Have an Update. I love you guys!
Chapter Five: An Ominous Coincidence
His fingers flew over the keys of his station, taking scans, checking progress on experiments, sending commands, updating information, a thousand tasks at once. Nothing less could be expected of the Enterprise's Science Officer, of course.
He glanced up, dark eyes flashing about the bridge efficiently, when they met blue eyes that had actually been directed his way for a few minutes.
"Spock?" The Captain said again, and the Vulcan had the distinct feeling that Jim had called his name at least once already. He cleared his throat somewhat abashedly.
"Yes, Captain?" he asked, and Jim kindly pretended he hadn't noticed his First Officer's uncharacteristic lapse in attention.
"Brief us on the situation from Starfleet," he prompted, and Spock nodded, tapping a selection to put information on the main viewscreen. A small rocky planetoid appeared, surrounded by several space stations.
"This is Galador II. At 0200 hours, the computer director of this planet reported a complete systems failure on the Federation mining operation in existence on the planet, then ceased all transmissions. Cause unknown."
"Any life forms on this planet that could be contacted?"
"None. The planet is class G, containing much dense vegetation and some animal life, but not suitable for humanoid life forms."
"Speculate a cause," Kirk suggested, and Spock popped an eyebrow.
"Data insufficient, Captain."
"Come on, Spock," He wheedled, "take a guess."
Spock inhaled bracingly. Normally he would have delivered a lecture about how Vulcans never 'guess' and that the human practice of doing so was quite irksome, but instead he humored his friend.
"The cause could stem from many sources; a failure of some vital machinery, a human error in the last repair run, an attack by some enemy of the Federation, raiding by pirates, a meteor shower, a severe solar storm severe enough to short out power circuits-"
"Alright, Mr. Spock, we get the picture," Kirk cut him off, but the words were supportive, not chastising as they may have seemed outwardly. The minutiae of human language still eluded the Vulcan at times, especially where humans he was close to were concerned.
"Mr. Sulu, take us to Galador II at warp 7."
"Aye aye, Captain."
"It could be nothing, but it could also be something as serious as Klingons, so we'd best come out of warp with shields up Mr. Chekov."
"Aye, Kepten!"
"Uhura, send a message to Starfleet Command that the Enterprise is on an intercept course and will report upon arrival. When you've finished that, scan the space surrounding the planet for any transmissions that could give us some kind of indication as to who might be lurking out there."
"Yes sir."
"Spock," Kirk's eyes darted to his first officer with an oddly veiled expression, "come with me. There are some specific matters you need to be briefed on."
Spock blinked in slight surprise-the Captain very rarely drew him aside before a mission, there was almost nothing they could share which the Captain did not trust to his Bridge Crew-but nodded and followed the man in gold to the turbolift. Once on, Jim stopped the lift between floors, turning to Spock with gentle eyes.
"Is everything alright, Spock?" he asked, and the Vulcan sighed internally-this habit Jim was developing of prying into his personal affairs had begun to grow irksome.
"If you are referring to the incident on the bridge, I was merely preoccupied with other matters when you addressed me and therefore did not-"
"Its not about that," Jim interrupted, and Spock fell silent.
"Then upon what are you basing your concern, Captain?" he asked honestly, and Kirk folded his arms, blue eyes giving Spock the distinct feeling that he was growing transparent.
"It's nothing any commanding officer would consider improper behaviour or cause for concern," Jim assured before he began, "but I've noticed as a friend that lately you seem...different. Tired, a bit jumpy, almost distracted. Is everything alright?"
"I am in top physical form and have no trouble attending to my duties," Spock answered almost sharply. "If you believe that I am unfit for duty, then it is your responsibility as Captain-"
"No, Spock, no," Kirk quickly stopped him, "it's not like that. I'm just making sure nothing's wrong. As a friend, not your Captain."
Spock wasn't really sure how to respond to that. "I...appreciate your concern, although it is unwarranted. I am fine, Captain. My condition is temporary and soon to be rectified," he promised, which sparked the identifiable light of curiosity in Jim's eyes.
"Condition? You're not sick, are you?"
Spock cursed himself and his damnable Vulcan honesty. "By condition, I was referring to my very mild insomnia caused by relapsing memories of past stresses and traumas. It is of no consequence," he replied curtly, and Kirk's head tilted almost comically, like a curious dog.
"You still can't sleep?"
"I believe that is what I said, Captain," Spock replied, somewhat irked by that human need to reiterate statements to procure understanding. "As I said, it is of little consequence and will be rectified."
Jim restarted the lift with a small shrug. "Alright," he agreed, dropping the subject for now, and Spock wondered at the conflicting emotions warring quietly in the back of his mind. He was...touched by Jim's concern for him, although a bit irritated by the mild invasion of privacy and startled that his Captain was able to so easily see through him.
"What 'specific matters' require special briefing?" he asked, and Kirk shrugged once again, a very human gesture of nonchalance.
