"Sulu! Sulu – can you hear me?" McCoy – he must be just outside the blocked entrance to the cave, from the sound of his voice.

Hikaru doesn't answer him.

Now you show up, you son of a bitch? Too late to help Pavel – and too late for me, too. I'm done. Screw you.

"Sulu – dammit, answer me, man!"

No. Not leaving Pavel.

He tries to shout, "Go away!" It comes out, not as words, but as a senseless, guttural croak torn from his throat.

Voice doesn't work, legs don't work, everything hurts so damn much – this has got to end soon, doesn't it? And it is just so fucking hot in this cave.

What a stupid-ass place to die.

He hears McCoy again – why aren't you giving up, asshole? Time to give up, don't you know that? "Spock." The doctor's voice has an edge of desperation. "Can you go in there and try to reach him?"

Spock sounds as calm as always. "I shall make the attempt, Doctor."

No. Hikaru gathers all his dwindling strength to speak...

"Leave me alone, Spock. Go away – leave us here. I'm staying here with Chekov. He's – he's just a kid. He hates to be by himself. He doesn't like it in the dark. It was my job to take care of him. I'm not leaving him, do you understand me?"

Spock seems confused. "Lieutenant, we would not ask this of you. But you must –"

"GO AWAY!" Hikaru hurls this at Spock with all the force left in his rapidly-weakening body – and amazingly, Spock is gone.

"What the hell was that all about, Spock?" The doctor's voice sounds rough, worried.

"Lieutenant Sulu is under the impression that we will require him to leave Ensign Chekov behind in the place where they are both trapped. He will not go without him, and was adamant that I go away and leave him to die with the ensign."

"To die... with Pavel? You mean..."

"The lieutenant gives me the impression that Ensign Chekov... has expired."

McCoy is uncharacteristically quiet; Hikaru can barely hear him through whatever is blocking the cave entrance – and through the pain that is screaming into his head like fire. "Ah, God. And Sulu won't leave him in there by himself, is that it?"

"That is indeed the case, doctor. The lieutenant feels strongly that it was his responsibility to keep Ensign Chekov safe, and that his... death seems to reflect a failure on his part."

"So... what, then? Does Sulu think I'm going to just leave him to die?"

"That, doctor, seems to be his wish."

"Which explains the readings I'm able to get on him for the time being, I guess. His body systems are shutting down, now, one by one. Sounds to me like he's given up, and is more or less letting himself die."

"What do you suggest, doctor?"

"I'd say it's pretty obvious. We have to get Chekov for him, and damn soon."

That probably makes sense – if they come in to get him, they can bring Pavel out, too, can't they? Hikaru doesn't really know why that didn't occur to him before; his thoughts aren't doing what he wants them to – not at all.

Not that it matters. They won't manage to get to him in time, either, at this rate – he's just done.

Then the shaking starts again around him – God, it hurts, make it stop – and Hikaru isn't sure whether he feels himself screaming or hears it before he's sucked down into swirling heat and darkness.

He doesn't hear McCoy calling him, or his tense words to Spock.

"Go. Get Chekov. Now."