Aboard the orbiting Esmeralda the frustration, if not the danger, was just as intense. Wishing he had the full resources of a planet-based communications station, Gordon fought to keep his voice calm as Neytiri's repeated attempts to contact the landing party met with repeated nonsuccess. He had no way of knowing, of course, that Sawyer, Ko-Ko, and Finn were no longer on the surface of Kithra, but under it.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzGBosKFYi
"Keep trying, Lieutenant. We have to make contact with the captain."
"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past fifteen minutes, sir?" She shook her head and glared. "It's no use. I've tried every ship-to-ground frequency I can think of. No response. I can't even determine if their communicators are still functional."
"Well, something down there ... either the communicators have been destroyed, or there's something awfully thick between us and them."
Gordon had one card left.
"Mr. Zaith?" The navigation officer turned back to look at the chief engineer. "I want every ohm of power on this ship, except for the life-support systemization, put behind a tight-beam communications probe. We've got to try to break through whatever's blocking our communications!"
"That's fine for a simple contact, Mr. Gordon," concurred Neytiri. "But to maintain communication for such a power load could be disastrous. We risk total drain of our dilithium crystals. Could burn out every reserve on the ship."
"I know that, love." Of all the people on the Esmeralda to recommend such a command, he reflected ironically, the last one should be her chief engineer.
"But we've left orbit as the captain requested and returned. I don't know what the situation down there is, but we should have heard from them by now. And I can't order any action until I know what the situation is. We must make contact." 618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjfvKGHtPa
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Sawyer slumped to the floor, sitting with his head bent between his knees. The giant didn't respond to a reflex command. Now Sawyer had time to think, only to fiund himself at a total loss. The life of his first officer - and friend - was slipping away with every tick of the chronometer, and he seemed helpless to prevent it.
However, circumstances often lend a hand when individual decisions fail. There was a deep rumbling sound. The giant Spock was clearing his throat.
Sawyer's head came up. His thoughts shifted from distant regions of remorse to the present. Was there a chance after all?.
Finn was already taking another reading on the colossus.
"He's coming out of it, Tom. Becoming conscious and aware."
Sawyer scrambled to his feet and took one step toward the giant, and then stopped.
What should he say? What could he say? Was there really anything of the Spock he'd known in this ... Frankenstein? Anything beyond surface features and superficial similarities? For that matter, how much of the original idealistic doctor remained in a Curtix five times removed from the first?
Think! Think! Say something, anything!
He heard his voice talking. "Spock, where is the logic in letting a man die only for the sake of creating his duplicate? Explain it to me, sir, explain it to me!"
The giant raised an eyebrow, thinking, but did not respond.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvBOFpcdJQ
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"Power sources are being channeled, Mr. Gordon," Neytiri informed him. "I just hope you know what you're doing, sir."
"So do I, love, so do I. Let's find out."
Neytiri turned back to her console. Her hand moved toward a certain little-used switch, the one that was used only for expensive tight-beam communications. She'd used it before, but never with this kind of power behind it.
Would the components involved be able to handle the strain of routing the full power of the Esmeralda? She fervently hoped so.
If not, there was a good chance the console would explode in her face!618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDfZWDlQWy
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"Tom, we've got to do something!" Finn pleaded, taking another reading on the original Spock.
"I'm trying!" He eyed Spock 2. The real Spock had never been impressed by physical violence. This lumbering double would be even less so. Their only chance lay in reasoned argument.
"Look," he said desperately, "Vulcans do not condone the meaningless death of any being, right? Then Spock's death is meaningless, if its only purpose is to create a giant duplicate of himself. It's been proven time and again that no duplicate can possibly be as efficient as an original."
"HE IS NOT JUST A DUPLICATE!" objected an angry Curtix. "'AS GOOD AS AN ORIGINAL', INDEED! HE SHALL BE FAR BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL - THE BEGINNING OF A MASTER RACE!"
Sawyer's ready reply was interrupted by a startlingly loud beep. He looked dazedly at his communicator as if it might suddenly jump off his belt and nip him. Then he unclipped it and fumbled with the activator. A better idea stopped him.
He tossed the unopened communicator to Spock 2. The giant caught it easily in one enormous palm. If the duplicate's mind was not fully operational yet, Sawyer reflected, then all was lost. No amount of argument would help.
