Klingons

"Spock!" Wallace gasped when she looked over to see the Vulcan standing there, watching her, "You startled me."

"What are you doing, doctor?" he demanded.

"Verifying that the torpedoes..."

"You misunderstand," he cut in, feeling irritation at how she wasn't understanding what he said when he spoke, Cora always did, she always knew what he was saying or meaning to say, half the time he didn't even have to speak to get the point of his thoughts across to her, "What are you doing onboard this ship?" he continued, pushing Cora from his mind, or trying to, it seemed the thought of her had become rather deep rooted, "There is no record of you being assigned to the Enterprise."

"Really?" she smiled, as though trying to remain calm, even he could see the strain in it without Cora there to point it out.

She had begun to teach him small things about emotions, about reading and realizing them in others. Instead of going for the larger traits, the ones that anyone could see, the ones that didn't interest him, she had taken a different attempt, pointing out the smaller aspects, the more minute details, appealing to his Vulcan nature of gathering all the data necessary. She had begun to teach him of small 'tells' that others would give during their emotional moments, when they lied or were hiding something. Dr. Wallace was clearly doing both.

"That must be some sort of mistake."

"My conclusion as well, Dr. Marcus," he used her TRUE name at that point, seeing her expression fall, seeing her realize that he knew exactly who she was, "Except that you have lied about your identity. Wallace is the surname of your mother. I can only assume the Admiral is your father."

"Mr. Spock," 'Wallace' began, taking a step towards him though he stepped back, something inside him not wanting any woman to be too close to him, any woman who wasn't Cora, which was not helping him in distracting himself from thinking of her if all he wanted was her to be closer to him even when she wasn't there. He felt his jaw tense at that, this was supposed to be a distraction, not a reminder of Cora, "I'm aware that I have no right to ask this of you, but please…he cannot know that I'm here…"

Before she could continue her pleas, the ship jolted with a violent move, sending them all crashing to the sides and the ground as the ship seemed to fall out of warp.

Spock was on his feet and running for the turbolift the moment it stilled, his mind racing back to Cora, to how he hadn't been there with his mate, how she could have been injured on the Bridge, and rushing to check, a drive pushing him to ensure she was alright…

~8~

"Engineering manually dropped us out of warp, sir!" Sulu reported to Kirk as they all jolted on the Bridge.

Kirk ran over from where he was helping Cora off the ground where she'd fallen to turn the comm. on, "Mr. Chekov, did you break my ship?!"

"Sorry, sir," Chekov came over, "I don't know what happened. Ze core owerheated I had to actiwate ze emergency stop. It must be a cooling leak, I need time to find it. Sorry, Captain."

"Damn it," he sighed, glancing at Cora, "You alright?" he asked, knowing Spock, given his new...tenser...personality would likely really kill him if something had happened to her under his watch.

"I am well," she nodded.

"Mr. Sulu, time to our destination?"

"20 minutes, sir," Sulu called, "That's 20 minutes in enemy space that we weren't counting on."

"Alright," Kirk rubbed his head, feeling tired and overwhelmed…until he felt a hand on his arm and felt calmer, stronger. He looked over to see Cora beside him and put a hand over hers on his arm, smiling at her in thanks before addressing the crew, "We better hop to it. Where's Spock?"

"Here, Captain," Spock entered the Bridge, stopping when he saw Kirk's hand on Cora's, feeling a sense of…anger rising in him again, "Remove your hand Captain," he said, a tense note to his voice as he appeared to glare at Kirk's hand, at the hand of a man who was touching his mate, a possessive and dangerous tone in his voice as all his instincts told him to shove the man away, to rip his arm off if needed, to ensure he never touched his mate again…but this was the Captain, this was his…friend.

Kirk pulled his hand away and held them both up in surrender before pointing at him, "You're coming with me to Kronos. Lieutenant," he glanced over at Uhura, "How's your Klingon?"

Uhura turned around as he looked at her, "It's rusty but it's good."

"Good, you're coming too," he nodded, "You as well Cora."

Just as Cora nodded, feeling a bit…better about going on missions lately after having some more experience with them, Spock stepped up, "I must request that Cora stay here Captain," Spock stated.

