The Needs of the One

The Needs of the One was an 18-page Star Trek: The Original Series comic book story printed in spring 1994. The story took place on Vulcan in 2286 and dealt with Spock's recovery following the events of TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Search for Spock. Written and penciled by Mike Collins, it was the second story printed in DC Comics' Star Trek Special, Issue 1.

Description

On Vulcan, while awaiting completion of repairs to the Klingon warship which will take him back to Earth to face charges, Kirk considers the loss of his son and the rebirth of his friend. Spock wanders into the mountains which he knew as a child, and Kirk sets out to find him. Along the way, they revisit events from their past, and come to terms with their future.

Summary

Captain's personal log: Our time on Vulcan passes slowly. The refit of the Klingon vessel is almost complete, but the very act of repairing this warship brings home to me how I had to destroy my own ship, the Enterprise. I lost a son, David, a son I barely knew existed. And I regained Spock, a friend I'd mourned as dead. I returned him to his father, Sarek. Is there a karmic balance somewhere that I've settled? It would be some small comfort to think so.

On Vulcan, Sarek took his leave of Spock, as he prepared to depart for Earth to testify in Kirk's defense before the Federation Council. Spock's mind wandered when Sarek suggested he focus on becoming a scholar for the Vulcan Science Academy. He told Kirk that Spock would remain on Vulcan.

Captain's personal log: Sarek wasn't trying to be cruel, just coldly logical. I had no answer to give him. I understood that hollow feeling too well.

When Spock asked Amanda Grayson whether he had a brother, she told him how Sybok had come to be disowned by Sarek and that Sarek had set high expectations for Spock. Spock disappeared, seemingly driven my childhood memories of retreating into the mountains to decide his fate. For a moment he thought a nearby sehlat was his pet I-Chaya. They repelled an attack by five le-matyas along a mountain pass to protect the sehlat's family.

Captain's personal log: The harsh Vulcan winds rose as night fell. Some five hours into our search we found our first sign that Spock had been this way… and my heart fell... To the place of koon-ut-kal-if-fee. A stark arena, a throwback to pre-kolinahr times. A place of 'marriage or challenge'. Here Vulcans stripped away their edifice of logic, contested for their mates. Here, Spock lost his betrothed. I had to wonder, what drove him to relive the agony of that time? Was my closest friend trapped in bitter remembrance? Or did the blood-fires of pon-farr rise up to cloud his mind? Did he fix upon the image of his intended bride, T'Pring, who called for the contest: kal-if-fee. A contest that led him to fight and 'kill' me, his captain.

Buried in memories, Spock struck out at Kirk with a lirpa. Hikaru Sulu and Saavik found the two men fighting and were able to clear Spock's head. Together they sought shelter in a cave from windstorms, and Spock confessed he could not remember events starting with the V'Ger incident. Kirk described those events, explaining that Spock's mind meld with V'Ger led him to decide not to return to Vulcan.

Captain's personal log: We rose early, the storms having mostly subsided. Spock had one last place to visit before going home. The high plateau of Gol, the site of kolinahr.

Spock sought to comprehend why he'd previously left Vulcan — he was deciding whether to obey Sarek's wishes and remain. A matriarch came out to meet them: T'Pring. Since their minds were still linked, she had been drawn to help him. She asserted that he would never stay on Vulcan, even now. A shuttle then landed to retrieve them. Leonard McCoy said that they'd been recalled to face trial on Earth. Spock asked to accompany them.

References

Other references

1996 • 2273 • atmosphere • brain • caveman • clothing • death • emotion • energy • fal-tor-pan • God • hour • humanoid • kal-if-fee • katra • kolinahr • koon-ut-kal-if-fee • kroykah • le-matya • lifeform • lirpa • logic • marriage • matter • mind meld • mint julep • peace • planet • pon farr • prison • quarters • Rosetta Stone • sandstorm • sehlat • sickbay • space • star • star system • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • statue • time • uniform • universe • whiskey • year

Timeline

Chronology

1996: Brandon Nichols invented transparent aluminum.
2222: Sybok was born to Sarek and T'Rea.
2237: I-Chaya was mortally wounded by a le-matya during Spock's personal kahs-wan.
2240s: Sarek disowned Sybok for his rogue beliefs.
2267: Spock underwent pon farr, fighting for T'Pring at the place of koon-ut-kal-if-fee.
2267: The Nomad probe wiped Nyota Uhura's memory; McCoy developed programs to aid her recovery.
2273: T'Pring witnessed Spock's failure at kolinahr; Spock mind-melded with V'Ger.

Appendices

Background

The distance between Llangon Mountains outside of ShiKahr and the Mountains of Gol appeared to be within a walking distance of two days, according to this story.

Connections

Published Order
Previous comic: Blaise of Glory Star Trek Special, Issue 1	The Original Series (DC volume 2 Specials)	Next comic: Raise the Defiant Star Trek Special, Issue 2
Previous story: first story	Stories by: Mike Collins	Next story: **SCE eBook: Caveat Emptor**
Chronological Order
Previous adventure: Star Trek IV Sourcebook Update Genesis Project Security Leak	Memory Beta Chronology	Next adventure: Old Soldiers Never Die The Investigation
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2286. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s):
Previous adventure: The Motion Picture	2273 Page 1	Next adventure: Provenance of Shadows Crucible

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

The Needs of the One

Contents

Description

Summary

References

Characters

Starships and vehicles

Locations

Races and cultures

States and organizations

Science and technology

Ranks and titles