McCoy nodded, pleased, then he went on, "Jim, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop by and see Christine. Tell her she did a fine job, and pat Evan on the back for me too if you can do it without gettin' yourself thrown across the room."
Jim Kirk laughed. "I will, Bones. Without Evan, we'd have never grown up."
"I don't know what you're talkin' about," said McCoy, "but I'm talkin' about the Wilson-Chapel serum. All I did was complete the line of research the two of them worked out, and I'm damn well goin' to see credit given where it's due."
Kirk raised his head. Wilson was hidden from his view by the monitor. He said instead, "Tell her yourself, Bones. She's right here," and keyed the computer to show him.
Spock, standing, had a clear view. He saw Wilson shake her head once, then lean back to consider McCoy's image. "I'll be right there, Leonard," she said. "Meanwhile, I want you in bed and resting." McCoy's jaw dropped- but, for one of the few times in Spock's experience, he seemed at a loss for words.
"Dr. Wilson?" said Kirk; he too seemed surprised.
"Take a good look, Captain," she said. "He's obviously recuperating from ADF himself. That makes him a patient in my book."
McCoy found his voice. "Now see here-"
Caught between the two, Kirk appealed to Spock with a glance. Spock said, "She is correct, Captain."
"Yes, I had ADF," McCoy said, "but I'm fine. Blast, I can't just desert my patients, Evan."
With the flick of a switch, Kirk commanded McCoy's full attention. "You won't have to, Bones. I'm sending Dr. Wilson down with the first group of volunteers. When she arrives"- and this proviso cut short any further protest- "you are to consider yourself relieved of all duties. I'm sure she'll take good care of you."
Having resolved the problem to everyone's satisfaction, Kirk ended the call and turned to the Sivaoans. "Another StarFreedom," he said, "Catchclaw, the Federation diplomats would like to have a word with your party."
"Diplomats?" said Catchclaw. Apparently the word did not translate; and to Spock the amusement engendered by the captain's attempt to explain did seem somewhat excessive. At last, Catchclaw said impatiently, "These 'diplomatss'- are they sick, Captain?"
"No, but..."
The tip of her tail flicked her annoyance. She said, "If they're not sick, they can wait. I'm going to get my sensors. I take it we're to meet in the transporter room?"
Quite logically, Kirk chose not to argue her decision. He nodded and said, "The briefing is ended. Dismissed."
As people began to file out, Kirk stopped Uhura momentarily. "Lieutenant," he said, "I believe you would like to be in the first party?"
"Oh yes, Captain! Thank you, sir!" She left beaming.
"Evan," Kirk said, and Wilson paused at the door, pushed her way back to look up at him. He said, "About that pat on the back..."
"About being thrown across the room," she countered. "Not now, Captain, I have a lot to do."
"All right," he said, smiling, "then take good care of Bones, will you? I warn you, it won't be easy getting him to rest." She chuckled and said, "Believe me, Captain, I know. Doctors make terrible patients. I'll take my stick."
Spock glanced at the now-darkened computer screen. It seemed highly unlikely that she had missed the starburst, but he said, "Tail-Kinker to-Ennien." Jim Kirk favored him with an odd look as Evan Wilson paused for a second time on the threshold. Spock said in explanation, "It was the name she chose for herself, Captain."
"Yes, Mr. Spock," she said.
"The central computer-" he began, without thinking how he might end that sentence.
She smiled and made it unnecessary. "You put it there, Mr. Spock," she said. "You get rid of it. I have work to do." She turned, took a step and the doors hissed closed behind her. Spock stared after her, perplexed.
"Another flag, Mr. Spock?" Spock turned, to find Jim Kirk smiling at him almost indulgently. Kirk said, "Well, at least it's not a noisy one. I think she's right, and I must say I'm a little surprised." The smile changed to a slight frown of concern, as he added, "How are you feeling?"
"I am quite recovered, thank you, Captain."
"If that's true, how is it you're tripping Dr. Wilson's flags- or they're tripping you? I thought you were the resident computer expert around here."
