Kirk was beginning to get that very heady feeling again, but this time the thought of Heinrich Schliemann was sobering. "All right, people, I suggest we get to work: we still have a good deal of digging ahead of us."
"Isn't that the prettiest sight you've seen in months," said Sulu from the helm. The satisfaction in his voice left no room for disagreement. Not that he'd have had any from James Kirk- the world hung in the viewscreen of the bridge like a single Christmas tree ornament, shining with promise.
The sight might even have encouraged Bones. Had the Enterprise been within range of a Federation relay beacon, Kirk would certainly have tried.
Spock said, from behind him, "Sensors indicate presence of life forms, Captain, but I see no evidence of ground-based space ports or, for that matter, cities of the type associated with a space-going culture."
"Is it possible they've progressed beyond our technology?"
"Given the size and diversity of the universe, it is difficult to rule out any possibility, Captain. However, the sensors detect none of the orbital debris common to a world that has passed through the traditional historical phases."
"Perhaps they're just very neat."
"Perhaps."
"Well, we're not going to learn anything sitting up here. Pick us a good spot, Mr. Spock, and we'll go down and have a look." Kirk turned in his seat. "Lieutenant Uhura, will you join the landing party, please."
Uhura was surprised. "Captain?"
"You know more about the Eeiauoans than anyone on board. We need your expertise, Lieutenant.... And notify Dr. Wilson to meet us in the transporter room." Spock's head came up, and his eyebrow lifted simultaneously. "A word with you, Captain," he said.
"Problem, Spock?" Kirk rose and joined him, peering at the monitor over his shoulder. "Looks like a perfectly good Earth-type world to me. I know you prefer Vulcan-type but..."
"Doctor Wilson," Spock said.
Puzzled, Kirk said, "What have you got against Wilson, aside from the fact that she's anomalous?"
"She has had no previous experience at first contact."
"It's her medical experience I'm after, Spock. We'll just have to remember to keep an eye on her."
Spock nodded and, without further comment, returned to his task at the computer. A moment later, he raised his head to signal that he had finished.
At last, Kirk thought, something I can do to help Bones and the Eeiauoans! "Mr. Scott, you have command." He started for the turbolift, with Uhura and Chekov immediately behind. Spock lingered for a moment, then followed.
"A good spot, Mr. Spock?" Kirk inquired with a smile.
"I have no doubt it will suit your somewhat vague criteria, Captain."
Kirk was in too good a mood to allow Spock's oblique criticism to rankle him. "Very good, Mr. Spock," he said, and left it at that.
Chapter Five
The transporter room vanished and, in its place, the landing party found a small clearing. All around them ancient trees rose to heights she had seen only in wilderness preserves, but- Uhura blinked back tears of relief- they were familiar. She laid her hand on the trunk before her and its very solidity warmed her: she knew this place. CloudShape to-Ennien had once cloaked herself in mist and climbed a tree like this one...to where the storm clouds had been at play with their lightnings. Fooled by the mist, the storm clouds invited CloudShape to join their game. They tossed a lightning to her- and CloudShape caught it with her tail and scurried down as fast as she could climb, leaving the storm clouds to boom their anger.
Once Sunfall had burst into laughter at the sight of a barbecue. When Uhura had asked her why, Sunfall said, "To see a cooking fire is to see the singe marks on CloudShape's tail."
"Mr. Spock?" Captain Kirk's puzzled voice broke into her thoughts and drew her back to the business at hand.
Spock took a reading from his tricorder and said, "The inhabited area is about three hundred yards in that direction, Captain. As these people have, in all probability, seen neither a human nor a Vulcan, I did not wish to add to their surprise with a materialization."
"Good thinking, Mr. Spock." Kirk gestured. "Let's go then.... Set phasers on stun and stay alert, people." With him in the lead. the party began to move warily through the forest.
Before her, Mr. Chekov took quick suspicious steps, matching his pace to Captain Kirk's. Slightly to her right, Evan Wilson crept swiftly along the rapt concentration on her face made Uhura think of a child at play but her steps made no sound. Behind her, she could sense Spock's reassuring presence.
The captain stopped, raised his hand to motion them forward. They approached cautiously. "We hev found a trail, Mr. Spock," said Chekov, somewhat unnecessarily; he kept his voice low.
The trail was not broad- two might walk abreast- but it was hardpacked from frequent use. Kirk looked inquiringly at Spock, who said quietly, "We do not come as enemies, Captain. A straightforward approach would seem most appropriate."
"My thought exactly." Captain Kirk spoke in a normal tone of voice.
A single shriek of wordless anger stabbed through the forest.
"Down!" shouted Kirk, diving for cover himself, as the branches high above them came alive with furious movement and a chorus of chilling cries.
Uhura found herself sheltering beneath a partially fallen tree trunk as a hail of small round objects struck and bounced. She lifted her phaser and scanned the trees. At first, all she could make out were flapping branches, then she caught a glimpse of one of the creatures: it was small and brightly furred. Its feet and long tail were definitely prehensile. Another bounced suddenly into view; it too was screaming, but Uhura could see that the teeth it bared so threateningly were the flat teeth of leaf-eaters.
"Nuts!" said Evan Wilson from just beneath Uhura's left elbow. "They're throwing nuts at us!" The announcement brought a second hail down on them.
That stirred the memory of one of Sunfall's songs. Uhura twisted to look at Evan, but found herself face to face with Captain Kirk. Evan was wedged beneath the two of them, staring down at her tricorder. "They're welcome-homes, Captain," Uhura said. "That's all they do- make noise, wave branches and throw things."
Kirk nodded at her and emerged cautiously from cover. Spock followed suit. The welcome-homes kept to the safety of their perches; farther up the trail, another group took up the raucous cries. "All bark and no bite," he said to Spock and winced as a shower of pellets bounced off his head.
