Jim sat in that seat until he thought his leg just went completely numb and he just had his head leaned back staring at the ceiling. He thought his heart was still pounding because he thought maybe he was just scared completely stiff. What would they do to him? He had tried to keep from thinking about that. It made him want to panic and try to get out of that seat, but he could not. Captain James Tiberius Kirk, USS Enterprise…He pulled at the restraints as he thought about trying to say that when they decided to torture him. He pulled at the straps that were holding his arms. Why could there not be a weak spot in that strap so he could get loose?
Just then, another of the Klingons came in there. Jim had the instinct to try and move away from him, but he could not move at all. The Klingon sat down across from him and just stared at him. "You are afraid," he said. Jim did not say anything. Hearing that made him want to be defiant although he was trembling inside. "You make trouble for all Klingons!"
"You make trouble for yourselves!" Jim replied. "If you think kidnapping me is going to make things better, you're wrong!"
"Once we have extracted information from you, we will be able to cripple the Federation."
"I won't give you information!"
"Yes, you will."
Jim pulled at the restraints as he felt outraged now. The Klingon just laughed at him. "You will beg to tell what you know," he said. "Your admiral did."
Jim glared at him. "Who are you talking about?" he asked. "Admiral Carson?"
"We do not care about names…except in your case."
Jim kept pulling at his arms. He wanted so badly to get out of those restraints. "You're a coward too!" he yelled. "You tie me down in this chair! Why? Cause you're afraid I'll get away!"
The Klingon glared at him. "J'watok is afraid of no one!"
"You're all talk!"
"You will not say that when we get to Miridian Six."
Jim thought about that. Miridian Six. It was at the edge of the Neutral Zone. They were taking him where they thought the Federation could not go, and where they thought the Enterprise would not pursue. He knew his crew would think of something. They would not just give up, but he also knew they would not bring the Enterprise.
Spock and the others were in the company of a group of angry Klingons, who wanted nothing more than to take vengeance for the death of Kor. They all knew that once those Klingons arrived at Miridian VI, they would be in the company of more Klingons…and Romulans. They also knew that Jim would be tortured to get security information from him. Some of the traitorous Klingons had been on Kronos with the chancellor, and their main goal had been to capture Captain Kirk. They wanted to cripple the Federation, and they intended to use him to do it.
Bones stood with Spock as they talked about what they would do. "If we can get down to the planet, we may be able to get in and rescue the captain without engaging too many of the Klingons," Spock said.
"It will take a distraction of monumental proportions," Grakar declared. "We will create the distraction for you. I will find J'watok! He will pay for his treachery."
Korax glared at Grakar. "Kor was like my own brother!" he said. "I will be the one to make J'watok pay!"
"We can't argue and fight among ourselves!" Bones said. "We're going in there to try to rescue Jim! He is also like a brother to me! This is not all about vengeance!"
"Doctor, let us discuss this," Spock said. He understood how Doctor McCoy felt, but they could not be successful without the help of the Klingons.
Bones turned and paced back and forth a moment as he listened. "What sort of distraction will you create?" Spock asked as he turned back to Grakar.
"We will do more than just distract," Grakar said. "We will eliminate some of our adversaries."
"Where do you believe they will be holding Jim? Have you been to this planet?"
"I have. They will most likely keep him in the detention facility. It will not be easy to get into it."
"How many ways are there?"
"Three. They will all be difficult."
"I will accompany the team who goes in," Korax volunteered. "It is likely that J'watok will be inside. He will not escape."
"We must remember that there will be more Klingons there, as well as Romulans," Spock said. "If we are not cautious, we could endanger the captain, and fail at rescuing him."
"He is correct," Grakar agreed. "Once the captain is safe, we can pursue J'watok. Our first purpose is to rescue the young captain. Then J'watok will pay."
"I have no intention of endangering the captain," Korax said. "We must remember that he will not be able to flee."
"That's why I'm going along," Bones put in. "He's going to need help to get out of there."
"We will not have time for that. He will have to be carried."
"You're not leaving me out of this!" Bones declared. He looked at Spock. "You're not leaving me out!"
"Doctor, we must decide what the best course of action is," Spock said. "I have to agree that there will not be much time for medical attention in this situation. However, you will not be left out. We must focus on our goal so that we do not make mistakes."
"That's fine with me just so long as we get Jim out of there!"
