Chapter Ten

"Spock, have you completely lost your Vulcan mind?"

"No, Captain. I did only what was logical."

"Logical?" Bones snapped. "You killed eight men!"

"I saved four hundred and thirty-seven, possibly nine hundred and forty-two if the Enterprise had also been taken or destroyed."

Kirk and Bones looked to one another, Spock did have a point. Sitting at the briefing room table Kirk reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. His normally solid as a rock First Officer was quickly becoming a loose cannon. The shift in personality was increasingly alarming, and the violence of his recent actions was spreading through the ship like wildfire. As it was there were enough of the crew that were leery of having a Vulcan on board.

"Spock, I'm not saying that your plan didn't work. It is just so unlike you. We have been in plenty of situation where we could have used your impressive skill and strength to escape and you've never used it. Not like you did today."

"In every other case I believed that a better solution would present itself...and in each case I was proven right."

"You didn't think there was a better way this time?" Bones asked.

"No, Doctor. The chances of the Captain coming to a solution within the ten minute time frame were too small to be calculated. I had the power to prevent the Medic's death, so I used it."

"Are you telling me that revenge had nothing to do with your actions?" Bones asked doubtfully.

"Revenge? I do not understand."

"Captain Thames was a friend of your's."

"Captain Thames, at the time Cadet Thames held nothing but contempt for me."

"What?" Kirk asked in surprise. "You always spoke so highly of him."

"He was an outstanding student, a level headed man, and I always believed that one day he would make an excellent starship Captain. His personally feelings towards me did not affect my admiration for him."

"Logical." Kirk shrugged.

"Precisely."

"You know we are standing here accusing you of not acting like yourself...but you are sounding more and more like the Spock I know."

"That is because I have not changed, only your perception of me has."

"Perception my ass." Bones huffed. "Spock, you had a murderous glare in your eyes that I have never seen. You didn't hesitate for even a second to kill Zions."

"To hesitate would have been to die."

"You had his knife."

"You will find he also carried a phaser."

"He's right, Bones, Zions was still armed and dangerous."

"Captain," Spock said solemnly "I apologize for not discussing my plans with you before hand, however, time was not on our side and any advance warning given to Zions would have ended the mission before it had begun. If you wish to bring charges against me I will readily stand trial."

"I'm not bringing any charges against you, Spock." Kirk shook his head sadly. "In fact don't be surprised to find another medal being pinned on your chest next time we swing by Star Fleet Headquarters."

"Then what is this inquiry about?"

"It's about you going all Vulcan psycho on us." Bones said bluntly.

"I believe I have explained myself adequately. Besides, Doctor, you yourself stated that my blood levels are returning to normal."

"What I said was that your adrenaline was down, you've probably simply run out after that little stunt of your's."

"Captain," Spock turned to Kirk "I am exceedingly tired, may I retire to my quarters."

"Yes, of course."

"Jim..."

"McCoy, unless what you're going to say next is backed up by medical fact: I don't want to hear it."

McCoy gave Kirk a sour look, but he did not voice his opinion further. Spock got up and left the pair to argue in private. With the door closed Bones figured that Spock was unable to over hear them, he was wrong. Spock paused for a moment and listened to McCoy voice his fears about him as clearly as though he was standing in the room. The doctor no longer trusted him, and feared for the safety of others around him. Although he had no medical evidence he theorized that Spock was losing his hold on his Vulcan control of emotion with disastrous results.

"Completely illogical conclusion, Doctor." Spock muttered to himself.

As he continued to walk on Spock noticed an odd sensation in his ribs over his heart. Pausing for a moment he rubbed at the spot, but it didn't seem to affect the odd pang. He was unaware that what he was experiencing was a direct result of having heard his friends talk about him behind his back. Confused he returned to quarters.

