Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek.
Chapter Ten:
A wave of dizziness passes over Jim, as the evil version of himself fell to the floor unconscious, forcing him to lean against the closest wall until it had passed. Since when had the two of them been so closely linked? The injury to his arm, which had also appeared on the evil version of himself's arm, he'd simply put down to how close they had been to each other when it had happened… But thinking about that now, that made no sense.
Pushing himself off the wall, Jim moves forward and grabs the evil version of himself under the arms and began to drag him down the hallway towards the turbo-lift. He didn't have the strength to pick him up and carry him. He also didn't want to risk bending down in case the dizziness came back. Taking deep breathes Jim pulls the evil version of himself's body along the hallway, but it was slow progress.
By the time he'd reached the turbo-lift and dragged the unconscious body in, a layer of sweat covered his forehead and he was breathing heavily. Since when was he so weak? Maybe he was destabilising… Jim leans against the wall of the turbo-lift and tries to calm his breathing. He reaches up and hits the button for the intercom on the turbo-lift control panel.
"Kirk to Nurse Chapel," Jim said.
"Nurse Chapel here, Captain," Nurse Chapel replies after a moment.
"I need you to bring the other version of myself to the transporter room immediately," Jim tells her.
"I'm sorry, Captain," Nurse Chapel sounds nervous. "But they're gone, sir."
"Gone?"
"Yes, sir," Chapel explains. "They dematerialised like Jay."
"Understood," Jim answers. "Kirk out."
The turbo-lift doors opened and Jim lets out a sigh, before grabbing the only other version of himself left and began to drag him once more. It took him longer than he would have liked to reach the transporter room. Scotty looks up as he enters and Jim forces himself to smile. The chief engineer quickly made his way over to him and helped Jim carry the evil version of himself to the transporter.
"You'll have to hold on to him, Captain," Scotty told him.
Jim nods and held onto the other version of himself.
"Mister Scott," Jim calls across the room to Scotty, who'd moved across to the transporter controls.
"Captain?" Scotty answers.
"If this doesn't work…." Jim starts.
"Understood, Captain," Scotty nods.
Jim smiles.
"Ready whenever you are," Jim tells him.
Scotty nods and taps away at the control panel and Jim dematerialises. A couple of moments later he rematerialises.
"Captain?" Scotty questions.
Jim looks up at him, before raising his hands and turning them over as he studies himself.
"I'm back," Jim smiles.
Scotty grins.
"Scotty," Jim suddenly turns his attention to his chief engineer. "Beam the away team aboard immediately and contact medical!"
"Aye, Captain," Scotty answers.
)o(
"Bones!" Jim greets Doctor McCoy as he steps into the medical bay.
McCoy looks up as Jim approaches him.
"Will they be alright?" Jim asks, nodding towards where the away team were being treated.
"Severe exposure and frostbite," McCoy answers. "But I think they'll make it. How do you feel, Jim?"
"I've seen a parts of myself no man should ever see," Jim replies. "How do you think I feel?"
"Jim, you're no different than anyone else," McCoy rests a hand on Jim's shoulder. "We all have our darker sides. We need it! It's part of what makes us who we are. It's not really ugly, it's human."
"Human," Jim repeats.
"Yes, human," McCoy grips Jim's shoulder.
Jim smiles slightly, "I need to get back to the bridge. Later, Bones."
"Jim!" McCoy calls after him.
Jim pauses and turns round.
"If you ever lock me in a room with the hobgoblin again," McCoy threatens. "I'll move that full physical assessment of yours forward by three months."
Jim gulps before grinning at McCoy. He quickly heads out of the medical bay and towards the closest turbo-lift. The turbo-lift doors open and reveal Spock already in the turbo-lift. Jim steps in.
"Bridge," Jim orders.
The two of them stand side-by-side in silence as the turbo-lift moves.
"If I seemed insensitive to what you were going through, Captain, understand it is the way I am," Spock spoke suddenly.
Jim glances sideways at him.
"I know, Spock," Jim answers. "Don't worry about it."
The turbo-lift doors open and Jim steps out onto the bridge, Spock a step behind him.
"Status report," Jim orders as he sits down in the Captain's chair.
"Status report, green," Farrell answers. "All sections report ready, sir."
"Good," Jim smiles. "Punch it."
)o(
Jim looks up from where he's working at his desk as his door chimes.
"Enter," He calls.
The door opens and Janice Rand steps into his quarters.
"Captain?" Rand sees him sitting at his desk. "I can come back another time?"
Jim sets his PADD down.
"It's nothing that can't wait until later, Janice," Jim smiles at her. "What can I do for you?"
"Captain," Jim raises and eyebrow. "Jim, about what happened… One of the versions of you told me what happened, who he really was, and I'd just like to say that… Well, sir, what I'd like is…"
"Janice," Jim shakes his head. "You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad you weren't hurt. I'm also sorry you were attacked in your own quartets."
"It fine, Cap- Jim," Janice smiles.
"Thank you," Jim nods to her.
"For what?" Janice asks, slightly confused.
"Forgiving me," Jim answers.
"You're my friend, Jim," Janice replies. "You've been my friend for years. I know you and I know you'd never attack me while in your right mind."
Jim smiles, but before he can speak a beep lets him know he has an incoming video call. Janice Rand quickly takes her leave as Jim answers the call. Pike's face appears on the screen.
"Admiral," Jim greets.
"Captain," Pike answers.
"Was there anything you needed Admiral?" Jim asks.
Pike nods, "Orders from high command. There's a planet less than a day's travel at warp four from your current location. The federation have been taking part in peace talks after a civil war broke out over two years ago. At the current rate, the talks will have break down before the end of the week."
"What are our orders?" Jim questions.
"Get in there and keep the peace," Pike replies. "These talks cannot, I repeat, cannot break down. I cannot stress enough, how important this is."
"Understood, Sir," Jim nods.
"Good," Pike sits back in his chair and relax slightly. "How's the Captain's life treating you, son?"
"Fine," Jim answers.
"James," Pike warns.
Jim winces slightly at the use of his full name, but Pike had always called him by his full name, never simply 'Jim'… But that was only ever when he was in trouble or in a formal setting. The rest of the time Pike referred to him as 'son'.
"It's been… Interesting, to say the least, sir," Jim replies more honestly.
)o(
Captain's Log:
The away team are still under the care of Doctor McCoy and his staff. They're well on their way to a full recovery and should be back at their posts within the next few days, of they're given the all clear. I, myself, am fully recovered… At least that's what Bones thinks. I just can't shake the feeling that there's a part of missing. There's no time to dwell on that, the Enterprise has new orders and the eyes of the federation are going to be on us. This is the first serious diplomatic mission we've been assigned.
)o(
Hey, I hope you enjoyed this story. Until next time,
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.