Star Trek: The Original Series - Bantam Novels - 007 - Vulcan by Kathleen Sky

Author:Kathleen Sky [Sky, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Science Fiction, Media Tie-In, Space Opera, Star Trek Fiction, Science Fiction; American, Contemporary, Romance, Paperback Collection
ISBN: 9780553246339
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 1976-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

10

Arachnae hung in space like a red and blue cabochon. Its seas were shallow, its land masses large, its atmosphere thin and dry. The equatorial band had been found to be totally uninhabitable. The coordinates fed into the computer for the beam-down point had been set for one of the large continents in the northern hemisphere.

The transporter deposited Spock and Tremain on a ledge overlooking the site of the base camp. The view from the ledge was impressive. Mountains composed of slabs of red rock reached toward the sky. Canyons cut deep by rushing water appeared to be bottomless. There was a river at the base of the hill, one of the reasons why this site had been chosen, running blood-red with suspended silt There was some ground cover, small stunted trees, scrub and hardy desert grasses, and overhead the sky was clear turquoise blue with thin streaks of cloud.

“Shall we join the rest of the crew, Dr. Tremain?” Spock said. Without waiting for an answer, he began making his way down a narrow path to the floor of the small notch between two sloping hills. Tremain followed slowly behind.

The camp had been well arranged by the base team. Lieutenant Angela Mendoza had put herself in charge of getting all inflatable shelters properly circled around the firepit. The security guards had ascertained that there was no sign of the Arachnians in the area. The camp looked as still and tranquil as a postcard.

Ensign Donald Ackroyd from the Biochemistry section spotted Tremain and Spock as they approached the camp. He rushed forward, waving his hands in the air. “We set everything up pretty quickly, Mr. Spock. There doesn’t seem to be any indication of the Arachnians within a mile or two, so we thought this would be a fairly safe place to camp.” Ackroyd hurried them toward the site, eagerly pointing out the presence of water, the well-designed firepit, and other points he thought might be of interest. He was very careful to give Lieutenant Mendoza credit for her work; Ackroyd was officially only Mendoza’s assistant. But he had obviously also taken on the job of friendly native guide.

Spock took command of the base camp from Lieutenant Mendoza and proceeded to examine all the survival equipment meticulously. Katalya Tremain found his insistence on checking and rechecking a bit monotonous, and symbolic of the Vulcan fascination with minutiae. Taking Ackroyd in hand, she began exploring the perimeters of the camp.

Ensign Ackroyd was overjoyed at the chance to be alone with Tremain, and gleefully pointed out every plant, rock, and lizard in view. But it was Tremain who spotted the cave. It was three-quarters of the way up the hillside, opposite the hill on which she and Spock had beamed down. All she could see from the ground level was the upper arch, but it was in her opinion definitely a cave opening. She walked back toward the camp, Ackroyd tagging along, puppylike, behind her.

Spock had finished his inspection and was in the process of congratulating Mendoza on her efficiency.

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