Please read and review. Any ideas about upcoming ideas you would like to see in a story. Please drop a line and I will use it. Jenlyn I try to please :) Maybe Kate will start to think before she leaps but probably not!
Ch 12 SECTION 31
KHITOMER COLONY
"Kirk here. Bones status report." Kirk's clear calm voice comes through but before Kate can tell her dad about Bones a hand clamps over her mouth and she is picked up from behind with her arms pinned to her sides. The crates that Bones taken her behind to shield her from the horrors of the colony provide an excellent shield from prying eyes as Kate is dragged away. As Kate struggles against her attacker she tries to figure out where they are going. The strong arms carry her farther behind the rows of med tents and behind the rubble of a once huge smoldering building.
The stench of smoke and burning bodies is really strong here and causes her eyes to water. Kate realizes how isolated and trapped she is now. Her assailant has chosen a perfect spot. The huge building has no roof and they are entering some sort of courtyard that was once behind it. It is open on one side but between the remnants of the buildings back wall and the walls of the courtyard she will be trapped if she can get free. Kate struggles like an animal to be released from her assailant's grip thrashing right and left trying to loosen the vice like grip around her. Her throat burns from her screams muffled by his hand.
"Target acquired." The assailant's voice says causing Kate to panic. Kate brings her legs up bent at the knees, slightly apart to her waist. With as much force as she can muster she kicks at him, throwing her body forward using her butt as leverage against his waist. Her kick solidly impacts his legs above the knees into the meaty part of his upper thighs. The kick, coupled with her momentum, pitches her forward from his arm and rips his other hand from her mouth. She lands on her feet but he has grabbed her wrist whirling her back towards him. Kate makes a fist with her trapped right hand and leans forward. With her left hand to cover her right fist jerks both hands down towards his thumb and fore finger which is the weakest point of his grip. As his hand comes loose she simultaneously brings her knee up to his groin and instantly repeats the knee movement towards his face that has doubled over to protect himself from another knee attack to the crotch. She hears a sickening crack indicating his nose is broke but Kate doesn't stop yet. Han always taught her to make sure they don't get back up if someone attacks her and round house kicks him in the side of the head causing him to fall backwards. His head hits the ground with a deep thud and he doesn't move.
"Help. HIQaH! QaH!" She screams on both in Klingon and stardard trying to bring someone to help her; however, the plaza still has screams from the injured masking her cries. As she gets ready to run she sees another man approach.
"Stop!" He commands her wearing the same Star Fleet blue medical uniform as the first. Kate eyes him warily because he has come from seemingly nowhere. She tenses her muscles ready for another fight but knows this man has a huge advantage over her. His six foot three inch frame towers over her five feet and he is built like a soldier with thick arms and shoulder muscles showing through his tight shirt. Kate doesn't want to fight him and knows if she tries she will be hurt maybe even seriously but she knows she cannot go with him.
"Help. HIQaH! QaH!" She screams again but no one is coming.
"I said stop." He commands taking a step forward over his fallen comrade which Kate counters with a step back and slightly to her right. She knows he is trying to box her in and towards him is the only exit. "My name is Mr. Green and your father wanted us to immediately evacuate you sweetheart. Remember Bones called." He says in a soothing tone taking a step forward countered by another step back and to his left from Kate.
Panic is starting to rise in her chest and she forces it down with a deep breath. She has to keep a cool head. She has no way out and probably only ten steps left to maneuver before her back is against the smoking rubble wall behind her. She needs to stall for time. Bones will awaken or someone will find him. They need doctors here and he is the best. His absence has to be noticed soon. Kate's mind races as she tries to figure a way out. She suddenly has an image of Kirk on one knee telling her to tap the communicator to call home just before they beamed down to the moon colony. Trying to be as subtle as possible she brings both fists tight to her chest activating the comm unit on her shirt but hoping it looks like she is preparing to fight. She hopes the movement goes unnoticed by the blue shirted assailant and begins to yell at him, "Don't talk just fucking listen. Listen to me. Mr. Green, my father would never send you to take me unless you know the code word. Are you listening to me because if I am in trouble and if you are here to take me you need to know the code word. Don't talk just listen to me. I won't go without the code word."
ENTERPRISE BRIDGE
"Bones status." Kirk yells again to the unconscious doctor. "Uhura did we get cut off. Bones status."
"No sir. The line is open. I'm closing it and will try to re-establish a new connection." Uhura yells fingers flying across the control screen. As she disconnects the call and attempts to open a new one she hears Kate's frantic message. She instantly places it on speaker and turns to the Captain as Kate's plea fills the bridge.
