Fic: The Captain and the Cat (1/3)
Fandom: AU!Star Trek: Reboot
Rating: PG
Pairings: Kirk/Spock, Spock Prime/Kirk Prime
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Disney or Star Trek related.
Summary: A retelling of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Jim Kirk is working hard to get his own ship; and Prince Spock is trying to figure out the exact moment his life fell apart.
I should not be allowed on the kink memes. They do nothing but make me write long epic fics.
I’m a totally Disney fangirl so references to other Disney movies, including my personal favourite The Lion King, show up a lot; along with the usual Star Trek references.
Also Doctor Facilier has remained instead of being swapped out for Nero, because Facilier is my all time favourite Disney villain and Nero just doesn’t compare to him.
The Captain and the Cat
The evening star is shining bright. So, make a wish and hold on tight. There’s magic in the air tonight, and anything can happen…
“Jim! Nyota! It’s time to come inside and get cleaned up!” Winona called out from the kitchen window.
Two young kids reluctantly abandoned their mud pie factory and went inside.
When they were all cleaned up, and dinner had been eaten, they gathered in Uhura’s room.
“Now I’ve got time for a story before your father gets home, Nyota, which one should I read?”
“The Frog Prince!” Uhura cried out happily.
“Eww!”
“Jim, that is not nice.”
“But I don’t want to hear that story, Mom!”
“Of course you don’t want to hear it, you’re a boy!” Uhura said. “Boys are allergic to all that frilly pink happily ever after stuff, it has cooties.”
“Double eww!”
“Jim, that’s enough. I’ll read it now and you can pick a different story next time.”
Jim crossed his arms over his chest in a huff and Winona opened the book.
***
“She leaned down…and kissed that little frog! And then…the frog was transformed into a handsome prince. They were married and lived happily ever after.”
“Yay!”
“Yuck! There is no way you’d ever, ever, I mean never, catch me kissing a frog!”
“Oh, really?” Uhura asked, grabbing her kitten and quickly tying a bright green scarf around her neck. “Well here he is, Jimmy, so kiss him! Do it! Do it!”
“No! Never!”
The kitten, named Marie, squirmed out of Uhura’s grip and dashed under the bed.
“You two leave that poor kitty alone!”
The two kids eventually stopped laughing and sat up properly on the floor.
“Would you really kiss a frog just because he says he’s a prince?” Jim asked.
“Yeah, I’d kissed a hundred frogs if I could marry a prince and be a princess.”
“So how come a girl can do what a boy can do, like touch frogs, and mud, and stuff and not get cooties, but I can’t do what you do?”
“I dunno, just cause.”
The conversation stopped abruptly as the bedroom door opened and a man walked through.
“Good evening, Captain Pike.”
“Good evening, Winona.”
“Daddy!”
Uhura ran over and hugged him.
“Hey, how’s my little princess?”
“Daddy, how come I can play in the mud, but kissing a frog would give Jimmy cooties?”
Pike just stood there silently as Winona laughed and helped her son into his coat.
“All right you two that’s enough philosophical discussion for tonight. It’s time to go home, Jim, your dad should be back from work by now.”
***
“Which one is that one, Dad?”
“Which star, Jimmy?”
“That big bright one on the far left, see?”
George Kirk looked through his son’s telescope and smiled.
“Oh, Jimmy, you’ve found one that’s very special.”
“What is it, Dad?”
“Jimmy, that star is the planet Vulcan. Vulcan was one of the founding members of the Federation of Planets. They are, intelligent, logical, and a very honourable and noble race.”
“Mom! Sam! I found Vulcan come see, come see!”
***
Later that night as his mom and dad tucked him into bed Jim kept his eyes on the stars.
“You see, Jimmy, science, exploration, discovery it brings people from all walks of life together, and gives them hope for a brighter future.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny model of a starship.
“When I get my own ship I’m going to travel to every corner of the galaxy. Going on all kinds of adventures and who knows what might be accomplished out there.”
“Our ship.”
“Of course our ship,” George said, and handed his son the little model.
Jim held it carefully in his hands and looked out again at the night sky.
“Oh, look!”
“What is it, Jim?” his mother asked.
“Uhura’s fairy-tale book says that if you make a wish on the evening star it’s sure to come true.”
