Oceanus: The First Frontier
Disclaimer: The ocean holds sway over the legends, themes, and myths this story plays with. Paramount owns the characters. I just claim this story as my own.
Pairings: S/Mc, K/R (implied), Sc/U (implied), Ch/S (implied), and other m/f, including later Spock/f and McCoy/f.
Rating: T. May go to M later.
Review Replies: CheetaLiv: Aww, thanks! I hope this can be held to the same standard. AllyP: Woo-hoo! I hope you enjoy this chapter. The crew interacts rather a lot here. And Kirk's feather is green-blue- for anyone else who was wondering.
((Author's Note: Well, I got this chapter out in a hurry. Sue me, I'm excited about this story! I don't think I'll get very many other chapters out this fast, but here's hoping.))
Chapter 2: Balance of Terror
Leonard bet if he could move he would have dropped his sword. Instead he simply stood, his blue eyes wide with shock. How could pirates have gotten into his home? More importantly, why had they come here?
"What do you want?" He spat out. The blonde man's crooked grin fluttered only slightly.
"My, my, good sir, is that a polite way to greet a man?"
"Doesn't sound too polite to me, Cap'n." A young red-headed man in the group stated with a warning in his tone. Leonard swallowed nervously.
"Now, Mr. Riley, I didn't ask for your opinion on the matter." Kirk snapped without looking over his shoulder at the lad. "I was asking this gentleman. Once again, I ask you sir, are you the master of this house?" Leonard may not have responded had the pirate not twisted his blade so that the edge of the blade pressed coolly against his throat.
"I am." Leonard bit out. "Now will you tell me what in hell it is you want?"
The pirate with the exceptionally long feather in his hat laughed. "Why, what every pirate wants: to rape pillage and plunder, of course!" His crew all laughed, all except for the dark-eyed man beside the captain. He didn't even smile. "But, I think we would be satisfied with your name to start with."
"My name?"
"Captain," the dark-eyed man muttered. The blonde man's eyes flicked over to the man, communicating something without cumbersome words. The dark-eyed man sighed, but voiced no further protest.
"Mr. Spock is quite right. How terribly uncivil of me. I am Captain James T. Kirk of the SS Enterprise. Now, may I beg your acquaintance?"
Every one of the pirates fixed their eyes upon Leonard. "McCoy. Leonard McCoy."
Kirk grinned roguishly. "A pleasure, I'm sure."
"Please, just tell me what you want. I don't have any money, I'm no merchant…"
"Well, I suspect you have more than we humble pirates do."
"Not much… and certainly nothing that you could carry aboard your vessel."
"Well, Cap'n, I wouldna say that!" A man with a thick Scottish brogue called from down a side hall. Leonard could hear Missy scream. A moment later a large, dark-haired man came marching out, Missy and Joanna in tow. His large hand easily surrounded the whole of Joanna's arm, and while Missy's arm was far too broad for the Scotsman to encompass, his strength more than compensated for the difference. "The gent's right, that he hasna got much more than a few trinkets about, but we could always carry these bonnie lasses with us!"
Most of the pirates sniggered and a few of them cat-called. Leonard's eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets and his face had turned dangerously red. "Treacherous blackguards!" He roared, "Unhand them this instant!" He tried to lunge at the Scot but Kirk cleared his throat and flicked his sword, not enough to scratch Leonard's throat, but still enough to remind him of the situation.
"Make us a better offer, Mister McCoy."
"But, but, I don't have anything!" Leonard swallowed. "Damn it, let them go!"
Kirk coughed out a harsh laugh. "And why should I do that? It's been a long time since a good many of my men have had any rest on a lovely… beach, and even longer with any company."
"I'd bet Chekov's never had a lady's company at all!" Riley laughed. Some other pirates joined him. A younger lad elbowed him hard in the ribs.
"Shows vot you know, Riley." Leonard had never heard such an accent before. The other pirates roared with laughter.
"Quiet!" Kirk snapped at the two lads. Both of them straitened up as though at military attention in response. It didn't seem to be a mocking gesture. "Scotty, take them-"
"No, please sir, show some mercy!" Missy begged, pulling herself down to her knees. Scotty moved his hand to her shoulder for better stability. Joanna tried to take advantage of the situation and wrest away from the big man's grasp, but to no avail, then glared defiantly at Kirk. Kirk merely smirked at the gesture.