"I'm sure I'll think of something. For now I'm going to check on the progress of the hatchlings," he said, and Spock followed him with a raised eyebrow.
"You lied in order to remove me from the bridge," he pointed out, and Jim gave him a small grin, eyes twinkling.
"I may still give you a secret briefing, I just...found more important matters to attend to first which require your presence," he teased, and Spock found himself pleased by the fact that Jim simply wished to be with him. The two entered the bio lab, and Spock felt Jim's presence tense slightly, back straightening, pulse giving a small jump.
"Doctor Marcus! What a sight for sore eyes! What brings you up from Engineering?" he asked, and the pretty blonde technician gave him a somewhat aloof smile.
"I got a call from the ensign who was alone up here that she needed help. Of course I came, and the poor girl was frazzled to the bone so I sent her to rest. You overwork your crew," she pointed out, and Jim deflated at the rebuttal. She sighed, gesturing for him to come in.
"You ought to get in here and help me with this if you're here anyway," she decided, and the two commanding officers entered the biolab. On one of the tables a makeshift nest had been fashioned, in the center of which nestled a small pale green creature. It was about two feet long with tiny nubs for arms and several pairs of legs, and a small round head which sported large yellow almond shaped eyes. It looked like an enormous beetle larvae.
"This is one of the creatures that hatched out of your eggs," she explained, and at the sound of her voice it wriggled closer, small tiny mandibles chewing at the air. She placed a hand on its head and it stopped its wriggling.
"Both eggs were set to hatch, right?" Kirk asked, sounding nervous, and Marcus gestured across the room. In one of the containment chambers normally used for dangerous bacteria, a much larger larvae like being was curled on the floor, more developed legs twitching occasionally as it slept. Jim frowned.
"They don't even look like the same species," he said, approaching the glass, and as he stepped closer suddenly the creature gave a piercing shriek and flailed onto its many legs, throwing itself against the glass. Jim leaped backwards, knocking into Spock, who steadied him with a hand on both arms.
"Vicious little thing," Marcus said, and Jim looked between the docile creature on the table and the snarling monster attacking the wall of its tank thoughtfully.
"Have we done any DNA tests to determine if they are the same species?" He asked, and Marcus shook her head.
"I'll get some technicians on it right away."
He nodded, and went back to the gentler being. "Go on and touch it, it's quite gentle," she called over, and Jim looked down at the massive insect with some distaste. He reached out a hand and met the skin, then blinked in surprise. Unlike the slimy coating he had expected, the Larvae's skin was smooth and almost warm, like a dolphin's. The creature gave a small clicking chirp and wiggled closer happily.
"This one's awfully nice," Kirk observed, turning to Spock, and the Vulcan raised an eyebrow.
"Humans normally have quite an aversion to most members of the insect family. I find myself surprised that you do not find this one...repulsive," he admitted, and Jim shrugged, scratching the creature as one would a dog.
"He's kind of cute," he decided as it squirmed joyfully.
"It won't be cute if it grows up into one of those monsters from Alfa-177!" a voice snapped from the doorway, and Doctor McCoy entered with an armful of...
"Bones, are those baby bottles?" Jim asked disbelievingly, and the doctor unloaded the armful of exactly that into the Captain's arms.
"Yes, Jim, they are. This creature's mandibles are soft, like baby's gums, and it can't seem to eat solid food yet. So we're going to feed it like an infant. A giant infant bug. I didn't sign up for this!"
He stormed off growling and Jim laughed, letting the bottles cascade onto one of the tables. Spock turned to glance at the creature as Bones and Dr. Marcus fussed and argued over the content of the creature's bottle.
Spock shook his head and asked to return to the Bridge, leaving the lab upon receiving it. He truly just didn't understand humans.
.
Several days later, the Enterprise's First Officer had just reached his quarters in preparation for some much desired rest when his comm blipped.
"Mr. Spock, come in please," the voice of Lieutenant M'Ress called, and he flipped it open.
"Yes Lieutenant."
"We are approaching Galador II, the Captain requests your presence on the Bridge."
"Acknowledged."
Spock did not often return to his quarters for something so simple as a few hours of stolen rest, but his goal was proving to be quite unattainable due to a combination of nightmares and needy Captains.
As he emerged onto the bridge, Lieutenant Uhura was just replacing Lieutenant M'Ress at the communications station, and the human nodded coolly to Spock as he passed to take his place at Kirk's right hand. The main viewscreen was currently taken up by a rocky barren looking world, and Spock checked his readings from the Science Station in alarm.
"Captain, the planet's atmospheric readings are similar to Alfa-177," he realized sharply, and Kirk's eyes darkened.
"Were there any humanoid lifeforms present on that planet, Spock?" he asked softly, and the Vulcan shook his head.
"Negative. The mining system is entirely automated. No repair crews were in the vicinity. All life is..." he paused ominously, "was flora and fauna."
"Mr. Giotto, please assemble a security team, highly armed, in pressure suits," Kirk called through the intercom, then pressed the link for Sickbay.
