-._ | [APPLICATION] | _.- THE TARTARUS EXPERIMENT - Spock
|| Character Information ||
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Name: Spock
Canon Point: Just following the events of the film (roughly stardate 2258.50)
History: I ALREADY HAVE THIS WRITTEN OUT AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT.
Spock was born on Vulcan with a strange heritage- while his father was a Vulcan, his mother was human. This unique circumstance has been a challenge for most of his life: whereas humans are blatantly and unabashedly emotional, Vulcans consider such things dangerous and strive to eliminate emotion and replace it with logic, due to a particularly violent past in which the race was nearly wiped out. Spock was never truly accepted by his peers, viewed as entirely too human, or by humans, viewed as entirely too Vulcan.
For most of his schooling, Spock was insulted and bullied by the other students for the simple crime of being different. For the most part, he was able to ignore the abuse, but eventually, it came to a point where he simply couldn't stand it any longer and, after having several sensitive areas slammed (i.e., mommy issues), he snapped and physically attacked his tormentor, though the victory was somewhat hollow. Afterwards, his father spoke to him, emphasizing the importance of logic to control the fierce emotion experienced by Vulcans, also revealing that his decision to marry Spock's mother was based on logic, as he was the ambassador to Earth.*
*In a deleted scene, Amanda (Spock's mother) seems almost to laud Spock's actions against the other student, her argument centering around their teasing and that Spock would always be different from them.
Spock continued his studies, learning rapidly and adhering to the discipline of logic, and surpassing all expectations (though, arguably, those expectations that he did pass were undoubtedly much lower than those of his fellows, owing to his dual-heritage). He was eventually successful in securing himself a position in the Vulcan Science Academy, though during his interview by the panel of ministers, he turned it down upon discovering their rather low opinion of both him and his human mother, opting to join Starfleet instead.
*Please note that what follows is not strictly canon, since it is never explicitly shown in the film. However, these events can, I believe, be logically (*snrk*) inferred through what is.
--Begin Headcanon--
From the beginning of his time at Starfleet Academy, Spock was something of a legend. There were few enough Vulcans enlisted that his presence there was something of an anomaly- particularly in consideration of the Academy's placement on Earth. He enrolled, of course, in the science curriculum, intending to join Starfleet Science Operations. Continuing in the tradition of his childhood, he never quite fit in, though his fellow students on Earth were less antagonistic and more distant about it. Spock, for his part, remained very much a solitary figure, focusing on his studies.
Kindly enough, Spock was able to graduate years ahead of the rest of his classmates- with honors and at the head of his class- owing to the intensive nature of his education on Vulcan, and he served briefly aboard a starship before he returned to Earth at the request of Starfleet to program and run the Kobayashi Maru- a simulation designed to recreate a hopeless situation and test the decision-making skills of future captains. While there, he rose quickly to the rank of Commander and instructed courses in science and Vulcan language- a monumental undertaking in and of itself, as many of the words are simply unpronounce-able by humans.
It was in this capacity that he met Nyota Uhura, a cadet studying xenolinguistics who seemed also to have slightly more than a professional interest in her instructor. After some gentle urging on her part, he finally ceded to curiosity and the two began a relationship.
--End Headcanon : Resume Canon--
The first student to ever defeat the Kobayashi Maru was James Kirk- a cadet who Spock detested from the start, if he could ever allow himself to feel such a thing. However, the method he employed to do so was outside the realm of academic honesty- he installed a subroutine in the program and changed the conditions, feeling that the test was unfair. During the hearing, however, news of a distress call from the Vulcan High Command was received and all personnel ordered to crew what Starships were not already engaged elsewhere. Spock took his place on board the Enterprise alongside Captain Pike while Leonard McCoy snuck Jim Kirk aboard as well.
After a brief clash with Kirk over what precisely was happening on Vulcan, the Enterprise arrive fortuitously late due to Sulu human error to find the remains of the other ships and a Romulan vessel hovering above Vulcan's skies. The Enterprise was disable, though spared in the subsequent battle. Captain Pike left the Enterprise to rendezvous with the Romulan ship in an attempt to save the ship, though the Romulans continued their assault on Vulcan. Spock assumed command of the ship and, through rather unique methods, the device the Romulans were using to attack the planet was disabled.
