Note from the Phoenix: I have decided to submit this novel to Pocket Publishers (they publish all the Star Trek novels). I have found a Literary Agent to help me get my foot in the door (the hardest part). I know it's probably a bad idea...but I am going to continue to post while I look into getting accepted. So wish me luck! Maybe one day, if I'm lucky, I can offer autographed copies!

In the mean time enjoy this 'climax' chapter!! I also have new 'cover art' up on my homepage.

Chapter Twenty-five

"How much time do we have?" Kirk asked

"At this speed?" Scotty thought about the calculations for a moment. "An hour, hour and a half."

"What?" Bones demanded. "We've been traveling away from the black hole for over a day!"

"Yes, Doctor, at a sane speed, we are not going a sane speed at the moment." Scotty replied. "Plus ya can't just bring her to a dead stop at this point, there is also the fact that the black hole itself is going to be accelerating us the moment we get into the gravitational reach. The closer we get the faster and faster we're going to go. Although there's a good chance the engine will blow up before we even get there."

"We also need time to gain access to all the codes Spock's changed." Kirk said.

"I still don't see why your code doesn't override all of this, Jim."

"Because Spock's smarter than that."

"This is ridiculous," McCoy grumbled "I can't believe nothing has ever been put in place to safe guard against Spock being able to take over the whole bloody ship!"

"Bones, this is Spock we're talking about."

"So?"

"He's seen into my mind so many times he knows all my override codes, and he knows how to change them. It's not exactly a trait any other First Officer in the Fleet has, there was no way, and no reason, to guard against him."

"No reason?" Bones demanded. "The reason is behind that door speeding us all towards our deaths!"

"Granted."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Scotty can you cut through this door?"

"Aye, Sir, but it will take too much time." Scotty sighed.

"Okay, only one option then." Kirk clapped his hands together. "Scotty, beam us in there."

"Captain, beaming within the ship is...tricky. Particularly when we're at top Warp speeds. One slight miscalculation one way you'll beam into a wall, a miscalculation the other way and you'll miss the ship entirely."

"Scotty, you beamed us from a frozen planet onto the Enterprise when she was at Warp...you can do this."

"You do recall the part of that story where I almost drown in the cooling system, right?" Scotty asked.

"We're doing this."

"Alright, Sir, if you insist."

"I do. Come on, Bones."

"Oh joy." Bones sighed.

They turned away from the securely locked auxiliary control room door and headed towards the transporter room. Once there Scotty started making the complicated calculation it was going to take to get Kirk and McCoy into the control room in one piece. Kirk armed himself with a phaser locked to 'stun'. McCoy had a hypo of Vulandin that he wasn't so sure was going to be useful.

"Hurry up, Scotty." Kirk ordered as he stepped up on the transporter pad with McCoy following his lead.

"I'm hurrying as best I can, you want fast calculations you need Mr. Spock."

"Well beam us in there and I'll ask him for some."

After a few more minutes Scotty tapped the last of the equations into the transporter. It seemed illogical to Kirk that a device that could beam them down to a planet without a second thought would have such trouble with a distance of a few hundred yards. However, whenever he asked Scotty about the reasons the Head Engineer always launched into an impassioned speech that he never understood a word of.

"Okay, Captain." Scotty announced. "Ready."

"Energi..."

"Captain!" Uhura called as she rushed into the transporter room.

"Uhura, the ship is in red alert you need to be at your post."

"Captain, please, I can talk to him..."

"Nyota," Kirk said gently "there's no talking to Spock at this point. I'm sorry."

"This is my fault."

"You can't bla..."

"I switched out Spock's Vulandin with Teresosol."

"What? What's Teresosol?"

"A mild sedative," Bones answered "completely useless on Vulcans, it has no effect."

"Uhura, what were you thinking?" Kirk demanded.

"I was thinking that the Vulandin was killing him." Uhura said in a defensive tone. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea the change would happen so quickly."

"It doesn't matter now. Come on, Bones, we need to stop him, and this ship. Scotty, energize."

