The captain came to a snap decision and rose to his feet.
"Mr. Sulu, have the transporter room stand by, and prepare to accompany us. Mr. Spock, you, Ensign Chekov, Yeoman Doris Atkins, and-"
Dr. McCoy had entered toward the end of the conversation. He said, "Ah, Jim...."
The captain looked at him. "Yes, Bones? I had intended you to accompany us, but you seemed so wrapped up in your pursuit of space cafard symptoms that I thought you wouldn't feel you could be spared."
"Yes, Jim," the doctor said testily. "However, I was about to suggest that you limit your group to five persons and take along a specimen container. In view of the, ah, mysterious qualities of this supposedly inhabited planet, perhaps it would be well if Mr. Spock could return to the ship with some local flora and fauna as well as soil and mineral specimens. Analysis might indicate what has happened to the original colonists."
"Your point's well taken, Bones. Mr. Spock?"
"Very good, Captain. I'll arrange for the container."
3. BACK TO THE STONE AGE
Captain James Kirk, entered the transporter room, buckling on the weapons belt from which his phaser pistol hung. The others had already gathered. The transporter officer stood at the freestanding console, a technician next to him. On the circular platform of the transporter chamber itself, a large specimen box already stood on one of the six light panels.
Kirk looked at his second-in-command. "Well, Spock, any opinions on where to touch down?"
"An interesting question, Captain." The Vulcan looked down at his own phaser pistol. "General Order Number One restrains us from using our sophisticated weapons against advanced life forms, though it does not prohibit us from protecting ourselves against carnivora and such. However, it would seem unfortunate if we should materialize in the midst of one of those numerous herds of herbivorous animals-both for them and for ourselves. In scanning tapes of the America of the so-called Old West, I have sometimes pondered the question of whether a regiment of, say, the Civil War period, could have withstood a stampede of a bison- ah, buffalo, I believe they called them-herd numbering perhaps a million head."
"Could we have your opinion, Mr. Spock, without a dissertation on early American history?" the captain said dryly, giving his phaser holster a final adjusting pat.
"It would seem to me, Captain, that we had better set down in a hilly, more barren spot, where we would be less apt to be trampled to death before even our phasers were able to decimate the large animals that seem to graze on Neolithia."
Kirk grunted a laugh. "You're obviously right, Spock." He looked at the transporter officer. "Otherwise there would seem to be little choice."
"Yes, sir." The other peered into his screen and made adjustments.
The captain, Spock, Sulu, the yeoman carrying her portable sensor-computer-recorder slung over her shoulder, and Ensign Chekov mounted to their light panels. Chekov loosened his phaser in its holster, in readiness for a possible quick draw.
Kirk said to the transporter officer, "Very well, mister."
The other snapped a quick command to the technician, who dropped levers and threw the activating switch. A column of light gleamed above each transport panel, and the group faded, became transparent, and disappeared.
They materialized in a small glade with wooded hills to each side, except one which enjoyed a stream of exceedingly clear water.
Ensign Chekov, ever security conscious, kept his hand a few inches from his phaser pistol; his eyes darted about. The others stood in open admiration, surveying the countryside.
Even Spock was able to say, "Actually, most fascinating. I have visited Earth but seldom; however, this would seem almost a duplicate of the planet before the advent of technology."
Sulu, in a hushed voice, asked, "Have you ever been in the national park of Kyoto?"
Captain Kirk said, "Mr. Sulu, I have never even been in Japan, though I appreciate your esthetic reaction. Nevertheless, I suggest we postpone appreciati on of Neolithia's scenic beauties and proceed to our task of discovering why this supposedly colonized planet is-"
He was interrupted by a scream that temporarily froze them all, save possibly Spock, and then broke into a sound that could only be described as a doglike barking.
From a clump of trees across the glen there erupted a savage figure, mounted upon a horse-like quadruped and charging toward them at breakneck speed. The distance was but a few score yards.
Yeoman Doris Atkins, veteran though she was, resorted to an instinct reaching back into the mists of antiquity. She gave a very feminine squeal.
