Solan had woke up and was kicking the wall again and trying to yell. Cax came in there. "Why don't you be quiet?" he asked.
Solan struggled with the cuffs, but he could not talk. Cax squatted beside him causing Solan to try to lunge at him. He grabbed Solan by the hair and put his blaster barrel under his chin. "I don't wanta kill you, but I will," Cax said. "You're just too good, Solan." He stood and backed up before Solan could kick him. "You won't be so feisty when those Klingons get hold of you." Cax thought if looks could kill, he would drop dead from Solan's glare. "I'll soon have your admiral. He's here already."
Solan pulled hard at the cuffs then and kicked the wall, but he could do nothing as Cax stunned him again. He could not believe he fell for this as he lay there on the floor not completely unconscious. But how many times had he and Cax hung out together? There had never been any indication that he would do this. He had known Cax was shifty and maybe even a little shady, but he would never have thought he would betray them like this.
Jim and Bones walked into the hangar where Cax's ship was. "Be ready for anything," Jim said quietly.
Bones blew out a breath. How did he always get into these situations? He knew the answer to that: he was best friends with James T. Kirk. How many times had he said: I'm a doctor, not a…he had finally stopped saying it because it did no good.
"Hey, Cax!" Jim called as they approached the ship's boarding ramp.
Cax heard Jim and his heart quickened at the thought that he would succeed. He walked on toward the back of the ship. "Come on aboard, Admiral," he said.
Jim and Bones looked at each other and went up the ramp. Cax was waiting for them. "Did you find out anything?" he asked as he headed back to the front of the ship.
Jim and Bones followed him. He wanted them inside the ship. "The bartender said you and Solan left together," Jim said as he was looking around the ship for any signs that Solan had been there.
"We did," Cax said. "But we parted ways of course."
"Did he come to your ship?"
Cax stopped and looked at Jim. "Are you accusing me of something, Admiral?" he asked.
"No. I'm just trying to find out what happened to Solan. He would never leave his ship."
"I know that, but I can't help you." Cax thought as long as he made everything as true as possible, he could get away with it.
Jim did not think Cax was very worried. "Were you drunk last night?" he asked.
"Yeah, I was definitely tipsy."
Jim knew that was a lie because the bartender had said neither of them were drunk…and the bartender had no reason to lie. However, if Cax was guilty, he did.
Cax knew Jim Kirk was dangerous…and intelligent enough to know when something was not right. He just had to figure out the right moment to move. He would have to get Doctor McCoy now too. He knew he could not outdraw Jim Kirk because he had heard about his swiftness.
"Well, what do you plan to do," Cax asked. "I'll help any way I can."
Just then, Jim and Bones heard something in the back of the ship. They looked around, but when they did, Cax drew his blaster. He realized Kirk was about to draw, but he fired a stun bolt at them both. Jim fell and Bones fell right beside him, both wondering how they let him get the jump on them.
Cax leaned over them. "Well, Admiral, looks like you're gonna find out where Solan is right now," he said.
Jim could not move. Cax had betrayed them…
Ajah was trying to find more information about Cax, but it was difficult. He figured Cax was like Solan. They both kept their information private. While he was searching, he received another transmission from Anakin Skywalker.
"Anakin," Ajah said.
"Ajah, where is Admiral Kirk?" Anakin asked.
"He's in New York."
"He is in danger. You have to warn him now."
"In danger of what?"
"I don't know. Just tell him."
Ajah ended the transmission and sent a signal to Jim's communicator. Of course, he did not get an answer…
Cax picked up the two communicators, and he took them to Solan's ship and left them there. As he walked back to his own ship, he actually felt proud of the way he had pulled that off. He supposed the way to get to Jim Kirk was through friendship. He boarded the ship and looked in on his captives. Kirk and McCoy were still out, but Solan struggled with his cuffs.
"Settle down," Cax said "You've got a long trip ahead."
Solan felt like this was all his fault. He nudged Doctor McCoy with his foot. He kept on until McCoy started to move.
Bones raised up but his head hurt. He was also cuffed to the wall. He looked around him and saw Solan. "Solan?" He realized Solan's mouth was taped. "Can you lean over here?"
