Spock
He was uncertain how much time had passed. His ability to keep track of such things had eroded entirely.
The other was clawing at him again, pulling at him within his mind. She grew ever more persistent Spock shoved her roughly away from him and pulled his thoughts as far from her as possible, trying to hold himself apart. She began yelling and calling out loud instead of through her mind. Spock ignored her. For a moment his mind cleared slightly and he remembered exactly what he was doing. He deftly re-routed a circuit with fingers that only shook a little. The forcefield to his left dissipated. He triggered the door.
It opened.
A guard entered the doorway, phaser in hand, his eyes on T'Pring's crouched hissing figure. Spock waited until he was a step into the room and then delivered a nerve pinch distractedly. The guard crumpled to the floor glassy-eyed, his phaser clattering to the deck beside him. Spock regarded it for a moment, his head tilting to one side. A weapon. He picked it up. Considered. It felt odd in his hand. He sneered and let it fall to the deck.
Behind him T'Pring was slouched on the floor calling, but not for him. 'Stonn! Husband!'
He ignored her and stalked out into the corridor without a thought for the raving woman. He needed to get off the ship. He needed to find his woman. Thoughts of her, of her scent and her cool skin, calmed him slightly. She was nearer. She'd been far from him. Across the stars… Star. At the word something tripped in his that her name? Khio'ri? It sounded... almost right. He growled in frustration as his thoughts refused to clear, his memories fogged.
At least she was closer… nearby. But not on this ship. He needed to get off the ship if he was to find her.
He had reached an intersection in the ship's corridors. He turned to his left, his nostrils flaring. The spicy smells of food and the sounds of muted V'tosh in conversation drifted down with the recycled air from that direction. The corridor ahead was sterile and silent. He moved forward. He needed to avoid being seen. The ones who'd hurt him, taken his mate from him and tied him to the other must not see him. He had to get to... the room with the... round lights. He strained his thoughts. The pads.
His satisfaction at recalling the name of that which he seeked was marred by something half-remembered. As he made his way silently down the corridor, ears pricked for the sound of anyone nearby, his thoughts twisted madly as he tried to latch on to it.
Pads. Transporter pads.
Something... there was something. He recalled the static sensation of the transporter beam and the disorientating skip in time when his atoms were de-materialised and reassembled elsewhere. But that was not it. To get to his woman he must leave the ship. To leave the ship he must... beam. to Beam he... he... for a split second his thoughts cleared slightly, like a break in the clouds on an overcast day.
He could not utilise the transporter beam if the ship's disrupter shield was in place or if the ship was at warp. Whilst he was familiar with Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott's transwarp theory, he was not versed in its practical application. Therefore it was logical to seek engineering where he could establish the status of the ship and disengage the disrupter shields or warp drive as necessary, at which point he would be able to use the transporter to -
The coherent stream of consciousness frayed and snapped like a thread and he was left reeling once more. Engineering. He must get to Engineering.
Nyota
Nyota returned to Spock's quarters and tried to think. There was no way of knowing if or when Scotty might figure out how to beam through the Vulcan ship's shields. There wasn't anything she could do. She paced across the living area. Seven steps from the replicator to the bedroom door. She turned. Seven steps back. A nervous energy filled her. She couldn't sense Spock, but she had a feeling he was… looking for her? Needing her? She wasn't where she was supposed to be. That much was clear. Something pulled at her. It reminded her of a very muted variant of the compulsion of tel'esta.
An hour passed. She tried to meditate. She found herself nodding off. She tried to drink some calming tea. It didn't calm her, but it did make her need to use the bathroom repeatedly. She gave up trying to do anything and wallowed in her black mood. Curled up on Spock's side of the bed with a portable viewscreen she replayed old subspace messages he'd sent her over and over.
There were several short missives sent from him when he'd been away on missions with the Captain, but the longer ones were older. Things he had sent her from the Nelson before they had been bonded.
Seeing him, hearing his voice, was soothing, calmed that awful nervous feeling.
'McCoy to Transporter Room 2'
Nyota snapped awake suddenly at Gaila's voice issuing loudly from the ship's intercom. She blinked, looked at the computer console laying on the bed beside her.
