"We're detecting an automated signal coming from one of the moons in this system," Sulu reported. They had gone under warp as soon as they had arrived in the star system where the Orion ship had disappeared.

"I see that," McCoy replied impatiently, "What I don't see are lifeforms." He hoped he was reading the scanners incorrectly, but so far, he could only see that automated signal, that had to be an emergency position finding signal from the Orion ship. At least that meant, that something had landed on the moon intact. However, McCoy also knew that these beacons were constructed to survive even the most massive explosions, fires, extreme pressure, variations in temperature, and what not. The old smartass question came to him again: If these black boxes and beacons can survive the most hazardous shuttle crashes, why don't they make the whole shuttle out of this material?

"The moon's atmosphere blocks our scanners. We're not getting many readings at all," Sulu said.

"Right. Can we land anywhere near that signal?"

"It will be kind of tricky, for we cannot rely much on our scanners. And since we first have to penetrate the thick layer of clouds, and won't be able to see much until we're through, it is a little bit like flying blindly into the great unkown," Sulu said, looking at McCoy's expression. He then added quickly: "I think I can do it, sir."

"A "sir, yes, sir" would have done, Hikaru," McCoy said, a bit irritated by the fact that Sulu had called him "sir". Of course, he was the highest ranking officer here, and that made him the one in command. But, since they were both on leave (they weren't even wearing their uniforms) thiswasnot an official mission by any means. He wasn't even entirely sure if their little jaunt was completely legal.

"On the other hand, I appreciate and have noted your insight. Now bring us down, Lieutenant," he added, after having pictured themselves being court-martialed for whatever it was called they were doing. In-subordination, maybe. Or misappropriation of Starfleet equipment, since they were both carrying a phaser and a communicator. Plus, he had brought some medical supplies from sickbay and some food rations from the mess, among other things that weren't part of his personal belongings, technically speaking.

Leave the technical and legal talk to Spock, McCoy thought. That pointy-eared nitpicker won't get tired in pointing out which Starfleet laws, or which laws of plain and simple logic I have broken when I decided to go after them - if he'll able to talk, that is. McCoy felt worried again. Worried for Spock, worried for Jim, worried for Sulu who might be risking his career by what they were doing. And he was worried about T'Plok, no Velal, Tamulok, and whoever else had been on that little ship. Crashes like these could be really gory events. He'd seen victims with third-degree burns, severed limbs, compound fractures, split skulls so that you l you could see the grey matter coming ...

"Alright. Hold on to something, doctor," Sulu said, smiling to himself. He'd noticed McCoy's use of his first name and then his switching to the formal "Lieutenant" again. He'd never call the doctor "Leonard", but he didn't mind if he called him Hikaru. He also realizd why McCoy had called him by his rank after that. If they'd ever get into trouble with Starfleet Command because of this little adventure, he knew McCoy would take all the blame and claim all responsibility.

He piloted their ship into the moon's atmosphere, steering towards the signal coming from the surface.

o0o

"So far, he hasn't done anything that could be considered threatening to us," Spock reasoned with his captain.

"That's right, he just abducted us, threatened to abandon us here on the planet and massacre us all," Kirk said and tested how deep the muddy pools on the ground were. Not even six inches. They were filled with a brown, stinky, muddy brew. Nothing you would want to drink.

"He was only referring to the Romulan government in that context," Spock answered.

"Spock. He killed innocent people on Starbase 3, abducted us, wanted to sell us to the Orions, betray us, even though we had an agreement."

"Yes, Captain. He deceived you. And now, I believe your wounded pride gets in the way of your judgement."

Kirk chewed his lip. "You're starting to sound like Bones," he said, smiling slightly.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I believe this to be one of the rare occasions when we'd both agree on something. Captain, you usually value Dr. McCoy's advice."

"I do. And I value yours. However, Spock, just sometimes I have to listen to myself. And I just know, that we have to do everything to eliminate Tamulok while we still have a chance. He is very dangerous. Maybe not necessarily to us at this very moment, but I believe he is insane and about to gain a lot of power. That's never a good combination."

"Captain, you are sentencing a person to death because of crimes he did not yet commit."

"Spock. He killed many innocent people in that bar, did he not?"

"I believe he was responsible for their deaths, yes. But that does not give you the right to murder him."

Kirk started at the harshness of the word. He hadn't expected Spock to call him a murderer. Bones, yes. He could be absolutely fearless when it came to criticising his captain's moral judgement, every now and again. But Spock was usually more diplomatic. Maybe he was trying to make up for Bones' absence.

They suddenly heard a hissing sound, followed by something dark flashing across the sky. A ship. They had been found.

Kirk should have been relieved, however, a feeling of apprehension came over him.

o0o

McCoy felt as if all air had been sucked out of his lungs when he stepped out onto the moon's surface. It was hot, although you couldn't see the sun which was behind the thick layer of clouds.

