Security had been called as soon as Richards was able to get away. They found the alien woman and taken her to sickbay, where she had been strapped down to a biobed. Richards reported shooting her with his phaser at quarter power, but the woman barely had a scratch on her. She had been severely stunned, however, and as such, was being looked after by Dr. McCoy until the Captain arrived.
Dr. McCoy continued to monitor the alien woman's life signatures, but he hadn't the slightest idea what he needed to be looking for. Her readings were as confounded as Spock's and made about half as much sense. With his biosensor in hand, McCoy did another pass on the unconscious woman, surprised to hear his sensor squeal once it passed over her chest. "What in blazes...?" he mumbled.
While his equipment continued to whine incessantly at the doctor, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock had just entered sickbay. The Captain looked irritated and more than a bit confused. "Bones, what is that?"
McCoy gave a frustrated shake of his head. "Jim, I'm a doctor, not a xenologist. I've never seen anything like her before."
"Her?" Kirk took a step forward to better examine the alien intruder. He supposed, she did look female. "How did she get aboard my ship?"
Spock interjected. "Captain, she was found on the lower storage decks."
He turned towards Spock. "Are you telling me she was in one of those storage crates, Mr. Spock?" They hardly seemed large enough to fit a small animal, let alone a fully grown... whatever she was.
"Negative, Captain. After conferring with Mr. Scott, it would have been impossible for an alien creature to be transported to the ship without triggering life sensors. Mr. Scott insists he did the scans himself to be sure."
Kirk sighed. That made more sense. "That still doesn't explain how she got aboard… and what she did to Officer Dawson." His eyes flicked over to the biobed in the far corner of the room. A humanoid shape could be seen with a large sheet draped over it.
McCoy sighed, walking over to the shape to toss it away from the man's face. Dawson lay still on the biobed, dead. "I don't understand it, Jim. My readings say the man is perfectly fine. It's like he just… shut down."
"There has to be something, Bones. Richards saw Dawson cry out like he had been attacked and all she had done was touch the man! How do you explain that?"
"Damnit Jim, I don't know! We don't even know what sort of alien she is. For all we know, she could be Tauran!"
"Doctor, are you suggesting this lifeform is from the Taurus Sector?" Mr. Spock stepped over to join the pair, his brow quirked in intrigue. "Captain, if that is the case, this may very well be first contact."
The Captain shifted his gaze between the body on the biobed and the bound alien, his expression hardening by the second. First contact or not, he wouldn't forgive the killing of one of his own so easily.
The whining of the monitors above the alien suddenly stopped, grabbing all three men's attention. Doctor McCoy shoved past the Captain to check them himself, his face a mix of shock and awe. He was at a loss for words, grasping at the side of the biobed as if he himself might faint.
"What's happening, Doctor? Why have the sensors gone quiet?" Kirk approached the bed hesitantly, his eyes locked on the alien as if she might strike at any moment.
McCoy ran a hand over his forehead, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I can't explain it but… she's dead, Captain."
"What?!" Kirk dared a step closer, mirroring McCoy's bewildered expression. "She was fine a moment ago, wasn't she?"
"I don't know! These sensors are calibrated for human life signatures. Whatever she was, it wasn't human, so the sensors were going crazy from the get-go!"
While the pair continued to argue, Spock watched the alien woman carefully. There was something not quite right with her face. It held a strange and somehow, familiar expression. If the Vulcan didn't know any better, he would think she was meditating.
Not a moment had passed before the alien opened her eyes.
Spock grabbed for the Captain, pulling him back just as he began to lean too far over the bed.
Kirk looked annoyed. "Mr. Spock, what are you—."
"Captain, the alien intruder is awake." He gestured towards the woman, who was now staring wide-eyed at the men around her.
