James T Kirk: DS9

From the Tree of Knowledge

Dinner time had come to Starfleet camp on Trianguli Gamma VI. The food was being served inside the main galley, and the forty or so members of the Starfleet science teams, as well as Spock, Scotty and Sulu, were gathered about the large dining area at the various tables.

There were all kinds of conversations taking place, including one about the local indigenous population and their improving health standards.

Because of their unique knowledge about the Federation, normal duck-blind procedures were not followed on Trianguli Gamma VI, which meant there was a more active interchange of culture, though the science team practiced constraint as a stated protocol.

Scotty and Sulu waited in the buffet line, and finally the line began to move. So, with his tray in hand, Scotty looked at the various food items that were available.

Replicated food was out of question, due to Prime Directive regulations, and outright preference to freshly prepare food by the team anyway. This meant that a real cook and kitchen crew prepared the evening menu of items.

Several food handlers stood on the other side of the arrayed food items, ready to serve the hungry group.

"We should have gotten here earlier," Scotty complained to Sulu. "The good stuff is almost gone."

"Good things come to those who wait," Sulu replied in his now typical 'wise sage' voice.

"Now that looks good," Scotty said, as he eyed a serving plate that had two final slices of lasagna. "I'll have some of that," Scotty said to the server.

Sulu reached out his cane, and gently put the tip on the server's hand.

"No he won't," Sulu, who was right behind Scotty in line, told the server. "He will have the eggplant next to that dish."

"Are you daft?" Scotty said to Sulu.

Sulu, scratching his long gray beard, would not budge with his obvious attitude on the subject.

"Doctor McCoy told you to give up foods like pasta," Sulu said. "I'm just trying to make you follow the diet he suggested to you."

Scotty paused, and then he finally gave in, realizing that his friend was only trying to help.

"Oh alright," Scotty said, in defeat, "Give me the eggplant will yuh?"

The pleasant looking lady served Scotty the eggplant, as well as a small plate of grapes.

"Are you happy now?" Scotty asked, as he slid his plate down the line to the next station; drinks.

Scotty took a cup of water, and then looked back to see Sulu getting the final two servings of Lasagna put on his plate. Needless to say, Scotty was not a happy camper; he had been swindled!

Meanwhile, across the room, Spock sat at a dining table with S'vath, and S'vath's wife; Rhonda. Even though S'vath and Rhonda had been married for some time, Spock had spent most of that time on Romulus, and now greatly appreciated the chance to visit with his son and daughter-in-law.

They were discussing the interesting data that S'vath had collected about the crystals, and how S'vath had concluded that, at the base of all the crystal growths, which were usually light blue in color, there were now signs of a brown hue, and how the growth seemed to date back to when Jim Kirk had been on the planet weeks earlier.

"S'vath," Spock said, "the growth data; are you confident of the preciseness of the growth time-tables?"

"Quite confident, father," S'vath replied. "And the data we have dates back to the first science colony that came to this planet three months after the Enterprise's initial visit."

"What you are implying is that there is a correlation to the new color pattern growth with the arrival of Jim Kirk a few weeks back; how do you account for that?" Spock asked.

"Isn't it possible," Rhonda said, wanting to be part of the conversation, "that there are unique properties to Jim; being that he is a Transporter duplicate?"

"Jim's duplication is not unique," Spock replied to Rhonda. "In fact, Jim has been duplicated before."

"I didn't know that," Rhonda said. "You mean this has happened to Jim before?"

"Yes," Spock said. "In that case, his psyche had been divided in to two totally different beings; two Jim Kirks. One of them contained the aggressive elements of Jim's mind, while the other contained his logic and compassion. Eventually we were able to reverse the accident, and merge them back together."

"Fascinating," S'vath said.

"And then there is the late Thomas Riker," Spock continued. "I have spent much time familiarizing myself with the various scientific tests that were conducted on Riker, and no evidence was discovered that seemed to indicate unique attributes. Even his temporal DNA remained exactly as it was before his duplication."

"Father," S'vath said, after sipping from his tea. "The growth pattern on the crystals is verifiable. It is definitive, and it started when Jim arrived here; and it hasn't stopped. How do you explain that?"

Spock thought for a moment.

"I cannot," Spock said. "I wish to study these crystals myself. When is the next time I can join you on one of your expeditions?"

"Tomorrow," S'vath said.

"Honey," Rhonda said, "you and I were going to go to the lake tomorrow." To make her point even more clearly, Rhonda placed her left hand, which was under the table, on S'vath's groin area.

"Perhaps the day after tomorrow," S'vath corrected himself.

"I understand," Spock said.

The rest of the evening proceeded as normal, and after dessert had been served, everyone soon filtered out and headed for their quarters. Spock, Sulu and Scotty walked together toward the guest quarters.

"So," Scotty said to Spock, "what is on our agenda tomorrow?"

"I must point out," Spock said to his two old friends, "you both are under no obligation to remain here on Trianguli Gamma VI."

"Spock," Sulu said softly, "Mr. Scott and I have known you long enough to tell when you are suspicious about something. You're staying on this planet because of those crystals, aren't you?"

"Yes," Spock admitted.

"Even though Sulu and I were sitting a couple of tables away, I still heard' yuh talking to yuh son," Scotty said to Spock. "Do yuh think the captain' being here a few weeks ago is related to the strange growth on the crystals?"

"It is possible," Spock finally said. "And I am compelled to stay here until I find out why."

"Then as long as ye be stay'n here," Scotty said with a smile, "then so are we," Sulu said, finishing Scotty's sentence for him.

Spock nodded his head in silent approval. The three friends reached their three separate quarters and retired for the evening.

Four hours later, in the deep of the night, S'vath climbed out of bed. Rhonda slept silently, with the contented look of a satisfied woman on her face. S'vath dressed and then, as quietly as he could, he left their quarters.

Although is actions were his own, he felt as if he were being drawn somewhere. He soon made his way through the thick foliage and arrived at his destination; the long dormant artificial serpent head of Vaal.

And then, for the first time since the Enterprise had rendered the device obsolete a hundred years in the past, the two eyes on the serpent's head slowly began to glow again. Vaal was alive!

Continued!