"Okay then. Lieutenant Uhura?"
She reappeared on the screen.
"Captain?"
"As long as we retain power I'd just as soon use our own transporters. The Terratin computer has patterns of you only for your present size. As long as you're coming back aboard you may as well do so at the proper size.
"It's going to take me a minute or two to get down to the transporter room. The dilithium crystals are ready to come aboard?"
"Nearly, sir."
"Tell the others to stand by."
"Yes, sir!"
He had one bad moment in the transporter room. It looked as if he had misjudged the amount of reserve power remaining and would not have enough to beam them back aboard. But by shutting down all life-support in several unoccupied storage compartments, plus the shuttlecraft hanger, he was able to divert a fair amount to the transporter. It wouldn't run forever, but by the time reserve power ran out they should have the Terratin dilithium aboard and the engines powered up.
Kirk studied the image in the transporter console viewscreen as he prepared to beam the bridge crew up. They were in another chamber of the capitol building. This one was also filled with refugees from the rain of hot ash outside.
The picture jerked a couple of times. Not from a planetary, but from a human-induced tremor, as Terra-tin technicians moved the pickup around. It finally settled on Spock and the rest. They were arranging themselves for beam-up while the Terratins divided huge masses of crystalline dilithium among them.
At least, they appeared huge beside the compacted crew. Actually, they were normal-sized crystals and Kirk knew he could hold the entire amount in one palm.
Terratins driving powered carts continued to arrive with more and more of the vital mineral. Kirk allowed them to heap the crystals around the feet of Uhura, Sulu, and the others until it was overflowing outside the range of transporter pickup.
"That will have to do, Mr. Spock. We can get more the next time. Prepare to beam up."
"Very well, Captain." The first officer turned away for a moment and said something to one of the Terratin technicians. He nodded and backed out of range, but Kirk could hear him speaking to the crowd.
Immediately both colonists and the cart unloaders moved away from the waiting crewmembers. Spock turned to take up his place in the group, stared straight ahead as the Terratins moved their visual pickup further back.
"We're ready, Captain. You may energize at any time."
Kirk worked the transporter controls in proper sequence, his gaze moving constantly from the console to the viewscreen. Familiar sparkling cylinders formed around the crew as the transporter effect took hold. His gaze moved to the empty alcove in front of him as the whine of shifting energies filled the chamber.
The multiple shapes were materializing in the alcove, fullsize, along with irregular clumps at their feet. Dilithium, visible as gravel now instead of boulders. He shifted down, turned a dial, and the effect faded around darkening silhouettes.
"Nice to be back aboard, sir," Uhura murmured with undisguised relief, "and back at one's natural size."
Kirk nodded, spoke quickly. "Everyone watch where you step. We had enough trouble finding this dilithium. Before you move off those disks, gather up those crystals." As they all bent, he turned his attention back to the console, flipped on the ship-wide com.
"All crew personnel report to the main transporter room immediately. Prepare to beam down to the surface. Beam-down and return will bring you back to normal size. Repeat, all crew report to the main transporter room immediately. Move along the walls. Normal-sized personnel will take proper precautions."
Spock came over, both hands cupping the precious load of accumulated dilithium. It looked appallingly small compared to what he had seen on the viewscreen.
"The Terratins are making available every crystal they can spare, Captain. The specimens are small, but I believe they will provide enough power to operate the ship efficiently until we can get a mining crew down to the surface."
Kirk made a sign of agreement, looked past Spock. "Mr. Sulu, take over the transporter, please. Mr. Arex, you will move to B deck to handle transportation problems there. See that Mr. Scott and his engineers are in the first round trip, Sulu." The lieutenant nodded.
"They can handle the rest of the transporting, then," Kirk continued. "As soon as everyone has made the circuit and is restored to proper size, see that Mr. Scott gets a geotech crew down to dig out a sufficient supply of dilithium." He grinned.
"At least we won't have to go prospecting for it. That's another way the Terratins can be of help."
"Excuse me a moment, sir." Sulu was beginning to adjust the transporter controls for the next beam-down ... but slowly. "What about the Terratins? The people in the city are in a state of barely suppressed panic and..."
"You have your orders, Mr. Sulu."
"Yes, sir." All hint of expression disappeared from the lieutenant's face as he turned full attention to the instrumentation.
Kirk took half of the double handful of vital crystals, eyed Spock. "Ever on-loaded an active dilithium reaction chamber by hand, Mr. Spock?"
"No, Captain. But the process is reputed to be failsafe. As I evaluate the steps involved, I foresee only a very small chance of our destroying the ship."
"Thank you, Spock. I can always depend on you for a feeling of security and reassurance. Let's go." Together the two officers started for the elevator doors.
"Slowly, Captain," Spock advised his friend, as Kirk started off at a run from the elevator. "It would be awkward to drop the crystals - or not to see some of our still compacted companions until too late..."
"Don't worry, Spock. I'll choose my steps with as much care as you choose your words." The first officer jogged silently alongside as they neared the door to engineering section marked in bold red characters...
DILITHIUM REACTION CHAMBER - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY!
