"So, you feel up to going out and taking another look at the site?" Sam was sitting at the table with Jim and Sulu. Both of whom were eating plates of pancakes, eggs, and bowls of oatmeal. They'd been in Wyoming for two weeks and weren't any closer to finding a solution to their current problem.
Jim nodded, "Yeah, we need to see what it is we're missing before anything else goes wrong. Are you guys sure its nothing organic? I mean, what the hell could be breaking one of our seals? We've been doing this for long enough to know that those things will hold through damn near anything."
Sam frowned, "None of the scans show anything organic but if what you told me Nero said pans out..." Sam let his words drift off, his gaze on his brothers face.
"They wouldn't do something like this. This puts them in jeopardy as well as us and the problem started before they got here. I just want to find out what's going on, fix the problem, and make sure there are no other issues. This is going to put us behind schedule as is." At Sam's frown, Jim sighed. "We still have a stop over at Betazed, remember? Lia's mom's birthday party? We promised her we'd be there this year."
Sam's frown matched his brothers. "I'm sure Lia can explain if we're not there, can't she?"
"She can, but that would mean lying to her mother and you know that's just not possible." Sulu said. "Besides, we've used every excuse there is to get out of the last couple of parties. It wouldn't hurt to go, we'll just have to make sure we get everything right before we leave here."
Jim nodded, "Yeah, you're right and it could be fun. You know, we might meet some new people."
Sam sighed, "Ok, well, as long as we can get things taken care of here then I'm sure Aruelean won't mind. Besides, Betazed is nice in the summer, too."
Jim and Sulu both nodded, falling silent as they finished eating. "Do you think that Gary may have had a hand in this?" The question was asked softly by Jim. He didn't look up at either his friend or brother but he could feel them both studying him.
"We sure as hell hope not, especially not after what happened in California. You know, I'm still surprised..." Sulu broke off at the confused look from Sam and the angry glare from Jim.
"Wait, what happened in California? Gary was there?!" Sam looked from Sulu to Jim then back. "Why didn't anyone tell me before now? Jimmy, what happened?" At his brother's angry silence, Sam turned to Sulu "Hikaru..."
Glancing at Jim's angry face, Sulu sighed and looked at Sam. "He, uh, he had been hired to help with the project by the Vulcan delegates. They weren't aware of the history between Jim and Gary, though. So when he showed up, he was his usual pain in the ass self." Sulu jumped as Sam slammed his cup down on the table.
"Don't get angry, Sammy." Jim said softly, aware of how his brother was going to react. The fact that Sam Kirk had a temper hotter than his brothers was not lost on most of those close to them and when it involved Jim, it always seemed to run out of control. "They didn't mean any harm and it's not like what happened between me and Gary was public knowledge. How would they know what Gary was really like? All they were concerned about was his work not his personal life, which if we're honest was never hindered by his personal issues."
"They should have done their homework better." Sam growled low. His fingers curled into tight fists as he tried to calm down. "There should have been no reason for him to have been there and how did he get to Liana's anyway? I could have sworn..."
"She felt it would have been funny to leave me behind on Telios IV, her parents, however, disagreed." A soft, melodic voice spoke from the doorway.
Jim froze as he looked up into a pair of dark grey eyes. "Nireya..."
The tall woman nodded her head in greeting to Jim. "Hello, James Kirk and George S. Kirk, sons of George A. and Winona Kirk. It is good to see you both again. I bring with me a visitor for one of your guests." She moved forward and to the side, revealing a tall figure shrouded in long, dark robes. "I bring with me, T'Saava, daughter of Sasek and T'Pel of Vulcan. She is a distant cousin of Spock, son of Sarek." Nireya looked at the three men sitting at the table, her gaze taking in the scene before her.
"You're here for Liana, aren't you?" Jim watched as Nireya Troi walked into the kitchen, followed by her Vulcan guest. Looking up at her, Jim frowned. T'Saava had a darker complexion than Spock, not by much but enough to where the difference was noticeable. "And you're here for Spock?" When both nodded, Jim's frown deepened. He knew Nireya, a distant cousin to Liana on her mothers side. She was also one of the personal bodyguards assigned to the Ambassador and her family. It was T'Saava that was bothering him. She was here for Spock but in what capacity? If she were his distant cousin why was she here on Earth?
