Fic: The Captain and the Cat (2/3)
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.
The Captain and the Cat
“Voodoo! You mean this whole thing happened because you were messing around with the shadow-man?!”
“He was very charismatic!”
Jim groaned. “This is what I get for wishing on burning balls of gas. The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work.”
Spock raised an eyebrow, curious. “But you are a prince, I do not understand what you require that you need to work hard for.”
“Hmm? Oh no, I’m not a prince; I’m a bartender.”
“A bartender! Well now it is obvious why the kiss did not work.”
“Oh, so now this is all my fault?! You spoiled little rich boy!”
“You deceived me, and the so called joke is on you because I, myself, have no influence!”
“You lied!”
Spock glared at Jim as the balloons drifted back down to solid ground.
“I did not lie! The fact that my family disowned me, until I am married, was merely irrelevant! And I’m not the one impersonating a prince.”
“Hey I never said I was a prince!”
“You were wearing the proper robes!”
“It was a masquerade ball, Genius!”
Spock huffed as he shook the balloon strings off his body and looked around at their swamp like surroundings. “Well I did not give the specifics of the event my full attention.”
“If you don’t want to be near us or our customs, why are you getting married here?”
“It is for political ends. I must marry Miss Uhura if she will have me.”
“You’re a prince?”
“I believe I have established that.”
“She’ll have you.”
Angrily they began to make their way over the water, on the long trek back towards civilization.
“So once you’re back to normal, and influential again, you will help me get my ship?” Jim asked.
“I am a man of my word. If you help me to get back to my proper form I shall-why are those logs moving?”
Jim looked out at the water.
“Those aren’t logs.”
The ground beneath them shifted, and suddenly two large yellow eyes loomed at them in the darkness.
“I got dibs on the brown one.”
Jim and Spock scattered. Landing in the water Spock swam as fast as his new body would allow, to a large half-sunk tree hoping it would provide safety.
His lungs soon burned for air and he swam to the surface just in front of his goal. As he broke the surface of the water Spock could see a small opening-and the gaping jaws of one of the swamp creatures. He could smell its breath, it was too close. He would never make it...
Suddenly Jim leapt up from nowhere and slammed down on its head.
“Move it!”
“Up there!” Spock shouted.
Jim quickly saw what Spock was talking about and started climbing. Spock followed him, and they dove through the small opening and into the safety of the hollow tree trunk.
They sat breathing hard, shaking off water, and trying to get dry. When they both appeared less drowned Jim looked out of the tiny hole to see that the waters were calm and empty.
“Well that was unpleasant.”
“Yeah, but they left quickly so we should get moving and-ahh!” Jim suddenly cried out in pain and fell over.
Spock rushed over and noticed the puncture wound on Jim’s left hind leg.
“Do not move unnecessarily I do not wish to see you injured further.”
Jim made to get up anyway. “Look it’s not that bad I-” he collapsed again, groaning in pain.
“We must find aid for you.”
“Look you go on ahead and I’ll just wait and- hey what are you doing!?”
Spock didn’t answer as he continued shifting Jim until he got him securely onto his back.
“We go together or not at all. I cannot leave you; they may come back.”
Jim smiled for the first time since the whole thing had started. “Well there may be some hope for you after all, Mr. Spock.”
“Hmm...Well you do well in a fight, Mr. Kirk.”
“Thanks.”
It was slow going as Spock moved out of the tree and cautiously over to dry land. Working hard to keep him and Jim balanced. Once they were away from the water it was faster, and just as dawn was breaking they found a man sitting against a tree near the edge of the forest.
“We are most fortunate.”
“How do you figure?”
“He is a doctor,” Spock said, and nodded his head towards the small black bag on the man’s hip.
“So, how do we get him to help us?”
“I believe it is a human characteristic to take pity on small furry animals.”
Jim caught on and let out the most pitiful meow he could manage.
It had the desired effect, as the man looked up and quickly came over to them. Spock got Jim off his back as gently as he could, as the man’s fingers began carefully examining the wound and rubbing a sterile cloth over it. Jim squirmed as the chemicals stung against his skin.
“Hold still, little fella, or I can’t fix it.”
He got a small bandage around the now clean wound. Then pushed a hypo against Jim’s side; Jim managed to keep his cover and only growled in pain and annoyance.
“Just one more I promise.”
He adjusted the dosage and pushed it into Jim’s side again.
That time Jim couldn’t help himself.
“Stop that!”
The man gasped and scrambled away from Jim, and backed up against the tree.
Spock sighed. “Now you have done it, Mr. Kirk.”
“Well it hurt!” he shot back, and then looked at man who was still staring at them. “Look, Mister…um?”
“M-McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”
Spock slowly approached McCoy, maintaining eye contact. “We would like to thank you for aiding us, and if you allow us we will explain everything.”
