Chapter 10 ~ Trials of a Jungle Girl
Eon had spoken to Admiral Cat in private the afternoon after the Elysium people chose her as their ambassador. Due to the reemergence of the Wakta River, Tray stayed behind to help repopulate the Argilz. There was a bittersweet goodbye but both parties left happily. She was stiff from Spock's loving but hid her discomfort. Eon expressed her concern over being an ambassador and being Spock's wife. "It is my duty to my people to represent them to the best of my ability yet it is my duty to Commander Spock to be his wife…" she said, pacing lightly in her quarters.
"I understand your concern Eon." Admiral Cat said, equally perplexed. He stroked his thin moustache with his paw-like hands. "The only solution I can come up with is to constantly video you in whenever a meeting in necessary. The Enterprise has the capabilities to beam you anywhere when your presence is needed. I think that this could work."
"I agree. Thank you for the help Admiral." Eon said, settling and smiling.
"You are welcome Eon. Admiral Cat out." Admiral Cat said, cutting the connection.
Eon sighed and walked from her quarters. She walked down a quiet corridor but came up short at the sight of Kirk and Bones talking to Nurse Chapel. Eon had caught onto Chapel one of the first times she had encountered the friendly nurse. She strode up, inclining her head and saw Chapel was holding a tray with some sort of soup. "What's this?" Bones asked, motioning to the soup.
"Vulcan plomeek soup, and I'll bet you made it too." Eon said coldly, glaring at Chapel.
"You never give up hoping, do you?" Bones finished.
"Well, Mister Spock hasn't been eating, Doctor, and I, I just happened to notice. I'm more surprised that you haven't noticed Ambassador Eon." Chapel said, equally as cold.
Kirk could sense that if Chapel didn't walk away, some blood was going to be drawn. But Eon was surprisingly calm as she replied, "Unlike you nurse Chapel, I know when it is best to leave my husband alone."
"Carry on, Miss Chapel." Bones said and Chapel entered a small meditation room set aside for Spock.
"What in Dare's name is going on Bones?" Eon asked, whirling on the CMO.
"You honestly don't know?" Bones replied, generally shocked.
"I haven't spoken to Spock since I was made ambassador 2 weeks ago so no, I have no idea." Eon replied, her voice sounding hurt.
"Well, it's nothing I can pinpoint without an examination, but he's become increasingly restive. If he were not a Vulcan, I'd almost say nervous. And for another thing, he's avoiding food. I checked and he hasn't eaten at all in three days." Bones explained before saying to Kirk, "Jim, when I suggested to Spock that it was time for his routine check-up, your logical, unemotional first officer turned to me and said, you will cease to pry into my personal matters, Doctor, or I shall certainly break your neck."
Eon's eyebrows shot up. "Spock said that?" Kirk replied.
Then Spock's angry voice shouted, "What is this?" and Nurse Chapel came running from the meditation room followed by a thrown bowl of soup.
Spock came out, rage evident on his face. "Poking and prying! If I want anything from you, I'll ask for it!" he shouted, making everyone in the corridor stop and stare.
Eon moved slowly, Spock's darkened eyes falling on her. "Captain, I should like to request a leave of absence on my home planet. On our present course you can divert to Vulcan with a loss of but two point eight light days." Spock said, standing very stiff.
"Spock, what the devil is this all about?" Kirk asked.
"I have made my request, Captain. All I require from you is that you answer it. Yes or no." Spock replied coldly.
Eon acted, grabbing Kirk's arm and Spock's arm as well and pulling them into the meditation room. "Computer lock doors." She said and the doors locked. "Spock, what is going on?"
"It is undignified for a woman to play servant to a man who is not hers." Spock replied, locking eyes with Eon.
"I agree but acting like this? Being snappish, mean and shouting? That's not you Spock." Eon said. "What's going on?"
Spock turned to Kirk and said, "You have my request, Captain. Will you grant it or not?"
Eon was pissed now. She was in front of him in a moment and shoved him hard. "I am you wife damn'it! Tell me what is going on!" she shouted, grabbing his shirt and shoving him against the wall.
"Captain." Spock said, ignoring Eon again.
Eon let him go and muttered, "Fine." And unlocked the doors and swept out.
She stormed to her quarters, practically vibrating in anger. She entered her quarters and immediately ordered the room to be sound proof before screaming her head off. She raged all over, throwing small things and bursting pillows. Why was he being so Dare damn difficult? There was a ping at the door. "Unless it's a matter of life or death, leave now or your life will be over in death." She shouted and the door opened.
Spock stood in the doorway, breathing hard. Eon glared daggers at him as he stepped in, quietly ordering the doors to lock. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice like venom.