"I am unable to explain, Captain." It was not a lie: Spock had no wish to involve Jim Kirk in his decision. "I admit I find her behavior most baffling."
"I could say the same for yours, Spock. What do you know that I don't?"
The question was totally without precedent in Spock's experience. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Captain?"
Kirk looked at him for a long moment, then laughed and shook his head. "Never mind, Mr. Spock. When I think of a way to rephrase that question, I'll try again. For now, let's see to giving Bones the hands he needs."
The figure curled on the circular bed bore so little resemblance to the graceful, glossy-furred image in her memory that Uhura's first thought was, That can't be Sunfall! But she knew it was and, knowing that, found the sight almost unbearable. Rushlight curled his comforting tail around her waist, and Uhura stroked it absently. Then she stepped to the side of the bed, drawing him with her. "Sunfall?" she said hesitantly.
The Eeiauoan opened her eyes with difficulty; the nictitating membranes were still swollen and red. "Nyota!" she said. "Is that really you?"
Uhura blinked back tears, fought the catch in her throat and said, "It is, Sunfall. Oh, Sunfall, how do you feel?"
Sunfall lifted her hairless tail an inch or two from the bed. "Like CloudShape after she stole the lightning," she said. "You see? Even my tail shows it." With effort, she stretched out a hand.
Uhura caught her hand and hugged it to herself. "You will get better," she said. "I promise you." And she knew it was a promise she could keep- beneath her fingers, she could already feel the velvety growth of new fur.
Arching her few remaining whiskers forward, Sunfall said, "I'll do my best. I wish I could thank someone. After all these years and all the deaths, your people found the cure we couldn't."
"It was Thunderstroke's cure. The songs you taught me...." Uhura said softly, then, "Don't be angry with me, please, Sunfall. I had no choice. I couldn't let you die."
Sunfall's eyes narrowed to slits. "You promised, Nyota. You promised not to mention them to an Eeiauoan." She bristled, and the sparseness of her fur made her distress terrible to see. But her eyes were turned to Rushlight.
Uhura, reminded of his presence, said quickly, "But he's not, Sunfall. I'm sorry. He's not Eeiauoan and he doesn't understand your language." Uhura said, this time speaking not modern Eeiauoan but Old Tongue, "Sunfall of Ennien, this is my friend Rushlight to-Vensre."
"To-Vensre?" Sunfall said suddenly. She struggled to rise, but Uhura gently pushed her down again. "To-Vensre?" she said once again, this time to Rushlight. "How is that possible? Why would you come after all this time?"
Rushlight cocked his ears, and the gold earrings in them sparkled at the movement. As he lifted his lutelike instrument for her to see, his eyes held a sparkle brighter still. "I came to keep a promise: to meet a bard named Sunfall and to share songs."
"After all this time...you've come at last," Sunfall said. "Thank you, Nyota."
Uhura laid a gentle hand on her cheek. "Rest now, Sunfall. We'll talk later. Rest," she said again, and she began to sing a lullabye, softly so that only Sunfall would hear. Rushlight lifted his instrument and, just as softly, followed Uhura's lead. Sunfall of Ennien let her eyes drift from one to the other, then she gave a contented sigh and let sleep close them.
With the first party of volunteers, Jim Kirk beamed aboard the medship Flinn- and stepped from the transporter platform directly into the sharp-eyed scrutiny of a woman no taller than Evan Wilson. She had the face of a cherub, haloed by short curly black hair, but her Starfleet Medical garb glittered with stripes almost to her elbows. "Atten-shun!" she said, and Jim Kirk instinctively snapped straight. Around him, medical personnel of all ranks turned to face him; with broad grins, they too snapped to attention. The colonel, now grinning as broadly as the rest of her personnel, continued, "Captain James T. Kirk, prepare to receive honors on behalf of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise.... Hip, hip!"
"Hooray!" responded her team.
