Author's Note: I apologize for the gap in posting an update to this story, I was out of town for several weeks. I hope you enjoy this update and would really like to hear what you think about it.
CHAPTER TEN
The communication channel closed with a solemn tone more final than usual, and Kirk looked up to see Spock and Uhura's grimly set faces. A streak of crimson streamed down Uhura's left cheek, her husband's normally composed face turning dark green along one entire side. Screams echoed outside, as explosions continued to rock the compound. Lwaxana's own screams dropped to low, steady sobbing and he looked down to where Lyla gripped her, rocking back and forth on the floor in an attempt to comfort the girl, and herself he guessed. The Matriarch's body lay prone upon the ground; Bones' sigh seeming to echo despite the noise around them. "She's dead, Jim."
"Dammit." Kirk cursed quietly. A Klingon Warbird streaked overhead, so low to the ground that the wind from the engines whipped through the room, sending them all into a crouch.
"Captain, we should appropriate clothing and arm ourselves. Our uniforms and weapons are only a few rooms away." Spock was crouched low over Uhura, her body protected from debris still falling from the ceiling.
"Let's get moving." Jim ran quickly, bent low, toward Bones. "Can you carry her, at least to the other room? We can't just leave her lying here."
"I can manage." McCoy was hoisting the older woman's body before he had even finished speaking. Jim turned to speak to her, but Lyla was already standing, slightly unsteady on her feet but Lwaxana secured firmly in her arms. He nodded to her and the group took off running, tripping over debris and bodies. Uhura recognized the burnt face of Dar'a from earlier in the day under an over-turned table and bit back a sob. This was why she wanted to come on Away Trips, for the action and excitement. Spock's firm hand around her was keeping her sane. McCoy was muttering under his breath, the dead woman in his arms.
The door to the room where their belongings were stored was still intact and Kirk hit it at a dead run, his feet skidding as he slammed into the wood. Yanking the door open, he ushered them all inside quickly. Modesty forgotten, clothes were pulled on and phase pistols strapped to hips. Lyla was wrapping the Matriarch in a blanket and laying her under a bed. "We can't just leave her body lying out. At least if she's hidden under here there is a possibility the Klingons won't find her body right away."
Lwaxana was standing, unsure of what to do or say, clearly dazed by the death of one of her few remaining family members. Kirk was turning to Spock when the door flew open, the din of shots ringing out driving all coherent thought from his mind momentarily. He vaguely registered Lyla diving across the room, knocking Lwaxana over and rolling with her behind a table. Spock flung himself to the ground, covering Uhura, as Jim and McCoy crouched behind the ornate dresser next to them. He could see Lyla cowering behind the table, Lwaxana under her, as the table was struck several times. "Lyla!"
Pulling his weapon out, he noted that McCoy was armed beside him, and he nodded to his friend. Even as he stood up, the firing halted and he paused – hand out, telling the others to wait.
"Captain Kirk." A familiar voice echoed through the room, strangely quiet after the noise of the firing weapons. He knew that voice. Dread filled him and he met Lyla's terrified gaze from across the room. Majel Troi had arrived in the royal palace of Betazed and there was no Matriarch here to stop her.
"Captain Kirk, I know you are in here. Please rise from behind that dresser. It's rather undignified for a man in your position to cower, don't you think?" Kirk motioned for the others to remain down and slowly stood. Six Klingons in full battle regalia were standing, firearms pointed at him. Behind them, Majel Troi stood in splendid robes – her ornate outfit a striking contrast to the destruction surrounding her.
"Majel." He acknowledged her with a curt inclination of his head. "I prefer to think of it as a defensive position."
"Always ready with a quip, aren't we, Captain? There now, isn't it better to stand?" She smiled in her familiar sickening manner and strode forward confidently. "And Lyla, I know you are here as well. Perhaps all of your companions should reveal themselves, Captain, so we do not waste our time with petty games."
Jim turned his head slightly, catching Lyla's vision out of the corner of his eye and nodding. She stood, Lwaxana in her arms, the girl's face buried in her shoulder. Uhura, Spock and McCoy grudgingly stood up, the doctor's face fixed in a severe scowl. Majel strode forward, her hand sliding down Lwaxana's arm, as both she and Lyla flinched in reaction. Jim felt his muscles tense and the urge to attack her spilled through him, but he saw the Klingon soldier next to him adjust his weapon and train it directly upon him, and he did not move.
