Stardate 1886.38. USS Enterprise, in orbit around Upothas II

Captain log, Stardate 1886.38. The away team has been stranded in the cave for five days. Captain Pike's condition has deteriorated. Drs. Boyce and Mayweather estimate that he won't survive another day on the planet. However, the storm has passed much slower than originally predicted, delaying any rescue effort. Lieutenant Tyler and Dr Boyce are already onboard a modified shuttle, ready to take off as soon as meteorology gives them the go ahead. The shuttle has been retrofitted to serve as a medbay in case weather conditions prevent a return to Enterprise.

"Computer, end log". Number One fisted the table in frustration. This should have been a simple away mission. However, six members of the crew were presumed dead and another one was fighting for his life. Despite the futility of her action, Una opened a channel. "Una to meteorology. Report."

"Ensign Viras, Captain. The winds have somewhat abated but I wouldn't recommend flying in that storm."

"Is it possible?"

"Possible, yes. But unwise."

They couldn't afford to waste more time. "Una to Tyler. Lieutenant, enter high orbit over the planet and set an entry course as specified by meteorology."

"Aye, Captain," came Tyler's tired voice over the comm system. They had spent the past two days running flight simulations as well as survival scenarios inside the small shuttle.

"Ensign Viras, I need you to help Tyler navigate down to the surface as safely as possible."

"Understood, Captain."

Una was grateful that the scientist didn't argue further. "Dr Boyce, I leave Lieutenant Tyler in charge of deciding whether or not a landing will be at all possible," she warned. "We all want to see the away team back safely but I cannot let you attempt a suicide mission."

"We'll get them back, Number One," Boyce's voice was firm.

Una didn't correct him on the title. Although the crew had accepted the change in command, most still considered Pike as their captain, herself included. "Be careful. Una out."

STSTST

Upothas II

"This is paradise." The woman spread her arms out and spun around in the light sea breeze.

Chris smiled as he spread out the tablecloth on the warm sand before unpacking the picnic basket. "Chicken tuna sandwich. My favorite."

"I really don't know how you can eat that," Vina joked as she let herself fall onto the sand beside Pike. "It's disgusting."

Pike smiled at her reaction, unable to shake the feeling of déjà vu. "Not when my mother makes them." But his mother couldn't make them.

Vina placed her hand on his thigh, prompting a yelp. Pain…

"Chris… Chris…"

He could hear his name but Vina's lips weren't moving. The pain intensified. It was becoming unbearable. A wave of nausea hit him as his surroundings dissolved around him.

"Spock, help me roll him on his side," Mayweather ordered. She placed a small pan under his chin as dry heaves shook Chris' body. "It's ok, Chris. We're right here."

Pike sobbed as his stomach painfully contracted.

"You're ok," Althea repeated, running her hands over Chris' back. "Try to take deep breaths."

Spock and Mayweather rolled Pike back on the bed as the heaving abated. He looked around the small room, slowly remembering the events of the past day. They moved me. "Pain…"

Alathea ran a cool cloth over her captain's forehead. "Boyce will be here any minute now. It's almost over, Chris." She had run out of analgesics the night prior. They had sedated Chris to move him and she had hoped that he wouldn't wake until they could move him to Enterprise but the rescue operation had been further delayed by the storm. Alathea gently raised Pike's head and placed a water pack against his lips. "You need to drink."

Chris took a few sips of the water before moving away. "Not thirsty."

"I know but you need to keep hydrated." Alathea forced a few more gulps of water before settling Chris back on the bed.

STSTST

Galileo Shuttle

"Enterprise, please confirm readings: 102.5 mark 3." Tyler bit his lower lip in concentration. They were flying completely blind, relying on Enterprise to chart a course towards the surface while preventing them from crashing into it.

"Confirmed," came the voice of the science officer occupying the bridge console, which had been fully reconverted into a meteorological station.

"Lieutenant Tyler, what is your condition?" Number One voice cut through the static.

Tyler exchanged a quick glance with Boyce. As a pilot, he knew that the safest course of action was to abort the mission. With zero visibility and a sensor range reduced to 200m, there was only a slim chance that he would be able to land the shuttle in one piece. And there was virtually no chance that they would be able to take off again. Tyler looked over his shoulder at the converted shuttle. You don't have to take off again, he reminded himself. All you have to do is to bring the medical supplies to the captain. "We can attempt a landing," he said, keeping his voice as confident as he could.

"Understood." If Number One had called his bluff, she didn't let on.

