Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!in.100proofnews.com!in.100proofnews.com!border2.nntp.dca.giganews.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!newsread.com!newsstand.newsread.com!POSTED.monger.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: "lyrastarwatcher" MIME-Version: 1.0 Mailing-List: list ASCEML@yahoogroups.com; contact ASCEML-owner@yahoogroups.com Subject: NEW TOS: Kindsar's Phenomenon 1/2 (K/S, challenge)[NC-17] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Lines: 768 Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:55:04 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.198.142.218 X-Complaints-To: Abuse Role , We Care X-Trace: monger.newsread.com 1098298504 209.198.142.218 (Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:55:04 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:55:04 EDT Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated:85147 X-Received-Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 11:55:07 PDT (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Someone said it was too quiet? Hurumph, you'll be sorry.... Title: Kindsar's Phenomenon Author: Lyrastar Series: TOS=20 Codes: K/S, challenge=20 Rating: NC-17=20 Parts: 1 of 2 Warnings: Genderbender including het K/S sex. Same mutation=20 improbabilities as the Deadly Years: you know people's dead hair=20 strands whitening and then instantaneously reverting--including the=20 style and cut--upon administration of an antidote. And...well...if=20 you believe Kirk should only be taken completely seriously, this=20 likely won't be your thing. Beta: KirkSpockSnuggle. Thanks, ya'll!=20 Contact: Lyrastarwatcher at yahoo dot com or=20 www.geocites.com/lyrastarwatcher=20 Notes: for Stephen Ratliff's ASCEM "the other sex challenge", and=20 dedicated to all KS shippy people who were as disappointed in=20 the "Procrustean Petard" as I was. Um, not that it's any better, but=20 at least it doesn't annoy me.=20 KINDSAR'S PHENOMENON=20 "Wooo--weee!" The intercom in Recreation Room 5 sounded. Sulu's=20 voice came over the comm. "Bridge to Captain Kirk."=20 Kirk stood up from his breakfast and strode to the wall panel with=20 Spock at his shoulder, barely a half step behind.=20 "Kirk here. Go ahead."=20 "Captain, we are within visual range of the phenomenon. Emissions=20 are already being detected and starting to affect our instruments."=20 Kirk and Spock exchanged a glance. "Specify, Lieutenant," said=20 Spock.=20 "Lenehan and paraquaternary ray levels are over seven times=20 predicted and rising rapidly. We're having a number of instrument=20 failures and variances--nothing critical yet, but--"=20 Kirk cut him off. "On our way." Kirk hustled for the doorway,=20 guiding Spock ahead of him with a hand on the small of his back.=20 At a nearby table, Uhura shook her head over her fruit plate. "You=20 might as well face it, Pavel. You're going to owe me big when they=20 make it public."=20 "Nyet." Pavel jabbed one of her kiwi cubes with his fork and popped=20 it in his mouth. "You just don't understand men. In Russia we hug=20 and touch all the time. It's how ve bond--much more sensible than=20 tying up comm lines for hours at a time=85agonizing and reanalyzing=20 every vord of a conwersation=85sniffling over space operas and getting=20 fat on ice cream=85" He rolled his eyes in an exaggerated display.=20 Underneath the table, she kicked him with the toe of a boot. "For=20 one thing, tying up comm lines is my job. Second, they aren't space=20 operas; they're cultural diversity documentaries. And lastly, I=20 certainly trust that you aren't calling me fat."=20 "Hehe?" Chekov tried a laugh, which fell miserably flat. "No dear, I=20 meant other vymen, not you, of course. It looks good on you." He=20 tapped her butt affectionately.=20 "Affectionate" would certainly not have been the best word to=20 describe Uhura's glare. "Listen, Mister--"=20 "What's the fuss here?" M'Benga set his tray down with a rattle,=20 saving Chekov from a fate worse than death.=20 "Nothing," Uhura demurred.=20 "Vhether or not the captain is banging Mr. Spock."=20 "Ow!" Chekov jumped and slapped Uhura's elbow away from his=20 side. "Vat was that for?" he asked, rubbing his ribs.=20 "She's probably sore about losing your bet," said M'Benga, chugging=20 down half a cup of coffee in one gulp.=20 "Oh, not you too." Uhura rolled her eyes. "How can so many=20 supposedly bright men be so oblivious? They're clearly in love." Her=20 irritation let the words fall from her mouth before her discretion=20 and better sense could stop them.