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Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 23:24:39 -0600
Subject: [ASCEM-S] New TOS "Tempting Fate on Squeaky Springs" 2/9 (Mc/Sa, K/S) [NC-17]
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Chapter 2/9 - See all warnings and disclaimers in chapter 1/9
 
When it was just about time for the sun to settle low on the 
horizon, Leonard dropped the speed and let the shuttle glide 
toward the ground.  There just wasn't anything as beautiful as a 
purple-gold sunset reflecting off the snow-covered peaks and 
valleys, and he fervently hoped that the bands of clouds would 
part long enough to see it.
 
The small township closest to the cabin, White Springs, was 
just below them, which meant they were only a few kilometers 
from setting down.  If the agency in charge of upkeep had been 
able to get to the cabin on such short notice, the fire would 
already be roaring.  Leonard could almost smell the wood--
synthetic as it was--burning on the grate.  But even if a 
preparation crew hadn't been able to make it out, it would only 
take a few seconds to get a fire going.
 
Perfect timing!  The city was behind them, and the sun chose 
just that moment to peak between the heavy clouds that were 
rolling in.  This would take Sarek's breath away, for sure!  He 
brought the shuttle to a safe distance above the treetops and 
leveled out.  Looking down, he uttered, "What the hell?"  There 
was nothing but the gray-brown of dormant aspen trees with a 
heavy sprinkling of evergreens thrown in.  There wasn't any 
snow!  There was always snow here by Thanksgiving, at the 
very latest.  It was December the 23rd, for God's sake, and 
nothing!
 
"A problem, Leonard?"
 
"Where's the snow?"
 
"There does not appear to be any."
 
"Exactly!  I don't understand it.  This is one of the few places 
where you can bet money on havin' a white Christmas!"
 
"I am sorry that you are disappointed.  Does this mean that you 
are turning back?" Sarek asked, sounding just a bit too eager.
 
"Sorry, Sarek, but you won't escape that easily.  Okay, so 
there's no snow, that doesn't mean we still won't have a great 
time.  The cabin is nice, even if the landscape isn't all that 
great."
 
"As you wish, Leonard."
 
There were a few moments of silence before Leonard shouted, 
"DAMMIT!"
 
"Another problem?"
 
"Yeah, it's the clearing next to the cabin, a place I've always 
used as a landing site.  There are several trees down across it.  
There seem to be trees down everywhere.  Well, I'm certainly 
not gonna be able to land there."
 
"There is no alternate site?"
 
"Nothing close.  There's the pond not terribly far from the 
cabin, but with the weight of this shuttle, I'm not sure it would 
be wise to risk it, even if it's frozen solid."
 
"Do you believe this is a recent occurrence?"
 
"It has to be.  I received a report from the agency in charge of 
upkeep on the place about a week ago stating they had been out 
here on a routine visit, cleaning things up and makin' sure there 
were no repairs needed.  So, it couldn't have been in this 
condition for too long.  I wonder if the cabin has been hurt."  
He tried to maneuver the shuttle into a better position, but the 
imminent darkness and the still-thick tree canopy that 
surrounded the dwelling prevented him from getting close 
enough to see.  "I can't tell," Leonard said, craning his neck to 
no avail.  Even adjusting the viewscreen was no help.
 
"Does this mean that you will be unable to access your cabin?"
 
"Well, it makes it more difficult, that's for sure.  I think it'd be 
best to go back to one of the towns and stay for the night, but 
first I'd like to check things out here.  That way, if need be, I 
can get a repair crew out here as soon as possible.  I have an 
idea."  Turning the shuttle south, he spotted what he was 
looking for.  "There, the old meadow.  It's about a half  'a mile 
hike, maybe a little more, but I really wanna get a look at the 
place before we lose the last of the light.  It shouldn't take long, 
and you can stay in the shuttle while I'm gone."
 
"I understand your concern, and I will go with you.  That 
distance should not pose any great difficulty.  Then, if all is 
well, we can stay."
 
"Well, it's pretty cold outside.  Accordin' to the sensors, it's 
only about eight degrees on the Fahrenheit scale, and now that 
the sun is setting, it's only gonna get colder."
 
"Then perhaps you are right.  I shall remain in the shuttle while 
you investigate any damage."
 
