IDIC-PLANET

CHAPTER 7

LaPierre had been set down in the same place, within the city, to which she had beamed down. She now only hoped that the second part of her plan would be successful. She looked at her chronometer. The starship should be on night shift. Young Larry was supposed to be on duty in the main transporter room. It should not be too difficult to convince him to beam her up and not tell anyone about it. She smiled to herself. Her good looks did come in handy sometime. Then even if the records showed that an unauthorised transportation took place, it would be difficult to trace it back to her. As she checked her chronometer one last time, she felt a cold soft feather- like substance settle on her hand. She withdrew her hand in startled shock. 'What was this?' She looked up, all around her big flakes of white fluffy crystal-like droplets were falling from the sky. The soft crystals, that melted upon contact with her skin, were as large as the palm of her hand. She held out her hand and looked at the large star-like structure softly resting on her palm, reflecting the bright colours of the two moons shining brightly in the night sky. Then the star-flake vanished and a small trickle of water trickled from her hand onto the ground below. "'So this was snow.' She had read about it, but never seen it. Reluctant to leave this wondrous display of sparkling multicoloured flakes, she whipped out her communicator:

"LaPierre to transporter room," she held her breath.

"Larry here, what are you doing on the planet, Aureali?"

"The Captain sent me down on some business, before your shift. Beam me up now, Larry."

"Oh....okay, energising."

Within the softly falling, sparkling snow-flakes, another kind of sparkling took place. Where once the form of a slim female had stood, collecting large snow flakes in her hands, snow flakes now reached to the ground and melted instantly.

---

On the bridge, Spock was observing the nightly snow-fall with interest. The spectral and crystallographic readings of the unusually large and complex flakes were impressive. Even more interesting was their low melting-point. Upon contact with the ground they would dissolve. In the morning there would be no indication that any snow had fallen during the much colder nights. Spock leaned back in the command chair, steepling his fingers in his preferred gesture. The bridge was quiet. Only Scotty was at his station, muttering away in Gaelic. It was also unusually cold on the bridge - energy saving measures had come into full effect. Their need for undamaged dilithium crystals was becoming critical. A ghost of a frown was evident on Spock's face. Even if they helped themselves to the K'S'vaits crystals, how could they avoid whatever destructive weapons the K'S'vaits proposed to use? He was beginning to have a putative theory concerning the weapon. His extensive analysis of the planet's spectra and the energies being used gave him preliminary data to work from. But he didn't want to mention his theory to the Captain yet - not enough evidence. If he was right, however, no dilithium crystal would be safe on their ship. Not long enough to get them safely out of orbit. He got up, crossed to his library-science terminal and immersed himself in the vast amount of data that a new orbital scan had provided.

At the helm, the Transp1 warning light lit up and died down, unnoticed. Only the ever vigilant computer stored the fact in its nearly infinitely large databanks.

---

LaPierre made her way to the Auxiliary Control room. Although the auxiliary bridge was locked at all times, and the lock-code was changed every alpha-shift (the main shift) LaPierre, as navigator-on-duty, had been given the code. It was still 4 ship-units till all alpha-shift personnel would be back on full duty and a new code would be given out. Because the next 4 units were the delta-shift, which corresponded to early morning ship's-cycle, and the energy-saving measures were in operation, there was very little activity in many parts of the ship; the long corridors of the Enterprise were deserted. Occasionally, as LaPierre passed some rooms, she would hear the sound of muted voices talking, chirping, whistling and otherwise communicating with each other. She felt a pang of nostalgia for the sound of her own language. All she had spoken since leaving her planet was Basic. The language that all personnel, that were physically capable of it, had to learn. Those that could not, for lack of suitable orifices or vocal organs, were provided with a specially adapted permanent sub-cutaneous translator.

LaPierre reached the yellow-coloured doors of the Auxiliary Control room. She looked around her, no-being was in sight. Quickly she tapped out the memorised code. For a few tense seconds the computer thought about the code, then soundlessly the doors slid open and LaPierre quickly went in. The doors closed silently shut after her.

She looked around her. The Auxiliary Control room was a scaled-down version of the main bridge, lacking only a few non-vital stations. She made her way to the communications unit. As with all bridge-personnel, she had basic training in all bridge duties, communication being one she excelled in. She sat down, and quickly scanned the control board. She would have to override the communication console on the main bridge before she could send her message. Quickly and efficiently she set to work programming the secondary comm-unit. Making sure that when she entered the pre- recorded chip, one push on the control button would send its message planet-wide. For a fraction of a second, doubt assailed her mind, after all she didn't even know what was exactly in the message. Then she looked at her chronometer: one unit left before alpha-shift and already 20 minutes into the planet's day-cycle, time to send the message - or not, and leave quickly before she was discovered. Her finger hovered above the crucial button, after some seconds, she closed her eyes, held her breath and pressed.

---

On the bridge Spock was checking the energy utilisation of the Enterprise. He had noticed some energy fluctuations and unexpected localised power surges. After examination of the computer records he saw that the transporter had been used repeatedly. Suddenly a new power surge, localised in Auxiliary Control, showed up on his screen. First the use of an Auxiliary transporter, now someone seemed to be using power in the Auxiliary Control room, for unauthorised purposes. This situation needed rapid attention.

"Computer, is someone in Auxiliary Control?"

"Affirmative," answered the softly mechanical female voice.

