I just completed the last bit of work I was doing for the Captain when the doors to my lab slid open. I didn't dare chance a glance or I would lose my concentration on getting the last drop in correctly. I had to be careful, too much pressure and I would put in far too much Nitrogen Oxide into my potassium nitrate. I wanted to see what would happen and made sure to have not only a blast screen but a ventilation box around it. I did not want any toxic gasses flowing in my lab.
Once that was done I jotted down what had occured and possible uses, finally turning my chair to face the intruder of my laboratory. "Ah, Mr. Spock. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company in my humble abode of a laboratory?" I had spoken to him a few months prior about answering some questions he had. If I were to guess he had gotten quite busy in the meantime. I had also been trying to give my speech a little bit of life. McCoy thought it might help me gain something back, things that I wasn't certain I wanted.
Spock seemed to look around the small room. Specimen jars lining the walls, plants hanging from the ceiling, vials of different medical substances in a case. There was also a bookshelf lined with Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy, and Engineering textbooks. This was my space, my room had books on tables, chairs, counters, as well as a few non-medical plants. "I simply came to see if you were free or had a few moments to speak with me today."
I leaned forward on my desk, hands folded before I motioned him to a chair. James and McCoy used it quite often, so I'd gotten in the habit of leaving an extra chair out for guests. "I was just finishing up some notes on this case study, but I can spare a few moments to answer any questions you might like to ask. As I have come to understand, you seem to have shown an interest in either myself or my work."
He took the seat slowly, his eyes still wandering around the small laboratory. "I have a slight curiosity, I will admit, as to why you seem to not have any emotions. The Captain has informed me that you are completely human, that you were not raised like a Vulcan, and that there was something in your past that made you this way. I would simply like to know what it was." My breaths paused for a second.
Did he even realize what he was asking of me? Information on an incident that happened over fifteen years ago. "You're asking about the event that happened to me fifteen years ago. Let's see, Kirk is thirty-two now if memory serves so he was... about seventeen or eighteen at the time. I was closer to five years old. Living with my parents on earth, both of them were alive. Even at the age of five my parents noticed my interests in science. At the time it was biology, alien biology to be precise, and we were on our way to a lecture. That day, about half way through the lecture, was when everything changed. A few Klingon spies had broken past security checkpoints and made it into the lecture hall.
'Everyone get down! Now! We come from the empire and are here to demand new soldiers. It matters not how old, man or woman, just know that you will all be coming with us back to our ship.' I watched as these men spread out, ordering people at gunpoint to get into certain vehicles. Man, woman and child separated by ages. My mother was trying to get me to hide under the seats before they noticed me, but I didn't want to be left alone, so I clung to her leg.
That was when one of them noticed me. "qaH puq wIghaj boqta' qu'mo. 'oH 'e' tlhIngan teH laH pep SoS wa' 'e' vIHar." I stared as three of them walked over to us. My father held my mother, my mother squished me between the two of them. "Ma'am no harm will come to you or your husband if you just hand over the kid."
My father pulled us closer pushing my mother behind him. "I will not be handing my child over to you and your people Klingon. You will have them over my dead body." The men smiled. Taking out their weapons and aiming at us. I watched my mother's eyes widen in terror, I was crying. I hardly understood what was going on. What I did know, was that these were very bad people. My arms tightened around my mother's neck, I didn't want to be pulled away from her.
A few seconds went by when blood curdling screams erupted throughout the room. They were killing people left and right. Men who refused to be taken, women who fought to keep their teenage children from being taken away. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. First something warm hit my skin, this was followed by my father's body dropping to the ground. My mothers screams backing away from them. I stared with wide eyes, my fingers reached up grazing the liquid.
I knew what blood was. The fact that it was my fathers made my entire body shake. My eyes widened but I couldn't seem to find a voice to scream out. "Watch out!" Someone else was shouting just before an explosion went off next to us. My mother covered me as debris fell from the ceiling. It took five minutes for the dust to clear. I was pinned by a beam, my mother... dead.
There was a young man with brown, almost blonde hair running up to me. "Hey, are you alright?" I stared at him, to paralized to speak. I didn't know if he was with those men or not. I did know I was in pain and I was getting tired. "No, no, no. Don't go to sleep, look at me. If I tell you my name will you tell me yours?" I gave a small nod, wincing as he started to move the beam. "It's James Kirk. You can call me Jim if you want."
