Vokaya Halan

A/N: Look at what you guys get for being awesome? You get another chapter! Thanks to all the people who reviewed, and to Selernia who I can't reply to, you're awesome, and if you favorited and/or following this story, you're awesome to. If you guys could, could you tell me if I've got the dates right? Because they totally confuse me! And also, should you like to know, I still don't own Star Trek, if I did, there should have been more Spirk (come on, go look at TOS and not be blinded!) my hate list hasn't changed (still Khan and Marcus duking it out, I have popcorn), and neither has my looking for a trio of ducks status (they may have flown somewhere colder?). Please continue to review, as you can see it makes me upload faster! Oh! And if anyone spots any references I'll give you a cookie!

Chapter 4 – Communication Skills I & A Black Box

Spock turned to face Jim. Jim felt himself freeze; he was a lot younger.
"Are you well, Jim?" Spock asked.
Jim blinked, why was he talking to him like that?
Recent memories poured back.
Aw crap!
Spock knew about Frank and Winona!
But…did he know they weren't meant to be children? Did he have his memories, or were they erased?
Jim nodded. "Who were they?" He asked, he needed to play along as if he didn't have his memories, to see if Spock had his or not (not only would it get him and more importantly, Spock into trouble it would also make Spock think him weird).
"That was Stonn and his company." Spock told him.
Jim frowned. "Why was he being mean? You're not mean to me."
Spock flinched. "He is full Vulcan, and doesn't take kindly to anyone less."
Jim blinked, having dealt with Spock for so long, he understood what he didn't say; Stonn doesn't like Spock, either.
"…You're cooler." Jim muttered truthfully.
Spock blinked. "Thank you. Shall we go home?"
Jim nodded.

Holy crap! Spock's mother! She's alive!
They definitely weren't on New Vulcan! How the hell did THIS happen?! Jim REALLY wished he was able to talk to Spock about it.
For all Jim knew, Spock didn't remember and he would think Jim crazy.
But he had to try; but when…?
…Obviously not when Amanda or Sarek could hear.
So that meant bedtime.
Jim could live with that. He just had to set the stage by falling asleep: Which definitely wasn't hard.
…Nightmare time.
Spock had always woken him from nightmares, even on the Enterprise. Jim wasn't quite sure how the Vulcan knew when he was having a nightmare, but he always did. Since coming to Vulcan as children, Spock had been way more tactile, something Jim totally didn't mind at all.

Jim woke to Spock shaking him awake. Tears he couldn't hold in, streamed down his face, seeing them, Spock hugged him.
"Spock…" Jim started, now or never.
"Yes, Jim?" Spock replied.
"How did we end up on Vulcan?" Jim asked.
The use of we had Spock pulling back, and Jim trying not to pout unsuccessfully; (which Spock saw).
"…Captain…?" Spock tried.
Jim lit up. "Oh, you remember to? Awesome, so you don't think I'm weird now."
Spock blinked. "I have sustained my memories since we got here." Jim flinched, "Jim…?"
"Sorry that you know about Frank." Jim muttered.
Spock shook his head. "I will find it hard not to hurt him, shall I ever meet him."
Jim laughed quietly, and then sobered.
"What's the star-date, Spock?" Jim asked.
"2245—" Spock stalled when he saw the flinch Jim gave out at the mention.

"I gotta go back." Jim said quietly.
This alarmed Spock greatly. "You do not have to."
"I never told you how I got of Earth around this age, did I?" Jim asked.
Spock frowned, but shook his head; he hadn't even known Jim had left Earth before being 'drafted' by McCoy onto the Enterprise.
"…Drove my dad's car off a canyon." Jim started, Spock grew silent. "…Got shipped out to my mother's family; they lived on Tarsus IV."
Spock immediately took hold of Jim's shoulders in what looked like a flash of terror. "You were there?"
Jim nodded; he knew what Spock was referring to. "I was one of Nine who knows Kodos' face. I'll be able to send a message to Starfleet before things get bad, and we won't have a famine; no people massacred." Jim tried.
Spock's grip tightened. "…I do not wish for you to leave…"
Jim smiled. "You know where I'll be in ten years' time, Spock."
Jim wasn't expecting Spock to be the one to initiate a hug.
"I do not wish to not hear from you for ten years, Jim."
Jim swung his arms around his friend tightly.
"We may have to, Spock." Jim replied. "It'll hopefully give us enough time to think about how we can stop Nero."
Spock held tighter. "You wish for us to change the timeline?"
Jim returned the hold. "Has already been changed by Nero jumping in front of the Kelvin."
"How…?" Spock questioned.
Jim sighed. "We'll have ten years to figure something out." He said, leaning away to look at Spock.
Spock looked unhappy. "If we cannot see each other for ten years, we can at least still digitally communicate." Spock said.
"Oh yeah…? Do you have a set of communicating devices like that? I'm sure they're not built with that long range capacity for civilian use yet." Jim recounted with a pout.

