((ADDENDUM: I changed the last name of the CMO of the space station to Rasul. I don't normally do that, never have before, but in this case I had a good enough reason to do it.

The chapter heading is from a song by MàtyasSeiber. I feel duly ashamed for my choice, but I actually had the chapter heading before the chapter and I just can't resist. Yes, I am sometimes horrible.))

Leonard had never given much thought to how it would feel to swallow a thin glass plate that would break in his gut, cutting him open from within and killing him slowly but surely. If he had done that, he might have come up with a similar imagined sensation to what was going on inside him the moment it hit him what the tree before him really was. He raced through denial, which had never been something he indulged in, facing the truth with a dry mouth and a wrenching sensation in his insides. He was lost. Completely and utterly lost, unable to even conceive of a solution. All colour gone from his face, he had set to finding the other three structures. Not that they could do anything. They could only note where the … trees, he had to think about them as trees … were. Two of them were nothing but dead wood with no leaves. He felt tears threatening to force their way to the surface but fought them bravely.

Their security man had run a hand over the tree when he had explained dispassionately that the men were not gone but that they had somehow turned into the phantasmagorial plants, their bones still in there, their muscles transformed into wood, skin into bark. After a moment of silence the poor soul had been violently sick. Jim had spoken to him in a quiet voice while Spock contemplated the first tree in a silent reverie and gave Leonard the time and space to find the others.

When he returned, the surreality of the situation was still eating at him, but he thought he could trust himself with speech again. Spock looked at him, his expression distant but gentle enough. 'What manner of transportation do you recommend, Doctor?' He stared at the tree and couldn't resist the urge to place a hand on it. It felt very soft, and upon closer inspection there were small hairs on it. He shuddered and pulled away.

'I'm a doctor, not a botanist,' he replied. His voice was his own again, but nowhere near as brisk as he had meant to be. 'Spock … how?' The Vulcan shook his head without an answer. 'That's what I thought. Two of them are dead. I suppose the first two.' He took a deep breath. 'Someone should … look after them. I suggest they be brought to the space station, the tree house. And you people must take care of them. I know I can't. This isn't my job.'

'Do you think this can be … reversed, Bones?' Leonard heard the plea in his friend's voice. He shook his head, then shrugged.

'God, Jim, how should I know? Yesterday I'd have told you this isn't possible. So how do I know if someone can undo it?' He cleared his throat and stared at the tree. 'I can tell you one thing, though. I can't. This isn't a medical condition. Maybe it's a curse.'

'I doubt that, Doctor McCoy.' He glared at the Vulcan.

'Do you, Spock? I'll tell you something. It's as likely as anything. We shouldn't be having this conversation, because something like this isn't supposed to happen in the first place. I don't know anything even remotely similar, and I've seen and heard a lot of very strange things in my time. But this … this!' He gestured uselessly at the tree and refrained from finishing the sentence when Jim put a hand on his shoulder.

'It's all right, Bones. Maybe there really is a first time for everything.' He sighed and bumped his fist against his communicator. 'Kirk to Cristóbal de Morales space station … Four to beam up.'

ϡ

Jim led the way to the science department, listening into himself. He found hope, present because Bones wasn't entirely sure there was no way to help the two men that were still alive. He also found an urge to do … something. He had an idea what that would be, since sleep was out of the question. Next, he proceeded to come up with a plan just how to tell Victor Bligh what had happened.

When he stood before the Commodore, however, Jim felt distinctly lost. The taller man looked at them all in turn. 'I take it you found something, and judging from your expressions I think it's not good news.' Jim took a deep breath.

'We found all four scientists. They have … Something seems to have … transformed them into trees. Two of them have since … deceased.' He knew how ridiculous it sounded and wondered if Bligh would believe them.

'Excuse me?' the man asked hoarsely.

'He's not making a joke, Commander,' Bones helped out. 'We have no explanation. I suggest they be brought up here and tended to. Finding out what happened and how to stop it in the future will be the job of the science department. I'm certain Doctor Rasul will agree with me that this isn't something that can be handled by the medical staff.' Bligh looked at Spock.

'What do you say?'

'I agree with the doctor.' Bligh nodded slowly before addressing Jim again.

'What would your order be, if this were your responsibility?'

'I would order Mr Walter to take a couple of days off and have a few words with T'Kray to help leave this mess behind him. I'd order the two surviving scientists to be brought here like Doctor McCoy suggested. I'd order Mr Spock to work on them and find out what happened. I'd also tell him to find a way to undo this.'

