In Valeris' Boots
by Salatrel
Series:TOS
Rating: G
Summary: This is based on a conversation thread on ASCEM in December
1999: If it were
Saavik instead of Valeris who played the betraying Vulcan student in
the
movie The Undiscovered country. After watching the movie a few times,
here
are a few speculations. The ##### denote an alteration from the
movie dialog
and plot.
Disclaimer: Well Paramount owns the characters but I own the computer
and I
am going to write, dammit!!! So what if none of us make any money off
this
deal...we are helping them keep the dream alive..so they should be
thanking
us!!
My gratitude to my fellow kitausa, Kiristeen for her helpful grammar
suggestions. Hard to believe that I was an English Major in college.
Thank
you to Gayle Potts for encouraging me in all that I write.
In Valeris' Boots
As a man of action, it was difficult for him to lie in ambush as
it were.
Under the woolen sickbay covers, he wrinkled his nose; assaulted
by his own
sour scent caused by weeks in captivity. James Kirk's heart hammered
within
his chest, blood pounded in his ears as he awaited his potential
assassin.
The light foot falls grew closer as the moment they had been waiting
for
approached: discovering the identity of the Judas on board HIS
ship.
He had hoped, for Spock's sake, that his instincts had been wrong.
The foot
steps halted at the soft "twing" of the small over head bio-bed
light.
For a moment the silence kept, and Kirk impatiently wondered what
his Vulcan
was waiting for? He sighed in relief as his first officer's
voice broke the
suspense.
"You have to shoot." The force behind Spock's words was enough
to make even
Kirk cringe. "If you are logical, you have to shoot, " The accusation
of
being less than Vulcanesque evident in Spock's normally calm voice.
Then the voice of the one he has hoped was not the betrayer, "I
do not want
to," was her level answer. Kirk's heart sank.
Fury rose in his first officer's voice, "What you want is irrelevant.
What
you have chosen is at hand!"
No longer able to wait for the signal, Kirk bolted upright, threw
off his
covers and interjected, "I would just as soon you didn't."
The placid face of the Vulcan/Romulan officer, looked from the
first officer
to the captain, her phaser still evenly poised at Spock's mid body.
Only a
raised brow disclosed her surprise, or was that delight, as he
revealed to
her his identity. She returned her reserved gaze back to
the first officer.
She made no further move; no provocation to incite him further.
Rage welled up within the Vulcan and he violently smacked the weapon
from her
grasp. It flew to the floor in a clatter. With his eyes blazing
and his teeth
gritted, Spock loomed over the small woman. The intense sense of
betrayal was
the worst sensation he had ever experienced. Not only had she betrayed
him,
but she had endangered the lives of his most treasured. Few things
could
provoke such a response in a Vulcan of Spock's mastery. It was
only by
enlisting all his skills that he was able to keep from striking
her dead
where she stood. How dare she!
"The operation is over," The stern voice of the Doctor broke the
passion.
Spock took that momentary distraction to reset his discipline and
quell his
rage over his Saavik-kam's treachery.
With her hands by her side, The calm Vulcanesque lieutenant stood
before the
entire bridge crew. Her face, an implacable unreadable mask. Hers
was the
only one not wearing a frown of profound disappointment, as the
surrounding
faces of those she had known of most of her life looked to her
now.
She too needed to exercise extreme mastery for these next few moments.
Having
gone this far into the operation, she was not about to compromise
her plans.
Not for the sake of others' approval. Her duty was still glaringly
apparent
to herself. Now was not the time to make it known to the others,
not just
yet. Not now..not when she was so close to her goal.
Saavik stood with certainty as she shouldered the accusing glances
of her
friends, comrades, cherished ones. For just a few more moments
she would have
to play her hand through. If *he* could be relied on to react in
the manner
she expected him to. Soon, very soon, her design would be known
to the only
one in the galaxy she could trust.
Every muscle in her lean frame was tense with anticipation. Anticipation
for
this to proceed as she has calculated. Though her mental shields
were up in
full force, the overwhelming emotional projections of those around
her were
so strong that they threatened to break through. However her skills
had been
honed and she was no longer the child they still considered her
to be.
She was an adult, and an officer; a loyal one at that. Later,
all would be
made aware of the personal cost, the sacrifice she had made for
this
operation. They must be made to understand, not now but later,
what her
supposed treachery had bought for them all. The needs of
the many out weight
the needs of the few or the one.
"I did not fire," Saavik stated the fact plainly. "You cannot prove
any
thing." Her gaze met the Captain's. He did not care for anything
she might
have to say in her defense. His only interest was in the betrayal
of himself
and his ship.