Bones paced back and forth. He hated the thought of what the Klingons could be doing to Jim even now. He knew they were not at their destination yet if they were going to Miridian VI. They would get there before they would however. He stopped beside Spock again. "Don't you think we should be moving?" he asked. "They've got a head start on us. There's no telling what they'll do to Jim!"
Spock knew the reason for Bones' outbursts, because he could not deny that he had a small amount of anxiety himself. "Doctor, if you continue to interrupt, we will never finish our plan," he said. "You should go to the medical bay and prepare everything to be ready for Jim when he arrives."
Bones frowned. "Fine." He left the Bridge and got into the turbo lift. He knew he had been interrupting too much, but he knew what a mental impact this was going to have on Jim as well, because of the other time. He had thought he had to act like nothing bothered him when he was coming apart inside especially when he had to be around all those Klingons. However, he had finally overcome it and was accepting the Klingons as friends.
Bones went to the medical bay and just stood there a moment. He was not sure what he should prepare. He knew that was just what Spock had said to get rid of him because he would not be quiet. He could not just stand there and do nothing. He went down to Andrea's quarters. Even if they were not romantically involved anymore, she was still his friend. He rang the door chime.
Andrea was holding Alex when she opened the door. "Leonard," she said.
"Can I come in?" Bones asked.
"Of course."
Andrea closed the door after he came in, and she just watched him a moment, thinking he looked incredibly charming even if he was upset about something. She knew exactly what he was upset about. It was upsetting to everyone…the captain had been kidnapped.
"I'm sorry," Bones said. "I just need someone to talk to."
"You know you can talk to me anytime, Leonard," Andrea replied. She had been hoping that he would want to date again, but he had not so far. She had decided to give him his space, and he had stopped being so nervous around her, but still, he was distant.
Bones rubbed his face. "My friend is out there," he said. "He's in the hands of these beings who like to torture people!" He looked at Andrea, and she could see the anguish on his face. "What's this going to do to him?"
"I thought they were making a plan to go after him," Andrea replied.
"They are! But we're not moving! They think they know where they're taking him." Bones started pacing again. "What if that's not even where they're going?"
Andrea was not sure what to say. She lay the baby down in his crib as he had gone to sleep. Bones looked in at him. "I'll try to be quiet," he said.
"Why don't we sit down?" Andrea asked.
"Sure."
They went over to the sofa and sat down. Bones just sat there a moment. "I know I shouldn't come in here and unload all my frustration and trouble on you," he said.
"It's okay," Andrea replied. "I enjoy your company."
"I'm really worried about Jim."
"We all are."
"I don't know. Spock seems to be taking his time! He thinks he has to sort every little detail out before we even get moving!"
"You know they have to have a plan. Otherwise, it will be a failure. What do you think the captain would do?"
"I don't know. I think he told us not to follow them because they threatened the Enterprise. He had a reason."
"Then Spock is doing the right thing."
Bones leaned his head back on the sofa and tried to relax. "I've had to save his life too many times," he said. "How many times can a person cheat death?"
"He doesn't think of danger to himself," Andrea replied.
"I know. It all started that day I…I helped him sneak aboard the Enterprise. But none of us would be here right now if I hadn't. We'd be space dust right now. That was another time he just jumped right in not caring about the consequences. He could have been put in the Brig for running onto the Bridge like that, but he wasn't thinking about himself."
"I don't think he ever does."
"We have to get him out of there. He would come in there after any of us. I know I'm just in a hurry, but I'm a doctor."
Andrea smiled. "You sure are." She knew it was more than that.
Bones suddenly stood up. "Well, I think I'll go back and see if they've come to any conclusions," he said.
Andrea followed him to the door. He looked at her and leaned over as he thought about kissing her, but he realized what he was doing. "I'm sorry," he said.
"Don't be sorry," Andrea replied. She grabbed him around the neck and kissed him anyway.
Bones was a little surprised. "Well, I guess I better get going."
He went out the door and headed for the Bridge. He thought he would remember that kiss for a long time…
The Klingons kept Jim in his seat, but they walked through taunting him. He just sat there wondering what would happen when they got wherever they were going. He wondered if this was part of their torture…just making him sit there alone. How long had he been sitting there? He was not sure. He had been asleep more than once, but he was rudely awakened by a harsh Klingon who yelled something at him in the Klingon language. He wondered how much longer he could stay awake. He did not think he was asleep for long any of those times because he felt terribly sleepy and exhausted. He had had to deal with the pain of his knee swelling, and being held in a bent position. He thought it would probably be frozen that way after all this.
