Star Trek - NF - 005 - Martyr

by Peter David

 

  There was something else going on, however; some sort of odd dynamic between Selar and Shelby that Soleta could not quite understand. Feeling a need to come somehow to the aid of her fellow Vulcan, Soletawho was already out in the hallwaysaid questioningly, "Commander?"

 

  "Yes. Coming," said Shelby, shaken from the spell that had momentarily distracted her. She walked out behind Soleta as the door slid shut behind her, leaving Selar and Calhoun alone in the conference lounge.

 

  Selar waited expectantly.

 

  "I've given the matter a good deal of thought," Calhoun said.

 

  "You mean the matter of having sex with me."

 

  He wanted to say, No, the matter of whether or not there is a God, but he wisely decided that that would not be the best course. "That's correct. I've consulted Starfleet regs on the matter, and they seem rather vague on how to proceed in this instance."

 

 

 

  ") if( !cssCompatible ) document.write("

 

  "Since this is a condition that we generally like to keep to ourselves, even though others may tend to broadcast word of it"and she glanced with a clearly annoyed manner in the direction of the departed Shelby"it does not surprise me that it would not thoroughly be covered in literature."

 

  "Be that as it may, it seems to me that the wisest course might be to say no, simply to avoid the possible entanglements such an encounter might engender. Besides, there may be other possibilities. Have you considered the option, Doctor, of simply returning to Vulcan? Of finding a mate there? I could arrange for transport."

 

  "I am very aware of that, Captain," replied Selar evenly. She looked down at the toes of her boots, and for the first time she actually looked vulnerable to Calhoun. Even a little scared, although he was quite sure that she would never admit to it. "Captain, I find the entire concept of Pon Fan to be most onerous. My duties as chief medical officer of the Excalibur, on the other hand, give me great satisfaction. It does not seem proper or just to me that I must dispense with the latter in order to accommodate the former. Furthermore, I"

 

  She hesitated. He thought of prompting her, but he knew that she would tell him in her own time.

 

  "I. . . have no one on Vulcan, sir. No one I would be . . . comfortable with."

 

  "Comfortable? Doctor, the bottom line is you hardly know me, and vice versa."

 

  She returned his gaze, and it seemed to him as if she were dissecting him with her eyes. "You are a good man, Captain. A proud man. Clever, inventive. I have not known many men whom I would classify as heroic, but you would certainly fall into that category. I would be," she began, and it seemed to himalthough he might have been imagining itthat she

 

 

 

 

 

  had to make the slightest effort to keep her chin from trembling. "I would be most proud if you were to sire my child."

 

  Calhoun smiled, actually feeling embarrassed, although he'd believed that couldn't possibly be the case. He felt his head nodding even before he said anything. "All right, Doctor. If that's what you want, I'll accommodate you."

 

  "Thank you, Captain," she said with clear relief.

 

  They were standing about a foot away from each other, and the moment seemed to call for some sort of physical contact. They each moved their hands in a vague manner, and Calhoun even thought to hug her except he felt that it would be wrong somehow. They settled for a brisk handshake.

 

  "So, judging by the fact that you're not knocking me onto the conference lounge table, I can take that to mean that you're still in 'remission,' as it were," he said.

 

  She nodded. 'Yes, that is correct. However, the mating urge will resurface, probably within the next week. I will inform you when I will need you. I will endeavor to time it at a point where your duties and requirements are minimal."

 

  "I appreciate your consideration for my schedule."

 

  "It's more than that, sir. You see, as I go more deeply into Pon Fan, I will . . . link with you, psychically. You will become as driven by the impulse to mate as I am. You will be consumed by, and be able to think of nothing else but, sex."

 

  "Sounds like fairly typical male behavior," Calhoun observed. Then he grinned at the seriousness on her face. "It was a joke, Doctor."

 

  "Ah. I see. Humor is a difficult concept."

 

  They stood there for a moment, uncertain what else to say.

 

  "Captain."

 

 

 

  ") else document.write("

 

  "Since this is a condition that we generally like to keep to ourselves, even though others may tend to broadcast word of it"and she glanced with a clearly annoyed manner in the direction of the departed Shelby"it does not surprise me that it would not thoroughly be covered in literature."

 

  "Be that as it may, it seems to me that the wisest course might be to say no, simply to avoid the possible entanglements such an encounter might engender. Besides, there may be other possibilities. Have you considered the option, Doctor, of simply returning to Vulcan? Of finding a mate there? I could arrange for transport."

 

  "I am very aware of that, Captain," replied Selar evenly. She looked down at the toes of her boots, and for the first time she actually looked vulnerable to Calhoun. Even a little scared, although he was quite sure that she would never admit to it. "Captain, I find the entire concept of Pon Fan to be most onerous. My duties as chief medical officer of the Excalibur, on the other hand, give me great satisfaction. It does not seem proper or just to me that I must dispense with the latter in order to accommodate the former. Furthermore, I"

 

  She hesitated. He thought of prompting her, but he knew that she would tell him in her own time.

