Author Note: Whoops. Got busy again, sorry! Plus, the FOX lineup is back for '14! So, I've been way distracted. Well, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!

Chapter Four: The Queen's Sacrifice

McCoy shut off the lights to his station and walked out the door, letting out a relieved sigh. The day hadn't been terribly busy, but it had been one of the longer ones. Trying to figure out how to get Claire back was the only thing on his mind - it distracted him. He felt a dull ache in his chest as he thought of her, and tried not to imagine the worst. No one had a clue of where, or even when, she was, and that fool Pharen hadn't been any help. McCoy would never admit it, but he was grateful to have Spock taking care of things. For once, his logic was getting the job done, and fast.

"Oh, Doctor," came a familiar voice. "Hello!"

McCoy looked up, realizing he was about to run into Pavel Chekov. "Sorry, son, I didn't see you."

The young man frowned. "Are you all right? You seem wery vorried, sir."

"No, no, I'm fine, thank you." McCoy smiled politely, moving around him to continue on his way.

"Eh, sir?" Chekov called, turning sharply. "I...just vanted to say that, eh, we'll find her."

McCoy faced him, admiring Chekov's ever up-beat nature. "I hope so."

"Y-Yes," Chekov continued, "you see, I vas in the Reference room, and that boy, Leonard, vas in there. He reminded me of when Claire vas here. I didn't really get to know her, sir, but I know that you two vere close."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows in mild amusement. "Why do you say that?"

Chekov made a curious smile. "Oh, I could see zat wery quickly. She vas a special girl, but more special to you."

"...Why are you telling me this?"

The young man merely shrugged, unabashed. "I just felt I should tell you. Vhen she is found, you should do the same. Sir," he added with a respectful nod. Then he walked in the opposite direction, and after a long beat, McCoy chuckled. He wondered if the young Ensign had been the only one to notice, all that time. Perhaps the Captain, but Jim had been so busy trying to keep Claire safe that he wouldn't have taken a second glance. That Mr. Spock, though, he mused, he most definitely could have seen. Nothing gets past him.

The day Claire left had been the hardest one McCoy had gone through in a long time. It wasn't just because it'd been the right decision, but because he'd lost the one chance of being truly honest with her. He'd hidden his feelings behind a parental mask, acting like he'd only cared about what was "best for her". In reality, all he'd wanted to do was keep her from going, to live her life here, with him. A thousand times he'd played it out in his head, but every bit of common sense had stopped him. She was still a child, he had his work, it was too dangerous...all excuses. He couldn't even put into words his feelings, because he didn't understand them. All he knew was that she made his life better.

He soon found himself outside the Reference room, and decided to see if Leo was still there. When he stepped inside, he found the teenager nodding off in front of a computer. McCoy smiled and stepped over to him, then tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Leo, wake up."

"Hm? What...?" Leo mumbled. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up. "Oh, hi. I guess I should probably go to bed."

McCoy laughed. "I'd say so. How are things going?"

Leo looked sheepish as he turned off the monitor. "Actually, I got distracted. I needed a break from language class, so I found this - it's about Starfleet."

"Really? Find anything interesting?" McCoy replied, and Leo smiled.

"No different than any history book at home. It just talks about some historical affairs they were involved in."

"If they were here, I'm sure they'd give you a lecture about 'knowing too much', and other nonsense."

Leo stood and rubbed his eyes. He yawned as he said, "I was careful. I only read more recent things, like, stuff that will happen when I'm long gone."

McCoy shook his head and patted Leo on the back as they left the room. "Your mother raised an exceptional kid, you know that?"

"...Thanks," Leo relied after a moment. "That means a lot."

McCoy patted his back again, and walked Leo to his room. It was the same one Claire had stayed in, and that brought back more memories. He'd been able to pick her up for a dinner once, and though she'd been terribly sick, she looked beautiful. He shook himself from thought and looked at Leo. "Well," he said," get some rest. You're doing just fine with everything, understand?"

Leo nodded, and turned toward the door. Then he stopped, a fallen look on his face. "We will find her, won't we? I mean, I tell myself that every day, so..." He trailed off.

"Leo, don't start getting down on yourself now. Once we get things going, it's just a matter of time before you find her. I only wish we could accompany you."

Leo sighed. "How much time, do you think?"

McCoy frowned thoughtfully. He was no good at things like this, especially with a young kid. He finally rested a hand on Leo's shoulder and said, "You can't lose faith. You're your mother's son, and that means you won't give up. Wherever she is, she's going to find a way back to us. She wouldn't want you to worry, either."

Leo seemed to accept that after a long moment. "All right. I guess losing my head now wouldn't do much good, would it? Thanks, Doctor."

