As the ship dropped out of warp, Bones and the others could see the yellowish planet called Nervala IV. Of course, they were immediately hailed. Artie accepted the hail and Kyle Brandon's face appeared on the screen. "Welcome to Nervala Four," he said. "I'm Kyle Brandon, the administrator of this planet. What brings you to our planet?"

"I'm George Taylor, and I'm here with two of my associates. We're scientists from Draken Four, and we're here to purchase research equipment and samples," Bones replied. "We hear you have been experimenting with DNA and have been successful. We have samples to trade with you that we have been working on from Dakala, as well as Daled Four. As you know, the creatures of Dakala have developed bioluminescence, and I think it is a very interesting concept with DNA research, as well as the energy beings on Daled Four."

"You have brought this information with you?"

"Yes. A fair trade, I would think?"

"You may land in hangar ten. I will be waiting for you, and then we will discuss a trade."

The transmission ended. "Well, that sure got his attention," Artie said. "I could almost see his mouth watering. Are we really going to let him have that information?"

"If everything goes like we plan, he won't have any sort of information anymore," Bones replied. "I think he steers clear of the Federation most of the time, and that's why he doesn't have the information already. He knows the Federation wouldn't approve of what he's doing."

They were soon down on the planet. Bones swallowed hard as he stood at the back of the ship waiting for the boarding ramp to lower. He heard the seal swoosh as it usually did when the ramp started down.

When the ramp was down, Kyle Brandon was standing in the hangar. He was a rather normal looking human except for those emerald green eyes which looked very similar to the color of Jerah's when he died. "Welcome," Kyle said.

Bones, Artie, and West walked down the ramp to Kyle who was just as tall as Bones' 6'1" frame. Bones thought he had a very arrogant way about him even when he was not talking. "So, you want to make a trade?" Bones asked.

"We will see," Kyle replied. "I assume you have brought samples."

"We have, but we want to see yours too. We're not trading in the dark here."

"You must remember that whatever you see here is top secret, and monitored very closely, even outside this planet. We are developing weapons that are quite formidable."

"Are you threatening us?"

"No. I'm simply stating that our planet may seem vulnerable, but I assure you it is not."

"Right. Can't be too careful, can you?"

"No. If you would follow me."

Bones looked at Artie and West and then they followed Kyle away from the ship. As they got outside the hangar, they found that they would be taken by transport. However, he could see the people on the streets as they moved through the city. He knew fear when he saw it, and he thought fear like that had to be caused by something worse than just scientific experiments. He supposed no one could get onto that planet without Kyle's approval, and that was why he had not been discovered as of yet. With a window of access that only opened every eight years, he supposed it was rather easy to keep a secret. But why was no one curious?

As they moved on through the city, Bones could see that some of the structures gleamed in the sun as though they were made of some precious jewel. "What are those buildings there?" he asked.

"They are the government buildings," Kyle answered. "One is our surveillance center."

"Surveillance?"

"Yes. We have top of the line surveillance on this planet. It discourages wrong-doing."

Bones scowled at that. "So, you watch everyone on the planet?"

"Oh, it goes much deeper than that."

Bones thought he was getting a very eerie feeling about this place. Did they listen to everything everyone said? "You listen to every conversation?" he asked.

"Not personally, unless the system feels that someone is talking in a hostile way or that they are trying to become rebellious."

"The system?"

"I cannot explain our security to you. It is how things are here. With no way of getting help for eight years at a time, we must take measures ourselves."

Artie and West looked at Bones, and he thought they looked very uneasy. "So what if someone is caught being…hostile?" Bones asked.

"What happens to hostile beings on your planet?" Kyle asked.

"I'm not sure what you call hostile."

"Anything that causes conflict: an argument, disagreement."

"How can everyone agree all the time?"

"Over time, they learn."

Bones knew he did not want to be stuck on this world. He thought he would like to get out of this transport now and run for dear life, but he had to see what was happening down there…kilometers below the ground. That was what Helek had said. Nowhere to run if trouble started.