=20 M'Benga shrugged his forehead. "That may be, nonetheless, it's not=20 possible."=20 "That's pretty na=EFve," said Uhura. "And I'm surprised that you'd be=20 so provincial. Everyone has needs--even commanders."=20 M'Benga looked up in surprise. "Huh? Who, me? No judgements. I'm=20 just talking objective medical science here. Spock is=20 physiologically Vulcan in almost every respect, and Vulcans are=20 physically incapable of homosexual relations."=20 "Now that's ridiculous!" blurted Chekov. "How hard can it be? You=20 just find the parts that feel good and rub them together-- Ow! NOW=20 vat did I say?"=20 Uhura tucked her elbow back in.=20 M'Benga chuckled as he polished off his bowl of fufu. He'd spent a=20 month fine-tuning the replicated version to taste just like his=20 mother's, and he wasn't going to miss a bite. "Not if you're Vulcan.=20 The psionic bond is integral to their mating process, and it's=20 formed only between a specific locus in a male brain and a=20 complementary locus in a female one. The fact that homosexuality is=20 unheard of on Vulcan is neither prejudice nor a result of pragmatic=20 reproductive concerns, as commonly believed. It simply isn't=20 possible for a Vulcan to have an intimate same-sex relationship. It=20 isn't comparable to the neurophysiological differences seen in Human=20 sexuality. It would take the same kind of complete mutation as it=20 would for a Human to sprout gills and breathe water, or grow wings=20 and fly."=20 "Not even a fling?" asked Chekov.=20 "Nope. Vulcans don't have flings, only bonds."=20 "Too bad," said Chekov. "He's wery attractive." He moved fast enough=20 to dodge Uhura's elbow this time.=20 Uhura's face showed her consternation. "But he's so clearly in love!=20 I just can't believe it."=20 "You're mixing apples and gagh," said M'Benga. "Maybe you're right=20 about the love; I'll leave that sort of thinking to your female=20 intuition. All I know is that I've scanned Mr. Spock's brain myself,=20 and his psionic function is normal Vulcan, rendering him incapable=20 of a homosexual bond--or even a 'banging' relationship, as they seem=20 to put it so quaintly in Russia."=20 Chekov beamed.=20 Uhura pushed her unfinished meal tray aside. "The poor thing. I had=20 no idea." She shook her head in empathy.=20 "We don't choose the circumstances of our birth," said M'Benga.=20 "No, but we can choose the circumstances of our lives. Or at least=20 we should be able to," said Uhura.=20 "Some of them," M'Benga corrected gently.=20 "That's a pretty big one," said Uhura. "It's not fair. I can't even=20 begin to imagine what it would be like."=20 The comm whistled. "Yellow alert! All personnel to yellow alert!"=20 Around the room people sprang to order. Uhura was one of the first=20 to the door.=20 "Hey, wait!" called Chekov, catching up to her after clearing their=20 trays. "Not so fast, you! Vat about our bet?"=20 ----------=20 *** Captain's Log, Stardate 5862.7: We are approaching an aberrant=20 region of space known as Kindsar's Phenomenon with orders to study=20 and record the heavy emanations from it. Already the phenomenon is=20 affecting us in unpredictable ways, and I am concerned that it may=20 prove a risk to my ship.=20 The viewscreen crackled and sparkled. "Mr. Sulu, resolve that=20 visual."=20 Sulu twiddled some knobs, "Trying, Sir." The screen cleared=20 momentarily to show a purple wavering anomaly, then went fuzzy=20 again. "I'm sorry, Captain, it's a different irregularity every=20 time. It keeps fluctuating."=20 "Do your best," said Kirk as the viewer fizzled again.=20 "Aft sensor array out," said Spock. "All other sensors functioning=20 adequately."=20 Bridge lights flickered. "Gravity down to point eight," came the=20 recorded warning.=20 "Auxiliary power," Kirk ordered.=20 "Already engaged," said Lt. Washburn from the Bridge engineering=20 station. "It is affected as well, and functioning erratically."=20 A whine rose up from beneath the deck. Uhura turned from her=20 console, "Captain, Mr. Scott reports--"=20 "Warp engine failure," said Spock simultaneously. "We are being=20 pulled into the phenomenon."=20 "Impulse! Full reverse!" ordered Kirk,=20 "Ineffective against the force of the phenomenon," said=20 Spock. "Fourteen seconds to phenomenon edge. Twelve=85eleven=85"=20 "Reverse tractor beam," said Kirk. "Try to push it away."=20 "No effect. Tractor beam does not recognize any mass to act upon.