A/N: THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. There's been a little bit of a hitch in the get-along, and I'm going to split the "last" chapter in two so y'all don't have to wait too long between updates.
He knows he's hopelessly out of touch with something. Still waiting for more data on that one.
McCoy felt lower than he should, heavier, and a shade green. It was odd that his brain should supply 'green', given as how it was so blasted dark and he couldn't see the nose on his-
With a few more brain cells firing now, McCoy endeavored to open his eyes. Some things were sharp already, like that odd creaking sound, the swish, and… voices… He'd be hard-pressed to identify either, or the language, if they were even familiar to him. The first thing he did catch sight of was white. It was blurry, but at least light was registering in his eyes. A severe knock on the head was on its way to being ruled out.
The voices stopped suddenly, but that was OK since he'd been wishing they'd hush up from the start. Racket. Not good for kindling when you're tryin'a rub two brain cells together'n get a spark.
It registered that he was staring at his undershirt. That seemed reasonable enough, as he'd just been asleep. Asleep. The phrasing felt wrong, but McCoy couldn't put a finger on it until he made his way further down the legs, to the little needles and constricted blood-flow. To the ropes. Unconscious. Drugged.
He sat up quickly as he was able and blinked hard to clear his vision. What a vision it was, for though the room was dingy and uninteresting- as well as badly lit- its only other occupants were definitely a sight. McCoy recognized T'Whatsherface of Romulus, but her companion came as a bit of a surprise.
"You are awake, Harold." V'Laivas inclined her head towards him. "We were beginning to wonder-"
"It didn't buzz."
That got their attention. McCoy's face felt woozy, however that was possible, but he could string a couple of words together sure enough. T'Somethin-or-other arched an eyebrow.
"Would'a gotten a little jolt, if your biosigns weren't perfect." McCoy took a shaky breath and felt the hard chair as his lungs expanded. "Still requires a once-over, y'know manually, but it oughta gone off."
V'Laivas stayed put on what looked like a box? A couple of crates? McCoy squinted. It was kinda dark.
"It, as you said 'oughta gone off' if I was indeed Romulan."
McCoy was sure he pulled a face, but he didn't have the capacity for diplomatic restraint. "Sure 'nuff. I programmed the blasted thing m'self. You're as Vulcan as Vulcan can be. Any fool can tell that by your blasted eyebrows… Swear the lot of y'all do it just to get a rise outta us poor folks…"
V'Laivas blinked. It certainly wasn't his elocution that caught her off guard. McCoy had deemed her safe- a misjudgment- but based on the correct medical data. Apart from that, he wasn't expressing the shock and betrayal she'd been expecting. T'Whatsit chose this moment to stand and approach.
"He is not the fool you suspected, V'Laivas. He a fool, certainly, but no great one." She was pacing towards or around him. McCoy's vision was still a little spinny, and he didn't know whether or not to take that jab as a compliment.
T'Something closed in and took his face in one of her hands. "I'm sure you're very confused, Harold. I've found it is a common state of mind for lesser beings."
"Absolutely. Where are my pants?"
It was cold, quite cold indeed. McCoy had time to inventory shirt, shorts, and socks, but everything else was suspiciously absent.
T'Whatever released him. "We had a hard time locating your homing beacon. V'Laivas was undoing the hems of your trouser leg when I located the transmitter stitched between the lining and the fabric of your coat, just on the edge of your lapel." She smirked and drew a piece of cloth from a pocket on her dress. She emptied the contents onto the floor. Metal bits.
This whole investigation had an air about it that stumped him. It was like talking with an old Bond villain, except he was Extra #47 and hadn't even read the script.
"You must be very clever indeed, or have clever masters, Harold."
Harold. He mused. Always back to Harold. They haven't a blasted clue as to who I really am. Funny thing. He squinted through the gloom at V'Laivas, who showed no sign of actually knowing his true identity. If they don't know, if she of all people doesn't know, I could play along and salvage some of this. …Maybe.
"Forgive me if I don't have a clue as to what you're goin' on about." In all fairness, he'd only just woken up from whatever V'Laivas had drugged him with.
T'Thing moved forward and grabbed the front of his shirt in one hand. "You can only play the fool so far, Harold. We know you were sent from the Enterprise. We know they would not send one so stupid to head their entire reconnaissance operation. Therefore, it is child's play to conclude that you are well aware of our movements in this sector and have the information my commanders desire."
McCoy blinked at her. "Awfully sorry, T'ma'am, but I don't. Honestly. I'm just an old country doctor with a souped-up jacket and a talent from pickin' Romulans apart from Vulcans." He flopped his head more in V'Laivas' direction. "An' what's with all that anyhow? Aren't Vulcans supposed to be above helpin' dirty ol'- beggin' your pardon, ma'am- dirty ol' Romulan warmongers?"
