Matter of Choice - 11/?
Title: Matter of Choice (11/?)
Author: sunryder
Universe/Series: Reboot
Rating: PG (for cursing)
Relationship status: Friendship
Genre: Kid!Fic, Friendship, Drama,
Tropes: Bonding, Kid!Fic
Warnings: AU, creepy guy who has a fascination with Jim
Word Count: 3087/29000
Additional Pairings: Sarek/Amanda, Pike/George (for now)
Summary: Jim Kirk runs away to San Francisco to find out more about his father, makes friends with Spock, pisses off the Romulan Empire, and crashes head first into a destiny he's not sure he's ready for.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
Jim's day had been perfect.
He'd woken up to Sarek trying - and failing - to sneak out of the bedroom, pretending like he hadn't fallen asleep protecting them. Then Jim had sat down to a breakfast Amanda replicated just. for. them. (With them meaning Spock's family, plus Chris and Number One.) Then they'd gone to the Museum and Chris had told Jim and Spock every good story behind every good picture they saw.
The day was beautiful. Warm, safe, and happy with almost everyone he loved there with him, and Jim was so excited that he could barely keep still. Takeru trailed them around the museum and almost smiled every time Jim giggled at something, while Number One would pop up out of nowhere with snacks she wasn't supposed to have. Amanda stayed beside her boys, listening to all the stories with them, and though Sarek had to go make nice with the dignitaries, he kept finding his way back to the family spending more time then he should.
Jim and Spock were seated on a bench before a holographic display of the Kelvin, bracketed between Amanda and Chris while the Captain told them about George's favorite quirks from the ship. Amanda and Jim would laugh, the clear and clean kind that made everyone else smile with them, and even Spock couldn't help the twitches of an almost-smile.
The day had been great, wonderful, perfect... and then Number One came blitzing back into the room with no snacks in hand.
She grabbed Jim by the back of his shirt and hauled him from the bench and pushed him towards a side exit. She paused just long enough to hiss at Takeru, "The Romulans are here." Pike jumped to his feet in confusion and Number One quickly explained, "Their ambassadorial delegation is here to pay their respects"
Pike collected Jim against him as though if he pulled the boy close enough he could shield him from the intruders. "Do they know about Jim?"
"At the very least the know he is here," Takeru interrupted, "and there is damage enough in that. However, for safety's sake we should assume they know of his status as svitan-nel-dath."
Chris stepped to lift Jim into his arms and make a break for it, but Takeru stopped him with a quelling hand to his shoulder. "They will expect you to be present Captain, if you were to leave now they would know that we seek to conceal James from them."
"If I'm here and he's gone they'll suspect anyway."
"Better they should suspect than they should know." Takeru reasoned. Pike grumbled under his breath but let Takeru herd the boys out of the room without complaint.
Takeru waived Amanda to go before him, but she shook her head no. "I'll be with Sarek, and maybe their attempts to bait him with comments about his un-Vulcan marriage will help distract them." Number One stood torn with her gaze bouncing back and forth between Pike's obvious preference that she look after Jim and her own desire to kick Romulan ass. Jim solved the debate for her by silently mouthing, 'Look after Chris.' Pike glared at her when she turned to follow him, but let the matter go without any comment.
The boys wound their way through small back channels of the museum with Takeru, skirting around members of the Romulan delegation who were obviously fanning out through the building in a subtle search pattern. Eventually they wound their way down to the main floor and with an exit in sight, Takeru froze. Spock stared at him in confusion, then cocked his head to the side and fear flashed through his eyes as he heard what Takeru had heard. Spock turned back the way they came and started down the hall with temper in his stride. Jim dashed off after Spock, his own trot matching the pace of Spock's slightly longer legs. Takeru muttered something under his breath that Jim was almost certain was a Vulcan curse word and then came after him.
Under his breath Takeru said, "He will be well, Spock, you need not worry over him."
"I am not worried." Spock snapped. "He is my father and it is only logical to assure myself that he does not need your assistance." Jim kept his confusion to himself as they went along, and then he heard it as well. There was a snide, almost shout echoing through the main hall of the museum, and the closer they got the clearer Jim could hear the derision, all directed at Sarek.
