Battle Lines (Assembling the Crew Part 2)

Summary:Human's left Earth long ago. They settled in a area of the galaxy far away leaving behind a polluted and desolate world, they may have escaped their dying planet, but they didn't leave their troubles behind. Vulcans and Orions rule their new home. Humans are second class citizens, slavery is rampant, and nothing is as it should be except in all verses some things stay the same.

Pike, Spock, Uhura...and a teen named James T. Kirk-the beginnings of a motley crew-and a ship named Serenity.

His first impression is the smell. Stale air mixed with the whiffs of probably a few hundreds if not thousands unwashed bodies combines with the odor of harsh chemicals and fumes to form a dank miasma. Below him the cragged faces of rock is dotted with people clinging to them like insects, and hurrying along the catwalks crisscrossing the void.

Refinery Station Ceti B VI, is known for being productive and also known for its high number of fatalities. As Pike watches through a viewport overlooking one of the work details, some poor soul misjudges the distance to a nearby catwalk and takes a short plunge to his or her death. The work doesn't halt; death is so commonplace nobody had time to spare to even take more than the few seconds it takes to walk past the body laying crushed on a ledge below. And even then it's a nuisance, people nudge it out the way, swearing at the poor corpse lying bleeding onto the stone and metal.

Pike knows he was lucky where he was imprisoned before he got out. There was a death trap...but here is outright murder. Not for the first time he wonders what Kirk has done to land himself here. They reserve these places for the worst of criminals...mass murderers...traitors to the alliance...not kids. Unless that kid happened to be James T. Kirk and they consider him just as much of a traitor as his father.

"Fucker, ran off again." The Orion slaver, Tirrirc comes in the room empty-handed and clearly irritated. He throws a Padd down on a table and Pike notes a list of names, before the display blinks out. "Good riddance you don't want him anyway. That kid is a bunch of rutting trouble. Since you already bought him, take your pick of these others...might not be as smart but definitely won't run."

Pike doesn't pick up the proffered Padd, instead he asks "When did he run?"

"Three cycles ago, apparently. They already caught him."

Pike feels cold, runaways don't t live long as a rule, the alliance doesn't tolerate dissidents and troublemakers, and this place is already the end of the line, for most of its inhabitants. Kirk was lucky the first few times he tried to escape before he was shipped here he didn't wind up with a bullet in his head. Pike forces his voice to steady as he tried to sound like he didn't care about the answer. "Is he dead?"

"No, they brought him back."

"So he's still for sale?"

Tirrirc laughs. "Technically, yes, he's yours, if he lives…" He pauses and checks Pike's fake ident code before speaking again "You're the only person, that wants him...why are you buying him again?"

Pike wonders for a moment whether the man is suspicious, seconds later his worry is obliterated as the Orion responds. "Because for a slightly higher price, I can give you someone comparable."

"I have my reasons."

The Orion eyes him up and down with a smirk on his lips.

"If you want a challenge, I've got others. " He snatches the Padd up again and taps on it for a moment. "Twenty year old, nice looking face, #4589-892, or..."

Pike presses on feeling sick at the casual way the Orion lists off the prisoners and their potential uses like they're nothing more than chattel. But he can't save everyone...tried and failed at that and lost damn near everything in the process. Instead he turns his attention back to the Orion, well aware that time is running then, every second he waits is another possibility of capture "Where did they take him?"

"He's still here." The Orion stands up gesturing for Pike to follow him. " If it was me I'd kill him outright for the trouble he causes, but he brings in the crowds…he's one hell of a fighter."

Pike's blood runs cold but the Orion is already continuing... "Took two guys out before they caught him. Only reason he gets to die on his feet is because the Vulcans are here and everybody knows they love a blood bath." He knows now what's planned. Where he was imprisoned as well as numerous other facilities the troublemakers... the runaways...and sometimes the ones who volunteered were made to fight. It wasn't officially sanctioned by the Alliance but then again they didn't really control these places…and they didn't really care anyway. The real powers are the Vulcans and The Orion Syndicate. No matter how the Alliance tries to act like it's an equal party humans are subjugated just as the rest of humanity is..

