Star Trek: Two Hearts, One Soul Part 6
Title: Star Trek: Two Hearts, One Soul
Author: NaomiPhoenix
Chapter(s): 6-?
Pairing: Kirk/Spock, Scotty/Uhura
Summary: The Federation is at risk of collapse as is Starfleet. Post STID.
Previous Chapter: http://naomiphoenix.livejournal.com/8438.html
Chapter Five
“Captain Spock, Priority One message from Starfleet Command. Marked for your eyes only, sir.”
“Thank you Lieutenant. Commander Sulu, you have the bridge.”
Less than twenty-four hours later Spock disappeared from Endeavour and the Admiralty issued a gag order on his entire crew.
***
The captured Klingon K’t’inga vessel had been augmented with the best scientific equipment Starfleet had to offer. For weeks now, it had silently transversed Klingon space. And during these weeks they had come to a startling conclusion. Powerful solar winds plagued the region and Qo’nos was in the path of the most furious of them all. Tests had found record breaking amounts of plutonium, lead, mercury and arsenic in the crosswinds which pummelled Qo’nos and many other worlds in this Empire. The worst of the pollution came from Praxis, the very same planet where the Warfleet had originated from.
“To put it simply Captain, they have been poisoning themselves for generations.”
“And now they have become desperate for new, clean territory.”
“In doing so, that is to say by constructing this massive fleet in such a short time they have made the deterioration of this sector of space incredibly acute.”
“Previous to the Warfleets construction, we could have assisted them in cleaning up this sector with half a century. But now...now at our level of technology, the process would take a millennium, minimum.”
“1032.275 years,” Spock replied as he gazed over their calculations.
“They are dying, they are desperate and they will stop at nothing. A very dangerous enemy indeed.”
“How do we even begin to deal with a people like that?” one of the scientists asked with the breathy tone of horror.
“Unknown. Such an event on this scale has never taken place.”
“Most species capable of warp usually shed their war-like tendencies and are more aware of the dangers of their actions may cause. The Klingons were interfered with well before they reached that stage.”
“My ancestors almost destroyed Vulcan before the Age of Enlightenment and the Exodus. But once their minds were turned to logic and they made use of the sciences the damage they inflicted were reversed and our world was healed.”
“Of course, Captain Spock, that’s it! We stop dealing with the warlords and start dealing with the scientists!”
***
The idea was easier spoken then done. Another month passed, deep in Klingon space, before a coded transmission to KDA on Qo’nos was intercepted.
“We’ve tracked its origin to this location. A subjected planet called Taamar. Its people were just pre-warp when they were conquered and have a strong history in medical science. The message sent to the KDA was basically an essay outlining that the pollution is the cause of the illness plaguing the Empire. From what I can tell, this Doctor Bath’ra is working in exile and under house arrest on Taamar. He’s got few facts to work with but his theory as to what is causing this is only just a little off."
“What have the KDA said?”
“They told him to keep his theories to himself and shut up before his house arrest becomes imprisonment on Rura Penthe.”
Something in Spock’s gut, which many years ago he would have ignored, told him this Klingon scientist was contacting and he said and did as much.
***
The Castle of the King of Taamar rose over the Capital City more like a dark shadow then as the centre place of a people of science. Under this great shadow, at the very edge of the Capital City, sat the property which stood as the prison of Doctor Bath’ra. Spock alone left the ship to make contact, dressing himself in the broad shouldered robes of a Romulan, with falsified identification to match. None of the Klingons who stopped him in the streets, and this happed on many occasions, question his supposed origin despite the lack of brow ridges. They were more amused by the length of his hair, which he had not cut since Khan and by all accounts made them mistake him for a Romulan female. Along with glimpses of Miramanee’s Necklace he gained some unwanted attention. That was until it led him to be invited to the very house he had been scouting for five days. He would attend a dinner alongside Taamar Royalty and High ranking Klingons.
