OH MY GOSH…you guys are so sweet! your reviews are so nice and to the people who asked…
Sorry…don't check this every day, probably not even every week….I'm an extremely slow writer I will make my best EFFORT to write I'm making that promise, but ….Please forgive me… (ps my computer was down for nearly 2 weeks, …guh I need a new one)
Any way…your next character…Um can someone say duh…X) this one's just alittle longer.
...
The stranger wasn't tall.
A shade under 5'11" if Spock's weren't mistaken.
The man was wrapped in a heavy traveling blanket, with a faded gold bandana hitched just under his eye tucked neatly down from his face into the front of his shirt. Beneath and below the blanket, a worn leather jacket so covered in dust that it looked gray ended just below mid-calf and where the jacket ended, long black cowboy boots of an excellent quality showed, behind just as much dust.
The overall look was perfectly tied together by the severely rumpled black hat that was pulled down low over his head, blocking his eyes.
Spock's sharp eyes missed nothing, including the partially concealed gun belt, that hung angled just so, on the stranger's hips.
For a single moment, far too small a fraction in time to even be called a second it seemed as if the world had slowed, and though the stranger's eyes were covered and though logically it should have been impossible for the man to even know where Spock was hiding, Spock felt for all the world like the stranger was looking at him.
Kriscof's angry voice soon snapped the world back into its motion.
"Hey…Cow-yoker…I'm askin' yew once… who the hell are you?"
The stranger slowly set down a small green cloth bag he'd had slung over one shoulder. As he did this he turned to face the house, hands still tight around the small bag's rope handles.
Then with the same deliberate slowness he moved one hand to the dirt coated bandana, giving it a sharp tug down to reveal his clean shaven face. His head shifted from one side of the fire fight to the other and then back.
The ranchers began to cautiously raise their heads, pistols pointed at the stranger. Across the way Spock, Pike and Sulu made to do the same.
The stranger held up his hands in a gesture Spock recognized as surrender. But as the man shifted Spock was able to see the small smirk ever so slightly tilting his lips. Bundled to the point of obscurity and caught between two, clearly dangerous, fighting fractions, the man was still able to give off an aura of calm humor, like he found the whole situation to be some big joke.
Spock wasn't very good at 'normal' emotions but for the past 5 years he had been studying, learning the strange illogical ways of the settlers. And even with as little as he did know about 'normal reactions' he was certain that the stranger's amusement was not a typical one.
"I said…" Kriscof began again but the stranger cut him off.
"Now, not that it's any of your business... The name is Kirk. And frankly neighbor, I'm gonna suggest that we all run." The stranger's voice was calm but, it filled the air, leaving in its echo an ominous kind of dread.
The dramatic lighting strike that followed could be chalked up to pure coincidence…
Sure.
…
McCoy didn't swear.
Not out loud at any rate.
But to be completely honest he'd seen this coming. Well not this precisely, but that twitch in his eye, well that twitch was a reaction reserved for one man and one man alone.
God, McCoy would have given his left hand for something to drink in that moment, but there wasn't any alcohol within 10 miles so it was best to focus on other things…like, trying to decipher the crazed up plan Kirk had for getting them out of this one, because it was only par for the course that he would have some half baked scheme in that half cooked head of his.
"I'm sorry I think I musta miss heard you…Kirk."Kriscof said his voice low and dangerous like the sound of a rattle-snake's tail.
Spock watched now standing, as the new comer 'Kirk' casually turned his body towards him, the stranger's face and eyes still forward, looking at the rancher.
"Nope you didn't miss hear," His voice light and friendly "I told you to run."
His smile was bright and cheerful, but his eyes…there seemed to be something wrong with them. They didn't match the other facial cues, filled with an emotion that Spock found himself, unable to name.
"So if I were you I'd get the hell out of here while I still could." His voice hadn't changed in any perceptible manner but something in it, in the way he spoke, something was different and then Spock recognized it that mystery emotion.
Anger.
Rage.
Those blue eyes, too blue to be natural, had turned to diamond in anger.
Kriscof blinked. His anger at the deputies now completely focused on the arrogant new-comer. But something…something in those eyes made him hesitate for just a moment.
