Anyone else notice all the TOS reference I put in these chapters? I use at least one every chapter or try to. Also there are like 3 in this chapter cause . . . STAR TREK MARATHON! I think I went through season two and three in two days. . . I need a life. Also since I'm working Thanksgiving and won't get to see my family cause my job is run by ASSHOLES, I may be addicted to writing as a result less I do something stupid like quit my part time or kill the upper management. Also whoever finds two of the references in this chapter gets a cookie.
PS. The future chapters will be heavily inspired by a music video called "Let Me Help" Kirk/Spock. I actually set it up with this first scene. You should check it out. It's on youtube.
An old PADD perched on his lap under the cool shade of a large oak like tree; Jabari almost looked at peace when Jim had finally found him. When Jim realized the older boy was gone, he had panicked, scared to death that something had happened to him. Catching first sight of him, Jim was ready to chew the other boys hide for almost making him have a heart attack. However seeing him sitting there, a small smile on his lips as he typed across the device, Jim couldn't do it. He had never seen Jabari look so relaxed.
"Are you going to stand there or are you going to join me?" Jabari called, not even looking up as he typed.
"How do you do that?" the younger teen grumbled, coming out of his hiding spot. "I swear you're psychic."
Jabari's small smile widened a fraction, but didn't retort, focused on whatever he was working on. Jim sat beside him, trying to catch a glimpse, but it was difficult to make out anything due to the cracked screen. "You shouldn't wander so far from camp you know."
"I know, but I had a feeling you would find me eventually if I left a trail, and I needed some space."
A twinge of guilt ran through Jim, knowing he was the cause for the distance. "So . . . what are you working on?"
For the first time since Jim found him, he looked up, his dark eyes calculating what to say. He seemed to relent to Jim's question in the end. "I'm writing a novel."
"Right, you want to become a writer. Mr. Premed."
Jabari looked back to the PADD, rereading what he had written. "Amara, my older sister, used to tell me to keep a journal so I had a way to record all my experiences and emotions I thought were important to me. At first I tried it, but I couldn't get past the idea of it. Why record something I already lived though. If it's important to me, I'll remember it no matter how much time passed. So instead, I recorded my experiences in another setting, with different circumstances, but with the same emotions I was feeling then. Eventually, they morphed into stories."
"So, you're writing about Tarsus without "writing" about Tarsus?" Jim said slowly, trying to understand.
"Yes. You would understand if you read it. It's a parallel to the real world but still a work of fiction."
"Right," he said slowly, leaning back against the tree. "So you'll let me read it when you finish?"
The older teen smiled again, typing another sentence before replying. "If you can promise to come up with a title for it when you finish."
Grinning ear to ear, Jim replied, "It's a deal."
A smile eased its way onto the captain's face at the memory. He had an urge to read it now. He always did whenever he suffered nightmares about Tarsus. He hadn't been as alone as he had always felt whenever he recalled the events on Tarsus. He wouldn't have changed anything he did or the things he said back then, but the book reminded him that others suffered to. It wasn't just his pain that had existed.
"Something amusing, Captain?"
Jim turned his head to see brown eyes staring at him, and his smile widened just a tad as tension rolled off his shoulders. "Just thinking of my past relationships, Mr. Spock."
"I see," the Vulcan said, sitting straighter and maneuvering his body to face the captain with a carefully blank face. Curious, Kirk thought absentmindedly. "So not a smile of amusement and more akin to fondness."
With an all out grin, the human laid back against the wall, returning his gaze to his unconscious friend. It was the most ease the captain had exhibited since their first night here. Still, Spock seemed unusually interested. The subspace communication device still laid in pieces beside him. It seemed almost forgotten in that moment, so Kirk decided to elaborated. "During times like this, it's easy to reflect on your life. See if you have any regrets, fears, or wishes left in case you don't make it out."
"And do you, sir?"
