Note from the PHOENIX: So guess what?! My flight has In Fight WiFi! Squeee!! So I wrote and posted this published this at 30,000!!! for fun with history look up RMS Carpathia.
Chapter Twenty-nine
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Nurse?"
"It's nearly midnight."
"So?"
"You've been working nearly ten hours."
"I used to pull twenty-four hour shifts back in med school when I was an intern." McCoy replied defensively.
"You're not an intern any more, and the ship is not in a state of emergency."
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to get rid of me."
"No, Doctor." Chapel shook her head. "I just want to make sure you're getting the sleep you need."
"Thank you. I think I will turn in. Call me if I'm needed."
"Yes, Doctor."
McCoy took one last look around before leaving. He was tired, but he didn't go directly to his quarters. Instead he headed down to the security level. McCoy had been slipping out of medical about every other hours to check on Spock. Not yet feeling the signs of withdrawal Spock had ensured him each time that he was doing as well as could be expected.
Arriving at the abandoned corridor McCoy felt uneasy. He didn't like having to sneak down here to treat his patient and he certainly didn't like having his friend locked up in the brig. The hall was deathly silent with only the hum of the ship creating any kind of sound.
When he came to where Spock was being held he was surprised to find the Vulcan fast asleep. Spock was laying on his back on the small bed that was mounted on the wall. He jerked slightly, caught in some unknowable nightmare. Bones was reminded sharply of when they'd first found him in the complex on Natala.
"We're no better than they were." Bones muttered under his breath.
"On the contrary, Doctor," Spock replied without opening his eyes "you are not holding me against my will."
"Spock...I...I thought you were sleeping."
"I was."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"I know."
"How are you feeling?"
"I believe you would sleep better tonight if you did not know." Spock replied.
"Do you hear the voices?"
"Yes. They are quiet, just whispers. It is...disconcerting."
"How are you emotionally?"
"I do not wish to discuss such matters."
"Okay." McCoy nodded. "I'll let you sleep."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Bones turned to leave as promised.
"Dr. McCoy?" Spock called.
"Yes?"
"Keep a close watch on Saavik. As I deteriorate my emotions may have an affect on her, the rest of the crew may feel some of it as well, but as a Vulcan she will be in particular danger."
"I'll do everything I can for her."
Spock simply nodded. He had never opened his eyes, making Bones fear that he didn't have the strength to do so. Bone took a breath to start up the argument about Uhura again, but decided that he'd have more luck talking a brick wall into turning to dust. He stayed and watched as Spock quickly fell back asleep.
Feeling more exhausted than before McCoy returned to his quarters. Walking into his bedroom he sat down heavily on the edge of his bed. He pulled a small device out of his pocket and placed it on the night stand. It was connected to the one on Spock's chest and it would alert him if anything went wrong. Bones reached up and scratched behind his ear causing something to fall to the floor. Furrowing his brow he reached down and retrieved the triangular piece of flesh that had fallen.
"What the..." Bones muttered. "Oh my God..."
Bones was not upset that the Vulcan ear tips had finally decided to come of. He was mortified by the fact that he just realized that he'd shown up in front of the Vulcan Council wearing them. The Council had said nothing, but Bones suddenly understood the slight eyebrow lift he'd received from Ilion. Mortified he reached up and tugged off the other ear tip.
"I can't believe Spock didn't stop me. I knew that stone faced bastard had a sense of humor deep down."
McCoy casually tossed the ear tips into the trash. He thought about getting out of his uniform, but in the end he was just too tired for even that simple act. Laying down on top of the sheets he put his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes.
Bones was certain that he hadn't even managed to fall asleep before he head the front door whistle. At first he just ignored it, but when the whistle went off again he realized that he was going to have to get up. Forcing himself to his feet he stumbled over to the door and opened it. Saavik was standing outside his door with her hands held behind her back the way Spock always did.
"Saavik?"
"Yes, Doctor. I am sorry to be bothering you so late."
"It's no bother, I wasn't even asleep. Come in."
"Thank you."
McCoy stepped aside and allowed Saavik to come inside. He was hoping that she'd take a seat in the living room so that he'd have an excuse to sit down as well. However, Saavik seemed more comfortable standing.
"How can I help you?" Bones asked.
"I wish to speak to you about the events on Natala. I would have spoken to you sooner, but you seemed very distracted the last we spoke."
"I was." McCoy admitted. "What would you like to know?"
"Was Spock's theory believed?"
"I think that it was actually. Ilion questioned it at first, but he slow saw the logic in it."