McCoy shrugged and took a healthy swig from a small liquor bottle in his pocket.
“Why not, I haven’t got anything to lose. Wife took everything, including my sanity apparently, in the divorce. All I’ve got left are my bones.”
Now Jim went up to McCoy trying to be friendly, even going so far as to put his front paws on his leg. “I’m Jim Kirk and this is Spock. And I know this sounds hard to believe, but you see you can understand us because we’re human.”
Spock cocked his head at Kirk. “I find that insulting. You are human, Mr. Kirk, I am a Vulcan.”
McCoy looked down at the two, bickering like an old married couple.
“You’re right I don’t believe this. It’s about as believable as those stories I’ve heard about Mama Odie.”
“Who?” they asked.
“A kahn-ut-tu woman. She lives in these woods and works with spells and potions, or so I’m told.”
“Can you take us to her?”
“I just finished saying...”
McCoy couldn’t finish as he looked into their large pleading eyes.
He sighed. “I can try.”
***
Despite getting off to a rocky start Doctor McCoy and Jim got along great. As they walked towards Mama Odie’s they discussed all kinds of alcoholic drinks, and other aspects of human pop culture that Spock was only vaguely familiar with; and by the end of the day Jim had given the man a nickname.
“Bones, I’m hungry!”
“How can you be hungry? You ate my last nutrition bar an hour ago!”
“I agree with Mr. Kirk-”
“Well there’s a first time for everything.”
Spock glared at McCoy, though in his current body it was a rather useless effort.
“As I was saying, we would do well to take in nourishment and this does seem a proper area to establish a camp,” Spock said, nodding his head at the large clearing they had just entered, at the top of a hill.
“Well then I’m going to get some things to cook up for dinner. Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
As McCoy went off to gather ingredients Spock began moving several small rocks together to make a fire-pit. Jim watched his tail twitch back and forth as he worked, instinct took over then and Jim swatted at it.
“Mr. Kirk, may I ask your intentions?”
“Sorry, your tail is hypnotizing,” he said, and continued batting the twitching appendage.
“I do not appreciate such contact.”
“What’s the matter, don’t you know how to play?” he asked moving closer, as Spock turned to face him fully.
“Back away from me!”
Spock’s back rose in irritation and Jim leapt at him. Spock pushed his legs underneath Jim, rolled them over, and slammed Jim onto his back against the dirt.
“I believe the correct phrase is, pinned ya.”
“Hey, no fair! Let me up.”
Spock did and Jim leapt at him again, and they both went tumbling down the hill landing near a small rock formation.
“Pinned ya again.”
“Has anyone ever told you it is rude to drop into other people’s homes unannounced?”
Startled they both jumped up and scurried away from a dark moving figure.
“We are terribly sorry, sir. If you will let us be on our way we will-”
The looming figure moved out of the shadows to reveal a large mountain cat, fur white as newly fallen snow.
“Wow.”
“Fascinating, who are you?”
“I am Selek,” the cat answered, sitting down in front on them.
“I am Prince Spock of Vulcan and this is Mr. Kirk…the bartender.”
There was a twitch an eyebrow before a soft smile settled over the older cat’s face.
“And what brings two small creatures like yourselves so far out here?”
“We are going to Mama Odie’s so we can be human again.”
“Then you are aware you are going in the wrong direction, yes?”
In stunned silence Jim and Spock got back up the slope to where McCoy was standing; and Selek followed them.
“You two couldn’t stay out of trouble for five minutes I see.”
Jim ignored his comment. “Bones, Selek here told us you’re taking us the wrong way.”
“I said maybe I knew where she was. I’m a doctor, not an all night convenience store clerk. You can’t expect me to know the location of every eccentric old lady who lives in a house in the woods.”
“I can guide you if you wish,” Selek said gently.
McCoy threw up his hands. “Fine! We’ll all trust the big talking wild cat, but we’re eating first!”
Within an hour he had a fire going, and in no time he was spooning the contents of a pot into small makeshift bowls.
“Beans, Doctor?” Spock asked sniffing at his portion.
“A very special recipe passed down through generations of McCoys, who are all going to be very insulted if you don’t eat it.”
“Come on it won’t bite, Spock.”
Jim was half-done his bowl when he thought to ask a question about that.
“It is safe right, Bones?”
“There are poisonous types of plants here, but we have less than 23.4% likelihood of encountering such fauna.”
Jim stared at Spock.
“You know about that kind of stuff?”
“It is a hobby. And I trust the good doctor to know such things as well.”
“I was paying attention in my outdoor survival course, thanks for asking.”
“From the way you nearly stepped on the Red Diamond rattlesnake earlier today I thought your knowledge came about from trial and error.”
McCoy’s cheeks coloured.
“Do you have to be so blasted honest?!”
“If you don’t want to know something don’t ask me.”
