Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Star Trek and probably never will.
*** Identity Crisis ***
Chapter Five - "Psychic People Scare Me..."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Roberts woke up feeling very stiff. He was momentarily confused by his unfamiliar surroundings. Why wasn't he in his quarters? Where was he? And why did he feel so old? (A/N: Sorry, McCoy.)
These thoughts flooded his brain before he was fully awake. As his mind moved away from the dream world and into reality he remembered everything.
He was Doctor McCoy. And he was forty years old.
That would explain the stiff feeling.
He pulled himself out of bed, glad the chronometer said six-thirty instead of two-thirty. He wasn't a morning person.
It was only when he was heading down to breakfast that he remembered he would have awoken at six-thirty today anyway. They were arriving at Seti Olan Two, and he was to be in the landing party.
He groaned despite himself. McCoy would not make it.
Unfortunately, he meant this quite literally. There was some unwritten law that if you wore a red-shirt and beamed down with a landing party, you would die.
Roberts made it to the mess hall in what was most definitely less than record time. He found the table where Spock was sitting. McCoy wasn't there yet. Roberts wasn't sure why he felt a need to talk to McCoy, but he certainly wanted to.
But as it was, Spock was to only one to talk to.
"You look tired," Roberts commented.
"This body is not accustomed to getting less than seven or eight hours of sleep."
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Then McCoy walked in. He looked distinctly grumpy. Not grumpy as though he was mad, but grumpy in the It's-morning-and-I-wish-I-wasn't-awake type way. This was proven to be true as he sat down next Roberts and muttered something like "mmmnrrggmnn it's morning mnnmmmgg." (A/N: That's what I do in the morning ^_^.)
"Good morning, Doctor," Spock said.
"And now you decide to act human and say 'good morning.'"
"Don't go," Roberts said suddenly, "Don't beam down to the planet."
McCoy stared at him blankly for a few seconds. "Why?"
When it came down to this, Roberts wasn't sure what to say. Was it: You'll die because you're a red-shirt now?
"Uh, it's dangerous." That definitely sounded bad.
"Ensign," McCoy drawled, "I've been in more dangerous situations than you've had physicals. Don't you worry about me."
Doctor McCoy obviously did not understand the danger of being a red-shirt. Roberts didn't think it would be wise to insist it was more dangerous wearing red then blue.
Chekov entered looking very happy, which was rather odd to see on a Vulcan.
"Chekov," McCoy hissed as Chekov sat down, "Stop grinning! And why are you so darn happy?"
"I like being a Vulcan," Chekov said. His accent was barely noticeable.
A horrible thought struck McCoy. What if they were actually turning into each other? What if Chekov was actually becoming Spock? This question was answered when Chekov said:
"I stayed up half the night trying to talk and act like Mr. Spock and I'm not even tired! And. I like being strong like a Vulcan too."
"That's great," McCoy said, "But not so loud. Would Spock be running around yelling 'I like being a Vulcan'? No."
"I'm not running," Chekov said.
McCoy rolled his eyes. "You get the point. You're acting a bit too much like Spock for comfort."
"Sorry." Chekov tried to remedy this with a large grin, but this time Spock put an end to it.
"Much as I hate to agree vith the doctair, he ees right. You haff to stop smiling. But then, ecting like me does not seem so bed."
"Spock? You are Spock, right?"
"Doctor, who else would I be? Like Mr. Chekov, I have practiced acting out the part of my character. I take it I have done well?"
McCoy nodded. Spock's Chekov-impressions were unnerving.
"However, that was not the only thing that I did last night. I spent most of the time attempting to find information on our conditions."
Chekov, McCoy, and Roberts exchanged glances. They had done nothing of the sort.
Then McCoy said, "Well, did you find anything?"
"There is very little information on situations such as these. However, I did find a scientist from the Vulcan Science Academy who is doing research on. moving the mind to different locations. I do not mean the physical brain. I am referring to whatever part of me in residing in Chekov at this moment. I sent her a message. I have yet to receive the reply."
