The crowd noise abated slightly at Kirks utterance, but not much. Dont gimme that! We know theres a cure! They told us you had it! We need it!
I can assure you that people are working around the clock to find a cure for this plaguebut whatever youve heard, its just not true! Kirk raised his hands as if he were trying to push the crowd back. Now please, return to your homesyour families. I promise you, the minute we find a cure, we will be distributing it to everyone as fast as we can, but until then
Liar! We want it now! Youre never gonna give it to us!
If you want, I can have the doctors working on the problem give you an update themselves. But right now theyre working diligentlyboth the medical staffs of the Enterprise and the Constellation, and the acting surgeon general of Proxima.
You want to kill us all! I bet youre not even working on it! Liar!
Kirk looked directly at the person who called him a liar. Im not lying to you! I have no reason to lie to you! All I have to do is give one simple order, and these security guards and Proximan police will fire their weapons and leave you all lying stunned in the street. Or one of our ships can do the same thing from orbit. But I dont want to do that to youbecause you dont deserve that. You deserve the truthyou deserve to not have to live in fear that you may be the next one to contract the diseaseyou deserve not to be treated like criminals in your own home. Thats why weve been keeping you all updatedso you know that were doing everything we can to help you! We will get through this crisisI know we will. All it will take is patience on your part. Give us a chance to prove ourselves.
He looked out over the crowd, seeming as if he was trying to look each person in the eye, even though that wasnt really possible. Despite himself, Vascogne admired the rhetorical technique. Guess theyre teaching public speaking at Captain School these days, he thought wryly.
Whoevers doing this to you wants this. Whoevers doing this wants you all at each others throatsfighting each other like animals, rioting like maniacs. This virus is being used as a weapon of terrorand the best way for you to fight back is not to let it change anything! The best way to fight this battle is to let us do our jobs and to go on doing yours. Show whoevers attacking you that you wont let this stop you wont let their cowardly attack turn you into savages.
Now he seemed to be looking at all of them. There was a pleading look in his eyesand, at the same time, a very tired one.
Pleasego home. We will inform you the minute theres a cure.
As Kirks speech had gone on, the crowd had slowly quieted down, and had just as slowly calmed. Shouters had shut up; people gesturing and holding up signs had let their arms fall, the signs lowered or dropped to the ground; those rushing the cordon of security and police had ceased their forward motion.
Then what had been a furious, amorphous blob of humanity gradually became a group of individuals slumping their dispirited way home. The captains words had broken the mob spirit.
Vascogne just hoped it was replaced with somethingwell, calmer. His cynical side was quite sure that said replacement would not be permanent unless a cure was found, and damn soon.
As his people and the Proximan police kept an eye on the erstwhile mob and guided them away from the SCMC, Vascogne approached the captain, standing next to Decker. Nice speech.
Kirk blew out a sharp breath. Thank you.
Smiling, Decker said, I especially liked all the dramatic pauses.
Just fumbling for words, Commodore, Kirk said with a smile.
I gotta say, Vascogne said, running a hand over his bald head, I didnt think anything short of phaser fire would stop that crowd.
It was certainly my first choice, Decker said.
Kirk took a breath. No offense, Commodore, butwell, weapons fire is what Kodos would have done. For years I thought of martial law as inherently evil because of what Kodos did. But dont you see? He clenched his fists. This is our chance to show that it can be a source of good if its used properly.
Yeah, well, from your mouth to these peoples ears, Vascogne muttered. What I want to know is how that rumor got started in the first place.
Decker shook his head. Situation like this, rumors are flying all over the damn place. Im sure half the people on the planet are convinced that Starfleet made this up so we could declare martial law and take over.
Taking out his communicator, Kirk said, Well just have to prove them wrong, wont we, Commodore? Kirk to Constellation.
Constellation here.
Put me through to Dr. McCoy, please.
After a moment, another voice came through the communicators tinny speaker. McCoy here. What is it, Jim?
