"I can imagine," said Kirk, remembering his own thoughts the first time Brightspot had wrapped her tail around his wrist.
Uhura went on, "- and Sunfall apologized, sir. For having been so vulgar as to use her tail." Uhura smiled suddenly. "It didn't take me long to find out the hard way that babies stick their tails in everything. They were constantly being scolded for it. Forgive me, Captain, but the only analogy I can think of is a small child picking its nose in public."
Kirk smiled back. "That obviously isn't the attitude here."
"Captain," said Spock, calling his attention to the return of Brightspot, Wilson, and the rest. Brightspot, triumphant, carried a tuft of dark, striated leaves. Drawing close, she suddenly stopped and her tail rose like a bar between them.
"Don't touch, Captain Kirk," she said. "You can touch, Mr. Spock- maybe that's the Vulcan part? But humans must not: sweetstripes will make their skin burn."
"She's right, Captain," said Wilson, as pleased as Brightspot, "and she did all the readings. Everybody take a good look, it could save you a lot of trouble later." Brightspot offered the branch to Spock, who accepted it with great interest to make some readings of his own.
Kirk bent to take a closer look and found Brightspot's cautioning tail still interposed between him and the specimen. Amused, he said, "Trust me not to pull it, Brightspot?"
She looked startled; then her ears peaked again and she said, "Oh- you just did!" Her parti-colored tail looped in amusement but she did not remove it from his reach.
When she was at last satisfied that she had alerted all the humans to the danger, Brightspot carefully disposed of the leaves. Then she was off again, to see what other wonders she could find with the tricorder. Evan Wilson smiled at Kirk and followed.
"Captain," said Uhura, keeping her voice low, "have you seen the...temple, sir?" She made a small gesture and he and Spock turned to look across the clearing.
Even with her quiet directions, it was a moment before he saw it. Hidden in the forest beyond the edge of the clearing, a low building laced through the ancient trees. It blended so beautifully with its surroundings that Kirk knew instantly the design of the architect had been not camouflage but harmony.
"Fascinating," said Spock. "It is clearly a permanent structure."
"Extremely fascinating," Kirk agreed. "Why would a people of such obvious sophistication choose to live in tents when they can build something as beautiful as that? Do you suppose we've stumbled on an outdoor festival of some sort, Mr. Spock?"
"That is an unlikely explanation, Captain. If you will recall, my orbital readings showed no indication of cities. I believe what we are seeing is characteristic of this culture."
"The tents are just as beautiful, Keptain," Chekov put in. "Hev you looked et them closely, sair? Each one is a work of art."
"Mr. Chekov is right, Captain. The tents show as much design sophistication as that structure." Spock indicated the low building.
Kirk shook his head in puzzlement. "You called it a temple, Uhura?"
"Only because I don't know what else to call it, sir," Uhura said.
As Kirk contemplated the structure, Winding Path emerged from within, accompanied by a female Sivaoan who was marked like a jester, half-orange, half-black. Deep in conversation, the two walked toward the clearing.
Distant Smoke rose, stepped to Uhura's side and said, "That's Stiff Tail to-Srallansre."
This was the Sivaoan to whom Winding Path had referred them. Kirk rose and gestured the rest of them up. Perhaps Stiff Tail was the leader in this community. "Heads up, people," he said. "Now maybe we can get some answers." He raised a hand to wave Wilson back, but Brightspot wrapped her tail around the doctor's wrist and tugged her straight to Stiff Tail to show her off.
Brightspot's tail still twined about her wrist, Evan Wilson displayed her claws to Stiff Tail. Stiff Tail returned the greeting and Brightspot, chattering excitedly, released her hold on Wilson to coil her tail about Stiff Tail's waist. Fetchstorm, Brightspot's nemesis, also joined them. Kirk could see the family resemblance. A little sibling rivalry there? he thought.
Stiff Tail was putting Evan Wilson once more through the poke-and-prod-and-tug routine when, without warning, Fetchstorm reached around Stiff Tail, grabbed the end of Brightspot's tail and yanked hard.