However, it was too little too late and the Romulans employed a piece of future technology capable of creating black holes at the center of the planet. Spock geamed to the surface in an attempt to rescue his parents and the Elders- responsible for the preservation of Vulcan culture. He managed to save most of them, though a few were lost in the escape- including Spock's mother who fell to her death in front of him.
At this point, he began to consider his relationship with Uhura in a more serious light. She became his emotional anchor despite how much he would rather not admit that he is emotional. Uhura was able to keep him stable for the most part- enough to maintain control of the crew. Their conversation, albeit brief, was important to him and his development.
Once back on board the Enterprise, Spock watched as his planet was entirely consumed by the artificial singularity, unable to do anything but flee the area. After a confrontation with Jim Kirk surrounding the next course of action to be taken, Spock removed Jim from the ship and abandoned him on Delta Vega- a planet of ice. Jim, however, was able to beam back aboard the Enterprise along with Montgomery Scott. Jim was able to goad Spock into attacking him and thus show that he had been emotionally compromised.
Spock was then forced to relinquish his captaincy to Jim Kirk, who Pike had promoted to First Officer. Jim ordered pursuit of the Romulan ship to Earth rather than rendezvous with the rest of Starfleet. Spock left the bridge and spoke to his father in the transporter room, where he revealed that he knew just how emotional he was, admitting to being angry at the Romulan who had caused his mother's death. His father then told him that he had, in actuality, married his mother because he loved her, an emotional declaration that he was able to use to reconcile his own conflict between emotion and logic.
Rejoining the crew, Spock volunteered to head alone to the Romulan ship to disable it, rescue Captain Pike, and reclaim the device used to create the black hole that destroyed Vulcan. Jim decided to go with him and the two left, Spock ultimately recovering the ship on which the black hole device was kept, Jim rescuing Captain Pike. They returned to the Enterprise after ensuring that the device would impact the Romulan ship, thus activating the black hole device at the center of the ship.
The two then spoke with the Romulan captain, Nero, who refused the offer of assistance and died along with his crew as his vessel broke in half and was consumed by the black hole.
The Enterprise then returned to Earth where Jim Kirk was officially promoted to captain, relieving the now-Admiral Pike. Jim returned to captain the Enterprise and Spock stayed on the ship as his First Officer.
Personality: Most of Spock’s personality centers around logic. His upbringing on Vulcan has essentially trained him to avoid and shun emotion, though his human mother has seemed to act as something of a "countermeasure" to this; he is known, on extremely rare occasion to respond emotionally, however whether or not he shows it or how much of it he shows is dependant upon the situation and individuals involved and around. Such a breakdown requires a very specific trigger, however, and it seldom occurs. Displaying such emotion publicly is intensely embarrassing and something to be avoided at all costs. However, he still values such things as friendship and, astonishingly enough and following a particularly emotional conversation with his father, love.
It is somewhat difficult to break past his "cold" outer-shell of logic, but once one manages to become his friend, Spock is entirely loyal- even to the point of risking his life or dying for the closest. Even so, because of his Vulcan nature, he tends more to cover his true feelings and skirt around the emotional words surrounding such relationships, preferring to imply rather than explicitly state. Very few emotionally charged words exist in the Vulcan language and, while he is certainly aware of their existence in human languages, he still feels a certain kind of Vulcan uncomfortableness in acknowledging them. He may "value one's continued assistance" or "support" rather than "like" them. He has his own ways of letting others know when he appreciates them, though they are seldom overt.
Spock has a very wide knowledge base due to a particularly extensive education on Vulcan- at times, he seems to know almost everything. His particular area of expertise, however, is science (i.e., he couldn’t take over the role of a doctor, though he might have some knowledge of a certain disease or condition; he couldn't take over the role of engineer, but under guidance may be able to perform repairs), but he is hardly a compendium of all galactic knowledge, and there are times when even he has to admit that he is out of his depth, consulting specialists, computer records, etc. Such times make him uncomfortable and he tries quite hard to avoid showing it. However, he seldom needs to be reminded, and each experience contains some lesson or other to be learned. He is incredibly intelligent, though, it might be argued, not very wise. Still, he is well-read in Vulcan literature (which mostly surrounds the idea of logic) and most of the classic literature of Earth- his favorite of the latter being Sherlock Holmes for the man's stunning displays of logic, though most of his actions fall into the category of illogical.
