GARDEN SPOT
illogical. the virus worked the same." "you men could go on forever," said kelly davis. "you'll never get
anywhere." she grabbed the spray hypo from mccoy's hand. before anyone could stop! her, she had injected
herself in the arm. "kelly, no-" "i know the risks, dr. mccoy. i choose to take them." she turned pale, staggered.
spock caught her, gave her support. "it's got to be a jott to her system," said mccoy. "it shouldn't last long,
though. if it works or fails, we should know in a few moments." "how do you feel, dr. davis?" asked kirk. "a
little shaky, but fine otherwise." "i would have done that," said kirk. "i know," said kelly. "that's why i had to
do it myself." "strike me," said spock. "what?" asked kelly. "strike me. as hard as you wish." "isn't that out of
character for you, mr. spock?" asked mccoy. "i just wish to see if her inhibitions against violence have been
removed. it is a valid method of inquiry." kelly davis tapped spock lightly on the arm. "i don't feel anything,"
she said. then she hit him again, harder. spock flinched in spite of himself. kelly was in no way a weak
woman. "i think that will be sufficient," he said. "it seems to work," said mccoy. "i'll just take dr. davis to sick
bay and run her through a few tests. if everything checks out okay, i'll whip up enough of the cofactor to
inoculate the crew. it's easy to prepare, once we figured it out. it shouldn't take very long at all." "i want you to
do me first," said kirk. "of course, jim. any particular reason?" "i have business to attend to. a score to
settle." korol was not surprised when captain kirk materialized on the bridge. everything else had gone wrong,
why not this? the hate inside him welled up to the point where he grew dizzy, faint. he had to sit in the
commander's chair to keep from falling. he wished he had a sword in his hand. he wished he could use it if he
had it. he wished…impossible. "what do you want, earth-scum?" he asked. "have you come to surrender?
again?" "no, not to surrender. to avenge." "what?" asked korol. "you are responsible for unprovoked attacks
on a federation ship. you caused the deaths of three of my crew and injury to others. among other things you
have violated the organian treaty, a treaty signed in good faith by both our representatives. for this you will be
brought to trail and no doubt convicted." "murderer of my brother, i carry the blood oath on your head.
nothing shall stand in my way." "nothing?" asked kirk. "then why don't you take me now? i have no weapons."
he walked over to the commander's chair, stood directly in front of it, his hands outspread. "you know as well
as i that we are hamstrung by that insidious disease that fool of an engineer brought to us." "i'm not," kirk
said evenly, "what do you mean?" korol asked, fear creeping into his voice. "we have developed a cure for the
virus," said kirk. "i could take you apart with my bare hands." "you wouldn't dare," said korol in a
quavering voice. kirk reached out, grabbed the klingon by the shirt and dragged him to his feet. their eyes met,
inches apart. kirk saw the hate in korol's face turn to fear. he drew his right hand back. instead of striking
korol, he ripped the insignia from his shirt, threw them to the deck. he ground them under his foot. "i have the
capacity for violence." said kirk, "but not the stomach for it." korol drew away in fear. kirk shoved him back
into the char. "at least your brother had courage, korol. he may have been an enemy, but he was a man. that
is more than i can say for you." "your day will come, kirk." "i don't doubt that, korol. but not from you." as he
started to transport back to the enterprise, kirk felt nothing but relief. he had faced another one of his devils
and purged it the priest entered his quarters without announcing himself. it was a breach of protocol of the
most serious proportions. "you have been shamed, korol," he said without hesitation. "what would you expect,
old man? there is nothing i could have done." "you have a mouth and a tongue, korol. it is even assumed you
have a mind to go with them. had you used them, you would not be in disgrace." "words. hah." "with words
you could have saved face. instead you cringed, acted like the worst kind of coward. you have besmirched the
good names of yours father and brother. you do not deserve to be mentioned in