I looked at him, he had kind eyes. I could see enough that he was genuine, that he wanted to help me. "M-my name is (Y/n), (Y/n) (L/n)." He nodded, his face turning red from strain. "Jim... am I going to die like my parents? Like those people?" He was silent for a moment.
I watched waiting for his answer. "No, I won't let that happen. If I'm going to be a star fleet captain someday I am going to have to save everyone I can. You want to join my crew?" It took me a moment to nod, I had dreams of going out into space with all the knowledge I could gain. "Then fight. You can't go out there if you give up, right." He paused. "Do you think you can move?"
"Yes, I will drag myself if I have to. I want to go with you when you enter space, Jim." He smiled sweetly at me, his face hardening as he pulled the heavy beam up once more.
Lifting it little by little. "Then start dragging yourself kid, and I will do what I can to get you into my starship. When I become a captain you can be my best science officer." I let my fingers drag me across the ground, biting my lip as the pain spread through my legs. I wanted to cry out, but I needed to depend upon my own strength. It was my own strength to pull myself out that would save me. I couldn't let my fear or sorrow slow me down.
Jim might have been able to lift that beam but he needed me to pull myself out. Even as the darkness spread across my view, I refused to let myself faint until I was free. "I will be the best science officer... nothing will.... Stand in my way."
Silence, and something warm running down my face and legs. Something heavy hitting the ground, and something grabbing hold of me. I turned ready to claw out one of those men's eyes, only to see his kind ones looking back at me. He had taken off his coat so that he could wrap me in it. I curled to him, he was the only thing I could rely on . I would do anything to make him proud.
But when my eyes settled on all of the bodies, one after another scattered on the ground. Some buried under the rubble, others lining the walls where those men had killed them. He seemed to notice my eyes moving from one to the next. "Don't look at them, there isn't anything you can do." I didn't register what he said. I knew one thing in that moment. Blood colored the floors and walls and nothing was going to be the same after this.
I was growing weaker, but I wanted to say something. "Promise me, we won't leave anyone behind ever again. I don't want anyone to be left behind." I watched him bite his lip. The darkness closing upon my eyes faster and faster.
I felt him take a heavy breath. "If at all possible, I will never leave anyone behind. You have to make the same promise." I nodded lifting my bloodied hand to touch his shoulder. Just breathing brought immense pain, but I needed to push past it to make this promise.
I felt my breath crack just before I spoke. "I promise."
At that moment Kirk came walking into my lab. "After she said that her hand slipped down my arm falling across her chest. Her head dropped back so quickly I almost dropped her. She was asleep for close to a week. I carried her to waiting ambulances asking to be notified as soon as she woke up. I wanted to be there for her after everything that had happened that day. I went off for the academy about a year after the incident occurred. She went off to a higher level of schooling. But that day she first woke I knew something was wrong. Even though she put up a smile for me, there was not any real emotion behind it. Her eyes , as I'm sure you've noticed are dead. They have been since that day."
Even thinking back on that day, I couldn't feel anything. I could see all the images just as clear as if they had happened to me in that moment. "When I woke, I felt dead. But when they asked me if I wanted to see the Captain I said yes. I wanted to thank him properly for saving my life, even if that meant very little to me. After he left I launched myself into my studies. I couldn't go right out into star fleet for obvious reasons, I was far to young at that point in time. That didn't make me work any less diligently. I was going to be a science officer aboard a starship that he was the captain of. So when I graduated, and was offered the position I was quick to accept."
Kirk laughed. "She has been calling me Captain and sir ever since. Even though I've told her several times just to call me Jim." I watched Spock for any expressions, change of body language. Yet he had just listened to everything I had said. Every word that had come past my lips about a day I tried not to remember.
Instead he raised a brow. "I see. A traumatic experience as a child would be cause for such a change. Thank you for telling me, I have much to think on. If you will excuse me, Captain, (Y/n)." I watched him get up from the chair and start to leave.
Before he got to far Kirk called out to him. "Spock, you're on the away team with McCoy, (Y/n), two security people, and myself. Something happened to Sulu on the last run." I watched him a start to leave again knowing his job. "Are you up for it (Y/n)? If you're not-"
I held up my hand. "Only one of them returned correct. I promised you that no one would get left behind again Captain, and I will keep my promise to you." I watched Kirk nod before leaving my lab as well.