=20 Five seconds to edge. Three=85two=85one."=20 The screen sparkled and a rainbow of colors filled the Bridge. Kirk=20 squinted against it and fell back into his chair. He had not even=20 been aware he had stood up.=20 His vision cleared. He wondered if he had lost consciousness. In=20 front of him Sulu and Chekov lay slumped over the helm. Black space=20 and a smattering of stars sailed by on the viewscreen.=20 "Mr. Spock, report."=20 A contralto voice answered from his right. "We have been pulled=20 straight through the Kindsar Phenomenon and ejected out the other=20 side. We are back in normal space."=20 Kirk swiveled. At the science station stood a striking raven-haired=20 woman with pointed ears. An oversized men's science uniform with=20 commander's stripes hung from loosely from her body.=20 Spock ran her hands over her breasts and raised an=20 eyebrow. "Fascinating."=20 "Captain," Uhura seemed to start a little at the sound of his new=20 deep voice. "Crewmen--crewmembers are calling in from all over the=20 ship. Everyone--" He stared at the captain and started=20 over. "Everyone except you has been=85changed!"=20 Kirk looked around his Bridge. Uhura sat at her--at his station,=20 unidress ripped in several places to make room for his new, lean=20 muscles. He leaned forward in the chair in a valiant effort to keep=20 the tiny skirt over certain key areas, and thus to also keep a=20 little dignity.=20 Chekov and Sulu had both come around, and appeared to be admiring=20 each other's bodies, with heavy emphasis on the breasts. At the=20 Bridge engineering station, Lt. Washburn stared at her now feminine=20 hands that still bore all the scars that years of work with engines=20 will leave.=20 At Uhura's announcement, they turned almost in unison to the center=20 seat.=20 Kirk cleared his throat and toggled the intercom. He checked his=20 voice. "This is the captain. Once again we have ventured into an=20 aspect of the universe where no one has gone before. As peculiar as=20 the situation may seem, we are all still Starfleet personnel and=20 will continue to do our jobs. Make whatever uniform accommodations=20 are necessary until this is resolved. All shift assignments stand,=20 and all crewmembers will continue with their assigned duties. When=20 we know more, you will be apprised. Kirk out.=20 "Mr. Chekov, position?"=20 Chekov removed her hand from under Sulu's shirt and checked her=20 instruments. "Position is--0.853 parsecs from when we entered the=20 Phenomenon."=20 "Confirmed, Captain," said Spock. "0.85327 parsecs, and I can find=20 no sign of the Phenomenon on scanners. We may have dispersed it with=20 our warp signature."=20 "Stand down from yellow alert," said Kirk. "Uhura, call Dr. McCoy to=20 the Bridge."=20 Kirk jolted out of the center chair and over to the science station.=20 He rested a hand on the back of Spock's chair and leaned over the=20 console, one arm around Spock's shoulders, so much smaller than they=20 had been just minutes before. "So what do we know?"=20 "Very little yet. It would be reasonable to hypothesize that the=20 transformation was directly related to the Kindsar emissions.=20 Fortunately, we have detailed sensor records, but given the number=20 of new energy forms and the number of possible combinations of them,=20 it will take some time to analyze."=20 Kirk leaned further in to the scanner, his arm draping across=20 Spock's shoulders. Spock braced herself for what she had always=20 presumed would have been the eventual effects of that man's touch,=20 should the circumstances of her own birth have been just slightly=20 different. She threw barriers up around her mind to guard herself-- to guard them both--from the unintended sequellae of her own nature.=20 Much to her surprise, the touch was no different than any other=20 before it--warm and heady, reassuring and almost visceral, but much=20 to Spock's surprise, no final connection seem to form. She allowed=20 herself to relax and probed the energy between them.=20 No different.=20 Such irony that for over four years now she had assumed that one=20 short DNA sequence stood in the way of the life she would have=20 chosen. Now she knew nothing about herself as she was or as she had=20 been. She was forced to concede that despite her presumptions,=20 perhaps she had not known love after all.=20 A statuesque brunette in scrubs and a half-hearted scowl whipped out=20 of the turbolift, scanner in hand. There could be no doubt as to who=20 this was.