It had form but faint substance, shape, but little color, face but no visage.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9GvDzP24N
Body but no soul.
Its sword was an extension of its own right arm and it moved and danced with a grace and fluidity beyond humanity.
Ko-Ko parried and thrust, beat and lunged with his own insulated blade. Initially had had been casual in attack, though his tenebrous opponent made up in nimbleness what it lacked in knowledge and experience.
But it was rapidly absorbing every trick Ko-Ko the fencing master could think of---memorizing each one, analyzing its weaknesses and strong points, and then using them on Ko-Ko in return. It had not yet mastered the subtle intricacies of multiple combinations, thus preventing the Esmeralda's helmsman from being skewered twelve times over.
But since Ko-Ko's opponent was not subject to fatigue, the combat loomed as increasingly unequal.
Ko-Ko relished the contest. Never before had he faced so dangerous a fighter, nor one so eerily beautiful. His luminescent antagonist shone like a billion golden glowmites in the light of the room. Though its skull was featureless, it didn't lack eyes.
Those enigmatic orbs kept close watch on the helmsman's movements, on the placement of his feet, on the way he held his balancing back hand, and most especially on the tip of that deadly foil.
Ko-Ko feinted low, then went high with the point of his blade. As his opponent moved his blade up to parry, the helmsman shot his left leg out in a strong side kick.
The gilded wraith knocked the point aside and lunged forward to finish the fight. But instead of skipping back out of range, Ko-Ko stood his ground, shot vertically into the air and executed a perfect jump-spinning back kick. His shoe struck the sword-arm, smashing it aside, while his foil whipped around simultaneously to stab straight through that gleaming, glittering throat....
The attacker froze as Ko-Ko withdrew his blade. No blood had gushed forth on contact, no stream of molten yellow fluid. There had only been an indifferent buzz at the mortal blow.
Walking away from his paralyzed opponent, Ko-Ko picked a towel off a nearby bench and mopped at his sweating face.
"The computer annex's getting too clever, Mr. Gordon. It's getting harder and harder to think up new combinations to use against it."
Chief Engineer Tony Gordon nodded as he pressed the switch on the makeshift control panel. Ko-Ko's dervishlike antagonist, a man-shape given form and body by ionized gas held in a rigorously restricted force-field, disappeared---a solid-state djinn.
"I don't see why you've never used that kick-parry before," Gordon observed. "It worked marvelously."
Ko-Ko smiled as he toweled the back of his neck. "Never had to get that fancy before. Trouble is, the computer rarely lets me get by with a successful move more than once." He let out a brief sigh.
"The problem with that defense if is you miss the parry-kick, you're left floating in midair with your sword at your side--- a ripe candidate for shish-kebab." His expression turned studious.
"Its movements are still a trifle unnatural, still a trifle machinelike. And I noticed a few other problems, too. There were five instances when it fought while floating two centimeters above the floor." He grinned. "And that's dirty pool. The computer's got enough advantages now."
"But not enough to detract from the experience of true combat, though," Gordon countered, checking a tiny window in the panel. "You're still well ahead, guv'nuh, twelve touches to five."
"Remember when I used to beat it 17 to 0? It's learning, all right."
Gordon shrugged. "That's one of a gaming computer's functions. If I could program the ship's computer, you'd have a mechanical fighter who'd act perfectly human, even to experiencing fatigue as the battle wore on. But you know what the captain would say if we asked for ship computation time for something like this." He indicated the wire-fringed control panel.
"I had a bit of a scuffle with the stores records caging the material for this---filed the requisitions under the 'emergency repairs' column There shouldn't be a problem with it unless Fleet springs a surprise inventory on us. But using the main computer...," he shook his head firmly, "we've got as much chance of that as my gran has of throwing the ball in the next interstellar Rugby games."
Ko-Ko accepted the engineer's declaration as he straightened out his blade. The foil was insulated from pommel to blade, leaving only the metal tip uncovered. Whenever that naked point intersected the ionized gas in the force field, it registered as a touch on the control box Gordon had rigged up. Trouble was, there was no equally accurate way of judging when his computer-driven opponent scored a hit on him. For now, that had to be done visually. But this was a new system, and Gordon was still straightening out the kinks in the works.
