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“Aye, ’tis true.” Scott had stopped under an unusually shaped building that jutted out and provided some shelter. “I canna wait to get my hands on whatever’s making that reading.”

Spock stopped to let the others regain some energy. He remained in the open, surveying the area with his tricorder. Thanks to the pervasive growing interference, he had not yet been able to lock down any data on the energy reading. “You will soon have the opportunity to do so, Mister Scott,” he said. In Spock’s estimation, they would have to walk for seven minutes to reach their destination if they continued at their current pace. “I am aware that we are operating on a considerable number of untested assumptions. However, I trust our situation will soon change. If Ensign Saloniemi succeeds in interpreting the visuals discovered by the captain, we will be able to gain access to a wealth of information.”

Scott looked at him with an uncertain expression. “I just hope that doodles help us find our man.”

“All information is valuable, Mister Scott.”

Deciding that the brief respite had been enough, Spock gave the order to resume moving. Ahead of them stood the spindly tower, barely visible in the sheets of rain that continued to pour from above.

“It’s very interesting, Captain,” Seven Deers said, motioning at the now-open semicircle. It revealed a smooth and featureless tunnel, curving as it progressed. “It looks like there’s no way in, but it’s just camouflaged. I discovered it accidentally—I leaned against the wall.”

Kirk had to smile at that. “Good work nevertheless. How does it work?”

Seven Deers pointed at a dark blotch on the wall, at hip height and very inconspicuous, next to the semicircle. “This is a touch-sensitive button, sir. Press this, and the section of the wall retracts.”

Kirk wondered if it was subtle for aesthetics, or for another reason. The captain peered into the depths of the tunnel. The walls seemed to be made of the same hyperbonded material as the doors. They were unlit, but his flashlight revealed only a continuous surface.

They would have to go in one of these tunnels if they wanted to find Yüksel. Lacking any better option, Kirk decided to try this tunnel, the one he’d found the botanist’s flashlight in front of. He ordered Tra to relay their discovery about the doors to Spock’s team.

“Let’s go.” Kirk pulled his phaser out, and Chekov followed behind him, waving his tricorder in every possible direction. Giotto assumed the rear.

Every footstep the group took sent echoes up and down the tunnel, and Kirk had trouble differentiating them from noises that might genuinely be coming from the end.

Once they were out of sight of the original chamber, they came across another door, which was easily opened. This led into a smaller chamber, unlike anything Kirk had seen before. During his time in Starfleet, he’d visited many alien planets and seen many strange civilizations, but this was something else. The small room’s walls—all rounded—were dotted with holes leading into small tunnels.

“Be careful,” said Kirk. “We still don’t know what happened to Yüksel.”

With Chekov’s tricorder to guide them, they began to crawl into one of the tunnels. Kirk went first, his phaser in one hand and Yüksel’s flashlight in the other. The only noise was a low hissing sound. “Is that some kind of machinery, Mister Chekov? Pneumatics?”

Chekov fiddled with his tricorder for a moment before admitting, “Unclear, sir.”

Suddenly, Kirk lost his footing and tumbled forward onto the ground. His elbows and lower back ached slightly where he’d landed, but he ignored them and came up into a crouch. Cautiously, he waved his phaser back and forth, but there was nothing. He’d fallen into a small room. The hissing noise was a little louder, but there was nothing else in there.

A moment later, Chekov and the others entered the room behind him. They quickly ascertained that it had four more tunnels leading off in various directions—including