There's a hierarchy. Vulcans were at the top, Orions were a very close second, just far enough below Vulcans that they weren't too discontented but the Vulcans were still clearly the leaders. And finally, except for the few elite that held power humans were at the end. They were ostentatiously protected by the Vulcans and the Orions, but what the relationship humans had was far less amicable and more that of a slave and it's master.

The Orion adds. "You still want him now? He's as good as dead. We sell corpses too." Tirric laughs roughly.

Pike forces himself to act like he doesn't care in response to the trader's inquiring gaze "If he dies you're already paid and I'll get another."

/O\

Pike follows the Orion through twisting passages until they emerge into a crowd of roaring voices, glaring lights and a arena stained with blood.

Standing to one side of the arena is a teen barely recognizable with bruises on his chest and arms. Blood dried on one side of his face, clothes that are barely rags and a body that is so lean it's just the bare essentials, stringy muscles from hard labor on a frame that never gets enough to eat. It's obvious he's beaten...but as he stares out at the crowd. Head tipped back defiantly, eyes glaring at the people screaming for his blood and silently every fibre of his being screaming for theirs...it's obvious he isn't broken.

James T. Kirk son a traitor, son of a hero and a bit of both himself.

Tirric's eyes are on the arena as he adds over the noise. "You have enough time to place a bet if you like."

Pike knows plan A of pretending to buy Kirk outright is shot to hell and his best chance is to wait for an opening and try to get him out during the fight. But he can't just stand and watch what's about to happen. He's been to these sort of fights before, he knows the outcome. "Pull him out."

The Orion doesn't hear him at first so Pike repeats himself, raising his voice above the calls of the crowd.

Tirric, looks at him like he's crazy, then scowls. "It's a kill fight. He's not leaving the ring until he's dead."

Before Pike can respond another fighter walks in. He's bare-chested, tattoos snaking across his torso and arms, slight ridges on his head, belying his less than pure heritage. Part-Klingon, part human…and the worse part of both. There's something about the man's eyes that says he wants to kill and not just to survive, but because he enjoys it.

He's at least a good two heads taller than Kirk and Pike can't help but feel sick at what's going to happen if he doesn't stop it. It's not just going to be death, it's going to be a gruesome gory performance for the screaming masses watching. Voices are chanting the half Klingon's name, Hadaqh. They're egging— him on crying out for blood.

Pike glances at the crowd again and notices familiar faces in the crowd, Alliance officials and Vulcan elders. He quickly glances away before the Vulcans notice…some of them have no qualms about using the powers they possess to attempt to probe others minds. He wonders how many have come for the fight and how many have come because it'sKirk who's the fighter. Vulcans are long lived and there grudges last just as long. No doubt they blame his interference for part of what happened at Serenity valley. A last punishment for the person who was responsible for thousands of deaths and made a fool of the alliance.

Only part of what they think is true, and the identity of the person who leaked the plan on Tarsus that lead to the battle of Serenity is largely unknown, but those who do…they want him to die. Not as a martyr like some of those who were killed after the Browncoats surrendered, but as a faceless nameless prisoner in a filthy ring.

Pike moves, not sure what he plans on doing. It's not like he can just walk into the ring grab the boy and make it through the throngs of people and away before someone can catch them, but he sure as hell is going to try something.

Before he can make good on the promise he made himself a hand catches his wrist. Fingers digging in painfully, a voice whispers near his ear…"wait."

The person who addressed him is a brown skinned woman, black hair pulled tightly back in a pony tail, metal piercings glinting across her ears. She's barely out of her teens…if that…and Pike has no idea who she is. The tight dark vest and pants she wears, conceal a few weapons…and Pike knows by the way she moves, graceful like a hunter…that she knows how to use them. Bounty hunter, assassin, mercenary…the options are endless and judging by the cold look in her eyes either one could be correct.