"Lyla Stone, you have sent me on quite the little journey tracking you down." Majel leaned forward and smoothed her hand across Lyla's forehead quite deliberately, Lyla's entire body flinching in response. "I'm glad that you decided to work with me instead."
"I don't want to work with you." Lyla's voice was quiet, quieter than normal, childlike; nothing like her normally strong voice.
"Lyla." Jim automatically reacted, realizing what Majel was trying to do.
"Be quiet, ptaQ!" The Klingon closest to him stabbed him harshly in the back with the muzzle of his weapon and Jim let out a harsh grunt at the pain, his upper body dropping forward reflexively. Bones' hands came around his arms to keep him upright. Majel ignored him and Lyla didn't even appear to notice.
"Set Lwaxana down." Lyla obediently dropped her niece onto the floor, her short legs taking her immediately to Kirk, who swooped down and picked her up. The fear of what was happening in Lyla's mind was growing inside of him. He could see Uhura edging slowly closer to the communicator lying on the floor near her.
"I wouldn't bother doing that, Lt. Uhura. Your ship left orbit around Betazed thirty minutes ago. They are most likely enroute to Earth at this point." Majel didn't even have to glance behind her. Her hand suddenly pushed violently on Lyla's forehead, forcing her to her knees, Lyla crying out in pain. Only McCoy's hand on his shoulder and the feel of Lwaxana's shaking body in his arms kept him from leaping across the room to tackle the Betazoid traitor.
"You're going to come with me and run through all of the information in the database from the Suwayda space station."
"Yes." Lyla's eyes were unfocused and looking absently across the room. Jim felt his heart clench in agony and wondered briefly if he really was connected to her now, could feel her internal struggle to throw off the mental control Majel was clearly trying to impose on her. "It is very difficult to understand the composition of the Arbitrium plant. I didn't have time to transcribe my notes."
"Yes, it was very difficult. But you did it, my grandchild. I am very proud of you." Majel released her hold on Lyla's forehead. "Now, stand up off of that dirty floor and come with me."
"Of course, your Grace." Lyla stood straight up, and began to immediately walk toward the door. Jim could do nothing except stand there, watching the woman he cared for walk away with the very traitor who wanted to kill her. A Klingon approached him as the others continued to train their weapons on the Away Team and ripped Lwaxana out of his arms, the young girl screaming and violently fighting to remain with him.
"Goddamn you, you can't take – " The butt of a weapon hit the side of his head, his vision exploding in black and red stars at the sudden intense pain, and he fell, his hands releasing Lwaxana. Bones' hands were on his back, lying him down immediately. He vaguely heard Majel speaking in the background, and he tried to ask McCoy what was happening, but everything faded to black.
****************
"Lyla!" He bolted straight upright from where he had been lying, the terror of the final moments before unconsciousness coming back to him suddenly. McCoy's blurred face appeared immediately and hands were pushing him back to a reclined position.
"Jim, take it easy. You took a nasty knock to the head. You've probably got a pretty severe concussion." Bones was pulling his eyelids back now and Kirk struggled against the urge to vomit as his head began to throb violently, the pain waking up along with his consciousness. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Two?"
"I'd like that answer more if it hadn't been in the form of a question." McCoy sighed. "Spock, help me prop him up." Strong hands were lifting him and placing him in an upright position. His head was pounding and his mouth felt like cotton. Taking a deep breath in through his nose, he cracked his eyes open, only to be met by the sight of his rather bedraggled Away Team. The blood on Uhura's face had been cleaned up slightly, but the side of Spock's head was a brilliant combination of black and green, indicating that he had taken quite the beating during the attack on the palace.
"Where are we?" His voice was a hoarse croak, and he swallowed roughly before speaking again. "Where are Lyla and Lwaxana?"
"We are in a Klingon holding cell within one of the ships that landed near the royal palace. We were brought here immediately after Lt. Stone and Lwaxana were taken." Jim was glad with everything inside of him that Spock could remain as unflappable and calm in the face of this emergency as if they were having lunch in the Messhall. "No one has entered our cell since that time."
"How long was I out?" He tentatively touched the tender side of his head and looked at his fingers, the sticky residue of drying blood apparent even in the dim light of the holding cell.
"About two hours. I was worried that you weren't going to wake up at all." Bones was taking his pulse now and Jim wanted to shake his hands off. "They took our communication devices and my tricorder."
"I'll be fine, Bones. I've gotten the shit kicked out of me before. Remember when Nero threw me across his ship? I managed to survive that."