"Are you listening to me because I am in trouble and if you are here to take me you need to know the code word. Don't talk just listen to me. I won't go without the code word." Kate hopes her rambling will be lost on Mr. Green but will be understood by Uhura on the Enterprise.
"Chekov give me a location on that signal." Kirk says quietly in his ear listening to the conversation taking place on the planet below. With an open line whoever is with Kate can hear their conversation as clear as he hears theirs. He doesn't even process why she is there and not in Sick Bay with the other kids. He only knows she is in trouble and needs his help. "Uhura contact Jack. Have him meet in at transporter room twelve and get that transmission mobile. Chekov location." He demands again barely above a whisper.
"Stop it now. There was no time for a code word. Do you see the situation here? He wants you on the Enterprise now." Mr. Green says taking another step forward matched by Kate's back.
"Stop coming forward I can't move farther backwards without hitting the wall of the huge smoking building behind me." Kate says wondering why she hasn't been beamed up yet like she was from the Jedi ship. The more details she can give the better she thinks her chances are of being found by anyone at this point.
He stops moving and cocks his head to the side in thought. For as much careful planning as Kate thought she put into the secret message she has tipped him off that something is wrong. A moment later he stares at her chest and says "Clever girl but you are coming with me now." Knowing that Kate has alerted someone, probably the Enterprise, Mr. Green does not worry about drawing attention. There is no time left and he begins to take steady steps towards her.
"Mr. Chekov why is this taking so long?" Kirk threatens through gritted teeth as he waits helplessly on the bridge unable to aid Kate. "Keep him talking a few more seconds' baby. We're coming." He says quietly willing her to hear his words but knowing he can't say anything loud enough for her to hear because it will tip off the man that help is arriving. His words, although for Kate, are also for him to try to calm himself down.
Kirk's heart drops at the next transmission. "Stay away from me you fucking bastard. My father will kill you if you come any closer." Kirk hears her scream. He knows the situation has changed by her words and the tone of Mr. Green. Kirk recognizes the barely controlled panic in her voice but she is still holding it together.
"Da electwical field from da bombz iz blocking da tranzmizzion Cap'n. Compenzating now." Chekov apprises the Captain for the delay in producing the coordinates.
"I know you are from Section 31. So tell that fucking bitch Marcus she can kiss my ass." Kate says taking at stab at his true identity. If she is wrong oh well but she had no idea why any doctor from Star Fleet would be doing this. Kate had heard whispers of Section 31 at the reception last night; she did not know what that was both Pike and Archer were upset Section 31 was there.
"No more games. We are here to help you. I promise you'll see your father if you just come with me now." Mr Green draws his phaser and points it at her. "This will hurt like nothing you have ever felt before so don't make me use this." He lunges forward trying to grab Kate but she drops to the ground and swings her legs with all her force at his ankles knocking him to the ground.
"Don't shoot." Kate yells hoping Kirk is listening.
Kirk's blood turns to ice water knowing that no matter how well she fights she is not match for a phaser. If she is shot she will be unconscious and he will remove the comm unit so that she can't be traced. With all the shuttles and the Excalibur in orbit the chances of finding her will be slim to none. "Beam me now." Kirk orders Chekov as he sees the coordinates for beaming appear on the console. Chekov complies and instantly Kirk is gone from the bridge.
KHITOMER PLANET BEHIND THE BUILDING.
Kate scrambles backwards, heart racing as she feels his hand clamp on her ankle. She twists around to face him and screams, "no!". Kate brings her foot up to bash him in the face but sees Kirk materialize behind him. "Don't fuck with a Kirk," she screams bringing her foot forward into his eye socket as Kirk flips him over releasing her.
Kirk drops to his knees straddling Mr. Green raining blow after blow to his face. "Stay the fuck away from my family." He bellows with each punch. Mr. Green bucks his hips and punches Kirk in the kidneys throwing Kirk off him. Both men are on their feet in seconds. Kate scrambles behind them grabbing the phaser off the ground. She stands behind the fighting men, phaser level and ready to take her first clear shot. Mr. Green kicks Kirk in the stomach. Kirk doubles slightly over from the impact but lunges at Mr. Green's mid section knocking them both to the ground again. Kirk mercilessly pounds Mr. Green until his face is a bloody mess.
"Stop it now or I shoot the little bitch." A voice says from behind Kate. The first assailant has come to and has a phaser leveled at Kate.