 

  "I. . . have no one on Vulcan, sir. No one I would be . . . comfortable with."

 

  "Comfortable? Doctor, the bottom line is you hardly know me, and vice versa."

 

  She returned his gaze, and it seemed to him as if she were dissecting him with her eyes. "You are a good man, Captain. A proud man. Clever, inventive. I have not known many men whom I would classify as heroic, but you would certainly fall into that category. I would be," she began, and it seemed to himalthough he might have been imagining itthat she

 

 

 

 

 

  had to make the slightest effort to keep her chin from trembling. "I would be most proud if you were to sire my child."

 

  Calhoun smiled, actually feeling embarrassed, although he'd believed that couldn't possibly be the case. He felt his head nodding even before he said anything. "All right, Doctor. If that's what you want, I'll accommodate you."

 

  "Thank you, Captain," she said with clear relief.

 

  They were standing about a foot away from each other, and the moment seemed to call for some sort of physical contact. They each moved their hands in a vague manner, and Calhoun even thought to hug her except he felt that it would be wrong somehow. They settled for a brisk handshake.

 

  "So, judging by the fact that you're not knocking me onto the conference lounge table, I can take that to mean that you're still in 'remission,' as it were," he said.

 

  She nodded. 'Yes, that is correct.
However, the mating urge will resurface, probably within the next week. I will inform you when I will need you. I will endeavor to time it at a point where your duties and requirements are minimal."

 

  "I appreciate your consideration for my schedule."

 

  "It's more than that, sir. You see, as I go more deeply into Pon Fan, I will . . . link with you, psychically. You will become as driven by the impulse to mate as I am. You will be consumed by, and be able to think of nothing else but, sex."

 

  "Sounds like fairly typical male behavior," Calhoun observed. Then he grinned at the seriousness on her face. "It was a joke, Doctor."

 

  "Ah. I see. Humor is a difficult concept."

 

  They stood there for a moment, uncertain what else to say.

 

  "Captain."

 

 

 

  ") if( !cssCompatible ) document.write("

 

  "Yes, Doctor?"

 

  "If you would like, you may call me Selar."

 

  He nodded appreciatively. "And you may call me Mac, if you wish."

 

  She seemed to roll the name around in her mouth for a moment, and then she said, "If you will not be insulted, I think I would prefer 'Captain.'"

 

  "As you wish, Selar."

 

  "Thank you, Captain."

 

  VII.

 

  THE HIGH PRIEST OF ALPHA CARINAE did not like what he was hearing.

 

  The Alphans were relatively recent converts to Xantism. They were a somewhat barbaric race, really. Large, muscled, fairly savage of mien, yet living with a rather healthy fear of the Redeemers, which was naturally how the High Priest preferred matters.

 

  Different High Priests handled their positions of power in different manners. High Priests on some other worlds, for instance, chose to keep themselves in seclusion, learning of the world through various "eyes" and "ears" among the populace who were loyal to the way of Xant. But the High Priest of Alpha Carinae was far too outgoing an individual to stay hidden away somewhere. He insisted upon moving among the populace, to hear their words with his own ears. To know what they were thinking, to look into their eyes and see whether their love and belief in Xant was sincere.

 

  The High Priest was becoming concerned.

 

 

 

  ") else document.write("

 

  "Yes, Doctor?"

 

  "If you would like, you may call me Selar."

 

  He nodded appreciatively. "And you may call me Mac, if you wish."

 

  She seemed to roll the name around in her mouth for a moment, and then she said, "If you will not be insulted, I think I would prefer 'Captain.'"

 

  "As you wish, Selar."

 

  "Thank you, Captain."

 

  VII.

 

  THE HIGH PRIEST OF ALPHA CARINAE did not like what he was hearing.

 

  The Alphans were relatively recent converts to Xantism. They were a somewhat barbaric race, really. Large, muscled, fairly savage of mien, yet living with a rather healthy fear of the Redeemers, which was naturally how the High Priest preferred matters.

 

  Different High Priests handled their positions of power in different manners. High Priests on some other worlds, for instance, chose to keep themselves in seclusion, learning of the world through various "eyes" and "ears" among the populace who were loyal to the way of Xant. But the High Priest of Alpha Carinae was far too outgoing an individual to stay hidden away somewhere. He insisted upon moving among the populace, to hear their words with his own ears. To know what they were thinking, to look into their eyes and see whether their love and belief in Xant was sincere.

 

  The High Priest was becoming concerned.