"Do you know what their next action is going to be?"
"There isn't going to be one."
"I do not understand."
"The Vulcans seem to think they have this under control. They have found a way to eliminate pon farr, and so they think they've solved the problem."
"I suppose if what they say is true then they have."
"You think the Council would lie?"
"Never. Not lie. They may simply be misinformed. Chemically treating pon farr is difficult, as I have demonstrated. I am surprised they have perfected the Vulcine so quickly."
"Maybe they didn't. Maybe they just have plans to start sterilizing the males."
"No." Saavik shook her head. "That is not logical. Sterilization would mean the death of the species."
"In either case, they think they have their solution so they have no interest in helping Spock."
"I am not surprised that they do not wish to assist Spock further. I am surprised that they are not more concerned about the others."
"How many Vulcans are in the complex right now?"
"When I was there last: thirty-seven in cells, two hundred and twenty-one in suspension. However, they are not the 'others' I am speaking of. I am speaking of the six billion trapped between life and death. It is logical of the Council to feel they have the situation under control, but it is not ethical. Something must be done. I am disappointed that they are unwilling to help."
"I'm sorry, Saavik, they didn't seem to care."
"They are burdened enough with caring for the survivors." Saavik sighed. "The transition to Natala has not been an easy one. It meets all of our physiological needs, however something is missing."
"It's not 'home'."
"Perhaps that is the crux. As a species we were deeply attached to the soils on which we were born."
"Hopefully future generations will see Natala as home."
"Thank you, Doctor. Try to get some sleep."
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, Doctor."
Bones watched Saavik leave feeling concerned for her. She had a look about her that he had seen before in his terminally ill patients once they had accepted their fate. He had been so concerned about Spock over the past twelve hours that he hadn't even thought about how she was doing. Feeling like he was about to pass out McCoy returned to bed. This time he hadn't even laid down before the small device on his night stand started to beep. Before he could react his communicator chirped. He had given Spock an emergency communicator that was set to only call out to his own.
"Doctor, hel..."
"Spock? Spock..."
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Kirk sat in the Captain's chair on the bridge struggling to stay awake. It was getting close to midnight and the shift had changed out hours ago. Kirk didn't want to admit it to himself, but he knew he was staying on the bridge because he felt he was safe here. Uhura would never dare engage him in an argument on the bridge. Just to be safe he had even taken her off bridge duty rotation for the next three days.
"Captain?"
"Yes, um..."
"Talis, Sir."
"Right, sorry. What do you need Lieutenant?"
"Nothing, Sir, it is just that you look ready to hit the deck. We have the bridge under control, I highly doubt the Vulcans are going to fire on us."
"You never know." Kirk muttered under his breath.
"Sir?"
"Nothing. You're right. You have the con Talis."
"Yes, Sir. I'll take good care of her."
"See that you do."
Talis smiled, but it didn't hide the worried look in his eyes. Kirk ignored the Lieutenant and jumped to his feet as though he was wide awake. Once in the turbo lift he slumped against the wall in exhaustion. He marveled at how well Spock had been able to put on such a good show despite how ill he was.
"And here I can't even convince the crew I'm not tired."
When the turbo lift came to a stop Kirk peeked out into the hallway. Relieved to find it empty he slunk down the corridor to his quarters. Once inside he staggered directly to bed. Unlike McCoy he didn't even bother thinking about taking off his uniform. However, just like his friend the moment his head hit the pillow the door whistle went off.
"Not now...please." Kirk muttered.
The door chimed again and then a third time. Kirk realized that he wasn't going to get any peace until he talked to Uhura. After taking a deep breath Kirk forced himself up and out of bed. He walked over to the door and it slid open. Uhura invited herself in and when the door slid shut she stared at the Captain expectantly.
"Uhura..."
"The next words out of your mouth better be an apology followed by the truth."
"Wha..." Kirk shook his head to try and clear it. "Uhura I don't know what you're talking about. Spock just wants some time on Nata..."
Kirk was stopped short by a blinding flash of pain that caused him to stagger back a few steps. It took him a second to realize that Uhura had just hit him. It hadn't been an angry slap, but rather a close fisted all out punch. More than a little stunned Kirk stared at Uhura and saw that she was fully prepared to strike him again. Her eyes glittered with a combination of unspilled tears and murderous venom.
"Wow..." Kirk said ruefully as he rubbed his sore cheek "you can hit."
"You deserve worse." Uhura hissed.
"Nyota, please, I've already told you the tru..."
