Chapter 6

Leonard cringed as the PADD hit the wall and crashed onto the floor.

"Gentlemen, I think times up." Leonard said tactfully to both Lt Cdr's Giotto and Harvey indicating to leave the privacy of the captain's room in sickbay. It had not been the best of meetings, like Leonard, Jim had not taken the news well that not only were the Cygnia Minor's government not allowing Starfleet personnel investigate his attack and Starfleet clearly ordering Enterprise to comply with the governments wishes.

It had been a long day. Jim had spent a good few hours after he woke up (he had managed to get around the 30 minute rule M'Benga had given him somehow.) trying to put across via written reports and hand gestures the events as he could remember them leading up to him having a 10 inch crossbow bolt embedded in his lower right abdomen. To top it all off Starfleet did not seem too happy that Enterprise had requested to remain in orbit, although they had granted a 24 hour extension in light of captain's attempted murder and the CMO currently unfit for duty. Then there was the small matter of Kilngon activity that the Enterprise had picked up a couple of lightyears away.

Leonard had watched the Captain's frustration grow throughout the day as the impasse with the Cygnia Minor government had yet to be breeched and Spock had not made any headway on a compromise either. The only good news that been passed to the captain was that Lt Cdr Giotto's team were still tailing Karidian without being suspected. The final straw came when Spock had informed the captain that Starfleet had ordered them out of orbit to survey a nearby comet. Leonard was not surprised when Jim had exploded, frustration, lack of ability to communicate the simplest idea, all compounded by the constant pain Jim was clearly feeling from the arrow wound was not helping the situation.

Spock remained behind and slowly picked up the PADD from the floor.

"Captain I understand that humans have an emotional need to vent frustration, but it seem highly illogical choice of equipment to throw away as it is currently your only method of communication." He handed the PADD back. "Maybe I am able to ease some of your frustrations?" Jim glared at the Vulcan, but a few seconds later Jim took the offered PADD. Leonard never saw the request but by Spock's reaction it wasn't good.

"Captain you are aware that, even though a security can plan and train for this, Starfleet legal will have to approve it." Captain glared at his first officer and gave a nod. Leonard was amazed that even though Jim had to be feeling like hell, plastic tube shoved down his throat, he could still give Spock his 'I know what I am asking, just do it look.'

"Very well, I will pass the message on." Spock turned smartly and left. Leonard watched him leave and hit the call button on the wall. Enough was enough, it was time for the good drugs no matter what Jim thought of the idea, ultimately it would be Jim's choice but Leonard had always been good at persuasion he needed rest and to calm down and gather his thoughts, being pain free and mellow for a few hours would be essential to that.


As promised, just over 24 hours after Jim had called, Tom Leighton, now a confident and tall twenty something wandered into the sickbay accompanied by Spock. The two friends hadn't seen each other for over 3 years; the last time they had bumped into each other had been just before Tom had left earth with Martha for his research post on Planet Q. Jim watched him as he wore the same mischievous grin that made his remaining eye light up, as it had as a teenager. As much as they enjoyed each other's company it was always a painful reminder of the time they spent together trying to survive.

The pair stopped at the foot of the bed. "Captain, I understand you know Professor Leighton." He said as seriously as usual.

"Yes, Mr Spock, I think it is safe to say we are old friends." Jim spoke weakly, M'Benga had inserted the new tube into his nose which allowed to speak earlier that morning. It wasn't comfortable and he felt ridiculous, but that was the price of the spoken word. He held out his hand for Tom, who eagerly crossed the few steps to accept it.

"Jim, it is so good to see you!" he smiled shaking the offered hand energetically. "Spock here has been telling me all about your missions across the galaxy!" Jim raised an eyebrow, knowing that Spock most likely hadn't said a word since escorting him from the transporter pad.

"Spock does tell all the best ones!" Jim smirked at his old friend and first officer. Before his face fell into the dark murkiness of the problem at hand. "Tom, I am sorry to drag you here for this, but I had to be sure."

"I understand. Don't worry Jimmy, we'll get him." Tom smiled grimly. "I never truly believed that he had been burnt in that ridiculous house. You never said, but I always knew you didn't either. "

"Spock will show you the pictures." Kirk whispered. "We have a voice sample as well" he paused allowing the ventilator to pump oxygen into his lungs. "You best listen to that first."

"You don't want it to be him?" Tom questioned.

"I want justice." He paused to look at his friend. "I don't know... I want to be sure, I need to be sure. Its been a long time Tom. I have forgotten more than I remember and I don't want to accuse an innocent man." He looked away, it had been a long time and worlds away, but some memories never did fade. Some stood like a burning beacon on your retina. Kodos's face was one.

"It's good to see you Jim. Let's get this over with and go for that drink we always talked about."

"Sure, first rounds on me."


"Minister Tarin, I understand that you wish to speak with me?"