It was V'Laivas' turn to ascend from her perch and approach. She eyed him with a bit more respect than her Romulan colleague. McCoy didn't take that as any sort of flattery. He was more alert, but that didn't mean he was any more in control. He was still tied to a chair in some dusty corner of the planet, maybe not even on the mansion grounds even more. Well, maybe he was still in the complex. The blasted thing was enormous, and it wouldn't be all that likely for these two to sneak all the way off with a body unnoticed.
V'Laivas wore a strange expression. It was still Vulcan, but it was almost pitying. "What the Romulans do is their own business. I am far more interested in affairs closer to home."
McCoy blinked. "The Vulcans wouldn't benefit a dime from Romulan 'expansion'. And y'all are pacifists, on top of that." He snorted. "I've heard tell enough times from my ol' pal Selek. Pacifists and vegetarians. So," He spared a glance for T'so-n-so. "So, forgive me if I can't quite put two and two together."
V'Laivas glanced at her companion before going on. "Vulcans have no place in the Federation. Or rather, the Federation has no place for Vulcans."
She had McCoy's attention now. He hadn't forgotten about the tragedy, but he hadn't realized that the Vulcans would consider defecting. Any of them… Wasn't it the Romulans who blew up their homeworld in the first place?
"Indeed." V'Laivas continued. "It is common knowledge that Vulcans and Romulans share in our ancestry. The idea of Reunification is not a new one. It is perhaps more prudent now that our ancestral home has been destroyed."
T'… T'… The Romulan loosed her hold on his shirt. "We lost more than just trust that day, Doctor."
Ok. So, he had their motive. Sort of… If this was going to work out like a Bond-style interrogation, he had a little ways to go before the pit full of alligators or the laser death ray. Maybe he could glean some information while Sulu figured out he was gone. Sulu… There was no sign of him, and neither of these two had mentioned him. Still…
"And what, pray tell, is the story on this?" He couldn't exactly gesture to the ropes, the busted transmitter, the creepy dark room, or the fact that he had been drugged, but maybe they'd catch his meaning. "I'm not exactly armed and dangerous."
The Romulan stood stock still while V'Laivas paced, distancing herself from the conversation.
"Armed, no. Dangerous… Perhaps more dangerous that you realize."
"Totuna." It wasn't loud, but it was sharp. V'Laivas was awfully interested in keeping something under wraps. McCoy had a thought.
"Totuna! So that's what your name is." He shot a look at V'Laivas. "Kinda rude, not introducin' your friends."
"The less you know, the better." Totuna spat. "Not that you humans ever know what is happening. Not even in your own Federation!"
"Well, do I or don't I know nothin'?" McCoy snorted. "Make up your mind."
"Double negative." V'Laivas murmured from across the room.
Totuna paused. She stalked over, eyeing McCoy carefully.
He never knew what hit him. Next thing, he was sucking on a split lip and trying not to show how much it stung. V'Laivas watched the proceedings. It seemed like Totuna was going to let him have a taste of that infamous Romulan temper.
"I am finished with your insolence!" She spat. "You Federation types are all the same. But, no more! Tonight will be the beginning of the end."
"Totuna!" V'Laivas interjected again. "That is enough. You have given it away."
McCoy, who most certainly had not been given anything, watched the next exchange with a growing feeling of apprehension.
Totuna fixed him with a strange look, but directed her words at V'Laivas. "I see. And V'Laivas, I understand your stance on violence perfectly." She returned to the crates and came back with a disruptor. "I'll not make you take part in this."
V'Laivas crossed her arms. "Indeed. And I condone nothing you are about to do."
Smirking, Totuna turned back to McCoy. "Then we are clear. Ready to die, Doctor?"
She didn't get a chance to fire. Quicker than any of them could think, a dark blur flew through the air and rammed straight into the murderous Romulan. McCoy watched the disruptor clatter across the floor before the pendulum swung back. Totuna had been knocked clear away, and his rescuer dismounted from his perch on the line.
"Can't take my eyes off you for a second, can I Doc?"
Sulu looked a little ruffled, but no worse for wear. His improvised wrecking ball approach had bought some time, but not enough.
"Look out!"
The helmsman had just enough time to duck before the metal pipe cleaved the air where his head used to be. V'Laivas was on the offensive. Sulu rolled back to regroup, then revealed the trick up his sleeve. McCoy had never been so grateful for his pal's fencing training. Sulu's blade folded out and he jumped back into the fray. The Doctor could only sit back and watch.
Sulu and V'Laivas exchanged blows only for a moment. The Helmsman was quick to disarm the suddenly violent Vulcan, and he sent her sprawling into the stack of crates.
"Doc, we gotta go!" Sulu hurried over and used his sword to set McCoy free.
"You're tellin' me. It won't be long before they'll be coming after us. Speakin' of, how'd you track me down anyhow?"
Sulu sliced the ropes holding McCoy's ankles and helped the Doctor to his feet. "No time for that. We've got to move. There's a gas bomb under the mansion."
A/N: Hope you're enjoying Leonard McCoy Knows! Also, I'm doing a poll on my profile. I'd like to see what you want next!
The REAL last chapter is next. Thank you for reading!