“Well you wish on that star, Jimmy, with all your heart. Just remember that that old star can only take you so far. You’ve got to help it along with some hard work of your own and then you can be anything you want; but you have to promise you’re old man something.”
“Anything, Dad.”
“That you’ll never lose sight of what’s really important, promise?”
“Promise.”
***
Jim swore loudly as he ran in the back door of Quark’s bar. 23rd century and they still couldn’t make public transportation run on time to save their lives.
“You’re late!” a voice yelled out from the office.
“I know!” he yelled back, tossing his bag into the staff room and pulling on a vest.
Heading out front he rushed through the first dozen orders before finally making it out to the tables. He spotted a few familiar faces as he went to collect the dishes. Screw the boss for being too cheap to hire a busboy.
“Hey Sulu, Chekov, what are you guys doing here?”
“We’re here doing this thing called relaxing after a hard day of classes you should try it sometime,” Chekov said.
“And later we’re going to that new Risa night club, you should come,” Sulu added with a smile.
“I don’t do that whole scene anymore. Besides I’m going to work a double shift tonight. You know so I can-”
“Save for your ship we know, we know! Man you need to learn to have some fun!” Sulu exclaimed.
Jim shrugged. “Maybe next time.”
“I told you he would not come.”
Jim bit back a sigh as he went back behind the bar, to the dishwasher, and kept working.
The head chef poked his head out the kitchen.
“You’re still talking about that dang ship? You know you’ll never get enough for the down payment.”
“Hey, I’m getting close.”
“Yeah…how close?”
Jim glared at him.
“Just keep the orders flowing, Cupcake.”
Thankfully the chime of the door drowned out his laughter as Uhura came flying into the restaurant.
“Jim, Jim, did you hear the news!?”
“About what?”
“Prince Spock of Vulcan is coming to San Francisco!”
“That’s great, Uhura.”
“That’s not even the best part! Dad invited him to our masquerade ball tonight and he’s letting him stay at our house as his personal guest!”
“Well have fun with that. Oh, and tell Pike congratulations on being voted king of the festival.”
Uhura rolled her eyes. “Like it’s any surprise to him. This is the fifth year in a row,” she said, and reached for her belt as her phone rang.
“Hello?... Hey, Riley! Look don’t forgot to-what! What do you mean you aren’t coming?!...Well look Rigelian flu can’t be that bad!...Yeah, whatever, look just don’t die from this, because I’m going to kill you.”
Uhura closed her phone in a swift irritated move; and then spotted Jim as he poured out his next order.
“Jim, I know it’s short notice, but would you be able to serve drinks at the ball tonight? I want to make a great first impression and Riley just bailed. Please? I’ll pay you double whatever you were going to make tonight, will that cover it?”
“Yes, yes that would be just fine, Uhura,” Jim said, as he calculated a new total in his head. “That would be enough. It’s enough! I’m finally getting my ship!”
The shouting nearly drowned out the plate smashing on the floor in the kitchen.
“And tonight my prince is finally coming. And I sure as heck ain’t letting him go!”
With all their focus on the dreams that were now so close neither of them noticed the sinister man sitting in a shadowy corner booth.
***
“Just look at it, Mom! Doesn’t it just make you want to scream!?”
Winona took in the mismatched colours of the interior of the ship, and the shower curtain suits in one closet.
“Yes it does.”
Jim was too excited to notice his mother’s tone and made for the bridge.
“Look the science station is going to be right where you’re standing, and this is going to be my chair!”
She laughed. “You’re your father’s son all right. He use to go on and on about this old girl too.”
“Old girl! Mom, this is going to be the best ship in the fleet!”
Winona put a hand on her son's shoulder.
“Jim, honey, I’m sure it’s going to be just wonderful, but it’s such a shame you’re working so hard.”
“I can’t give up now, Mom! Not when I’m so close. I have to make sure all dad’s hard work means something.”
“Jim! There’s more to life than just a ship. He had love and you should too. You should have friends, and someone to be with you.”
Jim chuckled. “I’m going to be married to this ship, Mom. I’m going,” Jim glanced at his watch. “I’m going to be late!”
***
“Sire, we are due at the ball at precisely-”
“I am aware of our time constraints, Stonn, I merely wish to use what little of it is available to us towards constructive purposes.”
Prince Spock looked away from his aide and went back to scanning the shops and vendors on the street. As they turned a corner they collided hard with someone and stumbled back.
