The Starless World by Gordon Eklund

Author:Gordon Eklund [Eklund, Gordon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction
ISBN: 9781852865054
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
Published: 1978-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

As far as Spock could see, the village of Tumara closely resembled Captain Kirk’s description of it, and yet in the dark it also seemed to be a mysterious and ominous place, with empty streets, dark houses, and a constant chilling wind.

“Do you have a particular destination in mind?” Spock asked. The faint figure of Thomas Clayton, phaser in hand, loomed behind him. They stood somewhere near the outskirts of the village.

“Just start walking,” Clayton said. “When it’s time to turn or stop, I’ll tell you.”

“You won’t get away with this, you know,” Dr. McCoy said. “I really don’t know what you expect to gain.”

“Just walk, please.”

With an angry grunt McCoy stepped forward. Spock moved beside him. Above, only the scarlet corona of the sun spilling around the disk of the dark moon provided any light to guide them. Lyra was a world without stars. Still, the ground was smooth and flat The hulking outlines of the houses stood out clearly.

Behind them, Clayton started laughing. It was a private sound, intended only for himself.

“Thomas, why don’t you put down the phaser?”

McCoy said. “We’re here now. Spock and I won’t bother you.”

Clayton’s laughter went on. He muttered something, but his words vanished in the wind.

“We don’t want an accident,” McCoy said.

“An accident?” Clayton cried with sudden shrillness. “There are no accidents under the eye of a god.”

Spock was remembering what Captain Kirk had told him, how neither his own hand weapons nor those of the Klingons had functioned here. In a logical universe, that observation would have strongly indicated that Clayton’s weapon would not work cither. But could he trust logic here? There was a presence, almost a voice. Spock sensed that something was very wrong here, and it disturbed him deeply.

Spock slowed his pace. Suddenly he stopped. Clayton, walking close behind, bumped into him. McCoy turned and looked back. “What is it, Spock?”

“I’m not sure.” Spock took a tentative step. Then he heard it—again. Footsteps. Nearby.

“Hey, move it,” Clayton said He gave Spock a shove.

“Sorry.” Spock moved forward. “I tripped over a rock.”

Spock caught up with McCoy. The footsteps came with him. He heard them clearly now, off to the left, parallel with a line of houses.

“What was that about?” McCoy whispered. Clayton laughing again, could not hear them.

“I’m not sure.”

“Did you see something?”

“No, not that.”

Not seen—heard. Who could it be? he wondered. The Lyrans, according to Captain Kirk, were a small, fragile race. These footsteps were as heavy as a man’s. It wouldn’t likely be Kirk or his group. They would have intervened by now.

“You weren’t trying to make a break for it? It’s so dark. We might have a shot at it.”

“I don’t think so.” Spock did not regard the situation as sufficiently critical to justify the risk of lives. “I’m curious to discover what Clayton intends.”

“If anything. The man’s not stable.”

“He hasn’t harmed anyone so far.”

“That phaser of his may not work down here. Do you remember what Jim said?”

Spock wasn’t surprised that McCoy also remembered.

“I remember.

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