"And why is that Mr. Spock?" Kirk rolled his eyes, before gesturing at them, "I thought you weren't in a fight?" he asked Cora, "Is it going to be a problem or something?" he turned to Spock, "You two working together?"

"It should not be," Cora said, though she frowned at Spock, a hint of hurt in her voice at how he seemed to not want her to go with them.

She knew it could not be about the danger they might face, because she'd faced down Romulans before, she'd been in other dangerous situations and he had never requested she stay behind, he merely…requested of the captain that he take precautions and protect her, but he understood a captain's order. Half the time HE was the one pushing Kirk to let her go on the missions. Every time he would tell her it was another way to grow stronger, to grow more sure of herself and her abilities and her value to Starfleet and the Enterprise. And he was right, each time she faced down a new mission or a new enemy and helped her crew she felt...better, stronger. She felt a little bit more confident. She knew it was something he had spent the last few years doing, building that up in her, brushing off the lingering thoughts of her slavery and reminding her she was free now.

Even when he didn't request she go, when he was concerned for her, he would nod and merely ask that she be cared for...if HE wasn't going with her. But he had not mentioned anything of the sort this time…which led her to believe he just…did not want her to go with them for some reason, perhaps...that he didn't wish her to go with HIM.

But that made no sense, he had raced to the Bridge, she could feel him coming, feel his concern for her, his relief at seeing her alright, so she knew that it wasn't anger or something else keeping him wanting her to go. It was...concern, she could feel that, but it wasn't the normal concern she would associate with something like this. She would have thought it wold be concern for her being around Klingons, possibly, but this...felt more like he was concerned for her...being around HIM.

But why?

"Unclear," Spock countered.

He…was unsure of this. He did NOT want her to go but not for the reason most would assume. He rarely ever feared for Cora's life or her safety. He was one of the few who knew entirely what she was capable of. He knew she could, and would, defend herself in the direst of situations, he trusted her, he knew how strong she was…he was…unsure of his own strength. His strength of will.

He did not know how he would endure being in a small shuttle with Cora, with her being so near and him so…weak willed at the moment. He hadn't even realized he was running for the Bridge till he'd run through the doors to see her alright and unharmed. He couldn't remember the run there either. One moment he'd been speaking to Wallace, the next threatening the captain on the Bridge. He knew it was the Pon Farr, driving him to be closer to his mate as he did have one, and he was clearly failing to push it away. He truly did not know what would come of being with her in such a small shuttle.

"Well get over it," Kirk told him, "I'll meet you three in the shuttle bay."

Cora glanced at Spock and Uhura, the woman glaring at Spock, Spock rigid as ever though she felt…unease coming off him. She turned though to follow them out, leaving Kirk to speak with McCoy and Sulu about their plan of attack.

They had just reached the turbolift when they heard Sulu, who Kirk must have left in charge, coming over the comm., "Acting Captain Sulu to shuttle-bay 2. Please have the trade ship we confiscated during the mud incident last month fuelled and flight ready. Captain Kirk is on route to you right now."

~8~

Kirk walked through the hanger of the Enterprise with Spock, Cora, and Uhura behind him, all of them dressed in darker clothes, more like intergalactic traders than Starfleet, following him to the small shuttle they would be taking right down to the Klingon Homeworld of Kronos.

"Ready to deploy, Captain," one of the two men who stood before the shuttle reported.

"Lieutenants lose the red shirts," Kirk ordered, eyeing their Fleet uniforms, "You are Khormien arms dealers, put those on."

"Sir?" a second man asked as Uhura handed them their new outfits.

"Look, if this thing goes south, there can be nothing tying us to Starfleet. Unless of course you want to start a war, Mr. Hendor?"

"No, sir," the second man nodded.

"No, sir," the first agreed.

"Good, me neither," Kirk stepped past them and into the ship, Uhura following him with the two men.

"Spock," Cora reached out and gently placed a hand on his arm as he moved to go in with them. She frowned, feeling him stiffen under her touch more than he did on the Bridge, "Are…are you alright?" she asked, feeling like she was turning into a broken record as the humans would say but...she knew he wasn't giving her a completely honest answer and she really just wanted to know.

He'd been different, distant, distracted, it was starting to worry her quite a lot. Because that was completely unlike him. He was working harder than ever to bury his emotions and hide them from her and it was alarming her. He didn't even answer, just gave her a short nod, his arm tensing again till she let go. She frowned, seeing him seem to breathe a sigh of relief when she let go of him.

