Gypsy's, Tramps, and Thieves

Another day, another cocktail. Sabine took her usual spot, well, it was only her second day but she had decided by the end of the first day that the third sun bed down would be her usual spot for the week. She adjusted her black two-piece and settled back down, closing her eyes she thought about the Captain. When Spock had approached her with questions about camping she had had to hold back a laugh. The idea of the three of them, Kirk, McCoy and Spock camping out, together, had amused her no end. Kirk had asked her again before she had left, while she had her large straw sun hat in hand, if she had wanted to join them. She had simply waved her hat in the air and wished him luck. The fact that she would be returning to the Enterprise with tan lines and a smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose was enough for her.

She felt the undeniable end of a phaser gun pressed into her temple.

"Don't move." A gruff voice instructed, Sabine opened her eyes slowly but whoever her assailant was, they were stood outside of her peripheral vision.

"What do you want?" Her eyes darted around for anybody else nearby but the place was deserted.

"No more questions? Stand up." Making sure her movements were slow and steady Sabine crawled off the day bed and turned, he was an alien she didn't recognise. Her eyes flittered to his weapon and back again. "Don't try to overpower me, we are far stronger than you humans." He advised as if reading her thoughts.

"What do you want?" She asked again quietly, the man struck her across her face ferociously with his weapon. Sabine nearly lost her footing and she held onto her jaw with her hands.

"No more questions." The man repeated and before Sabine could react he administered a hypospray to her neck and she was out cold.

Sabine's eyes fluttered open, it took a moment for her vision to adjust to the darkness. Pulling herself up off the cold, damp floor of the cell she was confined to she shivered uncontrollably. Her black two-piece swimsuit was wholly inadequate in her current situation and she found herself crossing her arms across her chest unconsciously. There was no window, no furniture, all she could see was the outline of a door with no handle on her side. Looking up at the ceiling she couldn't see any cameras or surveillance equipment, she had no idea how long she'd been there but her split lip had healed over and her jaw was nothing more than a dull throb from where she'd been hit earlier. Covering her face with her hands she took three deep breaths, she ran her hands through her loose hair and pulled it over her left shoulder, a movement she tended to do when she was agitated. A sound coming from the door made her spin on the spot and stare frightened at the opening. Sabine instinctively took a step back and raising her fists into a fighting stance she narrowed her gaze at whoever was entering her cell.

"Your hands will do little to protect you from this." The man uttered as he raised his weapon to point at her head, she recognised him as being the one who had kidnapped her initially. Sabine stood silently, her fists still raised. She was more reluctant than before to say anything, knowing that he wasn't afraid to 'chastise' her for being disobedient. "Let me make this clear, you are a bargaining chip. We have contacted your Captain and made our demands, in return you will live." The use of 'we' indicated that she wasn't dealing with a lone thief but Sabine's heart sunk, her first thought being that Kirk's leave had been disrupted by her being kidnapped. A ridiculous thought she knew, but still, she hated the fact that Kirk, probably along with Commander Spock and McCoy all had to cut their camping trip short and were probably currently aboard the Enterprise trying to negotiate her safe return.

"What have you demanded?" She asked, her voice laced with venom.

"Weapons of course." The man laughed, Sabine's heart sunk further. There was no way Star Fleet would trade weapons with a hostage taker.

"You must know that Star Fleet won't agree to your terms." She replied, hoping desperately that whoever she was dealing with had enough sense to listen to her warning.

"We'll see." The man turned and started walking out, without thinking Sabine ran towards him wrapping her arms around his neck. With one fluid movement and very little effort he tossed her off and she went careening across the floor. Pounding over he grabbed her by the throat and lift her up into the air, slamming her against the wall he brought his face close to hers. "That will be the last time, do I make myself clear?" Sabine couldn't answer, she couldn't breathe. She nodded her head in response, the un-named man through her against the other wall and she felt her head connect with a sickening thud.

Lying on the floor, she cradled her head in her hands, seeing stars she faintly saw the man leave and close the door behind her. She stayed put for the longest time, feeling too nauseous to stand, she allowed the trickle of blood to fall down her cheek, and not wanting to move her head hurt so much. The only thing she was trying to focus on was that they needed her alive to make the trade, the question was, what if Star Fleet said no?

"Uhura!" Kirk all but ran onto the bridge, closely followed by Spock and McCoy.

"Sir, we received the encrypted message sixteen hours ago." Uhura looked solemnly at Kirk.

"Play it." Kirk instructed, he listened intently to the man's voice demanding weapons in return for a member of his crew. There was a skeletal team left on board, over a hundred men and women had scattered all over the quadrant. "Do we know who they have?" He asked.

"We've contact the majority of crew on leave Captain." Uhura answered.

"How many haven't we heard from yet?" McCoy interjected.

"Six."

"Keep trying, I want to know who they have." Kirk ran his hands through his hair. "I need to know who the hell we're dealing with and when they'll be in contact again."

"Aye Sir." Uhura turned back to her console and continued to track down the missing Enterprise crew.

The door to Sabine's cell opened and in strode the same man as before, the only person she'd seen since she'd been taken. Shielding her eyes from the light she peered up from where she was sat against the farthest wall.

"Come with me." He demanded. Sabine slowly stood, feeling faint from a lack of food or water and hesitantly made her way towards him, his weapon was trained on her once more as he allowed her to push past him. Sabine felt him shove her with the butt of his weapon. "Carry on forward." He instructed, Sabine walked down the long corridor until she reached another door. "Go on." The door opened automatically and she walked inside. There were digital display units along the walls and computers littered across tables, it was obviously where they, whoever they were, were operating from Sabine thought to herself. "Stand there." The man instructed, Sabine looked to where he had pointed and noticed that it was in front of large display screen. Taking his position next to her but slightly stood back the man covered his face with a large scarf and pointed his weapon towards her head. "If you say anything or try to communicate in any way I will shoot you is that clear?" He asked.

"Yes." Sabine answered, staring forward the screen lit up.

"Captain Kirk?" Her Captor queried, Sabine watched as Kirk stood from his chair and approached the screen, his face was like thunder. She didn't dare look anywhere else, her emotions threatening to spill over. She stood frozen, as the man behind her spoke she focussed on Kirk's face. He had glanced in her direction when he had first appeared but diverted his stare to the kidnapper almost immediately. She'd seen no sign of emotion pass over his face, if she was being honest it had hurt. Was he angry at her?

"Star Fleet do not negotiate with thieves." She heard him say, the man behind her grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her towards him. Priming his weapon he pressed it hard against her temple.

"Are you willing to sacrifice a member of your crew Captain Kirk?" The man asked.

Kirk's eyes fell upon Sabine for only the second time, she couldn't read his face. Her kidnapper spun her on the spot and smacked her across the face once more with his phaser, grabbing her by the hair again he pulled her up and made her face the screen once more. "Answer my question Captain Kirk!" He bellowed, clearly losing his patience. Sabine spat the blood that had pooled in her mouth onto the floor and waited for Kirk's answer.

Thanks for reading XOXO