This is my first Fan fic, so be nice!
Dislcaimer: unfortunately, i don't own anything to do with star trek, but i do own McKinley and Lauriana Firesword. I apologies if i got anything wrong, i didn't do much research.
all reviews appreciated! even the negative ones!
James Tiberius Kirk ran for his life.
Behind him, he could hear the heavy breathing of elephant-like Unashi getting closer. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and gave him the stamina to keep moving, even though his legs felt like lead and his lungs burned. In front of him, Spock, McCoy and two young cadets sprinted for all they were worth, dodging the thick undergrowth and carefully avoiding the giant stinging nettle when they could. Jim held the communicator to his mouth and gasped. "Scotty! Get us out of here!"
His heart skipped a beat when all he heard was static. "Spock! All I can hear is static! Why is that? It didn't look like the planet had any interference before we landed!"
The creature advanced, tearing through the forest plants like they were toothpicks. It gave an insane roar, revealing jagged teeth to Jim who had glanced behind him. Spock looked behind him momentarily and yelled. "It seems we didn't pick it up whilst we did a check of this world from the ship; or perhaps when we entered that seemingly abandoned building, we triggered some sort of planetary defence system." Jim cursed his foolishness, and then shrugged inwardly. He focused on the present and became aware of a break in the trees ahead. Cadet Hawkins stopped first, hand out to stop Spock before they all went plummeting over the cliff and into the pink water far below.
Damn it, Jim swore. How do we get out of this one?
As the party stopped and observed the elephant beast, they were surprised that it didn't come out of the trees. "That's slightly odd." McCoy frowned and looked around them. Usually when something big and nasty stops chasing you, it means there is something really big and really nasty behind you. Nothing seemed to be in sight. The creature roared in disappointment and turned away; lumbering back through the dense undergrowth. Jim Kirk sighed in relief. Turning to his crew, he grinned and continued to breathe heavily. "Well, just another day checking out un-known, potentially dangerous planets by the fearless crew of the Enterp-"
He was interrupted by a yelp of pain. Cadet Hawkins' exposed skin had turned a ghastly red, like really bad sunburn. "Captain, it appears the UV rays of the planets two suns is stronger than expected, hurry, get back into the shade." Spock grabbed Jim's arm and hurried towards the trees. When they had reached the shade, McCoy pulled out his tricorder and scanned everybody's skin. "Damn. This is pretty bad, almost first degree burns." He pulled his sleeve back and was surprised to see that the skin under his clothing was completely fine. He looked at everyone, gingerly touching their flaming skin. "So we never noticed this before because the trees provide cover." Jim gritted his teeth as he touched his arm. He looked at Spock and noticed with annoyance that he didn't look that different, except for the slight pinkish hue to his face. "We need to get back soon so i can be sure none of us develop a melanoma." McCoy nodded at Jim. "Let's go."
Jim shook his head but tried once again. "Scotty, you there? Beam us out please." He released the talk button and listened with disappointment to the static that followed.
"Is it broken?" Hawkins craned his neck to look at it.
"No. It seems like there is interference."
McCoy sighed heavily and looked up the path carved out by the charging beast. "Should we find some place to rest or should we keep close to the open sunlight?"
Spock nodded up the path. "It is logical to stay where the beasts do not." Jim looked at Spock. "That may be so, but we need to find out where the disturbance is coming from so we can shut it off or something. We should search."
He turned on his heel and was about to walk off when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "That seems the most logical thing to do in this situation." Jim nodded and pulled out his phaser.
"Just to be sure, set phasers to kill."
The walk through the forest seemed fairy uneventful from then on. The occasional rustle of leaves or the cry of an invisible creature made them jump, but nothing ever approached them.
It was getting dark on the planet, a deep violet haze descended like a blanket over the forested trees. The rhythmic song of a thousand crickets began to fill the air. Jim was suddenly reminded of earth and felt a pang of homesickness. As the darkness drew closer, the plants around the group began to glow slightly with an eerie, blue light. McCoy lent forward and touched a glowing leaf. Where his finger made contact, it pulsated and rippled.
"Why does it glow like this?" Cadet McKinley asked, holding onto a leaf and smoothing its surface.