"If…if something is wrong," she moved to stand in front of him as she passed him, "You can talk to me about it," she reminded him, looking up at him, feeling herself smile when he at least looked at her.

But all he gave her was another short nod. He watched her sigh and turn to enter the shuttle, feeling his heart constrict painfully in his chest at the sight of her turning away from him, seeing Uhura within glaring at him as she looked between them before she turned around. He let out another breath as he closed his eyes a moment.

This was…not good at all. Cora's touch, even through layers of fabric, had been warm, burning even, it had made him feel like he was inflamed, like he was on fire in the most enjoyable way…which was not proper. His mind had clouded the moment she'd touched him and he couldn't speak both from not being able to form a coherent word and for fear of what he might say or how it might sound. He was trying harder than ever not to give away anything to her but it appeared he was failing.

He opened his eyes, glancing around to see no one was observing him before he moved his arms from behind him to before him, reaching out his one hand to rest where Cora had touched him…only to notice that his hands were shaking again, a sign of Pon Farr. He had taken to standing as stiffly as he could, his hands clasped behind him, tightly held in each other so as not to give away that fact, the shaking, especially in him, was bound to alert someone that something was wrong. McCoy wouldn't think to check his medical records from when he'd nearly been assigned to the other ship, the medical records there would be stored and kept there for that ship only, no one had any idea what was going on with him.

And that was how he wanted to keep it. The Pon Farr was NOT known to many off-worlders, only really to the medical officer of whatever crew a Vulcan was serving on as a means to prepare them for such an event. But McCoy hadn't had much experience with a Vulcan experiencing Pon Farr, he wouldn't recognize the signs without a medical examination or scan. And that was how he wanted to keep it. It was not something to be talked about, even among his own people it was scarcely brought up except to warn the young of what would happen when it struck.

It was a deeply personal event, a biological one, shielded even among their people in ritual and custom shrouded in antiquity. And that was where he hoped to keep it, in the dark. It was an embarrassing time for a Vulcan, to have logic stripped away, to have primal urges that went so against their teachings and ways of life that…to have so little control of one's self…it was not how they wanted others to see them or ever know they endured. They never wanted other species to know they lost such complete control like this.

He shook his head, hearing the pilots readying the shuttle, and made his way in, sitting on one side of the room, at a set of controls, Cora stationed in the back, in the middle, much like she as on the Enterprise Bridge, where she could see all happening. He knew it wasn't fair to her, to NOT tell her about this, to not talk to her like she'd offered him and reminded him. He knew, logically...he should talk to her. But he also knew that, if he told her...she would want to help him, she would feel obligated to help him. And that wasn't something he wanted, he didn't want to force her into that. He just had to hope that he'd be able to work something out to stop the Pon Farr without harming anyone else.

He looked up when, a moment later, the ship took off and swallowed, trying to breathe through his mouth so as not to smell Cora's scent, something he seemed to be picking up more of since the Pon Farr set in.

~8~

Cora glanced over at Spock as the shuttle flew through Kronos, all of them tense and worried about the Klingons that might be lurking around. She was doing her best to keep them all calm though, and it seemed like she was managing that.

"I am detecting a single life sign in Keth Province," Spock reported, "Given the information provided by Mr. Scott, this is most likely John Harrison."

"Mr. Sulu," Kirk opened the comms., "I think we found our man you let him know you mean business."

"Aye, Captain," Sulu answered, before they heard him give his message, the comms. still open for them, "Attention, John Harrison. This is Captain Hikaru Sulu of the USS Enterprise. A shuttle of highly trained officers is on its way to your location. If you do not surrender to them immediately, I will unleash the entire payload of advanced, long-range torpedoes currently locked on to your location. You have two minutes to confirm your compliance. Refusal do so will result in your obliteration. If you test me...you will fail."

Cora let out a breath, "He is…very good," she told Kirk, the way he spoke was just the right amount of threatening with truth. Granted...they wouldn't unload the torpedoes with THEM on the planet and they were intent to bring him in alive, but Sulu had said it in a way and in a tone where it was very likely that only an Empathic would be able to tell he was lying.

