I hope you are all enjoying reading the story. I'm afraid chapters might be slower now since I am about to start another college class, but I will keep them as constant as possible. miss37
As soon as they were docked aboard the Enterprise, Doctor McCoy was taken to the medical bay. He wanted to see Jim, but he had to have his own medical care first. Solan came to the bed where Bones lay. "Good to see you back," Solan said.
"It's good to be back," Bones replied. "Have you been recovering?"
"Yeah. Orders of the captain."
"Hey, that's an accomplishment."
"So, what did they do to you?"
"Well, he used me for a punching bag, and then hoisted me further up into that tree and then cut the rope." Bones frowned. "A broken leg. I don't know what else."
"We couldn't find you. I just wish I hadn't fallen for that ruse Cax performed."
"You couldn't have known all this would happen."
"I should have known. I usually know when I'm being fed a line. Why didn't I know? Am I losing my senses?"
"Stop that. None of this is your fault," Bones declared. "We fell for it too, you know. We weren't sure he was guilty of anything and we let him get the jump on us. And well, we got out of that, but then we were taken by an admiral in Starfleet! You certainly can't blame yourself for that."
"Jim is hurt bad, Doctor," Solan said seriously.
"That's what I hear."
Bones' injuries were soon mended enough that he could sit up, and his broken leg was mended, so he was in a repulsor chair and was taken to Jim's bed. He looked at the wound which looked horrible, to say the least. He looked at the scans.
"I took care of his broken arm as well as the other injuries," Doctor Grant said.
"I see," Bones replied. He looked at his own hands which shook slightly. He was not well enough to perform such a surgery. "You're going to do this surgery."
"But, Doctor…"
"No buts. I can't do it, but I'm gonna tell you what to do."
"Yes, Sir."
"Let's get ready for this. It's gonna take a while."
Spock was in the conference room with Korax and Uhura, and they also had Chancellor Gorkon on the monitor with Grakar. "It is obvious that they have some sort of plan," Spock said. "Why would they allow us to recover Doctor McCoy without incident?"
"It is a good question," Grakar replied as he paced.
"The only reason that is logical is that they want Admiral Kirk to recover."
"Why would they want him to recover? All Omakh has wanted was to kill Admiral Kirk."
"No. That is not his only goal. He wants to take over as chancellor. He did not want to be killed or captured in the fight over Jim. I believe that is why he ran. I also believe he has formed another plan."
"You think he intends to capture Admiral Kirk again? How would he accomplish this?" Chancellor Gorkon asked.
"I do not know, but it is logical. His actions so far have not made sense."
"Unless he is just a coward," Korax said. "J'stalla is no longer at the abode. She has escaped with him. Perhaps it is best if you leave Klingon space and get the admiral back to Earth. He would be safer there. The Klingons can handle this battle."
"I do not believe he will attack again without his bargaining chip," Spock said. "He intended to use Jim to make the chancellor surrender. Therefore, it is illogical to believe that he would attack now."
"But it doesn't make any sense that he would do this," Uhura disagreed.
"We could wonder all day what his plan is and never figure it out," Gorkon said. "We shall just have to wait and be ready. He will not take over this Empire. Do you have all the supplies you require?"
"We do, Chancellor," Spock replied. "Thank you. I will consult with Doctor McCoy before we start our journey."
"Korax may accompany you to Earth if he wishes."
"He is welcome."
Spock ended the transmission. He was not certain what course of action to take. "If they do not intend for us to go back to Earth with Admiral Kirk, it is logical to believe that if we try to leave Klingon space, they will attack. The restored communications are an indicator that they want us to make a plan."
"This gets worse all the time," Uhura said.
"Return to the Bridge and monitor all communications."
Uhura nodded and headed for the Bridge. Spock believed they were in a desperate and dangerous situation, but it was unclear what Omakh's intentions were. "I will talk with Doctor McCoy," he said.
Korax followed Spock to the medical bay where the two doctors were still performing the surgery on Jim. "Not now, Spock," Bones said quietly. "This is a very tedious surgery."
"I only have one question, Doctor," Spock replied.
"Ask it quietly and quickly."
"Will it interfere with this surgery if we move the ship?"
"Absolutely. This ship needs to stay right where it is until we're finished here."
"Yes, Doctor."
Spock and Korax turned and left the medical bay. "We will simply have to watch for cloaked ships," Spock said.
"How will you detect them?" Korax asked.
"I do not know. However, there is one aboard this ship who may know."
Spock took out his communicator. "Mister Gordon."
"Yes, Sir," Gordon answered promptly.
"Meet me in the conference room."
As Spock ended that transmission, his communicator beeped. "Spock here," he answered.
"Spock, we have a message from Earth," Uhura said. "It's from Carol. She wants to know where Admiral Kirk is and how he's doing. She also asks why he hasn't contacted her."
