Many thanks to those who reviewed, :o) Here are a few more chapters to entertain you. More will follow.

Chapter 26

The aliens began to fall. The Quasimite was working. Each and every one of them fell into a comatose sleep. The small metallic diamond shaped boxes were taken and thrown into the transporter room. The only problems, which remained, were the planets. Many of the creatures had since gone down to Anagossia in methods that the crew did not know.

It was assumed that they had transportation of their own other than the transporter room on the ship, which was still being occupied with Quasimite.

Communication could only be established at certain points. No one knew if the mineral being used below was enough to put fifty more of the aliens to sleep.

Another problem was that the crew couldn't access the main bridge where other creatures were still controlling the ship. They hoped that with the sudden decline of many of the creatures, the spirits removed from their host bodies would telepathically communicate to their associates still connected to their molluscs on the bridge. Since they were separated hopefully they would come out to see what was happening.

Unfortunately the creatures did not seem to communicate those wishes to the others and they didn't seem to want to emerge from their hideouts. Perhaps the ship was a more valuable thing to them that losing a few hundred bodies.

And what about removing the aliens from the ship? Where had they originated? Starfleet wasn't prepared to simply kill off a new species just because they're eating habits included a liking for humanoids. Until then they would remain fast asleep. The problem with the receptacles. What was to be done with those? As for the members of the Krackatowa crew and Captain Spock on Droline V they would have to wait.

* * *

"Spock," Saavik said kneeling down beside him. He still looked exceedingly pale and she could see that he was trembling again.

A day had passed since the trapped officers, crew and the last survivors of this world had escaped from their under ground prison. Everything was quiet. Too quiet really, Saavik half expected one of the aliens to appear and leap out at them.

Spock was recovered from the ordeal of his near escape. After the examination the doctor found that he had been suffering from pneumonia, but something else was clearly still plaguing him. Something far worse than before. Saavik and the doctor monitored him regularly. The tricorders were now functioning, but still useless were the communicators and phasers.

She waved the medical tricorder over the Vulcan. The others had left the site temporarily with the children. Only Spock and Saavik remained behind. He was still feverish and his fever should have broken yesterday if it was the result of his captivity in the damp freezing cave.

Saavik had wondered if the creatures had contaminated his blood stream in some way, but she could see no sucker wounds on his neck like there had been on Picard. The cut on his head may have attracted an infection. That was possibly feasible, but according to McMeres an infection did not cause his illness.

Perhaps there may have been an allergic reaction to poison that the creatures may have injected him with, but the tricorder indicated no such toxin had even entered into his body. Instead his condition indicated something probably far worse.

Spock sat on the grass leaning against the purple bark of a tall tree. It was fairly like an old Earth oak, but much taller. Saavik sat down beside him. Saavik had an inkling of what was wrong with him. Something genetic, something that only happened to the men on her planet.

"As much as I dislike to tell you this I believe I have come to a conclusion to your illness," she said. Spock tried to ignore her words and dreaded the conclusion. "I have suspected on a few occasions and since you have not recovered adequately. It has given me more certification to presume that you are suffering from Pon Farr."

Her words hit him at point blank range. For a long time before he had tried to persuade himself that this just wasn't the case. To hear it from Saavik she just confirmed it. Spock said nothing.

"I will help you," she said. Spock continued to remain mute. "If you wish I will perform a healing meld with you. It would temporarily ease the burning and discomfort within your mind and body. It would only take a matter of a few minutes and would give you just enough time-"

"Enough time for what?" He said uneasily. Saavik could not bring the words to her lips. "I am well enough to forgo such humiliation."

"Neither the less you have the illness."

"I do not need your charity."

"I do not offer you charity," she said a little alarmed.

"Then leave me alone," he said with a quivering voice. Saavik had guessed it would come to this. He was stubborn and too proud to except emotional weakness. Saavik however did not back off and Spock remained silent, contempt in his own growing discomposure.

"How long?" Saavik said after a long moment.

"How long what?" He said staring up at a large bush.

"The symptoms of the illness." He felt uncomfortable and disliked discussing it.

"It has no concern for you."

"I understand you uncertainty in such matters," she said.

"You know nothing. Nothing at all what it is like."

"You forget," she said quietly. "I am fully aware what it is like. I remember it well." Saavik leaned closer and her voice softened. "Please tell me how long?" Finally he submitted.

"I am unsure," he said. "I have no recollection on how long I was unconscious in the cave."

"I would imagine from your present state of condition it was a few days. Perhaps three or four. Logically I would advise-" Spock looked up at her suddenly.

"Are you expressing an interest to... to mate with me?" He said almost with shock. He did not give her time to answer for he did not want to know. "It is out of the question. I completely refuse."

"I can not condemn you to die. The suffering. It would be intolerable." She shook her head wondrously. I could never live with myself, she thought.

"There are those who do live. If I can harbour enough strength of will maybe I-" Saavik cut him off in mid sentence.

"Mr Spock, you are not one of those people. It is only through Kolinahr that they-" Although he didn't meet her eyes Saavik could clearly see that he was fuming and genuine anger was displayed in his usually level deep voice.

"I was once a adapt of Kolinahr," he said.

"And you failed. Remember! You told me so." Saavik sighed out loud. She could not bear to lose him again. Spock was silent for a long moment.

"Do you not understand? I wish to be alone," he said almost pleading with her.

"Then you will die," she said with so much cold that it could freeze. "Do not misunderstand what I am saying sir, if you leave this too long the condition will be irreversible."

She got to her feet and brushed soil off her black trousers and walked away. Spock finally looked up and gazed in her direction. The fever was calling. He almost called her back, but she was already gone. He did not mean to raise his voice at her. She was only doing what she felt was correct, was logical.