The short beam was a surprisingly rough ride. Kirk was struck by a powerful vertigo that dropped him to his hands and knees. The plan had been to be ready to take Spock down the instant they were in the control room so as to not give him a chance to attack. That plan had been completely ruined. Kirk expected the enraged Vulcan to kick him while he was down, but nothing happened.

"Remind me not to do that again." Bones moaned.

Kirk struggled to his feet and then helped McCoy stand. Once up the doctor's eyes widened in shock. He was staring over Kirk's shoulder with his jaw slightly dropped. Kirk turned around and instinctivly took a step back from the sight in front of him. The glass paneled wall was covered in streaking green blood.

At first all Kirk could see was the gore, but once the initial shock wore off he realized that it actually said something. It was a vast mathematical formula or equation of some sort. Hastily scrawled in the same kind of blood based finger painting as the Vulcan faces done by the artist in the depths of the complex on Natala. The symbols and numerics used reminded Kirk of the endless physics lessons at the Academy. He suddenly wished that he had paid more attention in those classes. Near the end of the floor to ceiling calculations the numbers had been smeared into an illegible streak of blood.

"What is this?"

"Either the ranting of a mad man, or pure genius." McCoy replied. "It's hard to tell which."

"I suppose it always is."

"So where's the author?" Bones asked nervously.

"He has to be here somewhere." Kirk glanced around the large room that was full of places to hide. "Listen...hear that?"

"Over there."

McCoy motioned with his head over to the far left corner of the room. There was a large control desk with a solid front panel that blocked the view underneath. From behind the sturdy structure came the sounds of a quiet heartbreaking weeping. Phaser in hand Kirk had McCoy hang back a few steps while he approached the source of the sound.

An unseen hand clamped down on Kirk's heart when he rounded the desk. He automatically lowered his phaser. Spock was cowering in the corner under the desk. He had his knees pulled up to his chest and his head buried in his crossed arms. Breathless with emotion the Vulcan trembled as he cried quietly to himself. Kirk had never seen anyone looking so lost and alone. Kirk felt McCoy coming up to stand next to him, and from the doctor's sad sigh he could tell that Bones was thinking the exact same thing.

"Spock..."

Spock jolted violently at the sound of Kirk calling his name. Jerking his head up he slammed it against the underside of metal desk. With his green tinted eyes wide with terror he pressed himself harder into the shelter of the desk. Trembling he stared at Kirk as though he was gazing at his murderer. Kirk realized that his own heat was racing. It felt like he had swallowed a live eel that was squirming around in his stomach, biting at him. Taking a step away he bumped into McCoy who reached up and put his hand on his shoulder.

"His emotions are effecting us, Jim. He's projecting them on our minds."

"I noticed."

"I know you don't want to, but I think it would be best for everyone if you stun him."

"You're right on both accounts."

Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself Kirk raised the phaser once more. Tears tainted with blood spilt down Spock's face as he watched his Captain aim the weapon at him. Turning his face away Spock weld his eyes shut and grimaced in anticipation of the painful bolt of energy. Kirk held the weapon ready to fire, but he was unable to press the contact to activate it. Battling with himself his panic grew.

"I can't." Kirk said as panted for breath.

"Jim, we're running out of time."

"I know, but at the same time we need his help to fix this."

Kirk holstered the phaser. He stepped closer and crouched down to Spock's level. Spock was curled up as small as he could manage with his eyes still shut tightly. Kirk risked reaching out and touching Spock's shoulder. Spock pierced the air with a terrified cry. Kirk felt an icy stab of fear lance up his arm and into his chest.

"Stay away from me!" Spock wailed.

"Spock, I'm not going to hurt you." Kirk said softly. "However, I need the codes to regain control of the ship."

"Stay back!"

"Spo..."

"You...you're a Vulcan," Spock looked up at Bones and his false pointed ears "You understand, you must. I had to try. I just want it to stop..."

"What do you want to stop?" Kirk asked.

"What do you want to stop?" Spock repeated as his eyes lost their focus.

"Spock?"

"Spock?"

"What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Spock parroted.

"Bones...any thoughts?" Kirk glanced up at McCoy.

"Bones..." Spock even repeated the pause perfectly "any thoughts?"

"It's called echolalia." Bones answered. "It's common in psychopathic disorders."

