Chapter 3
As the sun slowly slumped past the horizon Kirk found himself drowsy and light headed. He assumed it was the heat, but it grew worse and he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. "Bones," he called quietly.
"Jim?" a soft moan in response, "Jim?" no response. "Jim!" McCoy shouted.
"Yeah, Bones, not so loud," Kirk replied through a thick fog.
"Jim, what's wrong?"
"Just tired, very, very, tired. I think I'll ... sleep." His chin dropped onto his chest.
A moment later Cala and several others were at Kirk's side. "Ah, finally. He is a stubborn one."
"What do you mean, 'finally'? What have you given him? The drug could easily kill Jim Kirk with all his allergies. If he's..."
"Hold your tongue, McCoy," Cala snapped. "What we gave him relieved his pain. One of the side effects is sedation and I do want him fully awake for the festivities to come. You there," she pointed at several men, "take Kirk to the cave and secure the others in the cage." She left without a second glance. Her people obeyed her bidding without question.
When Kirk was scooped up he never stirred. The others followed close behind and were secured in a cage that was suspended from the ceiling of the cavern. Kirk disappeared down another tunnel deep into the mountain.
XXXXX
Aboard the Enterprise everything was not business as usual. There was laughter blasting through the bridge speaker systems.
"Shut that thing off!" Scotty shouted as loud as he could to be heard.
"There's nothing to turn off," Uhura claimed.
"Cut it out," Scotty yelled at their tormentor.
"Okay." There was silence to everyone's amazement and relief.
"Who are you? Where are you?"
"I'm right here," with awesome power a gust of wind blew Mr. Scott into his chair.
"What was that?" Scotty asked of anyone.
"It was me, of course, stupid. And this is me again," it said as Mr. Scott was blown to the floor with a powerful blast of air.
Climbing to his feet Scotty said, "Okay, I get the point. What are ya?"
"You'll have to figure that out for yourself." The loud laughter began again, relentless.
Frustrated Scotty plopped into the command chair throwing his hands in the air. "Not again," he sighed.
"Here I am." A specter appeared in front of Scotty long enough to heave him from his chair.
Pulling himself back up Scotty said, "You're that damn computer virus we thought we got rid of the last time we were here."
"Yes but I didn't have control of your environmental systems. This is much more fun."
"It figures."
XXXXX
A fire was built in the center of the cavern as the people gathered around for a celebration. Spock and McCoy observed from their position. McCoy snoozed as Spock kept watch.
Several hours slipped by but not without notice. "Leonard, you must wake up," Spock shook McCoy.
"Damn, I didn't even realize I fell asleep, sorry Spock. What's going on? How's Jim?" He wiped the sleep from his eyes and tried to focus. The Vulcan pointed to a place in the crowd. "My god, that's Jim!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, Doctor, but he appears to still be under the influence of the drug." They watched as Kirk was more dragged than led to a wooden pole on one side of the fire pit. They fastened his wrists above him his legs folded under him. His head hung down touching his chest.
"Well this can't be good. Now what are they going to do with him?"
"Doctor, there are many possibilities and I don't believe you would wish me to tell you all of them."
McCoy scoffed, "No, I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
XXXXX
"Let's go down right here and see if we can get around this side," Sulu suggested.
They slipped between boulders, being as quiet as possible. When they reached the bottom they glanced around but saw no cloud.
Each step became that much harder. It was like trying to pick up your feet that had been laden with mud. Their thoughts were just as muddy.
Sulu reached for Loran's shirt and pulled her back with everything he could muster. He dragged her back the way they had come. The further away they got the better they both felt.
"Well that's not going to work." They sat down as Sulu explained to the Enterprise what had happened.
XXXXX
Cala stepped up to Kirk. The crowd silenced, as she lifted his head by grasping his chin. The movement caused him to open his eyes, but only briefly. "He is still under. We will wait a bit longer," Cala declared. The festivities continued.
"What was that all about?" McCoy asked as he gripped the bars on their cage and rattled them angrily, "I hate this."
"Leonard," Spock said calmly, "at this moment we can do nothing for Jim. We must wait."
McCoy flopped back to sit on the floor, exasperated. "I know. I just hate to see anyone so vulnerable, especially Jim."
"I understand, Leonard, however," he paused, "I would suggest we be prepared to help Jim if the opportunity should present itself."
"In other words, rest while I can."
"I believe that is what I said."
"Okay, Spock." He resumed his seat on the floor of the cage.
XXXXX
Scotty watched as Uhura made a few new alterations in the communications system. "How do you plan on shutting down the comm. system?"
Uhura made the final connection and abruptly the laughter stopped. "Like that."
The bridge crew clapped and cheered as the blasting laughter was cut off leaving silence.
