copyright December 1996 to Laurie D. Haynes and LoneStar Trek No reprints without permission of the author. Archiving allowed. No license infringement intended on any holder of Star Trek licenses, including Paramount and Viacom. GOING HOME AGAIN by Laurie D. Haynes Kirk rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stood up wearily as the voice over the intercom announced, "We have now arrived at the Chicago Interplanetary Terminal." On either side of him, McCoy and Spock eyed their captain with concern as they all prepared to leave the Earth shuttle. The recent mission on Neural had been physically hard on all of them. Mentally and emotionally, Kirk was still trying to accept the fact that he had nearly condemned his friend Tyree and the hill people to a life of war with their neighbors. That he had managed to get the two sides to make peace -- at least temporarily -- made Kirk feel somewhat better, but he couldn't help but feel that he'd contributed to the death of innocence. Spock noted the troubled look in his friend's eyes and touched him lightly on the arm. "Jim? Are you all right?" Kirk shook himself out of his reverie and replied, "Fine." He grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment. McCoy caught Spock's eye, frowned, and he and the Vulcan claimed their own bags and followed Kirk out of the shuttle into the spaceport. They rented an aircar and flew to Kirk's family home, just outside Riverside, Iowa. Kirk expertly set the aircar down on the front lawn. Through the windshield, he could see his mother walking swiftly toward them. With a whoosh, the aircar door opened. Kirk stepped out and wrapped his arms around his mother in an enthusiastic hug. He kissed her gently on a cheek wet with tears. "Mom." Kirk's voice wavered, and he couldn't continue. "Jim, it's so good to have you home, Son. Two years is a long time!" "I know, Mom, but when you're on the other side of the galaxy..." He shrugged, knowing he didn't have to explain further, then changed the subject. Where's Peter?" "He's visiting his mother's family. He should be home in a couple of weeks." Kirk nodded and wiped away her tears. Keeping one arm around his mother, he introduced her to his friends, now standing patiently beside them. "Mom, this is Leonard McCoy, my chief medical officer." She took both McCoy's hands in her own and smiled warmly. "Welcome to the Kirk farm, Doctor McCoy. I want to thank you for keeping this boy of mine in one piece." "Pleased to meet you ma'am," McCoy replied, exuding his best southern charm. "Keepin' Jim in one piece is practically impossible." McCoy grinned. "He has a talent for attracting trouble. Puttin' the pieces back together is more my specialty." She shook her head, smiling. "Jim always was reckless, even as a boy. I'd hoped he'd change." "I wish I could tell you he had, Mrs. Kirk, but..." "Call me Winona," she urged. He nodded his agreement. "I'm Leonard." Kirk rolled his eyes. "This is Spock, my first officer. He's pulled my tail out of the fire more than once." Winona eyed the Vulcan nervously, but gave him a tentative smile and said, "Our home is your home, Mister Spock." She extended her hand to him, then, remembering at the last minute Vulcans didn't like to be touched, withdrew it, and nodded politely. Spock bowed slightly. Thank you, Mrs. Kirk. I am honored." * * * * * * * * That evening, they sat around the kitchen table drinking coffee. Kirk's mind wandered as McCoy chatted with Winona. After a while, he shook his head and returned his attention to his mother's conversation. He glanced at Spock and realized the Vulcan had been watching him. Ignoring his friend, Kirk asked, "Mom why's it so quiet around here? This time of year, there's usually people and agri-drones all over your fields. From the air, we didn't see much activity." Winona sighed. "We've been having a few problems. Seems like every time I turn around, another machine has gone down or another hand has quit." Jim's eyes narrowed, "I get the impression you don't feel this is all coincidence." "Well, I don't have any proof, but there's a corporation that's been pressuring a lot of farmers around here to sell out." "Have they been pressuring you?" her son asked, his eyes focused intensely upon her. "They have sent a man by three times with an offer," she answered, using both hands to push her graying blond hair away from her face. Spock cocked an eyebrow and spoke. "Are the offers fair ones, Mrs. Kirk?" "More than fair. But I don't want to sell. This is my home. It's all I have left of George." Spock seemed puzzled. "As I understand it, your husband spent most of his adult life in space. He spent very little time here." "Dammit, Spock,' McCoy snapped. "Do you have to be so unfeeling?" "I meant no offense, Mrs. Kirk, but is this not only land?" "Spock," Kirk spoke softly, "Mom's family has owned this farm for three generations, and she raised a family here." Spock nodded his comprehension. "A matter of tradition." "Yes, but it's more than that," she explained earnestly. "I love this place." Spock merely raised his eyebrow again. <> Winona thought. <> Her son's voice caught her attention. "How many of the agri-drones are broken down?" Winona grimaced. "Three." "Have you called a repair tech?" "I called both of the ones in Riverside", she sighed. "They said they're too busy. I've sent for one in Iowa City, who says he can come down in a couple of weeks." "Spock and I will take a look at them for you." "Jim, one of them all but blew up -- hurt one of my hired hands badly. He quit." "What about the others?" Winona rested her chin on both hands and looked up at her son, her hazel eyes full of weariness. "They quit, too. Said they'd got a better job offer -- that I couldn't possibly match the salary they were being offered. They went to work for the same corporation that's trying to buy me out. Agricorp is the company. Some of the men had been with me for years. " She brushed a hand across her tearing eyes. Jim reached out and cupped her cheek. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll see if I can't get this straightened out. Has this 'Agricorp' got an office in town?" She nodded, got up, pulled a holo-card from a drawer and handed it to her son. He noted the name of the representative -- John Dryer. "I'll have a talk with these people." Winona exhaled heavily. "I doubt if it will do any good." McCoy chuckled. "Jim can be pretty persuasive when he sets his mind to it." Winona smiled and her eyes twinkled. "I know. I remember all the times when he was a boy and he'd talk me into letting him stay out late stargazing." She grinned at her son. "Funny, how often this stargazing was done in the company of a girl -- and then he was forever persuading me to let him go into Chicago to see the space ships take off." Her smile faded and she turned to her son. "Be careful. Someone beat up Jerry Mills last week. It was just after this Dryer had paid him a visit. Jerry didn't want to sell. Two days after the beating, though, he did sell his farm -- to Agricorp." Kirk's eyes sparked with anger. "Has anyone threatened you?" "Not exactly, but Dryer said running this farm would no doubt soon become too much for me." "I definitely want to talk to this Dryer character," Jim said, then stretched and yawned. Winona looked her son over with an appraising eye. "I'm sorry for getting you involved in all this. I can see how tired you are. You came here on leave -- to rest. Maybe I should just sell." "No! If you want to keep this place, then you'll keep it. Nobody's going to force you to sell if you don't want to." He continued in a quiet voice, "I'll see to it." Winona put her hand over that of her son. "I'm glad you're here, Jim." Kirk gave her a one-sided grin. He scooted his chair back from the table, picked up the coffee cups, and inserted them into the recycler for cleaning. He regarded Spock and McCoy. "I don't know about you two, but I'm bushed. I'm going to bed." Winona rose from the table, as did the two guests. "Jim, your old room is ready for you. Show Leonard to Sam's -- I mean Peter's room, and put Mister Spock in the guest room." As she watched the three men trudge up the stairs, Winona admitted to herself, <> She felt a warm presence near her, and was comforted. * * * * * * * * Kirk was soon asleep, despite his worries -- the sounds and smells of his old home lulling him to sleep. He dreamed of a crisp fall morning in his childhood, of playing anti-grav football with his father and brother -- on one of his father's rare leaves at