Chapter 1
"I'm going to make it very simple for you, Captain. Your crew for my crew."
Kirk's fist slammed into the leather punching bag.
"My crew is my family. Is there anything that you wouldn't do for your family?"
Khan's words resonated in Kirk's mind as he felt the sand shift from the force of his fist. His breathing was shaky and quick as he repeatedly pummeled the hanging bag, throwing himself into each blow.
"Jim?" McCoy called warily from the doorway of the rec room. He took a cautionary step forward into the dimly lit room and Kirk stopped the punching bag from swinging. "You alright?"
"Yeah." Kirk replied, then turned and smirked at McCoy. "Just working out a little."
"Working out your anger, or your muscles?" McCoy said dryly and Kirk chuckled.
"Maybe a little of both," He started tenderly unwrapping his hands.
"You know, you can't just punch your way out of everything." McCoy folded his arms across his chest.
"Hasn't failed me yet," Kirk shrugged and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What can I do for you, Bones?"
"I just wanted to check on you is all." McCoy said, but Kirk detected that he was hiding something.
"Spock sent you." Kirk rolled his eyes and took a swig of water from his bottle.
"The half-breed seems worried about you," McCoy eased the edge from his voice. He hadn't seen much of Kirk lately. Not since the last mission went wrong a week before. They had been swarmed by Klingon vessels that demanded they hand over the Enterprise.Naturally, Kirk had refused, but he wasn't expecting the backlash of force that the Klingons had offered. It was nothing like any of them had ever seen. Armed with blasters and weapons of all kinds, the Klingons beamed aboard the Enterprise and began to take out the crew members. Somehow, they had procured the technology that was only available in transporters before and created belts, allowing them to disappear every time it seemed that the crew had them cornered. They finally managed to scramble the signals of the portable transporters and flush out the Klingons, but the losses were devastating. Over a hundred crewman had been lost and some two hundred more wounded.
"Well, he shouldn't be." Kirk said, trying to keep his care-free attitude.
"I'm not convinced." McCoy said gruffly, standing up a little straighter. "I haven't even seen you since the whole Klingon debacle."
"We've both been knee-deep in work." Kirk grumbled and started towards the door. McCoy took a step back and firmly blocked the exit.
"That's no excuse, Jim. You didn't even let me give you a proper examination." McCoy looked Kirk dead in the eyes.
"There's other people to take care of that actually need it. Besides, like I said before, I'm fine." Kirk took a step forward and McCoy held up his hands as a barricade.
"The h*ll you are, Jim! Look at yourself! You've got bags under your eyes darker than that soul-sucking void outside! When's the last time you slept?" McCoy yelled and Kirk looked down dejectedly. "You're probably beaten and bruised beyond belief, and you won't even let me help you!"
"Bones, I—"
"No, don't you 'Bones' me! I'm taking you back to Sickbay with me, and you can't say anything to convince me otherwise!" McCoy grabbed his arm and started dragging him into the hall.
"Bridge to Captain Kirk!"The comm chimed. McCoy snapped his head in the direction of the speaker.
"Don't even think about answering that." He said sternly, narrowing his eyes at Kirk. Kirk nodded slightly, then ripped his arm from McCoy's grip and threw himself at the comm and answered it.
"Kirk here!" Kirk replied as McCoy chased him down.
"Captain, the transport is ready for you."Uhura said and McCoy stared at his Captain in disbelief.
"Thank you Uhura, I'll be right there." Kirk called as McCoy slammed on the comm to hang up.
"What does she mean by a transport?" McCoy snarled.
"I'm meeting with Starfleet Command at the nearest outpost to talk to them about the Klingons." Kirk said quietly under McCoy's scrutinizing glare.
"I'm not letting you go until I have given you a full examination." McCoy stepped in front of the entrance again.
"Bones, I don't have much of a choice." Kirk shrugged and McCoy's glare softened slightly. "If I don't go, I could lose the ship."
"What do you mean?" McCoy attempted to maintain his angry demeanor.
"Will losses this staggering, I have to give Starfleet the whole rundown, and then they get to decide whether or not I could've done something to prevent this." Kirk tried to hide the fear in his voice.
"Jim, there's nothing that you could've—"
"Negotiation. I could've tried harder, Bones. I could've." Kirk mumbled and fidgeted with his hands nervously, tenderly avoiding the various bruises they were riddled with.
"They're Klingons, Jim! They don't negotiate! That's kind of their thing!" McCoy protested, throwing out his hands.
"Well, that's up for the Admirals to decide." Kirk sighed and stepped towards the door.
"Let me come with you." McCoy pleaded and Kirk was taken aback.
"Bones, I can't—"
"As your Chief Medical Officer, and attending physician, I am demanding that I accompany my Captain, who is at risk for multiple health complications, might I add." McCoy said sternly. "I'll examine you now, or come with you. Your pick." Kirk sighed heavily as he thought.
"Fine. But you don't get to do anything that'll stop me from going to this meeting." Kirk said and McCoy smiled victoriously.