Spock now sat in his living room, cat on his lap, trying to wrap his logical mind as to why Commander James T. Kirk would be the cat that Spock had rescued and was now fostering.
A line from an old Earth’s scribe came to mind.
There are more things in Heaven and Earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
From all accounts and Starfleet records, James Kirk was an ordinary Human. A brilliant, high-achieving one, notwithstanding. However, if the cat now staring at him with striking blue eyes was indeed Kirk than accounts were not accurate.
Now there was a chance that something on the planet the shuttlecraft had crashed on had somehow turned Kirk into the creature now in Spock’s apartment, but Spock didn’t think so.
He recalled after speaking with George Samuel Kirk that he read that the hole in the door of the shuttle had been too small for a Human to escape through, which was one of the reasons the authorities had decided that Kirk perished along with the others in the crash, even after not finding evidential remains. And that had been a logical conclusion if they did not have all the information needed to determine that.
But George Samuel Kirk had declared to Spock without hesitation that the hole in the door had been big enough for Jim. And if Kirk was in the form of this feline on his lap, that would make him fit through that hole.
Yet Kirk, if this was indeed somehow him, had not changed back to Human form.
“What are your secrets?” Spock asked Bombay.
Bombay made the tiniest of meow sounds, more like a kitten than a full-grown cat and then put his paw on Spock’s face.
Spock blinked at the cat. “You want me to meld with you?”
“What?” Even as Spock asked the question, the cats claws dug into his skin painfully, but Spock dared not let him go.
“My cat. That cat belongs to my wife and me,” the man explained. “I saw the notices about looking for the cat’s owners.” He grinned. “Well, you found me!”
Automatically, Spock took a backwards step. He couldn’t even explain why.
“So.” The man held out his hands. “Give him over.”
“What is the cat’s name?” Spock heard himself ask.
“Hmm?” The man frowned. “The name?”
“Yes. You should know his name.”
“Well, of course I know his name! It’s…Kirk.”
Spock’s blood ran cold. It made no sense. It was likely a mere coincidence that this man would name this cat Kirk. And yet…Spock rarely observed coincidences.
“If it’s a reward you want—”
“No, I do not want a reward. I do not believe this is your cat.”
The man’s face reddened. “How dare you! Give me that cat.”
Bombay hissed and this time as he scratched at Spock’s neck, he had no choice but to release the cat. But rather than fly past the fedora man, Bombay ran toward Spock’s bedroom, presumably to hide.
“I demand that you leave my house,” Spock said coldly.
“I want that cat, it belongs to me!”
“I think not.”
The man stepped closer to Spock, who’d had enough. He reached up and pinched the man’s shoulders and watched as he slid to the floor, unconscious.
A while later, he went to his bedroom to seek out Bombay’s hiding place. He crouched down by the bed.
“It is all right. He is gone, taken off by the authorities for trespassing.”
He could see the cat’s glowing eyes under the bed.
Taking a chance, though strange it was, Spock said, “Come, Jim. It is all right. I will help you.”
And then the cat slunk out from under the bed and onto Spock’s lap on the floor.
The rest of the day proved to be fairly normal, but in the morning when Spock went to leave his apartment, Bombay ran out the door.
“Bombay, come back,” Spock called after the feline, but the cat was gone out of the outside courtyard.
At first, Spock wasn’t sure if he should go after him. Bombay wasn’t his and perhaps the cat had decided to leave to seek his real home. But then Spock knew that he could not just let the cat go without knowing he was safe, especially given his already witnessing a person abusing the animal, and so he set out in pursuit.
When he got to the street, Spock glanced first to the left which would take him in direction of a less crowded suburban area. He saw no sign Bombay had gone that way. He turned to look to the right toward the city and the direction Spock himself would go when going to Starfleet Academy. He spotted Bombay’s raised tail as the cat trotted off in that direction.
With a bit of a sigh, Spock followed after, increasing his pace the more the cat seemed to get ahead of him. Once more he wondered if he should just let the animal go.
He was about to slow his pace when Bombay ran into the intersection of a street and missed getting hit by a speeding hover cab by mere inches. The cat stopped in the street then, looking disoriented, and for a moment Spock thought perhaps the cab had not missed the feline after all.
Spock rushed to his side, ignoring the twinge in his leg, and scooped the cat up into his arms. Another hover vehicle honked at Spock and the cat, so he hurried back to the safety of the sidewalk.
“You cannot run out in front of cars,” Spock admonished the cat, as though the furball could understand him. He glance back toward the way to his apartment. It would take him time to take Bombay and then he would be late to begin the teaching of his class. His leg already ached from overuse considering his prior injury.
