This is my first Fan Fiction. It has cursing, violence, and male/male relationships. If you do not like any of those things than please do not read it.
This chapter has a hint of lime!
I do not own Star Trek and make no money from this. I'm just playing.
Chapter 11
"Hold still," Jim felt the last loop of his blindfold slide off. The light was startlingly bright, but nowhere near as blinding as was before, "There, now open your eyes slowly."
Jim blinked letting his eyes open for the first time in weeks, "Damn, it's bright!"
His eyes watered as Jim glanced around Med-bay One. He was surprised that Spock wasn't there, but then again Spock had said they would be approaching the Jellyfish within a few hours and there were precautions that needed to be taken.
"What's the light set on anyway?" Jim asked rubbing him good hand over his eyes and blinking away tears from he brightness. All the colors looked washed out.
"It only 25% max," Bones said, rubbing Jim's hair gently, "Your eyes should go back to normal as the metorapan works its way out of your system. Here."
Bones handed him a pair of dark-lensed glasses, which he slipped over his eyes, "Better?"
"Much, thanks Bones," Jim glanced around, with the glasses on the room was dim. He could barely make out the Bio-beds that were stacked like bookshelves five high all over the room.
"Computer, lights to 80%." The lights were suddenly much brighter, but the light wasn't overwhelming.
"So doc, am I fit for duty?" Jim grinned at the older man, the Doctor's eyes had an odd green cast because of the lenses.
Bones glared at him, "Yeah, yeah. Are you going to look at your hand or not?"
Jim grimaced. He had been avoiding that. It wasn't that he hadn't gotten used to the idea of having a finger missing, and he had more than his share of scars, but it was a little harder to accept his newest mutilation than he had thought it would be.
Jim took a breath before glancing down at his lap where his hand was lying. There was a large square bandage taped from the base of his ring finger to just below his wrist. The thin lines of a brace crisscrossed from his fingers to mid-arm without covering the bandage or the wound under it.
"So I have nine fingers now," Jim grinned up at his best friend, "That's sort of sexy right?"
"Not remotely," Bones said ruffling Jim's hair and pushing him slightly, "and before you ask, No you can't take the brace off yet. That stays on for a few more weeks, at lest until the bones heal a bit more."
Bones pointed to the bandage, "You want to see what's under there?"
Jim shook his head slowly, "I think I'll give it a bit more time. I know I scar up badly and I think I want to let this one fade a bit before I look at it too closely."
"That might be for the best, Jim," Bones tapped a hypo thoughtfully, "that bandage is just to remind you to go easy on that hand. Lift things with your right hand and try not to hit anything."
Jim grinned at him before leaning in to hug the older man. Bones grumbled, but allowed it.
"You know," Jim glanced at his hand again, "I over heard Sulu telling Chekov this old Japanese story about how two people could be bound together by a red string of fate that's tied to the pinkies of their left hands. Apparently girls who were forced into arranged marriages would sometimes cut their pinkies off and give them to their lovers so the string of fate wouldn't be broken."
"That is the single creepiest thing I've ever heard," Bones nudged him off the exam table, "You think your thread-thing is broken now?"
"I don't think it's real. It just," Jim sighed, wiggling the remaining fingers on his left hand slowly, "Do you remember what it was like to fall in love with someone and then everywhere you looked there would be something to remind you of them? It's like that, only funking depressing. Every time I let my mind wonder I end up remembering some other bit of stupid finger related trivia."
"That's not uncommon," Bones said half-comfortingly, "my Granny called it the 'Red Car Syndrome'. It's nothing to worry about and it does go away. Anyway, you're on duty in ten minutes, Captain."
Jim turned and pulled his friend into a bone-crushing hug, "I love you!" Jim snuggled close to the older man before suddenly licking Bones' ear like puppy.
"That's disgusting," Bones kicked out at him, barely tapping Jim's ass with the heel of his boot as Jim jumped away laughing.
"I'll see you later, Bones!" Jim grinned back at his friend's glowering face as he walked out of Med-bay One. The door slid closed behind him followed by a soft thunk as what was probable a shoe was thrown at it from the other side.
Jim laughed as he walked down the hall. He had missed being able to toy with Bones without the fear of getting hypo-ed to Hell and back.