"Just like Georgia," Sulu said to McCoy, slightly teasing. The planet seemed like a barren and muddy desert, but the climate did remind him of a brief stay in Georgia during his teens.

"Before a hurricane," McCoy added and walked a few metres to test the ground. It was muddy. There were pools of dirty water scattered all over. The only vegetation he could see were low scrubs with short, greyish leaves and thorns.

"I can detect the beacon clearly now," Sulu pointed into one direction, "it's about a kilometre away. Actually, if it weren't so hazy, we would be able to see it."

"What about lifesigns?" McCoy asked, dreading the answer.

Sulu brightened, then furrowed his brow. "Strange. I thought I had them. Now I'm not so sure. Something or someone is about a kilometre in that direction. Then, something is a little closer in the opposite direction, and something else is near the ship."

"Okay, lets go after them, then."

"Is that wise? We don't know who they are, the captain and Mr. Spock, or the Romulans and Orions, or something completely different."

"Mr. Sulu, there was an explosion on their ship which made them crash on this moon. It's very likely that they, whoever they are, need medical attention. And fast. They don't know we're here, so we have to find them. Besides, we've both got phasers." McCoy reached for his phaser again. It was set on "stun". Then he checked his emergency medkit, all there, hopefully it was enough.

"They must have seen us landing, even in this light," Sulu speculated, looking at the sky. Not only did the clouds block the sunlight, but he also believed that the sun was about to set again. "Well, why don't you stay here, in case they find us? I'll search for them at the site of the crash." He tried to make it sound more like a suggestion than an order. After all, he wasn't in command.

"Aye, sir," McCoy joked. It was true, in order to find them fast, they needed to split up. And who knew? If Spock and Jim had seen them land, they'd probably be on their way to here right now.

Sulu nodded and moved away quickly, always an eye on the scanner readings.

McCoy trodded a few feet away from the ship and started to examine the ground. The water in the puddles was foul, not drinkable. Maybe if you boiled it, but then, who knew if Jim and Spock had anything they could use as a pot. And how could they make fire? What was there to burn? He gingerly touched one of the thorny plants with the tip of his boot to examine it further. The thorns caught on the robust material and ripped it when he pulled his foot away again. Better not fall into one of these, he thought.

"Doctor!"

He heard a woman yell, not far behind him. He drew his phaser instinctively, turning around. It was the former T'Plok, now Velal, and Tamulok who forcefully held her in front of him, one hand behind her back, capturing her hands, one hand around her throat.

"Velal. You okay?" he asked, for what else could he have said?

"Oh, doctor. I see you found out about her secret identity," Tamulok sneered.

"Sh-oot!" she croaked, having trouble speaking, because Tamulok was crushing her windpipe.

McCoy blinked. His thoughts were racing, while Tamulok forced Velal to take another step forward. If he shot at him now, he'd only hit Velal, there was no way he could aim accurately enough to spare her. But then, why should he? The phaser was set to stun. Maybe it would distract Tamulok enough to let her drop. And then he'd have a clear firing line to take him out also.

Tamulok was still coming closer, Velal was unable to breathe now, but McCoy heard the word she was screaming in her mind: "Shoot!" and so he did.

As expected, Velal was hit and stunned instantly, sagging like a dead body in Tamulok's arms, but to McCoy's horror, he did not let her drop, but kept her upright in front of himself, still moving towards McCoy.

You'll only kill her if you shoot again, but you won't be able to take him out. He's a damn Romulan. He'll break your neck and then he'll take your phaser.

He heard shouting from a far away distance: "Bones, shoot him!"

Jim?

His world suddenly was set into slow motion while he tried to figure out a way out of this dilemma. Tamulok was almost close enough to touch him, but still shielded behind Velal. Suddenly his eyes caught the plant he had been examing before and he thought he'd found a way out.

With force and skill he threw the weapon into a patch of scrubs and realized with satisfaction that it got buried in it deep enough to make it almost impossible to get out with bare hands.

The action confused Tamulok for a moment but he didn't take long to think of another plan. He shoved himself against McCoy, so that he fell backwards into the muddy puddle behind him. Tamulok then threw Velal forward, and she fell face down into the muddy water beside McCoy, who hurried to turn her unconscious form around to keep her from drowning.

Jim, who came running towards the little ship, alongside Spock, saw in utter disbelief and rage, as Tamulok overwhelmed his dumbfounded, initially armed CMO, clambered into the ship and after another agonisingly long moment closed its hatch just a slplit second before he arrived.

Kirk drummed against the hull with his fists, but could not do anything to keep the ship on the ground. Its engines were powered up with a roar. Then a mist of stinking water and mud was stirred up as the ship left the ground.

"What the hell did you do?"