=20 "Bones?" said Jim glancing over. "You're beautiful!"=20 "Don't even think about it, Jim! I know you." She spun around back=20 to him and started, her expression changing into one of confusion.=20 "I do know you," said McCoy, running the scanner over the captain.=20 She looked up, slack-jawed. "Male. Definitely male."=20 "Male," Jim repeated.=20 "Are you sure, Doctor? It makes no sense that one individual would=20 be spared."=20 McCoy grunted in annoyance and unleashed all of her frustrations on=20 Spock. At least that much hadn't changed. "Of course I'm sure. I did=20 go to medical school: it's a boy; it's a girl. They cover that=20 pretty much on day one."=20 "So what happened?" asked Jim.=20 "What am I, a doctor or a computer bank? I thought if I came up=20 here, my celebrated command crew would tell *me* what happened."=20 McCoy continued her scans on the rest of the Bridge.=20 "We were drawn into an anomalous area of space, which appears to=20 have converted our sexual phenotype."=20 McCoy rolled her eyes. "I guess I can skip the scan. That's Spock.=20 I'd know that smart mouth and that insistence on overstating the=20 obvious anywhere."=20 Spock's eyebrow rose. "Have you done a chromosomal analysis on any=20 of the changed individuals?"=20 "Just a cursory one on the people in Sickbay and a lab rabbit." said=20 McCoy. "All the animals were changed too. It's genotypic, not just=20 external. The changes are limited to the 23rd chromosome pair--the=20 sex chromosomes. Those who were XY are now XX and vice-versa. How=20 the hell that's possible, I don't know."=20 "There are stranger things in heaven and earth, Horatio," mused=20 Kirk.=20 "They appear to be normal in structure, but there is an unusual 48.2=20 gigahertz oscillation now in the sex chromosomes. I don't know what=20 that means, or how it got there."=20 Kirk licked his lips. "Bones, you and Spock get your people on this.=20 Find out what happened, and more importantly, how to reverse it.=20 "Helm, set course for Starbase 18. What's our ETA?"=20 Chekov sat on one hip, hands on herself and a dreamy expression on=20 her face.=20 "Ensign Chekov, what is our ETA to Starbase 18?" At the unaccustomed=20 harshness of Kirk's words, Sulu turned to the navigation console and=20 plugged in the data.=20 "Six point two days at warp six," said Sulu.=20 Chekov flushed. "Sorry, Sir. I think--I was turning myself on." She=20 grinned sheepishly.=20 Kirk rolled his eyes. Six days of this? "Well, let's hope we don't=20 need their expertise by that time." He returned to the center seat.=20 Feeling eyes upon his neck, he looked up.=20 "Yes, Mr. Spock?"=20 "As the sole exception to the occurrence, it would be useful to=20 study you. The exception to the rule is often most revealing."=20 Kirk shook his head. "I need to stay on my Bridge. We have just come=20 through an unknown phenomenon and experienced polysystems failure.=20 Who knows what problems might be about to emerge."=20 "Captain--"=20 "Spock!" Jim snapped surprisingly hard.=20 "Spock," McCoy said from the turbolift, "we have our hands full with=20 the transformed people. Let's start on the ones that we know have=20 been affected, and go from there."=20 Spock stared between her two colleagues, sensing more than just=20 physical changes, but a change in the dynamic between them all. She=20 thought of saying more, but the stony expression on her captain's=20 face stopped her cold.=20 "Yes, Sir," Spock said and stepped up into the turbolift with McCoy.=20 ***=20 They walked into McCoy's office together. "Okay, Spock. You first.=20 Change into a sickbay coverlet; it will make the tests go faster."=20 "Me?" Spock's eyebrow shot up. "As the crew is predominantly Human,=20 it would be more logical to start with a representative Human."=20 McCoy punched something up on the biocomp. "Nah. Let's start with=20 you. The before/after comparison will be easiest. We have enough=20 information on you to, well, to make a whole Vulcan/Human hybrid."=20 McCoy bounced on her toes as Spock went to change as directed.=20 In privacy, Spock stripped and examined her new body. It seemed to=20 be healthy and in all respects typical female Vulcanoid. She=20 caressed her breasts and expressed a little colostrum, as female=20 Vulcans can do at will. She felt her bones and muscles, now finer=20 and sleeker, but not much less strong. She inserted a finger into he=20 vagina and felt the opening of a uterus; apparently this was more=20 than just external form. Curiouser and curiouser.