Jim started to drift again, but just as he was almost asleep, one of the Klingons slapped him on his damaged knee. He would have screamed but the Klingon grabbed him by the jaw. "How many times do we have to wake you?" he asked. "If I have to wake you once more, I will cause you more pain."
Jim just sat there wondering if he could take more pain. He already felt incredibly nauseous. That knee pain shot from one end of his leg to the other where before it had just felt numb. He thought maybe he was not getting good circulation from having to sit there motionless like he was. What would they do to him if he threw up? He tried to resist that but it was getting harder. "Spock, get me out of here," he said wishing they could hear him. He thought about Carol and what she must be thinking.
By the time they got to Miridian VI, Jim hardly knew what was going on around him. They had kept him awake the whole time sitting there. He did not know how long it had been but he knew it had been more than two days. They had caused him more pain in his knee until he had thrown up all over himself and they did not care anything about taking him to the bathroom either. He had had nothing to eat or drink, and some of them had come in there and ate in front of him, and even tried to make him drink chech'tluth which he resisted as much as he could. He remembered the horror he had gone through with those Klingons on Rura Penthe. After that, he had wanted to scream and cry but he had stopped himself from doing it. He could not give in…instead, he just made himself throw up what he swallowed of that burning liquid.
Jim now sat there wondering what would happen next. He dreaded when they started getting him out of that chair. He knew he could not stand up. Would they try to make him walk? Would they just kill him?
Finally, two Klingons came to get Jim from the seat. He watched as they took the straps off his arms, and then his legs. He just sat there resisting the urge to panic and try to run, but he knew he could not. They just stood there a moment as if they were waiting for him to do something. Jim could barely swallow and did not think he could talk, so he thought if they wanted him to say something, they would be waiting a long time.
Suddenly, they grabbed him by the arms and jerked him up from the seat. He knew instantly that his legs were not going to hold him up, and they knew it as well, and his right leg seemed to be frozen in its bent position. However, it let Jim know that he was no longer sitting down. He thought they must have been ordered to get him wherever he was going quickly, because one of them picked him up over his shoulder, not caring anything about causing him pain in that knee.
Jim did not think he had the strength to scream anymore, but they took him into a place and laid him on a table, and then straightened his leg out. He started screaming, but something was placed into his mouth and secured behind his head. He felt as though he were screaming and no one else could hear him, and his eyes watered. Next, they removed his boots and his jacket. He was glad that his stomach was empty as he was screaming in his mind Please just let me die!
Jim was taken to another room, none too gently where there was what looked like a large hot tub, but the water certainly did not look clear, but it looked rather green and murky. He wanted to try and get away from them, but he could not. They stripped him and then tied him on what looked like a pole frame, and then lowered him into that water up to his neck. He had thought they were going to put him all the way under but he hung there panting for air, but at least they had taken that head harness off.
At first, nothing happened, but then he felt something slither around his leg. What were they going to do? Let something eat him? He started to feel more of whatever it was and the water seemed to start sloshing around him. Then , suddenly, they all converged on him. He screamed, but he realized they were not biting him…and he thought it might be worse. They were cleaning him! He could not move and they went over his entire body except his head that was above water. It ended as quickly as it started and he was certain he never wanted to experience that again. He was taken out of the water and given what looked like a prison outfit to put on, and then they took him to a prison cell and shoved him in.
Jim was in agony over his knee, but then a Klingon came in who seemed to be bigger than all the others. He stood over Jim. "He will remain here for two days," he said. "No food or water. We will see if he wants to cooperate then. If not, we will try more hostile ways. Chain him to the wall, and restrain his mouth."
Jim realized they were going to put that harness on his head again. He wanted to beg them not to, but he would not beg. He could not! Except in his mind…
They chained Jim to the wall by his wrists, but the chains were long, although that fact would not do him much good since he could not walk, and then they put the head harness on him which he could not remove on his own. He just lay there on the floor as they left him…finally. He was just glad they were gone. He did not care if they left him there for two days. He was finally alone, but just as he thought he would go to sleep, he heard a high-pitched sound that made him wonder if his ears were ringing, but no, that was not what it was, and it got louder until it was a definite sound, and almost unbearable. No! he screamed in the silence of his own mind. Would he have to listen to that for two days? However, he was so exhausted, he could not keep from going to sleep even with the sound, but he thought he could hear it in his sleep.