They fell to the ground and a pair of polished, but well worn shoes invaded Spock’s vision. Spock looked up and to see a tall dark man stumble back as well. He thought he saw a hint of darkness in the man’s eyes, as he regained his footing in front of them; before it was washed away with the wave of a hand and a charming smile.
“My apologises, gentlemen, and a tip of the hat from Doctor Facilier. How you all doing?” he asked, as he helped them up and offered them his card.
Spock took the card and read it aloud.
“Tarot readings, potions, charms, dreams made real. I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t believe we require your services.”
“Oh, that’s just for show to the gullible, emotional, human types. Visiting royalty such as yourself, of course, is only interested in the exceptionally rare.”
“How did you know?” Spock asked, while self-consciously adjusting the headband that covered his eyebrows and ears.
“I make it a point to know what goes on in this town. I have friends everywhere, even on the other side.”
A door swung open and the words seemed to echo back at them from the inside.
“That’s an echo, gentlemen. Just a little something we have here in San Francisco, little parlour trick don’t worry.”
He moved them inside and sat them down at a large table.
“Relax it will be easier.”
“To do what?” Spock asked.
“To help you of course. Why I’ve got gizmos, gadgets, voodoo, hoodoo, and things I’ve never even tried. I’m sure I can find something to get you what you want.”
“And how do you know what we want?”
“As I said, I make it my business to know everyone’s business, but if you need further proof I can provide that too.”
He shuffled a deck of cards thoroughly before spreading three cards out in front of each of them.
“Now you, young man, are from across the stars. You come from two long lines of royalty, but separate aren’t they? Weren’t meant to mix of course, it’s not natural. Nothing good about being mixed trust me, I’ve been there too. Now they want you to marry and mix it further, but you don’t want that. You wish to be just as your father is, to have his ancestor’s blood run full in your veins. To show them all that you can be what they need. And you racing against the clock to do it, aren’t you, Spock?”
Facilier turned to Stonn.
“Now on you, little man, I don’t want to waste much time. You’ve been pushed around all your life. You’ve been pushed around by your mother and your sister and your brother; and if you were married. You’d be pushed around by your wife. She’s going to look lovely though, Stonn. Provide you with six strapping boys so it’s not a bad consolation prize.”
He slid between the two men and reached out his arms.
“However, if you, gentlemen, would like something better I’d suggest you shake a poor sinner’s hand.”
***
Jim looked over the party where Prince Spock had finally decided to grace the ball with his presence, and Uhura had wasted no time in claiming him as her dance partner. Jim watched them move around the dance floor. Well he was very handsome and light on his feet Jim thought; Uhura could certainly do worse.
He finally turned his eyes away from that happy sight as the Fenner brothers came up for more drinks.
“These are delicious, Kirk.”
“Thanks, Mr Fenner…and Mr Fenner. Quark is going to have to find himself a new golden boy when I sign those papers you both brought.”
“Oh, yes about that.”
“You were outbid.”
Jim dropped the glass he was holding. “But-”
“A fellow came in and offered the full amount in cash. Unless you can top the offer by Wednesday-”
“You can kiss that ship goodbye.”
“Do, do you know how long it took me to save that money?”
“Exactly! That’s why a…Farmboy, like you, would have had his hands full running a big starship like that. Trust us, you’re better off where you’re at.”
Five minutes later both Fenners were being carried away to be looked at by Doctor Piper and Jim was sitting on the ground pinching his nose to stop the blood.
Pike sighed and looked down at him. “You’ve come a long way, Jim, and I hate to see you wreck it now.”
“What happened?” Uhura asked, as she came over and helped Jim up off the floor.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well come on let’s get you cleaned up,” she said, pulling Jim into the house. “My friend Gaila was in town last week and brought a bunch of boys over. They didn’t stay in their clothes very long and I’m sure I can get something together that will fit.”
It turned out that nothing fit, except one of Pike’s old outfits from when he was mistaken for a king on some alien world that he had kept as a souvenir.
Uhura whistled as Jim came out from the bathroom dressed in the fine outfit.
“Well look at you. Some girl might even mistake you for a proper gentleman.”
“Yeah, Janice might actually not scream if she sees me again.”
Uhura laughed. “Yeah, Spock might even mistake you for one of his aides...You know it seems like only yesterday we were little kids dreaming of what we would be. Now both our dreams are finally coming true.”