He rips his hand away from her grasp, and instead grabs her wrist , fingers tightening in warning at the look of anger that flashes across her face. He's, already opening his mouth to speak. The woman leans closer her lips almost touching his, to a passerby it looks like she's kissing him, but instead she hisses. "Don't be stupid. They'll kill him and you if you interfere…we have a plan."

"And who is we?" Pike answers coldly.

She rips her wrist out of his grasp but not before shoving something hard and metal into his hand. "He said to tell you serenity valley,."

Before he can ask her anything further, the woman has slipped away through the crowd. The gap closing behind her as she weaves her way through the people. Pike looks down at his hand and sees a small metal symbol, that once belonged to someone else. It's chipped and blackened. An IDIC. A rutting piece of irony the Vulcans claim to believe: Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. It's all lies, they don't care about diversity or anything of the sort. They are the best or so they believe and anyone else isn't worth much except as barely more than slaves to the master species.

But this IDIC is something more. Pike's known a few Vulcans in his day but only one who wasn't an asshole. Spock. Half-human half Vulcan, and by his people's long lived standards barely more than a teenager. But for his youth he had more integrity than the entire Vulcan council of elders put together. The IDIC was his, he took it into every battle, left it on the front of vehicles, slung on his helmet and generally took as little care of the so called revered symbol as possible. The Vulcan claimed to be above such petty practices but if his actions weren't an additional fuck you to his entire race than Pike didn't know what was.

Spock fought for freedom, he fought for what was right.

Spock fought on the side of the Browncoats…and died.

Pike knows the woman has to be lying…maybe somebody has recognized him and is trying to stall until they can capture him. Or maybe there's another reason. But Spock isn't one of them…the man died long ago. Yet another dead traitor in the eyes of the alliance and worse the eyes of the Vulcan Elders. Siding with humans against the rest of the alliance was always a bad idea.

And yet Pike doesn't have many options. Attempting to stop the fight now will solve nothing. There are too many people around, he'll be in custody and discovered for who he really is before he can get anything accomplished. His only option is to wait…and look for an opportunity. And maybe just maybe…somehow, someway, unimaginably Spock really is alive.

There's nothing his former first officer is better at if not getting out of tight spots. And if he's dead…Pike will just wing this like he always does…without a fucking hope or prayer but still going down fighting the whole way.

The fight starts, and the next few moments pass in a blur of movement and time. Kirk doesn't make it easy, he's quick on his feet and from the first few seconds it's clear this isn't the first few fights he's been in. He's a veteran...and for him to have survived as long as he has it's had to have been many. For the first time Pike wonders just exactly what he's rescuing…a stone cold killer or the son of a long dead friend.

Hadaqh, grows irritated. into nature and the see other species as prey. The instincts to kill or strong in them and they might one day overtake the alliance but for now, humans and other races still have a stronger survival instinct. Killing doesn't mean anything if you die in the process. Kirk's circling, movements quick, tight controlled, eyes darting as he seeks an opening. The Klingon is growing irritated, teeth bared as his blood lust kicks in. He makes an unsuccessful attempt to pen Kirk against the side of the arena and the kid figures what he's trying to do and at the last minute slips out the trap. The moments pass. The audience is becoming bored.

Kirk's feinting too many times, working around the other fighter, letting him tire himself out. He's got a stronger build on his side but he's also slower. Kirk's taking advantage of that, and maybe he might have a chance. But the audience is growing tired of the cat and mouse game. They want death, they've come for a fight, they've bet on the outcome and they want to be entertained.

The shouting rises to a crescendo as three human women walk out. They're completely nude and have tattoos marking them in the classic pattern the syndicate uses for certain slaves. They each carry weapons. Noise dies down when they throw the blades in.

There's a scramble in the arena. The blades are at opposite ends…after all it wouldn't be a fun fight if one opponent got an unfair advantage…never mind the already unfair advantage of a barely teenage human fighting a full grown well muscled half Klingon.

Hadaqh snags two knives and Kirk grabs the remaining blade holding the weapon in his hand like a second hand…and Pike knows that's not learned recently but from years of practice. Winona Kirk may have been a liar but she was determined to give her kids every advantage, right up until she all but sold them out.

