A/N: Oh my god, you guys have no idea how amazing it is that I'm posting at all! My laptop is slowly trying to die and yesterday the charger decided to just break and die and my battery sucks so the laptop just freaking DIED! And all my fanfics and all my outlines and everything were locked inside it and I was losing my damn mind! But my amazing fiance went digging around in the basement and found a spare charger and it works (so it was just the charger that broke, not the computer itself) and the thing doesn't fit so he taped it to my damn laptop and it's alive for now! Yay! I have backed up this fic on my Amazon Cloud Drive, so there will be no further issues even if it dies again. But yeah, I've known I needed a new laptop for a while now, but this is insane. I swear to god, the second I find a job, every cent of my first paycheck or two is going towards a brand-new laptop!
Anyways, here's the next chapter! I'm so happy I didn't lose it cuz it was almost done... I might have posted it yesterday if this hadn't happened. Oh well. As usual, please enjoy my latest chapter, and reviews are my favorite thing ever!
Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek or Alice in Wonderland!
Chapter 8: Triumphant Battle
Down in the desert, King Nero and Gary Mitchell rode across the land on fine black horses, with the King's army marching along behind them. The JubJub bird flew above them, and higher still was a monstrous winged beast whose features could not be clearly seen.
Back at the White Queen's castle, everyone was preparing to march off. Just before they could leave, the Bandersnatch came racing out, with Spock astride the creature. He was wearing the white armor and holding the Vorpal Sword high. Everyone cheered, joyous and relieved. But the cheers stopped as a massive shadow swooped overhead.
"It's coming!" McCoy exclaimed, grabbing Jim's coat and looking around.
Spock held his head higher. "To the Tulgey Wood," he called out, and the army followed.
Sometime later they arrived at a strange landscape that looked like a chess board with a massive ruined structure to one side. The two armies faced each other.
Uhura curtsied to Nero. "Hello, Nero," she said pleasantly.
"Uhura," Nero said with a jerk of his head.
Chekov stood between them and blew his trumpet. "On dis the Frabjous Day, the Red King and the White Queen shall send forth der champions to do battle on der behalf."
"Nero…" Uhura hissed. He glanced at her. "We don't have to fight."
"I know what you're doing… trying to butter me up with those gigantic pretty eyes, thinking I'll melt and give you whatever you want," Nero snapped.
"I don't even need the crown, we just need to make some laws so that you stop mistreating my people… I cannot bear their suffering," Uhura exclaimed. "You don't have to give up all the power if that's what's holding you back."
"I will not talk to you anymore," Nero said. "Your sniveling annoys me. Jabberwocky!" he shouted to the sky.
A dark form appeared behind them. McCoy was shaking and twitching like a leaf. "Look up! It's here! Look up!" he screeched.
The Jabberwocky was a massive creature, dragon-like in every aspect. Its pronged tail flicked from side to side, deadly and ferocious.
"This… is impossible," Spock hissed.
"Only if you believe it is," Jim murmured. Spock hadn't even noticed the human appear next to him.
"How can I believe otherwise?" Spock asked.
"Perhaps you ought to try something I've found useful," Jim said. "Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
"How… intriguing…" Spock murmured.
"It's an excellent practice, although just at this moment, you may wish to amend it so you can focus on the Jabberwocky."
Spock stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled, possibly the first real smile he'd allowed himself to have since his mother's death.
"Where's your champion, my dear lady?" Nero asked Uhura.
Spock stepped forward. "Here." And he found himself staring up at the Jabberwocky, which roared so loudly that it actually shook the ground beneath Spock's feet. They eyed each other. Spock took a deep breath. "Six impossible things… One. There is a potion that can make you shrink. Two. And a cake that can make you grow.
Strangely this little exercise was helping him clear his head and he lifted the Vorpal sword high. The Jabberwocky saw the sword and lowered its head, snarling. "So, my old foe, we meet again on the battlefield."
Spock stared at the massive reptile. "We have never met."
"Not you, insignificant bearer," the Jabberwocky said disdainfully. "My ancient enemy, the Vorpal sword." His tongue flicked out. It, like the rest of him, was a spiked thing, sharp and deadly. Spock swung the sword instinctively and managed to cut off the creature's tongue, which fell to the ground with a wet noise.
