A JOB FOR THE YOUNG

    'Spock!'  The name was shouted,  though not a sound was made.
Kirk would not give his Romulan captors the satisfaction.  In his
head,  however,  he cried out in pain.   'I must keep control.  I
must not show weakness.   They exploit weakness.   When I get out
of  this,  someone  is going to pay...' The seeker  was  starting
again.   Every  few minutes it would pause as if to recharge  its
batteries and then begin again.  The seeker was a small star like
object  that  moved about by anti  gravity.   Meant  for  fencing
instruction,  it  would dart about occasionally diving in to give
the opponent a harmless,  but painful electric shock on  contact.
This  seeker was no different except that it was free to take pot
shots  at Kirks naked form.   Kirk was bound from the ceiling  by
the wrists.  His toes barely touching the floor.  Unclothed, Kirk
felt the full fury of an active seeker with no sword for  defense
and  no  clothing to soften the shocks.   It came in for  another
shot.   'One.   Two.   Three.   Four...' The seeker snapped, this
time in the small of Kirks back.   'Five.   Six.   Seven...' Kirk
continued to count off, relying on the simple mathematics to save
his sanity.   The pain was not intolerable.  In fact it was quite
safe.   Its  unpredictability  and the anticipation of  the  next
sting  was wearing on him considerably.   The seeker went into  a
flurry of quick strikes.   'Ten.   Eleven...The pain.  Spock, how
do  you  control  the pain?   Spock!' Some  dim  portion  of  his
awareness felt the bond.   Knew that Spock was out there, looking
for him.  He also knew that nothing would stop Spock from finding
him.  Kirk wanted to be brave, he knew this was a Romulan trap to
get  Spock.   But  the pain wore away  at  him.   'Twel...Twelve.
Thirteen.   What do they want?  They haven't even questioned me.'
The pain went on for a very long time.  - - -

"Cadet  Preston.   Cadet  Grenni.   Why  are  you  not  attending
classes?"  "Uh,  Cap tain Spock...sir.   Which class sir?"  Peter
Preston  inquired.   "The class you are scheduled to be attending
right now,  Mr.  Preston." "Well sir," Peter answered sheepishly,
"the  com  puter  says we are to be in two classes  at  the  same
time."  "And we didn't want to go to the wrong one  sir."  Grenni
supplied  helpfully.   "So we didn't go to either." Unlike Spock,
neither cadet had years of Vulcan control to hide  behind.   Both
were  very nearly drawing blood from biting down on their tongues
to suppress the grins that were forming.   Spocks stoic look  was
temporarily  gone.   His  eyes rolled back into his head  and  he
visibly  shivered.    'Spock.   Help  me!'  The  lapse  was  only
momentary.   On  anyone  else it would have gone  unnoticed.   On
Spock  it  stood  out  like  an  attack  of  fever.   The  cadets
stiffened,  preparing for a reprisal.  "Then I suggest you, Cadet
Preston, go to one class while Cadet Grenni attends the other.  I
will have the computer checked for the error." "Yes  sir.   Thank
you sir." Both replied as they edged away,  leaving Spock behind.
"Did you see that look we got?  Old 'stoneface' almost cracked on
that one." Grenni said punching the other cadet in the arm.  "Not
so  loud!  Don't you know those pointed ears can hear through the
bulkheads?" - - -

"Well Spock, what am I going to do with you?" Spock had withdrawn
into a sullen silence.  His averted eyes said volumes.  Shame was
in those eyes.   Kirk had seen the look before.   Ten long  years
ago.   'Captain,  lock  me away.   I do not wish to be  seen.   I
cannot  explain further.   No Vulcan could.' "It's the pon  farr,
isn't it Spock?" Kirks only reply was a nod from the Vulcan, eyes
still lowered.   The shame and anguish were evident.  "What do we
do about it,  Spock?  You must tell me." Spock looked up as it to
reply,  but  turned  around after their eyes  made  contact.   He
looked  up and down alternating between the sky and the ground as
if  figuring  an  equation but having no  courage  to  state  it.
Finally  he spoke.   "I regret that noth ing can be  done.   This
outpost is too far from Vulcan.  Even if the Enterprise were here
I could not get home in time." "Then you can be helped.  But how?
Your betrothal to T'Pring was challenged.  Would she...help you?"
"No," Spock whispered,  "she has bonded with Stonn and is free of
me.   There  are  other Vulcans trained to...supply the needs  of
plak  tow without a bondmate." "If it can be done on  Vulcan,  it
can be done here too." Kirk said.   "I'm sure we could make  some
kind  of arrangements.   Every outpost has a few 'working  women'
available  for  a price." "No!" Spock turned about and looked  at
Kirk  for the first time in the conversation.   "I  cannot  allow
that." "I assure you that it can be done with discretion.  I have
had some,  uh, experience in these matters." "My embarrassment is
not the problem here." Spock said emphatically.  "No human female
would  survive  the  experience."  Kirk  could  appreciate  that.
Almost  a decade ago the two were locked in mortal combat over an
icy Vulcan bitch that didn't want either of them.  In the heat of
plak tow,  Spock was fully capable of killing anyone who stood in
the way and in fact thought he had killed his captain.

   "Well  Spock,  what  am  I going to do  with  you?"  With  the
repeated question,  Spock repeated his forlorn expression.   Once
again looking down at his feet he took on a helpless air.   "Hide
me,  Jim.  I do not wish to be seen.  Confine me so I cannot hurt
anyone." "Spock.   Please.  I cannot do that! You need a doctor."
"No!  There  is nothing they can do but poke and prod,  hoping to
satisfy their human curiosity.   I will not allow it!" Spock  was
getting very agitated.  Kirk became concerned.  'Perhaps I should
do  as  he asks.' Kirk thought.   'When he is un conscious I  can
move him.' - - -

"Doctor  McCoy?"

"Yes Spock?" "I will be leaving the academy for a time.  Will you
look after the cadets in my absence?" "Yes, of course.  Where are
you going?" "To assist Admiral Kirk." Spock stopped briefly.  "He
is  to  bring  the NEW POLYTRONIC computer  components  here  for
programming." "You've been looking for ward to that, haven't you.
You're  probably  one of the few that Star fleet has  capable  of
doing  it."  McCoy's voice trailed off at Spock's  in  attention.
The  Vulcan  did not even seem to be aware of  his  surroundings.
'Spock!  The pain!' "What's the matter, Mr. Spock?  You look pale
even  for a Vulcan." "I assure you I am fine Doctor."  "It's  Jim
isn't it.   You can always tell when he's in trouble.  Ever since
that  hand holding incident after you mind-melded with V'ger I've
wondered about you two.   And now you're going to race across the
universe to rescue him.   Do you want my help?" "Yes Doctor.  You
can  help  me by taking this class of cadets in  hand  during  my
absence." "Somehow I though you'd say that..." - - -

Spock  had  been unconscious for several minutes.   The plak  tow
madness  now  held him hostage.   He had  nearly  strangles  from
thrashing  in  the one-piece gray uniform he was wearing so  Kirk
removed  it.   The  now inert body was hot to  the  touch.   Even
hotter than normal.   Removing the clothing seemed to help.   The
act  awakened him.   "Jim,  thank you.   I wished to die  without
shame and you have allowed it." "Spock, I..." "Please Jim, let me
finish  while I still maintain some control.   You have shown  me
many things,  but the greatest of them was your love and respect.
I  have been,  and always shall be...your friend." Spock's  voice
narrowed to a harsh whisper and then a violent cry of pain.  Kirk
took his hand to comfort him.   The grip was enormous,  but  Kirk
held on.   Only a few months before he had held Spock's hand like
this in the sickbay.   "This.   Simple feeling." It would have to
sustain  him.   Kirk ran his free hand across Spocks forehead  to
smooth a few wry locks of hair there.   Spock shivered.   In this
state  his senses must be very aware.   It was  happening.   Kirk
noted that Spock was beginning to have an erection.   Each double
heartbeat caused the organ to expand a little further.  Spock had
proportions that would put most men to shame,  Kirk included.  He
thought  of  covering  Spock  with a sheet  but  remembering  the
Vulcans  raw nerves decided against it.   It appeared  that  some
part  of Spock still tried to maintain control,  but his body was
rapidly  taking  over.   For a few minutes he would calm  down  -
breathing with an effort,  then he would go into spasms  fighting
against the bonds.  As time went by the spasms became longer than
the calm times.   Kirk now noticed Spocks gonads.  They moved and
churned within the scrotum.  "Fascinating" was the word that came
to Kirks mind.   Kirk knew his own balls moved in their sack like
that  but ever so slowly.   Spocks were turning about like  caged
animals.  This is Spock dammit, not some laboratory animal! He is
going  to die,  and here you are studying him.  Spocks words kept
ringing:  "You  must  en deavor to accept that which  you  cannot
change."  But Spock was dying.   Something must  be  done.   Kirk
thought  about his fas cination with Spocks balls.   It was  more
than  simple curiosity.   He had had men,  but the idea of having
sex  with  Spock never oc curred to him before.   It is  best  to
avoid such relationships be tween good friends,  lest it sour and
become bitter.   And Spocks Vulcan reserve would never allow  it.
The idea intrigued Kirk more.  "No human female would survive the
experience." But what about me, a man.  And what about Spock.  If
we  both survive,  would he still "respect" me or would shame and
anguish  overcome  him.   Kirk did not wish to think  about  such
matters.   His friend was dying, and he was going to do something
about it.   If Spock rejected him afterward, at least he would be
alive  to do it.   The human now reached for the  Vulcan  lightly
massaging as if to brush away the pain.  The touch affected Spock
like  fire.   He strained against the bonds,  a low guttural moan
ensuing.   Kirk began with the arms working toward the shoulders.
His own tem perature rising.   Feverishly he began exploring more
of Spocks body surveying it all.   Kirk could not believe his own
actions.   He had never gone after a man with such pitch  before.
Then  he began to notice when Spock moaned,  he did  too.   Spock
must  be  emanating powerful emotions which he was picking up  by
the  physical  contact.   The bond!  Spock needed  to  bond  with
someone.   Throwing  away his clothes,  Kirk bent over the Vulcan
and held his face in his hands.   'Spock! Reach our for me!' Only
waves of lust and desire surged through him.   He bent lower  and
kissed Spock letting the desire flood through them both.   Now he
was falling.   At least it felt like falling.   Kirk was aware of
himself  and Spock in the room and they were falling.   The  room
must be falling.   But it couldn't.   'I must be entering Spock's
mind.'  Kirk thought.   But it was never like this in a mind-link
before.

The  initial  feeling of vertigo passed.   What was  left  was  a
constant  stream  of emotions and equations seemingly at  random.
Spock had no control left.   Always before in a mind-link  Spocks
well ordered mind took over.   This time Kirk was the only stable
influence.   Perhaps  after the physical needs are taken care  of
the  mind  will clear itself.   Kirk climbed into the  bed  where
Spock was restrained.  There was little room except for the space
between  the Vulcans legs.   Kirk began the gentle rubbing  again
down  Spocks chest through the forest of hair there to his penis.
The  feeling was strange for he experienced both the  giving  and
the receiving.   Lightly, very lightly the stroked the cock.  The
touch  burned like fire.   The fire fueled the  desire.   Rubbing
faster now he kissed it begin ning at the base near the balls and
working his way up.   At the top his tongue darted out and tasted
it.   He licked the head with broad strokes finally concentrating
on  the  little  patch  of  flesh just  below  the  head  on  the
underside.  All of this he could feel through Spock as if it were
happening to him as well.