Jim's gaze drifted to the cave's ceiling, his eyes glazing over with memory. "You know . . . I knew a famous novelist once. Wrote a book on the topic of love. A famous fiction book too."
"I do not understand," Spock admitted, his brows furrowing in thought.
Jim refocused his eyes on Spock, his grin turning into a sad smile. "Every lover I have ever had has told me they loved me."
Before Spock could even question it, Jim switched the subject to the subspace communicator. Spock allowed the change, explaining the problems he was having to the littlest detail. The Vulcan did stiffen when Jim leaned over his shoulder to see the components that needed to be replaced in a better light. Neither commented on it though, focusing completely on the task at hand.
Jim was only sidetracked when a soft groan from the doctor, pulled him away. "Hey, Bones, take it easy." He kneeled beside his barely conscious friend, trying to sit up.
"I'm the doctor around here." The man grumbled, trying to move despite Jim's hand on his shoulder urging him to stay put.
"And also known as the Enterprise's worst patient," Spock supplied, earning a small chuckle from the captain.
He changed the cloth on his friend's head, dipping it in cool water first. His fever seemed to be going down. Slowly but surely. "Not fair . . . you're the one allergic . . . to . . ." the man was already drifting back to sleep.
Kirk brought a small clay bowl full of water to his lips before he could fully fall asleep. A lot of it missed the man's mouth, drizzling down his chin and drenching his shirt. McCoy was only able to manage a gulp or two, passing out again.
Carefully, Jim laid his best friend back down in the make shift bed and dried the shirt to the best of his abilities.
Luca was still glaring at McCoy from his position near the entrance. He had not moved from there since McCoy had fallen ill. Not that Jim could blame him. It was a risk. McCoy would eventually get better, but whether he would become a source of contamination or would fight it off would remain to be seen for another week or so.
Silently, he waved Luca over. Wearily, Luca obeyed, steering clear of McCoy. "Yes, Jim?"
"Can you go and check on Uhura and the taHqeq for me?" The child immediately tensed, shifting his eyes away. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I'll be right here if you go."
Luca shifted again, glancing at the exit.
"And if you need help, all you have to do is get my attention, and I'll come running."
"Promise?" he whispered.
"lay' jIH."
Nodding softly, Luca left to find them.
"I was unaware you spoke Klingon, sir."
Jim grew quiet again, deep in thought. "After our little quarrel with the Klingons back on Qo'noS, I decided I probably should learn it if a war does break out. Or if we find ourselves in that particular region again for any reason."
"And how does Luca know it?"
"I'm teaching him some basics. Just in case he needs to tell me something and can't be overheard. He's a quick learner. Might be better than Uhura someday."
"I see," Spock turned back to the communicator.
"Spock?" His voice was soft yet emotionally distant as if preparing himself for something. Spock stopped immediately, giving Jim his full attention. "Did you eat the meat?" Jim didn't look at him, just staring out into a blank space in front of him.
Spock contemplated saying no, but instead he nodded his head slightly. "Yes, Jim. Along with a portion of the rations."
Instead of anger, Jim laughed to himself. It was hollow and forced as if it was painful to do. "You know, I realized after I left last night the huge loophole I left you. I knew you'd take it too. I just hoped . . ." His face was crestfallen mixed with frustration.
"Jim . . ."
"It's happening all over again, and I'm just as useless as I was back then. If I can't even protect your beliefs, how can I protect you?!" In his anxiety, he was up and pacing.
"It was my choice, Jim. It was not your failing─"
The human shook his head, his expression closed, drawing into himself.
"Jim."
At the sound of his name, Jim left the cave. Never before had Spock seen Jim actually run away from something. Run away from him.
"I told you so."
Spock sent McCoy a glare, but couldn't respond.
"This is our chance, don't you see! We can get medicine, Jim! Food to last us months!"
"And get people killed in the process," Jim said darkly. "It's too risky."
