Title: Thy Brother
Author: MissAnnThropic
Summary: Sarek gets a glimpse of the friendship between Spock and Kirk.
Disclaimer: None of it's mine. I'm just a sad little fangirl that spends her days writing fanfic and watching taped episodes of her favorite shows :(

Sand stirred under a dry, scorching wind. Red clouds that almost rose into the air, but as though fatigued themselves by the oppressive heat of midday, settled once more to the desert ground. It was a mild season at the time for the planet Vulcan, however, and when the long and windy summer months finally arrived nothing would beat down the sand that had so valiantly tried and failed to take flight. In those hot, wicked months the sky would fill with the haze of thousands of pounds of sand in the air, coating the planet in a blanket of red soot that managed to encompass nearly the entire planet.

No one had summers and sandstorms like planet Vulcan did. Of course, that rather generic statement had never been contested. Lack of challenge to its claim led most to believe it was therein true.

But today... now... the sands were still, the air silent. It was disconcerting, especially to the lone figure standing on a ledge that projected from the backside of the massive Mount Seleya. He had come here seeking some kind of peace, a calmness with the deeper inner emotions he was having to fight harder and harder to keep in check.

Vulcans had emotions... it was only to show them that was weak.

This old mountain, probably standing here in this very spot since before the time a bipedal creature had thought to pick up a tool, had seen many visitors. In its ancient wisdom, it gave silent and patient council to countless who had needed it. Mount Seleya was a wise old master, she had infinite knowledge, infinite wisdom, and unending patience.

She had watched the emergence of the humanoid Vulcan species become communicating, intelligent and cooperative creatures. She saw them rage at one another's throats in their barbarian ages... looking on with patience and no sense of rush even as the sands at her feet were bathed green in Vulcan blood. She saw the births of tyrants, oppressed, and the visionaries. Mount Seleya touched the ground, which touched all of Vulcan. No matter where something happened, in a detached sense Seleya knew about it.

Mount Seleya saw the birth of Surak, future leader of the pacifist movement and the advocator for the devotion to logic and mastery of one's emotions among the Vulcan people. She bore his path as he walked the desert sand to spread his word.

Mount Seleya, the massive feature itself, was the point of creation and cultivation of the now prestigious and sacred Kolinhar. Within the depths of her internal chambers she begat the Hall of Ancient Thought, where she received the katra of great Vulcans lost to the frailties of the flesh.

To the greatest, she received their flesh as well. Though the actual location was unknown, it was common knowledge that Surak had been buried somewhere on Mount Seleya... many felt the northern end of Seleya's feet.

Her experience was untouched by any living or preserved Vulcan mind. The immensity of the mountain on which he stood served to give a Vulcan reflection... a sense of perspective... a sense of humility that therein lessened the problems in their lives.

Today, however, that was little consolation for the one Vulcan standing against the backside of Mount Seleya.

The mountain had seen many of the Kolinharu linger here, the robe of the discipline back dropped against the heavy red rock not unfamiliar... in a way almost old enough to be fitting.

It was not, however, a white ceremonial robe that set against the mountain's side. It was the startlingly new blue of a Starfleet uniform.

Spock's contemplative mode was not controlled to his regular level of mastery. In fact it was barely just, though no outward onlooker would have seen the science officer's struggle. It was a battle within himself, and that was ultimately where he would handle it. It was the Vulcan way.

Science Officer Spock and second in command of the USS Enterprise did not like to admit when he had an almost emotional dilemma, but this occasion certainly seemed to call for it. So, to himself if not anyone else, he admitted it. He was troubled... and maybe worried.

These sensations were not foreign to him, but expression of them would be, so the latter he dare not and did not do. Their repression was the only course of action, but one must not discount and ignore the pull of emotions so strongly to the point that one ceased to learn from them. Even one's own body could be a teacher, and logic stated that to learn whenever one could was the most appropriate course of action. Knowledge was understanding, and understanding begat logic.