"It's called echololaia." Spock repeated vacantly. "Common in psychopathic disor..."

"Spock, stop it." Kirk ordered.

"Stop it? No...I can not. I can not stop it." Spock whispered. "It happens again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and agai..."

"Jim," Bones said as Spock continued to chant "he's lost it."

"...again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and..."

"Alright, give him as much Vulandin as you think safe."

"...and again, and again, and again, and again, and again..."

Bones took a cautious step closer, keeping the hypo hidden behind his back. Kirk slowly moved out of the way and brought out his phaser once more just in case. Spock didn't notice them, he continued to chant in monotone as he began rocking back and forth in time to his words. Taking a deep breath Bones struck with the speed of a serpent and managed to deliver the drug.

Spock arched back with a cry of agony. Bones and Jim both scrambled back, afraid that Spock was going to be sent into another dangerous rage. Far from making any moves to attack he fell onto his side before rolling over and pushing himself up onto his hands and knees. Kirk and McCoy watched helplessly as Spock dry heaved violently.

"My God, Jim...I've killed him."

"Not yet, just give him a minute."

"We don't have a minute. If we can't get that door open and get someone who knows what they're doing in here we are all going to die."

"I could use just a touch of optimism, Bones."

"I'm fresh out."

Kirk shot McCoy and irritated glare before turning his attention back to Spock. He seemed to be winning the war against his stomach. After a few deep breaths Spock shook his head to clear it. Crawling out from under the desk he got to his feet. He'd torn a patch out of his uniform where the insignia usually sat and had cut a deep gash into his chest over what in a human would be his heart. The still seeping cut seemed to be the likely source of blood for the writing he'd placed on the wall. He finally took notice of the others in the room and looked at them calmly with his heavily green blood shot eyes.

"Captain?"

"Spock, the codes, we need them."

"Codes?" Spock repeated. "I do not understand."

"Don't you remember? You seized control of the ship, and we are currently headed at Warp Insane back towards the Vulcan black hole. You changed all the codes, we can't access the computer."

Spock furrowed his brow in concentration as he tried to recall what had happened. Kirk held his breath, feeling as though he should be doing something more, but having no idea what that might be. He wasn't used to not being in control of his ship and the stress of that alone was enough to make him sweat. Spock reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose hard, closing his eyes he poured all of his concentration into remembering what he had done.

"Override 74...no, wait..." Spock recalled "override 84...76319Z3LMC7111979."

"Override accepted." The computer chimed. "Security reset."

"Scotty, you have control, stop this thing!" Kirk barked into intercom.

"Aye, Sir, already working on it." Scotty replied. "I must admit, Captain, we were starting to get nervous out here."

"Join the club." Bones muttered.

Kirk breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the background noise of the whining engines cool down and then stop completely. He bowed his head for a moment and simply closed his eyes. When he looked up again Spock was gone. Bones saw the flash of panic on Kirk's face and pointed over to where Spock had wondered off to.

With his hands held casually behind his back Spock was standing in front of the complex scribbling that he had placed on the wall. His eyes tracked the writing over and over again. Kirk and Bones stayed back letting Spock work out what the paintings meant on his own.

After about five minutes Spock turned around and started walking back towards the pair. He stopped half way there and reached down to pick up a small piece of blue cloth stained in his blood that was in a crumpled heap on the floor. Spock took a moment to retrieve his silver insignia from the cloth. He pinned it back to his ruined shirt as close to its original place as possible. Walking up to Kirk and McCoy he looked at each of them in turn.

"Gentlemen, I believe I have the answer to the Vulcan crisis."

"You do?" Kirk asked in surprise.

"Yes." Spock nodded. "It is not a disease."

"That's good." Bones said.

"Quite to the contrary, Doctor, we would be better off if it was a disease because in that case it could be cured."

"So what's happening?"

"The voices that I hear are not hallucinations as was previously thought." Spock explained calmly. "They are the confused and terrified cries of approximately six billion Vulcans."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Kirk admitted. "There are only like ten thousand Vulcan's left."

"You are correct. I am speaking of the Vulcans left on Vulcan."