Spock made up his mind. He would have to find something to keep the cat in while he taught, but, “You are coming with me.”
****
The day proved to be much more uneventful than it had begun, Spock realized, as he made his way home with Bombay in a cardboard box he had obtained at the Academy.
During two of his taught courses, Bombay had made something of a ruckus but eventually when he realized he wasn’t getting free, Bombay had curled up in the box and went to sleep.
He had just fed the cat when there was a knock on his door. The cat jumped into his arms and began to rub against Spock’s neck and purr.
“Apparently you have forgiven me for trapping you n that box,” Spock said, as he made his way to the door. Whoever was knocking was impatient, as they rapped again, this time much louder and with more force.
Spock opened the door, holding onto Bombay tighter so the cat wouldn’t try to escape.
There stood a man Spock did not know. He wore a fedora, which seemed odd. He grinned broadly.
Spock decided not to wait for Nyota’s class as he was too curious about James T. Kirk to adopt his usual amount of patience. He tried to pretend to himself it had nothing to do with how uncommonly attractive Kirk had been. At least in Spock’s opinion. And there was the added fact that Bombay’s eye color seemed to be an exact match for Kirk’s. A coincidence of course but it made Spock all the more curious. After doing some preliminary research, Spock decided to contact George Samuel Kirk, the older brother and seeming spokesperson for the family. He requested communication with him if it was permitted. It was a few hours later when Jim Kirk’s brother contacted him. George Samuel Kirk, he told Spock the family called him Sam to distinguish him from George Kirk, resembled George Kirk more than he did his younger brother, Spock thought. Sam leaned back in a rocking chair and stared rather sourly at Spock. “What is it you want exactly?” “To make inquiries about your brother’s disappearance.” “Don’t you mean death?” Spock shook his head. “Your Starfleet has declared him dead.” “I am sorry. But you and your family have doubts.” Sam snorted. “You bet we do. They never found a body in the wreckage. Nothing like that.” “What did they find?” “It’s all a matter of record,” Sam said with no hidden disdain. “They found the burned out crashed shuttlecraft and the remains of Doctor Helen Moore, and her two medical assistants, Ensign Allen Luras and Ensign Inid Harr. The door of the shuttle was inoperable and there was no sign it was ever opened after the crash. They found no trace of Jim’s remains, though there was evidence someone had used the seatbelt in the co-pilot’s seat beside Helen Moore.” “And they are certain Commander Kirk was on the shuttlecraft when it left the Endeavor?” “Yes.” Spock nodded. “Do you have any theories?” Sam hesitated, then slowly shook his head. “Other than someone must have abducted Jim. That’s always been our belief.” “For what purpose?” “How should I know?” “And how would they have done so when the door was inoperable?” Sam’s lips thinned. “There was a hole in the door.” “How large?” “Large enough for Jim,” Sam insisted. “But there was no sign of him on the planet anywhere. Or so they said.” “You don’t believe it?” “No, I don’t. Jim’s alive. I can feel it. And someone has him. I don’t know why they haven’t come forward. But my family hasn’t given up no matter what they tell you. Starfleet may have decided Jim’s dead, but he’s alive.” Sam frowned. “I gotta go.” And then the screen winked out and Spock was left staring at nothing. HE couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something Sam was not telling him. Some elusive clue.
Jim Kirk looked up from his PADD into the questioning face of his commanding officer, Robert April.
“It’s currently too dangerous to use the transporter, Captain.”
“Damn. Rigel 9 really needs those medical supplies.”
Doctor Helen Moore bit her lip and shook her head. “Agreed. They’re really dealing with something down there. What about the shuttlecraft?”
“With that Ion storm that’s going to be risky too,” Jim stated.
“Less risky than trying to do the transporter though,” Dr. Moore said. She turned to April. “I’m a pretty good pilot, Bob. I only need a few medical personnel with me. Just two. I’m willing to risk it.”
“Helen—” Jim began to protest.
“Jim, I know what you’re going to say. But the citizens of Rigel 9 are dying and without this needed medicine, they don’t stand a chance.”
“We wail for the storm to pass,” Jim maintained.
“And that could be days. They might be dead by then! Bob, I can do this.”
Captain April pursed his lips. “Okay, Helen.”
“Captain—”
April held up his hand to cut Jim off. “Your protests are duly noted, Jim. But Helen’s right. Rigel 9 needs these supplies. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to go along with the party, Jim.”
“What?” Helen exclaimed. “No!. Captain, I don’t need to endanger unnecessary personnel. Commander Kirk—”
“Will accompany you. I’m not going to have a team of only trained medical crew members go into a potentially hostile situation. Commander Kirk’s an exemplary negotiator and well-trained in combat.”
