Disclaimer: Q: What don't I own? A: Star Trek!
Reviewer Replies:
Broken Infinity: Thank you for (im)patiently waiting... Here is some more. And if you want to know if they become themselves again, you'll have to read. And review. Mwa ha ha ha.
Yami-chan and Unrealistic: Well, the walrus people do make sense. I mean, who else would live on a cold, icy planet? Walruses. Strange, you don't say Walri, like Octopi, but that's the English languge. The only reason Kirk went away is that I don't like Kirk much, and I didn't want him in the story. Happy Typing to you too.
eagle feather 101: Sorry, I'm not Spockov anymore. I started out as I-am- bug and I decided I wanted to stay that way. Anyway, I guess I am energetic. Mostly because writing is a break in my boredom. I'm WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITING.
Bookey Hooper: Hmm, you already got the logical ice cube... I was bored... Oh. Lapse in logic like that time I yelled at my computer and then recovered logically... Okay. He he.
Ariennye: I'm glad you like it, Romulan one. Is it evil?
-
*** Identity Crisis ***
Chapter Nine - The Tunnel
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
The tunnel did go a long way up. McCoy had almost forgotten how far he had fallen/slid. As it became more vertical, McCoy was almost glad of the cold. He constantly had ice on his finger.
Chekov was freezing, as he was Vulcan, and Roberts was getting tired, as he was McCoy, but that was the least of their problems.
It was becoming apparent that Spock wouldn't make it.
They were basically climbing up the chute now, grasping the rocks that were strewn throughout it. But Spock, who was last in line, was beginning to lag behind. His broken leg was trailing uselessly behind him, and his face was bone white with pain.
(A/N: I should eat something today. It's 2:04 already. I guess that's what I get or getting up a quarter to twelve. I forgot about food. Okay, you didn't need to know that so I'll shut up and go eat. )
Well, back to the story.
McCoy knew that Spock would say something heroic about how they should leave him behind because he was slowing them up, and it would happen very soon.
It came a few minutes after McCoy's initial thought.
"Doctor, I suggest you leave me here. I cannot go on much further." His tone was level, but his voice was gravelly.
"Darn it, Spock. I'm not leaving you here."
"Obviously... I would not linger in this tunnel. I would go back to the cell."
"That's. Not. What. I. Meant. I'm not having much fun here either. Just deal with it... for a little longer anyway. I know passed a few opening. We'll reach one soon." I hope. McCoy didn't say this last part out loud, but everyone could see that it was implied.
"Doctor... you don't understand. I am unable to continue much further."
"No!" He looked down to see Chekov's determined face.
Funny, he had almost expected to see Spock the Vulcan, not Spock the Chekov.
"Actually, I think we're coming up on one of those exits now. Soon, anyway," McCoy lied. Anything to keep Spock going.
"Doctor..."
Spock looked close to fainting, but there wasn't much anyone could do. They had to keep going. Maybe there was an exit coming up.
As McCoy toiled on, he tried to imagine just what Spock was feeling and tried to ignore what he was feeling.
His finger hurt more than anything he had ever experienced. Okay, that was exaggerating a bit, but it hurt a lot. Grabbing rough rocks in the cold didn't help.
He was not doing a very good job of not thinking of it.
Then Spock passed out. As McCoy was in the front of the line, there was nothing he could do. Chekov was the one in front of Spock.
And Chekov was the one with Vulcan reflexes.
He reached down and caught his body before it fell.
"Chekov! You caught him! Oh, God!"
"Yes," Chekov said, "But now vhat? I ken't hold him forewer."
"Uh," McCoy said. He was the commanding officer now. He got to make all the decisions.
Huh. Got to. As if this was a privilege.
"Uh, can you climb holding onto him? For a little while longer?"
"I think so," Chekov said. He didn't sound very sure.
They climbed up the shaft (for that's what it was now. It was just about vertical) until McCoy saw what he had been looking for this whole time. There was an opening.
