Enemies at the Gates CH14

Chapter Fourteen

Once the haze of Spock’s Pon Farr and Jim’s for wont of a better word, heat, lifted they dressed in the clothes that they found in their room and ventured out again. Their stomachs complaining over the limited amount of food that was received during their time in seclusion. Spock was feeling very pleased but also guilty over turn of events. He was pleased to finally have Jim as his bonded but guilty over that he was forced into it by his physiology and whatever the Excalbians did to them. Jim felt the guilt and pleasure through their new bond, he sent back love and acceptance to his mate.  He knew that they would need to discuss what happened and how they were going to deal with Starfleet. I did know that there was a proviso in there that bonded couples got to work together. The only issue he could see would be Admiral Komack. The man was not only Xenophobic but Homophobic. He could not believe that the man made it long enough in Starfleet to become an Admiral. He was sure that he could get Pike and Archer to assist on that matter. He felt amusement through their bond, so he knew his mate must have heard his mental ramblings. This was so cool.

The rumbling in his stomach brought those mental ramblings to a standstill. “Come, T’hy’la. Time to eat.” They walked over to the kitchenette and stood in front of the replicator. “What do you wish to eat?”

“Um, I am not sure. The thought of a hamburger or steak makes my stomach queasy.” He rubbed his stomach, hoping to ease the nauseous feeling.

Spock raised his eyebrow at that statement. “Would you like to try a salad, Jim?” he asked him.

“That sounds good. Just no meat.”

“As you wish, Jim.” He ordered their food and handed JIm a salad loaded with cheese, vegetables and croutons. It was drizzled with bleu cheese dressing. Jim liked his lips, it looked really good. It was surprised as Bones had been complaining about his eating habits since they were at the Academy and he hated being forced to eat a salad. He mentally shrugged. At least this was not making his stomach roll.  They took their food and went over to the table that was in the kitchenette. It was set up for six. They took a seat next to each other and started to eat. Jim looked over at what Spock had gotten. “What’s that?” he asked him.

“Plomeek soup. It is a traditional Vulcan dish. Most humans find it bland,” he replied.

“May I try some?” he asked him.

Spock nodded and held out the spoon for him to taste from. Jim took the spoonful and found that he liked it. “I like it,” he told him.

“Indeed.” And they went back to their food. 

“Before I forget. I wanted to ask you, do all Vulcans have rough tongues like a cat's? Also, is it normal for a Vulcan to knot their partners?” Jim blushed as he remember what lead to him thinking about that.

“Rough like a felines? Barbs?” he raised his right eyebrow.

“Yes, are they normally that rough? Also, you seemed to lock into me once you had climaxed. It brought to mind like cats when they breed.” he asked.

“No T’hy’la. Our tongues are no different from a human's. We also do not have barbs. That is not part of Vulcan physiology,” he replied.

“Oh,” he said. “Well, for future reference, it’s dead sexy,” he told him.

“Indeed,” came his reply. “I am unsure of why they would have made those changes to myself,” Spock said. His brows furrowed in thought, he vaguely remember seeing the little hairs while he was starting Plak Tow.

“I don’t know. Makes me nervous on what might have been done to me. I don’t have any of those changes,” Jim said.

“Indeed, Jim. Let’s finish eating. Until I can gather more information on this situation we find ourselves in, I can not give you a definitive answer on this matter. I will look into the barbs as well.”

“You’re right,” he said and continued to eat.

**********

Once they had finished eating and put their utensils away, they went to explore the room more thoroughly. There were a small sitting area, it contained three loveseats stationed around a coffee table. It was sparsely furnished and didn't take up much space. Jim sat down in one of the seats and surveyed the common room. It was approximately eight by eight and other than the kitchenette, mini living room and dining area, it was pretty much open floor space. There were a total of five doors, including the one to their room. He assumed one was how Yarnek and his people access their living space, one was probably for the bathroom and the other two for anyone that lived here. He wondered if they would meet the others Yarnek mentioned. Just then one of the doors opened and two men stepped out. He saw Spock stiffen at the sight of them, Jim’s eyebrows nearly went into his hairline. It was a Romulan and a Klingon, together. And they weren’t trying to kill each other. And a very heavy Klingon. They looked to be about his age, late twenties. This was going to be interesting. The Romulan held up his hand in the universal sign of peace.

“Peace, Vulcan and Human. We mean you know harm,” he told them.

“Who are you?” Jim asked.

“I am Merrok, Captain of RIS D’deridex. My mate is Korath, Second in Command of the IKV Bey,” he said.

“Mate?” Spock asked, both eyebrows raised.

“Yes, there are two mated pairs. Myself and Korath, as well as Kor and Suran. There is much we have to tell you on this matter and others. I believe it would be better if we were all present and then we can talk on this. If you would have a seat, we’ll get the others.”

Spock and Jim nodded. Taking this as agreement, the two went to another door and knock on it. It opened and two more men came out.

“ghaH ‘ej Duvan, Human,” the Klingon said to them.

“ghaH ‘ej Duvan, Suvwl,” Jim said back to him. The other four men were surprised to hear him speak Klingon.

“You know Klingon, Human,” he asked, switching to Standard.

‘I know some,” Jim replied.

“My name is Kor, Captain of the IKV Bey. This is my mate Suran, Second in Command of RIS D’deridex. We also were taken by the Escalbians.”

“My names is James T. Kirk, Captain of the USS Enterprise and this is my ma...Science officer, Spock,” Jim said to them as they all moved to take seats in the living area. Spock looked at Jim and raised his eyebrow over the stumble. Jim blushed and looked at the others. 

‘T’hy’la?’ Spock’s thoughts whispered at the edge of his mind.

‘It is nothing Spock.’ he thought back at him.

‘It is not nothing, T’hy’la. You are embarrassed over the near slip. Why? Are you embarrassed to have me as a Bond-mate?’

‘Never!’ he thought back forcefully as he could. He could feel Spock’s vulnerability in the question. ‘Never ever think that. I am proud to be your Bond-mate. I am not sure why I stumbled. I just feel confused about the situation and am in new territory.’

‘I understand, T’hy’la.’

“I never did ask you what that means? I have never come across the word when I was learning Vulcan.’

‘It means friend, brother, and lover.’

‘Yes, you are all that to me as well.’ he could hear the reverence in his thoughts at the word.

He brought his attention back to the others in the room. They were observing them while Spock and he were mentally conversing. “Do you know why we have been brought here by the Excalbians? The two brief times that I talked to Yernak, he mentioned created a “new world” and a “grand experiment”.”

“Indeed, it was the same when I had conversed with him,” Spock said.

“Yes, Captain. We can tell you what we know on this experiment and the world they want to create.”

“What do you know?” he asked.

“The first thing I can tell you, as we have heard of you both before we were taken, is that you are no longer that same species you were before you came here.”

“What?” Jim breathed out.

“You, Captain, are no longer fully human. And you, Commander Spock, are no longer a Vulcan/Human hybrid.”

“So what are we then?” he asked.