Trek: Never Parted

This is really interesting. And I love the expressions.
It makes me think of a story though, the expression on Spock's face compared to Jim's. It's like Jim is sweet and understanding, and Spock is 'unemotionally emotional' or something like that.


It gives me an idea (if you'll pardon the random blahage that comes from overfed plot bunnies ) where Vulcan has started some sort of colonization effort to help when their planet was--nah, it's just something they've done, in a traditional sort of way, where they take chosen ones from other cultures (read as: races and alien species) to mate with some of their own in order to strengthen their cross-cultural bonds. It's logical from the standpoint that familial bonds are the strongest, and to forge such with alien species who are potential gains for Vulcan will help them politically in the emerging space economy/frontier. They are careful to ensure this does not dilute the bloodlines of course. (not often an issue because most races are sterile when combined with Vulcans, or aren't compatible enough to have kids without medical assistance, and even then...) Though this is about the only time a pairing of a non-vulcan and a native happen, since it's also logical to bond with one who is most compatible, and there's nothing more compatible to you than your own species. Vulcans are also still secretive, and as such only one's bonded could know Vulcan's secrets and it's rare for one to share such things to even them. (I'd shudder to think about PonFarr and how that would go about or be explained. Maybe the bonded takes a short break to deal with it in order to not harm their sometimes much more fragile bonded.) Though Vulcan certainly uses it as a chance to gain all the knowledge about the other species that it can. In order to better cooperate and share intellectual resources, of course.

That was generations ago, and yet it's something they still do for certain families or bloodlines, or just chosen by lot. Spock's father was one of those, or actually since his father is Ambassador he took Amanda for his wife on his own, "to help understand humans", which is mostly psi-null and because of that has had very few 'cultural bondings' if any since the very beginning of the new space federation and whatnot.
Jim is a cadet, who was taking a sabbatical from schooling as is customary before graduation. In his case he's been hand-picked by Christopher Pike to follow in his father's footsteps and take on the new Flagship the Enterprise that's been built under both soon to retire men's watchful eyes. (tho for some reason with his robes I feel like he's a monk, lol.) Vulcan was one of the choices he could have picked from, but no-one goes there for the heat and gravity difficulties. Of course that makes it the perfect choice for Jim.
Somehow he and Spock are both chosen for the cultural bonding--Spock by lot or however it is done, maybe a very psychic Vulcan who has visions or insight brought on by some sort of advanced telepathy. Jim is given a choice--and Starfleet's informative pamphlet which tells him almost nothing except it'd be like a political marriage--and says that he'll have to think about it. But he meets Spock anyways, and they go on the ritualistic journey that all couples must take before fully deciding their fate. (only Spock doesn't really have a choice and he knows it. It's all up to Jim and his decision. Which both terrifies and thrills him as time goes on. But at the beginning of it, he really hates it. As much as a Vulcan can outwardly hate.)

Their trek begins with them starting out at a temple or archway into the desert dressed in traditional wear and allowed one item of choice to go with them (Spock takes some form of traditional weapon that says something about the challenge or how he 'feels', while Jim...you never know what he has till he uses it), Jim stares. Spock informs him that if he wished to back out now, he could do so at no shame to himself or his species. Jim takes that as a challenge.

