Fic: It's A Dionaea Muscipula! 3/5 xover BSG 2003
Title: It's A Dionaea Muscipula! Author: Lopaka Tanu Disclaimer: I do not own BattleStar Galactica and Star Trek. Characters: Spock, Gaeta, McCoy, Kirk, and Sulu. Words: 1343 Prompt: Goderator Rap wanted a crossover with ST XI and BSG. Fandom: BattleStar Galactica (2003)/Star Trek (2009) Pairing: pre-Spock/Gaeta Rating: Teen Warnings: Language, Loss Of Control. TimeLine: BSG post Series/STXI post movie. Summary: The Enterprise comes across an ancient ship and a secret about humanity's past. Author's Note: A series of one-shots strung together. ______________________________________
Moving slowly, Spock circled the outer edges of sunken tub. His footsteps were carefully chosen to make them as silent as possible. He wasn't certain why exactly it felt appropriate. The chamber had a feeling about it that easily leant itself to quiet.
Had he been human, Spock might have considered it a holy place, a shrine. Yet, he was not and this notion was irrational. It perturbed him that he was giving in to these instincts. He wasn't the only one either.
Since they had arrived, neither the Lieutenant or the Ensign said a word. They just stared down at the figure in the sunken compartment.
It was an easy thing to do, allowing himself to be lost in the study. More than once, Spock found himself drawn to the serene expression on the man's face. Despite the thick gel, there was no denying the occupant was indeed male. His scans confirmed this.
The figure hadn't moved even once since they had arrived, not even to breathe. Spock kept a mental note of the location of each finger. The light filtering up through the gel made keeping track of the rest of him easy. Even with this knowledge, he felt that the man would open his eyes at any moment.
These instincts were most annoying and Spock was determined to explore them during meditation later. Right now, however, he needed to focus as he heard movement in the corridor beyond the chamber's entrance. He looked up in time to see Dr. McCoy with a small entourage come around the bend.
Among them, unsurprisingly, was Jim Kirk. The man had a determined and excited expression on his face. He appeared much like a kid about to engage in his favorite game. Yet, he, like the rest of the new team, froze on sight of the sunken chamber.
It was troubling in one who held such a high position to Spock. So, instead, he turned his attention to the senior medical officer. "Welcome, Dr. McCoy. I have completed a basic scan of the chamber and its occupant. If you wish to review it before doing your own, I have the data here."
Standing in the entrance, McCoy had a strangled look on his face. Swallowing thickly, he dragged his eyes away from the figure to look at Spock. He nodded once the words registered in his mind. "Of course." Holding out his hand, he waited for the scanner.
Spock quickly handed over the tricorder. The sooner they got this out of the way, the faster they could move the being. "My scans all indicate he is attached to this device through a web of artificial neural bundle fibers in the coils around his wrists. They appear to be working in conjunction with the gel to act as a form of suspended animation."
Dr. McCoy raised an eyebrow as he glanced up at the Vulcan. "That's awfully specific for this outdated piece of junk." He held up the tricorder for emphasis.
Meeting the suspicious stare with his own blank one, Spock reached out to take it back. "It is well maintained, I assure you." Draping the shoulder strap over his neck, he eyed the other man for a moment. It was his favored device. There was no need to insult it. "You may use your own devices from now on, Doctor."
The eyebrow dropped as a smirk spread over McCoy's face. "Prickly as a cactus." With that announcement he went about his work. Raising up his own medical tricorder, he pulled out the scanner. The whirling device made a soft hiss in the quiet chamber.
Spock watched as the other man walked up to the sunken chamber. Almost as if to spite him, his eyes were drawn away from the doctor to the figure. He wondered what it would be like to touch those dark curls. Would they be as soft as they looked?
His eyes went a little wide for a moment. Quickly bringing his mind under control, Spock distracted himself by looking to the others.
Sulu and McLaren were still in their original positions. They were joined by half a dozen personnel from various parts of the crew.
An engineer was standing a full meter from the entrance with her toolkit hanging limply from her hand. They were no doubt needed for the tank, but the blank expression on her face indicated that was not on her mind.
Kirk was no better. His blue eyes appeared to be slightly glassy and his features slack.
This should have been alarming to him, but Spock could barely summon the mental will to keep from staring at the figure himself. A rational part of his mind was concerned by his growing apathy to his duty. It wasn't important, the rest of him whispered. He wanted to reach out and touch him.
Much to his surprise, Spock had crossed the compartment and was standing beside the tub before he even realized what he was doing. His eyes went wide in shock as he felt his skin pale. "Captain, I believe something in this chamber is effecting our behavior."
There was no response.
It took a supreme effort of will, but Spock managed to break his eyes away from the dormant figure. His pulse sped up by a large fraction at the sight of the human crew surrounding him and the sunken tub.
They were all effected!
Even Dr. McCoy had abandoned his scans to kneel beside the pool of gel. Almost as one they put out their hands to dip in the cool fluid.
How did Spock know it was cool? His hand was there among them. It took half a heartbeat, but an electric tingle shot up his arm from the gel.
Almost instantly the gel grew warm. The lights at the bottom of the chamber brightened. Up from the figure's legs the first bubble rose. More soon followed until the gel's warmth was the equivalent of normal human body temperature.
Spock instinctively looked to the figure's face. There was nothing for a full minute. Then, almost imperceptible, a twitch under the left eye. The skin over the right part of the jaw clenched.
With a pained gasp, the figure shot up in to a sitting position in the center of the tub. His hoarse cough sounded painful as he took his first full breath. Eyes wide, he blinked in terror at the faces surrounding him.
Like the rest of his crew, Spock could only watch. His hand still in the gel, he remained frozen. The gel had a hold on his mind and body. Something was required from them that was still needed. It was vital to keep his hand in the gel for a little while longer.
From the corner of his eye he noted that the humans around him were starting to look pale. Whatever was being drawn from them was taking its toll.
Spock's heart clenched.
Coughing again, the man glanced from face to face. He trembled for a moment as his hands went to his sides. Drawing his knees to his chest, he shook his head.
This seemed to flip a switch in his mind. Spock was suddenly able to pull his hand from the gel. Around him the others had the same idea, though they moved much slower from exhaustion.
Swallowing, the man cleared his throat. He frowned as he continued to look from face to face. Eventually, his eyes landed upon Spock's. Then he spoke. "Kosen, no suesh Cylons?"
It was a soft tenor that played over Spock's ears. The man sounded unsure of himself and little scared. In continuing with his lack of control, Spock found himself reaching out to comfort the man. He realized it was a mistake only moments after his fingers made contact with the other's cheek.
Pain, quick and blinding, shot through his mind. Someone screamed but he couldn't be certain who as the world disappeared in a violent swirl of colors.