not sure what's goin on but the copy paste is removing words and names when i save the doc... hopefully i got it sorted or this will take me a week to post the chapters... -_-

dont own treck ^_^

Episode 2-5 The Apple

Saya was taking the role of Yeoman again as she beamed down to a planet with Kirk, Spock, Chekov and 2 guards. Her job was to record everything she could on her tricorder and take samples as directed by Spock. Though more crewmen had guessed her relationship with Spock none had actually asked. Kirk had found it useful to have them work together as Spock could easily direct her without having to stop what he was doing.

McCoy soon beamed down with 2 more guards as Saya moved off to study the new world with Chekov. McCoy and Chekov got into a discussion about the place being the garden of Eden and Eden being located outside of Moscow Russia. Saya smiled at the playful banter and Kirk directed them to the village 17 kilometers away. As they started walking a guard called to to Kirk right before a plant shot him with something.

Kirk quickly went to the guard and caught him as he died. Kirk arranged for Scotty to beam the body up. Scotty hinted at wanting to come to the planet's surface and Saya wondered at his sanity after a man had just gotten killed. Spock was contemplating the antimatter potency issue along with everything else as they started out again. Kirk asked for a tricorder reading and Spock obliged "Subsurface vibrations for miles in all directions. Quite strong, fairly regular, artificially produced."

Kirk ordered 2 of the guards to run reconnaissance carefully to the village as they started to head there. Saya browsed where Spock was listening, knowing he had found something that was being confirmed on his tricorder. "There's a humanoid hiding directly behind us, moving with remarkable agility, bearing one eight." Spock informed Kirk.

Kirk and the other guard moved to flank the observer and Chekov asked Spock what it was. Spock answered "A visitor. One wanting to retain his anonymity, I should say." Saya was tight as a bowstring waiting and watching though working to look like she wasn't. Spock was moving into position to aid the others and Chekov came back to Saya.

"If you insist on worrying, worry about me. I've been wanting to get you in a place like this for a long time." Chekov told her and Saya resisted the urge to punch him. her annoyance made it so she was unable to feel Spock's flash of muted surprise and anger. Chekov was a sweet enough kid but even in her time she would have avoided someone for something like that. Spock sent her logical thoughts to help her as Kirk returned.

"Mister Chekov, I know you find her fascinating, but we're not here to conduct a field experiment in human biology." Kirk told him and Saya glared at him until she felt the humor in Spock. 'Sorry, really don't like being hit on. Especially when it is completely insincere as that was.' Saya thought to Spock.

Chekov walked off saying he was taking some readings. Kirk informed Spock that whatever it was moved like a cat. Saya quietly walked up and commented "I may or may not be able to help but I am capable of some stealth." Kirk nodded to her and she quickly moved to behind a tree and flipped her uniform inside out so the black underside was facing out.

"All hands. We've been watched, we'll probably be watched. We're moving out. Formation L." Kirk ordered and they set out. Saya watched closely and waited for her chance. As they walked Spock stopped and picked up a rock. "Interesting. Extremely low specific gravity, some uraninite, hornblende, quartz." Breaking it in half he added "Fragile, good cleavage. An analysis should prove interesting."

He threw half of it away from them and it exploded. Kirk asked him "Would you mind being careful where you throw your rocks, Mr. Spock?" Spock answered that it was obviously highly unstable and could be important as a source of power. "Garden of Eden, with land mines." Kirk added.

Spock carefully put the other part of the rock down and they continued on. Saya watched the underbrush and would stray slightly from the path every so often to investigate. Scotty called down to inform the captain that the antimatter pods were completely inert. He explained that something from the surface had done it and it was pinpointed in the village they were heading to.

McCoy stopped to examine the thorns as Kirk and Spock discussed the force on the planet. Saya walked over to McCoy out of curiosity. She looked up as she felt the alarm in Spock. Saya yanked on McCoy as Spock knocked down Kirk and got the full force of the thorns in his chest. Saya got up as soon as she felt Spock's pain and the dulling in his mind.

Rushing over to him she was quickly followed by McCoy and Kirk. She tried to catch him to ease his fall and Kirk tried to wake him. Saya started to feel woozy herself and McCoy injected Spock with something. A hand on her shoulder from Kirk jerked her out of it as she remembered to put the mental block up. "Sorry Captain, forgot to put up the wall." She mumbled blinking and trying to keep calm.

