((After a while of nothing of the sort, Bach again with BWV 71, God is My King. And apart from an epilogue this is the last chapter.))

Chapter 14

Day and Night Are Thien

They could already see the cave when Jim felt it. He stopped walking and shook his head at Charika before he started to speak. A smile stole onto his face as he sensed Spock, calmer than before and certainly aware of himself. He dropped his carefully constructed shield to allow communication.

My T'hy'la, can you come to the VSA quickly? Jim swallowed.

I am not in the vicinity. Why? A moment of concern followed, but it was quelled quickly.

Leonard will apply his medication.

No, wait! I can be back in about a day.

I do not have that time, Jim. It must be now. Promise me to shield yourself against what may happen. Please. Jim felt his knees give at the edge of his perception.

I promise you, Spock.

I love you, Jim. Always. The contact blinked out before Jim could respond. He found himself on his knees, fingers clawed into the hot sand. Charika watched him with an alarmed expression. Jim closed his eyes and focussed inwards, hating himself as he reconstructed the wall around his mind. He would know if Spock died and it would probably knock him unconscious. But he would very likely live. Spock had insisted a short time after they had bonded that he must learn how to construct such a shield just in case. He wished he had refused. Then he wouldn't have to do this now.

Sitting down more comfortably, Jim waited for what would come, hoping with all his heart that in a few minutes he would feel the gentle nudge of Spock's mind, announcing that he was well and he could let go of the shield. He could sense that something was happening behind that wall, but there was no way to tell what it was, not even if it was good or bad. Then the wall shuddered under an almost irresistible force. And then all was silent and Jim felt like falling into a pit as he realised what it must mean.

Ϡ

T'Kray strode through the corridors with more purpose than she had nerve. She had seen where Spock's readings went and was unable to stay put. So she gathered two security men and hoped fervently that they were on her side while she prepared herself for a coup de main that could end her career or even her life.

She barged into Terik's office without a warning, the door banging against the opposite wall. Unable or unwilling to see her intent, he looked impassive. 'T'Kray, what can I do for you?'

'You can tell me,' she said pleasantly, 'why you have people speak of psychic contamination. Why you poison scientists and a Reldai, of all people. Why you collaborate with a Romulan. What is the purpose of your folly?'

'I assure you that I do not know what you speak of.'

'I heard your minion's lecture,' she said dismissively. 'How can you have people preach seclusion?'

'I seek to return us to Surak, T'Kray. You cannot see that because you abandoned his philosophy before you abandoned the planet.' Folding her arms, T'Kray glanced at him.

'How?'

'You wear your emotions on your face.'

'Then tell me what I feel now.' Terik hesitated, and T'Kray raised his eyebrows. 'Tell me what I think and feel, Terik, if I am so obvious.' She approached him slowly. 'Come one. Speak up. Don't be shy.'

'Your human colloquialisms are just another demonstration of your contamination. Not to mention being bonded to a human.'

'That human is trying to save those you wanted killed. With you out of the picture, it won't be difficult to make sure everyone is aware of that. Tell me, is there a method to your selection, or do you poison random people?' When no answer was forthcoming, she continued. 'I believe at first you weren't picky. Then Stal showed up, and with his background he would have had you with your back against the wall in the blink of an eye. So you got him sorted out. Then Len and Spock.'

'Len … Not only do you consort with a human, you use a nickname as if you were one of them. You really have no decency.' T'Kray made a small gesture with her left hand to the guards, but Terik was faster. From under the desk, he produced a phaser and fired at random. The beam caught T'Kray's arm, singing through the fabric and her skin. She drew a sharp breath. When Terik sank stunned to the floor she fought the impulse to kill him then and there. Instead, she opened her communicator, controlling the pain.

'T'Kray to Covenant. My location, three feet from me. Beam that scum directly into the brig until we all come back.'

Ϡ

Driven by white-hot hatred, Jim had dropped almost all caution on the last few metres. If he were alone, he'd have barged in without thinking twice. But there was Charika, and no matter what, he wouldn't let the poor man die for his own recklessness. The bond was gone, torn from his mind, and all he heard was the noise of the blood rushing through his veins. The shield Spock had taught him still remained, perhaps would be there forever, protecting him from the abyss that must be where the link to Spock had been.

Tilak wasn't in his cave. A part of Jim wanted to sit down and cry. Another wanted to point the phaser at himself and shoot. Mostly, however, he wanted to find this creature. Find him and kill him, preferably with his bare hands.

