by Peter David
"They never spend any time at all out of contact with each other," observed Selar, apparently not caring one way or the other about the respective quality of parties attended by anyone else in the room. "We've tried a variety of ways to separate them, just to see what would happen, but nothing has been successful thus far. We're hoping that—ah."
The "ah" was in response to the entrance of Burgoyne. S/he was carrying some sort of bizarre-looking device that Calhoun had not seen before. "Where should I set it up?" asked Burgoyne.
"Right over here," said Soleta.
As Burgoyne moved in from one direction, however, Doctor Selar moved in from the other. "Soleta … a moment of your time, please."
Soleta nodded and walked over to Selar, who stepped away from the group to provide them with a minimal degree of privacy. "May I ask how much longer this will be going on?" she inquired. "This is my sickbay, after all. Not a science lab."
"I had thought to make matters convenient for you, Doctor," replied Soleta.
"Yes, but this has been going on for longer than anticipated."
"This is a new species and a matter of science, doctor. There is never any period of time 'anticipated' in such instances. We study, research and test until we have answers, however long that may take. I am surprised that you would even question that."
"All right, Soleta. Fine. You …" It sounded as if Selar was in pain. Then she put fingers to either side of her temples and, taking a deep breath, appeared to calm somewhat. "You … do whatever is required. However, I would request that, at the very least, you do so as quietly as possible. I am possessed of a headache at the moment."
"Yes. Of course." Soleta looked at her askance, but Selar said nothing further, merely turned on her heel and went back about her business.
"Lieutenant. Ready when you are," called Burgoyne. Soleta turned and saw that Burgoyne, although s/he had the device set up, was watching Selar as she walked away. Soleta shook her head and rejoined the group.
"So what have we got here?" asked Calhoun. His purple eyes were glittering slightly. Soleta had to admit that she couldn't remember the last time she had dealt with a captain who expressed such intense joy and interest in the sheer act of discovery. "It appears to be a sound device of some sort."
"That is precisely correct," replied Soleta.
"Very good, Captain," Shelby said approvingly. "Obviously you were paying attention in science classes. Apparently the Academy wasn't entirely extended parties of writhing flesh."
"Shame, that," said Calhoun wistfully.
"To continue," said the unflappable Soleta, "it's a harmonic dissonance generator. Very small scale, of course. I'm interested to see if there's any manner in which our shields or deflectors can be used against it somehow. Considering the manner in which it adhered to the shields, I do not hold out much hope, but … we must try all options. Are you ready, Lieutenant Commander?"
"Whenever you are," said Burgoyne cheerfully.
The generator was right up against the stasis tank.
"Activating on three… two… one … and activated," said Burgoyne.
The effect was immediate, if puzzling.
The creatures stopped.
For the first time since they had been brought aboard, the samples of the Black Mass which they had lucked upon ceased their internal movement. It was as if they were trying to figure out just what it was that they were being exposed to.
And then they went berserk.
"Perfect," said Soleta upon observing the subsequent small-scale chaos, and Calhoun was struck by just how apt Kebron's description of her had been. She really was cold, because what they were observing was difficult for anyone to watch, despite the inherently destructive nature of the creatures before them.
The four black wormlike entities thrashed about wildly, as if they had suddenly gone blind (although where their eyes were at all was still a matter of some debate) and then, just like that, they split apart from one another. As if driven apart by the pounding of a surf or hauled apart by raging currents, the four entities lost contact with one another, driven to the four far ends of the stasis field.
"Better than we could have hoped," Soleta said approvingly.
"You were expecting this?"
"No, Captain, merely hoping for it. The harmonic dissonance is forming, for them, the equivalent of a small-scale deflector wave. If it were magnetic, it would be the equivalent of like charges repelling. I've introduced a vibrational frequency to them to which they are all responding on a molecular basis. Under those conditions, it becomes insurmountably painful for them to be in touch with one another. If they do, they encounter vibrations so violent that they feel as if it is going to tear them apart, and so they have no choice but to keep separate from each other. Watch. They will try and draw close to one another again, but they will fail."
