51: A Spock Fanfiction

Chapter 2: Cryopyrophil

All too soon, the glass partition began to descend back into the floor, and Spock was left staring at the small, frail alien in front of him. "You know Vulcan customs. Fascinating," he mused, striding forward into the rest of the cell. "Vulcans have never encountered anything like you, and yet you know us. How is this possible?"

Bob smiled. Suddenly, his voice was inside Spock's mind.

You thought your Romulans were brilliant when they developed a cloaking device. I tell you, Spock, the things the greys have done make your technology look like child's play. I am not from this universe. My people live here on this planet in a different dimension where human evolution has exceeded that which is displayed on this primitive planet.

Spock arched an eyebrow. "Then why travel here? Why bother these primitive humans?"

Bob only shook his head, this time using his vocal cords to speak with his mouth. "Perhaps. I. Will. Tell. You, but. Not. Now. For. Now, you. Must. Rest. That. Wound. On. Your. Side. Has. Been. Saturated. With. Painkillers, but. You. Will. Begin. To. Feel. Its. Sting. Soon. Come. I. Have. Prepared. A. Bed. For. You."

Spock was confused. "You knew I was coming? That is highly illogical."

Again, Bob smiled.

My powers of telepathy are great, the alien boasted. I can tell you anything that is happening inside this base. If I were outside it, I could tell you everything that is happening in the entire solar system. This concrete shell we are kept in dampens my powers a bit. I was aware when they first brought you in and I was also aware of your condition. I can tell you that right now the three of them are arguing about what to do with you. You have made an enemy of James. Pray it does not lead to your death.

"My death?" Spock asked. The human part of him was quaking in fear, but he held it back, forcing himself to remain stoic and emotionless as ever. "I thought they had too much money invested in me to kill me."

That is the argument Colonel Smith is making. Celine is also advocating for your life, but she is doing it to be humane. Celine is naïve, but her heart is in the right place.

Bob took Spock's hand in his long, bony fingers and led him to the back of the cell, where a cot was set up on the far wall. It looked very comfortable, and Spock was suddenly aware of a dull ache in the vicinity of his wound. Perhaps Bob had been right about the painkillers. In fact, he was two steps from the cot when he doubled over in pain. The wound now felt like it was on fire. It hadn't even felt this painful in the shuttle crash. His eyes clenched shut tightly and he nearly began to pray that the pain would cease.

I see they have given you the sweet fire. Celine thinks she gave you morphine to ease your pain, but it was a chemical called cryopyrophil. It is cool and sweet in the beginning, and it works better than morphine, but soon it begins to burn like fire. Celine has no idea it even exists. It is James's own creation, derived from a compound in Angel's body.

"Why?" Spock gasped. "Why inject me with it?" He pulled himself towards the bed and hauled his burning body on top of it.

You have not guessed by now? Be logical, Mr. Spock.

"They inject us with it for two reasons," said a new voice. This one was feminine, and it came from the same cell where Spock had seen the sleeping, furry creature.

"First," the voice continued, "it has immense healing properties and they need you whole when they operate on you. Second, they like to torture us because we're no more than animals to them. They experiment on us, and after every operation, they give us cryopyrophil so we're well for the next day's horrors."