“There is this thing called tact you know,” Jim said coldly.
“A trait you seem reluctant to demonstrate, Mr. Kirk.”
Jim exploded at that. “All right that’s it! I have had it with your attitude! You never want to talk and anytime you do open your mouth it’s to insult someone! You know my dad always use to tell me about how proud and honourable Vulcans were. You’re nothing like them!”
“I know,” Spock answered, and to Jim’s astonishment he seemed truly hurt, and then simply slunk away.
Jim just stared after him. “What did I say?”
Selek came over and sat down next to Jim.
“Jim, what do you know about Spock?”
“That he is an arrogant, know it all, Vulcan who thinks that just because he’s royalty everything should be handed to him on a silver tray.”
“In other words: you know nothing.”
“Oh, and I suppose you know.”
“Of course.”
Jim looked up at the older cat in shock.
“Really?”
“Indeed. Like you this is not my true form. I was once an aide to his father, Sarek, many years ago. Spock has an older brother from Sarek’s previous marriage. As such he has no real role on his homeworld, as he is not expected to rule it. He is insecure because in his eyes, and in the eyes of so many Vulcans, he is not like them and can never be like them. Nothing is ever enough, ever good enough, because he is half-human.”
“What?”
“When Sarek remarried he wed to the Lady Amanda; an earth woman. Spock is their son.”
“And I just, just confirmed everything he thinks about himself, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
***
Spock knew better than to travel far from the campsite and Jim found him curled up under a nearby tree.
“Hey, I brought you more of Bones’ beans in case you were still hungry.”
Spock looked at him suspiciously for moment before cautiously accepting the bowl; and the implied apology.
“Selek told me you had an older brother-long story about how he knows that...”
Well Spock already knew part of the story. Selek had been transformed just as they had. That was why he could communicate with Doctor McCoy. He did not interrupt Jim though. There was indeed such a thing as tact, and perhaps Spock had not been showing enough of it lately. Recent events in his life had been stressful, but that was a reason not an excuse for his behaviour.
“...Anyways I have a brother too. His name is Sam. He’s the athletic one, the outgoing one; real hit at parties. Mom and dad use to tell me to be more like him and I thought that meant they liked him better than me.”
“It is one thing to have such thoughts. It is quite another to have them confirmed.”
“Oh, come on, Spock, you don’t really think-”
“I don’t think I know! The way they display his accomplishments, and express their desire that I be more like him! The way my father looks at me with such…disapproval when I show emot- fail. They won’t even let me help during this crisis!”
“Crisis? What crisis?”
Spock looked away from him.
“We have not disclosed the details to out-worlders.”
“Spock, if-if something is wrong on Vulcan the Federation should know about it. They could send help.”
“No aid can be given, there is no known cure.”
“For what?”
Spock didn’t answer and Jim went over and gently nuzzled his cheek.
“Come on, Spock…just between us?”
He took a deep breath and slowly divulged all that he knew. “A plague has struck our world. It is lingering, painful, and ultimately fatal. To make matters worse the disease is spreading rapidly. Our race is fast becoming an endangered species.”
“What does getting married have to do with finding a cure?”
“I was not sent here to cure them, that is my brother’s duty. He is a brilliant scientist in his own right. I was sent to tie up political loose ends.”
“They could have done that on Vulcan, but they sent you away so you would be safe. See they do care about you-”
“They sent me away because if he can’t find a cure and dies they need a spare!”
Spock buried his body against Jim’s, blaming it for his emotional outburst.
“He is their pride and joy. I’m their little Vulcan half-breed. I thought…I thought if I could help find a cure perhaps they would accept me.”
Jim let Spock remain against him and curled his tail around his in comfort.
“We’re going to get back to normal and help your people, Spock, I promise.”
“Thank you.”
When Spock had his control back in place they went back to the camp; and found McCoy and Selek looking up at the stars.
“You know a man could get use to this.”
“I know you can see so many more out here than in the city,” Jim said, jumping up on McCoy.
“You study the stars, Jim?” Spock asked.
Jim smiled. “My dad and I use to do this all the time.”
Jim turned his head to look at Selek who had his eyes focused on the brightest star shimmering in the sky.
“Making a wish?” Jim asked.
“No, what I desire will happen in its own time. I merely wish for him to know that I am here.”
“Who is it, Selek?” Spock asked, thinking that perhaps he was speaking of someone on another planet near that star.
“He is T’hy’la.”
***
The group rested for the night and started the journey again early the next day.
Still, the sun was casting long shadows over the landscape when they finally reached their destination. The group stopped and craned their necks, looking up at the structure at the top of the rocky outcrop.
“She could never live in something practical, like a two and a half story bungalow in the suburbs could she?” McCoy asked gloomily.
The group made their up the rocks. They were almost to the top when Facilier’s forces found them at last.
