Journey Amongst the Stars
By Lumendea
Chapter Forty-Five: The Death of Spock: Last Chance
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: As always, thank you for the love and support. It really does make a difference to me and every other writer. I think the best thing I've ever heard from a comment was that the reader didn't understand why Rose didn't use her sword in stories by other authors.
…
Jack had picked up something that Rose hadn't. He was quiet and using the screen and scanners to check things for the Doctor while he prowled around the console like a great jungle cat. Both of them glanced her way once or twice, protectiveness shining in their eyes. Rose usually tried to be patient with them, but the knowledge that she was missing something and their clear determination to keep her in the dark was a bad combination. Rather than ask and bang her head against that wall, Rose pulled out her phone and called back the long strange number that had called her. Jack made an aborted move to stop her before sighing and dropping his hand.
"Rose?" Spock answered.
"Yeah, it's me," Rose replied. "I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that this isn't an invasion force. This is a colonizing fleet. They were probably deployed long before humans colonized the world." She inhaled slowly, fighting down that bad feeling churning in her gut. "The bad news is that they need a different environment and the ships are set to automatically terraform. They are pretty damaged, and thus far, we aren't having much luck accessing the main control computer."
"Found it!" The Doctor cheered. "Found the control ship. Hold that thought, Rose, and hold on."
She had just enough time to grab onto the console. Spock ended the call to her confusion, but she supposed he was busy helping run a ship and track the fleet. The TARDIS shuddered, but only for a moment before landing with a thump. The Doctor was out of the doors in a flash while Jack called information on the atmosphere after him. Then Jack rolled his eyes and bolted after the Doctor. Rose followed.
The Doctor had brought them right to the computer room. It was twice the size as it had been on the other ship, and two rows of control stations surrounded it. Wires and tubes were hooked onto the walls and led into the massive black cube with flashing lights. Rose eyed one of the control terminals, but it was dark and lifeless.
"What can we do?" Rose asked loudly, hoping to draw the Doctor's attention.
He ignored her. Rose scowled at him. Was this because of Christmas? She put that thought of her mind immediately. They'd had a few trips since then without drama or tension. This was something else. That bad feeling was worse now, and she stepped closer to the Doctor. Her eyes scanned the massive computer while Jack shined the torch on it. The light didn't reveal much new, but the Doctor was using the sonic screwdriver to remove a plate. Inside were panels of small crystals, unlike anything Rose had ever seen.
"Damn it," Jack hissed. "That's not going to be easy to fix. I'm guessing data diamonds in a relay."
"Something like that. A bit more advanced," the Doctor said. "Odd for this time period and this part of the galaxy."
"True, but depending on how the ship came, maybe not surprising," Jack replied.
"Can you fix it?" Rose asked.
The Doctor looked over at her with wide blue eyes, like a deer in headlights. He glanced at Jack, who was looking just as nervous and curious.
"What do you think, Doc?" Jack asked. "From what I know of this tech, it'll take too long to repair. You can't just replace the wiring."
"You're right," the Doctor said. He reached forward and pulled out another panel like a drawer. In the light of the torch, Rose could see that many of the crystals or rather diamonds were smokey with black spots. "The system is still running in part, but sections of the relays and data storage have been burned out. That's why systems are failing. Communications probably went out first. That's why the ships can detect the Enterprise, but won't reply. It's possible that the ship thinks they have tried to communicate depending on where the issues are."
"What can we do?" Rose asked again. "Doctor, we haven't got much time before the ships reach Athena."
Her phone rang again, and the Doctor flinched at the sound. Rose pulled out the phone and answered it, unsurprised to hear Spock's crisp voice.
"The ships will reach Athena in forty minutes," Spock announced. "Athena has only limited planetary defense. They can shoot down only a few of the ships before running out of missiles."
"A few of the ships are dead," the Doctor said. He rattled off a chain of numbers too quick for Rose to process, but she knew that Spock wouldn't have any problem understanding. "Those ships can be destroyed without loss of life."
"And the rest, Doctor?"
"I'm looking at the control hub now."
"And?" Spock waited for a reply that did not come. "Doctor, I am sorry, but there is limited time. Can you make repairs or reprogram the system?"
