Chapter 52: Vulcan
Kirk paced back and forth in a vaulted stone chamber, ignoring the spectacular, sere view spanning one entire wall. Vulcan's red sun blazed outside, but the retreat of the students-adept of the discipline of ancient thought-remained cool, shielded by the mountain from which it was carved.
"Relax, Jim," McCoy said. "You won't get to see T'Lar any faster by running in place. You're making me tired."
"I don't care if I see T'Lar or not," Jim said. "But they've had Spock practically incommunicado for three days. I want to be sure he's all right before we leave."
"Whether he is or not, there isn't much you can do about it now." The doctor managed a wan smile. "Or me, either, I suppose."
"No," Jim said gently. "You did your part. You saved his life." Jim worried about McCoy almost as much as he worried about Spock. The doctor's exhaustion troubled him.
"Are we leaving?" McCoy asked. "You've had word from Starfleet?"
"No. But we've got to return to earth. At least, Dawn and I do. Dawn and I have to answer for our actions. For disobeying orders. For losing the Enterprise."
"You two won't be alone," McCoy said.
"Dawn and I talked and we don't want anybody to try to be a hero for our sakes!" Jim said. "We bear the responsibility-"
"Who's talking about taking responsibility?" McCoy said. "I'm talking about getting off Vulcan. Jim, this damned gravity is squashing me. If I have to live in it much longer, I'll turn into a puddle of protoplasm. "
Jim laughed. "That's more like it, Bones."
"Jim, Doc."
They turned and saw Dawn.
Jim stopped laughing. "Dawn, do you have news of Spock?"
"T'Lar hasn't said anything to me or Buffy," answered Dawn. "I'm only here as a personal favor. I have to take Doc to see T'Lar."
"What does she want?"
"I do not know," said Dawn. "I'm just a messenger at the moment."
"Come on, Bones," Jim said. "I'm sure T'Lar will satisfy your curiosity."
"I've had about as much curiosity as I can take right now, thanks just the same." But McCoy pushed himself from his chair. Grumbling under his breath, he followed Dawn down the long corridor. Jim accompanied them.
Dawn led them into a chamber, and into presence of T'Lar.
"We have examined Spock," T'Lar said without preliminaries. She spoke to McCoy. "The transfer of his katra, his spirit, is complete."
"Then he's all right," Jim said. "He's well again, he can-"
When T'Lar glanced at Kirk, he fell silent. She returned her attention to McCoy. "But you, McCoy, were not properly prepared to accept the transfer. I have determined that he retains certain elements of your psyche, and certain elements of his personality and his mind remain in your keeping-"
"What!" McCoy exclaimed.
"I will continue to facilitate the transfer between you, until it is complete." T'Lar rose. "Please come with me."
Beside Dawn and Jim, McCoy stiffened.
''What are you saying?" Jim said. ''That Bones has to go through fal-tor-pan again? How much do you think he can take?"
"This has nothing to do with you, Kirk," T'Lar said.
"Anything concerning my officers has something to do with me!"
"Why must you humans involve yourselves in matters you cannot affect?" T'Lar said. "I will create a simple mind-meld. In time, the process will permit Spock and McCoy to separate themselves."
"In time?" McCoy said. "How long is 'in time'?"
"We cannot know," T'Lar said. "The refusion of the katra with the physical body has not been attempted within historical memory, and even in legend the transfer proceeded from Vulcan to Vulcan."
"What if I prefer not to undergo another mind-meld?"
"You will cripple Spock."
"T'Lar," said Dawn.
"T'Lekus," answered T'Lar.
"I am Dr. McCoy's personal physician," said Dawn. "So, I ask in that role what about him?"
"I think it likely that the force of Spock's psychological energy will once again possess McCoy, as it did when he held Spock's katra."
McCoy grimaced. "I don't have much choice, do I?"
"No," T'Lar said. "You do not." She gestured toward a curtained entrance. "The facilitation room. Come."
McCoy hesitated. Dawn and Jim moved to his side.
"Kirk," T'Lar said, "you must stay behind."
"But-" said Kirk looking at Dawn.
"T'Lekus is Vulcan, regardless of her biology. You are not, you cannot help. You can only hinder."
"What's to prevent me from following?"
"Your concern for the well-being of Spock and McCoy."