The trio paused beside one of the archways that led into the main hall, Jim tilting his head around the doorway to try and watch. There were people standing in clumps all over the hall obviously eavesdropping, and not doing a very good job of pretending that they weren't. The gawkers blocked Jim's view of Sarek and whoever was doing the stage mocking which so loud it was practically a yell. Jim snuck around the corner to get a better look, and though Spock tried to grab his sleeve and hold him back, Jim slipped his grip.
Spock stayed concealed of the other side of the wall, listening to a spree of rather vicious insults concerning his father's parentage, logic, and failings as a representative of the Vulcan race as a whole. Jim popped back around the corner after a minute and asked, "So I'm assuming the pointy eared bastard doing the shouting is a Romulan?"
"Given the facts available to me at the present moment, I presume so."
"Yeah, well, the guy is getting in your dad's space and I think everyone is waiting for Sarek to lose it and deck him."
Spock turned his attention away from the shouting and inquired, "I assume from your context that 'deck' implies some sort of physical altercation, which my father would never do."
"Really? 'Cause some of the stuff your dad is saying back to him is totally meant to piss the guy off."
"The Ambassador is attempting to elicit and emotional response so the Romulan delegation will be distracted by him and provide us with an opportunity to leave unhindered. An opportunity which we are presently squandering."
Jim rolled his eyes and stuck his head back around the corner, taking in what little he could see. "Why isn't Chris stopping him?" Jim muttered.
Spock ignored his inner voice of propriety and tilted his own head around the corner to spy while he replied, "The Federation's relationship with the Romulan Empire is strained at best, any insult Captain Pike may deliver would be damaging both to his career and to the Federation, no matter how much he may desire to deliver one."
The crowd parted before the boys at just the right moment for them to see the Romulan strike the back of his hand across Sarek's cheek in a fit of temper. Takeru's hand darted out and clasped on to the back of Jim's shirt before he could launch himself around the corner like he so obviously longed to. Spock gasped at the unprecedented display of violence against his father.
"Go protect Sarek!" Jim hissed at Takeru.
"My presence is unnecessary, the Ambassador will be well." Though from the strain in Takeru's voice Jim could tell he didn't quite believe that assertion himself.
"I don't care! Get the hell out there are protect him anyway! You're the only grownup in the building who won't lose their job for stepping in!"
"The Ambassador has made his wishes clear on this subject. He desires that I should remain solely in your and Spock's company."
"Don't worry about us, we'll stay here and be good."
"I do not believe you."
"Well I'm not really giving you any options here, Takeru."
"Disregarding the wishes of one whom I have sworn to protect is never an option James. Now come, it is long past time for us to depart."
Jim turned and stared at Spock, baffled beyond all recognition. Spock knew that Jim would leave if Spock walked away, but some part of Jim would always be disappointed in him. Spock trusted Takeru implicitly, and knew beyond a doubt that should Sarek decide to enter into a physical altercation with this Romulan he would win. Their presence was unnecessary here, and worse, dangerous. Sarek was enduring these slights to provide them with an opportunity to be safely away and it was illogical to waste his sacrifice.
Spock continued with his internal list of all the logical ways he could explain to Jim why they should heed Takeru and leave the building, not the least of which was Jim's own safety. But then, Spock heard the harsh snap of the Romulan calling his mother a whore, and Spock's reaction was painfully human. Jim caught the tightening in Spock's eyes and the disgruntled grimace (which Jim would probably translate to mean 'oh, hell no') and the boys went around the corner at a dash.
Spock considered it proof of Jim's impact on him that he would undertake such an action without a plan, but apparently Jim had something resembling one, and Spock would've rethought Jim's presence had he known the extent of it. Jim darted up beside one of the Security officers who was watching the exchange and lifted the man's phaser from his holster. Spock noted that Jim at least took a moment to dial down the phaser to stun before he took a shot at the offending Romulan's feet.
