Chapter Four - Jim
I wish Spock had been more alert. He had the tricorder, after all. And now there was some hellish beast following us. And from the air, nonetheless. Even if we shot it down, it could obviously catch up on foot.

The creature was very large, and canine in appearance. It had odd gray wings on its back, which it was using to fly after us. Spikes grew from its elbow and knee joints, and there was a gold gem on its forehead. But the oddest thing about the alien creature was its tail, which had a living flame on the end.

"You didn't happen to bring a phaser with you, did you?" I asked Spock as we dodged trees at top speed. I was already short of breath, a bad sign.

"I'm afraid not, Captain."

'Dammit, how can he sound so calm?' I reflected. 'We're about to die if we don't do something!'

"I think we should split up," I suggested between short breaths. "It'll follow one of us, and then the other can call the ship and request beam-up."

"Very logical conclusion, Captain." He saluted me in the Vulcan way, and at the next tree we parted ways. I figured the thing would go after Spock, them both being aliens and all. I wasn't too worried about him; Spock can fight very well. Plus that nerve pinch he can do...

But I hadn't counted on it following ME.

~~~~~~

My lungs burned from lack of oxygen, and fiery pain shot up my legs at every step. My entire body was beginning to hurt again, and if I did not stop soon of my own free will I would probably collapse. But I dared not stop running. Maybe the alien would eventually get tired of the chase and leave me alone.

My only hope was Spock, and anyone else I might run into on my path through the woods.

I glanced over my shoulder to see if it was still following me. It was, and if possible it had increased airspeed and was closing in on me. If I could dodge it in time...

I could almost see its claws descending for my neck and shoulders...

At the last second, I stopped and ducked. The creature overshot its mark and banked hard to come back around, howling in frustration.

I flipped open my communicator. "Kirk to Enterprise! Request emergency beam-up, now!"

Any reply my crew may have made was drowned out by the awful shriek of the creature. I felt burning pain in my back and shoulders, and as everything turned black I wondered where that weird glow was coming from.

~~~~~~

I awoke to a tearing sensation in my back and arms, along with an incredible burning heat around my entire body. I cried in pain and tried to roll away from whatever was causing me to hurt. But a massive paw pinned me down, effectively immobilizing me face-down on a...transporter pad? I was on the Enterprise!

An inhuman howl sounded from above me, making me realize that the last minute contact with the alien creature had caused it to transport as well.

"Captain!" a vaguely familiar voice yelled, and a flash of blue appeared over me. I could barely make out a hand squeezing down on the shoulder of the thing...

The weight on my back disappeared, and a heavy thud resounded beside me. Somehow unable to move, I had no choice but to remain collapsed on the transporter pad. An annoying trilling buzzed in my ears, and a hand turned me over. "Jim? Can you hear me?"

I managed to get my eyes open. "Bones?" I whispered. I tried to sit up. "The alien...where is it?"

McCoy's hand was on my chest, holding me down as easily as he would keep a child from moving. "Now you just stay still, Jim. That alien...thing...is unconscious. Spock got it with a nerve pinch. It's you I'm worried about."

I felt confusion. Why would he be worried for me? My wandering gaze fell on a pool of blood on the floor. 'That's my blood...' the random thought came. I blinked. 'That's all my blood? No way, there's too much of it...'

"Bones?" I felt my world start to fade black again. The last thing I saw was McCoy's worried face looking down at me.

"He's passing out again!" His voice was distant, at the end of a tunnel. "Get a med team down here now!"

The blackness claimed me.