Big Brothers
Dr. McCoy was checking Lt. Hanlan's vitals and trying to ignore Jim, who was, in his opinion, obsessing over Selina sitting at the bar with another guy.
"Bones, look at this! Do you think that's acting?"
"Jim, I'm a doctor not a drama critic, but given that she's trying to keep that walking asteroid from coming up here and finding us, yes, I think it must be acting."
"Really? Even the keeling over part?"
"What?" McCoy jumped up and looked out in time to see Selina being picked up by the man at the bar. "Dammit!" He rummaged in his bag and produced a hypo.
"Uh, Bones, what are you planing to do with that?" Jim asked warily, observing the wild look on his friend's face.
"Relax, Jim. This time it's not for you. It looks like that bastard is bringing her up here and this is the only weapon we've got."
"You're planning on attacking a guy packing a disruptor with a hypo?" Jim asked.
"You got a better plan?"
"I was going to wait until Spock arrived with the cavalry, have you get Hanlan out of here, and then grab a disruptor and hit them from behind," Jim said reasonably. "And if Spock doesn't show, then I figure she must be acting to get him to bring her up here so she can help. But, hey, if you want to rush those guys with just a hypo, don't let me stop you from playing brave kumquat."
Bones stood there a moment looking at the hypo in his hand. Jim was right and worse yet he was being calm and sensible. He glared at him. "Just when did you start growing points on your ears?"
"What? Spock's the only one allowed to think things through?"
Kirk's communicator beeped. "Kirk here."
"Uhura. Listen, the guy at the bar did something to Selina. Spock's not sure what, but he's going in for her."
"We saw her fall from up here. Look, is there anything we can do so the civilians get out of the way?"
"He's not going in with security," Uhura said. "He thinks you might end up hostages. So he's going to get her in some way that will attract enough attention for you to slip out."
"Seriously?" Kirk asked. "What's he planning to do?"
"I don't know." Uhura did not sound happy. "Just wait for my signal that the other guards have cleared the hall and then get out."
"Will do. Kirk out."
McCoy put his hypo away. He was grinning. "Spock is gonna to take that guy apart."
"Bones, I know he's a little protective when it comes to her, but this is Spock we're talking about. He's probably just going to get close enough to nerve pinch him. Or maybe just lecture him into submission."
"He's only half-Vulcan. Come on, Jim, what would you do if that was your sister?"
"I don't have a sister."
"That explains a lot," Bones said dryly.
.
As soon as he closed his communicator, Spock strode back to the office simultaneously stripping off his uniform tunic, but leaving the black undershirt. There was a brown long coat hanging in the back office, which he commandeered. He intended to attract attention as a Vulcan, not a Starfleet officer. Without breaking stride he informed Lt. Anders of his orders, leaving the young officer staring after him with an expression of shock (Spock reflected briefly that perhaps Nyota was correct that he should try to wear civilian clothing more often).
Upon entering the casino he was aware of a number of heads turning in his direction, but paid no heed. He quickly identified a large man carrying a woman across the floor and adjusted his speed and course to intercept, stepping in front of them moments later near the center of the establishment.
"Excuse me," Spock said.
The man paused a moment, perhaps only out of the novelty of seeing a Vulcan, but then gave him a hard look and moved to go around him. Spock stepped to the side to block him again. The man tried to shoulder past him. Dropping him quickly with a nerve pinch would be easy, but Spock needed to buy time. He instead moved in front of him again to stop him.
"Whatever you want, see someone else," the man said, nodding to the unconscious woman in his arms. "I got my hands full right now."
"That is why I must speak with you," Spock stated, stepping closer. "I intend to remove her from your hands."
.
Kirk and McCoy had moved swiftly as soon as Uhura gave the go ahead. The guys in the hall had run into the monitor room almost as soon as Spock approached the goon on the floor and they wanted to be well away before anyone decided to go down and help or watch in person. Once clear of the hallway, they decided to stick close to the wall so they wouldn't be as noticeable. Toward the center of the room, Spock had already attracted quite a crowd. He was speaking in the clear voice he used to project across the bridge during an alert, so even many not in the crowd were absorbed in listening.
"If you will simply allow me to take her," they heard him say, "I will return her to her quarters and see that she receives the proper attention."
There was a scattering of laughter from the crowd. "That is not the sort of attention to which I refer." Jim could almost hear the eyebrow lift in Spock's reply.
As they passed the cashier's booth, they overheard a guard speaking on his communicator. "Belv is going to fight a Vulcan over that chick? I don't got time for jokes, Jatson ...Okay, if you're serious I'll go check it out as soon as I get this last guy processed."
Jim pushed Bones a little faster. "Dammit Jim! Falling in heap from tripping is not going to get us out of here faster!" McCoy hissed.
"Bones, Spock can generally handle more than one guy, but not a bunch of armed guys while he's also trying to get an Selina out of here. We don't need them to wind up as hostages. As soon as I've got both of you safely away, I'm going to back to help him."
.
"Listen Vulcan," Belv said. "I don't know you from Adam!"
Spock's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Since you have correctly identified me as a Vulcan, it seems improbable that you would find any difficulty in differentiating me from the mythological progenitor of the human race. Nor does it explain your refusal to release her to me."
Belv just stared for a moment. If his hands had not been occupied, he might have slapped his forehead. "Jeez. I thought you guys were supposed to be smart!" he said. "I mean, seeing as the lady is not exactly in any shape to watch out for herself, I'm not going to just hand her over to some stranger."
Spock's eyebrows climbed his forehead. "A surprisingly responsible sentiment coming as it does, from the stranger carrying her away in her present state."
"You think I done this to her?" Belv demanded.
"It would be the most logical conclusion," the Vulcan's voice was completely cold.