Hadaqh takes the offensive. Kirk manages to just avoid a blow that would slipped through his ribs but it's a close thing. He's taking chances almost like he's baiting the Klingon. Kirk dives in for a blow of his own, and darts under the Klingon's guard to score what should be a solid stab through his throat. Instead the man pivots away at the last moment.

The cut is small and superficial , but it still bleeds heavily, thick red blood sliding down his neck. The crowd roars and crazily Kirk grins. He's retreated a few steps back and isn't looking at the crowd, instead he's saying something no one can hear to the opponent across from him. The look on Kirk's face like a crazy I—don't—give—a—fuck smirk is enough to make anyone pissed off, but whatever Kirk says is the last straw.

Kirk's injured the Klingon, which is embarrassing enough, but for the man to be injured by an obviously weaker and arguably less skilled person…and a human child at that is unforgivable. His death warrant is signed and the kid is still smirking. Pike's wonders does the kid has a death wish.

There's only one thing worse than a Klingon wanting to kill you and that's a pissed off Klingon.

Klingons have a battle cry, Pike's only heard it a very few times in his life. It's part power and part someone's going to die. This one is pure pissed off and someone's going to die. Kirk to his credit doesn't change his expression the slightest.

Not even when the Klingon comes almost charging at him. Only his eyes say it all, for a moment Kirk's head turns, looking out in the crowd…like he's searching for something. For a second Pike sees the fear in his eyes, before it's quickly masked by resolve.

Fuck.

He's not expecting to come out of this. He knows this is the fight meant to kill him…and he's accepted it. Pike would step in but he knows that the kid is also going to go down fighting and that might just give Pike enough time to save him.

Things get dirty quickly. The Klingon grows more aggressive and Kirk feeds the aggression. He seems to be toying with him, getting just close enough that Hadaqh can almost catch him before he darts away. He's playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse and sooner or later it's going to come to an end.

Moments later it does.

The Klingon stabs Kirk's thigh and the kid manages to get away at the last moment. He's bleeding heavily, even past the knife still lodged in his muscle and he has to be hurting but he's not making a sound. The Klingon could wait for him to go down and many opponents would but this one doesn't want to. He wants to make the kill himself and not let stuff take their natural course, Kirk can barely keep his feet. He's stumbling on legs made weak by blood loss and leaving a trail of red in his wake.

His teeth are gritted, jaw tightened but his eyes are still assessing the situation like somehow he can get out of this. The Klingon is feet away and Pike moves forward. He can't stand there and watch Kirk be killed while he doesn't do anything. Before he can make it past more than one person the Orion Tirric catches his arms. Pike can see the previous hints of suspicion in his eyes are now full blown distrust. "He dies."

Pike's not going anywhere he can't struggle past the Orion holding him and get to Kirk in time. And other prison guards are already moving towards him, instead Pike turns his head back to the arena and is just in time to see what happens next. A roar of approval goes through the crowd and Pike is momentarily forgotten . He slips away through the crowd, pulling a small device from his pocket as he makes his way toward an interface on a bulkhead. Out of the corner of his eye he keeps progress of the fight.

Kirk is backed up his back pressed flat against the arena and the Klingon is a few steps away. He's lost his knife and there's no way out this time, Kirk's trembling whether from pain or fear is anybody's guess. The Klingon goes in for the kid and Kirk catches a knife aimed for his throat on his forearm. The blade bites deep and Pike imagines he can practically hear bone crunching. The Klingon dislodges his blade and somehow Kirk slips away, he makes it barely a step before he slips, ironically losing his footing on the slick surface provided by his own blood.

He's flat on his back, his pale white face standing out against the red blood on his skin and clothes. Pike has finally made it through the blood crazed crowd and crouches down near the interface, fingers flying over the keys as he activates the program on the drive he's plugged in. The countdown starts, seconds flicking away. Pike straightens up, moving away from the bulkhead and back towards the arena, he's just in time to catch the last of the fight.