"We will arrive at Harrison's location in three minutes, Captain," Spock added, doing his best to focus on the mission, on the controls before him, "It's unlikely that he will come willingly. I calculate the odds him attempting to kill us at 91.6 percent."

"Fantastic," Kirk muttered, his smile from Cora's words, to hear an Empathic saying Sulu had done well meant that even Harrison would believe the threat, fading.

"Good thing you don't care about dying," Uhura muttered under her breath.

Cora closed her eyes and rubbed her head, just KNOWING what would be coming next despite her many requests that Uhura leave it alone. The girl…really seemed quite determined to prove her friendship and her intentions with her being honorable.

Spock stiffened, "I am sorry, Lieutenant," he began, a hard note in his voice, "I could not hear what you..."

"Nyota Uhura," Cora called, shaking her head at the woman.

Uhura's jaw tensed, "I didn't say anything."

Spock nodded, "You would do well to remember our discussion," he reminded her.

And that was the last straw, Uhura didn't care what the hell was the matter with him, he'd half-threatened her in the turbolift, he'd upset Cora, and now he was acting all 'holier than thou' and she was NOT going to sit there and let him talk like that, "Actually I'd be happy to speak if you're willing listen to me."

"Please…" Cora tried to get in.

"I am not inclined nor am I willing to listen to you," Spock countered, "You did not heed my request, why should I heed yours?"

"Request?" Uhura scoffed, "It was more like an order, Commander."

"An order which you have failed to follow then."

"Could we not do this now?" Cora asked them both, looking between them, she had no idea what request or order had been made but it was upsetting both of them, it was even upsetting Spock and that meant it was something rather big…though she had noticed he appeared to be a bit more…easily upset than normal lately.

"I'm sorry, Cora," Uhura glanced at her, before turning to the Captain, "Captain?"

"By all means," Kirk gestured them to get it over with, he could tell Uhura was going to say what they'd all been thinking of saying to the pointy-eared man since it happened.

Uhura nodded and returned her attention to Spock, "At that volcano you didn't give a thought to Cora. What it would do to her if you died, did you? You didn't feel anything. You didn't care. And I am NOT only one who's upset with you, the Captain is too."

"And Bones, and Chekov, and Scotty, and…"

"You have made your point, Captain," Spock cut in, he was well aware of the relationship that Cora had formed with the men of the crew, she had become like family to them, like a little sister of sorts that they could go to for their problems and that looked out for her. It was a relationship he was finding difficult to accept at the current moment, but he did know how much the crew cared for her.

"I don't think we have actually," Kirk countered, "If you had died in there, Cora could have died as well and…"

"And we would be together still," Spock cut in once more, making them all fall quiet at his words, at his...revelation that, if he HAD died he would have been content in knowing that he would have been with Cora soon afterwards, and that...chilled them, "Your suggestion that I do not care about dying is incorrect. I am well aware of Cora's potential fate should anything happen to me. A sentient being's optimal chance to maximizing utility is a long and prosperous life for him and his chosen partner…"

"Not exactly a love-song, Spock."

"Let him speak," Cora told them quietly.

Spock nodded his thanks to her, finally looking at her for the first time since they'd taken off in the shuttle, feeling his lips quirk as he saw her smiling in return, before he forced himself to look away and back to the Captain and Uhura, knowing if he didn't look away now, he wouldn't be able to, "You misunderstand. It is true I chose not to feel anything upon realizing that my own life was ending. But you are mistaken as to the reason why. I chose not to feel, because I knew that upon my death, Cora would likely die as well, and I…did not want to feel that, even if she were to live on, I did not want that for her. I did not want to die feeling as though I were killing her either," his voice grew quiet, "As Admiral Pike was dying I joined with his conscience, and experienced what he felt at the moment of his passing before Cora was able to soothe him…anger, confusion, loneliness. Fear. I had experienced those feelings before, multiplied exponentially on the day my planet was destroyed, when I saw Cora on the ground, in pain, suffering because of my people. Such a feeling is something I choose never to experience again, it is something I strive not to be the cause of. To know that, in dying, I would experience both…it was not something I could endure," he glanced at Uhura, "You mistake my choice not to feel as a reflection of my not caring, while I assure you, the truth is precisely the opposite. Something Cora herself is well aware of."