"He was not to arrive without his own personal guard, much like Liana, however, they have both become very adept at avoiding us." Nireya smiled.
Jim looked up, blinking. "It's still not cool, Nireya, to read people's minds without their consent." His tone was harsh, the fact that most Betazeds took the idea of human privacy at full value, there were some who felt it their right for mental intrusion.
"My apologies, Jim, I did not mean..."
"You meant it or you would have used the familial link to find me. You choose to come here first instead. Why are you here Nireya and with T'Saava?" A sharp voice from the other side of the room made everyone pause.
"Greetings, Liana, I was sent at the behest of your mother and T'Saava is here at the request of Ambassador Sarek." Nireya looked Liana over in one sweeping glance. "You are still seeing him, even against your mothers wishes..."
"I won't change that nor will I continue to do as mother wants. If the idea of my being with a doctor is so abhorrent to her then tell her I said she can disown me. I am a grown woman and have no desire to let Len go." Liana hissed angrily. Her cousin had always had the ability to raise her temper faster than anyone else, especially where Leonard McCoy was concerned. "Now that you've satisfied your curiosity about him, why have you brought T'Saava with you? Is Spock aware that she would be arriving?"
"He is not, Ambassador, I apologize for the intrusion. Lord Sarek asked that I speak with his son about a situation that has arisen." T'Saava spoke with a soft voice, belying the blank look on her face. Her dark eyes moved around the room, her gaze stopping on Jim longer than necessary. "Is there a place where I may await him?"
"There is no need, T'Saava, come, we will take our meal in my room. We can then discuss whatever it is father sent you here for." Spock spoke from the doorway leading to the front room. His dark gaze watching the silent figure draped in the familiar dark robes of the House of Sarek. The only differences were the coloring of the symbols and their background on the sash around her neck. Where the house of Sarek was either a dark gray or black with black letters. The house of Sasek was dark blue or white with red lettering. He looked around the room, his gaze finding Jim's curious blue one. "I will join you once we have concluded our business."
"Should we wait or..." Jim asked softly.
Spock gave him a slight quirk of his lips. "I will, how would you say, come find you?" At Jim's nod, Spock walked further into the room. "There is much that still needs to be discussed." Spock was aware of why T'Saava was here. If his father had sent her it was for security and to warn him about T'Pring.
Jim nodded, "Ok, well, uh, Lia knows how to get out to the site so if you want to come down with her and Bones, I'm sure they won't mind and we can talk later."
"That would be acceptable, Jim, thank you." Spock watched as Jim, Sulu and Sam stood up from their seats at the table. He wanted to walk over and smooth away the lines of worry now creasing Jim's face. He couldn't give Jim any reassurances, however, until after he spoke to T'Saava. He needed to find out exactly why she had been sent to Earth instead of meeting them on Betazed with his family as they had originally planned.
"Your mother wishes to know of your health, my lord. Shall I inform her of my arrival and your status?" T'Saava spoke softly from behind him, her voice reminding him of his familial obligations.
"We shall do so in just a moment." Spock broke off as he watched Jim, Sam, and Sulu leaving the room. He wanted to go after the blond, to tell him what he should have weeks ago. He had known Jim needed to be told about T'Pring long before they pursued anything further. Spock had known that continuing their relationship would bond them...had bonded them...that no matter what, now, he was unable to let Jim go. Time, however, seemed to be playing a cruel joke at his expense.
When the trio had left the room, Spock turned to T'Saava and Nireya, his dark gaze narrowed on them both. "You are both here at the request of our parents. They would have informed us themselves of what ever it is you claim to have been sent here for." Spock could see the angry flush on Liana's face, knew that she already had a hint as to why the pair had been sent. "Why are you here, T'Saava?" Spock turned to his cousin, his face hiding his anger and wariness.
"You're betrothed has contacted your parents. She has expressed her desire to join you on Betazed." T'Saava looked at Spock with a carefully blank expression. When he remained silent, she continued with her explanation. "Her father has asked that the rites of tel-tor be performed. She is being sent to strengthen the bond between you."
"I will not do this." Spock spoke low, his anger barely concealed behind the softly spoken words. He could feel his stomach churning with the need to find Jim, to touch him...reassure himself that their bond was strong, that he would not...
