The sight of T'Pring's gaze fixed on him terrified Kirk in a way he'd never experienced before, having always intentionally avoided the emotional fallouts experienced by his frequent conquests. And this female wasn't just distressed, she was Vulcan and distressed. Not a good combination.
"She chooses the challenge," T'Pau intoned.
"She has the right to insist that Spock fight for her," Selek explained to the humans.
"Woah, wait," Kirk said, with McCoy shouting "Are you outta your Vulcan mind?" at the same time.
"Spock's in no condition to fight anyone, least of all that walking mountain," McCoy said, gesturing at the (admittedly rather large) Vulcan standing by T'Pring.
"His function is to prevent acts of cowardice," T'Pau replied. "T'Pring will chose her champion."
"Mr. Spock is my First Officer, and I do not authorize him to engage in combat at this time," Kirk stated firmly, determined to seize control of the situation before it got out of hand. He turned to Spock, calling his friend's name.
The hint of sadness in T'Pau's voice froze him as her words penetrated his confusion. "He does not hear thee, Kirk. He is deep in the plak-tow, the blood fever, and must see it to the end. He must stay, but thee may leave now, if thee so desires."
"Spock?" Kirk called again. When the Vulcan didn't move from his place against the dune, the Captain sighed and turned back to T'Pau. "We'll stay."
"Spock chose his friends well." She turned to T'Pring and called her forward. "Thee have chosen the kal-if-fee, the challenge. Are thee prepared to become property of the victor?"
"Yes." T'Pring threw the word at T'Pau like a curse and looked away.
"Spock, dost thou accept the challenge according to our laws and customs?"
Spock's body jerked in an attempt to nod, and something flipped over in Kirk's stomach.
"T'Pring, thou wilt choose thy champion."
T'Pring spun on her heel and in a sudden motion, pointed directly at Kirk.
"Him!" she cried. The eyes of all the Vulcans present (barring Spock) widened, and the two humans got the distinct impression that their shock was less about T'Pring's choice than it was about how she chose him. The man with the Vulcan axe stepped toward her, weapon raised, but T'Pau stopped him with a gesture.
"I will tolerate thy outburst because I understand thy grief, child," T'Pau said. "Kirk! She is within her rights to choose thee, but thee are not bound by our laws and customs. Thee are free to decline, should thou wish it, and no harm shall come to thee or thy doctor."
"What will happen to Spock if I do?" Kirk asked warily.
"Another will be chosen."
"Bones, there's not a single…person here he could take on right now, is there?" Kirk asked his friend quietly.
"No." The answer came through clenched teeth and accompanied by a scowl. Kirk's blue eyes flashed.
"So I let him win. Win-win." He stepped forward. "I accept," he declared.
"No!" The word was ripped from Spock's throat as he staggered toward T'Pau.
"He speaks!" Open shock was displayed on the faces of the Vulcans — except Selek, who simply seemed resigned to the situation.
"T'Pau, he is my friend," Spock rasped, hands clasped before him in the universal symbol of pleading.
"Kroykah!" She demanded, interrupting him. Spock looked both relieved and dismayed that he was unable to say more. "This is a sacred ceremony! We stand on the edge of extinction — thee will honor thy heritage, thy fathers, those whose minds are now lost! It is decided!"
"Well, we know which side of the family gave Spock his opinion on rules," Kirk whispered to McCoy, trying vainly to diffuse the tension building in the air. It didn't work, though Selek quirked the corner of his mouth in an almost-sad almost-smile.
"Silence!" T'Pau insisted. "Here begins the act of combat for possession of the woman T'Pring. As it was in the time of the beginning, so it is now. Bring forth the lirpa!" Two of the attendants approached, handing Spock and Kirk their own of the axe-like weapon Kirk had noticed earlier. The bladed end was sharp and the large counterweight on the other end was incredibly heavy, making Kirk grunt as its weight was transferred to his grip. "If both survive the lirpa, combat shall continue with the ahn woon."
"Woah, wait, what? What do you mean, 'if both survive'?" Kirk shouted, spinning to face her instead of Spock.
