Cave

As Pike slowly became conscious, he felt the warmth of the nearby fire and counted one, two, three, and … yes, four, distinct voices conversing. That's everyone. He sent a silent thank you out into the unknowable. Their conversation was casual, punctuated here and there with teasing and laughter. He heard movement, but it didn't sound frantic or rushed. All are safe and well, he concluded. A vague memory surfaced of unresponsive arms and hands bound together. He flexed his hands and fingers, stretched his arms and legs. Nothing felt abnormal. Gingerly he sat up and leaned against the wall. A coughing fit left him sagging against that wall and inhaling deeply, trying to draw in a full breath.

Pike opened his eyes. He saw only charcoal grey. So that wasn't a nightmare. He carefully felt around his body, exploring his immediate environment.

"Captain?"

Soprano voice, calm and bright, slight Australian accent. Bonnie.

She placed a cup in his hand and curled his fingers around it making sure it was secure and steady. "It's hot coffee. Drink it."

"How's Tilly?" Pike asked.

"Doing well. You set the broken bones beautifully and there were no complications from her walkabout yesterday."

"And yourself? Detmer and Reno?"

"In one piece and breathing, thanks to you." Bonnie replied.

Pike sipped the coffee. As its warmth spread through his body, his breathing eased, and his lungs filled properly.

"The caffeine stimulates your airways." Bonnie explained. "You have a serious case of pneumonia, but it's under control and your fever is no longer dangerously high."

He rotated his shoulder and rubbed it.

"That's from an unfortunate run-in with a supply cube. It's only bruised," Bonnie said cagily. She sighed with relief when he moved on.

"My sight?"

Bonnie shook her head and then remembered to use words. "Flash blindness caused by the explosion would have resolved by now. An accurate diagnosis is difficult without functioning med scanners. Your hands and face sustained burns, which I have treated, most likely your retina did as well. That treatment requires a well-equipped Sickbay."

Pike also heard what she didn't say. "Prognosis?"

"I'm only a …" Bonnie started.

"Experienced trauma and surgical nurse who graduated at the top of her class at the Academy, who recently completed a post-graduate degree in xenocellular biology, and who also won a Lasker award, the first nurse to do so, for your innovative supportive care methods during the Methurian plague which kept those children alive until a cure and vaccine were developed." Pike finished. "Tell me."

You memorized my file? Lorca didn't remember my name. "Yes, sir. The prognosis is dicey. I believe the odds are only even that you will regain full sight. I'm sorry."

He flashed a dimpled smile, "Even's not a bad place to start, I am halfway there."

She returned the smile, buoyed by his confidence, forgetting he couldn't see it. "Yes, sir."

"Please ask Reno to join us, I want a status report."

"You need rest," she started.

Pike stared at her. That stare. The one the Discovery crew was starting to recognize, the one the Enterprise crew knew well. The one clearly announcing, 'That was an order couched as a request which I am patiently waiting for you to follow … but my patience is not unlimited.'

Bonnie put a shirt in his hands. "Just put it on, I'll explain later."

Reno stood beside her commanding officer, arms akimbo on her hips. She grinned and said dryly, "How refreshing to see you dressed … sir." Tilly giggled nervously in the background.

Slow draw, sarcastic tone. Reno. Concluding he would likely be happier if he didn't understand the meaning of her remark, Pike ordered, exhausting his available air, "Report. Supply status. State of the geometric storm."

"The geometric storm has dissipated, and the local weather has returned to normal. The shuttle was destroyed in the blast. We have supplies for approximately two weeks. Discovery has not yet returned."

"How long? The geometric storm." Pike asked in a clipped breathless tone. He sipped the coffee.

"Precision is impossible without instruments. My best guess is two to four hours ago," Reno replied.

"Then Discovery's return … is at least a day away." Pike sipped again before continuing, this time his voice was almost normal. "Saru's orders were to wait for twenty-four hours … after the disturbance subsided before returning to orbit … start precautionary rationing. Anything else pressing?"

Reno shook her head. Damn, I keep forgetting. She then said. "No sir."

"Very well. Bonnie, when we return to Discovery, please inform Dr. Pollard I behaved and followed your instructions." Pike said lightly as he settled for sleep.

"If, and only if, that indeed proves to be true. Sir." Bonnie answered defiantly and with a slight chuckle.

