Stardate: 1872.49. Enterprise, in orbit around Upothas II

Captain's log, supplemental. We haven't heard from the landing party for over eight hours. All talks with the native population have come to a dead end. They seem to possess the technology of 21st century Earth but not the sociological development to be expected of a space-faring civilization. A storm is set to sweep over the area in four hours. It is our last chance to retrieve the members of the Enterprise crew before then…

"Bridge to Captain Pike!"

Pike jumped slightly at Una's voice. He hadn't expected her on the bridge in the middle of the night. As he was about to chastesize her for pulling a double shift, his eyes caught the dim display in the corner of the screen. 0800 hours. He hadn't slept. Again.

It had been almost a year since Discovery had left for the future. A year since he had known his own. A year full of sleepless nights. He could distract himself during the day easily. But at night, the visions he had on Boreth always came to haunt him. He had tried to dismiss them at first, almost convincing himself that this future couldn't be real. No one could see the future. It wasn't set in stone but shaped by every decision he'd ever made and would ever make. He had spent hours, laying in the dark, going over the incident, running every possible scenario in which he would save the cadets and himself. But his own arguments sounded hollow. Deep down, he knew that what the crystal had shown him would come to realize. It was only a matter of time, which Pike had decided to spend on his mission of exploration. This decision had led the Enterprise to Upothas II.

The Enterprise picked up a signal directed to outer space. As per protocol, they had investigated the technological level of the planet before entering the system. After all, Earth in the latter part of the 20th century had sent such signals in space, hoping for first contact. The Vulcans had waited for the first warp flight, now a standard first contact protocol throughout Federation space.

But what they had managed to gather from scans of the planet had left his anthropology team perplexed, if not concerned. The signal was coming from a settlement near the highest mountains on the southern continent. However, the humanoid species living in the settlement were no more advanced than Middle Ages Europeans with access to more advanced technologies. As Dr. Kayla had expressed to him two days ago: "I very much doubt they know they're broadcasting this signal. They barely know how to use the tools on their planet."

Although it was an unusual situation, it wasn't without precedents in the annals of Starfleet: displaced population from one world to the other who's lost the know-how over generations, or, more concerning, an alien species giving the local population access to this technology. And it never ended well. Therefore, it was Starfleet's duty to investigate the situation. Dr. Kayla had assembled a small landing party consisting of herself, another anthropologist on her staff, two engineers and at Pike's insistence, two security officers. Enterprise had lost contact with the landing party within fifteen minutes of their arrival. Dr. Kayla's last report made reference to some rocks, asking for a sample to be beamed back. The sample was currently in his most trusted science officer's hands, but even Spock couldn't fathom why Dr. Kayla had insisted on beaming a piece of limestone back.

An hour later, the Enterprise had received a communication from the Council of Elders informing the Enterprise that its crew members had trespassed on sacred ground and would be sentenced to death in the morning. Since then, Pike had tried to reason with the Elders but to no avail. Their most sacred texts didn't leave room for interpretation of their laws. As a Starfleet Captain, he was bound by the Prime Directive and its non-interference clause. But they had already interfered and he was bound to also respect the unspoken Starfleet promise: no one should be left behind. His crew was expecting a rescue and he would be damned if he wasn't going to provide one. The transporters were out of the question: wherever his crew was being held, his chief engineer couldn't get a lock on them. But if they were out in the open, he could have them beamed back to safety quickly.

"Pike," he answered tersely.

"The Council is hailing us, Captain."

"Patch is through my reading room." He ordered before running his hands over his face. He was exhausted but he needed all his acuity to get his crew out of their predicament. As soon as he heard the whistle signaling he was connected, Pike stood up and addressed his invisible interlocutor. "Elder, thank you for your time."

"Christopher," The voice started. "You are hereby informed that your crew will be executed in one hour, as per our customs."

Pike winced but held his tongue. "It is our customs to prepare our people before their death." He said quickly. "Please, allow us to come to your village."

