Purpose
"Spock?"
Spock turned around from where he had been looking out the windows of his room on the Enterprise, the room he and Cora shared. He couldn't help the small smile that grew when he saw her standing there. This was their room, originally his, but had become theirs. There were only a handful of times she hesitated to enter, called out to him to make sure that she was welcome.
From what he understood, the way she felt him, the emotions that rippled off of him were a steady calm to her. When he was in their room or with her, there was an additional contentment, a happiness. It was why she always smiled when she saw him, beyond just her own joy to see him again, there was that swell of happiness HE felt being around her. He always appeared stoic around everyone else and to everyone else, but Cora was the only one on board who could just feel and know he was happy to see her. He never had to be someone he wasn't, he didn't have to compromise himself or his customs she just…understood.
Whenever she didn't feel that calm coming from him, it was when she hesitated, not sure if he welcomed her company or wished for solitude.
"Always, Cora," he spoke to her, reading that question from her mind, through the bond they shared. He always welcomed her company. He always felt calmer around her and it was not a result of her abilities, but just her mere presence. The bond they shared was one sacred to his people, the way they connected important to hers. He never felt more at peace than when he had his mate beside him.
She gave him a small smile and stepped further in, coming to stand beside him by the windows, looking out at the streams of light from the warp around them. They were heading to Yorktown Base to stock up on their provisions once more. They were meant to do so at the halfway point in their mission, around the 912th day but there had been a situation or two that had kept them from making the stop until now, their 966th day. Right now, due to being in warp, the patterns were lovely, the lights rippling past their window like water.
"You wished to talk."
It wasn't a question, Spock knew it wasn't and he was proud of her for it. It had taken her…a very long time, to feel comfortable enough to speak her thoughts as freely as she did now. Among the crew, he saw her engage in conversation, he saw her laugh, he saw her offer her thoughts and opinions without needing someone to notice her tells and inviting her to speak. She had felt comfortable around him quickly enough, they had bonded over being the only ones of their kind in the Academy when they were there, they bonded over being looked at oddly even by other aliens, and they bonded over their differences. She felt safe with him, she spoke freely to him. But even that had taken a long period of time to reach this point.
They had begun a mating, they had completed it, and now they were mates and stronger for it. He certainly felt HE was stronger for it. A part of him, he wasn't sure if it was his Vulcan half or human half, perhaps it was both, sorrowed for others, for his people, that they did not have a mate like Cora.
"You are distracting me," Cora spoke again, not looking at him when he glanced at her, but her lips were quirked.
Clearly she had sensed the turn in his thoughts through his emotions.
"You are distracting," he offered in defense, which sounded more like a compliment than a true defense.
Cora began to look down, a faint blush on her cheeks, when Spock turned and reached out to her. He curled a finger and placed it under her chin to lift it. It was a habit she still maintained from her time on Hestia, taking compliments always made her feel undeserving of them. It was something he still worked on helping her with. He could never bear it when she looked down.
"I…prefer to be distracted by you," he admitted.
Cora reached up, taking the hand from under her chin, understanding that the touch was something of an invitation and acceptance of a touch from her in return, "Distractions are processes by which we avoid thinking or doing something else, something we do not wish to take part in," she tilted her head, "What is it you do not wish to think on?"
"I…do not know," he said in a soft breath, moving to sit back on the side of their bed, allowing her to continue holding his hand as she sat beside him.
"…may I?" she asked, holding her other hand above the one she held with his own.
"Please," he agreed, watching her intently.
He truly did not know what he felt right now, and with how controlled he normally was with his emotions, it was putting him ill at ease. He was not the Empathic, he did not have Cora's aptitude for identifying emotions and understanding them. He knew there was this odd…desire in him, a yearning, but he didn't understand for what. It had started not long ago, perhaps a few months, though it had grown stronger recently, affecting him during times of solitude and meditation especially. He had taken care to review all aspects of his life during those times, trying to identify what he felt but could never seem to understand. He had a position with Starfleet, he had a crew, he had friends, and Cora, he had many things that he had worked hard for. And yet, in some way, it felt like it wasn't enough. There was something...missing, but he could not work out what it was. He had tried to look at it logically, but it kept circling back to the fact that he had all he needed, yet he still felt off balance.
