Chapter Forty-five
"Commander, welcome aboard."
Spock studied Beckett coldly for a moment. When Beckett offered his hand to shake Spock put his own hands behind his back the way Salen always did. Razor could feel the distinctive tension in the air that always occurred in the seconds before a fight broke out. Beckett put his hand down and smiled sadly.
"Spock, I'm sorry..."
"I am not the one you need to apologize to. However, I do not recommend that you show yourself to Admiral Pike. He greatly desires your death, and I can not think of a logical reason to blame him for his emotional response."
"Please, just help Salen."
Spock nodded and walked off towards the sick bay. At first Razor was surprised by how easily Spock navigated the stolen ship, but then he recalled that Spock had pulled the information right out of his head. In the small infirmary Salen was laying on a plain hospital table with his head lolled to one side. He looked peaceful, far too relaxed to even look like he was sleeping. Spock stepped up to the bed and reached out to put his hand over Salen's oddly placed heart.
"He is barely alive."
"Can you help him?" Razor asked.
"I do not know, but I will try."
"Thank you."
Spock looked up and Razor suddenly found himself under the Vulcan's intense gaze. Razor wasn't able to read Spock's emotionless face, but he feared that his look was one of sympathy. Not feeling very assured about Salen's chances Razor watched wordlessly as Spock reached down and touched his face.
Closing his eyes Spock took a deep breath while Razor held his. Seconds later Spock snapped his eyes back open and jerked his hand away from Salen as though his skin had burned him. Razor took a step back at the murderous look in Spock's eyes. Spock turned his attention on Beckett and bared his teeth at him like an angry wolf.
"What have you done to him?" Spock demanded.
"Nothing, I had no idea that the mind mel..."
Beckett didn't get a chance to finish. Spock was across the room with lightning speed. He grabbed the front of Beckett's uniform and hauled him off his feet to slam his back into the medical cabinets. Tyger and Cobalt went to move in to rescue Beckett but Razor held his hand up to stop them.
"What did you do to the Admiral's son?" Spock roared in uncharacteristic rage.
"Spock..."
"The implant in his ear, what does it do?"
"It's just a hearing ai..."
"Do not lie to me!"
"Spock...Salen needed an edge or he wasn't going to survive in this line of work."
"What does it do?"
"It enhances his aggression...hormonally."
"You have no idea what you have done." Spock snarled as he released Beckett.
"It just increases his adrenaline. We worried about his Vulcan nature keeping him from defending himself, it was to make sure that he would kill without hesitating."
"It rewards him for violence and pain, turns it into a addictive drug that drives him to seek more."
"No." Beckett shook his head. "It's not addictive..."
"You have tampered with Vulcan biology without first taking the time to understanding it." Spock hissed. "You have been torturing Salen, he became so unable to rationalize the exhilaration and pleasure brought from violence that he began to turn it on himself."
"The device can be turned off."
"It is too late, you have hardwired sadomasochism into his already delicate psyche."
"Spock..."
"Return me to the Enterprise." Spock ordered coldly.
"Wait," Razor broke in "does this mean you aren't going to help him?"
"It would be inhumane to save his life at this point. It is not logical to save his body when his mind is beyond repair."
"Please, Spock, give him a chance." Razor begged. "I've seen him at the edge of madness, but he always manages to come back. He's tougher than you think."
"And if he becomes uncontrollable, what then? Will you condemn him to live the rest of his long life locked in a cell in a psychiatric ward?"
"No." Razor shook his head. "When a dog gets rabies, you put him down. I will kill Salen personally before allowing him to suffer in captivity."
Spock did not respond to Razor's plea. He just stared blankly at Salen. Still locked his unnatural sleep Salen had started to gasp gently for each breath. With time running out Razor stepped up to Spock to confront him more directly.
"What are you afraid of, Spock?"
"Fear is a human emotion."
"So is anger, but you were just fairly pissed a few minutes ago."
"Salen's insanity affected me." Spock explained camly.
"What's affecting you now?"
"I am simply considering the ethics of the situation."
"Bullshit." Razor growled. "I've been around a Vulcan long enough to know that they only pin their ears back like you're doing right now when they're frightened.
Spock furrowed his brow and then consciously relaxed his features causing his ears to move forward slightly bringing them back into their usual position. Spock raised an eyebrow in surprise, apparently having been unaware of his own tell.
"You are very observant."
"It's my job." Razor replied. "Why are you suddenly afraid to save Salen, you were willing to give your life for him just ten minutes ago."
"At that time I was unaware of his mental status. You are unaware of how gruesome Salen's last victim's death was. Dankort..."
"Dankort was no victim! He murdered women and children. Whatever Salen did to Dankort he deserved it."
"There is a very high probability that these murderous rampages of Salen's will continue, he has been changed to the point where he enjoys them. He has all the makings of a serial killer, a mindless murdering animal. If I save him every death that occurs at his hand becomes my responsibility."
"I am the new Commander of the Black Diamond, that makes Salen my crewman, my responsibility, I will answer for all his actions."
"Your sentiment is noble, however..."
