The Vulcan Changeling Project

Chapter 3

Kirk stared at the woman that stood in front of him. She was no beauty, but there was a quiet aura of power about her that made Kirk’s already on edge nerves raw.

“So,” Kirk began, “you can’t remember anything before the age of ten?”

Muriah shook her head, as her eyes widened, “Master, Kirk I swear by all the gods that I am speaking the truth.”

Kirk folded his arms and then fingered his chin, “Well, it must be the truth and please stop calling me master. Oh and until further notice you are confined to the brig. It’s only a precaution you, understand?”

Muriah nodded sadly and put her arms in front of her to be cuffed. Kirk sighed, “There’s no need for that, and it’s only a precaution.” Kirk said as he smiled his most charming smile. “Spock, go ahead and escort our guest to the brig, and then meet me up on the bridge on the double.”

A few moments later, Spock, Kirk, and McCoy stood on the bridge together. “Lieutenant Uhura, get me Starfleet immediately.”

McCoy stepped forward with a glint in his eye. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Jim.”

Kirk smiled slyly at McCoy, “I’m so glad Bones, for you and Mister Spock are going to be presenting the nature of our problem directly to Starfleet.”

After they made their report, there was dead silence on the other end of the channel. “Admiral?” Kirk said, “Are you still on the channel, sir?”

Everyone on the bridge heard the Admiral sigh on the other end of the channel, “Kirk, I’ll get back to you. This may be more serious than we thought. Stand by.”

As Kirk sat in his command chair waiting for Starfleet’s instructions, he watched Spock as he tensely leaned over his science console. “Damn,” Kirk thought, “he’s hiding something. That damn Vulcan is hiding something.”

 Kirk was so absorbed in his speculations that he jumped when he heard Lieutenant Uhura’s voice,”Captain, I’m getting a response from Starfleet.”

Kirk leaned forward as the Admiral’s worried face appeared on the view screen, “Captain, your orders are to get to Vulcan as soon as possible. T’Pau and Ambassador Sarek will take custody of the woman when you arrive. Oh and another thing, you are to maintain communication silence until you reach Vulcan. Kirk, I can’t stress this point enough, the Enterprise is to be on high alert until you reach Vulcan.”

The bridge was engulfed in silence as the Admiral faded away. “Well, you heard the man, we are to remain on high alert, until we reach Vulcan and Spock that woman is your charge. I want you to get down to the brig and find out more information from that woman.”

Spock sighed and clasped his hands behind his back, “Sir, the woman has a name, it is Muriah.”  

Kirk glared at Spock, “Mister Spock, you have your orders,” Kirk snapped.

Muriah smiled as Spock, entered her room in the brig. “Master Spock, I am sorry if I got you into trouble. However, I have learned that you will not be put to death, so that is a mercy. On the other hand it is possible that your Captain could have you court martialed under code 56B, which states that it is illegal to buy or trade in slavery, or to import…”

“Muriah, I know the code,” Spock said as he studied her.

Muriah bowed her head, “I am sorry Master Spock.”

“Muriah, do not call me master, just Spock will be sufficient.”

Muriah bowed her head again, “As you wish, Spock.”

“Muriah,” Spock began and then paused, “Muriah, how did you obtain so much information about Starfleet’s penal codes?”

Muriah shrugged, “From the computers.”

Spock shook his head. “You could not have obtained classified information from an outside computer.”

Muriah began to pace. “It is something I have been able to do ever since I can remember. I have the ability to read minds. I can obtain information and implant it without the individual having any knowledge of what I am doing. You are the first person I have told this to. Spock, please you must not tell anyone.”

Spock clasped his hands behind his back. If what Muriah said was true, she was in possession of the gift. The gift that Vulcans out bred from the race after Vulcan had adopted the ways of Surak, but that was impossible for the gift was only legend, and if it wasn’t then what mystery had he and the Enterprise stumbled on to?

Talerth sighed. She wondered what she had done to anger her Commander, for monitoring Federation Starship transmissions was not considered to be a glorious quest for the Praetor and the Empire. She tuned into several transmissions and then sighed again. Suddenly her attention was riveted to a transmission coming from the Starship Enterprise. Talerth almost shouted with glee, for if this transmission was real, she just might get a promotion.

The Rommulan Commander listened to Talerth’s report as his lips turned up in a thin smile. “So,” he thought, “the child is alive and is now a woman.” He leaned forward in his command chair and punched a button on the arm of his chair, “Sub-Commander Talerth, we will be changing course to intercept the Enterprise. The woman must never reach Vulcan.” Sitting back in his command chair the Commander thought, “Interesting, I must tell our Vulcan friends that it is time, for the child lives.”

Sub-Commander Talerth smiled as she saluted the Commander, for her information had paid off. She had made the right decision for together she and Commander Rath would rule the Empire and together they would destroy the Federation.