***
Princess Setella was in her element surrounded by a dozen bawdy, boorish Klingon Warriors, her admirers, Her father on the other hand sat quietly in a corner with Doctor Bath’ra and his daughter rQara. Why the old fool insisted on interacting with the Klingon traitor and his offspring when he knew he would be interrogated about it the next morning, she could never understand.
“Ah, there is his Princess, the wealthy Romulan merchant I was telling you about,” Commander Gath chuckled.
“The pretty creature everyone has been gossiping about?” she made a show of putting down her glass before following his gaze to the most beautiful being she had ever seen, wearing, if possible, an even more exquisite jewel. It stood out brilliantly against the plain black silk robe he wore, belted with a deep purple sash. “Beautiful.”
“Him or the jewel Princess?”
“I want that jewel.”
***
Almost immediately upon his arrival, Spock, who was using the name Valden, was swept across the room by a courtier to be introduced to the King.
“Your Majesty, may I introduce Valden, a Romulan Merchant. Valden, His Royal Majesty, King Sal of Taamar.”
“Welcome, welcome Valden. Please join us. My companions are Doctor Bath’ra, a scientist, the greatest I’ve ever known and rQara, his equally brilliant offspring. Come sit with us.”
“You honour me Majesty,” Spock replied as he took the indicated seat.
“Nonsense. I admit, I had you brought straight over upon your arrival because I’ve heard stories of this great jewel you wear and I admit I have a great weakness for such pretty things. I see that the rumours about it are true. I’ve near seen such a fine thing made from uncut stones before. Where is it from?”
Spock answered honestly, omitting only a few details, “It was made by a dear friend of mine for his late wife. Once he was ready to let go of her, he gave it to me, as a token of affection and as a sign of his belief in me. We were parted quite suddenly and I do not know when we will see each other again.”
“He sounds like the dearest of friends,” rQara spoke.
“He is. And, at times, rather maddening,” Spock smiled and little. The King laughed heartily.
“Tell me Valden. Do you have any interest in science?” asked Doctor Bath’ra. King Sal and rQara shared a look which spoke volumes.
Now Spock’s cover story came into play, “I think had my father not needed my help with the family business, I may have sought some further education in the sciences.”
“If my father cannot converse on the subject of science then he doesn’t consider conversation worth his time,” rQara commented slyly.
“rQara! I do have other interests.”
“Your daughter is right Bath’ra. You always turn to conversation to science if you cannot start it that way.”
“I feel you may wish to speak to me about something specific,” Spock jumped right in. The mood of the others changed very suddenly.
“Is the device active?”
“Since before you joined us Sal.”
“Have no fear we will be overheard Valden. Bath’ra has a device that will fudge our words. Have you noticed what is going on?”
“If you mean the lack of Klingon patrols throughout the Empire and rumours of engagements with Federation ships across the Neutral Zone?”
“The Empire is being abandoned.”
“Abandoned? Rumour is that the Klingons have seen weakness in the Federation and are expanding.”
“And the longer the Romulan Empire believes it the better says the Klingon High Council.”
“But your people have spent centuries building the Empire, why abandon it?”
“Because we have poisoned it.”
“Poisoned?”
“All our science has gone towards the building of bigger and better weapons and ships to expand the Empire and subjugate captured peoples. And we’ve been too busy, too focused on that to see that we were poisoning ourselves and them the whole time.”
“How?"
“Pollution. Where most other species had learnt to deal with it and even stop it by the time they were warp capable, we had no such thing before the Orions. We never had a chance to learn like other species. We went from warring tribes to Planetary Empire in a decade and never looked back. It is instilled in us since birth that blood and battle is our life, our destiny. Nothing else matter.”
“You realise that if it is discovered that you have told me this, you will be all labelled as traitors. Why take the risk?”
“Desperation. I have been sending communications to every level of Klingon society and I have been ignored. Only a few years ago this problem could have been solved with a generation. But with the increase in production in the past few years...”
“The pollution has increased and due to the powerful solar winds in this region the pollution is being spread.”
“You were right rQara. He is not who he pretends to be,” the King smiled, but there was no malice in it. Spock tensed for just a moment anyway. “Do not fear, we will not give away your presence. We only ask that you take word to the Romulan senate...”