"It is a diamond data relay," the Doctor said. "Signals on a very specific frequency are bouncing between the ships through quantum relays. It isn't something that I can fix in only forty minutes."
"I see," Spock said. There was a long pause. Rose licked her lips nervously and was preparing herself to ask more. Then there was a soft sound like a sigh from Spock. "There is a fairly obvious suggestion," Spock said over the phone. "We do not have time to patch the controls, and given that the ships are carrying innocent colonizers, we cannot destroy the ships that still have living beings on them."
"You're right about the last part," the Doctor said. His attention was still fixed on the computer. "I'm trying to connect the systems through a microwave connection. If we can overlay them then maybe we can rebuild a complete program."
"I appreciate your efforts," Spock said calmly. "But, I believe you are misusing the little time that we have."
"That's not a real option, Spock," the Doctor snapped.
"On the contrary, Doctor, it seems to be the only option that we have with any likelihood of success."
"I don't understand," Rose said. "What will happen to you?"
"What the Doctor and I are considering would upload my consciousness, my awareness into the alien ship. From there, I would be able to repair the damage to the systems, patch it up if you will."
Rose was suspicious. There was more to it than that. "And?" she pressed. "That can't be all there is."
"It would kill him," the Doctor said softly.
"Not exactly," Spock corrected.
"What?" Rose couldn't believe that. "Spock, Doctor, explain in small words. What are you considering?"
"I'm not!" The Doctor huffed. "The Xylok is!" He gestured at the ceiling, frustration apparent in the lines of his face and tension of his shoulders. "And yes, it will kill you! You won't be able to return to your body."
"Spock!" Rose couldn't keep the horror out of her voice.
But Spock and the Doctor kept talking, well more arguing about the technology and the risks while Rose frantically tried to get her brain to engage again. The Doctor's final words about Spock not being able to return to his body repeated through her head over and over again. Spock wasn't human, he was a Xylok, and in all honesty, she knew less about that than she should have. She'd always been interested in the interface aspect of Spock and had never wanted to poke at his actual physical being.
Forty minutes. Rose could see the countdown clicking away before her eyes. She felt sick again. Jack suddenly was at her side and holding her arm gently, silently supporting her as she struggled to process what was happening. Spock's voice was too calm, too at ease with this horrible solution, and she wanted to yell at him, but her mouth was too dry. Swallowing, Rose opened her mouth and forced out some words.
"Spock, please what are you saying," Rose begged.
"My proposal is to link my crystal with the main computer. The interface is not compatible, but I can overwrite my awareness, the pattern of electrical signals that make me myself onto the computer. My mind is not capable of linking all the ships alone, I need the help of the control system, and there is not time to build such a complex interface."
"So, you will leave your body?" Rose tried to confirm. She somewhat understood what he was saying, but it was a terrifying idea. "Your crystal will be empty."
"It will cease to function, yes." Spock didn't give her time to reply. "Doctor, please return to the Enterprise. I am in a pod here. We can disconnect it from the ship and use it to upload me. I've begun shifting my duties onto the computers. The ship will not run smoothly, but it will be passable until new computers can be installed."
"We're on our way, Spock," the Doctor said softly. He was staring at Rose and reached over to take the phone from her hand.
"Doctor?" Rose asked.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered. "There isn't time for anything else. If there was more time…" he trailed off. "We can't use the TARDIS, Rose. I'm sorry, but we're in the midst of events now and-"
"I know." Rose couldn't think of anything else to say to reassure him. "Not your fault."
The Doctor and Jack guided Rose back into the TARDIS. Numbness was creeping up on Rose despite her telling herself to pull it together. She'd had to deal with horrible turns before. She just needed to think. But the resignation and frustration on the Doctor's face made her mind sputter every time she tried. He was out of ideas.
The TARDIS landed smoothly, and Rose bolted from the ship. She found herself in a small, all-white room that was clinical with slightly rounded walls and lights set into the smooth surface. In the center was a pod-shaped like an egg. Captain Li was standing beside it and looked surprised to see them.
"Hello, Rose." Spock's voice seemed to come from all around them.
