A/N: I'm shocked I was able to get this one done without falling asleep, in fact I think I dozed off a few times so there might be typos haha I'm EXHAUSTED and feel like I'm about to go into a sleep coma haha. Let me know what you guys think of this one!
Eve groaned as she heard her com go off, she knew it had to be way earlier than 0800. She wiggled out of Leonards sleeping hold and rolled over answering, "Hunter."
He woke up when she moved from beside him and heard her speaking to the device, "Why am I needed at the medbay at 0400 Sulu?"
There was another pause as she got up from the bed, searching for her uniform in the dark, "Alright, tell him to keep his bangs in place, I'll be right there."
He watched her put on her purple shirt, now with two rings to match his, as she came over to lean down to kiss him while he slept. She smiled when he held her there for a moment and she nuzzled her nose to his, "Duty calls."
As she finished her words, his com began chirping on the table next to him and he smiled letting her go, "Sounds like mine does too."
Eve made her way to the medbay and saw Spock laying Nyota down on a biobed. She quickly moved over to the other side of the bed and looked at the semi deep three claw marks on her neck, "Holy shit, Ny what happened?"
"It didn't go as well as we'd planned, the captain apparently somehow insulted the natives and they attacked."
Eve sighed and rubbed her still somewhat sleepy eyes, "Why am I not surprised?"
"What'd he do? Try and sleep with one of the leaders daughters?" Leonard said having entered the medbay and pushing Spock aside.
"Doctor," Spock turned and Leonard barely acknowledged him, "Your room is just down the hall, it took you longer than expected to arrive."
Nyota let out a slight smile, Leonard and Eve didn't try to hide their relationship, but they also didn't go around publicizing it. Only Nyota and Gaila knew about it, and Eve didn't even tell them when it happened, and honestly Leonard was shocked Jim hadn't said anything yet. While the girl lay with the doctor looking at her neck, she knew they must have been in Eve's room.
"You wake a man up at four in the morning and wonder why it takes him more than one minute to get dressed and here? Dammit man I'm a doctor not an I'm not an insomniac!" Leonard began applying some king of clear salve on her neck.
Eve turned to Spock, "So what's going on?"
"The ambassador and the captain were taken hostage." Spock said turning to her.
"I heard them saying they going to be executed at dawn." Nyota said as a bandage was being placed on her skin.
Eve took off running out of the medbay and to the changing room. Opening one of the lockers she began grabbing sets of clothes that were used for travel off the ship. She heard the door open and saw Spock standing there watching her, "I suppose this means you have a plan, Chief."
"I hope so," she took one of the brown capes placing it over her shoulders, "We need to manage to get them back alive. I read what little we have on this culture and they're warriors, which technically so am I. Nyota knows their language right?"
Spock followed her as she began walking back to the medbay with a bundle of clothes, "Yes, she learned their language a few weeks ago." He was about to speak again as to the fact they still needed to try to save relations with the newest species but Eve was already talking to her friend who was sitting up now.
"Nyota, I need you to go down there with me, I need to know what they're saying and if at all possible walk out of this with Kirk, April, and the treaty with the Surmantians. I'd prefer for it to not be either or."
"Ms. Hunter, I would like to know the parameters of your plan, so we will be able to act correctly." She watched as Spock also put on pieces of clothing over his uniform.
"Honestly, Spock right now all I have is getting them back." Leonard couldn't believe this.
"How the hell do you even know what you're walking into?" When she looked at him, he knew as much as this girl felt for him, she was not in the mood for anyone to question her at the moment.
"I don't, all I know is we aren't getting anywhere just sitting here talking about what's going to happen. If we want to save this relationship, as I know we should, we have to make it a public thing. We can't just beam down and sneak them off planet. We have thirty minutes until dawn, if we're lucky we should make it before the spectacle starts." She helped Nyota off the table and they left the medbay.
Leonard cursed and grabbed the last cloak on the bed and followed them to the transport room, "Doctor, you plan on joining us?"