They would have plenty of time during this long, dull mission to Doria, 4th planet of Cygneus, to perfect his katana-to-ashi opponent. Unlike say, Mr. Spock, who could always find plenty of challengers for 3-D chess and other logic-based games, there wasn't anyone else aboard who possessed more than a rudimentary knowledge of the modern martial arts, which merged European-style fencing with the old karate of the Orient. Those crew members who were athletically inclined preferred bowling, or water polo.
When he'd finally grown deathly tired of fencing and kicking at his own shadow, Ko-Ko had gone to Gordon to see if the circuit-wizard could rig up something in the way of a robotic fighter. It hadn't taken the chief engineer long to produce his golden-gas humanoid.
Gordon cocked an eyebrow as he glanced up from reintegrating one of the tiny modular components which controlled the flexibility of the force-field. Ko-Ko was at the open arms cabinet.
"More, Lieutenant? Aren't you worn out yet?"
"I need just a little more saber work."
The engineer looked disapproving. "The final flurry? You know this thing can't score saber near as well as foil. Half the time I've no idea whether you're hitting the target or not, with all that blade area. Let alone when it's hitting you."
"Just a few minutes," Ko-Ko pleaded. "I mustn't let my edge work get rusty."
"Well, if you must, you must." Gordon didn't quite grumble. "I've got a little matter of a starship to watch over."
He pressed a switch on the panel. Instantly, still frozen in the pose of its last execution, Ko-Ko's enemy glowed to life again. Ko-Ko adjusted some controls, manipulated some dials. The games computer set the newly programmed tape in motion and the lambent duelist assumed the usual en garde position.
Ko-Ko lined up across from it. "Ready," he announced, turning his gaze to the gilded ghost. Gordon flicked a red switch.
The chief engineer had been right, though. At times Ko-Ko himself couldn't tell whether or not he was slipping the first blow in. In a real fight, however, it would be more than merely satisfying to know whether or not a certain move had worked. It would be vital.
The fight lasted only the few minutes Ko-Ko had requested, but not for the reasons originally given. His nebulous opponent had just performed a superb parry, faked high and thrust low. Ko-Ko had fallen for the trick. He jumped, trying to avoid a supposedly high attack. When he saw that it was really going low, he attempted to recover by twisting in mid-air to kick-block downward, and got himself confused.
Trying simultaneously to parry with his own sword, the net result turned out to be a neat slash with the metal blade across the thin shoe he was currently wearing. He came down on both feet, immediately dropped the saber and buckled to the floor, wincing.
Having registered an undeniable score, the computer-controlled figure paused and resumed the ready position, awaiting the command to re-engage once more.
Gordon flicked it out of existence. There was a brief, dying whine as the force-field's power went off. Then the engineer hurried over to where the helmsman sat, trying to undo the latches of his right shoe.
"I suggest you go back to shadow-fighting, Ko-Ko."
The helmsman grimaced as he worked at the buckle.
"Not funny, Mr. Gordon."
Both men saw that the top of the shoe was already stained red. The humor of the situation was relegated to the background.
Gordon put one hand on the heel, took a gentle grip on the toe with the other. "Easy, guv'nuh... I'll try and get this off."
While he pushed and pulled, Ko-Ko leaned back on both his hands, stared at the ceiling of the gymnasium chamber and tried to think of other things. He couldn't supress a little gasp as the shoe finally slipped free.
There was a three-centimeter long gash across the top of his foot. Though it bled profusely, Ko-Ko considered himself lucky. The blade had struck at an angle which caused it to miss the major tendons. He made no move to rise.
"Stay there," Ko-Ko ordered him. He moved to a nearby cabinet and came back with a first-aid kit. The bandaging was crude, but at least it halted the flow of blood.
"Sorry, Ko-Ko," he apologized when the temporary repair job was finished. "I'm much better with a needlepoint welding phaser."
Ko-Ko eyed him archly. "Thanks all the same, Tony, I'll settle for the bandages."
"Can you walk, or should I summon a stretcher?"
"No - no stretcher!" Ko-Ko objected quickly. "The captain's liable to hear about it." He struggled to his feet. "Cut's on the top, not the sole. I'll make it. Give me a hand to Life Station."
Gordon mumbled about the waste of time as he helped Ko-Ko slip a large sock over the injured foot. Ko-Ko was right, though. The captain wouldn't take kindly to the news that one of his Bridge officers had hurt himself at a game.