Spocks  thoughts did not intrude as if the waves of emotion  were
all  that  made him up.   The desire was doing its  thing.   Kirk
wanted him more than anything in the universe.  He began suck ing
on the cock; first just the head, then more.  Up and down he went
taking  in  as much as he could.   He made a fist with  his  hand
holding  the  base  and pumping in time with the  rhythm  of  his
mouth.   Both men were in the fever now,  Kirk going down,  Spock
straining  up  to  meet him.   The cock went in and  out  like  a
piston,  faster and faster.   Then orgasm.   Both men crying out.
Kirk choking on the sperm.   The release was incredible.  The tin
gling  seemed to go on forever.   Kirk had never experienced  any
thing  like it before.   Trying to relax into a more  comfortable
position  he saw that he had also come.   He drifted off  into  a
light sleep.  - - -

"I'm sorry Captain Spock,  all we know is that they took off in a
private  freighter  and  headed toward uncharted space."  It  was
Commander  Kyle.   He  was  once the  transporter  chief  on  the
Enterprise  before  his  commission.   Chief Rand now  held  that
position.  Kyle was assigned the deli cate task of assembling the
components of the Polytronics com puter by transporter.   He  was
the  last  man  to see Admiral Kirk,  forced by  threats  of  the
Admiral's  death  if he did not beam them aboard  the  freighter.
"Were  they followed?" Spock asked.   "A scout ship was sent out,
but they were fired upon and damaged.   We sent probes to  follow
and  they  were  fired upon as well.   One did go  unnoticed  and
followed them to the range of it's telemetry.   The ship did  not
deviate  from  it's  course even after it left the range  of  our
scanners." "Has the course been plotted?" "Yes sir, and there are
no known systems in it's path.   Although that sector is  largely
unexplored.  It's possible there might be one." - -

->  'Jim,  you have shamed me.' "What?" Kirk exclaimed.   "Spock,
did  you  say  something?" "You bonded  yourself  to  me."  Spock
replied.   "I  feel compelled to take you like an animal.   It is
so...distasteful."  Kirk heard the words ring inside his head  as
they were spoken.  But the thoughts were infinitely more com plex
in their meaning than any spoken words could convey.   It was the
bond-link.< 'Can you hear my thoughts?'> 'Yes Jim,  bonded as  we
are  now,  within physical proximity,  and without barriers,  our
minds are one.'< 'This is delightful.   How long will it  last?'>
'Forever,  unless  one  of  us bonds with  another.   The  direct
sharing will probably stop when the pon farr time is over.'< 'You
mean  there is more?'> 'Yes.   It will continue  for  days.   The
coupling  will  become more intense each time until it peaks  and
then  recedes again.'< 'But you are thinking so clearly  now.   I
thought  it was over.'> 'This time is called the  cren  tow:  The
time of reflection.  It makes the plak tow even harder to bear.'<
'I  don't  know  Spock.   That plak tow didn't seem  so  bad.   I
enjoyed  it.'>  'Spoken like a true  human,  Jim.'<  'Why  Mister
Spock,  you  do  have a sense of humor!' Kirk played with  Spocks
chest hair affectionately.  It brought forth a flutter in each of
them.> 'Jim,  you bring on plak tow with these  actions.   Please
help  me.   Stop!'< 'I'll help you alright!' Kirk pulled  himself
across  Spock,  gently supporting himself with knees and  elbows.
He  kissed the Vulcan passionately tasting the lips and  savoring
it.   He  opened his mouth and darted his tongue  lovingly.   The
other  followed suit locked in passion.   They both had erections
and  began  rubbing  against each  other.   The  sensations  were
seductive and fevered.  Faster and faster they went, their bodies
threatening to melt together.  The pace became frantic until that
glorious  moment of ecstasy overcame them.   Both cocks  squirted
their juice and landed in little puddles on Spocks  chest.   Kirk
relaxed  and  laid  heavily on that chest and  they  both  sighed
contentedly.  - - -