Soleta was absolutely right. Each tentative move the creatures made toward one another was rebuffed by the waves of sound. Indeed, it was almost pathetic to watch.
"Are they being hurt in any other way?" asked Shelby.
"No. They're not even really being hurt as it stands," said Soleta, "as long as they remain separate from one another. Individually, they're vibrating at high speeds molecularly, but that in and of itself is not particularly painful. They'd be aware of the vibration, certainly, but there is no discomfort. It is only when they come in contact that they sense discomfort and end up moving apart from each other."
Then Calhoun leaned forward, frowning. "Is that supposed to be happening?"
The creatures were starting to droop. Until that point, they had been continuing in their futile endeavors to get near each other. Now, however, they were ceasing motion altogether.
"Doctor Selar," Soleta called, as she began checking readings on her tricorder. "A moment of your time, please. And bring your medical tricorder, if you would."
Selar approached them with her by-now-standard lack of grace. She was holding her tricorder and she did not seem pleased that her presence was required. "Yes. What?"
"Could you scan the creatures, please, and compare them to the readings you took when they were first brought on board."
The doctor nodded and began inspecting the creatures in her customary brisk, straightforward manner. By that point, they had stopped moving altogether. Selar continued to study her readings, and soon there was an unmistakable frown on her face. "These two," she pointed to two of the creatures on opposite sides of the stasis field, "are dead."
"Are you sure?" said Shelby.
Selar fired her a look.
"Sorry. What was I thinking?"
"I do not know. As I said… these two are dead… and these other two are dying. What have you done to them?"
"Nothing. Aside from keeping them apart, nothing."
"It may be," speculated Selar, "that saying you're doing nothing 'aside from keeping them apart' may be the equivalent, as far as they're concerned, as saying that you're doing nothing but keeping someone from breathing."
"Shut off the generator. Now," said Calhoun.
Immediately Burgoyne shut down the harmonic dissonance generator. The two dead creatures, naturally, did not move. The two remaining, however, immediately began to twitch and writhe about. As if rediscovering each other from a very great distance, they hurtled toward one another, intertwined, and stayed that way.
"All vital signs returning to normal," Selar said.
"They will live. Am I done here?"
"Yes, thank you, doctor," said Soleta.
Selar nodded stiffly and walked off, swaying as she went. But she was stopped in her tracks by Soleta, who called, "Oh, doctor. Since we have two dead specimens, dissecting them might be helpful. Might I count on your assistance for that?"
"Of course. I cannot think of anything I would rather do," said Selar, and she walked off.
"Good lord, she's in a bad mood," muttered Shelby to Calhoun under her breath.
"I heard that, Commander," came Selar's voice from ac
ross the sickbay.
Shelby winced. "Vulcan ears, Commander," Calhoun reminded her, sounding sympathetic. "What can you do?" Then, becoming all business, he turned to Soleta. "I want a full report on the biological make-up of these things inside of two hours, Lieutenant."
"Captain, it will take me at least three hours to do the job to the fullest of my capabilities," Soleta told him.
"I want a full report on the biological make-up of these things inside of an hour, Lieutenant."
Soleta opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. "One hour it is, sir."
"I knew I could count on you, Lieutenant."
"That is very encouraging, sir, considering that if I had voiced another protest, you might well have given me a deadline of last week."
"That's the secret of our success, Lieutenant. Our ability to communicate. It's not quite up there with theirs, granted, but it works for us."
The "theirs" he was referring to meant, of course, the two surviving creatures, still intertwined with one another and apparently oblivious to the rest of the world.
Kalinda and Xyon were intertwined with one another and apparently oblivious to the rest of the world. At least, so it seemed to Si Cwan while he was standing outside Kalinda's quarters, waiting for them to acknowledge the chime.
"Would you mind coming back later?" Kalinda's voice came from the other side.