Hissing, Brightspot leapt free; her tail lashed furiously. With great care, she removed the tricorder from her shoulder and handed it to Evan Wilson, then- before Kirk even had time for exclamation- Brightspot sprang at Fetchstorm and knocked him to the ground.
Over and over they rolled, thrashing wildly. Stiff Tail drew Wilson out of the range of their flailing claws but, aside from that, she and the other Sivaoans stood calmly by and watched.
Kirk watched too, not nearly so calmly. He was getting a rapid education in just what Wilson had risked when she stepped into Distant Smoke's embrace. Although Fetchstorm and Brightspot ran through every other fighting position they knew, belly-to-belly was clearly the one they preferred. Foreclaws sunk into each other's back and teeth bared at each other's throat, they pounded each other in the belly with rapid-fire, pistonlike kicks- and Kirk could see that their hind claws were out and ripping. Fur flew.
Beside him, Spock said, "Their style of combat bears many similarities to that of Snnanagfashtalli." Uhura had her hand to her mouth.
As the fight rolled closer, there was a sudden squawk from one of the antagonists- it was impossible to guess from which. Stiff Tail moved so quickly Kirk almost missed it. Stepping into the middle of the fight, she said, "Enough!" and slapped them each soundly across the side of the head.
They stopped. For a long moment they both lay there blinking up at her, then they rose to their feet, tails still lashing angrily. They shook themselves off and, with one last glower, retired to opposite sides of Stiff Tail.
The next thing Kirk knew, Brightspot was once again telling the adult everything she knew about humans and Vulcans and tricorders and tails and head fur. It was as if nothing had happened. "Kids will be kids?" he ventured.
"I believe so, Captain," said Spock. "The attitude of the others would suggest little need for concern."
"Mr. Spock!" Uhura said, "Surely you can't think that was only two children fighting over a pulled tail!"
"I think 'spat' would be a good description, Lieutenant," Kirk said, laughing his relief, "and Mr. Spock's Vulcan childhood would seem equally violent to many of us."
"I'm gled I'm not a kid," said Chekov fervently, "here, or on Wulcan."
Brightspot was explaining the tricorder at great length and in remarkable detail, but she stopped in mid-sentence as the group reached Kirk and the others. "It is polite to make introductions," she announced and did so with all the formality of a diplomatic envoy. Diplomacy broke down only when she deliberately omitted her antagonist. He hissed at her; and Stiff Tail said, without fuss, "This is Fetchstorm to-Srallansre."
To Uhura, Stiff Tail said, "I seem to have missed all the excitement. And dinner. Will it offend your customs if I eat while you are not?"
Uhura shook her head. "No," said Kirk, "of course not."
"There is very little 'of course' when it comes to custom, Captain Kirk." Her whiskers seemed to quiver amusement, but she sat down and took up a bowl of stew that Distant Smoke offered.
Again addressing herself to Uhura, Stiff Tail said, "Where are your children?"
The question clearly took Uhura by surprise but she said only, "I don't have any- yet."
That seemed to satisfy Stiff Tail. She curled her tail affectionately around Distant Smoke, who sat down shoulder to shoulder with her, and she began to eat. After a moment or so, she looked at Uhura. Uhura made a slight deferential motion in Kirk's direction, so it was to him Stiff Tail said, "You have shared our food. Will you share your news? It is our custom."
"Ours are very similar," said Kirk.
Stiff Tail said, "Then will you tell us of your trail?"
"Yes," he said. This was exactly the kind of opening he'd been hoping for. He gave her a brief discourse on the United Federation of Planets and of the job the Enterprise normally performed.
When he finished, she nodded. Not only did she accept the concepts of other worlds and of starflight but she had already learned to use the human gesture of assent appropriately!
Encouraged, Kirk went on, "We came to ask your help for the people of Eeiauo- your distant relatives. They are dying of a disease for which you may have the cure."