"Bones, suit up. We're going down," he explained with no further prompting, and stood from his chair.
"Spock, with me. Sulu, you have the conn."
In a well-known arrangement, the landing party beamed down to investigate the odd radio silence and foreboding signs.
"Spock...what are the chances that these creatures could move from planet to planet without the help of sentients?"
A hot wind whipped ash and dust against the landing party's helmets, and Kirk's expression was grim. The blown out windows of the processing plant gaped like hollow eye sockets in the buildings before them, and a high pitched whine warned of impending machine overload.
"Nearly impossible Captain."
Kirk snarled softly, turning and storming past the group, and they watched him silently as he allowed his emotions to run rampant.
"Someone is doing this!" he snapped, stalking through the remains of Galador's creatures. "Someone is taking those creatures and putting them on these planets."
"Why would any sentient being feel the need to do such a thing?" Spock inquired, and Bones rolled his eyes.
"Because there are evil, sick sons of bitches in this galaxy that destroy other beings for fun, Spock. Your Vulcan mind just doesn't compute hatred and evil like it can't understand love or compassion."
Spock glanced at the doctor with something akin to irritation. He popped an eyebrow.
"Really, Doctor?" he muttered, and left the sour human to attend to the angry one to whom he held much deeper of an allegiance.
"Jim," he chided softly, resting a hand on his shoulder, and the Captain turned, muscles relaxing slightly. "Your anger will not rectify the situation. We should verify the presence of the Alfa-177 creatures on this planet and leave quickly to ensure the safety of the crew."
Jim's shoulders fell and he nodded, striding to his security team. "Check the perimeter for any signs of those things from Alfa-177. Stay in pairs, phasers on full. Be cautious. Take care of each other," he ordered, and then tapped Spock's shoulder.
"Spock, you're with me."
The group fanned out, the only sounds the whirring of tricorders, the soft swish of their suits and feet, and the quiet murmurings between pairs.
"So you're really sure?" Lieutenant Scroggins whispered, and Lieutenant Ball rolled his eyes.
"Now's not the time, Mike," he rebuked his fellow security officer, and the blue eyed young man huffed.
"It's a simple request, Kalan, I don't see why you have to-" suddenly the ground beneath Scroggins gave way, and with a shout he fell through the thin covering of ash and dirt and ten feet to the hard earth floor.
"Mike!"
He groaned, sitting up and touching his helmet where his head had bounced against the hard fiberglass. It was dark around him, and a showering of dust rained down from above in the thin shaft of light.
"I'm alright," he called back, getting to his feet with a grunt, "just banged my head. These tunnels-"
A piercing shriek cut him off, and he threw himself to the side instinctively as a creature came striking out of the darkness at him.
"Presence of 177s confirmed, Captain!" he cried into the comm, yanking his phaser from his belt. The newly christened alien reared, yellow eyes glowing in the dim light, and the two circled for a moment, predator and prey.
The 177 screeched and jerked as someone fired on it from above, and Scroggins took his chance and shot a photon down its throat. It writhed and flailed, legs convulsing, and more phaser fire sent it retreating down the tunnel. A shadow passed over the shaft of dim light, and Lieutenant Ball came repelling down to Scroggins' rescue.
"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Bones called down, a faint outline in the dusky light.
"I'm fine," he replied, "just some bruises. Definitely a situation like Alfa-177."
Ball knelt down beside his friend, attaching his safety wire to the front of his suit. Scroggins grinned as they began to ascend.
"Kinda romantic, don't you think?" he teased, and Ball smacked him upside the helmet with an irritated huff. But his other arm remained steady around Scroggins' waist, and when they reached the surface they were hauled bodily from the hole onto the soft ground.
"We can pretty safely assume they're laying eggs down there," Kirk decided, staring down into the gaping pit.
"The machinery is useless, burned out by the blast," he added, and McCoy glanced at his friend nervously.
"Where are you going with this, Jim?"
"We should destroy them before they can move on to another planet."
The landing party seemed alarmed by this statement, and by what he was suggesting.
"There isn't warrant for that, Captain, they may just be inhabiting this planet after whatever is destroying it."
"You can't blow up a planet, Jim."
"Action without further advice from Starfleet Command would be unwise."
"Alright!" he cut them off. "Alright. We'll notify Starfleet and wait for orders. Let's just hope no populated planet is attacked while we sit on our hands."
The group began back to the beam up coordinates, and someone near Spock said in a hushed voice beside his ear, "Deneva."
"Pardon?" he asked, glancing at the trio of Security officers behind him, and they looked at each other questioningly.
"Sir?"
"If one of you has something which he wishes to say, please do so at a decibel which is audible," he chided, and the confusion on their human faces grew.
"Sir, none of us said anything."
Spock paused, blinking in somewhat embarrassed surprise. "Yes. Of course. Carry on," he instructed, and they did so with some nervous glances at their commanding officer. He frowned slightly to himself, the slightest downturn of lips.
Deneva?
Thanks for reading, reviewing and generally for being all around awesome!