The shadow creatures moved swiftly up the rocks, wrapped around Spock and pulled him back.
“Jim!”
Jim turned and saw Spock being dragged toward the edge of the cliff, toward the ground far below them.
“Spock!”
Spock managed to grab on to a small ledge and Jim, disregarding his own safety, jumped on him, digging his claws into Spock’s paws to hold him there.
“Don’t let go!”
Jim held on to him for dear life. “Never!”
Suddenly there was a sharp wind that ruffled their fur as it passed over them. They watched as the shadows vanished under the streaking balls of light.
Spock’s body slumped against the rocks and Jim quickly pulled him off the ledge.
“Thank you, Jim.”
“You are all right?” he asked, bending his head down to lick Spock’s paws where his claws had dug in.
Before Spock could answer a voice called out from above.
“Now who’s the fool who mixed it up with the shadow-man?”
They all looked up to see not old woman, but a man in a white shirt, black pants, and a black vest. The man helped them up and onto the solid ground in front of the house
“Mama Odie?”
“Oh no, the name’s Montgomery Scott. Mama Odie sold the place to me and let me keep the name, better for business.”
“How?” Jim asked.
“Ya think if I called it Mama Scotty’s Voodoo and Haggis Hut anyone would ever come here?”
“Point taken.”
Scotty opened the door and let them inside.
“Nice to see you again, Selek.”
“A pleasure as always, Mr. Scott.”
Spock moved in front of the others.
“Mr. Scott, we have traveled a long way and-”
“Oy, Keenser, get down from there! How many times do I have to tell you it’s not a climbing frame?!”
Spock stared wide eyed as a small green creature got off some sort of apparatus and went to a back room in the hut.
“Uh...Like Spock was saying we’ve come a long way and...”
Scotty cut Jim off. “And you have a request to make of me, I know the routine. So, what is it?”
“We need to be transformed back. We need to be human again.”
Scotty looked at McCoy. “And yourself?”
“I’m just a simple country doctor keeping an eye on these two.”
“Aye, well at least somebody here has their head on straight.”
Spock felt himself growing irritated. “Mr. Scott, we have come seeking aid. As we have said we need to be human.”
“You don’t need to be human. You,” he pointed a finger at Spock,” want to be someone else so badly that you’re blind to who you are.” Scotty moved his finger to Jim. “And you’ve got so many stars in your eyes you can’t see what’s right in front of ya.”
“So you will not help us?” Spock asked.
“Not directly-”
Spock huffed and went off to sulk on a window ledge.
Selek came up to Scotty.
“I will talk with him.”
Scotty nodded and turned to Jim.
“Jim, let’s take a walk shall we?”
As they went outside Selek went over to where Spock was still sitting on the window ledge.
“You are well, Spock?”
“I am functional. It is all merely…frustrating. And I find myself very distracted as of late.”
Selek agreed that Jim Kirk was certainly a most distracting individual.
“May I speak freely, Spock?”
“I welcome it.”
“I believe Mr. Scott is correct. You seek to be exactly like your father is even if that requires ignoring valuable traits.”
“Explain.”
“Have you ever considered that there could be something beyond pure logic? Something of great strength? Though humans engage in emotions they have also achieved great things with them. One can have both logic and emotion together, subtly, as the ancient human Greeks once said: all things in moderation’.”
Selek stood up and put one paw against Spock’s back.
“You are unique and you should embrace that. You may even find that simple feelings will bring the greatest fulfillment of all.”
They turned as the front door opened and the others returned. Spock saw Jim sitting on Mr. Scott’s shoulder, smiling, and suddenly the feeling that image conjured up inside him didn’t seem very simple at all.
“Do ya understand now, Jim?”
“Yes I do, Scotty! I’ve got to dig a little deeper and work even harder for my silver lady!”
“Well the Enterprise is a fine lady no doubt, but that was not the point, Laddie.” He sighed. “Still if ya rather to do this the hard way, come over here both of ya and let’s get this over with.”
Scotty went over to a large pot in the corner of the room.
“A kiss from any member of a royal family will get ya both back to normal so...”
Scotty leaned over the pot, stirring the liquid.
“Gumbo, gumbo in the pot, we need us some royalty, what have ya got?”
The liquid swirled to slowly reveal a woman with long black hair and soft brown eyes. Jim stared at the image.
“Uhura?”
The image moved to show her walking across the room to adjust her father’s uniform.
“Of course, Captain Pike is king of the festival.”
“Does that count?” Spock asked
“Yes it does, but only until midnight when the festival is over,” Scotty answered.
“And how exactly are we supposed to get to this princess in time?” McCoy asked. “It took us two days just to get here!”
“Ya are aware that there’s a tourist boat that goes by here on the river every couple of hours?”
McCoy scowled. “I hate this forest and everything in it.”