“I cannot.”
“Why?”
“I am not Romulan. I am Vulcan.”
“But what interest do the Vulcans have in Klingon space?”
“I am not here on behalf of the Vulcan people. I am here on behalf of Starfleet. I am Captain Spock of the USS Endeavour.”
***
“I’m afraid I’ve come to the same conclusion as you Captain,” said Bath’ra sadly, “Leaving Klingon space is our only option. But it shouldn’t have been.”
“And you, King Sal, what of your people?”
“Even Taamar is not safe. But it is one of the safer worlds. We will be among the last to die from the poisoning. Though that may not yet be for many generations yet.”
“Would it not be wiser to leave and make another home for yourselves?”
“Where? Most worlds are in this region are already claimed.”
“There are colonies looking for more people to join with them, worlds with no sentient life forms and many others yet to be discovered. There are worlds and places enough.”
“Under the rule of the Federation,” added Bath’ra.
“No, the Federation cannot, will not interfere unless its members are endangered. That is why Starfleet has been defending its borders so vehemently. It seemed certain that the Klingons were invading. We did not know until the first ships were captured that something was wrong.”
“We’ve given no reason to believe that we were doing anything but Empire building,” finished rQara.
“Once they see the data we have collected, they will call off the fleet. No doubt an offer of aid will be extended.”
***
As the dinner progressed the Klingon warriors present imbibed more and more bloodwine. With every bottle emptied, the noise increase until it reached a level too loud for Spock to be comfortable. rQara came to his rescue.
“Come join me in the garden Valden. There are several phenomena that can only be seen on moonless nights like this that you will find of interest.”
Neither missed the leers that followed them to the door. Most of them on him but one leer in particular on what he wore around his throat.
They were not in the garden for ten minutes when Setella and her closest companions joined them.
“You’ve become very friendly with my father and the Klingon traitors, Romulan. What is it that you had to talk about for so long?”
“Trade, Your Highness,” Spock replied coolly, even while the Klingons seized him and rQara by the arms.
“It looked a little more serious then trade.”
“Trade is a serious business.” Spock’s heart jumped a little when he realised just how much of Jim he had channelled into that statement.
“Hold his arm out,” she showily pulled a small blade from between her breasts and sliced it over Spock’s exposed wrist. One of the Klingons then caught the blood on a device Spock could not identify. “I have my suspicions Romulan that you are not who you say you are. This device will confirm this momentarily.”
“It was you Setella. You robbed my father’s laboratory, rQara was enraged.
“Your father claims to be a true and loyal servant of the Empire, yet he keeps devices such as this, which could be used to root out spies, a secret.”
The device chirped, “I should know better than to bet against you Princess. You were correct, he’s not Romulan. He’s Vulcan,” smirked the Commander. The device chirped again to their clear surprise, “It says he’s Human as well.”
“Spock of Vulcan. Well, well, well, we have caught ourselves quite a prize here my darlings. This begs an interesting question. Are you here on behalf of the Vulcans or are you here as a Federation spy?”
“I was sent as a Scientist. Ships were captured crewed by children. Children dying of heavy metal poisoning. I was sent to discover the source of the poisoning.”
“No matter. You are now a prisoner of the Klingon Empire.”
“The Federation can help. We want to help. It is our way.”
“Liar. The Federation are the biggest Empire builders of them all.”
“No, they are not.”
“Silence, spy. Take them away,” she waved them off them changed her mind, “Wait! The necklace. Give it to me.”
One of the Klingons reacted too eagerly to obey her command and loosen his grip on Spock’s arm to comply and Spock took full advantage of the fool’s mistake. Before the first phaser shot could be fired he had freed rQara and cleared the back gate.
***
They had been running for more than two hours before the voices and phasers of their pursuers faded further into the distance than Spock could hear. “We are no longer being pursued.”