=20 She donned the jumpsuit and lay herself down on a biobed for exam.=20 "Normal, normal and more normal--for a nearly-Vulcan female." McCoy=20 clicked off the scanner. "Okay, you can get up."=20 Spock remained where she was. "Did you scan my brain?"=20 "Of course. It had changes of female anatomy as well. 4.6% less=20 mass, corpus callosum fibers 12% thicker, locus masculo gone, locus=20 femina in its place. Your old and new hyperencepholgrams had a=20 baseline pattern similarity, but bilateral temporal changes=20 consistent with a female gender."=20 "Did you run a neurochemical analysis?"=20 "No, I didn't see any reason to."=20 "Please do."=20 "What's this about?" asked McCoy as she reset the scanner. "You=20 suspect a cognitive change as well?"=20 "There is some evidence of it. Personnel are responding=20 unpredictably."=20 "To be expected. Suddenly finding oneself gender swapped is a pretty=20 big emotional adjustment for us poor Humans."=20 "My point exactly. The captain has allegedly not been affected, and=20 yet his comportment is the most aberrant."=20 "He has the right," said McCoy.=20 "Agreed.--as long as his asserted rights do not conflict with the=20 best interests of his command. In this case they do, and for the=20 captain to put petty self-concerns before his duty, is an aspect I=20 have never seen of him in all the time of our acquaintance. I find=20 that to be the most disturbing and convincing evidence of all."=20 "Is this about you, or Jim?" McCoy asked, a definite edge to her=20 voice.=20 "It is about all of our welfare. Although my intellectual function=20 appears unaffected, not all of my cerebral functions are responding=20 as predicted; I must wonder if the Phenomenon is to blame. If you=20 find discrepancies within me, it may convince you order the captain=20 in for examination."=20 "Overall neurotransmitter levels normal," said McCoy. "Estrodyne and=20 metabolite levels appropriately higher; androdyne and metabolite=20 levels appropriately lower. There are thousands of individual loci=20 that could have been affected. It would take half a day to check=20 them all. Care to give me a hint? About you, I mean."=20 Spock hesitated. "The primary concerns I have noted are=20 telepathic. "=20 McCoy grunted and adjusted the settings. "All areas of the telepathy=20 center appear to be functioning as before the change. The locus=20 femina his transmeleidine activity at 18%, L-bysantyl activity at=20 49%. My biocomp calls that normal."=20 McCoy set down the scanner. "I hate to be the one to say, it Spock,=20 but as far as I can tell, you're thinking perfectly well."=20 "May I review the scans?" Spock twisted around to read the=20 mediboard.=20 "Don't trust me?" said McCoy.=20 "There is evidence that your thought processes have also been=20 affected."=20 "And just what gives you that idea?" McCoy bristled exactly like=20 usual, although perhaps an octave higher.=20 "Together we could have questioned the captain on his unjustified=20 decision not to be examined. In the past your own particular brand=20 of illogic has always spared your medical decision making, and I=20 have considered your scientific reasoning and methodology to be=20 imperfect, but generally sound. That is, until today."=20 To Spock's surprise, McCoy didn't snap. In fact, she touched his=20 hand. When Spock met her eyes, she found them soft and waiting=20 patiently. Spock turned his body back to her.=20 "In that case, maybe you should have a little more faith. People=20 don't change in a flash," said McCoy.=20 Spock eyed her female form meaningfully.=20 McCoy actually laughed. "You know what I mean, you pointed-eared=20 princess. I took an oath to follow Jim Kirk until I had a damned=20 good reason not to. Okay, maybe I would have run the study a little=20 differently, but we've barely started yet. We can hardly claim he's=20 obstructing anything. And as surprising as Jim Kirk's reasons may=20 be, he never does anything without a good one. I suggest you trust=20 him a little more--and me."=20 Spock stood his ground. "It is not logical to assume he is=20 unaffected."=20 McCoy conceded. "I'll grant you that. But it's also not logical to=20 assume he must be wrong. You say you've found my medical decisions=20 sound."=20 "Imperfect, but generally sound."=20 McCoy let it slide. "And I know you give your trust to Jim in every=20 respect that it is yours to give. Nothing wrong has actually=20 happened, Spock. I appreciate your concern, and I do see your point,=20 but I'm asking you to run with us on this. Have a little trust."