X-NEWS: spcvxb alt.startrek.creative: 1265 Relay-Version: VMS News - V6.0-3 14/03/90 VAX/VMS V5.4; site spcvxb.spc.edu Path: spcvxb.spc.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!wupost!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!pacbell.com!att!cbnewse!jeana Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: The Doctor And The Enterprise Pt3 Message-ID: <1991Nov8.170129.16674@cbnewse.cb.att.com> From: jeana@cbnewse.cb.att.com (jean) Date: 8 Nov 91 17:01:29 GMT Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Keywords: text Lines: 1037 The following are the rules for use of these files. A) You may read it -- FREE. B) You may print it to a printer -- FREE. C) You may make copies for your friends -- FREE. D) You may redistribute to other electronic networks and databases, including ftp archives FREE. E) The text carries my copyright from the date of original publication and "publication" of these files in this format does not grant anyone anywhere permission to make copies either electronically or in print which carry *any* charge to anyone of any type for that copy. F) Any reproduction of the text (print or electronic) must carry this notice with it. An individual editing for a single copy for their own records is not bound by this requirement and may edit this paragraph out. Paper copies with the original artwork (including the marvelous cover by Gail Bennett) are available from me. SASE for details. Some dealers may also have appropriately priced *authorized* copies available (STARTECH is one of them). Not everyone is on a computer network! With regrets for being so picky -- but I've been burned on this enough. Read and enjoy! November 8, 1991 Jean Airey 1306 W. Illinois Aurora, IL 60506 USA START OF TEXT __________________________________________________________________ PART 3 THE DOCTOR AND THE ENTERPRISE by Jean Airey copyright 1982 Jean Airey Kirk was concerned about his crew's morale. They had, after all, been overdue for R&R before starting the return trip to Earth, and had had a succession of emergencies in a rather short time. He spent the evening walking around the ship, visiting areas where the crew was stationed and gathered. In the gym Sulu was practicing what appeared to be a new and difficult series of fencing moves. "Improving your technique, Mr. Sulu?" "Yes sir. The Doctor showed me some offensive moves that I'd never heard of before. The problem is to try to master them." "The Doctor?" "Yes sir, he said he learned them from a Captain in Cleopatra's army." Kirk watched as Sulu went back to his practicing. He knew his history well enough to know that at the time of Cleopatra the swords used were not the epee Sulu used. But Sulu seemed to find the whole thing credible, so Kirk decided not to try to argue about it. Passing through the Engineering section, Kirk saw that Scotty seemed to be involved in analyzing a silver object about 13 centimeters long and 3 centimeters in diameter. He knew that Scotty had been working on the designs which would implement the extra dilithium crystals and he walked over to see what was going on. The silver object `Has something he had never seen before. "Something new, Scotty?" "Aye, Captain. It's a Sonic Screwdriver, and it's a beautiful wee bairn." "A Sonic Screwdriver?" The term sounded more like an exotic bar concoction than something that would fascinate his Chief Engineer. "Aye, it's the Doctor's." "The Doctor's?" "I've been trying to persuade him to let me look at that TARDIS of his, but he doesna seem to want to let me do that." "So how did you get this - Sonic Screwdriver?" "`Yell, he says that if I can duplicate it, then I can look at the TARDIS." "Can you?" Kirk was confident that nothing mechanical was beyond Scotty's skills. "Not yet. Oh, it's a bonnie wee bairn. So far I've found thirty uses for it, but I canna yet make another one." "Did the Doctor make it?" "Well, he designed it." "Well, Scotty, if you keep at it, you'll find the secret." "Secret! Nae, Captain, this is pure engineering genius. And an honor it is to be working on it." Kirk walked out shaking his head. The Doctor certainly seemed to have found the way to keep Scotty away from the TARDIS. One of the Rec rooms had been turned into what Lt. Kyle explained to Kirk as the site of the Starfleet Yo-Yo Championships. "Where did all the yo-yos come from, Lieutenant?" "Oh, the Doctor gave them to us." "Did he set up the rules for this - competition?" "Set them up? No sir. He told us what the rules were - back on Earth." "Will he be participating?" "No sir. He said he'd already won his championship in 1923." Kirk watched an Andorian ensign attempt a `walk the doggie.' "All the Andorians are very good at this, sir. They seem to have a knack for it." "That would certainly be helpful." "If you'll excuse me, sir, my turn is coming up." "Of course." On his way to Rec room 4 Kirk mulled over what he had seem. His crew was alert, happy, and there certainly seemed to be no cause for alarm. He decided he would see if Spock would join him for a game of chess. Certainly they could both use the break. In Rec room 4 Spock was already playing chess - with the Doctor. Kirk walked over and looked at the board. It was obviously near the end of the game and as Kirk neared them the Doctor made a move. "Check and mate, I believe." Spock studied the board. "You have learned the game well." "It's much more challenging than the one dimensional version I'm used to. I'll have to teach it to K-9 when I get him fixed." "K-9?" Kirk asked. "My dog." "Your dog? - plays chess?" Kirk looked at Spock in hopes of some amplification of the strange statement. "Actually, K-9 is a highly sophisticated robot." Spock said, resetting the pieces on the boards. Kirk relaxed, at least his first officer was back to normal. "However," Spock went on, "he is really a very good dog." The Doctor had looked slightly disappointed at Spock's mundane explanation and now smiled across the Board at him. Kirk was shocked to see his first officer smile back. "Spock" - Spock turned to look at him, his face expressionless again. "Um - would you say that the Doctor