Perhaps it was time to look at things less with his mind and more with his heart, but he was not accustomed to doing so. Luckily, his mate was.
Cora nodded, placing her other hand on top of his, holding it with both her own. She closed her eyes, allowing his emotions to filter through her, trying to put words to what he could not.
"You are…discontent," Cora opened her eyes to look at him.
Spock was silent a long while, processing his thoughts, comparing what she had identified with what he knew, "I am…not discontent," he tried to explain, not sounding like he was fully contradicting her but wanting to add more information and context to it, "I have…gone through all areas of my life and I am quite content. More so, in some regards," he squeezed her hand a moment, letting her know that she was one of the areas he was more than content with. He slowly withdrew his hand from her hold, needing to try and explain, "I am content. I have no areas at present that I should be discontent with and yet…"
"You are," she finished for him, "Emotions are not always logical," she reassured him, "You feel...ben'estat," Spock couldn't help the quirk of his lip at how she had used a word from her own language to describe what he was feeling, "To feel ready or desiring of something more in your life."
"Yes," he agreed, relieved to have what he was feeling described, "But I do not know what that is," he let out a long breath, "I feel as though...there is another purpose out there for me," he looked at her, "For us," he added, not wanting her to ever think that any purpose he felt he had would not include her.
Cora began to smile at him, "There might be another purpose," she offered.
"I am open to any suggestions," Spock turned to her intently.
Cora opened her mouth to tell him of what she had discovered in the gardens, when a comm. to the Bridge beeped.
"Commander Spock," Chekov's voice called through it, "Ve are approaching Yorktown Base, sir."
Spock nodded to himself, replying, "Cora and I are on our way."
"Aye, sir."
Spock looked to Cora, "Shall we?"
Cora nodded, the two of them standing and heading for the door, Spock's hand at the small of her back as they made their way out. They should have more time to talk at Yorktown and, perhaps it would be better spoken there, she did not want to accidentally project emotions from that conversation to her crew.
~8~
Cora and Spock slowly stepped into the Bridge of the Enterprise, moving towards the window to view their approach of Yorktown, and could only stare at the sight through the glass. It was…a wonder. A large structure enclosed in a sphere of glass. An entire town, a mass of civilizations, all nestled inside.
"Wow," Chekov breathed, "Zat is impressiwe."
"Aye," Scotty agreed, "She's a beauty, isn't she?"
"What a damn monstrosity!" McCoy muttered, his arms crossed and sounding displeased, "Couldn't we just rent some space on a planet?"
"Showing geographical favoritism among inducted Federation worlds could cause diplomatic tension," Spock reminded them.
"Oh, you don't think that looks tense?" McCoy scoffed, "Looks like a damn snow globe in space just waiting to break!"
"Oh, that's the spirit, Bones," Kirk teased.
"It is beautiful," Cora murmured, smiling at the sight, before looking to Spock as he gave her a small smile back.
~8~
Spock kept his eyes on Cora as they stepped out of the Enterprise after it had docked, wanting to see her reaction to Yorktown Base. From their talks over the years, he knew she had not been to many bases, having gone from Hestia to the Academy to the Enterprise. While she had come to see many planets, bases of such a manner were something new to her, and the awe and amazement in her eyes when they saw something like this was not something he would allow himself to miss.
The wide, beaming smile that grew on her face, the way her eyes crinkled with joy, it was worth it and yet, it was bittersweet at the same time. His eyes flickered down to where she gripped a small necklace she wore around her neck, usually tucked into her uniform during on-world missions. It was a small blue mineral native to Vulcan, something his mother had owned.
His father had offered it to him to give to Cora.