At least its reflexes looked sound.
"That's our ship calling, Spock. You're her first officer. You answer her." The beep came again.
Raising his hand, the giant appeared to study the tiny instrument. It made no move to open it and acknowledge the now constant beeping.
"Spock's slipping, Tom," whispered Finn tensely. "There's not much time left."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQzmiksONS
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"I'm sure we're getting through," Neytiri insisted, the strain in her voice reflecting the one warping the communications equipment. "But they don't acknowledge."
"Keep trying," ordered Gordon. Neytiri kept one eye on an overhead indicator. "We're nearing the overload point on the dilithium now, Mr. Gordon. Our reserves..."
"I said keep trying!"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAQgOl1erY
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Suddenly the giant's eyes seemed to clear, his expression to brighten. With the ease of some who's performed the same task a thousand times, yet also compensating for the increased size of his fingers, Spock 2 flipped open the communicator.
"S-S-SPOCK HERE."
A chance! At last they had a chance, Sawyer thought excitedly!618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRf3qyoK6Zi
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Neytiri's relieved tone sounded over the communicator. "Thank Eywa! Mr. Spock, tell the captain I've located additional information on Curtix."
"Let's hear it, Lieutenant!" Sawyer shouted, hoping his voice would carry far enough for the communicator mike to pick up.
Apparently it did. Neytiri continued.
"I had the library research all known writings by Curtix. Most of them border on the incoherent, but two themes stand out, especially in his last essays.
"One is his fanaticism. The other is some idea he had about using his projected master race as a peacekeeping force for the entire galaxy. That's why he needed a perfect specimen for his cloning experiments."
There was more, but a glance at the overhead indicator ruled out any further contact. Another second and the needle would dip into the red zone. She hurried.
"Signing off, power drain threshold!" She snapped off the signal and slammed down several switches with the other hand. Her sigh of relief whooshed out only after the needle had dropped out of the yellow and back into the green section of the gauge. Then she grinned up at Gordon.
"That is what I call close, Mr. Gordon."
"Well, at least we know they're alive, and apparently okay," agreed Gordon, in blissful ignorance. "Let's hope it was information they could use."
"Information indeed," mused Neytiri. One arm was still trembling. She leaned on it to hide the quiver. "Did I ever tell you the one about the one-legged jockey, Mr. Gordon...?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYneyKKBLt
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"Peacekeeping," echoed Sawyer bitterly. "Peacekeeping!" He shook his head and faced Curtix. "It's all been a damn waste, Curtix. There's no need for any peacekeeping master race. There's been peace in the Space Federation now for well over fifty years."
"YOU LIE!" the giant shouted, his voice washing over them, "WHAT ABOUT THE EUGENICS WARS? THE GALACTIC WARS? WHAT OF THE ATROCITIES OF THE SEBACEANS, THE PSYCHLOS, AND OTHERS? NOT TO MENTION THE ENDLESS, OH, THE ENDLESS SQUABBLES AMONG THE SO-CALLED 'ALLIED' RACES OF THE SPACE FEDERATION ITSELF?
"AN ORGANIZATION OF SPOCK DUPLICATES IS NEEDED TO FORCE THEM TO LIVE IN HARMONY - FOR THEIR OWN GOOD."
Ko-Ko muttered, "You mean, peace through coercion? Humanity has finally grown out of that immature philosophy, Curtix."
"You're the fifth Curtix," reminded Sawyer. "The things you're seeing as truth are just old news bulletins hundreds of years out of date? Your predecessors have probably been out of touch with mankind's sociological advances for at least that long."
"That is impossible. The Master always speaks the truth," came a new voice. A new but old voice.
They turned to face the first entrance, the tunnel of horrors they'd escaped from so recently.
Plendor and his four aides stood there, watching.
"I can't understand why you've come to think of Curtix as a 'master,'" began Finn. "True, he saved you from dying - all five of you. But why should you agree with his plan for a superrace? What possible interest could you have in a race of giant Spocks?"
"Our fleet of ships, which you saw," Plendor replied, "was to be launched for the same purpose the Master intends. There once existed between our people and him a fortuitous coincidence of purpose. Disease struck us before we could carry out our own plan to impose peace on a galaxy that knew none."
"We already have peace in our Space Federation," snapped Sawyer, "and it wasn't imposed - it was achieved from within. A true peace!" He paused.
