Into the Wild Black Yonder
Chapter Twenty - Third of Three - part two
On the Enterprise
Mid November, 2258
Spock
The captain trailed onto the bridge behind everyone else. He crossed to the command chair, but did not sit down. He stood there a moment, then turned toward the science station, a puzzled look on his face. "Spock, were we going to do something this morning? I seem to remember..." His voice faded away.
"Yes, Captain, we have a meeting planned." He watched Kirk carefully. The other passed his hand over his face, winced as though something hurt, shook himself slightly.
"Okay, let's go meet then. My ready room?"
"Yes, that was the designated location." He rose from his seat to accompany the captain into the ready room. Silently he cautioned Nyota to be careful and aware.
The door closed behind them. He kept his distance. He had no desire to get within close range, as strange things seemed to happen to those who did. The captain sat heavily in one of the chairs ranged around the table.
"I had something important I wished to discuss with you. Blamed if I can remember what it was. I don't suppose you know?"
"I do not. Only that it seemed urgent. And that you wished it to be private. And that you seemed to think that others would feel that you were crazy if it got out." He watched carefully, trying to see any reaction to his statements. There was something very wrong here.
"It's something to do with those strange rock formations, isn't it, Spock? They just seem to draw me in. I can't explain it."
"It is possible that there is a connection. You have acted very rashly around them."
"I can't seem to think at all when we get close to one. And I can't seem to keep away from them. Right now I just want to get down there and walk right up to it, and...I don't know...something. It's damn weird!"
"May I suggest that you not go down to the planet's surface this time, Captain? I do not think it would be safe for you."
"I appreciate that concern, Spock, I really do. But I'm not sure I'll be able to comply. Keep a watch out, okay?"
"I shall do so, sir." He watched as Kirk rose wearily from the chair and crossed the room to go back onto the bridge. As he passed in front of him, Spock felt a strange lassitude seeping over him. Quickly he took a step backwards, trying to get out of range. In the back of his mind, he felt Nyota very faintly, yelling at him. I am here, he sent her. I stepped too close. Be wary!
He followed the captain back onto the bridge, being careful to stay out of the range of whatever strange effect that was. Something had definitely happened to Kirk and he had no idea what it was, but it was dangerous, of that he had no doubt whatsoever.
Sulu
He stood in the shuttle bay, wondering what he was doing just standing there. He had mapping to do, didn't he? Wait, they hadn't decided on a planet yet. So why was he standing here beside a shuttle? He should be on the bridge. He turned and headed for the turbolift.
Scotty
People were sure actin' funny today. At breakfast people kept stopping in the middle of words and just sittin' there. And then when Uhura came in and sat at the other end of the table, next to the captain, Spock had gotten up and moved her around the table. What had that been about? He'd never seen him act that way before. And the captain just kept starin' off into space and then askin' how soon he could beam down. Beam down where? He shook his head. It was just odd.
Jim
He sat in the command chair, trying to think. Why was it so hard to think? He rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the ache centered behind his eyes. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those strange rock formations. Sometimes one, sometimes two, sometimes three. What the hell were those things, anyway? And why did they seem to draw him in? He shook his head, trying to clear it. There was something important he needed to tell Spock, if he could just remember what it was.
Nyota
She kept trying to raise the team assigned to study the rock formations, but all she seemed to get was static. What was going on? She was beginning to be very concerned. Finally, she called StarFleet Command and inquired whether anyone had been able to get through to those teams in the last 48 hours. Then other people began to get concerned. Something very strange was going on.
Spock
He was assessing the information from the sensor scans that had run overnight. All four of those planets sustained life. Quite abundant life, in fact. The planet closest to the sun was actually very much like Vulcan, a very hot, mostly desert planet. There did not seem to be any higher life forms, but numerous small ones, mostly active at night, apparently.
The planet of those four which was furthest from the sun was almost too cold, but there was a wide band about the equator where there was life. No artificial power signs, however.
The other two planets were much different. Both of these planets were much more Earth-like, with ice caps at the poles and bands of jungle around the equator. There were mountains and deserts as well. Much time would be required to map either of them, to scan them adequately. And one of them clearly had had a civilization at one time - but there were no signs of it now except for silent buildings. And this was the planet that StarFleet had indicated they were to explore.
He needed to get the captain to call a meeting to discuss his findings, but he wasn't sure he really wanted the entire senior staff crammed into the ready room with the captain, so close. Seeing what had happened at breakfast made him very wary. He thought hard about precautions he could take. As something occurred to him, he began to make certain changes to the controls on his board. He inserted his command control unit in his ear and laid one finger against it, silently signaling to Mr Scott in Engineering. His fingers flew across his board, working in concert with quiet instructions to the other man, making changes in the circuitry in that other room.