They soon came to a building that looked like it was built out of black marble. It simply had a door on the front. Bones stared at it as they got out of the transport. Gordon and West stood on each side of him. He thought they looked incredibly young in this situation, but they also looked like they were ready for anything…whatever that meant. They had come aboard the Enterprise at the same time and were descendants of the people they had met while in the 19th century, sent there by Q, whom they had not seen since. Bones thought he could go the rest of his life without seeing that being again.

Kyle got out of the transport. "If you'll follow me, gentlemen?" he said.

"Where are we going?" Bones asked.

"I'm going to show you our successes. You don't want to pay for something without seeing it, do you?"

"Of course not."

Bones thought his brain was full of alarm bells right now, but he had no reason to think Kyle was doing anything other than what he said he was doing, which was showing them the facility and the experiments. Did he have beings in there like Jerah and Helek? He also had to wonder if they were curable. He would make sure he found that out before they destroyed anything vital. If he could help Helek, he would do what he could, and hopefully get him back to normal. He wondered if Kyle was making these beings into security after they were conditioned. He thought this place was just all kinds of wrong. Conditioning first, and then total commitment and submission. He almost shuddered at the thought of that.

They followed Kyle into the building which was mostly empty except for a security station within that guarded the entrance to the underground facility. The entrance was a large hatch that opened as what looked like a turbo lift came to the top and it sat above the hatch. Bones stared at that wishing that he did not have to get aboard that. How fast would it drop? He certainly did not want to get sick in this place.

Kyle indicated the turbo lift. "Gentlemen, if you'll step aboard," he said.

Artie and West followed Bones and they got into the turbo lift, and Kyle joined them, along with his two security guards. Bones looked at the guards without seeming to, but there was no indication that they were other than human. However, they wore helmets that covered their features, so he could not see their eyes or anything.

The turbo lift started down, and Bones felt like his stomach stayed up on the surface. He tried to swallow hard enough to get it to feel like it was back where it belonged, although he did not think it helped much. He just stood there between Artie and West trying to pretend nothing was bothering him, but after ten minutes, he was beginning to feel rather dizzy. "How far down is this thing?"

"Several kilometers," Kyle answered.

Bones thought that was rather vague for an answer, but he would not press the issue. He just hoped it would not be much longer.

Finally, the turbo lift stopped, and Bones felt like his stomach bounced. He touched his forehead trying not to look as sick as he felt. He held onto Artie's arm for a moment as they exited the lift of death, making sure he did not stumble. When he was on solid ground again, he thought maybe he could make it, and he almost forgot about the turbo lift when they walked out into the huge room that had a ceiling that looked like it was all of fifty feet high, and across from the lift was a pair of sliding doors which looked like they were made of concrete.

Kyle walked over to the controls beside the doors and pressed a button. There was a loud groaning sound as the doors began to move. Bones swallowed hard as those doors parted. He was trying to keep his anxiety under control, but it was getting harder as he looked into what looked very much like a laboratory hallway, which was white and was well lit. They followed Kyle into the hallway, and Bones could hear those heavy doors sliding shut, trapping them in there. He thought his claustrophobia was going to get the best of him, but he walked on.

Artie was fascinated that all this was under the ground. He wished it was not an evil torture chamber. He could not help but think of the fact that they now had less than three days. He certainly would not want to be trapped in this place. No wonder the people on the planet were full of fear.

They soon came to another set of sliding doors which opened freely. Bones figured if anyone got this far, there was no need for locked doors. They followed Kyle through the doors and then they were in a laboratory with what looked like prison cells that were held closed by…invisible force fields. Even the Enterprise did not have such things as that. Then again, he supposed if anyone could alter DNA like these people had, they could create electronic force fields.

Bones could see that there were others in the lab, and some of them looked like they were there looking at what was available. That made him have a little less apprehension. Maybe they were not the only ones in there, and maybe they would not end up trapped in the ground. He thought this would be the equivalent of being buried alive, only for eight years, no one would be able to find them or do anything about it. He thought it was no wonder that Kyle was so relaxed.