"Maybe this will be the end of this. No offense, Doctor, but I want my body back, real bad," Roberts said.
"Amen."
"I quite agree."
Chekov didn't say anything.
Kirk called the senior officers to the briefing room. McCoy was rather miffed at being left out, but no one would let an Anonymous Ensign (in other words, a red-shirt) into an important meeting such as this.
As he grumped (is that a word?) in the Security corridors Roberts, Chekov, and Spock walked into the briefing room.
Chekov and Spock both knew where the other usually sat, but Roberts was left wondering which seat was his. He took the vacant seat next to the captain.
"So," Kirk said. "We're going to. beam down to the planet soon. So. is there. anything we should know? Bones? Spock?"
Funny, Roberts had never noticed how the captain paused at random times when he made speeches. This fact was irrelevant, however, as he was supposed to tell the captain about the planet.
"Uh, nothing that you should know," he said, hoping that there was, in fact, nothing that should be known.
"For those of you who were not on the bridge when I gave my report, Olan Seti Two." Chekov went through what he had said on the bridge the day before, though in a more organized fashion. As he spoke, he couldn't help but marvel at the fact his accent was barely noticeable. He liked being Vulcan very much. Very, very much.
"Okay then. I'll take. a landing party down to the surface. I'd like to take Mr. Spock and. Doctor McCoy, as well as. Ensign Chekov, Ensign Gold, and Ensign Roberts. Scotty, you'll have the conn. Dismissed, everyone. Spock, Bones, Chekov, come. with me."
Kirk, Chekov, Spock, Roberts, McCoy and the remaining Anonymous Ensign met in the transporter room, where they were equipped with heavy jackets. It was winter on Seti Olan Two, which meant it was very cold.
"You know," Kirk muttered to Chekov and Roberts, "I wasn't so sure about bringing you. You've been acting kind of strange lately. Actually, you've been acting very strange. And that time I tried to talk to you, you both ran out as fast as you could."
"I was not running, Captain," Chekov said. Why did everyone think he spent so much time running around?
"Well, I can see you're back to normal. That was definitely a Spock comment. But still."
"Jim. Calm down. There's nothing wrong with us. Well, if you count having green blood normal, anyway." McCoy had said to argue. And even if he hadn't, Roberts knew there were always insults flying between the doctor and the Vulcan. Who didn't?
"Back to normal," Kirk laughed.
The six landing party members (who, by some coincidence, include our four main characters) stepped onto the six transporter pads. They heard the familiar whirring of the transporter, and were suddenly.
.very cold. Though they had their jackets, there was a wind that seemed determined to slice through any obstacle that got in its way.
There was one downside to being Vulcan, Chekov thought. You got cold easier. Of course, he should be able to avoid the cold for most of the time he got to spend in Spock's body.
Chekov realized something just then. He did not mind being in this body. True, it was annoying to have to act like Spock all the time, but he loved the strength, the agility, and the endurance.
"Mr. Spock. Can you tell me the direction of the nearest settlement?"
Chekov was jerked out of his thoughts by Kirk's question. He fumbled with his tricorder for a moment, then pointed in the direction it indicated.
The landing party began to slog through the snow towards the 'nearest settlement.' It did not take long to get there, though everyone was thoroughly frozen by the time they did.
There was no one on the streets in the settlement. It was eerily silent, all but the whistling of the wind through and around a few igloo-like huts.
"They probably know we're here," McCoy whispered to Spock, "With their psychic powers and all. Psychic people scare me sometimes. I hope these aren't the intruders-oh-let's-kill-them kind."
As if on cue, Ensign Gold screamed and fell, then began to twitch on the ground.
"What the heck was that?!" McCoy yelled.
"Phasers on stun," Kirk said.
Suddenly their phasers were gone. (Of course. It wouldn't be Star Trek if they hadn't.)
But there was no one to stun. The streets were still deserted. McCoy dropped down beside Gold, ignoring the fact he didn't look like himself.