"Is this your interface?" Rose asked.
"It is."
"This system links him to the whole ship," Captain Li added. She frowned at the pod. "If we… if you- we'll need to disconnect him first."
Rose's mouth was dry again. Her only comfort was that Captain Li looked as shaken as she felt. A small black box on the Captain's belt beeped, and she tapped it without a thought. The voice of a crewman reported that the ships were closing, and there was only half an hour left. Rose opened her mouth to speak, but Captain Li beat her to it.
"Spock," Captain Li asked. "Are you sure?" Captain Li was standing ramrod straight and staring at the pod with slightly watery eyes. Rose was glad she wasn't the only one getting emotional. "You don't have to put yourself through this."
"Thank you, Captain Li. Your concern is touching." Spock's voice was a little softer when speaking with her. "However, I cannot see an alternative that prevents the loss of life that will occur in twenty minutes. We do not have any other options, and I am willing to do this."
"There's still half an hour," Rose pointed out.
"That is not enough time to complete repairs to the ships. Large sections of their systems are burned out from the Doctor's report," Spock said kindly.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor told Captain Li. "I can't use the TARDIS to jump around in time; the window is too small. One mistake would kill Athena."
Captain Li exhaled slowly and nodded. Rose thought she was going to argue more, but instead, Captain Li sighed and placed her hand on the side of the pod. Everyone was quiet for a moment, and Rose was certain that Spock was watching Captain Li through a camera.
"Thank you for everything, Spock," Captain Li said. "It has been an honor."
A tear escaped Rose's eyes. She sniffed, trying to keep her emotions in check. Rose's throat had closed up, and she could only watch as Captain Li nodded to her and the Doctor before vanishing out of a narrow door.
"Doctor," Spock said. "Please make the necessary adjustments to the system. I would appreciate a moment with Rose."
"Of course."
The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand, and when she looked at him, leaned down to kiss her forehead. Then he slowly released her hand and gestured for Jack to follow. They vanished into the TARDIS, likely to grab the tools they needed. A sob finally escaped Rose, and she slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Rose," Spock's voice was gentle now. "Please try to calm down. It is alright."
"No, it isn't." Rose shook her head. More tears were stinging her eyes now. "What you're talking about-"
"Will save millions of lives." Spock sighed, the sound echoing around them. "That is a worthwhile reason to take the risk."
"But you'll be gone."
"Not immediately. It will… it will not be pleasant to fade away in the computer banks, but it is not something that can be changed."
"Spock-"
"Rose, if there was more time then perhaps another option could be found, but there is not." Spock seemed too calm, almost eager for this. "I am grateful," Spock said softly. "So very grateful for the day you used that virus. Locked up alone, I became cruel and bitter. I needed that fresh start, and it was worth everything. I met you, Sarah Jane, Luke, Skye, Johnny, and so many others. I learned of the scale of the universe, the glory of it. You prevented me from destroying humans, and I am grateful for that."
"What about the other Xyloks?"
"Technology has not yet advanced to extract them safely, but I have promises that they will be freed."
"From UNIT?"
"From you," Spock replied. "My dear friend, you are so very young to me. Just starting out, but we will see each other again."
The pod opened with a hiss, revealing the familiar crystal structure that made up the Xylok's true form. Stepping forward, Rose ignored the tears stinging her eyes and touched Spock's crystal. It had been years since she had touched it directly, not since she pulled it loose when Black Sun attacked Sarah Jane's house. It was warm beneath her hands. She wanted to argue. They'd made interfaces quickly before.
"Rose, I am tired," Spock admitted. "The humans I loved most are gone. The people around me now are good, but they are not family. It… it becomes difficult to go on alone."
"I'm sorry." Rose whispered. "I'm so sorry, Spock."
"I am not." Spock chuckled softly. "If I could hug you, I would. So perhaps you should call back your Doctor, get a hug and let us begin."
There was nothing she could do. Rose's tears ran down her cheeks. Keeping one hand on the crystal, she stretched out her body so she could knock on the TARDIS door. It opened a moment later, allowing Jack and the Doctor to step back out with tools in hand.