"Your father is leaving you no decision in the matter. I am here to remind you of your obligation to not only your family but to your people, as well." T'Saava's tone had taken on a hard edge. One Spock was familiar with when it came to dealing with his family and them getting their way.
"I do not have to follow through with this if I do not wish it. It is my choice to whom I want to bond with and I have already chosen a mate more than suitable for me." Spock kept his voice low, the tone tight as he forced his gaze to remain on T'Saava. When understanding dawned in her eyes, he straightened and went silent.
"Nahp, hif-bi tu throks."(Your thoughts, give them to me) T'Saava spoke softly, watching Spock's face as he hesitated to do as she asked.
"Rai, tu mokuhlek ri ma au, klee-fah."(No, you can not have them, you are denied.) Spock stood stiffly in front of his cousin, knowing that his refusal would earn him a difficult conversation with his parents later on.
T'Saava frowned, taking a step towards Spock, she spoke in a soft voice, laced with steel. "Spock, fa-wak tor du ra karthau..."(Spock, You will do what I command.)
Spock remained still, his dark gaze blazing with his anger. "Rai, fa-wak shroi ri."(No, I will not.) He cut her off with a sharp tone. Switching from Vulcan back to Standard, Spock glared at the figure in front of him. "I will not give you that which you have no rights to. There is no reason..."
"There is a reason, Spock, if you have found one more suitable, I may be able to assist you in speaking with your father." T'Saava studied Spock for a moment. Her dark gaze seeming to miss nothing. "Do you deem them unworthy a mate to be introduced to your parents?"
"No, he is more than worthy." Spock could feel his temper rising. He did not want to share his feelings about Jim with anyone just yet. Especially not someone from his family, he wasn't ready to let anyone know how he felt and he had yet to tell Jim. "They are, unaware, of my full regard for them." Spock spoke softly.
"Then you should have no cause to deny me your thoughts, if they are worthy of your regard and affection." T'Saava stood in front of Spock, her face impassive but her eyes held a knowing glint. Watching Spock as if she already knew who he held in such high regard.
Spock struggled with the desire to deny her again, knowing to do so would only make matters worse for himself and Jim in the long run. So he gave her a single nod and watched as she slowly approached him.
Pressing her fingers to his psi points, T'Saava whispered the familiar words to initiate the meld. She went through the thoughts given to her, the ones Spock selected to show or allowed to be shown. Then she saw it, a golden light hidden among a jumble of memories. "What is it that you are trying to hide from me, Spock? The golden glow, what is it that you have done?" T'Saava asked softly. She pressed forward through the memories, aware that Spock was resisting her attempts to get closer to the bond.
Spock tried not to pull back from the meld when she found the link. He tried to shield it, to hide it's presence among a myriad of memories but the golden glow still shown through. "It is none of your concern." He spoke through clenched teeth. He did not want to explain the bond he shared with Jim, he wanted to cherish it and let it grow. He wanted to be able to keep the feelings with him that Jim elicited. The peace and calm he's never been able to feel around anyone other than Jim. It wasn't until he heard a small gasp did Spock remember that Liana and Nireya were still in the room.
"Spock..." Came the soft whisper.
"This is not allowed." T'Saava spoke softly. She studied the bond, reached out a mental hand and gently touched the golden thread. She watched how it lit up, how the red and green ribbons seemed to wrap tighter around it. Holding it steady, moving with it as if they were one. She reached out and gently brushed a finger across the red thread, surprised to see how it vibrated with energy and strength. "This is most intriguing. It is the one from earlier, the one you call, Jim."
Spock tried to remain still, watching as she touched the bond first then the red ribbon around it. He bit back the sharp gasp that rose up with her actions, he could feel Jim's response and tried to hold in his own.
"You two are already attuned to each other yet he is unaware of such a gift. Why would you deny him this knowledge? Why have you not told him what it is you two share?" T'Saava studied the bond, giving it a sharp mental tug.
Spock let out a harsh growl, shoving her away roughly just as Liana let out a loud gasp.
"Spock...i-it's Jim..." She whispered breathlessly.
"Lia, it's Sulu! We need Len down here asap, something's happened to Jim..." Sulu's voice echoed around the room from the comm system.
