T'Phol stood with her back against the wall in the Sickbay outer office. Teal sat in a chair across from her, pale and quiet.

The medical team had met the Columbia in the hanger bay with an anti-grav stretcher, bearing McCoy off immediately. The medic walked with Teal and T'Phol to Sickbay and parked them in the waiting area with a promise to return shortly. According to T'Phol's inner clock, they had been waiting for eleven minutes when he returned.

"We have exam beds ready for you now," he said. "Follow me, please." He led them into the first treatment room where all three biobeds were empty. He helped Teal upon the first in line,while T'Phol sat on the next.

A nurse breezed through the doorway carrying a tray. T'Phol remembered talking with her at the concert, then she sang in one of their impromptu jam sessions.

"Hello, I'm Toni." She set the tray on a bedside table. "Looks like you need attention first, Mister Teal." She opened the tray and began cleaning the wound.

"How is Doctor McCoy?" T'Phol asked.

Toni didn't look up from her work. "They are treating his injuries, getting him set up for tests."

"May I see him?"

"Perhaps later." She gave a final pat with the cleansing wipe, passing a scanner around Teal's head. "Doctor M'Benga will see you in a few minutes." She moved to T'Phol's bed.

"If you'll lie down, I'll get some readings. Are you injured?"

"No."

Toni made a non-commital noise as she studied the readout. Then she examined T'Phol's ankle with the scanner. "Can you remove your jacket, please?"

T'Phol did so, and Toni rolled up her sleeve, cutting Teal's dressing away. Her mouth made an O of surprise. "This looks like an animal bite."

"It is. I had forgotten about it."

"It doesn't seem to be infected. I'll leave it open for the doctor. You have a sprained ankle, too. How does it feel now? Still tender?"

"Marginally. It is not too painful."

"All right. Doctor M'Benga will come as soon as he's able. Here is the call bell if you need anything." She gathered her trash and left the room.

T'Phol tried to lay quietly for a while, but she was restless and after adjusting her postion several times, she finally sat up in the bed. Teal appeared to be napping. T'Phol got up and went to the bathroom. When she returned, the display of antique medical instruments on the wall caught her eye. She stood before them for some time, running her finger over a long, curved saw, thinking of the gentle man who could still appreciate the brutal medical history behind the crude instruments.

"For a Vulcan, you sure are twitchy."

She turned to face Teal. He was watching her.

"You forget, I am half Human."

"Which half is worried about your physician friend?"

"Both. Why does he not regain consciousness? Doctor M'Benga, Nurse Toni, neither will say anything about his condition."

Teal sighed and looked away. T'Phol pulled a straight chair to his bed and sat.

"Peg, you know what they do not want to say. That- mind sifter. What does it do?"

"I don't know how it works. The one on Aminta is probably the first one the Federation has managed to capture." He looked at her then, his expression grave. "I do know they're cruel and destructive, exactly what you might expect from the Kingons. I don't know how many Humans have been subjected to the thing, or how many survived and in what shape. McCoy's still alive, and that's something."

"Little Birdy tried to protect his mind."

"Oh? They seem to have enormous mental power. That saved his life, no doubt. Maybe it saved his brain, too."

"Leonard has an unusually bright and distinctive- Aura, is what Humans call it. Vulcans have a different word. I imagine the birds can see it too. Perhaps in a lot of detail. Piasa communicated with him, but it was subtle. I do not think it involved actual words or conversations. More like general impressions that took a while for Leonard to process. Piasa did not communicate with anyone else as far as we could tell.

"Apparently Little Birdy can 'talk' within his mental communication link. He talked with Spock. They discussed Leonard's condition, but I did not have a chance to find out anything beyond that.

"I am afraid. I can see no sign of his Aura now. It is like he is..." Her voice trailed off without finishing.

Peg placed his hand over hers, gently squeezing her fingers. "This is for your Human half. For the Vulcan, I will remind you they have just started evaluating him. It may be that with time and treatment he will make a complete recovery. Also, there is a sort of mysticism that shrouds this planet and the birds. If an old number cruncher like me can feel it, it must be real. We don't have to understand it to acknowledge it exists. There may be unaccounted hidden forces at work here. We know almost nothing about the native sentient species. We didn't even realize they were aware until your team arrived.

"Tell me about reading Auras. Can Vulcans see them on everyone? Can you see mine? What can they tell you about the owner?"