"You're just a coward. What the hell do you know?" That got Jim to look up at the speaker. This one was always causing trouble. Aramis, more similar to his namesake than the kid would ever admit. Ambitious, flirty to a fault, and never satisfied.
With cold, dangerous eyes, he said slowly so the teen could understand. "I said no,"
"Who made you in charge anyway?!" Jim was really starting to hate French accents due to this kid alone. "Fils de salope," he muttered under his breath. It obviously wasn't meant for Jim's ears.
"Je m'en fou," Jim scoffed. At the kid's widened eyes, Jim smirked. "Learned French just for you."
"Nique ta mere!" Aramis snapped.
Jim only rolled his eyes. "Sorry, she's not my type. Go do your chores, Aramis."
Aramis opened his mouth to say something else, but Jabari stepped in, his presence foreboding. "I believe you should get back to your chores, Aramis."
The teen scowled, turning away to do what Jabari said but not before throwing one last glare at Jim.
When Luca came back, he had Decker and Uhura with him, though he traveled behind them both.
Spock looked up at their entrance only to go back to tampering with his project. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be many indents the size of fingers in the casing now. Uhura briefly wondered how.
"Where's, Kirk?" she asked.
The small metal screwdriver in Spock's hands bent. Okay, so that wasn't good.
Luca was backing away from them, his hand inching for his knife. Seeing the retreat, Spock said finally said, "He left temporarily. He should return before dark." The Vulcan kept his eyes focused on the screwdriver, straightening it as much as he could, then placed the ruined circuit board he had broken earlier aside.
Uhura noticed the pile was bigger than before she had left, many of the new additions broken in half or dented. That really wasn't good.
"Jim caught Spock lying. He didn't take it well." All eyes turned to the doctor, who was propped up against a pile of blankets. His face was still pale with dark purplish-brown bags under his eyes and his skin damp with sweat, but he was at least conscious.
Spock however kept his gaze on the parts. If Uhura didn't know any better, she'd say Spock was sulking. How could Kirk not see how he affected his first officer? He made a Vulcan sulk for crying out loud.
As if sensing her turn of thoughts, Spock straightened himself and faced the group with a perfect Vulcan mask. "Were you successful in procuring anything of use?"
"We found a few crystals that might help. They need to be shaped though. As you suspected, we couldn't find anything that could substitute for wire," Decker placed what they found beside the Vulcan.
Spock took only a moment to inspect the crystals. "They should be sufficient."
He was about to go back to his work when a gentle hand touched his shoulder briefly. "You should take a break," she said softly. "We can't afford you breaking more parts," she added when he didn't seem inclined to listen to her request.
Spock exhaled a little more forcefully that may have been considered a sigh on anyone else, but never the less obeyed silently. "I will meditate," he replied, moving farther back into the cave where Jim had set up a small meditation alcove for him.
"Glad to see you're awake, Doctor McCoy," Decker smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Like my body's pumping lead and I've been shoved into a damn freezer," he mumbled, pulling the blankets around him tighter.
Uhura draped another blanket over him. "You know what they say, sweat out the fever."
The doctor scoffed. "If you want to die from being overheated or dehydration," he weakly shoved the extra blanket away.
"Good to know your medical knowledge is still working," Decker settled beside him, helping himself to some rations.
"Please, this is nothing. Been closer to death on Miri and still found a damn vaccine." The doctor scoffed.
"Doctor," Spock's voice drifted over to them, sounding distant. "Miri was the name of the child. The planet's name was P─"
"I don't really care, Spock. Now, shut up and meditate already."
Spock was silent after that, apparently heeding the doctor's orders.
The Commodore laughed, though it lacked any warm feeling of genuine pleasure. "I've never seen a crew so close. Calling each other by first names, no titles, even borderline insubordination. I'm surprise Kirk allows it with how strict he seems."