Tyler wasn't about to abandon Captain Pike to a certain death. Ten years ago, as a newly minted cadet assigned to Enterprise, Tyler had never really expected to meet the captain on his first voyage but Pike had been here when he and his classmates had landed in the shuttle bay. The young pilot would never forget the captain's warmth and his uncanny ability to put every single one of them at ease with a simple smile and a personalized word of encouragement. Pike had taken the time to memorize their personnel files and find common ground with each of the new recruits. Tyler had known then that Pike was an exceptional commanding officer, one he hoped he could emulate one day. But it wasn't until three years later that Pike earned Tyler's absolute respect.

It had all started with a routine supply mission to outer Federation worlds. On her way back to Vulcan to pick up an ambassador, the Enterprise had been ambushed by Orion pirates, misinformed about the nature of their mission and cargo. Although Enterprise had been victorious, she had suffered severe damage at the hands of the Orions. The engines were offline and most of Engineering had been destroyed in a torpedo exchange. Captain Pike worked alongside the crew to repair the engines as quickly as possible, often pulling double shifts. No work was beneath his rank: Pike had welded bulkheads like the rest of them. After three days and nights of grinding work, one of the plasma vents exploded, filling the tight space they had been working in with toxic fumes. Pike made sure that everyone was safely evacuated before sealing the area, sustaining third degree chemical burns in the process. Pike didn't just talk the Starfleet talk, he lived and commanded by its principles. Tyler would be living by these principles today: no one would be left behind. He would land that shuttle and bring Dr. Boyce to the captain.

Tyler flipped a few switches on his console. "Doc, now is the time to hold on." Boyce gripped the seat belt tightly and took a deep breath. The next few minutes were the longest in his life as the wind hurled the shuttle in every direction. They still had no visibility and were relying on Enterprise's sensors to trace a flightpath to the surface.

"Tyler, the clearing is 300m in front of you. Altitude 100m," came the instructions from the Enterprise.

"Understood. Preparing for landing."

Boyce would have never guessed there was solid ground beneath them if not for the hollow thug against the hull as the shuttle landed. However, Tyler had miscalculated their terminal velocity and the shuttle slid down the clearing, ending its course against a tree, sending some of the cargo flying across the shuttle.

"Galileo, what's your status?" Number One's voice betrayed her panic.

"Minor contusions," Boyce answered, running his tricorder over Tyler and himself.

"And only minor damage to the hull," Tyler finished, surprised by their good fortune. "Engines are online and fully operational."

"Let's go get our landing party." Boyce was out of his seat before he finished his sentence, gathering up his gear and the medical supplies they will be able to carry. He threw winter gears onto the stretcher.

"Outside temperature is -20 degrees celsius, wind gusts are registering at over 70km/hr," Tyler informed them. "I estimate the time to the cave to be about 30 minutes in these conditions."

"And it will take you almost twice as long to come back with the captain unable to walk by himself," Number One reminded them. "Your take off window will close in less than two hours."

"We are fully prepared here." Boyce had never expected to take off again today. His only hope was to use the retrofitted shuttle to stabilize Chris' conditions. The medical and engineering staff had worked around the clock to bring sickbay to the captain.

"Let's head out," Tyler ordered, setting his tricorder to guide them towards the cave's entrance.

STSTST

Chris moaned and writhed on the bed. He was no longer trying to hide his pain. He was alone with Alathea in what he assumed was one of the pod's dormitories. Johnson and Br'Tar were waiting for Boyce and Tyler near the cave's entrance while Landais and Spock boiled more water for the trip ahead. "Thea?" His voice was weak.

Alathea caressed his forehead in response. "I'm here."

"I'm sorry." His teeth were chattering.

Alathea frowned. "What for?"

"For keeping you away all these years… I was afraid."

Alathea reached for his hand underneath the blanket. "I know." She kissed his forehead. "I won't hurt you. I know how hard it is for you to let someone in… after your father. But I'm not him, Chris."

"I know," Chris whispered, fighting against the pain.

"Try to get some rest. Close your eyes."

Chris shook his head. "I… I want to spend time with you."

"I'll be right here when you wake." Alathea rearranged the blankets more tightly around Chris. "Right now, you need to get all the rest you can get."

Pike couldn't keep his eyes open despite his best efforts. "I love you," he murmured before losing consciousness.

Alathea kissed his forehead tenderly. "I love you too," she whispered in his ear. "And I'm not letting you give up." With Pike unconscious, Althea undressed his wound and cleaned it. The skin was red and warm to the touch, betraying the infection.

"Doctor!" Alathea jumped at Br'tar's voice. "They're here!"

Alathea sighed in relief when she saw Boyce followed by Tyler and Johnson carrying a stretcher. The Enterprise CMO immediately ran his tricorder over Pike, wincing at the readings. He opened his medical kit and injected Pike with a sedative and a broad-spectrum antibiotics before examining his leg. "The fracture?"