"That was just your internal organs, Jim. This is your head we're talking about." He glared at Kirk. "Even you can't take a hit like that and not have some side effects."
"They haven't come in to speak to us since then?" Kirk tried to sit up further and instantly stopped when his body rebelled. Uhura sat down next to him and began to clean the side of his head with a small piece of cloth from her pocket.
"No, they haven't. I'm hearing snatches of conversation, but no one has said anything about Lyla or Lwaxana. They're all too busy talking about the dilithium."
"It appears, Captain, that Majel Troi may have reached an alliance with the Klingon Empire: their assistance in retaking the Betazoid throne in exchange for unlimited access to the dilithium mines here on Betazed." Spock stood up, his hands behind his back, as if this were any other day on the bridge of the ship. "That is all we can discern from what Lt. Uhura has been able to hear of conversations outside. They also appear to be in full control of the planet."
"With the exception of Majel's cruiser, Betazoid ships aren't known for their firepower. And Betazoid itself isn't known for its military capability – it was one of the reasons they joined the Federation." Kirk took another deep breath through his nose and re-opened his eyes, pleased that the sight in front of him was less blurred. "I'm not surprised it only took a few hours for a heavily-armed Klingon armada to take over."
"So to summarize, we're incarcerated on a planet controlled by Klingons and a power-hungry deposed former runner-up Matriarch, the Enterprise is long gone, and Lt. Stone is missing, most likely under Majel's mental control." Bones' summary painted a bleak picture indeed. Kirk scrubbed his face with his hands roughly and blinked several times. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted as the door to their cell opened with a loud creak. They all stood quietly, including Jim, who regretted it as he momentarily swayed unevenly.
Councilor Reittan's triumphantly smiling face peered at them from the door before he entered, followed by two heavily armed Klingons. "Captain Kirk, how is your head?"
"Go to hell." Kirk felt the anger in him rise. Reittan's eyes were far too sharp and calculating for him to be under anyone's control, which meant that he was involved in Majel's coup. "How could you help someone place your own planet under Klingon control?"
Reittan's eyes grew angry and the smirk upon his face turned into an angry scowl. "My reasons for my actions are my own. They are none of your business."
"They became my business when you took my wife, dammit!" Jim moved, the anger within him surging to the front, not stopping when a Klingon raised his weapon to swing.
"Captain." Spock's hand on his arm slowed his approach. Jim's breathing was labored as adrenaline pumped through his system.
"Where is Lyla?" Kirk gritted the words out through clenched teeth.
"Busy." Reittan's tone was dismissive. "You four will come with me now. You are to be traded back to the Federation in exchange for their formal recognition of Majel as the Matriarch of Betazed. Stay on your best behavior, Captain Kirk, or Admiral DimashQ will have to teach you a lesson." Kirk remained stiff, his crew behind him maintaining their silence.
"I'm not afraid of you, Reittan. And the Federation will never grant recognition to Majel in exchange for four officers."
"I never said the lesson would be inflicted on you. I'm sure Admiral DimashQ would not overlook the opportunity to spend time with a woman as talented as Lt. Uhura." White teeth flashed a vicious smile in Uhura's direction, and she fought the bile rising in her throat. Spock did not respond to the threat, but his hand holding hers tightened to the point of pain, and she clung to that physical stimulus to anchor herself, to push down the fear rising in her. Kirk and McCoy scowled simultaneously. Neither man appreciated threats to women in any form, and especially when it was toward a woman they both cared for and respected.
"And you are the senior staff of the Federation's flagship – I highly doubt they will leave you to be executed by Klingons. But Matriarch Majel was correct – she anticipated you would be hostile when you heard." He turned and began to walk out. "Bring them to the palace, even if you have to knock them unconscious and drag them." The Klingons began to approach, an unhealthy gleam in their eyes, before Kirk willingly began to walk forward, his team following. Jim had no doubt that Uhura could handle herself in a fight, but he refused to hand her over to a vicious Klingon commander because of his own pride.
Intimidating Klingon warriors lined the halls of the ship, but it was the vision outside that brought tears to Uhura's eyes. The once beautiful marble palace was pockmarked with craters and holes, the pale stones themselves blacked from flames. Klingon Warbirds littered the grounds themselves, while others flew past overhead, the screams of their engines designed for space reaching deafening levels within the planet's atmosphere. Reittan did not pause to see the overturned gardens or to note the destruction of rooms within the palace turned into piles of debris. Spock's face remained impassive beside her, a startling counterpoint to the growing anger on both McCoy and Kirk's faces. She swallowed her own anger and fear and focused on her husband's hand, her thumb twisting the new ring upon her left hand. It calmed her.