Spock sighed to himself... more of a half-sigh, but for a Vulcan as much of a sigh as a human's all-out exasperated one would have been. Spock was not above frustration... indeed, working on a starship often bred that condition. New work and unexpected quandaries were the catalyst for frustrating predicaments (not to mention the double challenge of having to work side by side with humans). Perhaps Spock had let slip some of his Vulcan control to allow himself frustration, but whether it was a lapse in his Vulcan practice or not was far from his mind today.

Spock, shoulders heavy not only from the greater gravity on Vulcan but also the metaphorical 'weight of guilt', tilted his head upward, face canted toward the burning sun above.

Without his control, his third eyelids lapsed over to cover both his irises, creating a well-adapted and perfectly evolved filter to diffuse the intensity of the Vulcan sun to his naked eyes. Spock wasn't consciously aware of the physiological feature going into action, not even noting the slight blur to the sun's outline that the third nictating eyelid caused in his vision. It was what was natural, and he was born with it... he had a lot of time to get past noticing it, needless to say.

The sun's warmth was what he sought. The rays from the near sun-star seemed to soak right into his Vulcan skin, warming his thin blood in a way it was rarely elevated in temperature otherwise. Being a Vulcan aboard a predominantly human starship had its drawbacks... one was that humans were adapted and configurated to temperatures that, to a Vulcan, were almost chilly. Of course, to his nature and species, Spock did not complain that he was constantly in a slight state of chill. If he focused his mind into forgetting the temperature for the most part and wore an insulating undergarment the starship environmental settings were acceptable. Besides, it would neither practical nor logical to ask that the ship inboard temperature be changed to better suit him when almost the entire 430 compliment on board would prefer the current 75 degrees. Spock kept his peace and learned to deal with it. After a fashion, he ceased to notice with great concentration the nip to the Enterprise air.

That did not diffuse the physical relief to actually be warm again, though. His quarters on board Enterprise were set to his liking (normally about 85.4 degrees F), but it did not compare to the submersion into the environment he was evolved to live in.

But not even the relaxing and calming warming of all his cells after months in the cold of starship space could remove his concern. Even with his eyes turned upward to the sky and mind focused on the sun as much as he could isolate the thought, he was all too aware of the stains drying to a dull rust brown on his uniform, fighting to overtake the blue as dominant color.

Spock was never comfortable with the way human's red blood turned to such a color of decay and rot so easily and quickly. And not when the blood in question was so dear... not when the drying areas that were drenched in blood on his shirt came from the body of his captain... James T. Kirk.

"If your mother saw you doing that, she would tell you that staring into the sun would blind you," an even voice intoned from a few feet behind Spock's left shoulder.

Spock did not startle at the voice so near him. It was calm and deep in candor, and Spock's adept hearing had picked up the visitor's approach long before he arrived at Spock's immediate side, though Spock had been only unconsciously aware of the new person's presence.

Now that he was addressed, however, it would not be proper to ignore. Especially so considering the Vulcan who had joined him.

Spock brought his face down, eyes moving to the figure that stood a matter of feet from him as the third eyelids coating his eyes blinked away as though they had been but a trick of one's imagination. His vision focused sharply on the regal and controlled figured of his father.

Spock replayed to himself Sarek's words, commenting in return, "If she were to stare at the Vulcan sun permanent eye damage is likely. I, however, would suffer no ill effects."

Sarek stepped closer to his son, hands held coolly together before his solar plexus... the proper and common repose of someone of Ambassador Sarek's status. As he came up abreast with his son, Sarek's far brow rose slightly and a dark twinkle flashed in his eye as the lines around his mouth softened. It was the closest Sarek came to a smile, and it was likely that even that small gesture was a result of living with an Earth woman as his wife for so many years. Spock had adopted the same slight mannerisms having had Amanda Grayson as a mother. Implications to reactions were not too outlandish, and control was still maintained while communicating a sentiment to those species less attuned to moods and thoughts of others. To have done it in front of Spock was just... habit.