They found him outside. Or rather, he found them, jumping down from the rock he had made his home for a few nights. Jim's damaged shoulder sent a jab of searing pain down his arm when the joint was dislocated again. He gripped the offended limb in a helpless act and saw Tilak spin and kick Charika hard in the groin. Ignoring the injury, Jim jumped at him, bringing them both down.

'Tilak, you will pay for this,' he grated and managed to ram his fist into the other man's nose, but the Romulan recovered quickly, and Jim found himself straddled with two strong hands squeezing the air from his throat. Something incomprehensible that didn't sound Vulcan was hissed at him. The next moment, Tilak fell away from him, screaming in rage and pain and holding his ears. The moment Jim scrambled away, a phaser beam to his head silenced Tilak for good. Tearing his eyes away, Jim looked at Charika. He felt laughter building in his gut, a completely mirthless, hysterical laughter that didn't speak of a healthy mind. Charika's widening eyes did nothing to improve his condition. It took minutes before Jim caught himself.

'Captain, are you all right?' Wiping tears from his eyes, Jim nodded.

'No,' he said. Charika's concern became even more apparent. 'What did you do to him? I mean besides the obvious.'

'I … well, T'Kray told me that Vulcans have superior hearing. She also told me that physically, Vulcans and Romulans aren't that different. And when I went spying for her, she taught me that if I hit my hands against someone's ears it'd hurt him.' Jim raised his eyebrows.

'Wouldn't be my first choice if I have to defend myself.'

'Wasn't the only thing she told me about defence, but it seemed … well, logical.' Jim scratched his head.

'Yes. Indeed. Well done. And thank you. Are you all right? I saw how he kicked you.' Charika screwed up his face.

'Hurts like hell.'

'Bones will take a look at you.' He glared at the body at their feet. 'Let's get that one back to the Covenant. Shame you had to kill him.'

'I'm not sorry. I'm scared because I'm not sorry.' Jim smiled, and to his surprise it was genuine if sad.

'It happens. You lose your innocence out here in space. Everyone does. But you need not let it break you. Talk to T'Kray later. That's an order.' For the second time in a short time, Jim felt his legs give under him without a warning. He felt his knees collide with the stone concealed beneath the sand, but the pain didn't register in his beset mind. A smile stole onto his face as he slipped into a few moments of blissful unconsciousness.

Ϡ

A sickly, medical smell filled the air, the regular beeps of instruments monitoring a patient. Regular, fast respiration revealing the fear in the individual it came from. Two hands squeezing one of his and a gravelly voice, laden with emotion, begging for breaths to be taken, for a heart to beat, for life to finally be victorious. 'Come one, you're almost there. You can do it. Don't die on me now.' He could not speak. But he could squeeze the hands holding his. A sigh of relief followed this and the hands fell away, removing an emotional input that wasn't entirely unfamiliar but not the one he craved either. 'Don't struggle. You'll be better in a minute. Promise.' The voice sounded strained. He tried to focus on breathing. In and out. Slow. Calm. 'Yeah. That's it. Long, even breaths. Just like that.' He opened his eyes. The man hovering over him had dark rings under his bright blue eyes, but they were smiling. A hand patted his cheek and he managed to frown. A laugh bubbled from the good doctor. 'Water?' He nodded. A pair of hands gripped his shoulders, stronger than they looked, helping him to a sitting position. A glass was lifted to his lips and he drank eagerly. 'Easy. Yeah. Easy. You're not twenty anymore.'

'Indeed.' His own voice sounded unfamiliar.

'Congratulations, Spock, you're the first to survive the treatment. Frankly, you scared the hell out of me here.'

'Doctor, are you harmed? I remember attacking you.' Leonard waved him away.

'You just winded me. Question. Can you locate Jim?'

'He is shielding and probably unaware of my improvement. To bring down his shield might render him unconscious.'

'Can you check if that's all right? I want him to know you're fine. He fled from all this and I don't want him out there risking his neck because he thinks he's got nothing to lose.' Spock nodded and closed his eyes. Jim had constructed the barrier perfectly. It worked as it should: When Spock's life had been in jeopardy, it had blocked their link off completely. Only the most basic of transmissions was possible. From the dull ache, Spock could only assume that Jim had believed him dead the moment the link closed. He regretted not to have told him what he would feel if the link was blocked or what a broken bond felt like. The latter would not seem like their link vanishing but like a rod of fire burning through his mind. T'Kray would be able to tell him a thing or two about that.