The Klingon goes in for the kill and once again Kirk foils him. He has nothing to use, except once again his own body. This time the hand of the injured arm take the blow, the blade sinks into the flat of his palm. It's a fucking desperate attempt and doesn't do much, the Klingon will simply push the blade through and into his chest .

Except…

Kirk pulls the knife still lodged in his own thigh out and buries it in the Klingons' neck. He rolls out the way as Hadaqh jerks, his hand going automatically to blade jutting from his neck. The half-klingon pulls it out, it's an automatic response but a bad idea. Blood spurts out and the Klingon falls backwards. Not quite dead but soon to be. The crowd is yelling and Kirk looks close to passing out.

The fight is over, and Kirk isn't dead. But it's a kill match, and this one's fixed. Kirk's going to die no matter how many people he takes with him. It's obvious he knows this too. He struggles to his feet, hands using the sides of the arena to drag himself up.

It takes him three attempts and then finally he gains his feet. He has just enough time to step away from the dead half-Klingon behind him, square his own shoulders and snatch a still bloody knife from the ground.

He tilts his chin up, eyes determined, face pale and the arena door opens again. Another opponent walks in, human this time. Dead, desperate eyes, scrawny build, a wicked edged knife in his grip but still it's obvious who will be the winner. Kirk can barely keep his feet. The outcome is a forgone conclusion.

And at that moment, a small explosion sounds and the crackle of an overload pulse traveling through the stations electrical system sounds. Lights flicker and blink out. It's pitch black in the arena. People are confused and worried, the voices in the arena rise higher. Then a weird smell almost undetectable wafts through the air. He can hear the sound of coughing throughout the crowd but doesn't waste time. Pike already knows what's happening as he navigates his way in the dark towards the arena. He wasn't the only one with a plan to disrupt the fight.

It's poison spreading through the air. Pike's already at the arena door, taking advantage of the downed electrical systems. The locking mechanism swings open with just a few seconds of manipulation. Whoever the poor bastard that was supposed to be Kirk's next opponent doesn't say anything as he rushes back Pike in an attempt for freedom as soon as the arena door slides open. Secondary power is trying to come online and it gives a strobe light effect as lights dimly flicker on and off.

Kirk's sagged against the arena wall, fingers fumbling as he ties off the wound in his leg with a strip of ragged cloth from his clothes, he's already lost too much blood. The crowd is yelling in chaos. People are coughing, somebody is firing a weapon but Pike doesn't stop. Instead he makes it to Kirk grabbing the teen by the arm and disarming him as he instinctively tries to defend himself.

"Can you walk?"

Kirk's eyes are unfocused but he nods. It's a tide of people swarming around. The smell is thicker now and Pike recognizes the odour from countless battles with the alliance. The chemical is a compound similar to Carbon Monoxide. Instead of binding to the hemoglobins in humans it affects the hemoverdenin in Vulcan's copper based blood.

It's a selective poison, affecting humans not Vulcans. Pike can't help the vindictive pleasure he has as he moves through the suddenly thinning crowd of Vulcans as they succumb to the chemical. Maybe Spock is alive after all…because this is just like his style. Because he's half human the chemical will not affect him as strongly, but full Vulcan's will asphyxiate after a few minutes…like they fucking deserve.

It's still a few more corridors to the shuttle he has docked and Pike knows he's not going to make it. Kirk has fallen behind even with Pike slowing down.

The temporary power outage affected more than just the arena. Shouts and the sound of weapon fire are coming from the area near the cells. The outage should have been enough to disrupt the locking mechanism for most of the cells and security barriers.

It's chaos, and it's only a matter of time before somebody comes after them. Moments later that time comes. Two alliance officials round the corner. One is human, and the other is Vulcan. The grey outfit of the human alliance contrasting with the darker clothes of the Vulcan woman in front of him.

"Halt." Pike freezes, not heeding their words but rather the guns leveled against him. He feels Kirk sagging against him, and doesn't need to glance down at the kid to know he's already well into shock.

