"Oh, I will make sure there is a trial after this, Mister Spock."

"As I was saying, Sir, if there is a trial I am sure Officer Ty Baylance will be there."

"I was unaware that Vulcan suffered madness, Mister Spock, but Kirk used that officer as a shied and caused his death. He is dead. There was enough poison on that blade to kill at least half a dozen full-grown men. It all went into that officer as Kirk hid behind him. Kirk caused his death. He is dead."

"Vulcans are not immune to degrees of what Humans call madness, Sir, however Officer Ty Baylance is very much alive and is recovering under the excellent care and attention of Doctor McCoy. Captain Kirk is with him as often as possible. They were together in that tent you looked into."

"Then, then you lied. Vulcans do not lie and you lied."

As Kirk looked up at McCoy he wondered if his friend was also envisaging an eyebrow being raised and saw the smile and nod.

"I did not lie, Sir. If you are referring to the events at the camp what I said was truthful. At that camp when I went into that hut and said that one was near death it was Officer Baylance and he did appear near death. The other person in the hut who seemed to be in a trance was Captain Kirk. The smoke in that hut was to help Officer Baylance breathe and it did appear to be affecting Captain Kirk in a different manner."

"But Kirk, Kirk used him as a shield. Kirk knew I was after him, that I was going to kill him and used that officer as a shield. He had to have used him as a shield. There was no way,"

"It took what remained of Officer Baylance's mental and physical abilities at the time but he launched himself to be between your knife and his Captain. He was able to do that to protect his Captain and you would have had the time to halt your attack."

"But, but that poison. That poison, it was an old plant based type possibly not known by Starfleet. He is dead. Kirk killed him." There was a half-breath pause, "It, it is colder here now."

"Perhaps you only notice the temperature as you calm down. As to the poison, it was an old poison and Doctor McCoy skillfully employed an old treatment regime that saved his life. I can assure you he is alive and you are the one who attempted to kill him and there are,"

A breathless voice said, "Sor, sorry I am late back, Mister Spock, I,"

"There is no need to explain. No need to have hurried back. I had noticed you were feeling the effects of the cooler temperature and had calculated that you would possibly have needed slightly longer. I trust you were able to warm yourself thoroughly."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

"As you will notice I have lowered the temperature to two degrees Celsius. I also took the liberty of bringing you a therma jacket should you feel the need for extra warmth against the lower temperature. It should remain on that until you are relieved. Will your clothing keep you warm enough?"

Kirk felt the hand on his shoulder tighten and knew McCoy would be thinking along the same lines as he was, lowering the temperature as part of the maintenance check would be on the report but it would logically be considered a part of the systems check..

"Yes, Sir. With the jacket I will be warm enough. What about,"

"Oh, the Commodore has enough what Humans call hot air to keep himself warm. If you have any problems you may contact me."

"Before you go may I ask a question, Sir?"

"Certainly."

"I know it is not normally done when there is a prisoner in the brig but would it not be an incomplete check of the systems if the fans were not turned up to thoroughly check the ventilation flow? The flow only briefly swirls around in the cells as it is basically a short blast at one of seven settings."

"Thank you for pointing out that omission, I will talk later with the Chief Engineer about it but yes, that should be done." There was an unusual silence and Kirk knew it would be cause his friend would b thinking of what he was suggesting, the implications of what he was saying.

"Sir, should we not do it with this check? The fans could go through their full cycle in about ten minutes."

"It actually does a full cycle in seven point two three if it is correctly set. Yes, it would be a good idea to conduct a check of the fans with this check to make sure it is a complete check." Again there was silence. "If memory serves you are not with the Security Division but Engineering. What is the reasoning behind such a transfer?"

"There was uncertainty about this particular prisoner not having a fatal accident if any of the Security teams were here. I have had Security detail experience although I am an engineer and I volunteered for this temporary transfer, especially once I knew that there was a possibility of a maintenance check being done. I am also a friend of Ty's and know he would not like any form of retribution being taken, not even indirectly. So what I am doing, the reason I am here, is just ensuring that the prisoner does not interfere with the maintenance check being done on time and that it is a thorough check of all the systems." Silence.

Kirk closed his eyes and shook his head. No doubt his friend was trying to think of how to argue about how to thank the officer without emotion. He had no doubt that Halls would have had an accident had one of Chekov's friends in the Security Division been left in charge. He often had seen how close his crew was, how it was like an enormously extended family. He looked at Ty and wondered if he would understand all he had really done, all the people his actions had touched in one way of another.

"Just gotta check this, Jim." McCoy moved and removed the big pad over the knife wound momentarily forgetting that Kirk had not seen it without the blade in it. There was still some pus in it that he gently wiped out and heard Ty give a slight moan as it still was in deep. Not the color it had been and more solid than before, a good sign for that type of organic poisoning.

"He, he felt that, Bones."

"He'll be just fine, Jim." McCoy put another pad, not as hot as the previous ones, on the wound. "It is healing up nicely. He'll be just fine." he put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"So you were not displeased nor suspicious in my lowering the temperature although the matter had not been discussed and was not on the schedule to be done at this time?"