Kirk slowly stands raising his hand. Kate is between him and the assailant. "Let her go." Kirk says calmly but commandingly. He stares at the assailant realizing Kate has broken his nose and knocked out two of his teeth. "Kate come here." He says trying to figure if she can make the ten steps towards him before the assailant can fire. It is a horrible plan but he has nothing else at the moment until Jack arrives with reinforcements. It is a catch twenty two. The electrical field is preventing Jack from coming but it is also preventing Kate from leaving.
"Mr. Blue take out the Captain then the child." A third voice rings through Mr. Blue's communicator. "Rendezvous at mark 3.967."
"If you hurt him I won't tell you anything. I am as fucking stubborn as a tauntaun and really have nothing left to live for except him." Kate threatens leveling the phaser at Mr. Blue. Kirk prepares for the phaser shot that was just ordered.
Mr. Blue is tired of this child. If he shoots the Captain first she has a phaser and from the look in her eye she is not afraid to use it. "Say good bye to your daughter Captain." Mr. Blue says firing at Kate. The beam was set to stun a grown man and the impact on Kate's shoulder spins her around three times as she falls limp to the ground with her head impacting with a sickening thud.
"No." Kirk screams diving for Kate. His action causes him to narrowly miss being shot by the second phaser beam that was turned upon him. He feels her hair slide through his fingers as her head bounces a second time against the ground where it stays still. In a blindingly fast motion Kirk grabs her hand still clutching the phaser and fires it at Mr. Blue. Kate was playing for keeps and had the phaser dialed all the way to its highest setting. Mr. Blue is vaporized along with approximately 100 cubic meters of rock from where he was standing. Kirk pulls Kate's limp form into his body, shielding her as much as possible from the falling chunks of rock and dirt.
"HIghos," Kirk hears a Klingon say as he is ripped to his feet dragging Kate's upper body with him. Kirk bounces her butt on his knee to adjust her weight properly in his arms and takes off at a dead run following the Klingon.
"Bones. Kate's been shot ." Kirk screams entering the tent and laying Kate on an open med bed. McCoy is at her side faster than Kirk has ever seen him move running a tricorder over her with one hand and programming the bed with the other. A holographic image of Kate's body hovers over her actual body. Kirk doesn't need medical training to know Kate is in trouble. Her pulse is barely registering, her breathing almost non-existent and a large bruise is swelling on her brain. "Come on baby. Come back to me." He says taking her limp hand on the other side of the bed so Bones can do his job. She feels so cold.
Bones tears open her shirt exposing the circular burn mark caused by the phaser to the areas below her shoulder but above her left breast. "Damage to epithelial tissue, cerebral edema, respiration minimal. She's going into cardiac arrest." Bones says as her heart beat stops. "Elevate her head 30 degrees, " McCoy says to the bed to decrease the brain swelling as a defibrillator wracks her body trying to start her heart again. It brings her heart back to a steady but very weak rhythm. He inserts an oxygen tube into her nose feeding it directly into her lungs. "10 cc's Mannitol," Bones orders and directly injects it into her neck. Bones does not like that her readings are not improving. "If only we had Khan's blood or Bacta." Bones says out loud signaling his desperation with the situation.
"Bones?" Jim says letting panic creep into his voice. Jim has never seen Bones look panicked and it is scaring the shit out of him.
"Jim where's her backpack." Bones demands remembering she said she was using it to treat the Klingon injured.
"She didn't have it." Kirk replies and for the first time he begins to doubt McCoy's god like powers to save a patient. Kirk's eyes never falter from his daughter's face. He wants his eyes to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up and he knows she has to wake up. She is his life. He can't lose her again.
"Doctor!", a medical technician says bringing him Kate's bag from a corner of the tent. "I found it outside the door earlier." McCoy rips the fabric holding it closed and finds a single liquid packet of bacta at the bottom.
Bones rips the top of the packet off spitting the plastic from his mouth. "Jim," he says and as if the Captain could read Bone's mind drops Kate's hand and pries open her mouth as Bones pours the slimy blue green liquid in. He slides in a tongue depressor to hold her tongue back and closes her mouth slightly elevating her chin to force the liquid down her throat. The two men wait 30 seconds, a minute, two minutes, five minutes. The time feels like an eternity but then the bed registers a stronger heart beat. Her breathing becomes deeper and less wheezy. Kate still doesn't open her eyes as her vitals slowly creep back to normal.
"Wake up baby. Come on honey. Wake up." Kirk commands quietly at first but getting louder at the end of his request.
"Jim," Bones says laying a hand on his friends shoulder from across the table. "Based on her symptoms, she was stunned on medium setting. Unconsciousness can last from five to fifteen minutes in an adult. Based on her size it may just take longer." Bones hopes these words will give some comfort to his friend but he knows how hollow they sound. Both men know the physical effects of a phaser shot. McCoy has been through this before when Jim was fighting from his life after saving the Enterprise but Jim has never been in this position before watching with uncertainty if she will be fine. McCoy looks at his friend leaning his elbows at the bed's edge, holding Kate's hand and staring at his daughter's blank face.