Sulu yelped, "Hey, look out!"
Spock's eyebrows went up.
Ensign Chekov went into a gunman's crouch and his hand blurred into motion.
Captain James Kirk took a quick step forward and threw up Chekov's gun hand so that the bolt burned blue into the sky. Then he pushed his junior officer to one side and to the ground, even as the rider was upon them. He threw himself to the other side, but not quickly enough to prevent the fur-clad rider, his face a mask of unbelievable color, from striking out at him.
The savage screamed, "Coup!" and slashed with what seemed to be a riding crop.
The blow caught the stumbling James Kirk across the cheek, raising an immediate welt. And then the rider was past them and heading for the forest beyond, crouched low over his horse's neck and shouting back his bark-like war cry.
Chekov was up on one knee, his phaser again at the ready, but his eyes, bewildered, were on his commanding officer.
Kirk, his eyes narrow, snapped, "Mr. Chekov, throw your side arm on stun effect and bring that fellow down!"
The savage was almost to the trees, still barking his triumph. Ensign Chekov brought up his phaser pistol and fired immediately when the weapon reached eye level.
"Good shot!" Sulu yelped in approval.
The savage tumbled from his seat to the ground and remained motionless. Spock, Sulu, and Yeoman Atkins headed for him.
Kirk paused long enough, however, to look at Ensign Chekov. He said, "Mister, if I hadn't thrown up your gun hand, you would undoubtedly have killed him. I suggest that upon our return to the Enterprise you review General Order Number One. We have landed upon a planet colonized by mankind, without, I might add, even so much as an invitation from the authorities, whoever they may be. The repercussions, were we to butcher any of the citizens, would reach all the way back to Starfleet Command."
"Yes, sir," Chekov said. "It seemed to me as though the man were attempting to kill us."
"You should have looked closer, mister." Captain Kirk followed the others. "In the first place, you could hardly call the lad a man."
Chekov was taken aback as he stared down at the crumpled figure. Jim Kirk was obviously right. This was no more than a teenage boy, clad in primitive furs, his face painted grotesquely.
Spock's eyebrows were high.
Kirk said, "Comments, Mr. Spock?"
"Most interesting, Captain. The boy is obviously an Earthling. He is made up in war paint in the fashion of primitives. His armament seems to consist of nothing save a short stick. I submit, Captain, that in the early Indian days, it was considered a greater honor on the part of a warrior to strike an enemy with a stick and 'count coup' upon him, as the term went, than to kill him."
The captain grunted. "Mr. Sulu, Mr. Chekov, keep a keen watch. Possibly this ambitious youngster has companions. If they see him like this they will assume him dead, and we have no reason to believe they haven't weapons more potent than sticks."
Chekov and Sulu drew their phasers.
Kirk went on. "Yeoman, your tricorder, if you please. Do the sensors record any sign of intelligent life in the vicinity?"
Yeoman Doris Atkins activated the large, rectangular, handbag-like device she had slung over her shoulder. After a brief moment she shook her head. "No, sir. Some lower life forms, including the, uh, horse that seems to have stopped about a quarter kilometer ahead. But no indication of intelligent life except
us in this clearing."
"Mr. Spock, see what you can do about reviving the boy."
The Vulcan bent down, and only his superior reflexes avoided the sudden snap of teeth in the direction of his outstretched hand. He jerked it back and came erect.
"It would seem that would be unnecessary, Captain."
The fur-clad Neolithian sat erect and glared defiantly at the Federation representatives grouped around him. "I am Grang of the Wolf clan and have no fear of death!"
He spoke in a most passable Earth Basic, but in spite of the bravery of his words there was a slight tremor in his voice.
Captain Kirk said dryly, "And I am James of the Kirk clan and have only the usual, normal dread of death. So we seem to be even, boy. But why the attack upon us?"
"Had I been a full warrior and armed with bow or spear I would have slain you all."
"Well, thank goodness for small favors," Sulu said sourly.