home. * * * * * * * * * The captain awoke early the next morning at the time he'd normally get up on the Enterprise. He pulled on his Starfleet bathrobe and made his way down the hall to the bathroom, where he luxuriated for a long time in the hot, steaming shower. Kirk stepped out and stood in front of the sink, smoothing a depilatory on his beard, rinsing it away, then brushing his teeth. He emerged from the bathroom and noted McCoy and Spock weren't up, yet. Looking in the chest of drawers in his bedroom, he produced a pair of faded jeans. He slipped them on, pleased to see they still fit. He drew a sweatshirt over his head and pulled on a pair of soft work boots. Heading down the stairs, Kirk picked up the distinct aroma of frying bacon. Running his hand down the mahogany bannister, he grinned at the memory of him and Sam as young boys, sliding down the railing. He chuckled to himself, remembering how his mother would scold them. Kirk went into the kitchen and requested a cup of coffee from the servo. Coffee in hand, he gave his mother, cooking at the old stove, a hug. "Smells wonderful, Mom. I'm starved!" He suddenly thought of Spock and punched an order into the servo for oatmeal and fruit. His mother looked at him questioningly. "What's the matter, bacon and eggs not enough for you?" "It's fine for me and Bones, but Spock's a vegetarian." "Oh." Figures he'd be finicky. Jim smiled, but missed the disapproving look in her eyes as she turned back to her cooking. Spock and McCoy soon appeared on the scene. "How do you like your eggs, Leonard?" "Over easy, ma'am. God, Jim, I can't remember the last time I had honest-to-goodness home cookin'!" Winona set plates of bacon and eggs in front of McCoy and Kirk. She took the oatmeal and fruit from the servo and gave it to the Vulcan. Spock thanked her, then asked, "Why do you not use the servo for all the food preparation, Mrs. Kirk? The mechanism is very efficient." Winona stiffened as she answered coolly. "It so happens, Mister Spock, that I enjoy cooking -- especially for my son and his ... friends." Spock raised an eyebrow. Sensing her change in mood, he fell silent. Kirk covered his eyes with his hand. He could feel a headache starting. McCoy glared at Spock, who didn't seem to notice. * * * * * * * * Later, Kirk and Spock inspected the broken down agri-drones. The first one they looked at was sitting out in the middle of a field. Kirk tested the circuits, while Spock used his tricorder to check out the programming. As they worked, they were unaware of two men watching them from a distant clump of trees. The men studied them through binoc-viewers. One of them nodded to the other, who held a small device in his hand. The man pointed the device in the direction of the agri-drone and pushed a button. The agri-drone's circuits exploded in a shower of sparks. Kirk cried out as his hands were enveloped in flame. He fell back, holding his injured hands out in front of him. Spock immediately helped him to his feet and guided him a safe distance away from the drone. With a loud boom, the agri-drone burst into towering flames. Kirk sank to the ground and peered up at Spock. "You all right?" he asked through clenched teeth. "I am fine," Spock assured him, kneeling down beside his captain. "Let me see your hands." Kirk winced with pain as Spock gently took his hands and examined them. The hands were badly burned -- blistered and bleeding. The Vulcan's concern was evident in his face as Kirk watched him. As the initial shock wore off, the burns began to cause considerable pain. Spock noted Kirk's white face and his trembling efforts to control the pain. The Vulcan's sharp hearing detected someone approaching, and he spun around to see McCoy and Mrs. Kirk running toward them. "Jim!" exclaimed both McCoy and Winona when they saw him down on the ground. Spock stood up and moved aside so the doctor could examine Kirk. Spock's face regained its impassive Vulcan expression, but worry still shone in his eyes. "We heard the explosion," McCoy explained as he examined Kirk's hands. "Winona was afraid it was the drone, so I grabbed my medikit and we headed out here." He ran his scanner over Kirk's hands. "Second and third degree burns. You're going to require some serious skin regeneration." The doctor sprayed a soothing anesthetic on the hands. Winona, kneeling on the opposite side of Kirk, smoothed the damp hair away from her son's forehead. "Does it hurt much?" Kirk shook his head tersely, but McCoy consulted his scanner. "Tell the truth, now, Jim; it hurts like hell, doesn't it? The pain readings are pretty high." The captain attempted a grin, but didn't answer. Neither did he refuse the pain-killing hypo McCoy pressed to his arm. Kirk relaxed noticeably as the medication took effect. McCoy and Spock each grasped an arm and pulled Kirk to feet. When they released him, he swayed and would have fallen had his friends not grabbed him. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Feel groggy -- the shot." "We need to get you to a hospital. There's only so much I can do with this medikit." Jim lifted his chin and looked McCoy in the eye. "No. Got to help Mom. It can wait." Winona had tears in her eyes. "Jim, you're more important to me than this farm. Listen to Doctor McCoy." "I'll be okay. Bones is the best doctor there is." McCoy sighed. "It's no use, Winona. When he makes up his mind about something like this, there's no changing it." As Spock and McCoy guided Kirk back to the house, the Vulcan said, "Jim, this was no accident." Kirk nodded and replied quietly, "I know." * * * * * * * * * They got Kirk back to the house and settled him in his bed. McCoy administered a sedative, and waited until his friend was asleep before proceeding. Setting his laser scissors to their finest setting, the doctor began to cut away the burned, dead skin. He then sprayed on a silvadene/antibiotic salve and bandaged the hands. McCoy turned to Spock and Winona, sitting quietly. "He really needs to rest, now. He hasn't been doin' much of that lately -- at least not till he came home." Mrs. Kirk moved over to sit on the edge of her son's bed. She reached out and caressed his cheek. "I really shouldn't have involved him in this trouble. This is all my fault." Spock surprised her by speaking, "The fault belongs to the ones who sabotaged the drone. Jim is correct. You should not be forced from your home." The Vulcan got up and approached the bed, then stood staring down at his sleeping friend. Winona glanced up at him in confusion -- hardly able to believe Spock was actually saying that. For a moment, she thought she saw a quick look of compassion pass over the Vulcan's features. When she looked again, his face was impassive as ever. When he caught Mrs. Kirk watching him, he turned and left the room. Winona shook her head in dismay and redirected her attention to her son. She picked up the blanket lying at the foot of the bed and spread it over him tenderly. * * * * * * * * * Several hours later, Spock, McCoy, and Winona sat at the table eating dinner. McCoy finished the last bite of his meal, then leaned back and remarked, "I believe that's the best vegetable stew I've ever had. Right, Spock?" Before the Vulcan could speak, a shuffling on the stairs drew their attention, and they looked up as Jim made his way into the dining room, holding his injured hands against his chest. "How do you feel, Jim?" asked the doctor. "Hungry!" Kirk answered. "What smells so good, Mom?" "Stew. I'll fix you some, you just sit down and rest." Winona brought the bowl of stew and Kirk soon discovered he was unable to hold a spoon in his bandaged hands. His mother pulled up a chair next to him, dipped the spoon in the stew and lifted it to his lips. Kirk frowned slightly, but shrugged and opened his mouth. Winona grinned at him. "Just don't you spit it out all over me like you used to do when you were a baby." She laughed. "I swear you used to do it just for mischief's sake." Jim blushed and gave her a stern look. Winona ceased the teasing, but retained the smile. Jim caught McCoy's eye, daring him to make a comment. Kirk couldn't help noticing the dancing laughter in the doctor's eyes. In between mouthfuls of stew, Kirk carried on a conversation with Spock, "I think we're overdue for a talk with John Dryer. Tomorrow, we'll take the aircar into town and see him. Thing I can't figure, though, is why they want all the land around here. Sure it's good farmland, but it seems unlikely that would be their only reason for trying to buy it all