Fic: Observations, Ch 211
“Lt. Pham, what is the diagnosis?”
“It’s not his leg, sir, like they thought. The leg’s broken and that’s easily fixed, but my tricorder readings say that Parmen has some kind of mental disorder. It’s been growing, making him delirious.”
“Delirium, delirium,
Ah! that fair empyrean!”
“Sir, with these psychokinetic powers he’s got, I really think that the Enterprise could be in danger.”
“You believe their powers are able to reach that distance?”
“Not normally, sir, but the delirium is somehow increasing his abilities.”
“Just what we need,
Parmen’s madness to light speed.”
“Is there any way to remedy the mental deterioration?”
“Not that I know of, sir, but I’m not an expert. I put in an inquiry with Dr. McCoy, sent over the tricorder readings. He said he’d look it up and report to you as soon as he knew.”
“Understood.”
“I think it’d be helpful to take reading of the other Platonians. It might shed light on his illness and tell us how they developed their powers in the first place,” Nyota suggested.
“Lt. Pham, Ensign von Otter, and Ensign Shahzad, gather data on the Platonians. Ensign Rashbaum and Lt. Kristof-Nutukwa, gather environmental data for this planet. The fact that they developed telekinesis here, rather than on their home planet, suggests that they evolved the ability due to some unique factor here.”
“Understood.”
“Be careful, all of you. If they ask questions, tell them it’s for the physician,” Nyota said.
“Not all thirty-eight are lovers of Parmen.
If they hear that, they might try to harm them.”
“Then do you have a suggestion, Odysseus?”
“Tell any who ask it’s part of a ritual
an ancient cult prayer-for your people habitual.”
“Got that?”
They nodded.
“Keep communicators open, report anything that feels off. Follow the SOP for check-in, send the data to the Enterprise.”
“Dismissed.”
--
“Kirk to Spock.”
“Spock here, captain.”
“What the hell is going on down there? My ship’s in the middle of a storm. Scotty says-”
“It’s nothing like we’ve ever seen. No discernible cause with ten scale turbulence-”
“Scotty, did you put emergency gyros and stabilizers-”
“Everything’s at maximum, Nyota. I’ve got nothing.”
“We’re not going to last much longer if this keeps up, Spock.”
“Captain, I advise you warp out of orbit.”
“We can’t. We’re locked in. Something’s keeping us in place.”
“There’s nothing we can do, captain. Spock and I already sedated him, but he’s still exerting incredible telekinetic pull on random objects-”
“McCoy here-lieutenant which hypo did you use?”
“The rivotril.”
“Try two shots of terocordin. That ought to work better with their body chemistry, if this info y’all’ve been sending me up is right. Hell, I might as well beam down-”
Nyota immediately set about sedating Parmen.
“No.”
“And why the hell not, Spock?”
“We have been informed that the Platonians are planning on executing us once we cure their king-”
“What?”
“No further personnel will be beamed down to the planet surface.”
“Fucking forget beaming down, I’m beaming you guys up-Scotty get to the transporter room-”
“Already gone!”
“Jim, it is necessary to free the Enterprise first of Parmen’s telekinetic hold.”
“Look, I know that hold’s powerful but I’m pretty sure if we make a subspace bubble big enough, we can break it.”
“Transporter room to bridge-”
“Don’t tell me. I already know.”
“I can’t get a lock on them, sir. That shielding they’ve got is powerful. It’ll have to be disabled first before we can do anything.”
“This is why I never liked transporters, damnit!”
“Tell us something we didn’t know, Bones. Can someone tell me why we’re able to communicate through the shields but can’t transport?”
Before anyone could answer-
“Don’t tell me. I don’t actually want a lecture.”
“Captain, you should have control of the ship again. The sedative worked, as far as I can tell. Tricorder’s showing reduced telekinetic activity.”
“How are you guys down there?”
“It’s a mess, but everyone’s accounted for.”
“Captain, I recommend that the Enterprise warp out of orbit while you have the opportunity.”
A pause.
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Jim-”
“Get the shields down and when you’re on the ship, then we’ll talk about warping out. Got it?”
“Understood, captain.”