McCoy jerked back as if he were suddenly afraid to be anywhere near her. "That's, That's impossible! The sensors! They aren't reading a damn thing from her!" He looked down at the woman and hesitantly began to reach for where he guessed, was a pulse point when the alien's ears flicked back and she hissed dangerously at the Doctor. Again, he jerked back, now stepping away to join his Captain. He looked Kirk in the eye. "Dead men don't do that, Jim…"
With the immediate area around her now clear, the woman began to struggle against her restraints, hissing like a feral cat as she did so.
"McCoy, sedate her! We can't have her loose on the ship. Spock, call security!" Kirk reached for his phaser, not trusting the alien for a moment.
The doctor ran to fetch a hypo while Spock went for coms, but the Vulcan stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a strange voice call out.
'Release me! Barbaric—! -Will not—!' It was faint and difficult to hear, but Spock could just make it out. "Captain, Doctor, wait. I believe she is attempting to communicate with us." Spock took a step closer.
"Spock, what the Hell are you going on about? The only thing coming out of her mouth is—."
"She is not speaking, Doctor. Rather, she is broadcasting her thoughts. Can you not hear her?"
Kirk and McCoy exchanged concerned glances. "Richards did say she hadn't spoken to them… when she reached out to Dawson, do you think…?"
Spock interjected again. "She may have been attempting to mind-meld with Dawson through means of touch telepathy, Captain. His death could have been purely accidental."
As the men finally stopped moving, so to did the alien woman. She watched them all closely, unsure of what exactly they were saying. Their communication style was loud and increasingly aggravating on Aliah's sensitive ears. She did not remember how she came to be in this position, but it was clear that the present situation was dangerous. She was surrounded by the same round-eared alien and Old One from before, along with a new round-eared being. This one looked older than the other and had darker hair. She eyed the Old One suspiciously. 'They may be silent, but you are able to hear me, are you not?'
"Yes, although it is not clear." Spock gave the alien his full attention.
The pair looked shockingly at Spock. McCoy was the first to speak. "Spock, are you saying she's speaking to you?"
The Vulcan suppressed a sigh. "As I previously stated Doctor, she is not speaking. She—."
"Damnit Spock, are you communicating with the alien or not?"
The alien woman flinched slightly, a pained expression on her face. Spock took notice of this almost immediately and raised a hand to stop the Doctor. "Dr. McCoy, please, I believe your shouting is causing her harm." He spoke softly now, his eyes never leaving hers.
McCoy was silent then. Kirk stepped towards Spock, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Can she understand you, Spock?" His voice was also softer now, much to the woman's relief.
It took a moment for Spock to answer. "She has yet to acknowledge my earlier statement, Captain. It may be possible that she does not understand our language."
"Is it possible to communicate telepathically with her?"
Spock was silent. He attempted to reach out to the alien intruder in a manner similar to her. 'I am Spock. Can you hear me?'
The woman's eyes widened ever so slightly, her pupils slitting as she heard the Old One's voice. She suppressed a hiss. 'I-hear…you.'
The Vulcan arched a brow. "Fascinating…"
"Spock?" said the Captain, getting his first officer's attention again.
"We are able to communicate telepathically, Captain, but the line of communication is not clear."
McCoy looked frustrated. "What do you mean? It's not like she's halfway across the damn ship, Spock."
"It is not a matter of distance, Dr. McCoy. I believe it is simply a matter of biology."
It was Kirk's turn to look frustrated. "Is there a way to strengthen the line, Spock?"
He nodded. "Yes, I believe so, Captain. Perhaps if I were to make physical contact with her, the line would become clear."
"Now, Spock, you saw what she did to Dawson. Don't do anything foolhardy." McCoy looked like he was ready to put himself between his friend and the alien.
Spock raised a hand to once again calm the good doctor. "Dawson was human, Dr. McCoy. I am Vulcan. I am confident I will be able to communicate with the alien without issue."
McCoy gave Kirk an aggravated sigh. "Jim, tell him."
"I agree with Spock, Bones. If he's already able to communicate with her, I think it would be alright to let him try it." Kirk nodded to Spock. "Let him through, Bones."
