The Folded World Read Online Free

yet,” Kirk replied. “A Federation starship is in some sort of trouble. We’ve increased our speed, and since the McRaven was following what appears to be the same course that we are, we are not necessarily losing any time. But it depends on what we find when we reach her.”
    â€œStill, we must register a protest. Our schedule is inviolate.”
    â€œSurely you understand, Captain Kirk,” Gonzales added. “We’ve been invited as guests to their planet, and the schedule was established well before we left.”
    â€œI do understand,” Kirk said. Turning to the Ixtoldan, he said, “I’m sorry, Minister Chan’ya. This can’t be helped. I know you’re not suggesting that we ignore a distress call.”
    â€œWe suppose that we cannot,” Chan’ya said with resignation. “But we expect that the utmost haste will be expended in addressing the situation, whatever it might be.”
    â€œBelieve me,” Kirk said, “if the McRaven ’s in trouble and there’s something we can do to help, we won’t waste any time.” He glanced toward Gonzales. “I’d expect Federation personnel to understand that .”
    â€œOh, of course,” Gonzales said quickly. “Obviously,the safety of the ship and crew are the first priority. All I’m saying is, let’s keep our mission schedule in mind.”
    Kirk held his tongue. What he wanted to say would not have been at all diplomatic. Finally, he trusted himself to speak again. “Of course.”
    â€œVery well, then.”
    Chan’ya gave Kirk a look that he couldn’t quite read. She might have been wishing some painful and long-lasting death for him, or she could simply have been checking the color of his eyes. Or searching for that damn twinkle. During the time she’d been on the ship, he’d had a hard time reading her moods or her body language. But her skin turned slightly rosy, almost like a blush, and she pressed her hands against her sides and rushed from the bridge. Her retinue followed just as swiftly. None of them had uttered a word, but as the turbolift doors closed, the tallest of them shot Kirk an angry glare. His skin darkened, his lips drew back to expose a row of sharp yellow teeth, and his nostrils flared.
    There was no mistaking the meaning of that.

Four
    Doctor McCoy escorted the Federation delegation off the bridge as the captain took his seat, for the moment content to watch his crew do what they did so well. They were seasoned professionals and they worked with the crisp efficiency that he enjoyed, the way that some people did a well-choreographed ballet.
    After a few minutes he heard his first officer punching buttons. “Is everything okay, Mister Spock?” he asked.
    â€œWe appear to be having an instrument malfunction, Captain. I am unable to determine the cause.”
    â€œIt’s here too, Captain,” Chekov said anxiously. “Either we’re spinning in circles, or my instruments are completely haywire.”
    Kirk stood up, leaning forward to check Chekov’s display panel. “Mister Sulu?” he asked.
    â€œAye, Captain,” Sulu reported. “I believe our systems are still functional at this point, and we remain on a steady course. But you wouldn’t know it from the readings I’m getting.”
    â€œCaptain?” Uhura said.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œWhen you asked me about the McRaven ’s course, she was following the same course that we had observed, until about this point. Then she diverted, rather markedly.”
    â€œSo you’re thinking there’s something about this location that interferes with a ship’s instrumentation. And when the McRaven went off course, it ran into trouble.”
    â€œIt’s a theory, sir.”
    â€œOne with which I concur, Captain,” Spock said. He was bent over his console, trying to rein in his instruments. From what Kirk could