Progress report, Doctor. How goes the search for a cure?
Slower the more I talk to you.
Sorry, Bones, Kirk said with a small smile. Im going to need one of you to give an address to the people down herefill them in on your progress.
I dont have time to be giving press conferences. Besides, thats how rumors get started, and weve got enough of that going on here.
Frowning, Kirk asked, What do you mean?
Ah, its nothing. Rosenhaus thought he found a cure and made the mistake of telling someone before he tested it.
Vascogne almost groaned out loud. He knew how fast the rumor mill on the Constellation could function. Within two-and-a-half seconds of Rosenhaus saying he found the cureand knowing the young doctor, he probably sounded supremely confident as he said itthe whole ship probably knew about it. That could just as easily have spread to the planet through one of Vascognes own people.
Bones, does that mean?
It means were on a track, Jim, but I dont have any idea whether its the right track, or how far we have to go on it. Ill keep you posted. McCoy out.
Decker regarded Kirk with a quizzical look. Kirk, I cant help noticing that that doctor of yours didnt actually agree to give a statement.
He thinks itll distract from his work. All things considered, its probably best to let him proceed as he sees fit. Perhaps your Dr. Rosenhaus can speak at our next state-of-the-planet address?
Vascogne rolled his eyes. Like the doc needs a reason to feed his ego.
Chuckling, Decker said, Dont worry, Vascogne, Im sure well all work to make sure he doesnt live it down.
Chapter Six
G UILLERMO M ASADA blinked as he entered the sensor room and saw Lt. Commander Spock sitting at one of the consoles. Whatre you doing here?
Spocks right eyebrow climbed up his forehead. I assume that is a rhetorical outburst and not an actual request for information?
Chuckling, Masada said, Yeah, something like that. Sorry, but when I said we should take a break for twenty minutes, I thought that meant that youd, yknow, be out of the room for twenty minutes.
Turning back to the readings he was getting from the sensors, Spock said, Your exact words, Lieutenant, were an expression of exhaustion, followed by the words, I could use a break. What do you say, Spock, twenty minutes?
Smiling as he sat at the console next to Spock, Masada said, Yeah, well, when you agreed and left with me, I thought that meant you were going to take the full twenty.
Your assumption was made on a faulty premise. I dont require large amounts of break-time.
Really? Masada said with a smile. And thats because youre a Vulcan.
Correct.
Except youre notentirely. Youre half-human. He grinned. That explains two things, actually. One, youre half-human, so you only needed half the break time.
The eyebrow shot up again. Oh?
Masada turned to face Spock directly. I do love that trick. Ensign Sontor does it, too.
Trick?
The eyebrow thing. My theory is thats the Vulcans secret for repressing their emotionsthey channel them all into that one eyebrow. Thats why you guys raise them so oftenits the focal point of all those emotions youre suppressing.
Spock turned back to the sensor display. Your reasoning could charitably be referred to as specious, Lieutenant. Barring the unlikely happenstance
that you have scientific data to back it up, it is a hypothesis, not a theory. In addition, its equivalent to hypothesizing that you cull information from your hair.
Masada frowned. Excuse me?
The small gathering of hair at the back of your head. You have a tendency to grab it before providing information.
Straightening in his chair, Masada said, I do not!
Again, the eyebrow shot up.
Fine, whatever. And its called a ponytail.
A misnomer, given that ponies actually have much longer tails.
Masada laughed. Thats the second thing that you being half-human explains. You, Commander Spock, are a laugh riot.
To Masadas great joy, that earned him a sharp look from the Enterprise first officer. I fail to see how my conversations are akin to the behavior of the people on Proxima.
No, no, not that kind of riot. Its an old expressionit just means youre funny. One of my staff is a Vulcanthat Ensign Sontor I mentioned. Ive worked with a bunch of other Vulcans, and youre the only one of em thats cracked me up.