"I reduced it after we knocked him unconscious but I was never able to stabilize the leg completely. It was too painful to have the brace over the surgical wound," Alathea explained. She sat down on the floor next to Pike's bunk. Now that she knew that Chris was in good hands, she no longer was able to fight her own exhaustion. Boyce examined Pike's leg and bandaged it for the trip ahead.

Tyler started distributing the winter gear to the members of the landing party, who had assembled in the small quarters. "Johnson, Landais, Br'tar, Tyler, be prepared to transport the captain as soon as he's ready," Spock ordered.

"Aye, sir," came the chorus of voices as they put their clothing on.

Alathea was barely aware of Boyce hovering over her. She yelped when he touched her side. Boyce mumbled under his breath as he forced his colleague down on the floor. "She should have been laying down," he admonished other members of the landing party as much as himself. Spock had reported Mayweather's injuries but she had managed to hide the extent well and he had never asked her for a scan.

"I calculated the odds of Dr. Mayweather to injure herself further if we kept her away from Captain Pike to be higher than those if we were letting her be by his side," Spock answered logically. "Therefore, I monitored her health but did not attempt to impose rest."

Boyce rolled his eyes at the science officer. "She won't be able to make the trek back on her own." The doctor injected Alathea with an analgesic. "But I need to stabilize her before we can move her." Althea didn't fight when Boyce opened her jacket and ripped her undershirt to reveal Spock's bandage.

"Yes, doctor. I will carry her. But I suggest the rest of the team starts transporting the captain back to the shuttle. We will be able to catch up," Spock continued.

Boyce nodded, ripping the bandage off to reveal extensive bruising and the wound the bullet had left while grazing Mayweather's side. "Tyler, you need to monitor Pike's temperature. We also need to fully brace his leg. I gave him a sedative; he won't feel anything."

"Aye," the pilot responded, already busying himself with equipping his captain for the trip back to the shuttle with a jacket, goggles, a scarf, and a hat. In the meantime, Spock removed the brace Br'tar had constructed from metal scraps and secured the captain's leg with the medical device. Satisfied with their work, Spock and Tyler moved Pike to the stretcher and secured him.

As soon as the rest of the away team left the room, Spock kneeled by Boyce's side. "What's her condition?"

"She'll be fine," Boyce grumbled while cleaning the wound and applying a new bandage. The duo helped Mayweather with her winter clothing before securing her across Spock's shoulders.

Boyce looked at the timer on his tricorder. "We need to hurry. Our take off window will close in 65 minutes."

"After you, doctor." Spock motioned for Boyce to take the lead. As soon as they left the cave, they were assaulted by the winds. Each snowflake felt like glass on their exposed skin. Like most Vulcans, Spock didn't like the cold but his endurance more than made up for his discomfort. They caught up with the rest of the away team halfway to the shuttle.

Boyce ran ahead to monitor the captain's conditions. "Doctor?," Br'tar asked quietly, his voice betraying the fear each were hiding with varying degrees of success.

"We need to get him back to the shuttle," Boyce replied. "He needs surgery."

The doctor's tone energized the landing party. Despite their weariness, the team reached the shuttle in under 30 minutes. After helping his shipmates with securing the stretcher, Tyler slipped into the pilot seat, readying all systems. "Tyler to Enterprise, we're ready for take off."

"Understood, Galileo. Be prepared for a rough trip up."

"Time to buckle up!" Tyler ordered his shipmates. Br'tar took the co-pilot seat next to him. "I need you to monitor our ascent. If the turbulence prevents us from flying, we'll need to land."

"The Captain…" Br'tar started debating.

"Look around," Tyler interrupted. "We brought medical bay to the shuttle."

Br'tar looked around the retrofitted shuttle, admiring the work of the engineering team. The rest of the away team was already buckled in the reminding bench. Boyce and Spock were securing Mayweather in a seat near Pike's stretcher. He watched as the doctor took the captain's hand. After spending almost a week with the two of them, Br'tar understood that the gesture was far more intimate than that of a doctor comforting her patient. But what struck the security officer the most was that Pike welcomed the intimacy.

Br'tar hadn't served about the Enterprise for as long as the other occupants of the shuttle but he had heard the rumors about Captain Pike. And the man had lived up to them. His loyalty to his crew was unwavering and as embodied in the last few days, so was the crew's loyalty to their captain. However, despite his exterior warmth, Pike was a very private man. He never let the mask down in front of his crew. But he did so for Mayweather.

Spock adjusted Mayweather's seatbelt before taking the last available seat on the crowded bench. In the meantime, Boyce checked on the stretcher. Once he got the go ahead from the doctor, Spock relayed their ready status to Tyler.