Leonard breathed a sigh.  This certainly wasn't working out the 
way he would have liked, but at least Sarek was being a sport 
about it.  As he neared the ground, a couple of strong wind 
gusts sharply rocked the vehicle, stirring up a thick cloud of 
debris.  By bring the shuttle around, and heading it into the 
currents, he settled it smoothly into the clearing and powered it 
down.
 
"I'll be back as quickly as I can.  When you start getting cold, 
just power up the shuttle and get the heat goin'," he said to his 
companion, slipping his arms back in his coat and sealing the 
front closure.
 
"Understood," Sarek nodded his agreement.
 
Pushing open the hatch on his side, he stepped out.  When he 
closed the protective cover of the door, the first blast of arctic 
wind hit him.  It was sharp enough to slice through the jeans he 
was wearing.  Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, 
he rounded the corner of the shuttle and hit the nor'easter head 
on.  He had to turn his head to the side to breathe.  This wasn't 
going to work.  There was no way he could hike twenty feet, 
much less the distance to the cabin in this!  They would just 
have to go back to White Springs, stay there for the night, and 
try again tomorrow.
 
Fighting his way back around to the side of the shuttle--finding 
the protection welcoming--he grasped the release, opened the 
hatch, and quickly jumped inside.  With his teeth chattering, 
and while rubbing his hands together and blowing on them, he 
exclaimed, "Cold enough out there to freeze the balls off a 
brass monkey!  I can't make it to the cabin in this, especially 
with the wind as strong as it is.  I think we're better off finding 
a place to stay in town and coming back tomorrow."
 
"I agree.  It is beginning to get quite cold, even with the access 
ports closed."
 
"Yeah, that's for sure.  Just a second and I'll have us powered 
up and the heat back on."  He pressed the button on the control 
panel.  Nothing.  He pressed it again.  Same thing.  Again.  
Nothing.  Over and over.  Still nothing.  He turned off all the 
controls, turned them back to the position they were supposed 
to be in, and pressed the button again.  Nothing...again.  He 
turned off all the controls, sat back in the seat, took a deep 
breath to stem his frustration, and then started the process all 
over again, with the same results.
 
"Well, she's dead.  I'll have to call for help," he said to the man 
sitting beside him, obviously becoming uncomfortable from the 
cold that was seeping into the vehicle.  The wind gusts were 
getting stronger, causing the shuttle to shake.
 
Flipping the switch on the comm box, he depressed the 'all 
stations' button and stated, "Mayday...mayday...mayday.  This 
is shuttle J26YMLH.  Please respond."
 
Silence.
 
"Repeat. Mayday...mayday...mayday.  This is shuttle 
J26YMLH.  Please respond."  He manually readjusted the 
settings and tried again, and again, and again.  He wasn't 
getting through to anyone.  Whatever had killed the engine had 
the whole electrical system disabled.
 
The last, short glimmer of sun had faded into dusky, gloomy 
gray, and then black, as clouds thickened and the last remnants 
of the day disappeared, leaving them stranded in the midst of an 
inky darkness.  "Do you have your communicator, Doctor?" 
Sarek asked, his voice beginning to shake.
 
"No, I'm sorry, I don't.  Dammit!  I figured with the comm on 
the shuttle, and the station at the cabin, I'd be fine.  I didn't 
want 
to be paged all week, so I left it at home.  How about you?"
 
"I only have a unit set up for local use in and around the 
Embassy, one that will carry no more than one hundred 
kilometers.  I am afraid we have far exceeded its capabilities."  
He pulled it from a pocket and tried, but it, too, was useless.  
"As I feared," he sighed, sliding it back where it came from.
 
Leonard slid his jacket off and wrapped it around Sarek in an 
attempt to keep him warm.  He had told Sarek to dress warm, 
and he had on heavy trousers, boots, a sweater, and a heavy 
coat, but still not enough to keep someone from Vulcan 
comfortable against the extreme cold.  When Sarek didn't 
protest to the additional jacket, Leonard knew how desperate 
things were getting.
 
On the trips he'd taken with Jim to his family place in Idaho, 
Leonard had always kidded his friend about the emergency 
equipment he insisted on carrying along--calling it overkill.  At 
that moment, Leonard would have given real money to have 
that little generator/light/heating unit that Jim owned.  If he 
remembered correctly, it even had an emergency beacon built 
into it.
 