Without a word, he climbed through. Without a word, but with a huge sigh of relief. He helped Roberts climb through, and together they hauled Spock and Chekov through the opening.
Only then did he look at his surroundings. He was in the room where he had lost most of his hair and the tip of his finger. Only it was deserted now. The walrus-things must have gone to look for him, not expecting him to come back here.
He heaved yet another sigh of relief, then walked over to where Chekov and Roberts had set Spock down on the stone table in the middle of the room. Just the sight of it made him wince, but he was the Chief Medical Officer.
"Give me the medikit," he commanded Roberts.
"Uh," the ensign said, "I think I... I think I left it in the cell."
"How could you be so STUPID?" McCoy hissed. He knew better than to yell, but he was only this far away from exploding. He was hungry, thirsty, in pain, and very frustrated. And Roberts had forgotten the one thing that might actually help. "Sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry?" McCoy gestured to Spock, who lay motionless on the table, then held up his own hand. Blood from his wound had soaked through the bandages already. "Oh my god."
(A/N: At this point, both the charger upper for my laptop and the batter of my laptop have died. This next part I was forced to write on... paper... erk...)
Roberts looked frightened, and McCoy wondered just how much he had scared the ensign with his tirade.
Instead of waiting to find out, McCoy decided to check on Spock, who was presently out cold on the stone table. Actually, the fact that Spock was still out wasn't a good sign. McCoy was sure he needed to examine Spock's leg. True, he wouldn't be able to tell as much as he would have liked without the medikit, but he would know more than Spock.
The bandages were somewhat sloppy, and McCoy unwrapped them carefully. He didn't want to do any more damage than was already done.
Spock knew very little of human physiology. Normally this wasn't a particularly bad thing. Spock was not (usually) one himself, and as a Science Officer he rarely had to treat any humans in the line of duty.
McCoy tutted. Spock had wrapped the bandages tightly in order to keep his leg in place. This in itself was not a bad thing. It was where he had tried to hold it in place. Because of his lack of knowledge of humans, he could have ruined Chekov's leg.
McCoy was fairly sure that when Chekov got his body back he wouldn't like that.
-
While McCoy treated Spock, Chekov and Roberts had nothing to do. They stood watch at the entrance to the chamber, but as there was no one there and they wouldn't be able to do anything even if there was, the ensigns had resorted to complaining. Or rather, Roberts had resorted to complaining.
"I'm hungry," he remarked.
"I'm not," Chekov said brightly. "I em a Wulcan, and Wulcans can go a long time vithout food." He finished this comment rather smugly."
"Oh." Roberts didn't sound particularly impressed. "Well, at least you got be a Vulcan. Me, I'm stuck as an old guy."
"Don't tell Doctair McCoy," Chekov advised. "Anyvay, Wulcans live long too. So ewen though Mr. Spock is almost es old as the Doctair, it doesn't feel like it."
"Lucky you."
For a few moments they said nothing. Chekov was lost in his thoughts of Vulcanness, and Roberts was lost in his thoughts of I wish I wasn't Doctor McCoy. Then Chekov surprised by Roberts by saying:
"I don't vant my body beck."
"What?"
"Just look at thet." Chekov pointed to his body. Spock had begun to wake up and had raised himself up on one elbow. He appeared to be talking to Doctor McCoy.
"That's not so bad. I'm sure when we get out of here the Doctor'll be able to fix his- your- oh I don't know, whoever's leg."
"But look at me now." Chekov allowed time for Roberts to look at him before he continued. "I haff so much strength now. So much power. Thet's pitiful. I mean, it would be better if he hadn't gone and broken my leg, but still. I don't vant to chenge beck."
"It was Mr. Spock's leg at the time. And Pavel. You're not even Russian anymore."
If Roberts thought this would sway his friend, he was wrong.
"But I em. Not my body. But I am in here." Chekov tapped his head, and then where he supposed his heart was. He was adamant on this point.
Roberts sighed. Chekov could be strange sometimes. "Whatever you say."
