As in the Heavens: Chapters 7-10
Title: As in the Heavens: Chapters 7-10
Author: Poetics124
Rating: PG:13
Pairing: Spock/Uhura, Spock Prime
Summary: She could not hold him any longer. *The third story in the Primal Universe*
Disclaimer: Star Trek belongs to Paramount
Enterprise
“Effective immediately, your mission is over.”
James T. Kirk was not used to failure. In his young, and in many ways historic, career as Captain of the flagship Enterprise, he and his crew had one more accolades and honor than many captains ever had in their entire Starfleet career. So the loss of his first officer…his friend…to the Romulans hurt him deeply. Admiral Pike’s orders were insult to injury.
“But sir, we cannot leave Commander Spock on Romulus!”
“We are not leaving him, Captain.” Admiral Pike sighed over the view screen. “Jim, I know this is hard for you but right now with the capture of Spock, we are on the verge of war with Romulus. The Federation does not have the man power or the technology to face them, not without Vulcan.”
“And what if they decide to execute him? Make an example out of him? How does that not lead to war as well?”
“We won’t let it get to that point, Jim. We might….we might be able to broker a deal. But what I need you to do it to stay calm and stay out of it. You are too emotionally attached.”
“One of my finest officers is probably being tortured and abused on Romulus. Damn right, I’m emotional. Kirk out.”
Kirk cut off the screen before Pike could respond. He leaned back in his office chair and looked up at the ceiling. He could not accept failure.
******
“His mind….his mind is present but it is as if another mind is inside of him as well, father.”
Both Sarek and Spock Prime looked at the comatose man laid down in sickbay, his eyes still an astonishing white. Sarek examined the young man.
“Humar, son of Silak. He has grown into a man physically but because of his banishment along with Sybok, I believe mentally he had no defense against whatever is attacking his mind now.”
“This is untrue.”
Both turned to see a tired Sybok walk to the biobed. He stared at his friend for a long time and then took his hand. Sarek did not know what to make of such bold emotion from one of his sons. He seemed worse than he was when he was first banished by the high council.
“I have taken care of all who followed me in banishment. I have given them all the tools they needed to make it outside of Vulcan. You may not believe this but I taught them how to embrace and control their emotions. They are the better than any Vulcan that are left.”
Sybok smoothed Humar’s hair in a fatherly gesture and then looked at Spock Prime.
“I am not familiar with him, father. Is he of the House of Surak?”
“He is a cousin of T’Pau.” Sarek remarked, both being truthful and deceiving at the same time. “He was…offworld for a long period of time.”
“What is your name, cousin of T’Pau?”
“My name is Spock…like your brother.”
If Sybok had any more questions he kept them to himself as the monitor on the biobed began to beep. Dr. McCoy made his way towards the bed.
“His brain activity is going haywire!”
Sybok let go of his hand and then watched the monitor as well. Spock Prime moved closer to the bed and tried, once again, to press into Humar’s mind.
******
You are like me.
Spock took in the surroundings around him and suddenly knew his location. He was in Vulcan’s Forge surrounded by melted mountains and scorching sun. And ache ran into his chest, an ache for home, and ache for his planet, for its traditions.
He turned to notice a small boy, covered in a cowl and hood, racing towards him. He did not recognize the boy and the boy seemed not to take any notice of him as he ran harder and faster.
You are like me, Spock.
Why are we in the Forge?
This is the closest I will ever come to this place. It is someone else’s memory. I merely observe.
Spock looked up into the sky.
Show yourself. There is no reason to hide.
I am not hiding. I am all around. I am the mountains. The air.
Why are you doing this?
Because I can. I have become bored with this one. He was interesting at first but not as interesting as you.
The boy ran but seemed not to be going anywhere. Just stuck in the same place.
He is but a boy.
He is not a boy. This is a memory of his boyhood. A memory he both cherishes and despises. Vulcans are rather mean to their children.
You know nothing about us.
I know that they treated you horribly. You could not help your genetics any more than I can help mine. We are both hybrids. Both seen as freaks of nature. This boy, those Romulans, not even your pretty bondmate can understand.
Leave Nyota out of this!
You are not to show emotion, but you show it for her? Interesting. It is funny how this one is on your ship right now. I wonder how close he can get to your beloved.
Stay from her! Do not go near her!
The sky rumbled above and the clouds grew dark.
There is another presence here. I have felt him in this mind before. I do not like him.
An image of Spock Prime came before Spock.
