Star Trek 04 by James Blish Read Free Book Online Page B

you, Captain," Spock said. "This is a silicon-based form of life. Dr. McCoy's medical knowledge may be totally useless."
    "He's a healer. Let him heal. All right, go ahead, Mr. Spock. Try to contact it again. And try to find out why it suddenly took to murder."
    The creature moved nervously as Spock approached it, but did not shy off; it merely quivered, and made its warning pebble-sound. Speck's eyes closed, and the rattling slowly died back.
    Kirk's communicator beeped again. "Kirk here."
    "Giotto, Captain. Are you all right?"
    "Perfectly all right. Where are you?"
    "We're at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Vanderberg and his men are here. They're pretty ugly. I thought I'd check with you first . . ."
    "Hold them there, Commander. Under no circumstances allow them in here yet. The minute Dr. McCoy gets there, send him through."
    "Aye aye, sir. Giotto out."
    Spock was now deep in trance. He began to murmur.
    "Pain . . . pain . . . Murder . . . the thousands . . . devils . . . Eternity ends . . . horrible . . . horrible . . . in the Chamber of the Ages . . . the Altar of Tomorrow . . . horrible . . . Murderers . . . Murderers . . ."
    "Mr. Spock! The pump . . ."
    "Stop them . . . kill . . . strike back . . . monsters . . ."
    There was the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps and Dr. McCoy, medical bag in hand, broke through into the area. Then he stopped, obviously stunned at what he saw. Kirk silently signaled him to join them, and McCoy, giving the quiescent creature a wide berth, moved to Kirk's side. He said in a low whisper, "What in the name of . . ."
    "It's wounded—badly," Kirk whispered back. "You've got to help it."
    "Help— this?"
    "Take a look at it."
    McCoy cautiously approached the creature, which was now as immobile as a statue; nor did Spock take any notice.
    "The end of life . . . the murderers . . . killing . . . the dead children . . ."
    McCoy stared at the gaping wound, and then touched it tentatively here and there. Producing his tricorder, he took a reading, at which he stared in disbelief. Then he came back to Kirk, his face indignant.
    "You can't be serious. That thing is virtually made out of stone on the outside, and its guts are plastics."
    "Help it. Treat it."
    "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"
    "You're a healer," Kirk said. "That's your patient. That's an order, Doctor."
    McCoy shook his head in wonder, but moved back toward the animal. Spock's eyes were still closed, his face sweating with effort. Kirk went to him.
    "Spock. Tell it we're trying to help. A doctor."
    "Understood. Understood. It is the end of Life. Eternity stops. Go out. Into the tunnel. To the Passage of Immortality. To the Chamber of the Ages. Cry for the children. Walk carefully in the Vault of Tomorrow. Sorrow for the murdered children. Weep for the crushed ones. Tears for the stolen ones. The thing you search for is there. Go. Go. Sadness for the end of things."
    Kirk could not tell whether he was being given directions, or only eavesdropping upon a meditation. He looked hesitantly toward the tunnel entrance.
    "Go!" Spock said. "Into the tunnel. There is a small passage. Quickly. Quickly. Sorrow . . . such sorrow. Sadness. Pain." There were tears running down his cheeks now. "Sorrow . . . the dead . . . the children . . ."
    Kirk felt a thrill of sympathy. He did not in the least understand this litany, but no one could hear so many emotionally loaded words chanted in circumstances of such tension without reacting.
    But the directions turned out to be clear enough. Within a minute he was able to return, the pump in one hand, a silicon nodule in the other.
    McCoy was kneeling by the flank of the animal, and speaking into his communicator. "That's right, Lieutenant. Beam it down to me immediately. Never mind what I want it for, I just want it. Move!"
    "The ages die," Spock said. "It is time to sleep. It is over. Failure. The murderers have won. Death is welcome. Let it end here, with the murdered children . . ."
    "Mr. Spock!" Kirk