don't want humans on your ship any more than I want Klingons, on mine."
"So, where do we begin?" Kor said, accepting the logic of Kirk's statement.
"We have scanned the perimeter of the phenomenon, but the data is
meaningless." I
"My first officer is of the opinion that the root of the problem lies not
in space, but on the planet below us."
Kor frowned. "On what does he base this conclusion?"
Kirk shot an ironic look at Spock. "Logical intuition," he replied dryly.
"At any rate, I'm sending a landing party to the planet. "
"In that case we will naturally wish to have one of our own present. "
"I expected you would."
"It is only prudent, Kirk. We will ready our science team. Please let us
know where you intend to beam down. We wish to be near--but not too near."
"A wise precaution, Commander. We wouldn't want to cause friction between
our people. Until later." Kirk signaled Uhura, who broke connection.
He cocked an eye over his shoulder at Maslin. "Well, Mr. Maslin, how's this
'institution' doing so far in dealing with those threats that you made so
light of when you first joined the Enterprise?"
"Not bad," Maslin said stiffly. "I suppose I didn't really expect to find
Klingons."
"You never do, Mr. Maslin, you never do." The smaller man flushed slightly
at the condescension in Kirk's voice.
62
The Tears of the Singers
Kirk leaned forward in his chair. "Mr. Sulu."
"Aye, sir?"
"These orders are for both you and Mr. Chekov. See that you heed them
should it become necessary." The two men swung around in their chairs to
face Kirk. "I want constant monitoring of the Klingon cruisers. If you
detect anything out of the ordinary bring up the shields. You are to give
no consideration to the landing party. Your first priority is the
protection of the Enterprise. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," Sulu said quietly. He was echoed by Chekov, who looked
frightened. It was apparent that the young Russian was just beginning to
understand how close he stood to the command of the Enterprise, since
Spock, Scotty and Uhura would be members of the landing party.
"Mr. Sulu, you have the bridge." Kirk swung out of his chair, and headed
for the turbolift.
"I don't recall including you for the landing party, Captain," Maslin said.
"I'm including myself," Kirk said whimsically. "I won't be there
constantly, but I'll be in and out to check on your progress, and I'm going
down now to oversee the landing."
"That will put all four of your top officers on the planet's surface,
leaving only juniors prepared to take the bridge if there should be an
emergency," Maslin said, taking up a blocking position before the doors of
the turbolift.
"You've been doing your homework, Mr. Mashn."
"I never do anything by halves. Since you forced me into this incredible
organization I decided to understand it-so far as that's possible."
"Very commendable."
I'Ves, isn't it? But I want to know why you will be transporting down at
all? Surely the team you've assembled is capable of setting up a camp
without your direct supervi-
"I always do," Kirk said shortly, beginning to eye the composer with some
hostility.
63
The Tears of the Singers
"Well, that's stupid." Everyone on the bridge stiffened at the musician's
abrasive tone, and hunched their shoulders as if preparing for a storm to
break over their heads. Yjrk opened his mouth to respond, but Maslin drove
on before he had a chance.
"Star Fleet has spent millions training you to be a starship captain. I
don't want to see all those tax dollars going to waste if you should get
killed, and frankly we would all be better served if you stayed aboard the
Enterprise where your expertise and training can do us some good, rather
than mucking about on some god-forsaken planet. Besides, I don't want some
second stringer trying to rescue my ass if we do get into difficulties."
"Thank you, Mr. Maslin," Kirk said very quietly, and with great control.
"Your objections have been noted. But I can assure you that all of my
officers are fully capable of commanding the Enterprise. " Sulu and Chekov
looked mollified. "Now, shall we get started? As I pointed out to Commander
Kor, that phenomenon seems unwilling to wait for us to settle our petty
differences." And he pushed past the smaller man into the turbolift.
Kor sat staring at the shimmering image of the space warp on the viewer in
his private quarters. It was not a thing he could destroy with a good blast
of disruptor fire or a well-placed torpedo, nor could he use his own
cunning to solve the problem. He had to rely on others to answer this
puzzle, and it frightened him.
Suddenly hands slipped over his shoulders to stroke the metallic fabric of
his shirt front. Startled, he threw back his head, and looked up into the
face of Kali, his wife of five months.
"You're off early," he said while admiring the way her delicate, bifurcated
brows accentuated her golden eyes.
"No, you've just lost track of time," she replied as she
64
The Tears of the ShWrs
moved to the bed, and stripped out of her short tunic and thigh-high boots.
"Um," Kor grunted noncommittally, watching the play of muscles beneath her
bronzed skin as she shrugged into a soft robe. "So, how was your day?"