Additionally, Spock is a very focused kind of person as well as very rule-oriented, though, on occasion for the right person (if the moon is full on a Friday) he is known to go against those regulations- either for a friend, or if it will serve some logical purpose. Spock admits, often quite privately, that not all rules and guidelines serve any logical purpose in some or all situations and he is willing to go against them to aid in some greater purpose. He is not one to refuse an order from a superior, unless there is some greater good involved. Oftentimes he will quote regulation, but also realizes that, in some instances, regulation needs to be, at best, loosely consulted. Lying is out of the question- most of the time. In many of the instances of daily life, lying serves no logical purpose and only tears apart the hierarchy of trust involved in the rank-oriented roles of Starfleet as well as destroying friendship or causing harm to others. However, there are some instances wherein a lie is necessary to the protection of either a mission or the protection of the greater good. Spock has no qualms about doing so to preserve that safety.*
Since the destruction of his planet and the loss of his mother, Spock harbors certain insecurities and deep emotions that he would rather not be there, however, they tend to color his actions in some cases. He mentions at one point that he, quote, "feel[s] anger at the one who took mother's life. An anger [he] cannot control." Even so, there is a kind of ache surrounding the sheer loss of life involved in the incident, along with losing an entire world- in two senses: one literal and one figurative. At the death of the Romulan who was the cause of the terror, he feels that some justice has been enacted, though that rage and sadness lingers in the back of his mind. Where his older incarnations have been able to reconcile the conflict between Human emotion and Vulcan logic, Spock has not been able to find that medium yet and his rather young age leaves him without that vital experience that would be able to mitigate such things. He still feels highly conflicted and is trying to find some balance between heart and mind.
*See Errand of Mercy - an Original Series episode that shows this more precisely. While there is a distinct difference in canon between the 2009 movie and his 1967 television counterpart, it might still be relied upon for an accurate accounting of his personality in some instances.
Skills | Powers: Spock's most obvious skill is his immense capacity for logical deduction. He almost seems to cling to this ideal that everything can be handled in a clear and logical fashion. Even so, he is often able to make rather grandiose conclusions from rather small pieces of evidence. His education on Vulcan assured that he was trained in the art of logic to repress the deep and primal emotions that Vulcans experience, despite the distastefulness of it.
Additionally, because of his upbringing on Vulcan, Spock is essentially a repository of data. He has a particulary large knowledge base owing to the intensive education techniques and curriculum common in Vulcan schools. However, he tends to focus more on the areas of mathematics and the sciences, owing to his chosen career in Starfleet. Spock is capable of performing complex mathematical equations in his head rather quickly and is usually able to recall most of the facts he has learned throughout his schooling. He hardly knows everything, however, though he knows enough to research what he doesn't.
Biologically, Humans and Vulcans are close enough to produce offspring (as Spock proves), though there are distinct differences. Vulcans, for one, are most usually three times stronger than Humans and posses sharpened senses of sight, hearing, and smell. Most Vulcans are pacifistics, though, logically, occasions crop up wherein combat is required, so they are trained in martial arts as well.
Because of their unique metabolism and evolution on a desert planet, Vulcans are able to, under duress, go for several days without food, water, or sleep. This is hardly something that is done on a regular basis, but the capability is there. It is stil unhealthy to go without any of these things for an extended period of time, though the effects will be felt much later by a Vulcan than a Human.
The Vulcan mind is a highly regulated thing, capable of consciously controlling several of the body's functions. As such, a Vulcan may enter a trance-state and focus all of their energy on repairing an injury. However, this gives the appearance of near-death, and leaves that Vulcan vulnerable until he comes out of that trance. Furthermore, Vulcans are natural touch-telepaths, capable of performing what is known as a mind-meld, in which two minds are joined together. This allows for the sharing of thoughts and rapid communication, though overuse can lead to the degradation of neural pathways within the Vulcan's mind.
Vulcans also possess a very minor empathy, occasionally capable of sensing very strong emotions in those around them.
As much as logic is a strength of Spock's, it is also a weakness- he is seldom capable of "thinking outside" of his particular "box" and matters of emotion are often beyond his grasp. Anything that falls outside the realm of "logical" is difficult for him to understand, and his need to categorize everything as logical and useful or illogical and not makes dealing with certain things difficult. The human tendency to publicly display emotion is still very much confusing to him. As much as he has learned of it, his upbringing still colors his thinking about the subject- such things are to be kept private and out of the public eye.
