Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek and I never will :(
Chapter 1
Everybody had noticed the sudden change in the behaviour of the normally unflappable stoic resident Vulcan but no one dared to mention not even James. T. Kirk. Captain of the USS Enterprise for all of one month, he normally would have been the first to find out what happened but the still recent memory of having the Vulcan's fingers around his throat pulled him up short. Lieutenant Uhura who was not only an incredible linguist she was also great at reading behaviour and she noticed more than the rest of the ship when it came to Spock so even though the rest of ship knew Spock was being different she knew that he was only a few steps from completely losing his emotional control so when their shift ended she waited for him to finish handing the science console over to his replacement. Everyone else had already fled so that they weren't caught in Spock's cross-hairs. Uhura followed Spock into the turbo lift, when the lift began to move Uhura hit the stop button,
Spock looks at Uhura for the first time since the beginning of the Alpha shift.
"Spock, tell me what's wrong?"
Spock takes a deep breath, he looks even more pale than usual.
"It's too soon."
Uhura looks confused.
"What's too soon?"
Spock starts to shake , his control is almost non-existent.
"Pon-farr."
A look of comprehension and shock crosses Uhura's face.
"Oh god Spock. Your betrothed, you will need to contact her."
Spock looks away momentarily. He swallows and looks back.
"She did not survive."
Uhura looks horrified, she takes a step toward Spock.
"Can we? Can I help? I want to help."
She puts a hand on Spock's arm. Spock's control snaps and he pushes her up against the turbo lift wall with a growl, she cries out but Spock ignores it and his fingers instinctively reach for the meld points on Uhura's face (this will be the first time that the two of them will have melded, the connection flares, Uhura feels the pressure building in her mind it is getting to an unbearable level when Spock recoils and backs off until he ends up against the opposite wall. Fear is evident on his face.
"What happened Spock? Why did you do that?"
"I need a... a connection but... but... we are not compatible. You can not help me. I must return to the colony, you must get me to the colony. I need to go into meditation."
Spock presses the button to get the lift to start again, Spock does not make eye contact with Uhura again and as soon as the lift doors open onto the officers floor he exits the lift and almost runs to the comfort and security of his quarters. Uhura watches him leave and then exits herself and walks at a more sedate pace to the Captains quarters which are conveniently located right next to Spock's quarters. She hesitates outside the captains quarters, then silently berates herself for not having the courage to knock, Uhura stands there for about five minutes before she finally buzzes the captains door. It is almost immediately opened by the captain.
"Uhura, what an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"
Uhura just pushes past him and enters his quarters without his permission.
"Lieutenant what are..."
Uhura interrupts him.
"Jim. Please."
Uhura's use of his first name and the absence of any irritation in her voice is enough for him to stop in his tracks and switch from annoyed captain to concerned friend (Even though technically they are not quite friends, but that's a small detail that doesn't bother Jim).
"What's wrong?"
"Jim... just listen please... It's about Spock. I don't know how to explain this. I don't know if I should explain this..."
Uhura looks away from Jim. Something clicks in Jim's brain at this, he remembers a couple of old Spock's memories of him fighting with his captain and another of
Spock trying to explain what was happening to him. Jim moves over to Uhura and puts his hand on her shoulder, she almost jumps at the touch. Jim sighs.
"It's Pon-Farr isn't it?"
Uhura turns around. Jim drops his hand.
"How do you know that?"
Jim shrugs his shoulders.
"Doesn't matter. What does he need? Is his betrothed still alive?"
Uhura shakes her head again. Jim's face falls.
"Do you need time off for this?"
Again Uhura shakes her. Jim looks confused.
"Why?"
"Apparently we are not compatible enough for a connection to form. We have to get him back to New Vulcan so that a bond-mate can be found for him."
"One second." Jim walks over to his desk and flicks on his comm unit. "Kirk to helm."
"Lieutenant McKenna here sir."
"Set in a new course to New Vulcan, maximum warp."
There is a pause for a couple of seconds.
"Course laid in sir."
"What's our E.T.A?"
There's another pause.
"Six days, seventeen hours sir."
"Thank you Lieutenant. Kirk out."
Jim switches off the comm unit, he looks over at Uhura who looks like she is about to burst into tears. Jim walks back over to her.
"We are not going to make it in time. Are we?"
"No we are not."
"I'll have a word with bones, see if he can come up with something to slow it down."
Uhura gives Jim a wan smile.
"Thank you. But what happens if he can't? What do we do then?"
"I don't know. I'll think of something, I always do."
Uhura gives him another faint smile and then gives Jim a hug. Which shocks Jim.
"You better, I cant lose him. Even if I can only have him as my friend it would be better than losing him totally."
Jim doesn't know what to say to that so he just gives her a squeeze.