As rapidly as the temperature was dropping, he knew they 
couldn't survive the night, not in the shuttle.  Leonard could 
feel himself beginning to tremble uncontrollably.  "Sarek, I hate 
to say it, but I think we only have one chance of making it 
through the night, and that's to get to the cabin, one way or the 
other."
 
Sarek nodded, "I have come to the same conclusion."
 
"I really didn't mean for you to have to hike in, especially under 
these conditions."
 
"It is a factor that cannot be helped.  The alternative is certainly 
more unpleasant," Sarek responded, the quaking in his voice 
unmistakable.
 
"That's for sure.  I have a couple of blankets and a flashlight in 
the back.  I'm gonna get those, and then I'll be around to get 
you, okay?"
 
"Yes," Sarek answered.  He pushed the jacket off and handed it 
toward Leonard.
 
"No, keep it.  Wrap it around you.  I'll use one of the blankets," 
he said, sliding out the hatch on his side.  The cold wind that hit 
him froze him in is path.  He had to muster every ounce of 
strength just to take that first step.  The second came a bit 
easier, and by the third he could only tell he was walking by the 
fact that he was getting closer to the back of the shuttle.  His 
hands were so frozen that he had to punch the release 
repeatedly before he applied enough pressure to pop it open.  
He gathered up the blankets and threw one around his shoulders 
and head.
 
He grabbed the flashlight, and while his hands were still 
protected by the walls of the compartment, he powered it on.  
Reaching in his case, he pulled out the portable medical kit that 
contained a scanner, and then he spotted the backpack that had 
been stored in the shuttle since the last time he'd been to the 
cabin.  He knew that it contained some basic equipment along 
with several ration packs, he couldn't remember what else, but 
he stuffed the medical kit into it and slid an arm through one of 
the straps.
 
He didn't bother with trying to get the door back down, but slid 
around the edge of the shuttle until he was at the hatch on 
Sarek's side.  With his hand wrapped in the edge of the blanket, 
he pulled on the release until it gave way.  Sarek slid his feet 
out on the ground while Leonard wrapped the other blanket 
around him--not an easy task while trying to keep his own 
blanket from blowing away and keeping a grip on the flashlight 
at the same time.
 
He nodded to Sarek, the strong wind gusts made even shouting 
impossible.  Leonard set off, leading the way with the narrow 
beam of light.  He'd walked the path to this meadow a thousand 
times, but that didn't keep him from wondering with every 
painful step if he was leading them off in the wrong direction.  
Every ten meters or so, he would shine the light ahead and 
reassure himself that they were still going the right way.  He 
would berate himself for this predicament later.  For now, every 
ounce of energy had to go into that next step.
 
Occasionally, the high winds would snap off tree branches, and 
they would plummet down, some landing very near them.  It 
made walking the path dangerous, not to mention nearly 
impossible to navigate.  Following the clearing that was beside 
the pond was easier, but once they had to reenter the wooded 
area, things got significantly more treacherous.  Sarek stumbled 
over a fallen limb, and when Leonard tried to catch him, the 
flashlight flew out of his hand, going dark when it hit the 
ground.  Leonard helped Sarek to his feet, and then felt around 
for the light.  After a few tries, he found it, but clicking it on 
and off, even shaking it, didn't help.  He knew it was broken 
and tried to stuff it in his pocket, but with his frozen fingers it 
was impossible.  Dammit!  Why in the hell had he left all his 
winter gear, including the wonderful gloves he used when 
cross-country skiing, at the cabin?  He sure could've used them 
now!  When he couldn't feel to put the light in his pocket, and it 
fell to the ground once more, he left it.
 
Turning back to Sarek, wrapping both his arms around his 
waist, he tried to shout, "It's okay.  The cabin is just ahead," but 
whether Sarek heard him, he couldn't tell.  He started off again 
in what he hoped was the right direction, but in truth he'd lost 
his bearings, especially now that he had no source of light.  
Because of the heavy clouds hanging overhead that were 
blocking out the moon, he could barley see his hand in front of 
his face.  In all honesty, he had no idea as to whether or not 
they were still on the right path.  He only knew if they stopped, 
they were dead.
 