“It’s-it’s t-too cold. Qo’nos is hot and humid. We K-Klingons suffer in the cold. It can-can k-k-kill ussss. Or pursuers m-m-may have already-d-d-d-d-dy succumbed,” rQara shivered violently. For Spock, it was no colder than a desert night on Vulcan.
“We are near mountains. It may yet be possible to find suitable shelter from the weather.” As if it was able to hear his words a frosty wind picked up. “We should not risk starting a fire in the open.”
“D-deadly predator in the mountains. Even K-klingon warriors do not enter their h-h-heavily armed and in-in large groups. I have only-only my D’k’tahg.”
“That will lessen our risk of capture considerably as they will be unlikely to consider we would enter the area.”
“I-I-I do not see the-the logic in risking d-d-death.”
“Exactly.”
***
rQara was no longer able to speak or even walk without Spock’s aid by the time they found a cave. Leaving rQara just inside to cave mouth, he took her D’k’tahg with him while he checked to see if it was safe. He turned ca corner not thirty feet into the opening to find a creature four times the size of a seh’lat in every portion barrelling towards him. While a Klingon warrior would have held his ground, Spock ducked and rolled as soon as the beast came close. It impacted the wall with a sickening sound. It staggered about, dazed and confused. Concentrating his senses as Zarabeth had taught him, to ascertain the beast’s weakest points, he caught the scent of blood. The beast had broken skin, over its eyes, he could hear it hitting the floor, flying through the air and colouring the walls as the beast shook its head violently to try and clear the blood which rendered it blind. It’s hearts, which made only a dull sound, where too deep in its body, too well protected by its bone structure to be targeted.
It snuffled the ground, forgoing trying to find its prey by sight. Spock stayed still, until the very last moment. The D’k’tahg followed by Spock’s arm up to the elbow, disappeared through the closest weak point, the beasts eye socket. The sickening sound that came with Spock retrieving his hand and the blade turned his stomach.
“How?” rQara, stirred by the noise had managed to drag herself further into the cave.
“I have hunted such beasts before. My teacher taught me well.” He helped her around the beast, whose body now blocked the vicious wind from making its way further into the cave. Tucked against the back wall was an empty, slightly empty nest. “We should not risk a fire this far in. I suggest we instead use the beast’s fur.” Spock returned to the beast, skinning the main part of its body. The skin was enormous and even folded in half, was enough to cover them, with plenty to spare.
After a time, while she still shuddered uncontrollably, rQara recovered her voice. “How is it that you learned to hunt with such skill?”
“I found myself trapped on an ice world some time ago. The only food available was animal flesh. I was taught by my rescuer to hunt beasts larger and more agile then this one. I had thought I would never make use of them again.”
“What else did you learn?” rQara asked innocently. Spock was glad she could not see on the dark as well as he could, as he was unable to keep the colour from his cheeks. “Spock? Are you well?”
“She taught me how to process and dry animal flesh. To find stone and make tools. To craft furs into clothes to keep in warmth without interfering in hunting. And....”
“A hesitant Vulcan. I did not think such a being existed.”
“She taught me how to use my body to revive one who has been made ill by the cold."
“Oh.” The next shiver was not from the cold but caused by his hand caressing its way along her body. “What exactly did she teach you?”
He proceed to give her a thorough tutorial.
***
The King’s loyal guardsmen found them at the entrance of the valley at mid-morning and secreted them into the Palace. King Sal sat slumped on his Throne, black circles around his eyes from lack of sleep/ Yet his face brightened greatly upon seeing rQara. “My dearest, your father and I feared for you greatly. None of the others returned, they perished when the winds came.”
“I feared you lost also. Surely Setella...”
“Her followers are gone. All of them. She has taken to her rooms in a fit. None will listen to her. I am only sorry that I still cannot release your father from his house.”
“If Setella has truly lost control then we should seize this time and make use of it. “
“We shall indeed.”
“What will you do?” Spock inquired.
“Setella’s followers have held back a growing resistance for some time, including some supporters we have among the Klingons. I will entreat my people to leave this world. Will you take a plea of assistance to the Federation?”
“I shall.”