Spock didn't answer before he was on her, his lips hot against hers. She had never been kissed like this before but she was still mad. She shoved him off. "You think you can piss me off then just come in here and make me hot for you and get away with that?" she said, almost shouting.
"I will explain quickly." Spock said, his voice wavering. "I am experiencing Pon Farr. Pon farr is a psychophysical condition affecting Vulcans, in which Vulcan males and females go into heat every seven years, going into a blood fever, becoming violent, and finally dying if they do not mate with someone with whom they are empathically bonded or engage in the ritual battle known as kal-if-fee."
Eon stiffened. "Why are we going to Vulcan then?" she asked, her anger waned.
"I am engaged to a Vulcan woman." He said.
"What? You're engaged?" Eon yelled.
"It is less than marriage, more than a betrothal." Spock further explained. "I must go to Vulcan to sever the connection I have with T'Pring."
Eon stared at him. "I understand if you are angry at me Eon. I never felt for T'Pring as I feel for you." Spock said, coming a bit closer to her.
"Oh Spock…" Eon said, touching his face, letting a wave of emotion flow into him.
He growled before kissing her hotter than he did before. Eon responded and wrapped her legs around his waist. "I will not be gentle." He growled in her ear as he carried her to their bed.
"Neither will I." Eon replied, ripping his shirt off.
XXXX
Spock appeared on the bridge, much calmer than before, just as Uhura said, "Captain. We're standing by on Vulcan hailing frequencies, sir."
"Open the channel, Lieutenant. Vulcan Space Central, this is the USS Enterprise requesting permission to assume standard orbit." Kirk replied, keeping a calm eye on his Vulcan friend.
"USS Enterprise from Vulcan Space Central. Permission granted. And from all of Vulcan, welcome." A feminine voice said from the other line. "Is Commander Spock with you?"
Spock spoke up. "This is Spock."
"Standby to activate your central viewer, please." The voice said.
The viewscreen light up with the image of a very beautiful woman. She spoke addressing Spock solely. "Spock, it is I."
Spock calmly replied, "T'Pring, parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place."
T'Pring's face spoke volumes. Spock was being very calm and composed for being in the midst of Pon Farr. "Spock, parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. I await you." She replied before signing off.
"She's lovely, Mister Spock. Who is she?" Uhura asked.
Spock hesitated before answering, "She is T'Pring. My wife." Making nearly everyone in the bridge look at him. "I was engaged to her before I met Eon." Spock further explained before excusing himself to the transporter room.
He and Kirk were met by Bones and Eon in the transporter room. The married couple's eyes locked and Spock felt an all-consuming desire to have her again. Her yellow eyes returned the feelings but also conveyed that she physically could not be with him again today. They shared a quick embrace before moving to the transporter pad. They all beamed down onto a very red planet. Sky, ground, all shades of hot orange-red. Spock lead them into an area marked out by stone structures.
"This is the land of my family. It has been held by us for more than two thousand Earth years. This is our place of Koon-ut-kal-if-fee." Spock explained quickly.
"He called it Koon-ut what?" Bonesd asked quietly to Kirk.
"He described it to me as meaning marriage or challenge. In the distant past, Vulcans killed to win their mates." Kirk explained.
"They still go mad at this time. Perhaps it's the price they pay for having no emotions the rest of the time." Bones joked.
Eon shook her head and approached Spock. While Bones and Kirk made comments about the weather, Spock spoke softly to Eon. "I may be unable to voice my wishes to bind myself to you in Vulcan's eyes so it may fall to you."
"What must I do Tar'cha?" Eon asked, touching his hand.
"When the officiator says 'Kah-if-farr', you must reply as loudly as you can 'Kal-if-fee'." Spock instructed, clutching her hand.
"What will happen then?" Eon asked, grasping his hand tightly.
"It will either fall to you to fight T'Pring or me to fight her chosen champion." Spock said, kissing her forehead.
"I will fight to keep you Tar'cha Spock." Eon said, leaning against his chest.
He gentle pulled her from him and rang a gong. "I wonder when his T'Pring arrives." Bones said.
"The marriage party approaches. I hear them." Spock said, almost eagerly.
"Marriage party? You said T'Pring was your wife." Kirk questioned.
"By our parents' arrangement. A ceremony while we were but seven years of age. Less than a marriage but more than a betrothal. One touches the other in order to feel each other's thoughts. In this way our minds were locked together, so that at the proper time, we would both be drawn to Koon-ut-kal-if-fee." Spock explained, glancing at Eon.
