Jim leans back in his seat in the darkest corner of the bar he could find and glances at the entrance, careful to keep his face hidden in the shadows. He already had enough attention when the team first arrived in this strange yet familiar universe, anymore would greatly hinder their operation. Apparently James T Kirk is a bit of a celebrity around these parts, but for all the wrong reasons in Jim's opinion.
New Haven has everything a rough and tumble smuggling port planet could boast, including over eager bounty hunters looking to make a name for themselves and drunks spoiling for a fight. It's like every seedy bar he spent his misspent youth in all wrapped up in one convenient planet. Fifteen year old Jim would be envious right now. While Jim would like nothing more than to take his growing frustration out on a willing punching bag, he can't help Leonard any faster that way. If anything it would make matters more complicated and ruin the small chance they have to start with. With age has come a sliver of wisdom, and wouldn't McCoy be proud of him right now.
He tries to read the PADD in front of him but the words just stir his feelings of rage, smashing them together like clumps of clay to form a slumbering giant just waiting to be woken. It was Spock's quick work at breaking into the computer systems in Yorktown when they arrived that gained them downloads of information on the empire and their counterparts here. It's one horrific account after another and Jim's pretty sure his first officer is just as appalled by his doppelganger and this world as the rest of the team is though the Vulcan is managing to keep his poker face in place better than the rest of them. Jim's not shocked by what he's been up to here in this world; he's seen evil up close a few times and even has the blood of the psycho that killed Pike running through his veins. This could have been his future had the right person not stepped in at the right moment and offered a new course for the flailing future captain.
Jim grows queasy thinking about where McCoy has been for the last few days. This isn't a world for anyone, least of all the good doctor. It kills him to sit here and wait but his face tends to fuel people's desire to be uncooperative in this world. The Empire seems to favor the Vulcan, making it easier for Spock to move around with Scotty to try and secure transport while Sulu, also in the Empire's good graces, is working his magic to track down the Enterprise.
Jim thought hell had been sitting stationary at Yorktown while space seductively called him back out to play. He'd been wrong. McCoy has been in hell while Jim hadn't noticed. If he'd just taken a moment, Leonard might not have even been in his room when Spock came knocking or Jim might have been there to stop the abduction all together. Or Spock could have taken both of them, but at least Leonard wouldn't be alone. The Enterprise can and will be replaced; if something has happened to McCoy, and by reading theses peoples' history, it most assuredly has, Jim's never going to forgive himself. McCoy's one of the few things in his life he can't replace or substitute.
The first thing Jim's going to do when he gets McCoy back and safely home is make a tether with the strongest alloy known in existence and tie the two them together so Jim can't lose sight of him again. He might even make it protocol for his whole senior staff; might as well nip future problems in the bud now instead of waiting for his next friend to disappear.
He pulls at the long sleeve of the jacket he 'liberated' upon arriving at New Haven in their equally 'liberated' shuttle as a means to blend in and hide their alternate Federation uniforms. Jim hasn't racked up this many misdemeanours and crimes since the summer he spent going on a tour of back alley bars across the state with his fellow young offender he met in juvie the month before at fifteen. The fabric itches and the collar constantly feels like it's choking him as though he's trying to fit into a skin that's not his own.
Sulu slides into the booth as unobtrusively as possible. This place is why he joined Starfleet, so his daughter would never know a world like the one he's currently in. There's a lawless danger that crackles in the air threatening to ignite a powder keg of hostility that's tempered with the gentle sweet music of the somewhat familiar. Things may look like the world they left but the dance steps to this melody are still foreign and swaying to the rhythm will only get them so far before someone notices their footwork is faulty. Unfortunately failure will not only doom them but McCoy as well.
"What did you find?" asks Jim wasting no time for pleasantries.
Sulu rolls out the paper thin star chart and taps it on. "The Enterprise is going here," informs Sulu letting his index finger rest on the planet Mirma III. Sulu's finger travels over the smooth surface coming to rest over a portion of space between solar systems and hardly on path to reach her intended assigned destination. "But she's stopped here and no one knows why."
"What's around there?" Jim asks, trying to wrack his brain for any business his Enterprise has had in the area or could potentially have there.
"Planetoid New Vega in the Tramagle system is the only place reachable by shuttle. Kirk's also been seen in the area the last few days," adds Sulu. Here Kirk and Spock are like oil and water so it can't be coincidence the two are within potential torpedo distance of one another.