"You're welcome, Leo. Goodnight."

Even after returning to his own room, McCoy couldn't sleep. He lay under the covers for a couple of hours, eyes closed, but his mind kept racing. He had his doubts about Claire, too, but he knew he had to take his own advice. That dull ache in his heart was returning, the one he'd tried to ignore for the last eight months. He'd convinced himself that she was well and happy, and for many years, she had been. She'd lived a different life without him, with another man to care for her and give her a family. Even knowing that, McCoy couldn't just get over her. He could still remember the day he realized his feelings had changed. When the two of them had gone to Earth for a day out, they'd visited a beautiful garden and gone to lunch. It'd been the perfect day, gone too soon.

"What are you doin', McCoy?" He finally asked himself. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and pulled the covers aside. "The second he finds her, they're out of here. You might never see her again."

Wheet!

His communicator was going off. He reached over to his desk, answered, and heard the Captain on the other end. "Doctor McCoy to the bridge - urgent matter."

"Everyone all right?"

"Oh, yes. Just bring yourself. We've received contact with Ediix-five."

McCoy jumped up and right into his boots, heading straight out the door. He couldn't have reached the bridge fast enough, and was a little breathless when he arrived. His heart pounded nervously against his chest as he greeted Kirk. The Captain observed him in mild amusement.

"Were you asleep?" He asked.

McCoy followed his gaze and realized he'd forgotten his blue over shirt in his room. He scratched at the collar of his black tee and said, "I apologize Captain."

Kirk smiled. "No worries, Bones." He turned to face forward. "Mr. Spock, put Ehala on now."

"Pharen's wife?" McCoy asked, his eyes on the screen. A moment later, his answer appeared, and Ehala looked at them in relief.

"Oh, thank goodness," she breathed. "Captain Kirk, it's so good to see you."

"Ehala, how can we help you? How has everything been?"

"That's exactly why I need to talk to you. So much has happened, I hardly believe it myself. When my husband sent out that last message, we were...compromised."

"What do you mean?" Kirk asked. "Were the Klingons still there?"

She nodded. "Yes. They forced us to lie, so you'd be sure that Claire wasn't brought through. Sadly, she was, along with her husband."

Kirk stood. "Where is she? If we can locate her now..."

Ehala was shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Captain. You see, you and I are communicating from different times. When we came to your ship, looking for Claire and our daughter, it was fifteen years ago."

Kirk shared a look with McCoy, then to Spock. The Vulcan raised his brow, and when Ehala didn't continue, he decided to help. "Captain, I believe their race ages differently than that of the humans. Pharen and his wife do not look any different to us, but the transmission is coming from a different time."

The Captain sighed, and ran a hand over his eyes. "Why can't these problems ever be dealt with simply? So, Ehala," he turned again to the screen, "Claire is there, in your time, but you don't know where she is?"

The woman nodded. "I'm sorry we couldn't explain that before. As I said, we were compromised. Our own daughter was..." She shook her head, and everyone could see her eyes glistening. "Mara is dead."

Kirk's face fell. "I'm sorry to hear that. I only wish there was something we could do for you."

"No. However, we wish to help your crew to find Claire, and settle this for good. If you were to find us, in your time, we would be able to help you. We'd be able to send you where you need to go."

Spock cleared his throat, taking a couple of steps forward. "We are currently in the process of that. We cannot tell you who is going to arrive, or when, but there will be someone. See to it that they receive the help necessary."

"I understand." Ehala suddenly looked away from the screen, then nodded. She looked back to them. "I have to go now; there's so much to do. I'll send a message out explaining that someone will arrive. We'll be prepared, but please, take caution. If I can, I'll keep in contact with you."

"Very well. Thank you, Ehala."

The transmission was ended, and the screen went black. A heavy silence lingered on the bridge for a few seconds. Finally, McCoy turned to Spock. "Any estimate on when you'll be finished with that ship?"

"At the rate of Mr. Scott's progression, it should be finished in two day's time. However, Leonard's progression is going at a much slower rate."

Kirk frowned, folding his arms. "He can't expect to wait until he's mastered the language, Spock."

Spock nodded seriously. "Indeed. Unfortunately, his level of retention, despite his daily efforts, is minimal."

"Can't you help him?" McCoy asked, feeling frustrated.

"I have, on occasion. Still, my primary obligations, as well as secondary - Leonard's transportation - place his tutelage at the end."

"The boy is exhausted, Spock," McCoy pressed. "He doesn't need me to examine him to tell you that. He needs a mental boost, and no computer can do that for him."

"I do not have another logical option, Doctor."

