Chapter 22

Three weeks later, Chuck was again observing Spock and Young work out. It appeared to Chuck that Spock had made no progress, and was still being tossed to the floor all the time. As he continued to watch, it seemed that Young was having to work at it a little harder, but maybe he was imagining it. And Young was definitely still in full control, never giving Spock a chance to do anything.

Afterwards Chuck went to Spock's quarters. They had asked for his assistance with Young's project that night. He entered to find Young sprawled on Spock's bed. Spock sat on the floor and offered Chuck the chair. It seemed to Chuck that these two were very comfortable with each other. Different than with Kirk and Spock, but as open, without secrets.

"Thank you for coming, Chuck. We asked you because, other than Dr. McCoy, you are the only one who knows we are doing this. And you seemed less disapproving than he."

"I don't disapprove at all, but before we get started, can I ask you a couple of questions about those sessions in the gym?"

"Sure. Ask away," Young offered.

"My impression is that Spock isn't making any progress. Why are you still trying?"

"Because Spock wants me to. Spock, you want to tell him more?"

"While there is no visible progress, it is not quite true that there is no progress. The Captain has had to continually change his strategy, so that I cannot tell what he will do simply by established patterns. Also, I have had to erect mental shields, so that I cannot sense his presence mentally."

"But I thought you said that's what you were trying to do."

"Sense his presence, yes, but not mentally. We have melded frequently enough that I can sense his mind when we are in the same room. I would have no such advantage with an enemy. I must be able to sense his movements without benefit of sight, sound, or mental reception. When I can do that, I will be able to counter those movements."

"And are you making any progress?"

"I have learned many things which do not work."

"Captain, how do you feel about doing this to Spock?"

"I greatly enjoy working with Spock, and I would enjoy it equally if he were the one winning all the time. Winning is, in a sense, irrelevant. This is something we are doing together, in spite of what it looks like. Just as what we do in here is a joint project, not something he does to me."

"Thank you. No further questions. What do you want me to do?"

Spock replied. "We have reached a plateau in the Captain's learning. To move on, we need a sighted person to administer the pain. Do you have experience with this device?"

"Yes. It's a standard part of the training for security officers."

"I have taken the liberty of modifying this unit to produce double the normal output. Captain, please give the device to Chuck."

Young rose in a fluid motion, like a dancer, handed the unit to Chuck, and returned to sprawl on the bed, the picture of relaxed unconcern.

"Are you as unconcerned about this as you look?"

"Possibly not quite, but my reason for concern is not what you think. I have never been afraid of pain. Learning to override my body's instinctive response to it is a real challenge. But I am learning, and I thank you for being willing to help."

"Chuck, turn on the device, set the power to max, and turn the dial up to ten."

Chuck complied, and touched the unit to his hand. Instinctively, his hand jerked away. He did it again, and forced himself to keep the hand in contact with the unit for several seconds.

"Wow! You guys are pretty serious about this!"

"Yes, we are." Young smiled.

Spock went on. "Chuck, I recall an occasion not too long ago when you were concerned about having inflicted pain on Captain Kirk. Is that likely to be a concern here as well?"

"Well, I've learned a thing or two since then, so I don't think so. But I'll let you know if it's a problem."

"Very well then. Please touch Captain Young's skin with the device, and do not stop until I tell you to. Report any pain-related behavior you observe, and advise me at once if the Captain loses consciousness."

Chuck began, and Young just smiled at him. No jerks, twitches, nothing. If Chuck hadn't just tested the thing on himself, he would have wondered if it was working. Some ten minutes later, Young spoke.

"Spock, he's being too nice. He hasn't done anything yet that you couldn't have done. He's hardly strayed off my chest."

"Chuck, imagine this is an enemy whose secrets you must have. Torture him until he breaks."

"This would be easier if he'd stop smiling at me."

"Captain, close your eyes."

Chuck altered his attack to include face, hands, feet, even his antennae. Young's control wasn't perfect; he occasionally shuddered. Chuck picked up his speed, and Young's control cracked some more. After thirty minutes, Spock moved Young off the bed. He knelt on the floor with his arms raised, elbows bent, hands up. By no means a relaxed position, Young's control was drastically reduced. Chuck worked him over for another half hour. Young shook almost constantly. As time went on, he jerked with every touch. By the time Spock called a halt, Young was rigid with tension. Had it gone on much longer, he might have even been screaming and clawing the floor.

Young rose, put the device away, and sat on the bed.

"Report," Spock ordered.

"Control needs a lot of work, but no sign of losing consciousness. And you were right, Spock, it's very different with someone else doing it."

"Chuck, anything to add?"

"My impression was that he was close to losing control completely."

"I was, but that's major progress. To be able to feel that much pain without retreating into unconsciousness is more than I could have done when we began."

They did it again each night that week. Young got so he could take whatever Chuck dished out without any visible response. So they thanked him for his help, and said they would be pursuing another area of experimentation that wouldn't require assistance. Chuck didn't ask what that might be. And the sessions in the gym continued without interruption or change.

xxxx

One morning Sullivan announced that the response to his report had not been favorable. The panel was instructed to remain another three months. The higher-ups wanted concrete evidence. And 'no' was apparently not an acceptable answer.

"How are we supposed to find evidence that isn't there to be found?" Lila wanted to know.

"I don't know," Sullivan replied. "But I'll tell you this. We're not going to make it up out of thin air. If it's here, we'll find it; if it's not, we won't. My superior thinks their behavior may change if we hang around long enough. I got the impression he thought they could fake it for three months, but not six. So we'll see."

xxxx

The next week, Chuck made an internal decision. He scheduled a late-night meeting with Spock. This time, Spock came to Chuck's quarters.