As they passed by one of the "cells", Bones looked in at the creature that was there. Oh, yes, it was a Capellan power-cat, alright, but it was much calmer than any he had ever seen or heard of. It stared at him with glowing yellow eyes. He thought there was definitely something wrong if they could get one of those cats to lie like that and not try to attack everyone that came around. Plus, those cats usually died in captivity. "You have a Capellan power-cat in here?" Bones asked.

"Yes," Kyle answered. "It was not the easiest thing to do but well, if you get them as kittens, all that hostility can be avoided."

Bones supposed that made sense. He looked at the black spines that dominated that cat's backbone, and he thought if anyone was comfortable around that, they must know the cat was tamed. "That's all it takes, huh?"

"We're scientists, Mister Taylor. You should understand how we would take a challenge and turn it into a creation. Otherwise, you would not be here to make a trade."

"So, when do we get to see your successes with this DNA research?"

Just as Bones said that, they passed by a cell where there was a humanoid…but she definitely did not look normal. She looked at him with glowing yellow eyes. Not only did she have the yellow eyes of the power cat, but she also had small black spines on her back, and her teeth were pointed like those of a cat as she bared them at him, and he could definitely hear a deep growl.

"Now, Priscilla, is that any way to greet our guest?" Kyle asked.

Priscilla looked at him, and Bones thought he saw a hint of fear in her eyes. He wondered why she would feel afraid. She could rip Kyle to shreds with those long claws she had on her hands. She looked at Bones again, and he did not think he had ever seen such an animalistic look in a person's eyes before.

"I believe she finds you attractive, Mister Taylor," Kyle remarked.

Bones backed up two steps then. "Attractive?"

"Surely you can see she's female. We've found one interesting fact in the ones who inherit the spines and claws. Their inhibitions are broken down a great deal. You're lucky she's behind that force field."

Artie and West backed up a little more. "How did she get like that?" Artie asked.

"She was one of our first tests trying to find the right formula. You can't get it right without making a few mistakes, although, I think she's quite a lovely mistake, don't you?"

Bones wanted to tell him what he thought about that remark, but he would keep his cool. "So, she just stays here?" Bones asked. "Locked up?"

"Basically."

"Is there no way to reverse this and get her back to normal?"

"She's quite valuable if things get out of hand."

Bones looked at Artie and West, and Kyle began walking on. If he had ever seen unethical practices, this was it. "So, where is the right formula?" he asked.

"Right here," Kyle answered as they stopped at another cell. "We had two others, but…well, they escaped. We learned that they must be conditioned first. They must have an overwhelming fear of you and must be completely loyal before they will not try to escape after they have been altered."

Bones tried not to show his frustration. "How do you hide all this?" he asked.

"No one is allowed down here without my approval," Kyle answered. "That is why most traders spend eight years on this planet before they are ever allowed to take anything from it."

Bones was rather alarmed at that statement. "What?" he asked.

"You would have to spend the next eight years here before you would be allowed to take the formula."

"Uh, no. I don't think so. We were supposed to have a fair trade."

"I'm afraid that is part of the trade. You would serve us here for eight years, and then you would be allowed to leave to continue your own research after yours was combined with ours."

Bones thought this guy was truly insane. "Are you kidding?" he asked.

"I assure you, I'm not."

"You mean people actually take you up on that bargain?"

"Well, it's valuable information. The perfect bodyguard, security guard, or whatever you want them to be…even bounty hunters."

Bones could not keep his mouth from dropping open slightly. "You're selling them?"

"You've heard of genetic alterations…surely. It's not selling them. It's that they bring their subjects here, and we help them alter them in exchange for their eight years of service. How else would they pay? Surely you don't think your trade is enough."

"I thought you wanted the information we have."

"I do, but you also want what I have."

"I don't have anyone I want altered. We were just here for a trade."

"I see. Well, then I shall have to escort you out."