Jim watched as Spock got up to go over to his desk only to pull something out of its draw; and come back to Jim and give him one of two matching digital communicators.
Jim looked astounded. "When did you do this?"
Spock sat down in his bed. "While you were resting; it has been present on my mind that there was a chance you might leave if your parents could be found. Presently it can only give out and receive written messages, but shouldn't lag too much in receiving messages from either Earth or Tarsus." Spock said.
"…You'll let me go to Tarsus?" Jim asked with a blink.
"Preferably not, but you will go anyway to save all you can." Spock recounted.
Jim grinned. "At least we have a way of communicating over the years, I may not be able to communicate when I'm on Tarsus, but I'll tell you before I leave, and when I get back. Agreeable…?" Jim asked.
Spock let out a puff of air. "It will have to be."
"Now all we gotta do is to get me back to Iowa." Jim said.

It was the morning after that Amanda's PADD chimed while Jim and Spock were having breakfast, (Jim and Spock had been very careful to replicate the same behaviours around Amanda and Sarek, so they wouldn't notice a change in Jim).
Amanda looked to her PADD, then to Jim, then back to her PADD, with a frown.
…While Jim looked to Spock obliviously.
"Jim…" Amanda started cautiously.
Jim blinked. "Yes, Amanda?" He asked in a small voice.
"Do you live in Iowa?" Amanda asked.
Jim flinched. "How'd you know?" He blurted out in shock.
Amanda cautiously gave her PADD to him. It said his full name (James "Jim", T. Kirk), age, address and stating he should come home; a message written by his mother, as well as a picture of him.
"Mum's home from space?" Jim asked.
Spock had already stood and came over to read as well.
"What do we do?" Spock asked, looking to his mother's distraught face.
Jim looked alarmed. "I don't want you guys to get involved too! Can't you just send me back, they won't know any better!" Jim said in panic.
Amanda quickly looked from each of her children. One looked amicably fearful, the other….showing no emotion at all.
"I don't want to get you guys in trouble…I don't even know what they'll do if they find out I got here somehow…" Jim muttered.
Amanda looked distraught. "…I'll ask Sarek…" She said faintly, not liking the idea of just dropping Jim off to fend for himself. "…In the meantime, Spock, you need to go to school. Your instructor told me what happened with Stonn." Both boys flinched, "so, Jim'll stay here. Agreeable…?"
Both boys nodded unhappily.

It was decided that Jim would be sent back to Iowa alone, much to Amanda's and Spock's disagreement with Sarek's, we cannot interfere if the boy does not wish it, logic.
Amanda stormed out on her husband. Spock would have walked as well, had Jim not told him he never saw Frank again, and rarely ever saw his mother.

Spock heard his communicator chime softly days after Jim had left:
rec 2245.102 Gotta drive a car over the canyon now. I'll tell you when I get back.
Jim's response had said.
rep 2245.102 I wish you safety.
Spock replied.

He then looked around his room. He needed a way to be able to get Jim out of harm's way, should the endeavour, 'go south'.
Spock stood up and gathered the pieces he would need.
He knew from the reading of documents on Tarsus IV, that it would be three months from now would start the famine.
It seemed only logical should Spock not hear from Jim in that time that Spock go and retrieve his friend from harm.
So, he set out to work.