up. I wish we had the resources of the Enterprise -- we could run a mineral scan." "Your thinking is quite logical. However, another possibility is they want this land for development." "Minerals seem more likely, Spock. Iowa isn't exactly known for its balmy climate and tourist trade." "I believe I can understand why," commented Spock. Kirk chuckled and pointed out, "Neither is Vulcan a thriving tourist center. Besides, fall is a nice time of year around here. The weather is quite mild." "It gets colder?" "Well below zero in the winter." Jim had to laugh when Spock's eyebrows drew together. "Don't worry, we'll be long gone before then." A look of infinite sadness swept over Winona's face. <> Her mind drifted back over the years to when Jim was a small boy. <> Winona smiled at the warm memory. Getting up from the table, Kirk bumped one of his bandaged hands, and clenched his teeth in pain. He stood still for a moment, cradling his hand and waiting for the pain to pass. McCoy reached into his pocket and drew out a bottle of pills. He shook one out and handed it to Kirk, who scowled, but took it anyway, washing it down with the cup of coffee the doctor held for him. After a few minutes, the pill began to take effect and Kirk sighed in relief. "Thanks, Bones, you're a wonder." "Pain pills aren't gonna heal those hands, Jim. I wish you'd listen to me and check into a hospital." Kirk ignored him and turned his attention to his first officer. "Spock, why don't you use Mom's computer to tie in with the memory banks at Starfleet Headquarters. See what you can dig up on Agricorp -- and John Dryer." "Very well, Captain. Mrs. Kirk, if you will show me to your computer, I will begin my inquiries." "This way, Mr. Spock," Winona replied, rising from the table. Spock worked in the farm office as Kirk and McCoy chatted with Winona. Finally, the Vulcan called Kirk over to the computer to see the information readout there. "I could find out nothing on John Dryer, but as you can see, Captain, Agricorp is a company which has significant holdings in real estate -- all farmland. They have been buying up inexpensive land in Indiana and Illinois, as well as Iowa." "But why?" Kirk asked, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "What does all this real estate have in common?" "Unknown, other than it is inexpensive and it is good farmland." "Well," said Kirk, thinking, "unless some mineral has been discovered in these areas that was never detected before, then they must have some sort of development in mind. We still don't know anything more than we did. We'll just have to ask around town." * * * * * * * * * The following day, armed with pain pills and accompanied by McCoy's protests, Kirk and Spock flew into Riverside. They parked the aircar outside the Agricorp office, walked inside and asked for John Dryer. The receptionist hesitated for a moment before calling his boss. "Who shall I say wants to see him?" asked the receptionist. "James Kirk. I want to discuss the offer he made for my mother's farm." Kirk glanced fondly at the Vulcan. "Mister Spock is The receptionist's attitude changed and he immediately became helpful. He signaled Dryer and informed him of his visitors. Following the subsequent orders, the receptionist showed Kirk and Spock into Dryer's office. Dryer was a very ordinary looking man, except for his piercing dark eyes. He started to shake hands with Kirk, but noticed the captain's bandaged hands, and instead, sat back in his simu-leather chair, indicating his guests should sit as well. "You're quite the hero around here, Captain Kirk," Dryer commented. "You seem a bit young to have done everything they say." "I have no idea what they say, but the Enterprise has seen a lot of action," Kirk replied. Dryer smiled and nodded at Kirk's bandaged hands. "So it would seem." Kirk held his hands up. "Interestingly enough, this didn't happen on duty. I had a little accident on the farm. An agri-drone exploded." "You don't say," remarked Dryer mildly. "One should be more careful. All kinds of accidents can happen around the home." Spock watched the man closely. "We are certain the drone was sabotaged." "Really! I assume you took your evidence to the police?" "We had none." "And here I thought Vulcans prided themselves on their use of logic and fact." Dryer grinned slightly. Kirk interrupted. "I've come to tell you my mother does not want to sell. If anything happens to her or the farm, I will hold you accountable." "Oh come now, Captain Kirk, there's no need to make threats. We're peaceful businessmen." Spock fixed Dryer with a steely gaze. "Then it should interest you that my captain is also a peaceful man ... but he always keeps his promises." "I'll keep that in mind, Mister Spock. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another appointment." Dryer's expression was pleasant, but his eyes sparked threateningly. Kirk and Spock departed Agricorp and stopped at a tavern marked with a red griffin. "An old friend of mine runs this, Spock. We used to play football together in school. This place was always a hangout for the locals. If you ever wanted to know anything, you just came here, and somebody would have the information." The two Starfleet officers walked in the door. The Vulcan received numerous suspicious glances from the patrons. After a moment, though, they recognized Kirk and several of them came up to him, smiling and joking. "Well if it isn't our own galactic hero, Jim Kirk!" remarked a ruddy faced young man that Kirk introduced as Bill Sanders. Kirk smiled back warmly. "Hello, Bill. How are you? How's your aircar repair business going?" "Pretty good, Jim. Business is booming ever since Agricorp came to town." Kirk exchanged a glance with the Vulcan at the mention of the corporation. "Bill, this is my friend and first officer, Spock. We're trying to find out some information about Agricorp. They've made my mother an offer on the farm and we're trying to find out more about them -- like how reliable is their offer?" "All I know is they've got plenty of money and they don't mind spreading it around," Sanders replied. "My advice to your mom is to sell the place." He noted Kirk's bandaged hands and pointed at them. "Now, see, that's what you get for playing galactic hero. Give me the quiet security of my garage any day!" Spock started to correct Sanders, but caught Kirk's almost imperceptible shake of the head. The captain chuckled. "You know me, never content with the quiet life." Sanders laughed in agreement. "Yeah, I remember when you played ball. I swear I never saw another quarterback take such risks!" "If you'll remember, though, when I was quarterback, we won State two years in a row." "True. Look, I've got to run, now, it's my wife's turn to make dinner tonight, and it should be ready by now. We're supposed to go to my daughter's ball game, later. She's the quarterback on the freshman team! Damn good, too!" "That's great. Goodbye, Bill, see you around." Sanders made his way out of the tavern, stopping twice to talk to other friends. "Captain," Spock commented, "It would seem the people here have a preoccupation with sporting events." "All sports are a big deal around here, Spock, but football is dearest to their hearts. Maybe we'll take in the game, later. You might find it ... fascinating." The Vulcan raised a dubious eyebrow and followed Kirk to the bar. The bartender brushed a strand of red hair from her eyes as she turned to wait on her latest customers. Her eyes widened as she recognized Kirk. "Jim! I didn't know you were in town. How long are you here for?" "A couple of weeks." Kirk introduced Spock to Jenna Griffin, who nodded politely. The captain looked around the tavern. "Where's Jay?" Jenna's eyes suddenly filled with tears and the smile left her face. "He was killed two months ago in a aircar wreck." "I'm sorry. I hadn't heard." His eyes softened and he lightly touched the back of her hand with the tips of his fingers. "Are you all right?" She sighed and wiped the back of her hand along her eyes, drying them. "I'm okay. The tavern keeps me too busy to think about it much." Jenna pointed at Jim's hands. "Rough mission?" Kirk shook his head. "No, actually I hurt them working on one of Mom's agri-drones. Damn thing exploded." "There've been a lot of strange accidents around here lately," Jenna commented, "including Jay's wreck." "I've heard about some of them," Jim admitted. "I've also heard the name Agricorp mentioned. What do you know about them?" "Other than a few farmers, everybody in town thinks