"Commander Spock, I promised you an update. Unfortunately our investigators have not yet located any suspects or weaponry that caused Captain Kirk injuries. However I am sure that given more time they will be successful in their effort to locate a suspect."

"Minister Tarin, thank you for your update. I am sure that Enterprise's Security personnel would be able to positively affect the search if you were to allow them to aid your investigators. Our personnel are trained to be sensitive."

"Commander Spock, I understand you desire to capture the preparatory of your captain's injuries however it is the way of this Cygnia Minor to solve it's internal issues without the need for external influence no matter how compassionately it is offered. We are a proud planet; please respect our independence and sovereignty."

"Minister Tairn, I assure you that the Federation and the Enterprise do hold your independence with reverence, however we both wish to seek the individual or individuals that are responsible for the attack on Captain Kirk."

"Commander," Tarin's face held a warning. "Are you speaking on behalf of both the Federation and the Enterprise or the just Enterprise? I understand that you and your crew are fiercely loyal, however I cannot jeopardise our independence and sovereignty for such a trivial matter. We are reliant on that sovereignty and independent government for our success as a colony. Please be patient, good day." The minister cut the transmission.

"Jim, it's him, I swear it!" Tom shook his shoulder, jerking his eyes open flinching away from the sudden movement pain ripping through his gut. A rush of adrenaline shot through his body sending his heart rate soaring. "Your right, that bastard is definitely Kodos!" Tom let go and started pacing, as Jim tried to orientate himself. "Spock is one emotionless freak! I don't know how you can live with him. He won't go pick him up without your go ahead! Jim you need to tell him that you're sure. And let's go get that bastard!"

"Captain, Professor Leighton identified the same voice that you did in a data set of similar voices." Spock strode in to the Captain's room sparing a quick glance at the agitated Professor. "He also picked out the same face that you did when looking at a large sample of similar facial structures. Both of you have identified the same individual as Kodos." Jim closed his eyes; he didn't know what to feel. Relief that he wasn't going crazy; or horror that Starfleet had failed to investigate the death of the biggest mass murder in 3 generations. If he could have done, he would have taken a steadying breath, allowing his heart to drop and a few milliseconds to stop the images floating to the surface.

"Spock, get Harvey to find a loophole and send the team to pick him up!" He said. Shutting his eyes, he didn't want to think. He didn't want to process the emotions boiling over. "Once he is on board notify command and set a course for earth." He sank back into the pillows as he watched Spock turn efficiently on his heel and walk smartly out of his room.

"Jim, I'll be back." Tom asked hurriedly as he retreated after Spock. Jim nodded, not caring at that moment. He was stuck on his back with white sterile four walls, unable to breathe, trapped with only the memories swirling in his head. Images that he'd buried long ago floated unwanted though his mind. The dead demanded his attention. He tried to focus on any other thought, apart from little Rosie's beautiful long blond hair blowing unchecked in the autumn breeze, obscuring the black rotting flesh of her long dead face. He tried to push it away, but the field of the dead came back. The smell, the silence, the taste of the air. The running, the screams, confusion, betrayal as the guns had turned on neighbours and friends.

He forced his eyes open to pull his mind away but it came back. The room spun cruelly, tilted, and swayed. He forced his eyed shut to try and steady himself. Suddenly his stomach contracted, he tried to calm the panic as he felt his body rebel. Without warning hands pulled him on to his side as warm wet bile splashed onto the pillow. He felt hands move over him comfortingly.

"Jim, it's okay." He heard in distance "I'm going to give you something. It's going to make you sleep." He felt a warm rush of mellowness sweep him away, the drug pulling him under without a care.


Dave Harvey wasn't a bad guy; he just had one of those jobs that didn't endear him to the captain. As the soul interplanetary legal and protocol advisor he had the thankless task of telling the captain what he could and couldn't do legally. When his PADD had flashed up with the transporter coming online he had only just been in time to stop the covert team from getting to the surface.

"Sir, you just can't go pick him up from any planet you want!" This planet may be in Federation territory but it and the surrounding solar system doesn't recognise Federation authority, which is something the Federation has agreed to respect as it is an important trade centre. If you were to get Karidian back to earth for trial it would be overruled immediately. You have to arrest him were Federation authority is affective!"

"Then find a loophole, Lt Cdr." Jim ground out, scrolling through the policy document on his PADD semi reclined on the biobed.

"Sir, I am sorry. It is written really well, I couldn't have done it better." Jim's eyes flicked angrily up at the Lt Cdr. Dave was undeterred, "You cannot arrest him while on the surface." Lt Torres stood angrily in the right hand corner of the room. He was clearly still extremely pissed off that Harvey had burst his carefully planned covert snatch and grab operation.

