by Uhura's Song
She laughed softly at his use of the word. "Yes, Mr. Spock, I'm sure you're right, but I've never known a doctor who wasn't uppity. And I took the responsibility the moment I set foot on the Enterprise."
"Then may I suggest you set aside your speculation for the moment? It is of no value at this time and could, conceivably, be of considerable detriment to our mission."
"Detriment?"
"Indeed. May I ask why you stopped when you reached the center of the grabfoot colony?"
If the question surprised her, she showed no sign of it. She said, "I could see them pulling me down again- almost feel it. I froze." She sat bolt upright. Her expression was one he had seen only once before: triumph after her experiment with Snnanagfashtalli. "Yes, Mr. Spock! You're right! My fear of what might happen kept me from seeing what was happening. My speculation endangered both you and Jinx."
"I do not say you should not speculate," Spock said carefully.
"Only that I shouldn't let it stop me from doing what must be done. I understand. Thank you."
As she spoke the last words, Spock realized with something of a shock that she had given him her undivided attention. Such attention was, as she had pointed out, quite ordinary from a Vulcan; but he had seldom received it from a human. From Evan Wilson, he found it disconcerting. She nodded to herself, as if that put an end to her horrified speculation, then she said, "Mr. Spock, are you aware that, given the conclusion of our conversation, you began it with a highly improper- even illogical suggestion?"
"You astonish me, Doctor...in what way illogical?" He leaned forward for a better view of her face. Perhaps this was an attempt at humor.
"You offered, if I recall correctly, to 'excise' from my memory the incident with the grabfoots. If I had let you do it, I wouldn't have been able to see the analogy between my behavior at that time and my recent fears."
"Ah," he said, understanding. "Illogical in retrospect. I am still somewhat puzzled by your use of the word 'improper'; has your culture some taboo- ?"
She cut him short. "Your culture should have some taboo on the procedure. To forget deliberately-! Someone deliberately forgot the last verse of Uhura's song, the verse that gave the cure for ADF, and look where it's got us!" Her arm swept the smoky tent; her glance fell on the sleeping Chekov. "Even the old Russians Chekov quotes knew better: 'Not a word can be omitted from a song,' he says. But somebody, Eeiauoan or Sivaoan, deliberately forgot."
She leaned toward him. "Think, Mr. Spock. All I am is a collection of memories and experiences; that's all I have to go on as I meet new situations. So anything I remember may be crucial to my survival. Can you sit there and blandly propose to...rob me of what is most valuable to me, to steal a portion of what defines me as a person?" Once again, she treated him to her full scrutiny. Her blue eyes were remarkably piercing. "I know you meant it as an offer of assistance, and I thank you for your intention. But I would rather walk through another colony of grabfoots- without a dose of Jubalan rum- than accept your offer." She tapped her temple. "That's all I have, Mr. Spock. That's all I am."
Remarkable, he thought, lifting a brow; cultural misunderstanding or no, he could not look away. At last he said, "That, Dr. Wilson, is a great deal."
She reddened, blinked once, then rose and said, "It's getting light. If you'll poke up the fire, I'll wake the others. And I'll save my worrying for a more appropriate time, I promise."
As he built up the fire, Spock looked up from time to time, watching Wilson, thinking. It would be as ill-judged to put her behind a desk as... to put Jim Kirk in such a setting. And he found himself thinking of Evan Wilson as much like himself, out of place in human society. Perhaps Jim is right; perhaps contrariness to a particular culture could account for it. He acknowledged- but within the privacy of his thoughts only- that a great many of his own actions were dictated by a need to deny his human heritage; he knew how strong the motive could be.
Jim Kirk's cheerful "Good morning, Spock!" so startled him that he dropped the green stick he'd been using as a poker; a shower of sparks leapt up. He hastily snatched for another stick to retrieve the first. When he had raked it out, he said, "Good morning, Captain. I trust you slept well?"
Kirk reached into their sling of provisions and chose a fruit. "I did, very well, considering the situation. I trust"- and he grinned- "that Dr. Wilson has been giving you a hard time again."
"Sir?"
"Personally, I don't think you should be allowed to talk to her without a chaperon. It makes you clumsy, Spock, and I've never known you to be." He gave the fire a significant glance.
"Your approach startled me, Captain. I was thinking."
"Indeed." With affected nonchalance, Kirk bit into the fruit. When he had swallowed, he said, "And may I ask what you were thinking about that had you so absorbed?"
"It was of no relevance to our circumstances, Captain. I was merely considering something Dr. Wilson had said."
Kirk grinned again. "I rest my case, Mr. Spock."
Spock eyed him. He knew Jim was baiting him; he knew also that Jim missed little- there was a good deal of truth in the joke. Evan Wilson's return with Brightspot spared him from the need to formulate a response, at least to Jim.
The captain tossed a fruit to Brightspot, who caught it deftly with her tail, causing Evan Wilson to exclaim, "Oh, but I want a tail of my own!"
"I'd have thought your tongue was able enough to serve," Kirk suggested. He tossed a second fruit to her. Whether deliberately or accidentally, it went high over her head. She leapt, thrust up a hand and caught it easily. Smiling, she said, "I'll bite, Captain. What have I done now?"
