AN: If you want some confused pon'farr-y good times head over to the MA version at archive of our own.
My lovely beta was huge help to the next few chapters of the story. Against all odds we both became attached to 'T'Pringles' (lamb's nickname for her, best ever) and I wrote the first part of this chapter so we could deal with all our confused *feels* about her. feelsfeelsfeels
T'Pau
The girl's condition was much as the human physician had said. She was in plak'tow, the usual burning madness intensified by the long term effects of tel-has-mar. The shock of the severing of her most recent bond to Spohkh combined with the powerful sedatives the humans had administered appeared to have tipped her fragile psyche into a near comatose state.
Had she been capable of such a feeling, T'Pau would have pitied the woman. She recalled T'Pring as a child when she had performed the Telan t'Kanlar (ceremony of childhood bonding) upon her and Spohkh. She had been an intelligent and coolly logical child. The mind she felt now was unrecognisable. So-resh (mad).
T'Pau melded with her and attempted to undo what damage she could. She had to draw upon decades of mastery in the mental disciplines to hold back the spread of the plak'tow through the girl's mind and keep T'Pring calm. It took her a period of 1.3 standard hours to stabilise the fever and send the woman into a meditative state that would not cause her further injury.
Her sa-fu awaited her when she broke the meld and returned to her senses.
Sarek raised an eyebrow in silent query.
'I am uncertain what can be done for her. The blood fever must be broken before I can begin to aid her in healing from the tel-has-mar.' T'Pau informed him.
'None will wish such a mate.' Sarek remarked.
It was true. T'Pring was so-resh. Save T'Prak she was all that remained of her House and it would be a waste not to continue her line given the decimation of their species, but no unattached male would chose to bond to a woman in her state. It would be illogical. There was little hope for her.
'It is unfortunate.' T'Pau agreed.
They returned to the planet and T'Pring was beamed down later after a room had been prepared for her in T'Pau's residence. She had no obligation to the woman, but she had once been bonded to Spohkh, and it was not illogical that she provide for her.
Her sa-fu came to her after speaking to T'Prak and her kinsman Staal. T'Pau listened to his explanations of T'Prak's illogical actions with interest. The pid-kom had lied and misrepresented the situation not only to her own kinsman, but to other V'tosh as well. The Captain of the ship had been under the impression that Spohkh was present of his own will, but that owing to it being his time was unable to inform Sarek of that fact. He had been waiting for Spohkh to return to his senses so he could do just that. It had not occurred to him that a venerated elder, a pid-kom of a high clan at that, would lie.
Staal had been similarly mis-informed. He had escorted Spohkh to T'Prak when he had boarded, but had been kept from further interaction with him. He had not suspected the truth of the situation until Spohkh's adun'a had beamed aboard with typical human recklessness. He had recognised her easily - she had been wearing the marked robes of a T'sai and there were only four women remaining of House Solkar - T'Pau herself, her sons' wives T'Ylle and Amanda, and Spohkh's wife Nyota. They were a disparate group of women – an elderly pid-kom, a T'sai in her prime, a pale human approaching her middle years and a dark human in her youth. Easily distinguishable. Staal had instantly identified Nyota as Spohkh's human wife. Only after her confrontation with his pid-kom had he begun to suspect that the situation was not as he had been told.
He had been shamed when Sarek had told him of the enormity of T'Prak's injury to Spohkh and had submitted to kash-nohv to verify the truth of his own involvement. Sarek informed her that many of his actions had been motivated by his concern for his kinswoman T'Pring. She had been bonded to his elder brother Stonn and she alone of his immediate family had survived Va'Pak. He had thought renewal of her bond to Spohkh would heal her of her tel-has-mar. Sarek speculated his emotional attachment to his cousin had clouded his logic.
There was no such excuse for T'Prak. She was to be stripped of rank and title and exiled from V'tosh society and their new home-world. Sarek was uncertain of what would be appropriate action against those she had misled.
'Send Staal to me.' T'Pau directed her sa-fu.