The few personnel they encountered in the corridors inquired solicitously as to the cause of the helmsman's limp. It was explained that he had slightly sprained an ankle playing zap-ball. Much to Ko-Ko's relief, this explanation seemed to be accepted by all.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRo2LY9P8S
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Finn was in a testier mood than usual. He unwrapped Gordon's makeshift bandage job and stared disgustedly at the neat wound, muttering to himself as he went about the business of lancing it out and cleansing it.
"You cut your foot how?"
Ko-Ko looked away and repeated the story for the third time.
"I've already told you, Dr. Finn. Mr. Gordon was kind enough to use some of his off-duty hours to develop an artificial warrior for me to practice against. I was making a parry where I shouldn't have been and I cut myself, that's all."
Finn shook his head as he used three tiny organic clips to clamp the edges of the wound together. Spray from a can coated the wound and clips with an anesthetizing fixative. Eventually, the modified protein clips would be absorbed by Ko-Ko's body, but not until the wound had completely healed over.
"That's a fairly deep cut, Helmsman," Finn commented as he put away the can. "Don't kick anybody with that foot till it heals up, okay? It should heal nicely."
Ko-Ko looked as if he had something more to say, but instead glanced at Gordon for help. The chief engineer looked indifferent, then suddenly remembered how many times his senior officer had bailed him out of a difficult situation.
"Uh, Dr. Finn...."
Finn looked back at him.
"We'd kind of hoped you wouldn't mention this little episode to the captain. I know it must be entered in the medical log, but the lieutenant would appreciate it if you didn't go out of your way to tell him about it. You know what his reaction would be."
"Unfortunately, yes, I do," the doctor muttered. He didn't look at Ko-Ko as he added, "I haven't got time anyway - not with that ton of medical supplies we're to deliver to Doria to inspect."
Glad for the change of subject and, incidentally, curious, Ko-Ko swung his legs off the table and wondered, "Why should you have to bother with them at all, Doctor? Aren't they prepacked and self-contained?"
In reply Finn sat down before a viewscreen and manipulated the controls. Peering over his shoulder, both Gordon and Ko-Ko saw vast columns of words and figures, massed tightly together like the ranks of an invading army. Finn gestured in an uncomplimentary manner at the screen, shaking his head ruefully.
"The instructional manuals for the equipment and supplies are all mixed up. If I don't get them properly relabeled before we arrive, the Dorians won't be able to tell an adipose probe from a magnetic myelofuser, or a case of Dorian aspirin from the serum for treating brain damage." He angrily snapped off the picture, turned to them.
"Whoever precoordinated this shipment's a likely candidate for a good shot of the latter drug."
"Can't you just get someone to take over your regular assignments until you get everything sorted out?" Gordon asked.
Finn stared back at him evenly. "Do you really expect me to delegate my duties to somebody else? What if Ko-Ko had really sliced himself up? Or you, Tony? How would you feel if I was off cataloging packages someplace?"
Neither man said anything.
He switched the screen back on, and then swiveled around to stare at the new display. "And besides, the health of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings might depend on the safe delivery of these supplies. I will not entrust their proper delivery to anyone but me.
"Now, if you don't mind," he growled, "I'd like to get back to my important work."
Ko-Ko grinned as he gingerly put more weight on his injured limb. It was amazing how much better it felt already, after Finn's precise ministrations.
The doctor's surface gruffness fooled neither of them.
"He'll make it all right, if he has to push himself double-shift," Gordon declared at the two men entered the corridor outside Life Station. "He's got a good two weeks' shiptime before we make orbit around Doria. It's only stardate sixty-six...."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiOCTKC06N
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".....forty-three point eight," Sawyer finished, his voice slightly hoarse from the dry atmospheres of Doria. As he spoke into the communicator, it relayed his voice back to the official log recorder aboard the Esmeralda, now orbiting far overhead.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hbLXvpxgH
"Preparing to beam back aboard ship following our successful delivery of medical equipment and supplies to the planet Doria in the Dorian star system. Sawyer out..."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54l9M4yEnf
They stood on a balcony outside the chambers of the Dorian capital city administration building, awaiting the arrival of the Supreme Leader for the final embarkation ceremony. While Spock and Finn discussed some obscure point of Dorian physiology as it related to certain of the supplies they had brought, Sawyer turned and allowed his gaze to roam over the capital's skyline. Once one became used to the size of everything, built to nearly one and a quarter human scale, this world almost looked familiar. This, despite its extreme distance from the nearest Space Federation outpost planet.
