Extinction ch 13

Chapter Thirteen


“Well, Bones?”

“Jim...he's dying.”

“Already?”

“It's not starvation.  Spock is in some sort of self induced coma...”

“A Vulcan trick no doubt.”  Kirk noted.

“I'm sure that it is, however, despite the calm exterior his green paint thinner blood is boiling with adrenaline, dopamine, seritonin, insulin, testosterone, endorphins...the list goes on.”

“Those are all hormones.”

“Yes, and powerful ones at that.  They are pushing his organs to the limit, even with his Vulcan physiology given enough time it is going to kill him.”  Bones looked down on Spock and shook his head.  “I can't believe that he can hold still, he should be bouncing off the walls like a Timmarian winged swamp rat hopped up on Rigilian mushrooms with all the chemical that are coursing through his veins.”

“What about his mental state?”

“I can't say what levels like this would do to a Vulcan for sure, but I know if a human had an imbalance anything like this they'd be certifiably insane.  Actually high dopamine levels are associated with schizophrenia, which can cause delusions, hallucinations, feeling of persecution...”

“Fits of rage?”

“Sometimes.”  

Kirk rubbed his eyes until he saw stars.  Spock was at their feet, still on his knees.  He hadn't made any reaction to the doctor's inspections, nor their words about him.  His dark eyes were open, focused on a point in space a thousand light years away.  Kirk had removed the ion restraints, but that didn't keep Spock from holding his wrists firmly behind his back.  

Kneeling down in front of his friend Kirk snapped his fingers a few times in front of Spock's face.  For a second Kirk could swear that he saw Spock's eyes narrow slightly in irritation, but he couldn't be sure.  Standing back up Kirk put his hands on his hips and tried to decide what to do next.

“Jim, you have to get Spock back to Star Fleet, he needs specialized care.”

“I can't turn this ship around, Bones, this peace treaty needs to be signed.”

“To the devil with the peace treaty!”  McCoy hissed.

“Besides we are six weeks at top Warp away from Earth...could you keep him alive that long?”

“No.”  Bones admitted begrudgingly.

“The Vulca...”

“Ma'am, you can't go down there!”  One of the guards at the beginning of the hall suddenly shouted.  

“The hell I can't!”  Uhura barked.  “Get your hands off me!”

Kirk looked out in the hallway and found that Uhura had indeed made it out of sick bay despite orders to rest.  Still wearing the braces that McCoy had set her up with she winced in pain as she moved.  Despite this she was seconds away from belting the guard and then probably kneeing him in the crotch.  Kirk glanced back at Spock, he hadn't seemed to have noticed Uhura's voice.  

“Ensign,”  Kirk called  “it's alright, let her through.”

“Thank you, Captain.”  Uhura said gratefully.

“If anyone can reach Spock, it's you.”  

Uhura smiled slightly and stepped into the cell.  A pained expression fell over her face at seeing her husband kneeling on the floor near catatonic.  She instantly knelt down in front of him, hoping that he'd look up at her.  Spock remained unmoved, he didn't so much as blink.  Uhura's deep brown eyes brightened with unshed tears.

“Spock?  Baby, it's me...please, don't do this.  I love you.”

Spock closed his eyes, his first motion in hours.  Uhura reached out to touch his temple but he titled his head away just enough to let her know that contact was not desired.  She hesitated for a moment, waiting for him to respond further.  When he didn't she leaned in and gently kissed him.  Spock lost his resolve to shut her out, and returned the affection.  Although staying on his knees Spock leaned into the increasingly amorous kiss.  

Uhura was becoming breathless, but she wasn't about to break away from him even though he was biting down on her bottom lip hard enough to cause pain.  The moment their skin had touched her heart had started pounding so hard she could hear it throbbing in her ears.  Spock finally brought one of his hands from behind his back and went to touch her face.  His fingertips hovered a fraction of an inch away from her skin, but he froze in place without closing the small gap between them.  Spock slowly pulled away from Uhura's lips.  He returned his hand to its place behind his back.

“Spock...”

“Nyota, I love you, I love you so much it is physically painful to be apart from you...but you are not safe with me.  No one is.  Please leave, and do not return.”

Tears traced down Uhura's cheeks as she saw him slipping away again.  Spock stared forward, no longer looking at her, but rather through her.  Desperate to reach him again she ran her hands through his hair, but he was emotionless as a block of granite once more.  The only thing that had change was now his whole frame trembled slightly, like he was fighting to keep from jumping to his feet.  Uhura traced the edge of one of his ears without being rewarded by a reaction.

“Captain,”  Uhura looked up at Kirk  “help him, please.”

Kirk nodded and left Uhura and McCoy to keep watch over Spock.  He went to his quarters to keep his next conversation private.  He was just about to bring up the communications when a whistle from the bridge sliced through the air.  Kirk was not in the mood for the disruption, but he answered it anyway.

“Kirk here.”

“Private call from Natala, Captain.”

“Natala?”  Kirk asked surprised.  “Who?”

“Ambassador Tek'tiel, Sir.”

“Patch him through.”

Kirk looked around the room, almost expecting the Vulcan to be behind him.  He had come to his quaters to call the Ambassador for help with Spock.  It was always unnerving to get a call when you were just going to call the person, it was doubly so when that person happened to be a full blooded Vulcan.  

“Captain James T. Kirk, how may I assist you Ambassador?”  Deciding not to lay all his cards on the table just yet Kirk held them close to his chest.

“Captain Kirk, I am calling to request that Spock be returned to Natala.”

“Why?  It is my understanding that he does not wish to return to Natala.”

“I understand, however, it is of the gravest importance to his health.”

“Why should you care about Spock?”  Kirk asked suspiciously.

“All Vulcans are my concern.  However, Spock is also my Bal'lat.”

“I'm sorry, your what?”

“Bal'lat...in your culture I believe the closest translation is a godchild.”  The Ambassador clarified.

“So if something had happened to Sarek while Spock was still underage...”

“I would have taken over the responsibilities of raising him as my own, yes.”  Tek'tiel finished.

“And you were okay with that?”  Kirk asked, looking to see if he could ruffle the Vulcan's feathers.  “You took a risk of ending up with a half breed son.”

“I had my reservations about it, however, it was logical to protect young Spock.  Sarek had a dangerous job, and so he planned for the event of an untimely death.”

“Does Spock know about all this?”

“No.  Fortunately Spock reached an age where he no longer needed a father before Sarek's recent death.”

“You're wrong, Ambassador, a son never reaches an age where he no longer needs his father.”

“I can see the logic in that.”  Tek'tiel agreed.  “Right now Spock needs the Vulcans, we are the only ones who have any hope of saving him.”

“So you know what's wrong with him?”

“I am not authorized to answer that question, Captain.”

“But you do know somehow that he is sick?”

“Once again, Captain, I may not answer that.”

“Of course not.”  Kirk rolled his eyes.  “More Vulcan silence, I'm getting used to it.”

“Captain, under Star Fleet regulations your First Officer is no longer in possession of his faculties, he can not make rational decisions on his own.  Therefore you have the power to make any decisions regarding his care yourself.”

“Now just wait a minute...”  Kirk growled.

“Turn Spock over to Vulcan, Captain, or I assure you he will die.”

“If I give him to you, will he live?”

“That I can not guarantee.  I can only say he has no chance without Vulcan care.”

“I have to at least try to ask Spock what he wants.”

“You will not like his answer.”

“Ambass...”

“You have one hour to decide.”  Tek'tiel interrupted.

“What happens in one hour?”

“The Vulcan ship that is now running a parallel course to your ship will be ordered to return to Natala, and Spock will lose his one chance at life.”

Kirk sat bolt up right at the news of his ship being escorted by Vulcans.  The Ambassador had cut the channel off, not interested in further discussion.  Kirk was just about to hail the bridge when the bridge hailed him first.

“Kirk.”

“Capteen?”  Chekhov's voice came through the intercom.  “A sheep has yust come en to weiw of our sensors.”

“Type?”

“She appears to be Wulcan, Sir.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chekhov.”

“Should we hail her?”

“No, just keep an eye on her.”

While Kirk was thinking about his options McCoy and Uhura were still standing by with Spock.  Despite Uhura's continued efforts Spock made no further acknowledgment of her.  McCoy eventually stepped in when he noted on his tricorder that Spock's heart was starting to work twice as hard.  He may not be showing any distress on the outside, but internally he was as violent and active as a stormy sea.

It had been about forty-five minutes since the Captain had left before they heard the sounds of him returning.

“Right this way, Gentlemen.”  

Bones instantly picked up on the worried defeated tone in Kirk's voice.  Whoever it was that the Captain was bringing to the cell, he didn't really want to.  When the Captain arrived McCoy was shocked to see that he was being followed by three somber looking Vulcans.

“Where the devil did they come from?”  Bones demanded.

“Please, Bones, not now.”  Kirk replied.

Uhura was still watching Spock and she gasped as he snapped his head up.  Upon seeing the Vulcans his eyes widened in fear.  He sprang to his feet and scrambled back.  Slamming into the wall he backed into the corner as far from the visitors as he could get.  His chest was heaving as he audibly panted for breath.  Spock took his eyes off of the Vulcans to stare at Kirk in desperation.

“Captain, no!”  Spock cried in terror.  “No, don't let them take me!  Please!”

“Spock...”

Before Kirk could continue and give his explanation for his decision the Vulcans moved in on Spock.  For a moment it looked like there was going to be a fight.  Cornered like an animal Spock was clearly debating with himself if he should lash out at his brethren or not.  One of the Vulcans had a hypo much like the one Bones carried and he calmly approached the wild eyed hybrid.  

Spock pressed himself harder into the corner that he'd backed himself into.  Knowing he couldn't win by force he weld his eyes shut.  Trembling in fright Spock yelped when the hypo was pushed against his chest.  The Vulcan stood back and waited for the hypo to take effect.  Spock clawed at the wall as he was dropped to his knees.  After glancing at his wife he looked to Bones and Kirk in turn, a heartbreak expression frozen on his face.

“Captain...Jim, please...no...”

“I'm sorry, Spock.”

Whatever drug the Vulcans had injected Spock with finally took a hold.  He fought hard, but his eyes rolled back to white and he collapsed to the floor.  The lowest ranking Vulcan reached down and lifted Spock up off the floor with seemingly no effort.  With ruthless efficiency they signaled back to their ship and beamed out without ever having said a word.

Uhura buried her face in Kirk's shirt and cried inconsolably.  Staring sadly at the spot where Spock had been just seconds before Kirk sighed.  He held Uhura gently, but it didn't help comfort either one of them.  Bones stepped up and put his hand on the Captain's shoulder supportively.

“You did the right thing, Jim.”

“Did I, Bones?  I'm not so sure...”