With the fairly steep incline of the path, and having to feel their 
way along with every step--often becoming entangled in a 
fallen limb--Leonard didn't know how far they had walked.  He 
only knew that they were still upright and moving, and that 
they should have been at the cabin long ago.  Real panic was 
beginning to set in as he tried to formulate a plan for making it 
through the night.  He tried to think of alternate locations for 
them to hold up.
 
There were a few caves on the property, but the entrances were 
obscure, at best, unless you knew exactly where to look.  The 
next closest cabin was about three kilometers to the east, but he 
doubted that they could hold out that long.  Besides, even in the 
light of day it was a treacherous hike due to the two deep 
ravines that separated the properties.  The ravines.  Leonard 
hadn't thought about those, and he began to wonder with his 
next step if he was about to lead them off the edge.  They 
couldn't keep this up.  With all the trees and large limbs that 
were down, perhaps he could build them some kind of lean-to 
to crawl into.  He thought he remembered a striker in his pack, 
and if the wind died down some, he might be able to build a 
fire.
 
Leonard put his foot out once more and felt a sharp pain cutting 
into his shin.  His forward motion kept the top of his body 
moving, and the two men once more tumbled down.  They had 
fallen onto some type of wooden platform.  Leonard rolled up 
on one knee and realized they had tripped over the edge of the 
porch.  Another five feet to the west, and they would have 
walked right past it.
 
"We're here!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.  There was 
something large, but lightweight, in his way.  He reached out to 
move it and realized it was one of the solar panels from the 
roof.  Something had knocked it off, and he had to assume the 
rest were gone, too.  Helping Sarek up, he led them to the door.  
He palmed the lock, but there was no light signaling a response.  
Trying the handle, it turned, so he pushed against the door with 
his shoulder and it opened, but not far.  There seemed to be 
something behind the door that was blocking it.  He pushed 
harder, and by finally mustering all his energy and throwing his 
full weight against it, he was able to get it open wide enough 
for them to squeeze inside.
 
"Lights," he commanded, but like everything else, there was no 
response.  Expecting to be met by warmth, all that the cabin 
afforded them was a chance to get them out of the unrelenting 
wind.  The cold was still with them.  "Power's out.  Stay here.  I 
know there are some lanterns over the fireplace," he called to 
Sarek.
 
Stepping toward the front wall of the room, his foot kept 
encountering something that felt like rubble.  He made his way 
to the fireplace and started raking his hands along the rock 
mantel.  Bits of wood and what felt like chunks of plaster 
scraped against his palms--the only part of his hands that still 
had feeling--as he ran them along the wide shelf.  He finally 
felt the metallic base of one of the lanterns turned over on its 
side.  Retrieving it and setting it upright, he let the edge of the 
mantel lead him to the end, and to the box where strikers were 
stored.  At least those were still in the right place.
 
Fumbling with the cover on the lantern, he rapped the striker 
against the stone to activate the tiny glow and aimed it at what 
he hoped was the wick.  On his first try, there was a blaze of 
light that showered the area.  Taking the lantern and turning 
around, he saw that the cabin was in shambles.  "Jesus Christ!" 
he exclaimed, but his first concern was Sarek.  Pushing the 
debris out of the way with his foot, he made his way to where 
Sarek was standing.  "Come this way," he directed him.  "I'll 
get a fire started and we should be warm in just a few minutes."
 
Sarek managed a nod, nothing more, before stepping carefully 
toward the path that Leonard had roughly cleared.
 
Leonard went back to the door and pushed it shut to keep the 
wind out.  It was then that he noticed what had been blocking 
the door.  One of the rafters had fallen.  He looked up, but 
couldn't tell the extent of the damage.  Finding a piece of the 
synthetic wood among wreckage, he tossed it into the fireplace.  
Using the striker that he still had in his hand, he lit it and 
watched as it blazed to life.  Just the sight of it made him feel a 
bit warmer.  Using the light from the lantern, he found two 
more logs and tossed them on top of the one already burning.  
That should get them started and sustain them for a few hours.  
He pulled the cushions off the sofa, shook the debris off of 
them, and laid them on the floor, a safe distance from the fire.
 
"Sarek, come sit over here.  You'll get warmed up quicker by 
the fire."
 
Sarek shuffled toward cushions, and Leonard helped him to the 
floor.  Only then did he see just how bad a shape the Vulcan 
was in.  He was positively ashen.  "Oh, damn!  Lay down and 
let me grab some more blankets."  He helped him to lie across 
the cushions and tossed the blanket that was clinging more to 
the backpack he carried than to his shoulders across Sarek, who 
had rolled onto his side and pulled himself into a ball.
 