plays as illogically as humans?" "Captain," one Vulcan eyebrow raised, "the Doctor's mind works in a unique fashion. I would not compare the processes." "Would you care to play the next game, Captain?" asked the Doctor, starting to get up from his chair. "No, no." Kirk motioned him back down. "Mr. Spock and I play quite often." Of course, as their mission was ending, he and Spock. . . Well, he thought, at least the Doctor was out of mischief. He went back to his cabin determined to have a talk with McCoy the next day. +++++++++ "Bones, are you sure Spock is all right?" "Jim, he's fine. He just had me give him a complete physical." "He asked for one?" "Jim, it was the - logical - thing to do. He wanted to be sure that there were no after effects from that mind-meld experiment. Made me give the Doctor one too. Not that I needed to add any more of those strange readings to my records." "Don't you find that - unusual?" "Before this whole thing happened - yes. Now - well, I don't know what you're worried about, but Spock is healthier - in body and mind than I've ever seen him. What are you so worried about?" "Bones, I don't know. I just have this strange feeling that something is wrong - with the Enterprise - and that the Doctor is somehow related to it." "Well he certainly has done nothing but help us since we got in this mess. The crew likes him, I like him and Spock likes him. You're the only one having problems dealing with him. Jim..." "Dr. McCoy, Lieutenant Caffrey is fibrillating again." Chapel called from inside on of the sickbay areas. "Damn - Jim, I want to talk to you about this after I take care of my patient." Kirk started glumly at the door as McCoy left. He could not believe that he was the one out of step. Every feeling that he'd learned to rely on told him that something was wrong. "Captain Kirk." It was Sulu on the intercom from the Bridge. "Kirk here." "Coming into the Lightunder system." "I'm on my way up." ++++++++++++ Orbiting the planet the next day, the selected landing party met in one of the briefing rooms. Lt. Stephans had been working with the Doctor gathering information about the planet through a linkup of the TARDIS and the Enterprise sensors. "Luckily the Techies - the technologists - and the Norms are still speaking to one another," she said. "We don't want to get involved in a civil war. Only one bomb has fallen on a populated area - the first one. It destroyed the Norm city of Metebe and left strong radioactive aftereffects. The population in the area is suffering from radiation exposure. The Norms were able to deflect the second bomb as it was falling, but burnt out - lost - five of their best telekenetics to do it. The area it landed in was unpopulated, but we will need to do a clean up of the radiation. The bombs are too distant for the Norms to move them further out, or keep them up, and the Techies don't have a clear enough understanding of how the internal mechanism works to enable the Norms to defuse one as it comes down. They are in a desperate situation and they know it. However, they are very proud and will resent any intrusion even though it is intended to be helpful." "Full diplomacy, then, Lieutenant," said Kirk. He noticed that McCoy was staring at him but he had been too caught up in the plans for the planetary contact - including a possible use of the Doctor's TARDIS as the `hospital base' to get back to talk to him. It would have to wait. "Diplomacy in spades, Captain, if we hope to accomplish anything." "Doctor, if you're ready?" The Doctor had his feet up on the table and his hat over his head. Kirk was convinced he had been sleeping. "What - oh yes - are we ready?" "We will be beaming down into the meeting room of the capital city of the Techies. The leaders of both sides should be there." Spock said. ++++++++++++ As the group materialized, Kirk could see the surprise of the men and women in the room. He hoped that this display of superior technology would give them a bargaining advantage. He looked around at the people. Even from their clothing he could distinguish between the two groups. The Techies were wearing military type one piece suits, and the Norms were wearing leather and fur garments and all carried swords. "We have come in peace." Kirk said, spreading his hands to show the absence of weapons. "We would offer our assistance. . ." "We do not wish the assistance of aliens!" shouted one of the Norms, a short but powerfully built man. Mutters from the others in the room indicated that they agreed. Kirk was starting to frame another sentence when the Doctor abruptly stepped forward. He calmly surveyed the group and said "I am the Doctor, a Time Lord of Gallifrey. We have determined that without our intervention your planet will be destroyed in 16 months. We have decided that we will intervene to save you - for a price." Kirk thought that the arrogance in his tone was unmistakable. The man who had refused Kirk stared at the Doctor. His green hair seemed to bristle. "A Time Lord. We have heard of you." A small polished dilithium crystal that he wore on the inside of his left wrist began to glow as he lifted his hand. When his hand was level with his eyes the crystal suddenly flashed. Kirk felt what seemed to be a momentary pressure on his mind and heard Spock take a sudden deep breath. The Doctor seemed amused. "So. It is true. What is your price and who are these people with you who are not Time Lords?" "Our price is six large energy crystals - the size you do not use because you cannot control them." The scorn in the Doctor's voice hung in the air. "These people have been chosen to assist me." "What do you offer us?" "Medical help for those of your people suffering from the effects of the first explosion. And we will remove the remaining devices from your skies." "Will you treat our people in our own land - without bringing in large machines?" "We will land our own dwelling place where you specify. The machines we use will be no more to you than a black box that makes noises. What machines we have in our dwelling place will be of no concern to you." "Will you teach us so that we may avoid