Solan lay over in the floor and got as close to Bones as he could. Bones tried to reach the tape with his fingers. He finally got the edge of the tape up, and Solan moved to pull it off.
Solan thought that was a tremendous relief. "He's taking us to the Klingons," he said. "I couldn't yell or anything to warn you guys. He tricked me!"
Bones could tell Solan was humiliated and angry. "He betrayed us," Bones said.
Solan pulled at the cuffs. He was furious. "I can't get out of these."
"No need to hurt yourself."
When they were at warp, Cax came back. "Let me out of these cuffs!" Solan demanded. "I'll kill you!"
"Now why would I let you loose so you can kill me?" Cax asked.
"You're gonna wish you were dead if I ever get hold of you!"
Bones had never seen Solan as angry and belligerent as he was right now. "You're not gonna get away with this," he said to Cax.
"By the time they find you, I'll be long gone, and you'll probably be dead."
Cax looked at Jim who was still out. "What's with him?" he asked.
Bones glared at him. "He's a new father!" he said. "Don't you care that he has a family? A new baby?"
"Well, at least she's not old enough to miss him."
Bones wondered if he had ever heard anything that cold. "What happened to you?"
"Maybe this is who I've been all along. I like the challenge of getting away with it."
"You're insane!"
"I'm about to be a rich man."
Bones laughed sarcastically and looked at Solan. "Did you hear that?" Bones asked. "He thinks that chump change is gonna make him rich."
Solan shook his head. "You were paid for working, and I know how much," he said. "That money you're getting will be gone before you know it."
Cax frowned. "It's certainly a start," he said. He went over to Jim and shoved him over onto his back. "Wake up!" He slapped Jim on both sides of his face.
Jim was startled and tried to sit up. He realized his hands were cuffed and then he remembered what had happened. He looked at Cax. "So, you're really going through with this," Jim said.
"No turning back now," Cax replied.
"You could!"
"I don't want to."
"Cax, you know what they're gonna do to us. How can you turn us over to them?"
"Admiral, I never was really part of your group."
"What do you mean?"
"I'd never have the same standing as Solan."
Solan was incredulous. "Is that what this is about?" he exploded. "Jealousy?!"
"Solan worked and proved himself a true friend!" Jim declared. "He would never betray me!"
"You can believe that!" Solan added as he was pulling at the cuffs again.
Cax could see that he would have to incapacitate Solan before he took him out of that hold. Solan was angry enough to overpower him. He supposed that was why Solan had been a bodyguard. "You're making it real hard for yourself," Cax said.
"Let me loose! We'll settle all this right now!"
"I'm just about tired of your taunting."
"Good!"
Jim and Bones were listening to that conversation. They had never seen Solan so angry.
Cax took out brass knuckles and put them on his hand. "You know where I got these?" he asked.
"Wait a minute!" Jim said. "You can't do that!"
"Watch me."
Solan glared at Cax as he approached him. Cax knew how dangerous Solan was…probably almost equal with Mac. Solan got up onto his feet in a squat since his hands were still cuffed. Cax certainly saw no fear in Solan's brown eyes.
"Come on, Coward!" Solan taunted. "Surely you're not afraid of a man who's tied up!"
Cax glared at him. "I'm not afraid of you, Solan."
Solan scoffed. "What are you waiting for then?"
Cax moved toward Solan, but Solan was not going to make it easy. He moved so fast, Jim was surprised as Solan actually kicked Cax. That move served to make Cax even angrier. He tackled him, bringing a wale from Solan as the cuffs almost scraped the hide off his wrists and almost twisted his knee.
"Not so clever now, are you?" Cax asked.
"You gonna beat a man with his hands cuffed!?" Solan asked. "You oughta feel like a real big man!"
Cax had had all the taunting he was going to take. He punched Solan hard in the face. Solan now had blood starting to gush from his nose and mouth.
"Stop!" Jim yelled.
Cax was not finished. He rammed his fist into Solan's side. Then he turned him to the other side and rammed his fist into that side as well. He jerked Solan's head back by the hair. Solan spit blood in his face. Cax punched him in the face again, letting him fall to the floor. "You're not so tough now, are you?" Cax asked.