The last message she'd been listening to was still repeating, Spock's voice had apparently lulled her to sleep. She watched it for a moment as her brain woke itself up. It was a message he'd sent her from the USS Nelson.
'Cadet Uhura. I apologise for my delayed response to your message. The ship's doctor insisted I remain within medical for 3 days, although I was capable of returning to my duties 32 hours and 17 minutes after my initial admittance - '
She tapped the console and paused the playback. Spock froze on the small view screen in his old red uniform. She swallowed thickly and exited out of the recording. The chrono in the corner of the screen indicated that she'd been asleep for almost three hours. In an instant she was on her feet. If McCoy was being summoned to the transporter room, then Kirk was beaming somewhere. He inevitably dragged the doctor along with him when he left the ship, even when medical expertise wasn't required. McCoy was Kirk's safety blanket or something. If he was being called to the transporter room, then they were beaming to the Vulcan ship most likely.
She ran from the room. Crew stared as she bolted past, but she ignored them. Her soft shoes slid against the shiny deck, but she didn't slow her pace. In the turbolift she tapped her foot impatiently. The moment the door opened she sprinted towards transporter room 2.
Inside Scotty sat at the controls, an ensign beside him. ' - just gone?' he was asking the younger man.
'Yes sir, the bridge reports that their shields are completely down.'
'Well.' Scotty replied sounding miffed. 'Might have saved us a lot of bother if they'd done that five hours ago before Chekov and i -' He broke of mid-sentence and looked up at her in surprise and interest. 'Lieutenant?' he inquired in confusion.
Nyota stared at the platform, it was empty.
'Has the Captain beamed aboard already?' she inquired breathlessly.
'Er, yes?'
'You figured out how to beam through their shields?' she asked coming to stand nearby.
'Oh, well, it was quite simple really.' he replied eagerly. 'Just a matter of mapping the frequency distortion of their shield and adjusting to suit. Not sure the same technique would work on military grade shields, but for a civilian class disruptor it worked just fine.' He frowned. 'Course it was all apparently for nothing since they took their shields down not a minute after I beamed the Captain and the others over. Damned waste of time.'
Nyota nodded, staring over his shoulder to the transporter controls. There were co-ordinates still set. She remembered beaming herself down to Omicron Ceti III under the influence of Spock's tel'esta. Looking down at the console she realised she knew how it worked. If the shields were down and she didn't need to do the complicated 'frequency distortion adjustments' Scotty had mentioned, she could beam herself over to the ship. To Spock. Suddenly she had no choice.
'Well I'm still impressed Scotty.' she said. 'Beaming through a disrupter shield is pretty incredible.'
The man smiled bashfully. 'Well, I don't like blow my own horn…'
She laughed and rested her hands on his and the ensign's shoulders. There was something else she remembered. 'Oh he's too modest? Isn't he?' she inquired of the blushing Ensign beside him.
The young man smiled shyly. Nyota shifted her hands slightly, glancing between both men with a smile. The Ensign started to say something, but instead slid forward bonelessly in his chair. Scotty likewise flopped over.
Nyota bit her lip and regarded her handiwork guiltily. She carefully arranged them in their chairs so they wouldn't wake up on the floor at least. She'd owe Scotty a huge apology after this. Hopefully he'd forgive her. She didn't have time to convince him and even then, she didn't want to implicate him in her disobeying orders.
She didn't have long. Hendorff had told her that her version of the Vulcan Nerve Pinch only lasted a few minutes. Leaning in between the two unconscious men she engaged the nearest pad on a delay timer to the pre-set co-ordinates. She picked up a phaser, a communicator and a tri-corder from the rack, checking the charge on them as she quickly crossed to stand on the transporter pad.
There was the usual tell-tale buzz and white light and then she was taking a deep breath of warm air and her feet pressed more firmly against the deck beneath her. Environmental controls set to Vulcan standard. Higher artificial gravity and ambient temperature. She glanced around herself. She was in a cargo hold or something. There where large shapes around her, looming in the dark. Spock was nearby, she knew it, just as surely as she knew he knew she was near. He'd come looking for her, she was certain.