The Vulcan steps forward, and then stops, turning her head slightly at something down the corridor she just came from. Before she can bring her weapon around a foot crashes into her chest sending her slamming into a bulkhead. She doesn't have a chance to upright herself before two newcomers move into view. It's a Vulcan who looks strangely familiar and the dark skinned woman from earlier.

The alliance official is likewise taken off guard as the new woman sends his weapon skittering across the floor with a well timed blow. A few seconds later the Vulcan woman and alliance officer are lying sprawled unconscious on the ground.

It takes Pike a moment then he recognizes the face as the man straightens up. "Spock?"

"Was that a statement or a question?" Pike's heard enough of the Vulcan's dry tones to recognize the comment and accompanying raised eyebrow for what it is, he smiles and is rewarded by just the hint of the same in Spock's expression.

The dark skinned woman moves forward, scowling. "I suggest we move, the Vulcans are locking down all the facility, they're out for blood. At least five of them looked like V'Shar."

Spock nods, quick and perfunctory, he stoops down to where Kirk has mercifully passed out and scoops the boy up in his arms. Effortlessly he swings Kirk up, and sets off. Pike follows, now that he has more time to think something is bothering him. "How are you alive Spock?" Pike tries and fails to keep the accusation from his voice and for good reason too. Spock betrayed the Vulcans…and everybody knows what they do to traitors. Unless he wasn't a traitor to them…unless he was working for them all along.

The Vulcan doesn't speak at first but his lips tighten, he rounds a corner nearing the docking bay where Pike's ship is. When he does speak his tones are clipped. "I assure you I did not betray the cause, my own mother is human—"

Pike cuts him off, he knows he's definitely being fair but he's heard this spiel so many times from so many aliens…"Let's cut the crap…I don't care about whether some of your best friends are humans or you've got humans in your family…I'm asking how you got off Tarsus IV and out of Serenity Valley, they executed hundreds of people and imprisoned hundreds more…how are you not one of them?"

"I could ask you the same thing Captain." Pike bristles at that but there's not much he can say because it's true…and Pike himself has no idea why.

There staring at each other, eyes challenging each other to speak when Uhura pushes between them. "We've got fifteen minutes to finish what we came for, and we've already wasted it getting him." She jerks her head at Kirk who's still unconscious. Before Spock can speak she answers for him. "You want to know how he got off? Look up who his father is now, better to exile your son then kill him when you're a planetary head."

It takes Pike a moment to digest what he's heard but ultimately he accepts the explanation. "Fine but when we get away from here, you're telling me just what the hell is going on."

Spock nods, handing over Kirk. Pike steps into his ship and when he turns back, Uhura and Spock are gone.

/O\

Kirk wakes up to a searing pain in his hand and thigh. His leg is bandaged, half his pants cut away. His forearm is likewise bandage and in addition tied up in a sling and cradled against his chest. He struggles to sit up only to stop as his head spins.

A groan falls from his lips as he more gingerly uses his one good arm to achieve a sitting position. He doesn't see the familiar surroundings of a squalid cell, or the craggy walls of where he worked in the mines….in fact he feels the familiar thrum of an engine somewhere nearby and the swooping sensation that somehow always clues him in that he's in space. Before he can decipher exactly where he is a voice calls out.

"How's your leg feeling kid?"

Kirk twists toward the new voice, instantly on guard. His eyes narrow as he notices a man just inches away from. There's something familiar about him and it takes Kirk a moment to make the connection.

Captain Pike from back in Serenity Valley.

That revelation has him backing up. Ignoring the pain in his leg so he can move as far away from the man as possible. Because sure he gave the information about what his mother had planned to the Browncoats…but they still lost. And he's met too many Browncoats in camps and prisons over the years to not know that just as many think he sold the Browncoats out as well as Alliance.

After all if his information had been good, the good guys would have won instead of over half of them being executed or sent to prison as slaves. Kirk isn't even sure why he did it…would less people have died on Tarsus if he had kept his mouth shut….or more. The only thing he knows for sure is that he wouldn't have spent the last few years as a slave and Sam wouldn't be gone.

