Spock Messiah! by Theodore R. Cogswell & Charles A. Spano

Author:Theodore R. Cogswell & Charles A. Spano [Cogswell, Theodore R. & Spano, Charles A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-01-10T06:00:00+00:00

"Everybody in there!" Kirk shouted above the bellowing curses of the clansmen. The Enterprise personnel moved quickly into the terminal. Kirk slammed the door leading into the hall, turned, pulled Kaseme to his feet and shoved him into the other room. Kaseme slumped in a corner and drained the rest of his flask.

Kirk pulled the terminal room's door shut seconds before the clansmen burst into the outer room. They began to hammer at the last door between them and their prey.

The door began to splinter as a deep hum filled the room. The top quarter of the door flew inward, narrowly missing Kirk's face, and the crackling, glittering carrier wave of the transporter beam surrounded the party.

"At last," Kirk muttered. The room faded, wavered, then reappeared.

"That damn radiation front is still screwing up the planet's magnetic field," Scott growled.

Kirk jumped to one side as the enraged, hate-twisted face of one of the Messiah's town followers appeared in the gap of the door. The Kyrosian's sword lunged for Kirk's chest. Kirk grabbed a sword from a nearby officer and chopped downward. The townman screamed in agony as his severed hand, still gripping his sword, dropped to the floor. He fell backward, causing a pause in the hillmen's activity.

Weapons ready, Kirk and the others formed a defensive line and waited for the final attack.

At that moment the Enterprise reclaimed her own.

Ker Kaseme let out a terrified squeal as the gray walls of the cargo transporter room materialized around him. His face ashen, he clutched Kirk's arm and began to jabber incoherently. Kirk shook him off.

"Later," he growled in Kyrosian. Kaseme gobbled in terror, then fainted. Kirk caught him and lowered him to the deck. McCoy, who was waiting for Kirk, took he little man.

"Status report," Kirk said, his voice showing deep concern for his wounded officers.

"They're in surgery now," McCoy replied. "Mbenga's lands could bring a statue to life. I waited here for you, to let you know."

; Kirk nodded his thanks. McCoy went on. "I'll take Caserne to sickbay and load him with sedatives. He won't remember a thing."

; Scott came up to Kirk. "The poor divil. We've icared the living daylights out of him."

Kirk grinned for the first time that day, and said, "I'll bet those hillmen took off like scalded cats when we earned up right before their eyes."

"Well," Scott said, "if Mr. Spock can arrange a miricle for his people, I guess we can, too." ; Kirk's grin flicked off as he stepped toward the transporter console and stabbed the button on the communicator panel.

"Bridge, this is the captain. What the hell was the idea of changing orbit?"

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.

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