by Uhura's Song
He sat, so hard he jarred his teeth.
Left Ear very slowly sat down again, this time sliding her chair a little further out of reach. Her tail beat the ground with a steady, ominous thump. Her ears were almost flat against her head.
"What you speak of is not religious," she said.
He opened his mouth to exclaim at this, but she said, instantly, "Say nothing more! I warn you! You must not press this! Wait!" She took several deep breaths and her ears slowly began to rise to their normal position.
She said, with effort, "You speak of a shameful thing. If you and your people have met strangers before, you must know that the more shameful a thing, the more difficult it is to speak of to strangers."
He nodded. Better that than speak when she had forbidden it. It was clear that she was trying very hard to keep her temper; if she lost it, he might lose what chance he had at the information.
She went on, "We do not speak of this to our own children. Shall we tell it to the children of strangers?" She shook her head; she did not mean for him to answer that.
He had to speak. "To save lives," he said, "to save lives I would tell my own most shameful secret, Left Ear."
"I do not know. I do not know you. And perhaps I do not have your strength, Captain Kirk." Her yellow eyes bored into his and held them for an age. "I will think," she said, at last. "Leave now and let me think. When my anger is gone- when I can speak to you with my claws sheathed- I shall come to your tent and we shall talk further."
"Thank you, Left Ear." Kirk rose and walked to the tent opening. He knew he would get no further at the moment and, if he left it, he might have some chance later.
"Captain Kirk!" Her voice stopped him, and he turned to face her again. She said, "If I can speak of this, I will. But I make you no promise in the Old Tongue."
He nodded and stepped out into the clearing. At least that's something, he thought. And he had gained some information- even if it was only what Wilson called YNK.
He found himself in the shade of an ancient tree at the edge of the encircling forest and sat down to think. Something you don't tell children...
Something crashed through the upper branches and, still tensed from the encounter with Left Ear, he threw himself to the side. Brightspot scrambled down the tree trunk and leapt the last five feet to land on one knee beside him.
"Did she tell you? Are you all right? Did she cuff you? Shall I get Catchclaw?"
If nothing else, her enthusiastic questioning cheered him. He held up his hands. "Please! One question at a time!"
"Are you all right?"
"Yes," he said. "She never laid a hand on me."
Brightspot looked relieved. "She scared me. I've never seen her angry. She doesn't get angry. Well, she does, but not like that!" Brightspot seemed unable to relax. Her visible distress over Left Ear's behavior gave force to her assessment.
"Was she that angry when you asked her, Brightspot?"
Brightspot shook her head. "No. She flicked her tail a little and, like everybody else, said I should keep my tail out where it's not wanted." That seemed to reassure her. "She wasn't angry at me!"
"No, she was angry at me."
"So she didn't tell you anything."
"I think she tried, Brightspot, but she couldn't. Some things are very hard to talk about."
"Maybe she'll try again, then."
"I hope so."
They sat in silence in the shade of the tree for a long while. Kirk thought back to his childhood. How did he get information adults wouldn't give freely? Of course! "Brightspot, where's the nearest library?"
Brightspot said, "What?"
"Library?" he repeated, but it was painfully clear there was no equivalent word in Sivaoan. He stared at her a moment in sheer disbelief, then began the business of explaining 'library', 'book' and 'reference work'.
"Enough!" begged Brightspot at last. "My ears ache!" and she apparently meant from the strain of constant amazement. In the resulting silence, she rubbed the muscles at the base of each ear. "You mean," she said finally, "you don't remember things?"
"I couldn't possibly remember everything, Brightspot!"
"Do you remember the night we first talked and you explained about the baby questions?"
"Of course. That would be hard to forget."
"Tell me how it happened." That seemed to be formula or ritual. Kirk told her all he could remember of the encounter. Making an effort to be as accurate as possible, he found himself recalling details he ordinarily would not have mentioned.
When he was done, Brightspot said, "But you don't even remember that! This is how it happened." She proceeded to give him her own version. It included every line of dialogue, no matter how unimportant, and descriptions of the eyes of the speakers- whether they were dilated or contracted- and of the position of her tail, claws and ears.
About halfway through, Jim Kirk turned on his tricorder and scanned for the rest of the conversation. Spock had recorded it for the ship's computers. Brightspot had missed nothing in her account.
Brightspot looked at the tiny image on the tricorder screen. "You store your memory in a machine!?" she said.
"It is more accurate than my physical memory, as you yourself noticed. Are all your people able to remember with that kind of accuracy?"
Brightspot thought. "Left Ear said to tell you about exceptions, too. No, not all. Sometimes a very bad fever or blow to the head... that's what happened! When Stiff Tail hit you, you forgot!"
"No, Brightspot, it's not that simple. I have a very good memory for my people. Ask Dr. Wilson or Uhura or Spock. Spock has a better memory than I have, but that's normal for a Vulcan."