"Someone has to be there to patch you guys up when something stupid happens," He said watching as Eve adjusted her friends clothing to cover the bandage, "And for some reason I feel like it will."
She looked at the layout of the city they had and looked for a place where the execution would be held, there appeared to be a palace with a clearing in front of it, "Get us as close to there as possible, but in a place that isn't populated."
Eve walked up onto the pad and lifted the hood of the cloak over her head and the others did too. When the planet was now around them they were in an alleyway and they saw the feline-esk people on the main road, heading to the spot she had pointed out on the map. She led them away from the main road but in the same direction, they were too likely to be spotted if they traveled with the rest of the people.
"Shit." They heard her whisper as she looked around the corner of the last row of buildings. As Leonard looked at the scene in front of them, he felt like they were too late. Kirk and Ambassador April were each tied to a post on a platform in front of the castle, and the head of the pack was sitting in a chair on the same level as them, getting ready to enjoy the show. As Eve watched what she assumed to be the executioner move in front of the two men, aiming a spear at her captain, she couldn't stop her legs from moving.
"It appears we are now improvising." Leonard heard Spock say walking up to the edge of the shadow that was now being cast as the sun rose.
Her lungs burned with the sandy air as she ran faster than she ever had and watched as the spear began leaving the man's hand. I'm gunna make it! She pushed even harder and almost jumped up the stairs to the platform.
Leonard watched as his girlfriend jumped for the spear, he was surprised when she managed to grab it in midair and roll on the ground, quickly getting up, standing in front of the posts, pointing the spear at the man who had just thrown it. He knew she was amazing at what she did, but she never ceased to impress him with something new.
The Surmantian in front of her hissed, and she didn't hesitate returning the gesture. With a warring race showing hesitation and fear would only get them all killed, if she held her ground perhaps they would pause for a moment. As she stood there looking into the man's yellow eyes that were surrounded by light, thin fur and a pushed in nose, she heard the leader stand up and speak.
Nyotas voice was there next to her and Eve thanked god the woman was so great at what she did, she already knew their language and the contact with this race had just happened. Her friend and the cat-man spoke a few times but Eve never relaxed. Leonard and Spock had been found in the shadows and were brought up with the two girls.
"Eve, he wants you to approach him." Nyota said to her friend and watched as she lowered the spear, but kept it in her hand, approaching the man in the seat.
The leaders strange language filled her ears and Nyota began translating it, "He said you just challenged the executioner to a duel with your actions. If you win the match, then he will let us leave and consider resuming summit. If you lose then you then the people that came down on the original trip will be put to death and the others will be allowed to leave."
"Tell him I accept his offer." She said and Nyota spoke to him and he waved his hand, which lead to the releasing of Kirk and the Ambassador.
Their leader stood and spoke to his people, as Him and April joined the group, "We are to be taken to a holding cell and the duel will be at noon."
Eve put the spear down at Nyotas words and the group was taken to a room inside the palace. This is madness, Leonard couldn't hold himself back, "Eve, you can't be seriously about to do this. That alien is at least twice your size!"
"Bones, don't be so worried, if she loses then you two at least will make it out alive." Jim said sarcastically, "And we all know she isn't going to lose."
"I don't think it's that simple Jay." Eve said looking at Nyota, "These people are fighters, it's a duel to the death isn't it?"
Her friend nodded slowly, "I knew if I said it out there, then the others would have made you not accept, it was our only option."
"I know Ny," Eve placed her hand on her friends shoulder, "Nothing to be upset over."
"Nothing to be-" Leonard couldn't keep his thoughts inside at the thought of her dying in a duel to win their freedom, "Eve! You know nothing about these people! You don't know what their like at all! Their cats! Agile and-"
"And what? Have nine lives? Come on McCoy! Have a little damn faith in me!" She yelled turning to him, and in his eyes all she saw was concern for her, "Its already been decided, we can't change it now."
He knew how good she was at separating her job with her relationships, hell she had done it with Pike her whole life, but he'd be damned if she wasn't infuriating him right now. He had watched her die to many times in his sleep, he never wanted to see it happen in reality. Jim saw the look on his friends face, knowing that he wasn't done with the conversation, "Bones, let it go, she's right. All we can do now is wait."