"At my trial" the Captain ran a hand over his raspy whiskered face.
He had
not even changed, his uniform bib a filthy dingy gray, a testament
to his
sojourn to Rura Penthe. "My personal logs were used against
me. How long did
you listen outside my quarters before I noticed you?"
Saavik remained unflappable, as she bore silent and detached witness
to the
pain in his eyes. Pain due to his imprisonment and for everything.
For a
moment, Saavik felt the regret flow through her being. She regretted
having
had to inflict this pain on James Kirk, but it had been part of
her plan. A
plan to save the federation from a deep seated rot that was beginning
to well
up from within. She knew this man would forgive all, once he knew
of her
honorable intentions. He, most of all, knew what it meant to suffer
the
greatest pains for the greatest of causes.
Saavik glanced at her mentor. "You knew?" Saavik tried to keep
the relief out
of her voice. Her intentional accidental misstep in this otherwise
flawless
scheme worked perfectly. Had she been just as predictable as he
had been? She
wondered to herself.
"I tried to tell you, but you did not to listen." Her words
almost tumbled
out, but she held her tongue. She wished to transmit this code
to her mentor.
Confident that he would pickup on her subtle cue, as long as his
emotions
would not cloud his logic for these next few crucial moments.
"Neither of us were hearing very well that night, Lieutenant."
Spock stepped
down from the dais and his Captain's side. Ready to pounce on this
traitor to
all that he had held dear. "There were things that I tried to tell
you: about
having faith."
**Must keep calm in the face of this great hope. ** Saavik
thought to
herself, not certain of the loyalty of those around. Any of them
could be the
next betrayer or spy in this great conspiratorial link. She longed
to cry
out. **I did hear you my teacher and that is why I have chosen
this path.**
############
"YOU have been betrayed by the Federation. All of you." Saavik
began her
practiced speech.
Emotions were running high as the Doctor voiced what all were thinking,
" And
what do you think you have been doing?"
Saavik looked to the doctor and stated perfunctorily, "Saving Starfleet."
Her
eyes searched to the doctor for trust. She knew how the circumstances
looked
at the present **If my life is to be the price for the salvation
of this crew
and the Federation, so be it** she thought. **No greater honor
than to die
for one's beliefs.**
She continued with her charade by delving into the past which she
and the
human Captain shared. "The Klingons cannot be trusted. Sir, you
said it
yourself. We have seen their treachery first hand. Experienced
it at the
point of a Klingon's dagger. Being human, I know that your feelings
for David
might possibly sway your perceptions."
Saavik saw how crest fallen he was at the mentioning of his son.
She too
shared the mourning of his loss of life. "Did you not want Gorkon
dead. Or
did I misinterpret you?" Her intent was to throw off any and all
observers of
the conspiracy. "And you were right. They conspired with us to
assassinate
their chancellor. How trust worthy can they be?"
Incredulously, Doctor McCoy again voiced what all were ashamed
to discover,
"Klingons and Federation members conspiring together?"
"It was US, " the Captain added in resignation.
With a quirk of a brow, Saavik complimented the Captain on his
astute
observation. "Everyone who stands to lose to peace," One must never
underestimate this man. She now relied on all to play their roles
as she had
predicted. Trusting to her logic, but hoping that some unforeseeable
event
would not interfere with all.
"Names lieutenant," Kirk commanded, still stunned by this entire
situation.
"I do not remember," Saavik replied after a moment of thought.
To give up her
information to quickly would provoke suspicions in any onlooking
spy.
"A lie? " Spock accused her again calling into question her logic.
"A choice." The Vulcan/Romulan officer turned away from her accusers.
She did
not to wish to share more than the necessary details to the outside
observer.
By her calculations, Spock would now force information from her.
It would be
then, within the privacy of their Vulcan mind meld, that she would
reveal her
true intentions. Her knees wanted to shake and her hands grew clammy
as she
awaited his mind force with growing anticipation.
"Spock, " Kirk commanded as if on cue. Saavik had no trouble keeping
the
smile off her face, but inwardly she felt relief as she saw that
these next
tense moment would play themselves through just as she had calculated.
Her eyes avoided his as he approached. He grabbed her by the arm
with more
force than was necessary, though there was no resistance to any
of his
overtures. Her complicity to the inevitable, evident for all to
witness. His
anger and extreme irritation still evident in his stern expression.
At
first, she looked away not wishing to insult him by witnessing
his lack of
mastery, though the cause was sufficient. With a firm jerk of her
arm, he
brought her attention to his face as if saying, look at me! Her
gaze locked
with his. Patient restraint meeting his contained fury.