(End part 2)
part 3
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.
The Captain and the Cat
“Voodoo! You mean this whole thing happened because you were messing around with the shadow-man?!”
“He was very charismatic!”
Jim groaned. “This is what I get for wishing on burning balls of gas. The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work.”
Spock raised an eyebrow, curious. “But you are a prince, I do not understand what you require that you need to work hard for.”
“Hmm? Oh no, I’m not a prince; I’m a bartender.”
“A bartender! Well now it is obvious why the kiss did not work.”
“Oh, so now this is all my fault?! You spoiled little rich boy!”
“You deceived me, and the so called joke is on you because I, myself, have no influence!”
“You lied!”
Spock glared at Jim as the balloons drifted back down to solid ground.
“I did not lie! The fact that my family disowned me, until I am married, was merely irrelevant! And I’m not the one impersonating a prince.”
“Hey I never said I was a prince!”
“You were wearing the proper robes!”
“It was a masquerade ball, Genius!”
Spock huffed as he shook the balloon strings off his body and looked around at their swamp like surroundings. “Well I did not give the specifics of the event my full attention.”
“If you don’t want to be near us or our customs, why are you getting married here?”
“It is for political ends. I must marry Miss Uhura if she will have me.”
“You’re a prince?”
“I believe I have established that.”
“She’ll have you.”
Angrily they began to make their way over the water, on the long trek back towards civilization.
“So once you’re back to normal, and influential again, you will help me get my ship?” Jim asked.
“I am a man of my word. If you help me to get back to my proper form I shall-why are those logs moving?”
Jim looked out at the water.
“Those aren’t logs.”
The ground beneath them shifted, and suddenly two large yellow eyes loomed at them in the darkness.
“I got dibs on the brown one.”
Jim and Spock scattered. Landing in the water Spock swam as fast as his new body would allow, to a large half-sunk tree hoping it would provide safety.
His lungs soon burned for air and he swam to the surface just in front of his goal. As he broke the surface of the water Spock could see a small opening-and the gaping jaws of one of the swamp creatures. He could smell its breath, it was too close. He would never make it...
Suddenly Jim leapt up from nowhere and slammed down on its head.
“Move it!”
“Up there!” Spock shouted.
Jim quickly saw what Spock was talking about and started climbing. Spock followed him, and they dove through the small opening and into the safety of the hollow tree trunk.
They sat breathing hard, shaking off water, and trying to get dry. When they both appeared less drowned Jim looked out of the tiny hole to see that the waters were calm and empty.
“Well that was unpleasant.”
“Yeah, but they left quickly so we should get moving and-ahh!” Jim suddenly cried out in pain and fell over.
Spock rushed over and noticed the puncture wound on Jim’s left hind leg.
“Do not move unnecessarily I do not wish to see you injured further.”
Jim made to get up anyway. “Look it’s not that bad I-” he collapsed again, groaning in pain.
“We must find aid for you.”
“Look you go on ahead and I’ll just wait and- hey what are you doing!?”
Spock didn’t answer as he continued shifting Jim until he got him securely onto his back.
“We go together or not at all. I cannot leave you; they may come back.”
Jim smiled for the first time since the whole thing had started. “Well there may be some hope for you after all, Mr. Spock.”
“Hmm...Well you do well in a fight, Mr. Kirk.”
“Thanks.”
It was slow going as Spock moved out of the tree and cautiously over to dry land. Working hard to keep him and Jim balanced. Once they were away from the water it was faster, and just as dawn was breaking they found a man sitting against a tree near the edge of the forest.
“We are most fortunate.”
“How do you figure?”
“He is a doctor,” Spock said, and nodded his head towards the small black bag on the man’s hip.
“So, how do we get him to help us?”
“I believe it is a human characteristic to take pity on small furry animals.”
Jim caught on and let out the most pitiful meow he could manage.
It had the desired effect, as the man looked up and quickly came over to them. Spock got Jim off his back as gently as he could, as the man’s fingers began carefully examining the wound and rubbing a sterile cloth over it. Jim squirmed as the chemicals stung against his skin.
“Hold still, little fella, or I can’t fix it.”
He got a small bandage around the now clean wound. Then pushed a hypo against Jim’s side; Jim managed to keep his cover and only growled in pain and annoyance.
“Just one more I promise.”
He adjusted the dosage and pushed it into Jim’s side again.
That time Jim couldn’t help himself.
“Stop that!”
The man gasped and scrambled away from Jim, and backed up against the tree.
Spock sighed. “Now you have done it, Mr. Kirk.”
“Well it hurt!” he shot back, and then looked at man who was still staring at them. “Look, Mister…um?”
“M-McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”
Spock slowly approached McCoy, maintaining eye contact. “We would like to thank you for aiding us, and if you allow us we will explain everything.”