Within a few seconds, the engine roared to life. Despite the maximum output, the shuttle was bouncing at the whims of the strong winds. With no visibility, Tyler could only trust Enterprise's reassurance that they were, in fact, going up.

"Boyce to Enterprise," the doctor called as soon as they cleared the upper atmosphere. "Have an OR at the ready with A+ blood."

"Understood, doctor," came Una's worried voice over the shuttle's comm system. "How is the captain?"

Boyce looked at the tired faces in the shuttle, choosing his next words carefully. He needed to convey the severity of the situation to Number One without telling the crew that their efforts may have been in vain. "Arcadisian shronak will be a walk in the park."

"Aye, doctor."

Una slammed the comm interface and tightened her grip around the edge of the conference room's table. She hadn't thought about Arcadis in a long time. They had visited the world shortly after the Talosian incident. The Arcadisians were an advanced civilization, who had chosen to forfeit space travel for the pursuit of inner discovery. But they were far from unwelcoming to other species. In fact, the crew of the Enterprise spent over a month on the planet, learning about their history, culture, and art.

In the last week of their planned stay, the Council had invited the senior officers to take part in a game of shronak, a cross between Earth's soccer and baseball as Pike had explained it. Of course, Chris had been unable to resist the challenge and had joined one of the teams over Boyce's and Una's objections. They had known nothing about the game and the rules book provided only a high-level overview of the game.

They had learned a few hours later that the reason the book was so slim is because there were no rules to speak of. Every move was fair game and there was no interruption for medical emergencies, all that mattered was to score as many goals as possible. There was no time limit on the game either; the winner was declared as the last team member standing. It was a game of tactics, endurance, and strength designed to test one's limits as only the player could decide to leave the game.

Suffice to say Pike had gone beyond his physical limitations. He finished the game with an ACL tear, three broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. The tear has been bad enough that Boyce had sarcastically told Pike that he'd never allow the captain to play shronak again unless he was forced to fully reconstruct the leg or place a prosthetic. Number One had laughed at the comment, silently resenting Boyce for presenting Pike with a new injury challenge.

Una wiped her face with her hands. If she had understood Boyce's cryptic message right, Pike would either need full reconstruction surgery or amputation. Either way, in his weakened state, he may never come out of surgery. "Una to sickbay. The shuttle will land in approximately ten minutes. Have the OR prepped and send a team to meet me in the bay."

STSTST

USS Enterprise, ten hours later.

Pike moaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He could feel the soft mattress underneath him and the distinctive hum of the hull. Enterprise. He would recognize that hum anywhere. He gasped in pain as he tried to move and settled back in his original position, blinking the sleep away.

"Welcome back, Chris." Pike hadn't been prepared to hear the judgmental voice.

"Thea," he whispered.

"We've treated her injuries. She's resting." Boyce nodded towards the biobed next to Pike's.

Pike only managed to move his eyes in the general direction Boyce had indicated. Every movement hurt. Pike yelped when Boyce touched his leg. "This is going to hurt for while. I'll order up another regen cycle in the morning."

"The away team.."

Boyce sighed before taking a seat next to Pike's biobed. "How much do you remember?"

"Spock," was all Pike could manage. He was too tired to talk but he needed to know.

"The second away team is safely back onboard," Boyce confirmed. "Few days of rest and everyone should be back on duty. Thea's injuries are not severe but she should have taken some antibiotics as well. She'll be out in the morning."

"What happened?"

"She got shot in the cross-fire. The bullet only grazed her but after five days, the wound had started to become infected. As I said, she'll be fine." Boyce repositioned himself on the stool. "We have no news from the original away team."

"We need to send another… I have to get to the bridge…" Pike tried to sit up.

"No." Boyce placed a firm hand on Pike's shoulder. "Your place, right now, is here. You're lucky I managed to save that leg but you're not out of the woods yet. You need rest."

"I'm the captain…" Pike continued but he could feel his strength diminishing rapidly.

"No," Boyce said in a softer tone. "Right now, you are my patient and you are exactly where you need to be. Chris, your heart stopped twice during surgery. You still have a massive infection and the trauma caused compartment syndrome in your lower limb. You need care and you need rest."

Pike stopped fighting against Boyce and turned towards his friend's sleeping form. "I almost got her killed." His eyes were filled with tears. "I can't… I can't lose her."

"She's going to be fine, Chris. She will be on her feet in a couple of days and she and I are going to help you because you're going to let us help you."

"I don't think you can." Chris closed his eyes and saw the contour of the time crystal. "My fate has been sealed."

"We make our own path, Chris. I just hope that one day you won't regret the path you chose not to take."