I give my word we'll abide by whatever they have in mind." Easy enough to do, he mused sardonically, without a hope of otherwise departing. For a brief moment, he thought he sensed an alien mental laugh.
Spock strained again, beginning to show some signs of fatigue. The process of acting as translator was starting to wear on him.
"It is still difficult, Captain. Their thought processes are so incredibly fast. It is becoming slightly easier, though. We are learning from each other as we continue to communicate. Somehow, I gain the impression that the condition in some way involves this 'zoo'—not quite the proper term, but it must serve."
"If they think we're going to volunteer some substitute exhibits," McCoy began heatedly.
"No, no, Doctor . . . it does not involve the continued presence of humans, Vulcans, or any other Federation-member race."
McCoy calmed down, satisfied.
"It is more complex than that."
"How so, Mr. Spock?" Kirk pressed curiously. The first officer had turned to face the largest of the adult Lactrans.
"I am told by the Old One that their collection is not complete. It will probably never be complete, since the desire for expansion and acquisition has faded on Lactra. There are temporal referents that I do not understand. The Old One explains gently that this does not matter. Apparently, one especially desired creature is overdue for collection. It is this that they wish us to help rectify."
"One creature?" McCoy echoed uncertainly. "You mean, they want our help in capturing some unknown specimen?"
"Essentially, that is correct, Doctor. It seems that there is one creature they have known about for hundreds of our years yet have not been able to capture because"—the young Lactran moved jerkily, and Spock turned to gaze blankly in its direction—"because they have given up the knowledge of how to construct artificial devices—ships like the Enterprise —capable of ranging deep space. They have been content in past centuries to range for specimens close to their own system, and to use the years for refining their mind control. The emphasis in Lactran society has shifted during this period from the practical to the purely aesthetic.
"Yet they still retain knowledge of this one special creature, and wish to obtain a live example of it. It is for this that they request our aid."
Kirk considered gratefully the courtesy of the Lactrans. That they could as easily take control of the Enterprise as request the voluntary help of its crew was something he did not doubt. But for some reason it was important to them that such help be given freely.
McCoy walked close. He whispered cautioningly, "I wouldn't be too ready to accept their claim that they've 'forgotten' how to build deep-space ships, Jim."
"If it's an evasion, Bones, there's not much we can do about it. We can either believe them or call them liars. I don't think it would be wise to do the latter. They obviously have their reasons for wanting the use of the Enterprise . . . and us."
"Then consider this," the doctor persisted. "If the Lactrans, with all their amply demonstrated abilities, their mental powers, and considerable technology, have been unable to capture this boojum so far, what makes them think we can do any better?"
"Good point, Bones," Kirk agreed willingly. "Transportation we can provide, and we have had some experience handling live alien specimens—everything from tribbles to wauls. But interstellar big-game hunters we're not." He looked back at his first officer, and his voice rose.
"Explain to them, Spock, that we agree. We're willing to aid in any way we can, in return for our eventual safe departure from Lactra. How should we begin? Do they have any idea where to start looking for this prize creature? We certainly have no experience of it, or the Lactran youngster would have discovered some reference to it during its very thorough examination of our library."
"On the contrary, Captain," explained a listening Spock,
Spock strained again, beginning to show some signs of fatigue. The process of acting as translator was starting to wear on him.
"It is still difficult, Captain. Their thought processes are so incredibly fast. It is becoming slightly easier, though. We are learning from each other as we continue to communicate. Somehow, I gain the impression that the condition in some way involves this 'zoo'—not quite the proper term, but it must serve."
"If they think we're going to volunteer some substitute exhibits," McCoy began heatedly.
"No, no, Doctor . . . it does not involve the continued presence of humans, Vulcans, or any other Federation-member race."
McCoy calmed down, satisfied.
"It is more complex than that."
"How so, Mr. Spock?" Kirk pressed curiously. The first officer had turned to face the largest of the adult Lactrans.
"I am told by the Old One that their collection is not complete. It will probably never be complete, since the desire for expansion and acquisition has faded on Lactra. There are temporal referents that I do not understand. The Old One explains gently that this does not matter. Apparently, one especially desired creature is overdue for collection. It is this that they wish us to help rectify."
"One creature?" McCoy echoed uncertainly. "You mean, they want our help in capturing some unknown specimen?"
"Essentially, that is correct, Doctor. It seems that there is one creature they have known about for hundreds of our years yet have not been able to capture because"—the young Lactran moved jerkily, and Spock turned to gaze blankly in its direction—"because they have given up the knowledge of how to construct artificial devices—ships like the Enterprise —capable of ranging deep space. They have been content in past centuries to range for specimens close to their own system, and to use the years for refining their mind control. The emphasis in Lactran society has shifted during this period from the practical to the purely aesthetic.
"Yet they still retain knowledge of this one special creature, and wish to obtain a live example of it. It is for this that they request our aid."
Kirk considered gratefully the courtesy of the Lactrans. That they could as easily take control of the Enterprise as request the voluntary help of its crew was something he did not doubt. But for some reason it was important to them that such help be given freely.
McCoy walked close. He whispered cautioningly, "I wouldn't be too ready to accept their claim that they've 'forgotten' how to build deep-space ships, Jim."
"If it's an evasion, Bones, there's not much we can do about it. We can either believe them or call them liars. I don't think it would be wise to do the latter. They obviously have their reasons for wanting the use of the Enterprise . . . and us."
"Then consider this," the doctor persisted. "If the Lactrans, with all their amply demonstrated abilities, their mental powers, and considerable technology, have been unable to capture this boojum so far, what makes them think we can do any better?"
"Good point, Bones," Kirk agreed willingly. "Transportation we can provide, and we have had some experience handling live alien specimens—everything from tribbles to wauls. But interstellar big-game hunters we're not." He looked back at his first officer, and his voice rose.
"Explain to them, Spock, that we agree. We're willing to aid in any way we can, in return for our eventual safe departure from Lactra. How should we begin? Do they have any idea where to start looking for this prize creature? We certainly have no experience of it, or the Lactran youngster would have discovered some reference to it during its very thorough examination of our library."
"On the contrary, Captain," explained a listening Spock,
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