First off, a thank you to my readers who are still reading this as I know my updates have been abysmally slow. The death of my husband of 25 years in October 2017 and then the Suicide of my adopted son in January 2018 have basically wrecked the life I thought I had. I have finally managed to get things back to a semi even keel and finally have the time and desire to write again. I hope you all are enjoying Ash's journey.
This is a fanfiction. I do not own any of Star Trek. This story is being written for fun not profit. I do own my original characters. Please do not use without my permission.
Shore Leave part 1
"Captains log, Star date…22 2265 Captain James T Kirk reporting.
The medical situation with the colony on Thanatos VII has been resolved due in large part to the efforts of CMO Leonard H. McCoy and his staff. Please see the attached Medical report for details. I am recommending commendations for Lieutenant Commander McCoy, Nurse Christine Chapel and Commander Spock for their efforts, which were in my opinion, above and beyond the call of duty.
To show his peoples appreciation for our assistance, Governor DeLance has extended an invitation for the crew to take a few days of shore leave. Being as how we are not expected at the Cerulian conference for two weeks, I feel it would be beneficial to ship morale for everyone on board to have a few hours planet side. My Medical and Science departments, in particular, have certainly earned the respite."
Abigail winced and hastily reached to adjust the tone on her keyboard. Holy crap! She was working on her part of a planned Birthday celebration for her chief, Montgomery Scott, but trying to get her keyboard to synthesize the sound of bagpipes was being problematic! So far, the closest she had managed sounded suspiciously like the mating song of Tarsinian Cloud Whales. In other words, ear shattering! Making a couple of small adjustments, she flipped her sheet music back and tried again. This attempt sounded a little better… or maybe not. The girl jerked her fingers off the keys as the door to her shared quarters swooshed open and her roommate came slamming into the room, all wide red eyes, bared teeth and extended claws. Ash turned a full circle with her taunt body held low.
"Where is it Abigail Joneses? Gets behinds me…I KILLS it!"
She could only stammer as their very small room suddenly seemed way too full of agitated dragon.
"WHAT? Ash… holy shit!"
Abby hastily slid her chair back to avoid the long serpent like tail that whipped passed her face as the growling dragon turned another confused circle.
"I HEARS it… Where it be hidings? I finds it, I stomps it FLAT!"
The draconian slammed a hind foot down to emphasize her point. Sparks flew as her talons scraped the dura-crete floor. Abby felt her face flush a deep red…Damn it…her music wasn't THAT bad! Still, with the Dragon's sensitive hearing, the sounds her board was making could be mistaken for the wails of some misbegotten demon from the depths of hell! The girl made a quick grab as the wind of Ash's passing knocked her sheet music off its stand. Her movement had the dragon sliding to a stop, a long black tongue flicking out to tickle one of her flushed cheeks. Powerful hands closed on her shoulders, pulling her closer as fiery red eyes scrutinized her frozen form.
"Did you gets BITTEN? You is all reds and hots…" With a soft snort that blew the girl's fine hair around her face, the dragon released her hold and turned towards the room's intercom.
You needs Doctor Boneses…I calls Sickbay…!"
"NO!" Abby dropped her music and lunged, trying to tackle her eight-foot-tall roommate before she reached the button and called nine kinds of holy hell down on them. At five feet three though…all she managed to do was get her arms around the dragon's scaly neck then hang, feet off the ground, like some strange, living pendant. She could not suppress a rather hysterical sounding giggle as the dragon's fringe rippled against her skin releasing small static shocks that tickled like hell. Ash ground to a halt…and craned her head around, sensitive muzzle ghosting over the girl's face as her black tongue flicked out, touching here and there as if the dragon was tasting her.
"Ums… what you is doings, Abby Joneses?"
"Stopping you before you bring Dr. McCoy down on our asses! There is nothing in here… I was just working on some music for the Chief's birthday party."
The dragon's snort of disbelief blew her hair back.
"That NOTS music! Is… is…!" The draconian made a rather uncomplimentary gagging motion. At least she tried to look apologetic as she followed this up with a little shake to settle her fringe. This motion caused Abby's grip to fail and she slithered down the dragon to land unsteadily on her feet. Two long talon-ed hands gently grabbed her shoulders in support until the girl found her feet.
