Author's Note: Based on the TOS episode 'Amok Time'
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The Other Side of the Fire
Chapter 2: The Combat
October, 2267
The three of them beamed down and stood on the sand at his family's ancestral grounds. He strode to the gong, lifted the hammer and struck once. He walked back to his friends, explained what was happening. Hearing the bells approaching, he struck the gong again. The party advanced through the opposite entrance, T'Pau in her litter chair. There was a man he did not recognize in the party. What was he doing there?
T'Pau raised her hand in the salute and he walked toward her, returning the salute. He knelt before her and she laid her hand on his face. He felt her sifting his mind. He could not conceal Nyota from her. He felt her displeasure at him, at the choices he had made. She rejected his feelings as being un-Vulcan and therefore shameful. He did not feel them shameful. This past year had been the best year of his life and he would never forget a moment of it, no matter what happened in the future.
When he arose, he found he must defend his friends. T'Pau waved them over to her and demanded pledges of their behavior.
The framed bells shook, drawing him back to the gong. T'Pau pronounced the kal'i'farr. Just as he was about to strike the gong, T'Pring came forward and stopped him, pronouncing the kalifee. He stopped, his arm aloft, confused. He turned to T'Pau, tried to approach her, but he was stopped. He dropped the hammer on the sand and retreated to the wall, preparing himself. If they had asked before, he would gladly have stepped aside. He truly did not want her, had never wanted her.
He was barely aware that T'Pau was explaining what was happening to Jim and Bones, giving them a chance to depart. They chose to stay. T'Pau questioned T'Pring. Then she addressed him. He fought to answer, taking more time than expected. T'Pau directed T'Pring to choose her champion. To the great surprise of everyone present, she chose his captain. The man he did not recognize stepped forward and objected. T'Pau silenced him. Then she stepped across the sands, to stand before the gong. He gathered himself together, forcing himself forward to speak to her. He plead, he begged, but she would not forbid the choice. T'Pau's attendant came forward and tied the ceremonial sash about him. He stood, focussing himself. The fires burned high, forcing everything else from his mind. He saw only flames, heard only the pounding of his heart. His whole body burned.
When Kirk stepped forward and accepted, he was barely conscious. The lirpa were brought forward and he clasped the one presented to him, his mind fully focused on the coming combat. He did not hear T'Pau telling Kirk that the combat was to the death. And it would have meant nothing to him if he had. He was too far gone, too deep in the plak tau.
The bells sounded again, his opponent advanced and he jumped down from the gong platform and began the combat, slashing with the curved blade, punching with the heavy weighted end. More than once they rolled across the sands, tossing each other about. When he saw his opponent on the ground he made a stab, but the man rolled away. T'Pau called a halt and he stood, panting, hands in position to begin again at the command. He was conscious of nothing else.
The ahn'wun were brought out. He took the ends in his hands, swung the leather straps, catching his opponent about the legs and bringing him down. He was thrown off, but came back again, rolling about the sands, almost forcing his opponent into the coals of the fire. Then he managed to wrap the heavy leather strap around his opponent's neck and pulled hard, choking him. Through the green haze that obstructed his vision, he saw the lifeless form below him. And though the pounding in his ears, he heard T'Pau's "kroykah".
He paused. For the first time, he actually saw the face of his opponent. Reason began to return. He was horrified. What had he done? He straightened slowly, letting the body sink to the ground. McCoy came forward, stating that Kirk was dead. He pulled out his communicator and asked for beam-up. McCoy came to him, asking for orders. He told him to beam up with Kirk, that he would follow.
He turned to face T'Pring, wanting an explanation. Her answer made no sense. Why would she prefer Stonn over him? And if she did, why not just end the bonding before now? He would not have objected. Although his father would have. She did explain then, in explicit detail. It was flawlessly logical, and he told her so. He then told Stonn that she was his. "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true." Stonn looked at him blankly, obviously not believing his words.
He bid farewell to T'Pau, telling her that he had killed his captain, and his friend, and would neither live long, nor prosper. He did not think T'Pau believed him. He found he did not care any longer what any Vulcan thought of him. Then he requested beam-up. This would be the last time he could give this order. Hereafter, it would be given for him, for he would no longer be an officer, but a prisoner. It did not matter that the combat was over, that he had not been forced to marry, his life was still over. He did not allow himself to think about it. He would control himself.
When he returned to the ship, he went directly to sick bay, giving directions to McCoy. When Jim came out of the inner room, he was astounded and delighted. He could not contain himself and smiled widely, grabbing Jim by both arms, shouting his name. He quickly recovered his composure, trying to pretend that nothing had happened, but the two men smiled at him, their eyes dancing with glee. Jim explained how McCoy had saved him. McCoy asked him eagerly what had happened below after he had left, what about the girl, the wedding. He informed him that it must have been the combat, that when he thought that he had killed the captain, he had lost all interest in her, the madness gone.
The intercom sounded and he heard Uhura telling the captain that the diversion to Vulcan had been approved. Her voice was so calm, so soothing. Kirk gave the new course and closed the connection. McCoy dared him to deny that he made an emotional outburst when he first realized that Kirk was alive. He tried to convince him that he was merely relieved that StarFleet had not lost a highly proficient captain. McCoy replied that his reaction had been highly logical. He thanked the doctor for his insight, not expecting the next rejoinder. "In a pig's eye!" Both he and Kirk turned to look at McCoy, who just stood there and looked at them. Kirk signaled him and they headed for the bridge. He did not think, until they were in the turbolift, that she would be there. What was he going to say to her? How was he going to explain this? Surely she would never again believe a thing he said.
***
Somehow he managed to stumble through the two hours until shift change without meeting her eyes. She fled the bridge as soon as her relief showed up. He did not blame her in any way. There was no way he could explain, no way he could repair what had been done. She was lost to him. And he was numb.
He returned to his quarters, seated himself before the firepot. Tried to meditate. And found that he burned, again.
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Kal'i'farr = marriage
Kalifee = challenge
Lirpa = Vulcan weapon with one end a curved blade and the other a heavy weight
Plak tau = blood fever
Ahn'wun = Vulcan weapon similar to a bola, made of leather straps with weights fastened to the ends
Kroykah = stop