Chapter 15
James Kirk
Jim breathed heavily as he followed T'Palla. They had escaped under the cover of nightfall and were now on the journey back to the Forge. Jim had kept up a steady pace until the sun rose and brought with it the oppressive desert heat. He had slowed considerably afterwards. T'Palla had finally, after stopping to allow him to catch up several times, urged him to hurry as there was good chance that the tribe would be searching for them. We must not be recaptured. There are fates worse than death. She had warned ominously looking much older than her 5-6 years. Jim had then quickened his pace despite the blistering sun, which beat down on him mercilessly.
They were heading west. Jim could only hope that if they managed to find the Forge, Spock would be close by. Jim really wasn't worried that Spock was injured or having difficulty surviving, but there was a possibility that he had moved on to search for Jim or to escape detection from an unfriendly Vulcan tribe. His chest tightened at the thought of never finding Spock. He had developed more than just respect for him; in fact, it was more than mere friendship. It was something that he couldn't quite describe, something that at first had been born out of necessity, but which had grown into something deep and true; something unnamable. "Ja-im! Look out!" T'Palla cried out pulling Jim from his thoughts.
Jim looked around and spotted what was causing the alarm. There was a Vulcan tribe heading towards them. Hide! She ordered. Jim ducked low and scurried quickly behind a dune but it was too late. Get them! One of the leaders called out. Damn it. Jim could hear the tribe approaching and decided to run for it.
"T'Palla! Split up," He called hoping that the young girl would heed his words. There might be a chance of one of them getting out of this alive. Jim ran as fast as he could but they were still gaining on him. He has lost sight of T'Palla and could only hope that she was safe. Jim gasped for breath as he felt a crippling blow to his side knock him off balance. He goes down hard into the hot sand just in time to see another tribe come into view with weapons drawn. "Attack!" Someone shouted amongst the din. Jim was temporarily forgotten as the Vulcan who had attacked him moved away to defend against the rival tribe. Jim crawled slowly behind a dune as the bloody battle ensued. Jim had never seen anything so chaotic. There was seemingly no strategy, no leapfrogging, tactical maneuvers or battle focus; it was a bloodbath. We're doomed, was the last coherent thought that went through his head as he lost consciousness, exhausted, injured and dehydrated.
A few hours later
Jim awoke with a start dazed and unsure of his surroundings. If they were ever reunited then, Spock was going to kill him. It was Jim's first coherent thought as he returned to consciousness. The second was that he was on his back unable to move, wounded and alone. Struggling to open his eyes and focus, he squirmed in a futile effort to ease the pain in his side as he tried to get an arm underneath him for leverage. If he was going to die, he wasn't going to do lying down. "Christ! Why can't I ever catch a break?" Jim muttered under his breath.
"Ja-im? We have been recaptured by another tribe," called a familiar weary voice confirming Jim's suspicions. T'Palla then came into view and the poor girl looked almost as bad as Jim felt. Green blood oozed from a cut on her forehead and her arms were covered in bruises.
Jim groaned as he saw a female approaching them. She was dressed for battle, but Jim could tell instinctively that she was more than a mere warrior. She looked down at him closely. When she spoke her voice had a regal quality. I see the rumor is true; it is indeed the golden haired beauty. You are quite sought after by a great many. She confided looking a bit perturbed. She glanced behind her and Jim followed her line of sight and caught a glimpse of a gravely injured male warrior. You are now both considered prizes of war and if you want your freedom, then it must be earned. She stated firmly leaving before Jim could question her statement. He was again left with more questions than answers.
Meanwhile
Spock
Spock took a steadying breath in an attempt to calm his racing heart. Bones whined softly sensing that something was amiss. Focus! He needed to focus, but it was becoming more difficult. For the first time since beaming down to Vulcan, Spock felt hot. His thoughts were disorganized and illogical. The female words came back to him. You will not last long on your own, even with you're fateful beast. Keep the weapon. You will need it. Your time draws near. Spock hadn't understood at first, but he did now. He glanced down at his hands, which were stained green with the warrior's blood. He had nearly killed him. The anger had come so quickly and it had nearly consumed him, it had driven him to take the fight further than necessary.
The scene replayed itself in his mind. He had been heading east in search of Jim, when he stumbled upon a battle between rival tribes. Spock had stayed on the periphery in an attempt at recon. He watched with horrified fascination as the Vulcan's killed each other without focus or strategy. His eyes scanned for any sign of slaves, but he had seen only warriors. He had been so distracted looking for any sign of Jim that Bones deep warning growl had likely saved his life for a second time. He had turned just in time to dodge a large male warrior's attack. Spock wielded the lipra effortlessly and with the help of Bones after only a few minutes had the warrior pinned. Where is the human? Spock demanded. Rather than plead ignorance as expected, the warrior had then smiled maliciously at him and replied.
I know the one you speak of and you will never find him in time. You are doomed to die in the fires of Plak Tow. Spock had then felt his anger surge at the taunt. Before he could consider the risks, he put his fingers to the warrior's psi points and melded. He would find Jim one way or another. The warrior fought like a banshee, but with his anger and desperation fueling him; Spock prevailed. He brutally attacked the warriors mind until he found what he was seeking. The image of Jim was both relief and worry in tandem, for Jim looked horrid; Too thin, defeated and most of all hopeless. Alive, Spock clung to that thought as he brought the blade of the lipra across the warrior's belly, gravely wounding him. That's for Jim! Spock had hissed as he shook the Vulcan as the blood seeped from the wound onto his hands before turning to continue his search for Jim amongst the chaos of battle.
Bones nuzzled against Spock with another soft whine pulling him from his memories. Spock hadn't thought it possible. He was only half Vulcan and did not think that he would fall victim to his races most shameful weakness. But the warrior had been right, his time was coming quickly and soon Pon Farr would be upon him.