The silence on the other end of the communication device was deafening. Establishing any rapport with the Elders had been difficult but Pike hoped he had made enough progress to send a rescue party to the planet. "Very well, Christopher." The Elder finally relented. "You will be allowed to prepare your people to meet the great V'r'ch".

Pike let out a small breath of relief. "Thank you. We will be arriving in the next ten minutes."

"You are that close to our village?"

Pike didn't miss the slight tremor in the Elder's voice. They had evidence that the villagers could use electricity and they had managed to contact the Enterprise using the landing party's communicators. But he couldn't recall mentions of transportation besides horses and carriages. Damn. Stupid mistake. Pike admonished himself. "We are close by." He answered evasively.

The answer seemed to appease the Elder. "Come to the South Gate. In the name of our sacred texts."

"In the name of our sacred texts." Pike responded in kind. They didn't know much about their culture but it had seemed to be the standard goodbye. Spock had hypothesized that different villages lived by different laws, much like 20th century Earth but that each village was held to their own laws and traditions. The Elder would allow the rescue party to enter the village because Pike had convinced him that he was living by a set of rules that would prevent him from interfering with the justice carried out in the village.

As soon as the communication with the village terminated, Pike started an intra-ship call. "Pike to Boyce. I need one of your medical officers to meet me in the transporter room in five minutes."

"Acknowledged," came Boyce's answer.

"Pike to Lieutenant Spock. Meet me in the transporter room at once!" Spock's answer was swallowed by the whooshing sound of his ready room's doors.

"You are not going down there." Una crossed her arms across her chest. "I'll lead the mission."

"Not this one, Una." Pike opened a drawer to retrieve his phaser, a tricorder, and a small emergency rations pack.

"Chris, I'm not letting you go down there. Not in this state."

The captain turned around, angry at his First Officer. "I'm fine."

"You haven't slept in days. If not months. You're irritable and far more reckless than usual."

"You're out of bounds, Commander!" He yelled back at her.

"Am I?" She asked in a calm tone, contrasting with the state her captain was in. Whatever had been bothering Chris for most of the year was literally eating at him. Boyce had tried many times to have Pike report for a thorough psychological evaluation but the captain had managed to weasel himself out of every appointment. Frankly, they were both concerned and if it were not for their loyalty to their captain, they would have reported Pike's erratic behavior to Starfleet Command months ago.

Pike took a deep breath before answering his first officer. "It's a first contact mission. It falls under the Captains' prerogative."

Una shook her head. "It's a lie and you know it."

"I need to do this." Pike started in a more conciliatory tone. "I'll be careful."

Una assessed her captain quickly. There was no point in trying to change his mind and risking antagonizing him further. Truth be told, he was a far better diplomat than she was, even in his current frame of mind. "Fine. But under one condition. Once you're back, you're reporting to sickbay for that evaluation. Or Boyce will have no choice but to relieve you from command."

"I promise." He answered sincerely. At the very least, Boyce could prescribe him some sedatives. As much as he hated to admit it, Una was right. He needed to sleep. Enterprise deserved her captain at his best, not the shell he had become. "Have three security officers meet me in the transporter room." He added before jogging towards the nearest turbolift.

Una sighed in frustration. She had a bad feeling forming at the pit of her stomach. It took all of her self control not to alert Boyce and have Pike taken to sickbay. "Una to Boyce. I'm on my way to you. We need to talk."

STSTST

When Pike entered the transporter room, Spock and three security officers were going over weapons and their survival kits. Would the operation not work out as expected, the kits would allow the landing party to survive for up to two weeks on the planet.

One of the new science officers whose name escaped Pike at the moment was handing out long tunics, replicas of the natives' clothing. Pike grabbed his and started going over his own supplies.

"Captain!" Lieutenant Br'tar greeted. Originally from Mason III, he was built like a literal brick wall. His species' skin had evolved to withstand the harsh glass winds on their planet. The higher gravity on Mason III also contributed to its inhabitants' unusual strength. There were few Masonians in Starfleet, but all of them were in security.