"Kirk's usually laid back," Uhura said, sitting down by the fire. She waved Luca to come sit beside her. He shook his head no, and she sighed. "I mean with the Narada and Admiral Marcus, it kind of forced the bridge crew together. It's hard to be formal with the guy who'd jump off a drill for you, or sacrifice his life for you all the time, or is constantly in your sickbay. He treats us like family and almost everyone here kind of thinks of him as their genius, annoying little brother. It just also happens that he's also one hell of a captain too."
"More like a pain in my ass," McCoy said, sourly with a hint of fondness in there.
"I take it the exception is Mr. Spock," Decker asked.
McCoy and Uhura shared a look. "Something like that," she answered carefully. "At the very least he respects the captain."
"So his behavior isn't normal," he muttered to himself. He didn't ask any more questions.
Uhura carefully ate some rations, splitting with McCoy who could only stomach two bites. Everyone had settled for sleep by the time Jim returned. Only Uhura was awake, with Spock too far into the cave to have seen his entrance.
Luca whispered something to Jim. The captain nodded, picking the child up in his arms, and they settled into their own little corner. It would have been cute if not for how tired they both looked. She knew Jim didn't sleep much, but only Spock seemed to know how little that really was. She didn't know how to help, and she couldn't help but wonder, how much more could Jim take before he snapped under the pressure?
Jabari had been gone too long. He was due back hours ago.
Jim was pacing the front of their camp, unconsciously stepping only on the rocks to keep his footprints from showing in the marshy terrain.
He was distracted with his thoughts, and with the familiar steps coming up behind him, he didn't question it. Not until he realized there were too many. Jim looked up to see ten of them. Ten of his teens, the ones he took on missions with him, standing before him. He moved for his phaser, but a shot grazing his hand stopped him. "Don't move, Jim."
"A mutiny? Really, Aramis?" Jim's eyes narrowed, and his voice deepened.
The 15 year old flinched at Jim's change, recognizing it for the threat that it was. "You know, it took forever for Jabari to leave. I don't know what he sees in you, but it's gone too far. You've become nothing but a dictator. Telling us what to do all the time, stopping us from helping the others. Hell, you kill our own without a shred of remorse. You need to be stopped."
"So what? You going to shoot me?" Jim's dark stare seemed to unnerve some of them.
"No," Aramis said. "We aren't like you." He tossed a small pack that landed a foot in front of Jim. "You're going to leave and not come back. In there are some blankets, a knife, and a bottle of water. You should be able to survive with that and your phaser."
Jim's eyes narrowed at the bag. "I don't need your charity." With a flick of his wrist, he threw his phaser back to them. "I'll leave, but," his voice was so cold that many of them took one step back. "If I found out you hurt even one of my kids, I will hunt you down and tear you limb from limb, and if you're still alive I'll be more than happy to let Jabari use you as his next biology experiment. And you know how curious he's been about having a live subject to test his theories about the fungus on. I'm sure he wouldn't object to a human subject if it was somehow involved with harming one of my kids."
They were visible sweating, judging the potential of whether or not Jim would actually follow through on that threat.
"I would never hurt them. No one would. The only threat is you," Aramis spoke confidently. He then smirked. "Who knows, if Jabari won't conform, we'll let him go too. Then you fags can go fuck each other."
Danger glinted off his eyes. "Lynda would say differently," his ice blue eyes landed on the 16 year old standing towards the back."Wouldn't you Lynda."
The girl just shrugged. He was tempted to punch her. "If you harm Jabari or even threaten him, the same promise I made earlier applies." Only an idiot would get rid of Jabari. Jim knew how much of a cornerstone he was to the whole operation. Even he was aware they wouldn't have stood a chance in the beginning without him. Surely these idiots could figure that out.
"Sure, whatever. Just leave."
Jim sent them one last glare before he backed away. Not taking his eyes off them until they were no longer in sight. If this is what they wanted, fine. He'd do what was best. They should be self sufficient without him anyway, and this way, he was free.
