Okay everyone! Final chapter! Enjoy it! ^^
"… Scythe?" She let out a relieved breath and stood back up. He sat up and looked at her. "What happened?"
"I was about to ask you that… Oh! What if everyone's out? I've been really tired for the last few minutes, unusually so. And I can't get a hold of Jim or Spock."
"Go find out."
"How? I can't get into their rooms." He grabbed a marker and her hand, quickly writing down the override and pushing her towards the door.
"Go. I need to know if something just hit me, or if this is effecting the ship. Bring them here if they're out." She nodded and ran out, heading straight to Spock's room. She let herself in and looked around before kneeling down behind the desk with a sigh.
"Spock? Spock wake up. Come on Spock…" She shook him before giving up and picking him up and heading to Jim's room. Finding a similar situation she flung him over her shoulder and went back down to sickbay. She carefully put them on beds and slumped to the floor. "Bones? I'm so tired…" Her eyes drooped and he smacked her. She jumped up and glared at him. "What?!"
"You need to stay awake. If they're out everyone else probably is too. Do you have any idea how to run the ship? Maneuver it or anything?" She shook her head.
"No, I'm pretty much useless."
"No you're not. Go get someone else. Between these two we have two extremes. I need a… normal one." She shrugged and headed out with a yawn. A few minutes later and she came back with John.
"Here you go. One normal." He nodded and tossed her a needle.
"Draw some blood from him." She did as instructed and stood back, letting him work. He finally shoved her out to monitor the ship and let him know if any problems arose. She yawned once on the bridge and sat in Jim's chair. Half an hour later and her eyes shot open to a loud beeping. She pressed a few buttons and an alert popped up on the screen. She groaned and called Bones.
"We have a problem here."
"Of course we do. What is it?"
"An alert of a slight power failure and other ships in the vicinity." She hit a few more buttons and sighed. "Was it Klingons that aren't friendly?"
"Yes, why?"
"The other ships are Klingon." Bones swore.
"All right Scythe, I need you to cloak the ship and put the shields on full power. Do you know how?"
"I think I can do the shields. Here, let me try." She messed with a few more things before smiling. "Got the shields up. How do I cloak the ship?" Bones paused before answering.
"Route control down to me. It's pretty simple to do that." She looked around with a sigh.
"Okay… How do I do that?" He gave her the quick run down and she followed his instructions carefully. A moment later and a notification appeared telling her the ship was cloaked.
"Good job Scythe. Now I need you down here." She groaned and hauled herself up to head down. A few minutes later she leaned in the doorway.
"Why am I so tired?"
"Because if we weren't superhuman we'd be asleep." She sighed and went over to him, hardly flinching when he drew her blood and stuck her with a hypo.
"That tells me nothing… I'm assuming I'm the guinea pig."
"Great assumption. How do you feel?" She shrugged.
"Tired still. Any idea what's wrong?"
"Not a clue. I tested something else out on myself all ready. So far no luck. Wait fifteen minutes and I'll try something else." She nodded and went to sit on a bed. Bones came out fifteen minutes later and rolled his eyes when he saw her asleep. He woke her by sticking her with another hypo.
"What the hell?!"
"If that doesn't work I need you to try and wake Spock. I could use some help and he'll probably be the easiest to rouse." She flopped back down onto the bed.
"I don't even want to move right now."
"And I do? … Get up! You got two minutes to finish the job! Go!" She jumped off the bed before glaring at him.
"I hate you." She went and shook Spock for a minute before caressing his hands. When that didn't work she kissed him, continuing to massage his hands. She pulled away a few seconds later. "Spock… Come on Spock, you need to wake up. Bones needs your help… I need you to wake up." She gently spoke while slightly shaking his shoulder. She smiled when his head turned and his eyes slowly opened to look at her.
"… What is wrong?" His eyes started to close again and she shook him.
"Do not fall back asleep Spock. I am so useless right now and we need your help." She helped him sit up, making sure he didn't fall back.
"What is the problem?"
