Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I'm not making any money on this.

No-Win Scenario

The away mission had been a disaster. The entire diplomatic convention had been a hoax. It had all been a trap for James Tiberius Kirk. The captain had enough time to briefly wonder why he was so effective at making enemies. Why did they always have to be the psychotic ones bent on personal vendettas? Why were they always after him?

The landing party was pinned down by phaser fire. They were wedged against solid rock, huddled together against the cliff wall. There was little shelter. There was nowhere to go, no way to win. They could not beam up due to the ion interference of the strange planet's surface, and they could not make it back to the shuttle. They were completely stuck. More than half the landing party had been injured in some way. Three of the crewmen Scotty had sent along from engineering were dead. All told, the seven people that remained alive with Kirk in the landing party were not doing well. The Klingons were slowly picking them off. Kirk could see no way out of their current situation. Spock and McCoy were both with him. While the death of any crew member would hurt him, Kirk was not sure that he could bear to see one of his best friends die in this way.

A quick call to the Enterprise confirmed that the ship was suffering under similar conditions. Scotty was facing off against three Klingon warbirds which had decloaked just as the landing party had arrived on the planet. Scotty could handle them a little while, indeed, if things got too hot, he could always leave orbit and return for them later. It was the survival of the landing party that worried the captain now.

For the first time in his life, James Kirk was thinking of surrender as a possible option.

"Captain Kirk!" Jim was surprised to hear that the hail came not from one of the officers behind him but from one of the people in front. The shout was accompanied by a cease fire on the part of the forces opposite. "Captain Kirk! Surrender, Captain."

Kirk looked anxiously at his crew. Some shook their heads, minutely. All were silent. Their expressions were resigned, determined. They preferred death to imprisonment and possible torture. They had accepted their fate. Death was better. If only there was some way he could save some of them, even just two of them…. Kirk made no answer to the Klingon's hail.

"If you will not surrender, Captain, then perhaps there is agreement we could reach?" The speaker shouted came again.

"What do you want?" he shouted back. There couldn't be harm in asking. The Klingons could have killed them all by now, by rights should have killed them all by now, so there was obviously something the others wanted. And if there was something they wanted, then some sort of arrangement could be reached.

"You, captain. Only you," came the Klingon's gruff reply. Well, that was interesting. Yeah, he always made enemies of the psychos.

"I suggest a small trade, captain. You for all of them. I will allow your landing party to leave; no more of your people will die. Our ships will stand down. I will allow the Enterprise to go. You… are all we want." Kirk was too speechless to respond. "I will let you think on it," the Klingon said as he withdrew. "I give you one hour."

McCoy and Spock spoke at once. "Jim." "Captain." He turned back to face them, knowing already what they were about to say. His two friends exchanged glances, and by some unspoken mutual agreement, McCoy allowed Spock to speak first. "Captain, you must not allow yourself to become a hostage. You have great value to Starfleet, and to the Federation. We cannot afford to lose so notable a figure in such a manner. It would be…demoralizing. Likewise, Captain, you are a commander of unparalleled ability, and as such are irreplaceable. You cannot be allowed to sacrifice yourself in such a manner. The magnitude of the loss would be incalculable."

Jim allowed his lips to quirk upward into his trademark smirk. "Incalculable, Spock? Really? I didn't know how much you cared." Though he allowed no emotion show on his face, Jim was moved by Spock's comments. He knew his first officer respected him. But Spock seldom voiced it. The friendship that existed between them had been tenuous at first, but over time had blossomed into something meaningful for both of them. And lately, Kirk had begun to wonder if his own feelings for his first had developed into something more than friendship. He had not spoken of it. Would not speak of it. Spock deserved better. But still the man's comments warmed him to the core.

McCoy's comments followed soon after. "Jim, you can't go with them. They'll torture you. You'll die."

But you won't. Neither of you.

Kirk found he could not answer Bones. He would be tortured. And likely, he would die. If he was very, very, lucky, it might even be quick. He could think of nothing else to say to Spock either. The Vulcan was right; he was always right. The first officer's arguments were always perfectly logically thought out. They just didn't work in every situation. Like this one.