The stolen freighter was no match for the Vulcan shuttle with its
warp-drive  sled.   Spock had followed in the same direction  the
freighter  left  in  and found that they still  had  not  altered
course.  This could only mean that they intended to be found.  Of
course a starship had been summoned,  but the nearest ship  would
not  be  here for days.   Spock did not wait.   Taking  an  ample
supply  of food and medical supplies he went after the  freighter
in the shuttle.  Obviously the larger scanners of the stolen ship
had located the shuttle long before its smaller sensors could.  A
very  strong tractor beam used for moving cargo had taken hold of
the  shuttle  and  began to draw it in.   Just  as  the  shuttles
scanners  had  identified the freighter to be  the  F.S.  Marten,
Spock ejected a recorder bouy.  Hopefully the bouy was not caught
in the same tractor beam.   Throughout the towing,  the  Romulans
maintained  communications  silence.   They made no at tempts  to
hail  the  shuttle,  nor  did they answer any  of  Spocks  calls.
Whatever their plans were they would reveal them in good time.  -
- -

< 'Spock,  are you awake?' Kirk stirred, stretching sore muscles.
He  began  to realize that much of the pain was not  in  his  own
body,  but Spocks.  The Vulcan had lain strapped to the bed for a
full day now.  Kirk rubbed Spocks arms to smooth out the strain.>
'Yes Jim, I am awake.  Please stop, it feels quite soothing but I
fear  it will bring on the fever too soon.'< 'Are you hungry?   I
am  starved.'> 'You know as a Vulcan,  I can go for days  without
food nor could I keep it down in this condition.   Before the pon
farr began I purged myself.  It is standard practice.'< 'I should
remove your restraints so your circulation can return.'> 'No! The
worst  is not yet over.'< 'Is there anything I can do for  you?'>
'A  little water perhaps.' Very carefully Kirk got up and  poured
some water from a pitcher into a small cup.   Lovingly he  lifted
Spocks  head  and held the cup to his lips.< 'We'll  get  through
this, you'll see.' - - -

The  shuttle  was  brought into an empty cargo  hold  within  the
Marten.   Seeing  no point in resistance,  he began gathering the
medical  supplies.   When everything was in order he  pressurized
the hatch and opened it.   A squad of armed Romulans was  waiting
for  him.   Holding his hands out to show he had no  weapons,  he
raised one in the Vulcan salute.   The leer of the senior officer
indicated  that  he  found the  salute  offensive.   He  motioned
several of the men to board the ship.  Spock began to descend the
ramp.   "Halt!" Yelled the officer.  "You will remain there until
we  have checked for detonation devices.  If your craft is a bomb
you  will  go  up  with  it."  "I  assure  you..."  Spock  began.
"Silence!  I will not listen to a Vulcan coward." The bomb  squad
brought their equipment in and checked the ship thoroughly.  When
they were satisfied they escorted Spock to a storeroom and shoved
him  inside.   "Spock!  You're here!" It was Kirk.   He was lying
naked  on the floor across the room.   He was  shivering.   Spock
held him in his arms,  away from the cold floor.   "It's a  trap.
It has to be,  Spock.  They didn't ask me anything...Just tied me
up and left me with that seeker every four hours.   It's you they
want,  I  know  it.   They  used me to get to you..."  His  voice
trailed  off into exhaustion.   The body went limp and  the  trem
bling stopped. He slept and Spock continued to hold him tenderly.
- - -