something like this happening again?" one of the Techies asked. The Doctor looked at him as if he was some kind of lower species of insect. "We will teach you enough to better defend yourselves." The Doctor looked at the group. "Do accept our offer?" "We must discuss.. ." murmured the Techie. "What is there to discuss!" said the Norm. "This is a Time Lord and he speaks the truth. Must we discuss if we wish to live or die?" There was no dissenting voice from the group as they looked ruefully at each other. The Norm turned back to the Doctor. "Very well, Time Lord. We will agree to your bargain. But those of you who come on our land must agree to abide by our customs." "Agreed." said the Doctor. "Where do you wish us to place the medical treatment center?" "We have established a place of healing in Besteco." "Then we will land there. After we remove the devices orbiting your planet, we will send people to meet with you." The Doctor nodded at the Techies. One of the Techies stepped forward. He was tall, with blond hair and a beard. "I am Lif d'Lewis, head of my people. We will be glad to learn all that you are willing to teach us." The Doctor nodded an acknowledgement of the Techie's statement. Kirk could not help thinking that if they had to deal only with this man and his people instead of the feisty Norm who had taken over, the whole thing could have been handled better. "Captain, if you will call for the beam-up." The Doctor turned back to the Norm. "Alert your people at Besteco. We will be there in one hour." He turned and nodded at Kirk, obviously concluding the conversation. Kirk opened his communicator. He felt as though he was an Ensign again. "Kirk to Enterprise, beam up landing party." As the transporter beam picked up the landing party, Kirk felt a sudden surge of anger. What right did the Doctor have to step in like that! He could feel the emotion pulsing through him as the group materialized on the Enterprise. As he turned to the Doctor, prepared to express his anger, Spock stepped forward and said "An excellent job, Doctor. I believe you accomplished everything we desired." "Even what you offered the Techies is well within the limits of the Prime Directive. How did you know that was the way to approach them?" Lt. Stephans asked. The Doctor looked slightly surprised. "It was the - logical - thing to do." He smiled at Spock, shaking his head slightly. Kirk felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. Spock and the Lieutenant were right. What they had wanted done was done - so why did it matter WHO had done it? Suppressing an uneasy feeling of having been in the wrong, he turned to McCoy. "Bones, are you and your medical team ready?" "As ready as we can be, Jim. It's a good thing that we'd already expected that we'd have to use the Doctor's TARDIS as our base. We've installed some of our medical computers and laboratory equipment. The Doctor and Mr. Spock have also arranged to implement a direct link between the TARDIS' computer system and our science computer." "You're satisfied with the arrangements, then?" "They're better than most I've had to work with under the Prime Directive on a primitive planet." "Bones," said the Doctor. "If you will have your medical team at the TARDIS in - say - fifteen minutes? Lt. Stephans and I want to review some of the customs of the local people. Dorcy has a feeling that certain aspects of the local culture were not emphasized strongly enough in the standard briefing tape she made earlier. The Norms are very set in certain ways, and we cannot afford to offend them." "We'll be there." "Captain, if you are planning on coming down to the planet, you should hear this." The Doctor said. "I'll have to get it later, Doctor. At the moment we need to get this ship ready to dispose of these orbital bombs." The Doctor looked at Kirk and, with a slight smile, nodded. "Of course, Captain." +++++++++ Beaming down the TARDIS was a learning experience for Lt. Kyle under Spock's tuition. Apparently something of the unique nature of the TARDIS had to be calculated for during transportation and Kirk was thankful that the beam-down with his crew aboard was successful. He looked at the now empty transporter pads and turned to Spock. "Why didn't the Doctor take the TARDIS down on its own, Spock? Wouldn't it have been simpler?" "With the TARDIS in its present condition, there is always the chance that it might not land where it was directed." "You mean that the Doctor can't control it." "His level of control of the TARDIS suits him, Captain. In this situation, I preferred that we handle the transportation." "Spock, there are some things that I simply do not understand." "Indeed, Captain?" Kirk saw his first officer looking at him expectantly. "Not now, Spock, we've got some bombs to get rid of." "But of course, Captain." ++++++++++ The removal and defusing of the orbiting bombs was time consuming but relatively simple for the Enterprise crew. The defused bombs were dumped into a sun of a nearby uninhabited planetary system. Kirk was pleased to see that his crew was handling the situation in their usual efficient fashion. Apparently with the disruptive influence of the Doctor removed, things were going to return to normal. Within a week the Enterprise had returned and was orbiting Lightunder again. Scotty, a team of Enterprise engineers, and selected members of the CS&C group beamed down to meet with Lyf d'Lewis. Another group was assigned to `clean up' the unpopulated area of the second explosion. Kirk decided to go down with Spock to see how the medical group was getting along. In the transporter room, Spock placed a small black box on the transporter console. "Lieutenant Kyle, initiate signaling sequence 21CQ305260." Spock said. "Yes sir." "What's that all about, Spock?" Kirk asked as they walked toward the transporter pads. "Without the adjustment and amplification that box provides for our signals, we would not be able to beam down inside the TARDIS. The Doctor has specifically requested that landing party at Besteco beam down directly into the TARDIS and await further contact." "Are you saying that without that