It was coming up to the end of three months; Spock would give Jim one more day before trying to go after him.
His communicator chimed and Spock made a grasp for it to read its message:
rec 2246.11 Damn Kodos. When he heard Starfleet was coming he accelerated his plan! More or less the same amount of people died!
Came Jim's heated message.
rep 2246.11 Are you well?
Spock asked in reply.
rec 2246.11 Yeah, I will be. Gonna get bored waiting to join Starfleet at the appropriate time. Do you think we should meet up on the grounds, or leave it for the Maru Test hearing?
Spock blinked in rising confusion.
rep 2246.11 Are you going to change the conditions of my test again?
rec 2246.11 Ha-ha. I'm trying to keep it as normal as it was. It was because of the hearing we were deployed so fast.
Jim's reply was fast.
rep 2246.11 Then it would be logical to play our parts as well, so no one will be suspicious of our already involvement.
rec 2246.11 If you're sure…Hey, you figured out a way to stop Nero?
Spock looked to his home-made black box device, that Spock was sure was at least half finished now that he had time to spare.
rep 2246.11 I believe I am 'getting there'.
rec 2246.11 Okay, okay. I gotta go now. Cya, Spock!
rep 2246.11 Fare thee well, Jim.
.


.
Neither communicator chimed in the years to follow. Spock kept up with the studies he had already studied and keeping out of dodge of Stonn; while Jim kept to himself and out of the Federation Police department as well as with anyone's pants, only getting his aptitude tests done so that Pike would notice them.

Once Spock found his way to Earth he did not search for either Uhura or Jim. His and Uhura's relationship ended up going back to friendship, and he did not wish to cloud her, nor get into a debate (it would be illogical to promise something that could not become true); while not searching for Jim for obvious reasons.

Spock could barely contain his amusement at Jim's first message in years:
rec 2255.11 I just re-met Uhura!
rep 2255.11 Did you also get into a fight with Mr Giotto?
rec 2255.11 Yeah, only did it to get to talk to Pike to get the ball rolling.

It was barely a day later when Spock's communicator chimed again:
rec 2255.12 I met Bones! And he threw up on me!
This time Spock couldn't help but chuckle fondly at his friends' antics.

rec 2258.39 We have to time this right, can you be sure to get the same hearing time as last time?
Jim's first reply in three years was.
rep 2258.39 Indeed. I see you did not do anything further then what you did the first time, Jim.
Spock replied, he knew very well of Jim's advancement in that area.
rec 2258.39 It's simple enough to get a hearing at the right time, Spock.

("I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly." Jim had recited,) standing at the podium, facing for the 'first' time, Spock could see how anxious Jim was, he could only hope Jim saw how reluctant he was about repeating his harsh words. He had just now remembered Jim did not know about his newest home-made device.
The hearing was stalled as the distress call came from Vulcan split them all up. Spock started to increasingly worry if Jim would be able to make it onto the Enterprise this time around.

Perhaps that was why he was so short with Uhura, when she argued her position aboard the Enterprise, ("It was an attempt to avoid the appearance of favouritism…" Spock had argued,) while Uhura was still reassigned while Spock kept a wary eye out to find Jim.
Where was he?!

Jim was currently having an allergic reaction to a vaccine McCoy had just given him. He couldn't reply to any message/s he thought he heard his communicator chime he had.
("I might throw up on you." Jim had warned,) though as the thought passed his way was that Spock was going to worry himself. And that wasn't a good place to be.
Never emotionally compromise a Vulcan.
…Says the person who had done it more than once…

Spock could only hope that Jim had made his way onto the Enterprise, and was incapable of replying to his communications. That didn't stop him from worrying.
And he made sure Jim knew it when he, McCoy and Uhura stormed the bridge.

Spock could see the dry desperation and veiled apologies from Jim as he stormed in and argued with him and Pike, (more Pike then Spock; Spock was 'playing along' and 'buying time').
The look of planning that passed through to each other as they dropped out of hyperspace to a graveyard of Federation ships.
Jim will still slightly confused when Spock incognito handed him a single-way duo audio device.
Spock still hadn't managed to tell him about his little black box that was wrapped in two thick black coats, that would soon reach zero, and 'get the ball rolling'.

Soon enough, Nero appeared to talk to Pike, taking a moment to converse with Spock, who in character, played along:
"Pardon me, I do not believe you and I are acquainted."
"No, we're not. Not yet—" Nero started.

