Star Trek: Spectre by William Shatner

Author:William Shatner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

SEVENTEEN

Kirk watched as McCoy moved efficiently around the Sovereign's spacious sickbay. But the veteran physician's ease in these surroundings came as no surprise. Kirk knew McCoy had made his career that of being a perpetual thorn in the sides of Starfleet's medical planners. He doubted there was a single component of current starship health-care facilities that had not been influenced in some way by McCoy's vast experience and unwavering dedication to his patients.

Unlike many others in Starfleet, McCoy had never been driven by the desire for bigger postings, or notoriety, or even fame. In fact, he was one of the few survivors of Starfleet's heroic age of exploration never to have written his memoirs. All McCoy cared about was the chance to serve to the best of his abilities. Beyond that, he was content to live his life simply, devoting himself to those people he loved.

Kirk admired him for that, more than he had ever said.

And it was with that same admiration that Kirk now watched as McCoy brought all his skill and experience to bear on the terrible disease that ravaged Spock's counterpart.

"I thought there was no cure for Bendii," Admiral Nechayev said.

Kirk had invited her here to speak with Intendant Spock before McCoy began his treatment. Kirk had told Nechayev there was a chance the intendant would be unconscious for days, but that he was willing to answer any questions she might have about the mirror universe, to put her at her ease.

For now, the intendant lay on the main diagnostic and treatment bed, his eyes closed in meditation. A small, neurocortical monitor was affixed to his forehead, silently pulsing with a constellation of colored lights. McCoy, wearing a long, rumpled lab coat over his vest, worked at a medical replicator station, preparing the first stage of his assault.

"True," Kirk said, "but it's been centuries since the last case of it in a Vulcan so young. Dr. McCoy is convinced that means he can induce a remission by treating some of the intendant's other infirmities."

Nechayev seemed unconcerned. "So what am I here for? A deathbed confession in case it doesn't work?"

Kirk held his temper with difficulty. He reminded himself there were other things at stake here. Most important, Teilani's life. The admiral had yet to share with Kirk any of Starfleet's progress in responding to her abductors' demands. All she had permitted herself to say was that Starfleet had communicated over a long-range subspace channel, specified by the abductors, that Kirk was in no position to aid the intendant because he was being held in custody by Starfleet Intelligence. According to Nechayev, no reply had been forthcoming. Teilani's fate was unknown. And it took all of Kirk's self-control not to explode in rage at the admiral's frustrating obstinacy. But Kirk knew Nechayev would be within her rights to return him to Earth, an action that would add immeasurably to the obstacles he already faced in saving the woman he loved.

"I don't believe he has anything to confess to," Kirk said, hiding his anguish as expertly as any Vulcan.

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