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Spock S'Chn T'Gai

He does not react to Stonn's push, numb as the taller boy's hand slides from his chest as if afraid to be contaminated. Spock cannot even be sure that he is reacting to the inappropriate taunts of his peers, as the roaring of his pulse has nearly drowned them out.

He supposes he is still "raw", as his mother would say, from last night's discussion with his father. Spock had finally succumbed to his curiosity over the difference between male and female Vulcans and how, exactly, that particular difference allowed their species to beget children. Sarek had told him that Spock differed from either gender, taking into account his willful Human DNA.

Spock was not surprised, but dismayed and aware. Aware of yet another way in which he differed from his peers, as if his overly strong telepathy was not enough.

Acutely aware of the third opening he possessed that other Vulcan boys did not.

That other Human boys did not.

That rawness - that awareness that he would never, could never belong in either world - that was enough. Enough to garner a reaction last night as well as today. To have Stonn rub that lonely knowledge in his face? That was more than enough for Spock to react, following the slide of the taller boy's body into the education pod.

Following the slide from stoic tenacity to manic rage.

James T. Kirk

Flying in mid-air, Jimmy feels his emotions slide from crazy, angry defiance to calm, dim resignation and knows he is going to die. He almost feels, rather than sees or hears, the beautiful, cherry-red classic slide into the dusty narrow canyon as he slams to the ground and almost mimics the car. Almost, but not quite. He supposes he is too stubborn.

The car had to go, and so it did, albeit with a bit of help.

Jimmy understands - well, understood Frank's passion when it came to the Stingray, he really did. A '67 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from the 21st in near mint condition? Jimmy'd be all over that. Well, technically, he'd just been all over that. And just look what'd happened. He snorts as he mentally probes himself for injuries. Hanging off the side of a cliff with and achy wrist aside, it could've been worse.

He could be dead, like he'd planned.

The car hadn't been Frank's. It wasn't Mom's or Sam's. Hell, it wasn't even little Jimmy's, barely tall enough to see through the windshield. But it was all they had left of the father Mom wouldn't talk about, and Jimmy'd die before he washed it and put it up for auction like it was some worthless old show horse put to stud. Or rather, the Stingray would "die" and Jimmy would keep on keeping' on, hence the current mad scramble onto horizontal ground.

Jimmy continues his scramble upright as official boots step into his line of sight. All thoughts of not dying slide from his mind as his gaze slides likewise from the wreckage to the rent-a-robo-cop standing tall in front of Jimmy.

Mom is going to kill him, skin him, and set him on fire.

Not necessarily in that order.

Leonard H. McCoy

Joss looks like she wants to skin him alive.

Leonard supposes his guess ain't quite that far from the truth as he slides his gaze from his soon-to-be-ex-wife (who's giving him The Look that says he's done something and will die for it) to the innocuous PADD that symbolizes the disastrous, DEFCON 1 level wreckage their marriage has become. And, according to the PADD, good ol' country-bred Dr. Lenny McCoy will die if he doesn't get his triflin' behind outta Georgia.

His once-sweet wife has turned a classic case of Workaholic Husband into a twisted tale that reeks with emotional neglect (and therefore, abuse), suspicions of an affair, and all sorts of other things that sit rotten at the back of Leonard's throat.

He knows in his soul that everyone else she brings this to'll see it the same way, taste that same foul sludge resting on their tongues.

Lenny doesn't even have the strength to point out the real-live, non-speculative infidelity on Jocelyn's part, bone-tired as he is. Clay Treadway, in-friggin-deed. Either way, he knows he'd better get the heck outta Dodge, because the town gossips'll ensure he'll find no peace, respect, nor even work here in his own goddamned hometown.

Lenny stares at his bitter Josey and wonders if he'll ever truly be able to hate her, but he quickly turns his thoughts away, and they slide roughshod over an escape he'd hate if it didn't seem to be his only one.