Spock stopped a moment but then he continued on to the conference room. "Did you answer her?" he asked.
"No. I thought I'd tell you first."
"Tell her that he will contact her as soon as possible…that we have run into a few problems."
"Are you sure we shouldn't tell her he's injured?"
"I will leave that up to your discretion. I must meet with Mister Gordon."
Spock ended that transmission and walked into the conference room. Artemus Gordon arrived a few minutes later. "Mister Gordon, have you had any luck with the scanners?"
"No Sir," Gordon answered. "Although right now they're working."
"Can you reconfigure them to detect a cloaked ship…much like you reconfigured them to detect a cloaked person?"
Artie thought about that. "I don't know," he said. "I never thought of that."
"Would you try, please?"
"I'll get right on it, Sir."
Artie left the conference room. He remembered how they had reconfigured the shields, but he had had Mister Scott there to help him, as well as Mister Sulu. He supposed he would have to do it himself this time. He could reference what they had done the last time. However, he was not sure the cloaked ships used the same technology as the device they used in their electro-suits.
After an hour, Bones and Doctor Grant were done with the surgery. "You did a fine job," Bones said.
"Thank you, Doctor," Grant replied.
"Now, we just have to do everything else we can and let the natural healing take effect."
They closed up the wound and made sure there was no more hemorrhaging, and then Bones woke Jim up. He opened his eyes and just stared at the ceiling for a moment but then he realized he was in the medical bay.
"How do you feel?" Bones asked.
Jim looked at him. "Bones? You're alright."
"Yeah. So are you."
"How did we get out of there?"
"I don't know how you got out, but I was rescued by Spock, Uhura, and a bunch of Klingons."
"What?"
"We're still in orbit around Kronos, Jim."
"Why? What's happening?"
"I don't know, but Spock is even uneasy about it."
"Where is he? Can I get up?"
"No! You certainly can't get up. You just had major surgery."
"I did?"
"Yeah. You had a kut'luch in your gut. Remember?"
Jim considered that. "I don't know," he said.
"Well, I'm sure it'll come back to you once you get over the shock of massive blood loss."
"So, what is Spock planning to do?"
"I don't know. I've been in here repairing your insides for over an hour…or at least, Doctor Grant and I have been. Now, I have to get some rest too."
Bones got onto the bed nearest Jim's and lay down. He sighed as he was glad that surgery was over. He was soon asleep himself.
Jim had no intention of going back to sleep yet. He was groggy, but he wanted to know what was happening. "Doctor Grant," he said. "I need a communicator."
"Yes sir," Doctor Grant replied.
He brought Jim a communicator and he called Spock…
Spock was sitting in the captain's chair watching space when his communicator chirped. "Spock here," he answered.
"Spock," Jim said.
Spock almost stood up. "Admiral, it is good to hear your voice. Are you feeling well?"
"Well, not exactly, but I wanta know what's going on."
"We are not certain what is happening. However, with your permission, we will leave Klingon space."
"You've got it. What happened with Omakh?"
"He escaped, and his mate is gone as well. I fear he is planning something else and the longer we are here, the more danger we face."
"Is Chancellor Gorkon safe?"
"Yes, Admiral."
"So, Omakh just let you get Bones out?"
"It was a strange mission. There was only one guard at the cave and no other resistance. Admiral, if I may say so…it was as though they wanted us to rescue him."
Jim scowled at that. "Why?"
"I do not know. I am quite perplexed."
"So am I."
"Carol contacted us asking about you."
Jim frowned. "What did you tell her?" he asked.
"Uhura replied to the message," Spock said. "I do not know the contents of the message."
"Well, I supposed I should try and contact her. Are communications working now?"
"They were a few minutes ago. Mister Gordon is working on a way to detect the cloaked ships."
"Really? Keep me informed, will ya?"
"Yes, Admiral."
"Kirk out."
Jim ended that transmission. He was not sure what to make of all that information. Why would Omakh let them have Doctor McCoy? Jim looked at Bones lying on the bed sleeping. He did not believe it was to track him because they knew where the Enterprise was. He remembered the time Totrak had captured him and had also taken Doctor McCoy to tend to his injuries. Was that his reasoning now? If it was, what was his angle?
Jim decided he had to get out of this bed…but first, he had to contact Carol. He opened a channel on the communicator. "Uhura."
"Yes, Admiral," Uhura answered.
"Can you contact Carol for me? I'll take it here."
"Yes, Sir."
Jim waited and soon, he heard Carol say, "Jim?"
"Yes," Jim said.
"Jim, I was so worried about you."
Jim could hear the worry in her voice…and he thought she was crying. "Are you crying?"
"Yes, because I feel like it."
"I'm okay. We're still in Klingon space."
"What? I thought you were at Jupiter Station."
Jim paused a moment. He had thought Uhura told Carol everything. "Well…uh, we are at Kronos now."
