Chapter 12
"I have decided." Cloudbreaker's voice reverberated within the small chamber. Everyone was transfixed on the large sehlat. "We shall reveal ourselves." Clawsworth jumped up, but Cloudbreaker stared him down. "We have no choice. We shall reveal ourselves to the Humans, and so create a possibility of survival. For if we do not, what hope do we have?"
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Spock walked back to his companions. "Greetings."
"Mr Spock." Jim greeted. "Where were you?"
"I had a meeting with the sehlat council."
"The what?" Nyota seemed agast. "Just how many sentient species are there on Vulcan?"
"To the best of my knowledge, aside from a developing race, looking much like dragonflies, that is all."
"Wait," Jim interrupted. "Wasn't your fanged teddy bear thing a sehlat?"
"Yes captain. His Vulcan name was I-Chaya, but here he is called Farsight."
"I- see."
"Come." Spock looked expectantly at his companions, and they had no choice but to follow.
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Soon they reached an open room, in which was a golden sehlat. "Fleetfoot, these are my companions. Captain Kirk, Lieutenant Uhura, and Ensign Chekov. I believe in that I have already introduced the all of you." Kirk stared at the animal in front of him. He'd never imagined Spock could have any secrets like this! Fleetfoot first broke the silence.
"Greetings, Humans. Welcome to our home. I am informed you are friends of Spock."
"Y-yes. We are." Well, this might be weird as all get-out, but there was no way James T Kirk was letting it get to him. Sort of.
"Then I trust you." The sehlat said succinctly. "And now, I am sure you have many questions." He tilted his head to the side, waiting.
There were the expected questions, of course. There were the introductions, the delivery of the antidote. The disengaging from inquisitive Vulcans, by simply telling them that they were fetching an antidote, and that no assistance was needed. Scotty managed to ward them off somehow, and we were left undisturbed. The time did not pass quickly, because no matter how enjoyable the activities engaged in were, the flow of time was not affected by the human emotion of happiness. However the activities were highly enjoyable. One of the highlights was the trip to the pup's nursery.
"Oh, they're so adorable!" Nyota was entranced with a particular sehlat pup, who was just learning to walk. "Come here. You can do it!" The Lieutenant opened her arms encouragingly to the pup, who took his first wobbling steps to the communications officer. He collapsed into her outstretched hands, and she picked him up, cuddling his small body, and earning several dog like kisses.
Pavel also seemed to be enjoying himself. He was with some of the older kittens, ocelot babies, and they seemed to be playing tag. Apparently every single one of the ocelot kittens was 'it'. They caught him, and scampered up his legs and body, batting at his hair and purring. Then a large sehlat caretaker came over with an ocelot kitten in it's mouth. It offered it to Pavel, and he took it into his hands. The kittens covering his body seemed to realize that it was time to go, and they started running after captain Kirk. Pavel, in the meantime, let the new ocelot climb up his body. It went up by his neck, and then, wrapping it's paws around his neck as though in a hug, it latched it's tiny teeth onto Pavel's ear! And then it began sucking! Pavel's shocked face caused everyone else to break out into laughter.
"He was taken from his mother to soon." The caretaker explained through her laughs, translator barely keeping up with her words. "It is a method of seeking comfort. It seems he has deemed you a suitable source of comfort." Pavel did not look so amused.
"I am not a vacifier!" he protested.
"No, but you make a wonderful security blanket." Jim ribbed. "What's his name?" Gently he stroked the kitten's fur.
"In Persecuted (ocelot) it is Young One Who Bites. You may probably guess why." The caretaker chuckled. "And his stander name is Lockjaw."
"I see. So when you translate a sehlat name to ocelot or vice versa…"
"We try to let the name keep it's meaning. However, your names cause much confusion. We do not know how to translate them!" Pavel tried to pull the kitten from his aching earlobe, though he wasn't really hurt, no blood or anything, his ear was getting sore. The cat's sucking grew desperate, reluctant to leave for the slightest second.
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Jim and Spock were sitting aboard the Enterprise, once more rocketing through space. Spock was certain that at some point over their current chess game, Jim would comment on Spock's revelation. Humans were so illogical; what was the point in putting off his questions? Soon KIrk could not hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Spock, why didn't you tell me?" Spock blinked. He should have expected that, and further, the comment should provoke no negative emotion, but he felt himself illogically stung. Suppose his captain decided to terminate their relationship over this? He would have every right, Spock realized. He had kept such a secret from his captain, his friend, how could he expect Jim to ever trust him again?
"Captain, I… promised them I would not reveal their secret. I had no choice."
"That's all right, Mr Spock. I don't tell you everything either, I certainly don't expect you to throw every secret you have at me within the first few years of our relationship." Spock heaved an inward sigh of relief.
"Does that mean, captain, that you expect me to 'throw all my secrets' at you later?" Jim grinned.
"Why, Mr Spock, is that humor? Bones would be proud."
"There is no need to insult me, captain." Jim grinned, and all was right with the world.
END?