The vegetation here was not terribly alien, likewise the animal life. But the hue of sky was a touch too green, the tree trunks a bit too orange, the flying creatures' wings too scaly for hominess. In other words, Doria was one of those many humanoid worlds whose strangeness was all the more disturbing for its elusive familiarity.
It wasn't a planet where the local ungulates rolled around on wheels instead of walking on normal legs, or where the vegetation grew upside down like the ostrich thickets on Kurus. No, on a planet like Doria you always had the feeling that if you could only hit the right switch inside your head, there'd be a little click, the proper lens would slip into place in front of your eyes, and everything would suddenly slide over into the normal.
"Hail, Captain Sawyer! Hail, Mr. Spock!"
The men turned to see two Dorians emerging from the arched doorway. Sawyer recognized the Supreme Leader, but not his companion.
"Who's that with him, Bal?"
"We met him briefly once before, Captain, on arrival," the first officer whispered, wondering idly why there'd been no hearty hail for Dr. Finn. Probably the Dorians simply hadn't noticed him yet. He filed the observation away for future consideration. "The man's name is Koldar. He is the chief of the local police forces. He was in charge of receiving the few military-related medical supplies."
"Oh, yes," Sawyer muttered. "I remember now." He broke off as both men halted before them. Their expressions---well, what were their expressions? Like the rest of their race, Koldar and his companion wore vacuformed plastic masks that were hand-painted and unique to each person with a separate attached "chin" to allow for mouth movements.
With their hoods, masks, and form-fitting jumpsuits, the two Dorian men could have appeared threatening. Sawyer noted that the Dorians were, in reality, mutants and as such, always wore masks. 450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMjSMan66F
The part that frightened Sawyer most about these people was that, just because a Dorian took off his mask, it didn't mean he wasn't a Dorian. Although the Dorians were mutants, they could still appear very much human---or so Fleet records said.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bpUCzARPY
The Leader launched straight into the departure ceremony, as the somber-seeming Koldar stood at attention at his side. The ceremony itself contained no surprises. Much was said about expanding trade and cooperation between Doria and the Space Federation. There were words of mutual praise for the technical accomplishments of both civilizations, assurances of continuing friendship and interdependence, veiled polite references to those misguided races (who shall remain nameless) who might seek to interpose themselves between the goal of Space Federation-Dorian brotherhood, and so forth.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GLqiV3wAf
Sawyer and Spock replied where necessary, exchanging diplomatic banter with the aplomb and experience of men accustomed to far more complex goings-on. Sawyer recalled one planet on which merely saying a simple goodbye involved two days of feasting and athletic competition.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrMYGk8Oqj
Finally, both the Leader and Koldar performed little half-bows and extended their hands, palms turned upward and open. "We wish to thank," he told them in his gravelly voice, "you and the rest of your Space Federation for your most welcome and invaluable assistance, Captain Sawyer, in this and all matters."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZbihB4L0r
The three men returned the gesture, which signified the taking of final farewell, as Sawyer replied, "We hope through our medical assistance programs to develop and strengthen relations with all advanced civilizations like your own, Supreme Leader."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJrwBLMCMv
With that said, both humans and Dorians returned to a natural stance.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2IXx1Y6qE
Sawyer smiled easily, glanced back at his companions, as he pulled out his communicator and flipped it open. "Shall we, Spock, Huck? Sawyer to Esmeralda--beam us up, Tony."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC5BJoALWh
The Leader extended a hand, palm down this time, fingers bent at the middle knuckles. "Um, not just yet, Captain. There is----one more thing...."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnADxsigE9
Sawyer hesitated uncertainly, then looked at Spock and Finn. Both stared at him blankly. The gestures were unmistakable, Spock seemed to say. Once the gesture of final leave-taking is made, nothing else is supposed to follow.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJjErOLPbp
So just what the hell was going on here?450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFEAtOR4wY
"Belay that, Mr. Gordon," he said hurriedly into the open comm. He flipped it shut---for the moment.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87QWmyIhlo
"We await," he told the Supreme Leader.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcG8tiAWKq
That appeared to satisfy the burly masked man. He relaxed visibly and made a gesture to his companion that none of the humans recognized.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAvVdifgWB
"Proceed, Chief Koldar."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0zMgAtoeq