A loud explosion rocked the canyon walls, jarring everyone from their sleep. Before anyone could get their bearings, Jim was up and moving with a handmade bow gripped in his hands, unperturbed by the situation. "Everyone, escape into the tunnels, I'll hold him off," he announced. He didn't even check for conformation before running out.
He slung the bow across his back, his feet hitting the ground without sound as he ran. He had a stone knife already out at the ready which he put into his mouth when he started to climb one of the ladders leading to one of the higher homes in the cliffs. Darting over gaps and scurrying across thin ledges, he stopped at a small ledge. In the dark he was hard to see, but the fire illuminated the place where he had set his traps. On the ledge, a pile of arrows awaited him. He drew the first one, scanning the area.
He caught sight of one man, his leg had been blown off, and he was crawling through the dirt towards his companion. He let his arrow fly. It pierced the chest of the uninjured man, probably just missing his heart, but a kill shot none the less. He fired his next shot at the crippled, aiming a bit too high. The arrow penetrated the man's skull. They both collapsed into the dirt at the same time.
It looked like a scouting unit, probably checking to see if the natives had anything they could use. As Jim thought, the guilt that had been keeping them away didn't last long. Still he spotted three bodies. Two he killed and one who had been caught in his explosion. If he was sending out a scouting unit, he would usually send out four. Three if it was an emergency or lacked man power. He wasn't disappointed. One had slipped past his trap, and he had found him.
Jim barely had time to dodge the knife coming down at him. He blocked it with his forearm, causing the bow and several of the arrows to topple over the ledge. The knife went through the tissue protruding to the other side. A grunt barely left his lips, as Jim's right hand felt for his own knife that had fallen from his mouth during the attack. He tore his left arm away, knife still firmly lodged in it. The knife tore through more muscle, but the man who wouldn't relinquish the hold on his knife, followed it, leaving him open.
The captain stabbed his chest, twisting as he pulled out to follow through with a slash across his throat. The attacker's hold slackened on his knife, his body going slack as he fell forward onto Jim. For good measure, he kicked the attacker's body over the ledge and listened for a satisfying crunch.
He laid there, catching his breath and waiting for the adrenaline to subside as well as listened for any other intruders. He heard approaching footsteps. Sitting up, and ignoring the pain, his fingers searched for his bow. Cursing, he tried to find a phaser. Anything. All he had were the two knives. Well, he survived worse odds.
He pulled out the knife in his arm without so much as making a sound, his eyes surveying the area. With just as much speed and efficiency, he made his way back down to ground level, staying in the shadows, accept, the footsteps were coming from the direction he had come from. It didn't even occur to him that it could have been his crew until he had grabbed Lieutenant Uhura by her hair and had a knife to her neck.
"Jim!"
"Captain!"
A part of him must have known deep down even if he didn't consciously know. His hand didn't follow through with giving the Lieutenant a Columbian necktie after he had grabbed her. He knew his people. Would never actively harm them if he had his hands on them whether he knew what he was doing or not. His kids would have known that. Would have known that the rush from a life and death struggle would send the participants on edge and would not have approached until rationality took over fighting instinct. And they knew that Jim had enough control that even in that state, he would never harm them even if it seemed like he wasn't all there.
He released Uhura with a sigh, not seeing anything particularly wrong. They had startled him and hadn't followed orders. It was only expected that he react in that way.
Decker grabbed the lieutenant's arm, pulling her away from Jim as if he would attack again. Even McCoy was looking wary of him as Spock supported him.
Why were they staring at him like that?
He felt Luca take his hand standing behind him.
"Captain, what happened here?" The commodore asked, surveying the wreckage, his eyes calculating.
"They set off my trap. I came and finished them off. "
"You caused the explosion?"
"Yes sir." Jim said, back straight. "There is a sulfur deposit close to where we found you. I managed to create some gunpowder with it and created a mine. Two got caught in the explosion, one died instantly, I managed to finish two off with a bow and arrow and the fourth caught me by surprise. I managed to get him before he could get me," Jim reported.