"Come in, Spock. Thanks for agreeing to see me at such a late hour."

"It is not a problem. I have no other commitments this evening."

"How is your work with Young coming along?" Chuck asked.

"He continues to make progress. He is an exceptional student."

"And the sessions in the gym?"

"Getting closer. On several occasions recently, I have sensed his presence, but not soon enough. I must know what he will do before he does it," Spock declared.

"My impression is that the two of you are developing quite a close friendship."

"Yes, we are. It has been easier than I expected."

"You told Kirk you were going to. Spock-" pause, "how long has it been? He couldn't still be alive."

"Captain Kirk has been in the hands of the Klingons for over two months. I do not know how he has survived, but I know he is alive."

Chuck shook his head. "Spock, I want to believe you, but how can you know?"

"Due to our long association and frequent mind-melds, I can sense his existence from long distances. More than once, over the years, I have heard him call for help. I am certain I would sense his death. I would also sense it if he were in great emotional stress. Fourteen days after his capture, I felt his mind stripped, probably by the mindsifter. I expected to feel him die. But within a few hours, his mind was restored. Seven days later, it happened again. That time his mind was not restored for a week. On neither occasion was he emotionally distressed. And nothing since then has distressed him. Does this detail help you to believe that Jim is alive?"

"Yes, thank you, it does." He gestured Spock to the desk chair, while he returned to the bunk. "But this is not why I wanted to talk with you. Are you aware the panel has been ordered to spend another three months?"

"Lt. C'dre Sullivan made the announcement in the officers' meeting last week."

"I had been holding off pursuing this with you, because the panel members were instructed to remain as neutral as possible. But I'm done remaining neutral. Kirk showed me the power of God in his jail cell. You shared with me your conversation with God three months ago. I didn't tell you at the time, but listening to you pray, I wanted to know the person you were talking to. So, I don't know if it's possible, but I want you to tell me what I can do to get what you have - and I'm not talking about the power, though that's spectacular. I'm talking about the relationship."

That night, Spock led Chuck to the Lord.

xxxx

For the next week, Chuck was higher than a kite. He went around with a silly grin on his face all the time, and he didn't care who knew he was now a Christian, including Sullivan.

"Sir, I don't care what you do to me. I'm now a Christian, and you can't take it away from me. If that disqualifies me as an observer, so be it."

Sullivan sighed. "No, Chuck, I'm not happy about it, mind you, but Sam and Gliff are both ahead of you. If it gets Lila too, I wouldn't have anybody left."

"You could try it yourself, sir. I'm telling you, it's the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me. I'm sorry Starfleet is scared of it, but it's going to spread, no matter what they do."

xxxx

Chuck was baptized two weeks later, along with thirty others. It was the first such since Kirk had left. The others gathered there felt his absence much more keenly than Chuck did. Scotty officiated.

"Will those desiring baptism please join me in the water? Spock, I'd be pleased if ye'd assist me."

Chuck jumped into the pool next to Sam. Gliff was over by the steps. Tellarites apparently were not fond of water. Scotty continued as Spock waded out to join him.

"Before we begin, I think it appropriate to honor one who is not amongst us, but to whom we owe so much. Let us have a moment of silence as we remember Captain James T. Kirk."

Spock jumped into the silence. "Captain Kirk is not dead, but even if he were, he would not want you to mourn. This is a day for rejoicing. If he could, he would tell you to laugh - enjoy yourselves. Have a wonderfully joyous time!"

And Spock deliberately splashed water all over Scotty.

"Spock! I'll git ye fer that!" And Scotty splashed him back.

Spock pushed him over, then allowed Scotty to dunk him. Some watched horrified that such a serious occasion should be treated so lightly by those in charge. Chuck just laughed with delight. Sulu and Uhura did too. Chekov was on the Bridge. Sullivan watched with stony face.

Scotty calmed down and addressed himself to the baptisms. But Spock had succeeded in dispelling the gloom in the atmosphere. Chuck was impressed. When it was Chuck's turn, he found that it was a highly emotional experience. He laughed; he cried; he babbled; he felt drunk. It was a good thing he didn't have to be coherent, except for answering the questions with a very loud 'yes.'

Afterwards there was a free-for-all in the pool. With wall-to-wall bodies, nobody was swimming. The primary entertainment seemed to be dunking the newly baptized. Typically someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him over backwards. Sometimes they held him under for several seconds before allowing him to surface. Chuck never resisted and always came up laughing. Spock and Sulu each got him three times. Uhura thought they were being too mean.

"You guys knock it off! And stop holding him under! You're making me nervous!"

"Aw, c'mon," Sulu replied. "We're just havin' fun!"

Chuck was dunked again, this time by Scotty. He came up laughing again, and looked at Uhura.

"I don't mind, really. It's fun! They can dunk me as many times as they want. As initiation hazing, this is easy!"

"Is that what you think this is?"

"Isn't it?"

"I guess it is; I just never thought of it in those terms. Captain Kirk started the tradition. That first time, he dunked everybody he could get his hands on. We finally ganged up on him, and dunked him twenty times in a row. He was laughing so much, he took in a lot of water. Dr. McCoy finally made us stop; said we were drowning him. The Captain didn't care; he was still laughing."

"I know exactly how he felt. Right now, you could do anything to me, and I would laugh."

So they dunked him a few more times, just for fun.