001: Brave New World [Holo]

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

“Spock to Enterprise.”

No response.

“Spock to Enterprise.”

No response.

Commander Spock, who was not the sort of man – or, technically, a man at all, actually – to waste his time, tried once more to contact his ship. When the attempt failed, as he had already predicted it would, he elected to examine his new surroundings in more detail. It resembled the transporter room of most Starfleet vessels, though the origin of the technology was unfamiliar to him. It had clearly been designed by a most advanced species.



He stepped down from the pedestal, and, his hands folded behind his back, made a slow circuit around the room. He was not afraid – such feelings were illogical, and would distract him at a time when he could not afford to be distracted – though he was a little … surprised. The officers working on the Bridge – Ensign Chekov, Mr Sulu, even Nyota – had not picked up any unusual energy readings. The scanners had shown nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, without any prior warning, he had been lifted from the Enterprise and deposited in this unfamiliar location.

Once his walk was over, and despite being wholly unsatisfied by it, Spock returned to the pedestal and to the tablet. It took Spock a little over 14.3 seconds to understand the format of the strange device in front of him. (Unfortunately, the long blue sleeves of his uniform prevented him from noticing the bracelet, which would have posed a far more significant problem.) As soon as he had finished analysing it, Spock switched the tablet on and activated the ‘voice’ option.

“Fascinating…”

A moment later, the voice was accompanied by a hologram of the speaker. Even if his pointy ears and strange eyebrows didn’t give away the fact that he wasn’t entirely human, his reaction probably would. He didn’t look upset, or angry, or scared. In fact, Spock didn’t look … anything, really. He was almost unnervingly composed.

After a brief pause, possibly to make sure that any viewers realised just how unflappable he was, Spock addressed his unseen abductor. He couldn’t be certain that there was an abductor, of course, but, given the conditions of his arrival and the fact even highly advanced technology needs to be operated and programmed, that seemed like the most logical hypothesis.

“I am First Officer Spock of the USS Enterprise,” he informed the tablet, “I must warn you that I am a Starfleet officer, and any attempt to keep me here against my will, or inflict bodily harm upon my person, may be construed as a hostile act against the Federation. I request that you return me to my ship immediately.”

There was another pause, this time to give his message a chance to sink in. It was possible that those responsible for his abduction did not realise the full extent of their actions, after all.

“If this option is not acceptable to you, I suggest that you allow me to contact my captain in order to begin the cessation of hostilities between your race and the Federation.”

And, with that dramatic closing statement, Spock waited, his hands folded neatly behind his back. He would very much like to examine the tablet in more detail, but it would be imprudent - illogical – to carry out such an action before possessing all the necessary information regarding his captivity.

As this did not appear to be a hostage situation, it would also be logical to assume that he would have an opportunity to dissect the tablet at a later date.

If he did not have time, he would have far more pressing things to think about.

OOC: Because it doesn’t really make sense for Spock to have been in Taxon for such a long time without contacting his crewmates, and because our mods are awesome, I’m going to be resetting him. He has no memory of his previous time in Taxon, and is as logical and infuriating as ever. Have fun with him!

Comments

[visual]

[likedthosepumps.livejournal.com]

Pam is Not Happy with her arrival in Taxon, and subsequent chat with Sookie. The lack of Bill Compton can be celebrated, but the lack of Eric is inexcusable. This means, of course, she must take refuge in trolling. And when the man with pointed ears shows up on her tablet-- a fairy? He acts nothing like them, but Pam can only hope-- her target is easily decided upon. Lucky, lucky Spock.

"You're wasting your breath."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

Although Spock had not expected a humanoid female such as the one on the screen to be responsible for his abduction, he responded as if her appearance was of no great surprise to him. After all, he had no choice but to obtain as much information as possible in order to form a more cohesive plan of action. He would not achieve anything with exclamations of surprise.

"I do not believe so," he replied, with implacable calm and a slightly raised eyebrow. "I have succeeded in attracting your attention, after all."

[likedthosepumps.livejournal.com]

Up inches one eyebrow. "And you're counting that an improvement."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

Spock returned the gesture in kind, raising his own eyebrow as he replied wryly.

"That has yet to be determined."

A great many factors would eventually determine if attracting her attention was to be considered positive or negative. He did not believe that she would be pleased to receive a list, however.

[likedthosepumps.livejournal.com]

Pam examines her nails idly, smirking just a little. "Don't get your hopes up."

She considers flashing fang for a moment, but there's threatening and then there's tacky. And if the newcomer is a fairy (not likely, but hope runs ever on) no reason to scare him off before she can get a taste.

[visual]

[gating-across.livejournal.com]

"Parts of the Enterprise are here, by the way. Welcome to Taxon."

Sheppard looked up at the tablet from his book. Reading War & Peace was a drawl, but at the moment? Nothing else was really going on.

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"Taxon is not a planet with which I am familiar," said Spock archly, which meant that he would be unable to pinpoint his location until further details were revealed. This was to be expected. If they had seen fit to remove him from his ship, then his captors would - if there was any logic at all to their behaviour - endeavour to make his return difficult.