"He's dead," he muttered.
Suddenly (as always) there was a voice reverberating through their heads.
"What if we don't want to?" Kirk asked bravely.
Roberts winced. The next one to go would be a red-shirt. In other words, Doctor McCoy.
"We should go," he advised Kirk.
The captain looked uncertain for a moment, then he nodded. "You're right, Bones. They can obviously kill any of us at any time. Let's not provoke them."
The 'way of blue ice' was easy to follow, as it was a blue steak running through the snow beneath them. It took a curving path around the igloo huts and through the snow. It finally led them to what came as something of a surprise.
Nothing.
Well, not nothing, but just another igloo hut. The blue ice made its way into the small round opening. The landing party all had to crawl on their hands and knees to get through.
They were met inside by what looked like a small, blue-white Terran walrus. Upon a closer examination, Spock saw that instead of tusks it harbored long fangs, and instead of front flippers there were short, stubby hands.
The voice in their minds was back. the walrus-thing said,
Kirk looked surprised. He was rarely told by psychic aliens to bug off.
"Jim, just go! We'll be fine!" McCoy said.
Kirk didn't bother to wonder why Ensign Roberts was acting like his Chief Medical Officer. He had to go. He had to.
The walrus-thing looked as satisfied as a walrus can. These 'humans' were easy to control. Especially the Jim-one. But the Jim-one didn't matter.
The walrus thing gave a mental command to two other walrus things: Of course she was obeyed. She was always obeyed.
The two walrus things appeared from a lower igloo hut level. They held knives. Dangerous-looking knives. Without a word (or a thought in the minds of the four) they ushered the humans (and Vulcan) to an opening in the wall. It turned out to be a chute entirely comprised of ice. They each slid down, landing on hard rock and slippery ice. The walrus-thing seemed to vanish.
It had, in fact, been taken to the room where the original walrus thing had met the landing party. The walrus thing gave the other one more command.
So, just as the remnants of the landing party had finally gotten themselves sorted out, everything went black.
*** Identity Crisis ***
Chapter Five - "Psychic People Scare Me..."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Roberts woke up feeling very stiff. He was momentarily confused by his unfamiliar surroundings. Why wasn't he in his quarters? Where was he? And why did he feel so old? (A/N: Sorry, McCoy.)
These thoughts flooded his brain before he was fully awake. As his mind moved away from the dream world and into reality he remembered everything.
He was Doctor McCoy. And he was forty years old.
That would explain the stiff feeling.
He pulled himself out of bed, glad the chronometer said six-thirty instead of two-thirty. He wasn't a morning person.
It was only when he was heading down to breakfast that he remembered he would have awoken at six-thirty today anyway. They were arriving at Seti Olan Two, and he was to be in the landing party.
He groaned despite himself. McCoy would not make it.
Unfortunately, he meant this quite literally. There was some unwritten law that if you wore a red-shirt and beamed down with a landing party, you would die.
Roberts made it to the mess hall in what was most definitely less than record time. He found the table where Spock was sitting. McCoy wasn't there yet. Roberts wasn't sure why he felt a need to talk to McCoy, but he certainly wanted to.
But as it was, Spock was to only one to talk to.
"You look tired," Roberts commented.
"This body is not accustomed to getting less than seven or eight hours of sleep."
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Then McCoy walked in. He looked distinctly grumpy. Not grumpy as though he was mad, but grumpy in the It's-morning-and-I-wish-I-wasn't-awake type way. This was proven to be true as he sat down next Roberts and muttered something like "mmmnrrggmnn it's morning mnnmmmgg." (A/N: That's what I do in the morning ^_^.)
"Good morning, Doctor," Spock said.
"And now you decide to act human and say 'good morning.'"
"Don't go," Roberts said suddenly, "Don't beam down to the planet."
McCoy stared at him blankly for a few seconds. "Why?"
When it came down to this, Roberts wasn't sure what to say. Was it: You'll die because you're a red-shirt now?