Kriscof leveled his rifle at the stranger "I'm giving you one chance to explain what the hell that is supposed to mean before I blow your fucking head of your shoulders."
Spock raised his pistol pointing at the rancher. If his calculations were accurate then there was a strong likelihood that if he struck now, while everyone's focus was directed at the stranger, he would be able to take at least three of the guards. He would just have to trust that Sulu and Pike could take the rest.
But before Spock could set his plan into motion McCoy grabbed his wrist and violently shook his head. Spock was confused. He wasn't accustomed to reading expressions but it was hard to miss the warning in the doctor's eyes.
Unwilling to risk attracting attention by speaking Spock was unable to ascertain where in the trouble lay…but McCoy wouldn't let go.
Kirk flashed a dark smirk that would have had the devil thinking twice and said
"Oh…I'm just suggesting that we all leave before the five sticks of dynamite I stuck under your house go boom…"
Turning on his heel, Kirk started to sprint from the Rancher's house.
Kriscof raised his gun to shoot but one of his partners had panicked, there was shouting another gunshot…but Spock couldn't focus on them, Kirk, was running straight at him, and smiling.
Kirk ran for all he was worth, he hadn't been sure how much dynamite to use so he'd opted for over kill. The large create was just a few yards back, and taking cover at this point was not an option. The tall pale man he'd seen Bones tending to earlier was standing starring at him, his large black eyes wide in shock.
There wasn't much time now and friendlies needed to take cover. Kirk had remembered from his days working in the coal mines to stuff cotton in his ears, but it was more than just unlikely, that the tall stranger would have any in his.
Bones at least would have the sense to duck and over his ears.
The stranger though, was just staring, a little dumb struck. Kirk didn't consciously decide to do it, but all at once he was leaping over the create, straight at the stranger, landing soundly on the man's chest, and dropping them straight to the ground.
Staring into the deepest eyes he'd ever seen, Kirk didn't move to get up, but firmly clamped his hands on the stranger's delicate ears, and waited.
Spock's mind was spinning. Dynamite? Two sticks less than thirty yards away? So busy pondering the implications of Kirk's words Spock only registered Kirk's intention a split second before it happened.
Kirk was sprinting straight at him, and with an almost super natural grace he leapt over Spock's make-shift shelter before slamming, hard into Spock's chest, taking them both to the dirt.
Spock found for the first time in memory that he was unable to react. Unnaturally blue eyes were staring into his and it was all he could think about. Somewhere in the part of his brain that still functioned Spock noted Kirk's calloused hands clamping gently around his sensitive ears.
Bones knelt close to Spock's right when hell started to break loose. The word 'dynamite' from Kirk's mouth had his hands reaching to protect what was left of his hearing on pure reflex. Yeah, he remembered that word, and he remembered. James Tiberius Kirk.
Back east they had been best friends, or as close to best friends as McCoy would ever allow. Yeah, McCoy had recognized Jim's plan, and he wasn't the least bit surprised to see the pointy eared bastard fall on his uptight ass. Nor did it surprise him to see Kirk holding the fool's ears; time with Kirk always meant a big bang.
Less than two seconds after Kirk made his less the graceful fall the earth, there came a sound so loud and all encompassing that it seemed to shake the very air. It seemed like the earth was trying to split itself in two. The explosion shook the earth, sending those not covered in ruble spiraling to the ground.
The explosion seemed to be more then the sky above could take, because even before the remnants of the rancher's house could start their smoldering decent back to earth the sky above split open launching the flood waters downward so fast that it seemed like one continuous wall of water.
Pike and Sulu were up faster. They scrambled their way closer the center of the explosion. Closer to three figures lying motionless in the now muddy earth.
"God damn it Jim!" McCoy's voice roared drowning out the rush of water and the ringing that clogged his ears. "I'm a doctor not an explosives expert!"
He turned in time to see Kirk look up. Dazed though he clearly was a small smirk was working its way on to his face.
Slowly, carefully Kirk started to disentangle himself from the man he'd landed on.
"Nice to see you to Bones,…Did ya miss me?"
