Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newsswing.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.net!prodigy.com!newsread.com!newsstand.newsread.com!POSTED.newshog.newsread.com!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated Approved: ascem@earthlink.net Organization: Better Living Thru TrekSmut Sender: ascem@earthlink.net Message-ID: From: Istannor@Aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Mailing-List: list ASCEML@yahoogroups.com; contact ASCEML-owner@yahoogroups.com Subject: New: TOS: A Higher Duty: PG: 27/28 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 281 Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 05:55:26 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.198.142.218 X-Complaints-To: Abuse Role , We Care X-Trace: newshog.newsread.com 1102139726 209.198.142.218 (Sat, 04 Dec 2004 00:55:26 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 00:55:26 EST Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated:85924 X-Received-Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2004 21:55:35 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: A Higher Duty Author: Istannor Contact: Istannor@aol.com Series: TOS Rating: PG13 for violence Part: 27/28 Codes:TOS Summary: This is set during the second 5 year voyage of the Starship Chapter 27 Renna decided to stay on the Enterprise the entire time, as did Ramie. Chekov, Uhura and he had become fast friends. M'arenn and Jus shuttled back and forth so frequently, the transporter crew beamed them back and forth almost without question. It was another full day before Kirk was able to stay awake long enough to have a conversation. Renna brought Ramie into the sickbay to see Kirk. The boy's apologies were accepted with a hug and a smile of absolution. They sat and talked quietly, until Kirk fell asleep. Ramie and he scheduled a checker game for the next day before his eyes closed. McCoy used the time to good effect. The bones began to knit together over the microfilaments and the osteophytic stem cells multiplied and divided on schedule. The other wounds healed too, at least visibly. It would be a long while before Kirk's strength or stamina would return to baseline. He had lost weight and his fragility made him seem more vulnerable then McCoy liked. The other thing he feared was the scars no-one could see; the emotional damage inflicted during Kirk's recent crisis. So, McCoy decided on a most unusual course of rehabilitation. "Get up, Jim. You are going swimming." He helped him up slowly, supporting him the whole way. Kirk did not protest. He swayed momentarily, overcome by lightheadedness. The two recent head traumas and his general debilitation was hard to shake off. McCoy let him rest against his chest until the wave passed. "Now, Spock is going to carry you to the pool, and you are going to start swimming. You understand, Jimboy? Only a little today, and then more everyday, until you're ready to do some weight training." Kirk nodded. "I'll monitor your responses and I'll let you know when it is time to stop. Take him away, Spock; he is all yours." Spock lifted Kirk effortlessly and put him in an antigrav chair which carried him through the corridors of the ship. Every crew person they passed had a smile or a word of greeting for their Captain. He did his best to respond to them all. When they reached the rec center and entered the natatorium, Kirk was surprised to find Renna there waiting for them, dressed to swim. Spock helped Kirk undress and lowered him down into the pool, into Renna's outstretched arms. She held him wordlessly and he let her. Spock then soundlessly got up and left the room. McCoy or Renna would call him when it was time to return. He coded the room for privacy, She kissed Kirk lightly and pulled him tightly to her, reveling in the feel of him against her body and the touch of his mind. She felt his grief and his pain, but the shame he had subscribed to earlier was gone. The wonder of his resiliency thrilled her. "Renna, stay with me here, don't go back. We can find a place for you with the Federation." "I can no more stay than you can go, my dearest one." She looked lovingly at him, "but I would like to leave you with sweet memories of me. I thought at first that your Doctor had a strange idea of rehabilitation. Now, I begin to see his wisdom. This time is for us both, so we can say good- bye. I want you to give me memories of you, to hold close. With them, I will never feel alone again." She kissed him again, longer, and deeper this time, tasting his mind with her mind. He pushed her back gently and looked at her, trying to commit her last pore to memory. When he kissed her, he could feel her smile. McCoy sat in sickbay and looked at the sensor readings with satisfaction. He nursed a drink and thought long into the night. Spock returned later. He and Renna helped Kirk back to the sickbay. She stayed with him and he awoke with her at his side in the morning. She helped him swim and work out every day and spent every night in or next to his bed. Every evening, Spock, and McCoy would join them for dinner and conversation, relaxing in the warmth of each other's company. When McCoy finally let Kirk out of the sickbay, the Vulcan walked Kirk slowly back to his quarters. Renna stood in the doorway to receive him into her arms. It was heaven, until the Romulan ships signaled their readiness to depart. M'arenn, Jus and Ramie beamed over to the ship to give their good-byes. Jus and Scotty exchanged large crates as parting gifts. McCoy planned to seek out Scotty at his first chance to begin the exploration of its contents. M'arenn and Uhura exchanged the gifts of instruments. Uhura gave M'arenn a finger piano from the land of her birth and M'arenn gave her a Romulan lyre. It was smaller, and higher pitched, than the Vulcan variety. Ramie brought a Romulan board game for Chekov and Sulu and a hand carved, painted checker board for Kirk, that he had done himself. Renna gave Spock a book of Romulan love sonnets from the time of the first reformation. Kirk and Renna exchanged their gifts in private. Admiral Komack arranged for a formal dinner on the last day, aboard the Excalibur. The Praetor and his party, as well as the command crews of the Excalibur, Enterprise, Accord, and Powell, were all in attendance. Kirk had been unusually quiet during the whole meal, only talking briefly with Renna, Spock, and McCoy. Finally, Ambassador Davis rose to make the final speech which was thankfully brief and full of hopes for peaceful relations between their Governments. Komack silently seethed. He had been unable to get any military concessions from the Praetor and secretly wished all sorts of painful sores to break out over the Romulan's body. Renna almost choked on her wine with laughter as some of his thoughts leaked. When