"Everyone's asleep. Bones can't quite figure out what's wrong, there are a few slight power failures, and there are a couple Klingon ships nearby. I managed to get the shields up and Bones cloaked the ship." He nodded and slowly stood, Scythe helping to keep him steady. She escorted him to the office and Bones glanced up at him before continuing to work.
"Get over here hobgoblin. Basic ship control has been routed down here so you should switch it back and get up there to run the ship. Scythe's going with you to help out and keep you awake." Spock nodded and switched control back to the bridge before heading out. He nearly toppled over in the doorway, making Scythe catch him.
"Thank you Artemis." She nodded and continued helping him out. Bones had glanced up sharply when he spoke and watched them leave in shock.
Scythe led Spock to Jim's chair and sat in Sulu's spot to keep an eye on him as he worked. Half an hour later and she got up to stretch and walk around, patting Spock's shoulder as she passed. He grabbed her hand when she passed by him a second time and she glanced at him tiredly.
"Artemis, you should go assist Doctor McCoy."
"He told me to make sure you stay awake and help out if needed."
"… We are surrounded by Klingon ships and any unnecessary movement will alert them to our presence. There is nothing for me to do other than make sure the ship stays running properly. You need not assist me with that."
"… But what if you fall asleep again?"
"I will contact you if I begin to."
"Promise?"
"Yes." She sighed.
"All right, but if he yells at me I'm blaming you." He nodded and she headed back down to sickbay. She went into the office and he raised a brow at her.
"You're supposed to be keeping Spock awake."
"He told me to come help you. He'll call if he starts to doze off." She yawned. "Any luck yet?"
"I may have found a way to cure everyone, but I can't explain what happened in the first place. Want to be a guinea pig again?"
"I get a choice?" He smiled.
"Not really. Get over here." She sat next to him and he gave her the hypo. "So… He knows your name now?"
"Yeah; I told him before the meld. I don't mind him calling me it much and he doesn't all the time." Bones nodded and stretched.
"Trying to make me jealous or something?" She laughed.
"Didn't even cross my mind… Hey! I'm awake!" He grabbed the tricorder and ran it over her.
"Great, now I just need to figure out what dosage to give everyone else and find out what caused the problem in the first place and if there are any side effects. Well?"
"… Side effects? Like what?"
"You tell me." She shrugged and got up, instantly toppling over.
"Okay… How about lack of strength?" She scowled as he picked her up and ran the tricorder over her again.
"That's strange…" He went and checked over Jim and John. "Damn it."
"What is it?"
"I managed to wake you up, but not stop whatever is effecting you. The lack of strength isn't a side effect, it's a symptom."
"Well fix it! This isn't exactly fun!" He wobbled and headed back over to her, falling into the chair.
"It's not as bad in them. Whatever it is, it's hitting us hard."
"Yet we're the only ones managing to stay awake." Her eyes widened. "Reaps, what if sleeping was a way to slow the effects, or get rid of the bug?"
"But the 'bug' is what caused everyone to fall asleep in the first place."
"Okay… How about it isn't something bad? Maybe it makes people sleep to heal them from anything that ails them?"
"Then it can't be good for everyone… We need to try and wake a human up."
"Why?"
"Because if you're right than it might be okay for them, but they wouldn't be able to wake. Which means it's dangerous for anyone else."
"I could be wrong though."
"I know, but now I have to check for that too." He left and she heard him shouting and something fall on the floor. A moment later he came back in. "Jim won't wake up."
"Wait… are you saying that I'm right?"
"It's possible, but it's strange that we hit something like that… Humans must be somewhere else in this part of the universe or something fundamentally the same. It could even be a way to stop others from going further."
"So… racists? Or, well, species-ist?"
"Possibly."
"Um… What about Spock?"
"He's awake isn't he?" Scythe frowned and pushed herself up, straining to stand. She finally managed it and headed to the door.
"There is nothing you can do for him. Stay here and help me try and fix it." She looked longingly at the door before sighing.
"Yes sir. What do you need me to do?"
"Get back over here and help me find a way to get rid of this bug."
"I'm not smart enough for that."
"Then rely on dumb luck. You can try and help me find similarities in blood samples and will be a guinea pig." She grabbed a telescope with a nod.
