17

FIVE DAYS - Emily Adams

We have dinner, and we talk about our day, and neither of us will say anything about how we feel or about the subject that is uppermost in both our minds, each other. We only watch, and I can tell he's watching me and I know he can see I'm watching him. It's so difficult, loving him so much and wanting him and thinking maybe he feels the same but not knowing and not knowing how to ask. Not when one of us is a calm, private, reticent Vulcan.

Three days we have left. Only three days and then he'll be off somewhere and I'll put my life on hold and just exist until the next time. If there is a next time. One never knows out there.

I feel my eyes start to prickle at the thought and at the hopelessness of the whole thing and I stand up and look out he window the other direction so he won't see.

CARVED IN STONE - Kay Wells

Spock almost frowned, but continued his discourse. "It is said that his portraits capture the essence of the person he has depicted, not just the representation of the features."

"You mean he captures the soul, Spock?"

"If that is what you wish to call it."

SWEET DISASTER - Elizabeth Scott

"Are you telling me that Vulcan is going to let him die because he is half-Human?" Kirk cut in angrily.

"The realities of Vulcan are often harsh," Sarek intoned stoically.

"Then what are we doing here? I didn't drag him halfway across the galaxy just to let him die at home!"

"There is perhaps a solution, Captain. There are those families on Vulcan that have few resources and little influence who will permit their daughters to provide the . . . necessary relief in exchange for bonding at the cessation of the ordeal."

"You mean you have to buy a wife for him?" McCoy asked.

FORESTS OF THE NIGHT - (Novella) Ciana Sepulveda

The Romulan again looked at Kirk. "Such spirit, such intelligence . . . . The heart of a warrior in the body of a slave? It was just too much of a discrepancy." The black eyes returned to Spock. I do not normally investigate the backgrounds of my slaves. Once they are my property, their past is of no concern to me. But one does not come across the likes of Kazin every day. It took quite a bit of expense to trace previous sales, but I got my answers very quickly. It seems money can be a great time-saving motivator." Travek let his gaze briefly

sweep the length of the human's body. "No, he was not a prince, though he carried himself like one.

But a starship captain has almost as much power in your Federation, does he not? So I was not far wrong after all. And where this particular starship captain treads, it is said, his Vulcan first officeris never far behind. Even in this remote part of the Empire, Commander, you are legend."

NEEDLES - Janis E. Laine

Our hideout appears to have been used for such a purpose before. We have to squeeze into the small burrow that must have provided excellent concealment for children of the small, humanoid natives of this world. For adults of Vulcan and Terran physiques, the squeeze isexcessive indeed.

The captain had obviously had experiences with this off means of secreting oneself, and unquestioningly help him pile loose handfuls of the vegetation he calls hay into the short tunne lthrough which we have crawled. Above the rustling and our labored breathing I hear the irregularclatter of the approaching Klingon patrol. Placing my hand on Jim's shoulder, I whisper, "They

are here."

POETRY

COVERS

ART

May 1988