Abby groaned… "I KNOW! I can't get my board to cooperate. It is supposed to sound like this!"
A quick flip of a switch and the lively reel that was her Chief's favorite song poured out of her speakers. Ash's large head tilted as she listened intently to the bagpipe's wail. The skin and muscles around those large eyes softened as the dragon nodded in time with the rhythm. Abby was not surprised when, towards the end… Ash warbled a few notes. It took a couple of tries but by the time the last note faded out, she had matched the bagpipes keening timbre. Closing both inner and outer eyelids…. the Draconian stood silently for a moment…then she opened her mouth and perfectly replicated the opening stanza of the old Scottish tune. The song faltered when, upon opening her eyes, she saw the stunned look on her roommate's face. The notes abruptly stopped as Ash flinched, dropped her head and snapped her jaws shut. For a fleeting moment, the girl saw what could only be described as fear, pass through the dragon's shadowed gaze. Without thinking, Abby reached out to place a hand under that wedged shaped jaw. She lifted it up making the golden eyes meet her own.
"NO… don't stop…. that was PERFECT!"
Abby stifled a wince at the mix of sorrow, fear and uncertainty that flickered across her roommate's long face. Ash shifted from one foot to the other, her questioning gaze quietly searching for something in her friend's expression. A long black tongue flicked out, lightly touching cheek, lips and then the corners of her eyes. Abby did not know what the dragon was looking for, so she just held still and smiled, trying to project confidence and pleasure across the short distance that separated them. It must have been enough because Ash's fringe, which had sucked in tight to her head and neck slowly relaxed as she settled back on her hocks.
"No is perfect. Sounds betters like this."
What followed was a new and improved variation of Scotty's song. Not only did the Draconian have every note spot on… but she added a second bagpipe which played harmony to the first. Abby gave up trying to figure out how Ash did it when a distinct drumbeat joined in to augment the dancing rhythm with a lively beat.
Abby could not help herself. When the final note faded off she found herself clapping as she crowed…
"That was AWESOME!"
Ash rose, her pleasure at the praise showing in a rare gape mouthed draconic grin. For a second time, the girl threw her arms around her companion's neck.
"You are incredible! OHHH…I know… heck with my key board, YOU can just sing for Scotty's Birthday! He would LOVE…."
Her words were abruptly cut off as the Draconian backpedaled, the rapid movement dislodging Abby's grip and dumping her on her butt.
"NONONOI! Can't sing…. I no fly… I is quiet… no song for Aishy'la! Is forbidden!"
Abby froze as her brain tried to wrap itself around what her friend was saying. The Dragon's body language spoke her fear even louder than her words. If the big beast could have fit under the bed, Abby was sure she would have squeezed her way under there. The girl did not understand. Ash had told her that the Draconian Eldest language was nothing but music… a living song. Singing was something that had to be intrinsic to the species… how could Ash NOT sing. Why would something as important as song be forbidden to her? Abby just stared in shock… then she remembered her introduction to her scaly friend.
"But I don't understand. You sang for me."
Ash uncoiled a little from her tense stance. She reached down to help pull her roommate to her feet. For all of the strength in her powerful arms, the beast's touch was gentle as she awkwardly patted Abby's shoulder.
"You was so afraids. I knows fear… is not good. I sings so you would not be afraid anymores. You not hurt Ash for this. You not kill… I sings only for you."
Abby straightened out the sheet music that she had almost dropped. She was quiet as her mind mulled over what Ash was and… was not… telling her. The engineer had to push some guilt down as she selfishly tried to think of a way to convince her friend it would be okay for her to sing for the Chief. She just KNEW the man would be beside himself with pleasure if he could just hear the dragon's version of his favorite song. Maybe Ash could sing it and she could record… a quick glance up to meet her friends anxious golden gaze and Abby sighed and shelved that idea. It was not fair to Ash to stress her out like this. Abby smiled and patted one of the hands that still lingered on her shoulder.