"Just what the hell do you mean something's happened to him, Sulu? Explain." McCoy's gruff voice sounded from the kitchen doorway. He glanced at Spock and T'Saava then turned towards Liana and Nireya. "Nireya, should have known we would eventually run into you...again." He walked towards Liana and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Good morning, angel, tell me where Jim is."
"H-he's at the dig site. He...a headache, I-I can't, his emotions are all over the place."
"Len! Damnit, are you even fucking listening to me?!"
"Yes, Sam, damnit I hear you now calm the fuck down! I have to get my stuff together and get your exact coordinates or we may never meet in the right place. Tell me what happened." He moved around the kitchen, watching as Liana did the same. "I'm gonna need lots of water, honey." He ignored the glower from Nireya, aware of her feelings about their relationship but not caring either way it went.
"He was talking then said something about being dizzy and his head hurting. Next thing we know he's going down and now he's not breathing to well, Len, kinda need you to hurry it up!"
"Alright, alright, I'm coming! Keep ya' damn head about you. Contact Scotty and have him meet me in the front." McCoy turned to Liana, "I'll go check on Jim, you take care of this."
"You'll let me know how he is?"
"Of course angel, now I gotta go. I'll talk to you soon." Giving her a quick kiss, McCoy turned and sprinted from the kitchen, rushing to meet Scotty and get to Jim as quickly as possible.
Liana turned from the doorway then back to Spock. "I asked you to tell him, to explain to him what he was getting into and you have not." Liana glared first at Spock then his cousin. "I begged you not to do this to him, to give him the chance to decide and now...now she is on her way here and you will break his heart." Liana tried to keep her anger from showing but from the look on Spock's face, she wasn't successful. "T'Saava tried to sever the bond between you two, she tried to destroy something that is sacred among your people and mine. Jim's mind was not prepared for the surge of pain he felt, she could have killed him and no one would know why!"
Spock looked from Liana to his cousin. "He is the one who is called t'lema, my T'hy'la, I will not allow anyone to come between us." The words held a note of rage, making T'Saava take an involuntary step back. "He is T'hyla, I will not allow you or anyone else to harm him." Taking a deep breath, Spock closed his eyes for a moment, opening them when he'd been able to calm down enough to speak again. "I will inform my parents and T'Pring of these changes once we reach Betazed and not before, understood? I will not allow you to be the catalyst that would cause me to lose Jim. He is not to be harmed, to harm one's t'hy'la is worse than death."
"You can not claim another when you are intended..." T'Saava started but was cut of by the harsh sound Spock made.
"We are bonded, I will claim him as is my right and there is nothing you nor anyone else can say about it!" Spock let his rage take over. He was not going to let Jim go without a fight, the blond belonged to him. Then another thought hit him. "Is what Liana saying true, did you try to sever the bond between us?"
"It is forbidden, you do not have permission to bond with a Terran. It is against custom, goes against your family...your father." T'Saava stated defiantly. She didn't flinch when Spock let out a low snarl nor did she react when he turned and left the kitchen, slamming the door in his wake.
"You two seem to cause trouble everywhere you go. Why, why did you have to come here? Why couldn't you, just for once give us a break to enjoy something we love?!" Liana threw her hands up as Nireya and T'Saava both looked at her with blank expressions. Shaking her head, Liana sighed. "Come, I will show you to your rooms then you can eat and rest. Once we know how Jim is we will all sit down and talk. Until then, you two stay out of sight and away from the Romulan delegates. We are here for work, not pleasure." Turning, Liana left the room not looking back to see if she were being followed.
At the dig site, Sam, Sulu, McCoy, and Scottie stood around Jim, watching as his breathing slowly stabilized. Sighing with relief, McCoy gave him a gentle pat on his leg. "Hello sleeping beauty, how ya' feelin'?"
Jim blinked, groaning as his eyes adjusted to the flood of sunlight. "W-what happened?" He turned his head to the side slowly, meeting the worried brown gaze of his brother. "Sammy?" He whispered.
"Are you ok, what happened? You were talking then just...you weren't talking so we had to call Len..." Sam said in a rush.
Jim reached out to his brother. "Sammy?" Confusion and worry shown in his brothers eyes. Jim struggled to sit up, "What do you mean?" He gave Sulu a grateful smile as he took the cup held out to him. "We were talking about new seals a-and..."
"Then you stopped talking, went pale and fainted...passed out...whatever you want to call it but you gave us one hell of a scare. Do you remember anything else?" Sulu asked softly. He watched as Jim took a drink then frowned.
