The Sirens of Thayra

Chapter 9

Spock calculated they stood there for forty-eight minutes before something happened. The woman whom had captured them, Matron Hathra, arrived with a large entourage of guards and attendants. Close at her elbow was Captain Kirk. Kirk was being watched closely by the guards surrounding the Matron, but Spock could tell there was hardly need for it. His Captain stood there like he belonged with the woman, the same euphoric look on his face that McCoy had on his the night before.

He noted that Matron Hathra looked displeased with this gathering, looking at McCoy and he angrily. Her lip curled up slightly as she spotted something behind them and Spock followed the woman's gaze.

A beautiful woman came out of the crowd, her long blonde hair streaming behind her as she crossed to where Spock and McCoy were being kept. “No, no, no,” she said. “Not both of them.”

One of the women in white armor said, “I'm sorry Matron Katre? We were simply told to bring them both to the arena.”

“Yes, well, the dispute is only over that one,” Katre said, pointing at Spock. “You can take the other one aside.”

The guards grabbed McCoy, who looked at Spock with confusion and concern. He started to protest but the woman guard holding the collar controller showed it to him as a warning and the doctor was silent. As they led McCoy to the sidelines the woman guard eyed Spock. “To your knees,” she ordered, threatening him with her controller. He responded only with a quizzical look and bent down to kneel. Satisfied, she turned, following the others and leaving him in the middle of the room alone.

Spock watched Matron Katre rejoin her entourage. The woman beckoned to the back of the crowd and a woman dressed in black armor carrying a spear stepped forward. Spock instantly recognized Tria and watched as Katre tugged at the straps on her armor, but could not hear what the Matron was saying to her even though the crowd was beginning to fall silent.

In front of him a woman stepped up to the center podium, holding up a hand for quiet. As the air became still Katre and Hathra came to stand at either side of this woman. “As High Matron of Thayra-Lossa it is my duty to see our laws are upheld. Our laws keeps us strong, unified, and above the brutal clans of the eastlands. Today it has come to my attention that one of our laws has been broken.” She looked to her left at Matron Hathra then said, “Will the challenger step forward.”

All eyes turned to Tria as she stepped out of the crowd, walking over to stand behind Spock. Her mouth was pursed tight and her nostrils flared. A wave of murmurs flowed through the crowd.

“High Matron Taiyah,” Tria shouted over the low rumble of voices. “I am the challenger.”

Again, the crowd responded and Taiyah held up her hands to silence them. “Even those who do not belong to Thayra-Lossa have always been granted the same rights to our laws,” she shouted in a commanding voice. She looked down to address Tria. “State your name, maiden, and your challenge.”

“I am Tria. My challenge is to Matron Hathra of clan Hath-Menda. The Matron took this male before me as a prisoner. She had no right to do so.”

“Matron Hathra,” said Taiyah over the voices of the shocked crowd, “Do you have a response to this accusation?”

“She was a trespasser,” growled Hathra. “She and her men trespassed in the Hath-Menda sector of the city! The males defended themselves in battle! I had every right to take them!”

Tria responded quickly, “But you and your women never fought me! You took the men, subdued them, then sent me off the the central spire guarded and unchallenged. The laws of Thayra-Lossa state that I have the right to a battle before males are claimed as prisoners!”

“And what claim do you have to them, outsider?” Hathra pointed at Tria from behind her podium. “I know that this one,” she gestured to Kirk, “has no female! He is mine!”

Taiyah held up her hand to stop the argument. “The issue is not over the male called James Kirk,” she corrected. “You took this male prisoner and claimed him for your clan. It has come to my attention that Tria laid claim to him long before they came to our city.”

“Anyone can lay claim to a man,” said Hathra, “How can you be so sure she is not lying?”

