Reflections

By Wolvester

I don't own Star Trek or anything else. No money is made off of this story. It's my own brand of stress relief. I am Dyslexic and truly can't "see" some of the glaring errors that offend some readers. If you can't stand spelling mistakes, grammatical error, and words used in the wrong context – my stories might not be for you. Special thanks to my beta reader Fate2017! Enjoy!

Summary: A new race has been sent to determine the weaknesses of all known species and the crew of the Enterprise just became the latest part of the collection representing the Federation. Established Spock and Uhura. Kirk/Spock/ McCoy friendship. All the bridge crew will be seen and heard from before it's over.

Chapter 5: The Sound of Silence

When Kirk got to Sickbay, he almost got bowled over by two nurses running to one of the Vulcan women's bedside. The scene was crazy. All of the Vulcanoids were convulsing, and they all had a silver substance oozing out of their ears or noses. Their bodies were expanding and contracting before his eyes. McCoy was at Spock's bedside, shouting directions in six other directions at once.

Spock wasn't awake. He had burns on one side of his face and the silver stuff was coming out of his ears. He was convulsing, and the bio bed alarm was blaring. McCoy was spinning dials on a hypospray and plunged it into Spock's neck. The convulsing and the bed alarm finally stopped.

He adjusted the hypospray and repeated the process on the big Romulan, the two other males, and the two women. A nurse had knocked out three of the kids. They all had bands on their heads as well. One small body was covered in a white sheet stained with green blood.

Without warning, all of the headbands made a clicking sound and fell off the wearer's head. Korthos alone, was awake. He was pale and bleeding, but he was awake.

Kirk approached him slowly. He made sure the Klingon knew he was coming. Kirk noted one of the Vulcanoid women held his attention. He also note two of the kids were mixed with the Klingons.

Kirk got one of the Nurse's attention, and a transport chair was produced. Korthos met Kirk's eyes as he sat in it, and was wheeled to the woman's side. Korthos aligned his first two fingers with the unconscious woman's in a Vulcan manner. Kirk had seen Spock and Uhura do that hand thing from time to time, and knew he had guested correctly. This woman meant something to the Klingon Captain. Korthos' challenged Kirk to make a comment with his eyes.

Kirk didn't rise to the challenge. It just explained why he wouldn't leave without the others, or the kids. Kirk said. "I need you to tell me what you know about these Driggins, and what happened to the other Vulcans and Rolumans in this place. Any information you have might help us save their lives."

Korthos nodded. "I want Commander Kalas and Security Chief Kothan brought in here as well. I am a dead man, and they will not take your word, Human. They need to hear my tale themselves or you will have war with the Empire and the true enemy will still live."

Bones said. "You need blood. Can they bring it over, as well as any medicines you have, for fighting infections?"

The two Klingons were brought on board. They were escorted by four guards, but everyone was nervous. The two relaxed a little when they saw their Captain. Both Klingons saluted. Korthos waved, but didn't attempt to stand nor did he move his hand from the Vulcan woman's bed. Scott joined the impromptu meeting as well as Mr. Chekov.

Korthos told them of the games and the forced breeding of all of the Enforcers. He explained that only a victor in the cage was allowed to live. Then the victors fought each other and finally faced off against an Enforcer. He and the six Vulcanoids were the current Enforcers. The Driggins were slaves to a race called the Dominion. They were the real threat, and they were coming. They wanted to enslave all the races in the cages and they had done so with more than a dozen races, if the Driggins were to be believed. The big Driggin was a Master. He could control the pain headbands. Any telepath was fitted with a control band. All Enforcers were given the drugs that brought about a physical metamorphism in the victim. They drugs were toxic, and killed them from the inside out.

Kirk asked. "How long had this been going on? We were called in when several of our ships disappeared in the area. We believe we have recovered the missing Andorians and Tellarites. We didn't know about the Vulcans, Orions, Romulans, or yourselves."