McCoy shrugged and took a healthy swig from a small liquor bottle in his pocket.
“Why not, I haven’t got anything to lose. Wife took everything, including my sanity apparently, in the divorce. All I’ve got left are my bones.”
Now Jim went up to McCoy trying to be friendly, even going so far as to put his front paws on his leg. “I’m Jim Kirk and this is Spock. And I know this sounds hard to believe, but you see you can understand us because we’re human.”
Spock cocked his head at Kirk. “I find that insulting. You are human, Mr. Kirk, I am a Vulcan.”
McCoy looked down at the two, bickering like an old married couple.
“You’re right I don’t believe this. It’s about as believable as those stories I’ve heard about Mama Odie.”
“Who?” they asked.
“A kahn-ut-tu woman. She lives in these woods and works with spells and potions, or so I’m told.”
“Can you take us to her?”
“I just finished saying...”
McCoy couldn’t finish as he looked into their large pleading eyes.
He sighed. “I can try.”
***
Despite getting off to a rocky start Doctor McCoy and Jim got along great. As they walked towards Mama Odie’s they discussed all kinds of alcoholic drinks, and other aspects of human pop culture that Spock was only vaguely familiar with; and by the end of the day Jim had given the man a nickname.
“Bones, I’m hungry!”
“How can you be hungry? You ate my last nutrition bar an hour ago!”
“I agree with Mr. Kirk-”
“Well there’s a first time for everything.”
Spock glared at McCoy, though in his current body it was a rather useless effort.
“As I was saying, we would do well to take in nourishment and this does seem a proper area to establish a camp,” Spock said, nodding his head at the large clearing they had just entered, at the top of a hill.
“Well then I’m going to get some things to cook up for dinner. Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
As McCoy went off to gather ingredients Spock began moving several small rocks together to make a fire-pit. Jim watched his tail twitch back and forth as he worked, instinct took over then and Jim swatted at it.
“Mr. Kirk, may I ask your intentions?”
“Sorry, your tail is hypnotizing,” he said, and continued batting the twitching appendage.
“I do not appreciate such contact.”
“What’s the matter, don’t you know how to play?” he asked moving closer, as Spock turned to face him fully.
“Back away from me!”
Spock’s back rose in irritation and Jim leapt at him. Spock pushed his legs underneath Jim, rolled them over, and slammed Jim onto his back against the dirt.
“I believe the correct phrase is, pinned ya.”
“Hey, no fair! Let me up.”
Spock did and Jim leapt at him again, and they both went tumbling down the hill landing near a small rock formation.
“Pinned ya again.”
“Has anyone ever told you it is rude to drop into other people’s homes unannounced?”
Startled they both jumped up and scurried away from a dark moving figure.
“We are terribly sorry, sir. If you will let us be on our way we will-”
The looming figure moved out of the shadows to reveal a large mountain cat, fur white as newly fallen snow.
“Wow.”
“Fascinating, who are you?”
“I am Selek,” the cat answered, sitting down in front on them.
“I am Prince Spock of Vulcan and this is Mr. Kirk…the bartender.”
There was a twitch an eyebrow before a soft smile settled over the older cat’s face.
“And what brings two small creatures like yourselves so far out here?”
“We are going to Mama Odie’s so we can be human again.”
“Then you are aware you are going in the wrong direction, yes?”
In stunned silence Jim and Spock got back up the slope to where McCoy was standing; and Selek followed them.
“You two couldn’t stay out of trouble for five minutes I see.”
Jim ignored his comment. “Bones, Selek here told us you’re taking us the wrong way.”
“I said maybe I knew where she was. I’m a doctor, not an all night convenience store clerk. You can’t expect me to know the location of every eccentric old lady who lives in a house in the woods.”
“I can guide you if you wish,” Selek said gently.
McCoy threw up his hands. “Fine! We’ll all trust the big talking wild cat, but we’re eating first!”
Within an hour he had a fire going, and in no time he was spooning the contents of a pot into small makeshift bowls.
“Beans, Doctor?” Spock asked sniffing at his portion.
“A very special recipe passed down through generations of McCoys, who are all going to be very insulted if you don’t eat it.”
“Come on it won’t bite, Spock.”
Jim was half-done his bowl when he thought to ask a question about that.
“It is safe right, Bones?”
“There are poisonous types of plants here, but we have less than 23.4% likelihood of encountering such fauna.”
Jim stared at Spock.
“You know about that kind of stuff?”
“It is a hobby. And I trust the good doctor to know such things as well.”
“I was paying attention in my outdoor survival course, thanks for asking.”
“From the way you nearly stepped on the Red Diamond rattlesnake earlier today I thought your knowledge came about from trial and error.”
McCoy’s cheeks coloured.
“Do you have to be so blasted honest?!”
“If you don’t want to know something don’t ask me.”