"M-my head started swimming, then this sudden pain and everything went black." Jim said weakly. Frowning, he turned to McCoy, a question on his face.
"I don't know, Jim. I was up at the house when I got the call about something being wrong. Had to have Scotty bring me, when I got here you were already out. What did you eat, anything taste unusual?"
"No, just, uh, I had some oatmeal, pancakes, eggs, orange juice, the usual. Then Nireya showed up..." Jim looked up at McCoy. "Did you see her, she was in the kitchen with Lia and Spock and his cousin, I think." Jim shook his head as he sat up looking from his brother to McCoy then to Scotty and Sulu. "I'm ok guys, really, just got a little light headed, I guess." Jim smiled at the group around him. He wasn't sure what happened, he remembered thinking about Spock, then a spike of irritation had shot through him. Jim could remember talking to Sam about trying out new seals when his head had suddenly exploded in pain. Sighing, he watched as Sam and Scotty moved off to the side, whispering softly between them. When Sulu moved over to join them, Jim turned to look at McCoy. "You have something on your mind, don't you?"
"Just trying to figure out what the hell happened? You're not prone to fainting like a wilting flower in the desert heat. You sure you didn't eat something that you were allergic to?" McCoy looked Jim over with a critical eye, trying to see if he'd missed anything with the tri-corder.
Jim shook his head, trying to remember what had caused the black out. "No but we can't worry about that right now. We have work to do and guests..."
"Who can and will wait, if you're not feeling better we can come back out here later." Sam looked down at his brother, the concern mostly gone but worry still lingered in his eyes.
"I'm ok Sammy and we can't afford to wait, there's to much to do and we're already behind schedule. Which doesn't look good at all on our part." Jim grunted as Scotty and McCoy helped him stand up. He stumbled as he tried to remain upright after a wave of dizziness flooded his system.
"Take it easy now, Jim, don' need ya' fallin' out again." Scotty held Jim's arm as he wavered on his feet.
Jim shook his head, "I'm ok Scotty, just a little light headed." He chuckled as he looked around again. "We need to get started, stop worrying about me. The sooner we figure out how to take care of this problem..."
"The sooner you will be able to assist us in our project on both Vulcan and Romulus." A soft tenor spoke up from behind them.
Jim turned to find Nero standing there with one of his bodyguards. "Lord Nero, we, uh, we weren't expecting to see you out here so early today."
"I am most intrigued by what it is you are doing and I wish to help, if possible." Nero looked around the group, noticing the tension among them but remaining silent either way.
Jim nodded, "You're more than welcome to help out if you want. The more people the better." He gave him a smile and turned towards the large tent behind them. "Let's get started guys. We need to go down and find out what the problem is, especially since scans still aren't showing anything."
"You sure Jim, we can always wait." Sam wanted to stop his brother from doing anything else that could cause him to fall out again but knew his brother wouldn't listen to the voice of reason.
"I'm sure Sam, we need to get this done and taken care of immediately." Jim turned away from his brother. He knew Sam was worried, so was he. He couldn't be sure but he was pretty positive it had something to do with Spock. Glancing back, he tried to push back the guilt at Sam's worried look. Bones was right, he wasn't known as the wilting flower type and if he were having headaches it was a cause for concern. Sighing, he turned towards the main tent and walked inside, he'd worry about what had happened later. Right now, they had a problem to fix and that's exactly what he was going to do.
"If it would be better to wait, Jim, then we should wait." Nero spoke softly from behind him.
Jim looked up to see the other man watching him, a strange look on his face. "No, it's fine. I know you're ready to get started on the project and being here is a bonus for us as well as you, but we're on a time table. Some things have to be adhered to no matter how much we would like not to." He grinned and was relieved to get a grin in return.
"You are very dedicated to your work, a most refreshing quality in a, business partner." Nero's tone was warm as he looked from Jim to the pile of books on the table in front of him. "Your dedication and passion are admirable qualities.
"Dedication and passion are required to do a job you love." Jim murmured, he was looking at a padd showing the current hole, missing the look that passed across Nero's face. He didn't miss the warm tone or the slight emphasis placed on partner.