***
Next Chapter: http://naomiphoenix.livejournal.com/8930.html
Author: NaomiPhoenix
Chapter(s): 6-?
Pairing: Kirk/Spock, Scotty/Uhura
Summary: The Federation is at risk of collapse as is Starfleet. Post STID.
Previous Chapter: http://naomiphoenix.livejournal.com/8438.html
Chapter Five
“Captain Spock, Priority One message from Starfleet Command. Marked for your eyes only, sir.”
“Thank you Lieutenant. Commander Sulu, you have the bridge.”
Less than twenty-four hours later Spock disappeared from Endeavour and the Admiralty issued a gag order on his entire crew.
***
The captured Klingon K’t’inga vessel had been augmented with the best scientific equipment Starfleet had to offer. For weeks now, it had silently transversed Klingon space. And during these weeks they had come to a startling conclusion. Powerful solar winds plagued the region and Qo’nos was in the path of the most furious of them all. Tests had found record breaking amounts of plutonium, lead, mercury and arsenic in the crosswinds which pummelled Qo’nos and many other worlds in this Empire. The worst of the pollution came from Praxis, the very same planet where the Warfleet had originated from.
“To put it simply Captain, they have been poisoning themselves for generations.”
“And now they have become desperate for new, clean territory.”
“In doing so, that is to say by constructing this massive fleet in such a short time they have made the deterioration of this sector of space incredibly acute.”
“Previous to the Warfleets construction, we could have assisted them in cleaning up this sector with half a century. But now...now at our level of technology, the process would take a millennium, minimum.”
“1032.275 years,” Spock replied as he gazed over their calculations.
“They are dying, they are desperate and they will stop at nothing. A very dangerous enemy indeed.”
“How do we even begin to deal with a people like that?” one of the scientists asked with the breathy tone of horror.
“Unknown. Such an event on this scale has never taken place.”
“Most species capable of warp usually shed their war-like tendencies and are more aware of the dangers of their actions may cause. The Klingons were interfered with well before they reached that stage.”
“My ancestors almost destroyed Vulcan before the Age of Enlightenment and the Exodus. But once their minds were turned to logic and they made use of the sciences the damage they inflicted were reversed and our world was healed.”
“Of course, Captain Spock, that’s it! We stop dealing with the warlords and start dealing with the scientists!”
***
The idea was easier spoken then done. Another month passed, deep in Klingon space, before a coded transmission to KDA on Qo’nos was intercepted.
“We’ve tracked its origin to this location. A subjected planet called Taamar. Its people were just pre-warp when they were conquered and have a strong history in medical science. The message sent to the KDA was basically an essay outlining that the pollution is the cause of the illness plaguing the Empire. From what I can tell, this Doctor Bath’ra is working in exile and under house arrest on Taamar. He’s got few facts to work with but his theory as to what is causing this is only just a little off."
“What have the KDA said?”
“They told him to keep his theories to himself and shut up before his house arrest becomes imprisonment on Rura Penthe.”
Something in Spock’s gut, which many years ago he would have ignored, told him this Klingon scientist was contacting and he said and did as much.
***
The Castle of the King of Taamar rose over the Capital City more like a dark shadow then as the centre place of a people of science. Under this great shadow, at the very edge of the Capital City, sat the property which stood as the prison of Doctor Bath’ra. Spock alone left the ship to make contact, dressing himself in the broad shouldered robes of a Romulan, with falsified identification to match. None of the Klingons who stopped him in the streets, and this happed on many occasions, question his supposed origin despite the lack of brow ridges. They were more amused by the length of his hair, which he had not cut since Khan and by all accounts made them mistake him for a Romulan female. Along with glimpses of Miramanee’s Necklace he gained some unwanted attention. That was until it led him to be invited to the very house he had been scouting for five days. He would attend a dinner alongside Taamar Royalty and High ranking Klingons.
***
Princess Setella was in her element surrounded by a dozen bawdy, boorish Klingon Warriors, her admirers, Her father on the other hand sat quietly in a corner with Doctor Bath’ra and his daughter rQara. Why the old fool insisted on interacting with the Klingon traitor and his offspring when he knew he would be interrogated about it the next morning, she could never understand.