Her face had hardened and he saw once more the woman of the forest that had fought off a Scree for him, the woman who rode a Maronia like they owned the land, and the woman who flew a Twilok like she was born in the air. A jingling sound got louder, and Spock rang the gong again. Two men entered, shaking contraptions with lots of bells, followed by a woman carried on a chair. T'Pring and others came behind her. Through their mind link, Spock told Eon that the woman in the chair was T'Pau, a high ranking Vulcan. T'Pau's chair was placed on a dais, and Spock greeted her. She gave him a quick mind-meld. "Spock, are our ceremonies for outworlders?" she asked.
"They are not outworlders. They are my friends. I am permitted this." Spock replied calmly.
She gestured for them to approach. "This is Kirk." Spock introduced his Captain.
"Ma'am." Kirk said.
"And thee are called?" T'Pau asked, her question directed towards Bones.
"Leonard McCoy, ma'am." Bones replied.
Her attention turned to Eon. Their eyes met and T'Pau tilted her head to the side. This strange woman had the look of murder in her vibrant eyes. "Thee names these out worlders friends. How does thee pledge their behavior?" T'Pau asked Spock, not taking her eyes from Eon.
"With my life, T'Pau." Spock replied, seeing her gaze still on Eon.
"What they are about to see comes down from the time of the beginning, without change. This is the Vulcan heart. This is the Vulcan soul. This is our way. Kah-if-farr." She said, tearing her eyes from Eon.
Eon's heart raced as she all but screamed, "Kal-if-fee!"
T'Pau, T'Pring, the attendants, Kirk, Bones and even Spock all looked at Eon. Her heart was pounding. "Whom are thee to challenge?" T'Pau asked.
"I am Eon, Ambassador to Elysium and Spock's wife." Eon said, stepping forward.
T'Pau's eyebrows shot up as did T'Pring's. "What do thee wish done Ambassador Eon?" T'Pau asked calmly.
"I wish to fight for the right to be with Spock." Eon said, rolling her shoulders. "I will fight whomever I must to keep Spock."
"T'Pring, will thee accept this challenge?" T'Pau asked.
"I shall." T'Pring said, stepping forward.
"Here begins the act of combat for possession of the man, Spock. As it was at the time of the beginning, so it is now. Bring forth the lirpa." T'Pau said and the two women were presented with wicked-looking half moon blades set in a wooden shaft, with a counterweight at the other end. "If both survive the lirpa, combat will continue with the ahn woon."
"A moment Lady T'Pau." Eon said, thinking very fast. "I do not wish to kill or harm T'Pring. May I suggest to the first blood as a compromise to death?"
T'Pau thought a moment before agreeing. "Challenge was given and lawfully accepted. It has begun. Let no one interfere." She said.
Eon gripped her lirpa and crouched low, eyeing T'Pring, sizing her up. There was a pause before T'Pring charged, lirpa raised. Eon jabbed the pointed end into the ground, vaulting herself over the charging Vulcan woman and kicking her hard in the back, knocking T'Pring to the ground. Eon bounced off her hands, landing gracefully while T'Pring spun, slashing at her. Eon dodged but T'Pring kept coming, jabbing at her wildly. Eon had lost her lirpa so she could only attempt to dodge. Then, T'Pring hissed at her, "I do not even want him. He has been corrupted by out worlders"
Eon saw red. She roared, startling T'Pring before launching herself at the Vulcan, grabbing her lirpa and ripping it from her hands. With a wild glint in her eyes, she began her attack. "Kroykah!" T'Pau called but Eon was deaf to all words other than T'Pring.
Two attendants intervened, grabbing Eon and pulling her away, kicking and screaming. Bones went to her side and spoke harshly to her. "Take it easy alright?" Bones said scanning her quickly, but stopped short, a frantic and fallen look on his face.
"What is it Bones?" she asked, calming her breathing.
"Eon, you're—" Bones began but was cut off by the voice of T'Pau saying, "The ahn woon."
Eon gave Bones a soft look before stepping up again, her rage having settled into a biting cold anger. The bells sound, and both women were given long straps with weights and tassels on the ends. T'Pring wielded it skillfully but Eon had been raised with a rope. T'Pring threw it at Eon but she jumped high, successfully dodging it. Used her momentum and T'Pring's surprise at not catching Eon's legs, Eon ended up behind her and she used her ahn woon to wrap the ropes around her neck. "Yield." Eon said into her ear. "And I will take him from you forever."
T'Pring struggled a bit before lack of air made her fall to her knees. Eon let her go, grabbed a nearby rock and grabbed T'Pring's arm, making a small cut on her skin, letting the green blood seep a bit. "There is your blood." Eon said, tossing the rock onto T'Pau's dias. "I will do no more."
For a physically fit as Eon was, she was breathing hard. "Eon?" Bones asked, noting her blank expression.
"I can't see." She said quietly, her eyes suddenly rolling back and she collapsed, Spock moving faster than light, catching her before she hit the ground.