The police chief, with some ceremony, removed a folded sheet of opaque yellow plastic from a vest pocket. It opened into the triangle favored by the Dorians.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdo0GR6VKOs
"I have here a warrant," he announced solemnly, "in your own language, received by subspace relay for the arrest and trial of one of your crew, Captain." He extended the yellow sheet toward Sawyer, who stared at the smooth geometric form in disbelief.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Kx2A7G1vH
"I suggest you take it, Captain," Spock finally prompted him.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEuXwiYMIh
"Warrant?!" Sawyer demanded, a slight nuance of outrage in his tone. "For whom?"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX6vTTwHbn
"If you would be so kind as to read it aloud, Captain?" the Leader requested politely.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mw4BxxO0C
Sawyer's gaze turned down to the plastic. On it was what looked to be a perfect xerographic copy of the familiar rectangle of official Fleet command-grade stationary. The format design and intricate curlicued seals bordering it were either genuine or else the best forgery he'd ever seen.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD28r81QhBi
"You are hereby ordered to surrender," he read in a dull monotone, "for trial by the people of Doria, Dr. Huckleberry Finn, medical officer, U.S.S. Esmeralda assigned your command..."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dEy3p2rvE
"Let me see that please, Captain," Spock requested rapidly. Rather more rapidly than was normal for him.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9Y44myKc3
Blank-faced, Sawyer handed the document over. His gaze slowly swung around to Finn.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGDo10HfjU
"I---I don't know what to say, Huck."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hgRb7ZoJ7
Finn gaped back at him in open-mouthed confusion and could only shake his head slowly in total bewilderment. He'd seen the opaque triangle of plastic, seen the inscribed borders and seals and the signatures at the bottom. His face turned red with rage and he found himself shouting at the chief of Dorian police: "What the hell kind of a sick joke are you trying to pull, you masked son of a bitch!?"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsNMHuPCAk
"While there are those among you who might find certain aspects of our sense of humor odd," the masked man replied stonily, "believe me when I say that we do not consider thousands upon thousands of Dorians committing suicide a 'sick joke'."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wQ90Z7hFf
Finn's jaws made more movements than were necessary to form his angry question. "And just how, my friend, did I cause that?"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkDxHfF1Qo
Spock tapped the plastic sheet. "Dr. Finn, according to this, you are being held responsible a plague that ravaged the Dorian colony on Lavernus some nineteen years ago and spread here to Doria. Said plague to have resulted into the mutation that has caused Koldar's people to wear masks ever since." 450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42gFGkKhkZ
Sawyer shook his head violently, then snatched the warrant from Spock's hands. "Sorry, Spock, but I've gotta see that thing again!" Once more his eyes roved over it, paying particular attention to the concluding seals and signatures. He glanced up at Koldar, his voice barely controlled, and cold.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvpgfcNHr2
"This is a copy. I demand to see the genuine article!"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuSJndb41D
Koldar shrugged. "But of course, Captain. I would not expect you to do otherwise. The original is inside, properly protected. This is why we arranged for you to take your leave of us here." He gestured at the building.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJgJktZiwj
"You see before you the Dorian Chamber of Contemplative Reconstruction, Captain."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6ZX67FfdL
"Treachery, more like it," Sawyer rumbled as he stalked off toward the open portal.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuHFCqPDDZ
Koldar's eyes bulged almost out of the eyeholes of his black-and-gold face-mask as he followed alongside. "Justice, more like it," he glowered. "Considering the true horrors of our mutancy, Captain Sawyer, I think we are showing remarkable restraint."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUGzbaRFrJ
"Restraint? I'll show you some restraining!" Sawyer muttered tightly. "The Esmeralda can 'restrain' this whole city."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfGtTTALs9
"I don't doubt that," the Leader observed from behind him as they entered the building once more. "We are a practical people. I, personally, am well aware of the destructive abilities of your vessel. We are also an astute people psychologically.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVdm8rx5m5
"While you could probably reduce this city to its foundations, Captain Sawyer, I doubt very seriously that you will. You will do nothing. Your reputation has preceded you. We know of your respect for your own laws. And as you have seen, the warrant is perfectly in order and properly approved by your own superiors. You will not disobey their orders."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTgvcp3NQz