"The ritual of combat is to the death."
"Why didn't anyone tell me that!?" Kirk shouted over McCoy's infuriated sputtering. Kirk fixed his gaze angrily on Selek and Sarek, betrayal filling his blue eyes before he turned away. "I will not fight my friend to the death," he told T'Pau, letting the lirpa fall to the sand.
"Then thee shall die, Kirk," she replied. "It has begun; let no one interfere!" The bells begin to ring once more.
McCoy saw it before Kirk, lurching toward his friend with a cry as Spock charged him from behind, the blade of the lirpa aimed to take the Captain's head from his shoulders. Selek seized McCoy by the arm, restraining him even as the Vulcan with the first lirpa approached to bar his way.
"Jim!" the doctor shouted.
Kirk whipped around and ducked in time to save his head, but not by much.
His relief was short lived. Spock's attack had resulted in the Vulcan being between Kirk and his lirpa, leaving him defenseless. He stumbled backward, evading Spock's jabs and swings, trying to find the winning scenario.
There had to be one, and he had to find it soon, because given their last fight, logic dictated he should be dead by now.
From the corner of his eye he saw how Selek stared at the restrained McCoy, as though anxiously waiting for Bones to do something. Kirk tried to figure out (amid ducking and scrambling around the enraged Spock) what the doctor could have done in Selek's universe to stop this — and all he could come up with is that, whatever it was, it was outside of Kirk's ability to replicate.
His chest began to burn with the strain, the combined forces of the atmosphere, increased gravity, and sheer emotional stress battering down his reserves. He looked from Spock to Bones and back, gasping for breath, and made a decision.
He'd died for Spock once, and he'd do it again. If Bones could fix him up, so much the better; if not, it was worth it. When his First Officer came around for another swing he ducked the blade and then pulled himself back up, placing his head directly in the path of the weapon's backswing.
The heavy counterweight struck him at the base of his skull.
Kirk dropped like the proverbial stone. The shocked silence filling the arena was broken as Spock reeled, his lirpa falling on the ground as the bells stopped ringing and T'Pau's cry of "Kroykah" resounded in his ears.
"Captain?" he breathed, the word a question and a plea, as he collapsed to his knees by the crumpled young man. He reached out to touch Kirk, to check for a pulse, roll him over, try to staunch the blood flowing from his head, but McCoy shoved him aside, having run toward them as soon as the Vulcans had released him.
"Keep your hands off him, Hobgoblin!" he snarled, examining Kirk frantically. His eyes widened and his breath caught as he realized there was only one thing he could do. "Good God man, you caved his head in!" he shouted with dismay, keeping his body between Kirk and the rest. After a moment he turned and faced the statue that was Spock, cradling the Captain's head in hands covered with far too much blood.
"You killed him, Spock," McCoy said, his voice rough. "It's over. He's dead." He hung his head, trying hard to keep his composure as T'Pau spoke softly, her voice infinitely sad — something he thought beyond a (sane) Vulcan's ability.
"I grieve with thee," she said, and damn it all but she sounded sincere.
McCoy sighed heavily and fixed his gaze on Spock.
He looks empty, McCoy thought. He forced his voice to remain harsh, choosing his words carefully.
"Well, you've got yourself a command now, Mr. Spock. What are your orders?"
Spock refused to look at him, merely nodding his head for a moment before replying.
"Yes…return to the ship, Doctor. Please take the…body…with you, and make any arrangements you find appropriate or necessary. I will follow you shortly."
"I expect you to report to the Medbay as soon as you're back aboard, Mr. Spock," McCoy said.
"I understand, Doctor. Now, if you please... take care of the details." Spock replied, his voice absolutely emotionless, the very image of Vulcan perfection and control.
TO BE CONTINUED
Hey, an update! Thanks to my beta, again. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers too, guys!
This is the last of the written chapters in this segment - I need to write the next couple before I get to the next group of pre-written ones, so give me some encouragement to put that pen to paper! XD (I got yelled at by my boss for writing at work...)
Hope you guys like it!