“Ah, there is his Princess, the wealthy Romulan merchant I was telling you about,” Commander Gath chuckled.
“The pretty creature everyone has been gossiping about?” she made a show of putting down her glass before following his gaze to the most beautiful being she had ever seen, wearing, if possible, an even more exquisite jewel. It stood out brilliantly against the plain black silk robe he wore, belted with a deep purple sash. “Beautiful.”
“Him or the jewel Princess?”
“I want that jewel.”
***
Almost immediately upon his arrival, Spock, who was using the name Valden, was swept across the room by a courtier to be introduced to the King.
“Your Majesty, may I introduce Valden, a Romulan Merchant. Valden, His Royal Majesty, King Sal of Taamar.”
“Welcome, welcome Valden. Please join us. My companions are Doctor Bath’ra, a scientist, the greatest I’ve ever known and rQara, his equally brilliant offspring. Come sit with us.”
“You honour me Majesty,” Spock replied as he took the indicated seat.
“Nonsense. I admit, I had you brought straight over upon your arrival because I’ve heard stories of this great jewel you wear and I admit I have a great weakness for such pretty things. I see that the rumours about it are true. I’ve near seen such a fine thing made from uncut stones before. Where is it from?”
Spock answered honestly, omitting only a few details, “It was made by a dear friend of mine for his late wife. Once he was ready to let go of her, he gave it to me, as a token of affection and as a sign of his belief in me. We were parted quite suddenly and I do not know when we will see each other again.”
“He sounds like the dearest of friends,” rQara spoke.
“He is. And, at times, rather maddening,” Spock smiled and little. The King laughed heartily.
“Tell me Valden. Do you have any interest in science?” asked Doctor Bath’ra. King Sal and rQara shared a look which spoke volumes.
Now Spock’s cover story came into play, “I think had my father not needed my help with the family business, I may have sought some further education in the sciences.”
“If my father cannot converse on the subject of science then he doesn’t consider conversation worth his time,” rQara commented slyly.
“rQara! I do have other interests.”
“Your daughter is right Bath’ra. You always turn to conversation to science if you cannot start it that way.”
“I feel you may wish to speak to me about something specific,” Spock jumped right in. The mood of the others changed very suddenly.
“Is the device active?”
“Since before you joined us Sal.”
“Have no fear we will be overheard Valden. Bath’ra has a device that will fudge our words. Have you noticed what is going on?”
“If you mean the lack of Klingon patrols throughout the Empire and rumours of engagements with Federation ships across the Neutral Zone?”
“The Empire is being abandoned.”
“Abandoned? Rumour is that the Klingons have seen weakness in the Federation and are expanding.”
“And the longer the Romulan Empire believes it the better says the Klingon High Council.”
“But your people have spent centuries building the Empire, why abandon it?”
“Because we have poisoned it.”
“Poisoned?”
“All our science has gone towards the building of bigger and better weapons and ships to expand the Empire and subjugate captured peoples. And we’ve been too busy, too focused on that to see that we were poisoning ourselves and them the whole time.”
“How?"
“Pollution. Where most other species had learnt to deal with it and even stop it by the time they were warp capable, we had no such thing before the Orions. We never had a chance to learn like other species. We went from warring tribes to Planetary Empire in a decade and never looked back. It is instilled in us since birth that blood and battle is our life, our destiny. Nothing else matter.”
“You realise that if it is discovered that you have told me this, you will be all labelled as traitors. Why take the risk?”
“Desperation. I have been sending communications to every level of Klingon society and I have been ignored. Only a few years ago this problem could have been solved with a generation. But with the increase in production in the past few years...”
“The pollution has increased and due to the powerful solar winds in this region the pollution is being spread.”
“You were right rQara. He is not who he pretends to be,” the King smiled, but there was no malice in it. Spock tensed for just a moment anyway. “Do not fear, we will not give away your presence. We only ask that you take word to the Romulan senate...”