He was about to call security and the Captain, when an all-wide subspace announcement light flashed on, followed by an immediate audio-visual message. The message was destined for an all-frequency broadcast to the planet, but as was usual with such a message, it was also broadcast automatically on the main viewing screen of the bridge.

"Captain to the bridge, please." Spock switched the all- ship toggle off and pressed the switch that connected him to security.

"Lieutenant Mep'sto, here," came the disembodied voice of the Chief of Security.

"Spock here. There is an unauthorised broadcast from Auxiliary Control. Apprehend the perpetrator, immediately. Spock out." Before he finished lifting his finger of the communications switch, the lift doors opened and Captain Kirk strode on the bridge.

"Report, Mr. Spock."

Spock pointed, to the main screen. The rest of the bridge crew were mesmerised by the terribly distressing pictures shown on the screen and the hypnotic voice that commented calmly on each visual representation of the most painfully deformed peoples that any had ever seen.

"This is being broadcast from Auxiliary, directly to the planet, Captain." Spock stated soberly.

"Can we terminate it from here?" Jim asked as he watched the Vulcan already busy at the main communications unit.

"Negative, sir."

"Mr. Offer, get Lieutenant Uhura up here. Spock, come with me," the Captain said on his way to the turbo lift.

In the lift Spock quickly told his Captain about the unidentified power surges that were recorded also within the transporter rooms.

"Someone transporting to and back from the planet. But how and why?" Jim mused while they made their way to the ship's second command centre. As they approached they heard several voices talking agitatedly.

"Report," Jim Kirk snapped, while Spock went to the auxiliary communications unit and began to terminate manually, the planet wide broadcast.

"Sir, we found Ensign LaPierre leaving the Auxiliary Control, when we were sent down by Mr. Spock to investigate an unauthorised broadcast. She denies that she was in the room, Sir."

Captain Kirk turned his steady gaze at the ensign held firmly by one of the security guards.

"Ensign LaPierre, are you responsible for sending the broadcast?" he asked softly.

LaPierre didn't know how to answer. She didn't know if her lie would be accepted, or if she should stand her ground now, let all know what higher purpose she was intended to serve. Before she could make up her mind, however, the Captain spoke again, very gently:

"Ensign, you must be aware that the computer records will, in the end, identify the perpetrator. It would be much better, if you indeed did send the message, to tell me now."

Something snapped in LaPierre at that tone of voice. 'How dare that inferior human be condescending to her!' She lifted her head proudly and with a look full of arrogant contempt gazed at the Captain and the Vulcan who now stood beside him, having successfully and efficiently terminated the broadcast. But it didn't matter to her anymore, at least three quarters of the message got through.

The ensign reminded Jim of an untamed, young filly he once owned. The filly's head would swing wildly, with the mane falling loosely round the proud eyes. But he suspected that this filly was beyond taming. His eyes bore into hers, willing her to speak.

LaPierre did, proudly and haughtily:

"Yes, Captain, I did send the broadcast."

"Why?" still gently

"Although I need not explain my actions to you," Jim's face hardened at that, "I will. I sent the broadcast to prevent further creation of those abominations you saw on the tape, and I saw in the flesh. I sent the broadcast to put a stop to this infestation of the pure. To put a stop to that disgusting concept of Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. There is only The One Way!" She ended with another proud swing of her head.

Jim looked at her silently for a few moments. He felt an unreasonable sadness for the young ensign standing so proudly before him. Sadness and disquiet that such narrow minded perceptions still existed so strongly in someone, especially someone so young. Powerful disquiet that such a person managed to get as far as the Enterprise, a ship usually reserved for a crew of raving xenophiles, a crew that itself rejoiced in every possible diversity.

The ensign started to squirm slightly under the powerful steady gaze.

Jim glanced at Spock. The First Officer's face was totally impassive, but in the eyes Jim detected a hint of compassion mixed with something he very rarely saw - anger.

"Ensign, you may have started something much larger than you could have imagined," Jim again turned his intense gaze on the young woman, his voice hardened but was still tinged with an underlying sadness. "You have broken a number of Starfleet and Federation rules. The major one, of course - the Prime Directive. I will have all the details from you. For now I am obliged to place you under arrest. You will be confined in the ship's brig. When we have more details and especially time, your case will be brought before a board of inquiry of the senior officers. Before that you will be made aware of all your legal rights. Is that clear?"

A not so disdainful nod was all the affirmation the Captain got.

"Take her to the brig, Lieutenant," Jim turned to the Chief of security, "Mr. Spock will question the prisoner, then confine her to cell A." Cell A was reserved for the less dangerous prisoners, it was large and relatively comfortable. "I will be on the bridge." He turned to Spock as LaPierre was led away: "When you have finished questioning her, please call me. We need to discuss this new complication."

"Yes, Sir, " Spock was about to leave when the Captain's voice stopped him.

"Spock! Have McCoy and Offer already beamed down to the planet?"

"Affirmative, Captain," Spock said quietly.

"Damn!" Jim regarded Spock for a moment, then said:

"I want to know why she did all this, if she was alone, if there are others on board who are involved. She could have conceivably beamed down herself, but she must have had help to beam back up. Everything, Spock."

Spock inclined his head and then left to join the little group making their way down to the deeper reaches of the starship.

Footnotes and explanations

Next chapter.