with reaction. "Hell, I don't know so somebody's got to take over for me."
"You were in a telepathic link?" Spock asked.
"No, I was asleep with my eyes open." Exhaustion had made him snappish. "Of
course I was in a telepathic link.-
223
The Tears of the Sinprs
Spock ignored the human's ill humor, and dropped down to kneel before the
leader cub. He cautiously reached out for the creature's small, round
skull, but the Thygetian displayed no fear. In fact it thrust its head
eagerly into Spock's hands.
"Wait," Kali said, before he could begin the meld. "Show them Kor, and if
it's possible have them return him to the bridge of the flagship. That will
take care of this mutiny."
There was a burst of approving laughter from the humans. "Lady, I'm sure
glad you're on our side," McCoy said with a laugh. "Because you sure are a
devious little thing."
Spock got that faraway look that signaled his drop into the mind trance,
but he was once again disturbed.
"Wait." This time it was Mashn. "It's going to take more than the mind
meld. You'll need the music too. I'll play for YOU- 11
"Very well. Now, may we please get on with it?"
Maslin began to play. Spock sat in hunched concentration, singing in a
pleasant baritone. It was a strange sight, the tall, slender Vulcan locked
in close communication with a small, furry white creature with wise blue
eyes. The creature suddenly trilled with excitement, and Spock released him
and sat down in the sand. There was a moment of silence, and then everyone,
even the most mind blind of the humans, was shaken by a powerful psychic
call that went echoing through the corridors of their minds.
"What in the hell was that!" McCoy gasped while he clutched at his ringing
head.'
"Shing-4hat is his name--Shing," Spock. explained, "has called for the
leader of his people. It seems that the uses of the song are dictated by
law and tradition, andour request does not fit within any of the
guidelines. The cubs must therefore receive permission before they can help
us."
Maslin had once more sunk back against Uhura's supporting body. His Ups
were almost blue, and his skin an unnatural white. She held him close, and
looked up at Kali. "I've got to get him to-21
224
The Tears of the Singers
"Look," Kah interrupted, pointing toward the cliff face. Everyone followed
the direction of her point, and there coming slowly down the cliff was an
adult. Its silver coat shone like precious metal against the clear crystal
of the rocks. In spite of its bulk it moved with curious grace, and
everyone stood frozen as if in the presence of some great and powerful
mystery. The cubs gave a cry of greeting, and flopped to meet the
descending adult. The Thygetian paused, and caressed their heads with a
rough black tongue before continuing on to the waiting humans.
"Mr. Maslin," Spock said, his eyes on the advancing Thygetian. "I will need
you once again."
"Right." Maslin pushed upright, and laid his hands on the keyboard. There
was a palsied shaking in his hands, and those who watched felt certain that
he wouldn't be able to play. He seemed to draw strength from the keys,
however, and the trembling subsided.
The adult, accompanied by a bevy of gamboling cubs, reached the humans, and
regarded them out of deep blue eyes. Few of the humans could long endure
that look. They quickly flinched and dropped their eyes, frightened by this
one glance into eternity. Only Maslin stared with fascination into those
fathomless wells of blue, and his laboured breathing began to ease.
Spock cautiously approached the Thygetian and, when he was in position,
nodded to Maslin. He was preparing to speak, but before he could do so he
was gripped by the most powerful mind he had ever encountered.
"Who are you that you cause the younglings to disturb the sanctity of the
Great Song?"
"We are travelers who have come to save you from a great danger. 11
The matriarch seemed amused. "We are in no danger. The Great Song protects
all. And I believe it is you who have asked for help. "
"That is true. Our companions have been lost in a great rip
225
in time and space. -We need your help to return them to our space. P
"It cannot be done. Nothing must interfere with the song that protects the
world. "
"But the cubs have already said they would help us, " Spock argued. "It
requires only your permission."
The elder looked inquiringly at the cubs, and there was a burst of agitated
singing from Shing. It was a rapid fire of song and thought, far too fast
for Spock to follow. After several moments of listening to impassioned
pleading from the cub, the older Taygetian sighed, a very human reaction.
"Very well, we will allow the young ones to help. You freed us from the
hunters who were disturbing our peace. A favor for a favor, " she said.
"But once your ship has been returned you must leave. You are a distracting
presence on our world. "
"But. . . " Spock began.
"The discussion is at an end." She turned, and made her slow way back to
the cliffs.
"Well?" McCoy demanded. "Will they help?"
'qbey have been given permission to aid us, but the matriarch has ordered
us to leave as soon as the Enterprise is returned."