they're a heaven send. They've given high-paying jobs to half the people here just to promote the company and to work for them when they start planting, and they've been spending a lot of money buying up area farms." Spock thought for a moment, then asked, "Mrs. Griffin, have they indicated what crops they intend to raise?" "Primarily, quadro-titricale, they say. Claim the land and climate around here are perfect for it, so that's why they're buying up the farms." "What of the people who do not wish to sell?" queried the Vulcan. "Well, there's not many of those, but eventually they come around. Jay's folks, did, after he died." Kirk's eyebrows drew together. "Tell me about Jay's accident, Jenna." She took a deep breath. "He was on his way back from his parents' farm when something malfunctioned on the aircar and it crashed. Just the day before, Agricorp had been out there, trying to get the Griffins to sell. They wanted to keep the place for Jay and any children we might have." "Let me guess," said Jim, leaning on the bar. "After Jay was killed, they didn't have the heart to keep it any more. They no longer had a reason." Jenna nodded. "Mrs. Griffin," Spock inquired, "Have the authorities investigated any of these accidents?" She shook her head. "No, they're like everybody else around here -- drunk on prosperity. Anyway, I'm sick of hearing and talking about Agricorp. You two want something to drink?" "Just a couple of club sodas with lime, Jenna." "Are you planning on looking into this Agricorp business?" Jenna asked, eying Kirk shrewdly while she prepared the drinks. Kirk nodded. "In that case, the drinks are on the house," she told him, setting the drinks on the bar. "But be careful, Jim. A lot of people around here wouldn't be very happy to see Agricorp leave." "Prosperity at the expense of others' lives is obscene," Kirk said vehemently. He reached for his glass and grimaced when he applied pressure to it. "Ouch! Damn, this is a nuisance." Jenna smiled at him sympathetically and put a straw in the glass. Spock handed Kirk a pill, which he refused. "I don't need that." Spock said nothing, but remained standing beside Kirk and continued to hold out the pill. Kirk sighed in exasperation and frowned at the Vulcan, but he took the pill. Jenna moved to wait on someone else and Jim and Spock sipped their drinks in silence, while Jim studied the crowd. Several of the patrons whom he knew, looked suspiciously at the two of them from time to time, but did not approach them or speak to them. When they had finished their drinks, they left the tavern. The sky was growing dark outside. Before they reached the aircar, a young jeans-clad man called to them. "Hey! You guys looking for information on Agricorp?" "Yes, we are," answered Kirk. "What do you know about them?" "I work for them. I know plenty. You got some money?" Kirk looked toward the Vulcan, who nodded. "Yes, but how much you get depends on your information," the captain replied. "Come in the alley, here, and we'll talk about it," beckoned the young man. Having the Vulcan beside him, Kirk saw no reason to be overly wary. They followed him into the alley between the tavern and the adjacent hardware store. As they reached the back of the building, several more men came out of the shadows and surrounded them. The men were armed with clubs and Kirk thought he saw the streetlight illuminate a blade. He counted 10 men in all. "Do you know any of these people, Captain?" asked Spock, his eyes darkening dangerously. "No, I don't. What do you fellows want?" One of the men spoke up, "You're interfering in things that are none of your business. Looks like we're going to have to teach you some manners." Kirk gave a small nod to Spock, then spun around and threw his shoulder into the solar plexus of the man behind him. The man fell aside, gasping for breath, and Kirk and Spock tried to escape through the gap. Spock was one step ahead of Kirk, who was caught from behind by two of the men. The captain stomped an insole and threw an elbow into the gut of one of his attackers while Spock nerve- pinched the other. The rest of the gang swarmed over the two Starfleet officers, separating them. Spock heard Kirk cry out as he threw a punch with a damaged hand. The Vulcan began to fight even more furiously, and for a short time, the proximity of the attackers kept them from bringing their clubs to bear. Spock looked over at Kirk, whose bandages were now stained with blood. As he watched, he saw a knife arc up and bury itself in his friend's side. "Jim!" Spock cried as he saw the captain go down. Thus distracted, he did not see the club that whistled through the air and impacted with his own head. His last conscious thought, <> * * * * * * * * Spock opened his eyes and tried to focus them. He succeeded and saw McCoy's worried face bending over him. "Take it easy, now, Spock, you've got one hell of a concussion. You can thank that hard Vulcan head of yours you're not dead." Spock looked around him. He was in a hospital room, and outside the window, the sky was beginning to lighten. Suddenly, he remembered. He looked up at McCoy and asked, "Jim?" The worry in McCoy's expression increased. "He's missing. Some passersby found you staggerin' along a road out in the country. They brought you into the hospital. It was no secret that Winona was playin' hostess to her son and his friends, one of whom is a pointy-eared Vulcan, so the police called us. Spock, what happened?" Winona Kirk moved into Spock's view. "Who did this to you, Mr. Spock? What happened to Jim?" Mrs. Kirk saw the sorrow and regret in Spock's eyes as he replied, "Ten men, whom we did not know, attacked us. Just before they hit me, I saw one of them stab Jim." Winona closed her eyes and her shoulders trembled. "He's dead, then?" "No. I would know if he was dead. He is badly hurt, but he is alive." "How do you know this?" Winona asked. Spock exchanged a glance with McCoy, who then turned toward Winona and explained, "The two of them are as close as brothers, Winona. They share a kind of link. If Spock says Jim is alive, then I believe him," McCoy told her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "The police are searchin' for Jim, Spock. We haven't had any word, yet. The sheriff's department found the aircar on the other side of the county from where you were found. It was completely wrecked." "I'm sure I can find him," Spock insisted, sitting up slowly and waiting for the dizziness to pass. "You're in no shape to go anywhere," McCoy frowned at him, trying unsuccessfully to push him back down on the bed. "You need to go into a healing trance. You won't be able to help Jim until you do." Spock ignored the doctor and tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't hold him. McCoy caught him and helped him back to the bed. "Very well, Doctor. I have no choice." Spock closed his eyes and began the deep breathing necessary for entering the trance. * * * * * * * * Kirk lay in the middle of a huge cornfield. A fire gnawed at his side as he watched the stalks high above his head wave in the wind. He had played dead and apparently fooled his attackers. The last thing he remembered was the men dumping Spock and him here. Then he had passed out. When he regained consciousness, Spock was gone. <> He pictured his friend in his mind as he had seen him during the fight; remembered hearing Spock cry out his name. <> The burning pain licked at his side again. He spared a glance at his blood-covered shirt. The bleeding seemed to have stopped for the time being. Kirk tried to raise up, intending to get to his feet. Pain shot through him and blackness claimed him once again. * * * * * * * * * At Spock's request, McCoy gave him several hard slaps and brought him to full consciousness. The Vulcan's inner clock told him three more hours had passed. Winona Kirk watched in amazement as Spock sat up and allowed the doctor to unwrap the bandage around his head. The deep cut there was completely healed. Traces of dried green blood still clung to his hair. The Vulcan regarded Mrs. Kirk with a raised eyebrow. "Madam, if you will excuse us, I would like to get dressed." Mrs. Kirk smiled slightly and left the room. Spock changed from the hospital gown to the clean clothes McCoy had brought for him. Together, they joined Kirk's mother in the hallway. "Where do we start first, Spock?" McCoy asked. "I managed to get the location where you were found." "Very good, Doctor. I trust you have a vehicle, Mrs. Kirk?" She nodded. "I have a ground car outside." "Winona," McCoy