"There will be a change of clothes for you outside your quarters in ten minutes. Be at the transporter room by seventeen hundred." Once the doors close I began my cleanup, this took ten minutes. When I arrived at my quarters there was indeed a dress laid out for me. It was long and plain brown. I slipped into it in under five minutes, taking down my messy bun and brushed out my hair before changing it to match the dress. Two small intertwining buns on the bottom half of my head, followed by a small slightly feathered hat and gloves. I nodded once done and made my way to the transporter room. I was the last to enter the room. Kirk, McCoy and the two security officers were dressed in suits and ties. Spock had on similar pants with a dark cloak to cover his ears.
McCoy gave me the rundown on what had happened when they beamed Sulu up. I found this to be quite odd. Still, just before eighteen hundred we beamed down to the planet's surface. I had my phaser and communicator hidden inside the small coat like shawl over my shoulders. Not long after our arrival I noticed something strange with this planet's inhabitants. They all seemed to have plastered smiles on their faces. "Odd. The expression on that man's face... the mindlessness, vacant contentment." Spock pointed out as he spoke with Kirk.
I frowned. "Like Sulu." The two men exchanged a glance. "If everybody on this planet is like him... Let's go." Kirk pulled me closer to his side, so that I was hidden behind Spock and himself with McCoy at my otherside.
A man in a brownish suit and hat walked up to us. "Jou to you, friends." He bowed placing his right hand over his heart. If I could feel unnerved, his smile definitely would have made it so. It just didn't seem natural in any way possible.
Kirk and Spock did the same ation. "Joy to you."I let my right hand hold my left wrist as I observed everyone around me.
The man seemed to give us a rather puzzled look. "You be strangers." Kirk nodded slightly. "Come for the Festival, a-yeah?" Festival? There are normally decorations on the streets and bands playing. I did not see how this could possibly constitute a festival. "Got a place to sleep it off yet?" I watched Kirk shake his head. "Go round to Roger's house. He's got rooms. But you'll have to hurry. It's almost the Red Hour."
Red Hour? I looked back to the clock. Three minutes till six. "This, uh, Festival, it starts at six o'clock?"
Two women walked past us. One of them was in a grey dress with a black belt around her waist. "Tula... these folks come for the Festival. Your daddy can put them up, can't he?" She had the same unnerving smile as the rest of these people. Her light brown eyes seemed to search us.
Now that I looked closer they were almost the same color as her hair. "You're from the valley?" One of the blonde men behind me spoke, telling her that we had just arrived. "My father'll be glad to put you up, though." She paused, glancing to a large building just at the end of the street. "It's right over there." Just as she said that the bell in the clock rang out telling us that six o'clock had just arrived. The woman we had been talking to screamed pulling a black glove from her hand. My brows raise slightly and I took a slight step away. The man ahead of us tore off his hat and tossed it into the street.
Everyone was running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. Shoving one another as they rioted. Breaking glass in homes and stores. The captain tried to grab hold of her as the other man picked up a piece of wood and tried to hit me with it. My eyes widened slightly and I moved to stop the attack but Spock stepped in the way pushing him back slightly. The man turned his attention to the girl whos hair was now hanging loose and wild like several of the other women. I was backed into the wall surrounded by the men in our small party. Rocks were being thrown, clothes torn off, women jumping men, men dragging women. One of them had to be pulled off of the captain. With all this chaos even my hair had fallen loose and hung down past my shoulders.
Kirk grabbed hold of my gloved wrist. "Let's get out of here." He started pulling me through the masses on the streets. I used my free hand to hold the dress up slightly so I didn't trip over the material. As we passed by some buildings furniture was being thrown out of the windows. Several rocks of a decent size hit me in the square of my back, and one clipped my head slightly. I didn't let that stop me from running.
When we reached the door to the building at the end of the street several large wooden posts were thrown at us. One tore my sleeve, and cut my skin slightly. Spock and the Captain dodged several aimed for their heads. Once inside I was shoved behind the door as they closed them rocks and wood flying through the crack. Once the doors were closed we turned to see three older men staring at us.
Kirk opened his mouth to speak. "I'm... sorry to break in on you like this. We didn't expect that kind of a welcome." McCoy seemed to glance back to me as I pulled a piece of cloth from my sleeve and dabbed at the open cuts. A look of displeasure crossed his face.
The men in front of us looked confused. "Welcome? You are strangers?" The taller white haired one in the back spoke as they looked us over.
Kirk nodded. "Yes, that's right. We're... from the valley." The shorter white haired man asked if we had come for the Festival. "Yes." We were asked why we were here.