“I cannot.”
“Why?”
“I am not Romulan. I am Vulcan.”
“But what interest do the Vulcans have in Klingon space?”
“I am not here on behalf of the Vulcan people. I am here on behalf of Starfleet. I am Captain Spock of the USS Endeavour.”
***
“I’m afraid I’ve come to the same conclusion as you Captain,” said Bath’ra sadly, “Leaving Klingon space is our only option. But it shouldn’t have been.”
“And you, King Sal, what of your people?”
“Even Taamar is not safe. But it is one of the safer worlds. We will be among the last to die from the poisoning. Though that may not yet be for many generations yet.”
“Would it not be wiser to leave and make another home for yourselves?”
“Where? Most worlds are in this region are already claimed.”
“There are colonies looking for more people to join with them, worlds with no sentient life forms and many others yet to be discovered. There are worlds and places enough.”
“Under the rule of the Federation,” added Bath’ra.
“No, the Federation cannot, will not interfere unless its members are endangered. That is why Starfleet has been defending its borders so vehemently. It seemed certain that the Klingons were invading. We did not know until the first ships were captured that something was wrong.”
“We’ve given no reason to believe that we were doing anything but Empire building,” finished rQara.
“Once they see the data we have collected, they will call off the fleet. No doubt an offer of aid will be extended.”
***
As the dinner progressed the Klingon warriors present imbibed more and more bloodwine. With every bottle emptied, the noise increase until it reached a level too loud for Spock to be comfortable. rQara came to his rescue.
“Come join me in the garden Valden. There are several phenomena that can only be seen on moonless nights like this that you will find of interest.”
Neither missed the leers that followed them to the door. Most of them on him but one leer in particular on what he wore around his throat.
They were not in the garden for ten minutes when Setella and her closest companions joined them.
“You’ve become very friendly with my father and the Klingon traitors, Romulan. What is it that you had to talk about for so long?”
“Trade, Your Highness,” Spock replied coolly, even while the Klingons seized him and rQara by the arms.
“It looked a little more serious then trade.”
“Trade is a serious business.” Spock’s heart jumped a little when he realised just how much of Jim he had channelled into that statement.
“Hold his arm out,” she showily pulled a small blade from between her breasts and sliced it over Spock’s exposed wrist. One of the Klingons then caught the blood on a device Spock could not identify. “I have my suspicions Romulan that you are not who you say you are. This device will confirm this momentarily.”
“It was you Setella. You robbed my father’s laboratory, rQara was enraged.
“Your father claims to be a true and loyal servant of the Empire, yet he keeps devices such as this, which could be used to root out spies, a secret.”
The device chirped, “I should know better than to bet against you Princess. You were correct, he’s not Romulan. He’s Vulcan,” smirked the Commander. The device chirped again to their clear surprise, “It says he’s Human as well.”
“Spock of Vulcan. Well, well, well, we have caught ourselves quite a prize here my darlings. This begs an interesting question. Are you here on behalf of the Vulcans or are you here as a Federation spy?”
“I was sent as a Scientist. Ships were captured crewed by children. Children dying of heavy metal poisoning. I was sent to discover the source of the poisoning.”
“No matter. You are now a prisoner of the Klingon Empire.”
“The Federation can help. We want to help. It is our way.”
“Liar. The Federation are the biggest Empire builders of them all.”
“No, they are not.”
“Silence, spy. Take them away,” she waved them off them changed her mind, “Wait! The necklace. Give it to me.”
One of the Klingons reacted too eagerly to obey her command and loosen his grip on Spock’s arm to comply and Spock took full advantage of the fool’s mistake. Before the first phaser shot could be fired he had freed rQara and cleared the back gate.
***
They had been running for more than two hours before the voices and phasers of their pursuers faded further into the distance than Spock could hear. “We are no longer being pursued.”
“It’s-it’s t-too cold. Qo’nos is hot and humid. We K-Klingons suffer in the cold. It can-can k-k-kill ussss. Or pursuers m-m-may have already-d-d-d-d-dy succumbed,” rQara shivered violently. For Spock, it was no colder than a desert night on Vulcan.