The familiar doors of the High Council chamber loomed ahead, swinging open silently as Reittan approached, robes flapping around his quickly moving legs. Majel was seated upon the Matriarch's throne, Councilors lining the Hall. Kirk noted that a majority of them did not appear pleased with this current turn of events, but the presence of several dozen heavily armed Klingons seemed to be maintaining the current quiet status of those unhappy politicians. Lwaxana was seated on a short tour next to Majel, perfectly dressed, her hair pinned up and her hands primly held in her lap.
McCoy was openly startled. "I've never seen that kid sit still. I spent half the day she was in Sickbay practically holding her down."
Kirk studied the girl intently and was dismayed when he noted that the left side of her face near her ear was visibly turning purple. Her eyes were wide and terrified, and glassy, as if holding back a stream of tears. The hands held in her lap were white around the knuckles, the fingernails digging into her own skin. Jim felt white-hot anger sweep through him at the thought of Majel or anyone else laying a hand on a young child and had to physically bite his lip to keep from yelling. He tasted the iron of his own blood seep into his mouth even as he tried to appear outwardly calm. Kirk felt the moment that McCoy noted Lwaxana's bruises, his body going stiff and what sounded very much like an angry growl emanating from him. It was something the two men shared – a visceral reaction to the pain of small children and women alike.
"Captain, I am so pleased that you and your crew chose to join us with minimal argument." Majel gave the impression of calm detachment, her body lounging casually upon the throne, but her eyes were alert and sharp, darting around the room. "There is no reason why we cannot be civil to each other until you are returned to Federation custody. After all, the ascension of a new Matriarch to the throne of Betazed is strictly an internal matter, especially considering that Betazed is no longer a member of the United Federation of Planets."
"I'm guessing Betazed has begun a new partnership with the Klingon Empire." His tone was derisive and he noted her eyes took on the gleam of anger – a small victory, but one he nonetheless savored.
"Yes, she has. With the powerful allies of the Klingon Empire, Betazed shall reach new heights of power within the Universe. We should be using the dilithium deposits upon this planet to become the merchants we are meant to be – and I intend to see the Betazed fulfill its promise."
"Then I am sure that to maintain a peaceful relationship between this new Alliance and the Federation, that you will be returning all of the Federation officers on Betazed, including Lt. Stone."
The Matriarch shook her head negatively, her voice a parody of sadness. "I am afraid, Captain Kirk, that your new wife will not be returning with you. She has chosen to pursue her Betazoid heritage, forsaking her commission and her bonding to a human."
"Why do I find it hard to believe that Lyla would choose to work for someone who tried to kill her?" He sneered at her. "But considering that you're controlling her mind, I'm sure she would say whatever you want her to."
"Captain," Majel laughed. "Do you hear yourself? Suggesting that Lyla is under some form of mind control?"
"You and I both know it's true – and so does the Federation." Jim's hands were fists at his sides, the urge to strike at Majel strong within him. "I want to see her."
"Perhaps hearing her choice from her own lips will convince you." Majel turned and spoke quietly with a Klingon guard before returning her gaze to the Enterprise crew. "The Federation was contacted an hour ago, and the USS Cochrane is on its way here to pick you up within the next 12 hours. They have assured me that they will provide the formal recognition I require in exchange for you and your crewmates before you are transported away. I believe we will all gain what we want from this venture."
The door behind the throne opened and Lyla shuffled in, her feet dragging along the ground, her gait shuffling. She had changed from her uniform to the robes of a Betazoid courtier and she stopped at the side of the throne to bow deeply. "You requested my presence, your Grace."
"Yes, Lyla." Majel gestured toward Kirk. "Please tell the Captain and his crewmates about your decision to remain here on Betazed. I'm sure your husband would like to know that you have decided to remain here on Betazed. I'm sure your husband would like to know that you will be severing your recent bonding."
"Yes, your Grace." Lyla turned silently and approached the group, her eyes gazing at the wall behind him. Kirk reached his hand out to grasp her clothed arm, unsurprised when she did not react, her eyes remaining away from his. It hurt him to see her dark eyes so unfocused, unwilling to meet his. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and timid, not the confident tone he had grown to appreciate. "Captain, Matriarch Majel speaks the truth. I will be remaining here on Betazed, working for the new Matriarch. I have chosen to forsake my Federation commission and to sever our bonding, so that I may fully embrace my Betazoid heritage."