The blonde man from earlier walked up. "Are you Reger?" This time the man with black hair spoke up, telling us that he was indeed this Reger. "You have a daughter named Tula?" Again a simple yes to that question. "Well, you'd better do something. She's outside."
The man looked down, almost seeming what may have been pained. "I know. It's festival. It's the will of Landru." Now that I was looking at him closer, I could see his eyes were that same light brown as the girls from before.
The shorter man seemed to have a short fuse. "Reger, these are young men, and a young woman. They're not old enough to be excused." I shifted slightly, noting the sticky wet feeling continuing to run down my face. I lifted the cloth to wipe at it again. Spock seemed to notice and took my cloth from my hands wiping at it carefully. Dabbing at the open cut.
Reger opened his arms pointing to us with open hands. "They are visitors."
This didn't seem to bother the other man, just agitate him further. "Have they no lawgivers in the valley? Why they not be at the Festival?"
Kirk had been listening to this in silence, now decided this a good time to step in. "We heard that you might have rooms for us." This seemed to relax Reger, but the other one was still displeased.
He stood a little straighter. "There, you see, Hacom? They've merely come looking for a place to rest afterwards."
This short man... seemed to be like a grumpy old man. "The Red Hour has already struck."
The other tall white haired man who had remained silent finally spoke up to calm his friend. "Hacom, these be strangers. The valley has different ways." This did not calm the man however. This Landru was from what I could tell like a god. He should be everywhere, but what was suggested was that he was not. "No, of course not. It's simply that they may have different ways."
Reger looked back to this Hacom fellow. "They've come looking for shelter. Can I turn them away?" At this he walked towards us. "Come please." Spock stopped his dabbing and handed my the cloth back. The Blonde man brought up the girl again, but she was involved in this Festival. This strange Red Hour, where people acted in riots in the street. We followed the man up the stairs to the room we would be staying in. Once Reger opened the door, he turned on the gas powered lamp. "You can return here at close of Festival. It's quiet. You will have need of rest."
Kirk followed him closely, McCoy ushered me to a chair taking the cloth from my grasp. "We have no plans to attend the Festival, sir." Just outside the window I could just make out the sounds of the 'Festival' happening below. The man looked to us in utter confusion. "I'd like to hear more about this Festival. And Landru." Reger quickly shut the window motioning for Kirk to be silent.
His eyes were wide. "Landru? You ask..." Our team remained silent, McCoy pressing the cloth against the cut so as to stop the bleeding. "You are strange. You scorn Festival. Are you...? Are you...?" Kirk again tried to ask about Landru, and I was starting to wonder about this man myself. The man never answered. Instead he just left us in the room.
Once he was gone Kirk turned to us. "Is it bad Bones?" Kirk asked walking closer to where I was seated.
McCoy shook his head. "No, it's just a small wound. Head wounds just tend to bleed more, Jim. I'll be back with a dish of water to clean these up. (Y/n) hold this in place." I nodded raising my hand to the wound. It didn't really bother me, so I looked to our captain.
I could see the questions mulling over in his head. "Sir, if my 'hunch' is correct, it is only a matter of time before we meet with the being behind this Landru. All of those questions you are wanting to know will be answered then. For now, I would suggest we rest until this Festival ends." He nodded rubbing his chin lightly. His eyes seeming locked onto me. "I'm also fine, sir. I've been through worse remember."
At this he paused, remembering the conversation I was having with Spock a few hours ago. "Right, of course you have. Just... let me know if you should need anything." I nodded, taking note of Spock and the other two watching this interaction. A few minutes passed when McCoy came back with a bowl of water and started dabbing at the cuts again. They weren't bleeding anymore by this point, so he seemed to calm down some.
It was late at night by this point, Kirk was looking out the window, everyone else was standing around the beds. I leaned against one of the far walls. Even in my quarters, I hadn't slept in my own bed but against one of the walls. It's been like that for as long as I can remember. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath. My hair hanging in a loose braid across my shoulder.
Opening my eyes I turned to face the captain. "Landru. My guess is we have until morning. Let's put the time to good use. Doctor, atmospheric readings to determine whether there's anything in the air to account for all of this. Mr. Lindstrom, correlate all that you've seen with any other sociological parallels, if any. Mr. Spock.. You (Y/n) and I have some serious thinking to do. When we leave here tomorrow morning, I want to have a plan of action."