She tucked the comm into the wide sash-like belt of her robe. It was snug enough to hold the device in place. The phaser she set to stun and kept in her hand and the tri-corder she looped over her shoulder. She ran a life-sign scan set to human settings for body temperature and heart-rate. The program executed and displayed its findings. Four humans, 78 meters away and 16 meters below her. Three or four decks then. She ran another scan to get a rough layout of the ship and spent a few minutes regarding the rough scanned layout. It looked like there was a large turbolift at the back of the hold she was inside. It was most likely for transporting cargo and less likely to be in use than the smaller ones off the main corridors.
She made her way quickly but quietly through the dark racks of supplies and luggage. The lift was illuminated. Her tri-corder didn't indicate any crew within ten meters for several decks. The doors opened automatically. 'Down 3 decks.' she instructed in Vulcan. She didn't know the correct designations for the decks. Her instructions were apparently sufficient however and the large lift hummed to life and sunk down inside the ship.
Her tri-corder indicated Kirk and the others were on this deck. There was no one else within 30 meters. But dozens in between herself and the Captain. She paused in the lift, going through her options. She could attempt to sneak around the Vulcans using her tri-corder and stun any who discovered her. Or… perhaps a more obvious approach was the best.
She pulled off her robe and looped the tri-corder over her shoulder of her dress before pulling the robe back on. The device was now for the most part hidden by the voluminous outer garment. As she refastened her belt she tucked both the phaser and comm inside. Finished, she tugged at her dress and robe, adjusting them and smoothed her hair back. She then reached back and pulled the cowl of her robe low over her head, hiding most of her face, including her eyebrows and ears.
As long as no one saw her face, she'd pass as Vulcan. Hopefully. She ran a finger down the lines of Van-Kal-Vuhlkansu glyphs on her robe, her fingers lingering of the letting of 'House Solkar' before skimming down to 'Maat t'Surak'. Hopefully no one would look too closely at her however. The ensemble she was wearing was one of the less ostentatious of those Lady Amanda had given her. The embroidery and detailing was black against the dark blue silk-like cloth, the contrast subtle and not very easy to read. She prayed no one would bother - the Van-Kal-Vuhlkansu glyphs would tell anyone who bothered to read them exactly who she was.
She spent a minute carefully plotting and trying to memorise the immediate area between herself and where she was detecting humans. There were lots of small rooms off to the sides of the main corridors. They seemed to be on an accommodations deck. The section Kirk and the others were in was more or less deserted however. In their vicinity she detected two Vulcanoid lifeforms only. She plotted two courses to reach them in case she needed to avoid something, tucked the tri-corder beneath her robe and then outwardly calmed herself.
When she stepped out into the corridor she did her utmost to impersonate the unhurried gait of T'Pau and other Vulcan women of her acquaintance. It was difficult. She felt very awkward and very human in the higher gravity. Thankfully her childhood in Kenya had left her well accustomed to heat and she wasn't sweating too obviously. That would be a dead giveaway. The corridor was clear for some time and she had a few moments to build momentum before she started encountering Vulcans.
The first two she passed, crew in uniforms, offered her polite nods. She dipped her head slightly in response. They paid her no further heed. Emboldened by their response she continued with more confidence. She knew from her scan that there were Vulcans in the rooms lining the corridor, but there were very few roaming the halls. She passed two women, both similarly dressed to herself save that they wore scarves over their hair rather than hoods. She exchanged polite nods with them.
Ahead the hallway fed into a dining hall. Nyota's tri-corder had indicated a dozen or so Vulcans in the space. She took a deep breath and crossed the room looking straight ahead. There was quiet murmured conversation in Vulcan around her and the soft tinkling of cutlery on plates. No one attempted to interact with her. She passed only one Vulcan in the corridor beyond. He stopped and stood to the side so she could pass. He wore rich robes. As she passed he bowed quite deeply and attempted to make eye contact. It was very forward behaviour for a Vulcan. Flirting? Or suspicion?
She avoided his gaze and turned her face slightly away from him to indicate her disinterest. She almost stumbled when she felt him touch her robe, his fingers tugging slightly at the material of the outer garment with its lines of script as she walked by him. It was a struggle to retain her faux Vulcan serenity and not send him a disapproving look. She felt his eyes on her back. She did not hear footsteps. At the turn in the corridor she allowed herself a quick glance back towards him.
