It was past two in the morning. Alyssa tossed and turned on her side of the bed next to the travel crib, unable to sleep after another nightmare that woke nobody else up to thankfully. Lying on the lumpy bed (and fluffing her pillows for the millionth time in so many hours), she listened to Kurt's heavy breathing and then some mumbling on the left, something about someone not following orders. On her other side, she could hear the light sighs of her son, safe and sound as he dreamt of possibly being fed again. Both were peaceful in their slumbers (except maybe Kurt and his duties as an officer), not knowing what was coming next.

Jesus, I can't take this anymore. I need to get out of here.

Alyssa hopped out of bed gently, making sure the blankets did not get caught on her legs or loosen around her husband. Then, slowly walking around the bed, she made way for the door. As she left her sanctuary, she made sure that it would be unlocked. There was no spare key to be had for the one-nighters and Kurt was one to keep her outside if he found his security breached, just so that she could learn a lesson.

Free at last, Alyssa beelined her way back to the rock just beyond the parking lot again, thinking it a place to gather her thoughts and to be alone. However, just as she was about to pass the car, a familiar hand grabbed her from behind and stuck a familiar object – a phaser – to her back. She thought about fighting and running to warn the others, but knew who it was in an instant. There was no time to execute her plan.

Backed into the corner by their rooms and away from the outside light (and hoping that Kirk, McCoy and Spock did not come out of theirs to meet a grisly end), Alyssa gasped as the hand touched her face gently. She almost bit it, remembering the gesture to be used to caress and love her after her husband was killed. However, the hand also gently let her go, pushing her up against the same corner on the side of the building. He loved and hated her at the same time, considered her a demon of some sort and a bewitching little bitch and even a strong character that would eventually defeat him if she had the power.

"Ah, so we meet again, my fiery, unique lady." The unusually bold voice of Admiral Uriah filled Alyssa's ears, making her cringe as the memories enveloped her. "Care to share a little secret with me tonight, hmm? Mycoff cooked up a little something just for us, in case we both wanted to be alone together. Just figured you'd like to go and be yourself for a while before going out with a bang. Love it, my sweet?"

"Get your slimy hands off of me, you bastard." Alyssa's breathing came in slowly, almost in a calculated cycle. "Haven't you done enough damage as it is?"

"Me? No." Uriah smiled, aiming his phaser again and showing off his two Klingon guards as innocence shone around his illuminated face. "I haven't even begun, my little love. Watch your back. You might just be the first to die."

Alyssa was in no mood for the games. "Oh, so now I'm your little love? Whatever happened to Geraldine Sanders, the one you told me about? I thought that she was the love of your life? Or am I thinking of your wife back home, where you belong?"

Within seconds, she was seeing stars. She hit the ground hard, unaware that above her, one of the Klingons had taken the lead. The other was about to strike again to finish the job and kill her, but Uriah stopped them both before he could, smiling that same grin he had, all that time ago. It was the same one, when Alyssa first saw him, raping her on his ship as she grieved for the loss of her family. She did not care anymore. She only remembered that the most, the pain was so deep…

"Now, now, now, haven't we learned that we do not play nice with others?" Uriah clucked his tongue as he dragged Alyssa in an upright position, holding her easily by the hair as her knees buckled and held her upright on the concrete ground. "Just remember, we're still playing through history…although it has been slightly changed, one to our advantage and one that I'm hoping gets rid of you and your shipmates permanently. One small mistake and we kill your whole family before your eyes before the week is over. Captain Kirk might be in the mix as well. Got it?"

"Crystal clear," Alyssa said through clenched teeth. "You got it, Boss."

"And don't forget those little voices you've been hearing. Don't be listening to them now."

"Like I want to remember them anyway. Why remind me? I don't know what you're talking about anyway."

"Good girl." Uriah dropped his prey, snickering as Alyssa lost her balance and then stood up quickly in a cautious stance and about to attack back. "Now, get along, my little love. Don't want to keep the hubby, baby and Starfleet officers waiting now, do we?"

"No, we don't." Alyssa lowered her defenses immediately when one of the Klingons put a knife to the front of her neck, about to behead her or give her a bloody grin, whichever he preferred.