Sarek mused aloud, "Earth mothers, I've found, do not wish to be told facts if they run contradictory to their instinctive parental drives."

Spock nodding, returning to his father the phrase it was tagged with, "Maternal instinct."

Sarek nodded, remaining silent.

Spock knew his father had questions... Spock would too if the situation was reversed, but Spock did not particularly wish to discuss them at the moment. He did not feel he had had sufficient time to meditate on the events that had brought them here. He had yet to let himself question what had happened to his best friend for apprehension that it might show an emotional anxiety on his part.

Perhaps that was why Sarek was here... to inform his son that the captain's injuries had been too severe... that Jim Kirk had died.

Sarek picked up on Spock's sudden unease, and it took no deductive logic to know what his concern was pertaining to. One did not usually stand about with almost the equivalent of one and a half liters of human blood on his clothes and not have concern for the victim who had spilled it.

Sarek spoke calmly, "Your captain is doing well. The priestesses expect him to recover."

Spock bit back a sigh, all too aware his father would be gauging him for a reaction to the news. Always, it seemed, Sarek was looking for the human in Spock, and not because he wished to praise it. He just wanted to know, how much of Spock was human and how much Vulcan? The constant questioning, even after all these years, left Spock continuously aware of himself around his father.

Spock worked on keeping his voice as deadpan and even as possible when he stated, "His injuries were quite extensive... the ship surgeon had feared he would not survive."

"Indeed," Sarek looked out over the sands of the Vulcan desert, "he nearly did not. That particular human, however, has proven to be quite resilient."

Spock nodded complete agreement, "That is true." Spock's stare was locked out over the desert, another thought plaguing his mind. The thought that had been secondary to his question of whether or not Jim was alive ten minutes ago. Now that Spock knew Kirk would live, the secondary unease became the first.

Sarek let Spock have his silence a long time, not so much as shifting on his feet. When he did speak, it was in a slightly more authorative tone. "You seem... troubled, Spock."

Spock stiffened at the insinuation, waiting for the next logical word 'worried' to follow and have to balance in his mind yet again if he wanted another stand-off with his father. This was the most inappropriate time for Spock to engage in verbal bickery with his father... in his agitated hidden-emotional state he was likely to say something... with connotation.

Sarek did not say it, though. He left it at troubled.

Troubled Spock could answer without fear of sounding... human... or of sounding afraid of sounding human.

"I was contemplating the events that brought us here."

Sarek glanced slowly, almost nobly over his shoulder in the direction of the ascending path he'd just walked. Sarek spoke slowly, "Your chief engineer Montgomery Scott explained to me that you were attacked by Romulans?"

Spock nodded. "The captain, Doctor McCoy, and myself along with three other security personnel were down on the planet of Beta Rana 3..."

"That is in the Romulan/Federation neutral zone, if I'm not mistaken."

"Quite... though shifted 4.56 degrees into the Federation space more than the Romulans. As is dictated in the Organian Peace Treaty addendum between Romulus and the Federation, Beta Rana 3 was not to be inhabited or militarily defended by either side. Reports of Romulan activity on planet, however, led us to suspect otherwise. While the away team was on the surface investigating, a cloaked Bird of Prey decloaked and opened fire upon the Enterprise."

Sarek nodded, "Your Mister Scott told me as much. There was apparently heavy damage before a 'counter-offense' was launched."

Spock knew the inflection on 'counter-offense' was a prod on his father's part at the Federation. Sarek never approved of ships dictating peace having the weaponry that the USS Enterprise was equipped with, and subtly made Spock well aware of his distaste. Spock, however, knew well his father's position on armed peace vessels and was not going to get into another debate with him. This encounter with his father on this unexpected detour to Vulcan had begun and lasted to this point in a civil manner... Spock was determined to leave just as neutrally as he had come.

Spock disregarded his father's goad into a heated discussion, "Forced into battle, the Enterprise had to raise her shields to defend herself."

Sarek filled in as Spock thought a moment in silence, "And transporter beams do not work when a ship's shields are up."