device, we wouldn't be able to transport into the TARDIS?" "The TARDIS has unique defensive capabilities." Kirk sighed. He was back in the strange world of the Doctor's again. They materialized inside the TARDIS control room just as the Doctor was coming in through the outside door. "Oh, Spock," he said, "I'm glad you're here. Come on down to the workshop. I want to look at something." Spock and the Doctor started through one of the other doors when the Doctor stuck his head back through the door. "Captain - don't leave the TARDIS until you check with Lt. Stephans." Then he disappeared again. Kirk waited for some time, his impatience growing. Other members of the medical team came hurriedly through the TARDIS control room, apparently to and from the area where the Doctor and Spock were. They barely acknowledged his presence. Lt. Stephans did not appear. His patience finally exhausted, he decided that it would not hurt to go and look for the Lieutenant or, preferably, McCoy. They probably just wanted to reemphasize some of the local customs. He had already seen the briefing tape twice, and had been taking care of himself on alien planets several years longer than the Lieutenant, but if they wanted to make some special point, he'd find them and let them make it. As he stepped out of the TARDIS, he noticed the `hospital' seemed to be a converted large stone building. The TARDIS had actually been located in a room in the building. The other rooms he saw as he walked down the hall were filled with patients. The medical personnel, both his own people and some from the native population seemed to be constantly busy. He could not see McCoy or Stephans anywhere. At length his wanderings took him to the front door of the building. The sunlight and open air outside looked inviting after the closed-in aura of the hospital. He even seemed to be experiencing a slightly nauseous feeling from the strange pungency. All hospitals smell, he thought, and decided to step outside and look around. Leaning on the beast-shaped stone structure at the foot of the hospital steps, he looked out at what seemed to be a town square. There were shops on three sides and the normal activity of people going in and out with and without parcels. Horses - or a very close facsimile of the earth animal, except for the cloven hooves and horn - and carriages were tied up by the stores. He took a deep breath of the planet's air. It tasted good. He noticed a girl - a young woman - standing by one of the shops, apparently waiting for someone. He looked at her intensely. Her hair was a dark green, so dark as to be almost black. The slight breeze blowing against the lightweight rose fabric of her ankle length gown outlined a figure of delightful proportions. She suddenly looked up at him, revealing dark black eyes formerly masked by thick and curly downcast eyelashes. Her skin was fair, highlighted by a natural rose shading on her cheeks and lips which Kirk could tell owed nothing to artifice. She met his gaze for an instant and then cast her eyes down again momentarily. He was not surprised when, after a brief moment, the open and provocative gaze met his again. How lovely she was - and would be on any planet he had ever visited. The rose of her cheeks seemed to deepen and a faint smile appeared on her lips and the black eyes seemed sparkle. He could not speak to her, he remembered that from the briefing tape, but he continued to smile into those brilliant eyes and it seemed that his smile was echoed back to him. It had been a long time for him, and his thoughts became more specific. Her body and his, meeting, blending . . . A horrified look appeared in the lovely eyes and she turned and ran into the shop. Well, you can't win them all, he thought wistfully. He felt slightly dizzy and was turning to go back into the hospital when he saw Spock, McCoy and the Doctor coming out. "Jim," said McCoy, "Have you seen Lt. Stephans?" "Not yet, Bones." He replied, smiling. Spock and McCoy exchanged glances of - irritation? Why should seeing Lt. Stephans such an important matter? "Blithering idiot," said the Doctor. "You'd better get back inside and let us look at you." Kirk bristled. What right did the Doctor have to give such an order and, anyway, they could just as well look at him out here. There was a commotion across the street. The four on the hospital steps turned. Three men were approaching rapidly. Kirk saw the girl he had been looking at being bundled into a carriage with some other women. The men paused, face to face now with the Doctor and the Enterprise crew. Kirk recognized one as the Norm who had been present at the meeting in the Techie capital. The Norm looked at the Doctor. "You said that your people would abide by our customs." "I did." "This man," he motioned to Kirk, "has violated one of our women." The Doctor seemed to take a deep breath. Spock and McCoy simultaneously exclaimed "Captain!" and "Jim!" Kirk looked at them and, with a shock, realized that they seemed to be accepting the justification of the charge. "Bones, Spock - I just got here!" He felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him. "Time is relative, Captain," said the Doctor. He turned to the man who had stated the charge. "You are Raul d'Colm'n, head of the clan d'Colm'n, and you are making this charge." "On behalf of my kinswoman, Namona d'Colm'n, I am." "The one charged has the right of defense by challenge." "With swords and knives." d'Colm'n looked scornfully at the Doctor. "Will your clan accept the challenge of defense?" "We will - and the best of our warriors will face this pervert personally." "Where will the challenge be?" "In the hall of the d'Colm'n. We will take the accused there now." "I am leigelord to the accused. I shall go with him." "It is your right. But only you as liegelord may do so. And you must leave all of your alien machines behind. We have extra horses; we will leave now. The challenge will be on the morrow." Kirk found himself clinging to the sculpture. The dizziness seemed to be getting worse. Was this a dream? The three d'Colm'n went back across the square. Kirk heard the sound of a tricorder behind him. He turned and saw McCoy and Spock looking at something on the screen of McCoy's tricorder. They both looked grim. The Doctor was coming out of the door carrying a sword and knife in a curious double scabbard and a leather jacket. He started for Kirk when McCoy stopped him. Odd, the three seemed to be blurring - had he been drinking? They were talking. He heard the words but didn't want to bother trying to make sense out of them. The stone sculpture felt cool and comfortable. "How serious is the challenge?" "Very. Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it. He'll be back to you in two days." Now that was the Doctor talking - he'd take care of it! He thought he could handle anything. Well, James Kirk could handle this, and his ship, and his crew, and his friends. He'd show them - handle this situation the way he had all the others there had been and everything would be fine. The blurring seemed to be getting worse and he could barely recognize McCoy's shape coming toward him with a hypospray. He felt the hypospray going in, but nothing seemed to happen. The Doctor was putting a leather jacket on him. He tried to shrug it off. He wasn't cold; it was too hot on this damn planet. Spock's face suddenly came into focus and he realized that the Vulcan was pulling the jacket back on him. "Jim?" Was that Spock? He hadn't called him Jim in a long time. He tried to listen. "Jim - you must do what the Doctor says. Do you understand?" Kirk nodded. He felt Spock removing his phaser and communicator. Of course, even Spock wanted the Doctor to be in charge. "Doctor, there is a problem." The Doctor had been getting some medical supplies from McCoy and was stuffing them in his pockets. "Problem, Spock?" Kirk felt the blue eyes focus on him. He turned away from the penetrating look. "If he doesn't cooperate, we will both be lost." Spock turned back to Kirk who had now decided that he wouldn't look at any of them. The dizziness seemed to be passing, but the feeling of estrangement continued. He felt the Vulcan's hands grasping his head, turning it so they were face to face, the hands shifting into the mind-meld position. "No, Spock!" Had he said that, or just thought it? The Vulcan's eyes, now close to his, seemed to soften, but he felt Spock's mind enter his. You must return to Us alive. You must do what the Doctor tells you to do. has turned all of you away from me. He is an enemy. is not an enemy. He is our friend. has fooled all of you. He has not fooled me. Jim! You must not think that. Now, look back on what has happened. Review all of it. Is our friendship so fragile that you can no longer trust me? I trust you. Then trust the Doctor also. If you do not, we will never meet again. Your word? \My word.\ An alien touch - mind? - entered. \They are returning.\ Spock broke off the meld. "He is in your hands, Doctor." The Doctor nodded. The dizziness had gone now, and Kirk was able to get on the horse without help. As they rode off, the Doctor rode next to Kirk and they were both surrounded by armed men. Raul led the group through rough paths and rocky trails. Kirk was spending most of his time trying to stay on the horse. He was thankful when they arrived at their destination. A castle-like structure, heavily fortified, stood on top of one of the smaller mountains. He noticed banners flying from the turrets which matched the banners that several members of the party were carrying. A white sheep on a yellow and blue striped background with a bell inside a double ring in one corner seemed to be the emblem displayed. "Why a sheep?" He could not resist asking the Doctor as they got off their horses in the courtyard of the castle. The Doctor glanced at him. "You don't know the sheep on Lightunder. It is quite an appropriate emblem for this clan." The armed men escorted them to a large chamber. They left and Raul stood facing the Doctor. Kirk's knees felt oddly weak again and he sat down in one of the high-backed chairs. The little man looked up at the Doctor and said "While you are not of our people, we will give you the guesting appropriate to the challenge." "You honor us," said the Doctor. Raul looked over at Kirk. "Is your man not well?" "It has been a long trip and he has drunk too heavily." Raul seemed to be weighing the Doctor's words. Kirk debated protesting that he had not been drinking at all but the effort seemed too much. "That is no excuse." Raul made the statement definitive. "It was not given as one." Raul nodded as though the answer satisfied him. "Food will be sent. The challenge will be fought at cock's crow on the morrow. You will be summoned." "Who will be fighting for the d'Colm'n?" "I shall be." "As is my right, I shall fight for my liegeman." "As you wish. I would not have thought him worth it." Raul turned and left the room. Kirk suddenly realized that he limped. Then the significance of the last remarks sank in and the lethargy was swept away. "What do you mean, you're fighting for me? I can fight for myself!" "Captain," the Doctor came over and forced Kirk back into the chair. He leaned over one arm. "How skilled are you at fighting with sword and knife?" "I've used those weapons." "Against the most skilled man on a planet which uses those weapons?" "Him?" "Captain - you must not judge by appearances. For all his size and his injured leg, he is the best that this planet has produced. You could not win against him." The dizziness seemed to be returning. Kirk shook his head, trying to clear it. "Can you?" "Yes - most likely. It is our only chance. How do you feel?" The words seemed to come out of a distance. Spock had said `trust him'. "Weak and dizzy. What's going on?" The Doctor began rummaging in the pockets of his coat and pulled out one of McCoy's hyposprays. Kirk heard it hiss against his arm. "That should help. I'll wake you when the food comes." Kirk awoke to find himself supported by the Doctor's arm. He was lying in one of the beds. The Doctor was spooning some kind of broth into his mouth. He started to pull away but then relaxed. "Well, I'm glad to see that Spock got through to you." The broth