Decker frowned then turned to Commander Spock. "Commander, what is your mission?"
Spock was rigid, more so than usual as if he didn't want to answer the question. "To survey the planetary situation and rescue the survivors," he replied.
"Are preemptive attacks part of rescuing the survivors?"
Jim, his brain finally catching up to him, panicked. "With all due respect sir, you have been here long enough to know what scouts are for. Guerilla warfare and scouting out for food which tend to be one and the same."
"Or perhaps they were searching for help, Kirk. They had done nothing to us. Not only are you setting deadly traps, but are actively hunting those who you're supposed to be helping!"
"I am keeping us alive!" he shouted back, eyes flashing dangerously. "I know innocent people and they were here to either kill who they found or report back to send more."
"Captain. I believe you are emotionally compromised and can no longer handle the responsibility of this mission," Decker stated. "Doctor, what is your diagnosis on your captain? Do you think he's emotionally compromised?"
"I am not emotionally compromised!" Jim yelled back. He turned his eyes onto his friend for help. "Bones?"
"Well, all things considered, I think everyone's emotionally compromised," he grumbled. "I mean with the hell hole we're in─"
"Doctor," the commodore interjected. "I want a straight answer and be aware that you are held to the oath of being a Starfleet officer and a doctor. Now, what is your assessment?"
McCoy looked guilty, closing his eyes before he spoke. "The captain has shown emotional instability with large amounts of anxiety, paranoia, and survivor guilt with addition of withdrawing from his friends, difficulty sleeping, and obliging obsessive compulsions."
Jim's eyes became wide and hurt as he listened to his best friend list off everything wrong with him.
With haste, McCoy tried to add, "But due to the circumstances and Jim's past, I believe he is fit for─"
"I believe you made my point that Kirk is unfit for command, doctor, thank you. As the highest in command, I am relieving you of command."
Jim looked at Spock, almost helpless. "Spock? You don't agree with them, right? Tell them I'm fine."
Spock was looking off into the distance. "You are a good leader, Captain."
Spock didn't say it. Couldn't say it. Cause Vulcan's couldn't lie. Spock believed . . .
Jim grew angry and the hurt was searing in his chest. "Traitors. All of you traitors." He glared at them, taking a step forward. "I will not lose command!"
"It is done, Kirk!" Decker bellowed back. "You will step down from your command of this mission or do you wish to lose your title of Captain too?"
"No," he ground out. He turned his hurt eyes to Spock before they grew angry. "But I won't let you get them killed either." He picked up his bow.
"You are a danger to us, Captain, and to any potential survivors. Are you going to stand down?"
"Oh, I'll stand down," he whispered, picking up the phaser. "Do what you want." Jim turned to leave.
"Spock, do something," McCoy hissed.
Spock took two steps forward when Decker's voice stopped him. "You will stay where you are, Commander, unless you will disobey a direct order." Spock immediately stopped.
Jim shot him a look over his shoulder as he kept walking, Luca at his heels. He turned and kneeled in front of the boy. "Stay with them."
"No. I don't trust them," he said, clutching Jim's shit. "They don't trust you."
"Trust me. Stay close to Spock," he turned heated eyes onto his first officer. They couldn't hear him with the distance, but he was still pissed at them. He wanted them to know.
"He betrayed you! He was supposed to be your friend, and he's letting you go!"
"Luca," he said calmly, putting his hands on his shoulders. "Spock is ruled by logic. He can't go against regulations. It's who he is," he said sadly. "But you'll be safer with them. Spock is protective, and he's strong. If things go to hell, he'll come find me and protect you."
"Jim," Luca's eyes watered. "Don't leave me. Please. Don't leave me by myself again," he said through a choked sob.
"Luca," he said softly. "I will be back. Stick by Spock's side. He won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
The boy wiped at his eyes. "Yes sir."
