Disclaimer still applies.
*Author's note: When I write, I don't write in chapters. So if the breaks don't seem right, it's because they were never originally there. I'm having a hard time deciding where to begin and end the chapters. Remember, patience is a virtue, and reviews are blessings!
Everyone on the bridge was thrown to the side.
"Damage report!" Scotty shouted.
"Shields holding, sir," Lt. Rohr at the helm replied, "But they can't take much more of whatever that was."
"Mr. Chekov," Scotty asked, "what was that?" Chekov looked up from the science station, not as happy as he'd hoped after finally having something substantial to scan.
"Ve are being attacked from ze surface, sir," he told Scotty.
Another impact rocked the ship.
"Shields down to 40 percent!"
Scotty leaned forward in the center chair, his elbows on his knees. "From the surface?" he mumble, then, "Compensate for the shields, lad. Uhura, get me the Captain."
Uhura reached for the communications console, but drew her hand away quickly as the board sparked and began to smoke.
"Helm, take us out!" Scotty ordered, jumping up and over to communications. He was on the floor on his back, fixing the console before the Enterprise went in to warp out of orbit of Caspia IV, temporarily stranding the landing part on the planet's surface.
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"Spock!" the words choke out of Kirk's mouth. He forgot everything except his fallen friend, rushing to his first officer's side. He checked his pulse and eased him down to lie on the ground. "He's alive," he sighed, more to comfort himself than anybody. A small rivulet of green trickled from the Vulcan's pointed ear as he lay motionless next to Kirk, who kneeled beside him
Suddenly, the atmosphere glowed bright red and an alarm rang in everyone's ears. "Captain!" Lt. Brooks shouted above the loud wailing of the siren, "They're coming!"
Lieutenant Montgomery motioned to Spock and then to the door opposite the one they'd entered through. "Get him…out of here," she whispered, each word obviously painful, "I'll take care of the guards." She closed her eyes and took a couple of panting breaths. "Go back to you ship…take it away. They'll…destroy…" As her eyes opened, Kirk was once again struck by the pained look in them. "Don't…worry…about…me." Once more dropping her lids, she seemed to focus inward. A trickle of red fell from her lips as she fell against the back wall of her cell, collapsing once more into a bundle of black.
Kirk's eyes lingered a moment on the Lieutenant's still form, but then quickly moved to Spock's. He looked so vulnerable, quite the opposite of the usual. Shivers ran down his spine as he could sense the guards coming closer.
"Sulu, help me," he ordered sharply as he grasped Spock's wrists and pulled him to his feet. Sulu stepped under a limp arm as Kirk put the other around his shoulders. With Security officers trailing, they slipped though the door Lieutenant Montgomery had indicated and around a corner, ending up in an alcove set off from the main room. They heard every that went on in the room they'd escaped.
Several men clumped into the long hallway and phasers ready to stun an intruder.
Silence.
"Silly girl!" A voice rang out as a key was heard turning in a lock. The cell door clanged open and the came voice ordered, "Up!" It was obvious Lieutenant Montgomery didn't move because another order was soon issued, "sand her up."
'Yes, sir." There was a rustling sound.
"Trying to escape, were you?" The painful slap of skin against skin could be heard. "Didn't work, did it?" Another slap and the crack of bone against stone.
Kirk winced, his hands clenched into hard fists. He was on his feet as soon as the heavy clumping footsteps began again. "Sulu, contact the Enterprise, get Spock up there," he ordered as he hurried out of the hiding place and back into the long hall line with prison cells.
Kirk really wished Spock were conscious. One grip by that strong hand and their problems would be over. But Spock wasn't available and Kirk had to do this the old fashioned way. Lieutenant Montgomery was being dragged at the end of the line between two guards. Her limp body hung low and her bare feet scraped against the rough stone floor. Like a cat, Kirk sprang on the guards, hitting each on the back of the head with a fist. The girl between them collapsed to the floor as they did. She lay partially in a square of moonlight that fell on the stone floor. The thin line of crimson stood out against the paleness of her cheek. It was blue, bruised where it was been struck. Kirk kneeled quietly beside her, first making sure the other men walked on. He brought a finger to her lips and gently wiped away the blood. At his touch, her eyes opened, and she sat up.