Using the light from the lantern to look around, the first thing 
he tried was the comm station, but with the solar panels 
knocked off the roof, the battery back up had been drained. 
Then he rushed to far corner of the cabin where the bed was.  
Everything in this area still seemed relatively in order.  He 
pulled the comforter off the bed and shook it, and then 
remembered the quilt chest.  At the foot of the bed he opened 
the antique cedar chest and lifted out the stack of four or five 
quilts.  One of them had actually been made by one of his 
great-something grandmothers, the others he had collected over 
the years when he came across an unusual specimen.
 
Making his way back to Sarek, he laid several across the 
Vulcan.  Some warmth was beginning to come from the 
fireplace, and Leonard knew that he needed to get the cold 
layer of clothes off the ambassador, allowing the fire and 
warmer blankets to heat him more thoroughly.  But he decided 
to allow the temperature in the cabin to increase somewhat 
before he tried that.
 
As he tried to attend to Sarek, Leonard felt his own fingers and 
face really begin to burn, and a real concern began to arise 
about the injuries they had suffered from exposure.  There were 
drugs that could be given to restore circulation, lessening the 
chances of losing limbs, but he didn't have any such 
combination in his small medical kit, and getting them to a 
medical center this evening was out of the question.  'Couldn't 
have fucked this up anymore if I'd tried!' he thought to himself.
 
Leonard managed to locate two more lanterns, as well as an 
adequate supply of fuel pellets.  At least they would have light.  
He sat one lantern on the long table located just behind the 
couch, and taking the other with him, he went to the small 
kitchen area where he was met with even more debris from 
toppled shelves and dislodged upper cabinets. Looking up, he 
realized that there was a hole in the ceiling, temporarily 
patched by the tree trunk that lay directly over where the fallen 
rafter had once hung.
 
Knowing there was nothing that could be done about it at the 
moment, he tried the kitchen faucet and was glad to find they 
still had running water, even if it was ice cold.  Only then did 
he begin to feel the weight of the pack still clinging to his 
shoulder.  Slipping it off, he cleared a spot on the counter and, 
with aching fingers, opened it up.  The container with most of 
their food supplies was still on the shuttle, but he knew some 
basic provisions were always kept in the pack.
 
He pulled out the medical scanner, several servings of 
emergency rations, and a pack of teabags.  Dammit!  A 
lightstick was stashed in the pack!  He had forgotten all about 
it!  He remembered it was left from last summer when he was 
up here and had decided on taking a late evening stroll.  Jim 
and Spock had come with him, and he had decided to give them 
some time alone, not that the two men were all that bashful in 
his presence.  Actually, he was the one who was horny as hell 
and needed some time alone.  He'd ended up in the darkness, 
seated against a tall pine, his fly open, taking care of his own 
needs.
 
Shaking off the memory, Leonard reached under the cabinet 
and found one of the heaver teapots.  If he could get something 
warm into Sarek, he knew that would help more than anything.  
He rinsed it out, filled it with water, and took both the box of 
teabags and the kettle over to where the fire was burning.  He 
sat the pot on the grate to heat up, and then turned his attention 
back to Sarek.
 
Kneeling down beside him, he could feel the heat of the top 
layers, but running his hand underneath, he found that those 
layers of clothes next to Sarek's skin were still extraordinarily 
cold.  The Vulcan appeared to be asleep.  "Sarek," he called, 
trying to rouse him.  "Sarek!" he called more forcefully, but 
still couldn't get him to respond.  'A healing trance,' he thought-
-even fleetingly wished that he had that capability--but decided 
he wanted assurance.
 
Rising, he walked over to the counter and retrieved the portable 
scanner.  Returning to Sarek's side, he pushed back the blankets 
and ran the small diagnostic node from the Vulcan's head down 
the length of his torso.  EEG readings were lower than normal, 
pulse and respiration were both slowed, and signs of activity in 
the endocrine, urinary, and digestive systems had ceased 
altogether.  All secondary systems were definitely shutting 
down.  These weren't the bio signs of a Vulcan in a healing 
trance.  These were the bio signs of a Vulcan who was dying.


 

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