"Not my superiors," Sawyer shot back. "Not in Fleet. This is a judicial order, issued by administrative authority."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS48uYtAzh
"Whatever the source, Captain," Koldar put in, "you recognize its authority. You will not attempt to contravene it. Therefore, I am sure you will offer no resistance while I perform my necessary duty." He reached out and placed a hand on Finn's right shoulder.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3XtnpTESF
"Dr. Huckleberry Finn, I place you under official restraint. Will you yield voluntarily?"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AfF8jT2JE
Finn nodded slowly and moved forward when Koldar tugged, but the motions were independent of any real thought. He could only turn to gape wordlessly at Spock and Sawyer as they followed.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvVdeM3ZDk
There was a buzz for attention from Sawyer's belt as they moved through the glass and stone structure, past languidly strolling Dorians bent on their everyday lives.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XalKypwC0
Sawyer opened the communicator, his voice thick. "Sawyer here."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfLzzmKYMI
"Captain...?" That single word held a paragraph of worry.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53s3zJcANr
"Sorry, Tony, I forgot you were on hold. It seems--it seems there's going to be something of a problem here. Dr. Finn's been arrested and..."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlN1jyF733d
Over the kilometers and through the clouds the chief engineer's astonished yelp cut him off. DR. FINN ARRESTED? What for....?"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYvcfyfKmH
Sawyer tried to frame the words "negligent homicide," found that the effort of linking that concept to Finn brought him close to tears.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPEUtC4Uiw
"It's....complicated," he finally managed to mutter. 450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ujIMz7KNu
"Complicated, is it?" Gordon paused. "Sir, the Optimo and the Vector are on survey missions in neighboring star systems. I can ask their captains for backup if you wish. They'll come, I'm sure. By God, I'll put on a show of force those masked wienies can't...."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4WPXBFY1z
"You'll do no such thing, Mr. Gordon!" Sawyer said, summoning his usual firmness. "The warrant itself seems to be legitimate, issued and authorized by the proper authorities. Mr. Spock and I are going to double-check it now. We're at the local administration building. I'll keep you posted."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1Ak05OdRH
"At least let me bring the ship to battle readiness, sir!"450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseEVNBB02H
"Negative on that, too, Tony. While it may prove tough to restrain natural impulses, this is a time for careful consideration. The Dorians have been scrupulously correct about this. They've made nothing resembling a hostile gesture toward us. And, Tony, this is not for general discussion. What I've just told you stays on the Bridge."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCSLo5tjaU
"Of course, sir," Gordon replied quietly.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprd1Fdnj5L
"Sawyer out."450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZW8KtMR3U
It was all so absurd, Sawyer mused, as they moved deeper into the enormous structure. Huck was no more guilty of causing a mass suicide than he was of unnecessarily vivisecting a frog. The good doctor was inherently incapable of either maliciousness or incompetence on such a scale.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMS55XS0XLP
But....450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnHsXpBIwL
There was the official warrant, the insane accusation. He stared at the original communication where it was locked behind triple transparent barriers. Despite Koldar's and the Supreme Leader's confidence in his willingness to obey his own laws, Sawyer found himself having to fight the urge to simply call Tony to beam them up and out of this malicious city. Such an action could precipitate an uncomfortable interstellar incident, he knew. The Dorians wouldn't hesitate to publicize it throughout the civilized galaxy. If the Space Federation didn't adhere to its own laws, then why should potential allies be forced to?450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjr5lytLGn0
He noticed that they had moved into a small office adjoining the well-guarded transmission. Koldar sat across from them behind a large desk of white stone. He was answering most of the questions he had expected Sawyer to ask.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgzcnYRjoi
"Dr. Finn," the police chief explained, "headed a radiation-based treatment program against deadly degenerative cancers on Lavernus some nineteen years ago, .450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUUACtIU27
"He was not yet - anointed? No, appointed - a full doctor at the time of this program. Soon after his small medical team departed, bizarre changes took place in our physical makeup. Changes so bizarre that the custom of masks and to never to look on the face of another Dorian was established to protect our race from extinction. Death by suicide was nearly total in a colony we'd established at much expense in life and wealth, Captain Sawyer.