"If Spock was still on the planet my ring wouldn't be gold."
Uhura held up her hand to display her wedding band which was a tarnished gold color. Kirk groaned internally. He had completely forgotten that the couple's jewelry reacted to one another. The closer they got to each other the brighter the gold color. The instant Spock had beamed aboard the ring must have changed from silver to gold.
"Okay, you caught us." Kirk sighed. "Spock is onboard."
"Why did you lie to me?"
"Personally I didn't want to. Spock asked me to. He doesn't want anyone knowing he's onboard."
"Even me?"
"Especially you. He's taking a break from the Vulandin and doesn't want you to see him in the condition he's in."
"I'm going to kill him."
"I warned him. Hell hath no fury..."
Kirk didn't finish the well known phrase. Uhura looked defeated and lost once again. For a moment her spark had returned, but now that she had lost her anger the stress of her situation seemed to bear down on her once more. Kirk reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a slight smile.
"I'm sorry, Captain." Uhura apologized. "Are you going to have me court martialed?"
"Well, seeing as we are both treading on thin ice these days I think I'll let it go."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Now the big decision...do you want to see Spock?"
"Of course I do."
"He's not going to react well, he honestly doesn't want you to see him crazy."
"I've already seen it." Uhura said seriously. "For better or for worse...those are the words I promised to live by, Captain."
"True."
Kirk took Uhura's hand and lead her down to the security level. When they came to the corridor Kirk was surprised to see that McCoy was there as well. He was standing just outside Spock's cell with his hands on his hips and his expression locked in deep thought.
"Bones?"
"Captain, I was just about to call..." McCoy stopped as he turned and saw Uhura. "Uhura...I swear I wanted Spock to tell you the truth."
"I know."
"I see you managed to beat the truth out of Jim."
"She's got a mean upper cut."
Uhura pushed past the two men to go see her husband. She stood outside the cell staring in at him. Kirk stepped up next to her and offered his silent support. Looking in he noticed that Spock had put the red paint he had given him to use. The wall above the bed had a hastily drawn space ship of unusual design. The painting was only half complete and there was a streak down the wall where Spock must have lost the strength to continue and slid down the wall. He was currently on the bed face down.
"Spock never sleeps on his stomach." Uhura whispered.
"He's not exactly sleeping, he's sedated." McCoy informed.
"Can I go in there?"
"Vulcans are not easily sedated. He could wake at any moment and he may be violent."
"What happened, Bones?" Kirk asked.
"I don't fully know. I was just getting to bed when the alarm on my night stand went crazy, elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Spock got half way through calling me down here before his message broke off. By the time I got down here the sedative had taken effect. That paint is still wet, he must have just started it."
"At least the sedative seems to be working. That ship, it looks so familiar..."
"Sedative?" Uhura asked.
"Spock is wearing a device that automatically keeps him calm. Although I've adjusted it, it wasn't supposed to actually knock him out."
"Please, Dr. McCoy, let me go in there. Just for a minute."
Bones looked to Kirk for a final decision on the matter. Kirk was just about to allow it when Spock jerked away with a violent cry. He scrambled out of bed before getting his feet under himself and ended up on all fours. Jumping to his feet he stared seemingly right through his guests.
"What are you doing?!" Spock demanded.
"It's alright, Spock." Kirk said gently. "Uhura figured it out on her own."
"No, no, no...stop her!"
"Um...it's a little late for tha..."
"Doctor you said you would keep her safe!" Spock snarled. "Stop her!"
"Spock, are you talking about Saavik?" Bones asked.
"Yes! Stop her!"
"Where is she?"
Spock closed his eyes and then slowly dropped down to his knees. The lights from the device visible through his shirt started blinking faster. Shaking his head he reached up and slapped himself across the face.
"Spock!" Uhura cried in horror.
"He's just trying to wake himself up, the device has detected his agitation and is trying to sedate him again."
"You're going to kill him."
"There is that risk." Bones admitted. "Spock, is Saavik in trouble?"
"Level...A..." Spock panted. "Observation starboard...go. Quickly."
McCoy didn't have to be told twice and was off at a dead run. Kirk hung back just long enough to to order Uhura to stay put. He caught up with Bones just as the turbo lift doors were sliding shut. Bones paced the small confines as the lift brought them to the top of the expansive ship. Once the doors opened McCoy was off running again.
"Starboard, Bones, Starboard!" Kirk called.