“There is this thing called tact you know,” Jim said coldly.
“A trait you seem reluctant to demonstrate, Mr. Kirk.”
Jim exploded at that. “All right that’s it! I have had it with your attitude! You never want to talk and anytime you do open your mouth it’s to insult someone! You know my dad always use to tell me about how proud and honourable Vulcans were. You’re nothing like them!”
“I know,” Spock answered, and to Jim’s astonishment he seemed truly hurt, and then simply slunk away.
Jim just stared after him. “What did I say?”
Selek came over and sat down next to Jim.
“Jim, what do you know about Spock?”
“That he is an arrogant, know it all, Vulcan who thinks that just because he’s royalty everything should be handed to him on a silver tray.”
“In other words: you know nothing.”
“Oh, and I suppose you know.”
“Of course.”
Jim looked up at the older cat in shock.
“Really?”
“Indeed. Like you this is not my true form. I was once an aide to his father, Sarek, many years ago. Spock has an older brother from Sarek’s previous marriage. As such he has no real role on his homeworld, as he is not expected to rule it. He is insecure because in his eyes, and in the eyes of so many Vulcans, he is not like them and can never be like them. Nothing is ever enough, ever good enough, because he is half-human.”
“What?”
“When Sarek remarried he wed to the Lady Amanda; an earth woman. Spock is their son.”
“And I just, just confirmed everything he thinks about himself, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
***
Spock knew better than to travel far from the campsite and Jim found him curled up under a nearby tree.
“Hey, I brought you more of Bones’ beans in case you were still hungry.”
Spock looked at him suspiciously for moment before cautiously accepting the bowl; and the implied apology.
“Selek told me you had an older brother-long story about how he knows that...”
Well Spock already knew part of the story. Selek had been transformed just as they had. That was why he could communicate with Doctor McCoy. He did not interrupt Jim though. There was indeed such a thing as tact, and perhaps Spock had not been showing enough of it lately. Recent events in his life had been stressful, but that was a reason not an excuse for his behaviour.
“...Anyways I have a brother too. His name is Sam. He’s the athletic one, the outgoing one; real hit at parties. Mom and dad use to tell me to be more like him and I thought that meant they liked him better than me.”
“It is one thing to have such thoughts. It is quite another to have them confirmed.”
“Oh, come on, Spock, you don’t really think-”
“I don’t think I know! The way they display his accomplishments, and express their desire that I be more like him! The way my father looks at me with such…disapproval when I show emot- fail. They won’t even let me help during this crisis!”
“Crisis? What crisis?”
Spock looked away from him.
“We have not disclosed the details to out-worlders.”
“Spock, if-if something is wrong on Vulcan the Federation should know about it. They could send help.”
“No aid can be given, there is no known cure.”
“For what?”
Spock didn’t answer and Jim went over and gently nuzzled his cheek.
“Come on, Spock…just between us?”
He took a deep breath and slowly divulged all that he knew. “A plague has struck our world. It is lingering, painful, and ultimately fatal. To make matters worse the disease is spreading rapidly. Our race is fast becoming an endangered species.”
“What does getting married have to do with finding a cure?”
“I was not sent here to cure them, that is my brother’s duty. He is a brilliant scientist in his own right. I was sent to tie up political loose ends.”
“They could have done that on Vulcan, but they sent you away so you would be safe. See they do care about you-”
“They sent me away because if he can’t find a cure and dies they need a spare!”
Spock buried his body against Jim’s, blaming it for his emotional outburst.
“He is their pride and joy. I’m their little Vulcan half-breed. I thought…I thought if I could help find a cure perhaps they would accept me.”
Jim let Spock remain against him and curled his tail around his in comfort.
“We’re going to get back to normal and help your people, Spock, I promise.”
“Thank you.”
When Spock had his control back in place they went back to the camp; and found McCoy and Selek looking up at the stars.
“You know a man could get use to this.”
“I know you can see so many more out here than in the city,” Jim said, jumping up on McCoy.
“You study the stars, Jim?” Spock asked.
Jim smiled. “My dad and I use to do this all the time.”
Jim turned his head to look at Selek who had his eyes focused on the brightest star shimmering in the sky.
“Making a wish?” Jim asked.
“No, what I desire will happen in its own time. I merely wish for him to know that I am here.”
“Who is it, Selek?” Spock asked, thinking that perhaps he was speaking of someone on another planet near that star.
“He is T’hy’la.”
***
The group rested for the night and started the journey again early the next day.
Still, the sun was casting long shadows over the landscape when they finally reached their destination. The group stopped and craned their necks, looking up at the structure at the top of the rocky outcrop.
“She could never live in something practical, like a two and a half story bungalow in the suburbs could she?” McCoy asked gloomily.
The group made their up the rocks. They were almost to the top when Facilier’s forces found them at last.