The two finally looked over at Cora to see her looking down, "You…knew?" Kirk asked.

She nodded, "I am his mate," she said simply, "I am an Empathic, of course I knew how he felt," she let out a shaky breath, "I felt it, when he fell into the volcano, even as we were running, I felt it. I felt everything he did while he was in there, I understood," she looked at Uhura, "We spoke about it at length," she told the girl, "We have already conversed and placed the moment behind us. That is why I request it be left in the past. Just because he does not speak to you," she looked at them, "In a way you can interpret, does not mean I am as deaf to what he says when he does not speak."

Kirk frowned, looking between them, "Then why are you two unhappy right now?" he asked, Spock stiffening, alarmed at the thought that Cora was unhappy. But before he could ask another question, the ship jolted violently as it was struck by something, "What the hell was that?"

"We are being pursued by a D4 class Klingon vessel!" Spock called, turning to work at his controls as the others were, Cora stood, making her way to the main window, looking out at the planet they were flying through.

"I thought this sector was abandoned!" Kirk shouted as they were hit again.

"It must be a random patrol," Uhura argued.

"They are gaining on us," Cora remarked, feeling the Klingons approaching despite the fact they were on another ship, Klingons were known to be more primal and aggressive, their emotions heightened.

"Hold on!" Kirk flew the ship on.

"This ship has no offensive capabilities," Spock reminded him.

"She's got us," Kirk countered, "Give me all six fuel cells!"

"Aye captain," one of the other men agreed.

"Damn it!" Kirk cried as Cora stumbled back, the ship being hit numerous times by the Klingons.

"They are closing fast," Uhura reported, "Bearing 285."

"Right there!" Kirk pointed at a scan he was running of the different things they were flying through, finding a gap in the walls of two large obstacles before them, "There! We can lose them there."

"If you are suggesting we utilize the passage between the approaching structures, the ship will not fit," Spock warned.

"We'll fit," Kirk tried to reassure them.

"Captain we will not fit!" Spock shouted again.

"We'll fit!" Kirk snapped back as Cora closed her eyes and sent out as much calm as she could, confidence, reassurance, "We'll fit," he whispered, feeling sure of that, before he tilted the ship violently to the side, flying through it, barely managing to get through to the other side, "I told you we'd fit!" he cheered.

"I am not sure that qualifies," Spock remarked.

"Any sign of them?" Kirk glanced back, "Uhura? Cora?"

"No," Uhura frowned, "Which worries me."

"We lost them."

"I do not believe we did," Cora whispered, "They are…surrounding us, blocking the scanners."

Kirk was just about to look back at her…when lights flooded their windows, three Klingon ships stationed right before them, trapping them.

They sat in silence as the Klingons began to speak in their gutteral tones. Cora closed her eyes, not needing to know what was being said to know that they were ordering them to do something, that they were threatening them.

But Uhura took care of the translation for them all, "They're ordering us to land. Captain, they're going to want to know why we're here. And they're going to torture us, question us, and they're going to kill us."

Kirk stiffened at that, "So...we come out shooting."

"We're outnumbered, out-gunned. There's no way we survive if we attack first. You brought me here because I speak Klingon. Then let me speak Klingon."

"I will go with her Captain," Cora offered.

"No," Spock said instantly, turning to face her.

"It is my duty Spock," Cora argued, not backing down, "It is my job, I am a Negotiator for the Fleet. I may not be able to speak Klingon but I can give Nyota Uhura a better chance of getting through to them."

"Go," Kirk ordered before Spock could speak.

"Captain!" Spock turned to him, his eyes wide as the girls made their way to the doors outside, "Is this wise?"

"It's logical Spock," Kirk countered.

"Captain I am not comfortable with this plan," Spock stated.

"And I thought the rubbing would only happen one way," Kirk muttered, confusing Spock but he turned to the Vulcan, "And what is bothering you about it Mr. Spock, besides the obvious?" he gestured at the window where the two women were cautiously walking towards the Klingon ship as it set down.

It wasn't that they were two women going to try and speak to the Klingon, but just two of his crew. Klingons…there was hardly any reasoning with them on a good day, they were all hoping that with Cora there the aliens might be more open to negotiation.