Had she directed the three cheers in his behalf, Jim Kirk would have been embarrassed, but for his crew he was proud and delighted. "Thank you," he said gravely when they had finished, "on behalf of my crew." With that, the epidemiological team went back to business at hand. The colonel stepped toward him and he said again, "Thank you, Colonel Mickiewicz-"
She cut him off. "Thank you," she said, "and call me Micky. Any friend of Leonard's is a friend of mine, especially you. You'll want to see Christine Chapel- follow me." Following his glance to the crew members he had brought with him, she added, "Dr. Dziedzic will put them to work, believe me."
Christine Chapel, he found, looked much like Chekov, and the sight of fading lesions on her face and hands did much more to reassure him of her continuing recovery than did her manner. She seemed uncomfortable with his presence. He stayed just long enough to make her understand how proud he was of her work on the serum, that had saved so many lives.
Outside the ward door, Mickiewicz glanced up at his approach and said, "I'll walk you back to transport- and you'll deliver some specimens to Leonard for me." She held up a small case and set off at a brisk walk, adding as he followed, "Don't worry, Captain. When Chapel's up to it, we'll give her a rousing sendoff."
"Good," he said, smiling briefly, "she deserves it. But that's not what worries me- I think she would have preferred not to see me."
"The other way around, Captain: she'd have preferred that you not see her. She'll get over her shyness once her hair grows back. It's only vanity, and it happens to the best of us." Pausing in midcorridor, she brushed her dark curls aside and displayed a dozen artfully hidden bald patches on her own scalp. "I was luckier: the Wilson-Chapel serum left me enough hair to leave me my pride. But I suspect caps and scarves are going to make an abrupt comeback in Federation style for the next few months."
Picturing Chekov and Chapel, Kirk had to admit the possibility and added speculatively, "I wonder how many of the top brass got Noisy-Baby?"
She looked up, with a slight smile, questioning and Jim Kirk realized to his embarrassment that he knew of at least one. The smile turned to a grin, and she said, "Never mind, Captain. You're thinking of new uniforms, topped with a cap." He nodded confirmation. Thrusting the small case into his hand, she pointed him onto the transporter platform. "Take my word for it," she said. "The way Starfleet Command moves, it will be fifteen years before it's implemented and by then they'll have forgotten the cap.... Energize," and with a wink and a grin, she vanished like the Cheshire cat.
Jim Kirk arrived on the surface of Eeiauo with a Cheshire cat grin of his own. He stood facing the low attractive building that served as this area's hospital. To his right, on the treefilled grounds, he saw a handful of brightly colored tents. Catchclaw and the rest of the Sivaoans had clearly had enough of indoor living. A handful of Eeiauoans, exercising limbs made stiff by the effects of ADF and weeks or months in bed, had stopped to stare in mingled wonder and disapproval at TooLongTail and EagerTalker who swung by their tails from a branch and stared back in much the same manner. It took him a moment to recall that the Eeiauoans considered it vulgar to use a tail other than... decoratively. I'd better warn Catchclaw about that, he thought, climbing the long low stairway to enter the hospital.
Inside, he found Spock at the receptionist's desk, pieces of some delicate medical instrument spread before him for repair. "Captain," he acknowledged, as he continued his work, "I trust Nurse Chapel is well?"
"As well as can be expected. How's Bones- and where is he?"
"As he was asleep when I arrived with the third landing party, I was not permitted to speak to him," Spock said. "Dr. Wilson would like a word with you before you wake him."
"If he needs sleep that badly," Kirk said, "I'm not sure I should wake him."
At that Spock looked up, fixed him with a piercing look and said, "Dr. Wilson thinks otherwise."
Kirk spread his hands and, grinning again, said, "Who am I to argue with a woman with a quarterstaff? Carry on, Spock; I'll find Evan myself."
It was not long before he found her, monitoring the pulse of a Eeiauoan in the first ward. She jerked sharply toward him and growled, "You're supposed to be Catchclaw." There was little response he could make to that, and her wariness kept him from questioning it.
He looked more closely and recognized her patient: Quickfoot, the Eeiauoan doctor who had given Spock the last piece of his puzzle and then, because of this 'treason,' had attempted suicide. Kirk suddenly understood. Quickfoot was about to come out of her coma, and Evan was afraid this time she might succeed.