She was on her feet and tugging at his arm with her tail. "Come, I must ask Evan!" She hurried him across the clearing where, just beyond Chekov's shelter, they found Spock improvising a table.
Wilson was assisting and, as she and Spock turned to greet them, Jim Kirk saw that she had not disappointed Fetchstorm. She wore the child's blue and silver useful wrapped twice around her waist, rising to cross her breasts on the diagonal, her arms and shoulders bare; the remaining length rippled behind her, emphasizing the bareness of her back. The colors made her blue eyes even bluer, but the eyecatching thing about it, he thought, was how accident prone it looked - then he remembered, and suddenly understood, her remark about surgical glue.
In any event, it certainly did not disappoint him, but Brightspot gave him no time to express his appreciation.
"Evan!" said Brightspot, "Do you remember the conversation we had about baby questions?"
Evan Wilson cocked her head slightly to one side. "Something's in dispute?" she asked. "Mr. Spock could check his tricorder records."
Kirk said, "Brightspot wants to check your memory, Dr. Wilson."
"Oh," she said, as if that explained everything. "Do you want the short form or the whole megillah, Brightspot?"
"Megillah," of course, did not translate, but Brightspot got the gist of the expression.
"Tell me how it happened."
Evan Wilson closed her eyes and, like Alice, began at the beginning.... Her version was considerably more accurate than his own and she included facial expressions and descriptions of Brightspot's tail and ears.
Spock said, "You have a very good memory, Dr. Wilson."
Wilson shook her head sharply. "Only on short term, Mr. Spock."
Brightspot said, "Mr. Spock, will you tell me?"
"If you wish to test the accuracy of my memory, Brightspot, you would do better to choose another incident. Having just now heard Dr. Wilson's version of the events in question, I have been reminded- although I would offer some emendations and corrections to her account."
Brightspot caught her own tail and shook it in one hand. It seemed a gesture of strong impatience. "Tell me about the conversation we just had with Stiff Tail."
"In detail?" Spock asked.
"Tell me how it happened," said Brightspot. Spock took this to mean 'in detail' and did.
Brightspot listened, ears and whiskers quivering with the effort. When Spock had finished, she caught her tail in both hands, wrung it and said urgently, "Wait here. I have to get Stiff Tail." She darted off, leaving Kirk to explain the conversation that had led to this.
"No books!" said Wilson. "No libraries! Elath!- no wonder I couldn't find out anything about medical references!" She sat and jammed her chin disconsolately into her palm. After a moment, she looked up, surprised. "No wonder they hold grudges so well!"
Kirk looked at her inquiringly, and she explained, "If you learn information from a book, you're free to interpret- if you learn it from a person, you'd be more likely to be influenced by the manner of its delivery."
"A very good point," said Spock, thoughtfully. "However, an oral tradition of this magnitude would seem to leave a great deal of scope for the transmission of accumulated inaccuracies."
"You wouldn't say that, Spock, if you'd heard Brightspot's version of our conversation. It did not vary from your tricorder's." Jim Kirk tapped the instrument for emphasis.
"Fascinating," said Spock. He did not continue.
Brightspot returned, with Stiff Tail in tow. She was talking at high speed to the older woman. As they came within range of the universal translator, Kirk realized that Brightspot was telling Stiff Tail his version of their conversation, including their refusal to tell Brightspot their urgent questions and the reasoning behind it.
Brightspot then gestured at Wilson and repeated her version. She finished with a rapid-fire repeat of Spock's version of the conversation with Stiff Tail. Spock's brow lifted higher and higher; he switched on his tricorder.
Stiff Tail pointed to the instrument. "This remembers for you?" she asked.
"Yes," said Spock, "when I wish to retain an accurate account for the ship's records, I record the proceedings in this manner."
"I would like to see," said Stiff Tail. "But first, I must hear with both ears your- mind's- account of our conversation."
"As you wish," said Spock. "I presume you require a verbatim account of the conversation that took place between us in your laboratory." She nodded, and he complied. Once or twice during his account, she gave him an ears-back surprised look, but she did not interrupt. He then played back their conversation as recorded. To Jim Kirk's ear, the difference between the two versions seemed minimal. Finally, Stiff Tail said, "May I ask without insult- a baby question?"
Kirk said, "Go ahead, Stiff Tail."
"Is this inability to remember the result of an injury? I know of no local disease that could afflict the memory so noticeably-"
Spock said, "What you have heard, Stiff Tail, and I am under the assumption that Brightspot has relayed to you both Dr. Wilson's and Captain Kirk's versions of a single incident, is a fairly accurate representation of the range of human and Vulcan memory."
"This is normal? Physiologically normal?"
"For our peoples, yes. Some other peoples, also members of the Federation, do have your people's ability for total recall, but we do not."
"Stiff Tail," Wilson put in, "the memory is there, we just don't access it as well as you do. Mr. Spock could demonstrate. There's a Vulcan technique that enables him to read from another mind a fully accurate replay of a given event. My conversation with Fetchstorm, for example. Mr. Spock was not present, but he could tell you 'how it happened' even if I can't."