said gently. "Maybe you oughtta go back to the farm and wait for word from us." "Nothing doing, Leonard. I'm going with you." Her eyes held the same stubborn look that her son often got when he had decided on a course of action. McCoy glanced at Spock, who nodded. "She has the right, Doctor. He is her son." McCoy shook his head. "Understand, Winona, we don't know what we're goin' to find." "I can handle it, Leonard. Besides, you were the one who said to believe Spock -- to believe Jim's still alive." Without a further word, Spock began striding down the hall to the turbolift. McCoy and Mrs. Kirk hurried to catch up with him. Once outside, they climbed into the ground car, McCoy at the wheel. * * * * * * * * The morning air was quite cool and Kirk shivered uncontrollably. He felt a drifting sensation and the pain began to ease. He realized he was dying. Kirk felt a presence and opened his eyes. His father stood over him, shaking his head. "Giving up, Jim?" George Kirk asked scornfully. "That's the coward's way out." "Dad! I ... can't hold on much longer. The pain ..." "What's a little pain? It lets you know you're alive," George replied. "Dad's right," said another voice on the other side of him. Jim Kirk turned his head and peered up at his brother, Sam. "Remember that time in high school when you cracked a rib during the game?" said Sam. "You didn't give up, then. You kept on playing and your team won the game." "But ... I'm so tired," Jim sighed. "How many times have you gone without sleep when you were on a mission?" asked his father. "A lot, I suppose." "Well, then, it doesn't make any sense to give in, now, Jim," his brother chastised. "You give up, and that's it. Life's too precious to give up without a fight." "So alone ..." Jim murmured. "No, you're not," his father insisted. "We're right here with you." "Hallucinations," the captain decided. Jim saw George and Sam exchange a smile. "Maybe," replied his father. "Maybe not," added his brother. He prodded Jim gently with his foot. "Are you just going to lie around here and wait to die?" "Spock and Bones will come. Can't get up." George breathed a sigh of exasperation. "Maybe they will, but they might not be in time. C'mon Sam, let's give him a hand." Jim chuckled softly to himself. "Damn, I've got a good imagination." Nevertheless, he struggled once more to rise. He closed his eyes tightly against the pain of movement, but felt himself supported and helped to his feet. For ages, he stumbled through the cornfield in a daze, leaving red stains on the ground from his reopened wound. He assumed he was delirious -- his father and brother were assisting him and guiding him out. At last, they came to a narrow, paved road. "Got to rest," Jim gasped, and felt himself lowered to the ground. "This should do," commented his father. "Yeah," agreed Sam, peering down the road into the distance. "Guess we're through here," he added, gazing down at his younger brother, who was almost unconscious again. "Don't go," Jim murmured. "Got to, son. You hang in there; your friends are on their way." George knelt down and brushed Jim's hair back from his forehead. "I'm very proud of you, Jim." Jim's vision faded, and then there was nothing. * * * * * * * * * * "We're way past the point, now, where you were found, Spock," McCoy informed the Vulcan. "Do you recognize anything?" "Unfortunately, I recall nothing but the alley in town," Spock admitted. "Continue, but reduce your speed." "Can you sense Jim, Mr. Spock?" Winona asked. "I am not certain ..." Spock studied the countryside that passed by his window. Suddenly, his keen Vulcan eyes detected something in the tall grass beside the road. "Stop here." he said. Although Spock's voice was as calm as ever, he still managed to convey the urgency of his request. McCoy slammed on the brakes and all three of them piled out of the car and ran toward the crumpled figure a hundred feet back. Spock arrived first, and fell to his knees beside the bloodied figure of his captain. The other two quickly joined him. Winona took her son's head into her lap as McCoy ran the scanner. She and the Vulcan looked hopefully at the doctor, running his mediscanner over the still form. "He's alive -- barely," McCoy told them, worry contending with relief. "He's lost an awful lot of blood, though." The doctor ripped open the bloody shirt and applied a pressure pad to the knife wound. Spock saw the trail of blood leading back through the cornfield and pointed it out to McCoy. "I don't see how he could possibly have had the strength to make it any kind of distance," McCoy commented wonderingly. "Yet I doubt his attackers would have dumped him so close to a road. C'mon, let's get him in the car and to the hospital." Spock gently picked up his injured friend. Kirk moaned at the movement, and his eyes fluttered. "Dad?" he mumbled and was silent again. "He's delirious," McCoy informed the others. "He's got a high fever." Spock nodded worriedly and held Kirk closer. Winona noted the tenderness with which the Vulcan held her son's body. "You do care, don't you?" she said softly, her eyes shining with tears. "He is my captain." "And your friend?" she asked. "And my friend," Spock replied. McCoy opened the rear door and slid in first, then reached for Kirk. Spock eased their friend down onto the back seat and propped Kirk's feet up higher than his head before spreading a blanket over him. McCoy checked Kirk's vital signs again. "Damn! Hurry up, Spock. His blood pressure's dropping rapidly." The doctor withdrew a hypo from his medi-kit and injected a cordrazine. "Hang on, Jim-boy." He took his friend's limp hand in his own. "You're on the way to the hospital. You're gonna be all right." Tears ran freely down Winona Kirk's face as she watched the doctor work. Spock started the ground car and sped back toward town, expertly taking the curves as he calculated the maximum safe velocity. They screeched up to the hospital emergency entrance, and Spock jumped out. He jerked open the rear door to get Kirk. Two med-techs came out when they saw him lifting the injured man from the car. Spock set his friend down on the anti-grav stretcher they'd brought. McCoy barked orders to the attendants as they pushed Kirk into the emergency room. The doctor in charge, an intern sipping on a cup of coffee, came up to them. "What's the problem here?" "I'm Leonard McCoy, CMO of the starship Enterprise. Captain Kirk has been stabbed. Prepare for surgery, I'm going to operate." "I'm Josh Moonan. I've heard of you, sir, but as you're not associated with this hospital, I'll have to call the chief surgeon for approval. This is his day off." "Screw your chief surgeon! Captain Kirk is my patient. If you wanna explain to the Federation president why one of their top starship commanders died because you had to follow procedure..." "No, no, I..." "Then scrub! You're gonna assist." "But, Doctor McCoy..." Spock stepped up to the intern and glared coldly at him. "I suggest you do as Dr. McCoy says." Moonan looked up at Spock fearfully. "Y-yes, sir." He called O.R. and quickly made arrangements as one of the med-techs hooked up an IV at McCoy's command. The Enterprise CMO turned to the other tech and ordered, "I want two units of whole blood, type A positive. Now! Have me three more units on standby for surgery." The orderly rushed to comply. They soon had Kirk prepped for surgery and on his way to O.R. Spock accompanied Winona Kirk to the waiting room, keeping a close eye on her for signs of stress. As her son disappeared with McCoy into the operating room, she began to tremble and her knees buckled. Spock took her by the arm and guided her to a chair. She cocked her head and asked Spock earnestly, "Why? Why is this land so important they're willing to kill for it?" "I do not know, Mrs. Kirk, but I will find out. This act will not go unpunished." Spock rose and sought out a public vidcom to call the police. * * * * * * * * When McCoy emerged from surgery, hours later, the Vulcan was talking to a Riverside police officer. Seeing the doctor, Spock and Kirk's mother immediately went to him. McCoy rubbed his hand over his face wearily. "Jim's going to be all right. He had a badly lacerated liver and had lost a great deal of blood. I repaired the damage, and we've given him several transfusions. An infection had started in his hands and the wound, but antibiotics will knock that out. All we have to do, now, is wait out the shock." Winona Kirk felt the weight of worry lift considerably. "When can I see him?" she