The lighter lirpa arrived and McCoy tested its weight and balance before nodding. In combat with Spock, he knew he'd be better off the further he could stay from the Vulcan. If they got into close quarters, Spock would most certainly have the strength advantage.
Then again, he was a surgeon. one with knowledge of Vulcan anatomy and a bladed weapon. What hits he could make, he planned to make count. Preferably without killing Spock, but if it came down to a choice, McCoy would choose his own survival. When he turned, McCoy saw that Spock was now barefoot and wearing nothing more pants with the sash around his waist. He briefly thought about removing his own boots, but decided against it. The sand was probably far too hot for his bare feet.
The second the call to begin was given, McCoy was having to dodge a swing from Spock. Whatever was left of the Spock that McCoy knew was now deeply submerged beneath the biological imperative of pon farr. He'd find all of this a highly fascinating study if that selfsame biological imperative wasn't currently encouraging Spock to try and kill him.
The first part of the round consisted mainly of McCoy dodging blows while experimenting with the lirpa to get a feel for how to use it. Spock already had the advantage of training with the weapon in his youth, but McCoy noted that Spock's movements were stylized more than combat oriented. With Spock's higher brain functions basically off-line, he wouldn't be altering his combat to a more out of the box approach. In a fight with another Vulcan, that wouldn't make any difference, but if McCoy could keep his moves unpredictable, it would be his edge.
The longer the round went, the more the heat and thin air were affecting McCoy's speed. Spock was bleeding from several light cuts, but while the cuts on McCoy were fewer, they were deeper and bleeding more. It was all Kirk could do to restrain himself as McCoy ducked barely quickly enough to lose some hair instead of part of his scalp. Spock's moves were getting steadily more animalistic. The swings were wild, but with so much power behind them that if they struck McCoy, they were likely to be fatal.
Finally one swing missed and couldn't be checked before the lirpa connected with one of the stone pillars, snapping the weapon in two. Snarling, Spock flung the pieces away from him and dove at McCoy bare-handed.
Kirk was so caught up in watching the fight that he almost missed it when T'Pring gave herself away as she cast a look toward Stonn when the lirpa broke. A thin smile formed then disappeared again as he saw McCoy was having trouble holding off the rampaging Vulcan. Spock took some deeper wounds in exchange but he managed to get his hands on McCoy's weapon. McCoy gave a short prayer to a god he wasn't even sure existed that he was reading Spock's body language correctly.
As the Vulcan threw all of his strength into wresting the weapon away, McCoy released it without warning. With the expected resistance gone, Spock's balance was compromised and the second lirpa flew out of the combat area. Spock was breathing hard, but went back to his position when T'Pau announced the combat with the lirpa was a tie.
Spock might have been breathing hard, but McCoy was panting and dripping with both blood and sweat as he came back to Kirk's side while the next set of weapons were being brought out. Kirk had asked for and been given warm water which McCoy forced himself to sip even thoug he wanted to guzzle it. As he drank, the small smile now playing on Kirk's lips gave him hope.
"What did you see, Jim?"
"Right after Spock's weapon broke? Everyone else was watching the two of you, but T'Pring looked back at Stonn then she laid a hand on her abdomen for a minute. I know that gesture."
"Yeah. So do I, Jim. Let's hope that means the same in a Vulcan woman as it does a human one or I'll have worse to contend with than Spock."
A whistling sound reached their ears and they looked over in unison to see Spock expertly maneuvering a long strip of leather with weights on either end. McCoy winced at the look of it.
"Who didn't I kill that I should have in a previous life? I am so screwed."
Kirk gave him a pat on his back.
"Only if you win, Bones."
"Promises, promises, Jim."
Taking a deep breath, McCoy got back to his feet as one of the Vulcan guards presented him with his ahn woon. Taking the weapon in hand that he had no idea of how to use, he steadied himself. This next move could well be his last.
As T'Pau began to order the start of the next round, he interrupted her with a shout.
"Kroykah!"
T'Pau was at first stunned then annoyed at the interruption.
"What is thy meaning in calling a halt, Leonard?"