The captain said, "That will be all, Mr. Sulu. At least the lad has courage." He turned back to the fallen young savage. "But why did you feel it necessary to attack us, ah, Grang? We have done you no harm, and, in fact, we have come to help you-assuming that this is where the distress call came from."
"Help us?" The boy, seeing that evidently they had no immediate plans to harm him further, came to his feet and glared at the others. "You have come to kill us or capture us and fly us away in your iron birds from the sky."
Inadvertently Kirk cast his eyes upward. However, the Enterprise's orbit was too high for the starship to be visible from this point
Spock murmured, "Most interesting."
Kirk looked at him. "Your opinion, Mr. Spock?"
"Since Grang, here, cannot have observed the Enterprise, Captain, he manifestly must be referring to raiders from some other spacecraft"
"Why spacecraft? Why not local aircraft?"
"You forget, Captain, that our sensors were able to detect no emanations that indicated technology on Neolithia of the order that could produce airplanes, even primitive ones."
"You're right, of course," the captain admitted. He looked at the boy musingly.
The Neolithian was almost full-grown. In fact, his stature was about that of Sulu, the shortest of the Enterprise group. His figure was straight and lithe, and his features were open and clear-cut, to the extent they could be made out through the heavy war paint. He hid the apprehension he must have felt and stared back at his captors defiantly.
Kirk said gently, "Son...."
"I am not your son. We are not even kin. I am of the Wolf clan and-"
"All right, all right Listen, Grang, we have no desire to harm you. However, we would like to speak to your authorities. We are on a mission of assistance and have no desire to kill or capture your people."
The boy was obviously disbelieving, but he said, "Authorities?"
Spock put in, "Your chiefs, your headmen, your elders...."
Understanding dawned. "You mean the Council of Patriarchs?"
"Exactly," Kirk said. "Now, if you will lead us.... Certainly they can't be too far away"-he frowned-"in spite of the fact that the ship's sensors seemed not to have detected them."
"They will kill you all," Grang said defiantly. However, it was obvious the youngster was rapidly losing his original fear of these strangers.
Chekov cleared his throat wryly.
Captain Kirk said, "In which case you will have served your, ah, clan, by delivering us up to them, Grang."
The boy thought about it "Very well, I will lead you. You will all be killed by our warriors in vengeance for those you have kidnapped and killed in your many raids."
"Things are bad everywhere," Sulu muttered. However, he grinned at the boy, whose courage was obvious.
The young savage turned and began to walk in the direction his horse-like animal had taken.
Captain Kirk called, "Just a minute." He brought his communicator from his tunic and flicked erect the antenna grid. He said, "Kirk to Enterprise."
"Lieutenant Uhura here, Captain," a voice came back.
Kirk said into the communicator, "Please instruct Commander Scott to assume my command chair and to keep a fix on us. There are some developments here we plan to explore."
"Aye, aye, sir."
Kirk flicked the antenna grid down and returned the device to his tunic.
"All right," he said. "Let's go. Grang, show us the way. Mr. Spock, follow immediately behind me. Keep your tricorder activated, tuned to detection of intelligent life. Yeoman, you follow Mr. Spock. Mr. Sulu, Mr. Chekov, bring up the rear, your phasers on stun effect. Remember, all of you, arrows and spears are quite as effective as the most advanced weapons, so far as terminating life is concerned, if they are given the chance to be used."
"Yes, sir." Chekov spoke as if his mouth were dry.
They followed the youth, who proceeded down a forest path. After a quarter kilometer they came upon Grang's animal, which was grazing quietly. Grang whistled softly to the beast, which immediately came to him.
Kirk said, "You're free to go, if you wish, but we're anxious to meet this Council of Patriarchs of yours, and surely our numbers are such that your clan need not fear us."
"The clan Wolf fears nothing," Grang said strongly, taking up his animal's reins, but making no attempt to mount.
"I'm beginning to believe him," Sulu muttered.
Kirk said, "All right, Grang, continue."
They approached a lofty cliff, which the narrow path skirted, and proceeded possibly another quarter kilometer before rounding a bend and pulling up abruptly. There before them loomed a large cave entrance. Grang turned defiantly.