His parents had given him a box to take with him to the Academy and then to the Fleet with small possessions. He had returned it to his father after Vulcan's demise, hoping it might be a comfort to him to have some possessions of the man's mate to hold onto. His mother's necklace had been among them. A few short months ago his father had visited the Enterprise, and he had given him the necklace back along with a few other objects. It had meant everything to him to know his father approved of his relationship with Cora, that he accepted her as his son's mate. Logically though, he had to accept Cora. His father had not had much ground to stand on as his chosen wife had been a human, it wouldn't matter that his son's was an Empathic. But it still, was a meaningful moment to him. He had, of course, presented Cora with the pendant soon after. She had never taken it off.
The honor and wonder in her eyes when he had given her the pendant, the same teal as her eyes, he noticed she would touch it whenever she was happy or amazed at something.
He hoped she would not cease looking at things in that way. During the first few years together he had seen her look at things with no small amount of caution and wariness and distrust. He had seen her look at HIM as though she didn't know why he was being kind to her, as though she never expected that from anyone. This was a look he preferred much more.
He watched as she took a few steps away to look up, trying to see the highest structures in the base.
"You guys alright?" the voice of Dr. McCoy spoke beside him as the man approached with a concerned look on his face.
"I do not understand the need for inquiry," Spock stated with a small frown.
McCoy glanced at him, over to Cora, and back, "You were looking at her, Spock, like that may be the last time you'll see her happy."
Spock blinked at that, unaware he had looked at her in any such manner, "I assure you, doctor, I will endeavor to see her happy always."
McCoy hesitated a moment, "…Pon Farr only happens every seven years, right?"
"To my knowledge," Spock agreed, understanding McCoy's concern now. The last time something had been even slightly off with him and Cora it had been due to his experiencing Pon Farr, "I am not certain if any alterations may come from the cycle due to my human side, however I can confirm I am experiencing no symptoms of it at present."
"Good, good," McCoy nodded, "You alright, Red?" he asked when Cora returned to them.
"I am well, Leonard McCoy," she stated, smiling a little when he rolled his eyes at the use of his full name.
"I really need to bribe Chekov," he muttered as he walked off.
"He still has not told the crew how he asked of you to shorten his name?" Spock wondered out loud.
"I believe he is enjoying their attempts to achieve same," Cora offered.
Chekov was the only one of the crew who had managed to get her to call him a shorter name than his full one. She called him PAC, whereas she called everyone else by their names or position as a sign of respect, as she had been taught to do. All the boy had done was ask her to do so in her native language. It had meant much to her that he had gone through the trouble of learning how to say even that to her, and so she agreed.
Chekov had done one better and asked that she teach him more of her language, as it was a beautiful one. Chekov had come to HIM to learn how to ask Cora the question, but it was clear the boy was a bit more intimidated by him than Cora and so he asked for more lessons from her. They would often converse in it, knowing only Uhura and Spock could understand them, though Uhura only knew the basics of her tongue.
The language of the Empathics was not one often taught in classes at the Academy. There were only three Empathics taken into the Fleet since the USS Kelvin, one had already passed on, and only the highest officials within the Fleet were authorized to even venture to Hestia. The Empathics were taught the common tongue, the Mas'Heirs had their own language though they spoke in the common tongue when the Fleet wished to purchase an Empathic from them. The Empathics were expected to be fluent in the common tongue, the only time they could speak in their own language was in the safety of their homes when the Mas'heirs were unable to hear. The Mas'heirs saw their native language as being as lowly and worthless as the Empathics under their control, they would not lower themselves to learn it and punished the Empathics if they were caught speaking it. It was one of the very few things they had found ways to keep from the time before the Mas'heirs had invaded. They were just words, the Mas'heirs grip on them was too powerful for them to ever consider using their language to plan a revolt or revolution. But they were careful to keep their language hidden.
She honestly doubted Starfleet was even aware that the Empathic language still existed. Spock had looked into it on his own, had begun to teach himself her language when they had first began their lessons so many years ago. She had helped with his pronunciation and other areas, and now he was fluent. She did not know how or why Nyota Uhura had learned anything of her language. It had been many years ago that she had learned the woman knew some of it, at least enough to translate a song or two, and at that point it would have been difficult to call the woman a friend to her.
