AN: Usual disclaimer, the rights to Star Trek etc. belong to someone else. The entire story is complete on my PC, and I'll try to load up a new chapter every few days. Please read and review – constructive feedback will help me finalise the remaining chapters.

So this takes us back to chapter 1...we're on the final innings of the tale. I realise this story has been different in style to 'Brainwashed', but I hope you have enjoyed it so far. Anyway, on with the show...

Chapter 18

Now 1600, it felt like an eternity had passed since Scotty's initial visit to Uhura. They were to leave as soon as his shifted ended, hopefully buying enough time before anyone realised either was gone. In the time between their meeting and his return, Scotty was to fabricate fake sensor readouts for both of them. Normally as soon as anyone used the transporter it would register their absence and arrival. With his machinations they would appear to still be on board, both in their respective quarters. This was how he had transported into her room the first time.

Waiting, Uhura struggled into something more suitable for exploring caves. Her newly recovered knee choosing that very moment to protest her jerky movements; she slipped into the form fitting body suit. Pulling up the zip to close the opening, she contemplatively eyed up all the equipment she had managed to get her hands on, spread on the bed it was a pitiful bounty. Limited to whatever was in her quarters, it showed just how unprepared they were. She hoped Scotty had better luck in his quarters. Settling on the bed with one leg tucked under her bum, her mind wondered allowing the scene in front of her to fade away into nothing. Just being able to stop thinking and embrace the emptiness, was one of the many things she was thankful Spock had shared with her. The nothingness quelling the voice to telling her to abandon the foolhardy and suicidal rescue attempt. It is the right thing to do; he would do the same for me...for any of his crew. As ever, it all came down to Kirk. Every waking hour over the last few weeks, she had analysed, deconstructed and reconstructed her feelings; the answers she sought deftly eschewing her grasp.

'Still my unannounced appearance doesn't freak you out' First the voice and then the body of Scotty appearing from the void of subspace. Like a Cheshire cat, his smug grin drew her in.

'Not entirely unannounced when we agree a time for you to arrive...' stepping off the bed she shoved the phaser onto her belt, groping for her tricorder out of habit even though she knew it was there. Sweeping everything else into a rucksack, Uhura closed her eyes and took a very deep breath to steady herself, 'Let's go...' Impatient to leave.

'Right, about that. I need to tell you-'

'...Scotty, I do not have time for this...' glaring at her best friend.

'Look! My transporter, my rules!' matching her stance, before stepping back ever so slightly 'this is a one-way trip; we're on our own down there. Are you sure we shouldn't tell McCoy and Sulu?'

'No. They need plausible deniability. It's bad enough our careers might be ended...'

'...Or we all end up dead...' silently and efficiently he worked on the portable transportation device attached to Uhura's sleeve. A blinking red light let him know it was active. With a final turn of a micro screw, it was ready. In turn, he flexed his arm to verifying his device was still in place. Ready to move off, Uhura hugged him hard.

'Thank you, Scotty' the muted sentiment and then they are gone.

Materialising in the cavernous dark void, the damp cold air seeped through their clothes. Gradually they attuned to the gloom; somewhere the gentle trickle of water flowing over rocks could be heard. Tricorder checked, they began their journey unaware of the shambolic exchange at the village and the impending fallout.

Settled in Freedan's office, it had been agreed Samson would now take Spock along with Kulj'ita. Having run into Kirk, and overhearing his snide remark it took all her restraint not to charge at him. Given the day so far, she had little patience to spare. The captain whether he knew it or not, always knew what buttons to press to make her second guess herself. He was infuriating. Now he and Spock were housed in cells as far apart as possible to prevent a repeat of their shenanigans.

Samson hovered in the background of Freedan's room. No longer crammed with his toys the room was sparse. All day his men had been packing weapons away in secure carriers, every now and then disturbing the discussion to seek further orders.

'Your pacing is irritating. Sit down!' Freedan growled, perusing the response to his message - 7 hours. That was the exact amount of time it would take for the Sunstones to be shipped off Perpetous and money deposited into their accounts. However, it was also the cause of Samson's current consternation.

'What is Kulj'ita doing?' Freedan tipped his back head towards Samson.

'You are kidding me? Right now Irin's men are trooping towards our front door, and instead of being worried that we are here 7 hours longer than necessary. Does it really matter what Kulj'ita is doing!'

Unhurriedly swivelling his chair to face her, he serenely pointed at two of the monitors. A sudden flash, cameras offline, pandemonium all around as guards darted around shouting about an explosion.

'Oh dear, it looks like several cave ins will slow their progress. So we have some time'. With a self-satisfied grin, 'so are you going to answer me or what?'

'Now why didn't I think of that', caustically retorting, before making her way to the seat opposite. At least his table remained to separate them. 'I told him to record his part of a ransom message to Irin'. Freedan made it very clear what he thought about the idea. He was never one to hide his scorn from anyone. Paying no mind to his derogatory comments, she continued, 'he needs a way to go back unsuspected as part of plan C if plans A and B fail...' Plans A and B being Kirk and Spock used as leverage for safe passage away from Perpetous. They would need someone planetside to pull strings and as always Freedan was failing to appreciate the end game - not getting caught.

Back in the caves several hours later Scotty fussed, 'These sleeping bags are shit'. Wherever he lay something jagged dug into him as he moved for the umpteenth time. His body screamed for relief after the intensity of the past few days, and the hours they had just spent walking. He and Uhura lay back to back, he facing towards the route they had taken into the network, she facing forwards towards the route they needed to take to get to Kirk and Spock. 'And another thing...' he faltered at the sound of deep and steady breathing from Uhura. She could always fall asleep anywhere instantly. Part of him tried ever so hard not to awaken Uhura to keep him company, he was not joking about being afraid of the dark. Scooting down into his sleeping bag confident the perimeter was secure, he lulled himself to sleep by reciting passages from classic songs he loved.

Uhura could see him lying on his back and he looked terrible. So small and alone. The chill in the room cut through her, deep into her bones. Just then a warming fire appeared and settled at the foot of his mattress. Willing herself to move towards the comforting flames, she slowly descended within reach of the warmth, but an explosion threw her against the wall. Even her screams did not awake a slumbering Kirk, nor the falling rock erring close to his head.

Winded and forgetting the need for warmth, she crawled to him over the cold uneven floor that pressed into her knees. The achy feeling reminding her she really shouldn't be doing that. Overwhelmed by the need to touch him, soon she loomed over his sleeping form. Removing her glove to feel his skin, she pressed her hand gently to his heavily bearded jaw. That simple act sent a jolt of electricity through her arm, the feeling dissipating throughout her body. Looking down at her tingling hand, just below the skin white light pulsated up and down her veins. Uhura bent forward to press a kiss just above his cut eye, it felt like the right thing to do.

'I'm here to get you...' she whispered in his ear, her fingers now intertwined with his. Looking over his sleeping form she looked out for other injuries. There did not appear to be any.

Suddenly the scene changed, whooshing by in a dizzying fashion. They were both back on the Enterprise in the mess hall. Alone, two intense spotlights converged on them. Attired in her standard uniform, Uhura stood in the doorway. Her hands brushed up and down her form. Kirk sat at the senior officer's table in his tattered and torn uniform, none the worse for wear. Both surprised at the turn of events, taking a few minutes to take in the familiar surroundings. A grin quickly appeared on Kirk's face, that boyish carefree smile from the man that she loved. Launching into a run to close the distance between them, just as she was about to reach out and embrace him, she found herself back at the door. Repeating the action several times over and over, Uhura grew more and more disheartened.

'Why can't I reach you' she whimpered, using the cuff of her sleeve to wipe the falling tears.

Still in his seat, 'you have to let go', he wistfully replied.

'I know', her voice catching, her gaze dropped to the ground. She needed to say more, there was so much to say, but she didn't have the words to articulate what was feeling. Not yet. The feeling sitting heavily on her chest.

'You're cold', he stood and slowly approached. Just then a blanket enveloped her. Welcoming the warmth, Uhura pulled it tighter around her wondering how he knew.

Tilting her head to the side to look at him more closely, 'Wait for me...' she cryptically begged.

'Always' he replied smiling at her.

Uhura's eyes reluctantly fluttered open. Groaning she acknowledged Scotty shoving her 'Jeez, quit it...I'm awake'.

'Oh thank god!' throwing his hands up in relief, 'I've been trying to wake you for the past 10 minutes'. Resting back on his knees he watched Uhura slowly push upwards and rest on her forearms. 'Are you okay?' he asked in response to her seeming to search out something in the unknown of the dark cavern.

Uhura lamented that the barrier between dream and reality had reasserted itself. The dream so real, she was damn cold, inside and out. Flopping back down, she reached for her tricorder she scanned the area.

'Scotty, have you seen this?' sleepily demanding his attention.

Projecting the image up between them, she enlarged it to show the entire cave network. Within it were now more Perpetuans and humans, if she had to guess Routledge's men, held back by fallen rock and debris. They had been missing long enough for someone to raise the alarm, especially as she wouldn't be in her room for the night out check. They would correctly predict her arrival on Perpetous, but it would be unlikely they would ever think she and Scotty would be on the literal doorstep of Perpetous' most wanted.

Scotty snatched the tricorder from her hand to scan the nearest wall, 'the structural integrity has changed. Some kind of explosion, it looks similar to what they calmed happened to Spock, so obviously deliberate'. Now upright, Uhura frantically packed up their gear. There has been an explosion in her dream, she wondered if it were a coincidence...

'Why haven't they targeted us?' Aware they could be the next; she debated whether or not to tell him about her dream.

Scotty shrugged his shoulders, 'Guess we've done a better job avoiding detection. Also judging by the deliberate intent, someone knew to look out for them. Hopefully, nobody knows we're here, still I would like to find a way to knock out their systems just in case...'

Kirk bolted upright gasping for air. Ouch he mouthed, tentatively prodding the blossoming bruise around his jaw, he groggily recalled Spock punching him. Gazing around his new surroundings, there was no recollection of how he came to be in a smaller and even colder cell. Where is Spock? Snippets of images came back to him, a hypospray, a voice demanding to know something...the harder he strained the less he recalled. Gah! The plan had failed, and now he had no idea where he or his Science officer was.

Just then his pulse rate rocketed, rolling off the mattress onto his hands and knees he drew in deep breaths until his breathing fell under control and the urge to vomit passed. McCoy would have said he was having a panic attack, whatever it was; Kirk did not enjoy the feeling. The reason for his wakeful state, another vivid dream; it had simultaneously reassured and chilled him to the bone. A guard peered into his cell, when she was convinced Kirk he was not actually ill she resumed her original position. Pulling himself upright against the uneven surface of the wall, a hand subconsciously tended to his cut eye, and then back down to his jaw. Uhura had touched him there, he was certain of it. She had also said she was coming which could not possibly be true.

A craft slowly descended downwards from the shuttle bay opening high up in the mountainside. Within it a flustered passenger mulled over the Machiavellian level of organisation needed to get to this point. Still, they were begrudgingly thankful to Freedan for the way he had organised the various contacts to get this far. Eventually, the thrusters quietened before the engines cut out.

Outside the shuttle window, Perpetuan's dashed from place to place with valuable artefacts. The passenger thought it ridiculous how lax Irin had been identifying other ways in and out of the cave network. Admittedly, the unique geography of the system didn't help matters. And to be fair without co-ordinates they would never have found the entrance. It was very well hidden. With one final sweep of the craft's systems, they carefully exited to face the tall willowy figures of Samson and Freedan. She rigid in her pose, both hands clasped behind her back, he radiating excited energy. Had he skipped up to the shuttle it would not have been surprising. Just behind and surrounding them were 15 guards, all pointing their weapons at the craft. All this for me? Assessing the scene, only one question presented itself, where were the Sunstones? In and out, that was made very clear from the beginning. There was only a limited window of opportunity.

'Well, hello my friend', from Freedan's welcome it is clear they were anything but.

'I am not your friend. Let's get this over and done with...' snapping as they scanned the area once more, 'Where are the Sunstones?'

Gesturing for the guest to follow, the guards parted to allow the guest to arrive beside Samson. All together the trio make their way out of the shuttle bay.

Speaking to nobody in particular the guest simply stated 'you know they're here...'

With a knowing smile, 'of course we do', Freedan giving the signal to six of the guards to break away and disappear into the system. 'Commander Uhura and the other human will be useful to all of us', throwing his arm over the shoulder of his guest to bring them into a conspiratory clinch. That was not the they being referred to. Shit shit shit!

'Come on Scotty, you've been dragging your heels for the last hour...' For the first time in a while the tunnel allowed the co-workers to walk side by side. So Uhura fell into step with him, unable to shake the feeling there was more to the dream than she realised.

Holding up his tricorder, 'I'm finished, I think I can disrupt the frequency to the cameras and any communication devices they use using...' With one final flourish, 'ta da it's done'. Without the usual screaming, shouting and sparks Uhura merely nodded, sure whatever he had done has worked. Montgomery Scott was no idiot.

Conversing in the room where Freedan had turned on Samson. The guest peered into the box at the two spheres, a tight smile appearing, then falling away as Samson and Freedan come into sight. 'Load these onto my shuttle, and then I'll release the money...' The forced bravado an attempt to control the unseemly situation. The epic fuck up at the exchange and of course the acerbic exchanges between the cousins on the way to the room shattered the illusion of a united front. The three sat around an onyx circular table, five metres in diameter the solid material cool to the touch. Just then a cacophony of sound as klaxons blared out before everything was plunged into inky darkness. With a clunky whirl, the emergency generators kicked into action leaving them bathed in the ambient red of the back up lights.

'What now?' Samson jumping to her feet, first unwelcome thought being Freedan had caused this. The second that her guest had attempted something exceptionally stupid. Back and forth her gaze bounced looking for any sign of duplicity. Both look as gobsmacked as she.

'Cameras and comms...everything is down...we're blind...' her aide reported.

'What?!' clearly alarmed, Freedan shoved the aide out of the way as he bolted to his office. Arriving at his desk, nothing but static from the various screens. 'Somebody tell me how this happened, and then fix it!' he bellowed.

Satisfied neither had betrayed her, in Freedan's case recently, Samson slipped into Freedan's empty seat, ready to discuss a mutually beneficial proposition. Her face the picture of serenity and camaraderie, in the current situation it downright unnerving. Licking her lips before carefully enunciating her request directly into the ear of her friend, her warm breath tickling his earlobe, 'Now you and I have always had a courteous relationship...'

Beads of sweat trickled down the guest's forehead. What she suggested would very definitely get them killed, unless executed flawlessly. Torn, there was no choice but to do as she said, cursing the precarious situation they were now in. Lost in their thoughts, it was far too late to react to the sound of Samson locking the door from the outside. What kind of fucked up situation had they got themselves into. Only after the last tonal sound of a keypad being pressed, did the jump upright to begin commencing their plea for freedom.

Fleeing to locate Kulj'ita it was definitely time to leave. But first Samson had one stop to make.