WARNING: If it wasn't clear from the summary, this is an Alternate ending (on top of an alternate universe?) to the Trek 2009 movie, where Spock Prime did not meet his younger self face to face and encourage him to stay on the Enterprise. As a result of this, Spock attempts to go through with his resignation after all. Also, I should note, this is written in a much lighter hand than I usually wield! Hope you enjoy!

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Verbal Jump-Rope

By: Ragdoll / Keshka

...

"What do you mean you're resigning?"

"I believe my meaning was quite clear, Captain."

"No, I'm pretty sure I must have space dust in my ears, because I could swear that you just told me you're leaving this ship. As in, permanently. As in, you might want to start explaining now before I call security and have you marched down to sickbay post-haste for physical and psychological examination."

Spock, currently in the process of packing his single Starfleet-issue luggage carrier, furrowed his eyebrows at his commanding officer in a typical Vulcan frown. He was dressed, as usual, in science blues, hunched over a small dresser in the corner of his quarters, which were nearly half empty of all his personal belongings, the other half strewn in slight disarray across the room's small side-table. Jim, staring at him from the mesh divider between the sleeping alcove and the office area, tried not to be lured into looking around him with anything approaching obsessively disturbing interest.

Okay, one peek at the carving on the wall depicting some long-forgotten Vulcan God, looking quite intimidating in raven black robes. But it was just one quick glance. He couldn't help it. All things related to Spock seemed to fascinate him these days. Not even the man's blatantly outrageous claim of supposed resignation could knock that curiosity out of his commanding officer.

Seeing him momentarily distracted, Spock used the moment to finish unloading the last drawer in his dresser, straightening up to attention with admirable grace. Jim had to hand it to him. Nothing seemed to keep Spock down. Not even threats of having him carted off in disgrace and leaving him to McCoy's tender mercies had made a dent. And that kind of courage (stupidity) took balls. Or a deep-seated masochistic streak.

Jim tried not to think about what this said about him and his long-standing friendship with the Enterprise's new chief medical officer.

"I can provide you with an explanation, if you prefer, Captain, though I fail to see why you find it necessary."

"You fail to – what?"

"Would you like me to repeat the sentence?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" He stared hard at his obnoxiously frustrating First, hands on his hips, just waiting. It occurred to him several seconds later that he was actually waiting for a punch line that wasn't likely to come anytime soon. Spock was a Vulcan, after all. His punch lines were somewhat more literal and likely to bruise than the average Human's was.

"Vulcan's do not 'kid'."

"You don't really think I'll accept this, do you?" He asked, flapping a hand incredulously at the other. "A Captain has the righ