Warm fingertips spidered along the side of her face as he sought
the neural
points along her skull. Once in proper placement, he let loose.
His presence
lanced through her mind searing her nerves. So many times she had
experienced
his calm presence while in training. But this was different: the
power of the
Vulcan mind in all its primal fury. THIS was the reason of the
passion's
mastery and Saavik burned from within.
The information he required was at the forefront of her mind. It
was simple
for him to extract it without difficulty. In his anger, he chose
to associate
the gathering with force and pain. But the pain was nothing to
the
Romulan/Vulcan officer.
The admiral and the conspiracy had asserted that a Vulcan had loyalty
and
that Spock would never suspect. But she knew better, all the evidence
pointed
to her. There had been no way to deny. It was only a matter of
time before
she would be flushed out, therefore there was no logic in withholding
the
details of the conspiracy any longer. The time was right to reveal
all to
Spock within the privacy of their meld and she allowed herself
to feel relief.
With his anger still raging through him, Spock spoke aloud the
names she held
within her mind. Secret faces and unknown conspiracies. She relinquished
the
names of their undoing.
"Admiral Cartwright," Spock's raspy voiced overpowered her whispered
confession.
"General Chang," Saavik began to lose awareness of the bridge crew,
becoming
lost in the pain and the exposure to his powerful presence.
Almost there my
mentor, she thought.
"Who else?" Kirk demanded
"Romulan Ambassador...Veneal..." The pronunciation of the Romulan's
name was
lost, as she shared with Spock her impression of how that one held
a
particular irony for her. She, the one who had her heart broken
but forged by
the Rihannsu.
Kirk's voice broke through their mental world, "Where's the peace
conference?" His teeth clenched as his query was met with silence.
His
impatience burst through in his repeated urgent demand, "Where's
the peace
conference?!"
Saavik felt the tugging of his impatience, as he compelled her.
Spock's
overwhelming demand caused Saavik to rear her body back slightly,
but she
regained her composure. Without betraying any outward appearance.
Deep within their concentration, she felt his fingers capture the
other side
of her face in the attempt to extract her thoughts. He allowed
her no room
for escape. Nothing was closed to his power as he swept through
her mind,
flinging open all the doors. His magnificent presence enveloped
and invaded,
filling her with his rage, singeing her mind with his fire and
pain. All the
while Saavik stood stoic, never betraying her inner violation.
Spock rifled through the contents of her mind, flying past memories
in his
frenzied search for the information he required. Shared memories
breezed past
them. Shoes refused to be worn. For a millisecond, his mind acknowledged
that
image, her resolution and his humor of the barefoot girl. Then
the Kobayashi
Maru...David...Their joining at the Genesis planet..His recognition
of her
after the fal-tor-pan... Their reunion in his quarters as they
shared the
ale. For that single moment, they had reverted to the student/teacher
dynamic
which they both so cherished. Now this....
Saavik steeled her mind to his agonizing. There was no information
to give,
but he insisted that she knew and he had to be sure. He did not
ask
forgiveness for this search of her mind, but merely took what he
required,
leaving her mind scorched in his wake. He was ruthless in the pursuit
of the
truth and would not take no for an answer. But it was no wonder.
She had been
misleading him all these weeks.
Her silence was met with more pain, excruciating. But Saavik knew
pain. She
was born and bred to it. Pain greater than Spock had even
known. Greater
than his death throes, greater than his mating passions, greater
than the
refusion of his mind and body in the fal-tor-pan, even greater
pain than this
forced meld was bringing him.
As it was, he was seeking his revenge. He ignited her pain receptors
to fire.
But she did not resist.
<<Where is the conference, Saavik!!>> he demanded in her
mind. For the
moment, nothing else existed for her except this resounding demand.
The bridge crew bore silent painful witness to this usually private
exchange.
But the situation was grave, and drastic and they had run out of
time. To
force this meld was unconscionable even immoral by Vulcan standards.
Everything within Spock cried out this is wrong. But the need was
great..greater than her rights?
Saavik's brain blazed, her eyes watered as she held her mentor's
gaze for
long moments before having to blink. His dark intense eyes bore
deep into
hers. Her own gaze was neutral, untroubled. As if this mind ripping
was not
indeed happening. She did not offer the information because there
was nothing
to tell. Her continued silence was not her refusal nor a lie. Then
her eyes
steeled, matching his force with resolute conviction, with a gaze
as piercing
as his own. Her body and face quaked in the great effort to mange
her pain,
rising above the concerns of her body. A trickle of perspiration
streamed
over her cheek. In her mind, she made her last stand.
