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Subject: NEW: Spock's Treasures 1/1 [PG] K, S
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Title:  SPOCK'S TREASURES=20
Author: Ster Julie
Characters: K , S
Rating: PG
Genre: Angst
Part 1 of 1

In memory of Bernie


A/N:  << >> indicates a flashback

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

A battered box: Old, Tired, Precious

Story of a life:  Tokens, Momentos, A battered book, A broken string

Pieces of nature: A pretty rock, A dried flower, A shell, A leaf, A=20
feather, A polished bit of wood

Memories of loved ones:  A photo, A braid of hair, A piece of fur, A=20
swatch of lace, A polished gem stone, A bit of blue ribbon

Admiral James T. Kirk reverently rummaged through the worn carton=20
with the eclectic gathering of items. He wiped a tear away as he=20
gazed at the family portrait.

"Spock couldn't have been more than seven years old," Kirk mused=20
aloud.  "Probably his 'wedding,'"

He picked up the battered book and gave a puzzled smile. "Alexander=20
and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," he read. Kirk=20
knew that Amanda had a collection of old, paper books, but he didn't=20
know that Spock had his own!=20=20

As Kirk paged through the book, a strange sensation enveloped him.=20
<<A sullen child, sore from fighting his schoolmates, reclined=20
against a wall of shaggy fur, carefully reading this book.>>

Kirk blinked. Was this just his imagination, or was Spock's spirit=20
still present here, the day after his funeral, sharing his memories=20
with his friend?

Setting aside the book, Kirk gingerly picked up the braid of blonde=20
hair. It was intricately woven, a delicate, lacy thing.

"Whose was this, Spock?" Kirk whispered aloud. He listened carefully=20
as his fingers caressed the woven strands.

<<Spock entered his cabin, finding a slim book of blank pages=97a=20
journal. The braided hair marked the first page where it was=20
written, in a woman's handwriting, "On Valentine's Day.">>

<<"Christine," Spock breathed, shaking his head.>>

Kirk blinked again, returning to the present once more. He knew that=20
Christine Chapel carried a torch for Spock during the first five-
year mission, so this gift, while amazing, was not unexpected. What=20
did surprise Kirk was that Spock kept this very personal memento.

Next Kirk picked up a fragile piece of blue ribbon. He passed the=20
satiny softness through his fingers and waited.

<<"Spock! Wait!" a woman's melodious voice called. Spock turned back=20
to see his mother Amanda tear a length of ribbon from her clothing.=20
She knew these robes were Spock's favorite garments on her. "Take=20
this with you," she said tearfully. "Know that I am always with=20
you." Spock took the ribbon from her hands, lingering his fingers on=20
hers.>>

<<"I know, Mother," he said gently before turning to board the=20
shuttle for Earth that would take him to Starfleet Academy.>> Kirk=20
looked again at the ribbon and noticed that the original shade of=20
the fabric matched the color of Amanda's eyes. No wonder the robe=20
was Spock's favorite.

Kirk put the ribbon aside and picked up a small conch shell. Holding=20
it to his ear, Kirk heard a toddler's laughter on the occasion of=20
his first trip to an ocean. Kirk had to pause as another bout of=20
tears shook him.

Drying his face, Kirk next picked up a bundle of disparate items: a=20
bit of polished wood, an iridescent feather shiny bright like new=20
tin, and a broken harp string, which bound it all together. Holding=20
the items, Kirk became aware of an adolescent's anger.

<<Young Spock took hold of his Vulcan harp by the neck and bashed it=20
against the cave wall. The harp exploded into shards of wood as=20
the "twang" of sundered strings echoed in the cave.>>

<<"Sybok!" Spock shrieked. "You promised that you would always be=20
with me!">>

<<Spock staggered to the mouth of the mountaintop cave and screamed=20
until he passed out.>>

<<The warbling cry of the morning birds roused the sleeping boy. The=20
fluttery touch of something brushed Spock's cheek and he opened his=20
eyes.>>

<<Looking up, Spock saw the silvery birds cartwheeling on the=20
morning breezes, showering him with discarded iridescent feathers.>>

<<Spock's katra drank in the vision and the consolation of the=20
rarely viewed sight. He dropped into the meditation pose and=20
contemplated the recent events=97Sybok's exile and his own response.=20
After a time, he rose and gathered a handful of the feathers. He=20
then picked up the largest shard of his spoiled harp and wound its=20
attached string round, making a package of wood and feathers.=20
Tucking it into his tunic, Spock began the long hike down the=20
mountain.>>

Kirk shook himself. He never realized how deep Spock's anger could=20
reach.

The admiral was shocked at the next item=97a dried Omicron Ceti III=20
spore lily encased in glass. <<"For the first time in my life, I was=20
happy.">>

Admiral Kirk was not able to sort through the rest of items in the=20
box as the housekeeping crew arrived just then to pack up Captain=20
Spock's quarters before they reached spacedock.

The admiral dried his face and nose, cleared his throat, and=20
straightened his shoulders. Kirk replaced the lid on the battered=20
little carton, tucked it under his arm, and marched out of Spock's=20
cabin one last time. Kirk missed his Vulcan with a passion born out=20
of years of friendship, of being t'hyla, but he had to now consider=20
the living.

Kirk had a boatload of traumatized cadets and of walking wounded,=20
especially his other "other half," Leonard McCoy.

Just as the admiral carried the Vulcan's treasures in the box under=20
his arm, Spock was the treasure Kirk carried in his heart.

It was time to move on.

FIN

Sequel: The Treasured Box


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