Spock was of the suspicion that Uhura had tried to learn the language as a topic to discuss with him in the hopes of gaining his attention. If only the woman had known that Cora held his attention from the first moment he had seen her in the halls of the Academy, perhaps she would have ceased in her efforts earlier, perhaps her relationship with Cora would have been one of friendship instead of enmity sooner. He did not hold Uhura's past actions against her now, though. Cora and the woman had grown to friendship. He could tell Cora was surprised Uhura hadn't thought to ask her to stop calling her Nyota Uhura every time in her language yet. But it was amusing to watch the others huff in a good-natured exasperation for it.
Spock nodded, "Shall we?" he gestured to the side, the two of them planning to find a quiet area of the base to finish their talk.
"Excuse me, Commander Spock?" a voice said and they turned to see two elder Vulcans in ceremonial attire approaching, "May we have a moment of your time?"
"Alone?" the second delegate added with a look to Cora.
The girl immediately looked down, bowing her head in acceptance and respect.
Spock felt something twist uncomfortably within him at the display. It had been…so long, since he had seen that move in action in such a way. Cora had come…so far, in her comfort around the crew. She had been so timid, so quiet, so submissive when she first joined the Academy. She still was in larger crowds, in official circumstances. But the years in space, where it was just the crew, he could see a comfort grow in her, she felt safe with them, she felt…equal to them. She smiled, she spoke, she offered ideas, she took initiative with the others. The isolation of space had made her feel secure with the people around her, so much so that it was nearly jarring to see her revert to how she had been by a single word from a Vulcan Elder.
It was as though, with that one word, she was reminded of her 'place' and that these men were not her crew. He would be damned if he let her fall back to that mindset, where she felt lesser than her crew and not a part of them.
Just as Cora moved to step away, he reached out to take her hand. It was for many reasons. Physical contact was treasured by Empathics, but it also gave them a better connection to his emotions and her thoughts, he needed her to feel that she belonged there with him. It was also a show to the Elders that she was not just crew to him, she was his partner in all things, and he would not be parted from her. Let them think less of him, think this was his human side showing, better him than her.
"Cora is my mate," he told them, before looking at her, "Whatever you have to say to me, you may say in front of her."
The two delegates looked at each other, even as Cora's gaze remained on Spock, holding his eyes with her own. They only looked away when the two delegates nodded their reluctant assent.
~8~
Cora stood a step or two behind Spock, to his side, her hands clasped before her, remaining quiet as he finished speaking with the two Vulcan Elders. While she appreciated his efforts to include her, she respected that the two Elders didn't wish her to be there and she did her best to keep silent and out of the way, allowing them their privacy while also not disrespecting Spock's wish for her to remain.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Spock spoke as the two offered him a box, "Live long and prosper," he made the hand gesture of their people to them.
"Live long and prosper," the two Elders returned the gesture before nodding their heads and turning to go.
Cora waited till they had left the room and stepped over to Spock's side, feeling tears in her eyes as she felt the swell of emotion within him. The sorrow, the grief, the guilt, anger, hurt, sadness, desperation, heartache, and so much more. She could feel him spiraling even though he gave no outward indication of his grief.
She reached out and placed a hand on his arm as he held the box, letting a sliver of comfort flow into him. It wasn't meant to change his emotions, it wasn't meant to drown the others he was feeling. It was just her way of telling him, reminding him, that she was there with him should he need her. She was there, he was not alone.
He swallowed hard and moved to set the box down on a small table, picking up a tablet off the top of it and taking her hand, feeling his human side crying out for more contact though he couldn't voice it. He walked towards a large window that revealed the stars outside the base's domed glass and looked down at the screen of the tablet.
It was an image of Spock Prime, Stardate 2230.06-2263.02.
The Ambassador Spock had passed away.
He closed his eyes tightly, letting his one arm drop away, unable to look at the information any longer, only opening them when he felt Cora gently touch his cheek with her other hand. He turned his head, allowing her to guide his gaze, and looked at her. She gave him an empathetic smile, small though it was, her thumb stroking his cheek as a tear fell.
"I do not know what to say," Cora murmured to him, "I am sorry."