Whiskers quivering with interest, Stiff Tail said, "I would appreciate such a demonstration."
"Dr. Wilson," said Spock, "I must advise you that the process is often painful. The human mind gives up its secrets reluctantly."
Wilson frowned slightly and, for the first time since Kirk had met her, she seemed indecisive. At last she said, "I'm willing if you are, Mr. Spock." When Spock nodded, she added to Stiff Tail, "I assume Fetchstorm will be able to verify the accuracy of Mr. Spock's account?"
Stiff Tail said, "Fetchstorm has told me how it happened. I shall be able to verify the accuracy of the account."
After a moment of preparation, Spock looked inquiringly at Wilson, who took a deep breath and nodded her readiness. Spock reached toward her. The tips of his fingers barely brushed her temple, but she gasped with shock at the contact- then she closed her eyes and made no other sound while Spock told Stiff Tail how it happened between Wilson and Fetchstorm....
Spock drew back his hand. With a second deep breath, Wilson opened her eyes and focused with effort on Spock. At last, she said, her voice unsteady, "Thank you for the experience, Mr. Spock." She turned to Stiff Tail. "Was he accurate by your standards?"
"He was!" said Stiff Tail, her ears amazed. Wilson nodded, drew out a medical sensor and began to take readings on Spock. Fully recovered, Kirk thought. Stiff Tail said, "Is this also a part of the process?"
Evan Wilson shook her head. "I'm still finding out about Vulcans, Stiff Tail," she explained. "Mr. Spock, are you aware of any lowering of your body temperature when you do that, particularly in your fingertips?"
"No, doctor, I am not." Spock was clearly intrigued.
"It's like being spattered with a drop of liquid nitrogen, so cold it burns." She rubbed her temple and looked at him in surprise. "I guess I expected to find a blister. When we return to the Enterprise would you be willing to repeat the experiment with a few judiciously applied probes?"
"Indeed, Doctor, I should be most interested myself."
"I am also interested," said Stiff Tail. "When you perform your tests, I would like you to tell me how it happened." Her ears flicked back. "- But you can't!"
Stiff Tail caught her tail and wrung it; her distress was all too apparent.
"That's why we have recorders of all types-so you can see for yourself what happened during an experiment," Kirk told her. "Spock, didn't I see graphs in that laboratory...?"
"Affirmative, Captain," Spock said, "but they are unlabeled. I had intended to ask Brightspot the reason for such unorthodox scientific notation."
"My people have no accuracy for things that must be displayed visually," Stiff Tail explained. "If I asked Brightspot to reproduce a graph from memory it would be- as inaccurate as your memory of our conversation. I keep the graphs here in the event that someone should ask me to tell how it happened that I came to some conclusion or other."
She and Spock considered each other at length. Finally she said, "Yes, I see why you developed machines to store information, but I do not understand how you handled the matter well enough to develop such a high level of technology."
Kirk could not suppress a grin. "That makes us even, Stiff Tail. I don't understand how you developed such a high level of technology without recording devices."
Stiff Tail twisted her tail again. "I am concerned by this, Captain Kirk.... Humans and Vulcans are more alien than I expected from your forms. I dare not make assumptions about you without further information."
Kirk nodded. "Just as we dare not make assumptions about your people, Stiff Tail. My people will tread as lightly as we know how -"
She interrupted with a flick of her tail. "One moment- you use the term differently now. Can a Vulcan be one of your people although he is not human?"
"Mr. Spock is my chief science officer- and he is my friend. In that sense, he is 'my people'."
"Then you do not find him as alien as you find us?"
Jim Kirk had to smile. "I do indeed find Mr. Spock alien. Usually in the most unexpected ways. But that does not make him any less my friend."
"And you, Mr. Spock?"
"If I understand your question, Stiff Tail- yes, I am pleased to count James Kirk my friend."
"Although you find him alien?"
"His ways are often most peculiar, as are those of most humans I have encountered. I must often make an extreme effort to understand them. But Vulcan philosophy encourages such understanding, as we hold a strong belief in 'Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination'."
"'Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination,'" she repeated.
Spock nodded.
"Your alien form of memory frightens me as I have seldom been frightened before. I would send you away- but I have seen Evan Wilson risk something as unknown to her as this is to me and be both interested and grateful for the experience, and Brightspot has told me that you would protect her relationship with me"-she looped her tail possessively about Brightspot's waist and continued- "and I have heard you call each other friend. My people can risk much for the sake of a possible friendship- and for the sake of 'Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations'." She nodded at Spock.
She finished, "We must all tread lightly. I'll tell the others in camp." She walked slowly away. Kirk could see the tip of her tail still quivered from her emotion, but she did not call Brightspot away with her. Brightspot said, "This is exciting!" and Jim Kirk laughed his relief.