“Yeah.”
She went for the door, but turned back when Jim didn’t follow.
“You coming?”
“I just need a moment.”
She nodded and closed the bedroom door. Jim wandered outside on the balcony and looked up at the star shining brightly in the evening sky.
“I can’t believe I’ve been reduced to this.”
He pulled out the old small model he kept on a chain around his neck and twisted it in his hands, then looked up at the star again.
“Please, please give me something to help. Anything!”
Just then he spotted movement in a nearby tree and turned just in time to see a small black and white cat jump up onto the balcony ledge. It sat down on the ledge and stared at him with wide brown eyes.
“Very funny. What the hell am I supposed to with this?!”
It turned out Jim would protect it, as Marie suddenly ran up hissing, and growling, and swatting at the tiny creature.
“Marie, no!” he yelled, as the cat jumped into his arms and clung to his shirt.
He held on tight to it and with his foot moved Marie out into the hall, and slammed the door.
“I thank you for your chivalry, good sir.”
Jim yelped and flung the cat away from him. “Demon cat!”
“I am sorry I did not mean to startle you I-hey!” Spock cried out in surprised, and started dodging a barrage of flying objects.
“You know you have a very good arm-string!”
The talking cat took off after the ball of yellow yarn. Jim, intrigued, stopped throwing things and watched him bat the ball around the room. Eventually he seemed to get control over himself, and came and sat in front of Jim, looking quite sheepish.
“My apologies, sir, this body is rather instinctual.”
“Who, who are you?”
“I am Prince Spock of Vulcan.”
“Prince? But I didn’t wish for any-wait a minute if you’re Spock, then who’s down there dancing with Uhura!?”
“I do not know.”
Jim grabbed a book and prepared to hit him again.
“Wait!…Wait that tome is the answer.”
Jim looked at the book’s cover.
“The Frog Prince?”
“Yes,” Spock said, as Jim put the book down on the dresser and let Spock come up and look at it. “The story describes how to reverse the effects of this type of trans-modification. It is logical to conclude that these actions are applicable to my case as well. Please, sir, I need you.”
“Me?”
“I would require you to engage in this human custom,” Spock said, putting a paw against the picture of the princess kissing the frog.
“You need me to kiss you?”
“My options are rather few. If there is someone down there posing as me he must be exposed quickly. This is the best option available.”
Jim scowled. “I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but I don’t kiss random animals.”
“Please, sir, I come from a very influential family. Surly there is something I could do, some request I could grant in exchange for your cooperation?”
That’s right he was a member of the Vulcan royal family. They could give him the money for the Enterprise. They could even authorize the Federation to have him do missions in their name.
“Just one kiss?”
“It is all I ask.”
All for her remember, Jim thought, anything for the ship. He closed his eyes and leaned down.
It was cold and wet; and when Jim opened his eyes Spock was still black and white…and further away from him.
“You don’t look any different, and how did you get way up there, and why-” he cut himself off as he turned to a mirror and saw a fluffy ball of beige fur sitting on a pile of clothes he had just been wearing.
“Argh! How did this happen!?” Jim yelled, and jumped into the air, his new legs sending him up easily onto the dresser next to Spock.
“I do not understand, by all logical reasoning it should have worked.”
“What did you do to me?! I’m all furry and…why does the room look so odd?!”
“Oh, that is normal. The feline anatomy is built for a different spectrum range and cats cannot see the colour red.”
“Why you little-”
Jim tackled Spock to the ground they start rolling around on the floor…and straight off the balcony ledge, falling to Earth.
They twisted themselves in mid air to land right side up and they might have even been ignored, if they hadn’t fallen into the drum set.
“STELLA! Get ‘em, girl!”
They jumped up on the nearest table with a discarded bag over their heads.
“Run!”
“To where?! I can’t see anything!”
“I should not need to remind you that neither can I!”
Their fight came to an abrupt halt as they hit the end of the table, and the decorations placed there. Spock struggled to untangle the balloon strings to get away from the approaching snapping jaws and sharp teeth, as Jim tried to be reasonable.
“Stella, Stella! It’s me Jim Kirk!”
“Jim!” she cried out in shock, and went crashing into the dessert table, as the balloons began floating away.
“Stella she-she…That dog just talked to me!”
“You know if you’re going to have an illogical emotional response to everything, it’s going to be a very long night!”
