IDIC-PLANET

CHAPTER 18

Sudden calm and reality returned to the Enterprise. Kirk was Kirk and everything seemed normal. The ship was still intact.

"Spock?"

In that one word were at least three questions. Spock answered them in his preferred order.

"We were within the reach of the functional weapon for 10 seconds, before entering the zone covered by the disabled weapon. The changes that we had implemented to our shielding have prevented our immediate destruction, but probably caused the somewhat...interesting sensory effects." He surmised that the first two answers would also answer the final question that the Captain's "Spock?" had implied.

Jim allowed the small smile that had began to form at Spock's report (and Spock's avoidance of answering the Captain's concern for Spock's well being) to reach a full relieved smile as the reports coming in from Scotty and Uhura confirmed that the Enterprise was undamaged and that his crew had not sustained any serious injuries. He was suddenly aware that they still had open communications with the planet and indicated for Uhura to close them immediately.

"Captain we have full power to all systems." Scotty announced not bothering to hide the satisfaction and relief in his voice.

"Good. Mr. Chekov, lay in an orbit ten kilometres higher than our current one. That should put us well out of reach of any other nasty surprises from the K'S'vaitans. Mr. Offer, please implement the change as soon as Mr. Chekov has finished."

"Yes, sir." came the double reply.

"Spock, the likelihood that similarities to the attack that brought us here in the first place are coincidental are..."

"Approximately 1544589.3032 to one, Captain."

Jim could not help but suspect that Spock made those numbers up sometimes - his way of saying 'improbable'.

"Astronomical, indeed. Then we must act upon this opportunity. We cannot afford to fail in preventing any further weapons-technology from leaving this planet."

"To fail in the disposing of those chances/ which he was lord of," Spock said suddenly.

Kirk looked at his science officer with a bit of concern. "What?"

"Shakespeare, Captain." Spock did not elaborate.

"Aah!" Captain James Kirk leaned back in his seat and contemplated his next move. How to proceed, and quickly. He wanted to leave for Vulcan as soon as he possibly could, but first he had to secure this quadrant of space. A nearly imperceptible sigh escaped his lips. Spock was back at his station looking for the same answers as his commanding officer.

---

"Sickbay to bridge," the irate and somewhat strained voice of Dr. Leonard McCoy demanded the Captain's immediate attention.

Jim Kirk had no illusions about what had irritated the good doctor and the complaint about to be voiced. Nevertheless, he punched the pad that would connect him to sickbay. "Kirk here..." he said pleasantly as 'Here it comes...' flashed though his mind.

"Are you quite through shaking this ship about, not to mention turning us all inside out?"

"Oh, yes. Quite, Bones," he answered placatingly, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Right. Then Jim can you set course to Vulcan, full speed ahead?"

At this request the soft chatter on the bridge ceased. Chekov tensed. Both Lieutenants Offer and Uhura looked at the Captain. Spock winced slightly as if in pain.

"Not just yet, Bones", said Jim gently, "Sulu...?"

"I've had to place him in stasis, Jim. He began to withdraw again and his vital signs were dangerously low after that last attack," McCoy's voice sounded very tired. "And I won't allow another of Spock's unauthorised medical interventions." he continued with an added touch of querulousness.

Spock said nothing. He had to agree with the doctor. Something was not quite right with his ability to control his telepathic capabilities since his last mind-meld with the Lieutenant. He doubted that in his current state he could be of any assistance to the helmsman.

Jim looked at Spock, expecting some reply and was surprised when none came.

"Very well, Doctor. I will try and expedite things here. Now that we have all our power back why don't you contact healer Sorel or Corrigan and notify them of their new patient?"

"Yes, well it may be helpful, but what Sulu really needs is the regeneration treatment and fast, Jim. There's nothing more I can do for him here."

"I know, and I am doing my best. But there are certain things that have to be finished here."

"Can't we take Sulu to Vulcan and then come back?" asked McCoy although he knew the answer to that.

"No, Bones. We're going to make certain that no more ships are caught in the K'S'vait's trap, with the consequent marketing of lives."

There was an audible grunt of assent at the other end of the transmission.

"And," Jim continued, "there is the weapon-technology. It seems that that too has been used in trading and that must definitely be stopped. Spock's comparative analysis of the latest attack from Kavayak and the one that caused our initial damage shows far too many similarities to be accidental."

"Well, sort it out then. ASAP! McCoy out."

"Yes, Sir" Kirk said under his breath. 'Sort it out indeed!'

He needed some time to think and would have liked to leave the bridge for the quietness of his cabin. But he already had his rest, and Spock had not had one moment off duty since coming back from the planet. It was time for Kirk to put his foot down and send Spock from the bridge. He took one deep breath, got up, tugged his shirt straight and stepped up to the science station. Spock glanced up partially as the Captain approached. The blue light from the viewer shining on his face, accentuating the austerity of his features.

"Captain, we can further improve shielding against this kind of weapon, but, currently, not enough to withstand long periods of attack. It is not the intensity of the beam that is important but the length of time a substance is exposed. The length of exposure to the beam is directly proportional to the oscillation produced within the matter which consequently disrupts it. Crystalline matter is more susceptible by its very nature of being in an ordered state. That is why, in the initial attack, only our dilithuim crystals were severely damaged and the Enterprise did not disintegrate. I surmise, that the K'S'vaits do not sell their whole knowledge, just parts of it."

"But even this partial knowledge can be very destructive and dangerous."

"Indeed."

"Why was Sulu so badly affected, then?"

"If you will recall, Captain, Mr. Sulu was in the process of examining the navigation board. It contains small but highly ordered monoclonal crystals. If Mr. Sulu was in contact with one of those crystals the energy of a toned-down beam would be sufficient to affect him as well."

"As it did..."

"Yes, Captain, as it did."

"Spock?"

"Captain?"

"I would like you to go off active duty for the next few hours."

Kirk was already preparing the counter-argument to Spock's protest, when Spock said calmly.

"Very well, Captain. I shall be in my quarters." He indicated for his acting science officer to take over and made his way to the lift leaving the Captain non plussed.

The lift doors shut behind Spock. He felt relief at leaving the bridge. Although they had escaped the attack, the atmosphere on the bridge was charged with emotion. Both joy at overcoming one danger, and worry about Sulu. Normally he would not even be aware of the atmosphere (unless he purposely wanted to), but for the last few days he could not keep the emotions of the others from invading his peace of mind. 'What had happened since his mind-meld with Sulu?' He had been in such deep mind-melds before with no lasting after-effects.' So why now? ' The lift came to a smooth halt at deck 5. He would contact his parents, meditate for an hour and a half and then talk to T'Charu again he decided as he entered his Vulcan-warm cabin.

Footnotes and explanations

Next chapter.