“But—”
“You both have your orders. Doctor, Commander. Get your team together and the supplies and head out.”
Jim watched Captain April depart, then he turned to Helen. “It’s okay.”
“It is not. I never intended to make you part of this, Jim.”
He drew her into his arms and held her against him, kissing her forehead. “I would have wanted to go.”
She sighed. “They really do need that medicine.”
“I know. So let’s get organized and do this. We’ll be back home before you know it.”
Jim woke feeling pain everywhere. All around him the shuttlecraft filled with smoke from the fire that had apparently started the minute the shuttle had crashed. He unconnected his seat belt and scrambled from his chair.
He checked Helen, who had been in the pilot’s seat next to him. Half of her face had been battered in from the crash. There was no pulse.
“Sorry, Helen,” he whispered.
A quick check of the others revealed he was the only survivor. He knew he had to contact the ship but his first task was to remove himself from the shuttlecraft before he succumbed to smoke inhalation.
His left leg was bleeding pretty badly and his head was killing him, but he made it to the door, which was twisted and bent. There was a hole at the top not big enough to fit through. Jim, coughing and wheezing, tried the controls and then manually to open the door.
Nothing.
“Damn, damn, damn.”
He glanced up at the hole, feeling weaker by the minute. He had no choice. He’d have to use his last strength to do it.
A moment later, he shifted into cat form, leapt on to the bar of the twisted door, and then out the hole, onto the planet.
Spock looked up in surprise as he carefully got down from the exam table. “Options, Doctor?”
Leonard McCoy shrugged slightly as he studied his medical tricorder with Spock’s latest results on them. McCoy was the CMO at Starfleet Hospital in San Francisco. It was located directly beside Federation HQ.
“I was told there was nerve damage and nothing could be done.”
“There coming up with new treatments all the time, Spock. In fact, a Doctor M’Benga has extensive knowledge of the physiology of Vulcans. I would recommend making an appointment with him.”
Spock took in this information and ventured to ask, “Where is this doctor located?”
“On Vulcan at the moment,” McCoy advised. He lowered his tricorder. “How’s the pain in that leg?”
“Manageable. On cold days it gets stiff. And when I do too much walking.”
“I’ll write you a prescription that should help with that. Vulcan friendly.”
“The earliest I can plan to see M’Benga on Vulcan would be the next break between semesters at the Academy,” Spock said.
“I understand. Just think about it. It’s possible he can’t do anything, but if he can, it’s worth looking into, yeah?”
“Perhaps,“ Spock acknowledged.
Spock departed and headed for his apartment. The walk was a little longer than his typical walk to the campus, but in some ways Spock thought exercising his leg might be good for him. He’d possibly be sorry for it later.
When he made it home, just as a light drizzle began, the cat was waiting for him by the door. He appeared to want to dart out of the apartment into the drizzle, but Spock got the door closed before Bombay could make good on his escape.
“I can see how you must have gotten away from your care giver,” Spock remarked out loud as he moved into the kitchen to prepare himself tea and feed the cat.
As Spock spooned out the smelly food into a dish, the cat rubbed against his legs. He put the food down, made himself tea and a bean burrito and headed to his terminal to grade tests.
He’d only been sitting there five minutes when Bombay leapt into his lap and settled down there.
Rather than fight a losing battle where Spock made him leave only to have him return, repeat, he just allowed the furry pest to remain.
When the cat stared at him while he ate his burrito, Spock even began to share little bites with him. He made a mental note to check with the veterinary’s office to learn if anyone had come forward to claim Bombay.
Once he finished his grading, he signed into his Academy email account and found an email from Nyota.
“If you’re interested in my class on the disappearance of James Kirk, the class will be next Thursday at ten in the morning. It’s kind of a strange case and I thought you might be curious. I’m surprised you don’t know more about the details but then again you were on active duty on the Enterprise when it occurred. Attached is a picture.”
Spock clicked on the link and a very good-looking young Human male appeared on his screen. And yes, Nyota had been right. He had incredibly striking blue eyes.
Bombay uncurled from Spock’s lap and stared at the picture. Then to Spock’s surprise he raised paw and put it on the picture and meowed loud.