Again because of their unique biology, Vulcans are particularly susceptible to nitrous oxide, which rapidly renders them unconscious. Additionally, Vulcans are uniquely affected by a substance known as trellium-D. Commonly used as an insulator aboard starships, the substance is a virulent neurotoxin for Vulcans, destroying the neural pathways in the brain that allow for control of emotion. Damage occurs rapidly, and, if not treated, becomes permanent, inducing insanity and violence, eventually leading to death.
The price of a unique brain, Vulcans suffer from an interesting phenomenon of memory. The biology of the brain makes it such that they are capable of ordering and structuring their minds. However, traumatic memories cause not only psychological difficulties, but carry the threat of physiological consequences as well. In the process of reordering the neural circuits associated with that memory to avoid or forget it, the Vulcan mind is literally capable of lobotomizing itself.
(http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Vulcan#Physiology)
First Person Sample: [When Spock’s voice drifts over the network, he definitely sounds like he’s doing much better than he has been recently. He’s not saying random nonsense things, anyway, and, in fact, is sounding a lot closer to himself than he has since he got here.]
It would seem that we have found ourselves in an unfortunate situation. However, offers of martyrdom are unnecessary and counterproductive. Effort that is currently being spent in determining the most suitable scapegoat would be better funneled into determining the identity of the actual murderer.
[There is a short pause as he stops to consider something else.]
Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that a single individual among the Libretto is capable of performing such a feat without a significant amount of help from several others or one with a stronger command of the Harmony. While it has been speculated in the past, I must repeat that it is highly likely that the Libretto are simply being targeted by Caesura in a misguided attempt to show her strength to a frantic House and we are, unfortunately, an easy target. It is also unlikely that either House is not in possession of such knowledge that we are simply incapable of such a feat as has been described.
[By this point he sounds more like he’s speculating to himself, and he cuts off the feed, only to initiate it again a few moments later.]
Panic will serve no purpose. I ask that you remain as calm as is possible.
[He ends the message there.]
Third Person Sample: This was a room he had never seen before, and hardly where Spock had been expecting to turn up when he had stepped onto the transporter pad. It hadn't been all that long since the crew had formed itself around the incorrigible bravado of James Tiberius Kirk, but there was that element of trust among all of them that only a massively traumatizing and life-threatening encounter could create.
This just rang too close to sloppy work done far too quickly. Hardly what he had come to expect and surprising enough that he spoke to someone not there without remembering that he wouldn't be heard if he didn't say it into a communicator.
"I believe you may have missed, Mr. Scott." It was only after he had spoken the words that he realized that the lack of communication devices would make it impossible to speak to those on board the Enterprise, and yet, when he searched for his, it came up missing (he had been certain that he had put it on his belt next to the phaser that was also gone. It was supposed to be standard equipment after all).
The next logical thing, then, was some kind of practical joke, though he had assumed that the crew members would know better than to try it on him as he would not give them the reaction that these kinds of things always seemed to call for. He arched one angular eyebrow over his alien eyes and spoke again to invisible people that might well have been listening from behind the strange metal walls.
"This is no time to make a vain attempt at humor." This mission was supposed to be important and they were wasting time-
-but there was no response. Hardly unexpected, though still almost-frustrating in that way that only a Vulcan could understand- emotional and not all at once.
"I am afraid that I fail to understand the joke." Hadn't he mentioned that these kinds of things escaped his understanding once before? Illogical and unnecessary, all of it. These things served no purpose, and yet humans seemed entirely fascinated by them. It was rapidly becoming apparent, though, that this was no prank, and that perhaps there was no Enterprise nearby to hear him- even if he had his communicator with him.
All he could do, then, was explore this strange room that he had ended up in. Metal. Nothing he had ever seen before, and his scientist's hands itched to be holding his tricorder and find out what it was. What this was.
He took a few steps and nearly tripped over an object at his feet- his lyre, strange thing to have in the room with him. It served no purpose now and he had left it behind in his rooms. It would have been illogical to bring it with him. Still, he cared for it as much as he could care for an item, and he bent down to retrieve the fragile, stringed thing from the floor where it was certainly unsafe.
"This is entirely illogical. Cease these actions immediately and return me to the planet's surface."
A last ditch effort, perhaps. The feel of wood beneath his fingers as he cradled his instrument gently in his hands made it fairly certain that this was no prank. In which case, his first priority was survival in whatever place this was. And that meant leaving this room.