"How did you get there?"
Jim thought he should have read that message Uhura sent before he made this call. "That's a long, complicated story. Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine. Joy is fine. We're just missing you."
"I know. I miss you too. But I'm okay."
"Jim, you're not telling me all the truth."
"I promise I'll tell you everything when I'm home."
Jim waited for her reply but did not hear anything. "Carol?"
Carol had heard Jim's sentence cut off in the middle. "Jim?" She tried to contact the Enterprise again without success…
Jim called Uhura. "What just happened to the signal?" he asked.
"Admiral, we're being jammed again," Uhura said.
Jim sat up, trying to ignore the pain in his side. "From where?"
"I'm not sure."
"Kirk out."
Jim got off the bed grabbing his side as he stood up. He felt a little lightheaded and dizzy but that subsided slightly. He realized he was wearing what he would call a hospital gown. Just then, Doctor Grant came around the corner. "Admiral!" he exclaimed. "You shouldn't be up!"
That outburst awakened Bones. He got off the bed he was lying on. "What do you think you're doing?" Bones asked. "Get back on that bed!"
"Bones, we're being jammed again!" Jim said.
"What? That has nothing to do with you! You're not the captain anymore. Jim, you had a serious injury. Get back on that bed!"
Jim did not want to cooperate with them, but he supposed they knew more than he did. "I want my clothes on," he said. "Something is happening."
"Fine, but you get back on that bed."
"Get me something to wear…now, Bones! I should have something left on this ship."
"I'll get it." Bones looked at Doctor Grant. "Keep him on that bed…if you have to sedate him."
Jim glared at him slightly. "That's insubordination, Bones."
"I don't care. We're trying to save your life!"
Bones left the medical bay to find some clothes for Jim. Jim called Spock. "Spock, what is going on?" he asked.
"I am not certain," Spock answered.
Just as Spock said that four Klingon ships de-cloaked. "Admiral, four Klingon ships just de-cloaked," he said.
Jim sat up again. "Can we get out of here?" he asked.
"We were just about to do that, but they are blocking our exit route."
"Then get around them!"
Jim heard nothing but silence. He supposed Spock was busy. "I can't stay in here like this," he declared.
"Admiral, Doctor McCoy said…" Doctor Grant began.
"I know what he said!" Jim stood up, holding his side. "I need some clothes right now!"
Moments later, Bones came through the door with one of Jim's uniforms. "Get back on that bed!" he said.
"Give me my uniform! That's an order!"
Bones knew when he had pushed Jim too far. He gave him the uniform. "You could cause ruptures in those repairs we made, Jim!" he said. "Don't you understand that?"
"I understand it, Bones, but I also understand that we're surrounded by Klingon warbirds!"
Bones had not known that, although he had heard the red alert. "What are they planning to do?" he asked to no one in particular.
Jim started getting into his clothes. "Whatever it is, it can't be anything good," he said. He grunted slightly at the pain in his side.
"Jim, you have to be careful with that. You know the natural healing has to…"
"I know, Bones…and I thank you for taking care of me…both of you."
When Jim was dressed, he left the medical bay followed by Bones, and Solan joined them in the corridor. As they were on their way to the Bridge, the ship was rocked by fire from the warbirds. They made it to the Bridge where they could plainly see the warbirds through the viewscreen.
Jim just stood there a moment, and then the ship was rocked again. He heard Lieutenant Jarvis say, "Shields at forty percent!"
Spock was giving orders to fire on the warbirds. "Target their weapons systems!" he commanded. "Fire at will!"
Jim watched as the fire from the Enterprise hit the warbirds, but they were maneuvering to thwart the actual targets. The Enterprise was hit again, and Jim was almost knocked off his feet. Spock noticed Jim standing on the Bridge then. "Admiral, do you have any suggestions?" Spock asked.
"Target their shields," Jim said. "And then target the propulsion systems. If they can't move, we can get out of here and away from this battle. Target the nearest ship!"
"You may have the command chair, Admiral," Spock said, hoping Jim would sit down.
Jim barely heard what Spock said as the ship was hit again. "Sir, the shields are down to fifteen percent!" Jarvis said.
Jim sat in the command chair, grimacing slightly but he pressed the intercom button. "All security personnel, be ready for intruders!" he said, his voice echoing through the ship.
"Admiral, I will join the security effort," Spock said. "You may have command of the ship."
"Spock, I think they're planning to get aboard this ship. They're targeting the shields. You remember…"
"Yes, Jim. We will be ready for them this time."
"Be careful."
Jim looked out the viewscreen. "Okay, Lieutenant, try to maneuver around them and get us out of here," Jim said.
"I'm trying, Sir," Jarvis replied. "But they seem to anticipate our movements."