"I beg forgiveness, T'Pau, but there is a point of this combat that I find I need clarification on before we continue."
"You are not versed in our traditions. I will allow this interruption. Speak - what is it that concerns thee?"
"This woman is being fought for by myself and Spock, but I have my doubts as to whether she is worthy of being the prize of this contest."
T'Pring bristled again and stepped forward.
"I demand blood for this insult!"
"It isn't an insult if it's the truth, lady. I not only accuse you of having laid with a male other than Spock, but accuse you of carrying his child."
There was a moment of absolute stillness in the arena as T'Pring's skin paled before she turned and tried to flee the area. The guards quickly put a stop to that and escorted the woman back to where T'Pau was now standing, her fury showing plainly in her eyes. Spock had moved forward as well, but now his growl was focused on the young Vulcan woman and not McCoy.
T'Pau nodded to the guards and they moved to hold T'Pring in place as the matriarch moved to place her hands on the sides of the younger woman's face.
"Thy thoughts shall be mine whether by thy will or not. Open thy mind to me or suffer the consequences."
The scream emerging from her moments later showed that she chose to do it the hard way. By the time T'Pau finished, T'Pring collapsed, held up only by the guards at her side.
Motioning for them to drag her to the side, T'Pau faced Spock who was clutching the ahn woon so tightly that his knuckles were a pale green.
"Spock, Leonard speaks the truth. The one bonded to thee broke her faith and has disgraced her family. Blood is thy right for this insult to thee and thy house."
Spock's voice was rough as he snarled.
"Blood! Who?"
T'Pau turned her gaze toward the Vulcan male quietly backing away from the group and spoke only one word.
"Stonn."
With a bestial roar, Spock headed for Stonn while the other Vulcans parted without a sound. The attack was without mercy and what remained of Stonn when Spock finally backed away was unrecognizable - just a lump of flesh, bone and green blood.
Skin covered in green blood, both his own and Stonn's, Spock moved to kneel in front of T'Pau. Even from where he stood, Kirk could see that Spock's expression was looking far more like his regular self. Paying no attention to the blood, T'Pau reached her left hand out to rest on Spock's face.
"Spock, the pact between families was broken. Speak what thy wishes are concerning T'Pring."
"The blood has quenched my fires, T'Pau. I want no marital bond with such as she. Let her champion have her."
"So be it. Leonard, son of David - the woman T'Pring is thine. We would ask a favor of thee."
McCoy moved to kneel by Spock's side.
"If it is in my power and I can grant it without breaking my oaths, I will grant whatever you ask of me, Ko'mekh-il."
Pleased, T'Pau laid her right hand on McCoy.
"Vulcan children now are rare and precious. We ask for the child she carries."
A weak protest came from T'Pring, but no-one paid it any heed. McCoy paused just long enough to exchange a look with Spock before replying.
"The child is no part of myself or my allies. It is yours. Does your medical center have the technology for an artificial womb?"
"It does."
"Excellent. If you have her taken to the medical center, I'll take care of that before we leave."
"So be it. Varik, escort her there."
Once T'Pring had been removed from the area, T'Pau motioned for Kirk to approach her. Not sure what he was expected do, Kirk decided to follow the example of the others and knelt in front of her at McCoy's side. From T'Pau's expression, he'd made the correct choice.
"We understand that you have risked angering the Emperor to bring Spock to his people during his time. Our house is in thy debt."
It took a moment for the meaning of that to sink in. Spock was related to T'Pau? The only known person of any species to reject the Emperor's call to serve as one of his ministers and live to tell about it? Spock was going to have a helluva lot of explaining to do regarding why he hadn't seen fit to mention that little detail. For that matter, he wanted to hear the tale of how McCoy knew her as well.
When he broke himself out of his thoughts and looked back at T'Pau, Kirk though he saw amusement in her eyes. She must have divined which direction his thoughts had gone in.
"As a captain in the Imperial Starfleet, we know that thee and thy ship cannot long tarry here, but we will have Elder Davuk take the three of you to where the wounds may be tended and rest taken out of the heat of the midday. After that, we invite you to sup with us before thy departure."