Pike rubbed his shoulder again, trying to get comfortable. That hurts like hell, what happened?

Later That Day

"Captain?" When there was no response, she called again, "Captain? Time to wake up."

Alto that crescendos up at the end of her sentences. Clear and steady tone even under duress. Detmer. Pike sat up quickly. "Did something happen? Is everyone ok?"

Detmer held out a cup, "No and yes. Bonnie wants you to drink this broth." Oh. She guided his hand to the cup and made sure he was holding it securely. "Sorry, I keep forgetting you can't see."

"You flew that shuttle like a glider, didn't you?" He asked between drinks.

"Ah, yes sir."

"Impressive."

"It was based on your technique. I simply followed your lead."

Pike looked thoughtful and then said softly, "I was at a much lower altitude, in the stratosphere, when I tried it and I was flying in a smaller, more aerodynamic craft. You," he emphasized the word, "You glided that bulky shuttle through all the layers of the atmosphere, without instruments, and landed with the ship and passengers intact. I can count on one hand the number of pilots with the skill to pull off such a maneuver, you and my First Officer on Enterprise included. I am not among them."

"I didn't really do anything … yes you could have sir."

"No and that's OK. You have a unique and rare gift. It's not hubris to acknowledge that. Own it." Point delivered; Pike then grinned. "Indulge me. Tell me all about it. I want to hear every detail."

He looks like a schoolboy with a new toy. Halfway through narrating the tale she thought, how cool is it to be talking with Captain Pike like he is just a fellow pilot?

A Couple of Hours Later

Reno sat next to Pike. "I now have the justification you asked for after I pitched upgrading the warp core coil."

He raised an eyebrow as if needing a reminder of their previous conversation.

"I said, please please, and you said I'm not yet convinced it is necessary." Reno prompted.

"Here, in all your copious spare time, you have worked up a new proposal?"

"Mmmm. Not exactly."

"You are going to suggest I should authorize the maintenance as a reward for your brilliant shield modulations which kept the shuttle guidance system working long enough to get position and bearings despite the geometric storm?" Pike inquired.

"I surprised even myself with that one, but no. That's not it either."

"Do enlighten me." He prompted, wise enough at this point to be wary.

Reno leaned in and described, in precise detail, the tableau greeting her when she entered the cave this morning.

That explains the sore shoulder. And why Tilly is avoiding eye contact. "So in response to my request for a clearer rationale and more information you have chosen blackmail? Am I interpreting the situation correctly?" Pike asked firm tone of voice.

"Spot on, sir."

"And you consider this prudent? To use your leverage over me in this way?"

"I do whatever it takes to get the ship up to my high standards." Reno retorted.

"All photographic and holographic evidence will be given to me and none of it, ever, will reach anyone on Enterprise? Nor will you tell the story to anyone else," he demanded, carefully choosing his words.

"That's the deal." Reno felt a twinge of guilt. It's unfair to out-maneuver Pike when he's not at his fighting weight.

He sighed in resignation. "Very well. Approved."

Twenty minutes later, unable to ignore her conscience any longer, Reno crept back to Pike and confessed, "The tricorders aren't working sir, there were never any pictures."

"Hmmm. I see." He curled his lips in a devilish grin. "No matter, I decided last week to approve your maintenance request." He paused for effect. "It's too bad though, wasting your leverage for a done deal."

Reno mimed tipping her hat, forgetting Pike couldn't see the gesture. "Well played sir."

"Ditto." He then added, "And for the record, I knew you were bluffing ... and teasing me. Though I do relish our sparring matches."

"Always happy to oblige. Feeling better now?"

"Yes. And remind me never to play poker against you."

That Evening

Tilly finally worked up her courage and approached the Captain. "Sir I thought we should talk about well what happened last night I was only trying to help not that I would mind getting up close and personal with you." Damn did I just say that? She chastised herself.

Rushed sentences lacking punctuation. Tilly. "Yes, we should. Thank you. Commander Reno said I was less than cooperative, sorry about that. You were clever, subduing me by tying my hands to the supply cube."

Tilly's eyes grew wide. "I can't believe you jerked it across the floor. That was impressive."