Spock, Doctor McCoy, Solan, Carol, Uhura, and John McCoy, along with Grakar, Korax, Dapodi, Jirrok, and several more Klingons boarded an unmarked ship to go into the Neutral Zone. They knew they could be captured and taken prisoner themselves, but that was not going to stop them. They were well-armed, and had their plan laid out. Grakar and his band of Klingons would give Captain Kirk's captors something to worry about, as they intended to take out as many as they could with explosives before they got into a battle, plus they had several Klingon warbirds that would be cloaked. Chancellor Gorkon had a spy within the ranks of Ja'rod's group, and that was how they knew where they had gone, and how many were there. Not only were there Klingons there, but there were also Romulans, and Nausicaans. They had all come together to stop the Federation, as well as the sects of their own people who wanted to make peace with the Federation. They would use Captain Kirk to get security codes and other information about the Federation.
Spock had left Scotty and Sulu with the ship, along with the rest of the crew, because he had the feeling that they would get into this mess much easier than they would get out. He had informed Admiral Winston that the Klingons had captured Captain Kirk, but he had since cut communications because he did not want the admiral to forbid them to go after Jim. Spock supposed that was an un-Vulcanlike thing to do, but he was certain that Jim would be proud of him for it. He stood alone on the trade ship that they had chosen to use and thought of the fact that Jim had now been in the hands of his captors for almost six days, and he had a severely injured knee according to Grakar who had seen what the other Klingon had done to him. Uhura confirmed it because she had heard Jim's scream and had seen his leg bent at an unusual angle.
Doctor McCoy walked into the room where Spock was standing and looking out the viewport. He just stood there beside him. "Are you that worried?" Bones asked.
Spock's first instinct was to say Vulcans do not worry, but he thought he could not say that truthfully this time. "I am," he replied.
Bones was surprised at that answer. "You are?"
"Yes. Our friend is in grave danger."
"What are they doing to him, Spock?"
"Whatever it is, we can be sure that it is unpleasant."
Bones thought that was an understatement. "How could they come down there and just grab him like that?" he asked.
"They did not have to go down," Spock replied. "They were already there waiting. I believe just as the chancellor has a spy among the rogue Klingons, they also have possibly more than one spy among his followers."
"And Jim is suffering for it."
"I also believe it was their intention to get the captain. He knows Starfleet secrets that they can use. According to Grakar's information, this band of outlaws intend to try and take down the Federation, as well as their own who do not agree."
"Spock, what if we can't get him out?"
"We must at all costs."
Solan came in there next. He was tired of sitting alone and just thinking. He folded his arms. "Four days sure does get long," he said.
"I agree," Bones replied.
"Especially when our captain is..." Solan did not want to say what he knew they were all thinking. Jim was being tortured, that was what was happening to him, and he might never be the same.
"We must focus on our plan," Spock said. "We cannot dwell on the dire circumstances."
"It's hard not to think about it sitting around here in this ship doing nothing! I keep waking up with nightmares wondering if they're beating him or…"
Carol was standing at the door listening, and she felt like her heart would twist into knots with her stomach. She was miserable sitting on this ship too, and she had thrown up more than once. She knew Jim would not approve of her even being there because he would want her to be with the baby if he did not make it back. He was always concerned about that, but she was not going to stay behind this time.
Jim lay in the prison cell unable to scream except where no one else could hear him. He covered his ears trying to drown out that sound, but it was not possible to drown it all out. His knee seemed to be even stiffer now, and he could not crawl, and he certainly could not get up.
It was the middle of the night when Jim heard someone coming into the cell block, and then the sound stopped. He was lying in the floor on his back and could see a Klingon opening the cell door. He sat up and tried to move away from him as he came in. Get away! He was shouting in his mind.
The Klingon came over to him. Jim was terrified, but the Klingon grabbed him and shushed him. "I am here to help you, young captain," he whispered. Jim just stared at him still trembling all over. The Klingon removed the head harness and supported Jim with his arm. He could see the fear in Jim's eyes, but he gave him some water which he drank gladly. Then he gave him meat to eat. "You will need strength. Do not worry. Your friends are coming for you." Jim did not know why that made him want to sob. "You must appear to be suffering and hungry. They will torture you because of your hunger." He shoved another piece of meat into Jim's mouth. "I must turn the sound back on, but I will decrease the volume until morning."