Fascinating, Spock said dryly as he turned back to the console. However, I can assure you that any humor you might perceive is solely a construct of your own interpretation.
Masada said, Dont you see, though, thats exactly what makes it funny? The literal-mindedness, that dry tone of yoursby being so serious, you become humorous.
That is a contradiction in terms, Mr. Masada. If one is serious, one cannot be humorous.
Sure you can. Its the inherent contradiction of human existence. The difference between the interpreter and the interpreted, the He cut himself off. Sorry, I guess Im still tired. I only get philosophical when Im tired. Feel free to ignore me.
I had already decided on just such a course of action, Spock said.
Laughing, Masada said, See? There you go again. You just crack me up.
Turning his gaze back to Masada, Spock said, I do not discern any ruptures in your skin, Lieutenant.
Its another expression, Masada said with a sigh.
Another contradiction of human existence?
Sort of. More like a metaphor. You make me laugh so hard, Im in dangerwell, metaphorical danger, anyhowof shaking myself to pieces. Hence, crack me up.
That is less a metaphor than a simile, Lieutenant, and it is also rather imprecise. It would be better ifshould something amuse you in the futureto simply say that it amuses you. It would save you from having to make lengthy explanations of things you find to be patently obvious.
Again, Masada laughed. Youre too much, Commander.
Too much what?
He started to answer, then said, Never mind. Turning to his console, which showed him the lateral sensor arraypresently detecting many things, with the irritating exception of the precise location of the Malkus ArtifactMasada then asked, Hows our search coming?
Thus far, sensors have been unable to localize the energy signature. Spock, Masada noticed, had no difficulty changing the subject back to business.
They had started their search on the bridge, but soon realized that they would need the more widespread capabilities of the sensor room to work with. Masada had dismissed Soo and most of the rest of the science staff, telling them to work on collating the data from the neutron star. There was no chance theyd get back to it anytime sooneven if they solved the problem here in Alpha Proxima within the next hour, there was no way theyd be able to return to Beta Proxima to do any significant work on the star before theyd have to go off to that silly conference at Crellis.
And at the rate were going, he thought, its gonna take a helluva lot longer than an hour to find that damn artifact. Plus, the Constellation was probably going to stick around for at least another day after the crisis was past if the crisis came to a satisfying conclusion, which was, of course, no guarantee. Masada had therefore resigned himself to the fact that theyd done all they could with the star, so there was no reason not to have Soo and the others start on the final report.
The only member of the science staff he held back was Sontor, who was presently monitoring the data upload from Vulcan with everything they had on the Zalkat Union in general and the Malkus Artifacts in particular. Masada assumed that the Vulcan records were more complete than the Starfleet ones, which didnt have much beyond the existence of the energy signature. But then, Beta Aurigae was first explored by an Earth ship, pre-Federation, and prior to the duotronic revolution in computer storage. Not every record survived that particular transition. Thank God that old ship had a Vulcan observer on board to take good notes.
Masada ran his hand over his head, then tugged on his ponytail. My God, he thought, I do tug my ponytail! Gotta watch that He looked over their recordswhich hed been looking at steadily for many hoursand for the first time realized that the pattern they were using was a bit of a time waster. Funny how you dont notice something until youve stepped away from it for twenty minutes.
Why dont we narrow the field to the northern hemispherebetter yet, to just where there are sentient lifesigns? I mean, those are the only places where there are people, so the artifact has to be there.
It is unlikely that the Zalkatians took human comfort into consideration when hiding the artifact.
Yeah, but theres an intelligence behind this. You yourself pointed out that this has to be directed by a person or persons with malice aforethought.
Spock made an adjustment to the console as he spoke. That does not require that the artifact be where there is sentient life. Whoever is controlling the artifact could easily have access to a transporter, and could leave the artifact anywhere on the planet.