"Its okay Ash. Maybe you could just help me figure out how to get this machine to spit out the proper tones. I am sure I can have it ready for Commander Scot in time for his birthday party tonight"
The girl hid a smile as the dragon winced at the thought of having to listen to the sounds the machine had been making, but Ash proved her meddle by nodding.
"Okays…I helps you."
Ash seemed to relax as Abby sat in front of her keyboard. The girl was pretty sure it was a stalling attempt when just as her fingers settled on the keys, the dragon asked….
What's a… birthdays… Abby Joneses?
The girl just blinked. It had not occurred to her that her roommate had no idea what a birthday was. It seemed a bit strange as every creature had to be born or hatched in some way.
"We humans, and some other species, celebrate the day of our birth. Don't Draconians do this? Surely you have a birthday Ash. Or maybe you celebrate when you are hatched?"
The dragon's soft lips twisted briefly, lifting to show a flash of teeth before she gave her wedge-shaped head a little shake.
"I has no… Birthday. Draconians no celebrate when hatched. Hatchlings are Aishy'la."
There was that word again. Abby made a note to herself to find out if anyone knew what it meant. In the back of her mind, the girl was already busy figuring out the logistics to springing a surprise "first" birthday party on her friend.
"So… is there a day you do celebrate?"
"OH Yes… Is good day when hatchling becomes fledgling and earns sky-song."
Abigail suddenly realized where this was going, and her stomach sank until it felt like it was puddled somewhere around her ankles.
At her stricken look, the Draconian gave an unhappy sounding hum while shifting from one hind foot to the other. A strange ripple passed through her scaled armor making a deep rattling buzz before sucking in tight to her frame. Golden eyes refused to meet her friend's, as she quietly explained.
"I no celebrates because I never flies. I is Aishy'la. I no has sky-song… is forbidden."
Kirk sighed and rolled his shoulders…trying to ease the stricture of his dress uniform around his neck. The oppressive humidity on this world made having to wear the damn thing even worse, but he had one more small meeting with the colony's governor, then he could strip down to lighter wear and enjoy a little time at the beach along with the others attending Scotty's birthday bash. A flash of blue had him turning with a frown as his second officer moved up along side him after materializing in the designated transport area. Sharp eyes noted the uniform and the science tricorder nestled almost out of sight against a slender hip.
"You are supposed to be taking some time off… Spock."
Dark brown eyes met his calmly as one of those elegant eyebrows slowly rose.
"I AM planet side, Captain…rather than in my lab."
Jim smothered a smirk as the Vulcan's dry tone made it very clear where he would RATHER be, IF he had been given a choice.
He gave up trying to hide his smile as Spock tugged the hem of his uniform shirt down… almost succeeding in hiding that tricorder. Jim let his gaze linger on it for a moment just so the Vulcan knew it had been noticed. He shook his head slightly as he looked up into the other's face. He had to stifle a pang of jealousy at the fact that even in full uniform, the Vulcan was dry. He could not suppress a sigh as he shifted his shoulders again…feeling the sweat dampened material stick to his body like a very uncomfortable second skin.
"Aren't you hot, Spock? I would think that something a bit…lighter…would be more comfortable in this kind of climate."
The other eyebrow slowly rose to join its twin.
"Captain… I can assure you that the ambient temperature now would have been considered a mild summer day on Vulcan. My physiology is well adapted to dealing with it."
Damn it if the Vulcan did not sound… smug.
Using the back of his hand, Kirk wiped the sweat from his brow as he out right grinned. He had ALWAYS wanted to say this…
'Yeah…but on Vulcan…it's a DRY heat!"
There was a flash in that dark gaze and Jim was rewarded with his friend's equivalent of a smile as he caught the joke. Granted it was just a softening of the muscles around the outworlder's eyes and mouth but with Vulcan's fate and their initial rocky start, Kirk was going to take what he could get!
A deep rawr… had both of their heads snapping around. This world had several large land predators and even with security measures they occasionally gave the colonists trouble. This was not the case this time as a flock of screaming, giggling children came thundering by. Close on their heels was the dark form of a terrifying beast. It opened its toothy jaws as several slow movers dodged, shrieking and laughing.