The country doctor gave his Captain an angry scowl, but relented, allowing Spock to move closer to the alien woman.
As if sensing what the Old One was planning, Aliah tensed. The last thing she wanted to do was make contact with an Old One, but she found herself in a difficult position. As it was, she could communicate with the aliens, but just barely. It was already made clear with her earlier interaction with the round-eared ones that she would not be able to communicate with them. As much as it pained her to do so, she would need to communicate directly with the Old One.
She steeled herself as he drew closer, grateful that she had already set up barriers in her mind to prevent him from probing her thoughts. No doubt he would be doing the same, however, if he had not already done so.
When the Old One was close enough to touch her, Aliah couldn't help but admire his strange-looking features. He was taller than she had originally thought, and his eyes held a much calmer demeanor than what she expected. Was he doing this intentionally? Could it be that he was attempting to gain her trust? She withheld a scoff. She would not be so easy to fool.
Then it happened. The Old One had reached out to her and placed two fingers against her temple. Such contact would have had Aliah growling at the invader, but she was distracted. It was as if someone had stepped into her mind. It wasn't a painful experience, merely shocking. Her eyes shot up to the Old One's and she gasped silently. '…I can feel your presence in my mind.'
The Old One spoke then, something she did not understand. 'I too can feel your presence. Greetings. I am Spock. What is your name?'
'I am Aliah.' She would not extend her greetings. 'Have you come to harm my people again, Old One?'
Spock quirked a brow. 'I do not understand. Who are your people? What is an 'Old One'?'
Aliah mirrored his expression. 'You came to my planet. I saw you and these round-eared beings on the surface. Why have you returned? What is it you seek?'
Spock looked away for just a moment to turn towards the others. "Captain, the alien's name is Aliah. She claims to have seen us on the surface of Taurus V. I believe Dr. McCoy was correct in his suspicions earlier. She is in fact Tauran."
Kirk and McCoy exchanged surprised looks. Kirk took a step forward. "How did she get aboard the ship? Why is she here?"
"I have not yet ascertained that information, Captain. As of now, she believes me to be an 'Old One' and has questioned why I have returned to her planet."
That didn't make sense. McCoy looked frustrated again. "We've never been to the Taurus Sector before."
"Correct, Doctor. I suspect that my ancestors may have visited her planet before, and it does not seem to have been a friendly mission."
"Romulans…" Kirk muttered under his breath.
"Indeed."
Kirk sighed. "Keep going, Spock. Get whatever you can out of her."
"Yes, sir." Spock turned his attention back to Aliah. She looked uncertain and suspicious. 'My apologies. I was informing my Captain of what we had discussed thus far. I am unsure for certain, but I believe you have me mistaken for another race of aliens. I am Vulcan. These 'Old Ones' you speak of, were they Romulan?'
Aliah nodded slightly. 'Yes. The archives did describe the Old Ones as 'Romulan'. They invaded our planet centuries ago and nearly exterminated my people… How can I be sure you are telling me the truth? Vulcan and Romulan… these are different?'
'That is correct. At one time, Vulcans and Romulans were of one race, but war divided our people. The Romulans believe in violence and disorder. Vulcans however, have dedicated ourselves to logic. We are a nonviolent race. Our ship has archives of its own that can verify this. Are you able to read any languages?'
She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. Her people had a similar history… though she would not divulge that to the Vulcan. 'I am able to read the language of my people, but I am unsure of any others… Perhaps that of the Old Ones, the Romulans? There were remnants of their logs on my planet.'
'Romulan script. Very well. At a later time, I will obtain the information you seek to read at your convenience. Though, my Captain does have questions for you. Are you willing to answer them?'
'It does not appear that I have much of a choice, Vulcan Spock.'
Spock once again looked towards his Captain. "Captain, I believe she will be cooperative in answering our questions. However, I would like to release her of her bonds."
McCoy was already shaking his head. "Absolutely not, we don't know what she's capable of, Jim."