"Neither are you!" Solan replied.
"Stop it!" Bones said.
Cax glared at him. "You better tell your friend to keep his mouth shut!" He turned and left the hold.
Jim and Bones looked at Solan. "Solan, are you alright?" Bones asked.
Solan laughed and grimaced. "No," he said.
"What did you just keep on at him for?" Jim asked. "What did you think would happen?"
"Don't worry. He didn't break anything." Solan spit blood out in the floor. "Now, he thinks I can't do anything."
"What?" Jim asked quietly.
Solan, as many people knew, always had a stash of weapons and other gadgets. He pulled a small thread in the seam of his jacket and pulled out a lock pick. He sat up trying to hide his pain. He stuck the lock pick into the lock on the cuffs, and he was out in a few seconds.
"Is this guy ever not prepared for anything?" Bones asked.
Solan came over to him and got his cuffs loose and then moved on to Jim. He looked Jim straight in the eyes. "I'm gonna kill him, Admiral," he said.
"No, Solan," Jim replied. "You can't do that."
"Yes I can. I'm tired of all this."
"Solan…"
Jim could not stop him, as Solan moved over to the door of the hold, retrieving a knife from his jacket as he went. Jim's mouth dropped open, and he and Bones looked at each other in surprise. They moved over to the door as well and squatted beside the wall. "What do you intend to do?" Jim whispered.
"He's completely arrogant now," Solan said. "He won't be expecting anything."
"Solan, you can't just kill him."
"What do you want me to do? He wants to turn us over to the Klingons. I'm not ready to be a torture toy for them."
Jim did not think he had ever seen the look in Solan's eyes that he saw now. Before they could say anything else, Solan was out in the corridor. He moved slowly toward the cockpit, and he could see that Cax was there. Solan did not make a sound as he crept down the corridor. He could hear Cax talking over the intercom.
"I'll have the money soon," Cax said. "Tell them it'll be paid soon. I just have this delivery to make. Don't let them put her out."
Solan stopped as he heard that. Put who out of what?
"I can't do anything right now. I'm making a delivery. I promise, we're gonna have enough to pay it and plenty left over."
Solan could not believe what he was hearing. Who is he talking to?
"I love you," Cax said. "It won't be long. I'll call you when I have the money, and I'll transfer it to you right away." There was a pause. "Bye."
Solan frowned. He could feel the handle of the knife in his hand, and he had intended to plunge that knife right into Cax's neck. He had betrayed them…but why? No, there was no excuse for betrayal. He moved closer to Cax, and before he even knew Solan was there, he had grabbed him around the neck and had the blade against his throat. "Don't you move," Solan said. "Now, you tell me who you were talking to just now, and don't even get the idea that I won't kill you. Take off that blaster."
Cax swallowed hard and started unbuckling the belt. "How did you get loose?" he asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
Jim came to the cockpit and got the blaster. He sat down in the co-pilot's seat and set it to kill. "Now, we want some answers," he said.
Cax knew why he had started this, but he had begun liking the challenge and getting away with it. Now, he wondered why he did not just tell Admiral Kirk what was happening in the first place. "I don't want to tell you," he said. "It's none of your business!"
Solan tightened his arm around his neck. "We're making it our business," he said in his ear. "Now, think again."
"Alright," Cax said. "I was talking to my daughter."
"Your daughter?" Jim asked.
"Yes! My wife's ill."
"He's lying!" Solan declared. "You are not married. He's lying just like he has been all this time! He knows how you feel about family!"
Solan dragged Cax out of the pilot's seat and dropped him in the floor. He still had the knife in his hand as he squatted beside him. "Try again," Solan said.
"I'm telling you the truth!" Cax said. "I need the money because she's in a medical facility. I couldn't afford it anymore!"
"You expect us to believe that?"
"Solan," Jim interrupted.
"You're not gonna trust him, are you?"
"We're gonna check out his story."
Solan did not like it but he would not argue with Jim. He looked at Cax. "Don't give me an excuse," he said with a glare. "And where is my blaster?"