"No , Sir. While you are my senior officer and one who usually does things exactly by the book and schedule, I am aware that you know what needs to be done with this particular maintenance check under these circumstances. I am aware that you are aware of who the prisoner is and what he has done, but I also know you are also one who does not seek revenge in like manner. I am aware that you may have mistaken my idea of checking the fans as some retaliatory action on my behalf as I consider Officer Baylance a friend but am pleased you are aware it is because of the need for a complete check of all systems."

"Yes, we should get on with completing the check of the system. I shall go have the rest I told Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy I would have. You may check the fans and the ventilation system and make use of the jacket. I will expect your name as well as Mister Scott's on the report."

"Yes, Sir. Have a good rest."

A long period of silence then, "Officer Kearns here, Captain, You are switched to audio now and systems are fully functioning. He was not aware of being overheard."

"Understood and thank you."

"This is Doctor McCoy. As soon as your shift is over you get yourself here as first I want to check you over and then get you a drink to really warm you up. Ty is doing very well and is in a deep sleep."

"Thank you, Captain and Doctor McCoy. I have about another two standard hours. I do not think our guest is enjoying the ventilation system being checked."

"Kirk out." Kirk looked from Ty to McCoy. "Remind me in future not to let those two work together. Between Kearns's obvious ability to see ways of shall we say doing two things at one time and Spock's ability to have such actions relate to Stafleet regulations there is no telling what those two could come up with."

McCoy nodded, "Makes me glad they are both on our side."

"Will you sit with him? I want to go check in on how things are on the bridge. If Kearns arrives before I am back you are to keep him here till I return."

On the bridge he saw the others all a their posts, acknowledged them with a nod as Sulu moved from the center chair and Mister Scott barely looked away from the Engineering station. He recognized the officer at Spock's science station as one he had seen there before but what he noticed most was how both Uhura and Scotty were so engrossed at their stations. "Any problems?" As he expected he got three "No, Sir." replies and both Uhura and Scotty turned to look at him.

"Aye, I have one. There was an extra check done in the brig area that I did nae have down. Now I'm nae complaining as it did indicate something that I have down ta fix but I did nae even think of doing it wit that thing there. Now he may be in there by right by us but he is, well, he is,

"Less than a Cossack after what he did!"

"Now I agree lad, but this should have been done only under my orders. If he reports it I'll."

"Have had no knowledge of it, Scotty. I had it done as it was pointed out to me that without the fans being checked it would not be a completed maintenance check done on time."

"But. Sir,"

"And I have a slight problem, or had, in that it seems there was a problem with the comms units in the brig and one in Sickbay that I could not break into nor correct from here. It would have had to have been a deliberate," Uhura was really looking at him, "Your orders as well, Sir?"

"I took some actions that I did not want you four involved in."

For a moment the four looked at him in stunned silence then Sulu said, "What we did not hear ,we can not tell; and if we did not know of the actions taken until after the events, we cannot be held in any way responsible."

Kirk nodded, "Mister Spock would be pleased you know the regulation almost word for word."

"No disrespect intended, Sir, but you had no right to exclude us." Uhura looked steadily at him, "To do what was done with the comms units you would have had to," she looked at Scotty who looked at her.

"Kearns." they said almost in unison and both of them looked at Kirk. "Now the lad is a novice miracle workers but he would nae be there."

"He was, Scotty." Chekov looked at Kirk and then at Scotty, "None of the Security crew would be near that thing. Kearns was qualified to do it even though he is from Engineering. He would have liked it as he is friends with Ty."

"Ahh, the lad would also know how to engage the fans."

"It was his idea and I authorized it, Scotty."

"And the comms units?"

"I ordered that and he knew what to do.

"He had shown me how to do many things with the comms systems I doubt if those who designed it know how to do." Uhura was quite for a moment then looked at Kirk, "He would have been so cold."

"He had a therma jacket." .

There was a moment of quiet as the four seemed to realize what was not being said, when they realized just what Kirk could have done and protected them from, things they would have wanted to be a part of.

"What about Doctor McCoy and Mister Spock. How, how involved were they in this?" Uhura kept looking at him and Kirk was aware of the others also so carefully watching him.

"They were acting strictly on my orders. Doctor McCoy was caring for Officer Baylance and Spock stopped by the Brig on his way to his quarters. The blocked comms unit was so that Officer Kearns and I could talk. Mister Spock did not know it was blocked."

One by one he looked steadily at the four of them, "All of these actions, including the treatment that Commodore Halls has received since his arrival back onto the Enterprise, is strictly my doing, my responsibility. None of you, none of my crew has been in any way instrumentally nor voluntarily involved."

"Beggin your pardon, Sir, but, like hell! We all knew ye would do something, we all knew because we know ye. Knowing and not stopping an action, now that is almost as bad as doing it in the eyes of the higher echelon."

"Mister Scott is right, Sir. We all knew you would do something and we did not stop to find out what or to prevent you from doing it which makes us all as guilty."

"I agree. Like the old Russian saying It is nothing for one to know something unless somebody else knows you it and we knew it, Sir."

Kirk looked at Uhura who had been quiet, "You have anything to say?"