VI
His disclaimer of experience notwithstanding, Spock managed the loading of the new supply of raw dilithium into the minutely balanced chamber with all the skill of a reaction specialist - just as Kirk had known he would.
Impulse power was fed to the chamber to spark a greater reaction. A number of gauges on the nearest monitor immediately jumped upward with gratifying speed.
Spock was ready with the results by the time Kirk had re-established life-support and power in the sections he had shut off earlier.
"We will not be able to travel to the nearest starbase, Captain, but essential functions no longer have to be checked as closely and we could break out of orbit at any time.
"And the next load of dilithium should make us fully secure until Scotty and his mining crew can get to work." He let out a sigh of relief, moved to the intercom.
"Mr. Sulu?"
"Main transporter room here, Captain; but it's Third Transporter Engineer Lefebre in charge. Mr. Sulu has returned to the bridge, sir. I was directed to take charge here as soon as I was returned to normal size."
"Carry on, Mr. Lefebre. Is Mr. Scott there?"
"Mr. Scott left some minutes ago for Engineering Central, sir. Said something about working on the engines. He did request that I inform you when you called in that Second Engineer Gabler and a party of five have beamed down to the surface with appropriate equipment and are already engaged in extracting an adequate supply of raw dilithium for future needs - under the direction of geologists from the Terratin city."
"Thank you, Lefebre. Kirk out."
"Transporter Central out." Kirk started for the elevator, Spock at his side.
"It appears that we shall soon be fully powered up once more, Captain."
"Yes, Mr. Spock. As soon as we've taken on all the dilithium we'll need, we can leave this place."
Spock raised a questioning brow, but Kirk had moved slightly ahead of him and didn't notice it.
Or if he did, he chose to ignore the suggestion behind it.
The ship's transporter facilit
ies worked overtime for the next several hours, beaming ant-sized humans down to the Terratin city and rematerializing them on board in their normal guise moments later.
The Mandant stood in the crowded chamber, watching humans come and go via transporter. Now and then he leaned to confer with one of his aides or to eye the visual linkup which had been hastily set up in the room.
It showed several views of the city outskirts, now menaced from three directions by abysses and crevices which grew with even the slightest of tremors. Another screen revealed the interior of the Terratin science center where worried geologists hurried back and forth. They paused only long enough to deliver increasingly desperate reports.
The Mandant acknowledged every report, spoke steadily and reassuringly to his aides ... all the while trying to keep a calming hand on the metropolis itself. The macropsychosis of the city was fast approaching chaos proportions.
Already a mob was forming outside, threatening to storm the hall and hold the next group of aliens who beamed down as hostages until guaranteed rescue was effected. What kind of rescue was not specified, but that made the demonstrators no less virulent in their demands.
The Mandant smiled sadly to himself. Such people would always exist, never to be calmed, never to be satisfied.
We exist for such a minute time, he mused. We perform a great many inconsequential nothings and call them Acts of Significance, realizing the futility of our lies all the while. Yet we constantly strive for the postponement of the inevitable end which would bring peace to all. Such is the nature of man, and it does not change with his physical stature.
For himself it mattered not what the captain of the starship chose to do. For the young adults and children it mattered a great deal. Some of his aides still had confidence in the remnants of their defensive system. The Mandant knew better. Now that the location of their city was known, they were completely helpless.
Their eventual fate depended on the whim of a man whose ship and command they had nearly destroyed for their own need. Even so, if he were forced to go back he felt he would be compelled to do everything exactly as it had been done before.
But while he could control his fear of death he still had a responsibility to the people.
So when the next group of crewmen appeared in the room, he moved rapidly to stand next to them before the transporter took hold and asked, "Please inform your captain that the reports from our remote seismic research stations are very discouraging. It is apparent now that the former stability of this area is fast diminishing. We doubt we can survive continued quakes much longer without some form of aid.
"Our entire pity is constructed on an interlocking series of precision bearings and gimbals mounted in a viscous fluid. These serve to keep us upright and steady despite the severity of successive jolts. Though we are rocked a little from time to time, as your fellow crew members can attest.
"But while we can withstand the most violent shakings we cannot withstand the peril that faces us now. A number of enormous - by our measurements - cracks in the ground are forming outside the city ... and are expanding with each new quake. According to predictions from our science center, they will undercut the city in a very short time and drop us to our doom.
"Your captain must tell us - shall we prepare to be rescued, all or part of us? Or to die - all or part of us."
The young yeoman who stood nearest looked back at the Mandant with wide eyes. "I don't know, sir, but...." The air began to glow around him. "I think I have a pretty good idea what Captain Kirk's decision will..."
His words were cut off as the transporter energies surged around him and stole him from sight.
Kirk glanced at his wrist chronometer again before turning his attention back to the gauges, dials and readouts he was inspecting in his walk around the bridge. The Enterprise was back to battle efficiency again - fully manned and fully powered.
More than fully powered. If the dilithium Gabler's hastily improvised crew had brought back was anything less than a mother lode, the Terratin world might one day become a major source of that fabulously valuable material. Though he doubted it would ever be much of a colony world.