With effort, Si Cwan said, "Not at all. Kindly continue … whatever it is you were doing." And with that, he started walking down the hallway.
Very.
Slowly.
It was more than enough time for Kalinda to make it to the door and stick her head out. She was wearing a dressing gown and she called, "Si Cwan? Are you all right?"
"All right?" asked Si Cwan, turning back to face her.
"Yes, all right. You sounded … odd just then."
"I am sorry," Si Cwan said politely. "I was unaware I sounded any way in particular. I simply wished to speak with you."
Xyon appeared just behind Kalinda. He was tucking the edges of his shirt into the tops of his slacks. "Look, I'll just be going, if the two of you want to talk…"
"No, that's quite all right," Si Cwan said quickly.
"Not necessary at all."
"I'm not looking for trouble right now, that's all."
"Nor will you have any," Si Cwan said with his most winning smile. "There are things that must be said, to Kalinda … and to you. And now, my children, is as good a time as any to say them."
" 'My children?' " said Xyon suspiciously.
"Come. Come," and Si Cwan draped an arm around either of them, escorting them back into Kalinda's quarters. He made an endeavor not to stare at the rumpled sheets on the bed. "Sit down, please. No, now you don't have to sit on opposite sides of the room," he laughed. "That's quite all right. You can sit next to each other. You don't have to worry about sparing my feelings or some such nonsense. We are all adults here, after all. Well … some of us are younger adults than others, but the concept remains the same, correct?"
"Correct," said Kalinda, shifting uneasily in her chair. "So … what is it, Si Cwan? What did you want to talk about?"
"Why, the two of you, of course," Si Cwan said expansively. "I have been giving the matter a good deal of thought, and have also been listening closely to the advice of people whom I respect. And I believe that I have been handling this matter inappropriately."
"I thought trying to kill your sister's loveris appropriate behavior where you come from?" Xyon said sarcastically.
"Well, actually it is," Si Cwan told him with all seriousness. "In a case involving a princess and a commoner having a dalliance, yes, absolutely. Not only would my trying to kill you in such an instance be appropriate, it would be considered absolutely mandatory. So you see my problem. My instincts and training are sending me in one direction, whereas the new mores and standards under which I am expected to live are sending me in another. It is something of a predicament."
"I should think so," Xyon said, trying to look understanding. "And may I ask what conclusions you've come to?"
"There's only one possible conclusion, really," Si Cwan said. "One reasonable conclusion, in any event. I must live in the present, not in the past. Thallon is nothing but rubble now, the empire fallen. I cannot and should not expect Kalinda to adhere to bloodlines that no longer exist.
"The point is, I do not wish to be unreasonable or intransigent. It is clear to me that the two of you make each other quite happy. I cannot reasonably put forward a protest on this matter based upon a social order that no longer exists. I think … perhaps most of my difficulties stemmed from my simple reluctance to acknowledge that. I was raised as part of the Thallonian Empire, and part of me still does not want to admit that those times are gone. I am afraid, Xyon, that you were the victim of a good deal of personal fall-out on my part."
"Well … no harm done, then," Xyon said.
"I am glad that you feel that way. Ultimately, all either of us cares about is Kally's happiness."
"Absolutely."
"Good. It's settled, then," Si Cwan said, slapping his knees and standing. "When would you like me to do it?"
There was a moment of confused silence. "It? Do what? What 'it' are you supposed to do?" asked a puzzled Xyon.
"Why, the marriage, of course."
"Marriage." Xyon's voice was flat.
"Of course. The environs in which I once lived may be gone, but I still hold my status and rank. And as a high noble of my family, I am empowered to perform marriages. Oh … but I see that, once again, I have misread the situation. I simply took for granted that you, Xyon, would act in the manner of a Thallonian noble. There is that antiquated class structure in my head once more. Rather than lower, in my own mind, Kalinda to the status of commoner, I elevated you in my thinking to that of nobility. So that you would be, in my mind, 'good enough' for my sister. That was foolish, I suppose." He laughed. Xyon laughed as well, although rather uncomfortably.