"You wouldn't just let Captain Kirk die, even if it was certain in your mind that he had become a monster, you'd give him a chance." Razor pointed out. "I am just asking that you give my friend the same chance. Salen's messed up, I will grant you that, but he's a good man and he is worth saving."
"This is unwise..." Spock sighed.
"Does that mean you'll help him?"
Spock wordlessly returned to Salen's side and reconnected to his mind. Razor watched anxiously as Spock started panting for breath. No one dared separate the pair even as Spock moaned in pain. When Salen cried out piercingly Razor wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. Spock released Salen and staggered back, exhausted by the effort.
Beckett went to help support Spock, but he pushed him away. Doubling over Spock retched violently. On the table Salen groaned pitifully. Razor put his hand down on Salen's chest. Salen opened his eyes and looked up in confusion. Razor smiled to try and help Salen orient himself. Salen's eyes widened in fear and he cried out in terror.
"Salen, it's okay..."
Not looking reassured Salen scrambled off the table and backed himself into the corner. Panting for breath his eyes darted around the room, searching for escape. Razor silently gave Tyger and Cobalt orders to block the exit. Seeing that he was out numbered and flanked Salen cried out in incoherent panic once again. Razor put his hands up in a placating manner and took a step closer. Salen pressed himself harder into the corner with his chest heaving.
"Do not get too close to him." Spock warned. "I was able to save his body, I was unable to influence his mind."
"I thought you were going to at least remove the memories from the other men."
"I could not untangle them from his own. If Salen is to regain his sanity he will have to do it on his own."
"Can he?"
"Perhaps, although chances are not favorable. As it is he is currently very dangerous."
"He doesn't look dangerous, he looks terrified."
Salen was trembling violently and looking like he was about to pass out. Despite Spock's warning Razor continued to close in on Salen. He felt that if he could just put his hand on Salen's shoulder he could prove to the delusional Vulcan that no one wanted to hurt him. Salen whimpered as Razor drew closer, but he remained peaceful.
It wasn't until Razor was a few feet away that he realized that Spock was right. When Razor came into striking range Salen's whole disposition changed. Narrowing his dark eyes Salen bared his teeth and roared in blind rage. Razor took a step back, but it was too late. Salen threw himself at Razor. Salen backhanded Razor hard enough to make his ears ring and force him back a few feet.
Razor was just quick enough to block Salen's next blow, however Salen continued his assault, landing several good shots. Cobalt and Tyger stepped in to try and pull Salen off his prey, but it just caused him to turn his aggression on them. The gem behind his ear was glowing bright green as it responded to his attack on his teammates and rewarded him for it. Beckett went to the countertop and grabbed the device that would turn the implant off, but he wasn't sure how he was going to get close enough to Salen to use it.
With his attention on knocking Cobalt unconscious Razor was able to tackle Salen from behind. He got his arms around Salen's thin waist and in response Salen elbowed him in the face causing him to see stars in a burst of disorienting pain. Spock moved in to help restrain Salen as he continued to attack anyone within reach.
Spock grabbed Salen's wrists and tried to hold him. Salen was slowed momentarily by Spock's strength, however being a full blooded Vulcan in his prime Salen proved more powerful. Ripping one hand free Salen lashed out at his captor. With blood dripping from the corner of his mouth from the blow Spock tried to get his hand on Salen's shoulder to bring him down with a nerve pinch.
Spock's attempt to render Salen unconscious gave him an idea and Salen instantly went to grab Spock by the neck. Razor had just gotten his hands on his phaser and set it to stun when Salen dug his fingers into the space between Spock's shoulder and neck. Spock's eyes rolled back as the nerve pinch stole his consciousness. Salen went to follow him to the floor, but neither one of them made it. Tangled together they were suddenly surrounded by swirling light before disappearing.
"What the hell just happened?" Beckett demanded.
"It looks like they were beam..."
Razor was cut off as the ship was rocked by an explosion. Razor sprinted over to the intercom and slammed his palm down on the contact pad.
"Flash! What was that?"
"The Enterprise! She found us! The damn sensors on this bucket of bolts didn't give me any warning!"
"Not good, evasive manu..." Razor was nearly thrown to the floor by another phaser blast to the ship. "Damn it, Flash, get her off our tail!"
"I'm evading as fast as I can, Razor!" Flash barked. "The Enterprise is pissed!"
"Imagine that." Razor grumbled to himself. "Once they found us they must have pin pointed Spock for beaming by his copper blood and ended up taking them both."
"I'm going to jump into Warp." Flash announced.
"No!" Razor ordered. "Keep us in range for three more minutes and then get your ass back to the Diamond."
"Aye, Sir...but the Enterprise may tear us apart before then."
"I have faith in you."
Razor dashed out of the room and ran down the hall. He hit the deck as the ship was struck once more by the Enterprise's impressive arsenal. Scrambling back to his feet Razor started tapping calculation into the transporter computer. He had no idea if he could actually board the Enterprise in the middle of a fire fight, but he was certainly going to try. Just as he finished Beckett burst into the transporter room gasping for breath after having run after him.
"Razor, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to go rescue Salen from the Enterprise...or rather rescue the Enterprise from Salen."
