Chapter 6

Darkness…. Voices…. Pain…..

Kirk slowly opened his eyes to a white mass above him. He shot upright from the bed he was lying down on, but cringed at the pain and slowly lowered himself back down. It was just the white ceiling of the sickbay that he had woken up to. He wasn't dead. The voices belonged to Doctor McCoy and Mr. Spock, who were whispering to each other at the foot of his bed.

"Déjà vu." Kirk thought.

Kirk's swift movements in bed caught the eyes of McCoy and Spock who quickly sat on either side of Kirk's bed and began their interrogation of the mysterious events of the previous night.

"Jim are you okay? How are you feeling?" McCoy asked.

"Well, my body still feels like it's on fire. And I don't know why I'm in sickbay, Bones?"

McCoy and Spock glanced at each other.

"Captain, are you proposing that you don't remember anything that happened the previous night?" Spock asked. Kirk looked puzzled at the question, and the other two knew that Kirk wasn't lying.

"Spock, exactly what happened to me last night."

"From the looks of it Captain you were having some sort of mental break down, a seizure possibly." Spock replied.

"Seizure, Mr. Spock?"

"Jim! Have you honestly forgotten what happened? You wouldn't stop screaming and thrashing until I gave you three vials of tranquilizers! You were in pain, and you were conscious of it, I'm positive. That was no seizure you had last night." McCoy said shuddering at the memory.

"Pain? Screaming? I don't remember doing any of those things last night."

"Might I enquire as to what you do remember since last night Captain?" Spock asked.

Kirk paused, struggling to remember. "Well, I was talking to Bones here when I asked him to leave so I could rest. Then I went to bed, and that's all I can remember. I thought I had slept through the whole night, but then I woke up here in sickbay." Kirk stopped to look at his two friends. They were looking at him in an odd way, as if he were sprouting a second head. "Look you two. Are you sure it was me who you saw having that fit?"

"If you don't believe us just look at your arms." Said McCoy.

Kirk did so, and noticed for the first time the bandages that were tightly wrapped around his arms, and that he was in his black undershirt. He began to unwrap the bandages against the protests of Spock and McCoy. The sight sickened him, and he quickly looked away in shock. It was as if someone had taken a sharp blade, and dug it along the lengths of his arms. The scratches were deeply encrusted with blood that had darkened to a black.

He slowly lifted his eyes and met the gaze of the other two officers. "A-And you're sure I did this to myself." Kirk asked.

"Affirmative." Said Spock, "However, if it was a seizure you experienced, memory loss would be expected."

"I already said that that was no seizure Spock."

"Perhaps it was a seizure Doctor."

"I don't know what that was, but I know that it was no seizure!!"

"You must have some idea as to what it was Bones!" Kirk demanded.

"Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor! Not a physic!"

There was a long pause between the three; they were all deep in their own thoughts.

"How long have I been here for?" Kirk asked.

"Twelve hours, and thirteen minutes." Spock answered. McCoy sighed at Spock's calmness. Another pause.

"Jim. Did you really forget everything that happened last night?" McCoy asked exasperatedly.

"If I had remembered would I really be this confused?!" Kirk shouted. There was that rude sense of humor again. Spock seemed to notice this as well.

"Captain, I sense some hostility in your voice. Perhaps now would be the best time to perform further tests on your body for-"

"Dammit you two there's nothing wrong with me!!!" Kirk yelled, taking the other two completely by surprise, the shock clear in their faces. Before either of them could respond, Kirk continued, "Now, I'm feeling much better, and I'm returning to my post immediately!" and he made to get up at this, but the other two held him down firmly.

"Jim, are you out of your mind? Something's wring with you, and you know it! First you pass out on the planet's surface after that thing bit you, and ever since you've been on the edge with everyone! And now you can't even remember what happened last night! I've got to find out what's wrong with you!"

"As your Captain I'm ordering you to-"

"And as senior medic on this ship, I declare you too disturbed to return to your post without further examination!"

Kirk glared, a murderous glare full of hate, but McCoy held his gaze. Kirk turned to look at his first officer. "Spock, please let me go."

"Negative, Captain. You are too ill to work, and I cannot allow you to strain yourself."

Kirk managed to force his way out of bed, and began to walk away when Spock grasped his shoulder to stop him. "Captain-" He began, but Kirk suddenly whirled around and slapped Spock on the face with all his might. Spock was thrust back from the force, and landed on his back on the ground. Spock's face was red, and stinging. He stared at his Captain, his friend in disbelief.

"If either of you two try to stop me, or tell anyone else, I will have you arrested and tried for disobeying direct orders from your Captain." Kirk threatened.

And with that, he walked away, leaving Spock and McCoy too stunned to react.