"In that bottom compartment," Cax said.
Solan opened the compartment and put his blaster back on. "Stop the ship," Jim said. "And put him in the hold."
"Gladly," Solan replied. He stopped the ship and found they were close to Jupiter. He drew his blaster. "Get up."
Cax just lay there a moment but he got up. Solan escorted him to the hold. Once there, he shoved Cax. "Sit down over there!" he demanded.
Cax faced him. "I was telling the truth," he said.
Solan shoved him into the wall. "You shut up! You can tell that to someone who wants to hear it." He searched Cax and found the brass knuckles, plus a knife. "What else you got? Take off that jacket."
"Not everyone's a lethal weapon like you, Solan!"
"I don't care about your talk. Take off that jacket."
Cax took the jacket off and threw it in the floor. "Boots too," Solan said.
Cax glared at him. "You just hate everybody who can outdo you, don't you?"
"I don't like traitors."
"I'll admit, I did enjoy it, but I did do it for a reason." Cax could see that Solan was still plenty angry.
Solan put his blaster in the holster and then put the brass knuckles on his hand. "Are you gonna take off those boots or am I gonna pay you back some of this pain?"
"Why don't we just have it out once and for all with no weapons?"
"While I'm already sore? You'd like that, wouldn't you? I'm not gonna tell you again to take off those boots."
Cax finally took off the boots. "Now what?" he asked. "You want me to strip?"
"Take off your belt."
Cax glared but he took it off. "Now sit down," Solan said. He put the cuffs on him, cuffing him to the rung. "Now, you can sit there."
Solan gathered up the items Cax had shed and left the hold. Jim was coming that way. "I was beginning to wonder what you were doing in there," he said.
"Just securing him," Solan replied.
"Look, I had already asked Ajah to do a background check on Cax. What he said is true."
"I don't care. He just told me he enjoyed deceiving us. We're supposed to be his friends!"
"Solan, sometimes people do things out of desperation. Sometimes you have to have a little compassion."
"Don't expect me to have compassion! And don't expect me to help or work with him again!" Solan stepped closer to Jim. "No matter how desperate I ever get, I would never betray someone who trusts me! He'll betray you again!"
Bones walked up just then. "He's right, Jim. Even if part of what he says is true."
"That's how bounty hunters work," Solan said. "An element of what they say is true, and it makes everything else seem true or not so bad."
"I know that," Jim replied. "I didn't mean that we should let him go."
Solan looked inside Cax's boot and pulled out a knife." You see?" he asked. He felt inside the jacket sleeve and found a lock pick. "When you're on a ship by yourself traveling through space, you never know what you're gonna run into. You have to be prepared."
Jim knew Solan was always prepared. He also thought Solan had had a difficult life. "I know," he said. "But let's take this a step at a time."
Solan leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry I lost my temper."
"Don't worry about that. Someday, I think you should let Ajah write your life's story."
"I don't want to think back over it, if you don't mind."
"You're a good man, Solan."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Just go to Jupiter station for now," Jim said. "We'll figure out something there."
Solan nodded. He threw Cax's jacket and boots into a corner and then went to the cockpit. Bones looked at Jim. "You have to understand how he feels," Bones said.
"I do," Jim replied. "Go make sure he didn't beat Cax up. He was wearing those brass knuckles when he came out of there."
"Right. I don't have a medical kit."
"I'm sure we can get one on Jupiter station."
Bones went to the hold, keeping his phaser in his hand. Cax sat in the floor cuffed to the rung where Solan had left him. "Did he…punch you or anything?" he asked.
"No," Cax said. "I'm surprised he didn't kill me."
"If Jim had thought he was going to do that, he wouldn't have let him bring you in here."
"How did the two of you get on a first name basis with Jim Kirk?"
"We don't betray our friends."
Cax frowned. "I'd do it again," he declared.
Bones locked the hold as he was leaving. He found Jim sitting in the galley. "Jim, that guy in there can't be trusted," he said. "Solan is right."
Jim thought maybe he should go in there and find out what Cax was saying to the others. He went to the hold. "So, what have you got to say for yourself?" he asked.
