Upheaval 16
Chapter sixteen
The 700 meters of dank tunnel was traveled in silence and mostly in darkness. The flashlight only made the situation seem direr. They were just short of their goal when Nyota detected a distinctive sound.
“Spock… explosives!”
The Vulcan grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back the way they came. Within seconds, all hell broke loose.
The violent rocking sent them both crashing to the ground. Undeterred, Spock sprung to his feet, flung Nyota over his shoulder and fled as the walls began collapsing around them. Their exit was now a mound of dirt, brick and ash.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond the range of the destruction, Spock placed Nyota on the ground, plopped down next to her, and accessed the tricorder, seeking a new exit point.
The readout was disheartening. It showed an astonishing warren of tunnels, fissures, cellars, sewer lines, storm drains, sub-basements, access shafts, crawl spaces and who knew what else.
The nearest exit required them to take an excruciating path. They needed to travel 16 meters to the left, squeeze into a storm drain, slide 140 meters deeper into the Earth, travel in a crawl space on their hands and knees for 11 meters, emerge into a standing tunnel, and then climb up nearly 400 meters. The climb wasn’t even a straight shot. They would have to travel at an angle, but the exit would lead them directly to the Academy’s south entrance.
The storm drain and the meteoric slide into the bowels of the Earth was nothing compared to crawling 11 meters on all fours with a limited oxygen supply.
Something akin to scratching a blackboard pierced Nyota senses. Fear seized her heart and before she could cry a warning, the walls collapsed, allowing a dam of putrid water to crash over them. The force was so tremendous it flung Nyota through another tunnel and she didn't stop until her head ricocheted off of a wall.
Pain pierced her thigh; a scream was garbled in her throat. As she flailed in the disgusting water, her lungs burned. Every cell in her body screamed for air. On the verge of passing out, she felt something wrapping itself around her waist, seemingly dragging her further into the depths.
Something covered her mouth.
Instinctively she fought, initially failing to realize that life-saving oxygen was being breathed into her lungs.
Desperate to survive, she locked her lips upon his and tried to suck the oxygen from his blood. Abruptly, he pushed her away and disappeared into the wet darkness. Just before a full panic could set in, she felt herself being pushed upwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A short time later, as Nyota was regaining her senses, she found that she was safe on a level above the fray. Like a fish out of water, she was gasping for air. Even after she'd begun to breathe normally, her vision was partially blurred by pain.
“Nyota, we must leave now,” Spock said softly, pressing his fingers against her temple. “The hatch is likely to give away at any moment.”
His touch temporarily buried the new pain in her head. Knowing that Spock was the only thing standing between her and certain death, she struggled to get up on all fours. Wordlessly, he lifted her up and onto the ladder, allowing her to climb first.
Despite the precarious situation, a ridiculous thought entered her brain.
I'm not wearing any panties and every move I make is giving Spock an unobstructed view of all God has given me.
After they reached the top, Spock inspected the hatch on the second deck. “Gathright did us a favor. The water pushed us towards a more viable exit we might not have otherwise discovered. The water will not reach us here and we only need to climb half the original distance."
"Good," she muttered.
"We must get to detox as soon as possible. The water is contaminated.”
“All right, let’s go,” Nyota said.” It’s embarrassing having you rescue me when I’m not any wearing panties.”
“I did not notice,” Spock said, edging past her to scan the ladder with the tricorder. “In your present condition, you should reach the top in 14.39 minutes. Proceed.”
Nyota blinked in surprise, wondering if the lie was meant to salvage what was left of her modesty. For a Vulcan, he was extraordinarily adept at telling fibs.
She’d just climbed two rungs when she peered down to determine what he was doing if he wasn’t checking out her goods. “Lieutenant-Commander! You’re bleeding!”
“I am fine.”
She hopped to the ground. Her boots splashed loudly in the mud. “It might be serious.”
“It is not.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” she said, running her fingers through the fine black hair plastered to his skull. As green fluid inundated her hands, the smell of copper crept into her nose.
Gripping his shoulders, she forced him to bend lower for a better inspection.
“Cadet Uhura, there is nothing you can do. We do not have bandages.”
“Shhhhh…bend lower. I can’t see because you’re so tall.”
When he dropped to his knees, his face was practically in her crotch. Nyota tried to be subtle when she closed her legs.
“It isn’t a huge hole, but it’s bleeding steadily. Hang on.” Pulling the tunic over her head, she snapped off the soiled bra and pressed it against his wound. “Sorry. It was nice and white earlier today.”
“The water was contaminated,” he reminded her, lowering his head and slipping his hand beneath hers to continue applying pressure.
“Did you enjoy seeing my breasts?” she blurted out as she slipped on the tunic again.
“Yes.”
Spock's admission was so nonchalant, Nyota was almost offended. “What did you like best?”
What the hell is wrong with me? I've just been violated. Is this a side-effect of being sexually assaulted?
Spock raised his head, casually inspected the small green-stained garment and then returned it to her.
“Well?” she asked impatiently.
A definite twinkle appeared in his eyes, but when he answered he spoke in the same dispassionate tone as before. “I find it highly stimulating that your nipples are extremely large in relation to the size of your breasts.”
“Are you insinuating that my breasts are too small?”
He cocked his head and frowned slightly. “On the contrary, I am stating unambiguously that your breasts are exquisite.”
“Oh.” There really wasn’t much to say after that.