Spock's brow creased slightly, a faint combination of anger, frustration, and concentration creeping into his features as well as demeanor.

Sarek caught the different vibe his son was giving off and looked over at him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

Spock obliged after a long silence, "The attack on the Enterprise was synchronized with an ambush on the landing party by on-planet Romulan soldiers."

Sarek nodded grimly, lines around his mouth growing heavy as his dissatisfaction with the tale and its participants became evident. What his son was not telling him, and what he did not need to say, was that both parties were armed. The image of his son brandishing a weapon upon another intelligent life form was... appalling.

Spock turned his head away from his father, not wishing to see him as well as not wanting his expression to be seen. The events on the planet were upsetting him, though he would deny the claim if someone laid it upon him.

Sarek frowned. It was not unlike Spock to have misgivings or doubts about some of the things that went on in his life as a Starfleet officer. It was unusual for him to be so agitated by it, though. This behavior was unlike his son.

Sarek asked, "Spock... are you all right?"

Spock fought the illogical desire to snap back at his father. Instead, he kept his face turned away and stated back, "I was uninjured in the encounter."

Sarek knew that, just as Spock knew that that was not what his father had been asking.

Spock finally looked back at his father, eyes shifted to one side as though to look directly at his father would interrupt his train of thought, "I apologize for coming here as I did and insisting the priestesses see the captain. I realize it was... irrational, but at the time there seemed no viable alternative."

No viable alternative was right. Sarek had been with the priestesses when his son had brought down the starship captain for healing. When off-planet sensors had first detected a Federation starship heading in their direction, Sarek (as Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation planets) had been summoned and was present before communication distance was reached. He had, in effect, been there for the entire scenario. When communications had opened, instead of a welcome greeting or waiting for the Vulcans to greet first, the communication console had crackled with an urgent female voice, "Planet Vulcan, this is the USS Enterprise requesting emergency medical aid on-planet."

Sarek knew very well that the Enterprise was the vessel his own son served on, and it had crossed his mind instantaneously that Spock was fatally injured, for why else would the starship logically seek the aid of Vulcan healers so fervently were it not FOR a Vulcan?

Sarek's voice was calm and collected as he opened communications to the ship, "Enterprise, this is the Ambassador Sarek. Please state the nature of your request for medical aid."

The other end grew silent, as though channels were being switched, then a very familiar voice spoke over the communication channel, "Planet Vulcan, this is First Officer Spock, demanding immediate aid."

Sarek had been taken aback, internally, by his son's response. His voice had been loud and authorative... and to 'demand' of the planet Vulcan. Spock was acting as an officer in the Federation and therein was obligated to treat Federation planet members with respect and courtesy. Spock was doing neither, and that in itself gave cause for Sarek to be concerned. His initial reaction at hearing his son's voice had been to deduct that there was, in fact, nothing wrong with him. His uncharacteristic manner made him second guess that assumption.

Sarek stated again, "Enterprise, please state the nature of the emergency."

Spock answered back... almost curtly. Sarek was secretly baffled at his son's near-outburst. Sure, Spock had been prone to emotional moments as a child before he mastered his human side, but Spock was now far from being a child.

Spock's answer came back with almost a tint of anger at Sarek for the continued questioning, "We were attacked by Romulans and the captain was injured. Our sickbay has been rendered inoperable by alien fire and the captain's condition is critical."

Sarek began calmly, "Enterprise, stand by for..."

Sarek could not speak further for Spock barked, "Father! There is not time for you to hold council. If the healers do not see him now, Jim may die."

Sarek was silent a moment. Spock had resorted to speaking of their family relation while on official communication channels. That was frowned upon by the Federation, the same way private calls were not to be used on official communication channels. What really worried Sarek, however, was urgency in his son's voice.

Sarek answered, "Enterprise request granted. Healers are being summoned as we speak, transport patient to coordinates 344.629."

Sarek had been standing at those coordinates with three Vulcan healer priestesses when the team began to materialize in front of the healing temple.