"Miss you?" Bones asked "I only just started to repair my liver from all the damage you dealt it the last time we met."
Jim grinned his patented smile, the one that made hearts melt and boil in rage all at once. "Awe…Bones that's no way to greet your best friend who just saved you collective asses… "
"Bones?" Sulu asked as he neared the scene.
"Old nickname for Len over here…" Kirk started but pike interrupted.
"Well if it isn't James T. Kirk. I've heard all about you…I knew your father. I'm Sheriff Pike by the way," Pike leaned in to take Jim's hand.
"Well I'd tell you my name, but you know it, so I'll just skip to the 'nice to meet you-s'…"
Pike gave a soft chuckle. "You sound like your father. Well you seem to know the Doc…This is my second Deputy Sulu" Jim grinned and offered Sulu a hand.
"And the one you are sitting on is my first Deputy… Spock."
Jim hesitated for a moment before looking down at the stranger beneath him.
Jim had quiet forgotten that he'd been mostly sitting on someone and 'Spock', well, he hadn't said a word. Looking down Jim saw a face devoid of expression, but those black eyes, a deep chocolate now that he could see them properly, glittered with suppressed emotion.
Jim back peddled as quickly as he was able without stepping on a protruding appendage. Kinda embarrassing to be caught sitting on someone…
Spock sat up whipping mud off a handsome dark blue shirt and a pair of black pants that had clearly seen better days.
Kirk was struck for a moment by how absolutely stunning Spock was. Clearly of a mixed ancestry he resembled the strange and distinctive natives called Vulcans. Pale, tall, gently pointing ears, a face of stone… all of it gave him away as different, but the deep brown of his eyes and the soft silky black of his hair left Jim willing to bet all he owned that the man had a settler parent.
The mix was exotic and strangely appealing.
Kirk's assessment lasted only a second before he snapped himself out of it. Sometimes, Jim had to admit to himself that he had the small problem of being transfixed by pretty shiny things...
But no harm no foul. Jim felt his usual charming grin sliding firmly back into place.
"Sorry about jumping you…"Jim joked, "but ah… well, I didn't have a lot of time and well… you wouldn't have liked the damage done to unprotected ears…" Jim said the last part quietly. He could remember a time or two were he'd left his ears unprotected the pain had been excruciating and getting his hearing back had taken months.
As it was his ears still sent out painful headaches every now and then.
"I understand…and accept you logic." Spock's voice was even, but Jim could hear the subtle stiffness. It almost made him want to laugh. First Deputy Spock looked just a tad bit pathetic in the rain. It reminded Jim of a rain soaked cat.
Spock was a strange guy; Jim was having trouble reading him and he was having even more trouble understanding him 'accept you logic…'?
Jim glanced at Bones silently asking ' Apology accepted or what?' but Bones was looking at Sulu's ear and not willing to try and explain the mind of a Hobgoblin.
"Best get out of here before we can't find our way out…" Pike decided at length, pulling his hat low, nearly shouting to be heard over the rain.
Bones nodded, "I'm giving everyone exams when we get back…you to Jim, lord knows what's gonna be wrong with you this time…"
Kirk grinned walking over to pick up his sopping wet hat, "Whatever the Doc orders…"
"You too, Mr. Deputy …I don't care how 'self aware' you are…"
Spock merely gave the doctor a look that on anyone else would have been described as 'paint peeling' before nodding and responding with an emotionless. "As you say doctor, I will defer to your medical judgment…"
Sulu disappeared and reappeared moments later leading several clearly frightened horses to the clearing.
"We brought two extras…but with the thunder and the explosion…well I hope you ride better than you handle explosives…" Sulu's voice was nonchalant but the gleam in his eye was anything but.
Jim grinned. He lived for the challenge, and this was clearly a challenge. Something in Sulu's dare gave Jim hope. He had a feeling that he was going to like this deputy…
(again sorry, please review, and I have 0 idea how big an explosion of 5 dynamite sticks is so i'm gonna sort of explain the reason it was so huge later...
REVIEW, and what do you think of Jim having a horse named Kevin ?
ps brownies to anyone who can guess the next character introduced.