Spock was led by the arm to where I was leaning against the wall. After another few hours of planning and debate the others finally got into the beds. Kirk was standing on watch, seeming to watch as I sat against the wall trying to keep my eyes open. Spock had given me his cloak to keep warm with as I slept, and just that warmth alone was making me sleepy. I rubbed my face slightly, but as the minutes ticked by it was harder and harder to stay awake.
Eventually, I managed to fall asleep. Only to be jarred from my slumber when the bell tome went off at six in the morning. I sat up quickly wondering when I'd fallen over and when I gained this blanket. "Spock. Lindstrom. Doc..." I moved to stand, placing the cover on one of the beds. And after removing Spock's cloak I handed it back with a small thank you. As everyone got up there was a woman's sobbing voice flooded my ears.
We were quick to make our way to where the noise was coming from. The girl from yesterday was crying into her father's arms, he tried to comfort her. I watched in silence as McCoy and Spock took her into a separate room. Kirk held the father back. McCoy was going to give her a shot to calm her down. This was supposed to all be this Landru's will. The question to who Landru was, left open. I watched in silence, I was a science officer, there wasn't much I could do here. I didn't even study behavioral sciences.
The question pressing in the forefront of my mind, why was I here?As I listened Reger went off on something about not being part of the body and walked away quickly. When we reached the room McCoy had taken the girl she was asleep. "Are you... Are you Archons?"
I waited to see what Kirk would do. "What if we are?"
This seemed to calm him down slightly, even if he was still looking at us with suspicion. "It was said more would follow. If you are indeed-" The other man thought they should hide us. These lawgivers must work for Landru, and if my hypothesis is correct... they would turn us to the will of landru. Kirk thought we could take care of ourselves.
I turned hearing the doors open. It was the short man from before, and there were people in brown cloaks and strange sticks following him. The man pointed to us. "He is the one. He mocked the Lawgivers. I heard him." The men seemed to become uneasy seeing these people in the brown cloaks. The other man tried to say it was just a jest. "The others-- they were here, but they scorned the Festival. I saw it."
One of the Cloaked men spoke, sounding like he was talking through a communication system. "Tamar, stand clear." Reger was shaking as the other man stepped forward, he seemed almost compelled to do so. Sparks came from the strange stick and the man started to fall. This was strange. "You attack the Body. You have heard the word and disobeyed. You will be absorbed. "
Absorbed? "What do you mean, absorbed?" Kirk asked. The smaller man was smirking, like he had won favor for doing some dirty work. And this Body reference, it could be referring to the people that followed Landru. The people with their strange smiles.
One of those sticks were being pointed at Kirk, the other Reger. "You will be Absorbed. The good is all. Landru is gentle. You will come." The captain stood defiant, stating that we weren't going anywhere. "It is the law. You must come." Again Kirk stated we weren't going anywhere. I adjusted my stance slightly, waiting. I watched the men turn to one another as if conversing or guarding the door to prevent us from leaving.
Spock walked over to Kirk. "Evidently they are not prepared to deal with outright disobedience. How did you know?"
The captain seemed just as captivated. "Everything we've seen here so far seems to indicate some sort of compulsive involuntary stimulus to action. (Y/n) brought up the idea last night after you had gone to sleep."
Spock nodded. "Your analysis seems logical." After a second they turned back to us. Looks like whatever was going in has come to its conclusion.
They weren't directing their strange sticks at us anymore. "It is clear that you simply did not understand. I will rephrase. You are ordered to accompany us to the absorption chambers." I watched the captain step towards them. Still remaining just as defiant as he had before. Instead, asking why they killed the man. "Out of order. You will obey. It is the word of Landru."
Kirk pointed at them. "You tell Landru that we'll come in our own time, and that we'll speak to him." The cloaked man tried to point the stick at the captain again but it was easily pulled from his grasp and handed off to Spock. We were told this was not to be done. I tilted my head slightly, listening to a slightly high-pitched whirring. This was supposed to be Landru?
Spock looked at the staff. "Fascinating. This is merely a hollow tube, captain. No mechanism."
Reger stepped past. "They are communing. We have time. Come with me. To a place I know. You'll be safe there. But we must hurry. Landru will come." Spock put the stick aside, and started to pull up his hood. Outside the streets were strewn with debris. I followed quietly towards the back of the group. As we walked I noticed something strange. Everyone seemed to be stopping and staring at us. "Landru. He's summoning the Body."