Spock shook his head, taking a deep breath and taking comfort in her being with him even as he turned and moved over to sit on a small bench against the windows, "I do not know what to say either."
"Then do not speak," she offered as she came to sit beside him, "Allow yourself to feel your grief. The delegates have gone, it is just me."
Spock nodded, resting back, his head falling against the window as he looked up, the tablet clenched in his hands. Cora remained quiet beside him and while she hadn't filtered more than a sense of comfort to him, she was radiating support and calm and comfort, a constant presence, a rock. And he let himself feel everything.
The words of the delegates echoed in his mind, how the Ambassador, Spock Prime, had passed peacefully in his sleep. How he had seemed to know his time was approaching and had gotten his affairs in order, requesting that the box of his possessions be given to his younger counterpart. How their people on New Vulcan had given him the highest of honors in their rituals for his passing.
And then he couldn't help how his thoughts turned to the fact that…he hadn't been there. He hadn't been part of the funerary rights. His father had been there, his father had had to bury his son, an aged version of his son, but a version nonetheless. Spock Prime, he had been a pillar for his people, a guiding hand, someone they could turn to for reassurance. Everything New Vulcan had become was due to the efforts of Ambassador Spock. And now the man was gone.
What would it mean for his people?
A small part of him considered, briefly, that Spock Prime had been 162 years old when he passed, based on what he knew of his alternate self's year of birth. It was logical then to believe he would live at least that long if all went well.
But that was a fleeting thought and only a small comfort to him at the moment. The needs of the many were more important than the needs of the one. He could not think of himself in this moment, his grief would be profound, he knew, it was not every day one was told they had died. But his people, his people were what he needed to think of.
They had lost one Spock but…but maybe they did not need to.
HE was Spock, he may not be the Ambassador Spock they were used to, but he had the potential to be that man. He had it within him. And he had a responsibility, an obligation, to do what he could for his people. It had been the only way he had been able to come to terms with remaining on the Enterprise after his planet had been destroyed, the fact that his people would still have him, in some form. But now they didn't.
"I believe I may have found another purpose," he said out loud, half-in thought.
Cora looked to him, "You wish to take Ambassador Spock's place on New Vulcan."
It did not take much to reach that conclusion. After so long with Spock, she had learned how to see the 'logic' in things as he would. It was not something she could do automatically, she had her own way of viewing the world around her, however, with effort, she could understand situations from his perspective. New Vulcan had lost a Spock, and HE was a Spock, and they were his people.
It was only logical.
"I believe it may be necessary," he continued, confirming her thoughts, "My people need me."
Cora was silent a very long time after he had spoken, looking down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Spock did not say another word though, sensing, in his own way, that she was thinking very hard on what he had said and what to say in response.
"If…this is something…you feel you must do," she spoke, in a halting way that had Spock looking over at her sharply, "Then I give my most sincere blessing."
"...why do you sound as though you are letting go of me?" Spock frowned at her.
"Because I must," she closed her eyes, her head bowed, her hands gripped together so tightly they were turning white.
"Cora, you are my mate," Spock spoke, a genuine confusion in his voice, "I would not leave without you," he automatically moved a hand to try and gently turn her head up once more, but she reached out to take his hand instead, lowering it so she could continue to bow her head.
She was not sure she could get the words out if she looked at him, to remind him of her culture and the situation she was in as an Empathic, "I cannot leave Starfleet. You know this."
It was both true and untrue.
The Fleet purchased Empathics from Hestia and freed them. But they also offered them a place with the Fleet, inviting them to join, an offer for them to help spread peace and assistance to others. They accepted, of course they did, to be freed from the Mas'heirs? It was a debt they could never repay. They joined the Fleet and they stayed with the Fleet. The Mas'heirs had ensured they were always grateful to their masters, and the Fleet, even after freeing them, became something of a new-master to them. Whether they freed them or not, the Mas'heirs made sure they would feel indebted to those who purchased them. The Fleet was aware, there was no way they weren't by now, of how an Empathic would react to freedom, their feeling of owing the Fleet their assistance. They didn't fight too hard to convince Empathics they had other options, to insist they explore, they spent a good deal of resources to purchase them and Empathics, by joining a Fleet, returned that investment and then some. The Fleet was not terrible to be a part of either, they did good work, they helped. There were worse chains to be kept in.