-
On the other side of the room, Spock was doing his best to take a few steps. (A/N: For some reason that made me thing of a baby's first steps, which made me think of Huggies, which made me think of the song that goes 'I'm a big kid now!' Maybe it's an omen.) They were limping, halting steps, but at least he was walking.
"We should leave," he said.
McCoy eyed him dubiously. Spock had grabbed his arm for support, and he was leaning rather heavily on McCoy.
You really don't look up to it. Please explain your logic," McCoy finished dryly.
Spock looked pleasantly surprised that McCoy had finally taken an interest in logic. In other words, he had missed the sarcasm completely.
"The tunnel we escaped through leads only to the small hollow in the ground next to the cell. The inhabitants of Seti Olan Two are merely primitive, not stupid. They will eventually realize that we are here. They will be looking for us.
"Oh." McCoy paused a beat, apparently thinking this over. "Good point. But do you think you're ready? (A/N: I'm a big kid now!)"
The point turned out to be moot, (A/N: Entmoot!) for at that moment, seven walrus-people burst in through the doorway.
McCoy couldn't help but mutter, "Right as always, Spock." But no one heard him.
-
Roberts and Chekov had been blown backwards from the doorway by some invisible blow. The walrus-aliens' minds certainly packed a powerful punch. But as they were already on their feet again, I was apparent that they would be okay.
Spock regarded the walrus-things with interest, for the original walrus- person was mentally yelling,
Apparently the walrus-thing did not care who she was thinking to, (A/N: Think Animorphs. Thought-speak.) for the Enterprise four could hear (?) everything.
Roberts and McCoy gaped. Spock in his Chekov-shell looked Spockful, and Chekov looked worried.
"You know what happened to us? You can change us back?" McCoy and Roberts asked nearly in unison.
What the humans (and Vulcan Chekov) felt in their minds was unmistakably laughter.
-
-
-
-
-
Dun dun dun..... a nice little cliff-hanger for those who care. And I must apologize, there were A LOT of authors notes in this chapter. I don't know where the Huggies came from. Anyway, REVIEW!!!
Reviewer Replies:
Broken Infinity: Thank you for (im)patiently waiting... Here is some more. And if you want to know if they become themselves again, you'll have to read. And review. Mwa ha ha ha.
Yami-chan and Unrealistic: Well, the walrus people do make sense. I mean, who else would live on a cold, icy planet? Walruses. Strange, you don't say Walri, like Octopi, but that's the English languge. The only reason Kirk went away is that I don't like Kirk much, and I didn't want him in the story. Happy Typing to you too.
eagle feather 101: Sorry, I'm not Spockov anymore. I started out as I-am- bug and I decided I wanted to stay that way. Anyway, I guess I am energetic. Mostly because writing is a break in my boredom. I'm WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITE WRITING.
Bookey Hooper: Hmm, you already got the logical ice cube... I was bored... Oh. Lapse in logic like that time I yelled at my computer and then recovered logically... Okay. He he.
Ariennye: I'm glad you like it, Romulan one. Is it evil?
-
*** Identity Crisis ***
Chapter Nine - The Tunnel
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
The tunnel did go a long way up. McCoy had almost forgotten how far he had fallen/slid. As it became more vertical, McCoy was almost glad of the cold. He constantly had ice on his finger.
Chekov was freezing, as he was Vulcan, and Roberts was getting tired, as he was McCoy, but that was the least of their problems.
It was becoming apparent that Spock wouldn't make it.
They were basically climbing up the chute now, grasping the rocks that were strewn throughout it. But Spock, who was last in line, was beginning to lag behind. His broken leg was trailing uselessly behind him, and his face was bone white with pain.
(A/N: I should eat something today. It's 2:04 already. I guess that's what I get or getting up a quarter to twelve. I forgot about food. Okay, you didn't need to know that so I'll shut up and go eat. )
Well, back to the story.
McCoy knew that Spock would say something heroic about how they should leave him behind because he was slowing them up, and it would happen very soon.
It came a few minutes after McCoy's initial thought.
