Disclaimer: Star Trek, why must you torment me? I wish only to own you, yet I do not.
A/N: Keep in mind that Amanda has now passed the human gestation of nine months. She is now into her tenth month of pregnancy. Poor, poor, Amanda. I'm sorry that I've done this to you. It's for a good cause though.
The languages swap from standard to Vulcan quite often in this chapter, so keep an eye out for that.
I'm a writer, not a doctor, dammit! No really, I'm not a doctor. Just keep that in mind when reading this chapter.
Reviews are like flu shots; the more I get the better I feel. Please, don't deprive me of my flu shots. Be the good doctor.
Origins: The Journey Begins
Chapter 14: One More Night Without Sleep
STARDATE: 2231.173 (Wed, June 22nd, 2231) [10 months, 25 days Pregnant]
Amanda was dressed in a white long maternity robe that R'Va had made for her. She was lying on a hard white bed, underneath scratchy white sheets, staring up at the blank white ceiling of the hospital.
She had been in the hospital for the last week, although if Sarek were present he would correct her to the exact second.
Before she and Sarek began trying to conceive, they had had lengthy conversations about the dangers of hybrid pregnancies. Their case was particularly dangerous due to the fact that Vulcans and humans cannot naturally procreate.
The child within her not only had her DNA and Sarek's DNA but also had chemicals, steroids and injections that helped the baby live throughout its gestation.
No matter how many times the Vulcan doctor, D'Torres, spoke of the dangers of copper poisoning, she never knew how badly it would affect her.
Amanda thought that contracting copper poisoning would be similar to snake venom; she thought that if you caught the poison in time everything would be alright. She thought that she would have a few injections to counteract the copper within her iron blood steam. She was very wrong.
STARDATE: 2231.166 (Wed, June 15th, 2231)
…Precisely 7 days, 4 hours, 23 minutes and 16 seconds ago…
"Sarek." Amanda's voice croaked as she attempted to haul her large body into a sitting position. It was early in the morning and Amanda felt a wave of nausea flood through her body.
When Amanda passed her ninth month of pregnancy, Sarek made sure his level of meditation was shallow enough to feel anything his bondmate felt. He even shortened the time of his meditation by half. He would never admit he was worried for her health, although he had expressed his 'concern' for her on many occasions.
Sarek, sensing her discomfort, appeared from his meditation room adjacent to the master bedroom. Upon entering the main chamber, he noticed his bondmate leaning forward. Her once creamy, white skin now had a soft green hue.
"Amanda." He said aloud as he ran towards the bed. As he came to her side she stared up at him with concern and fear etched into her facial features.
It had been a long time since she saw him express emotion so visibly like he just had. It had been even longer since she saw him running. Something was wrong.
"What's happening?" She said with a shiver.
"You are being poisoned." He stated as he scooped his wife up in his arms and ran for the door. He began to run down the hallway.
"I can walk, Sarek!" She screamed after Sarek had jumped down half the stairs that led to the foyer. She didn't want to believe his words. Poisoned. She had screamed at him to let her walk, only to try and convince herself that this was not happening. Not to her. Not now. Not when she was this close.
"Not in this condition. The more you exhort yourself, the faster the blood flows within your body which will only cause the poison to act faster." Sarek said to his wife as they made it down the stairs in one piece.
"S'Reiyah!" He raised his voice. S'Reiyah appeared from within the library. She looked extremely calm, but even Amanda knew that she was concerned.
"Yes, Master?" She queried as she took in the sight before her; Sarek, a proud and noble Vulcan carrying his beloved bondmate in his arms. It was then that she realised the unnatural colour on her human master.
"Go." She said simply as she left the library to head upstairs towards young master Sybok's room.
Sarek darted from the house and ran through the front garden, out the front gate and toward the city of ShiKahr.
The journey to the city was only a 7.7-minute walk, but Sarek knew if he ran he could make it to the hospital building within 3.3 minutes.
He raced inside the stone building, his wife's head tilting back against his chest. She had passed out only 1.3 minutes ago.
"D'Torres." Sarek managed to speak calmly. He knew, with the structure of the stone building, that his voice would carry down the hallway and reach every room. Thank Surak for Vulcan engineering.
The tall, lean Vulcan appeared from a room at the other end of the hallway. As D'Torres' hazel eyes fixated upon the unconscious woman in Sarek's arms he motioned silently towards the elevator that led them straight to the Royal Suite on the top floor of the building. 35 floors high.