"She appears to be willing to reason, Captain. She has made no efforts to harm me, nor has she expressed any desire to do so."
Kirk gave his first officer a hard look. He wasn't exactly keen on letting a murderous alien be unrestrained, but he trusted Spock. "Dr. McCoy, stand by coms. If she tries something, call for security immediately and place the ship on red alert."
"You can't be serious, Jim."
"That's an order, Doctor." He gave McCoy a sharp look and nodded towards Spock. "Let her go, Spock."
"Thank you, Captain." Spock waited for McCoy to move over to coms before he reached down and undid the restraints keeping her on the biobed. He then returned his eyes to hers. 'You will not be harmed so long as you do not harm us.'
Aliah looked down at her body and flexed her fingers. She was unrestrained, but that did not mean she was free. 'I have no intention of harming anyone unless I am forced to do so.'
Spock nodded. 'Is this why you killed that crew member?' Spock pointed towards Dawson's body.
Aliah's brow furrowed. 'I killed no one.' She followed Spock's gesture with her eyes and then looked confused. 'I… do not understand. He is not dead.'
Spock cocked his head to the side. 'Our chief medical officer is unable to detect life signatures from him.' He looked up at the sensors above Aliah. They still were not detecting her life signatures either. 'Why are we not able to see your life signatures as well?'
Aliah followed Spock's gaze to the strange monitor above her. 'The machine was far too loud. I could not move, so I simply cut the power to the machine. She looked back at the body in the corner. 'He was unable to communicate with me this way. I suspect his mind retreated into stasis to shield himself. If you will allow me to, I may be able to wake him.'
"Captain," The first officer turned towards Kirk. "Aliah is claiming that Officer Dawson is not dead, but in stasis. She is stating she may be able to wake him."
Kirk's eyes widened. "What?" He moved over to Dawson and took a closer look at him, unsure of what he was supposed to be looking for. "Bring her over, Spock. Be prepared in case she tries to make a run for it."
"Yes, Captain." Spock returned his attention to Aliah. 'Are you able to walk?'
Aliah nodded. 'Yes, I believe so.' She brought her hand up to gently move Spock's hand away from her temple. The loss of contact was a bit disorienting, but it only lasted for a moment or two. Slowly, Aliah sat up, gripping onto the side of the bed as she moved her legs over the edge and planted her feet on the floor. Her heavy boots landed with a thud, but she ignored it. She stood then, her body feeling weak, but not as much as she did when she arrived on board.
Spock led Aliah past Kirk to Dawson's body. She spared him a glance, noting the distrust in his eyes. They were uneasy around her. The feeling was mutual.
She stood at Dawson's head and placed her hands on either side of his face. Closing her eyes, she attempted to reach out and make contact with his mind. This time, she was far gentler, not wanting to repeat what had happened before. She felt the barrier around his mind and attempted to coax it away. It was a slow process, but after a few minutes, Dawson's eyes opened.
"Good Lord!" Dr. McCoy sprinted over to Dawson's side, his orders to stay by coms completely forgotten. He immediately swept over Dawson's body with a biosensor, his equipment confirming what he was seeing right in front of him. "Jim, he's alive!"
Captain Kirk followed the doctor and looked down at his crewman. "Officer Dawson? Are you alright?"
Dawson blinked a few times and looked around him, shocked to see the alien from earlier so close to him. "Oh, geez!" He sat up immediately then, moving away from the alien. "Captain? Doctor McCoy? What happened?"
Aliah flinched back at the noises they made, already uncomfortable with the yelling. Spock gently pulled her aside to give her some space.
It was like a weight had been lifted off Kirk's shoulders. He sighed then, giving the officer a pat on the shoulder. "You're fine, Dawson. Just had a run-in with a Tauran is all."
Dawson looked over to the alien woman again in awe. "Wowee… Is that all? Well, I certainly wouldn't mind another run-in with her."