Though the means to accomplish that were hardly apparent.
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Name: Spock
Canon Point: Just following the events of the film (roughly stardate 2258.50)
History: I ALREADY HAVE THIS WRITTEN OUT AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT.
Spock was born on Vulcan with a strange heritage- while his father was a Vulcan, his mother was human. This unique circumstance has been a challenge for most of his life: whereas humans are blatantly and unabashedly emotional, Vulcans consider such things dangerous and strive to eliminate emotion and replace it with logic, due to a particularly violent past in which the race was nearly wiped out. Spock was never truly accepted by his peers, viewed as entirely too human, or by humans, viewed as entirely too Vulcan.
For most of his schooling, Spock was insulted and bullied by the other students for the simple crime of being different. For the most part, he was able to ignore the abuse, but eventually, it came to a point where he simply couldn't stand it any longer and, after having several sensitive areas slammed (i.e., mommy issues), he snapped and physically attacked his tormentor, though the victory was somewhat hollow. Afterwards, his father spoke to him, emphasizing the importance of logic to control the fierce emotion experienced by Vulcans, also revealing that his decision to marry Spock's mother was based on logic, as he was the ambassador to Earth.*
*In a deleted scene, Amanda (Spock's mother) seems almost to laud Spock's actions against the other student, her argument centering around their teasing and that Spock would always be different from them.
Spock continued his studies, learning rapidly and adhering to the discipline of logic, and surpassing all expectations (though, arguably, those expectations that he did pass were undoubtedly much lower than those of his fellows, owing to his dual-heritage). He was eventually successful in securing himself a position in the Vulcan Science Academy, though during his interview by the panel of ministers, he turned it down upon discovering their rather low opinion of both him and his human mother, opting to join Starfleet instead.
*Please note that what follows is not strictly canon, since it is never explicitly shown in the film. However, these events can, I believe, be logically (*snrk*) inferred through what is.
--Begin Headcanon--
From the beginning of his time at Starfleet Academy, Spock was something of a legend. There were few enough Vulcans enlisted that his presence there was something of an anomaly- particularly in consideration of the Academy's placement on Earth. He enrolled, of course, in the science curriculum, intending to join Starfleet Science Operations. Continuing in the tradition of his childhood, he never quite fit in, though his fellow students on Earth were less antagonistic and more distant about it. Spock, for his part, remained very much a solitary figure, focusing on his studies.
Kindly enough, Spock was able to graduate years ahead of the rest of his classmates- with honors and at the head of his class- owing to the intensive nature of his education on Vulcan, and he served briefly aboard a starship before he returned to Earth at the request of Starfleet to program and run the Kobayashi Maru- a simulation designed to recreate a hopeless situation and test the decision-making skills of future captains. While there, he rose quickly to the rank of Commander and instructed courses in science and Vulcan language- a monumental undertaking in and of itself, as many of the words are simply unpronounce-able by humans.
It was in this capacity that he met Nyota Uhura, a cadet studying xenolinguistics who seemed also to have slightly more than a professional interest in her instructor. After some gentle urging on her part, he finally ceded to curiosity and the two began a relationship.
--End Headcanon : Resume Canon--
The first student to ever defeat the Kobayashi Maru was James Kirk- a cadet who Spock detested from the start, if he could ever allow himself to feel such a thing. However, the method he employed to do so was outside the realm of academic honesty- he installed a subroutine in the program and changed the conditions, feeling that the test was unfair. During the hearing, however, news of a distress call from the Vulcan High Command was received and all personnel ordered to crew what Starships were not already engaged elsewhere. Spock took his place on board the Enterprise alongside Captain Pike while Leonard McCoy snuck Jim Kirk aboard as well.
After a brief clash with Kirk over what precisely was happening on Vulcan, the Enterprise arrive fortuitously late due to Sulu human error to find the remains of the other ships and a Romulan vessel hovering above Vulcan's skies. The Enterprise was disable, though spared in the subsequent battle. Captain Pike left the Enterprise to rendezvous with the Romulan ship in an attempt to save the ship, though the Romulans continued their assault on Vulcan. Spock assumed command of the ship and, through rather unique methods, the device the Romulans were using to attack the planet was disabled.
However, it was too little too late and the Romulans employed a piece of future technology capable of creating black holes at the center of the planet. Spock geamed to the surface in an attempt to rescue his parents and the Elders- responsible for the preservation of Vulcan culture. He managed to save most of them, though a few were lost in the escape- including Spock's mother who fell to her death in front of him.