No, that was not what troubled him. He was far more perplexed by the mention of the Enterprise. Or, rather, by the mention of parts of the Enterprise. The man was either referring flippantly to the destruction of the vessel, or he was referring to something Spock did not understand. For now, the Vulcan remained stoic and did not pass judgment.

(He would not allow himself to dwell on the fate of the crew if the first option was true. The Captain. The Bridge staff. Nyota. Unless they had been removed as he had, they would not have survived.)

"I believe that your initial point requires further clarification."

[gating-across.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure if they're replicas or what, sir, but... the bridge of the ship you mentioned is here. As is the medical facilities. I've been in both. Kirk is usually hanging out on the bridge and Doctor McCoy in the infirmary." Sheppard closed his book with a thud.

"And trust me, it's not a planet I know either."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"You are acquainted with Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy?"

Spock would not believe the man until he provided further clarification, of course, but he was evidently familiar with the Captain and the Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise. Even if that familiarity extended to no more than their names. At the very least, there was a chance that he could confirm their survival.

Furthermore, if he was to be believed, then he was as much of a prisoner as Spock was, and therefore a potential ally.

"They are both present on Taxon? Can you confirm that they are unharmed?"

[gating-across.livejournal.com]

"Yup, yup, and yeah." Sheppard replied. "Doctor McCoy just showed up here not too long ago. Kirk has been here longer than I have... you know, when you tilt your head? You look like Sylar."

Oh.

"...You said your name was Spock, right?"

[visual]

[ltnuhura.livejournal.com]

Uhura held her breath as she picked up the tablet and looked into it, eyes going wide. She'd been tricked by Sylar impersonating him before and for a second she thought that this might be him screwing around again. But she could see the room behind him, the same one she'd found herself in when she'd first arrived.

Part of her wanted to test him, make sure it was really him this time. Ask him something no one else would know about her, ask him some question about an alien language he'd taught her, ask him anything. But something inside her was so sure that this was him.

She finally exhaled, breath a bit shaky, and swallowed hard before speaking.

"Spock?"

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

A test would have been logical, given the circumstances, but as Spock was presently unfamiliar with Sylar and his actions it did not occur to him to suggest one.

He had not expected to hear a crew member of the Enterprise to respond via the tablet, and he had certainly not expected to hear Nyota. She was alive, however, and, if the image provided was accurate, comparatively unharmed. It was possible that the emotional response he detected in her voice was a result of his presence as much as a result of a traumatic capture. Inquiries would have to be carried out with caution.

"Lieutenant Uhura. You are unharmed?"

[ltnuhura.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I'm fine," she said with a smile that she couldn't help. On one hand, she was a little concerned that more and more of the crew seemed to be getting brought here and wanted to find out why they'd all been targeted. On the other, she was very glad to see him, alive and unharmed too (from the looks of things).

"What about you? How long have you been waiting there?"

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

He didn't return the smile, of course, but that did not mean that he wasn't pleased by her news. Emotions ran deep within the Vulcan race. (Perhaps, if they had been on the surface, they would have been more difficult to control.) Hearing about any harms, physical or otherwise, that had come to Nyota would have affected his composure in ways Spock did not wish to imagine.

"I have been present on Taxon for less than an hour," he replied. Without a time piece, he could not do better than an estimate. "I have communicated with two individuals. Neither of them appeared to be hostile." And neither of them appeared to be the reason for their capture.

[ltnuhura.livejournal.com]

"Most of the individuals I've met have been friendlies," she responded with a nod - the jury was still out on Sylar as far as she was concerned. "There are about seventy here with more arriving by the day. We all arrived the same way you did."

She paused, debating what piece of news she wanted to give him next. "We're not the only ones of the crew here, either. There's myself, the captain, and Dr. McCoy. And with them they've brought the bridge and medical center of the ship."

[visual]

[notsawbones.livejournal.com]

The familiar voice manages to snap McCoy out of his reverie as he finishes what he is doing and looks over the tablet from his desk in Sickbay. He raises an eyebrow. It certainly looks like Spock; but like Lieutenant Uhura had done before him, he reserved judgement whether this was just Sylar playing dress up and he inspected the holo closely before deciding to reply:

"Took you long enough, Spock."

The line between sounding relieved and annoyed is blurred when it comes to him, really. Scarcely ten days after he had been dragged here himself and now another part of their crew had been captured… great.

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"Doctor McCoy."

Spock's greeting was appropriately formal and customarily clipped. Even if he had not been used to the sight of familiar images on the unfamiliar tablet, he would not have allowed himself to show a trace of consternation.

"Your statement indicates that you have been in 'Taxon' for some time." Spock regretted - as much as he could regret, at least - that he had been similarly captured before being able to facilitate a rescue attempt. Or, indeed, before realising that any crew members required rescuing. "Have you collected any useful information regarding our situation?"

Small talk, in such a situation, would be illogical.

[notsawbones.livejournal.com]

McCoy was not surprised by how official the half-Vulcan was in his reply to him. Although it did vex him to hear it. Just a little.