Kirk ordered them to beam up and they attempted but it didn't work. Kirk demanded to know why as Saya worked hard to remain calm and keep her mind blocked so she wouldn't be affected by what was happening to Spock's mind. Saya heard Scotty say that they couldn't beam up a fly and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Saya was watching Spock when he started to sit up. She removed the mental wall and felt his mind returning to normal a little before Kirk and McCoy noticed. Kirk asked if he was alright and Spock replied "Dr. McCoy's potion is acting like all his potions, turning my stomach. Other than that, I am quite well." Saya smiled knowing that he was ok and being somewhat ornery.

McCoy commented on his green blood being the problem and Kirk demanded what Spock was trying to do. Spock responded "I surmised you were unaware of that plant, so I" Kirk cut him off stating that he took the thorns himself and Spock answered. "I assure you, Captain, I had no intention of doing that. It was merely my own clumsiness which prevented me from moving out of the way."

Kirk told him to next time just yell and Saya smiled at the concern. Kirk then asked "Trying to get yourself killed. Do you know how much Starfleet has invested in you?" Spock of course answered 122,257 and Saya snickered quietly.

As they got up Saya softly whispered to Kirk "it was the same as you moving to protect me when the Horta brought the wall down on us." Kirk gave her an odd look before moving on to the problem at hand. Saya again mentally checked that Spock was ok. and smiled at his matter of fact response.

The sky darkened and lightning started to crack. It struck the other guard and he burned to ash instantly. Kirk called for everyone to find cover and grabbed Saya's wrist to make sure she found cover. She smiled at the sweet gesture but wondered about it.

Spock mentally informed her that many on the ship had grown fond of her presence and the Captain was no exclusion. Saya replied half mentally that it was also likely because Kirk loved Spock and therefore cared about her because Spock did. At Kirk's strange look she asked what and he told her "someone might questions your sanity if you keep appearing to talk to yourself in partial sentences as you are."

Saya laughed and Kirk nodded letting her know he knew who she was talking too. Chekov watched her puzzled before wondering if she was the Captain's briefly then casting that idea aside as she was always with Spock and rarely with Kirk unless it was with Spock. They came out as the storm left, quickly as it had come. One of the guards checked in with coordinates before the coms cut out.

Spock informed Kirk that the coordinates were located a short distance from them. they started to run in the direction indicated hoping to get there in time. They came up right as the guard was running towards them. He stepped on one of the rocks and it exploded. Saya barely flinched as she started to wonder what chaos would happen next. Kirk started to lament on his guilt over the deaths and Spock became the voice of reason.

"Captain. In each case, this was unavoidable. You are under orders to investigate this planet and this culture. No one has ever stated that Starfleet duty was particularly safe. You've followed the correct and logical course, done everything a commander could do. Self-recriminations" Spock reasoned and Saya smiled. She suddenly slipped into the brush as Spock quietly said "Captain, our friend is back."

Spock nodded briefly as he quietly told Kirk that they needed to make a distraction. Kirk started to sneak around the opposite side of Saya as Spock and Chekov got into a fake and very loud argument. Saya grabbed the man's wrist and moved to twist it but he was faster. He ran straight into Kirk who punched him in the face. To both of their astonishment the man began to cry.

Saya gently rested a hand against his arm and soothed him "we don't want to hurt you. Kirk just reacted automatically. He didn't mean to hit you. It's ok., we just wanted to find out who has been watching us." The man looked up to reveal tan skin, white hair and light blue eyes.

The man said that Kirk struck him with his hand and Kirk replied "Well, I won't strike you again. You've been following us, watching us. Why?" The man answered that he was the eyes of Vaal who must see and when Kirk asked who Vaal was the man replied that Vaal was Vaal and Vaal was everything.

Saya smiled kindly at him and asked for his name. He answered "I am Akuta. I am the leader of the feeders of Vaal." The others joined them and Saya soothingly patted Akuta's arm telling him it was ok. and that the others wouldn't hurt him. Spock was fascinated by the metal wires sticking out behind the man's ears and went to examine them.

Akuta explained "They are my ears for Vaal. They were given to me in the dim time so the people could understand his commands and obey." Kirk asked if the people of Vaal were nearby and Akuta answered "We are close to Vaal so we may serve him. I shall take you there." Kirk stepped aside to receive a transmission from Scotty and everyone else kept following Akuta a short distance.