"Lieutenant." Pike answered back. Ensigns Landais and Johnson completed the away team. Freshly arrived on the Enterprise at their last stop, the young ensigns had already proven that they could be relied upon and Pike felt a sense of relief at having them on the landing party. Una may not have approved of his choice to lead the mission but she had made sure they had a fighting chance.

The doors opened to let the medical officer in, the last member of the landing party. Pike clenched his jaw as soon as he saw Dr. Alathea Mayweather. He shouldn't be surprised at Boyce's choice. After all, Mayweather had joined the Enterprise for precisely these kinds of mission. She was a field expert, ready to administer first aid on the ground. But he was nonetheless angry at his friend for selecting this particular field doctor.

Without so much as a greeting, Pike put on his tunic and climbed onto the left pad. The security team followed behind him, their hands discreetly on their phasers. Sensing the tension in the room, Spock chose the middle pad, buffering the air between his captain and their doctor.

Hiding her emotions under a mask that would have made a Vulcan proud, Alathea took the last spot, trying her best not to have a look at Pike. The bags under his eyes and his irritability confirmed what little Boyce had told her over the comms. The captain hadn't slept in days. She implicitly trusted Pike to lead this mission with his usual professionalism but if Boyce didn't relieve him from command after this mission was over for a complete psychological workup, she would do it herself.

"Energize." Pike ordered the ensign standing behind the transporter's console.

They materialized seconds later on the path leading to the south gate of the village. "Br'tar, Mayweather, you're with me. Spock, Landais, Johnson, establish an escape route for transport." Pike ordered. He wasn't about to expose this culture to transporter technology if he could avoid it.

"Aye, Sir." The officers answered.

Alathea looked at the snowy mountains and the storm brewing above them. "How long do we have?"

"About three hours." Spock responded. "Two to be safe."

Alathea nodded at the science officer. "Hopefully, we'll be out in one." She added before following the captain and the security officer towards the village.

"What's your strategy?" She asked as she came behind Pike.

"None of your concern. You're here to provide medical assistance, if required."

Alathea rolled her eyes. This man was not the Christopher Pike she had known. "It would help follow your lead if we know what your lead actually is." She hissed back. She was treading on thin ice considering the captain's mood but several lives were at stake. And right now, she couldn't fathom why Number One hadn't led this mission.

Biting another remark, Pike answered. "We'll tell them that our rituals require preparation in the sun. Once the science party is out, we will try to make a run for it. If we can't, we'll have Enterprise transport us back from the village."

Alathea nodded. It was a risky plan but the only one available to them. "Alright, I'm assuming you will be speaking to them about our newfound religious movement."

Pike rolled his eyes sideways, a familiar gesture to show his amused annoyance. "Unless you want to do the honor." he gave her the ghost of a smile.

Alathea threw her hands in the air. "Oh no! I wouldn't want to miss the show." Although Chris' father had been the one teaching her comparative religion, she knew Pike himself was an atheist. It was one thing to provide a critique of religions, yet another to create one out of thin air.

"Hold!" They were ordered by the sentinels at the gate.

Pike raised his hands up and encouraged his party to do the same. "We were invited by your Elders."

The man closest to them approached them slowly, his bow and arrow pointed at Pike. "Follow us." He finally said, leading the way inside the village.

The landing party couldn't have been less prepared for what they saw. It was an eclectic composition of early 20th century technology of cars mixed with horses and carriages. Some villagers had bows and arrows like the guard they were following while others carried guns. The plain clothes they were wearing contrasted sharply with the more elegant dresses and suits worn by the women and men in the combustion vehicles.

Pike bit his lower lip. They hadn't been able to scan the village effectively. Whatever stone they were using disrupted their scans. Most of their knowledge about the planet had come from the isolated homes in the fields. And clearly, they were only telling one side of the story. Pike and Br'tar exchanged a concerned look. Could they even beam out from inside the village? They had originally thought that the interference would only be problematic inside the structures but not in the open areas. The fact that they had missed this important facet of the planet's civilization told them that their hypothesis was wrong.