He was staring at her.
She thought the look on his face was perhaps... suspicious. Had he noticed her robe? Was that why he'd touched it? She swallowed nervously. If he was involved in Spock's kidnapping he would naturally be wary of someone of House Solkar roaming the halls. He might even know who she was. She heard footsteps. Suddenly afraid she lifted her robes and ran for a little bit, grateful for her soft, quiet, shoes. After a few seconds she stopped and resumed her serene gait so the Vulcan would not see her panic when he turned the corner.
Kirk and the others were in the last room along the corridor. There hadn't been anyone nearby when she'd scanned minutes earlier. If the Vulcan confronted her she'd stun him. Nyota pulled her phaser from her belt and tucked the hand holding it inside the sleeve of her robe.
She felt his eyes upon her as she stopped at the door Kirk and the others were behind. It was not locked. She triggered it and risked a glance down the hall. The Vulcan was striding towards her purposefully. It was a struggle, but she kept her expression and movements calm and entered the room, tripping awkwardly over an unconscious Vulcan near the doorway.
Kirk, Dr McCoy, Lieutenant Sulu and Ensign Hendorff were all staring at her. Hendorff and Sulu had phasers drawn.
She waved a hand and pulled her hood down. 'It's me. Uhura. There's someone following me.' She explained quietly.
Kirk frowned at her. 'Goddammit Uhura –' he hissed.
She cut him off with a finger to her lips. If the Vulcan in the hall heard standard…
Her Captain glared at her and pointed at a pile of blankets on the small bed in the room. 'talk to her' he mouthed. Nyota blinked. It was a Vulcan woman. She approached her, confident that Kirk and the others would handle her stalker.
Although her face was twisted and distorted in agony, Nyota recognised her. T'Pring.
McCoy was standing over her, scanning her with a hand held medical tri-corder.
He spoke softly. 'A few bruises and a fat lip, but she's physically fine.'
'She's not fine. She's crying. Vulcan's don't cry.' Nyota observed quietly. All her remaining bitterness and jealously of the woman evaporated from her heart. She felt only pity.
She sat beside her on the bed, but made no effort to touch her. 'T'Sai T'Pring.' she softly intoned in Vulcan.
The woman frowned slightly but otherwise did not react. Nyota tried to think of words that might comfort or calm her. 'You are ill T'Pring. But we can help you. T'Prak has behaved dishonourably. She has hurt you.'
'It burns! It burns and he is gone! Stonn is gone!' T'Pring wailed.
Nyota suddenly understood. T'Pring was not only suffering the effects of tel-has-mar but also plak'tow. She felt a wave of intense anger at T'Prak. To torment her own granddaughter in such a way… She had a very human urge to pull T'Pring into her arms and comfort her. She did not of course.
She met McCoy's eyes. 'You brought a heavy sedative for Spock didn't you?'
The man nodded.
'Give it to her. She's suffering plak'tow on top of everything else.'
McCoy looked conflicted. 'But what about Spock? I don't have enough for two Vulcans, they're harder to knock out than an elephant.'
'I'm here. Spock will come with us.' she reassured him. 'If not we'll stun him.'
McCoy pouted but acquiesced. T'Pring slumped against the mattress, her breathing evening. McCoy pulled out his comm. 'McCoy to Enterprise. One to beam directly to med bay. A Vulcan woman. She's to be kept restrained and sedated.'
'Aye Doctor.' came Scotty's slightly groggy response. Nyota bit her lip shamefaced. McCoy gave her a look as he placed his comm on top of T'Pring for Scotty to lock onto. The woman vanished in a white glow shortly after.
'Scotty is not well pleased with you young lady.' he remarked.
'Neither is the Captain!' Kirk added. 'Not only did you disobey a direct order, you attacked two fellow Starfleet officers Lieutenant!'
Nyota pursed her lips. 'I'll face whatever punishment you deem necessary Captain, however I'd appreciate it if we could delay my court-martial until we find Spock.'
Kirk rolled his eyes. 'Well whoever was tailing you is gone so let's do that.'
