Chapter 29- Peep Show
I took a chair out of the conference room and sat next to Uhura where I would be out of the way and she could explain things to me quietly without disturbing the rest of the crew. I was giddy as a school girl, but I didn't want to make Jim regret his offer by making myself a nuisance. Intermittently, my view of the screen was blocked by Spock's pacing. We were approaching the planet, but he still had a few minutes to get a few more blocks into place. I certainly wasn't going to say anything to him least he try to throttle me as I heard he did Jim over the toy.
Jim gave the order to Sulu to full stop when he felt we were at a safe distance, close enough to observe, but far enough away should the inhabitants see us as a threat and try to attack. At Jim's request, Spock brought up an image of the planet and began running diagnostic tests through the ship's scanners. The planet itself was nothing special to look at. It was dark brown and completely covered in craters that didn't look quite natural, it looked so inhospitable that it was hard to imagine anything surviving on the surface.
"Captain, the scanners indicate small villages positioned around a central structure. Humanoid creatures are present, although they number less than 200. Further analysis reveals the presence of thermonuclear residue, although the half life signature of the plutonium would indicate that approximately 350 years have passed since detonation. Radiation levels are at a level deemed safe." Spock droned. "However, there are very few plant and smaller fauna species remaining."
"Sounds like Easter Island." I commented. "Maybe they are rioting because they are running out of food."
"Possibly." Jim said turning toward us. "Uhura, can you pick up any signals?"
She adjusted her earpiece and pushed buttons on her console. "No, Captain. They are not transmitting any kind of communication signals."
"Do you think maybe the civilization started over again vhen the bomb destroyed everything?" Chekov asked no one in particular.
"That is a logical supposition, Ensign." Spock answered. "There were apparently survivors from the nuclear attack and it would be logical to assume the inhabitants are the descendants of the original colony since the scanners are not detecting advanced technology such as ships indicating more recent settlements."
"Captain!" Uhura alerted. "I am getting something. They know we are here." She seemed just a little surprised and maybe unsettled by that.
"What are they saying?" Jim asked casually as though he didn't care if they knew or not.
"They apparently have a surveillance system and they said they could see our ship in orbit. They are alerting the queen." She answered still listening to the chattering in her ear.
"So, a monarchy." Jim noted in a bored tone. "But how can they see us? I thought they didn't have advanced technology."
"All you need is two pieces of ground glass and a good sized strip of leather to make a telescope." I replied. "The ancient Chinese had gun powder long before anyone else and even the Egyptians had batteries. You don't need fancy wires and circuits to get the job done, MacGyver proved that every week. With a little ingenuity and some random spare parts you can build almost anything."
"Touché." Jim acknowledged with a smile. "The question is, could they build a photon torpedo bay with rocks and strips of animal hide since it seems that is all they have beyond a simple communication system?"
"Scotty could." Sulu laughed.
"No shit. Isn't MacGyver a Scottish name? Maybe it just runs in the blood or something." Jim mused. "Anyway, I can handle them lobbing some rocks at us with a giant sling shot, so long as they aren't sitting on something more lethal. Spock- our shields can handle a pebble assault, right?" He asked tilting his head back to look at his Science Officer.
"I believe our forward shields would be sufficient against such an attack, Captain." Spock answered, completely unamused.
"Captain, I have an incoming transmission from the planet." Uhura announced.
Jim turned and smiled in surprise. "Well, they are sneaky. On screen. Let's do a little meet and greet, shall we? Look sharp everybody- first impressions are always the most important." I sat up straight in my chair and wondered what that said about he and McCoy since according to him, the doctor threatened to vomit in his lap when they first met and yet they were BFFs.
The picture was grainy and of poor quality, but the aquiline face of a woman in a white and gold robe came in view. She was flanked on either side by two women who were heavily muscled and armed with jagged weapons. Their heads were shaved and they looked absolutely fierce- true Amazons. They were strikingly beautiful in a menacing kind of way. I leaned slightly toward Uhura and whispered, "Those could be men-women."
"Mmhmmmm." She lilted taking them in with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Hello there." Jim smiled when the woman did not initiate conversation. "I am James T. Kirk, Captain of the Enterprise and emissary of the United Federation of Planets. We heard there was a disturbance so we came to check it out, but we mean you no harm."
She sat on her throne and regarded him with unconcealed contempt. "We have no need of your intervention. You would do well to mind your own affairs."
"Ok." Jim said caught a bit off guard by her directness. "Look, we aren't here to interfere. But if you need some kind of assistance…"
"What do you offer?" She asked abruptly cutting him off with the same steely gaze.
"Well, we can give you provisions and medical assistance." He continued. "It looks like your people are starving. If you are having some kind of civil war, we can offer negotiators."
"Captain," Spock whispered in a low voice, "our orders were to observe, It would be inadvisable to become involved without further instruction from Starfleet."
"Relax, Spock. If they need help, we can't just turn our backs. What if eventually they want to join the Federation? A little humanitarian aid now will make a better showing than flipping them off."
"Very well." She said icily. "Send your people."
The screen went black when the planet stopped transmitting and the room suddenly seemed a few degrees warmer without her. "Sulu, follow me. Spock- you have the com. Kirk to Medical- Bones! Pack your shit, we're goin' down!"
"Goddamn it!" McCoy replied frustrated. "We have been in orbit 10 minutes and already you get us drug in?'
"Race you to the pad, Bonsey." Jim smiled heading for the lift.
Spock sat in the Captain's chair and Chekov manned both stations at the front while Uhura and I milled around in the back. "I got a bad feeling about this." Uhura muttered shaking her head.