"That is quite enough talk," Spock said mildly. The Jabberwocky could only make an incoherent snarling noise. Then it swung its pronged tail, knocking Spock right off his feet. He lay on the ground for a moment, winded. "Three… humans can have animal-like features and mannerisms," he muttered.
The Jabberwocky attacked again with the spiked tail and Spock was forced to roll quickly out of the way. He pushed himself to his feet, wishing he was more skilled in combat like this.
"Four… Four, Spock… Think… I have seen a human that can disappear and travel through solid objects," he decided at last.
"Spock! Watch your head!" Jim shouted. Spock ducked just in time to avoid the Jabberwocky's snapping jaws.
"Five… there is a place called Underland," he muttered. The creature attacked with long curved claws and Spock was able to deflect them. "Six." He straightened up. "I can defeat the Jabberwocky." He swung the sword and engaged the creature in battle again.
"Behind you!" Jim cried out.
Spock turned and claws scraped the back of his armor. He nearly fell under the onslaught. "I assure you, I can manage," he called back.
Nero scowled. "That hatter is interfering! Off with his head!" he shouted. Gary Mitchell strode forward, drawing his sword. Somehow Jim had a sword in his hands and the two began to duel. And soon chaos erupted around them.
…Pike and Sulu took on the JubJub bird while Sulu kept one hand on Chekov to make sure he was safe…
…Scotty disappeared and reappeared all over the battlefield, confusing the Romulan knights…
…The Bandersnatch attacked four knights at once, knocking them aside with his massive paws…
…Gaila and Christine fought back-to-back in perfect harmony with not a single argument between them…
…McCoy stood shivering until a Red Knight knocked him over, then a bloodlust appeared in his eyes and he fought with the ferocity of three warriors…
Spock dashed towards the stairs of the ruins, hoping to be able to fight the creature at its level. The Jabberwocky lashed out, knocking over parts of the stairs with its massive tail. Spock managed to dodge the blows and continued to leap and bound, even as the Jabberwocky slithered up to meet him. Seeing that Spock was running right into a trap, Jim knocked Gary Mitchell aside and stabbed the Jabberwocky's tail. The creature roared in pain and lashed out with its wounded tail. Jim dodged, so the creature bent down, attacking the hatter with claws and teeth alike. Spock finally reached the top of the ruins and saw that Jim was sacrificing himself to protect Spock yet again. He felt a horrible pain race through him, and then one more memory raced through his brain.
In his fevered state, the child Spock was aware of a soothing presence next to him and near his mind. Naturally Jim had no way of knowing about Spock's touch telepathy or how it would affect the young half-Vulcan, but Spock's delirious and fevered brain latched onto this comparatively cooler and more orderly oasis of a mind. And somehow in the process of Spock wanting more and more of this gentle and accepting and loving mind, and Jim being so willing to offer anything he could to ease the suffering of the child in front of him… somehow, a bond was created between the two. It was that bond as much as anything else that was able to save Spock's young life.
Eventually he was able to return home, and in the process of healing, his mind blocked off the bond to Jim, leaving Spock returning to health but with no memory of the formed bond. Meanwhile the same bond was left in Jim's head, and it hadn't been adequately explained to him before, and he'd had no idea what had been done to him. Shortly after this had been the disaster with Nero and the deaths of many of Jim's friends and companions. The twin traumas were too much for him to bear and his fragile human mind had snapped under the pressure. And it was the new realization that Spock was responsible for Jim's maddened state, and that he had the ability to heal him… this lent him a fire that he'd never felt before.
Staring down at Jim, prone on the ground before this terrifying beast, not able to move fast enough, Spock knew he had to save the human. Without thinking, he jumped from the top of those ruins, swinging the sword above his head.
"OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!" he shouted.
And with a single powerful blow, he sliced the Jabberwocky's head clean off and they hit the ground at the same instant, the reptile's jaws snapping a few more times as it died completely. Spock knelt on the ground, breathless and feeling a furious madness racing through his body. A red mist had appeared in his vision, but seeing Jim stand up, unharmed, sent the red mists slowly scattering.
Spock stood up and approached the Jabberwocky's head, picked it up and threw it at Nero's feet. "There is your champion. You have lost," Spock said flatly.
Nero looked stunned for a moment, then he pointed imperiously at Spock. "Kill him!" he shouted angrily.
The nearby Red Knights glanced at each other, then the nearest one threw down his weapon. "We follow you no more… bloody big head," he exclaimed.