Spock knew that, in a strict sense, Cora was free, she could retire from the Fleet. There was nothing that said the Fleet would not allow an Empathic to leave should they request it, they could not force someone to stay. But Empathics would never be able to bring themselves to do so. It would be like telling a Vulcan to never again use logic or control.
Empathics would live and die as part of a crew.
As much as she loved Spock, as much as she was his mate, as strong as their bond was, it was too deeply ingrained in her to pay her debt to the Fleet.
Perhaps, in years and years, if she grew then as much as she had in the few years they had been out in space, she might feel like she had done enough, served long enough, earned her worth, and leave with Spock. But she could not, not right now.
The crew had a five year mission, she was part of the crew, she could not leave before the end of that. And she knew in her heart she might not even leave after that either.
She felt like two halves of her were at war. As far as she knew, the two Empathics who came before her in the Fleet were not joined to any other crew member. They could remain with their crew to the end of their lives with no conflict.
Right now she felt the duty to her crew, to the Fleet, warring with her duty to her mate, to her heart.
"If you cannot leave your mate, and your mate cannot leave her crew…" Cora shook her head, "The only way is to have no mate."
Spock squeezed her hand more, using his other hand to touch her cheek, making her look at him, "I will not leave you."
"I cannot ask you to choose between your people or me."
Spock swallowed hard and pulled her into his arms as she broke down, overwhelmed, "You do not need to ask. There is no question. I will always choose you."
Cora closed her eyes tightly at the regret in his voice, the feel of it wafting over her. He regretted saying what he had, suggesting he should leave for New Vulcan.
She had felt it in Captain Kirk, a discontent, not the same as what she felt off Spock, but similar, growing in him. She felt a…boredom…in her captain and she feared that he was uninterested in the life aboard the Enterprise, that he would leave them. There were the stirrings of resentment deep within the man, that he felt he could not leave as he was the Captain and meant to stay with his ship.
She did not wish that fate for Spock. If he truly felt he needed to be with his people, she would never wish to hold him back from that. But she knew he would not leave her in such a manner. It only served to make the fear grow worse, that, one day, he may come to resent her as the Captain had started to resent his position.
She feared, one day, Spock would come to regret mating with her if it held him back from this new purpose he felt he had found.
She did not want to lose him, but she did not know what she could do to help. This was not a situation she had ever thought to find herself in.
She did not know what to do.
A/N: Wow, things escalated a little quickly there lol.
To explain why Cora hasn't told Spock what she was trying to tell him earlier at the end here. He JUST found out someone died, that HE died, an alternate him, but still him. So, right off the bat, telling him something else that has already got her concerned might not be the best thing to add to it. She'd want to wait for a better time. It's just sort of poor taste. If someone's died, you really don't want to add to it or give them any other news that can throw their world off its axis any more, you know? And second, near the end, Spock does regret saying he wants to go to Vulcan out loud, we'll see more of his thoughts on this conversation in a few chapters, more of his internal thoughts now that he'd have had time and hindsight to review. He really is making a plan in the heat of the moment and after a big blow, so it's a bit illogical, but as Cora said, emotions are rarely ever logical. He's going to realize that and look back on this and we'll see more about that. Cora is now afraid that she'll be something holding him back from going to Vulcan, because she is now thinking that really is the purpose he wants to have. If she tells him what she's discovered about her abilities changing, it would just be yet another reason to do with her that would 'hold him back' and she'd rather they talk and get a plan in place and BOTH be ok with the plan before adding any new information.
Again, emotions aren't logical and sometimes they overwhelm. Both Cora and Spock are experiencing this now and it may strain them a bit, but as detailed in the story's summary, the time apart after in the next few chapters will really help them re-prioritize and work things out. It would be a little taste, for Spock, of what it means to be separated-separated from Cora and help him realize his plans to go to New Vulcan may not have worked ever.