Korthos coughed, but answered. "The Romulans were the first to be captured. Tork believed that they had been there for at least two years, but it is easy to lose time in the cages. Tork, T'Nara, and T'Kas were the last of his crew. None of us have seen T'Kas in weeks. She is most likely dead. The drugs were changing her into a she cat and her stripes had begun to mark her face. When this happened before, the other Romulans died. They had been there the longest of any of us. The Vulcan exploration ship was next, then our warbird. I don't know the order between your pig men, blue devils, or green fools. You Humans were last. Commander Kalas? My ship is yours upon my death. You will fly her to the Empire and warn them. They must know of these cursed Driggins. You will also send a recorded message to the Romulans home world with Kirk, confirming his statement on this Account. This was blood pledged to Tork and T'Nara, and will be honored."

McCoy said. "No one is dying on my watch. Tell us what you know of these drugs."

Korthos smiled, exposing the points of his teeth. They were stained pink with his blood. "We are all dead men and women. Once the Driggin's silver poison flows from our blood, we will die of any fatal injury we received in the caged. Your young Vulcan halfling warned us of this possibility before we left the cages. We all agreed, since it is better to die free than live as a slave. The other halfling must go with you, Kirk. They would be killed in either Empire. Half breeds are not tolerated, or they are second class slaves. Your halfling said you would take them and they wouldn't be slaves in your Federation. This is true?"

Kirk nodded. The monitor above Tork's head sounded, and his vitals began a nose dive. Bones cursed and grabbed his tricorder. He was barking orders to his staff.

Korthos watched. "You can't save him. He had begun to transform into his final form. He has fur and a tail now. Only one other survived to this stage, according to Tork. His final wish is to see his Son before his death. Honor that request Kirk. Your halfling gave his Word."

Kirk asked. "Which child is his? How does he even know?"

Korthos replied. "He can now smell his halfling Son. The older baby boy is his Blood. The baby girl is mine and T'Sina's. I don't know the blood relationship of the others young halfling, but there existence proves we weren't the first the Driggins caught. We are just the first to escape and tell the tale. Your halfling is a smart, pointy eared Bastard. He should have been born Klingon! I have never met a green blood who can fight as well as him."

Kirk had a nurse get the baby boy and another get the baby girl. Korthos took his daughter. She stopped crying as soon as he held her in his arms. Korthos said. "You will find a home were she will not be hated for her Klingon blood!" He ignored his crews shocked expressions, and growled at them. Both men stopped staring at the half Klingon half Vulcan girl, as if she was a crazy science experiment.

Kirk watched Bones work and asked. "How did you all escape?"

Korthos told the tale of how Spock had beaten Tork in the arena. No one had ever beaten him. Spock refused to kill the Romulan, even with the bands active on his head. Spock had refused to kill anyone, but kept knocking his competition with nerve pinches or blunt force. The Master punished Spock for his disobidience, but didn't execute Tork. When Spock was thrown back in the cage with them, his back was whipped raw and he had several injuries. Spock had also formulated an escape plan.

Scotty confirmed the timetable was consistent for when Spock had contacted them on the Enterprise. The drugs had indeed made Spock sick. He was puking blood and Korthos had thought their escape was going to die with the Vulcan Human hybrid, but when it was time to move, Spock played his role and did his part.

The cages that held the Enforcers had replicators. Spock had reprogrammed one, and hacked into the main system. At night, he worked his computer magic. The first thing he did was change the formula for the darts they all received. It had taken two weeks. Once their minds were free of the drugs, everyone agreed to Spock's plan of escape.

The existence of the children had changed their escape plan. Spock had adapted and organized them into three teams. He knew the ships layout, and had them blow up both the weapons and engine room. They hadn't known there was more than one Master on the ship. They had killed the first Master before freeing the crews from try cages. They had been on their way to the last shuttle, when the second Master had stopped them.

