Fellowship & Fairydust

~ by Laura Cynthia Chambers

Todar blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. He lifted his head, his dazed expression changing to one of grim triumph. “He is no longer with us, then?” the Agapean rasped, chuckling hoarsely.

“We shall see,” Spock answered gruffly. “The wound is deep, but it does not bleed much as long as the blade remains in it.”

Todar frowned. “We’ll see about…that…” He shifted, trying to stand, but Kirk pushed him back down against the tree with a thump.

“Don’t even think about it,” Riley barked. He kept a firm hold on the man’s shoulder.

Kirk tsked, shaking his head. “You don’t even know what you’ve done, do you?”

A rustling sound came through the trees. Todar craned his neck to see who was coming, but saw nothing. He locked eyes with Kirk. “I have done what I must.”

McCoy appeared on the hillside, stopping to catch his breath for a second as he took in the scene. When his gaze landed on Spock and the prone figure, he sped to their location and dropped to his knees, scanning the person with his tricorder.

Kirk regarded the man with contempt. “Let me tell you something about hatred, Todar. When you allow yourself to get mired down in it, it changes you. To the point where you’re so blinded that you can only see what you want to. Nothing else matters, not even the truth!”

More rustling came from the direction McCoy had arrived from. Kirk and Todar’s heads snapped sideways to see Albix stagger into the clearing, still wearing the white tunic they’d found him in. He rubbed his sore jaw, staring at his brother.

Todar’s mouth gaped in shock. “You. But…how? There’s only one of you and I-I-“

Albix looked at his brother sadly, trying but failing to find the words. He shot a pained look at the figure, who moved once and groaned softly.

“He was counting on that, Todar,” Kirk whispered sadly. He and Riley each put a hand underneath Todar’s armpits and hauled him over to the place where the figure lay. Albix walked slowly over towards them. McCoy leaned back in a crouching position as Spock removed the hood from the figure’s face.

All the blood drained from Todar’s face as he saw Descin’s familiar features, now drawn and pale. “Father…” He looked as though he was going to faint himself, but Kirk and Riley adjusted their hold on him, bracing him more firmly.

McCoy addressed the group with a serious face. “The blade’s pretty close to an artery. I don’t want to risk removing it until I can get a better look in sickbay. Sooner rather than later.” He moved forward and resumed scanning, but Descin pushed his hand away weakly.

“Wait…Doctor. I must…speak to my…sons.” He let his arm drop to his side. McCoy backed away so that they could see his face.

Albix wiped away tears from his red-rimmed eyes. He shot an angry look at his brother. “You hated me this much?” The anger was quickly replaced by pain.

But Todar continued to stare at his father in shock. Unshed tears filled his eyes. He swallowed twice and sunk to his knees beside his father’s limp form. His tears dampened the orange robe as he grabbed his father’s hand and uttered one single syllable filled with pain. “Why?”

Descin coughed, wincing with pain. Reaching up for Todar’s face, he placed his hand on the stricken man’s cheek. A tear ran over his fingers. “To protect you…both.” He paused, coughing again. “I would far rather face…my own death…than see either of you die…” He closed his eyes briefly. “He is my son…and you are my son…know this; I shall not hold it against you.”

Todar staggered backwards like a drunken man. McCoy glanced at him before flipping open his comm. “Enterprise, this is McCoy requesting emergency transport. I’ve got an elderly male with a serious stab wound to the shoulder…” His voice faded out as Todar stumbled away from the scene, dropping to his knees on the ground. He covered his face with his hands and wept loudly.

Spock watched him with deep concern on his face. Riley appeared confused. “Huh. Didn’t know he had it in him.” Kirk stood deep in thought, his arms at his sides.

Only Albix approached Todar, slowly and cautiously. He put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Todar flinched as though burned, raising a tear-streaked face to his brother’s. Gone was the hatred of moments ago. Instead, fear and guilt flared in his eyes. “What then, brother?” he asked, barely above a whisper.

Albix regarded him for a moment before offering his hand. Todar stared at it as though he’d never seen one before, then took it. Albix pulled him up from the ground. “I would not,” he paused, swallowing, “be my father’s son if I did not do for you as he has done for me.

And everybody watched in disbelief as the brothers embraced each other, weeping.

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