And he can't bring himself to say any of it was worth it, because what did it accomplish really? The alliance continued like it always had, and his life just got a lot worse. His first week at a work camp, he had narrowly avoided a knife in his back. He'd watched as the guy was taken away by guards…yelling all the while how he was a traitor just like his mother.

It didn't help the some of the guards tended to look the other way where his welfare was concerned. He had heard the whisper about his father. The guy responsible for 8000 mostly civilian deaths on an alliance ship.

So instead of answering Pike's question he asks one of his own. "What do you care?"

The man didn't answer instead he crouched down, reaching forward and peeling back the bandages to reveal a crudely sewn gash in Kirk's thigh. It was red, and sore but looked like it was healing. Satisfied Pike rewrapped it and stood up.

"You hungry?"

Carefully Kirk nodded, not trusting Pike but too starved to take that into consideration.

Fifteen minutes later he's eating a ration packet, sitting in the co-pilot seat of the tiny shuttle they're in. He watches Pike out the corner of his eye trying to piece it all together. Finally Kirk can't take it anymore, he blurts his question "Why'd you get me from back there?"

Pike drums his fingers against the console , and taps some command into the screen in front of him like he's giving himself time to think before he answers. "I didn't realize they took most of the survivors off Tarsus and interned them as traitors…when I saw your name on the list—I had a way to get you out so I did."

"You're a bad liar." Kirk snorted mirthlessly. "That was pretty hard place to break me out off, you didn't do it out the goodness of your heart." Before Pike can say anything Kirk adds. "You want revenge don't you? You think somehow it's my fault what happened back at Serenity Valley?"

Pike turns to look at him after that. His jaw is tight, eyes dark. Kirk wants to quell under the glare, but he doesn't allow himself to. "I don't think it's anybody's fault about Serenity Valley but the Alliance." He paused then adds. "I heard about what happened afterwards…I was there for some of it." His voice is quieter as he finishes. "None of that was your fault kid."

Kirk's eyes are burning and Pike's words sting because even though maybe he didn't line up the colonists and shoot them himself, even though he didn't kill them outright, his mom was the double agent…his brother was a rutting turncoat…and his father…well he doesn't even know what to think about his father.

He turns back to Pike. "So, what are you going to do with me?"

"You have family near here?"

Kirk doesn't want to ask the obvious question that pops into his mind at Pike's question. He's pretty sure he knows the answer anyway. So instead of asking about his mom or his brother he asks instead "Where are we?"

In answer Pike pulls up a display, pointing out the coordinates. Kirk doesn't respond at first. He doesn't have any other family to go to anyway, but that doesn't matter he can take care of himself—he tells Pike as much and adds. "You can drop me off at the next planet or station…I'll take care of myself."

Pike hesitates before he responds. "I can't do. The Alliance catches you out without—your owner they'll—"

Kirk turns around at that…things finally clicking. He knew that most of the people taken off Tarsus had been sent to work camps as slaves…but for most that was just for a few years…especially the kids. "You bought me didn't you?"

"Kid, technically that—" Kirk stares at him and Pike finally answers. "Yes."

"How long?" Kirk tries to keep the anger out his voice, knows that it's a bad idea to reveal what he's thinking…people will always use it against you. But this time he can't.

"You're a lifer. That's why I can't just drop you off somewhere even if I wanted to. The Alliance, Syndicate or the rutting Vulcans see a slave walking around unclaimed anyone can lay claim to you…and that's if they don't kill or maim you for being a runaway."

Kirk knows this , knows that this what happens, this is how the 'verse works…and that none of this is Pike's fault…except he wants to hate the man. It's easier. Because he came in a few years ago, with his promises of a brighter future and his stories about his father and how he was a hero…and Kirk wouldn't have turned on his mother if not for Pike…he wouldn't have-he doesn't think he would have.

In any case it's all over. He's stuck with this man….or he can runaway. Kirk's not sure what the best option is, he's not sure he even wants to find out.

"So what now?"

"Now…you can come with me." Pike pauses then says. "Or I can find an owner who'll take good care of you and sell you to them."