"It could have been better."
His brows rose at her uncharacteristic response. "How so?g
She crossed to him and, slipping an arm around his neck, settled into his
lap. Her piquant face, with its high cheekbones and pointed chin, was
grave. "Why have you agreed to work with the humans? You're giving Karsul
just the opening he needs."
"First Kandi, and now you," Kor grumbled. "I'm not blind to Karsul's
ambition, but I am also not blind to the dangers inherent in that." A blunt
finger jabbed out at the twisting colors of the phenomenon as it played
across the small screen.
"But humans?" Kali protested.
"In spite of what you may have heard or read in Imperial propaganda, the
humans are a highly capable and advanced race. It would be foolish to waste
that expertise in a senseless battle that might leave us severely crippled.
The humans can always be dealt with later if the need arises."
She pulled out of the circle of his arms, and paced the small, drab room.
"It alarms me when you say such things about our Empire." She shook her
head, sending her shoulder-length black hair flying about her face. "I
don't like it, and if you won't think of yourself, at least think of me."
'.'Kali, Kali," he sighed, rising and crossing to her. He slipped his arms
around her, feeling the tension in her slender body. "I am not disloyal to
the Empire, but I have traveled widely in this crazy galaxy of ours, and I
have learned to separate truth from doctrine. This phenomenon is too dan-
gerous to ignore while we battle the humans for territory. We win conquer
the humans; it's just a matte
r of picking the most advantageous moment."
65
The Tears of the Singers
"All of this philosophy is all well and good, but what about
IC
,arsul?19
"I've been handling puppies like Karsul for years," he said contemptuously.
"Then don't get careless now. You have me to think of."
"As if I could ever do anything else," he murmured, bending to press his
lips against the soft skin of her neck.
"I'm serious, Kor," she said as she avoided his embrace. "What will become
of me if you fall?"
A small, ironic smile ffickered across his dark face, and he seated himself
on the bed. "I have no doubt that Karsul would take you. You would maintain
your rank."
She was on him instantly, her hand connecting with a ringing slap against
his cheek. "How dare you! If rank and position were my only concern there
was a fleet admiral who would have been happy to marry me. You can question
and doubt everyone around you, but not me! However hard you find it to
accept, I do love you. You are the man I want, and I'll not lose you to a
mutiny which you are foolishly courting."
"Vixen," he said lovingly and, capturing her hands, he pulled her down atop
him. "You've made the past two years bearable," he murmured against her
lips. "And I'll risk you for nothing. We'll solve this problem, and IT
handle Karsul. Who knows," he said, pushing up on one elbow to look down at
her, "you may end up married to a fleet admiral after all."
"What nonsense. A commander is enough for me." And she puffed him into her
arms. Behind them the phenomenon writhed and twisted, advancing another few
kilometers toward the Thygetian sun.
66
Chapter Five
Getting started took longer than had been anticipated. There was equipment
to be gathered, and Spock had to run scans of the planet's surface before
the landing party could beam down. After some two hours of sitting on the
bridge, and watching others work, Kirk had become bored. He left the bridge
in Spock's capable hands, and began to wander agitatedly through the ship
looking for company. Finally he decided to settle in rec room C, and wait it
out. Apparently others had had that idea too, for when he stepped through
the doors blaslin's staccato and rather harsh voice filled the room.
"One and two and," he snapped, jabbing at the music with his violin bow.
Uhura's smooth brow furrowed with concentration, and she bent in close to
study the notes. Maslin leaned in over her shoulder until they were
virtually cheek to cheek. In an unconscious gesture the composer rubbed his
cheek against hers, but none of that tenderness was evident in his voice.
67
The Tears of the Singers
"That is an eighth note. Stop treating it as a quarter note. When you hold
it too long you ruin the symmetry of the phrase."
Uhura said something inaudible, and they began again. Her rich, dark voice
wove a beautiful harmony against the ptue tones of the violin.
Kirk shook his head, and dialed up a coffee. Since they had relaxed from
full alert the room was, as usual, filled with listeners. Every day since
their selection Maslin had worked with the landing party, and they had
always drawn large audiences. The music that was being created was
outstanding, but Kirk had the feeling that esthetic appreciation was not
the sole reason for the popularity of the rec room. Most of the crew was at
least peripherally aware of the growing attachment between Uhura and the
composer, and like most small and closed societies, the ship loved a
romance and the gossip it engendered.
Kirk had given up worrying about the growing intimacy between Maslin and
Uhura. It wasn't the first time Uhura had been interested i n a man, and it
had never interfered with her efficiency. Kirk made a face at the taste of
his now-tepid coffee, and wondered if he was displaying a male bias. After
all, he had had his share of romances during his time as captain of the
Enterprise, and no one had ever questioned his efficiency.
