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.

I do not own Star Trek and make no money from this. I'm just playing.

Chapter 20

Spock knelt and calmly pulled the hatch of the regeneration-alcove system open as a laser blast shattered a pipe above his head.

"Are you ok, Commander?" One of the security officers, Ensign Loll, asked as she fired back at the approaching Borg.

"I am unharmed. Provide covering fire while I work." Spock called as he started attaching tubes from the modified Hypospray vial full of toxin to the alcove's main distribution pipe. Spock watched for a few seconds to make sure that the toxin was pumping out of the vial before he lifted his phaser rifle and turned back to his team.

Two of the assault team members were knelling behind their shields, covering him, while two others fired over their shoulders.

"We need to move to the next access point," Spock called as he fired at a Borg as it turned a corner towards them. "Follow me!"

"Yes Sir!"

Spock glanced around meeting each of his teammates eyes before nodding and leading them down the dark hallways full of Borg. They had managed to install the first three toxin vials before the Borg had noticed them, not uncommon, as they had only encountered, and where ignored by, low level drones until they were heading to the fourth alcove access point. That was when their luck ran out, as Jim would say. His squad had run into a highly armed Borg tactical unit and their attempt at stealth was over.

"Sir," Lieutenant Hogan called as he fired over Spock's shoulder. "Where is the next alcove line? We can't keep this up much longer! We're out numbered."

"We are always out numbered, Lieutenant. Logically the next access to the main would be this way." Spock called as he turned and started jogging down a dimly lit corridor lined with cold black pipes. The Borg were nothing if not logical in the construction of their Cubes. He could hear the others behind him, dodging laser blasts as they ran.

"Here," Spock called, waving at the others to form a protective half-cercal around him as he knelt and pulled the cover off exposing the main.

Spock had the last vial in his hand when he felt the officer to his right fall into him. Almost immediately there was a sharp pain in his chest that nearly made him drop the vial. Clearly something had gone wrong. Perhaps the Borg had improved their armor penetrating lasers? He would be interested to study the team's Tricorder readings when they returned to the ship. He permitted the ideas for countermeasures to fade as he pulled wires and small pipes out of the way. He quickly attached the toxin to the main pipe. As soon as he was sure it was fully connected he allowing himself to look down at the source of his pain.

There was a large green stain spreading from the upper left side of his chest. A part of his mind noted that he would have a scar in the same area of his chest as Jim. Another somewhat loader part of his mind informed him that the laser would have gone through his heart if he were human. If Jim had taken his place and lead the away team… Spock forced the thought away.

Spock glanced down to see the toxin empty into the system before pulling his Comm. link from his belt. His teammates where shouting. One had his hand pressed into Spock's back, while another held a shield over the fallen officer.

"Mr. Scott, the away team is ready to beam back," Spock said as clearly as he could around a mouthful of blood. "Energize."

The beam numbed the pain for the millisecond that it took to arrive at on the transporter pad before it swelled again to the point that it was nearly impossible to control.

"Mr. Spock!"

"I require medical attention, Mr. Scott," Spock glanced at the engineer's shocked expression, "as dose Ensign Loll."

Spock heard Mr. Scott hail the medics before allowing himself to slip into unconsciousness.

(T_T) Twenty minutes earlier…

Jim fidgeted slightly. Everyone else was working; doing whatever needed to be done. He on the other hand was, temporarily, useless. He could only sit back and watch as the crew worked, at least for the time being.

Normally Jim would be doing something, maybe helping to prepare the assault team or their weapons, he might even have been helping Scotty with the bomb. If it wasn't for his still weak left hand and the freshly torn tendon in his leg he might even be preparing to lead the away team. Not that Spock would have approved of him leaving the ship to fight the Borg face-to-face. Spock had never approved of any of action that might result in him being hurt or killed. That hadn't stopped him before of course, but now… Now he could still help train the away team, help them prepare to face the Borg some of them for the first.

Jim sighed and tapped his fingers quietly on the arm of his chair. It was the quiet that was really getting to him: the calm before the storm. He knew that once the Borg were found and the trap sprung he would be so busy he would wish for boredom. Ok, maybe he wouldn't wish for it but certainly wouldn't have time to feel it.

"Captain?"

"Spock," Jim smiled as he turned to his First Officer, "find anything useful?"

"Indeed, Sir," Spock said. "My team has found a new toxin that will disable a Cube."

"Good work! Will the regeneration alcove delivery system still work of this new toxin or do you need a new one?"

