Indeed, to a great extent Kirk himself didn't know. When they were through, Chekov and McCoy inspected the device—Chekov paying particular attention. The shield was a cubic cage about two meters on a side, made of black pipe with smaller red cubes at each of the eight corners.Mason sat on a fold-down chair opposite the cargo doors, watching the proceedings disconsolately. She had never felt so useless and out-of-place. They were obviously in trouble, but she wasn't a part of the team; they couldn't confide in her, or give her something to do. She was excess baggage. Chapel gave her a reassuring smile, but for all her sincerity it only deepened her distress."Now for a test," Kirk said. "We'll need somebody inside holding a tricorder. Bones?""Not me," McCoy said. "I outrank Chekov. Let him stand inside."Chekov's face paled noticeably. Spock held the tricorder out to him, but he backed off a step, hands raised."There's no danger," Kirk said, eyes narrowing. "It's just to protect the hibernacula."There was no way out of it without raising a scene.