The whistle of the intercom cut dissonantly across the music of the Bach
duet. A young yeoman rose and punched the wall button. She listened for a
moment, then indicated to the captain. Kirk rose, dumped his cup in a
disposal, and crossed to the intercom.
"lrk here.
"Captain. "
"Yes, Mr. Spock, what is it?"
"Request permission to take the Enterprise out of orbit so I may closer
investigate the fourth planet of the system."
"Find something interesting, Spock?"
68
The Tears of the Singm
"I believe so, Captain. I was reviewing the scanner tapes which were made
when we first entered the system. I have found some curious anomalies on
the fourth planet, and I would like to verify the readings."
"You're the science officer, Mr. Spock. Just be sure to let our Klingon
friends know what you're doing so they don't get nervous and
trigger-happy."
"Naturally, Captain.,,
"Keep me posted. Kirk out." He punched off the intercom, dialed a fresh
coffee and returned to his seat to enjoy this moment of relaxation. Once
the landing party beamed down to Ikygeta he wouldn't have time for such
moments.
Spock concluded his conversation with Kor, and shook his head over the
illogic of the Klingon mind. Once Kor had learned that Spock's
investigation of the fourth planet would most likely have nothing to do
with the phenomenon, he lost all interest and declined to send a Klingon
vessel as backup or Watchdog. There was little interest in knowledge for
knowledge's sake in the Klingon makeup, an attitude which Spock found
inconceivable.
"Mr. Sulu, please take us into orbit around the fourth planet, and the com
is yours while I make my observations."
"Aye, aye, Mr. Spock." The helmsman's slender fingers flew over the board.
"Course is plotted and locked in, ETA in twelve minutes."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Spock gravely inclined his head, and surrendered
the command chair to Sulu. The Vulcan then took up his position at the
science station, and waited patiently to begin his scan.
The seared and barren surface of the planet slid monotonously away beneath
the main screen of the Enterprise. Sulu shifted in the command chair, and
wondered how much longer Spock was going to spend staring at an empty rock.
"Mr. Spock," he said at last. "This place looks as if it's been hit by a
missile bombardment. It has the same appear-
69
The Tears of the Singers
ance as planets that were heavily irradiated during the Romulan War."
Spock raised his head from the hood of his viewer. "Quite correct,
Lieutenant. Sensors indicate that this system was swept by the frontal wave
of a gigantic nova some three thousand years ago. Only rudimentary life now
exists on the planet below us."
"711ree thousand years?" Sulu echoed. "But, Mr. Spock, if that's the case
how are--"
"The Thygetians still present on their world? An interesting question, Mr.
Sulu." Ile Vulcan stepped dow
n from his station and crossed to the command
chair. Sulu quickly vacated and returned to the helm. With his eyes still
on the barren face of the planet, Spock depressed the com button, signaling
the rec room. This time it was Kirk who answered.
"Thought it might be you," the captain said. "What have you got?,9
"A fascinating contradiction, Captain. If you could come to the bridge. 'I
"On MY way.,,
Kirk found Spock standing impassively at the science station. Before he
could speak, the Vulcan's long fingers were playing over the console.
"T'hese are the results of the scan taken over the past thirty minutes. I
will play it on the main screen, magnification eight.,'
Kirk turned to regard the screen. The seared landscape rolled by, every
crack and fissure clearly discernible at this high magnification. Suddenly
a highly regular stone structure came into view. Kirk's eyes narrowed, and
he tugged thoughtfully at his lower lip. Spock reached over, and froze the
tape on the blackened structure.
"Obviously an artifact. Those kinds of angles don't occur in nature. What
do you make of it, Spock?"
"At some point this planet was inhabited by a race of
70
The Tears of the Singers
intelligent beings. Given the design and sApphistication of the buildings I
would estimate them to have been developmentally comparable to your
Babylonians at the time of their destruction."
"DestructionT
"Yes, Captain. The science officer snapped on the screen above his station.
"Scanners indicate that this system took the brunt of a frontal wave which
issued from a nova occurring here." 1lie screen switched to a geodesic star
map, and a red arrow pinpointed an irregular splash of fight among the
stars. "I have backtraced the wave of radiation, and it is clear that it
swept through this system approximately three thousand one hundred and five
years ago. A distance scan of the other planets in this system indicates
the same 'radiation destruction. All except Thygeta."
Kirk leaned on the back of Spock's chair. "Is it possible that life managed
to take hold on Thygeta faster than on the other planets?"