Sarek did as she bade. Within 20 standard minutes she received the shamed V'tosh in T'Pring's chamber.
He genuflected before her and greeted her with the utmost respect. T'Pau did not deign to reply. The man, for all that his pid-kom had misled him, had fired a phaser set to kill towards Nyota Uhura, the female her exceedingly emotional grandson considered his k'hat'n'dlawa and who was pregnant with her first great-grandchild. Were she to make such a demand of any of her own kinsman, she knew they would have reason and logic enough to query such a violent request, going as it did against the very core of the Analects of Surak. Murder.
T'Pau was pleased that the human James Kirk had seen fit to infiltrate the ship in search for Spohkh, her sa-fu was a diplomat, a man of logic and calm. She had no doubt that his negotiations with the Captain of the ship would have eventually led to Spohkh's release, but it was preferable that the humans had sped the process along. She was displeased that Nyota Uhura had placed herself in danger however.
Thinking upon it was a test to her emotional control. Had she died, T'Pau was certain Spohkh would have soon followed. She recalled in eidetic Vulcan detail what he had felt when the elder Sosik had performed p'pil'lay upon he and Nyota in San Fracisco in the wake of Va'Pak. Thinking on it made her decidedly uncomfortable. He had wept.
T'Pau therefore found she had little patience or understanding for Staal. She gestured towards T'Pring. 'Your cousin is dying.' she informed him blandly.
Staal's eyes snapped to the still form of T'Pring where she lay in a deep meditative state upon a low bed. T'Pau watched him closely. She did, as Sarek had implied, detect a distinct emotional attachment. Here perhaps was suitable punishment for his crimes, and hope for T'Pring, who was undoubtedly the most innocent in the entire affair despite her central role.
'The plak'tow is killing her. I cannot break it. And she is too weak to try and bring it to its climax through combat.' she continued.
'There is nothing you can do for her?' he inquired. 'She had been better, the last few days, since Okosu T'Prak told her Spohkh would renew their bond.'
'The plak'tow I cannot cure.' T'Pau replied. 'The tel-has-mar, her so-resh... if it as you say - if she had not completely succumbed - perhaps there is hope for recovery.' She paused and regarded his reactions carefully. 'But I can do nothing while the blood fever rages within her.'
Staal was silent for a several minutes.
T'Pau waited.
'T'Pring is my pi-maat (kin) and she was adun'a to my sa-kai(brother) Stonn.' he turned to regard T'Pau seriously. 'I would bond with her if it would break the plak'tow.'
T'Pau nodded, keeping her face free of any reaction. Of course, his offer had been precisely why she had summoned him. 'Even if I can bond you and the plak'tow is endured, she may always be so-resh. Her attachment to your sa-kai went beyond logic.'
Staal nodded. 'They were exceedingly fond of one another.'
'It is he she calls for.' T'Pau agreed. 'She may never overcome her loss.' She left unsaid the obvious, that Staal would most likely end up with a wife who did not know him, who perhaps saw him only as his dead brother.
Staal did not seem deterred. 'She is pi-maat. For that reason alone I would accept her despite her so-resh. But were she not, I would do the same for her as my sa-kai's adun'a.'
T'Pau inclined her head. 'It is logical for you to accept responsibility for her welfare.' she agreed. 'I will awaken her and perform the Van-Kal t'Telan (ceremony of bonding). The danger to her increases by the minute.'
'I am prepared.' Staal replied.
Spock
Spock awoke on the floor. Correction. Deck. He felt the familiar human standard gravity and cool recycled air of a Federation Starship. It would appear he was once more upon the Enterprise. He and Nyota were lying atop the remains of her dress and robe. His thoughts were clear and his own once more. He found no relief in that fact however and sat up to regard his wife in a panic. He reached to her through their bond, even as he carefully looked over her body. He was relieved to find her in a much better state than she'd been in when last they'd been afflicted with plak'tow. He reflected that it had been different in this instance. It seemed the fires of plak'tow had not burnt as hot. He was uncertain if that was due to the way it had been induced, Doctor McCoy's sedative, something his grandmother had done or the fact that Nyota was pregnant.