He is you but not you. He is from the future. I do not exist in his time. I do not like him.
The image vanished.
I do not like him and I will have him destroyed!
*******
“Spock!” Sarek said as Spock Prime began to stumble back from Humar. Sarek steadied him and held him by his arms. “Spock? What did you see?”
“It is….there is someone else in his mind. Someone else controlling….controlling it. Commander Spock was there. I saw him. I felt….his presence.”
“So that demon has my brother as well.” Sybok whispered. The brain monitor began to go crazy and Dr. McCoy was rushing to figure out what was going on.
Humar suddenly sat up and hit Bones in his mouth, making the doctor crash to the floor.
“Humar! What are you doing?”
Humar lifted himself from the bed and shoved Sybok into a nurse, knocking them both to the ground. He then turned to Sarek and Spock Prime.
“I do not like you, Spock, son of Sarek. You wish to take him from me! You and the girl called Nyota. I will not let either of you have him. I will not let you live.”
Chapter 8
Enterprise
Humar was not himself. This was not the man that Sybok had taught and mentored. Humar was gentle and compassionate. The man who had just taken a medical scalpel from one of McCoy’s side trays was not gentle. He was not compassionate. This was not Humar.
Sybok struggled to untangle himself from the nurse who had also been struck by Humar as he watched Humar swing the scalpel wildly at both Sarek and Ambassador Spock. Both men backed their bodies away avoiding his angry swipes. From the side of his vision Sybok saw Dr. McCoy reach for his communicator.
“Security down to Sickbay immediately! We have a man armed and attacking Ambassador Spock and Ambassador Sarek.”
Sybok pushed himself up from the floor and threw himself at the younger Vulcan, holding Humar from behind by his waist with one arm and using the other hand to hold Humar’s weapon still.
“Get away from me! He must die. She must die. I must not let them have him.”
“Stop! Humar stop!” Sybok commanded. Sarek approached the man and placed and pinched the crook of his neck. Sybok felt the man go slack in his arms.
“You did not have to do that to him, father.” Sybok looked at Sarek with a sense of rage. “I would have stopped him.”
“Illogical. Humar was not rational nor was he the one in control.” Sarek glanced at Spock Prime who was getting his composure back. “Why would he wish to kill you?”
“I do not know. But whoever and whatever was in his mind is the most powerful telepath I have ever met. It was as if….as if he were the mind inside of Humar. I could see that whoever this person was that they had melded with Humar.”
Sybok watched as Dr. McCoy along with other attendants placed Humar back onto the bed as Security ran into the door.
“But melding has no such effect.” Sarek answered. “It is impossible.”
“This is different, ambassador. This being melded with Humar and stayed inside his mind. The usual separation between minds in a meld did not occur. This being is one mind with Humar….and possibly Commander Spock.”
“So this being can control Humar’s body?” Sybok paused. “He said before he melded with Humar that he wanted me to watch him. Wanted me to see what my future would be.”
“So why was he not interested in you?” Sarek asked. “Why only Ambassador Spock and Lt. Uhura?”
“I do not know of the why with Ambassador Spock.” Sybok sighed. “It may be because he went so deeply into Humar’s mind. But I believe I know the why with Lt. Uhura.”
Both men looked to him with a sense of curiosity.
“She is Spock’s bondmate.”
*******
“Are you prepared?”
Nyota nodded her head, ready to lessen the mental bond between them. It would not severe it, but what Spock was prepared to do was mute it, so it did not interfere with her own thoughts and actions. They had discussed this before after their rescue from Gourian V. Feeling his complete mind had been a heady experience during his pon farr but the sensing of his thoughts, the intrusion of his feelings, the brutality of his memories were beginning to wear on her. He had understood. He had trusted her when she said she did not want to sever their bond or their budding relationship.
He placed his fingers to her face, his touch lighting her senses aflame.
“My mind to your mind. My thoughts to yours.”
Colors swirled in her mind and she sighed at his full entrance into her thoughts. She could feel his blood pumping, his mind racing, and felt a heat for him that was comparable to pon farr. He hushed it.
“I will not be able to do this”, he communicated to her, “I will not want to if you continue.”
Uhura remembered the rules they had set up for themselves and concentrated on not desiring him, on not wanting him, and let him finish.
“The bond remains, but will be silent. The bond connects, but we are individual. Two minds sharing but alone.”
The bright colors faded but did not disappear.
A chime woke her out of thought and she rose from her bed, still recovering from the broken bond between she and Spock. She had never been so emotionally drained or depressed. She was finding it hard to snap out of it. Kirk was understanding but she was not. She felt as if she could not move.
