On Jim's tenth day of living with the Vulcans, they received a visitor. He was a lean, weathered looking Vulcan cloaked in drab gray color to camouflage himself and he looked at Jim with curiousity as he spoke to T'Lora.
Jim was still bed or chair bound, but feeling was returning to his legs more and more each day and T'Sara was encouraged when she worked with him everyday. His arms were fully functioning now, which he was certainly pleased about. He'd had to be spoon fed for the first three days and it grated against Jim's very independent spirit. T'Sara was teaching him 3D chess, which was pretty fun, but he was hopeless at it. He got more delight from watching her than the board, usually resulting in him losing horribly.
The visiting Vulcan suddenly dropped his voice and drew T'Lora into a corner. Whatever they were talking about must be pretty serious, Jim thought. He hoped the bigwigs hadn't discovered he wasn't actually dead yet, because He wasn't really able to go on the run currently and he didn't want to be a dead weight to get either of the kind women in trouble.
"What are they talking about?" He asked T'Sara, who'd been tidying up the room.
"Sarek and his schemes to threaten Terra," she replied. "He is always coming up with some new plot to destroy earth if he doesn't get his way and thankfully, none of them have come to pass. If his madness keeps growing, however, I fear for your kind."
Jim felt nervous again. He'd known Sarek was ruthless, but crazy, too? That was a despotic mixture that spelled misery and destruction.
"I've got to be able to get out of here and warn Starfleet," Jim fretted. "But by the time I'll be able to walk, who knows what he'll have done?"
"Calm yourself, James. The council will not rush into a drastic measure unless Sarek forces it. Most of the fighting right now is small skirmishes around the Regis planets. I do not believe that would precipitate an excessive reaction."
Jim sighed. "You'd know better than I do. But if he attacks earth, I will drag myself to the palace and burn the place down."
T'Lora re-entered the room and joined her daughter by Jim's side.
"James I have news-both positive and negative."
"Give me the good type first, please," Jim said hopefully.
"Our friend Sinak has spoken with Spock and was informed that he has a human female staying with him. I am nearly certain he referred to your lieutenant."
Jim's eyes widened and he sat up alertly at this information.
"Uhura's alive?" he breathed. "And safe?"
"Yes. Spock is a very trustworthy individual. He will not allow harm to come to her as long as she is with him."
"That's a weight off my mind," Jim sighed, running a hand through his mussy brown hair. An odd, but endearing habit, T'Sara thought.
"So, what's the bad news, then?" He asked warily.
"The emperor has in his possession a very dangerous substance that could swallow up even planets by creating a black hole. He is planning to test it on Terran ships as a warning signal to Earth."
"What?" Jim said, face aghast with horror. "That's a war crime! You can't just kill hundreds of innocent people because you're mad at Starfleet! And taking out our whole planet is genocide! We have to stop him!"
"I know, James. We are realizing Sarek cannot continue unopposed and our silent rebellion must become more open soon," Soothed T'Sara, "But we must meet with the other outcasts and make careful plans before we storm the castle, as Terrans say."
"Yeah. You're gonna need a real scheme to crack that place. I wouldn't be any physical help right now, anyway."
He laboriously raised his foot up several inches and held it shakily for while.
"Perhaps not," T'Lora said, "but your tactical brain will be very useful, Jim. You were in a command position, after all."
"Yeah. Well, I hope he holds off on any nefarious plans until I'm up again."
"It will be very dangerous, James," T'Lora cautioned.
"Of course. But I told Selek before I chugged the death drink that I'd die a thousand times over if it would stop this mess and the loss of other lives."
Jim looked at T'Sara intensely, blue eyes flashing with determination. She met his with an appreciative look of her brown ones and was again amazed at the zeal and courage of the young human. Her grandfather would certainly have approved of him, she thought with a secret, barely visible smile. If it was in her power, T'Sara vowed, Jim would not be required to die again to save his friends.