"Oh, and one more thing, Alyssa," Uriah added, turning to leave as a pinkish portal behind him opened up suddenly. "Tell Kirk that he can pick the battlefield and weapons of his choice if you all survive this. Of course, if we went with history for the former option, he wouldn't need to."

"If I knew the captain, he wouldn't have to," Alyssa spat out. "He's a survivor like the rest of us. He'll pick the place of commencement before you lifted a finger."

The admiral laughed, regardless of the outburst. "Let's just see if we can get this over with before the week is over, shall we?"

The merriment continuing Uriah disappeared just as quickly as he appeared. The Klingons had stayed behind though, interested in the rabbit that the admiral had left behind for them. The one with the knife dug his weapon deeper into Alyssa's throat, drawing some blood. They had their orders and she had no plan. The only thing she had left to her was time, a patient piece that she hoped was on her side this round.

~00~

McCoy suddenly woke up to a flashing pink light in his face, thinking it was all a dream and that he would soon be cursing Spock. Turning over in his bed (and silently cursing Kirk's heavy breathing next to him that hindered him from sleeping), he saw the time inscribed on an old digital alarm clock, something he had not seen in years, not since he was married and caring for his daughter. It was after two in the morning, almost three if he read it correctly, and all was hell in the twenty-first century. Sighing, he got up and out of the bed (cursing the old-fashioned beds this time around), intent on getting out of the room before Kirk's light snoring drove him insane.

Of all things to do to a man, leaving him with another that snores is torture. And I gave him something for that. But does the man listen to me? No! To hell with him. I'll fix his food card when we get back to the ship.

Yawning, McCoy opened the door and left it unlocked (or what he thought was unlocked in the twenty-first century). The night was silent, clear and crisp for early spring, and it seemed refreshing, even for a time frame known to have had a polluted atmosphere for so long. There had not been any noises, save for some muffling to his right, but that did not concern him greatly. It wasn't too important to investigate.

Eventually, the concept of being in the unknown felt appealing and even relaxing. He stretched out his arms, sighing as he glanced at the twinkling stars, and took a walk to his right, to explore something other than the parking lot and the rock where Alyssa confessed. He knew that life around the area could be dangerous and deadly even, but he was not too anxious about somebody trying to kill him since he was an old unknown. He was a stranger and always familiar with his fists when he needed to punch out an enemy or two.

McCoy was concerned about the noise when it began to increase in volume. He contemplated calling for Kirk or even Spock, but dismissed it with nothing more than images of himself setting things to right. However, when he rounded the corner, he immediately saw what had happened. He jumped almost ten feet into the air when he saw a pair of Klingons holding Alyssa hostage.

"One step closer and she's dead," a Klingon warned McCoy with a hiss, drawing the knife deeper into a cut on Alyssa's neck.

"Shit," McCoy muttered, trying to think of a plan. This time, he could not think of anything except getting help. Klingons were above and beyond his area of expertise right about now.

"You got that right!" Alyssa finally managed to yell, struggling as blood dripped down her neck and chest like tears rolling from her eyes. "Shit!"

"What do we do with this one, you think?" the second Klingon asked the first.

The one holding the security officer almost dropped her to think, but had quickly decided on what to do with McCoy. "Orders are orders. Kill him too."

Those were the last words McCoy really wanted to hear. Granted, the last thing he wanted to see before he died were those Klingons, who only served as a confirmation to Alyssa's story and their evolving theory. Being killed was not on his list of things to do that night in order to avoid Kirk's snoring.

Where did they come from? Mycoff and his cronies up to their tricks again?

McCoy was sure they were goners and would have protested had Alyssa proved him wrong quickly. She showed via her eyes a plan that would get them to escape. Before McCoy could blink back though, Alyssa ducked down out of the Klingon's grasp, narrowly missing the date with the knife to her throat, and swept her feet underneath the Klingon that held her captive. He hit the ground and only recovered enough to have his face beaten in by her ringed fists, unconscious in seconds.

The other tried lunging for McCoy, forgetting that the security officer was behind him. Alyssa was speedy enough to stop him before his weapon reached the doctor, jumping for his feet and swinging him from the ground with all her strength. In all of his examinations of Alyssa, McCoy had not seen her so strong and willing to wield a person ten times her weight. He was amazed that she managed such feats in her condition too. Her almost inaudible moan indicated that it was too much, albeit it saved their lives.