He had still marked her several times however. Her neck, her shoulder and her thighs bore bruises and marks inflicted with his mouth. And he'd left her slightly bruised where he'd gripped her - hips, thighs and arms, but that was all. She bore far fewer indicators of the disparity of Vulcan strength in comparison to human than she had after the incident at the Academy. Spock sighed in relief but still wished to be sure. She'd had cracked ribs and a sprained wrist last time.
He reached to her through their bond to awaken her to make certain she had not suffered similar injury.
He savoured the feeling of her thoughts floating up to consciousness and into focus as she awoke. She moaned. Stretched. Buried her face against his chest. Spock ran a hand down her back. Her body shivered beneath his touch and he felt her gentle pleasure in the caress. She felt general soreness but no sharp pain. Carefully Spock reached towards her more firmly to double check. No. She was bruised, her muscles slightly strained, but otherwise uninjured. He felt her comparing the stiffness of her body to overeagerness in the gymnasium. The relief he felt was immense.
'Spock.' she greeted him, looking up to point her dark eyes at him.
'Ashayam.' he returned.
She smiled radiantly. He kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with her usual human abandon.
'We're a mess mpenzi.' she informed him at length, pressing kisses along his cheek and stroking her fingers through his hair.
'An accurate assessment.' Spock replied.
'Are we on the floor?' she asked, bracing herself against him to look around in confusion.
'It would appear so.' Spock agreed. 'We seem to be in the medbay but I must admit my recollection of how we came to be here is incomplete.' He remembered very little. He recalled escaping the room on the Vulcan ship despite being half mad with plak'tow, sabotaging something on the engineering deck... the shields? Then feeling Nyota nearby and looking for her... fighting and phaser fire... then incredible relief at finding her... then oko'mekh-il had been there… and… 'Did I injure Doctor McCoy?' he inquired in concern. He recalled staring down at the man contemplating breaking his arm.
Nyota shook her head. 'You gave him a black eye after he sedated you, but you didn't injure him badly.' she reassured him.
Her words were reassuring, though he was not pleased to discover he had injured a fellow crew member. 'I did not injury anyone else?' he asked.
Nyota frowned. 'Not any Starfleet personnel.' she replied evasively.
Spock blinked as more disjointed memories returned to him, the sensation of satisfyingly solid Vulcan vertebrae shattering beneath his hands. Of the bony hollow of someone's trachea being crushed under his fingers. Guilt and disgust welled up inside him. 'How many Vulcans did I murder aboard the ship?' he asked quietly, looking past Nyota to the ceiling of the medbay.
She half sat up so she could look down at him, forcing him to meet her gaze with a hand to his cheek. Her frown had deepened. 'You did not 'murder' anyone. You killed two Vulcans who were attempting to kill us – Kirk, Sulu, McCoy, Hendorrf and myself.' she said. 'They were firing phasers set to kill. If anyone is to blame for their deaths, it is their pid'kom T'Prak. You are not responsible and you are not going to add their deaths to that ridiculous guilt you carry around with you.' she paused. 'You were in plak'tow. It is illogical to blame yourself for something you had no control over.'
He did not agree, but nodded regardless. He utilised a human conversational tactic and changed the subject to avoid further disagreement. 'Tell me what occurred whilst I was afflicted.'
Nyota narrowed her eyes and Spock was worried she would insist they speak further upon the deaths of the Vulcans, but after a moment she sighed and apparently gave in. 'We came and got you from T'Prak.' she explained. 'Scotty devised a method for beaming through their disruptor shields. Although apparently they took them down anyway.'
'I believe I may have been the cause of that.' he remarked.
Nyota raised an eyebrow. 'You sabotaged their shields?'
'My memories are incomplete, but I recall that intention.' he agreed.
She smiled and shook her head. 'Kirk was right, you probably would have escaped all on your own, blood fever or not.'