He got no further. Stiff Tail rose to her full height, the fur about the back of her neck bristled, the tip of her tail twitched in suppressed anger. "Enough!" she said.
The single word sent a small child scrambling hastily away to vanish into a nearby tent; Brightspot, Jinx, and Fetchstorm shrank a few steps back, as if to present as little target as possible.
"Stupid!" said Winding Path to-Srallansre. His tail lashing wildly, he rounded on Kirk and dropped into a menacing crouch.
Kirk tensed; he did not wish to complicate the issue by drawing his phaser, but he had seen the children fight and knew he would be no match for a full-grown adult. He waited, nerves crawling.
Stiff Tail solved his dilemma by matter-of-factly slapping Winding Path across the side of the head. Winding Path rocked with the blow. "That will be enough from you too, Winding Path," said Stiff Tail, and he too shrank and drew away, muttering apologies.
The slap seemed to have relieved much of Stiff Tail's anger. Except for a small ridge along her spine, most of her fur was smoothed down. Still, she stared balefully at Kirk and said, "There is very little 'of course' when it comes to custom, Captain Kirk. This is custom: You will not speak of this again."
Kirk took a deep breath and said, "I must, Stiff Tail- Eeiauoans and humans are dying."
He saw her hand come up, tried to duck the blow... Through a terrible clangor of bells, he heard Uhura exclaim, "Captain!"- and then there was nothing.
Jim Kirk came to with an ache in his head the like of which he hadn't felt since an exuberant shore leave with Scott and McCoy. He struggled to sit up and clear his vision but something small and strong pushed him down again. "Lie still, Captain, and give me a chance to do my job," Evan Wilson said. As her face came into focus, she smiled and added, "Or I'll let Catchclaw do it for me." Shegave a brief nod to one side.
From the corner of his eye, Kirk could see Jinx standing a short distance away. Beside her was a second, taller Sivaoan, brown shading to cream and, at first glance, identical in every way to Settlesand to-Vensre. Then he realized this Sivaoan was a nursing mother: she had breasts.
Catchclaw flicked her tail impatiently, and Wilson said, "I practically had to fight her off. She's the local doctor." Wilson peered into his eyes, rotated his head and peered into his ears, and said, "The medical sensors say you're fine, Captain. I prefer to make my own assessment as well...How many fingers do you see?"
"Two," he grunted.
"Terrific," she said, "no concussion- you're a lucky man. How do you feel?"
"Like the fourth day of a three-day pass."
She chuckled. "You'll get over it. I want you to lie there and take it easy for a while."
That seemed a good idea to Kirk. He looked around, trying not to move his aching head. He was inside one of the tents and he had not been unconscious for long. sunlight streamed through brightly colored designs as if they were stained glass. Wilson knelt beside him. Catchclaw glared at her and she glared back.
"In case you're interested, Stiff Tail pulled her slap. She's very apologetic- this is her tent- and assures Uhura it won't happen again."
"I'm very glad to hear that," said Kirk wryly. His head still throbbed.
Wilson grinned at him. "I thought you'd be. The bad news is that she means that we're not to speak of the Eeiauoans." He started and she said hastily, "Don't worry, the translator's off...If we do, we get thrown out of the camp."
Kirk groaned; she gave him a piercing look and said, "Is that a physical complaint or a psychological one?"
"Ninety-nine percent psychological," he said; and to Spock, who had entered just in time to hear his groan, he added, "I'm fine, Spock."
"I am most gratified to hear that, Captain. The doctor refused to have you beamed aboard the Enterprise."
Evan Wilson shrugged. "He was in no danger, Mr. Spock, and you yourself suggested we avoid magical effects around the natives."
"Very true, Doctor. I commend your logic."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Spock. There was no logic involved; it was a gut reaction.... I've told the captain about Stiff Tail's edict. May I make a suggestion? I think we should stay the night, or the week if necessary. In camp, I mean, not beaming back to the Enterprise and our comfortable bunks."