Spock  fought the restraints savagely.   He was now in the height
of the madness.   Kirk could feel it too.   Each of Spocks  bouts
came  a  little sooner than the last.   A part of Kirk wanted  to
rest,  a part wanted it to never end.   Through the bond he  felt
Spock's desire to couple.   It was overpowering.  Kirk too wanted
it, needed to know Spock inside of him.  But he hesitated.'Once I
touch him, make physical contact, there will be no stopping.  His
desire will overtake me.  He said no human woman could endure it.
What  about me?' Spocks need called to him.   It hurt like  being
squeezed in a vice.   'It isn't Spock,  is it.  It is me.  I have
never  done  this  before.'  Kirk did not know what  to  do  with
himself.  He was torn.  'Why am I so afraid?  It is just a simple
sex  act.   Spock is tied down,  he can not hurt me.'  Still  the
doubt  persisted.   Spock  began tugging at his  restraints.   He
looked as if someone were torturing him.   Then he stopped.   His
muscles  were taunt,  straining against the straps.   he did  not
breath.   It seemed an eternity had gone by and he still did  not
breath.   "Spock!  Breath  dammit.   Breath!" Kirk pressed on his
chest.   The Vulcan exhaled ,  gasp ing for air.   Kirk  breathed
again himself.   Spock wanted him.   Spock could have him.  Their
minds were one, the physical act would complete it.  Kirk climbed
into  the  bed once again.   He sat above the  Vulcan,  knees  on
either side of Spocks ribs.   He smoothed Spocks hair gently with
his  hands,  running his fingers around those unique ears.   Once
again they kissed.   Kirk ap plied a generous amount of lubricant
to Spocks organ.  Both men gasped at the action.  He did the same
to his own cock.   Sliding forward,  he positioned himself  above
the  Vulcan and held Spocks erection to his anus.   Slowly he sat
back allowing it to enter.   The pain of the stretching hurt  too
much  and he sat up again.   Absently Kirk stroked his own  tool,
wondering what to do now.  The pain had subsided, replaced by the
sensations of his hands.  He decided to try again.  Once again he
went  down,  this time rub bing his cock as he did.   He was much
more relaxed this time.   The pain returned,  but he just stopped
for a moment ,  stroked himself and continued on.   Kirk began to
work  at  it  earnestly now.   The feeling  was  nice,  even  for
himself.   And he could feel through Spock as well.   There was a
sharing here.   The oral sex was nice in it's own way,  but  this
was  more intimate.   Kirk could feel that Spock was well on  his
way  to  climax.   it seemed that each time one would  come,  the
other  would too.   Both men were now experiencing  the  urgency.
They  began to pump furiously now.   Kirk from above,  Spock from
below.   Kirks prostrate was really taking a pounding, it sparked
his desire even further.   The furious coupling reached it's peak
and  both  men experienced the exquisite joy  of  their  merging.
Loudly they both moaned of the pleasure,  locked in both mind and
body they reveled in it.  Kirk relaxed and once again lay heavily
on Spock, this time with the Vulcan within him.  - - -

"Commander." Spock said.   "I am honored to meet you once again."
He stood before her,  knowing her name but not speaking it.  This
time he knew it was more than destiny that brought them together.
"It would appear that you,  Mr. Spock, are to be honored as well.
For  you  know my name and it's implications yet neither you  nor
your  Federation  have exploited it." "Such matters  are  not  of
military concern." Spock replied, glancing at the guard.  "Having
your  cloaking  device stolen was embarrassment enough for  you."
"You  will leave now," she said to the guard,  "Mr.  Spock is  an
honorable man.   I will be safe." In Romulan fashion,  the  guard
backed  out  the door into the corridor.   "I was wary of you  at
first,  Spock, because I believed you would use my secret against
me.  But nothing has come of it." "Logic would dic tate that your
safe  return  to your Empire would be better for  galactic  peace
than  any  military  gain of revealing  your  true  identity.   I
suspected  that you had lied.   But obviously you would not  have
returned  to  the  Empire alive if you  were  not  genuinely  the
Praetor's daughter." "This is true,  Spock." She motioned for him
to sit.   "But you are probably wondering why I invited you here.
Logically  you  should have left Kirkto his own fate." "My  logic
often fails me where my friend is concerned.   I assume you  wish
me  to  program  the  Polytronic  com  puter  you  have  stolen."
"Correct.   I  think  the computer will be a fair trade  for  our
cloaking device.   Plus I get you and James Kirk in the bargain."
"I will do nothing for you until you release him." "Wrong, Spock.
I will not release him un til you program the computer." - - -