Saya heard the condition red and got from Spock the information that a tractor beam of sorts had the ship. Saya smiled at how amazing his Vulcan ears were and felt his mild pride in that thought. Kirk asked Akuta about Vaal and he answered "All the world knows about Vaal. He causes the rains to fall and the sun to shine. All good comes from Vaal."

Kirk requested Akuta to take him to Vaal and he answered "I shall take you to him, but he will not speak to you. He speaks only to me." They again started out and Akuta brought them to what looked to be a stone snake head. It reminded Saya of the entrance to a roller coaster from her time. Spock and Kirk talked logistics for it as Saya slowly moved closer out of curiosity.

She was suddenly thrown back and Spock managed to catch her before she hit anything more painful. At Kirk's question of force field Spock answered 'Obviously' as he placed Saya on her feet again. Kirk asked if she was alright and she shrugged "just another new experience." She answered with a chuckle. Spock observed her a moment before returning his concentration to his tricorder. Akuta told them that Vaal slept but he would introduce them when Vaal was hungry.

Kirk asked when Vaal got hungry and Akuta answered "Soon. Come. We will give you food and drink. If you are tired, you may rest." They were lead to a village with others, all a red tan with white hair. Saya looked over one of the females who examined her in return. Kirk asked about children and Akuta told them that replacements were not necessary and forbidden by Vaal.

Saya asked what happened to prevent a couple in love from creating children and Akuta laughed about the strange words they used then asked what love was. Saya raised an eyebrow and thought of a proper reply. She tried to explain that people in love wanted to be together, to hold each other. Akuta cut her off saying "Ah, yes. The holding, the touching. Vaal has forbidden this."

McCoy commented "Well, there goes paradise." Saya found humor in it and felt Spock contemplating Vaal and his many rules. Akuta told the village to welcome them and they put something like a wire lei around the wrist of each person on the away team. Kirk commented that it did something for them and Spock replied that it made him uncomfortable.

Saya wondered at his dislike of any touch and Spock confirmed that he found it most unpleasant. She asked if it was culture, him specific or the touch telepathy and he informed her that it was culture and touch telepathy driving the culture. She then arched an eyebrow and commented that he never seemed to detest her touch like he had others, even early on though the first few times he had been uncomfortable.

Spock left the comment knowing that Saya wasn't asking a question. All of this transaction happened in their mind's without others even being aware of it. They were lead to a hut and notified that it was their home. Akuta did the hand gesture again telling them they were welcome in the place of Vaal. "You notice that there are many metal things in the woods that are shaped like a snake's tongue? And the hand gesture they use matches?" Saya commented quietly.

Chekov commented "Now we're welcome. A while ago this whole planet was trying to kill us. It doesn't make sense." As Kirk and Spock removed their wire lei's. Saya quickly collected them and started weaving them into a complex design with hers, waiting to know what to do next. Kirk called the enterprise and angrily ordered Scotty to get the ship out of orbit when Scotty informed him that the ship was going down. Scotty told him they were doing everything they could.

"Then use your imagination. Tie every ounce of power the ship has into the impulse engines. Discard the warp drive nacelles if you have to, and crack out of there with the main section, but get that ship out of there!" Kirk ordered.

McCoy reported "I just ran a thorough check on the natives, and there's a complete lack of harmful bacteria in their systems, no calcification, no degeneration of tissue, no arteriosclerosis. In simple terms, Jim, they're not growing old, and I can't begin to tell you how old they are, twenty years or twenty thousand years." Saya wondered if that was honestly something anyone would want but knew there were those who would.

Kirk asked Spock for his opinion and Spock gave it. "Quite possible. It checks with my atmospheric analysis. Their atmosphere completely negates any harmful effects from their sun." Kirk added that the simple diet, controlled temperature, lack of enemies and vices meant that they could very well live forever.

A gong was heard and everyone went outside to see what was going on. Kirk and Spock went to investigate where the villagers were going and Saya returned to the hut with the others. She smiled to herself at this part of their bond being quite helpful as she continued playing.

Saya felt Spock's exasperation at the doctor for his comments about humans being subjugated by a machine. Saya smiled as she heard half of the conversation. Both men had a point but honestly it was more about a conscious choice. The people needed to know what they served and what would happen if it was gone, then choose.

Saya heard a bunch of calculations from Spock that she didn't quite understand and started trying to block so he could think without her mental chaos. Spock, Kirk and McCoy returned as she finished making a little sculpture out of the lei's she had gotten. They sat and some ate fruit provided as each worked on the problem in their own way. Saya, knowing that she was less helpful in these situations started playing with anything in the room to create.