seemed to be finished and the Doctor offered Kirk a chunk of some type of whole grain bread and propped him up in the bed. "Eat as much of it as you can. You need the energy." The Doctor sat back in a chair and took out a bag of jellybabies. "Doctor - what the hell is wrong with me?" "You didn't see Lt. Stephans before you left the TARDIS, did you?" "No. I..." "You didn't really think that it was necessary. Well, because you didn't see her, you didn't receive the immunity injection you humans require for the current virus mutation that's floating around. So now you've caught the disease." "Then the shots I've been getting are part of the cure." "The shots aid in relieving the symptoms, but we have not yet found the cure. The mortality rate is 97%". Kirk suddenly lost his appetite. The Doctor reached out and took the remaining bread out of his hand. "You know, Captain, there are times when it pays to listen to someone you don't like." "Doctor, I . . ." "Don't try to excuse it, Captain. I can understand what happened, and I should have recognized it earlier. You're about to wind up your mission in a blaze of glory, when you get sidetracked into this." The Doctor made a vaguely circular motion with his hand. "I certainly wasn't prepared for anyone like you." The Doctor chuckled. "But surely, Captain, you must realize that one of the things I did, inadvertently, was to trigger some of the fears you have about what will happen when you do complete your mission." "Changes." "Yes - changes." the Doctor said cheerfully, "separation and loneliness. And you are so bound to your ship that the separation. . ." He became oddly pensive. "I think that you had better tell me what happened in the square that got us into this." Kirk related the events as he recalled them, noticing that the dizziness and the fog seemed to be approaching again. As he finished his story he felt the hypospray against his arm. The hissing sound of another hypospray awoke him in the morning. "Doctor McCoy will not be thrilled with what I'm doing, but you've got to stay on your feet during the next several hours. Here, drink this." The Doctor held out a small vial of liquid. Without hesitating, Kirk drank it. The effect was immediate; a feeling of normalcy returned. He got out of the bed and saw that the Doctor was strapping on the double scabbard. He was wearing only the spotless, flowing white shirt, tweed pants, and boots. The rest of his clothes were laid in a neat pile. "Can you carry those?" "Yes." The Doctor pulled the sword from the scabbard and looked at it. It was a curious shape. One edge curved slightly while the other was straight. Both edges were honed to a fine sharpness. The strange blend of direct and curved line met in an elongated point. "That's an unusual sword." Kirk commented. "It's designed for great efficiency. Because of the curved edge, you gain an impetus to your blow if you decide to swing at your enemy - but the point still allows for the thrust." His voice seemed quite academic. "Do you see these grooves?" He indicated two channels in each side of the weapon. "If you should sink your weapon into your enemy to that depth and then quickly remove it, a suction is created - which causes an even greater loss of blood than in the flat sided weapon." With a sudden intuition, Kirk said, "You don't like weapons, do you?" "Aren't all men supposed to enjoy the fight?" "You don't even travel armed - you were completely defenseless when you came out of the TARDIS." "It has been my experience that if you go about armed, more people are apt to attack you than otherwise. You humans seem to feel an absolute compulsion to have some weapon or another on you." "I think that for us it is a form of security - that we expect more attacks than welcomes. To leave all weapons behind - consistently - would be a step beyond our understanding ourselves." "I didn't think that you were a philosopher." "Not a philosopher, but as a Starship Captain I have to have some understanding of any crew - and most of them are human, like me." Kirk smiled wryly. The Doctor looked at Kirk with puzzlement and Kirk wondered what he had said that had surprised the Doctor in some fashion. A knock sounded at the door. "Our escorts." said the Doctor. They were led down into a large circular hall. The seating around the sides, sloped so that all could have a good view, and the entrances from the front and back, reminded Kirk unpleasantly of the ancient Roman gladiatorial contests. The Doctor and Kirk stepped unto the floor, their escorts falling back. The Doctor motioned to Kirk. "Stand back away from the combat area and do not interfere - whatever happens. If I am killed, they will be required to let you go." "Then you are not certain about winning." "Of course I an," said the Doctor huffily. "The probability that I can defeat Raul is at least - 90%." He seemed to think for a minute and then said with what seemed to Kirk to be an incorrigible honesty, "Well, 70% anyway." He started out for the center of the room and then turned back to Kirk, smiling. "At least it's 100% better than yours!" As Kirk watched the Doctor turn and walk into the center, he realized that he was nearly laughing. All his fears and distrust of the Doctor seemed to have vanished. The Doctor was what he was and that was worthy of all the trust that Spock and McCoy had placed in him, and that now Kirk would place in him too. If he had been the better swordsman, the Doctor would have made him fight his own battle. As it was, the Doctor would fight for him. Raul emerged form the other door. He was dressed in full swordsman's outfit - leather, silver, the sword and the knife. The two men accompanying him stepped to one side and Raul, his green hair blazing, walked to the center. A gong sounded and both men drew their weapons. The fight began slowly, both men circling, taking cautious feints at each other, looking for weaknesses. When the action finally began, Kirk had a few uneasy moments as the Doctor seemed to be outclassed as he faced the skill of a man trained to live and die with the bladed weapons. Then he noticed that the Doctor was