=20 McCoy offered her hand.=20 Spock took it and used it to pull herself off the bed.=20 McCoy gave a crooked smile. She punched up the full analysis on the=20 biocomp. "Well, there's your brain. See anything out of order?"=20 Spock scrolled through the data. It was as McCoy had said. She=20 focused on the locus femina. The transmitter levels were quite=20 normal. For a bonded female.=20 "I am unsure," said Spock.=20 McCoy rolled her eyes. "You're kidding? And you're worried that I=20 sound different?" She hopped up on the biobed.=20 "Well, come on. You might as well do me next. If we don't find=20 anything, we'll start on the crew and the animals."=20 Spock picked up the scanner and set it for auto entry. "A sound=20 suggestion, Doctor."=20 ***=20 Eight hours later, Jim came into the biolab. "How's it going?" he=20 asked.=20 Was it just Spock's non-existent imagination, or was Jim's voice a=20 little deeper than before?=20 "Eighty-two crewmembers and ninety-seven lab animals studied:=20 results are identical. All erstwhile males have had the Y chromosome=20 removed and the X chromosome virtually duplicated--except for a few=20 introns difference. All erstwhile females have had the X chromosome=20 truncated into a Y. The sex chromosomes all now contain and=20 oscillation at 48.5 gigahertz of unknown significance. We are no=20 nearer to discovering why or how this occurred, and it goes without=20 saying, we have no theories on how it may be reversed," said Spock.=20 "Again, I request that you submit yourself for study. With no leads=20 so far, that would be the scientific approach. As you youself=20 recognized with Mr. Chekov after the Gamma Hydra IV exposure,=20 evaluating the exception is far more likely to yield new information=20 than continuing to compare affected individuals--"=20 Kirk gave a sharp shake of his head. "No."=20 "Captain, you put me in an untenable position. To ask me to solve a=20 problem and then withhold vital information is illogical, self- defeating and contrary to the success of your stated objective."=20 "Spock," McCoy began.=20 "Mister," Kirk stressed the first word ever-so-slightly. "I gave you=20 an order. Is that so hard to understand?"=20 "The order is not. The reasoning behind it is."=20 "I am not obligated to explain myself to you." Kirk's voice was calm=20 and cold with a fury few had ever heard. "You've followed my orders=20 before with less reason or insight."=20 "Even then there was a pattern to your illogic. Your tendency has=20 always been to put yourself at higher risk than protocol would=20 dictate. I have never before known you to act out of rampant self- interest as you are doing now.=20 "It is not logical that only one person out of 432 should be=20 excluded from a mutation phenomenon, and I must wonder if you have=20 been affected in ways that are not immediately obvious."=20 "Spock--" McCoy tried again.=20 "The only way I have been affected is to see what I should have seen=20 before. That I have a First Officer who balks at orders he doesn't=20 like and would make up excuses to turn on his captain and take=20 command. But you can't, because you're a woman now. Or have you=20 forgotten that, science officer?" said Kirk, with a foreign edge to=20 his voice.=20 "I have given you no cause to doubt my loyalty," said Spock=20 stiffly. "I am acting in the best interest of the crew. It is you=20 who are doing otherwise, and I officially request that Dr. McCoy=20 submit medical log entry on your fitness for command."=20 "I see." Kirk's face and tone were ice.=20 "Jim!" The roughness of McCoy's tone cut though the moment and made=20 McCoy sound almost like her old self. "Stop it! You knew this day=20 would come, and now it has, although probably not in the way that we=20 thought. I told you I'd support you as long as it didn't affect your=20 command. Now your own pig-headedness is doing just that.=20 "Spock isn't your enemy; she's your friend. I suggest you trust her,=20 because you can't keep this up anymore." McCoy grabbed his=20 shoulders. "Do you hear me Jim? It's time."=20 Kirk moved as if to shake off the touch, but the delicate feel of=20 his old friend's hands served to stop the motion before it really=20 began. He forced his body to relax, but his face remained tight.=20 After a long moment, McCoy let him go.=20 Kirk turned to Spock. "You're both right. I'm sorry. The truth is=20 that I have been changed."