Joanna had counted to 100 when the communicator chirped. "Sandy! Are you ok?" shouted a panicked voice.
"Chekov?" Joanna replied. "Is this Chekov?"
"Miss McCoy!" cried out the voice. "Is Dr. Sandra with you?"
"No. She left me here." she whispered back. "She told me to be quiet and to stay here to stay safe."
"I do not have time. The Klingons have come onto the ship. I want to make sure that you and Dr. Sandra are ok." Chekov replied. "We got most of them but there are some that are still loose on the ship. Just stay where you are. Chekov out."
She shut off the communicator and sat quietly in one of the seats. It took up to a count of 200 when all the shaking and rattling stopped. Joanna cautiously opened the door and peeked outside. "Grab her!" shouted a voice.
She felt rough hands grab at her and she screamed. Phaser fire began to whiz past her ear. She struggled and squirmed in her captor's grip. Scary faced Klingons fell around them. Her captor was still dragging her away. Then everything went black.
"They're heading towards engineering, sir!" Chekov reported to Kirk. Jim immediately took off after the Klingon and Joanna with Spock and Chekov in tow. They took the first immediate turbolift down into the bowels of the ship.
"Cover me, guys." Jim ordered as they walked around the familiar tubes and pipes that made up the maze that was the engineering rooms. They slowly stalked over the catwalk, seeking out their prey.
"Captain Kirk!" crowed a gravelly voice. Three heads spotted the Klingon across the way. A twisted smile broke over his face and he held the unconscious body of Joanna McCoy over the edge. "Whose life is going to be more important? Your own...or someone you barely know?"
"Put her down and we'll negotiate talks!" Jim replied. "We'll hold off phaser fire if you just let the girl go safely!"
"Tell your men to stand down."
Jim clenched his jaw. "Stand down, guys."
"But captain--" Chekov began.
"Stand down." Reluctantly, Chekov and Spock pocketed their weapons. "All right, now put her down safely."
The grip on the young girl tightened. Jim watched steadily as his face twisted into a gruesome grin. "Fine. Here." And with that, he tossed Joanna carelessly over the side.
Jim didn't think twice about running and jumping over the railing after her. He grabbed her in mid air. "I gotcha, Jo." he whispered, wrapping his body around hers, shielding her from the impact. He groaned when they hit the floor of engineering. That hurt. "Jo," he ground out through the pain. "you ok?" She wasn't moving. He groaned again, the pain in his body spreading throughout. The world was starting to get fuzzy. He felt a hypospray against his neck and the world went blissfully black.
When he swam back into consciousness, there was a warm body snuggled into his side and the familiar glaring lights of medical burning his retinas. "Bones..." he wheezed.
"Jim, I've stopped reporting as to how many times you've broken everything in your body." Bones was saying. He wasn't looking at Jim. "She wouldn't leave you alone."
Jim finally looked down at the source of warmth at his side. Joanna McCoy was curled up against him. "Is she..."
"Yeah, she's got a few bruises." Bones brushed back some of Jim's hair. "Thank you for saving my baby girl." he added quietly.
Jim grinned, despite the pain. "No problem, Bones."
"Captain." The curtain was drawn back and Sandra was standing there. "I need to speak with Dr. McCoy privately. So when things are done here, send him to my office." She closed the curtain and stalked off.
Bones quickly pressed a kiss to Jim's forehead and left. Jim smiled and settled back into sleep.
The doors slid open and the doctor walked in. "What the hell is this about?"
Sandra didn't move from her chair. "McCoy, Pike let me know that an attorney is requesting a mental evaluation from you." He snorted. "I already sent the report. That was the first thing I did once things died down. I made sure that he case was made positive for you." She still didn't look up. "I've also began to request a lawyer for Joanna."
"What the hell do you mean?"
"Admiral Pike and I are putting together a case against Michael Behr and Jocelyn Behr." Sandra began quietly.
McCoy sat down on the couch when the names sunk in. "Why is there a case against Mike and Jocelyn?"
"McCoy...it's beyond custody rights now." she continued. "We'll put M'Benga on the case because of your involvement."
"Out with it, woman." McCoy growled. "Before I go grey."
"Mike's been abusing Joanna." she finally spat out. Sandra watched the doctor carefully. His mind seemed frozen in shock.
"What?"
Sandra ran her hand through her own hair. "I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself. I sent a message to Commander Spock. To see if we can put together psychological evidence. M'Benga can put together actual forensic evidence." She looked at his gaping face.
Disbelief etched across his face. Shock settled. He pressed a hand to his mouth. "Did he...?" Sandra nodded. "Oh god." McCoy buried his face in his hands. "Oh god...Jo..." Her heart sank when the news sunk in. "Why..."
"She might be put on the stand. You might be put on the stand." Sandra continued. "Pike, myself, possibly the Commander, and the Captain would be called. We don't know yet." She put a hand on his shoulder. "We're gonna fight tooth and nail for her, McCoy. I'm always available if you or Joanna wish to talk." Rage burned in him. Sandra took a deep breath to not let it affect her. "Go. You're needed in sick bay. Jim and Jo need you. I will send you the details when Admiral Pike and I put together the case."
McCoy nodded numbly and walked off. She let him. He needed the homeostasis to digest the information. She didn't blame him. The images of what she saw in the young girl's mind still twisted her stomach.
The door chime rang. "Come in." she called out. Pavel stood at the door, looking a bit worse for wear. "Pavel..." She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Oh god, I kept my eyes open for any gold that would come through."
"Doctor McCoy is good at what he does." Pavel replied quietly. "I am all right." She gave him a stern look. "Ok, maybe a bruise bone or so. But mostly all right." He petted her hair. "Is she...?"
"She's just fine. Kirk got her before the impact. He absorbed most of it." Sandra replied quietly. He held her close in the quiet of her office. "Let's go get something to eat from the mess."
Pavel rubbed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "Ok." he replied quietly.