Author's Note:

Hello everyone and apologies for the long gap between updates. My only excuse is that I've been watching a lot of TOS instead of writing this fic but I've finally completed this chapter. Like the last chapter it contains a fair bit of information, I just hope I'm not boring you all with it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

I do not own Star Trek

Plan and Reveal

Only a short while after Lientov had left he had returned and had them hauled off to a set of small cells. Jim's hands and arms had been released and then he was flung into one of them, he had wrenched his blindfold off just in time to see a force field form over the doorway and glimpse Scotty and Pavel as they were dragged off further down the corridor. Scotty had been thrown into the cell next to him but Pavel had been taken elsewhere, thankfully Lientov had gone in the opposite direction to where Pavel had been taken but Jim was scared for him none the less. As soon as they were alone he began to try and speak to Scotty, he was glad to hear the Scotsman's reply and they set about trying to find a way out. Unfortunately there was no way, the force field was strong and there was no way him or Scotty could shut it down from within their cells. Anything they had on them had been taken except their clothes and Jim found himself wishing that he'd taken Hikaru up on his offer to stick a secret compartment in his boot for a knife, not much good against a force field but it would've been great to surprise attack the guards. With no immediate way of escape they waited and kept their eyes open for an opportunity.

Jim soon began to pace his cell with worry, he had no idea where Pavel was and they were at the mercy of the boy's twisted, abusive, bastard of an uncle. He was certain that Lientov was going to do everything he could to break Pavel and Jim didn't know if the boy or indeed he himself could stand up to that. Pavel would be scared under these circumstances normally but with his uncle in charge of this kidnapping he would now be absolutely terrified. Jim pacing grew more frantic, he had to find a way out and soon, preferably before Lientov started on Pavel and could potentially irreparably harm him.

Jim realised that he was letting himself get close to panic and he calmed himself down keeping his thoughts and emotions controlled in the way he was expected to do in a crisis. Firstly he and Scotty were imprisoned with no immediate sign of escape or release, this was their first problem and there was nothing they could do until it was sorted so he began to analyse the situation. Lientov must want something and Jim, Scotty and Pavel were the hostages for ransom. The signal was now obviously a trap set by Lientov to capture them and he was certain that Lientov had already contacted the Enterprise to show that he had them captured. It was also very likely that he hadn't made any demands as of yet, he would draw this stage out leaving the remaining crew in the dark for as long as possible. He would do this to try and make the crew worry about what he wanted and the state of their fellow crewmembers allowing their emotions to start to affect their judgement, though with Spock that was going to take awhile. This meant they had at least a couple of days of waiting and the chances were that Lientov wouldn't do anything too harmful to them for that time; he seemed to be a man who enjoyed the fear of his victims and knew that fear when waiting for harm was greater than fear while being harmed. Lientov also appeared to enjoy being dramatic, he'll probably come and boast about his plan to him at some point and he might be able to use Lientov's dramatic nature to his advantage.

Several hours later Lientov came to Jim's cell and the captain instantly went on his guard, he couldn't appear weak to his captor.

"Well Captain, I have some most interesting news for you. I've just been in contact with your ship again and found that they passed my message onto Archer for me." Lientov said smugly, "It seems that he is going to the Enterprise to negotiate with me personally. Did you realise how valuable you are to him?" The man continued, not allowing Jim to give an answer, "Well I suppose that you are the Federation's great heroes and he does have a personal connection to little Pavel."

Jim cut across, "Where is he Lientov?"

The man smiled as he answered, "Oh I've made special arrangements for Pavel but I may let you see him at some point. He's quite safe Captain, there is no point in killing him now despite our past."

Realising that he'd get nothing else about Pavel, Jim asked his next pressing question, "What do you want?"

He grinned, "Ah yes, what I want. That is just the reason why I came to see you, it is getting dull keeping you in the dark and there's no point in having a brilliant scheme if you don't get to explain to someone who isn't one of your minions. I think you'll understand it better than them Captain and its not like you have anything else to do."

Lientov summoned four guards over with a wave of his hand, two of them kept their weapons trained on Jim as the others lowered the force field and approached with the restraints they used before. Knowing it wasn't the right moment, Jim remained still as they bound him again and replaced the blindfold, they pushed him in the direction of the doorway and he heard Lientov speaking to him, "I know being bound and hauled around like this is most undignified Captain, but your reputation precedes you and only a fool wouldn't take certain precautions."

"So why are you taking me out of my cell?"

"Because this place is completely unsuitable for unveiling a master plan, it just doesn't have the right atmosphere."

"Seriously?"

