102 Spock, Messiah! by Theodore Cogswell & Charles A. Spano

Author:Theodore Cogswell & Charles A. Spano [Cogswell, Theodore & Spano, Charles A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780553246742
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 1993-08-30T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Captain's log: Stardate 6725.1:

Investigating the orbit change, I have learned that Mr. Spock told Lieutenant Sulu to follow his orders or he'd destroy the trilithium crystals at once.

I cannot fault Sulu for his action; we still have three and one-half days left in which to retrieve the crystals.

After that, it won't matter any more.

Kirk stood at the side of one of the diagnostic beds in the sickbay, looking down at Lieutenant Dawson's sleeping form. He glanced at the indicators on the Fein-berg panels above. He nodded in satisfaction as, one-by-one, he checked the readouts.

"He looks a hell of a lot better than I expected him to," he said.

"We got him here just in time," said McCoy. "He'll be back on his feet in a few days."

"And Sara?"

"Almost as good as new," said a weak voice from the other side of the sickbay. Kirk turned and went quickly over to another bed on the other side of the room.

Ensign George, face pale but eyes alert, gave him a wan smile. "They didn't really damage the plumbing," she said. "And Dr. Mbenga did such a nice job of microsurgery that I won't even end up with a scar as a souvenir." She gestured to her exposed abdomen, and Kirk saw the flesh-toned antiseptic patch on her. "He says I'll be fit for duty sometime tomorrow."

Kirk smiled and patted her shoulder. "How about the rest?" the captain asked, turning to McCoy.

"It was touch and go with several of them--those hand weapons leave nasty wounds--but we didn't lose one."

Kirk let out a long sigh of relief. "After the way I fouled up down there, that's at least one thing I don't have to feel guilty about."

"Do you know what your problem is?" McCoy said softly.

"Yes... I was too cocky," Kirk replied. "I took my men into a possible combat situation without adequately planning for contingencies. It's just a fluke that several of them weren't killed."

"Wrong answer," McCoy said. Kirk eyed him speculatively.

"Then what's the right one?"

"You're the best captain I've ever served under, except for one thing--you've somehow got yourself convinced that if the dice don't come out the way you want them to every time you roll them, you're to blame. No matter how carefully you plan, Jim, sometimes things just don't turn out the way they should. Unpredictables always creep in. And there isn't a general in history who hasn't lost a battle or two because of them. Mbenga and I were convinced we had the right formula for the paralysis drug, but evidently there are certain Vulcan physiological factors that we just didn't know about. There was no way you could know the drug would wear off in a few minutes. If it hadn't, we'd have had Spock up here now and be on our way at Warp Three."

"Maybe so," Kirk protested, "but--"

"But nothing," McCoy said impatiently. "A medical mistake was made. But Mbenga and I aren't sulking in our tents because of it." He gestured at the crowded sickbay. "We can't afford to; there's still too much work to be done.

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