"The Lavernus colony was our first step away from our homeworld. Thanks to your Dr. Finn, the result has been that for the past two decades we have been unable to progress any further. Since the mutation public reaction becomes virulent at the mere mention of deepspace exploration or settlement." A grim expression was evident, even though his face was completely hidden by the black-and-gold face-mask.
"And this is the result of your so-called aid!"
Koldar removed his cowl and mask to make his point. His unmasked face was handsome, the picture of a normal Human's masculine comeliness. Why were his people distressed and embarrassment about that?
Koldar then made a hand gesture to two other Dorians standing in the vicinity, an order, in effect, for them to remove their masks. They did so---and Sawyer was shocked as Koldar's face emerged from under the mask. Then Koldar's face emerged from the second Dorian. And then the awful truth dawned on Sawyer and Spock at the same time.
The Dorians' mutancy apparently took an unusual form, causing ever male member of their species' face to be perfect a mirror-image match of the other's... and (presumably) every Dorian female's face to also be a perfect mirror-image match of all other Dorian females.
"Imagine a world...." Koldar sadly pointed out, "...where every face you see is the mirror-image of your own. Madness."
"You seem awfully sure that Huck was personally responsible for this---madness," Sawyer shot back tersely. "Just because it happened at the same time doesn't make it his fault.
Koldar leaned forward into Sawyer's face, the latter's expression a frightening frown. "Believe me, Captain Sawyer, we would also like very much to have the rest of the medical team that served under him. As this appears to be impossible, we will be satisfied to have the one who was in charge of those responsible for the disaster. It is his responsibility, whether directly or not!"
Koldar sat back and looked satisfied. "It is enough."
"You talk as if you've already tried him and found him guilty."
"Captain, you cannot imagine the kind of emotional reaction the mere mention of the Lavernus debacle stirs in the hearts of the people. We were even foolish enough to risk brining the mutation here by more intensively studying of the immediate causes----and we did bring it here! And so, feelings run high even among those who did not have friends or relatives among the suicides. It was a---a racial disaster. And we today hide our true nature in public because of it." He glanced away from Sawyer.
"But after all these many years, we can still find no other possible cause than some carelessness on the part of Dr. Finn and his medical team. As to his final guilt or innocence, the trial will say."
"Trial!" Sawyer blurted. "Kangaroo court, you mean. By your own admission, Huck can hardly expect anything like a fair trial from your people. Finn is a Space Federation citizen and..."
To every one of Sawyer's plaints, Koldar quietly referred to the copy of the infuriating warrant, lying between them on his desk.
"His own government seems to feel that in this case such rights can properly be waived."
Sawyer snorted derisively. "What kind of justice can Huck expect from a planet that accepts our medical supplies with one hand and imprisons our medical officer with the other?"
"Sir, you are becoming unduly emotional," Spock ventured.
"Guilty as charged!" Sawyer roared at his first officer, while Koldar was muttering something about returning measure for measure.
"Huck harming other beings...." Sawyer continued, "you know better, Balus. Anyone knows better than that---even those deskbound morons at J.A.G. know better."
The captain rambled on as Spock tried to calm him. Koldar studied the two men with some detachment.
Alone---oh, how alone!---and forgotten, the fourth inhabitant of the tiny office rested his arms on his thighs and struggled to recall the events of nineteen years ago. He found only hazy memories clouded by age. So much had happened since, so little had happened then....
Lavernus: colony, alien, Advanced Intern Finn. His second extrasolar assignment, his first medical command. Doria - bustling, alive, thriving. Laverus - a bleak, chilly planet, but with much promise. Willing people, nervous children. Weeks of boredom, routine, of looking at nothing but aliens - his crew anxious to move on to another assignment, more challenging, closer to home, with better opportunities for advancement.
Nineteen years. What was the real nature of those anti-cancer drugs? What kind of radiation had Finn's team been using? An impurity overlooked, an imperfection in packaging - what? He had known so little then, and now he knew so much. If he could only go back, go back.
"I wish I could be as sure, Tom," a voice vaguely like his own finally murmured.
Conversation in the room died, and with Finn's words, something inside Sawyer died a little, too.
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