"The cavern of the Wolf clan," he said proudly. "Now all of you will be slain by our warriors."
"Oh, fine," Sulu muttered. "I can hardly wait"
Ensign Chekov said in amazement, "You mean your whole clan, or tribe, or whatever you call it, lives in this cave?"
Kirk said, "Mr. Spock, your sensors?"
The Vulcan shook his head. "Still no indication of human life, Captain. However, there is an interesting aspect"
"Well?"
"Within the vicinity there is a considerable radioactive element. If I were on the ship and had at hand the resources of the library computer...."
"For the time, we will proceed, Mr. Spock. Perhaps later we can go into the broader aspects of the problems that present themselves here." He turned to the young savage. "Grang?"
In the past half hour the boy had lost some of his belligerence, since these strangers had not harmed him. In fact, he was obviously intrigued by them, their equipment, and the mystery of from whence they had come. He hesitated.
"If I take you inside, you will be slain by the warriors."
Kirk said, "A chance we'll have to take, Grang. I have already told you we wish you and your people no harm. Perhaps I can convince your patriarchs of that fact"
Yeoman Doris Atkins winked at the boy. He blinked, taken aback by her smile. "We'll be all right," she said. "Don't worry about us."
That seemed to set him back still further. It had evidently come to him that he was a bit apprehensive about these new companions of his coming to an unfortunate end. Other than their early scuffle, they had offered him nothing but kindness.
Frowning, he turned and resumed leading them into the wide mouth of the cave.
Large as the opening was, the group from the Enterprise were still astonished by the tremendous size of the interior. Indeed, the mammoth cavern towered so high above them that the ceiling seemed to fade into the distance. The interior stretched back as far as the eye could see. Strangest of all was the almost phosphorescent quality of the rock of the walls and ceiling, so that, though dim, the cavern's interior was not truly dark. It was certainly light enough so that one could make his way without tripping.
For a moment they stood immediately inside the entrance and peered before them in an attempt to accustom their eyes to the dim light
Kirk said, "Mr. Spock, your sensors?"
"Astonishing, Captain. They seem to fail to function."
"Yeoman?"
"And mine, Captain," Doris Atkins said in puzzlement
"Evidently we find why the ship's sensors were unable to detect life. The radioactive qualities present must blanket the sensors." The captain looked at their guide. "You mean your people are able to live in this atmosphere?"
"We have done so," Grang said, his voice slightly surly, "ever since the raiders began to kill and capture us."
Spock said, "You must realize, Captain, that all radioactive elements are not necessarily detrimental to life."
Even as they talked and peered into the dimness of the cavern's interior, they heard the scurrying of feet, murmurs, and even faint calls of dismay.
But now the Vulcan's words were interrupted by a shrill voice that called, "Grang!"
Grang bowed his head and hunched his youthful shoulders.
The voice shrilled, "Grang! You have led the enemy to your people! Prepare to the with them!"
Grang's head came up. "No!" he called. "They are not the enemy. They say they have come to help us!"
"Help us?" the voice shrilled all but hysterically. "They are not even members of our tribe. Prepare to the, youthful traitor!"
Once again the young Grang proved himself no coward. His head high, he said strongly, "As a member of the Wolf clan, I demand to be heard by the Council of Patriarchs and on my totem pledge to abide by their decision."
"What goes on here?" Sulu asked nervously.
"Keep your hand away from your side arm, Mr. Sulu," Kirk said. "All of you, if possible, try to smile. Our young friend seems to be going to bat for us. Don't do anything to hinder him."
"Aye, aye, sir," Chekov breathed unhappily.
A figure approached them. At first, in the dimness, it was a seemingly unbelievable figure. The head was that of a monstrous black bat, wings and all; the body, small and shriveled, was covered with dark fur.
Yeoman Doris Atkins sucked in her breath.
As the creature came nearer, however, it became obvious that it was but a very old man attired in a grotesque headdress made from the skin of a bat, and in some animal skin, apparently unique to this world. His face was wrinkled with age and there was a malevolent aura about him.
Mission to Horatius Page 3