Star Trek: The Original Series--a FanFic by irefly

Claire: Of course, and a few more.

Chapter II: Choices



When McCoy came in a few minutes later, he was surprised to see Leah sitting on the biobed, her legs drawn up to her chest and her forehead resting on her knees. The doctor hit the comm button.
"Captain, she's awake again."
Leah jerked her head up at the sound of the voice, hastily wiping a tear off her face.
"Be right there," the Captain's voice came over the comm. McCoy advanced towards Leah, surprised to see--of all aliens--a Vulcan crying. Leah offered him an uncertain smile, too shy to initiate any conversation.
"Well, young lady, the Captain's going to want to ask you a few things if you're up for it," McCoy began. Leah nodded, looking down at the bedsheet as she absently toyed with it. "I am," she said softly.
The sickbay door slid open and the Captain and Spock entered. As if Kirk weren't bad enough. The prescense of the first officer along with the Captain instantly made Leah nervous. Speaking to a human was one thing, a Vulcan, another. Even if she herself was one.
"Leah, this is Spock, my first officer," Kirk said upon reaching her bed. Reluctantly Leah looked up at the captain, then Spock, who was impassive as always. Not knowing how to greet either of them, Leah only nodded. Kirk took a seat on the bed next to hers.
"Leah. That isn't a Vulcan name, is it?" he began. Leah shook her head. He's trying to start out informally, she mused. "I'm not supposed to be a Vulcan. I'm a human," she said, looking back down at her bedsheet. The captain paused, not knowing what to think of that. "You certainly look like a Vulcan," he commented. Leah bit her lip, thinking before replying. "The last thing I remember is...I was on Earth. In Ohio." She paused, took a breath, then continued. "It was night--something woke me up, someone inside my room...before I could do anything I got knocked out." The bedsheet was becoming quite fascinating. "When I woke up, I was here."
Kirk and Spock exchanged looks.
"Ohio was largely destroyed in the third World War," Spock said, "and hardly anyone lives there now."
Leah blinked back tears of frustration. "The year was 2002! Before the World War Three. I don't know how, but I'm from a different time."
Kirk looked over at Spock.
"It's possible, Captain, though unlikely. You recall when we were sent back in time we used the slingshot effect around the sun to get back to our own time." Spock paused. "Perhaps her kidnappers used the same method."
"But why," Kirk mused, "would they turn her into a Vulcan? Is it even possible?"
Leah swallowed a sigh. They were acting as though she wasn't there. She glanced over at McCoy. He was watching Spock and the Captain talk.
"Unknown," was Spock's answer to Kirk. The captain looked back at Leah. "You don't remember anything after that?" Leah mutely shook her head. After a moment, Kirk nodded. "Thank you, Leah. If you're feeling all right, you can move out of sickbay into one of the guest's quarters." McCoy interrupted before Leah could respond. "I think I'll be the one releasing patients, Jim," he said, mock glaring at the Captain. "You're free to go," he continued, this time to Leah. She nodded and slid off the biobed. "I'm fine now," she said. "Thank you."
Kirk stood up. "Spock, why don't you show her to her quarters." Spock nodded once and headed towards the door. Leah silently followed him.

Once Spock and Leah were gone, Kirk sighed and sat back down on the biobed. "Well, Bones? What do you think?
McCoy considered. "Well, it's a pretty strange story, but it could happen, I suppose. She doesn't act like a Vulcan at all--seems like she's just a human in a Vulcan body. That part fits, at least."
Kirk nodded slowly. "She can't go back to her own time, if she is from the past, because she's a Vulcan. She'll have to either go to Vulcan or go to Earth--our Earth. It should be her choice."
McCoy frowned. "Give her little while, Jim, let her get used to the idea that she can't go back."


* * *


The door to Leah's quarters slid shut behind her as she stepped in. For a moment, Leah paused, uncertain of what to do next, then she stepped over to the bed and sat down on the edge. "I can't believe it," she murmured, staring at the mirror on the wall across from her. "Will I never see my family again?" Overcome by--of all things--emotion, she curled up on the bed and buried her face in a pillow.