 

 

 

  ") if( !cssCompatible ) document.write("

 

  It seemed to him that the Alphans were not looking at him in the same, comforting manner of fear that usually possessed them. Usually, if there was a crowd of Alphans, they would part to make way for him. Recently, however, they'd been slower to do so. Not only that, but when they did get out of his way, they made a major show of doing so as if to draw attention to themselves, as if to make mockery of the High Priest.

 

  And as he walked away, if he strained his ears he could hear muttering. Hear the name of the Redeemers mentioned with what sounded like contempt, and other names murmured as well. Names he had heard bandied about with greater and greater frequency these days. Names such as "Calhoun" and "Excal-ibur. "The names, in and of themselves, did not mean a great deal to him. But it was enough to cause a stirring of concern in the pit of his stomach.

 

  He did not yet consider himself to be in any sort of danger. The person of a High Priest of the Redeemers was sacrosanct, and he was certain that none of the Alphans would be foolish enough to transgress in that respect. They knew the consequences. At least, he thought they knew the consequences.

 

  However, he needed to find out more for himself. So, during one of his daily perambulations, he chose at random a cluster of Alphans standing at a street-corner, talking and arguing with what seemed to be tremendous enthusiasm. Something had them rather worked up, and the High Priest reasoned that only two things could get a group of young males quite that excited sex, or a stimulating religious discussion.

 

  Slowly the High Priest moved toward them. One of the young males had his back to him and so didn't see him approaching. The others' discussion and chatter

 

 

 

  quickly trailed off as they spotted him coming, and the one whose back was to the High Priest slowly trailed off, looking and sounding rather puzzled until he turned around and saw the High Priest standing directly behind him.

 

  "Saulcram, isn't it?" asked the High Priest. He tapped the young man's chest with his staff.

 

  Saulcram nodded fretfully. The others began to back up as if conspiring to make a getaway, but the High Priest froze them with a glance. He slowly turned his attention back to the first young man. "I would be interested to know that which you are discussing, Saulcram."

 

  "It's nothing, my lord," Saulcram said nervously.

 

  "If it is nothing, then it is of such little consequence that you should not hesitate to tell me what it is. Correct?" He made it sound so pleasant, so simple. He prodded Saulcram under the chin less than gently with his staff. "Now you will tell me, yes?"

 

  Saulcram looked to his friends, and then back to the High Priest. "We're just . . . just discussing, well . . . what everyone is discussing."

 

  "Odd," said the High Priest. "I don't recall discussing it. Why don't you share that which apparently should already be common knowledge, hmm?"

 

  "Well, it's . . . it's about . . . you know . . . the Second Coming."

 

  "The Second Coming." The High Priest nodded approvingly. "You refer, of course, to the Second Coming of Xant."

 

  "Yes. Yes, that's it exactly. Can I go now?"

 

  The end of the staff had a curve to it. The High Priest twisted it slightly so that the curve snagged Saulcram's upper forearm, keeping him serenely in place. "Well, I find this a bit odd, Saulcram," the High Priest told him. "If that was indeed al
l you were

 

 

 

  ") else document.write("

 

  It seemed to him that the Alphans were not looking at him in the same, comforting manner of fear that usually possessed them. Usually, if there was a crowd of Alphans, they would part to make way for him. Recently, however, they'd been slower to do so. Not only that, but when they did get out of his way, they made a major show of doing so as if to draw attention to themselves, as if to make mockery of the High Priest.

 

  And as he walked away, if he strained his ears he could hear muttering. Hear the name of the Redeemers mentioned with what sounded like contempt, and other names murmured as well. Names he had heard bandied about with greater and greater frequency these days. Names such as "Calhoun" and "Excal-ibur. "The names, in and of themselves, did not mean a great deal to him. But it was enough to cause a stirring of concern in the pit of his stomach.

 

  He did not yet consider himself to be in any sort of danger. The person of a High Priest of the Redeemers was sacrosanct, and he was certain that none of the Alphans would be foolish enough to transgress in that respect. They knew the consequences. At least, he thought they knew the consequences.

 

  However, he needed to find out more for himself. So, during one of his daily perambulations, he chose at random a cluster of Alphans standing at a street-corner, talking and arguing with what seemed to be tremendous enthusiasm. Something had them rather worked up, and the High Priest reasoned that only two things could get a group of young males quite that excited sex, or a stimulating religious discussion.

 

  Slowly the High Priest moved toward them. One of the young males had his back to him and so didn't see him approaching. The others' discussion and chatter

 

 

 

  quickly trailed off as they spotted him coming, and the one whose back was to the High Priest slowly trailed off, looking and sounding rather puzzled until he turned around and saw the High Priest standing directly behind him.

 

  "Saulcram, isn't it?" asked the High Priest. He tapped the young man's chest with his staff.

 

  Saulcram nodded fretfully. The others began to back up as if conspiring to make a getaway, but the High Priest froze them with a glance. He slowly turned his attention back to the first young man. "I would be interested to know that which you are discussing, Saulcram."