Deconstructing Jim's wall was possible for Spock, but he wanted to be certain that his bondmate was relatively safe when he did it. If he were in immediate danger, Spock would sense the agitation, but there was none of that. Cautiously, he willed the barrier away. It cost him more strength because it had been Jim who had erected it. The moment it went and the contact between them was re-established he knew Jim was out cold. His mind, however was turning in a circle, unable to grasp the simple fact that Spock still lived. He enveloped him, calmed, soothed, and let him feel the life in him. And by degrees Jim regained his awareness until he could communicate. Spock … am I insane?

I can assure you that you are not. Unadulterated joy danced across the bonds, filling Spock with a warmth no fire could provide.

And you're all right again?

I shall be fine. Please return to me. With the bond accessible again, it was easy to get an idea of Jim's surroundings. You are … in the desert? A host of emotions flowed over to Spock. Jim, you are overwhelming me. The flux eased a little.

Sorry, my love, it's just so … well. We've found Tilak, but he died fighting us. We're bringing him back, that'll slow us. But we'll be there in two days or so. Too long. Too damn long. Want to see you right now.

If you give me your location, someone can pick you up with a desert flier. That might be preferable to carrying a rapidly decaying corpse.

Yes. Now you mention it. You see, I have no communicator on me, so I didn't even think of that. I'm between that oasis off to the east of the VSA and a small cavern in a huge mountain range.

Someone will pick you up.

Ϡ

When Jim had arrived at the VSA, Bones had treated his shoulder before sending him straight up to the Covenant. He had released Spock to Durlan's care, telling her firmly not to let him do anything of any significance for the next two days but allow him to spend that time in his quarters rather than in sickbay. He'd asked Jim what he thought about cutting their leave short after they had collected the remaining victims and treating them. Hardly listening, Jim had agreed before contacting his ship to be beamed up. He wanted to get away from here. He needed to.

He raced through the ship, hesitating before the door to their room. Illogical, Spock would say. He smiled and stepped inside. Spock was apparently expecting him, sitting at the desk. All the things Jim had wanted to say left his mind as he closed the distance between them with a lump in his throat. The Vulcan rose to meet him and he held him tightly, pressing his face against the strong chest, inhaling deeply and not caring about the tears of joy.

'Oh God,' he managed at last. He withdrew and took the beautifully sculpted face into both hands. 'I thought … I thought I'd lost you.' Spock's eyes were smiling when he looked at him, full of love and compassion. The strong hands rested loosely on his sides.

'Jim … I need to ask your forgiveness.'

'For what?'

'I harmed you. To assault a bondmate is a serious crime.' Jim shook his head and buried his face in Spock's chest again.

'I'll be fine. We should both slacken off a bit, but if you'd really wanted to hurt me I wouldn't be standing here.' He caressed Spock's temple, watched the striking eyes close at the touch. 'So what did Durlan say?'

'That I am still affected, but improving. I need to return to her every seven hours until Leonard says differently. She's sending the results down to him after testing. I believe he wishes us to have privacy.'

'What about Sinek's place.'

'Sinek and T'Lin are dead. He tested the treatment and died because it is fatal to a healthy Vulcan. T'Lin …' Spock faltered.

'Died because she lost him.' Jim held Spock tighter still. 'I can't imagine life without you anymore. When you reopened our link I thought I was dying and I was so … relieved.' He felt Spock's breath whispering against his hair when the Vulcan spoke.

'It is a decision every individual must make for themselves when the moment comes. The longer a bond lasts, the more difficult it is to survive its severance. Our bond is relatively recent, but a weaker form of it has existed for many decades. I am not certain if at this point it would still be a choice for either of us.'

'Let's … not tell Starfleet that.'

'No. Better not.' Feeling better, Jim extricated himself from the tight embrace.

'So. Do we do as Bones told us and stay put, or do we help?'

'Does he require our assistance?'

'I doubt it. And even if he did, he'd kick us out.'

'Then I believe we should both take advantage of the one thing we have here that is not available on Vulcan.' Jim smiled at him, for once unable to guess at Spock's meaning.

'And what is that?'

'A large bathtub, Jim.'

((I don't know if anyone bought that I was going to kill Spock. I don't think I could do that anymore than Bones back in Water. But I nearly did kill T'Kray when she went to Terik. A friend begged me not to when I told her today on the way home from work. And she was right. Poor Bones. What was I thinking?))