The shadow creatures moved swiftly up the rocks, wrapped around Spock and pulled him back.
“Jim!”
Jim turned and saw Spock being dragged toward the edge of the cliff, toward the ground far below them.
“Spock!”
Spock managed to grab on to a small ledge and Jim, disregarding his own safety, jumped on him, digging his claws into Spock’s paws to hold him there.
“Don’t let go!”
Jim held on to him for dear life. “Never!”
Suddenly there was a sharp wind that ruffled their fur as it passed over them. They watched as the shadows vanished under the streaking balls of light.
Spock’s body slumped against the rocks and Jim quickly pulled him off the ledge.
“Thank you, Jim.”
“You are all right?” he asked, bending his head down to lick Spock’s paws where his claws had dug in.
Before Spock could answer a voice called out from above.
“Now who’s the fool who mixed it up with the shadow-man?”
They all looked up to see not old woman, but a man in a white shirt, black pants, and a black vest. The man helped them up and onto the solid ground in front of the house
“Mama Odie?”
“Oh no, the name’s Montgomery Scott. Mama Odie sold the place to me and let me keep the name, better for business.”
“How?” Jim asked.
“Ya think if I called it Mama Scotty’s Voodoo and Haggis Hut anyone would ever come here?”
“Point taken.”
Scotty opened the door and let them inside.
“Nice to see you again, Selek.”
“A pleasure as always, Mr. Scott.”
Spock moved in front of the others.
“Mr. Scott, we have traveled a long way and-”
“Oy, Keenser, get down from there! How many times do I have to tell you it’s not a climbing frame?!”
Spock stared wide eyed as a small green creature got off some sort of apparatus and went to a back room in the hut.
“Uh...Like Spock was saying we’ve come a long way and...”
Scotty cut Jim off. “And you have a request to make of me, I know the routine. So, what is it?”
“We need to be transformed back. We need to be human again.”
Scotty looked at McCoy. “And yourself?”
“I’m just a simple country doctor keeping an eye on these two.”
“Aye, well at least somebody here has their head on straight.”
Spock felt himself growing irritated. “Mr. Scott, we have come seeking aid. As we have said we need to be human.”
“You don’t need to be human. You,” he pointed a finger at Spock,” want to be someone else so badly that you’re blind to who you are.” Scotty moved his finger to Jim. “And you’ve got so many stars in your eyes you can’t see what’s right in front of ya.”
“So you will not help us?” Spock asked.
“Not directly-”
Spock huffed and went off to sulk on a window ledge.
Selek came up to Scotty.
“I will talk with him.”
Scotty nodded and turned to Jim.
“Jim, let’s take a walk shall we?”
As they went outside Selek went over to where Spock was still sitting on the window ledge.
“You are well, Spock?”
“I am functional. It is all merely…frustrating. And I find myself very distracted as of late.”
Selek agreed that Jim Kirk was certainly a most distracting individual.
“May I speak freely, Spock?”
“I welcome it.”
“I believe Mr. Scott is correct. You seek to be exactly like your father is even if that requires ignoring valuable traits.”
“Explain.”
“Have you ever considered that there could be something beyond pure logic? Something of great strength? Though humans engage in emotions they have also achieved great things with them. One can have both logic and emotion together, subtly, as the ancient human Greeks once said: all things in moderation’.”
Selek stood up and put one paw against Spock’s back.
“You are unique and you should embrace that. You may even find that simple feelings will bring the greatest fulfillment of all.”
They turned as the front door opened and the others returned. Spock saw Jim sitting on Mr. Scott’s shoulder, smiling, and suddenly the feeling that image conjured up inside him didn’t seem very simple at all.
“Do ya understand now, Jim?”
“Yes I do, Scotty! I’ve got to dig a little deeper and work even harder for my silver lady!”
“Well the Enterprise is a fine lady no doubt, but that was not the point, Laddie.” He sighed. “Still if ya rather to do this the hard way, come over here both of ya and let’s get this over with.”
Scotty went over to a large pot in the corner of the room.
“A kiss from any member of a royal family will get ya both back to normal so...”
Scotty leaned over the pot, stirring the liquid.
“Gumbo, gumbo in the pot, we need us some royalty, what have ya got?”
The liquid swirled to slowly reveal a woman with long black hair and soft brown eyes. Jim stared at the image.
“Uhura?”
The image moved to show her walking across the room to adjust her father’s uniform.
“Of course, Captain Pike is king of the festival.”
“Does that count?” Spock asked
“Yes it does, but only until midnight when the festival is over,” Scotty answered.
“And how exactly are we supposed to get to this princess in time?” McCoy asked. “It took us two days just to get here!”
“Ya are aware that there’s a tourist boat that goes by here on the river every couple of hours?”
McCoy scowled. “I hate this forest and everything in it.”
(End part 2)
part 3