Spock looked at the native flora. "It appears that maybe some sort of chemical component reacts to the radiation of the planets suns. Perhaps it glows like this in the daylight as well, but because the suns are emitting so much like, we can't see-"
A ferocious battle cry interrupted Spock mid sentence. Figures leapt from the surrounding trees, tackling the away team to the ground. In panic, Cadet Hawkins fired his phaser at the nearest creature, illuminating it for an instant. He appeared male; with lean features and some sort of rocky textured skin. His head was angular and he had large eyes. One gold, one black. The being was hit by the phaser and fell to the ground with a cry, dead. This seemed to change things. Jim watched in horror as three creatures tackled Hawkins to the ground next to him. The cadet struggled, breathing heavily. In the darkness Jim heard a scream of agony that was abruptly cut off. The outline of Hawkins was still. Jim was horrified and he tried to force the hands pinning him to the ground off his chest.
The creature hardly noticed the struggling Captain and looked to its companions, hesitant and unsure of what to do. A throaty snap from behind him made his blood pump in surprise. What a strange language. Jim thought. He tried to raise his head enough to see the others, but was brutally shoved back down. Little stars floated in front of his eyes as he tried to clear the pain from the back of his head.
The language continued, and Jim was lifted off the ground. Still unsteady, he stumbled and was rudely shoved forward, into the arms of another. He could now feel the hard skin of his captors and wondered if it was strong. He thought of Hawkins, dead, never to return to the Enterprise. Never to return home. His sadness was pushed aside by his need to help the others. He subtly looked for his friends. Standing close was McCoy, lip split and nose bleeding; he had a fierce expression on his face. Spock and McKinley must have been behind him. A sudden light fell over the scene. Jim took a good look at the figure in front of him. He was obviously a leader of some sort, with his tattered cape and elaborate headdress. His eyes were surrounded by kohl and looked larger and more threatening. His skin was rocky and grey. He held his head high and looked coldly at the away team. Breathing deeply, he spoke. "You strangers come into my land, enter sacred sites, disturb the Unashi and kill my people." Jim was taken aback by his perfect Standard.
He eyed them up and down, examining their appearance. Then he demanded. "Who is your leader?" The being withdrew a short blade. Jim heart skipped a beat and thudded painfully.
Thinking of his friends; thinking of Hawkins, he seethed. "I am."
The figure pointed his blade at Jim and they brought him forward. Jim heard a grunt and a scuffle, then some fluent cursing behind him. The Captain stared into the eyes of his captor, head buzzing and stomach clenched painfully. "What is your name, alien?" The point of his knife rested on his gut. Jim was contemplating his next move and held his head high. "I will tell you if you let my men go. They have nothing to do with this."
The creature frowned and tossed his head. "You are in no position to bargain, little alien. If you do not answer the question." He gestured to one of his guards. "I will kill your friends." McCoy was brought forward and his captor held a jagged knife to his throat. McCoy paled visibly and swallowed.
McCoy glanced at the knife at his throat, and swallowed. He raised his eyes to look at Jim. "Don't answer them, Jim, they'll only kill us anyway-" He was knocked in the head by the butt of the knife.
Jim looked back at the leader. "I am James Tiberius Kirk, Captain of the USS Enterprise. By attacking us you have declared war on the federa-" His eyes widened in surprise as the creature shoved the blade into his gut. Looking down at his gold uniform, he watched in a sort of horrified fascination as a red spot quickly spread outwards. The pain hadn't come yet, but Jim felt his legs buckle involuntarily. He was absently aware of the conflict taking place around him. McCoy had leapt at the leader and punched him. He received a knife slice that tore the front of his uniform. Jim could feel a fatigue claiming him. Darkness crept to the edges of his vision and he fell unconscious.
McCoy POV
As soon as the blade pierced Jim's body, he made his move. Striking his captor in the face, he leapt towards the leader, angry as hell. The beings hand came up, knife whistling through the air. McCoy winced and fell back, hand clutched at his bloody chest. The alien came at him while he lay on the ground, quickly bringing a rock on the top of McCoy's head.
Before he blacked out, he saw Spock falling to three rock men, and McKinley bludgeoned over the head repeatedly with a crude bat. He saw them drag Jim's still body through the trees. Then nothing.
With the light, came the sting and cold. McCoy opened his eyes groggily, hand moving to his chest. Slowly, he turned over. His head thudded painfully, making him dizzy as he looked at his hands in front of him. With a groan, he dragged himself over to the wall and sat up against it.
"Dr McCoy, i am glad that you are awake, Cadet McKinley could use your medical knowledge."
McCoys eyes snapped open and he saw McKinley lying on the floor in front of him. The man was lying on his stomach, head facing the bars of the cage. McCoy did notice the pool of blood around his head. Before he helped the young man, he immediately looked for the Captain. "Spock, where's Jim?"