asked. "In a little bit. They're settling him in ICU, now," McCoy told her. He stepped up to the policeman. "Officer, have you arrested John Dryer yet?" The police officer shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry, Doctor, but we have no proof he was involved. We believe the culprits were individuals who didn't want to see Agricorp forced to leave town." Winona Kirk shook her head in despair. Spock regarded the policeman icily. "I have given you accurate descriptions of the men who attacked us. Surely, you will be able to locate them and discover their motive for the attack." "Yes, yes. We'll put out an APB on them. You'll probably be called down to identify them." "If I might have access to your computer, I can get you a printout of their likenesses," Spock offered. "All right, Commander Spock. Come along, then," the officer sighed. The Vulcan looked anxiously toward McCoy, who told him, "Go ahead. Jim won't be awake for hours, yet." "One more thing, Officer," Spock pointed out, "someone has tried to kill Captain Kirk twice. They may do so again. I request a guard be stationed at his door." The policeman agreed and contacted the station to arrange it. Satisfied, Spock accompanied the policeman to the station as McCoy and Mrs. Kirk sat down tiredly on a couch. "I always thought space was the dangerous place," Winona told the doctor. "I used to worry about him so much. Now, I see what can happen right here at home. I shouldn't have got Jim involved in my problems." "Winona, you needed help and we were here. There's nothin' more to say about it. C'mon let's go sit with Jim." They entered Kirk's room, and Winona looked her son over anxiously. "He's still pale," she commented, "but he looks a lot better than when we found him. God, I've never been so scared." McCoy agreed. "He wouldn't have lasted much longer if we hadn't found him when we did." Spock returned after a couple of hours. He identified himself to the policeman on guard and gave him instructions, "No one is to enter this room but Dr. McCoy, Mrs. Kirk, or myself, unless they are accompanied by Dr. McCoy or me, or have our clearance." "Yes, sir," the guard replied. The Vulcan walked into the hospital room. Mrs. Kirk was sitting on one side of the bed holding her son's hand. McCoy was checking his vital signs while a nurse changed the IV bag. The doctor looked up when Spock entered and answered his unasked question, "He's doin' fine, Spock. His blood pressure is holding steady and the infection is losing ground. He's still running fever, but that's to be expected." McCoy checked Kirk's brain wave activity on the overhead monitor. "He should be comin' around anytime, now." They sat down to wait and a short time later, Kirk groaned and opened his eyes. He blinked them rapidly to clear his vision. He felt someone holding his hand and turned his head to look. Seeing his mother, Kirk grinned weakly and squeezed her hand slightly. He tried to talk, but his mouth was so dry, no words came out. McCoy reached for a glass of water by the bed, and supported Kirk's head as he placed the straw in his friend's mouth. Kirk swallowed thirstily, then nodded his gratitude. "Where's Spock?" Kirk asked. "Is he all right?" "Here, Captain," Spock answered, moving to stand beside McCoy. "Thank God, Spock. Was afraid they'd killed you." "Negative." Spock detailed his own experiences after the attack. Winona took her son's hand and put it to her cheek. "You had us so worried, Jim. You were almost dead when we found you. It's a good thing you managed to make it to the road, or we might never have found you in time." "I really don't see how you did manage it, Jim, in the condition you were in," McCoy said. Kirk's eyebrows drew together as he tried to remember. "I'm not sure. I could have sworn Dad and Sam came to me and told me not to give up. And they helped me walk out of that cornfield." "You had a pretty high fever, Jim. It's no wonder you were hallucinatin'," McCoy told him. "Maybe" Kirk replied doubtfully. "But they seemed so real." "Well," said his mother, "if the dream helped you to get out of there, then maybe, in a way, they did help you." Kirk nodded and felt his eyelids growing heavy. "That's it, Jim," McCoy encouraged, "you need plenty of rest." When Kirk was asleep, McCoy yawned and stretched. He looked over at his friend's mother, obviously weary. "Winona, why don't you go home and get some rest? You can come back in the mornin'." "I don't know, Leonard. You're sure he's going to be all right?" "Positive. He just needs to rest, like you do." Spock added, "So do you, Doctor. You haven't slept, either. Take Mrs. Kirk back to the farm. I will remain with the captain." McCoy looked down at Kirk, then checked his vital signs again. "Okay, Spock, but call me if there's a problem. We'll be back first thing in the mornin'." The Vulcan nodded. Mrs. Kirk and McCoy got up to leave and she turned to Spock and said, "I feel better knowing you'll be here with Jim." Spock looked up at her and promised, "He will come to no harm while I am here." She smiled her thanks and left the room with McCoy. * * * * * * * * * When McCoy and Mrs. Kirk returned the next morning, Kirk was sitting up in bed, pillows propped behind him, carrying on a conversation with Spock. His mother beamed at him and leaned over to give her son a hug. "God, it's good to see you looking so much better, son. You gave us a pretty nasty scare." Kirk shrugged carefully. "I'm fine. When can I get up, Bones?" McCoy's reply was postponed when a blond nurse entered with an IV bag. Kirk eyed her appreciatively, then frowned at the bag. The nurse smiled as she exchanged the bag for the empty one there. "Breakfast, Captain," she said. "The server is delightful, but I can't say much for the cuisine," Kirk grinned. "How about some real food, Bones?" "No solid food for a week, Jim. You've got to let your liver heal. As for your earlier question, you can start taking short walks tomorrow." "I suppose that's something," Kirk grumped, and slouched down in the pillows. McCoy shook his head and smiled before turning to the Vulcan. "Any word from the police on the men who attacked you?" "Negative. If we do not hear from the police by this evening, I will call them." "In the meantime, Spock, why don't you go get some rest. I don't want you tirin' yourself out after that head injury." "I am completely recovered, Doctor, and do not require rest." Kirk spoke up, "Bones is right, Spock. Go get some rest. That's an order." The nurse finished attaching the IV bag and offered, "If you like, Mister Spock, you can use the bed in the doctor's lounge." Spock rose to his feet. "I suppose that will suffice." Before the nurse and Spock left, McCoy gave her instructions for Kirk's medication. McCoy watched them walk out and remarked, "I swear he's as stubborn as you, Jim." "He's very loyal to you, isn't he, Jim?" Winona marveled. "I couldn't ask for a more loyal officer or friend." "I see that, now. At first, I thought he was cold and unfeeling," Winona admitted. Kirk smiled. "He likes people to think he has no feelings -- that Vulcans are logical and unemotional, but he's demonstrated his friendship and love for us time and again." McCoy agreed, saying, "He may have his emotions under control, but rest assured, he has them." Winona studied the doctor for a moment. "You care about him, too, don't you?" "Me? Care about that stubborn, pointy-eared, walkin' computer?" McCoy asked, feigning incredulity. He grinned. "Yeah, I do." Kirk laughed. "All that arguing is just an act, sort of. They enjoy their verbal battles, but there's nothing one wouldn't do for the other." He tried to shift positions and grimaced at the sudden pain. McCoy was instantly at his side, easing him down into the bed. "That's enough talkin' for now. Get some sleep. Your mom and I are gonna go have a cup of coffee." Kirk scowled, but didn't argue. His side was hurting again, and he was incredibly weak. McCoy examined the readings on the monitor above Kirk's head. "The nurse will be around in a little while with medication. I'll okay a pain killer, too." The captain nodded his thanks and was quiet. "C'mon, Winona, let's go get that coffee. As long as we're in here, he's gonna want to talk." They left the room and McCoy instructed the guard outside the door to allow Kirk's nurse in to administer the medication. As they walked down the hall, they saw the nurse outside the pharmacy, loading her medication cart. Two orderlies leaned against the wall, talking to her. * * * * * * * * * * McCoy