consistently moving more rapidly than Raul, forcing Raul to turn on his injured leg. And while Raul was making frequent thrusts and passes at the Doctor, the Doctor rarely had to block them - he seemed to be moving one step ahead of his opponent. The, unexpectedly, the Doctor went on the offense, driving Raul around the floor. Within seconds, the Doctor gained the advantage. Kirk saw Raul fall, disarmed, with the Doctor's sword at his throat. "Your life is forfeit to me and mine, Raul, and the innocence of my man is proved by your own laws." "Then kill me quickly, in honor." "In honor, I shall not do that. I would establish the truth of the matter - for all we have proved here is that I am a better swordsman than you. I will give you leave to probe the mind of my leigeman for the truth - if you will agree to verify it by putting your cousin Namona under the truthspell." "This is not in accordance with our ways." "Is death then more important to you than truth?" The Doctor's sword remained steadily at his exposed throat. "I will grant you what you ask." A murmur rose up around the hall. Raul glared at the Doctor. The Doctor moved his sword to one side and Raul stood. "Quiet. It will be as I have said. Call forth your man." Raul turned. "Summon Namona and El Donna." "Jim," the Doctor motioned Kirk to the center of the floor. He unbuckled the scabbard and let the weapons fall to the floor. Kirk moved quickly. As he handed the Doctor his coats, he whispered "What's going to happen?" "We'll let them find out what really happened." The Doctor shrugged into his longer outer coat, wrapped his scarf around his throat, and settled his hat on his head. "Raul will mind-probe you. Just concentrate on what happened. He isn't interested in anything else." Namona, dressed all in white, eyes cast down, entered from the other side. With her was another woman, slighter, darker, with a dilithium crystal worn in the hollow of her neck. The two women joined the men in the center of the hall. "El Donna," said Raul, "Place Namona under the truthspell." "As you wish, Paul." The words were submissive but Kirk felt that had she so wished a refusal could as easily have been granted. She turned to Namona. "Child, look at me." Namona's eyes raised and as they met the other's the crystal at El Donna's throat pulsed with energy. Namona stood, eyes fixed on space. El Donna turned back to Raul. "It is done." Paul faced Kirk. Kirk looked down into the dark eyes and was suddenly thankful that the Doctor had been the one fighting this man. The mind contact was sudden and sharp, quite unlike the feeling Kirk had ever had with Spock. This was a knife burning in his mind. For a moment Kirk tried to resist. Then, remembering what the Doctor had said, he concentrated instead on the happening in the square. The contact broke off. Kirk felt weakened and was thankful that the Doctor had moved over and taken his arm. Paul turned to the wide-eyed girl. "So, then, is this how it was?" Kirk felt that he could almost see the exchange between the two minds. "Yes, it is as he remembers." Raul's hand flew forward and Namona reeled under the blow. Kirk started toward Paul, but the Doctor restrained him. "Fool!" Raul turned to El Donna. "See that she is returned to the nursery for another year until she is prepared to live with adults." "As you wish." El Donna motioned and two women came and removed the now sobbing girl. Paul faced the Doctor and ceremoniously bowed. "All honor to you and your liegeman. My home is yours." "Honor to you for being willing to make a change." The Doctor replied, bowing in return. He stood for a moment, looking at Raul questioningly. "If you can accept change, then I would talk to you for a moment before we leave." "Very well." Raul called toward the door. "Pad!" A young man stepped forward from the group on the far side. "See that horses and an escort are provided for our guests. El Donna, while the liegelord and I speak, will you accompany the liegeman to the horses?" El Donna nodded her head in agreement. Paul turned back to the Doctor. "No doubt your liegeman will wish to check that everything is in order." "No doubt," replied the Doctor wryly, glancing at Kirk. The Doctor and Raul walked off together. Kirk noticed that while his legs still seemed to be stable, the fog had returned, edging his thoughts. "Captain?" It was El Donna. "Will you please come with me? We can await Raul and the Doctor outside." She turned and led the way through the building. As they reached the entrance, Kirk was thankful to see that there were some stone benches in front. The horses and escort were net yet there. "May we sit while we're waiting?" Kirk asked. El Donna nodded. He was thankful that she did not seem disposed to chatter, yet he wanted to ask some questions. "You have questions, Captain?" "Yes. If it would not be offensive. I do not understand all of your ways." "I think that you understand very few of our ways, but you may ask your questions." With an effort, Kirk tried to concentrate on the main point. The fog seemed to clear for a minute; he noticed that the crystal at El Donna's neck was glowing. "Why did Raul hit Namona?" God, he though, that was blunt. "A blunt question is preferable if it enables the appropriate answer. Raul hit Namona for two reasons. First, it is customary among our women - especially those with high powers -not to look at any man other than one's own family until after marriage. You seem shocked, Captain, but I can tell you that her bold glances of themselves would have been sufficient to require punishment. As it was, her worst crime was in claiming forced violation after she read your response to her given invitation." "You're saying she read my mind? What I was thinking about her?" Kirk felt a sudden sinking feeling- his thoughts? - a mental rape - and they said she was guilty? "But I did. . ." "Captain." The lithe figure turned to him and dark eyes gazed sympathetically but with some hint of amusement into his. "Have you ever physically raped a woman?" "No." *Never had to,* he thought and felt himself flush as he saw by the answering gleam in her eyes that