"Cora will be defenseless should they attack and it is likely they will," Spock reminded him, "Empathics are not to kill, she will not be able to use a phaser."

"Doesn't mean she's defenseless."

"That is, by definitions, to be without a weapon, precisely what it means."

"Are you forgetting the Romulans she took down Spock?" Kirk glanced at the man…only to see he was glaring at him.

"I forget nothing Captain," Spock said, trying his level best not to start shouting, trying to control the urge to punch the man for putting Cora in jeopardy again.

"Look…this will work," Kirk told him, "It's our only logical option," he added, "We go out there and stop them now the Klingons will attack all of us. Do you want that?"

Spock was silent, no he did not. He was feeling a strange sense stir within him at this. In one way, he was relieved Cora was no longer in the shuttle, that she as no longer so near to him that it was testing his will…but in another way he wanted her to be closer, he didn't want her out there with the Klingons but beside him, no matter how maddening it was to his mind.

And now, all he could do was wait and watch and hope everything would work out…when logically he knew the chances were very slim.

~8~

Outside the shuttle, Uhura glanced at Cora as the two women came upon one of the Klingon ships, the doors opening and a small army walking out, one moving to stand ahead of the others.

Uhura gave Cora a nod as she stepped before the girl, addressing the Klingon in their native language, Cora barely managing to understand what was being said, "I am here to help you."

~8~

In the shuttle, Kirk let out a breath and turned to grab a few phasers, handing them around to the other men, needing to feel like he was doing more to protect them than just standing there watching them. Despite his words to Spock, he knew very well that the likelihood of this going down without an attack were slim.

"Spock," he held out the phaser to him.

"I do not need that Captain," Spock turned back to look out the window intently.

"Spock, now isn't the time to talk pacifism and…"

"I am not 'talking pacifism,' Captain," Spock told him, "I do not need a phaser. If they attempt to harm Cora...I will kill them with my bare hands."

Kirk blinked and started at him, "Come again?"

Spock glanced at him, "Did you not hear me the first time?"

"No, I did," Kirk nodded, eyeing him intently, "And that's why I wasn't sure if I heard you right," he frowned, "Is something wrong Spock?"

"Why does everyone insist on asking me a question I have repeatedly answered?"

"Because you don't seem like yourself and you haven't answered truthfully, perhaps?" Kirk shot back.

"I can hardly be expected to be myself when my mate is in such apparent danger Captain," Spock turned to look back out the window.

Kirk just stared at him more…it wasn't that. He'd seen Cora in danger before, Spock had more faith in her and her abilities than anyone. This was…different, it was like he reacted then tried to control it or was fighting something and then losing control…

His thoughts were cut off though when Uhura spoke again…

~8~

"With respect," Uhura continued, "There is a criminal hiding in these ruins. He has killed many of our people."

Cora glanced at the Klingon, trying to stir some sort of anger or offense in them, but Klingon were naturally aggressive and their emotions were naturally more jaded that it was harder to sway them to see offense in that, they truly were apathetic to anyone who was not Klingon. She could only hope Uhura would say the right words that she could use to trigger emotions in them that would help.

The head of the Klingon squad stepped forward pulling down his helmet as he came to stand before them, "Why should I care about a human killing humans?" he asked, Cora just making it out.

Uhura took a breath, "Because you care about honor," she answered in Klingon, Cora trying to bring up those sensations, "And this man has none. You and your people are in danger."

Cora winced, that was the WORST thing to say to them, Klingon loved war. A threat against them meant war for all and that was a GOOD thing.

The Klingon grabbed Uhura's face, but Cora jumped forward, grabbing his wrist, "No!" she shouted, the Klingon falling to the ground as pain shot through him from her abilities, needing him down so she could get Uhura away. She grabbed Uhura's hand and pulled her back, the two of them running for cover as the other Klingon soldiers started to fire at them…

A/N: Yay! We're almost at Khan! ^-^ And I can say the next chapter will see a bit less of an 'angry' Pon Farr and a more...'passionate' side pop up ;)

Some notes on reviews...

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Lol, yup, a Loki/OC is coming :) I've also got a separate and different Thor/OC too :) If you're interested, the covers are up on my tumblr, on my Upcoming Stories page, (tumblr link on profile) for the Thor stories ;) But thanks! :)