"Thank you, Lass," Scotty said as he helped Uhura up from her place on the floor. "Now all we have to do is hope it's gone for good."
"No way," a giggling little girl said from the main view screen. "I don't give up that easily. This is fun."
"Do you do this all the time?" Scotty asked. "Or is this just a part time career?"
"Full time."
"Scotty, I have reports that the turbo lifts are acting crazy." The entity giggled. "People are trapped."
"Of course they are," he threw up his hands exasperated and flopped into the command chair. "Tell the techs to get them out. Notify the crew not to use the lifts until further notice."
XXXXX
An hour passed as McCoy slept and Spock watched the carefree gaiety. There was drinking and dancing in abundance. They never seemed to tire of it.
When the captain stirred, he raised his head and fought his bonds. He ceased his struggle when he had cut into his wrists. He looked over the group, that had stopped dancing, searching for his friends.
Cala walked up to Kirk and pointed to McCoy and Spock. They were clinging to the bars of their cage, watching.
"Jim."
"I'm okay, Bones," he replied then added softly, "I think."
"Kirk, you have been chosen to be our guest of honor at our celebration. You have the task of leading the way for the others to follow."
"Thanks, but I'm not interested, besides if I'm the guest of honor then why am I the one bound?" he viciously yanked at his wrists.
"That is the way it must be. No one else is in a higher position among my flock. They need you to cleanse the way for them but only be done if you join us."
"All right," Kirk straightened as best he could, "if I stay..."
"Oh you will," she cut in.
"Then let my friends go, if it's me you want I'll stay."
"You will anyway."
He scoffed, "And why would I want to do that?"
"Because we'll keep the others as insurance against you." She yanked his head back and to the side of the pole. With his mouth yanked open Cala took a gourd from a helper, and poured a liquid into his mouth.
With all the strength he could muster Jim threw his head forward, nearly snapping his own neck, and spit the contents of his mouth at Cala. A direct hit in the face.
Deeply agitated Cala flat handed Kirk across the face several times, but her anger was not vented. She tossed the gourd and ordered, with an evil grin, "Remove his shirt and turn him around. Make sure he is well secured." She backed away as the men did their task with the struggling human.
Kirk was easily overpowered and was once again secured to the pole with his back facing the crowd. Out of the corner of his eye Jim caught a glimpse of the whip in the air, and tensed for the impact. The strike came like a sharp knife slicing through his skin, and again and again. Through the red haze of pain he could clearly hear Bones shouting but what he was saying Jim could only guess. With each blow he flinched and muscles tensed as knives raked across his back.
He couldn't remember falling, but he did at some point because he was hanging from his cut wrists. He wasn't sure but he thought the whip had stopped. Speech had been numbed by the pain. He just hung without the strength to stand. Several men pulled him loose and turned him back around. He winced when his back contacted the pole.
"You will not do that again," Cala warned. "I would rather have you submissive with the drug than have to beat you into submission, but you will have it both ways." She approached Kirk with a grin. His head was tilted back and the liquid was poured in, but this time his nose was pinched shut and his mouth was forcibly closed by more hands. He had to swallow or give up breathing, he swallowed. Kirk was released as he coughed several times. The fiery liquid slid into his system with ease. The celebration resumed.
"Spock, what do we do now? We can't just stand here!" McCoy became more agitated by the moment.
"Leonard, there is nothing that can be done for Jim at the present time. I am however, very concerned.
"Jim could have an allergic reaction. God knows he does to everything I give him."
"The fact that he is allergic to everything you give him should be a hint"
Bones snorted, "Very funny, Spock."
The guards released McCoy and Spock. They were led from the cavern into a smaller cave.
When they disappeared so did Kirk's sight. He blinked repeatedly but the blur never cleared. Muscles were rapidly giving out. He slowly sank into a doze.
XXXXX
"Loran, I'm afraid this is not going to work." Sulu sat down on the rocks.
She sat down beside him saying, "You could be right."
Sulu pulled his communicator, "Sulu to Enterprise. Scotty, I don't think this is going to work. The cloud is to powerful. I'm afraid we'll have to try another way."
"Thanks for trying, Lad. Better come on home."
"Right. Sulu out." Patting Loran on the thigh he said, "Let's go." They hiked back to the shuttle and left the planet.
XXXXX
"I sure wish we could get this to work."
"It works fine, Scotty, if you want to listen to hysterical laughter all day. Suggestions, please," Uhura begged.
Out of desperation he asked the noisy intruder, "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"
"Well, yes I do," she answered with a snicker.
Silence. They waited several minutes. After five passed they wanted to cheer, but they didn't, to afraid they would hex the whole thing.
Continued in Chapter 4