The whole of the Enterprise crew was amazed at the sight of beaming lights surround and consume both Jim and Spock, while in their place appeared several Vulcan Elders (and one human), looking slightly confused. The direct link with Nero seemed to waver with static before what looked like pandemonium hit their ship causing the line to break. Before anyone could speak the communications audio line loudly complained at suddenly receiving audio through the drills disruptions.
"The hell, Spock…! How're we on the Narada?!" Jim's voice came through with a bout of static, as if the communicator was having troubles connecting.
Pike blinked with the rest of his crew, while Uhura magnified the signal for the bridge to hear clearly.
"I transported us here; and the Elders into our place in case we do not succeed, Jim." Spock's reply came, confusing every being on the bridge.
"Can we patch through?" Pike asked.
Uhura flipped some switches. "Negative, Captain, only audio from their side. It's somehow only a two-way channel between them, even without the drills interference, and we shouldn't even be receiving audio from their devices. It seems forced and disrupting all other connectivity and systems of both ships."
"When did you have the time for this?" Jim asked in amazement. "Good call by the way."
"I built a transportable beaming device soon after you decided to leave." Spock's voice announced.
A what?
"The hell, Spock…!" Jim's voice sounded startled. "While I was on Tarsus—" The whole crew flinched now knowing Jim was one of the survivors (while Amanda gasped in horror). "You decided to up and build one?!"
"Affirmative…It was logical to assume I could get to you in case your transmission to Starfleet was overlooked if you had not had contact after the first three months." Spock's reply came softly.
"Heh…Thanks, Spock…"
"You are welcome, Jim."
"How the hell, are they working this efficiently, they were at each other's throats a second ago!" McCoy announced with a frown.

"Did you announce world-wide evacuations for Vulcan, Spock?" Jim's voice cut over. "You know, in case we can't reach the drill in time and they decide they wanna erase Vulcan from the stars…again."
The Vulcans on the bridge twitched, as if a ripple effect was felt at the thought.
"I did. I stated previously the Elders would be on the Enterprise." Spock reminded, patiently; as if used to repeating himself.
"That means your parents are safe then. It would be hilarious if they could hear us, they'd be mentally freaking, Bones as well." Jim said in amusement.
"Damn it, Jim!" McCoy muttered.
"Indeed, however they should not be able to. Doctor McCoy does have the tendency to…'freak', when you do things illogically." Spock said.
McCoy blinked in confusion; he had not spent any time with the Vulcan.
"He-he, like you don't—SHIT!" Jim's reply was cut off by phaser gun blasts.
"Jim…?!"
"We have Starfleet Officers on board!" A voice was heard informing.
The crew nearly flipped in alarm.
"Jim! Are you there?" Spock's reply came in a hurry.
"Shh! I'm playing hide and see with Ayel!" Jim's voice replied hushed.
The crew became silent, as if it would somehow help.
"…Are you injured?" Spock's voice asked quietly.
"No, he missed. Where are you?" Jim asked.
There was a sudden noise.
"One of them is Vulcan—!" A voice came over then abruptly stopped as a shot was fired.
"…Now on board the Jellyfish," Spock said.
"—Welcome back, Ambassador Spock." A computer voice came through confusing all beings on the bridge.
"Still convinced that's the weirdest name for a ship carrying something that can blow holes in the universe. Oh hey! That reminds me, we gotta get Scotty and say hello to Ambassador-you. He may not feel the destruction of Vulcan, but he'll have to deal with not being fast enough to save Romulus, and I'd rather him not freeze to death." Jim's voice was still quiet. "If I have to mind-meld with any Vulcan again, I'd rather they never have their home world destroyed. I don't want to feel its effects again."