(End part 1)
part 2
Rating: PG
Pairings: Kirk/Spock, Spock Prime/Kirk Prime
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Disney or Star Trek related.
Summary: A retelling of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Jim Kirk is working hard to get his own ship; and Prince Spock is trying to figure out the exact moment his life fell apart.
I should not be allowed on the kink memes. They do nothing but make me write long epic fics.
I’m a totally Disney fangirl so references to other Disney movies, including my personal favourite The Lion King, show up a lot; along with the usual Star Trek references.
Also Doctor Facilier has remained instead of being swapped out for Nero, because Facilier is my all time favourite Disney villain and Nero just doesn’t compare to him.
The Captain and the Cat
The evening star is shining bright. So, make a wish and hold on tight. There’s magic in the air tonight, and anything can happen…
“Jim! Nyota! It’s time to come inside and get cleaned up!” Winona called out from the kitchen window.
Two young kids reluctantly abandoned their mud pie factory and went inside.
When they were all cleaned up, and dinner had been eaten, they gathered in Uhura’s room.
“Now I’ve got time for a story before your father gets home, Nyota, which one should I read?”
“The Frog Prince!” Uhura cried out happily.
“Eww!”
“Jim, that is not nice.”
“But I don’t want to hear that story, Mom!”
“Of course you don’t want to hear it, you’re a boy!” Uhura said. “Boys are allergic to all that frilly pink happily ever after stuff, it has cooties.”
“Double eww!”
“Jim, that’s enough. I’ll read it now and you can pick a different story next time.”
Jim crossed his arms over his chest in a huff and Winona opened the book.
***
“She leaned down…and kissed that little frog! And then…the frog was transformed into a handsome prince. They were married and lived happily ever after.”
“Yay!”
“Yuck! There is no way you’d ever, ever, I mean never, catch me kissing a frog!”
“Oh, really?” Uhura asked, grabbing her kitten and quickly tying a bright green scarf around her neck. “Well here he is, Jimmy, so kiss him! Do it! Do it!”
“No! Never!”
The kitten, named Marie, squirmed out of Uhura’s grip and dashed under the bed.
“You two leave that poor kitty alone!”
The two kids eventually stopped laughing and sat up properly on the floor.
“Would you really kiss a frog just because he says he’s a prince?” Jim asked.
“Yeah, I’d kissed a hundred frogs if I could marry a prince and be a princess.”
“So how come a girl can do what a boy can do, like touch frogs, and mud, and stuff and not get cooties, but I can’t do what you do?”
“I dunno, just cause.”
The conversation stopped abruptly as the bedroom door opened and a man walked through.
“Good evening, Captain Pike.”
“Good evening, Winona.”
“Daddy!”
Uhura ran over and hugged him.
“Hey, how’s my little princess?”
“Daddy, how come I can play in the mud, but kissing a frog would give Jimmy cooties?”
Pike just stood there silently as Winona laughed and helped her son into his coat.
“All right you two that’s enough philosophical discussion for tonight. It’s time to go home, Jim, your dad should be back from work by now.”
***
“Which one is that one, Dad?”
“Which star, Jimmy?”
“That big bright one on the far left, see?”
George Kirk looked through his son’s telescope and smiled.
“Oh, Jimmy, you’ve found one that’s very special.”
“What is it, Dad?”
“Jimmy, that star is the planet Vulcan. Vulcan was one of the founding members of the Federation of Planets. They are, intelligent, logical, and a very honourable and noble race.”
“Mom! Sam! I found Vulcan come see, come see!”
***
Later that night as his mom and dad tucked him into bed Jim kept his eyes on the stars.
“You see, Jimmy, science, exploration, discovery it brings people from all walks of life together, and gives them hope for a brighter future.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny model of a starship.
“When I get my own ship I’m going to travel to every corner of the galaxy. Going on all kinds of adventures and who knows what might be accomplished out there.”
“Our ship.”
“Of course our ship,” George said, and handed his son the little model.
Jim held it carefully in his hands and looked out again at the night sky.
“Oh, look!”
“What is it, Jim?” his mother asked.
“Uhura’s fairy-tale book says that if you make a wish on the evening star it’s sure to come true.”
“Well you wish on that star, Jimmy, with all your heart. Just remember that that old star can only take you so far. You’ve got to help it along with some hard work of your own and then you can be anything you want; but you have to promise you’re old man something.”