"I'll thank you to stop puzzling my science officer, Dr. Wilson. You left him so distracted I think he burned his hand."
Wilson shot a quick, concerned glance at Spock. He shook his head; he could think of no way to explain this manifestation of Jim's humor. But Wilson said, "You see, Brightspot? I have all the disadvantages of a tail and none of the advantages."
She sat down and added, "Take care how you pull, Captain, or I might just tell you why I haven't called you 'Jim'." She devoted all her attention to eating, leaving Spock to see what the captain's reaction to this rather odd threat might be.
Jim Kirk watched Evan Wilson for a long moment. She paused in her eating long enough to raise an eyebrow at him. If Spock interpreted her expression correctly, she was daring him to continue. It did not make sense. From Jim's expression, it made no more sense to him but, to Spock's enormous surprise, Jim said, "Let's see that map, Mr. Chekov. We have a lot of traveling to do today."
Within the hour they were again on their way. Distant Smoke's map led them up once more. Chekov complained that each branch seemed bent on slapping water in his face. Spock might have corrected this- one could hardly assign intent to a plant- but he knew from experience that a minor contradiction under such circumstances was more likely to add to the irritability of a human.
Jinx and the captain led. Spock kept a close eye on Chekov; the ensign was overtired, there was no doubt of that, but he continued to press on with a dogged determination that even Spock found remarkable.
Happily, they did not have to climb the mountain itself, which Spock recalled from their aerial survey as one of the highest on this part of the continent. They had only to cross a portion of the lower ridge at its base. Had they been in other circumstances- a desert walk, for instance- Wilson and the two Sivaoans would have been at a disadvantage. Here, length of stride made no difference. The slope was not steep but, in combination with the undergrowth, Spock could see that it was wearying to both humans and Sivaoans- and most especially to Chekov. Wilson paused and leaned on her staff. "Brightspot," she said, "grabfoots in this area?"
Brightspot shook her head. "Wrong kind of trees. Not steep enough. Too dark. This is slashback territory- that's worse."
"I'm not sure I believe that," said Wilson, pushing on.
The slope was gentle but continuous. For several hours, the climbing and th
e need to be wary of slashbacks consumed both their energy and their attention.
"Listen!" said Brightspot suddenly. Wilson did but shook her head. "Mr. Spock?" Brightspot called. "Can you hear it?"
"The sound of a river in the distance," Spock said. He could just barely hear it ahead of them.
Brightspot said, "From now on, we can't get lost. Cross the river and follow the path right into Sretalles."
Wilson grinned at her. "Well, don't lose me, either of you, until I can hear it too."
From just ahead and to Spock's right, Chekov said, "Thet goes double for me."
From somewhere not far from them but hidden from sight by the arrowlike leaves thrust up about them, Kirk called, "Don't stop to chat, people. It's about to get easier- we've got a trail up here."
"Well!" said Wilson. "It's about time!" She and Brightspot scrambled forward; with Uhura, they gave Chekov a hand to help him the last few hundred yards.
They stepped suddenly into the sunlight and the ground beneath their feet flattened out onto a wide plateau that arched around a steep outcrop of rock. At the opposite end of the arc, Spock could see the trail Kirk spoke of: it began- or ended- here. He wondered why there was no trail in the direction from which they'd come.
A soft gasp from Evan Wilson interrupted his thoughts. "Oh, Elath! We must be overlooking this entire half of the continent! I had no idea we'd climbed this far. No wonder it feels odd to be on level ground!" He followed her wide-eyed look into the distance and found the answer to his question: from here there were many directions in which to travel, but only one to the bridge that Jinx described as the only safe river crossing.
"And a terrific place for a picnic!" Wilson said. "Let's eat."
Spock saw she looked at Chekov as she spoke; she and Uhura were all that kept him on his feet. "Captain?" Spock said. "I believe this would be a suitable place for rest and a meal."
Kirk voiced agreement, and Chekov sat down heavily and sighed his relief. Wilson took a last look at the view, then sat down by his side. "Mr. Chekov?" she asked.
"I'm all right, sair," he said, although the grayish hue of his face belied his words. "A little rest is all I need."
"A little food, too," she said. "That's an order."
Jim Kirk joined them. "You'll be happy to know, Mr. Chekov, Jinx says it's all downhill from here." Jinx confirmed his words with a nod.
Uhura massaged her ankles and said, "Mr. Chekov is not the only one who's happy to hear that, Captain!"
"Here, here!" said Wilson. "Human beings still aren't fully adapted for walking upright, and, at this very moment, my feet and back could give you ample evidence of that fact." Struck by a thought, she added, "Mr. Spock? Vulcans have been bipedal longer than humans, haven't they? Does that leave you better prepared for long hikes than the average human?"
"What you say may be true, Doctor, although I have seen no study on the subject. Judging from an extremely limited sample"- he indicated the assembled group - "I would say that both Vulcan and Sivaoan seem better adapted to a prolonged walk of this nature than are humans."
"Then I've changed my mind," Wilson said. "In my next incarnation I want to be a Vulcan, not a Scot."