"So Kirk and Spock are in the same area." Spock kidnapped McCoy but by all accounts McCoy is against Spock here. Jim chews on his bottom lip letting his command training take over and run the possible scenarios and strategies by these two opponents to try and find something solid enough to act on. He keeps circling back to unfavorable after unfavorable scenario involving McCoy.
He's read the file on one James T Kirk, page after gut wrenching page and doesn't want to imagine what Spock's plans for McCoy could possibly be. For five days he'd been tinkering with blueprints and engineering schematics where the biggest problem was trying to cajole a miracle out of Scotty to see the rebuild completed faster while this Spock has been executing his nefarious plot. Even being here for almost two days hasn't gotten them any closer to saving the doctor.
"Good work Sulu. Spock and Scotty better get us a ride soon." The Enterprise is stationary for now but when whatever this Spock has planed plays out, their chance of finding McCoy or whatever happened to him will become infinitely harder. The iron is hot, they just need to strike and hope they don't get burned.
Out of the corner of his eye Jim catches a flash of the engineer trying to catch his attention from the other end of the bar. The moment their eyes lock, Scotty ducks out side door. Jim frowns before sliding out of his chair, his instincts on red alert. Sulu begins to do the same, following his captain's lead.
"Wait here," instructs Kirk. Something's unsettled within but he's not sure how to interpret his unease. If Scotty's in trouble then he doesn't need Sulu following Jim into that trouble too but then again it could just be the wrongness of the situation at large that had Jim on edge. There's the possibility he's over compensating for losing McCoy too, and Scotty just doesn't want to draw attention to three well known faces in this black hole of a planet. Jim hasn't felt this uncertain of himself since Khan revealed his connection to Admiral Marcus.
He squints as he steps out into daylight, the dim haze of the bar falling behind him as he takes a deep breath of fresh air and scans the alleyways for any sign of his engineer. Scotty's far enough ahead and not slowing down that Jim only catches glimpses of his brown leather jacket as he navigates the twisting maze of passageways through markets and back routes. It's like trailing a ghost and he has to pick up his pace or lose all trace of Scotty in the throngs of people.
Jim sidesteps an over aggressive sales person peddling their wares at one of the stands set up along the street and slams right into the solid warmth of a person. A hand latches onto Jim's arm and he prepares himself for the inevitable fight and warning to watch where he's walking when the voice of said person strikes a familiar chord.
"Captain," states Spock, low yet forceful. He waits patiently for recognition to dawn on his commanding officer allowing him to lower the fist he currently has raised and ready to strike out against Spock.
"Spock?" says Jim dumbly, glancing up to see the familiar face of his first officer. Spock releases his wrist and sidesteps to the left to revel yet another familiar face standing a step behind him. Jim's gut unclenches for a moment before his mind starts spinning a thousand scenarios for this turn of events. "Uhura?" he says accusingly, a firm frown on his face. "What are you doing here? I specifically told you to stay behind." Jim gets wanting to help save McCoy, he really does, but his order to leave Uhura and Chekov behind wasn't some whim. Then again despite the sometimes antagonistic relationship he sometimes has with Uhura, she does follow orders and understand their importance; it's one of the things that makes her a great officer and never raises any concerns for Jim that she's in a relationship with Spock.
If Uhura's gone against his order and come here, which isn't exactly an easy feat, something is terribly wrong. Jim can feel himself tense at the prospect of Starfleet finding out they've launched a rescue on their own and without permission and are recalling them before they've even laid eyes on their missing crew member. Or even worse...
Jim crosses his arms and puts his game face on. "How do I know you're even our Uhura?"
Uhura takes a deep breath and glances at Spock. Jim can't help but notice the way their fingers intertwine.
"I assure you, Captain, this is our Nyota," insists Spock. A small smile graces Uhura's face accompanied by a radiance that's hard to miss.
"I'll take your word for it," says Jim, suddenly uncomfortable with the obvious smitten behaviour between his officers and feeling somewhat like an intruding third wheel. "But why are you here?"
Uhura looks regretful but stands straight and tall. "The sun near Yorktown undergoes an unusual cycle every eight years emitting solar flares and radiation that's going to impact our communications and transporter technology for the next five days. Normally we wouldn't notice anything more than slower transmissions and the beaming process taking a little longer but..."