"Doctor, I suggest you leave me here. I cannot go on much further." His tone was level, but his voice was gravelly.
"Darn it, Spock. I'm not leaving you here."
"Obviously... I would not linger in this tunnel. I would go back to the cell."
"That's. Not. What. I. Meant. I'm not having much fun here either. Just deal with it... for a little longer anyway. I know passed a few opening. We'll reach one soon." I hope. McCoy didn't say this last part out loud, but everyone could see that it was implied.
"Doctor... you don't understand. I am unable to continue much further."
"No!" He looked down to see Chekov's determined face.
Funny, he had almost expected to see Spock the Vulcan, not Spock the Chekov.
"Actually, I think we're coming up on one of those exits now. Soon, anyway," McCoy lied. Anything to keep Spock going.
"Doctor..."
Spock looked close to fainting, but there wasn't much anyone could do. They had to keep going. Maybe there was an exit coming up.
As McCoy toiled on, he tried to imagine just what Spock was feeling and tried to ignore what he was feeling.
His finger hurt more than anything he had ever experienced. Okay, that was exaggerating a bit, but it hurt a lot. Grabbing rough rocks in the cold didn't help.
He was not doing a very good job of not thinking of it.
Then Spock passed out. As McCoy was in the front of the line, there was nothing he could do. Chekov was the one in front of Spock.
And Chekov was the one with Vulcan reflexes.
He reached down and caught his body before it fell.
"Chekov! You caught him! Oh, God!"
"Yes," Chekov said, "But now vhat? I ken't hold him forewer."
"Uh," McCoy said. He was the commanding officer now. He got to make all the decisions.
Huh. Got to. As if this was a privilege.
"Uh, can you climb holding onto him? For a little while longer?"
"I think so," Chekov said. He didn't sound very sure.
They climbed up the shaft (for that's what it was now. It was just about vertical) until McCoy saw what he had been looking for this whole time. There was an opening.
Without a word, he climbed through. Without a word, but with a huge sigh of relief. He helped Roberts climb through, and together they hauled Spock and Chekov through the opening.
Only then did he look at his surroundings. He was in the room where he had lost most of his hair and the tip of his finger. Only it was deserted now. The walrus-things must have gone to look for him, not expecting him to come back here.
He heaved yet another sigh of relief, then walked over to where Chekov and Roberts had set Spock down on the stone table in the middle of the room. Just the sight of it made him wince, but he was the Chief Medical Officer.
"Give me the medikit," he commanded Roberts.
"Uh," the ensign said, "I think I... I think I left it in the cell."
"How could you be so STUPID?" McCoy hissed. He knew better than to yell, but he was only this far away from exploding. He was hungry, thirsty, in pain, and very frustrated. And Roberts had forgotten the one thing that might actually help. "Sorry."
"Sorry? You're sorry?" McCoy gestured to Spock, who lay motionless on the table, then held up his own hand. Blood from his wound had soaked through the bandages already. "Oh my god."
(A/N: At this point, both the charger upper for my laptop and the batter of my laptop have died. This next part I was forced to write on... paper... erk...)
Roberts looked frightened, and McCoy wondered just how much he had scared the ensign with his tirade.
Instead of waiting to find out, McCoy decided to check on Spock, who was presently out cold on the stone table. Actually, the fact that Spock was still out wasn't a good sign. McCoy was sure he needed to examine Spock's leg. True, he wouldn't be able to tell as much as he would have liked without the medikit, but he would know more than Spock.
The bandages were somewhat sloppy, and McCoy unwrapped them carefully. He didn't want to do any more damage than was already done.
Spock knew very little of human physiology. Normally this wasn't a particularly bad thing. Spock was not (usually) one himself, and as a Science Officer he rarely had to treat any humans in the line of duty.
McCoy tutted. Spock had wrapped the bandages tightly in order to keep his leg in place. This in itself was not a bad thing. It was where he had tried to hold it in place. Because of his lack of knowledge of humans, he could have ruined Chekov's leg.