"It's all right, Jim," McCoy said. Dawn and T'Lar led him into the facilitation room.
Spock waited; his expression dispassionate.
"Spock?" McCoy said.
Spock neither spoke to McCoy nor acknowledged his existence.
T'Lar beckoned to McCoy. McCoy looked at Dawn who motioned for him to go forward.
"I can go no farther," said Dawn. "I am only permitted to watch because as T'Lar said I am considered to be Vulcan."
McCoy nodded as he turned and watched as Spock lay down on a long slab of granite. He moved beside an identical slab, glaring at it with antipathy. "Haven't you people ever heard of featherbeds?" he said.
Dawn, T'Lar nor Spock responded. McCoy hitched himself onto his slab and lay on the hard stone.
T'Lar placed one hand at McCoy's temple and the other at Spock's. An intense connection entwined all three people. McCoy flinched and closed his eyes.
"Separate yourselves," T'Lar whispered hoarsely, "one from the other. Become whole again ... "
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Kirk waited impatiently.
"Jim." Kirk turned and saw Buffy escorting Admiral Cartwright. He rose to his feet. "Your emotions are coming over strongly."
"Admiral Kirk," Cartwright said in way of greeting.
"Admiral Cartwright," Jim returned as Cartwright offered his hand. He shook it warily. "What are you doing on Vulcan?"
"I came to talk to you, Captain Summers and Commander Summers, of course," Cartwright said.
"Dawn is currently with T'Lar," said Buffy. "I will be able to answer any questions you have in her place."
Cartwright nodded. "I want to know what happened straight from the two of you and Dawn, not from reports or gossip or even from Harry Morrow. You two left him one hell of a mess to end his tenure."
"And to begin yours," Kirk said.
"It comes with the job. But I've got to know what happened, and you two are going to have to tell the story to the Federation Council."
"Buffy, Dawn and I know," Kirk told him.
"How soon can you two and Dawn leave Vulcan?"
"That we don't know," answered Kirk.
"I don't mean this as a polite request. You three already disobeyed enough orders to hold you for the rest of your careers."
"We didn't have any choice," said Buffy. Dawn and Jim asked for Harry Morrow's help and he refused it. Sarek's request-"
"Ambassador Sarek should have made his request through regular channels."
"There was no time," said Buffy. "Dawn explained that Doctor McCoy would not live the time it would take Grissom to complete her mission and return to Earth. On top of that Spock, who had been reborn as the new planet was forming was tied to the planet. He too would have died."
"I didn't come here to argue with the two of you," Cartwright said. "Jim, you, Dawn and your people have caused an enormous amount of trouble. I can't vaporize the charges against you. Much as I might like to deal with this within Starfleet, it's gone too far for that. The Federation Council demands your presence. So far, all anyone is talking about is an inquiry. If you and Dawn come immediately, an explanation may suffice. If not, you'll both face criminal trials."
"On what charge?" Jim said, shocked.
"The murder of Commander Kruge, among other things."
"Murder! That's preposterous. I tried to get him off Genesis and he tried to pull me into a pit of molten lava! Kruge invaded Federation space, he destroyed a merchant ship, he instigated espionage, he destroyed the Grissom and everyone on board! He killed David Marcus-" Jim's voice faltered.
"I know." Cartwright's voice softened. "I know you're grieving. I'm very sorry. But you two and Dawn must return to earth and tell your side of the story. If you refuse, the assumption will be that you've no answer to the Klingon Empire's claims."
"We can't leave Vulcan. Not yet," answered Jim.
"Why not? When can you leave?"
"At least as far as Dawn," said Buffy. "She can't leave till both Dr. McCoy and Spock are out of danger. She is still technically their personal physicians."
"And I can't leave Vulcan until I know they're all right," added Kirk.
"It's hardly abandoning them to leave them in the hands of the Vulcans. They'll be in the care of the finest medical technologists in the Federation. I'm sure he has one who can stay with him who isn't under indictment."
"We'll come to earth as soon as we can," Jim said.
"Then I have to give you two and Dawn these." Cartwright drew out three folded papers. He handed one to Jim and two to Buffy.
"What are they?" Buffy asked looking at the thick, ragged-edged paper, heavy with a Federation seal. The Federation only used paper for the most formal of purposes.