Pike's fears were confirmed a few minutes later as they entered a large plaza at the center of which his first landing party had been kept. They had been out in the open and Enterprise hadn't been able to pick up their life signs. The landing party wouldn't be able to beam back unless they clear the village. Pike closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Greetings." He addressed who he believed to be the Council of Elders.

"And greetings to you, Christopher." The Elder pointed to the landing party. "You are now authorized to prepare your people for their death."

Alathea waited for her captain to make the first move. But Pike hadn't expected this turn of events. There was no plan B and Chris was far too exhausted to think quickly on his feet. "Elder," she began, "May I approach the prisoners?"

"You may do so…"

"Alathea." She supplied.

"You may do so, Alathea."

The doctor approached Dr Kayla and kneeled in front of her on the ground. She took the woman's hands in her own and placed her forehead on hers, as if in a prayer. "Run." Dr. Kayla said between clenched teeth. "I know why you're here. You cannot save us."

Alathea closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. The anthropologist was right. If they acted, all nine of them would die. "Can you run? If we cause a distraction, can you run?"

The doctor shook her head. "We haven't had food nor water since they've taken us. Please save yourself."

Alathea squeezed the woman's hands. "It is not my decision to make." The doctor stood slowly and shook her head in Pike's direction. The captain blinked once.

Pike could hear his own blood rushing through his veins. The adrenaline had finally kicked in. He had to save them. All of them. No one would be left behind. Without thinking, he took out his phaser and aimed for the chains. "RUN" He ordered before firing.

Alathea and Dr. Kyala exchanged a look of pure terror. They had no chance to make it out alive. But Alathea was already pulling the anthropologist to her feet and pushing her towards the crowd. "Go!" She ordered before taking out her own phaser. She freed two more of the prisoners before setting it on stun and redirecting it towards the guards.

She slowly backed towards Pike and Br'tar. If they formed a circle, they had a fighting chance. The three Starfleet officers continued firing at the guards, hoping that the panic their little demonstration had caused would give Dr. Kayla and her team enough time to escape the village and find Spock.

What had Chris been thinking? She tried to keep these thoughts for her mind but the anger was fueling her. She heard gunshots in the background but ignored them. All that mattered was to stun as many as possible. One at a time. Forget everything else. She kept repeating to herself.

A piercing scream brought her back to reality. She felt Chris collapse behind her and Br'tar pushing the captain in-between them. Although the bullets could definitely pierce his skin, he was immune to the arrows. "We have to go!" He yelled at the doctor. "We can't fight this." Without waiting for Alathea's response, he took the captain in a firearm embrace and ran in the direction they'd come in, firing his phaser in every direction. The doctor was right behind him, trying to assess Chris' medical situation. He was barely conscious and his leg wound was bleeding profusely. She hoped that the bullet hadn't shattered an artery but there was not much she could do for her captain at the moment. Instead, she focused her energy on keeping up with the Masonian and firing her own weapon at the guards.

Once outside, Br'tar led them towards the mountains, hoping that they could find a cave in which to take shelter from the oncoming storm and the wrath of the villagers. They climbed for the better part of an hour before Alethea collapsed on the knee-deep snow. "Br'tar!" she called. "We need to find shelter. It's too cold for us."

The security guard nodded. His tough skin was protecting him from the cold but his human companions would soon suffer from hypothermia. Besides, the captain needed medical attention. He scanned the area quickly. "Up here!" He pointed. "A cave."

Alathea had no choice but to trust him. She could barely keep her eyes open in the wind. "Let's go!" For a brief instant, she wondered what had happened to the rest of the landing party. Not that it mattered for now. All she could hope for is that they had found Spock and were safely back onboard Enterprise.

STSTST

"Una to Captain Pike!" Number One called again. "Captain Pike, come in!" She exchanged a quick glance at Boyce.

"Una, it's over. All we can hope for is that they've found refuge from the storm." The doctor looked at his screen displaying the massive system settling over the area. "We can't beam them back and no one could land a shuttle in this." Not even Chris. He added to himself.

"This storm is going to be over the area for a week!" She should have insisted on being the one leading the mission. She should be down there.