'If there isn't a way?' Jim smiled vaguely.

'He'd let me know, but not unless he's a hundred percent certain.'

'Mr Walter, tell us who you really are, will you?' Walter swallowed.

'Commander Siegfried Walter of Starfleet Academy. Captain Kirk, Commander Melczuk reported that minor knowledge gaps in modern engineering aside, she declares you ready for duty. I came to see for myself, since this is fairly early. I must say, you impressed me. All three of you can take your uniforms.' Bligh nodded.

'Which leaves only one of our trainees in civilian clothing. Ah, just a matter of time, this isn't a competition.' Bligh sighed. 'This was a test, maybe, but it turned out to be much more serious than anticipated. I'll do as you would have, Captain. Commander, do you require rest or are you such a good actor?' Walter's expression was that of someone who had bitten into a lemon.

'I'm a very bad actor. Today I was reminded why I prefer a job at the Academy. I'll take up on your offer.'

'Our psychologist is currently in the tower, but she'll be available soon. She will contact you.' Bligh shook his head. 'Get some sleep. All of you, I'm sure you need it. Spock, I'll see the two scientists are brought here. Tomorrow you're on duty in the tower. As are you, Doctor McCoy. Captain, you're in engineering as usual. Good night.'

ϡ

Sleep was certainly a good idea. In theory. In practice, it was very difficult since every time Jim closed his eyes he saw that tree burnt to the inside of his lids, and with that came the feeling of falling into a pit as it struck him what that tree really was. Swearing under his breath, Jim ordered the light to 25 % and padded over to the desk. He picked up the nara capsule and studied it. 'Open,' he told it. As he had expected, the small item was unimpressed. 'Who made you? Melczuk? Irina? Irina Melczuk? Engineering …' He shook his head. These things were sophisticated enough to be indifferent to voice and stress, the word itself was what mattered. It could also be a sentence, but that was unlikely. He let the small item slip back onto his desk and buried his face in his hands. His research hadn't told him a way to force these things open without destroying them, maybe that truly was impossible.

Are you awake? The thought drifted into his consciousness, very cautious so as not to disturb him if he was sleeping. Smiling, Jim tried to answer. He knew Spock would receive something, but it was probably not very articulate. That still didn't work unless he was full of adrenaline.

Less than a minute later, the Vulcan entered his room. He sat down on the second chair and wordlessly took Jim's hands in his. The contact took some of the shock away, soothing him into a semblance of peace. 'What would I do without you?' he asked finally.

'You would spend a sleepless night sitting here until exhaustion claimed you. It would not be a first time, either. But if I can assist you, why should I not do so?'

'I wonder what's in these capsules. I just can't help feeling this is important somehow.' Still holding Jim's hands, Spock looked at the small item.

'I do not know a more effective approach than trial and error. Nara capsules are very safe.' He looked back up at Jim, his expression serious. 'I want to start teaching you how to construct a basic shield.' Jim's face fell.

'My own thoughts keep you from resting!' Spock shook his head quickly.

'No. It is not for my benefit I want you to learn this. If you can shield yourself, I can lower my own shields. Then you can still sense me but monitor what you transmit.'

'I want to learn communicating outside life-threatening situations.' Spock smiled minutely.

'You will, but this is easier.' Spock's thumbs were caressing the back of his hands and his voice dropped to a low rumble. 'Do not believe that I want you out of my mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eventually, you will have a constant shield that will keep more acute emotional struggles away from me. It will grant you privacy of your own mind. You will also be able to speak to me despite the shield.' Jim looked at his Vulcan and frowned slightly.

'How can you know?'

'I know that Leonard has a very rigid shield. I know you can communicate in certain situations. It means that humans in general and you and him in particular are able to do these things intuitively, to a degree. With the guidance of a Vulcan, you can learn to control them. Jim, you realise that the ability to shield will also protect you from external influences. It would be very hard to read your mind or to force you to do anything against your will. The latter is difficult as is. You are a stubborn man.' Jim smiled, turning his hands so that their palms were pressed together.

'Only you can make that sound like a compliment.'

