I don't own Star Trek, any of the canon characters, nor do I make any profit from my writings. And, no matter how much you guys beg, I won't post these chapters ahead of schedule.

Ahead of Schedule II

Spock enjoyed a leisurely meal with his mother. As they ate dessert, his comm unit went off again. The message was a Priority One Alert. Captain Pike had canceled all leaves. Spock would have twenty-four hours to report to Discovery, three days ahead of schedule.

"Mother, I must return to Sirin's home and gather my belongings. I have been recalled to the ship due an emergency."

"Oh dear. Perhaps I could come with you. I'd just love to see little Jason and the rest of the family."

"I have no objections to giving you a ride there. However, I came here on my motorcycle."

"That sounds like fun to me. Let's go."

They paid for their dinner and rode to Sirin and Rachel's home. Spock traveled over the back streets and tried to miss the major bumps. Ground travel over San Francisco's hilly streets could both challenging and a bit thrilling.

The ride was over all too soon for Amanda. She loved having an excuse to wrap her arms around her logical son. Spock parked the bike in the garage and led his mother through the kitchen. They found the rest of the family in the living room. Jason was amusing them all with his newest word, "pancake."

Esther had made pancakes for dinner, one of the little guy's favorite foods. Jason had been repeating the word almost nonstop ever since.

"Awwk Make him stop! Awwk!"

This made the dog howl and Esther laugh.

"Oh, hush up, you silly old bird. You repeat the same things over and over all day long. It's time you got a taste of your own medicine. Be glad he isn't yelling "poo-poo" anymore. He said that all most continuously for five days."

Amanda just smiled.

"It could be much worse, you know. At thirteen months, Spock's favorite word was coi'a, the Vulcan word for buttock. Sarek had taught him all of the names of the body parts. We were entertaining the Rigelian Ambassador Krass and his three wives, one of whom is very well-endowed."

"She was wearing a bright pink frock which made the most of her ample curves. I guess my son couldn't help but notice. He kept pointing at her and yelling coi'a. It's a good thing Enida had a good sense of humor and a grandson Spock's age."


While Spock packed and did some laundry, Amanda visited with the family. Rachel allowed her to help bathe Jason and put him to bed. She was thrilled to hear about Sirin's new job and responsibilities at the hospital. Amanda was also impressed with Rachel's stories of the Fursian famine and the Marie Curie's relief efforts. They all chatted for a few hours and then a driver from the Vulcan Embassy came.

Esther had been busy while Spock was getting ready to leave, putting together a package with some of his favorite goodies. She handed them to him and the family said some quick farewells.

Old Stohl took Amanda and Spock to the Shuttle Terminal, where they said goodbye to each other.

"Be careful, my son. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll meet just the right girl in the near future."

"Thank you, Mother. Live long and prosper."

"Peace and long life, Spock."

Spock collected his gear and boarded the next shuttle for Terran Spacedock.


Spock and Amanda had no sooner left when Rachel got a call from Dr. McKenzie.

"Silverstein, I'm replacing Dr. Seamus Murphy on board the Farragut. He's gotten a last minute temporary assignment to Discovery. I'll need you to deliver my Comparative Anatomy lectures until I get back. If I'm not back by Spring Break, I'll also need you to serve as Medical Officer for the Desert Conditions Preparedness Training. I'm sending you everything you need and you'll find Melba to be an able assistant. She keeps me in line and always has student assignments graded ahead of schedule."

"Okay, Angus, don't worry. I can handle it. You be careful out there."

Rachel sighed. Her busy schedule had just gotten even busier.


Captain Pike was so thrilled to see Spock that he helped the youngster with his bags.

"Commander Tjiena is on board, but she's sick with some kind of virus. You'll be acting Science Officer until she recovers. Commander Martinelli will assume her First Officer duties. Dr. Ames is under the weather, as well. They've sent us another Medical Officer, Dr. Seamus Murphy. You might remember him from twenty years ago when your family traveled on the Cochrane. He's on loan from the Farragut."

Spock nodded, listening to his commanding officer as they walked along.

"Captain, may I ask the nature of our mission?"

"We're headed off to Erebax IV. As you know, the Erebaxians are under Federation protection, even though they've yet to join the UFP. They're not a very trusting lot, which is understandable given the number of times that the Erebax system has been invaded and conquered. The planet's only real value to outsiders is its proximity to the Neutral Zone and its rich latinum deposits. It's tropical and lush, but the three humanoid species who live there are always at each others' throats."

"Any way, the Erebaxians dislike outside interference. However, a civilian medical team has discovered that the life span for all three species has suddenly decreased by half. These folks are checking out way ahead of schedule and it's our job to find out why."


Healer T'Mena could not ignore what Sirin had told her about his encounter with the Security Officer at the Main Gate of the Vulcan Embassy. The man's behavior was way out of line. T'Mena decided to report the incident to her friend, Security Chief T'Mys.

The next morning, T'Mys paid a call on Sirin at his office. She had him repeat his experiences with Sihork, which were recorded. This was not the first time he had acted inappropriately. Sihork had also been out of line with an Embassy employee's Betazed husband and had made a snide comment about Lady Amanda when she was out of hearing range. T'Ler, however, had been with her friend and heard Sihork's crude remarks about Ambassador Sarek's Human "whore."

Upon her return to the Embassy, T'Mys questioned the other guard who had been on duty at the time. He confirmed Sirin's story. T'Mys summoned Sihork to her office.

"I have requested a replacement for you. You will be returning to Vulcan in five days, after she arrives. Until that time, you are relieved of duty."

"This is somewhat ahead of schedule, Chief T'Mys. I still have another year left on my duty assignment."