"A copy of the inquiry order."
Jim broke the seal and scanned it. "We're still not coming."
"You two and Dawn are disobeying a direct order, Admiral Kirk." Cartwright's brown eyes narrowed and his dark face flushed with anger.
"Yes," Jim said, equally angry. "And it's easier the second time."
"I've done all I can for you three," said Startleet Commander Cartwright. His second's hesitation gave Jim Kirk one last chance to concede. Buffy and Jim said nothing. Scowling, Cartwright turned and stalked from the anteroom.
"Can he really make good on his threat?" Jim wondered looking at Buffy. "For me I am not worried as much. But you and Dawn…"
"Seven hundred years trapped on Earth," said Buffy with a sigh. "We need to leave soon. Dawn and I aren't going to be able to live like that for long."
The drape rustled. Haunted and drained, Dawn and McCoy stood in the entryway.
"Dawn? Bones?" Jim said.
"It's over . . . for the moment," McCoy answered.
"Haven't they completed the process?" Kirk asked as McCoy shrugged. "Is something wrong?"
"He's tired," answered Dawn. "I told him to remain lying down. But you know Doctors make poor patients."
"Vulcans jump up and walk away after a mind-meld," McCoy said. "I shouldn't be any different, right?"
Jim smiled. "Right."
McCoy fainted.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Near sunset, Dawn crossed the plain at the foot of Mt. Seleya and paused by the Klingon Bird of Prey. Kirk, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura and Chekov had been working on the ship.
Dawn looked at the Bird of Prey and sighed. Buffy had told her what Admiral Cartwright had said. She had hoped that she and Buffy still had enough pull with the Admiralty to get themselves, Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew out of the mess they were in. Sadly, the indictment came not from the Admiralty but the Federation Council, none of which knew the truth about her or Buffy.
She heard a scraping noise above her. She tried to see the dorsal surface of the ship from the top rung of the ladder. "Who's there?" she called.
"Just me."
"Doc?" She chinned herself on the edge of the wing and climbed onto the ship.
"T'Lar says Spock doesn't need any more facilitation sessions," McCoy said, without turning around. He sat back, regarded his handiwork critically, and made one last stroke with his paintbrush.
Dawn looked over McCoy's shoulder. The doctor had struck out the Klingon identification script; above it he had spelled out H.M.S. Bounty.
"We wouldn't want anybody to think this was a Klingon ship, would we?"
Dawn chuckled. "You have a fine sense of historical irony, Doc."
"Dawn, I think we've been here just about long enough. How about you?"
Dawn sighed. "I will bring it up to Jim. I think when it was decided Spock didn't need any more facilitation sessions. Jim was going to let us vote on it."
They climbed down again and entered the ship.
"I'm never going to get used to that smell," McCoy said.
The heat intensified the pungent, slightly bitter odor of the materials of an unfamiliar technology.
"It isn't that bad," Jim said as he walked up to McCoy and Dawn. "You never used to be this sensitive to unusual smells."
"Don't tell me how I've changed, Jim," McCoy said. "I don't want to hear that anymore." His good mood vanished. "I've got work to do in sick bay." He disappeared down the corridor.
"Just take it easy on him," said Dawn. "He's feeling the strain of the facilitation sessions and he's thankful their over, finally."
"Then tonight, we vote," said Kirk.
Dawn and Jim walked down the long neck of the Klingon Bird of Prey to the command chamber. "Dawn," he said. "Can you get me subspace to Delta, a private channel?"
Dawn nodded as she sat at the communication's station. She turned on the system.
"Vulcan communications control."
"This is T'Lekus of Vulcan," said Dawn. "Admiral Kirk is requesting subspace to Delta. Private channel, please."
"Subspace channels are blocked with heavy interference. Please try again at a later time."
"Thank you, Vulcan communications control," she said as Jim cursed softly. "Carol?"
Jim nodded.
At sunset they exited the Bird of Prey and waited for the officers of the destroyed starship Enterprise to gather.
Montgomery Scott was the first to straggle across the plain toward the Bounty.
"Good evenin', Admiral," the engineer said, "Captain."
"Hello, Scotty. Don't go in yet. We'll vote tonight."
"Aye, sir."
They waited. Chekov and Uhura crossed the plain together.