Eve turned from him, not wanting the others to see her falter for a moment after yelling at the man she cared about and leaned on the railing of their cell. Nyota walked over to her, "You okay, hun?"
"Yeah, I guess. I can't believe I just snapped at him like that though." Eve spoke quietly so only the girl next to her could hear.
"It's understandable. You're about to walk into an unknown fight and you've never had this kind of connection with someone whose going to be witnessing it."
"It's just I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now, I know how I would feel if our places were swapped." Eves just stared at the ground, "I feel selfish."
This time Nyota put her hand on Eves shoulder, "If putting yourself in harm's way to save your friends is selfish, then you are the greediest person I know."
When the guards came to get them they were taken to an arena, "Good god I feel like a gladiator. I'm fighting a lion and everything."
Jim laughed at her, "You got this Princess."
"Yeah, I got this." She said taking a step forward with her translator behind her.
"He's saying you get to pick one weapon." She looked to the other side of the arena as Nyota spoke and saw that her opponent had already chosen and it was a humongous axe that Eve didn't even know if she could pick up. She walked over to where the table was and looked at the assortment, there were small knives, swords, but nothing like her sais. She knew how to use all of these weapons, but another caught her eye. It was a simple metal rod that was about seven feet long. She heard the crowd laugh as she chose. "Eve, are you sure?"
"Trust me, I got this remember." She looked at Nyota and the Surmantian led them back to her friends. Nyota said this was her chance to say good-bye to her friends. She just looked at them with fierceness and nodded, not wanting to make it seem she was as unsure as she was. As she turned to leave, she felt her heart falter, what if this was the last time she saw her friends, the last time she saw Leonard.
He watched her walk away and Leonard wanted to reach out for her, take her place even though he knew for sure he would lose, but it would insure her safety. He noticed her hesitation as she went to take her first step into the arena, then was shocked as she turned around and wrapped her arms around him with a kiss. He held her tight, feeling her worry as she gripped him tight.
Nyota smiled as she watched the two, knowing a little what it felt like every time Spock left for danger without her. Jim just stood stunned at his two friends, how long had this been going on? Spock only raised an eyebrow.
"I'll see you soon." She heard him whisper on her lips and she smiled lightly and nodded at him turning around and entering the fighting ring.
"Bones, I think you've been keeping something from me." Jim said as he heard the leader say something and the fight beginning saved Leonard from having to answer as they all got distracted.
She cursed, dodging his axe once again. He flung this thing around like it was a twig, but its weight made the strikes powerful and they were finally beginning to slow. She was starting to feel fatigued, it had been almost fifteen hours since the last time she ate and the suns beating down on her were making her dehydrated. She felt like she was doing well since she hadn't gotten hit yet, but after a while the guy must have finally realized she was an actual opponent when she had gotten in hits and he had yet to.
Nyota now knew why Eve had chosen the beam, it was the most versatile weapon out of the bunch and it helped her to stay on her toes. She had felt McCoy tense next to her after a close call and grabbed his hand, both of them needing support watching her fight for their lives.
Eve hadn't realized she had been backed up to the wall until her back was against and the beam she held in front of her face was the only thing stopping the huge weapon from splitting her head in two. She couldn't lose, this was the most important thing she had ever fought for and when she felt the man about to push up so the axe would split the top of her skull she ducked down taking the beam with her as the axe split the hard brick where her head had just been. She kicked the him in the stomach which ripped his hands from the axe, as it had gotten embedded in the wall.
He recovered quicker than lightning without the weapon impeding his speed, a clawed hand swiping the beam, sending it flying into the air behind her. She turned running for it, knowing the Surmantian was on her heels. Remembering Leonards words, agile was beginning to become an understatement.