Spock stopped briefly on the way home to purchase a pet bed for Bombay as that had not been one of the supplied he’d been given when he agreed to foster the cat. He chose what looked plush and comfortable. At least from a cat’s point of view. Or Spock thought. They’d given him a cat carrier too, so once he opened the door to his apartment, he set all the things down and then put the cat carrier on the floor and opened the gate to allow Bombay to explore the surroundings. The vet’s office had warned him that the cat would likely be skittish and not want to have anything to do with the place at first, but Bombay immediately ran out of the carrier and started checking out Spock’s apartment. Spock left him to it and went into his kitchen to open a can of cat food to feed the feline. It smelled awful and fishy to Spock and he wondered why any cat would eat it, but with a shrug, he set the dish down for Bombay. It took a few minutes but the cat came over to the dish and gobbled down most of the contents. After that Spock sat down at his desk to work on grading tests that he’d required for his students to take. He paid little attention to the cat for some time. An hour had passed when he decided to get up to make himself tea and when he entered his kitchen he spotted Bombay on the top of the refrigerator. On the floor were several containers Spock had placed there to store them. “Did you do that?” Spock asked, illogically, as it could be no other. Bombay meowed. “Come down from there.” The cat leapt down right onto Spock and dug his claws into Spock’s stomach when he dropped the cat in surprise. The scratches left across his abdomen stung and were bleeding. With a sigh, Spock went into the bathroom, removed his now bloodstained shirt, and applied first aid to the marks left by his visitor. He chose a new shirt and went back to his desk only to find Bombay occupying his chair. “You are determined to try my patience.” Spock tried to move the cat but he wouldn’t budge more than an inch or so, and therefore, as a means of compromise, Spock occupied about a quarter of the chair, leaving the rest to his guest.
“You adopted a cat?” Nyota Uhura asked Spock the next afternoon while they dined on the outdoor patio of the Starfleet Academy restaurant. “No. I have definitely not adopted him. I am fostering him until his rightful caretaker can be located and they are reunited.” “Hmm.” She shook her head and added artificial sweetener to her coffee. She was a friend and colleague at the Academy. She taught communications and languages as well as a course in Federation history. “What does hmm mean?” “You did say he spent the night sleeping on your bed.” “I secured him his own fine and plush pet bed for his use,” Spock said sourly. “He refused to even try it.” Nyota laughed. “Cats have minds of their own. Anyway, you may think of him as temporary but it sure sounds like he has other ideas. What’s his name anyway?” “I do not know his real name as he had no collar or microchip but I am calling him Bombay.” “Bombay?” “For sapphires.” She arched her brows. “Like the gin?” “Yes. Or the Star of India, though lighter. He has blue eyes.” Nyota smiled and picked up her chicken salad sandwich. “That’s cute. Speaking of blue eyes, we’re covering the old James Kirk disappearance in my class this semester.” “James Kirk?” “Don’t you remember? It was about five years ago. Lieutenant Commander Kirk was on the starship, Endeavor. Was on his way in a shuttlecraft with medical staff to drop off supplies to a colony on Rigel 9 but some storm anomaly caused the shuttlecraft to crash on a planetoid near Rigel 9. Unnamed. They found the remains of the medical staff in the crash but never any sign of Kirk.” Spock nodded. “I do recall hearing about it. I never did have all the details. What does that have to do with blue eyes?” “He had very blue eyes. Handsome guy. Like all the Kirks. I guess his family refused to give up searching for him for years after. I think they finally did last year. He’s presumed dead.” She sighed. “Anyway he had a fantastic reputation and was an exemplary officer. Very well liked. Sad story. So we’re covering during my history course. Your cat’s blue eyes made me think of it.” “He is not my cat,” Spock insisted. “He is a temporary guest.” She ginned. “Of course he is.”
Jim was resplendent when a short time later he appeared before Spock dressed and ready for their renewal ceremony. Somehow he’d obtained, Spock imagined by contacting McCoy, the embroidered robes he’d worn when they formally bonded all those years ago on New Vulcan.
“You are beautiful.”
Jim gave him a doubtful look. “Yeah? I mean It’s just a tad tight around the stomach. I guess I put on a few pounds in these last fifteen or so years.”
“Not many. You are quite fit.”
Jim smiled. “I’m more gray too. By a lot.”
“We all age, Jim.”
“Not you. Look at you. You look the same. I’m jealous.”
Spock shook his head. “You are stubborn as ever. You are magnificent and everyone knows it. Do I have the doctor to thank for sending our robes here?”
“Uh-huh. I contacted him right after I talked to T’Merr.”
“That is the priestess?”
“Yes. She’s ready anytime we are.”
“Are there to be guests?”
“Nope. I decided to make it private. Just you and me. Well her too obviously.” Jim looked uncertain. “That’s okay, right? Or should I have invited our friends?”
“I am content with just us,” Spock assured him. He took Jim’s hand in his. “Shall we?”
Jim leaned in to kiss him. “She’s waiting for us in the private garden.”