'There's some sort of large room at the end of this corridor.' Nyota remarked. 'Since that Vulcan has most likely informed T'Prak or whoever's in charge that we're on board, they'll come looking for us, we should wait for them there. It's too crowded in this room.'
Kirk frowned. 'Why would we wait for them? Let's get Spock and beam outta here.'
'Spock's already on his way.' Nyota replied.
Kirk raised an eyebrow. 'You can tell?'
'Yes.' she hesitated. 'And a large room would mean you could cover me without having to stand close to me. T'Pring was in plak'tow, Spock will be as well. He might attack you. Also we have T'Pring, maybe we can bargain with T'Prak.'
Sulu was looking at a tri-corder. 'Half a dozen Vulcans approaching Captain.' he remarked.
'Fine! We'll do this your way Uhura.' he replied leading them from the room.
The large room proved to be an observation deck with a long line of windows and seating areas.
Nyota went and stood in a far corner. McCoy accompanied her. She shot him a questioning look.
'I've got a hypo here with Spock's name on it. It probably won't knock him out, but it will help.' he said.
'Alright. But don't make any sudden movements or touch me.' she warned him.
He nodded.
It was only a few minutes before the doors opened and two tall Vulcan guards dressed in traditional armour entered. They both held phasers. Sulu and Hendorff pointed their own right back at them.
'I'm Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise. I'd like to negotiate with Lady T'Prak for the release of my First Officer, Commander Spock.' Kirk called out calmly.
The guards said nothing, just moved into flanking positions on either side of the door. Two attendants in elaborate matching robes appeared, also holding phasers. Behind them came a woman who could only be T'Prak. She was old, not as old as T'Pau, but still ancient. Her robes were magnificent. Contrasting purple, black and white all embroidered in gold. Her hair was plaited and adorned with dangling jewels and a headdress sat atop the whole arrangement. She rested her arm on the Vulcan man who Nyota had encountered earlier.
'Lady T'Prak.' Captain Kirk guessed. He somewhat awkwardly made a Vulcan salute for her benefit. 'I wish to resolve this situation peacefully.'
'Where is my granddaughter human?' T'Prak inquired in heavily accented standard.
Kirk didn't react to her rudeness. 'Lady T'Pring is receiving medical treatment aboard the Enterprise.' he replied with remarkable diplomacy considering.
T'Prak stared hard at Kirk for a long moment then abruptly turned to regard Nyota, dismissing him rudely. 'You. The human Spohkh disgraces himself with. You have done this thing.' she accused her in Vulcan.
'It is you who have behaved disgracefully Lady T'Prak. You have committed great crimes against my husband. Sarek will not see the logic of them.' Nyota replied evenly.
'What know you of Sarek of Vulcan?' she asked, her eyes flicking over Nyota dismissively.
'I know he calls me daughter.' she responded.
'Pah. That means nothing. His affectation of pointless human niceties is well known.' T'Prak replied. 'I have known him since he was a child. He will be pleased to know T'Pring and Spohkh have renewed their Bond.'
'They have not.' Nyota informed her serenely, restraining the urge to smile smugly. Just.
T'Prak frowned minutely. 'They are bonded and mated under the plak'tow. T'Pring is Spohkh's wife now. Not you.' she switched to standard. 'Unbonded. Former wife. Perhaps Spock will keep you as his mistress, but you are Okosu S'chn T'gai no more. T'Pring will bear his heirs. Not you.'
Her words didn't have their intended affect. Nyota knew they weren't true so they didn't upset her at all. 'T'Pring was still in plak'tow when we found her. Spock would not have her.' Nyota switched to High Vulcan. 'She bore not the mark of his possession. Thou hath failed.'
'Thou hath no right to speak in the tongue of mine ancestors. I hear thee not.' T'Prak replied waspishly.
'The right is mine.' Nyota said, 'I am S'chn T'gai Nyota, d'Vel'nahr, adun'a t'Spohkh. (Vulcan-by-choice, wife of Spock)'
'You are nothing. A mere distraction.' T'Prak responded speaking standard once more. 'You delude yourself that Spock sees you as anything more. He asked me to perform p'pil'lay when he realised it was his time. He and T'Pring long planned to renew their bond.' It was shocking to hear a Vulcan elder spout such blatant falsehood.