"Because we're not counting on a standard beam out it's going to put us getting home in danger," finishes Kirk. When it rains it pours. He doesn't need any more wrenches being thrown into an already precarious and potentially deadly situation. When they find McCoy, the plan was to leave posthaste sticking around to ride out some anomaly wasn't even on Jim's radar. If Kirk didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any at all. He can't help but deflate slightly. All he had to do was rescue McCoy and now when they find him Jim won't be able to grant the one thing he knows his friend is going to ask for: take him home.
"I volunteered to come through to find you and stop you from making the attempt to get home so the team doesn't end up in yet another reality," says Uhura before holding up what looks like a bulky metal bracelet, "but Chekov rigged these to help counter the interference and make sure we all get home."
Jim's never heard a more beautiful statement in his life and it's like the wind has found his sails once more. "We can get home with these?" He grabs the one in Uhura's hand and turns it over studying just what his certified genius navigator has pulled out of his hat.
"Ensign Chekov will be able to lock onto our signal and prevent our signals from being scattered and lost during the storm with these enhancers," states Spock, handing Jim another one for McCoy.
Jim has no words to articulate his gratitude for the crew that stands behind him, never wavering or questioning his lead. He couldn't be half the legend the universe thinks him to be without the dedicated people who serve under him. If he doesn't end up court-martialed for this, he's going to put his senior crew in for commendations. "Did you secure us some new transport? Sulu managed to find out where the Enterprise is waiting and a good place to start looking for our doppelgangers."
"When I left Mr Scott, he was doing the final inspection of the craft and said he would alert us once it was ready for flight," answers Spock. He stands out like a sore thumb in New Haven despite attempt at adopting the unkempt look of a smuggler in his black ratty jacket. There's just something that oozes discipline and rules that regardless of Kirk's best efforts to cloak when they arrived radiate off of him like a plasma fire.
"He came to get us at the bar. I was following him when I ran into you two." Jim gestures down the alley way as he fumbles to secure his bracelet around his wrist. "Come on, we'll comm. Sulu once we catch up with Scotty."
Uhura and Spock follow behind Kirk, like he's their guiding star, as he navigates the crowd, retracing his engineer's footsteps. Uhura grips Spock's hand tightly as she takes the time to actually look at the people around them. She'd been so focused on finding the away team that the universe fell into a blur around her. Now with her mission complete, she really looks at what they've stepped into. It feels like walking a tightrope without a net underneath. The wire is familiar and safe but surrounding it is a haunting black void threatening to swallow them whole if they make one false step.
Jim rounds the next corner and comes to a stop. There's nothing ahead but a brick wall and no sign of Scotty. Just as he turns to back track and try and figure out where they made their wrong turn the distinctive click of a phaser being armed breaks the silence.
"Don't anya make a move," warns a voice.
A tingle runs down Jim's spine as he stands perfectly still. Self incrimination wants to reach up and strangle him for mission the any signs that might have indicated this was an ambush and he can't help but feel like emotion is making him sloppy these days. He raises his hands in the air so no one gets trigger happy behind him. Slowly Uhura and Spock are herded to stand by Jim by a gun wielding Scotsman and as they pass into his field of vision, Jim turns slowly to get a good look at the threats. He turns and comes face to face with a mirror before the illusion breaks and the mirror is punching him out.
Jim blinks slowly to chase the lingering blackness away. He doesn't know how much time he's lost but he's sitting up against a wall with his hands tied behind his back and the ache of being clocked pretty spectacularly has firmly set in. Glancing to left, Uhura and Spock are in a similar predicament but at least they're on their feet. Jim might be more offended about going down after one punch if it hadn't technically been thrown by himself.
He manages to get a modicum of moisture accumulated in his mouth to ask Spock for a situation report but the words die on his lips as Jim Kirk squats down in front of him. They lock eyes and this is what the world ending paradoxes Ambassador Spock spoke of when he told Jim he couldn't tell Spock about well, Spock, must feel like. He's both intrigued and repulsed by the depths he can see in his own eyes which are looking back at him. And while that isn't strange enough, there's a deep seeded hatred woven tightly with an odd amaraderie that makes this imposter seem like a brother or an old friend.