Stopping himself from reaching back to pull on his ponytail again, Masada said, Oh come on, thats taking possibilities to an extreme. Besides, weve got a deadline hereweve got to narrow the search. Logically, we should eliminate less likely avenues of exploration.
For several seconds, Spock didnt move. Masada was about to ask if something was wrong, when he finally spoke. Your point is well taken. I will narrow the search.
Just then, Sontor entered the sensor room. Sirs, the download from the Vulcan archaeological database is complete.
About time, Masada said, blowing out a breath. Anything interesting?
Sontors right eyebrow was far thicker than Spocks, but it crawled up his forehead in a disturbingly similar way. I would be willing to debate at some length that all of it is interesting, Lieutenant. However, I assume that you are referring to data relevant to our current search.
See what I mean? Masada said, turning to Spock. Hes nowhere near as funny as you.
I beg your pardon, sir? Sontor asked, both his tone and his eyebrow arched.
Spock added, I detect no significant difference in timbre, pitch, or verbal delivery between Ensign Sontor and myself to account for your perceptions, Lieutenant. Before Masada could reply to that, Spock said, Then again, as you yourself pointed out, your fatigue may be having an effect on your perceptions.
Masada started to say something to Spock, stopped, started again, stopped again, then finally said, Never mind. He turned back to Sontor. Whatd you find?
Sontor leaned down into one of the consoles and punched up a record. According to TRamir, who has been the primary specialist in Zalkatian matters for the last ninety-seven years and seven months, the Malkus Artifacts might be more easily traced by using a lowband sensor sweep. The lower bands are closer to what is believed to be the primary form of electronic detection during Malkuss reign. Logically, the artifacts distinctive emissions would be more readily found with a method similar to that used by the creators of said artifact.
Unnecessarily complicatedly put, Sontor. As was that sentence, Masada rebuked himself, but didnt say aloud. I really am tired. But that follows. Changing bandwith of main sensor array. He suited action to words as his fingers played about the console.
Unfortunately, Sontor said, the lower band means that the readings will take considerably longer to obtain. A full sweep will take up to four-point-two-three hours.
Give or take point-three hours, Masada said with a small smile.
Negative. Give, perhaps, as the search may take a shorter interval due to the possibility of finding the artifact before the search is complete, but it will not take any longer than that.
Pointing at Sontor but looking at Spock, Masada said, See, now if youd said that, it wouldve been much funnier.
Spock, however, was looking at the sensor readouts. In fact, he looked to Masada as if he were studiously ignoring both Masada and Sontor.
Grinning, Masada said, Lets start the scan at Sierra City and work our way outwards.
Logical, Spock said.
Glad you approve.
Sontor said, A Vulcan would always approve of a logical course of action.
Naturally, Spock said. To do otherwise would be foolish.
Save me from all this self-congratulating, Masada thought with a wry smile.
I think weve got something, Leonard, Lewis Rosenhaus said with a smile.
They had been working for hours, trying to find some way to modify Dr. Derubbios serum so that it wouldnt produce xelaxine. Thus far, all the methods for doing so also eliminated the serums effectiveness in actually removing the virus.
Still, for whatever reason, McCoy had become easier to work with. Instead of snapping at him, McCoy listened to all his questions and suggestions and had intelligent comments to make. He didnt denigrate, and his criticisms were bereft of the ire they had had earlier. I never wouldve thought I could bond with a fellow doctor over almost killing a patient, he thought with a happy smile.
McCoy rubbed his eyes as he came over to where Rosenhaus was sitting. Whatve you got, Lew?
That was the other good thing Rosenhaus really liked the sound of McCoy calling him Lew instead of boy or son. He hadnt even liked it when his own father called him son, much less someone hed only just met.
Rosenhaus looked at McCoys lined face. The older mans blue eyes were bloodshot, and they had goodsized bags under them. You should probably take a break, Leonardor take a stimulant.
STAR TREK - The Brave and the Bold Book One Page 8