=20 Spock picked up the medscanner and ran it over her captain. "Forty- six normal chromosomes, including one X and one Y. I do not=20 understand."=20 "Don't you? As you said, it's not logical that I should be an=20 exception, and I'm not. The phenomenon changed me from a woman into=20 a man."=20 Spock's brow furrowed. "I do not understand the previous-- deception?"=20 "Don't you?" said Kirk, not bothering to keep the bitterness from=20 his tone. "Haven't you ever wanted something so badly that you were=20 willing to do anything? Turn your back on family, heritage and=20 tradition--to do anything at all to guarantee what you wanted?"=20 "Yes," said Spock easily.=20 "The only thing I've ever wanted from the earliest time I can=20 remember was to be a Starship captain, and that was one of the only=20 things I was told wasn't allowed. I couldn't change the rules, so I=20 changed a few things about myself instead. A little surgery, a=20 little biochemical manipulation, and voila." Jim gestured ruefully=20 across his body.=20 He drew his gesture in short. "Well, I suppose it's all real now,=20 but yesterday it was facade. In a way, it's as big a shock to me as=20 it is to everyone who is obviously changed. I've been so busy=20 pretending, I've almost forgotten what it's like to be real."=20 Spock studied him, a peculiar expression upon her face. "Surely=20 Starfleet medical exams are not so cursory."=20 Kirk smiled. "I made--friends--with the Starfleet entry physician.=20 My clitoris was enlarged to function sexually as a penis. The=20 scrotal implants seem quite real--if you don't look to closely or=20 too long. I took her--out, but we mostly stayed in--and when my exam=20 came up that week, she was convinced she had already had enough up=20 close and personal experience not to need to do the formal physical=20 or run the sex chromosome analysis.=20 "Boyce was an old friend of the family's and fully sympathetic. He=20 used his pull to get onboard with me. When he retired, I called up=20 another old friend." Kirk jerked his head toward McCoy. "And I think=20 you know the rest of the story.=20 "So," Kirk spread his hands. "Now you know your captain is illegal.=20 Now what?"=20 Spock nodded slowly. "Yes. It explains many things."=20 "Like what?"=20 Spock shook her head. "Nothing about your professional function,=20 which I continue to hold in the highest esteem. I was reflecting on=20 more personal concerns, nothing which we need address at this time.=20 "As for your question, I consider the issue moot. As you now=20 presumably fall within Starfleet captaincy guidelines, I see no=20 reason to take any action, in regard to the prior situation."=20 "And when we get changed back?" When, not if. This was the Kirk that=20 Spock had always known.=20 "If you say nothing then, you would be committing a violation." Jim=20 held Spock's eyes and waited.=20 "While it would not be my first choice, I have violated Starfleet=20 regulations for a deserving commanding officer, and will do so again=20 if need be.=20 "We have been acclaimed as the most successful command team in the=20 fleet, and it would be illogical to break up that dynamic on a=20 technicality. Given the option, I would elect to keep you here."=20 Jim clasped her on the shoulder, and Spock felt the same rush of=20 affection that she had felt ten thousand times before the reversal.=20 This time it did not confuse her. This time it finally made sense=20 and left her hopeful in an emotional way that she had not known=20 before. When she had time, she would analyze these emotions, temper=20 them and classify them where they belonged, but right now they would=20 do their jobs.=20 Jim's hand fell away.=20 "Hold out your arm," said McCoy.=20 "Huh?"=20 "We're still studying the mutations in individuals to look for=20 patterns--clues to how it works. Since you're here, you might as=20 well be next."=20 Jim stuck out his arm and McCoy sucked a blood sample up into a=20 hypotainer. "That it?" asked Jim=20 "For now," said McCoy, processing the specimen.=20 "Keep at it," said Kirk. He brushed his hand across Spock's back as=20 he passed out of Sickbay. "Scotty said he was not going to be caught=20 dead arriving at Starbase 18 in a minidress.=20 ~end part 1 of 2 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ASCEM messages are copied to a mailing list. Most recent messages can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCEML. NewMessage: