Chris made himself busy whilst Una was inside the shuttle, he started to sort through their emergency supplies and rations to see exactly what they had to work with. From what Number One had salvaged, they had enough food and water for three days. He wasn't too worried about running out of food though, he and Una had been through enough survival training to last out here in the wilderness besides, he reckoned they hadn't gone down too far from civilisation. The thing he was most worried about was their injuries. Whilst neither of them would die in the next few hours, if they had to travel then that could change and there was always a chance of infection being out in the elements…

He was interrupted from his muses by Una's return. She dragged the limp and bloodied body of their hijacker over to him, she was struggling with the weight and Pike started to push himself up off the floor, aiming to help.

Una glanced back at him and her eyebrows rose dangerously high. "Don't you dare get up Pike. I'm serious."

Her deadly glare was enough to prove him of that fact. Chris gulped and nodded, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm staying right here." He indicated with his head to the limp man in Una's arms. "Is he alive?"

Number One grunted the rest of the way of her journey, she dropped him to the ground a few metres from where Chris was sprawled; he could see that Alec was at the very least unconscious. "He's got a pulse, but beyond that I don't know the extent of his injuries. From what the trio-corder's telling me, the seat protected him from the worst of the crash."

"Good." Chris muttered, he didn't want him to die when there could be another option. Judging by Una's scowl she clearly didn't agree with him.

"I think the bastard should have suffered a little more." She spat and started to walk away from him, "for what he did to you and for trying to bomb a bloody city."

"That's not our call to make." Pike gently reminded her.

Number One ran a hand over her face wearily and moaned. "I know I know, we can't sit in judgment." She came to stand just above him, her eyes running over his bruises and injuries caused by the hijacking. "Doesn't make it any easier."

"I didn't say it was easier."

"The right decisions never are." Una shrugged and shook her head, she glanced around the crash site and seemed to come to some sort of decision. "I'm going to go and scout the area, see what's nearby and if I can scrounge some materials. Are you going to be alright here?"

Pike noticed that her eyes flicked over to Alec once again who still hadn't moved. "I'll be fine." He promised.

Chris was already getting a little sick of being on his ass, he wanted to build up his strength so he could maybe do something actually useful. Although he had to admit that the idea might be wishful thinking, honestly he thought he was just as likely to pass out any second. Which brought him to the other matter of Alec... Chris handed the phaser back to his XO. Una took it but threw him a questioning look.

"I don't want to have it on me incase I pass out..." He paused and averted his gaze, oddly feeling a bit embarrassed about admitting his own mortality. Chris took a breath and finished his thought process "...I don't want to pass out and let our friendly hijacker get the chance to re-arm himself."

Una made an ahhing sound and glared over at Alec like this line of thinking was all his fault, which to be fair it kind of was. She looked back to him and winked. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon and we can get you back on your feet."

Chris managed a smile despite the miserable situation, he held her warm gaze and thanked whatever higher power there was: that out of everyone, he was stuck here with her. She always knew how to lift him out of his lowest moments.

"Thanks One."

She picked up one of the emptier bags and waved before striding off. "I won't be far," she promised.

Chris watched her leave the clearing and soon enough it was just him and his unconscious companion, well the two of them and what remained of their ripped-to-shreds shuttle.

With little else to do Chris decided to take a look at the communicators that One had managed to salvage from the wreckage; he didn't have any luck with their own device but Alec's was a different story. The device itself looked to be intact but Chris couldn't get his head around the controls and from what he could tell it required a passcode, and the man himself was still out cold.

Pike sighed and tossed the pieces of equipment back into the backpack, he didn't have the skill nor patience to worry about breaking through Alec's encryption and even if he did - what if the signal was tracked down by his people? It was best left alone until absolutely necessary, Una had already used the shuttle's distress system and their shuttle wreckage would be visible from a mile away.

He decided to turn his attention to the considerable discomfort of having a dislocated shoulder, the pain had gotten better since his XO had set the limb back in place but every time he knocked it, it felt like it was being ripped off. He knew from basic first aid that the only way to lessen the pain was to immobilise the limb, that wasn't exactly possible but what he could do was create a make-shift sling. He ripped off the arms of his ruined jacked and tied the material together until he had a secure loop, with that done Chris slung the material around his neck and gingerly looped his arm through the material.

Chris was so busy dealing with his limb, and making pained noises with each movement, that he didn't hear Alec awakening and more importantly he didn't hear him approach. The first thing he knew of the danger he was in was when he heard a tree branch snap a few metres behind him.

Pike instinctively turned to the noise and when he saw that not only was Alec up and about, but also a few metres from him with a weapon in his hand, he tried to back away from the surprise attack and called out desperately. "Una!"

Chris' call-out was soon muffled when his attacker's hand appeared from above and clamped over his mouth; his struggles were dampened when an arm snaked around his neck and a sharp implement scraped against his throat. Chris struggled against the hold violently and cried out against the hand when his dislocated arm was yanked backwards during the jostling. His legs kicked out wildly in an attempt to get purchase, and in an attempt to get away from the madman who was causing him harm. Sadly, Alec didn't let the escape attempt progress far.

"Stop struggling or I'll slit your throat." The command was hissed against his ear and accompanied by a sharp burning against his neck.

The threat on its own wasn't quite enough to still him but the feel of metal slicing through his flesh, along with warm blood trickling down his throat did the trick. He immediately ceased his struggles, closed his eyes to control the panic and breathed heavily against the fingers muffling his moans of discomfort. As soon as he stopped struggling, the knife retracted to rest against his skin and Pike breathed a sigh of relief when the searing pain decreased.

He waited in tense silence with the knowledge that his life was in another's hands. Would Alec finish the job? Would it hurt too badly? Would the cut kill him or would he suffer? Chris would rather not find out, and with the way his head was pounding he wasn't sure if he was going to remain conscious to do so.

He felt Alec shift behind him and tense up, his head swung upwards to the clearing and the pair of them heard footsteps, footsteps which were approaching fast.

Una…

Pike's heart-rate shot through the roof as he realised his danger was about to be transferred onto his first officer, who was running to his rescue because he had stupidly called out without thinking of the consequences. In the next instant the hand was released from his mouth and Alec gripped his less-injured arm and pulled.

"Come on, get up." Alec continued to pull him upwards earning an agonised cry when his ribs and shoulder got knocked violently, the knife persistently followed his throat up which made wriggling away impossible. "On your knees."

Chris was panting and struggling to cling onto consciousness as Alec yanked him up the rest of the way, causing his broken ribs to shift despite the wrapping and his dislocated arm to grind painfully against the socket. After a lot of cursing and pained grunts from both sides, Pike was on his knees, his arm was in a crushing grip and held behind his back, and the knife was pressed against his throat until his neck was forced right back.

That was around the same time that Una made it back into the clearing and everything went to hell.

She came to a stop as soon as she saw the scene, her eyes widened in shock and the phaser in her hand automatically tracked upwards. Chris could feel her worried gaze piercing him from all angles. Alec shrunk down behind his hostage further and pressed the knife against Pike's throat until he was forced to grunt in response.

"Ah, ah ah." His attacker warned. "Weapon down or he dies."

Chris felt it necessary to add his own thoughts on that stupid idea. "Don't do it Una, he'll kill-"

His speech was cut short by a cry of pain when Alec yanked his arm up behind his back and brutally twisted the limb. Chris closed his eyes and focussed on breathing whilst the pain receded, only after his continued silence did the hold gradually decrease but Alec still kept him pressed against his chest. By the time Pike opened his eyes again he saw that Una was frozen to the spot, her rapid blinking giving away her anxiety and uncertainty; she didn't have a clue what to do. Chris could hardly blame her, finding your partner with a knife to their throat was not a usual situation.

Una took a deep breath, readjusted her grip on the phaser and growled out a warning. "If you don't let him go right now-"

Alec pressed the knife against Chris' head further and shook his body roughly, interrupting Number One with a demand of his own. "You'll what? I can kill him before you can stop me."

Una's eyes blazed furiously and her gaze snapped to the knife which was pressing against the Captain's carotid dangerously, one slip away from ending his life for good. "If you kill him, I kill you."

"Did you forget the end result of my mission? I'm prepared to die. Unless you're prepared to watch him bleed out then you're the one who needs to surrender."

Chris couldn't see his attackers expression but he sounded sincere and he did have a point about the suicide mission… Just because he was sure that Alec would follow through with his threat didn't mean that Una had to die too. Chris tired to make that clear, which didn't go well.

"Don't-" Pike started before his attacker cut him off with another effective jerk off his injured shoulder.

"Shut it." Alec snarled against his ear.

"You've got 3 seconds." Alec turned his attention back to Number One, he tightened his grip on his captive and the knife and made one final threat. "I mean it."

Chris had said his piece, he hoped Una wasn't going to be stupid enough to give up her only form of defence all just to save him, but judging by the anguished look on her face he was starting to think that she might...

"3."

Alec's countdown only made the situation worse, Una's grip on the phaser trembled and her eyes darted nervously from the knife to Pike's face. He shook his head minutely, wanting to let her know that she shouldn't do what he thought she was about to.

"2."

Una's composure cracked and as usual her stubbornness and independent nature prevailed, she lowered the phaser and called out shakily. "Okay, stop."

Pike closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Why didn't she ever listen to him? When it mattered at least, when it was her life on the line...

"Toss it over here." Alec barked out the order sharply, indicating with his head to a point on his right.

Una shot him an apologetic look before returning her attention to their tormentor. She nodded placatingly and threw the weapon over to the designated location, watching it forlornly as soon as it left her safe hands.

Why did she have to let it go? Alec could very well kill the both of them now, losing his own life was bad enough but Chris didn't want to see his XO dead because he hadn't been quick enough to react. Whilst it was true that his injuries made fighting off a knife-wielding attacker pretty damn difficult, he should have done something more; Alec had been too damn fast. Come to mention it, how had he moved so quickly after the shuttle crash? It was hardly fair that their hijacker be the least injured after causing the catastrophe, but that was life for you; it was rarely fair.

"We saved your life." Chris managed to ground out against the hold, even if it did take him a while to get the words out past the knife against his throat.

"That was your choice." Alec shot back mercilessly. "Live with the consequences."

Una shifted her glare from their kidnapper to Pike and Chris could saw the unspoken words written all over her face - I told you so. If they survived this, Chris knew he'd be hearing about his naivety for months.

Alec interrupted their silent conversation with a shout. "Get down on the floor, legs apart and hands on your head."

Number One clenched her jaw, showing her displeasure, but she relented all the same. She lowered herself to the floor gingerly; she tried to hide the grimaces where her injuries flared up but Pike caught it all regardless. He sympathised when she gasped upon lowering, clutching at her ribs before continuing. He knew that agony well, he was currently living it. When she placed her hands on her head Alec finally made his move; he withdrew the knife and gave Pike a huge shove forward.

Chris yelped when he found himself falling forward uncontrollably, he cried out in agony when his broken body hit the ground, hard. The worst of the pain originated from his wrapped up shoulder, which was now trapped painfully between his chest and the floor. Shockwaves were still travelling up his limb, through his broken ribs and along every bruised muscle within his body, which sadly was quite a lot.

He heard footsteps wander away and was pretty sure Alec now had control of the phaser, not that he could check with his own eyes. Chris had them squeezed shut and was trying to focus on refilling his lungs with air, that had been unceremoniously emptied after his sudden impact with something solid. The feeling of the ground beneath him started to fade away and the pain in his chest dulled to an aching feeling. The last thing Pike heard before everything fell away was Una urgently whispering his name...

Chris came to with a moan, nearly every part of his body protested being awakened and he soon found out that even trying to move was a bad idea. He took a few deep breaths, gritted his teeth, clenched his hands against the jungle floor and tried opening his eyes. He lifted his head slowly and tried blinking away his double vision, it worked to an extent and he managed to make out Una lying across from him, her worried eyes locked on his.

Pike moaned when a wave of nausea washed over him, he tried to shift into a more comfortable position and ran into two major blocks. The first being his dislocated shoulder and the fact that it was excruciating if he tried to move at all; the second was Alec.

"Hey!" Alec barked out a warning, getting Chris' attention whilst he waved the phaser in his general direction menacingly. "Keep your head down and don't move."

Chris focussed on their hijacker and the weapon held securely in his hand, after seeing his furious expression Pike let his body relax into the ground and he nodded submissively.

Alec glared at him for a full 5-count before his attention was stolen by something more important; he made a threatening gesture with the gun and mouthed 'stay there' before going back to his communicator.

Chris gulped nervously and turned his attention back to Una; she was still staring at him and the frown on her forehead was deepening. He must not have looked a pretty sight, he certainly didn't feel pretty.

She threw a cautious sideways glance over to Alec and after seeing him engaged deep in conversation, she mouthed to him. "Are you okay?"

Pike didn't even know how to answer that, he felt awful, everything ached and half his body felt broken but he was still breathing and it wasn't like anything could be done about his medical condition at gunpoint, so he downplayed his injuries and managed a strained smile.

"I'm still breathing." He mouthed back, which earned a stifled snort and a head shake from Una. Before he got the chance to ask her how she was feeling, Alec stormed closer and made several threatening gestures at once which shut them up and made them face the ground.

With the option of communication snatched away Chris just had to go on what he could see. Una looked the same as before and her eyes had been alert albeit brimming with anger, but that was to be expected given the givens. He just had to hope that she hadn't been roughed up anymore since he'd been unconscious, and that Alec wasn't planning on using that weapon anytime soon...

Which brought him onto the rather troubling query - what was the former hijacker going to do with them?

Pike tried to listen in on Alec's conversation hoping to hear any indication on the next steps, or possibly about their fates. He couldn't hear a lot of what was repeated over the communicator, but he got the general gist of the conversation and it wasn't pretty.

Alec had made contact with his people; they weren't happy that he had failed his mission, but they were intrigued by the idea of him and Una. Their reputation clearly proceeded them, which for once was not a good thing. Pike's anxiety started to grow at an alarming rate when his and Una's names were mentioned more often, alongside the phrases - ransom, federation hostages, and make an example out of them.

However his anxiety really hit the roof when Alec's people said they were coming to collect them, all of them.

Alec shut off the communicator and turned to stare at his two captives thoughtfully, after a few moments he made off towards the shuttle, not before warning the both of them not to move. Chris and Una kept their heads down for a few minutes, not wanting to earn the ire of their very hostile abductor, so all they had to go on was sounds. Pike heard Alec throw things out of the shuttle and rifle through compartments, he was clearly looking for something.

Chris and Una both risked a peek at the same time and smiled at one another despite the circumstances; they were both so in tune sometimes it was scary how alike they were. The smiles were ripped off their faces when they spotted Alec coming back, carrying rope. Of course the rope was supposed to be used for emergencies, or cliffside traversing alongside climbing gear but Chris highly doubted that was what Alec had in mind for it.

His suspicions were confirmed when the gunman made a beeline for Number One, took out his knife, and started to slice the rope into smaller lengths.

"Now." He said, addressing the both of them. "We're all going to go on a little trip, and I can't have you running around freely. So, you're going to cooperate and if either of you try anything stupid, I'll kill the other." He threatened, pointedly staring between them. "Understand?"

As threats went it was extreme and effective. Pike would risk his own life and so would Una, but each other's? That was a whole different matter altogether.

Chris and Una both nodded mutely which caused Alec to grin winningly. He walked around the back of Una and waved his phaser at Pike. "You, face down until I say so or I'll start using this thing."

Pike gulped heavily but did as instructed. He did have to question why the threat was even necessary in the first place, he doubted he was able to stand at this point without making a hell of a lot of fuss, never mind jumping an armed opponent. Whilst Chris kept his face down in the dirt he heard Una's struggles, he had to clench his jaw shut tightly so he didn't blurt out an angry retort, he almost didn't manage that when Una cried out in pain.

After a few minutes the struggling noises ceased and there were footsteps coming towards him. Before Chris knew what was happening, an arm grabbed his good shoulder and started to pull him upwards. He gasped and bit back a cry throughout the procedure, once or twice he thought he was going to pass out but he managed to hold back the tide until he was upright and kneeling, even if he did feel like he was going to spew up everywhere any second.

He opened his eyes and noticed that Alec was standing beside him, staring down at his sling with distaste. The gunman prodded the limb experimentally causing Pike to yelp out and clutch at his arm protectively, trying to pull it away from the madman with the gun.

"I'm guessing if I wrench that arm back you're probably going to pass out." Alec muttered coldly, he wasn't concerned about the agony that it would cause Pike, simply the logistics.

Hearing the proposed idea made Chris' blood run cold. If the prod sent fire up his arm then he didn't want to even imagine the misery of having his limb tied behind him, so because of that he found himself being surprisingly honest with his captor. "Probably."

Alec considered him for a moment, glanced over to Una who was still laying face down in the dirt with her hands bound behind her, and then back to Pike. He picked at a length of rope and seemed to come to a decision. The gunman surged forwards and knelt down beside Chris, barking an order as he went to grab for his hands. "Hands out and together."

Pike gasped when Alec tugged on his bad arm but still managed to stifle a larger outcry. His captor roughly shoved his wrists together and started to wrap rope around them, tightly. When Alec was done he tied off the rope and threw Chris another wary glare before getting to his feet. The gunman quickly went over to the rucksacks full of supplies, he restocked them with what he had found in the shuttle and slung the backpack over his shoulders.

Alec waved the phaser in their direction and motioned for the pair of them to get to their feet; Chris managed to after a whole lot of stumbling and cursing but Una didn't have much luck. What did Alec expect? She was injured, stuck on the floor and she had her hands bound behind her back.

The gunman huffed in annoyance and he strode over to her position, hauling her up unceremoniously and with no concern for any of her injuries.

Una hissed in pain and glared at her attacker, Alec just smiled and held up a long length of rope. "I'm afraid you're going to hate this part even more Commander."