The entire hall screeched to a halt as the security officers unholstered their phasers and swung them around to point at Jim, and then lowered them when they realized who had done the shooting. Jim kept the phaser trained on the irate Romulan in front of him, with hands shaking so slightly that Spock was certain he was the only person who saw it. Jim stuck out his chin and looked every inch the half legend he was purported to be and declared, "You don't talk to her that way."
The offendor snarled something obscene in Romulan, but finished in English, "You do not find Sarek worth such ardent protection?"
Jim snorted and fixed the Romulan with a look that screamed, 'you are a complete and total moron', but replied, "The Ambassador could kick your ass from here to the Delta Quadrant, he doesn't need me to do it for him. But Amanda is a Lady, and she shouldn't have to get her hands dirty with the likes of you."
"It is good to see that human hyperbole was not mistaken about you. I would have been disappointed." This new voice came from the entryway behind them, and rather than let James be outflanked, Spock nabbed a phaser of his own from a baffled junior officer and aimed it at their interloper.
The Romulan had the gall to laugh at Spock's actions, "So much for Vulcan stoicism."
"It's Vulcan honor, not that I'd expect you to know the difference." Jim replied, and judging from the way most of the Fleet hissed out a displeased breath when he said that, Jim assumed he'd stepped over a line. But the Romulan just chortled.
"Do you know who I am, little human?"
Jim made a show of examining him from head to toe, studying his lean form and excessively fancy clothes that denoted a higher rank. "Not a clue, but I'll go with 'pissy Romulan extra' for 300 Alex."
Spock did not understand the reference, but judging from the way Pike bit his lip and Number One failed to stop a laugh, it was meant to be amusing. The Romulan in question merely grinned at Jim and said, "Fascinating." Spock tightened his grip on his phaser at the almost hungry look the Romulan had turned on Jim. He caught Spock tensing and smirked, "You disapprove of my attentions rhede-rhienn?"
Jim had no knowledge of the Romulan language, let alone phrases designed to insult Spock's hybrid status, but Jim could tell from the look of disgust on Number One's face that it wasn't good. Jim sent another phaser burst to skim the feet of the original bastard Vulcan and muttered, "Oops, finger slipped."
The Vulcan half-skipped out of the way and exclaimed, "Why is this daetra being allowed to roam free!"
"He is one of the few people in the galaxy allowed to say such a thing with no reprecussions. Though if he persists in this untoward behavior I may be forced to turn him over my knee." The superior Romulan turned a leer on Jim and the boy took a small step backwards to brush his side against Spock's. Number One clenched her hand in an iron grip around Pike's elbow, forcing him to freeze a breath before he burst forward and throttled the Romulan looking at his godson like he was about to pay for him in a seedy bar.
The angry bastard muttered something else in Romulan and Spock nudged Jim and whispered, "He wants your name."
Jim squared his shoulders and put on the cocky grin that always made Frank lose his temper and declared, "I'm James Tiberius Kirk."
Based off the slight bulge to his eyes, that wasn't something he was expecting. However, the second Romulan seemed fully aware and explained simply, "The svitan-nel-dath."
Jim could hear the whispers ranging about the room, with people running searches on their comms trying to figure what that meant. "In truth we should have expected it," the eerie Vulcan commented. "A babe born two months early in the middle of a firefight beside an artificial black hole. That you didn't die in your mother's womb or be sucked into the vacuum of space could only be through the interference of the fates."
"I lived because my father is a hero. Fate," Jim spat out the word, "had nothing to do with it."
The Romulan took long, slow steps towards the boys, everyone else in the room tensing at his approach while the demands of diplomacy fought their instincts to rip the boys away. "Tell me Ambassador," he commented to Sarek, though he kept his eyes on Jim, "since you have denied my people access to the ancient texts, tell me what happens to the rest of us should he die?"
"Sekhet dungau-katau ni'rchong le-sumaong." (Sekhet [the goddess of war who was cooled by Surak]
Spock leaned slightly and whispered to Jim, "The goddess of war and illogic shall come bearing fire and ice."
"Yeht? Yi'ra bulk tor kuv nash-tor?