By now, the crew was looking rather curious. Kirk waved a hand for the First officer and Doctor to follow him. "Gentlemen, let's discuss this privately. Mr. Chekov, you have the com."

"Yes, sir."

The three of them were quiet in the elevator, all trying to come up with something. Kirk suddenly had an odd idea, which he finally expressed after entering the hallway below. "Spock, would you ever consider performing the...what's it called? The mind-meld?"

Spock looked at him knowingly. "I have. It is not the answer we are looking for."

"I agree, jim," said McCoy. "No offense, but I don't know if the boy would be able to handle it. From what I've seen of it, it's pretty serious thing."

The Vulcan tipped his head. "Yes, quite serious. It is an action used only under dire and necessary circumstances; furthermore, unpleasant and overwhelming. For him, only an adolescent, to experience it, there could be consequences."

"...I see your point," Kirk admitted. "Still, I'd like to say one thing. As far as I'm concerned, I think he'd come out just fine. You performed it on Claire when she was sick, and she survived."

Spock shifted, placing his hands behind his back. "Captain, if I may, that was a dire circumstance, and if I had not stopped when I did, she would have been worse off."

"Look, I'm not ordering you to do it. I'm only asking you to reconsider, and for you," he looked at McCoy, "to think on it. The only other option is to wait, and no one, especially Leo, wants to do that much longer. His mother is in the hands of the Klingons, Spock; don't you think that's pretty dire?"

The weight of the question settled over the other two men. He had a point, and it was only fair to do as he asked. They looked at each other briefly before nodding. McCoy ran a hand through his hair. "We can talk to him about it in the morning."

"Yes," Spock agreed. "It will be his decision, as well as mine, that will determine the outcome."

Leo woke feeling incredibly groggy. He looked around the dark, windowless room, wondering what time it was. It seemed he'd nabbed a few hours of sleep, but he couldn't be sure. He stretched and stood, keeping one hand on his head to straighten his hair. It was definitely getting too long, and he definitely needed a change of clothes. He'd been able to shower as he pleased, but having only one outfit made it difficult to do any laundry when it came around. He sighed and walked out into the hallway. "It's time for a new look," he said to no one.

There were few places he was allowed to visit, but he could be alone. The cafeteria - closed, telling him it was still early - the recreation halls - empty - the reference room, and the medical center. Since he didn't feel like reading one more article or book, he decided to see if Doctor McCoy was working. When he entered the bay, he found a woman there, pouring over a few notes. "Hello?" He called quietly.

The woman looked up and smiled, and there was something familiar about it. "Oh, good morning, young man. You're Leonard, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. 'Leo' is fine, too. Is Doctor McCoy here?"

"Not for another hour. Are you feeling ill?"

Leo gave a small shrug. "Maybe. I'm just a little tired, but I'll be fine. I just wanted to talk to him."

The woman stood and walked over to him, observing his appearance. "You do look a little worse for wear. Why don't I take a look at you? Doctor McCoy should be here soon."

They moved into the next room, where the beds were stationed. Leo watched as the nurse turned on one of the monitors above, pulled out a tray of supplies, and motioned for him to sit. He was quiet as she waved that little whirring scanner around him, and found himself soon watching her. She was familiar, and as he thought more, Leo realized who she was. "Are you Nurse Chapel?"

She paused, a little surprised. "I am. Did the Doctor tell you about me?"

Leo was tired, but he remembered at the last minute to lie. "Yeah. You're his assistant, aren't you?"

She smiled. "Right again." She paused, looking at him with a faraway look. Her hand reached out and gently held his chin. "You know, you remind me so much of your mother. When I was told you were here, and who you were, I couldn't believe it. Not even a year has passed, and it's been...quiet. When Claire was here, I couldn't have made a better friend. She helped so many of us to understand things."

Leo didn't really know what to say. A strange shyness hit him, and he only nodded as he thought. His mother was shy, too, but she somehow had that effect of making an impact in people's lives. She was always the 'little acts of kindness' type of person. A small, emotional wave hit him, and he cleared his throat to get rid of the discomfort.

McCoy arrived not soon after, and asked how things were. He greeted Leo before moving back into the main room with Nurse Chapel. "He looks terrible," he murmured.

"He said he doesn't sleep much, eats even less, and his vitals are quite a bit off. He's just wearing himself out, and he's in it alone."

McCoy shook his head. "Well, he's due for a haircut, for starters. He needs new clothes, a good meal, and a day off. Today, he's not allowed to study or do anything that involves his mission. Just for now."

Nurse Chapel bit her lip. "You think he'll comply?"

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, he'll comply all right. Whatever it takes for him to take one day off, I'll make sure it gets done."

Thankfully, Leo didn't seem to have a problem with that. He was told about the conversation with Ehala, and was relieved to hear that, at the very least, they knew where his mother was. She wasn't in this time, but they had a lead. To McCoy's dismay, on the other hand, Leo was also willing to do the mind-meld. Spock hadn't been down to talk to either of them, but McCoy felt obligated to let the young man know about what was coming.

"Whatever it takes," Leo insisted. "I've been struggling, so anything will help."

"All right," McCoy relied, "but not today. Spock still needs to make a decision, and if the answer is 'no', you have to accept that. For now, you're going to get freshened up, and spend some time with the Captain. I think it'll be good for you."

Leo smiled gratefully. "Sounds good, thank you." He was looking forward to being presentable again, especially for the Captain. The man deserved the highest respect, and he was going to get it, for all he's arranged for Leo.

Firstly, McCoy provided him with a new outfit - black pants and a shirt, and a light jacket. His other clothes were happily thrown into the wash, and Nurse Chapel made quick work on Leo's hair. The process took less than an hour, but Leo was feeling more than refreshed when it was all over. He brushed through his hair and pulled on the jacket again, then looked into one of the mirrors in the room.

McCoy nodded in approval. "You look good, now that we can see your face."

Captain Kirk seemed equally as impressed when McCoy brought Leo up to see him. As he motioned them into his quarters, he said, "You clean up pretty well, Leo. How have things been?"

"Fine, I guess. Doctor McCoy "suggested" I take a day off today."

Kirk laughed, taking a seat on one of the sofa chairs. "So I see. It's normal to do, even for me. You always feel better in the end, I promise you."

Leo took a seat opposite the Captain once invited. He noticed that a chess game had been set up before them. "It's been a while since I've played," he admitted.

"Do you want to do something else?" Kirk offered.

"No, no, this is fine. I'm just thinking aloud. A refresher should be nice, for sure."

"Okay. Before we start, is there anything I can do for you, Doctor?" Kirk looked up expectantly at McCoy.

"I'm all right, Captain, thank you. Just let me know when you're finished and I'll come up to get Leo."

Kirk nodded, and McCoy took his leave. Leo observed the board quietly until his opponent asked, "Is the arrangement fine? Do you prefer a color?"

Leo shook his head, but replied, "Do you, sir?"

"No, I'm all right where I am. Your move."

Leo usually was a casual player, not caring if he won or lost. Granted, he hardly ever lost, but it didn't matter - it was only a game. Today, however, felt different. The air had turned serious, and he could feel an authoritative pressure coming from the Captain. Did he expect him to win, or lose? He held his first pawn in place for a moment until he was sure of the answer: he had to win. Finally, he placed the white piece and sat back.

Kirk moved his own pawn, directly in front of Leo's. "I understand your studies have been difficult."

A strategy was forming. Leo took his Knight and set it, then said, "Yeah. It's new for me, not...learning so quickly."

"You're very smart, Leo. Just looking at you, one could tell." Kirk also took a Knight, placing it almost identically to the white one.

Leo frowned, then nabbed his Bishop. "It's because I'm thin. Still, I'm smarter than those who pick on me."

Kirk smiled softly, glancing at Leo. "That may be true, but sometimes it's best to not let them know that." He took another pawn and put it behind his Knight, then waited.

This time, Leo looked up at him. "Why? Once they understand they're idiots, they don't bother me. It keeps me isolated, like I want." After a distracted moment, Leo realized it was his move. He took his other Knight and set it behind the Bishop. "Why say that?"

Kirk thought first on his turn. He brushed his fingers along a couple of pieces. Then he noticed an opportunity and placed his Bishop near one of Leo's Knights. It was closing in. "If you don't panic, being surrounded isn't such a bad situation. When you realize what's most important, it only takes one move to finish the job."

Leo eyed him carefully. It seemed Kirk definitely had a plan, which made Leo doubt. Was he supposed to win, or lose? Suddenly he wasn't sure. Finally, he shook his head and got rid of the hesitation. He decided to take out a simple black pawn with his Knight, and watched as Kirk moved his Bishop in all the way. The Queen was taken out, the necessary sacrifice. Leo pursed his lips. "Like I said, I'm scrawny, so people notice. I don't think letting a few muscle head surround me is a good idea." He moved his Bishop in front of the Captain's Rook, and his mouth twitched into a smile. "Check." This would be over soon.

Kirk placed his next piece quickly, with confidence. He simply moved his King one space forward, and folded his arms politely.

Again, Leo was thrown. He already had one Knight in place, but as an afterthought he moved his other one right next to it. The two players observed the board, and uncertainly, Leo declared, "Checkmate."