"Uh, it's dangerous." That definitely sounded bad.
"Ensign," McCoy drawled, "I've been in more dangerous situations than you've had physicals. Don't you worry about me."
Doctor McCoy obviously did not understand the danger of being a red-shirt. Roberts didn't think it would be wise to insist it was more dangerous wearing red then blue.
Chekov entered looking very happy, which was rather odd to see on a Vulcan.
"Chekov," McCoy hissed as Chekov sat down, "Stop grinning! And why are you so darn happy?"
"I like being a Vulcan," Chekov said. His accent was barely noticeable.
A horrible thought struck McCoy. What if they were actually turning into each other? What if Chekov was actually becoming Spock? This question was answered when Chekov said:
"I stayed up half the night trying to talk and act like Mr. Spock and I'm not even tired! And. I like being strong like a Vulcan too."
"That's great," McCoy said, "But not so loud. Would Spock be running around yelling 'I like being a Vulcan'? No."
"I'm not running," Chekov said.
McCoy rolled his eyes. "You get the point. You're acting a bit too much like Spock for comfort."
"Sorry." Chekov tried to remedy this with a large grin, but this time Spock put an end to it.
"Much as I hate to agree vith the doctair, he ees right. You haff to stop smiling. But then, ecting like me does not seem so bed."
"Spock? You are Spock, right?"
"Doctor, who else would I be? Like Mr. Chekov, I have practiced acting out the part of my character. I take it I have done well?"
McCoy nodded. Spock's Chekov-impressions were unnerving.
"However, that was not the only thing that I did last night. I spent most of the time attempting to find information on our conditions."
Chekov, McCoy, and Roberts exchanged glances. They had done nothing of the sort.
Then McCoy said, "Well, did you find anything?"
"There is very little information on situations such as these. However, I did find a scientist from the Vulcan Science Academy who is doing research on. moving the mind to different locations. I do not mean the physical brain. I am referring to whatever part of me in residing in Chekov at this moment. I sent her a message. I have yet to receive the reply."
"Maybe this will be the end of this. No offense, Doctor, but I want my body back, real bad," Roberts said.
"Amen."
"I quite agree."
Chekov didn't say anything.
Kirk called the senior officers to the briefing room. McCoy was rather miffed at being left out, but no one would let an Anonymous Ensign (in other words, a red-shirt) into an important meeting such as this.
As he grumped (is that a word?) in the Security corridors Roberts, Chekov, and Spock walked into the briefing room.
Chekov and Spock both knew where the other usually sat, but Roberts was left wondering which seat was his. He took the vacant seat next to the captain.
"So," Kirk said. "We're going to. beam down to the planet soon. So. is there. anything we should know? Bones? Spock?"
Funny, Roberts had never noticed how the captain paused at random times when he made speeches. This fact was irrelevant, however, as he was supposed to tell the captain about the planet.
"Uh, nothing that you should know," he said, hoping that there was, in fact, nothing that should be known.
"For those of you who were not on the bridge when I gave my report, Olan Seti Two." Chekov went through what he had said on the bridge the day before, though in a more organized fashion. As he spoke, he couldn't help but marvel at the fact his accent was barely noticeable. He liked being Vulcan very much. Very, very much.
"Okay then. I'll take. a landing party down to the surface. I'd like to take Mr. Spock and. Doctor McCoy, as well as. Ensign Chekov, Ensign Gold, and Ensign Roberts. Scotty, you'll have the conn. Dismissed, everyone. Spock, Bones, Chekov, come. with me."
Kirk, Chekov, Spock, Roberts, McCoy and the remaining Anonymous Ensign met in the transporter room, where they were equipped with heavy jackets. It was winter on Seti Olan Two, which meant it was very cold.
"You know," Kirk muttered to Chekov and Roberts, "I wasn't so sure about bringing you. You've been acting kind of strange lately. Actually, you've been acting very strange. And that time I tried to talk to you, you both ran out as fast as you could."