"We would be honored, T'Pau."
T'Pau gestured and Elder Davuk approached, bowing to her before signaling for the three officers to follow him. McCoy bit back a groan. His wounds, the blood loss and the heat were all telling, but he didn't realize how badly he must have been swaying until both Spock and Kirk reached to steady him. Davuk ignored it - whether because a human being injured didn't matter to him or because he was tactfully ignoring weakness shown by a guest was impossible to say. McCoy decided to give him the benefit of the doubt because it seemed bad manners to put a dagger through his eye while he was escorting them.
Attendants were waiting with hot baths filled with the heavily mineralized water of the new Vulcan world. That didn't strike either McCoy or Kirk as strange until they saw the near reverent way that Spock approached and allowed the attendants to strip the bloody pants from him and wash the blood from his body. Only once Spock was clean and his cuts tended to did the attendants help him into the water.
Kirk hovered rather possessively nearby as McCoy was stripped, then winced in empathy. He knew McCoy had taken his share of hits, but keeping watch on T'Pring had kept him from noticing just how many. Once the dirt and blood were washed away, the doctor's pallor from the blood loss was evident. After helping McCoy into in the water, the attendants quietly exited to leave the three alone.
Moving closer to McCoy, Kirk dipped his hand in the steaming water.
"This stuff is almost like a thin syrup."
"There are trace elements of 57 minerals in these waters. It has been deemed unsuitable for drinking without treatment. Fortunately, there are also pockets of drinkable waters on this planet."
A slow smile formed on McCoy's face at the sound of Spock spouting out facts. Oddly enough, he'd missed the hobgoblin's blabber. Then he remembered something else.
"Hey, Spock. The slut belongs to me now, right?"
Spock raised no objections to the way McCoy referred to his former bonded.
"She does. Ownership papers should be being prepared as we speak, but may take longer than they usually would. To my knowledge, the kal-if-fee has not called in my lifetime and never before with a non-Vulcan's participation."
Leaning his head back with a sigh, McCoy closed his eyes.
"Speaking of which, I accidently picked up a souvenir, Jim. Permission to bring her aboard when we leave?"
Laughing, Kirk swirled his hand in the water again.
"I think we can allow it this one time, so long as you don't make a habit of it. Assuming Spock doesn't mind."
"So long as the Doctor does not allow his slave to wander around freely, I have no objections."
That reminded McCoy of something he needed to discuss with Spock and he shifted in the water.
"Speaking of objections, when we return to the Enterprise, avoid Uhura until I can talk with her. I think I know how to settle her down so you'll be able to work at your station without posting a bodyguard at your back."
Even without being able to see the Vulcan's face, McCoy knew one brow was rising.
"While not unappreciative of your offer to intervene on my behalf, why would you do so?"
Ignoring his protesting body, McCoy sat up and scowled.
"Can you get one simple fact into your skull, hobgoblin? If we'd wanted you dead, all we would have had to do is follow orders and let your own damn biology do the job for us."
The silence wasn't long, but it was noticeable as Spock generally responded to McCoy's jibes faster than that.
"That is true. I had not considered the situation from that viewpoint, Doctor. I will endeavor to avoid her until you inform me that you have spoken with her."
"We might not want to leave things to chance. Jim, when we get back, mind ordering her to report to Sickbay?
"Sure. I'd rather have everything settled before we have to deal with Komack's tantrum. While you finish your soak, I'll have a fresh uniform sent down for you, Bones. Spock? Going to put your robe back on or should I request a uniform for you as well?"
"Considering that particular robe was designed to be worn only at a marriage ceremony, I would prefer a uniform."
"Done."
As Kirk stepped outside to contact the Enterprise, Spock reclined back and reviewed the amount of effort that had been put forth on his behalf with little discernible gain for either Kirk or McCoy beyond having him remain. He was surprised next to recall how much Kirk and McCoy knew about him and more so when he found that their knowledge didn't bother him.
Closing his eyes in meditation, Spock contemplated some of Admiral Pike's lessons of the past. Perhaps there were deeper and farther reaching advantages of this alliance of theirs than he had previously taken into account.