"Diplomatic as ever, I see." McCoy replied with a roll of his eyes as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I've been in Taxon for about ten days now."

And had gotten into plenty of fights in this short duration, apparently. One with his Captain regarding information his best friend had kept from him in the three years he had known him and another with the dreaded doppelganger. The latter of this disagreement was evident on his face. Never annoy someone with telekinesis or they slice your cheekbones.

He sighed. "As for collecting useful information, I'll have to admit I have nothing yet... except for a rumour that Jim has contracted space syphilis during the three months he's been here."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"I do not believe that such a rumour will prove useful," Spock said, although he was apparently not surprised to hear it. It was not his place to comment on the private aspects of his Captain's life, after all, though he hoped that Jim Kirk would not be as ... careless as such a story suggested.

The information about how long the crew had been here was far more valuable.

"I communicated with the Captain on the bridge of the Enterprise shortly before my arrival here. This would suggest that the beings responsible for our abduction possess an intelligence that is beyond what we can infer from their technology."

[visual]

[godlikesin.livejournal.com]

"Well, what do we have here?" Sylar asked, peering at his tablet with a slightly amused expression on his features. He'd seen the resemblance well enough himself in Jim and McCoy's memories, but it was quite another thing to actually see it in something beyond a random shaded thought. Not that the viewscreen on this device could provide much more contact than the memories did. But if he were to assume correctly, it would only be a matter of time before he actually did have the pleasure of a face to face encounter.

That. That would be interesting, by far.

"Another lost lamb from the Enterprise crew, hm? I have to wonder if you're going to get cranky at me as well."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"I am not in the habit of becoming 'cranky'," said Spock, perhaps a little more tersely than usual, "Nor do I believe it is appropriate to compare me to a ruminant mammal of Earth origin."

As he spoke, Spock surveyed the image on the tablet. The figure who had spoken did bear an unusual resemblance to himself. (Though, of course, he did not have the features that were a testimony to the Vulcan origins of Spock's father.) Mathematical probability suggested that this was unlikely - and actually meeting the look-alike was even more improbable - but it was not impossible.

[godlikesin.livejournal.com]

"I don't know. You sound pretty cranky to me," Sylar said, not even attempting to hide his smirk as he crossed into the library of The Sanctuary For All and found himself a place to sit down. This seemed like it was going to be an interesting conversation indeed. He might as well be comfortable for it. "A cranky guy that doesn't appreciate a proper Christian allusion when he hears one. Then again, do they still have Christianity in the 24th century? I suppose I should figure these things out before I make cracks that I expect other people to understand," He said, setting the tablet on the table in front of him so he didn't have to hold it.

Hand free, Sylar leaned back in his chair, propping his arms back behind his head as he relaxed, "If you haven't already been told, you might as well settle in for the long haul. We're pretty much stuck here."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

"Then I suggest that you reconsider your definition of the word," said Spock, somewhat wryly. He did not respond to the smirk. Even his eyebrows failed to arch any further.

As a scientist, Spock had never considered religion to be a crucial part of his curriculum. With so many varying religions present throughout the Federation, it would require more dedicated study than his schedule would allow. He knew the teachings of Surak well, but had only a rudimentary knowledge of Earth's religious practices.

"If you wish to discuss religion," he said, "I would be happy to debate the matter with you at a more appropriate time. The belief in divinity is not something I consider logical, though all belief systems are based on the interpretation of things considered to be fact."

He paused, watching Sylar with a unchanging expression and demeanor.

"You are familiar with the Enterprise?"

Far more important, and the present time, than deities or debates.

[ visual ]

[tiberiuskirk.livejournal.com]

Having been busy taking apart a panel he'd had previously disassembled that Sylar had took it upon himself to put back together, Kirk learns of Spock's arrival in Taxon a bit belatedly. He doesn't make his presence known right away, however, instead watching the feeds of the conversations his first officer is holding with Sheppard, Uhura, Bones, Sylar, and some woman he doesn't recognize. A new arrival? Probably so. Kirk had been in Taxon for over three months now. Names, he was still iffy on, but faces he could easily recognize. There were only so many people who bothered with the tablets. Those 'regulars' were easy to pick out of a crowd.

Finally deciding to speak up, the captain moves away from the section of the bridge he's been pulling apart in some futile attempt to maybe rewire the systems to do something to his liking and places himself in his chair, turning on his tablet.

"I see the welcome wagon's already gotten to you, Mister Spock."

[childoftwo.livejournal.com]

The voice was familiar, and, to a certain extent, welcome. Spock did not wish for the Captain to be similarly captured, of course, but the chances of an escape increased exponentially due to his presence.

As a result of the conversation with his alternative future self, Spock was aware of the friendship he was supposed to have with James T Kirk. Though they were likely to continue to antagonise each for some time - perhaps indefinitely - it would be illogical to deny that they worked well together. Furthermore, a friendship between them would develop more swiftly if they were facing a common adversary and working together in order to facilitate an escape. In that respect, Taxon may even prove to be beneficial.

"Captain. I do not believe that any journey that occurs against my will can be considered 'welcome', and therefore it does not deserve a ‘welcome wagon’."