Chapter Text
Spock sat alone in his room, and because no one was around, he allowed himself the indulgence of reading Earth fiction. Humans wrote stories filled with adventure and emotion and everything else his Vulcan heritage deemed unacceptable and unnecessary. He could never admit that he enjoyed these books and the emotions they allowed him to feel; he could almost get a taste of love when he read them, even though he knew that love was illogical. It’s messy and despite what the books said, it didn’t always end well. Spock knew all of this, and yet-
A chime from the door shook him from his reverie. He quickly clicked off the PADD and straightened his shoulders. The door slid open and his mother entered and sat down on the foot of his bed facing him. Spock noticed the wet streaks that stained her cheeks.
“Spock, I have something important to tell you,” her voice was thick with the free expression of emotion that seemed to be unique to her- the only person on the whole planet who freely expressed whatever she felt. Not even his sister Michael, who was also fully human, allowed herself to show emotions the way his mother did; it was simply a casualty of growing up on a planet that frowned on anything other than pure logic.
He shifted his gaze around the room, not wanting to look her in the eye; if her tears were any indication, this conversation would be an uncomfortable one.
“I know you never met her, but my mother, your grandmother, is dead. She passed in her sleep several days ago. She was very old,”
He tilted his head and furrowed his brow, “I had been under the impression that she died long ago- before I was even born,”
His mother sighed, as if she had hoped he would have forgotten- they had only ever spoken of his grandmother once when he was very young.
“I know, and I’m sorry that I lied to you. You see, when I married your father, she told me that if I went through with it she would cut me off, and never speak to me again. She told me that I would be dead to her if I married-” she cut herself off, “She was not overly fond of ‘aliens’, which is ironic because she is-was- a human who lived on a planet that was not earth,”
Spock waited for her to continue. He wasn’t sure if she was expecting him to have an emotional reaction to an old woman he had never met dying hundreds of lightyears away because even if he was one to show emotion, that would be simply illogical.
“She was supposed to name an heir before she died. She did not.” She stood and began pacing, avoiding eye contact. “So now that burden falls on your shoulders. A burden you have never prepared for. One you didn’t even know loomed over you, and that I had assumed was removed before you were even born. You see Spock she was not just an old woman living on a far away planet she was… well, she was a queen,”
Spock’s eyebrows shot up his forehead, “Queen?”
“Yes. Of a small planet called Genovia. She wanted me accustomed to Earth traditions, so when I was an adolescent she sent me to Earth to finish my schooling. Eventually, that’s where I met your father. She was less than thrilled when I announced my plan to marry him. I was quietly cut from the family. I believe the citizens think that I’m dead. However, there were several who knew the truth; they tracked me down,
“There is a man named Christopher Pike. He wants to discuss this with you. He seems to be very kind, but you don’t have to accept,”
“Accept?” Spock asked. He was still processing that most of what he knew of his mother’s past was at best an omission, and at worst a lie.
“After all I’ve told you, is it not the logical conclusion? You are the Prince. Mr. Pike is going to ask you to go back to Genovia with him to become the King. All I ask is that you consider it. With all of that logic in your head, I want you to think of what you believe is right for you,”
Spock could see in her eye however, that she hoped he would accept. For whatever reason, she wanted this for her son.
Finally, he stood, with his back straight and his hands folded neatly behind his back, he said simply, “I will give it considerable thought,”
“Thank you, dear,” she said with sincerity “Mr. Pike expects an answer in three days,” with that, she turned and left, he dress flowing behind her.
When she was gone and the door closed, Spock sat down again, his hands on his thighs and back straight as he tried to absorb everything that had just happened. Everything inside of him churned up from his stomach and threatened to tear him apart from the inside out. He had no idea how long he sat there, trying to arrange his thoughts into a less overwhelming pattern.
Once again, his door slid open and Michael let herself in and perched on the edge of his desk.
“Amanda told me everything. How are you handling it?” She glanced to where his hands were digging craters into his thighs. He flexed his hands and let go, but almost immediately they curled into fists in his lap.
“Her death in no way upsets me. I believed her dead for my whole life. Nothing has changed,”
“Nothing has changed? Spock, you just found out that you’re a prince. An actual prince. And you say nothing has changed?”
“I am allowed to turn down the position,”
“Yes,” she shrugged, “but you shouldn’t,”
He inclined his head in an unspoken question.