"I ain't never drugged any woman!" Belv growled.
"Indeed?" The single word was less question than challenge.
The two men locked eyes. Belv had beaten men to a pulp for lesser insults, and Spock had no difficulty reading the anger and aggression in the other's expression. Belv had never met a Vulcan before, but had heard that they were pacificistic and emotionless. However, over the course of his career he had amassed a wealth of experience reading a variety of aliens. The one before him certainly looked cold, but there was something in his eyes that was definitely not at all peaceful.
"Just what business of yours is it anyway, Vulcan?" Belv demanded.
Spock drew himself up to his full height. "I stand in the place of her brother," he stated formally. He did not expect this man to understand what that statement meant coming from a Vulcan, but he trusted that the basic implications were clear.
"Her brother?" Belv's eyes went wide. "You gotta be kidding me!"
"Vulcan's do not 'kid'," Spock said coolly. "Nor did I say that I was her brother, but that I consider my responsibility toward her to be that of a brother."
Belv just gaped at him for a moment. Suddenly something clicked into place and this confrontation with a Vulcan over a human woman made a lot more sense. "So, you're like her guardian or something?"
Spock glanced momentarily at Selina's face, assuring himself that she remained insensible, and then nodded.
"Well, some job you're doing, letting her come here with that creep she was with," Belv said with something approaching righteous indignation. "And that friend of his - he looked like a dealer. Probably the one done this to her."
Spock's eyebrows rose again, but the tension in his posture relaxed slightly. Of all the possible responses he had anticipated, this was not among them. It certainly changed the nature of the conversation. "I did counsel against it," Spock said, looking at Selina's still face. "However, she frequently refuses to heed my advice."
Belv laughed. "You know, I got a sister like that too."
.
Jim doubled back as soon as Bones had Hanlan safely outside. He saw a line of casino security pushing into the crowd, but didn't hear any sound of conflict. He worked his way into the crowd until he was close enough to see. To his surprise, Spock had Selina in his arms and the big guy who had previously held her was clasping him on the shoulder.
"Nah, he ain't causing any trouble, Katrell," the man said. "Turns out Mr..." He looked at Spock.
"S'chn T'gai" Spock supplied.
The man paused. "Mister ...uh... Mister Vulcan here is the lady's guardian - like an adopted brother or something. Sounds like she listens about as well as Chea, so no wonder she ended up in the middle of a fight!" He and his men laughed. Something also pulled slightly at the edges of Spock's lips. "Anyway," the man continued, looking around. His eyes fell right on Jim and he stopped and pointed. "Hey! That's the guy! Grab him!"
Damn. And Spock couldn't help without blowing his cover. Jim tried to make a break for it, but he was hemmed in by the crowd. One of the security guys grabbed his shoulder. Jim ducked back under his arm and threw him, creating a small break in the crowd. He dashed for it, but the opening closed quickly. The crowd had been waiting for a fight. After initial disappointment, now it looked like they were finally going to get one.
Three men in casino suits were coming at Jim. He crouched and then threw himself sidelong at them, knocking them all to the ground. He came up swinging at the first one to rise and connected with a solid punch. But before he could turn, the other two grabbed his arms. He tried to pull away, only to hear his shirt rip. Damn. His second best civvies. Now he was mad. The third guy was coming at him with his fist cocked for a blow, but Jim used the hold of the other two for leverage and swung both feet up to kick him squarely in the chest. The reaction force unbalanced the two holding him and he twisted out of their grip as they went down. However, as he scrambled to his feet, he turned to find a disruptor pointed in his face.
Jim raised his hands slowly and looked over at Spock, who was looking upward shaking his head.
"This is the guy that did that to her," the big man said, dragging Jim over to Spock by his collar.
"I am familiar with the individual." Spock's lips formed a tight line.
"Hey, don't worry about it," the man said, "You get her home and leave him to us. I'll make sure he's taken care of."
Spock seemed to consider the offer briefly before speaking. "While I appreciate your offer, I would greatly prefer to deal with him personally. As you are yourself an elder brother, I am certain you understand."
The man smiled. "You're alright, Vulcan." He slapped Spock on the back and Jim bit his lip to keep from smiling. "Yeah, I understand. But you're sure you don't want no help?"
Spock tilted his head and looked at Jim. "It would be gratifying to observe him being properly ejected from your establishment."
.
Jim had followed quietly until they were inside the station transporter room and then flashed Spock a trademark grin. "I never knew you could act!"
"Act?" Spock queried.
"That bit about wanting to see me 'properly ejected' - it was genius! You made sure they went along with letting me go without ever breaking character."
"There was no character to break." Spock shrugged slightly, careful not to disturb Selina.
"What do you mean there was no character to break?"
"Actual acting requires prevarication. Nothing that I said deviated, technically, from the truth. I do regard Selina as though she were a sister and given the danger to which you exposed her, I admit that I found the sight of you forcibly thrown from the doorway somewhat gratifying." He carefully stepped up onto the transporter pad and turned. "You landed well, by the way."
"Years of practice," Jim said and laughed. Every now and then Spock seemed almost human.
N: S'chn T'gai is the unpronouncible other name given for Spock in one of the ST novels. The name 'Spock' might be too well known, given that he's the only Vulcan in Starfleet, and Spock isn't taking any chances.
Spock was also looking up and shaking his head to let Uhura know not to send in security yet.
When I started writing this, it was going to be a pure fight scene. However, Belv seemed to have other ideas and 'I got a sister like that too.' just had to become part of the story. But Kirk still had to tear a shirt in a fight (That's such a Trek staple, my daughter actually expressed surprise when Kirk didn't tear his shirt fighting with Khan in that TOS episode.)