Dr. McCoy gave the man a slap on the arm. "Easy, Dawson. My readings say you're ship-shape. So, I want you to go back to your quarters and rest. I'll give you a physical later."
Dawson stood up then, rubbing his arm. "Yeah, alright… Thanks, Doc." He walked out of sickbay then, giving Aliah a wave as he passed. She did not return the wave.
Captain Kirk released another sigh and offered Aliah a smile before returning his attention to Spock. "Mr. Spock, will you extend my thanks to our guest here?"
He nodded, reaching again to Aliah's temple before she held up a hand of her own, stopping him.
While she was here, Aliah had kept her outerwear on. She had needed it for the cold of her planet, but on this ship, it was proving to be increasingly uncomfortable. She removed her gloves and slipped them into her pocket before peeling off her greatcoat and setting it down on an empty bed. Far more of her skin could be seen, strange purple markings like freckles were dotted about on her arms and hips and what could be seen of her legs. Her hands were so covered by these markings that they were purple entirely. Her dark corset and skirt exposed her cleavage, hips, and the tops of her thighs. They were decorated with purple splotches and the clothing itself offered little cover from the elements. Her talons could be seen in full view now as she raised her arm and offered it to the Vulcan.
Seeming to understand, Spock took hold of her forearm. She was like ice under his touch. 'My Captain wishes to convey his gratitude.'
'Thanks are unnecessary. I was merely correcting an error on my part.' Aliah took notice of just how warm he felt under her touch. The differences between them were becoming more apparent.
'A most logical observation. In that case, are you willing to answer more questions?'
Aliah nodded. 'Yes, I suppose if I must. If you will answer questions of my own as well.'
It was Spock's turn to nod. 'I will answer to the best of my ability. Now, how did you get aboard the ship?'
'I can transmute matter at will. I disassembled my molecules the same way your transportation device sent you down to my planet. What were you doing on Tu'aran? Are you invaders?'
"Fascinating…" Spock continued. 'We were sent to your planet by the United Federation of Planets to assist a collection of colonies that recently settled on your planet. We had assumed your planet to be deserted. If we had known otherwise, the Federation would have sent a diplomatic party to your people. We are not invaders. We come in peace and simply wish to establish ties with your people and your planet. Do all your people possess such abilities?'
This was… certainly different from what Aliah had expected. A federation of planets? Did this mean there were other worlds? Other lifeforms besides these and herself? She couldn't help but arch her brows in awe. 'How many other worlds are out there? Other lifeforms? Do you visit them?' She had almost forgotten to answer his question. 'My people, we all are able to communicate telepathically and move objects with our mind, but our other abilities vary by individual. For example, I inherited my ability to transmute matter from my mother, but I am also able to manipulate light.' As if to demonstrate this, Aliah used her free hand to pull at the light being generated by the sources above their heads. All at once the lights in sickbay dimmed significantly and seemed to trickle down out of their bulbs and collect in the air above them. It swirled as if it were alive.
Kirk and McCoy were concerned, but Spock used his free hand to calm them. "Aliah is demonstrating one of her ability to manipulate light. She boarded the ship by disassembling her molecules and transporting them here. Her people have similar abilities. She seems to be interested in space travel and was not aware of the existence of other worlds."
Finally, he had an answer. Kirk nodded and simply watched the light show, for now, not seeming very worried. "See if you can figure out where the rest of her people are hiding, Spock."
"While you're at it, get her to put the lights back. I can't work if I can't see my patients." McCoy was suspicious of the lights, but he too seemed to be enjoying them for the moment.
Spock nodded. 'There are thousands of worlds, if not more. The same can be said for other lifeforms. Our mission is to find new worlds and new civilizations, like yours, and bring them together in peace. Where are your people? We did not find any intelligent life on your planet.'
Aliah waved away the light, sending it back to its source. 'My people live in hiding below the surface of our planet. We are a peaceful people and feared the return of the Romulans and so, did not want to be the victims of another attack. We have devices that send out waves of electromagnetic interference to keep our presence hidden, although I can see now that it did little to stop your Federation.' Aliah allowed herself the smallest of smiles.