"Captain, we have already delayed our transit to observe comet Cygnia R23, the admiralty will not be bear another disregard of their orders." For a few moments the only sound in the room was the ventilator forcing oxygen into the captains lungs via the tube inserted in his nose.

"You'll just have to be more convincing Spock." He glared at his first officer.

"Jim!" The doctor stared at his friend, admonishing his captain like a big brother. "Spock's right, if we are going to do anything it needs to be done quickly. Organise a tour or something just get them up here then fly into neutral ground."

"Doctor, that is bordering on kidnapping!" Dave half coughed, shocked at the doctor's idea.

"Well I didn't mean to actually do it, Dave!" McCoy scoffed from his chair next to his friend's biobed.

"Spock, issue an invitation."

"Captain, if you are planning to bring the troop up here and then fly into federation space without their agreement then I can have no further part in this conversation. I fail to understand how kidnapping this actor will achieve your declared goal of justice as the arrest will not and cannot legally be up held!"

"Lt Cdr, thank you for your input. This may surprise you but my intention is to seek justice for 8 thousand people. I intend to follow every single ridiculous law that I am required to, so that there are no stupid legalities' that can block any conviction that can be achieved." He paused. "We have suffered too much to be scraped through a conviction that has questions over its legality." He turned to Spock. "Get the troop up here, arrange for rec room 3 to be used as a theatre."


"Tom. Sit down." He urged his friend as the pacing was making him angry. The group had all filed out leaving just Tom who was riled up, he was angry, Jim could understand why. Bones had noticed and threw a questioning and worried glance in his direction, he nodded assuring the doctor that it was ok.

"Jim this is stupid, are you really going to let a bit of red tape get in the way?!" Tom growled he was fuming. Having been thrown out an earlier meeting with the captain he wanted to make sure his voice was heard. Jim looked at Spock hoping he would stay as he tried to explain the political sensitivities to his friend.

"Tom," He paused. "I want a clean trial. I want the justice that we deserve. We need this to be legal."

"Jesus Jim I don't care about a trial! The man is guilty there is no question about that! Spock said it himself we have identified Kodos! It's him!" he shouted at his friend. "I will find that man myself if I have to, but he is not leaving this planet!"

"Tom. Sit down." Jim ground out.

"No Jimmy. You don't carry the permanent reminder on your face! Every time you look into a fucking mirror I see him standing in front of me. I still hear their screams Jimmy!"

"So what, because you bear such an obvious scar, you get to decide? You get to decide for 8 thousand other people and their families what kind of justice they get?!" The ventilator pushed oxygen into his lungs. "You think that you suffered more than them? I want Justice Tom. I don't ever want to see the twisted laws Kodos made that enabled him to do what he wanted. This needs to be done right."

"An eye for an eye!"

"If you do that you are just the judge, jury and executioner, just as he was! You are better than that!" He paused for breath. "We have problems, but our goal is not unachievable." He paused. "We need to get Kodos into a neutral place so that I can arrest him, then home, job done. Over." The captain looked at his old friend. "Tom, please trust me." The youthful brightness that usually was so playful in his eyes had dimmed, replaced with sadness and a harsh cold tone.


"Father, what is it?" She asked confused as she heard him sign off the comm. The sun was just setting, bathing the hotel room into bright red colours.

"We have been asked to play on the Enterprise, a performance just for the crew. Commander Spock said that Captain Kirk had requested us to accompany them to survey a nearby comet before returning us to Cygnia Minor." She turned away from her father, her stomach clenching. He should be dead! How had he survived? She had put an entire vial of toxin on the crossbolt, it would have been fatal within minutes!

"I thought that they were heading out of the system soon. Captain Kirk and I chatted yesterday and he was supposed to meet me for breakfast this morning but stood me up." She pouted, continuing the charade.

"It would appear that the captain was injured on the surface and they have remained in orbit longer than expected but had to recall their crew from shoreleave. Apparently he came to watch Hamlet the other day as part of our workshops but got called away. According to Commander Spock he would like to see the second half."

"Yes, he came with a friend. When do they want us to perform?"

"Tomorrow night. I declined tomorrow is our night off."

"That's true Father, but think how exciting it would be to perform on a starship. It may open up a new line of business, selling our performances and workshops directly with Starfleet!" she smiled sweetly at him. It was easy to get him to do anything as long as it was good for business.

"Lenore, you like this Captain Kirk don't you?" he watched his daughter smile. "He is far too old for you!"

"He isn't, he is only 27. There is only 8 years between us, and he is such a gentleman. Please father, let me ask Amy and Dan if they want to. Father, it will be so romantic, performing Hamlet chasing a star."

"Lenore-"

"Please father, it would mean the world to me." She smiled longingly at her father. She had to get on-board she had failed once and she wasn't going to let him slip through her hands again. It would be difficult on the ship, the captain would have many people around him, but she was beautiful and he was definitely interested.