"RAWR!"
Both of Spock's eyebrows try to crawl off of his head as he looked at his Captain and repeated.
"Rawr…?"
The confusion on the man's face was enough that Kirk doubled over laughing just as the children turned and swarmed the chasing dragon. Ash slid to a halt and bellied down to the ground. In seconds all that could be seen was a writhing mass of children and the occasional flash of scale as the beast carefully thrashed around… shrieking her own type of laughter.
"HAHAHAHA….NO…NO… NO tickles…. hahahaha….ACH NOTS there…. Cants bbreathe… HAHAHAHAHA Captian's HELP!"
Kirk got his laughter under control and stepped hard on the desire to go join the kids in their fun. Only the fact that he was dressed for a meeting stopped him as with a final shriek Ash surged back to her feet, children hanging off all portions of her anatomy as she took off in a smooth run. Blue eyes wistfully followed the lucky ones mounted over those tightly closed wings as the dragon carried her entourage towards the beach.
Not for the first time, Kirk silently thanked his security Chief. When Ensign Ash had been assigned as perimeter guard for the medical team, the colonists had understandably been wary of the frightening predator. Their attitudes had changed drastically on the second day when the beast and her partner had taken out a large, vaguely bear like creature that was responsible for three previous deaths. Lieutenant Harken had been injured in the attack and Ash had carried him through the recovery ward to reach the medical team. When she turned to head back out, her path had been blocked by an eerily silent crowd. The children, in particular, had been hard hit by the virus that swept through the colony. Many had died, and of those that survived, many had been left orphans. The first sight of their haunted, wan faces had brought more than one of Kirk's demons roaring to the surface as he was overwhelmed with the irrational NEED to fix something that could not be fixed. Everyone in the ward froze in fear as the dragon dipped her head, black tongue flicking out to sample the air around the silent children. The fear on those same faces had turned to wonder as Ash's black hide had come to life in a shimmering rainbow of rippling color as she crooned softly at the little ones. Her blowing smoke rings over their enthralled heads had sealed the deal… and won more than a few hearts in those that watched. Now, much to everyone's amusement, the dragon could not take step without being followed by a pack of laughing children.
Kirk watched the long serpentine tail disappear under the trees and turned back to his first officer. He hastily wiped the look of longing off of his face as he caught the odd sidelong glance the other shot his way. Then he grinned.
"Ash has it made."
The Vulcan just stared at him.
"Unlike you, she doesn't have to get undressed to go swimming…. she can just jump right in!"
The slightly affronted look he got was the same one you get from a cat when you suggest it take a bath. Kirk was pretty sure he did not imagine the slight shudder that traveled over the Vulcan's tall frame.
"Captain… I have no intentions of getting…wet!"
The quiet figure in Science department blues looked entirely out of place as it walked with a measured pace along the shore. A soft breeze ruffling through his hair had Spock lifting his head from studying his tricorder in order to take advantage of its cooling affects. He had stated fact when he had told the Captain that this planet's higher temperatures did not cause him problems. Its high humidity on the other hand, he found to be highly uncomfortable. With lungs that were evolved to extract oxygen from a very dry climate, breathing the thick liquid filled, water world air was akin, he could imagine, to breathing Plomeek soup! He took care to keep his pace almost leisurely, keeping his heart and breathing rate as slow as possible. This gave his unique physiology a chance to deal with the extra fluid he was inhaling with each breath. Doctor McCoy had determined it was safe for him to be planet-side if he did not exert himself. It was a bit of medical advice that he agreed with for once.
Children's laughter coming up behind him had the Vulcan neatly side stepping away from the waves lapping the shore as a group ran by, shedding water and sand indiscriminately. Dark eyes tracked their progress as they scampered up a barely seen trail leading to the cliffs that over hung the little cove. Some of the children were taking turns diving off pre-built platforms interspaced along the rocky heights, while others played some sort of keep away game with a floating ball a little further out in deeper water. While he watched, one child hit the ball with a bit too much enthusiasm sending it even further out. After much teasing and laughing… the boy swam out with the evident intention of getting it back.