"I was not running, Captain," Chekov said. Why did everyone think he spent so much time running around?
"Well, I can see you're back to normal. That was definitely a Spock comment. But still."
"Jim. Calm down. There's nothing wrong with us. Well, if you count having green blood normal, anyway." McCoy had said to argue. And even if he hadn't, Roberts knew there were always insults flying between the doctor and the Vulcan. Who didn't?
"Back to normal," Kirk laughed.
The six landing party members (who, by some coincidence, include our four main characters) stepped onto the six transporter pads. They heard the familiar whirring of the transporter, and were suddenly.
.very cold. Though they had their jackets, there was a wind that seemed determined to slice through any obstacle that got in its way.
There was one downside to being Vulcan, Chekov thought. You got cold easier. Of course, he should be able to avoid the cold for most of the time he got to spend in Spock's body.
Chekov realized something just then. He did not mind being in this body. True, it was annoying to have to act like Spock all the time, but he loved the strength, the agility, and the endurance.
"Mr. Spock. Can you tell me the direction of the nearest settlement?"
Chekov was jerked out of his thoughts by Kirk's question. He fumbled with his tricorder for a moment, then pointed in the direction it indicated.
The landing party began to slog through the snow towards the 'nearest settlement.' It did not take long to get there, though everyone was thoroughly frozen by the time they did.
There was no one on the streets in the settlement. It was eerily silent, all but the whistling of the wind through and around a few igloo-like huts.
"They probably know we're here," McCoy whispered to Spock, "With their psychic powers and all. Psychic people scare me sometimes. I hope these aren't the intruders-oh-let's-kill-them kind."
As if on cue, Ensign Gold screamed and fell, then began to twitch on the ground.
"What the heck was that?!" McCoy yelled.
"Phasers on stun," Kirk said.
Suddenly their phasers were gone. (Of course. It wouldn't be Star Trek if they hadn't.)
But there was no one to stun. The streets were still deserted. McCoy dropped down beside Gold, ignoring the fact he didn't look like himself.
"He's dead," he muttered.
Suddenly (as always) there was a voice reverberating through their heads.
"What if we don't want to?" Kirk asked bravely.
Roberts winced. The next one to go would be a red-shirt. In other words, Doctor McCoy.
"We should go," he advised Kirk.
The captain looked uncertain for a moment, then he nodded. "You're right, Bones. They can obviously kill any of us at any time. Let's not provoke them."
The 'way of blue ice' was easy to follow, as it was a blue steak running through the snow beneath them. It took a curving path around the igloo huts and through the snow. It finally led them to what came as something of a surprise.
Nothing.
Well, not nothing, but just another igloo hut. The blue ice made its way into the small round opening. The landing party all had to crawl on their hands and knees to get through.
They were met inside by what looked like a small, blue-white Terran walrus. Upon a closer examination, Spock saw that instead of tusks it harbored long fangs, and instead of front flippers there were short, stubby hands.
The voice in their minds was back. the walrus-thing said,
Kirk looked surprised. He was rarely told by psychic aliens to bug off.
"Jim, just go! We'll be fine!" McCoy said.
Kirk didn't bother to wonder why Ensign Roberts was acting like his Chief Medical Officer. He had to go. He had to.
The walrus-thing looked as satisfied as a walrus can. These 'humans' were easy to control. Especially the Jim-one. But the Jim-one didn't matter.
The walrus thing gave a mental command to two other walrus things: Of course she was obeyed. She was always obeyed.
The two walrus things appeared from a lower igloo hut level. They held knives. Dangerous-looking knives. Without a word (or a thought in the minds of the four) they ushered the humans (and Vulcan) to an opening in the wall. It turned out to be a chute entirely comprised of ice. They each slid down, landing on hard rock and slippery ice. The walrus-thing seemed to vanish.
It had, in fact, been taken to the room where the original walrus thing had met the landing party. The walrus thing gave the other one more command.
So, just as the remnants of the landing party had finally gotten themselves sorted out, everything went black.