Bones was ready to get out of that place. He had plenty to tell Jim now. If any place ever needed to be destroyed, it was this one…however, he was not sure what to do about the creatures here, especially that female cat…woman? She stared at him as they passed by her again, and she growled at him.

Bones was not sure how they would do anything about this place, but they would have to figure it out. He was glad they were moving back up as they were in the turbo lift again, and were soon out in the sunlight. He could definitely hear that buzzing sound that Helek had talked about, and Jim as well. They were transported back to the hangar where the ship sat.

When they arrived, there were two guards at the ship, and one of them walked over to Kyle. They spoke in hushed tones that Bones could not hear, and then Kyle turned to him. "Why did you bring someone else along on your ship and not disclose that fact to me?" Kyle asked.

"What?" Bones asked, thinking that they had found Helek. "There was no one else."

Kyle motioned to another guard, and Bones thought his heart dropped completely down to his feet, and his breath seemed to leave him altogether as the guard walked out with Andrea in his custody. Bones' shock and dread quickly turned to anger. "You let go of her now!" he demanded.

"You admit she was with you?" Kyle asked.

"I didn't know she came along! But she is my…fiancé!" He looked at Andrea wondering what she was doing on that ship, and he could see the fear in her eyes, and that made him even angrier. "You let go of her now!"

"She was a stowaway aboard your ship?"

"Yeah! Now, you tell him to let go of her."

"We do not take it lightly when someone intrudes onto our planet. She will stay here."

"NO!" Bones yelled. He suddenly jerked off his robe and activated his helmet, and then he ran at the guard that was holding Andrea. His actions were so unexpected, he was able to take the guard's weapon and slam it into the side of his head. He grabbed Andrea and ran.

West and Gordon were right behind him and they had activated their suits as well. They could hear Kyle yelling behind them. Bones jerked his communicator from his suit. "Jim, we've got big trouble!" Bones yelled. "Beam us out of here!"

Artie was soon right beside Bones, and then Jim West. "I set the charges," Artie said.

"What charges?" Bones asked.

"The ones the captain told me to set if we got into that facility."

Bones was shocked. "What will it do? Blow up?" he asked.

Artie nodded. "If we go back to the ship, I can't activate them."

"Where's Helek?"

"Right here."

Helek came around the next corner. "I have something to take care of before we vacate this planet," he said.

"We have to get out now!" Bones declared.

"No. We don't. Give me a moment."

"Jim, wait a minute about that transport."

"Are you sure?" Jim asked.

"Yeah."

Helek moved and went out facing Kyle. Kyle was surprised to see him, but he did not have time to react because Helek fired his electrical charges to take out the guards. "Stop, Helek!" Kyle yelled.

"You don't have control over me," Helek said barely audibly. He grabbed hold of an electrical outlet and ripped it from its base. He put his hand on it and began drawing power from it.

Bones was shocked as he watched Helek looking exactly like Jerah had when he was angry. He could also see the fear on Kyle's face. "You caused my brother's death!" Helek said.

"No, I did not kill him!" Kyle replied.

Helek almost growled. "Don't dare call him your son!"

Bones thought this was getting worse all the time. He opened his communicator again. "Jim, Andrea is down here," he said. "Get her out of here!"

"Andrea?" Jim asked.

"Yes!"

"No, I won't go!" Andrea declared. "If you're going to be stuck here, I'm staying with you!"

"Andrea…"

"NO!"

Andrea also had on one of the electro suits, as Bones could now see. She activated it and her helmet closed around her head. "Now, I'm going with you," she declared.

"I'm not detecting Andrea," Jim said.

"Never mind, Jim," Bones replied. "I think she's staying."

"What's going on down there, Bones?"

"I'll explain it when we get back to the ship. Jim, Helek is…"

Suddenly, they heard Kyle scream as Helek was taking out his revenge on him. "You sacrificed us for your research!" Helek yelled. "And you would have taken Anissa as well! Even Mother!"