McCoy bent down to examine McKinley, and looked at Spock. The Vulcan was sitting against the wall adjacent to him. McCoy noticed green blood seeping from his head. There were also the numerous cuts and tears in his clothing, blood covering his blue uniform. Spock motioned out the doorway, to a figure in another cell about two metres away. Jim Kirk was lying motionless, the knife still protruding from his gut. McCoy caught his breath and went up to the bars. He shook the metal. The noise increased his splitting headache, but his attention was focused on the Captain.
"Jim! Jim can you hear me?"
Jim Kirk's head rolled slightly and he moaned. McCoy breathed a sigh of relief and looked around for guards. "Hey! Anyone there? The Captain needs medical attention! I need to see him!"
Silence.
McCoy cursed. He watched as Jim's hand went to the blade in his belly. "Jim, don't pull it out! You'll bleed to death, damn it!" He rattled the bars again. "Just don't move we'll get out of this."
"Doctor; McKinley is in a terrible state. The Captain cannot be helped at this present moment, so it is only logical that you attend to the cadet." Spock's voice was soft.
McCoy nodded and bent down to check the cadet's pulse. It was beating strongly, despite the blood loss. He tore off a bit of his shirt and made a primitive head bandage. It had almost stopped bleeding all ready, but McCoy wanted to feel like he was doing something useful.
He glanced at Spock.
He was in deep meditation, healing his wounds. McCoy sat against the bars of the cell and looked at the complex. There were about five cells; all were simply built with strong metal bars surrounded by stone walls. The cells were dry, at least. The whole atmosphere was pleasantly warm. McCoy rested his head against the cool metal and stared at the Captain lying in his cell.
Jims POV
The pain in his gut had escalated, making him sob and cough. His body ached and his head was buzzing. He was nauseous and sticky, but knew he couldn't move. The scene replayed again and again in his fuzzy mind. Without knowing, he nodded off. His body was exhausted. Maybe it was a few moments later, but he heard someone calling out to him. The noise was muffled and filled with panic. It sounded like Bones.
"Jim! Jim can you hear me?"
Jim rolled his head to one side, trying to hear better. He let out an involuntary moan. Pain lanced through behind his eyes.
There was more shouting. A cough wracked his body and his hand slowly crept to grab the knife handle. Maybe I can....uurrrgghh...take it out. He grimaced, pulling the handle slightly. He broke out into a sweat and started breathing in shallow gasps. A voice interrupted his thoughts. He couldn't understand what it said. He was going to pull a little more when darkness clouded his mind. He struggled to stay conscious, but pain almost caused him to stop breathing. His hand dropped to the floor and he closed his eyes.
McCoy POV
McCoy started awake when he heard footsteps. Two of the rocky creatures walked down the hallway, carrying something between them.
No someone.
A woman. Her skin was a tone lighter than chocolate. And her hair was red like flames. Tattered clothes hung from her thin form. McCoy gasped when he saw the two beautiful wings that dragged across the ground after her. Perhaps in the past, the white feathers were angelic, white and powerful. But now they were broken and grey. Blood seeped from the broken bones and every feather was mutilated.
The beings opened the cell next door to Jim and threw her in roughly, a groan escaped her cherry-red lips.
Taking his eyes from the angel, he yelled at the creatures. "Hey! My Captain needs assistance! Let me tend to him."
The beings stopped and faced McCoy. "You will not help your traitorous Captain. You will watch him die in agony, like you have caused us with your presence."
They walked away swiftly, leaving McCoy seething and staring a Jim's still form. Turning, he noticed Spock was still in meditation, and that McKinley was awake.
"Is that the Captain?" He asked softly, one hand clutched at his head, one pointing to Jim.
"Yes." McCoy nodded and looked once again to the angel in her cell. She was unconscious, and in obvious need of a doctor.
"What is she? I've never seen anything like her." McKinley sat down next to McCoy and looked out the bars.
"I have no idea." McCoy was captivated. I wonder if she can fly.
It was late in the afternoon (judging by the light coming in from the tiny windows at the top of the cell) when they received their meal. The creatures pushed a plate of bread through the bars. McCoy looked at the plate and realised how hungry he was. When was the last time he ate?
McKinley took a slice and chewed on it. "At least it's not stale." He observed, eating the slice quickly. McCoy frowned at Spock. He hadn't moved in ages. In fact, the only indication that he was alive was the steady rise and fall of his chest.
His wounds must have been worse than I expected. McCoy thought, chewing absentmindedly. He glanced over a Jim and noticed he had moved. His heart jolted painfully as he pressed himself to the bars of the cage. Jim was now closer to the bars, facing him. The knife still stuck out, the intricate handle covered in Jims blood. McCoy also saw that his eyes were open.