At this point, he began to consider his relationship with Uhura in a more serious light. She became his emotional anchor despite how much he would rather not admit that he is emotional. Uhura was able to keep him stable for the most part- enough to maintain control of the crew. Their conversation, albeit brief, was important to him and his development.
Once back on board the Enterprise, Spock watched as his planet was entirely consumed by the artificial singularity, unable to do anything but flee the area. After a confrontation with Jim Kirk surrounding the next course of action to be taken, Spock removed Jim from the ship and abandoned him on Delta Vega- a planet of ice. Jim, however, was able to beam back aboard the Enterprise along with Montgomery Scott. Jim was able to goad Spock into attacking him and thus show that he had been emotionally compromised.
Spock was then forced to relinquish his captaincy to Jim Kirk, who Pike had promoted to First Officer. Jim ordered pursuit of the Romulan ship to Earth rather than rendezvous with the rest of Starfleet. Spock left the bridge and spoke to his father in the transporter room, where he revealed that he knew just how emotional he was, admitting to being angry at the Romulan who had caused his mother's death. His father then told him that he had, in actuality, married his mother because he loved her, an emotional declaration that he was able to use to reconcile his own conflict between emotion and logic.
Rejoining the crew, Spock volunteered to head alone to the Romulan ship to disable it, rescue Captain Pike, and reclaim the device used to create the black hole that destroyed Vulcan. Jim decided to go with him and the two left, Spock ultimately recovering the ship on which the black hole device was kept, Jim rescuing Captain Pike. They returned to the Enterprise after ensuring that the device would impact the Romulan ship, thus activating the black hole device at the center of the ship.
The two then spoke with the Romulan captain, Nero, who refused the offer of assistance and died along with his crew as his vessel broke in half and was consumed by the black hole.
The Enterprise then returned to Earth where Jim Kirk was officially promoted to captain, relieving the now-Admiral Pike. Jim returned to captain the Enterprise and Spock stayed on the ship as his First Officer.
Personality: Most of Spock’s personality centers around logic. His upbringing on Vulcan has essentially trained him to avoid and shun emotion, though his human mother has seemed to act as something of a "countermeasure" to this; he is known, on extremely rare occasion to respond emotionally, however whether or not he shows it or how much of it he shows is dependant upon the situation and individuals involved and around. Such a breakdown requires a very specific trigger, however, and it seldom occurs. Displaying such emotion publicly is intensely embarrassing and something to be avoided at all costs. However, he still values such things as friendship and, astonishingly enough and following a particularly emotional conversation with his father, love.
It is somewhat difficult to break past his "cold" outer-shell of logic, but once one manages to become his friend, Spock is entirely loyal- even to the point of risking his life or dying for the closest. Even so, because of his Vulcan nature, he tends more to cover his true feelings and skirt around the emotional words surrounding such relationships, preferring to imply rather than explicitly state. Very few emotionally charged words exist in the Vulcan language and, while he is certainly aware of their existence in human languages, he still feels a certain kind of Vulcan uncomfortableness in acknowledging them. He may "value one's continued assistance" or "support" rather than "like" them. He has his own ways of letting others know when he appreciates them, though they are seldom overt.
Spock has a very wide knowledge base due to a particularly extensive education on Vulcan- at times, he seems to know almost everything. His particular area of expertise, however, is science (i.e., he couldn’t take over the role of a doctor, though he might have some knowledge of a certain disease or condition; he couldn't take over the role of engineer, but under guidance may be able to perform repairs), but he is hardly a compendium of all galactic knowledge, and there are times when even he has to admit that he is out of his depth, consulting specialists, computer records, etc. Such times make him uncomfortable and he tries quite hard to avoid showing it. However, he seldom needs to be reminded, and each experience contains some lesson or other to be learned. He is incredibly intelligent, though, it might be argued, not very wise. Still, he is well-read in Vulcan literature (which mostly surrounds the idea of logic) and most of the classic literature of Earth- his favorite of the latter being Sherlock Holmes for the man's stunning displays of logic, though most of his actions fall into the category of illogical.