Using whatever influence he had over the people it looked like we were going to get attacked. Men and women bent down to pick up wooden sticks, or rocks. I pulled my phaser out of my coat setting it to stun. We followed Reger down an alley but more of these people came from down it. Setting a wide field we knocked some out. Having to stop as more were flooding through. One of them was the man we came looking for.
Kirk wanted to bring him along so I bent down and started lifting him onto my shoulders. We continued down the streets, one of the other men kept their hand at my back to prevent the man on my back from falling off as we moved. The room we entered was dark until Reger brought out a light panel. I followed McCoy's orders to place the man on the bed. I did listen, this light panel it came from a time before Landru. Possibly as long ago as six thousand years.
Spock had a point, it was inconsistent with this environment. Inconsistent with everything we have seen up until this point. I moved away from the talking to think. This absorption into the body. The sticks that were holo yet had the capability to kill. Finally, Landru himself. I leaned against a wall folding my hands and resting my elbows on my knees in thought. This Landru couldn't possibly still be alive if that panel was over six thousand years old. He could have been alive at some point, but not six thousand years later.
In addition to all of the strange power readings, he could be some sort of a mechanical device. Then there was this body. The body consisted of people Landru, people who would do exactly as told like mindless drones. "Captain. Sensor beams. Very strong, we're being probed. In this direction." Spock had his tricorder out and directed at a wall.
I turned to the wall he spoke of. Walking over to it slowly. Seconds passing as an image of a man came into view. "I am Landru." I stepped closer to it only for Spock to grab hold of my arm to keep me from getting any closer.
I was intrigued. "Fascinating. A projection through solid rock. There is no apparatus on this end either. To be able to produce such a feat."
The projection started speaking once again. "You have come as destroyers. You bring an infection." The captain tried to speak to it, but it was just a recording, it wouldn't answer him. "You have come to a world without hate, without fear, without conflict. No war, no disease, no crime. None of the ancient evils. Landru seeks tranquility... peace for all... the universal good." Again Kirk tried to speak with the projection but wasn't getting anywhere. "The good must transcend the evil. It shall be done. So it has been since the beginning."
Spock started to pull me behind him. "He doesn't hear you, Captain." The young blonde man wanted to shoot the image, but was told to put it away.
Really the only thing I could do was observe. "Landru, listen to me." Nothing.
The image just smiled. "You will be absorbed. Your individuality will merge into the unity of good. And into your submergence into the common being of the Body you will find contentment and fulfillment. You will experience the absolute good." The whirring from earlier was starting to grow louder. Spock's grip on my arm loosened, being Vulcan his hearing was better than our human ears. It had gotten quite painful for him as well as the others.
Reger and the other guard were already out. McCoy, Kirk and the other man seemed to be in almost as much pain as Spock. I wanted to help but the sound was starting to grate on my own ears. The second two to go down were the blonde man and McCoy followed closely by Spock. I stumbled trying to get to Kirk, only to fall to my knees, just as he passed out as well. Then I too entered the darkness that awaited me.
"Mr. Spock! (Y/n)!"That sounded like the captain, but I found it difficult to open my eyes. "Wake up! Mr. Lindstrom." I felt a hand fall onto my shoulder, shaking me slightly. I slowly opened my eyes to see Spock leaning over me, hand resting on my upper arm. Upon seeing me stir he started walking away. Everything about this room seemed a little fuzzy. The Blonde man was seated next to me. McCoy and that other guard were nowhere in sight. The man we came to find wasn't here with Reger either.
I tried to get up but my head felt light, and I stumbled. Arms caught me before I fell over. "Sorry." I mumbled, lifting a hand to my head. I could still to an extent hear that strange whirring.
There was a small chuckle coming from the man who'd grabbed hold of me. "It's not a problem (Y/n). Just sit down for a second, get your bearings. Spock and I can handle this for the moment." I nodded, it was just the Captain.
Placing my other hand against his upper arm I started to push myself off of him. "Okay, Jim. I-I just need a second. Those soundwaves were really something." He seemed to stiffen at me saying his name again. It had been well over fifteen years since I had done that. "Sorry, I mean Captain."
He frantically shook his head setting me back against the stone wall. "No, you don't need to be sorry. I was just a little surprised. It has been awhile since you called me that was all. Now stay here for a bit, I'm going to speak with Spock." I nodded watching him walk away. As they spoke, Linstrom started walking round, his head pounding from the hypersonic waves.
His fingers touched the tip of his temple. "Oh, does my heade ache."