Pike shrugged. "I hate feeling confined and tend to get cranky and aggressive when I do. Well done with the snow packs, Bonnie assures me there is no permanent damage from the high fever due to your efforts."

"May I sit?"

Pike patted the floor beside him. "Yes."

"I was so, so cold and wet, and you were shivering despite the fire. That's why I … I cuddled against you." Tilly explained tentatively.

"I would have done the same. Body heat is one of the best tools for getting warm fast."

"But … for me … I think … there were other reasons too … that I wanted to … be close to you … to feel you in my arms … that perhaps I …" she admitted reluctantly.

"I'm truly flattered." Pike answered in a kind and serious tone. "We've been through a lot together these past few days. Some of it personal and intimate. That will always be part of our history. Feelings are heightened when you are working side by side with another in order to survive. We will talk about all of this once we are back on Discovery … and Dr. Pollard lets us out of her sight."

The joke about the CMO eased the tension and Tilly chuckled nervously. Though maybe its not really a joke, she is going to confine us to Sickbay and deliver multiple lectures. "Yes sir. I apologize …"

"No. Don't. It's going to be OK; I promise." Pike reassured her.

The Next Day

"It's been over twenty-four hours, where are they?" Tilly asked out loud echoing what the others were thinking but loathed to vocalize.

"How close was Discovery to the meteorite when it exploded? Tell me again what you remember." Pike instructed.

"Within 25,000 kilometers." Reno answered first. She hesitated and then plunged ahead, "Close enough to sustain intermediate damage if the shields were failing. If that cascaded or kept them from jumping before exposure to the geometric storm rendered the engines inoperable … well, the worst-case scenario is not outside the realm of possibility."

"The flashpoint and Discovery were both on our horizon." Detmer tapped her forehead in an attempt to refine her memory. "I thought I saw Discovery disappear via the jump drive, but it happened so fast," she finished in a frustrated tone.

"Then let's get organized. Bonnie and Tilly, come up with a rationing plan that stretches our supplies as long as possible. And work on a way to render the local water drinkable. Tilly has several ideas for this, figure out a way to test them. This is by no means an assumption of the worst, but we should search for debris and survivors. Reno and Detmer, set up a search pattern in the most likely areas of impact you can reach on foot based on Discovery's last known position, head in separate directions, search for six hours and then return here."

Twelve Hours Later

Twilight was waning. Reno and Detmer had returned with what all wanted to assume was positive news – they did not find debris from a crashed ship. But then, they had searched only a tiny fraction of the planet. Falling into their familiar routine, Bonnie organized dinner as Reno scouted for kindling and Detmer tended the fire. Pike periodically paced outside the cave, attentively answering Bonnie's check-in calls ensuring he didn't wander too far away, racking his brain for a creative way to send a distress call. Exasperated by the loss of his sight which limited his usefulness, he pushed down growing concern his crew was lost. It was disheartening but his remaining crew on this planet needed grounding cautious optimism, not a commander beset with fear and doubt.

Bonnie gasped when a tall man of Asian-Indian descent, dressed entirely in black including the boots that reached his knees, his long hair tied back with a leather band, wearing a large emerald ring on his index finger, sauntered into the cave, followed closely by a raved-haired, long-legged woman in a navy catsuit. Is that a tail? Next to her stood a Starfleet officer in command gold.

The newcomer bowed slightly to the small woman, "Are you from Discovery?"

"Y.. y… yes," she stammered.

"Where's Pike," he asked looking around.

Hearing and placing the familiar and very unexpected voice, Pike felt his way to the cave entrance. "Hiten?"

The new arrival turned and replied, "At your service as always."

Pike harumphed, amused by the response.

"Captain?" Tilly said and two heads swerved in her direction.

"I don't know how in hell you found us, but as always, you have uncanny timing. I am pleased you have managed to stay out of jail. Everyone, this is Hiten. In this sector, on the rim of Federation space, where rules are ignored, where Starfleet's presence is rare, where exploitation is rampant, where families, who cannot afford passage, eke out a meager and desperate existence generation by generation, Hiten of Vayu is the modern-day incarnation of Robin of Locksley … A thief … but a thief with standards."

Hiten countered in his Oxford accent, "I prefer to think of myself as a wealth redistributor. Christopher, I jettisoned a small fortune to come save your ass. So let's get off this rock and discuss my commission."