This was a tricky start to the story for me. I wanted to keep some themes of the movie going, but tweak them to fit Cora and Spock's dynamic. We saw in the movie Spock was feeling a duty to his people, an unrest, and then a thought that he should return to Vulcan to help after Spock Prime died. I tried to keep that paralleled here with a discontent he's feeling, but unsure what it is. This isn't like with Uhura, they aren't just dating and can break up. He's mated to Cora, that's for life and so some of the issues between him and Uhura are sort of null in this. So I really tried to find a way to introduce the idea of Vulcan, with Spock Prime's death, but also show that the confliction and reluctance Spock had about it in the movie are still there. Here it's more a knee-jerk reaction that he hasn't thought through, but made the mistake of saying out loud to his mate and it's upsetting to her.
We'll have to wait and see what the two resolve to do though ;)
Also, about the Fleet and the Empathics. Cora IS free, she's not a slave to the Fleet, however she does FEEL as though she is now something of an indentured servant. That she owes the Fleet a debt, her life, for freeing her and will work and serve them as best she can. She truly feels she can never leave the Fleet because of it. Hestia has become a slave planet, the Fleet cannot interfere for a number of reasons. Non-interference, they are not warring against other Federation planets, they are not affecting massive events elsewhere, the Empathics themselves are not requesting help to be liberated (despite it being a result of being oppressed so long), and they cannot go in and change a culture just because they disagree with it :( What the Fleet CAN do is help in some small way. When they can afford it, they try to free an Empathic. They purchase one, they free them. But let's also keep in mind, they've spent a LOT to do this and if they can maybe make it back over the years, like an investment, then it equals out over time. So they invite the Empathic to join the Fleet, and they do, they always do. No one is forcing them to, but it's in their nature and it's been beaten into them by the Mas'heirs, so they go along with it. The Fleet isn't going to really try all THAT hard to convince the Empathic they have other options or not to join the Fleet, because they are useful and they do help a lot in the long run. We saw with Admiral Marcus, sometimes officials in the Fleet will authorize things they know are wrong, to get what they want. Now I'm not saying everyone in the Fleet is corrupt like that, but the Fleet do sort of want the Empathics to stick around due to their abilities, so maybe they don't quite fight hard to convince them they're really actually fully free. Legally, they free Empathics they buy, they can do whatever they want, but from a cultural, internal, nature sort of way, Empathics themselves will commit themselves to the Fleet on their own and they feel they cannot leave. No matter what others tell them, they just CAN'T go :( So that's sort of why Cora is saying she couldn't go with Spock if he did leave to live on New Vulcan. And, she's right, in years and years, maybe she might, but she can't right now :(
Some notes on reviews...
Lol, I can't say, we'll have to wait and see what's up with Cora. It could just be a sort of advancement in her power she wasn't expecting because it's tied to Hestia and living among other Empathics ;)
I've heard of Kes, yup, I actually got a PM about it after I'd posted Cora's first two stories. I haven't seen the episodes though but I ready the summaries :) I can see some similarities ;)
We'll have to wait and see if Cora is or isn't, it can just be a natural expansion of her powers, you never know ;)
I can understand a dislike of pregnancy stories. I'm not saying Cora is or is not, but looking at the timeline of movies, the chances are if she does end up being pregnant at one point or another, we'd only see about 3 or so days of it, the events of the movies tend to happen quite quickly so anything major would probably be off-screen and in the background. If a child does appear in their future, they may be in part of the story as they'd be present, but, again, not saying if Cora is or isn't ;)
Oh Cora, so much is going on with her on a normal day lol, we'll have to wait and see ;)
I've actually had it on my profile and my tumblr's upcoming stories page for a while now that there will definitely be a Bucky/OC ;) I actually plan to get it up the start of 2019 ;)
I'm very excited for who Cora gets separated with, but I won't say who just yet ;) All very good guesses for what's up with Cora and her abilities, we'll have to wait and see ;)
I have it mentioned on my profile that the next Piper story will be up after I finish Calm Before the Storm ;) So probably around...November :)
