Captain's log, stardate 4771.2. Now that the energy entity, Sargon, and his wife, Thalassa, have departed, the Enterprise will continue its exploration into uncharted space. Starfleet has tasked us with designing a navigational module for future starships entering this sector of the galaxy. We have enough fuel and supplies for another 52 days, then we will report back to Starbase 6 for debriefing. Chief Engineer Scott has inspected the warp engines and cleared them for use. But...despite our current understanding of biology, we are unsure how to classify our departed energy-based cargo.
Kirk sits in his chair on the bridge, musing in silence at the vast expanse of stars and the black void of space on the screen in front of him. Spock gazes through the optical scanner on his workstation, the blue light illuminating his Vulcan face. Helmsmen Sulu and DeSalle monitor the Enterprise's velocity as it leaves scanning range of the planet, an empty shell stripped of its atmosphere by a devastating war waged a half million years ago. The bridge makes its usual pinging and beeping. Calm.
Kirk: Lieutenant Sulu, plot a course parallel to the class M planet and our navigational borders. Heading 313 mark 146, warp factor one.
Sulu: 313 mark 146, sir. Warp factor one.
McCoy enters the bridge. The Georgia-born country doctor strolls up to the captain and gets his attention.
McCoy: Hi, Jim. Just wanted to let you know you were right. Turns out Sargon was a pretty swell guy after all.
Kirk: You were right to doubt him... to doubt us, Bones. As Socrates would have said, 'the unexamined life is not worth living.'
McCoy: Well, I've examined all of you and your mental faculties are sound. No sign or trace of supernatural control. Still, it would have been nice to have Sargon and Thalassa stick around to share some of their information. As intelligent as they were, we could have learned quite a lot from them. I guess we've got to find things out for ourselves, don't we?
Kirk: As mankind was meant to, Bones. If all of life's answers were just... handed to us, then there would be no need to ask questions!
Spock turns around in his seat, getting up and approaching them.
Spock: I think it is wise to mention that Sargon and Thalassa may still be with us. While they did mention departing into oblivion, that might have been for our benefit.
Kirk: Any traces of elevated energy on board?
Spock: None, sir. But, recall that Henoch believed Sargon to be dead until he discovered that he had merely possessed the hull of the starship. Logically, there can be no way for us to know whether or not they have truly vanished. If Sargon has the power to disguise himself from Henoch, then he surely can hide himself from us, if he so chooses.
McCoy: What would be the point, Spock? Henoch is destroyed, Sargon and Thalassa have decided against playing God with their powers. Are you telling me that they aren't done toying with us, yet?
Spock: Regardless of their motives, Doctor, we can do nothing until they make themselves known to us again.
Kirk: Mister Spock is right. Maintain our current course. Scotty, how are those engines doing?
An intercom buzzes from Lieutenant Uhura's communications station. She toggles the switch to enable bridge-to-engineering communication.
Scott: They're purring like kittens, Captain. Dilithium crystals at 85 percent capacity, matter and anti-matter generators in perfect condition. Impulse engines on standby. Oh... and Captain?
Kirk: Yes, what is it, Scotty?
Scott: It's just... their science experiment, sir. These android body stations are taking up too much space on deck. Shall I move 'em to Auxiliary Controls or send them to recycling?
Kirk: Keep them hooked up in Auxiliary Controls for now. I have a feeling that our guests may not have checked out.
Scott: Aye, Captain. Now I can get a little breathing room without these creepy bots staring at me! Engineering bay out.
McCoy walks around Kirk's chair toward Spock. He casually runs a handheld tricorder over the First Officer, its noise humming in the background.
McCoy: It's just as I feared. You're back to your normal, Vulcan self. I've been thinking, Jim. Since we've just discovered a new planet, why not give it a name? I propose we name it Vulcan II, on account of it being barren, inhospitable, and bereft of any emotional attachment for staying there.
Kirk: You and I both know that it's the Starfleet Admiral's job to name newly discovered planets.
McCoy: Of course! What else, besides politics, are admirals good for?
Spock: They are 'good' for quite a lot, Doctor.
McCoy: By the way, Spock, for a brief period of time Sargon placed your consciousness into the body of Nurse Chapel.
Spock: That is correct.
McCoy: So what was it like? And don't tell me it was 'fascinating', I've heard that from you too many times to count!
Spock: For lack of a better word, then, intriguing. I never knew how vulnerable and weak it felt to be human. While the Nurse is in excellent physical condition, her body seemed most unfit to perform tasks that a Vulcan child can accomplish. For example, her eyesight is a perfect 20/20 to the human eye, but it is inferior to my own vision. Her hearing was also unsatisfactory when compared to my own.
McCoy: That may be well and true, but what about the other senses? We're made of flesh and blood, not cogs and wheels!
Spock: I am unsure of what you are asking, Doctor.
Kirk: Alright, gentlemen, that's enough. Continue that conversation on your own time.
McCoy: Yes, sir. I think I'm going to check out those hypo syringes that Henoch prepared. If I can analyze the formula he used to slow the body down, it might be a useful discovery to share with Starfleet. While I can't imagine, for the life of me, how it could be used on humans, it might have some other use sometime down the road.
McCoy leaves the bridge. Spock remains standing at Kirk's side. Their voices are quiet so as not to disturb the others on the bridge.
Spock: Your ancient Earth mythology is quite interesting, Captain.
Kirk: Oh? Have you been wondering about the names of our alien guests, Mister Spock?
Spock: Sargon of Akkad, sir, was king of a land your people once called 'Mesopotamia'. He organized an army, conquered city states, and ultimately unified the land. Thalassa, a Greek goddess and mother of Aphrodite, comes from the term for the sea. She was among the first of their deities to come into existence. Henoch, a modification of the Biblical name Enoch, was the father of Methuselah. He walked with God and was later taken by him.
Kirk: I'm afraid I don't fully understand. Is it the origin of the names or their significance that interests you?
Spock: Both, Captain. First, their selection of names from three of Earth's ancient mythologies -- Mesopotamian, Greek, and Christian -- suggests that they have sufficient knowledge of Earth and its development. Second, the names themselves connote a warlike attitude. For example, Sargon killed many people and subdued entire populations.
Kirk: And... you're suggesting that... we cannot trust Sargon or his story. But they were warlike in the past, they admitted that and sought repentance. Vulcans, too, were violent at one point in the past, and they moved beyond their violent tendencies.
Spock: That is correct. But we never possessed the kind of powers that Sargon, Thalassa, and perhaps Henoch still possess.
Kirk: In the Book of Genesis, it states that God killed Enoch. Sargon destroyed Henoch.
Spock: The passage states simply that Enoch was taken by God. It does not state that He destroyed him.
Kirk: I think... we might be reading into this a little, Mister Spock. We're here to find truths, not dabble in speculation.
Spock: I agree. Even so, it may be wise to inform Dr. Mulhall and place her under security watch.
Kirk: Perhaps it's better if I go talk to her myself. I don't want the crew to feel paranoid.
Spock: Paranoia, Captain?
Spock raises his eyebrow again, before turning around to resume his station. Kirk leans forward and smiles, before getting up and exiting the bridge. Spock takes over for Kirk, replacing him at the chair.
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