Bones had gotten Tork stable, but conceded his condition wasn't the greatest. When the large Romulan woke up, his son was the first thing he saw in the nurse's arms. He was bleeding from several wounds that kept opening all over this body. Bones couldn't seal them fast enough and the big man was bleeding to death. Bones and three other doctors were sealing the wounds.

Tork only stared at his son as they worked on him. He made no sounds. He raised an arm and Bones tried to stop it, until he saw the man wanted to hold his child. A sling contraption was produced from somewhere, and the baby boy was placed in it and around Tork's neck and his arm.

When Tork spoke, green blood flowed freely from his mouth as he did. "Thank you Human, for saving my Son. Spock said you have honor Kirk. My last sister may live, I kept her from the cage most days. Warn the Empire? They must know of this threat. Our kinsman went missing, and we were searching for them. The oldest boy is from my Clan. I believe him to be my Brother's child mixed, with Vulcan. Half breeds had no place in the Empire, and Vulcan half breeds are killed on sight once discovered. Spock said you would take them all in the event of our deaths regardless of their parentage."

Tork was coughing blood now as he spoke. It was painful to watch the big man try to breathe. Kirk replied. "As Commander Spock said, we will find good homes for all the Hybrid children. They will not be killed and we don't have slaves in the Federation. Your Son and Nephew will be well cared for, if needed."

Bones broke in. "Jim, I'm gonna knock him out to slow down his heart. It's going too fast, even for him, and he's gonna stroke out if I don't."

Tork's last view was of his Son, as he passed out. The nurse moved the baby Boy, and put him back into the make shift nursery that had been set up in the Sickbay. All the kids were telepathic and had to be near the adults or they would start to cry.

The monitor over Spock's head started to beep, and the bed alarm sounded. Bones ran for the bed and Kirk was on his heels. Spock was bleeding from deep gashes across his back, and greenish yellowish bruises covered his temples and psi points on his face. Bones was screaming for some medical equipment. Spock was beginning to convulse again. Bones was trying to hold him flat, but was no match for the young Vulcan's strength. Kirk, Chekov, and Scotty joined in, and so did the four security guards that escorted the Klingon's crew members. It wasn't going to be enough. Spock was still rising off the bed with the convulsion and taking all 8 Humans with him.

You could have knocked Kirk over with a feather when Korthos told his men to assist them. The two Klingon officers grabbed Spock's legs and held him fast to the bed. Bones picked himself off the floor and finally he and a nurse were able to get Spock in restraints.

McCoy grabbed an ice pack for his own head, and ordered all of the Vulcans and Rolumans restrained. He turned to Korthos. "It's time for you to go get back in bed, Captain. I want to strap you down as well. You aren't a prisoner but as those drugs work out your system; my staff isn't gonna be able to hold you down anymore than we can hold Spock. You staff is welcome to stay, since I might need their muscles to help hold you down."

Kirk asked. "Bones? Can you stop their reaction from the drugs?"

McCoy said. "Spock sent over the data he could find on the drugs to Scotty. Korthos is right, they are all gonna bleed from old wounds, but if I can repair those wounds as they come and keep everyone from stroking out, I don't think coming off the drugs will be fatal to everyone. It depends on the wound the individual has and the damage done to his or her heart. We can fix and repair a lot of things with the right tools. Tork has been on the drugs the longest. Due to his sheer size, the Driggins pumped a ton of the drugs into him and his body is the biggest mess. Spock is next after him. This shit is reeking havoc on his hybrid system. If we can get the Vulcans in healing trances, they have a chance. I don't know if Romulans can do that trick."

He turned to the Klingon captain and his officers. "I don't know your physiology. Can you have your ships doctor beam over?"

Kalas answered. "Our medical staff was all killed, but I have a female that did assist a doctor in a field accident. She will assist you now and bring over more blood."

Kirk had communications opened up and Kalas sent the request. The woman was beamed directly to sickbay. She clearly wasn't happy to be around so many Humans, but Commander Kalas told her of her new job. The woman saluted and she got to work.

McCoy was impressed. "Never thought I would see the day I have Klingons and Romulans in my Sickbay, and we're not trying to blast each other to Hell."

Uhura's monitor beeped and she woke up. Spock was the first person she saw and that made her try to sit up. McCoy stopped her. "Easy Uhura. The Hobgoblin has already knocked me on my ass once today, so you stay put and lie down. I don't need your over protective Hobgoblin of a Husband looking to kick my ass because you passed out on my watch."

"Is Spock ok?" Uhura asked. He looked terrible.

"I'm working on it, so you lie down. I need to know when he's about to wake up. He had to go into a healing trance. Can you pass that along to him if I take off your psi dampener?"

"Yes" Uhura said. She linked her hand with her Husband's bandaged ones. Korthos was watching them closely.

He spoke from his bed. "How will you tell him to heal? Is this something I can do for my Woman?"

Uhura gave a little start when she saw a Klingon laying in the bed with the others, but she noted his two fingers on the Vulcan woman's hand in her bed. "Are you two Bonded?"

Korthos meet her eyes and said. "Yes. That is the term she uses. She has spoken in my mind when the were guards around, and then more often once your halfling changed the darts. I could speak to her if she allowed it, but mostly there is a rope that connects us. I know when she is near sometimes, but she is aware of me always."

Uhura told him how to focus in on the rope that connected him to his Bondmate's mind. Uhura had him look at the Vulcan symbols for a healing trance on the computer. She told him how to put the Vulcan symbols in the forefront of his mind, so T'Sina's mind would see it when she began to wake up and instinctively reached for him mentally.

With the exception of Korthos and Tork, all Vulcans and Romulans were in healing trances by the end of the day. Korthos' people donated the blood he needed to survive. They also had some antibiotics they provided for him.

Tork died during the night of a massive heart attack despite Doctor McCoy's efforts. He hadn't woken up again after seeing his Son.

McCoy got the captain's permission to do autopsies on both him and the child. It might help the others if he could understand what the drugs did to their bodies. Spock was still in the most danger. Medically, he was a law unto himself. The drug mix he had the Vulcanoids on would get him disbarred on any federation planet under normal conditions.

All three ships were waiting. The Orions, Tellerites, and Andorians wanted to leave the area but were unwilling to do so without the Enterprise escorting them. The Klingons wouldn't leave until their captain was either healed or dead. They needed Bones and Sickbay to keep him alive. The last surviving Roluman female was asleep in a healing trance.

Everyone was going to have to wait until and if they all woke up.

Back to the Present

Kirk was looking at the monitors in Bone's office. He waited until the CMO had sit down with his coffee. Bones really needed some sleep; he had been on call until his head nurse threatened to have him declared medically unfit for duty if he didn't rest for at least four hours.

McCoy met Kirk's eyes. "The drugs attack their nervous system and make them transform in to their basic genetic code, pre evolution. Basically, different types of felines for the Vulcanoids and canines for the Klingons. Those last set of darts were a pure cut of the drug. Some of the darts came back to the ship when we transported them here. The Driggins were trying to stop them, even if it killed them. All of them got hit at least once. Tork was hit multiple times. I don't know why he didn't drop dead of a heart attack on the Driggins ship. Spock's science teams are taking the darts apart to see if the effects can be reversed that way. The headbands fried their telepathic receptors when they went white and the Master's were silver. It was a strong enough output to kill them. It did kill the child. All of them currently have scarring on their psi points. I can't begin to say what that is gonna do until one of them wakes up. I don't believe it's permanent, so it should heal with time. "

Kirk nodded and turned back to the room with Spock and Uhura. "How's he doing? He still looks terrible."

Bones made a face. "Spock's still the worse of them now. He had an allergic reaction to the first medicine I put him on to control his racing heart rate. This is on top of the damage those damn drugs did to his system. He's fighting an infection on his back from were they whipped off half of his back skin. His stomach was half full of blood. He has a full blown Human ulcer which is a neat trick for a Vulcan. Korthos confirmed Spock spent two weeks puking mostly blood in the cell. It's a miracle he beat Tork in any kind of a fight. I've fixed the ulcer, but clearly he needs to put on some weight. I'm assuming Tork was the reason he had two broken ribs. they have also been fixed. Uhura confirmed he 'feels' different in her head since he was exposed to that red headband from the second Master. The drugs I have him on will cause him some pretty bad dreams. I don't dare shut down his telepathy, so we might have some more cases of psionic bleeding from him. I can't say I'm looking foreword to that prospect. I know this cot tail is going to give him nightmares. I really don't want to know what scares the Hobgoblin. Uhura isn't going to be able to keep his mind at rest. She's not a telepath, and she can't maintain Spock's shields for him. I could really use a Vulcan healer right now."

Kirk grimaced when Bones said that last part. He still had a slight headache from the when the big Driggin turned the headband red on Spock the first time. He wasn't the only one either with an unexplained headache. Bones suspected Spock had broadcasted his pain to at least 21 people and knocked out Uhura when the red glowing headband had been activated. The degree if the headache varied, but the telling sign was it didn't go away entirely.

The one thing all of people had in common, was they were close associates of the Vulcan. Kirk suspected the folks Spock considered his friends had just been identified. He kept that comment to himself. McCoy already knew it and there was no point in saying it out loud. His two best friends had a strange friendship between them, but they did respect each other's privacy whenever possible.

The official record stated it was an unknown psi discharge. Bones hadn't assigned to Spock, after all they had four other adult telepaths on the ship with faulty mental shields plus five untrained telepathic kids.

Later that night, several people were woken up when Spock dreamed of Narada and the destruction of Vulcan. Kirk had never really known that Spock had actually felt the six billion Vulcan's mind extinguishing when his home world had collapsed on itself. After Kirk had finished throwing up his dinner, he made his way to Sickbay. Based the view of the nightmare it could have only been from Spock's perspective; he alone had made the mad dash to save the High Console.

Bones was helping Uhura back from the bathroom. Uhura was pale and her eyes were red from her tears. All the half Vulcan kids were crying and shaking. Various staff was trying to get them to calm down. Korthos was awake as well. He was pale and the offer of water had the man puking again. He also was nursing a headache as well.

Chekov came to Sickbay, white as a sheet. Bones shot him with something and the young man said. "Doctor, I believe I might have a suggestion that could help. We could build a psi dampener and put it in von of the semi private rooms. It would keep any of the telepaths from projecting unintentional. You could also turn up the heat for him...I mean any of them." Mr. Chekov had been very careful to not name Mr. Spock, his friend, as the source of his sickness.

Kirk smiled at the teenager. Spock was Chekov's hero and mentor. The young man had an I.Q. that made him speak Spock's language. The two could compare theories at a rate that didn't slow down the Vulcan. In short, Spock didn't treat Chekov like a child. He treated him as a peer and Chekov appreciated it.

Scotty said from the door of Sickbay. "Aye, it would and it wouldn't interfere with the Lass as long as she's in the room with him. It would keep him from projectin' ta the wee ones as well as us." He was still rubbing his head after Bones shot him with a hypospray.

Kirk ordered the two of them to build the device. They had it finished in less than two hours. No one else was awoken my Spock from then on. They ended up building another one for T'Sina, who was also a strong telepath. She projected something that also made all of the children cry and made Korthos break out in a cold sweat and vomit again before morning. The nurse reading her monitor and checking her bandage at the time had been knocked out.

Korthos believed the woman was a Healer of some kind. McCoy wanted her to wake up. If she was a Healer she might be able to help Spock and the others.

To be continued.

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