im sorry i dont own star trek... would love to see more that isnt prequil stuff!

Episode 1-9 Dagger of the Mind

Spock and Saya still had the regular sessions but Spock had informed her that she would not need them soon. Saya greeted Spock at the door and they walked to breakfast together. "So we are dropping supplies off to a penal colony today?" She asked. Spock confirmed her information and as they ate quizzed her on her studies. She had requested it to help her check her knowledge and Spock had obliged.

They soon were underway on their shift. The transfer of cargo was quick and easy and there was discussion of potential shore leave in the extra time they had before their next destination. Saya smiled as Kirk and Bones discussed the penal colony. Uhura received a message that she set to speaker. "Tantalus colony to Enterprise. We are unable to locate one of our inmates. This is a potentially violent case. Possibly hidden in the box we beamed up to you."

Saya raised an eyebrow and ruefully smiled as Kirk acknowledged the message and set the security alert to 3. "You know , it might be a good idea to teach me how to use a weapon…" Saya said softly as Uhura relayed the security alert.

Spock started closing off sections to trap the intruder and Uhura reported the description of the man. "Negative in the deck area, Captain. He may have gotten out. Expanding search to adjoining sections." Spock informed Kirk.

Kirk asked about the inmate that was found and got the reply "Terribly sorry, Captain. I take all the blame. Let me repeat, he's clever as well as extremely violent. Take all possible precautions." Saya felt something was off in the man's voice. He just seemed oily but there was nothing to really go on.

Kirk said they would keep Adams posted and shut the com off. "Interesting. Your Earth people glorify organised violence for forty centuries, but you imprison those who employ it privately."

Bones scoffed "And, of course, your people found an answer."

"We disposed of emotion, Doctor. Where there is no emotion there is no motive for violence." Spock stated and Saya saw the retort on McCoys lips when a stranger came to the bridge and attacked the guard there, demanding the captain. Spock slowly got up as Kirk informed the man he was the Captain.

The man said his name was Van Gelder and he wanted asylum. He seemed in pain when saying his name and Kirk mentioned it being at gunpoint. "I want your promise first, your word that you won't take me back there, to Tantalus." Kirk looked at Spock who started moving with him and said no promises and requested the weapon and Van Gelder got agitated "No! No. No, I'm not going back! I'll disable your vessel first. You choose, Captain. I'll destroy your control panel."

Kirk kicked the phaser from the man's hand and Spock neck pinched him. Kirk ordered the man to be taken to sickbay and course to be reversed. Saya didn't realize she had been gripping her P.A.D.D. so tightly and relaxed. Kirk met McCoy in sickbay and Spock took over on the bridge.

Saya quietly got up and went to him and said in a hushed tone "Can you teach me to remain that calm in situations like that?"

Spock studied her for a few moments before replying. "I think it would be unwise to teach you to suppress your emotions further." Saya's face fell but Spock continued "However training you to be prepared may help. I can not authorize weapons training though."

"That would work. I've been practicing extra with the dummy in the gym to learn the fighting styles." Saya said.

With a raised eyebrow Spock asked "when?"

"Well sometimes i can't sleep so i go to the gym to work out. I do it about as frequently as i have you instruct me though so it helps a lot and I work on a different type so i can learn 2 at the same time." Saya grinned.

Spock was displeased but Saya didn't know why. "Do you still have nightmares?"

"No. I just… I developed a slight insomnia forever ago." Saya shrugged and smiled. "It's not a big deal and i get enough sleep. I just work the sleeplessness off in the gym."

"You are to notify me if you lose excessive sleep over it." Saya nodded and Spock went to his station to look up the information the captain had provided him about their intruder. Kirk asked the estimated arrival to Tantalus. "Fifty seven minutes, thirty seconds, Captain." Spock said without missing a beat. When Kirk asked what was so fascinating Spock informed him "An identification tape from our ship's library on Doctor Simon Van Gelder. Doctor Van Gelder, Captain. No mistake. There's a full ID tape on him. Assigned there six months ago as Doctor Adams' associate." Spock answered Kirk before he could ask the questions.

Kirk contacted the colony and asked questions about how Gelder was injured. "He'd been doing some experimental work, Captain, an experimental beam we'd hoped might rehabilitate incorrigibles. Van Gelder felt he hadn't the moral right to expose another man to something he hadn't tried on his own person." Adams explained. This time it sounded better but Saya agreed with McCoy that something was wrong.