The Vulcans blinked.
"He mind-melded with you…?" Spock's voice sounded only somewhat semi-surprised.
"I didn't believe him, and you had of course just chucked me off the Enterprise onto Delta Vega. I wasn't about to believe we were best buddies, Spock." Jim reminded; there were phaser gun fire further away captured.
"I have already apologized for that, Jim." Spock reminded him.
"I know, as have I. Ambassador-you felt the break in bond-link as the same he felt when he went through, — please tell if I get this right — kalifee?" Jim's voice came through sounded bewildered.
The Vulcan's twitched, while Amanda gasped in what sounded like worry and slight outrage.
"…You are pronouncing it wrongly. How do you have his memories?" Spock asked, over the computer's voice announcing start up.
"…Emotional transference…He likened the same feelings, T'Pring—is that right?" Jim asked.
"Indeed."
"—Challenged him, and chose his Jim for successor. No idea what that means, but whatever, he likened the same emotions he felt when he thought he killed his Jim." Jim said.
"That would…" Spock tried, knowing very well how much losing Jim hurt. But, by his own hand…
"That, and at the same time, when he was told he had lost his….T'hy'la…and the bond between the two broke as a result of its death…. Please tell me I said all that right, yeah?" Jim asked; then sounded a louder blast and a rebound.
"He had a T'hy'la?" Spock asked, sounding surprised, like the rest of the beings from Vulcan.
"Yeah, what's it mean? Wait; hold on, where are you?" Jim asked his voice hardening.
"Almost broke free." Spock announced, and then they heard several amounts of repeat fire.
The crew looked to the Narada, as the two called it, and indeed a small ship blasted through and circled on itself and shot down towards the drill.
"We gotta get Scotty once we disable the drill." Jim reminded.
"I remember."
"Why would Ambassador-you decide that when he transported me and Scotty over, Scotty got dunked?" Jim asked, over phaser shots.
"…It seemed like fun at the time?" Spock questioned, making everyone's eyebrows raise.
"S'chn T'gai Spock…!" Jim's voice burst through, pronouncing the words perfectly, his voice sounded as if he wanted to laugh himself.
"…I apologise."
"I never should have tried to teach you sarcasm, Spock." Jim said while chuckling, and then a large bang noise came through.
"I would assume the Enterprise of his time and ours are altered due to Nero's attack on the Kelvin." Spock explained.
"Yeah, yeah—oh hey, speaking of which, there's Nero…" Jim started.
"Jim…" Spock said in warning.
"HEY, LOOK AT ME, I'M A TARGET!" Jim shouted joyfully, the crew could perfectly visualise Jim jumping up from his hiding spot, arms waving to get Nero's attention.

…Therein, followed loud repeated phaser fire.
"James! May I inform you, you are anything BUT a target…!" Spock counted in chide.
"Well, that worked…" Jim replied, breathing heavily, as if running; presumably away from Nero. "As if we didn't need to divide his attention more; that means you have got about two minutes to destroy—"
"I know what it means." Spock rushed to say, there was repeated gun fire, then he swore.
The Vulcan's looked affronted, while Amanda held a hand over her mouth, as if to hide her grin.
Jim laughed. "No need to swear, Spock."
"You stop learning Vulcan!" Spock's replied hurry in chide.
"…Nah, it is fun. …You're not gonna freak out like you did back on Galfron, are you?" Jim asked, a little cautiously.
Pike looked a little peeved by this point as he looked to the rest of his crew who looked equally oblivious, while Chekov did some searching.
"The system of Galfron is by our standards, at least one and a half years away from us. There has not been a human exploration planned." Chekov responded, accent fluently throughout all his words.
"You were perfectly aware not to try any of the food before their ingredients were noted against your always-longing list of allergies, and before Doctor McCoy could be on hand in case of an reaction, Jim." Spock reprimanded.
"But it was cake!" Jim near on whined.
"Which had its planetary version makeup for strawberries, cherries, alclove, aldi—", Spock continued.
"I get it Spock; poke before chew. You've bonked me on the head enough times. Don't ever come at me who a hypo again. Bones does that enough— hang-on, I gotta jump." Jim voiced.
"You have to what?!" Spock's reproach was quick.
Jim's reply was a wheeze of breath, he had presumably, jumped.

"Drill disabled." Spock's voice informed.
Indeed, the drill stopped working and the small speck of a ship became clearer.
Jim wheezed.
"The red matter has been taken, the drill has been destroyed." A Romulan male voice said.
"Spock!" Another voice screamed, a few loud footfalls sounded out going further away.
"There goes his attention." Jim rasped.
"Are you injured?" Spock asked.
"Just got choked, be fine. Hang-on, gotta get Ayel. Warp away from Vulcan, make it chase you, and leave the Enterprise out of it, before ramming the Narada. We gotta get Scotty and Ambassador-you out of the cold."
"You be well." Spock replied as the Jellyfish worked its way around to face the Narada, to catch its attention, which tried to fire its weapons.
"Your face be well." Jim retorted in his own version of kindness in a way to hide his own worries.
The Jellyfish zoomed around it (away from the direction of the Enterprise) and warped. The Narada followed diligently.