Movement higher up drew his eye to the dark form of Ash where she was laying at the very top. Spock did not doubt that the dragon was combining sunbathing along with keeping watch on the splashing chaos below.
The science officer was just looking down to re-activate his tricorder when the Ensign's black form rose to her full height. The sudden tensing in her large frame and the way her head twisted to zero in on the water just out past the cove's entrance had the Vulcan scanning the waves looking for whatever the dragon's sharp eyes saw. His own vision picked out the three large triangular fins slicing through the water at the same time as Ash bugled a warning. Every person in the water made for the beach as that high clear note carried to shore. Everyone except the lone boy who was still trying to reach his ball. With the waves, and the breeze blowing in the wrong direction he had not heard that clarion call. A quick glance proved that the adults were gathered further down along the shore. From their angle, the crew could not see the child or the danger stalking him. Spock spared another second to look up, briefly wondering why the Draconian did not take to the air? When the first officer looked back, the fins were gone…and so was the child. Without thought, he dropped his tricorder, kicked off his boots and hit the water in a clean dive. Just because he did not LIKE to swim…. Did not mean he was unable to.
Spock focused on where the creature had gone under and swam as if his life depended on it. He did not have enough facts to calculate how long the child could hold his breath or even if he had been conscious to do so when towed under. His logic told him that he was not going to make it in time… the distance was just too great. The half Vulcan did something that only his long association with Captain James T Kirk made possible. He slotted that bit of logic over to a file mentally marked… irrelevant… and increased his strokes. A shriek of what could only be pain jerked his focus up as a black winged shadow passed over. His stroke faltered as his eyes took in the twisted bones and torn, flapping sail on one of those outspread wings just before Ash tucked them tight and slammed into the surface of the water a few yards ahead of him. The waves she created tossed the SIC around as his mind automatically slipped this piece of the puzzle that was… Ash… into place. It answered some of the many anomalies he had noted about the Draconian. Sliding the information into a mental file marked…things I must discuss with one Leonard H. McCoy, as he seriously doubted that the Captain was aware of this particular fact… he re-focused his attention back to saving the child. At this moment, he could only trust that the dragon knew what she was doing.
A slight bow wave gave him a little warning as a sleek shape rose from the depths. There was a light brush against his mental shields, then Ash's strong body was underneath him. Spock had the presence of mind to grab onto the thick joints where her tightly closed wings met her back as the draconian lifted under him then surged through the water like she had been born to it. She covered the distance to where the monster had dragged the child under in seconds. A flash of fire seemed to tear through his mind… then a voice echoed through the pain.
"Diving in three…two…one…"
Forewarned, Spock sucked in a breath just before his ride sounded. He desperately searched through the blood hazed water as Ash powered deep. There was a flash in the depths, and pressure built as the draconian arrowed towards it. His quick mind was calculating speed, angles and physical parameters as they shot passed the creature and the child who had stopped struggling weakly to free himself. In the next second, Ash turned, and they were rocketing up. They rose at speed, slamming into the sea monster from underneath. The dragon's powerful jaws closed on the thing's throat as they shot towards the surface. Spock was ready as the monster was forced to open its toothy maw. It released its victim and the Vulcan let go of his ride to make a calculated grab as Ash shot by the now limp body. Covering the child's mouth and nose with one hand, he tucked the boy tight to his chest, and kicked towards the life-giving air. They rose just yards away from where the two beasts, locked in mortal combat, churned the water to a black tainted foam. Hoping that the Draconian had not bitten off more than she could chew, Spock rolled on his back and put some distance between them. One look at the child clasped to his breast had him kicking for the shore. He could not tell if the boy was still breathing but his life leaking out in crimson from an almost severed arm spoke volumes in the language of life or death. Locking one powerful hand tightly around the mangled flesh and bone stopped the blood flow but it also slowed his progress. He was faced with an impossible decision. He could hold on. This would prevent the bleeding, but it also slowed his progress through the water eating up time the boy did not have if he needed CPR. OR He could let the improvised tourniquet go in the hopes he could make the shore before the child bled out. He vented a guttural curse as logic dictated that the odds on either option were abysmal. The form of the dragon rising under his body made the choice for him. Again, words rode a wave of fire directly into his mind.
