Chapter One

Arms twisted at awkward angles. Thick chalky dust slowly embedding itself in his lungs. A huge weight pressing into his chest, making it difficult to breath. Jim checked these things off as he struggled to remember the events that had led him to this position. With a start, he remembered that he hadn't been alone and called out for his first officer. Nothing but silence spoke back to him. Jim tried to recollect more.

Earlier that day...

Planets dangled in the white speckled space like orbs of shining glass. This constellation was by far one of the most beautiful they had ever patrolled. It was typical that something just had to go and ruin the moment.

"Incoming distress call, Captain," said Uhura.

"On screen," sighed Jim, leaning forward in his chair. The image flickered and a few seconds, a bloodied and torn face appeared. Most of the crew on the bridge were taken aback by the grotesque image. Spock was unfazed however, whilst Jim, obviously disturbed, was trying his best to remain professional. The man on-screen spoke in a strained and gargled voice.

"Translating sir," Uhura spoke up. Her eyes glistened slightly as the man raised up burned and disfigured hands in some sort of salute. When the man stopped talking, he disappeared into a haze of black and the planets that stared back at them suddenly seemed less beautiful than before. Uhura turned on her chair. "He's from the planet Incendium. His people are under attack by their own servants. Domestic animals of some kind. I'm sorry, the message was unclear. That was all I could make out."

"Take us there, Sulu," said Jim.

"Aye, Captain."

From up above, Incendium did not look like a planet in distress. It was just a calm, dull orange globe covered in clouds.

"Scanners detect no signs of life, captain," said Spock.

"How would you explain the distress call?"

"Perhaps the message was recorded," suggested Uhura.

"The lieutenant is correct," said Spock. "It is the logical explanation." Jim clenched his fists and stood up sharply. If this was a message from the past then they really were helpless. He could not help regret their late arrival.

"Sulu," he said, "I know how much you like the chair. Look after it whilst I'm gone."

"Glad to, Captain," was the eager reply.

"I do not recommend going down there," said Spock.

"We're explorers, aren't we?" said Jim as he headed for the turbo lift. Spock followed with that wary look on his face Jim knew he would be trying to hide. "Look," he said, " It's been ages since I've stepped out onto an alien planet. What could go wrong? There's nothing down there according to your scanners and I trust your judgement."

"My judgement is that you should not be going down there."

"For someone who refuses to express emotion," said Jim, "you sure do worry a lot,"

"I am not worried," said Spock monotonously. "I am merely stating that the most reasonable course of action would be to wait until you have all the facts before making a decision."

"We'll be fine. And I guess you're coming with me, right?"

Spock didn't say anything in reply, but Jim knew the answer already.

They prepared to beam down to the planet. It was decided that it would only be a quick visit and there was no need for a large party. Scotty was standing cautiously by the controls when they arrived to the transporter room.

"Are yeh sure about this, captain?" he asked as if he had asked the very same question time and time again. Jim gave a curt nod. "Alright then," he sighed. "Have fun." And before Spock could make a retort about the inappropriate usage of the word 'fun', they had materialised onto the planet.

An illustrious orange sky glowed down upon a flat landscape. Sapphire plants curled around chalk-like ruins, giving off a striking fruity aroma that made Jim feel like he was on holiday. He grinned at Spock only to see the Vulcan with his eyes fixated on the screen of a scanner, ignoring the beauty around him. Hopeless.

A little way in the distance, there was some sort of image carved into the stone. Jim made his way towards it, careful not to trip over any of the rocky protrusions. On closer inspection, the image was that of a horned dragon.

"Captain," said a voice from close behind him. Jim jumped, resisting the urge to punch Spock in the face. Something he was having to do increasingly often. "I have detected extremely faint life signs. Our long range sensors were unable to pick them up."

"I don't see anything," said Jim, glancing about the place. How old had that message been? There were no signs of civilisation apart from a crumbling temple that looked to be thousands of years old.

"They are coming from inside those ruins."

"Let's check it out," said Jim immediately.

"We do not know what we are dealing with," said Spock, but it was no use. Jim had rushed off. Spock was forced to follow him into the crumbling building, phaser out.

Light poured in through glassless windows, illuminating their path. Even so, Jim had ventured quite far away and Spock could no longer see him. He could still hear him perfectly though, doing his half-hearted captain's log. Getting the date wrong as usual. And then there was silence. Spock quickened his pace. Jim must have heard the hastened footsteps because that's when he spoke again.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm over here. Found the source of those life readings you were talking about." Spock caught up and saw that they were standing in a nest, surrounded by about a dozen speckled eggs.

"I do not understand."

"Amazing," said Jim. "Something Mr Spock doesn't understand. There's a first time for everything." Spock raised an eyebrow. "Relax, I'm kidding. So, tell me. What is it that you don't understand."

"I do not detect any other life forms," he said. "However, something must have laid these eggs. We should gather the necessary data and leave." This time, Jim had to agree. Intruding upon the nest had made him feel uneasy, as if the mother could come back at any second to defend her children.

Once they had taken the readings that would enable them enough information to study the area from the safety of the ship, Jim flipped open his communicator.

"Kirk to Enterprise," he said. "We're ready to beam up...Scotty can you hear me? I said, we're-"

"I heard what yer said," came the abrupt voice. "There's something blocking the signal. Give me a moment."

"Great," said Jim, a huge smirk on his face. "More time to explore I suppose."

"Indeed," said Spock who was now glancing over the hieroglyphic like writing on the walls. "We appear to be violating sacred ground. If we make our way back into the open space then we may be able to beam out."

For the time being, Jim decided to ignore his friend's advice and instead, stepping carefully over the eggs, trekked deeper into the temple and away from the nest. The corridor seemed to go on for miles, stretching ominously into a shadowy cavern. He could hear his first officer's slow and careful footsteps behind him and smiled to himself.

"Spock," he said. "If you want to leave, I won't stop you."

"The odds of your survival are greatly increased by my being here."

"How modest of you," said Jim, not sure whether to be amused or irritated. A rumbling noise tore the smile from his face. "I hope that was your stomach," he added, squinting through the shadows to try and see if there was any movement up ahead.

"I am not hungry captain," said Spock. "Rather, our presence in this unsteady structure has deteriorated it even further. We need to leave." Even though Jim could not read the emotion in his expression or voice, he could sense the urgency all the same and turned back. This time Spock was leading but the exit was a long way off and the rumbling now joined by a showering of dust and debris. A loud gravelly crack resounded. Stone plummeted and Jim could no longer make sense of which way was which. Fear and regret filled his mind, his vision blurred, pain and then darkness.