Perhaps she was correct. If he had been able to transport himself to the Enterprise or even down to New Vulcan, it was unlikely T'Prak could have recaptured him. However he hated to think how many would have witnessed him at the mercy of his primitive urges had he succeeded. He had an unpleasant vision of himself running through the corridors of the Enterprise snarling like a crazed animal searching for Nyota... 'How did we come to be in the medical bay?' he inquired in sudden concern.
'Direct beam out.' she replied. 'Don't worry, apart from Sulu and Hendorff, only the Captain, Christine Chapel and McCoy saw you.' She paused. 'And Sarek and T'Pau of course.'
Spock nodded in acceptance. He was embarrassed that his fellow crew had seen him in such a state, but relieved that only a small number had borne witness. He plucked at a fragment of dark blue silk that was tangled around his arm. He recognised the robe it had once been a part of. 'You defied the Captain's orders.' he said with slight censure.
Nyota pursed her lips slightly. 'How is it you remember that minor detail and nothing else?'
'I merely assumed that you would not have reported for duty out of uniform.' he remarked, indicating the piece of cloth in his hand and their makeshift bedding.
'Oh.' Nyota replied.
'What occurred whilst I was… gone?' Spock asked at length.
'A lot.' Nyota said. 'I woke up in medbay after T'Prak broke our bond.'
Spock inhaled sharply, recalling vividly how seriously she had been affected by their first p'pil'lay.
'It wasn't as bad this time.' she quickly reassured him. 'McCoy thinks it's because I'm pregnant. The… baby… has a bond to you, so I could still almost sense you.' She stumbled slightly over the word 'baby' and averted her eyes form his. Spock felt her confusing emotions on her unexpected condition.
'That is a logical conclusion.' he agreed. He reached down and ran his fingers over her cheek so she would look at him. He vaguely recalled feelings of extreme satisfaction when he'd realised she was pregnant with his child when he was under the influence of plak'tow, and was certain he'd made those primitive feelings known to her, but he could tell she was worried about what his reaction would be now he was once more in his right mind. 'I am pleased, Nyota.' he informed her simply.
It was not a situation he would have chosen, they were hardly in the most logical position to rear a child, but the thought that they would have a child, that their genetic material had been melded into a single individual was… pleasing.
He felt relief and happiness bloom within his wife at his words. 'I'm pleased too Spock. I hadn't seriously considered children… I thought it would be really complicated, that we'd need doctors and geneticists and I wasn't in any hurry for all that… But now that it's happened… I mean - I'm worried and confused - but I'm glad.'
'I am most curious of how we have done this thing my wife. As you said, we should not be able to reproduce without significant aid from geneticists.' Spock remarked thoughtfully.
'Omicron Ceti III.' Nyota replied.
Ah. It was possible. 'The spores.' he agreed. 'That does seem the most likely explanation.' An idle thought occurred to him. 'Did Doctor McCoy then also impregnate Ensign U'Aidat?' he asked.
He felt Nyota's shock and then amusement. 'Oh my god. She really could be!' She pressed a hand to her mouth. 'And that stomach bug! It was morning sickness!' Her eyes widened. 'Half the crew could be pregnant!' She sat up and grinned at him in delighted shock, one of her hands clutching his shoulder 'Oh please Spock! ask McCoy about Gaila!'
'You do not wish to make such an inquiry yourself?' he asked. Gaila U'Aidat was her closest friend.
Nyota shook her head. Spock felt amusement and anticipation from her. 'You believe it will be more humorous if I make the enquiry of him.' he deduced letting her sense his disapproval.
She didn't try and deny it, just smirked.
'Please continue your recount of events during my absence.' he said again changing the subject.
Nyota settled back down against him. 'I found T'Pring's messages to you and figured out what had happened.' she replied. 'I spoke to your father and forewarned the Captain. He refused to let me come on the away party.'
'Perfectly logical given the situation. You were convalescing and pregnant. How did you come to be aboard the Vulcan ship?' Spock asked.