Nyota glanced at the Vulcan at T'Prak's side. 'Your pid-kom lies. Such dishonesty is unworthy of a Vulcan. You know this. How can you follow her?'
'She speaks only truth.' he replied.
Nyota regarded him in interest, wondering if he too lied or if he was just incredibly oblivious. The Van-Kal-Vuhlkansu glyphs on his clothing indicated that he was of T'Prak's clan, but not her House. A cousin of some sort. He would be honour bound to follow her unquestionably. It was conceivable he didn't really understand what was going on. Perhaps.
McCoy, of all people, backed her up. 'Just yesterday, right before we beamed aboard, Spock was telling me how glad he was he married Uhura here. If he'd wanted to divorce her, he would have done the logical thing and just told her. Not lied about it. Spock doesn't lie.'
There is was. The huge, massive flaw in T'Prak's tale. 'If Spock wanted to marry T'Pring he would have done so openly. He would not have risked a diplomatic incident feigning a kidnapping.' she said. 'He would not have kept such a thing from Administrator Sarek and Okosu T'Pau. You would have been welcomed to New Vulcan.'
The Vulcan glanced to his matriarch for reassurance. She was staring with quite transparent dislike at Nyota however and ignored him.
Nyota inhaled suddenly. She felt… something. Spock. Spock was coming. He was nearby. Her heart suddenly raced. She glanced over the crew awash in sudden nervousness. Spock would burst into the room and attack anyone and everyone. She needed to warn them… But how?
She caught Lieutenant Sulu's eye. 'Shiki-kan ga kimasu. ( The commander comes.)' she told him in Japanese. He nodded slightly. At least one of them would be prepared…
Kirk didn't speak Japanese but he seemed to sense her meaning. He shifted slightly, ready to move quickly.
However the Vulcans also picked up on the exchange, defeating the whole purpose. 'Kill them!' T'Prak ordered in Vulcan.
Nyota grabbed McCoy and yelled, 'Down!' as she pulled the doctor towards her and did just that.
They crouched behind a low Vulcan sofa. To her left Kirk and Sulu were behind an overturned table, taking turns to fire over it towards the Vulcans. However they were using phasers set to stun and their adversaries were not. The furniture was already smoking and starting to come apart. Their cover wouldn't last long. She palmed her phaser, but made no move to stand and use it. She was conscious of the fact that pregnant women shouldn't involve themselves in shoot outs. She'd stay behind her cover unless the situation became desperate.
'He's coming! He'll kill you all!' Nyota yelled over the noise. She doubted her words would frighten the Vulcans, but they might distract them.
As if on cue, there was a loud yell. Nyota felt herself smile. It was Spock! Crazed plak'tow Spock, but Spock none-the-less. She still didn't move from her cover, even though she was dying to look at him. Sulu, Kirk and Hendorff were all more focused in their firing suddenly, not needing to return to their cover. Clearly Spock was distracting their opponents. Nyota heard wet snapping noises. Growls. Yells. One of the guards crashed into a nearby table, breaking it. His neck was clearly broken. Nyota winced and looked away. It was suddenly silent. Kirk and the others had stopped firing. Nyota peered over the smoking couch. Spock alone was still standing.
He was still wearing his uniform, though it was bloody and torn. His hair was messy. There was a gash on his cheek. His face was twisted in fury, but he was alive. Unharmed. Nyota stood fully. A wordless noise escaped her. Her heart was thundering in her chest and she felt giddy with a confusing surge of adrenaline and relief. She reached a hand out towards him. 'Husband!' she called out across the room. For a long moment he stared at her from across the room, his dark eyes boring into hers, and then he was suddenly in front of her. Vaguely she heard Kirk yelling something. Spock grabbed the smouldering ruins of the couch and flipped it to the side in a casual display of Vulcan strength. McCoy let out a yell as his cover was abruptly removed, but both Nyota and Spock ignored him.
She stepped forward and his arms were around her. His grip on her was too firm, almost crushing, but Nyota didn't care. She wanted to press herself so close to Spock that her flesh would meld with his and they'd be never be parted again. Her heart was still beating rapidly, her breath coming in uneven gasps. She felt overwhelmed. /Spock!/ she called his name in her mind, forgetting that they were not bonded, that he could not hear her.