"Your narrow mindedness and prejudice are an embarrassment to the Embassy in general and this office in particular. Though the Vulcan Embassy is considered to be separate and independent territory, we are residing on Terra. The Embasssy also receives guests from many worlds and species. I will not risk you offending anyone else."

"Your responsibility was to simply verify Healer Sirin's appointment and to check his I.D. It was not your job to insult him or his bondmate. This behavior can not be tolerated here. A note of it has also been made on your permanent record, along with several other incidents and the warnings that you received as a result of them. I doubt that you will be assigned to Embassy duty again in the near future. You are dismissed, Sihork."

Sihork left and packed his quarters. He knew it would do no good to protest. He had been warned by friends and colleagues alike, but just could not help the resentment he felt toward the S'chn T'gai family. Sihork had been turned down three times by the VSA, while the Ambassador's hybrid son had been accepted and declined the offer. Now Sarek's Human wife taught language classes there! She had deprived some Vulcan of his or her rightful place.

Now Sihork would return home a failure. Perhaps it would be best to resign his position and apply to another university. He had always wanted to visit Risa. Unfortunately, it was still full of Risans.


Dr. Murphy hurried aboard, finally reaching Discovery after a series of shuttle rides. Nurse Nordu met him in the transporter room and escorted him to Sickbay.

"So, Nurse Nordu, what has gotten Dr. Bob laid low?"

"He injured his back skiing. He reported on board, but can hardly walk. He's crushed a couple of vertebrae. I think he needs surgery."

"I'll check him out later. Do we have any other patients?"

"Just Commander Tjiena, so far. She's got Andorian shingles, probably a result of a compromised immune system. Most of the crew contacted the Vulcan Flu last year. I've got her on anti-virals, but she's slow to respond. Some of her symptoms are quite disturbing, especially the bleeding eyeballs."

"Okay, then. I assume the crew physicals are all up to date."

Nordu nodded.

"Well, if there's nothing pressing, I'll try to get in a nap for a few hours. Just this once I'd like to arrive at a staff meeting fresh as a daisy and ahead of schedule, not late."

Nordu laughed. She had never known a doctor to be on time for anything. Something always cropped up at the last moment.


Tuesday morning activities started way before dawn in the S'chn T'gai-Silverstein household. The Academy was still on holiday break, but Rachel wanted to get to her office early and review Dr. McKenzie's notes. She had never taught Comparative Anatomy before. Melba, McKenzie's Instructional Aide, was also an early riser. McKenzie had commed her the night before and told her of his assignment. She helped Rachel get organized and answered all of her questions,


Sirin had hardly finished breakfast before his comm unit went off. He hurried to the E.R. at SF General, where Dr. Ellis met him and led him to a cubicle.

"We've got an elderly Rigelian with a shattered ankle. He was line dancing with his wives and tripped."

Sirin turned back the curtain to find none other than old Ambassador Krass. He was surrounded by his wives and looking rather sheepish.

"I know, young man, you don't have to scold me. I'm probably too old for this sort of thing, but I just love dancing. I hear music and just can't help myself. I end up here even six months or so with some stupid injury."

"I would never scold a patient your age for trying to remain active. Relax, Mr. Ambassador, while I review your chart and imaging studies."

Sirin sat down in the physicians' lounge to read Krass' records. He was joined by Dr. Ellis, who had treated Krass many times.

"The last time the old coot was here, he had fallen from a second story window while having energetic "intimate relations" with one of his wives. He broke her fall nicely, though. She only had a few bruises. He dislocated a shoulder. That was only four months ago. I guess he's ahead of schedule."

Sirin could only smile at the thought of the elderly Rigelian, way over two hundred years old and still having energetic sex. Broken bones or not, Krass had to be doing something right.


Fred and Petra arrived back on Discovery a whole hour and a half before she was set to leave Terran Spacedock, the last of the crew to return. Their Mexican honeymoon had been interrupted. They left their baggage in their quarters and hurried to the conference room. Fred was actually there early for once.

Captain Pike called them all to order.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Starfleet has ordered us to Erebax IV. The Erebaxians are suffering from some sort of medical crisis, one which has cut their lifespans in half. A single cause can not be found for this, as the Erebaxians seem to be dying from a variety of conditions."

"For those of you unfamiliar with Erebaxian history, I have asked Lt. Spock to give us a bit of background. He'll be Acting Science Officer while Commander Tjiena is recovering."

Pike sat down and Spock stood up.

"Thank you, Captain. Erebax IV has a long and violent history of conquests by other worlds. Such an unfortunate past makes the Erebaxians reluctant to trust outsiders. It is the only Class M planet in the Erebax system and boasts a tropical climate and large deposits of latinum. It is strategically placed between the Romulan Neutral Zone and the Rigelian and Andorian home worlds."

"The inhabitants are of three main races, the Greshi who are native to Erebax IV, the Norrindas, and the Krega. All are Humanoid and capable of interbreeding with each other, though it is seldom done. Each group prefers to remain in its own communities. There has been an uneasy truce for eighty-six years, but there have been recent reports of skirmishes. Each group blames one or both of the others for the illnesses and deaths."

Spock had concluded his talk and sat back down, giving the floor to Captain Pike.

"Folks, we don't know what is causing these deaths or what we'll find there. This is a dangerous, perhaps even deadly mission. I need everyone to be on the alert and to follow all environmental and hazard protocols to the letter. Don't put yourselves or your crew mates in harm's way through stupidity. Okay, that's all I have for now. See Commander Martinelli and Lt. Spock for your away team assignments."

As soon as Captain Pike arrived on the bridge, the navigator informed him that they had arrived at Erebax IV.

"Very impressive, Ensign Carr. You're twenty-three minutes ahead of schedule."