When the Romulan plucked a small phaser from the back of his pants and fired it at Jim, Spock understood why he had switched the conversation over to Vulcan. The Romulan had meant to provide the human security with no knowledge of his intent. Had Spock not been there to understand that the Romulan asked, 'Really? Then what would destiny do if I did this?', and intercede accordingly, then the blast might have caught Jim full on in his tiny chest.
But instead, Spock twisted and threw his weight against Jim, forcing him to the ground and away from the heat of the phaser blast that skimmed above Spock's back.
By the time Jim and Spock popped back to their feet the resulting fight was already over. Sarek had moved with speed that Spock had thought was beyond a member of the High Council. Sarek stood unruffled while the insulting Romulan lay in a humiliating blob on the floor at his feet. Based off the wide-eyed stares that Federation security directed at Sarek, Spock assumed that his father had dispatched the Romulan with a well placed neck pinch. Captain Pike had been much more dramatic in his actions and it seemed that he had ripped a phaser from a baffled security officer and sent a blunt shot to the first Romulan's head. Surprising to Spock though, was that Number One had pulled a phaser of her own - from some part of her dress uniform that Spock did not particularly wish to think about - and had Amanda ensconced safely behind her while she kept away any other Romulans in the room.
Sarek flicked a piece of invisible lint off his shoulder and asked, "Captain Pike, may I impose upon your men to see the Ambassador and his compatriot back to the Romulan Embassy?"
"I'll do you one better Amabassador, Number One and I will see to it everyone from the delegation is tucked safety away at the Embassy for the night."
Sarek nodded his head, "That would be appreciated."
Sarek started to the door, Amanda quickly falling in beside him while Spock and Jim scrambled along behind. Takeru paused with Chris for the briefest of moments to whisper, "You will find the delegation members placed beside each emergency exit unconscious. I presume that your Number One will prevent this from being a difficulty."
While Takeru was informing Pike, Jim was whispering to Spock, "Well that guy was just creepy."
"Indeed. And Jim, I propose that next time we react in such an unplanned manner we do something less fraught then pull phasers on the Romulan Ambassador."
"Yeah," Jim sighed, "I'm cool with that." Chapter 12
Author: sunryder
Universe/Series: Reboot
Rating: PG (for cursing)
Relationship status: Friendship
Genre: Kid!Fic, Friendship, Drama,
Tropes: Bonding, Kid!Fic
Warnings: AU, creepy guy who has a fascination with Jim
Word Count: 3087/29000
Additional Pairings: Sarek/Amanda, Pike/George (for now)
Summary: Jim Kirk runs away to San Francisco to find out more about his father, makes friends with Spock, pisses off the Romulan Empire, and crashes head first into a destiny he's not sure he's ready for.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
Jim's day had been perfect.
He'd woken up to Sarek trying - and failing - to sneak out of the bedroom, pretending like he hadn't fallen asleep protecting them. Then Jim had sat down to a breakfast Amanda replicated just. for. them. (With them meaning Spock's family, plus Chris and Number One.) Then they'd gone to the Museum and Chris had told Jim and Spock every good story behind every good picture they saw.
The day was beautiful. Warm, safe, and happy with almost everyone he loved there with him, and Jim was so excited that he could barely keep still. Takeru trailed them around the museum and almost smiled every time Jim giggled at something, while Number One would pop up out of nowhere with snacks she wasn't supposed to have. Amanda stayed beside her boys, listening to all the stories with them, and though Sarek had to go make nice with the dignitaries, he kept finding his way back to the family spending more time then he should.
Jim and Spock were seated on a bench before a holographic display of the Kelvin, bracketed between Amanda and Chris while the Captain told them about George's favorite quirks from the ship. Amanda and Jim would laugh, the clear and clean kind that made everyone else smile with them, and even Spock couldn't help the twitches of an almost-smile.
The day had been great, wonderful, perfect... and then Number One came blitzing back into the room with no snacks in hand.
She grabbed Jim by the back of his shirt and hauled him from the bench and pushed him towards a side exit. She paused just long enough to hiss at Takeru, "The Romulans are here." Pike jumped to his feet in confusion and Number One quickly explained, "Their ambassadorial delegation is here to pay their respects"
Pike collected Jim against him as though if he pulled the boy close enough he could shield him from the intruders. "Do they know about Jim?"
"At the very least the know he is here," Takeru interrupted, "and there is damage enough in that. However, for safety's sake we should assume they know of his status as svitan-nel-dath."
Chris stepped to lift Jim into his arms and make a break for it, but Takeru stopped him with a quelling hand to his shoulder. "They will expect you to be present Captain, if you were to leave now they would know that we seek to conceal James from them."
"If I'm here and he's gone they'll suspect anyway."
"Better they should suspect than they should know." Takeru reasoned. Pike grumbled under his breath but let Takeru herd the boys out of the room without complaint.
Takeru waived Amanda to go before him, but she shook her head no. "I'll be with Sarek, and maybe their attempts to bait him with comments about his un-Vulcan marriage will help distract them." Number One stood torn with her gaze bouncing back and forth between Pike's obvious preference that she look after Jim and her own desire to kick Romulan ass. Jim solved the debate for her by silently mouthing, 'Look after Chris.' Pike glared at her when she turned to follow him, but let the matter go without any comment.
The boys wound their way through small back channels of the museum with Takeru, skirting around members of the Romulan delegation who were obviously fanning out through the building in a subtle search pattern. Eventually they wound their way down to the main floor and with an exit in sight, Takeru froze. Spock stared at him in confusion, then cocked his head to the side and fear flashed through his eyes as he heard what Takeru had heard. Spock turned back the way they came and started down the hall with temper in his stride. Jim dashed off after Spock, his own trot matching the pace of Spock's slightly longer legs. Takeru muttered something under his breath that Jim was almost certain was a Vulcan curse word and then came after him.
Under his breath Takeru said, "He will be well, Spock, you need not worry over him."
"I am not worried." Spock snapped. "He is my father and it is only logical to assure myself that he does not need your assistance." Jim kept his confusion to himself as they went along, and then he heard it as well. There was a snide, almost shout echoing through the main hall of the museum, and the closer they got the clearer Jim could hear the derision, all directed at Sarek.
The trio paused beside one of the archways that led into the main hall, Jim tilting his head around the doorway to try and watch. There were people standing in clumps all over the hall obviously eavesdropping, and not doing a very good job of pretending that they weren't. The gawkers blocked Jim's view of Sarek and whoever was doing the stage mocking which so loud it was practically a yell. Jim snuck around the corner to get a better look, and though Spock tried to grab his sleeve and hold him back, Jim slipped his grip.
Spock stayed concealed of the other side of the wall, listening to a spree of rather vicious insults concerning his father's parentage, logic, and failings as a representative of the Vulcan race as a whole. Jim popped back around the corner after a minute and asked, "So I'm assuming the pointy eared bastard doing the shouting is a Romulan?"
"Given the facts available to me at the present moment, I presume so."
"Yeah, well, the guy is getting in your dad's space and I think everyone is waiting for Sarek to lose it and deck him."
Spock turned his attention away from the shouting and inquired, "I assume from your context that 'deck' implies some sort of physical altercation, which my father would never do."
"Really? 'Cause some of the stuff your dad is saying back to him is totally meant to piss the guy off."
"The Ambassador is attempting to elicit and emotional response so the Romulan delegation will be distracted by him and provide us with an opportunity to leave unhindered. An opportunity which we are presently squandering."
Jim rolled his eyes and stuck his head back around the corner, taking in what little he could see. "Why isn't Chris stopping him?" Jim muttered.
Spock ignored his inner voice of propriety and tilted his own head around the corner to spy while he replied, "The Federation's relationship with the Romulan Empire is strained at best, any insult Captain Pike may deliver would be damaging both to his career and to the Federation, no matter how much he may desire to deliver one."
The crowd parted before the boys at just the right moment for them to see the Romulan strike the back of his hand across Sarek's cheek in a fit of temper. Takeru's hand darted out and clasped on to the back of Jim's shirt before he could launch himself around the corner like he so obviously longed to. Spock gasped at the unprecedented display of violence against his father.
"Go protect Sarek!" Jim hissed at Takeru.
"My presence is unnecessary, the Ambassador will be well." Though from the strain in Takeru's voice Jim could tell he didn't quite believe that assertion himself.
"I don't care! Get the hell out there are protect him anyway! You're the only grownup in the building who won't lose their job for stepping in!"
"The Ambassador has made his wishes clear on this subject. He desires that I should remain solely in your and Spock's company."
"Don't worry about us, we'll stay here and be good."
"I do not believe you."
"Well I'm not really giving you any options here, Takeru."
"Disregarding the wishes of one whom I have sworn to protect is never an option James. Now come, it is long past time for us to depart."
Jim turned and stared at Spock, baffled beyond all recognition. Spock knew that Jim would leave if Spock walked away, but some part of Jim would always be disappointed in him. Spock trusted Takeru implicitly, and knew beyond a doubt that should Sarek decide to enter into a physical altercation with this Romulan he would win. Their presence was unnecessary here, and worse, dangerous. Sarek was enduring these slights to provide them with an opportunity to be safely away and it was illogical to waste his sacrifice.
Spock continued with his internal list of all the logical ways he could explain to Jim why they should heed Takeru and leave the building, not the least of which was Jim's own safety. But then, Spock heard the harsh snap of the Romulan calling his mother a whore, and Spock's reaction was painfully human. Jim caught the tightening in Spock's eyes and the disgruntled grimace (which Jim would probably translate to mean 'oh, hell no') and the boys went around the corner at a dash.
Spock considered it proof of Jim's impact on him that he would undertake such an action without a plan, but apparently Jim had something resembling one, and Spock would've rethought Jim's presence had he known the extent of it. Jim darted up beside one of the Security officers who was watching the exchange and lifted the man's phaser from his holster. Spock noted that Jim at least took a moment to dial down the phaser to stun before he took a shot at the offending Romulan's feet.
The entire hall screeched to a halt as the security officers unholstered their phasers and swung them around to point at Jim, and then lowered them when they realized who had done the shooting. Jim kept the phaser trained on the irate Romulan in front of him, with hands shaking so slightly that Spock was certain he was the only person who saw it. Jim stuck out his chin and looked every inch the half legend he was purported to be and declared, "You don't talk to her that way."
The offendor snarled something obscene in Romulan, but finished in English, "You do not find Sarek worth such ardent protection?"
Jim snorted and fixed the Romulan with a look that screamed, 'you are a complete and total moron', but replied, "The Ambassador could kick your ass from here to the Delta Quadrant, he doesn't need me to do it for him. But Amanda is a Lady, and she shouldn't have to get her hands dirty with the likes of you."
"It is good to see that human hyperbole was not mistaken about you. I would have been disappointed." This new voice came from the entryway behind them, and rather than let James be outflanked, Spock nabbed a phaser of his own from a baffled junior officer and aimed it at their interloper.
The Romulan had the gall to laugh at Spock's actions, "So much for Vulcan stoicism."
"It's Vulcan honor, not that I'd expect you to know the difference." Jim replied, and judging from the way most of the Fleet hissed out a displeased breath when he said that, Jim assumed he'd stepped over a line. But the Romulan just chortled.
"Do you know who I am, little human?"
Jim made a show of examining him from head to toe, studying his lean form and excessively fancy clothes that denoted a higher rank. "Not a clue, but I'll go with 'pissy Romulan extra' for 300 Alex."
Spock did not understand the reference, but judging from the way Pike bit his lip and Number One failed to stop a laugh, it was meant to be amusing. The Romulan in question merely grinned at Jim and said, "Fascinating." Spock tightened his grip on his phaser at the almost hungry look the Romulan had turned on Jim. He caught Spock tensing and smirked, "You disapprove of my attentions rhede-rhienn?"
Jim had no knowledge of the Romulan language, let alone phrases designed to insult Spock's hybrid status, but Jim could tell from the look of disgust on Number One's face that it wasn't good. Jim sent another phaser burst to skim the feet of the original bastard Vulcan and muttered, "Oops, finger slipped."
The Vulcan half-skipped out of the way and exclaimed, "Why is this daetra being allowed to roam free!"
"He is one of the few people in the galaxy allowed to say such a thing with no reprecussions. Though if he persists in this untoward behavior I may be forced to turn him over my knee." The superior Romulan turned a leer on Jim and the boy took a small step backwards to brush his side against Spock's. Number One clenched her hand in an iron grip around Pike's elbow, forcing him to freeze a breath before he burst forward and throttled the Romulan looking at his godson like he was about to pay for him in a seedy bar.
The angry bastard muttered something else in Romulan and Spock nudged Jim and whispered, "He wants your name."
Jim squared his shoulders and put on the cocky grin that always made Frank lose his temper and declared, "I'm James Tiberius Kirk."
Based off the slight bulge to his eyes, that wasn't something he was expecting. However, the second Romulan seemed fully aware and explained simply, "The svitan-nel-dath."
Jim could hear the whispers ranging about the room, with people running searches on their comms trying to figure what that meant. "In truth we should have expected it," the eerie Vulcan commented. "A babe born two months early in the middle of a firefight beside an artificial black hole. That you didn't die in your mother's womb or be sucked into the vacuum of space could only be through the interference of the fates."
"I lived because my father is a hero. Fate," Jim spat out the word, "had nothing to do with it."
The Romulan took long, slow steps towards the boys, everyone else in the room tensing at his approach while the demands of diplomacy fought their instincts to rip the boys away. "Tell me Ambassador," he commented to Sarek, though he kept his eyes on Jim, "since you have denied my people access to the ancient texts, tell me what happens to the rest of us should he die?"
"Sekhet dungau-katau ni'rchong le-sumaong." (Sekhet [the goddess of war who was cooled by Surak]
Spock leaned slightly and whispered to Jim, "The goddess of war and illogic shall come bearing fire and ice."
"Yeht? Yi'ra bulk tor kuv nash-tor?
When the Romulan plucked a small phaser from the back of his pants and fired it at Jim, Spock understood why he had switched the conversation over to Vulcan. The Romulan had meant to provide the human security with no knowledge of his intent. Had Spock not been there to understand that the Romulan asked, 'Really? Then what would destiny do if I did this?', and intercede accordingly, then the blast might have caught Jim full on in his tiny chest.
But instead, Spock twisted and threw his weight against Jim, forcing him to the ground and away from the heat of the phaser blast that skimmed above Spock's back.
By the time Jim and Spock popped back to their feet the resulting fight was already over. Sarek had moved with speed that Spock had thought was beyond a member of the High Council. Sarek stood unruffled while the insulting Romulan lay in a humiliating blob on the floor at his feet. Based off the wide-eyed stares that Federation security directed at Sarek, Spock assumed that his father had dispatched the Romulan with a well placed neck pinch. Captain Pike had been much more dramatic in his actions and it seemed that he had ripped a phaser from a baffled security officer and sent a blunt shot to the first Romulan's head. Surprising to Spock though, was that Number One had pulled a phaser of her own - from some part of her dress uniform that Spock did not particularly wish to think about - and had Amanda ensconced safely behind her while she kept away any other Romulans in the room.
Sarek flicked a piece of invisible lint off his shoulder and asked, "Captain Pike, may I impose upon your men to see the Ambassador and his compatriot back to the Romulan Embassy?"
"I'll do you one better Amabassador, Number One and I will see to it everyone from the delegation is tucked safety away at the Embassy for the night."
Sarek nodded his head, "That would be appreciated."
Sarek started to the door, Amanda quickly falling in beside him while Spock and Jim scrambled along behind. Takeru paused with Chris for the briefest of moments to whisper, "You will find the delegation members placed beside each emergency exit unconscious. I presume that your Number One will prevent this from being a difficulty."
While Takeru was informing Pike, Jim was whispering to Spock, "Well that guy was just creepy."
"Indeed. And Jim, I propose that next time we react in such an unplanned manner we do something less fraught then pull phasers on the Romulan Ambassador."
"Yeah," Jim sighed, "I'm cool with that." Chapter 12