Hand in hand, the two of them walked out to the suite’s private garden area where Spock saw the Vulcan Priestess waiting for them. He didn’t remember ever seeing her before but she looked young.
“Spock, this is T’Merr. And this is Spock.”
She greeted Jim with warmth in her eyes and then turned to Spock. “I have heard much about you, Spock. I am familiar with your sire.”
Spock acknowledged this and couldn’t help nut murmur, “It is unusual to find a Vulcan Priestess on Risa.”
“Indeed. I suppose it is unusual to find a Vulcan at all,” she returned. “I am currently on sabbatical.” She paused. “A crisis of logic.”
“Fascinating.”
“I assure you I still quite trained and capable of this, however, or I certainly would not have agreed when your very charming mate asked.”
“My mate is persuasive.”
Spock was surprised when she chuckled. “As fascinating as I find him, I am well aware of your T’hy’la bond and how sacred it is. While predictable your jealousy is unfounded.”
“Hmm.”
Jim laughed right with her. “She’s got your number. And don’t worry, Spock, I’m all yours.”
He gave his mate a disgruntled look but then moved to stand beside Jim and before the Priestess.
After a moment, she put her hands on each of their faces. “You may begin.”
“Spock, I commit myself to you body, mind and soul,” Jim spoke flawless Vulcan.
“Jim, I commit myself to you body, mind and katra.”
T’Merr closed her eyes. “As it comes down from the beginning without change, this is the Vulcan heart, this is the Vulcan soul.”
Very slowly she lowered her hands from their faces. She folded them in front of her.
“I am honored to experience such a strong and worthy bond. Fortune smiles upon you.”
Spock arched a brow at her flowery, illogical words, but he nodded.
“Now, I will leave you to mark the occasion as you see fit.”
She departed in something of a willowy cloud and Jim turned to Spock, grabbing his hands.
“Thank you for that, T’hy’la,” Spock whispered.
“You are welcome. I thought, after everything, after our Pon Farr, after these years together, it would be nice.”
“And it was.” He glanced toward their suite. “We have one more night here. Perhaps we ought to go inside and mark the occasion as T’Merr suggested.”
Jim laughed. “I love the way you think.”
“Great minds, T’hy’la. Great minds.”
We will see these two one more time on January 31st
Spock had to admit he was enjoying this part of their shore leave on Risa. Prior to their visit there for his own Pon Farr, Spock had viewed the pleasure planet with some amount of derision.
But this resort they stayed at made Spock change his mind. He was aware there were still many inhabitants willing to offer themselves for hedonistic pleasure, but he was also aware they had a “live and let live attitude” and no one would bother you once you made your refusal of those extra “services”.
Fortunately with Jim by his side, Spock did not need any of those types of services, though he could certainly see why they might be desired.
At the moment they were seated at an outside table, under a large umbrella. They both wore only swim trunks. They’d only just returned from a dip in the warm pool. It was a private pool just for their unit of the resort so they hadn’t had to share with any other occupants. They also had a private server who brought them drinks and food as they wished to order.
It was indeed paradise.
Currently Jim sipped from some tropical concoction he seemed to be enjoying while Spock drank a native fruit juice that was really quite delightful.
Jim sighed contently. “This just makes me never want to leave.”
“Indeed,” Spock agreed. “But it would not be nearly as enjoyable if it was an everyday occurrence.”
Jim chuckled. “If you say so.”
“You do not agree?”
“I think I could withstand the hardship of having this be my life.”
Spock shook his head. Despite what Jim said, he was pretty certain Jim would become quickly bored in such a sedate life.
“We should renew our vows.”
Spock had just been about to sip his juice, so he lowered it to look at Jim. “What?”
“Not have like a huge bonding ceremony like we did on New Vulcan or even the big ol’ wedding we had on Yorktown. What a fiasco that was.”
“Jim—”
“Okay, fiasco isn’t quite the right word. Spectacle. Anyway, it wouldn’t be anything like super formal where we’d have to recite vows we wrote or stuff. Just like stand before a Vulcan priestess and confirm our commitment.”
Spock arched a brow. “And when are we supposed to do that?”
“I’m thinking later today. I assume you’d rather have clothes on.”
“And where would we find a Vulcan priestess on Risa?”
Jim grinned. “Right next door.”
“What?”
“Okay not right next door. Her suite is a few doors down from ours. I’ve already talked to her and she’s totally willing.”
Spock was, admittedly, speechless.
Jim reached over and patted his leg. “Unless you don’t want to.”
“How…how is there a Vulcan priestess here?”
Jim shrugged. “Guess she wanted to get away for some peace and solitude. This is a beautiful place. I met her while you were still resting. She was cool.”
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 