Kyle soon dropped to the ground. Bones stared at him wondering if he was dead. "Is he dead?" he asked.

Helek looked at him still angry. "He is," he replied.

"He was your father?"

"He was the one who was an animal! He has brought nothing but fear to this world!"

Just then, they heard the buzzing over them. Helek practically hissed as he looked up at the listening device. He aimed at it and fired an electrical charge that destroyed it in a display of sparks. Bones and the others ran out of the way as the parts from the device came crashing to the ground. Helek came walking through the smoke with his eyes blazing. "Now, we can get back to work," he said.

Bones swallowed hard. He was just glad the guy was on their side this time. "I guess we can go back and see if Priscilla can be reasoned with," he said. "I would rather one of you take her out of her cage."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want a cat fight on our hands," Jim West replied.

"Okay, wise guy."

West could not help but laugh. "How do we get past all that security?" he asked.

Helek held up a device he had taken off Kyle. "I have all that covered," he said. "And if anyone else gets in our way, I'll show them my electrifying personality."

Bones shook his head. "Guys, can we be serious?" he asked.

"I am serious."

They moved through an alley instead of going right through the town. Bones could definitely hear the constant buzzing. "Is there a way to short out all those things at once?" he asked.

"I am working on it," Helek replied.

Bones could not help but look over his shoulder at Helek who was working on the device. "I'm glad you're on our side."

"What do we do when we get in there?" Andrea asked.

"What do we always do? We improvise. Too bad you've never been on an away mission."

"I went to the academy."

"If you think our missions ever turn out like anything you learned at that academy, you better get ready for a surprise."

"Well, I'm following you."

"We have to have a long talk when we get back to the ship."

"Fine, but right now, we should be thinking about what we're going to do."

"I just told you. I wasn't kidding."

Andrea looked at him and realized he was definitely not kidding. They finally came to the alley where they could see the black building where the entrance to the research facility was. There were guards outside it. "How do we get in there?" Bones asked.

"Give me a moment," Helek said quietly.

"Now, wait a minute…" Bones looked around, and Helek was already gone. "Can't anyone listen around here?"

Suddenly, they heard a loud whirring, and groaning of electronic equipment, and they looked up to see that the drones were all behaving erratically and finally crashed into each other, and it was happening everywhere. They all came crashing to the ground, and then there was an eerie quiet. "That buzzing sound was really annoying," Bones said.

"Don't you think it's odd that no one is yelling or anything?" Artie asked.

"You heard what that nutcase said."

"You mean…they're afraid to even respond to anything?"

"Well, why don't we look out there and see?"

They looked out into the street and everyone was still walking as though nothing had happened. "How do you help people like this?" Andrea asked.

"It'll definitely take time," Bones replied.

Helek came out into the street and took out the guards at the building. He looked toward Bones and the others. "Let's go," he said.

Bones and the others with him went out where Helek was using the device in his hand to open the door of the building. The doors slid open, and Helek did not hesitate to walk in. His electrified hair and eyes showed up well in the gloom of the building.

"Talk about static cling," Bones remarked.

"Now, who's joking around?" West asked.

"I just had to say it."

Helek took out the security and they went to the death lift…or that's what Bones wanted to call it. "Here we go again," he said as they got into the lift.

The lift started down, and Bones thought he would lose his battle with his stomach this time, but he managed to keep it down. The doors opened into that white hallway again and they walked down to the other research lab. Helek grabbed hold of a power conduit and drew more power from it and then he unleashed it on all the equipment in the lab. "Stop!" Bones yelled. "We don't have them out yet! The smoke might kill them!"

Helek was furious. "Hurry," he said with his eyes glowing.

"We can't hurry, and you need to help us. They might listen to you."

They walked over to the female, Priscilla, who growled the same at Bones as she did before. "We're here to help you," Bones said.

She let out what sounded like a purr. "You can help me all you want," she replied.

Bones was rather surprised that she talked. "You can talk. You know exactly what we're saying. Don't you want out of here?"

"If I can go with you."

