Could you do a chapter about Spock getting captured while Jim has to negotiate with a Klingon about claiming the planet (that Spock is captured on); and in the midst of all that Christine goes into labor (with Spock's kid, obviously)?


"Watch your step down there, Mr. Spock. The natives have always seemed friendly before, but there are reports of Klingons in the vicinity and there's no way of knowing if they've been to the planet or not."

"Acknowledged." Spock nodded slightly at the captain before turning to leave the bridge. He would stop and say goodbye to Christine before departing. Normally, he would not bother as he had every reason to believe he would be back shortly, but Christine was rather irrational at the moment and he wished to avoid any more unnecessary conflict.

Spock entered his quarters with more care than usual. If Christine was napping, he would not wake her. Doctor M'Benga had instructed that she get as much sleep as she could. His first glance revealed the sitting area to be empty, so he stole to the doorway that led to the sleeping area and peeked inside. His bondmate was indeed asleep and he believed it wiser to let her be that to wake her.


The moment he materialized on the planet, he knew this was not going to be a simple mission. He was surrounded by armed natives pointing spears at him. Two immediately came up to him and confiscated both his communicator and phaser. He was then marched to a cave-even if the Enterprise could located the communicator signal, they would not be able to beam him out.


"Incoming signal, Captain," Uhura said, forefinger pressed against her earpiece.

"Onscreen," Kirk ordered. He was somewhat taken aback to see a familiar Klingon countenance fill the viewscreen. "Commander Koloth. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Kirk," the Klingon said with a smooth grin. "That wasn't a very nice trick you played when we last saw each other. It took my crew weeks to clean up the last of those furry vermin."

"What can we do for you, Commander?" Kirk said, barely containing his irritation.

"For starters, Captain, you can explain your presence here. This planet has been claimed by the Klingon Empire."


Christine woke up from her nap cranky. Of course, that was probably because she felt like a beached whale and she'd been taken off active duty until the baby was delivered, so she had very little to occupy her time.

She didn't want to stay in bed and mope, so she got up, straightened her hair and uniform a bit, and headed out to find somewhere else to mope.

The first person she met in the corridor was a cheery Scottish engineer. He took one look at her and decided it was his job to cheer up the poor lass.

Scotty did the job beautifully and had Christine smiling in no time. At least until he was paged and instructed to report to the transporter room because Spock had missed his scheduled check-in. He cast a worried look at the nurse and offered her his arm, knowing she'd follow him either way.


"I'm sorry, Captain, we can't get a lock. The communicator signal's very weak and we can't pick up any Vulcan life signs." Scotty uselessly flipped a few switches on the transporter control panel, but nothing happened.

Jim pursed his lips. "Commander Koloth has informed me that any further attempts to beam down to the planet will be considered acts of war against the Klingon Empire."

"Jim, we can't leave Spock down there!" McCoy objected.

"I know, Bones, and I don't intend to abandon my First Officer. We need a plan."

Scotty seemed to be the only one paying any attention to Christine. She'd gone pale and was gripping the console with white knuckles. "Doctor McCoy," he hissed.

McCoy turned. "Get her to sickbay immediately. Call M'Benga, now."


Spock had chosen to use this unexpected captivity to meditate. He had had very little time to himself of late and as the chances of a successful escape attempt were very low at this point and the natives refused to explain the reason for imprisoning him, he had nothing else with which to occupy his time.

He was jolted from his meditation by a sudden and intense wave of pain. He opened his eyes and took several deep breaths. He had, secretly, suspected females of some exaggeration regarding labor. He would never think such a thing again.

He stood, new determination to escape impelling him. He had to push aside the...colorful...insults Christine was directing at him. His mother had explained to him that this was a typical feature of human births and she had herself uttered horrible things to Sarek during her labor, to the horror of the Vulcan healers who had attended. She had also explained that if he were absent for any reason from the birth of his child, there would be hell to pay. He hadn't felt it wise to ask what an archaic place of torment would do with currency.

He cautiously observed his surroundings, attempting to look inconspicuous. He did not want to tip off his captors too soon, or the plan he was formulating would be in vain.


Kirk angrily motioned for Uhura to end the communication with Koloth. The Klingon was being both inflexible and unhelpful. He refused to allow the Enterprise to send a search party for Spock while simultaneously refusing to send any of his own men to look because 'the risk of encountering restless natives was too high.' The ships were locked in a stalemate while one of his officers was stranded helpless on the planet below.


In sickbay, Christine had been instructed to move about as much as she could. It would be long while before she was ready to push. All she could do was grit her teeth and derive some grim satisfaction from the fact that Spock, wherever he was, was feeling the same thing she was.


It took all of Spock's control to push past the pain that periodically flooded the bond. He soon found an opportunity with a higher chance of success than any previous options and he took it. Soon, the natives guarding him were lying in a heap on the ground, victims of the Vulcan nerve pinch. He found his phaser and communicator clipped to the belt of one guard and he flipped the communicator open as he carefully navigated the pathway toward the cave's entrance.

Once outside, he sent an emergency signal and with an imperceptible sigh of relief, he felt himself begin to dematerialize.

He didn't stop to greet the captain once he had materialized on the transporter pad. "Not now, Jim," he said, some hint of concern coloring his voice.

Jim, though a bit put out, didn't object. He couldn't fault Spock for being concerned about Christine.

Jim contacted the bridge. "Mr. Spock is aboard. Signal Koloth that we are leaving, warp factor three."


Christine, though quite relieved to see Spock burst into sickbay, was having a contraction and could only issue a few Vulcan insults at him. He merely came to her side and grasped her hand, waiting for the pain to subside before sending her what comfort and calm he could.


Later, watching Spock cradle their newborn child, Christine smiled faintly. She was exhausted and quite content to lie still and be waited on. Spock caught her watching and did something quite uncharacteristic. He smiled back.