"It is obvious you love your job very much, Jim." His tone still warm, Nero picked up one of the books from the table in front of him. It was a book of languages, some he had never heard of before, some he new from his studies. "Your dedication to your job is evident in your passion to make sure that it is done well. There is not much more one could ask for than that."
Jim's gaze snapped up to Nero's face, surprise at the light tone, confused at the praise from a man whose race was known not to give it lightly. It wasn't until a soft voice called his name did he look away.
"Jim..."
Jim jerked around to see Spock standing in the entrance to the tent. "Hey, I thought I wouldn't see you until lunch?" Jim looked at Spock closely, noticing the tightness around his mouth and eyes. "Is there something wrong, you look kinda pissed? Does it have to do with Nireya and T'Saava?"
Nero's gaze turned from the book in his hands to the young man slowly walking into the tent. "Nireya Troi is here, very interesting, considering she does not get along well with her cousin."
Jim couldn't hold back the laughter that welled up in him. "You don't know the half of it." Jim smiled at Nero, glad the conversation had moved from him to something completely different.
Spock looked from Jim to Nero then back. He tried to hide the jealous anger that surged through him at finding Nero alone with Jim. His gaze narrowing on Jim's flushed face, Spock's stance stiffened. It was irrational, the thoughts running through his head. The fact that he wanted to physically harm Nero was a surprise to him. He wasn't sure why but looking between the two men, he only knew the irrational desire to claim Jim as his. To show Nero who Jim belonged to and that he should watch his place. He was prepared to inform Nero of how things currently were between Jim and himself until he was interrupted by Dr. McCoy.
"Well, nice to see you again, Spock. Is there a reason you're here so early or do I really want to know?" McCoy walked into the tent, a frown curving his lips down. He looked between the three men standing around the space, not missing the tension between them. "You decide on what you're going to do?" He asked Jim.
Jim shook his head. "We're going down there Bones, no if's, and's, or buts. I need to make sure that whatever the issue is, we take care of it before we leave Earth. If not, I'll be sending you all ahead and catch up later."
McCoy nodded, "Fine, fine, let me call Li and let her know you're still breathing and just as stubborn an ass as ever." McCoy gave him a crooked grin, turning to leave the tent, giving both Spock and Nero one last, hard look.
Jim grinned at his best friend, "Give her my love!" Jim shouted after the retreating back of his friend.
Nero moved from behind the table and over to where Jim stood. "What is it you would like for me to do to help, Jim." Nero's dark gaze moved over the blond in front of him. He didn't hide his pleasure at looking at Jim, aware that Spock was watching them both closely.
Spock's gaze narrowed as he spoke Nero. "Du aitlu ta if du ma rai gas'rak-tor."(You want that which you have no right to.)
Nero's dark gaze turned calculating as he looked between Spock and Jim "Ni'droi'ik nar-tor, Spock, ra than du stariben t'?"(I am sorry, Spock, what do you speak of?)
Spock felt his entire body tense, Nero's tone reenforcing his desire to mark Jim...to claim him as his own. "Du hal-tor irak-tor svi'nash-fundauik vu kasu."(You go to far in this regarding your host.)
Nero's dark gaze moved from Spock to Jim then back again. "I will meet you at the entrance to the hole, Jim. If it is to much we will stop immediately, on the advice of your doctor." He added quickly, aware by now just how stubborn Jim could be.
Jim nodded, "Fine, since everyone is so sure I'm going to faint like a girl..."
"Well you kinda already did that, Jimmy." Sam spoke from the front of the tent.
Jim glared at him but continued talking. "We can all do some work to get this done faster, agreed?" When everyone nodded, Jim let out a soft sigh. "Ok so let's get geared up and ready to go, I need to contact a few people about some things."
Sam walked over to Jim, aware of the tension between him, Spock, and Nero. "I'm not leaving you in here alone with either of them, Jimmy, no matter what you say. Len said things seemed kind of tense so..."
Jim didn't argue, thankful for his brother showing up when he did. "Thanks, right now I don't think I need to be either." Jim whispered, he could feel a shift in the air, something was wrong, and the feeling centered around Spock. If that wasn't odd enough, Nero's sudden desire to give him praise was. As he left the tent with Sam following close behind, Jim turned to look back at the man he'd fallen for. The look in his eyes...those dark eyes that usually held so much warmth for him now held fear...fear and something else that made Jim's blood run cold.