--
“Thank you. You have healed my husband-how can I ever thank you?”
“Lower your shields so that the Enterprise may beam us up. Our work here is complete.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible,” Parmen spoke. “You see, after my near fatality, it has become obvious to us all that we cannot afford to be without a skilled physician. Therefore we should like you to stay. My wife tells me you are all physicians.”
“We may leave you with medical knowledge, but to remain is impossible.”
“You sound very uncompromising, Commander Spock.”
“That is because this is a matter on which there can be no compromise.”
“You must stay,” Philana smiled. “You’ll want for nothing. Alexander can attend to all your needs, and we have a perfect society here. What more can you want?”
“Our only desire is to return to the Enterprise. You may keep your paradise.”
“We insist that you stay,” Parmen spoke. “I am philosopher-king, and it would be negligence on my part as a ruler to let you go. Think of the well being of my people.”
“As I stated before, we may leave you with medical knowledge, but our duties lie elsewhere.”
And it was as though my body was being pushed and pulled by some external force. Unlike the Denevan Cellulites, which exerted control from within, I was fighting against a capricious grasp from without. I immediately applied the strictest mental discipline on myself, legs almost shaking with the effort to remain in place.
Nyota was less successful. She struggled, movements strained and twisted. I managed to grab hold of her but it was a disaster. In the process of trying to stay together while they pulled us apart, my control over my own body slipped and we fell to the ground. Nyota grit her teeth, clenched her hands into fists, inhaling and exhaling deeply.
On the ground, I could feel their telekinesis wisping over my limbs, trying to bend my limbs. Instead, I attempted to stand, fighting what felt like an atmospheric pressure of Venus-nine thousand kilopascals.
“Isn’t it interesting how they do not speak? They only try to stand.”
“A futile gesture. They’ll learn soon enough, Parmen.”
“Words do no good if you are deaf,” Nyota replied, struggling from the ground.
The remainder of the away team were dragged in by telekinesis.
A plan.
A plan formed in my mind and I pretended to collapse under the weight of their telekinesis. Parmen and Philana laughed.
In falling, I came skin to skin with Nyota.
Create a diversion.
How long do you need?
As long as is possible.
She nodded.
I lay on the floor, gathering mental discipline, calculating every movement I would make.
“You call yourselves Platonians?” she taunted. “Odysseus was right. You’re not Plato’s children. You’re Plato’s bastards.”
“Ah-they talk now,” Parmen looked down at Nyota. “This place is a perfect order of peace and harmony. Nothing escapes the fair justice of my rule.”
I shifted my body ever so slightly, slowly moving towards the others who were clustered together, fighting against the telekinesis.
“You’ve never even read the Republic. Justice? This is justice? This is Thrasymachus wearing Plato’s mask.”
“You don’t understand my husband’s power. Perfect justice can only come from the perfect republic, the balance of the tripartite soul reflected in society. We have thirty nine citizens, achieving the mystical balance of three and thirteen.”
A little closer.
“Numerology is Pythagoras. And are you counting Odysseus?”
“Who’s Odysseus?”
“The one you call Alexander.”
“Of course we count him.”
“As three-fifths of a body without a vote. That’s how all slaves are counted.”
“I grow tired of your moralizing.”
I swung out my leg and Pham, von Otter, Shahzad, Rashbaum and Kristof-Nutukwa fell to the floor. The ensigns I immediately took out with a death grip, while to the two lieutenants I delivered a flood of information straight into their minds before I applied the death grip as well.
All of this done within a span of seven seconds before the Platonians exerted their powers on my body once more.
“What did you do?” Parmen roared.
The five bodies were still on the floor.
“You’ve killed them!”
“It’s our tradition. The officers kill their subordinates rather than give up their property to others,” Nyota answered. “You don’t need seven physicians in any case.”
“You needn’t be quite so upset
since you were already planning on killing five
having the two forever in debt
for choosing them and being alive.
I suppose you’re angry for losing sport
things have been so boring at court.”
“Alexander, if you say one more word-”
I rose to my feet again, struggling. And stared straight at them.
“Allow us, Philana, one last tradition,
to bury our dead we ask your permission.