“We are near mountains. It may yet be possible to find suitable shelter from the weather.” As if it was able to hear his words a frosty wind picked up. “We should not risk starting a fire in the open.”
“D-deadly predator in the mountains. Even K-klingon warriors do not enter their h-h-heavily armed and in-in large groups. I have only-only my D’k’tahg.”
“That will lessen our risk of capture considerably as they will be unlikely to consider we would enter the area.”
“I-I-I do not see the-the logic in risking d-d-death.”
“Exactly.”
***
rQara was no longer able to speak or even walk without Spock’s aid by the time they found a cave. Leaving rQara just inside to cave mouth, he took her D’k’tahg with him while he checked to see if it was safe. He turned ca corner not thirty feet into the opening to find a creature four times the size of a seh’lat in every portion barrelling towards him. While a Klingon warrior would have held his ground, Spock ducked and rolled as soon as the beast came close. It impacted the wall with a sickening sound. It staggered about, dazed and confused. Concentrating his senses as Zarabeth had taught him, to ascertain the beast’s weakest points, he caught the scent of blood. The beast had broken skin, over its eyes, he could hear it hitting the floor, flying through the air and colouring the walls as the beast shook its head violently to try and clear the blood which rendered it blind. It’s hearts, which made only a dull sound, where too deep in its body, too well protected by its bone structure to be targeted.
It snuffled the ground, forgoing trying to find its prey by sight. Spock stayed still, until the very last moment. The D’k’tahg followed by Spock’s arm up to the elbow, disappeared through the closest weak point, the beasts eye socket. The sickening sound that came with Spock retrieving his hand and the blade turned his stomach.
“How?” rQara, stirred by the noise had managed to drag herself further into the cave.
“I have hunted such beasts before. My teacher taught me well.” He helped her around the beast, whose body now blocked the vicious wind from making its way further into the cave. Tucked against the back wall was an empty, slightly empty nest. “We should not risk a fire this far in. I suggest we instead use the beast’s fur.” Spock returned to the beast, skinning the main part of its body. The skin was enormous and even folded in half, was enough to cover them, with plenty to spare.
After a time, while she still shuddered uncontrollably, rQara recovered her voice. “How is it that you learned to hunt with such skill?”
“I found myself trapped on an ice world some time ago. The only food available was animal flesh. I was taught by my rescuer to hunt beasts larger and more agile then this one. I had thought I would never make use of them again.”
“What else did you learn?” rQara asked innocently. Spock was glad she could not see on the dark as well as he could, as he was unable to keep the colour from his cheeks. “Spock? Are you well?”
“She taught me how to process and dry animal flesh. To find stone and make tools. To craft furs into clothes to keep in warmth without interfering in hunting. And....”
“A hesitant Vulcan. I did not think such a being existed.”
“She taught me how to use my body to revive one who has been made ill by the cold."
“Oh.” The next shiver was not from the cold but caused by his hand caressing its way along her body. “What exactly did she teach you?”
He proceed to give her a thorough tutorial.
***
The King’s loyal guardsmen found them at the entrance of the valley at mid-morning and secreted them into the Palace. King Sal sat slumped on his Throne, black circles around his eyes from lack of sleep/ Yet his face brightened greatly upon seeing rQara. “My dearest, your father and I feared for you greatly. None of the others returned, they perished when the winds came.”
“I feared you lost also. Surely Setella...”
“Her followers are gone. All of them. She has taken to her rooms in a fit. None will listen to her. I am only sorry that I still cannot release your father from his house.”
“If Setella has truly lost control then we should seize this time and make use of it. “
“We shall indeed.”
“What will you do?” Spock inquired.
“Setella’s followers have held back a growing resistance for some time, including some supporters we have among the Klingons. I will entreat my people to leave this world. Will you take a plea of assistance to the Federation?”
“I shall.”
***
Next Chapter: http://naomiphoenix.livejournal.com/8930.html