Dear Readers"
My last posting stated that my next fic would introduce Spock and Nyota in another setting, with him as captain of The Enterprise. As a matter of fact, in those writings we will find Spock and Nyota thirty years in the future. I thought that perhaps it would be best if I close out this series of writings with a final posting of their life in this universe in Heartbeats.
After this I will take a sabbatical, I do not wish to post a tease and have my audience waiting while I figure out the story line. Please be sure I will return.
I thank all of you who have enjoyed my stories, your readership and reviews have been much appreciated.
Botsey
Heartbeats
Chapter One
She was a trained Star Fleet officer, proficient in dozens of languages, trained in martial arts and weaponry and she approached the one that apparently was the leader and spoke. His response was hostile.
'Why should I care about humans killing humans?"
Kirk's head snapped around at the sound he heard coming from his first officer. It built to a sustained low growl. Spock observed the Klingon officer as his gloved hand grabbed Nyota's face, lifting her off the ground with his grip. Spock felt her pain, her silent cry echoed in his mind, his breathing changed and with his eyes narrowed he dashed toward the door and said to Kirk,
"He touched what is mine."
Kirk steadied him, and with an outstretched arm prevented his forward motion.
"Spock with the grip he has he could snap her neck. We must proceed cautiously…"
Spock saw the flash of metal as the Klingon unsheathed his knife and his mind heard the change in his K'diwa's heartbeat...and in his. The sound of gunfire distracted Nyota's captor and she took advantage of his distraction and grabbed the knife and mindful of Klingon physiology, plunged it into the leader's chest meeting its' desired target, his heart. The lead officer collapsed unceremoniously to the ground.
The shuttle team then exited the door firing. There was in fact a look in Spock's eyes that reminded Kirk that he was pleased he was not part of the opposing group of males. What was it Spock had said?
"…he touched what is mine…"
Kirk felt a mental 'Ouch!' He would have to remember his conduct around Mrs. Spock…Lieutenant Uhura, especially since on the trip to Kronos he and the crew had witnessed the Vulcan's verbal admission of his attachment to the lieutenant. His words had been even heard by Hendorff who at this point Kirk could only feel empathy, for he himself had certainly set his sights on the lieutenant, without success. Now he understood why. An honest appraisal of the situation helped him to see how perfect those two were for one another. Kirk now understood why Spock and Uhura could work so well together, they knew one another's' thoughts to a more or lesser degree. Kirk thought,
'Man, that's heavy.'
The lone warrior who was almost singlehandedly decimating the Klingon legion, bringing down even their ships, proved to be Khan. Kirk felt uneasy. He could think of no reason for Khan to perform this service towards them or The Enterprise. Since when do enemies become benefactors? Was he not the one who took down Captain Pike, who was the closest to a concerned father he had ever had. Did Khan not fire upon the unarmed command teams assembled? What was behind this contradictory conduct?
With their return to the ship and the prisoner Khan's subsequent imprisonment there were a few stolen moments that Spock and Uhura had in their quarters.
He held her on his lap and was stroking her hair. He had not as yet melded with her since the incident on Kronas. Her head was resting on his chest. Spock then began to speak in her ear, his voice was a deep rumble. He was stroking her face, and smoothing her hair as this all important conversation continued, he straightened his back...
"In the shuttle, your reference to your 'feelings' if anything should part us was what I experienced when the Klingon captain touched you, and by his subsequent action was about to take your life, take you from me, you who are half my heart, half my soul. I will now explain to you the difference between your experience when I was in the fires of the volcano, and what I experienced when the thought occurred to me that that Klingon captain could have terminated your life with dire consequences to myself."
Nyota offered her apology,
"Spock, I was out of line to address you in that way in the shuttle. In that setting you were my superior officer. I think it was my way of dealing with what might have been the end of life for both of us. Perhaps it was to reaffirm the depth of my devotion to you."
He comforted her by stroking her check with the back of his hand and kissing the top of her head.
"K'diwa, likely in our career with Star Fleet we will again be placed in life threatening circumstances. We are well-trained, neither one of us are risk takers…"
She interjected,
"Like someone else we know."
Spock continued,
"Believe me Nyota, my chief priority in every away mission is to return safely to you and if we are together, to keep you safe. But in truth, as officers, we thoroughly understand the chain of command involved with our jobs and we have sworn to uphold all that is involved with our service. But, be assured, my aduna, after the rescue of our captain, before my own safety, you would be put in a place of safety."
He felt the strong pulsing of her heartbeat as he held her tightly.
She sighed and nodded indicating she understood. Then holding him tightly, her arms encircling him thus allowing her to feel his rapid heartbeat, Nyota said,
"We must treasure every day we have together."
His final statement was,
"My Ki'diwa, I want you to be aware that If you were going to die, I would die by your side for I know I cannot, nor would I wish to, exist apart from you."
Nyota was fully aware that Vulcans do not lie and did not question or undervalue his statement. She accepted it as a Vulcan truth.
"So we must stay alive for each other."
He nodded,
"So it would seem."
`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`
Their five year adventure in space allowed them to see new worlds, to go where no man or Vulcan had gone before, discover strange new worlds and civilizations and with their safe return to Terra he reaffirmed his devotion to she who was half his heart and half his soul by resigning active duty and accepting a post at The Academy and then they started a family.
In this life of domesticity, Spock always continued in his role as protector of what was his own, his aduna and his offspring. For indeed, that was The Vulcan Way, the acceptable conduct of a Vulcan adun as was the providing of offspring, to the starting of family. In this area he was very pleased that he obliged his aduna by providing natural offspring, three sons and one daughter.
In the quiet of the evenings, alone in their room at times Spock and Nyota relived their lives aboard the Enterprise, a place they still considered, 'Home' and thought after family responsibilities had been fulfilled, perhaps a journey could be taken on their beloved ship viewed as another home, The Enterprise.