The ship rocked violently, red lights replaced red. Jim was sent flying onto the floor. There was the sound of what must have been a second phaser hit as he scrambled up and to the bridge. "Captain on the bridge."

He took his seat and looked over the scans on the main viewer. "Mr. Spock report."

"A ship from Mylus came out of warp. They have fired on us repeatedly, but have been unable to damage our shields."

"Hasn't stopped them from trying. You said the ship is from Mylus?"

"Yes Captain. The configuration of the vessel confirms a Mylan warship, Niclus class."

"Thank you, Commander. Dr. McCoy, Dr. Targan, report to the bridge." Sulu came onto the bridge, and positioned himself behind Kirk. "Mr. Sulu, report to your station."

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Kiley to the bridge." Jim wanted his most senior officers with him. Not that the Mylans were a concern. Their technology was no match for the Enterprise. He needed them to keep him steady; keep him from pure vengeance. "Commander Scott, report to Engineering. Put them on the screen. Lieutenant Uhura, open a channel."

The ship jolted waking both Seri and Leonard. The second jolt told them they hadn't been dreaming. "Dr. McCoy, Dr. Targan, report to the bridge." Quickly they put on their uniforms and hurried to the bridge. As they entered through the turbolift, she could feel the panic as it rose in Len.

There was a Mylan on the screen speaking to the Captain. His orange eyes looked as if they were on fire. The Mylan's ager was rising in direct proportion to the doctor's panic; Seri felt both of them easily. "Len, is that him? Is that Dardrok?"

"Yes."

"Remember, you are safe. We've got this. Jim, that is Dardrok. Has he given his name yet?"

Jim hadn't shifted his gaze from the screen. "No, he hasn't. Can you read his thoughts?"

"Easily, care to have some fun?" Jim maintained his Captain's mask, but internally he was smirking. "Jim, his daughter's name is Kainill. She is school age, and his world. That is his weakness."

"Thanks Kiddo. Just watch. Time to dance. You stay with Bones. This will be fun."

"Please Jim, don't do anything stupid. Don't lose yourself to him. Please Jim, promise me."

"I won't, I promise. Stay with me as well as with Bones. I need you."

"I'm here. He thinks his ship can take the Enterprise in a fight."

"Can you read his thoughts if you are also in my and Bone's heads?"

"Are you kidding? His mind is simplistic. But don't underestimate him."

"Not a mistake I will make."

Luckily for Jim, thoughts were exchanged quickly. Dardrok had not noticed the exchange between the Captain and the Counselor. Leonard and Seri both stood several feet behind the Captain's chair. Neither showed any emotion.

"Seri, please stay with me. I'm not ready for this."

"I'm not going anywhere Imzadi. Trust Jim; believe me he has this under control."

"I don't want him to destroy himself. If he does something foolish…"

"He won't. I've got him. But, I can't stop him from playing."

"Did you give him any ammunition."

"Yes, but he also read my report."

"Fuck."

"Trust him."

"I'm trying."

"Captain Kirk, how nice to meet you. We did not meet at the reception; but I have had the pleasure of getting to know your doctor. It is nice to see you again Dr. McCoy. You seem well."

Jim didn't break his stare. "May I ask why I have the pleasure?"

"You come to my planet and murder over a hundred of our citizens. Some were young children. Why would you think we would allow you to commit such an atrocity and leave without any ramification? No Captain, retribution must come."

It was an old tactic; so old it was almost childish. "Jim, he isn't the captain of that ship. They want you to believe he is, but he is only the negotiator."

"Thanks Kiddo."

McCoy showed no emotion, but internally he desperately fought the urge to flee. "Imzadi, stay with me."

"I'm here Len. I won't leave." She took a step closer to Len, but never took her eyes from the viewer. To everyone around, it appeared as if she was changing her position behind the Captain. Spock moved into her old spot. He had understood what she was doing.

"Lieutenant, silence transmission." Jim turned his back to the view screen. "Mr. Sulu, target their shields only. Let them think they have disabled ours. Do not fire until I give the signal. Scotty, lock onto the Mylan transmitting. When the shields fall, I want him in front of me."

He turned back to the viewer. "Re-establish audio. Captain, we shall discuss our options."

"The return of our prisoners, and the party that murdered our civilians would be a start."

Len started to panic. "Len, you are safe."

"Wouldn't it make sense to turn me over to them?"