Additionally, Spock is a very focused kind of person as well as very rule-oriented, though, on occasion for the right person (if the moon is full on a Friday) he is known to go against those regulations- either for a friend, or if it will serve some logical purpose. Spock admits, often quite privately, that not all rules and guidelines serve any logical purpose in some or all situations and he is willing to go against them to aid in some greater purpose. He is not one to refuse an order from a superior, unless there is some greater good involved. Oftentimes he will quote regulation, but also realizes that, in some instances, regulation needs to be, at best, loosely consulted. Lying is out of the question- most of the time. In many of the instances of daily life, lying serves no logical purpose and only tears apart the hierarchy of trust involved in the rank-oriented roles of Starfleet as well as destroying friendship or causing harm to others. However, there are some instances wherein a lie is necessary to the protection of either a mission or the protection of the greater good. Spock has no qualms about doing so to preserve that safety.*
Since the destruction of his planet and the loss of his mother, Spock harbors certain insecurities and deep emotions that he would rather not be there, however, they tend to color his actions in some cases. He mentions at one point that he, quote, "feel[s] anger at the one who took mother's life. An anger [he] cannot control." Even so, there is a kind of ache surrounding the sheer loss of life involved in the incident, along with losing an entire world- in two senses: one literal and one figurative. At the death of the Romulan who was the cause of the terror, he feels that some justice has been enacted, though that rage and sadness lingers in the back of his mind. Where his older incarnations have been able to reconcile the conflict between Human emotion and Vulcan logic, Spock has not been able to find that medium yet and his rather young age leaves him without that vital experience that would be able to mitigate such things. He still feels highly conflicted and is trying to find some balance between heart and mind.
*See Errand of Mercy - an Original Series episode that shows this more precisely. While there is a distinct difference in canon between the 2009 movie and his 1967 television counterpart, it might still be relied upon for an accurate accounting of his personality in some instances.
Skills | Powers: Spock's most obvious skill is his immense capacity for logical deduction. He almost seems to cling to this ideal that everything can be handled in a clear and logical fashion. Even so, he is often able to make rather grandiose conclusions from rather small pieces of evidence. His education on Vulcan assured that he was trained in the art of logic to repress the deep and primal emotions that Vulcans experience, despite the distastefulness of it.
Additionally, because of his upbringing on Vulcan, Spock is essentially a repository of data. He has a particulary large knowledge base owing to the intensive education techniques and curriculum common in Vulcan schools. However, he tends to focus more on the areas of mathematics and the sciences, owing to his chosen career in Starfleet. Spock is capable of performing complex mathematical equations in his head rather quickly and is usually able to recall most of the facts he has learned throughout his schooling. He hardly knows everything, however, though he knows enough to research what he doesn't.
Biologically, Humans and Vulcans are close enough to produce offspring (as Spock proves), though there are distinct differences. Vulcans, for one, are most usually three times stronger than Humans and posses sharpened senses of sight, hearing, and smell. Most Vulcans are pacifistics, though, logically, occasions crop up wherein combat is required, so they are trained in martial arts as well.
Because of their unique metabolism and evolution on a desert planet, Vulcans are able to, under duress, go for several days without food, water, or sleep. This is hardly something that is done on a regular basis, but the capability is there. It is stil unhealthy to go without any of these things for an extended period of time, though the effects will be felt much later by a Vulcan than a Human.
The Vulcan mind is a highly regulated thing, capable of consciously controlling several of the body's functions. As such, a Vulcan may enter a trance-state and focus all of their energy on repairing an injury. However, this gives the appearance of near-death, and leaves that Vulcan vulnerable until he comes out of that trance. Furthermore, Vulcans are natural touch-telepaths, capable of performing what is known as a mind-meld, in which two minds are joined together. This allows for the sharing of thoughts and rapid communication, though overuse can lead to the degradation of neural pathways within the Vulcan's mind.
Vulcans also possess a very minor empathy, occasionally capable of sensing very strong emotions in those around them.
As much as logic is a strength of Spock's, it is also a weakness- he is seldom capable of "thinking outside" of his particular "box" and matters of emotion are often beyond his grasp. Anything that falls outside the realm of "logical" is difficult for him to understand, and his need to categorize everything as logical and useful or illogical and not makes dealing with certain things difficult. The human tendency to publicly display emotion is still very much confusing to him. As much as he has learned of it, his upbringing still colors his thinking about the subject- such things are to be kept private and out of the public eye.