"I'll tell you just like I told them," Cax said. "I'd do it again. You're no friend of mine. I needed that money."
"Well, I guess there's no need to try and help you then. I know what to include in my report now."
Jim started to turn and leave. "Wait," Cax said. "What do you mean, try and help me?"
"I thought maybe I would try to get your wife transferred to a facility on Earth to get the care she needs."
Cax was a bit stunned. "You would do that…even after…"
"Yeah, I would. I'm married. I know I would do anything for my wife, or my kids…I wouldn't go to the length you have, but there's no need to hold that against them."
Cax was not sure what to say. "I don't believe you," he said. "You would have done that before if I had asked?"
"Sure I would have. Why wouldn't I?"
"You never forgave Mac. You killed him."
"No, I didn't kill him. He was about to kill me, and one of my friends intervened. If they hadn't, I wouldn't be here right now. And as far as forgiving? Well, he had to pay for the crimes he committed, just like you will. I can't do anything about that."
"I was told that you killed him."
"No. Like I said, he would have killed me, but one of my friends got him first. He didn't have a choice."
Cax shook his head. "I don't know if I believe you," he said.
"Why?" Jim asked. "Because you lie all the time? I'm not lying." He could see Cax did not believe him. "Why do you think I'm lying?"
"In my experience, people always lie."
"But why would I lie now?"
"I don't know. Just get away from me."
"Alright."
Jim left the hold and went back to the cockpit where Solan was piloting the shuttle toward Jupiter Station. He did not say anything as Jim sat down in the co-pilot's seat. Jim looked at Solan who was pretending to concentrate on flying the ship although it was not taking that much concentration at the moment.
"So, are you gonna give me the old silent treatment?" Jim asked.
"No…Sir," Solan replied.
"I just thought I'd say that you may be right about Cax."
Solan looked at him then. "What do you mean? Did he try something?"
"No. But he told me he would do it again if he got the chance."
"You should have let me kill him…but at least he's not the escape artist that Mac was. Cax won't be able to get out."
"He didn't believe me when I said I would have transferred his wife to Earth to a medical facility."
"Well, surely you're not going to do it now."
"Solan, it's not their fault. I can't believe you're that cold hearted."
"No, I'm not. I'm just hurting and I'm still angry."
"You're hurting? I thought you said he didn't break anything."
Solan shook his head. "You think you can get hit with brass knuckles and not have any injuries?" he asked.
"So, you lied to us," Jim said.
"I guess, but I didn't want you to worry about me."
Jim knew he had done the same thing before. "How much longer till we get there?" he asked.
"Maybe an hour," Solan said. "I really am sorry, Admiral. I just kept thinking about what those Klingons would have done to you…and about your family, and I just kept getting angrier."
"It's over now. All we need to do now is get this settled and go home."
Solan leaned back in the seat. He felt sick now. He slumped in the seat as he passed out. "Solan!" Jim said. "Bones!"
Bones came up there and immediately saw what was happening. He looked at Solan's eyes and felt of his forehead. "Jim, he's got fever," he said. He pulled Solan's shirt up, and they were both shocked at the deep bruises. Bones felt of his abdomen, which made Solan groan and almost wake up. "We need to get him onto a bed."
They got Solan out of the seat which brought more groans from him. They got him down the corridor to a bed. He opened his eyes when he was lying down. "Well, how am I doing, Doctor?" he asked sounding out of breath.
"Solan, why didn't you tell us you were hurt this badly?" Bones asked.
"I didn't know I was. I'm not a doctor."
Bones shook his head. "Don't give me that macho answer. You knew something was wrong."
"Admiral, if I…if I die, will you tell Priscilla that I love her and make sure she gets my ship and everything?"
"Don't talk about dying," Jim said. "You're not going to die!"
"Just don't let Cax fool you, Admiral."
"Solan! Look at me! You are not going to die!"
"I'm cold."
They put a blanket over him as he was now shivering. "Bones, do something," Jim said.
"I'll be right back," Bones replied. He hurried to the hold where Cax was. "Do you have any medical supplies on this thing?"
"Why?" Cax asked.