"No, sir," Spock offered his PADD for the Captain to read before folding his hands calmly behind his back. "What my team found is not an single toxin like we have used in the past. Instead this will be a series of chemicals and poisons that when mixed will result in a toxin strong enough to disable a Cube."

"How many ingredients are we talking about?" Jim asked as glanced down at the PADD. The screen was covered in a complicated layered flowchart, which he flicked through quickly.

"Thirty seven," Spock said easily, "However all but the final six stages can be premixed. The remaining six will need to be mix inside the Borg regeneration alcoves' network. The current system will need slight modifications, but will be sufficient for this purpose," Spock sounded a little smug, in a very subtle Vulcan way, which Jim smile.

"How quickly can you do the modifications?" Jim asked.

"A competent engineer should be able to accomplish the needed modifications within eight minutes," Spock replied easily.

"And how long would it take you?" Jim asked teasingly.

"Four point three one minutes," Spock instant reply made Jim laugh a quick low peel. "However, I have sent instructions down to engineering."

Jim grinned up at the older male before moving his hand to the edge of his armrest with deliberate carelessness. He could almost feel the Vulcan's smug happiness along his fingertips like a kiss even as Spock's hands remained folded behind his back.

"And how long," Jim asked calmly twitching his fingers, he didn't want to make his offer to obvious, "will it take for your team to have the toxins ready?"

"My team is working on it as we speck," Spock said calmly letting his hand drift over Jim's in a soft kiss, "They should have the necessary vials ready within then next six minutes."

"So it should all be ready soon? That's good. " Jim said as the kiss made him shiver pleasantly.

"Captain!" Uhura called suddenly, "The T'Met is hailing us, Sir."

Kirk nodded and main view screen flickered and sparked before showing the side ways face of Admiral Pike.

"Jim!" Pike's face was pale and there was a trail of blood long the side of his face. "The Jellyfish was under attack by the Borg. We managed to distract them, but I could really use your help here!"

The view screen flickered as Pike and his crew jerked and fell. The screen sparked and went black.

"Red Alert!" Kirk called, "Chekov, Sulu take us to the T'Met's last know location. But be ready to get us out of their in a hurry if things go south."

"Yes Sir!" Both men called, even as their hands raced over the controls.

Jim felt a brief brush of fingers on his shoulder. He glanced at Spock, who was still standing by his side despite the desperate looking ensign monitoring the Science station.

"Sir," Spock voice was low and urgent, "The most logical course of action is for me to lead a small team onboard the Cube to plant the toxins. I have all the required knowledge to find the most efficient locations to plant the toxins as well as the correct order. Both would be difficult to explain quickly. Additionally, the toxin and delivery system should be ready by the time I have a team assembled and properly equipped."

"Spock…" Jim felt the blood drain from his face.

"It is the most logical option, Captain." Spock's hand brushed over Jim's shoulder a second time, "May I also add that while you would be able to accomplish the same task under normal circumstances, you recent leg injury would make you a liability to the away team should you try to join them."

Jim closed his eyes. He knew all that all ready, but it didn't make hearing it any easier, particularly coming from Spock. From him it was just more salt in the wound. Jim forced his eyes open and pressed the Comm. link on the side of his chair.

"Giotto, have an away team meet Mr. Spock in security room six at…" Jim glanced at the chronometer, "at 430 hours. They will be briefed on the situation at that time."

Kirk waited for his security chef to agree before signings off with a sharp click.

His mouth felt horribly dry but he spoke as calmly as he could to his First Officer, "That should give you just enough time to get the toxin and delivery system before meeting up with the team."

"Thank you Sir," Spock's voice was soft and Jim heard the older male take a few quite steps away from the center chair.

"Oh and Spock?" Jim turned in his chair to look into the Vulcan's dark eyes.

"Yes Captain?" Spock

"Be sure to bring my men safely back with you."

"Of course, Captain."

Kirk forced himself to watch as Spock stepped into the turbo lift and out of sight before turning back to the Bridge. He would take care of the Enterprise and trust Spock to take care of the Borg.

AN: Again I failed at having my updates at a reasonable time. I am so very sorry. I got trapped under the bell jar again. I'm fine as is my family. It's just how my life is… Logan was, as always, most unhappy with this chapter and insisted I not write at all. Silly Logan.

I make no promises about when the next chapter will be up; only that it will be up sometime. Until then, thank you all for commenting, adding this story to your favorites, and whatnot. It all makes my little bunny-heart soar!