"My dear Captain." Lientov sounded disappointed, "I thought you would understand the need for the right environment to produce the desired effect, it is all a part of the show. Besides, I cannot take my scheme any further until Archer arrives on the Enterprise and that may take a few days, I have to amuse myself somehow and it would be most impolite to keep you in your cell for all that time."

Jim was starting to wonder if Lientov was mad and he heard the man address what was most likely more guards, "Take him to my private office, bring Mr Scott and fetch the boy as well, they'll all want to hear this."

Jim was once again dragged through Lientov's and he soon found himself being shoved onto some sort of chair and strapped firmly to it. He heard noises that suggested a similar thing happening to Scotty and Pavel either side of him and then his blindfold was roughly pulled off allowing him to see Lientov's office.

It was a sight to behold.

The room was huge and circular with a viewscreen wrapped all the way around it and a glass domed ceiling providing an almost uninterrupted view of the vista around them which was what was truly incredible. It showed no view of the stars or a nearby planet or even some vast alien landscape, instead it showed a view of two immense binary stars either side of the station. Their light and heat must have been suppressed by powerful screens and shields for they were so close that the station between them should have been incinerated in an instant.

Lientov spoke from his position behind an almost laughably plain desk sat on a dark leather chair, "I think you'll agree that the view is most impressive."

Scotty gave a barely coherent response from where he was sat on Jim's right, "But…how? I mean the stars…how is this possible?"

Lientov gave a small laugh, "I quite understand your reaction Mr Scott, allow me to explain. You'll probably remember the Helios Device from your little fight with the Gorn, if so you'll also remember that it was powered by a prototype Vulcan ship which used advanced solar collectors to collect energy from the nearby binary stars. I managed to acquire a copy of the plans for those collectors after the ship was destroyed and incorporate a modified version into this station. These collectors both protect and power the station, a super strong hull and advanced deflector shields also assist in protecting it. This means that it is exceptionally difficult for anyone to detect us due to the intense heat and radiation, keeping us well hidden."

Scotty quickly shot out another question, "But how do ye supply this station? Many vessels cannae get close tae binary stars, never mind dock with a space station in-between two of them?"

"Your own trans-warp beaming equation Mr Scott. I have many contacts around the Federation so I simply get them to place my supplies on normal cargo vessels, as these ships pass by the system we use our advanced transporters, which can cope with the interference caused by the stars, to beam the supplies aboard. A hacking of the ship's logs erases my supplies from their cargo lists and no-one is any the wiser."

Scotty stared dumfounded at Lientov who simply smiled before speaking again, "As you can see I can get a great many things in this galaxy quite easily but there is something in particular that not even my contacts can get a hold of. It is buried so deep in the secrecy of Starfleet that not even my people within Section 31 could get it for me."

Jim suddenly cut across him, surprise evident in his voice, "Section 31! You had connections to Marcus' special unit!?"

Lientov got up and stood facing away from them, "Indeed Captain, I pride myself on having people everywhere keeping alert for opportunities or dangers in regards to my businesses. None of them know who they're reporting to and some don't even realise that they are passing on information but it keeps me informed on what is happening in the world. I never had any control over what Section 31 did but I did watch them closely as they were studying things of great interest to me. It was one thing in particular that attracted my full attention however and I've been forced to reveal myself to get it." Lientov began pacing in front of them, "Starfleet have hidden this thing well, only a few of the most senior admirals know where it is including Archer. It would've taken a high profile hostage to get him to even think about negotiating with me and there would be no-one better than the great Captain Kirk. So I created the mysterious signal, a few bits of meddling in the paperwork would ensure that the Enterprise would be the ship sent to investigate. The device you found on Zeta IV was connected to the transporter here, at the right moment we beamed both it and anyone within three feet of it aboard. It was specially designed to be undetectable and very quick so that anyone left would think you had vanished meaning that they would have no idea what happened to you."

Jim interrupted again, "You said you wanted me as a hostage but you couldn't have known for sure that I would have even beamed down to the planet, never mind be within three feet of your device?"

"You are indeed right Captain but it was highly likely that you would've wanted to see the device for yourself, we could see through the device who was within range so as soon as you were present we could activate it. I must admit that getting Pavel was an unexpected bonus."

"But what would warrant all of this, what is so valuable tae ye that ye would reveal that your no dead and use a complicated device tae kidnap a Starfleet captain and some of his crew?"

It was Scotty who had asked the question and the man stopped pacing and faced him, "Why Mr Scott, there is only one thing that Starfleet has that would warrant all of this."

Lientov smiled, "I want the plans of the Vengeance of course."

PS-So long chapter but I hoped you liked it. I know Pavel hasn't had much of a look in but don't worry I'm getting to the whole thing between him and Lientov you're all expecting. Hope to update soon and please review to let me know what you thought.