Uhura's Song Read Online Free PDF Page B

there is. If I needed a doctor, I'd call her."
     
     
"High praise indeed, Bones."
     
     
"And every word of it true, I assure you," McCoy said. "Now, is there anything else?" Evan Wilson nodded. "Yes... about that help I offered you."
     
     
"I thought we'd had the final word on that subject," McCoy said, giving Kirk a significant look. It was clear, however, that her continued impudence amused McCoy.
     
     
Equally amused, she glanced up at Kirk and said, "Once I deal myself in, Captain, I play by the rules. Though I sometimes regret it.... No, Leonard, not me. Of the sixteen people we've got suspected to have been exposed to ADF, eleven request permission to beam down to Eeiauo rather than to the Flinn."
     
     
"Suspected to have been exposed is not the same thing as exposed. If they beam down here, they damn well will be exposed." McCoy shook his head with some vehemence. "No, Evan, absolutely not."
     
     
She threw up her hands in resignation. "Well, can't say I didn't try. Call me if you turn up anything new."
     
     
A moment later, she was still staring into the darkened screen. At last she rose, frowning absently, then turned her attention back to him. "Captain," she said, "as long as you're not doing anything, come with me. If they must go, we'll give them a proper send-off. It's not much, but it's something. When it comes to morale, even little things are important."
     
     
Looking down at her, Kirk could have said the same thing but decided not to risk it. Since he had fully intended to be present when his crew members were transferred to the Flinn, he simply nodded and followed her with a smile.
     
     
He'd have shaken hands with each in turn had quarantine procedures permitted it, but the best he could do was acknowledge each with a salute and his best wishes via the intercom.
     
     
"Captain," said Yeoman Jaramillo of Science Division, "we did request permission to join Dr. McCoy -"
     
     
"Permission denied," said Evan Wilson before Kirk could answer. "I'm sorry, Yeoman, but that's not medically advisable."
     
     
"But Dr. McCoy-"
     
     
"Dr. McCoy is not here," she said. "I'm acting Chief Medical Officer. Since you've volunteered to be of assistance, I'm appointing you my liaison officer with Dr. Mickiewicz. I'll need daily reports from her on anything she learns about ADF, and the same from each of you. If you have an itch, I want to hear about it; we're dealing with a complete unknown and anything could be everything."
     
     
Jaramillo's resentment softened- a useful task often did that. "Yes, sir," he said and, snapping a salute, he stepped onto the transporter.
     
     
When the last of the party had vanished into the beam, Kirk turned. "You didn't have to take the rap for Bones, Dr. Wilson."
     
     
"No," she said, "but since they resent my being here- you did, Captain- it'll do them good to have a reason."
     
     
Abruptly she gave a shrug and, with a complete change of tone, she said, "I guess I'll have to make my own fun. What are my chances of getting Snnanagfashtalli assigned as my guinea cat? If she'll agree, of course." Kirk had never heard any human crew member pronounce the security officer's real name. Most called her Snarl, though never to her face. Kirk found that even he thought of her as Snarl. "Snarl," said Wilson, as if prompting his memory.
     
     
"I do know her given name," he said, somewhat testily. "I was just thinking I don't often hear it used."
     
     
"Sorry, Captain." She touched his hand lightly. "I didn't think you'd be as peeved as I am about that." She gestured with her chin at the empty transporter. "I should have known better.... I think people ought to be called what they want to be called, even if it gives me a sore throat for a week to do it."
     
     
"Physician, heal -"
     
     
She laughed aloud. "Oh, Elath, you sound like Leonard!"
     
     
"What do you want with Snnanagfashtalli?" It was not easy but he made it. She was right about what it did to your