Out of the woods

Exiled

. . . 2238. . .

. . . Vulcan. . .. May 1st. . .

"Mr Kirk?"

"Yes?"

There was no gentle way to say this for what a couple Vulcans had to do.

"Please step aside, we have matters of great importance to conduct."

He could see these were some important Vulcans so he took a step aside. He stepped aside allowing the group to come in. The second Vulcan explained the matter of importance. Sybok had done something of utterly . . . Total shame. That is how Jim would put it. He had attempted to find his mother's katra. His mother was a Vulcan Priestess (or used to be) and had conducted a process that eliminated all emotions to conduct her practice of total logic which nulled her marriage with Sarek before he had met Amanda.

They wouldn't say what Sybok did.

They only said "You wouldn't understand" which was hurtful.

Thankfully Spock was at school.

Sybok?

He had stayed home pretending to be sick. He was the trouble maker. Fifteen years old and he reminded Jim of his brother Samuel. Jim had to painfully watch the officials take Sybok. Hours passed. Sybok didn't come back, grinning ear to ear, stubborn as ever. He was exiled off Vulcan at such a young age along with his other friends. Jim sat down into the chair soaking in the situation he had been placed in. He watched history unfold differently. Sure, it would have transpired differently if Sarek was in the boys lives.

Spock was eight years old.

Jim could feel his spidey senses tingling.

Something was going to happen.

This year.

It was the kind of 'danger' alarm in his head. It was the 'Spock is eventually going to get into trouble this year that isn't name calling or any of the sorts'. Spock didn't talk much about what happened at school. One time Spock came back with a black eye and Sybok had to explain that one away, "Someone insulted his mother." and another time his knuckles were bruised, Sybok explained that one away as well, "Oh, someone insulted you, Mr Kirk." That only brought concern.

Jim mostly was concerned that he was getting picked on because of him.

Having a human in the house with a impressionable halfbreed.

Spock came back with a bloody nose.

"Where's Sybok?" Spock asked.

"He was exiled," Jim said. "Chin up," He got some tissues. "And let me wipe that blood off your face."

Spock stood there, emotionless, as Jim guided him to the kitchen then used some tissue paper that had some dap of water and cleaned the blood. The blood was red unlike the many times Jim had seen his first officer bleed where when he had green blood. Eventually the blood was cleaned off and Jim put the tissue paper into the trash can. Spock gave a small, "Thank you." then Spock went on to do research possibly to bury his emotions.

Jim decided, it was time to make that call regarding what had happened last year.

Jim read the Vulcan news on the padd.

Sybok was exiled along with twelve others about his age and some of them were older.

Jim briefly closed his eyes.

"Oh Sybok . . ." Jim said, with a little sigh and a shake of his head.

Jim would make that call after Spock goes to bed.

Jim knew he would be breaking the kids heart but he had to. Knowing Sarek, he would want to come right away despite the threat being on the down low. Sarek would likely be back in six months. Maybe less, but he had to be prepared. It would hurt Jim too leaving the planet but he almost spoke like them with their logic and all! And he did like vegetables more than he had prior to coming.

Jim hated to say goodbye to Spock.