She sighed. 'I'm not proud of myself.' she began. Spock raised an eyebrow. 'I nerve pinched Scotty and an Ensign then beamed myself aboard.'
Spock blinked, surprised at her admission. 'You're use of tal-shaya on fellow crew is indeed not something to be 'proud' of.' he agreed. 'However I am pleased that you seem to have retained the ability to perform a nerve pinch. It is reassuring to know you can effectively defend yourself if unarmed. What occurred aboard the ship?'
'I followed the Captain. I just put my hood up and pretended to be Vulcan. They'd found T'Pring. She was raving in plak'tow.' she trailed off. 'I can't believe T'Prak would be so cruel to her own granddaughter.' she shook her head. 'I watched a lot of the messages she sent you. Tel-has-mar drove her mad. It was… distressing.'
'She lost her son as well as her husband in Va'Pak. There is little of the logical woman I recall from our acquaintance left in her.' Spock remarked. 'I regret that I ignored her. T'Pau or one of the other elders might have been able to aide her where T'Prak could not.'
'Or would not.' Nyota added scathingly.
They were silent for a period of 4.8 minutes. Spock could feel the vague shape of Nyota's thoughts but made no attempt to listen to them.
'Nyota.' he said at length.
'Yes?' she replied from where she lay curled against his side.
'I wish to marry you in the human manner.'
He felt her surprise. 'We don't have to do that, Vulcan marriage is legally binding and accepted by Federation Law.' she paused. 'And compared to our tel-tor, human marriage seems… redundant.' She raised her head to look at him 'You don't need to do this for me.'
'I am gratified that you are satisfied with our bond, but it would be reassuring to know that should it be severed, you would still be my wife.' Spock replied.
'Surely no one will try this again?' Nyota asked in disbelief.
'It would be highly unlikely.' he agreed.
'But still possible.' she finished.
'Indeed.'
'The Captain could marry us.' she suggested. 'Though would we really want Kirk officiating our wedding?' she added.
Before Spock could offer an opinion on the matter the intercom in the wall buzzed to life. 'Uhura? Spock? Are you two alright in there?' It was Doctor McCoy's voice.
'Yes Doctor!' called Nyota.
'Get yourselves decent would you? Chapel's going to bring you clean clothes.'
A minute later there was a soft knock on the door. Nyota, wrapped in the remains of her robe, accepted a bundle of clothing from the smirking blonde nurse outside.
'This is so embarrassing.' she commented and she attempted to tidy herself up.
Spock was forced to admit that the knowledge that others - humans who had no real understanding of what had been occurring at that - had borne witness to him in his time was… exceedingly distressing. Humiliating.
Dressed in her uniform Nyota looked only marginally less debauched. There were clear bite marks along the side of her neck and her hair was a long tangle. Any Vulcan would be able to smell him all over her. Would know precisely what they had been doing earlier. She bit her lip. A lip swollen from several hours spent kissing him. Her fingers slid along her neck. He could tell she was pleased to openly wear the marks of his possession, for everyone to know the truth of their association, but was embarrassed that she felt that way.
He found himself likewise conflicted. The most primitive part of him was pleased at such obvious indicators that she was his, but the rest of him disliked others knowing such a private thing. That he had pressed his mouth to the line of her neck. They would probably also, correctly, assume that they had been engaging in intercourse as he did so. No one should be thinking of Nyota in such a manner. He did not wish anyone to be privy to what passed between them.
It occurred to him that if the Captain were to marry them, all would know she was his without the need for such vulgar displays. He could give her a ring in the human tradtion. A wedding ring would signify as much as a mark without revealing things he'd prefer stay hidden. Yes he decided. That would be satisfactory.
They left the room to find the Captain waiting with his parents, his grandmother and to his mild surprise, his mother-in-law.
'Thrice bonded.' his mother remarked with amusement rarely heard in Vuhlkansu. 'Must you be so difficult my son?'
'He is as stubborn as his father.' T'Pau remarked.
Sarek's eyes slid to the side to glance at his mother but he offered no comment.
