"Well, that's a problem." Kirk said.

"I can distract it - refocus its attention away from the

rest of the crew, but it is rather intensely interested in

*me*. I do not believe I can leave this room without it

observing me, and reacting accordingly."

"Let's try anyway." Kirk said. "If it wants your mind, it

can't afford to kill you."

They took a few steps towards the door. Crash! Smash!

Bang!

"It can, however, afford to kill those I care about." Spock

said. He freed his arm from Kirk's grasp and stood

unaided for a moment before sinking down to his knees.

Kirk crouched beside him. "If we fire the torpedoes, the

entire starbase will be destroyed. Anyone still here will be

killed."

"And if you do not fire the torpedoes, you will be faced

with a foe grown far stronger and, do not doubt it, more

sophisticated in its tactics. With every mind it absorbs,

contacts or destroys, the creature learns more about our

nature, about how to get what it wants." Spock looked

Kirk in the eye. "Captain, it is my considered suggestion

as your First Officer that you and the rest of the crew leave

*now*."

"All right." Kirk said. "I'll get the crew to the shuttle bay

and come back for you. We'll get out of this together."

"Captain-"

""No argument, Spock. I'll get the crew to the shuttles and

I'll *come* *back* *for* *you*. Hold on." He got to his

feet. "Everybody, keep moving out. Keep moving."

He joined the group waiting by the door.

"Spock's not coming?" McCoy said.

"Not right now." Kirk said.

The trip back to shuttle bay was laughably easy after the

hours they had spent wandering the starbase. They passed

mark after mark on the walls showing the number of times

they'd passed corridor branching previously. The way

now seemed clear and straightforward where previously

they had passed the same places three or four times. Some

of the crew members who had been lost joined them on

the way, and when they reached the shuttle-bay Kirk saw

there were other crew members there, who had made their

way independently.

Kirk drew his senior officers aside. "You heard what

Spock said about the torpedoes, the Mu Spectrum energy ?"

"Yes, sir." Sulu answered for all of them.

"Get back to the Enterprise and get it underway. I'm going

back for Spock . I hope we'll both be back on the

Enterprise by the time to torpedoes are ready, but my

orders are that when you are ready to fire, you will fire. Is

that clear?"

"Whether you and Commander Spock have reached the

Enterprise or not." Uhura said.

"Yes." He clapped her on the shoulder. "Don't tell Bones.

If anyone argues - and Bones will argue, the three of you

can back each other up. Mr Sulu, you are the

command officer for the away team from now."

"Yes, Captain." Sulu said. He squared his shoulders.

"Good luck, sir."

"It'd be about time." Kirk said. "Go now. Don't stop,

don't wait."

They moved off quickly, Sulu giving the others a few

quick orders and then the three of them splitting of the run

to go to other groups of crew members. Kirk lingered at

the door just long enough to see the first crew members

reach the shuttles and start the power-up processes and

then he turned and belted back up the corridors.

Spock had settled into the position he sat in to meditate,

but there was nothing serene about his expression. Kirk

crouched beside him.

"They're powering up the shuttles." he said. "They'll be

off the station soon."

"Yessss..." Spock said. "I know." His eyes opened

slowly. "I know ... everything about the station. I see

everything. I hear everything. I am everywhere."

"Am I -" Kirk's mouth was suddenly dry and his palms

sweaty, but he kept his voice steady. "Am I speaking to

Commander Spock? Or to -"

"There is not a great deal of difference anymore." Spock's

disinterested gaze settled on Kirk. "But it is still

Commander Spock who is control of us."

"How do I know that?" Kirk asked. Conversationally.

Lightly. As if he were at a diplomatic function, a meet-

and-greet with Starfleet Brass, a strange bar in a strange

town. Calm, polite, non-committal.

"You are still alive."

"Good point." Kirk said. "Are you ready to try leaving?"

"Captain, the logical course of action would be for you to

return to the shuttle bay and thence to the Enterprise."

"I'm sure it would be." Kirk aid. "Can you stand?"

"I shall essay an attempt." Spock said.

He did manage to get to his feet and stand unaided.

"Come on." Kirk said, staying close beside him in case his

strength failed.

"Terran idiom refers to the complex art of walking

and 'chewing gum' at the same time." Spock said. "I

suspect that it will be somewhat more difficult - of

a considerable order of magnitude - to walk and

maintain my grasp on the creature's attention at the

same time. There is a ... perceptual overlap which

is somewhat disorienting."

"You take care of the creature." Kirk said. "Leave

the rest up to me."

"Jim -" Spock's face was gleaming with sweat, his

breath laboured. "You do not need to sacrifice

yourself here to make amends for your earlier

actions."

'"Don't pull any punches." Kirk said.

"You acted logically and in accord with your duties

and responsibilities. It is your actions *now* which

are illogical. Your duty to the ship and the crew is

not diminished, and it hardly serves Starfleet for us

both to die here."

"That would be true if I had any intention of

allowing us to die here." Kirk said. "Come on."

They had taken three steps towards the door when it

started.