey clouds shifted through the drab looking sky. The snow blew harder past the shuttle, now covering the mountainous region around them.
Metal scraped stone. The damaged craft jerked hard slightly upward as Spock and Sulu attempted to avoid several other outcroppings, utilizing topographical indicators now that vision was becoming too difficult on its own.
McCoy pitched to the side. "How much longer do we have to go?" He felt the side of his head for blood.
Another hit of a second outcropping sent the aft of the shuttle up.
"Brace for impac-"Kirk couldn't finish. The nose of the shuttle pitched straight down. He felt his feet come off the floor. With a massive bang, the shuttle hit the ground, head on.
...
Somehow, he had done it.
Kirk wasn't exactly sure how they were still okay, let alone on the ground right side up, but Sulu had done it.
The cockpit was smoky and sparking. Around the inside of the shuttle, people coughed and choked. McCoy undid his seatbelt to check on the others, discovering they were all okay. Sighing with relief, he called out just to make sure. "Is everyone alright?" He was answered with a few confirmations.
Kirk pulled himself to his feet, checking his face for injuries and finding none. "I'm okay, Bones. You, on the other hand, are gonna have quite the bump later." He gestured to McCoy's head, drawing a moan from the Chief Medical Officer.
Sulu came to the back of the shuttle, checking on a redshirt before addressing Kirk. "Sir, the shuttle's out. The good news is, we're on solid ground."
Spock followed him up. "Captain, we are close to the highest point in this mountain range. We will have a long journey if we are going to make it to that tower."
Kirk nodded, preparing to open the door at the shuttle's rear. As the narrow rectangular hatch opened up and outwards, an icy wind blew into the shuttle, drawing shiver's from everyone.
Spock and Kirk were the only one's properly dressed for the weather; they donned planetary temperature regulation suits, reserved usually for away missions. Kirk's was mostly black with white flanks and yellow semi-circular patches on the shoulders. Spock's was the same, except the shoulder patches were blue.
Snow whipped past their faces as the six man crew made their way out, the security personnel bringing up the rear, armed with phaser rifles. Forming a small grouping just outside the shuttle, they all stopped to take in the surroundings of the foreign planet.
Kirk's boots sunk slightly into the loose snow covering most of the ground. Remarkably, though the shuttle had crashed into the hard rock, its duranium hull held firm. The front was only dented, but not fracturing. Smoke billowed out of the top; sparks flew from under a damaged shield plate.
Spock pulled his tricorder out, scanning the region. It was fifteen degrees below Celsius and dropping, with wind gusts coming out of the north east. Analysing the geography, he found sedimentary and granite-like formations, along with several other minerals and rock types he had never seen before. McCoy, Sulu and the others also looked around with wonder at the new surroundings.
Kirk's attention was caught by movement he saw on the ridge high overhead. Moving forward, he tapped Spock's shoulders, getting his attention. Lowering his tricorder, the Vulcan cast his gaze up at the ridge as well. Kirk took a step closer, straining to see what was up there.
Before the shuttle crew, a distance away, three creatures approached. More of the same strange creatures lined the outlook area high above and ahead of them. The one in the middle wore a red Y-shaped tunic with a yellow and blue sash down the front. The other two behind it were dressed in black and dark grey tunics with large frilled collars. Up on the ridge, dozens more dressed in darker clothes observed the newcomers holding something in their hands.
Kirk's usual courage failed him briefly. Stepping back beside his first officer, he tapped his shoulder, still staring up at the ridge. "Spock?..." By now, all eyes were directed toward the creatures.
Spock did not look to him, instead scanning the watchers from beyond with his tricorder. "Readings indicate that they are a separate species from the Gorn. They do not appear to be hostile." The three creatures off in the distance crept cautiously closer, backs hunched and long arms swaying. They were all quite lanky with tendrils on their faces, resembling that of the terran Mud Puppy.
"How do you know?" Kirk pressed.
After scanning a moment more, Spock turned and shrugged. "I do not."
"Comforting." Kirk replied.
McCoy was now checking his tricorder. "Curious. Their biological makeup appears ill-suited for this type of environment." He looked back toward the ridge, considering the strange beings.
Could they be victims as well? "Think the Gorn drove them here?"
"It is highly probably. I would advise that we lower our weapons," he recommended, lowering a hand, "before we make additional enemies on this planet."
"Stand down." Kirk said, facing his security detail and repeating Spock's motion. They reluctantly lowered their rifles into the snow. Several of the creatures on the ridge appeared surprised, waving their cross bows around.
Kirk watched this, his face taking on a look of concern. Locking eyes with his first officer, he whispered, "Spock, if you're wrong..."
"If I am wrong, then Starfleet will mourn all of us." As usual, the Vulcan spoke plainly.