Our funeral rites are specific and vaunted,
if these dead are not cared for, your house will be haunted.
They’ll return here forever, searching for Parmen-
ghost, shades, and shadows, seeking to harm him.
Allow us this one last diversion
and we will return in complete conversion
to your justice and Platonian ways
happily content to spend the rest of our days
attending to you and the others as servants
in our attentions we’ll be most observant.”
It is easier to lie while rhyming. Fascinating.
“Very well,” Parmen released his hold on both myself and Nyota.
He is powerful, but he is a fool.
“Alexander, go with them. Help them however they need.”
Philana’s eyes narrowed. She evidently did not believe me to be sincere. Her authority, however, does not truly matter.
If everything was executed according to plan, then we would be able to disable the shields and beam back to the Enterprise.
“Let us go with them husband and see their funeral traditions. It must be diverting.”
“What a splendid idea.”
--
It is only coincidence that the only acceptable location that we might lay the dead out in open air to be eaten by the carrion-birds is two kilometers from the shield generators.
It is part of our tradition that I constantly make contact with the faces of the dead to communicate to them logistics and instructions for disabling shields.
Philana was not convinced.
Nyota made up some elaborate story concerning how natural and logical it was that the Platonians chose to build their shield station near the place where the most mystical aura emanated. Apparently, this place is an ancient portal where the dead will cross over the river Styx and hand the ferryman a phaser and communicator as payment. All in absolute accordance with our most venerated traditions.
And of course, by the mystical power of Persephone, there will be no trace of the dead if we or the Platonians should ever return to this place. The bodies will be carried away by the carrion-birds, which are actually terrible daimons that will consume us alive if we even look on their bodies. Thus, for the safety of the Platonians, we must leave the site before the daimons arrive and the crewmembers wake up to carry out their duties.
Nyota improvised several laments and prayers to sing over the bodies, complete with a dance.
The Platonians were enthralled by her performance, as was I, for completely different reasons.
Jim could not have done better.
--
“You said you were the Enterprise
with nothing that you couldn’t face
but all I see with my two eyes
is bending and obeisance.
You’ve been reduced to my low state
and suddenly you can’t desecrate
Parmen and Philana’s power
you’ve shown your face to me this hour.
The both of you are only fakes!
I can’t believe I put all faith
in promises, such empty words
slurred and blurred and so absurd.”
“Odysseus-”
“No! You’re just like them!
Without your ship, the force on which you two rely,
without your whip and heavy chains, you’d never think to try to fly.
You power is not confidence, but emptiness and tawdry lies.”
Nyota’s eyes burned.
“Before you speak, before you judge,
know what you say and what we’ve done.
You think us cowards for our bowing
when obeisance masks subversion.
You speak in rhymes and know your riddles
yet cannot riddle in pantomime,
I thought a fool could see through twiddles
but you’re as dumb as you are blind.
Dumb because you cannot speak-
you say you choose to talk like this?
The truth is that you cannot say
anything without rhyming it.
Blind because you can’t discern
Subtlety in our careful act
we watch, we see, and we observe
everything and keep our lips intact.”
Silence.
The only sound the deep inhales and exhales of Nyota, anger still burning in her eyes. She stared at Odysseus until he turned away.
“Nyota,” I put my hand on her shoulder. “Ndugu. That was unkind.”
She curled into me and I wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m sorry.”
I drew her in closer.
“I’m sorry.”
She leaned into me and I supported her. Exhaustion, tension ran through her body.
I held her.
“Spock, I’m so tired. And I love Scotty but sometimes it’s-he wakes up screaming and he sounds like-he sounds like-”
“Ndugu, I’m here. Mla cha uchungu na tamu hakosi.”
Those who eat bitter things taste sweetness also.
She shook her head.
“Chovya chovya humaliza buyu ya asali.”
Taste by taste empties the honey jar.
“Kinyozi hajinyoi na akijinyoa hujikata. You can always come to me.”
“But Jim-”
“Is already recovering. And you are ndugu.”
“This mission-”
“We will get through it. We always have.”
“Kutaataa siyo dawa ya kufa.”
