Author's Note: Okay, it's been over a year since I wrote anything about Captain Kirk and his crew. I apologize profusely. Please forgive me and read this chapter. (And leave a review.)

Thanks in advance.

Chapter 26

The crew of the Enterprise stood in silence as they waited for the first status report from the first two men touching down on Tylivia. The air was thick with tension as no one dared say anything that may or may not jinx the men and their captain.

After what seemed like forever, one of the men's voices broke through the silence. He announced that the planet, what they had seen so far, was deserted. Even the supply pods had been moved.

"Exercise caution in every move you make," Spock said before disconnecting the line.

"We have to go," Amanda said. "Now," she finished as she stepped forward to the teleporter.

"Indeed," Spock agreed and followed behind her. It only took a quick couple of strides and he joined her.

Spock nodded to Uhura, who appeared to have tears in her eyes.

"Energize," he said in his Vulcan monotone.

Amanda and Spock disappeared in a swirl of lights and energy and soon their four feet were touching down on Tylivia.

"Commanders," one of the young men said, acknowledging their arrival.

Soon, the other dozen members of the thrown-together search party had gathered around them.

"Do we have a plan to follow?" one of the red-shirted men asked.

Spock and Amanda looked at one another. Both of them knew there wasn't a plan. There had simply been no time for a plan. It wasn't a pleasant situation, but they had to wing it the best they could.

Spock never flinched; no emotion crossed through his face. He clearly did not want to be the bearer of that news.

"No," Amanda said. "No, we do not have a plan, per se. But we all know what we came here for. We're the best crew that Star Fleet has got and you'll prove it again."

While the speech wasn't completely convincing, the crew didn't back down.

"We'll find Captain Kirk. Stay in your two-person teams. Make sure to keep in constant contact," Spock explained.

"If you feel like you are in any danger at all, have yourselves beamed up to the ship as quickly as possible," Amanda explained. She didn't want anyone to risk more than they could. But she also knew these people as well as those still aboard the Enterprise, would risk their lives for Jim Kirk, no questions asked and with no hesitation.

The group looked at them with a fierce determination in their eyes.

There was a quick discussion of where the groups should go and soon, Commanders Spock and Williams were headed on the path that Jim had taken off on .

Jim Kirk rolled his neck to try and work out the kinks that had formed in his arms and neck muscles. His arms were chained above his head and the uncomfortable position was beginning to drive him crazy.

It had felt like days that he had been captured, when in fact it was probably only a matter of hours. But he would rather him be here than any one of his crew members.

However, he couldn't just hang around. He needed to come up with a plan and he needed to do it quickly.

Jim tried to survey the room, even in its dimly lit state. He was the only live prisoner. However, he was sure that there were some remains in another corner. He was determined to not be another victim.

Step one: get free from the chains.

Jim tugged on the chains; they were pretty solid. However, they didn't seem to be made from metal, like earth chains. But like earth chains, their hinges weren't breaking open.

Jim mustered all the strength he had and tried to move his legs. After struggling, one of the chains broke free and sent some loose concrete flying. The chain clanked on the floor and created more noise than he had anticipated. Jim decided to risk it and try to pull his left leg from the bindings. He kicked at the chain's connection to the wall with his free foot and soon enough he had loosened it. Now all he need was leverage to get his wrists free.

Before he could try, the door to the crypt opened up, sliding open with purpose. Standing in the doorway was the leader of the Tylivians. He had come to investigate the mysterious sounds.

Jim was stock still as he was looked over cautiously. Hopefully, he wouldn't see the broken bonds laying at his feet.

"Captain Kirk, keep it down. I realize your arms are sore, but you should die quietly, with your dignity and quit interrupting my supper," he said.

"Of course, how dare I interrupt your meal?" Jim asked sarcastically.

The tall Tylivian huffed and exited the room, the door closing behind him.

"Hmmm, friendly," Jim said as he began to work on the bonds on his arms.

"What is the status of the other groups?" Spock asked into his tricorder.

There was silence between him and Amanda as they waited for a response from someone still aboard the Enterprise.

"Spock to Enterprise. What is the status of the other members in the search party?" he asked, his tone reflecting, finally, some of the frantic-ness of the situation.

"Enterprise to Commander Spock. We have lost contact with all fourteen others," Uhura's voice reported to them. Even through the tricorder, you could tell her voice was shaking.

Uhura was terrified that she was going to lose Spock, too. She was a strong woman, but she could only take so much.

"When did you lose contact?" Spock asked, his voice calm and measured once more.

Amanda surveyed him as he spoke. In a sense, she envied his ability to be logical and level-headed all the time. Those were two qualities that she possessed, but rarely had control over them. She has had her fair share of freak-outs and now was threatening to be another of those occasions.

Uhura reported that almost as soon as the groups had split up, something odd had befallen the other crewmembers.

Spock didn't want to distress Uhura any further, so he ended the transmission. They couldn't stand still much longer anyway.

Spock and Amanda began to move once more and she tried to hold her tongue the best she could. Sensing something on her mind, Spock addressed it.

"Are you going to state your query?" he said quietly.

"I'm a little bit scared to," Amanda said. "In fact, I think it wouldn't help one bit to ask my question."

"Probably-"

"You don't use the word 'probably'."

"On occasion, I use words that might reflect the situation better than the most logical response," Spock replied. "And I do not think the crewmembers are dead. If the Tylivians wanted us dead, they would have shot down the Enterprise when we first arrived."

"What do you think they want us for, then, Spock?" Amanda asked.

"I do not know," he replied. "I do not know."

A/N: Please review! Please please please?