she had caught that additional thought. "Our custom of not looking at strange men is for our own protection. There are some whose thoughts would be without doubt - rape. Your thoughts, on the other hand - oh yes, Raul read them, so have we all - were flattering, stimulating, and exciting, for any woman who was the direct object of them. You are embarrassed. There is no need to be. We all have our passions and desires, and yours for Namona was not in any way perverted or debased. Her reaction, on the other hand, showed that she does not yet deserve to be called woman, but is still a child, and will now be treated so. What she did could have caused at least one needless death, had it not been for your liegelord. Can you understand this?" It was strange but - "Yes. Although I must say that I will be thankful to leave this planet. I don't like the feeling that my mind is open to everyone." "Not to everyone. That would be dishonorable, and exhausting for the true telepath. I have just been scanning your surface thoughts because it seemed that it would facilitate our conversation." There was a clatter of hooves, and Kirk saw that the horses were being brought round. He wondered if he was going to be able to make it back. He felt the fog disappear and a soft strength enter his body. He turned to the woman beside him. Her eyes were closed and the jewel at her throat was pulsing. The dark eyes opened and looked into his. "You will make it back - and to your home." A gentle smile seemed to caress him. "I must go now. Raul and the Doctor are coming." Kirk eyed the horses without enthusiasm. While he was feeling better, he was not a horseman. Somehow the thought of subjecting his still sore muscles to another trip on the beast was not appealing. Beside him he heard El Donna sigh. "This much too, then, Captain." He looked back down at her to see the crystal pulsing again. "What?" "It is a small thing, Captain. A gift from me to you. That you may have some not-so- unpleasant memories of this planet." The Doctor and Raul were coming out of the door. She turned and left. "Coming, Captain?" said the Doctor as he moved past Kirk and mounted. Kirk followed, getting on the horse behind the Doctor's. As he mounted, he realized that somehow his body seemed to know how to ride and handle the animal. Things fit - the double reins, the saddle and stirrups - he was a part of the animal. Kirk looked over to the doorway where El Donna was standing. An enigmatic smile was on her lips as the group rode away. Riding through the hills he thought about her. The Doctor had pulled slightly ahead and was talking to the leader of their escorts, the young man Paul had called Pad. Why was the armed escort needed, Kirk wondered. There had been no trouble on the way up and the countryside certainly seemed peaceful. Now, at mid-morning, there was not even the need for the leather jacket he had worn on the ride up. A brilliant flash of light and shouting broke his thoughts. Phasers? The leading members of the party and their mounts had gone down. The Doctor was reining his horse sharply around. Without hesitation, Kirk followed. "Pad," the Doctor called, "Get out of here!" "We do not retreat!" Kirk saw that the remaining party were pulling out their swords, preparing to attack. Swords against phasers? Kirk kicked his horse into a gallop and headed down the trail after the Doctor. The light flared again and the Doctor looked back. He shook his head and led the way off the trail into a rocky pass. "Let the horses go. They'll be good decoys." The Doctor dismounted and gave his horse a slap on the rump, sending it on its way. Kirk quickly followed suit. As his horse galloped away, he followed the Doctor up the side of the mountain and joined him, crouching behind a large rock. "What was that all about?" "Daleks," said the Doctor grimly. "Who are Daleks?" "The ones who invaded this planet before. Apparently they left a small group behind to keep the pressure on as the bombs came down." The Doctor cautiously stood up and looked of the top of the rock. Kirk stayed down, watching him. "You are the Doctor." A metallic artificial voice echoed from the rocks. The Doctor stood completely still, motioning Kirk to stay down. "Exterminate the Doctor!" "No. I wish to question him first." At least two of them out there, Kirk thought. Probably more. There was an utterly vicious tone in the voices. The Doctor was moving around to the front of the rock. No time for plans or signals. Did the Doctor expect him to follow and attempt a rescue or leave? "Put that down," said the metallic voices and a brief flair of light flickered among the rocks. "It's only a toy," said the Doctor plaintively. "You will come with us. You will keep your hands in sight. Now." "Well, there's no need to shove." Kirk heard noises as the group moved away. He peered cautiously around one corner of the rock. He could see the Doctor and four strange dome shaped metal creatures about five feet high moving down the path. He waited until they went around a bend and started to follow. As he came out, he saw a mark on one of the rocks and, looking down, saw a yo-yo on the ground. He picked it up. A child's toy, but the Doctor had risked something to leave it. If the Doctor had done that, then there might be a purpose for it. He continued to trail the Doctor and his captors. Some type of a robot - but with an independent mind, he thought. Certainly an eminently practical design, not at all anthropomorphic. The weaponry they used seemed to be built-in as one of the projections from the center of the bulletlike body. The other projection was probably a `hand', although it bore no resemblance to anything humanoid. A third projection near the rounded top rotated as if the creature used it as an eye. He could not tell how they were moving. The base of the body was so close to the ground that nothing could be seen. No wheels in this terrain - maybe some type of an air suspension system? However they had come about, their creation was inspired and, with the attitude they seemed to have, diabolical. The group came to a circular stone structure. A brief