'Close your eyes, Jim.' He obeyed without hesitation. 'What I will teach you is something you may not overdo without meditation. I shall help you with both. Focus inwards. On me, if you wish, on our bond.' Jim did so. The link between them was a place of love and warmth, something that had been there for a long while and had helped him survive when he thought he was entirely forsaken. He smiled involuntarily, feeling the strength of their tie. Good. Spock had spoken in his mind only, and this time he knew it. You need not draw energy if you have basic meditation skills. For now, I shall provide you. If you had no time to meditate, you will need to find strength in you. I believe that you will do that automatically, given your ability to remain functional in a crisis. Now focus on what you want: a semi-permeable shield that allows communication and a sense of the other. Now take the energy you gathered and fit it to your body like a second skin. Open your mind to me, Jim, I will do this for you to help you feel what I mean. Spock's mind guided him, like an adult might guide a child's hand in its first attempt to write. Something calm and warm and in a way very much Spock expanded from within him to the confines of his body until it somehow locked in place there. He still felt Spock as if nothing had changed. He felt the other mind withdraw and opened his eyes.

'I don't feel different.'

'No, because there is no threat. In addition to that, I constructed the shield for you this time. You should be able to find it like you find my mind in you. Focus on yourself, but this time do not look for our link. Look for something that is not part of you.' Jim licked his lips and listened into himself. He forced himself to ignore the beacon in his mind that was Spock, finding something else instead, a manifestation of belligerence and defiance.

'I think I have it.'

'Good. Do not break it, let it vanish. Evaporating would be a good picture, if you require one.' Jim followed the instruction and felt relief. Of what, he was not certain. 'Good. For now, this will do.' Spock stood and pulled Jim up by the hands he was still holding. He tugged him further into an embrace. 'You should try and sleep, Jim.'

'I know. I don't think I can.'

'There is a practice that is known to cause human males to fall asleep after its completion,' Spock said quietly. Jim pulled away slightly and saw the glint in the eyes of his bondmate. He smiled up at him.

'Another mind technique, Spock?' The Vulcan pressed his forehead to Jim's, trapping his eyes with his own.

'Not entirely.' Jim couldn't keep the fully fledged grin from his face at the serious tone belied by the minute change in Spock's expression. Jim stood on tiptoe and spoke directly into one pointed ear.

'No idea what you might mean. I believe you will have to show me.'

ϡ

After a night of meditation but no sleep, T'Kray found herself walking down to engineering with a certain degree of reluctance. She was shadowed by two security men because Rasul had insisted. Taking a senior officer into custody wasn't something she was certain she was prepared to do, but the fact remained that medical personnel sometimes had this ungratifying task. For her, that moment had come. And there was no way to pawn it off on a medic. It was a psychological problem, after all.

When she entered, James and Vral greeted her, the former with a bright smile. For once, she didn't return it. 'I need to see Commander Melczuk.' The smile on James's face faltered at her detached tone.

'Sure. She's in her office. T'Kray, what …'

'Rumours will spread without my help. Please understand that I cannot give you details.' He nodded.

'Certainly.' She could feel his eyes on her while she walked over to the office. The door slid open as she approached.

Melczuk stared at her and the guards, a frown creasing her forehead in slow motion. 'Good morning. What can I do for you?' Stepping out of the sensor range, T'Kray let the door close behind her before she spoke.

'Commander, we have proof that you have announced that the transporter in engineering has been repaired, which was not true. By doing so, you sent three men to their deaths.'

'I signed no such thing.' Melczuk sounded convinced enough, and T'Kray believed that she really had no idea. It didn't make this easier.

'I am afraid you did. The computer has verified the signature on the PADD as yours.' She folded her hands in front of her. 'Please, Commander, do not make this more difficult than it has to be. Follow me to the sickbay.'

'Sickbay?' Melczuk was hoarse, crestfallen. 'Sickbay, Lieutenant? I should think the brig, if you assume I murdered three men.'

'I believe you have no recollection of the events.'

'You think I'm insane.'

'No. I think something is happening to people. Not just you, Commander, many others as well. This one piece of the puzzle we can pinpoint. We're nowhere nearer finding out who sabotaged the transporter and the shuttles. Or the computer in the tower.'

'Why not put the blame on me, as well?' T'Kray pursed her lips.

'You certainly have the required knowledge.' Melczuk deflated visibly.

'If you weren't a Vulcan, I'd fight this, you know. But you don't lie or damage people's reputations on a whim. I'll … I'll follow.' The tall woman sounded surprised at her own words. T'Kray smiled.

'There is no reason for concern. If we find that you were under the same influence as so many others, there will be no repercussions.' Melczuk shook her head.

'I'm not certain that I'll be able to see it that way. If I killed these people – no, Lieutenant, don't say anything. If I killed these people, I wonder if I'll be able to tell myself it wasn't my fault. Lead the way.'