“On the contrary, that is always how Jim has seen us through. I have had to reevaluate the merits of ‘acting busy and concerned’. It is very effective.”
She laughed.
Odysseus approached us.
“Perhaps it’s true I spoke in haste, and for that I apologize.
It’s just that I wanted to see rage, defiance in your eyes.
But you are right.
I’ve spoken in riddles for so long, I can no longer recognize
what is freedom, what is power, what is the truth and what’s disguised.”
Nyota stepped from my arms and knelt so that she was eye level with Odysseus.
“It’s only right you want to see us standing boldly in the light.
In this circumstance and reality we can’t afford to play the knight.
They have all advantages in force. So we must use some other sleight
of hand and mind; we planned in morse code to take our final flight.
I’ve learned from my captain and my friend that victory comes by many means
what’s most important is to stay alive and keep together as a team.”
She held out her hand. He smiled and took it.
“I believe you. You’re quite adept at speaking lines-the rhymes of songs unsung.”
“Thank you. My captain’s said I’ve a talent of tongue.”
--
Nyota and I have been given the dubious honor of the office of court musicians. I am playing their kithara, accompanying Nyota’s singing.
“Absurdity, absurdity, a life of mediocrity
A traveling troupe to bring the show
Into the lives of those who grow
Bored and languish day by day,
Thinking anguish mere child’s play.
I’ll show you all your own condition,
Speak riddles of my own volition.
For madness is a catching game,
And those who rhyme might be insane,
But fools speak truths-this is a trope.
Fools know no rules-and here’s the soap
To cleanse us of delight and folly,
To rend us of the impure and jolly.
So do you see? The monster of reality
Will turn all truths to banality
And you’ll be left with monstrosity-your image in the light.”
The slight whim of a transporter. Nyota and I felt the pull, but the transporter failed to get hold of us. We looked at each other under the pretense of giving musical cues.
She started once more, a vicious edge in her song, the tempo faster.
“And only fools can know the secret
For we hug the darkness, dance with egrets
That mask the masks that you are wearing
To cover fearful void and fear of daring.
They say that life is just a show
You leave them laughing blow for blow
Then let’s proceed with this production
The world a stage and us the function
Of particles, atomic dope
I’ll leave you laughing without hope
And if you think this dance macabre,
Just wait and watch the gruesome barber
Shave and soap and cut to clobber
You to incoherent slobber
Does this makes sense? But does it matter
When I the fool restore your swagger
To entertain you to the hilt
To draw out pain inducing guilt
The guilt of pleasure and of shame
To see reflected in your name
The truth of your grotesque existence-”
Another failed attempt of the transporter, but the pull was more powerful. Nyota caught Odysseus’ eye and communicated to him to come closer to us.
“That you’re the fool, and I’m consistent.
Consistent in abnormalcy,
Insistent in contradictory
Pretentious without pretending true
Licentious without offending you.
So do you see? The monster of my reality
Turns your life to banality
And you’re left with absurdity-the power of my words.
For only I can know the secret
In my monstrous world, you’re the egret
With feathers clipped to decorate
The mask dipped in fornicate.
I am the master of this realm
I am the mystic at the helm-”
Transporter at full strength-
“And you are helpless, watch the show
The traveling troupe-”
Nyota grabbed Alexander.
It’s time to go.”
--
There was something of a welcoming party that met us in the transporter room. Leonard immediately waved his tricorder over me, then Nyota, then Odysseus. She set Odysseus down on the transporter pad.
“Sulu, warp us out of here. Spock, what the hell are you wearing?” Jim demanded.
Scotty seemed extremely perplexed.
“Nyota darling? Have we adopted someone?”
She laughed.
“In a sense. Everyone, this is Odysseus.”
Odysseus looked on at the ship and those gathered in the transporter room in wonder.
Jim immediately saw the expression on his face. There was a flash of recognition in Jim’s eyes and-
“Lieutenant, stay there. Everyone else line up. Get in formation.”
The crew did so without question.
“Attention!”
We stood in perfect military posture.
“Odysseus, I’m Captain Kirk. Welcome to the Enterprise.”