The goal is to get through the desert making their way from small temple/cave shrine to small temple/cave shrine through the desert, accepting no help (not that there would be in the desert, more like threats from wild animals, ones that make Spock dearly miss his childhood pet I'chaya who died protecting him from one such creature) but for the garments and items that will be placed at the shrines for them. (possibly even while they sleep for a couple of them, which makes Jim nervous.) They'll rely only on this and each other to get through to the main temple where they will--depending on Jim's choice--be bonded.
At each shrine, they're supposed to offer up some form of sacrifice to it as the inscriptions say. Jim's confused, Spock is bound to explain. These sacrifices aren't often physical items (and there is a choice. Each shrine has one of two options for them to choose from, which changes their path slightly and definitely changes how things would turn out when they get to the main temple with the Priest, though they don't know that part), but they are a ritual, and to not do it would bring bad fortunes on their journey (as shown when a few shrines down Jim just refuses to do the first and doesn't even look at the other option due to...things, and they continue. Only to run their buts back to go do it real quick before they get killed in the suddenly ten times more threatening landscape. That or more likely they end up going in a circle until they reach that shrine again and have to make a choice. This time Jim's cooled down a bit, had time to think about those specific things, and Spock has also let him do so while worrying about the fact that he's not so sure what he wants for the outcome of this anymore when previously he'd wanted nothing more than for Jim to reject him so he could continue with his normal Vulcan life Jim actually reads the second scripture to see the other option and almost laughs hysterically at how simple it was compared. But, of course, after everything that's recently happened before and while they traveled in circles they choose the first/harder one still before continuing on. Or more like he does and Spock is shocked at that and his own reaction; he's pleased.)and the first one is telling the shrine/each other their name.
Jim laughs, Spock just looks, and they both do so. Jim rolls Spock's name around on his tongue and this unnerves the Vulcan male greatly the way it sounds coming from him. The second or third one down is where they perhaps are supposed to share an intimate greeting symbolic of their supposed feelings for one another. Jim shrugs and goes for it (kiss, friendly grope or whatnot) but Spock stops him, and tells him that's not how Vulcans share such things. He's embarrassed, his cheeks almost a light green that Jim swears could almost be a trick of the light, and quite reluctant and nearly unsure. Hence your amazing scene in the above picture (where those words are always at the Top of every shrine they meet like a blessing almost) and it's after they've read it and Spock's explained, settling down for the night by the fire (Jim is not quite amazed that they needed one. After all, it is a desert even if it is on a planet that is naturally many degrees hotter than Earth during the day, and nighttime it definitely gets cold.)
Maybe Spock holds his hand out, maybe Jim just goes 'alright let's try it.' or it's something they both start. But Spock stops when he's nearly there reaching for Jim's hand and it's Jim that covers the rest of the distance for him with a soft understanding smile, those words from above the shrine running through his head. That night he talks just like he'd done previously during their treks. Only this time it's not just about the funny things in his sordid past that he tells to most of the ones he has or plans to bed to pass the time and interest them. It's about nothing in particular, just to fill up space and make them both feel comfortable. But it's a turning point. It's where he starts talking about things that are or have been important in his life, things that he doesn't normally tell others. His dad left his mum (maybe, or issues could have been had elsewhere) living up to a name that he wasn't sure he wanted to. Wanting to become something that didn't have that in front or behind him, and his chance with this shining new flagship, even talk of being Captain of it some day. Mixed in with his wild teen years and how many times he'd nearly gotten stuck in Juvie while his dad was away on missions, and the six times that he did end up in there. And the one time it was for something he'd actually done.
It's also when Spock starts talking of his own life. Small bits and snippets at first, interjected into Jim's as contradictions or 'my schooling was much simpler/more efficient' but it expands. His interests, and that cryptic comment he'd given earlier when they'd fought that giant cat-like thing that had the word 'I'chaya' in it. How he'd never thought about traveling one day like his father or otherwise, but to hear Jim speak he thinks he likes it. The opportunities and the scientific discoveries being the only reasons why, really. And they really start to learn more as they journey along. Become closer, all up until that point that has Jim all but exploding and going off and Spock following after because it is the only logical choice, but finding himself unable to say anything appropriate to soothe the agitated man and faulting himself for it. Then finding that his silence was just what the doctor ordered, before they end up back at the shrine again. Because when they'd started they'd had a choice; to take the paths or not. They could have stopped before they ever began, but the moment they passed through that gate, they'd have to see it through to the end. ("Fine with me. James Tiberius Kirk is no quitter. And I don't run." figuratively speaking. He'll certainly use those feet if a jealous ex or a rampaging wild jungle beast is on his bum.) There was no turning back at any of the shrines, only diversions to change the path.

Though with the picture, maybe that kiss is often one of the options for sacrifices at several shrines, and the way Jim's holding his hand, it's like he held it out there and waited for Spock to come to him this time. Let him make the decision and take the chance if he wanted.
Gyah, I don't know, it's just so cute!

The trick would be that depending on what paths they chose--there's more than one through the desert obviously--and what sacrifices they gave would change the ending when they reach the shrine. When they get to the temple they could be all but bonded, if not bonded, with just the Priest at the end to bless them and tell them what they already knew.


And now that I've wasted mucho space, I should probably add that I favorited this, just because it's an awesome pic. XD