“Anything, Dad.”
“That you’ll never lose sight of what’s really important, promise?”
“Promise.”
***
Jim swore loudly as he ran in the back door of Quark’s bar. 23rd century and they still couldn’t make public transportation run on time to save their lives.
“You’re late!” a voice yelled out from the office.
“I know!” he yelled back, tossing his bag into the staff room and pulling on a vest.
Heading out front he rushed through the first dozen orders before finally making it out to the tables. He spotted a few familiar faces as he went to collect the dishes. Screw the boss for being too cheap to hire a busboy.
“Hey Sulu, Chekov, what are you guys doing here?”
“We’re here doing this thing called relaxing after a hard day of classes you should try it sometime,” Chekov said.
“And later we’re going to that new Risa night club, you should come,” Sulu added with a smile.
“I don’t do that whole scene anymore. Besides I’m going to work a double shift tonight. You know so I can-”
“Save for your ship we know, we know! Man you need to learn to have some fun!” Sulu exclaimed.
Jim shrugged. “Maybe next time.”
“I told you he would not come.”
Jim bit back a sigh as he went back behind the bar, to the dishwasher, and kept working.
The head chef poked his head out the kitchen.
“You’re still talking about that dang ship? You know you’ll never get enough for the down payment.”
“Hey, I’m getting close.”
“Yeah…how close?”
Jim glared at him.
“Just keep the orders flowing, Cupcake.”
Thankfully the chime of the door drowned out his laughter as Uhura came flying into the restaurant.
“Jim, Jim, did you hear the news!?”
“About what?”
“Prince Spock of Vulcan is coming to San Francisco!”
“That’s great, Uhura.”
“That’s not even the best part! Dad invited him to our masquerade ball tonight and he’s letting him stay at our house as his personal guest!”
“Well have fun with that. Oh, and tell Pike congratulations on being voted king of the festival.”
Uhura rolled her eyes. “Like it’s any surprise to him. This is the fifth year in a row,” she said, and reached for her belt as her phone rang.
“Hello?... Hey, Riley! Look don’t forgot to-what! What do you mean you aren’t coming?!...Well look Rigelian flu can’t be that bad!...Yeah, whatever, look just don’t die from this, because I’m going to kill you.”
Uhura closed her phone in a swift irritated move; and then spotted Jim as he poured out his next order.
“Jim, I know it’s short notice, but would you be able to serve drinks at the ball tonight? I want to make a great first impression and Riley just bailed. Please? I’ll pay you double whatever you were going to make tonight, will that cover it?”
“Yes, yes that would be just fine, Uhura,” Jim said, as he calculated a new total in his head. “That would be enough. It’s enough! I’m finally getting my ship!”
The shouting nearly drowned out the plate smashing on the floor in the kitchen.
“And tonight my prince is finally coming. And I sure as heck ain’t letting him go!”
With all their focus on the dreams that were now so close neither of them noticed the sinister man sitting in a shadowy corner booth.
***
“Just look at it, Mom! Doesn’t it just make you want to scream!?”
Winona took in the mismatched colours of the interior of the ship, and the shower curtain suits in one closet.
“Yes it does.”
Jim was too excited to notice his mother’s tone and made for the bridge.
“Look the science station is going to be right where you’re standing, and this is going to be my chair!”
She laughed. “You’re your father’s son all right. He use to go on and on about this old girl too.”
“Old girl! Mom, this is going to be the best ship in the fleet!”
Winona put a hand on her son's shoulder.
“Jim, honey, I’m sure it’s going to be just wonderful, but it’s such a shame you’re working so hard.”
“I can’t give up now, Mom! Not when I’m so close. I have to make sure all dad’s hard work means something.”
“Jim! There’s more to life than just a ship. He had love and you should too. You should have friends, and someone to be with you.”
Jim chuckled. “I’m going to be married to this ship, Mom. I’m going,” Jim glanced at his watch. “I’m going to be late!”
***
“Sire, we are due at the ball at precisely-”
“I am aware of our time constraints, Stonn, I merely wish to use what little of it is available to us towards constructive purposes.”
Prince Spock looked away from his aide and went back to scanning the shops and vendors on the street. As they turned a corner they collided hard with someone and stumbled back.