Spock stepped forward quickly. "The natural result of being subjected to a hypersonic." I hummed to that. "Stronger, they might have killed. As it was, they merely rendered us unconscious."
Kirk started walking round. "Enough analysis. Let's think of a way to get out of here. What about the Lawgiver's inability to cope with the unexpected?" At this I leaned forward. It was unlikely to happen again. If anything Landru would have upgraded their thought process on that matter.
Spock seemed to agree with me on that. "In a society as well organized as this one seems to be, I cannot conceive of such an oversight going uncorrected." I watched as he traced his fingers over the stone walls. Looking for a hidden switch if I were to make a guess. Interesting, however. Their reaction to your defiance was remarkably similar to the reaction of a computer, when fed insufficient or contradictory data."
I was thinking a little more clearly now, and thought it best to start moving around a little bit. "Are you suggesting that the Lawgivers are mere computers? That... they aren't human?"
I walked closer to where they were speaking. "I actually have a few thoughts on that matter, Captain. Those men are quite humanoid, but what if Landru is not. He told them what to do, what their objectives to this 'Body' were. So, what if Landru, hypothetically, was a computer. No species I have studied can live for over six thousand years if what Reges said is to be taken for fact. Therefore it stands to reason that Landru, is quite possibly computerized."
Both men looked at me, Spock seeming slightly impressed if I were reading the expression correctly. Yet as they mulled this over, the door began to open. Through it came the Lawgivers and our other two men. Bad news... they were just like everyone else from the town. Zombies to this Body of Landru. Servants to his will. I tried to understand what was happening, but couldn't seem to find a reason for it. Even as Kirk tried to snap him out of it. Pressing for McCoy to remember just wasn't productive.
It was... a strange feeling as I watched someone I thought I knew act in such a manner. "Captain... I... I don't know what to do." Kirk looked back to me for just a second, his eyes showing just as much uncertainty as I might have been feeling. I brought a hand up to the center of my chest and looked down. I didn't quite understand it, but I need to clear my mind. Focusing on whatever was happening to me emotionally was not helping.
So I took a slow breath to calm myself, erasing all of the thoughts I couldn't process before looking back up. The two men in cloaks came back after McCoy sat back down. One of them pointed with their stick at me, the other at Kirk. "Come." Kirk said no. "Then you will die." As I thought, refusal wasn't going to work anymore. I nodded walking to follow them, Kirk following not far behind. We were led down the hall, and into a room. They secured Kirk in the restraints first, ordering me to remain against the wall until I was called for.
There were definitely more than just two of the men in cloaks. A third was behind some sort of controls. That was until a new man walked into the room. He wore an orange robe of some kind. "I am Marplon. It is your hour. Happy communing." I had to wonder what this communing was, but didn't see it as an appropriate time to ask. I watched in silence as he started the machine up.
(Spock POV)
I had tried going into the doctor's mind but could find nothing. Linstrom was getting impatient asking what we were going to just stand here. "Little else we can do, unless you can think of a way to get through that door." I stopped, placing a hand against the stone. Linstrom thought this was 'simply ridiculous.' It was not that simple. "And apparently commanding powers far beyond our comprehension. Not simple, not ridiculous. Very, very dangerous." As I looked back to the door it began to open. Just like before the Lawgivers Led someone back into the room.
The captain had that same smile about him. Yet this time, I was to go with them. I glanced back for only a second before following them out into the hall. As I was led into the next room they were releasing (Y/n) from the wall. I could see she was forcing that smile on her face. The only reason I could tell was because of her eyes. "Joy to you, friend. Peace and contentment will fill you." She had a hand over her heart, her smile wavering slightly. Fighting to keep it up. I now understand what the Captain meant by there wasn't any real emotion behind it. "You will know the peace of Landru."
After she walked past me I was ushered into the restraints. Observing silently as the machine started up. "Have no fear friend, the effect is harmless. My name is Marplon. I was too late to save your first two friends. They have been absorbed. Beware of them." The man released the restraints. I pulled my arms free and looked around the room a little more.
There were still a few questions. "What about the Captain and the girl who was here before me?" I questioned once I reached his side.
The man folded his hands before his torso. "They are unharmed, unchanged. I am the third man in Reger's triad. We have been awaiting your return." To this I shook my head. We were not these Archons that Reger spoke of. "Whatever you may call yourselves, you are in fulfillment of prophecy. We ask your help." I asked where Reger was. "He will join us. He, like the girl, is immune to absorption. Hurry, we have not much time."