A few people glanced at him as he made his way to the turbolift, but Jim didn't mind the odd looks he was getting. He was just happy to have free run of his ship again! He ran one hand along the plant-covered wall before stepping into the lift with a couple of young officers.
"Uncle Jimmy!" Jim glanced back to see Joanna waving happily at him. He grinned and waved back before the doors closed. He made a mental note to go see her after
The other officers stood to the side talking and glancing at him.
Jim smiled and hummed lightly as the lift slowly made its way to the bridge. The lights flickered as the lift stopped and the doors opened.
"Captain on the Bridge!" Spock's voice called out, making Jim grin widely.
"At ease everyone!" Jim grinned waved as he walked to the big chair, "What's happening?"
Spock moved to the side of the Command chair, where he had been sitting, so that Jim could sit, "We are within four point two nine hours of the Jellyfish, there are signs of a Borg probe in the area. We have run security checks on all systems and were beginning a secondary system scan. I am doubtful that these precautions will be needed."
Jim sat down, wincing as his scars pulled, "I did spend the last two weeks reinforcing the computer's defenses. But I haven't activated a few of the redundancies I put in place. What type of probe is it?"
"We have yet to determined the probes class," Jim felt Spock's hand on the back of his chair. "It does not seem to be manned, however we are taking every preventative measure to insure the ships safety."
Jim nodded slowly, "I want to go over the full system again. Everyone keep on your toes."
There was a chorus of 'Aye, Captain' as everyone prepared for a potential battle.
"Alright. Sulu, move us closer," Jim sighed and leaned back in his chair. He was a little disappointed; after all their hard work, checking and double checking the security systems. The probe was not only unmanned, but it was also D-class which made it completely harmless.
D-class probes were designed to attach to their target and gather information through direct connection to the computers; they were dropped off and then picked up again later with the information already sorted for easy assimilation.
"Captain, we have a visual on the probe's main connection." Chekov said pointing to the main screen.
"Good," Jim shifted, accidently push on the chair arm with his bad hand and groaning as pain lashed through his arm. He fell back, clenching his hand instinctively, which only doubled the pain.
"Captain?" Spock's voice was too low for the others to hear and Jim felt the other's cool breath brush along his cheek, making him open eye he hadn't realized he had closed. "Are you alright, Jim?"
He looked over at his First Officer and nodded slightly, "I'm fine. Just bumped my hand a little, it's fine."
Spock raised one eyebrow before gently lifting Jim's left hand and turning it to inspect the brace, "You do not seem to have injured your hand further."
Jim pulled his hand away; fighting down a blush as faint electric buzz ran through his skin where Spock had touched, "Let's see what that probe is looking at."
"Yes Sir," Spock nodded and walked to the Science station and, leaning over the controls, reported. "The Jellyfish's life support system has been inactive for approximately three months. There is an energy transfer between the Jellyfish and Borg probe. It seems as if the probe is activated part of the memory banks and is drawing information from the computer's main files."
"We need to get that probe off," Jim said as he pulled his eyes away from were Spock's pant were pulled over his- beautifully shaped- ass as he leaned over his equipment, "but it could be useful to find out what it has already. Suggestions?"
"We could…" Chekov started but his voice tapered off, glancing a Sulu, "do we have any exploratory probes?"
Sulu shook his head; "We used the last one as a decoy half a year ago."
"Hey Scotty," Jim called, hitting the Comm button on the side of his chair.
"Is that you Captain?" Scotty's voice crackled up from the speakers.
"Any ideas on how to get the information off that probe, Mr. Scott?" Jim asked, tapping his fingers over the screen of his PADD.
"I may have something up my sleeve," Scotty said in a half-singsong tone, "give me half an hour to get things together."
"You got it, Kirk out." Jim spun his chair to face Spock. "I need you to put a Away Team together. You'll be leading it, Mr. Spock."
"Of course, Captain," Spock said, turning to give Jim a tiny Vulcan smile before going back to examining the probe's activities.
They had spent the last half hour helping put Scotty's brilliant plan into action. Jim twisted, trying to stretch his stiff muscles, before standing and walking over to Sulu and looking over the ship's main controls.
"How's the connection holding up?" Jim asked as he let his good hand rest on the back of the pilot's chair.
"It's holding steady, Captain," Sulu grinned up at him; Jim saw the older man's eyes flicker from Jim's face to Chekov's making Jim grin widely.