"If I understand your meaning, sir, yes. These creatures would be herbivorous. Shall we go on?"
"Yes, Mr. Spock. The Sivaoans can hardly have failed to notice our presence. I suggest we go meet them before they come looking for us." A mischievous expression touched the corners of his mouth as he watched Evan crawl from cover and dust twigs from her trousers. "You can stop sneaking, Dr. Wilson."
"Begging the captain's pardon, but I wasn't sneaking."
"What would you call it?"
Evan straightened and, as if surprised he should ask, said, "Pussyfooting, sir."
Captain Kirk laughed. "All right. Don't."
The party set off down the trail to ever louder squawks and rustlings as the welcome-homes leapt from branch to branch to keep pace with them. The path veered abruptly to the left and down and spilled into a wide opening between the ancient trees. In the clearing beyond, gigantic flowers of a dozen shapes and colors bloomed in the sudden sunlight.
Kirk spread a hand, silently commanding a halt. Spock took a single pace more. His action was perhaps deliberate, for it gave Uhura an unobstructed view; what she had thought flowers were brightly colored tents.
Emerging from doorways, tending cooking fires, rising from open-air looms, startled Eeiauoans- no, Uhura thought, correcting herself immediately, Sivaoans!- froze and stared at the Enterprise crew members.
There were about three dozen of them that she could see, but she had the uncanny feeling the number was considerably larger. This was confirmed by Chekov, who said in a whisper, "They're in the trees, too, sair."
The captain nodded and said, "Keep still and make no threatening gestures." With exaggerated slowness, he holstered his phaser, spread his empty hands out at waist level and took two cautious steps forward. "We come in peace," he said. "On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, my people greet your people."
Uhura could tell the universal translator was doing its job. The Sivaoans' ears pricked forward to listen. Half a dozen children of varying ages drew close to adults for security, but they did not take their eyes off Captain Kirk.
"I am Captain Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a Federation starship currently orbiting your world. These are members of my crew." He introduced each in turn and each stepped forward slowly and calmly, to the same unblinking scrutiny. Spock, for once, got no second look. That didn't surprise Uhura- Sunfall would have considered Spock well within the range of human variation.
When he was finished, Kirk stepped back and waited. Save for the continued stares, there was no response. "Suggestions, Spock?" he said, at last, sotto voce.
"Perhaps Lieutenant Uhura might be of some assistance."
"Yes. Lieutenant?"
"I'll try, sir."
"Lieutenant," said Spock, "may I suggest you try the oldest form of the language you know well?"
Uhura was puzzled. "That would be like speaking Latin, Mr. Spock."
"Indeed," he said, "and another scholar might well be able to converse with you, despite the fact that neither of you knew the other's contemporary tongue. In two thousand years, this people's language has surely diverged from a common root."
"I see," she said.
However much she might remind herself that these were Sivaoans and should not be judged on Eeiauoan terms, she had little else to go on. So, as she stepped forward, she focused on the one that seemed to her most friendly- a Sivaoan that, in all but coloring and youth, might have been Sunfall's twin sister.
The Sivaoan's tail and legs were longer than average. Her fur was short; a beautiful silver gray on her back, ears, and tail; a striking white down her chest and belly. Her face bore a triangle of white reaching from between the eyes, over the nose, and down across the lower half of the cheeks and muzzle, giving her the appearance of wearing a silver gray mask over her copper eyes.
As Uhura advanced toward her, the two youngest children started to back away. Uhura stopped. Very slowly, she knelt...and the two little ones stopped backing and instantly regained their curiosity.
Scholarly language wouldn't mean much to someone that young, but she knew something they might understand. She rather hoped the captain would understand as well; she couldn't leave children frightened by their first sight of humans and Vulcans. She began to sing an old, old lullaby she'd learned from Sunfall.
If they did not understand the words of the song, the Sivaoans clearly understood her intention. All around her, eyes widened, whiskers and ears quivered.
Uhura let the last note of her song trail away and bowed her head slightly to each of the little ones, then slowly she rose. This time, the two children did not move away.
Once more, Uhura turned her attention to the masked Sivaoan. She stretched out her arms, her hands just slightly above shoulder height, one hand extended an inch or two beyond the other, and curved her fingers as if displaying claws; then, without lowering her arms, she relaxed her hands, as if drawing in those same claws. It was a formal greeting described in ballad after ballad.
The Sivaoan, after a moment's consideration, returned the gesture. Uhura saw the gleam of real claws displayed then withdrawn into silky gray fingers.
Drawing her words from the same old ballads, Uhura asked, "Can you understand me if I speak this tongue?"
The Sivaoan's ears flicked back in surprise. "Yes," she said, "your accent is a bit odd but I understand you." She turned briefly and seemed to receive agreement from several others- at least, thought Uhura, that would be agreement from a Eeiauoan. "Most of us are able to understand you - do you understand me?"
Uhura nodded. "With some difficulty," she admitted. "If you would speak more slowly, I think it would be easier; and I would be pleased if you would correct any errors I might make."
"If you wish it," she said. The delight in her eyes warred with the formality of the Old Tongue words and for a brief moment she reminded Uhura so much of Sunfall that, quite without meaning to, Uhura asked, "Are you of Ennien?"
"To-Ennien. Forgive me, you may call me Jinx to-Ennien. You are called StarFreedom to-Enterprise? Is that correct?"
This took a moment's interpretation on Uhura's part. The universal translator must have rendered "Nyota Uhura" as "StarFreedom" and Jinx added "to-Enterprise" to conform to local custom. "To-Ennien" was obviously a language correction; Captain Kirk had been right to question the different versions of CloudShape's name.