<>
With that knowledge, Spock ceased the pain. He knew the information
was not
there. And he began to realize that his efforts were being exerted
more to
break her, to make her pay. He let up the pressure, and in that
split second
she opened the flood gates and her plan from the beginning poured
forth and
he instantly knew...
How Cartwright had forced her hand in this matter. The Romulan
Ambassador
knew that she had been a child of Hellguard. She had never
met the Klingon
nor had she cared to. By her own calculations, she knew it
would fail when
Cartwright had first approached her about it. But she accepted
her roles
nevertheless, in the attempt to shake loose this rot in the Federation.
Cartwright believed that he had chosen well in Saavik. How her
being Vulcan
and a faithful pupil of Spock, would allow her to rise above suspicions.
Cartwright made the presumption that Spock's own loyalties and
judgment would
be clouded by his association and regard for Saavik. How wrong
and arrogant
the human had been.
Spock revealed to her that she had been the only logical suspect
from the
beginning. The only person who had been capable and had the
opportunity to
successfully complete this. He shared with his Saavik-kam his relief
that she
was indeed still on his side. She shared with him her sense which
had carried
her through this ordeal. Now Spock would not force her hand before
it was all
played through. Faith...this subtle but overwhelming sentiment
bound them.
They emerged from the meld, agreeing to continue with the charade
until Spock
could fulfill his mission. He released her, exhausted himself.
Spock's' voice quivered, "She does not know."
He announced to his captain and his crew, keeping profound disappointment
evident in his voice. She watched her teacher in his moment of
defeat. She
beheld him so bare and stripped of his mastery for this spit second.
If she
had the information she would have give in to him just to cease
this
distasteful display and restore his honor to him. But it was a
fleeting
moment and it quickly passed as the Commander reasserted himself
back to his
austere Vulcan self.
The chief engineer this time voiced their greatest fears, "Then
we are dead!"
Saavik looked to the floor retaining her composure. If there were
other
spies, they would never know how she had in those split seconds
revealed her
true tactics. How Spock had discovered that Saavik had not been
the
instrument of their destruction but rather their savior in all
of this. Spock
stalked away from her, he too continuing with the pretense of her
guilt.
Once Captain Sulu's image disappeared from the viewscreen, relating
to them
the information their required, Spock escorted his pupil to the
brig. In
somber silence, the pair shared their relief in thwarting the plan
which
almost destroyed them all. But Saavik's one reliance through all
of this, was
her ability to anticipate Spock.
Of all those Spock knew, this one held a most cherished part of
his soul. The
discovery of her betrayal had elicited within him the greatest
ancient
passions and her revealment of her true mission caused him the
greatest joy.
He followed her to the brig and made a show of forcing another
meld from her,
letting any and all spies see. Once inside their own world of the
mind, he
delved into her mind more fully. He now saw all that had transpired
while he
and his father had been preoccupied with the Klingons. Had he been
duped by
those he had trusted? His flaw was that he had hoped. Was that
foolish? Was
he losing his edge?
Saavik reassessed him that he was a bastion of hope in these dark
time and
that all needed to look to him for proper conduct. Not to
approach others
with fear but with curiosity, opportunities for peace and further
enlightenment. Infinite Diversity in infinite combinations. That
was how she
had approached the Admiral's offering.
Together they shared her deep mourning for taking the lives of
the two
assassins of Gorkon. In full logic, Saavik explained the loss of
their lives,
<<According to my orders, you were to be killed sooner. This
was my way of
insuring your continued existence.>>
As Spock had come closer to the truth, they had been notified of
the next
phase of the mission: Spock's assassination. She had thwarted that
attempt on
his life by subverting her own beliefs. Spock extended to
her his gratitude
as she reenacted the scene for him. There had been no other way,
her mission
would have failed and the Federation might have sunk into war,
if the lives
of these two men had not been taken.
Now Spock would do what was needed to finish what had been started
the moment
of the explosion of Praxis.
<<A logical choice,>> Spock commended to his student, conveying
Vulcan pride
in her duties.
Still immersed within their silent telepathic meld, Saavik replied,
<>
Still continuing with the charade, Spock retreated from the brig
with all due
haste. He sauntered down the hall considering the events of the
past few
months, weeks, days hours and minutes. All the while giving silent
thanks to
his Saavik-kam for restoring his faith....
The End
Feedback cheerfully accepted at Salatrel@excite.com