"Lyla, you don't mean that. I know how much you love your work with the Federation." Jim hoped the pleading in his voice did not sound as pathetic as he believed it did.
"I apologize Captain Kirk; if you are not pleased with my choice, but I must do what I believe is right." Her eyes shifted slightly toward him and he prayed that the shock he felt at what happened next did not show on his face. Lyla's left eye carefully winked at him and her hand grasped his bare skin, the heat between them flaring painfully – her signal to him coming through loud and clear. "You of all people should understand doing what is right, even when it means breaking rules or promises."
She turned and walked away, but Kirk suddenly felt reinvigorated. Whatever else was happening here, Lyla was most definitely 100% free of mind control.
**********************
Lyla worked feverishly at the desk in the small laboratory. The major plus of Majel's belief that she was under her mental control was that only a single Klingon guard was left within her presence, and he was standing out of the laboratory, in the hallway. The early tests of a treatment to prevent the use of the plant against a person had obviously worked. She had only been exposed to them for a short period during testing, but she had immediately known what Majel was attempting and had no problem remaining in control of her own faculties. Luckily, her notes on the treatment were encrypted and while she was "deciphering" them for the imposter, she would just happen to write a few things incorrectly.
Kirk and the rest of the Away Team had looked more than a little worse for wear, and she knew they were being kept under lock and key on one of the Klingon ships until the Cochrane arrived to whisk them away. She was sure that the Enterprise would update the Federation as to what was happening on Betazed, but there was a treaty between the Federation and the Klingons – a treaty the Federation would be hesitant to threaten, even with the loss of the Betazoid dilithium mines. That meant that her escape and Lwaxana's depended upon her own ingenuity – and thankfully her scientific classes had not focused solely on botany. Jim had to have known from her wink and touch that she was free of control, which meant that if she could just get her and her great-niece to the rest of the Enterprise crew, they would have a chance to get off of Betazed alive.
A few normal chemicals in a botanist's lab, mixed together in the proper proportions, would create a variety of effects. Not to mention the fact that the greenhouse in the palace's gardens included a wide range of plants with hallucinogenic properties; several ancient rituals in the Betazoid culture involved their use, and she had studied both the plants and their uses for several years. With a little bit of time and luck, and not a little skill, she could synthesize a liquid that would render the Klingon guard in the hallway useless – she just had to inject him with it. It was clear that he did not consider her a threat, and she figured that if she moved quickly enough she could get it into his system before he realized what was happening. Then it would just be a matter of staying out of harm's way for the ten seconds it would take for the effects to take over. The bright blue liquid in front of her bubbled over the small heating unit and she leaned forward to smell it. The primary identifying factor of the Aureus plant was the smell – something uniquely tart that she enjoyed and had always been able to easily detect. She dipped the small hypospray canister into the liquid and loaded it into the hypospray. Ten more canisters lined the deep pockets of her formal court robes. Another blessing in disguise – if she had remained in her Starfleet uniform, she would not have been able to disguise the contents of her pockets as easily.
Lyla's head sprung up as a brief shuffle of footsteps outside of the door startled her from her concentration, and she quickly lowered the heat on the heating unit on the table in front of her, turning to the desk behind her and her notes on the Arbitrium plant. The door slid open and Reittan strode in. Lyla felt her skin literally crawl at his presence but forced herself to remain calm.
"I see you are hard at work, dear Lyla." He drew her close, his arm brushing against hers, his head turned toward her neck. She could feel his breath upon her skin and she struggled to maintain the detached voice she had adopted the moment she realized the Matriarch was attempting to control her.
"Of course, Councilor Reittan. I serve the Matriarch." She annotated another note on the PADD in front of her and tried to ignore him.
"As do we all." Fingertips slid down the side of her shoulder and brushed against her clavicle. "Once the humans are gone and your bond is officially severed from the one called Kirk, you will continue to reside in the palace."
"I will reside wherever the Matriarch places me."
"I have asked her to consider my marriage offer for you." Reittan was blunt, she'd give him that. Lyla struggled to breathe normally, her vision going dark as she realized the fate that awaited her if she stayed on the planet. Everything within her was crying out in pain and rage, and need – and she realized it was a need for Jim. Her mind flashed rapidly to the touch of his hand in hers only an hour before in the Council Room, the pleading in his brilliant blue eyes as e begged her to say that the Matriarch was lying, the memory of their bonding in the Garden earlier that day.