"She told me once that we were a soulless, faithless, species and we needed to believe in the Force to find our way." Jim says almost trance like never letting his gaze waver from Kate's face. "I pray to you now Force," he says and then laughs like it is some bizarre joke. "Force, God, whatever fucking supreme entity there is out there, give me my daughter back and I will never let her get hurt again. Do you hear me? Give me my daughter back!" He yells with venom at the universe.
Bones turns away from Jim unsure what to do or say to his friend. Jim's grief is immeasurable and Bones knows it is a waiting game now. He prays the bacta is as powerful as she claims. Fifteen minutes later the bed beeps once and as he turns around he sees Kate trying to swallow. He pulls the tongue depressor from her mouth and tilts her chin back to a normal position. Kate swallows again and gives a weak cough like she is choking. "Daddy," Kate mumbles barely intelligible and tries to gasp in air. Bonrs removes the nasal canula replacing it with an oxygen mask.
"I'm here baby girl. Daddy's right here." Kirk says flying forward. He never lets go of her hand but begins to brush the hair away from her face with his left hand.
She rolls her head towards his voice. "Dad help me," she says a bit louder with a shaky voice eyes still closed.
"Shhhhhh. I'm here. Daddy's here. Relax alright. You are safe. I've got you." Kirk says relief pouring into his body with each word. McCoy stares at the various reading from the bed and holographic image of Kate's body deciding his next move.
Kate slowly opens her eyes and can't focus. Everything is blurry but the first thing she sees are her father's bright blue eyes staring back at her. She draws strength from them and tries to come out of the fog she is in. "I knew you'd come." She swallows again with effort and blinks her eyes. "I hurt and it tastes like snot." Kate says to Jim but knows Bones is hovering near and can hear. "Why? What?" Kate stumbles for words confused.
"If there's a spark of life, bacta will keep you going." Bones says soothingly pulling a blanket up over her body quoting Kate from a long time ago.
Kate's face gets a sad expression and her bottom lip begins to tremble as she says to Kirk, "I'm sorry. I only wanted to help." She tries to sit up remembering flashes of the event and cries out in pain from her head, neck, and shoulders.
Jim and Kirk restrain her shoulders to keep her still. She may have woken up but the movement has caused her heart beat to become erratic again. Kirk kisses her trying to hold her still and keep her calm as Bones wraps restraining belts across her legs, waist, and chest to restrict her movement. The concussion is severe and she needs to be still. "No. No. All I care about is you." He says with his lips pressed against her forehead holding her head down as Bones finishes. "Rest sweetheart. We can talk later." He says looking at her again and stroking her hair.
"It hurts. Everything hurts." She complains and tries to move but the restraints are holding her still. She begins to panic because she is having trouble remembering why she is here and why she is in so much pain. Her heart rate begins to climb and her breathing is getting heavier as she realizes she can't move. "Dad. Daddy. Daddy." Kate starts to yell for help.
"I know baby but Bones is going to fix it okay." Jim reassures her calmly. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Bones ready to sedate her for the trip back to the Enterprise. "Rest now. I will be right here when you wake up angel." He kisses he forehead to hold her still as Bones injects her with a hypo spray. She closes her eyes again.
"We need to get her back to the Enterprise but she is going to be fine Jim, just fine." Bones says.
"Go Leonard. Take care of her. She saved more lives today than I think we did. The Alexander and John F. Kennedy are beaming their doctors and nurses down now. We are fine." Dr. Bantros says and McCoy shakes his hand. McCoy walks outside to arrange for a shuttle for Kate. He doesn't think that she is stable enough to transport by beaming. "You have a remarkable daughter Captain." Dr. Bantros says staring at Kate's sleeping form. "She used that slimy stuff on thirty six Klingon children. It didn't cure them like her but bought us enough time to get to them with medical help. She also convinced an irate Klingon to allow us to administer medical treatment. Quite a feat for a kid." Dr. Bantros sticks out his hand.
"She is amazing." Kirk says shaking the doctor's hand from across his body. He refuses to let go of her hand.
"Jim we're ready." McCoy says sticking his head into the med tent. Several medical technicians prep the bed for transport to the Enterprise.
"Let's go home baby." Jim says holding her hand as the bed slides smoothly towards the waiting shuttle. Jim is shocked by the way the Klingons are all staring reverently at her body.
