Star Trek 04 Read Online Free Page B

a terrible life of loneliness. She will do anything to anybody to change that, won't you, Zarabeth?"
    "I told you what I know," Zarabeth said.
    "Not quite, I believe. You said we can't get back. The truth is that you can't get back. Isn't it?"
    "She would not jeopardize other lives . . ."
    "To save herself from this life alone," McCoy said, "she would lie—and even murder me, the Captain, the whole crew of the Enterprise, to keep you here with her." His hand lashed out and caught her by the wrist. "Tell Spock the truth—you would kill to keep him here!"
    Zarabeth cried out in terror, and in the next instant Spock found his hands closing around the physician's throat. McCoy did not resist.
    "Spock!" he said intensely. "Think! Are you trying to kill me? Is that what you want? What are you feeling? Rage? Jealousy? Have you ever felt them before?"
    Spock's hands dropped. His head was whirling. "Impossible," he said. "This is impossible. I am a Vulcan."
    "The Vulcan you knew will not exist for another hundred thousand years! Think, Spock—what is it like on your planet now, at this moment?"
    "My ancestors are barbarians. Irrational, warlike barbarians . . ."
    "Who nearly killed themselves off with their passions! And now you are regressing to what they were!"
    "I have lost myself," Spock said dully. "I do not know who I am. Zarabeth—can we go back?"
    "I do not know. I do not know. It is impossible for me to go back. I thought it was true for you."
    "I am going to try, Spock," McCoy said. "My life is there, and I want the life that belongs to me. I must go now. There isn't much time—I too am changing. Zarabeth, will you help me find my way to the portal?"
    "I—Yes. If I must."
    "Let's get dressed, then."
    The cold seemed more intense than ever, and McCoy, wrapped in a blanket, still had little resistance to it. He leaned against the ice cliff, partially supported by Zarabeth, who once more was almost anonymous in her furs. Spock tapped the cliff, without success.
    "There is no portal here," he said. "It's hopeless, McCoy."
    "I suppose you're right."
    "You're too ill to stay out here in the cold any longer. Give it up."
    And then, faintly, they heard Kirk's voice. "Spock! Can you hear me?"
    "It's Jim!" McCoy shouted. "Here we are!"
    "Stop, we've found them," Kirk's voice said. "Hold it steady, Atoz. Can you hear me any better?"
    "Yes," Spock said. "We hear you perfectly now."
    "Follow my voice."
    McCoy reached out. His hand disappeared into the cliff. "Here it is! Come on, Spock!"
    "Start ahead." He turned to Zarabeth. "I do not wish to part from you."
    "I can't come with you. You know that."
    "What are you waiting for?" Kirk's voice said. "Hurry! Scotty says we've got to get back on board right now!"
    "They will have to come through together," the voice of Atoz added, "as they went out together. Singly, the portal will reject them."
    Spock and Zarabeth looked at each other with despair. He touched her face with his fingertips.
    "I did lie," she said. "I knew the truth. I will pay. Goodbye."
    Then they were in the library, Kirk pulling them through. Atoz was spinning the dials of the Atavachron frantically, and then, dashing past them, dived into the portal and vanished.
    "Atoz!" McCoy called.
    "He had his escape planned," Kirk said. "I'm glad he made it." He raised his communicator. "Are you there, Scotty?"
    "Aye. It's now or never."
    Spock turned toward the portal and raised his fist as if to strike it, but he did not complete the gesture.
    "Beam us up. Maximum warp as soon as we are on board."
    The library shimmered out of existence, and they were standing in the Transporter Room of the Enterprise. McCoy, still wrapped in his blanket, was once more regarding Spock with his intent clinical stare.
    "There is no further need for you to observe me, Doctor," Spock said. "As you see, I have returned to the present. In every sense."
    "Are you sure? It did happen, Spock."
    "Yes, it happened," the First Officer said. "But that was