She loved Jim Kirk and she was going to get back to him, no matter what it took.
"If the Matriarch believes our marriage would be appropriate, I will of course obey her wishes." Her fingers moved across the PADD at a steady rate, her attention focused on her work. She could hear the frustration in Reittan's voice as he continued speaking.
"I would hope that you would also wish to be my bonded mate." His fingers gripped her arm and began to dig into her skin; she knew there would be bruises. "You would have position and power."
"Councilor," she set the PADD down and turned to him. "I do not wish to insult Betazoid custom, and as I am still officially bonded to Captain Kirk, it would be inappropriate for me to discuss bonding with another individual."
"No human can fully enter into a bonding with a Betazoid woman. It was an abomination that should never have happened." His gaze was black and his breath harsh. The words were vicious and Lyla wondered with no small amount of fear if Reittan was fully sane. "Your bonding will be severed immediately."
"I understand." She closed her eyes and tilted her head down modestly. "I will wait the Matriarch's decision on your marriage proposal."
"She will approve it, mark my words." His fingers released her arm, but the gloating victory in his voice spilled through her and was, in many ways, worse. "Those Federation dogs will be gone within ten hours and you will be free of your bond. We will be married tomorrow. Finish your work here quickly, Lyla." Her lowered eyes watched his feet spin to the side and walk quickly out of her line of vision.
The door slid shut behind him and her shaking knees gave out partially, her hands gripping the edge of the counter tightly to keep from sliding to the ground completely. There was a slight jingle in her pocket from the hypospray canisters and she felt her strength return. Jim and the others were in the Klingon ship and Lwaxana was three corridors over. She would get her grand-niece and make her way to Jim. In eleven hours she would make her move and they would be getting off this planet.
****************
There were fourteen steps between the west and east walls of the cell in the Klingon ship. Jim knew those steps very well, as he had traveled them over a hundred times now. Bones seemed ready to tackle him in an effort to get him to hold still, but he appeared to realize that Jim needed the physical movement to keep him from going insane. Fear for Lyla was surging through him and he had been jittery since the moment she revealed herself free of mental control. While he was pleased that she was aware of her surroundings, the danger level had risen dramatically. Betazoids were highly capable of detecting dishonesty in others – especially a telepath as capable as Majel. The only hope Lyla had was that her mental strength was enough to stand up to Majel's scrutiny – and that the newly self-installed Matriarch was too busy and distracted to fully keep an eye on her at all times.
"Captain." Uhura's voice called to him quietly and he turned from his set track, disrupting the pace he had maintained for some time. His communications officer sat close to the door of their cell, listening intently to the Klingons passing in the hallway. Traffic had increased in the last hour and even without a watch, he knew that the arrival of the Cochrane must be imminent. "There is a lot of agitation. Something has happened that they are really not happy about – something about the Federation."
"Anything specific?" He moved closer to her, noting in his peripheral vision that Spock and McCoy were visibly perking up, paying attention.
"I'm not sure. They aren't being specific; it's more just general anger – lots of cursing and declarations of their intent to destroy the Federation. But it just began about five minutes ago. Something's happening."
"Perhaps the Cochrane has arrived with additional Federation ships?" Spock was standing close to them, his voice quiet. "A show of force on the part of the Federation would be enough to agitate the Klingons."
"Maybe."
"Jim!" Bones' voice sharply caught his attention and he turned, shocked, as the air in front of him shifted and Hikaru Sulu appeared in front of him within the prison cell. He immediately felt elated – his ship was back.
"You are a sight for sore eyes, Sulu." Jim clamped his hand firmly on his helmsman's shoulder. Sulu grinned and passed them each a communicator. An explosion outside rang out and all five officers instinctively flinched from the sound.
"I didn't come alone."
"What's going on Sulu?" Uhura stood up from the floor, brushing the dirt off of her uniform. "The Klingons running around outside are pretty irritated."
"I hope so. Two-thirds of the entire Fleet is pulling into this solar system as we speak." Sulu opened his own communicator. "Sulu to Enterprise. I have the Captain and the others here. Five to beam up."
"You got it." Scotty's excited voice came back immediately. "It'll be good to have you back, Captain."
Kirk yanked his hend away from Sulu. "Lyla is still in the palace. We can't just leave her here." He felt the beginning of the transporter. "Wait—"