"Well hey," Ragsdale said. "It's a tough break for the Ikygetians, but we
can't force them to accept our help. I say that as soon as the Enterprise
is back we haul our
aboard, and get the hell out of here."
"Aren't we being a little premature?" McCoy said. "We don't even know if
the Thygetians can return the ship. Ali we've seen are fancy tricks with
fish and trees and such. That phenomenon is a whole 'nother ball game."
"An excellent point, Doctor."
Maslin lost interest in the conversation flowing about him. He felt
horribly sick and weak, and all he wanted was the safety and comfort of the
Enterprise sick bay. He looked down to where Shing was once more propped
on'the edge of 226
The Tears of the Singers
the bench. He bent and rested his head on the cub's head, and was once more
in rapport. It hurt less this time.
"Well, little one. All is well? You can help us?"
"Yes, Song Singer, all is well. And now we begin our song.
He slipped from Maslin's grasp and joined his companions, who sat in a
tight circle about the humans. There was a tingling in the air as if great
powers were being summoned into existence. Then the cubs lifted their heads
and poured out their song. All those who heard the song-the few surviving
Klingons huddled in their camp, and the Enterprise landing party-all bent
under the assault to mind and body. People clutched at their heads and
staggered about trying to find someplace t;o escape from the onslaught of
sound. Only Maslin stayed erect. He seemed transported, his face alight
with an almost worshipful joy. His hands flew across the keys accompanying
the Singers in their mome
ntous effort.
Deep in space the veils of alternate time and space that had separated the
Enterprise from her own place parted. The-ship was seized in a powerful
force, and sent spinning from the heart of the vortex to come to rest once
more in orbit around 1hygeta.
The screams which had been halted in a hundred throats at the moment of
penetration burst out, and the intercom echoed with their cries. Kirk
staggered from his chair, and stared in wonder at the blue green water
world floating serenely in the center of the screen. From behind him came
a rush of air like the wind off the sea, and Kor vanished. The captain
staggered up the steps, and reached out as if to snatch back the vanished
commander.
"Captain!" He whirled at Chekov's anguished cry, and stared in bitterness
and defeat at the three Klingon cruisers who had joined them in orbit about
the planet.
He almost fell into his chair, shouting orders as he went. It wasn't fair,
he thought with a tinge of regret, that they had to go through it all over
again after just being given a second chance.
227
Chapter Fourteen
Karsul - blearily shook his head, and commanded his eyes to focus and his
brain to work. He was still shaken by that journey into otherwhere, that
place where nothing made sense, and life itself seemed like a futile dream
from some distant and unreal -world. There were frightened mutterings from
his bridge crew as everyone tried to cope with the suddenness of their
return to their own universe.
Karsul stared at the main screen, and the hot,light of battle once more
glowed in his eyes, for the Enterprise lay helpless and foundering in the
center of the screen. The young officer leaned forward, excitedly g'n*pping
the arms of the command chair.
"We have them now! They are practically dead in space. Obviously the
Earthers do not recover as quickly from a shock as we Klingons," he said
with smug complacency, addressing the bridge crew in general. "Khant, ready
phasers.
228
The Tears of the Singers
Fire on -my command." But the weapons officer made no move. Instead he
stared with a white, sick expression past Karsul's right shoulder. "For the
god's sakesl" Karsul exploded, starting out of the chair. "What's wrong with
you, man? I gave you an order-now carry it out!"
"I think he's realized that your orders no longer have any validity aboard
this ship," came an ironic and terrifyingly familiar voice from behind him.
Karsul whirled, and leaned back, panting, against the navigation and
weapons console. "You!" he hissed, his lips drawing back in a feral snarl.
But there was fear in his black eyes as he stared mesmerized down the
barrel of the disruptor that Kor held leveled at his chest. "How can you be
here?" Karsul babbled. "You were on the Enterprise. There is no way you
could have transported here ......
"Karsul," Kor said with almost gentle pity in his deep voice. "You should
always demand to see the body of a commander you seek to replace. Otherwise
you might never know when he'll come back from the grave to haunt you. You
never were very thorough, though," he concluded thoughtfully, and squeezed
the trigger. Karsul collapsed in a heap at the base of the chair, his
uniform smoking from the force of the disruptor blast.
"Take him away, and see the body jettisoned," Kor ordered, indicating the
corpse with the barrel of his weapon. The remaining bridge crew stared at
him in shock for several more seconds, then two men leaped to obey.
"Anybody have any problems with my resuming command?" Kor asked sweetly
while Karsul's body was dragged ignominiously into the elevator. "No?" he
asked', raising one eyebrow. "Good, then we'll consider that settled. Where
is Captain Kandi?" Kor asked, rounding on the communications officer. "Has
he been killed or merely detained?"