“Enter.” She called out as she came closer to the doorway. Spock Prime and Sarek were waiting for her.
“Ambassadors? What brings you…”
“Are you the bondmate of Spock?” Sarek asked as if it were an accusation.
Nyota was taken aback. “Sir I….”
“We need an answer, Lt.” Spock Prime said calmly.
Uhura felt insulted at their inquiries. She and Spock had kept their relationship rather low profile and she did not like the thought of others knowing their business, even if it was his father and an alternate version of himself.
“Our relationship is personal.”
“Lt. Uhura…” Spock Prime paused, thinking of an alternative method of persuasion. “Nyota, your answer could possibly help save Commander Spock.”
******
Romulus
Spock was unaware of when he had come back to himself but he could smell the heat and burning flesh of his cell. His head felt cloudy, and unfocused, unable to concentrate on what was around him. But he could still feel Sirinvok presence in his mind.
“Sirinvok….I know that you are still here.”
In the dark corner of his cell he could see movement. Spock tried to move but he was trapped to the arms and legs of his chair. His vision blurred.
“I have returned you to yourself.” Sirinvok’s voice was much weaker outside of the world of the mind. Inside he was a booming god, outside he was as meek as a mouse. He still stayed in shadow, but Spock could see his outline.
“Why?”
“Because I want you to know that I am your only salvation from this place. What…what the Romulans will do to you if you don’t come with me willingly.”
“I am unconcerned with what they do.”
“You are concerned Spock.” Sirinvok moved closer to the light and Spock could see the paleness of his hand. “You do not show it but you are concerned. You still think of her.”
Spock took in a deep breath. “I am an officer of Starfleet. My emotions are irrelevant. My duty is to protect the Federation and its planets.”
“I am still a part of you, Spock, son of Sarek.” Sirinvok revealed. “I can still overwhelm you at any time.”
Spock saw a door open.
“I…I hope you choose wisely. It may be the only way you live.”
And he saw Sirinvok exit, his presence reminding Spock of a Terran ghost.
******
“Sirinvok.”
Sirinvok came closer, his frail body seeming as if it were only held up by a miracle. “Yes, sir.”
“The prisoner, Spock, has his mind revealed….”
“He is much stronger than I anticipated. I have not worked on a Vulcan trained mind before.”
“Why am I sensing you are lying, Sirinvok.” Commander Tulvan said, rising from his bed.
“It is not a lie. His mind is not easy to ascertain. His discipline is sound.”
Commander Tulvan looked beyond Sirinvok. “Lt. Narun, make sure the Starfleet commander is more…amicable to Sirinvok’s probes.”
Sirinvok heard the door swish open and then closed. “There is no need to hurt his body. I can take care of his mind without his….”
“Do not say another word.” Tulvan stood from behind his desk and went around to meet Sirinvok. “You must remember, Sirinvok, that while in mind you are powerful, but in body….”
Tulvan twisted his arm behind him and Sirinvok let out a yelp. “Stop!”
“..in body, you are as weak as a newborn babe. Do not test me, Sirinvok!”
Tulvan let go of his arm and Sirinvok fell to the floor, tears of rage pooling in his eyes.
I may be weak in body now, but soon, very soon, I will be powerful there as well. And when I am, you will be the first I see Commander. Sirinvok thought. The first I see.
Chapter 9
Enterprise
“Okay, start from the beginning.”
They all were quiet for a moment, Sarek, Sybok, and Bones standing quietly, Spock Prime sitting beside Nyota, and Kirk on a small blue chair in Nyota’s living quarters. Kirk, Bones, and Sybok had been summoned for both information and approval of what Spock Prime planned to do.
“Lt. Uhura has mental bond with Spock that allows them, in some ways, to share thoughts, even over long distances.”
Jim looked at Nyota and she could see that he was not pleased with this information. She knew automatically that he did not approve of the fact that this information was not shared with him or Starfleet at all. That he didn’t know of something on his ship that was pertinent and important on an official basis between his communications officer and first officer. She knew that both she and Spock would hear more from him after this was over. That was if Spock came back at all.
“And when did bond happen? I knew of their relationship but this…I…”
“It is usually something that is not shared, Captain Kirk.” Sarek interjected. “Vulcans value privacy and my son is no different. A mating bond is extremely personal and between the two people who share it.”
“Sounds pretty permanent.” Kirk said gazing at Uhura in wonderment.