T'Phol raised an amused eyebrow. "Are you afraid I will find out your hidden, innermost secrets? If so, do not fear. I no longer see them unless I intentionally do so. And no, most Vulcans do not see it at all. My psi ability manifests itself in uncommon directions, probably related to my synesthesia. I spent years learning how not to see it. At any rate, the ability, although somewhat unusual, is neither intrusive nor invasive."

"So you're not going to tell me."

T'Phol shook her head. "I have nothing to tell. I am not a fortune reader in a circus." She leaned forward. "Peg, if you are asking to hear my thoughts on your character, I will oblige."

He smiled widely and patted her hand. "Thank you, my Dear. I believe I'll pass for now."

"They could be largely favorable."

"Appreciated, and probably undeserved. But we'll save it for another time."

Nurse Chapel entered the treatment room, carrying a big medical tricorder. She smiled at them, but T'Phol noticed it didn't reach her eyes. She looked tired.

"How is Leonard?"

Chapel gestured to the other bed. "Here you go, please. I need some readings."

Chapel adjusted some controls and started the tricorder. "Doctor McCoy has been made comfortable. We've been testing, and will be running more. A lot more. His physical condition is stable."

"But he is not awake."

"Not yet." She finished T'Phol's readings and moved to Teal. "Good to see you again, Doctor Teal. Would you like something for pain? You've had quite a bump on your head."

Teal waved the suggestion away. "I'm all right. Don't like to have my head muddled."

"Ah, do not worry about that." M'Benga entered and stood at the foot of Teal's bed. "I can give you non-muddling pain relief." He studied the readouts for a few moments, passing a scanner over his head, then quietly gave Chapel some instructions.

"You have a slight concussion, and a small hematoma which has already started to resolve. I'm giving you something to help that on along, and we'll do a little regenerator time. You'll be recovered by tomorrow."

He turned to T'Phol. "You have had some adventures on Aminta. I am particularly concerned about this wound on your arm. I want to culture it, and get a blood sample. The scan doesn't show any sign of infection, but I don't want to take any chances. If there's alien bacteria in there, we need to identify and treat. What bit you?"

"One of the hyena type predators."

Teal spoke up from his bed. "This girl drilled one of the damn things with a rock. Unfortunately they hunt in packs."

M'Benga studied one readout for a time. "Nurse Chapel, draw blood for culture, routine labs." He looked closely at T'Phol. "Did you take any medication while on the planet surface?"

"Well," Teal began to speak, but T'Phol interrupted him.

"Yes. I had a headache and took something I had with me. It did not agree with me too well. I have recovered."

"Hmm. I see. You can use a run under the regenerator for your ankle. We'll get the blood work going and culture the wound. Nurse, please add a toxicology screen to the blood panel."

"May I see Doctor McCoy?"

M'Benga hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yes, for a brief time. Let us treat you, get your tests underway. Wait here, I'll send for you."

It was an hour later when Chapel finally led her to McCoy's room. He was in an ICU room, glassed in with blinds for privacy. The room was smaller, and filled with more equipment. He seemed shrunken and frail laying in the bed, surrounded by machinery, and hooked up to IV packs and electrodes. He had been bathed and was in a blue hospital gown.

"I'll come get you in a few minutes," Chapel said, and left T'Phol alone with him. His chest rose and fell with his respiration, but there was no other movement as the equipment beeped and whirred softly. Above him, the biobed readouts were supplemented with other screens, with colorful graphics that dipped and rose a bit except for one ominous row of readings that were flat across the bottom. She leaned closer to read the indicator labels. EEG. Gamma. Beta. Alpha. Theta. Delta.

"Leonard?" She reached out to smooth his hair. There was no response, no sign of Zherka tam'a, no Aura.

Chapel returned quietly, standing just inside the door. T'Phol pointed to the EEG screen.

"These are brain waves, aren't they?"

"Yes." Chapel spoke in a choking whisper.

"There is no activity? How is he breathing?"

"At the moment, he is receiving a respiratory neural stimulator. If this condition continues, he will have to be intubated or trached and put on a mechanical respirator. Or disconnected."

"Is there any chance the birds could do anything?"

"I don't know. If there is, we will attempt it. Believe me, we will leave nothing on the table. It's time to go." T'Phol followed Chapel from his room. Chapel turned to look at her, eyes welling with unshed tears.