'Yes, it would appear so.' For a moment, it appeared as though Spock was going to return the expression, but remembering the proximity of his Captain and McCoy, he thought against it. "Captain, I was correct in my earlier observations of the interference on Taurus V. Aliah and her people live below the surface and are generating the interference themselves to avoid detection."
"Well, it was certainly effective…" Kirk rubbed at his face, feeling a bit exhausted. "What about her then? Does she understand we don't mean her people any harm? Are the colonists safe?"
Spock nodded. "Yes, Captain. I have explained to her the nature of Starfleet and the Federation. As for the colonists, it would seem that Aliah was not aware of their occupation. It would be logical to assume that her people are also unaware of them. She simply wanted to know if we meant her people harm. They are a peaceful people."
That was all it took to reassure the Captain that this intruder wasn't dangerous. He could understand wanting to infiltrate an alien ship if aliens had suddenly begun overtaking his planet. The Vulcans had announced themselves to Earth when they arrived. Though, if humans hid below the surface, how would they have known the planet was inhabited?
He smiled at Aliah in full then, glad to have this misunderstanding behind them. "Well, Aliah, while we may not have met under the most pleasant circumstances, I'm happy to welcome you aboard the Enterprise."
Aliah gave the light-haired man a strange look and turned to Spock. 'Is he attempting to communicate with me?'
Spock nodded. 'Indeed. He is welcoming you aboard the ship. Welcome to the USS Enterprise, Aliah of Taurus V. This is Captain James T. Kirk and the other is our ship's chief medical officer, as I explained earlier, Dr. Leonard McCoy.'
"Spock, while I'm glad we're finally able to communicate with our new friend here, I'm starting to think this arrangement might be difficult to maintain. She doesn't understand any spoken languages?"
"Negative, Captain. I suspect her people have had no need for it. She may be able to read Romulan script, but only myself and Lt. Uhura are able to read and write in it."
"That is going to be a problem…" Kirk looked off to the side, trying to think of a solution.
"If I may, Captain, I may be able to transfer my knowledge of the English language to Aliah with a Vulcan mind-meld," Spock said.
"Are you sure that's safe, Spock?"
Spock turned to Aliah once more. 'Aliah, my people are able to exchange information through a 'mind-meld'. It is a painless temporary joining of minds. I would be able to give you my understanding of the language my Captain and our crew possess if you are willing.'
Aliah looked a bit surprised. 'That is absolutely fascinating…' It would certainly make communicating with these beings easier. She thought for a moment and then nodded. 'I am willing.'
"It is safe as long as both parties involved are willing to meld. Aliah has just given me her consent to do so."
Kirk exchanged a concerned look with his first officer and McCoy but relented. "Alright, Spock… Just, be careful."
"Of course, sir." Turning his attention to Aliah, Spock raised his free hand. 'Are you ready to begin?'
Aliah gave his hand a curious glance but nodded. 'Yes, I am ready.'
Spock reached over ever so carefully and placed his hand against the side of Aliah's face just so. "My mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts…" He concentrated, focusing on his knowledge of the English language.
Aliah closed her eyes, nearly overwhelmed at the presence in her mind. It was not stifling, nor oppressive. It was simply new and different. She had never experienced something like this before. She could feel something seeping into her mind. It was gentle, like walking through a fog. Aliah began to reach out with her own mind, taking this odd sensation and accepting it as part of her. Then almost as quickly as it came, the presence crept away and Aliah was left alone again. When she opened her eyes, she looked expectantly at Spock. '…Did it work?'
Spock had removed his hand from her face and arched a brow. "I believe so, yes. Are you able to understand me?"
Aliah took a step back in shock. It was so odd to her that the earlier garbles she had heard on her planet were now… words. She nodded, a small smile on her face. 'Oh, this is quite exciting.'