"Just warn me when you're going to stick me with something, okay?" He didn't answer her and she began going searching through the samples. A few minutes later and she glanced at him. "Hey, should we help the Klingons?"
"What?"
"Well… They're not human either right? So won't they be asleep too? Or really tired and weak at least?" Bones groaned and leaned back.
"We can't. There isn't enough people to spare to send anyone over." Scythe nodded and started to look through the telescope again before her head snapped up.
"Hold up. If they're an enemy would it really be past them to use biological warfare? Could they have known we were here and gave us this thing so as to destroy the ship or let us spiral out of control?" Bones growled and pointed to the door.
"It's just crazy enough to be possible. Get to the transporter room. I'll have Spock beam you over there. Get in, look around, get a cure if your theory is correct, and get out. Do not engage."
"Yes sir!" She bolted out of the room as Bones called Spock.
Spock met her in the transporter room and she smiled at him.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get this all figured out soon."
"You should not be going to the Klingon ship."
"We need answers. I am not a medical officer nor a science officer. At the moment my only use is to test out whatever Bones comes up with. There is no one else that can do this."
"You cannot defeat an entire Klingon crew on your own."
"I'm not fighting them. I'm collecting data and getting out. Just be ready to beam me back when I contact you."
"Artemis-"
"Spock, the longer we wait the more chance of something going wrong or for whatever is affecting us to leave permanent damage. There is far more at stake than my wellbeing."
"It is not safe."
"Nothing's safe…" She sighed and got onto the transporter pad. "Olduvai wasn't safe either, and I managed well enough there for a much longer time." He nodded curtly once and went to the controls. She crouched down and smiled at him as he sent her over.
Scythe cautiously looked around her as a chill ran down her spine. Seeing no one she straightened and began to look around. After wandering for a few minutes she heard voices and crept closer to the open door.
"…. long? … ready … Silence!" Scythe peeked around the doorframe and saw a small group of Klingons watching the Enterprise on a screen. She ducked her head back and settled down to listen.
"This is taking too long. It should be done now! Why is it not uncloaked and off course? The virus did not take so long in our tests!"
"Sir, perhaps the Vulcan" he spat the word out, "has managed to stay alert. But even he should be out by now. I am sure the ship will start to fail soon. And then we can take it."
Scythe had heard enough. She quickly backed away from the meeting room and dashed down the halls until finding what she assumed was the medical room. Using years of practiced stealth, she stole inside and sorted through everything until finding what she wanted. An antidote, and the virus. Reading on the way, she dashed back to the meeting room with a devilish smirk. Just outside the doors she contacted Spock and told him to wait eight seconds before beaming her back.
One: She stepped into the room as they laughed about how pathetic humans were.
Two: "Sorry to interrupt, but unfortunately for you I can be a vindictive person."
Three: The group turned around with glares, reaching for weapons.
Four: She tied a cloth around her mouth and held up the virus.
Five: The group realized what she was holding.
Six: They stepped towards her and her fingers loosened.
Seven: The vial crashed to the ground and released the airborne virus. The group screamed at her.
Eight: Scythe waved as they wobbled, their eyes closing against their will.
Spock raised a brow at her grin before she held up the antidote. He followed her down to sickbay where she handed it to Bones before turning to him with a shrug.
"They wanted us to spin out of control and then take the ship as a prize. The cowards didn't want to fully fight us."
"If they had it would be taken as an act of war. Taking the ship once they crew was incapacitated by illness would not be." Scythe scowled for a second before a small smile worked its way on her face.
"Oh well, doesn't matter now."
"The fact that they had the antidote is proof that they attacked us. Why does it not matter?" Spock watched her closely before Bones came out and hit them both with a hypo before smacking her on the head.
"Hey!"
"What did you do?" He turned away to help everyone else, but she knew he was listening.
"I heard them talking about having given the virus to us and then I found the antidote and sitting next to it was the virus. It was an airborne type by the way. So… I had Spock count to eight before beaming me back and I dropped the virus. Right in their meeting room with them." Bones shot a glare at her and she shrugged, unabashed. "They shouldn't have attacked us. Or gloated… or spit out the word…" She quieted and left the room, leaving them to explain everything to the waking crew.
