Chapter Text
“Here are the files you requested, Captain,” Spock stated, handing his PADD to Captain Pike.
Pike smiled at him as he accepted the tablet. “Right on time as always, Mr. Spock. Thank you.”
Spock nodded, turning back towards the science station.
Pike sighed as he stared out at the vast expanse of space. As much as he loved the excitement of chasing rogue ships or discovering new worlds on away missions, he appreciated the peace. They were on their way to celebrate the induction of a new planet into the federation and they were exactly on schedule. They’d just left spacedock and the Enterprise was in perfect working shape. Everything was going according to plan.
Pike glanced around, waiting for his thought to be immediately contradicted. After tempting fate so much he expected the ship to be sucked into a black hole or something of that nature.
But no. Everything seemed to be running smoothly.
Number One was working on some employee evaluations. Ensign Uhura was working on updating the universal translator with the language from the last new planet they visited. Ortegas and Mitchell were chatting about the latest additions to the new helm. La’an appeared to be researching a new phaser prototype. And Spock was—
A cry pierced the air.
Pike flew to his feet, whirling his head around to locate the source. It didn’t take him long to find his science officer, collapsed on the floor with his head in his hands.
“Spock!” Pike cried, rushing up to him.
The science officer was curled up in the fetal position on the floor of the bridge, muttering softly in Vulcan.
“T’hy’la…” he gasped as Pike reached his side.
“Spock? Can you hear me?” He asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Behind them, Number One called to sick bay, “Doctor M’Benga to the bridge!”
“T’nash-veh tel katelau. Au nam-tor dash-tor,” Spock muttered in Vulcan. Pike whirled to Uhura.
“Ensign, what’s going on with the universal translator?”
“I-I was updating it and it must have gotten temporarily turned off,” she stammered, frantically typing at the station. “Everyone was speaking standard so I didn’t notice. I’ll try to get it back on.”
Pike nodded, turning back to Spock.
Spock’s eyes were dark and wild, flitting back and forth as if he was seeing something no one else could. Considering how little they knew about what was going on, he might as well have been.
“Spock. Listen to me, okay? M’Benga is coming. Whatever is happening, we’ll figure it out. We just need you to tell us—”
Pike was cut off by Spock jerking forward, grabbing weakly at Pike’s face. Pike gasped as he was sucked into the most chaotic mind meld of his life.
Instead of the normally controlled and peaceful mind scape, he was thrown through memory after memory at a breakneck speed.
Images of Spock and another young man flooded his mind.
Sitting in the Starfleet Academy library together, stargazing through the viewing glass of a space station, sharing stolen glances in the halls, night long chess games and video calls, sweet nothings murmured into the darkness of their quarters, tearful goodbyes as they left to their respective ships…
The blond man’s laughter echoed through Pike’s mind as he was violently wrenched out of the meld.
La’an stood between the two of them, her phaser out and ready to stun. The bridge spun as Pike managed to stumble to his feet with the support of the railing, croaking.
“Stand down, La’an.”
“But sir—” she started.
“Stand down.”
As she lowered her phaser, the doors flew open and M’Benga rushed in, hyposprays in hand.
“T’hy’la. T’hy’la. T’hy’la,” Spock chanted as he grasped at his hair.
“What happened?” M’Benga asked, waving his tricorcer over Spock while checking vitals.
Pike’s head was still swimming with images of the mysterious man as Number One responded.
“We don’t know. He just screamed, fell down and started acting like this.” She gestured to the writhing half-Vulcan on the floor.
“We need to sedate him and get him to sickbay,” M’Benga muttered.
Spock’s head jerked up, eyes wide and frantic.
“No.” He gasped, the first coherent word he’d said in standard. “No. No I must— need—”
“Please, Lieutenant, we’re just trying to help…” M’Benga started softly, but Spock cut him off.
“No!”
Even in his pain addled state, Spock easily pushed M’Benga aside. The doctor was flung across the bridge as if he weighed nothing. Despite Pike’s protests, La’an and two more security officers rushed over to hold Spock down. He thrashed against the grip, crying out.
“Nash-veh bolau hal-tor tor ish-veh! Please—ah!”
Spock screamed as M’Benga jabbed the hypo into his neck.
Pike watched in horror as his science officer—his friend— was tranqued and held down like a wild, dangerous animal.
“Please…” Spock whimpered as his arms went slack. His dark eyes landed on Pike from across the room. Pike felt the images from before flickering faintly in his mind: The blond man smiling, cupping Spock’s face gently as he pulled him into a kiss.
“Chris…” Was the last thing Spock managed to choke out before his eyes fell closed and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Pike eyed the crowd forming around the commotion. The Vulcan was passed out on the floor, with the group of security officers surrounding him. La’an helped M’Benga to his feet before turning to the Captain, who waved them off as he straightened up.
“Take Spock to sickbay. I want a security team outside at all times. Com me when he wakes up or when you figure out what’s wrong.”
“Yes, Captain.” La’an and M’Benga nodded and they carried Spock into the turbo lift and off the bridge.
Pike collapsed onto the chair. The silence of the bridge hung over them, the light conversation from just a few moments ago gone. Pike rubbed his temples, the ghost of Spock’s meld still echoing through his mind.
“Captain?” Number One broke the silence. “If you need to go to your quarters…”
“I’m fine, Number One. Thank you,” He murmured, offering her a small smile.
She gave a curt nod, returning to her station.
Pike scrubbed a hand over his face, exhaling slowly. So much for everything running smoothly. That would be the last time he tempted fate like that on the bridge again.
He glanced back at the empty science station and his heart twanged. The stars flying past the screen didn’t fill Pike with the same awe as they did just moments ago.
“T’hy’la.”
He could still remember the way Spock screamed the word.
Turning to Uhura, Pike spoke.
“Ensign. I want you to get the translator up and running and get as much information on that word Spock kept saying. ‘T’hy’la’, I think.”
“I don’t need the translator sir. I know what it means.”
She hesitated and Pike gave her a look.
“…And?”
“Well… there’s no exact translation to standard. It can mean lots of things. Friend, brother.” She paused. “But the closest translation is probably… lover.”