They fell to the ground and a pair of polished, but well worn shoes invaded Spock’s vision. Spock looked up and to see a tall dark man stumble back as well. He thought he saw a hint of darkness in the man’s eyes, as he regained his footing in front of them; before it was washed away with the wave of a hand and a charming smile.
“My apologises, gentlemen, and a tip of the hat from Doctor Facilier. How you all doing?” he asked, as he helped them up and offered them his card.
Spock took the card and read it aloud.
“Tarot readings, potions, charms, dreams made real. I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t believe we require your services.”
“Oh, that’s just for show to the gullible, emotional, human types. Visiting royalty such as yourself, of course, is only interested in the exceptionally rare.”
“How did you know?” Spock asked, while self-consciously adjusting the headband that covered his eyebrows and ears.
“I make it a point to know what goes on in this town. I have friends everywhere, even on the other side.”
A door swung open and the words seemed to echo back at them from the inside.
“That’s an echo, gentlemen. Just a little something we have here in San Francisco, little parlour trick don’t worry.”
He moved them inside and sat them down at a large table.
“Relax it will be easier.”
“To do what?” Spock asked.
“To help you of course. Why I’ve got gizmos, gadgets, voodoo, hoodoo, and things I’ve never even tried. I’m sure I can find something to get you what you want.”
“And how do you know what we want?”
“As I said, I make it my business to know everyone’s business, but if you need further proof I can provide that too.”
He shuffled a deck of cards thoroughly before spreading three cards out in front of each of them.
“Now you, young man, are from across the stars. You come from two long lines of royalty, but separate aren’t they? Weren’t meant to mix of course, it’s not natural. Nothing good about being mixed trust me, I’ve been there too. Now they want you to marry and mix it further, but you don’t want that. You wish to be just as your father is, to have his ancestor’s blood run full in your veins. To show them all that you can be what they need. And you racing against the clock to do it, aren’t you, Spock?”
Facilier turned to Stonn.
“Now on you, little man, I don’t want to waste much time. You’ve been pushed around all your life. You’ve been pushed around by your mother and your sister and your brother; and if you were married. You’d be pushed around by your wife. She’s going to look lovely though, Stonn. Provide you with six strapping boys so it’s not a bad consolation prize.”
He slid between the two men and reached out his arms.
“However, if you, gentlemen, would like something better I’d suggest you shake a poor sinner’s hand.”
***
Jim looked over the party where Prince Spock had finally decided to grace the ball with his presence, and Uhura had wasted no time in claiming him as her dance partner. Jim watched them move around the dance floor. Well he was very handsome and light on his feet Jim thought; Uhura could certainly do worse.
He finally turned his eyes away from that happy sight as the Fenner brothers came up for more drinks.
“These are delicious, Kirk.”
“Thanks, Mr Fenner…and Mr Fenner. Quark is going to have to find himself a new golden boy when I sign those papers you both brought.”
“Oh, yes about that.”
“You were outbid.”
Jim dropped the glass he was holding. “But-”
“A fellow came in and offered the full amount in cash. Unless you can top the offer by Wednesday-”
“You can kiss that ship goodbye.”
“Do, do you know how long it took me to save that money?”
“Exactly! That’s why a…Farmboy, like you, would have had his hands full running a big starship like that. Trust us, you’re better off where you’re at.”
Five minutes later both Fenners were being carried away to be looked at by Doctor Piper and Jim was sitting on the ground pinching his nose to stop the blood.
Pike sighed and looked down at him. “You’ve come a long way, Jim, and I hate to see you wreck it now.”
“What happened?” Uhura asked, as she came over and helped Jim up off the floor.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well come on let’s get you cleaned up,” she said, pulling Jim into the house. “My friend Gaila was in town last week and brought a bunch of boys over. They didn’t stay in their clothes very long and I’m sure I can get something together that will fit.”
It turned out that nothing fit, except one of Pike’s old outfits from when he was mistaken for a king on some alien world that he had kept as a souvenir.
Uhura whistled as Jim came out from the bathroom dressed in the fine outfit.
“Well look at you. Some girl might even mistake you for a proper gentleman.”
“Yeah, Janice might actually not scream if she sees me again.”
Uhura laughed. “Yeah, Spock might even mistake you for one of his aides...You know it seems like only yesterday we were little kids dreaming of what we would be. Now both our dreams are finally coming true.”
“Yeah.”
She went for the door, but turned back when Jim didn’t follow.
“You coming?”
“I just need a moment.”
She nodded and closed the bedroom door. Jim wandered outside on the balcony and looked up at the star shining brightly in the evening sky.
“I can’t believe I’ve been reduced to this.”
He pulled out the old small model he kept on a chain around his neck and twisted it in his hands, then looked up at the star again.
“Please, please give me something to help. Anything!”
Just then he spotted movement in a nearby tree and turned just in time to see a small black and white cat jump up onto the balcony ledge. It sat down on the ledge and stared at him with wide brown eyes.
“Very funny. What the hell am I supposed to with this?!”
It turned out Jim would protect it, as Marie suddenly ran up hissing, and growling, and swatting at the tiny creature.
“Marie, no!” he yelled, as the cat jumped into his arms and clung to his shirt.
He held on tight to it and with his foot moved Marie out into the hall, and slammed the door.
“I thank you for your chivalry, good sir.”
Jim yelped and flung the cat away from him. “Demon cat!”
“I am sorry I did not mean to startle you I-hey!” Spock cried out in surprised, and started dodging a barrage of flying objects.
“You know you have a very good arm-string!”
The talking cat took off after the ball of yellow yarn. Jim, intrigued, stopped throwing things and watched him bat the ball around the room. Eventually he seemed to get control over himself, and came and sat in front of Jim, looking quite sheepish.
“My apologies, sir, this body is rather instinctual.”
“Who, who are you?”
“I am Prince Spock of Vulcan.”
“Prince? But I didn’t wish for any-wait a minute if you’re Spock, then who’s down there dancing with Uhura!?”
“I do not know.”
Jim grabbed a book and prepared to hit him again.
“Wait!…Wait that tome is the answer.”
Jim looked at the book’s cover.
“The Frog Prince?”
“Yes,” Spock said, as Jim put the book down on the dresser and let Spock come up and look at it. “The story describes how to reverse the effects of this type of trans-modification. It is logical to conclude that these actions are applicable to my case as well. Please, sir, I need you.”
“Me?”
“I would require you to engage in this human custom,” Spock said, putting a paw against the picture of the princess kissing the frog.
“You need me to kiss you?”
“My options are rather few. If there is someone down there posing as me he must be exposed quickly. This is the best option available.”
Jim scowled. “I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but I don’t kiss random animals.”
“Please, sir, I come from a very influential family. Surly there is something I could do, some request I could grant in exchange for your cooperation?”
That’s right he was a member of the Vulcan royal family. They could give him the money for the Enterprise. They could even authorize the Federation to have him do missions in their name.
“Just one kiss?”
“It is all I ask.”
All for her remember, Jim thought, anything for the ship. He closed his eyes and leaned down.
It was cold and wet; and when Jim opened his eyes Spock was still black and white…and further away from him.
“You don’t look any different, and how did you get way up there, and why-” he cut himself off as he turned to a mirror and saw a fluffy ball of beige fur sitting on a pile of clothes he had just been wearing.
“Argh! How did this happen!?” Jim yelled, and jumped into the air, his new legs sending him up easily onto the dresser next to Spock.
“I do not understand, by all logical reasoning it should have worked.”
“What did you do to me?! I’m all furry and…why does the room look so odd?!”
“Oh, that is normal. The feline anatomy is built for a different spectrum range and cats cannot see the colour red.”
“Why you little-”
Jim tackled Spock to the ground they start rolling around on the floor…and straight off the balcony ledge, falling to Earth.
They twisted themselves in mid air to land right side up and they might have even been ignored, if they hadn’t fallen into the drum set.
“STELLA! Get ‘em, girl!”
They jumped up on the nearest table with a discarded bag over their heads.
“Run!”
“To where?! I can’t see anything!”
“I should not need to remind you that neither can I!”
Their fight came to an abrupt halt as they hit the end of the table, and the decorations placed there. Spock struggled to untangle the balloon strings to get away from the approaching snapping jaws and sharp teeth, as Jim tried to be reasonable.
“Stella, Stella! It’s me Jim Kirk!”
“Jim!” she cried out in shock, and went crashing into the dessert table, as the balloons began floating away.
“Stella she-she…That dog just talked to me!”
“You know if you’re going to have an illogical emotional response to everything, it’s going to be a very long night!”
(End part 1)
part 2