Sarek had been unprepared for what he saw.

His son was with the team that beamed down. Technically, it would have been his place to stay aboard the ship as the captain was out of commission. Yet, Spock was with them.

And he had James Kirk with him.

Even before he fully materialized, Sarek saw that Spock held the injured captain. In human terms the arrangement would have looked awkward. Spock was much more slightly built than the starship captain, and if Spock were human it would not be likely he could have held the captain's weight. Being Vulcan and stronger, however, made such a feat possible.

When they fully materialized, everything took on a much more drastic tone.

Jim Kirk was limp in Spock's arms, complexion much whiter than his normal skin tone. Even his lips had a ghostly shade to them that even a Vulcan could see was not normal. Spock held the captain securely to him... the front of Spock's uniform was covered in blood... human blood.

Kirk's gold captain's tunic was ripped at the left side (the one against Spock) and his own blood smeared across his exposed skin and suit.

It was perhaps the expression on Spock's face that most unsettled Sarek. Spock's eyes were not calm... they were almost frantic, and his expression was... fear.

McCoy, the ship surgeon who had accompanied the landing party, stepped up to Kirk and Spock, checking on the captain... seeking a pulse.

McCoy turned to the priestesses and ordered, "Don't just stand there, help him!"

After that moment of inactivity, everything hurled into action. The priestesses hurriedly led the way to the hospital area, Spock swiftly carrying the captain to where the Vulcan healers led him.

Sarek was drawn out of thinking when Spock spoke to him again, bringing him back to the ledge on Mount Seleya where they stood, "Thank you... for helping Jim... the captain."

Sarek nodded, "It was the right thing to do."

Spock nodded slowly, "The Federation council will surely agree with Vulcan's aid to one of its captains considering the situation."

Sarek said in a low voice, "I did not mean it in that respect."

Spock looked at his father, getting suspicious, and rightly so. Sarek did have other outcomes in mind than gaining further approval by Federation council... Vulcan had that already as the best arbitrator to interplanetary quarrels. No, Sarek intended to bring up something much different with his son... something much more personal.

And however one wanted to phrase it, introducing the subject or springing the trap, Sarek did so. He looked up at Spock and said, "It was the right thing to do because the captain is your friend."

Spock visibly fought back any apparent recoil. It could not be denied that he wanted to, though. Sarek knew his son, at least partly, and he could see the flash of caution in his eyes.

Spock swallowed, answering calmly, "To say one has friends implies an emotional attachment."

Before Sarek could speak further Spock turned and left his father standing alone on the ledge on Mount Seleya. Spock had not excused himself from his father's company but just left. In Vulcan etiquette, that was as blatant a slap in the face as if Spock had actually touched Sarek.

Such behavior on Spock's part, it seemed, was reserved only for his father. To everyone else Spock was as polite and cordial as a Vulcan's upbringing dictated he be. His only rude gestures were directed at the one person that should theoretically be in his highest regard.

Of course, things between Sarek and Spock had never been that well off. Sarek would have attributed it to his son having too much of his mother in him, but were he to do that Spock might well outright denounce him as family and never speak to him again. They were practically at that point now as it was. It was a dilemma for Sarek. He had great affection for his wife Amanda, but it was that aspect of her in Spock that locked them so frequently as enemies. Sarek didn't see his son as his enemy, but a father frequently sees things more clearly than his children. Spock seemed to think that he and his father were rivals, and Sarek could do nothing about it.

Their current arrangement of meeting, that is avoiding personal contact at all, seemed to be the only way to keep any further disagreements from erupting. Though Sarek cared for his son, every time they met it seemed it ended in dispute and 'hurt feelings'.

So Sarek did not contact Spock, and Spock stayed away from home. It visibly hurt Amanda, but Sarek was hoping that perhaps when Spock was older he would come to understand that Sarek did not seek to be his opponent.

Sarek turned, silently leaving the ledge of the backside of Mount Seleya. Though she were often helpful, today, her council was silent and wisdom kept secret.