Jim grinned, winking at the blushing couple, before turning and walking to where Spock was preparing the computer for the data transfer.
"Ready Spock?" Jim leaned one hip on the control board beside Spock's chair and crossing his arms carefully. "I wish I could give Scotty a commendation for this one. Who would have thought he would build an ancient Earth modem out of busted up bits and bobs."
"It is an ingenious plan, however the transfer itself will be a bit slow Captain." Spock turned his chair and motioned from Jim to take a look through his scanner's viewing lens.
Jim leaned over to glance at the scanner's read outs, "As you can see the energy transfer between the Borg probe and the Jellyfish is holding steady." Spock's voice was low nearly a purr. Jim felt one of Spock's hands brush his hip, helping him balance so he wouldn't have to use his left hand.
"It seems the probe is repeating a single file from the crew's personal logs."
Jim stood up and glanced at the main screen, where that Borg probe and the Jellyfish danced around each other slowly, "Why would it do that?"
"This model has a very simple system for sorting information into groups. It may have found a paradox that it is unable to resolve." Spock's hand was still on Jim's hip. He felt the cool touch right over one of his scars, soothing the slight pain that came with standing. He never wanted that cool hand to move, Jim wanted it right were it was for the rest of his life.
"Any idea what this paradox is?" Jim asked, forcing his mind away from the gloriously cool hand on his side and to the ship's safety. "If it was anything complex it could be dangerous to the Enterprise's computer."
"I don't think it's dangerous," Spock shifted to stand behind Jim, his hand still pressed to Jim side, "I think it's merely a bit of information the probe is unable to identify properly. Ordinarily the personnel files are the first a probe will absorb. This probe seems to have absorbed nothing beyond the most basic information."
Jim glanced back at the half-Vulcan, "But what could be in the personnel files that's so hard to sort?"
One of Spock's slanting eyebrows rose to his hairline, "This is the Jellyfish, Captain. If it is the pilot's files there is very good chance that it is MY file. How could a simple program, like the one in this probe, possibly understand the timeline paradox created by my older self's records?"
"Of course!" Jim laughed as he thought about a mindless Borg drone looking from the young Spock to the old Spock as smoke rose from its ears. "Any chance of getting that file up on the main screen?"
Jim felt Spock's hand rubbed over his side before the older man turned back to his station, "It appears to be a incomplete holo-vid. Would you like me to play it on the main screen, Captain?"
"Do it," Jim walked back to his chair and sprawled out, "I'm dying to see this!"
"Yes Sir."
The screen flickered before showing a bedroom. The walls were a soft cream color with a dark wood border with the rest of the room made up of shades of blue and brown. The camera was pointed at the bed as if someone was standing looking it.
Jim shifted letting his head fall into his good hand. That room was beautiful. It had all his favorite colors, there where even hints of Command Gold along the edges of the sheets.
An alarm went off, pulling Jim from his thoughts and making him blink at the sudden noise.
A man groaned as a hand pocked out from under the blankets and tuned the alarm off. There was a bit more groaning as whoever was in the bed shifted around, making the blankets and pillows fall to the side and tousled head of golden brown hair appeared from under a pillow.
The person in the bed arched his back then pushed himself up on to his hands and knees. The sheets slid down to hang loosely on his hips, exposing the golden planes and dips of a strong back and outlining firm round cheeks. The man stretched, pushing his ass into the air before flopping over onto his back and brushing his hair out of sleepy hazel eyes.
Jim watched as his older self ran his hands through his hair and down his smooth scar-free body to the tent his morning wood was making under the dark blue sheets.
"Hey," the older Kirk's voice was husky with sleep and lust, "are you coming back to bed or do I have to play alone?"
Jim's older self brushed his hands up and down the outside of the sheet, only stopping to toy with the tip until a drop on moister soaked through the sheet, "Well?"
The screen flickered and the scene started over, with older version of Jim asleep under the blankets.
"I believe the probe has spent the last few week trying to sort this bit of footage into either propaganda or pornography, Captain." Spock's voice made everyone jump slightly, a few of the younger ensigns giggled awkwardly as they tried to cover signs of arousal.
"Porn," Jim laughed, letting his head fall back and brushing his hair out of his face with his left hand, "it's porn Spock."
AN: I'll be traveling soon and my computer is a little bit broken so updates may be a little slow for a while.