"Detained I believe, sir," the man answered with a quaver in his voice.
229
The Tears of the Singm
"See to it that he's released, and get the commander of that third ship on
the line. Shibot, is it not?"
"I believe so, sir."
"Not too certain of anything, are you, Korax?,, Kor asked.
"No, sir," Korax gulped.
"That's probably the safest," Kor confided before he swung down into h is
chair.
Seconds later the screen flickered, and the heavy features of Captain
Shibot stabilized on the screen. "Kor, my old friend," he cried jovially,
after the initial shock of seeing the other commander wore off. "Good to
see you."
"Surprising too, no doubt."
"Ah, well ... as to that . . .
"Never mind," Kor said, cutting him off. His tone was suddenly harsh. "As
you can see I have reasserted control over my ships, and since your
services are no longer required, I suggest you get back to your scheduled
route."
"But the Enterprise. . . "
"Will do very well as she is."
"But-2'
"Shibot, don't make me give you a taste of being outgunned three to one,"
Kor said wearily. "We have more pressing problems than the presence of one
Federation starship. So please, just get on your way."
"This will have to be reported."
"By all means report it, because at this point I truly don't give a dam
about high command. I'll either return a hero because I've solved the
mystery of the phenomenon or I'll die here making the attempt."
"Ah, yes, I see. And either way my report won't make much difference."
"An excellent bit of deductive reasoning, Shibot."
The other captain fidgeted momentarily, then looked up with a smile. "I
think the log can be suitably altered."
"Good."
230
The Tears'of the Singers
"Oh yes, my congratulations on your marriage," Shibot said as he signed
off.
111bank you," Kor muttered quietly at the now-empty screen, and he felt his
chest constrict with fear as he contemplated Kali. The phenomenon be
damned, he thought. ne first thing he was going to do was get back to
Thygeta, and check on his wife. He wondered what he would do if he found
her killed by the mutineers, and for one moment he wished he hadn't killed
Karsul so cleanly. If anything had happened to Kali he would have liked to
take it out of the other man's skin.
lie ship-to-ship hail came whistling through the bridge, and Kandi's face
appeared on the screen. He looked fired, and there were several bruises on
his face, but overall he looked unharmed.
"Everything back under control?" Kor asked.
"Yes, sir. I wondered if you had any orders for us?"
"Yes, when you've finished with your mutineers, hold on the edge of the
phenomenon. We're running out of time, and I don't want to be surprised by
anything."
,,Executions are already underway," Kandi said tonelessly. "But where will
you be?'9
"Joining the Enterprise in orbit around Thygeta. I want to check on the
status of the landing party."
"I hope everything is all right," the younger man said softly, an
d Kor read
the concern and affection in his friend's eyes-
"Tbank you. I hope so too."
Kor had barely settled back in his chair when the hailing frequency was
opened again. This time it was Kirk.
"I'd hoped I'd find you there," the captain of the Enterprise said without
preamble. "But I'd sure like to know how it happened."
,,You are not alone in that. Frankly I have no idea, but when I- realized
what had happened I seized the initiative."
231
The Tean of the Singm
"What did you say to that other ship? They lit out of here like a gargoola
with its taff feathers on fire."
"I just pointed out to them the decided drawbacks and disadvantages of
being outgunned three to one."
64 He should have called me. I'd have given him a testimonial " Kirk
muttered ruefully.
"I am bound for Thygeta, and you?"
"The same. I'll see you down there."
"My landng party remains mute. Have you heard from yours?" Kor forced
himself to ask. He hated to betray his an3dety in front of the human, but
his concern for Kali was too great to remain impassive.
"There seems to be some strong interference which my communications officer
has been unable to break through. We'll just have to hang on and hope."
Kor grunted in response, and they broke connection. It would take only
minutes to transport to the surface of Thygeta. Then they would know the
worst.
I'Stopl Tell them to stop!" Spock shouted over the massive chorus that rose
and fell around them. "If anything were going to happen it would have
happened by now, and their song is interfering with my communicator. I
cannot ascertain if the Enterprise has returned or not with all this
racket."
"Mind ff I'm a little more tactful," Maslin yelled back. "After they've
busted their asses for us it wouldn't do to call their music a 'racket."'
'Do as you see fit, Mr. Maslin, but get them to stop."
'I'm tired," Guy said to Uhura. "Can you sing it for me while I play?"
660f course," she replied from where she sat next to him on the bench. Guy
kicked up the amplification on the synthesizer, and Uhura sang loudly into
a microphone. One by one the cubs faltered and subsided as Uhura's voice