"Indeed," replied Kirk. He stuck his hand out, which Leo took after a moment. "Well-played."

"...You let me win."

Kirk squinted slightly at him. "I don't think so. Are you sure?"

"Technically, no. I did win, but you knew exactly what I was doing, and went along with it. Why?"

Kirk smiled and settled back into his chair. "I wanted to talk to you about something. Concerning the game, you just happened to use one of the few chess strategies I actually know, and it just played out. You can thank Mr. Spock for that."

"I'll have to. So, I did lose, but how? What did I do wrong?"

"It wasn't so much a mistake, as a closed mind. I was also curious as to why you approach your bullies the way you do. You're willing to sacrifice anything, even their own dignity, to get what you want."

Leo shrugged, trying not to feel too intruded on. "It's the only way I know I can defend myself. I'm not exactly built - resorting to violence gets me nowhere."

Kirk gave a nod in half-agreement. "I understand. However, being as lithe as you are can prove useful. Trying to understand your enemy before you take them out is important, too - their motivation is key."

"I don't have to understand them. They hurt me, I hurt them back."

"A little primitive," Kirk mused. He stood, then paced as he continued. "There has to be a balance between thought and action. If there's too much of one or the other, nothing is accomplished. What did I say before, about what's most important?"

Leo thought. "Basically, don't lose sight of it. It only takes one move after that."

"Exactly." Kirk stepped over to the chess board, and picked up the Queen he'd claimed. "Don't ever lose sight of it."

Leo frowned. Kirk handed him the piece, and he held it carefully in his hand. "That was the plan, though. The Queen has to be sacrificed for me to win."

Kirk stopped pacing, and a serious look crossed his face. That feeling Leo had noticed before was creeping back into the room. "In this case, yes. You won, but at a heavy cost."

Leo looked at the Queen again, and realization hit him - hard. This was only a game, and I played into his hands. I really did lose. "You're talking about my Mom, aren't you?"

"Yes. You could kill off the entire Klingon race, but if you don't find a way to keep your mother alive, then it won't matter. I'm not saying you would sacrifice her, but if you're careless to the point that someone else does, then it's in vain. They want her dead, and if they achieve that, they're the ones who are victorious."

As Leo had looked at himself earlier in the mirror, he'd felt confident. The new image, the purpose he thought he'd gained, all gone. A little humility replaced the embarrassment. "If I don't get going, she's going to die. All the studying, the waiting, it's not enough..."

Kirk stepped over to him and crouched down, meeting him eye-to-eye. "Don't think you haven't done nothing, Leo. You've had a lot of responsibility placed on you, and you've carried it well. That studying and waiting has gotten you this far, but action defines itself. Don't ever lose sight of your goal. You're not fragile, and you can do exactly what you need to. Most teenagers don't have half the understanding you already do before they're much older. Things may end up turning out differently, one way or another, but remember the most important detail. You can work around that."

For a long time, Leo was silent. First he began to think of something, anything, to make it work. He needed a good plan, and quickly. Then, his mind echoed over and over the Captain's words, and he payed attention to how he felt. He made sure he understood more fully before speaking again. "I'll get her back," he said. "I'll figure out whatever it takes to find her."

Solemnly, Kirk nodded. He stood straight again, then walked over to the monitor on his desk. He pressed a couple of buttons, then said, "Doctor McCoy?"

Here, Captain."

"I apologize if I'm interrupting anything. Leo and I are finished here for the day."

McCoy sounded confused in his response. All right, I'll be up soon."

"Thank you, Doctor." He closed the connection, then moved around the desk. "I'm sorry, Leo. I know you're supposed to relax today, and you should. I just wanted you to understand something before I lost the chance to tell you."

Leo stood up, his eyes lingering on the chess board a moment longer. "I'm okay. I appreciate your lesson, Captain."

Kirk looked sympathetic. "I know this is difficult, but you'll make it. I wish we could go with you, to see her again. She's just as much a part of our family as anyone else, as are you. It's like, even though you're from somewhere else, you belong here."

Leo felt warmed by the compliment. He wondered how he and his mother had become so close to these people. Years ago, neither world knew the other existed. Yet, upon discovery, it was like a light had been turned on, and no one cared to ever turn it off. Leo was extremely grateful for that.

Phew! So, I hate keyboards. And my inability to remember to save my work. I had this whole, great thing written up, and I hit the backspace...such a mess. So, it doesn't quite have that same impact I had, but I hope you still liked it. I'm also not a chess buff, so I had to cheat a little. If I'm wrong anywhere, feel free to let me know. Thanks!