“This woman is clearly not like us,” said Taiyah, speaking to the crowd. “We know she is not able to control males as we do, a disadvantage, to be sure. And yet, she claims that this one is loyal to her without the scent!” She leaned over her podium, looking down on Spock. “Speak, then, male. You are not under the influence of any female from our clans, are you?”

“At present, I am not,” Spock responded.

“Then tell me,” Taiyah said, “does this female lie or do you agree that she has a claim on you stronger than Hathra's?”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “From what little I know about your laws, it would seem that Tria does indeed have a more valid claim on my person than Matron Hathra.” Behind him he heard Tria stifle a nervous laugh, though what about his statement she found amusing he was not certain.

Taiyah straightened, considering what Spock had said. “So that there is no misunderstanding, what gives you that impression?”

His face a mask, Spock said, “I would prefer not to elaborate.”

“Then it must not be true!” said Hathra. The crowed erupted in agreement.

“Dammit,” he heard Tria mumble behind him. “Spock,” she whispered, just loud enough that he could hear, “You have to tell them or this won't work.”

He bowed his head, speaking over his shoulder. “Since I do not know what your plan is, it is difficult for me to assist in its success.”

The crowd began to die down again as Taiyah held up her hand.

“Spock,” she hissed, “if this works, we might have a chance to save Kirk.”

“Are you certain that this is a logical course of action?”

“It doesn't matter if it was logical,” she said, “it was the only option.”

“Male,” said Taiyah, addressing Spock. He looked up at the dark haired woman, her charcoal eyes staring down at him. She seemed displeased with his answer, but in such a manner that Spock was beginning to understand that Matron Taiyah was also a part of this spectacle. “If you cannot confirm Tria's claim upon you, then you render her challenge invalid.”

Spock met her eyes, thinking. “I believe, Matron, that I am at fault here. I am not certain what circumstances, under your laws, give a female a stronger claim on a male than another.”

Taiyah smirked and the crowd chuckled as a reflection to her reaction. “Then I will clarify. By our laws a female who has males in her service, as slaves, servants, guards, lays claim to them only until she has faulted to another woman. In this case, right to claim her males as her own may be revoked. However, in the matter of coupling, females lay claim to those men until their death.”

Spock was silent for a moment. His mind caught a tinge of urgency, fear, and awkwardness, feelings that were not his own. Tria's emotional state was so strong from the stress the challenge placed on her, she was projecting them outwardly. Unconsciously no doubt, Spock thought. He resigned himself to the situation, finding the consequences outweighed his reservations. “In that case,” he answered, “then by your laws only her death would relinquish her claim on me.”

Taiyah nodded. “Hathra, the claim is valid. You have the right to choose how to defend yourself. What weapon do you choose?”

Hathra frowned deeply. “I will choose no weapon,” she said. “This outsider will have to best me by hand.” The Hath-Menda clan buzzed with confusion, their lack of understanding spreading like a wave through the crowd.

“Prepare yourselves!” said Taiyah, stepping down from the platform.

Tria stepped up beside Spock, helping him to his feet. “If the claim is valid, why is their to be a battle.” Half the guards that had brought him and the doctor to the arena were coming back out to retrieve Spock.

“It's their way,” she answered. “Taiyah and Katre are pushing me to do this...they want me to win.”

“To what end?” The guards came up behind him, taking him by the arms.

“Because if a challenger wins they not only gain restitution, they take with them all the rights, privileges, and titles that the accused held.” She looked at him longingly as they took him away, concern written across her face.

Spock was pushed over to the sidelines guarded closely by the women in white armor. McCoy looked over at his Vulcan friend, looking appalled. “Spock what the hell kind of insanity is all this? Is she out of her mind?”

“No, Doctor, she is quite aware of what is going on.”

“Then why is she going along with this?”

Spock watched Tria hand the spear she carried to someone in the crowd. She turned toward the center of the arena, closing her eyes and breathing deep. Preparing herself. “It would seem that should she best Matron Hathra, she will replace her. She will become the leader of that clan.”