Kirk  woke up stiff and sore.   Not all the pain was his on,  his
arms and legs hurt where Spock was tied to the bed.   It had been
several  days since the pon farr had began and both men  knew  it
was  subsiding.   Through  the  bond  Kirk knew  that  Spock  was
regaining  control  even during plak tow.   Judging Spock  to  be
safe,  he  removed  the restraints and massaged the  sore  areas.
Spock  moaned softly in his sleep and curled up on his  side  for
the  first time in days.   Kirk laid down beside him and held him
in his arms stroking the hair on his chest.   Spock rolled  over,
opening  his eyes and coming awake.   As he came to consciousness
Kirk could feel his mind awakening through the bond.>  'Jim,  you
have removed the restraints.'< 'Yes,  Spock.   I have.'> 'The pon
farr is not yet over.'< 'I know.  But the worst seems to be past,
and  I can trust you.'> 'That is comforting.   I wish  to...thank
you  for...helping  me  through  this time.   It  has  been  most
disquieting.'<  'I agree that it has not been a real bed or  rose
petals,  but I am glad to have helped you.  You are special to me
Spock and I could not see you die.'> 'You are filled with anguish
and  worry,  Jim.   You  need not be.   What is done  is  done.'<
'Mastery of the Unavoidable?'> 'Precisely.   And be tween two who
are t'hy'la there is no shame.' The concept of t'hy'la rang  like
a bell.   It meant brother and friend,  but in this form it meant
lover.   Kirk  swooned and Spock fell with him into it.< 'I  love
you Spock.  I may not be in love WITH you, but I do love what you
are.' Thinking in Standard could not begin to relay the concept.>

 'I accept it, Jim.  As a Vulcan I should not understand it but I
do.   I cannot return love physically beyond the pon farr.  But I
will  always be your friend.' The two men embraced each other for
the first time.  Holding on to each other tightly as only two men
could do.  They made passionate love to each other, wishing it to
never end.  - - -

"Tell me,  Mr.   Spock,  how did you get the Romulan commander to
let  you and Jim go?" McCoy asked.   The recorder bouy I  ejected
before  my capture was found by Starfleet and it told  them  what
course  the  freighter had changed to.   When the  Romulans  were
confronted  with  such  a  large attack  force  they  had  little
choice." "I'm glad to see you both made it okay.  Why didn't they
go  down  in  a  fight?   I thought that was  the  Romulan  way."
"Because  Bones," Kirk replied,  "I gave them my  assurance  that
they  could  take  the  Polytronic computer home  if  they  would
release  us  and  leave peacefully." "And  you  LET  them?"  "Yes
Doctor."  Spock  answered.   "The  computer is  useless  for  any
practical  applications."  McCoy was  confused.   The  Polytronic
computer  was to the the discovery of the century and his friends
had  just given it to the Romulans.   Now they say its  no  good.
"What  is  wrong with it?" "Well,  Bones." Jim said.   "It's  too
fragile.  Spock can tell you better than me." "Unlike the digital
com puters that have been in use for the last one-hundred  years,
the  Polytronic computer does not use binary arithmetic.   Rather
than  having  two states:  On and off,  it has  unlimited  energy
potentials.  Somewhat like the energy synapses of the brain.  The
components  are designed on the molecular level and are  so  deli
cate that even movement or light particles can destroy them." "In
short," Kirk cut in,  "Their act of stealing it destroyed it.  Of
course  they  won't  know that until they take it back  to  their
scientists." "that poor Romulan lady." McCoy looked at them both.
"Foiled  again  by  this pair."  "Aptly  put,  Doctor.   But  not
precise.   That  Romulan was no lady."  Spock  countered.   McCoy
simply groaned at the pun and excused himself.  The two Starfleet
officers were left to themselves.  "Thank you Mr. Spock." "It was
the  logical  thing to do." The conversa tion  abruptly  stopped,
leaving  an  awkward  silence.   Both men stood behind  walls  of
unspoken words.  But their eyes spoke volumes.  Kirk looked tired
and  worn.

  "Galloping  among  the cosmos is a job  for  the  young.   Come
along, Mr. Spock.  Let's go mind the store."


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