“It is. It is the equivalent of a human marriage.” Spock Prime answered.
“Whoa! Spock and Uhura are married?” Bones nearly shouted.
“In technical terms, yes.”
“Well you could knock me over with a goddamn feather.”
“Hello!” Uhura burst through. “I’m sitting right here. You don’t have to talk over me.”
“Lt…I don’t know what to say.” Kirk admitted.
“Captain, the circumstances of…of what happened between me and Spock were a matter of life and death. So while, yes, we are married in the Vulcan sense we did not treat our relationship that way.”
“Did you try to nullify the bond?” Sarek asked. Both Sybok and Uhura looked at him. The memory of Spock telling her of Sarek’s own nullified bond echoed in her mind and she felt a certain sympathy.
“No. The memories and his thoughts kept interfering with my studies and my work. He merely dimmed them so I could function.”
“The bond did not seemed dulled on the shuttle, Lt.” Sybok spoke for the first time since entering the room.
“It….it flickered out.” Uhura said, her voice in pain. “I…I don’t know what happened.”
“He’s not dead, Nyota.” Spock Prime confessed and took her hand in his. “He is still among the living.”
“Then what is wrong? Why can’t I feel him?”
“It maybe because of this being. I could feel Spock’s katra in Humar’s mind. It may be trapped by the same mind that has trapped Humar.”
“Which brings us to our proposal, Captain.” Sarek interjected. “We believe it is possible contact Spock and help him escape Romulus.”
“How?”
“By using Lt. Uhura as a conduit into his mind.” Spock Prime answered plainly.
*******
Romulus
If one observed Sirinvok, one would believe he was calmly putting together a Romulan puzzle. He placed another white ball in the center of clear box and watched it enter to one point of the box or another depended where the let the ball land. His white irises were trained on the box as if there were nothing else in the world. He placed another white ball inside and let it roll to the left side.
It was a simple game, but to Sirinvok, it was a key to his own abilities.
He imaged being the box containing knowledge and other minds inside. At the moment he could only trap and deceive the balls in the box. Making the balls do anything took too much strength from his frail body. They were all contained in him.
He push a button on the side of the box and the white balls flew out of the box and floated all over the room, making it seem as if the box was growing legs.
Sirinvok let go of the box and let it float in the air as he looked at the pattern. The minds floated and drifted, alone, but still by the power of the box. But they were not straight and they were confused. The was the end of his ability. The end of his usefulness.
But…..
Sirinvok brought out a black box and activated it. The white balls came closer to the black box and followed it. Sirinvok let the black box float and went to the clear box, deactivating it. The clear box dropped and shattered on the floor. The white balls did not miss it and stayed floating around the black box, straight, controlled. Sirinvok held the box and moved it. In his other experiments with the puzzle, the balls, at that moment, would fall to the floor. But this time the white balls stayed with the black box.
Sirinvok tipped his head and gave a small smirk. He now knew what to do. Now all that he needed was to convince his own strong black box to help him get his revenge.
He was sure he could convince Spock of the wisdom of his plan. And then they would both escape from here. One mind,and most importantly, one body.
Chapter 10
Spock was running. He felt he had been running for most of his life. From his emotions. From his humanity. From his dual nature. But now he was running to save her. To save one of the few things in his life that made sense. That belonged.
He could hear her screams and speed up his pace. He felt Kirk beside him, running as fast as he was. They cleared the forest and saw the flames of the temple ahead. Spock reached for his phaser and fired at the first armed guard he saw. The man crumpled on the stairs leading to the top of the temple, stunned, but not dead. Spock continued running, his heart pounding his side like a drum. Nyota screamed again.
“Lilipa! Sutanka!” He heard someone yell as he launched himself up the stairs in the moonlit night. He could see the fire. He could see the naked man over his Nyota, knife in hand. They were going to kill her. He could not allow it.
******
“Lt. Uhura. I will meld with you now. I will know your memories and you shall know mine.”
“Ambassador….I’m not…”
“It must be like the mating bond if I am able to get access to Commander Spock’s memories and mind. Since I am closest to his mind, it is easy to have the full bond instead of partial. I know this may discomfort you but it may be necessary in order to save his life.”
Nyota looked at McCoy who was monitoring her heartbeat and he gave her an encouraging nod. There was no one in her bedroom other than Spock Prime and Bones, the others wanting to give them the privacy they might need in order to do this correctly. Nyota took a deep breath, her head relaxing on her pillow, and Spock Prime leaned over her.