An hour later Spock made his way down to the gym. John met him outside, having been guarding the door until he got there. With a nod, John left in a hurry, obviously relieved. Spock raised a brow before opening the door to reveal what had unnerved him. The room was a wreck; the walls had dents in them and most of the equipment was in pieces. Scythe was curled up in a corner, her head buried in her knees. Spock carefully made his way over to her and kneeled down, putting a hand on her shoulder. She jolted and her head whipped towards him, any angry remarks dying on her lips. Her anger and frustration drained slowly from her face until only shame was left and she rested her chin on her arms, staring at the walls.
"I'm sorry." Her voice was small. "I just…" She sighed, "The way they talked; like we were trash. And how the bastards spit out the word Vulcan… I couldn't help but get some sort of revenge. I shouldn't have though."
"You were angry at yourself?"
"Yeah…" She looked up at him for a while before minutely smiling. "I scared John away, but you seem okay." Her eyes slid closed as she leaned against him. "Reaps… er, Bones is mad at me." She sighed. "Maybe it'd been better if I'd stayed on Olduvai. He wouldn't have to worry so much., I would be able to take out any frustration on monsters, and the walls wouldn't get dented." Spock stiffened next to her and she looked up.
"It is better for you here."
"True, but I'm not worried about me. Bones was so well adjusted and then I happen to still be alive and turn everything around."
"Doctor McCoy is fine." Scythe frowned and turned around to face him.
"I've managed to upset even you. How can things be all right?" He looked calmly back at her.
"I much prefer having you here, even with your inability to control yourself." There was a pause as his words registered. Her head tilted.
"That sounds like either a compliment, you love me, or both… Or you're saying I have absolutely no self control and it's so different from you that I could be studied."
"I have no need to study you." Scythe smiled and crawled closer.
"So you love me." She kissed him chastely at his nod. "So… even though you have no need to, I'm sure there's still some things left to study with me." She kissed him again, just not so chaste of one. When they pulled apart she grinned. "I'll clean this up later." With that, she led him out of the gym.
Two weeks later found Scythe sitting on a bed in sickbay, not so patiently waiting for Bones. When he finally showed up she hopped off the bed with a grin. He ignored her and she followed him into the office where he finally turned to look at her.
"What do you want?"
"I've been trying to find time to talk to you for weeks. Are you avoiding me?"
"No."
"… Is it because I infected the Klingons? Or basically ruined the gym? Because I cleaned that one up."
"I'm not avoiding you Scythe." He turned away and began to look through some hypos and she frowned.
"Could've fooled me. Are you too busy to talk to me now?"
"Yes." Scythe's shoulders slumped.
"Why are you so mad at me? Come on Reaper…" He shot a glare at her and she winced. "Sorry, I meant Bones."
"I am not mad at you."
"Yes you are!"
"Artemis I do not have time to play games with you!" There was silence as Scythe hastily took a few steps back. After another minute or so she turned to leave.
"I'm… sorry. I guess I'll talk to you later." She sullenly made her way back to Spock's room and slumped onto the bed.
"Artemis? Were you not going to speak with Doctor McCoy today?"
"I tried. He's busy." Spock set his work down and went over to sit on the bed next to her.
"Does this upset you?" He heard her sigh again as she turned to look at him.
"In a way. I think he's avoiding me, but I don't know why. And when I questioned him about it he yelled at me. Are people sick right now and I just don't know about it?"
"I do not believe so." Scythe sat up and leaned against him sadly.
"What have I done wrong now Spock?"
"You have done nothing wrong. It is illogical for Doctor McCoy to be upset with you." He paused to wrap an arm around her. "Did you wish for me speak with him?" She smiled and kissed his neck.
"I'm afraid that would be detrimental to your health. Are you done working?"
"My work can wait until tomorrow."
"Oh good, I would hate to distract you from that."
"Yet you seem to do so often." Scythe grinned and kissed his cheek.