Nero puffed himself up like a peacock. "How dare you! Off with his head!"
There was an almost painfully long silence, then the other Red Knights began to throw their weapons down too. As the clanging stopped, the crown floated up off the Red King's head. He tried to grab for it, but he couldn't reach as it floated over to land gently on Uhura's head, and Scotty materialized behind the beautiful queen, revealing that he was the one who had transported the crown. Uhura stood still for a moment as a bright white light seemed to appear around her and for a moment Spock thought he heard a lovely chorus of voices singing, but of course that was illogical.
"Nero of Romulus..." Uhura said. "Your crimes against Underland are worthy of death. But that is against my vows. Therefore, you are banished to the Outlands. No one is to show you any kindness or ever speak a word to you." She paused and her expression was filled with something very much like pity. "You will have not a friend in the world," she practically whispered.
Gary Mitchell crept forward meekly, bowing low before the glorious White Queen. "Majesty, I hope you bear me no ill will," he said in a soft weasel-like voice.
Uhura almost smiled down at the handsome man. He tried to smile at her. "Except this one," she said as Gary's smile faded. "Gary Mitchell, you will join Nero in banishment from this day until the end of Underland."
Some White Knights grabbed Gary and handcuffed him to Nero, who grabbed the good-looking human's arm.
"At least we have each other," the Romulan said to the human.
Gary Mitchell's eyes widened, and he pulled a knife out of his sleeve and tried to stab his former king. Nero's eyes widened as Jim managed to knock the knife away and Gary Mitchell knelt beseechingly before Uhura. "Kill me… please!" he cried out.
"But I do not owe you a kindness," Uhura said mildly as the pair was dragged away.
"You tried to kill me! YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!" Nero screamed as they were dragged off.
"Oh Frabjous Day! Callou! Callay!" Jim exclaimed, and he began to dance. His long limbs seemed to be everywhere at once and his body moved with a practiced grace although the dance was certainly the most unconventional thing Spock had ever seen in his life.
"What is he doing?" he asked Scotty.
"That be th' Futterwacken," Scotty said with a giant grin.
Jim reached out and grabbed Spock, pulling him into the dance as well. Spock stumbled for a moment, but he suddenly found that there was something almost predictable about the movements once he learned the rhythm and he was able to join Jim in this wild and joyous dance. When it finished and they wound up in each other's arms staring right at each other, Jim leaned forward and kissed him quickly on the lips.
Before Spock could quite figure out the proper reaction to this, and even as his brain thrummed with the confirmation that this was in fact his bondmate, Uhura approached them both holding a small glass vial with a few drops of red liquid in it. The liquid was the same color as the blood still leaking gently from the neck of the Jabberwocky.
"What is this?" Spock asked.
"Blood of the Jabberwocky. You have our everlasting gratitude. And for your efforts on our behalf…" She held out the vial for Spock to take.
"Will this… take me home?" Spock asked.
"If that is what you choose," the White Queen replied.
Spock lifted the vial up to stare into it. Then he looked into Jim's miserable and pleading eyes. "You could stay…" Jim suggested, his voice scarcely above a whisper.
"What an idea… a crazy, mad, illogical, wonderful idea…" He looked around at all of them, but then he thought of his father and brother, and he knew that he could not abandon his duties left behind, even though he felt that his heart was breaking over never seeing any of them again… especially Jim. "But I cannot… There are questions I have to answer. And things I still must do."
Spock closed his eyes, then touched Jim's forehead lightly, carefully building walls around their bond and sending soothing thoughts to heal the shattered mind. Jim shuddered at the mental invasion, nearly collapsing, and Spock lowered him gently to the ground.
"I would never have left if I had known about this… but I must attend to my duties," Spock murmured to his bondmate. McCoy approached, silently promising he would look after Jim once Spock departed. The Vulcan drank the contents of the vial quickly. "I will return again before you know it."
"You won't remember me…" Jim whispered, tears gathering in those painfully blue eyes.
"Of course I will… How could I forget?" Spock asked, wishing he had more words of comfort to offer the distressed human.
"Fairfarren, Spock…" Jim said even as he and the world around him began to fade away into the brightest of white light, then dissolved into nothingness.
A/N: Bam! A further twist in the relationship! Now who saw THAT coming? Ahahahaha! Naturally there will be another chapter, I'm not so cruel as to end this right here. Most likely I'll post the final chapter on Saturday. Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are loved as always!
