Authors Note:
So now we get to finally learn how Jim got into this mess in the first place... more to come however! This is just the start.
As I am writing in the past, it is all in italics. In order for the story to flow I thought it should be important to show that.
Enjoy!
Chapter Seven
"Just one drink, C'mon Bones! It won't hurt. We aren't due to make contact with the ship for a while now. What Spock doesn't know won't hurt him."
McCoy sighed. "Just the one then, I suppose a little R&R may help lower that damn blood pressure of yours anyway."
"That's the spirit Bones!" Jim cheered. "You go find us a seat, I'll bring them over."
Bones looked around the full bar. Their mission had been a success, the medical centre had even let him assist in one of the births of the planet species. The mother was so thankful for the rapid pain relief she named the baby Leonard James. A most unusual name on planet Zander VI, but quite a fitting one if McCoy did say so himself.
He found an empty table, close to the doors and perched there. He looked around for Jim but there were just too many people to see around. It didn't help that the planet species were much taller than both Jim and himself. The bar was loud, but that didn't stop him from hearing his communicator at the time. They had previously lost signal with the ship, something to do with the metal they had built the buildings with, at the time McCoy didn't really care. The communicator buzzed and hissed as he flicked it open. "McCoy here." Between the buzz and crackles of the communicator McCoy could only manage to make out one word.
Klingons.
He slammed his communicator closed and stood on the chair. "Jim!" He looked around, searching through the crowds of people for the familiar yellow shirt but saw nothing.
"Jim!" he called out again, he understood the danger they were in. The last thing he needed to be was separated from the rest of the landing crew.
Bones pushed past the crowds, making his way to the bar exit. The second he made it out his eyes searched frantically for his captain but he saw nothing. "Jim!" he called out again, but nothing but silence returned his calls.
He stood still, panting as he caught his breath. He wanted to keep running and looking for Jim but he was stopped. A wave of a familiar tingling sensation swept over his body. The next time he opened his eyes he was back on the ship, staring back at Scotty and the rest of the landing party that they were previously split from.
"Where's Jim?!" he ordered.
"You mean, he's not with you?" Scotty asked, pressing buttons to try and find his signal.
"Does it look like he's with me?! Find him! Now!"
"I'm doing my best, Doctor. Although… it looks like…" Silence entered the transporter room. "Get Spock down here now." He ordered the younger transportation engineer.
"What? Why?" McCoy asked, still panting heavily.
"If my scans are correct, which there is no doubting…then there is no human lifeforms left on that planet. Just the alien's you were sent down to help."
Jim's eyes almost burst open when the ice cold water touched his bare chest. He struggled to catch his breath as he lifted his head and looked around. He didn't recognise where he was at all, the walls were empty, just like the cell he was in. There was a faint green glow blocking his only exit. He tried to stand up but soon realised he was stuck to the wooden chair he was sat in.
"Ah! Captain. Nice of you to join us again."
The strong voice was one he knew.
"Korr." Jim stared back at the Klingon ambassador. He was larger built than the other Klingons, not that it made him any stronger. At the drop of a hat any one of the Klingons would do anything he ordered them to do, even if it meant fight to the death. "What is this?" Jim ordered through gritted teeth.
"Klingon hospitality, why do you not like it?" He asked, waving a golden cup around causing deep red liquid to spill over his golden command sash.
"Don't you mean kidnapping? Are you trying to start a war?" Jim didn't look away from his enemy as his fingers curled into fists behind his back.
"Oh on the contrary, Captain. I'm going to end one." Korr said, sipping his drink. "Before its even begun… with just a little… cheating."
Jim looked confused. He hadn't noticed until now how his torso was covered in bruises, the second his eyes spotted them the familiar throbbing pain swept over his body. "Cheating? Isn't that dishonourable?"
"No… Loosing is." Korr paced around Jim, sipping his drink. "Will you have some blood wine captain? I assure you – it isn't drugged."
"Thank you, I'll pass" Jim sneered, keeping his eyes forward.
"All of this unpleasantness could have been avoided, with a simple answer to a simple question. Surely you can understand the logic in that" he continued pacing around Jim.
"If its logic you want, you've got the wrong guy" He grinned.
"Ah yes, your Vulcan comrade. Equally stubborn, as I recall. But you captain, you are not as equally resilient. My associates have asked you this many times, I will only ask you once."
"Thank you that would be a great time saver." Jim carried on with his usual sarcastic attitude, judging by his bruises and the faint taste of blood on his lips, Jim knew he was already in trouble with Bones anyway, a little added sass wouldn't hurt.
Korr moved around to face Jim and moved much closer to him than before. "Where is the planet known as… Gateway."
Jim could smell the stench of his breath as he spoke into his face. "I'm only going to answer this once. It's a Starfleet secret." He smirked back.
Korr copied Jim's grin. He stepped back towards the glowing force field which kept Jim locked inside. "Thank you. Now we have finished our formal inquiry, we can move on to the next stage." He nodded to the Klingon guards outside and the green glow faded away as he walked out.
One of the guards marched in holding some kind of Klingon weapon that Jim hadn't taken notice of before. He heard the weapon charge before the guard jabbed it in to his side, causing electrifying pain to spread across his torso. He had no choice but to yell out in pain.
The other guard came in and together they grabbed Jim's arms and dragged him out the cell. Jim had no energy or strength to fight back. His head hung down as he watched his bare feet being dragged through the enemy ship.
It wasn't long before they forced Jim's feet to take his own weight again, the numbing from the electrocution Jim had previously received had already worn off as the burning pain in his side warmed up. The guards pushed him into a small room, they stood blocking the only exit. Jim looked around noticing the Klingon symbols all over the walls before finally spotting the machine in front of him.
"No…" Jim had only heard of rumours of his machine, but there it was right in front of him. "No!" He turned to try and escape but it was no good. The guards grabbed him and he was still too weak to overpower them. Jim yelled out for help, but knew nobody was coming. The two guards lowered him to a large metal chair, strapping all his limbs into place. He squirmed around, desperately trying to escape but it was no good. The straps were just made tighter. Tingling feelings entered both his hands and feet where the blood supply was slowly being cut off, but Jim didn't stop moving, the straps slowly started to cut into each wrist, he knew what was coming.
Korr placed a large metal helmet over Jim's head. "Now keep still and accept your fate with my Mind Sifter… Captain… James… Tiberius… Kirk."
Korr switched the machine on and the grinding sounds of metal filled the small room. The helmet placed onto Jim's head clung there as two small parts of it moved onto each side of his temple.
The burning pain instantly caused Jim to yell out for more help, but the Klingons just watched on.
The straps dug further and further into his wrists, causing blood to drip down onto the floor below him.
The machine made its way into his mind, exploring all his known memories and thoughts. Jim fought the intrusive pain hard, trying to stop it, but it was no good. The intense burning in the side of his head made bile rise in his throat until finally, his body gave up and darkness consumed him.