"Why don't you be like us, Evan," Brightspot suggested, "then you'd have a tail." From the way her own tail looped, the idea pleased her.
Seeing that Brightspot had taken her words seriously, Wilson explained, "It's a joke. Federation science could give me a nice set of ears like Mr. Spock's, but it hasn't yet gotten to the point where it could give me his circulatory system. Or," she said, almost regretfully, "a fur coat of my very own and a handy tail like yours."
"You have no idea how glad I am to hear that," Kirk said. Spock recognized that tone- Jim Kirk was baiting a trap; Wilson, however, did not, and she looked at Kirk questioningly. Kirk explained, "Think how much more trouble you'd be if you could stick your tail into things as well as your nose!"
Evan Wilson frowned slightly and pulled at her lower lip. She appeared to be looking at something just beyond the end of her own nose.
Jim Kirk, obviously puzzled by her lack of reaction, finally said, "Evan?"
She looked at him as if surprised and said, "I'm thinking, Captain...It sounds good to me!"
It was so seriously said that Jim Kirk was startled into laughter. Uhura too laughed, and even Chekov managed a smile. "Perheps you shouldn't give her ideas, Keptain," Chekov said.
"Perhaps you're right, Mr. Chekov. Dr. Wilson, you are incorrigible."
Wilson grinned. "Yes, sir, and you're invited to incorrige me all you want, sir."
Although Spock understood her intent, he could not help but raise his brow at her usage. Without warning, Evan Wilson leveled a finger at him and snapped, "Don't you point that thing at me, Spock- it might be loaded!" Spock stared at her, not quite believing he had heard correctly. Color rose in her cheeks, but she continued to glare defiantly at him. At last she nodded in a satisfied way. "That's better," she said; she seemed to be referring to the fact that he had lowered his brow. "See that you take more care in the future," she added. "I don't take kindly to being used as a target."
At a complete loss to understand the purpose of her peculiar outburst, Spock turned to Jim Kirk for assistance- and promptly received an explanation. The captain was almost doubled over in an effort to suppress his laughter.
Spock looked around him. Uhura was making no such effort at self-control, nor was Chekov. Brightspot and Jinx had their tails so tightly looped he was surprised they were not in pain.
He looked again at Dr. Wilson. She alone did not laugh. Very distinctly, but without a sound, her mouth formed the words, "Sorry, Spock- for them," and her eyes traveled over the group.
He nodded. If he understood humor at all, it was this use of it- to restore morale. As he could be neither offended nor amused, he was a logical subject. With full consciousness of the act, he raised his brow at her again; as he expected, she too burst into laughter.
Uhura caught her breath. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Spock!" she said. "The image..." She began to laugh again. "I...am...sorry!" She redoubled her effort at control and finally achieved some measure of it. Between gasping breaths, she said earnestly, "I could...almost hear the captain give the command: 'Eyebrow on stun, Mr. Spock...."' That was too much for Jim Kirk. He could no longer suppress his laughter and Uhura, caught up by the wave of emotion once more, spread her hands in a helpless gesture of apology.
Spock waited patiently. When their laughter tapered off, they had a relaxed meal- punctuated by an occasional laugh every time Spock raised a brow- which he did with greater Frequency than usual. At last Jim Kirk rose to his feet and they all followed suit. As they moved to resume their journey, Jim Kirk glanced his way and said, "At least they can't be set for kill. If they could, we'd all be in a great deal of trouble right now."
They started down the trail in single file, Kirk now in the lead. Spock found his way barred by Evan Wilson's quarterstaff; he stopped, seeing the concern on her face. "There is no need for apology, Dr. Wilson," he said, before she could speak. "It is quite sufficient to note that even Mr. Chekov's color has improved." Relief flooded her features. The quarterstaff snapped out of his way.
"Still," she said, as he started down the trail before her, "next time it's the captain's turn."
Behind her, Brightspot said, "You're going to pull the captain's tail, Evan? That I'd like to see."
"You will, Brightspot. That's a promise." They fell silent. This, according to the two Sivaoans, was slash-back territory- and Spock kept his spear at the ready and his attention on their surroundings.
Tactically, the party would have been safer from slashbacks traveling in pairs, but this was impossible: the narrow trail, winding steeply down around bare outcroppings of rock and sketchy vegetation, was scarcely wide enough for single file. Still it was in many ways the easiest traveling they had yet had.
The sound of rushing water grew louder. Spock glanced back at Wilson, and she nodded. Sh
e could hear it too, now. Soon Spock recognized the distant roar of a waterfall- to judge from the sound, a very large waterfall. The air misted with water vapor, and the rock trail became dangerously slick underfoot. The party slowed again as a precaution. A fall here could be deadly. As he watched, a rock dislodged by someone up ahead careened down the cliffside. Striking a ledge some fifty feet down, it shattered and showered fragments the rest of the way.
To his relief, they passed over the most dangerous of this terrain without mishap, and the trail led them back into forest, where they could travel with surer footing. The ground was damp- so was the air- but the layer of decomposing vegetation was safer to walk on than bare wet rock. If one slipped here, one would fall into bushes or at worst stickpins- not down an escarpment.