"We vote tonight," Jim said.
Buffy and Sulu ran toward the ship from the other side of the plain.
McCoy climbed down the ladder. The group was complete.
"Have you all decided?" Jim said.
"Is nothing to decide, admiral," Chekov said. "We return to earth, with you, Captain Summers and Commander Summers."
"How do you know Dawn, Buffy, or I are planning to return?" Jim said.
At that, even Uhura looked shocked. "Admiral!"
"We bear the responsibility for what's happened," Dawn said.
"No, don't object," agreed Kirk. "If the three of us return alone, Starfleet may choose to overlook the rest of you. If we don't return, they may concentrate on finding us and leave you in peace. At the embassy back on earth, Sarek granted Uhura asylum. The Vulcans will never break that promise. If any of the rest of you request it, I'm certain Sarek will arrange your protection."
"And spend the rest of our lives learning logic on Vulcan?" McCoy said. "Not likely."
"Any of you who wish it could take the Bounty to one of the colony worlds, out by the boundary, where people don't ask too many questions."
Chekov laughed. "Even on boundary, sir, people would ask questions of human people flying a Klingon Bird of Prey. Even disguised as it is." He gestured toward the ship's new name.
McCoy snorted. "Come on, Jim, enough of this. You're not about to become a colonist, or a pirate, and we all know it. Besides both Buffy and Dawn have to go back to Earth. Fate isn't going to let them stay away forever."
"Sadly, Doc's right," said Buffy. "Let's vote."
"Very well," Jim said. "All those in favor of returning to Earth . . ."
Sulu raised his hand. His motion was like a challenge, not a gesture of defeat. McCoy and Uhura and Chekov followed his lead. Finally, listlessly, Scott joined the others.
"Scotty, are you sure?" Dawn asked sensing the engineer's emotions.
"Aye, sir, I just ... I just keep thinkin' ... "
"Buffy and I know, Scotty," said Dawn. "We know."
Jim, too, raised his hand.
Buffy and Dawn were the last to raise their hands.
Kirk gazed at everyone in turn, then nodded. "The record will show," he said, "that the commander and officers of the late starship Enterprise have voted unanimously to return to Earth to face the consequences of their actions in the rescue of their comrade, Captain Spock. Thank you all. Repair stations, please."
At first no one had believed the ship would fly again. At the beginning, Scott vehemently denied any possibility of making the ship space worthy. But with Buffy's help they worked on doing just that.
Jim found Scott and Buffy standing beneath the body of the little ship, gazing critically at a patch on the hull. "Buffy, Mr. Scott, how soon can we get under way?"
"Gi' us one more day, sir," Scott said. "The damage control is easy."
"Dawn's translating Klingon into English as fast as she can," said Buffy.
Scott climbed up the landing ladder and disappeared inside.
McCoy stopped next to Buffy and Jim and folded his arms across his chest. "They could at least send a ship for us. "
At Dawn's insistence Jim and Buffy had neglected to tell McCoy about the argument with Admiral Cartwright. Dawn had said McCoy did not need any more stress.
"What do you have in mind, Bones?" Jim said, trying to be jocular. "A nice little VIP yacht?"
"They should insist on it. Instead of a court-martial!"
"Buffy, Dawn and I stole and then lost the Enterprise, Bones!" answered Jim.
"You lost the Lydia Sutherland, too. They didn't court-martial you that time."
"But I was a hero that time, Bones. This time . . ." He shrugged. "Starfleet could have waived court-martial. They didn't choose to. Besides, it isn't the trial that matters, it's the verdict."
"The verdict where we're all sentenced to spend the rest of our lives mining borite?" said McCoy.
"For the rest of you that could happen," said Dawn. "But because of mine and Buffy's files. We'll be confined to Earth for the rest of our lives."
"It's adding insult to injury for us to have to come home in this Klingon flea trap."
"Don't let Captain Sulu hear you say that," Kirk said. "Anyway, I'd just as soon go home under our own steam. And we could learn a thing or two from this flea trap. Its cloaking device cost us a lot."
McCoy glanced up the landing ladder and squared his shoulders. He took a deep breath of the dusty air, as if he could stock up before having to go inside. "I just wish we could use it to cloak the smell." He climbed up the ladder and disappeared into the Bounty.