“You’re smart and a good leader. I think you could do a lot of good. There is a lot of information about Genovia in the Starfleet library base. For example, when they first colonized it, they brought a pear tree with them. They thrived on Genovia, but they went extinct on earth, so they are the only planet with real earth pears,”
“Are you suggesting I accept a position as a ruler, because they have a type of fruit I have never even tasted?”
“I just thought it was interesting. But I do think that if you do some research, you’ll see. You could be great,” She paused to let him think that over for a moment before adding, “Plus it will take your annoying self lightyears away from me,” she gave his shoulder a good natured shove and left him alone again.
For the next few days, he dove into researching the planet and its history. He read about the royal lineage and realized that they were all his ancestors for whom he had never even spared a thought. Sometimes, Michael joined him alternating between being helpful and annoying. On the final day before Pike was to arrive, they were sitting together, both deep in their readings. Spock looked up at her and before he could change his mind he blurted out her name. She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“If I were to accept this role, would you consider coming with me?”
“Feeling sentimental, Spock?” she teased.
“It would be quite logical. Every dignitary has had someone who protects them. Usually someone they know well and trust implicitly. And you are the only person I trust that much. And frankly, you are terrifying with a phaser,”
“Sounds pretty sentimental to me.” She raised her eyebrows at him, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I’ll think it over, do some of my own research,”
Spock nodded and they went back to their reading.
Finally, after three long days of consideration and research, Spock had come to a decision, and was preparing to contact Christopher Pike when Michael walked into the room, eyes wide and head tilted. Long ago they had nearly perfected a system of silent communication. This loosely translated to “be prepared” and usually had something to do with one of their parents.
His mother entered right behind Michael, and after her, was someone he did not recognize. A tall, handsome man with an air of authority. He lifted his hand in a Ta’al, which Spock returned mechanically.
“Spock, this is Mr. Pike. He is the royal advisor from Genovia,”
“Spock, you are under no obligations here. You can abdicate very easily. Most of the planet still thinks that you’re an urban legend. If you are to accept, there will be some formalities to be met before you can be coronated- there's the inspection of the guard, you’ll have to light a torch with an arrow. I know it’s all a little… illogical, but some traditions just don’t die. But we’ll train you for everything so you will be prepared for all of it. I would be happy to answer any questions to help you make this decision easier- one way or the other,”
“That will not be necessary,”
“I’m sorry?”
“There is no need for apologizing. I will not need your help making this decision- it is already made. I have answered all of my own questions in the past three days,”
Mr. Pike waited a moment before gently prompting, “And what is your answer,”
“I will go with you to Genovia to be your king,”
“On one condition,” Michael chimed in, moving so she stood by Spock’s side, “I go with you too- as his bodyguard,”
“Well that sure made my job easier. Now I don’t even have to find a new bodyguard,” He said with a smile and a soft laugh, “If the two of you just pack some essentials, we can leave in the morning, then we’ll have someone come get the rest of your things in a day or so,”
Amanda spent the next few hours flitting back and forth between the two bedrooms as Spock and Michael both packed, hovering and making sure they remembered everything important. The next morning, Sarek bid them both a formal goodbye, but Amanda could barely control herself as she tried to keep the physical contact at a minimum.
The three of them beamed on board the Genovian starship, the USS Clarisse, and as they left orbit, Spock couldn’t help but stare at Vulcan as it shrunk until it was just another point of light in the sky in the black expanse of space; he couldn’t help but feel a shiver of excitement. He thought of the characters in the earth books he had put onto his PADD before departing; their adventures often started in a similar fashion- leaving the only home they knew in search of something bigger, and maybe even finding love along the way.
“What was it that made you decide to come with me, Spock?” Mr. Pike asked, pulling him from his daydream.
Spock gathered his thoughts, and Mr. Pike waited patiently. “Abdicating could have had any number of ill effects on your planet, Mr. Pike. I will not be a flawless ruler, however, I am well trained in logic. My father is an ambassador so I have been able to observe much of our own politics from the inside. Hopefully that will help me when it comes to learning how to rule Genovia,”
“Please, you can call me Chris. I’m excited to work with you, Spock. I’m sure you’ll do great, and I’ll be with you every step of the way. We’ll just go one day at a time,”
“Yes, that is how linear time tends to work,”
Michael snorted out a laugh from a nearby couch. A smile spread across Chris’s face as it dawned on him that it was a joke.
He laughed again as he repeated “Yeah, I’m very excited to work with you, Spock.”