An evil smile overcomes Kirk, like a hungry snake ready to swallow Jim whole. It's almost the same look Sam would get right before he made Jim do something stupid or dangerous or both under the guise of 'big brother knows best and of course it's safe for little brothers,' but multiplied exponentially. He studies Jim intently, as though he's trying to find the flaw in an otherwise perfect mask. "Well, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Kirk glances over towards Spock. "I'm touched, Spock, I didn't know you cared so much. And when you'd shave the beard?" There's mirth in his voice like Spock being clean shaven is the strangest thing about this situation.
It's strange for Jim to hear his own voice, especially as it says things he would say if the situation were reversed; almost like a form of déjà vu or precognition. And is that the bravado and smugness that McCoy always going on about? He can hear it now that he can literally hear himself employ it and maybe the doctor has a point; especially in situations that are reminiscent of poking the bear. He can hear how he earns himself the extra punch and the extra attention from the guards or bad guys or a surly irritated highly skilled medical practitioner.
"I am not who you believe I appear to be," Spock says looking between Kirk and Scotty, whose cautiously hanging around in the background with his phaser handy, for any sign either is willing to listen.
Kirk makes a dismissive face and walks past Spock to stand in front of Uhura. There's lust and murder in Kirk's eyes as he places his hand against her cheek to gently caress her face before pulling her forward into a ravaging kiss. They break apart and Uhura wastes but a moment before she quickly brings her head head to slam her forehead against Kirk's cheek bone.
Kirk chuckles as he rubs away the sting before backhanding Uhura so hard her head snaps to the side and against the wall with an audible thump.
"Leave her alone!" Jim's heart pounds faster as he tugs at his bindings, but it's Spock that looks like he's planning Kirk's murder.
Kirk turns his attention back on the Vulcan. "I like her Spock but what would the real Uhura think when she finds out her spot in your bed had been filled with some imitation?"
Spock's nostrils flare as he becomes a tightly wound mouse trap ready to spring and decapitate the leader of the rodent problem.
Jim's only heard Uhura speak of the rage Spock was in when he went after Khan once but he's pretty sure if this Kirk isn't careful, he'll get an encore performance. "We're not what you think," shouts Jim, desperate to pull attention away from his two officers.
"And how would you know what I think?" demands Kirk, pivoting back around on Jim. They're mere centimeters apart, Kirk crowding his space in an attempt to intimidate an already bound captive.
"Because we're the same person," Jim says levelly. He's had lots of things to fear in life, but he'll be damned if he's going to cower or back down from himself. He'd always been told he was his worst enemy. If only his friends and critics had any idea how true that would ring.
"Don't flatter yourself. There's only one James T Kirk and you're looking at him," boasts Kirk.
"In most circumstances you would be correct, Captain, however there has been a breach in the dimensional barrier between our universes, making it possible for there to be two Captain Kirk's," Spock explains in a clam rational that Jim's almost envious of in the face of what this universe has to offer. It's probably what makes Spock so dangerous; the ability to hide the hurricane raging beneath the surface of calm projected to the universe.
Kirk changes directions again getting right in Spock's face this time. His hand strikes out like a snake, wrapping itself around Spock's throat and giving it an experimental squeeze. "Not captain!" he shouts, anger and spittle flying out of his mouth. "You took that away from me, just like you've done Bones, but I'm going to do what you did to me Spock and in the end I'll have both McCoy and the Enterprise back."
Kirk's hand tightens further around the Vulcan's neck while Uhura and Jim look on helplessly, their protests and arguments going unheeded. Sick pleasure is coloring Kirk's skin and his eyes dance in delight as Spock struggles for breath.
Suddenly the ground shakes and the room fills with smoke. "We got visitors, Jim," yells Scotty before discharging his phaser.
It's chaos and Jim has little recourse in helping or countering the unexpected guests with his hands still bound. He watches Kirk and Scotty move to a more defensible position closer to an exit as he struggles to get to his feet.
A reassuring hand falls on Jim's shoulder. "Sulu?"
"Are you alright, Captain?" asks Sulu, making quick work of Jim's bindings.
"Am now. Help Spock and Uhura," he orders grabbing the phaser from Sulu. "I'm going after them."
"Was that me?" asks Scotty flustered as Jim runs past him in chase. The pair have already fled the building but Jim takes off in pursuit. Kirk seems determined to get his ship and doctor back. Taking the Enterprise might put McCoy in danger and maybe they're here for the same McCoy and just don't know it.