Read Chapter Seventeen
Back to Upheaval master post
The 700 meters of dank tunnel was traveled in silence and mostly in darkness. The flashlight only made the situation seem direr. They were just short of their goal when Nyota detected a distinctive sound.
“Spock… explosives!”
The Vulcan grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back the way they came. Within seconds, all hell broke loose.
The violent rocking sent them both crashing to the ground. Undeterred, Spock sprung to his feet, flung Nyota over his shoulder and fled as the walls began collapsing around them. Their exit was now a mound of dirt, brick and ash.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond the range of the destruction, Spock placed Nyota on the ground, plopped down next to her, and accessed the tricorder, seeking a new exit point.
The readout was disheartening. It showed an astonishing warren of tunnels, fissures, cellars, sewer lines, storm drains, sub-basements, access shafts, crawl spaces and who knew what else.
The nearest exit required them to take an excruciating path. They needed to travel 16 meters to the left, squeeze into a storm drain, slide 140 meters deeper into the Earth, travel in a crawl space on their hands and knees for 11 meters, emerge into a standing tunnel, and then climb up nearly 400 meters. The climb wasn’t even a straight shot. They would have to travel at an angle, but the exit would lead them directly to the Academy’s south entrance.
The storm drain and the meteoric slide into the bowels of the Earth was nothing compared to crawling 11 meters on all fours with a limited oxygen supply.
Something akin to scratching a blackboard pierced Nyota senses. Fear seized her heart and before she could cry a warning, the walls collapsed, allowing a dam of putrid water to crash over them. The force was so tremendous it flung Nyota through another tunnel and she didn't stop until her head ricocheted off of a wall.
Pain pierced her thigh; a scream was garbled in her throat. As she flailed in the disgusting water, her lungs burned. Every cell in her body screamed for air. On the verge of passing out, she felt something wrapping itself around her waist, seemingly dragging her further into the depths.
Something covered her mouth.
Instinctively she fought, initially failing to realize that life-saving oxygen was being breathed into her lungs.
Desperate to survive, she locked her lips upon his and tried to suck the oxygen from his blood. Abruptly, he pushed her away and disappeared into the wet darkness. Just before a full panic could set in, she felt herself being pushed upwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A short time later, as Nyota was regaining her senses, she found that she was safe on a level above the fray. Like a fish out of water, she was gasping for air. Even after she'd begun to breathe normally, her vision was partially blurred by pain.
“Nyota, we must leave now,” Spock said softly, pressing his fingers against her temple. “The hatch is likely to give away at any moment.”
His touch temporarily buried the new pain in her head. Knowing that Spock was the only thing standing between her and certain death, she struggled to get up on all fours. Wordlessly, he lifted her up and onto the ladder, allowing her to climb first.
Despite the precarious situation, a ridiculous thought entered her brain.
I'm not wearing any panties and every move I make is giving Spock an unobstructed view of all God has given me.
After they reached the top, Spock inspected the hatch on the second deck. “Gathright did us a favor. The water pushed us towards a more viable exit we might not have otherwise discovered. The water will not reach us here and we only need to climb half the original distance."
"Good," she muttered.
"We must get to detox as soon as possible. The water is contaminated.”
“All right, let’s go,” Nyota said.” It’s embarrassing having you rescue me when I’m not any wearing panties.”
“I did not notice,” Spock said, edging past her to scan the ladder with the tricorder. “In your present condition, you should reach the top in 14.39 minutes. Proceed.”
Nyota blinked in surprise, wondering if the lie was meant to salvage what was left of her modesty. For a Vulcan, he was extraordinarily adept at telling fibs.
She’d just climbed two rungs when she peered down to determine what he was doing if he wasn’t checking out her goods. “Lieutenant-Commander! You’re bleeding!”
“I am fine.”
She hopped to the ground. Her boots splashed loudly in the mud. “It might be serious.”
“It is not.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” she said, running her fingers through the fine black hair plastered to his skull. As green fluid inundated her hands, the smell of copper crept into her nose.
Gripping his shoulders, she forced him to bend lower for a better inspection.
“Cadet Uhura, there is nothing you can do. We do not have bandages.”
“Shhhhh…bend lower. I can’t see because you’re so tall.”
When he dropped to his knees, his face was practically in her crotch. Nyota tried to be subtle when she closed her legs.
“It isn’t a huge hole, but it’s bleeding steadily. Hang on.” Pulling the tunic over her head, she snapped off the soiled bra and pressed it against his wound. “Sorry. It was nice and white earlier today.”
“The water was contaminated,” he reminded her, lowering his head and slipping his hand beneath hers to continue applying pressure.
“Did you enjoy seeing my breasts?” she blurted out as she slipped on the tunic again.
“Yes.”
Spock's admission was so nonchalant, Nyota was almost offended. “What did you like best?”
What the hell is wrong with me? I've just been violated. Is this a side-effect of being sexually assaulted?
Spock raised his head, casually inspected the small green-stained garment and then returned it to her.
“Well?” she asked impatiently.
A definite twinkle appeared in his eyes, but when he answered he spoke in the same dispassionate tone as before. “I find it highly stimulating that your nipples are extremely large in relation to the size of your breasts.”
“Are you insinuating that my breasts are too small?”
He cocked his head and frowned slightly. “On the contrary, I am stating unambiguously that your breasts are exquisite.”
“Oh.” There really wasn’t much to say after that.
Read Chapter Seventeen
Back to Upheaval master post