"Woah, wait, a minute, Spock." Bones shook his head in disbelief. "You mean the dead? You're being...haunted to death?"

"Not exactly, Doctor."

"Spock, with all due respect: you're still out of your Vulcan mind." Bones said firmly.

"Bones..."

"Jim," McCoy countered "what Spock's saying makes no sense."

"It is actually perfectly logical and explains everything." Spock said evenly. "As a doctor you may understand life, but you have no concept of what is 'death'. Even your most sophisticated instruments can not tell you for certain when a man is dead or alive."

"Of course they can."

"No. They tell you if the organs are functioning, nothing more. However, there is more to a living being than chemical reactions."

"You're talking about the soul." Kirk said.

"That is the label humans have given it."

"Ridiculous." Bones huffed.

"The existence of a soul is logical." Spock insisted.

"How so?"

"It is a known fact that matter and energy can not be created nor destroyed. What makes an individual an individual is their energy, their 'soul'. Even if the body dies the energy can not be destroyed. If a Vulcan believes that they are about to die they can transfer their katra to another being."

"Katra?"

"The living spirit, the piece of the person that made them who they were, their 'soul'. Memories, dreams, ambitions, emotions...yes, Doctor, I said emotions. It took only minutes for Vulcan to be destroyed, most of the population had no idea what was happening. There was only panic, fear, death. The Vulcan black hole is so dense, so massive that nothing can escape its grip, not even the energy of the souls trapped within its dark heart."

"This is insane." Bones protested. "Spock you're delusional."

"I am not."

"Spock," Kirk said softly "there are some holes in your theory. I mean if nothing can escape..."

"How do I hear the voices?" Spock supplied. "The Vulcan mind meld does not work in the world of physics, thoughts are not subject to the laws of gravity. The physics and some of the metaphysics of the situation are written on the wall behind me in my own blood."

"Okay, say I believe all this...which I don't." Bones added. "Why only males in their prime?"

"Again, logic. Male pon farr affects the mind, it not only strips logic, but it makes it far more susceptible to external influence. A male entering pon farr instinctively returns to the lands of his Ancestors to claim his mate. He becomes a slave to her whim, if she demands that he fight to the death to prove himself he will kill his best friend even his own brother without a single thought. This physical change is greatest during the pon farr that occur in a Vulcan's prime. This is the same group that is being affected."

"So these Vulcan cries for help, they are always 'in the air' so to speak?" Kirk asked. "It's only when these changes occur that you can 'hear' these voices?"

"Yes. I can not explain exactly how their thoughts can so deeply impact my health, however, the pain, terror, and desperation of six billion voices can understandably be a difficult burden to bare. Particularly when you do not understand it."

"What about Saavik?" Bones asked. "She's not male and she's affected."

"You changed her when you treated her pon farr with the Vulcine. Even for me the Vulcine makes the voices louder, sharper, easier to understand. I recall it now. The first time they tried it on me I distinctly heard my mother crying out, terrified for my safety rather than her own."

"She wasn't a Vulcan." Bones pointed out needlessly.

"She still had a soul."

"I...I didn't mean it like that." McCoy apologized.

"I understand." Spock forgave the transgression. "This is the truth. This is what is leading to the death of my species. I am certain of it."

Spock stared at his friends with an unreadable expression on his face. Kirk looked over at the blood on the walls. He did not understand the stress-energy-moment tensor theories, the Einstein field equations, or any of the Vulcan physics that it expressed. What he did understand was that Spock was rarely wrong when it came to important matters.

"I believe him, Bones." Kirk said. "Spock's alternate self touched my mind and just his sorrow alone over the destruction of Vulcan was nearly enough to kill me."

"Alright." Bones sighed in defeat. "So what do we do next? What can be done about it?"

"Done?" Spock asked as he raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Nothing can be done, Doctor."

"There must be some way." Kirk pressed. "If we could release the sou..."

"No, Captain. Black holes are the most powerful force in the Universe, they can not be stopped, they can not be undone."

"How can you say that so coldly?" Bones demanded.

"I am not being cold, I am being logical."

"Spo..."

"The Vulcan species is lost, its very soul trapped forever."