CHAPTER 4

"The revolution is successful. But survival depends on drastic measures. Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society. Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. Therefore, I have no alternative but to sentence you to death. Your execution is so ordered, signed Kodos, Governor of Tarsus IV."

Silence echoes through the large lecture room, only broken by the slam of a door as James T. Kirk bolted down through the doors. The professor went to call him back when two more people ran out, their cadet reds a blur as they called after the blond.

"Call Captain Chris Pike now!" The older called to her before sprinting down the halls on the heels of the teenager. The professor just blinked and seeing no choice, paged the captain.

Down the hall, Jim ran and he ran and he ran until there was nothing left. He found himself somehow in his dorm room, which was two blocks from the lecture building but it barely more than split thought in his mind.

"…survival depends on drastic measures…"

"…threat to the well-being of society…"

"…I have no alternative but to sentence you to death…"

"…Kodus, Governor of Tarsus IV…"

"…KodusKodusKudosKudosKudos…"

Jim let a pained scream that tore through his throat and got caught in his tears. His hands clutched at his blond hair, pulling tightly on the roots there.

Jim found himself back there, back on that desert planet where the hot was hot and the ground dusty. He could feel the hot wind whipping around his as he ran and ran and ran in his old trainers. Screams and moans could be heard from the village below him as well as the all-too-loud sound of chasing feet in heavy boots.

Hide

Hide and run is the last thing his aunt had said to him as she pushed him out the door. Jim hadn't heard the soft I'm sorry as he obeyed, too scared to do anything but.

Jim was only thirteen he didn't know, didn't understand, what was going on.

He couldn't breathe he couldn't breathe he couldn't breathe-

"James," A soft voice said, a soft voice that Jim was able to recognize in his delusional haze. "Come back to us, son."

Jim collapsed onto the person, sobs wracking his body. He could feel fingers running through his hair gently like no one had ever done before. He clung to the feeling and the images began to disappear from his eyes to be replaced by the sight of a familiar gold shirt.

Christopher Pike.

Jim cried harder, harder than he ever had. He had always had to be strong, back on Tarsus, when he was protecting the other eight. Jim was never allowed to cry, to grieve. He had pushed those emotions behind walls and walls and refused to think about those cursed words until today, when they broke the walls he had so carefully built.

"Oh James, son," Chris said sadly, hugging him close. Jim felt himself being picked up and resisted the urge to demand to be put down. He had been denied comfort for so long he could not do it to himself anymore. "Let's get you off the hard floor."

"Dad," Jim whimpered and he felt the man below him freeze for just a second. It was enough to make Jim think he had screwed up but Christ only gripped him tighter and kept walking.

Next thing he knew, they were on the combined beds with Chris leaning against the wall. He felt someone cover him with a blanket but he could not make himself open his eyes. Jim still had tears running down his face but he had quieted, allowing himself to take comfort for once.

The bed dipped on both sides and then familiar feelings of Harry and Leonard lying next to him. He reached his hands out and both men took them. Harry curled their fingers together and held them close to his chest while Bones kissed his knuckles and rubbed his thumb calming over his skin.

They stayed that way for a while. Jim didn't want to move, couldn't make him move from the incredible feeling of just being held and no one seemed to mind.

Eventually, however, his legs began to cramp and with a heavy blush he realized he had been sitting on Chris's lap for who knows long. Jim tried to move away but strong arms held him in place.

"I-" He tried to say but the words died in his throat. "I was there," Jim tried again. "My mom had sent me there after I sent the car over the cliff so I would stop getting in trouble when the famine hit. I remember every single in excruciating detail. I remember every sent, every feeling, every scream from those days. I remember being chosen to die."

The other three men in the room tensed but stated quiet.

"I would have too, but my aunt sent me away when the soldiers came. They took her and my uncle and my cousins. I managed to hide in the woods. I found eight others, child who had managed to hide. We hide for days in the woods surviving on tree bark and dirt. Eventually we were found. We were taken in front of Kodus. The others were locked in cells. But me," Jim grinned and Harry started. Those were the eyes of man who had seen too much. "Kodus liked me. He wanted me to stay with him, to do things for him. I refused.

"So he tortured me for days, trying to convince me. But then came the day of the execution." Jim was silent for a while, his eyes dark and lost in memory. "I was still in my cell but it was broadcasted for us all to see. He was trying to make us give in. Luckily, the Federation showed up only a day later and Kodus committed suicide. I can still see his face; hear those words in my mind."

Jim trailed off, unconsciously huddling closer to Chris.

No one spoke, just sitting there in the silence for a long time.

Jim felt clear for the first time ever.