"How's the helm now, Mr. Sulu," he asked.
The lieutenant looked back at Kirk. "Fully responsive, sir. All instrumentation appears normal once again. All readings are up to red-alert capabilities."
"Subspace radio now operational too, sir," Uhura put in from over at communications. "I have had contact with Star Base Twenty-three and have informed them of the situation prevailing here. They are recording currently."
"Very good, Lieutenant. You might also relay to them tapes of everything that has taken place in the past twenty-four hours."
"Yes, Captain." Uhura turned back to her mike, began talking into it low and steady.
Kirk heard the elevator door hum, turned to see Scott step onto the bridge. All questions about the state of the ship's engines were answered by the broad smile on the chief engineer's face.
"The last of the crew has been through the double transporter trip, sir. Everythin' runnin' smooth as a mother's lullaby. To look at the power levels you'd think we'd never had any trouble here."
"Almost, Mr. Scott." There was one last problem to be dealt with. He turned to face the helm. "Mr. Arex, prepare ship for immediate departure from this region."
Arex looked ready to say something but another listener beat him to it.
"I beg your pardon, Captain."
Kirk turned to the science station. Spock was staring at him evenly. His voice was a monotone. "What about the people on the planet?"
"I haven't forgotten them, Mr. Spock. I know exactly what to do. I thought about it while the rest of the crew were beaming up. It's the only thing that can be done." He looked to the helm.
"Mr. Sulu, direct forward phasers to the region of the Terratin city."
"Captain, I..."
Kirk moved to stand next to him, smiled reassuringly. "It's all right, Mr. Sulu. We'll require pinpoint fire control. There are some precision adjustments necessary - but believe me, this is the best way."
Using the computer linkup to phaser control, he proceeded to trace with the electronic stylus a certain pattern of fire on the targeting screen. Behind them, Uhura, Scott and Spock had all turned from their responsibilities of the moment to watch. All but Arex, who continued with his part of the preparations for leaving the area. Of all of them, only he had some idea of what Kirk was going to try.
"Can you handle that, Mr. Sulu?" he asked when he'd finished with the computations. The helmsman studied the carefully wrought fire pattern and nodded slowly.
"I'm sure I can, sir. I would like to incorporate a fail-safe into it, if I might."
"No time, Mr. Sulu," Kirk objected firmly. "We'll have to do it right on the first try. Those people down there must not be made to suffer any longer."
"Very well, Captain," Sulu acquiesced. He turned and commenced programming the phaser control computer. Once he stopped, to request some information from Spock. When that was granted, Scott and Uhura grew more curious than ever - since Spock now appeared to know what was going on, too.
Neither dared interrupt what was clearly a harried operation. But when Spock was finished relaying Sulu's needed statistics, Scott moved to stand next to the first officer.
"For the love of Loch Lomond, what's happenin', Mr. Spock? What's the captain up to?"
Spock turned unblinking eyes on him. "Nothing more than what the captain has already stated, Mr. Scott, though I confess to having been somewhat mystified as to his intentions at first, myself." He turned back to his console. "I suppose one might describe it by saying we are about to embark on a program of long-range geologic dentistry."
Scott mulled this over a moment and then his face twisted into a quizzical expression. "There are some people down there I think I could grow fond of, Mr. Spock, from what I've seen of them. Don't play word games with me."
"We are attempting an extraction, Mr. Scott," S
pock elucidated.
"An extraction?"
"Only instead of removing the infected region from the healthy, the captain is simply reversing the process."
Scott's expression of uncertainty lasted only long enough for a few seconds concentrated thought ... and then his face settled into a pleased highland grin as the truth was revealed.
On the west side of the city two yawning crevices - soil-sided, rock-toothed - pierced the outlying farmland. The atmosphere behind the tiny gilt spires and soaring steel buttresses had turned orange with the burning hills in the distance. Thunder rattled the valley and sharp slivers of blue flame broke through the orange at distant intervals.
The continued existence of intelligent life on this world was becoming impossible.
"Now, Kyle!" Kirk yelled into the intercom. Long pause while everyone held his breath and waited - until Transporter Chief Kyle's voice sounded over the com. with an air of exhausted accomplishment.
"Got 'em, Captain."
"Are you sure, Kyle?"
"Aye, sir. It took a helluva lot of power for so broad a subject, but we're holding."
"Outstanding, Mr. Kyle. I'm on my way down. Hold it in stasis until we get there, just in case."
"Will do, sir."
Kirk and Spock hurried from the bridge. They moved impatiently through elevators, down corridors, heading for the bulk transporter room near the Shuttle Bay.
Minutes later they were standing beside Chief Kyle, staring at the considerable object which had appeared in the cavernous chamber. It was the Terratin city, neatly sliced from the planet's surface.
The city proper rested on about a half meter of crystalline bedrock, it's gimbal-bearing support system buried within and keeping it steady as always.
An astonishingly efficient system, Kirk mused, which when increased in size and adapted to other Federation colonies on active worlds would save thousands, perhaps millions of lives.
At the moment, the city was still enveloped in the shifting spectral phosphorescence of the transporter effect.