and Mrs. Kirk had been in the cafeteria for just over 30 minutes, sipping coffee and talking quietly. The speaker blared to life. "Dr. McCoy to room 321, stat! Code blue!" McCoy and Winona jumped to their feet. "That's Jim's room!" she exclaimed, following McCoy at a run. They quickly arrived at Kirk's room to find Spock already there. Obviously having heard the call over the com, he was standing in a corner and watching as Dr. Moonan and the nurse worked on Kirk with a cardio- stimulator, attempting to restart his heart. McCoy was immediately at their side. "Ten cc's of Cordrazine, nurse, now!" She reached for the hypo and handed it to McCoy, who pressed it to Kirk's chest, just over his heart. They waited a few seconds and used the cardio-stimulator again. They were instantly rewarded by the resumption of Kirk's heartbeat, weak and thready though it was. They hooked him up to life support. McCoy sighed in relief, then turned to the nurse and intern. "What the hell happened here? He was fine half an hour ago!" The nurse's voice trembled. "It happened just after I administered the antibiotic. He began turning blue and went into convulsions. Is he allergic to Tri-keflide?" "No. Let me see the vial you used," the doctor replied. Spock walked over as McCoy examined the medicine vial. McCoy couldn't face the accusing look in the Vulcan's eyes. Ignoring Spock, he picked up his tricorder from beside the bed and ran it over the vial. He turned to the nurse angrily. "This isn't Tri-keflide. This is Retinax! He's highly allergic to that." The Vulcan took the vial from McCoy. "The label does say Tri-keflide, Doctor. Someone obviously switched the labels." Both he and McCoy turned to the nurse, who was now in tears. "I swear, I didn't know! Someone else must have switched it," the nurse insisted. "Dr. Moonan, please go get a vial of Dihydramine," McCoy ordered. "Spock, go with him and make sure no one pulls a switch again." He explained to Mrs. Kirk, "It's an antihistamine. It will help counteract the allergic reaction." She nodded and approached her unconscious son. "Is he going to be all right?" "I honestly don't know. It's gonna be pretty close for a while." McCoy called in the guard and explained what had happened, "The nurse, here, swears she had nothing to do with the switch. There were two orderlies hangin' around her while she was getting the medication cart ready." McCoy described them, and pointed out, "Captain Kirk's medical file is in the computer. Anyone with access could have gotten the information on his medicine allergies." The guard nodded and called for backup. "You realize of course, Doctor, that they're probably long gone by now." "Yeah, I know, but take a look around anyway. Nurse, do you know those men?" "I'm sorry, but I don't know them by name. They started working here about a month ago." Spock and Doctor Moonan returned as the guard left to check with personnel. Moonan handed the vial to McCoy, who checked it first, before injecting Kirk. After the nurse left with the intern, Spock addressed McCoy coldly, "If I had known you were not going to stay with him, I would not have left." "Don't blame Leonard, Mister Spock," Winona said gently. "He wanted Jim to sleep, and knew he would insist on talking if we stayed. We were going to come back after he had a chance to fall asleep." "You could have given him a sedative, Doctor," Spock pointed out. "Natural sleep is better, Spock. You know that." Spock took a deep breath and stepped over to Kirk, taking his hand. "I think we can assume Agricorp is responsible once again. It is reprehensible such an organization is allowed to continue." Spock released Kirk's hand when the police guard returned. Just as the guard started to address them, he received a call on his communicator. He listened for a moment, then said, "Chicago police have picked up a man fitting the description of one of those who attacked you and Captain Kirk, Commander Spock. He was involved in an air car collision. The air car belongs to Agricorp. Two of our people are on the way to Riverside with him, now. We'll need you to make an identification." "It's about time," McCoy grumbled. "Go ahead, Spock. We'll stay here. Anyone wantin' to get to Jim will have to go through the guard and me." "And me," Mrs. Kirk, added, fire in her eyes. Spock arched an eyebrow, and his mouth twitched in an almost smile. * * * * * * * * * In the police station lineup room, Spock watched as several men filed in and stood side-by-side behind a one-way glass. He immediately recognized one of them from the alley. It was the man who had stabbed Kirk. The Vulcan pointed out the assailant, and two jailers took him away. "I would like to be present at the interrogation," Spock told the detective in charge, an imposing mahogany-skinned man who introduced himself as Lt. Malone. Malone shook his head. "It's against procedure." "I'm certain I could be of help, Lieutenant. I've no doubt Starfleet would appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Captain Kirk is very important to them." Malone sighed. "Well, you can't go into the interrogation room, but I'll let you observe on the viewer. By the way, Agricorp says this guy -- Owens is his name -- stole the aircar he was flying." "A fabrication, no doubt," Spock replied. "I don't know. I just can't see Agricorp getting involved in anything like that." "Sometimes one sees what one wishes to see," commented Spock. "That goes both ways, you know," retorted the detective. "Perhaps." Forty minutes later, Owens' lawyer arrived. The jailer went to fetch Owens from his cell. He ran back in a few moments later. "My God!" said the attorney. "One of his cell mates stabbed him with a shiv! He's really in bad shape. The ambulance is on the way and we're giving him first aid, now." Spock felt rage begin to surface in himself and quickly quelled it. "Do you normally permit your prisoners to carry weapons, Lieutenant?" "Of course not, but they're always making them somehow. We search the cells routinely and confiscate any weapons we find, but it doesn't keep them from getting their hands on more." "Is he conscious?" Spock asked the jailer. "I don't know. Our med-tech is with him, now." "If he is conscious, perhaps he will talk to us, Lieutenant." "To me, Mr. Spock. You stay here." The detective left the room, but Spock followed close behind him, disregarding the policeman's earlier words. When they arrived, ambulance attendants were loading Owens on a stretcher. "Wait," ordered the detective, seeing that Owens eyes were open slightly. "Get that lawyer in here." The attorney also entered the cell and began complaining, "Why are you withholding medical treatment for this man? This is a violation of his civil rights!" "Pipe down, Louis," snapped Malone. "Ask him if he's willing to talk to me." The attorney repeated the request to Owens, informing him at the same time he did not have to speak. Owens nodded, and the lieutenant drew near. Spock also moved closer and the detective gave him an annoyed look. "Owens," the detective asked, "Do you remember this man, here?" he asked, indicating the Vulcan. "Yeah ... the alley. Him and that ... pretty boy Fleeter ... snooping around." Malone continued, "Owens, Agricorp has washed its hands of you. They claim you acted on your own and also stole an aircar from them. Is that right?" Owens features grew hard. "Damn them! They probably tried ... to have me silenced. I ... was following orders. Told me ... get rid of those guys." "Who told you this?" asked Malone. "Dryer ... with Agricorp." "Why?" "So ... old lady Kirk would sell. And ... those two... asking too many ... questions." Malone pressed Owens further, "What does Agricorp want with the land?" Owens, however, had passed out and could not reply. The lieutenant waved his hand and the attendants took Owens to the ambulance. The lawyer left, as well. Malone shook his head. "I'll be damned." He called to another policeman, "Call Judge Hahn and get an arrest warrant for Dryer. Get a search warrant for all of Agricorp's buildings while you're at it." "Lieutenant, if you are going to Agricorp I am going, also," the Vulcan replied. The detective threw his hands in the air in exasperation, muttering something about interfering Fleeters. Spock ignored his remark and added, "While we are waiting on the warrants, I would like to use your vidcom to call Dr. McCoy and Mrs. Kirk. I'm sure they would like to know what has transpired." "Okay, use the one in my office, over there." The detective pointed. Spock made the