Prompt: The Quick and the Dead
High Noon
Gaila closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when she materialized on the transporter deck in the familiar surroundings of the Enterprise with Jim's unconscious form pressing against her legs.
When she opened her eyes again it was to see Commander Spock and Chief Scott staring at them, no doubt taking in their dirt-smeared and tattered uniforms and the two well-oiled projectile weapons that she held in her hands. She coughed, trying to clear her throat of the dust that had taken up residence in there ever since they'd beamed down to the crappy planet below eighteen hours ago, and placed the weapons on the deck.
Moments later Doctor McCoy and Nurse Chapel burst into the room and began waving tricorders around, taking vital signs, and hustling Jim off in a gurney and ordering her to report to Sickbay as soon as she was done reporting to Commander Spock.
″Lieutenant, engaging the indigenous peoples in a contest to determine marksmanship was not part of the mission parameters.″
Gaila took a deep breath, coughed again, and stood at attention while responding. ″We didn't have much choice, Commander. If we refused the duel they would had executed us immediately. This way we had a chance to either win the duel or at least survive long enough for you to locate and retrieve us.″ She paused for a moment. ″There is apparently symbolism attached to holding a duel at the time when the sun is highest in the sky.″
Commander Spock cocked his head to the side. ″Fascinating.″
″Indeed.″
The commander raised an eyebrow, but she hadn't been mocking him, merely agreeing.
″They call it the contest of the quick and the dead,″ she added.
Spock compressed his lips together for a moment before asking, ″I take it from the captain's unconscious state that you lost the duel?″
″No sir, we won. Turns out we're the quick and they're the dead.″
″Then what is the cause of Captain Kirk's unconscious state?″
Gaila's mouth quirked up in a smile. ″After we dispatched our opponents he exchanged some heated words with the Protector of the Law of the main community, who ordered us to 'leave town and not come back.' The captain informed him that we didn't need to be kicked out because we were leaving his 'dinky little town' anyways.″
″And this person then struck the Captain?″
″No, sir. The Captain didn't watch where he was going and tripped over a watering trough and hit his head. As I was determining his status we were beamed up. It... wasn't the most graceful exit we could have made.″
″Indeed.″