The second Klingon hit the building with a sickening thud, shaking it and leaving an indentation in the outer wall. The doctor looked from him (unconscious) to the first enemy alien. He did not move from his position on the ground, puddling their unusual color blood around his head. McCoy reasoned that he must have suffered a severe injury, but he did not want to find out. Although familiar impulses told him to assist, it that would have to wait. The noise was bound to wake somebody up.

McCoy had seconds before someone found them and the Klingons. "Where did you learn that?" he asked Alyssa quickly, seeing her rub the spot where the knife had been on her neck. "Do you want me to look at that?"

"There are many things I learned, Doctor," she answered, sensing that people were waking up to their fight, but ignoring his concern over her injury. "Why do you think Admiral Uriah made me a security officer? Just for my looks?"

McCoy chuckled. "I would say so. Care telling me who taught you those moves, especially in the condition you're in?"

Alyssa knew that McCoy was alluding to her post-partum body. She shrugged her shoulders. "My husband was an Air Force officer and was only forced out because of injuries sustained when he was overseas. You think he let me go all those years without him defenseless? Somebody had to take care of the baby."

Their time alone was over, sooner than McCoy realized. Before the two knew what was happening, lights came on throughout the motel. The first ones on the scene were the managers on the other end of the building, demanding in loud voices from their doorways to know what had conspired. Next out was Kurt, looking behind him constantly because of the baby, who was now alone and without parental supervision. Last out, amidst the crowds of patrons behind Kurt, was Kirk and Spock. When they saw the Klingons cataleptic against the building, they stopped, melting into the crowd and refusing to be seen recognizing who the culprits were or gaining the attention that the pair had.

Kurt immediately went up to Alyssa and hugged her tightly. "Oh, my God, are you ok? Are you all right?"

Alyssa put her arms around her husband, feeling herself shake with fright as blood dripped down her throat. She was sure that Kurt would staunch it once noticed. "Yes…yes, I'm fine, Kurt. I'm ok. If it wasn't for Doctor McCoy here, I would have been a goner. He found me here when those two goons held me captive and distracted them."

"Is that so?" The former Air Force officer looked from Alyssa to the motel managers to McCoy. "You saved my wife?"

"Well, it was nothing, I suppose," McCoy said as he shrugged his shoulders indifferently, modest amongst people now staring at him in wonder and whispering the initial gossip of the day. "Your wife did all the dirty work. I just came along and saw the mess."

"And the damage to the outer walls?" the manager inquired in an outraged voice as he pushed his way to the front, pointing to where the second Klingon dented them. "What about them?"

"Oh, I'm sure you can talk with the guys who started this," Alyssa declared coldly, pointing to the intruders and pretending not to know who they were. "They wanted to slit my throat for no reason as I took a walk on your property. I'm pretty certain the police would love to hear from them how they came about."

"If they cared," someone mentioned.

"You mean, if they come by," another added.

Kurt, alarmed by Alyssa's defensive tone, led her through the sea of people back to their room, not checking the curious glances, but worrying about the cut on her throat. He shut the door behind him amid the silence that soon followed them, intent on leaving first thing in the morning to avoid any more rumors. Immediately, he put his wife to bed, beelining for the bathroom to find their first aid kit. Alyssa was oddly quiet, which was something he was found disturbing. This too was another change in his lovely woman. He would have to study her further to find out the truth.

In the meantime, the motel patrons and the managers dispersed, the latter taking the Klingons by the hair strongly and dragging them to the front office for lockup without caring for their wellbeing. It left Spock, McCoy and Kirk alone amongst the damage. The three were not sure if it was safe to talk or not and decided that privacy was the best policy. Instead, Kirk motioned to McCoy to come back to their room. He and Spock started off without the doctor, leaving McCoy with many questions and no answers.

What had happened? Was Admiral Uriah here? Did Mycoff leave a little surprise for us? Was this only the beginning?

McCoy could not tell just yet. All he could do was turn around and follow his captain and first officer back inside. There was a lot of explaining to do and he wasn't going to be the one to take all of the heat from Kirk. Surely, he reasoned, Alyssa will take some of it later on down the road, when she was alone with them. Kirk would be sure of that.