"Now a Thallonian noble," continued Si Cwan, "were he in the sort of relationship with a princess that you are now enjoying … why, marriage would simply be the natural order of things. Any other action or attitude toward his beloved would be … well, unthinkable. But it is, once again, inappropriate to hold you to an outdated, outmoded standard. The fact is, I'm sure, that you have absolutely no intention of doing the noble thing and marrying my sister. Is that not right, Kalinda?"
"Why are you asking me?" said Kalinda. "I cannot speak on behalf of Xyon's feelings."
Xyon looked at her in surprise. "Well, of course not, but you can speak on behalf of yours. Remember what you were saying earlier? About how you'd never expect me to stay for you?"
"Of course. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want you to. I just … I wasn't expecting it."
"Nor should you," Si Cwan said, sounding quite defensive of Xyon. "I would hope, Kally, that you do not make the same mistake I did and hold Xyon to an impossible standard of devotion and—"
"Now hold on! Are you saying I can't be devoted?"
"Am I giving offense again?" Si Cwan said, sounding sincerely apologetic. "It was not at all my intention."
"Are you saying I'd be unwilling to marry Kalinda?"
"Truthfully, I do not know you all that well, Xyon. I do not know what you would and would not be willing to do. I was simply trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, that's all.Far be it from me to put any sort of pressure upon you."
"Well, you are!"
"How?"
"By saying that you don't expect me to marry your sister!"
Si Cwan and Kalinda exchanged looks, and then Kalinda said gently, "Xyon … I hate to admit it … but even I'm not quite following what you mean."
"Kalinda!" and Xyon pointed accusingly at Si Cwan. "Don't you see what he's doing!"
"I will tell you what I'm doing," said Si Cwan. "I am leaving. Apparently, in my efforts to make certain that you two are happy, I've instead simply stumbled upon a sore subj
ect. Kalinda, obviously, is not at all put off by the notion of marriage. You, Xyon, are. She will not force you into any such permanent bond… and you, Xyon, are not quite certain of where your mind is in the matter. Perhaps it would be best if I simply kept my distance for the time being so that I do not give any additional offense. Good day to you."
"Si Cwan, wait…" Kalinda started to say.
"No, no … I would not want to risk any further disruptions. Good day, I said." And with that, Si Cwan exited into the corridor. He stood there for a moment, reviewing in his mind everything that had just transpired …
…and then he laughed to himself, softly and with great satisfaction.
IX.
IN MANY WAYS, CALHOUN HATED CONFERENCES, particularly when there was as much on the line as there was with this one. It made him feel… vulnerable in a way. After all, there he was at a table surrounded by everyone whose advice in a given situation might be of value. He was expecting them to provide him with useful information. They, in turn, would anticipate his being able to develop a strategy and put it into effect.
The problem was that the distribution of responsibility did not go equally both ways. For it was entirely possible that his people could come to him at any given time of crisis and say, "Sorry, Captain … we've no idea what to do." At which point it would be up to him to come up with something. As the old earth saying went, the buck stopped with him. Admittedly, it was not a saying that Calhoun completely understood. He had heard it once in passing from an older professor at the Academy, and had endeavored to research it to understand its meaning. The only relevant information he'd been able to turn up, however, indicated that a buck was an adult male deer. He was at a loss to comprehend how the apparent hunting metaphor worked, but rather than try to figure it out, he had been more than willing to chalk it up as yet another one of those simply incomprehensible things about humans and just let it go.
Burgoyne, McHenry, Soleta, Selar, Shelby and Si Cwan were grouped around the table in the conference lounge. Calhoun toyed with the notion of announcing, in a very serious tone, that they had entirely too many people whose name began with the letter "S" on hand, and some of them were simply going to have to go. But he decided, wisely, that it was neither the time nor place. "All right," he said. "What have we got?"
