Vulcan Shadows

By Estellio

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Spock's dark past catches up with him and it's up to McCoy to save him. But he's just an ol' country Doctor with no idea how deep or dark Spock's secret past truly goes.

A/N: hey look! I changed the summary. I dunno, I just didn't like the old one anymore, I think this one is better anyway. This fic has taken a totally different direction to what I intend. Anyway, sorry I haven't updated in so long but just one thing happened after another and…well, too many reasons to name but I am still going with this fic, so…onto the fic.

IOIOIO

Present day: Starfleet Medical Centre

Spock lay on yet another biobed, this time in Starfleet Medical.

"I fail to see why you need to run more test. Dr. McCoy already gave me a full physical." He said to the nurse who came to draw his blood.

"Just a precautionary measure. You were kidnapped by a bounty hunter, drugged, dragged through unsavoury stations and kept in appalling conditions. We're understandably worried about you, Commander Spock." The young nurse gazed up at him, smiling and batting her eyelids. The same look he had gotten from too many young females and a similar variation from many male ones. At least nurse Chapel had the good grace to mask it. A sigh was his only answer to the nurses efforts and he looked away. This obviously wasn't the reaction the young nurse was expecting and she pulled the needle from his arm a little to forcefully causing him to grimace. "Have a nice day." She half snapped and stormed off.

"Oh, it's such a burden to find good help these days." A woman's voice sighed dramatically. Spock lay still for a moment, his eyes widening before he turned to the source of the voice. Standing in a Doctor's short sleeves and long black pants was the last person he expected to see.

"Liya?"

"Spock." She smiled warmly and stepped forward, embracing him briefly. "It's good to see you again, I heard about your misadventure on the news." Spock closed his eyes and resisted the urge to groan. Never underestimate the Terran medias ability to pry into his private life. His mother would go ballistic. He'd give her two days before she arrived full of worry with his sullen father in tow. 'Logical thing to do' his pointed ears! "I also heard about V'au, they don't know she's…you know…but it said Doctor McCoy and a young bounty hunter mounted the rescue mission while Enterprise was incapacitated. I asked Christine and she told me who it was."

"You know Nurse Chapel?" Spock asked, trying to steer the conversation away from such topics.

"Oh yeah, you think I'd leave the charge of my precious crew to anyone who I didn't hand pick and train. Simply the best for my Spocko." Spock shot her a withering look for the nickname. "She thinks the world of you, another victim of your charming bedside manner I suppose…" She smiled briefly but Spock could see the pain in her eyes. Liya had been close to V'au too. "Was it quick? It didn't say how she died in the interview, only that she did." Spock shook his head, meeting her gaze with an intensity that made her step back. What she saw there was sympathy or sorrow, it was anger. Raw anger.

"She lied, she lied to us all. I do not care whether she is dead or not, probably the latter and not the former in any case."

"She's not dead?" Liya asked hopefully, sitting on the edge of Spock's bed.

"I saw her get stabbed in the chest, saw her convulse and light leave her eyes…but the man who held the knife was her friend. It was all an elaborate ploy as far as I can tell, to throw the Romulans off her tail and mine. He may have killed her, he may not have."

"Oh Spock, I'm sure she was doing only what she thought was best." Liya said, resting her hand on Spock's arm.

"She hates me." Was all Spock said, training his gaze on the ceiling. There was an awkward silence for several moments before Spock spoke again. "How is Mark, I have not seen you two since your wedding." Liya's hand tightened on his arm and he sat up, looking over at her. The pain and worry was back in her eyes and worry lines were evident around her mouth and eyes. "What?"

"Mark disappeared from our home yesterday morning. He just vanished without a trace. He can't leave the planet due to his veins, it'll kill him, but we can't find him anywhere and there was an unusual energy signature out the front of the house. 'Fleet Security said it was either a transporter beam or a phaser blast, they can't tell." She said, her voice thick with worry and eyes tearing. "Do you think it has something to do with this whole Romulan business?" She asked, her hands clasped at her throat over the wedding ring she wore on a chain.

"I don't know, Liya, I just do not know." He lay back down as McCoy came sauntering in, whistling some abstract tune. He noticed the dour look on both of their faces and paused.

"Hold on, what's happened?"

"Dr. Piper is missing. The doctor who was on Enterprise before you." Spock said dryly, his eyes focused on the opposite wall. McCoy suddenly started.

"What?"

"He went missing from his house yesterday morning, no one knows where he is." McCoy's face paled. "What is it Doctor?"

"Nothing, it's unimportant. It's just…do you think this has anything to do with wanting you and me dead and…you know who?"

"I am unsure. I will meditate and see what I can find out." He tuned to Liya and put one of his hands over her smaller dainty ones. "I'll see what I can do." She nodded to him, her face pale and drawn with worry.

"Spock, just promise me you'll take care of yourself. It's bad enough losing V'au and Mark but you? I don't think these old bones would stand it." She stood, smiling weakly over at McCoy and nodding to him. "Take care of him, lord knows he doesn't take care of himself."

"I will." McCoy said, nodding back as the woman hurried off. "Who was she and how'd she know about V'au?"

"That is Doctor Liya Piper, she used to be the head Nurse on board Enterprise. Her name was Liya Niara back then. If I am V'au's father I guess the clearest approximation of her status would be mother." McCoy raised an eyebrow at that.

"Were you two…" Spock shook his head before he could finish.

"No, merely friends." McCoy seemed to relax a little at this, not knowing why he was feeling so territorial over Spock all of a sudden. Maybe it was the 'my Vulcan' kind of stamp he had put on him and shared with Jim. Jim! Did he know about any of this.

"Are you going to tell Jim?" Spock looked up and shook his head.

"I don't see why we should burden him with the knowledge."

"Burden who, Mister Spock?" Sunshine himself strode up the narrow isle between the beds, grinning his usual boyish grin and setting down a basket of grapes beside Spock. "Thought you might like something to eat that's fresh, I know I hate regurgitated sickbay food."

"Oh yeah, keep that up and we'll stop feeding you." McCoy teased, smiling nervously at Jim.

"Well you have been telling me to lose weight. So Spock, how are you feeling?"

"I am fine." Spock said in his usual sour tone. "I do not see the logic in keeping me confined in this medical bay when it is perfectly clear to everyone I am fine."

"Especially the nurses, eh Spock?" Jim winked at him, chuckling. "I overheard a few of the nurses gossiping about you. The pretty blonde you upset, you heartbreaker you." Spock merely nodded and looked away. The tension in the air was almost electric.

"Well, Enterprise had been called over to Sedna mining colony to deal with some trouble. We're heading out in about an hour and should be gone for the rest of the day, you want to tag along Bones?"

"Nah, I think I'll stick around and pester Spock."

"Ah now Bones, give the poor man some rest. You can indulge your hobbies later." McCoy smiled at him but didn't move, Jim's smile fell slightly but he soon turned back to Spock. "I'll be back to pick you up later, don't go disappearing on me again." He winked at Spock and looked as if he was about to say something else when his Communicator beeped. "Excuse me a moment gentlemen." He stepped to one side and Scotty's distinctive brogue came over the comm. Kirk nodded and confirmed that he'd be there before turning back to Spock and McCoy. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen I have to run." He nodded to both of them before marching out.

"He knows something's up." McCoy said, watching as the doors slid shut behind him.

"Of course, he is far more perceptive that you give him credit for." McCoy rolled his shoulders back and watched as two young nurses came in.

"All the results came back negative, you're free to go Mister Spock." Both of them gazed adoringly at him, smiled fixed firmly in place as he got up and nodded to them, thanking them briefly before leaving with McCoy.

"I heard they drew lots to see who'd do the physical…they all wanted to see you with your shirt off. Hell, if I got half that much attention I'd get sick more often."

"At least on board Enterprise you are the one who does the Senior Crews physicals." Spock said cynically, making their way through the busy hub of 'Fleet Medical.

"Oh yes Mister Spock, it's the highlight of my month." McCoy jested as they left the building and stepped into the bright sunlight of a clear morning in San Francisco. "Where are you heading?"

"Back to my quarters to meditate, it has been a long day." McCoy nodded to him.

"I'll walk you there." They walked in companionable silence the whole way to Spock's quarters, stopping briefly outside his room. It was a new room from the last time McCoy had been around, granted, that was before their second year on board. Spock look a little lost for a moment, as if McCoy was some stray puppy who'd followed him home and now he didn't know what to do with. McCoy made the decision for him.