McCoy swallowed bitterly. "Please, let my daughter and my housemaid go. I'll do anything."
"There's more on the ship who'd want those two than who'll want you, old man," the Orient chuckled.
"Sulu's right, sirrah. Maybe if you had a strong back or a good sword I'd bring you into my crew, but I doubt you'd serve well under my command. You aren't a merchant. Are you a lawyer?"
"Neither, sir. I am not a rich man."
"What then are you, a farmer? A fisher?"
"No, sir. Please, let these women-"
"What is your trade, man?" Kirk barked.
"I'm a physician, damn you! What difference does it make? I still have nothing," but the moment he said 'physician' the whole band froze and began to whisper amongst themselves. Kirk seized Leonard by the shoulders.
"A physician! You heal the sick or injured?"
"Yes… But why do you…?" Leonard trailed off as Kirk let him go.
"Bring him! Leave the women. Take what you can of food and riches."
The crew grumbled. One of them, a young man – hardly more than a boy – stepped forward. "Leave the vomen, Keptin?" Leonard recognized him as Chekov.
"Are you questioning my orders, Mr. Chekov? Do it!"
"Aye, sair!" The boy muttered, embarrassed at the upbraiding. The dark-eyed man who Leonard decided had to be a Jew grabbed Leonard by the arm and pulled him from the house.
"Father, no!" Leonard could hear Joanna cry out, but he could not escape the other man's grip nor did his struggling even slow down the man's pace.
"I can walk, you son of a bitch! Let me go!"
"When we get to the ship, perhaps I shall."
Leonard kept tripping as the other man pulled him faster across the sand than Leonard could manage. "Damn it!"
"Your swearing is not helping your situation, Doctor."
"Go to Hell." Leonard grumbled.
"After you, sir." It took Leonard a moment to realize that the quiet man was ordering him into a row-boat, not replying to Leonard's curse. Leonard nearly fell into the boat as the Jew shoved him forward, and the man took a great step into the boat himself, managing somehow to avoid getting even a drop of the breaking waves on his pristine boots. He turned and looked back toward Leonard's house. "Mr. Chekov! Mr. Riley!" He called out. The oddly-accented boy and the red-head ran over, each carrying some boxes which Leonard recognized as his medical supplies.
"Sir?" Riley asked.
"Are we not to return to the ship sometime this afternoon?" The man asked so seriously that Leonard would not have guessed it was sarcasm had he not already heard Kirk's order.
"Sorry, Meestair Spock." Chekov muttered, kicking Riley's shin lightly. Riley balanced the boxes he was holding on Chekov's pile and the young man tried to climb in awkwardly. Fearing that the boy would shatter his vials of his precious medicines, Leonard lunged forward to catch the boxes. Spock grabbed him by the back of his jacket and forced him back to his seat, but he took some of the boxes from Chekov and set them beside Leonard. Chekov sat and settled the boxes and lifted up an oar. Riley shoved the boat into the deeper water, then jumped in, rocking the boat lightly. Spock narrowed his eyes at the brash young man, but said nothing. Riley also grabbed an oar and then he and Chekov began to row the boat toward the Enterprise.
Leonard looked down, quietly seething over having been kidnapped. After a time he looked at Chekov. "The women: my daughter and Missy... Y'all left them alone, right?" His voice was weak.
The boy shrugged but didn't slow in his rowing. "Ze keptin ordaired us to. Ve vill not disobey his ordairs."
Len sighed with relief.
They got to the ship. From the sea the ship had looked larger and more menacing than from the coast, but right next to the weathered hull the ship seemed to suffocate Leonard with a sense of dread. Chekov and Riley began hitching the boat to ropes and pulleys and then heaved the boat aboard. Leonard was horrified at the sight before him.
Men lay groaning on the filthy deck, covered with bruises and open sores. A number of them were too thin, most had purple looking gums and pale complexions. Some were unconscious, but most were fully awake to feel every ache in their tired bodies.
"My god…" Leonard breathed as he stepped onto the deck. "Scurvy."
((Author's Note 2: You may or may not have noticed that my chapters are named after episodes. This is merely for my amusement, and does not indicate chronology, theme, or major plot devises. They're just pretty words that fit as titles.))