There was already a bed waiting for Amanda when the trio stepped into the royal suite. D'Torres called for assistance and 2.7 minutes later the room was filled with another three Vulcans dressed in white hospital garments.
"Tu'Saak, put Lady Amanda under anaesthetic." D'Torres began ordering the three Vulcans while he brought up a screen and hooked it up to Amanda's abdomen.
"The child is not fully formed." D'Torres addressed everyone in the room. Sarek was standing near the wall. He trusted his doctor to save his bondmate and son.
"We only have 5.6 minutes before her heart fails." Said another Vulcan doctor off to the left. She is looking at a different screen. Her hair is tied up in a bun so her view does not become obstructed by loose bits of hair.
"Yone, drain the copper using an incision in the Radial Artery," D'Torres said while facing the third Vulcan.
Yone then attached a long tube a needle before hooking the tube up to a small bag. Yone grabbed the needle and made an incision in Amanda's right forearm. The bag started to fill with a dark liquid. The liquid wasn't red like Sarek had thought it would be. Amanda had iron based blood which was a dark red. He had seen it before when Amanda had nose bleeds. Yet the blood wasn't green either like he had thought his son's blood would be like. The blood draining from Amanda was almost black.
"4.2 minutes." The Vulcan woman stated again. Time was running out. If they didn't get the poison out of Amanda's system within the time frame she would die, taking her unborn son with her.
"Payar, what are the blood readings of the child?" D'Torres asked the woman.
"Below the ability to function." She replied as she went from looking at her screen to applying a numbing cream to Amanda's protruding stomach.
Amanda may have passed out a while ago but the child within was becoming agitated. Payar was going to still the child for precisely three minutes to stop his blood from seeping into his mother's bloodstream.
Payar injected a serum which took effect immediately. The child that was once kicking and moving stilled and the copper blood he was producing ceased.
Yone continued to drain the copper blood out of Amanda's arm until the last of the poison was out.
"Tu'Saak, prepare for incision," D'Torres said as he approached the bed on which Amanda lay.
Tu'Saak and D'Torres worked together to operate on the unborn child. Sarek couldn't see the details of their work from where he was standing but he knew that his unborn son only had 2.1 minutes remaining from the three minutes he started with. He wanted to distract himself from this fact, but whatever he thought about his internal clock continued to count down the remaining seconds his son had.
D'Torres knew that the child was weak and would need a blood donation so he carefully inserted a small tube into the child's bloodstream. Amanda was stitched back up with 33 seconds to spare, leaving enough room for the small tube to travel from the baby, through the skin to the other side, and hooked up to the system. The child was injected with the antiserum and his life signs began to function again. Sarek turned to face the wall and exhaled slowly.
Amanda had recovered nicely but she was weak from blood loss. The child, too, had lost a large amount of blood. Amanda was in a critical but stable condition, the child was still classified critical.
Sarek was left alone with his wife. Amanda had been woken. She was not allowed to sleep. D'Torres' orders. If she fell asleep the baby would also sleep, and if the baby slept there was a 97.65% chance that the child would not wake.
"The child needs blood," D'Torres said as he entered the room again, his hands behind his back in the true Vulcan manner. "He lost a substantial amount and is struggling to produce enough blood to function properly. He needs assistance. If he continues to overwork himself, he will tire easily making him more susceptible to sleep."
"I am the child's sa'mekh (father)," Sarek said and stepped away from Amanda, head held high. "He shall have my blood."
"Ambassador, your blood is weak compared to that of your unborn son," D'Torres stated simply. Sarek was considered one of the strongest Vulcans of his age. Sarek just tilted his head to the side in confusion.
Weak? Sarek inwardly questioned, hiding his thought from his bondmate. I am a direct descendent from Surak. How is it that my blood is not strong enough for an unborn child?
As if he had read Sarek's thoughts, D'Torres explained, "6 hours and 4 minutes after the conception of this child I had told you that there was a 7% possibility that the child will be born with advanced abilities beyond that of the average Vulcan, 13% possibility that the child will be born under normal conditions with average results, 23% possibility the child will be born with a disability, and a 57% possibility that the child will die before or during the birth."
Sarek nodded his head as a sign for D'Torres to continue.
"Out of all the possibilities, it seems that this child, your son, has advanced abilities. Your son's internal organs were trying to prepare the child for when he takes his first breath. His lung capacity is double that of any other Vulcan, his features are larger and his heart pumps more blood. This is why you were unable to avoid copper poisoning." D'Torres explained and looked over at Amanda who was trying hard not to nod off.
She was extremely tired and sore from the day's events, but something D'Torres said struck her interest, "Sarek is one of the strongest Vulcans to walk this city. If his blood isn't strong enough for my baby, whose is?" She asked, her casual tone tinted with worry.
Before D'Torres could answer an elderly Vulcan woman dressed in a magnificent rich scarlet robe entered the suite. The dress was made in a similar style to Amanda's blue and silver dress.
Where Amanda's dress had blue and silver engravings on the black panel of her dress, this Vulcan woman had scarlet and gold engravings stitched onto her black panel. Though different in colour the engravings said the same thing, 'House of Surak.'
"Ko'mekh (mother)." Sarek breathed softly.
"Sa-fu." The elderly woman responded in kind to her son's softly spoken words.
"I believe I have been summoned to assist my grandson." Sarek's mother, T'Pau, stated in Vulcan.
"Correct." D'Torres confirmed as he gently guided the royal Vulcan monarch to Amanda's side.
"Ko-mekh. I am greatly honoured." Amanda spoke quietly, trying to stay awake.
"Calm, child. Your son needs my blood in order to survive. I have come willingly. Your son is my grandson by blood. Therefore, he is part of who I am. Who am I to deny my own kinsman the gift of life?" T'Pau rhetorically stated as Sarek offered her a comfortable seat.
D'Torres had already hooked Amanda's baby up to the system and was waiting for T'Pau's nod of approval before he approached her with another tube that was hooked up to the same system.
"You are the doctor. I wait for you." T'Pau said in Vulcan after waiting for D'Torres for 38 seconds.
"Yes, of course, your highness." D'Torres replied in the same tongue, as he inserted a needle into her forearm and attached the tube. He strode over to check the machine.
Sarek took his place beside his wife once more as D'Torres operated the machine. Flicking a couple of switches, the large grey machine hummed into life. D'Torres glanced at T'Pau and she nodded her head softly. D'Torres flicked a few more switches, changed a couple of levers and pressed several buttons.
T'Pau turned her head to face her son. She stared at his face as blood travelled from her arm, down the tube, and into the small unborn baby.
The monitor showing the baby's life signs started to beep in response. The child's heart rate was rising, his lungs were beginning to function normally and his movements became stronger.
By the time the transfusion had finished the child was back to being a completely healthy baby Vulcan.
T'Pau was unhooked from the machine. She rose from the chair and turned to face Amanda, who was pale and frail.
"Our society will one day look to your son for guidance." T'Pau stated in standard as she held her hand out, suspended over Amanda's scarred abdomen. "I must test his ability."
"Honoured Mother T'Pau, the child is still quite weak. Perhaps at a later date when Lady Amanda has been discharged from the hospital." D'Torres suggested as he bowed low. No one was game to come up against T'Pau the way D'Torres had, but he was only thinking of the health of his patients. It was logical.
"It is when we are weak, that we truly find how strong we really are." T'Pau answered, not taking her eyes off of Amanda.
Amanda dazed and confused, simply nodded at her mother-in-law.
T'Pau's hand rested gently upon the large scar that stretched across Amanda's abdomen. Within seconds, both Amanda and Sarek gasped at the strong intrusion Mother T'Pau had upon their child.
Being bonded to the unborn child allowed Amanda and Sarek to feel T'Pau's interrogation.
From Amanda's perspective, it felt as if someone had broken a large hole in a very small barrier. That barrier belonged to the mind of her child.
Both Amanda and Sarek were already accustomed to their child's mind, having bonded with him on a regular basis. However, they knew that the child was not liking this unwelcomed visitor.
Their child did not know this Vulcan woman; he wasn't directly bonded to her. Amanda felt her child's mind push back against the mind of T'Pau. Amanda even felt T'Pau's curiosity peak as she pushed back against the child's mind.
The child protested; sending one final mental push against this attacker. The mental push was more like a kick, it hit T'Pau with such speed that she did not anticipate it, and was sent stumbling backwards, breaking the bond as she did.
"Thy son is not like us." T'Pau said in High Vulkhansu. The ancient language was no longer common among her people so her words were lost on almost everyone in the room. Even Amanda was not fluent in the language. The words she spoke were directed towards her son.
"Mine son is of mine blood." Sarek responded in kind. His doctor and his bondmate looked between the Elder and the Ambassador. Amanda and the doctor knew that the Elder and the Ambassador were speaking High Vulkhansu, but they had no idea what they were saying. The Vulcan doctor was intrigued; the human bondmate was annoyed.
"In all mine years that I hast walked upon this planet, I hast never encountered a Vulcan quite as… fascinating as thy son." T'Pau continued to speak in the ancient language.
Sarek raised his brow at his mother's honest statement. "Dost this mean mine son hath passed thy trial?"
T'Pau had slowly made her way to the elevator before turning back to her son and answering his query, "He hath surpassed mine expectation." She said before stepping into the elevator and leaving the room.
Sarek's lips quirk up at the side. Upon realising her husband's small smile Amanda couldn't help but smile too. She had no idea what had transpired, but if Sarek was content then so was she.
Before she could ask her husband why he was 'smiling', D'Torres piped up, "The after effects of the meld has left the child weary. He must rest but not sleep. He still hasn't passed the danger period."
"Just out of curiosity," Amanda asked from the bed. Her head was now supported by soft pillows, her eyes blinking rapidly in a strain to keep them open, "When will I be able to sleep?"
"Not for another 4.2 hours. Even then you will only be allowed to sleep for six hours a night for the next week." D'Torres replied.
"Perfect." Amanda muttered, but D'Torres heard.
"I'm glad you find this arrangement suitable." D'Torres said aloud.
"I believe my wife was using sarcasm, D'Torres. A sub-language used by all Terrans that is often overlooked or dismissed by most Vulcans." Sarek explained to the doctor, who nodded in realisation.
"Using mockery as a form of humour... fascinating." D'torres replied.
…Present Time…
Amanda looked around the suite that she had been occupying for the last week. D'Torres had informed her that for her child to return to full heath Amanda must remain in the suite and sleep for precisely six hours every day for the next seven days.
During that time S'Reiyah, Sybok and even R'Va had come to visit. S'Reiyah dropped off a grey duffle bag filled with appropriate and fitting attire.
She had just awoken from her last round of sleep. Today she will be discharged from the hospital. She could go home and sleep for as long as she wanted. She was too excited to sleep now.
Sarek felt his wife awaken from her sleep and was in her room within seconds. "Ashayam." He said upon entering the room. When he wasn't at his office or in a meeting he would be at the hospital talking to D'Torres and the other doctors about his wife's condition. He was even given his own bed within the royal suite.
Amanda giggled as her husband came to stand before her, hands clasped behind his back. "Hi."
She couldn't stop her giggling. She didn't know why she was giggling to begin with. It was just her husband.
"Amanda?" The Vulcan's voice had a hint of concern.
"Sarek." She replied and laid back into the pillow with her hands above her head.
"You have been deprived of sleep. You are very tired." Sarek stated as he began to pack Amanda's belongings into the grey duffle bag.
"I must get you home." He added as he came to his wife's side to help her off of the bed she had been confined to for the past week.
"Oh, Sarek" She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Sarek's neck. He felt her giddiness through their tel and his ears flushed green from embarrassment. He made a move to swoop her up but she stopped him.
"I'm walking, Sarek. I have been in bed for over a week. I am walking home." She stated with finality.
"Of course." He replied. He didn't even protest. Amanda was not a lazy person, so being confined to a bed for a week was not on her list of most desired ways to spend seven days. He willingly obliged to her earlier statement. If she wanted to walk, she will walk.
Amanda, with help from Sarek, hopped off of the bed and steadied herself. She was looking down at her feet. I was hard to see past her bulging belly but she tilted her head until she had her feet in view. She had gone insane, Sarek was sure of it.
"My feet are really small." She mumbled. "How big are your feet?!" She sounded genuinely curious.
Sarek didn't respond to his wife's unusual queries. Instead, Amanda bent over to get a better view of her husband's shoes. "Whoa! They're huge!" She giggled. "You know what they say about men with big feet…," Amanda eyed her husband.
Sarek had been to Earth many times and had come to know what having big feet implied. His ears turned green, surely she didn't expect him to answer that. He stopped walking, causing Amanda to stopped beside him.
She smiled before continuing, "They're clowns."
Sarek sighed with relief.
"Oh my goodness! You're like a clown." She stood up straight to see the stoic expression plastered on her husband's face.
"Nope. Not a clown. Oh, you're one of those sad clowns! Wait, sadness is an expression. I know! You're a very neutral clown. Yep. Sarek, my big footed neutral clown that makes very neutral faces."
Sarek just turned to her and raised his eyebrow.
"Don't raise that neutral eyebrow at me." Amanda laughed.
Sarek stood there for precisely 2.4 minutes until his wife had controlled her laughter. This was going to be an unusual walk home.