Chapter Nine

Chronology

May 15:
En route to Terra. Kirk, McCoy and Spock receive separate coded messages from Nogura with new assignments.

May 20:
Enterprise dry docks, Earth orbit, after successfully completing first five-year mission.

May 24:
Kirk moves into new apartment; McCoy accompanies him.

May 26:
Kirk announces plans for trip to Virginia mountains. Spock boards the Intrepid for informal inspection.

May 27:
Spock sends word that he will remain on board the Intrepid for several weeks to assist in the sciences department.

May 30:
Kirk leaves for Virginia.

June 1:
Kirk begins mountain trip. Scheduled return date: July 15.

June 4:
McCoy's dreams begin.

July 5:
Kirk's premature cessation of mountain trip.

July 6:
Kirk confers with Nogura. McCoy is called to Starfleet Command to 'discuss pending orders'. Kirk enters apartment while he is out. He packs and leaves for parts unknown.

July 8:
Kirk arrives in fourth quadrant; buys a vehicle on Beta Gamma II. Nasim makes his report to Rriendal.

July 10:
Kirk/Faal captured by Orions.

July 15:
Ganezh leaves galaxy.

July 17:
Faal sent to Cholanthis compound, sick and delirious. Tarn, a Tellarite, takes care of him.

July 22:
Spock returns to San Francisco.

July 22-23:
Faal, recovering from a self-inflicted wound, is first subjected to mind-ripper. McCoy collapses; Spock comes in contact with McCoy's dreams.

July 24:
Spock and McCoy attempt and fail to speak to Nogura.

August 3:
Garal attempts to molest Faal – Tarn interferes and is punished with the brain stun.

August 21:
Spock assumes captaincy of the Enterprise; McCoy becomes his CMO.

August 25:
Enterprise begins training maneuvers.

Sept. 2:
Spock receives order to go to fourth quadrant.

Sept. 4:
Faal subjected to Mind-Ripper for second time and is punished for insubordination when he resists. McCoy experiences Faal's punishment in a dream.

Sept. 6:
Spock contacts Kirk in the forr t'al.

Sept. 10:
Enterprise makes rendezvous with Aurelan.

Sept. 10-11:
Faal is attacked and tortured by Garal. Spock and McCoy fall prey to the torture through their links with Kirk.

Sept. 12:
Spock receives 'orders' from Nogura.

Sept. 15:
Spock and McCoy arrive on Beta Gamma II.

Sept. 17:
Enterprise and Aurelan begin scanning the hundreds of asteroid belts surrounding the dwarf star in the fourth quadrant. Spock and McCoy are captured by Orions.

Sept. 18:
Spock and McCoy are delivered to Cholanthis.

Sept. 26:
McCoy begins diary. Scot divulges the Non-Al orders to Fletcher.

Oct. 6:
Rriendal and Garal begin discussions concerning abandoning Cholanthis now that they are certain Ganezh will not return to the quadrant.

Oct. 18:
All but a few of the Orion trade ships leave the fourth quadrant, disguising their actions by maneuvering among the asteroid fields.

Nov. 5:
The Meltahd on Orion moves in on the traitor-fiefdom. Most commit suicide before capture. Word goes out to remaining ships in the fourth quadrant that they are on their own.

Nov. 28-29:
Only one Orion ship is left in the fourth quadrant. Garal, knowing his way off Cholanthis lies with Rriendal, must submit to Rriendal's demands before evacuation can take place. He blames Ganezh and his 'pets' and plans revenge upon Faal.

Nov. 30:
Tarn dies in the chair of the Ripper.

Dec. 15:
Scott and Fletcher, after scanning Rriendal's ship from a distance for over two weeks, decide to take matters into their own hands and move in closer, just out of range of the Orion ship's sensors. They, too, use the asteroid fields to hide.

Dec. 25:

Spock attempts t'al-shaya on a guard. Spock, McCoy and Faal are placed in a confinement cell. The Enterprise moves within range of the transponder signals and lock on to the compound's coordinates.

Dec. 26:
Kirk and Faal are joined. Enterprise moves in range. Rriendal picks them up on his scanners. Garal orders Cholanthis abandoned. Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Garal are beamed up. Garal is detained. Enterprise beams up remaining prisoners minutes before the atmospheric perimeter is shut down. The Orion ship departs to places unknown.

Dec. 27:
Landing parties scour the compound, gathering prisoners who had died prior to the rescue for later identification. No graves were found.

Dec. 29:
Aurelan departs with severely ill patients for Theta II.

Dec 30- Feb. 18:
Enterprise drops off other patients, recalcitrants, and Garal, and continues training mission as it pursues leisurely course toward Earth. McCoy, Spock and Kirk recuperate.

Feb. 13:
Spock leaves the Enterprise for Vulcan.

Feb. 18:
Enterprise arrives space dock, Terra.

Feb. 20:
McCoy departs for Georgia – Atlanta Medical Center – for further surgery and recuperation.

Feb. 27:
Kirk arrives at the waterfall in the Appalachians.

March 1:
Scotty assumes captaincy of Engineering. Assignment: complete refit of the Enterprise.

March 15:
Marjorie Fletcher, Captain of the U.S.S. Aurelan, resigns her position and assumes her new duties as first officer of the U.S.S. Hood.