Shadows of Silence

2

Several hours later, darkening skies predicted that they would be here overnight at least one time; and though it was by no means cold, Kirk decided there should be a fire built—if for nothing else, to discourage whatever beasts of the night might be on the prowl this evening. He had decided against sleeping in the shuttle; besides the possibility that it could tumble over or catch fire due to unseen forces while they were asleep, it would be a haven for poisonous snakes and other undesirable company, since the craft's hatch wouldn't close again.

Uhura returned from gathering the firewood as Kirk managed to light the first spark of the fire. As he bent over the flaming twigs, blowing on them,

"Lieutenant," he said, "take a phaser for yourself from inside—and lock up the rest. We may need them later."

Uhura paused with one foot in the doorway, then nodded without looking around and went back inside the shuttle.

"Yes, sir," she said when she was at the communications console, though she knew Kirk could not hear her. She stared down at the tangle of wires before her without much hope—the ion storm had done an effective job of stranding them here. Although it would not take long for the Enterprise and the Base to determine them missing, the accompanying search might take longer than she cared to speculate.

Sighing, she set up the automatic beacon, which immediately commenced sending its silent, invisible signals to the heavens.

She was a little embarrassed at the relief she felt. She had not been looking forward to appearing as a witness at this upcoming trial—she knew in her heart that her testimony would not save the Ambassador, and there was little doubt in anyone's mind that he was the guilty party.

Although she had been shoved aside by the murderer, she was not convinced it could not have been Veland, wearing a mask or a disguise, and the prosecution would be sure to pick up on that point. In fact, the only thing she had glimpsed in that frenzied moment were the eyes of the killer—blazing, furious, angry and demented.... they were not Veland's eyes as she saw them now, but that was hardly a criteria for positive identification.

More important would be the height, the build, the probability that it was Veland (he did not, after all, have an effective alibi)—and she would not be able to state that it had definitely been someone else. All she could say to the eager attorney who would cross-examine her would be 'No—I am not convinced that it was the Ambassador—but neither am I sure it wasn't.' Not the stuff a saving testimony was based on. But at least the hours they spent here would give them a chance to examine one another under more demanding circumstances—and if the Ambassador was a man capable of murder, now would be the time to find out.

Frowning, she went to work on the communications circuits before her.

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The three of them sat in silence while the moon swelled above them, waxing into a silky fullness that, despite their predicament, Kirk and Uhura couldn't help looking at with pleasure.

"It really is beautiful," Uhura observed.

Veland, however, had been growing more agitated by the hour. Suddenly angered, he jumped to his feet. "Time...l must have time alone, Captain. I should like to...have a moment to myself, under this bright moon and this glowing alien sky. I will cause you no trouble—I ask only to be allowed to wonder for a matter of a few minutes, in that forest beyond. Is that agreeable to you?"

"I really can't afford to let you out of my sight. I'm sorry—either you'll have to remain here, or I'll have to accompany you."

Veland turned, and pure, unadulterated hatred flashed in his dark eyes. It remained only for a moment. Then it vanished, and he was back to the calm, reasoning self he had already shown them. But in that brief moment, what Kirk had seen made him question whether the Ambassador was, after all, capable of losing control of himself, maybe to the extent that he could commit murder. The captain was, by now, almost convinced of it. And the realization unsettled him.

Captain," said, Veland tightly, slowly unclenching the fists he had snapped shut, "Where, may I asked, would I go?"

He had a point, Kirk realized. He didn't feel right about leaving Uhura alone by the fire, even if she did have a phaser.

"All right. I'll give you ten minutes. Any more than that and I'll come looking for you. Count on that."

Veland nodded. "I shall," he muttered, then was gone, his cloak and his aura of extreme discomfort and dignity wafting after him in the near-darkness.

Kirk stared into the fire. "I overestimated him," he said quietly. "I hope you haven't. I know that on the base, you considered him your friend. I'm sensitive to that, but I want to remind you what he's accused of."

Uhura nodded her understanding. "I wouldn't have gone so far as to call him a friend. We spent a little time together—shared a glass of wine at a reception. He seemed very polite at the time."

"The reception where Admiral Calvin insulted him. He might have been feeling a lot less polite after that."

"I guess it's possible. Still, he's entitled to his pride," she said softly, only looking up at Kirk at the last word. "He shouldn't be robbed of that, ever."

"If I didn't agree with that, I wouldn't have let him go." Kirk sighed. "I only hope someone hears our beacon pretty soon. It could get dangerous out here, with only the wind to protect us."

Deliberately, he glanced in Veland's direction.

Uhura didn't answer. "There's a river just beyond that hill over there," she said. "Tomorrow, I'm going to collect some more water. We didn't bring enough with us, and if we're to stay near the ship, we'll need it."

"Good idea," Kirk remarked, though his mind was already drifting on to other things.

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After the last of the trees had closed behind him, Veland collapsed.

Sweat began to stream down his pale, bearded face, and then the pain came from deep in his stomach the horrible, gripping pain that came every night like this ...

"No," he wailed, groveling on his knees on the dirt, his arms wound tightly around the agony. "I can control you! My mind is strongermy spirit more determined."

There was a slight flash of pain, and he moaned, then rolled across a small pile of sticks and rocks that lay beside him in the ground. Swearing, his eyes feeling as though they were going to pop, the Ambassador picked up two great handfuls of dirt and rubbed them on his face, over his bursting eyes, gritting his teeth in horror and revulsion.

And then, suddenly, the pain was gone. He lay there a moment, staring up at the sky, feeling the subtle heat of the moon's rays on his face. He laughed a little, despite the lingering hurt and the overpowering weakness he felt...but he had done it. He was safe, at least for this one night.