Kirk not sure either option is good, either he trusts Pike…or takes his chances alone or with some random person who will like as not treat him like shit. It's not a good option either way…Kirk's seen how slaves are treated, and with Winona for his mother and George Samuel Kirk as a father, anybody that buys him won't want him for anything good.

"Okay, so I stay with you. Then what?"

"We stay out the way of the Alliance. I'm done fighting wars kid, we fought we lost and the rutting Alliance still hasn't fallen."

That suits Kirk just fine , it's not his battle to fight…never was…he just wishes he had learned that sooner. One question is nagging him though, and even though he's almost sure he knows the answer he has to find out.

"So what about Sam?" Kirk asks.

Pike glances sideways at him. Kirk is staring at him,. The way he asks the question is like he doesn't really care but Pike can see by the way his shoulders are set and his body is tense waiting for an answer.

Wordlessly Pike shakes his head.

Kirk nods his face unchanging even though his voice is quavering slightly. "Yeah, I know. I just figured if I was alive and you were maybe somehow Sam was—" He breaks off thumbing a piece of fraying cloth on his seat. "And my mom?"

Pike doesn't answer that one. Is it worse or better to think the women who sold out thousands of people, is dead for her crimes or to know she's alive and left her own son to rot in prison.

Kirk assumes the answer from Pike's silence and what he says next surprises him. "Good." Kirk spits out the word like he's cursing her grave.

"Good?" Pike can't help but repeat.

"She's the reason Sam's dead. He got caught up in her stupid games, defending the rutting alliance, then sold everyone out. You know how many people they executed on Tarsus IV after the battle at Serenity? Thousands most of them Browncoats. They sent the rest of us to prison camps, deep mining facilities, horrible places. That's what my mother was responsible for. So good she's dead." He turns to Pike, saying the last part bitterly as he glares at the man. "That's what you want me to say isn't it?"

"I don't want you to say anything." Pike says carefully.

Kirk doesn't believe him, after so many years on guard he can't bring himself to trust this man. What reason does Pike have to care about him? Why has this guy gone to so much trouble to rescue him from what should have been a sure death. He wants to be grateful, but he's waiting for another shoe to drop.

Pike answers his unspoken questions. "I told you about your father years ago, that he was a traitor to the Alliance, but a hero not a murderer."

Kirk has already heard it, Pike had told him the same story on Tarsus IV….only this time it's different.

"I didn't have time to tell you the details then…" Pike pauses then continues. "Your father was serving on one of the Alliance ships called the Kelvin . The Browncoats were growing fast back then, people were becoming very disgruntled with the Triad. So, they decided to stage an incident to discredit the Browncoats. There were over 8000 people on the colony they chose to destroy…your father found on what happened and he tried to mutiny. He fired on the ships that were planning on dropping atmospheric bombs on the colony…they fired back. The Kelvin was damaged…your father stayed till then end. In the end the ship lost control and the bridge was destroyed, the ship plummeted into the colony. The Alliance framed your father for the murder of those colonists…when he was actually one of the only reasons some of the people survived. They made out like your father was part of the Browncoats and he was terrorist. I was already a Browncoat at that point, your Dad was seriously thinking about it…but he wasn't a murderer. He gave his life to defy the Alliance. I was on that ship. I saw what your father did and if you're even half the man he was then that's something. So I'm giving you a chance."

Kirk swallowed, absorbing all he's heard. Finally he speaks. "So my father cancels out my mother."

"Something like that."

Kirk nods, thinking. He still hates his mother, wants to hate Sam…but at least his whole family isn't evil…it's not much. He's alone, almost everyone he's ever known is dead or enslaved..and the

whole verse hates him. But he's alive…and he's got Pike…for what that's worth.

He'll just have to see what's in store for him out in the black.

This story is part of a series called (Assembling the Crew) Originally called Take Me Out Into the Black. I'm mostly on AO3 so I binge post here. If you want timely and the most recent updates/versions of stories follow me on AO3, same name, more fics. I have multiple works there that this site does not allow, and other versions of some stories too.