Leonard watched only hoping that she managed to get to her weapon before the cat creature got to her. His eyes grew wide in astonishment as she flipped into the air, her legs lacing around the beam and landed one hand on the ground and spun her body twisting in the air and the beam striking her attacker in the temple. He went flying to the ground and Eve stood on his arms, pressing the end of the beam to his throat. She could see the fear of death in his eyes. He heard Spock speak with a slight awe in his voice, if that was even possible, "The odds of that having been done are...astronomical."
"Not with my princess!" Jim said with a smile not only on his face, but in his voice. He noticed the leader stand in his section of the arena eyes wide with, was it fear? He then watched as Eve got off of her opponent and stood in between him and his axe, then watched as she extended a hand to him. Jim listened as she spoke loud enough so that Nyota could hear her and translate.
"I won't kill a man in cold blood, or for sport." As Nyota translated Eve saw the man she had her hand out to's face soften. The crowd quieted and the leader of the people spoke.
The man on the ground in front of her smiled and his sharp teeth showed. She saw his hand extending and she tightened her grip on the beam just in case, but he took her hand and used it to get up. She smiled back at him and was soon being hugged by Nyota.
"He said that the compassion of you letting him live is seen as an act of faith and trust between our people. He's letting us go." She heard her friend say this and she dropped the beam, and noticed the leader approaching him along with a woman of their kind carrying a child.
When he spoke Nyota translated, "I thank you for letting my son live. A lot of my people would have seen that as an act of weakness, but it takes true strength and courage to give yourself for another and to choose not to kill, when peace can be made."
Eve smiled and watched as her once opponent took the child from the woman's arms and it laced its arms around his neck. She would have killed a father if she hadn't of seen that look of fear in his eyes and now she knew why it had been there, she would have had the same look thinking of Leonard. He walked over to her and put a hand to his own chest, "Montih."
He was introducing himself, she mimicked his gesture, "Eve."
Next the woman who had been carrying his child came up to her and took both of her hands and bowed her head, "Eve, Natira."
This wasn't the gesture of a warrior but of a woman who was thankful at the life of her lover. She was released and Eve turned to her friends and Ambassador April spoke first, "You are a lot like your mother, she would be proud of you for keeping everyone alive."
"My job is to insure the maximum amount of life is preserved." She smiled.
"Yes, and I will be sure to let the Admirals know that you are amazing at it." He left with Nyota to speak with the leader of the Surmantians.
Once the walls of the transport room were around her, she sighed from relief, almost unable to believe she had pulled off saving her crewmates and relations with the people. Spock, Nyota and the Ambassador had stayed on the planet to continue their business since their leader, now known as Maktou, had been so impressed with her. Jim looked at her, "Good job down there."
"Probably wouldn't have been necessary if you had taken me with you in the first place like suggested." She threw him a glance but didn't turn to him.
"Don't you want to know what happened?" He asked her with a smile.
"No Jay, honestly I'm starving, I'm disgusting, and tired. I just want to return to my quarters." She said not waiting to be dismissed and left the room.
Leonard went to exit the room behind her but was stopped by Jim, "Don't think you're getting off so easy. I want to know everything about that kiss."
"Dammit Jim, I was woken up at the same time as her so I'm in the same damn boat." And Jim was left in the room, slightly frustrated at not getting the scoop on his two friends.
When Eve left the bathroom she headed for her mini kitchen in the hopes of having some tea before going to the mess, she was towelling her hair when she turned to see Leonard leaning up against the counter. She smiled thanks at him as he passed her a steaming mug, he knew her so well, "I'm sorry about earlier, I snapped and I shouldn't have. I'm still getting used to the fact that I have someone else who would suffer if anything happened to me."
"It was my fault too, it wasn't that I didn't believe in you, I just-" She stopped him.
"I know Len." He scooped her up into a kiss that could only come from Leonard McCoy and she rested her head against his shoulder after and smiled, "I'm starved."
"I know, me too, which is why when you were in the shower I went to the mess hall and brought us back some food." He showed her the meal he had set up at the small table in her room.
"You make me tea and dinner? I'm starting to believe you like me, doctor." She smiled and he returned it.
"Only a little, darlin'."