"You have no need of Spock now. Reverse the effects of that machine and let us take him back with us."
"NO!" thundered Curtix wildly, "THE MOLD HAS TO BE BROKEN." The giant's voice wavered considerably; Sawyer's revelations had thrust uncertainty into 250 years of one-track-mindedness that had known only absolute confidence.
But it wasn't enough, for the giant couldn't reverse in a moment the accumulated efforts of those two and half centuries.
Finn was leaning over Spock 1.
"Tom, he's almost gone."
Sawyer thought rapidly. Finn could not do nothing; Curtix would not do anything. That left only him---and he felt utterly impotent.
But there was a being present who might be able to save Spock now. He turned to the other giant, who'd remained impassive throughout everything.
"If you have Spock's mind, then you obviously know the Vulcan symbol called IDIC."
"INFINITE DIVERSITY IN INFINITE COMBINATION," the great form recited.
"Comprising the elements that make up truth and beauty," finished Sawyer. "Tell me, could an army of giant Spocks impose Kithran philosophy on any other creatures, in outright defiance of the IDIC concept?"
There was a long pause as Spock 2 pondered the question. Sawyer held his breath.
Finally, "I THINK NOT, CAPTAIN...."
Sawyer spun on the other giant. "I thought so! Reverse the machine, Curtix!"
"No!" yelled Plendor. It was the first violent exclamation the Krithan had made. "We cannot permit our dream to die!" He suddenly rushed at Sawyer. His companions followed, trying to keep the humans from putting Spock 1 back on the machine.
Ko-Ko let out a vibrant battle cry, intercepted Plendor and flipped him neatly over a shoulder. The Krithans were at a tremendous disadvantage in a fight with anyone who knew judo ... they had too many limbs that could be conveniently grabbed.
But in the ensuing melee, while the three humans battled the Krithans, Curtix rushed the machine. The resolution of the minions had decided the confused master. He lifted a long bar of metal. It didn't really matter that none of the humans could reach him, as they could not have stopped him anyhow.
The heavy bar smashed through one of the crystal globes encircling the table. There was a crackling electrical discharge and the giant retreated. Several other globes exploded in as shower of glass slivers and agonized internal components.
Nobody was hurt, but the damage was done. The lights on the sides of the machine went out, as did the lights in the panels that lined the walls. And the slight hum which had issued from inside the table faded away into nothingness.
Sawyer, who'd pushed himself to his mental limit ever since they'd first entered the chamber and seen the dying Spock, lost all control of himself. Despite the difference in their sizes and without really knowing what he intended, he charged Keniclius.
"Murderer! You killed Spock!"
But he never reached the giant. A leg as big around as a small tree stepped between him and Curtix. He was forced to stop and look up into the face of Spock 2.
"IF YOU PERSIST IN THIS BEHAVIOR, CAPTAIN, YOU WILL NEGATE THE ELOQUENCE OF YOUR PREVIOUS ARGUMENT. MAY I SUGGEST A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE COURSE OF ACTION?"
He walked around Sawyer who, thoroughly puzzled, watched him advance on Ko-Ko and Finn. The two officers eased Spock 1 to the ground and backed away slowly.
Bending, the giant Vulcan lifted Spock 1 in a single hand. Thumb and forefinger touched the smaller man's forehead. Closing his own eyes the giant began a familiar chant.
"MIND TO MIND … THOUGHT TO THOUGHT...."
"The Vulcan mind-meld!" exclaimed Ko-Ko in wonderment. The chamber had become a tableau of wax figures. Nobody moved, everyone stared at the two Spocks. Even Curtix, whose inaction showed he'd never anticipated anything like this.
Gradually the giant's voice faded. Spock 1 fluttered an eyelid. It rose. There was the sound of a throat being cleared ... softer, this time.
The larger Vulcan lowered the smaller model to the ground, facing Sawyer.
"I am pleasantly surprised at your ability to use deductive reasoning, Captain," said Spock 1. "When you are not being hostile, there appears to be no end to your arsenal of forensic talents."
Sawyer, however, hadn't heard any of this. He'd lost control of himself again - motivated by a somewhat different reason, this time.
"Spock! You old! ..."