"I better go, I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'll see you around Spock." Spock nodded to him, wishing him a good night before disappearing inside. As McCoy walked away he could shake the niggling feeling he was being watched. He put it down to paranoia from the recent escapades and left it at that. He'd check up that everything was alright in the morning and that'd be the end of that.

IOIOIO

Present Day: Enterprise Bridge.

Captain Kirk relaxed back in the chair, listening with a sympathetic ear to the head of the colonies complaints.

"This ship keeps appearing and disappearing, like a cloaked ship. We'd be grateful if you scanned the area and…" A Red Alert sounded and he gestured for the screen to be cut off.

"Chekov, report!" he ordered, sitting forward in his chair.

"Klingon bird of Prey decloaking on the starboard bow, keptin."

"Do they have any idea how far they're in our territory." Sulu said aloud, more of a statement than a question.

"Hail them." Kirk ordered by Uhura shook her head in amazement.

"Sir, they've already hailed us and are demanding to speak to Mister Spock immediately." She said from her station. The entire bridge crew turned to face her, not quite sure of what to make of this.

"Patch them through, they can talk to me." Kirk ordered and seconds later an all too familiar face appeared up on screen. "Kang." Kirk said, scowling. "You are in direct violation of…"

"Can it Kirk, I am here to speak with Mister Spock. This merits the breaking of your insipid laws." Kang said cutting him off. Jim worked his jaw with frustration, glaring at Kang.

"He's not on board at the moment, can I take a message?" He asked in a mocking tone.

"No! I must speak with Spock! It's about that damn blasted wayward daughter of his." The Klingon growled. Kirk was taken aback completely.

"Kang…Spock doesn't have a daughter." Kang grinned and soon burst into laughter.

"Funny that you, his friend don't know and yet your woman does!" Kirk turned to see Uhura was sitting with her hands over her mouth, looking fearfully at Kang.

"We already know she has died, Kang." Uhura said, speaking up when it seemed everyone else was speechless.

"No! V'au is alive and with my son on that disgusting Cardassians vessel. She faked her own death and used Kek to keep her father out of Romulan matters but it hasn't worked. They are coming to clean up this whole sorry business believing that with V'au dead that Spock and Doctor Piper are the only ones remaining who know."
"Know what?" Uhura asked, now as lost as everyone else. Kang laughed again, a booming laughter filled with mockery.

"That V'au is the heir to the throne of the Romulan Empire. The next Empress." He paused a moment to let this settle in, grinning from ear to ear at the poor little humans. "She only found out recently herself but Mister Spock and Doctor Piper always knew. Of course they do, they're the ones who rescued her and took her in, sheltering her on that dust ball of a planet till she ran away and disappeared."

"Hold on!" Jim said, cutting in. "V'au. The woman who tried to kill Spock in the first place…is his daughter! That makes no sense!" Kang laughed again.

"If you knew V'au it would. She may have been brought up a Vulcan but she has the mind of a Romulan. She has no desire to take the throne but her half brother fears she does and that she'll tell about his and his mothers little schemes."

"Hold on, how do you know about all of this?" Kirk asked, sceptical of what he was telling him. Spock wasn't one to get wrapped up in intergalactic conspiracies…well…maybe he was, but this was still a little on the unbelievable side.

"There are no secrets within the house of Kang! V'au is married to my son, Therris, I believe you already met him. I tracked his warp signature till it met with yours and decided to speak with Spock personally. One of our Agents in Starfleet discovered this plot and the 'Fleet personnel who are carrying it out in the hopes of forging an alliance with the new Emperor of Romulus and with the Romulan empire itself. Of course, if that were to happen the Klingon Empire would have to invade to prevent it being ganged up on. Think of all the death. All the war. Do you want a repeat of the last Romulan War, Captain? Millions of casualties in a few days then the years of cease fire, each side nipping a the others heels but never sinking their teeth in…It would weaken the Federation considerably and it's after coming to the attention of a few smaller coalitions that want it gone. The Orions, the Gorn, the Cardassians are learning about you too and even the Breen are taking an interest. Vultures, all of them…but we could be friends, Kirk. You and I could stop all this happening. Be heroes in amidst our own people. All that has to be done is we stop V'au's brother taking the throne and exposing the corrupt Federation officials. I have their names but the rest is up to you…after all…what kind of human trusts a Klingon?" Jim met Kang's mocking gaze levelly and nodded.

"Indeed, what kind of human trusts a Klingon?"