Spock watched her but knew it was how she dealt with her nervous energy and said nothing. Kirk pulled her down to sit because her constant movement was getting to him. "Ms. Saya, speculate. What would happen if someone on this planet died?" Kirk asked her.

Saya blinked a few times and started to think. She noticed Spock had put a barrier up so she would have a harder time getting the answer from his mind. "Well, Akuta mentioned replacements so I would be inclined to believe that a replacement would be furnished. However if the machine thing couldn't make it then it would have to allow a pair in the tribe to bread. That would cause unrest and longing in the tribe for love, mating, and children. That also questions if the machine would be able to provide such instruction."

Kirk gave her an approving nod as he handed her one of the blue apple looking fruit. Saya played with it in her hand for a bit before continuing. "The problem with that is that it would have to relay the information through Akuta. So either he would have to be the male in the pair or would know of it. No matter how the machine choose to go about it there would be serious complications with the tribe."

They waited but nothing seemed to develop Saya curled in a corner and fell asleep with many of the others, knowing Spock would wake her if needed. She woke some time later to Spock's alarm and him informing Kirk that the people of Vaal had disappeared. Kirk and Spock went to see about Vaal and Saya stayed in the hut with the others.

Saya was pacing quietly when she suddenly let out a small grunt and crumpled. Taking a deep breath she controlled the waves of pain from Spock so she wouldn't be overwhelmed. She opened her eyes to see McCoy trying to get a response from her and she whispered "Mr. Spock's hurt." Through gritted teeth. She then moved to a mat and sat, meditating to control the pain enough to be able to put her mental barrier up.

McCoy went to check Spock as Spock managed to get his pain under control. Saya heard Kirk call out to their guard and quickly came out of the hut to aid any way she could. She saw the village men wielding heavy branches, intent on harm. Saya ducked one taking a swing at her, grabbed his arm and flipped him before kicking another in the face.

In mere moments the whole thing was over and Kirk ordered the villagers to be held in the hut. Saya picked up one of their makeshift clubs and commandingly guarded the villagers to the hut. She knew the guard had been killed and that Spock had gotten 2nd degree burns from being struck by lightning but was concentrating on how to manage the men if they choose to attack again.

Saya stood guard with Chekov as Kirk contemplated how to deal with a ship that was going down. Suddenly the gong from Vaal was heard and the villagers attempted to leave. Saya and Chekov forced them back into the hut, not allowing them to leave and feed Vaal. Kirk left with Spock to deal with Vaal, instructing McCoy, Chekov and Saya to not allow the villagers to feed Vaal, no matter what.

Saya watched the sky darken and heard the lightning. She continued to stare coldly at the villagers as they begged to feed Vaal. After some time Kirk and Spock returned informing the villagers of Vaal's death. Akuta confirmed it and Kirk explained to them how to take care of themselves.

It wasn't long before they returned to the ship again and were on their way to their next destination. Saya watched as McCoy and Spock argued about what good or not good they had done for the people of Gamma Trianguli 6. Kirk joined and put in his 2 cents "Well, that's a good object lesson, Mister Spock. It's an example of what can happen when a machine becomes too efficient, does too much work for you."

Spock brought up the story of Genesis, Adam and Eve pointing out "in a manner of speaking, we have given the people of Vaal the apple, the knowledge of good and evil if you will, as a result of which they too have been driven out of paradise."

Kirk asked if he understood that Spock was casting him in the role of Satan and Spock said "Not at all, Captain." Saya could see the teasing glint in their eyes as they circled Spock and asked if there was anyone who remotely looked like Satan on the ship and Spock answered "I am not aware of anyone who fits that description, Captain."

Kirk and McCoy walked off laughing as Kirk said he didn't think Spock would be. Saya raised an eyebrow at the exchange but knew that all parties were just participating in a joke. Saya walked with Spock back to their room and waited for him to take his shirt off. McCoy had given her something to put on Spock's back to help with residual pain after treating the 2nd degree burn and she was not taking 'no' for an answer.

Spock tried to inform her that it was unneeded as Vulcans did not acknowledge pain and Saya stared at him a few moments before saying "Mr. Spock, I am aware that you don't choose to accept it. However you feel it, that means I feel it and I'd rather do something about it. Would that not be the more logical choice?" Spock looked at her a moment before removing his shirt and sitting on their bed. Saya sat behind him and gently applied the ointment McCoy had given her.

*END*