Chapter 12: The Plot Thickens

Up on the bridge, Kirk leaned forward in the command chair, frowning in apprehension, with no option than to believe Spock had, indeed, blown a fuse. It was far too easy to overlook the fact that even Vulcans had their vulnerable spots. His First Officer was usually such a paragon of virtue, it came as a shock to realise that he could go off the rails now and then. On Vulcan Kirk knew, Spock would still be considered little more than an adolescent, and if he had suddenly discovered a libido with a girl on Nevas'a, his reaction might not fall into any known pattern.

Remembering his own adolescence and the resulting angst, he could well imagine the Vulcan having some serious trouble adjusting. Certainly, altering the computer was not beyond his capabilities, though why he should want to tamper with Control was still a mystery.

"Lieutenant, disengage computer control and switch to manual systems."

"Aye, sir." Sulu's hands ran an impromptu arpeggio over his boards as he followed Kirk's order. The reaction was immediate and startling. A klaxon began to scream fitfully.

Sulu turned in his seat to glance back at Kirk, raising his voice above the sound of the alarm. "Sir, we can't disengage. The computer won't respond."

"Damp that klaxon," Kirk yelled and the sound cut off instantly. He sighed in relief, reaching for a button on the arm of his command chair. "Computer control, come in."

Working. The voice was light, female, but mechanical.

"Release the helm to manual systems."

It took less than a second for the answer to come back,

Unable to comply.

Kirk's voice hardened slightly, although he knew the machine could not respond to his Human emotions. "Computer, this is the Captain. On my voice command, you will over-ride all previous instructions and release the helm. Voice command."

The computer hummed softly, checking its thousands of systems, but to Kirk it appeared as if the machine was thinking over what he had said. This was turning out to be one hell of a night. He let out his breath in a long sigh of pent up tension as the computer replied once more.

Unable to comply. Any attempt to over-ride will result in the total destruction of the Enterprise. Computer control can only be disengaged on the specific order of Commander Spock.

So there it was, the worst-case scenario. Tension gripped the bridge personnel, stunned by what they had heard. Would pon-farr have affected Spock to such an extent, Kirk wondered. And what would he accomplish by taking over the ship? Did he have some misplaced belief that he could return to Nevas'a?

Kirk groaned, torn between his friend and the welfare of his ship, but with only one line of action open to him. Swinging his chair in Uhura's direction he ordered quietly, "Lieutenant, contact Security. Mr. Spock is to be placed under immediate arrest and taken to the brig."

Uhura caught her breath, eyes widening in surprise, but she complied with the order. "Aye, sir."

As she turned back to her boards, Chekov pivoted in Spock's chair at the library computer, his slight Russian accent strained. "Kepten, sensors are picking up readings of another wessel."

Kirk looked at him sharply. "Configuration, Ensign?"

Chekov swallowed. "It is a Klingon battle cruiser, sir."

Kirk unclenched his fingers from around the arms of his seat, rubbing at a suddenly throbbing temple. "That's all we need right now."

Although the Empire and the Federation weren't officially at war, the peace was an uneasy one, kept only by the treaty forced on both sides by Organian intervention. "Mr. Chekov, activate deflector screens, sound the yellow alert. I want phasers on standby. If there's going to be trouble I want the Enterprise to be ready."

The alarm blared throughout the ship and Kirk pictured his crew scurrying to their assigned stations. It looked as if Spock's recent training in battle readiness was about to pay off after all.

Then Sulu turned to look at him, his face inscrutable, "Sir, phasers are inoperative. Computer control refuses to function… unless on Mr. Spock's express orders. The Enterprise is defenceless, Captain."

Kirk drew back in surprise, unable to believe what all the facts were telling him. Could Spock really have set them up? He brought his fist crashing down on the arm of the command chair in frustrated rage. "Damn, Spock. What's he trying to do to us?"