"I was wrong about the birds, and he was right. They were sentient all along. I behaved badly toward him, and hurt him. I want to beg him to forgive me. I want the chance to tell him that."

"He would forgive you. You know that."

"Yes. I need to hear him say it."

T'Phol looked down and nodded. Chapel's sharing made her distinctly uncomfortable, she felt like an evesdropper rather than a confidante.

Chapel seemed to realize the sudden awkwardness, and quickly led her back to her own biobed.

"Must I stay here? I would like to return to my quarters, bathe, and change clothes."

"I think that would be fine. I'll call for an escort."

"I know the way." She glanced at Teal, who appeared to be genuinely sleeping.

"I'll tell him where you are when he wakes up," Chapel said.

The walk to her cabin seemed longer by herself. She undressed and showered first thing, afterward donning her favorite Vulcan robe. It was midnight blue with gold and silver woven through in a celestial pattern, long and soft, the first item of clothing she acquired when she returned to Vulcan to live permanently. In the midst of a demanding learning and study schedule, when she was training to be a 'proper' Vulcan, the robe was her fanciful escape, a reminder that she once thought magic might happen. No Vulcan could fathom having an attachment to a piece of strictly functional clothing, so her illogical and oh-so-very-Human secret was safe.

Her violin was in its case resting in the corner. The Moog was still on Aminta. She sat at the desk for a while, letting her mind wander, trying not to think or focus. She noticed something dark under her bunk, a piece of fabric. She knelt to reach, sliding it out from underneath the bed. It was Leonard's black T-shirt, still smelling faintly of his cologne and scent. She held it to her face for a moment, inhaling deeply, then carefully folded it and placed it in her travel bag.

Her cabin felt suddenly oppressive, so she ordered tea and moved to the alcove just down the hall. She sat on the window ledge, leaning her head against the cool transparent aluminum. Outside, Aminta hung like an ornament in space, its surface smoothed with largely unbroken cloud cover.

T'Phol lost track of how long she had been sitting and staring, but her tea had grown cold when she finally took a sip. She was still holding the cup when she heard steps behind her. She twisted around to see Teal and Chapel approaching.

"I needed a walk, so I brought you some company," Chapel said. "If you need anything, you can comm Sickbay. The Mess is just down the corridor if you're hungry." She turned and headed toward the turbolift.

Teal leaned against the window for a moment, watching Aminta below them. He sighed.

"It looks so peaceful from here. Deceptive, distance is." He looked at T'Phol. "Did you know Osmond Jasso is a patient here? I heard staff talking. He was poisoned. Apparently he will recover."

"Who would poison Jasso? Arnette? Why?"

"I've been wondering the same thing. I can't see that eliminating Jasso at this point would benefit Arnette in any way. Events had already taken a turn against her agenda. Unless she wanted to ensure he stayed quiet..." He frowned. "It is hard to believe Osmond could have been involved in illegal activities on Aminta or anywhere."

"Murder is often an emotional act. Perhaps she hated him enough to kill him."

"I guess that could explain it." Teal sounded uncertain. "She was always cool, never showed emotion, certainly never any warmth or pleasantness." He shook his head. "There was a lot happening down there on that cold and forlorn planet. Lots of secrets, which may remain unknown. Perhaps that would be for the best." He straightened and went to the guard's station, bringing back a chair.

"I'm afraid I can't squat like you." He sat, rubbing his knee.

"Do you think the scientists will be allowed to stay on Aminta?"

"I believe that will be up to the birds, if we can communicate with them. And if one is talking telepathically with Enterprise crew, it appears that a dialog could be established." He fell silent for a moment, staring at Aminta. "I imagine we were fortunate down there today. They could have killed us all. I believe that is what happened two millenia ago, when they eliminated the invaders from their planet. It is fortunate one of them took a shine to McCoy."

He turned toward T'Phol. "I appreciate your effort on my behalf. And I certainly admire your throwing arm and marksmanship with a rock. But you cannot cover up what I did to you."

T'Phol raised an eyebrow. "You acted out of desperation, and, I am sure, the unaccustomed feeling of neither understanding the situation nor being in control. I am not happy with your method, but in the end my goal was achieved. So I forgive your momentary lapse. You are both clever and astute, and employ a sharp wit. I enjoy your company. I consider you a friend. I do not have many, so I do not want you to be punished on my behalf. I presume nothing of the sort shall reoccur, of course."

