I do not own Star Trek or its characters. I make no profit from this work of fiction.


McCoy was fuming. They had done everything the Bemth had asked them: met them outside of town for negotiations, come unarmed, worn muted clothing, and removed their belts. But the leader of this particular faction of the Bemth still refused to tell them where Jim had been taken.

"We have no wish to interfere in your conflicts with the other Bemth factions, Akieth" Spock reiterated calmly for the umpteenth time. "We simply wish to retrieve our Captain."

"And I have told you, Commander," the Akieth said with a smirk, "that he is not in our village."

McCoy couldn't hold it in any longer. "You also said that your scouts had seen an enemy faction take him. We just want to know where."

"We will offer them no assistance, just as we have offered you none," Spock continued. "We have no interest in this conflict."

"And what if they ask for something in return for your Captain?"

McCoy growled. "We've been over this. We don't negotiate with terrorists. Either way, it won't be your concern."

The Akieth took a long drink from a tall glass beside him.

As if sensing Leonard's impatience or acting on his own, Spock continued. "We cannot offer you anything for the information; that would also be classified as interfering in this conflict."

They were interrupted by screams.

Leonard turned and saw that the village was on fire, and it was spreading quickly. The whole assembly leapt to their feet, some of them running towards the flames.

The Akieth looked back to Spock. "Help us! You must have technology that can help our people! We beg the Federation for aid!"

Spock looked over at Leonard.

McCoy merely raised an eyebrow, turning his face away from the fire. "You ain't seen our Captain? Well, I don't see any fire over there. What about you, Commander?"

"I agree with your assessment, Doctor McCoy."

The Akieth looked between the ruins of his village and the stoic Starfleet officers before dragging a younger Bemth in front of them. "Tell them what you saw."

"Your Captain has been taken by the Blypiltian faction; I saw them take him away."

"Was he hurt?" McCoy demanded.

"He was not conscious."

"Damn it!"

Spock whipped out his comm. "Ensign Chekov, lock onto any life signs in the Bemth village close to our location. Beam them all to the Enterprise."

"Yes, Commander!" came the quick reply.

The Akieth dropped to his knees. "Thank you."

Spock ignored him, turning to Leonard. "Doctor, you should return to the Enterprise to –"

"No. My staff can handle the burns. I'm going with you to find Jim." And I'll make anyone who laid a hand on him pay, he thought clenching his fists.

Spock nodded. "Very well." He gave further instructions into the comm, directing the Enterprise crew to help with the damage to the village.

An element in the soil of the planet messed up their sensors just enough to not be able to decipher one life sign from another. Without his comm, they couldn't locate Jim from the Enterprise; they just had to do it the old fashioned way.

Spock led the away team in the direction of the other faction.


It took another full day of searching and dodging phaser fire – the one technology the Bemth did embrace – until they finally found him. They were able to easily navigate the secondary Blypiltian encampment. The occupants had mostly fled to join in the fighting. Jim was being held in a small hut, locked in a coffin-like metal cage.

"Jim!" McCoy cried, running to him.

Jim was sweating and shivering, his eyes glassy.

Leonard scanned him as Spock instructed the other crew members to guard their position. The Vulcan then used his phaser to melt the lock on the cage. "He's been drugged," Leonard growled. "And … it looks like some of his wounds are infected." Jim's uniform had been ripped, revealing ugly red slashes oozing underneath. He wrenched the grated lid open and cupped Jim's cheek as Spock commed the Enterprise for a beam out. "Jim? Can you hear me, kid?"

Jim blinked a couple times before meeting Leonard's eyes. "Bones?"

"I'm here. We've gotcha. Just sit tight. We're gettin' you out of here."

Jim closed his eyes, turning his face into Leonard's palm. "Bones," he whimpered softly.

"I know, kid," Leonard soothed, stroking Jim's soaked hair. "I'm gonna fix it. You'll be all right, darlin'." He shot a look at Spock over his shoulder. "What's taking so long?"

"They are working as quickly as possible, Doctor."

"Wha's happening?" Jim slurred, trying to sit up.

"Easy," Leonard hushed him, gently keeping him down with a hand to his chest. "Don't get up, Jim. We'll be outta here in a minute." He breathed a sigh of relief as the transporter activated around them, and Jim was lying next to him on the pad, instead of in a cage.

Jim moaned and instinctively curled towards him.

Leonard gathered him into his arms and carried him to the waiting stretcher, keeping hold of his hand as they zipped down the corridor. "You're home, Jim. You're safe."

Jim managed to look up at him with cloudy eyes. "Home?"

Leonard forced a smile. "Yeah, kid. Home."

Jim closed his eyes and smiled. "Good." His body relaxed as he fell asleep.

Leonard released the breath he had been holding and got to work, giving his team instructions as they wheeled Jim into Sickbay.