Bones skid to a stop and whipped around in his course correction. At this late hour there were on a few people in the halls. They all turned their heads and stared after the Captain and Medical Officer as they barreled down the hall. They looked like two school boys holding a competitive race.
Kirk came to the door that lead to Observation Deck 2 that lay on the starboard side of the ship. Stepping inside he scanned for Saavik. He found her kneeling in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window. She had both arms lifted up over her head with her hands pressed against the glass. Her fingers were were split in the Vulcan salute. With her head bowed she was completely motionless.
"Saavik!" McCoy cried.
Stepping out of the way Kirk let the doctor deal with the situation. He fell to his knees next to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Saavik fell back into his arms like a rag doll. Dark green blood stained her face and ran down her throat and soaked into the black material of her shirt. Kirk watched anxiously as Bones ran his hand over her face to push her curly hair aside. McCoy closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
"Bones?"
"She...she's dead, Jim."
"What happened? I don't understand."
"Neither do I. Whatever she was doing, Spock knew about it."
"What's that?" Kirk pointed to a discarded hypo on the floor.
"Looks like Vulcine." Bones replied vacantly.
Bones laid Saavik down on the floor with care. He looked like he was in shock. Kirk said nothing, realizing that this was not the time for words even if he had any to share. Bones looked down on Saavik and furrowed his brow. There was a small corner of paper sticking out of her pocket. He retrieved the folded note and read it out loud.
"Doctor McCoy, Captain James T. Kirk, if I do not survive I apologize. Someone had to try connecting to the souls trapped in the black hole directly. I was the logical choice for such an experiment. The Vulcine worked to enhance my connection to them. My main fear is that opening my mind to six billion souls will be over whelming. However, if there is a chance to bring them peace it must be attempted. If I am killed under no circumstances are you to allow Spock to attempt what I have attempted, the results will no doubt be the same. Thank you both for all you have done for myself, Spock, and the rest of the Vulcan species. If I do not find an answer here, I am confident that you will find one and learn from my mistake."
Kirk sat down and joined Bones on the floor. The men spent a few minutes in silence as McCoy reread the letting in silence. Bones folded the letter back up and placed it in his own pocket. Reaching up he tore off one of the sleeves of his uniform and used it to clean the blood off Saavik's face as best he could.
"I'm sorry, Bones. You know this isn't your fault, right?"
"It's the Vulcan Council's fault." McCoy growled bitterly. "She did this because I told her that they weren't going to help. I'm sure she felt it only logical to try and save them herself knowing that Spock was too weak to try and a valued member of Starfleet."
"You think she valued Spock's life over her own?"
"I'm sure of it."
Kirk nodded sadly in agreement. Once again a heavy silence fell over the scene. Kirk looked out the window, knowing that the Vulcan black hole must lay in that direction. The glittering stars that once looked so beautiful to him seemed cold and distant right now.
"Captain?" The intercom suddenly asked.
"Not now." Kirk replied.
"Starfleet is hailing."
"Tell them to call back."
"Sir, it's a priority one message."
"Fine." Kirk sighed. "Patch it through."
"Captain?" Admiral Pike's voice asked.
"Yes, Sir?"
"I realize that your current mission is not going well, and is of vital importance to both the Federation and yourself personally."
"However..."
"However, you must divert to the Teguas system immediately." Pike continued.
"What's going on?"
"The USS Carpathia is in distress."
"The Carpathia?" Bones questioned. "Isn't she a rescue vessel?"
"Yes, Doctor," Pike confirmed "and she is now in need of rescue herself. Leave now, maximum Warp, no questions. There are 706 lives aboard her, we have no details beyond the fact that she is in dire need. Godspeed Captain."
"Aye, Sir." Kirk nodded. "Helm, did you hear that?"
"Aye, Sir."
"Lay the course, get us there as fast as she'll take."
"Sir, what about Mr. Spock? Isn't he still on Natala."
"Lay the course, Helm, now!" Kirk barked.
"Aye Sir. Arrival in approximately seven hours."
Feeling a headache coming on Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. Bones reached over Saavik and put his hand on Kirk's shoulder. Looking up Kirk forced a sad smile. He suddenly gasped sharply.
"Jim?"
"Spock's painting...I thought I recognized it. It's the Carpathia!"
"The Carpathia, are you sure?"
"The rescue ships have a special engine design that allows for greater speed and maneuverability, but less protection during a fire fight. I guarantee you, Spock was painting the Carpathia."
"But the Teguas is dozens of light years from here."
"And yet Spock knew she was in trouble....just as he knew Saavik was."