"Perhaps… Distracting you does have its merits after all." Spock nodded and turned to kiss her fully as she pulled him down closer to her.
It took two more weeks before Scythe finally managed to get Bones to sit and talk with her. She had waited in sickbay all afternoon before he finally showed up, sighing when he saw her. She glared at him and pointed to a chair.
"I don't care if you're busy or not anymore. Sit down and talk to me. Now I'm sick and absolutely need to talk to you!" He groaned, but sat next to her, taking out a tricorder.
"All right Scythe, what's wrong with you?"
"I've been throwing up for the past three days. Oh, and on side note, four weeks ago I had sex with Spock. Did you actually want details or can you please just diagnose me?"
"YOU WHAT?!"
"I would've told you sooner if you hadn't been avoiding me." He stared at her with wide eyes before shaking his head.
"Fine, we'll talk about how I'm skinning Spock later. You said you've been throwing up often?"
"Yeah, and it really sucks. I didn't think I could get really sick anymore so I don't know what's wrong. It's really bothering me and I think it's starting to worry Spock now."
"I really don't care if the hobgoblin's worried."
"I love that hobgoblin Bones." He waved her off and ran the tricorder over her, soon doing it again, and then a third time before suddenly throwing it against a wall. Scythe jumped off the bed in shock and stared at him.
"I'm gonna kill him."
"Bones? What are you talking about? What's going on? Hey!" She yelled at him and he marched out of sickbay. Scythe glanced at the broken tricorder before running after him, grabbing onto his arm before he could reach Spock's room. "Wait one minute! What is going on? Why are you mad at him again?" He spun around furiously and grabbed her shoulders.
"You are sick because of him. Do you understand?"
"No, I don't!" Bones took a deep breath and forced his shoulders to relax.
"Scythe, you're pregnant." She stared at him blankly.
"I'm… what? Is this a joke?"
"I'm dead serious."
"But… I can still get pregnant? Even after all the shit I've been through?"
"Apparently. The 24th chromosome doesn't dry you up you know."
"I wasn't even talking about that!"
"It does heal you Scythe…" He suddenly sounded tired and she nodded.
"Okay… I… would never have guessed…" She looked up at him and barely smiled. "You should get some rest. You seem tired."
"You're going to talk to Spock I take it."
"Well, I kind of have to now. Um… is there anything special I should be doing?" He sighed.
"Just meet me tomorrow morning. I'll go over everything then… and be careful Scythe." She nodded absently and he walked back to sickbay. She stood there for a while before going back into Spock's room and laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling until finally falling into a fitful sleep.
Scythe sat up three hours later to find that Spock was at the desk. He didn't say anything until she sat across from him.
"Did you manage to speak with Doctor McCoy today?"
"Yeah…" When she didn't continue he raised a brow and set his padd aside.
"Is there a problem?"
"Well, he's mad that I slept with you of course."
"Did he say what has made you ill?" Scythe looked down and nodded slightly.
"Yeah, he's mad at you for that too. Apparently, I'm pregnant." The was a long silence after that and she finally looked up to see him hastily regaining his composure.
"That… does that explain you illness of late?"
"Well, yeah. Morning sickness and all."
"… I must apologize, I seem to know very little on the subject." Scythe stared at him for a minute before smiling.
"Guess it's a good time to learn. Would you like to accompany me to sickbay in the morning so Bones can lecture us both?"
"I am unsure whether the doctor would be willing to speak with me."
"I don't think he has much choice anymore… So, you're not mad?"
"Should I be?"
"Well… my being pregnant reflects back on you, doesn't it? I don't want you to get in trouble or have a bad reputation or anything." Spock walked over to kneel next to her.
"It is highly unlikely that I will get into any trouble from anyone other than Doctor McCoy. Your being pregnant is unexpected, but not completely unwelcome." Scythe couldn't help grinning and scooting off to the chair to hug him.
"I knew there was a reason I loved you."
"And I you Artemis." He whispered as he found the meld points.
Ah! So cute there! Anywho, hope you enjoyed this story! Feel free to read my other ones if you so fancy! Ta!