Both Kirk and McCoy were glad to see that the mind-meld had been successful. Kirk stepped forward, offering his hand to Aliah. "It's a pleasure to have you aboard, Aliah. My name is Captain Kirk, and this is Dr. McCoy."
The doctor gave Aliah a small nod and a large smile. "It's good to finally meet you, miss."
Aliah gave the Captain a strange look. Their voices were so different from each other, although that would be fair to assume. Animals of the same species were capable of sounding even slightly different from each other, why not other lifeforms as well? Unsure of what to do with the offered hand, Aliah gave each man a nod and a small smile.
Spock interjected. "She is capable of understanding you now, Captain, but it will take her time to learn to speak."
The Captain put his hand down and gave a nod. "Right, yes. I should have known. Well, Aliah, are you hungry? Thirsty? Our ship's food synthesizers should be able to provide you with something if you'd like."
Although she was hungry, Aliah shook her head. 'I thank you, but I must be returning to my planet. I fear I have been gone far longer than I had planned.'
Spock gave Kirk a sharp look. "Captain… Aliah wishes to return to her planet."
The Captain's smile fell and he clasped his hands in front of him in an apologetic manner. "I see… I'm sorry, Aliah, but we left the Taurus Sector quite a while ago. The ship is currently on course to the nearest starbase so my crew can take shore leave. Even if we were to turn around now, it would take hours to get back."
Aliah could feel her chest tightening some. How could they be so far away from her planet already? How long had she been asleep?
Seeing the faint glint of panic in her eyes, Kirk continued. "However, if you'd like, you could come with us. We'll only be docked for a few days to refuel and replenish supplies, but it would allow you to see another planet besides your own. What do you say?"
Her ears fanned back and for a moment, Aliah had forgotten herself. Her eyes shone with wonder and intrigue. Was the Captain truly offering to host Aliah for so long? A few days away from her planet… She couldn't even imagine what that would be like. On Tu'aran, Aliah had considered herself lucky to get even an hour alone on the surface. There were times she could hardly get a few minutes to herself before a watchman would come looking for her. Truth be told, Aliah was being smothered, and she was sick of it. She was tired of hiding herself away from some threat that hadn't been seen in thousands of years. She was tired of feeling the disapproving energies of her people, her own mother. Aliah had been tired of it all for years and now, she was finally being given the chance to be taken away from all of it, even if it was only for a few days.
Breaking into a large smile, full grey lips stretching over sharp canines, Aliah nodded enthusiastically. 'Yes! I would be most grateful to see another planet besides my own! Thank you so much for this opportunity, Captain!'
Spock, somehow the only one remembering Aliah could not speak, voiced her acceptance. "She gratefully accepts your proposal, Captain, and thanks you."
Kirk only laughed, his eyes crinkling with the effort. "Yes, I figured that much, Spock. You're very welcome, Aliah." He sighed then, his grin firmly in place, happy that they had reached a compromise. "Mr. Spock, why don't you take our guest here to the commissary? I'll see to it that quarters are prepared for her in the meantime."
The Vulcan gave a nod and gestured for Aliah to follow him. "This would be a great opportunity to study the typical diet of a Tauran."
McCoy rolled his eyes. "Ever the romantic, aren't you, Mr. Spock?"
As the pair walked towards the doors, Spock withheld a coy smile. "Always, Doctor."
They had nearly made it out of sickbay when Aliah had stopped and turned back. She had forgotten her greatcoat.
Seeing this, McCoy took it upon himself to fetch it for her. "Oh, I'll get that for you, miss." However, just before he could grab it, the coat seemed to lurch away from the biobed all on its own. McCoy flinched back in surprise as the coat floated through the air and into Aliah's outstretched hand.
Aliah gave the good doctor a thankful nod and continued to follow Mr. Spock down the hall.
A quick "fascinating" could be heard just outside sickbay while Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk exchanged shocked looks. It was unspoken, but the pair mutually decided that it was fortunate Aliah had not been a hostile presence.