call and spoke briefly with McCoy, informing him of the events at the police station. He paused for a moment, then asked, "How is Jim?" "He's holding his own. You know how stubborn he is. Too stubborn to die," McCoy assured the Vulcan. "Watch over him, Doctor. Agricorp has many employees." "I will, Spock, don't worry." The detective entered the office as Spock signed off. "Commander, the warrants are ready," said Malone. "If you still insist on coming, let's go." * * * * * * * * * At Agricorp, Spock and the policemen pushed their way past the secretary and into Dryer's office. Dryer was hurriedly packing a briefcase. "What's the meaning of this?" Dryer demanded when they burst into the room. "I don't have time to deal with you. I've got an important business meeting to attend." "You're under arrest, Mister Dryer, for conspiring to kill Capt. Kirk and Commander Spock." "That's ridiculous. I want my lawyer." Dryer activated his desk com. Malone reached over and turned it off. "You'll have a chance to call your attorney once you're booked." The detective read Dryer his rights, then two uniformed policemen led him away. Spock and the remaining policemen took Dryer's personal lift down to the warehouse. Malone showed the warehouse manager the search warrant. "We're going to take a look around here. I want all your people to get out, now. What do you have stored here?" "Farm implements, crop seeds, stuff like that," answered the manager. "Come along, then," Malone told him, "I want you to open all these boxes. My men will help you." Spock and the detective accompanied the manager to one of the boxes, while the rest of the policemen went to open other boxes. The manager pried off the lid of the box. As labeled, the box contained a disassembled agri-drone. They moved to another box marked "QUADRO-TITRICALE SEEDS." It was at the bottom of a large stack of boxes marked as farm implements. The manager called for a robo-forklift which soon arrived and began moving the upper boxes. Finally, the one they wanted was accessible. The manager pried it open, and indeed, they found seeds. Obviously disappointed, the detective started to move on. Spock stopped him. "Perhaps you should analyze these seeds, Lieutenant." The detective shrugged and called for a tech with a tricorder. Spock reached for the instrument. "If I may, Lieutenant? I am quite familiar with the operation of a tricorder." "You're the science officer aboard the Enterprise, aren't you?" said Malone. "I assume you're more than 'familiar' with a tricorder. You're probably an expert." Spock nodded and began taking readings on the seeds. He raised both eyebrows at the results. His eyes were hard as he turned to the lieutenant. "These are Orion bhutal seeds. As you know, Orion bhutal is the prime ingredient in the manufacture of bhutanol, a highly powerful narcotic." "Bhutanol is illegal, but not bhutal or its seeds," Malone told the Vulcan. "I doubt if anyone around here would know bhutal if they saw it." "It is very innocuous looking," Spock agreed. "But," continued Malone, "if it became known that Agricorp was growing this sort of thing, there would be a public outcry, and they would never be able to operate. Of course, once they were firmly established, they would be so powerful nothing much could be done about them." Spock nodded. "That explains why they resorted to murder and subterfuge to cover this up. Bhutanol is a trillion-credit industry. They no doubt intended to export the plants off planet to bhutanol manufacturers." "Yeah," Malone agreed. "Maybe we can't get them for possession of the seeds, but we can sure as hell nail them for conspiracy and attempted murder." "And criminal intimidation," Spock added. "Are you aware many farmers were bullied into selling their land?" "I'd heard talk of it, but no one actually had any proof, so I just figured there was nothing to it," Malone replied. "That still won't be easy to prove. These guys are slick. They screwed up big time, though, when they started delving into murder." "They were becoming so powerful, they thought they could do whatever they wanted, and remove anyone who stood in their way," Spock mused. Malone agreed and ordered all Agricorp personnel taken in for questioning. * * * * * * * * Two weeks later and just released from the hospital, Kirk sat in front of a roaring fire in his mother's house. He was sitting in an overstuffed chair with his feet propped up and a warm blanket covering him. He sipped at a hot cup of soup. Spock, McCoy, Winona and Jenna Griffin sat in various chairs around the room. Peter had returned from visiting his maternal grandparents and sat cross-legged on the floor beside his uncle. "Gosh, Uncle Jim! I would have to be gone during the most exciting time in Riverside. If I had been here, I could have helped you and Mister Spock break up that drug ring." Kirk smiled and reached out a hand to muss the boy's hair. "I'm glad you weren't here, Peter. Believe me, it was entirely too exciting." He turned carefully in his chair and spoke to Griffin. "Jenna, have the police made any headway in the investigation of Jay's aircar crash?" "Yes, in exchange for a reduced sentence, one of the Agricorp people admitted he was ordered to sabotage Jay's aircar. The government has confiscated all Agricorp's property. Once the trials are over and the Agricorp officials are found guilty, the land will be returned to its original owners." "Good," said McCoy. "It's only right." "Captain, you might be interested to know," said Spock, "Earth Congress is working on a bill that will make bhutal plants and seeds illegal." Winona shook her head. "They took their own sweet time about it." "Yeah," Kirk agreed, setting his cup down, "but I'm sure the money involved had a lot to do with the time element." "No doubt," concurred his mother. She looked at the clock. "I had no idea it was so late! Peter, it's time for bed. Vacation's over, and you have school in the morning." "Aw, Grandma." "No arguments, now, young man, tell everyone good night, and then it's upstairs with you." "Uncle Jim, did Grandma tell you I've decided to apply to Starfleet Academy?" Kirk looked sidewise at his mother. "No, she didn't. That's great, Peter, if that's what you want to do. What field are you interested in?" "Sciences, like my dad." Kirk smiled and suddenly remembered his strange experience in the cornfield. He reached out and squeezed Peter's shoulder. "I'm sure your father and grandfather would be very proud of you." Peter nodded and replied, "I'd like to think so. I know I'll have to study hard. Mr. Spock, maybe you could advise me on what sort of things I should study on my own to prepare for the academy?" Spock replied sincerely. "It would be my pleasure, Peter." Peter told everyone good night and trudged up the stairs. Jenna Griffin rose. "It is pretty late, I'd better be getting home." "If there's anything we can do for you, Jenna, just let us know," Kirk told her. "You've done so much already. Seeing Jay's killers brought to justice means a lot. And if his parents get their farm back, that's going to be wonderful. Thank you, Jim, Spock." Winona saw Jenna to the door, bid her good night, and closed it behind her. She walked over to her son, kissed him on the cheek and waggled a finger at him. "Now, don't you stay up too late. You're still recovering. We've set up your bed down here, so you won't have to climb the stairs." Kirk grinned and chuckled. "Okay, Mom. Don't fuss so much." "You give me plenty of reason for worry! Good night, I love you." "I love you." Winona proceeded up the stairs. McCoy stretched out his feet and crossed them. "Well, Jim, it wasn't much of a trip home for you, was it?" "It certainly wasn't what I expected. Riverside's changed." Kirk thought for a moment. "It's strange, but this town reminds me of Neural." Jim caught the puzzled look on McCoy's face, then explained, "Neural was planet of innocents, until outsiders came in and altered their way of thinking." "Appealed to the greed of the villagers, you mean," McCoy pointed out. "Exactly. That's just what Agri-corp did here. I'd always thought of Riverside as a innocent little town. No longer, though. Innocence died, here. This town will never be the same." "It is still your home, though, Jim," Spock said gently. "Not really. This isn't home." Kirk turned to face his two friends. "Home is aboard the Enterprise... with you and Bones." The warm look in his friends' eyes was all the answer Kirk needed. Originally published in Tantalus 2 Published again in LoneStar Trek