"Good boy." Jim watched the child make his way back to them, sticking next to Spock's side. He nodded at Luca then Spock before continuing on his way, not looking back.
It was easy surviving on his own. He didn't have to worry about anyone but himself, it was simple to acquire food for one, and he didn't have to share, but all too often his thoughts drifted back to the children. How were they doing? Did anyone die? Were they happier without him?
He had been tempted to check on them. Repeatedly. Each time he refrained. They didn't need him. It was stupid to worry. He was alone now. He had to accept that.
It was just another day of survival, when Jabari ran through the trees. His shoulder was bleeding heavily if the blood soaked bandage had anything to say. On his good shoulder, he had two phaser rifles. "Jim," he panted, shrugging off one of the guns. "The camp."
That was all Jabari needed to say. In the next heartbeat, Jim grabbed the rifle, and they were on the move. The camp was only half an hour away. And it was a good thing too. Jabari lead him to a hill overlooking the camp and both climbed into a tree, rifles handy. Through the scope, he could see the chaos, and his stomach churned. Bodies everywhere, both guards and his kids.
He sniped.
He took out whoever came into his path while Jabari shot anyone who tried to take a shot at Jim. In the confusion, Jim and Jabari took out most of the unit, and when there was only a few left, they scurried down the tree and helped the survivors kill them off, but the damage was done. The camp was destroyed. Most of the supplies lost.
There were 29 when Jim had left. Now, there were only 14. Among them …
"Aramis," Jim said, seething. "What the hell did you do!"
"I …I…" He was shaking, his body bruised and bleeding, but overall okay. "The enemy camp was right there. They had so much food. I just thought─"
He was struck with the butt of Jim's rifle, breaking his nose. "You fucktard! Do you know why I kept saying no? Because we've been a thorn in their side. We had drawn too much attention to ourselves, and so they set a trap! It was obvious! With that many goods, they should have had at least triple their guard. It was too damn easy. They just wanted you to take it. They wanted to know where our camp was!"
Aramis looked up in tears. "I didn't know."
"I fucking told you! You just didn't want to believe." Jim was putting his finger on the trigger. "And what the fuck Jabari! You let them?"
"I disagreed," he said calmly, the only one not afraid of Jim's wrath. "When they took the food, and they decided to head straight back to camp, I came to seek you out as quickly as I could."
Jim looked around, taking in the destruction. Of the wounded and of the small terrified faces.
He looked back at Aramis. He felt nothing but rage. A need to wrap his hands around that thin neck and strangle him. "Leave."
"Wh-what?" Aramis looked up startled. "You can't kick me out. I'll die out there by myself."
He pointed his gun at the boy's legs legs. "I survived, and you put my kids in danger. Got them killed. I suggest you leave before I beat you until you can no longer breathe."
"But-"
He fired in between his legs. "Five. Four." The teen scrambled to his legs, running for the tree line without another warning. "And I suggest," he said raising his voice. "That any other teen who went along with Aramis leave before I find you."
Two more scuttled away. He paid them no attention. He should have been here. He shouldn't have given up his command. They were dead. So many dead. Only eleven left. What had he done? He should have been here.
"Jim?"
Kirk looked at his right hand blankly. Like something inside him was lost or broken. "Get ready to move, take note of all injuries and what we have left." His voice sounded distant, like he was moving on autopilot.
"Jim?"
"Are you going to take command from me too?" Jim asked quietly, still dazed.
Jabari stood still for a long time before he whispered, "No."
"Then do what I say."
Jabari bowed his head. "Whatever you say."
So I used Klingon and French in this chapter. Don't say I never researched anything to give you quality entertainment.
taHqeq means man without honor, someone you can't trust
lay'jIH means I promise.
The French are curse words. I don't actually remember them except the last one means "Fuck your mother." Yup quality entertainment right here.
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I need to know if people are actually reading this. Cause I totally prioritize my attention on story popularity and Game Over beats this hands down and nothing's happened in it yet.