"Don't give me any back talk! Do you have medical supplies!?"
"Sure. There's a crate in the back that should have everything you need. It was left there on my last delivery."
Bones ran over to the back part of the hold and found a loan crate. He got it open and found a medical kit and everything else he would need. He picked up the crate and carried it up to the room where Solan was. "I got supplies!" he said.
Jim helped him sort everything out. "So, what are you gonna do?" he asked.
"I'm gonna save his life. You just get us to that station."
"You mean you don't need my help?"
"Not now."
Jim nodded. He ran up to the cockpit and got the ship moving. It would take even longer to get there now because they had not been moving all that time.
Bones was working fast but efficiently. He got an IV started in Solan's arm and then put him to sleep so he could work. He knew Solan had internal bleeding that had to be stopped or he would not make it to Jupiter Station. He could stop that, but Solan would have to have care at the medical facility there.
By the time they reached Jupiter Station, Solan was not completely out of danger and still had fever, but he was not bleeding to death on the inside. Bones sat beside his bed when Jim came in there. "We're docked," Jim said. "How is he?"
"I think he'll survive," Bones replied. "Jim, you can't let Cax get away with this no matter what his reasons were for his actions. He almost killed Solan."
"I know that, Bones. He's not getting away with anything."
"You stay with him while I get a medical team to come get him."
Jim nodded and sat in the chair beside the bed. He could not help but notice Solan's shallow breathing. He knew Solan had thought he had to go through all this to get them out of Cax's clutches as well. "You didn't have to do this, Solan," he said. "We would have found a way."
Bones soon returned with a medical team to move Solan to the medical facility within Jupiter Station. "Let's take it easy with him now," Bones said as they were about to move Solan over to a stretcher.
Jim stood and watched as they carried Solan out. Now, he had to deal with Cax. He was afraid that would be none too gentle. He went to the hold and stood there a moment, trying not to be too angry as he drew his phaser. He walked into the hold where Cax still sat cuffed. He squatted to unlock the cuffs, but he paused a moment. "I'd advise you not to try anything," Jim said quietly. "I might finish what Solan wanted to start."
Cax knew Jim Kirk meant every word as he stared into those blue eyes. Jim unlocked the cuffs. "Stand up," he said. "And put that cuff back on the other wrist."
Cax just stood there a moment and glared at Jim. "I knew you didn't mean any of that you said," he declared.
"I said, put that cuff on…and keep your lousy mouth shut."
"What happened? Did Solan almost turn up his toes?"
Jim grabbed Cax by the collars and shoved him into the wall. "You better be careful what you say about him just now," he declared. "I might forget protocol."
"I think you've done that plenty of times…Admiral."
Jim knew Cax was just taunting him and trying to get him into a fight. He started to put the cuff on Cax's wrist, but he got his hands away from Jim and punched him hard enough that he stumbled backward. Cax tackled him then and tried to wrestle the phaser from him. Jim knew if Cax got that phaser, he might kill him rather than stun.
They struggled over the phaser causing it to fire into the ceiling. Jim finally was able to throw a punch, but Cax grabbed him by the throat, shoving him into the wall. Jim was not giving up as he kneed him in the groin. That let him get out of his grip, but Cax did not let go of the phaser. He punched Jim so hard, he thought he might have loosened some teeth. Cax managed to get the phaser, and Jim gasped as he saw him about to fire it, but the phaser did not fire. Jim tackled him then, causing Cax to lose the phaser as it skidded across the floor. They both crawled after the phaser but caused it to skid even further as they both grabbed for it.
Jim punched Cax again, but he grabbed Jim by the hair jerking him up from the floor. Jim used that momentum to drive Cax backward, slamming him into the wall but then Cax kicked him backward. Jim hit the floor so hard, he thought he saw stars. He shook his head, but he had no time to recover as Cax was going for the phaser again. Jim scrambled to his feet and lunged for Cax. They were on the floor again and Cax punched Jim to the face again…twice before Jim could move. He was addled for a moment, but Cax jerked him up, kneed him in the groin, and punched him again. Jim collapsed in the floor unable to do anything as he saw Cax grabbing the phaser.