Andrea folded her arms. "He's not going anywhere with anyone but me," she declared.

Priscilla looked at her with her yellow eyes. "He's your mate?"

Andrea looked at Bones and considered that a moment. "Yes. He is. And I'll claw your eyes out if you touch him."

Priscilla bared her teeth slightly. "Very well."

Bones was not sure he wanted to let Priscilla out, but he deactivated the force field. She stepped down and stepped close enough to Bones that he could feel her body heat. He stepped back. "Now, don't start anything," he said.

Priscilla growled slightly at him. "Let's get every one we can and get out of here," Bones said.

They went over to the other cell where there was one like Helek. "We're taking you out of here," Helek said. "Will you come peacefully?"

"Of course," the being replied. "Here, I am a prisoner."

They let the being out, and he stepped down. "You will destroy this place, right?" he asked.

Helek laughed an unpleasant sounding laugh. "You may help me if you wish."

"Nothing would give me more pleasure."

"Now, wait a minute," Bones said. "Are there any others around here? And what about the cat there?"

"If you let him out, he will tear you to pieces," Helek said.

"Can't we sedate him? He should be returned to his world."

"You are a doctor. Figure it out."

Bones went over to the shelves that had vials of medicines and other chemicals in them. He knew they had to have sedatives in this place. He finally found one and then he had the task of figuring out how to give it to the cat. "I will give it to him," Priscilla said as she was right beside Bones.

Bones was rather startled. He had not even known she was there. "You sure you can?" he asked.

Priscilla started to touch his face, but Bones backed up. "Now, I told you not to do that," he said.

"I am certain I can do it," she replied.

Bones gave her the hypospray and told her how to use it. Priscilla went over to the power cat's cell and she began talking to it in "cat" talk. The others had never heard anything like it. She opened the cell and gave the sedative to the cat. "He wants to return to his home," she said.

"Good," Bones replied. "How do we carry him?"

"On this," Artie replied as he was bringing a hovering stretcher in there.

"Are there any others in this facility?" Bones asked.

The other being whom they had rescued shook his head. "We are the only ones so far who were a success," he said.

"And the others?"

"Dead."

Bones frowned. He wanted to ask how many, but an alarm began sounding. "You must flee this place," Helek said.

"You're coming with us," Bones replied. "Artie has charges set and he's going to destroy this place. Come on! I'm not leaving you in here."

Helek and the other reluctantly went with Bones and the others. They got back to the lift and as the doors opened, three guards came out. Helek and the newcomer took them out easily, and then they all got into the lift. As they were on their way up, the other said, "By the way, my name is Ajah."

"I wish we had met under better circumstances, but my name is Leonard McCoy…this is Andrea, Jim, and Artie. And I suppose you know Priscilla, and Helek."

Bones was glad when the lift stopped and they were getting out. He was glad Andrea was holding onto his arm at the moment because he felt dizzy. They got outside and there were no security guards out there to take the place of the ones before. "I think that guy was overconfident," Bones said.

"He thought no one could get into this place," Artie replied. "Or are we missing something?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but the surveillance is gone."

"Let's get this over with and get off this planet."

They moved away from the building, and then Artie detonated his charges. They could hear a dull rumbling sound and the ground shook slightly. "Sounds like it worked," Jim West said. "How long do you think it will be before they realize they're free from all that?"

"I don't know," Bones replied. "But let's get back to our ship."

They went back to the hangar and did not meet up with any resistance. They boarded the ship, and lifted off soon. Bones sent a message to the Enterprise, and soon Jim answered. "Is everything alright?" he asked sounding very worried and relieved at the same time.

"Everything's fine," Bones replied just as Priscilla slid her arms around his neck from behind and purred in his ear. "Well, almost everything."

"Who is that?" Jim asked.

"Jim, I'd like you to meet Priscilla. She wants me to be her mate."

"Her what?"

"It's a long story." Bones pushed Priscilla's arms away. "Would you stop that? I'm hoping I can figure out a way to help them. We're also bringing the power cat so we can take him home. He wants to go back to his world."