"I know," I concurred, "there was something about her that was off. It was like she was hiding something."
"I also object, however, we have no evidence of ill intent on her part." Spock interjected.
"I know you love hard facts, Spock, but I am telling you I know she is up to something as sure as I am breathing. I can't tell you what it is, but it is so obvious." I pleaded. "I can see right through her."
"Perhaps at a later date I will consult you when I have need of your X-ray vision, Doctor." Spock said curtly. "But until that time we will follow the Captain's wishes no matter how low the probability of success." I might have been offended at his sharper than necessary rebuke, but I knew it was most likely misplaced anger over the toy so I let it go in order to focus on the looming disaster I just knew lie ahead- even if I couldn't provide exact evidence for Spock.
I didn't know what it was about the area surrounding Spock's station that encouraged pacing, but that was exactly what I did. Minutes passed into hours with no response from the away team and even Spock was becoming suspicious. Uhura tried several times to contact the members on the team via communicators, but every attempt was met with silence. Finally, Spock instructed Uhura to open a channel to the planet. When a successful link was established, Spock greeted the woman in white and identified himself. "We have been unsuccessful in reaching our people since they arrived on your planet." He calmly stated. "Is everything as it should be?"
The woman gave a sardonic smile and replied, "Everything is exactly as it should be. We are finding your men quite useful." The twisting of her cruel lips made me sick. Hers was the face of a sadist and I recognized it immediately. It was no longer a suspicion, I knew Jim, Sulu, and McCoy were in danger.
As though she were demonstrating a magic trick, the screen flashed briefly before coming back into focus. I felt the blood drain from my skin when I saw Jim laying face down on a dirt floor looking at the camera. His hands were shackled behind his back and he was surrounded by three of the Amazon guards, each with a foot on his shoulders and one on his head to keep him still. His face was bloody, but he smiled sarcastically at one of the guards. She stepped on him harder for his efforts.
Just behind him, I could see McCoy and Sulu. They had been suspended in chains by their wrists and by the way that they swung when they moved, their knees must have been just a fraction of an inch off the ground, increasing the pressure. They looked as though they had been similarly beaten and it was all I could to force myself to watch. "They are my property now." The woman sneered. "And they will be marked as such."
"Have you lost your damn minds?" McCoy asked struggling against his chains. The guard nearest him spun and gave him a sharp roundhouse kick in the side with her gold shin guard, causing him to gasp and cough. Sulu's eyes went wide as he watched one of the guards approach Jim with a red hot brand. Jim couldn't see what was coming and his eyes went wide when she held it to the back of his neck with a soft hiss.
It was clear by looking into his eyes that he almost instantaneously went to a faraway place to get away from the unexpected and overwhelming painful sensation. Normally, a psychologist would tell you that dissociation is a bad thing, that one should face obstacles with a lucid calmness. But there are times when simply checking out is better than dealing with mind blowing consequences and I was glad to see him do it. I might have screamed if Uhura had not slipped her slender hand into mine. As it was, I couldn't breathe. She kept her head up and looked ahead with a sense of determination as she squeezed my hand. I took her lead and did the same. She was on to something; fear and desperation was exactly what the queen wanted to see and we were not going to give that to her. He was hauled away and in short order, Sulu and McCoy followed. Sulu accepted his mark with the calmness of a Hindu cow that left me speechless. I couldn't imagine having that kind of discipline. McCoy squeezed his eyes shut tight and bared his teeth during his ordeal and only once let out a faintly strangled growl.
Once they were strung up, the guards approached them with wicked smiles and began cutting off their hair to symbolize their association with the tribe. Locks of hair tumbled down around them and when the women were finished, they gathered some of the shorn locks and presented it to the queen. Cutting off their hair served no other purpose than humiliation, just as the Nazis did to Allied sympathizers during WWII.
Through it all, Spock sat stoically in his chair. "What do you seek for their return?" He asked calmly. I found it amazing that he would try diplomacy when he had the ship's entire compliment of technology and weaponry at his disposal.
"Men are of no use to us Aurelians." She spat. Uhura and I glanced at each other in horror. "I will give you two of them back in exchange for one good woman. You have 10 minutes to make your offer." When she disappeared, Spock's shoulders sagged ever so slightly.
"Spock," I called, "Let me go."
He looked at me with just a hint of surprise. "I am not permitted to do that, Doctor." He said flatly. "You have very rudimentary training and…"
"I know." I agreed cutting him off. "But I am telling you, Spock, I can do this. I can read her like a book! She is scared out of her wits and if there is anyone who can capitalize on that, it is me. I don't have to beat her physically, I just have to manipulate her fear of losing power by offering to help her. I can't explain it to you, but when two women meet each other, we just know who would win in a battle. Uhura, help me out here." I pleaded.
She shrugged and admitted, "Yeah, pretty much."
"I can take her, Spock." I reiterated.
He regarded me for a moment before asking, "Are you certain this desire to be involved has nothing to do with any attachment you may feel toward Dr. McCoy? If you are blinded by your feelings for him, I cannot use you."
The corners of Uhura's mouth twitched slightly. "No." I answered emphatically. "My concern extends to all."
"Very well." He said hesitantly. "Which of them will you choose to stay?"
"I have a plan for that." I smiled. "Chekov- do you still have my signature in the transporter computer?"
"Yes, it vill be there." He answered confused.
"Good. The second I can break free, I want you to beam me up. I do not want to tango with any of those guards if I can help it." Just the thought of it made me queasy.