"Jim?" he asked hesitantly. "Jim can you hear me?"
"Please...Bones...I need... To ta- take this out." Jim's words were soft and slurred. His hand slid across his body and griped the slippery handle. He screamed as he pulled out the blade, fresh blood slipping down and to pool grotesquely around him.
"No!" McCoy shook the bars. "Damn it Jim! Why did you do that?" Jim's hand dropped the blade and he held his hands over his gut. McCoy now was truly fearful about the Captain's well-being. He could very well bleed to death soon.
"What do we do? How can we get to the Captain?" McKinley was still wearing his head scarf. McCoy glanced at McKinley, seeing the panic in his eyes.
"I have no ideas, damn it." McCoy frowned, teeth clenched. "I'm a doctor, not an escape-artist."
McKinley fell asleep soon after, leaving McCoy to worry in silence.
Well not complete silence. There was still the cadet's heavy breathing. Across the hall, he flinched when he heard Jim's laboured breathing.
Twice McCoy tried to sleep, knowing he needed his strength. Occasionally he glanced at the angel, still as ever. He thought about her wings and how badly they might be broken. She could be earth bound forever. He sat on his haunches and contemplated his next move. He wondered if they wanted anything from them, or if they were just here to rot. Jim was probably almost dead now. McCoy shut his eyes, letting a tear escape. Jim was his best friend. Sure, he was clumsy and McCoy himself had saved him from numerous deadly situations, but that had brought them closer than ever, as close as brothers. Over the years on the Enterprise, the pair had visited many worlds. They'd fought in battles and won against all odds. Now this small wound would take him. McCoy shook his head to dispel the grave thoughts.
He rubbed his sore chest. The cut wasn't deep, just a surface wound; Still, it hurt.
He looked at his arms. The sunburn was still sore, but in the events he had forgotten about it.
The doctor regarded Jim again, and saw his head moving from side to side. "Jim? Are you alright?"
Jim curved his head to look at McCoy; the doctor took note of the sweat on his forehead, the way his limbs shook. A fever? But how?
"Bones...Hey, buddy." Jim shivered.
"Hi Jim. How do you feel?"
He muttered inaudibly. His hands made strange symbols in the air. McCoy raised his eyebrows. He's delirious, the fever is pretty bad.
McCoy watched Jim until he fell into a fitful sleep. The doctor then leant against the wall and sighed. I'll just close my eyes for a second, Jim will be fine...
It was the grinding of metal on stone that woke McCoy.
Light filtered through the tiny windows and lit the room. The guards had come and were taking the angel away again. McCoy sat up and watched as they entered the her cell. She awoke to them taking her by the wrist.
"No! Please, please you've taken my wings, there's nothing else, i don't know where it is." She sobbed. Her standard was perfect, very a slight American accent. McCoy looked on with wide eyes, as the sleepy angel was forced to her feet. "I told you... i told you everything i know!"
McCoy sat up. "Leave her alone you bastards! She has obviously had enough."
The creatures looked at him, exposing the young woman's face. They held her head up by her flaming hair.
"Human, do not meddle in affairs that do not concern you." They hissed in unison. One of them dropped her head and sauntered over to face McCoy. "We have been far too lenient with you humans. We think your punishment should be more severe." He looked over at the Captain, lying still in his cage. "Perhaps we should kill the Captain now, to just get it over with. He doesn't have long, and i want the pleasure of doing it myself."
"If you lay one finger on him, I'll-"
"You'll what?" He snapped. "You cannot escape from here. I can do anything I want." He pulled a smooth blade out of its sheath. Holding it in front of McCoy, he grinned malevolently. McCoy watched in alarm as he unlocked Jim's cell and knelt down to where the Captain lay. "Now you shall watch as your beloved Captain dies. You will live with the knowledge that you could not save him, and that he died at your hands."
McKinley had come up to the bars now, looking with fearful eyes at the Captain. McCoy noticed with annoyance that Spock was still in meditation. How long does that pointy-eared bastard want to take?
The creature lifted his blade slowly, suspending it over Jim's chest. McCoy's stomach clenched painfully. "Stop! Please, I'll do anything!"
The creature halted his descending hand. "Anything?" He smiled, playing with the dagger.
Jim groaned on the floor. He seemed to notice the creature above him and coughed. He tried to move but the creature grabbed him by his hair. He made Jim turn around so he was kneeling, holding his head up. The Captain grunted in pain. McCoy watched as the creature dragged Jim out and made him lie in front of McCoy, just outside the bars. "I don't want you to do anything; i want you to watch as i choke the life out of your Captain." The creature placed his rocky hands around Jim's throat.