"I'm sure we can do that," Jim replied. "Has Andrea met Priscilla?"

"Yeah. They kinda fought over me."

Priscilla growled slightly as she turned and walked out of the room. "Bones, what is going on?" Jim asked.

"Nothing," Bones answered as he leaned on his elbow. "I think I'm going to throw up, and then I'm going to sleep for a week."

"Are you sure all these beings need to be aboard the Enterprise?"

"They're all fine, Jim. We all got out together."

"Alright. I trust your judgment."

"We're on our way up now."

Jim was standing and waiting for them, when they disembarked from Solan's ship. Bones stopped as he approached Jim. "I don't know how they're gonna get out of that, Jim," he said.

"They'll have to eventually," Jim replied. "Right?"

"Maybe. I guess we won't know for eight years."

Jim looked at Andrea who was standing beside Bones. "How did you end up down there?" he asked.

Bones looked at her. "That's something that I want to know," he said. "Do you realize you could have gotten us all killed?"

"I thought if you were stranded there for eight years, I was going to be there with you," Andrea replied.

Bones was dumbfounded for a moment. "Well, I guess I'll let the two of you talk that out," Jim said and cleared his throat. He looked at Artie. "Nice work," Jim said.

"Thank you, Captain," Artie replied. "I ignited the charges and we heard the explosions." He swallowed hard. "I'm just glad we didn't have to kill innocent beings in there."

"I am too."

"I just think getting out was a little too easy," Bones said.

Priscilla and Ajah walked up to them next. "Captain Kirk, this is Priscilla… and Ajah," Bones said.

"Welcome aboard," Jim said.

Just then, Jim's communicator chirped at him. "Captain, there are three ships coming at us from the planet at high speed," Sulu said.

"Get us out of here, Mister Sulu," Jim replied.

Before they could go to warp, one of the ships fired a torpedo at the Enterprise. It hit the shields and an electrical charge spread around the entire ship. The ship groaned as it was suddenly thrown off-course. Sulu was fighting to get it back on course so they could go to warp. He managed to get the ship turned back around, but suddenly, the artificial gravity was non-existent. Sulu activated his seatbelts, and so did John.

"This is going to be a rough ride!" Sulu declared.

Everyone could feel every turn the Enterprise made, but almost everyone was now floating. However, Sulu managed to get the ship to warp this time before their enemies could fire another torpedo. The ship was making odd sounds as it was at warp, but at least they were away.

Sulu hated feeling weightless. It made him nauseous, but he was sticking with the helm. He looked at John. "I sure hope that's the last time we have to deal with that planet," he said.

"Me too," John replied. "How long will it take to get the gravity fixed?"

"I don't know but I sure hope it's not long."

Bones leaned on the wall as much as he could with being weightless. "Oh, and I thought that turbo lift was bad," he said.

Andrea was beside him with her back to the wall. "You're angry at me, aren't you?" she asked.

Bones rubbed his eyes. "No, I'm not angry…well, yes, I am, but, I don't know what I am right now except sick as a dog."

"I didn't want to be away from you for eight years, and there was a possibility that you would have been trapped there."

"We were out before even a day was finished. I didn't expect him to take us right in, but after we got in there and he made his proposal, I could understand why he didn't care to take us in there. Did people actually take him up on that offer?"

Artie was on the other side of Bones looking rather sad. "I guess they did," he said. "They used the people on the planet for experiments and others came there to use the formulas."

Bones looked at him for only a second. "At least we got them out of there," he said. "How did you do it without even me seeing you?"

"I had developed the charges so that they wouldn't be detectable and so that I could set them without really moving."

"I almost messed things up," Andrea said.

"No, you didnt," Bones replied. "You gave us the distraction we needed."

Priscilla floated over to them then and purred at Bones. "I hope I'm not up here when that gravity is fixed," Bones said.

"I'm sure they'll give everyone a warning," Andrea replied.

"Right. I think I might die before then."