Kirk knew already that he would accept the Klingon's terms. Knew this was his only option to save any of their lives. And for a moment, he remembered Christopher Pike-before the Captain went aboard the Narada, remembered pleading with man to understand he would be tortured for all he knew. Kirk still remembered the exact look on Pike's face when the Captain spat that he hoped the Romulans would torture him, because every minute he distracted them was another minute he could give the Enterprise. Kirk now knew, in Pike's place-he'd do the same thing. Was going to do it, in fact.

The Klingon's had given him an hour to make this decision. He didn't need it. The decision had been made as soon as the Klingon's had pinned down his ship and his crew. Whoever they were, they knew him well.

Through his reverie, Captain Kirk became aware that Spock was speaking to him again. "Captain, it is likely that the only reason they desire you is because you are a hero to the Federation. It is possible that they may accept a substitute in your place. I request permission-"

"Denied, Spock."

He would not allow Spock to do it. Spock was more useful to Starfleet, Jim knew this. Believed it with all his being. Spock was a better officer, a better man. Everyone thought that Jim had the biggest ego in the galaxy, and in some ways, he did. But his life was not worth Spock's, not worth any of the lives he'd lost already. He enunciated his answer carefully. "I will not allow you to take my place."

"I could remain with you, Jim. Two may perhaps escape more easily than one." Spock's logically phrased answer did not conceal the concern felt by the first officer.

"No, Commander. No more discussion. You are to get my crew and my ship to safety. Their safety comes before mine. That's an order. One Starfleet captain's a small price to pay for more than 400 lives." And not for the first time in their career together, Kirk was grateful that Spock was a Vulcan, and that his face betrayed no emotion at the order he'd just been given. The captain did not think he could bear to make the decision before him, if he had to hear Spock's voice break again.

"Damn it, Jim!" Despite himself, Jim grinned at the doctor's familiar words. McCoy always used them when he was frustrated. "There's got to be another way," the doctor continued.

Jim wondered if the next captain of the Enterprise would get to hear "Dammit" as often as he himself had. He was not sure anyone, except possibly for Spock, could be so effective at pissing off the doctor.

"There isn't, Bones. I'm sorry; there just isn't." He avoided looking at his best friend's face because McCoy did not have Spock's control, and Jim wasn't sure if handle any more than what he already had to face.

But if he was going to do this, then damn it, he was going to be Jim Kirk about it. He squared his shoulders and stepped from the rock they've been sheltering behind into the open.

"Klingon Commander! I accept your terms."

There are gasps from the rest of the people with him, a shout of "Captain, no!" that he barely heard, mingled with exclaims of triumph from the Klingon's. Kirk noticed little of this though. He concentrated very hard on tuning out everyone else.

He had eyes for only one person.

The Klingon before him wore a smile that froze Jim's blood. It's not big; it's small and almost predatory. "A wise decision, Captain Kirk."

Kirk stared hard into the Klingon's eyes. "I have your word my ship will be safe?"

The Klingon nodded, "and your landing party also. "

But Kirk needed actual confirmation, needed to know they will be all right before he could make this sacrifice. The Klingon seemed to understand him, however. "Captain Kirk, I will permit you to see your men to their shuttle, and to contact your ship, if you give me your word you will not attempt to escape, no matter what happens until they have gone."

That seemed to be the best assurance he would get from these people. "Done." Kirk only hoped that one day Spock and McCoy will forgive him.

"I require a test of your word, captain," said the Klingon. Yeah, they would.

He gestured that Kirk walk forward, and took one of the captain's hands in his own. Without preamble the Klingon broke the first two fingers on the captain's hand. Kirk started, but otherwise remained still, his left hand still in the other's grasp. He had not cried out. Nor did he move away. He moved his free hand, impatiently waving off Spock, who had started forward, coming to his captain's defense,

The Klingon's eyes held something bordering… on respect? "Very well, Captain, I will take you at your word. Your crew, your ship are welcome to leave. But understand that I will torture them personally, and make you watch, should you break your promise."

"Jim, please reconsider." That's from Bones.

Kirk put up a hand to forestall them both. He was flattered. Kirk knew they cared about him, knew that he meant more to them than just as their ship commander. But right now, that's the only role that he has room for, the only hat he can afford to wear. He had to do this.

"No, Spock, Bones, no. Just get my ship, my crew, and yourselves to safely. Just go. I'm counting on you."

My first fic ever. Please be nice. Read and review.

Betaed by the fabulous 1lostone.