Still, there was one thing he knew, as he wiped his face and pulled himself proudly to his feet: if the gap between him and his self proclaimed bodyguard grew any wider, and if his already unbearable hatred of the man became any stronger, there was no telling what the thing might do the next time the moon called the thing from its rest.

Hugging his arms together, he started back toward the camp.

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Uhura dipped the water container into the fresh, bubbling stream and let it fill with cool liquid. She had already tested the water; it was completely free, of any harmful particles or ores, and would be a welcome change from the rather bland tasting water the shuttlecraft had brought with it as part of the survival/provision kit, never mind providing a place to bathe or cool off.

She tasted a bit of it and sighed with appreciation. The medium sized waterfall beyond continued to pour immeasurable gallons of fresh water into the pool below it, and the pool in turn carried the water past her in the form of this stream.

She stood, hoisting the water barrel with her, and took a step toward the path she had hacked through the brush. Suddenly, she felt eyes upon her, a stare that came from behind the brambles that rose on all sides of her.

Uhura looked around uneasily, unsure whether she was imagining it then decided she wasn't. Carefully, without moving too suddenly, she backed up a few steps, lowered the water container to the ground, and drew her phaser. She had been briefed on the possibilities of large, unseen animals prowling after unwelcome intruders in their forest, and was suddenly struck by the image of a giant beast crashing out of the bushes in order to steal the fresh water and the container of berries she had already procured.

There was a slight rustle in the shadow of a nearby tree, and at once she sprang forward, phaser ready, only to come face to face with the Ambassador, who stopped short and leaped away with a gasp.

"Oh, Ambassador Veland, you startled me!" Quickly she lowered the phaser. "I'm sorry."

"The feeling is mutual," he said, his expression one of amusement. "I was coming to ask if I could assist you in carrying the water back to the craft."

"Has there been any response to the beacon?"

"No." Veland's eyes grew darker, and he looked away. "Don't ask me to feign disappointment. I cannot say I am in true hurry to keep my appointment with an executioner."

"You shouldn't assume the worst, either," she advised. "I've thought about it for a long time, and even more so last night and, if it helps any, I'm more than willing to believe you're being falsely accused, and I'll testify to that in any court of law."

Veland turned again and looked at her, genuine gratitude in his eyes. "Yes, it helps," he said with a nod. "It helps a great deal. I thank you truly I only regret that your Captain is unable to believe that as well."

She wasn't sure how to respond.

"Once," he mused, "I was a man of many interests and exuberant, if limited, talents. But the serpent of Politics has wound itself around me, and I am never again to be free of prying eyes, and black hearts who long to see me destroyed. It is not easy to be a hated man."

"But they'll forgive...and if you're innocent, after all, you're sure to be cleared. "

"Your optimism cheers me as little else has." Slowly, he reached forward and wrapped his fingers lightly around hers. Before she even had any thought of pulling away, he brought her hand swiftly to his lips and bestowed a soft kiss of admiration upon it. When he noticed her embarrassment, he let go and diverted his attention to the waterfall.

"This is a lovely spot."

"Yes. A little earlier, I had the distinct urge to plunge right in, but I think the current is a little too rough to make it very safe for

swimming."

"Besides, your captain would never approve of such a frivolous activity."

"Please try not to resent him so much," she said, looking away. "He's only doing his duty."

"And he would deliver me to my death even if he knew it was wrong, and I was innocent. Because I am, you know."

"That isn't for him to decide, or for me. You'll have to face the charges in open court."

"My trial will be a sham, and you know it. There will be no freedom for me. I will die at the hands of my accusers both politically and spiritually, if not physically; and the last is a possibility as well."

Uhura shook her head. "I hope that you're wrong."

Again he took hold of her hand. "I do not require anything further of you, Lieutenant. If I am convicted and I die, I will not weep so bitterly. Sad only is the death of a man who has not lived, and I will not depart unfulfilled. I've done many interesting things, traveled to many exciting worldsyes, I wish I could do it all again, but only because I would like to show you some of the things I've seen. I wish I had some future to offer you."

Uhura bit her lip, startled. "You hardly know me."

"That's not true. From the moment we met, I felt I had known you all my life. You have brightened my world as no one else ever has."

She thought a moment, then bowed her head. "How can I believe that when I'm to be a witness at your trial?"

"You are a witness for my defense, Lieutenant if I were to romance anyone, it would be a member of the prosecution." Suddenly, fire in his touch, he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look up at him. "Look into my eyes and tell me you honestly believe I could murder anyone."

"I already told you what I think. But it isn't my decision to make."

This time, both of them froze when the bushes moved again. They turned to see Kirk standing there, hands on his hips, face stern and not a little shocked.

"Lieutenant," he said coolly, "is everything all right?"

"Yes, Captain. The Ambassador was going to help me carry the water back to the shuttle."

"The Ambassador wasn't supposed to wander this far from camp," Kirk said with an accusing look at Veland. "Maybe you shouldn't either. This is a big place. Someone could easily get lost."

"Yes, sir." Uhura picked up the bucket of wild berries she'd set aside while collecting the water. "I'll take these back to the shuttle now, if someone else would get the water."

"That's what you came for, isn't it, Ambassador?" Kirk said, making no move to pick anything up. Veland gritted his teeth and nodded.

"It is."

"I'll follow you, then."

"Very well."

Veland's face was flushed as he hoisted up the water barrel and started off in Uhura's wake. The press of the container against his shoulder caused a sharp, steady pain that radiated down his arm, but he paid no attention.

While they walked, he looked up at the sky. Days were short on this world, they'd discovered. It would be only a matter of hours until night was upon them again. If the thing came tonight, he wondered if he'd have the fortitude to chase it away again.