"Please get me out of here," Jim said but it was little more than a squeak.
"I cannot at this time."
Once Jim was done eating, the Klingon put the harness back on him. "I am sorry," he said. "But it cannot appear that you have been helped. They would then look for a traitor."
Jim lay there alone as the ringing sound started up again, but he did not feel completely alone or helpless anymore. His friends were coming for him? How could they possibly think they could get him out of this?
After two days, the sound stopped and it was silent in the cell. Jim thought he might go to sleep, but then he heard the lock, and he wished that he could hide. He dragged himself to the back of the cell, but of course, that did no good.
The Klingon grabbed Jim by the back of his shirt and jerked him up. He held him up while the same one who had been helping him took the harness off. Jim knew there was pain in his knee again, but somehow, he could not scream anymore. The lead Klingon, Ja'rod, grabbed him by the jaw, but he got no response. "Give him water, and then bring him to the table," he said.
Jim was taken to another room where there was a fountain. The Klingon just dropped him within reach of the fountain. Jim could see and hear the water and he dragged himself over to it and drank some. He had been warned by the Klingon who helped him that he had to pretend to be thirsty, although he had been given food and water. After he drank quite a lot of water, the Klingon got him up and took him to a room with a long table in it.
Jim could smell food and started to grab at some of it, but he was made to sit in a chair and was strapped in. Ja'rod came over to him with a large piece of meat in his hand, which he waved under Jim's nose, and then laid it on a dish in front of him. Jim was sitting at the end of the table. "Are you hungry?" Ja'rod asked. Jim just sat there and stared at that meat. Ja'rod slammed his fist down on the table. "I asked you a question! Are you hungry?"
Jim just looked at him wishing he had the strength to look defiant. "Yes," he said, but it sounded more like a squeak.
"You can eat if you tell me what I want to know."
Jim shook his head. "Never."
"Then you'll sit there and watch the rest of us until you want to cooperate."
Soon, there were several Klingons there, and even a few Romulans and Nausicaans. They all began eating while Jim sat there and watched. He thought if there was anything in his stomach, he would throw up. He was hungry, but not as hungry as they thought he was. He watched while they all ate their fill, and then they began talking among themselves.
Ja'rod came over to Jim again and set a bottle of chech'tluth on the end of the table. Jim looked at it and then looked up at Ja'rod. "How about a drink, Captain?" he asked.
"No," Jim said.
"You are not thirsty?"
"Not for that?" Jim could hear that his voice was hoarse. He supposed it was from all that screaming. He swallowed hard as all the horrors he went through on Rura Penthe came to his mind. No! They could not do that to him again!
Ja'rod motioned to two of the other Klingons. "Remove his bonds," he commanded.
Jim thought he was going to panic. He would not just let them torture him. He watched as they cleared that end of the table, and he felt all the muscles in his body trembling. He knew what they were about to do. NO! He suddenly launched himself out of that chair and tried to run, but his right knee would not hold him up. However, he managed to get to the door of the room before someone grabbed him. He let out a hoarse cry as he fought with the two Klingons and he saw one of those long-bladed knives on their side. He grabbed the knife and plunged it into the owner's side with all his strength. Then he shoved the other Klingon while he was shocked at this turn of events.
Jim got out the door of the room and he could hear yells of rage behind him as he moved. He was moving out of pure terror and got around another corner and saw a small opening in a wall. He did not care where it went at the moment…he squeezed himself through and slid down a shaft and landed in water. At first, he thought he was doomed to drown, but the water came up only a little above his knees. He coughed as he got up onto his left knee. He wondered if this was a sewer, but he did not think it smelled like one. He stood there a moment, trying not to sob in terror. He heard yelling above him, and they were speaking in Klingon, so he did not know what they were saying. He did not know how he could get out of this because he could not walk, and could not crawl very well either, but it was better than the alternative.
Jim got up, putting all his weight onto his left leg. He had to figure out how to walk on his right leg with the knee completely dislocated. The lower part of his leg felt tingly now. He had to move though. However, he found that it was impossible to walk. He could not crawl through the water, so he would have to hop until he could get somewhere better than this. There was a pipe that ran along the wall at the side of the trench where the water was, so he held to that to help himself hop on his left leg. Even that motion made his right knee hurt because he was basically dragging that leg. He sure hoped Spock and the others could find him when they got to this planet.