McCoy was fairly sure that when Chekov got his body back he wouldn't like that.
-
While McCoy treated Spock, Chekov and Roberts had nothing to do. They stood watch at the entrance to the chamber, but as there was no one there and they wouldn't be able to do anything even if there was, the ensigns had resorted to complaining. Or rather, Roberts had resorted to complaining.
"I'm hungry," he remarked.
"I'm not," Chekov said brightly. "I em a Wulcan, and Wulcans can go a long time vithout food." He finished this comment rather smugly."
"Oh." Roberts didn't sound particularly impressed. "Well, at least you got be a Vulcan. Me, I'm stuck as an old guy."
"Don't tell Doctair McCoy," Chekov advised. "Anyvay, Wulcans live long too. So ewen though Mr. Spock is almost es old as the Doctair, it doesn't feel like it."
"Lucky you."
For a few moments they said nothing. Chekov was lost in his thoughts of Vulcanness, and Roberts was lost in his thoughts of I wish I wasn't Doctor McCoy. Then Chekov surprised by Roberts by saying:
"I don't vant my body beck."
"What?"
"Just look at thet." Chekov pointed to his body. Spock had begun to wake up and had raised himself up on one elbow. He appeared to be talking to Doctor McCoy.
"That's not so bad. I'm sure when we get out of here the Doctor'll be able to fix his- your- oh I don't know, whoever's leg."
"But look at me now." Chekov allowed time for Roberts to look at him before he continued. "I haff so much strength now. So much power. Thet's pitiful. I mean, it would be better if he hadn't gone and broken my leg, but still. I don't vant to chenge beck."
"It was Mr. Spock's leg at the time. And Pavel. You're not even Russian anymore."
If Roberts thought this would sway his friend, he was wrong.
"But I em. Not my body. But I am in here." Chekov tapped his head, and then where he supposed his heart was. He was adamant on this point.
Roberts sighed. Chekov could be strange sometimes. "Whatever you say."
-
On the other side of the room, Spock was doing his best to take a few steps. (A/N: For some reason that made me thing of a baby's first steps, which made me think of Huggies, which made me think of the song that goes 'I'm a big kid now!' Maybe it's an omen.) They were limping, halting steps, but at least he was walking.
"We should leave," he said.
McCoy eyed him dubiously. Spock had grabbed his arm for support, and he was leaning rather heavily on McCoy.
You really don't look up to it. Please explain your logic," McCoy finished dryly.
Spock looked pleasantly surprised that McCoy had finally taken an interest in logic. In other words, he had missed the sarcasm completely.
"The tunnel we escaped through leads only to the small hollow in the ground next to the cell. The inhabitants of Seti Olan Two are merely primitive, not stupid. They will eventually realize that we are here. They will be looking for us.
"Oh." McCoy paused a beat, apparently thinking this over. "Good point. But do you think you're ready? (A/N: I'm a big kid now!)"
The point turned out to be moot, (A/N: Entmoot!) for at that moment, seven walrus-people burst in through the doorway.
McCoy couldn't help but mutter, "Right as always, Spock." But no one heard him.
-
Roberts and Chekov had been blown backwards from the doorway by some invisible blow. The walrus-aliens' minds certainly packed a powerful punch. But as they were already on their feet again, I was apparent that they would be okay.
Spock regarded the walrus-things with interest, for the original walrus- person was mentally yelling,
Apparently the walrus-thing did not care who she was thinking to, (A/N: Think Animorphs. Thought-speak.) for the Enterprise four could hear (?) everything.
Roberts and McCoy gaped. Spock in his Chekov-shell looked Spockful, and Chekov looked worried.
"You know what happened to us? You can change us back?" McCoy and Roberts asked nearly in unison.
What the humans (and Vulcan Chekov) felt in their minds was unmistakably laughter.
-
-
-
-
-
Dun dun dun..... a nice little cliff-hanger for those who care. And I must apologize, there were A LOT of authors notes in this chapter. I don't know where the Huggies came from. Anyway, REVIEW!!!