“My mind to your mind…..”
******
He felt as if he were moving too slow. As if he were climbing the same steps over and over again. He felt stuck. Unable to move. Unable to help her. To save her. He pushed further. He had to save her. She was his home. The only home he had left.
******
Nyota watched as Spock caressed her own face, Spock over top of her, both naked under the sheets. He had done that many times to her but this time….his hands seemed older. As did his face. Her own face was older…wiser. She gazed at her surroundings and knew that this was not a place she had ever been. The room seemed as if it was built by hand as if it were an older style ranch house.
She and Spock had never been here, whereever this place was. This was not her memory.
She turned her head to look at the much older Spock Prime gazing at the bed in which the two lovers were still engaged in their embrace with a certain wistfulness.
“Spock…you have to promise….”
“Uhura, I promise. This will always be between you and I.”
“This wasn’t a mistake, Spock. I don’t regret it.”
“I cherish our friendship, Nyota. You are one of the dearest friends that I have left.”
The woman on the bed wrapped her arms around his neck and let him bring his face to her chest and they laid quietly. Nyota turned to Spock Prime once again.
“So you were lovers in your universe as well?”
“We were not lovers. We were friends. Dearest of friends.”
“Friends usually don’t do what you are doing, Ambassador.”
“It is hard to…I cannot explain it.” Spock Prime gazed once again on the couple, now sleeping on the bed. “This was the only time. The only time I allowed myself to have her. That I let myself be fully human to her. After Kirk died I…felt I had nothing. She helped me remember that there were still many things in the universe that were beautiful enough to see.”
Nyota could sense the longing in his statement and took his hand. He gazed at her with a small amount of regret.
“Ambassador…you have not broken your promise. You have only shown me that you cared deeply for her. And if I can speak for another Nyota Uhura, she appreciates it.”
Spock Prime gave a nod. “We must continue.”
*******
He was still running in place. Spock felt a frustration build in him but also a determination. He would not allow them to hurt her. He would die before that happened.
******
She didn’t want to be here again. She could feel the coldness of the air. She could feel their hands all over her.
“No!” She shouted into the night air. “No! Not this memory!”
“Lt. Uhura. Please, I am here with you. You are okay.”
“Ambassador!” She felt the steel blade caress the skin between her breasts. She squeezed her eyes closed. She didn’t want to be on this planet. She didn’t want to be stuck on this stone slab, naked. She didn’t want these strange hands on her. Didn’t want to feel others nakedness in her hands and on her body.
“Lt. Uhura this memory is an access point. I can feel Commander Spock’s mental presence here.”
She remember the emotions that were not her own. Fear, anger, love. That is how she survived this without losing her mind. She could feel Spock with her. Knew that he was coming to get her.
“Nyota!” She heard his yell and knew that she was going to be rescued. She turned her head to the side to see her Spock racing up the stairs.
*****
Spock had finally reached her and threw down a primitive guard to the ground. He heard Kirk fighting behind him. He ran to her about to fire his phaser at the man who had a descending knife to Nyota’s chest.
******
Nyota could feel the heat of the phaser fire above her and heard the head chieftain fall and the knife clatter to the rock. Spock reached her and tenderly removed the chains that held her to the slab of rock.
“Nyota. Nyota.”
“I’m here Spock. I’m not going anywhere.”
He gave her the strongest embrace he had ever given her.
******
The phaser refused to go off. The knife descended and pierced Nyota’s heart and she let out a small gasp. Spock could not believe his sight. He had failed her. He had failed his Nyota when he always promised to protect her. He had failed his promise as a Vulcan to his mate.
“Nyota!” He did not know where the scream had come from nor did he recognize it as his voice. All he knew was that she had been stabbed.
Phaser fire came from behind him and hit the chieftain. Spock sprinted to Nyota, gently removing the chains that bound her.
“Spock.” Nyota said, her mouth filling with blood.
“We will get you back to the Enterprise…Nyota…Nyota?”
“She’s gone Spock.”
Spock shook his head in denial. She could not be gone. She could not be gone. Blood seeped through his uniform.
He could not save her. Like he could not save his planet. Like he could not save his mother. She was the only home he had left. And now she was gone too.
“Nyota.”
******
Sirinvok removed his fingers from Spock’s face. He had primed Spock for his plans. If he could not physically kill this Nyota Uhura, then he could mentally kill her in Spock’s mind. Then Spock would be for any revenge Sirinvok put forth.
And then they could both escape.