"Hold ON!"
Mentally reeling from the effects of having his considerable shields shattered…TWICE… the Science officer still managed to roll, pinning the boy between his body and Ash's strong back as she surged for the beach. In this position, he could feel that the child was not breathing and see that his lips were turning blue. Spock knew that Ash was giving it her all, but this did not stop him from painfully telling her through the link she had created, that they were running out of time. He felt more than heard the rumble of her answering growl in response as, somehow, she managed to eke out a little more speed. This did not slacken as they literally hit the shore, riding the dragon's own bow wave up the beach to slide to a stop in a shower of water and sand.
Careful hands accompanied by a strong Scottish brogue were there to help Spock slide off of his mounts back.
"I got ya both lad… just donna let go of tha arm."
Spock did not have the breath to spare to speak so he just nodded as
Montgomery Scott helped him ease the boy onto the damp sand.
"I commed Med bay and the Capt'n… they should be here…"
The Engineer was interrupted by the familiar whine of a transporter.
McCoy and his team hardly waited for their forms to completely solidify before they moved to surround the boy. The Captain, still in his dress uniform followed closely behind, blue eyes flashing as he took in the very wet form of his first officer and the dripping Draconian hovering behind him.
Nurse Chapel appeared to slip a medical tourniquet just behind Spock's hand and pulled it tight while McCoy worked to clear the child's airways. The woman's words were a soft murmur as her warm hand brushed against his.
"You can let go now Spock…."
The Vulcan could not control his flinch as the brief skin to skin contact allowed her tightly controlled worry, sadness and determination, to pour through his damaged shields. The effort to close them off sent a shaft of pain straight through his head. His bloody hand left the boy's arm to press against his temple as he tried to suppress the headache that rocketed to migraine strength behind his eyes.
It throbbed in time to the hammering of his heart almost drowning out the voices around him. Spock could hear when the Doctor's equipment registered a weak but steady heartbeat followed by McCoy's softly growled…
"We got ya boy…"
He could also hear Scotty as he quietly explained the series of events to the Captain.
He winced again as Kirk interrupted his engineer's report with a soft growl.
"WAIT… what?"
His next words had the Science officer scrambling to his feet as the Captain turned toward Ensign Ash…confusion and anger chasing themselves across the man's expressive face.
Several inventive curses ran through the Vulcan's aching mind as he witnessed Kirk get right into the dragon's startled, rather toothy face.
"Why would you swim, when you could fly…Ensign! You HAVE wings…don't you? Jesus…he is going to LOSE that arm! Why didn't you just FLY down and snatch him out of the water BEFORE that thing got to him!"
Ash was backpedaling, trying to put some space between them. Spock was not an expert at reading emotion but saw the sorrow in those suddenly red eyes and he felt the pure terror that echoed down the tenuous link that still existed between them before it suddenly shattered and was gone.
It was tantamount to how badly Spock was shaken that another blue clad form reached the Captain before he did, grabbing the man's arm and yanking him back.
"Holy shit…JIM…"
A figure in red joined McCoy. The Scot disregarded the fury directed at him as he came shoulder to shoulder with the CMO forming a shield between Kirk and his target.
"Capn…STOP… it wasna the lasses fault… she canna…."
The man was cut off as Ash suddenly rose behind him… lifting to her full height on powerful hind legs. The dragon threw her head back with a keening shriek and with a lithe twist that only something with serpent in their DNA could pull off, she launched herself out over the water. Both wings snapped open in an instinctive but futile attempt at that first powerful downstroke needed to get airborne. Another shriek had everyone slamming their hands over their ears, this one of pain as one wing twisted, buckling under the strain of lift off, before Ash's black form slammed into the water and disappeared under the waves!
I PROMISE that part to will be posted in a short time. Now that I seem to be getting a handle on this clusterfuck I call a life, I should have more time and desire to write! As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Please leave a review and make my day!