Again because of their unique biology, Vulcans are particularly susceptible to nitrous oxide, which rapidly renders them unconscious. Additionally, Vulcans are uniquely affected by a substance known as trellium-D. Commonly used as an insulator aboard starships, the substance is a virulent neurotoxin for Vulcans, destroying the neural pathways in the brain that allow for control of emotion. Damage occurs rapidly, and, if not treated, becomes permanent, inducing insanity and violence, eventually leading to death.
The price of a unique brain, Vulcans suffer from an interesting phenomenon of memory. The biology of the brain makes it such that they are capable of ordering and structuring their minds. However, traumatic memories cause not only psychological difficulties, but carry the threat of physiological consequences as well. In the process of reordering the neural circuits associated with that memory to avoid or forget it, the Vulcan mind is literally capable of lobotomizing itself.
(http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Vulcan#Physiology)
First Person Sample: [When Spock’s voice drifts over the network, he definitely sounds like he’s doing much better than he has been recently. He’s not saying random nonsense things, anyway, and, in fact, is sounding a lot closer to himself than he has since he got here.]
It would seem that we have found ourselves in an unfortunate situation. However, offers of martyrdom are unnecessary and counterproductive. Effort that is currently being spent in determining the most suitable scapegoat would be better funneled into determining the identity of the actual murderer.
[There is a short pause as he stops to consider something else.]
Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that a single individual among the Libretto is capable of performing such a feat without a significant amount of help from several others or one with a stronger command of the Harmony. While it has been speculated in the past, I must repeat that it is highly likely that the Libretto are simply being targeted by Caesura in a misguided attempt to show her strength to a frantic House and we are, unfortunately, an easy target. It is also unlikely that either House is not in possession of such knowledge that we are simply incapable of such a feat as has been described.
[By this point he sounds more like he’s speculating to himself, and he cuts off the feed, only to initiate it again a few moments later.]
Panic will serve no purpose. I ask that you remain as calm as is possible.
[He ends the message there.]
Third Person Sample: This was a room he had never seen before, and hardly where Spock had been expecting to turn up when he had stepped onto the transporter pad. It hadn't been all that long since the crew had formed itself around the incorrigible bravado of James Tiberius Kirk, but there was that element of trust among all of them that only a massively traumatizing and life-threatening encounter could create.
This just rang too close to sloppy work done far too quickly. Hardly what he had come to expect and surprising enough that he spoke to someone not there without remembering that he wouldn't be heard if he didn't say it into a communicator.
"I believe you may have missed, Mr. Scott." It was only after he had spoken the words that he realized that the lack of communication devices would make it impossible to speak to those on board the Enterprise, and yet, when he searched for his, it came up missing (he had been certain that he had put it on his belt next to the phaser that was also gone. It was supposed to be standard equipment after all).
The next logical thing, then, was some kind of practical joke, though he had assumed that the crew members would know better than to try it on him as he would not give them the reaction that these kinds of things always seemed to call for. He arched one angular eyebrow over his alien eyes and spoke again to invisible people that might well have been listening from behind the strange metal walls.
"This is no time to make a vain attempt at humor." This mission was supposed to be important and they were wasting time-
-but there was no response. Hardly unexpected, though still almost-frustrating in that way that only a Vulcan could understand- emotional and not all at once.
"I am afraid that I fail to understand the joke." Hadn't he mentioned that these kinds of things escaped his understanding once before? Illogical and unnecessary, all of it. These things served no purpose, and yet humans seemed entirely fascinated by them. It was rapidly becoming apparent, though, that this was no prank, and that perhaps there was no Enterprise nearby to hear him- even if he had his communicator with him.
All he could do, then, was explore this strange room that he had ended up in. Metal. Nothing he had ever seen before, and his scientist's hands itched to be holding his tricorder and find out what it was. What this was.
He took a few steps and nearly tripped over an object at his feet- his lyre, strange thing to have in the room with him. It served no purpose now and he had left it behind in his rooms. It would have been illogical to bring it with him. Still, he cared for it as much as he could care for an item, and he bent down to retrieve the fragile, stringed thing from the floor where it was certainly unsafe.
"This is entirely illogical. Cease these actions immediately and return me to the planet's surface."
A last ditch effort, perhaps. The feel of wood beneath his fingers as he cradled his instrument gently in his hands made it fairly certain that this was no prank. In which case, his first priority was survival in whatever place this was. And that meant leaving this room.
Though the means to accomplish that were hardly apparent.