He had not been lying when he told the Captain that he was tired. The one-man siege on the ship had been taxing. Once he laid down, however, he found himself increasingly restless. He sat up in bed and sighed heavily. He jerked his head slightly to a sound that had caught his attention. He was used to hearing voices in the hallway, but this voice had Vulcan accent. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the voice. It was not the first time he had thought he'd caught a Vulcan voice on the ship in the past few days.

Anubis jumped up on the bed and broke Spock's concentration with this purring. He gently picked up the cat and held it close to his chest. Stroking Anubis's soft fur helped bring down his heart rate, which had begun racing once again. Looking around Spock tried to decide what to do next. Before he had to make the difficult choice the intercom whistled.

"Spock here."

"Spock," Uhura's voice tickled Spock's sensitive hearing "you have a request to answer a private call from Natala."

"Natala? Who is it?"

"Ambassador Tek'tiel."

Spock paused, unsure of if he wanted to receive the call. When he could not think of a logical reason to refuse he announced to Uhura that he would take the call. She switched the sub-space communication over to him.

"Ambassador Tek'tiel."

"Greetings, Spock."

"You have taken over my father's position, I see."

"I did not wish to, but Vulcan requires an Ambassador. I was the logical choice."

"Indeed." Spock nodded. "What is it that you want Ambassador?"

"I wish for you to return to Natala immediately."

"You are wasting both your and my own time. I will not return."

"You must."

"The High Council has made my exile clear."

"Councilor Ry'in spoke in...haste. The order has been reversed you are free to return."

"I am also free to stay where I am." Spock said firmly.

"Spock..." Tek'tiel paused. "Spock, I am only trying to help you."

"What makes you think I need your help?" Spock demanded.

"If you do not need it now, you will soon."

"I do not understand."

"The analyzing computer did not get your age correct when Ry'in scanned you due to your human blood. But I know your true age, and I know when you received your ka-flash knife."

"Why is my age a concern to the High Council?"

"There may be certain...consequences to your age."

"If you are referring to what I believe you are the situation is both none of your business, and already taken care of."

"Yes, your marriage to the human Uhura." Tek'tiel said with a hint of a sigh. "We know, however, I assure you that it will not help."

"I do not understand."

"Have the nose bleeds started yet?"

"How do you kno...wait...you are doing this to me." Spock accused.

"No..."

"T'pring," Spock continued "you are some how using the bond I share with her to force my return."

"That is not logical, Spock."

"It is perfectly logical!" Spock snarled with a sudden flare in temper. "My father's bonded mate died when she was only seventeen years old, so he had no connection to anyone when he met my mother. I on the other hand, I am still bonded to T'pring. Our minds have touched and now you use it as a weapon."

"Spock, you are delusional." Tek'tiel said calmly.

"T'pring would gladly release me, she wants nothing to do with me, and I wish nothing to do with her. You, however, you would have power over her, you could force her into this."

"I have done nothing of the sort. I am only trying to help you."

"That's not logical, you hate me!" Spock cried angrily. "There is no reason for you to help."

"Hate is a human emotion."

"I have seen it in your eyes every time you have laid them upon me, ever since I was a child." Spock hissed. "Must I pay my entire life for a decision that was my father's, not my own?!"

"Listen to yourself, Vulcan. Yes, I call you Vulcan, because you are one of us." Tek'tiel said sternly. "You know that I have always held both you, and your father, in the highest regards. Your mind is inventing this persecution. You have accomplished more than anyone could have every hoped of you, despite your human blood."

"Can you even hear yourself?" Spock demanded. "'Despite your human blood'...what if it is because of it?!"

"You are not well, you are a danger to yourself and others." The Ambassador insisted. "Please, return to Natala, we will do everything in our power to help you."

"Never! Natala is not my home, and I will have nothing to do with it!"

"Spock, you are being emotional."

"Yes." A vulpine grin slipped across Spock's features. "Yes I am, and I love it!"

"It will destroy you."

"I do not care."

"Disregard for one's own life, Spock, is the first sign of insanity..."

"I will not return."

"Then you will die."

"So be it."