He started to walk away from me. "Who is Landru?"
Marplon turned back to me quickly. "I cannot answer your questions now. Landru, he will hear. Here are your weapons, you may need them." He held out three phasers, I took them and hid them inside my cloak. "Behave as you saw the young girl behave." This last part came about a whisper. "It is done."
I walked past him with a smile plastered to my face. "Joy be with you. Peace and contemptment." That said, I was lead back into the previous room. I did that strange bow as I reentered to the two of our men under Landru's influence. Making my way to where the captain stood. (Y/n) was just behind him, her palms rubbing her cheeks lightly. "Captain."
He still had his hand up. "Peace and tranquility to you." We were silent for a moment. "Are you alright? I imaging your cheeks must be sore from smiling so much." Ah, a jest. Funny.
I shifted keeping my voice low. "Quite alright. Be careful of Doctor McCoy." They both understood perfectly. (Y/n) lowered her hands putting that fake smile back upon her face, as the Captain asked about Landru. "I am formulating a theory, Captain." He tried to press further but was stopped when (Y/n) placed her hand on his shoulder. "Not here, the Doctor."
I stepped back as McCoy looked at us. "You speak in strange whispers. This is not the way of Landru." He placed his hand up over his heart. I made a move to do the same. (Y/n) walked past us and towards McCoy.
That smile faltering every few seconds that passed. "Joy be yours, and tranquility my friend."
This seemed to relax him slightly. "And peace and harmony. Are you of the Body?"
At this, her smile strained. "The Body is one with Landru and his wishes. To not be of the body, is a terrible fate. Blessed be the body, and health to all of its parts."
The captain took her shoulder pulling her back slightly away from McCoy. Soon followed by myself and Linstrom. "My friends." We were dragged to a corner where she dropped the smile and started rubbing her cheeks again. "What is your theory Mr. Spock."
I turned to him, making sure to keep my voice low as possible. "This is a soulless society, Captain. It has no spirit, no spark. All is indeed peace and tranquility. The peace of the factory, the tranquility of the machine. All parts working in unison." This begged the question of when something unexplained happened, it left their routine disrupted. At least until new orders were received. Much like we had seen with the Lawgivers. "The question is, who gives those orders."
"Landru." The Captain spoke almost confident.
I shook my head in disagreement. "There is no Landru Captain. Not in the human sense. I believe (Y/n) may have been correct in her theory."
He nodded. "I was just thinking the same thing. Mr. Spock, the plug must be pulled." This term confused me. "Landru must die."
I shifted my weight slightly. "Captain. We have a prime directive of non-interference." He reasoned that referred to a living growing culture. This one was not." The door opened again to reveal Marplon and Reger. They greeted McCoy before making their way over to our small group. He brought our communicators with him this time. I took two of them handing one to Linstrom. What we needed now was more information about Landru.
If they wanted our help they would need to give us assistance. Prophesy or no. Just one problem now. McCoy overheard what the Captain had said about being liberated from Landru. "You're not of the body!" That captain tried to calm him but we were found out. It was far too late. (Y/n) went in to help the captain, I dealt with the other guard. They managed to knock him out, but the comotion had brought the Lawgivers to us.
We hid behind the walls out of sight, waiting for the Lawgivers to pass. I ended up punching one of them. "Isn't that somewhat old fashioned? Robes." We needed to get to Landru. They tried to talk us out of it, and Reger explained what Landru did for his people. After that Reger went crazy and I had to put a nerve pinch on him to knock him out. Marplon led us to the Hall of Audiences. (Y/n) said she would hang back to watch over McCoy, Reger and the other guard.
When we got there we were greeted with what we thought we would find. A machine. In typical human fashion the Captain convinced the computer to destroy itself. That seemed to put an end to the attack on the ship and the hold over our comrades. When we met up with the others McCoy was starting to come around. We went back to the Enterprise not long after. (Y/n) locked herself in the lab, stating she had work to do as soon as she changed into something easier to move in.
Linstrom ended up staying back to help restore the planets culture. The rest of us changed back into our uniforms and joined in her example of getting back to work. The captain even commented that I would make a great computer. (Y/n) had a Yeoman deliver a report later as well. "She would make a better computer with how much work she gets done sometimes. Not to mention all the details." I raised a brow, but remained silent on the matter. She would have made an excellent Vulcan.