A moment of silent unease. Unexpectedly, the creature clad in the red tunic nodded and made a rattling gurgle noise up to its followers. The others promptly signalled back, lowering their weapons and turning away, disappearing beyond the edge of the ridge. The last three walked back slowly, vanishing around a rock wall.
Sighing with relief, Kirk and the others resumed exploration of their surroundings. "Whew! It's a blizzard out here!"
McCoy almost growled. "You're only noticing now? It's damn freezing!"
Kirk addressed his security officers. "Hendorff, Donavan, you two get back in the shuttle where it's warm."
Hendorff nodded, gritting his teeth. "Yes, sir. I guess we should've brought cold weather gear for all of us." The tall officer's bulk of muscle made him impervious to a lot of tough conditions, but cold wasn't one of them.
As Kirk, Spock, Sulu and McCoy ventured through the snow, several things caught their attention. First off, multiple examples of wooden chests and containers were loosely grouped together. A few different statues, roughly resembling the creatures they'd just seen earlier stood tall against the prevailing gusts. Spock noted several clay pots over of various shapes and neck widths. One had legs, as though used to cook over a fire. Another wooden chest near it was covered with a colourful, mostly orange red and yellow textile, displaying a crudely made face. Kirk scanned all the artifacts for future reference.
The most surprising find was a small clump of plants. All four officers looked at the different types of flora. One was a grassy shrub, one had a tube-like stalk emerging from broad leaves, one had blossoming flowery leaves. All were orange. The last one towered over the four of them, multiple layers of reddish-orange leaves jutting from its central stalk. Spock was completely absorbed in his tricorder analysis.
"Somehow, these plants are able to survive in sub-zero temperatures. Fascinating..." Spock's voice trailed off as he realized that the captain was not paying attention to the botanical growth anymore.
Instead, he stood off to the side, shielding his view with one hand as he gazed towards the horizon. He turned and beckoned to the others. "We need to find a way off this mountain. Let's get moving."
He took off at a fast clip, kicking up loose snow as he ran. The others caught up to him quickly. They passed a small grouping of temporary dwellings erected in the shelter of a high cliff. As Kirk looked over his shoulder, he noticed that Dr. McCoy had stopped following them. Instead, he approached one of the tents and ducked under the curved covering.
He looked down at the woven rug's pattern beneath his feet. Placing a hand on the wooden framing, he admired the resourcefulness of such a simple cloth and wood tent and how it protected so well against the harsh winter storm raging outside. He took the time to examine the construction more carefully with his personal scanner. There wasn't that much time during away missions to appreciate fine craftsmanship.
Kirk stopped, calling back to his doctor. "Come on, Bones. You don't want to get lost, do you?"
"I'm coming. Just let me get warm first." McCoy rubbed his hands together and blew on them. Watching the familiar red colour return, he trekked after the other three crewmen. "Besides, I could always follow your footprints," he muttered under his breath. "Not going to fill in that fast."
Three T-shaped poles held wind-torn banners, waving sadly out over the vast expanse before them. Slowing as he came up to the edge, Kirk unintentionally scared three pterodactyl-like birds, sending flying into the wind screeching.
Joining his captain at the edge, Spock once again consulted his tricorder, this time seeking the signal from the tower that targeted their shuttle. "Transponder frequency is coming from beyond this ridge."
Kirk planted his feet, leaning over the edge to look down into the gaping canyon below. It was at least hundreds of feet to the rocky bottom. Birds glided on the updrafts, while clouds hovered below them, producing snow as well. "Huh, looks like we're gonna have to jump." While most would be dizzied, Kirk was excited at the prospect. He turned to his helmsman, who seemed more interested in the distant horizon than the steep cliffs below. "Sulu, can you fix that shuttle?"
"I think so, sir...but it may take some time."Sulu was realistic, but sure of himself.
"Try not to take too long. If anything goes wrong we may need to get the hell out of here pretty quickly." He indicated over his shoulder with a thumb.
"Aye aye, sir." He turned and left.
Meanwhile, McCoy was preoccupied with a spot near the rocks ahead. Analyzing the biosignatures of a creature, he tried to log some data of its anatomy for his own study later. Making a rattling gurgle noise, the creature stiffened and ducked away from sight.
McCoy stumbled backwards, startled. The idea of remaining on the mountain with these creatures and who knows what else was unappealing to him. "Uhh...you know what? I'm coming with you."
Kirk and Spock both regarded him with incredulous looks. The captain's eyes twinkled. I thought he was scared of heights...
McCoy frowned at their hesitation. "What, you think I'm only useful back in sickbay?" He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "I was trained at the same academy that you were." His finger moved from one man to the other. "Took all the same courses. Passed every exam." He crossed his arms proudly. "Hell, I even graduated."Pride gave way to an "aw, shucks" stance as McCoy looked away, clearly embarrassed. Even surprised myself with that one...
Kirk and Spock shared a knowing look. The captain smiled at the thought of McCoy joining them. Just wait 'til he finds out how far we plan to descend...