Kirk said "You don't believe him, and you can't explain it. Bones, are you aware that in the last twenty years Doctor Adams has done more to revolutionise, to humanise prisons and the treatment of prisoners than all the rest of humanity had done in forty centuries? I've been to those penal colonies since they've begun following his methods, and they're not cages anymore." Saya didn't like how Kirk defended the man blindly.

Spock interrupted to say "Gentlemen, I suggest you ask Doctor Adams if he wants Van Gelder returned." Kirk did so and it came down to McCoy almost threatening Kirk over the matter and Kirk using strict interpretation of starship regulations to investigate the colony.

Adams seemed happy with it but Saya felt that was off too. Soon Kirk was setting up to beam down and Spock was back to taking over the bridge. They saw Kirk off in the transporter room and got to see Kirk flustered by the doctor Bones provided. 'That's what he gets for flirting with everything that moves.' Saya thought.

Kirk stepped up to Spock and quietly told him " , you tell McCoy that she had better check out as the best assistant I ever had." Before energizing. Saya snorted slightly but at a look from Spock schooled her face to a neutral expression. Back on the bridge it wasn't long before Kirk checked in.

Some time later Spock went to sickbay with Saya shadowing him. They watched as Gelder fought whatever it was that was causing him pain. "I'm not a criminal! I do not require neural neutraliser." He said.

"Neural neutraliser. Can you explain that, Doctor Van Gelder?" Spock calmly asked.

Gelder replied "A room. A device. Door. Control panel. I see it. A device. A light! The light!" Spock asked what happens in the room described but Gelder seemed to go further into his madness and Spock motioned for McCoy to sedate him. Spock turned to Saya when she taped his elbow after Gelder was calm. He felt her care for Gelder and trust in the man's words.

"Ummm, I'm no expert or even really know that much but… He seems to be unable to say more. Not quite like a repressed memory that can cause pain but something more than that. Is there a way to maybe hypnotize him or something and ask so he doesn't feel whatever that pain is?" Saya asked.

Spock told her he would think on the matter but they needed to contact Kirk first. Thankfully it was near a check in time so Kirk called them. Spock asked for Kirk's location and when notified that he was in Adam's' study Spock confirmed Kirk was with before saying "Captain, Van Gelder has made reference to a particular treatment room. The term was neural neutraliser."

Spock waited till Kirk informed them that Adams was out of the room and told him "Van Gelder is extremely agitated, Captain, and warns that you are in danger." The doctor with Kirk exclaimed it was foolish and McCoy said they still had doubts and asked for more information. Kirk said he was planning to spend the night when Spock asked when he was planning to beam back up and Gelder got quite agitated by it. Spock made sure that Kirk would continue to check in every 4 hours.

"No! No. No, don't let them! You must warn your captain. No! No! Don't let him stay! Don't let him stay! Don't! No. No. Don't hypo me. Please, don't hypo me. I'll try not to fight. I'll try. But you must listen. Warn your Captain. Doctor Adams. Doc, Doctor Adams will destroy." Gelder adamantly protested.

Spock rathered to not use what he knew he must. Preparing for a mind meld he notified McCoy and asked Saya to stay out of the way and not touch him no matter what until he was finished. Saya agreed and watched. Spock warned Gelder the same way she had been warned that it could be dangerous.

Spock soon had access to the information and Gelder spoke "He can reshape any mind he chooses. He used it to erase our memories, put his own thoughts there. He was surprised it took so much power. We fought him, remember? But we grew so tired, our minds so blank, so open, that any thought he placed there became our thoughts. Our minds so empty like a sponge, needing thoughts, begging. Empty. Loneliness. So lonely to be sitting there empty, wanting any word from him. Love. hate. Live. Die. Such agony to be empty. Empty. Lonely. So empty."

They had figured out what was going on and all the details of what needed done to help. Saya had been sent to her room for the night as Spock continued to work. In the morning Saya got ready for their shift and worried if they saved Kirk and if Spock would be waiting.

She opened the door right as Spock was about to knock. She grinned at him then worried asked "did you save Kirk?" At Spock's 'affirmative' Saya smiled again. "I'm very glad. Sorry bout falling asleep last night."

"You are expected to sleep so you are at your best. It is illogical to apologize for a necessity." Spock told her as they headed to breakfast.

*END*