All four of the warbirds fired at the Enterprise at the same time, and the ship shuddered. Jim held his side as he was jolted forward. "Shields down, Sir!" Jarvis reported. "We're sitting ducks!"
Jim pressed the intercom button. "Security, prepare for imminent attack! Shields are down!"
Spock heard that announcement. He had retrieved a phaser rifle from a weapons locker and was waiting to see where the Klingons would transport to. He was not far from the Bridge, which he thought would be the logical place for them to target.
Jim stood watching out the viewscreen to see what would happen next, but they received a transmission. "On screen," he said.
Omakh appeared on the screen. "Admiral Kirk!" he said. "Your ship is disabled! Surrender!"
"Never! End transmission!"
Omakh disappeared as quickly as he had appeared on the screen. "Are weapons operable?" Jim asked.
"No, Sir," Jarvis replied. "We're losing power."
"Then we'll just have to fight."
As Jim stood up, he knew he was in no condition to fight, but he was not going to be taken easily this time. "Lieutenant, you have the Bridge," he said.
Uhura stopped him as he was about to leave the Bridge. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"I'm gonna get a phaser rifle and I'm gonna fight like everyone else."
"But Admiral, you were badly wounded."
"I'm not gonna sit around while those Klingons kill people on this ship looking for me."
"Well, there's nothing for me to do on this Bridge. I might as well fight too. But don't you think that if you're what they're wanting, they shouldn't get you?"
Jim thought about that. "They won't, but I have to fight like everyone else. I'm not hiding."
Solan was beside Jim as well as Bones. "We'll go with him," Bones said.
"Uhura, get weapons for everyone on this Bridge," Jim said. "If they get on this Bridge, fight."
"Yes, Sir," Uhura replied.
Just as they were about to leave the Bridge, several Klingons appeared on the Bridge. Jim watched in horror as four people on the Bridge were killed. "Stop!" he yelled but Solan grabbed him by the arm and shoved him into the turbo lift. Bones went in with him, but Solan grabbed his blaster off his side and hid behind a console.
"We can't just leave them!" Jim exclaimed.
"We have to get weapons!" Bones said.
They got to the next level and grabbed weapons out of a weapons locker. Jim had only had the phaser rifle ready for a few seconds when two Klingons appeared around the corner. He fired at both of them, and Bones did as well. Then they ran around the next corner. Jim found it hard to run as his side protested that movement, and his body had certainly not regained all its strength.
Bones turned into the medical bay, and Jim followed him. "Why are we coming in here?" Jim asked.
"You'll see!" Bones replied. "Come on!"
The medical bay was mostly abandoned as they ran through but there was one nurse left in there. "Come on!" Bones said. "There are Klingons coming!"
Bones went around the next corner and opened the air vent where he suddenly remembered a whole slew of tribbles pouring out when they had the tribble trouble. Fortunately, there were no tribbles there today. They all crawled into the vent, and Bones secured it from that side. "Where are we going, Bones?" Jim asked.
"We're gonna find our way back to the Bridge."
"I hope you know where you're going."
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be doing this."
They followed Bones, Jim wondering how he knew where this tunnel went. Did he have an escape plan? They crawled around the vent until they came to Engineering and looked out. There were Klingons in there. "Now what?" Jim asked.
"I was hoping we could get to the access tubes here and get to the Bridge," Bones replied.
"They're probably guarding those access tubes, and most likely monitoring them. Doesn't this vent go to the Bridge?"
"I'm sure it does."
"Well, that's where we need to go then."
They headed back the other way and found their way to the Bridge. As they looked out, they could see that the Klingons had taken over the Bridge…and they had also captured Spock. "You will tell me where Admiral Kirk is," Omakh said.
"I will not," Spock replied.
"Then you will suffer great pain."
"Vulcans embrace pain."
Jim thought if Omakh wanted to intimidate Spock, he was in for a big surprise. "What do we do?" Bones asked.
"We'll see what happens," Jim whispered. He could see that Omakh was truly angry. He winced as Omakh slapped Spock, who simply stood there.
"Jim, you can't go out there."
"I'm not gonna let him kill Spock, Bones."
"If you go out there, everything we have all fought for will be lost."
"Not if we win."
Jim punched in the code for the lock on the vent cover. It beeped softly as it unlocked. There were five Klingons on the Bridge…Jim suddenly remembered that Solan had been on that Bridge. Where was he now? "Where's Solan?" he whispered.
Bones frowned as he looked out. He did not want to speculate about that. "What are we about to do?" he asked. "Go out with guns blazing?"
"What else do you suggest?"
"Just jump in the middle and hope we can work our way out?"
"That's the idea."
Bones rolled his eyes at that. "Well, what if we don't come out of it this time?" he asked.
"Then, no one can say we didn't try. Right?"
Bones frowned. "Right."
Jim kicked open the vent and jumped out onto the Bridge, not knowing whether he would live to even fire one shot, but he was determined…