"You presume correctly, my dear. And I should thank you for saving my life. Why did you learn to throw rocks with such velocity and precision? You obviously put a great amount of time and effort into the project."

"Why?" T'Phol looked thoughtful. "That is not the usual question. It was satisfying, watching them hit their target with accuracy, then later, with force."

"A lot of force," Teal said. "That Andorian is lucky he's alive."

"Lucky? I calculated a non-lethal throw. It was not my intention to kill him."

"Could you?"

T'Phol looked away without answering.

Teal shook his head. "Do Vulcans play baseball? You'd make one hell of a pitcher."

T'Phol got to her feet. "I am hungry. Would you like to accompany me to the mess?"

They were finishing up when Cassady entered, looking tired but somewhat cheerful.

"Thought I might find you here." He ordered pizza and a milkshake and sat at the table, taking a bite right away, inhaling through his mouth to cool it.

"I brought the Moog, it's in the alcove," he said between chews.

Teal made a face. "Young man, manners please. Do not talk with your mouth full."

Casssady swallowed and used his napkin. "Sorry."

"Has the crew returned from the planet surface?"

Not everyone. Captain Kirk, Spock, and some of the Redshirts are still there. Uhura and I beamed up a few minutes ago. They've put the prisoners in our brig, but they are still hunting for Kelan." He took another bite, swallowed and took a draught of his shake.

"I am glad you're all right," he said to T'Phol. "If anything had happened to you...Doc woulda been mad. I thought Vulcans couldn't tell a lie."

"That was George Washington," T'Phol said. "I am sorry I deceived you. I had to go looking for him. The Captain did not believe he had not gone hunting Piasa."

"Uhura said he's still unconscious, that they used a Klingon mind-sifter..."

T'Phol got up, feeding the dirty plates into the recycler, and ordered two teas. She set one in front of Teal.

"I am sure it is not as good as your own, nor is it in a fancy teacup."

"Thank you, my dear." Teal shot a stern glance across the table at Cassady, who resumed eating his pizza until it was gone.

"Do you know when the rest of the crew will return to the Enterprise? How long will we remain here?"

"Not sure. I think Spock and Captain Kirk are beaming up later, but the security team will be staying planetside to help the FID. All the scientists are sequestered at the base now. Evidently some are spies. So there will probably be more arrests. Everything's a mess."

"That is an understatement if ever there was." Teal took a sip of his tea.

"The Enterprise is sending a team to help dismantle the lab and secure the data. That will take a couple of days at least. And now it's also a first contact situation with the birds. Spock and Uhura were working on a universal translator with Little Birdy and Piasa. Uhura said she thinks it will work eventually. But Little Birdy communicates with Spock telepathically now." Cassady shrugged. "That's all I could find out. Uhura was busy. And cranky."

"I wonder if that means the other birds cannot or will not speak directly with other Humans. If Piasa is able to do so, why did he not speak with Leonard? It would have saved quite a bit of grief."

"No doubt about that!" Cassady stood, yawning. "I was up all night and I'm sleepy. I'm going to get a nap. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, thank you. I think I shall return to sick bay."

"It's on my way. I'll walk you there."

o

The outer office and treatment room were empty. Teal sat on the biobed that had been his.

"Cassady has the right idea. I think I'll have a nap, as I don't have anything else to do." He laid down, pulling the coverlet over his shoulder.

"I am going to Leonard's room. Perhaps I will be allowed to sit with him."

The ICU was crowded with medical people. Chapel looked up, acknowledging her with a curt nod. T'Phol stood outside the unit, watching them attaching tubing to a new machine and hanging more bags of fluid. After thirty minutes the room had cleared and only M'Benga, Chapel, and one other person remained. T'Phol moved near the door and waited. M'Benga finally came out, his face solomn.

"Something has happened? Has his condition deteriorated?"

"In patients with severe brain injury, it's a matter of keeping those autofunctions going without the brain's direction. I've put him on a ventilator to conserve his body's strength."

"Will he recover?"

"I can't say. We have very little clinical experience with the Klingon Mind Sifter."

"I have personal experience with the Mind Sifter, Doctor M'Benga."

Spock had returned