His pressed his fever hot face against hers, rolling his head from side to side. Stubble scratched at her skin. Nyota found herself shivering, she dug fingers into his hair, inhaled the comforting smell of him. Spock. Yes yes yes. His hand grabbed at hers, entwined their fingers and she moaned as she felt the familiar shape of his mind slide against her. His thoughts were strange, fevered and mad, but she'd been expecting it, it didn't scare her. He groaned softly, his fingers twisting against hers, seeking the deepest connection possible. She pressed her thoughts as close to him as she could, let her presence calm that fever slightly.
He was taking deep breaths, inhaling the scent of her, growling low in his throat. The thoughts coming across the link of their fingers were vague, unclear. /T'nash-veh? Ha. T'nash-veh. Fe-telsu. t'nash-veh hi fe-telsu?. (belonging-to-this-one? Yes. mine. But unbonded. mine but unbonded?)/ She felt his uncertainty. The bond with T'Pring had confused him. He recognised her as his wife, but they were not bonded. He didn't understand with his thoughts and wits slowed to the primitive levels of plak'tow.
He rubbed his face down the left side of her neck, she felt his intent and managed not to flinch when he tugged her robe and dress from her shoulder. She felt his wave of satisfaction and certainty when he saw the marks on her flesh. /Ha. Ulidar t'nash-veh. Kosu t'nash-veh. t'nash-veh. t'nash-veh. t'nash-veh…(Yes. My mark. My woman. Mine. Mine. Mine…/ he was growling loudly, pleased. The noise sent a warm flush of desire through Nyota that Spock felt through her fingers. He buried his face against her, licking and kissing her shoulder and neck, his teeth scraping over her skin. She tilted her head back, curling her fingers in his dark hair.
She was so wrapped in Spock she didn't notice McCoy moving until Spock jerked away from her and yelled. The next instant he'd back-handed the doctor and sent the poor man stumbling to the floor. He snarled wordlessly, one hand pressed to his neck. Nyota realised that the doctor had injected him with a hypo. The sedative no doubt. She felt Spock's intent, he was going to attack McCoy. She launched herself at him, clinging close to him. 'Spohkh! Ashayam!' she called.
Instantly his focus snapped back solely to her. Her voice. He recognised her voice. She felt it through their fingers. 'Spohhkhh..' she purred into his ear. He was running his fingers over and across hers in a more intimate version of the ozh'esta he usually only did when they were alone. He wanted her. She was his and he wanted her, burned for her. She felt it, his want was burning through his touch and seeping into her very skin. She was suddenly glad McCoy had intervened. Spock wanted to meld with her and she knew from experience if he did the plak'tow would affect her as well. If that happened they'd quickly be doing a lot more than kissing regardless of their audience.
It was bad enough that Kirk had seen her in her underwear (twice!), bad enough that he'd seen Spock in this way, stripped of his logic and control by plak'tow. But for anyone to see them together. Well. As a human she wasn't too embarrassed at others perhaps seeing them kiss. That was… okay. But anything more was mortifying. She knew in his right mind Spock would agree. And there was not only the matter of decency, there was also the added concern that she was pregnant. She had no idea what plak'tow would do to a child. It could be very dangerous.
Spock's fingers slid across her cheek, seeking her psi points. The urge to turn her face into his touch, to accept it, was torturous. Somehow she managed to pull herself from him and met his gaze fully, trying to explain her reluctance. 'Spohkh. No. not yet.'
The muscles in his temples flexed as he clenched his jaw. He dug fingers into her hair, his grip firmer, more insistent, angling her face towards him. He glared at her. /Ri. T'nash-veh. (No. Mine.)/
She reached across the link of his fingers. /Bek-tor adun. Ak. (Wait husband. Soon.)/ She could feel the sedative working upon him. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but he was dizzy, weakened slightly, the compulsion of plak'tow blurred slightly. But still, she felt it, a deep burning simmering under the surface of his thoughts, liable to burst into irresistible conflagration and strip him of all remaining logic and reason at any second. She turned so that she could make eye contact with Kirk over Spock's shoulder.