Scotty
When he got the encrypted call from Spock on the bridge, at first he wasn't sure whether agreeing would be a good idea. And then he thought back to his reaction at the breakfast table and went ahead and did as Spock suggested. First he worked from the main Engineering console, and then he went up the nearest Jefferies tube, to a location next to the captain's ready room, and made changes there, as well. With any luck at all, that room was now as isolated as they could make it. Currents of electricity flowed all around the room, as effective a barricade as they could make on short notice.
He was working on some other ideas Spock had passed to him, but they were not ready yet. He exited from the Jefferies tube into the corridor, took the few steps to the turbolift, and ascended to the bridge. As he exited from the turbolift onto the bridge, he looked towards Spock, signaling with his eyes that his task was complete. He kept well away from the captain, as he had been cautioned.
Spock
"Captain, I have the reports that you requested yesterday. If I may suggest, it would be easiest to brief the entire senior staff at once, in your ready room." He watched Kirk carefully.
"Yes, Mr. Spock. That will do nicely." However, he did not rise from the command chair, nor did he make any announcement.
Spock waited for several minutes. "Sir, did you wish to have that meeting now?"
"Meeting, Mr Spock? What meeting?"
Spock suppressed a sigh. This might prove more difficult than anticipated. He was about to reply when the captain started speaking again.
"Are you ready with that report yet, Spock? I'm sure ready to beam down to that planet." He was getting fidgety now. He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair.
"Yes, sir. The report is ready. Why don't you call the senior staff to your ready room."
"Excellent idea! Attention, all senior staff to the captain's ready room right now! On the double."
Unfortunately, he had not pressed the correct buttons in the panel inset in the arm of his chair and the only people who heard him were those already on the bridge. Scotty rolled his eyes at Spock, who nodded in return. Nyota flipped a switch, fingers flying over the controls. "Senior staff to the Captain's Ready Room as soon as possible for an emergency meeting."
The three of them waited as the captain and the other staff on the bridge filled off the bridge, headed for the ready room. Other crew members slid into the empty places, taking up the duties of those called to the meeting. Scotty, Spock, and Nyota followed after everyone else, being very careful not to touch the sides of the doorframe as they entered the ready room. Scotty and Spock checked the occupants of the room, and at Spock's signal, Scotty surreptitiously pressed a button on a small box he had concealed in his hand, sealing the room and sending more current through the altered circuits.
As the three of them watched, the other people in the room began to become more alert. Several of them held their heads in their hands, rubbing their foreheads. People looked around, bewildered. Suddenly the room was full of questions as people's thoughts cleared for the first time in hours.
The captain sat at the head of the table, looking around, trying to figure out what was going on. "What the hell just happened? Somebody tell me what's going on here, please!"
Spock strode to the other end of the table, looked down its length. "We seem to be at the mercy of whatever it is that controls those strange rock formations we have been finding. From the strength of the effect on you in this system, I believe that the source must lie on the planet we have been directed to explore."
Kirk sat there in shock. "You mean I'm not going crazy? There's an explanation for all ...this?"
"Yes sir, I do believe there is an explanation. I am not entirely sure what that explanation is, but I believe it lies in this solar system. I am also not sure that we can safely determine what it is. The effect is very strong. It may not be safe to remain here. Right now we are in a hastily shielded room and I am not certain how long it will be effective. We must do some very quick planning while everyone is capable of thinking clearly."
Kirk looked around the room, his eyes falling on Scotty. "Mr. Scott, did you rig up this room?"
"Aye, Captain, with the help of Mr. Spock."
"Can you rig up something like this, only portable?"
"That would be fairly difficult, sir. And likely to get ya electrocuted, as well. Not really the effect ya're goin' for, I wouldna think."
Spock cocked his head and thought hard for a moment, then turned to Scotty. "Perhaps one of the hazard suits? With some modifications? And a slight repellor, to keep others from accidentally touching him?"
Scotty looked at Spock, his mouth slightly ajar for just a moment, and then began speaking quickly. The two conversed in hurried tones, finishing each other's sentences, and the two men explored the possibilities. "Sir, we shall go and make the modifications we have been discussing and return. Please stay in this shielded room while we are gone. Lieutenant Uhura, if you will display the data that I have collected while we are gone so that this time is not wasted?"
"Yes, I'll do that, you and Scotty go make those suit modifications. I hope it works." she turned back to face the others seated around the table, dimmed the lights and started to display the intel file.
Scotty thumbed the control box, passed it to Uhura with a quick explanation, and he and Spock quickly exited the room. As soon as the door closed, Nyota pressed the button again and felt the tiny buzz that told her that the room was once again shielded.
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Author's note : Spock and Scotty built a rudimentary Faraday cage.