the Ambassador had finished, the Praetor continued sitting. He stared at Kirk, who returned his look without flinching. He then turned to look at his family one by one, all here because of the human. Finally, he turned his gaze on his sister, who for the first time in his memory, looked happy, all because of the care given her by the same human. The Praetor stood. "Never in the history of relations between the Federation and the Romulans," he began, "has there ever been a time like this. We have sat together. We have eaten together. We have laughed together. Today, we have exchanged gifts concrete and emotional, but all of value. I am indebted to you, Captain Kirk, and though I still do not understand you, I accept the gift you have given me. A Romulan Praetor never allows a debt to go unpaid. I must repay my debt to you. Come, Captain, stand before me, so that your ears will be the first ears to hear my news." Kirk stood and moved easily to stand in front of the Praetor. The Praetor was easily six inches taller than him, but Kirk's presence stretched him the extra inches. "Hear me, Captain James Tiberius Kirk. I, Massrit Al S' Trask, Praetor and Ruler Supreme of the Romulan Empire, declare that I have Life, Blood, and Honor debt to you, and you alone." He paused, letting his words sink in. "Know this, that for as long as you live, or for fifty standard years, whichever is longer, the Romulan Empire will never go to war against the Federation unless war is brought by the Federation first. This, I say is in payment of that debt. As it is said, so shall it be done. It is the word, and the will, of Romulus that has spoken." He stretched his arm out and Kirk clasped it, in acceptance of the repayment of the debt. Komack stood in shock. "No war, for as long as Kirk lives?" He repeated incredulously. "It is as I have said," replied the Praetor. Realizing finally, the impact of his words the entire room jumped to its feet and erupted into thunderous applause. Kirk looked at Massrit and smiled. "You do me great honor, Praetor." "No more than you deserve, Kirk. If you ever tire of this part of the galaxy, I know someone who is looking for a new commander of their space fleet." Kirk looked at the Praetor wistfully, "I think not, Praetor. However, it is a tempting offer, for more than one reason." "I understand, Captain." The Praetor broke eye contact and turned to the approaching Romulan and Federation Ambassadors, moving away with them to answer their excited questions. Spock, McCoy, and the rest of the Command Crew of the Enterprise came to surround their Captain. They proudly congratulated him. McCoy beat him on his back, secretly enjoying the solidity of the completely healed skeleton he could feel under the returning thick muscle layer. All was well in the universe, for the good doctor. Spock and Kirk's exchanged one of their silent looks that spoke the volumes of what the Vulcan was feeling, and the Human would never ask him to say. Finally, the group parted as Renna, Jus, and M'arenn made their way into the interior of their cluster. Kirk's and Therenna slowly closed the distance and hugged fiercely, unmindful of who saw them, then M'arenn was gathered into their embrace. Jus hung back, enjoying the sight. The crew left them to their private conversation. "I will miss you, Jim Kirk," M'arenn whispered fiercely into his ear. "Thank-you for our lives, and especially thank-you for giving my sister so much joy. My husband was right; you would have been the best of friends. I will not forget you." "Take care of her, M'arenn, the boy and yourself." "I will." Jus came over and clasped his shoulders. "Be strong, Jim Kirk, but most importantly, live long." He smiled. "I do not want to fight your people ever again. I have named you. Our family will not forget your name." He turned and walked away with M'arenn. Spock stood by Kirk's side and Renna moved into his arms. As they hugged she whispered softly, for Vulcanoid ears only, "We three would have been glorious together. There is no need to tell you to watch over him. If you ever need me, for anything, I have left an encoded message on your Com, for your eyes only. It will tell you how to contact me. I will come." "Renna..." he began. "Shh, what is, is." She stepped back and turned to Kirk. "What do you think your Admiral Komack would say, if you kissed the sister of the Praetor in front of everyone, Jim?" "Ask me if I give a damn." He kissed her, with all the love and the loss that he felt, returned from her as she shared her feelings with him through their mental contact. Finally, they realized the Praetor was standing next to them with Admiral Komack, and they pulled slightly apart. "It is time, Sister." There was sympathy in his voice, but he was correct. Wordlessly, they separated. She moved to take her brother's proffered arm and M'arenn joined him on the other. Her eyes never left Kirk's. Komack and the Ambassadors led the official entourage to the transporter room, where the Praetor and his party took up their positions on the pads. Kirk stood in the background, flanked on either side by Spock and McCoy. Renna raised her hands to her lips, kissed her fingers lightly, and then held them to her heart. The transporter beam shimmered around them, taking them away to their ship. They left, almost instantly, for Romulan space. Komack stalked up to Kirk. Anger was written all over his face. "Damn you, Kirk, you were openly fraternizing with the Praetor's sister. You let a Romulan into your mind,and you did it repeatedly. You will report to sickbay for a complete evaluation to make sure she hasn't suborned you." He pulled closer , so his words were only for Kirk, but Spock's hearing was not Human. "What were you thinking, Goddammit, or was it just your dick doing the thinking again? You are nothing but an overrated, opportunistic, pretty boy whore. I don't care one damn bit if you fucked your way to a treaty, or not, I'll have you up on charges for fraternizing with the enemy." Kirk lurched forward, but he wasn't quick enough. Spock instantly grabbed Kirk's arms in a solid vise ad waited a few seconds for him to cool down. Kirk pulled his arms slowly out of his grasp and leaned towards Komack. "There are many things I could say to you, Admiral, and several very painful things I could do to you." He shook his head, "but it's not worth it, Sir." He leaned back and announced clearly. "Do whatever you feel you have to, Admiral." He turned away from Komack's beet red face, and walked over to the Transporter pad, with his friends beside him. Spock gave the order to beam them over, leaving a fuming Komack in their wake. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ASCEM messages are copied to a mailing list. Most recent messages can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCEML. NewMessage: