![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Tumblr crosspost (30 January 2025)
It’s well past midnight, but I felt like doing another piece of the femslash Spirk AU for WIP Wednesday (surprising no one) and what came out was … T'Pring POV? This is, of course, set in the direct aftermath of S'paak’s pon farr (as sketched out here), but in an AU version of “Amok Time”:
As a girl, T’Pring had harbored an irrational, and thus regrettable, envy of t’sai S’paak. She had resented S’paak’s status as the daughter of Sarek, and her superior performance on certain mathematical examinations given in childhood, especially as S’paak was but half a Vulcan. In a little time, of course, T’Pring overcame such childish emotions, and thirty years later, she regarded S’paak only as the obstacle to her own desires.
The death of the Starfleet captain sufficed well enough for her plans; indeed, she had considered this the most likely eventuality. The body of the captain and the doctor were transported to their ship, and S’paak, clearly rational once more, walked over to speak to T’Pau and Stonn—mainly T’Pau. T’Pring could not hear them from where she stood, but Stonn did not communicate any failures of their plan to her.
Before she could think further on any of it, S’paak strode directly over to T’Pring herself, perhaps due to information received from Stonn or T’Pau, or perhaps no more than her own deductions. It would not take great acuity of observation to recognize T’Pring’s hand in the proceedings, after all: certainly less than S’paak had always possessed.
T’Pring was not afraid. She lifted her head and met S’paak’s eyes, both of them smooth-faced and unflinching. Whatever human qualities S’paak might have inherited from her mother were nowhere in evidence.
“T’Pring,” said S’paak, “I am wondering why you sought my death, or that of my captain.”
The death of the Starfleet captain sufficed well enough for her plans; indeed, she had considered this the most likely eventuality. The body of the captain and the doctor were transported to their ship, and S’paak, clearly rational once more, walked over to speak to T’Pau and Stonn—mainly T’Pau. T’Pring could not hear them from where she stood, but Stonn did not communicate any failures of their plan to her.
Before she could think further on any of it, S’paak strode directly over to T’Pring herself, perhaps due to information received from Stonn or T’Pau, or perhaps no more than her own deductions. It would not take great acuity of observation to recognize T’Pring’s hand in the proceedings, after all: certainly less than S’paak had always possessed.
T’Pring was not afraid. She lifted her head and met S’paak’s eyes, both of them smooth-faced and unflinching. Whatever human qualities S’paak might have inherited from her mother were nowhere in evidence.
“T’Pring,” said S’paak, “I am wondering why you sought my death, or that of my captain.”
Her voice was appropriately unwavering.
“Stonn wanted me,” T’Pring replied, “and I wanted him.”
S’paak considered her in much the fashion that T’Pring had, long ago, seen her consider unexpected behaviors from a rare insect. “I see no logic in this.”
That did not surprise T’Pring. There was a logic to desire, but few understood it, and from all she had seen of Sarek’s daughter over the years, she suspected that S’paak understood it less than most.
“You have become much known among our people, S’paak—almost a legend,” T’Pring said calmly. “Stonn had come to know that he did not wish to be consort to a legend, and I desired him as mine. You have conducted yourself such that he had no basis for divorce except the kal-if-fee.”
S’paak studied her with little change, except that she locked her hands behind her back in the usual fashion of Starfleet officers. Despite the impracticalities of dress imposed on the women of Starfleet, and despite S’paak’s specialization in the sciences, T’Pring found her demeanor distinctly martial. She was not certain if this should be considered a failure on S’paak’s part, or further proof of success.
“Stonn is your inferior in reason, forethought, and most areas of expertise,” S’paak remarked. “It is clear to me that this endeavor must have been planned by you, rather than him, but not why you would bear so much inconvenience for nothing more than him.”
T’Pring was not susceptible to flattery, but she did not object to the respect she was due. She inclined her head.
“Yes, it was I who told him what he must do,” she said. “I do not desire him for his skill at logic, though it is adequate. I find his face and form pleasing. He accommodates my preferences in the ways I wish, rather than the ways that others wish for me. Also, freed from his betrothal to you, his property and name would be his to give once more, and they are suitable to my standing among our people. I found these reasons persuasive, and the proximity of your and his pon farr made the best approach obvious to me.”
“Is that so?” said S’paak, looking down at T’Pring with no further movement than the necessary motions for speech and observation. Her face looked paler than usual, but the light had shifted enough that this could be no more than a subjective impression.
T’Pring nodded. “I judged that if your captain had been the victor,” she explained, “she would not want Stonn nor make an acceptable match for him. He would be free, and so I would have him. If you were the victor, you would free him over the insult of the challenge and such a choice of champion, and again, I would have Stonn. Even if you had not freed him, all evidence indicated that you would be gone in your Federation vessel as soon as your pon farr had passed, and remain absent for another seven years, while Stonn would be here.”
She did not think she needed to elaborate further, though S’paak’s pause was just long enough that T’Pring considered the possibility of misjudgment.
“Logical,” said S’paak. “Flawlessly logical.”
“I am honored,” T’Pring said, and meant it.
S’paak glanced over at Stonn, who still spoke with T’Pau, the very slight rise and fall of his words decorous enough, if not equal to the self-command of T’Pau or T’Pring, or S’paak. T’Pau did not seem impressed, but then, she rarely faltered enough to seem anything.
“We should join T’Pau,” S’paak told her, “in order to finalize these desired arrangements. I am, for a time, commanding officer of the Enterprise, and I must depart soon.”
T’Pring assented, and followed S’paak’s longer stride across the rock and sand to where T’Pau sat in state. Stonn glanced quickly at them both, not visibly anxious, but betraying himself nevertheless. The law of Surak made allowances for extraordinary situations, so T’Pring did not disapprove greatly. She made the customary courtesies to T’Pau and waited for the fruition of her plans.
“Stonn, you are free,” said S’paak. She turned to T’Pring. “He is not your equal, but he is yours. After a time, however, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.” Before T’Pring, or anyone, could reply, S’paak flipped open her communicator and said more briskly, “S’paak here. Stand by to beam up.”
T’Pring did not wish to show relief, least of all before S’paak was gone. She waited, and Stonn, less patient but more pliant, waited with her.
S’paak turned towards T’Pau and she held up her hand.
“Live long, T’Pau, and prosper,” she said.
T’Pau returned the ta’al, steady despite her age. “Live long and prosper, S’paak.”
Without warning, S’paak’s hand dropped to her side. She shook her head.
“I shall do neither,” said S’paak. Her voice did not waver, but the angular planes of her face were harder than T’Pring had ever noticed before. “I have killed my captain and my friend. Energize.”
With that, she was gone.
Tagged: #i thought of a second part set during s'paak's second pon farr #when s'paak and jessica return to vulcan slightly ahead of schedule #but i was too tired and slow lol #the idea was that s'paak is embarrassed at how easily and visibly angered she is by that point about everything #and jessica goes out to some public place to acquire vulcan ingredients or whatever and by chance crosses paths with t'pring #who is mostly just 'i had heard you did not actually die' #jess: despite your best efforts! it's true. #and then j is like ... ahhh don't worry about revenge plots or something. i'm not holding it against you. in fact i owe you one. #t'pring: ........?
“Stonn wanted me,” T’Pring replied, “and I wanted him.”
S’paak considered her in much the fashion that T’Pring had, long ago, seen her consider unexpected behaviors from a rare insect. “I see no logic in this.”
That did not surprise T’Pring. There was a logic to desire, but few understood it, and from all she had seen of Sarek’s daughter over the years, she suspected that S’paak understood it less than most.
“You have become much known among our people, S’paak—almost a legend,” T’Pring said calmly. “Stonn had come to know that he did not wish to be consort to a legend, and I desired him as mine. You have conducted yourself such that he had no basis for divorce except the kal-if-fee.”
S’paak studied her with little change, except that she locked her hands behind her back in the usual fashion of Starfleet officers. Despite the impracticalities of dress imposed on the women of Starfleet, and despite S’paak’s specialization in the sciences, T’Pring found her demeanor distinctly martial. She was not certain if this should be considered a failure on S’paak’s part, or further proof of success.
“Stonn is your inferior in reason, forethought, and most areas of expertise,” S’paak remarked. “It is clear to me that this endeavor must have been planned by you, rather than him, but not why you would bear so much inconvenience for nothing more than him.”
T’Pring was not susceptible to flattery, but she did not object to the respect she was due. She inclined her head.
“Yes, it was I who told him what he must do,” she said. “I do not desire him for his skill at logic, though it is adequate. I find his face and form pleasing. He accommodates my preferences in the ways I wish, rather than the ways that others wish for me. Also, freed from his betrothal to you, his property and name would be his to give once more, and they are suitable to my standing among our people. I found these reasons persuasive, and the proximity of your and his pon farr made the best approach obvious to me.”
“Is that so?” said S’paak, looking down at T’Pring with no further movement than the necessary motions for speech and observation. Her face looked paler than usual, but the light had shifted enough that this could be no more than a subjective impression.
T’Pring nodded. “I judged that if your captain had been the victor,” she explained, “she would not want Stonn nor make an acceptable match for him. He would be free, and so I would have him. If you were the victor, you would free him over the insult of the challenge and such a choice of champion, and again, I would have Stonn. Even if you had not freed him, all evidence indicated that you would be gone in your Federation vessel as soon as your pon farr had passed, and remain absent for another seven years, while Stonn would be here.”
She did not think she needed to elaborate further, though S’paak’s pause was just long enough that T’Pring considered the possibility of misjudgment.
“Logical,” said S’paak. “Flawlessly logical.”
“I am honored,” T’Pring said, and meant it.
S’paak glanced over at Stonn, who still spoke with T’Pau, the very slight rise and fall of his words decorous enough, if not equal to the self-command of T’Pau or T’Pring, or S’paak. T’Pau did not seem impressed, but then, she rarely faltered enough to seem anything.
“We should join T’Pau,” S’paak told her, “in order to finalize these desired arrangements. I am, for a time, commanding officer of the Enterprise, and I must depart soon.”
T’Pring assented, and followed S’paak’s longer stride across the rock and sand to where T’Pau sat in state. Stonn glanced quickly at them both, not visibly anxious, but betraying himself nevertheless. The law of Surak made allowances for extraordinary situations, so T’Pring did not disapprove greatly. She made the customary courtesies to T’Pau and waited for the fruition of her plans.
“Stonn, you are free,” said S’paak. She turned to T’Pring. “He is not your equal, but he is yours. After a time, however, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.” Before T’Pring, or anyone, could reply, S’paak flipped open her communicator and said more briskly, “S’paak here. Stand by to beam up.”
T’Pring did not wish to show relief, least of all before S’paak was gone. She waited, and Stonn, less patient but more pliant, waited with her.
S’paak turned towards T’Pau and she held up her hand.
“Live long, T’Pau, and prosper,” she said.
T’Pau returned the ta’al, steady despite her age. “Live long and prosper, S’paak.”
Without warning, S’paak’s hand dropped to her side. She shook her head.
“I shall do neither,” said S’paak. Her voice did not waver, but the angular planes of her face were harder than T’Pring had ever noticed before. “I have killed my captain and my friend. Energize.”
With that, she was gone.
Tagged: #i thought of a second part set during s'paak's second pon farr #when s'paak and jessica return to vulcan slightly ahead of schedule #but i was too tired and slow lol #the idea was that s'paak is embarrassed at how easily and visibly angered she is by that point about everything #and jessica goes out to some public place to acquire vulcan ingredients or whatever and by chance crosses paths with t'pring #who is mostly just 'i had heard you did not actually die' #jess: despite your best efforts! it's true. #and then j is like ... ahhh don't worry about revenge plots or something. i'm not holding it against you. in fact i owe you one. #t'pring: ........?