Spock bowed to his grandmother. 'Oko'mekh-il thank you for your aid.'
Beside him Nyota likewise offered her gratitude. T'Pau made a small gesture, tilting her head slightly, and Spock could tell she was pleased.
In comparison Tamu Uhura was far more demonstrative. She pulled Nyota into a hug and chattered to her in rapid Swahili, not leaving Nyota time to reply to any of her questions. 'Oh you silly foolish girl! How do you keep getting into such situations? Are you alright? What happened? I arrive on planet to open the new Embassy and Sarek comms me within minutes to tell me you and Spock have managed to get into yet another mess. Look at you!' she paused and fluffed Nyota's hair. 'And speaking of messes, look at this! What have you been doing? Brushing your hair with twigs?' She tilted Nyota's head and pouted with disapproval at the bitemarks on her neck. 'Really Nyota. How old are you? You look like a tacky 15 year old with those things on your neck.'
Nyota sighed. Spock could feel her embarrassment at her mother's display.
'Don't you sigh at me young lady! When were you going to tell me that I'm going to be a grandmother? I shouldn't have to learn these things second-hand! And from a Vulcan at that! They've got absolutely no tact! No 'Hello, how are you Tamu?' Oh no! T'Pau's first words to me were 'My grandson has impregnated your daughter.' Who talks like that?! And she sounded so proud, you'd think Spock was the first man to achieve such a thing. '
Nyota waited for a moment to see if her mother had finished before replying in equally hurried Swahili. 'I am fine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I've only known about the baby for a day or two, I hadn't had a chance to tell you since some crazy woman kidnapped my husband.'
The Captain was looking at Nyota and her mother in amusement. 'Is the Ambassador telling Lieutenant Uhura off for not brushing her hair?' he inquired in a loud whisper.
'That is… one of the things the Ambassador has mentioned.' Spock admitted.
Unfortunately his words attracted Tamu's attention. She turned to face him and Spock felt a sudden sense of foreboding.
'S'chn T'gai Spock!' she proclaimed, pointing at him with right index finger. Her accent was not nearly on par with his mother's or Nyota's, but it was fairly accurate. 'Your own family might be too well mannered to say it but I will. Nyota's told me all about you and little friend there,' she waved her hand dismissively towards the Captain, '… behaving like a couple of school boys -'
'Mother!' Nyota interrupted, sounding mortified.
Tamu made a shushing noise. '- taking ridiculous risks. How many times have you nearly died in the last six months Spock? James?' Kirk blushed at being spoken to in such a manner but for his own part Spock found he did not feel much of anything. He noted with detachment that he appeared to be in a mild state of shock. 'I'm sure if your poor mothers knew the things I did they'd both have had heart attacks by now!'
Nyota had her hand pressed to her mouth and was staring at him in wide-eyed dismay. He felt her embarrassment and apology through their bond.
'Well you aren't children!' Tamu continued. She pointed at Kirk. 'You're a Starfleet Captain,' she pointed at Spock, '… and you are about to become a father. So you'd best start behaving with a bit more maturity!'
Abruptly she swapped back to Swahili. 'If I end up with a widowed daughter Spock, I'll keep your vre-katra on hand and berate you daily.' Spock wasn't entirely sure if she was being serious or not. He thought perhaps she was.
Nyota had spoken about him taking unnecessary risks, she'd thought it a reaction to Va'Pak. He'd been dismissive of her concerns and clearly she'd felt the need to confide in her mother. In a way Tamu Uhura's uncomfortable emotional outburst was therefore his fault. He should have taken Nyota's concerns more seriously.
'Tamu, I am sorry to have caused you such concern. I shall discuss the matter with Nyota.' he replied in Swahili.
She sniffed and nodded. 'Good.'
The room was silent for 4.8 seconds.
'What things?' his mother asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.
Tamu huffed and crossed her arms. 'Where to begin!'
'What things?' his mother asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.
Tamu huffed and crossed her arms. 'Where to begin!'