"You aren't thinking straight. No one killed any civilians, Dardrok isn't a captain, and most importantly our Captain would never turn over one of his crew to be tortured and killed. This is a cat and mouse game. They are laboring under the delusion that we are the mouse." He began to calm. Seri desperately wanted to take his hand; to give him the comfort of the warmth and pressure.

"Captain, I believe you know that isn't going to happen. But, we are willing to discuss your surrender."

"Captain Kirk, why ever would we do that? Our weapons are trained on your ship. You have no shields. In short, you are at our mercy. Please send us the doctor, and we may be willing to negotiate regarding the others."

"Mr. Sulu, Mr. Scott, I believe the Captain and I can come to an understanding. Please accommodate the Captain" With that, Len's fear escalated to the point Seri needed to step close enough for him to feel her. Sulu unleashed the phasers, targeting only the shields. When the shields fell, Scotty locked onto Dardrok and transported him directly to the bridge.

Jim stood only a few inches from the Mylan. "Good work gentlemen. Now Dardrok, time to dance." Fear and shock were all the registered in the Mylan's eyes. Spock took his place directly behind the negotiator. "Mr. Sulu, lock photon torpedoes. Do not fire witho9ut my order."

"Yes Captain."

"Mr. Spock, escort our guest to the brig."

"Yes Captain. Sir, if you would follow me." Spock grabbed a phaser as he escorted Dardrok to his new accommodations.

The Mylan captain was trying to communicate with the Enterprise, but Kirk ignored the hails. "Doctors please join me in my ready room. Lieutenant get that thing off my viewer."

Len barely made it into the ready room before Jim had an arm around him and guided him to the couch. "Commander, you are to stay in this room. Under no circumstances are you to go to the brig. That is an order. Do you understand?" There was no reaction. "Doctor, do you understand?"

"Yes Captain."

Jim turned to his counselor. "Commander, you are with me. I need your expertise in interrogation."

"Jim?" The doctor looked concerned.

"Bones, it will be alright. This is what I do."

"Jim…"

The Captain knelt in front of the CMO. The abject fear in Len's eyes shook Jim. "Len, trust me. No one, absolutely no one, is going to touch you. I'm sending Uhura in to stay with you."

"You don't have to."

"Maybe not, but humor me. Lieutenant Uhura report to the Captain's ready room." It took Nyota less than a minute to enter the room.

Seri leaned over and gave Len a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back as soon as possible. You're safe. I love you."

"Seri, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not being strong enough. I should be able to go with you."

She sat next to him and entered his head. "You are strong. Honestly you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. Anyone who had been through what you had been through, could not face their abuser this soon. Eventually you will be able to, but not yet."

"Will you be able to do this? You and Jim aren't exactly detached. I remember enough about my psych rotation to know that this will go better if the interrogators are detached."

"I can do this, so can Jim. No, we aren't detached, but Dardrok doesn't know that. And you know Jim and I are both good at poker."

"He could hurt you."

"No, he can't. I have security personnel, Jim and a forcefield between me and him."

"I love you Imzadi."

"I love you too. I'll be back soon."

Nyota sat down next to Len. What she saw concerned her. He was pale, almost grey. His hand was clammy in hers. "Len talk to me. Let me be here for you. Let me help you."

There was no acknowledgement. What could he tell her? That his fear was slowly changing to blinding anger. He shouldn't want what he wants. He was a doctor, not a killer; except he was a killer. "What do you want me to talk about? Should I tell you about what the monster in the brig did to Pavel? How about what he did to me? Or would you prefer to hear about what I want to do to him?"

The anger wasn't directed at her; Nyota knew that. "You can tell me any, or all of that."

"Can I? Only three people know. You'll never look at me the same way again. I don't want to lose you."

"I'm not naïve. I saw his body." How much had she figured out? "I took his cross. It's clean now. I'll make sure his mother gets it. Don't worry I won't tell her."

"You really are one of the smartest people I have ever known." He told her everything that happened to them. Funny how it made him feel better to share it with someone. Seri's dream manipulation had worked. It had lessened his fear and allowed him to get through the entire story.

At the end Nyota was completely silent. Maybe it had been to much for her. There was a damp soft pressure on his cheek; a kiss mixed with her tears. Her head rested on his shoulder as he draped his arm over her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you Nyota. I love you too." Their eyes closed. His mind traveled back again. The mental trips to that summer had been saving him.