"THERE IS NO NEED TO WORRY, CAPTAIN SAWYER, ABOUT THE THREAT OF A MASTER RACE," rumbled Spock 2. All of them turned to look at him. "THERE WILL BE NO GALACTIC MILITIA. NO OTHER SPOCKS. THE THINGS THAT COMBINE TO MAKE BALUS SPOCK A CANDIDATE FOR SUCH A TASK ALSO WOULD NOT TOLERATE IT."
"WHAT OF MY WORK, IN THAT CASE?" queried the desperate Curtix. "IF ALL THAT I'VE FOUGHT FOR HAS ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED--THE TIMES THAT I LIVED TO END ARE ALREADY ENDED---WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME? THERE APPEARS TO BE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR MY FURTHER EXISTENCE..."
"I can justify your further existence, Dr. Curtix," said Spock 1. "Stay on Kithra with my duplicate. The concerted effort of two scientists, each with his own particular abilities and talents to enhance the other's, may yet achieve the rebirth of the Kithran civilization ... and enable them to contribute peacefully to the Space Federation."
"I COULD NOT HAVE SAID THAT BETTER MYSELF," agreed Spock 2.
"Of course not," agreed Spock 1.
The first officer's successful recovery had pushed all primitive vengeance-thoughts from Sawyer's mind.
"How does that sound to you, Dr. Curtix? To bring life is even more important than bringing peace. If a way can be found to revitalize their race, the Krithans have much to contribute to galactic culture."
"I ... I WOULD BE HONORED. IF I COULD BE ALLOWED ... YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, CAPTAIN SAWYER. THE METHODS OF THE SPACE FEDERATION HAVE INDEED CHANGED FROM WHAT I AND MY FOREBEARS KNEW...."
"Never had such a thing been thought of." Plendor looked excited and interested now. "Such a sudden change in thinking ... it will be hard...."
"You'll succeed," said Sawyer, too diplomatic to point out that they had no choice. He'd meant what he said. The Krithans had some amazing qualities - once this master race nonsense had been drummed out of them. He addressed the waiting Curtix again.
"I'll report your new work here to the Space Federation Science Center. Not only do I think they'll understand, they'll likely want to send out several crews to help you."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFSDveXmQk
And keep you from getting the urge to make any more giant clones of anything, he added silently.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHMwCrp7qF
Curtix solemnly shook hands with each of them in turn. Then Plendor and his comrades escorted Sawyer, Finn, Ko-Ko, and Spock back to the surface.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NDT95vRlJ
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When the men of the Esmeralda left, the two giant scientists were already discussing plans for curing the Krithans' sterility and expanding their knowledge of Krithan culture.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa1kCTegZK
Beaming up was uneventful, and there were the expected stolid greetings from Neytiri, Santos, Zaith, and the rest of the officers - everyone carefully hiding his or her real emotions.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwfFdVumEV
They entered the bridge where Gordon - relieved, as always - formally handed over command to Sawyer.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCE7KwI6iY
"Where to, Captain?" asked Ko-Ko, back in his comfortable seat at the navigation console.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELKZwIA5oQ
"Set a general course for the Genesian System, Mr. Ko-Ko. I think everybody deserves an extended R & R, this time. I know I do!"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJCwx0XGNV
"Yes, sir!" Ko-Ko responded gleefully.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz9BhmXUdX
"It's a good thing we were able to stop Curtix," intoned Finn, blatantly emphasizing the "we." "Can you imagine ... a whole shipload ... maybe a whole city ... full of giant Spocks?"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8L1qrqRz8
He put on an expression of exaggerated horror while Spock looked over distastefully from his position at the library control and tried to ignore Finn.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfC5zPyvpQ
"A cheery thought! ..." the good doctor continued, unstoppable. "Giant Spocks running around all over the place! Spocks towering over helpless villages, running amok through peaceful farmland ... turning! ..."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADhxcpBMgg
"It might be easier to stand than you, Doctor," interrupted Ko-Ko inscrutably.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBMjV0xWwp
"What?" Finn responded with outraged innocence. "Do I look like a giant to you, son?" He thought he saw an unholy gleam in Ko-Ko's eye.
"No," the helmsman admitted, "the trouble is you never stop cloning around."618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFiK8h7SVN
Finn chased him all the way back to engineering.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi85pDpjjXr
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THE END618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoEf2zFyDy
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